Women in Business
Showcasing all of the amazing women that work in variety of departments within Sytner BMW.
Sophie Priestley, MINI Brand Manager at Sytner Solihull, answers our Women In Business questions.
How long have you worked for Sytner BMW/MINI? I have worked for Sytner MINI for 11 years. I began my career as a trainee MINI sales executive in 2010.
How long have you been in your current role? I have been MINI Brand Manager for 4 years.
What is your favourite part about your current role? Working with a young team it is great to see them developing daily into confident and capable young people/work colleagues
What motivates you in the morning? I work out every morning in the gym allowing me time to get prepared and focused for the day ahead
Three words to describe yourself? Positive, ambitious and adaptable
What is your greatest achievement? Before I began my career at Sytner MINI I was fortunate enough to be able to go on to higher education where I earned a 2.1 BSc in Psychology from the University of Birmingham however I believe my greatest achievement is yet to come
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to be in your role? There isn’t a set path to becoming a Sales Manager. Just because others have progressed a certain way doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. Be bold and forge your own path to the role you aspire to have.
How do you find working in a predominantly male-dominated industry? It has had its challenges over the years but I think it has allowed me to develop and grow both personally and professionally. I believe in the last 10 years the motor industry has seen a massive step forward in its approach to diversity and inclusivity but there is still so much to do. That is why I am so proud to be a member of Sytner’s Diversity Forum that enables me to contribute to making Sytner a great place to work for everyone.
Top tip for how you organise your days? Write a daily to-do list. I would be lost if I wasn’t able to tick off what I’ve completed during the day
Top tip for working in the automotive industry? There will be times in your career where you feel unstoppable and there will be times when you feel defeated but you have to make sure you have the resilience to ride the waves.
