🚗 Year-End Hustle

🚙 Q4 Strategy with Patrick Abad, Waymo's Bus Backlash, and the Power of Inclusion

October 21, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

 

Welcome to Tuesday, Friend!

You powered through the start of the week, and the hardest day is done.

May the rest of your week be smooth sailing.

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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From the Automotive State of the Union

It’s Q4 Strategy Week and Paul and Kyle are joined by Patrick Abad from Beaver Toyota and Mazda to talk about leading when the pressure’s on. They dig into things like:

  • The holidays demand a real balancing act. Great leaders know how to protect family time while still pushing hard on year-end sales.

  • You have to involve the right people. Don’t just lean on managers. Tap the real influencers on your team early so they feel ownership, not obligation.

  • If you’re going to run a promotion, you have to go all-in. Half-measures kill momentum and make your team lose trust fast.

From The News w/ ASOTU

Click here to read the full digest.

CFPB Considers Scaling Back Oversight

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is weighing changes to how it supervises nonbank auto lenders. Right now, lenders that handle 10,000 deals per year fall under stricter rules. But with 80 percent of all originations coming from just 18 companies, the CFPB says it may be time to focus its attention elsewhere. If adopted, the change could ease compliance pressure for buy-here-pay-here dealers and other small players.

Waymo Faces School Bus Backlash

One of Waymo’s driverless taxis passed a stopped school bus with kids unloading. Now the NHTSA is investigating. The AV was operating without a safety driver at the time. Waymo blames limited visibility and says it has already issued a software update. For dealers, it’s another reminder that the road to autonomy still has a few potholes.

GM Plots More Budget-Friendly EVs

GM says the $30,000 Bolt returning in 2027 is just the start. President Mark Reuss confirmed that a series of compact EVs at similar price points is in the works. Details are still limited, but these new models could help fill key affordability gaps in the EV lineup and attract more first-time electric buyers.

Cable Thieves Cause Charging Crisis

Charging cable theft is rising across the US and Europe, forcing networks to invest in deterrents like GPS trackers, alarms and tougher materials. Each incident can cost operators thousands in repairs and downtime. For dealers, it’s a growing pain point worth addressing with buyers—and protecting against at the store level.

Innovation in Motion

AutoMobility LA returns November 20th for a full day of connection and innovation. Industry leaders, policymakers, and visionaries will gather to explore how technology, infrastructure, and design are shaping what comes next in transportation.

Join media and automotive professionals for panels, previews, and conversations that set the tone for the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Plus, as a special treat for our community, enjoy 25% off registration with code MoreThanCars.

EVERYTHING ELSE

Quick Hits

  • 🛒 Retail: Total returns in retail are projected to reach $849.9B this year. 💸

  • ✈️ Travel: The FAA says flyers may experience delays at airports in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and Newark as the government shutdown drags on.

  • 🌎 World: The U.S. and Australia sign a rare earth deal worth $8.5B.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

As VP of New Business Development & Growth Markets at S&P Global, Marc Bland knows where profit really comes from—loyalty, inclusion, and intentional strategy across design, marketing, retail, F&I, and service.

His thesis is blunt: if you want revenue, net profit, and customers, you need inputs from everyone and execution that actually matches the marketing.

In this conversation, Marc shares why Black consumers are the most loyal in auto, how to turn inclusion into retention, and his “triangle offense” for growth.

Discover more with the full conversation here.

Today in History

  • 1879: Thomas Edison and his team successfully demonstrated a practical and durable incandescent light bulb that burned for 13.5 hours. 💡

  • 1959: The Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opens in New York City. 🍎

  • 1975: Coast Guard Academy first allows women to enroll. ⚓️

Thanks for reading along, Friend!

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