NALP’s Elevate Conference Spotlights Women in Green Industry at Opening Event

The National Association of Landscape Professionals’ (NALP) Elevate conference has quickly become one of the Landscape industry’s premier events. Before Elevate officially opens on November 4th – 6th, NALP will host an all-day Women’s Forum to connect women to networking opportunities within the Green industry.

Women are a growing presence in the industry, but breaking into the business can be difficult. Jane Donahue, Dealer Sales Manager for Hustler, shares some of her experiences as well as advice for starting a career in the Outdoor Power Equipment business.

For Jane, being open, honest, and communicative are the key ingredients for building successful relationships, which over time have proved to be the foundation of her Hustler sales territory growth. As a naturally curious and technically-minded person, Jane explained, “I’ve always allowed my colleagues and customers to explain and show me things that I don’t know or don’t know how to accomplish”. When asked to share advice she would give to other women entering the business, she said that, “it’s important to be yourself and communicate effectively. Listen and learn before you suggest making changes. Try new things and always be curious.”

Jane has seen the industry change quite a bit since starting her career with Hustler in 2003. She believes many of those changes have occurred in the post-COVID era as a result of challenging business and economic conditions. “These past couple of years have caused manufacturer representative jobs to evolve more into business partners and advisors to our customers”. She feels it’s essential to be a strong advocate for her dealers, encouraging them to stay the course serving their local customer base during tough times. Jane also noted that her customers are very accepting of women in the industry because, “they know that we care and want to keep their businesses healthy, so that they continue selling great products in their communities.”

Visit Hustler Booth #1407 at the Elevate Conference at the Charlotte Convention Center on November 4th through November 6th.

Learn more about the Elevate Women’s Forum.

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