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One of the greatest episodes I have ever recorded ft. Erica Bruno
Manage episode 484192490 series 3499631
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Erica Bruno was practically born with motor oil in her veins. Hailing from Southeastern Massachusetts, she grew up in a legendary car family. Her grandfather, Jack Barboza, made history as one of the first Portuguese male car dealers in the U.S., running up to 17 franchises at once. Her mother followed suit, breaking barriers as the 7th female Toyota dealer in the nation—and the first in New England.
Even though her family tried steering her away from the business, Erica was hooked from the age of 7, when she cleaned her grandfather’s Dodge store office in exchange for a My Little Pony. Since then, she’s done it all—from washing cars and working in service & parts to selling on the showroom floor.
Keeping her promise to “get the degree first,” Erica graduated from the University of Vermont with a BA in History and Anthropology and a minor in Jazz Voice (yes, she’s a trained singer who almost went to Broadway). But just one month after graduation, she made her move—straight to Torrance, California, to begin her career at Toyota USA through their elite management training program.
Her journey has taken her from OEM giants like Toyota, Nissan, and Volvo to being one of the first 100 employees at AutomotiveMastermind, and beyond. She’s built a reputation for transforming dealership operations through branding, marketing, and data optimization—all while keeping the customer and culture at the heart of every strategy.
Erica is also a proud member of WOCAN (Women of Color Automotive Network) where she helps lead community initiatives, events, and newsletters that empower and connect women across the industry.
In 2021, she went viral on LinkedIn after vulnerably sharing the emotional impact of being laid off during COVID—a moment that sparked exponential professional growth and deepened her industry connections. Today, she uses that platform to inspire, educate, and uplift others navigating their own path in the car biz.
Off the clock, you’ll find Erica belting show tunes, cuddling animals, cracking jokes, or hyping up her people. She’s a true car girl at heart—and she’s just getting started.
[email protected]
https://www.linkedin.com/ericabruno
143 episodes
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