Independent vs Franchise: Lessons from the Industry’s Top Disruptors - Disruptive Forces

The David Spisak Show

In this episode I had the absolute privilege of sitting down with two of the sharpest minds in the automotive industry: Edgar Castellanos, the mastermind behind California Motors Direct and Euro Motor Cars, and Daniel Crainic, the driving force of DNC Motors and Time Auto Group.

These guys didn’t just stumble into success—they built it from the ground up, navigating the challenges of independent dealerships, then scaling into multi-franchise operations. What’s most fascinating? They’ve taken the lessons learned from the scrappy, no-safety-net world of independents and applied them to thrive in the franchise space.

We talked about it all. How do you source cars when inventory feels impossible? What’s the key to standing out in a crowded market? And here’s a big one—why is appraising every single car the superpower that so many dealerships overlook? Edgar and Daniel share the real, actionable strategies they’ve used to grow, from mastering niche markets to leveraging every opportunity to outpace competitors like CarMax and Carvana.

Whether you’re a seasoned franchise dealer or an independent looking to scale, this episode is packed with insights that can take your operation to the next level.

Connect with David Spisak to Achieve Exponential Growth:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidspisak/
• Website: https://www.davidspisak.com
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