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In this episode, my guest is Johan Verbois, founder of MA5, a used vehicle consulting, an international consulting firm specializing in used vehicle operations, remarketing, and residual value management.

Johan’s journey into automotive started with a surprising detour from physiotherapy to dealership life—and turned into a 35+ year career shaping used car operations at some of the biggest names in the business, including Toyota, Opel, Peugeot, and Mercedes.

We get into a lot during this conversation:

• Why most dealers still lack a real used car strategy
• The cultural differences across Europe that affect how used cars are valued and sold
• What EVs are doing to the second-hand market—and why some dealers are afraid to touch them
• How AI and new retail players are changing the game faster than we realize
• And what Johan learned from his time at Toyota about focus, simplicity, and long-term thinking

Johan is also a board member of CARA, the European Car Remarketing Association, and a familiar face on global automotive stages. If you're in the industry—OEM, retail, tech, or consulting—this is one of those episodes that gives you a fresh lens on what’s happening right now in the used car world.

Give it a listen—there’s plenty in here that could sharpen your next move.

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In this episode, my guest is John Lin, a renowned speaker, China expert, and platform evangelist, known for his unique ability to bridge Eastern innovation with Western business practice. As a regular columnist for Twinkle Magazine and a former Lead Ecosystem Business Developer at bol.com, John has spent his career exploring the intersection of Chinese tech trends and local market application. Through thought-provoking keynotes he inspires organisations to rethink innovation, platform thinking, and the speed of change driven by the East.

We talk about what Europe can learn from China’s rapid growth in EVs and innovation. And not just the obvious stuff like faster production or big factories—but things like how Xiaomi sold 100,000 cars in 24 hours, and why car dealerships in China feel more like tech stores than showrooms.

Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode:

• Why the EV boom in China happened so fast, and what role government policy played
• How consumer behavior around car buying is changing, and what Gen Z expects
• What Chinese brands are doing differently in retail, and how it’s driving real results
• Which upcoming Chinese EV companies might be the ones to watch in Europe
• And how European dealer groups can prepare for the next wave of competition

John shares stories that will make you rethink what’s possible, from self-parking cars that drive themselves underground to car brands being sold alongside headphones and smartphones. The pace, the tech, the mindset, it’s all moving faster than most of us realize.

If you’ve been wondering what’s really coming next in automotive retail, this episode will open your eyes. Give it a listen. It might just change how you see the future.

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In this episode, my guest is Steven van Belleghem, a globally recognised expert in customer experience and the impact of technology on business. He’s the author of several bestsellers, including When Digital Becomes Human, Customers the Day After Tomorrow, and The Offer You Can’t Refuse. Through his work with Nexxworks, Steven helps leading brands figure out how to stay relevant in a world that’s changing faster than most can keep up.

We get into the real story behind AI’s impact on customer behavior—and why many businesses are focusing on the wrong side of the AI revolution. Steven makes it clear: it’s not just about backend efficiency. It’s about how your customers are already using AI to search, decide, and buy in ways most businesses aren’t even seeing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How AI is quietly raising the bar for what customers expect
• Why focusing only on internal AI projects could make your dealership invisible
• Why word of mouth and customer reviews are more critical than ever
• What car dealers can start doing today to build customer experiences that people actually talk about

Steven also shares a personal story that shows just how quickly a dealership can lose a lifetime of business by missing one key moment.

This conversation is packed with insights you can start applying right away. If you want to know how to keep winning customers in an AI-first world, this episode is for you.

There’s a lot in here to think about—and plenty you can start applying right now.