Her Story
About Ciandra
Ciandra X is a sales and marketing professional in the automotive industry with five years of experience. She has held her current position for one and a half years, where she focuses on identifying revenue options, developing promotions, and strategizing product offerings for clients such as collision and mechanical shops. Prior to entering the automotive field, she worked in banking, supporting small business owners, after initially being declined for an automotive role straight out of college. Ciandra holds a master's degree in Integrated Marketing and Communication from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina Spartanburg. She also earned certification as a Certified Sourcing Professional through SIG University. She attributes her success to supportive co-workers and managers who encouraged her to think creatively and outside the box. Ciandra values authenticity, work-life balance, and creativity in her professional life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ciandra
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say just my co-workers, my managers, they never giving up on me, helping me to think differently. I had a boss who was always on me about thinking differently, be creative, think outside of the box.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received so far is to be authentic. Never lose yourself in a job, and remember to keep that work-life balance is the biggest one.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say never give up. Especially like I mentioned before, I wanted to get into the automotive industry, got told no, had to pivot, but eventually got back to the goal. So the biggest thing is just to never give up on what you want to accomplish and your dreams.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is trying to find women who are in the industry to help navigate since it's such a male-dominant industry. Being a woman of color as well, really trying to find that tribe to help you navigate the industry.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
From a work standpoint, I really value creativity. From a personal standpoint, connection, and being true to yourself for both.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.