Commercial Integrator March 2023 - 31

our employees have been with us for
most of [our] journey, I didn't come into
a leadership role and [then have] to gain
the trust of the company, " she describes.
" I was already there. " Some of her initial
activities - for example, planning company
parties, celebrating employees' service
milestones and helping resolve accounting-related
issues - just reinforced team
members' appreciation of Schoeneberger's
eff orts. " I've been really fortunate, I
think, not to feel the burden that a lot of
women feel trying to lead in a mostly male
industry, " she adds.
Bluewater's leadership
team isn't
afraid to take risks
- and they usually
pay off . Two examples
are its work on
Glenlore Trails and
its own live-event
soſt ware, Parallel.
Leadership and Pivoting
With the sudden halt of live events during
the COVID-19 pandemic, a strong leader
like Schoeneberger immediately recognized
the need to pivot. The Bluewater
team came up with an idea to use the lighting
and immersive entertainment equipment
on the warehouse shelves, waiting
to be used, for an outdoor AV installation.
Glenlore Trails - an immersive, wooded
experience at Multi Lakes in Commerce,
Mich. - was born. This unique entertainment
experience invited visitors to help
uncover the forest's
strange happenings.
Soon aſt er launching
with Glenlore Trails,
Bluewater found out
that the risk it took had
paid off . It was a big hit!
The dollars brought in
helped keep Bluewater's
technical staff employed throughout
the pandemic; however, it was also a
success for local families and individuals
who were craving something safe to do in
the middle of the pandemic.
Buoyed by her success, Schoeneberger
and her leadership team decided to take
a risk and invest in the company's own
live-event soſt ware, called Parallel. The
soſt ware was built because of the absence
of an adequate live-event platform to
cater to a remote audience. These stories
underline that even in challenging times
- perhaps especially in challenging times
- true leaders innovate rather than just
retrenching.
'If you show that you're
excited about it and
willing to learn, the
opportunity is there.
Follow your passion
and take risks.'
- Chanel Schoeneberger,
ambassador, Bluewater
commercialintegrator.com
Words of Advice
The female integration-company executives
to whom we spoke are happy to
off er their advice for those who wish to
emulate their paths and advance in their
careers. Bogosian recommends being well
rounded and learning as much as possible.
" I came in on the business side, " she says.
" I learned a little bit about everything that
we do to be knowledgeable enough to
understand it. "
If you ask Chanel Schoeneberger, who is
Schoeneberger's daughter-in-law and who
serves as ambassador to Bluewater, for her
thoughts on how to advance one's career
in commercial AV, gender imposes no
bounds. " It doesn't matter if you are male
or female, " she declares. " If it's something
that you're passionate about, and [if] you
show that you're excited about it [and]
willing to learn, the opportunity is there.
Follow your passion and take risks. "
Williamson recommends fi nding and
aligning yourself with individuals who
are willing to share their experiences -
perhaps even be mentors to you. " Be
fearless, " she exhorts. " Don't let a couple
of nos slow you down. "
Reinforcing the idea that men and
women aren't necessarily at cross
purposes, Williamson continues, " I have
found that some of my greatest supporters
and mentors are men. They want
to see you succeed. They want to help
you. " Ultimately, she believes there's a
great opportunity for women to increase
their presence in our industry. Williamson,
refl ecting on the early days of her
career, says, " I was given [an opportunity]
that I didn't even know at the time was
changing the course of my life. " The
greatest giſt that our generation can give
is to extend those same opportunities to
others - especially those who have been
deprived of them in the past. CI
MARCH 2023 Commercial Integrator 31
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Commercial Integrator March 2023

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