BEST AND WORST CAR BUYING TIPS w/ TOMI FROM DELIVRD

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz

Episode: BEST AND WORST CAR BUYING TIPS w/ TOMI FROM DELIVRD

Date: June 24, 2026
Guests: Tommy (Founder of Delivered)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kelly and Lizz, third-generation auto industry experts, share updates from their personal lives—highlighting family vacation plans, birthday parties, and mom hacks—before diving into a lively and informative interview with Tommy, founder of Delivered, a concierge car-buying service. The bulk of the episode focuses on debunking car-buying myths, sharing the best and worst car-buying advice, industry transparency, and the importance of advocacy for consumers—especially women—in auto sales.

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Main Topics & Discussions

1. Family and Life Updates

Timestamps: 00:02–13:13

• Family Vacation Planning:

  • Kelly shares her family’s decision to vacation at the family lake house instead of an expensive beach trip ("I’m sorry for being the car mom, my desire to do a 14-hour road trip to the beach is like negative 10." — Kelly, 01:36).
  • Discusses cost-saving hacks, prepping food ahead (poppy seed chicken, tacos, frozen meatballs), and buying thrifted toys for the kids to make vacation fun on a budget.
  • Mom Hack: Sometimes, buying a new activity toy is just as exciting for kids as paying for big experiences (03:24–04:01).

• Liz’s Pregnancy & Family Dynamics:

  • Liz talks about not taking vacations due to her pregnancy and shares nostalgic reflections on making memories at the lake instead of feeling pressured to do “big” vacations (06:13–06:30).

• James' Third Birthday:

  • Liz recounts her son’s dino-themed party, highlights the “dinosaur dig” activity run by two local teachers, and reflects on the emotional milestone of watching her son interact socially.
  • Notable quote: “I'm sure James will not remember this birthday, but, like, I will remember this birthday for the rest of my life.” — Liz, 10:34

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2. Trending Topics and Internet Culture

Timestamps: 17:24–13:13

• World Cup Commentary:

  • Both hosts discuss the cultural phenomenon of the FIFA World Cup being hosted in the US, American pride, and the joy of seeing international takes on America (“Europeans experiencing America…it makes me feel so patriotic.” — Liz, 17:30).
  • Kelly describes following the event through a “girl’s guide” on Instagram and delighting in the wholesome cross-cultural exchanges.

• Influencer/Trademark Drama ("Get Your Pink Back"):

  • Covers the controversy over the “Get Your Pink Back” phrase between Lindsay Gerk and Dani Austin—discussing trademark issues, public perception, and what happens when influencer business interests collide. (“I now I'm putting it all together.” — Kelly, 28:38)
  • Insightful reflection on intellectual property and influencer culture.

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3. Book Club & Product Picks

Timestamps: 24:35–25:26

• The hosts recommend “Hail Mary” for their book club, discuss learning new science concepts from fiction, and swap thoughts on kitchen gadgets—specifically, Kelly’s search for the perfect ice maker.

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4. Main Interview: Tommy from Delivered – Car-Buying Insights

Timestamps: 38:48–63:57

4.1 Introduction to Delivered (DELIVRD)

• What is Delivered?
  • A car-buying concierge service that acts as an advocate for buyers, handling vehicle searches, negotiations, and paperwork (“We take care of the car buying process for you. Most people don't enjoy buying a car; I think a lot of people like shopping for a car… but they don't like the dealership part.” — Tommy, 39:35).

4.2 The Car-Buying Process: Myths, Bad Advice, and Best Practices

• Biggest Bad Advice:

  • "'Your presence is power'—going in-store means you’re serious—is outdated advice. The real power is leveraging competition among dealers, not showing up physically." (41:49–42:33)
  • “Buying a car is emotional… stay home to negotiate, make it analytical, make sure the numbers line up.” — Tommy, 41:13

• When to Start Shopping:

  • Don’t start negotiations unless you’re ready to buy. Early number-hunting is a waste and can backfire.
  • “Wait until you're ready and then go; buyers’ remorse is real, especially with families.” — Kelly, 43:03

• How to Test Drive:

  • Make test drives realistic: bring the whole family, car seats, and take your usual routes.
  • “Put them [car seats] in the darn car… Load up their vehicle with everything… and test-drive to make sure it's the right vehicle.” — Tommy, 43:39

• The Real Consumer Power:

  • “Competition is the superpower… let one dealer know you have a quote from another and watch the deal improve.” — Tommy, 44:25

• Debunking ‘Hide Your Interest’ Strategies:

  • Old-school tactics (“play it cool”) don’t work—show enthusiasm but be firm and clear about your intentions and the numbers you’re seeking.

4.3 Inside the Industry

• Dealers’ Perception of Delivered:

  • Mixed response; some see value, others resent their market share.
  • Focus on transparency and speed for all parties.

• Commission and Consumer Trust:

  • Discuss how commission-based compensation for salespeople leads to trust issues and the divide between consumer and dealer interests (“The Gallup poll is rated car salesman, rated 7%… people trust a car salesman, which is crazy.” — Tommy, 48:39).
  • Both Kelly and Tommy reflect on their experiences in sales and the built-in barriers between buyers and sellers.

4.4 Delivered’s Model & Approach

• Process Overview:

  • Five people work a deal—two direct contacts: a consult to onboard the client, a strategist to interpret the market, negotiators to contact dealers nationwide, and a deal specialist to present top offers.
  • “We had a deal that had 38 offers the other day…We show you the three that matter.” — Tommy, 56:31
  • Delivered’s mobile app allows real-time transparency for clients and participating dealers.

• Transparency and Education:

  • Tommy stresses education, even at the risk of making Delivered’s paid service “skippable” for DIY buyers: “I don't think that I have a magic wand… if you're willing to put the time in, you can get a great deal.” — Tommy, 47:54

• Women as Clients:

  • 60% of clients are women who often feel disenfranchised at dealerships.

• Potential "Car Mom x Delivered" Collab:

  • Kelly muses about a partnership: she consults families on which car(s) and seats suit their needs; Delivered handles the buying.

4.5 Fun Rapid-Fire: Personal Touches

• Car Preferences:

  • Tommy drives a Mazda CX-90, is frustrated by the CX-70, and enjoys a BMW M5 as a “fun car.”
  • Insight into Mazda’s safety and incentives (53:34–53:55).

• Honest Look at Sales Experience:

  • Both Kelly and Tommy share relatable anecdotes about not always feeling in control as salespeople, debunking the “ask my manager” sales tactic myths.

• "Ditch the Drive-Thru" – Tommy’s Quick Meal:

  • Korean beef and rice: “It’s a 20-minute meal…brown the beef, Korean flavors, put it over rice.” (59:20–60:31)

• Harry Potter Lore:

  • Tommy’s Harry Potter artwork (and fan status) is discussed, leading to Kelly’s accidental pattern of her children’s names matching the Weasley family from Harry Potter. (“My son’s names are George and Fred…my daughter’s name’s Harriet…my fourth would have been Ginny. My dog’s name is Tom.” — Kelly, 61:04)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I'm sure James will not remember this birthday, but, like, I will remember this birthday for the rest of my life.” — Liz (10:34)
• “I think buying a car is an emotional decision…You know, anytime you see a car that you've been saving up a lot of money for, it's really hard to say no, especially when you have somebody that's trained on the other side to convince you to say yes.” — Tommy (41:13)
• “Competition. 1000% is the best way to get a good deal. Dealers always want to beat each other.” — Tommy (44:25)
• “I want to educate. I want to tell people how to buy a car…if you're willing to put the time in, you can get a great deal.” — Tommy (47:54)
• “[Commission sales]…the more money you spend, the more money they make…so it's really hard to trust somebody that has your best interest at heart.” — Tommy (48:39)
• “My accidental Harry Potter lore—my sons are George and Fred, my daughter Harriet, almost Ginny. My dog’s name is Tom. It’s bad.” — Kelly (61:04)

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Key Timestamps for “Delivered” Interview

• 38:48 – Interview with Tommy starts
• 39:23 – What is Delivered?
• 41:49 – Worst car-buying advice: “Your presence is power”
• 43:39 – How to do a test drive right
• 44:25 – What is the buyer’s actual power?
• 46:19 – Tommy’s background in auto sales
• 47:54 – Emphasis on education, not just paid service
• 56:31 – The Delivered process
• 59:20 – Ditch the Drive-thru (Korean beef & rice recipe)
• 61:04 – Harry Potter artwork and family name story

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Do Your Homework & Be Ready: Don’t negotiate unless you’re prepared to buy; let dealers know you’re a serious, comparable-shopper.
• Leverage Competition: Get multiple quotes—even remotely—to unlock the best price.
• Test Drive Realistically: Simulate your real-life family load, routes, and habits.
• Transparency Wins: The best advocates (or services like Delivered) foster a process with clear communication and no gimmicks.
• Advocacy for Women: There’s a growing demand for services that make women car buyers feel supported and empowered.
• Industry Needs to Change: Removing commission incentives may restore trust in dealerships.
• Fun Food & Culture: The hosts pepper practical car tips with real-life parenting hacks, kitchen tools, and a shared love for pop culture moments.

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Where to Find Tommy & Delivered

• @delivrd on social media
• Website: [Spelled D-E-L-I-V-R-D]

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This episode is a treasure trove for anyone anxious about car buying, eager to sidestep old-school dealership drama, or simply seeking a mix of momlife, memes, and real-world auto expertise.

Transcript

[Kelly]

Welcome to the Carpool podcast with Kelly. And you know, my husband's like, we're putting all the expenses on one debit card and I want to track how much we spend here and see if it's less than the plane tickets of what it costs to get us to Florida. And I'm like, okay. Kind of taking the fun out of it, but okay.

[Liz]

And Liz, I get a pregnancy and, like, postpartum laugh where I find things to be really more funny than they are.

[Tommy]

Your mom.

[Kelly]

Time off starts now. Welcome back to the Carpool podcast with Kelly and Liz. Happy Wednesday.

[Liz]

Happy Wednesday. How are you doing today?

[Kelly]

How am I doing? I'm doing great. I'm on vacation.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

I'm assuming I'm doing great two days from now when this podcast releases.

[Liz]

Yeah, for sure.

[Kelly]

The Stumpies are going on vacation. We really. We. We're due for a family vacation. Like, we're not family vacation people. Like, I feel like some people, like, take multiple. I mean, not some people. The influencers I'm watching online are taking, like, yeah. Multiple vacations. We haven't taken our kids anywhere.

[Liz]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kelly]

We were going to go to Florida. We did this. Should we, shouldn't we? Flights are so expensive right now.

[Liz]

I wouldn't know. I'm not looking at flights. They're expensive. Well, it's summer.

[Kelly]

No. And I think there's something with like, oil. There's something. I'm telling you, they're feeling and like,

[Liz]

you know, gas is expensive and we

[Kelly]

would need seven plane tickets. Like, that's a lot of plane tickets.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

So anyways, also say is like, we.

[Liz]

We were driving.

[Kelly]

I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being the car. Mom. My desire to do a road trip, to do like a 14 hour road trip to the beach is like negative 10. Like, I'm sorry. We're not. So we're not going to the beach is kind of my. Is kind of my assumption. But we're so blessed because we have a lake house. Well, we don't have a lake house, but my grandpa bought a lake house and now like the four siblings. So my dad and his three siblings have taken it over. So it's like our family's lake house. But we only get it every four weeks.

[Liz]

It's like a timeshare with our extended family.

[Kelly]

With our extended family when it's our dad's week. So anyway, that's what we're doing. So no one was using it. So we're making this our vacation. And, you know, my husband's like, we're putting all the expenses on one debit card, and I want to track how much we spend here and see if it's less than the plane tickets of what it costs to get us to Florida. And I'm like, okay, you're kind of taking the fun out of it. Okay.

[Liz]

Yeah, yeah. The moment you said we're tracking our expenses on vacation, you kind of lost me, but I get it. No, that will make. That will make you feel better.

[Kelly]

And I do think our kids do want to see the beach. We will take them there. I think we are going to go next summer. But also says we're like, we're just gonna be lake. Like, we're just like little lake bugs, you know?

[Liz]

Well, and you know what? They will be even more excited next year to see the beach.

[Kelly]

Like, well, and like, one of my best mom hacks. And this is like, I kind of shared this on my stories, and it was just kind of like, one of my hottest takes is, like, sometimes instead of, like, paying for an experience or, like, taking them to, like, you know, a water park, it's like, have you just, like, bought them a new toy? And, like, sometimes, not all the time. When your kids are old, this won't work. So, like, we're going down to the lake. So what did I do? I went to Savers, the thrift store, and I bought so many toys. And guess what?

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

We're going to play.

[Kelly]

Like, they're going to be new. I didn't spend a lot of money. They're going to be new. They're going to be fun. I actually did really good there.

[Liz]

I would say the toys that you got are less like toys and more, like activities.

[Kelly]

Sure, that's fine.

[Liz]

That's kind of what, like, it's like, like a puzzle and like, those Beyblade thing. Like, it's an activity you didn't see. Oh, okay.

[Kelly]

I just also bought some junk.

[Liz]

Okay, sure.

[Kelly]

But I didn't spend a lot of money. And, like, they're new. I'm able to, like, bring something new and fun, which. Which does make an activity. But even sometimes, like, you know, you could take them somewhere on a Saturday. Or could you just, like, take them to, like, Once Upon a Child never can, like, pick out a new toy. Like, sometimes that's also fine.

[Liz]

Okay, sure.

[Kelly]

So all to say, we're at the lake. I have honestly crushed the food prep, too. I don't know if you want me to, like, dive into that.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Sure.

[Kelly]

And then we can talk about James's birthday party. And I Can just take a break for a while?

[Liz]

Yeah, please.

[Kelly]

Made a poppy seed chicken, obviously. So kind of our plan is breakfast at home, obviously. Lunch out on the water, dinner at home. So, like, we're going to do all lunches out is kind of our plan as of now, which sounds fun. Poppy seed chickens on deck. Taco night on deck. And then I have a bunch of frozen meatballs. Like, good. Like, homemade frozen meatballs, spaghetti night, garlic bread, the works. Primal kitchen Caesar. Like, I'm gonna do it upright. And then hibachi on the Blackstone one night.

[Liz]

Now, I do hope you're tracking the grocery expenses, because when Tyler sees how much you're saving going to the lake, I fear you're never going to the beach if you're doing.

[Kelly]

Shoot, you're so.

[Liz]

You kind of need to.

[Kelly]

This is gonna backfire for me.

[Liz]

It's gonna backfire. You need to, like, buffer up a little bit. Like, you need to. You need to add some more expenses, because he's gonna be like, well, you know, we saved this much money. We can never go to the beach. Like, he's such analytical finance person that

[Kelly]

Tyler loves an excel sheet.

[Liz]

Oh, my. She loves an excel sheet.

[Kelly]

The, like, the worst. Nothing tests our marriage more than at the end of the month where he makes us go through every transaction, and he has to categorize it, and he'll be like, what's Abercrombie? He knows what happened.

[Liz]

Care. There was a medical bill.

[Kelly]

So anyways, that's what. That's what I'm up to. And then, you know, we're doing tie dye again. I'm bringing, like, some fun yard stuff to do. Pretty jazzed about.

[Liz]

Sounds like a lot of fun. I'm not going on any family vacations this summer. It just kind of feels like by the time the auto show is over and, like, we could conceivably, like, maybe go to the lake or do something. I'm just too pregnant too do any of that.

[Kelly]

Totally.

[Liz]

So. But I am really happy for you and excited to just see you guys absolutely thrive. I love the best memories we have are made at the lake. So don't feel bad about your kids not going to the beach, because I have way better memories at the lake than I do at any beach.

[Kelly]

For sure. My kids are fine. Lots of kids don't, and it's fine. But this was fun. So last night, we were, like, packing up, and we were getting ready, and then the kids were like, can we just go now? Can we just go now and tell her, like, go ask Your mom. And so George and Hattie came to me, like, literally with their. With their hands folded under their chin. And they're like, mom, dad said if you say it's okay, we can put our jammies on and drive to the lake tonight and like, tell her. And I were already taking two cars. I had to work this morning. So like, I was. I he that this was not included to me and I. And they were totally expecting me to say no. And when I said yes. Yeah, they squealed.

[Liz]

Well, and that's another good hack too. It's like you guys could have had that pre planned and just tell.

[Kelly]

Oh, that's what I told Tyler. Yeah.

[Liz]

Like in the future, like, we're gonna go early. We're going. Like, it's so exciting. Just adds another layer of excitement to it.

[Kelly]

Totally. Yeah, I'm really excited. So that's after this podcast. I'm headed. I'm lake bound. I'm headed there.

[Liz]

I love it. Well, we had James's third birthday extravaganza this weekend and it was so much fun. It made me so emotional. It felt like the first real birthday. I am not the kind of mom that likes to plan birthdays. Like, my kids aren't gonna wake up with streamers outside of the door with balloons on the ground. Like, I'm not making a paper chain. Like, that kind of stuff I admire so much. To moms who do that, it does not bring me joy, so therefore I don't do it. I wish I was. I wish I was a Pinterest mom. I wish I was creative in that way. Just like, it doesn't bring me joy at all.

[Kelly]

Totally.

[Liz]

And like my third my. I had a birthdays for, well, one and two for James, but like, I felt kind of almost silly doing them because, like, he's never gonna remember this,

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

but you know, it's a good excuse

[Liz]

to get family together, so it's fine. But this one really felt like, okay, he's obsessed with dinosaurs. He's gonna remember it. Like, he's gonna be wowed by a cake and by decorations. Like, I got very excited to get into it. So it was dinosaur themed. I had the most insanely beautiful cookie cake ever made by Sweet Treats by Whitney, if you're in St. Louis. And we were able to use our new patio, our new backyard. It's still a little bit under construction, so I haven't shared much about it on Instagram. Like, we got a new patio, some new furniture, and it was exciting to actually have host at my really hosted since my renovation too. Like I have not had, yeah. A full blown party at my house house really since I've moved in and like gotten to use my new kitchen and my new patio. So that was really fun. And then just the absolute highlight of his birthday party is we did this dinosaur dig and it's this new company in St. Louis and I actually, we kind of got the exclusive like one of the first parties because my brother in law works with the guy who's starting it and yes.

[Kelly]

You kind of got the soft launch.

[Liz]

The trial. I got the soft launch. So it's like he was, you know, the guy was telling my brother in law about it. He's like, yeah, I'm gonna do this dinosaur excavation for birthday parties. And he's like, do I have the perfect kid for you? It's like James, perfect kid. The perfect kid. So that was really cool. And so they're called Dinosaur Dig company and it's two brothers. One of them is a retired principal and the other one is a teacher. So they're like very. And they both are dads. So they're, they're very with kids. Like they, they were like teaching the kids stuff. Like they, they're just, they're teachers. Like they're just good with kids. Like they're not just these like random guys, you know?

[Kelly]

Yeah, yeah.

[Liz]

But it was so cool. They've built this triceratops skeleton out of some sort of like light foam board. I don't know if it's foam board. It's not. I don't know what it's made out

[Kelly]

of, but it's very 3D printed it is what I heard.

[Liz]

No, they didn't three day print it. He made it. Whoever said that was wrong. Anyway, it's super impressive. It was super fun. James was so into it and for me, like I wasn't sure how into it he was going to be just because a three year old is like can get really distracted.

[Kelly]

And Fred was not into it.

[Liz]

Fred was not into it. James was in. It was like what, 45 minutes long and James was like hooked the entire time. And it made me really emotional because I've never seen James in an environment where like another. He's working like the kids all work as a team and he was like working as a team with the other kids and, and he was like listening to the instructions of another adult and it kind of like gave me a little glimpse into what it might be like when he does go to preschool or kindergarten. And I was just like, oh my gosh, my little boy is growing up so much. And it was just. I'm sure James will not remember this birthday, but, like, I will remember this birthday for the rest of my life. And that's where it kind of hit me that, like, these first and second birthdays that I haven't cared about, it's never for the kid. It is for the parents. This third birthday was for me and for Maddie, and it was just so great. That's awesome. And our food was great. I did a Caesar salad. Primal Kitchen. Because I'm inclusive.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

You don't know.

[Kelly]

Primal Kitchen doesn't have anchovies, so I can. It is so.

[Liz]

Oh, yeah, it doesn't have anchovies, so Kelly won't have an allergic reaction. I got Domino's Pizza and I got wings from the local barbecue place near me.

[Kelly]

Yeah, the food was great and an amazing cookie cake. My favorite thing, which you've totally left out, so I'm gonna tell it for my POV was we also played one more game where Liz had silhouettes of different dinosaurs. And, like, not like T. Rex. Like, no, like hard dinosaurs.

[Liz]

There was a cephalosaurus on there and

[Kelly]

she's like, James can identify all of these silhouettes, so. And, like, pronounce it. So, like, we played a game, like, can you guess it? And I got six, which did feel good. Like, luckily, George did Dimetrodon saved me because, like, I do remember that one from, like the couple months that George was in the dinosaurs. And then it was so cute because then James, like, was the key. So then listen. Point to silhouette. Silhouette. And like, hearing James say Parasaurolophus, like, was. Was a kid.

[Liz]

Was. Was a.

[Kelly]

We should have filmed that because it was so cute.

[Liz]

It was cute. And it. It. That also kind of broke me because then the next day, my brother in law's mother, my brother in law's son wasn't able to be there. But he's like 10 and he was a dinosaur kid. He was like, James. And I said, you better be able to get these. And he only got four of them. And, like, all the dinosaur knowledge is just, like, left his brain. I'm like, no. Like, I.

[Kelly]

Because it's filled with other stuff.

[Liz]

And, like, they don't care. Like, all James cares about is dinosaurs 100 of the time. So just like, can't believe he's growing up. And I'm just, like, so sick to my stomach when I just see.

[Kelly]

Well, you're also pregnant.

[Liz]

Yeah, I'm also.

[Kelly]

So that doesn't. Well, I mean, that doesn't help.

[Liz]

But it was a lot of fun.

[Kelly]

So much fun guys today. Oh, sorry. You go ahead.

[Liz]

No, you can go.

[Kelly]

Well, I'm saying today's episode's jam packed. We have a really funny interview. Like, we were kind of belly laughing on our interview.

[Liz]

Yeah, I don't know if anyone else gets this. I get. I get a pregnancy and, like, postpartum laugh where I find things to be really more funny than they are. And I get a different laugh than I would normally have. And I felt it coming out a couple of times during this time.

[Kelly]

Wait, is it the laugh when you go, like, kind of like, like,

[Liz]

I know. And here's how I know. So when I was pregnant with James, we did one of those videos where Maddie, like, wore the watermelon and the cantaloupes and me filming it, I had the most, like, crazy, annoying laugh. I'm like, who is this? Like, I cannot control it. And then when we had the hibachi party at my friend's house for her birthday, this laugh kept coming out. And I remember when I was postpartum with James, I had. I like, pushed for four hours. Like, I had pain for weeks downstairs. And Maddie was the funniest person in the world to me because. And he wasn't even doing anything that was exceptionally funny. It was just like this pregnancy and postpartum laugh and, like, humor. So I was like, stop making me laugh because it. It hurts. Like, I'm in so much pain.

[Kelly]

It's so funny.

[Liz]

So anyway, also say I clocked myself having this, like, annoying. So who can spot it? Find the time frame where I do that. It's so annoying. Oh, my gosh, Elizabeth. I don't know if anyone else experiences that.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Liz]

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[Liz]

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[Kelly]

K12.com Carpool oh also I have a new micro hobby and it is the World cup usa.

[Liz]

Thank you. Okay, so that is something that I wanted to talk about today. The most. I don't care about the World Cup. I just cannot get into sports man. But my favorite most the most wholesome content that I have seen on the Internet in ages is Europeans experiencing America. It makes me feel so like patriotic. I'm so proud of this country.

[Kelly]

First of all, so proud to be an American. My favorite meme I saw was The World cup feels like a sleepover at your cousin's house you never see because your parents hate each other.

[Liz]

Totally. People are just, like, blown away by America. They're like, your food is amazing. The free refills are amazing. And what's really validating, too, is they're like, the. The way that America is painted to the rest of the world is wrong. And, like, you know, like, Americans are this. Americans are lazy. Americans are overweight. Like, Americans are all these things. And they're like, Americans are. Americans are mean. Like, Americans are so nice. Like, they're so accommodating. Like, they're so great. And it just feel really good to see.

[Kelly]

Yeah, I. So I'm. No, I'm loving the World Cup. I'm getting in on all, like, the lore. I'm following my girl Simone's playbook. She's a great follow. She's just kind of like, she's doing it for the girls. So I'm enjoying, like, but not in, like, a. Here's what I don't. This is just me. Here's what I don't need. I don't need sports dumbed down so much. Like, you're comparing it to Love Island. Like, I don't need that. I just need it concise. And she does a good job on that. Like, don't. Don't belittle me. And, like, act like I can't comprehend what sports is. Like, I don't need it compared to that. I just need it slowed down. And she does a really good job. Simone's playbook.

[Liz]

Shout out.

[Kelly]

But, no, I'm incredibly into it. Also. Our au pair is so into it. Like, for her country, of course.

[Liz]

So then that gives you another country to cheer for.

[Kelly]

Except I think our country's gonna be

[Liz]

playing each other soon. OT ttt.

[Kelly]

Yeah, she's from the country Colombia. I don't know if I shared that. And Columbia is doing really well. So, like, she's going to, like, all the bars. And, like, I'm telling you, like, the videos that she's posting, I'm like, it's. This is. This is like, it's the stakes of the super bowl, but it's like the Olympics. That's what somebody said. I didn't come up with that. Like, it is. We are so into it. And so. Yeah, so we do right now have two teams to cheer for. If it comes down to it, though, I don't know which team I'll choose.

[Liz]

Well, I think you should choose. I think you should choose America.

[Kelly]

I don't know, I might choose Columbia. I don't think they've ever won the World Cup.

[Liz]

Yeah. But then if they beat them, then you can continue on to cheer for Colombia just like.

[Kelly]

Yeah, that's true. That's true. I'm just, like, so obsessed with the World cup, which is like, we're all part of something.

[Liz]

Yeah. Everyone's it.

[Kelly]

It's.

[Liz]

It's so fun, and it's so funny. Just because, like, Americans are just not as into it as the rest of the world. Just because, like, we have other.

[Kelly]

We have other sports.

[Liz]

Other sports. But I did see some. Some stuff that was, like, before the World cup, they were like, is America going to have the infrastructure to house these, like, soccer. These, like, elite soccer stadiums? Because other countries have had to build stadiums or have. You know, they're a really big football country, so they have the stadiums, and then they're like, yeah, no, we do have the infrastructure. And also, this is just, like, a university. Like, this is not even a professional team. And it's like. Because America's just.

[Kelly]

We're a little extra. We're big.

[Liz]

Everything's bigger, baby. So, anyway, I'm loving the World Cup. I'm loving to see, like, America through other people's eyes. It's really fun, and it's really wholesome and darling. I did see this one reel, though, that was. He was like, the. The sunsets in America are just so incredible. And then it was like, stitch with an American, and they're like, do you guys not have anything? Like, come on. Like, it's a sunset. Like, to a certain point, you're just romanticizing the wrong stuff.

[Kelly]

Well, I will say you do have to be careful, because now, like, that these are trending. Like, people are just pretending.

[Liz]

Yeah. Yeah. They're being dramatic.

[Kelly]

And I was like, this. It was this Frenchman talking about air conditioning. And then I looked on his profile, and he's like, utah, dad. And I'm like. So you were just faking your accent?

[Liz]

Oh, gosh. Like, it wasn't real. Yeah, no, but you can tell which ones are authentic and which ones are.

[Kelly]

Stay. Just stay. Just stay alert is what I'm just telling you.

[Liz]

It's good content.

[Kelly]

But anyway, I think that's all we really have to talk about because we have an interview. I have to go. I'm kind of like, need to get on the road.

[Liz]

Okay.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Liz]

You've got a family to make, to go meet up with.

[Kelly]

I know. What was that? What else was I gonna say? Is there anything. I'm up. Up To.

[Liz]

Are you buying anything on Prime Week?

[Kelly]

Well, there actually is. I'm happy to report some great car seat deals. I am covering them on my stories. Like, and there has the last couple promises have been stinkers for car seat deals.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

Like, they've been like a joke. These ones are good.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Okay.

[Kelly]

A lot of boosters.

[Liz]

Okay. T. So definitely be on the lookout for.

[Kelly]

So I'm doing that. I am. Oh, I'm buying an ice maker.

[Liz]

Oh, okay. Did you decide what. What are you buying?

[Kelly]

I just decided what I'm buying. I talked to my husband about it. He was. He was aligned. And again, we're not going to Florida, so budget for an ice maker, if you don't know. I want an ice maker for my birthday because we go through too much ice. My freezer can't keep up. So I'm doing the one I got. Actually, you can do. You can actually adjust the thicknesses of the ice.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Okay.

[Kelly]

Which is kind of fun. And, like, they are. They're optimized for different things, but it is. It's like a square with the hole in the middle.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

But like, not a full hole.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

You've seen the type.

[Liz]

Oh, I know what you're talking about.

[Kelly]

Yeah.

[Liz]

Okay.

[Kelly]

And I think I'm gonna put it on the thinnest setting, actually, because they said that's optimal for cocktails and iced coffee, which is what I'm looking for.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Liz]

What size is it? Is it like sitting your garage or, like, sit on your countertop?

[Kelly]

It's gonna sit in our downstairs laundry room.

[Liz]

Okay, so it's big.

[Kelly]

It's big. It's.

[Liz]

I don't.

[Kelly]

I don't. I don't know. Dimensions. It's like, I don't know, about the size of two car seats sitting next to each other.

[Liz]

Oh, that feels big, Kyle.

[Kelly]

Two slim fits. Yeah.

[Liz]

Okay. Two slim fits. Does anyone. Can anyone else just, like, quickly figure that out?

[Kelly]

I think. I don't know. I'm not gonna, like, share. I want to, like, give it a once over. It was before I share the link, because ice makers here. Let me tell you about an ice maker. They're either 300 or 3,000. Okay, we got the 300.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Okay.

[Kelly]

I think it was like 278. But, like, how is one. How was one's frozen water? Like, I was kind of. I was open to thinking about spending, like 500 on it. 5, 550. Like, I wanted a nice one because I wanted more than just because the nugget one's expensive.

[Liz]

How much is the nugget one.

[Kelly]

Well, I think at its peak it was like 500, let me tell you. Which is like, let me tell you. Nugget ice maker. And that's just a countertop thing. No. Okay. They're way cheaper now. I'm so sorry.

[Liz]

Okay.

[Kelly]

But this one's 900. I'm just saying, like, I'm a little confused on how some ice can be so much better than other ice, you know?

[Liz]

Totally. It's frozen water.

[Kelly]

Oh, Also product. Hail Mary. So good. The auto.

[Liz]

Okay.

[Kelly]

Unbelievable.

[Liz]

You're into it. Okay, Okay. I just don't into that kind of stuff.

[Kelly]

No, I'm honestly like so into sci fi. Like, not me, like. And I'm learning some things. Like, okay, I know some things about Celsius now.

[Liz]

Oh, I'm not learning.

[Kelly]

I won't retain any of it. I can just tell it's that. You know what I'm saying? Like, I won't retain any of the science knowledge I'm learning. But the story in the audiobook is unbelievable and I'm just really loving, just feeling so well read. So I think this is going to be like a really. Of course. This is Claire's pick. Claire always has good picks for our book club. So I think this could be like our first like four or five star. I think it's gonna be our highest rated book. Kind of like I'm really enjoying it. And then the pressure. Then it's Tara's pick. And then the pressure's back on for me.

[Liz]

Okay. So you got some time to think about it.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Okay.

[Kelly]

After my whole red pick from last time. But anyway, do you have anything else?

[Liz]

No, I think that pretty much wraps everything up for me.

[Kelly]

Okay, well then if that wraps it, that's wraps it. But the episode's not over because we have a great interview with Tommy who runs a company called Delivered.

[Tommy]

Who.

[Kelly]

You guys wouldn't expect us to be friends like some people would. Some people would try to pit us against each other. But not me and Tommy.

[Liz]

No, you guys have good. You guys have good synergy. You both really respect what the other person's doing.

[Kelly]

And I think we have an enemy, though.

[Liz]

You don't have an enemy, but you have people that you don't agree with that we won't talk about.

[Kelly]

Oh, I'm so curious to know who you're thinking.

[Liz]

Well, you have. You have takes on some.

[Kelly]

On some stay of takes on people.

[Liz]

This baby's kicking me right now.

[Kelly]

Everyone has takes, though.

[Liz]

Yeah. No, you don't really have an enemy, do you?

[Kelly]

Have a take on the Danny Austin, Lindsey Kirk drama.

[Liz]

You know what? I saw, like, one real kind of talking about it. I don't really know anything about it. What. What is something with the get your pink back?

[Kelly]

Yes. So I want to start with saying I don't have a dog in the fight. I really don't. But I do think it's. I think it's interesting. I think it's a thing that could be studied in textbooks. So have you heard get your pink back and, like, how flamingos turn white and they get their pink back?

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

Yeah. So I guess Lindsey Gerk, she discovered, like, this. No, I don't believe she, like, discovered the science behind flamingo.

[Liz]

She didn't discover the science, but she. She found that out that after flamingos have babies, then they turn this color and then eventually pink again. And she kind of revolutionized the get your pink back thing. Like, she put that all together, and she was like, I learned this about flamingos, and that's kind of like what motherhood is. Like. Like, she. I think she kind of coined the get your back term.

[Kelly]

So I know she. So she has it trademarked.

[Liz]

Oh, she does have it trademarked.

[Kelly]

She has a trademarked. I have heard mixed reports on, like, if she made it up or, like, if she was just the one to trademark, because, like, that's a thing, too.

[Liz]

Like, I guess.

[Kelly]

I don't really know. I mean, I have a couple of trademarks, and I do. I'm surprised that she could get that trademarked.

[Liz]

No, I really think I. I saw a video of her, and she said, I read this about flamingos, and it's kind of like, mother. Like, I didn't know that. When I. When I saw this video, I was like, oh, my gosh. She actually, like, was the one who put this all together.

[Kelly]

Okay.

[Liz]

That's my perception of it. I don't know anyone have said get your pink back in relation to motherhood and flamingos before Lindsay.

[Kelly]

So anyway, then it became. And I think what's confusing about it is then it just. It's a really beautiful sentiment. So I think whether, like, I feel like I have heard it, I don't know if I've heard it from her, but I'm also not doubting that maybe she is the one who made it up. And, like, then, you know, it just spread like wildfire. Because it's a very beautiful statement.

[Liz]

Well, she got. She was the first one to have, like, merch with it. Like, yeah, for sure.

[Kelly]

I didn't know that. I really. I did not know it was her. I know who she is. I've seen her videos. I was not a follower of her. And I've heard get your pink back. I now I'm putting it all together.

[Liz]

Okay. And I. I've always associated it with her. Okay, so there are two. Two different.

[Kelly]

So then Danny Austin launches a dry shampoo, a pink bottle dry shampoo. And she quotes get your pink back or it's time for me to get my pink back. Now I don't know if it went then I'll be honest, I kind of stopped caring because then I don't know, I guess maybe she sent Lindsay. I'm sorry, I should have brought up cause I don't have all the information. Should you look it up really fast?

[Liz]

Yeah, well, now I'm kind of interested

[Kelly]

in it because I don't know, I don't think her making a video saying it is that big of a deal.

[Tommy]

But

[Kelly]

I could also see me being a little irked. Like if someone else was like selling a product and said because clean cars drive better, like I'd probably be pissed.

[Liz]

Okay, this is the AI over you overview on Google. So no one get mad at me if the information is incorrect. The get your pig pack controversy stems from trademark dispute between content creator Lindsey Gerk and fellow influencer Danny Austin. Gurk built a popular brand and movement based on the concept of flamingos losing their color while raising their young and using it as a metaphor for mothers regaining their pre baby identities. The core of the drama the movement Lindsey Gurk created the get your pink back movement hashtag apparel line for postpartum mothers and register and successfully registered for the trademark for clothing in April of 2024. So she has the trademark for clothing. Fellow influencer Danny Austin used the phrase get your pink back in a promotional campaign and social media reel for her hair and wellness brand Divi fans and followers quickly accused Austin of copying Gerk's intellectual property and the whole brand identity to try to to sell dry shampoo. The resolution and reactions Gurk released a tearful but professional statement addressing the situation. She explained that as a trademark owner she is legally required to protect her brand and prevent consumer confusion. That's fair.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

That's fair.

[Liz]

Community response Public sentiment strongly favored Gurk with with audiences rallying around her more to support female founders against larger, more corporate influencer brands. Legal limitations While the community has widely supported Gurk's claims of intellectual property theft and sub legal observes noted the tradema are category specific. Gurk's is for clothing making it potentially Complex to pursue legal action against Austin's hair product promotion. Okay, now that I have the AI Overview, here's what I think. I think that there's no legal course of action that Lindsay can take over this. I don't actually think that that matters. I think that the followers and the perception of they have. They're gonna have a lot of overlap. And followers is go. Is like, more than enough. I also don't think that, like, that was a very. Like, it's. Isn't the. Her dry shampoo just the same? It's just like a different scent. Like, it's not. What does that have to do with, like, getting your pink back?

[Kelly]

So I agree with you. The legalness is one thing. And, like, when we. Because we have clean cars dry better trademarked, but only for, like, we, like, not for, like, a car wash also has a trademark. So, like, I can never open up a car wash and say, clean cars drive better because, like, that trademark. But, like, I could sell products that say it. So I. I understand that. Yeah, I agree. Like, if I'm taking a side, I don't think Danny should have used it because I think it is that girl's thing. I think the bigger question is, which. I don't know if all we're gonna Claridon is like, did Danny know that and do it anyway or did she. Is there a world where she just heard it?

[Liz]

It's just like a term that's like. It's just like a term used nowadays.

[Kelly]

Used nowadays. And I know, like, people would be like, oh, she had to have. No, she had a team. And it's like, I mean, maybe, but, like, that's where I'm just like. But Danny's not. Say what you will bear. She's not stupid. Like, she didn't want this backlash, but. So now is it more just, like, the reaction, though? Because then, like, gurk. Like, I haven't seen, like, an apology video on the other side.

[Liz]

An apology from Danny.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah. For using it.

[Liz]

Yeah. It's interesting. I think this is about as far as I care about it.

[Kelly]

I know. I totally agree. Yeah.

[Liz]

I don't know. It's. It's interesting. I. Yeah, I probably. She shouldn't have used it, but it is, like, a beautiful sentiment.

[Kelly]

Well, she obviously shouldn't have used it because it's. Whatever it is, it's not worth this.

[Liz]

It's not worth the backlash. And it just didn't really, I think, add to the promotional, like, campaign in general because it's like.

[Kelly]

Well, and I think people Are feeling like it's a bit. It's a. Is it a bit. I'm not saying I feel this way, but things I've seen is it's a bit of a stretch to sell dry shampoo.

[Liz]

Yeah, that's. I guess that's what I'm trying to say. That's what I'm trying to get at, too.

[Kelly]

It's like Lindsay's is like this, like. But, you know, Lindsay's selling T shirts, but I guess the T shirts, I mean, more. But they're both just selling stuff.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

They're.

[Liz]

And they're both just selling stuff.

[Kelly]

But I think Lindsay's is more there. I mean, she built a whole brand around it, I guess. I agree.

[Liz]

I also haven't seen the ad. Like, I don't know how like, it. Did she just happen to say, get your pink back in one video, or is it, like, on the bottle, you know?

[Kelly]

Well, that's. So she said it in a video. But then I don't know if there's. Like, it was, like, sent, like, PR packages, and like, I think, like, Lindsay, like, got the PR package or something, and I thought it was like, oh, that would.

[Liz]

That would. I would kind of be offended.

[Kelly]

And I'm putting myself in the shoes. Like, if someone made used clean Cars drive better, I would. Well, I'd be like, yeah, you copied me.

[Liz]

Yeah. No. Yeah. And we don't even have any shirts that say that. You know, it's like, she's.

[Kelly]

And I think some people just have. Like, they feel there is. There's. It's obviously a very emotional phrase for Lindsay.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

Because I feel more emotional about Clean Cars drive better. We're like, if another influencer made merch that I didn't expect to get on my car, I probably wouldn't care. That one doesn't. I mean, I love that phrase. I say that phrase all the time.

[Liz]

But Lindsay does seem to post a lot more, like, heartfelt, like, emotional content, too. Like, yeah, she really. I mean, I know Danny showed her literal, entire, entire birth, but I do feel like Lindsay gets a little bit more, like, emotionally vulnerable on her stuff. I mean, I don't follow either one of them super duper closely, but I've definitely seen Lindsay, you know, know, cry and post more stuff on the Internet like that. Like, in a way that res. In a way that resonates with me. I don't know.

[Kelly]

And I do agree that she had to tell her audience that it wasn't her brand.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

Like, that was fair.

[Liz]

This baby is just Okay.

[Kelly]

I Just kind of wanted to get your, your take on that. Okay, well, yeah, kind of normalized. Like you don't have to have such a visceral take on it either. You know, you can just kind of like have the info and kind of go about your day.

[Liz]

Yeah, it's just, you know, it's something new to talk about. It's like with, you know, it's drama that doesn't. Isn't associated with me, but it was like with people that I feel like I kind of loosely know well.

[Kelly]

And I don't watch Summer House, so I've like, hadn't been left out of all of the Summer House drama.

[Liz]

I don't watch Summer House. I know. You know, like, it's kind of what we're working with.

[Kelly]

I don't watch Summer House. I don't really watch the Mormon Wives. So, like, there's just been a lot of like, you know, big drama that I felt like I couldn't participate in.

[Liz]

Okay, well, that's our take, I guess. And now it is time for our interview with Tommy from Delivered.

[Kelly]

See ya.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Liz]

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[Liz]

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[Liz]

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[Liz]

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[Liz]

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[Kelly]

Tommy, founder of Delivered. Welcome to the Carpool podcast.

[Tommy]

Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited.

[Kelly]

Tommy and I are kind of like. I would say we're like kind of Internet friends. I think this is only our second in second conversation though. But it feels like we know each other better.

[Tommy]

We talked for a while the first time we talked and I think we got a lot done and we've texted back and forth.

[Kelly]

Yeah, true, true, true. So if you guys don't know, Tommy owns a company called Delivered. Let me just try. Let me try and then you can question mark. No, no, I know what it is. I just. Let me try, Tommy, and then you can fill in any gaps. Okay.

[Tommy]

Okay, you know what?

[Kelly]

Let's.

[Tommy]

Let's go.

[Liz]

I'm ready.

[Kelly]

Essentially, you guys are incredible customer advocates who help people negotiate and secure cars.

[Tommy]

I mean, nailed it. Exactly. We take care. We take care of the car buying process for you. Most people don't enjoy buying a car. I think a lot of people like shopping for a car, which is why they like your channel, but they don't like the actual dealership part. So we take that part on for you.

[Kelly]

Tommy and I have such synergy and I don't know if everyone would expect us to let like, enjoy each other's content. But the thing about me and Tommy and Elizabeth, Liz is here too. Sorry, sorry, Liz. We're just people who get it. Like, at the end of the day, all I want is the auto industry to succeed. But the problem with a lot of dealers is they just can't get out of their own way to like, see what they're doing. So, Tommy, I would imagine, why don't you kind of tell us about dealers perception of you, the good and the bad.

[Tommy]

Oh, yeah. I think it's a mixed bag. I think some people think we're a necessary evil because we have such a strangle on the market that dealerships have to accept us. There is a small minority of dealers that wish, you know, I just wouldn't post another video ever again. But I think the vast majority of dealers actually like us. They, you know, one of the things, because I was in the industry, I try to make deals really fast and efficient for them while working for our client. So because of that, it makes it easier. They understand it's a quick, easy deal, even though it might not make them a lot of money.

[Kelly]

Yeah, you're, you're also not trying to like contribute to the back and forth. Because I do think a lot of consumers and dealers, like, one of the biggest critiques of the industry is this back and forth and like no one wants to show their hand. And I think we are aligned in the theory where it's like, no, I'm actually okay to show my hand, but like, this is my hand. So like, take it or leave it,

[Tommy]

you know, and people get mad about that because I'm very short with it and I'm like, this is it. Take it or leave it. And people are like, you're so mean. You're so condescending. And I'm like, no, I'm just showing my hand. This is what you guys want. I'm just being honest. If you get this number, I buy your car, we move on with our day. But there always has to be a game because the game's profitable.

[Kelly]

What do you think is the biggest bad piece of car buying advice that you hear other like car coaches or car brokers or whatever you want to call them? What's like bad car buying advice that you see put out there a lot.

[Tommy]

Well, for a while it was your presence is power. And even car buying advocates were saying that as well. Like, you need to go in store. It shows you're serious. And I think we kind of made this wave after Covid recently to say, like, nope, that's not your power anymore. So I. I think that's like, generally the worst advice. I think buying a car is an emotional decision. You know, anytime you see a car that you've been saving up a lot of money for, it's really hard to say no. Especially when you have somebody that's trained on the other side to convince you to say yes. So I always say, stay at home. Go test drive the car, make sure you like it. But when you negotiate, stay at home and make it all analytical. Make sure the numbers line up, make sure your things are affordable, because the last thing you want to do is overspend on something. Second biggest purchase of your life.

[Kelly]

I think that's really great advice. I always tell people. Also, I think for a lot of people, you really shouldn't even start the process until you're ready to buy a thousand.

[Tommy]

Oh my gosh. The amount of people that will try to go to number it is you. You do not want to try to get like preemptive numbers to figure out what things are affordable. I always say, look at the MSRP. Take 7 to 10% off. That's roughly where you're going to be. But yeah, do not. It makes it worse for the dealership because they'll remember you later because you wasted their time, and it's just a lot of stress for you for no reason.

[Kelly]

Yeah. Or you get sold and then you make a bad decision before you're ready. And like, buyer's remorse is a topic that I. That I feel really passionately about, especially for families, because a family buy in wrong car, you know, it can be. It can be really expensive problem to have. Like, you know, if you. If you're a single girl and you buy a car and you ended up, you know, wishing you would have got the red one, like, that's one thing. You can live with it. But when I have families who buy a car and then in three years realize it's not the right car, and then, you know, maybe they're upside down, or maybe they, you know, have to lower their payment, it puts them in a bad position. So I do totally agree with you. Like, just wait until you're ready and then go. And then go.

[Tommy]

I'm sorry, I was say. And then don't forget to like overly test drive the car. I think people are afraid to test drive. Like I tell people like forget the pre planned, forget the pre planned path. Like go. Like I always tell people to go on the drive. You go to work or go to the drive that you're going to school, whatever that is. Get familiar because you know that road really well. If you have car seats, I, I know you say this, but put them in the darn car. You know, I tell people to load up their vehicle with everything they're going to in their heaviest load. I will tell people to fill up their car and then test drive and fill up this test drive car to make sure it's the right vehicle. Because the last thing you want to do is buy something that doesn't fit in three years down the road. You have to trade it in.

[Kelly]

So you said that you don't think presence is the consumer's power. What do you think the consumer's power is in today's market?

[Tommy]

To get the best deal is competition. Competition. I love it because it is like the superpower. I will have dealers that will not move at all. And I would give them the number and I would say, well, somebody down the street was willing to do 8% and everything switches. Everything that has told me about this is their final price. Was like, well, if you show me that number, we'll beat it. Competition. 1000% is the best way to get a good deal because dealers always want to beat each other. Because the second you have numbers from one dealer, they know you're serious, which means you're probably buying a car. Is it from them or is it from somebody else?

[Kelly]

Tommy, I am like, I am loving this because I also feel so validated in a lot of I think the car buying advice that I share because I always say like, like no, like let them know the worst thing you want to be is a tire kicker. Like let them know how serious of a buyer you are. You're not going to get like, you know, some people will be like, you know, go in there and act like you don't really want the car. I'm like, no, do the exact opposite. Be like, I want this car so bad. I know I want a Toyota Sienna that in fact I already have two numbers from two different dealerships. I'm buying one today. That's how bad I want a car.

[Tommy]

That advice is from like our dads 40 years ago is like, just don't. Yeah, don't say anything, be mean. To him? Yeah. Like, no, you want to show excitement, you want to show energy, but you know, you need to be firm with it.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

I had one of my followers, I did a car buying consultation with her and she was so nervous to car shop because she was nine months pregnant. And she's like, they're just going to look at me and they're going to take advantage of me because they're going to know I need a car. And I'm like, no, sister, they're going to know. You're going to tell them, look how, look at me, I'm nine months pregnant. I need to buy a car right now. So like, where am I buying it from? I want the best deal. Like, use that to your advantage.

[Tommy]

I love that. Yeah. I think the idea of, you know, we're talking about presence is power, we're talking about competition is power. But understanding that they have a serious buyer in front of them, I think that is that superpower, which I like that you brought up because the more people know that you're willing to buy a car today, the more discount you can get.

[Kelly]

So Tommy, what is your background?

[Tommy]

So, been in the car industry for about the last decade. I was in sales. I did finance at the back office doing all the paperwork. The person people hate the most for six years. And then for the last three and a half years I've been running Delivered. So. So built the company from the ground up. We're now doing 450 deals a month, have 23 full time employees. But that has been the majority of my time as of late. But before that I was in car sales and finance.

[Kelly]

That's amazing. That's like so many deals.

[Liz]

I didn't know because I just follow your Instagram and so I always feel like I see you doing the deals. I didn't know it was that big of an operation. That's amazing.

[Tommy]

Yeah. So like the unique thing about us is that like the operation actually runs a little bit differently because people say on our team, like, hey, I work for Delivered, we're negotiating for a client. The whole reason we have the content is I always wanted to create this company where I really just didn't ever advertise myself. I would teach people how to use this, I would teach people how to do the task and I would give people an offer so good that it would almost be stupid to say no. And that's kind of been the whole mentality. So I teach everybody how to buy a car. So I'm always, always negotiating as just a random person. Not as Tommy the negotiator. Because I want to teach people how to buy a car. I want to give everybody the insight. And if you look at my page, you really won't find, like, advertisements for my service. I think I have a pinned video from, like, three years ago, and that's, like, all you'll see. Because really, the main point is I want to educate. I want to tell people how to buy a car. Because I don't think that this. That I have a magic wand or a secret sauce to save people thousands. I'm good at what I do. But if you're willing to put the time in, you can get a great deal.

[Kelly]

Yeah, I also. I think people and your. Your customers probably really resonate with that, with that honesty. Because what. Because you're right, anyone can technically do what you're doing, and you're actually teaching people how to do what you do. But a lot of people, then we see the same thing with our audience. A lot of people don't want or don't have the time to find the car, you know, negotiate the deal. And they just also want someone who they can trust to ask questions to. And I think that that's another thing that really grinds my gears about the auto industry is I feel like other industries have kind of nailed, like, advocacy. Like, people are comfortable asking their realtor all sorts of questions related to home ownership. People are not comfortable asking their salesperson that. And I think that's really freaking sad, to be honest.

[Liz]

Yeah, that's interesting.

[Kelly]

Yeah.

[Tommy]

And I think there's a lot of different things to go about it, but I think the general. I mean, because the Gallup poll is rated car salesman, rated 7%, people trust a car salesman, which is crazy. And that's for, like, 50 years. But, like, one of the things that I've really honed down on is right now, the majority of car salesmen are paid off gross profit. Basically, the more money you spend and the more money they make. The more money. Sorry, the more money you spend, the more money they make. So they always have a divided interest. So it's really hard to trust somebody that has your best interest at heart when you know that they're. One of their major goals is to make you spend more money. So. So I've been telling the car industry since day one, I think getting rid of commission sales and paying people a really good salary would go a long way to consumers. Knowing that I have no incentive to sell you a car other than just taking care of you, I think that would Go a long way.

[Kelly]

Yeah, yeah, that's. That's really interesting. And it's not that I disagree with you, but I also wonder like when I was selling cars, yes, we were on commission, but the problem was our managers never told us how much money were in any of the deals. Deals.

[Tommy]

That's true.

[Kelly]

So like I actually never knew until the deal was done. And they. I don't know if this how your dealership was, but our dealership, they would write the deal on the board and the different colors like corresponded like what the front end gross was. So like red was like a mini. So like red was like 200 bucks and then like blue, green and then a multi colored was like 5k plus front end gross. So yeah, I agree. I think maybe or just dealers need to like kind of tight lip that like. I'm telling you, I had no idea. We never knew what our gross was. Was.

[Tommy]

It's. And again it depends with all the newer software that's come out as of. So when I first started selling cars, you couldn't see it. But after all the new CRMs and software came out, it was really easy to see what kind of profit was in a deal and just reverse the math. But when I first started it was the same way. But eventually as new software came out, it made it easier and easier for car salesmen to kind of back around, figure out what's worth it, what's not.

[Kelly]

Yeah, totally. Well, and I think there's also something that, that wasn't great about that because I also, I had no information on the car, on the trade. So I was the girl who's like, I gotta ask my manager. I have to ask my manager. And customers don't like that either. But I'm like, no, you don't understand. Like I can see nothing. I can see what you can see. I have no idea what we have in the car, what I can give you for your car. And I once I had a guy be like, you're not getting up, you're telling me. And I'm like, buddy, we can sit here all day. I have no authority to do that with you.

[Liz]

Yeah, I do see that all the time. I feel like when I watch like these car buying videos, they're like, like, don't let them go back to the manager. This is a sales tactic. I know it wasn't a sales tactic in your experience, Kelly? Tommy, was it a sales tactic in your experience?

[Tommy]

I mean you do. It's not that you don't want them to get up, but I mean it is a there, there is a time wasting part portion of it. Like the industry is built in a way that it's supposed to take more time. Like the simplest answer would be why? Why doesn't the car salesman have the ability to make all these decisions? And the reason being is it's more profitable because you have an outsider. They're going to become just like it's emotional for you to buy a car, it's emotional for them to sell a car because they're trying to feed their family. So like they would be more willing, I think car salespeople would actually be more willing to give away cars and give the discounts you're asking for. So that's why you have the third party, which is the manager and that is a sales tactic itself. But 1000% you need to get them up because the car salesman can actually make a decision. They can't actually do what they need to. So you have to let them get up. But you need to go in with an offer and let them know like, you know, I don't want to play the back and forth. This is the offer, take it or leave it and don't be afraid to walk away.

[Kelly]

So I want to hear your maybe strategies or maybe what delivered offers because in terms of what's the right word, like car locating. Because that seems like to be a really hot button issue with my audience especially, especially my audience in the new car market who are after either specific trim levels or you know, we still have Toyota who just like can't seem to get their inventory figured out for the life of them or what do you say to people who are after a unicorn?

[Tommy]

Yeah, so understanding. Especially like in the Toyota world there are PIOs and LIOs which are port installed accessories. Some people get really picky on those. If you're being a Toyota or Lexus buyer, understand you might need to have an extra set of floor mats you weren't planning on buying or some mudguards. Don't be that picky.

[Kelly]

Tommy, what car do you drive?

[Tommy]

I have two. So I have a Mazda CX90 in a premium plus turbo, which is our daily driver. We put more miles in that car than anything else. I bought the CX70 and I don't know about you guys, I, I thought it was going to be a good idea and then I realized that it was just a stupid car.

[Kelly]

It just not our favorite. It's not our favorite.

[Tommy]

Again, it just doesn't make any sense. Like why, like why pay the same price without a third row? Like if it was, it saved me money or I, I was frustrated.

[Kelly]

But you're a Mazda guy, huh?

[Tommy]

Yeah, I do like Mazda. Top three in reliability or top five in reliability, depending who you ask. But you get crazy incentives. 0%, 1.9% most awarded by the IHS.

[Kelly]

Mazda.

[Tommy]

Yeah, absolutely. Didn't you just say that it passed more safety. That's. Yeah. So super safe car. It's great for our dogs. We don't have a full family, we just have dogs. So it's great for them. And then I have a BMW M5, which is my sports car that I drive, drive once a week as just a date night car or whatever you want to call it.

[Kelly]

Oh, okay. That's so fun. You know, I sold BMWs.

[Tommy]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[Kelly]

Yeah, that's what I sold. It was, it was humbling. It was hard. I was like 22. I actually had like, never bought a car in my life. Everyone told me I was going to be so good at selling cars because I grew up in the business. I'm like, no, my parents have never bought a car. I've never bought a car in my life. So it was a learning curve.

[Tommy]

Which, which part was hard? Was it the customers and how they treated you? Was it the dealership? Was the culture? Was it just the whole thing?

[Kelly]

Yes, it was the customers. Like, because a lot of it was, you know, I wasn't dealing with like a lot of pregnant moms or first time car buyers. I was dealing with a lot of like, just older men, older women who had just like bought more cars in my life than I had sold. Like, it was just, they were really intense and it was a lot of enthusiasts and you know, they start quoting like, you know, model numbers. I'm like, it's the M5. Yeah. But they're like, is it the FS? And I'm like, yeah, I have no idea. Like, you're gonna have to stop right there. But it was. But I learned a lot. I mean, I actually loved, I loved selling cars. I actually thought it was really fun. And I wonder if you had the same kind of. I mean, did you feel like when you were in the industry you felt like slimy with what you were doing or did you feel like you were a good, A good, A good egg?

[Tommy]

No. So. So, you know, I was in phone sales before this and long story short, I left that and I was. And car sales is supposed to be just a stopgap for me. I needed a job, pay bill, and I'm like, I'll Sell cars for a little bit. They accept anybody. And I sold my first car, and I got. I always say it's a high. It is the craziest good feeling that you ever have because you feel like you just made an impact in somebody's life. And I think that feeling over will make you justify doing everything you do because you're taking care of somebody. I never felt slimy. I never felt bad. It wasn't until my. The last day where I realized that I could never fix this industry for consumers from the inside. I had to leave in order to fix it, which is when I left. But I never felt like slime in the industry. I never felt bad, so to speak. I just felt like I was doing my job.

[Kelly]

Yeah, I agree. I never felt that way either. I mean, there was definitely. Sometimes you'd look at a credit app and you're like, they have no business buying this car. But, like, that's not. Yeah, that's not your problem.

[Tommy]

That's their.

[Kelly]

Yeah, totally. Okay, Tommy, tell us a little bit just quickly about, like, the delivered experience, like, kind of. And I think we should just put it out there. I'm going to kind of put you on the spot. I do see a world where it's like car mom X delivered. Like, I do the consultation, they decide what the car they want, they buy the car, and then we tell them what car seats need to go in that car.

[Tommy]

I'm. This is. This is a vibe and an idea, and I love it because that's one of the things that people want to do. And 60% of our audience right now and 60% of our client base are actually with women. It's a large portion because they feel so disenfranchised at the dealership. But the model is really simple. You know, my entire idea is to make this the world's best car buying experience ever. So we start off with. And you'll have five people working on your deal at any given time, but you only speak to two, which. The first person you talk to is your consult. And your consult, little different than yours is really going through just making sure you understand what's about to happen here. Going through and explaining what kind of deals that are going to be on the car, explaining, asking what kind of distance you're willing to travel. We're not really talking about the car itself, but really talking about the delivered process, making sure financing, leasing, making sure that all of our ducks in a row after that, we have an entire team of strategists that go through and look at the market as a whole, decide what makes the most sense for you. And then we have a team of negotiators that go out and start negotiating. We negotiate with your local market, we negotiate with out of across the country and then we compile all of that data and we have a deal specialist that comes through and actually goes through all of that information with you. We had a deal that had 38 offers the other day. Now that's a lot to go through. We go through and say, hey, there's 38 offers. Let me show you the three that matter. And then if you want to look at the rest of them, you can. What I love is you have a mobile app that's like super easy to use. You don't have to download anything, no login. So you can literally click one link and you can see every call that they're making, every sheet that you get. So it's a super transparent process. Process. But once you say yes to a deal, we connect you in the dealership, we make sure all the paperwork is pre printed, you go to the dealership, sign the paperwork and you're done. Wow.

[Kelly]

No, it sounds like a dream. Tommy. You honestly just kind of cosplay as like this like streamer who just like sits in front of like, like seriously?

[Liz]

I totally agree.

[Kelly]

Don't you agree with me? Like, yeah, like you're. That's what like that's the front and then the back is like major tech company. Like who are you? You have an app.

[Tommy]

App? Yeah, it is. I have to show it to you. It is so cool. Because what's also great is the dealerships have their own app. So like dealerships that know who we are can easily put in bids for clients. All of their information is private. So dealerships are able to get faster bids over to the, to our clients. Our clients are able to see this in real time and we have like trust ratings with them. If we've done 50 deals with them, if we've done one deal with them, it's this really, really cool ecosystem that makes it so it works really well for us. Our clients have a very transparent car buying process. And again, it's so easy because now the number just keeps going down and down and it's almost a game for him.

[Kelly]

That's so crazy. I know. I mean, so cool. Okay, Tommy, before we let you go, we have a segment called Ditch the drive thru. So like after a long day of negotiating deals, first of all, woof. What do you make when you like don't want to go get takeout. Like you just want to eat at home, but you're so exhausted. What is your ditch? The drive through.

[Tommy]

Okay, so this is a meal that I've made for a long time. It is one of the meals I feel like I solidified my fiance with. She would make me make this like three times a week. It's super simple. Korean beef and rice.

[Kelly]

Okay.

[Tommy]

All it is, I'm a big Korean guy. I love Korean food. I've always wanted to go to Korea. Korean barbecue is my favorite meal. But this is like the easiest Korean meal you can ever make if you want to explore some of the flavors. And all you do is ground some ground beef. 80, 20 is fine. And then you're going to use brown sugar, gochu yang, soy sauce, sesame oil, some sesame seeds. I'm missing something here. And you just put a sauce, all of that stuff together. Oh, and ginger, ground ginger and red pepper flakes. You put all that in sauce, you let that go just like, just make it just like tacos, but with those Korean flavors. You put it over a bowl of rice and it's delicious.

[Liz]

Sounds delicious.

[Kelly]

No, it sounds delicious. And we're always talking about things to do with ground beef, you know, because it's like such like a go to easy protein especially. And it's a good weeknight meal too. Like, you brown the beef and you could even like brown that ahead of time. You could also freeze the whole thing.

[Tommy]

Like it's a 20 minute meal. It's so quick, so easy. Just put it in the rice cooker. Put that in. By the time the rice is done, your meat's done and then done.

[Liz]

Love a new way to make ground beef.

[Kelly]

We're all, we're always talking about that, Elizabeth.

[Tommy]

Ground beef and chicken. I. I heard that adults are just finding different ways to make ground beef and chicken.

[Liz]

Yeah, I know. It's like, what ethnicity is my ground beef or chicken going to be tonight? Like, that's all that.

[Kelly]

Oh, my gosh. I totally agree. Well, Tommy, thank you so much for joining the Carbil podcast today. You guys can find Tommy at delivered question mark on all socials.

[Tommy]

Delivered to me or delivered. If you type in delivered, you'll find

[Kelly]

it, but there's no spell it for us.

[Tommy]

D E, L, I V R D Boom.

[Kelly]

What is the Harry Potter stuff?

[Tommy]

Oh, so funny enough. So when I'm Harry Potter, I've always been a big Harry Potter fan nerd. And this is a custom painting that somebody made for me and I just had in my last house because I wanted Something nice. And then when I moved studios, I was like, I'm going to. To elevate this. So I put some nice books, put the Wall Street Journal piece, and I was going to put something else there. And my audience lost it. I could not. Like, they were refusing to watch me without the Harry Potter piece. So it's not even, like, hung there. It's just sitting there. It's like they felt like I was losing my Tommy Ness by not having it there. So that is my Harry Potter. I'm a big Harry Potter nerd. Love it.

[Kelly]

Tommy, you don't know this about me, but I am not a Harry Potter nerd. But I accidentally did something so Harry Potter coded. Oh, so my son's names are George and Fred. Whoops. Yeah.

[Liz]

Spit his water out on that one.

[Kelly]

My daughter's name, Harriet.

[Tommy]

Oh, my gosh, it's there. I'm waiting for you to say Ginny. And I was gonna.

[Kelly]

I'm not done. And with my fourth daughter, my fourth. My youngest, our name was Ginny. Like, I was gonna name her Virginia and call her Ginny and. And I was like, I can't do this. Like, I literally. Elizabeth. Right. So I ended up naming her Elizabeth and we call her Libby, which, like, literally just to put the Harry Potter. My dog's name is Tom. Like, it's bad.

[Tommy]

It would have been so great if you just didn't know the entire time and just people would be gaslighting you and be like, no, you knew. Like, I promise you I did.

[Kelly]

I know. But Fred and George, people do ask me, like, oh, like Harry Potter, like the Weasleys twins.

[Liz]

You didn't realize Fred and George until after. I think Fred was.

[Kelly]

But then Harriet.

[Liz]

Harry, like, that's the one we put Harriet. Yeah.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

I should have done it.

[Kelly]

No, that would be bad.

[Tommy]

That would be bad. Okay.

[Kelly]

That would be bad. They're not twins.

[Liz]

Truly. It's truly been all an accident.

[Kelly]

They're not twins and they're blonde. So, like, you know, it's fine. Like, we keep them separate. But yeah, that's. That's my accidental Harry Potter lore. Our mom was a big Harry Potter girl. Like, she read us all the books growing up.

[Tommy]

Yeah, that's how I got into them.

[Kelly]

I'm excited for. When do you think the good age to start Harry Potter? Like, with my kids, probably not till like 12.

[Tommy]

12? Yeah, 12 is good. I started reading them at like 8 or 9 because I was a nerd.

[Kelly]

Well, you seem like the type that was.

[Tommy]

That was what? But, like, reading them it probably. Probably shouldn't have, but, yeah, I'd say 12 is probably a good. Where you really understand and comprehend them.

[Kelly]

Yeah. Okay, I agree. So we'll. We'll kick that can down the road. Well, Tommy, sorry for that side quest, but thank you so much for joining the Carble podcast. I mean, seriously, I'm. I have so much respect for what you're doing. I think you do a great job.

[Tommy]

I have so much respect for you.

[Liz]

Go follow Tommy on Instagram. His videos are very entertaining to watch. Just, like, love seeing you negotiate.

[Kelly]

I know my husband is always watching your videos. So funny. And, like, he has no stuff. My husband's never buying a car. Like. Like, my husband will never negotiate a car.

[Liz]

And he's like, oh, like, no, same. Literally same. I just love it.

[Tommy]

Thank you guys so much. I appreciate it.

[Kelly]

All right, thanks, Tommy. Thank you for listening to the Carpool podcast with Kelly and Liz. Make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode. And if you enjoyed riding with us, tell everybody you know there's room in the car for everyone.