Erica: Patty, you're one of our AE's, but aside from a marketing professional, who are you?
Patty: I’m a new England native who has grown up around the car business – racing & stock cars. I’ve always been into the stylization of different cars and how everyone presents their products. It’s the uniqueness that make products their own. I like to go fast. I like American and European muscle cars. I like to highlight what people see best about themselves.
Erica: How did you get into the Automotive Industry?
Patty: I saw an ad on indeed and applied. But I guess I’ve always been in it – I’ve not always been into Marketing – but I’ve always had a creative side. When the two presented itself as one, it seemed like a good opportunity. I like helping dealers portray themselves as what they want.
Erica: What's the greatest career lesson you've learned that you wish someone had prepped you for?
Patty: There are no bad ideas, but not every idea will work for the goal in mind. It’s important to meet certain circumstances and opportunities where they are; not just what’s going to have the biggest impact but what’s going to have the longest lasting impact. Sometimes, less is more when you get to the heart of something.
Erica: What piece of advice would you give to someone entering the Automotive Industry?
Patty: Be confident that you know more than you think you do. You have experience that someone else doesn't and it’s worth sharing with others if you think it will make a difference.
Erica: What keeps you going in this industry of so many ups & downs? What keeps you passionate about it?
Patty: The connections I make – I’ve always liked to make friends anywhere I go. This job increases that opportunity ten fold. What starts out as a client grows into either a lasting working relationship or friendship. It reaches past just the dealership or automotive. I like learning new things every day and seeing the differences between what someone does in one part of the country and what other people do on the other side.
Erica: If you weren’t in the car business, what would it be? What has stopped you from making the change?
Patty: I’d probably be in a kitchen somewhere. Probably taking cooking courses or leading a kitchen in some degree. I always liked really challenging work but also leadership roles. I saw my dad do it for so long and he liked it but it can be a little volatile. I saw more opportunity to break the glass ceiling in automotive than in a kitchen somewhere – especially as a woman.
Erica: What’s your least favorite part of the Automotive Industry?
Patty: The ever-changing guidelines that are supposed to keep brands in one lane – I think when there is constant overhaul with OEM’s and how their brands should be presented – you gain & lose customers that way. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep up with – especially when you’ve got a really solid idea or plan and then you cannot execute it due to brand compliance/co-op or guidelines. Also, how the dealerships treat women on both sides. Either the shopping piece or the marketing piece – Like, you want to bring women in but you don’t actually get a woman’s perspective and/or needs in order to accomplish it.
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