James Solomon knows and loves cars.
His family worked in the auto industry, so he grew up around it and remembers his dad flipping through the printed Kelley Blue Book. He dreamed about being a car designer.
“When I have a memory, it’s automotive,” he said. He knew working in the auto industry was the right path for him, but he also wanted to make a difference in that world.
“I want this industry that I love to be better, so how do I impact the industry?” he said.
Early in his career, he worked for dealerships, selling cars and motorcycles. He then transitioned to the manufacturing side and worked for several major auto brands, including Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Hyundai and BMW. But he wanted to keep building his skills and knowledge of the automotive sector, so he decided to pivot to tech.
In 2016, he joined the product team at Cox Automotive, supporting the Kelley Blue Book brand in Irvine, CA. Now, as a senior product manager, James said he uses his knowledge of auto manufacturing to “bridge this gap” between consumers, manufacturers and dealers.
Here, James discusses how he continues to expand his knowledge to meet the demands of the future.
Pivoting to the tech side of the auto industry
James said he appreciates the history and tradition of Cox Automotive and KBB, but also how the company is focused on creating new products.
He joined KBB as a senior product strategy and operations manager and was then promoted to lead product owner. He stepped into his current role as a senior product manager in 2022. Since then, James has been leading a team responsible for developing new products to meet and anticipate the needs of customers and clients.
“It’s always about the customer,” he said, adding that his move into the tech space was centered on connecting with customers and making the car-buying experience more streamlined and enjoyable.
James said his team identifies customer needs, desires and problems so that they can come up with solutions. Then, he communicates the details about the capabilities and functions of a potential new product to engineering and development teams.
It’s a gratifying experience, he said. He especially enjoys seeing family and friends use some of the products he’s worked on, such as KBB’s Instant Cash Offer, which allows car owners to easily sell or trade their vehicles.
Never stop learning
Since joining Cox, James said he feels fortunate to have had many opportunities to receive training in the auto industry. He’s taken courses, read books recommended by his managers and earned certifications like the Pragmatic Product Owner certification, the LUMA Institute Certified Practitioner of Human-Centered Design and Assumption Testing from Product Talk.
“I think it’s really important to challenge oneself, to keep pushing, to continue to learn,” he said. “Here, I’m always the student, no matter my experience level.”
He appreciates the company’s commitment to investing in its employees to help them keep learning and growing, which he said isn’t something many organizations do.
“It shows more than you're going to pay for training,” James said. “It shows, ‘We believe in you; we trust you. We want you to develop. And we're not just about lip service.’”
The future of the industry
Cox Automotive’s focus on the future is something James loves about working at the company.
“They’re looking down the road,” he said. “They’re not looking at this week or this month so much. Although we do that, we’re [always] looking at the broader picture.”
This includes paying attention to meeting the needs of Gen Z consumers, the increasing demand for electric vehicles and the entry of any new technology that comes along. James said the company is taking a holistic approach to provide value and connect with consumers at every stage of the car-buying process.
Being a part of this and creating new products for the automotive sector is what drives him.
“This is very challenging and exciting,” James said. “I want to change the world — the automotive world. And where else could you do that?”
