Car Dealership Guy Podcast

From Corporate to Rural Dealer: What It Takes to Win Today in Every Market | Michael Handwerger, President & Dealer Principal at Alpha One Automotive

Nov 27, 2025
Guest
Michael Handwerger
Michael Handwerger, President & Dealer Principal at Alpha One Automotive, is a first-generation dealer who moved from corporate roles into rural and specialty ownership. He talks about using social media for credibility and recruiting. He breaks down why acquisitions are tougher, how rural operations differ from metro, and what it takes to build a performance-driven culture.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ADVICE

Use Social Media To Build Credibility

  • Use LinkedIn and regular posting to build credibility and attract talent when acquiring dealerships.
  • Show relatable, practical content aimed at first-generation and single-point dealers to fill content gaps.
INSIGHT

Acquisitions Got Much Harder Post‑2022

  • Deal values and lending tightened significantly in 2023–24, making acquisitions harder and more expensive.
  • Timing matters: earlier purchases benefited from lower multiples and easier lending.
ANECDOTE

Shift From Destination Shoppers To Local Buckets

  • After inventory normalized, customers stopped driving from Austin to rural stores and the team had to refocus locally.
  • They built new customer "buckets" like Spanish-speaking buyers to broaden local appeal.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app