Women in Carwash II 

Right out of the Park!

Just ask the attendees of the inaugural May 2019 Women in Carwash conference who came back to attend the follow-up conference in Arlington Texas for their feedback:

We wanted to take this concept to another level and to tie the conference together under a powerful theme” says the event’s co-organizer, Brenda Johnstone. “To help us get there, we turned to Paul Krismer, an emerging global public speaker and certified executive coach.

Krismer offered a series of presentations beginning with an inspiring keynote presentation titled Happiness and Success–The Serious Business of Positive Emotions. The next day followed with a session on The 21st Century Demand for Women Leaders and ended with a session on transformational leadership and Stepping Beyond the Limitations of Management.

“It was exciting to work with a whole new generation of women leaders in the carwash industry in Arlington,” states Krismer. “These forward-thinking women are changing what once was a male-dominated industry. We will take the learning even deeper at the upcoming June 22-24 conference in Niagara Falls. Amy Boudreau and I are planning some powerful experimental learning. We hope to not just shift the way we think about women in leadership, but also who we are as people in the world.” 

This is No Echo Chamber – 

One of the unique features of the Women in Carwash conference is that it is gender inclusive. That’s right. Women in Carwash offers a taste of the new business environment that women in the carwashing industry are creating. Men who want to attend and celebrate what is happening in the industry, engage in meaningful discussions, and learn about how they can participate in positive change are most welcome, says Johnstone. “You can’t have meaningful discussions if the parties to the discussion are purposefully excluded because then you risk creating an echo chamber that can have a stifling effect on the positive development we are seeing.” 

Coming very soon: Women in Carwash III

The next Women in Carwash is coming up soon and will take place in Niagara Falls, Ontario on June 22-24, 2020. In order to maintain the intimacy of the first two conference attendance will be limited. Don’t wait to the last minute, register now! www.womenincarwash.com.

“I’ve been humbled by the calibre of the participants and our emerging vision for Women in Carwash is rooted in what they have left with us, and inspired by what we can give back,” says conference co-organizer Andrew Klukas. “The first two events were very special. The one coming up in June will be exceptional!”

For more information and to register, visit www.womeincarwash.com.

 

FROM WRITTEN FEEDBACK:

This was great because there was an immediate sense of community and connections were made instantly. This has also re-energized me and taught me a lot that I will be taking back to the workplace. Such amazing women! 

The atmosphere is that it’s a safe environment to ask questions, share ideas & hear other solutions! I liked the guest speakers, the quality was high and the content was relevant.

Paul Krismer’s sessions were an abundance of information & my best takeaway… The networking & meeting women in multiple industries & levels within companies has been awesome. 

Loved it & can’t wait for Niagara!

I was able to meet and connect with other women in similar yet very different walks of life and we were able to connect on how we got where we are and help each other get where we want to go. There is a wonderful sense of support in the whole group. 

 

FROM THE CONFERENCE SURVEY:

Did this event meet your expectations (any disappointments?)?

It was well above my expectations. All too often conferences might have a couple good points, but I have to say I was impressed by all the speakers and the people I met. Absolutely no disappointments

Did this conference have any impact on your sense of belonging in the industry? Who or how were you impacted?

It opened my eyes to the amount of women in the carwash industry who are already leaders. My experience thus far has been at the big trade shows and it is dominated by men.

Was the atmosphere at this conference different from other conferences or events you have attended? If so, how?

Yes, it was much more relaxed and family like. No pressure and I did not feel like I was “on” the entire time. Everything felt like it was from the heart.

 

POST-CONFERENCE COMMENTS:

The first word that comes to mind is empowering. My favourite part of the conference was being able to network and get to know people who have been in the business for 20+ years and learn from them. It is empowering to see women in the industry who are experiencing some of the same challenges that you have and understanding how they have overcome and are currently overcoming the challenges.

It was really cool seeing men attend the conference because they understand the direction of the industry and are wanting to learn how to work better and unite with women in the industry for the success of their businesses.

I would absolutely recommend attending the next conference. 

Crystal Arnold 

ZEP Vehicle Care

 

I really enjoyed the instant welcoming and accepting feeling when I walked into the conference. It was rejuvenating with all the support from the women at the conference. I returned to work with a new-found strength to push on and keep doing my best.

I really enjoyed that the conference wasn’t all sitting and listening. It was very interactive. 

Lauren Wardwell

Zips Car Wash

 

For me, being one of the few males attending the conference, it was enlightening. I attended the first one in Niagara Falls in 2019, and while I wished that the attendance was larger, there is a great benefit to the intimacy of the conversations that can be had. The focus on the challenges that women face in not only our industry but any industry is always great to talk about and seek solutions for. I would encourage other males in this industry to not be intimidated of experiencing something like this and to seek to be involved in taking part in altering where we are as an industry. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Paul Krismer, the keynote speaker. He really focused on the biology behind why men and women are different, the way our brains are wired as humans, and the important factors that create success, and how they are shifting from what they once were. 

The small group sessions, where we split up into groups and discussed different topics openly, created some engaging conversations. 

The women in the panel session shared their experienced and answered pre-determined questions, but also engaged with the audience. The attendees were able to drive where the discussions went and both ask and answer questions that were unique to their own experiences. 

Zak Hemphill

Zips Car Wash

 

The conference was motivating and uplifting. I truly had multiple favourite parts but one of the top ones would be the keynote speaker. He was animated and fun but had such a powerful message and delivery that one couldn’t help but realize he not only knew his material but he knew his audience. He connected with the audience and because of this, he was probably the best speaker I have ever heard. He left me with a call to action.

I attended the first Women in Carwash conference and loved it. They had asked for feedback and I was very interested in how and if they would incorporate any of that feedback in this conference. I can tell you they most certainly did.

Nancy Campbell

DRB Unitec

 

Industry Profile

Crystal Arnold QSSP, a National Account Manager at ZEP entered the carwashing industry nine years ago where, for the first seven years, was employed by a number of companies that manufactured the raw material used in carwash chemicals. Introduced to the carwashing industry by another woman, a senior sales leader, two years ago, Crystal was excited to increase her knowledge base and found that she could be excited by the work and challenged mentally by assisting her customers in solving chemical problems they faced within their sites.

Crystal has worked for more than 15 years in account management safety specializing in both domestic and international markets of the petrochemical chemical Industry, and brings relevant solutions to her wash operators that helps create business growth. 

Being taken seriously as a woman working in the carwashing industry is sometimes an exercise in patience, she says. “Men working within this field always think that I get special treatment according to them and some have even told me that I never have to get dirty like they do on a job site. One example of this was when I corrected someone for not following a safety protocol as per the OSHA regulation and then was questioned/doubted. I quoted the rule and then pulled it up on my phone to PROVE my knowledge.” 

With a natural passion to share the win alongside her customers, and truly wanting to make a difference, Crystal enjoys the art of business and believes that positive forward-thinking is necessary to grow! 

When asked what she would tell other women considering entering the carwashing industry Crystal firmly states: “Know you craft! Gain as much knowledge regarding chemistry, safety, business acumen and what inspires your team! Learn what your competition is doing well and where their weaknesses are. Put your customers first by offering the BEST SERVICE possible. Train your ENTIRE team for success. Ensure they are aligned with the company’s goals. Do what it takes to create passion to win with you team. Lastly, HAVE FUN. People are more productive if they are enjoying what they are doing!”