Stephanie Powell

From hospitality to the showroom floor, and now co-owning one of Tasmania’s leading family-run dealerships, Stephanie Powell’s career journey is a story of passion, perseverance, and people. As one of three siblings behind Powell Motor Group, she has helped steer the business into a new era, blending sharp marketing strategy with a genuine, relationship-first approach to sales. 

Driven by the fast pace and evolving challenges of the automotive world, Stephanie thrives on connection, whether that’s mentoring her team, engaging with lifelong customers, or rolling up her sleeves to help prep a vehicle for delivery. For her, this business is more than a job; it’s a legacy to her late father, built on trust, teamwork, and a shared dream with her brothers.

In this interview, she shares how she found her confidence in a traditionally male-dominated space, the lessons that shaped her leadership style, and why empathy, creativity, and authenticity are the real driving forces behind her success.

Stephanie, can you please explain your job to us?

I am one of three co-owners of Powell Motor Group, a family-run dealership based in Tasmania, which I operate alongside my two brothers. While my primary role is in Sales and Marketing, in a business like ours, it is crucial to stay across all areas of the operation. 

Why does your job get you out of bed in the morning? Where did this passion come from?

The automotive world is fast paced, challenging, and constantly evolving which makes it exciting. I love the energy of sales and creativity in marketing. Building genuine relationships with our customers is rewarding- we are lucky to have multiple generations of customers trusting our brand, it’s important to make them feel valued. Of course, it’s also the team around me, our staff who show up every day and take pride in what we do.

My passion comes from being part of something bigger than just a business, it’s a legacy to our late father. Working alongside my brothers with a shared dream built on trust, vision, and determination (not to mention a few growing pains over the years…and a few grey hairs).

What is the pathway to your job?

I completed a university degree in Marketing, but in all honesty, much of what I learned back then would be obsolete today. The most valuable learning came from real world experience.

I started out in hospitality, where I developed strong people skills. From there, I moved into tourism, and that’s where I really discovered my passion for sales and connecting with people. It became clear that I had a natural ability to build relationships and create trust, which are both essential in this industry.

I believe that if you have the drive to learn, and you're willing to throw yourself into every opportunity, you can create your own pathway.

What does a typical workday look like?

My day usually starts off with our morning meeting with our sales team, finance manager, and stock controller. We use this time to align on the day’s priorities; what vehicles are being delivered, which customers need follow-up, who might need support, and any updates on new models, marketing campaigns, test drive bookings, warranty work etc.

From there, it’s non-stop. We are a high-paced dealership, well known for the buzz (and good music) in our showroom, so no two days are the same. My focus is largely on sales and marketing, which includes everything from planning promotions & community involvement to meeting with radio and TV reps, plus managing our social media presence.

Being a family dealership in the growth stage I’m very hands on, some days you will find me valuing trade-ins and shuffling service cars, other days I’ve got a chamois helping prep a vehicle or collecting flowers for birthday deliveries. I am always happy to jump in when I can. 

What are some important skills required to be successful in your job?

First and foremost, patience and being a genuine “people’s person”. To be successful in sales, you need to know how to connect with people, build trust and listen. 

One of the most underrated but essential traits in this industry is empathy. While most people don’t associate that word with automotive, we’re often helping customers make significant financial decisions. Understanding their perspective goes a long way in building strong, lasting relationships.

Pivotal moment in your career? 

A real moment for me was going from feeling unsure in my role to suddenly finding my rhythm. At first, I thought I needed to know everything about cars, but I quickly realised that what really matters is building trust and connection.

You don’t have to have all the answers on the spot, if you are genuine and willing to figure things out together, customers respect that. Once I embraced that mindset, everything started to flow more naturally, and my confidence grew. I now play a key role in mentoring and supporting our sales team, helping to close deals, nurture leads, and guide others with strategies that work. I regularly recommend techniques, encourage the team to think outside the box, and use data to better educate and instill confidence in the buyer.

One thing the industry can do to make itself more appealing to women?

Thankfully, we’re already starting to see positive change, more women entering the industry naturally encourages more to follow. I think more presence at school career days or industry events, helping young women see the wide range of roles available, beyond just technical or mechanical work. While many schools now offer tech classes that can spark interest in hands-on roles, there’s often not enough exposure to other pathways in dealerships.

At Powell Motor Group, we have incredible women across our business; a strong Service Advisor, powerhouse HR, a talented admin person who came from a service and mechanical background, and even an exceptional in-house photographer who probably never imagined this industry as her career path. With more education and publicity, we can show young women that the automotive world offers so much more than they might expect.

What are some of the assumptions people make about you and your work.. do people understand what you do? 

When I first started selling and valuing vehicles, I would occasionally get comments, mostly from the older generation who seemed genuinely surprised to see a woman on the showroom floor. Questions like “Do you actually know about cars?” would come up, it’s something many women face in traditionally male-dominated industries. The funny part is, those remarks often come from people who probably don’t know much about modern vehicles themselves- these remarks often leave me smiling.

It’s something you learn to take in stride. People don’t realise how broad and skilled the roles in a dealership can be, and that women can thrive in every one of them. Even now, some people still seem surprised to see a female salesperson on the floor, but it’s often incredibly well received (often a sigh of relief for female buyers). My sales team enjoy introducing me as one of their ‘bosses’ perhaps the shock of a younger female is a talking point with their customers- so be it!

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

One of our brand managers shared a piece of advice that stuck with me. It is so simple, but I find myself thinking about it almost daily. “The sale comes down to three P’s: Person, Price, or Product. If all three line up, great. If there’s an imbalance, fix it.”

Person- can I connect to them and earn their trust, start a conversation and try to relate. 

Price- perceived value- we can often educate on this aspect- build value, compare the live market data. 

Product- always check the product, can it be presented better, will it suit their needs, do you have an alternative. 

What is your advice to young women considering a career in the automotive industry?

Jump in headfirst and give it a go! The automotive industry is evolving. It might have traditionally been a male dominated space, but things are changing, be confident and take inspiration from women who are already thriving within it.

Learn as much as you can, with a positive attitude and good work ethic, there are endless opportunities to grow and become leaders in the industry.

Congratulations to Stephanie and the Powell Motor Group for taking out the VACC 2025 Automotive Industry Award for Best Large Business Tasmania! 

These premier awards recognise excellence across the Victorian and Tasmanian automotive industry, an incredible achievement and well-deserved recognition.