Podcast
Keep The Change
Hosted by Bart Nollenberger · EN
You can transform your dealership from the inside out, and Bart Nollenberger will show you how. “Keep The Change” is your go-to podcast for leadership growth in the automotive world—and there’s a reason leaders across the country swear by Bart’s coaching. His hands-on, proven approach has helped managers and owners just like you create lasting, meaningful change in their dealerships, and in every episode, he’s sharing his personal breakthroughs, field-tested strategies, and inspiring success stories, so you can do the same.
If you’re new here, you’re exactly where you need to be. Each episode of “Keep The Change” will empower you to develop stronger leadership skills, build a winning culture, and stay ahead in a fiercely competitive market. Ready to go beyond sales training and actually transform how your dealership operates? Join Bart and keep the change you’ve worked so hard to create.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Mistake Quietly Killing Car Dealerships in 2026 — And the Leader Who's Calling It Out
6d ago00:56:04Tap to summarizeCOVID didn't just inflate paychecks — it gutted a generation of car people. Old dogs cashed out, GSMs got promoted before they were ready, and salespeople learned to take orders instead of build value. Now the margins are gone and a leadership gap is staring the industry down.Bart sits down with John Alcorn — Operating Partner of Dogwood Auto Group (Mazda, VW, Volvo) — for a raw conversation on:→ The mistake quietly costing managers their best people → John Maxwell's 5 Levels of Leadership — and where most managers are stuck → Why he raises men, not boys ("leaders eat last") → Why "change in the mirror first" is his #1 advice → A first look at SEF Score — his new tool fixing the measurables problem🎙️ Don't miss Bart's free webinar June 2, 8 PM ET → bartnollenberger.com📩 john@dogwoodauto.com | john@sefscore.com
Transcribe →Your Team Is Watching!
May 100:14:17Tap to summarizeYour team isn't underperforming. Your feedback loops are.The best leaders I know aren't failing because they lack knowledge. They're failing because nobody around them is telling them the truth.Their team nods. Their managers agree. Their numbers stay flat. And somewhere in the back of their mind, they already know something's off, they just can't name it yet.That's exactly what this episode is about.If this resonates and you want to go deeper, I work one on one with dealership leaders who are ready to close the gap between their current leadership and what they're actually capable of. Email me at bart@bartnolenberger.com and let's start with a conversation. I'll also send you the full Goldsmith framework as my way of making sure you walk away with something valuable regardless.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
Transcribe →Inside the Leadership System Behind Multiple Winning Dealerships with Drew Tutton
Apr 1300:48:30Tap to summarizeMost leaders are making this mistake daily, and their team already knows it.Drew Tutton has built what most people in automotive only talk about at 20-group meetings and never actually create.Multiple dealerships. Multiple partnerships. A reputation that precedes him across Georgia and Alabama.But what's driven all of it isn't what you'd expect.It started on an airplane. One book. One mirror moment that showed him exactly where he was winning and exactly where he was quietly failing the people around him.He came back from that flight a different leader.In this episode Drew goes deep on:The conversation most leaders avoid their entire career and what it's actually costing themWhy your top performers might already be looking for the door without a single word of warningThe hiring signal in the first few weeks that tells you everything you need to knowWhat he draws a hard line on that most leaders are too comfortable to touchAnd there's one moment in this episode where Drew says something about the person most leaders completely overlook in their building, and it reframes everything you thought you knew about what a winning culture actually looks like.If something in your business feels slightly off but you can't name it yet —This episode has a name for it.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Drew TuttonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-tutton-2137577/Connect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
Transcribe →The 'Thing' Killing Your Dealership That Nobody Talks About with Wendy Reeves
Apr 300:48:57Tap to summarizeWhat separates thriving dealerships from failing ones? It's not the tools. It's not the leads. It's the culture, and most dealers are building theirs on a cracked foundation.In this episode of Keep the Change, Bart sits down with Wendy Reeves, founder of BDC Angels and EiQ Performance Solutions, and one of the most connected and results-driven operators in automotive for a raw, unscripted conversation about what's really broken in dealerships today and exactly how to fix it.Wendy has spent decades walking into struggling stores, diagnosing the real problems, and driving measurable change. In this episode you'll learn:Why a shiny new tool inside a broken process will always failThe dangerous gap between fixed ops and variable ops, and how to bridge itHow to actually change employee behavior Why your 70,000-name database is a goldmine you're completely ignoringThe "trifecta" strategy for driving traffic without spending more moneyHow the best leaders activate thinking instead of forcing complianceWhy continuous learning and development is the most overlooked ROI in any dealershipWhether you're a dealer principal, GM, fixed ops director, or BDC manager, this episode will challenge how you lead, how you coach, and how you build a team that actually performs.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Wendy ReevesLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-reeves/Connect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
Transcribe →What 20 Years in the Marine Corps Taught Me About Leadership With Emer Sanabria
Mar 2700:43:45Tap to summarizeBe honest, when's the last time someone actually challenged how you lead? Not your strategy. Not your numbers. You.I didn't know Emer Sanabria before we sat down. Michael Cillo told me I had to talk to him. Within minutes I understood exactly why.Emer spent 20 years in the Marine Corps. He's seen chaos most people can't imagine. And somewhere in the middle of all of it he learned something that changed everything about how he leads, in business, in faith, and at home.In this episode we get into what it really means to set the temperature when everything around you is falling apart. We talk about the difference between telling people what to do and actually leading them. Emer shares a story that involves nothing but a broom and silence, and it's one of the most powerful leadership lessons I've ever heard. We also go somewhere personal toward the end that I wasn't expecting and I'm so glad we did.This one is going to make you think about how you show up. For your team. For your family. For yourself.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Emer SanabriaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emer-sanabria-msm-mba-190444151Connect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
Transcribe →107 Cars, One Miracle, and What Happens When You Just Say Yes with Brian Robbins
Mar 2000:38:42Tap to summarizeA dad watches his daughter lose everything — her strength, her coordination, her independence — over six months. Doctors have no answers. Hope is running thin.Then one night, everything changes.What Brian Robbins did with that moment didn't just transform his family. It became a nonprofit that has now quietly, without fanfare, changed the lives of 107 women who needed a fighting chance.He's not famous. He's not on a stage. He buys used cars at a Toyota dealership in Michigan and spends his Saturdays in a garage with 30 volunteers fixing up cars to give away for free.And somehow he's one of the most compelling people I've ever put a microphone in front of.In this conversation we talk about obedience, gratitude, and what it actually looks like to build something — a business, a ministry, a marriage, a life — around love instead of ambition. We also get into leadership, culture, fatherhood, and the one question Brian asks himself that I haven't been able to stop thinking about since we recorded.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
Transcribe →The Hard Work Advantage: What Most People Don’t Understand About Success | Ty Nollenberger (Father & Son Episode)
Mar 1300:47:24Tap to summarizeMy guest this week is my oldest son, Ty Nollenberger, and what started as a simple discussion turned into one of the most honest talks I’ve had on this show about discipline, pressure, leadership, risk, and what it really takes to build something over time.We talk about the moments that shape your work ethic.The decisions that force you to grow.And why some people move forward while others stay stuck.Ty shares parts of his journey I don’t think many people see, including the mindset behind starting from the bottom, building businesses, making uncomfortable changes, and stepping into a bigger vision even when it feels risky.There was one part of this conversation that really hit me, because it explains why talent alone is never enough.If you are in a season where you feel the pressure to grow, decide, or take the next step, this episode will speak to you.Hit play.This one might stay with you longer than you expect.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
Transcribe →Why Some Leaders Build Great Teams… And Others Destroy Them Without Realizing It with Adam Marburger
Mar 600:44:56Tap to summarizeIf you’ve ever looked around your business and thought, “Why does it feel like we’re working so hard… but something still feels off?” this conversation is for you.Adam Marburger is one of those rare guys who can talk growth without hype, leadership without ego, and success without pretending the cost doesn’t exist. He’s the CEO of Ascent Dealer Services, a bestselling author, a Brazilian jujitsu black belt, a father, and someone whose faith and character actually show up in real life, not just on a stage.In this conversation, Adam and I unpack the subtle leadership mistakes that quietly destroy teams, why some organizations scale while others stay stuck, and the mindset shift that changed the trajectory of Adam’s life and business.We also get into: the leadership habit that quietly destroys culture why trying to do everything yourself will eventually break your company the mindset shift that changed how Adam approaches pressure, competition, and failure how discipline, humility, and even martial arts shaped the way he leads todayAnd toward the end, Adam shares one piece of advice about forgiveness and purpose that is honestly a game cahnger.If you lead people, build teams, or care about the kind of impact your life is making…this conversation will challenge you.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Adam MarburgerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-marburger/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adampmarburger/?hl=enConnect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
Transcribe →From 50 to 400 Cars a Month: The Leadership System Behind Bob Ruth Ford with Rob Ruth
Feb 2700:49:58Tap to summarizeIf you’ve been around this show for a while, you know I love a good solo episode.But this week? I get to sit down with one of the most class-act humans I’ve met in this industry, Rob Ruth from Bob Ruth Ford in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. And I’m telling you… the more conversations we have on Keep The Change, the more I’m convinced this is why I love podcasting. Because you don’t just hear “success.” You get to hear what it’s made of.In this conversation, Rob and I unpack what it really takes to grow from a small store doing 50–60 cars a month into a high-volume operation selling hundreds… without burning out your people or wrecking your family life.We talk about:Why Rob made it his mission to change the reputation of dealerships by changing the experience for employees and customersWhat “servant leadership” looks like when it’s not a slogan, but a daily practiceThe five levels of leadership (Maxwell) and why people development is the level most leaders never truly reachHow structure and accountability (daily plans, one-on-ones, team leaders) can produce elite results without “bell to bell” chaosWhy the future isn’t “get them in the door”… it’s helping people before they ever step in the showroomThe behind-the-scenes story of how Rob built a massive buy center starting with nothing but his cellphone and Facebook Marketplace A powerful truth about love in business: it’s not a feeling, it’s an action… and it changes everythingIf you’re a dealer, a manager, a leader, or even just someone trying to build something that lasts, this episode will challenge you in the best way. It’s one of those conversations that makes you stop and rethink what you’ve been tolerating as “normal”… and what might be possible if you built the right structure and started leading people like they matter.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Rob RuthInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rob.ruth77/Connect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
Transcribe →Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast (And Most Leaders Miss This) with Eustace Mita
Feb 1300:45:11Tap to summarizeWhat if the biggest thing holding your business back isn’t your strategy… but your culture?In this episode of Keep The Change, I’m pulling one from the archives with one of my favorite humans on the planet, Euse Mita. He’s the Chairman of Icona Resorts, a former top leader at Half-a-Car, and the kind of leader whose presence just calms the room while still calling you higher.And here’s what I love about this conversation: it’s not theory. It’s lived. It’s practical. It’s heart-first leadership with real-world proof.What we get intoWe talk about the difference between running a business from your head versus leading from your heart, and why so many companies can’t even explain their culture (because… they don’t actually have one).Euse breaks down what it looks like to build a mission people can sink their teeth into, not corporate “blah blah,” and why repetition is the foundation of learning (weekly training, not yearly pep talks).He shares how Icona’s culture is so clear that anyone on the team can explain it, from the GM to the dishwasher, and how that culture has helped their hotels rank #1 in their markets on TripAdvisor because guests don’t just feel served… they feel loved.We also go straight into the dealership world and how leaders can create harmony across departments (think: an orchestra, not a bunch of competing sections), why appreciation is a leadership superpower, and why using someone’s name might be one of the simplest culture-builders you’ve forgotten.And then we go deeper into faith, discipline, and what it looks like to live with a plan, not just for money or health, but spiritually too.This is the kind of episode you don’t just listen to.You replay it.Because it reminds you what leadership is supposed to feel like.Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast players!Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-the-change/id1622521488Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xcQk7kNGNOnWuZ14aDkWCConnect with Bart Nollenberger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-nollenberger-4949405a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BartNollenbergerCoaching
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