With the auto industry still often viewed as a field with a so-called old-boy network, Walker Martin says it is not always easy being the African American daughter of the owner, because on so many levels, “every day it’s like I have to prove myself.†As the dealership’s general manager for the last two years, Walker Martin constantly asks questions of the dealership’s managers to get a better understanding of its operations. It can sometimes be a challenge, she says, because some of her managers have been in the business longer than she’s been alive. “It can be tough,†Martin says of finding common ground, but also reaffirming her rank in the company. “I have to learn how to deal with stress and not take things personally.â€
Lester says NAMAD is starting a push to increase diversity this year by visiting U.S. colleges such as Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland, to encourage African American men and women to pursue career opportunities in the auto industry. “There’s no silver bullet answer to the lack of African American women dealers,†Lester says. “It starts with access to capital, experience, and an opportunity. We have to increase awareness that this is an attractive entrepreneurial career path.â€
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