In this episode, my guest is Shasta Haddock, Chief Operations Officer at Epic BDC and host of I'm A Car Chick Podcast. With over a decade in automotive, she’s built high-performing BDC teams and even created the industry’s first elite response team that turns social media traffic into real showroom appointments.

We get into some very real challenges that are still holding dealerships back in 2025. Things like response times that feel “fast” but are actually losing sales, CRM processes that quietly drop leads, and the outdated templates that make customers tune out before a conversation even starts.

Shasta also shares how her team stumbled into a breakthrough approach that changed the way dealerships convert Facebook traffic, and why one lesson she picked up from her husband’s work in law enforcement completely reshaped how she thinks about accountability in the BDC.

If you’ve ever wondered why some leads vanish, how to make your first customer touchpoint more powerful, or what role AI should really play in your dealership today, this episode will give you plenty to think about.

 Grab your free copy of my #1 bestselling ebook Don’t Wait, Dominate! here → www.flexdealer.com

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In this episode my guest is Janis Showers, founder of The Car Girls, who has spent more than 25 years helping dealerships turn phone calls and customer conversations into lasting relationships and profit.

We dig into why the simplest interaction—the phone call—is still one of the biggest stumbling blocks in 2025, and what that says about the way dealers connect with their customers. Janis shares what she’s seeing inside stores right now: why younger staff avoid the phone, how lease renewals are often handled poorly, and where BDC teams can become the heartbeat of the entire operation.

You’ll hear real examples of what happens when dealerships don’t prepare for appointments, the hidden trust that’s either built or broken at the first hello, and why human connection will always matter more than automation.

If you’ve ever wondered why missed calls keep turning into missed sales—or how your team can be empowered to own the customer experience instead of passing it around—this episode will give you plenty to think about and act on.

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In this episode, my guest is Megan McDowell, Vice President of Operations at TrueCar. Megan’s career started on the sales floor at Lexus of Austin and took her all the way to the executive table without leaving the automotive industry.

We dig into what she learned from those bell-to-bell dealership days that gave her an edge in leadership, and how skills you might take for granted—like reading people, asking the right questions, and understanding the flow of a deal—can open doors you didn’t even know existed.

We talk about:

• Why your dealership experience is more valuable than you think.
• How to translate your skills into new opportunities inside and outside the showroom.
• The balance between technology, AI, and authentic human connection in the car-buying journey.
• What Megan wishes she knew earlier in her career that could have made her even more effective.

If you’ve ever wondered where your automotive career could take you—or how to make the most of the experience you already have—this conversation will give you a fresh perspective and a few ideas you can put to work right away.

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This Episode's Sponsor

FlexDealer Need Better Quality Leads? FLX helps car dealers generate better quality leads through localized organic search and highly-targeted ads that convert. They also help integrate marketing with internal operations for optimal results, and unparalleled growth.

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Let’s just be real.

The ground has shifted—and it’s not just a ripple. It’s a full-blown seismic shift under every industry, every role, every business model. In this episode, I’m unpacking what that actually means for those of us in the retail auto world and beyond as we navigate artificial intelligence.

You’ve seen the AI overviews show up before Google search results. You’ve heard the noise "AI is coming for your job." But here’s the kicker: whether you believe it will or won’t, you’re probably right.

What we explore in this episode is the why behind that statement, and more importantly, what you can do about it.

If you’re someone who’s wondering how to adapt, how to lead, how to stay relevant—or heck, even how to start thinking about AI in a way that serves you and your team—this one’s for you. 

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This Episode's Sponsor

FlexDealer Need Better Quality Leads? FLX helps car dealers generate better quality leads through localized organic search and highly-targeted ads that convert. They also help integrate marketing with internal operations for optimal results, and unparalleled growth.

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We’re throwing it back to one of the most practical and actionable episodes of MC on the Mic—and for good reason. This strategy is so simple, it almost feels too good to be true. But it's exactly the kind of innovative (not inventive) move that the top 1% in sales and service swear by.

In this solo episode, I break down a three-step framework that anyone—yes, even if you're not in sales—can use to stand out, build trust, and dominate your market. No budget increase, no fancy tools, no permission slips needed. Just your brain, your phone, and about 10 minutes a day.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why innovation isn’t about inventing something new, and what that really means for your career
• A Facebook groups strategy so human and so obvious, your competitors will never think to use it
• The step-by-step for becoming the go-to person in your community, even if you’ve never posted online before
• How to create real-world value in an industry that often gets stuck in the "sell, sell, sell" loop

And hey, I get it. Everyone wants the secret sauce. We want the next big hack. But sometimes, the most powerful move isn’t in a webinar or paid ad—it’s in showing up where people already are and being genuinely helpful.

So, if you’ve ever found yourself saying, “How do I get more leads without throwing more money at ads?”—this episode is your answer.

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This Episode's Sponsor

FlexDealer Need Better Quality Leads? FLX helps car dealers generate better quality leads through localized organic search and highly-targeted ads that convert. They also help integrate marketing with internal operations for optimal results, and unparalleled growth.

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In this episode, my guest is Gary Graves,  the kind of guy who can build a SaaS platform by day and grade a dirt road by night. One foot in the tech world, the other in the real one. Equal parts futurist and hands-on problem solver, he's spent years collecting and analyzing the conversations dealerships have with their customers—and the insights he’s uncovered are eye-opening. 

We first aired this episode a while back, but honestly, it’s been aging so well we figured more people needed to hear it. The insights are still sharp, the stories still hit, and the timing feels just right.

Gary and I talk about what really happens on the other end of a dealership’s phone line—and what those conversations reveal about how we treat customers. You’ll hear why most CRMs still misunderstand the role of a phone call, how IVRs might be silently costing you business, and what dealers can do today to build actual loyalty—not just repeat transactions.

One of the things I love about this conversation is how practical it is. Gary doesn’t talk in circles. He breaks down what the data shows, what dealerships keep missing, and what it actually looks like to build a culture where customers want to come back.

If you’ve ever wondered why your customers don’t call back, or why some reviews sting more than others, this episode is worth your time.

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This Episode's Sponsor

FlexDealer Need Better Quality Leads? FLX helps car dealers generate better quality leads through localized organic search and highly-targeted digital ads that convert. Not only that, they work tirelessly to ensure car dealers integrate marketing and operations for a robust and functional growth strategy.

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In this episode, my guest is David Pulla, President of Dynamic Tire, one of Canada’s largest tire distributors. We dive into a part of the business that most dealers overlook—tires—and explore how they’re not just rubber on a rim, but one of the most practical tools for increasing retention, profitability, and service traffic.

We talk about how dealers can rethink their parts and service strategy, use data to move inventory smarter, and turn something as simple as a tire rotation into a reason customers come back again and again. David also shares what the rise of EVs means for the tire industry and the surprising ways innovation is showing up in a category that most of us don’t give a second thought to.

If you’ve ever said “tires aren’t my thing” or “it’s not worth the time,” this episode might just change your mind.

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This Episode's Sponsor

FlexDealer Need Better Quality Leads? FLX helps car dealers generate better quality leads through localized organic search and highly-targeted digital ads that convert. Not only that, they work tirelessly to ensure car dealers integrate marketing and operations for a robust and functional growth strategy.

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In this episode I’m joined by Arthur J. Madjarian, a guy who’s been neck-deep in retail automotive, pivoted into mergers & acquisitions, and now helps dealer groups grow, exit, and scale smart. If you’ve ever wondered how M&A works in the auto industry, or whether dealership ownership is still worth chasing in 2025, this is your episode.

Arthur talks about real-life strategy, timing, red flags to avoid, and why culture and “friendly money” might just be the most underrated forces in any deal.

We also dive into:

• The real reasons why some people are leaning into dealership ownership right now (despite the noise)
• Why smart buyers are more selective than ever—and what they’re actually looking for
• The risks of skipping estate planning before a sale
• What it takes to become a minority partner in a store, and how to prepare
• The future of real estate in automotive retail and how it could change everything
• Why culture fit isn’t just fluffy talk—it’s tied to profit and survival

If you’re thinking about expanding, selling, or even just getting into the business, Arthur gives the kind of candid insight that only comes from living it. 

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This Episode's Sponsor

FlexDealer Need Better Quality Leads? FLX helps car dealers generate better quality leads through localized organic search and highly-targeted digital ads that convert. Not only that, they work tirelessly to ensure car dealers integrate marketing and operations for a robust and functional growth strategy.

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In this episode, my guest is Colin Carrasquillo, Digital Marketing Manager at Nielsen Auto Group.

We’re diving into some of the real challenges and solutions that most dealers are thinking about but rarely talk about out loud.

We talk about what it actually looks like to get your vendor partners working together instead of pulling in different directions. Colin shares how he’s doing this at scale across 14 rooftops and why it’s changing the game for their group.

We also get into why most dealers are still chasing the wrong SEO strategy in 2025 and what really matters now if you want to show up where your customers are actually searching.

You’ll learn:

• A practical way to hold your vendors accountable (without blowing up the relationship)
• Why internal communication might be the thing holding your dealership back
• How thinking beyond low-funnel keywords will give you a serious edge in your market
• Why building better human connections inside your store leads to better marketing outside of it

This conversation is packed with useful ideas you can take back to your store, and it’ll definitely make you rethink how you approach your partnerships and marketing.

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This Episode's Sponsor

FlexDealer Need Better Quality Leads? FLX helps car dealers generate better quality leads through localized organic search and highly-targeted digital ads that convert. Not only that, they work tirelessly to ensure car dealers integrate marketing and operations for a robust and functional growth strategy.

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In this episode, my guest is Sam Maimone from Activix, and we’re diving into a part of the car business that most people think they’ve figured out—but really haven’t: CRM.

We talk about why most CRM setups are missing the mark and why buying more leads won’t solve the real problem. Sam shares what he’s seeing inside hundreds of dealerships and the small shifts that can completely change how your CRM performs. We also explore why skipping proper discovery can cost you, and what a good CRM process actually looks like when the people, the process, and the tech finally click.

Sam’s story is packed with hard-earned lessons—from DJ booths to dealership desks to the corporate world and back. This is a real conversation about what works, what doesn't, and how to spot the difference.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• Why your CRM feels like a to-do list instead of a growth tool
• What it actually takes to get your team to buy in
• Why speed matters in lead handling more than ever

...you’re going to want to lean in for this one.

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This Episode's Sponsor

FlexDealer Need Better Quality Leads? FLX helps car dealers generate better quality leads through localized organic search and highly-targeted digital ads that convert. Not only that, they work tirelessly to ensure car dealers integrate marketing and operations for a robust and functional growth strategy.

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