SideQuest 04: Collecting Mentors Like Infinity Stones (with Hannah Pearl) | Women in Engineering & Leadership

2026-01-06

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Episode Summary:What happens when you take the "Handyma’am Spirit" out of construction and drop it onto a 1-million-square-foot factory floor?In this SideQuest, Samantha, Emily, and Arly sit down with a very special guest: Hannah Pearl. She’s Emily’s twin sister, Samantha’s daughter, and—along with dad, Jim—one of the few members of the family who chooses not to pick up the power tools.But don’t let that fool you. Hannah is an award-winning Engineering Manager at Denso Manufacturing and a trailblazer for women in the automotive industry. We discuss navigating male-dominated fields (whether it’s a job site or a facto...

Episode Summary:What happens when you take the "Handyma’am Spirit" out of construction and drop it onto a 1-million-square-foot factory floor?

In this SideQuest, Samantha, Emily, and Arly sit down with a very special guest: Hannah Pearl. She’s Emily’s twin sister, Samantha’s daughter, and—along with dad, Jim—one of the few members of the family who chooses not to pick up the power tools.

But don’t let that fool you. Hannah is an award-winning Engineering Manager at Denso Manufacturing and a trailblazer for women in the automotive industry. We discuss navigating male-dominated fields (whether it’s a job site or a factory), the difference between equity and equality in leadership, and why you should treat your mentors like "Infinity Stones."

In this episode, we cover:

👯‍♀️ The Twin Dynamic: Growing up with (and without) the "Handy" gene.
🏭 Women in Industry: What it’s really like managing a team in a field where women make up less than 30% of the workforce.
⚖️ Equity vs. Equality: Why treating everyone the "same" isn't the best way to lead, and how to create safe spaces for diverse teams.
💎 The Mentor Strategy: Why Hannah collects mentors like "Infinity Stones" and why you need a personal "Board of Directors" for your life.
🗺️ Career Mapping: How to use SMART goals and tools like CliftonStrengths to find your "Why"—even if you feel stuck.

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