If Your Team Is Struggling, Start Here — A General Manager Breaks Down the Real Leadership Problem with David Long

Keep The Change

Keep The Change
If Your Team Is Struggling, Start Here — A General Manager Breaks Down the Real Leadership Problem with David Long
Nov 28, 2025
Bart Nollenberger

What if the biggest breakthroughs in your dealership weren’t hiding in new tech… but in the way you lead your people?

That’s exactly where today’s conversation goes and trust me, you’re going to feel this one.

In this episode, I sit down with someone who needs no introduction in automotive: David Long. A man whose leadership has shaped careers, transformed dealerships, and sparked movements like The Pandemic of Positivity and All Things Used Cars. David doesn’t just talk about leadership — he lives it with a clarity and conviction you don’t see every day.

What we get into in this conversation

This one goes deep into the heart of what separates dealerships that thrive from those barely hanging on, and David does not sugarcoat a thing. We talk about:

  • Why leadership clarity is the #1 differentiator heading into 2026
  • The one skill every automotive professional should master (but shockingly few do)
  • Why so many dealers say they want growth but don’t have the discipline to earn it
  • The real truth behind training and why skipping it is costing dealers more than they realize
  • How David has opened over 100 buy centers and why most stores fail before they even start
  • The exact framework he uses to help dealers buy cars at 85% cost-to-market without extra expenses or fancy tools
  • Why the old-school “get ’em in” mentality is officially dead
  • And the kind of leadership culture that actually turns people into high performers

This episode isn’t theory. It’s David, honest, sharp, experienced, and fully locked in on helping leaders become better leaders.

If you’re in automotive and you care about your people, your processes, or your performance… this conversation gives you something you can act on before the day ends.

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