My story began growing up in Houston, Texas. I graduated school a year early at and enrolled in a local community college. I transferred to Houston Baptist University and double majored in Business Administration and Business Management. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Business Management and decided to continue on with my education and earn a Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the Cameron School of Business at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.

I have over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. I’ve held many positions in customer experience, sales and sales management – in addition to having over 5 years of experience in marketing and strategic development. I am particularly well versed in what it takes to make a successful diverse team dynamic.

I am a resource and have a passion for business professionals looking to try something different to boost productivity and moral and get results. The idea came to me after I was recruited years ago to move across the country to Massachusetts to lead a new team. I had just finished up a special project for the 4G network rollout in Alaska. I had spent time setting up new retail stores, training management and store employees to ensure each store met up to high brand expectations. So when I started in Massachusetts, I already had a good amount of leadership experience. Yet still, I made common mistakes in my new role because I underestimated the importance of taking the time to fully understand the dynamics of my new team.

I was a few months in my new role and my boss, who people warned me was notoriously tough, had sat me down and asked if she had made a mistake choosing me for the role. I was devastated — but I put aside my pride and listened to what she had to say. I took a step back and looked at it from her point of view. My boss explained that she hired me to implement change, turn the store around and get high revenue results. I knew I could do it — I’ve done it all my life, but why had I limited myself? I realized that in my attempt to help the team, I had deprived them of the very essence of what I had to offer. I tried to change myself too much for the role to fit in with the team. This tough conversation led me to a revelation, a universal business truth: be yourself.

I know this sounds basic, but I’ve seen too many leaders try to overcompensate for perceived weaknesses and change everything about themselves. It’s not surprising that any short term success they may have at first never lasts, that’s because they drive themselves crazy and burn out. Although I had so much experience within the industry, won prestigious awards and was selected for a highly competitive marketing internship — as well as having experience working with the company in different parts of the country in Texas and Alaska — I still didn’t think of my difference of perspective as my most valuable asset. I also didn’t take the time to understand and appreciate what everyone on the team brought to the table.

We are all different, and have different experiences. I had my struggles growing up — being poor growing up in a marginalized community and being raised by a single mother because my father was incarcerated. I knew what it felt like to be counted out. It is vital that everyone has a seat at the table. The sense of everyone being able to contribute and have a voice is how to achieve high levels engagement and collaboration. It is also important for employee development. I discovered that celebrating differences helps people realize what makes them special and identify key strengths important for achieving their full potential of success. Winning teams are created by building an inclusive culture and increasing employee engagement with a focus on career development. I am humbled to have the opportunity to offer my expertise to others and help them and their teams achieve incredible levels of success.