Welcome to another edition of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast Recap newsletter—the key lessons from top operators, founders, and execs shaping the future of auto retail.
Today’s guest is Mario Murgado, CEO of Murgado Automotive Group.
We cover Mario’s escape from communist Cuba, his journey to building a 29-store dealership empire across five states, the growth model fueling expansion into underserved communities, and the day he lost 24 employees in a single immigration raid.
Childhood immigration experiences create unshakeable work ethic and resilience.
Operation Peter Pan brought over 14,000 Cuban children to America between 1959-1963, separating them from families and placing them with foster parents through Catholic Church networks.
"I came alone without my parents. And then my mother came and then my father came afterwards. I had met someone that was from the Navy and he told me that, ‘Lighthouses have always brought sailors home. So your father will find his lighthouse and he'll be here.’"
This early separation and uncertainty taught fundamental lessons about perseverance and maintaining hope during the darkest moments that would later drive business success.
Early education habits build foundation for lifelong business acumen.
Daily newspaper reading from second grade, even with yesterday's discarded papers, created exposure to business and world events far beyond typical childhood experiences.
"In the second grade, [my father] goes, ‘We got to get the paper so you can read every day.’ In second grade, you really can't read the paper. You don't have that ability yet. But I said, ‘We're poor. We can't have the paper.’ So he goes, ‘Go across the street to Mr. Gransel and tell him to give you yesterday's paper.’"
By fourth grade, this discipline enabled rapid comprehension of complex topics and provided conversational abilities with adults about business, politics, and global events.
Broken dealerships present massive opportunities for operators willing to work.
Acquiring two failing stores in 2001 required seeing potential where others saw only problems and committing to hands-on operational involvement.
"The Honda store was selling 16 cars a month. The Pontiac GMC store was selling only six cars a month, 22 used cars, and it was losing money, hemorrhaging every single month."
Success came through positioning terrible inventory like the Pontiac Aztec as value propositions at $17,000 instead of $30,000, using smart ordering strategies and manufacturer incentives.
Hispanic market strategy centers on family-oriented business relationships.
Understanding cultural differences goes beyond language translation to recognizing how purchasing decisions involve extended family networks and relationship-building approaches.
"I think we're more family than anything else. And I think when we do business with them, it's all about family. And I think it's kind of the way we were brought up. We're doing it at the kitchen table."
When customers purchase their first new car, they bring multiple generations to celebrate together, requiring authentic cultural understanding and genuine relationship investment from the team.
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Centralized leadership with decentralized execution scales culture effectively.
Managing 1,905 employees across 29 locations requires a strategic balance between operational control and local market responsiveness.
"We had always tried to give a lot of autonomy to a general manager and we still do. But at the same time, you have to centralize something so you can better control, so you can better handle and you can let them be more focused on what needs to be done on their side."
General managers receive autonomy for daily operations while participating in quarterly leadership meetings that align strategic vision and operational best practices across all locations.
Geographic expansion follows demographic growth patterns and market opportunities.
Building presence in markets with growing Hispanic populations creates sustainable competitive advantages through cultural alignment and community understanding.
"In 1999, there was an article that said by 2040, 2045, [Hispanic demographics] become the majority. So I said, okay, that could be an interesting thing."
Strategic markets include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, Texas border towns, Chicago, and California locations where demographic trends support long-term growth.
Female leadership representation strengthens operational performance and customer relationships.
Developing women in sales and management positions creates competitive advantages through diverse perspectives and expanded customer appeal.
"We have a lot of women in the sales. We have women in management and we look forward to having our first general manager woman also as well."
Performance metrics remain the primary evaluation criteria while actively creating advancement opportunities for female candidates.
Immigration policy changes directly impact automotive retail operations.
Recent enforcement actions demonstrate how broader political decisions create immediate business consequences and workforce disruptions.
"We had a Friday here, we lost 24 employees. We had a month ago, I think we had 31 or 32 vehicles returned to us. And these are good people, wonderful people, honorable people."
The impact on good employees creates both operational challenges and personal sadness, highlighting how policy directly affects workforce stability and business continuity.
Technology enhancement requires maintaining human relationship elements.
AI and digital tools provide operational efficiency improvements while preserving authentic customer interactions that drive long-term loyalty.
"AI can help you write the descriptions you want. AI can help you to do a lot of different things. But at the end of the day…there's gotta be a human element to it there."
Implementation focuses on supporting human capabilities rather than replacing personal connections that remain central to successful automotive retail.
Personal collections and museums create unique brand differentiation opportunities.
Forty years of car collecting resulted in a 62,000 square foot Cadillac museum that serves both personal passion and business marketing purposes.
"It's my love for cars. It's my collection of cars over the years. 40 years plus, of collecting cars, saving cars. I have my first Corvette I bought. It's that important to me."
The museum provides event hosting capabilities while connecting customers to automotive history and aspirational ownership experiences that strengthen brand loyalty.
