--- title: "Lessons in Perseverance: What NAWIC and Women in Construction Reinforced for Me About Building Something New" description: Beth Wills of Express 4X4 Truck Rental shares lessons from NAWIC on perseverance, relationship-building, and supporting women in construction. image: https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/hubfs/EXP%20-%20Blog%20Image%20-%20NAWIC%20Women%20in%20Construction.png --- [Skip to content](https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/blog/lessons-in-perseverance-what-nawic-and-women-in-construction-reinforced-for-me-about-building-something-new#main-content) [![Express 4x4 Truck Rental](https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Express_Logo_Flag_New.png?width=1200&height=455&name=Express_Logo_Flag_New.png)](https://www.express4x4truckrental.com/) - [Our Service](https://express4x4truckrental.com/our-service/) - [Why Rent](https://express4x4truckrental.com/why-rent/) - [Truck Lineup](https://express4x4truckrental.com/truck-lineup/) Show submenu for {{ link.label }} - [Pick-up Trucks](https://express4x4truckrental.com/trucks-categories/pickup-trucks/) - [Flatbed Trucks](https://express4x4truckrental.com/trucks-categories/flatbed-trucks/) - [Utility Trucks](https://express4x4truckrental.com/trucks-categories/utility-trucks/) - [Passenger Vans & SUVs](https://express4x4truckrental.com/trucks-categories/passenger-vans-and-suvs/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Our Service](https://express4x4truckrental.com/our-service/) - [Why Rent](https://express4x4truckrental.com/why-rent/) - [Truck Lineup](https://express4x4truckrental.com/truck-lineup/) Show submenu for {{ link.label }} - [Pick-up Trucks](https://express4x4truckrental.com/trucks-categories/pickup-trucks/) - [Flatbed Trucks](https://express4x4truckrental.com/trucks-categories/flatbed-trucks/) - [Utility Trucks](https://express4x4truckrental.com/trucks-categories/utility-trucks/) - [Passenger Vans & SUVs](https://express4x4truckrental.com/trucks-categories/passenger-vans-and-suvs/) - [Contact us](https://express4x4truckrental.com/contact-us/) [Contact us](https://express4x4truckrental.com/contact-us/) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/blog/lessons-in-perseverance-what-nawic-and-women-in-construction-reinforced-for-me-about-building-something-new) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/blog/lessons-in-perseverance-what-nawic-and-women-in-construction-reinforced-for-me-about-building-something-new) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/blog/lessons-in-perseverance-what-nawic-and-women-in-construction-reinforced-for-me-about-building-something-new) # Lessons in Perseverance: What NAWIC and Women in Construction Reinforced for Me About Building Something New [Beth Wills](https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/blog/author/beth-wills) *By Beth Wills, Express 4X4 Senior Vice President of Sales & Customer Experience* I've been to a lot of trade shows in my career. After more than twenty-two-plus years in automotive, I’m familiar with booths, networking, presentations, and the conversations that come from industry events. NAWIC, National Association of Women in Construction, felt different.   My colleague Jo Jo Jensen, Express 4X4 Senior Sales Support Specialist & Office Manager, and I walked away from it energized. We attended expecting to learn more about the construction industry, make new connections, and better understand a market that continues to evolve. We did all of that, but we also came home with a renewed appreciation for something I’ve seen throughout my career: meaningful growth starts with relationships, curiosity, and a willingness to keep showing up. More women are becoming decision makers across construction, solar, and the other verticals we serve, and that we are looking to grow in. That created an important opportunity for us to listen, learn, build relationships, and better understand how we can support their businesses. ## The floor isn’t always where the most important conversations happen One of the first things we noticed was that the NAWIC show floor was small. There were booths, product demos, and technology on display, but many of the most valuable conversations happened outside of the traditional exhibit environment. The real connections happened over lunch, while waiting in lines, during network events, and in the information moments between sessions.  Jo Jo described it well: "it's knowing how to communicate and knowing how to come up, say hi, and start talking." That reinforced something I’ve always believed. Relationships are built through genuine conversations, not just sales presentations. When you take the time to understand someone’s business, challenges, and priorities, the opportunity to create value becomes much clearer. ## Perseverance was a consistent theme Another theme that stood out throughout the event was perseverance. We heard leaders and speakers with very different backgrounds, but their stories shared a common thread: progress rarely happens without persistence, adaptability, and the willingness to keep moving forward when the path is not easy. The mayor of Reno, who took a city once known mostly for Reno 911, spoke about the work required to transform and rebuild its reputation and infrastructure through sheer will. An Olympic silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles, shared her experience overcoming obstacle after obstacle to get to the podium. A Survivor winner, who broke down the strategy of adapting to changing circumstances and continuing to move forward even when the original plan no longer works. Different experiences, but a similar message: preparation matters, relationships matter, and perseverance matters. That message was just as evident in the women we met throughout the conference. Jo Jo and I had the opportunity to meet women who had built impressive careers in industries that historically offered fewer opportunities for them. We met the first woman to become a master plumber in the entire country, as well as an electrical engineer who became one of the first women to own her own firm, and later expanded her impact through teaching and now holds elected office, on her way to Washington, D.C. Their stories were a strong reminder that meaningful change often comes from people who are willing to keep pushing forward, build expertise, and create opportunities where few existed before. ## The camaraderie was powerful What struck both of us most was the culture within the room. With approximately 650 women in attendance, there was a genuine willingness to connect, share experiences, and help one another. The conversations were less about selling and more about learning and educating. Jo Jo often describes her own approach by saying: "I don't sell a thing. I educate consumers." That philosophy fit naturally with what we experienced at NAWIC. When people are willing to share what they know, ask questions, and understand one another’s businesses, stronger relationships follow. That kind of environment creates opportunities not only for individuals, but for entire industries to grow. ## An opportunity to educate One of the most interesting takeaways for us was how unfamiliar many attendees were with flexible vehicle solutions. For companies managing project-based work, vehicle needs can change quickly. A new project may require additional trucks for a period of time, while the completion of another project may reduce that need just as quickly. The ability to adjust fleet capacity without owning every vehicle long term can provide companies with greater flexibility as their workloads change. Many of the people we spoke with simply had not considered that model before. That was an important reminder for us. Sometimes the opportunity is not about convincing someone to change providers. It is about helping them understand that another solution exists. ## What we're bringing back If you're going to attend NAWIC for the first time, our advice would be simple: go in ready to listen, learn, and build relationships. And be sure to drink plenty of water. Don’t focus on closing the deal. Focus on understanding the people, the industry, and the challenges companies are trying to solve. Be curious. Ask questions. Share what you know. And continue to show up. As women in the rental industry, Jo Jo and I appreciated the opportunity to spend time with a community of women who were building businesses, leading teams, solving problems, and creating opportunities across construction. The experience was motivating, energizing, and a strong reminder that progress rarely comes from one conversation, one event, or one opportunity. t comes from building relationships, continuing to learn, and consistently showing up.  [![footer-logo](https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/hs-fs/hubfs/footer-logo.png?width=300&height=113&name=footer-logo.png "footer-logo")](https://www.express4x4truckrental.com) *Contact Us* 330 S Warminster Rd Suite 334 Hatboro, PA 19040 1-800-826-7368 *Quick Links* Truck Lineup Our Service Customer Login *Social* [linkedin-in icon](https://www.linkedin.com/company/express-4-x-4-truck-rental/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572296558828) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.instagram.com/express4x4tr/) @ 2025 Express 4x4 Truck Rental  [Privacy Policy](https://express4x4truckrental.com/privacy-policy/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Beth Wills", "url" : "https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/blog/author/beth-wills" }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-29T18:04:07.120Z", "datePublished" : "2026-09-29T18:04:07.000Z", "headline" : "Lessons in Perseverance: What NAWIC and Women in Construction Reinforced for Me About Building Something New", "image" : [ "https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/hubfs/EXP%20-%20Blog%20Image%20-%20NAWIC%20Women%20in%20Construction.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/blog/lessons-in-perseverance-what-nawic-and-women-in-construction-reinforced-for-me-about-building-something-new", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://trucks.express4x4truckrental.com/hubfs/Express_Logo_Flag_New.png" } } } ```