The Dealer Playbook

Hosted by Michael Cirillo

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721

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Aug 2026

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About the show

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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60 recent

September 8, 202634 min

"Sold 300+ Used Cars" - This Ford Store Cracked The Used Car Game | Rob Ruth, President - Bob Ruth Ford

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 vanished, how they built a team-based buying machine (starting with Facebook Marketplace outreach), and why used cars drive the whole store: service, parts, profitability, and growth. What you’ll learn: Why used cars are the real growth lever (40M used vs ~16M new) and how to differentiate The acquisition-first framework: buying center, street buys, and scaling a sourcing team How to sell 8 used for every 1 new while keeping the OEM satisfied What’s working now: $25K-and-under sweet spot, pricing discipline, and recon strategy Leadership and culture: treating employees like partners, creating career paths, and recruiting in a small market The recession-proof logic of building a pre-owned engine when markets shift If you’re a dealer, operator, or leader who feels boxed in by OEM pressure, market size, or “the way it’s always been done,” this episode will challenge you to rethink what’s possible and remind you why you got into this business in the first place. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to the Used Car Mindset 00:36 The Story Behind Bob Ruth Ford 01:02 Key Elements of a Successful Pre-Owned Operation 01:13 Flex Dealer and the Dealer Playbook 02:35 Rob Ruth's Journey and Mindset 03:46 Challenges and Strategies in the Used Car Market 06:05 The Startup Mentality in a Family Business 15:20 Acquisition and Inventory Management 26:20 Community Impact and Leadership 33:29 Conclusion and How to Connect

September 1, 202628 min

"We Want To Actively Give Back" — An Independent Dealer On Trust Over Ad Spend | Travis Baldwin, Vice President at Best Deal Auto Sales

Travis Baldwin started detailing cars at his family's independent dealership in 1999. He worked his way up through buyer, sales associate, sales manager, area manager, and eventually Vice President at Best Deal Auto Sales, all while serving on the board of the Indiana Independent Auto Dealer Association and spending time as a reserve police officer. Travis joins Michael to talk about something most dealers don't say out loud: that the sign at the ball field and the logo on the billboard might matter less than people think. He shares how his family has built trust in their community through quiet, consistent involvement, like helping an employee buy a house when their credit didn't qualify, without ever looking for credit or recognition in return. The conversation also gets into the auction buy that changed how Travis does business: a certified unit that showed up with metal in the oil and got relisted with no disclosure. That experience led him to build Dealer Defender, a platform that flags non-disclosed auction returns before they cost the next dealer. Find Travis on LinkedIn or learn more about his platform at dealerdefender.com. Michael's takeaway: the dealers who last aren't chasing the next lead source. They're the ones people trust enough to vouch for without being asked. Timestamps (00:00) Overachiever Origins (00:52) Sponsor FlexDealer (02:18) From Detailer to VP (05:12) Advocating Independents (08:27) Competing With Franchises (10:58) Future Focus Transparency (13:22) Community Over Marketing (22:11) Reserve Officer Lessons (24:20) Dealer Defender Story (27:43) Outro

August 25, 202625 min

“Put This To Work” - The Secret Weapon Your Competitors Don’t Know About | Michael Cirillo, CEO at FlexDealer

Most dealerships want more visibility. The interesting question is whether they’re fully using the visibility they already have. In this episode , Michael Cirillo breaks down an overlooked opportunity inside Google Business Profile and how dealerships can use it to get in front of more high-intent local car shoppers. Google Business Profile is already helping shoppers find the store, read reviews, visit the website, call, get directions, and make purchase decisions. Michael’s point is simple: if shoppers are already moving through that channel, there are practical ways to make the experience work harder for the dealership. Michael uses Strosnider Chevrolet as a real-world example and walks through a simple execution anyone at the store can understand. The practical takeaway is straightforward: Before adding another tool, another platform, or another process, make sure you’re getting everything you can from what your dealership already has. Timestamps (00:00) Coming Up (00:53) Flex Dealer Plug (04:42) Napoleon Quote (05:17) Why GBP Wins (09:09) Social Reality Check (13:22) Reviews Matter (14:28) Updates Section Hack (19:22) Repurpose Everywhere (22:55) Do It Today (23:44) Wrap Up (24:20) Final Thanks

August 18, 202630 min

"Absolutely Cancerous" - The Biggest Problem In Retail Auto and How To Solve It | Michael Cirillo, CEO at FlexDealer

Most people assume the biggest problem in retail auto is inventory, rates, or competition. But every time I walk into a dealership, I see something else at the core of the struggle. It isn’t obvious on the surface, but you can feel it in the turnover, the burnout, the “busy but not fulfilled” pace that too many teams are stuck in. In this week’s solo episode, I share what I believe is the biggest problem holding retail auto back, and how you can solve it. It’s the same framework my team and I use in my companies, and it’s made all the difference in how we lead, how we serve, and even how I show up at home with my family. I think you’ll find it both challenging and hopeful. Timestamps (00:00) Ethical Fading Warning (00:35) Episode Sponsor: FlexDealer (02:05) Legacy Matters (06:46) Why Teams Feel Stuck (10:25) Defining Ethical Fading (13:14) Reset With Values (16:30) Guiding Principles Exercise (19:50) Six Genius Types Explained (24:18) Action Steps And ROI (27:18) Using GPT As Chief Of Staff (30:24) Final Thanks And Subscribe

August 11, 202635 min

“What’s the Next Move” — How Top Car Sales People Stay Ahead of the Market | Andrea Anderson, Cadillac Sales Consultant

This week Michael talks with a Cadillac Sales Consultant at Andrews Cadillac in Brentwood, Tennessee, who spent years ranked in the top 100 nationally before ever posting online, and then built 150,000 followers in a single year without her numbers dropping. She walks through the moment she realized being good at her job wasn't enough to stay on top. She needed more people to know it. That's the shift that started everything, from her first clumsy videos to a system that now brings buyers in already trusting her. She also talks candidly about a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy, why she stopped tying her worth to whether she sold a car that day, and how she holds firm boundaries (home by 5, no Saturdays) while still outselling reps working six days a week. You can find her as AndreaSellsCadillac across platforms, or reach her directly through Andrews Cadillac in Brentwood. Michael's takeaway: the top of your market isn't a finish line, it's the point where you have to ask what got you here won't keep you here, so what's next. Timestamps (00:00) Rapid Growth Setup (00:49) Sponsor Message (04:05) Early Sales Lessons (06:55) Fitness To Dealership (08:31) Abundance Mindset Origins (11:20) Cancer Perspective Shift (16:25) Why Social Media Started (19:59) Hooking Viewers Fast (22:46) Reps And Authenticity (26:22) Cost Of Top Performer (29:23) Why Customers Choose Her (31:36) Boundaries And Balance (34:36) Connect And Wrap Up

August 4, 202635 min

"1.8% Of Clicks Are Paid" - The Traffic Every Dealer Is Leaving On The Table | Matt Copley, Co-Founder & CRO of Hrizn

Most dealers are fighting over a sliver of traffic while the majority goes unclaimed. Matt Copley, Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Revenue Officer of Hrizn, joins Michael to unpack it. With over 25 years across media, adtech, and martech, including a decade working inside retail automotive itself, Matt's built a career watching how dealers show up online, and now builds the platform to fix it. They dig into a number pulled from SparkToro, Datos, and Semrush: paid clicks only account for 1.8 to 4.9% of all clicks after a search. The rest is organic, and it's where the real opportunity sits. They get into why chasing hundreds of keywords through an outside SEO vendor is a losing fight, how a simple wearable AI note taker can capture a service writer's or product specialist's knowledge with zero extra work, and a mistake already live on plenty of dealer sites right now: unchecked AI-generated vehicle descriptions. Connect with Matt Copley on LinkedIn, or head to Hrizn.io for their resource library on content and search, open to anyone whether they're a customer or not. Michael's takeaway: stop fighting for the 2%. The 98% is already there, and it's free. Timestamps (00:00) Stop Chasing Keywords (01:13) Sponsor Message FlexDealer (02:38) Content Lives In Store (03:30) Outsourced Content Problem (07:12) Capture Expertise With AI (09:10) Search Everywhere Strategy (14:48) Paid Vs Organic Flip (20:08) Social As Infrastructure (23:09) People Over Brands (28:54) Fight AI Content Slop (35:38) Podcast Outro

July 28, 202656 min

“Ten Cars Does Not Work” - The Habits Behind Higher Car Sales | Raul Tomsa, Client Advisor at Motor Werks

Average production has a cost, and it usually shows up long before someone notices it in their paycheck. After 18 years in automotive retail, Raul stepped away from the general sales manager position and returned to the showroom floor as a client advisor. He wanted to reconnect with the customer experience and find out what separates someone selling ten cars a month from someone consistently producing 20 or more. Raul explains why average producers often wait for perfect deals, avoid low-gross opportunities, and talk themselves out of transactions before the customer ever does. High performers keep stacking deals, serve every customer well, and understand that one additional sale can unlock thousands of dollars in volume bonuses. He also shares why personal presentation matters, how helping coworkers strengthens the entire store, and why operating like an owner can make you more valuable regardless of your title. The conversation moves into social media, where Raul breaks down how educational content creates real business. One video about the G-Wagon market led to a factory order, an interim lease, and a referral who purchased another vehicle. Raul is a client advisor with 18 years of dealership experience and the creator behind Vincierge. Connect with him on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook at @vincierge Michael’s takeaway: Average is expensive. Stop waiting for better opportunities and become better at serving the opportunities already in front of you. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:48 Dealer Playbook Support 02:10 Why He Returned 08:41 Can Connection Be Taught 15:37 Play by the Rules 19:39 Leadership Advantage 26:52 Money Versus Meaning 29:03 From 10 to 40 Cars 35:00 Service First Selling 40:56 Social Media Reality 42:06 Content That Sells 49:29 Authenticity Over AI 51:48 Right People Not Viral 55:25 Wrap Up and Connect

July 21, 202644 min

"We Solved a Huge Problem" — How This 17-Store Group Decides What to Fix First | Gary LaDue, Marketing Dir. Modern Auto

Every operator has felt it: too many fires, no clear order of attack, and the creeping sense that whatever you fix first is a guess. This episode centers on a simple decision-making framework: plot every project against how easy it is to achieve and how big the return would be, then go after the highest-value, lowest-effort work first. It's borrowed straight from corporate America, and it works because it's simple. The conversation walks through how that framework actually shapes daily decisions, why testing to optimize beats constantly chasing the next new tool or vendor, and how to know which problem in front of you actually deserves your attention first. The takeaway: you don't need more tools to fix operational overwhelm. You need a filter for what's actually worth solving first. Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:31) Show Support and Free Book (01:58) From Paper Brands to Career (07:19) Digital Tools vs Efficiency (10:49) Practical AI Across 17 Stores (12:47) Scaling Social Video with AI (20:18) Optimize Vendors and People (23:47) Value Still Wins (24:24) Defining Good Human (24:54) Respect And Listening (30:41) Longevity Through Uncertainty (33:29) Consent And FTC Compliance (36:14) AI Adoption And Fatigue (37:28) Responsible AI Guardrails (42:08) Connect With Gary (44:05) Final Thanks And Outro

July 14, 202642 min

“39 Cars To 62” - How A Store Fixed A Decade-long Sales Plateau In 60 Days | Jonathan Dawson, Dealer Principal at Cherokee Mitsubishi

Jonathan Dawson has spent over 20 years training dealerships as the president and founder of Sellcology and co-founder of the Pinnacle Society. A year ago, he became an owner and operator himself at Cherokee Mitsubishi. This episode centers on one story: a 10 year veteran salesperson who'd been chasing 40 cars a month for a decade, topping out at 39, and told Jonathan flatly that the only way to get there was to fire five coworkers and add more staff and inventory. Jonathan walked him through a simple math exercise instead, built entirely off the salesperson's own best single day. Two months later, he sold 62 cars. No new hires, no new inventory. Jonathan also gets specific about the moment he had to write up his own top performer twice in two days, why he didn't let it slide even though it stung more than he expected, and the principle he now runs his store by: you either raise your people to your standard, or you eventually lower your standard to your people. Michael's takeaway: the ceiling most salespeople hit isn't a real ceiling, it's a number they made peace with a long time ago, and the fastest way to break it is math, not motivation. (00:00) Standards Dilemma (00:45) Show Support And Free Book (02:11) TikTok Prodigy And Stewardship (04:08) Stewardship Defined With Examples (08:24) Self Accountability And Value (11:56) Building Owners In Business (14:50) Dealer Principal Hard Lessons (19:01) Non Negotiables And Accountability (21:58) Vision And Personal Branding (30:45) Unlocking Bigger Potential (36:12) Motivation And Kingdom Impact (39:25) Connect And Closing Remarks

July 7, 202643 min

"175 to 400 Cars a Month" — The Used Car Reframe That Changed Every Department | Rob Dell, VP at Bob Ruth Ford

Rob Dell runs a Ford store in a town of just 2,700 people, boxed in by a competing Ford dealer every seven miles. Instead of fighting for new car volume he could never win, he rebuilt his store around used cars, taking monthly volume from around 175 to close to 400. Rob Dell is the Vice President at Bob Ruth Ford, and he's spent almost 30 years figuring out what actually makes a dealership work. In this episode, Rob breaks down the shift in thinking that made that growth possible. He explains why he stopped chasing a flat front-end profit number on every deal and started valuing every trade at a baseline of $3,500 once service, parts, and finance are factored in. He also gets into the historical data his buyers use to price a used car before it ever hits the lot, the five-thousand-dollar rule that keeps his team taking smart risks, and the six-person pod structure that keeps every manager focused without being stretched too thin. You can connect with Rob on LinkedIn , where he posts regularly about the real numbers at his store, wins and losses included. Michael's takeaway: the number that matters isn't how many cars you sell. It's understanding what one deal is actually worth once every department gets its share. Follow The Dealer Playbook so you never miss an episode. (00:00) Championship Mindset (00:53) Sponsor Message FlexDealer (02:19) Accidental Start In Cars (03:58) Choosing The Right Mentors (06:49) Building Teams In Pods (12:21) Leadership View And AI (14:56) Quality Service Wins (19:31) Used Cars Strategy Shift (22:24) Buying Used Cars With Data (25:49) Variable Vs Fixed Alignment (33:38) No Excuses Who Said (37:30) Learning From Mistakes (40:47) Bison Mentality Closing (41:57) Connect And Wrap Up