Erica: Durran, tell us about yourself. Who are you?
Durran: My name is Durran Cage and to sum up who I am: I am insanely focused on coaching people and businesses to make people’s lives better. I have been coaching since I was 17 years old. I was playing sports when I was young, and my coach was like “You should get into coaching”. I ended up doing it for 5 years and I loved it. In my automotive journey, even when selling cars/GSM/Owner of a company – I’m coaching constantly. I’ve been in their shoes, and I can help because I’ve been there. It’s humble and it’s fun. When they win, we all get to win because our business wins as well.
Erica: How did you get into the Automotive Industry?
Durran: The fun story about it is I met my friend, Casey Zangare, and I went to his house. It’s massive - like MTV Cribs Mansion – and I asked, “Hey man, how this happen??”. He told me his dad was a car salesperson and I asked, “How do you get into that?”. He said, “My dad dropped out of school, went to sell cars and did this”. 17-year-old me went to sell cars with him & his dad. I loved it and it was still coaching. That’s what a good salesperson gets to do – they get to coach their customers on what’s the best cars for them and how to do it. Even 4 years later, being out of retail, I still get customers who reach out to me. I was also for a short period of time as a Chrysler Rep in 2007/2008, but I ultimately went back into Retail because I love being around people.
Erica: What's the greatest career lesson you've learned that you wish someone had prepared you for?
Durran: Being able to receive criticism and feedback. It took a lot of maturity for me to hear “Hey, you’re not that great but you need to do X and Y”. I was a tyrant as a GSM in my 20’s because I felt I had to do that. It was the owner that told me: “You have to change, or you need to go!” He told me that I wasn’t allowed to talk to someone badly and that I needed to coach those people more and go all in with them before just firing them. But I wasn’t receptive to it at the time. Many leaders fail because we don’t go all in on employees on the regular basis. We don’t get a lot of training on how to do that well when we go into leadership. It’s a science to get other people to do the consistent habits that are needed to be successful. The people who are successful always need to be able to coach others to get them to where they need to be.
Erica: What piece of advice would you give to someone entering the Automotive Industry?
Durran: Lean into what’s uncomfortable, first. I say that because a lot of my life I’ll do things when the pain is too much to deal with. It’s better to be more proactive and have habits that support your growth versus just reacting to it. Like, if a customer calls you at a Ford store and just demands the lowest rate and will shop you against 5 other stores! And for a salesperson – you may want to just give up and let them go. But we should be trained to be able to be prepared enough to have those types of conversations. Like for me, video was my Achilles heel for years. I wasn’t comfortable on camera, and I ended up deciding I needed to force myself to get out of that comfort zone by going on Youtube in 2019 and started making content. It totally changed my career, and I wish I had done it sooner.
Erica: What keeps you going in this industry of so many ups & downs? What keeps you passionate about it?
Durran: Seeing others win. Making lives better. Every time I get a text from someone who is winning and I help them. My family also keeps me super motivated. Even before this call they kept saying “Daddy’s going on a call! So shh!”. Everyone is so invested as a home business. I love seeing other people win and there were people who did that for me before and it’s my duty to put that forward.
Erica: If you weren’t in the car business, what would it be? What has stopped you from making the change?
Durran: Coaching Basketball & Football. And I’m doing it y’all! I got 2 flag football teams with my 8- and 12-year-old, and then basketball. I’m in the middle of living out this goal and dream. I would love to be able to do that full time and let this business run as a brand with my team propelling it forward. Coaching and investing in other people. Maybe eventually college & high school.
Erica: What’s your least favorite part of the Automotive Industry
Durran: Speaking for me, when I’m investing or my company is investing in someone’s lives when they say they are at a point break – whether it’s a GM, Dealer, etc. – and then we as professional see what it is, and we coach them through it but then it never gets done. They stay in that dark place rather than go into the light I’m giving to them. It’s the same way when people who buy a car have similar angst. It’s like a bait and switch in a different way. No one likes to waste their time. Don’t repeat that and do something else. Or just own it and that you’re not going to change it.
Erica: What’s the biggest flattery/moment where you felt like you made a difference in your career?”
Durran: The one that stands out to me and gets me fired up: when someone is in an entry level role, like a salesperson, and you coach them and really build a relationship and invest in them, but they leave like a little bird out of the nest. Then years later, they are a GM or owning a store because of the training you helped give them. I was able to help a small part for that journey and you know they’re paying it forward.
Erica: What new technologies would you like to see incorporated into our industry?
Durran: I would say, it’s not new, but, AI. The big opportunity that's out there with AI/ChatGPT is using it internally first and mastering that - allowing it to help you more. Sending a video to a customer is great but sending a video to a salesperson who just won the board to celebrate it in real time – that’s going to keep giving back 1,000X.
Or for the sales manager/GM who is working with thousands of people would benefit from an AI assistant that can help them with their own brand voice with their own goals so they can accomplish it too. We need efficiency – we don’t need the AI doing the job for us, but we do need it to help us to have more organization in our business & personal lives. Almost like miniature coaches.
Erica: What are you doing to help curb the “misinterpretations” about our industry when attracting new talent?
Durran: I would say what I try to do – especially with the newer talent – is talk about how fun this industry is. Before 15-20 years ago, what did you have to make this industry fun? Maybe TV? Maybe One to One interaction? Social media was only allowed to anyone who had an EDU email! There weren’t even as many email tactics. You’ve got all the individual branding: your own App, your own AI, your own Socials, etc. You can now really have fun and create a really great brand that will follow you and that will help you in the next 15-20 years. You never had that before! It’s evolved so much, and you can grow so much from making your own brand. It will also allow you to explore outside one industry. And as a business owner – that’s invaluable! You could have a mini celebrity that can bring your business so much awareness! Now you’re looking at their engagement score because they can connect with more people and their community. Branding is here and has always been here. In the past though, it was exclusive to if you were a massive company but now it’s available to anyone at your own level. If you’re open enough to do it, you’ll get massive success.
Erica: Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years? Where do you see the industry in the next 10 years?
Durran: Years from now, I’d imagine I’d be full time coaching. If I am still in automotive, it’d be coaching businesses with more employee facing stuff than right now. From Auto Industry, it’s going to be interesting. I still feel that the Manufacturer’s have always been working closely to get more control of the customer experience and I still feel like with EV vehicles – that more people are trying to replicate an Amazon experience where the dealership is the fulfillment center. I think that means the dealership needs to REALLY lean into their brand and build their brand/brand experience because if they’re not – they’re going to be unable to compete. Customers are going to then want to deal with the best experience centers because mobile delivery could also increase. Used Cars, I don’t think will change much. I think we will start to see dealerships operating with less staff but more technology. I think there is more opportunities for people to be owners of dealerships or consulting in the dealerships because of the way the business has changed and what needs to be adapted. There are multiple ways to win and it’ll be interesting to watch.
Erica: A mentor or person that influenced your career – whether inside Auto or not – what did they do?
Durran: I would say Corey Mosely is a great business coach that caught me at the right time in 2019 when I was about to hang this business up for me. For anyone who owns a business, you can’t just do something you’re good at. To run a business, you need to run a business – do pay accounts and other business needs. You’re not just a coach – you’re a business owner who also coaches. You need someone in your life that can challenge you and ask you those questions about business because they’re not IN business. It’s that outside perspective.
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