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PODCAST

The Dealer Playbook

Michael Cirillo

The Dealer Playbook is the podcast for serious automotive professionals. The ones who think beyond the transaction. Hosted by Michael Cirillo, now in its 12th year, The Dealer Playbook delivers straight-talk conversations with the dealers, operators, and leaders who are actually building something. If you run a store, lead a team, or are building a career worth having, this is your show. New episodes every week. Follow so you don"t miss one.

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All Episodes

00:17:09

"Human in the loop" — Why AI needs organic...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/04/07

The AI hype is real, and every vendor at NADA claims to have the next big thing for your car dealership. But as you consider integrating new tools, are you truly solving problems or just inviting new ones? The promise of AI in automotive retail is vast, yet without a strategic approach and "human in the loop," the technology can quickly become a costly distraction.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why generic AI solutions often fail to deliver real ROI in a dealership setting.How to

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00:22:56

"Guaranteed human" — How AI makes connection critical...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/03/31

AI is rapidly changing the automotive retail landscape. The question isn't whether it will impact your car dealership, but how to leverage it without alienating your customers. Are you ready to integrate AI in a way that amplifies, rather than diminishes, human connection and trust?In this episode, you will learn:Why 90% of consumers still prefer human interaction even while using AI.How to use AI to drive "auto un-intenders" – high-value customers who aren't actively shopping – to

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00:14:15

"Doesn't mean goodbye" — Recapturing "lost" customers...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/03/24

Is your dealership losing customers you thought were gone for good? Every automotive professional knows the sting of a "lost" sale, but what if those defections weren't permanent goodbyes, but instead, opportunities for powerful comebacks through fixed operations?In this episode, Kristine Lentz, Product Operations Manager at Urban Science, reveals how using precise data can transform your view of customer defection from a failure to a strategic advantage.What you will get from this

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00:17:43

“The Great Train Wreck”: How Affordability and a...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/03/17

Matt Lasher pulls back the curtain on one of the most expensive and preventable problems in automotive retail. The moment a customer falls in love with a car, spends five hours at the dealership, and then the deal collapses in finance because nobody asked the right questions early enough.In This EpisodeWhat the great train wreck actually is and why it is happening at every dealership every single dayHow the affordability crisis is creating a tidal wave that dealers need to start preparing for nowWhy

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00:14:36

"Stop Blaming Marketing": The Digital Mistake Costing...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/03/10

What if the reason your marketing isn’t driving growth… is because it was never invited into the strategy conversation in the first place?That question sits at the heart of this conversation with my good friend Ashley Cavazos, Digital Performance Consultant and Moderator at NCM Associates. We recorded this one live from the NADA show floor in Las Vegas, and within minutes we were digging into something I see happening in dealerships all the time.Leaders expect marketing to deliver results.But

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00:21:25

"It's Like a Wingman": The Sales Intelligence Tool...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/03/03

What if your newest salesperson could perform like your best one every single time?That's not a hypothetical. That's what Jay Ku, founder and CEO of Hey Greenlight, is actually building. And after sitting down with him at NADA, I have to be honest with you, this one stuck with me.Jay spent years at TrueCar meeting with people representing thousands of dealerships, and he kept running into the same two problems. Salespeople had no idea who their leads actually were beyond a name and a phone

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00:15:20

“You’re Getting the Diluted Version”: How Dealers Are...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/02/24

Dealers are spending more on advertising than ever… and according to Subi Ghosh, many of them are still playing the game wrong.This conversation from NADA 2026 might be one of the most important shifts we’ve discussed on The Dealer Playbook.She believes the real issue in automotive advertising isn’t traffic. It isn’t creativity. It isn’t even budget.It’s fragmentation.In this episode Subi Ghosh who is the Head of Partnerships at Fullthrottle and one of the driving forces behind Auto Media

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00:16:45

“We Built an AI Department” - Why Dealers Need a Real...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/02/17

Most dealers are talking about AI. Jeff Swickard is building an AI department inside his auto group.In this special episode of The Dealer Playbook, Michael Cerullo sits down with Jeff Swickard, President & CEO of Swickard Auto Group, to unpack what it actually takes to operationalize AI inside a dealership group—without breaking culture, customer experience, or your tech stack.Jeff shares how they built an enterprise data warehouse in Microsoft Azure, why integration is the real battle, and how

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00:35:17

"Win the Top-of-Mind Battle" - Why Most Salespeople...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/01/27

Everyone’s chasing the next shiny tactic. New platforms. New hacks. New promises.But what if the stuff that actually works… never stopped working?In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, I sit down with my longtime friend Charles Cannon, General Manager at BMW West Houston, for a real conversation about building a career in this business by doing the simple things consistently, especially when everyone else is distracted.Charles and I go back almost a decade, to a time when personal branding in

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00:34:17

"Sold 300+ Used Cars" - This ford store cracked the...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/01/20

How do you sell 300+ used cars a month in a town of 2,900 people, and buy 240 vehicles off the street without relying on auctions?In this episode, Rob Ruth the President / Owner of Bob Ruth Ford, Dillsburg PA breaks down the real playbook behind scaling a pre-owned-first dealership inside a franchise system, and why a startup mindset, disciplined acquisition, and a culture built on partnership can outperform “bigger market” excuses.Rob shares exactly how they pivoted during COVID when inventory

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00:35:39

"The Sir Walter Way" - How a 100-Year Dealership...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/01/13

What does a modern car dealership look like in 2025, without losing the human connection that actually builds loyalty?In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, I sit down with Matt Birkhead, Dealer Principal at Sir Walter Chevrolet in Raleigh, North Carolina, a nearly 100-year-old, single-point store that’s grown by leaning into transparency, simplified pricing, community involvement, and people-first leadership.Matt breaks down “The Sir Walter Way” a smarter way to shop, an easier way to service, and

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00:37:51

"Design is an operating system" - How Architecture...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2026/01/06

Do dealership buildings actually sell cars, or do they quietly kill the experience?In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, we sit down with Josh Keough, Licensed Architect and Studio Director at Gensler, to unpack how dealership architecture, layout, and environment design directly impact sales efficiency, fixed ops performance, employee retention, and guest experience.With more than 25 years of experience and 1,600+ sales and service locations designed worldwide, Josh shares how future-ready

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00:28:51

"A 2025 Year in Review" - The Real Lessons of 2025...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2025/12/30

What if the reason things didn’t click in 2025 has less to do with your tools and more to do with your willingness to change?In this solo year in review episode, I’m slowing things down to reflect on what 2025 actually taught us. Not the highlight reel. The real stuff. The hard conversations, the uncomfortable growth, the moments where leadership, culture, and discipline mattered more than any shiny new strategy.This year reminded me of something I’ve believed for a long time. Sustainable success

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00:41:32

"Kickstart Your Wealth Engine" - How a Kia GM Built...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2025/12/23

What if your success today could quietly sabotage your future, unless you build a plan beyond the next car deal?In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, I sit down with Tustin Ulrich, General Manager of Roper Kia (one of the most dominant Kia stores in Missouri) and founder of The 1% Effect, a real estate investor concierge designed specifically for high-earning operators who don’t want to lose focus on today while building freedom for tomorrow.This is not a conversation about selling cars.This is a

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00:37:49

"The ‘Pull, Not Push’ Strategy" - How Authentic...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2025/12/16

What happens when precision from aviation meets creativity in automotive marketing?In this episode, Ashley Brockhurst, Director of Marketing and Health & Safety at Charlesglen Toyota in Calgary, Alberta — “Alberta’s Celebration Destination” — shares how her dealership’s community-first philosophy is redefining what automotive retail can look like.From aviation safety to dealership marketing leadership, Ashley’s story proves how curiosity, culture, and compassion fuel innovation. She opens up

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00:49:26

“Hospitality First” — The Signature 2.0 Experience...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2025/12/09

What happens when a dealer group bets big on hospitality, culture, and process, instead of pressure, price, and tradition?Today, multi-store operator JB Burnett joins me to unpack the launch of his brand new Ford Signature 2.0 store, the first of its kind in the world, and why the guest experience is now his most powerful competitive advantage.We dive into how he moved an entire dealership eight miles in four days, opened to record-setting sales weeks, and rebuilt the buying journey around

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00:53:25

"Viral for the Right Reasons" - What Dealers Can...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2025/12/02

If you’ve ever wondered how a small-town Ford store ends up going mega-viral, builds a loyal community, and turns everyday dealership life into must-watch content… this episode is for you.Today I’m joined by the brilliant, hilarious, and wildly creative Noella Salter, the marketing manager behind Lang & Fetter Ford’s social media presence that the entire industry can’t stop talking about. She’s turned a rural Canadian dealership into a personality-driven brand that people actually want to

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00:36:33

“Every Crisis Is Free Profit” — How to Turn...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2025/11/25

What if your biggest dealership problems aren’t “market problems”… but creativity problems?In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, Michael sits down with Nir Bashan, world-renowned creativity expert, founder & CEO of The Creator Mindset, LLC, Clio Award winner, and Emmy-nominated former Hollywood/advertising executive to show car dealers how to use creativity as a practical business tool, not fluffy “inspiration,” but real-world tactics that move metal, grow service, and improve culture.Nir has

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00:26:29

“Use the Equity, Not the Gut” Where the Data Says...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2025/11/18

How should Canadian dealers REALLY be using data to price, appraise, and move inventory in 2025?In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, Michael sits down with Yolanda Bishwah, President of Canadian Black Book (CBB), the data backbone behind used vehicle valuations and residual forecasts for OEMs, lenders, and retailers across the country.With 65+ years of market data at her fingertips, Yolanda breaks down how Canadian Black Book reads the market, what’s really happening with wholesale and retail

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00:35:11

“Luxury Isn’t About Price” How to Deliver Premium...

The Dealer Playbook ·

2025/11/11

Guest Marion Cain (ACE founder; creator of Kharisma Mastery) breaks down a science-based playbook for dealership sales and F&I teams to own the room, deliver luxury touchpoints (on any brand), and turn trust into revenue. We cover the first 90 seconds, nonverbal cues, “portable stories,” True Cost of Ownership framing, and how to use GPT/AI to tailor your pitch to any buyer’s personality, without losing the human.You’ll learnWhy buyers now follow salespeople and how to stand out in a saturated

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702 results

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