From Single Store to Multi-State: The Scaling Playbook

The Journey from One Rooftop to Many

Dan Banister’s career started the old-fashioned way,  selling Nissans in 1992. 

By 2017, he’d bought out his partners, taking full control of two Nissan stores in Virginia.

That’s when the growth phase began.

His first expansion felt natural. The stores were 15 minutes apart, in markets where he was already known. Marketing and branding were already in place, and he could shuttle staff between locations easily.

But things got harder, fast.

 In 2021, he bought a Ford store three hours away.

In 2024, he added a Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram store and a Mitsubishi store, both in new markets.

These were not turn-key acquisitions. The Ford store had poor CSI scores and a weak reputation. The new CDJR and Mitsubishi stores weren’t much better. Few local customers had even heard of him.

The mission was clear:

• Rebuild community trust

• Install proven processes

• Find and keep the right people

• Deliver visible, consistent leadership — even from hours away

The Culture Transfer Problem

When Banister buys a store, his first instinct is to keep most of the staff.

It’s faster, cheaper, and easier if you can build on existing relationships.

But with these struggling stores, that wasn’t possible.

He replaced much of the leadership team and many variable operations staff.

It wasn’t just about skills,  it was about aligning with the culture that had made his other stores work.

In his words: “I had to make sure they understood, this is new ownership, new leadership, new management.”

The good news? By transplanting trusted managers from existing stores, he could seed the culture instantly. Even when he couldn’t be there physically every day, his processes, playbooks, and people made his presence felt.

How Dealers Can Start Scaling and Make It Stick

You don’t need to jump from one store to five in two years. But if you want to grow without losing your identity, you need a plan that travels.

Step 1 — Document Your Playbook
Before you add stores, write down exactly what makes your current one work.
Include:

• Sales process and scripts

• Marketing and branding guidelines

• Customer service standards

• Performance tracking methods

Step 2 — Build a Bench of Leaders
Identify high-performers who could take leadership roles in a new store.
Train them now, before you need them.

Step 3 — Standardize Tech and Tools
Use the same CRM, DMS, appraisal tools, and key tracking across all locations.
Uniform systems make scaling faster and integration smoother.

Step 4 — Lead the Reputation Reset
When entering a new market, make “New Ownership” the headline in all marketing.
Show up in the community early and often.

Step 5 — Audit and Adjust
Hold regular check-ins with the new store’s leadership.
Don’t just look at the numbers, listen for culture shifts that need correcting.

The Takeaway

Scaling isn’t just stacking rooftops like Legos.
It’s carrying your best people, processes, and reputation into a new market  and proving you can win there too.

Banister’s journey shows that with the right culture, tools, and leadership bench, even a failing store three hours away can become a high performer.

If your systems can’t travel without you, you’re not ready to scale. Build them now, and growth becomes a choice, not a gamble.