Like many people, Katherine Wilson our Ford Sales Consultant, was craving the warmth and sunshine the Gold Coast offers. A sea change had been on the cards for Katherine for a while, but enjoying her role at Peter Warren Automotive in Sydney, she held off. When an internal position opened here at Frizelle Sunshine, Katherine knew it was an opportunity too good to pass up and jumped at the chance to relocate through the group.

Katherine started her career in automotive with Peter Warren Automotive in September of 2013, working in Car Care across 12 brands. In 2015, she decided to move forward into a sales position, a decision Katherine says she is grateful for.

"I was extremely supported in my move from Car Care into sales, with a passion and interest in cars, it made the transition not only easier but exciting. I continued to grow and at the end of 2018, along with 4 of my colleagues, I was recommended to take part in the Ford Business Leadership Programme, which is a partnership between Ford Australia and Swinburne University. In November 2019 I graduated and was ready for my next challenge."

When you're as passionate as Katherine, it's inevitable you'll keep doing great things. With her new found niche in sales, a role that balanced her love of people and thirst for excelling, she was hungry for more experiences in the realm. Katherine says, "I had been thinking about moving to Queensland for some years now, I love the heat and prefer a more relaxed lifestyle. I saw Sunshine Ford advertising a New Car Sales position in October last year on the internal job vacancies and it just seemed like the right time for my next chapter."

It quickly became apparent that the wheels were in motion for Katherine's awaited sea change. "I had some colleagues in Sydney make a friendly call/enquiry on my behalf and before I knew it, after a couple of phone interviews later Sash gave me the job."

Interstate moves are often a complicated ordeal, however, Katherine reflects differently on the moving experience with the aid of the transfer. "Moving interstate is often difficult enough, being able to not only transfer internally within the company but also within the same brand and same role was a blessing."

The transition to the laidback lifestyle here has been a highlight for Katherine. With the beach close by, she has found a new balance in life. She says, "The standout difference between to Sydney and the Gold Coast, as you can imagine, is the traffic and pace of lifestyle. Whilst I am working almost the same amount of hours, I have developed more of a focus on the importance of a work life balance. I have time to stop, breath and smile. I have time to walk my dog, to go to the beach and to see daylight. I have a career and a life."

As for what's in store for the future, Katherine wants to give back in the same way her mentors helped shape her. She says, "I am still striving to grow and learn and hopefully one day move into management positions within the company. One day I hope to be able to give back. I want to achieve targets and goals for myself as well as mentor and inspire young talent as so many of my managers and colleagues have done for me."

Katherine's attitude serves as a great reminder to leaders. When you build up your employees, they continue the legacy down the line. We can't wait to see where Katherine ends up next on her journey with us!