Rebecca Lynn White, Director at Western Reserve Partners LLC
#WIMHearHerStory | @WomeninMFG
At Women In Manufacturing, we are committed to supporting women in the manufacturing sector. We firmly believe that mentorship and community-building will help attract and retain women in manufacturing. As part of our mission, we feature on our blog the stories of women we admire who are currently working in manufacturing. The following is the latest installment of our “Hear Her Story” series.
Please tell our readers a little bit about your job and what your work looks like every day.
As head of our firm’s capital raising process, I assist companies in raising debt and minority equity to fund growth and effect shareholder transitions. I regularly meet with capital providers ranging from commercial banks and business development companies to mezzanine funds and private equity groups to keep up to date on current trends in the capital markets, including pricing, structure and terms. These conversations provide me with valuable insight to assist my clients in raising the appropriate capital necessary for them to achieve their growth strategy and succession plans. Often my clients are seeking growth capital to launch a new product line, build a new facility or complete an acquisition, so I work with them to build a financial model to determine the capital structure that best meets their needs and then approach lenders/investors who can provide the type of capital desired. I can also assist shareholders in M&A, whether they are buying a business or selling their ownership stake. My focus is on manufacturing companies and has included a variety of industries, including metals, plastics, materials, packaging and food and beverage. As a result, a great portion of my time is spent at my clients’ facilities getting familiar with their businesses, including their manufacturing processes, supply chain and customer base.Â
Research shows that women, especially women in STEM fields, do better if they have a mentor. Has mentorship played any role in your career?
I have been fortunate to have several great mentors throughout my career, both women and men. Their advice has been extremely valuable to me as I navigate my way through the male-dominated career of investment banking. It has been helpful to me to have mentors in a variety of different careers, as well as in different phases of their career. Some of the best advice has come from people outside my line of work, as they are able to provide a more objective viewpoint. In addition, it is helpful to have mentors who are my peers, in addition to those more senior to me, as they can often relate better to certain situations. One of the best pieces of advice I have received from a mentor was to never be afraid to ask for something you want. The worst that can happen is you are told no, but you will never get what you want if you don’t ever make the ask.  Â
One of the key findings in WIM’s survey is that there is significant overlap between what young women want in careers and the attributes of careers in manufacturing today. But the survey also found that, too often, young women are not aware of the opportunities available in manufacturing. What do you think can be done to spread the word to women about career options in modern manufacturing?
I have been fortunate to have several great mentors throughout my career, both women and men. Their advice has been extremely valuable to me as I navigate my way through the male-dominated career of investment banking. It has been helpful to me to have mentors in a variety of different careers, as well as in different phases of their career. Some of the best advice has come from people outside my line of work, as they are able to provide a more objective viewpoint. In addition, it is helpful to have mentors who are my peers, in addition to those more senior to me, as they can often relate better to certain situations. One of the best pieces of advice I have received from a mentor was to never be afraid to ask for something you want. The worst that can happen is you are told no, but you will never get what you want if you don’t ever make the ask.  Â
Our survey also found that the majority of women in manufacturing today would recommend the sector to young women considering career options. Would you recommend a career in manufacturing? And, if so, why?
The recent manufacturing renaissance in the U.S. has definitely increased the awareness and appeal of manufacturing in our country. I would definitely encourage young women to pursue a career in manufacturing as it provides a very fulfilling and challenging career and we should not leave all of these opportunities to men. Women can and should thrive in manufacturing because we have so much to bring to the industry, which can help continue to boost our country’s output and position in the world of manufacturing.