My name is Emily Jones and I have been in the industry a little over 13 years. I stumbled into it quite by accident, as I’m sure many of us do, with concerns that this might be the most boring sounding industry ever! Obviously, I could not have been more wrong! I’m currently the Parts Sales Manager at Block Imaging and lead a team of 10 who are focused on serving customers.
How did you get into the industry? Anything that drew you in?
I was a former Marine Corps wife for over 16 years. Michigan was our 11th move– 4 kids in tow, the youngest 11 days old. We were here for what was meant to be a 3-year tour where my ex-husband was the commanding officer of the recruiters in the state. During that time, we divorced, and the kids and I stayed. After hitting quite a few roadblocks on how I was going to support my kids long-term, I ended up getting connected with Josh Block through a mutual friend. He was looking to hire a sales support to help grow the Midwest territory in full line equipment. Keep in mind I had no professional experience – lots of volunteer work with the Marine Corps, but certainly not the experience that has a potential employer saying, YES.
Three months after Josh hired me, his father, Bruce Block, founder, and President of Block Imaging, stepped down into a chairman role and named Josh as the President. Josh asked me to continue working side-by-side as his Executive Assistant, and 13 years later here we are!
What milestones or contributing factors helped elevate you to where you are today?
My unique perspective over the years allowed me to step into leadership gaps, connect dots, solve problems, and help grow a thriving team culture. When a need arose to lead our Parts Sales team, I was asked to step in on a temporary basis. 18 months later, I’m having too much fun to do anything else right now!
I would say that a big part of my success and journey at Block Imaging has been because I had a boss that always dreamed more for me than I knew how to dream for myself. He invested in me, taught me how to think, and provided feedback early and often. This allowed me to grow as did my influence. Being a part of the leadership team and stepping in to fill other gaps over the years all helped me learn about team culture, leadership, serving customers and our industry in general.
What roadblocks did you have to overcome?
I think being a woman in any professional environment has its challenges; not necessarily the same ones for each of us. I’m not someone afraid to take risks, ask questions, admit what I don’t know, etc. BUT where I can get in my own way is when I don’t start with curiosity, and when I make what’s urgent for me urgent for everyone. Yes, there are more… but these are front and center for me. I also have found that being a mother and having a having a career means that there are plenty of days where I don’t feel I’m showing up for those I love the most with gas in the tank. I’m working on it and I have great friends who help keep me centered and remind me to be kind to myself.
What do you feel makes a great leader in this industry?
To be a great leader in this industry you must care about people and be able to rally a team (big or small). Understanding that what we do impacts patient care worldwide is the most important thing we are all working toward every day. That’s why we are here! Ensuring that my team understands that within the role they fill is my job. It starts with our team, our customers, their patients, and the world at large. Knowing that we make a difference, together, is what I’m passionate about!
What advice to you have for the other women in HTM?
In closing, I’d like to give ourselves permission to be kind to ourselves. We live layered and complicated lives with many hats. Let’s also be kind to each other. Where can we create paths for our fellow remarkable women? Where can we encourage and challenge and take people with us? Who can we be dreaming for even if they aren’t ready to for themselves?