By The Central Florida Auto Dealers Association
These are undoubtedly unprecedented times. What are you doing, as a small business, to weather the storm?
This is going to sound strange, but we are just trying to keep things as normal as possible at a time when nothing is normal. We are working to keep everybody safe and sane. The media creates fear and panic in people, so when we run into that, we talk people off the ledge, encourage them and get them back in the game. If someone gets sick, we get them tested. Other than that, we are not really doing anything special.
What are you doing to support your employees?
We are keeping them positive, pumped up and employed, and we are also making sure we continue to engage customers so they come in through the door or submit a lead. That’s crucial because if our employees don’t get the opportunity to talk to customers, they don’t have a livelihood. We have done a lot of training and role playing on how to think differently and speak to customers differently.
What have you learned from past experiences that is helping you navigate now?
People skills. It’s important to know how to work with people, both employees and customers. If you can’t communicate with people effectively, you’re not going to be successful — now or in the future.
What effect do you think this crisis will have on the auto industry going forward?
This crisis is forcing dealerships to provide customers with more transparency. That will continue going forward. But we are seeing that customers like coming into the dealership. In April, 60% of our deliveries were home deliveries. That went to 40% in May, 25% in June, and less than 10% in July. We still offer it, but consumers like coming to look at cars, and they don’t get that experience when they are at home.
What is the takeaway for you as a leader from this extraordinary experience that will guide your future business decisions?
I’ve realized that I can do the same amount of business despite the shutdown. We can pivot, make strategic business decisions and still be successful.
What are you and your dealerships doing for community outreach? Are you doing anything to support essential workers, including health care workers and first responders?
Hyundai is currently offering an incentive at Holler Hyundai, we are currenly in the middle of our back-to-school supply drive for the Harbor House of Central Florida, which houses and protects abused women and children.
How did you become a general manager? Did you always aspire to be part of the auto industry?
I wanted to do market research. Ironically, working in the car business is similar to many aspects of market research. You have to know customer wants and needs, as well as their reason to buy. You aren’t in a panel setting getting feedback; instead, you are on a one-to-one basis with the customer, helping them make a buying decision.
When I graduated from (an out of state) college, I quickly realized I had no money, no place to live and no job, and there was only one place on Earth were I could go and live for free — so I moved back home with my dad in Orlando. I started my work history in banking. I despised it. It was the worst job for me because it was not the right fit. While working in the bank I became friends with a young lady who later got a job with the Holler Organization, where I work now. One day she saw my resume on Monster and called me to set up an interview for a finance position. I was 22 and had absolutely no idea about the car business or the position I was interviewing for, but I was interviewed, and I got the job.
This was a job I fell in love with immediately. I worked the hours doing what I needed to do to get to the next level, and I took on additional roles and responsibilities to improve my knowledge and resume. There was a time in my career when I needed a gentle nudge to get me out of my comfort zone and into the next role. I’m truly grateful for the leaders in my past who saw that I could do and be more. Without the long hours, tough situations and of course the tears that I shed, I would not be where I am today. I’m truly blessed for the opportunities I have had and the doors that I have walked through. October will be my 10-year anniversary as the general manager of Holler Hyundai, and February 2021 will be 19 years of services with the Holler organization.
Describe your educational background. What did you study?
I have a B.A. in business administration with minors in management and marketing from Mars Hill University, Mars Hill, North Carolina.
What are your goals?
Many of my goals change every 30 days. But a lifetime goal is to give back to the industry through service and mentorship.
The crazy thing about the car business is that you do live 30 days at a time. You can be a hero or a zero in those 30 days, but no matter how you did last month, you get to start over again at the beginning of the month.
As far as long-term goals are concerned, I don’t currently have one other than to keep moving forward and keep my staff. It’s important to minimize turnover. I also think it’s important just to continue engaging in technology as it comes. I embrace it and figure out how to use it to make the work easier and more efficient. The idea is to work smarter instead of harder.
Are there any specific individuals who had a major impact on your career? How?
I’ve had many mentors throughout my career. It’s simply too hard to just name one.
What is the most rewarding part of your career?
The people, especially my employees. We celebrate when they are successful, have wins, achieve goals, get married, have children and when their children graduate. A lot of those successes are impossible without having a place to come and work. Many of my employees fell into the car business by accident and have made successful careers.
How has the automotive industry changed in the last five years?
The year 2015 seems like a long time ago. Even January seems like a long time ago.
What do you think will be some of the dominant trends within the automotive industry in the next 5-10 years?
Electric cars and autonomous cars. There’s a lot of legislation and law to work through, but the shift is going to happen in the next 5-10 years.
What have been some of the major challenges in creating a balance in customer branch and digital-based transactions?
I think the major challenge is that the consumer forgets that a person is on the other side of the computer. Customers become very aggressive and forward sometimes when they are using a computer to communicate with us. The other is just keeping up with the technology. There’s always something new just around the corner.
What is the biggest impact of being a CFADA member? What makes it beneficial?
Being part of an organization that supports your industry, helping to improve collective challenges as a core group versus individually. Also, serving the community and providing events like the auto show to the locals so they can see the latest and greatest improvements that our industry has to offer.
As incoming chair, what are your goals for CFADA and the local auto industry as a whole?
I would like to see the technician recruiting initiative continue to grow, and through this initiative, I would like to build functioning partnerships with the local automotive schools. These partnerships will help backfill holes in technician staffing and, with results, improve member engagement.
If you look back at your career and life, what would be three things that you have learned and that you would pass onto a younger member within the automotive industry?
I only have one. My advice would be that if there’s a question that needs to be asked, and or there’s a direction where you need to go or an initiative you need to take, and you get a pit in your stomach, then you know it’s right. Sometimes we have to be uncomfortable to find success.
What are some professional moments that make you the proudest?
I love mentoring — I love having opportunities to mentor those with identified potential and I also love to watch those I have mentored get promoted and find success.
Was there an “aha” moment in your career that defined you?
My “aha” moment is probably yet to come.
What is your favorite way to spend your free time? Do you have any unusual hobbies?
I work to travel. I love to travel and seek new adventures. All who know me know I enjoy spending time with my family and spoiling my sister’s children.
The Central Florida Auto Dealers Association
This story appears in Issue 3 2019-2020 of Accelerate Magazine.
