The Sensei Playbook

Hosted by Chris Snellgrove

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Jul 2026

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About the show

The Sensei Playbook is a podcast built for automotive professionals who know that world-class customer experience is the ultimate competitive edge. Each episode goes beyond surface-level advice to unpack the real processes, leadership habits, and floor-level conversations that separate good dealerships from great ones - covering everything from the first online touchpoint to the moment a customer drives off the lot. At the core of every conversation is a belief we don't compromise on: winning customer experience starts with winning employee culture. You can't have one without the other. We explore how top-performing leadership teams build that culture from the inside out - through daily habits, genuine accountability, and a people-first mindset that customers feel the moment they walk through the door. We also dive into how elite sales and service teams build trust at every touchpoint, consistently delivering experiences that go beyond expectation. And we unpack one of the most underutilized assets in the business - the voice of your happiest customers. We discuss how dealers are capturing powerful video, photo, and written testimonials right at the peak moment of satisfaction, turning great experiences into social proof that fuels referrals and reputation for years to come.

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35 recent

May 19, 2026Episode 3858 min

Rock 'n' Roll Leadership: A New Era in Automotive Management | Gregg Stegmann (Episode 38)

In this episode of The Sensei Playbook, host Chris interviews Greg Stegman, General Manager of Wharton Chevrolet, GMC and Ram Country in Wharton, Texas, about building dealership success through people-first leadership. Stegman shares how he entered the car business from restaurant work, rose quickly into sales and finance, and credits mentors and a personal "book" of lessons—reminders of what he vowed never to do as a future GM. He explains how authentic recognition, visibility, accessibility, and individualized motivation create trust, accountability, employee retention, and a stronger customer experience, emphasizing that culture drives sustainable results and OEM metrics. He also outlines a social media approach focused on real people, entertainment and education over constant ads, and says he wants to be known for treating people well and assembling elite teams. 00:00 Don't Forget Your Book 00:19 Podcast Intro 00:44 Meet Greg Stegman 02:09 From Restaurants to Cars 05:19 Dad's Influence and Integrity 07:39 Chasing the Finance Office 11:09 Mentors and the GM Notebook 14:19 Becoming GM and Staying Grounded 16:50 Authentic Recognition and Trust 20:51 Personalized Leadership and Motivation 24:37 Culture Drives Customer Experience 29:31 Circle of Trust and Cici's Concept 31:56 Welcome to CiCis 33:01 Make Guests Feel Seen 33:59 Culture Meets Conflict 35:17 Accountability Builds Trust 36:28 Lead With Care 38:07 Saying I Love You 38:21 Family Roots of Empathy 42:58 Circle of Trust 43:44 Social Media With Culture 48:59 Content Mix That Works 50:36 Jab Jab Right Hook 53:16 One Habit for New GMs 56:11 Legacy and Closing Connect with Gregg: Instagram: www.instagram.com/htown.carguy/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/gregg.stegman/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stegmangregg/

March 24, 2026Episode 3750 min

Her Grandfather Helped Build Chrysler, Now She's Leading the Industry | Katie Naughton

In this episode of the Sensei Playbook, Katie Naughton shares her upbringing in an automotive family, including a grandfather who rose through Ford with Lee Iacocca and helped turn around Chrysler, and a father who ran Mike Naughton Ford for 47 years and modeled hard work, relationship selling, and customer-first service. Katie describes carving her own path, training through NADA Dealer Academy, then moving to Toronto at 32 to buy and operate a Kia dealership as part of the less-than-1% of female dealer principals, navigating intimidation in a male-dominated industry by reading the room and building allies. She explains shifting from a tough management style to employee-first leadership, removing toxic performers, and using culture standards like constant hospitality and "Cinderella doesn't have a bad day." After COVID border constraints, burnout, and selling both the family Ford store and later her Kia store, she joined DSMA to guide M&A and valuations, and founded Drive Her Forward to provide deeper, community-based leadership development for women. 00:39 Introduction 01:55 Growing Up in the Car Business 12:38 Navigating as a Female Dealer Principal 16:03 US vs Canada Operations 16:58 Leadership Evolution 24:18 Building Culture 27:55 The Decision to Sell 38:05 Drive Her Forward 49:21 Legacy and Impact Connect with Katie Naughton Website: https://www.driveherforward.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemnaughton/ Watch more episodes of The Sensei Playbook Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiR2e-qlKR_6tb99b9j2kuiovVry89fCL

October 6, 2025Episode 3652 min

The Secret to 5-Star Dealership Experiences with Jean Reitelbach

In this episode of the Sensei Playbook Podcast, Chris Snellgrove interviews Jean Reitelbach, a seasoned automotive marketing strategist with over 12 years of experience in the industry. Jean shares her journey from traditional marketing to automotive marketing, emphasizing the need for a strong connection between brand and operations. She discusses her role as an independent consultant assisting organizations in amplifying their brand messaging and operations. Jean also highlights the importance of leveraging technology, developing proactive strategies, and fostering a trust-based team culture in dealerships. The conversation delves into effective reputation management, conflict resolution, using reviews as data points, and the potential of AI tools in enhancing customer experience.

April 28, 2025Episode 3543 min

Inside the Auto Industry with Veteran Larry Feldman: Recruitment, Training, and Insights

Welcome to The Sense Playbook! In this episode, we sit down with Larry Feldman, a 30-year veteran of the automotive industry. With experience ranging from salesperson to dealer principal, Larry shares his passion for recruiting, training, and developing talent within dealerships. We discuss his recent busy schedule, including training sessions across states and handling over 100 ads for various dealership positions. Larry also opens up about his positive experience at NADA, the importance of customer experi ence, the symbiotic relationship between sales and fixed operations, and his philosophy on staying optimistic and hard-working in the industry. Additionally, Larry and Chris Snellgrove discuss the value of video testimonials and effective customer engagement strategies. Don't miss out on Larry's invaluable insights and upcoming events aimed at enhancing dealership operations.

February 24, 2025Episode 3458 min

Creating Extraordinary Customer Experiences: Lessons from World Record-Holder Ali Reda and Trainer Damian Boudreaux

In this episode of the Sensei Playbook, listeners are treated to an invaluable discussion with Ali Reda, the current world record holder for the most cars sold in a year, and his mentor Damian Boudreaux, a top automotive trainer in the US. They delve into the transformative power of relationship selling, emphasizing the importance of community involvement, personalized customer care, and the immense value of believing in one's potential. Ali shares his journey from selling 30 cars a month to over 100, attributing his success to a customer-centric approach that avoids transactional sales methods in favor of building lasting relationships. The episode provides actionable insights for general managers of car dealerships on enhancing customer experience and leveraging community engagement for sustainable success in the automotive industry. Auto Training Academy - https://autotrainingacademy.com/ Damian Boudreaux - https://damianboudreaux.com/ Reputation Sensei - https://reputationsensei.com/

January 15, 2025Episode 331 hr 2 min

Automotive AI: Driving Change with Tim Hayden's Insights

Welcome back to the Sensei Playbook! In this exciting episode, our host Chris sits down with Tim Hayden, the CEO and founder of Brain Trust Partners. Tim shares invaluable insights into transforming the automotive industry with AI and data-driven strategies. Discover how to train AI models securely to know your business, improve customer experience, and boost sales. Learn about the critical role of data, entity resolution, and personalized engagement in modern marketing. Whether you're a general manager or owner of a car dealership, this episode is packed with actionable insights to elevate your business. Don't miss out on this deep dive into the future of automotive marketing!

November 18, 2024Episode 321 hr 9 min

From Sales to Service: Peter Smith's Blueprint for Transforming Dealership Experiences

Peter Smith, founder and managing partner of Lion Partnership, shares his extensive journey in the automobile industry, from his early love for cars to building a successful consulting service aimed at transforming the industry. During the discussion, Peter recounts his innovative approaches in car sales, touching on his role at Ford in Europe, as well as his remarkable success in selling a large volume of Volvos across the U.S. Peter emphasizes the importance of improving customer experience and the necessity for change in dealership operations, advocating for transparency, trust, and better training for dealership staff. He criticizes the traditional fear-based models and highlights a need for a more customer-centric approach. Peter also delves into the role of technology and social media in modernizing the sales environment and stresses the significance of internal culture in affecting external customer perceptions . His ultimate goal is to create a more respectful, efficient, and trustworthy car-buying experience.

September 12, 2024Episode 3140 min

Mastering Customer Engagement with Steve Roessler: A Deep Dive into Sales Strategies and CRM Innovations

This episode of the Sensei Playbook features Steve Roessler, a Chief Evangelist Officer with a deep background in technical sales and the medical industry, who transitioned to serving the automotive industry. Steve discusses the importance of customer engagement over traditional metrics in automotive dealerships and shares insights on how modern tools like AI, video messaging, and CRM platforms such as DriveCentric can vastly improve customer interactions and engagement rates. The conversation also touches on the cultural shift required in dealerships to prioritize customer behavior and experience to achieve higher sales and better retention. The podcast is aimed at professionals in the automotive dealership industry, emphasizing the role of effective customer communication, reviews, and testimonials in building trust and driving referrals.

August 27, 2024Episode 3044 min

Revolutionizing Automotive Sales with Katie Mares: The Power of Exceptional Customer Experience

This episode of the Sensei Playbook Podcast features Katie Mares, a motivational speaker, best-selling author, and customer experience designer. The discussion focuses on enhancing customer experience in the automotive industry, particularly when selling to women. Key points include the importance of genuine human interactions, the five steps to a five-star experience, and the physiological and psychological differences between male and female consumers. Katie shares her inspiration drawn from her own negative car-buying experiences and her drive to create inclusive environments. The episode also touches on utilizing social media effectively and the role of storytelling in customer relations. Katie discusses her nonprofit work with 'Ladies Take Control' and upcoming events designed to train car dealers on experience design. Links: Ladies Take Control: http://www.ladiestakecontrol.com/ The Power of Experience: www.thepowerofexperience.ca Ladies Take Control pod: https://www.podpage.com/LTC/ Katie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiemares TEDx Tickets: 2024 TEDx Southlake | Innovating the Human Experience, tickets available: https://www.tedxsouthlake.com/event-details-registration/2024-conference-innovating-the-human-experience

July 18, 2024Episode 291 hr 8 min

Transforming Dealerships: Secrets of Customer-Centric Success with Derek Simonds

In this episode of the Sensei Playbook podcast, the hosts interview Derek Simon d s, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former COO of Ziegler Automotive, now Executive Vice President at a Silicon Valley AI communications platform company. Derek shares his extensive experience in the automotive and technology sectors, discussing the transformative impact of AI on the automotive industry. Topics include improving customer experience, tackling communication challenges in dealerships, staff retention, and high turnover rates. Additionally, Derek draws parallels between his martial arts journey and his business tactics, emphasizing dedication and a competitive spirit.