InsideAuto Podcast

Steve Pearson is the CEO at Friendemic, a company that specializes in online reputation tools for car dealers and automotive brands. Before joining Friendemic, Steve spent several years working in the digital space. At McKinsey and Company in Silicon Valley, he consulted with some of the largest players in the industry and focused on process changes to improve customer experience.

Steve also spent time at Vector Capital in San Francisco and most recently, he was part of the Channel Sales group at Google, helping small and medium-sized businesses access and profit from digital marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Brigham Young University and a Master's of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

For any car dealership to attract more customers and increase sales, it's important to use the right lead generation strategies. Some of the platforms that dealers use to market their business include their own company websites as well as other sites like Google My Business, Yelp, Car.com, and social media sites like Instagram and Facebook.

Using platforms like these allows customers to leave reviews after purchasing from a car dealer, although there may be concerns with information transparency. Enter, Friendemic. The team at Friendemic has created a model where they help customers provide reviews or feedback for products they've purchased while also ensuring that customer service and reputation is maintained.

In this week's episode of the Inside Auto Podcast, Ilana Shabtay talks to Steve Pearson, the CEO at Friendemic, about the social and reputation management impacts of car dealerships. They discuss the importance of responding to online reviews, how COVID-19 has shifted customer behavior—and consequently, Friendemic's business, and how to improve a dealer's online presence.

Jack Nerad has spent decades in the automotive industry as a journalist, author, and consultant. His past experience includes serving as Editor at Motor Trend magazine, Editor of Automotive Age, and the Director of Publications at J.D. Power and Associates. He is the host of the America on the Road podcast and most recently authored the book, The GR Factor.

Stephen Gabbara is the General Manager at Szott Ford. His background is in electrical engineering and landed in the automotive industry by accident—leading to great success. Since 1992, he has been helping people successfully navigate the second largest purchase they'll likely ever make. As a manager, his priorities have now shifted to focus on elevating the reputation of the car salesman, empowering women within the industry, and recruiting and mentoring talented newcomers.

Have you heard? There's a new car in town: the Ford Bronco Sport.

There has been a lot of talk recently about Ford's latest release. The Bronco brand has been around for years and the reviews for their newest version are spilling in from far and wide. Among those are experts like Jack Nerad and Stephen Gabbara. For them, the Ford Bronco Sport has some features and accessories that lend itself to a comparison with the Jeep brand—and so far, there's a lot to like about it.

In this week's episode of the Inside Auto Podcast, Ilana Shabtay is joined by Jack Nerad and Stephen Gabbara to review the new Ford Bronco Sport. They share their different perspectives of the car, compare it to the Jeep brand, and talk about Ford's move to provide accessories in their cars.

Sherry Schultz is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Walser Automotive Group. She has a storied career spanning several different industries, with experience as the SVP Chief Human Resources Officer at Advantage Opco LLC - Catalyst Capital and the VP of Talent Acquisition and Chief Diversity Officer at Sears Holdings Corporation. Before that, she was the Global Talent Director at The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and VP of Human Resources at The Pepsi Bottling Group.

Colton Ray is the Chief Merchandising Officer at Walser Automotive Group. He's worked his way up through every level of the automotive universe and has held positions on both the vendor and dealer side. Before working at Walser Automotive Group, he was the New Car Sales and Marketing Manager at Wayzata Nissan and the Regional Sales Manager at eXteres Corp.

In most dealerships, everyone's motivation is focused on compensation. However, Sherry Schultz, the Chief Merchandising Officer at Walser Automotive Group, and Colton Ray, Walser's Chief Merchandising Officer, know that people are actually a company's greatest commodity. This means one thing: taking care of your people—both employees and customers—is the key to increasing your profits.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay are joined by Sherry Schultz, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Walser Automotive Group, and Colton Ray, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Walser. Sherry and Colton talk about their career journeys and their current roles at Walser Automotive Group. You'll also hear about the importance of core values, the role of a dealership in its community, and how automotive marketing continues to innovate.

Matt Lasher is the Director of Marketing at West Herr Automotive Group and has over 14 years of marketing experience. Currently, West Herr Automotive Group is the largest automotive group in New York with 26 (soon to be 27) locations. Matt manages and facilitates marketing for all of the group's stores and is responsible for overseeing the company website, social, content creation, online reputation management, and much more.

As technology continues to advance and influence the car buying process, dealers need to make sure they are still cultivating relationships with the people in their communities. Matt Lasher, the Director of Marketing at West Herr Automotive Group, believes that consumers still want to buy a car from someone that they trust, so dealerships need to focus on the customer experience now more than ever.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay are joined by Matt Lasher, the Director of Marketing at West Herr Automotive Group. Matt shares his career journey and how he got involved in the automotive industry. He also discusses the marketing challenges that dealerships face, talks about how technology is influencing the customer experience, and provides his insights into the future of automotive marketing.

Melanie Borden is the Vice President of Marketing at Celebrity Motor Car Company, where she develops and implements all facets of the marketing and advertising strategy—and single-handedly built the in-house advertising agency. She has over 14 years of marketing experience and has spent the majority of her career in the automotive tech industry. Melanie has also worked for social media startups and a public tech company, where she worked in consulting, marketing, and business development roles.

Establishing your brand online is a crucial part of your company's success. But with so much competition today, how do you ensure that your company stands out from the rest?

Melanie Borden, the Vice President of Marketing at Celebrity Motor Car Company, believes that there are two important elements to consider when creating your brand online: authenticity and connection.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as Ilana Shabtay talks with Melanie Borden, the Vice President of Marketing at Celebrity Motor Car Company. Melanie provides her insights into successfully building your brand on social media. She also shares her advice for creating engaging content, discusses the importance of having a social media plan, and talks about the best platforms for promoting your brand.

Natalie Born is the Founder and Chief Disruptor of Innovation Meets Leadership and the Vice President of Innovation for Territory Global. Before innovation consulting, she was the Senior Vice President of Business Development at an automotive mar-tech firm.

With over 15 years of experience leading product development teams and two approved U.S. patents under her belt, Natalie helps organizations create products with their customer at the center of the design. She is also a keynote speaker and the host of The Innovation Meets Leadership Podcast.

As a leader, it's important to create a culture where your organization is constantly learning, growing, and getting better. Natalie Born, the Founder and Chief Disruptor of Innovation Meets Leadership, believes that the ability to "disrupt yourself before you're disrupted" is the key to promoting innovation and staying ahead of the trends that are happening in your industry.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as Ilana Shabtay is joined by Natalie Born, the Founder and Chief Disruptor of Innovation Meets Leadership. Natalie discusses her role as an innovation consultant and her experience leading product development teams. She also provides her insights into overcoming business challenges, instilling a culture of innovation within your organization, and the value of mentorship.

Jack R. Nerad is an award-winning writer, editor, and consultant with decades of experience in the automotive industry. He currently writes, edits, and provides editorial consulting services for websites like forbes.com, drivingtoday.com, autobytel.com, and caranddriver.com.

In addition to writing countless articles, features, and road tests, Jack is the author of several books, including The Complete Idiot's Guide to Buying or Leasing a Car and The GR Factor. He is also the host of the podcast, America on the Road. Before becoming an independent consultant, Jack was the Editor of Motor Trend magazine, the Editor of Automotive Age, and the Director of Publications at J.D. Power and Associates.

There is no question that COVID-19 has required industries across the board to pivot if they want to meet the needs of their customers. Jack R. Nerad, a writer, editor, and consultant with decades of automotive industry experience, knows that COVID-19 has impacted the automotive sector in several ways—especially when it comes to the future of the car buying process.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as Ilana Shabtay is joined by writer, editor, and consultant Jack R. Nerad. Jack provides his insights into the automotive industry and how COVID-19 has accelerated online car buying. He also discusses his predictions for the future of the industry, shares a story about his most recent car buying experience, and talks about his new book, The GR Factor.

Colin Carrasquillo is the Digital Marketing Manager at Nielsen Automotive Group, a dealership group with seven locations throughout northern New Jersey. Colin is a self-proclaimed "experimarketer," which refers to an individual that creates, innovates, and appreciates ways for marketers to create new opportunities for businesses. He is also the host of the Experimarketing podcast, where he discusses advertising trends and tools with thought leaders in the automotive space. Above all, Colin aims to educate dealers about effective advertising by thinking outside the box—and positively impacting their bottom line.

All dealerships want to sell more cars. But with so many places to invest your resources, how do you decide where to spend your money when it comes to advertising? Colin Carrasquillo, the Digital Marketing Manager at Nielsen Automotive Group, knows that using data to make informed decisions about your advertising is the key to cutting costs—and ultimately selling more vehicles.

Join Aharon Horwitz in this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as he talks to Colin Carrasquillo, the Digital Marketing Manager at Nielsen Automotive Group. Colin discusses his career journey and shares his powerful insight on digital marketing in the automotive space. He also talks about the platforms that are uncharted by dealers, discusses why creating authentic content is important, and explains the idea behind his podcast, Experimarketing.

Owen Moon is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fixed Ops Digital, an automotive service solutions company focused on driving more service-focused traffic to a dealership's website while giving service customers a better online experience.

Over the past 20 years, Owen has helped dealerships sell more cars and drive more service revenue with traditional and digital marketing strategies. He's been a speaker at automotive industry events like Digital Dealer, Innovative Dealer Summit, and the Fixed Ops Conference. Owen is also a content contributor for publications like Auto Success and Modern Dealership.

Showcasing your services is an important part of bringing traffic to your dealership. If you don't call attention to your service offers online, your customers will quickly move on to another service center that will meet their needs.

Owen Moon, the CEO and Co-Founder of Fixed Ops Digital, knows that dealerships see better results when they focus on their service department. So, how do you do this?

Join Ilana Shabtay in this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as she sits down with Owen Moon, the CEO and Co-Founder of Fixed Ops Digital. Owen shares his career journey and what he's learned from working with car dealerships over the past 20 years. He also discusses how he pioneered fixed ops strategies in the automotive space, shares his advice for dealerships and their service departments, and talks about what the automotive industry can expect for 2021.

Laurie Halter is the Owner of Charisma! Communications, a boutique PR agency specializing in the automotive, HR, hospitality, and technology industries. Her unique working relationships have scored her multiple hits in top publications, like Automotive News, Internet Retailing, Consumer Digest, and The Wall Street Journal.

Laurie is also the host of Carearing, where she explores work/life balance issues for leading women. While she's passionate about business and entrepreneurship, her true motivation for getting out of bed in the morning lies elsewhere: in sharing her experience balancing work, life, and motherhood.

There's something important that we need to ask ourselves when it comes to building your business: who do you want to work with?

Laurie Halter, the Owner of Charisma! Communications, believes that knowing your worth and letting go of the fear around ending professional relationships are key to growing your business.

Join Ilana Shabtay in this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as she talks to Laurie Halter, the Owner of Charisma! Communications. Laurie shares her experience from two decades in the automotive industry and her advice for building a business. She also discusses what it's like to be a woman in the automotive space, shares the number one trend in the industry today, and reveals her PR secrets. Learn more about Laurie and her expertise in work, life, and motherhood in the resources section below.