As originally appeared in Auto Remarketing Canada’s March + April 2023 digital edition.
Jacquelyn (Jake) Stacey, Executive Vice President, LGM Financial Services, was recognized as a Women & Automotive’s Profiles in Leadership honouree for 2023. Read below for her interview featured in the magazine.
What prompted or inspired you to pursue a career in the auto industry?
I definitely didn’t pursue a career in automotive, in fact I did not know anything about the industry. I fell into it through a job fair in Toronto however, once I got in I was hungry to see as many aspects of the business I could. I am lucky to have done so over the years which had made my career an interesting and exciting journey!
What piece of career advice would you have for someone new to the industry?
Take risks, have fun, and put your hand up for opportunities even if you know nothing about how to do it. I assure you learning in role is a challenging confidence builder which pays big dividends. There are many facets of this industry and giving something a whirl can build a broad skillset. My advice would be, go for it! Find a great leader to follow into new opportunities and take advantage of their experience and knowledge. Soak up everything you can and sharpen your skills along the way to make yourself a valuable talent who will be at the front of the line when something new and exciting comes up.
Describe a time when you were either a mentor or a mentee and the value you found in the experience.
I have made it a habit to have an impartial mentor or coach in my life. Every stage of my career has been different and therefore, I have had different influencers along the way. What I can say is each have supported me, cheered me on, and provided invaluable feedback and advice which helped me define and reach my goals. These relationships have been key relationships in my life and each one has impacted my choices and career trajectory significantly. If you are someone who is interested in finding out more information about this from me I am always happy to have a conversation!
What is your proudest moment/accomplishment, career-wise?
Oh wow – this is not easy for me to answer because I have had so many. If I have to pick something, I would say I am proudest of the way I have developed people into leaders. It is not easy for star individual contributors to become great leaders. I had to go through that myself. It was not an easy transition and I made a lot of mistakes. As I moved upwards in my career, I took from what I learned the hard way and promised myself my people would have an easier path than I did. Today, watching people on my team grow and thrive is my proudest accomplishment. I love to see how they level up those around them and drive results forward – these are my proudest moments.
