Carolina Wagner, VP of Marketing, Kumho Tire, Inspires Us with How to Achieve Career Dreams

Here’s how this dynamic Latina leader from Brazil built her own path to leading a Korean tire company, what inspired her and who she inspires (in addition to us!)

I recently went to an event with Kumho Tires to test drive cars equipped with two of their newest tires. And while it was fun, maybe the best part was sitting down and chatting with Carolina Wagner, the company’s new VP of marketing. Carolina is a woman who’s forged her own path, from her education to a career in automotive to making the transition from Brazil to South Carolina and now, Atlanta.

Her journey is a bit unusual and for an automotive supplier, so is she; so I wanted to know more about what her path looked like, what inspired her, how she identified what she wanted and what she wants for the future. 

Listen to the full podcast here!

Editors note: This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. This interview was edited and condensed for clarity. 

Why Choose the Tire Industry for Her Career? Or Did Tires Choose Her?

Scotty: We just spent the day testing two new Kumho Tire products at a track in Everett, Washington. Out of about 85 people, only a handful were women—a reality we’ve both lived with in the automotive and tire industries. What originally drew you to tires?

Carolina: It’s not the first time that people asked me this. I started really young, I was actually still in college and I had this opportunity for this internship, it was a big company. I was always the type of girl that grew up with adventure. I always wanted to be around you know adventurous things and I like cars. I just I like I like driving. So I’m like why not, you know? And then I went for it.

Scotty: So you started right out of college at Goodyear. You also earned a master’s degree in finance and business management, plus a certificate at Stanford, all while working. Why did you pursue that higher education?

Carolina: Yes, I did that while I was I was working. I think because to be honest, when I I got out of college, I felt that I had some more gaps, so I went for my masters on something that I thought that was kind of my gap — finance and business management. To broaden my view. So instead of being super specific on a masters, I would like to get more of this business management to know how you really operate behind the scenes. What are the strategic decisions? What are the strategic views that you have to get you know? 

Stanford came like much later while I was working for Continental; it was an opportunity to join this executive program. I was always super curious about the university university environment, especially here in the US, and then how things are done and Stanford. I know it’s like very elite and I’m like ‘okay, I want to be part of it, I want to take some classes and I want to learn you know whatever I can learn from those masterminds.’ So, I went for it.

Read: We Tested the Kumho Tire Crugen GT Pro See If These All-Season Tires as Good As Pricer Alternatives

Scotty: You started your career with Goodyear in Brazil, where you grew up. How did you make the move from Brazil to the United States?

Carolina: So I was working for Continental for almost five years as the head of marketing, responsible for Brazil and then Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, but Brazil is the biggest market. So I was in charge of all tire lines for marketing for both replacement and also original equipment. I guess I was always creative and with a purpose behind it; we were implementing a lot of different stuff. The office here, located in Fort Mill, South Carolina, was seeing what we were doing. I got invited to take over the commercial vehicle tires for marketing in the US. My husband was super excited when that happened. And said, “Yes, baby. Let’s go. Let’s do it.” I said, “Stop. Think about it. Let’s evaluate. Let’s see if this is really a chance, you know, for us, if this is really progress in my career and then we can make the decision.” And we sat down, we evaluated everything. We thought that there were more positives, so we took the challenge.

Scotty: You spent about seven years with Continental in South Carolina, then worked in automotive batteries at Johnson Controls, stepped into the software startup world with Beyond Trucks, and spent time leading dealer marketing at Lift One. How did those varied experiences lead you back to tires at Kumho Tire?

Carolina: Yes, in between Goodyear and Continental I worked for Johnson Controls, which is still automotive, still the same environment, same setup, same struggles, right? Then I decided to join Continental and then when my trajectory with Continental ended in 2024, I really wanted to get to know what is out there beyond tires.

So I worked for a startup software company transportation management software where I needed to really be hands-on and do things by myself because. I have to tell you that I probably have worked with the most brilliant people that I have ever worked in my life. And even though it was a startup, it was startup with made of people who are 45-plus. So there were no kids. Everybody’s an adult in the room in a room. That was the other component that really attracted me because it was not just a startup but because they have a good a good idea. There was a lot of structure and a lot of thought process behind the product. In fact, I mean I hold them very much close to my heart these days. Beyond Trucks was amazing.

Then I decided I need to have a little bit more stability so I went to a dealer in forklifts. So I worked for Lift One for about 10 months; everything was fine. And then Kumho came and I’m like, guess what? Rubber sticks. Time to go back to rubber.

Read: Kumho Tires Solus 4S Review: Does This Unique Design Deliver Quiet and Confidence?

A New Chapter: Taking on Kumho Tire and Building a Team

Scotty: What was going through your mind when you started talking with Kumho Tire? What excited or worried you, especially moving into a VP role in a different corporate culture?

Carolina: Yeah, it’s so it’s really mixed feelings, right? Because it’s like you’re going back to the industry that you have worked the most in your entire life. I look at at Kumo as a really good opportunity to get exposed to a different culture. I mean Asian culture and the Koreans especially that I have not been exposed to. I thought I mean they had a very good baseline in terms of the product, the technology, the willingness and their purpose as a company is also what really attracted me, so why not. I would be moving from a director position to a VP position. So it was a nice it was a nice move up on the on the scale.

Scotty: What does your scope look like as VP and Head of Marketing for Kumho Tire?

Carolina: It’s dynamic; marketing is not about boredom, you know. There’s a lot going on. Everything related to communications to promotions to the product to sponsorships to branding and also grow the department, adding other pieces from a strategic marketing perspective.

Scotty: When Kumho Tire approached you, you asked to build and expand the department. What advice do you have for someone who wants to advocate for themselves and set those boundaries, even when self-doubt or “imposter syndrome” creeps in?

Carolina: It took me some time to learn how to do that. But I think eventually you have to find your boundaries and you have to find your self-awareness. What I tend to do is that I tend to sit down, take some time and structure my thoughts. I almost have to build a story to first to reassure what I have in mind. You have to try to stretch that line, but not to the point that you break it. I try to understand Okay, is this reasonable? Is this something that would fit? And then I read articles, do my own research and build a story until I can say okay, this is reasonable. Then sit at a table and propose, I mean what is the worst thing that you can hear, right? And that’s what I say and then no one will bite. I won’t bite. Right? The worst thing that can happen is that “no.” It’s about not taking it personally and saying, “Oh, they don’t like me.” It’s not the right fit, right? It’s not the right fit for the company at that moment. There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s nothing wrong with the company. It’s just not the right fit.

Scotty: Do you lean on mentors, friends, or family when evaluating new career opportunities?

Carolina: Yes, for different purposes. I don’t have one mentor; I have someone who helped me very much in my early career, more like my second father, so I call him and ask ‘what do you think?’ to get his overall perspective. I talk a lot with my husband a lot because he is my best friend. I do have people that I have worked with that I call for more of the business side. I also tend to talk to friends, my colleagues, former colleagues. I don’t I don’t have one source.

Scotty: What is your main priority and vision for your team at Kumho Tire?

Carolina: The thing that really drives us, and I think it’s the primary goal, is to really structure and develop my team. So once you have the team, fully understanding their positions, feeling equipped and motivated, you can just carry forward; that’s the base for everything. If you have a team that is motivated, that has developed self-awareness, is developing  maturity and it’s natural, they will start to shine. They will come up with new ideas and crazy ideas. They will lose if they are afraid of doing anything differently. It’s far from simple, but it’s it’s really what I firmly believe; really look at the people, look at what needs to be done or what can be done and start bit by bit; throw some nuggets and some things here and there and then, start setting those boundaries, those swim lanes and organize things here. If you build up your team correctly chances for failure are  really very slim.

Scotty: What do you say to women who want to join the automotive or tire industry but worry there isn’t room for them?

Carolina: Don’t have this as your first thought. Just don’t put the women piece ahead of everything else. Being in a woman, I would say, is just not a consequence, but it’s just a fact. It’s just another data point. You’re a woman and I’m a professional. I am competent. I’ve studied a lot. I try to keep myself up to date with what is out there in the market. 

Because there are so many opportunities and we need, automotive needs, good people. Yes, you have to probably prove yourself more. But it’s also not that hard. It’s doable. It’s feasible. 

Scotty: Tires are a significant, often unexpected expense for most people. What do you want consumers, especially women, to understand about buying tires?

Carolina: The first thing is that tires are the only four touch points between the car and the ground; they are the only thing that’s holding your vehicle to the ground. It’s what is going to keep your car safe out there, you know. So to me, if people have that in mind before shopping.

And its usually after it rained, the tires slipped, it was scary. And you realize ‘I need to change my tires,’ To your point, I don’t know any person that has a budget for a full set of tires. So think of it as two at a time. Then it’s not a huge expense that you were not expecting. Second point, think of it as a one-time expense. Number three is be really aware of what you use your car for. So what is the main use of your car? What are your day-to-day needs? Then find a tire seller that you trust. There’s so much information out there.

Scotty: Kumho Tire is relatively new to many U.S. consumers compared to older brands like Michelin or Continental. What key takeaway should consumers know about Kumho Tire?

Carolina: Kumo is not just for passenger cars or high performance cars. We do have a full lineup for light trucks, SUVs, CUVs. come in. We want to provide the market with good coverage all at the right price point and at the right value. We invest in serious technology and safety in our production capabilities that a tier one brand would would invest. It’s not over-engineering stuff, but bringing the right products to the market. There are a lot of inexpensive tires out there, but they’re not all quality tires. And that’s where especially if you’re driving kids around or doing those those daily commutes, school runs and things like that, you need to know that you are driving on good tires.

Scotty: You are a mother traveling 3,000 miles away during your 11-year-old daughter’s first week at a new school. What do you hope she takes away and learns from seeing your career trajectory?

Carolina: Don’t stop being curious and don’t let anyone say you can’t do this. To have like the courage to keep moving, the curiosity to keep moving, to get to know things outside of her bubble or her world.To know that there’s a world out there, people with all different perspectives and different realities. That she is the person that needs to put her own limits, not anyone else. It’s like go for it, be curious, don’t be afraid, don’t be scared, you know, just keep going.

Scotty: Do you think she’ll grow up to be a car girl, too?

Carolina: She already is. And it’s really interesting because my husband and I have this RC remote car. I have to admit although I love cars, but my coordination to drive those things, I cannot manage more than one button. But she since she was three or four years old she showed the ability to do it. She’s curious. She races. She has her own cars, her remote control cars. She races with adults. I’ve seen her racing with adults and adults really getting mad and leaving, like big guys leaving this the place mad because she’s a kid. She brings a little bench and jumps up on the bench so she can see like the the whole track and she races with all the big guys. But she finds an environment of the people who understand that she’s capable. They enjoy having her around. And the people who are going to be bothered about this fact and try to protect their environment? They’re going to do that. It is no different than a company. So that she’s already able to face that and to still do it, I think it’s amazing.

It was a true joy to spend time with Carolina and learn from her. And clearly, Carolina’s daughter has learned from her mom. “She brings a bench and jumps up on it so she can see the whole track” might also be the analogy we should all use for our pursuits.