July 29, 2025
“Ego Doesn’t Sell Cars” – 30 Years of Brutal Truths on Leadership & Humility | Jeff Laethem, President of Ray Laethem Buick GMC
Car Dealership Guy PodcastAbout this episode
Today I’m joined by Jeff Laethem, President of Ray Laethem Buick GMC. We dig into why "ego doesn't sell cars"—and how Jeff learned that lesson the hard way, why Buick might be on the brink of a major comeback, what made him pull the plug on Stellantis stores in the heart of metro Detroit—and much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Cox Automotive - Omnichannel isn’t a buzzword anymore—it’s the playbook winning dealers are running. In a world where the buyer journey is more fragmented than ever, the most successful dealers are connecting the dots—online, in-store, and everywhere in between. The result? Smoother deals, faster turnarounds, and serious lift at the bottom line. Nearly 80% of omnichannel dealers are seeing higher close rates, and you can too. Want in? The Omnichannel Dealership—a new guide from Cox Automotive—breaks it all down. Click the link @ https://www.coxautoinc.com/retail/omnichannel-dealership to download it now free 2. Podium - Don’t miss another lead. With Podium’s AI BDC, dealerships are seeing an 80% increase in after-hours appointments by handling leads 24/7. Instantly respond to inquiries, book test drives, and let your team focus on what matters: closing deals. Learn how Podium can help you sell more cars at https://www.podium.com/car-dealership-guy 3. Nomad Content Studio - $3.50 per lead. $105 per car buyer. That’s what an Infiniti store in Florida is getting using Nomad Content Studio’s Done-For-You social video system. Millions in sales, viral reach, and buyers who stop price shopping and come straight to the store. Nomad Content Studio has done it for EV Auto, Morgan Auto Group, and George Saliba—now they’ll do it for you. Book a call and get 20% OFF your first month. Offer expires 08/15/25: http://www.trynomad.co 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: 01:12 Warm vs seasonal climates for car sales? 02:06 Jeff's business philosophy? 04:05 Passions outside auto industry? 07:26 Why core processes matter? 14:13 Biggest dealership challenges? 20:34 Why divest a store? 22:19 20% success checklist? 25:11 Best process automation tools? 37:31 Future expansion plans? 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 This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.