Closing Remarks Podcast: Josh Weis on Culture & Winning

What separates companies that outperform their competitors? In this episode of Closing Remarks, host Dara Shareef sits down with Josh Weis, CEO of Vehlo, to talk about how to use data to drive better decisions and build a people-centered winning culture.

Key Highlights

• Winning is contagious,  and why it's important to celebrate your wins
• How AI is transforming sales coaching, customer experience, and business operations
• How to apply the principles of Goodhart’s Law by putting people ahead of metrics
• What the Buffalo Mindset means and how it helps leaders deal with challenges
• Why the Rule of 40 is one of private equity’s most important growth metrics
• The leadership principles behind integrating 19 acquisitions into one organization

Building for Long-Term Growth

Sustainable businesses don’t chase growth at any cost; they build organizations that perform over the long term.

As for Josh’s career journey, he has worked in finance, M&A advisory, and private equity, and now serves as CEO of Vehlo. The company provides technology and payment solutions, as well as dealership management platforms such as Dealerlogix and Velocity Automotive. These programs simplify operations, repairs, and customer communication for major service departments, including car brands like Mitsubishi.

Connect With Our Global M&A Team

What's Josh's biggest takeaway? Successful acquisitions aren’t just about financials. They’re about trust, communication, and aligning teams around a common vision. Josh explains how Vehlo has grown through 19 acquisitions while continuing a people-first culture.

A major theme of the episode is the Rule of 40, which combines the company’s revenue growth rate and its EBITDA margin. While many companies aim to meet this, Vehlo operates at 50+, placing it among the top performers in its market.

The Buffalo Mindset & Lessons for Leaders

One of the most memorable moments from this episode is Josh’s buffalo analogy. Unlike most animals that run away from storms, buffalo move toward them and pass through them faster. This same lesson applies to business owners: face challenges directly rather than avoid them.

Turning AI into Your Competitive Advantage

Vehlo helps dealerships and repair shops manage their operations with technology for scheduling, customer communication, payments, and repair management. By processing billions of dollars in payments and millions of repair orders, Vehlo has valuable data that, combined with AI, helps improve the customer experience and drive better business results.

Goodhart's Law on Building Winning Teams

Technology and strategy matter, but Josh believes people are the true competitive advantage. Throughout the conversation, he reinforces the principles of Goodhart’s Law: leading with integrity, serving others, and building trust.

Discover the Benchmark International Difference

When leaders consistently invest in their people, empower their teams, and make values-driven decisions, those actions create a compound effect. Over time, small, intentional choices strengthen culture, improve performance, and build winning teams capable of sustaining long-term growth through change, acquisitions, and innovation.

Why Great Advisors Think Beyond the Deal

Josh recommends surrounding yourself with advisors who are invested in your long-term goals, not just the outcome of a single deal. With appropriate guidance, advisors can strengthen your business, improve valuation, and position the company for growth.

Where to Watch

Great businesses built through intentional leadership, disciplined execution, and an openness to embrace change outperform competitors. The two most impactful takeaways from this episode include celebrating wins and leading with confidence.

Whether you’re growing a business, preparing for an exit, or leading a team through change, this episode delivers actionable insights to help build a stronger company culture. Be sure to check out this episode, which is now streaming on Spotify,  Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

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