Guests: Four leaders from Work Truck Solutions: Kathryn Schifferle (Founder & Chief Vision Officer), Stacie Williamson (VP of Sales), Autumn Conn (Team Lead, Customer Success), and Steph Rissmiller (Product Manager).
Host: Candy McCollum, CVB Network
While commercial transportation has traditionally been a male-dominated sector, women are playing an increasingly vital role in shaping its direction. In Episode 217 of the Commercial Vehicle Pro Podcast, host Candy McCollum convenes a panel of female leaders from Work Truck Solutions to explore representation, career development, and the ripple effect of mentorship across work truck and van operations. Guests include Founder and Chief Vision Officer Kathryn Schifferle, VP of Sales Stacie Williamson, Ford Pro Strategic Team Lead Autumn Conn, and Product Manager Steph Rissmiller.
Career Paths and Overcoming Industry Assumptions
The panel reflects on how each leader entered commercial vehicles, discussing early industry hurdles and the confidence required to trust their own expertise. Autumn Conn and Steph Rissmiller share experiences from their early days in dealership operations and customer support, detailing how overcoming initial customer hesitation allowed them to deliver better B2B solutions and build long-term trust with commercial buyers.
The Ripple Effect of Investing in Women
A central focus of the conversation revolves around what it means to invest in women beyond financial support. Referring to organizations like Golden Seeds, the group explores the compounding impact of experienced women sharing knowledge, making introductions, and advocating for colleagues. Kathryn Schifferle and Stacie Williamson emphasize how servant leadership and supportive, flexible workplace environments empower women to balance personal priorities while driving business growth.
Leadership and Advice for the Next Generation
The guests close the roundtable by sharing advice for women entering the commercial vehicle space, encouraging them to remain authentic, ask questions, and embrace new opportunities in fleet technology and B2B sales. As connected vehicles, digital tools, and new business models continue to transform the market, diverse perspectives remain essential to moving the industry forward.
Watch or listen to the complete conversation above, and subscribe to CVBNetwork for more discussions with the people shaping commercial transportation.
