Culture starts with leadership.
Todd Blue is the owner and founder of LAPIS, a luxury automotive group dedicated to redefining the dealership experience through exceptional leadership, meaningful relationships and an unwavering commitment to customer care. With a portfolio that includes Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona along with five luxury stores in California, Blue has built his organization on a simple philosophy: people first.
What defines a great dealership today?
A great dealership today is built on three essential pillars: exceptional brands, strong leadership, and a customer-focused team. While vehicles may attract customers, it is the people and the culture behind the dealership that earn their trust and loyalty. When outstanding products are paired with engaged leadership and a team committed to delivering an exceptional ownership experience, a dealership becomes more than a place to buy or service a vehicle – it becomes a trusted destination that customers return to for years to come.
What’s the one leadership principle you’ve never compromised on?
Never compromised on being accessible. Maintaining an open-door policy with the team, our customers and our manufacturer partners. Every team member receives my personal cell phone number because I want them to know they can reach me whenever they need guidance, support or simply someone to listen to.
Leadership isn’t about creating distance – it’s about building trust through availability, transparency and genuine relationships. When people know you are present and approachable, it fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration and mutual respect.
How do you build a culture people want to be part of?
Culture starts with leadership. As the owner, I believe it’s my responsibility to set the standard through my own actions. The way I treat our team members should reflect how they treat one another, our customers and our manufacturer partners. Respect, integrity, accountability and genuine care aren’t just values we talk about – they must be demonstrated every day.
When leaders consistently model those behaviors, they become part of the organization’s culture. People want to be part of a team where they feel valued, supported and inspired to do their best work.
What opportunity do you see in the automotive industry that others are missing?
I believe the greatest opportunity is providing customers with genuine accessibility. As dealership groups become larger and more complex, many customers feel disconnected from the people making decisions. At LAPIS, we’ve intentionally built a boutique experience where customers have direct access to our leadership team. We want them to know they can reach us with questions, share feedback or discuss their ownership experience at any time.
That level of accessibility builds trust, strengthens relationships and creates loyalty that extends far beyond a single vehicle purchase. While many organizations focus on growing bigger, we remain focused on staying connected.
How do you earn a customer’s trust before a single word is spoken?
Trust begins long before a customer walks through our doors. It is earned by building a reputation in our communities for doing what we say we’re going to do and operating with authenticity in everything we do. A dealership’s reputation is shaped by years of consistent actions, not marketing campaigns.
When customers already know you are honest, transparent and committed to standing behind your promises, they arrive with confidence.
What does luxury mean beyond the vehicle itself?
Luxury is not defined by the badge on the hood; it’s defined by how a customer feels throughout their ownership journey. Whether someone is purchasing an entry-level model or the most exclusive vehicle in our showroom, they should receive the same level of care, attention and respect.
Luxury means creating a seamless ownership experience at every stage – from the first interaction to vehicle delivery and every service visit that follows. It’s about anticipating needs, removing friction, communicating proactively and making every customer feel genuinely valued.
The vehicle may introduce them to our dealership, but it’s the experience we provide that creates lasting loyalty.
When your career is written about decades from now, what do you hope people say about your impact?
More than anything, I hope people remember how they felt after interacting with me. I hope they felt heard, respected and genuinely valued – that they knew they were a priority. Titles, awards and business achievements are meaningful, but they aren’t what leave the greatest legacy.
I also hope people say I created an environment where those same values were lived every day across our campuses. If our team members, customers and manufacturer partners consistently felt respected, supported and appreciated because of the culture we built together, then I would consider that my greatest accomplishment.
The legacy of any leader is measured not by what they achieved alone, but by the positive impact they have on the people around them. FBN
By Claudia Gharai
Claudia Gharai is the director of marketing for LAPIS. She can be reached at [email protected]. For more information regarding Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona, visit https://www.mercedesarizona.com/.
