{"version":"1.0.0","episode":{"title":"“Curiosity Beats Fear Every Time”: How Dealers Are Future-Proofing Their Teams for AI and Electrification | Sebrina Westbrooke, Program Manager at Georgian College | Ep. 683","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/curiosity-beats-fear-every-time-how-dealers-are-future-proofing-their-teams-for-ai-and-electrification-sebrina-westbrooke-program-manager-at-georgian-college-ep-683","audioUrl":"https://anchor.fm/s/1094c7cb4/podcast/play/110317486/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-9-28%2F410106941-44100-2-2796fcbfd17c6.mp3","description":"Curiosity beats fear in modern retail automotive. In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, Michael Cirillo sits down with Sebrina Westbrooke, Program Manager at Georgian College’s Automotive Business School of Canada and lead for the Canadian Dealer Academy, to unpack how car dealerships are future-proofing leadership teams for AI, electrification, digital retailing, and connected services—without losing the human connection that drives performance.You’ll hear how the Academy builds real operators, not shelf-ware: learners work directly from their own DMS reports, financial statements, PMA data, and benchmarks, then implement changes in-store—like a fixed ops tune-up that lifted department profit by 6% in the first month. We also dig into the gaps that hold back new general managers (often promoted for past results, not leadership readiness) and how to close them with clarity, data, and soft-skill mastery.What you’ll learn:How to turn curiosity into an operating system that reduces fear around AI and EV transitionsA practical way to replace “gut feel” with dealership data—and the exact questions great leaders askWhy fixed ops fluency is the hidden unlock for many first-time GMs from the variable sideThe leadership capabilities that matter now: critical thinking, problem-solving, human-centric managementHow to align culture, engagement, and training with profitability (and stop overspending to “buy” results)Who this is for: car dealership owners, dealer principals, general managers, department leaders, and emerging leaders who want measurable performance in sales, service, and F&I—without waiting on manufacturer incentives or bigger ad budgets.\n"},"annotations":[{"startTime":97.08,"endTime":107.4,"type":"car","title":"Dodge Spirit","url":"/cars/dodge/spirit","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/%2793-%2795_Dodge_Spirit_Sedan.jpg","quote":"...rough my agency FlexDealer. And of course, in the spirit of providing value, I think this is a perfect tim...","canonicalId":"car:dodge:spirit","priority":0.5,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Dodge Spirit was a mid-size sedan produced by Chrysler from 1989 to 1995. It was known for its spacious interior and comfortable ride, making it a popular choice among families during its production years. The Spirit is often discussed for its role in the 1990s automotive market and its representation of Chrysler's design philosophy at the time.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Dodge Spirit is a type of car that was made in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It's a roomy sedan that many families liked because it was comfortable and had a lot of space inside. People talk about it because it was a common car back then and shows what cars were like during that time.","imageAttribution":"Bull-Doser (Public domain)"}},{"startTime":683.0,"endTime":688.0,"type":"term","title":"DMS reports","url":"/glossary/dms-reports","quote":"...using your own dealership data, right, so they are able to use their own DMS reports, their own financial statements, their own measures...","canonicalId":"term:dms-reports","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"DMS stands for Dealer Management System, which is software used by automotive dealerships to manage their operations, including sales, inventory, and customer relationships. DMS reports provide insights into the dealership's performance and help in decision-making.","simplifiedExplanation":"DMS reports are documents that help car dealerships keep track of their sales and inventory. They show how well the dealership is doing and help managers make better decisions."}},{"startTime":720.0,"endTime":725.0,"type":"term","title":"fixed ops","url":"/glossary/fixed-ops","quote":"...I had a dealer that took one of the fixed ops courses. And you know, the next time I saw him...","canonicalId":"term:fixed-ops","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"Fixed ops, or fixed operations, refers to the parts and service departments of a dealership. This area is crucial for generating revenue through maintenance, repairs, and parts sales, as opposed to variable operations, which involve vehicle sales.","simplifiedExplanation":"Fixed ops means the parts and service side of a car dealership. It's where they handle repairs and sell parts, which helps the dealership make money even when they aren't selling cars."}},{"startTime":793.6,"endTime":798.6,"type":"company","title":"FlexDealer","url":"/glossary/flexdealer","quote":"...I'm the CEO of FlexDealer, an agency that's helping dealers capture better quality leads from local SEO and hyper targeted ads that convert...","canonicalId":"company:flexdealer","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"FlexDealer is a marketing agency that specializes in helping automotive dealerships improve their online presence and lead generation through local SEO and targeted advertising. They focus on strategies that convert leads into sales.","simplifiedExplanation":"FlexDealer is a company that helps car dealerships get more customers by improving their online marketing. They use special techniques to make sure more people see the dealership's ads and want to buy cars."}}],"speakers":[{"id":"s1","name":"Michael Cirillo","role":"host"}],"transcripts":[{"url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/curiosity-beats-fear-every-time-how-dealers-are-future-proofing-their-teams-for-ai-and-electrification-sebrina-westbrooke-program-manager-at-georgian-college-ep-683/transcript.vtt","type":"text/vtt"}]}