Brian Kelly, President and CEO, Kelly Automotive Group

podcast google new | Brian Kelly, President and CEO, Kelly Automotive Grouppodcast itunes new | Brian Kelly, President and CEO, Kelly Automotive Grouppodcast spotify new | Brian Kelly, President and CEO, Kelly Automotive Groupamazon Music Badge | Brian Kelly, President and CEO, Kelly Automotive Group

SEASON 4 | EPISODE 15

Brian Kelly’s career in the automotive industry spans an incredible 56 years and counting. He got his start working at his father Roland’s used car lot as a young teenager – which would eventually become the first dealership of Kelly Automotive Group. There are now eight Kelly dealership locations with a total of ten franchises throughout them.

“We have new customers coming in every day, and you add that to the repeat business we do, and that’s one of the reasons we’ve been so successful”

– Brian Kelly, President and CEO, Kelly Automotive Group

On this episode, Brian Kelly sits down with Derek D to discuss how his career selling cars got started with buying two suits for $59, why the Federal Reserve raising interest rates is a necessary evil for the automotive business and how long the aftereffects may last, and how Kelly Automotive came to open one of the first INFINITI dealerships in the entire world. Plus, he talks about how a little real estate knowledge can be valuable for dealer principals, why his connection to his hometown is so important to him, and how he quickly spotted auto brokers trying to take unfair advantage of market conditions recently.


Episode Highlights:

  • How Brian’s childhood tricked-out bicycles led to a lifelong love of both cars and motorcycles
  • Why it matters what brands a dealership sells during the ongoing chip shortages – and which automakers are managing their current supply of microchips well and poorly
  • Why the most prized vehicle Brian owns is one of fewer than 200 in the world
  • What needs to happen before most or all cars no longer run on internal combustion engines – and why Brian is unsure what will be propelling those future vehicles
  • How inflation’s impact on the industry is like a broken arm

| Dealer News Today is a Dave Cantin Group production

Dealer News Today Podcasts

The Dealer News Today Podcasts are a collaboration and partnership of leading automotive organizations and professionals joining together to create a news outlet in the automotive space. Our focus is on providing content on the cutting edge of the automotive industry, automotive marketing, and automotive dealership news that dealers need to hear today and the insights required to be prepared for tomorrow.

Our pledge to our thousands of subscribers: Whether it’s our industry-leading popular automotive podcasts, content features, or exclusive videos, the team at Dealer News Today works to provide our readers and listeners with the most relevant, timely, and valuable automotive industry news and information possible. All of our content, from articles to popular podcasts, is developed specifically for our audience of auto dealers and other automotive professionals.

Have something to add? Dealer News Today actively seeks thought leadership content that contributes to our goal of creating insights for the future of the automotive industry. Read our requirements for joining our team, or contact a member of our editorial staff today to learn more!