I get the same question 15–20 times a month:

“Where can I find a good used car manager?” I’ve had 3 calls today asking that very question.

Short answer?

You probably won’t.

Think about it.

If someone is great at what they do, they’re not looking.

And if they are… there’s usually a reason.

Most of the time, when a “great” manager leaves, the truth follows them out the door.

All the inventory problems? They were always there. Now you just see them. 99% of the time the leave a hot mess in their wake.

So here’s my advice:

Stop looking outside. Start building inside.

Great leaders don’t shop for talent—they develop it.

Find someone on your team.

Strong work ethic.

Open-minded.

Tech-savvy.

A little common sense (harder to find than you think).

Then go to work.

For the next 6 months, they’re not the manager—they’re your shadow.

You move, they move. You think, they think.

First:

You do it. They watch.

Then:

They do it. You watch.

Eventually:

They do it. You step back.

And finally:

They do it… and now they’re training the next one.

That’s how real growth happens.

That’s how you scale.

When you keep bringing in people from the outside, you keep bringing people in from the outside. It’s a revolving door of insanity. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs