ASOTU CON Sessions

Leading From Eye Level with Kielan Whitner

In this ASOTU CON 2025 session, Paul J Daly sits down with Kielan Whitner of Townsend Nissan to explore what it really means to lead from "eye level." A former Syracuse football player and public accountant, Kielan breaks down how he transitioned into the auto industry and climbed the ranks to General Manager in just seven years. His approach? Lead with empathy, be accessible, and create a dealership culture where personal connection drives professional performance. Kielan shares his philosophy on how culture isn't just set at the top—it must be enforced and nurtured in the middle. He unpacks the principles behind his now-viral stance on negativity (hint: you go home), why starting in service gave him a unique leadership edge, and how transparent career paths like the one he experienced at Greenway Automotive can help attract and retain next-gen talent. If you're looking for leadership lessons grounded in experience, humility, and action, this one’s for you. Learn more about SpaceAuto at https://space.auto/ [https://space.auto/] ⏱️ Timestamped Takeaways 0:00 Intro 0:36 Kielan shares his Syracuse roots and sports background 1:53 Social media helps sharpen his leadership ideas 2:22 “Leading from eye level” means starting with human connection 3:27 Greenway’s MIT program helped shape his leadership journey 5:09 He compared finance vs auto retail—and chose speed, income, fun 6:28 Writing service first gave him deep appreciation for fixed ops 7:43 Negativity sends you home—no exceptions 8:16 Culture enforcement is consistent and contagious 9:04 Kielan reflects on leadership lessons from sports and life

How To Be An Innovative Leader In Today's Auto Industry with John Bozzella

In this compelling ASOTU CON session, Paul J Daly sits down with John Bozzella, President and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, to discuss the evolving role of leadership in the modern auto industry. Bozzella shares his journey from politics to automotive policy, offering a unique lens into how government, innovation, and economic strategy intersect. With decades of experience at Ford, Chrysler, and now leading a critical trade organization, Bozzella unpacks the deep impact the auto industry has on national security, job creation, and technological advancement. TIME STAMPS: 0:00 Intro 1:07 From politics to auto: John's unique industry entry 2:36 Ford hired him to bridge policy and technology 4:33 Skills are transferable—policy, labor, leadership 6:00 Alliance for Automotive Innovation’s mission explained 7:05 Auto industry contributes to national security and GDP 8:05 A strong U.S. auto sector protects economic independence 9:22 Dealers must embrace a bigger-picture industry narrative

The Road To Sold with Glenn Pasch

In this ASOTU CON 2025 session, Paul J Daly sits down with Glenn Pasch to discuss his latest book, The Road to Sold, and dive deep into the practical realities of online sales process optimization. Glenn, a seasoned operator, consultant, and trainer, explains how the book was born out of a common but frustrating gap between marketing performance and showroom results. With his signature “hands-in-the-dirt” approach, he reveals how disconnects between online lead handling and in-store engagement often stem from poor communication—not poor marketing. The conversation explores how meaningful conversations, not just leads, are the key to increasing conversions. Glenn shares actionable insights for dealers, from auditing CRM habits to improving cross-functional accountability. He also emphasizes the need to view online shoppers with the same level of attentiveness and nuance as showroom visitors. With relatable examples and a conversational tone, this episode highlights how dealers can use better process design, data awareness, and team coaching to move beyond clicks and calls—and actually sell more cars. It’s not about reinventing the wheel; it’s about building a process that consistently leads to conversations, appointments, and ultimately, conversions. Learn more about SpaceAuto at https://space.auto/ [https://space.auto/] Takeaways 0:00 Intro 0:30 Glenn Pasch joins to discuss The Road to Sold 1:57 The book addresses the disconnect between traffic and sales 3:40 The heart of the issue is a lack of meaningful customer conversations 4:13 Online shoppers are handled differently than walk-ins—and it’s a mistake 6:35 Convenience has changed buyer expectations permanently 7:30 Focus should shift from “making calls” to “starting conversations” 8:46 First step is auditing the process—not necessarily changing it 9:36 Execution, not strategy, is usually the biggest challenge 10:02 The Road to Sold is available now on Amazon

Entering The Age of Compression with Ben Hadley

In this fast-paced and thought-provoking conversation recorded live at ASOTU CON 2025, David Spisak sits down with Ben Hadley to explore what he calls “The Age of Compression.” Ben breaks down how innovation cycles, attention spans, and consumer expectations are all accelerating—and why traditional automotive processes are struggling to keep up. This episode dives into the psychological and technological shifts reshaping how businesses must think, build, and serve in an era of instant gratification and continuous iteration. Learn more about SpaceAuto at https://space.auto/ [https://space.auto/] TIME STAMPS: 0:00 Intro 1:01 What is the “Age of Compression”? 2:20 Attention spans have dropped to 1.4 seconds 3:25 TikTok’s rise shows compressed innovation cycles 5:07 Auto retail lags behind due to data and API bottlenecks 6:09 Speed Layer helps websites load 50% faster 8:19 Consumers never go back to inferior solutions 10:08 Effort and meaning still matter in digital experiences 11:43 Direct mail and personalization are making a comeback 13:21 Luxury = decompressed, high-effort experiences 14:47 Budget 15% of ad spend for R&D and experimentation 16:19 Most tech stacks are outdated and need disruption

Shiny Object Syndrome Leads To Failure To Launch with Daniel Govaer

In this thought-provoking ASOTU CON 2025 session, David Spisak of Disruptive Growth Solutions sits down with Daniel Govaer to tackle one of the most pervasive operational issues in automotive retail: shiny object syndrome. With over two decades of experience in retail automotive, Daniel breaks down how impulsively chasing new tech leads to stalled implementations, team confusion, and ultimately, failure to launch. Together, they discuss the critical importance of identifying real problems before chasing tools, why vendors must stop selling solutions to unprepared clients, and how involving frontline stakeholders in decisions drastically improves adoption. Govaer emphasizes that buying software doesn’t solve problems—utilizing it does. Dealers will walk away with a fresh perspective on vetting their tech stack, auditing utilization, and empowering their teams to drive transformation from the inside out. Learn more about SpaceAuto at https://space.auto/ [https://space.auto/] ⏱️ Timestamped Takeaways 0:00 Intro 1:06 Shiny object syndrome begins at the dealer level 2:54 Stop buying tools—start solving actual problems 4:14 Decision makers must not be the only champions 6:06 Leadership often abandons implementation too early 7:04 Dealers must regularly audit their bloated tech stack 8:20 Too many tools disengage frontline staff 9:37 Friction-filled tech leads to friction-filled CX 11:08 Associates deserve better solutions, not more complexity 13:06 Audit how easy it is to sell something—start there