RVWA Spotlight: Introducing Kristyn Weldy of Forest River
EDITOR’S NOTE: Several times a month RVBusiness will post an “RVWA Spotlight,” which will highlight a member of the RV Women’s Alliance (RVWA) in each instance. Provided by RVWA, the member spotlight series interviews many of the women who make up the RV industry, highlighting how they got into the industry, what they currently do, and advice for other women. The series also dives deeper to better understand these women and what drives them.
Kristyn Weldy
Kristyn Weldy – Be part of the RV family.
Kristyn Weldy and her husband know time is running short.
They have three kids, and with the oldest age 24, it’s time for their dream family vacation if it’s ever going to happen with the whole group.
So the plan is for the whole bunch to head off on a cruise to the Bahamas – before it’s too late.
But if there’s one thing Weldy has learned in the RV industry, it’s never too late to find the perfect niche.
After starting her career on the vendor side running a production machine for a supplier, she found her way over to Forest River, where she became sales coordinator an head of dispatch for No Boundaries, R-Pod and Ibex.
“My sales team is like a second family to me,” she said. “We’re all very close. I’ve met a lot of amazing people along the way – vendors, retail customers, dealers, other coordinators – it’s just like a big family.”
As she has grown into her position at Forest River, she said she has found it rewarding to watch the industry in its ebbs and flows. She also enjoys watching the products the manufacturer offers evolve, with changing features and floorplans as well as new vehicles to mee the needs of a new breed of RVer.
“When we have model changes you get to see what everybody comes out with and just seeing all the changes occur and how we handle everything,” she said. “Right now everybody’s really tiptoeing with the economy. If you’ve been in the industry a long time you know it drifts and it goes up and it’s exciting to see it build back up and get busy again.”
For anyone considering a career in RVs, Weldy encourages them to not be afraid to try something new, even if the economy is a bit tenuous at the moment.
“There are people at different places who will teach you,” she said. “They will give you a chance. And be sure to save your money so you can ride through the storm and be fine.”
She urges women in the industry to exhibit self-confidence and show the workforce at large that they are up to the task.
“Be tenacious and push your way through,” she said. “You don’t have to be on the low end of the totem pole. You can work your way up. You can be anything you want to be. We’re just as capable as anyone else who works in this industry. A lot of women probably feel like they aren’t good enough or strong enough, but we most definitely are.”
Source: https://rvbusiness.com/rvwa-spotlight-introducing-kristyn-weldy-of-forest-river/
