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Ride In Style Podcast: Episode: 46 with Rick Braschler of Dealer Source Ltd

What does it take to build an automotive restyling business that survives industry shifts, economic cycles, changing vehicle technology, and the rise of a new generation of leadership?

For Rick Braschler, the answer has always been adaptation.

In this episode of the Ride in Style Podcast, Rick shares the story of Dealer Source Ltd., a San Antonio-based restyling company that evolved from leather interiors and sunroofs into a diversified business focused on wheels, truck accessories, commercial upfitting, and fleet solutions.

Along the way, the conversation explores entrepreneurship, dealership relationships, sales management, succession planning, commercial vehicle opportunities, and the challenge of preparing the next generation for leadership in the automotive aftermarket.

And yes—there’s also a spirited discussion about the San Antonio Spurs and why Dylan Braschler may represent the future of the industry.

Ride in Style Podcast Episode: 46 with Rick Braschler of Dealer Source Ltd
  • 00:00 Industry Chaos and Preloads
  • 00:41 Podcast Intro and Guest Welcome
  • 01:07 San Antonio to Seattle Small Talk
  • 02:17 How Rick Started in Restyling
  • 04:03 Satellite Dish Days
  • 05:26 Dealer Source Origins and Lawsuit
  • 06:58 Product Shifts and New Markets
  • 08:14 Dylan Joins Sales Team
  • 10:48 Training and Account Routing
  • 12:50 A B C D Dealer Tiers
  • 14:45 Fleet Shelving and Retail Marketing
  • 16:16 Spotty Shelving Sales
  • 17:20 Dylan’s Future in Sales
  • 18:13 Broken Crystal Ball Since 2020
  • 19:07 Promos and Bigger Van Builds
  • 20:24 Proud Dad Moment
  • 20:46 SEMA Pro Select News
  • 21:54 Training and Mentorship Plan
  • 23:00 Family Business Work Ethic
  • 24:03 Customer Demands and Reality
  • 24:54 Where to Find Dealer Source
  • 25:24 Spurs Talk and Wemby Hype
  • 27:50 Podcast Wrap Up

Meet the Guest

Rick Braschler

Owner, Dealer Source Ltd.

  • Automotive aftermarket entrepreneur
  • Founder of Dealer Source Ltd.
  • Commercial vehicle and dealership accessory specialist
  • Mentor to the next generation of industry leaders

For more than two decades, Rick Braschler has helped dealerships throughout Texas increase revenue through automotive accessories, electronics, wheels, truck upgrades, and commercial upfitting solutions.

Today, he oversees Dealer Source Ltd. while helping train the company’s next generation of leadership, including his son Dylan, who recently joined the SEMA Pro Council.

What We Covered

  • How Dealer Source was founded in 2005
  • Transitioning from satellite distribution to automotive accessories
  • Winning a lawsuit during the company's early years
  • The evolution from leather and sunroofs to truck accessories
  • Building dealership relationships that last
  • Training and mentoring the next generation
  • Commercial vehicle upfitting opportunities
  • Sales management and dealer account strategy
  • Industry uncertainty after 2020
  • Why succession planning matters in the aftermarket

From Satellite Dishes to Automotive Accessories

Before entering the automotive aftermarket, Rick and his former business partner were operating in an entirely different industry.

Satellite television.

Not the compact satellite systems most people recognize today, but the large ten-foot satellite dishes that once dominated rural America.

At their peak, Rick says they were moving millions of dollars in wholesale satellite equipment annually.

Then technology changed.

As smaller satellite systems became the industry standard, the market shifted dramatically.

Like many successful entrepreneurs, Rick recognized that long-term success requires adapting before change becomes unavoidable.

That mindset would eventually lead him into automotive accessories.

“We thought we could build a better mousetrap,” Rick explained.

That decision would become the foundation of Dealer Source Ltd.

Launching Dealer Source and Betting on Growth

The origins of Dealer Source can be traced back to Rick’s involvement with Classic Soft Trim, where his partner was already heavily involved in dealership accessory sales.

As operational challenges began appearing within the organization, the opportunity to build something new became increasingly attractive.

In 2005, Dealer Source Ltd. was born.

The transition wasn’t without challenges.

The company faced legal disputes during its early years, creating uncertainty at a time when most startups are simply trying to survive.

Ultimately, Dealer Source prevailed and continued growing.

What started as a business focused on leather interiors and sunroof installations quickly expanded into electronics and 12-volt accessories.

At one point, electronics represented a major percentage of the company’s revenue.

“We were doing 30 to 40 headrests a month,” Rick recalled.

The company’s willingness to follow customer demand rather than remain attached to a single product category became one of its greatest strengths.

Adapting as the Automotive Industry Changed

Few aftermarket categories have changed as dramatically as sunroofs and vehicle electronics.

As vehicle engineering evolved, aftermarket sunroof installations became increasingly difficult and less profitable.

Rather than fighting market realities, Dealer Source adapted.

The company gradually shifted its focus toward:

  • Wheels and tires
  • Lifted truck packages
  • Truck accessories
  • Commercial vehicle shelving
  • Fleet upfitting solutions

The strategy reflects a broader lesson for aftermarket businesses.

Products change.

Technology changes.

Consumer preferences change.

The businesses that survive are the ones willing to evolve alongside them.

For Dealer Source, diversification has become a core competitive advantage.

Training the Next Generation of Industry Leaders

One of the most interesting themes throughout the episode centered on succession planning.

The aftermarket industry frequently discusses attracting younger professionals, but relatively few companies have a structured process for developing future leaders.

Rick has taken a deliberate approach with his son Dylan.

Instead of immediately placing him in outside sales, Dylan spent his first year learning the company’s internal operations.

That foundation helped him understand the moving pieces behind every sale.

Today, Dylan has become one of Dealer Source’s fastest-growing assets.

According to Rick, dealerships have responded exceptionally well to him.

“He’s a natural,” Rick said.

The strategy has been simple:

  • Learn operations first
  • Understand customer needs
  • Build credibility
  • Earn trust
  • Develop relationships

Rather than relying on family connections, Dylan has focused on proving himself through performance.

That approach has earned him respect both inside and outside the company.

The Power of Mentorship and Daily Coaching

Sales development remains a daily priority at Dealer Source.

Rick and Dylan communicate multiple times throughout the day, discussing account activity, customer opportunities, challenges, and growth strategies.

The company also uses a structured dealer classification system.

Accounts are grouped into:

  • A Accounts
  • B Accounts
  • C Accounts
  • D Accounts

Those classifications are primarily based on revenue volume and help the team prioritize relationship management and growth opportunities.

The goal isn’t simply maintaining existing business.

It’s identifying opportunities to move accounts upward through education, service expansion, and proactive sales engagement.

Rick believes consistent coaching and accountability remain essential for long-term sales success.

“Don’t drink the dealerships’ Kool-Aid,” he joked, referencing the tendency for dealers to believe business is always slowing down.

Behind the humor is a practical lesson:

Stay focused on execution rather than market noise.

Why Commercial Vehicle Upfitting Matters More Than Ever

While traditional restyling remains important, Dealer Source sees significant opportunity in commercial and fleet vehicle solutions.

The company has expanded into:

  • Commercial shelving systems
  • HVAC fleet builds
  • Service vehicle organization
  • Liftgate installations
  • Upfitted work trucks and vans

Most of this business currently originates through dealership fleet managers rather than direct business-to-business sales.

Even so, Rick believes the category offers meaningful long-term growth opportunities.

Commercial projects often involve larger transactions and create deeper customer relationships.

The challenge is consistency.

Sales cycles are longer.

Projects take more time to close.

Competition remains fierce.

Still, Dealer Source continues investing in training, certifications, and vendor partnerships to strengthen its position.

One example is Dylan’s upcoming Ranger Academy training, which will provide additional expertise in commercial vehicle solutions.

Navigating an Unpredictable Marke

Like many aftermarket leaders, Rick believes traditional business cycles have become increasingly difficult to predict.

The patterns many operators relied on for decades no longer behave the same way.

“That crystal ball has been broken since 2020,” he said.

Months that historically performed well can suddenly underperform.

Traditionally slower periods can unexpectedly surge.

Instead of trying to predict every market movement, Dealer Source focuses on controllable factors:

  • Dealer education
  • Customer relationships
  • Product diversification
  • Sales discipline
  • Consistent follow-up

The philosophy is straightforward.

Control what you can control.

Adapt when conditions change.

Keep moving forward.

SEMA, Industry Involvement, and Fresh Perspectives

The conversation also highlighted the importance of industry engagement.

Rick recently shared that Dylan was selected for the SEMA Pro Council, an accomplishment that generated excitement throughout the discussion.

For Rick, industry involvement creates opportunities that extend beyond networking.

It exposes younger professionals to:

  • New ideas
  • Industry trends
  • Leadership development
  • Professional relationships
  • Business innovation

As the aftermarket continues evolving, fresh perspectives will become increasingly important.

The next generation won’t simply inherit the industry.

They’ll help shape it.

A Family Business Built on Earned Respect

One reason Rick and Dylan’s partnership appears to work so well is the absence of entitlement.

Rick emphasized that Dylan entered the business willing to learn every aspect of the operation.

He worked inside sales.

He learned the systems.

He earned credibility.

He developed relationships.

That foundation created trust throughout the organization.

Many family businesses struggle because succession is assumed.

Dealer Source has taken a different approach.

Leadership is earned.

Responsibility is earned.

Growth is earned.

That philosophy continues to strengthen both the business and the family relationships behind it.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

  • Adaptability creates longevity. Dealer Source successfully transitioned across multiple product categories as the market evolved.
  • The next generation needs mentorship, not shortcuts. Structured training accelerates development while building credibility.
  • Commercial vehicle upfitting remains a major growth opportunity for restylers willing to invest in expertise.
  • Sales success comes from consistent education and follow-up, not simply finding new customers.
  • Industry involvement matters. Organizations like SEMA help develop future leaders and expose businesses to new ideas.
  • Predicting the market is difficult. Focusing on execution remains the safest long-term strategy.

Listen to the Full Episode

  • Episode Timestamps
 
  • 00:00 Industry Chaos and Preloads
  • 00:41 Podcast Intro and Guest Welcome
  • 01:07 San Antonio to Seattle Small Talk
  • 02:17 How Rick Started in Restyling
  • 04:03 Satellite Dish Days
  • 05:26 Dealer Source Origins and Lawsuit
  • 06:58 Product Shifts and New Markets
  • 08:14 Dylan Joins Sales Team
  • 10:48 Training and Account Routing
  • 12:50 A B C D Dealer Tiers
  • 14:45 Fleet Shelving and Retail Marketing
  • 16:16 Spotty Shelving Sales
  • 17:20 Dylan’s Future in Sales
 

 

  • 18:13 Broken Crystal Ball Since 2020
  • 19:07 Promos and Bigger Van Builds
  • 20:24 Proud Dad Moment
  • 20:46 SEMA Pro Select News
  • 21:54 Training and Mentorship Plan
  • 23:00 Family Business Work Ethic
  • 24:03 Customer Demands and Reality
  • 24:54 Where to Find Dealer Source
  • 25:24 Spurs Talk and Wemby Hype
  • 27:50 Podcast Wrap Up

Find Dealer Source Ltd.

If you’re a dealership, fleet manager, commercial vehicle operator, or automotive enthusiast looking for aftermarket accessory solutions in Texas, Dealer Source Ltd. is worth following.

Website

  • dealersourceltd.com

The company specializes in:

  • Wheels and tires
  • Truck accessories
  • Commercial shelving
  • Fleet upfitting
  • Vehicle electronics
  • Dealership accessory programs

About the Ride in Style Podcast

Ride in Style is hosted by Jesse Stoddard and Josh Poulson, covering the business side of automotive restyling, manufacturing, dealership accessories, marketing, leadership, and aftermarket innovation.

Episodes feature manufacturers, restylers, distributors, shop owners, sales leaders, and entrepreneurs from across the automotive aftermarket industry.

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and visit AutoStyleMarketing.com for episode recaps, industry insights, and additional resources.

Have a guest suggestion or topic idea? Reach out through AutoStyleMarketing.com.

I don’t know if you’re aware, but my son
just made it onto proconsel.
Did he?
Yeah.
The cars act, all that freaking crap
going on around the country. And you
know, it
group one has put their foot down. No
preloads whatsoever.
That crystal ball has been broken since
2020.
Yeah,
I like that. That is the truth.
It’s been broken.
So none of our cycles run the same
anymore. He went up went to school and
he majored in partying in girls and I
finally had to go pull the chain and
but he’s been killing.
Welcome to the Ride and Style podcast,
your turbocharged pit stop for
automotive restyling. Buckle up with
Jesse and Josh.
Welcome to another episode of the Ride
and Style podcast. Today we have Rick
Rashler of Deer Source Limited. I’m
excited to have Rick. Thank you for
being here.
Yeah, great. Thanks for having me.
Excellent.
Ricky San Antonio in the house finally,
right?
Were you on the Riverwalk last night?
No.
No. When was the last time you’ve been
to the Riverwalk?
Oh my god, it’s been ages.
See, that’s a sad thing, Jesse. Jesse,
when was the last time you went you
visited the Space Needle? a couple
several years ago. Many years ago.
Yeah.
Are you in Seattle?
Yeah, I’m in the Seattle area.
Okay. I grew up in I grew up in
Kirkland.
Oh, right on. Yeah, I’m actually in
Snowomish. So, we
I still have family out there in Monroe
and Snomish and Everett and
Oh, wow. Cool. A small world.
Are they all bashers running around?
No, they’re mostly Bonds.
Bonds. Okay,
awesome. Jesse, what I love about having
Rick on is, you know, how many, you
know, how many second generation we talk
to, right? Where we always talk to the
sec. Now, we’re talking to the first
generation that has a second generation
coming.
That’s why I want to pick his brain
about
because I listen, I don’t know if I
think I would choke my son if I worked
with him every day. But so, how Jesse
wants to start with how you got in the
business and everything like that. So,
I’ll let you I’ll let Jesse start, but
that’s I’m going to be asking you about
Dylan questions. So,
yeah. First, before we get into the
present, let’s talk about the past. So,
how do you get started in the automotive
world or the aftermarket world to begin
with?
Oh my gosh, that goes back 20 plus
years. Of course, my ex-wife worked for
Classic Soft Trim. There was a period
there where I worked for Classic Soft
Trim.
Where at? Which one? I was working for
Jim Penny who was heading up a mobile
operation.
And
so we had vans in like down in Laredo
and Utah and
oh gosh,
El Paso. So we were trying to get this
mobile thing going and he hired me to do
that. I think he he spent a bunch of
money and it never got off the ground
really. But and actually Kevin came in
and cleaned up after me after I left.
Kevin
Gillis in it.
Kevin Gillis.
Yeah. Yeah. So he worked it for a bit
before they finally shut it down.
Yeah.
But anyway, so yeah, going back 20
years, Diana was working for
Classic Soft Trim. They were starting to
show signs of weakness. She was having a
hard time getting certain things. They
were out of colors. They were out of
various things and it started to make
her nervous. So, we sat down and put
together a business plan and thought we
could build a better mousetrap
and we did. And I don’t know, seven,
eight, seven, eight years later, we
bought the branch. It’s It’s been good
to us.
Nice.
Yeah.
But before that, you were doing Where
were you doing? Satellite.
That’s where her and I met. It was in
the satellite business.
So, you were selling satellite dishes.
Yeah. The big 10-footers.
And so, I’m just trying to think, why
did you leave that business? That
obviously is still thriving, the 10.
It had No, it had trans transitioned
into the small dish.
Yeah.
And it was no longer
It just like any business.
How much So, how much did a large
satellite cost back then? Oh, wait. Then
that’s like five grand.
Five grand. So for me to get cable TV,
Rick Rashford would come to my door and
say, “All right, listen. I
I didn’t sell I didn’t sell it to the
consumer.” So I was on the distribution
side.
Oh, okay.
I think between myself and Diana, we
sold upwards of $3 million a year
wholesale satellite dishes,
you know. So it’s
Are those giant sleds somewhere? Where
are all those things?
Oh, yeah.
I do I do see some of them in some
people’s yards. They’re not working
anymore.
They’re not working anymore.
No.
What if I would have told you in 2026
you can have watch any movie you want.
Just download it on your TV.
I know. Isn’t that crazy?
Yeah.
Who would have ever thought?
Who would have ever thought we’d be
having a discussion with three parts of
the country and we can see each other’s
pretty faces.
That’s right. I agree.
No.
So you got So Dealer Source was born
what day? What year?
05.
05. And leather, heated seats. That was
And then you grew into
Yeah. So it was back then it was leather
and sunroofs
and
Yeah.
One of the areas that we thrived in was
were electronics.
Why did you start it? What made you want
to start Dealer Source? Well,
because Diana pretty much controlled San
Antonio with classic soft trim. So, we
just flipped it over to dealer source
and
obviously they didn’t like that much and
we ended up in a lawsuit and
it it was ugly for a while but
ultimately
we won the lawsuit and we settled with
them out of court.
That’s good. But yeah, we just felt that
we could do it bigger and better. She
always felt like her hands were tied,
especially when it came to electronics.
And both her and I were very well
verssed with electronics.
So
that was a natural fit for us. And
for us, the electronic business back
then, the 12vt business was huge for us.
It was really a big part of our
business. I
Gosh, back in the day I was doing 30 40
headrests a month.
Yeah, I was going to say probably was
more almost 50% of your business,
wouldn’t you say?
Yeah, at one point. Yeah. Years ago, as
the in structural integrity of the
vehicle’s roofs changed, it just became
harder and harder. We had more push back
from our dealers to for sunroofs. So we
decided to get out and we dropped it and
it was fairly painless for us to get out
of that. But and it wasn’t a really it
wasn’t really a profit profitable
part of our business. It was just one of
those things that kind of goes hand in
hand, right? If you’re if you were doing
leather, you should be doing sunroofs at
least years ago.
Yeah. But not everybody was into
electronics like we were. But from
there, of course, we transitioned into
lifted trucks, tires, and wheels. I
think you you kind of made that that
shift a little bit sooner than me, but
that was a good transition.
And then a few years ago, we’ve
transition transitioned into commercial
shelving.
So,
Yep. And Dylan is finally getting a
foothold in that and he’s got that
going.
Great. Tell us a little bit more about
the business today, your role in it,
what do you guys do, what makes you
stand out, all of that.
For me, my dayto-day is just watching
the kids.
I handle most the accounting here and I
make sure there’s no no squables, but
I’ve got a great team. Most of our team
has been with us a very long time.
And I think one of our biggest struggles
had been finding
I guess a disciplined outside
salesperson.
And so two years ago when I brought
Dylan in,
I brought him in-house. He worked in
house for a year to understand our
business.
And
I was a little afraid that he might be
too young to go out into the field. But
he just took to it like like a duck in
water.
Dealers respect him. He’s he’s not
afraid to talk to. He can talk about
anything. He he’s pretty much a wise old
soul.
So the transition this last year has
been good. It’s helped us tremendously.
He’s got lots of ideas. Of course, he’s
pushing on me. There’ll be new things to
come.
So, let me ask you about those ideas.
So, how do you because listen, you’re
you’ve got years and years of
experience. You’ve seen some ups and
downs. You went through the 0809 a lot
of these things that there’s something
to be said for all the experience that
you have, but there’s also something to
be said for the new ideas, the freshes,
the willing to wanting to take chances
and pushing us conservative guys to do
some of this. So, how do you guys how do
you guys manage some of that?
You know,
the 0809
issue
wasn’t that challenging for us. Being in
middle America, we didn’t get hit as
hard. Texas is a pretty stable economy,
but
postco has been more challenging, and I
think it has been for a lot of people.
Again, having finally found a good
salesperson, it’s all about education.
Now, we’ve got to get out and educate
the dealers on the products. Obviously,
not only has the product changed, the
product’s gone up quite a bit in price.
There’s lots of things that we have to
get out and share and educate.
Yeah. So, what what advice do you give,
Dylan? I know Jesse always talks, what
advice would you give to other people,
but what advice do you you don’t want to
you don’t want him to lose the energy
and to go out there and or any young
person that comes in, you want you love
that. You thrive off that. You want the
excitement,
but how do you tamper it and try to kind
of focus?
He’s really good because
he’s
he’s a natural. He’s he’s truly a
natural. So yes, it’s a matter of
keeping him focused, keeping him
positive, giving him fresh ideas how to
approach a dealer that he’s having
struggles with. He he kind of gets a
download from me pretty much every day.
Him and I will talk throughout the day,
two to three, four times a day. When he
was living with me, and he moved out not
quite a year ago, I used to be able to
have those one-on-one sessions with him
every night. and
I don’t get that anymore, but we do
still talk about how to approach things
and making sure that he is following up
on things. He gets a lot of lot lots of
good information from Shelly, who’s kind
of my my my right arm here. So, he comes
in the morning, he spends time with her,
he gets a download of how his counts
look. We measure everything with A, B,
C, or D. And we look and see when a D
account has moved up to a C or a B. Now,
that means something’s going on there.
That’s he’s make he’s making some
inroads or if an A is showing some signs
of dropping. So, she gives him a lot of
that information on a daily basis. So,
he’s and he’s and of course, we route
him. So, he’s not just running around
like a chicken with his head cut off.
He’s got routes and he needs to his
routes are all on a calendar that he can
pull up on a Google calendar. Let me ask
you about that. Sorry, Jesse. Let me ask
him one thing because that’s a I love
because anybody especially other
resilers that are okay. How can I get my
sales staff? How can I really figure out
where my dealers? Because we use the
same thing, but I’d like to get your
definition of how you define a dealer as
an A, B, C, or D. We do the exact same
thing. You’re either an A dealer, B
dealer, C dealer, E or ABC, D. What do
you How do you guys qualify? What does
an A dealer do that a B is it just
sales?
What else?
It’s dollars. And I don’t know exactly
what those dollar cut offs are.
Okay.
But a D account is probably a guy that’s
doing
no business or maybe one sale a month,
right? And it just goes up from there.
an A account is going to be our ba
basically our top 10 or top 15 accounts.
Yeah.
That we really will will keep our arms
around.
Gotcha. What So other restylers, just
for the audience, they some of them will
look at an A being like, yeah, not only
dollars, but you’re getting sold, but
you’re also getting preload. Maybe a B,
you’re getting a little bit of preload
with some sold. Maybe not as much as the
A, but then a C. got we’ve got A
accounts that don’t do any preloads.
Okay.
A good way to move an account from a C
or a B is to get preloads. And obviously
that’s what Dylan is pushing on is the
preload business. But we just have
certain dealers here that just refuse to
preload. But we do get all their wheel
business.
Yeah. a matter of staying in there and
educating the sales team there that
don’t let that don’t let that consumer
walk out just because
you didn’t have the right car with
leather, right?
Yeah.
Come on. We can wave our magic wand and
put leather on that car within a few
days.
Yeah.
Rick, earlier you mentioned getting into
commercial and fleet, and I want to ask
a couple questions about that. Are you
primarily getting that business from the
fleet manager at the dealerships that
you already have the relationships with
or are you going outside and getting an
HVAC company directly or is it both?
We’ve tried to go to the companies
themselves.
That’s really hard. Most of the business
that we’re getting is from the fleet
managers at the stores themselves. And
it just
that’s a really hard one because there
is it’s competitive and
there’s so many different brands
and certain dealers like certain brands
and some brands have a kickback, some
brands don’t. We carry Ranger. Ranger
doesn’t have any programs, but their
product is probably the best product in
the marketplace.
Do you guys do a large percentage of
your business now in fleet or is it tiny
just beginning? And then same with
retail. Do you guys do much retail? Your
name dealer source implies dealership,
but do you guys
No, we do we’re probably about 30 35%
retail.
Okay, great. and we do social media and
we’re going to get back to doing that
and various things and we kind of
stepped away from all that because I
just was really having a hard time to
find the return on that investment. It’s
really hard.
Yeah.
But we’re going to get back to doing
that to drive people into our because we
do have a showroom where people can come
in and touch and feel and see the
products that we offer. Got it. But as
far as shelving for us,
shelving’s just spotty. It It hasn’t
been consistent. And they’re long sales.
We’ve got one we’ve been working on
that’s a
four van deal. Dylan was going to go
check on it today,
but and then we got another one that’s a
five van deal, but I don’t know if we’re
getting out bid or if these deals aren’t
being finalized. It’s just
Yeah,
we’re getting more calls, which is
great. It’s just
it’s spotty. Last month, I think we
probably did six or eight vans, but it’d
be nice to get up to doing eight to 10
to 12 every month.
Yeah.
Consist. So, you look down, you look in
your crystal ball and you look forward
and say, “Okay, Dylan, someday that you
might be doing this thing.” Do you, what
do you think, what do you think, whether
it’s the next two or three or four or
five years or 10 years, what do you tell
him about this business?
He knows that I don’t have any intention
of stepping away anytime soon.
Yeah. And I guess I’m probably talking
more about where do you think the
industry is going versus you personally
or what his role will be and stuff like
that.
I think his role will stay where it’s at
in sales.
Yeah.
He’s just getting stronger and stronger
every month. And he’s just like his mom
when it comes to sales. He’s it it’s
just easy for him and he enjoys it and
he enjoys the freedom but he doesn’t
abuse it. I don’t know where the
business is going. It’s been such a
roller coaster ride here the last four,
five, six years, right? It’s hard to put
that crystal ball’s been broken since
2020.
Yeah,
I like that. That is the truth.
It’s been broken.
So none of our cycles run the same
anymore. May used to be a monster month
for us and we’re having a slow month.
Yeah.
And April is was usually a slow month
and we had a great month.
Yeah.
There’s just no rhyme or reason right
now. And
like I tell Dylan, I said just don’t
drink the dealerships. Don’t drink their
Kool-Aid when they when they say the sky
is falling. Don’t drink their Kool-Aid.
Yeah. It’s falling every month.
those guys.
In their eyes, it’s fallen every month.
Yes.
So, it’s just a matter of keeping him
motivated, giving him ideas, setting him
up with promotions.
We’re doing things like right now for
the commercial guys on any commercial
build over seven grand, we throw in
yeti, big Yeti 45 Tundra.
So, they kind of like, so it kind of
makes towards us. I need to go get a
van, Jesse.
It’s like I told Dylan yesterday, we
were talking. I said, “If this five unit
deal comes through, this is on on Fords
and they’re all HVAC packages.” I go,
when he calls and says it’s a go, ask
him what color of Yeti he wants because
he’s going to get five of them.
That’s right.
But Dylan’s not afraid to get out there
and try things. We’ve got we’re doing
we’re doing a big van job next month
with uh what do you call those power
gates? Uh
lift gates.
Yeah.
Oh, the Tommy gate.
Tommy gate. We’re doing actually doing a
Tommy gate. Big job as far as the whole
thing. He’s stepping into areas that
anybody else was afraid to do.
Good.
Yeah,
that’s cool. I watch him. I remember
when he was four or five years old and
I’m like and at 12 I didn’t think he was
gonna make it in life. I don’t think you
did either. And at 14 I worried about
his life and and now he is. He’s a
success star. He’s a rock star. I love
talking to him. I love seeing him. He’s
always
good-looking kid. He’s got a smile on
his face. Good energy.
Yeah.
New SEMA pro involvement now.
Very Yeah.
And he’s super excited about that.
Yeah. We hope he’ll get on the select
committee at some point. That’d be
great. Oh, he is. He’s on.
Did he make it?
Yeah. This is brand new news, Josh.
Shocking. Okay. This will be a couple
This will be a little bit of time before
he gets out, but yeah, this just
happened then. Awesome. He made it.
He just found out last week, I think.
Good. Congratulations to him.
Yeah,
that’s awesome. Yeah, I know. It’ll be
great for him to be on and have that
fresh blood.
Yes. Yep. These are the things that I
think will will help him him grow and
help us expand. and he’s going to he’s
going to come back with fresh ideas.
Yeah.
So, this is where being involved is
important. Uh and he’s one of those kids
that wants to be involved. Like I said,
I didn’t he didn’t really even show any
interest in the business up until a
couple years ago.
Yeah.
He went up went to school and he majored
in partying and girls and I finally had
to go pull the chain and
but he’s been killing it. He’s got a lot
of raw talent.
Got a lot of raw talent.
Yes, he does. So, I’m I’m keeping him as
trained as I can. We’re him and I are
actually going up to a seminar this
weekend in Phoenix, sales seminar.
That’ll be good for him to expose him to
some new things. I’ll be sending him out
in a couple of weeks up to Ranger
Academy, which is the commercial
training. Just trying to emerge him or
immerse him in as much as I can.
We’ll have him on soon enough as a new
especially as a pro select committee
member.
Yeah. Great.
And what is he gonna say about you?
This is your opportunity to cut it off
at the head right here.
I have no idea.
I have no idea.
We’re going to tune in and find out.
Yeah. I know he won’t say anything bad.
Him and I are super close.
That’s awesome.
We’re really tight.
That’s awesome that you’re able to do
that with your son, him with his dad and
have that not only a great relationship
but a working relationship and fun to be
together. That’s awesome. Not many
people are able to do it, let alone be
successful at it.
Yeah. And a lot of kids as you know that
they step into their parents’ business,
they step in with a an attitude of
that’s not my job because my dad owns
the place or whatever. He’s never He
doesn’t even He doesn’t even
Unless they recognize the last name on
his business card, he does nothing.
Yeah. He doesn’t have a silver spoon in
his mouth.
Nope. No. He wants to earn.
Unlike my son who told my wife, now this
is a funny story. Told my wife, she
goes, “What are you going to do?” Cuz
he’s he’s graduating and everything like
she he goes, “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll
go work and do what dad does.” And she
goes, “Oh, you’re gonna you want to go
do accessories, install, learn Window 10
or what?” He goes, “No, I’ll just travel
around the country, sit behind a
computer like dad does.” Like, bro, no.
Trash duty. Number one.
That’s right.
Number two, maybe we’ll put a tool in
your hand. Number three, maybe we’ll put
a phone in your hand. But let me tell
you what, you’re not going to get a
computer in front of you
anytime soon.
That’s funny. Yeah. Yeah. They think
it’s easy. It wasn’t until Dylan came in
and worked inside sales
that he realized
how many moving pieces there are, right?
There’s lots and how demanding our
customers can be and they’re they can be
very challenging at times and some days
they’re in a good mood and some days
they’re not. You got to take the good
with the bad and it’s it’s not peaches
and cream every day.
Yeah. But yeah, we’ll keep fighting the
good fight.
Congratulations on everything you guys
are doing. Jesse usually has one last
question, but before we let you go,
thanks for always being there in the
industry, being available, phone calls,
and keeping the next generation coming.
You had to do it
physically the hard way is having a son
and keeping the next generation going.
But thank you for doing that.
Yeah. No, I’m excited about that.
Yeah. Thank you, Rick. So, where can
people follow you, learn more about what
you’re doing, sort of contact
information? What would you like to
share?
Obviously, our website is www.
dealersourceltd.com.
Our website is more structured
aroundformational
information. It’s not necessarily going
to have pricing or anything like that.
We’ve been a fixture here in San Antonio
now over 20 years. It’s pretty much it.
Right on. If the Spurs don’t win,
all right, first of all, right now, as
of today,
they’re the best team in the NBA right
now.
If they don’t win, it’s embarrassing for
you guys because they’re unbelievable. I
think they’re going to blow out the
Thunder and then I hope Cleveland makes
it, but I also hope that they don’t make
it against the Spurs because it’ll be a
I don’t even know if they’ll let them
play four games. They may just after
three games say, “Forget it. This is not
Cleveland won’t even show up.” But how
does it feel to be just real quick, how
does it feel to have the best potential
player ever?
Oh my god.
In your backyard again. Like
I know
what the heck do you guys do down there?
It’s Isn’t it crazy?
Yeah. Football. You don’t have any of
that stuff because I mean Texas sucks.
But but I’m but I’m just more for
professional basketball. You guys are
amazing.
Yeah. I you know
they have always done such a good job of
recruiting and recruiting
internationally.
And we got lucky when we got that that
first pick and we were able to pick Wimi
and I think this is his third year. He
was a scrawny little thing his first
year or two and he was getting shoved
around quite a bit
but he’s bulked up. I mean he’s gotten
stronger and he’s doing some pushing and
shoving now.
So it’s but he’s just got such a great
team around him. I watched the game last
night and they look good. They they just
kept letting it get away from them and
it was still a good game. I think
they’ll take the Knicks two here at
home.
Spurs in six.
Yeah.
And then Spurs in five on whoever they
play.
Yeah.
If there’s anybody else, I think the
best team that we’re I think we’re going
against the second best team right now.
Yeah, I agree.
If we get past OKC, I think it’s
national champion. So Jesse, Dealer
Source is kind of like the they’re kind
of like the spurs of restyling where
they just happen to have another amazing
generational salesperson come along and
and allow to pull them through. So you
can’t you got to grow them like that.
You can’t just find them. So
grow them young.
That’s it, buddy. That’s it.
All right. Awesome. Thanks for joining
us, brother.
Thank you.
All right.
Hey, Jesse, can you stay on for a
minute? I can sir. Bye Rick. Thank you.
See you guys.
Bye.
And there you have it. Another high
octane episode of the Ride and Style
podcast. Revved up and ready to go. Your
hosts Jesse Stoddard and Josh Pollson
shifted your automotive game into
overdrive.
If you’re hungry for more insights,
trends, and gamechanging interviews from
the automotive restyling universe, don’t
forget to hit subscribe and leave a
glowing review. We’d also love for you
to share this podcast with your gear
heads, installers, and auto lovers
network. Because remember, knowledge is
power, but shared knowledge turbocharges
the whole industry. For more expert
resources to supercharge your business,
cruise on over to
autostylemarketing.com,
your one-stop shop for everything
automotive marketing.
Until next time, keep those wheels
spinning and your passion ignited. Thank
you for riding in style with us. See you
on the next lap.

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