Shows / The Independent Dealer Podcast
The Independent Dealer Podcast
A podcast for Independent Used Car Dealers to get help on how to improve their dealerships and their life. As current used car dealers, Luke and Jeff find the best advice from industry experts and other successful dealers. If you want to learn and grow your business with like minded used car dealers tune in each week. "Dealers Helping Dealers"
Episodes
The Independent Dealer Podcast#425 - Tax Season 2026 Recap: What Dealers Saw and What Comes Next
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin break down the reality of tax season 2026 — what dealers actually saw, why…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#13 - Monday Minute | Anti-Goals: What Smart Dealers Refuse to Do
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by Podium — your weekly reset to lead better, think clearer, and build your dealership with intention.Most dealers…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#424 - Reducing Repos with GPS Technology: What Independent Dealers Need to Know
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin sit down with an executive from Ituran to break down what's actually new in…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#12 - Monday Minute | 80% of Buyers Visit Your Site First — Is Yours Ready?
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by Podium — your weekly reset to lead better, think clearer, and build your dealership with intention.80% of your…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#423 - AI vs. Traditional Marketing: Where Car Dealers Should Be Investing Right Now
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin tackle one of the biggest questions in dealership marketing right now — are you…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#11 - Monday Minute | Choosing a Dealer Management System That Scales
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by Podium — your weekly reset to lead better, think clearer, and build your dealership with intention. You can…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#422 - From Curbstoner to Dealer: How One Young Entrepreneur Got Legit In California
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, hosts Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin sit down with Fernando Vargas — a young independent dealer from…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#10 | Monday Minute: Are You Fundable? How to Fund Your Car Dealership
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by Podium — your weekly reset to lead better, think clearer, and build your dealership with intention. You know…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#421 - The Auto Cave Model: Parts, Process, & Overcoming Margin Compression
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, hosts Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin tour The Auto Cave in Dallas, Texas with Mitchell Briggs — a buy here pay…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#09 - Monday Minute | How to Build a Dealership Proforma That Actually Works
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by Podium — your weekly reset to lead better, think clearer, and build your dealership with intention.Before you…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#420: How Dealers Are Using AI to Automate Their Lot
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, hosts Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin dive into how AI is changing the way independent dealers run their…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#08 - Monday Minute | Goal Setting Strategy for Auto Dealerships
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by our friends at Podium. The Monday Minute is your weekly reset to help you lead better, think clearer, and build…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#419 - Brandon Pagano's Turnaround: Staff, Profit & What's Working Now
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, hosts Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin welcome back Brandon Pagano for his third check-in—tracking 20 months of…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#07 - Monday Minute | Core Values for Car Dealerships
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by our friends at Podium. The Monday Minute is your weekly reset to help you lead better, think clearer, and build…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#418 - Tax Season Sales Tips for Car Dealers
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, hosts Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin break down essential strategies for maximizing tax season sales at your…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#06 - Monday Minute | Creating a Mission Statement That Actually Works
Is your mission statement just words on a wall, or does it actually drive your dealership?In this week's Monday Minute, sponsored by Podium, Luke and Jeff dive…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#417 - Auto Dealer Compliance & Attorney General Enforcement 2025 with Steve Levine
In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, hosts Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin sit down with compliance expert Steve Levine from Ignite Consulting to…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#05 - Monday Minute | How to Structure Your Car Dealership: LLC vs S-Corp vs Sole Proprietor
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by our friends at Podium. The Monday Minute is your weekly reset to help you lead better, think clearer, and build…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#416 - From Family Business to Free Agent: A Dealer Succession Story
What happens when the first generation won't let go? In this episode, we sit down with Nathan Smith to unpack one of the most common—and painful—challenges in…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#04 - Monday Minute | How to Build a Strong Dealership Brand
Welcome to the Monday Minute, brought to you by our friends at Podium.The Monday Minute is your weekly reset to help you lead better, think clearer, and build…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#415 - Stop Chasing Payments: A Smarter Way to Run Dealer Collections
Are you chasing payments instead of running a real collections strategy?In this episode, we dig into why collections break down for Buy Here Pay Here dealers…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#03 - Monday Minute | How to Define Your Dealership’s Position in the Market
Welcome to this week’s Monday Minute, brought to you by our friends at Podium.The Monday Minute is your weekly reset. It’s here to help you lead better, think…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#414 - The Reality of Winding Down a Buy Here Pay Here Portfolio in Today’s Market
Winding down a Buy Here Pay Here portfolio sounds simple until you’re actually in it. In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, Jeff sits down with…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#02 - Monday Minute | Retail vs Buy Here Pay Here: Choosing the Right Dealership Model
Welcome to Episode 2 of the Monday Minute, part of our new series on The Independent Dealer Podcast, brought to you by our sponsor, Podium.The Monday Minute is…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#413 - Auto Dealer Reinsurance: How to Optimize What You Already Have
Most independent dealers already have a reinsurance company. The problem is knowing what to do after it’s set up.In this episode of The Independent Dealer…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#01 - Monday Minute: Your Dealership’s Real Purpose (Why Purpose Drives Profit & Long-Term Growth)
What is the real purpose of your dealership? In this Monday Minute from the Independent Dealer Podcast, we challenge the idea that dealerships exist only to…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#412 - Dominate 2026: The Independent Dealer Guide
In this episode, we dig into what independent dealers are facing right now and what it actually takes to grow in the current market. We talk about goal setting…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#411 - RPM Garage: An Inside Look at Luxury Retail
In Episode 411 of The Independent Dealer Podcast, we take you inside RPM Garage in Dallas, Texas for a full shop tour with special guest Patrick Ellefson. This…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#410 - Two Brothers, One Distressed Deal: The Vamos Auto Story
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, we sit down with brothers Travis and Casey of Vamos Auto in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. 🚗💥 They break down…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#409 – From Franchise GM to Selling 1,000+ Cars a Year as an Independent 🚗🔥
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast's "How I Built This" series, we sit down with Ricky Thomas of Wildcat Used Cars in Somerset, Kentucky. 🚗💥…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#408 - From Franchised Dealerships to Buy Here Pay Here Success: Darla Booher's 20-Year Journey 🚗💪
What does it take to build a thriving buy-here-pay-here dealership from scratch?Join us as we sit down with Darla Booher—2002 startup founder, National Quality…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#407 - 5 CRITICAL YEAR-END TASKS FOR DEALERS BEFORE 2026
End of the year creeping up on you? 😅 Don't be that dealer scrambling on December 30th!In this episode, Jeff and Luke break down the 5 ESSENTIAL year-end moves…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#406 - BHPH Dealer Forum RECAP: Ideas That'll Pay for Your Trip
Alright dealers, we just got back from the Buy Here Pay Here Dealer Forum in Nashville, TN—and let me tell you, the ideas we picked up will more than pay for…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#405 - Ai Collectors that Actually Work: Blytzpay's Beta Results and What's Coming Next
Alright dealers, buckle up. We're talking AI in collections, and before you roll your eyes and say "not another AI conversation"—this one's different. We've…
The Independent Dealer PodcastMini Episode - Surprise Friday: BHPH Forum & Collections Training Ahead
Surprise Friday drop! Luke and Jeff are on their way to the Buy Here Pay Here Dealer Forum in Nashville and wanted to make sure you know about two important…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#404 - How Dealers Can Use AI to Ship Vehicles Faster
In this candid conversation, we dive into real user experience with our automotive shipping platform, Auto Hauler Exchange. Jeff and Luke share their…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#403 - Know When to Hold 'Em: Navigating BHPH's Toughest Season
Join us for an in-depth conversation about the current challenges facing the buy here pay here industry. Luke Godwin and Jeff Watson from the Independent…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#402 - Tax Max: Why 2026 Could Be Your Biggest Tax Season Ever
Tax Season 2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest stimulus events of the year—and most dealers aren't ready for it.In this dedicated episode, Bill Neylan…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#401 - On Location: Investigating a Failed BHPH Dealership
We're on location at a shuttered dealership in Texas to discuss one of the biggest cautionary tales in recent BHPH history. From alleged fraud to financial…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#400 - 400th Episode Celebration: What We've Learned in 7 Years
Join us for this special milestone episode as Jeff and Luke celebrate 400 episodes of The Independent Dealer Podcast! After 7 years and never missing a week…
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#399 - Inside Auto City: 67 Years of Dealer Wisdom
In this episode of The Independent Dealer podcast, we sit down with Blake Ingram, owner of Auto City and one of the most respected names in the…
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#398 - Don't Wait Until December- Tax Season Prep Starts Now!
Why September is the PERFECT Time to Start Tax Season PrepThink it's too early to plan for tax season? Think again! Jeff and Luke break down the 5 critical…
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#397 - Reinventing the Dealer Model
Join us for this special live episode from the Lease Here Pay Here Summit 2025 in San Diego as we sit down with Tracy Myers, fourth-generation dealer and owner…
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#396 - The Rebrand
The Independent Dealer Podcast has a brand-new look — but the same trusted insight you know and love. Berry Creative partnered with the podcast to reimagine…
The Independent Dealer Podcast#395 - What Independent Dealers Are Missing (And How to Compete Smarter)
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the boys sit down with Car Dealership Guy to tackle the biggest challenges facing independents…
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#394 - Used Car Pricing Strategies with Jason Berry
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the boys welcome back Jason Berry to dive deep into the strategies that actually work when pricing used cars…
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#393 - What's The Scuttlebutt?
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the boys dive into a grab bag of dealership hot topics and burning questions that have landed in their inbox…
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#392 - Advertise Smarter Not Harder
In this episode, the boys break down what actually drives sales at a dealership. From Facebook ads to brand consistency, from lead source tracking to…
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#391 - Lease It or Lose It with Tim Lawrence
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the boys welcome back industry legend Tim Lawrence! 🎙️ They dive into the importance of preparation, how it…
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#390 - It's A Grind
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the boys dive into the realities every dealer faces — from charge-offs and delinquencies to repo decisions…
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#389 - Personal Perks In Your Dealership
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the boys reveal the personal perks of owning a dealership—from credit card hacks to summer travel tricks…
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#388 - Keep Your Eye On The Ball
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the guys go beyond surface-level dealership advice and dive into the core issues holding dealers back. They…
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#387 - We're Halfway There
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the boys get real about the numbers: 💸 First quarter expenses 📊 Tracking your sales the right way 🤖 Using AI…
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#386 - How I Built This With Shay Phillips
In this episode, the boys sit down with Shay Phillips for another installment of the How I Built This series. Shay pulls back the curtain on: ✅ Building and…
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#385 - Motivating Your Dealership Team: With Luke at NIADA
In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, Luke takes the stage at NIADA to share actionable insights on building better dealership teams, creating a…
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#384 - How I Built This: Eric Ryan (Part 2)
🎙️ In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, the boys are back with Eric Ryan for Part 2 of a brutally honest and insightful conversation.From…
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#383 - How I Built This: Eric Ryan (Part 1)
In this episode, the boys sit down with Eric Ryan to talk about scaling an independent dealership. And how he went from one location to A LOT more. This…
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#382 - Level Up Your Sales Game
Ready to break through that sales plateau? In this episode, the boys get real about what it actually takes to reach the next level—from finding the right…
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#381 - Would YOU Buy This Dealership?
The Boys are back, and this one’s for the folks stuck in dealership limbo.This episode is all about movement — or the lack of it.They cover:🚗 Why some…
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#380 - Industry Temperature Check with Jeff Martin
The Boys are sounding the alarm. Margins are getting squeezed, the BHPH model isn’t hitting like it used to, and independent dealers are being forced to…