In this conclusion to our special end-of-year series, VADA President and CEO Don Hall shifts the focus from external threats to the internal dynamics that will define dealership success in 2026. Hall shares candid takeaways from his recent time at the NADA Academy, specifically highlighting the critical, often undervalued role of service technicians. He argues that the service drive touches far more customers than the sales floor and that building a culture where employees feel valued is the only sustainable way to protect the business. Hall also issues a warning about upcoming regulatory attacks targeting processing fees and spot deliveries, urging dealers to prepare now rather than later. He challenges owners and general managers to "lead from the front" by being visible and engaged in the daily grind of their stores. With the 2026 legislative session and Virginia's 250th anniversary on the horizon, the message is clear: your presence—whether in the dealership or at the General Assembly—has never mattered more.
VADA's Don Hall sat down for a candid, two-part interview on the threats facing the franchise system–from manufacturers like VW and Scout pushing for direct sales to the new political landscape in Richmond. In Part 1 Don delivers a message to dealers who think they can coast through 2026: "Manufacturers have made it clear... they would love to be able to take off certain vehicles and sell them direct. We need to care and we need to get engaged. This is a big deal. It's not going to go away."
Join the VADA leadership team—President Don Hall and legal experts Anne Gambardella, Barry Beatty, and Mimi Perka—for an essential briefing on the 2026 political and regulatory landscape. This session covers everything from Virginia's new administration to aggressive FTC enforcement and critical franchise rights updates.
The "Party Crashers" have returned, and the stakes are higher than ever. To celebrate our one-year anniversary of VADA Live, host Dan Carrigan welcomes back our very first guest, Brian Finkelmeyer of Cox Automotive. In this deep dive, Brian analyzes the massive $30 billion tariff impact hitting automakers and explains why the industry is seeing a "perplexing" shift in consumer behavior. From the normalization of new car inventory to the "bottom valley" of used car acquisitions and the sunsetting of EV incentives, this episode provides the roadmap dealers need for 2026. Brian also breaks down the "Two Americas" economy and how dealers must evolve their service and AI strategies to meet the needs of today's most affluent buyers.
Join Dan Carrigan as he speaks with Emily Marlow Beck, President of Marlow Motor Company and Virginia's 2026 Time Dealer of the Year, for a candid and insightful conversation about leadership and the future of the family-run dealership. In this interview, Emily shares her unique journey from her legal background as an attorney to her current role as dealer principal. She explains how her father instilled a character-building work ethic from the ground up, and why being prepared to "pivot and go" is the true key to navigating uncertainty and the rapid changes in the corporate world. Beck emphasizes the philosophy that leaders must "share the credit and hog the blame" to encourage an environment where employees feel safe to admit mistakes and foster true collaboration. She also discusses the vital role of community and culture, explaining how employee-led initiatives like her CARES Committee and the viral 75 Acts of Kindness built a servanthood culture that directly impacts her sales floor and customer relationships. This is an indispensable guide for dealership leaders focused on operational excellence, ethical culture, and successfully transitioning a family business.
Dealer plates are your most valuable, and often most easily lost, assets. Join VADA Live as we introduce TagTracker, a new partner specializing in patented, real-time GPS Dealer Tag Tracking. This technology provides modern dealerships with total accountability and compliance. TagTracker supports DMV compliance by logging usage and can potentially reduce insurance costs. The system gives you real-time visibility and instant alerts for maximum test drive time/distance, speed, and Geofence violations (leaving the dealership boundary). It is also designed to alert for tag removal/tampering. This intelligent GPS solution eliminates guesswork, enhances security, and streamlines your dealer plate management process. Learn more about The Tag Tracker at https://thetagtracker.com/
Virginia just delivered a historic election, electing the first female chief executive, Abigail Spanberger, and expanding the Democratic House of Delegates majority by 13 seats. What does this shift mean for Virginia's business climate, the upcoming 2026 General Assembly session, and franchise auto dealers? Join host Dan Carrigan with two members of VADA's Lobbying team, Tripp Perrin (Lindl Government Affairs) and Greg Habeeb (Gentry Locke Consulting), as they provide an in-depth breakdown of the election results and the political landscape moving forward. This discussion is for auto dealers and those following the campaigns and election of Governor-elect Spanberger, Attorney General-elect Jay Jones and more.
Join Dan Carrigan and Dr. Ben Flusberg, Chief Data Officer at Cox Automotive for a deep dive into the evolution and practical application of AI in auto retail. Dr. Flusberg defines the AI landscape, explaining the shift from predictive to generative and now to agentic AI—where systems execute multi-step automated workflows. Dr. Flusberg shares his strategic framework: the "AI Pyramid." This model outlines the path to maximizing AI value, moving from basic Insights to Predictions, then Recommendations, and finally to full Automation. He explains that while AI is a "force multiplier" for repetitive tasks, the true challenge is not the technology, but people and process change. Learn why Cox Automotive is focused on innovations like hyper-personalization and BDC tools that combine predictive data with generative AI to boost lead conversion. Discover why dealers must aim for vendors who offer integrated systems to avoid "AI sprawl" and empower their teams through upskilling. This is an essential guide for dealership leaders ready to move past AI 101 and redesign their operations for the future.
Join us as we welcome back Steve Greenfield (Automotive Ventures) for a sharp analysis of the shifting auto market. In this episode, Steve provides a crucial outlook for Q4 2025 and 2026, explaining why the EV softening and affordability pressures are defining the landscape, while the prime consumer remains resilient. He emphasizes that the future of mobility requires preparing for these market forces and tariffs. This video is essential for leaders focused on long-term strategy, navigating rising subprime default rates, and future-proofing operations.
Join Dan Carrigan as he speaks with Napoleon "Napo" Rumteen, a proven leader at the intersection of automotive retail, SaaS, and talent innovation. Napo, the Founder and CEO of Interactive EQ, explains how his platform uses AI to measure intangible skills and improve hiring and retention in high-turnover roles like sales and service advisors. In this interview, Napo shares his perspective on why focusing on employee development and getting ahead of problems is crucial for profitability. He discusses how a first-of-its-kind platform provides insights into a candidate's judgment, resilience, and empathy—the skills that drive 85% of job success. Napo also explains why leaders should use AI as an enablement tool to augment their teams and handle tedious tasks, freeing up people to focus on critical thinking and relationships. He provides a look into the real-world workflow of an AI-enabled talent assessment and how to navigate change management to ensure successful adoption across dealerships of all sizes. Napo draws on over 30 years of experience, including key roles at Tekion and automotiveMastermind, to provide a fresh, expert take on leveraging AI to build a stronger, more efficient team. He argues that AI is not meant to replace humans but to elevate the human element in a people-centric business.
In this VADA Live special, host Dan Carrigan and @Reunionmarketing 's Chad Graves discuss how dealers can get ahead of AI-driven marketing. Chad emphasizes that AI is a supplement, not a replacement, for human interaction and offers a valuable look into how early adopters are using data to become more efficient, serve their customers better, and prepare for a future where buyers may make decisions without even visiting a website.
Does artificial intelligence have a place in the automotive industry? In this VADA Live special, host Dan Carrigan sits down with Kayla Kody, Vice President at Richmond Ford Auto Group, to discuss the opportunities and challenges of using AI in dealerships. Kayla shares her perspective on how AI can be a powerful "helping hand" to enhance operations and customer experiences, but not a total replacement for the human connection. She also shares the importance of data privacy (if you wouldn't shout it across the sales floor, don't input it into ChatGPT!), the most promising applications of AI in both sales and service, and the keys to getting buy-in from your team.
On this special episode of VADA Live, Host Dan Carrigan sits down with @NADA Academy Director Michael Hayes. The duo takes a deep dive on all things AI in the retail automotive industry, and how NADA Academy is preparing its students for the dealerships of today and tomorrow.
Can AI streamline your dealership's most complex back-office functions? Jim Roche, CEO of WarrCloud, joins Dan Carrigan to explain how AI-powered automation is boosting profitability and efficiency in fixed operations and warranty claims processing, especially with new Virginia laws protecting dealer compensation as of July 1.
In this VADA Live AI special, host Dan Carrigan interviews Checkered Flag General Manager Michael Wood about the reality of using AI in the dealership. Michael shares his perspective on how to get past the hype of artificial intelligence, and how to augment employees to enhance them by removing meaningless tasks from their workloads.
Join Dan Carrigan for a conversation with AI expert Diana Lee, CEO and Co-founder of Constellation. This segment, part of a special series on artificial intelligence in the dealership space, explores how AI is impacting the automotive industry. Lee explains how Constellation's AI uses automotive-specific data to automate tasks like generating VIN-specific offers and providing real-time market insights. She highlights the "clean room" concept, where each dealership gets a proprietary AI chatbot with their own data, enabling competitive strategies and inventory management. Lee stresses that adopting AI is crucial for dealers to gain a competitive edge and improve efficiency.
Here's the full, high-energy audio recording of AutoFi's Joe St. John's keynote during our conference, where he outlines how dealerships can remove obstacles for sales teams, increase sales, and help customers. As VP of Training and a NADA Academy Guest instructor, Joe worked with dealers nationwide and helps you understand the changes your dealership can make today to appeal to a Gen Z workforce.
What inspires a veteran of Virginia's auto industry and a lifelong community advocate to run for the House of Delegates? On this edition of VADA Live, Jeff Kelley sits down with Virgil Thornton Sr., candidate for the 86th District and a familiar face from decades in Virginia dealerships. They discuss his unique journey from nuclear testing and automotive leadership to his current campaign, the core philosophies like "Kaizen" and "Omotenashi" that guide him, and his vision for his district and the Commonwealth. From his deep experience as a foster parent and NADA Academy graduate to his key priorities of education, healthcare access, and economic development, this conversation offers an insightful look at a pro-business, pro-dealer candidate rooted in service.
Get ready to elevate your dealership's customer experience! On this edition of VADA Live, host Dan Carrigan sits down with bestselling author, TED Talk speaker, and customer experience expert Katie Mares. Katie, a featured speaker at this year's VADA Convention, will discuss how to make "the now non-negotiable", what dealers are still getting wrong about creating five-star experiences, and how to better serve the female consumer. Discover insights on why customer experience competition often comes from outside the auto industry, tangible ways to improve your workplace, and the power of leading through decisive action. This conversation offers a sneak peek into Katie's convention session and practical takeaways for every auto dealer.
Wondering how to protect your dealership legacy through estate planning? Attorney John Dedon joins VADA Live host Dan Carrigan to share vital insights specifically for dealers. Learn about crucial documents, current tax strategies, succession planning, and avoiding costly probate issues.