Leadership in the Dealership

Welcome to Leadership in the Dealership, an Upstart podcast where automotive innovation meets real-world insight. Each episode helps dealers elevate both the customer and employee experience by learning from the industry’s top leaders. Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer explore the strategies, stories and trends shaping the future of automotive retail, from technology and training to transparency and trust.

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Oct. 14, 2026

The Hidden Cost That Could Kill Your Next Car Deal

Your customer found the car. The payment fits their budget. Everyone is ready to close.Then the insurance quote comes back.In this episode of Leadership in the Dealership, Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer tackle a cost that can catch buyers off guard and put an otherwise good deal at risk: auto insurance.Danielle shares how upgrading her vehicle took her monthly insurance premium from $300 to $700. They also explore why newer vehicles can cost more to insure, how technology and repair cos

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Sept. 30, 2026

One Process Doesn’t Fit Every Buyer

Not every customer who walks into your dealership wants the same buying experience. One buyer has researched the vehicle, knows their credit and wants to get in and out. Another may be buying their first car and needs someone to guide them through...

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Sept. 16, 2026

Remove Financing Friction From Your Car Deals

The customer found the car. The numbers work. Your salesperson has momentum. Then financing hits the brakes. Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer break down how Upstart can help dealers remove friction from the financing process, starting before the customer even walks into the showroom. From starting the credit process online and reducing data re-entry to exploring offers across up to five vehicles, they walk through ways dealers can keep more options open without sending the customer back

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Sept. 2, 2026

What If Buying a Car Could Actually Be Easy?

What would it take to make buying a car actually feel easy? Amanda Gordon, founder and CEO of GoJo Auto, has built her dealership around that question. Instead of accepting long waits, unnecessary handoffs and disconnected systems as part of buying a car, she has focused on creating a faster, more personal experience for her customers. In this episode of Leadership in the Dealership, Amanda joins Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer to talk about what that looks like in practice, from underst

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Aug. 19, 2026

Too much tech? How to Audit Your Dealership Tech Stack

How do you know if your dealership has too many technology platforms?If your team is re-entering the same customer information into multiple systems, chasing data across disconnected tools or paying for platforms that overlap, your tech stack may be creating more work than it solves. Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer break down how dealerships can take a closer look at the systems they already have before adding the next shiny tool.They get into CRM hygiene, integrations, F&I, digital ret

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Aug. 5, 2026

When Something Goes Wrong, Everything Matters

Every dealership has problems. A delivery gets delayed. A repair takes longer than expected. Financing changes. A customer leaves frustrated. The dealerships customers remember are not the ones that avoid those moments. They're the ones that know how to recover from them. In this episode of Leadership in the Dealership, Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer break down what great customer recovery actually looks like. Through real stories and firsthand experiences, they discuss why communicat

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About the Hosts

Danielle Mills Walden

Head of Ops for Auto

Danielle is a former pro tennis player turned brand expert, author, and keynote speaker. She’s spent a decade leading high-impact CS and Ops teams across 1,000+ dealerships, building the playbooks and systems that power growth and retention. Known for her clarity, energy, and people-first leadership, she helps teams and brands unlock their next level. She brings a unique blend of competitive grit and strategic focus to every room she walks into.

Phillip Greer

Manager, Dealer Success and Launch Operations

Phillip is a people-first post-sales leader with a decade of experience in Customer Success, training enablement, and operational growth. He’s supported 700+ rooftops, led 1,200+ trainings, and launched 65+ product deployments, all while strengthening workflows and empowering teams. Known for his calm clarity and operational rigor, he builds scalable programs, drives adoption and retention, and helps organizations perform at their best.