InsideAuto Podcast

Michelle Denogean is the Chief Marketing Officer of Roadster, where she oversees all marketing and analytical efforts. She has over 15 years of digital marketing experience as a practitioner and thought leader. Before her current role, Michelle held executive-level roles in marketing and product leadership at Edmunds, eHarmony, and Move.com.

In this episode…

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses across all industries to adopt new sales methods, if they want to meet the needs of their customers, of course. According to Michelle Denogean, the Chief Marketing Officer of Roadster, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital retailing in the automotive industry as dealers scramble to rethink their sales process.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as Ilana Shabtay is joined by Michelle Denogean, the Chief Marketing Officer of Roadster. Michelle discusses the developments that have been made in the automotive industry due to COVID-19, shares her predictions for the future of digital retailing, and reveals her brand and marketing secrets. Stay tuned.

Chase Fraser is a Managing Partner at Fraser McCombs Capital, a VC firm that invests in early- and late-stage automotive technology companies. He also founded MarketView 360, an automotive digital company that was acquired by SCI MarketView in 2008. Chase currently lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two children. 

In this episode…

Investing in a business comes with many risks. An investor needs to ensure that the company they are financing is committed to overcoming any challenges that can (and will) arise. Chase Fraser, a Managing Partner at Fraser McCombs Capital, believes that having confidence in an entrepreneur and their ability to pivot when needed is a key factor when considering an investment opportunity.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay are joined by Chase Fraser from Fraser McCombs Capital. Chase talks about his experience on both the entrepreneurial side and investment side of business. He also shares his advice for entrepreneurs, explains what businesses need to consider as they grow, and discusses the innovations that are on the horizon for the automotive industry. 

Chase Fraser is a Managing Partner at Fraser McCombs Capital, a VC firm that invests in early- and late-stage automotive technology companies. He also founded MarketView 360, an automotive digital company that was acquired by SCI MarketView in 2008. Chase currently lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two children. 

In this episode…

Investing in a business comes with many risks. An investor needs to ensure that the company they are financing is committed to overcoming any challenges that can (and will) arise. Chase Fraser, a Managing Partner at Fraser McCombs Capital, believes that having confidence in an entrepreneur and their ability to pivot when needed is a key factor when considering an investment opportunity.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay are joined by Chase Fraser from Fraser McCombs Capital. Chase talks about his experience on both the entrepreneurial side and investment side of business. He also shares his advice for entrepreneurs, explains what businesses need to consider as they grow, and discusses the innovations that are on the horizon for the automotive industry. 

Dale Early is the Dealer Principal and Owner of Hyundai of Silsbee in Silsbee, Texas, with over 30 years of automotive experience. Before his current role, he was the General Manager of Gulfgate Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Houston for over four years and the Owner of Deerbrook Forest Chrysler Jeep in Kingwood for over 23 years. Additionally, Dale served on the Board of Directors at NADA for six years and spent almost two years working as a performance manager for vAuto.

In this episode…

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, industries across the board faced a decline in sales. While car buying slowed during the first few months of the pandemic, June brought a spike in sales for many dealerships—including Dale Early’s. Dale, the Dealer Principal and Owner of Hyundai of Silsbee, believes that the car business model is changing for the better as dealerships continue to create new efficiencies during this uncertain time.

In this episode of Inside Auto Podcast, Ilana Shabtay and Chaya David talk to Dale Early from Hyundai of Silsbee about his experience in the automotive industry. Tune in as he discusses digital marketing, how he’s learned to run his business differently in light of the current pandemic, and how the automotive industry will continue to adjust as our world shifts to what he refers to as a “new abnormal.”

David Kain is the President of Kain Automotive, which provides expert training to dealers in many aspects of the automotive business. He is also an active speaker and has been featured at a number of automotive industry conferences across the U.S., Brazil, China, and Australia. But, his work doesn’t stop there: David is also the host of Kain & Co. on the CBT Automotive Network and writes articles for industry publications like Ward’s Dealer Business and Dealer Success. 

Before he started Kain Automotive in 2003, David was the Co-Founder and COO of FordDirect.com, the dealer and factory-owned joint venture that serves as a data hub for Ford and Lincoln dealerships.

In this episode…

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, dealerships had to quickly and creatively adapt to the needs of their customers. While pre-pandemic car buying was already moving toward an increasingly online experience, the new normal meant that dealerships still needed to pivot if they wanted to ease the uncertainty that customers faced. 

David Kain, the President of Kain Automotive, believes that the present innovations happening in the automotive industry will reach far beyond the current pandemic.

Join Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay in this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as they talk to David Kain, the President of Kain Automotive. David shares his adjustments to life in quarantine, how dealership training has adapted due to COVID-19, and the benefits of podcasting as the world moves to a new normal. You can learn more about David and his training expertise in the resources section below.

Derek West is the Advertising and Internet Director at Autobahn Motorcar Group, a well-known dealership that features leading brands like BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar, Porsche, Volvo, and Volkswagen.

He started working in the car business while studying advertising and public relations and has since worked with Autobahn for 19 years. At Autobahn, Derek uses data-driven marketing to bring buyers from the marketplace into the dealership’s CRM—and ultimately into the showroom.

In this episode…

Purchasing a car requires a lot of time, money, and research, which is why people want a trusted dealer to help them find the perfect vehicle. The in-person experience that solidified the relationship between dealers and customers for so long is rapidly changing as dealerships rely more and more on digital marketing. As car sales continue to move online—especially due to COVID-19—dealerships need to ensure that they preserve their brands and identities to replicate the personal approach to car buying that customers still want.

 Join Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay in this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as they talk to Derek West, the Advertising and Internet Director at Autobahn Motorcar Group. Derek shares how he transitioned from selling cars during college to pioneering the digital marketing process at Autobahn. Derek also provides his insights into the ways that dealerships can adapt to meet their customers’ needs, his key digital marketing tools, and his unique method for connecting and understanding data. 

Derek DeBoer is a professional racecar driver and the owner of TC Chevy. He also stars in the TV show, Fastlife, alongside his wife, Brooke, who is the creator of Fastlife and a certified life coach. Together, they have three daughters and are passionate about everything they do–especially when racing is involved.

In this episode…

Have you ever asked yourself what you would do with your life if you could do anything? That’s exactly what Brooke DeBoer asked her husband Derek one night, and they’ve both been pursuing their passions ever since. 

Join Ilana Shabtay in this episode of Inside Auto Podcast as she interviews Derek and Brooke DeBoer. They discuss their TV show, Derek’s racing experience, Brooke’s work as a certified life coach, and how they’ve dealt with the current pandemic in both their personal and professional lives. Derek also shares how COVID-19 has impacted his dealership and his insights into the future of car buying.

Marat Pashkevich is the digital business consultant for Porsche Cars North America at Shift Digital, where he partners with over 50 dealers in five different regions and guides them through their digital transformations. He has over 17 years of experience in the luxury automotive and motorsports industry, amassing skills in marketing campaign design, content development, CRM, marketing analysis, social and digital marketing, and more.

In this episode…

Dealers are primarily focused on selling cars and often overlook important aspects of the business, like marketing and data. Marat Pashkevich, the digital business consultant for Porsche Cars North America at Shift Digital, educates dealerships about their data to help them make smarter decisions and increase their ROI.

Join Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay in this episode of the Inside Auto Podcast as they interview Marat Pashkevich from Shift Digital. Marat shares his journey from his first job in a race shop to his current role in managing the digital business strategy for dealerships. He also discusses the evolution of technology in dealerships, the importance of building rapport with dealers, and what lies ahead for the car buying process. Learn more about Marat’s expertise in the resources section below.

Houshyar (Hoosh) Karimabadi is the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Intelligence at MileOne Autogroup—one of the top 150 automotive groups in the U.S. with over 80 dealerships and 27 brands. He has worked in several industries and has extensive experience in building and maintaining strategic partnerships with industry-leading allies. Houshyar specializes in Search Engine Optimization, Media Mix Optimization, Corporate Communications, Vender Negotiations, Mergers & Acquisitions, Customer Service, and more. He’s also skilled in motivating and synthesizing teams through training and leadership.

In this episode…

It’s not a secret that all dealerships want to increase sales while lowering their cost per lead. As the car buying process continues to move into an online environment, dealerships need to consider the internal and external factors that affect their business. Houshyar Karimabadi, the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Intelligence at MileOne Autogroup, shares his insights in providing dealerships with data-driven solutions to adapt to the rapidly changing automotive industry.

Join Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay in this episode of the Inside Auto Podcast as they interview Houshyar Karimabadi from MileOne Autogroup. Houshyar talks about how he started working for one of the top auto groups, the use of adaptive analytics to increase quality leads, and what he predicts for the future of the automotive industry. After listening, check out the websites in the resources section below to learn more about Houshyar and his marketing expertise.

Houshyar (Hoosh) Karimabadi is the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Intelligence at MileOne Autogroup—one of the top 150 automotive groups in the U.S. with over 80 dealerships and 27 brands. He has worked in several industries and has extensive experience in building and maintaining strategic partnerships with industry-leading allies. Houshyar specializes in Search Engine Optimization, Media Mix Optimization, Corporate Communications, Vender Negotiations, Mergers & Acquisitions, Customer Service, and more. He’s also skilled in motivating and synthesizing teams through training and leadership.

In this episode…

It’s not a secret that all dealerships want to increase sales while lowering their cost per lead. As the car buying process continues to move into an online environment, dealerships need to consider the internal and external factors that affect their business. Houshyar Karimabadi, the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Intelligence at MileOne Autogroup, shares his insights in providing dealerships with data-driven solutions to adapt to the rapidly changing automotive industry.

Join Aharon Horwitz and Ilana Shabtay in this episode of the Inside Auto Podcast as they interview Houshyar Karimabadi from MileOne Autogroup. Houshyar talks about how he started working for one of the top auto groups, the use of adaptive analytics to increase quality leads, and what he predicts for the future of the automotive industry. After listening, check out the websites in the resources section below to learn more about Houshyar and his marketing expertise.