Women have long been part of the automotive industry, and in recent years, we’ve seen the participation of women in the industry on the rise. And yet, they still go largely unrecognised.
There’s no questioning the automotive industry is dominated by men. In fact, according to a survey Catalyst Quick Take: Women in the Automotive Industry conducted in 2016, women accounted for just one quarter of the automotive workforce in the USA and, at the executive level that number dropped to only 16 percent.
Fast forward a century and it’s easy to see how far women in the automotive space have come. Today, we’ve got women in the automotive role as CEOs, race car drivers, designers, engineers
Nakita Joshi talks about her rise in the male-dominated car business and how she wants to bring diversity into the business with more female staff.
In your own words, what do you do?
I am the General Manager and Managing Partner here at Nissan of Tustin. I manage day to day operations for sales and service. So when you buy a car or bring it in for regular maintenance, it’s my job to make sure that the dealership is taking great care of you and your car.
What do you see as the future for women in the industry?
The future is bright for women in the auto industry. Whether you’re on the retail sales, manufacturing or lending side of it. I have worked with a lot of strong women in my career and I have seen more women join our industry over the years. I see a lot more women not only joining but also dominating this industry and balancing the scales of gender in the work force.
There’s roughly a four-to-one ratio, men-to-women in employment in the automotive industry. What is the obvious reason for the disparity between the sexes?
The auto industry has always been seen as “masculine”. Due to the hours of the job and the past reputation of dealers, women have stayed away. The good news is we have great role models to look along with many women and minority groups and programs. The course of the industry is and hopefully more women.
Have there been positive changes in the past few years for women looking at this industry as a career?
There have been a lot of changes and more to come. Dealerships have made lots of changes to work schedule and benefits that are offered. More training is offered now from most manufacturers as well as the dealership level. There are multiple sales positions with in the dealership outside of “retail floor” sales. If you prefer to do sales from a desk we a position for that, if you prefer working with lenders then we have a position for that also. We have jobs ranging from part time to full time and everything in between.
What advice would you give to women who want to pursue opportunities in the automotive sector?
Don’t be scared! It’s okay to work a non-traditional schedule. It’s okay to work for commissions. Its okay to work weekends even if you have kids. Some people might disagree but I am a firm believer of quality is more important than quantity. With technology I can talk to my daughter through facetime and text. We have a great relationships and she has never once shown any concern for my work hours. Shes 12 years old now and a straight A student and tennis player. She understand that my career has given us both a great life. So ladies don’t be scared! This a great career with awesome earning potential. I have worked with many moms and we have all found a way to make it work.
Your mission is to bring diversity into the business with more female staff and use technology to provide a more transparent and easy car buying experience to not just women but all customers.
Absolutely. It’s important for everyone to have an amazing experience when it comes to buying their car. As a consumer I want to trust the business I am buying from, no matter if its cars or clothes. Using technology we can achieve that. You should be able to see the price and get numbers without hassle. We make sure that we do that and that we are here for you after the sale. We have a numbers of apps we use to make the process as “paperless” as we can. With the help of Nissan North America and their great tablet system, our new car customers get a digital delivery when they purchase their new vehicle.
How do you improve your financial knowledge?
The best way is to know your credit score. We are so fortunate that we have access to apps like credit Karma or Experian. Know what your score is and what it consists of. If you have a low score its okay, you can ALWAYS repair your credit. Ladies, if you don’t have a credit monitoring app I recommend you get one ASAP. If you want to improve you financial knowledge just google it. There are a lot of blogs and tips on what to do.
If you had an extra 6 hours in your day, what would you do?
I would for sure sleep lol! I do spend a lot of time at work so I would use the extra six hours to hang out with my daughter, go to the gym and binge Game of thrones (FANATIC… I had my whole dealership dress up for Halloween)
What has been your key (or keys) to success?
I don’t take no for an answer (unless I absolutely have to). I have been told no so many times and yet I have been able to turn it into a “yes”. Just believe in yourself and if you think your point is valid then make sure you express yourself.
Just go for it. Even if you’re not 100% sure…. Just go for it. If you don’t then you’ll end up regretting missing out on the opportunity.
Find work life balance and make time for the gym. If you’re not healthy then you won’t have the energy you need to get through the day.
Stay on task but have fun when you’re working. We have
What steps do you take when you want to get through a less of a good business day?
(Internally scream) because you’re allowed to be upset. Then I shake it off and as long as we did our BEST and gave it 120% then I am happy with that effort. I am so lucky that I have had great mentors in this industry who understand that it is okay to have a bad day and not make your staff feel like they failed (because they didn’t) It’s just one day and there is always tomorrow to crush it.
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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