Hawaii shut down, tourism froze, and Julie Tabarejo lost two hotel marketing jobs overnight. Someone in auto tapped her shoulder: “Automotive needs your skills.” She jumped. Three years later, she consults for Kia in Houston, turning transferable skills into industry disruption. As she put it: “If I can sell a bed, I can sell the experience of a vehicle.”
At NAMAD and WOCAN, Julie found more than inspiration; she found proof that ceilings break when communities walk with you, not just point. Stacey Abrams’ words stuck with her: “Even though I didn’t win, it doesn’t mean that I lost.”
Why This Matters Now:
Hiring, marketing, and leadership all face a common gap: transferable skills are undervalued, vendors often go unchecked, and representation still lags. Dealers who adapt win faster.
What Dealers Need to Know
Transferable skills outperform résumés when paired with clear KPIs and accountability.
Representation isn’t charity, it’s strategy—visibility attracts talent that wouldn’t have considered automotive.
Vendor relationships can’t run on blind trust; KPIs must be reviewed weekly.
How Dealers Can Start Now
Rewrite one sales or BDC script into an experience script this week. Track test-drive set rate; pilot stores see +20% lift.
Stand up a 15-minute Wednesday KPI huddle with marketing vendors. Stores cut wasted media spend by 10–15%.
Fund two emerging leaders’ trips to NAMAD/WOCAN annually. Pair each with an internal sponsor.
The Takeaways
Recruit from other industries, hunger plus skills beats perfect auto résumés.
Anchor vendor work in three simple KPIs—review them weekly.
Community-driven events like NAMAD/WOCAN multiply careers and pipelines.
The door you didn’t plan to open might be the one that pays.
