In this special Q&A edition of Crossroad Conversations, the Lewis Brothers hand the mic to their audience and employees for a candid session of Unfiltered Leadership Questions. From favorite hobbies to leadership lessons, time management, and running a family business, this episode is all about real answers to real questions.

They dive into how patience, trust, and communication shape leadership; how staying humble and surrounding yourself with smarter people creates growth; and why balancing family and business comes down to respect and long-term perspective. The brothers also share stories about racing each other, building their dream dealership, supporting the local running community, and how showing up matters more than any check you write.

Takeaways

• Seek advice from people already at the level you want to reach.
  
  
  
• Great leaders listen first and act only after gathering all sides.
  
  
  
• Patience and clarity prevent unnecessary conflict.
  
  
  
• Hobbies evolve with life—balance creates longevity.
  
  
  
• In family business, define boundaries between “family” and “work.”
  
  
  
• Respect outweighs hierarchy in leadership.
  
  
  
• Preparation and discipline are key to showing up on time and ready.
  
  
  
• Community impact comes from participation, not just sponsorship.
  
  
  
• Growth happens when you delegate and trust others to lead.
  
  
  
• Humility, communication, and shared goals keep a family business thriving.
  
  
  

Chapters

00:00 Surround Yourself with Smarter People
00:20 Welcome to Unfiltered Leadership Questions
01:05 Favorite Hobbies Outside the Dealership
03:45 Leadership Lessons from Experience
06:00 The Power of Listening Before Reacting
07:10 Managing People and Building Respect
08:00 Future Growth and Expansion Plans
09:20 The Key to Being on Time
10:40 Preparation, Planning, and Accountability
12:30 Work–Life Balance and Communication
13:00 Competition, Teamwork, and Brotherhood
16:40 Why the Dealership Moved Locations
18:20 How to Earn Leadership the Right Way
21:00 Favorite Cars and Automotive Memories
25:50 Challenges of Running a Family Business
27:30 Respect, Authority, and Communication Among Brothers
30:00 Maintaining Trust and Shared Goals
34:00 Transitioning from Traditional to Social Media
36:50 The Decision that Changed Everything
38:30 Growth, Vision, and Accountability
40:00 Community Involvement and the Running Culture
44:00 Why Showing Up Matters More Than Sponsorship
46:30 Closing Thoughts

Feel the dynamic energy of the Lewis Brothers as they deliver real stories and lessons that keep local businesses on their toes, and share how experiences in the community inspire them to keep on driving.

Check out all our great episodes at CrossroadConversationsPodcast.com!

In Episode 62 of Crossroad Conversations, the Lewis Brothers expose the Copycat Trap—how businesses fall behind when they chase trends instead of creating their own path. They unpack why being different is harder—but ultimately smarter—and how originality, not imitation, builds brands that last.

Drawing on real-world stories and analogies, they explore how copying others can feel safe but leads to stagnation, while innovation and cultural authenticity drive long-term success. The discussion highlights why leaders must understand their “why,” stay focused on their unique strengths, and resist the temptation to replicate what’s already been done. The key takeaway: followers copy; leaders create.

Takeaways

• Copying feels safe, but it kills originality and momentum.
  
  
  
• True leaders innovate; imitators chase.
  
  
  
• Knowing your “why” separates lasting success from short-term attention.
  
  
  
• Originality requires discipline, creativity, and risk tolerance.
  
  
  
• Businesses that follow trends are always one step behind.
  
  
  
• Culture fuels originality—it’s not just creativity, it’s identity.
  
  
  
• Innovation requires experimentation and courage to fail forward.
  
  
  
• Great leaders evolve while staying rooted in purpose.
  
  
  
• Copying builds awareness; originality builds loyalty.
  
  
  
• The safest route rarely leads to real growth.
  
  
  

Chapters

00:00 Opening – The Copycat Trap: Why Being Different Is Harder (and Smarter)
01:18 Welcome Back & Intro – Shelby and Taylor Discuss Leadership and Innovation
02:25 In the Garage – Ram 2500 Mega Cab Feature
05:19 Why Copying Feels Safe (But Isn’t Smart)
06:27 The Trail Analogy – Following vs. Discovering
07:43 Differentiation in Leadership and Business
10:18 How Originality Drives Culture
12:47 The Risk of Chasing Trends Over Purpose
15:22 The Cost of “Safe” Strategies in Innovation
18:46 Originality as a Cultural Value, Not Just a Creative One
21:20 Examples: Apple vs. Android, Lewis Guarantee as a Differentiator
25:37 Passion, Ownership, and the Power of Authentic Ideas
30:40 Copying Builds Awareness, Originality Builds Loyalty
32:53 Why Culture Protects Innovation During Stress
36:00 The Discipline Behind Original Thinking
39:15 Leadership, Creativity, and the Long Game
42:02 Final Thoughts – The Reward of Being Different

Feel the dynamic energy of the Lewis Brothers as they deliver real stories and lessons that keep local businesses on their toes, and share how experiences in the community inspire them to keep on driving.

Check out all our great episodes at CrossroadConversationsPodcast.com!

In Episode 61 of Crossroad Conversations, the Lewis Brothers dig into one of leadership’s trickiest balancing acts: Ego vs. Instinct. They explore how ego can alert you to an issue—but also create blind spots—and how instinct, shaped by experience, leads to better long-term decisions. The conversation moves from dealership strategy to real-life examples of pride, overconfidence, and humility in business.

They share how unchecked ego can derail teams, why humility keeps confidence from turning into arrogance, and how leaders can channel ego as a positive driver without letting it steer the ship. From football analogies to lessons in managing expenses, delegation, and feedback, this episode reminds leaders that confidence without awareness can be costly—and that self-control, reflection, and instinct are the true signs of maturity in leadership.

Takeaways

• Ego isn’t the enemy—it’s a tool that must be managed and balanced.
• Instinct grows from experience, pattern recognition, and reflection.
• Pride can create blind spots, especially after success.
• Overconfidence often causes leaders to ignore feedback and red flags.
• Humility keeps confidence grounded and ego in check.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro – Ego vs. Instinct: What Drives Your Decisions
00:53 – Recap of Episode 60: Filtering the Noise
02:00 – In the Garage – Lewis Pre-Owned Inventory and Business Philosophy
07:15 – From Auctions to Local Buys: Transparency and Trust
09:09 – Ego Says “I Can’t Be Wrong”; Instinct Says “Something Feels Off”
10:07 – How Ego and Competition Can Coexist
11:22 – Balancing Ego with Humility and Teamwork
13:10 – Confidence vs. Instinct: When Leaders Confuse the Two
15:47 – The Value of Experience and Knowing When to Pause
17:07 – Pride and the “Captain Goes Down with the Ship” Mentality
19:20 – Learning from Failure Without Letting Ego Define You
21:02 – Re-Evaluating Old Ideas Instead of Scrapping Them
22:54 – Ego as a Barrier to Innovation and Team Input
23:33 – Working on the Business vs. In the Business
24:14 – Harnessing Ego as Fuel, Not Fire
25:19 – Leaders Make 400 Decisions a Day—How to Delegate Wisely
27:59 – Ego Creates Blind Spots After Success
31:24 – Case Study: Growth vs. Expenses and Expectation Management
35:14 – Communicating Finances Without Discouraging the Team
38:04 – Humility in Leadership and External Training
41:37 – Overconfidence and Ignoring Red Flags
43:06 – Listening Before Speaking: The Power of Silence
45:13 – Confidence and Humility in Balance
46:02 – Stay Humble by Staying Around Those Who Challenge You
47:02 – Using Ego Productively to Fuel Excellence
48:34 – MythBuster: Ego Is Bad and Should Be Eliminated
49:21 – Ego as Horsepower: Channeling Drive with Discipline
50:38 – Leading with Instinct and Experience
52:20 – Trusting Gut vs. Data: When Instinct Wins
55:34 – Listening Inwardly and Outwardly as a Leader
57:16 – Final Thoughts – Humility Is the Highest Form of Strength

Feel the dynamic energy of the Lewis Brothers as they deliver real stories and lessons that keep local businesses on their toes, and share how experiences in the community inspire them to keep on driving.

Check out all our great episodes at CrossroadConversationsPodcast.com!

In Episode 60 of Crossroad Conversations, the Lewis Brothers tackle the advice overload era—where everyone’s an expert, and good leadership means knowing who not to listen to. From TikTok “gurus” to bestselling authors, they break down how to separate signal from noise, evaluate advice for credibility, and align new ideas with your company’s culture and values.

They share stories of wasted training programs, cultural mismatches, and “hype content” that doesn’t survive contact with real business operations. The brothers explain how they filter information as a team, verify sources, and adapt ideas to fit their dealership’s identity. The episode dives into timeless leadership principles, protecting focus, managing time wisely, and how to teach employees to bring new ideas responsibly—without letting fads derail progress.

Takeaways

• Not all advice is good advice—trust but verify.
• Always vet whether an idea aligns with your company’s culture and values.
• Don’t sign up for every “next big thing”—pause, evaluate, and check references.
• Encourage employees to bring ideas but make them prove fit and value.
• Leadership requires filtering, not rejecting, new perspectives.
• Modern doesn’t always mean better; foundational principles still work.
• Too much advice leads to confusion, inconsistency, and credibility loss.
• Great leaders master filtering: what’s useful, what’s noise, and what fits.
• Protect your time—it’s your most valuable, non-renewable resource.
• Advice should reinforce your vision, not replace it.

Feel the dynamic energy of the Lewis Brothers as they deliver real stories and lessons that keep local businesses on their toes, and share how experiences in the community inspire them to keep on driving.

Check out all our great episodes at CrossroadConversationsPodcast.com!

In Episode 59 of Crossroad Conversations, the Lewis Brothers expose the silent killer of business: assumptions. From assuming employees understand priorities to believing customers know your process, the conversation unpacks how false clarity creates blind spots that stall progress. They share stories of miscommunication, unclear expectations, and unspoken motives—and how leaders can replace assumption with accountability, structure, and clear follow-up.

The brothers reveal how even strong teams fail when leaders assume too much, why clarity and measurable expectations matter, and how understanding what truly motivates people (beyond money) can transform performance. They also explore the customer side—assuming loyalty lasts forever, that pricing transparency is universal, or that old processes still fit today’s buyer. It’s a powerful reminder: what you don’t clarify will cost you.

Takeaways

• Assumptions quietly destroy productivity, culture, and trust.
• Clear communication beats assumption every time.
• Don’t assume employees “get it”—teach, show, and follow up.
• Motivation changes with life seasons—learn what drives each person.
• Silence in meetings doesn’t mean agreement.
• Loyalty must be re-earned through consistent service and transparency.

Chapters

00:00 Opening – The Real Silent Killer of Business
01:00 Welcome to Episode 59: Assumptions
02:12 Recap of Episode 58 – Leadership Lessons
03:19 In the Garage – Ford Expedition Feature
08:04 Assuming Employees Understand Priorities
09:23 The Dangers of Unspoken Expectations
10:39 Why Communication Beats Memo Management
12:55 Teaching vs. Telling – Building Habits, Not Hints
14:28 Motivation Isn’t Universal – Understanding What Drives People
15:26 Money Isn’t the Motivator—Access Is
16:28 Coaching Conversations & Finding Real Motivation
18:35 Silence in Meetings ≠ Agreement
20:10 Reading Nonverbal Cues & Meeting Feedback
21:09 Assumptions About Thinking & Reactions
22:33 Trusting They’ll “Figure It Out” – Why They Won’t
25:33 Teaching, Inspecting & Following Up with Accountability
26:06 Quantifying Expectations & Tracking Progress
28:32 KPIs and Clear Feedback Loops
29:50 70% of Workplace Mistakes Come from Unclear Communication
31:08 Assuming Customers Already Know
32:51 The Power of Customer Needs Assessments
33:36 Selling to What Matters Most to Each Customer
35:11 Listening as Your Competitive Advantage
37:07 Believing Loyalty Lasts Forever
39:14 Re-Earning Trust & Transparency Every Sale
39:52 Letting Preference Override Data
42:34 Outdated Customer Assumptions & Modern Expectations
45:15 MythBuster – “We Know Our Customers Best”
47:35 Assumptions About Size, Success & Failure
49:38 Confidence vs. Blind Spots in Leadership
51:08 Continuous Learning & Staying Adaptable
53:08 Humility in Decision-Making
55:00 How the Lewis Brothers Check Themselves for Assumptions
57:00 Closing Thoughts & Takeaway Challenge

Feel the dynamic energy of the Lewis Brothers as they deliver real stories and lessons that keep local businesses on their toes, and share how experiences in the community inspire them to keep on driving.

Check out all our great episodes at CrossroadConversationsPodcast.com!

In Episode 58 of Crossroad Conversations, the Lewis Brothers open up about their toughest leadership lessons and the costly mistakes that shaped who they are today. From the challenges of promoting only from within to learning the balance between kindness and accountability, they share real stories of growth, humility, and resilience. The conversation covers the creation and evolution of the Lewis Guarantee, how emotional decisions can derail progress, and the importance of slowing down, analyzing data, and adjusting instead of abandoning great ideas. The brothers reflect on the difference between managing by fear and leading through example, the pitfalls of comfort, and why true leadership is a continuous process of self-awareness and correction.

Takeaways

• Every leader fails—what matters is how you respond and adapt.
  
  
  
• Emotional or rushed decisions often lead to costly outcomes.
  
  
  
• Great ideas may need refinement, not abandonment.
  
  
  
• Promoting only from within can protect culture but limit innovation.
  
  
  
• Hiring outside talent can bring fresh perspective—if trained into the culture.
  
  
  
• Accountability and kindness must coexist for a healthy team.
  
  
  
• Managing by fear kills creativity; leading by example inspires growth.
  
  
  
• Data-driven reflection beats ego-driven decision-making.
  
  
  
• Strong cultures need both compassion and high standards.
  
  
  
• True leaders lift others up but also hold them to excellence.

Chapters

00:00 Intro – Why Failure is a Universal Leadership Lesson
01:00 Welcome to Episode 58: Leadership Confessions
01:25 Learning from Mistakes, Not Avoiding Them
02:50 Recap of Episode 57 – Breaking the Rules
04:00 In the Garage: The Jeep Wrangler vs. Bronco & Business Adaptation
07:40 The Story Behind the Lewis Guarantee
10:00 Building It from the Ground Up: Research, Risk & Reward
14:00 Mistakes in Over-Promising and Adjusting Coverage
18:00 Realizing When to Pivot, Not Quit
21:00 Costly Lessons in Emotional Decision-Making
25:00 The Endurance Analogy: Knowing When to Push vs. Pause
29:00 60% of Costly Decisions Come from Lack of Information
30:30 Promoting from Within: Pride, Culture, and Limitations
33:00 Hiring Outside Talent: The Growth Catalyst
36:00 HR, Finance & Marketing Overhauls Through Fresh Talent
42:00 Integrating New Leaders into Culture
46:00 Scaling, Structure, and Policy Over Memory
48:00 Balancing Internal Opportunity with External Talent
50:00 MythBusters – Do Great Leaders Always Trust Their Gut?
51:30 Balancing Kindness and Accountability
54:00 Managing Without Fear: Culture vs. Control
56:00 Creating a High-Accountability, High-Care Culture
58:00 Final Thoughts – Growth, Grit, and Grace

Feel the dynamic energy of the Lewis Brothers as they deliver real stories and lessons that keep local businesses on their toes, and share how experiences in the community inspire them to keep on driving.

Check out all our great episodes at CrossroadConversationsPodcast.com!

In Episode 57 of Crossroad Conversations, the Lewis Brothers dive into the art of breaking the rules—not recklessly, but strategically. They explore when “best practices” can become barriers, how to challenge the classic “that’s how we’ve always done it” mindset, and why bold moves often unlock growth and trust. From real dealership examples—like transparent pricing, ditching appointment scheduling, and flexible staffing—to lessons from industries like retail and real estate, the episode reveals how great leaders know when to follow the rules and when to rewrite them. The brothers also unpack the dangers of reckless shortcuts, the importance of accountability guardrails, and the creativity unlocked by questioning norms.

Takeaways

• Not all rules serve growth—some need to be challenged or replaced.
• Best practices can become limiting if they’re never re-evaluated.
• Bold risk is good; reckless shortcuts destroy trust and culture.
• Transparency in pricing builds stronger customer loyalty.
• Outdated assumptions in job roles or processes stifle progress.
• Clear communication is key when updating or replacing processes
• Guardrails around ethics, safety, and legality must never be broken.
• Questioning norms sparks creativity, opportunity, and innovation.
• Diversifying risk—like in investments—keeps businesses resilient.
• Sometimes breaking a “sacred” industry rule can set you apart.
  
  

Feel the dynamic energy of the Lewis Brothers as they deliver real stories and lessons that keep local businesses on their toes, and share how experiences in the community inspire them to keep on driving.

Check out all our great episodes at CrossroadConversationsPodcast.com!

In Episode 56 of Crossroad Conversations, the Lewis Brothers go after a silent business killer: complacency—“a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements.” They explain why complacency is hard to spot while you’re in it, how success often hides stagnation, and how to put guardrails in place before performance slides. The conversation gets tactical: trimming “dead expense” (including payment processing waste), auditing marketing/advertising for fat to cut, demanding duplication of your best customer experience, and addressing influential underperformers first. The through-line: build a culture that stays hungry, measures honestly, and adjusts fast.

Takeaways

• Complacency is easiest to see after it’s set in—build systems to catch it early.
  
  
• Success can mask decline; “good enough” becomes the quiet default.
  
  
• Run recurring expense audits (payments, ads, subscriptions) to surface waste.
  
  
• Marketing/advertising needs ruthless pruning and reallocation to opportunity.
  
  
• Attack the hard, influential underperformer first—multiplication effect matters.
  
  
• Hold leaders to duplicating the best customer experience every time.
  
  
• Use data to calibrate—but validate context so it doesn’t mislead.
  
  
• Cross-training keeps standards consistent and prevents comfort zones.
  
  
• Daily habits > occasional sprints; culture must reward improvement, not coasting.
  
  

Feel the dynamic energy of the Lewis Brothers as they deliver real stories and lessons that keep local businesses on their toes, and share how experiences in the community inspire them to keep on driving.

Check out all our great episodes at CrossroadConversationsPodcast.com!