Amanda Rogers, 2020 Outstanding Woman in Business

Amanda Rogers has the ability and insight to rally a team behind a collective vision. For five years at velocityHUB, she coached executives at firms such as HP Enterprise and Dell Corp. to improve sales performance growth.

Joining Merchants Fleet in 2018, Rogers was initially tasked with modernizing a tired logo and branding assets. In under two years, that effort grew to a strategic redirection that reinvigorated every employee to become an engaged and effective brand advocate.

Most significantly, she worked with the sales team, offering strategic messaging, sales collateral and presentations that enabled the sales staff to secure two of the company’s largest client deals in the company’s history — a 40% increase in sales growth in a little more than a year.

Q. What is a challenge you’ve faced and overcome?

A. In 2019, I was asked to lead the Merchants headquarters relocation, which was outside of my marketing and innovation responsibilities. Through that experience, I was certainly challenged outside of what I knew, and with the power of a great team and excellent partners, I learned all about corporate real estate, client-driven design and the power of an engaging work environment. The challenge was worth the extra hours when I saw 250 employees so excited to walk into their beautiful new home.

Q. What is your leadership style?

A. My leadership style reflects my vision — “to be the positive connector that leads others to success in their own work and lives.” My opinion doesn’t matter so much as my team’s, so I asked them what they thought my style was. They said that I set high expectations, and they are driven to achieve them. That I am a “strategic coach,” “reward bold ideas over mediocrity” and “care about everyone’s development just as much as the work [they] do in the office.”

Q. Have you had a mentor?

A. I have been lucky enough to have tremendous mentors in my life. Both my parents own and run a marketing business together, and were recently named to the Hall of Fame for their contribution to their franchise. They taught me about creativity, hard work and putting the client first. In my professional career, our CEO, Brendan Keegan, has served as a mentor for me for several years. Through his leadership, I believe I have earned a “real-world MBA.” I look to my teammates for mentorship, and I maintain several mentors outside of my workplace to maintain fresh perspective.

Q. Have you experienced discrimination because of your gender?

A. I have not, and I have spent several years of my life serving as a business, athletic and leadership mentor for young women, and young men as well, to help make sure this won’t be a question asked of future generations. I believe that having strong role models can help young people develop their leadership capabilities, so I try to do my part in preparing the next generation to not see gender as a divider.

Q. What advice do you have for young women just starting their careers?

A. few years ago, I started creating a list of all the things I enjoyed doing and the ways that I felt that I could make an impact on other people and companies. For instance, I wrote down experiences such as “supporting someone in their success”; “leading an insight or breakthrough”; “solving a problem”; “witnessing growth.” I would encourage young women to start building their own list, as it can serve as a guiding light.

Q. How do you balance your personal and professional lives?

A. It’s easy to lose balance when you enjoy what you do and the people you get to work with. I have a great system for productivity, and thus I’m able to create that space for balance (often leveraging early mornings and some weekend time to get things done). Sometimes I schedule events such as weekends away with family and friends, my weekly voice lesson (music is a passion) or my favorite workout class. Other times, it will be spontaneously saying “yes” to the live music downtown or to a walk to the ocean.