Q. Introduce your business.
A. LFG AUTO is an auto brokerage based in Toms River, New Jersey. We’re not a dealership — we’re better. We handle the entire car-buying process from start to finish. Whether a client wants to lease or finance, we negotiate the best price, locate the exact vehicle, and deliver it straight to their driveway. It’s a completely stress-free, no-hassle experience that saves people time and money. What started as just an idea and a dream has grown into a company with 10+ employees, operating all across New Jersey and sourcing cars nationwide. Customer service has been, and will always be, the heartbeat of everything we do.
Q. Tell us about yourself.
A. We’re Mike Fein and Patrick Dougherty, co-founders of LFG AUTO. Mike has been in the car business since 2011 and in the brokerage side for the last seven years, learning every part of the dealership business before deciding there was a better way. Patrick grew up in Queens, pitched Division I baseball at Iona on a full scholarship, and has been in sales his entire life — always at the top of the board. He’s also a high school coach, husband, and father. Together, we built LFG AUTO from the ground up, starting with nothing but our vision and grit. Today, we’ve grown from 0 employees to a team of 10+ and a reputation for treating every client like family.
Q. What inspired your business journey?
A. We both saw the same problem: dealerships were broken. Customers dreaded the process, wasted hours negotiating, and often walked away unsure if they really got the best deal. We knew there had to be a smarter way. While Mike was still working at a dealership, he began personally funding the business. Together we laid the foundation for LFG AUTO, determined to reinvent the experience. We started with just the two of us, an idea, and a lot of hustle. People quickly realized we weren’t just selling cars — we were giving them back their time, their money, and their peace of mind.
Q. What 3 pieces of advice would you offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?
A.
1. Don’t wait for permission — just start.
2. Protect your reputation. Your word is everything.
3. Outwork everyone. There’s no shortcut for hustle or consistency.
Q. What are the top 3 skills needed to succeed as an entrepreneur?
A.
1. Sales — if you can’t sell, you can’t scale.
2. Communication — people don’t just buy cars, they buy trust.
3. Adaptability — things will go wrong; learn to pivot fast.
Q. How many hours do you work on average each day?
A. At least 10–12 hours a day, often more. The truth is, when you’re building something from the ground up, there are no shortcuts. But when you love what you do, it doesn’t always feel like work.
Q. What do you most attribute your success to?
A. Grit, relationships, and teamwork. We don’t give up, we don’t make excuses, and we treat every customer like family. From day one, referrals have been the core of our growth because when you do right by people, they’ll send everyone they know. And having each other as business partners — plus a team that shares our values — has turned our vision into reality.
Q. How do you market your business? What has worked best for you?
A. Social media has been massive for us — especially Instagram and Facebook. We showcase real deals, real customers, and behind-the-scenes transparency. Nothing staged, just authentic. Word-of-mouth has been just as powerful. Some of our best leads come from satisfied clients telling their friends and family. At the end of the day, our customers are our best marketing.
Q. How did you fund your business initially?
A. We bootstrapped it. Mike personally funded the business while still working at a dealership, and every dollar we made was reinvested into building the brand, hiring employees, and growing our network. We didn’t take on outside investors — we bet on ourselves, our hustle, and our vision.
Q. What’s the best way to ensure long-term success?
A. Focus on people, not just profit. Markets change — interest rates, supply chains, customer preferences — but if you build trust and relationships, you’ll always be in business. The money follows the service.
Q. Where do you see yourself and your business in the next 5–10 years?
A. In 5 years, we see LFG AUTO expanding into multiple states and becoming a household name in the tri-state area. In 10 years, our goal is to be a nationally recognized brand — maybe even franchised — and the go-to name for anyone who wants a stress-free car buying experience. Beyond that, we want to mentor young entrepreneurs and give back to our communities in a big way.
Q. What company (other than yours) do you admire most and why?
A. We admire Chick-fil-A for their culture of customer service. They’ve built a company where respect, consistency, and people come first — and that’s exactly the kind of culture we aim to mirror at LFG AUTO.
Q. How important have great employees been to your success?
A. They’ve been everything. We started with just the two of us, but today we have 10+ employees who carry our values into every customer interaction. Great employees don’t just work for you — they work with you. We look for people who genuinely care about helping others, and when you build a team around that mindset, it multiplies your impact.
Q. How long do you stick with an idea before moving on?
A. Long enough to test it. We believe in giving every idea a real chance, but we’re also quick to pivot if it’s not producing results. The auto industry moves fast, so you can’t be stubborn. Adaptability is one of the biggest reasons we’ve been able to grow.
Q. What keeps you motivated?
Our families, our customers, and our vision. We’re both wired to hustle, but what really keeps us pushing is knowing people depend on us — whether it’s a client trusting us with their first car or our employees building their careers with us.
Q. What ideals guide your business decisions?
A. Honesty, transparency, and respect. Those three principles guide everything we do. If a decision doesn’t align with those values, we won’t move forward with it.
Q. How do you come up with new ideas?
A. By listening. We listen to our customers, our employees, and each other. Most of our best ideas come from solving real problems people are facing in the car-buying process.
Q. How do you personally define success?
A. Success is freedom. Freedom of time, freedom to take care of our families, freedom to create opportunities for others. For us, it’s not just about financial growth — it’s about building something that makes life better for the people around us.
Q. How do you build a loyal customer base?
A. By treating every customer like family. We don’t disappear after the deal — we stay in touch, we answer the phone, and we show up when they need us again. A huge portion of our business comes from referrals and repeat clients, which only happens when people feel valued.
Q. What’s your favorite part about being an entrepreneur?
A. The impact. We love the freedom to create, the chance to challenge the “old way” of doing things, and the ability to build a business that reflects our values. Seeing an idea go from dream to reality — and employing others along the way — is one of the most rewarding feelings in the world.
Q. What has been your most rewarding business moment so far?
A. Hiring our first employees and realizing we’d built something bigger than ourselves. Going from two guys with an idea to providing jobs and opportunities for others has been incredibly rewarding. On top of that, every time a customer tells us we saved them time, money, and stress — that’s a win.
Q. What separates entrepreneurs from employees?
A. Responsibility. As entrepreneurs, the buck stops with us. There’s no safety net, no clock-out button. You eat what you kill, and that pushes you to a different level of accountability and creativity.
Q. What kind of company culture have you created and why?
A. We’ve created a culture built on family, respect, and hustle. Everyone on our team knows we’re here to make the customer experience better than they’ve ever had before. We work hard, celebrate wins together, and support each other like family.
Q. In one word, how would you describe your entrepreneurial journey?
A. Relentless.