Beyond The First Pencil
Beyond The First Pencil is where dealership operations meet financial reality.
Hosted by Kathi Kruse, of Kruse Control and Automotive CFO-To-Go™, this podcast is for dealers, OEMs, GMs, and controllers who want more than surface-level advice. You’ll get straight talk on financial statements, internal controls, cash flow, and the operational gaps that quietly erode profit.
From gross to net, from process to profit, each episode delivers real-world insights on how dealerships actually make money… and where they lose it.
Because selling cars is one thing. Keeping the profit is another.
Beyond The First Pencil
From Spam to Showroom: Email's Role in Car Sales and Service
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
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Kathi and Mike explore the advantages of email (hint: there are many) but only with a strategic, consistent approach. "Email blast" is a term we've all heard but it's effectiveness is dubious. Spamming has a totally different meaning today than it did even 2 years ago and it’s easy to waste resources. Let's do email right!
Then we share a few stories about our days in retail that seem timely. Let us know what you think?
Music segment:
Patti Smith https://youtu.be/y6Wz3i_BYUc?si=hLLG8b1seQOYl4xL
The Pogues: Rum, Sodomy and The Lash (two songs that are Kathi's faves but the whole album is iconic.
Mike's choice if you're looking for a good 80s Movie: Better Off Dead
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Got a question? Email either of us!
Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com
Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com