Stephenie Davis, Davis Industrial | Women Breaking the Mold

At just 20 years old, Stephenie Davis fell in love with the belting industry and admired its potential for growth. One year later, she bought the company in which she started, and in the 15 years since has grown the company from just three employees to nearly 50.

Davis got her start in the belting industry in sales for what was then known as Belt Maintenance Group.

"I was in search of an outside sales position, lacking substantial experience and a professional network to guide me," she said, noting she had achieved both her high school diploma and associate degree in 2004 while "juggling" a full-time job in the pharmaceutical industry. Before joining the conveyor and rubber industry, she worked several administrative positions in the land development industry.

In 2007, she secured an interview with Belt Maintenance Group and "was hired on the spot." In this role, however, she quickly realized she needed to learn more about the industry, as her boss had informed her that he was not going to train her.

"I just had to figure it out on my own," she said. "So I put on my steel toed boots and hard hat and hit the ground running to every place that Google could point out to me."

And when she realized the company lacked interest in customer service or operational improvement, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"This realization led me to make the pivotal decision to purchase the company, which was quietly listed for sale. I meticulously crafted a business plan and submitted it to the (Small Business Association), while persuading my parents to serve as guarantors in case of default," Davis said. "The SBA granted approval on the first draft, although it took numerous revisions for the bank to agree to lend me the required funds."

On Aug. 25, 2008, Davis became president and CEO of the company, now Davis Industrial. Today it has expanded to encompass two branches in Miami and Tampa, Fla., and serves "a broader range of clients beyond what Google initially revealed."

Davis credits her parents for equipping her with the "foundational tools necessary for this significant undertaking."

"I would contend that no amount of professional experience can prepare a 21-year-old to lead an industrial services business, especially considering this endeavor commenced at the beginning of the Great Recession," she said.

But from a young age, she said, her parents had instilled a set of values in her "encompassing integrity, hard work, self-assurance, continuous self-improvement, unwavering perseverance and resolute determination."

And as for the growth of the company, Davis is sure to also credit her team.

"The growth of the business has been evolutionary both for myself and our team," Davis said. Starting with just three people, the team did what they could to impress their customers to keep them coming back. "Once we started to turn a profit, we invested in inventory, which gave us products to provide to our customers in addition to the service work. This, in turn, brought more customers, which brought the need for more team members."

Recognizing the difficulty in finding experienced workers in the rubber industry, Davis said she and her company developed a training program to bring people into the industry. "From there we continued to grow by adding on the right team members who did a great job servicing our customers. It's all about the people and the relationships."

Davis said her No. 1 goal as a leader at Davis Industrial is to ensure sustainable growth, which allows her company to create more opportunities for her employees, provide better products and services to customers and contribute to the industry and community.

Davis is on track to be president of the National Industrial Belting Association in 2026, and she considers her involvement in the association to be one of her greatest accomplishments in the industry. In 2020, she served as chair of the Education and Technical committee and joined the executive committee a "mere couple years" later.

"Working in the rubber industry was never in my initial plans, yet now that I've immersed myself in it, I have no intentions of departing," she said. "This field is characterized by its dynamism and spirit of collaboration, populated by brilliant individuals possessing both kind hearts and formidable intellects. While I acknowledge that there are undoubtedly other remarkable industries, for me, this one has become my true professional home."

Years with company: 15 Years
Years in rubber industry: 16 Years

My work at Davis Industrial is an exciting challenge as it demands strategic decision-making in an ever-evolving industry, effective leadership to drive innovation and efficiency, and the ability to adapt to diverse client needs while ensuring sustainable growth and profitability. All of these challenges are the building blocks to the most important challenge, building a successful team.

I challenge my team with the perspective that there is always room for improvement, emphasizing that what we accomplished yesterday serves as a foundation for bettering ourselves and our operations every day, ultimately benefiting both our customers and our team.

I believe that leadership involves enabling others to achieve their objectives by eliminating obstacles that hinder their progress, and my primary role is to provide unwavering support and direction to my team as we strive to attain both individual and shared goals, while also fostering a collaborative environment where we, as a talented and accomplished group, mutually guide and inspire one another daily, echoing Zig Ziglar's wisdom: "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

I would love to tell you that I've always had a passion for the rubber industry, and I knew at a young age that this is where I wanted to be, but that wouldn't be true. At the age of 20 I was looking for an outside sales position and through my network, I landed a job at a conveyor belt service company. Prior to the interview preparation, I had no idea this industry even existed, but I could not be more grateful to be a part of such a great industry with so many incredible individuals. Working on projects and initiatives with my customers and team is a daily source of fulfillment, and the opportunity to collaborate with these sincere, modest, innovative, determined and hardworking individuals is what truly motivates me to look forward to work each day.

My advice for those who feel their ideas and credibility are questioned is to set your goals with confidence and remain vigilant. I can relate, having faced similar challenges; after all, who purchases a company at the age of 21 without encountering obstacles?

You must be determined to push past the obstacles and negativity, let your drive propel you while remaining patient and always professional. Despite the world becoming increasingly fast-paced, relationships remain pivotal in business; learn from others and build your support network. Cultivate strong relationships and continually seek opportunities to prove yourself and your ideas.

I'd say that my approach to offering advice to others aligns with how I promote both myself and my ideas, employing a blend of effective communication, thorough preparation and relationship cultivation. I make sure my ideas are thoroughly researched and supported by data, and when presenting them, I aim for clarity and brevity.

I surround myself with talented individuals and use them as a sounding board. I actively engage with organizations to expand my network and enhance my business' reputation. I actively listen to feedback, ask questions and collaborate with stakeholders to address their concerns and secure their support. Furthermore, I uphold professionalism in all interactions, respecting diverse viewpoints and remaining open to constructive feedback.

Persistence is a core principle for me. I remain undeterred by initial resistance, and willingly adapt and refine my ideas when necessary. In essence, I firmly believe in the effectiveness of tenacity, adaptability and a well-prepared, respectful approach when advocating for both myself and my ideas.

I've always looked at failure much like Henry Ford did when he said, "Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." Failure serves as a valuable life tool, potentially revealing numerous incorrect paths before leading you to the right one, with perseverance being the critical element.

A notable failure in my experience was my delay in removing a key individual from the organization, a decision I should have made several years earlier. People constitute the life force of any organization, but they can also pose challenges. For an extended period, I had an individual in a pivotal role who didn't align with our organization's values, and it took me far too long to remedy this. Eventually, I overcame the fear of potential repercussions and decided to make the necessary change. The result was a cohesive team, firmly grounded in our core values, which held us all accountable to each other, our customers and the business. This change allowed me to replace that member with team members who were a much better fit, enabling the business to grow in alignment with my original vision.

I learned that the cornerstone of a sustainable, scalable and successful company is having exceptional individuals within and around it, and we are committed to accepting nothing less.