Every month, we celebrate our One Team theme by honoring an employee who best exemplifies being a great teammate. The essence of the award is recognizing a person who will jump in and help anybody do anything. Once the initial conversation concludes, the pursuit of a solution begins. I noted in introducing our winner that during a meeting this past September about the possibility of implementing new company processes in several areas, by January, our winner had it in place.

This month’s winner was Ivan Wright, Vice President of Innovation/Technology. It is a prestigious title, but Ivan wears it well. His bio on the company website reads, “With nearly two decades of developer experience, Ivan Wright leads the agency’s technology strategy to achieve maximum efficiency and information security.” Smart guy, loves what he does, accessible to all of his teammates, and, above all, humble.

When introduced as the MVP Award winner, the applause and cheers were big—you could feel the sincerity. Ivan’s first words were, “I didn’t expect this. I am very grateful.” After a moment to compose himself, Ivan continued, “For the development team, Strong is our customer. I just try to help. We enjoy doing it, and thank you for the opportunity.”

At a time when our future focus for Driving Innovation is on implementing Artificial Intelligence and ensuring the accurate flow of information throughout the entire company, it is a pleasure to have an employee who sometimes needs to be reminded that you can’t do everything. Business columnist Harvey Mackay said it best: “All the technology in the world will never replace a positive attitude.”

Concluding our company’s off-site leadership retreat, the number one thing on my mind is how we continue to drive innovation with AI. There are so many things AI can be utilized for to better everything you do—both your work and your craft. Seeing how extensively and effectively Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be in driving innovation, AI has my full focus.

For me, it starts with AI making the mundane a manageable task. You know the mundane—it can be anything you do that often makes you think, I have to find somebody else to do this. With AI, you can accomplish the work yourself and discover a process that is significantly better.

In the tech world we live in, I am not the most technologically sound person—even in terms of using my phone with all its capabilities—but AI has hit me hard. Right now, I am reading a book by Mustafa Suleyman called The Coming Wave. It talks about the world being in probably the greatest transformational period in history. It looks all the way back to innovations like the wheel, the development of the printing press, the telephone, TV, and the internet, leading up to what AI can do now.

Research shows that the wheel was first invented between 4100 and 3100 BC. But it was another 5,000 years before the first rubber tire was invented in 1845—not exactly a fast track to changing the automotive world. AI technology, on the other hand, is developing at warp speed and, according to Suleyman, faster than anything we have seen before.

It is not a question of whether AI is here to stay, but how we are going to use it to make ourselves better, more productive, and, above all, make society as a whole better and more efficient. Driving Innovation is our company’s core value number five, and it starts every day with each of us thinking about where the world is going. With AI advancements coming one after another, I believe if you are not on the bandwagon, you’re already behind.

Our Embrace Change header begins with ‘A’ for Analytics. So formidable, you find analytics’ influence and impact everywhere—from the executive suite of Wall Street big-hitters and businesses large and small to the coaches’ offices of professional and college sports teams.

But today, you also need to include ‘A’ for Artificial Intelligence. AI is becoming firmly established as the tool to evaluate massive amounts of existing real-time data, which can ultimately help in predicting future trends.

At Strong Automotive, ‘A’ is also for Arthur—as in Avery Arthur, Director of Paid Ads. Arthur has been instrumental in our company achieving the 2025 Google Partner Premier Status. His assessment of Analytics plus AI is expert testimony to the power of the two together.

Arthur explained, “For Google Ads in particular, we use Google Value-Based Smart Bidding in the majority of our campaigns. This is an AI- and machine learning-based automated bidding method that involves tracking conversion data on-site through Analytics and placing values on different conversions to prioritize the most valuable shopping actions.”

While analytics came before AI, Arthur expanded on AI’s emerging role: “Once enough data is collected, Google’s machine learning ‘smart bidding’ algorithm refines your ad delivery by looking for users whose online behavior indicates that they are more likely to convert.” Note the key words: enough data gathered, refines ad delivery, more likely to convert—all accomplished faster and with less labor. The ultimate result is incremental conversion value growth by using analytics data and AI to optimize bids in the Google Auction—it takes both.

Another strategic benefit of using AI-driven analytics is to inform audience targeting. Once again, by collecting large amounts of data, the result is a larger profile of users whose behavior indicates they are in-market. By then finding users across the web who display similar characteristics, Arthur explains the payoff: “This works to refine targeting and cut out wasted ad spend, while also expanding our reach to users who may not be physically searching for a vehicle but whose user activity indicates they are likely to make a car purchase in the near future.”

The key is utilizing the impact of analytic data at the speed of AI. As a digital advertiser, your goal is to be budget-effective while far-reaching in guiding the market to you, as both a shopper and a buyer. Utilizing Analytics and AI at that level is why I give Arthur’s team an A+.

Today, AI can say and do so much more, which is why AI is taking the tech world by storm in such a positive, productive, efficient manner.  AI is found in autonomous self-driving vehicles, adapted by virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri, and a rapidly increasing presence in industries from farming to health care and more.  Personally, it really makes me get excited about all the endless possibilities from everything that we deal with in life, and how they can be made better with AI.

Absolutely clear that some people may have a fear that AI and the robots are going to replace them in their jobs, but that is the difference between positive curiosity and unfounded suspicion – logic versus looking for something hidden and held back. I believe the person who thinks in a positive light, who will embrace using AI as a tool that can help you be better, more productive, and effective each day, is going to succeed.

Information loaded into AI can give us back hours of time spent on researching, for example. The time consumed meticulously gathering research takes away from the time that can be spent developing a solution, which can change and have an impact on our daily lives.

One of the most profound things about embracing change with AI happened on Tuesday when I heard somebody talking about what UPS did back in the early 2000s.  They went from a manually-prepared module creating daily logs for packages to be dropped off to an AI-driven model.  While still based on delivery location and size of the parcel, this was AI before AI was even thought about as AI, which possibly explains why it took UPS 13 years to master this change, but look what it did for UPS.

The current role of AI in the workplace is to replace dangerous and repetitive work.  It is a positive when workers can become more efficient in all that they do.  Yes, there may be some growing pains, but time will tell the story.

While “Change” may not be life or death, it can have a significant impact depending on perspective, whether personal, business, or both. Our company, like almost every company today, is coping with the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI can do amazing things, yet, because of those same capabilities, it can create fear.

Ultimate success, as always, depends on attitude. Michael Sundquist, Chief Marketing Officer at Strong Automotive, was assigned the task of implementing AI into our SEO Content efforts. His go-to was Content Team Lead Erica Brock, and the final AI and Content proposal she put on my desk earned her the MVP reward – presented in front of the entire agency – with this accolade: ‘the most well-written, well-architected plan that I have ever been presented.”

What was Erica’s attitude? “As a writer, watching the advancements of generative AI has honestly been terrifying. It seemed, at first, like a machine that can do what we do, only faster. The first time Michael Sunquist presented me with the challenge of finding ways to use generative AI in my team’s workflow, my knee-jerk reaction was to reject it.  But when change happens, rejection is essentially giving up the chance to control how it affects you. My vision statement was: How can I take charge of this shift and make sure it has a positive impact on me, my team, the company, and our customers?”

Erica’s plan had a deeply positive effect on me, as I realized a part of embracing change is that you never know where the great ideas are going to come from. Now two decades into this company, I am comfortable – and grateful – not all the good ideas are mine. In fact, the best ideas can come from people you never knew were thinking so deeply about the business.

If you ever need to convince someone on your team to put aside their fears and see the benefits of AI, let me share the assessment that swayed Erica: “Honestly, it was realizing that I was wrong…the more I explored AI, the more I realized it most definitely can’t do what we do, but it can make us better and faster at it. This is true of most new technology. A nail gun can’t put a builder out of business, but it will definitely make them a better builder.”

Recently, Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary Show aired on TV, and Gilda Radner’s classic character Roseanna Roseannadanna appeared with her signature line, “It’s always something!” Artificial Intelligence is just one of the many ‘somethings’ we are facing in today’s world. For automotive, the daunting ramifications of tariffs are waiting in the wings. But, with a great team, I look forward to navigating whatever lies ahead with an even more positive attitude…

Embrace change…grab that nail gun!

Another month comes off the calendar, and all things considered, any month where Valentine’s Day is the big holiday is a good month. Then, I saw the headline on the banner at the bottom of the TV screen while watching ESPN: An unidentified NFL team has submitted a proposal to ban the “tush push” quarterback sneak. The whistle-blowing team turned out to be the Green Bay Packers…the Packers?!? Their greatest player was two-time Super Bowl winning QB Bart Starr, an Alabama grad, who scored legendary touchdowns with the conventional sneak – it was boring then, and nowhere near as effective, or fun, as the tush push.

Come on, football fans, in the name of competitive fairness, this is nothing but grasping at straws. It is simple in execution: players in front blocking, with players behind the ball carrier pushing – and the tush push is a scoring super weapon – at least for two teams. An article on ESPN.com pointed out that the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills have run a combined 163 tush pushes over the last 3 seasons, and successfully got a first down or the touchdown on 87% of the attempts. The rest of the NFL, 30 teams, had success only 71% of the time.

So, it seems anytime the NFL wants to amend the rules, the discussion is based on player safety, and apparently, the tush push does come with some issues that will be revealed during March meetings. I get that, safety first, but the tush push is not, in my opinion, as dangerous as the kick-offs were before the current rule changes [of which I am not a fan, and I hope they get discussed as well]. But from a branding standpoint, the tush push is a marketing bonanza. In Philadelphia, for example, their tush push is now ‘The Brotherly Shove’; Buffalo is playing with ‘Snow Plow’ and ‘Buffalo Stampede’.

To me, a good comparison for the tush push controversy is how factories compete to have the #1 selling vehicle in America – they build a great product, market it well, and buyers love it. The other brands can compare side-by-side, whatever, but the best-selling vehicle garners the top spot. In other words, stop whining and go build your own great vehicle.

The Green Bay Packers crossed the ‘whine’ line. First of all, being unidentified is not a sign of courage. But will the challenge be successful? Mark down this moment: SB 59 – 6:15 1st Quarter, former Alabama QB Jalen Hurts scores on tush push from the 1-yard line, New Orleans Superdome, February 5, 2025. Who would have thought by my being there, I may have witnessed the last tush push in football history.

Outlaw the tush push? The only play an average fan could ever possibly run in a game?
Whiners gonna whine, but don’t let them win!

The first part of this story requires me to advise: ‘This is an opinion!’

Two championship football games, two years apart, [the only two games attended in person], illustrated to me a great lesson that translates back to every automobile dealership.

The first was the SEC Championship Game played on December 2, 2023, between Alabama and Georgia. Make no mistake, I am an Alabama fan whose interest was rekindled with the arrival of Nick Saban, since before that I had become a casual observer after my football career ended in the 11th grade.

The second game was this year’s Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. What I saw when the overhead lights sparkled off the Eagle’s midnight-green helmets, rekindled a vivid memory. On this day, the Eagles were a one-point underdog against the back-to-back defending SB champs, but in warm-ups, it was obvious who had more pep in their step, more positive interaction, and more of a swag attitude. I could tell before kickoff the Eagles were ready, and they proved it…no KC three-peat in NOLA!

This year’s Super Bowl had the same pre-game thoughts I experienced before for the Dawgs and underdog Alabama kicked off in the Georgia Dome. Once again, too obvious to miss. In their crimson jerseys and helmets, you could see the confidence in every player’s action, and the swag in their step – this was a team on a mission to end the defending SEC champ’s 29 game winning streak…and the Tide did.
If I attended more regular games, maybe my excitement before a championship match-up would not be so keen. But there was no doubt what I observed: four great teams, built on a foundation of hard work and preparation, but it was the winning teams that showed up as the most highly, and confidently, motivated.

This is no longer an opinion.

For over 20 years of my day-to-day business life, I have enjoyed the opportunity of visiting 100s of dealerships across the country. Nothing gets me more pumped than walking onto a spotless showroom floor, the overheads sparkling on the polished sheet metal and chrome, the purposeful energy of employees, a friendly smile, and a sincere greeting, “Welcome, how can I help you?” It is the fruit of preparation and hard work, and it is too important to ignore. You only get one chance to make a great first impression on every visitor to your dealership.

As certain as I was of Alabama and the Eagles, your customers recognize and support a team prepared for success…that’s how championships are won, and dynasties built, year after year.

It’s Super Bowl LIX weekend, with a mentoring relationship that illustrates going from the role of the hunter to the role of guide.

The Kansas City Chiefs are going up against the Philadelphia Eagles in hopes of a three-peat, pretty impressive.  But from 1964 through 1975, legendary Coach John Wooden won 10 national basketball championships at UCLA, including 7 in a row.   His mission was mentoring: “Everything in the world has been passed down. Every piece of knowledge is something that has been shared by someone else. If you understand it as I do, mentoring becomes your true legacy.” 

Fast forward to the 2017 NFL Draft where the Chiefs selected Patrick Mahomes as their first-round pick.  The selection created a stir, as the Chiefs passed over higher-ranked prospects. Even more surprising, Alex Smith was in place as starting QB, and although Smith never won a Super Bowl, he led them to the playoffs.  Side note:  Smith was so popular, Taylor Swift’s buddy, KC tight end Travis Kelce, would appear in a 2018 TV interview criticizing the decision to replace Smith with Mahomes. 

But once Mahomes arrived, from training camp thru his entire first year, Smith took the rookie under his arm.  Mahomes said about Smith’s influence, “I really praise him, he prepped me, he showed me what it takes to perform in this league.”  And the ultimate comment from the 2-time Super Bowl MVP, “I came in, and I was just relying on my talent, then I watched Alex work… I’m still doing the exact same process that he was doing that first year.”

Alex Smith recognized the potential, saying every morning at camp in 2017, he was there early, but so was the rookie. Smith’s key reason for mentoring was his own experience as the 1^st pick of the 49ers in 2005, “It was turbulent, there was no plan, I didn’t get to look up to watch anybody.”

Even though Smith would have his best NFL numbers, he continued to mentor. Smith knew his fate after Mahomes went 22-of-35 with a bunch of backups in a meaningless season-ending game.  A week later, Smith lost in the playoff game, and noted, ‘It was apparent what was about to happen.”

Before the start of the next season Smith was traded, but is still held in high esteem. Coach Andy Reid brought attention to Smith’s mentoring of Mahomes in 2020, prior to winning Super Bowl LIV, “He wasn’t asked to do this, but he let Patrick into his world, I joke about it, but it’s true: Patrick couldn’t pay Alex enough for what he gave him with that experience.” In the seven years since Mahomes took over the QB reins, the Chiefs have made it to the Super Bowl five times.

Mentor your teammates, show them how far they can go.  As they say about rookie car salespeople, the journey could be from green pea to greatness!

Now who will get to shout, “I’m going to Disneyworld!”?  I love a Cinderella story, but my MVP bet is Saquon Barkley…and the Eagles to win!

Let me share two milestones that add an explanation to the above title.

January 17, 1993, was the day I shot my first deer, a 7-point buck. I was 12 years old, and it was a dream come true because nobody had hunted harder to get in the right situation for the right shot. It finally all came together on Mike’s farm outside of Chelsea, Alabama.
12 years later at the age of 24, I signed up my first client for the agency, Midpoint Chevrolet in Rocky Mount, VA. I was anxious but confident, nobody was better equipped to sell the advantages we brought. The closing sale included our exclusive Capture study to better map their market, and an outstanding production package called Sweet Deals.

Both of these events, to a degree, are comparable to being ‘the hunter’, for in both instances I did everything possible to complete the mission. At age 12, and age 24, in my mind I was smarter, faster, better…and today, I still feel the same way. Working harder, working smarter is what I preach, but now I am enjoying a new role as a ‘guide’, in other words, mentoring.

Last Saturday, my oldest son shot his first deer at the age of 7, and I was right there with him. Who was the most excited? The old man! I could not have been any happier, or fulfilled in the moment. Everything he had seen me do when he was younger, all the lessons about patience and being prepared for the moment, he performed at the highest level just as I believed he would. I love to hunt, but in that moment, being his guide was a satisfaction that carries the tag ‘priceless.’

Over the last several months, our company has grown at a remarkable pace. If you asked me a key reason for the success, I would answer, “Our company has a guide who has figured out what he can do best for the team,” and that is leading by teaching, sharing, and encouraging everyone who will listen and learn. I am focusing more intently on sharing lessons I have learned, and insights I have acquired sitting across from so many great dealers – my mentors – and guiding our people to success in both acquiring and developing successful clients.

My name is still on the company letterhead, I will again be on the road 150 days a year visiting dealers, but I am going to carve out more time to pass down what I know. A great quote from Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

Mentor your team, show them how far they can go, and get there together.

“Dad, I got it!” “John Paul, I got the account!” What a sense of satisfaction when your hunter gives their guide the great news.

There is a lesson to be learned from the first days of President Trump being back in office – he obviously had his priorities, and took action he deemed necessary to get started on completing the tasks. As a business owner, there is a takeaway from what we have seen since the afternoon of Inauguration Day – first things first, then move on. Even if the time frame is four years, manage in the moment.

The management of time is a key ingredient to achieving success [or at least, the feeling of personal accomplishment] each and every day. From a historical perspective, the story of Charles Schwab and Ivy Lee from 1918 is legendary. Schwab, the owner of Bethlehem Steel, was frustrated with the pace of his team’s efficiency, so he hired Lee as a productivity consultant. Lee laid out his approach, asking for only 15 minutes with each of Schwab’s executives. When Schwab asked how much the cost was, Lee told him to wait three months and pay whatever Schwab felt the strategy was worth. The immediate result was a vast improvement in staff communication, problem-solving, and ultimately in Bethlehem Steel becoming a giant of the industry.

What was Ivy Lee’s method? At the end of each day, write a list of the six most important things to do for the next day and order them from one to six. In the morning start with number one. Keep working on it until completed, then move to number two. Keep working on this one until completed, and then move to the next item on the list. Continue this way until completing all the priority items on the list.

I have been a practitioner of this system for years, and still have my notebooks filled with daily schedules. Lee suggested no more than 8 tasks, I tend to expand that number, but the first item for each day is the key action item, and I stay with it until satisfied with the outcome. My recommendation for this technique is the increased focus on the now, less procrastination, and the proper prioritization in line with our One Team goals.

Nate Anglin, in his blog on Schwab and Lee, commented, “What Lee sold to Schwab wasn’t just a list; it was the key to unlocking potential, one day at a time.  It’s not the hours you pour in but what you pour into the hours that count.”  In other words, you begin each morning with momentum, and in our society enamored with multi-tasking, focus is critical for accomplishment.

What was Lee’s payment? Schwab wrote him a check for $25,000. Fast-forward to the present day, with inflation, that $25K would be $559,758.47…