Thank God for the Car Business: Frank Lopes on Leadership, Legacy & Transformation
What if the car business wasn’t just about cars… but about calling, transformation, and legacy?
In this episode of Keep the Change, I finally sit down with someone I’ve been chasing for a while, not because he was hiding, but because he’s been too busy changing lives. Frank Lopes is a 30-year automotive veteran, CEO of Strong30 Automotive, marketing pioneer, leadership coach, and one of the most passionate advocates I know for the people inside the dealership walls.
This isn’t a tactical “sell more cars” conversation.
This is a real, unfiltered discussion about transformation of mindset, leadership, faith, and purpose.
Frank takes us from sweeping floors as the son of Portuguese immigrants to working side-by-side with Gary Vaynerchuk in the earliest days of digital media… and then through failure, bankruptcy, redemption, and a renewed mission to transform 10,000 lives (and then realizing that number was thinking way too small).
We also unpack:
Why “Thank God for the car business” is more than a slogan, it’s a declaration
How Frank’s immigrant upbringing shaped generations of opportunity
The leadership lesson behind asking “Why so low?” (even after selling 47 cars in a month)
What Gary Vaynerchuk challenged Frank to do and why saying no still haunts him
Why past results have nothing to do with your future
How real leaders stop managing frustration and start transforming people
The power of one-on-one leadership as the ultimate growth multiplier
Why the ceiling you’re staring at is probably made of paper
This episode is deep. It’s emotional. It’s practical. And it’s one of those conversations that doesn’t just motivate you, it reorients you.
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Connect with Frank Lopes
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankjlopes/
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