Program Objectives

Iron Circle exists to elevate dealership performance and leadership across North America. Its mission is to help dealers sharpen their business strategies, improve profitability, and embed a culture of continuous improvement through structured peer accountability.

The program is grounded in four primary objectives:

1. Drive Measurable Profitability Gains
Every Iron Circle dealer receives targeted financial benchmarks and performance data that identify both strengths and gaps. Group discussions center on margin growth, expense control, absorption rates, and total business health.

2. Build a Culture of Peer Accountability
Iron Circle is not just about sharing ideas — it’s about facing the truth. Dealers are expected to come prepared, present openly, and follow through on commitments. Hot seats and follow-up consequences ensure accountability is real and sustained.

3. Strengthen Leadership Discipline 
Each meeting is designed to develop the mindset and discipline of high-performing leaders. Sessions challenge decision-making logic, time management, ownership succession, and team development through focused discussions.

4. Harness NAEDA and Dealer Institute Expertise
Iron Circle groups are moderated by trained Dealer Institute consultants who facilitate honest discussion, reinforce strategy, and provide real-world perspective. Group members also gain access to DI tools, templates, and advisory services throughout the year.

The Dealer Institute Performance Groups are engineered to deliver sharper insight, deeper accountability, and more impactful results than any existing peer group model. Key differentiators include:

• The Iron Circle Accountability System
  A proven performance framework that brings structure and rigor to each group. Members will complete pre-work, participate in hot seat reviews, and track commitments using follow-up systems designed to ensure progress and transparency.
• Industry-Trained Facilitators
  Meetings are led by experienced NAEDA Dealer Institute trainers, specialists who bring deep dealership knowledge, advanced facilitation skills, and actionable insights to every session.
• Modern Performance Metrics
  Tailored KPI scorecards for OPE and Ag groups will be used to compare financials, productivity, service efficiency, and sales performance in real time—ensuring relevance and driving results.
• Full Department Involvement for Ag Dealers
  Department-level engagement in Ag groups means more collaboration and accountability across Parts, Service, and Wholegoods, while OPE groups focus on high-level business leadership and execution.
• Smaller, More Engaged Groups
  Group sizes are intentionally limited (6–7 for Ag, 10–12 for OPE) to promote focused discussion, personalized feedback, and peer-to-peer trust and accountability.
• Action-Oriented Meeting Design
  Sessions end with clear, time-bound action items and peer commitments, pushing members to move from discussion to execution with measurable outcomes.
• Strategic Positioning Under NAEDA
  Backed by the credibility, reach, and advocacy strength of NAEDA, this program offers more than peer learning—it aligns dealers with a national movement of performance excellence.
• Advanced, Progressive Chart of Accounts
  Each group will utilize a robust, custom-built chart of accounts that goes far beyond the capabilities of most dealers’ internal systems. These financial templates will be unlocked in phases—starting with foundational metrics and gradually expanding into advanced measurables as the group matures. This staged release ensures that financial literacy and insight grow alongside dealer performance.

Iron Circle is intentionally divided into two distinct tracks — one for Agricultural (Ag) dealers and one for Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) dealers. Each group is designed to reflect the operational complexity, staffing model, and performance benchmarks unique to that segment.
This separation ensures that all benchmarking, discussions, and improvement plans are relevant, realistic, and focused on the real-world pressures each type of dealership faces.

Ag Dealer Performance Group

Ag groups are designed for large-scale dealerships that often include multiple locations, departmental layers, and complex wholegoods strategies. These businesses require deeper operational alignment and departmental accountability.

Group Size:
• 6–7 dealerships per group (small by design to allow for deep analysis and department-level conversation)

Attendees:
• Dealer Principal
• Department Managers: Parts, Service, and Wholegoods
(4 representatives per dealer encouraged)

Focus Areas:
• Departmental KPI performance
• Internal communication and margin protection
• Succession, territory growth, and scale readiness

Ideal Participants:
Ag dealerships with revenue ranging from $20 million to $1 billion, seeking structured peer insight to improve departmental integration, labor recovery, inventory efficiency, and long-term valuation.

Each group is moderated by an experienced Dealer Institute facilitator who understands the nuance of that segment and is responsible for keeping discussions focused, transparent, and productive.
This structure ensures that no dealer is ever in a group where their business model feels irrelevant — or where their challenges are misunderstood. Whether you’re in the field or behind the desk, Iron Circle connects you to peers who actually live your reality.

Peer-to-Peer Group Data Policy

Iron Circle is intentionally divided into two distinct tracks — one for Agricultural (Ag) dealers and one for Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) dealers. Each group is designed to reflect the operational complexity, staffing model, and performance benchmarks unique to that segment.
This separation ensures that all benchmarking, discussions, and improvement plans are relevant, realistic, and focused on the real-world pressures each type of dealership faces.

OPE Dealer Performance Group

OPE groups are designed for mid-size, often family-run businesses where leadership is concentrated and operational roles overlap. These groups move faster, address short-term execution, and focus on practical improvements.

Group Size:
• 10–12 dealerships per group

Attendees:
• Dealer Principal
• General Manager
(2 representatives per dealer encouraged)

Focus Areas:
• Labor efficiency, service profitability, inventory turns
• Hiring, training, and retention at the store level
• Margin control and seasonal cash flow strategy

Ideal Participants:
OPE dealers generating $5–$50 million annually, often operating 1–3 locations. These dealers benefit from performance benchmarking and operational guardrails that create clarity and growth without overbuilding infrastructure.

Each group is moderated by an experienced Dealer Institute facilitator who understands the nuance of that segment and is responsible for keeping discussions focused, transparent, and productive.
This structure ensures that no dealer is ever in a group where their business model feels irrelevant — or where their challenges are misunderstood. Whether you’re in the field or behind the desk, Iron Circle connects you to peers who actually live your reality.

Peer-to-Peer Group Data Policy

Finding the right group is essential to your organization’s success. Groups are formed based on size, AOR, product mix, brand, management style, and more. Contact us to learn more about joining a group.