The Dealer Lab
Brendan Baker on Racing Roots, B2B Publishing, and the Future of Powersports Dealerships Max Materne and Danny French interview Brendan Baker, editor-in-chief of Power Sports Business, covering his publishing career that began after a family racing team ran out of money and his dad launched magazines, including Akron Business Magazine, to fund racing. Baker recounts early years in quarter midgets, karts, and road racing, working as a counterman and mechanic, and later writing for automotive B2B titles like Engine Builder and Counterman. The conversation shifts to the current powersports market, including dealership closures, Harley-Davidson network contraction, and large groups like Sonic acquiring stores and selling 1,100 motorcycles at Sturgis, aided by tools like One Dealer Lane. They discuss challenges in service and parts, low technician pay, staff turnover, and how AI could reduce administrative work to improve customer experience and help dealerships retain talent. 00:00 Racing Needs Money 00:11 Dad Starts A Magazine 04:19 Lost Podcast Callback 06:57 Accidental Publishing Career 07:45 Racing Roots And Team 12:06 Akron Business Magazine 15:31 Automotive Publishing Shift 17:04 Gas Station Side Hustle 20:10 Engine Builder And Blueprinting 24:53 Counterman And Parts Lore 33:03 Closing The Parts Store 34:18 Dealership Closures Today 37:36 Dealers Under Pressure 38:03 Sonic Buys Power Sports 44:40 Auto Groups Struggle Here 47:16 Sturgis Sales Machine 47:30 One Dealer Lane Speed 50:23 Fixing Service And Parts 53:36 Keeping Great Advisors 01:00:05 Tech Exodus And Pay 01:03:52 AI To Remove Admin Work 01:12:40 Next Wave For Dealers 01:15:42 Wrap Up And Thanks
30 episodios
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