Robyn Okaja is the general manager of Audi Winnipeg.
of two boys. “Because we all can’t be good at everything, I like to surround myself with people who are experts,” she said. Okaja worked at other dealerships and started as a sales representative. In April of 2019, she joined Audi Winnipeg in her current position. At 12 years old, she was “part of the VW club and loved everything VW related,” she said. The Volkswagen group, to those who are not in-the- know, owns Audi. “It must have been fate,” she admitted. Working well in a team setting stems from having played team sports. It “shows you how to have individual successes within a team,” she said. Sports is a good barometer to determine a desire to develop and be competitive. Okaja said, “The harder you work at something, the results will come.” Essentially, it comes down to working toward your goals and knowing that "you can achieve more as a team than any one person could do on their own," she said. When asked what advice she would offer to girls, Okaja said to “focus on the things you have control over and you’re really good at … rather than trying to fit a mould.“ That is not just good advice for girls or women, she added. A former boss had sage advice: When life gives you chances — take them. Okaja’s encouraging words are just as sound. She said, “Be confident in your abilities. You’ll figure it out as you go. You can’t say no to results!” ◗
YOU CAN’T SAY NO TO RESULTS
It would be difficult to be uninspired by Robyn Okaja. Her outlook on life is so positive — which is refreshing in this rather negative world. As general manager of Audi Winnipeg, Okaja may work in a traditionally male-dominated field but being a woman trailblazer is not her focus. She is more interested in results. Okaja revealed that there had been times when people assumed that her father or husband owned the dealership — insinuating that she had not earned the role. But she takes these comments in stride and “prefers to focus on others’ intentions,” she said. Comments such as these are seen “as an opportunity to change pre- conceived notions,” she added.
Okaja explained that women “may still have a long way to go.” In considering gender, race and minority concerns, “we still are not equal,” she noted. But she also feels that we all have something to overcome. Her story of why she started in vehicle sales is light-hearted and pragmatic. With a goal of becoming a dentist, Okaja accepted a scholarship to play Division 1 volleyball for Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Once finished her undergraduate degree, she came to Winnipeg and needed a vehicle. Okaja had heard that if she worked at a dealership, she might get to use a car. Sometimes “life works that way,” she said. It takes you on an unexpected journey. Most of us know that life’s path is rarely linear. But Okaja admits the role is perfect for her. Creating a solid team is the main goal for this mother
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