What experience did you have working at a dealership before you became a General Manager? I have worked in almost every position, from salesperson to the variable side. In 2004, I was promoted to Finance Manager. I was involved in training, closing the deals and doing everything that had to do with the sale, including the finance paperwork. I was happy that my accounting degree finally came into play. Then I moved to Desk Manager with a lot more responsibilities like leading the team, evaluating credit, finding out what bank is going to do the loan, making sure the payments are affordable to the customer and so on. After that, I became the General Sales Manager and then the General Manager, working with the variable side, which is everything that goes with sales as well as service. Please tell us about your mentors. I’ve had many mentors, but three come to mind. When I first started, John Kendrick taught me the fundamentals of how to sell a car. He helped me become a good salesperson. The second is Scott Popwell. He was a very interesting person because he was always teaching, even in small day-to-day interactions. He would often say, “This is what you need to know, and this is why you need to do it.” He taught me “why” things needed to be done a certain way, and knowing how to and why makes it easier than just saying, “Do it.” My third mentor, who is the best mentor that I’ve had, is our CEO and Owner, Bill Nero. He’s an amazing leader. I am lucky to be able to interact with him on a daily basis. Everything I know about leadership, I learned from him. What are the most valuable career suggestions you would tell someone you wanted to mentor? 1. Learn the business and understand the “why.” It’s easier to accomplish what needs to be done when you understand why you are doing it. 2. Be open to learning and set a goal of learning something new every day. Everyone around you has something they can teach you. What are the two or three biggest issues facing the auto industry? The right inventory. What I mean by that is the inventory that sells the quickest. The industry is still being affected by the COVID pandemic. A year ago, we had no inventory; today, it is getting better, but it’s still not where it needs to be. I am hopeful that in the next year, we will begin to see more of the right inventory on the lot. The other issue is high-interest rates. They are affecting consumers’ budgets. Let’s say a customer has a $25,000 budget. With current interest rates, they need to find a $20,000 car. That is definitely affecting the industry right now. Why is the franchise system still the best way to sell cars? This is the way I look at it. You have a manufacturer, and you have the consumer. The best way to marry the two is 10 ACCELERATE
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