Innovation Financial Services

One of our incredible partners and Principles of Finance trainers, Dave Perriton, Regional Vice President at RoadVantage, recently dropped some serious wisdom on The Dealer Playbook podcast, and it's something I think we can all take to heart. Dave shared a lesson from his early days in the car business, where he devoured every book on sales and closing. But his dad gave him the best advice: "Those books are great, but if you want to get really good at this business – or any business – read books on people." Such a simple but powerful lesson. Understanding people is the heart of everything we do in this business. When you know your customer, you’re not just selling a product – you’re connecting with them on a deeper level and offering solutions that truly fit their needs. It’s what sets great salespeople apart.

It’s hard to believe we’re wrapping up such an incredible week at Principles of Finance University. The energy, the insights, and the breakthroughs we’ve experienced have been nothing short of amazing. But this is just the beginning. The real work starts when we take everything we’ve learned and put it into action. To everyone who joined us – thank you! We’ve loved every minute of this journey, and we can’t wait to see what you do next. Now, let’s go out there and make a real impact! #LastDay #PrinciplesOfFinance #GrowthMindset

For years, many independent dealers have stuck with the buy here, pay here model – where you finance the vehicle in-house and the customer makes payments directly to you. But the market is shifting, and we’re seeing an incredible opportunity emerge for dealers who want to take things up a notch. More and more independent dealers are exploring financing options through banks like Westlake Financial, which has become a go-to for helping dealers offer financing for both good and special credit customers. It’s a smart move that turns your dealership into a one-stop shop – customers can buy, finance, and protect their vehicle all in one place. Think extended service contracts, GAP insurance, tire and wheel protection – the whole deal. The best part? This doesn’t mean walking away from buy here, pay here. It just gives you another way to add value and boost revenue. It’s about meeting your customers where they’re at and giving them more options. If you’re an independent dealer looking to expand and take advantage of these new opportunities, let’s chat. We’re helping independent dealers like you create new revenue streams and provide even more for your customers.

Hello from Day 1 at Principles of Finance University! We’ve officially kicked off, and the excitement in the room is contagious. I have to say, it feels amazing to be surrounded by such passionate, driven people, all hungry to learn, grow, and shake things up in their dealerships. And this is just the beginning – we’ve got a packed week ahead, and we couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come. Stay tuned for more updates! #Principlesoffinance #day1 #innovationfinancialservices

It's finally here – Principles of Finance University, and we couldn’t be more excited! 🎉 I wanted to take a moment to encourage all of you to follow along this week – We’ll be sharing videos and updates so you can get a glimpse of what Principles of Finance is all about. But here’s the thing – this isn’t just another F&I class. We’ve designed this program to be completely agnostic to your current processes, products, or F&I menu systems. It’s not about pushing our way of doing things – it’s about giving you tools and insights that are relevant to YOU, no matter where you’re at. We’ve spent countless hours building this program because we know how frustrating it can be to attend training that doesn’t align with your reality. Our goal? To make sure you leave with practical strategies you can apply right away, no matter what dealership you’re coming from. We’ll cover everything from customer behavior in today’s market, to motivating you with insights from books like Atomic Habits (seriously, if you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out), to the core of it all – compliance and ethics. Because no matter what, that’s the foundation we all need to stand on. If you’re not one of the 15 people attending this time, don’t worry – we’ll be announcing our next session for early next year. Make sure to keep an eye out for the dates and grab an early bird spot for discounted tuition! Follow along this week – we can’t wait to share what’s in store. Have a great day, everyone! #PrinciplesOfFinance #F&I #innovationfinancialservices

Hey everyone, I just wanted to take a quick minute to give a huge shoutout to The Impact Group. They’ve been a trusted partner of ours for nearly 10 years, and we’re incredibly grateful for their continued support. Here’s the exciting part – The Impact Group is sponsoring lunch at our Principles of Finance University, which kicks off tomorrow! We’re thrilled to have them on board for such an important event. Now, if you’re in the market for a new F&I menu system, I can’t recommend The Impact Group’s Impact Menu enough. It’s not just user-friendly – it makes the entire process smoother for dealerships. And when it comes to data, their Intellect Analytics is next-level. Some of the best analytics in the industry, hands down. Big shoutout again to The Impact Group for being part of this with us. #innovationfinancialservices #finance

IFS Presents: Team IFS - The Docuseries You Didn’t Know You Needed! 🎥 Ever wonder what it’s like to run 10 miles, box 10 rounds, do yoga, and still make it to work all before 3:30 AM? Neither did we, but Steve’s doing it anyway. 😎 We’ve officially decided (well, Steve has) to bring the cameras in for a hilarious mini-doc series featuring our team’s daily antics, questionable fitness routines, and everything in between. Trust us, it’s going to be entertaining! #teamifs #innovationfinancialservices #documentary

IFS TEAM HAS HIJACKED STEVEN’S PAGE! Yup, the IFS team pulled off the ultimate takeover to wish our amazing CEO, Steven Whitlock, a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You’ve been an incredible boss, Steven, and today, it’s our turn to appreciate you! We couldn’t let this day slide without wishing you the happiest birthday from all of us. You’re not just our President, you’re the one who inspires us every day to be better, think bigger, and keep chasing what matters, you’ve made IFS not just a great company, but a place we all genuinely enjoy being a part of. Whether it’s pushing us to be our best or cracking jokes that keep the office buzzing, you’ve made an impact on each of us – and we wouldn’t want it any other way. So, here’s to you, Steven! 🥂 Thank you for being the kind of leader we can always count on and for making IFS the amazing place it is. We hope your birthday is as legendary as you are. And don’t worry, Steven, we promise we didn’t mess with your LinkedIn connections, haha!

I wanted to take a minute to send a big shoutout to Portfolio, one of our trusted admin partners for over 12 years now. These guys truly set themselves apart with everything from service contracts to tire and wheel, key replacement, dent and ding, and everything in between – they’ve got it all. And their reinsurance structures? One of the best I’ve seen in my career. And here’s the best part: Portfolio is sponsoring our night out during Principles of Finance University happening October 15th-17th! We’re taking everyone to Federal American Grill for an epic dinner! If you haven’t booked your spot yet, now’s your chance! Click the link below, or feel free to reach out if you want to know more. Book you spot here: https://buff.ly/3TtiQkD #innovationfinancialservices #financeuniversity