The Walk Around JM&A Group

Our third season of The Walk Around podcast starts now! This episode is full of the latest data on market trends and information on the environment of buying and selling dealerships. Our guest, George Karolis, talks F&I in earnings profiles, evaluating dealership costs and key focus areas for dealership valuations. This episode is great for dealers looking into the M&A market, as well as automotive professionals looking to one day own a dealership.



In this episode you’ll hear:


Industry insights from Presidio’s Quarterly Report
What dealers who are planning to sell should be thinking about
Whether dealerships are worth what they’re selling for
If deals are following patterns – or entering uncharted territory
F&I in the buy/sell space and much more!



George Karolis is the president of The Presidio Group, a firm that provides investment banking advisory services and principal investments in auto tech companies and dealerships across the country. He has over 20 years of experience in automotive retail, M&A and real estate development. Prior to joining Presidio, George spent over 18 years as an executive at Asbury Automotive Group, helping to build it into one of the largest automotive retailers in the U.S.



For more about George, visit his LinkedIn.



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As the third year of The Walk Around podcast comes to an end, listen in for a big (and bittersweet) announcement! We dive into a few of the funniest and most insightful moments with our guests and hosts Marc Spoto and Elliot Schor over the past year. From accomplished dealers to auto influencers, training experts and tech enthusiasts, it’s been a fantastic year full of learning and predictions to help dealers navigate this ever-changing industry that we love.  

In this episode you’ll hear: 


A look back at the top themes of 2023:

- Digital retail

- Consumer experience

- What dealers can do to better engage their customers 

- Electric vehicles (of course!) 




Lessons from last year that dealers can use in 2024 


The top Schor Thing segments (any surprises here?) and more! 



For more about Marc and Elliot, visit them on LinkedIn: Marc Spoto and Elliot Schor

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Joining us on The Walk Around podcast is an expert at one of the top sell-side advising firms in the nation. With her years of experience in the automotive industry and the success of her company, Kerrigan Advisors, Erin Kerrigan has a unique viewpoint on the market concerning retail and dealer sentiment. She discusses one of the looming questions on the minds of dealers as this year ends - just what will 2024 be like for the automotive industry and the economy? Predicting these trends is no easy feat, so we look to the data to help us prepare. Prepare for an exciting and detailed conversation!



In this episode you’ll hear:


What does 2024 hold for dealer valuations?
What is the timeline for normalizing? What is the new normal?
Is the presence of EVs and government regulations deterring dealership buyers?
The Trust Index and how it relates to franchise values
OEM survey results – can you guess any of their responses?
What led Erin to entrepreneurism and her advice for building your brand



Erin Kerrigan is the Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors, a firm she founded in 2014. Kerrigan Advisors is the leading sell-side advisor and thought partner to automotive dealers in the US. They have sold over 225 dealerships since their founding, including more of the Top 150 Dealership Groups than any other firm, representing over $7 billion in client sales proceeds. In addition to sell-side advisory services, Kerrigan Advisors provides consulting services to dealers looking to increase the value of their business and investors looking to deploy capital in the auto retail industry.

Erin is a recognized industry expert on dealership buy/sells, valuation, real estate and private equity, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences. She is also the lead author of The Blue Sky Report, the industry’s leading buy/sell report.



For more about Erin, visit her ⁠LinkedIn⁠.



Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out JM&A Insider⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more content like this.

Technology enables dealers to reach their customers in a targeted and personalized way. Social media, websites and email are all important ways to market your business, but if you really want to attract and engage future customers, local listing solutions like Google and Apple Maps can significantly optimize your digital presence. Learn from an expert – and former Googler – how you can adapt your dealership to modern advertising techniques as privacy laws change, what map platforms people prefer and more ways to help you attract new customers.

In this episode you’ll hear:


The best ways for dealers to reach local consumers
How new privacy laws make branding more important than ever
How technology is helping the dealership of the future evolve
How auto dealers can make their presence known on consumer platforms like maps
Where dealers should place their bets among the increasing number of apps and platforms

Chris Lydle is CEO at dbaPlatform, a SaaS suite of tools for local advertising and listing solutions led by former Googlers. The company partners with Google, Apple and Microsoft to provide management of local placements that help business chains, agencies and brands strengthen and optimize their local presence.

Chris brings more than 25 years of digital experience at companies of all stages of growth. Before joining dbaPlatform as CEO, Chris was at Google for almost 10 years, leading go-to-market efforts across several products. He joined Google through the acquisition of RightsFlow, where he served as SVP of Sales & Marketing. At Google, he had a strong focus on retail and restaurants as Global Lead of Digital Signage and then Global Lead of Local Shopping. Before joining RightsFlow, Chris was an executive leader at four startups and a founder of one. For more about Chris, visit his LinkedIn.

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out JM&A Insider⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more content like this.

We’re honored to be joined by a seasoned and well-respected automotive legend in this episode of The Walk Around podcast. Discover valuable advice for all areas of the dealership from Mike Maroone, who has dedicated over 40 years to the automotive industry. From leading large teams to investing in technology, this is surely a not-to-miss discussion for any person in the automotive world.

In this episode you’ll hear:



The state of modern retail today
Mike’s biggest worry in the business
The key to driving the auto retail process
Discussion on who owns the guest experience (OEMs? Dealers?)
Why it’s necessary to train teams to effectively use your CRM system
How Mike sees Artificial Intelligence (AI) playing a role in dealership operations and much more! 

Mike Maroone, Chairman and CEO of Maroone USA, is an entrepreneur, investor and second-generation auto retailer. His automotive career began with the Maroone Automotive Group, which under his leadership as president has grown into nine franchises in six locations with 900 associates. In partnership with his father Al, the Maroone Automotive Group was consistently recognized as one of the top-performing auto retail groups in America. As owner of Maroone Enterprises since 1997, Mike works both independently and in partnership in multiple ventures spanning interests such as automotive, healthcare, water and aviation. From 1997 to 2015, Mike served as president, chief operating officer and director of AutoNation, Inc. where he was responsible for all retail operations of 280 franchises (with over 20,000 associates!). He has been honored with numerous awards - Automotive News named him an All-Star and one of the industry’s 50 Visionary Dealers of all time while Time Magazine awarded him Quality Dealer Award.

For more about Mike, visit his LinkedIn.

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠Check out JM&A Insider⁠⁠⁠ for more content like this.

The next generation of buyers has a lot to teach us, and we got the chance to speak with them, particularly about their thoughts on the automotive industry. In this episode we discuss how Gen Z views the car buying experience, opportunities for dealers to better reach this growing segment of their audience and more thoughts on the industry from three college students (and JM Family interns!).

In this episode you’ll hear:


Whether owning a car is important to younger generations
If the car buying experience is something they look forward to or dread
The importance of relationship building in the sales process & omnichannel platforms
Whether they prefer online buying or in-person and just how they are researching cars
What Gen Z thinks about the presence, practicality and performance of EVs

Adam Yehya is a junior working towards a Finance major and combined degree master's program in finance at the University of Florida. He recently was an intern for the JM&A Group Business Transformation and Strategy Execution team.

Jacob Schlessel is a junior at Florida State University studying Marketing. Jacob worked as a Marketing Intern at JM&A Group this summer.

Madelyn Kelley is a junior at Florida State University studying Public Relations. This summer she worked with our parent company, JM Family Enterprises, as a Public Relations Intern.

Like this episode? ⁠⁠Check out JM&A Insider⁠⁠ for more content like this.