#419 - Brandon Pagano's Turnaround: Staff, Profit & What's Working Now

In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, hosts Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin welcome back Brandon Pagano for his third check-in—tracking 20 months of real growth, challenges, and transformation at his independent dealership. Brandon shares honest insights on what's working, what's not, and how he built his best year yet.What You'll Learn:How Brandon achieved a "10/10 year" in profitability and growthStrategies for getting out of floor plan financing and reducing interest costsReal talk on staffing challenges and finding the right teamHow to balance family hardships while running a dealershipThe importance of tracking goals and adjusting processes (not the goals)Why focusing on profit per unit matters more than volumeKey Takeaways from Brandon's Journey:Build capital reserves to eliminate floor plan dependencyHire slow, fire fast—especially in your service departmentSet clear, measurable goals and track them relentlesslyAdjust your processes to hit goals, don't adjust the goals themselvesUse property equity as potential capital for inventory growthStay consistent even through personal and business challengesThis episode is perfect for dealers who want to see what real, sustainable growth looks like over time—complete with the setbacks, wins, and hard lessons learned along the way.Support the businesses that support the podcast: Buckeye Risk Services - Reinsurance, tax planning, and long-term wealth strategies built specifically for independent dealers. https://theindependentdealer.com/buckeyeBlytzPay - Buy Here Pay Here payment processing with fast funding, text-to-pay, and real dealer-focused support. https://theindependentdealer.com/blytzpay Ituran GPS - GPS and payment technology for BHPH and retail dealerships focused on asset protection, recovery tools, and customer management. https://theindependentdealer.com/ituranFollow & Connect: Website: www.theindependentdealer.comEmail: [email protected] Facebook Group: @independentautogroup Luke Godwin: @lukegodwin Jeff Watson: /sendtojeffwLike, subscribe, and share this episode with another dealer who's building something real.