[upbeat music] Good morning. It is Saturday, July 18th. We're midway through the month. We're hanging out. The weather's warm. It's beautiful.
Summer's in full swing, and Chris is in the studio to talk about what dealers do back, give back. Everywhere I go. Dealers do back. Dealers do best. People really wanna know who I is and who I ain't.
They stop- I like it. I like it... and stare. They really want to know me. Sometimes words are hard- They really wanna know me... when the sun is beating down on you, you know? Oh, bro.
Saturday mornings ain't for pr- precision, you know? No. [laughs] Saturday mornings are for that l- nice slow walk, you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. Just that lingering side-to-side swagger, you know?
Yeah, it's hammock weather- So-... out there, man... man, so- It's hammock weather... so Paul and I, and s- speaking of hammock weather, Paul and I got to go. We were with the ATAE presidents, comms directors.
They were- Yeah... there were f- fam from NADA and Time Magazine, and, like, just, and, and, uh, let's see, NAMAD, Perry was there. It was an incredible community of people, but the big win was it was on a beach.
The beach was beautiful. The sun was shining. It was San Diego- Yeah... at its finest. Uh, and it, and it was a wonderful time.
But we also, like, connecting with those people that are serving dealers in a very unique way in our industry. There's not many, you know...
It's, it's like, I think maybe the entire staffs of those organizations total a little over 150, right? Like, an average- Yeah. Yeah... three-person per, per, uh, ADA.
And so it was a, it's kind of a unique position to be in, somewhat under-resourced, but resourced by the dealers, you know, by what they get to do and how they give back- Yeah. Yeah... and all that type of stuff.
So, uh- Yeah. Yeah... it was a really fun week. And summer- I was-... was full swing there, you know? So. Yeah, I really enjoyed, uh, yesterday's morning show. Y'all talked with, uh, Zach- Doran... um- Yeah... Doran.
That was it, yeah. And, um, about...
And, and I remember one thing that I really took out of it, and I actually, like, kind of highlighted this quote in my writeup of that conversation y'all had, was just the [laughs] idea that, like, y- the, the ADAs are so slow to tell anybody what's going on, you know?
Um- Yeah, and dealers. It's not just- And deal- yeah. Yeah. And dealers... it's, it's, like, everybody. Um- I think... Well, it's, it's... There's a level of humility that comes- Yeah. Exactly. Yeah...
with being a part of the community in the way that dealers and ADAs are. Yeah.
But, um, actually, so my, uh, my old boss at the dealership that I was at got the opportunity to go to, uh, Japan and, uh, they, they have Mazda stores, and see, uh, what, what was going on there with, with Mazda.
And the unique thing that he said is he said, "I've never seen a pairing of so much pride and humility in the same environment." Yeah. Right? Bro. Yeah.
And I think that, that a, a lot of times we, we think that, like, pride and humility don't exist together, but being proud of what you've done and not- Yeah... prideful for wh- for who you, ab- about who you are- Yeah...
is a totally different thing. And so I think- Yeah... you know, if we can, as an industry, you know, present our stories as, "Hey, we're proud of who we are" in humility- Yeah...
that's, that's the essence of what, like, that's the essence of what this Saturday podcast- Yeah... is really. Yeah. You know?
I mean, like, you know, hum- humble gets used to mean, like, having nothing to offer as a word. Mm. But that's a mistake of the word, right?
Like, it's the same, it's the same principle when you hear someone talk about, like, courage isn't being unafraid, but it's doing what's right even when you're afraid, right?
Like, and in the same way, like, without the pride that produces something worth talking about, having nothing to talk about isn't hu- humility, [laughs] right?
So- Look, if, if you're listening to this and you don't know that, that Chris and words, they, they go together like peanut butter- Yes. [laughs]... and jelly. Like, Chris, Chris does words, you know what I mean?
I love that explanation of it. It's a, like, this, this... And, and I think all three of those- Yeah... are things that, you know, courage, humility, pride are- Mm... are pillars.
They're not the only pillars, but they are pillars of what makes, like, a really great dealer- Yeah... someone that, that any business can look to, right? Yeah. Yeah.
And well, that's the thing, the sto- the story that I, I wanted to share today actually came to us as a press release from NADA. So, like, I understand how difficult it is- Yes...
to toot your own, quote-unquote, "toot your own horn" as a dealer, right? Because the culture, the culture would look at that and say, "Oh, look at you. The, the humility vanished," right? No, that's not the case. Mm.
And I think it's more important, more important right now than, like, ever.
Like, when I go and google dealership charity or dealership give back or something, some of our content comes up 'cause we've been talking about it so long. A lot. Right? Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Whi- which, which means, like, as the, as the AI search features are pulling even more fine-tune algorithmic, you know, content or whatever, the AEO they call it, right? Like, the idea of, of making your,
you know, what you, what you're doing for your community as, like, part of your, your digital presence. You know what I mean? Yes. It's so much more important. So I love that NADA sent us this, that they are donating...
Let's get into the actual story here. Let's do it. Let's do it.
They're, they're donating $3 million over three years to the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery, which is so perfectly tailored for the automotive industry, 'cause it is, it is basically beginning to end, the entire time you're in treatment for cancer, um, they make sure you're getting to and from your appointments, no cost to you.
So some, some specialist shows up with a vehicle, you know, a comfortable vehicle, gets you right to the door- Yep... gets you in there. 'Cause I, I mean, okay, [laughs] usually that, I do that.
If one of my family members has a doctor's appointment, I drop them off, and it is still stressful. [laughs] Yeah. Yeah. So- For them and you, right? Yes, exactly. Exactly.
Yeah, so to know, like, this person knows what they're doing. They got this on lock- Yep... and I'm gonna be cared for. Yes. And I, I like the fact that it's like- That this is a long-term play.
I think, and a lot of times just budgeting around what are we gonna do year over year for a nonprofit organization is really important. And so to see NADA leaning in over three years. And that's- Yeah...
NADA can only do that because of the work that dealers do, who are members- Yeah...
who show up at the show, who commit to being in 20 groups, so that the financial fortitude around NADA is, is, it, it makes it possible for them to also be community con- participants, right? Yes. Absolutely. Exactly.
Exactly. And that's the thing, like I, I would hate to pretend that NADA's foundation did this in some way, now dealers need to catch up. Like, this is dealers. Yeah. Like, that- Yeah... that's who [laughs] NADA is.
Like, it is what happens when a group as generous and as, um, excellent at their, at making, you know- The craft... their, their business profitable. Yes. Yes, exact- craft. Yes.
Um, that's what happens when they're- And industry partners, right? When they come together, yeah. Like, industry partners sponsor NADA show, which is a revenue generator for the downstream- Yep...
impact of not just the lobbying- Yeah... and the work that we do there, but also- Yeah... the giving back, right? So it's an- Yeah, yeah... all-encompassing thing, right?
I'd love to share just a few of, like, the numbers from- Hit us with it... the, the content. Yeah, so, so the program itself at this point has given, uh, uh, almost 10 million free rides- [whistles]... to people.
10 million free rides over 30 years. Um, and about 6,000 volunteers have moved through the program. Uh, and let me see here. Where's the... Oh, there's the number I'm looking for. Yes.
$1 million covers roughly 20,000 rides. So over the next three years, NADA will, will essentially cover 60,000 rides.
Now, of course, the pro, pro- I know everybody knows nonprofits like this, they will often have these weird relationships with other organizations where it's like, "I got this donation. Will you match it?" Right. "Sure."
Yeah, yeah. And then they get these matching donations. So you know, the, the, the actual calculations of how many lives this is gonna impact- Might be much greater... because you gotta think, this also impacts- Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Man, I mean, I hate to say this, but if grandma's going to chemo, that, that free ride impacts mom and dad and all the grandkids and the whole family, right? Yeah.
The whole church hears about this one, right? So it is a beautiful way to just tune in with people who are at their most vulnerable, man, and take care of them. Yep. I, I think that, uh, this is just another celebration.
And I think- Yeah... our, our job on Saturdays is to celebrate the industry. Celebrate it back. Be a r- be a mirror for you if you're listening and you're in the industry.
If you're an industry partner, you're a dealer, you're an OEM representative, this is you. And so- Yeah... it's sometimes it takes a reminder of, "Oh, yes, this is who we are" to continue- Yeah...
on that work because it is, it's hard, like, to get up, y- you're worrying about your business, you're worrying about the community, you're worrying about your employees and, and remember, like, we're all...
We, th- this is all an opportunity, and, like, you're a part of what NADA did, so. Yeah. Kudos. Yeah, man. [upbeat music] That's the run for today, man. I'm pumped. Midsummer, go out, serve someone.
Find a little way, a m- a, a micro way. Pick- Mm-hmm... pick up someone's meal today at, at dinner. You know? Go through the drive-through and make someone's day.
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