By Ashley Reyes
The SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) has named Natalie Wagschal, marketing specialist at PC Bennett Solutions, as the network's newest #SheIsSEMA spotlight member.
Get to know Bennett in her interview with SEMA News below.
SEMA News: How many years have you been in the industry and what was your first industry job?
NW: My first automotive job was working for a window tint manufacturer and then I moved to real estate for a year and then got back into the automotive space with PC Bennett.
SN: What is the most challenging part of running your business or job?
NW: The most challenging part of my job is keeping up with all the new trends going on in the world, as well as being able to resonate with everyone and getting the content out there that people want to see.
SN: What are three qualities that got you to where you are today?
NW: Creativity, dedication and honesty. Creativity has gotten me the job I have today by thinking outside the box and coming up with great ideas to market. Dedication has brought me to where I am today by working towards goals and reaching them. Lastly, honesty has gotten me to where I am due to speaking about what is on my mind and having conversations that people might be too scared to have but need to have to succeed.
SN: Being a woman in the industry, what have been your biggest challenges and accomplishments?
NW: The biggest challenges that I have faced are being heard as a woman, being talked over, and not being taken seriously. However, one accomplishment that comes with that is being able to step out of my own bubble sometimes and not take being talked over. This means being able to speak my end and be heard and then be rewarded for my ideas. This has really come out in the past year, where I have not backed down, really spoken out, and tried to be heard. This has helped me become a lot more comfortable in the workplace.
SN: Who are your role models or mentors in the industry?
NW: My mentor in this industry is my CEO, Patricia Bennett. She has taught me so much in the past two years and has helped me along the way. She introduced me to the SBN and helped me feel so welcome.
SN: What is the best career advice you have received?
NW: The best career advice I received is not to give up even when times get tough. Not every day is going to be rainbows and sunshine, but if you can persevere through it, you can come out on top and be thankful for all of your accomplishments.
SN: Have you always wanted to work in the automotive industry?
NW: I did not have any specific industry in mind once starting my career, but as soon as I started dating my fiancé, who has a car obsession, it all just fell into place. We have done a lot of automotive things together, and he has taught me a lot along the way. The automotive industry is such a great and welcoming community--that is what keeps me here.
SN: Who was the most influential person on your career/goals?
NW: The most influential person to me is my fiancé and family. They have pushed me to be my best in every aspect of life.
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.