OVERCOMING ADVERSITY ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

“

business”. Being good to your people is good for

Imagine starting a business at 33 years old and subsequently being hit with a wave of obstacles over which you have zero control: record-breaking snowstorms, industry bankruptcies and a massive financial market meltdown.

That’s exactly what Sam Fox, president and CEO of City Cadillac Buick GMC, endured when he opened his dealership in September 1993. His father, Joe Fox, was a respected, beloved dealer who operated Merry Oldsmobile in Bethpage, Long Island, in the 1970s. Sam worked summers at his father’s dealership cleaning cars and observing the business, though he never wanted to be a “boss’ son.” Following college, he worked in the Middle East and then returned to Manhattan to pursue commercial real estate.

Years later, his father’s dealership began to struggle as Oldsmobile experienced one of the biggest nationwide declines of any car manufacturer. As business became more challenging, Sam’s father reached out to him for help. This gave Fox a taste for the industry and made him hungry for more. His father connected him with a General Motors financing program, and in 1993, City Cadillac Oldsmobile was born. As Fox put it, “I would not be here today without the knowledge my father passed on to me, his years of sage counsel and the doors he opened for me.”

Unfortunately, the opening coincided with the worst nor’easter in 30 years. With cars caked in blocks of ice, the business was losing money quickly. General Motors warned Fox that if his business lost any more money, he would be shut down. His response? “Give me one month without snow and I’ll turn this dealership around.” Fox literally weathered the storm and by the end of that month, broke even — and has turned a profit ever since. By 1999, Fox was able to buy out General Motors and the dealership was officially his.

After Oldsmobile, Hummer and Saab all went out of business, and General Motors declared bankruptcy, the tenacious Fox expanded his options and added Buick and GMC to his portfolio, proving that he never loses sight of what’s important.

Fox attributes much of his success to the amazing team of managers and employees who help create a welcoming environment and family-like culture founded on mutual respect and loyalty.

At City Cadillac Buick GMC, unlike in most dealerships, Fox acts as his own general manager. He maintains an open-door policy and prefers to sit on the main floor with the rest of his employees instead of in the upstairs office. Whether it’s the porter or the floor manager, he’s there for his team, who even enjoy seeing Fox’s band, Lil Sammy and the Funked Up Daddies, perform after hours. Many of his employees have been with him since he opened 26 years ago and counting, with others hitting the two-decade mark.

With his crew of employees-turned-family behind him, no matter what obstacles may get thrown his way, he’s ready. “To last 26 years, having survived a turbulent opening, the termination of Oldsmobile, Hummer, Saab, GM’s bankruptcy, and the financial crisis, we just feel like we’re veterans of a business war,” he explained. “The secret to our success is investing in our people, creating a supportive culture and always staying focused on continuous improvement that delivers on the promise of making every customer a raving fan.”