607 episodios
The Untold Story How a $48M Startup Failure Created the Biggest Voice in Auto Retail & The Lessons That Mattered | Yossi Levi, Founder and CEO at Car Dealership Guy
12/11/2026 | 53 minYossi Levi raised $48 million to turn his family's Philadelphia used car lot into one of the early online dealerships, and when interest rates spiked in 2022 and Carvana fell 99%, his company fell 100%.
He walks through the $9 million term sheet that collapsed a week before closing when the investor suddenly asked for the family's real estate, the $5 million deal he closed over sushi 48 hours later, and the stretch where the stress got so bad he seriously considered quitting business to become a farmer.
Yossi Levi is the Founder and CEO of Car Dealership Guy, the media, events, and intelligence company with 750,000 followers and a subscriber list that includes the top 200 dealers in the country.
The son of an Israeli immigrant who learned business at a Hoboken car wash, he started out pulling weeds for $20 a day on his dad's lot, learned the industry at the auction, where they called him "the Sponge," and launched Car Dealership Guy on Twitter as a creative outlet while winding down his startup.
He speaks candidly about what growth-at-all-costs money really demands from a founder, how his wife's support gave him the confidence to go all in, and why he believes dealers have never been more under threat or had more tools at their fingertips.
Topics:
00:45 Learned Business From His Father In Hoboken.
12:30 Auctions Were His Only Networking Tool.
24:30 A $9 Million Term Sheet Vanished.
33:50 Realized He Never Controlled The Business.
50:30 Building CDG To Be As Core As CRM And DMS.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. LotAgent – Stop stacking software. Agents are the way out. One problem, One Agent, only $99. Try it free now @ here.
2. Zurich - Turn everyday service visits into opportunities to build customer loyalty and long-term dealership value with Zurich Lifetime Repair. Learn more @ here.
3. CDG Circles – Your peer network without the travel. Connect with verified dealers, join topic and OEM-specific groups, and get real-world strategies. Learn more @ here.
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
For dealers:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Fix your dealership’s social media ➤ http://www.trynomad.co
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
For industry vendors:
Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ http://www.cdgpartner.com
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
Car Dealership Guy Socials:
X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership
LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy
Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.comHendon Jr. on Veterans Day, Cirillo & Collingridge on ÆTHR, Souza on AI | Daily Dealer Live
11/11/2026 | 1 h 16 minToday's show features:
- Roger Hendon Jr., General Manager & Operating Partner at Bridgewater Chevrolet
- Michael Cirillo, CEO & Co-founder at ÆTHR
- Dan Collingridge, CTO at ÆTHR
- Italo De Souza, General Manager at Carfive
This episode is brought to you by:
The Presidio Group – Today's episode is brought to you by The Presidio Group, one of the automotive industry's leading buy-sell advisors. In the last few weeks, Presidio released its Q3 2026 M&A report, which includes Presidio's blue sky multiples, and the latest Q3 benchmark data from NCM Associates. Find both, along with dealer sentiment and analysis of the trends shaping automotive retail, in Presidio's new Research & Reports portal at https://thepresidiogroup.com/
ÆTHR – ÆTHR checks, standardizes and enriches every inventory record. Then it streams the same trusted vehicle to every website, platform and AI agent that depends on it. See how the engine works or sign up for a free trial (no credit card required) at https://www.theaethr.ai/
Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership
LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/
Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.comThe Car Affordability Trap That Keeps a 50-Year Dealer Up at Night & Where It's Going Next | Rita Case + Jordan Zimmerman
10/11/2026 | 54 minRita Case has run car dealerships for 50 years, and she says nothing worries her more right now than affordability: loans stretching to 84 months, a basic new car costing $48,000 to $52,000, and used cars on the road averaging more than 14 years old.
She and Jordan Zimmerman, once the titans of TV car advertising, explain why general TV "isn't really a good spend anymore," and Jordan walks through how his agency now runs five competing AI agents that grade every ad buy and flag anything that scores below 90%.
Rita Case is the President and CEO of Rick Case Automotive Group, representing 10 brands across South Florida and Atlanta.
Her father was the first Honda dealer in the United States, she was the first person to sell a Honda car, and in 1986 she became the first Hyundai dealer in America.
Outside the showroom, she founded For Every Kid, raising $500,000 up front to give two new pairs of brand-name shoes to each of the 7,800 students identified as homeless in Broward County schools.
Jordan Zimmerman is the Founder and Chairman of Zimmerman Advertising, which he sold to Omnicom in 1999 after winning Nissan's regional business and bought back this year after a two-year negotiation.
His agency has worked with brands from Nissan to Planet Fitness, Five Below, and Ollie's, and he has ownership stakes in businesses including Blue Compass RV, which went from zero to $3 billion in revenue in four years.
He speaks candidly about why he wanted his freedom back, why he sleeps about three hours a night, and why he thinks every business that stops adapting starts going backwards.
Topics:
00:00 First Person To Ever Sell A Honda Car.
14:00 Mud Slinging Breaks Consumer Confidence.
27:00 Agents Will Shop For Everything Soon.
36:00 Manufacturers Must Build Lower Trims.
50:00 Five AI Agents Compete Against Each Other.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. CDK Global - CDK AIVA for CRM with agentic AI helps dealerships automate customer engagement, respond to inquiries around the clock, and improve lead follow-up so sales teams can focus on selling. Learn more @ here.
2. Podium - Podium is the AI platform trusted by 1 in 4 dealerships. Their AI converts leads 40% higher than the industry average and can be customized to how each store sells. Visit @ here to learn more.
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
For dealers:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Fix your dealership’s social media ➤ http://www.trynomad.co
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
For industry vendors:
Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ http://www.cdgpartner.com
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
Car Dealership Guy Socials:
X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership
LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy
Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.comOsmer on Dealership Succession, Hansen on Service-Lane Acquisition | Daily Dealer Live
09/11/2026 | 59 minToday's show features:
- Amanda Grappone Osmer, Chief Vision Officer at Grappone Automotive
- Derek Hansen, Senior Vice President, Dealer, Lender & Inventory Solutions at vAuto by Cox Automotive
This episode is brought to you by:
The Presidio Group – Today's episode is brought to you by The Presidio Group, one of the automotive industry's leading buy-sell advisors. In the last few weeks, Presidio released its Q3 2026 M&A report, which includes Presidio's blue sky multiples, and the latest Q3 benchmark data from NCM Associates. Find both, along with dealer sentiment and analysis of the trends shaping automotive retail, in Presidio's new Research & Reports portal at https://thepresidiogroup.com/
vAuto by Cox Automotive – At vAuto by Cox Automotive, we’re dedicated to enhancing our clients’ capabilities through a family legacy of innovation. Our focus is refining our offerings to expedite vehicle transactions and provide smooth transitions from online to in-person experiences. Our integrated technologies and services form robust omnichannel capabilities that propel the automotive industry forward. Visit https://www.vauto.com/
Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership
LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/
Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.comFixed Ops Friday w/ Aldo de Cima, Jesse Colburn, & Michael Darlin | Daily Dealer Live
06/11/2026 | 1 h 6 minToday's show features:
- Aldo de Cima, General Manager at Pedder Auto Group
- Jesse Colburn, Fixed Ops Director at BMW of Tuscaloosa
- Michael Darlin, Fixed Ops Director & CDG Circles Member
This episode is brought to you by:
Haig Partners – Toyota’s market share varies widely by state, but share alone doesn’t determine dealership value. Read Haig Partners’ analysis of the local market dynamics dealers should understand here: https://haigpartners.com/resources/toyota-dealership-values-local-markets/
Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership
LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/
Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
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Acerca de Car Dealership Guy Podcast
The Car Dealership Guy Podcast Network is your front-row seat to the people, companies, and trends shaping the future of automotive retail—delivered across three focused formats:
The Car Dealership Guy Podcast (Tuesdays & Thursdays)
Hosted by Yossi Levi, these deep-dive interviews feature top dealers, operators, and innovators driving the industry forward.
Daily Dealer Live (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays)
Our live-streamed show, also released here in audio format, brings real-time news, sharp takes, and high-impact guests—think CNBC for car dealers.
Industry Spotlight
Hosted by Sam D’Arc, this segment highlights standout dealerships and vendors with tactical insights and stories from the front lines.
Follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for highlights and behind-the-scenes content from every episode.
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