The auto industry is on the verge of major change — and tariffs are accelerating the shift. In this episode, Kevin Bullis of The Presidio Group joins Loyd Rawls and Kendall Rawls of The Rawls Group to explore how rising costs, supply chain challenges, and shifting consumer expectations are reshaping the future of auto retail.

Whether you’re a dealer, executive, or advisor, this conversation will give you the insights you need to navigate uncertainty and position for long-term success.

Watch the video version here: https://bit.ly/42n6nCR

RELATED RESOURCES:

→ Learn more about succession planning and dealership strategies: https://seekingsuccession.com/

→ Take a free Growth & Succession Planning Assessment to see where your auto dealership stands: https://bit.ly/47f6YIi

HOW THE RAWLS GROUP HELPS AUTO DEALERS:

For over 50 years, The Rawls Group has helped auto dealers build resilient, high-performing businesses. From succession planning to strategic growth, leadership development, and navigating industry disruptions like tariffs, our experts partner with dealers to secure their legacy and drive success across generations. Give us a call, and in 30 minutes, we will help you find clarity on your next steps. 407.578.4455. https://seekingsuccession.com/

• (00:00:00) - How Tariffs Are Disrupting the Auto Industry
• (00:01:51) - Free Trade, Tariffs, and Global Competition
• (00:04:27) - Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Opportunity
• (00:08:35) - How Tariffs Affect Auto Manufacturers
• (00:12:15) - What Dealers Need to Know About Tariffs
• (00:18:32) - Dealer Strategies to Stay Profitable
• (00:24:46) - Inflation, Interest Rates, and Auto Sales
• (00:29:31) - Managing Teams and Customer Relationships
• (00:37:18) - Winning in a Tight Used Car Market
• (00:47:06) - Buying or Selling Dealerships in a Shifting Economy
• (00:57:15) - Future Growth Opportunities for Dealers

Seasonality, inflation, politics, people, and technology are a few headwinds impacting fuel dealers, wholesalers, and service contractors in the energy space. We are often asked, “How can we create predictable revenues in an industry influenced by so many outside “threats?”

In this episode, Doug Woosnam, a Consultant with Cetane Associates, Clayton Latiolais, a succession planner with The Rawls Group, Marty Kirshner, Partner with Gray, Gray & Gray, and our very own succession planner Champ Rawls discusses strategies to take control of the ebbs and flows of your business, which include:

Strategic Planning

The strategic planning process is a collaborative initiative allowing you, supporting family members, and key management to discuss and confirm the vision and mission of the organization, as well as the resources needed to achieve business goals.

The outcome of the strategic planning process is a detailed action plan that addresses short- and long-term goals, operating methodology, talent recruitment, effective business structuring, and effective communication. The strategic plan will then serve as the compass for future business and succession.

Champ Rawls shares that sitting down with your team and engaging in strategic planning will help you identify your strengths and opportunities. Once you know where you stand, you can then evaluate what potential outside business lines you could add within your existing footprint, whether that be HVAC, home energy audit, concrete, pest control, or landscaping. Assuming they fit within your business model, other services can help insulate against change. You can also discuss your weaknesses, develop strategies, and identify resources to address performance issues.”

Budgeting

Create an operational budget so you can measure what they are doing. Doug Woosnam shares that it is surprising to see how few businesses have a proper budget, something they can measure current performance against past performance and compare where they are versus what they need to be doing. Commonly, Doug sees dealers lacking in preparation. They are in their third week of the month, down 20% on degree days, but they are at a loss for how to address the deficit.

Doug continues to share that if a Dealer has a budget, they often miss key performance metrics. A standard metric missed is how many drivers are needed to support the business, and dealers often express they are unsure even how to determine that metric which is:

• What your delivery efficiency is how many gallons per hour per gallon per stop
• How many services calls in a day
• How many installations

In this business, manpower is the most significant expense next to the product cost. But unfortunately, there is not enough appreciation and understanding of what goes into developing a budget that will maximize opportunities.

Break Even Analysis

Stay on top of budgeting, using a tool such as a break-even analysis. Marty Kirshner shares that this tool will provide insight into how many gallons you need to sell to break even or at what margins you need to make.

Even though Dealers are making money, the future is unclear; for some, the unknown creates anxiety. As a result, we see business owners considering, more than ever, if it is an excellent time to cash out. Succession planning allows you to choose your best outcome – identifying your strategic objectives to fulfill your vision and provide for your family, not just business goals.

For example, suppose you are working to make the business the best it can be by department, person, or structure. In that case, you can’t go wrong if the outcome is passing the business on to your family or key manager or putting it on the market to sell and get the best possible price.

In this episode, Pete Theil with Haig Partners and The Rawls Group’s succession planner Champ Rawls discuss strategies to create more control over fulfilling the future you envision.

Resources

• Haig Report: Stay up to speed on the latest trends in auto retail, dealership values, and buy-sells.
• Automotive News Expert Q & A: Alan Haig answers questions in this Automotive News Buy-Sell Expert Q&A about how smaller automotive retail groups and independents can future-proof their dealerships.
• Buying or Selling Your Dealership: 5 Things You Must Consider
• Succession Readiness Survey: A 7-minute investment in time will put you in an informed position of opportunities many business owners overlook, impacting business value, growth, lifestyle, and ultimately achieving your vision.
• Contact Us: We can help you with insights and other resources and see if it makes sense to work together. At the very least, in 30 minutes, you may get some ideas you can apply to your business immediately.

For more insight:

Visit the “Future Proof Your Business” discussion page or select one of the additional episodes of the series below:

• Next Gen: Empire Builders Vs. Caretakers
• Delegating Day to Day & Remain in Control
• What Family Businesses Must Do to Compete Now & Into the Future
• How to Compete with National Brands & Consolidators
• Keep or Sell: Determining Your Best Strategy
• Avoid Common Business Pitfalls

Successfully integrating family into business leadership while balancing family dynamics is full of complexities. As Joe Chastang shares, many private and family business owners screw it up. Thanksgiving and Christmas come around every year, and the business provides for 100+ employees.

Mis-matched expectations, communication differences, and management styles can create challenging moments impacting business operations, team dynamics, and family gatherings. As a result of leaning on succession experts, Joe and his leadership team learned how to make the company better and grow the business, successfully integrate the second generation into key leadership positions, and balance family and business relationships.

Resources

• Succession Readiness Survey: A 7-minute investment in time will put you in an informed position of opportunities many business owners overlook impacting business value, growth, lifestyle, and ultimately achieving your vision.
• Contact Us: We can help you with insights, other resources, and see if it makes sense to work together. At the very least, in 30 minutes, you may get some ideas you can apply to your business right away.

For more insight from Joe Chastang of Chastang Ford, check out the next episode in the 10-part series: Avoid Emotional Landmines

or more resources on building a strong business and succession planning, visit www.seekingsuccession.com. And leverage our Succession Readiness Survey. A 7-minute investment in time will put you in an informed position of opportunities many business owners overlook impacting business value, growth, lifestyle, and ultimately achieving your vision.

A successful family business can provide opportunities to all who are associated with the owners or viewed as family. History has proven, the odds of family business success through multiple generations dwindles with every ownership transition. However; where many family businesses have failed, there have also been many family businesses succeeding and thriving for generations. One of the key ingredients to successful family businesses is a winning culture.

Respect and trust go hand. A person or leader must be respected in order to also trust their decisions. As a family member employee entering the business with hopes to be a key leader or owner one day, earning the respect of employees, key leaders and strategic partners such as banks and manufacturer/franchisors are essential. Anyone can be given a job or title, but respect is earned.

Kendall Rawls, a family member in her own families business shares 4 strategies to earn respect in the family business

1. Gain Outside Experience: Minute 2:55
2. Invest In Yourself: Minute 5:37
3. Listen, Observe and Learn: Minute 6:43
4. Work Hard: Minute 8:27

Resources:

Email Kendall Rawls at kendall@rawlsgroup.com if you would like a gift copy of either “The Four Agreements” or “Braving the Wilderness” by Brene’ Brown.

For more resources on building a strong business and succession planning, visit www.seekingsuccession.com. And leverage our Succession Readiness Survey. A 7-minute investment in time will put you in an informed position of opportunities many business owners overlook impacting business value, growth, lifestyle, and ultimately achieving your vision.

Roland Spongberg became interested in succession planning after a car dealer friend shared difficulties he was experiencing with his siblings. With no desire to cash out, and a father of six kids, with some working in the business and some not, Roland began thinking about the future and opportunities he wanted to create for his family and business.

As our world constantly changes around us, so do family and business. Thirty-five years ago, Roland started WKS Restaurant Company with one El Pollo Loco. As of today, it has grown to 375 restaurants in 19 states operating Denny’s, El Pollo Loco, Krispy Kreme, and Wendy’s.

Listen in to hear Roland Spongberg share how his planning environment is evolving as the family and business transform over time. Succession planning is an ongoing process that refines strategies towards the vision imagined.

Resources

• Succession Readiness Survey: A 7-minute investment in time will put you in an informed position of opportunities many business owners overlook impacting business value, growth, lifestyle, and ultimately achieving your vision.
• Contact Us: We can help you with insights, other resources, and see if it makes sense to work together. At the very least, in 30 minutes, you may get some ideas you can apply to your business right away.

For more insight from Roland Spongberg, Founder and President of WKS Restaurant Group, check out the episode It is Possible to be Equitable

or more resources on building a strong business and succession planning, visit www.seekingsuccession.com. And leverage our Succession Readiness Survey. A 7-minute investment in time will put you in an informed position of opportunities many business owners overlook impacting business value, growth, lifestyle, and ultimately achieving your vision.

It can be easy to get lost in a family business. Not knowing who you are and what you want to from what the family, key leaders, and anyone who has an opinion or stake in your or the business’s future. Constant conflict or shutting down to what you want are common when trying your best to navigate a win-win-win. Sadly, what we forget is we often lose in that scenario. Balancing self, family, and business requires proactive work, otherwise, resentment builds.

Family members who work in a family business have to work harder to find personal independence because they are so close to “the tree” of family and key leader stereotypes, and the baggage that can come from assumed enablement of the family business environment.

This discussion focuses on 4 strategies to fulfill your personal goals and create an environment for you to be the best you can be for yourself and those around you.

1. Know self-amongst family and business noise
   • Your strengths
   • Who you are versus who people think you are
2. Those who wonder all not always lost
3. Connect to what you value and what others value
4. Continue to engage in hard topics. If you push them under the rug, they will turn into a gnarly resentment monster.
5. Practice the Four Agreements, book by Don Miguel Ruiz

For more resources on building a strong business and succession planning, visit www.seekingsuccession.com. And leverage our Succession Readiness Survey. A 7-minute investment in time will put you in an informed position of opportunities many business owners overlook impacting business value, growth, lifestyle, and ultimately achieving your vision.

A family business is such a wonderful opportunity. However, many 2nd, and 3rd generation business owners screw it up. And as Tracy shared, she and her husband did not want to be the generation to screw it up. With the third generation entering the business, Tracy and her husband felt like the sandwich generation. Tracy’s father still plays a role in the business; Tracy and her husband fill key leadership roles as President and GM, and Tracy’s son was ready to come on board. As a family, Tracy wanted to sit around the Thanksgiving table with those she loved and continue to build a successful business.

The succession planning process provided Century Automotive Group a roadmap for effectively integrating the next-generation family in the business while building trust and rapport with key leaders. The family business is not a birthright; it is a beautiful family asset, which requires protecting the family unit and the business to ensure both are nurtured effectively. Listen to hear Tracy Jones share key strategies that have created the roadmap for ongoing family and business success.

For more insight from Tracy Jones, President of Century Automotive Group, check out the episodes:

• Thriving for Three Generations
• You Can Get What You Want

For more resources on building a strong business and succession planning, visit www.seekingsuccession.com. And leverage our Succession Readiness Survey. A 7-minute investment in time will put you in an informed position of opportunities many business owners overlook impacting business value, growth, lifestyle, and ultimately achieving your vision.