Women in Business
Showcasing all of the amazing women that work in variety of departments within Sytner BMW.
Laura Penny, New Car Sales Manager at Sytner Sunningdale, answers our Women in Business questions.
How long have you worked for Sytner BMW/MINI? 8 years
How long have you been in your current role? Almost 2 years
What is your favourite part about your current role? Working with an amazing team who are driven and passionate about being the best they can be and take pride in seeing Sytner Sunningdale at the top of the league tables.
What motivates you in the morning? My family, friends and strong coffee (and I’d be lying if I didn’t say money).
Three words to describe yourself? Passionate, Driven, Loyal
What is your greatest achievement? I have achieved a lot in my life so far but the greatest is yet to come.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to be in your role? Knowledge is power, learn as much as you can from the people around you. As a Sales Manager, you are only as good as your team so employ the right people and retain them. Lead a team confidently with a healthy balance between fun and fair!
How have you seen the Automotive industry landscape change and evolve to engage more women? I started my career at BMW HQ in 2002, back then it was a male dominated industry which definitely made me more determined to be the best at every role I have had. It’s certainly not male dominated anymore. I wouldn’t even think about gender when recruiting, it’s about who is going be the best for the role.
Top tip for how you organise your days? I start most mornings at the gym and then make calls in the car on the way into work, I then have a morning meeting with the team at 8:45am so I know what workload the team have and any issues that need resolving. I have an ongoing to do list which I encourage all my team to also have to ensure they are organised and nothing is forgotten, prioritising daily tasks and checking back at the end of the day.
Top tip for working in the automotive industry? Be organised, work hard and have fun! (you don’t actually have to know much about cars!)
