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After 24 years in automotive—from parts to BMW retail to corporate at Asbury and Dealertrack—DJ Sardana has one obsession: results you can prove. As a senior leader at C-4 Analytics, he’s built a playbook that replaces vendor sprawl and mixed messages with one cohesive system—and the numbers are wild. Think: matching a 400-unit store’s sales in 90 days while reducing ad spend by 47%. Think: turning Ford/Lincoln’s average -6.2 units behind target into +5 ahead for dealers on the program.
But DJ’s story isn’t just metrics. It’s loyalty (three jobs in 24 years), weekly accountability instead of monthly “check-ins,” and a relentless focus on custom strategy—market by market, rooftop by rooftop. He also opens up about his book, Can’t Hold Me Back, growing up brown in America, and a children’s book he’s crafting to inspire young girls. This one blends heart with hard edges—and a very practical map to more sales for less.
Takeaways
0:00 Intro — Why DJ Sardana’s results-first approach is turning heads
0:42 From parts counter to corporate: the 24-year route to real impact
1:42 How C-4 wins: one message, one plan, fewer vendors, more sales
2:46 The 400-unit shock: match volume in 90 days while cutting spend 47%
4:13 The agency litmus test: questions dealers should ask (but rarely do)
5:10 Why C-4 hired 19 ex-Googlers—and what that changes in paid search
7:40 Three jobs in 24 years: the quiet power of loyalty over job-hopping
8:52 The Ford stat that matters: from -6.2 behind to +5 ahead (an 11-unit swing)
10:23 No silver bullets: the rooftop-by-rooftop strategy that actually works
12:02 The first 30 days: clean the mess before you scale the spend
13:11 Weekly, not monthly: the cadence that lets you pivot mid-campaign
15:29 Beyond marketing: why DJ wrote Can’t Hold Me Back—and what’s next
Connect with DJ Sardana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djsardana/
Learn more about C-4 Analytics: https://c-4analytics.com/
Read Can’t Hold Me Back: https://djsardana.com/
NAMAD Sessions is brought to you by Mia and produced by the More Than Cars Media Network - https://www.mia.inc/