Word On The Street

Hosted by Andrew Street

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Apr 2026

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With a mission to educate and empower automotive dealers across the United States, Andrew and his panel of industry thought leaders are the ultimate source of solution-driven insights for all things automotive marketing. From cutting-edge marketing techniques to proven sales strategies, they'll share their insights and expertise with you, giving you the tools you need to succeed. Auto dealers can get immediate and useful advice on increasing sales and service opportunities and drive their digital marketing strategies to the finish line. dealeromg.com info@dealeromg.com

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37 recent

April 23, 2026Episode 3833 min

Inside TikTok Auto: A Conversation with Ryan Copacia, Principal of Global Solutions

In this episode of Word on the Street, Andrew Street sits down with Ryan Copacia, a five-year TikTok veteran and the architect of the platform's automotive retail strategy. Ryan shares his journey from building the auto vertical from scratch to returning in 2026 to lead the global push for dealer-centric solutions. The conversation moves past the "dancing app" stereotypes and dives deep into how TikTok has evolved into the world's most powerful entertainment and discovery engine for car buyers.In this episode, they dig into:The "Blue Ocean" Opportunity for Dealers: Why TikTok currently offers a massive white space with high attention and low competition compared to the crowded "Red Oceans" of legacy social platforms.The Smart Plus & Auto Ads Suite: How TikTok’s new machine-learning-driven products allow dealers to syndicate inventory catalogs automatically and target the right user for the right vehicle.The Power of Passive Shopping: Why getting in front of users while they "decompress" at the end of the day can condense a three-month research process into an immediate purchase decision.A Shift from Demand Capture to Demand Gen: The industry-wide transition from just fighting over the "last-click" buyer to building long-term, incremental demand through visual storytelling.The "Everyone is a Creator" Movement: How even dealers without a film crew can use simple tools like lapel mics and TikTok’s Symphony editor to create content that stops the scroll.TikTok Search as the New Discovery Entry Point: Why users are increasingly using TikTok search to get "authentic perspectives" on safety, towing capacity, and brand comparisons instead of traditional search engines.The Viral ROI of Local Personalities: How individual sales reps in rural markets are out-selling major metro stores by building massive personal followings and shipping cars nationwide.Incremental Audience Reach: The specific value for dealers in reaching the "Gen Z and Millennial" buyers—many of whom are not active on any other social or traditional media channels.Our Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

April 9, 2026Episode 3732 min

From Inspiration to the Driveway: Allison McConeghy on the Pinterest Auto Revolution

This podcast episode features Andrew Street (CEO of Dealer OMG) and Allison McConeghy (Lead Client Partner at Pinterest) discussing the strategic role of Pinterest in the modern automotive dealership marketing mix. With nearly a decade at Pinterest and a career in automotive dating back to 2012, Allison shares how the platform has evolved from a niche space into a powerful full-funnel marketing tool for dealers.The conversation centers on debunking the myth that Pinterest is solely for wedding planning and nurseries, highlighting instead its unique position as a "discovery engine" that connects people to ideas. Allison explains that Pinterest allows dealers to engage high-intent, affluent shoppers—particularly women, who power 80% of car-buying decisions—during major life events like marriage or starting a family. Because these "life moments" make users 2.5 times more likely to purchase a vehicle within 12 months, the platform provides an unparalleled opportunity for incremental reach that other social networks miss.Hot Topics:The Power of Life Events: How major life changes (marriage, babies, landscaping) trigger car-buying needs and how Pinterest captures this intent early.Full-Funnel Strategy: The importance of running a combined strategy of awareness (why buy), consideration (offers/incentives), and shopping (inventory feeds).Attribution and Measurement: Why last-click models like Google Analytics fail to show Pinterest’s true value and the importance of using the Pinterest tag and monthly sales match-backs.Creative Best Practices: Tips for dealers to create impactful, human-focused video content—such as showcasing vehicle features like hands-free liftgates—to stop the scroll.Incremental Audience: The fact that roughly 30% of Pinterest users are not active on other social platforms, representing a significant untapped market for dealers.Audience Targeting: Leveraging Pinterest's specific audience levers to segment inventory (e.g., matching pickup trucks with DIY and sports-focused users).The "Visual Discovery" Difference: How Pinterest differs from "people-to-people" social networks by creating a positive, focused environment for planning and ideas.Our Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

January 20, 2026Episode 3647 min

Curtis Driver on Why Dealers Fire Vendors in the First 90 Days

In this episode of Word on the Street, we’re joined by Curtis Driver, Omnichannel Digital Sales Manager at Capital Auto Group, to unpack why dealers so often fire vendors within the first 90 days — and what both sides get wrong during onboarding.Curtis shares a candid dealer-side perspective on why onboarding breaks down, how silence and unclear expectations kill momentum, and why utilization is the most important metric dealers should be watching early on. The conversation covers how marketing, BDC performance, and in-store execution must work together, why dashboards don’t matter if managers aren’t trained for accountability, and how communication methods like SMS and short-form video outperform email inside the dealership.The episode also explores omnichannel digital sales, realistic uses of AI in sales and service, the role of CDPs and lifecycle marketing, and why AI should scale employees — not replace them. Curtis explains how dealers evaluate vendors in the first 14–90 days, what causes frustration during rollouts, and why proactive communication is the biggest differentiator between vendors who last and vendors who get canceled.If you’re a dealer, vendor, or automotive marketer looking to build stronger partnerships, improve onboarding outcomes, and cut through AI hype with real-world insight, this episode delivers practical takeaways straight from the store level.Our Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

November 13, 2025Episode 3548 min

Chris Martinez: The Dealer’s Playbook for Growth, AI, and Staying a Student of the Game

This week on Word on the Street, Andrew sits down with Chris Martinez, a 22-year automotive veteran who’s done it all — from managing at CarMax to building and selling dealership software, and now leading the charge in AI-powered follow-up.Chris shares what it was like growing dealerships from 50 to 500+ used cars a month, spotting white-space opportunities before the industry caught up, and how he’s using AI voice, SMS, and email automation to help dealers stay connected with customers long after the lead goes cold.They dig into:How foundational experience in used cars creates better general managersWhy social and language-targeted ads were his early growth secretWhere AI is actually moving the needle for dealers todayWhat the next era of lead follow-up and customer retention will look likeWhether you’re a GM, vendor, or entrepreneur in automotive, this episode is a masterclass in curiosity, resilience, and staying a student of the game.Our Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

September 22, 2025Episode 3453 min

Dad in the Desk Chair: Greg Smith’s Path from Data to People

From MBA courses to dealership leadership, Greg Smith has built a career on analytics—then discovered the power of people. In this episode of Word on the Street, Greg shares how his “Dad in the Desk Chair” newsletter took shape, the leadership lessons that reshaped his management style, and the data-driven strategies helping dealerships grow market share, boost service retention, and create winning cultures. Whether you’re in automotive retail or just love a good leadership journey, Greg’s insights blend hard numbers with human connection.Topics We Cover:The story behind Greg’s Dad in the Desk Chair newsletter and how he built an engaged audience on LinkedInLessons from “The Quest” leadership program and transforming a numbers-first mindset into people-first leadershipUsing market share and overlooked KPIs to uncover hidden dealership growth opportunitiesService department video strategies that drive higher approvals and retentionBuilding a culture of accountability and buy-in across sales, service, and management teamsWhat really moves the needle in marketing and digital retailing for automotive groupsOur Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

September 11, 2025Episode 331 hr 1 min

AI in Automotive Retail: Jarrod Kilway on the Next Big Shift

In this episode of Word on the Street, we sit down with Jarrod Kilway, VP of Digital Operations at Casa Auto Group, to explore how AI is reshaping dealership operations. From training GPT agents to pull real-time insights from the DMS and CRM, to automating marketing campaigns and service outreach, Jarrod shares how dealers can use AI to cut inefficiencies, boost profitability, and deliver a better customer experience.We also dive into zero-click search, voice technology, and what the next wave of disruption could mean for automotive retail. Whether you’re a dealer, marketer, or just curious about how AI is changing the industry, this conversation is packed with forward-looking strategies and practical takeaways.Our Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

September 5, 2025Episode 3227 min

From Desperation to Director: Trent Cannon’s Journey Through Automotive

What does it take to go from rock bottom to leading innovation in the automotive industry? In this episode of Word on the Street, Andrew Street sits down with Trent Cannon to unpack his incredible journey.From losing jobs during the recession and struggling to find his footing, to breaking into car sales “out of desperation,” Trent’s story is one of resilience, mentorship, and proving people wrong. He shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, the mentors who believed in him, and the lessons that pushed him from selling cars on the hot Houston pavement to directing internet operations and driving product innovation at the manufacturer level.If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to adapt, grow, and thrive in automotive — this is a story you don’t want to miss.Episode Highlights:[00:11] Breaking into automotive “out of desperation”[02:34] The role of mentors in his early career[11:13] Climbing to Internet Director and beyond[19:39] Bouncing back from setbacks[20:43] Marketing as the lifeblood of dealershipsListen in to hear how Trent turned obstacles into opportunities and carved out a leadership path in the auto industry.Our Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

August 29, 2025Episode 3157 min

Fearless on the Lot: April Ancira’s Playbook for Growth, Grit and Giving Back

In this episode of Word on the Street, we sit down with April Ancira—VP of Ancira Auto Group, community leader, and fearless trailblazer in the automotive world. April shares her unfiltered perspective on what it takes to thrive in a competitive industry, from cultivating grit on the lot to leading with authenticity and heart.She opens up about her playbook for growth, the lessons she’s learned balancing business and family, and why giving back to her community is at the center of everything she does. Whether you’re an automotive professional or simply looking for inspiration to push past challenges, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.⏱ Episode Timestamps:[00:01:00] The Ancira family legacy: from Ernesto Ancira’s American Dream to San Antonio’s top Chevy store[00:05:00] Breaking barriers: resilience, representation, and lessons April carried into the business as a woman in automotive[00:07:00] Collaboration over competition: how San Antonio dealers lift each other up[00:10:00] Philanthropy & branding: giving back without “beating your chest”[00:15:00] The challenge of reaching younger buyers and NIL partnerships with athletes[00:19:00] Rolling the dice: from Cam Ward’s NIL deal to dealership growth strategy[00:23:00] Expanding smart: rural vs. metro stores and keeping ads local and authentic[00:30:00] The Stellantis challenge, EVs, and why product refreshes matter[00:31:00] Finding outlets beyond the lot: April’s stand-up comedy and Ironman training[00:39:00] Lessons in grit: turning online criticism into confidence (and campaigning for “Biggest Douchebag”)[00:43:00] April’s path into automotive: from Chili’s to selling 4 cars in 2 days[00:47:00] Why waiting tables is the best training for leadership[00:50:00] Rapid-fire Q&A: first car, dream ride, favorite features, and family adviceOur Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

August 22, 2025Episode 3048 min

Fixing Fixed Ops: Training, Retention & Profitability with Kyle Newsom

In this episode of Word on the Street, we sit down with Kyle Newsom, Co-Founder of Vesperio, to dig into the real challenges and opportunities facing dealership fixed operations. From communication breakdowns to training gaps, Kyle shares why most service departments struggle with efficiency and what dealers can do to increase profitability while retaining both customers and staff.We cover:Why most service issues boil down to communicationHow dealerships can turn basic training into long-term retentionThe critical handoff from sales to service and its impact on customer lifetime valueRecruiting, onboarding, and keeping top talent in today’s tight labor marketWhy investing in people is not an expense—but a growth strategyIf your dealership is looking to boost fixed ops performance, grow service revenue, and actually keep the talent you hire, this episode is packed with actionable insights.Our Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677

May 20, 2025Episode 291 hr 4 min

Pre-Owned, But Make It Sexy

🎙️ Pre-Owned, But Make It Sexy Word on the Street – Episode 29 Guest: Matthew Davis, Marketing Director at TradePending Host: Andrew StreetHow do you source better used cars, close more trade leads, and stay top of mind without annoying your customers? In this episode, Andrew sits down with marketing veteran Matthew Davis from TradePending to talk about all things pre-owned inventory, fixed ops growth, and modern dealership marketing.From website conversion hacks and co-op-free retention plays to hilarious takes on AI and Facebook ads, this is one of our most jam-packed and entertaining episodes yet.🔍 Timestamps:[00:00] – Intro: Why pre-owned inventory is the biggest profitability play right now[03:45] – Competing with Carvana & CarMax: The real difference is process[07:15] – The #1 website mistake dealers make with trade-in tools[12:30] – How to increase trade leads without killing conversion rates[16:50] – ValueWatch: The tool that makes your customers actually come back[22:00] – Why a plain-text email can outperform your best banner ad[26:30] – Instagram green screens + hyper-targeted trade campaigns[31:40] – Zuck’s AI takeover: Can Facebook really do it better than you?[36:15] – Making co-op compliant creative in seconds with AI prompts[39:50] – FBI tip: How to spot a North Korean job applicant 🤯[45:10] – Why dealers still ignore service marketing (and why that’s changing)[51:45] – The rise of loyalty automation — no lifting required[58:00] – The real ROI of branding vs. leads[1:04:00] – Your website is broken (and it’s not your fault)[1:10:25] – The value of human-centered social content (and ditching hashtags)[1:16:00] – Direct mail, mugs, and the power of omnichannel follow-up[1:22:15] – In-dealership interviews: giving your store a voice and a soul[1:27:00] – Wrap-up: What’s next in marketing, service, and loyalty📈 If you’re in the trenches trying to grow leads, keep customers, and cut through the noise — this one’s for you. 🎧 Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe.Our Website: https://www.dealeromg.com/Find us on social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealer-omg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealerOMGInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealeromg/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dealeromgContact us:info@dealeromg.com512-436-9677