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Gina Della was working as a court reporter for Wisconsin law firms when she decided she needed a change. She took a job at her brother-in-law’s window sales company and learned the ropes of the sales business. That new job turned into a major milestone in 1997, when she started her own company, becoming the first woman in the U.S. to own a replacement window business. “To be quite honest, being a female in a completely male-dominated industry, it was a challenge to be taken seriously in the beginning,” she says. “It took time to earn people’s respect and to convince them that I knew what I was doing.” As General Manager of Pella Windows & Doors of Wisconsin, Della has helped lead the company to triple-digit sales growth.
“It’s absolutely rewarding to listen to customers’ needs and wants and to help build their dreams.”
– Gina Della
General Manager, Pella Windows & Doors of Wisconsin
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Q&A
A lot of people find sales an intimidating field. How do you approach selling and managing sales?
For me, just like being naturally talented in a specific sport, I believe some people are naturally talented to sell. Sales “naturals” quickly connect and get both energized and passionate from selling. My approach to selling and managing starts first and foremost with integrity. It’s exemplified by how much I completely enjoy working for John Calawerts, the president and CEO of Pella Window & Doors of Wisconsin, as well as the passion I have for my team of managers and sales reps, and our customers.
What do you find most rewarding about your career?
Gosh, that’s hard to pin down to one thing. It’s been very rewarding to have raised two boys, both of whom were very involved in school, sports and very social. A close second would be breaking the barrier of a male-dominated industry to become the first female-owned replacement window company in the US – to be a role model for women to show you can have it all. It’s also very, very rewarding to teach and train new sales reps and watch them grow, get married, have children, and watch them enjoy the fruits of their labor. It’s also absolutely rewarding to listen to customer’s needs and wants and build their dreams – then see their complete satisfaction once the finished product is installed.
