Book Todd Smith
Keynotes for Auto Retail, OEMs & Financial Services
The keynote automotive boards and financial institutions book when the AI conversation has to land in one hour.
For dealer principals, executive teams, OEM leadership, and financial services strategists ready to lead the AI transformation, not react to it.
Keynote investment: $10K to $15K plus travel. Workshops from $15K. Corporate and financial services from $15K. Rates reviewed annually.
Responds within 2 business days. Limited engagements per quarter.
State Dealer Associations
OEM Experience
Now Booking: Corporate, OEM & Financial Services
Todd works with financial institutions, OEMs, and enterprise leadership teams on the AI shifts reshaping automotive retail from the outside in.
Recent: Fortune 100 financial services executive briefing, 2026.
Ideal Audiences
Who This Is For
Todd's keynotes are designed for automotive leaders navigating the AI transformation.
Dealer Principals & Owners
Strategic vision for AI-driven dealership growth
General Managers
Operational playbooks to implement AI across departments
Dealer Association Leadership
Industry-wide perspective on technology shifts
OEM Event Planners
Relevant, high-energy content your dealers will talk about
NCM & Peer Group Moderators
Thought leadership that sparks 20 Group discussion
C-Suite & Leadership Teams
Executive-level AI strategy without the vendor pitch
Where to See Todd
Upcoming Appearances
Catch Todd at these upcoming events and conferences
What Association Leaders Say
Trusted by the Industry's Education Gatekeepers
"Todd's deep expertise and insights into AI were incredibly impressive, and his desire to help dealers navigate these challenges is evident. Whether you are looking for a high-level overview or a more detailed, nuts-and-bolts understanding, I would highly recommend Todd as a resource to consult."
"Not only is he a technology, data and AI expert, but he also has hands-on experience as a dealership owner and employee. He truly wants to see dealerships succeed, and that's reflected in the sessions he leads."
On Stage
Recent Engagements
A look at where Todd has been speaking with operators, OEMs, and industry standards groups.
Montana Dealers Association Meeting
Montana · August 2026
STAR Standards Spring Event
Miami, FL · Spring 2026
"AI Agents and the Architecture of Action"
Ways to Work Together
Engagement Options
Each engagement is custom-tailored to your organization's specific challenges and objectives.
Executive Keynote
Main Stage Presence
High-impact presentations that transform how your leadership team thinks about AI, data ownership, and competitive advantage.
"Attendees leave with what one dealer called 'a clear 90-day plan'"
- Custom content development
- Pre-event leadership brief
- Post-event Q&A session
Strategic Advisory
Executive Counsel
Private strategy sessions for C-suite and senior leadership navigating critical AI transformation decisions.
"He knows way more than you think. Mind blowing."
- Confidential assessment
- Roadmap development
- 90-day action plan
Leadership Workshop
Hands-On Intensive
Immersive working sessions that produce implementable playbooks, governance frameworks, and transformation roadmaps.
"Changed my outlook on our business"
- Interactive exercises
- Team alignment
- Deliverable frameworks
Attendee Takeaways
What Your Team Walks Away With
Every engagement delivers concrete, implementable outcomes — not just inspiration.
Strategic Clarity
Understand how AI will reshape dealership operations in the next 3–5 years — and what to prioritize now.
Actionable Diagnostics
Identify the 3 data mistakes silently killing dealer profitability — and the fixes that don't require new vendors.
90-Day Action Plan
Leave with a concrete 90-day roadmap to begin practical AI adoption, tailored to your dealership's maturity level.
From inquiry to keynote in three steps.
- 01
Inquire
Share the event, date window, audience, and format. We respond within two business days.
- 02
Proposal
You receive a written proposal covering format, deliverables, and fee. No pitch, no filler.
- 03
Confirm
Date is held while you decide. Countersign and we begin custom preparation for your room.
Keynote fees $10K to $15K. Format and audience adjust final ranges.
Presentation Topics
Signature Talks
Every presentation is customized to your audience. These are starting points, not scripts.
The Intelligent Dealership
How to build a unified data layer that makes AI useful, not just another dashboard.
Data as Inventory
Why customer data is your most valuable asset and how to stop giving it away.
AI-Powered Customer Intelligence
Moving beyond spray-and-pray marketing to predictive, personalized engagement.
Building & Exiting in Auto Tech
Lessons from founding and selling multiple Inc. 500 companies in the automotive space.
Signature Frameworks
Proprietary Thinking Todd Brings Into the Room
Buyers hire keynotes for named frameworks their teams can implement Monday morning. These are Todd's.
The Ownership Framework
Owned vs. Rented Intelligence
Every dealership operates on a mix of data it owns and data it rents from vendors. The ratio determines who captures the AI decade's value. Todd's framework audits the split and closes the leaks.
The Architecture Model
The Automotive Data Stack
A three-tier model (foundational, operational, intelligence) that reframes AI adoption as a stack problem, not a feature problem. Boards use it to sequence investment and kill vanity tooling.
The Strategic Warning
The Digital Feudalism Thesis
The industry's default trajectory: dealers become tenants on vendor platforms, paying rent on their own customer relationships. Todd's thesis names the trap and the exit.
What Operators Say
The Room After Todd Leaves
“Todd showed us the door to a new level of profitability by leveraging AI across our stores.”
“Todd delivered a framework our team can operationalize to transform the organization.”
"AI doesn't fix dealerships. Clean, owned, connected data does. AI is the multiplier."Todd Smith
Testimonials
What Event Organizers Say
"Todd doesn't sugarcoat. He tells you exactly what's broken and exactly how to fix it. Our leadership team left with a clear 90-day plan."
"The most practical AI presentation I've seen. No vendor pitches, no buzzwords. Just strategy we could implement the next week."
Featured Guest Appearances
Todd has been featured on leading automotive and business podcasts, sharing insights on AI adoption and dealership transformation.
Fit
Not a fit if you need a motivational opener or a 20-minute lunch talk.
Todd works with dealer principals, executive teams, OEM leadership, and financial services strategists on ownership, strategy, and operating decisions. The room leaves with a plan, not just applause.
Not a fit for engineering-team technical deep-dives, product demos, or vendor-sponsored keynotes.
Investment
Published Rate Card
- Keynote, 45 to 75 min
- $10,000 to $15,000
- Half-day workshop
- From $15,000
- Full-day or multi-session
- Quoted on request
- Corporate / financial services
- From $15,000
All fees in USD. Travel billed at cost. Rates reviewed annually. Custom multi-day and executive advisory engagements quoted separately.
Common Questions from Event Planners
Everything you need to know about booking Todd for your next event.
Ready to Book?
Check availability for your next event, conference, or leadership summit.
The AI Dealership Briefing
Actionable AI strategy for automotive retail executives.
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