Eva Gregory

Undoubtedly my network and community. I have an incredible support system of what I refer to as my chosen family with incredible mentors and leaders who let me learn through failure and allowed room for that. Having the confidence to experience failure and know that you can try again is really incredible and my support system I would be nowhere without them.

Always give yourself the reason for the no. For people there's a lot of we're scared to take the first step or we're waiting for someone to open a door for us and I would rather encourage do everything that you can so that if someone else says no you know that you still did everything you could. Give yourself the chance to say no rather than having someone else tell you no.

I would encourage them that they are allowed to take up space. It's very easy for women to feel small or to doubt ourselves or feel imposter syndrome and the reality is if you're in a room somebody believes you were meant to be there and I think that's enough. So it's okay to take up space.

The biggest challenges are having the supporters the support system and the agency to be able to determine that something doesn't have to be just because that's the way it's been. There are folks in automotive that maybe have some traditional mindsets or well it's worked for this long and something can work but you're also missing out on potential opportunities. Now is an opportune time for people to come in and shake things up and bring fresh perspective but also real value along with it.

For me the highest values in my professional life would really be collaboration and encouraging others to grow. There's a lot of negative connotation when someone is coming to you as a mentor and they outgrow you that should always be celebrated. It should always be an accomplishment when they go on to the next thing. Empowering people that are coming up in the trails behind me hopefully I get to see them supersede me one day.