8
Apple Valley resident Robin Peterson benefits from possessing a posi- tive attitude – a vital trait in today’s real estate market. “I don’t look at life with obstacles,” Peterson said. “People say the real estate market has been challenging. We’ve gone into a challenging real estate market and found homes for people and helped people sell homes.” As president of Coldwell Banker Burnet, Peterson oversees the day-to-day operations for the company’s 24 sales offices in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud, Rochester and Western Wisconsin, as well as managing 1,800 sales associates. Her journey to the top of Coldwell Banker Burnet began where she grew up – Westfield, NJ – 20 miles from New York City. Peterson grew up watching her father operate the family textile business in New York City. He died when she was 16, leaving her to help keep the business going. “I was exposed to the business elements and responsibility at a very young age,” Peterson said. “I reapplied some of what I saw in him. He had an extremely strong work ethic.” Peterson’s mother had a strong influence on developing her positive attitude – a trait she relies heavily on as president. “She always looks for the good in people and always taught me how you seek out positive attributes, and that in turn enriches your life,” Peterson said. That advice has helped make Peterson successful in the real estate world. Robin Peterson, President, Coldwell Banker Burnet >>>> Motherhood Made Better-Page 4 See Inside

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Page 1: Central-Women2011

Apple Valley resident Robin Peterson benefits from possessing a posi-tive attitude – a vital trait in today’s real estate market.

“I don’t look at life with obstacles,” Peterson said. “People say the realestate market has been challenging. We’ve gone into a challenging real

estate market and found homes for people and helped people sellhomes.”

As president of Coldwell Banker Burnet, Peterson overseesthe day-to-day operations for the company’s 24 salesoffices in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud, Rochester and WesternWisconsin, as well as managing 1,800 sales associates.Her journey to the top of Coldwell Banker Burnet beganwhere she grew up – Westfield, NJ – 20 miles from NewYork City.Peterson grew up watching her father operate the familytextile business in New York City. He died when she was16, leaving her to help keep the business going.“I was exposed to the business elements and responsibilityat a very young age,” Peterson said. “I reapplied some ofwhat I saw in him. He had an extremely strong work ethic.”

Peterson’s mother had a strong influence on developing herpositive attitude – a trait she relies heavily on as president.“She always looks for the good in people and always taught mehow you seek out positive attributes, and that in turn enrichesyour life,” Peterson said.That advice has helped make Peterson successful in the realestate world.

Robin Peterson, President,Coldwell Banker Burnet

>>>> Motherhood Made Better-Page 4

See Inside

Page 2: Central-Women2011

2 Women in Business – Thursday, October 27, 2011 – www.MinnLocal.com In the Community, With the Community, For the Community

Many women reach their 50s and 60s anddecide the adventure of a new challenge issimply too hard to resist. Oftentimes, thisnew challenge comes in the form of a sec-ond career.

Though the United States Department ofLabor notes it’s difficult to pinpoint howmany career changes the average workerundergoes during his or lifetime, careercoaches typically say women will undergobetween three and seven career changes dur-ing their lifetime. Of course, such estimatesno doubt include career changes at the onsetof a one’s professional life, when many peo-ple are not precisely sure what they want todo for a living.

For older workers, the uncertainty liesless in what they want to do and more in ifthey can pull it off. For those who havealready decided what they want to do, con-sider the following tips to help ensure thatdream becomes a reality.

Be PatientAside from being qualified, the most

important thing a person changing careerscan be is patient. A successful career changedoes not happen overnight. Some careerchanges might require returning to school.Others might not require a new degree, butmight require an established professionalstart from the bottom up. Whatever the situ-ation, it’s best to remain patient. If your newcareer is worth pursuing, be patient enoughto see it through.

NetworkNetworking is often seen as an opportuni-

ty to advance within your own industry.However, networking can be just as valu-able when changing careers. People withinyour network might be able to introduce you

to new contacts outside of your industry.These contacts, even if they don’t have a jobto offer, can often provide valuable insightinto the industry you’re attempting to enter.

VolunteerIf your second career is going to be a

complete 180 from your current field, itmight help to volunteer and gain some expe-rience before beginning a job search.Volunteering can prove beneficial in manyways. First and foremost, it provides poten-tially valuable experience you likely don’thave, and that experience may help downthe road when you begin looking for a full-time position.

Another benefit to volunteering is it canprovide a genuine look into the industry.This will either strengthen your desire toenter this new field or might encourage youto think more deeply about your pendingcareer change if the field isn’t quite whatyou thought it was going to be.

Finally, volunteering can be a great wayto get your foot in the door. Should a posi-tion open up, a company is much more like-ly to consider the man or woman who hasbeen volunteering at the firm than someonethey don’t know.

Be FlexibleIn today’s job market, the flexible candi-

dates are more likely to be successful. Whenchanging careers, be as flexible as possible.Determine if relocation is a viable option,and assess your financial situation to deter-mine how much financial flexibility youhave. Career changes often come at theexpense of a smaller salary. If your financialsituation does not allow for a reduction insalary, now might not be the right time tochange careers.

L • i • f • eafter that first career

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Mary’s advice to people entering a newcareer is to have passion about what you wantto do. Your work should be an extension ofyourself and reflect your values and yourcharacter.

“Kusske Financial Management is a familybased practice. We treat all our clients like wewould like our family treated. We areinterested in your parents, as well as yourchildren and your grandchildren. The greatestcompliment we get from our clients is thatthey have retired and are enjoying their lifeafter work. Without our support and guidance,they didn’t think they would have been able todo all that they do.”

Mary is a regular public speaker, giving atleast 20 educational workshops about basicfinancial concepts each year. She volunteers

her time at local schools to share her expertisewith young people. She also enjoys workingwith women, because they do not have thesame skill set that men do when it comes tounderstanding their finances. The majority ofwomen wait until a crisis hits before they fig-ure out they need help.

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Celebrating 25 years in business

CMYK

Page 3: Central-Women2011

In the Community, With the Community, For the Community www.MinnLocal.com – Thursday, October 27, 2011– Women in Business 3

Peterson/From coverBY MATT HANKEY - SUN NEWSAPERS

A former middle school English and his-tory teacher on the East Coast, Petersonmoved to Minnesota in 1976 when her hus-band, Fran, was pursuing a job opportunityin the Twin Cities.

After some exposure to real estate on theeast coast, Peterson launched into the fieldafter meeting the company’s founder –Ralph Burnet – when buying her first homein Eagan in 1976.

“He was extremely inspiring and I decid-ed to go into real estate at the point in time,”said Peterson, who has lived in Apple Valleysince 1979.

She saw the real estate business as one shecould advance in, while helping othersachieve their home ownership goals.

“My belief in helping others grow moti-vates me,” Peterson said. “I get passionateabout our business, but I’m as passionateabout seeing people succeed.”

She began her career with ColdwellBanker Burnet as a sales associate, and laterbecame branch managers for Bloomingtonand Eagan, afterwards becoming the directorof training for the company.

From there, Peterson was the regionalvice president and executive vice presidentbefore becoming president of the companyin 2000, working at its headquarters inEdina.

Peterson noted that women compriseroughly half of the upper management posi-tions in the company.

“There are no glass ceilings in this com-pany,” Peterson said. “The sky is the limit aslong as you want to work hard and be pas-sionate about what you do.”

She is an admitted proponent of being ahands-on manager.

“My management style is one of involve-ment, but also one of empowerment,”Peterson said. “I give permission for every-one to give and receive feedback. It’s a cul-ture that success begets success. Without astrong work ethic, you can’t achieve yourultimate potential or success.”

As president, Peterson has helped imple-ment a home resource center for the compa-ny. The center has a concierge service and acall center, which helps both real estateshoppers and company sales associates.

One center feature allows customers tocall the company when they have a questionor need with their home and a sales associ-ate can then recommend a business specificto their needs.

Peterson said the customer feedback hasbeen excellent regarding the home resourcecenter.

“In addition, people come through ourwebsite and can ask questions in real time

about their real estate needs,” Peterson said.Peterson has also overseen the creation of

the company’s transaction management sys-tem, which contains all customer closingdocuments – accessed by customers with ausername and password.

Peterson said she has worked to makebusiness easier for both her employees andthe clients they serve.

“I have a belief that you have to try differ-ent things that are consumer-based and alsofor our sales associates,” she said. “If 51 per-cent of them work, you’ll still be in busi-ness.”

Peterson derives inspiration from numer-

ous places, but cites her family as one of thestrongest.

Her job duties often overlap with impor-tant dates such as holidays – days she wouldrather be with her family. But, she involvesher family in her work life and said that is akey for anyone’s success, not just her own.

On one Mother’s Day, she was workingan open house and her husband and two chil-dren came through the home’s front doorand surprised her with balloons and flowers.She wouldn’t have it any other way.

“My children have been able to grow upseeing me live my passion,” Peterson said.“They’ve been so supportive of my career.”

Apple Valley resident Robin Peterson has been the president of Coldwell Banker Burnet since 2000. “I see life as a series ofgrowth experiences,” Peterson said. “I fell in love with the career of real estate because it helps people grow themselves and helpschange lifestyles.” (Photo by Matthew Hankey – Sun Newspapers)

My management style is one of involvement, but also one of empowerment. I give permissionfor everyone to give and receive feedback. It’s a culture that success begets success. Without a

strong work ethic, you can’t achieve your ultimate potential or success.

Robin Peterson, President Coldwell Banker Burnet

“ ”

Fulfilling dreams, achieving goals

CMYK

Page 4: Central-Women2011

4 Women in Business – Thursday, October 27, 2011 – www.MinnLocal.com In the Community, With the Community, For the Community

Bavia Health offersnew moms postnatalbody therapy

BY KATIE MINTZ – SUN NEWSPAPERS

Ice chips, crackers and juice cup in hand,Rachel Swardson dreamed of something dif-ferent.

“I thought there just has to be a betterway to bring a mother into this world,” theEdina mom recalls thinking after the birth ofher third child in 2005.

Today, Swardson is founder and CEO ofBavia Health, providing postnatal body ther-apy to moms and dads at 14 Minnesota hos-pitals and one in New Jersey. The Edina-based company has plans to expand to 40more nationwide next year.

A medical journalist for PBS before shebecame a stay-at-home mom, Swardson saidshe told patients’ stories of healing. Shewanted to find a way to help herself, andother moms feel better after childbirth too.

“Because when you’re pregnant youdon’t have an illness or disease – there’stechnically nothing wrong with you – there’sjust nothing right by way of healing, whichis unlike every other situation,” she said.

Swardson tapped her medical contacts –doctors, midwives, doulas, historians andcultural experts – to learn about the birthingexperience prior to hospitals, houses andeven huts.

“It took me two and half years to createpostnatal body therapy,” which she said isbased on an instinctive draw to heat, careful-ly selected herbs, song and massage.

Sessions, which occur 6-10 p.m. in thehospital, open with a welcoming meditation.The TV is turned off and hospital staffleaves the room. Calming eucalyptus-infused steam towels are used to release ten-sion in the head, neck and feet. Quiet musicplays during a therapeutic massage.

“Mom and dad and baby have their firstopportunity to be just that family,”Swardson said, and unlike prescribed hospi-tal treatments, the consumer-driven, model

allows moms to take healing into their ownhands.

As she prepared to launch the company,her marriage came to an end, and Swardsonrealized it was also time to take her futureinto her hands.

“Part of me said you have to just go get ajob. You have to take of your kids,” she said.“I just remember staring at myself in the

mirror going there is no other job, there is noother thing. This is for my kids. This is forall of these kids.”

In June 2008, she launched Go HomeGorgeous from her dining room table with$17,000 in seed money from family andfriends. She still had not had her first client,but told herself she’d stick it out for threeyears – a deadline the former journalist

could handle.“On June 21, 201, we’ve had thousands

of clients to date. We are live in 15 hospitals.We have secured $1 million of venture capi-tal funding in what has been called thetoughest economy. I really couldn’t havebeen more proud of what I was able toaccomplish.”

She said it hasn’t always been easy. Shesaid many misconstrued the name Go HomeGorgeous to be about physical beauty. Herdefinition was “being calm, confident andready.” Earlier this year, she changed thename to Bavia, a variation on the Hindiword for gorgeous, to better encompass theservices.

In the beginning, business spread byword of mouth. Swardson said FairviewSouthdale Hospital in Edina was the first torequest a vendor contract. Other hospitalsfollowed suit, including Fairview RidgesHospital in Burnsville, Abbott NorthwesternHospital in Minneapolis and Maple GroveHospital.

Swardson said the customer base has alsobroadened. Dads can receive a scalp, neckand shoulder messages during the visit. Likemoms, dads can also have a different birthexperience than they hoped for, she said.Swardson said she’s been touched to see thedifference her idea has also made for expec-tant parents who aren’t leaving the hospitalwith a baby, allowing them quiet time toreconnect after their loss.

This May, Bavia, which now has eightemployees and 32 sub-contracted certifiedmassage therapists in Minnesota, movedinto a large office in an Edina office build-ing. With the new venture capital funding,Swardson said Bavia has also been able toexpand its services to pregnant women onbed rest in homes and at the hospital.

“And it’s just beginning,” she said. “It’schanging the birth culture in America. Itreally is doing all of this stuff and to thinkthat women every single night around theTwin Cities are having a service that I wasonly able to dream of, I can’t tell you what acool feeling that is.”

MotherhoodMade Better By Edina Mom

Rachel Swardson, founder and CEO of Edina-based Bavia Health, has brought herpost-natal body therapy to 15 hospitals, including The Birthplace at FairviewSouthdale Hospital in Edina, and has plans to expand to 40 more across the coun-try. (Photo by Joanna Prosser – Special to Sun Newspapers)

Page 5: Central-Women2011

In the Community, With the Community, For the Community www.MinnLocal.com – Thursday, October 27, 2011– Women in Business 5

Securing a loan in today’s economy is notas easy as it might have been as recently asfour years ago. Loans are still available, butmen and women should know that theprocess of getting a small business loan istime-consuming and often tedious.However, there are steps prospective loanapplicants can take to make the process gomore smoothly.

* Contact the Small BusinessAdministration. The Small BusinessAdministration does not directly loanmoney, but it is an invaluable resource tomen and women seeking a small businessloan. Financial assistance programs thataddress debt financing, surety bonds andequity financing are some of the programsthe SBA offers to help borrowers. The SBAcan help prospective borrowers determinewhich loan best suits their needs, and under-standing how the SBA operates is a greatfirst step toward securing a small business

loan.* Know your credit rating and address any

issues or concerns. Personal credit ratingcarries significant weight with lenders.Lenders want to work with borrowers theyknow can manage their money responsibly,and personal credit rating is perhaps the bestindicator of a person’s ability to managemoney. In general, prospective borrowerswith a credit score below 650 struggle tosecure loans. Before beginning the applica-tion process, men and women shouldimprove their scores as much as possiblewhile addressing any discrepancies.

* Have a solid business plan ready to go.The lender will want to see a business planbefore even considering giving a loan. Thebusiness plan, which should include a defi-nition of the product, its market and poten-tial revenue, among other things, should beairtight and ready at the onset of the applica-tion process.

Locking down your small business loan

Q: I took some college classes years ago. Do those credits countif I start school again?

A: Every institution has their own procedures. At Dakota CountyTechnical College, If a student has earned general educationcredits from another institution, the college of interest will needan official transcript to determine if the courses will transfer in. Ifany technical courses, such as accounting principles or businesslaw, were taken, they need to be evaluated by a petition process.Transfer of technical credits will be considered for courses thathave been completed within five years prior to application foradmission to DCTC. Students with technical courses that werecompleted more than five years prior to application may be ableto use the credit by examination process to demonstrate coursecontent mastery and receive credit. www.mntransfer.org

Lee Anne Xiong, academic advisorDakota County Technical College

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Page 6: Central-Women2011

6 Women in Business – Thursday, October 27, 2011 – www.MinnLocal.com In the Community, With the Community, For the Community

Q: I want to do an internship/apprenticeship in my field of inter-est. How do I get started?

A: There are a couple ways to get started. One is to start yourown internship/apprenticeship toolkit. This includes creating acover letter, updating your resume, and practicing your interviewskills. Secondly, start contacting local organizations, perhapsusing the chamber of commerce as a resource, to see whatopportunities are out there. Once you are able to pin point open-ings and possibilities for internships, you’ll be able to get yourname out there, and hopefully land you what you’re looking for!

Meghana Shroff, Director of Career Services Minnesota School of Business Lakeville

BY MIKE HANKS • SUN NEWSPAPERS

After years of building businesses forothers, Peggy Paul decided it was time tobuild one for herself.

Paul, of Bloomington, has been slowlybuilding a website geared toward women.Yes, another website geared toward thefemale population, but one that she intendsto stand out in the crowd.

As the founder of shetaxi.com, Paul, 41,has been putting long hours into building asite she believes in, a site that gives its audi-

ence something other than fashion andbeauty tips.

“There are no shoulds at SheTaxi,” shesaid. The site is devoid of articles about howwomen should look or dress, she explained.“It’s all about skin and under.”

SheTaxi aims to “fuel your inner drive,”according to Paul. “What we’re about ismoving women forward.”

Fueling that drive has been a very delib-erate process, and is the result of Paul’sopportunity to fulfill an identified need. Inner drive

Fueling an inner drive

Peggy Paul of shetaxi.com, helps inspire and empower women to value themselvesand make positive life changes by learning from experts and each other. (Submitted photo)

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Page 7: Central-Women2011

In the Community, With the Community, For the Community www.MinnLocal.com – Thursday, October 27, 2011– Women in Business 7

By Ernie Larson • Sun Newspapers

Doreen Fischer, Luther Automotive,and Fiat are all making history together.Luther is the first automotive group chosen to have all of the Fiat Studio’s forone state in Fiat’s history, and Fischerwill be the only Luther Manager respon-sible for these multiple dealerships. Doreen Fischer started her career as aradio advertising representative in NorthDakota. A local dealer was so impressedwith her level of service that she was of-fered a job. “I wasn’t interested in sellingcars, but wanted to have a role in theircustomer service.” Her focus was seekingout opportunities to improve the cus-tomer service the dealership provided. “I had our female customers handingme their keys and asking me to help them with our Service Department.They had a comfort level and trusted me, and I was happy to do it.” Fischerstarted focusing on the customer’s experience, and ways to enhance it fromsales to service. It wasn’t long before the North Dakota dealership decidedto expand, and asked Fischer to open up their new Minnesota location. In 2006, Fischer was presented with the opportunity to become a memberof the Luther Automotive family. Originally joining the Luther team asSales Management Support, her role with the dealership eventually morphedinto a new position response for new and pre-owned inventory management. Known for continually trying to improve customer service, Fischer was

involved in the development of the Luther Advantage Program where clientspurchasing either a new or pre-owned vehicle can benefit from a pre-owneddetailed inspection, guest discounts, warranty programs, the Fixed RightGuarantee, On-Time Promise on repairs, and convenient return/exchangepolicies. In 2010, Fiat announced that after a 27-year absence they would be return-ing to the U.S. in 2011. Luther asked Fischer to open the 1st Fiat Studio inMinnesota and this past March, Luther Fiat of Brookdale opened in Brook-lyn Park. The Studio features 120 new Fiats in multiple colors. The Fiat 500offers a City MPG of 30 and Highway MPG of 38. Having sat in compact carsbefore, I was surprised by what the Fiat had to offer. The seats are extremelycomfortable and the inside of the vehicle is spacious for a compact car. Hav-ing had a soft top in the past, I was impressed with the convertible top whichreminded me of a huge sunroof. “With all of the options that are available, and 14 different colors to choosefrom, there are 500,000 possibilities with a Fiat. It truly is creating a cus-tomized car for your personality and lifestyle,” says Fischer. As I was looking at my own Fiat, I couldn’t help but notice a couple gettingready to take theirs for a test drive. As the driver got into the car, I could seethe enthusiasm on her face as she familiarized herself with the car’s dash.After buckling, she immediately retracted the sunroof on a sunny – but brisk– Minnesota fall day and took off onto Brooklyn Boulevard. A second location in Bloomington opened on October 22, and at the helmof Luther Fiat of Bloomington will be Doreen Fischer, ensuring that everycustomer experiences the Advantage that Luther has come to be known for. For more information, visit Luther Fiat of Brookdale at 7417 BrooklynBlvd in Brooklyn Park or call 763-222-2600. Or, visit Luther Fiat of Bloom-ington at 8033 Knox Avenue South in Bloomington, or call 952-367-4300. Youmay also visit them online at www.fiatminneapolis.com.

AutomotiveFiat of Minneapolis

Doreen Fischer

Inner drive/From previousAs a communications and sociology

graduate of the University of St. Thomas,Paul’s career path found her building busi-nesses within businesses, such as a commu-nity relations program that involved finan-cial planning, marketing and branding. Hermost recent employment was with Olson, aMinneapolis advertising agency. She washired to help launch The BrandLab, an out-reach program that is intended to promotethe advertising industry to high school stu-dents and offers internship opportunities atarea advertising agencies, “a different learn-ing experience than a traditional classroomsetting,” she explained.

As the program grew it became its ownnonprofit entity. Achieving that goal alsobrought an end to Paul’s employment atOlson. Her layoff in 2009 presented “achance to do something for myself,” shesaid. What that entailed, however, was still amystery.

Fueling the taxiThe genesis of SheTaxi can be traced to

2004, when Paul was diagnosed with thy-roid cancer. The life-changing experiencemade her think about how she was spendingher time. She knew then that she wanted toput her business-building experience towork for herself, but wasn’t ready to jumphead first into such an endeavor.

When that day arrived in 2009 Paul envi-sioned an online business because of theflexibility it would afford her, particularlythe ability to travel or live anywhere in theworld.

With unemployment benefits allowingher to dedicate time to research and devel-opment of a business plan, Paul began tobridge the gap between what she cares aboutand how she could turn that into her ownbusiness. Her answer: “I really care aboutthe misrepresentation of women in thiscountry,” she said, noting media portrayalsof women’s issues often focus upon appear-ance or competitive aspects of a woman’slife.

Paul knew her goal was to start an onlinebusiness, but she didn’t know what form itwould take. She determined there was aplace for a website such as SheTaxi, provid-ing a place for women to connect with other

women and discuss life experiences, such asmother-daughter relationships, friendships,careers and well being.

Rather than hastily building a websiteand auditioning content for an unknownaudience, Paul wrote a business plan for hersite. Since online businesses are still a newcommodity Paul wanted to research whatwas important to running a successful one.She also wanted to compare and contrastexisting business models in choosing themodel for her site, she explained.

Along the way Paul pitched her idea toevery skeptic she knew, wanting people totell her SheTaxi was a bad idea if that’s whatthe they thought. She heard, repeatedly, that“there’s definitely a need out there.”

The result of Paul’s planning and devel-opment is a site designed to inspire andempower women to value themselves andmake positive life changes by learning fromexperts and each other, she said.

The rollout was slow, deliberate and notparticularly splashy. Blogs from contribut-ing writers began appearing in May 2010and the full site became available bySeptember. Its growth has been fueledentirely by word of mouth, yet the site hasgrown to the point where Paul is looking forinvestors to help take her product to the nextlevel, and grow her company beyond a com-pany of one.

As the company grows there will be amonthly membership fee that provides avariety of resources and content, such aspodcasts and coaching or mentoring fromtrained experts in several categories on thesite, she explained.

Her research has shown that sites thatrely upon advertising revenue are destinedto failure. “The number one mistake is whenthey don’t diversify their revenue streams,”she said.

From the financial obstacles to the longhours Paul pours into the site, there aretimes when building SheTaxi is physicallyand mentally draining, but the support andfeedback she has received, as well as hervision and goal, has kept her going for morethan two years. “You have to be self moti-vated when you’re doing stuff like this,” shesaid.

Connecting womenthrough life experiencesConnecting womenthrough life experiences

By Ernie Larson • Sun Newspapers

Doreen Fischer, Luther Automotive,and Fiat are all making history together.Luther is the first automotive group chosen to have all of the Fiat Studio’s forone state in Fiat’s history, and Fischerwill be the only Luther Manager respon-sible for these multiple dealerships. Doreen Fischer started her career as aradio advertising representative in NorthDakota. A local dealer was so impressedwith her level of service that she was of-fered a job. “I wasn’t interested in sellingcars, but wanted to have a role in theircustomer service.” Her focus was seekingout opportunities to improve the cus-tomer service the dealership provided. “I had our female customers handingme their keys and asking me to help them with our Service Department.They had a comfort level and trusted me, and I was happy to do it.” Fischerstarted focusing on the customer’s experience, and ways to enhance it fromsales to service. It wasn’t long before the North Dakota dealership decidedto expand, and asked Fischer to open up their new Minnesota location. In 2006, Fischer was presented with the opportunity to become a memberof the Luther Automotive family. Originally joining the Luther team asSales Management Support, her role with the dealership eventually morphedinto a new position response for new and pre-owned inventory management. Known for continually trying to improve customer service, Fischer was

involved in the development of the Luther Advantage Program where clientspurchasing either a new or pre-owned vehicle can benefit from a pre-owneddetailed inspection, guest discounts, warranty programs, the Fixed RightGuarantee, On-Time Promise on repairs, and convenient return/exchangepolicies. In 2010, Fiat announced that after a 27-year absence they would be return-ing to the U.S. in 2011. Luther asked Fischer to open the 1st Fiat Studio inMinnesota and this past March, Luther Fiat of Brookdale opened in Brook-lyn Park. The Studio features 120 new Fiats in multiple colors. The Fiat 500offers a City MPG of 30 and Highway MPG of 38. Having sat in compact carsbefore, I was surprised by what the Fiat had to offer. The seats are extremelycomfortable and the inside of the vehicle is spacious for a compact car. Hav-ing had a soft top in the past, I was impressed with the convertible top whichreminded me of a huge sunroof. “With all of the options that are available, and 14 different colors to choosefrom, there are 500,000 possibilities with a Fiat. It truly is creating a cus-tomized car for your personality and lifestyle,” says Fischer. As I was looking at my own Fiat, I couldn’t help but notice a couple gettingready to take theirs for a test drive. As the driver got into the car, I could seethe enthusiasm on her face as she familiarized herself with the car’s dash.After buckling, she immediately retracted the sunroof on a sunny – but brisk– Minnesota fall day and took off onto Brooklyn Boulevard. A second location in Bloomington opened on October 22, and at the helmof Luther Fiat of Bloomington will be Doreen Fischer, ensuring that everycustomer experiences the Advantage that Luther has come to be known for. For more information, visit Luther Fiat of Brookdale at 7417 BrooklynBlvd in Brooklyn Park or call 763-222-2600. Or, visit Luther Fiat of Bloom-ington at 8033 Knox Avenue South in Bloomington, or call 952-367-4300. Youmay also visit them online at www.fiatminneapolis.com.

AutomotiveFiat of Minneapolis

Doreen Fischer

Page 8: Central-Women2011

8 Women in Business – Thursday, October 27, 2011 – www.MinnLocal.com In the Community, With the Community, For the Community

I would like to honor all of the women at Sun Media for their dedication and professionalism. All ofyour team members and our over 1 Million readers appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment todeliver the best local news and information to the communities we serve.

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Hudson - PressStillwater

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I would like to honor all of the women at Sun Media for their dedication and professionalism. All ofyour team members and our over 1 Million readers appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment todeliver the best local news and information to the communities we serve.

Jeffrey Coolman, Publisher

Thank you!

Eden Prairie

Waconia

Osseo

Hudson - PressStillwater

Monticello

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