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Episode #1228: The day after Christmas, Kyle flies solo with Brian Benstock to talk 2026 strategy. Benstock’s take: the year will bring “difficulty mixed with opportunities,” and dealers who prepare now—especially around affordability messaging and trade-cycle tech—will be ready when the tide comes in.

• Benstock is bullish on 2026: lower inflation and easing interest-rate pressure should help affordability, which benefits dealers, OEMs, and the broader economy.
  • He applauds policy moves that reduce EV mandates and questions consumer-subsidized EV incentives, arguing adoption should be driven by product superiority, not taxpayers.
  • “Set up your fishing nets during low tide.” Benstock urges leaders to prepare teams now—process, messaging, and mindset—so they can capitalize quickly when demand rises.
  • Trade-cycle management is the big unlock: real-time equity awareness + timely, personalized offers could move customers like telecom upgrades do—same payment, newest model.
  • The blocker is vendor fragmentation: hundreds of tools that don’t integrate, plus “toll booths” that limit data flow. Benstock calls integration the next frontier.

0:00 Intro with Kyle Mountsier
 1:46 Brian Benstock joins the show
 3:26 Why Benstock is bullish on the 2026 economy
 7:12 How dealers should prepare during “low tide”
 8:36 Why trade-cycle management is the next frontier
 12:45 How affordability messaging can grow SAR

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Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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