Words for the wise as dealers navigate the murky waters ahead. As I was driving to a meeting this morning and listening to Squawk Box on CNBC, they were discussing the current state of the economy and what could lie …
Optimists and pessimists have a lot to consider in the days ahead As we peek around the corner to get a glimpse of what could possibly lie ahead, I think of the saying “is that light at the end of …
There’s a lot of change in the air and dealers are thinking their way through it As we sit here in the first quarter of 2023, having lived through two tough years of uncertainty, what can we expect in the …
I can’t help but look at our current business situation and describe it with a sports metaphor. At the time of writing, it’s Super Bowl weekend in a few days, the NHL all-star game has just finished and the NBA …
We may have to be prepared for some short-term pain before long-term gains To say that the past few years have been the catalyst to a ”new normal” would be an understatement. So many different world events since 2018, and …
Getting out on the front lines now and again makes you a better boss and businessperson As dealers, we are decision makers. We are called upon daily to make split-second decisions. The management team we have built most often calls …
Uncertain OEM marketing trends, coupled with the economic forecast, have many dealers feeling uneasy about the future Each fall, as the summer winds down; sunlight hours get shorter and shorter, kids head back to school, and everyone seems to get …
I recently have had many discussions surrounding the fact that there seem to be more jobs than workers to fill them. Virtually every dealer I speak with is looking for people and can’t find them. Many years ago, there was …
Dealers are making money but this isn’t the time for standing still Amidst all the chaos in the world today, quite surprisingly, the atmosphere at most Canadian car dealers is one of calm. Despite the prolonged and continuing supply …
After a long period of economic stability, uncertainty and volatility are here. Dealers have a lot to think about The older you get, the more cynical you become. Risk is best absorbed by the young and is supposed to be …
Things are rarely all good or all bad. Let’s take a look at how things are shaping up this year. As I write this article in early March, some influences in our world are improving, others hopefully will improve, and …
Let’s imagine two dealers talking about selling their businesses. What does that chat sound like? The world has changed over these past few years and it’s unclear whether it will revert to pre-pandemic norms. Many of us are positioning …
