Mark Stephen McCollum grew up in Conroe, Texas, in a hardworking family with three siblings—Tom, Missy, and Chris. He played basketball through high school, learning teamwork and grit early on. After graduating from Conroe High in 1979, he went to Lon Morris College, then Texas A&M, where he studied business finance.
He started in the auto business from the ground up. Over the next three decades, Mark worked in every corner of the dealership world. His leadership style was hands-on and people-focused. He didn’t lead from behind a desk—he showed up, listened, and earned trust. That mindset helped him rise through the ranks at Sonic Automotive and other private retailers.
Eventually, he became Market President at AutoNation, the largest automotive retailer in the U.S. There, he oversaw 22 franchises and more than $1.5 billion in annual revenue.
After years in big operations, Mark saw a need for change. He founded Automotive IntelliQence, a software company that helps dealers use data smarter without losing the human touch. He believes innovation should support people—not replace them.
Off the clock, he’s still a competitor—on the golf course and basketball court. He also gives back, supporting the Center for Child Protection in Austin.
Mark’s story is about showing up, staying curious, and leading with empathy. He built his career step by step, never forgetting where he started—or who helped him get there.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start early. I’m usually up by 5:30 a.m. and use the first hour to clear my head—sometimes it’s quiet coffee on the porch, sometimes a walk to think through the day. I’ve learned not to dive into emails first thing. Instead, I tackle one meaningful task before the day pulls me in a hundred directions.
Once work starts, I divide my time between strategy, product development, and staying close to the dealers we serve. Even when I was running 22 franchises at AutoNation, I always made time to visit stores. You learn a lot by just walking the floor. My day ends with a check-in—what worked, what didn’t, and what I need to follow up on tomorrow.
How do you bring ideas to life?
For me, ideas start from a real pain point. I spent years running dealerships, so I don’t come up with solutions in a vacuum. When we launched Automotive IntelliQence, the goal was simple: build software that helps people—not just impress executives with dashboards.
We sketch ideas, test them in live environments, and adapt quickly. I keep feedback loops short. If a general manager or service writer tells us something doesn’t make sense, we fix it. Innovation doesn’t have to be perfect—it has to be useful.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m fascinated by the rise of decision-support AI in service departments. Everyone’s focused on EVs and flashy tech, but real ROI comes when frontline staff can make faster, better decisions. For example, AI that helps service advisors predict part delays or customer churn—those tools can save time and revenue without disrupting workflows.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I ask “What’s the one thing only I can do today?” and start there. It keeps me from trying to solve everything or micromanage. If something doesn’t need my attention, I delegate it—and trust my team.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t mistake being busy for being valuable. In my 30s, I thought if I worked 14 hours a day, I was leading well. But the best decisions I ever made came when I paused, asked questions, and let others step up. Also: invest in relationships. That’s what makes or breaks a career.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I believe the future of car dealerships is not online-only. Digital retail is important, but people still want real interactions. Trust is still earned in person—on test drives, in service bays, over coffee at the desk. I’ve seen too many dealers chase tech and forget the human side.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I write handwritten thank-you notes. Sounds small, but it forces me to slow down and acknowledge people’s effort. Over the years, employees, vendors, even customers have told me they still have one I sent. That matters.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I unplug. No screens. I’ll either hit the golf course or just sit quietly somewhere without notifications. When I worked in high-stress roles, I learned that stepping away—even briefly—gave me better perspective than powering through fog.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
I made it a rule to mentor someone in every role I had. When you teach someone else, you clarify your own thinking. It also creates a culture where people grow, stay loyal, and take ownership. It’s not scalable on paper—but it pays off long-term.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Years ago, I hired a leadership team too quickly while expanding into a new market. Great resumes, poor cultural fit. Turnover was high, morale dropped. I had to step back in, own the mistake, and rebuild. I learned the hard way that alignment matters more than experience.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Build a platform for dealership service advisors to share repair process videos with customers in real-time. Transparency builds trust. Customers would approve repairs faster, and advisors would spend less time explaining the same thing over the phone.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I use Notion to organize ideas, priorities, and product feedback. It lets me connect my strategic thinking to the execution level. I tag by theme—like “workflow friction” or “team clarity”—so I can spot patterns over time.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
“The Score Takes Care of Itself” by Bill Walsh. It’s about how leadership is less about talent and more about standards. That philosophy shaped how I built teams at AutoNation and beyond.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I recently got into Slow Horses on Apple TV. It’s about a group of flawed intelligence agents who’ve been sidelined but still find ways to prove their value. What I liked most was how it showed that leadership and grit can come from unexpected places.
Key learnings
- Mentorship is a long-term strategy for growth that benefits both sides.
- Innovation should come from solving real, lived problems—not trends.
- Trust and culture are more important than experience on paper.