Pub. 4 2015-2016 Issue 1

Summer 2015 11 Are there any specific individuals that had a major impact on your career, what were they able to teach you that you apply regularly? Other than our dad, it would have to be Chuck Hebbert. He had a Chevy dealership in Santa Maria, and he was our dad’s silent money partner for the first few years. Chuck was an old-school car guy. He loved the business, and was very successful. So, first, he was very generous in sharing the ins and outs of the car business, which was important. All newbusinesses need an experienced ”coach”if you will. Chuck’s approach to business was basic: do things the right way, and always focus on the customer before the money. It sounds simple, and you would be amazed at how many people don’t approach business that way. What is the most rewarding part of your career? Hands down, it’s the people. The customers, the employees, the factory reps., it’s all about the relationships and the difference we can make in the lives of others. When you can train and mentor someone, and see their life change for the better, that’s what counts at the end of the day. We both want to be the Chuck Hebbert or the Bill Brecht in someone else’s life. What do you see will be the dominant trends coming in the next 5-10 years? You know, there’s going to be a lot of changes in the next decade... in all business areas, not just the automotive business. I think the biggest thing that we’ve seen in the past few years, and what we believe will continue, is the sheer amount of information that’s available to every- one and the speed at which it is available. Customers today are more informed about things. They do their research, and they come into the dealership armed with information – some real, some not so real. But, certainly with an opinion. The challenge for all businesses—including ours—is help clients balance what they know about the car with their wants and needs, and the actual experience of the car. You can read about an iPhone all day, but until you use one, your perception of the iPhone probably isn’t all that useful or applicable. We think it’s the same with a car. There’s hundreds of different derivatives of cars, and the key is to make sure that customers are comfortable with their choice and it works for them. No amount of research will do that – they have to come in to the dealership, talk to someone and actually drive the car. What is the biggest importance for you being an NCDA member, what makes it beneficial? It keeps us in touch with the local market – the rules, the laws, etc. It also provides a pulse, if you will, which is very helpful. It’s also about giving back. We’ve been mentored and owe a great deal of our success to others paving the way for us. Do you have past experiences that help your leadership in NCDA? We would say time in the business and experience. What inspired you each to serve on the Board of the Association? We want to be involved. We have good relationships with many of the staff and other board members. The car business is a relationship business, from start to finish. What are some ideas or qualities you bring to the Board to help improve dealerships? Well, experience. We’ve done this for 30 years – we’re still here, so we’ve learned a thing or two. What works, what doesn’t. There’s some things that come with experience, like a little more patience in problem solving. What is your approach to helping dealers face challenges at their dealerships? Listen, slow down and pay attention. In this day and age, actually listening and being a sounding board, is rare, so we try and give that to each other, our colleagues and employees. The truth of the matter is, a lot of solutions can readily be found if you slow down long enough to think things through – and therein lies the problem. The world is moving so fast that slowing down seems like a luxury, and it should be the first thing you do. For instance, we all get hundreds of emails a day, and there is enormous pressure to respond immediately. Immediacy, however, usually doesn’t allow for any analyzation or thought, before you react. Are you involved in any civic or charitable organizations? We try to be involved in our community.We don’t think you canmake a difference unless you show up. Our dad set the bar pretty high, when it comes to showing up and doing what you can to make a difference. We’re involved with Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce and numerous BMW boards. Describe your all-time favorite vehicle (it can be one you’ve owned, or something on your wish list). What are you driving today? Tom drives a 2015 MG Grand Coup and Tim drives a MINI Cooper Countryman. It’s hard to come up with an all-time favorite – we’re car people, so, every car we drive is usually something we like. What is your favorite way to spend your free time? Any unusual hobbies? Well, I’m not sure you can call racing unusual, but, it’s what we do, when we’re not spending time with our families. Family for us is a priority, so a lot of our focus in on that.