ConnectedPodcast

This week, Greg sits down with two of the most energizing voices in retail automotive: Fred Lennartz and Lou Ramirez, founders of Certified Solutionaries and hosts of the Car Guy Coffee Podcast.

These two bring more than just caffeine to the conversation. Their approach to automotive leadership is personal, practical, and rooted in optimism — and it’s refreshing.

They cover:

-Why forgiveness is the first step toward progress.

-What ego-free collaboration looks like in the dealership world.

-How to stay energized when the grind gets real.

Fred and Lou don't preach buzzwords, instead they share real stories from their careers, dealerships they’ve helped, and their own struggles. They remind us that building culture and lifting people up can be just as important as selling cars.

Today on Connected, it's Russell Richardson, aka Russ Flips Whips!

Russell has built a really impressive online presence across platforms, founding RFW Training and establishing himself as an expert at the intersection of automotive and social media. We dive into Russell's background building up his social media success and his advice for any individuals or dealerships trying to build up a presence of their own.

Three tips from Russell:

1.) Be consistent and authentic when building your personal brand.

2.) Don't overthink it - just start creating and the rest will come together.

3.) Strategically align personal and dealership brands to benefit everyone.

Today on Connected, our guest is Brad Gelber, director of marketing at West Herr Auto Group in Buffalo, New York.

Brad has an extensive background in marketing and journalism, and is passionate about giving back to the city he grew up in.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

-Making the most of celebrity partnerships.

-The importance of highlighting players as people in brand marketing.

-The value of contributing to the community you belong to.

This week on Connected, Greg's talking with Joe Pytel, general manager of LaFontaine Volkswagen of Dearborn and LaFontaine Hyundai of Dearborn.

Greg and Joe caught up after a recent launch event at the Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA) office in Auburn Hills, MI, where a GoMoto kiosk was installed and LaFontaine began providing mobile service to VWGoA employees.

Joe summed up the purpose of mobile service perfectly: "It makes things seamless, convenient, and efficient for the customer." He and Greg explored that and other topics like:

-LaFontaine's journey with mobile service so far.

-Mobile service as a training tool for new technicians.

-Partnering with rental car companies as a mobile service opportunity.

On today's Connected, Elgie Bright returns for a conversation with Greg!

Elgie is the chair of the automotive marketing and management program at Northwood University, has an impressive background in the automotive industry, and is dedicated to helping those interested in entering the field.

This time around, he and Greg discuss:

-The President's Freedom Celebration and International Auto Show at Northwood.

-The importance of having strong values and leaning into them.

-Relationship building and connection within the industry.

On this episode of Connected, Greg sits down with Nathan Shaver, a dealer at Shaver Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Nathan is a fifth-generation automotive dealer and has a great vision for the industry's growth.

It's clear Nathan has a passion for what's new in automotive technology and how it can impact his business. He and Greg touch on this and other interesting topics, including:

-How Nathan works to define a clear and concise strategy for his store as a new owner.

-Building buy-in with his team and how they prepare to operate more efficiently in this market.

-Creating new opportunities by identifying what’s next in automotive technology.

Today on Connected, Greg is joined by Lyle Dizon from AutoVision!

Lyle and Greg talk about AutoVision's AI assistant Avery, the innovation driving it forward, and some of the broader momentum building within AutoVision.

They get into:

-What's new with Avery and how it's evolving.

-The exciting things happening at AutoVision.

-Broader trends impacting digital retailing and inventory strategies.

On this episode of Connected, host Greg Uland sits down with Inga Maurer, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company. Inga leads McKinsey's work with dealerships, aftermarket players, and OEMs, keeping her very plugged into the automotive ecosystem.

She also recently co-authored an article titled "Boosting auto sales productivity: A playbook for excellence," and as soon as Greg read it, he wanted to have her on Connected to pick her brain on the topic of dealership efficiency.

Together, the two of them dig into the information in her article and dive deeper into topics like:

-AI as a means of boosting productivity and efficiency.

-Taking an end-to-end view on customer profitability.

-How new tariffs might impact the industry.

On today's Connected, Greg reconnects with Colin Carrasquillo, digital marketing manager at Nielsen Automotive Group. With over a decade of experience, Colin is always at the forefront of what's going on in automotive marketing.

Greg and Colin cover:

-How to measure success in marketing.

-Insights into creating vs. capturing demand and how to direct it to your stores.

-The four key elements that make up an impactful Customer Data Platform (CDP).

Today on Connected, Greg chats with Sam D'Arc, COO at Zeigler Auto Group and host of the Industry Spotlight podcast.

Sam regularly talks about how important it is to build a consistent culture at a large group like Zeigler with 41 stores and over 2500 employees. When asked how to build that culture, Sam says it breaks down to implementing intentional actions over a long period.

Some of his examples are:

-Ongoing leadership and development training supporting employees through their whole career.

-Leaders regularly sharing the direction and mission of the organization with all employees.

-Celebrating successes at every level throughout the dealership.