Auto Congress in Washington, Former Tesla Class Acts, Sonos for Days

‍SPEAKERS

Kyle Mountsier, Paul, Paul Daly

Paul Daly  00:25

Yo, it's Friday. On a Friday, everybody we had so much to talk about in and outside the industry, automotive Congress was yesterday, and Tesla employees are taking to LinkedIn. The people really want to know who isn't who I need. They started, I need to let them bounce.

Kyle Mountsier  00:43

Remember the bounce? We need to bounce just a little bit longer on this Friday. I love that line. I'm the one that called Lucky Charm.

Paul Daly  00:57

I don't I don't feel like that today. I woke up this morning, Kyle. This is the first two sentences we've exchanged all morning. I woke up today to a basement of water in my son's room that we just finished a call from our fixed ops manager congruent here with a studio where I come every day. And it's never good news when somebody calls in the morning, because you know, it's not like, Hey, man, I just want you to make sure you're set up for an awesome Friday. I really appreciate everything you've been doing for me. It's never that it's like, are you almost here? What why? It's like, there's water everywhere. We just had a massive de luz in Syracuse yesterday. And so like, I've heard stories of people literally water coming up from the toilets on the first floor of bill, because of as much rain as the gun.

Kyle Mountsier  01:42

Yes, that is nuts. We don't even know what rain is anymore. In Nashville. Actually. We're like, there's a range of this in the world, each 103 and sunny, I thought that was the only way we got any more. We've forgotten

Paul Daly  01:58

oh man, we have so much to talk about today, when we we've been talking about asotucon all week, and we're going to keep talking about it, we started building the website, we have a lot of sponsors, we call them collaborators lining up and just locking in, and everyone that locks in, we just get more excited that we're going to have another really unique activation, I made us it's a good thing. So if you haven't already registered at asotucon.com We are in a very limited industry partner tickets. So that's your only chance to get one as being pre registered on that list. When we released the eligibility. And we got a lot of,

Kyle Mountsier  02:32

you know, what we haven't talked a lot about, we're going to have about 350 dealer tickets for sale, which is also not a massive amount. Now again, like thinking about all of the other events that you go to, and I'm gonna go ahead and I hope you're okay with this, I'm gonna announce rice real quick. I'm okay with it. When when when you

Paul Daly  02:53

are proud of it. I know we're pulling up for this ticket price. I'm

Kyle Mountsier  02:56

really proud of it. Unbelievable. So for that whole 48 hours, the night before event, the full conference of two days for any dealer, it's only going to be $399. So $399 get you a ticket to all of the content, which is that's unbelievable. You're like, you

Paul Daly  03:15

know this like last day events. underpriced at least and we're like, Hey, we're trying to bring the fire in this event. Yes, this is our flag in the sand moment. We're people are going to see and anyone who gets to go is going to be like, this is the best $399

Kyle Mountsier  03:31

I've ever seen. And what's also cool, it's like overall trip costs, right? Every meal is a part of what we're doing. So literally 123456 meals. You're right. Yeah, I didn't even realize that. Right. So like low expenses. Right? Breakfast,

Paul Daly  03:47

Hell's and breakfast, full lunch, full dinner, right? Like

Kyle Mountsier  03:50

your hotels are anywhere between our room blocks are going to be anywhere between 140 and 170. So you're not looking at $200

Paul Daly  03:58

We got those. We got those casino hotel rooms for 140 to 170.

Kyle Mountsier  04:02

Yeah, it's unbelievable. Yes. And then and then not just that, but I've looked at flights from Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, like all the major cities, this side of the Mississippi. And they're really inexpensive. And everyone has a one way ticket. So it's like when you direct flat tire costs of a trip, you're not talking a couple $1,000 You're like talking just maybe barely into that $1,000 Oh my gosh,

Paul Daly  04:32

which is why we want you to bring some people that you usually wouldn't bring to a conference. Yes, part of this conference is we're intentionally including the non management levels, the people that usually go like maybe management level, but usually it's a lot of GMs which will have a lot of GM will have a lot of owners, but bring somebody who's just been crushing it or showing a lot of potential in your store. If you want them to really lean into automotive and get fired up, get them around us. Bring them close, right you're gonna come home pumped up and enter dies and it's not going to cost a lot of money. Yes, Melvin and most importantly, Philly cheese steaks. This is gonna be awesome bass has Philly cheese. No, no, no, no, hold on. Let me give you a little education. It doesn't just have Philly cheese steaks, right. It's got to Geno's Steaks. The one everyone takes a picture of in Philly. There's actually one in the venue that's going to open up at lunchtime. You can just go get a cheesesteak from Geno's. Come on, we're not playing man. There's no second rate catering Hall. I

Kyle Mountsier  05:28

keep saying this. But y'all we didn't come here to but it's the reality.

Paul Daly  05:32

Nate says that the comments you guys must be ninjas. Because these prices are an absolute steal. But all right, we got some we got some industry news to talk about yesterday, the Automotive News Congress was in Washington. And like, let me just say, like Casey crane and the auto news crew, when it comes to this kind of stuff, man, they just go full baller bow, they do it right.

Kyle Mountsier  05:53

It's just unreal. Like, it's just real tight. Like they've got all the video all, like, everything's just right. And, you know, I love how Casey crane moderating some of those conversations and, and doing it across like political and OEM landscape and really talking about, you know, a lot of the conversations were just, hey, all everyone's saying we want to do this grand retooling of the automotive industry. But is everyone gonna come to the table to be able to do that between OEMs nada, you know, Washington, DC, everyone coming together the together to do that? Because if that doesn't happen, then like, if one party doesn't come to the table, then it's not going to work breaks

Paul  06:35

down, breaks down, go slow, inefficient automotive, I'm sorry, nada. President Mike Stan says, you know, we've talked a lot about dealer and factory relations, but we can't get it done alone. Right. Our manufacturers are stepping up, the dealers are stepping up. We know the government is as well. We need to work with the government on all levels to make sure we get this right. To be successful for who? The consumers. Right, we're saying we've been saying like, what we're all trying to solve together is the consumer experience. Yep. Right. And in the end, like that's who we all should be fighting for. And if we do, then guess what, we all also get to win. Like when

Kyle Mountsier  07:12

we're talking about the great collab, this is probably ooh, I mean,

Paul Daly  07:18

I think we want to own that one man.

Kyle Mountsier  07:21

A great collab. Let's call it that. Right. And we're gonna start hashtagging the great collab is Kyle and write a book called A great collab. Let's go because between dealers, and OEMs, and political, and, and men, all of that coming together is going to take a world of work. And right now, since 2013, right? Let's try to get that harmony done. You we've only got a few years left to figure that thing out. It's not like, we don't have 20 years to do this thing.

Paul Daly  07:57

So we don't like Stan also had a couple other interesting comments we highlighted in the show notes. He seemed wanted to point out and acknowledge like, hey, actually dealers are all in on EVs, and they're essential to the success of EVs. Right? So he was like, Don't be mistaken that because we're like, oh, Tesla's messing up our thing that we're down on EVs, we're actually not down on EVs. We're all in. And if you talk to dealers, you realize they want to know, they want to be a part of it, they want to educate, right, they and they're essential, really to the distribution and education and deployment of EVs. He also says that he views consolidation that's going on right now, as a good thing. Because dealer prices are high, he goes, those who are exiting and selling, it's all voluntary, which is a good thing. He goes, and the deep pockets, those who have deep pockets, they're investing heavily in the franchise dealer model, right? They're making it actually stronger. So I mean, man, I thought there were just some great takeaways from that auto current Congress that we can all just step into. And I think that there's

Kyle Mountsier  08:57

been about a few OEMs really, really leaning on the reality that the distribution model through the dealer network is the best way to deliver cars. And so I'm really interested in having those conversations with those OEMs those OEM presidents, and watching those conversations unfold, because it seems like there's kind of like two streams that OEMs are taking. And I just, I think that really calling on the dealers to understand what the local communities are saying about how they need this distribution that happen in the sport and service is going to be the absolute last play. And so, as a dealer, I would find out right now, how your community feels out about IVs what what they need from you to be successful in a purchase or a service processor, understanding how to like if you know all that if you're the authority, then the OEM when they come to you, you just be instinct bringing

Paul Daly  09:55

some value to the table being right you can build the value right now and build the case for Why the OEMs should see you as a critical component to the launch of EVs. Because you can do the work now, to understand your community, advocate for your community and really be the spokesperson for your community. Like, man, we're big fans of like do the things you can do control the things you can control and stop complaining about the things that you can't speaking have an opportunity to complain about things. Segway. Alright, so Tesla, as we heard in the news that they announced they were going to cut 10% of their salaried workforce. And they did. And a number of their employees or former employees at this point, have taken to LinkedIn not to complain, I spent some time reading through a lot of the comments in the threads. Man, I want to I want to read a couple of them today because first of all, total class act from from these folks that were that were cut, and then we a little punch line at the end. Okay, here's one. Tesla and I have parted ways after 10 long years and many cherished experience it is over. Yes, I was part of the 10% layoff and was blindsided by the event. I would like to thank the many I've worked with. It has been a great experience best wishes to Tesla in their endeavor to change the world. And I'm proud to have been a part of that my wife and I are looking forward to our next endeavor in life. John Tisdale maintenance technician, I was like, slow clap for John like

Kyle Mountsier  11:17

full, slow clap on believable poise, and excellence, and like, and he

Paul Daly  11:25

believed in what he was doing. He believed in what he was doing. Here's another one, I'll do this one quick. So we have to, I'm deeply saddened to announce I was one of the 10% Let go, as being both a salaried and remote worker, my time was short, I gained a year of experiences with many amazing and hardworking humans, I miss the content development team, she ends while I'm saddened for this journey, to come to an abrupt end, I also believe the world is on its way to a brighter, more sustainable future. I'm open to work and opportunity, Sarah Wilson, Instructional Designer.

Kyle Mountsier  11:55

So man,

Paul Daly  11:56

there's another one in there from a sales and delivery analyst, you think she has some good insights on what consumers wants. So I mean,

Kyle Mountsier  12:04

and and every single one of them pointed to the learning

Paul Daly  12:10

that they receive, yes, they didn't just give, right if you

Kyle Mountsier  12:14

can, if you can have all your employees, at some level, if they ever walk away, whether you have to let them go, or whether you have to, or whether they leave and go to the next thing, if they can point back and go, the learning the capacity that I grew in, from my experience with that company, that's, you can't put a price on that, you know,

Paul Daly  12:35

the third, the third comment we're not going to read also mentions the learning, right? And so that that comes along with a commitment to your people, right. And whenever you see great companies, great leaders, they're always committed to the growth of their people. And if anything, this is one of my personal, you know, people say what, what are you what are your goals in life, and one of my highest level personal goals is that people will just be able to say that their life was better off for the time that they spent around me are next to me. Right? And that is exactly what we're seeing out of some of these Tesla comments. Our takeaway is this. Go to the link in the show notes, read the comments, and hire some of these fine people hire bingo. Because if this is their character on the way out, can you I mean, it's an indicator of their character and their work ethic when they're in your organization. So please go scour the notes, click on the link and bring some of these people in your organization. We have to keep moving. We just have a left

Kyle Mountsier  13:29

be takeaway if you're a Twitter employee, look at these.

Paul Daly  13:34

Right, right. This is what you're heading for. Right? Company. Yeah, okay, we will can't go too far down that line. We have an all things use car club house from if you're watching this on the live stream coming right up at nine o'clock Eastern, where we say it every week, there are over 100 between 100 and 150 of the smartest operators and thinkers when it comes to use car and operations anywhere in the industry. Go to the clubhouse room and spend time in there. We're going to do it live at asotucon but we do it every week. Right on clubhouse. Last story just for a little bit of fun. Have you been seeing the post about the people who have had Sonos speakers

Kyle Mountsier  14:05

delivered to their house hadn't until I did a deep dive when you put this story in the show notes and I was like, Oh my gosh, like a person that got 30 servings boxes. I'm like eBay like I don't know what I've got going but I've got like a whole studio set up on eBay over here. I'm I'm crushing through that. So there

Paul Daly  14:27

was a glitch in Sonos is shipping system. And Pete for some people, unfortunately, not me, who were in the system just started getting random Sonos speakers shipped to their house, one customer getting as many as 30 started to cause trouble in the lobby of their apartment building because they just keep getting boxes and boxes delivered. Sonos found the glitch, and started you know, started. The reason we're talking about the story is fun, but they also started getting sending reaching out to these people sending them return labels. And then the FTC actually stepped in and said actually, FTC regulations says that you can't require somebody to Send it back. And so someone was released a statement saying we don't require the return of extra equipment and we respect the decision of each impacted customer which in my interpretation is this. I trust you to do the right thing. That's what kind of

Kyle Mountsier  15:16

going on well, no, you can go out tonight and I trust you. Right? Which which really is a translation for don't mess it up

Paul Daly  15:26

or mess it up. So I don't know what would you do? I personally would send the speakers back. But you know you can do what you want to do. I just thought was an interesting way that a brand is handling a shipping error. That's all we have time for on Friday. Go to asotucon.com register because boy, if we can stress it enough, this is going to be one you don't want to miss but we got a lot of fun stuff. We get 90 days of greatness on the way to asotucon have an awesome weekend.

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