I'm A Car Chick

The Flip to the Front End: Kate Beirowski on Vehicle Merchandising, Sales Leadership, and Being Fearless | NADA 2026

Host Shasta Haddock catches up with the insightful and always candid Kate Beirowski, the newly appointed VP of Sales for Dealer Image Pro. Recorded live at NADA 2026, Kate shares her transition from a career in Fixed Ops to leading the front-end charge in vehicle merchandising. They discuss the power of end-to-end photography in the modern dealership, the challenges of stepping into a new leadership role, and why "getting out of your comfort zone" is the best advice for anyone in automotive. From winning "WIA Bingo" to taking on the VP mantle, Kate’s energy and honesty provide a masterclass in professional growth and fearless networking. #ImACarChick #NADA2026 #KateBeirowski #DealerImagePro #VehicleMerchandising #SalesLeadership #WomenInAutomotive #DealerTech

Beyond the Numbers: Amy Hitch on F&I Mastery, Leadership Coaching, and Avoiding Burnout

Host Shasta Haddock is joined by Amy Hitch, Executive Coach at Ascent Dealer Services, for a powerful conversation on the high-stakes world of automotive finance. Amy shares her journey from banking to mastering the F&I office, detailing why it remains one of the most stressful roles in a dealership. They discuss the critical shift from simply "doing the work" to developing people, the importance of early transparency in the car-buying process, and how to recognize the signs of burnout. Whether you’re an F&I manager looking to level up your leadership or a dealer principal wanting to improve change management, Amy’s expert coaching insights provide a clear roadmap for long-term success. #ImACarChick #AmyHitch #AscentDealerServices #FandI #AutomotiveFinance #LeadershipCoaching #DealershipSuccess #MentalHealthInAuto

Beyond the Hype: April Rain on Fractional Marketing, Vendor Transparency, and the "Magic" of Real ROI

Host Shasta Haddock finally sits down for a long-overdue conversation with April Rain, the "Chief Magic Officer" and Founder of Digital Rain Inc. In this episode, they pull back the curtain on the post-NADA pivot and dive deep into the world of fractional marketing. April discusses why dealerships are often overwhelmed by the "alphabet soup" of vendor reports and how her team acts as the "interpreter" to find true ROI. They explore the myths of the car business, the power of mentorship within Women in Automotive, and why providing actual value is the only way to break through the "slimy car dealer" stereotype. Whether you're a dealer principal or a marketing director, April’s "no-fluff" approach to digital strategy is exactly what the industry needs right now. #ImACarChick #AprilRain #DigitalRainInc #FractionalMarketing #AutomotiveMarketing #DealerStrategy #WomenInAutomotive #MarketingROI

Beyond the Statistics: Veronica Dunford on Mentorship, the Austin Takeover, and the Future of WIA

It’s been two years in the making, but Veronica Dunford, co-owner of Women in Automotive (WIA), is back on the show! Recorded live at NADA 2026, Veronica and Shasta Haddock discuss the massive momentum behind the upcoming 2026 annual conference in Austin, Texas. They dive deep into the real mission of WIA: it’s not about "man bashing," but about changing the statistics of why women leave the industry and fostering true sponsorship—the kind where people advocate for your career when you aren't in the room. From high-glam galas to the legendary pajama party, discover why this year’s "Igniting the Future" theme is set to be the biggest movement in WIA history.   #ImACarChick #WomenInAutomotive #WIA2026 #VeronicaDunford #AutomotiveMentorship #AustinEvents #NADA2026 #WomenInLeadership

Data is the New Inventory: Laura Fleischer on CDP Strategy, Dirty Data, and Scaling Your Brand

In this episode of the I'm a Car Chick podcast, host Shasta Haddock sits down with Laura Fleischer, President of Orange Media Group. Coming from the legacy of the Roman Group (with 37 dealerships), Laura shares her transition from "dealer grandkid" to marketing innovator. We dive deep into why dealerships are sitting on "data gold mines" but are being held hostage by their own tech stacks. Laura reveals the staggering ROI of capturing abandoned service schedulers and explains why 50% of your database might be "dirty data" costing you thousands in wasted ad spend. If you want to move beyond basic KPIs and actually own your customer journey, this conversation on CDPs and data hygiene is your roadmap. #ImACarChick #OrangeMediaGroup #LauraFleischer #AutomotiveMarketing #DataStrategy #CDP #DealershipSuccess #FixedOps #FirstPartyData