What I witnessed!

Sometimes in life we run across certain people or maybe even witness certain events that we may be astonished by. It may not happen very often but it might from time to time. When that time comes it is hard to forget. Sometimes they are good things and sometimes maybe not so good but unforgettable nonetheless.

I can say that there are only probably a handful of events that I’ve witnessed that left me astonished to the point that I never forgot. Some of those are good and some are bad but are unforgettable to me.

I can say that I just witnessed one of those events this past Sunday that I’m sure I will never forget. I witnessed men and women across the auto industry come together for a common purpose(Not everyone one was from a car lot but may have been friends of some that were). We came together for the one purpose of helping someone in need. 

Often times car salesmen aren’t looked at in a positive light. We are often referred to as vultures that prey on people. We rank right up there with attorneys and politicians as some of the most crooked industries. Are there some bad ones? Yes there are but there also many more good ones.

Having said that....

The purpose of all of us coming together and uniting on a 24 hour Facebook Live-A-Thon was to help one of our friends in need. We came together to give assistance to and raise money for a friend that is beginning a battle of a very serious and life threatening disease. It’s a disease that I don’t even like to mention and yet has affected so many around this world. It is the disease of cancer.

Michelle was diagnosed just about a week ago with stage 3 breast cancer and it basically devistated this family. They are a very strong family that’s very genuine and kind and this disease has infected them. Though only one actually has the disease all are affected. 

With disease comes expenses! The problem they are having is the fact that they are self employed which causes a problem from the insurance aspect since many private insurances are very expensive and at the very least have very high deductibles which may sometimes cause the care to be overwhelmingly expensive to be able to pay for. I’m not sure how much treatments and surgeries would be for something like this but I imagine it’s very high.

So, from the leadership of a few people from the business we started a 24 hour Live-A-Thon that somewhat mimicked the old telethons that you remember as a kid. We took over Facebook for a solid 24 hours holding this event. Around 48 individuals gave up around 30 minutes of their time to go Live from their personal Facebook pages in order to try and help raise awareness, ask for prayers and donations in order to help this family. We started at 12 a.m. on Sunday July 29th and ran 24 hours until 12 a.m. on the 30th. It was a time for each of us to go Live and share our thoughts about the family, that some of us have become friends with and others didn’t even know. It was a time to listen to stories about people that may have possibly gone through something similar. There were many stories of overcoming trials and addictions and many tears shed. There were scripture readings and many prayers said! There were some that sang songs and others danced. It was a time of smiles and laughter and also heartache and pain. There were many that were going Live for the first time and some that do it all the time. 

Why did we do this???

Because we care! Because we saw a need and addressed it! We did it not just because they are our friends and connected to our industry.... we did it because we love them. People that don’t even really know them stepped up and gave what they had in order to help a family in need. It’s hard to give your time and money to people and causes you don’t know but they did it and I’m proud to have been able to witness it and also be a part of it!

Thanks to all who went Live, gave donations and offered prayers! I’m happy to know you guys and girls and I pray that God would bless you for your efforts!

If you would like to read more about Michelle you can go to her Facebook page by going to https://www.facebook.com/michellesri and if you would like to donate please go to https://www.fightwithmichelle.com/ . Thanks for your support!

Help for a friend!

Many people have bad tastes in their mouths when it comes to car salesmen these days! We are ranked right up there with attorneys and politicians. Some of these feelings have come from experiences of loved ones and friends in the past and some have come from recent situations. Some of them are warranted and some may not be.

There have been a quite a few of us that have been trying to change people’s perceptions of the car business but it has proven to be a daunting and difficult task but we press on! It’s often hard to break down the walls that have been created by past bad experiences but we are trying!

One way to see this is in an effort that is happening as I wrote this. You see, social media has become a very powerful tool. I have met many awesome people around the country and around the world via social media! I have made many friends that I otherwise would have never met and many if not most of them are in the car business or attached to it in someway. 

Two of those people are Chad Morgan and Michelle Sri who are the owners and operators of Quickpage... a video emailing/texting app that is used to send compressed video to clients in order for them to be able to watch and see them easier and better. I have met them online and in person on a number of occasions and both are very caring and genuine people. I have become friends with them and so have many others along this journey over the past year.

I am giving you this short story to tell you that recently they found out that Michelle had stage 3 breast cancer and it is very aggressive. It’s certainly something that nobody wants to have to endure or even at the least even mutter the words “cancer”. They are trying to be strong for their kids and each other but I’m sure it is weighing on their hearts and minds. To go along with this they are self employed which means they have little to no insurance and anyone that knows anything about these medical expenses will know that it’ll be very expensive to treat. 

The cool part is that the automotive industry is coming together to support these wonderful people! We are doing a Facebook Live Telethon starting at midnight eastern tonight and running for 24 hours. There are many of us throughout the industry that will be doing 30 minute segments on our personal pages primarily to pray and to raise money to assist them in their fight to come. It’s a way for us to help a family in need and that’s part of our automotive community.

I will begin my 30 minute segment beginning at 9:30 a.m. eastern tomorrow which is 8:30 a.m. central. I would like for all of my friends to join me on this Live event in order to pray and raise money. If you can’t make it Live here is the link to donate http://fightwithmichelle.com/

Any and all amounts will be appreciated and no donation is too small so please consider this most important donation if you join me or if you’re not able.

We are an industry of individuals that care about others and try and take care of those we love! Help us in this effort to help some great friends and people I have come to love and respect!

Thank you and God Bless

Shaking the Coke can!

Do you remember when you were younger and you thought it would be funny to shake up a can of Coke and watch someone open it so it would spray all over them? I know I did it a few times but when I think about it I don't think it would be that funny if it happened to me. It definitely leaves a mess and makes whoever it happens to very mad.

The same type thing happens if you leave a full can in your car when it is hot. The pressure builds up so high that it eventually explodes. That also leaves one heck of a mess and it is very difficult to clean up fully.

Do you ever feel like that can of Coke that has been shaken? Have you ever felt like you could just explode? Well, that's what I am talking about here.

We often times, myself included, let things weigh us down so much that we get frustrated and upset and instead of talking it out we let it build until there is nowhere else for it to go and we explode on someone. Often times it comes out on the closest one to us much like whoever is holding that can of Coke. We are quick to snap on a spouse, a co worker or ourselves whenever we have hit our boiling point. Sometimes it can be simply in a verbal way but often times it could result in a physical altercation which neither one of these things are acceptable. If you were to do something like this there could be severe consequences and even severed relationships.

What can be done that will help keep the pressure from building to that point?

The best way to combat these things from happening is simply to talk it out. I am bad about letting things build up and getting overly angry at something that I really shouldn't simply because I am not one to talk about too many personal things. I often times won't even talk to my wife like I should when there is something bothering me or on my mind. Talking it out is usually the most effective way to handle these things and can also be the most beneficial because there may be someone that could help you or give you good advice. It could be close friend or family member that can just listen to you and maybe even comfort you through some tough times or decisions. It could be someone that is going to give you the cold hard truth even though it could be the most difficult thing to hear. Either way just having someone to go to or talk to can make a huge difference in your life especially if you are one that struggles with life every day and don't ever seem to be able to make it out.

We often create our own toughest times as well. We get into things and make bad decisions that seem to make us think that there is no way out and we lash out at others when that's not necessary. Sometimes we just need to take responsibility and own up to it and deal. We often times need to hold ourselves accountable before we take it out on someone else. Lack of self accountability, I think, is one of the main reasons for unnecessary pressure build up when we want to blame everyone else for our mistakes and problems. You know what I mean??...the victim mentality?!

All this to say.... have someone that you can talk to. Get someone that can be there to listen to you when you are struggling or made a poor decision. Get a mentor or 2 that can be there when you can't figure out a problem or seem like you have no where else to turn. You may be like me and have a hard time trusting people or telling people your problems but it can make a world of difference in your life if you have a couple of people that can help you carry whatever burden that you are carrying...whether you caused it or not.

I hope this may help someone that may be struggling with something to be able to release some of that pressure before you explode!

Do you make a difference?

Jeff Parton and myself did our Facebook Live this morning as usual. Today we decided to talk about that 1 customer or situation that was either special or moved us in some way. I went first and I talked about a situation that I experienced with one of my previous customers.


Wednesday I came in to work, it was really my off day and I hardly take a full one off, but I was in a bad mood. I have been having a few tough days and for some reason or another I couldn't shake it. I was even a little ill toward my wife this same morning which almost never happens. I even got out of my truck and said to myself that I should just go back home since my attitude was terrible. It's rare that I'm in a bad mood but today it was definitely on my back.


As I was getting settled in at work this same morning one of the service advisors came to me and said a customer was here to see me. I then said to him that I didn't have the right attitude right then to talk to anyone. After I said that, I asked him who it was. He then told me her name and I immediately tried to remember the last time that I had talked to her and her husband. She was in service a few months ago and we talked about her husband and how he was doing. He had developed Alzheimer's and wasn't feeling well enough on that day to come in. I ended up paying for half of a new car battery that she needed and she left. I haven't seen her since that day.


Now back to present day.... I walked in the side door and she was standing there looking towards me. I could tell immediately that something was bothering her and that she had something to tell me. I felt that I already knew by the way she looked and the fact that Mr Jullian wasn't with her again. I hugged her and as I was hugging her she started to tear up and inform me that he had passed away last month which would've been May. As I stood there speaking with her I tried my best to comfort here but it's really a hard thing to do when someone loses someone that they really loved. But I noticed something while we were speaking and that was a since of calm that was on her. She started talking about the love for Jesus that he had and that seemed to help comfort her since she knew where he was and the comfort he had and the lack of pain he had. He was now praising his Savior face to face which is something that all true believers dream of.


As we were finishing our conversation she showed me a video from this past Christmas of Mr Jullian smiling as he was listening to a song about Jesus. She told me that he didn't really smile much and that it was hard to see emotion on him but at that particular moment he was joyous. She told me that he listened to that song a few times and the whole time he had that big smile on his face. (Who knows, maybe he was thinking about what it would be like when he finally meets his Savior and it brought joy to him?) After the video we hugged and she looked at me, as I'm trying to choke back tears, and said to me, 'Gary, I love you and so did Jullian and I pray for you all the time. I have your face on the refrigerator and I see it everyday'. At this point I couldn't talk or I would lose it so I said I love you too and thank you for that and walked away. I had no idea how I would continue to stand there and talk with her anymore so I had to go.


Later on I went and took care of her service bill and from what I was told she was almost in tears as she left.


The moral of this story is you never know who you are going to come into contact with that could help or change theirs or your life or at least make an impact on. If you are the last person that someone could potentially come into contact with what would you say? What would you talk about? What help could you offer them that might make a difference in their life?


We get in such a big hurry in life that we sometimes overlook those that are struggling with something and we tend to miss things that we could say or do that might change the direction of their life. I'm guilty of this as well. I have no excuse except of the fact that I can be selfish sometimes with my life and that gets in the way of me noticing someone else's struggles.


I hope this particular post helps someone that may be struggling with something in their life and you feel there is no way out.

How’s your Open Door?

The past few days I did a Facebook Live video on my Facebook page and the primary focus was for you to be able to check your Open Door and see how effective it is. I essentially gave 3 ways to improve it and gave 4 things that you could be missing if you didn’t follow the 3 ways to improve your open door!

Tuesday and Wednesday I basically covered the 3 ways to improve your Open Door. The 1st way is to be Proactive and not reactive. The more Proactive you are with your people the easier it will be for you to head off serious problems and opportunities as well as help keep up morale. In other words, be more seen by your people and let them know that you care by actually talking with them and actually hearing them. Sure, you may have a few that do nothing but complain but those are the ones that are probably hurting your business and culture and need to go anyways. The 2nd point was to actually show your people you care. Much of this could be accomplished by simply listening since that’s all most people want anyways. This doesn’t mean to give them everything they want and fulfill all there demands and desires but simply lending an ear and actually paying attention to what they are saying. The 3rd point was to be interested and involved with your people and in your business. Actually caring and being engaging can handle this one sometimes but if you’re always couped up behind your desk it isn’t going to be too inviting. Remember that most people are timid and intimidated about talking to management especially if they don’t believe your door is actually an open one and confidential one. So, not only to you need to make yourself available you must also be trustworthy!

Now, there are a few things you could miss if you don’t have an effective open door. The 1st is you could miss one of your employees that’s really struggling with something and it would’ve been an opportunity for you to help them. There again if you’re Proactive instead of reactive you might have seen this earlier before it got so serious. The 2nd thing you could miss is the next superstar. There is always one unique and gifted individual that slips through the cracks because they aren’t noticed or shown attention. This mostly happens because management overlooks them because they aren’t involved with their people as they should. Next thing you know is that superstar is working for your competition and there’s nothing you can do now but cry over spilt milk! The 3rd thing you could miss is a great idea. Often times great ideas come from the least greatest of people or situations. If you would just keep your eyes and ears open and actually converse with your people sometimes you might pick up an idea that will send your business skyrocketing! The 4th and final thing you could miss is the fact that someone may be stealing from you or taking advantage of you without you knowing until it’s far too late! This often happens because you aren’t interested and invested in your people enough to be able to pick up on questionable situations and people! If you were this may not happen!

All this to say that I believe that having an effective Open Door or not having one is both the cause and solution of poor morale in the workplace. If you have an effective open door and actually use it regularly then chances are you have pretty good morale in your place of business. On the other hand, if you don’t have an effective Open Door, or one at all, then chances are the morale in and around the workplace is suffering and then so is your profits.

Take a serious look at your Door to see if it’s actually open all the way or is it closed and locked! Just because it’s open doesn’t mean it’s really open to your employees!