No B.S. Dealer Strategy: How Brett Sutherlin Built a Toyota Powerhouse (& What Brands He’s Avoiding) | Brett Sutherlin, Dealer Principal of Sutherlin Automotive Group

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Brett Sutherlin, Dealer Principal of Sutherlin Automotive Group, to discuss: His no B.S. dealer strategy and what brands he's avoiding, How he's doubling margin vs his competition with Google Business Profiles, Buying dealerships off of Linkedin and much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. DriveHRIS - DriveHRIS streamlines hiring, onboarding, timesheets, PTO tracking, and payroll— all in one seamless platform. Let DriveHRIS handle HR and Safety so you can focus on what really matters— boosting your CSI scores, improving customer experience, and selling more vehicles. Visit https://drive2025.com/ to grab your FREE workbook on 'Retention Strategies for Dealerships in 2025. 2. CDK Global – Your trusted technology partner for car dealers and automakers. CDK doesn’t just deliver top-tier tech solutions; they provide game-changing industry insights. Beyond top-tier tech, their Friction Points Study uncovers what’s slowing car purchases—highlighting how dealers are closing time gaps and why F&I remains crucial. Get the full report at CDK.com/insights. 3. CDG Recruiting - Building on the success of my industry job board, I’m launching CDG Recruiting — a more hands-on, personalized automotive recruiting service. Our team has decades of experience and has successfully placed over 1,000 roles in the automotive industry. So if you’re ready to find your next rockstar employee, try CDG Recruiting today by visiting @ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ 🚨 Don’t forget to subscribe to Car Dealership Guy Bites, for quick, daily insights into automotive retail — delivered in less than 5 minutes: Subscribe on Apple: https://carguymedia.com/apple_bites Subscribe on Spotify: https://carguymedia.com/spotify_bites Subscribe on YouTube: https://carguymedia.com/youtube_bites Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 01:34 How do dealership operations vary across different locations? 03:46 What tech innovations are transforming dealerships today? 10:08 What strategies are most effective for service departments? 18:23 What are your future plans for growth? 21:49 How can businesses leverage AI for success? 22:43 How can dealerships optimize their digital presence? 26:24 What strategies work best for recruiting and retention? 28:41 How can dealerships maximize customer lifetime value through advertising? 32:34 What are the biggest challenges and opportunities in the car business today? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com