According to Vicki Appleby, thriving as a woman in a male-dominated industry is not as challenging as it may seem. Vicki, the President of Crowfoot Dodge ChryslerJeep, has learned that the top three-character traits that are instrumental in being a successful woman leader are not to take things personally and always take emotion out of the equation. Don’t take yourself too seriously - have fun and enjoy your passion! “Work Hard. Nothing beats hard work.”When you prove that you are accountable, consistent, and prepared, you show others that you have what it takes to be successful; they see results that speak for themselves,” she says. “That is how Crowfoot Dodge ChryslerJeep has become a prominent name in the nation, always serving clients with a smile on their face.” 

The key to Crowfoot Dodge’s success is simple, says Vicki, “It has everything to do with each one of our team members. They get all the credit for our success,” she says of the family-run dealership’s accolades, which now include Winner in the Auto Dealer Domestic category of the 2022-23Calgary Readers’ Choice Awards. Vicki says the lineage runs deep at the northwest Calgary dealership. Not only is the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram dealership familyowned and operated for 47years and counting, but it also has several long-term employees. That includes almost half of the dealership’s 85 staff members being with the team for more than five years, 25 over 10 years, and 13 over 15 years. 

Vicki is very proud of our mentorship, learning, and innovative culture. She tries to lead by example, demonstrating integrity, empathy and mentoring her team members on their career journeys, offering feedback and encouragement. “I prioritize continuous learning, providing access to workshops and other resources so our team stays at the forefront of automotive industry trends,” explains Vicki. “I cultivate innovation by encouraging creative thinking and embracing calculated risks. By instilling these principles, I empower team members to develop essential leadership skills and embrace their potential as great leaders of tomorrow.” 

Becoming A Leader  

Vicki has achieved success in a variety of forms throughout her career. Some highlights in her career include graduating from NADA Dealer Academy in 1991, becoming one of the first female Dealer Principals in Canada in 2010, sitting on several automotive boards, and being the President of The Calgary Motor Dealers Association. She is proud of Crowfoot’s growth and the fact that they remain the largest family-owned dealership in Alberta, but even more so of the fact that she was able to balance that growth with being a ‘hands on’ mother. Raising her two strong, independent daughters to know that they can do anything they set their minds to while maintaining a work-life balance is, without a doubt, the thing Vicki is most proud of. 

For the pioneering leader, Vicki’s father was a huge inspiration. Seeing the work and commitment he put in daily became the baseline for her efforts in business. After she graduated from University, Vicki decided to try her hand in the automotive sector. “My father suggested I work outside of the business to gain different knowledge and a perspective that I could bring back to our company. For the first few years, I worked as a business manager at a Chrysler dealership in High River, Alberta,” she states. “This challenge to spread my wings really helped further my understanding of the industry and created an inner passion that continues today!” Beyond that, Vicki has been inspired by a variety of leaders, one being Marilyn Sheftel, who became the first woman Dealer Principal in Canada in 1991. “Both my father and Marilyn focused on building strong teams and finding ways to innovate and improve the customer experience and profitability simultaneously,” she adds. “If you surround yourself with the top people and provide value and a great experience for your customers, you will have a successful business to be proud of.”

People are Vicki’s business; fortunately, she has a natural instinct for finding and keeping great people. Whether that be with individuals who are already capable of performing a specific job or those who show that they can be mentored for future positions. Once she has those people in place, Vicki gives them all the tools they need to become outstanding in their respective positions and oversees their progress without micromanaging. “It is critical to have passion for what you do and it’s important to identify this energy to pass along to your team! Giving people the tools and then getting out of the way allows them to flourish and build self-confidence,” elucidates Vicki. “This creates a culture of team building and improves employee well-being, which directly correlates to the best customer service in the industry!” 

Building A Great Institution 

The mission of Crowfoot Dodge is simple. They want to be the family-owned dealership that makes the customers feel like family. Buying a car is the second biggest purchase people make in their lives and it can be incredibly stressful in a world of fast talking deal makers. Vicki and her team prefer to slow things down and educate the customers so that when they make a decision, they do so informedly and without pressure. “We don’t want to be the biggest, we want to be the best.” 

Vicki thinks one of their greatest achievements as a company has been that they are successful as an Independent Dealership. The landscape is primarily made up of dealer groups with many stores. Doing so means one can take advantage of economies of scale to run leaner, but usually at the expense of customer and employee satisfaction. Crowfoot Dodge is successful and profitable, but they never lose sight of their customers, as without them, they would have no business. As an individual dealer, it enables Crowfoot Dodge to be nimble. This is important to successfully weather the many changes in the automotive industry from numerous recessions, manufacturing and banking instability, the COVID pandemic, and now as society moves toward electric vehicle adoption. 

For Vicki being the best is essential, and she wants Crowfoot Dodge to continue growing while maintaining their incredibly high customer satisfaction standards. “Personally, I want to continue to remind myself to stop and smell the flowers. Business can be all-consuming, so remembering to put the same effort into my health, relationships, and overall happiness is also important,” shares Vicki. “Beyond that, I will continue to encourage more women to get into automotive and business and try to leave a legacy of empowering the next generation of female leaders.  

The future holds more of the same for both Crowfoot Dodge and myself. I want us both to continue to thrive, while staying passionate and enjoying life along the way!”