Connected Podcast Episode 189: Dealership Hospitality

This week Greg is joined by Adam Gaedke, partner at Freddy Media. He's a longtime automotive retail operator with over two decades of experience in growing dealer groups. Before partnering with Freddy Media, Adam spent 22 years at Van Horn Auto Group, where he played a key role in scaling the organization from a handful of stores to an 18-rooftop operation. Today, he brings that operator’s mindset to helping dealers think differently about growth, leadership, and customer experience. In this episode, Adam shares insight on: -The difference between managers and true operators, and why “intrapreneurship” is critical inside multi-store organizations. -Why the automotive industry underinvests in hospitality and how small, intentional moments can dramatically impact customer experience and profitability. -What it really takes to successfully grow a dealer group and why people and preparation matter. This was a great conversation that blended real-world dealership lessons with a practical, no-nonsense perspective on what separates average operations from exceptional ones.