Erica: So, tell us about yourself: who is Mabel Peralta?
Mabel Peralta: I used to say: "I’m the #1 Volvo girl" but lately, that has become only one part of my identity. I love this industry and I’m so passionate about it, but sometimes I forget what I look like, what I sound like, and I don't want to come off as off-putting.
Who am I? I’m someone who is so passionate about this industry and just wants to make a difference. I want to make an impact. Maybe I’ll help a handful of people but that’s enough for me.
Erica: How did you get into the Automotive Industry?
Mabel: I’ve always loved cars. My dad was a mechanic and I always wanted to be like him, make him proud, you know? Growing up in a very strict Dominican household, my mom said that women do not belong in automotive. It was only after I reached my thirties, I realized I was sick of being in corporate and not in cars. I wanted so badly to work at Volvo HQ, so, I decided to start at the dealership first and then I could get to that corporate position. Unfortunately, I found out too late they wouldn't hire me from the dealership level, but it launched a new phase of my career.
I started at the dealership that I serviced my Volvo: Smythe Volvo. I was hired in 2014 as a Marketing Assistant helping with social media. 5 months later, I was promoted to Marketing Manager for Volvo and Aston Martin. Eventually, I moved on to become a Volvo salesperson. I faced a lot of adversity on the sales floor; the last 10 years have been filled with people telling me I couldn’t do something only for me to prove to them I could.
Erica: What's the greatest career lesson you've learned that you wish someone had prepared you for?
Mabel: I really wish someone would have told me the minute I got into this industry, not to take things personally and how to realize when things are intentional. There are people who will do things that may not be personal, but their actions/words are intentional. It's important to know the difference between the two and be vigilant. Keep your eyes wide open.
Erica: What piece of advice would you give to someone entering the Automotive Industry?
Mabel: I would give them the advice I wished I'd received: don't take things personally but focus on intentionality. Also, be mindful of what is between your two ears. Your biggest obstacle is yourself and you’ll self-sabotage yourself when you get scared. Cut it out – things are being presented to you and they’re good. Bigger gates are opening after those tiny doors close. Once you’re stuck in that little square, you keep hitting corners and you’re running in circles in a square box. Get out of it.
Erica: What keeps you going in this industry of so many ups & downs? What keeps you passionate about it?
Mabel: Every time I want to give up, something good happens; I’m reminded of why I do this, I’m awarded, someone tells me I made an impact on them. I’m always reminded with unsolicited validation that I belong in this industry. I think of when I started and where I am now and I think “Wow, I want that for others who follow me”.
It may take a while to get to where we want to be, but hopefully before I die, it’ll be a little more equal for women in the industry. I see us making strides, and that keeps me going. I must keep hope alive for that. I must stay optimistic.
Erica: If you weren’t in the car business, what would it be? What has stopped you from making the change?
Mirabel: I don’t think I would change my path. It’s the only industry that I’ve felt that I’ve really succeeded in. I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for the automotive industry. It’s why I’m such a huge advocate for women staying in this field because it’s such a great industry for you to succeed (if you don’t give up and don’t let the BS stop you.) It’s not always an easy choice but it’s worth it.
It’s easy to give up and it’s hard to restart but if you just pause for a second and pick it up again – that’s better than giving up completely. What’s going to get you up in the morning? You wake up and you look forward to your day, not the end of the day. That’s what makes your job a career.
Erica: You're a huge advocate for women being a part of the automotive space. Tell us a little more about that.
Mabel: Some people in the industry don’t like that we focus on women in automotive and how the experience is different than a man's in automotive. I find I always have to explain that it’s very different. Then if you combine being a woman and a minority, it adds to it. My credentials constantly walk ahead of me because I have the “3 strikes”: I’m a Woman, I’m a Person of Color and I’m a Latina.
If you think about it: how many women are owners? How many women are GMs? It’s crazy to see the difference in numbers compared to men. People's reactions to advocacy tells us that society feels negatively when women are passionate about something. If I must be the bad person that stands up all the time for women in this industry, fine. Hate me, get angry at me, like me, don’t like me. I get it. But at least I can say I stood for something and I’m here still standing for this for women who cannot. Women who are too sacred to speak. I will do it for you if they can’t. I just want what’s right and fair for everyone because there’s not enough advocates. I’m not trying to move mountains, but I am trying to make an impact. I’m 46 years old right now – even in my lifetime, if I’ve helped 10 people, I will be super proud, because I know I made an impact.
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