Her Story
About Chrystal
I started my career in the medical field working in management and medical billing, but I wasn't enjoying it, so I decided to make a change. I put my resume out and got hired at Mountain Supply as a purchasing assistant, even though it meant taking a lesser position. After about two years, I moved up to purchasing agent and spent about five years total in purchasing. When our showroom was growing, they asked me to move to showroom sales, which I'd never done before. I discovered I was really good with people and created a new system for how we did things. They liked my approach so much that they started having me train pretty much everybody coming on board. I worked with Jeff McDowell, the director of LPG (Luxury Product Groups), who became my mentor. He had a course on showroom management that I took over about a year, and he gave the nudge to Mike Ruby, the owner of Mountain Supply, that they needed a showroom manager and I'd be great at it. They gave me the chance, and now I manage all three of our showrooms in Missoula, Bozeman, and Billings. I've been focusing heavily on designers this last year, and it's really been paying off with high dollar sales and bigger, higher-end line sales coming out of our showroom than we ever have in the past. I recently became a member of the LPG board, which is a national buying group, and I was on their training committee for the last year.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Chrystal
01What do you attribute your success to?
I'm a very competitive person, and I think that really shapes who I am and how I've gotten so far. If I get told no, I go back and I figure out how to make it better and do it again. It doesn't hurt my feelings when something doesn't work out or I need to do better, because that's just part of that competitive mentality. I grew up playing sports and that focus on athletics really shaped my work ethic. I don't like to settle for where I'm at - I'm always trying to find something to keep me focused and learning. I love to learn new things. When I get something, I take it on, and I learn it, and I do it the best I can. I also work really hard to show what I'm capable of. I took on management duties before I had the title of showroom manager because I wanted to show them that I deserved it and that they needed it.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would love to share what I've gone through and how it's just a great feeling. I would love to show them what I did to give them the same opportunities that I had.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I put a lot of what I do into my business because I love it and have passion for it. Mountain Supply has been a great company and has given me a ton of opportunity, so I owe a lot to them. I'm very loyal. I work really hard in my career, but I also love having fun. I play women's hockey and have for 7 years - I've even gone to professional camps in the summer to get better. Hockey is really important to me, I love it and I love the community. It keeps me focused and balanced. I always try to have something new going on because I don't like to settle for where I'm at.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Montana
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.