Send us a text

Auto shows aren’t dead—they’re just getting started, and Jennifer Morand is helping to rewrite the playbook.

On this episode of Auto Collabs, the crew welcomes Jennifer Morand—the incoming chairwoman of the Automotive Experience Alliance (AEA) and powerhouse behind the Chicago Auto Show. She’s on a mission to make auto shows more than just shiny cars on display—instead, she’s building immersive, data-backed experiences that matter. Think ride-and-drives, EV demo tracks, overlanding zones, craft‑beer tastings, and “miles per hour” runs—all tailored to bring genuine engagement to both car lovers and the “not‑car‑people” among us.

Jennifer pulls back the curtain on how auto shows are evolving—and why it’s so much more than car shopping. She explains how shows drive real dealership traffic, why missing brands like Mazda or Buick spark concern, and how OEMs and local dealers can better collaborate through smart activations. The conversation meanders through the push–pull between tier‑one budgets and creative tier‑three marketing, touching on how human connection remains the ground floor of automotive selling.

Takeaways

00:00 – Why the first thing you do at a car show reveals everything

02:31 – The future of auto shows is experiential, not just presentational

03:57 – 20,000 consumers can’t be wrong: what the data says about ROI

06:26 – Dealers say shows work—so why are some OEMs pulling back?

07:56 – When Mazda skips a show, people think they’re going out of business

09:22 – The holy grail of auto marketing: tracking traffic after the show

10:37 – Gen Z loves live events—they just need a reason to care about cars

12:35 – Overlanding zones, EV tracks, beer tastings—this isn’t your dad’s auto show

13:33 – Want to speed up the buying cycle? Make the car experience fun

15:23 – OEMs blocking dealers from participating is hurting the brand

19:02 – Tier 1 meets Tier 3: how to stop leaving auto show potential on the table

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions

Send us a text

What if the real reason car buyers feel frustrated has nothing to do with price?

David Thomas has spent decades shaping how consumers understand and experience buying a car—from the early days of Autoblog to his current role unpacking research at CDK Global. In this episode, David joins Michael and Paul to talk about the hidden frictions of automotive retail and the disconnects that most dealers don’t even know they have.

He also breaks down why Gen Z wants more in-person experiences, not fewer, and what sports talk radio taught him about content that actually matters. With a sneak peek at CDK’s latest workforce study and a fresh take on how EV adoption is misunderstood, David brings insight without the ego.

Takeaways:

00:00 – The Case of the Missing Co-Host

01:45 – The Craigslist Ad That Launched an Auto Empire

03:29 – Why EV Riders Get Hooked Instantly

04:43 – How to Turn Boring Data Into Dealer Gold

06:27 – What Pearl Jam and Sports Burnout Taught Me About Content

10:56 – Dealers and Employees Are Not Worried About the Same Things

14:38 – Gen Z Doesn’t Want Less Human Interaction—They Want More

15:14 – EV Demand Is Real—Stop Pretending It’s Not

17:08 – Ford’s $22K EV Loss Might Be the Best News Yet

20:06 – Inventory Isn’t Just About Volume—It’s About Trust

24:13 – Millennials Are Shopping Online—But Still Want to Test Drive

Learn more about:

Connect with David Thomas at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davelikescars/

Learn more about CDK Global at https://www.cdkglobal.com

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions

Send us a text

AI isn’t coming for your job—it’s coming for your to-do list.

When Nick Askew first plugged AI into his daily marketing work, it was like flipping a switch—from a grind to a productivity cheat code. In this episode, Nick sits down with Kyle (while Paul and Michael cheer from the sidelines) to unpack why that moment in late 2023 marked a true before-and-after for how work gets done in the auto industry. They dig into how AI went from a party trick to a power tool almost overnight—and how it’s now reshaping dealership operations from the inside out.

But this isn’t just another AI hypefest. Nick and Kyle get tactical on what needs to change under the hood—from cleaning up CRM workflows to rethinking what a “one-stop-shop” platform actually means. There’s a passionate call for the industry to rally around shared API standards (ADF-XML, anyone?), a peek into Space Auto’s ambitious roadmap, and a surprisingly strong argument for why background AI agents—not flashy bots—might be the next frontier. If you’ve ever felt bogged down by your tech stack or your task list, this one’s for you.

Takeaways

00:00 – When two AI nerds find each other

02:14 – The day AI made Nick 10x more productive

05:16 – You’re already falling behind on AI

07:46 – AI isn’t replacing you—it’s freeing you

09:08 – Why unstructured data is killing AI in the showroom

10:29 – CRMs are broken, and everyone knows it

12:33 – Your fingers are the real bottleneck

16:30 – The tech debate that splits the industry

23:56 – Automotive desperately needs a new API standard

27:02 – The biggest AI breakthrough you won’t even see

30:53 – We can’t fix AI until we fix the data

Connect with Nick Askew at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-askew/

Learn more about Space Auto at https://space.auto/

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions

Send us a text

The technician who turned oil changes into master certifications—and negativity into a movement of positivity.

Curtis Gardner isn’t your typical technician. Starting out with oil changes after high school, Curtis worked his way up to Toyota master certification before taking on the German-engineering challenge at Audi. But what makes his story stand out isn’t just his technical chops—it’s his decision to flip the technician narrative from negativity and burnout to optimism, efficiency, and human connection.

In this conversation, Curtis shares how video inspections transformed not just his customer relationships, but his own career. From becoming “the guy” customers now ask for by name, to creating content that shines a positive light on technicians, Curtis is redefining what it means to thrive in fixed ops. If you’ve ever wondered how to solve the so-called technician shortage, why techs need self-leadership, or how tool organization can actually change shop efficiency, this is the episode for you.

Takeaways:

0:00 The hats don’t fit—but this episode does

1:00 Meet the first technician ever on Auto Collabs

2:15 From Legos to master-certified Toyota tech

3:40 Why Curtis started sharing technician content online

5:07 Video inspections: the tool that changed everything

7:20 How customers react when they finally see under their car

8:50 Becoming “my guy”: when customers start asking for you by name

10:15 Why Curtis makes Zen videos inside Audi hoods

11:45 Self-leadership: the hidden skill every tech needs

13:55 Is the technician shortage real—or just perception?

15:20 Why management isn’t always the best next step for master techs

17:00 Curtis’s vision for the service shop of the future

19:10 3D printing a better way to organize tools

21:15 The human connection that technology can’t replace

Connect with Curtis Gardner on https://www.linkedin.com/in/techgnarr/

Learn more about Techgnarr at https://stan.store/techgnarr

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions

Send us a text

From hype to hesitation—Laurie Halter reveals what dealerships really think about AI in the service drive.

Laurie Halter isn’t just a PR veteran with her finger on the industry’s pulse—she’s now bringing hard data to the AI conversation in fixed ops. In this episode, she joins Paul, Kyle, and Michael to unpack her latest independent research report, a deep dive into how AI is (and isn’t) being adopted in dealership service departments. From vendor hype to dealer hesitation, Laurie’s findings cut through the noise and spotlight a glaring gap between what’s being built and what’s actually needed on the ground.

The crew explores the report’s surprising revelations, including which AI tools dealerships are most likely to adopt first, why predictive maintenance is still a distant goal, and how smarter technology could help tackle the industry’s massive technician shortage. Laurie also shares why independent, neutral research matters now more than ever, and how early collaboration between vendors and dealers will determine AI’s real impact on customer experience.

Get the report here: https://charismacommunications.com/reports/ai-in-the-service-drive/

Takeaways:

00:00 – The PR Pro Who Turned AI Researcher

02:15 – Why Deep-Dive Research Is Missing in Auto

04:55 – The Disconnect Between Dealers and Vendors

06:45 – Inside the “AI in the Service Drive” Report

08:09 – Vendors Think Dealers Are Ready—They’re Not

09:32 – Outbound Texting: The First Step in AI Adoption

13:14 – AI as a Solution to the Technician Shortage

15:38 – Who’s Reading This Report First (Hint: It’s Not Who You Think)

18:07 – AI Adoption Has to Start at the Top

19:24 – Customer Experience Is the Real AI Litmus Test

20:48 – What Laurie Might Research Next

Connect with Laurie Halter at https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-halter-1255b6/

Learn more about Charisma! Communications at https://www.charismacommunications.com

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions

Send us a text

From Kentucky minivan launches to Tokyo auto shows to the Wall Street Journal—Jamie Butters has been shaping automotive news for decades, and now he’s taking that storytelling to an even bigger stage.

In this episode, Paul J Daly sits down with veteran automotive journalist Jamie Butters, fresh off his transition from Automotive News to the Wall Street Journal. Jamie recounts his path from covering Toyota’s first U.S.-built Sienna in the late ’90s to reporting on the industry’s most pivotal bankruptcies, technological leaps, and retail shifts. He shares what it’s like to learn the business from the manufacturing floor up, why hybrid tech’s “overnight” success took decades, and how the view changes when you go from niche trade coverage to a global financial publication.

The conversation digs into the future of journalism in an AI-driven world—why algorithms can’t replace relationships, why trust is the most valuable currency in news, and why every retail automotive pro should read beyond industry headlines. From geopolitical EV battles to dealer lot realities, Jamie explains how the Wall Street Journal will bring broader context to the business of selling cars, and why that matters now more than ever.

Takeaways:

0:00 – Why Automotive Needs Real Journalists, Not Just Headlines

0:56 – Why Jamie Butters’ Move to the Wall Street Journal Matters for Retail Auto

3:26 – From Kentucky to Tokyo: Learning the Industry Through Toyota’s Lens

4:07 – Seeing Hybrids Before the World Was Ready

5:48 – Why You Can’t Legislate Technology Adoption Overnight

8:55 – The Financial Crisis Years: Inside GM and Chrysler Bankruptcies

13:45 – Why Every Automotive Career Should Start with Industry Awareness

14:19 – Dealers Need Global Context, Not Just Local News

16:21 – The Value of Competing News Sources in a Polarized World

17:28 – AI Can Summarize Facts, But It Can’t Build Trust

19:30 – How Human Journalists Will Remain Essential in the AI Era

21:21 – What Jamie Will Cover Next at the Wall Street Journal

Connect with Jamie Butters at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-butters-909ba45/

Read The Wall Street Journal at https://www.wsj.com

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions

Send us a text

In an industry chasing the next big thing, Tina Cuatto says the real game changer is simple: better vendor communication.

AI, vibe coding, and endless vendor promises—dealers are being told the future is already here. But is it? Tina Cuatto from DealerOn joins the Auto Collabs crew to cut through the noise and get real about where the industry is headed. From her front-row seat leading teams through the Synchro acquisition, she shares why flashy tech isn’t enough—and why clear, consistent vendor communication might be the real innovation dealers are craving.

In this conversation, Tina tackles the pressure AI is putting on product teams, the hidden dangers of moving too fast without guardrails, and how DealerOn’s Marketplace is giving dealers more control in a world where vendor alignment often feels impossible. Plus, you’ll hear Michael’s hilarious story about a DealerOn after-party that perfectly sums up the industry’s “all in—or watching from the sidelines” approach to new ideas.

Takeaways

00:00 – Why Dealers Can’t Afford to Take Summers Off Anymore

02:21 – Inside the Synchro Acquisition: What It Really Takes to Merge Teams

04:51 – AI Is Moving Fast—But Are Dealers Ready for It?

07:25 – Why AI Needs to Be More Than Just Chatbots in Auto

09:22 – The Tug-of-War Between Excitement and Fear Around AI

10:49 – The Security Risks Nobody’s Talking About With AI in Dealerships

12:10 – Michael’s DealerOn After-Party Story That Explains the Industry Perfectly

14:11 – How to Get Rural Dealers to Actually Adopt New Tech

15:53 – DealerOn’s Marketplace: Why Collaboration Beats Building Walls

17:57 – The Hidden Problem Tanking Dealer Websites (and How to Fix It)

18:36 – The #1 Thing Dealers Want From Vendors—And It’s Not More Tech

20:34 – The One Question Every Dealer Should Ask Before Choosing a Vendor

Connect with Tina Cuatto at https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-cuatto-5b567587/

Learn more about DealerOn at https://www.dealeron.com

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions

Send us a text

When your side hustle is building AI that builds companies, you're officially in "mad scientist" territory—in the best way.

Nick Askew of Space Auto returns to Auto Collabs and proves once again why he's the dealer tech world's resident mad scientist. In this episode, Nick talks about building an experimental AI-powered company that literally builds other companies—from code to communication to sales and support. Yep, it's as wild as it sounds, and yes, it’s already live. Oh, and the AI project manager is named after his dog.

But this episode isn’t just AI wizardry for fun—Nick breaks down why understanding the foundations of software architecture and data integration is now essential for anyone hoping to stay competitive in the automotive retail space. From agentic systems to CDPs, and what happens when you give your AI vision, Nick reminds us that dealers don’t have to wait for vendors to catch up. You’ve already got the data—you just need to learn how to use it.

Takeaways

0:00 This Interview Will Change How You Think About Work

2:41 He Built an AI That Builds Companies—Here’s What Happened

6:00 The Most Dangerous Shift in Tech Isn’t What You Think

8:58 White Collar Jobs Are Disappearing Faster Than Anyone Admits

10:06 Why Most Developers Won’t Have Jobs in 5 Years

12:58 The One Skill That Will Protect You From AI Disruption

14:45 You’re Not Just a Manager—You’re Now a Tech Leader

16:23 The Real Reason AI Won’t Make You Smarter

18:57 Why DIY Apps Fail (Even With AI on Your Side)

20:36 We’re Not Ready for How Fast This Is Moving

21:04 This Is What Being Your Own CDP Actually Looks Like

28:03 You Don’t Need a Vendor—You Just Need Your Own Data

Connect with Nick Askew at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-askew/

Learn more about Space Auto at https://space.auto/

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions