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Coffee Guy Coffee & 800% Life’s Evan Walters & Sam Cox
Coffee Guy Coffee & 800% Life’s Evan Walters & Sam Cox
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About this episode
Evan Walters and Sam Cox talk through 800% Life’s rapid growth, from adding 18 rooftops in about a month to setting ambitious expansion goals. They also share personal milestones, including Sam’s first NADA stage and his recovery from a back injury. The conversation highlights free dealership events, a Scottsdale retreat, practical sales training, and a community built around sharing ideas, value, and new AI-driven tools.
Topics:
Scottsdale, Arizona
Coffee Guy Coffee & 800% Life’s Evan Walters & Sam Cox
Welcome to the Car Guy Coffee Podcast. Kickstart your day the right way and join us as we tap into the brightest minds and most passionate voices across the automotive world to bring you the education, motivation, and inspiration you need to thrive. From the showroom floor to the service lane, prepare to Upshift and Uplift your perspective.
In this episode of The Car Guy Coffee Podcast, hosts Lou Ramirez and Fred Lennartz welcome Evan Walters and Sam from 800% Life to talk about Kentucky’s automotive momentum, their growing network, and how they’re helping dealers scale. Evan shares that 800% has added about 18 rooftops in the last 30 days and is focused on onboarding, process building, and preparing to scale to 50–100 rooftops per month. In a “great news” segment, Sam celebrates speaking at NADA, launching the Evening Drive podcast with Evan, and recovering from a back injury, while Evan highlights new dealer work, his family, and a health journey with his wife.
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Welcome to the Car Guy Coffee Podcast. Kickstart your day the right way and join us as we tap into the brightest minds and most passionate voices across the automotive world to bring you the education, motivation, and inspiration you need to thrive. From the showroom floor to the service lane, prepare to Upshift and Uplift your perspective.
In this episode of The Car Guy Coffee Podcast, hosts Lou Ramirez and Fred Lennartz welcome Evan Walters and Sam from 800% Life to talk about Kentucky’s automotive momentum, their growing network, and how they’re helping dealers scale. Evan shares that 800% has added about 18 rooftops in the last 30 days and is focused on onboarding, process building, and preparing to scale to 50–100 rooftops per month. In a “great news” segment, Sam celebrates speaking at NADA, launching the Evening Drive podcast with Evan, and recovering from a back injury, while Evan highlights new dealer work, his family, and a health journey with his wife.
📲Stream it. Share it. Let's Brew.
Don’t forget to share and subscribe!
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Technical
Too Afraid to Ask
Topic
800% movements
"man. But yeah, you don't have to be an automotive, we're here for the 800% movements is here for everything. Yes, it is."
They mention “800% movements” as a group or initiative. The point they’re making is that it’s focused on helping people and doing good.
The hosts reference “800% movements” as a community or initiative. In this segment it’s discussed as being about helping people and doing good, not a specific car product or technical topic.
Topic
800% Club
"And, and we do appreciate that. But just as much as we appreciate chicken, we appreciate seeing people get appreciated. And the 800% Club does a consistent retreat a few times a year."
They talk about the “800% Club” as a group that does retreats a few times a year. This part is mainly about planning for an upcoming event.
The “800% Club” is mentioned as an organization that holds retreats a few times a year. The discussion is about an upcoming event and where it will be held, rather than anything automotive-technical.
Topic
Scottsdale, Arizona
"And what's happening out there, Sam? It's in Scottsdale, Arizona."
They mention Scottsdale, Arizona as where the event is happening. It’s just the location for the get-together.
The hosts say the event is in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is a location for the community gathering, not a car model, part, or technical concept.
Select text to request an explanation
Hello and welcome to the CarGuy Coffee Podcast. This brew has been brought to you by Certified
Solutionaries and if you want to consume more brews or want more information about how to
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Let's brew! What's going on Car Guys and Car Gals? It's Lou Ramirez and it's Frelin Arts and
Brewing Solutions on the CarGuy Coffee Podcast having fun inside of the cafe and today it's going
to be a whole lot of a Kentucky brew. Bro, I'm excited about it. It's going to be fun today.
That's right man. The Bluegrass State really has something in the water man just for the bourbon
but for the growth of automotive man. There's so many great people doing big things out there
making changes and they're from Kentucky man. I'm telling you from the white haired man himself,
Mr. David Kane doing big things to the 800% elite automotive club soon to be, not soon to be, but
the 800% elite life. I believe 800% life. Come on man. They're doing it for everyone and they're
making sure that the people in the state across the country around the world are taking things to
the next level and I'm excited about that. How about you? Oh no. Are you? No, I didn't think so.
I'm like 800% excited because this is a fun opportunity that we have to have inside of the
cafe. Blessing the microphone. Blessing the airwaves on this worldwide syndicated podcast.
We are making sure to bring you the best of the best and we've been on this quest to brew with
the best and today is going to be no less everybody. We are excited to have voices to automotive
elite and when I say elite, we mean next level people. We don't mean those that are okay with
being average. We mean the elite, those that want to go to the next level in their business,
those that want to go to the next level in their life and those that want to see how it
actually impacts the world around them, their communities, the people they affect and they
do it on a level that's 800% and we are honored to have our brothers inside of the cafe with us
today because you are going to the next level. If you start writing down the things that they're
saying, if you start listening to the solutions that they're bringing, if you make sure to connect
with them today, we got to bring them inside of the cafe. Fred, this is going to be a fun time.
Next one, I'm just saying the follow up to this because every good sales pro needs to do follow
up. That's right. Next follow up to this is in the cafe. They're only a small drive away. They
need to come out here. They need to sign, they need to sign the board. They need to make sure
that they're actually inside of these seats in the cafe, ruin solutions with us. I'm just saying
that's for the next one. That'd be dope, man, because we haven't had the table turn this way
in a long time to be able to have that type of conversation and them two over here inside the
studio that we just grew so much from, man, Louie. Personally, being able to do what we do,
being able to grow and being able to connect with people like these two, we're getting ready to
pull on the screen. These two are doing some dynamic stuff, man. They got their own and I'm
excited to get on their show. We're doing exchange of shows and that's so dope. We're going to be
doing this all the time. It's to me, it's one network. It's one solution area network doing
800% the work and making it happen, brother. I know it's time to get them on the screen.
We could talk about them all day long. We can hype them up all you guys want.
But at the end of the day, let's get them up here, man. Let's talk about what's happened.
Let's get some great news going too, by the way. Let's go.
Help clap them up. I don't care if you're riding, listening. Go ahead and slap your leg.
Go ahead and give some claps. Keep everything good and safe, but try to make sure that you
do get excited and you make welcome to the CarGuy Coffee Podcast from 800% life. The one,
the only, Evan Walters. Teaming up with him is the one, the only, Sam Cox. Welcome to the party,
gentlemen. We are excited that you made it. Yes, sir. We're excited to be here. Thanks for the
invite. Now, super pumped up, man. Thank you all for spending your day getting hooked up,
figuring out what's going on. I saw some of your social media. You can't hear us, Sam.
No. Can you hear us, Evan? Yeah. Okay. So it's Sam, we can hear Sam. We can hear you. You can't hear
us. You can't hear me saying, say this, say you're amazing. The good news is that I'm going to hit
pause. Sam Cox. Welcome to the party, everybody. We're excited that you're here.
Dude, so happy to have you both in here to have some fun and really talk about what's going on in
all our lives, man. Catch up a little bit. We get to work together a lot and we do communicate,
but to spend a little bit of time after a long day of prepping. I know you guys have been prepping
all day long. I saw your social media posts. Excited to talk about that. Excited to talk about
what's coming up, but more importantly, guys, man, one thing we like to do when we get together
with a group of people is have a great news meeting. Why? Because we like to start our days
with gratitude. But more importantly, we like to start our meetings with people with some gratitude
and something that's great. I see Glenn Lundy in the building. What up, bro? Oh my God, it's Glenn Lundy.
Pretty awesome stuff, man. They're literally in the studios right now. I appreciate you guys
for being in the offices and wrapping up a day with us. And I appreciate that. So that's where
you guys are at right now, right? You were right now. Yes, sir. 800 headquarters. That's right.
Awesome. And we know there's a lot brewing inside of that facility. Tell us a little bit about what
you guys have been brewing just this week. You just took a look at the calendar, which you guys
keep packed up inside of that place with all the awesome people. What's brewing in there this week
today? What's popping and locking? Yeah, man, we've added quite a bit of stores, I believe 18
rooftops over the last 30, 30 days or so. So we're onboarding, we're creating processes,
we're scaling as a company. So there's a lot to be done, but it's fun, man. We love what we do,
and we love taking care of the people, right? That's the big reason why we all do what we do,
right, is to help people. And we are blessed with that opportunity to help a massive amount of people
and some amazing dealers. And yeah, that's what that's kind of what we've been focused on this
past week is scalable processes and understanding that one day we're going to be 50, 100 rooftops
in a month is the goal. So scaling our processes internally and really getting clear on everybody's
motive and path over the next quarter. Making sure like we're just like he said,
like the servicing part, like I've spent all week long just scheduling more like the one-on-ones
and with dealers and with sales people. It's just crazy. It's crazy, but that's what we're here for.
Man, that's some great news. And speaking of some great news, you guys already kicked it off a
little bit. You guys broke down what's going on, what you guys are coming up. But Sam,
I'm going to kick it off with you first. My man, Mr. 800% right there on the chest.
Tell us some great news going on in your life. What's been happening over the last three months
that is some stuff that you want to celebrate? The last three months has been crazy. It's been nuts.
It's been the world's been a little bit upside down. I got the, my first stage at NADA, which was
absolutely at that absolute blast. Nervous up to it. But once it actually hit now, I need more
stages. I need more. It was so much fun to get up there. I think there was three or 400 people
in the room. So it was a lot bigger than I thought it was actually going to be, but it was a blast.
And then since then, we've had the podcast with Evan and myself, the evening drive. We've started
that honestly with just in the last two months. And then I'm starting to finally get my back healthy
after my, we were talking about before we went on here. I hurt my back at a high rocks event in
November in Chicago. And I'm starting to heal, starting to work out again. I actually had my
first five K at Disney in two weeks. So we'll see how that goes, man.
Great place to heck. Yeah, dude. Let's share that on, man. What we do is at this great news
meeting as we cheer it on, everybody in there go, what's up, man? And then you get, and you get to
pick who goes next. You got, we got your man right next to you. You got me and you got Lou. Who you
want next? I'm going Lou. Let's go Lou. Lou with some good news.
Great news over here. Great news is we have you all inside of the cafe today to be able to enhance
what it is that we're pouring out to the entire industry that wants to get better, that wants to
be motivated, that wants to go to the next level. We are very blessed to be inside of Kentucky. So
we're inside of the home studio and we're very thankful for that. I'm grateful for that because
from here I get to be with the grand babies, get to be with my family, you, my ladies, and I absolutely
love being home. You all know how great that is, especially when you spend so much time out there
enhancing everybody else's life and getting recharged here at home. I'm so thankful for that,
but we're so thankful that we get the opportunity to work together with individuals like you that
are crazy enough to try and push the envelope of what's possible inside of the industry. And like
our friend Ed Roberts would say, you're not trying to do it. You're making it happen and we're very
thankful for the opportunity for that. And for me, it's great news to be able to be in the cafe
with my brother-in-arms and with two other brothers that are about making this industry better.
Thank you so much for being in here. That's my great news, everybody. Give me some love. Clap it up.
And I'm going to go ahead and take this great news and I'm going to kick it back to Evan. Let's go.
Let's go. Some of my great news. We'll start with professional. Professionally, we started the podcast,
the evening drive. So check it out. We're super excited for that. It's new for us and for the
company. We've also been diving in stores, a couple new in-stores. So getting to sit in with,
we've got a new store and I'm going to shout them out because they do some amazing things.
Jerry Hunt Supercenter. It's an independent store in North Carolina. They're selling almost 1,000
cars a month, 700 out of one location, pushing 800 and then close to 3,350 at the other location,
which are about 20 minutes away. So getting to sit in that environment again, right? Because
the dealership that I'm from, we thrived in the 850 to 1,000 cars a month. So getting in that
energy again, it revamped me. It made me think a little bit differently than what I've had in the
past four and a half years. So getting back in that seat, respecting it, but understanding it,
that was a big professional. And then personal, my kids are growing up. My daughter moved up in
her soccer league. So she's in a bigger field, bigger goals growing up, man. She's eight years old
and it's gone fast. And the last thing is that my wife and I are on a workout journey together.
Since the first of the year, we've been pushing each other. We've been Piloton and running Crossfit,
all those things to build our bodies for our family. And Lou, you said it perfectly, man.
We invest a lot of our time, energy and effort into a lot of people. And sometimes we can neglect
ourselves or our own families, right? It's your to do when you're in the thick of it and you're in
the move on the move. So I'm going to shout that out to my wife and to hold me accountable
and pushing our health and our family. That's dope. That's some great news. That's phenomenal.
Cheer that on, y'all. Cheer that on. Let's go. Let's go. And real quick, I know I'm getting ready
to get it next. I know that, but I want to throw up a QR code that you all can just scan and spotify.
It gets you guys straight to their podcast. You'll be able to check them out, follow them as soon as
you can. Check it out the evening drive. Simple, fast. Just click on that and you'll get there,
I promise. So I just set you all up for some success, my friends. So let's make it happen.
Go check them out. This show is not going anywhere. It's going to grow. Throw it on over to Fred.
All right. I'm going to take it. Great news. I just got the QR code up there for you guys.
I'm going to talk about the last three months. So it's been an amazing year already.
2026 could be a challenge in a lot of people's eyes, but at the same time, I think for us guys,
like us, Lou and I, I know that I know with you all when we like that we look at things,
not as problems, but we get to bring solutions. Man, that's awesome. And what a way to be able to
live. That's like fixing puzzles all the time, right? And it's, there's something special about
that. And I'm excited because this year we've been doing that all year, whether it's with our
current clients, our new clients, working with teams like the 800% crew over there. We get to go
speak at some of the events that you all have been having, but you've been phenomenal kudos to
you all. Thank you all for inviting us to so many things that we've been. NADA was phenomenal for us.
We got to be at a lot of different booths, having a lot of great times and great conversations,
dinners and shows that we all got to go do. I mean, it's Vegas for us. And then always connecting
with you all, always running into you all. It's always been like, we're like magnets that just
drawn to each other. Bam, every time, every time it's like they refine you. It just happens. I
think energy, what you put out, what you get back. And I feel like we put, we all put out the right
energy. So we keep connecting. It's a powerful thing to, to, to now we just, I just had a great
March. March was phenomenal. It's my birthday month, but it's my family's birthday month pretty
much. And a lot of celebrations were happening during that month. Lou and I have been blessed
to be able to speak in auto groups and run one day and literally go inside. How many stores was
it a one day? Six different stores in one day. And we had a meeting in every store, but one one
store that was added. Those six stores were added to our trip. We were actually, we just, we did it
because we were there. They said, Hey, could you were like, absolutely. Are you kidding? We do.
Like how close are they? Okay, let's stack them up. We'll get in there. We'll make it happen.
When we get inside things, though, we get excited and that's a bless, man. The excitement of 2026
has been phenomenal. It has been a blur, but man, it hasn't been impactful. And I know that it's
just going to carry on for the next quarter. And I'm excited to talk about that next quarter. So
that's my great news. The next quarter is going to be big because all of us in this room right now
and people who are involved with teams that we work with momentum is happening right now.
And that's huge. So that's my great news momentum, baby.
The big mo, the big mo, baby. And mo will take you so far. It really will. So that's great.
I love it. Give somebody a fist bump high five a virtual coffee cup emoji or something out there,
everybody for everybody sharing great news. And we're all better because we get the opportunity
to share great news. We encourage you all run a dealership that has a culture of being quick
to be able to share your great news where people get excited to be able to come to the table to
say, Hey, let me share my great news with you and let me receive some of the great news that's
going on inside of your world. I see things growing inside of your future if you implement
a great news meeting and you've given us the opportunity to be able to do that. And now I'm
losing count. How many times we've done that over at the headquarters over there in Lexington.
And we're so thankful that we get the chance to do it because it gives people the opportunity
to be able to contribute. And you all great outing or great training event for people to
be able to come and bring their stores for people that don't know what it is that you help to provide,
give them a little bit of the elevator pitch, not elevator pitch, but the understanding of what is
happening and what you are opening up for free for the people that are inside of the network
to be able to learn from because it's not just exclusive to 800%. And many people don't even
know that we're out there doing it. Yeah, you want to take this Sam or you may roll with it.
Go ahead, roll. Yeah, so 800% we're a lifestyle, right? But we're also a whole dealership solution.
So we help dealers in pretty much any aspect that we see that they have opportunity where they could
grow exponentially, right? But we throw these events part of what we do is we we know that there was
a hole or a missing piece in this sector. And we'll say automotive, but in a lot of industries
where you usually have to pay this big ticket, you've got to get a flight, you got to get a hotel,
everything's all mapped out and structured and all these things. And you go into these
training rooms, and it's just been the same type of thing, right? But there's nothing,
there's nothing free. There's nothing that says, Hey, we're going to gather a great group of people
that are like minded, that want to do bigger than what they're currently doing. And we're not going
to charge for it. And the reason we don't charge for it is because we know if we bring value,
and at some point, we always have the saying when value exceeds price, that's when the customer pays.
If we bring enough value, they're going to our clients are going to wonder, where do I write
the check? When do I pay you? But we want to bring value in any way that we can. And we found that
hosting these free events here in Kentucky at our offices, bringing like minded people
that want to excel, want to sell more cars, make more money, create a bigger impact,
it brings people together. And that's the big thing about 800% is we want to bring people together,
make an impact on this earth, and to just do good by everyone. So that's why we do what we do.
And anyone is welcome, doesn't matter if you're in 800 or not dealership, and we've had in our
leadership events and our sales events, we've had people outside of the automotive world,
they've just been coming in, they want to get a little bit of extra knowledge on how to sell,
or just like to be around some like minded group, people like when Fred and Lou's in that little
beginning that they do, we haven't kicked off the meeting when they do it, because it's something
man that that great news meaning when it starts off like that, it's just bring that fire rolling,
man. But yeah, you don't have to be an automotive, we're here for the 800% movements is here for
everything. Yes, it is. And it's simple, it's you want to do good by people. You said that a
moment ago, and it's simple as that is. That's it, folks. You get a look, that's it, folks.
That's it, folks, and really is that easy. You want to do good by people, man, and you guys
are helping people be able to understand what doing good really is. For an automotive for too
long, we were taught a way that really wasn't that good to people. And I think that they just,
but they didn't realize that they were they were just doing because we were told,
that's what we should do. This is what you should say. And now we realize that we can do it in a
much better way. Matter of fact, in today's world, it's so necessary to be that way. It's,
it's very smart. And it's really to do good by people. I think Chick-fil-A does such a good
job with that, right? You walk in there, they make you feel like, Hey, they care. They're speedy,
they get everything done. They're well trained. And you can tell they're well trained. So that's
what makes it really an important thing. If they're going to do that at a fast food restaurant level,
we should definitely be doing that in automotive, every level of automotive.
Agreed. Agreed. Agreed. I want some Chick-fil-A. I do want some Chick-fil-A now. I'm hungry. I'm
all angry. Come on. And that's a lot for us Kentucky boys over here. Chicken's important to us.
We are the right critics of chicken. And, and we do appreciate that. But just as much as we
appreciate chicken, we appreciate seeing people get appreciated. And the 800% Club does a consistent
retreat a few times a year. And you guys have one coming up saying, What's popping? Where's it going
to be at? And we're so sad. We're not going to make it to this one. Car guys and car guys,
but you will see us at the next one. Believe that. But we are excited about what you guys got popping.
Where's it going to be? What's it going to be looking like? And what's happening out there,
Sam? It's in Scottsdale, Arizona. There are at this point, I think there's around 30 dealers that
have enabled that confirm that they're going to be able to come pick a ball tournament while we're
out there. I know, listen, that's just kind of wrong on us. Normally, they don't say what it is.
Something like that. Yeah, they're telling people, but a pickleball tournament, a sunrise hike.
And it's, it's, uh, it's a six star resort, bro. It is. I'm telling you, it is beautiful. It's one
of my favorite places. We've been once in 2022. So I wouldn't have that. So we'll see. But yeah,
I'm jack for it. It's going to be it. The, here's the cool thing about it is the fact that when we
get into these things, it's like intimate man, people like these dealers, they don't know what
to really expect them. They get there and now it's basically like a 20 group on steroids because
we're all trying to share everything for beating into them. They're getting to hear from guest
speakers, which I haven't even heard yet. Glenn keeps that like completely hush hush, but we usually
always have some great, great guest speakers out there. So yeah, it's pretty exciting. It's
and one of the biggest things that I feel like obviously we've all been to the events,
our share of events throughout. And one thing special is that we only bring partners slash
vendors that we completely believe in, that we trust, that we know does good by people, right?
Like you all, Fred and Lou, we only, our circles very hard to get into, but once you're in it,
then everybody drops their guard. They understand like, Hey, they're only going to be here to help
me. If they introduce me to this person or to this company, we know that it's legit. We know that
they have us in their best interest and it's worth the conversation. So there's, it's really intimate
like Sam said, where we get dealers together to mastermind about different things in the
dealership, but it's on a different level. Wouldn't you say Sam? It's more a connection type point
of building a personal relationship and really diving in on a different level than what I've seen.
The last speaker, like in Tennessee with Tim Story, is that right?
Yeah, Tim Story, Oprah's Life.
Yeah, they're spending, they're recharging thousands upon thousands of dollars for a
little half hour session. Our dealers have them for 45 minutes to an hour, just telling stories and
just feeding into them and everything. So they're really valuable. And this year, we've actually
opened it up to where if you're in that area and want to make it, we are offering, I think it's
$1,500 for tickets. $1,500 for tickets. If you are not a member of 800%, but just want to come
see what it's all about, then you can join us for it's $1,500 for two days of tickets.
Worth the ticket. It's worth the ticket.
The energy, the people, the activities, the fun, the, but what you get to take back to your store
or to your business or to your business or to your family at the end of the day, right?
Because that's where it all starts, man. It all starts right there and at home. So when you can
be a better at home person, you can be very great at what you do everywhere else too. And
it's important. These little ones, when we're getting into these areas of almost like a cabin
type of things, like it's a little bit more with that intimacy. They get more out of it.
Like we've tried New York. New York was phenomenal. I love New York City. It's actually one of my
favorite cities, but it wasn't the same type of retreat because everybody's off doing their
own things. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, we got to see bears. We got to see, we got to go whitewater
rafting. We got to like just hang out in the cabin for two days. So yeah, it's pretty phenomenal.
Yeah, that's awesome. That's real connection. That's, that is intimate connection in, in the
nicest way at home. He did anyway. Let's be with people is something that's special, right?
Maybe to know was like deeper than just surface level. And when you can really get like, that's
when real relationships happen doing me wrong. I do like my intimacy, but with my wife.
But let's talk about something that we'll actually be able to be at. So there's going to be a sales
event also in May. Let's talk a little bit about what's going around there. I believe it's going
to be the 19th and 20th of May and what's popping and locking. What should people expect for one
of those events? Yeah, I'm going to throw it to Sam. Go ahead, Sam. Two days worth of
literal training on the practices, but not boring. All right. I've been to some of these
sales seminars where it's like you're writing in a book, taking notes and just bored you to death.
These are not like that. There's a lot of time at where you're held just like the, when you guys
are on there and you guys are doing the great news meeting, but then there's also, we're jumping in
we're feeding onto the side. We're doing one-on-one meetings. We're just pouring into you in every
way that you possibly can to ask questions just in case you have them. The last event we did was
for sales managers and other leaders and they just poured in. We pour into it from, I think,
nine o'clock to three o'clock. We take a lunch that's provided in here, but the rest of that time
is providing how we grew our store 800% and how I grew two stores 800%. Just digging in,
just taking every little aspect of it that we can just pour into it. And one thing that's unique
that I've seen and been a part of is that we, yeah, we set some itinerary, right? Some guidelines,
but we go off the cuff, man. If somebody brings up a topic that we don't plan to address, we're
going to give you the time, energy and space so that we can address it so that you can have
something valuable to take back. It's more of a, even though there might be 30 people in the room,
it's an open conversation. I love when I go to trainings and it's not just somebody
flipping through PowerPoints, telling me what I should or shouldn't do. It's an engagement,
it's an interaction. We learn from stores that sell 50 cars a month in a small town. We learn from
big stores and big cities. We learn from all these different sizes, shapes, groups, all these
different people, all these different ways of life. It's a melting pot full of automotive people
that want to do better and do big things. And we open the room to let that happen. We don't hold
back. And if there's a question or if there's something you want to excel at, you can bring it
up. Yeah, the fact is not structured, honestly, because of the fact that when there are questions
that popped up, especially the last sales event we did here with you guys were a part of a few
months back and it was littered. It was just so opened up. Questions started popping up the first
day. There were things that we never even got to in two days worth. We never even got to and we
kept people at I think we were here like an hour late just trying to pour into and we still couldn't
get to it. It's just that open structure allows people to ask questions without being afraid to
ask questions because they know that we value their time and not just ignoring them. Absolutely.
And that's also them showing up with a desire to get better, to grow. And that's something that
we encourage all of you leaders to find inside of the way that you make things happen inside of
the store that you're part of is find out what your people actually need by asking them, setting a
stage to ask them, making it safe for them to be able to say, Hey, I probably need some help inside
of these areas. We've been inside of countless stores. And what is sometimes troubling is when
a manager has to pull you aside and say, I may not need to be sharing this with you, but I don't
know how to do certain things that you just said we should be doing or we should be trying or I
didn't even think about when it comes to just helping a customer out in the finance sector.
I never even thought of those things. I haven't really been shown how to do that. Can you help
me with that? And we're like, hold on, if that isn't in line, we have to be able to put that block
back in place. And so being able to be nimble is something that you have to be as a business.
That's what we are as car guys and car guys in this business. But for those that truly want to
go to the next level have to be able to set the stage for honest conversation about what we're
seeing what we're not seeing and let people actually grow your people want to grow. We have
to set a stage for them to be able to open up the door for asking what to do. You guys do that
greatly. And that is one of the great benefits of being part of the community. That's the 800%
community because you have so many people that have been through so many different markets worth
of battlefields that they come to the table with so much knowledge that is the actual essence of
the greatness that is the community is all of those individuals being able to share. And because
they can contribute, it makes it something that you stay connected to, which is why it's so important
inside of all of our worlds that yes, we come to the potluck, we show up to the barbecue with a
little something not just for us to eat, but for others to be able to consume to and know that
everybody's plate matters. Everybody's bringing something and we all bring value to this industry.
Yeah. And that's fact because just because you can't make good beans, but you can make some good
rice or so that's like it but getting together, you learn how to make better beans. They learn
how to make better rice. They get excited about that. And that's what's so important that everybody
has something in a lot of times we don't we speak to them. And that's it. Allow them to speak back.
That's so smart of you all. And that's exactly the way we love being being good at improvising
matters, because that's what we do every single day inside the store. We do the same thing,
but it has to be improvised every day. Like it's never exactly the same. It's always got to be a
little bit of a shift, but we have to always get back to where we're supposed to be somehow some
way. The ship has to steer back home, right? And we do that. And that's why this an event like that,
we have to do it at that pace or they're going to lose their attention. When you're a dealership
person, you are you have to be boom, boom, boom. You want to be like this all day long. And if
you're not, if you're just this, yeah, yeah, catching Z's, bro. They're catching Z's.
Right. And it's me getting to do one clap on three, right, Lou? One, two, three.
Wake up. Wake up. Stand up, everyone. Forget Focus Fly.
Old gas. No breaks. So important to shout out Bruce Miller. Love you, RIP, my man.
So many big things going on in this world, y'all. And he was a big part of it and was fun to see
him part of the 800%. And he was a great contributor. Great, huge, loved the community,
understood the value of the community and was always there for that. So that being said,
big stuff you guys are doing. And we've been watching it happen since the early days.
We've seen it happen inside the stores when you were there, right? We see it happen inside this
business. I see you all come in and take the leap of faith of leaving a store that I know
was making you money, no matter what, to go out and be able to something that Evan said at the
last thing we were at. He said something about I got to now I was hoping this call it 100 sales
people. Now I'm helping thousands. And it's going to be millions one day, I promise, because you
are and you're going to keep doing that stuff. Sam, you're doing big stuff, brother. I appreciate
all the effort that you put into this industry. It's big, dude. You guys, you too, as a dynamic duo
is phenomenal. It's always good to have somebody that's got your six, right? You guys are doing
that so well, man. And we're so excited that we're teamed up with guys and gals out there,
just like you all doing some big stuff, brother. And I can't wait to be at these events. I can't
wait to hear what happens at the retreat, wish we were there. Can't wait to hear who wins pickle
ball. John Paul. He's going to be there. Yeah, I was testing in the job. They're really good.
But we were already talking about making sure who can't partner with who. So we were already working
Yeah, you already know. Already know. Man, more reason why we wish we were there should have been
that John Paul. Gidry owes us another opportunity to give him a lesson. No, seriously,
uh, he's our, he introduced it to us and taught us like a dad teaches us a son just how to be
strong and ready for the world. He beat it into us. And we're so thankful for that. But man,
we're so mad that we can't be there for this. That's going to be amazing. You all are doing big
things and I already know this is just the beginning trickling out. You guys just got out
and just closing this out. Is there something that's in the horizon that you guys can maybe
sprinkle a little salt on something that maybe you can't tell all of it, but maybe just say,
Hey, be looking for this smell in the air. Man, we've got some pretty exciting AI stuff coming
out as far as I'll go. Okay. So we've got some pretty exciting stuff that you have never seen
this way to train before ever. Nobody has it. Not even big corporations. We've got some secret
sauce. We're going to be releasing at the end. I appreciate you sharing that on the show. Exactly.
What you're talking about. Right here in the car guy coffee podcast. You know what I'm saying?
Y'all be looking for it. We actually were just talking about a little bit in there. So yeah,
that's fresh news. That's that next level stuff. The brews are going to keep getting better. Maybe
we'll have the whole 800% crew over here and included to be jumping on the mic inside of the
cafe via fun day over here in the blue grass. Until then, we appreciate you all for taking the
time to tell us a little bit about what's brewing with you all slowing down your sessions of enhancement
to the automotive industry that needs you all so much. And you guys are making such an effect.
And we do. We see it on the faces. We hear it on the hearts and we see it inside of the effect
that you're having to people around the world. But inside of automotive, you guys are making a
difference. And we're so thankful to be able to witness it to give a microphone to it to give any
sort of wind to your sale. We are excited to be here for that. But the one thing that we need to
do to be able to make sure that we can keep doing it all the time is to drop those f bombs to be
able to forgive to focus and to fly so that we can't keep growing all the time because we are
going to fly to new heights together. And we are excited about doing that with you all. So help us
out with the moves. You're not strange to this on three. One, two, three. Forgive. Give. Focus. Focus.
And keep growing. Keep growing. Thank you so much for tuning in, everybody. I am Lou Ramirez.
And I'm Fred Lenards. And you've been brewing solutions on the CarGuy Coffee podcast for a cup
of coffee and a conversation 800% style with the one, the only Evan Walters and the one
Let's go, everybody. We'll see you soon. Keep growing. We're out.
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