From triathletes to restaurant owners, Impel has some amazing employees in its ranks. We’re introducing you to a new employee every month as part of our Employee Spotlight Series, giving you an inside look at our charismatic culture. This month, we’re introducing you to Regional Sales Manager, Sara Clark, a high-spirited team member who is always down for a round of office karaoke.
Tell us about your role at Impel.
Here at Impel, I’m a Regional Sales Manager, which means I’m in charge of bringing new dealerships onto our merchandising platform. My team is really the tip of the sword for beginning a great partnership with our dealers.
Which core value resonates the most with you?
This is a hard one for me because I believe I embody all of them in some way, which is what makes me successful in my role. But if I had to choose just one, it would be relationships. I’ve always been a people person and I’m very lucky that this role allows me to meet new people everyday.
How did your previous work experiences prepare you for your role in sales at Impel?
It’s funny. When I think back to all my previous jobs, they have always involved some type of sales in a sense. I got my first job at 15 years old selling scorecards for a local baseball team. Every game, my manager would give me a stack of scorecards to sell – sometimes it would be 100 and sometimes it would be 500, depending on how important the game was. I always made it a competition in my mind to sell every single scorecard I was given, which is the same exact mindset I have in sales today. I attribute this to my competitive nature, which I’ve had my whole life.
Women account for less than 30% of the workforce in the automotive industry. How have you turned this into a competitive advantage and found success in the work you do?
Before my current career in automotive, I worked in an industry made up almost entirely of women, so it was an adjustment for me at first. With more women stepping into leadership roles at major automotive companies like GM and Ford, it’s exciting to see progress, but I think we still have a long way to go. In the work that I do, I look at it as a new voice for the dealer to hear. Typically, they are used to dealing with men, so the fact that I’m different can definitely be refreshing and gives me a competitive advantage. I’ve learned to have thick skin and to have confidence in myself and, of course, in the amazing product that I’m selling.
Your sister, Jenna, is also a Impel employee. What’s it like to work together?
Luckily Jenna and I aren’t the type of sisters that fight all the time. We stopped doing that when we stopped sharing bunk beds. I truly feel blessed to work with her and I’m grateful that Impel has given us that opportunity! Our teams work directly together so we get to collaborate and help each other everyday. We also get to go on lunch dates all the time, so that’s a bonus!
What advice do you have for people in your profession?
Make one more call. Sales is a roller coaster, especially in a year like this. You’re only going to get out of it what you put into it.
How do you spend your weekends?
Currently, you’ll find me redoing the half bathroom in the house my fiancé and I bought in the fall. I’m doing it DIY style. Disclaimer: The YouTube videos lie…it’s not as easy as it looks.
You’re always singing along to the music in the office, what songs are on your everyday playlist?
This month it’s Mariah Carey’s Christmas album and depending on the amount of coffee I’ve had, you might even get to see some sweet dance moves! But really it’s whatever someone puts on the Sonos speaker at the office. The sales team takes turns suggesting songs, so some days the VP of Sales, Bruce O’Brien, suggests Backstreet Boys, and other days I’m singing along to Rascal Flatts. I sing it all…even if I don’t know the lyrics.
While you can always count on Sara to brighten the mood, you can also count on her to use her expertise to close deals and foster relationships with automotive dealers all over the country. Follow us on the Impel Facebook and Impel Instagram pages for updates. You won’t want to miss next month’s spotlight on Andy Perrin, Product Owner – Web Products.
