Carvana is ranked No. 5 on Forbes list of “America’s Best Employers For Women,” which outranks other automotive companies, the online used-car retailer said in a news release Tuesday.
Among the various automotive-related companies on the list, Mercedes-Benz USA was No. 52, Hendrick Automotive Group was No. 175, General Motors was No. 342, CarMax was No. 345 and Hyundai ranked No. 376.
“Carvana believes in treating people better, from our customers to our thousands of team members across the country,” said Adrienne Sanford, vice president of people and operations at Carvana, in a news release.
“Tech, Logistics, and Automotive industries have traditionally been male dominated spaces, yet Carvana has always stood for change for the better. We’re building a workplace culture that values everyone’s voice,” Sanford said.
“We truly believe that Carvana is for everyone. Our mission of creating a better experience for our customers starts from within Carvana, and being recognized as a place where women are valued means we’re succeeding at changing the broader automotive industry for the better.”
In related news, Cristina Bruns, Carvana's senior director of Sell to Carvana, was among Auto Remarketing’s 2022 Women in Retail honorees.
Read our Q&A with Bruns here.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Lisa Hess, senior director of major accounts at TrueCar.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Lisa Hess: Retail automotive presents a myriad of possibilities to achieve personal and career goals. The cross-functional collaboration opportunities it can provide are limitless. In my experience, the skills learned, the people met, and the opportunity doors that have opened have been invaluable.
If there was one thing that I would change it would be the perception of retail automotive. Like any transaction, often the perceived negative aspects obscure all of the positives. What I love most about retail automotive is that it can take you anywhere you want to go.
It provides an amazing skillset. If you enjoy accounting, the opportunity to become a controller or CFO in automotive is there. If you enjoy the sales or service side of a dealership, the opportunity to grow into a GM position or to be a dealer principal is there. If you enjoy the OEM or vendor space sides of automotive, the opportunity is there.
You always have the prospect for growth to lead teams or even the organization itself. Retail automotive is a people business through and through. If you are driven, have grit, and enjoy serving others there is no limit to what you can do.
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Hess: The omnichannel aspect of automotive retail is the key to our relationship with customers. If a consumer is going to do business with a company, they expect to have the ability to transact online whether they do some or all of their transaction online.
This includes all aspects of vehicle ownership. Whether purchasing or trading a vehicle, buying product protection, scheduling service, finding out about new models, web chatting with a technician, and even sharing a vehicle repair through video or remote communication platforms.
Success, growth, and profitability come from meeting the customer where they are versus sometimes where we want them to be.
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Hess: Take feedback and constructive criticism as a compliment. Constructive criticism and feedback are given to you by those who care and are investing in your growth and success. Those you work with, whether they are a direct report, or you report to them, give you feedback because they want you to be the best you can be to benefit both the organization and you. If you take feedback too personally, you will never get to where you want to go. Also, you will not give effective feedback to others.
As a general manager, I was fortunate enough to have another long-time co-worker tell me that if I “didn’t work on communication and stop taking feedback personally,” this would hold me back from achieving my goals. Taking their advice, I enrolled in a course to help with communication and confidence. I started reading books and learning everything I could about how to improve my approachability and mental resilience.
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Hess: The key to success is service. Service to our dealer partners. Service to those who you are fortunate enough to lead. Service to the automotive consumer. These three are whom we work for. Without their success then we fail as a leader, and we fail our organization and ourselves.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Carla Wade, who is senior director of inside sales at automotiveMastermind.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Carla Wade: When I refl ect on the last two decades I’ve spent in the automotive industry, the word “opportunity” comes to mind. Throughout my career, I learned the importance of stepping outside my comfort zone to explore new opportunities and create my own.
Now I’m in a role where I can share everything I’ve learned along the way to empower others — both on my own team and our dealer partners’ teams — to create their own opportunities in their respective roles. At times I’ve had to pave my own path in the retail space, so I believe it’s critical to recognize the importance of representation and a broadened perspective to keep the industry moving in the right direction.
This means taking a moment to reassess who has a seat at the table and what that table even looks like. Recognizing what’s missing is the fi rst step to driving much-needed change – followed by putting the right people in the right roles and empowering them to succeed.
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Wade: With all the challenges and disruptions impacting the industry over the last two years, I’m continually impressed by dealers’ ability to do more with less. In my current role, I’m working with smaller-scale dealerships and I’ve personally had the opportunity to see how nimble they can be. With less inventory and, in many cases, less staff, successful dealers have begun creating efficiencies and relying on high-quality data to deliver the same exceptional customer experience buyers expect, regardless of the external factors in play.
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Wade: Self-doubt can be the destructor of determination and the dampener of drive. Several times I allowed my own doubts to block me from choosing new opportunities, thinking I was not right for a role because I saw no one like me in the role.
Throughout my career, I often found myself the only woman or person of color in the room and at times battled with believing that was my seat. This was until I met other examples of great women leaders who served as my beacon. Therefore, I would tell my younger self to push aside the doubt, always believe in yourself and know you, too, belong.
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Wade: Above all else, passion, grit and tenacity have been the key ingredients to a successful multi-decade career in the automotive retail industry. Of course, when faced with challenges or self-doubt, carrying on and ultimately doing what was right wasn’t always easy, but following the beacon of my mentors and peers, perseverance enabled me to get to where I am today. I’m humbled by the opportunity to share this advice with my colleagues, industry friends and customers each day.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Kirsten Von Busch, who is director of product marketing at Experian.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Kirsten Von Busch: I love being part of what keeps the economy running. Automotive has historically contributed 3-5% to the U.S. gross domestic product. While 3-5% may not sound like much from a percentage standpoint, no other manufacturing sector generates as many American jobs. People sometimes downplay their contribution to our industry by saying things like, “well, I’m not saving lives.”
And, they are correct; we are not saving lives. However, while I may not have saved anyone’s life today, I’d like to think that my contribution, all of our contributions to the retail automotive industry still has value: manufacturing, selling, and fi nancing cars not only provides consumers with vehicles but we are also are helping to support people who work at OEMs, dealers, lenders and in the aftermarket industry! As for what I would change, I look forward to more diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry and hope that I can continue to be part of that initiative at Experian. Programs like this are facilitating and supporting that change and promoting inclusion and I look forward to seeing a wide variety of industry leaders be better represented in the future.
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Von Busch: I’m really interested and excited to see how the retail environment will adapt and grow to embrace the electric vehicle buyer. From a number’s perspective, new retail electric vehicle registrations have grown by 3,600% in less than 10 years. While electric vehicles may still represent a relatively small percentage of the total population of vehicles in operation, the growth rate is staggering, and the percentage is only going to further increase in the coming years with all the new electric models being introduced to the market. And, it’s not just electric vehicles. I’m fascinated to see how the entire CASE (connectivity, autonomous, sharing/subscription and electrifi cation) platform will continue to grow and adapt.
This space is changing and growing very quickly. The next several years will be exciting times for the auto industry as a whole as this new technology continues to dynamically evolve. It is positively electric.
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Von Busch: Be yourself. Be your unique, wonderful, weird self. Authenticity is everything. You are your own brand; be genuine and true to yourself. Promote yourself as your own brand just as you would a product or solution you are marketing. Brand yourself. How are you positioned in your organization? In the industry? Are people aware of your contributions? What are you known for?
Promote yourself! Yes, it feels awkward at first, but get comfortable talking about your success and the value you can provide. Market yourself. What are your skills and the unique value you can bring to a situation? At the most basic level, your skills and benefits are really just your features and benefits, aren’t they? Grow yourself. Are there skills or experiences that you want or need in order to grow and be prepared for your next opportunity? Once again, at the most basic, isn’t this the same concept as setting a product roadmap and working on an Agile development sprint plan? In my opinion, this is especially critical for women in automotive; you have a unique voice, experience and perspective — don’t be afraid to share them. After all, they are what make you, uniquely you.
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Von Busch: Never stop learning. There’s always something new to learn and that adage is especially true in the automotive industry. There are new vehicles entering the market, new mobility options, new technology and more data available to help auto professionals make informed, strategic decisions. There are also new, more integrated and comprehensive marketing techniques and tactics to help marketers reach and retain customers.
We’ve seen so many advances because of technology and we will continue to see more with innovations such as artificial intelligence and adaptive, machine learning. I’d encourage anyone to leverage technology whenever possible to make repetitive, routine tasks simpler. However, the power of direct communication and relationship building should never be forgotten or underrated. The ability to simply explain a complex concept to retell a story is priceless — stories are memorable. Every experience, good or bad, is something you can learn and grow from. Some of my most challenging projects or roles have helped me grow the most as an individual and leader; they have also helped me narrow my focus and finetune my career aspirations.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Cristina Bruns, Carvana's senior director of Sell to Carvana.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Cristina Bruns: My favorite part about working in retail automotive is getting to be at the cross-section of technology innovation, operational challenges, and rich technology to leverage to solve our problems. It’s incredible to see what’s available for our consumers today and how so much of this advancement wouldn’t have seemed possible a decade ago. We are an industry that has rooted over centuries to be a core part of our customer’s everyday life, but that doesn’t mean we don’t take joy in continuing to delight customers decade after decade. Given the lengthy history of our industry, one thing I’m excited to see continue to evolve is the level of diversity represented in auto leadership and transportation more generally.
The best companies have realized the value of working with the best of the best, regardless of demographic, and I believe we’ll continue to see this transition in the coming years.
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Bruns: Given the increasing pricing of vehicles over the past couple of years, aff ordability will be top of mind for our customers. I’m looking forward to seeing our colleagues in auto innovate in delivering value options for our customers — whether that’s testing new financing strategies to other alternatives to driving down cost of ownership. It’s an especially important time to ensure we’re delivering the ultimate value for our consumers.
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Bruns: Take every opportunity you can as a chance to learn and get comfortable being uncomfortable — that means you’re growing! I’ve been fortunate to have a couple of informal mentors in my career that have given me opportunities I probably wasn’t completely prepared for, and I was lucky to meet those individuals by happening upon them during projects that were outside of my normal scope of work.
I have been lucky to learn a lot from the people and projects I’ve worked with and appreciate the development I experienced as a result.
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Bruns: I’ve been very lucky to work with incredible people during my time in retail automotive and appreciate all they’ve taught me. I get a chance to work with the best folks across operations, product, engineering, analytics, pricing, marketing — you name it — and I am a better person working on a better business as a result. Today’s market conditions mean great people have more choices on where to work than ever so it’s of the utmost importance that these individuals understand how much we value them. Thank you, thank you!
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Taryn Young, vice president of marketing at iPacket.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Taryn Young: What do I enjoy most: Th e wide array of personalities that you’ll meet in the retail automotive space is the reason I’ve stayed in the industry for 12-plus years. Whether you’re working with clients, vendors, customers, management or customers — each person presents a new dynamic and I always view that as a challenge to understand and overcome with the best possible solution.
The auto industry is complex but rewarding, and whether you’re working with a family dealership group who has been around for 50-plus years or you’re working with the newest piece of vehicle technology — car sales are always the common ground and usually the measure of success. What would I change: Having experience on the OEM, agency and vendor side, I’m all too familiar with an OEM mandated initiative or “approved vendor” that doesn’t truly benefit the dealer at the end of the day.
The auto space is complex and dealers are bombarded with new off erings sold on false promises. If there were a way to simplify and cut through the clutter and present real offerings and results with proven vendors, that’s what I would change in the industry. In short, how can we make things easier on a dealer?
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Young: No one could have predicted what the pandemic could have done to the auto industry. In fact, many of us predicted car sales (mostly luxury) would tank and we observed just the opposite. In 2022, from a marketing perspective, I’m seeing OEMs and dealer groups as a whole change the way they go to market.
Entire marketing programs and co-op funds that have been around for decades have dissolved over the last two years, but as inventory slowly trickles in and car sales slow, what’s next? Will these programs make a return? Currently, from the vendor side, we’re seeing dealers rethink their marketing spend, as they’re left to pick up the pieces from a major decrease in Tier 1 & 2 spend.
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Young: Always take the interview and continue to network, even if it’s just to learn. Many of the roles I’ve held came out of a referral from someone I knew in the industry and were never posted on a job site. It’s all about who you know and the auto industry is quite small at the end of the day.
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Young: You cannot be complacent, as this industry changes quickly. For the last 12 years, I’ve marketed myself as a trusted automotive marketer. If you can’t sell yourself as the best new hire, a company will doubt your ability to sell their beloved product. I think my ability to immerse myself in the industry with learning and networking experiences has helped build my career. And in summary: Sell yourself, because if you don’t, no one will do it for you.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Nicki Hodges, chief operations officer at Vincue.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Nicki Hodges: I love watching the disruptive new technologies that are changing the rules and customer expectations of automotive retail. Our industry has always given me a rush with the fast pace improvements, but at the same time watching our dealers grasp this new way of buying, selling and marketing vehicles is probably the most enjoyable for me.
If I had to change anything, it would be to ask dealers who aren’t quite ready to embrace these new companies and allow the disruption to what the way they have always done it, to have an open mind. There is a shift happening right now, and I don’t want any dealer to be left behind because of the fear of how this will change the way they do business. We are all in this together.
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Hodges: We are working every angle to help our dealers with their inventory issues. Buying from the public is a trend I believe is here to stay. I continue to be impressed daily on how innovative and creative the dealers are becoming as they are looking to fill their lots again. Our Vehicle Buying Center (VBC) is unique, and we are very proud of the platform, but I am most proud of how our dealers are embracing the technology and driving their teams in this direction. Some of our dealers who are working the plans are buying 200-plus cars a month. This is the most exciting trend that is becoming so much more than just that.
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Hodges: I would tell the younger me to not take for granted every possible learning opportunity given. I would also tell her to find a mentor who could be a guide on this journey. When I first fell into automotive, I honestly didn’t think it was the beginning of a lifelong career. I think the younger me and the current me, would have chosen the same path, so I think I would give the younger me some kudos along with that advice. It’s been an exciting journey, to say the least.
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Hodges: People! I surround myself with smart and driven people who fuel my motivation, but also push me to think smarter and more creatively. When we started this company, the industry had many years on us. I knew there would be people out there to help me through some road blocks, but asking is not always easy. I feel so lucky in my career to have had so many amazing people who took some time out of their days to teach me.
I had to break a lot of things along the way, but I am not afraid to work hard and fall on my face. And when you have great people that have your back, trial and error becomes a lot less scary and more of one more lesson to learn to get to the end goal. It’s the people that I call my team, other vendors, competitors, industry leaders, etc.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Tara Kasica, senior vice president of sales at Polly.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Tara Kasica: It is exhilarating working with automotive dealers, providing products to help stay on the cutting edge of delivering solutions to car buyers. The pandemic has compelled unprecedented, high velocity change in almost very aspect of the car buying journey and their relationship with their dealer. My expectation is that the U.S. automotive industry embrace this “new normal” and remain the global leader of innovation and exceptional car buyer solutions.
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Kasica: A fascinating trend most of us are watching is the convergence of consumers’ growing preference for a fully online retail car buying experience with the traditional in-showroom buying process. The best dealers are way ahead of the curve in delivering their car buyers easy, tailored, seamless experiences and often seeing higher front-end/back-end gross along with selling more F&I products via the online retail purchase.
And, given where I’ve focused over the last 10 years, another important trend is the continued growing awareness both with dealers and car shoppers to have that last frontier solution available to them when they are purchasing their new vehicle: multiple, competitive auto insurance quotes from well-known carriers, all at their fingertips with a quick, hassle-free binding experience. And of course, enabling dealers to unlock the power of commissions on these policies — not only when they are first sold, but every time they renew!
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Kasica: Don’t take it too seriously. Have fun!
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Kasica: First and foremost, having fun. Secondly, being fully authentic with the people with whom I work, mentor and those who mentor me. Authenticity and humor are the foundation to being a successful leader, and as these attributes are refined over time it helps set the example for those who follow in my footsteps.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Jeannie Arce, Costco Auto Program Zone Business Consultant.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Jeannie Arce: After 23 years in the auto industry, I always look forward to offering my expertise to help our dealer partners succeed with Costco members. I enjoy building relationships and problem solving the most. How well we work together to come to a resolution is always dependent on the relationships I have with the individual. With today’s inventory constraints, I would love to see dealers focus on the long game and continue to provide a strong customer experience.
The current situation is temporary and customers will remember their experience. A shift from a temporary to long-term mindset will help develop lifelong customers who will remain loyal to your brand.
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Arce: The customer buying journey. I love seeing how our industry is adapting to the new ways customers want to research and buy vehicles, while ensuring that they are satisfied with the entire process.
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Arce: Work hard and appreciate the ability to grow in an industry that off ers a variety of opportunities. Study the industry so your dealer partners and peers recognize the value you can provide. Enjoy what you do; and always be ready to help your peers and partners achieve their goals.
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Arce: It’s having a growth mindset, curious spirit and good intentions in everything I do. Even when things don’t go as expected, I focus on the positive and look for opportunities for improvement.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego.
With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors
Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.
Next up is Michelle Chapman, who is president of Homer Skelton Group.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?
Michelle Chapman: My father taught me a love of cars from early childhood. We would spend Sunday afternoons driving around the city looking at vehicles on used car lots. He loved used cars from the beginning of his career and taught me to love this aspect of the business as well. I enjoy representing his name and continuing his legacy in our community.
As a family-owned dealership, we get the opportunity to work in our community and try to be a positive contributor to our area. We have so many great charities and schools and we love coming alongside them to impact areas of need. I would love to change the view of automobile dealers. By and large, most of us truly care about our community and customers. Small businesses are such an important part of the community and I wish consumers realized that dealers play an important role in their community.
We employ local people and support local schools and charities. We offer competitive prices and give the customers options to choose from. Publicly held online companies take jobs away from local people and they do not contribute anything into local communities. They also do not have any real customer support after the sale. If local dealers are taking out of the equation, prices will not go down. The corporations will have total control over supply and pricing. We strive every day to treat people well and change the perception of automobile dealers.
AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?
Chapman: There are so many it is hard to choose. Online buying is definitely something we are watching closely. We are looking at options to bring this option to our customers in a seamless manner if they desire this option. There is no doubt that COVID has brought turmoil and change to our industry. We want to take the struggles and turn them into new opportunities. We are blessed that my husband, Brian, is constantly looking for new ways to sell product and improve the customer experience. There is a place for us but we have to be willing to grow and evolve. Customers today expect more and we have to deliver.
AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?
Chapman: The car business is cyclical. When times are good, don’t get lazy or proud. Work hard to constantly improve and be better. Watch your expenses every day. When times are hard, this will all pay off. When times are hard, don’t panic. Work smarter but know that good times will come back. Stay up to date on trends. Don’t ever think you have it all fi gured out because it is probably about to change. Help people. Choose to make a diff erence in your community. Most of all, enjoy the ride. Time will go more quickly than you can ever imagine.
AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?
Chapman: I love what I do. One of my father’s favorite sayings was if you love what you do, you will never work a day. There are hard times and it can be discouraging. If you don’t love your job, it is unbearable. My father gave me the gift of loving my job and he was the best example of how to handle the ups and downs of the car business.
He also taught me that your people are your most important asset. Without our employees, we would have nothing. Good people are the key to any company’s success. I honestly did not want to respond to this because they are the only ones who deserve recognition. I am just then grateful benefactor of my amazing employees. The other key is the Lord’s blessing. As I look back over my life, I am constantly humbled at His kindness to me.
