By Ashley Reyes
The SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) has named Julieanne DeVooght, senior sales manager at Sprintex Superchargers, as the network's newest #SheIsSEMA spotlight member.
Get to know DeVooght in her interview with SEMA News below.
SEMA News: How many years have you been with your current company and what do you enjoy most about working there?
Julieanne DeVooght: Sprintex USA added me to their dynamic team a year ago. With my racing background, love and passion for empowering women in and out of the industry, running a female-centric podcast "Chic Chat" and owning WranglHer, they felt I could be a positive addition to their team and customers. I love that they empower all I do and all their customers on their builds, consistently molding to the newest technology, being heavily involved in so many automotive sectors and consistent innovation.
SN: What is the most challenging part of your business or job?
JD: Learning and understanding tuning.
SN: How many years have you been in the industry and what was your first industry job?
JD: I have been in the automotive industry since I was 18, racing many different vehicles, building many vehicles, teaching women how to off-road across the country and empowering women all over the world.
My first industry job was when I opened WranglHer over five years ago now.
SN: What three qualities got you to where you are today?
JD: Empowering others, creating teams, leadership, maintaining a positive outlook in all facets of life and teaching others. All have benefited me tremendously and surrounded me with other amazing leaders and partners.
SN: Being a woman in the industry, what have been your biggest challenges and accomplishments?
JD: The biggest challenge for me has always been my size; I am a small female, and with that, vehicle builds have been tough. However, to overcome it, I partnered up with amazing sponsors and partners to assist such as your "Male Ali" program. Like a relationship, it is good to show how the opposite sex can work as a team together to reach a goal, accomplish a task and cheer you on.
SN: Who are your role models or mentors in the industry?
JD: My grandparents always said there is nothing I cannot do. Be determined, set the path, take your time, focus and achieve it.
SN: What is the best career advice you have received?
JD: The best advice I received was to plan as perfectly as you can, whether it was a business plan, a plan for a race, evaluating competitors, understanding their style, or the terrain with off-roading, or understanding how Mother Nature adds to the difficulty and how to be prepared if she decides she wants to rain that day, what gear to bring, etc. This advice is why I feel success has joined me on so many occasions.
SN: Have you always wanted to work in the automotive industry? What keeps you here?
JD: Yes, ever since I was a young girl, my entire family worked for the automotive industry in some fashion.
SN: Who was the most influential person on your career goals?
JD: My grandmother, she was so wise, kind, good to the world and always positive. She always saw the way from start to finish with any goal.
Fill out a #SheIsSEMA spotlight form to submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague and highlight how you or she is contributing to the specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are automatically eligible to be considered for SBN's #SheIsSEMA Woman of the Year award, featured on SBN's social media, SEMA News and recognized on the sema.org/she-is-sema website.