Podcasts about houston livestock show

On Friday's show: We get the latest on the status of the upcoming Artemis II mission.Plus, we talk about the political implications of County Judge Lina Hidalgo's incident at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.Also this hour: We break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.Then, spring is on the way, and your allergies might be as well. We discuss how to deal with those challenging seasonal sneezes with the help of Dr. Dat Tran of Innovative Allergy.And movie legend Charlie Chaplin's 1940 satire of Adolf Hitler, The Great Dictator, will be screened on March 16 as a part of the Houston Jewish Film Festival. We look back at the film and consider what it's message has to tell us today.Watchhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45FJFryZNxQ

*Drought is causing problems for spring planting.  *General CRP signup is underway.  *Texas peanut acreage is expected to drop this year.  *When beef on dairy calves go into the feedlot, they tend to be there for an extended stay.  *The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is underway.  *The Senate Ag Committee is discussing ways to drive demand for U.S. grown commodities.*The winter has been mild in most of Texas, but farmers may pay the price with a dry, windy March.  *There are studies on a new way to castrate calves.  

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Stephen Boyd, Sales Director with OUTFRONT Media in Nashville and Memphis, along with Don Nolan, Real Estate Manager, who both highlight OUTFRONT Media, the power of Out-of-Home advertising and In Real Life experiences, and their longtime partnership with cityCURRENT. During the interview, Stephen and Don discuss the company's history and evolution, its focus on IRL, "In Real Life" marketing experiences, and its ability to target specific demographics through digital billboards and other products and services. They highlight a successful example of an In Real Life marketing campaign for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which included interactive events in Times Square to attract tourists. The conversation also touches on OUTFRONT Media's commitment to community engagement through partnerships with nonprofits and its collaboration with cityCURRENT to spotlight charitable organizations. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the importance of understanding a business's audience and creative messaging for effective Out-of-Home advertising, and information on how to learn more about Outfront Media's services. Visit https://www.outfront.com to learn more about OUTFRONT Media. https://www.linkedin.com/company/outfrontmediausa/ https://www.facebook.com/OUTFRONTMediaUSA/

On Tuesday's show: Gas prices in Houston have risen around 50 cents in the last week, bringing the average price per gallon above $3 for the first time in recent memory, according to AAA, as the Iran war intensified. We discuss how long that increase might last and how it could affect the Houston economy.Also this hour: Houston hosting matches during this summer's FIFA World Cup brings international attention and scrutiny to human trafficking prevention in our region. So, how are local human rights groups preparing for the rise in illicit activities? And what happens once the games are over?Then, a civil rights nonprofit recently released a report documenting modern-day lynchings, finding more than 70 have taken place since 2000 here in Texas and six other states.And we all know Houston traffic can be challenging. But now imagine you're in it while steering a covered wagon and a team of mules! We visit with the Valley Lodge Trail Riders as they roll into town for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.Watch

On Thursday's show: We broadcast live from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where we talk about the annual celebration of western culture with Chris Boleman, the event's president and CEO. We also discuss the future of water in Texas and how the need for it will affect the state's agriculture.Also this hour: We go shopping for Western wear inside the exhibitor hall at NRG Center. And we take an inside look at the annual calf scramble.Watch

Seth and Sean discuss the Toro District being developed in Bridgeland, something Commissioner Briones said that makes them think more could be coming around NRG Park, and Sean re-lives his hosting the calf scramble at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo last night.

ITL reacts to the national reaction surrounding the Texans trading for David Montgomery, including takes from Adam Schein, and debates whether the outside noise is fair or overblown while asking the bigger question of whether Houston will ever truly swing big for a younger, explosive running back. With the NFL Combine underway, the crew also breaks down the biggest standouts, risers, and subtle storylines shaping the draft board before wrapping the hour with the QOTD: What's a characteristic that is a red flag? Around The NFL, ITL discusses the looming franchise tag deadline and Baltimore working toward a new deal with Lamar Jackson, then welcomes Bun B to the show to talk Trill Town at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, what he has planned, and plays “Trill or Not Trill” during What's Popping. Later, the crew examines Prisco's Top 50 free agents list — including eight offensive linemen — and debates whether the Texans could realistically land two of them to stabilize the offense for C.J. Stroud, followed by Lunch-Time Confessions where Lopez calls for banning social media bullies and Draft on a Tuesday with the latest prospect buzz. The show closes by zooming out on what a true Texans makeover would look like beyond just the offensive line, questioning whether deeper philosophical or schematic changes are needed, before Figgy's Mixtape delivers the Top 10 annoying things passengers do, a potential viral idea for the station, and more off-the-wall stories.

ITL goes Around The NFL as the franchise tag deadline approaches, breaking down which players could get tagged and which teams might let talent test the market. The crew also dives into reports that Baltimore is working toward a new deal with Lamar Jackson and what that could mean for the quarterback market across the league. Then the show shifts to H-Town royalty as rapper Bun B joins ITL to talk about everything he has going on with Trill Town at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, what fans can expect this year, and how the event continues to grow. The hour wraps with What's Popping alongside Bun B and a round of “Trill or Not Trill.”

Lisa Gagnon knows entertainment. More specifically, she understands sports entertainment. After earning her BBA degree from Texas McCombs in 1997, she went on to earn a MBA in marketing from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill before heading up the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee as vice president of marketing. Today, she is the chief marketing officer for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which broke its all-time attendance record in 2025 with 2.7 million attendees. Lisa sat down with McCombs Made to reflect on her journey from student to play-maker, life as a sports entertainment marketer and what she plans to do next. 

As Sheletta plans to put on her ropers and rope her a cowboy at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, she wants to make sure both she and her future Boo are safe before they get too serious. She asked her friends form Harris County to join her to talk about their HIV prevention programs and how residents can take advantage of the services they offer.

*The Secretary of Agriculture visited a Texas farm.   *Fed cattle prices are setting record highs.  *The International Livestock Congress is this week during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. *Texas Panhandle dairies need a lot of water to operate.  *There's some new hay equipment coming out this year.  *The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee was in Texas last week.  *Corn planting is getting underway in Central Texas.  *There are a couple of way to give an equine herpes virus vaccine.  

I'm so excited for this week's guest, Chris Boleman, the President and CEO of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. We're just weeks away from the gates opening to one of the most iconic events in the country. Chris shares what it's like to lead an organization of this magnitude, how it's grown into a year-round economic powerhouse, and why their mission of supporting agriculture, education, and Western heritage remains stronger than ever. We talk about what goes into planning a month-long live event that draws 2.7 million visitors, the power of 36,000 volunteers, and the $600 million that's been invested back into youth, scholarships, and workforce development. You'll also hear how the Houston Rodeo is pushing innovation while honoring tradition, from drone shows to vocational programs, and what leadership looks like when it's rooted in collaboration and community. Resources & Links: Episode 136. Girl Talk: Lessons from Leading 36,000 Volunteers with Melinda Underhill Lonesome Dove: A Novel by Larry McMurtry Join The Directory Of The West Get our FREE resource for Writing a Strong Job Description  Get our FREE resource for Making the Most of Your Internship Get our FREE resource: 10 Resume Mistakes (and how to fix them) Get our FREE resource: How to Avoid the 7 Biggest Hiring Mistakes Employers Make Email us at hello@ofthewest.co Subscribe to Of The West's ⁠Newsletters List your jobs on ⁠Of The West Connect with Chris: Follow on Instagram @rodeohouston Visit the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Connect with Jessie: Follow on Instagram @ofthewest.co and @mrsjjarv Follow on Facebook @jobsofthewest Check out the Of The West website Be sure to subscribe/follow the show so you never miss an episode!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I'm joined by Melinda Underhill, the powerhouse VP of Human Resources at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, aka the largest event of its kind in the world. With over 36,000 volunteers, 109 committees, and a year-round operation, Melinda offers a behind-the-scenes look at how RodeoHouston runs like a well-oiled (and wildly passionate) machine. We talk about how they cultivate volunteer leadership, create accountability without burnout, and keep communication flowing across thousands of people. Melinda also shares her thoughts on leading with integrity, building family-first cultures, and the powerful role that celebration and recognition play in long-term success. This is a masterclass in people-first leadership, whether you're running a local booster club or the biggest rodeo in the world. Resources & Links: Peloton Dare to Lead by Brené Brown Join The Directory Of The West Get our FREE resource for Writing a Strong Job Description  Get our FREE resource for Making the Most of Your Internship Get our FREE resource: 10 Resume Mistakes (and how to fix them) Get our FREE resource: How to Avoid the 7 Biggest Hiring Mistakes Employers Make Email us at hello@ofthewest.co Subscribe to Of The West's ⁠Newsletters List your jobs on ⁠Of The West Follow the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Follow on Instagram @rodeohouston Visit the website Connect with Jessie: Follow on Instagram @ofthewest.co and @mrsjjarv Follow on Facebook @jobsofthewest Check out the Of The West website Be sure to subscribe/follow the show so you never miss an episode!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legendary Hall of Fame Rodeo Announcer Bob Tallman sits down with Jarrod in Elvis's Dressing Room at The Westgate Hotel & Resort during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Get you a snack, get you some coffee and kick back and enjoy this episode! It's one for the books. Bob Tallman has announced more than 15,000 rodeo performances across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. Through decades behind the microphone, his voice has become instantly recognizable to rodeo fans worldwide. He has announced the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas more times than any other announcer and has served as the voice of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for over 30 years. In addition, Tallman is a spokesperson for numerous cowboy-themed brands. He often refers to his voice as a “priceless gift from God” and strives to use it to positively impact the lives of others.12-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Announcer of the Year2004 ProRodeo Hall of Fame2005 St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame2006 Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame2006 Miss Rodeo America Hall of Fame2007 Rodeo Hall of Fame of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum2017 Bull Riding Hall of Fame2017 National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum2019 Reno Rodeo Hall of Fame2019 Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame2020 ProRodeo Hall of Fame Legend of ProRodeo award2024 RodeoHouston Hall of Fame

*Cotton harvest is wrapping up in the northern Texas Panhandle.  *Rising crop prices and improved export prospects have improved farmers' outlook.  *The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is giving over $30 million to educational programming and scholarships.  *This year's Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show was attended by thousands of people, including the famous animal behavior specialist Temple Grandin.  *A global sorghum conference is coming to Texas.  *The Edwards aquifer in South Texas is at its lowest level in 35 years.*Ensuring an agricultural workforce remains a top priority for ag groups across the nation.  *Vesicular stomatitis has been found in two horses in Arizona.  

*World wheat supplies are growing. *The La Nina weather pattern is going to stick around in Texas for a while.  *The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo made a $150,000 donation to the State of Texas Agricultural Relief Fund. *The fed cattle market is facing a lot of uncertainty.*Mexico and Canada are preparing for the upcoming review of the U.S. Mexico Canada trade agreement.  *Mergers in the seed and fertilizer business may be contributing to higher prices.  *Cotton harvest is underway on the Texas Rolling Plains.  *Artificial intelligence is being used in veterinary medicine. 

On the show today, Eric is joined by Houston BBQ Festival co-founder Michael Fulmer. Eric and Michael go through some of the latest news from the Houston culinary scene including the surprising closure of Paulie's and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's fine dining change coming in 2026. Plus, the guys discuss a bit more about the Michelin Guide's announcement from last week focusing on the Houston restaurants that were added this year. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Charm Taphouse & BBQ and Truluck's are featured. Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Beloved Houston Italian Restaurant Will Close After 27 Years in Montrose Prestigious Michelin Guide Selects 44 Houston Restaurants for 2025 Edition Billionaire Tilman Fertitta Saddles Up for New Rodeo Houston Steakhouse CultureMap Editor's 11 Favorite Dishes at Houston Restaurants in October Growing Houston Street-Style Taqueria Rolls into Montrose This Week

It's Beyonce weekend here in H-Town as Queen B takes over NRG for her Cowboy Carter tour. So, Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Dr. Alicia Odewale, National Geographic MasterClass professor, about how Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album spotlights Black cowboy culture and how we can celebrate it in Houston.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 26th episode: Visit Navasota Jones Dairy Farm A.D. Players Theater Dive deeper with these resources recommended by Dr. Odewale:  Dr. Odewale's MasterClass  Black Cowboys in the American West: On the Range, on the Stage, behind the Badge  The Black West: A Documentary and Pictorial History of the African American Role in the Westward Expansion of the United States Black Cowboys of the Old West: True, Sensational, And Little-Known Stories From History African American Women of the Old West The Black Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame in Rosenberg, TX Black Heritage Day at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association met last weekend in Fort Worth.  *Mexico is delivering some of the water it owes to the Rio Grande Valley.   *Texas cattle feeders are seeing good times right now, but there could be troubles ahead.  *The U.S. is preparing to levy new duties on tomatoes from Mexico, while China has raised it tariffs on U.S. goods. *The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was a record-breaking success this year, thanks to some great partnerships.  *Nursery production and sales are strong in the spring.  *Thrush is a common horse foot disease.  

*New World screw worms are a real threat to Texas livestock producers.  *U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the Trump administration will protect U.S. farmers and ranchers when negotiating tariffs.*The economic situation for Texas High Plains feedlots is pretty good right now.  *Mexico is sending water to South Texas.  *The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo raised a record amount for youth education.  *The outlook is bright for the Texas FFA.  *There are some options for treating small ruminant diseases that have no vaccines.  

*Fed cattle weights are bigger than ever.  *A Texas farm and a cattle company are both being recognized for their efforts to preserve and protect the environment.  *The American Farm Bureau Federation weighs in on the tariff situation.*President Trump is taking on the issue of Mexico not delivering water to the Rio Grande Valley.  *This was a record breaking year for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.  *Cattle ear tags can be an important source of information.  *Two new grain sorghum varieties are available to Texas farmers this year. *There are lots of diseases in small ruminants that do not have vaccines available.  

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is without a doubt one of the most notorious shows in the nation. The team had the privilege to sit down with the market steer judge, Mr. Jack Ward, and discuss what sorting on the green chips was like.Empowerment Is Here.

Tune in as Kyler and I give y'all the run down on this year's Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. We talk all about the shows we saw and the food we ate! Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Formally Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hear The Buzz Playlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discogs

Host Raheel Ramzanali and Axios Houston's Shafaq Patel break down H-Town's biggest stories. They recap all the records the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo broke this year, why Tilman Ferttita might leave Landry's, and a wild theft scandal in Houston's little league sports! Stories we talked about on today's show:  Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo sees over 2.5M attendees during 2025 season Houston Rodeo volunteers let Colin Drum into the Rodeo because he looks like CJ Stroud Tilman Fertitta resigning from Landry's role as he prepares to become U.S. ambassador to Italy Why Texas could face a steeper burden if Trump slashes FEMA Trump travel ban may hit Astros players from Cuba, Venezuela With passage of SB 3, Texas Senate green-lights ban on THC products in the state Expect a strong bluebonnet season in Houston President of northwest Houston little league club removed after thousands of dollars goes missing Read more of Shafaq's stories here  Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about the sponsors of this March 25th episode: Visit Port Aransas Bayou City Art Festival Artechouse St. Thomas High School Momentum Indoor Climbing - Save 10% on camp registration with code CITYCAST at checkout! Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ted steps in it when comparing a local celebration to Mardi Gras, plus some impromptu haiku, real rodeo cowboy names, and notes from the baseball tournament. And a leading question: what pen is most like a pencil? Houston Livestock Show and RodeoUni Jetstream EdgePentel sign penProject 3.18's Spring Training Story

Today, as part of our “Tricks of the Trade” series, we’re at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where students put goats and lambs up for sale to the highest bidder. Here, livestock auctions generate a pile of philanthropic money for a Texas scholarship fund, and the bids go up and up and up. But first: Air travel is in a snarl today with a power outage at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Today, as part of our “Tricks of the Trade” series, we’re at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where students put goats and lambs up for sale to the highest bidder. Here, livestock auctions generate a pile of philanthropic money for a Texas scholarship fund, and the bids go up and up and up. But first: Air travel is in a snarl today with a power outage at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Today, as part of our ongoing “Tricks of the Trade” series, “Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio hears tips from the next generation of ag industry leaders at the Houston Livestock Show. There, he receives pointers on showing cattle, learns about livestock as an investment business and even meets some friendly podcasting competition. But first: The breakfast cereal indicator shows that consumers are careful and concerned about spending on basics.

Today, as part of our ongoing “Tricks of the Trade” series, “Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio hears tips from the next generation of ag industry leaders at the Houston Livestock Show. There, he receives pointers on showing cattle, learns about livestock as an investment business and even meets some friendly podcasting competition. But first: The breakfast cereal indicator shows that consumers are careful and concerned about spending on basics.

Today, as part of our ongoing “Tricks of the Trades” series, Marketplace’s David Brancaccio heads to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. With a mic in hand and a Stetson on head, Brancaccio gleans lessons on labor, trade policy and bang for your buck from the businesspeople who dish up Texas-sized portions of food to nearly 2.5 million rodeo attendees. Also, the Federal Reserve is poised to have a new chief bank regulator.

Today, as part of our ongoing “Tricks of the Trades” series, Marketplace’s David Brancaccio heads to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. With a mic in hand and a Stetson on head, Brancaccio gleans lessons on labor, trade policy and bang for your buck from the businesspeople who dish up Texas-sized portions of food to nearly 2.5 million rodeo attendees. Also, the Federal Reserve is poised to have a new chief bank regulator.

#mmapgxphotoshoot

It's Houston biggest event of the year.

EPA to revise the definition of a Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS).High winds leads to an increased wildfire risk in parts of Texas. Something is happening to the bees.Texas cotton farmers have new varieties to consider this year.There's plenty to do and see at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.What is the most important factor that impacts the survival of new born kids and lambs?

City Cast Houston host Raheel Ramzanali loves the wild food at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo—but does it truly reflect our diverse food scene? Chron.com food reporter Erica Cheng shares how she thinks it could better represent all of H-town. Plus, they dig into Trill Burgers' expansion and the political red meat behind Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's push to rename the New York Strip steak after Texas. Stick around to hear the best thing Erica ate last month! Dive deeper into the stories and places from today's show:  NY restaurants fire back at Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's strip steak plans Trill Burgers brings its famous smashburgers to another Houston neighborhood Houston, meet the Rodeo's only Asian street food vendor: Asian Streetness Hong Kong Food Street in Katy, TX  Learn more about the sponsors of this March 12th episode: Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce Foundation Camp Champions Destination Bryan Artechouse Meow Wolf Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeanette, Evette and Tina are heading to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. If you've never been the ladies show you how to dress, eat and have fun just like a Texas cowgirl on the latest episode of their travel podcast.

Send us a textBBQ Radio Network is brought to you BBQr's Delight 100% All Natural Wood PelletsOur special guest is Dan Barrington from Brisbane, Australia, representing Lane's BBQ AU and Smoked Beyond Smoked BBQ. Dan is in the U.S. to compete in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World Championship BBQ Contest, and he's sharing his journey, competition prep, and what it takes to bring Australian BBQ flavors to the world stage.This week on the BBQ Radio Network, Todd and Andy check back in with Phil from Jacksonville for a follow-up on tri-tip preparation for his big event. Got a BBQ question? Send it to BBQRadioNetwork@Gmail.com—be sure to include your t-shirt size and how you listen to the show!ATBBQ.com Product Spotlight:

*The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo attracts visitors from 80 different countries.  *This is a very stressful time for Texas farmers.  *Thousands of USDA employees have their jobs back.  *The livestock brand registry system in Texas may be getting a lot simpler.  *The nation's largest farm organization is concerned about the Trump administration's tariff proposals.  *USDA released updated guidelines for battling highly pathogenic avian influenza. *Cattle fever ticks are a continual problem in South Texas.  

*The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is underway.  *The state legislature is making efforts to protect natural resources.  *It has been a dry winter for the Texas High Plains.  *Economic assistance payments will soon be making their way to farmers.  *The very high winds across Texas this week created a challenge for farmers and ranchers.  *Cushing's disease is common in older mares. 

Flipping Thru The Streets Of Houston. #evanwrekn #mmapgx

quick update. #evanwrekn

March might be one of the City Cast Houston team's favorite months in H-town. It's rodeo season, the weather is actually nice so we can enjoy the outdoors more, and, of course, we got great eats. In this episode, we've got expert tips and recommendations that you won't hear anywhere else, from kite festivals to fusion restaurants that can only be found in H-Town.  Our picks for March:  City Cast Houston at Mardi Gras Galveston  Sam Houston Race Park Camel Races  Little BIPOC Book Fest at Discovery Green Keith-Wiess Park International Art & Kite Festival Mutton Bustin' Alora Restaurant  Coltivare  The Best Places in Houston for Viet-Cajun Crawfish LA Crawfish Join City Cast Houston for a pre-game mixer at the Houston Rockets on March 25th. Get your tickets here with the special code: CITYCAST2025 Want even more things to do at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo? Check out our guide to the wildest (and most delicious!) foods to eat this year at the rodeo.  Learn more about the sponsors of this February 27th episode here: Inprint Wild West Brewfest Destination Bryan Sam Houston Race Park Downtown Houston+ Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sure, the epic concerts and world-class rodeo events are a big draw for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, but the incredible food has become one of the main attractions as well! From trending desserts to gigantic turkey legs, the rodeo has some wild and delicious food. Host Raheel Ramzanali is putting together a list of the ones you need to try with the man behind all the wild creation, Dominic Palimieri aka The Midway Gourmet!  List of delicious foods mentioned on today's episode:  Mike's Hot Honey Turkey Leg at Biggy's Mike's Hot Honey Corndog at Biggy's  Hot Honey Pickles at Biggy's  Hot Honey Bacon Wrapped Pork Belly at Biggy's Hot Cheeto Cheese Pickle Pizza at Enzo's Dirty Sodas at Cowboy Kettle Corn Aguas Frescas at Michelaguas  Cowboy Cookie Crumble at Totally Baked Cookie Joint  The Chocolate Strawberry Cup at Candy Factory (located right in front of Mutton Bustin' Tent) Ice Cream Nachos at Fried A Fair Deep Fried Cheesecake (Various stalls)  Deep Fried Butter (Various Stalls)  Other links from today's show: Follow Dominic on Instagram  9 Must-Visit Barbeque Spots in Bryan, TX Learn more about the sponsors of this February 26th episode here: Inprint Wild West Brewfest Destination Bryan Sam Houston Race Park Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thirty years ago, Selena made history at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo with her iconic concert. But this year, the Rodeo didn't include any tribute for the Tejano superstar— and booked few women and artists of color to perform. Host Raheel Ramzanali talks to Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle's music critic and writer, about attending that legendary performance in person, how the rodeo can improve its lineup, and why Selena's legacy lives on. (Plus, don't miss Joey's Selena picks for our Rodeo Week playlist!) Dive deeper into rodeo music and Selena's legacy:  Does the Rodeo concert lineup represent Houston diversity? Shows include few women, artists of color Living with Selena, 25 years later Learn more about the sponsors of this February 25th episode here: Inprint Wild West Brewfest Destination Bryan Sam Houston Race Park Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Photo credit: Arlene Richie/Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Rodeo Week on City Cast Houston! We're kicking things off with a look at Black cowboy culture and its impact on today's rodeo. Host Raheel Ramzanali talks with Dr. Alicia Odewale, a University of Houston professor, about how Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album spotlights Black cowboy culture, and how we can celebrate it all year long!  Plus, don't miss our special Rodeo Week playlist on Spotify, inspired by this conversation and others all week long. Listen and add your favorite rodeo songs here.  Dive deeper with these resources recommended by Dr. Odewale:  Black Cowboys in the American West: On the Range, on the Stage, behind the Badge  The Black West: A Documentary and Pictorial History of the African American Role in the Westward Expansion of the United States Black Cowboys of the Old West: True, Sensational, And Little-Known Stories From History African American Women of the Old West The Black Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame in Rosenberg, TX Black Heritage Day at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Learn more about the sponsors of this February 24th episode here: Inprint Wild West Brewfest Destination Bryan Sam Houston Race Park Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Texans exploring the possibility of building a new stadium, Brandon Scott tries to make sense of it all with Houston Chronicle investigative reporter Dylan McGuinness, who co-authored the latest piece and has been following the NRG Stadium negotiations between Harris County, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and the Texans. How did we get here and where might we be headed. B.Scott and McGuinness tackle those questions in this conversation.#texans #houston #houstontexans #nrg #nrgstadium #nfl #nflstadiums #localgovernment #harriscounty #houstonrodeo

A conversation with Amber Burda, Chief Revenue Officer for HLSR.  This iconc event is part of the fabric of Houston.  Saddle up and learn how this month-long celebration brings people together and will generate 28 million dollars in scholarships and educational programs.  It's time to rodeo!

Team Never Quit Podcast: From the Inauguration to the Rodeo – A Look Back & Ahead In this week's electrifying episode of the Team Never Quit Podcast, Marcus, Melanie, and Hunter take a trip down memory lane, revisiting some of the most unforgettable podcast episodes of 2024. But that's just the beginning! The team shares their firsthand experience attending the historic inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, in Washington, D.C. From rubbing shoulders with dignitaries and famous faces to taking in the awe-inspiring monuments and museums, they give you an inside look at this monumental event.

In this episode of Building Texas Business, I met with Chris Gillman, President and CEO of Team Gillman, to discuss how technology is transforming car dealerships in Texas. I learn how his team uses AI and virtual assistants to streamline customer service, enabling online car purchases and digital service scheduling. Their approach to technology has improved both customer experience and internal operations while maintaining strong relationships with car buyers. Chris shares his path from general manager to business owner, including a key moment when he had to terminate an employee who broke company policy. This experience taught him about insurance requirements and legal considerations that protect the business. We explore how Team Gilman adapted during COVID-19 by focusing on company culture and employee development. Chris explained their strategy of reinvesting in staff training and using customer data effectively, which has supported steady growth without aggressive marketing tactics. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS We explore how technology is reshaping the car dealership landscape in Texas, emphasizing the integration of AI and virtual assistants in enhancing customer service and streamlining operations. Chris discusses his leadership journey, highlighting the importance of hiring ambitious individuals and giving them the autonomy to excel in their roles. The episode delves into the challenges and rewards of transitioning from a general manager to a business owner, offering insights into leadership in the automotive industry. We examine the significance of building a strong company culture and the strategies for maintaining employee-centric leadership, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris shares the value of leveraging existing customer data to sustain a market presence without aggressive advertising, focusing on customer satisfaction and long-term business sustainability. The discussion includes the role of technology in employee management, mentioning tools like Paycom and Reynolds for digital transactions and HR processes. Chris emphasizes the balance between short-term gains and long-term sustainability by reinvesting in employees and fostering a growth-oriented environment. We talk about the evolving work landscape and the shift back to traditional office settings, with insights on adapting leadership styles to meet changing work habits. The conversation touches on the impact of recent legislative changes in Texas, such as the removal of state inspections for pre-owned vehicles, and the implications for the automotive industry. Chris shares personal stories and leadership philosophies, stressing the importance of leading by example and treating employees with respect to drive business growth. LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Team Gillman GUESTS Chris GillmanAbout Chris TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris Hanslik: Chris, I want to welcome you to Building Texas Business. Thanks for taking the time to join us today. Thank you. Chris Gillman: I look forward to it. Chris Hanslik: So let's just start by telling the audience about your business and maybe a little bit about how you got into the business. Chris Gillman: Okay, well, last name's Gilman Been, a family name here in Houston since 1938. I'm a third generation car dealer. We started off in downtown Houston with Pontiac and GMC at the corner of Milam and Pease, and then my father took it over, ran it, did everything, built it all the way up, and I've kind of taken over kind of since then, since my father's passed away since 2011. We roughly have around almost 800 employees and we do roughly around 18,000 cars a year here in Houston. That sounds like a pretty big volume. It's definitely a small family business. Chris Hanslik: Yes, I think it's pretty good volume. Yeah, it sounds like it and so let's you know. Talk about. There's a lot, especially at the beginning of the year, about looking ahead. There's been a bunch of conversations in the last two years about AI. What are some of the emerging technologies that you see now or may be coming as it relates to your industry? Chris Gillman: Well, right now, one of the big things is almost 20 to 30 percent of every service appointment. When you bring in your car for service, when you set your appointment, you are actually talking to somebody. That is an AI virtual assistant that is scheduling your service appointment for you and you actually think you're speaking to a human and that is setting up a pickup and delivery. Or hey, I need to drop my car off at three o'clock, I need a loaner or I need a shuttle you're actually dealing with. I don't want an ai virtual voice setting your service appointment kind of like the virtual assistant. Yeah, it's full-blown. And also, a lot of times, if you're setting an appointment to come in, to come test drive a car, there are tools right now that we are utilizing to streamline and make and make the car buying and the servicing of your vehicle a lot easier. Chris Hanslik: I'm sure most people will love hearing that because almost like death and taxes. Most people say you talk about buying a car and they just like poke a needle in my eye because it's such a painful process yeah, it's you's. Chris Gillman: You know back from way you know me being 47 years old. You know buying a car the way it did in 1985 and 1995, hell, even in 2005,. It's completely different. Now you can get in and out of a car dealership with not only an hour and a half, but the days of, oh, let's go haggle and beat up and go negotiate and oh, hear me roar. Those days are gone. If you want to make the car buying process difficult, you can, or you can make it very simple. Chris Hanslik: Well, you bring up a good point, though right, with the consumers much more informed these days because of the internet way more, and so which? Chris Gillman: is great. By the way, an informed buyer is a better buyer, you know. You know what it was in I think it was 2010. Your average consumer used to visit 5.2 5.5 dealerships before they bought a car. Now it's like 1.3 wow, yeah, so more efficient way. Chris Hanslik: More efficient? I don't. I mean. My sense is that's common across a lot of industries. Right, and with the age of the internet, more price comparing and shopping online and things like that oh, it's just like buying a home. Chris Gillman: You see all the photos online and you look at it and go. You know, you know, back in the day you used to go visit 20 different homes before you bought it. Now you might only look at three. Chris Hanslik: That's a good point. So you got dealerships across the greater Houston area, 800 employees. Anything that you know we talked about technology for the consumer, anything you're using to kind of help hire, manage, train employees, that is kind of innovative. Or using technology to help you there. Chris Gillman: Some of the technology that we're using. You know I'm not here to promote a payroll system or anything like that, okay, but you know we've been able to lower our HR staff by using a company called Paycom. Chris Hanslik: Okay. Chris Gillman: And also our hand. Also our digital handbook is in that we have training videos and all that. That's from the employee standpoint, from the consumer standpoint. We use a company called Reynolds, and Reynolds they're a Texas based company, or they have a company in Dayton Ohio, but they started off in Houston. There's a thing that we call DocuPad, where you do the whole car deal, everything. It's all digital. It's no paper, it's all digital and we are able to also I don't want to use the word FaceTime, but if you are remote, we're able to do a virtual go back and forth so you can sign your paperwork while you're sitting at home or at your office or you can be on a boat fishing if you want to do it, and you can do your whole car deal and you don't actually have to come into the dealership. Chris Hanslik: That's amazing. I've experienced the DocuPad. It looks like just you're sitting at a desk. Chris Gillman: Yeah, it's a gigantic iPad. Chris Hanslik: And I've seen you I mean in action when you have any car that you know you have access to under your umbrella is for sale. I think we were on a day trip and you sold a Tahoe. Chris Gillman: Yeah, just it's. You know, no matter where you are, you know you can have a tablet or a phone and you can do a whole car deal everything right there and there. You see, you know if you think about it we're in the world of the now, yeah absolutely and that's you know. The world has taught, Amazon has taught us that you could buy anything in three clicks. Well, if you want to go buy a $50,000 car in three clicks, I want to be able to provide that for you, sure. Chris Hanslik: So you know, I think we all, born and raised in Texas, very proud to be. What do you see as some of the advantages of having and starting and growing a business in the state of Texas? Chris Gillman: The state of Texas is very pro-business. The state of Texas likes it for people to have employees to create business, to create I don't want to say an economy, but you're generating taxes for them, right? Sure, so they are pro-business and that's, and the state of Texas likes that. And there's a lot of car dealers that wish they were car dealers in Texas that aren't in Louisiana, colorado, california. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, there's a lot. So those are some of the positives. Any challenges or headwinds you see coming maybe specific to your industry or just in Texas in general about operating here. Chris Gillman: Well, just from like Texas, they've just passed a new law and the new law is today's pre-owned vehicles do not need a state inspection on the car. Well, what I mean by that is the car does not for you to get a new registration for your new license plates, you don't have to have a state inspection. Well, you can now have a car with one headlight seatbelt not working, the emissions terrible, bad tires, no brake lights. That is just unsafe for the state of Texas. Chris Hanslik: It seems that way. I'm not sure I understand the logic. Chris Gillman: I have not a clue. I spent a lot of money lobbying and a lot of time in austin texas fighting that deal and I lost really so I'm just curious what was the lobby? It was the support of saying that it is getting rid of the state inspection because that state inspection it hurts the average texan of paying a fee of $25 to have them inspect their car for a safe vehicle. Chris Hanslik: So my view that falls in the definition of penny wise pound foolish. Chris Gillman: You know, in the famous words of John Wayne, you can't fix stupid. Chris Hanslik: So you know, talk a little bit about you know your management style and kind of your approach to leading your team of 800 there at Team Gilman. You know how would you describe your leadership style? Chris Gillman: My leadership style. I've kind of inherited from my father the ready fire, aim type mentality, but something that my father beat into me a long time ago hire people that are better than you. Hire people that are smarter than you. Pay them what they deserve, I mean you know God forbid. you pay somebody what they're worth, right? You pay them what they're worth and get out of their way. Let them do their job and also give them the authority and give them the power to make decisions where they don't have to be overlooking their shoulder, and let's not rule by a committee. I know these are all buzzwords I'm saying, but in all honesty, let them eat, let them earn, let them do what they need to do. You're wanting to hire them for a reason. Chris Hanslik: Put them in let them go, Tell them the job you expect them to do and give them autonomy to do it Correct. Chris Gillman: Say this is your sandbox and give them autonomy to do it Correct, say this is your sandbox, these are your rules. Go build and you know a lot of employees. I would rather have to pull the reins back on them than go have to kick them. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, I use. I'd rather pull the reins and crack the whip all the time around here. Right, it's so true. Right, you want someone that has that ambition and the initiative to go do stuff. Chris Gillman: Yeah, there's you know you can't teach hustle, you can't. You know you can tell when you were talking to someone. Okay, that person has drive, or that guy's a popcorn fart. Well, I mean, it's true, right. So I mean, at the end of the day you look at it and be like, yeah, no, that guy's just, or that person is just not going to get it done, or you look at him and go that guy's going to get it done, but I know I'm going to have to pull the reins back on him. Chris Hanslik: Yeah. Chris Gillman: I would rather surround myself with that guy and then go. Okay, by the way, we'll work on polishing you later. Sure, Sure. Chris Hanslik: Right, it's something to work with, right. So you know, you say you kind of, over the last what 13, 14 years you've been building this company, what are some of the things that have occurred along that journey that you maybe surprised you and wish you had to know, and kind of those hard lessons that you learned along the way. Chris Gillman: But man, you're like man. I'm gonna try to use the word empathy and feeling bad for a situation verse what happens from a business insurance legal world. We had a technician that was working on a car after hours, illegally, with another employee as another employee's car, and the company policy is you have to have a ticket, a repair order, on any car that's in our shop. That is standard rule, that is rule number one. Rule number two working on an employee car is especially, you have to have a manager signature. Number three you can't be working on a car after hours without the shop being open, with management around. Well, this technician and this his buddy, both of employees working on a car after hours. The car goes up on an alignment rack, they don't fully secure it, the car falls down and the car falls on the employee's head and his jaw is just dangling. I mean, it's just terrible. Right ambulance comes. He rushes to the hospital. I find out I was like, oh my god, I'm at home. It's like 8 o'clock at night, I run the hospital. You know, at the time you new, fresh business owner Dad's passed, got all this stuff, like what. So I call the attorney, insurance agent, people. What do I do Right and he goes. Did he violate company policy? Yes, he did. He goes. When you first see him fire and I'm like, have you lost your damn mind? This man is in the hospital car and he goes. Chris, the violent company policy yeah, yes, you have to fire him and I go, but his jaw is dang. He's in this hospital. This is bad. He goes, chris, if you don't do it, I will drive down there and I will do it for you. You need to fire him. And I was like, oh my God, so will do it for you. You need to fire him. And I was like, oh my god, so I went. I saw this guy and had his mother and his sister, his girlfriend, a bunch of employees are all in the lobby like oh this, you know, poor guy, and I fired him. I felt is like a piece like, like just a piece of sand, like a piece of grit, you know. Yeah, and that was the defining moment of knowing, okay, I now live where I was just a normal general manager employee. Now I've gone to business person owner. This is the world now I live in and to me that was like a turning point of know your insurance, know the law, know the HR and when an incident happens which something will always happen, no matter what make sure that when you make the phone call at that time you have somebody you trust that will give you the right advice so you can make the right decision. Because the employee sued anyway and they lost because we did everything by the book, right. But my normal mindset would have been like, okay, let's do this, you know, and I would have done it, I would have handled it differently, but the attorney told me to do it like that. So have good representation, that's a good point. Chris Hanslik: Look, there's the, especially with us being a law firm. Chris Gillman: Yeah exactly by the way Boyd Miller used them. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, the. But there's a fine line right of that, as the leader and owner, having to make some tough calls to protect the business while still trying to show some compassion and empathy towards your employees, because you want to retain good employees, you want to have loyalty amongst your employees where they are true team members, right, and so it's finding that balance. It's not easy. Chris Gillman: Well, it's also that during the hiring process, you know you have someone that has. You know we do background checks on you, okay, and let's just say, let's say you have some bad stuff on your background, right? Well, it's my job to have it. So when female employees come to work, they know that the 879 other employees people, right, you know you have to have that good work environment instead of going okay. By the way, we've got a guy over here. He's been a past felon. It was 10 years ago, but hey, it's 10 years ago, it's past. Like no, I mean, that's probably crossing some of the HR laws right now, but I background check you and if you're a famous words of what Trump says, you're a bad hombre, I don't hire you. Chris Hanslik: Oh man, that's good. So what would you say if you were advising a young entrepreneur, maybe about to start? What are some of the biggest lessons that you would want to pass along? Maybe one or two, maybe three things of. Here's some things that you ought to consider that I did, or I've seen others do, that worked. Chris Gillman: You know, the number one thing I would definitely say is you're going. I'm going to use this example and tell it to a lot of people. At one point in time, babe Ruth was the home run king. He was also the strikeout king. You've got to keep swinging and there's going to be failure. You're going to stub your toe. You've got to find a way every day to get back up on the horse, get back in the saddle, get back in that car, drive your ass to work, figure out a way. It's going to work out If you believe in it and you do it and you hustle and surround yourself with people that believe in the same thing that you do. And just, you've got to keep fighting. It's the fighters that work and people are like oh, that's just cheesy as shit. You know something? I've never met anybody that has started their business and said you know, it just fell into my lap. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, I'll tell you this. I mean we're, I don't know 80 some odd episodes into this podcast and everyone that's come on has said it was harder than I thought. It will be harder than you expect it to be. Expect the unexpected Right. All those things Right, Because it's not easy. Chris Gillman: It's not easy, but if it was easy everybody would be doing it, yeah for sure. Chris Hanslik: So part of that to get to success is you've got to be profitable. Yeah, so let's talk a little bit. I mean maybe your mindset and how you balance getting the short-term profitability to keep the business going against long-term sustainability. Chris Gillman: So one thing I'm going to say, and people kind of get mad at me for saying this, but profit is not a bad thing. Chris Hanslik: Period, period, end of story. That's what you're in business for that's why I'm in business. Chris Gillman: Okay, return on my investment. Not only you need to reinvest into your employees. If you reinvest into your employees, they will bring back profitability and make your business go longer. Put the money back into your employees. That's number one. Number two there's a big thing that we're currently doing is I use the word data mining. Data mining is I'm taking my own current customers that are doing business with me in the service department. They're driving a two to three year old car and I just look at him. I go, hey, would you like the exact same car, one trim level up, at the exact same payment? and the customer goes you're telling me if I can get 2.9 for 60 months. The exact same car, but now this car has leather as a sunroof, has navigation, has Apple CarPlay and they have the exact same payment. Sounds Sounds too good to be true and I go, yeah, and they go, yeah. That's a no brainer. I've spent zero advertising dollars, right, yeah. Chris Hanslik: So you're just looking at what the data you already own. Chris Gillman: Right, I own the data. It's managing my own data and then, I'm leasing that customer and I'm currently doing gas and go. The only thing you got to do is put gas in the car. I cover your maintenance. I cover doors, dings and whatever road hazard stuff on your car. The only thing you got to do is put gas in it and then, when you're done, come back, come get another car. So I am creating my own market so I could be sustainable. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, so like a reoccurring revenue, almost like software licensing right. Chris Gillman: Exactly. But I'm doing that with my own customer base so I don't have to rely on going to go get new customers to go battle 16 other Honda stores, eight other Subaru stores and we're all fighting for that one customer, over $100 on the price of a car. I'm keeping my current customers happy so I don't have to play in that crazy. Oh, let's all go cut each other's throats price war. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, there's so much truth to that. To me, that is transcends in across all industries. We always find ourselves, I think, trying to get the new customer and we lose sight of the existing right and we have this existing customer base. That's gotten our business where it is, and not that you don't want to grow, but you can grow the existing base. You can grow revenue and profit from your existing base if you're smart about it, and not that you don't want to add new customers too right, but it's that current customer already likes you. Chris Gillman: You already have good csi. Well in the industry it's good is customer satisfaction and index. I like to call it constant source of income right yeah, and so your current customer base is. That's where your money is. That's what you need to focus on. You don't need to go focus and go spend thousands of millions of dollars to go find new customers. You already have people that are happy with you already yeah, no, you're right, it's. Chris Hanslik: Yeah. Chris Gillman: You don't have to convince them no, you don't have to give it and they're coming back into your service department anyway. So so they bought the car and they're servicing with you. I mean, do you need to get hit over the head with a two by four? Hey, they already like. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, so you mentioned something to the first point you said was reinvest in your employees. Yeah, when you? When I think about that concept, and which I think is very true, it brings up to mind culture. Right, you're investing in your employees. You want them to like where they are, you want them to see opportunity. How would you describe the culture that you have built or trying to build at team gilman? Chris Gillman: number one. We are trying to build this thing daily on a culture right. So whatever the vision is I'm sorry, the vision that we have up on top, we're trying to really push it down and sometimes the culture from the bottom comes up and we find a way to meet it. It's you know I don't want to say how do I say it. I want you to treat everybody kind of like it's your grandmother right Right. You know, if your grandma's in the room, if you feel like that's something bad, you shouldn't be doing it right? You know don't ask, don't tell someone to do something Unless they've seen you do it first. You know, if you ask someone to go pick up a piece of trash while you're walking around the car lot because trash blows, you know that employee's not going to pick it up unless he sees you do it. You know, lead by example, right. You know, doing stuff like that Giving back into the community, being the SPCA, doing it with dog shelters, buying dogs and training them for blind people, stuff like that donating to cancer, whatever charity that we have going on I want the employees to know that not only am I giving back to the community, but I also want them to know that, hey, your kid's soccer team, your kid's football team, I want to sponsor it, I want to take care of it, and they also feel like it's a good thing for them yeah, okay, so that inclusive, we're going to take care of you. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, we're going to take customer right. Chris Gillman: So like during covid, you know I'll probably catch a lot of shit for this, but you know, hey, it is what it is. Chris Hanslik:During covid, new car supply was non-existent the inventories went down, right prices went down everything. Chris Gillman: Well, I needed also used cars to sell. Well, the only way you get used cars is to take trade-ins, right. Well, we normally trade company average around 50. So for every 100 new cars you sell, we get 50 trades. Well, I sat there and I said hey guys, we need to be trading around 80%. I have people that need to buy cars and I had some people get mad at me. They're like well, what happens if I don't have a trade? I got 20%, but I'm not selling you a car. They go well, that's just not fair. And I go well, okay. Well, I got 20%, but I'm not selling you a car. And they go well, that's just not fair. And I go well, okay. Well, out of my 800 employees, how about I just have to go fire 160 of them and we'll see what's fair? You know it's make you mad or go fire these 160 souls that have nothing to do with it, because the economy is something it wasn't. It wasn't something that I did as a bad businessman. It was just because of a virus or whatever. Right, and next thing I know is they have to lose their job. So I made business rules to keep these employees intact. Now, did I piss off some customers. Yeah, I did but did. But at the end of the day I kept my 160 employees and at the end of the day I put my employees first, over the customer. And some people might disagree or agree with that, whatever, but I put my employees first and that's what makes me successful. Chris Hanslik: I think that's what you've got to do, so they take care of the customer, right? Yes, because if you have customers with no employees to service them, you're not going to have that customer very long either, right? So that makes sense. What were some of the? You mentioned, obviously the shortage of new car supply. I mean, you know, it's nice to kind of be turning the page into 2025 and we're five years now from 2020, which you know is you know a distant past, but talk about some of the leadership challenges you face in keeping the company together, keeping all those employees together oh, well, you know, finding good people is hard. Chris Gillman: It is really hard. There are some benefits to COVID, you know. I mean you hear, you know let's talk about Texas business. Okay, sure, there's a lot of businesses. Talk about Texas business. Okay, sure, there's a lot of businesses that had record years during COVID. Chris Hanslik:Okay. Chris Gillman: Some of them failed, some of them dive bombed, but some guys they had not only record years, but it was crazy. So let's talk about that elephant in the room. Right, there are some people that just got overpaid during COVID Period, end of story. And it wasn't because of their stellar management style, it wasn't because of what they did or what they brought to the table. It was the market that got them overpaid, right, and when COVID went down, then now they have to get back to working, get back to doing follow-up, get back to the basics, get back to the foundation of whatever industry that they're in. And it's made some people lazy and it has created a vacuum or a vortex of people hopping around different businesses because they keep chasing that COVID number that's out there and some of them have come to, okay, you know Now, some of them, it's made them lazy. Chris Hanslik: I've seen it. I call it the COVID malaise. Yes, and just saying we're five years removed and it's still out there. And it's still to me, one of the biggest impediments to your business achieving its fullest potential Right Is getting people. So many people came into the workforce at that time, yeah, and that's all they knew. And they don't know any different. And I mean, was it yesterday, in the last day or so? Right, jp Morgan, everyone's back to work in the office five days a week? Absolutely. Amazon announced it in what October or so, but it started this week and I said for a while that was where the pendulum was going to start swinging back and it's back there where the hybrid work. I don't know if it will ever go away but it is going away in big numbers. Chris Gillman: I had salespeople come to me and go. I want to work from home. And I went great, knock yourself out. And they were like I'm at home. I've, I've been at home now for 10 days and I haven't sold a car and I go, yeah, because no one's knocking on your home door to come by a car. Chris Hanslik: They're knocking on my door, I mean some of them. It just makes sense, right? Chris Gillman: I mean it's just like a you know, some people just need to stay home, I guess. Right, well, it's, you know, covid. Chris Hanslik: Decisions have consequences. Chris Gillman: Yes, they do. Chris Hanslik: Yes, they do. So let's talk about you. Look back since 2011, when you took over. What's the one thing you're maybe most proud of at this moment? Knowing that you still have goals ahead of you. Chris Gillman: I guess one of the things that I look at each dealership like. They have their own heartbeat, you know, instead of making it a blanket, okay, these are the business rules at all. Yeah, we have our basic foundation rules, but each store has its own little heartbeat, you know. Chris Hanslik: And that's from a business standpoint. Chris Gillman: You know, I grew it from three stores to eight stores, so we we've doubled it up, almost tripled it. By the end of this year year we should have a night store. So I would have tripled the business. And just, we're just having fun, man, you know, just having fun, that's, yeah, every day's a new day and I'm not here to be cheesy when I say it, but it's, I don't think I've had one bad day. We're just having fun and every day's a new day and we're just kind of throwing a pickle on the windshield on the window. We're just kind of throwing a pickle up on the windshield on the window. We're like let's just see what happens, man you know. So we're having fun, so I'm sorry that's such a cheesy answer. Chris Hanslik: No, look, if you can't have fun, it's. I mean you won't be able to make it through the tough times, right, right and then they're going to be there. Chris Gillman: So if you don't love it, you know you're, you're in trouble. Chris Hanslik: Yeah, you're definitely in trouble. So well, that's great. I'm going to turn a little bit to some just going to be texas related things. Okay, tell us what's your favorite kind of maybe vacation spot in texas or a place to visit I think south texas is the most prettiest place in the world. Chris Gillman: You know, some people might look at a cactus or or a mesquite tree, but I look at him. You're like, well, that's just a thorny little bush man, but it's too. I love to hunt and I love to fish, so I love South Texas. I love lower Laguna, madre, I just died that whole ecosystem, everything down there. I think there's nothing better in life having a margarita looking at a South Texas sunset man. I think that's just. I think that's the most awesome feeling in the world. I'm sold. Chris Hanslik: I couldn't agree with you more. Well, kind of continuing that then. What about you know? Texas traditions, houston traditions, anything that you just love to do every year? Chris Gillman: So I have been fortunate enough. You know, one of the staples here in Houston is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, so I'm one of the announcers for Mutton Bustin'. Chris Hanslik: Okay. Chris Gillman: One of the volunteer gets you know. It's just a, it's a, it's an eight second ride for a little five year old, right and a fistful of wool Right. Literally it's a. You know, when they fall off that sheep it's a face full of dirt and a lifelong worth of drift of memories. Yeah, so I love the houston livestock show and rodeo only because I'm an announcer. As a kid my dad used to take me to the art car parade and so now, because of the financial situation, I'm in team gilman automotive, we are the main title sponsor and we have kind of built back up the art car parade. Okay, that's every year, that's in april, that goes up and down allen parkway I've been it. Chris Hanslik: I mean, if no one, especially if you're listening and you're in the greater houston area and you haven't been right, you owe it to yourself to go at least once it's definitely. Chris Gillman: you know, I was sitting there talking to a bunch of kids the other day and all these kids, all these different schools that I've donated some cars to, and they're like what's the one thing? that you can tell us and I go. Creativity takes courage and you know something? Amen, be creative, decorate the car, express it, do whatever you want, and let's just hope to God, the car runs in April so you can go up and tell them I'll impart quality, you know, because there are some cars, man, you're like, ooh, this thing needs some extra oil, right? So those are probably my two Houston things that I do tradition-wise. Chris Hanslik: All right, I love it. So last question do you prefer Tex-Mex or barbecue? Ooh, that's a bold that's tough. Chris Gillman: Save the hardest for the last. Chris Hanslik: That is tough man. Chris Gillman: I love crispy tacos man. I the hardest for the last. That is tough man. I love crispy tacos man. I mean, if you have a great three, three crispy tacos, I think everything else in the restaurant is good. Chris Hanslik: But it's also it's hard to beat a good dry chopped beef sandwich oh well, the crispy tacos you have to actually be able to eat right. Some places you know they're already in the grease and you can't pick them up. Chris Gillman: Yeah no, no, I'm the standard. I like old-fashioned Crispy tacos man. All right, I'm Texas, it's crispy tacos. Got it, chris? This? Chris Hanslik: has been great. Chris Gillman: Oh, thank you so much. Chris Hanslik: Really enjoyed the conversation. Congratulations for what you and your team are doing, not just with your business, but what you do for the community. So with your business and what you do for the community, so really appreciate it. I appreciate it, thank you for having me. Chris Gillman: And if anybody wants to buy a car? It's teamgillmancom. Chris Hanslik: There you go, all right, Special Guest: Chris Gillman.

Zane Carson Carruth is an award-winning international children's book author, a certified business etiquette and protocol professional and sits on numerous non-profit boards in Houston, TX as well as the Vice President of Carruth Foundation. Zane serves on the SPCA board of directors, Discovery Green Conservancy, TUTS (Theatre Under the Stars) and previously on The Houston Grand Opera Board for 6 years.Carruth has been honored to be named an ABC13 Woman of Distinction for 2020, Top Inspiring Woman Impact Maker for 2020, an honoree of The Houston Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business Award, named one of the March of Dimes Houston's Best Dressed 2023 recipients, and St Jude's Woman of Philanthropy for Houston TX 2021.She and her husband Brady were named Houston Treasures 2022 and Houston Heros 2023 by Texas Children's Hospital. She was also honored to serve as First Lady of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for the 2021 to 2023 season, when her husband, Brady Carruth was Chairman of the Board of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.She currently hosts a Live Broadcast titled Elegance, Polished Demeanor & Posh Living on USA GLOBAL TV & RADIO in Partnership with E360 TV the last Thursday of each month. She won the USA GLOBAL TV & RADIO 2023 Rising Star Host award for her very successful broadcast.LATEST BOOK: ABELLA AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE: Abella and Darcie befriend a haunted house and the ghost that lives there. Thanks to Abella's quick thinking and determined nature, they save the big, haunted house from being torn down. And in the process, make new friends in the weirdest places! Never underestimate the can-do spirit of these two little fairies.  http://WorldsFirstToothFairy.comhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWYx5e7rYZI