Changing Lanes

Former fitness instructor Alicia Butler is finding success in a new venture

Words & Images by Justin Hunter

Two years ago, when Alicia Butler and her family relocated to Jasper from the ever-expanding Southern metropolis of Nashville, they were looking to get back to the small-town, simple life.  

Alicia soon discovered that the move to Walker County would open more than just the less hectic lifestyle her family desired—it would bring a new, exciting, and successful career path for her in the car industry as a sales professional at Bill Penney Toyota of Jasper.

Originally from the small town of Franklin, Tennessee, Alicia spent most of her life around the city of Nashville. She graduated from Franklin High School in 1992 and Middle Tennessee State University in 1997 with a degree in exercise physiology and nutrition. For 27 years, Alicia worked as a fitness coach and personal trainer, encouraging her clients and helping them to become their best selves. 

"I'm used to coaching and training and usually talk to and address everybody, but now it's switched. I have to be the listener, you know?” says Alicia. “I love to listen to people's stories when they come to the dealership and see what brought them in. Toyota sells itself, which is one reason I'm here. It's just a great product.”

Alicia's journey into sales began in May 2022 when her husband, Brian, suggested she drop off her resume at Bill Penney Toyota. The following week, she had a full-time position at the dealership.

"In the interview, I told the general manager that I don't have experience. He said great—we'll train you the way we want you to work," she said. "The management here is excellent at training and pushing you. Sometimes they push you to the limits, but it makes me better."

Within the first eight months of her professional sales career, Alicia earned the title of Master Sales, an accomplishment achieved when a salesperson sells 15 cars per month for six months straight.

Alicia believes the key to her success is that she wants to put people at ease when car buying. “I'm not pushy. I want to help people get what's right for them," she says. "I feel like God put my family here for a reason, and I'm just along for the ride to see what happens." 78