{"id":56274,"date":"2023-07-29T01:53:18","date_gmt":"2023-07-29T08:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=56274"},"modified":"2023-07-30T04:19:14","modified_gmt":"2023-07-30T11:19:14","slug":"road-to-the-top-few-in-number-women-dealer-executives-boast-commanding-leadership-presence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/state-of-the-industry\/2023\/07\/road-to-the-top-few-in-number-women-dealer-executives-boast-commanding-leadership-presence\/","title":{"rendered":"Road to the Top: Few in Number, Women Dealer Executives Boast Commanding Leadership Presence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A glance at the calendar shows that it\u2019s 2023. So why is there still a dearth of women as high-level executives in the office technology space\u2014or any industry, for that matter? The Helen Reddy \u201cI am woman\u201d train left the station in 1971, yet we\u2019re still waiting for it to arrive. The number of top female executives support the notion we\u2019re falling well short of expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That women are capable of navigating businesses from the corner office suite is an unquestionable given; the fact that they aren\u2019t doing so in even mediocre (let alone meaningful) numbers is sad. A perusal of the 2022 Elite Dealer list revealed 14 women at the top executive level, which is exactly 11%. Several were listed as \u201cprincipals,\u201d which means they may only have a financial interest in the company and aren\u2019t active in operations. Some are half of husband\/wife tandems. Others are family members. Adjustments were made for promotions. Given the unscientific nature of this \u201cstudy,\u201d we\u2019ll denote a \u00b13% margin for error, which is hardly encouraging that the true number is significantly higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s even more sobering is the fact that fewer than five women (out of 123 companies) would be considered non-family members who were hired to lead the company or were later promoted to the top spot. We\u2019ll round it up to 4% (though that\u2019s being generous) while making the allowance that office dealers are largely family-owned and independent. Considering Fortune magazine earlier this year revealed that women now run more than 10% of Fortune 500 companies, it seems female execs are faring much better in the larger corporate realm than they are in the office dealer space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, there are many quality female executives operating at or just below the CEO level who are rock stars in the dealer community. Most of them require no introduction, and chances are you\u2019ve seen several of them delivering presentations at industry events or sat next to them in peer groups. The common thread among them is their propensity for demonstrating leadership skills that have elevated their respective companies to top positions within their respective markets. In this month\u2019s State of the Industry report, we offer six shining examples of female leaders in action\u2014their journeys, leadership style and the opportunities they see for other women who aspire to reach the executive pinnacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dawn Abbuhl<br><\/strong><em>President<\/em><br>Repeat Business Systems<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Dawn-Abbuhl.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56279\"\/><figcaption>Dawn Abbuhl,<br>Repeat Business Systems<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One could argue that Abbuhl never needed to carve out her place in this industry, but in hindsight, it\u2019s safe to say it was one of the best decisions she ever made. Abbuhl and her husband, John, founded Repeat Business Systems (RBS) in 1987, selling fax machines out of their Albany, New York, headquarters. Their product\/service menu grew as technology and the needs of clients continued to evolve. She admits getting \u201csucked into\u201d the industry, and over the years she\u2019s teetered on the cusp of cutting-edge and bleeding-edge technologies\u2014she has a theoretical blooper reel of offerings that never quite hit the mark. Abbuhl can laugh them off; many of the gambles have paid off handsomely, but the misfires only illustrate her willingness to go off script in finding new ways to serve clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What you may not know about Abbuhl: by day, she\u2019s a mild-mannered office dealer proprietor, and by night (and weekends), she\u2019s known as Dr. Dawn Abbuhl, a licensed psychologist with Access Therapy Group and a former preschool special education teacher who works with children under the age of five. Some execs golf in their spare time. Abbuhl counsels children and their families to make positive changes that can enhance and facilitate growth and maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"610\" height=\"343\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Dawn-Abbuhl-IA.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56278\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Dawn-Abbuhl-IA.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Dawn-Abbuhl-IA-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><figcaption>RBS&#8217; Dawn Abbuhl (far left) and accounts receivable rep Frank Gazeley participate in push-up challenge to benefit St. Jude&#8217;s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While not intended, the psychology element has served Abbuhl well in not only developing a leadership style, but in understanding people on a deeper level. By no means is she a finished product\u2014continuing education in the areas of motivation and leadership enhances her ability to listen, understand and empathize. As successive generations flow into RBS, she\u2019s come to understand their frame of reference as well as how they communicate and relate to one another. Abbuhl consciously dispels the generational tropes and understands that while baby boomer and Gen Z employees may have markedly different attributes, she seeks to relate to them on a more meaningful, personal basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>Women need to know that the executive path is very attainable. They may have special skill sets that they didn\u2019t even realize, and that it could make them better leaders than they ever thought.<\/p><cite>\u2013 Dawn Abbuhl, Repeat Business Systems<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI make sure to get to know each person,\u201d she said. \u201cEvery person is motivated differently. Some people [at RBS] are motivated by just selling a lot and being financially successful. Some people are motivated by having autonomy; they want to be able to make decisions, feel good about them and have the respect from me or their supervisor to make those decisions. Winning drives other people, and some want to just be proud of themselves or better for their families. We have every type of person on the planet in this company, and I have to understand their motivations first in order to be an effective leader for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The path to company growth requires providing autonomy to department heads in order to avoid micromanaging. The \u201cletting go\u201d isn\u2019t absolute; department and sub-managers must continue to demonstrate an ability to direct team members until Abbuhl and her immediate directs feel comfortable with their progress in applying taught skills. It\u2019s not a perfect process, but rather an ongoing one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSometimes I step back too soon,\u201d she noted. \u201cSomeone makes a mistake, and they come to me saying, \u2018Oh boy, I really screwed up. How am I going to fix this?\u2019 But that\u2019s a great learning opportunity, and everyone\u2019s going to make mistakes. As a manager, you always have to be letting go a little bit to see what people have learned and what they need to address from that point on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Abbuhl doesn\u2019t see a clear solution to increasing the ranks of female executives in the office tech theater, but she feels the modest cadre of women in executive positions will continue to grow and benefit from awareness campaigns. \u201cWomen need to know that the executive path is very attainable,\u201d she said. \u201cThey may have special skill sets that they didn\u2019t even realize, and that it could make them better leaders than they ever thought.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stephanie Keating Phillips<br><\/strong><em>Director of Solutions and Production Print<br><\/em>Advanced Imaging Solutions (AIS)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Stephanie-Keating-Phillips.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56283\"\/><figcaption>Stephanie Keating Phillips<br>Advanced Imaging Solutions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Too often, college is viewed as only a vocational vehicle when its true value is as a growth and personal discovery facilitator. Executive leadership programs may be offered at many institutions, but there are numerous other outlets\u2014fraternities, social organizations and athletics, to name a few\u2014that can help develop next-generation leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phillips emerged from St. Thomas University with a dual degree in elementary education and communications. It became apparent to her not long before graduation day that teaching wasn\u2019t a profession she aspired to any longer. But she had a thirst for coaching and a desire to connect with people in a way that leveraged much of what she was taught about presentations (in the form of lesson plans), public speaking and business classes. Upon graduating, Phillips took a job as a secretary at her father\u2019s new company, AIS, but found it boring. She suggested tagging along with her father to learn the ropes around selling, including cold calling and demonstrating copiers, and it immediately paid dividends from a job satisfaction standpoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"610\" height=\"449\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Stephanie-Keating-Phillips-IA.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56282\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Stephanie-Keating-Phillips-IA.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Stephanie-Keating-Phillips-IA-300x221.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><figcaption>AIS&#8217; Stephanie Keating Phillips (center) joins Chelsey Bode (left) of Pearson-Kelly Technology and Brad Knepper of All Copy Products during a BTA panel earlier this year<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sports, perhaps as much as anything, set the tone for Phillips\u2019 foray into a leadership role. As a softball player, she gained more appreciation for the team dynamic and individual success as it applies to a winning outcome for the unit, in addition to supporting other team members in their endeavors. She has an affinity for employee candidates who\u2019ve been down her road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>As I\u2019ve grown as a leader, the biggest thing I\u2019ve changed is becoming a better listener than an answer-giver.<\/p><cite>\u2013 Stephanie Keating, Phillips Advanced Imaging Solutions<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI loved playing softball, and that provided me with so many different leadership capabilities,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re a former athlete looking to hire former athletes, you understand how difficult it is to navigate college and the social and academic components with their role on the team. That tells me a lot about the individual, and I think it\u2019s a perfect conduit for a really successful salesperson.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phillips believes the best way to connect with team members is through \u201cwalking the walk\u201d and leading by example while setting a precedent for expectations. She seeks to model herself after the people she respects, and in doing so, she empowers people to think for themselves without needing to turn to her for every decision. That breeds scenarios in which team members become more confident in their own decision-making and are more apt to feel progressively empowered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Feedback is a two-way street, and Phillips feels she\u2019s made strides in taking in information, enabling her to be a better leader and more effective seller. \u201cBeing able to listen rather than blurting out things is probably one of the toughest skills for salespeople,\u201d she said. \u201cAs I\u2019ve grown as a leader, the biggest thing I\u2019ve changed is becoming a better listener than an answer-giver.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phillips sees a far clearer path for female leadership opportunities than ever before, and she\u2019s hopeful for the day when helping them achieve their highest aspirations is no longer a talking point. She\u2019s active in Konica Minolta\u2019s Step Together program, launched in 2022 as a way to support and inspire female professional development at the dealer level. An offshoot of the manufacturer\u2019s internal Step Forward initiative, Step Together offers a blend of professional development sessions, guest speakers, networking opportunities and fun\/interactive events\u2013all with the purpose of building \u201cintentional leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re in a good place, but the progress definitely needs to continue,\u201d Phillips added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pamela Feld<br><\/strong><em>CEO<\/em><br>Triumph Technology Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Pamela-Feld.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56286\"\/><figcaption>Pamela Feld<br>Triumph Technology <br>Group<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing brings a smile to Feld\u2019s face quite like the subject of technology. The company she started from her garage more than 20 years ago, Triumph Technology Group, has shifted its focus considerably over the last 10 years. While it still serves a role as an office dealer, Feld\u2019s passion has found a home in cybersecurity, where she\u2019s certified to consult, train and speak. She loves sharing information and proffering solutions, such as her CEO tech community, for which she is actively seeking additional corporate sponsorship. She also hosts an SMB Tech boot camp, filling an important need she saw in the market to educate business verticals on the best path for making technology an asset as opposed to a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It might not be accurate to term Feld an anomaly as a female in the world of technology, though at one of her recent speaking engagements, there were about a half-dozen women among the 100 in attendance, and three were from Triumph. After 20 years of doing business in the technology world, Feld is surprised the ratio of women hasn\u2019t grown remarkably. Even among her clients attending speaking engagements, there are few females representing companies as CFOs or vice presidents, let alone CEOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not surprisingly, Feld embraces a leadership tact that closely resembles her consultative work with clients, with an emphasis on guiding, mentoring and inspiring. Once team members have been educated and trained, she wants to leave them alone to do their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"610\" height=\"444\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Pamela-Feld-IA.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Pamela-Feld-IA.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Pamela-Feld-IA-300x218.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><figcaption>Triumph\u2019s Pamela Feld makes a point during a presentation for CEO Success Community<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not a micromanager; I want to earn respect and show them the way to achieve excellence and even go beyond that,\u201d she said. \u201cYou want them to achieve their best while having a work-life balance, which is really important. I am a perfectionist, so it can be hard to let go sometimes. But I do as much as I can to remove those barriers and let people shine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>Too many women are having to choose between having a family and moving up the executive ladder while not working a ridiculous number of hours.<\/p><cite>\u2013 Pamela Feld, Triumph Technology Group<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Feld has made her presence felt far beyond Triumph\u2019s Tustin, California, home. She\u2019s involved in organizations including Women in Cybersecurity, the Cybersecurity Academy for Women, and is a past president for the International Technology Council. She\u2019s certified in cybersecurity assessment training from Webster University, serves on the leadership advisory council for the Women in Public Policy, and is the regional chair for WBEC-West as part of the Women\u2019s Business Enterprise National Council. She\u2019s also become an in-demand speaker in the technology space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She\u2019d like to see more educational programs and ongoing mentorship initiatives to help move the needle on female executive numbers. These need not be female-to-female mentoring vehicles, Feld noted, as men bear as much responsibility in helping foster future generations of C-level female executives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important that we embrace new ways of inviting women to the party and not be afraid of including them,\u201d Feld noted. \u201cOn the socio-economical side, I don\u2019t think enough is being done for low-income, minority students or women. We have too many tech jobs in this country going unfilled, especially in cybersecurity areas. I\u2019d love to be a part of creating more opportunities, and I\u2019m doing what I can in a small way. But we need to work harder for the next generation, because we should be much farther ahead than we are now. And equal pay remains a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe also need to do more to make work environments family-friendly. Too many women are having to choose between having a family and moving up the executive ladder while not working a ridiculous number of hours. I\u2019ve been fortunate to make it work, but there are a lot of women who can\u2019t navigate the work-life balance in the organizations they serve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Christie Wakefield<br><\/strong><em>Director Marketing\/Technology<br><\/em>Pacific Office Automation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Christie-Wakefield.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56289\"\/><figcaption>Christie Wakefield<br>Pacific Office Automation<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>With a BA in social sciences from Washington State University, Wakefield had no earthly clue as to what direction she wanted her career to take. She\u2019d been working three jobs in the Seattle region until getting approached for an open sales position. Wakefield\u2019s first test was to hunt down 50 leads; actually, the real test was first figuring out what was a lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The setback was temporary. Wakefield hit the call list with furious aplomb and worked tirelessly around the clock to secure as much business as possible. She joined IKON Office Solutions in 2009, where her relentless attack in prospecting quickly catapulted her from rep to sales manager, followed by regional sales oversight. When IKON was absorbed by Ricoh, she became a field marketing manager for the OEM\u2019s West region. What started as a fallback until Wakefield could finish graduate school (she later picked up her MBA from WSU) led to a significant role in the dealer space and eventually to a position with Pacific Office Automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"610\" height=\"407\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Christie-Wakefield-IA.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Christie-Wakefield-IA.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Christie-Wakefield-IA-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><figcaption>Christie Wakefield delivers a presentation during POA\u2019s annual meeting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLeadership is about influence,\u201d Wakefield observed. \u201cWhether you\u2019re motivating a peer or putting your head down and powering through a mountain of work, you\u2019re setting an example for someone around you. Choosing to lead means you\u2019re influential in guiding an organization to a common goal and you take personal responsibility to achieve it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reaching that common goal requires a collaborative approach she embraces. Setting an example is critical, as she follows the mantra that \u201cthe speed of the leader sets the speed of the pack.\u201d That\u2019s evidenced by a willingness to do anything one would ask someone else to take on. And she\u2019s not reluctant to admit that she leads with heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>I try wholeheartedly to speak with compassion and listen with empathy. I believe those qualities make a person a leader.<\/p><cite>\u2013 Christie Wakefield, Pacific Office Automation<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEmotions attached to leadership isn\u2019t always a bad thing,\u201d Wakefield noted. \u201cI care about the team and the company. I try wholeheartedly to speak with compassion and listen with empathy. I believe those qualities make a person a leader.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wakefield believes the industry has made considerable strides in supporting women in executive career aspirations; during her nearly 15 years, she\u2019s seen a marked growth of female dealer principals who are \u201ccrushing it\u201d on both the dealer and manufacturer end. Victory shows a viable path for those motivated to excel, she believes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wakefield was recently invited to attend CRN\u2019s Women of the Channel. It\u2019s a prime example of like-minded individuals seeking to support each other. The opportunities, she says, are there for the taking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMotivated people will always find a way, and fortunately there are more and more leadership conferences popping up and peer groups to join for those with career aspirations looking for support,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much to gain from attending events that highlight what\u2019s possible by showcasing powerful female role models and their experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Susie Woodhull<br><\/strong><em>CEO<\/em><br>Woodhull LLC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Susie-Woodhull.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56291\"\/><figcaption>Susie Woodhull<br>Woodhull LLC<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>How does a stockbroker from Dayton, Ohio, find her way into the office dealer world as a top executive? It wasn\u2019t quite a linear journey for Susie Woodhull. A year after marrying Jay Woodhull, her father-in-law, Jim, asked if she\u2019d be interested in selling OCR scanners for his office dealer company, which she did for a few years. After Jay took over the business from his father, he asked Susie to take control of the company\u2019s service and admin functions while he spearheaded sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jay eventually sold the company to Alco Standard (later IKON Office Solutions), and the Woodhulls decided to leave the company. But Susie had become totally immersed in the industry and wanted to revive the company name. So she purchased a Gestetner (now Ricoh) dealer and grew the firm from less than $1 million in 2001 to its current level of $25 million, backed by 75 employees, including two of the original firm\u2019s executives and her son, Robert (Jay left the industry).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"610\" height=\"407\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Susie-Woodhull-IA.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56290\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Susie-Woodhull-IA.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Susie-Woodhull-IA-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><figcaption>Woodhull LLC CEO Susie Woodhull provides a tour for a client<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe were growing so quickly from the day we started; our heads were spinning,\u201d she related. \u201cOnce we got to about $17-$18 million, we said, hey, let\u2019s stop and smell the roses. We\u2019ve had a compound growth rate of 15-17% and managed to adapt to it. Looking back, had I known how much work it would take and considering that our kids were so young when I started the company, I might have been scared off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leading by example has long been the thrust for Woodhull. She pictures herself as more of an in-the-trenches commander than a figurehead providing guidance from the corner suite. If that behavior and success is impactful and inspirational enough to compel team members to follow suit, then Woodhull has accomplished the job she intended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>At our company picnic recently, I told our employees that if they ever decide to start their own business, I pray that they\u2019re lucky like me to have people who jump on board with you and share the journey.<\/p><cite>\u2013 Susie Woodhull, Woodhull LLC<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Woodhull believes incorporating team members\u2019 ideas and suggestions into her decision-making process is essential to being an inclusive leader and understanding the consensus of her unit. Occasionally, she\u2019ll opt to go in a different direction, which isn\u2019t a decision she takes lightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen you make those types of judgment calls and take the lead, it\u2019s important to be right,\u201d Woodhull added. \u201cYou want to earn the honor to invoke that power again in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not a micromanager; that tends to turn people off. People want to be seen and heard. At our company picnic recently, I told our employees that if they ever decide to start their own business, I pray that they\u2019re lucky like me to have people who jump on board with you and share the journey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She cited The Cannata Report\u2019s annual Women Influencers feature as a positive showcase of the industry\u2019s top female leaders, yet she believes more can be done to champion the cause of leadership development for women. \u201cI find that report enlightening, but there aren\u2019t too many examples of recognizing enough women,\u201d Woodhull said. \u201cThe good thing is, we seem to have a lot more women owners than there were when I first got into the business. Progress is being made.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lauren Hanna<br><\/strong><em>Vice President of Sales<br><\/em>Blue Technologies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Lauren-Hanna-Blue-Technologies.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56293\"\/><figcaption>Lauren Hanna<br>Blue Technologies<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It started out innocently enough: the father-daughter combination of Paul and Lauren Hanna met at an expensive steakhouse to discuss her future job options. She\u2019d wanted to get his opinion on two employment offers she\u2019d been weighing. Instead, the elder Hanna suggested she come work for his company, Blue Technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the idea had crossed her mind, she was also cognizant of her father\u2019s disdain for perceived nepotism. She would have to produce. However, a behavioral analysis performed on her by celebrated industry consultant Mike Riordan confirmed that not only would she make an ideal salesperson, but that she also boasted the quality attributes of an executive. Winning the company\u2019s annual sales leader award in her first full year effectively put to rest any \u201cdaddy ball\u201d murmurs, and her penchant for being a quick study in areas such as production print, enterprise accounts and managed IT only further validated her ascension to vice president of sales during a 13-year journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Hanna, leadership is about ensuring individuals and teams have a full understanding of the company\u2019s strategic goals and are aligned with them. \u201cLeadership means a lot of different things at different times,\u201d she said. \u201cThe number-one goal is uniting that team. It\u2019s making sure that your goals are communicated, reiterated, reinforced and reevaluated regularly. I love finding new customers and writing new business, but building that layer of leadership and learning from team members is all part of the unification piece.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>We live in a world where it\u2019s become commonplace to point out everyone\u2019s flaws, blame other people and point out the worst in everything.<\/p><cite>\u2013 Lauren Hanna, Blue Technologies<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s nothing Hanna loves more than face-to-face interactions. The trend of virtual meetings make her cringe. \u201cDeath by email\u201d and incessant meetings without purpose are among her other pet peeves. She loves taking a hands-on approach with team members, but not in a micromanaging sense. Hanna wants to be a sounding board for ideas or an extra set of hands for an involved project. And as a newer parent, her maternal instincts have triggered the desire to continuously nurture young team members as they ascend through the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"610\" height=\"558\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Lauren-Hanna-IA.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Lauren-Hanna-IA.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Lauren-Hanna-IA-300x274.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><figcaption>Lauren Hanna gets to the top of Blue Technologies&#8217; inventory situation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m really motivated to discover the potential in someone,\u201d she said. \u201cWe live in a world where it\u2019s become commonplace to point out everyone\u2019s flaws, blame other people and point out the worst in everything. Especially on social media\u2014it\u2019s all negative. When I look at my team members, I try to find positive things they don\u2019t see in themselves. I\u2019ll give them a task, and when they say they\u2019re not good at something, I\u2019ll say I know they have it in them to take on the challenge. You\u2019re not a good leader if you can\u2019t make other people, and yourself, better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Supporting females in their quest to grow their careers certainly doesn\u2019t fall just on the shoulders of other women, and Hanna is proud of the fact that her team (both men and women) takes an active role in empowering them. She feels it\u2019s also important to help longtime female employees re-evaluate their positions within the company and assess whether they\u2019d be better served, from a professional development standpoint, in a different role with the firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Networking is essential. Hanna seeks to have her female IT engineers and project managers avail themselves of networking events outside the normal workday and build their circle. Documenting employee performance and providing feedback on how they can become stronger employees and leverage the resources at their disposal are key to reaching the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt the end of the day, building up that confidence is the biggest thing,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A glance at the calendar shows that it\u2019s 2023. So why is there still a dearth of women as high-level executives in the office technology space\u2014or any industry, for that matter? The Helen Reddy \u201cI am woman\u201d train left the station in 1971, yet we\u2019re still waiting for it to arrive. The number of top female executives support the notion we\u2019re falling well short of expectations. That women are capable of navigating businesses from the corner office suite is an unquestionable given; the fact that they aren\u2019t doing so in even mediocre (let alone meaningful) numbers is sad. A perusal of the 2022 Elite Dealer list revealed 14 women at the top executive level, which is exactly 11%. Several were listed as \u201cprincipals,\u201d which means they may only have a financial interest in the company and aren\u2019t active in operations. Some are half of husband\/wife tandems. Others are family members. Adjustments were made for promotions. Given the unscientific nature of this \u201cstudy,\u201d we\u2019ll denote a \u00b13% margin for error, which is hardly encouraging that the true number is significantly higher. What\u2019s even more sobering is the fact that fewer than five women (out of 123 companies) would be considered non-family members who were hired to lead the company or were later promoted to the top spot. We\u2019ll round it up to 4% (though that\u2019s being generous) while making the allowance that office dealers are largely family-owned and independent. Considering Fortune magazine earlier this year revealed that women now run more than 10% of Fortune 500 companies, it seems female execs are faring much better in the larger corporate realm than they are in the office dealer space. Fortunately, there are many quality female executives operating at or just below the CEO level who are rock stars in the dealer community. Most of them require no introduction, and chances are you\u2019ve seen several of them delivering presentations at industry events or sat next to them in peer groups. The common thread among them is their propensity for demonstrating leadership skills that have elevated their respective companies to top positions within their respective markets. In this month\u2019s State of the Industry report, we offer six shining examples of female leaders in action\u2014their journeys, leadership style and the opportunities they see for other women who aspire to reach the executive pinnacle. Dawn AbbuhlPresidentRepeat Business Systems One could argue that Abbuhl never needed to carve out her place in this industry, but in hindsight, it\u2019s safe to say it was one of the best decisions she ever made. Abbuhl and her husband, John, founded Repeat Business Systems (RBS) in 1987, selling fax machines out of their Albany, New York, headquarters. Their product\/service menu grew as technology and the needs of clients continued to evolve. She admits getting \u201csucked into\u201d the industry, and over the years she\u2019s teetered on the cusp of cutting-edge and bleeding-edge technologies\u2014she has a theoretical blooper reel of offerings that never quite hit the mark. Abbuhl can laugh them off; many of the gambles have paid off handsomely, but the misfires only illustrate her willingness to go off script in finding new ways to serve clients. What you may not know about Abbuhl: by day, she\u2019s a mild-mannered office dealer proprietor, and by night (and weekends), she\u2019s known as Dr. Dawn Abbuhl, a licensed psychologist with Access Therapy Group and a former preschool special education teacher who works with children under the age of five. Some execs golf in their spare time. Abbuhl counsels children and their families to make positive changes that can enhance and facilitate growth and maturity. While not intended, the psychology element has served Abbuhl well in not only developing a leadership style, but in understanding people on a deeper level. By no means is she a finished product\u2014continuing education in the areas of motivation and leadership enhances her ability to listen, understand and empathize. As successive generations flow into RBS, she\u2019s come to understand their frame of reference as well as how they communicate and relate to one another. Abbuhl consciously dispels the generational tropes and understands that while baby boomer and Gen Z employees may have markedly different attributes, she seeks to relate to them on a more meaningful, personal basis. Women need to know that the executive path is very attainable. They may have special skill sets that they didn\u2019t even realize, and that it could make them better leaders than they ever thought. \u2013 Dawn Abbuhl, Repeat Business Systems \u201cI make sure to get to know each person,\u201d she said. \u201cEvery person is motivated differently. Some people [at RBS] are motivated by just selling a lot and being financially successful. Some people are motivated by having autonomy; they want to be able to make decisions, feel good about them and have the respect from me or their supervisor to make those decisions. Winning drives other people, and some want to just be proud of themselves or better for their families. We have every type of person on the planet in this company, and I have to understand their motivations first in order to be an effective leader for them.\u201d The path to company growth requires providing autonomy to department heads in order to avoid micromanaging. The \u201cletting go\u201d isn\u2019t absolute; department and sub-managers must continue to demonstrate an ability to direct team members until Abbuhl and her immediate directs feel comfortable with their progress in applying taught skills. It\u2019s not a perfect process, but rather an ongoing one. \u201cSometimes I step back too soon,\u201d she noted. \u201cSomeone makes a mistake, and they come to me saying, \u2018Oh boy, I really screwed up. How am I going to fix this?\u2019 But that\u2019s a great learning opportunity, and everyone\u2019s going to make mistakes. As a manager, you always have to be letting go a little bit to see what people have learned and what they need to address from that point on.\u201d Abbuhl doesn\u2019t see a clear solution to increasing the ranks of female executives [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1641],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56274"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56274"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56438,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56274\/revisions\/56438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}