Jessica Gonzalez
V.P. of Customer Success
Informed IQ

Jessica Gonzalez vividly remembers pushing her young son through an airport carousel, getting him to her mom so she could catch her connecting flights to California. Her husband was deployed with special operations, and she was juggling work for Visa from home, years before remote work became standard practice. She had no idea that this unconventional career path, shaped by military life and corporate flexibility, would eventually lead her to become a VP of Customer Success in automotive technology.

Today, Jessica, as VP of Customer Success, leads digital transformation initiatives at Informed.IQ, helping dealerships and lenders streamline processes through AI and automation. Her journey challenges the common assumption that automotive careers are only for those who grew up in dealerships or can recite engine specifications. Her story reveals a broader truth: the automotive industry needs diverse perspectives, and there's room for almost any skillset you can imagine.

The Accidental Entry: How Life Circumstances Create Unexpected Opportunities

Jessica's path into automotive wasn't strategic—it was circumstantial. After nearly a decade at Visa, where she worked in operations and strategy, her husband retired from the military. For the first time in years, she could put her own career ambitions front and center.

"I knew I wanted to be back in the office," Jessica explains. "I had really missed that experience." She jumped into a role at Santander, drawn to the culture that reminded her of the Perot Systems world she knew. The military connection, the "build a team and have your team follow you" mentality, it felt familiar. What she discovered was that automotive finance shared something else with her previous experiences: a tight-knit community where everyone knows everyone.

But when the opportunity came to join Informed IQ, Jessica hesitated. The role was in sales—something she'd never done before. Worse, she carried an outdated belief inherited from her culture: that women shouldn't be in sales.

It's a misconception worth unpacking. Sales isn't about aggressive negotiation or manipulation. In reality, every professional needs to "sell" in some capacity—whether it's selling an idea to your team, advocating for resources, or presenting a strategy to leadership.

"I truly believe I'm not selling something," she says now, her title deliberately chosen as VP of Customer Success rather than a traditional sales designation. "I'm actually an advocate. What I do now is what I used to do for banks, but for all the banks."

Beyond the Showroom Floor: The Hidden Ecosystem of Automotive Careers

When most people think of "automotive careers," they picture car salespeople in showrooms or technicians in service bays. But the industry encompasses a sprawling ecosystem of roles that would surprise anyone looking from the outside.

Jessica sees it clearly: "Tell me any kind of degree or major and I could probably fit you into a space in auto." The industry needs fintech professionals building payment platforms, operations strategists optimizing processes, marketing specialists creating content, data analysts interpreting trends, software engineers developing AI tools, and compliance experts ensuring regulatory adherence.

The list extends into territory most people never associate with automotive: UX designers improving digital interfaces, change management consultants helping organizations adopt new technologies, and customer success managers like Jessica who bridge the gap between technical solutions and real-world implementation.

"It truly has so many different opportunities within it that I don't know if there's even anything that you could name of a college grad that says, hey, I want to do this and we can't figure out how we could fit them into auto."

Why Automotive Rewards the Curious

What makes automotive unique isn't just the variety of roles—it's the industry's willingness to let people explore and grow. Jessica experienced this when she transitioned from corporate banking to the vendor/fintech space.

"I remember my first conference, being like, this is really weird," she recalls. At the bank, vendors approached her. As a vendor, the dynamic flipped. But her banking experience made her invaluable. "I'm very valuable in a fintech space because I've worked it."

Jessica emphasizes this openness stems from the industry's relationship-driven culture. "Auto is so willing to give opportunities. If they see somebody that's passionate and motivated, they're gonna give you an opportunity."

The gap between starting point and endpoint can be staggering—from repo to strategy roles at major financing companies—but only because the industry creates room for that growth.

AI as Tool, Not Replacement

As someone leading digital transformation initiatives, Jessica navigates one of the most contentious topics in modern automotive: artificial intelligence. At conferences, the industry is sharply divided between enthusiastic adopters and skeptics who want nothing to do with "bots."

Jessica's perspective cuts through the noise: AI isn't about replacing the human element. It's about removing friction. Think about the car-buying experience—stressful, opaque, time-consuming. Dealers manage paperwork for multiple lenders, verify documents, ensure compliance while finding the best financing. Customers switch between vehicles and sign documents they barely have time to read.

Informed IQ automates document verification, ensures compliance, and accelerates funding. For dealerships, that means faster payment. For customers, it means less time in the finance office and more transparency.

Jessica's most important message: treat AI like any other tool in your toolbox. "What is your problem? And then when you're trying to solve that problem, there's probably going to be a tool. And it's probably going to be some sort of AI."

She advises people to expose themselves to new technologies even when uncomfortable. "Even if you're a little bit scared, the best thing you could do is open that door, have that conversation, expose yourself to new ideas."

This mindset—approaching change with curiosity rather than fear—applies to anyone considering an automotive career from a nontraditional background.

The Mentorship Advantage

One of Jessica's most consistent messages was about mentorship. In automotive, she emphasizes, there's never a lack of people willing to take you under their wing.

This isn't abstract advice. Jessica's own career pivots happened because of mentorship. When she hesitated about sales, mentors helped her reframe her thinking. When she needed guidance navigating the vendor space after years in corporate banking, people showed her the ropes.

For women entering male-dominated spaces within automotive, this mentorship becomes even more critical. Jessica acknowledges the challenges—the struggle with sales titles, the occasional difficult call where she has to step away and regroup. But she's adamant that the industry provides support for those willing to seek it.

"Start with a person that you trust and that you want to have a conversation with," she advises. "Talk to them about what are your career goals, what do you want to do? And I'm sure that there's some opportunity there."

The Leadership Lesson: Taking Care of Yourself First

Jessica speaks at conferences and has been recognized as a leader to watch. With five kids and a demanding career, she could easily stretch herself thin trying to meet every expectation.

That's exactly what happened. A few months before our conversation, Jessica hit a wall. "I had to take personal time off," she says, transparently discussing something many leaders hide. "It was too much and I'm barely kind of jumping back in."

Her reflection offers critical wisdom: "Make sure that you're in a good space. If you can't do that, you're not only hurting yourself and your family, but you're not living up to who you are."

This isn't a failure of leadership—it's leadership in action. By acknowledging her limits and being honest about the experience, Jessica models the kind of sustainable career approach that the next generation needs to see.

"People think leadership is a huge title, but I think it's in the day-to-day moments. In the day-to-day moments of expressing yourself and making sure you're there and available."

What Automotive Actually Means

When Jessica considers misconceptions people have about automotive, she keeps coming back to perception versus reality.

"A lot of people think it's that blue collar experience," she notes. "But you're really changing people's lives." In most of America—especially in sprawling states like Texas—vehicles aren't luxury items. They're essential tools that enable people to work, access healthcare, and participate in their communities.

Jessica wants people to understand that automotive isn't just about selling cars. It's about solving problems, improving experiences, and building technology that makes complex processes more accessible. It's about relationships, trust, and serving communities.

Finding Your Place

The automotive industry needs people who bring fresh perspectives from every sector imaginable—people who can bridge gaps between technical capabilities and human needs.

Jessica's journey from military spouse at Visa to VP of Customer Success in automotive fintech proves there's no single path into this industry. Technology roles are expanding, customer success positions are emerging, and digital transformation is creating entirely new career paths. People like Jessica prove your background doesn't have to include cars to make a meaningful impact.

Your next career move might be waiting in a place you never thought to look. If you're curious, resilient, and ready to learn, there's probably a place for you here. Join Women In Automotive and get connected with mentors from all over the country and in various roles within the vast industry that is automotive. The wealth of knowledge and connections make are career changing.