Automotive Leadership & Career Resilience
Erin Zaborac’s Scenic Route to Success
Erin Zaborac
Director of Marketing at DealerOn & Women In Automotive 2025 Speaker
Success doesn’t always follow the fast lane—and Erin Zaborac is proof that the scenic route can lead to something extraordinary.
Have you ever felt like your career path resembles a winding mountain road rather than a straight highway? If so, you’re in excellent company. At Women In Automotive 2025 in Nashville, Erin Zaborac, Director of Marketing at DealerOn, delivered a session that resonated deeply with attendees: “Scenic Routes & Side Roads.” Her message? The most fulfilling careers rarely follow a straight line—and that’s perfectly okay.
In this candid conversation following her presentation, Erin opens up about her 30-year journey through nearly every corner of the automotive world, from dealership receptionist to finance manager to marketing director, all while raising three children as a single mother. Her story isn’t just about professional growth; it’s about redefining success on your own terms and finding strength in the unexpected turns.
The Power of Storytelling: "I Wasn't Expecting So Many Nods"
Speaking at a Women In Automotive conference for the first time felt “very self-indulgent” to Erin initially. “I’m used to teaching dealers, giving actionable advice. I hate going to speaking sessions where there’s no notes, you go home and you don’t have any homework,” she explains.
But something magical happened during her presentation—connection through shared experience. “Right after the session, so many people said, ‘This story is so much like mine,’ or ‘I resonated with that,'” Erin recalls. “I did not expect so many people to be nodding and to have found parts of my story that they also experienced.”
Your story matters more than you think. Whether you’ve worked for a challenging client who changed your perspective, lost a job that forced recalibration, or landed your dream role only to discover it wasn’t what you wanted—your experiences create bridges to others navigating similar paths.
The Receptionist Who Learned Everything: Unexpected Foundations
When asked which role shaped her most unexpectedly, Erin doesn’t hesitate: “The job that taught me most about the automotive industry was being a receptionist at a car dealership, which sounds a little funny, but once you think about it, most people nod because you’re in charge. That person’s running the show.”
As a receptionist, she routed every call, spoke with nearly every customer, and gained invaluable insights into what truly matters to buyers—knowledge she still applies in her marketing role today. This experience reinforced a crucial lesson: every role in automotive offers unique learning opportunities if you approach it with curiosity and intention.
The position that truly transformed her leadership style was managing a consulting team for the first time. “Learning how to be a servant leader,” she reflects, referencing something I said in that morning’s mentoring panel. “If I’m here to solve your problem and help make your job easier—that really taught me what kind of leader I wanted to be.”
Key Insight for Aspiring Leaders: Every role in automotive offers unique learning opportunities if you approach it with curiosity and intention. The question isn’t whether you’re ready for leadership—it’s whether you’re ready to serve others’ success.
Making Hard Choices: When Family Comes First
One of the most powerful moments in Erin’s session addressed a reality many women face: choosing family priorities over career advancement. “I got to a point in my career where I had to say no to something because it was better for my family and my kids,” she shares. “I couldn’t travel the way I wanted, but it was the right choice for my family.”
This decision struck a chord with attendees because it highlights the unique pressures women often face. “As women especially, we get the message that you’re supposed to do this, you’re supposed to want to keep climbing that career ladder, but you’re also supposed to stay home. So it’s finding that balance.”
Becoming a mother didn’t replace her career ambitions—it recalibrated them. “I got a lot,” in a moment of sincerely vulnerability shared, “I still do, get a lot of my self-worth from my job, and becoming a mom gave me a whole new self-worth that I didn’t know I wanted or needed. Having something else to live for recalibrated everything and gave me such better perspective on how to be an effective leader without making work your whole life.”
Pro Tip: Your career doesn't have to define your entire identity. Sometimes, the most courageous career move is saying no to opportunities that don't align with your current life priorities.
The Glass Ceiling Reality Check
Erin’s perspective on gender barriers in automotive is refreshingly nuanced. While acknowledging that glass ceilings absolutely exist and need breaking, she advocates against creating them prematurely. “Don’t create the glass ceiling before it’s there. Assume that you can do it because you can.”
She sees being a woman in automotive as a strength: “There are enough men in white suits and blue ties in the room that they all look the same, but there’s only one of you, and you stand out in a room full of men. That’s a benefit and that’s a superpower.”
This isn’t about minimizing challenges—it’s about approaching them with confidence rather than defeat.
Pro Tip: Challenge existing industry narratives. Instead of seeing being the only woman as a burden, reframe it as having a front-row seat to influence change. Your perspective isn't just different, it's necessary for the industry's evolution.
The Dealer's Advocate: Understanding Your Ultimate Customer
Erin’s unique combination of dealership and vendor experience shapes her marketing approach profoundly. “I like to be the voice of the dealer,” she explains. When colleagues get excited about new initiatives, she asks the crucial question: “So what? If I’m the dealer, I don’t care. That doesn’t help me.”
This dealer-first perspective drives everything at DealerOn. “If dealers don’t sell cars, nobody else has a job. We have to help dealers sell cars for all of us to succeed.” It’s why they offer educational sessions and webinars open to everyone—because elevating the entire industry benefits everyone.
Understanding your ultimate customer’s challenges makes you invaluable, regardless of your position in the supply chain. Always ask: “how does this help the person who actually sells the cars?”
Mentorship: The Accidental Art of Being Helpful
Erin’s approach to mentorship evolved organically through her career. She remembers early mentors who took time to talk with her, not realizing she was experiencing mentorship in action. Now, finding herself on the flip side, she’s learned that “mentorship is often accidental, and that’s okay, if you’re always being helpful.”
Her philosophy is simple: ” Everybody can be a mentor in some capacity. It doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking.”
You don’t need a formal title to make a difference in someone’s career. Being consistently helpful and generous with your knowledge creates natural mentoring opportunities.
Teaching Resilience: Lessons from Motherhood
As a single mother of three, including a son with sensory processing challenges, Erin has learned profound lessons about resilience. “It is Cooper’s job to function in the world, not the world’s job to change for Cooper,” she explains. “Yes, everybody deserves a fair shot and support, but at the end of the day, you got to figure it out.”
This philosophy extends to her leadership style: “It’s okay to be a little bit different. It’s okay to feel less than, it’s okay to be nervous. You can still do it. It’s going to be hard, but we can do hard things.”
When Erin told her 13-year-old daughter about being selected to speak at Women In Automotive 2025 and said, “Slay, Mom,” it reinforced an important lesson: “Being happy with yourself is the most important thing you can be.”
Pro Tip: Embrace your unique perspective. Build supportive professional networks. Continuously learn and adapt. Your resilience in personal challenges translates directly to professional strength.
For Women in Seasons of Uncertainty
If you’re feeling uncertain about your career direction or questioning past decisions, Erin’s message is clear: “Your life is not over because you didn’t get the job you thought you wanted or you lost a job. There’s always a path forward. It’s not going to be a straight path up. It might be a scenic route. It might be a U-turn for a little bit.”
Your Scenic Route Assessment
If you’re feeling uncertain about your career direction or questioning past decisions, Erin’s message is clear: “Your life is not over because you didn’t get the job you thought you wanted or you lost a job. There’s always a path forward. It’s not going to be a straight path up. It might be a scenic route. It might be a U-turn for a little bit.”
Reflection Questions:
Take a moment to honestly assess your own journey:
What “step backward” in your career actually taught you the most?
Where are you creating glass ceilings before they exist?
What would you do if you knew “being helpful” was enough?
How can you add value to dealers/customers in your current role?
Her prescription for moving forward centers on three principles:
Continuously learning
Networking authentically
Being helpful to others
“Go to conferences. Take the takeaways. Get involved in 20 groups if you’re a dealer. If you’re a vendor, make friends with other vendors. This world is small. You don’t know where somebody’s gonna work next year.”
The Road Ahead: Defining Success Your Way
As our interview wrapped up I asked When asked what she wants to be when she grows up—a question she poses to everyone she interviews—Erin’s answer reflects someone who has found alignment: “Right now, it’s where I am. I have director level, I get to make decisions, I have a supportive leadership team, I still get to serve dealers, I get to do the things that make me happy. I always say, I might run the world, just not today.”
This isn’t about settling—it’s about recognizing when you’ve created a role that aligns with your values, skills, and life priorities.
Pro Tip: Success Redefined - Success isn't just about climbing higher; it's about finding the intersection of what you're good at, what you love, and what the industry needs. Sometimes the perfect role is the one you're in, approached with a fresh perspective.
Your Scenic Route Awaits
Erin Zaborac’s journey reminds us that the most meaningful careers are rarely linear. They’re built through authentic relationships, continuous learning, and the courage to make decisions that align with your whole life, not just your professional ambitions.
The automotive industry needs more women who embrace their unique perspectives, support others along the way, and aren’t afraid to take the scenic route when it serves their greater purpose. Your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be exactly right for you.
Sometimes you have to go backward to go forward. Sometimes the detours lead to the most beautiful destinations. And sometimes, as Erin wisely notes, “Everything happens for a reason, and if you’re helpful and you’re kind and you are always being your best self, then it’s going to be okay. You’re doing a good job.”
The Scenic Route Challenge
Ready to navigate your own scenic route in automotive? This month, identify one person in automotive whose story you want to hear. Reach out with genuine curiosity, not a networking agenda. Share your own “wrong turn” story that led to unexpected growth. Tag us @WomenInAutomotive with #ScenicRouteCareers—because your detours might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
Connect with Women In Automotive to access resources, mentorship opportunities, and a community of professionals who understand that success comes in many forms. Together, we’re redefining what it means to thrive in this dynamic industry.
