Behind the Curtain: Winning Strategies from 29 Dealerships (and the Mistakes to Avoid) | Johnny Cantrell, Executive Vice President at Shottenkirk Automotive Group
Today I’m joined by Johnny Cantrell, Executive Vice President at Shottenkirk Automotive Group. We break down his playbook for installing new operators and setting them up to win, the patterns he’s diagnosed across 29 stores nationwide, the tech powering their inventory ops, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. Impel - Impel AI helps you drive loyalty with proactive, personalized service outreach that scales seamlessly. From service milestones to recall alerts and tailored incentives, Impel makes service outreach feel more like a concierge service than marketing. With AI-powered service scheduling via text and email—your team can stop managing calendars and focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences. Future-proof your service drive today. Visit @ https://carguymedia.com/44vYtJm
2. @openlaneus - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more @ https://www.openlane.com
3. Nomad Content Studio - Most dealerships still get social media wrong—ignoring it, posting boring inventory photos, or handing it off to someone without a plan. Meanwhile, the dealer down the street is pulling millions of views and closing real car deals. That’s where Nomad Content Studio comes in. They’re the team behind dealers like Paragon Honda, Benzs & Bowties, and EV Auto. Nomad trains your videographer, guides what to film, then edits and posts across every platform for you. Want your dealership to be next? Head to http://www.trynomad.co and book a call.
Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
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Topics:
00:30 What shaped Johnny's auto career?
01:19 Best leadership advice for dealers?
04:06 Managing multiple stores effectively?
07:19 Current market challenges/solutions?
10:13 Building strong executive teams?
26:42 Why consistency drives success?
28:19 Top performing brands today?
35:21 How AI improves inventory?
47:18 Used car market outlook?
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
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56:08
Ford Strategy w/ Koons, Tesla's Robotaxi Move w/ EV Auto, Used EV Risk w/ Van Horn | Daily Dealer Live
Today's show features:
Alex Perdikis, CEO-Owner of Koons Motors
Alex Lawrence, CEO of EV Auto
Brian Wieland, Used Inventory Director at Van Horn Automotive Group
This episode is brought to you by Transunion – TransUnion brings clarity to marketing chaos by delivering a 360-degree view of your customer, helping you deepen your insights, accelerate your decision making, and better measure the impact of every marketing dollar. Visit https://carguymedia.com/transunion to learn more.
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My Socials:
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
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58:03
Japanese Auto Imports Plummet, ft. Mike Cavanaugh | Daily Dealer Live
Today's show features:
Andrew Suntrup, Vice President of Operations at Suntrup Auto Group
Mike Cavanaugh, Regional Vice President at Lithia & Driveway
This episode is brought to you by:
Experian Automotive — Wasted advertising spend, undelivered messages, and missed opportunities are just the start of dealers' challenges. Today's consumers expect personalized experiences, making it essential to keep their contact information current. Experian Automotive can assist you in filling in missing or incomplete customer information gaps, verifying vehicle ownership, and enriching your records with additional data. This way, you can deliver truly personalized experiences that foster lasting loyalty and retention.
Visit https://carguymedia.com/experian to learn more.
Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com
Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
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51:36
Cracking the Code on Scalable Customer Care in the Car Business | Industry Spotlight
Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with Scott Traylor, Vice President of Sales at Mia, and Tom Eggers, CMO of Covert Auto Group.
This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Mia:
Mia - Your 24/7 AI receptionist who speaks like a human, not a robot. No more "press 1" - just natural conversations for sales, service, and support. She handles everything from car shopping to appointment scheduling in multiple languages, while integrating with your systems. Never miss another lead. https://carguymedia.com/4lgIJje
Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com
Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu
Topics:
01:44 What drove Covert's record success?
03:04 Biggest digital lead challenges?
03:56 Why phone calls frustrate dealers?
07:59 How AI improves call management?
14:03 Overcoming AI implementation hurdles?
20:39 Best proactive problem-solving tactics?
24:33 Measuring AI's dealership impact?
26:54 AI demo - how convincing?
31:51 Future AI applications in auto?
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership
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Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
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37:21
The Most American-Made Cars of 2025 | Daily Dealer Live (ft. Jonathan Smoke)
Today's show features:
Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at Cox Automotive
Jeff Zonen, Operating Partner & Executive Manager at Infiniti City of Queens, Infiniti City of Massapequa & KIA City of the Bronx
This episode is brought to you by:
Experian Automotive — Wasted advertising spend, undelivered messages, and missed opportunities are just the start of dealers' challenges. Today's consumers expect personalized experiences, making it essential to keep their contact information current. Experian Automotive can assist you in filling in missing or incomplete customer information gaps, verifying vehicle ownership, and enriching your records with additional data. This way, you can deliver truly personalized experiences that foster lasting loyalty and retention.
Visit https://carguymedia.com/experian to learn more.
Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com
Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
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Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
The Car Dealership Guy Podcast Network is your front-row seat to the people, companies, and trends shaping the future of automotive retail—delivered across three focused formats:
The Car Dealership Guy Podcast (Tuesdays & Thursdays)
Hosted by Yossi Levi, these deep-dive interviews feature top dealers, operators, and innovators driving the industry forward.
Daily Dealer Live (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays)
Our live-streamed show, also released here in audio format, brings real-time news, sharp takes, and high-impact guests—think CNBC for car dealers.
Industry Spotlight
Hosted by Sam D’Arc, this segment highlights standout dealerships and vendors with tactical insights and stories from the front lines.
Follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for highlights and behind-the-scenes content from every episode.
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