On International Women’s Day, some of the Peerless-AV team share their background and experience as women in the AV sector.
How long have you been at Peerless?
3 years in June
How many years in the AV industry?
5 years
What company did you start out with and how did you progress to where you are now?
I started out at Beta Distribution selling print and SMART interactive whiteboards into education resellers in the UK. I then spent a brief time at Sahara as a key account manager, moving to Exertis Medium before joining Peerless as key account manager for the Southern Region.
How would you describe your journey in AV, especially as a female sales professional?
I have been extremely lucky. I have always had great mentors throughout my career. Regarding being a female professional, I found there were occasions, especially early on, were I felt I was perhaps not taken as seriously or my male colleagues were asked for as they were perceived as more ‘technical’ or better equipped to manage business queries. However, this is becoming a rarer occurrence as time goes on. I have also seen differences in salary in the past compared to male counterparts in the same role.
What would you like to see change for Women in the AV industry?
It would be great to see more women in senior roles within the industry. Something, I have to say, Peerless do very well within our organisation.
Would you say Peerless is a little unique in having so many women front of house and in its sales team?
Traditionally yes, Peerless have led the way in this respect. However, I am seeing more manufacturers having a stronger mix of women on their sales teams, which is very positive direction for the industry to head in.
How long have you been at Peerless?
I’ve been at Peerless 6 years now. I started in January 2015 and was straight in at the deep end, as I always liked to do as a child in a swimming pool (and still do!). I’d been to ISE for many years previously, but this was my first time as an in-house PR with a company that I’d always admired.
How many years in the AV industry?
Wow, it’s 16 years. How time flies…
What company did you start out with and how did you progress to where you are now?
I started out with a B2B technology PR agency where I met some of my best friends and had a whale of a time. I then moved to Neesham PR, B2B technology PR agency specialising in electronics and professional AV where I spent 10 great years working with a team of ladies, save the MD, and again made great friendships. Neesham really was the door opener to my career in AV and for that I’m very thankful. Joining Peerless-AV in January 2016 and moving to an in-house PR and marketing role the EMEA region, was, I’ll admit, a little daunting at first. However, it didn’t take long to settle in. I’d been to school with Eleanor East, then sales manager for the UK Pro Sales Team and very soon felt part of the Peerless-AV family.
How would you describe your journey in AV, especially as a female PR/marketing professional?
I’ve never once felt held back as a female professional. As a PR person, I’m very confident and thrive on social interaction. That, combined with ambition and a drive to succeed, has brought me to where I am now and I’m grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way.
What would you like to see change for Women in the AV industry?
As a former member of Women in AV UK group and now a member of the AVIXA Women’s Council UK committee, I would like to see more women in not just senior roles within the industry, but also more on the technical and engineering side, which is still very male dominated. Attending tradeshows is when the ratio of men to women is still very unbalanced and it would be great to see this change in the coming years as more support is offered to women seeking to pursue a career and climb the ladder in the AV industry.
Would you say Peerless is a little unique in having so many women front of house and in its sales team?
When I joined Peerless-AV I was the only woman in the management meetings, but historically the company has always been very balanced with respect to diversity and inclusivity in front and back office aspects of the business from operations and finance, to purchasing and HR to sales and marketing. Until recently our European warehouse manager was a woman. For several years, the UK Pro Sales team was all-female. Then the late Melinda Von Horvath joined in in 2016 and helped to strengthen and bond the team, in terms of equality and progression, even further.
How long have you been at Peerless?
It will be 18 years in September (I think haha, I lost count!)
How many years in the AV industry?
My career in AV started at Peerless so 18 years as well
What company did you start out with and how did you progress to where you are now?
I started with BBG Distribution as the customer service manager, then progressed to internal sales. I was soon recognised for my drive and ambition and was asked to join the external sales team looking after key distribution accounts. This is where I really flourished, helping to build Peerless as number 1 mount brand in the UK, mentoring not only my team but new starters at our vendor and channel partners. My next step up was to sales manager looking after resellers and from there I took on responsibility for consultants. I’m proud to say I’m now National Sales Manager looking after the UK Pro Division.
How would you describe your journey in AV, especially as a female sales professional?
Looking back, it was hard when I first started 18 years ago, as there weren’t so many women in the industry but, I must say, with the support of BBG/Peerless I have been able to develop and grow and work my way up the ladder. There are a lot more females in the industry now and more in senior positions.
What would you like to see change for Women in the AV industry?
I’d say I’d like to see many more female role models in senior / higher positions, and particularly more women in technical positions, as I think this is one area that still lacks female members.
Would you say Peerless is a little unique in having so many women front of house and in its sales team?
Peerless is most definitely unique. At one point, in the UK Pro Division,
we had an all-female external sales team which was very unusual.
How
long have you been at Peerless?
3 years and 1 month
How
many years in the AV industry?
24 years
What
company did you start out with and how did you progress to where you are now?
I started at Ingram Micro in internal sales and was responsible for
key customers. After 2 years I switched to focus on sales and then moved into
the AV and digital signage group. I really liked the mix of hardware, software,
manufacturer, integrator, customer, CMS agency, that I experienced while in
this role. After 13 years at Ingram Micro, I switched to the LCD display
company SHARP and worked there as a key account manager for 4 years. In 2017, I
took a 6 month hiatus to go on a long awaited trip through Australia and South
East Asia. Then in 2018, my professional journey at Peerless-AV started and I
am very satisfied with where I am today and what I have achieved for the German
business in the past 3 years.
How
would you describe your journey in AV, especially as a female sales professional?
On the one hand, I do notice that there are still few women in the
AV and IT industry. However, on the other hand, my personal experience has been
positive. I never felt like I was being disadvantaged. Perhaps that's because
the IT and AV industry is very future-oriented and, therefore, leaned towards
the modern age.
What
would you like to see change for Women in the AV industry?
I don't want to change anything special. But I would like to send a
message to all CEO’s and decision makers in SMB and large corporates:
"Trust more in women, especially within the management team. I’m not
necessarily saying that they do better than their male colleagues, but they
don't do worse either.”
Would
you say Peerless is a little unique in having so many women front of house and
in its sales team?
Peerless-AV is absolutely unique in having so many women front of
house and in its sales team. That’s amazing and our success proves us right 😊
How
long have you been at Peerless?
7 years now
How
many years in the AV industry?
7 years only since I was in the IT industry before
What
company did you start out with and how did you progress to where you are now?
After university I started in Paris with a personal assistant job.
Then I worked for several companies and, each time, I was promoted up the ranks
from admin and logistic manager to key account manager to country manager to
where I am now as sales director.
How
would you describe your journey in AV, especially as a female sales
professional?
From experience, as a female in the AV industry, we must prove that we
can also be technical and find the correct solution for integration. We are
more challenged by integrators who want to see if we have the skills and
technical ability.
What
would you like to see change for Women in the AV industry?
In my opinion, as a woman and being French, we still have to
demonstrate that we are equal to men, and even better. That’s also true in the
everyday life 😊
Would
you say Peerless is a little unique in having so many women front of house and
in its sales team?
Yes, Peerless-AV is very unique, and it is also an advantage. All the women I met in the AV industry are passionate by their job. Our approach to development is different. A woman is relentless.
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