As part of this edition of the Virginia Auto Dealer, VADA also wants to recognize the 2021 TIME Dealer of the Year Nominee. Because we did not publish our magazine during the unusual times brought by the pandemic, we were unable to spotlight Dan Banister of Banister Nissan of Chesapeake. However, we are happy to share this interview as we offer our heartfelt yet belated congratulations to him on his well-deserved nomination. (This article has been edited for length and content.)
How did you become a car dealer? Did you always aspire to be part of the automotive industry?
When I first got a job at a dealership in 1992, I expected working at the dealership was going to be temporary. I was right out of college, and I wanted to get into federal law enforcement. My first month at the dealership, I was the Salesperson of the Month. I got promoted about a year later, and the car business wouldn’t let me go. I caught the car business bug.
I have a motto: “Learn the job before you get the job.” With each promotion I received, I hit the ground running. I didn’t need on-the-job training because I learned the job before I got the job. As a result, I always learned the next job before stepping into it. I kept getting promoted, and I worked my way up through almost every position in sales. Eventually, I found a business partner who allowed me to buy them out over a 10-year period. I bought them out three years ago.
Describe your educational background. What did you study?
I studied criminal justice at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I use the sociology, psychology, and time-management classes I took there almost every day. I’ve also taken NADA automotive courses.
Are there any specific individuals who had a major impact on your career? For example, who were your mentors, and what did each mentor teach you?
My mother and father taught me to respect my fellow human beings no matter what our differences may be, never judge, and always try to help those in need; always stay humble; believe in myself; and never take no for an answer. I developed a strong work ethic while I was growing up by watching them.
During the long 12-hour days at the office, my wife supported me and then continued to support me after I came home too tired to do anything. She was a single parent for the first few years of our lives together because I was at work ALL the time.
My pastor, Bishop Kim Brown, has given me and continues to give me the spiritual guidance and spiritual covering I have needed for the last 20 years. It keeps me focused on my dreams, has taught me work/homelife balance, and I’ve learned to leave the boss hat at the office and wear the husband and father hat at home.
Thanks to God, I saw success most of the time. When I had an opportunity, I made sure I was prepared for it. There wasn’t a lot of training when I started in the car business, so you had to hit the ground running when the opportunity came. The manager didn’t want to sit and hold your hand if you weren’t ready to run. If you failed, most likely, you were out.
Today, I develop my staff. I want to get them ready for the next position while mastering their current position. I use my experience when I sit down with my people who want to grow. I try to help them navigate around some of the obstacles and brick walls that I encountered. We speed up their career path.
From a personnel standpoint, the car business is attracting a different type of person too. Many are college-educated and are looking to make the car business their career. Many are looking for a work-life and family balance. They want a 40-hour-a-week job, so they can have a better life balance.
In my opinion, working tons of hours is not the future of the car business. I refuse to work 70-80 hours a week, and I don’t ask for those hours from my staff. I want them to have a healthy family life. I want them to be at children’s games and recitals. When my children were young, I missed a lot of that. I am making up for it now. I don’t want anybody to miss out on those family times. The car business has had a high divorce rate. When you are at the office all the time, something will suffer, and it will probably be your family.
What is the most rewarding part of your career?
To see the growth in those that I’ve worked with. It bothers me to see somebody struggling financially. I know how it feels to struggle. I remember budgeting myself for three meals a day on $10.15. I am fortunate to be around a lot of good people, and I can look and see what our impact has been in the community. Maybe a customer made some bad decisions or has had a tough time. Buying a car may not be the best thing for them right now. It may be getting an item fixed on their credit so they can qualify for a better loan. For me, it is not just about selling a car. When a customer is in a bad spot, I love when we are able to put them in a better situation. It makes me smile every day.
What do you think will be some of the auto industry’s dominant trends in the next 5-10 years?
I think electric vehicles will be one of the main things. Most of the cars sold during the next 10 years will probably be electric, and the infrastructure will get much better for them. In my opinion, most dealerships will go to the one-price model. Some are already gravitating, and I am moving to that model myself. Many transactions will be completed online, but most customers will still want to come to the dealership to test drive and take delivery. More dealerships will be more like a boutique and won’t have 500 to 1,000 cars to choose from. Vehicles will be made to order.
What is the biggest impact of being a VADA member? What makes it beneficial?
VADA does a phenomenal job of building relationships with the leaders who regulate our business and is well-respected. VADA puts our issues on the State Capital floor and is right there to advocate for Virginia dealers. Also, VADA has a day where we all gather at the state capital and meet as a dealer’s association with all the leaders and senators. We sit down, get to know them, and tell them our issues directly. In my opinion, we have one of the best dealers associations in the country.
Are you involved in any civic or charitable organizations?
Yes, I’m on a few boards: The Elder’s House, the Chesapeake Public Library, Hampton Roads Automobile Dealers Association (HRADA), Motor Vehicle Dealer Board of the Commonwealth of Virginia (appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe,) the National Dealer Advisory Board for Nissan, Nissan Mid-Atlantic Regional Dealer Board, Chesapeake Forum, the Virginia Automotive Dealers Association (VADA) Board of Directors, and the Chesapeake Regional Health Foundation Board Member.
Looking back at your career and life, please list three things you have learned and would like to pass on as a mentor to others within the auto industry.
Learn the job you want before you get the job. Long hours are not always the recipe for success. You should work smarter and never be content.
What does the TIME Dealer of the Year nomination mean for you?
It really is a big deal, but the award is not just for me. It’s for the entire dealership. We touch the community together. I am grateful to give back to the community that has been so good to me, my family, and the staff. I didn’t realize how big it was to be nominated until I saw the community’s reaction. Then I looked at the nominees, and I said, “Wow, I’m in tall cotton here.” I was humbled to be honored. There are so many good dealers in Virginia and the United States, and to be recognized as one of them is quite an honor. It’s still hard to believe.
Was there an “aha” moment in your career that defined you?
It maybe isn’t an “aha” moment, but the thing that started me was in 1997 when I had my first general manager job in Rock Hill, South Carolina. My advertising agency came up with a marketing campaign called “Dan the Man.” The slogan was, “Come see Dan the Man today.” I am still known as “Dan the Man” now. The “Dan the Man” campaign made me a household name for many years.
Describe your all-time favorite vehicle (it can be one you’ve owned or something on your wish list). What are you currently driving?
My all-time favorite is a Nissan GTR. If I could drive any car in the world, that’s what it would be. And today, I am driving the GTR.
What is your favorite way to spend your free time? Do you have any unusual hobbies?
I love spending time with my family. My wife and I have been married going on 24 years. I met her in 1995 at the first dealership I worked. She was a service customer, and I greeted her. She’s been my rock and has helped me succeed in the car business. For so long, I spent so much time away from home, and when I was home, I was not there mentally. She was a single parent for all intents and purposes, but she supported me and didn’t complain. She held the family together. When my son hit 10, that’s when I really became a dad. If I had to give anybody kudos, I would say she is the most influential person in my life. She could have made it very tough for me early on in my career. If you don’t have a stable home life, it’s hard to be a successful anything. But she kept us together.
My parents have been married for 60 years, and I have one brother and two sisters. I am the youngest. We all live in different parts of the country but make it a point to get together at least once a year.
VADA is proud to acknowledge “Dan the Man” Banister on his 2021 TIME Dealer of the Year nomination.
