The Automotive Talent Show

What do a mechanic, auto electrician, salesman and Managing Director have in common? Scott Maynard!

From swinging spanners in Tasmania to leading Polestar Australia and New Zealand, Scott’s career has taken a few turns — and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

In this chat with Cameron Cresswell, Scott shares why he still reckons automotive is the best game in town, what keeps the industry interesting, and why being ...

Sometimes the best career advice isn't about chasing the next opportunity—it's about making the most of the one you're already in.

Vaughan Blackman explains why the biggest opportunities in his career came from doing the job in front of him exceptionally well. From Australia to leading automotive businesses in the UK, he reflects on the importance of consistency, earning trust, developing great people, embracing change, and le...

Imagine spending years becoming a criminal barrister, only to decide you’d rather sell cars.

That’s exactly what Ella Letiagina did. She left law, walked onto a Volkswagen dealership floor and started again — eventually helping take the brand from 4% market share to number one in Belarus. Then came Russia, then Australia, where she had to do something arguably harder: arrive with plenty of experience, but n...

What happens when AI stops being a tool you add to the dealership — and starts becoming part of how the dealership actually operates?

In this episode of The Automotive Talent Show, Cameron Cresswell sits down with Ed Tapley from Podium to look well beyond the current AI hype and into what automotive retail could actually become. From AI sales agents and AI “chiefs of staff” to AI managers, agent-to-agent in...

From dreaming of a career in professional football to leading one of Australia's highest-performing Mazda dealerships, Luke Camilleri has built his leadership philosophy around one simple idea: great dealerships are built like great sporting teams.

Luke Camilleri talks about why culture isn't something you talk about—it's something you practise every day. We explore recruitment, accountability, adapting to change, lead...

The automotive industry is changing faster than ever. Customer expectations are evolving, technology continues to reshape the dealership experience, and service departments can no longer rely on doing things the way they've always been done.

Kieran Stack talks about why embracing change isn't optional for today's dealerships. From coaching service advisers and developing stronger leaders to improving customer communication a...

F&I is often viewed as a numbers game—but the best leaders know it's about much more than finance, products, and profitability.

In this episode of The Automotive Talent Show, Anthony Maluccio shares the leadership principles that have shaped his career in automotive, exploring how trust, culture, customer relationships, and developing people ultimately drive long-term business success.

Anthony Maluccio talks...

Steven Bragg has spent decades helping dealership groups navigate growth, profitability, acquisitions, and industry transformation. Five years after his first appearance on the Automotive Talent Show, he returns to discuss how dramatically the automotive landscape has changed—and what's still to come.

From Chinese OEMs and EV adoption to AI, dealership profitability, workforce evolution, and changing customer expectati...

Tegan Blockey's automotive journey started with a car care role after putting a career in the police force on hold. Twenty years later, she's leading Bridge Toyota, Gove Toyota, and Lexus of Darwin, building one of the Northern Territory's most respected dealership operations.

In this conversation with Cameron Cresswell, Tegan shares lessons from growing through the industry, leading teams across remote communities, developi...

Andrew Hillcoat has spent more than 40 years in the automotive industry, building a career that has taken him from apprentice technician in regional Queensland to luxury automotive leadership roles across Australia and the Middle East.

In this conversation with Cameron Cresswell, Andrew shares lessons from every stage of that journey—from launching Maybach and SLR McLaren in the Middle East to helping dealerships acros...

From an aspiring footy player to leading one of Queensland's most recognised automotive groups, Mark Beitz shares the lessons learned from 25 years of growth, change, and reinvention.

We discuss succession planning, AI and "digital employees", navigating market uncertainty, empowering future leaders, and why community-driven dealerships still have a place in the future of automotive retail.

A fascinating conversation on leade...

The automotive industry is changing faster than ever.

From the rise of Chinese brands and EV adoption, to AI in dealerships and shifting customer behaviour — Mike Costello shares what’s really happening behind the scenes of the Australian automotive market.

A sharp conversation on data, retail evolution, technology, brand loyalty, and where the industry is headed next.

Full episode out now.

#Auto...

In this weeks episode of the podcast, Cameron catches up with Steven Bragg, one of the great minds of the automotive industry in Australia.

They chat about attracting the next generation of automotive people, EV’s and Mobility, the Agency model, and a potential game-changer that no one is talking about.

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In this weeks episode of the podcast, Cameron catches up with Jeff Hunter, one of the best exponents of using his social media channels to build both his brand and his dealerships brand.

They chat about putting the ‘social’ into social media, building your brand, and much more. Check it out!

Listen 🎧 and Subscribe 🤝 where you get your Podcasts not to miss a future episode, subscribe below not to miss future episodes.�...

In this weeks episode of the podcast, Cameron catches up with Jason Harris, Head of the StrategyMob, and specialist in the digital dealership space, amongst other things!

They chat about getting tricked into joining the car industry, building brands on social media not selling, and much more. Check it out!

You can connect with Jason on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategywithjason/

To check out StrategyMob we...

In this weeks episode of the podcast, Cameron catches up with Herb Anderson, host of the Dealer Talk Podcast and specialist in the digital dealership space, ensuring best practices for his clients.

They chat about all things digital in the modern dealership from all the keys pillars, driving effective digital traffic not necessarily volume, and being social on social media, not just making commercials. Check it out!

You can connect...

In this weeks episode of the podcast, Cameron catches up with Ian Parker, Automotive Sales and Business Coach from the Ian Parker Management Group.

They chat about training isn’t something you’ve done, it’s something you do….integrating video into you customer communication, and no-one ever got in trouble for over-communicating. Check it out!

You can email Ian directly using ian@ianparker.com.au

You can con...

In this weeks episode of the podcast, Cameron catches up with Johnny Yap, creator of the Johnny Yaps Podcast and also the Dealer Principal of MacArthur BMW in Sydney.

They chat about relationships and mentoring, focusing on activity over the outcome, and the pay packet isn’t enough engagement. Check it out!

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Apple - https://pod...

In this weeks episode of the podcast, Cameron catches up with Charles Lin, Business Development Manager for AppVantage.

They chat about technology aiding the dealership of the future, adapting to the new ways of selling, leasing an EV for less than your mobile phone plan and many other great topics. Check it out!

Listen 🎧 and Subscribe 🤝 where you get your Podcasts to not miss a future episode.

You can connect with Charles on Lin...