International Women's Day 2022

 

       Tuesday, March 8th, marks the 11th celebration of International Women's Day, although women have been campaigning for equal rights long before the first official celebration. International Women's Day exists to uplift women by celebrating their achievements, shed light on the injustices that women still face today, collaborate and support women's organizations and inspire people to do the same. Each year marks a new theme; in 2022, we celebrate Break The Bias. Break The Bias aims to educate people on the conscious and unconscious bias against women and dismantle the oppression women face both within and beyond the workplace.

       Historically, the RV industry is male-dominated. That hasn't stopped us at Arrkann Trailer & RV from having women working in every department- including a female CEO, Sarah Baptiste. This year, we are participating in Break The Bias by elevating the voices of some of the most talented women in the RV industry. These women are clever, organized, resourceful, self-reliant and play a significant role in your #BestTripEver.

       We asked what advice they would give to other women considering a career in the RV industry. Visit our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts to read more inspiration from more of the most knowledgeable women in this industry.

"To truly understand what 'better service' means, you need to listen to what your customers are saying to know where you're excelling and where you're falling short." -Sarah Baptiste, CEO. Sarah's statement rings true given the high volume of five-star reviews and recommendations Arrkann has received at each location. Please don't take my word for it, though; read our testimonials here: https://www.arrkannrv.com/arrkann-testimonials.

"Don't be scared to take the leap. Joining a male-dominated industry is nerve-racking, but everyone is very welcoming, and we all have the same goal: to succeed." -Chantel Miller, RV Outfitter. Chantel joined the RV industry in 2021 and maintains a positive perspective- that it's "refreshing" to have women in this industry.

"Whatever you do, be bold and authentic. If you do this, you will stand out." -Jamie Lee O'Neil, Fixed Operations Manager. When it comes to Jamie's teamwork and leadership dependability, the words "bold" and "authentic" are a severe understatement. In the Summer of 2021, Jamie teamed up with Dispatcher Nikita Hemmings to completely gut and renovate a used travel trailer. Check out their hard work here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLffxqK5Gmfz6nXB9sKqH-FtJlDHU4vtP2.

"Never be afraid to ask questions." -Ally Chadbourn, Service Administrator. It wouldn't be possible to write a blog about powerful women without mentioning our service team members. She lends her experience and versatility to us, adding, "RVs and the industry continue to change and grow" - and so do we.

"When in doubt, cross the bridge- even if you have to build it first. Whether that means learning something new or building new relationships, amazing things await you on the other side." -Angie Schafer, Service Administrator. If you've had your unit serviced in Medicine Hat, you have Angie to thank for the outstanding customer service.

"I would say the big thing is to be willing to meet challenges head-on and to use those challenges to encourage growth in the industry and in yourself. Just because things have been done a certain way for years doesn't mean that there isn't a better way to do something. Challenge yourself to find ways to streamline your day-to-day processes to work better for you individually and for the company as a whole, and embrace that challenge as a chance to grow and improve your skills. Once you've met that challenge and beaten it, look for a new challenge so that you can continually grow and learn. It makes your daily work more interesting and allows you to prove to yourself (and often to others) that you can do anything you set your mind to" -Carissa Bylsma, Service Administrator. Carissa inspires the people around them to be the best version of themselves. I challenge you to find a question that Carissa can't answer.

"Earn respect from your co-workers by working hard, offering assistance where you can, and always being kind. There may be some qualities that you don't like about someone, but everyone has good qualities … so focus on finding those good qualities." -Brenda Rolin, Sales Assistant. We can easily attribute our success to having a positive attitude when facing challenging situations.

       This guidance doesn't even begin to sum up the advice our team has to offer. We will continue to share guidance on our social media platforms and encourage everyone at Arrkann RV to Break The Bias. We're fortunate to learn from such a successful & influential group of women at each location. Before you even consider doubting them, remember that our trailers are sold by women, our shops are scheduled by women, our administrative work is completed by women and everything in between benefits from having women on the team.