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The Dealer Lab

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by Ownex

5.0(2 reviews)

34 episodes

Updated Daily

Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸

Podcast Overview

Exploring the Future of Dealerships — One Experiment at a Time The Dealer Lab is the official podcast of the Ownex Network — a community of dealers, operators, and industry experts working together to redefine what a modern dealership can be. Hosted by Max Materne, Danny French, and Justin Watson, each episode dives deep into the experiments, breakthroughs, and hard-earned lessons emerging from real dealerships inside the Ownex Cohort. From transforming customer retention and fixed operations to reshaping culture, leadership, and technology — The Dealer Lab explores what happens when you sta

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Publishing Since

10/17/2025

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Recent Episodes

July 6, 2026

34 | Using AI in Turn-arounds (Part 2)

AI-Edited Podcast, Claude’s “Fable 5,” and Building Agents That Run a TurnaroundMax, Danny, and Justin catch up after skipping an episode and explain a new format where the show is edited by an AI agent that cuts gaps, adds intro/outro, bleeps curses, and generates promo clips. They discuss Claude’s “Fable 5” model returning temporarily on subscription before moving to token-based pricing, and how the model rebuilt a company website perfectly and enabled rapid creation of tools like a customer portal. The conversation shifts to data centers, community pushback, and the tradeoff between slowing AI infrastructure and making AI access more expensive. Max details building an AI agent named Athena for a 90-day turnaround at a 100-employee, $20M New Orleans company, using local files, QuickBooks reports, Whisperflow, and a Plaud recorder to structure interviews, map roles, and generate workflows, quotes, and password-protected microsites while focusing on adoption through the “six I’s” change framework.00:00 Cold Open and Setup00:20 AI Edited Podcast Format03:01 Claude Fable 5 Returns08:58 Data Centers and AI Access14:52 Token Panic and Costs22:15 Real World AI Wins27:12 Secret Turnaround Project32:42 Building Athena Agent39:21 Plaud Recorder Workflow41:33 Organizing Knowledge Files44:08 AI in the Gray Areas44:36 Athena as Perfect Manager46:19 Math Not Chatbots48:54 Execution and Adoption Hurdles50:25 Gamifying Workflows51:41 Agents Are Organized Context53:47 From Post It to Quote58:18 Microsites and Human Roles01:02:05 Six Is Change Management01:04:13 Replacing Legacy Systems01:14:04 Security and Compliance01:18:31 Wearables and Data Chaos01:23:29 Wrap Up and Community Challenge

June 22, 2026

33 | How we're using AI in the Dealer Lab (Part 1)

Building AI Tools for Dealerships: Websites, Workflows, and Real-World WinsMax, Danny, and Justin catch up on what they’ve been building in their dealerships, including a new custom unit division (SCUD) and monthly tech nights where customers learn maintenance by rebuilding a CB450. They discuss using AI as an internal assistant—not customer-facing chatbots—to reduce busywork, standardize processes, and replace expensive, bloated software subscriptions. Justin explains how he used tools like Claude, Replit, and Whisperflow to design and deploy a custom dealership website that pulls live inventory from his DMS, supports finance and service inquiries, manages events, and includes an admin dashboard. He also built a VIN-scan receiving workflow for an off-site warehouse that triggers notifications when units arrive or show damage. The group frames AI like “fly-by-wire” for dealerships: transforming operations by making small teams faster and tools more tailored to real workflows.00:00 No Intro Just Catching Up00:18 Mic Check Chaos00:45 SCUD Custom Division Tour02:21 Tech Nights Class Plan04:05 AI Builds The Syllabus07:35 Fly By Wire Dealership11:43 AI Ethics And Local Models17:25 Claude Tips And Pricing21:03 Warranty Claims In Seconds29:22 Software Dictates Workflow33:40 Customer Data And Cash Tickets40:59 Why Justin Rebuilt The Website43:20 APIs And Asking AI45:08 WhisperFlow Voice Workflow46:51 Claude Desktop Cowork Mode49:06 Website Build And Deployment55:05 Live Inventory Pages01:01:06 Admin Panel And CRM01:05:30 Warehouse VIN Receiving01:10:34 Cost Savings And SEO01:17:18 Next Episodes And Agents01:18:38 Turnaround Mind Map Agent01:22:01 Wrap Up And Call To Action

June 15, 2026

32 | Arrick Maurice: Bike Shed Chief Growth Officer

Bike Shed’s Arrick Maurice on Growing Motorcycle Culture, Brand Marketing, and What Dealers Can LearnArrick Maurice, Chief Growth Officer of Bike Shed and former marketing leader for Ducati North America, Ferrari North America, Rivian CX, and Harley-Davidson global brand marketing, joins The Dealer Lab Podcast with Max Materne and Danny French to discuss building motorcycle culture through content, community, and hospitality. They begin with Bike Shed’s revived Shed Talks and Arrick’s episode with custom builder Maxwell Hazan, including Hazan’s hand-built Ferrari V8 motorcycle, its track testing, and a reported $500,000 sale. Arrick recounts his career path, key lessons from Ducati’s Scrambler launch, Ferrari’s luxury brand culture, Rivian’s direct-to-consumer journey, and Harley’s challenge of modernizing without alienating core riders. The conversation covers EV motorcycles and youth e-bike trends, dealer fundamentals and customer-first retail illustrated by Arun Sharma’s MotoCorsa, and how Bike Shed aims to lower barriers to entry via spaces, media, events, and new global membership.00:00 Ducati Dream Moments02:59 Shed Talk Launch Praise04:08 Bike Shed Origins05:56 Meeting Max Hazan06:44 Ferrari V8 Bike Build09:16 Sold To Collector11:39 Track Tuning Madness13:19 More Guests Lined Up17:42 Career Origin Story20:49 Scrambler Launch Inside22:15 Ferrari And Beyond28:00 Legacy Brands Pushback30:21 Electric Ferrari Hot Take32:34 Listening To Feedback33:25 Harley Pivot Problem34:27 Harley Brand Identity Trap35:56 Innovation Versus Ducati37:00 LiveWire Early Bet39:23 EV Ride Feel Debate40:32 Kids On Electric Minis43:29 Next Gen Rider Experiment45:25 Motorcycles Stay Cool47:03 MotoCorsa Culture Shift48:56 Arun Customer First01:01:24 Dealers Build Community01:06:17 COVID And Staffing Crunch01:08:46 Why Bike Shed Matters01:10:48 Bike Shed Origin Story01:12:27 Lowering Entry Barriers01:15:14 Common Ground Culture01:17:21 Industry Versus Outsiders01:17:58 Indian Versus Harley Ragebait01:29:24 Why Division Hurts Everyone01:33:27 Supporting Builders And Media01:36:43 Dealers OEM Gridlock01:42:46 Keeping Riders In Sport01:44:19 Bikeshed Growth Model01:45:42 Global Membership App01:48:33 Capital Intensive Expansion01:50:01 Partnering With Dealers01:51:30 Wrap Up And Visit Invite

34 total episodes available

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What is The Dealer Lab?: Exploring the Future of Dealerships — One Experiment at a Time

The Dealer Lab is the official podcast of the Ownex Network — a community of dealers, operators, and industry experts working together to redefine what a modern dealership can be. Hosted by Max Materne, Danny French, and Justin Watson, each episode dives deep into the experiments, breakthroughs, and hard-earned lessons emerging from real dealerships inside the Ownex Cohort.

From transforming customer retention and fixed operations to reshaping culture, leadership, and technology — The Dealer Lab explores what happens when you sta
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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