The Dealer Playbook

There’s something special about people who build where no blueprint exists.

My guest today, Alex Lawrence, is one of those people.

He’s a tech veteran, tenured professor, and serial entrepreneur who co-founded EV Auto, one of the first dealership groups in the U.S. dedicated entirely to used EVs and plug-in hybrids.

But what really stands out about Alex isn’t just what he’s built, it’s how he’s built it. With patience, conviction, and a willingness to play the long game while everyone else chases trends.

In this conversation, we get real about what it takes to grow an EV-only business through volatility, tax credit chaos, and all the unpredictable swings of an emerging market. Alex breaks down how he and his team literally sold their final cars minutes before the EV tax incentive expired, using the power of social media.

We also dive into:

Why authenticity on social media has become one of the strongest moats in business today.

The psychology of urgency, and how it can move people to take action at 11PM on a Saturday.

What it really means to juggle entrepreneurship, teaching, and family without losing your soul in the process.

Why the EV revolution isn’t dead, it’s just getting started.

Alex’s story is proof that doing the hard thing, the long thing, and the real thing still works.

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to build something meaningful when the market’s uncertain and the playbook doesn’t exist. this one’s for you.

What makes someone dream of being in the car business, and then actually make it happen?

In this episode, I sit down with Tara Willis, a seasoned automotive professional who turned her childhood love for cars into a 20-year career working with major automotive brands like BMW, Subaru, Nissan, and Infiniti. Tara now leads product marketing and incentives planning at Infiniti, and she’s using her voice to shape what leadership looks like in today’s auto industry.

We talk about how she found her footing in a predominantly male space, the lessons she’s learned sitting in boardrooms across the automotive world, and what it really takes to create workplaces where every voice can be heard. Tara shares honest reflections about mentorship, empathy, and the power of communication, especially when intent and impact don’t always line up.

We also dive into why she believes there’s still so much hope in the future of car buying and the automotive industry, from evolving technology to stronger community connections through dealership philanthropy. And she shares how her work with Empowering Auto is helping inspire the next generation of car industry leaders.

If you’re passionate about car sales, automotive leadership, or the human side of this business, this conversation will remind you why the industry is worth believing in.

Selling more cars isn't for the faint of heart. It requires daily commitment, discipline, and genuine human connection.

In this episode, my guest is Jean-Pierre Lacroix, president and founder of SLD, a global branding firm that’s spent more than 30 years helping businesses win customers by tapping into what really drives decisions: emotion. He’s the author of Think Blink Manifesto, a book that lays out seven powerful ways brands can create lasting connections in an instant.

We get into some big questions: Why do people buy cars the way they do? What makes one automotive brand feel worth a premium while another has to compete on price? How can dealerships go beyond features and functions to deliver experiences that customers actually remember?

Layer on how quickly technology is evolving with artificial intelligence. What are the implications and will car buyers want more technology assisted experiences or more genuine human connection experiences during the car sales process? We get into this and so much more during this episode of The Dealer Playbook.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix shares surprising insights about major automotive brands like Volvo, BMW, and Jeep and reveals the most underrated sales tool in the entire retail automotive industry. He shares why this one tweak will help with customer retention, lifetime value, and brand loyalty.

If you’ve ever wondered why car shoppers say one thing but choose another, this episode will change the way you think about the entire buying experience.

In this episode my guest is Brad Gelber, Digital Media and Content Marketing Manager at West Herr Auto Group, the largest privately owned dealer group in New York.

Brad and I dive into what it really takes to market a dealership in today’s world without sounding like every other store in town. We talk about the role leadership and culture play in shaping a brand’s voice, why raw phone-shot content often outperforms polished commercials, and how to uncover stories that are hiding in plain sight inside your dealership.

You’ll also hear Brad’s perspective on using AI as a tool without letting it replace human creativity, the surprising value of a simple photo in a video-driven world, and his personal test for knowing whether a story is worth sharing.

If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond cookie-cutter posts and start creating content that actually connects, this episode will give you the insight and inspiration to do it.

Most people assume the biggest problem in retail auto is inventory, rates, or competition.

But every time I walk into a dealership, I see something else at the core of the struggle. It isn’t obvious on the surface, but you can feel it in the turnover, the burnout, the “busy but not fulfilled” pace that too many teams are stuck in.

We love to talk about legacy in this industry. The photos on the walls, the family names on the buildings. But the truth is, legacy can’t just be something we inherit or frame. It has to be something we create every single day. And most stores don’t have a framework for how to actually do that.

That gap shows up everywhere: in culture, in leadership, in the quiet frustration people feel when they show up to work and wonder if it really matters.

In this week’s solo episode, I share what I believe is the biggest problem holding retail auto back, and how you can solve it. It’s the same framework my team and I use in my companies, and it’s made all the difference in how we lead, how we serve, and even how I show up at home with my family.

I think you’ll find it both challenging and hopeful.

In this episode my guest is Jimmy Douglas, founder and CEO of Plug and former Tesla exec. Jimmy’s one of the sharpest voices in the pre-owned EV market, and he’s here to break down what most dealers are missing, and what a small group is quietly getting right.

We talk about why nearly half of dealers still won’t touch used EVs, what it actually takes to build a profitable EV business inside your store, and why “dipping your toe in” may be worse than not playing at all. Jimmy also shares how culture inside the dealership makes or breaks EV success, what numbers you should pay attention to, and how to avoid getting stuck with inventory that loses value faster than you expect.

If you’ve been on the fence about EVs, this conversation will help you sort through the noise and figure out whether your store is ready—or if it’s better to wait. Either way, you’ll walk away with a clearer picture of what’s really happening in the market and how to prepare for what’s coming.

Tune in!

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

- - -

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.

- - -
Leave a Review:

If you're enjoying the podcast, we'd love an honest review here.

- - -
Socials:

Follow on LinkedIn

Follow on YouTube

Follow on Facebook

In this episode my guest is Ondar Tarlow, a marketing strategist with more than 20 years of experience working with brands like Fastlane Drive, Pacific Premier Bank, and the LA Chargers. He’s built a career on creating events and campaigns that actually move people—sometimes literally into showrooms.

We dig into the big question dealers wrestle with all the time: what actually makes an event memorable? Ondar breaks down why so many VIP activations fall flat, and what it takes to craft experiences that stand out in a world where everyone is competing for the same high-value customers.

You’ll hear insights on:

• Knowing your audience beyond the surface level
• Why cocktail tables and champagne won’t cut it anymore
• How partnerships with other brands can elevate your dealership events
• Lessons automotive retail can borrow from Formula One and pro sports
• Where AI fits into the future of marketing without losing the human connection

If you’ve ever wondered how to make your dealership events more than just “another invite,” this conversation will get you thinking differently about experiences, community, and what customers really value.

- - -
Leave a Review:

If you're enjoying the podcast, we'd love an honest review here.

- - -
Socials:

Follow on LinkedIn

Follow on YouTube

Follow on Facebook

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

- - -

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.

- - -
Leave a Review:

If you're enjoying the podcast, we'd love an honest review here.

- - -
Socials:

Follow on LinkedIn

Follow on YouTube

Follow on Facebook

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.

- - -
Leave a Review:

If you're enjoying the podcast, we'd love an honest review here.

- - -
Socials:

Follow on LinkedIn

Follow on YouTube

Follow on Facebook

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.

- - -

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.

- - -
Leave a Review:

If you're enjoying the podcast, we'd love an honest review here.

- - -
Socials:

Follow on LinkedIn

Follow on YouTube

Follow on Facebook