A force of nature in steel-capped shoes
In her 13 years with D&D Technologies, Dominika Korgova has dismantled plenty of stereotypes and earned the respect of her peers in the fencing industry. A dynamo who is as equally at home in an engineering workshop as she is in a sales meeting, Dominika’s tenacity, expertise, and Slovakian charm haven’t just broken the mould but recast it entirely.
From Handlova to Down Under
Dominika’s childhood was spent in the quaint town of Handlova in Slovakia. Her childhood curiosity was nurtured by the sights and sounds of her father’s engineering workshop and the knowledge of machines that he imparted to his daughter. “Standing beside my father, watching him work, was where my love for engineering took root,” Dominika says. “Even to this day, when I visit some of our customers' workshops it evokes a sense of nostalgia and familiarity, bringing back memories of my years spent around such machinery.”
Her move to Australia when she was 10 introduced her to the nuances of identity and communication. Overcoming the hurdles of learning a new language and fitting in with a vastly different culture, she emerged with an unshakeable belief: "The tougher the challenge, the sweeter the sense of achievement."
This belief carried through into her adult years, where she completed her Masters in Communication before deciding on a career change into sales. Joining D&D Technologies in 2011 in a customer support role, Dominika set out to learn all there was to know about the way D&D’s products are engineered as well as the ins and outs of the fencing industry. A fast learner with big ambitions, she quickly earned her stripes and moved into sales. Today she’s one of the company’s most successful regional sales managers.
Breaking the mould
With her blonde hair and infectious laugh, there have been moments where Dominika’s place in the fencing industry has been misjudged...but not for long. “In the early days, I had a few experiences where guys assumed I didn’t have anything smart to say about fencing products,” she says. “But once I started making observations and asking in-depth questions, they quickly realised I had the knowledge to actually help them. So, I quickly shattered those stereotypes and earned their respect.”
Dominika Korgova’s advice to women eyeing a future in the fencing industry is rooted in the authenticity of her own experiences. “Embrace every opportunity to learn, and lean into what you love,” she advises.
Dominika’s own path shows that expertise and passion speak louder than the preconceived notions of what women can or cannot do in a male-dominated field. “There are more and more women in heavy industries these days,” she says. “And they’re succeeding not because they’re trying to prove a point about being there, but because they’re good at what they do, and they love the work. That’s what matters.”
The D&D Difference
With her background in journalism and communication, Dominika found more than a job at D&D Technologies — she found a story she can believe in. “I knew right away that this was a company I wanted to work for,” Dominika says. “Innovative products designed and manufactured in Australia, a track record of innovation and world-firsts, and a dedication to keeping kids safe around backyard pools, that really sold me on working for D&D.
“And in turn, those are the things that I sell when I’m talking to my customers. At the end of the day, people want to do business with companies that share their values and care about quality.”
