"A 2025 Year in Review" - The Real Lessons of 2025 and Why 2026 Demands More
What if the reason things didn’t click in 2025 has less to do with your tools and more to do with your willingness to change?
In this solo year in review episode, I’m slowing things down to reflect on what 2025 actually taught us. Not the highlight reel. The real stuff. The hard conversations, the uncomfortable growth, the moments where leadership, culture, and discipline mattered more than any shiny new strategy.
This year reminded me of something I’ve believed for a long time. Sustainable success isn’t about finding the missing tactic. It’s about becoming the kind of leader and organization that can actually handle success when it shows up.
In this episode, I break down:
Why change—not technology—is the real competitive advantage
How AI is accelerating opportunity (without replacing human judgment)
The leadership, culture, and discipline gap separating top performers from the rest
Why most dealerships ask the wrong questions about success
How critical thinking will become one of the most valuable skills in 2026
What it actually means to “go all in” on your definition of success
We explore AI without hype or fear, marketing without shortcuts, and leadership without excuses, connecting the dots between human connection, culture, and long-term profitability in retail auto
If you’re heading into 2026 feeling pressure, uncertainty, or opportunity, this episode will help you recalibrate your focus and attack the year with clarity and conviction.
Free Gift:
Get a FREE PDF copy of Michael’s bestselling book Don’t Wait. Dominate.
👉 Visit FlexDealer.com
Who this episode is for:
Dealership Owners & Operators
General Managers & GSMs
Marketing Directors & CMOs
Fixed Ops & Service Leaders
Automotive Professionals serious about growth in 2026
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
02:20 Year-End Reflections and Gratitude
07:18 AI in the Auto Industry: Opportunities and Challenges
14:52 Marketing and Human Connection
20:04 Leadership, Culture, and Sustainable Growth
26:20 Looking Ahead to 2026: Relentless Pursuit of Success
27:53 Conclusion and Call to Action
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Episode Transcript
(Preview Intro)
0:00
The Importance of Change and a Special Offer from Flexdealer
The real reason why there are a disproportionate number of dealerships who are perpetually not succeeding is because 1% of people are willing to do what it actually takes in order to achieve lasting and sustainable growth.
0:15
That's a big change that needs to happen and people are just statistically speaking, afraid of change, something Paul Daley said this morning, actually in a morning meeting with our More Than Cars team.
He said everything good in life comes as a result of change.
Full stop, period, end of story.
0:32
When we go to conferences and we sit on panels and I conduct trainings, the wrong question that I keep getting asked is, well, what tools or technology or marketing strategies do those organizations, those high performing organizations have that we don't like?
0:51
What are we missing?
What could we be doing differently?
And my answer every single time is……
(Intro)
One of the things that I enjoy most about producing The Dealer Playbook is hearing from you, the messages that I get from people who are getting so much value out of the podcast, applying it to their day-to-day workflows and finding a thriving career right here in the retail auto industry.
1:13
It means the world to me.
And you know, one of the ways that we make doing this possible is through my agency, Flexdealer.
And of course, in the spirit of providing value, I think this is a perfect time to head over to triplew.flexdealer.com to show even further support for you, my beloved DPB gang.
1:31
Right now, if you go to my website, flexstealer.com, you can get a full free PDF of my #1 best selling book, Don't Wait Dominate.
And the reason I think it's so special is that a lot of the topics that are discussed in this book are even more relevant today than ever with this surgeon, popularized AI and people wondering, well, what can I do next?
1:53
How can I have a competitive advantage?
Well, that's all here in this book.
And so I'd love to be able to offer you a free copy of this if you go to flexsdealer.com.
It would mean the world to me because that is how we continue to produce this show for you.
2:20
(Episode Begins)
Reflecting on 2025: Gratitude and Growth
Hey gang, welcome to this episode of the Dealer Playbook podcast.
I am so glad you're here.
I feel like I'm getting old because it is that time of year where all of the US old people say it's the end of the year already.
Where'd the year ago?
I can't believe it.
What happened?
2:35
It just started.
It just started and now it's the end of the year.
We are, as you can imagine, going to be doing a year in review recap, 2025 Year in review recap here.
So much has happened in this year.
But before we dig in, I just want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to you for being here this year.
2:57
This has been a tremendous year for the show.
We just looked at our Spotify year in review or whatever it is that the Wrapped or whatever it is.
I mean, 852% growth this year.
3:13
What?
What?
Oh my gosh, tremendous.
It's crazy to think that going into our 12th year that there is still this much demand for the show.
3:29
And I am so incredibly grateful.
I mean, my, my heart is full.
And I just want to thank you for being here and for sharing your attention with me.
It really does mean the world to me and I'm excited to see what we do in the new year.
You might have noticed the set looks different.
3:45
The sound is probably different.
I mean for those that aren't watching it, watching or listening only.
I'm using my little DGI cell phone mic setup.
We have moved our studio and you can't see it.
4:00
Maybe we'll get to it at the end of this.
But right on the other side of me here is where we will set up and do in person, more in person content in the new year.
I'm really looking forward to it, but it's a mess, OK?
4:15
It's in it.
There's boxes everywhere, There's cables everywhere.
I am sitting at my desk here on this side of the office.
And so I wanted to just get this episode out because there's so much that I want to talk about.
I've got notes right in front of me here.
Gosh, where do I start?
4:32
You Are the Best One Suited for Your Challenges
2025 was a year of challenges and opportunities.
And I want to just put a pin in that there to suggest that the best operators and the most innovative people never waste a good crisis.
4:50
And I think there were several quasi crises this year that the best and most successful operators in our space took advantage of and absolutely thrived.
I think we're going to see more of that in 2026.
I think there's going to be some challenges, there's going to be some difficulties, but with those challenges and difficulties, we are going to see some incredible opportunities.
5:16
One thing that stood out to me this year, and I wrote it down in my notes, is this.
I wrote down.
Why me?
Why me?
And, and I want to talk about that for a minute because it is a theme that I think runs through pretty much every episode of The Dealer Playbook.
5:33
But it's not why me from a victim mindset.
It is why me.
Like of all of the people in the world that could be experiencing what I'm experiencing, these challenges and difficulties, what is it about me?
5:50
Why me?
Why am I the one in this position?
And I think if you really dig into that and you examine the experience and the wisdom and the stature and the resilience that you've gained while working in this industry, the the answer to why me is because you are the best one suited for the circumstances that you are experiencing.
6:13
And so as we move into the new Year, I just want to place that pin there for you as maybe a way Finder or as a compass that when we experience the difficulty in the new year, because it will come, there's a lot of unknowns that you are remembering why you, because you're the right one for the job, you're the right one for the job.
6:38
I believe that.
6:39
Exploring the Unparalleled Acceleration of AI in the Auto Industry
OK, let's talk about some of the things that have happened this year.
I mean, we have covered a lot of territory on the show.
We've had a lot of conversations.
We've talked about marketing, we've talked about AI, we've talked about SEO.
We've talked about innovative new and emerging technologies.
6:55
We've talked about leadership and culture and discipline and accountability.
We've talked about the importance of personalization.
We have covered the gamut.
We've talked about fixed operations.
Gosh, we we have seriously covered a lot of territory.
7:11
Some of the things that have stood out to me though that I want to want to get into.
Let's start with marketing.
I've got notes here and hey, why not, let's just get into AI.
OK, let's just get into the AI conversation.
Probably the most prevalent and prominent conversation that has been had out there in our industry this year has been around artificial intelligence.
7:31
It is still a tool, It is still technology.
There is a lot of hype around it, but I, I think that it's merited because it is the newest type of technology that we've had at our disposal in quite some time.
7:52
The acceleration that it facilitates in so many different things is unparalleled.
We've not, I don't think we've ever seen anything like it.
I mean, imagine, you know, ancient civilizations building pyramids or the Mayan temples or whatever, what have you.
8:10
How much faster those structures would have gone if they had access to ChatGPT to tell them how to do it.
I mean, I was in my bedroom the other day and we've got this corner of our bedroom that my wife and I just don't know what to do with.
8:25
And so I said, you know, I'm going to try something.
And I pull out my phone.
I open the GPT app.
I took a picture right inside the app and said, we've got this area.
We don't know what to do with it.
Give me some ideas.
And it went and it, it listed out.
You could do a reading note, you could do a little writing desk.
8:42
You could do all these sorts of things.
If you tell me, it says if if you tell me what option you like the best, I can mock it up for you.
And I'm like, OK, I'll bite.
Let's see what it does.
So I said, well, I'd like a little reading Nook guys.
8:57
The output of GPT in a matter of a minute and its ability to tell me what products it had placed in there to get me that vibe.
I will not lie, my wife and I went out that evening and we bought some of these products so that we could go and build this reading nook.
9:15
I mean, like the speed at which we can come up with ideas or, or shape ideas I've never seen before.
It's, it's absolutely stunning what you can do with AI.
9:31
Why Critical Thinking is Essential with AI
And I mean, we've seen a lot of hype around AI as well.
A lot of people that, and this is my caution, who say all you got to do is use AI.
Well, I'm not.
I'm kind of with Marcus Sheridan.
We had a big lengthy conversation about AI in one of our previous episodes.
9:49
You should definitely go check it out.
Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
And I would agree with his position.
He is neither a hype or a zealot when it comes to AI.
He's not doom and gloom and he's not like, Oh my gosh, this will absolutely lasso the sun, moon, and stars for you.
Some of the takeaways for me about AI are, while it is incredibly innovative, fast, can speed you up and do all sorts of incredible, amazing things, it still requires critical thinking.
10:17
And if I were to make a prediction for the new year and beyond, especially as we get deeper and deeper into the whole AI thing, I would say my feeling is that those who develop critical thinking skills and who can really hone those skills are going to be a very, very precious asset to an organization.
10:42
Yes, AI can do so many things, but what it cannot do is replace the critical thinking of a human being.
And I would also say this, I hope that we've learned that things never end up the way we imagined in the beginning, like Web 2 did not end up the way that we thought it would.
11:04
The, the, the applications of Web 2, nowhere near the hype or the zealot, you know, narrative in the beginning, 3540 years ago or whatever.
And I would anticipate that's going to be the case with AI.
We don't know what we don't know yet and we're learning rapidly and it has definitely accelerated so many things.
11:23
Critical thinking is going to be a hot, hot, hot asset.
And I would really recommend that we don't look to AI to replace our ability to think and to think critically.
I think that's that's going to be critical.
11:39
Have I said critical enough?
That's my thoughts on AI.
11:45
Using AI to Scale Human Potential and Connection
The other thought that I have about AI and this kind of ties into human behavior and human character characteristics is that if we are thinking about AI to replace people, then we've already lost.
If we are looking at AI as a way to accelerate or scale people, then we are going to be on the winning side of the artificial intelligence narrative because things are changing.
12:11
But I look at these organizations and I think it's really short sightedness that are saying, Oh my gosh, we're going to lay off 30% or 40% of our workforce because AI is going to do it, replace all those jobs.
I think that is such short sightedness.
12:27
Why do I think that?
Well, for starters, because if people keep being born and people keep existing on this planet, then we inherently will want to be productive and to do things.
12:44
We will want to accomplish things.
We will want to achieve our goals, desires, and ambitions.
But if something else completely replaces that for us, then we do kind of lose a sense of purpose.
How do we know this?
12:59
Look at people who retire.
There is such a large percentage of people who retire from work who get extremely bored, who, you know, get depressed, who lose all sense of their purpose.
13:15
And it's absolutely demoralizing for them.
They desire to be productive.
It's it's like innate in our DNA.
So again, if we are looking at artificial intelligence as a way to scale the human and also as a way to speed up human connection, something else that we innately desire, then we will win.
13:38
We will be on the right side of this narrative, in my opinion.
So that's something to think about with AI, all the new innovation that's coming out for me, a compass, especially with NADA around the corner.
A compass is, if your narrative as a company is that this will replace the jobs of people, I'm not interested.
14:00
But if you're telling me that it will speed up, make more efficient, make more productive the people that I have so that we can scale the organization and still keep it centered on the thing that we all want, which is human connectivity, then I'm interested.
So that's something that I'm thinking about, especially over the course of the year as I've been observing the narrative.
14:24
Flexdealer's Role in Marketing for Human Connection
Hey, does your marketing agency suck?
Listen, before we hop back into this episode, I know you know me as the host of the Dealer Playbook, but did you also know that 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.
14:41
So if you want to sell more cars and finally have a partner that's in it with you that doesn't suck, visit flexdealer.com.
Let's hop back into this episode.
All of that ties into the marketing narrative.
14:56
The the whole point of marketing is to move people to action, right?
And I'm just thinking about the ways in which we are not prominently discussing innovation and marketing tools and resources, and that is to speed up human connection.
15:16
The thing that we want.
I that is my official position, by the way, my official position is if it speeds up human connection, I'm interested.
If it replaces human connection completely, I'm not super interested.
15:32
Think about this even, because some of you might be thinking, well, have you never bought groceries online and had them delivered to your door?
Yeah, I absolutely haven't.
It is incredibly convenient, but look at what happens.
People even find ways to create human connection or personalization and that they leave treats out for the delivery driver, the drinks and snacks, ways of showing appreciation to another human being.
15:58
It it just sends a signal to me that that humans care about one another and we we desire to care about one another.
Think of how that plays into your dealership operation.
You know, as an advocate for the dealer body, human connection is is critical.
16:17
We hear this all the time.
I mean in our agency, we hear this all the time with our client partners that the client partners will say things like, we know that once they come into that through those doors and put their butt in that seat, our ability to find them the right vehicle for them increases exponentially.
16:37
Well, that's a human connection thing.
It is a relationship thing.
As an advocate for the dealer body, I have to also then advocate for human connection because it is the thing that accelerates all of the things that we want to be able to do to grow our businesses, to have an impact in the community.
16:55
That is something else that stood out to me this year in 2025.
16:59
The Auto Industry's Impact on Community and Amazon Autos' Role
So I had the privilege of going to Kazakhstan where we did trainings and consultation with large organizations there.
And one of the things that stood out to me in the vein of human connection and community was how the individuals we met with viewed the auto industry.
17:19
They viewed the auto industry as a real catalyst for building the country of Kazakhstan.
It blew me away.
It was so inspiring, actually, to to listen to and participate in.
And why?
Well, we talked about this sometimes in the car business, like, well, that's not a car, it's not a luxury, It's a utility.
17:37
It's a freedom machine.
Yeah, that's all true.
But but in Kazakhstan, that was brought to a whole new level.
Some of the conversations we had revolved around the fact that because of the auto industry, we create mobility for families, right?
17:55
But then we also need infrastructure, roads, we need fabrication, we need assembly lines, we need mining, we need transportation, logistics, infrastructure, all of these things that put thousands and thousands and thousands of people to work who can then go home and provide for their families and create experiences for their families and their colleagues and their church groups and so on and so forth.
18:26
And I thought that was so inspiring.
Yes, marketing moves people to action.
And when we can move people to action appropriately and elevate them and scale them and make them more productive and efficient, then we are contributing to what truly builds a nation.
18:45
I think it's so fascinating, OK.
So even look at like Amazon Autos for example, that's been a big thing in the last quarter of the year.
We're talking about Amazon Auto, it's pilot program selling new vehicles through its platform.
The delivery mechanism still happens at the dealership.
19:04
And I mean think about that in terms of retention and lifetime value.
Fixed operations plays a huge role in that mix, in that part of what I call the Hyperloop and keeping people in that Hyperloop.
And if I can, you know, work out the details of the, you know, work out the pencil of the vehicle through Amazon autos, great.
19:26
If I can bypass the whole test drive and this and that, that's appealing to some people, right?
But I still have to go to the dealership to pick it up, which means it's incumbent upon that dealership, whoever is the distribution partner there, to build a relationship with that individual, make sure they are coming in for service and that their vehicle is well maintained and so on and so forth.
19:46
I don't believe this is the be all end all in the way that some of the zealots think it is because there are still enough touch points even in that model in which I can facilitate meaningful human connection and build relationships of trust.
And I think that's where we need to be thinking in that regard.
20:05
The 1% of Leaders Driving Lasting Change and Healthy Culture
We've had a lot of conversations about leadership and culture.
This conversation.
I mean, if you're new to the dealer playbook, this conversation is not going to go away.
It's one in which I am incredibly passionate about.
And the reason for that is because it is the thing that will actually bring about the meaningful change that we desire to see in the industry.
20:27
Think about this, OK?
The best marketing and most expensive marketing in the world will not compensate for a broken system and a broken culture and bad leadership.
The best tools and the most expensive tools will not compensate for broken process, bad leadership, and, you know, people who are not bought in IT and broken systems.
20:52
And so the reason that I care about this topic is for a couple of reasons.
One, because it is the topic that actually facilitates true and lasting change in an organization and #2 it creates the largest gap in, you know, competition that we have.
21:14
Why?
Well, because not everybody is willing to be disciplined enough and accept the change enough for it to stick.
And so when we go to conferences and we sit on panels and I conduct trainings, the wrong question that I keep getting asked is, well, what tools or technology or marketing strategies do those organizations, those high performing organizations have that we don't like?
21:48
What are we missing?
What could we be doing differently?
And my answer every single time is leadership, culture, systems and processes.
And it's interesting to think, man, how many people kind of slump in their seat.
22:05
But that excites me because that's that's the real competition of it all.
The real reason why there are a disproportionate number of dealerships who are perpetually not succeeding is because of the 8020 rule.
And in this case, probably like the 99 versus 1% rule, which is that really 1% of people are willing to do what it actually takes in order to achieve lasting and sustainable growth. 1% of organizations are willing to have the meaningful discussions about change, are willing to do the hard things. 1% of leaders in our industry are true leaders.
22:48
The rest have leadership titles.
There's my controversial opinion for this episode.
Real leaders are those that demonstrate the behaviors worth following.
People with leadership titles tell others what they have to do, or they're on the chopping block.
23:14
One of the behaviors that's worth following is understanding the important role that a healthy workplace culture plays in service and hospitality and employee hap buy in and happiness and all these sorts of things.
And you've heard me say this on the podcast before and I'm going to say it again here just in case you're new and you haven't heard it, which is I don't believe it's the leader's responsibility to make people happy.
23:39
To be clear, it is the leader's responsibility to create an environment in which happiness can exist.
And I've seen it some incredible operators this year who do it really, really well.
My buddy Tustin, who I've had on the show a couple of times, does this incredibly well, just a stand up human being.
23:58
And so we need to be thinking in 2026 about leadership and culture.
The organizations that win are going to have healthy workplace cultures.
They're going to have leaders who demonstrate the behaviors worth following.
They're not going to be afraid of accountability.
24:13
But accountability won't be perceived as a negative thing, and it is not perceived as a negative thing in the right culture with the right leadership.
24:23
Relentlessly Attack Your Definition of Success by Embracing Change
That's a big change that needs to happen.
And people are just statistically speaking, afraid of change, something Paul Daly said this morning, actually in a morning meeting with our our More Than Cars team.
I wrote down because I think it's so poignant and this was a non negotiable for him and it's a non negotiable for me.
24:42
He said everything good in life comes as a result of change.
Full stop, period, end of story.
Everything good in life comes as a result of change and there are changes brewing.
I mean, we saw lots of changes this year.
24:57
The EV, you know, tax advantages went away.
It was a tariff storm.
So many things that caused change and so many great things that came as a result of that change.
25:13
I would challenge you to look at the challenge changes that have happened in your career and in your life to recognize that something positive has always come on the backside of that change.
I mean, gosh, Speaking of EVs, I could have used that as an example earlier when I said that things rarely end up the way that we thought.
25:30
You remember like 3-4, five years ago, we were like by 2035, everybody's has to drive an EV right now.
We're like, OK, and don't get me wrong, there are some operators who do EVs incredibly well.
25:47
EV Otto, Alex, Alex Lawrence, who's been a guest on the show, who's a tremendous operator who's all in on EVs.
I mean, that guy is super innovative.
But you know what he also has?
He has a good culture and and is a great leader.
He's great at marketing and taking advantage of being in places where there is a tension.
26:06
I mean, he has gone all in.
And I mean, that could be part of this conversation as well.
Are you all in?
And if you're not all in, what is keeping you from going all in?
2026, by the way, is a year that we have to be all in.
I'm telling you what, 2026 is the year that I unapologetically, aggressively attack my definition of success.
26:32
And I would encourage you to do the same. 2026, Relentless is a word that comes to my mind.
Needs to be a year that you relentlessly attack.
I'm not saying go after.
I'm using this word strategically, guys.
26:48
It is the year that you must attack your definition of success with fierce focus, unrelenting.
27:06
Why?
Well, it's one of the reasons we do this show and have been doing it going now into our 12th year, which is that I believe so deeply that you deserve what is waiting for you on the other side of your unrelenting attack to achieve your goals, dreams and ambitions. 2025 was an incredible year.
27:30
It was a challenging year and it was a year full of opportunities.
More of that is coming in 2026, I hope.
It's my prayer that you do what it takes to ethically achieve the things that you deserve in this new year. 2026 is going to be amazing.
27:52
Thank You for Listening and How to Support the Show
Happy New Year to you.
Thank you so much for joining me on this episode of the podcast.
Listen, if you're getting value from the show or have gotten value from the show and any of the guests, would you do me a favor and go and leave a review on Apple or Spotify?
Leave me a comment.
By the way, if you don't know this already, you can watch full episodes of this podcast on YouTube and also on Spotify.
28:13
So if you're a Spotify lover, we got full video episodes that you can go and watch there.
I love seeing your comments.
I love all of that.
Please, please, please let me know how we're doing so that we can improve this show for you even more in the new year.
And until next time, guys, keep this playbook open and dominate.
28:31
(Outro) Hey, thanks for listening to the Dealer Playbook Podcast. If you enjoyed tuning in, please subscribe, share and hit that like button. You can also join us and the DPB community on social media. Check back next week for a new Dealer Playbook episode. Thanks so much for joining.
