I’ve known Elise Kephart for a few years now, and every time we talk, I walk away thinking differently about time, business, and what it actually means to build something real. This conversation was no different. We covered everything from how fast life moves, to what actually makes a car buying experience great, to the hardest years of her entrepreneurial journey, and by the end I was reminded once again why I keep bringing people like her onto this show.

Time Moving Faster Than We Want It To

We started the conversation talking about how quickly life seems to speed up as you get older. Elise made a point that stuck with me. She said she’s part of the last generation that remembers a slower world, one without constant notifications pulling at your attention every minute of the day. She remembered a time before dial-up internet even existed, when the only way someone could reach you was through an answering machine. Now it’s texts, Slack, social media, and endless pings, all day long. She talked about how easy it is to blink and realize sixteen hours have gone by without you even noticing.

That awareness has pushed her to be intentional about presence. She talked about the discipline it takes to actually slow down and be where your feet are, especially when you run your own business and your schedule is anything but predictable. It’s not something that comes naturally to her. It’s something she has to practice, almost obsessively, because she knows how easy it is to let the moments slip by unnoticed.

Nearly Two Decades in Automotive

Elise has spent close to twenty years in the automotive industry, ten of those running her own business. She talked about coming from a sales and phone training background, and how different the landscape looks today compared to when she started. She’s spent recent time working behind the scenes with a dealer group, helping build out their AI and automated systems specifically for internet leads.

Even with all of that technology in play, she was clear about one thing. AI and automation can help you get that first connection with a customer, but they can’t replace what happens once someone actually picks up the phone. That part still comes down to genuine human connection. She talked about how easy it is for salespeople to get worn down by constant rejection and lose the passion they started with, and how important it is to stay rooted in that original enthusiasm no matter how many times you get told no.

What Actually Elevates a Car Buying Experience

I asked Elise what she thought truly sets a great buying experience apart, whether someone is selling cars, phones, or anything else. Her answer came back to authenticity. She said you can tell when someone is saying all the right words in all the right tones but doesn’t actually believe in what they’re selling. Customers pick up on that, even if they can’t always explain why something feels off.

She also talked about the shift toward transparency. The dealer group she works with in Texas operates on a one price model, which is still fairly rare in the industry. She explained how tricky it can be to communicate a fixed price to customers who are used to negotiating, and how the delivery matters just as much as the policy itself. Say it the wrong way, and a customer assumes you’re just another salesperson trying to avoid a real conversation.

A Creative Idea for Dealership Experiences

One of my favorite parts of the conversation was when Elise shared an idea she had been sitting on. She described watching a video about a certified nanny who takes children to a theme park so parents can either enjoy the day together as a family or split off and enjoy certain experiences on their own. It got her thinking about how something similar could work in automotive. What if dealerships offered a mentorship or education program for kids while their parents were in the middle of a purchase, complete with snacks, activities, and someone teaching kids a little bit about cars and the economy along the way.

Her point was bigger than the idea itself. She believes people aren’t just buying a product, they’re buying an experience, and there’s real opportunity for businesses willing to think about the secondary experience they’re offering, not just the primary transaction.

Turning a Bad Experience Into an Opportunity

We also talked about what happens when a customer has already had a negative experience somewhere else before they find you. Elise sees that as an opportunity rather than a setback. She talked about the responsibility that comes with being someone’s second chance, and how a genuinely good experience can shift a customer’s entire mindset about an industry they’ve come to distrust.

Why She Chose the Entrepreneurial Route

I asked Elise directly why she decided to go out on her own instead of staying in a traditional sales role. She was honest about the fear that came with that decision. The idea of starting her own business had been there for a long time, but so was the fear of failure. What finally pushed her over the edge was a specific night, a hard conversation with a manager in front of her whole team, and coming home late knowing she didn’t want to keep living that way. She put in her notice the very next day.

Before going fully independent, she spent about a year working for a phone training company, which she said helped prepare her for what it would actually take to run her own business. Even then, the first several years were far from easy.

The Moment She Almost Quit

Elise opened up about a specific low point in her business, around year nine, when she felt like she was hanging on by a thread. She remembered a conversation where she was told, plainly, that this would be the last time they had that particular conversation about giving up. That moment stuck with her. She talked about how she still reminds herself of it whenever things get hard, refusing to let herself go back to that place of wanting to quit.

Seasons, Trust, and Letting Go of Control

We talked about how everything in life moves in seasons, and how the things that feel enormous in one chapter of your life often shrink down to almost nothing a few years later. Elise reflected on how much energy she used to spend worrying about things that, looking back, mattered far less than she thought at the time. She talked about trusting that timing works itself out the way it’s supposed to, even when it doesn’t feel that way in the moment.

The Most Fulfilling Part of Being a Parent

When I asked Elise what she finds most fulfilling about motherhood, her answer was deeply personal. She talked about the experience of watching pieces of herself reflected back through her children, and how meaningful that connection feels to her. She also talked about hoping that the way she shows up now, especially during hard seasons, becomes something her kids can draw strength from later in life, even in moments when she isn’t physically there to see it happen.

Resilience, Gratitude, and Where She Came From

Some of the most powerful parts of our conversation were about resilience. Elise talked openly about growing up without much, about moments of real financial struggle that she didn’t fully understand as hardship until she was older. She talked about watching the adults in her life sacrifice so she could have things she needed, and how those early experiences shaped the grit she carries into both her business and her parenting today.

We swapped stories about our own upbringings, and there was something powerful about realizing how many people carry similar stories of resilience quietly behind the confidence they show the world now.

Her Advice to Anyone Listening

As we wrapped up, I asked Elise what advice she would leave with listeners, whether about business, motherhood, or life in general. Her answer was simple. Keep going. Even when you need a minute to close your eyes and catch your breath, don’t stop. If you keep doing the right things, she said, it’s going to be okay, and eventually it’s going to be great.

Chasing Who You’re Becoming

By the end of our conversation, I was reminded of something I try to live by myself. Don’t chase the money. Chase the person you’re becoming, because when you focus on that, the money and the people who want to work with you tend to follow. Elise is proof of that. People don’t come to her because of a perfect sales script. They come to her because they trust who she is.

Until next time, keep shattering limiting beliefs.

About me:

I am currently a Master Facilitator for The Elliott Group in addition to being on the board of advisors for our Cultural Transformation Department in ELLIOTT ARMY.

With over 14 years of client service experience, I have held substantial leadership roles in the automotive industry. I’m also an accredited coach, a speaker, a triathlon finisher, and a wife. To contact me for engagements, you can reach me at [email protected].

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