Inspiring the Rental Industry by Teamwork & Accountability

Part of the For Construction Pros PACER Awards, the Women in Construction award honors females in the construction and rental industries, whose accomplishments, mentorship and examples set a foundation for women in all levels of a company’s network.

Rental is proud to announce Amber Gobert, regional sales director at Sunbelt Rentals as a recipient for a Women in Construction Award of the 2025 For Construction Pros PACER Awards.

Q. The American Rental Association launched the “born for this” campaign in 2024. What brought you to the equipment rental industry? How were you “born for” rental? 

Amber's family.Amber GobertMy husband’s support and encouragement helped bring me to the rental industry, since he began his career in construction and in sales. I felt that I naturally gravitated to the sales aspect of the job. I also enjoyed, and still enjoy, the teamwork and collaboration both within Sunbelt Rentals and with our customers. 

Q. As one of the biggest names within the equipment rental industry, how do you see Sunbelt Rentals connecting to its customers? What strategies have you put forward that help people build relationships with customers?

Sunbelt Rentals connects to its customers by empowering its leaders and team members to listen and make decisions to take care of their needs. This empowerment helps our strategy to build solid relationships with our customers and encourages everyone to take our customer partnerships to the next level.

Q. You’ve gone from outside sales representative, branch manager and strategic customer service representative to now regional sales director. One, what was your strategy at advocating for yourself in your advancement?

My strategy to advance my career was exposure and finding opportunities to learn outside of my comfort zone. I always say, “If you haven’t learned something today, you weren’t paying attention.” I found opportunities to network with customers, associations and community events, even outside of construction, to establish my brand within Sunbelt Rentals.

Q. Two, in your experience, what are the qualities that make up a good leader?

Effective leaders leverage self-awareness to become empathetic listeners, resilient problem-solvers and clear communicators, while also driving accountability and inspiring their teams.

Q. Reflecting on your time with the ERG: WISE within Sunbelt Rentals, how can independently-owned rental businesses do to build inclusivity and provide equitable opportunities for women within their company?

Independently-owned rental businesses can start building inclusivity by connecting with the communities they serve and finding out what’s important in their community. This demonstrates that your company focuses on your team members and the customers you serve; you have employees with like experiences that make it attractive for others to join your company. 

Q. The entry states that one of your goals is to build on the success of the past year, leaning into her principle of “organize to impact.” Can you elaborate on what “organize to impact” means? How can businesses apply this idea?

“Organize to impact” is about giving structure to a process and finding ways to refine it by streamlining that structure, scaling leadership and encouraging consistent, focused engagement. It’s about setting expectations with leadership and team members where everyone is accountable.

Q. Many struggle to find that balance between work and home. What influences have you had in your life helped you find this equilibrium?

My husband is a true partner who helps me find balance, along with my children. It’s also about finding partners within your team, leveraging collective expertise and fostering collaboration and trust within your team. You as a leader do not have to be the sole expert. The big influences in my life have been the many mentors who gave me the same advice: That you must give yourself grace with the high expectations you set for yourself both at work and home. 

Q. What is the best advice you’ve received? How have you applied this to your work and role at Sunbelt Rentals?

The best advice I’ve received is to take time to celebrate — meaning sometimes we work so fast toward a goal that we don’t take time to recognize the win before we move on to something else. It’s progress over perfection and I apply it to my work by leading positively. 

Q. What advice would you offer to others to help them be a better role model?

To be a better role model, you have to meet people where they are, by actively listening to their specific struggles and goals. This allows you to provide relevant, impactful help.