Matt VanDyke: How Shift Digital Became Automotive Retail’s Secret Weapon

In this episode I sit down with Matt VanDyke, President of Shift Digital, for a rare, unfiltered peek behind the curtain of one of the most influential (yet often misunderstood) players in automotive retail.

We’re talking about the company that quietly powers the digital infrastructure of 16,000+ dealer websites, bridges the gap between OEMs and dealers, and handles the messy, fragmented world of CRMs, widgets, lead tools, and consumer data privacy. Spoiler: it’s not as simple as “just pick one vendor.”

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Matt’s unconventional journey from ad agencies to OEM leadership to running Shift Digital
• Why Shift exists—and how it became the connective tissue between Tier 1, 2, and 3
• The real reason most OEMs can’t pull off a unified tech stack (and why that might be a good thing)
• How Shift helps dealers protect consumer data and avoid compliance nightmares
• The unintended consequences of overloaded websites and what actually helps conversions
• A dead-honest conversation about vendor transparency, culture vs. strategy, and the EV pivot

 Plus: You’ll hear about Matt’s 1974 Bronco, a Warren Buffet vs. day trader analogy you’ll never forget, and why “soft skills” might be the hardest leadership asset of all.

Connect with David Spisak to Achieve Exponential Growth:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidspisak/
• Website: https://www.davidspisak.com
• Email: david@disruptivegrowthsolutions.com
• Phone: +1 (510) 604-0308
• Visit https://linktr.ee/spisakd for all our links

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