In this Session, Kyle Mountsier sits down with automotive industry icon David Kain to unpack his evolving role at NCM Associates and the powerful impact of Vendor 20 Groups. With decades of experience advocating for dealer success, David shares why it's more important than ever to foster genuine partnerships between vendors and dealerships. His insights highlight a fresh approach to collaboration that breaks down long-standing walls in the auto industry.

David offers compelling anecdotes from recent Vendor 20 Group sessions, reflects on the importance of dealer feedback in product development, and calls on vendors to invest more meaningfully in the people and institutions that help shape innovation.

Learn more about SpaceAuto at https://space.auto/

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro

1:25 Vendor 20 Groups reframe vendor-dealer relationships

3:24 The ethics of using dealer cell phone numbers

4:45 “Pitch slapped”: The new language of bad outreach

5:46 Dealers chase insights, not sales pitches

7:37 Vendors should compensate dealers for advisory input

10:27 Advisory shares incentivize product innovation

11:25 NCM planning new client & friends event