Keep The Change

What if the single decision that changes your entire life looks ordinary in the moment. What if the turning point in your career doesn’t feel like a turning point at all until years later. And what if the leader you become is shaped not by victory, but by what you choose to do when no one else is paying attention.

That is the heartbeat of today’s conversation with Chris Martinez CEO of  IgniteUps.Ai, and it is one of the most revealing episodes we’ve ever released.

Chris’s story is not a typical automotive success story. It is a blueprint for what happens when hunger meets humility, when bold choices collide with adversity, and when a leader learns to build people just as passionately as he builds numbers. The man has run massive stores, written bestselling books, built technology before the industry knew it needed it, and weathered personal storms that would level most of us. And yet, what he shares in this episode is not about bragging rights. It is about lessons. Real ones. Earned ones. The kind leaders rarely talk about.

This episode is not simply a conversation. It is a masterclass in building something meaningful from wherever you stand today. If you are a dealer, a leader, a salesperson, or someone trying to figure out how to take the next step in your life, the perspective inside this discussion will stay with you long after it ends.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Chris Martinez

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjmartinezatx

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

What if the biggest breakthroughs in your dealership weren’t hiding in new tech… but in the way you lead your people?

That’s exactly where today’s conversation goes and trust me, you’re going to feel this one.

In this episode, I sit down with someone who needs no introduction in automotive: David Long. A man whose leadership has shaped careers, transformed dealerships, and sparked movements like The Pandemic of Positivity and All Things Used Cars. David doesn’t just talk about leadership — he lives it with a clarity and conviction you don’t see every day.

What we get into in this conversation

This one goes deep into the heart of what separates dealerships that thrive from those barely hanging on, and David does not sugarcoat a thing. We talk about:

• Why leadership clarity is the #1 differentiator heading into 2026
• The one skill every automotive professional should master (but shockingly few do)
• Why so many dealers say they want growth but don’t have the discipline to earn it
• The real truth behind training and why skipping it is costing dealers more than they realize
• How David has opened over 100 buy centers and why most stores fail before they even start
• The exact framework he uses to help dealers buy cars at 85% cost-to-market without extra expenses or fancy tools
• Why the old-school “get ’em in” mentality is officially dead
• And the kind of leadership culture that actually turns people into high performers

This episode isn’t theory. It’s David, honest, sharp, experienced, and fully locked in on helping leaders become better leaders.

If you’re in automotive and you care about your people, your processes, or your performance… this conversation gives you something you can act on before the day ends.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with David Long

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjlong4/

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

What if the gap between the leader you think you are… and the leader your people actually experience… is wider than you realize?

That’s where we’re going today.

I’m Bart Nollenberger, and on this episode of Keep the Change, I’m sitting down with someone who has reshaped the way I look at leadership, purpose, and the quiet battles most leaders never talk about — my friend Bill Goodwin.

Bill’s a former pastor, a leadership coach, and the author of Priority Living. But labels don’t capture him. He’s one of those rare people who can look you in the eye, ask one question, and suddenly you’re rethinking your entire approach to life and influence.

So today, we poured some coffee and dug into the conversations leaders usually avoid — the kind that shift cultures, families, businesses, and everything in between.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear us explore:

•  Why some leaders run from honest feedback… and what that decision silently costs them.
•  What happens the moment you stop leading from your title and start leading from your truth.
•  The surprising impact of discovering your purpose and why most people never actually do it.
•  The real story behind the Purpose Factor assessments… and how they’ve been reshaping teams from the inside out.
•  A life-changing moment in Bill’s past that completely reframed the way he lives, leads, and serves today.
• The everyday habits that quietly drain leaders — and the “rhythm reset” that can change everything.

But here’s what makes this conversation special: Bill doesn’t give you theories. He gives you lived experience. Hard-earned wisdom. And a way of seeing yourself that feels both challenging and hopeful at the same time.

If you’ve been needing a reset… or even just permission to rethink what leadership looks like in this season of your life… press play.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Bill Goodwin

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-goodwin-priority-living/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prioritylivingconsultinggroup/

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

What if the biggest breakthroughs in your dealership have nothing to do with inventory, rates, or traffic, but everything to do with you?

In this solo episode, I pull back the curtain on the real mistakes managers make and the simple shifts that can completely transform your culture, your people, and your results.

Today we’re diving deep into material straight from my upcoming book, “Leadership in the Dealership: Mistakes Managers Make”. It is a collection of insights that comes from forty years inside showrooms, training rooms, crisis meetings, coaching sessions, and team huddles. Nothing here is theory. Everything here is lived experience.

What we explore in this episode

You will hear me unpack the most common leadership traps that quietly destroy momentum inside a dealership and the practical solutions that will help you build a culture you can be proud of. We walk through:

• Why failing to cast a clear vision kills more careers than a bad market
• The hard truth about avoiding tough conversations
• The difference between managing and leading
• Why toxic high performers are the biggest threat to your culture
• How structured daily training, accountability, and real coaching transform results
• The power of self awareness, vision, and personal growth

This episode is designed to help you look at your store, your people, and your leadership through a clearer lens. These are the quiet shifts that create massive change over time. The small decisions that alter culture. The everyday habits that elevate results.

If you want the free copy of the book before it releases, listen to the end and send me an email. I would love to put it in your hands.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

Ever wondered why some dealerships have record-breaking months while others, with the same tools and talent, can’t seem to sustain momentum?

In this solo episode of Keep The Change, Bart Nollenberger breaks down one of the most overlooked profit drivers in the car business: culture. Not the posters on the wall kind of culture, but the real stuff that shows up in how your people communicate, learn, and show up every single day.

A few weeks ago, Bart introduced us to the Cultural Impact Scorecard, a 360° assessment revealing what’s really going on inside a business. Today, he unpacks what those results actually mean—and why two key areas, communication and continuous learning, can quietly make or break your store’s performance.

You’ll hear Bart pull back the curtain on:

• What happens when leaders think they’re communicating but their teams disagree.
• Why training once a month doesn’t count as development (and what to do instead).
• The “3 Cs” that can instantly change how your team connects and collaborates.
• Real stories from dealerships that turned conflict into connection and profit.

If you’ve ever felt like your team knows what to do but just can’t seem to get aligned… this episode will hit home.

By the end, you’ll have a roadmap to build a culture that communicates, grows, and wins, without losing the people who make it possible.

So before you roll into another meeting or morning huddle, hit play.

This one might just change the way you lead.

Schedule your complimentary 15-minute strategy call: https://calendly.com/bartcoach/15min

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

If you’ve been in automotive longer than five minutes, you’ve probably heard the name Tom Stuker.

He’s the guy who literally invented the BDC. The guy who turned phone sales into an art form. The guy who logged 23 million miles training dealerships across the planet

And today, he’s on Keep the Change.

In this episode, I sit down with the legendary Tom Stuker, founder of Stuker Training, to unpack 50 years of real-world lessons about sales, leadership, and what it truly takes to build a business that sells cars instead of waiting for buyers to show up.

We talk about:

• Why most dealerships are still managing like it’s 1985 (and how to fix it).
• How to hire salespeople who actually want to sell, not just survive.
• The four pillars every retail leader should master if they want long-term success.
• Why your CRM is probably costing you money,and how to turn it into your biggest profit center.
• The mindset shift that separates high-performing stores from the rest of the pack.

Tom breaks down the systems, the scripts, and the hard truths every leader needs to hear, plus the practical ways to change the game starting tomorrow morning.

If you’re a GM, GSM, or just someone who’s tired of “theory” and ready for real-world leadership that moves the needle… this is your episode.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Tom Stuker

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomstuker/

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

Hey Keep The Changers, today’s episode might just change the way you look at leadership and culture forever.

I’ve been in the automotive business for over 40 years (yeah, I know… you can do the math), and one thing I’ve realized after all that time is this: the word “culture” never shows up in conversations inside low-performing stores.

They talk profit. They talk process. But they rarely talk people.

And yet, culture is the heartbeat of every thriving business. It’s the invisible force that shapes how people think, act, and interact, or as John Maxwell puts it, “You do what you’re going to do, that’s culture.”

In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on something that completely redefined how I lead: The Culture Scorecard.

This tool helps you see your business from the inside out, through the eyes of your people.

Because let’s be honest, if your team doesn’t feel safe, trusted, or heard… they’re not giving you their best.

If you’ve ever wondered why your culture isn’t clicking, or how to get your people fully engaged and aligned again… this one’s for you.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

What if the hardest parts of your story were actually the very things that could change lives?

In this episode of Keep the Change, I sit down with Westley Morris, and let me tell you, this conversation hit me straight in the gut in the best way possible. Westley’s story is raw, it’s real, and it’s packed with the kind of wisdom you can only earn the hard way.

We talk about:

• How to rebuild trust when life has shattered it.
• The “non-negotiables” that will carry you through storms when nothing else can.
• Why surrender isn’t weakness but the doorway to strength.
• The surprising way pain can transform into purpose.

There are moments in this episode where I just had to pause, sit back, and let it sink in. Westley doesn’t sugarcoat the struggles, but he also doesn’t leave you there. What he shares about turning setbacks into stepping stones will make you rethink the way you’re living right now.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your story still matters… or if change is even possible when the odds are stacked against you… this is the episode you need to hear.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Westley Morris

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westley.morris/

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

What if being introverted wasn’t a weakness to “fix,” but a strength to lead with?

In this episode, my guest is Antoinette Griffin, a leadership coach, trainer, and faculty member with Maxwell Leadership who specializes in communication and human behavior. You’ve probably seen her on some of the biggest Maxwell stages, but what makes her story powerful is that she started out terrified of public speaking. Today, she’s teaching leaders around the world how to thrive by leaning into who they really are.

We dive into:

• The surprising strengths introverts bring to leadership and communication
• Why extroverts (like me!) often misunderstand introverts, and how to bridge that gap
• The difference between “speaking to think” and “thinking to speak” (this one hit me hard)
• Why communication, not just strategy is the make-or-break factor in families, businesses, and teams
• How Antoinette overcame shyness and stage fright to become a sought-after speaker and coach

If you’ve ever wondered how to bridge the gap between introverts and extroverts or if you want to become a better communicator no matter your style, this conversation will give you tools you can put to work right away.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Antoinette Griffin

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinette-griffin-95a6209/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antoinettegriffincoach/?hl=en

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching

What if the difference between where you are and where you want to be comes down to one word—discipline?

In this episode I sit down with my good friend Dr. Patrick Davitt, a John Maxwell certified coach, professor, author, ultra-endurance athlete, and all-around powerhouse in body, mind, and spirit. His story isn’t just impressive—it’s a living example of what happens when you align discipline with purpose.

Here’s a glimpse of what we get into:

• Why the foundation of leadership always starts with leading yourself first.
• How discipline in one area of life spills into every other area.
• Why clarity of your why is more important than clarity of your how.
• The small daily actions that build unstoppable momentum.
• Lessons Patrick has carried from running 100-mile races to coaching leaders and writing his new book, Words of Worth.

Patrick’s journey from feeling lost in college to becoming a leader in health, performance, and personal growth will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt stuck but knew deep down there was something more. His energy is contagious, his wisdom is practical, and his story will challenge you to ask better questions of yourself.

If you’ve ever wondered how to push past limits, build resilience, and grow into the leader your family, business, and community need—you’ll want to lean into this conversation.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!

• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWC

Connect with Dr. Patrick Davitt

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-davitt-health-fitness-mindset
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickdavittphd/

Connect with Bart Nollenberger:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching