From Porter to Service Manager: How Sterling Scott Continues to Steer His Career at Sonic Automotive

Get to Know Sterling Scott, Service and Training Manager at Porsche of Nashville

First Role at Sonic Automotive: Counterperson

Current Role at Sonic Automotive: Service and Training Manager

Current Dealership: Porsche of Nashville

Years at Sonic: 12

Favorite Porsche Vehicle: 911 Speedster

Go-to Pump-up Songs: Remember This by NF

Many of us are built with the internal motivation to be team players. This is especially true for Sterling Scott, Service and Training Manager at Porsche of Nashville, whose career history can be defined by his dependability and desire for continuous improvement. In his first role, Sterling was working for a company that afforded him the opportunity to be well compensated and travel frequently. As life would have it, Sterling decided to leave his role to be closer to his family at the time. Sterling was looking for a new role when a friend introduced him to a valet company that was contracted to work at Sonic Automotive dealerships. Sterling went from traveling the country installing valances to washing luxury vehicles at Sonic Automotive dealerships. While he didn’t see this as a lifelong career, opportunities within the automotive industry began to emerge.

Opportunity is Knocking

During the year he worked for the valet company, Sterling held positions such as porter and contract manager at a luxury dealership. Sterling had been learning the ropes of dealership life for a few years when he was approached by BMW of Birmingham – not once but twice. He debated with this opportunity because he had influence and experience at his current dealership. After much consideration, Sterling decided he saw more potential in a new role at a new company. In 2012, Sterling officially became a Sonic Automotive teammate and joined the parts department at BMW of Birmingham. He was excited to join BMW because he had gravitated towards the brand ever since he began working at the valet company.

Sterling valued the challenging and fulfilling work at BMW of Birmingham. His relentless work ethic and outgoing personality caught the attention of the service manager and general manager at the time. They saw opportunity in his future and decided to promote him to lane manager, where Sterling was given the responsibility to train new teammates who came through the dealership. Within five years, Sterling proved himself to be a successful lane manager and was given a new opportunity to help open BMW of Nashville and serve as a lane manager at the dealership.

Sterling’s excitement was apparent, and his hunger to continue to grow landed him a spot in Sonic Automotive’s Service Operations Academy (SOA). He had heard about the academy for many years and jumped at the opportunity to learn from the award-winning Sonic Automotive training team alongside a cohort of fixed operations teammates. Sterling’s new knowledge and experience opened the door to becoming a service manager at the first dealership he ever worked in as a valet, BMW of Birmingham. Although he was thrilled by the offer, he respectfully declined as he felt that returning to the dealership in a manager position might hinder the team’s culture. Sterling, shortly after, received an equally exciting offer from General Manager Cody Bender to become a service manager at Porsche of Nashville.

After moving from BMW of Nashville to Porsche of Nashville, Sterling was thrilled to dive into learning the ins and outs of a new brand and culture. His first impression of the service team was that it was too quiet. He instantly knew the culture needed to be investigated to learn how they worked with one another and what he could do to support the team. Sterling acknowledged that there were past situations that caused the team to be hesitant and reluctant to change. He was determined to show the team that under his direction, there would be positive leadership, improvement in processes, and, most of all, fun! While invigorating the team culture, Sterling took a deep look into his leadership style. He found that “by advocating, caring, and putting the team’s best interest first, our teammates were able to trust for the first time – in a long time.”

Mentorship is an important value to Sterling as a leader. Sterling finds himself in situations where he mentors teammates who are at the beginning of their careers. Often, they are stressed and worried about their next career move. Sterling shares his wisdom to keep an open mind and use every experience as a learning opportunity. “Stick with a job and push through. Experience is everything. Never say, ‘That’s not my job,’” he advises. Sterling’s advice comes from years of extensive experience and lived truths on his path to success. Even in his current role, Sterling is never too busy to lend a hand to help his team through support or literally lend a hand by washing cars.

After over a decade of service, Sterling is thankful he was afforded the opportunity to work at Sonic Automotive. “It happened by chance. I wasn’t looking for it. It just naturally happened. I stepped into the industry until the next best thing came along, and it turned out that the next best thing was Sonic Automotive. Sonic has truly provided me with a life I didn’t expect I could have,” Sterling shares. He’s excited to see what the future holds and to be along for the ride.

To learn more about career opportunities at Sonic Automotive, visit jobs.sonicautomotive.com .