The Walk Around
JMA Group
Last episode 2 months agoA car dealership podcast that brings all things automotive to your listening ears! Learn how to grow your dealership, or grow your automotive career with sales, Finance, Fixed Operations, and Leadership insights.
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Episodes (112)
S01E11 - Building Your 2021 Digital Storefront
Brian Pasch gives us his two must-know tips for optimizing your online presence in 2021. These strategies will get you more traffic online to grow your sales and service revenue.Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E10 - The Digital Retail Evolution with TJ Prayner
TJ has spent the last 15 years in the automotive industry solely focused on the Volvo brand. He serves as the VP of Sales and Marketing for Volvo Car Financial Services. Prior to joining VCFS, he held field roles at Volvo and interacted daily with Volvo retailers. F&I is TJ’s bread and butter, and he offers a wide range of insights and tips when it comes to the digital retail revolution currently taking place in the automotive industry.If you are looking for the inside scoop on how digital retailing is changing the game, you won't want to miss this one!Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E09 - Leading Through Disruption
Michelle DiTondo is a Principle with Avion Consulting. She has 25 years of experience in Human Resources Leadership and Organizational Transformation. She served nearly a decade as the Chief Human Resources Officer for MGM Resorts International. She led cultural transformation and employee engagement initiatives for the company's 88,000 employees worldwide. Her focus is senior level leaders and large organizations, working to develop their executive presence, leadership style, and strategic thinking skills.This episode unlocks valuable insights on how to lead through adversity and disruption, a common challenge we have all been experiencing recently. Michelle shares her prior experience at MGM and how her team overcame tragedy in 2017 by fostering a culture of healing and empathy.Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E08 - Creating a Forward-Thinking Brand in Automotive
We have a very special guest joining The Walk Around in this Episode. Scott Vazin is the group vice president and chief communications officer for Toyota Motor North America. He is responsible for the company's internal and external communications, public relations, product and brand communications for Toyota and Lexus plus so much more. His extensive experiences and 30+ years in the industry have confirmed his spot as an automotive legend.Come take a walk around with us and learn all about Scott Vazin's unique perspective on automotive.Another episode you don’t want to miss!Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E07 - Building Your Life Resume with Jesse Itzler
In this episode, we sit down with the one and only, Jesse Itzler!He is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with a Seal, cofounded Marquis Jet, the world's largest private jet company which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. Jesse then partnered with Zico coconut water, which he and his partner sold to The Coca-Cola Company.He's a former rapper on MTV and wrote and performed the NBA's Emmy Award-winning "I Love This Game" music campaign and the popular New York Knicks anthem "Go NY Go."When he's not running ultra-marathons, eating vegan food or being a dad to his four kids, Jesse can be found at the NBA's Atlanta Hawks games, where he's an owner of the team.Jesse speaks on how to get the most out of your own life both professionally and personally by building your life resume. Join us as we explore lessons from Jesse’s experiences and learn how you can apply them in your own life.Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E06 - Improving the Buyer Experience in Your Dealership
Today we have Chris Vester joining the podcast. Chris is the COO and visionary of Hubert Vester Auto Group. He has spent 30 years in the automotive industry across both fixed and variable departments and was the co-founder of GoGo Car, the industry's leading cognitive digital retailing platform, which was recently acquired by Option Soft Technologies.He leads us through his own personal history in retail automotive. He shares how his own experiences and accomplishments shaped the way his organization operates today. It’s all about recognizing customer pain points and making impactful internal changes accordingly to put yourself in a great position down the road. His mantra? “The customer journey is our priority”.Join us as we dive deep and unlock new insights with Chris Vester.Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E05 - The Current State of Automotive Retail with Jason Stein
Jason Stein, Vice President & Publisher of Automotive News USA, Canada, China, and Europe joins us on this episode of The Walk Around Podcast.He oversees 75+ reporters and editors around the world from Detroit to Paris to Shanghai. He also leads the digital sales, marketing, event, and audience departments. Before joining Automotive News, Jason was an award-winning columnist for several North American newspapers. He also hosts of the Daily Drive Podcast!Jason has a finger on the pulse of all things retail automotive, and he dives deep into the current state of our industry. He explains how the landscape accelerated 3-5 years in about 3-5 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and what dealers can do to build trust with customers. We cover it all with Jason Stein on this exciting episode!Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E04 - Creating the Customer-Centric Dealership
Joining us on The Walk Around Podcast is the one and only Brian Benstock! Brian is the GM and Vice President of the #1 certified Honda and Acura dealer in the world, Paragon Honda and Acura. He and his team are coming off a month where they lead the nation in new Honda sales despite the pandemic.Brain talks us through his personal history coming up in the automotive industry, how he developed his skillset as an automotive professional, and how Paragon positioned themselves to set record breaking sales through digital processes. If you are looking for some real-world examples of how to work toward a frictionless and customer-centric process, you’ll enjoy this episode.Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E03 - Using Empathy to Understand Your Customer & Boost Sales
In this episode of The Walk Around we spoke to Sacha Lindekens on how a deeper understanding of customer’s needs and level of empathy can lead your team to reach higher sales goals. He speaks all things emotional intelligence, people skills, and putting yourself in the customer’s mindstate. Check it out here!Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E02 - Leadership & Checking Your Ego at the Door
In this episode of The Walk Around, we have a special guest, Jeff Graddy, Ph.D. He is a partner and Advisor at Avion Consulting. He holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and advises senior leaders and their organizations on how to maximize business performance through improved leadership effectiveness. It’s all about the magic of the team.The strongest teams are the ones who are always striving to do more. Coming from a Sport Psychology background, Jeff knows the effectiveness and capabilities of a proficient team.He spoke with us about the art of giving and receiving feedback, as well as checking our egos at the door. This is a good listen if you are looking to improve the effectiveness of your organization.Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
S01E01 - Standing Out: How Branding Creates Customer Loyalty
In this episode, we spoke to Jake McKenzie President and CEO of Intermark group on how a dealer can differentiate themselves in this competitive market. He explains why a dealer’s brand and how they build brand loyalty is so important. Here is what he had to say!Liked this episode? Find our full episode library here.
The Walk Around Podcast Intro
The Walk Around brings all things automotive to your listening ears! Learn how to grow your dealership, or grow your automotive career with sales, F&I, fixed operations, and leadership insights.