She Mortgaged Her House to Buy a Dealership. Here's What Ivette Built.

Dealer Talk With Jen Suzuki · Sep 7, 2026 · 42m

What does it take to keep growing when automotive retail is becoming more complex not less?

Ivette Dominguez Drawe began her career selling BMWs. When the opportunity came to become a dealer, she and her husband mortgaged their home, opened credit cards as a backup plan and stepped into ownership during one of the industry's most uncertain periods. Today, their organization employs approximately 700 people, continues to acquire dealerships and remains deeply invested in its employees and communities.

In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, Ivette shares what she looks for when…