CEO Of RV Sales Of Broward In Florida Explains How She Battled Her Way To The Top In The Male-Dominated Industry
When Gigi Stetler walked into her first RV association meeting in Florida, with her mini-skirt , high-heels, and ponytail bopping and suggested to the all- male gathering that they should change their hours of operation to include weekends to better accommodate customers, she was met with laughter.
“They told me to go home and bake cookies,” said Gigi Stetler, CEO of RV Sales of Broward in Florida. “The scotch-drinking good ol’ boys didn’t take kindly to my ideas.”
The next month when Stetler went searching for the meeting, it had moved and she wasn’t invited, but that didn’t stop her.
Over the next 29 years the accomplished Florida businesswoman, entrepreneur and single mother, battled her way to the top in the male-dominated industry of RV sales and hasn’t looked back.
“Women…we just see things in a different way. We work twice as hard to get half as much,” Stetler said of her relentless compensation for gender inequality in the corporate realm. “Month by month the other RV dealerships near me disappeared because they didn’t want to change with the times and put the customer first. That was a big mistake on their part.”
She eventually came to own a dealership, working 11 years “without ever missing a single day.” She “hustled” her way to the top, despite facing gender stereotypes, and became the No. 1 Fleetwood dealer on the East Coast.
But it was never an easy road for Stetler.
In 2008, her thriving business came to a screeching halt. In the midst of the recession, banks tightened their lending practices, creating a trickledown effect that had a devastating impact on the RV trade.
Rather than declaring bankruptcy, Stetler came up with a new plan of action. She re-established her successful RV dealership business by reinventing it and expanding into new profit centers.
“I was $11 million in debt but I wouldn’t declare bankruptcy, and maybe I should have,” she said laughing. “Now I’m down to only $1 million in debt because I believe in paying your bills. People freak when they hear how much I owe, but then when I tell them what it used to be and they are surprised at what I’ve accomplished.”
One way she dug herself out of debt was instead of instead of relying solely on RV sales, Stetler began examining new sources of revenue, including an RV rental business, in-house interior design team, and customized RVs for every industry, including mobile hair salons, boutiques, and even chiropractor’s offices.
Her specialty is selling a pre-owned RV for about $15,000 - half its original value - and then adding for an extra $5,000-to-$10,000 customized extras, mainly to millennials.
“They come in with cash and want something special, not over the top,” she said. “These kids know what they want and I decided to be the one to give it to them.
Some of the special items Stetler builds into the pre-owned RV’s are:
Special accommodations for pets and extra room for kids or friends;
High-tech amenities like Wi-Fi, smartphone integration, charging stations and premium video and audio systems;
 Recreation storage, with room for bicycles, surf boards or kayaks.
“These are the same kids who stopped RVing with their parents as 16-year-olds,” said 55-year-old Stetler. “Now they’re back.”
One of Stetler’s dreams was to own the ultimate RV park and last December, she opened Planet RV in Davie, FL. Planet RV is now home to Gigi’s 29-year-old company, RV Sales of Broward.
Planet RV has a 3,800 square foot retail parts store, family arcade and snack bar including six service bays and a body shop.
In addition, Planet RV has partnered with the 595 Truck Stop for a combined 35-acre travel center complete with a full restaurant, bar, showers, dump station, LP, gas and diesel station, fully stocked convenience store and a 24-hour RV and truck wash and tire center.
The service center is open from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. seven days a week with 24-hour emergency roadside assistance. The center will have over 300 parking spots for overnight parking allowing visitors to sleep in their own bed while their RV home is being serviced.
“I understand the need for a place to call home while traveling, and recognize the importance of quality service,” Stetler said. “My main goal has always been to provide an economical and high quality solution for all our customer’s travel needs.”
Even though Stetler is back on top, she isn’t even thinking of quitting. Besides RV sales, she is a life coach and author, but her RV sales are her life.
“When people suffer personal tragedies or lose their jobs or businesses, they often feel defeated and want to quit on their dreams,” she said. “But I tell people that this is the wrong approach to take. Don't give up, don't give in - just get back up and start rebuilding your life as quickly as possible. Look at me. I’m a testament to never quitting on my dreams and never quitting, period.”
Candice Reed
A graduate of Kelsey-Jenny College in Communications as well as a certified grant writer, Candice has written for The Los Angeles Times & The New York Times. She loves entertaining and all things French.
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