Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, my childhood was often challenging; but I was always taught to believe in myself. I used my experience to fuel my aspirations to grow professionally. I set milestones and goals, and developed a plan to achieve them.
My 27-year career in finance began in a feed-mill in South Texas as a Controller trainee. It was certainly a shock to my system to be in such a different culture – and also within a male-dominated industry. Early in my career, I was taught what to do (and not to do) to to continue my professional development – and to never compromise my ethics.
My curiosity and thirst to learn more always had me challenging the status quo and asking if there was a better way to do things. This is a constant theme in my professional journey as I moved from South Texas to six different cities and grew from a Financial Analyst to a CFO. Of course, there were lots of twists and turns – as well as lessons learned – along the way.
I’m not afraid of change. Because of this, I pushed myself and took risks. I think it’s important to know it’s OK to fail – this is how you learn. Always be true to yourself, trust your instincts and apply common sense. I have the confidence to speak my mind – and I know my voice matters, regardless of the audience. As often as possible, I let facts lead discussions and conclusions – not emotions.
Balancing a career and a family is not always easy. I have tried not being hard on myself, and when I recognize that I’m off balance, I am able to hit the pause button. The challenge is to always calibrate your professional expectations with your family needs, and adjust as needed.
Recognizing that I CAN influence others is a success in itself. I take extreme pride in this, and I celebrate the successes of team members or peers that I have helped. Some pillars of my philosophy are: be authentic, grounded and trustworthy; treat people with respect and professionalism, always; be empathetic and genuine; be direct and transparent with people, and expect the same in return. Candor is always my top choice (sometimes to a fault).
I also recognize that my success IS influenced by others – and I always align myself professionally with people I trust and respect. Early in my career, I was fortunate enough to be encouraged and motivated by strong leaders that served as mentors throughout my professional journey. I built a strong team by hiring and developing talent that can do my job. I am not intimidated or threatened by people smarter than me, as I know my success is defined by my team. I prefer to support my team and always let them shine – because we’re better together than as individuals.
In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the bold and powerful women of Foundever by sharing their stories – about balance, about success, about gender equality, about change, about what it feels like to be a woman today.