Tonya House has been the owner of Beartooth Ford in Columbus, Montana, for the past 22 years. Her tenacity and drive have made her a trailblazer in this male‑dominated industry.
She is a single mother of four wonderful children: Tana, age 25; Stone, age 23; Rae, who just turned 16 and Cort, who is 15. Tonya works hard to make sure she has a good work-life balance.
We recently sat down with Tonya to learn more about her career. The following are excerpts from our conversation.
How did you get into the auto industry?
I was a cheerleader in high school. After cheerleading season was over, I was often found lying on the couch in my house. One day, my mother said, “You know, Tonya, you’re going to have to get a job — nobody’s going to call you while you’re lying on the couch.” The very next day, my cheer coach’s husband called me and said, “Hey, I was wondering if you’d like to come and work for me?” He just happened to own the local Chevrolet and Toyota dealership in town. Needless to say, my mother was shocked and I was hired. I worked full-time in the business office during the summer and part-time during school.
I went off to college and had plans to be an attorney. After I graduated, I was busy studying for the LSAT and working at a dealership. I absolutely loved my job. I was getting ready to apply for law school when the owner of the dealership approached me and said, “I’d like to promote you and have you join us in our finance office.” I made the decision to put off law school and never looked back.
As a woman, you are in the minority; what are your thoughts about the auto industry as a career path for women? What’s your experience been like?
My life in the car business hasn’t been all unicorns and rainbows. I have run into some difficult people in my time, but I am definitely the type of woman to stand up to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
When I first bought the dealership, there were times when people would come and say to me, “Can I speak to the man in charge?” or “Can I speak to the owner or somebody above you?” Much to their surprise, I would say, “Great news, I’m the owner; what can I help you with?”
I think this industry is a great place for women to succeed. If you’re going to be a female in this business, it is important to be thick-skinned. For a long time, I was the only female Ford dealer in the entire state of Montana, and that’s sad to me. This isn’t the 50s, 60s, 70s or 80s — you would think at this point that women would be more prevalent in this industry and not in the minority.
Working in the auto industry is a great way to make a living as long as you have a work-life balance because the job can be very demanding. Recently I asked my boyfriend, “Am I getting too old for this?” He replied, “I don’t know a lot of people who love their job as much as you, so you better stick it out a little bit longer.”
Someday, I would love for my daughter to take over Beartooth Ford, and she is considering it. Currently, I have my niece working for me in finance. I run a very family-oriented business; even if you aren’t related to me, if you work here, you’re family.
What do you love about the industry, and what would you change if you could?
My favorite thing about being in the car business is the customers and the day-to-day interaction. I love to negotiate and to meet every single person who comes through the door. I enjoy the challenge of selling somebody a car and overcoming objections that they may have. Most of all, I love my employees. For me, employee satisfaction creates customer satisfaction. If you have your employees out there talking great about your business, it makes people want to come in and do business with you.
If I could change anything, it would be to make the industry less corporate. Again in 2024, there’s still a lot of good old-boy stuff that goes on — and not just in big dealerships but also at the manufacturer level. It’s time to stop that.
What advice would you pass on to someone entering the auto industry?
Be tenacious, never give up and don’t live above your means. If you have a great month, save for the future because this business is cyclical and very much up and down. Try to build your savings account while you’re working.
To people who are questioning if they can work on commission, I always say this: “If you have to take a risk on anyone, it should always be on yourself. You know how hard you’ll work. You know who you are, and you know that you’re the only person that’s going to make you successful. So, if you’re going to take your risk, it might as well be on you.”
When I first started, the market manager at Ford Motor Company said, “You have the background, you’ll get approved to be a dealer, Tonya, but I don’t think you should do it.” I said, “Really, why?” He replied, “I don’t think that store will survive.” My response is the same as my advice: “Well, if I’m taking a risk, it’s going to be on me.”
