Good things come to those who wait, but also to those who work hard. This Cox Automotive client success manager does both.
If it has to do with automotive marketing, Lauren Manuel knows it inside and out.
She started her career with Cox Automotive in 2020, but spent the previous ten years in the automotive marketing biz, starting with her local newspaper.
“I started off selling the newspaper to auto dealers,” she said. “Just local ads for automobile dealerships.”
She moved from newspaper ads to direct mailing, even starting her own company. From there she grew to become an expert in digital sales, and finally to radio ads for her growing client roster.
And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Like many, Lauren experienced career struggles that year thanks to the pandemic. But things began looking up when a Cox recruiter reached out to speak with her about opportunities at Cox. Lauren eventually applied to a job at Cox in October 2020, and officially began her career at Cox two months later.
In fewer than two years, Lauren has made quite a name for herself. She was named “Rookie of the Year” for her outstanding contributions and was named to the prestigious President’s Club, an annual honor at Cox for which the top salespeople win an all-expense-paid luxury vacation. She currently leads in her department’s standings for this year.
Lauren’s focus is Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, two brands within the Cox Automotive portfolio. She helps auto dealers within her territory find business success on these popular research and shopping websites.
“When somebody is shopping for a car on Autotrader or Kelley Blue Book, my dealers’ inventory will be displayed,” she said.
Lauren has found great success here at Cox, and doesn’t plan on going anywhere else. She can’t say enough good things about the company but particularly loves the support for employees and the culture of recognition.
“I mean, I got to go to Hawaii last year!” she said, hearkening back to her President’s Club win.
Lauren is also grateful for Cox’s commitment to career development for its employees, citing it as unique among other jobs.
“All the training tools and all the learning capabilities we have available to us…that's completely different from any company I have ever worked at.”
Lauren is taking advantage of those training opportunities and thinking about a long future with Cox. She has management goals on her mind and would love to one day be a regional sales manager.
Throughout her career, Lauren has held fast to her belief:
“Just to be patient and try to always stay positive, because good things will come your way. I am truly a firm believer in that. Everything happens for a reason.”
