Why Women Leave Money on the Table — Lessons From a Female Dealership Owner

Negotiating for yourself can feel a thousand times harder than negotiating for someone else — and there's real psychology (and real money) behind why. Have you ever wondered: \- Why you can advocate fiercely for a friend but freeze up asking for your own raise? \- Whether staying quiet in a salary negotiation is actually costing you more than you think? \- If "confidence" is something you need before you negotiate, or something you build by doing it anyway? In this episode, Susan and Sara sit down with Katie Naughton — entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Drive Her Forward (https://www.driveherforward.com/) who built her career in one of the most male-dominated industries in America: automotive retail. As one of the rare 1% of women to own and operate a dealership, Katie has negotiated everything from multi-million dollar acquisitions to her own salary, and she's candid about the one time she didn't ask for what she was worth — and what it taught her. In this episode, we cover: \- Breaking into a male-dominated industry: Katie's path from wanting to be a sideline sports broadcaster to becoming one of the few female dealership owners in the country. \- The moment she realized she could lead, not just sell: How working inside other dealerships sparked the confidence to buy her own. \- Why women underprice themselves: Katie unpacks the conditioning that leads women to prioritize being "agreeable" over asking for what they're worth. \- The power of the pause: A simple negotiation tactic — staying silent after stating your number — that can shift control of the entire conversation. \- Confidence is built by doing, not waiting: Why "diving in" before you feel ready is often the fastest way to actually feel ready. \- The "Win of the Week" habit: A simple weekly practice that gives you 52 concrete reasons to ask for that raise or promotion at year-end. \- You don't need to feel 100% ready to negotiate — you just need a number, a plan, and the willingness to sit in the silence. Chapters 0:00 - Introducing Katie Naughton 1:52 - Becoming one of the 1% female dealership owners 4:54 - Selling, Covid, and pivoting to automotive M&A 6:50 - Why she built a negotiation course for women 8:09 - The lowball offer that started it all 9:59 - Why women leave money on the table 11:28 - Getting out of your own way & making a plan 13:09 - Mastering "the pause" in negotiation 16:09 - The "Win of the Week" habit 18:20 - Confidence comes from action, not waiting 22:00 - Katie's final negotiation advice & where to find her 👋 If this episode hit home, give it a like, drop a comment with your own negotiation story, and subscribe so you don't miss next week's conversation. 📖 For more on building financial confidence, visit the Sorelle Journal: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com/blog Her Wealth: Unscripted is hosted by Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP®, co-founders of Sorelle Wealth Partners, a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm serving women and families navigating divorce, widowhood, retirement, and other major life transitions, with offices in Boca Raton, FL and St. Louis, MO. Learn more at sorellewealthpartners.com. This week's guest: Katie Naughton, entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Drive Her Forward, a national leadership platform for high-performing women. Learn more at driveforward.com. #NegotiationTips #FinancialConfidence #HerWealthUnscripted