SVP of Product · Automotive Technology

Product leadership at scale. Hands-on where it matters.

Product executive with 17+ years in automotive retail and 11+ years in product management—building teams, leading multi-product portfolios, and staying close to the work from customer problem through launch.

17+ Years in automotive retail
11+ Years in product management
200+ Cross-functional team members led
29+ Products managed & built
See how I work

01 — How I work

Listen first.
Solve the right problem.

I do not force a rigid framework onto a company, client, or team. I listen to customers, frontline operators, leadership, and the data—then adapt the process to the problem in front of us.

Give me a real problem. I will make it clear enough to solve, align the right people, and build the smallest lovable path forward.

  1. 01 Listen
  2. 02 Frame the problem
  3. 03 Adapt the path
  4. 04 Build, learn & scale

02 — At scale

Built from the ground up.
Led at portfolio scale.

Two chapters that shaped how I build teams, portfolios, and products inside complex automotive organizations.

01 / AutoNation · Enterprise scale

Built teams and systems for a national retailer

Led product sales teams, stood up call centers, created call-center software, and owned the sales and after-sales technology supporting billions of dollars in annual vehicle sales.

02 / CarSaver · Technology company

Lead the full product portfolio

Run internal and customer-facing products, including AI-powered dealer tools and white-labeled marketplace software for dealerships, dealer groups, OEMs, lenders, and large enterprise clients.

Websites & Products / 03

Executive by day. Builder always.

Three selected builds showing the range—from civic intelligence and consumer AI to a commerce brand. The complete gallery contains nine websites and products.

WPWestlake PulseCivic intelligence
01 / Civic intelligenceLive

Westlake
Pulse

A clear signal in the noise of local change.

Tracks permitting, planning, and development activity so residents can understand what is changing around them. Ask AI turns a public-record maze into a plain-language answer.

Open Westlake Pulse
SSSlumberSparkStories made personal
02 / Family experienceLive

Slumber
Spark

A bedtime ritual that begins with a child.

Personalized stories with custom narrators, illustrations, and audio narration. A few thoughtful inputs become a one-of-one adventure in about a minute.

Open SlumberSpark
ABartistboxxxBeauty in transit
03 / Consumer brandLive collaboration

Artist
boxxx

A beauty brand designed like a departure board.

A jet-set inspired consumer beauty brand with travel-themed palettes, botanical lip oils, and premium brushes, built in collaboration with Gina Simone.

Open Artistboxxx

04 — The manifesto

Start with the
real job.
Ship lovable.
Build systems.
Measure outcomes.

Before features, get specific about what someone is actually trying to accomplish. The job defines the product.

Velocity is a feature. Evidence drives the next move. Reusable components, repeatable processes, and automation compound.

05 — Measured leverage

The proof should
change the room.

28% Lift in lead-to-sale conversion on a selected professional program
2.3x Increase in qualified leads on a selected professional program
200+ Cross-functional team members led across product, engineering, QA & ops
29+ Products managed or built across AutoNation, CarSaver & independent work

06 — The invitation

Bring the hard problem.

I welcome conversations about automotive technology leadership, product organizations, advisory opportunities, and ambitious websites or digital products that need to move from idea to launch.

Addison Verklas, SVP of Product
Addison VerklasSVP of Product