The Automotive Talent Show

Tegan Blockey's automotive journey started with a car care role after putting a career in the police force on hold. Twenty years later, she's leading Bridge Toyota, Gove Toyota, and Lexus of Darwin, building one of the Northern Territory's most respected dealership operations.In this conversation with Cameron Cresswell, Tegan shares lessons from growing through the industry, leading teams across remote communities, developing future leaders, creating a culture people want to be part of, and adapting to an automotive landscape that continues to evolve.Tegan Blockey talks about why leadership matters more than management, hiring for attitude over experience, investing in staff, supporting local communities, and creating an environment where people can build long-term careers. She also shares her perspective on the future of automotive retail, changing customer expectations, and the opportunities that come from embracing change.Whether you're a Dealer Principal, people leader, or someone looking to build a career in automotive, this episode offers practical insights on leadership, culture, customer relationships, and developing great teams that stand the test of time.
🎧 Listen on SPOTIFY/APPLE/AMAZON/IHEART/DEEZER:theautomotivetalentshow.riverside.com🎬 Full Episodes:youtube.com/@AutomotivetalentAu🎬 Clips & Shorts:youtube.com/@AutomotivetalentAu/shorts📱 FOLLOW USInstagram: instagram.com/automotivetalentLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/automotive-talentFacebook: facebook.com/AutomotiveTalentX/Twitter: x.com/Auto_TalentPodcast LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/the-automotive-talent-show-podcast/👥 Host:Cameron Cresswelllinkedin.com/in/cameroncresswell/🎤 Guest:Tegan Blockeylinkedin.com/in/tegan-b-a8717b16200:00 Introduction01:12 How Tegan Started06:15 "Leading" as a "woman in a man's world"09:01 Tegan talks about Imposter Syndrome11:33 Why mentors matter15:19 Tegan talks about Birdge Toyota and Eagers22:56 Leaders not managers25:33 Stereotype in the automotive industry?30:36 Finding the balance 34:58 Croc as a pet?!39:39 Age of connectivity42:03 Outro

Andrew Hillcoat has spent more than 40 years in the automotive industry, building a career that has taken him from apprentice technician in regional Queensland to luxury automotive leadership roles across Australia and the Middle East.In this conversation with Cameron Cresswell, Andrew shares lessons from every stage of that journey—from launching Maybach and SLR McLaren in the Middle East to helping dealerships across Australia unlock growth, improve performance, and navigate an increasingly competitive market.Andrew Hillcoat talks about why aftersales remains one of the most overlooked opportunities in automotive retail, the leadership habits that separate great operators from average ones, and how dealerships can uncover significant profit through better process, accountability, and customer retention.Whether you're a Dealer Principal, Service Manager, sales leader, or simply passionate about the automotive industry, this episode is packed with practical insights from someone who has seen the business from every angle.🎧 Listen on SPOTIFY/APPLE/AMAZON/IHEART/DEEZER:theautomotivetalentshow.riverside.com🎬 Full Episodes:youtube.com/@AutomotivetalentAu🎬 Clips & Shorts:youtube.com/@AutomotivetalentAu/shorts📱 FOLLOW USInstagram: instagram.com/automotivetalentLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/automotive-talentFacebook: facebook.com/AutomotiveTalentX/Twitter: x.com/Auto_TalentPodcast LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/the-automotive-talent-show-podcast/👥 Host:Cameron Cresswelllinkedin.com/in/cameroncresswell/🎤 Guest:Andrew Hillcoatlinkedin.com/in/andrew-hillcoat-1ba23139CHAPTERS:00:00 The Journey Begins: From Toowoomba to the Automotive Industry02:26 Automotive is an Inviting Industry03:36 Navigating the Luxury Automotive Landscape06:29 Experiences in the Middle East: A Unique Perspective10:14 Transitioning Back to Australia: Lessons Learned12:04 The Importance of After Sales in Automotive14:53 Maximizing Profitability: Strategies for Success18:00 Driving Performance: Key Metrics and Insights20:56 Integrating Sales and Service Departments22:24 Accountability in Sales and Service24:15 The Role of Mentorship in Business25:07 Addressing Underperformance in Dealerships27:07 Maximizing Productivity and Efficiency28:26 Rethinking Non-Productive Staff30:17 The Impact of AI on Dealership Operations33:19 The Future of AI in the Automotive Industry35:22 Communication is Always a People's Job38:32 Evolving Roles of Dealership Management41:18 Navigating Industry Changes and Challenges44:46 The Importance of Leadership Optics47:36 Building Credibility and First Impressions49:45 Maintaining a Positive Leadership Presence49:59 Final Outro

From an aspiring footy player to leading one of Queensland's most recognised automotive groups, Mark Beitz shares the lessons learned from 25 years of growth, change, and reinvention.We discuss succession planning, AI and "digital employees", navigating market uncertainty, empowering future leaders, and why community-driven dealerships still have a place in the future of automotive retail.A fascinating conversation on leadership, technology, people, and building a business that lasts.Full episode out now.#AutomotiveIndustry #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Dealership #AI #FamilyBusiness #AutomotiveRetail #Podcast🎧 Listen on SPOTIFY/APPLE/AMAZON/IHEART/DEEZER:theautomotivetalentshow.riverside.com🎬 Full Episodes:youtube.com/@AutomotivetalentAu🎬 Clips & Shorts:youtube.com/@AutomotivetalentAu/shorts📱 FOLLOW USInstagram: instagram.com/automotivetalentLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/automotive-talentFacebook: facebook.com/AutomotiveTalentX/Twitter: x.com/Auto_TalentPodcast LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/the-automotive-talent-show-podcast/👥 Host:Cameron Cresswelllinkedin.com/in/cameroncresswell/automotivetalent.com.au🎤 Guest:Mark Beitzlinkedin.com/in/mark-beitz-6716ba8Bartons.net.au

The automotive industry is changing faster than ever.From the rise of Chinese brands and EV adoption, to AI in dealerships and shifting customer behaviour — Mike Costello shares what’s really happening behind the scenes of the Australian automotive market.A sharp conversation on data, retail evolution, technology, brand loyalty, and where the industry is headed next.Full episode out now.#AutomotiveIndustry #Podcast #EV #Dealership #AutomotiveNews #AI #ElectricVehicles #Cars🎧 Listen on SPOTIFY/APPLE/AMAZON/IHEART/DEEZER:theautomotivetalentshow.riverside.com🎬 Full Episodes:youtube.com/@AutomotivetalentAu🎬 Clips & Shorts:youtube.com/@AutomotivetalentAu/shorts📱 FOLLOW USInstagram: instagram.com/automotivetalentLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/automotive-talentFacebook: facebook.com/AutomotiveTalentX/Twitter: x.com/Auto_TalentPodcast LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/the-automotive-talent-show-podcast/👥 Host:Cameron Cresswelllinkedin.com/in/cameroncresswell/🎤 Guest:Mike Costellolinkedin.com/in/mike-costello-cox-automotive/

In this weeks episode of the podcast, Cameron catches up with Steven Bragg, one of the great minds of the automotive industry in Australia. They chat about attracting the next generation of automotive people, EV’s and Mobility, the Agency model, and a potential game-changer that no one is talking about. Listen 🎧 and Subscribe 🤝 where you get your Podcasts not to miss a future episode, subscribe below not to miss future episodes.👇🏻 Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-automotive-talent-show/id1515126641 Google - https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xMmY3ZTU2MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6oyEIYOaoLxxZX0ciRyEMY Anchor - https://anchor.fm/automotive-talent You can connect with Steve on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenrbragg/ Website - www.pitcher.com.au Email - [email protected] Phone - +61 437 445 200 If you would like more information on anything discussed, or simply to make an appointment with us, you can do so by clicking this link - bit.ly/2S1wjzz All conversations with you are in the strictest of confidence.