Lamborghini: Living a Full Throttle Life

0:00Rinse takes your laundry and hand delivers it to your door. expertly cleaned and folded so you could take the time once spent folding and sorting and waiting to finally pursue a whole new version of you like tea time you or this tea time you or even this tea time you said you hear about Dave or even tea time tea time tea time you so update on Dave it's up to you we'll take the laundry rinse it's time to be great Lamborghini This is the sexiest branding. This is the sexiest vehicle. What is it about it? It's Italian design with German engineering. When you combine those two, it's just magic. If you walk around one of those cars, I mean, you just get hypnotized.

0:43But when you get in the car and you start it up, that's when the car comes to life. And what I say is it's next level. It is a completely different experience. And you feel it. But when you're driving, everybody else feels it too. It just has such a strong presence on the road like no other vehicle in life. I went to your event because I thought you were going to give me a Uris. Like, I really was just hoping for, oh, that's Sean. I'm going to walk in and be like, here you go. It's just an amazing SUV. It's a super SUV is what we call it. You know, 650 horsepower. It's just a work of art. I mean, it looks great.

1:14Sounds great. It's versatile, right? You can put golf clubs in the back, your family. Well, that's the one I want. I told you yesterday. I got you. Oh, you got me? I got you, buddy. Whatever you need. Friends and family for you. Can't wait to see what that builds in.

1:30My man, Nick Del Negro from Lamborghini in Naples, general manager here with me today on this episode of Determined Society. Brother, it's so good to finally do this with you, man. Yeah, I know. We talked about it. You've come to some of my events, some of my car shows, and I'm just glad that we were able to finally get some time and actually make it happen. Well, I went to your event because I thought you were going to give me a URUS. Like, I really was just hoping for, oh, that's Sean. I'm going to walk in. And you're like, here you go. I'm kidding. No, but that was a good event, you know, because I was with Floyd Raglin that day.

1:58Yep. And then we went to the Revs Institute and did an interview. But it was mind-blowing to me, that whole event, because I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I thought there's just going to be a bunch of cars. Because I grew up, my dad was a big car show guy. He had those.

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2:57Bundling, just another way to save with a personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings, and eligibility vary by state. I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm going to go do this thing. I'm going to be out there. It's going to be hotter than Hades, and it's just going to suck. And I get there. and it's just the most amazing luxury event you guys had driving simulators inside which at the time what you don't know because we didn't get to talk that day you were swamped yeah we like crossed paths and i'm like hey yeah and then i was like getting pulled in 10 different directions but right but you had those driving simulators and my son had just told me like dad you need to sit down you need to watch gran turismo with me and we were up until 11 o 'clock at night the night before watching it.

3:46And then I'm like, Bobby, they had a simulator. So. And those are the real deal simulators too. I mean, those were cool. Those were like, snap your arms off. Like you need to get like dialed in on those. Yeah, yeah. It was cool. It's not playing like, what was that game back in the day? Rad Racer or something? Oh my God. Rad Racer. You remember that? Of course you do. You mentioned it. I haven't even thought about that game in forever. Yeah. That's an old school. That was a throwback right there. That's a really old school, man. But those things are real. Like it's like being literally in the cockpit, on the track, the sounds.

4:12I mean, yeah, really, really great technology. There was music, high-end food, coffee truck. And I was able to see people that I, I ran into people there. I didn't think I was going to run into anybody that I knew. I ran into multiple sets of people that I, that I've known for a long time. So it was really good. You guys are building a great community with those events. And I think that's where the success of Lamborghini of Naples really hits because you've been there for two years now. And I feel. Actually two years this month. Happy birthday, man. Two years this month. Happy birthday. And it's crazy to me because the impact that you've made on the community already with that dealership, like I told you yesterday on the phone, I feel like you've been here for 10 years.

4:52Oh, thanks. We try. You know, we try to just take care of people. You know, we're very inviting. We let people come in and, you know, take pictures of cars. You know, Lamborghinis, we get a little desensitized to it because we're around them every day. But for some people, they've never even seen one. It's the first time they've ever laid their eyes on a real Lamborghini in real life. So, you know, obviously Naples attracts a lot of tourists from different parts of the world. And people come in and they're like, hey, do you mind if we just take some photographs and some videos? I said, absolutely.

5:21Come on in. Take some pictures. Just do me a favor. If you post anything, we only have two rules. Just don't touch any of the cars, okay? When it comes to what your family eats and drinks, you know your choices matter. You're the expert because you know what fits your life. And getting it right starts with good information. That's why America's beverage companies are sharing more information about our ingredients at GoodToKnowFacts.org. No spin, no judgments, just the facts straight from the experts for more than 140 beverage ingredients. Visit GoodToKnowFacts.org. So, you're about to make a trade based on a friend's text.

6:03But which you do you listen to? Is it, we could buy a house in Tulum. Get optioning those options. We could lose everything. Or let's do a little research. Get your head in the trade and make the investment decision that's right for you. Learn more at finra.org slash trade smart. And if you post anything, just tag us. That's all we ask. That's awesome. I'm happy to accommodate you. Well, it's funny because that's what I saw at that event. Right. And like I said, I was with Floyd Raglan and you see kids getting in cars, you know, these people's personal cars. And it's really cool because then they can touch and feel something that they think that is so luxurious.

6:49And they may think to themselves, man, one day, one day, I can do this. Yes, absolutely. It manifests, right? So I get people that come into the dealership that say, hey, listen, I just want to be in this environment because someday I'm going to own one of these cars. I know I am. And this is where it starts. You know, that event we do, it's called Supercars and Espresso. All right. It's kind of our version of our car show. It gives our customers a day where they can showcase their vehicles. You know, we put them right up front. Like you said, I got music inside. I got music outside. I got race car simulators.

7:21simulators. I bring in Brent from Carbon Watch Company. He brings a nice variety of different high-end watches and displays them. I get it catered by Sea Salt. They do a fantastic job, full spread of food. We also bring in a really cool coffee company called Hot Coffee from Miami. They kind of bring a big coffee truck. So they do all this matcha and exotic coffees. And I mean, we did 333 cups of coffee last, last, last month, 333 cups. So just goes to show you how many people come to the event and how many people have a cup of coffee. Right. Yeah. So, um, it's growing, it's grown over the last two years, but, um, you know, we enjoy doing it.

8:03We really do. And I think the community likes it as well. You know, they do. And I was telling you, my buddy, you know, a friend, a friend of mine just bought what he said. He, he, cause we talked about it that day, you know, his wife was there who I'm, I'm friends with. And I'm like, man, what are you thinking? And he goes, I want one. I'm like, you should do it. You should do it. And, you know, he's a neurosurgeon. And they bought one, I think, like a month or two ago. It's really sweet. Well, that Urus, or if you're from Italy or some different parts of the country, you may say Urus. It's just an amazing SUV.

8:36It's a super SUV is what we call it. You know, 650 horsepower. Just a work of art. I mean, it looks great. Sounds great. It's versatile, right? You can put golf clubs in the back. your family, very comfortable, but it gives you all the attributes of a supercar. You know, it sounds like a supercar. It's fast. It performs like one. So that's kind of my favorite vehicle. You know, myself personally, it's what I drive just because, you know, I have three kids. So if I have to pick up my daughter or her friends, you know, you can throw another couple in the back. It's a five passenger seats go down for extra cargo space.

9:09Really, really cool car. That's what I want. I told you yesterday. Well, I got you. Oh, you got me. I got you, buddy. Whatever you need. I know. I know you do. Friends and family for you. Oh, my gosh. I can't wait to see what that bill's going to be. So this is not your first stop. You've been in the industry forever. And in fact, you worked at Land Rover Fort Myers with your brother. Correct. And you loved the Land Rover, right? You loved everything it was about. And now you're at Lamborghini. Now, I don't want to assume everybody knows the difference between other luxury cars and then Lamborghini.

9:41What have you noticed differently about Lamborghini that suggests that this is the brand? This is the sexiest branding. This is the sexiest vehicle. What is it about it? You know, it's Italian design with German engineering. Okay. And when you combine those two, it's just magic. Magic happens. So you've got one of the most beautiful vehicles, okay, from the exterior fit and finish, the design, the colors, the wheels, the big, big brake calipers. I mean, if you walk around one of those cars, I mean, you just get hypnotized by all the different angles and aerodynamics, right? And then you open up the doors and you see an interior that just wows you, right?

10:23But when you get in the car and you start it up, that's when the car comes to life. And what I say is it's next level. I mean, I've driven every car you can imagine, right? So, you know, they all offer something different, But when you get in a Lamborghini, it just, it is a completely different experience and you feel it. And then you don't even realize, but when you're driving, everybody else feels it too. You pull up to a red light and people are just looking, their heads turning, they're taking pictures, their video. It just has such a strong presence on the road, like no other vehicle, in my opinion.

10:52You know, it's a boutique brand. So, you know, we don't flood the market with them. So you're not going to go to Publix and see 10 of them in the parking lot. But when you see one, you recognize it. You know exactly what it is. You know exactly what it is. If you know, you know, right? So, you know, it's just a next level automobile, in my opinion. For those that own a Lamborghini, what do you think it symbolizes for them in their life? It's a trophy car, you know? I think there's different types of buyers, you know? There's the buyer that, you know, as a young kid, they had that poster on their wall, right?

11:25Like I did too. I had the old Countach on the wall as a child. You told me it was Kathy Ireland, the poster you had. No, it was Christy Brinkley. but like, you know, as a kid, you know, you fall in love with supercars, you know, and today it becomes more realistic because of social media and you have access to all these cool videos and, and, and things like that. But as a child, it was like a poster, right? You had a picture of one, put it on the wall. So some people, for them, it's like a symbol of success. Like I made it. So when you get to a certain level, maybe you sell your company or you are, have the financial means to buy one, you say, I'm getting a Lamborghini.

12:03That's my trophy right there. That's, that's my goal, right? To own one of them. And what's ironic is some of them will just buy them and they won't drive them a whole lot. They'll just look at them. Yeah. They'll go out in their garage or their man cave and they'll have a scotch or whiskey or a glass of wine and they'll just walk around it and, and, and talk about it. You know, it's kind of like, it's like winning the NBA championship or the MVP trophy, right? As a kid, you played maybe peewee football, right? You know, and then all of a sudden you look at, you know, a guy like Tom Brady and, you know, you've won all these accolades and you kind of just sit back and appreciate them.

12:33So funny. Hard work. I'm just thinking about when I get my Eurus, I'm not going to be drinking a glass of scotch in the garage walking around and look at it. I'm driving that bad. You're getting in that bad boy driving. I'm going to drive it. I mean, they should be. I mean, why not? Listen, they're meant to be driven. They are. And that's the other misconception. You know, a lot of people think that, you know, Lamborghinis are not an everyday car, you know, that you can only drive them once in a while that, you know, you can't put miles on them and they're finicky cars. They're bulletproof. Where did that misconception come from?

13:04I just think when you think of exotic, right, you think exotic cars, they're they're so delicate, right, and fragile. But these cars are bulletproof. I mean, you can get in them and drive them. They're meant to be driven. And I tell people, I say, look, what's the sense of spending the money on a car if you're not going to enjoy it? you know, cause that's the experience, you know, getting in the car and driving it. You know, you hear the engine right behind your ears, you know, it's, it's got the engine right in the rear of the vehicle. So you hear it shift gears and the spooling and the, you know, the engine talks to you, you know, people say, well, well, I don't even, I don't care about the radio.

13:34I just want to hear the engine. Really? They just put the radio on mute and they just go. I can see how that would work. I can see how that, I've been in one. I was in Floyd's. Okay. Well, I'm going to take you in one. Oh yeah. You're going to come down to the store and I'm going to take you in one. I would love that. I have one outside, but I'm going to take in one. What did you bring? I brought a Huracan. Ooh. Yeah. I brought a Huracan. Nice color. You know, bright orange, typical Lamborghini, right? Nice, bold color. Orancio Boralus is what they call it. Okay. You know, V10, naturally aspirated, 640 horsepower.

14:05I mean, it's a monster. That's awesome, dude. You know, and it's a good looking car. It's comfortable and drives good. You know, and it's a car that you can get in and drive. You know, you can put 10, 15, 20 ,000 miles on that car. That's pretty cool. And the maintenance doesn't kill you. It's not a very expensive car to maintain. The biggest cost in those vehicles, honestly, are tires. See, I can see that. That's it. I mean, you're going to go through tires. The premium, custom tires. Yeah, they're low profile. You know, they're an aggressive tire. So that's really your biggest cost is really tires, you know, and your maintenance once a year.

14:37That's it.

14:41do you ever sit back and recognize the cool job that you have because because i'm thinking about this i'm listening to you're clearly passionate about it you know everything about it and it's more than the audience saying well he's in car sales you should know about these cars you're right but there's passion coming from this man there's a difference do you ever sit back even on your, on your worst days and go, you know what? I've got it pretty damn good. Like I get to do this. I get to talk about these cars. I get to drive one of these to a podcast interview. I get to own one. That's a pretty big deal, man.

15:15I'm very blessed. I'm very blessed. You know, never in a million years that I ever think my path of life would take me here. But when I look back and I say, okay, well, how did I end up here? You know, what, what, what got me here? I think it was a couple of things, hard work, you know, I mean, if anybody knows me, they know that I'm probably one of the hardest working guys you'll meet. Uh, just in my DNA, it comes from my father. He was an iron worker, just hard, hard worker. Um, I remember when he used to come home, he, you know, couldn't even take his boots off. You know, I'd take him off as a kid, get on my knees and just undo his boots for him, you know?

15:49So, uh, hard work, um, but doing the right thing by people, you know, just always doing the right thing. You got to let your conscience be your guide, I take care of people. And you got to have a passion for people because people are buying the cars. I love cars. Don't get me wrong. I love like the look of the car, the sound of the car. I mean, I'm very passionate about cars and especially exotic cars, but I love people. You know, people are the ones buying the car. So I connect with the person. I enjoy meeting new people and I like hearing about their journey, you know, and how they got to where they are to today to buy a car like that.

16:25and then you know I came to Florida from Massachusetts did I come down here thinking I was going to be in the car industry no of course not I didn't know what I wanted to do actually my brother was in the car industry and you know naturally with that connection I you know I went into the car business I left for a little while and did some real estate and mortgage things and then got back into the car business because I knew that industry I could do well in it you know I had instant success you know I was able to connect with the customers and with hard work. You're going to sell cars, you know, that combination.

16:56And then I said to myself, well, you know what? If I really, really want to take this to the next level, I got to sell something that I'm really passionate about that I really, really love. And I love luxury cars. I like luxury items, luxury cars. So then when that opportunity came for my brother and I with the, with the Land Rover store, Jaguar Land Rover Fort Myers, that's when like, I went all in, I went all in. I said, all right, this is my career. This is what I think I was really born to do? How far can I take it? Like, where can I go with this? Um, and you know, when did you start with him?

17:29What year? 13 and a half years ago. Oh, wow. Yeah. So I was with them for 13 and a half years, my brother and I. Wow. So I've been doing this, you know, 20 plus years. Um, that's a long time. Yeah. Oh yeah. I've done a lot of car deals. Yeah, you have. I bet. But I've helped a lot of friends and people that I know in the community and along the way. And, and, and that to me is very gratifying. Like, I love to do that. Like I like going out in the community and seeing people that I've helped and it's like high fives and hugs, man. Like, Hey Nick, what's up, man? How you doing? You know? And, and they're happy for me too, you know, and they're supportive.

17:57They may not be buying Lamborghinis now, you know, because not all my friends can afford them, but, um, you know, they're happy for me, you know? And, and I'm lucky because I'm with a good group. You know, the Warren Henry group is a, is a fantastic auto group. This is their first store here on the West coast. Uh, and I met them through my journey with Land Rover because they own several Land Rover stores in Miami. And when I met the owner and, and, and, uh, their family, it's a family business. I said, man, if I'm going to leave my family, right. Which is my brother. Yeah. I'm going to go with another family.

18:29Right. And they, they took me in like family and I'm, I'm very blessed to work with them because they have a very unique operation. Um, it's not like your typical corporate, you know, big conglomerate car dealership group. Um, they're very hands-on and their whole family's involved. And it's amazing the way they treat their employees. I mean, really, really impressive. Well, I've had many conversations with Katie Zen. Yeah, awesome. What an amazing human being, right? I haven't met her dad yet, but just the way she operates, as you can tell that they really care about people there. You know, I wanna, for the sake of being cheesy, turn on the blinker, make a U-turn here real quick.

19:04Okay, let's do it. You're saying a lot of things to me that make a lot of sense because I know a little bit about your story, but I want the audience to get a firm handle on who you are. You mentioned something about your dad. He was an iron worker. You grew up from Massachusetts. You had very humble childhood. You didn't have everything. So, you know, a lot of times when we see somebody successful like yourself and, and working for a luxury brand, like that's just their life. That's what they do. It didn't start like that. Right. You, you grew up with just the bare minimum. We've had these conversations off the air.

19:38Why don't you walk the audience through that? So, you know, it started back in Worcester, Massachusetts in a three-decker. Okay. If you don't know what a three-decker is, it's a common regular home in Massachusetts where you have three families that live in one house. My parents and I, my brothers and sister lived on the first floor. My grandparents lived on the second floor. Third floor, you know, we had, you know, another family member living there. And we just took care of the property. That was it. But, you know, we were very close-knit family. I got to see my grandparents every day. You know, Italian household.

20:12My father was an iron worker. My mother worked at the courthouse. So just, you know, regular, regular people, you know. But at a young age, I had a paper route. And, you know, I was always taught if you want something, you need to work for it. You know, my parents weren't just handing money out. You know, I would mow lawns in the summer, rake leaves in the fall, shovel snow in the winter. And if I wanted a new pair of sneakers or some nice school clothes, I would go to work and save my money. And in the summers, I always have a job, whether it's construction, landscaping, washing cars, you know, I mean, just something to earn money so that I could go buy school clothes.

20:45And now, I mean, my parents, you know, gave me the essentials, the things that I needed, you know, but what they really taught me was just, you know, life experience, you know what I mean? Just values, you know, work ethic, you know, take care of people, honesty, integrity, like those are the things that got me to where I am today. But on a whim, I moved down here with 500 bucks to my name. I literally got hit with three snowstorms in a row in Massachusetts. I was going to college and I said, that's it. I'm done. I can't do it anymore. I don't ski. I don't play hockey. So, you know, I shovel. That's what I do.

21:18We didn't have snowblowers. Couldn't afford one. We shoveled snow. Two, three in the morning sometimes. You know, so I called my brother up. I said, hey, do you mind if I come down and stay with you for a little bit? And he said, sure, no problem. He goes, but just so you know, tomorrow we're going to a motivational seminar up in Tampa. Who was it? It was actually a group of people. It was at that time, it was Tom Hopkins, Zig Ziglar. Oh, wow. Colin Powell, General Schwarzkopf, Joe Torrey from the Yankees. Oh, yeah. Christian Reeves, you know, who's no longer with us. Superman, but a bunch of big motivators, right?