🚗 The Budget Bill and More Q2 Data

TOGETHER WITH

Thursday, July 3rd.

The news today has us thinking:

If more is caught than taught, leadership is more show than tell.

How you serve, use tech, and care sets an example for the people around you.

And examples—good or bad—tend to compound.

Maybe it’s time to set the bar higher? 

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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THE UNION

Budget Bills, Q2 Thrills, and V8 Frills

Today’s stories don’t just raise questions about sales volume. They surface something bigger: How aligned are your tools, your data, and your message with what customers actually want?

Let’s start at the top:

The U.S. Senate passed a razor-thin budget bill that could eliminate EV tax credits by September 30, scrap CAFE penalties, and let buyers deduct car loan interest—if they choose certain U.S.-built models. It's a dealer-relevant remix of incentives and enforcement, and it’s heading to the House next. (We break it down on the podcast.)

Hyundai, meanwhile, is riding high with its best-ever U.S. sales run, driven by strong EV performance, new Georgia production, and IONIQ lease offers starting at $179/month. The future? Local, affordable, and fast-moving.

On the retail side, Brian Pasch dropped a sharp reminder: clean, connected data isn’t optional anymore—it’s foundational. Our latest LinkedIn Digest dives into what that looks like, from CDPs to CRM to sales enablement.

Also in the mix:

• Q2 sales climbed, but mostly because buyers raced to beat rising prices. Tesla and Rivian? Way down. Ford, GM, Hyundai? Way up.

• The Cars.com’s Made in America Index showed domestic production as a new trust marker for shoppers.

• A viral Reddit post exposed just how easily a back-office delay can turn into a reputation bruise.

• Stellantis is bringing back SRT and the V8—a branding revival with real showroom potential.

➕ More on LinkedIn

🥊 Quick Hits

• The U.S. and Vietnam struck a deal that will allow American goods to enter the Southeast Asian nation duty-free. ⚓️ 

• China was kinda over soccer, so they added robots. Now they like it again. ⚽️ 

• Private sector jobs dropped 33K in June. 😓 

TOGETHER WITH TRADEPENDING

Retention is Hard, Just Ask England

Here on the eve of Independence Day, we celebrate America's birthday.

We also acknowledge that keeping your customers coming back to your dealership is hard. Heck, even the Imperial Superpower of England couldn't keep ahold of the colonies.

Fortunately, TradePending makes customer retention a breeze with Value Watch.

Value Watch sends your customers and your leads automated monthly texts and emails tracking their vehicle's value over time, while nudging them towards your service specials.

Lifelong brand awareness and customer retention without lifting a finger? That's revolutionary!

TECHNOLOGY

Leading with AI

Executives using AI daily aren’t just experimenting—they’re leading transformation from the top down. New research from Salesforce makes it plain: AI isn’t a tool you delegate, it’s one you demonstrate.

That means using it to pressure test your strategy, stress-test a new department rollout, or get a second opinion before a big bet. Top leaders are treating AI like a cognitive co-pilot, then watching adoption ripple through their teams.

If you're an operator who wants your staff to use AI more confidently, here's your cheat code:

• Use it yourself—often.

• Show your work.

• Fix your data. (You know that CRM cleanup you’ve been putting off? That’s the bottleneck.)

Culture change doesn’t start with a memo. It starts with modeling.

Dealers who make AI a habit today are building an edge no one can buy, steal, or borrow tomorrow.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Leading From Eye Level with Kielan Whitner

Paul J Daly sat down with Townsend Nissan’s Kielan Whitner to explore what it really means to lead from “eye level.”

His approach? Lead with empathy, be accessible, and create a dealership culture where personal connection drives professional performance.

🔁 Today in History

• 1884 – Dow Jones & Company publishes its first stock average. 📈 

• 1886 – Karl Benz officially unveils the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, the first purpose-built automobile. 🚜 

• 1886 – The New-York Tribune becomes the first newspaper to use a linotype machine, eliminating typesetting by hand. 📰 

That’s it for today, friend.