Growth rarely shows up wrapped in convenience. Sometimes it looks like discomfort. Sometimes it looks like spending money on yourself when every instinct tells you to put everyone else first.

Tim Cox sits down with April Simmons, Heidi German, and Wendy Cornell for an honest, grounded conversation about what happens when women in automotive finally say “yes” to their own development — and how that single decision quietly changes everything that follows. The discussion unfolds not as a victory lap, but as a reflection on leadership, self-belief, and the courage it takes to step into something new before you feel “ready.”

What stands out most is how growth doesn’t arrive all at once. It shows up in journaling. In accountability. In recognizing the “gap of crap” — the stories we tell ourselves about why we can’t move forward. Heidi and Wendy share their journeys through automotive, leadership, and life, revealing that investing in yourself doesn’t pull you away from others — it actually makes you more capable of serving them. The episode lands on a simple truth: leadership isn’t measured only by what you do, but by what people do because of you.

00:00 – Why great dealerships are built on leadership, not luck

01:39 – Celebrating women who are shaping the future of automotive

03:30 – Saying yes to personal growth before you understand the impact

04:42 – Why most women won’t invest in themselves — and the cost of that

05:23 – Creating scholarships to remove barriers to growth

06:31 – The power of community and accountability partners

08:46 – Choosing yourself when you’ve always put everyone else first

11:04 – Career paths aren’t linear — and that’s a strength

14:00 – Wearing many hats and growing into leadership

17:51 – What truly inspires effective leaders

22:43 – Leadership is measured by what people do because of you

26:55 – Advice to women entering automotive: keep growing, stay curious

29:05 – Identifying what’s holding you back — and how to close the gap

30:54 – Positivity, grace, and breaking goals into manageable steps

Connect with April Simmons on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-simmons/

Connect with Heidi German on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-german-53326881/

Connect with Wendy Cornell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cornellwendy/

Connect with Tim Cox on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-cox-29065a7/

Listen to more episodes of Tim Talks at: https://www.carnow.com/timtalks/