On this episode, Kaylee Felio sits down with Brian Fox, Director of Parts Operations at Barnes Crossing Auto Group a 16-location powerhouse serving the South. Brian Fox gets candid about his unique journey into automotive, from missionary work in Croatia to entering the car business through marriage (literally). Together, they break down the realities of dealership life, the hidden opportunities in fixed ops, and why process and empowering people—matter way more than job titles. Whether you’re a parts manager, aspiring director, or enthusiast for automotive innovation, this episode is packed with practical playbooks and a few hearty laughs.

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Takeaways

1. Start with Systems, Not Just People

2. Empower at Every Level

3. Slow Down to Speed Up

Chapters

00:01 – Kaylee Felio: Intro to the Parts Edge Podcast & fixed ops focus

00:24 – Brian Fox: Welcome, role details, Barnes Crossing’s regional footprint

01:12 – Brian Fox: How he married into auto—mission trips, long-distance, first dealership visit

03:28 – Brian Fox: The “Lion King” moment, inspirational family business story

04:04 – Brian Fox: First exposure was as a vendor & NADA Academy before ever working in a store

06:10 – Brian Fox: Jump to used car manager, Carmigo auctions, then parts—year on the counter

08:42 – Kaylee Felio, Brian Fox: The power and limitations of on-the-counter learning

09:07 – Brian Fox: Discovering the lack of processes—drive for building resources and SOPs

13:19 – Kaylee Felio, Brian Fox: The opportunity in parts, visibility, and Google Drive

14:41 – Kaylee Felio: Tech talk—software, focus, and the limits of current parts tools

15:51 – Brian Fox: Once set up, parts can flow—automation, AI’s potential for accounting

17:19 – Kaylee Felio: AI in shopping, robots delivering parts, and future trends

20:00 – Kaylee Felio, Brian Fox: Brian’s background before auto—philosophy, missionary work, detail training

21:17 – Brian Fox: Applying “min-max” efficiency mindset, gaming concepts to fixed ops

25:13 – Kaylee Felio, Brian Fox: Quirks, languages, wrestling, and family dynamics in the business

26:59 – Kaylee Felio, Brian Fox: What’s next for 2026—system over hustle and the future potential in fixed ops

29:14 – Kaylee Felio: Wrap-up and thanks

Kaylee Felio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayleefelio

Website: https://www.partsedge.com