CBC: How did you get into the Automotive Industry?
Nicole: I fell into it. I started my career working in tech over a decade ago. I worked for a start-up B2B Saas company that developed Church Management Software. I was initially hired for technical support and documentation, but with any good start-up, my job ebbed and flowed and evolved. I worked in product before finishing my time at that company as their director of communications and marketing. Then, in January of 2020, I decided to do my own thing and started a Marketing firm while simultaneously homeschooling my son. At the tail end of that chapter in my life, I knew I wanted to stop freelancing and work for a company again that offered a team to work with constantly. I missed B2B and was in the interview process with two other companies when a recruiter from Fuse asked if I’d be interested in a marketing position they were hiring for. The rest is history.
CBC: What's the greatest career lesson you've learned that you wish someone had prepped you for?
Nicole: This is such a good question. It took me a while to boil it down. There are so many good lessons out there. The biggest one is never to stop learning. Get a mentor and make as many connections in your career and industry as possible. Having mentors and folks in the industry or with similar jobs as myself to bounce ideas off of and learn from has helped me excel in my career.
CBC: What piece of advice would you give to someone entering the Automotive Industry?
Nicole: We can go back to the answer to the last question. Make connections and find mentors. There are so many intelligent individuals working in automotive. Some are bold and opinionated, while others are more reserved. Get to know both, and diversify. There is always something new to learn in automotive, always ways to elevate, and evolve. Evolution has to happen to succeed, but old processes and knowledge cannot be forgotten.
CBC: What keeps you going in this industry of so many ups & downs? What keeps you passionate about it?
Nicole: I never wanted to work in an industry that felt mundane. If the job is too consistent, it’s almost easier to experience burnout. At least, that feels true for me and my personality type. I like to say, “You can’t have your ups without the downs.” I want my career to be filled with growth opportunities. I like a good challenge, and I love the feeling of accomplishment either from failing and learning from them or, even better, successfully overcoming them.
Working at Fuse, its easy to find reasons to be passionate about work. I just got back from a vacation, where I can truthfully say I missed work.
In my short time in the industry, I’ve talked to many individuals who work on the sales floor and heard about their pain points when selling vehicles. I’ve also spent a fair share of my adult life buying cars from dealers. The process can kind of really suck! I’ve wasted entire days to buying a car. My husband hasn’t bought a car from a dealership in 12 years because he doesn’t want to take the time at a dealership to do all the paperwork and get a sales pitch.
But if we look at the importance of cars in our lives today, even from a cultural standpoint, they rank pretty high on the list. We need them to commute to work and safely get our kids to school. They are vital so many people's hobbies for camping and off-roading… people often tie their identity to the car they drive. And the status quo is that dealerships are not the most pleasant place to spend your time. I genuinely believe that the technology the team at Fuse is building can fix that. It eliminates the internal pain points that the dealerships have, which ripples out to the customer experience. It’s a win-win. And it’s something I feel very passionate about.
CBC: If you weren’t in the car business, what would it be? What has stopped you from making the change?
Nicole: I’d love to be an overland influencer if we are talking pipe dreams. But realistically, it would be another tech industry that is B2B-centric. However, I doubt they’d be as fun or challenging as working in automotive tech.
I am hungry for the challenge that automotive brings. Marketing to automotive dealerships is HARD! I’m so intrigued by how the minds of the decision-makers work and by learning how to communicate successfully with them in a way that makes them engage.
On a different level, I just love cars. I grew up working on cars and motors with my dad and grandpa. When I was younger, we’d go to car shows and drag races. As I grew older, I developed an interest in off-roading and overlanding. But I was never going to work as a mechanic or as a professional driver. But working on this side of automotive still feels like I have a tie back to something I love, even if it’s not direct, if that makes sense.
CBC: What’s your least favorite part of the Automotive Industry?
Nicole: I’m not sure if I have one. Maybe that's just because I haven’t been around long enough to develop one, or perhaps it’s because I’m more isolated, working on the vendor side of automotive. I know I could never do a salesperson's job just for the work hours alone. So, kudos to anyone who has been or is a salesperson- that’s dedication right there.
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