Her Story
About Marlinda
Marlinda Phillips is an accomplished automotive executive, mentor, and people-first leader with nearly 30 years of experience in dealership operations, leadership development, and operational strategy. Beginning her career in 1997 as a cashier, Marlinda worked her way through the automotive industry to become Chief Operating Officer of Don Jackson Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram North, the #1 volume CDJR dealership in Georgia for 2025.
Marlinda Phillips didn’t wait for a seat at the table — she brought her own chair.
Throughout her career, she has built a reputation as more than an operational powerhouse. Marlinda is known as a culture-builder, mentor, and fearless advocate for leadership development within the automotive industry. Having spent her career with the same dealership family across three generations of ownership, she has played an instrumental role in dealership growth, operational transitions, acquisitions, expansions, and organizational change — helping create a culture rooted in accountability, teamwork, and long-term success.
Her expertise spans fixed operations, manufacturer compliance, warranty administration, customer experience, process improvement, and strategic dealership leadership. She is widely recognized for combining operational discipline with strong communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence to drive measurable business results while building strong, high-performing teams.
Marlinda’s experience reaches every corner of dealership operations. She has overseen dealership openings and transitions, supported operational growth across multiple locations, and successfully led teams through periods of rapid change and expansion. Her ability to bring structure, stability, and leadership to fast-moving environments has made her a trusted and respected force within the organization.
Beyond operations, Marlinda remains deeply committed to mentorship and workforce development — particularly when it comes to creating opportunities for women in automotive. Long before mentorship became a buzzword, she was coaching future leaders, helping service advisors, managers, technicians, and employees across every department find confidence, strengthen their voice, and build meaningful careers.
She has led mentorship initiatives, participated in workforce development programs, and overseen job fairs and career development opportunities designed to attract and develop the next generation of automotive professionals — especially women entering leadership and technical automotive roles where representation continues to matter.
In addition to her operational leadership, Marlinda is actively involved in community outreach initiatives that support women rebuilding their lives, with confidence, dignity, and opportunity. Her leadership philosophy reflects her belief that great leaders create more leaders — and that strong performance and people-first leadership go hand in hand.
Marlinda is also known throughout the industry for her now-famous leadership message:
“I don’t make coffee.”
What began as a bold and witty statement evolved into a powerful reminder that women in automotive are here to lead, innovate, problem-solve, and shape the future of the industry — not sit quietly on the sidelines. Her expanded personal motto, “I don’t make coffee — I build careers,” has become a defining reflection of her leadership style, passion for mentorship, and commitment to developing future leaders within the automotive industry.
As a Women at the Wheel 2024 honoree, Marlinda continues to inspire through both her accomplishments and the people she empowers along the way. Her legacy is measured not only by operational success, but by the careers she has helped build, the barriers she has challenged, and the doors she continues to open for others.
Marlinda Phillips is helping redefine leadership in automotive — ensuring more women are confidently in the driver’s seat while building stronger teams, stronger cultures, and stronger organizations for the future.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Marlinda
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to consistency, resilience, and people. I’ve never been afraid to work hard, learn every part of the business, or step into challenges others avoided. I believe success comes from earning trust, leading by example, and helping others grow along the way.
I’ve also been fortunate to work with a dealership family that believed in loyalty, growth, and giving people opportunities to lead. After nearly 30 years in the automotive industry and working through three generations of ownership, I’ve learned that strong culture, accountability, and investing in people will always outperform ego.
Most importantly, I attribute my success to refusing to let limitations define me. In an industry where women were often underestimated, I chose to bring my own chair instead of waiting for permission to sit at the table.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received was simple: “Learn every part of the business.”
That advice shaped my entire career. I never wanted to be the person who only understood one department or one title. I asked questions, stayed curious, and learned operations from the ground up — from cashiering to fixed operations to leadership and executive management.
Another piece of advice that stayed with me was: “Your title might earn attention, but your character earns respect.” That taught me that leadership isn’t about power — it’s about consistency, accountability, and how you treat people when nobody is watching.
The biggest lesson I carry with me today is that success isn’t just about what you accomplish personally — it’s about how many people you help grow along the way. Real leadership is creating opportunities, building confidence in others, and leaving the door open wider for the next person walking through it.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the automotive industry is simple: don’t wait for permission to belong here — you already do.
This industry can be challenging, and there may be moments where you feel underestimated, overlooked, or expected to stay small. Don’t. Speak up. Ask questions. Learn every part of the business you can. Confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything on day one — it comes from being willing to learn, grow, and keep showing up.
Find mentors who will challenge you, support you, and remind you of your value when you forget it yourself. I was fortunate to learn from strong leaders throughout my career, and now one of the most rewarding parts of my journey is helping open doors for other women behind me.
Also, never believe that you have to change who you are to succeed. You can be strong and compassionate. You can lead with both accountability and empathy. Some of the best leaders I’ve ever known cared deeply about people while still holding high standards.
And most importantly — pull another woman up with you when you climb. There’s room for all of us at the table. Actually… if there isn’t, bring your own chair.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in automotive right now is attracting and retaining great people — especially the next generation of leaders and technicians. The industry is evolving faster than ever with technology, EVs, digital retailing, and changing customer expectations, but people are still the heart of this business. If we don’t invest in training, mentorship, and culture, we risk losing incredible talent before they ever see their potential.
At the same time, I believe this is one of the greatest opportunities our industry has ever had.
Automotive is no longer just about selling or servicing vehicles — it’s about leadership, innovation, customer experience, and creating careers that can truly change lives. We have an opportunity to modernize the culture of automotive and open more doors for women and underrepresented groups who may not have previously seen themselves in this industry.
I’m especially passionate about showing women they belong here — not just in support roles, but in leadership, operations, fixed ops, sales, and technical positions. That’s why mentorship, job fairs, and career development initiatives matter so much to me.
The dealerships that will succeed in the future are the ones that invest in people just as much as profit. Culture is no longer optional — it’s a business strategy.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me in both my work and personal life are integrity, loyalty, accountability, and compassion.
I believe integrity is everything. Your reputation is built by what you do consistently — especially when nobody is watching. In an industry built on relationships and trust, being honest, dependable, and standing behind your word matters.
Loyalty is also deeply important to me. I’ve spent nearly 30 years with the same dealership family through three generations of ownership because I believe in building something meaningful over time, growing with people, and showing up for your team through both the challenges and the successes.
Accountability has been a major part of my leadership style. I hold myself to high standards, and I believe strong leaders create environments where people are supported, challenged, and encouraged to grow. I never ask anyone to do something I wouldn’t do myself.
But above all, compassion matters most. You never truly know what someone is carrying behind the scenes. Whether it’s mentoring employees, supporting women entering the industry, or helping someone find confidence in themselves, I believe people perform their best when they feel valued, respected, and believed in.
At the end of the day, success means very little if you haven’t helped people along the way.
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