When the Wind Dies Down

David Spisak, CEO of Disruptive Growth Solutions, isn’t sounding an alarm — he’s offering direction. In a year defined by tariffs, affordability challenges, and a cooling EV market, his latest perspective skips the clichés and gets to the heart of what today’s dealership landscape really demands: leadership with intention.

He doesn’t promise a rescue. He doesn’t hint at a holiday surge. What he gives instead is clarity — and in the final stretch of 2025, clarity is an underrated competitive advantage.

The Shift from Tailwinds to Self-Generated Momentum

For most of the past decade, external forces did a lot of the heavy lifting.

Supply constraints. Surging demand. Record grosses.

Dealers didn’t need a strong sail; the wind carried everyone forward.

But that cycle is gone.

Spisak calls out what many have quietly felt: the next two months won’t deliver the comeback some hoped for. The tariffs are here. The affordability squeeze has settled in. EV demand was pulled forward. The government shutdown slowed more than headlines suggested.

And yet, none of that means stores are destined for a weak finish.

It just means the outcomes are internal, not external.

The Internal Drivers That Actually Move the Needle

When Spisak says, “Your outcomes are 100% reliant on you,” he’s not talking about lone-wolf grit. He’s pointing toward the fundamentals that separate resilient stores from reactive ones:

• Discipline when traffic slows

• Consistency when deals take longer

• Intensity when motivation dips

• People-first leadership especially when pressure rises

These aren’t soft skills. They’re survival skills.

And they turn uncertainty into structure, which is exactly what customers need in moments like this.

The Year-End Mindset That Wins

There’s something powerful about treating every day like the last day of the year. The urgency sharpens. Follow-up gets tighter. Customer care rises. Leaders stop assuming tomorrow will bring the momentum today didn’t.

It’s not desperation — it’s presence.

And presence is magnetic in a market that feels foggy.

The stores that adopt that mindset don’t just finish strong. They set themselves up to capitalize on whatever good news comes next, whether it’s improved economic confidence or a resolution in Washington.

The Takeaway

External tailwinds come and go.

Leadership doesn’t.

Spisak’s message is a reminder that the strongest operators aren’t waiting for the market to change. They’re changing the part they can reach: themselves, their teams, their culture, their execution.

When the wind dies down, the leaders who know how to row are the ones who move.

ASOTU Take

Across the industry, the most consistent thread we’re hearing from operators is this: discipline is the new advantage. Inventory, incentives, and market conditions will always shift. But the stores that stay grounded in people, process, and daily execution are the ones outperforming expectations right now.

If the end of the year feels uncertain, you’re not falling behind — you’re in the exact environment where great leadership proves itself.

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