(Photo by Jules Stayton)
Daybreak. A new beginning. Marking time. Opportunity for change. Consistency. Reliability. Beauty. One-of-a-kind.
I could be using the words and phrases above to describe the photo you see or a baby being born or an adventure started. Choosing to use those nuggets of wisdom to describe the contribution of both men and women to the auto industry may seem a stretch, but bear with me…it’s a blog. Read on.
Marked by the advent of International Women’s Day this week my thoughts have wandered through the maze of opinions and stances. As a human being first and a woman second, I believe that everyone has value no matter what their sex. All have something to contribute to making this world a better place and the way we do that is to show up and start. Just like the dawn, start each day with purpose and drive.
What, may you say, does any of this have to do with the auto industry? Well, here at JulesOnWheelz, my focus has been reflecting upon what I found most interesting about the 2017 Chicago Auto Show that finished up one short month ago. I would be remiss to ignore the panel that met during media day, February 8, 2017, at McCormick Place as it truly inspired me.
#WhatdrivesherCAS was a forum for both men and women sponsored by Women in Automotive and She Buys Cars to hear testimonial from some of the women who have chosen the auto industry as their livelihood. Speaking were Candice Crane (@CraneAutoHR) VP of Dealer Solutions for Hireology.com, Bridget Brennan (@BridgetBrennan) Female Factor Founder and CEO and author of “Why She Buys”, Kathy Gilbert CDKGlobal Director of Sales and Business Development and Jody Hall (@JodyNHall) VP of the Automotive Market for Steel Market Development Institute (@SMDI Automotive).
Facebook Live’s broadcast of the panel was filled with testimonial about how each member entered the auto industry. Outlining their struggles and successes could have come from anyone, male or female, but with Women in Automotive’s slogan being “Accelerating the role of women in the auto industry” and She Buys Cars’ “Life happens in cars. Enjoy the ride” the stage was set.
Seemingly mesmerized as I listened to the broadcast that evening, I was so engaged with the content that I found myself commenting as the blue “thumbs up” peppered the screen not realizing it was taped from earlier in the day as lunch was served. Unabashed, I continued my gawking until tape’s end. Finding myself with renewed vigor of how I could make my way in the automotive industry, the world was my oyster. JulesOnWheelz was born.
If those panel members were looking for an inspirational talk to motivate women to move into the auto industry, I am their success story. Passion, drive, dedication, and love power me forward in this journey. After all, we need to feel the sand between our toes right?
Keep that thrill alive…let the dawn inspire YOU to make a fresh start each day and make your dreams come true. There are people willing to counsel and guide if you only give them a chance to see the passion you have and the dedication you’re willing to give.
Thanks for riding along…
Jules
Photo by Jules Stayton
julesonwheelz
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