1. Tell us a bit about yourself:

• What’s your name?
  Gail

• Where are you from?

  Originally Lesmurdie but now based in Corrigin WA

• What inspired you to explore the tire industry? I actually never thought I'd be here but was thrown into the deep end with no floaties!

2. Career Path:

• Do you have prior experience in the automotive or related industries?

  I grew up as a bit of a tom boy and spent weekends on the farm so I loosely spoke "car"

• What skills or knowledge are you most excited to bring to the tire industry?

  I have a wealth of knowledge in scheduling, administration and customer service and bring a more feminine perspective on things.

3. Goals and Aspirations:

• What are your career goals in the tire industry? To have my store succeed.

• Are there specific areas (sales, manufacturing, engineering, management) that interest you most? To be honest at this stage nothing in particular, its all rather exciting to learn as I go.

4. Challenges and Opportunities:

• What challenges do you anticipate facing as a woman in this industry?

  I think just when my suppliers and some of my customers think that I am the receptionist as opposed to the manager and that I am not capable of making business decisions.

• How do you think your perspective can bring positive change to the industry?

  I honestly don't think I am quite there yet with this yet, but I have only been in the industry 12 months and have only just found my feet. I think with time and knowledge of both tyres but also agriculture, I will be able to find a positive change.

5. Industry Knowledge:

• Do you already have a favorite tire brand or type? (If yes, share why!)

  Toyo for the rebates and Maxxis for the durability.

• Have you taken any training or certification related to tires or automotive work?

  No I haven't.

6. Networking and Mentorship:

• What would you like to learn from others in the tire industry?

  Definitely more technical understandings of the different tyres and brands would help me to match the perfect tyre to the customer.

• Are you interested in connecting with mentors or support groups?

  absolutely!

7. Fun Facts About You:

• Do you enjoy driving or working on cars? definitely! 

• What’s your dream car or travel destination?

  Id really love to have another XF ute. Manual in Gloss black with magenta accents

• What’s one fun fact about yourself unrelated to work?

  I love to do art and craft outside of work hours and have been making pieces to sell at the local craft shop.

8. Your Vision for the Future:

• How do you see yourself contributing to the tire industry in 5 years?

  Id like to be that motivational mentor for other women looking to run their own stores. I have come to run my store with no handover, no training, and with being told that the job is far beyond me and to just sell the store. A year later and my stores still running, the sites alot cleaner and I am getting amazing feedback from my customers on how cheerful we are.

• What advice would you give to other women considering this field?

  Admitting when you don't quite have the knowledge isn't a bad thing. In my very early days in the industry I was trying to help my customer find the right agricultural tyre. I admitted that I wasn't sure of the technical terms but the tyre I was trying to describe "looked like if a tractor tyre and a all terrain had a baby". He had a huge belly laugh because he knew exactly what I was trying to describe to him and gave me credit for trying despite the lack of knowledge.

9. Feedback and Support:

• What resources or support do you think would help you succeed in the tire industry?

  Maybe some more WITTI events but based on educating or sharing experiences on a deeper level with a sundowner after?

• Is there anything specific you’d like to share or ask?

  I love everything that WITTI has provided so far. Its helped to feel like I am not alone out here and that I have a community of ladies that are there to help with ideas. Just being connected to other ladies has given me tools and ideas to help improve my business.