For Jason Skelton, owner of S&S Auto Sales in Lincoln, Arkansas, success in the used-car wholesale world comes down to two things: trust and discipline.

Operating out of a small shop in Washington County, Skelton runs a one-man wholesale operation serving an established network of dealers across Northwest Arkansas and beyond. With more than 15 years of experience in the industry, he specializes in purchasing used vehicles, reconditioning them, and selling them quickly — often with no downtime once a car is ready.

“I sell wholesale, not retail,” Skelton said. “I can text a dealer photos and a price, and they’ll text back ‘yes’ because they trust me. If something’s wrong, they know I’ll make it right.”

That trust didn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of years spent learning how to evaluate vehicles at auction, understanding exactly what different dealers want, and being selective — even if it means walking away empty-handed rather than taking a chance on a problem vehicle.

Navigating the Limits of Floorplan Financing

Like many auto wholesalers, Skelton relies on floorplan financing for auction purchases — a common industry tool that allows dealers to borrow against individual vehicles, paying fees and interest until each car is sold. Floorplans are designed for speed and volume, making them useful for auction buying, but they come with strict terms and flat fees that apply regardless of a vehicle’s price.

For lower-priced vehicles, those flat fees can consume a significant share of profit. And cars purchased outside of auction — such as private-party deals — are often valued using wholesale book prices that fall well below actual purchase and reconditioning costs.

“The floorplan works for auctions,” Skelton said, “but it’s not feasible for every opportunity.”

Those constraints meant passing on vehicles that could still be profitable — especially private-party purchases or lower-priced cars that didn’t fit neatly into the floorplan structure.

That’s where Communities Unlimited (CU) stepped in.

A Strategic Loan and the Right Support

Through CU’s Lending Team, Skelton worked with Economic Development Loan Officer Chris Tillman to secure a small-dollar loan that allows him to purchase inventory outside of his traditional floorplan. The line of credit isn’t used daily, but strategically drawn upon when a vehicle opportunity doesn’t align with floorplan terms and repaid once the car is sold.

“This line will let me buy cars I have to pass on right now,” Skelton said.

In addition to inventory purchases, loan funds are also being used to cover parts and reconditioning costs — critical expenses in a business where each vehicle represents hundreds of dollars in upfront investment.

Just as important, Skelton has worked closely with CU’s Entrepreneurship Team, including Brian Wells, Area Director of Entrepreneurship. With Wells’ guidance, Skelton revamped his financial recordkeeping, developing a simple but powerful system to track inventory costs, reconditioning expenses, and sale targets for every vehicle.

“At any moment, I can see exactly what I’ve got in each car,” Skelton said. “What I paid, what I put into it, and what I need to sell it for. That spreadsheet is invaluable.”

From Chaos to Control

Before working with CU, Skelton said debt was controlling his business. Through improved tracking, discipline, and accountability, he was able to pay off a significant amount of problematic floorplan debt, restructure other obligations, and regain control of his finances.

“Before, debt was controlling me,” he said. “Now it’s under control.”

With clearer records and better decision-making tools, Skelton can now see — month by month — how his business is performing. That visibility helped turn 2024, a year of uncertainty, into a foundation for clear, measurable profitability in 2025, more than doubling the business’s prior-year performance.

Building Long-Term Stability

For Skelton, what sets CU apart isn’t just access to capital — it’s the focus on long-term stability.

“They’re not just interested in giving loans,” he said. “They’re interested in making sure you’re better off than when you started.”

All of CU’s work with S&S Auto Sales — from entrepreneurship technical assistance to lending support — was made possible through the ongoing support of the Walton Family Foundation, which helps ensure entrepreneurs across Northwest Arkansas have access to both capital and the tools needed to use it wisely.

With smarter financing, stronger systems, and a business built on trust, Skelton is no longer just reacting to opportunities — he’s positioned to take advantage of them.

And for a wholesaler who prides himself on knowing when to walk away, that flexibility makes all the difference.