The Turn Around Project
Episode 1: 90 Days to Save What Took 20 Years to Build
I built a dealership, sold it, and then watched — with a growing sense of dismay — as it began to unravel. Now I’m stepping back in, driven by the feeling that I owe it to the store, the people, and the community to try and save it. And this time, I’m doing it publicly, with everything I’ve learned — and everything I’ve got — on full display.
Years ago, my family and I built this place from the ground up. We didn’t inherit a legacy; we laid every tile, created every system, hired and trained every team member. It was more than a business — it was an identity. And for a long time, it thrived.
From left to right: Mike Cunningham (he was Piaggio dealer development when we opened and has remained a mentor of mine in the industry ever since), Me, my mom Gayle, my dad Steve, and my brother Zach (who is now every dealer’s go-to for dealership insurance).
But that success came at a cost.
Running a dealership is like sprinting a marathon with no finish line. The pace never slows. I loved the work, the people, the energy — but eventually, the weight of constant motion took its toll. By the time we sold, skipping a paycheck wasn’t hypothetical — it was happening. At home, I had a toddler and a newborn who needed their dad, and a wife who needed more than my exhausted presence. I was burned out, and it was bleeding into everything — our marriage, our family, even the business itself.
We sold. But stepping away didn’t mean letting go.
This industry raised me. I grew up sweeping floors, learning the parts systems, helping customers long before I was old enough to ride. Back then, I didn’t understand how brutal this market could be — or how rare it was to build something that truly lasted. We weren’t trying to make things flawless; we were simply trying to keep the doors open, one decision at a time. And when survival is the goal, failure doesn’t feel like a business outcome — it feels personal.
That kind of pressure either sharpens you or it breaks you. In my case, it did both. And in the process, it sparked something.
When I joined a 20 Group and met Sam Dantzler, I finally had the freedom — and the support — to question everything. I started testing new ideas, trying different staffing models, rewriting job descriptions, building tools to help people close more sales without burning out. A lot of it didn’t work. Some of it fell completely flat. But I had room to iterate, to fail, to keep going. Over time, the things that worked began to stack up. Eventually, I started training others on those proven processes through Garage Composites.
Powersports Business article from back in 2018 when we brought on BMW
For the past eight years — two of which before I sold the store — I’ve helped dealerships across the country improve processes, boost proficiency, and grow profit. It’s been incredibly fulfilling. But also, if I’m being honest, a little frustrating.
Here’s the part I didn’t expect: even the best ideas only stick in a few places long term. I’ve repeated the same frameworks, stories, and scripts hundreds of times. They’re still true. Still useful. But they haven’t changed the industry at the scale I’d hoped.
So I started asking: what makes a dealership exceptional — and how do we design the dealership of the future to make that the norm?
I don’t believe it’s the brands you sell, the comp plans you offer, or even the profits you post. The best stores transform customers into more adventurous versions of themselves. People don’t just buy bikes or side-by-sides. They buy identity. Community. A sense of belonging.
If dealerships leaned into that — truly became hubs for a lifestyle — the rest would follow. Profit. Retention. Culture. It’s all connected.
That’s why, three years ago, I pulled together a team of industry pros to figure out what it would actually take. We started with one question: What builds loyalty?
Over two years, we analyzed millions of transactions across dozens of dealerships. The data was so complex we had to build software just to process it. But when the dust settled, the patterns were clear: loyalty drives profitability. Period.
It sounds obvious — but hardly anyone was acting on it.
At the very moment we were shouting this from every mountaintop we could find, the industry was heading straight into a storm. Stores were struggling just to stay afloat. And while the idea of reinventing the model sounded great in theory, most dealers simply didn’t have the time or appetite for the kind of risk that meaningful change would require in a moment like this.
Then, something unexpected happened: my old store — the one I sold six years ago — began to spiral.
The friend I’d sold it to had done everything right. He navigated COVID like a pro, then sold to a larger group before the market turned. Great timing — for him.
But for the group? Not so much.
They didn’t fail because they were reckless. They failed because the market shifted. Supply caught up with demand, then passed it. And suddenly, the store I helped build was in real danger.
When I heard how bad things had gotten — losing well over $50,000 a month — I felt something twist inside me. Not because of pride or nostalgia, but because the community it served was about to lose something that mattered. And in some unspoken way, I felt responsible.
So I made a pitch — maybe the craziest one I’ve ever made.
Let me try to fix it.
The front doors and a small part of our BEAUTIFUL showroom (yes, I’m biased)
Give me 90 days — historically the slowest 90 days of the year — to bring it back to break even. If we can’t keep it alive, at least we’ll go down swinging.
And then I thought: why not make it public?
I’ve spent eight years teaching people how to fix broken dealerships. I’ve spent three of those years building models to make it easier. What better way to test it all than in the store that shaped me?
So that’s what I’m doing.
Over the next 12 weeks, I’ll document every win, every setback, every line I’ve taught — even the ones that fall flat. I’ll share the hard lessons, the humbling moments, and the things I have to relearn in real time. Names will be changed to protect the people involved — but everything else will be real.
If it works? Then we’ve built a blueprint that helps the industry evolve.
If it doesn’t? I torch my reputation — and you’ll get a front-row seat.
Either way, I think the story’s worth telling.
Follow the story here and in Powersports Business
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Stay tuned here in Powersports Business for Episode 2: The details of what I’m stepping into.
