I learned something at school and came home to talk to my parents about it. I was about ten. My parents had no idea about what I was talking about because by dad only had a middle school education and my mom never even went to school. She can’t read or write. So from a young age, I realized that if I have any trouble, I’m on my own. I need to create my own future rather than rely on my parents because they don’t know things. And I usually don’t tell them things that are worrisome because they will be worried but they cannot help.
Being on my own, the best gift I have ever gotten from people is their trust and confidence. People telling you that you can do it. I started out my career in the tour guide industry. There are different layers, you start being a local guide, then a regional guide, then national, and if you are really good, you become a tour leader. I got really lucky, I joined directly as a tour leader. The company that hired me didn’t look at all these layers, they just look for people with the right quality, and they train them up. They had confidence in me.
Since then, I’ve gotten into the tech industry. I’ve been offered positions and often I’ve been afraid, thinking I can’t do it. My previous boss, my husband keep saying you can do it. Just try it. Women in particular sometimes don’t have a lot of confidence to accept a job that has been offered to them. Sure enough, I’ve taken those opportunities and after starting them I find that I can do them, and now I’ve been in positions where I am hiring others.
In my last company, I hired about 15 sales people. And I look for people that have a lot of potential like me, someone who is hungry, has a good attitude, but hasn’t had a good opportunity yet. I’ll talk to them and see if they are trainable. I’ve hired a bartender, a basketball coach, and a flower shop owner and I’ve had great success. I’m less concerned with whether they have had previous experience – you could have had past experience but done it badly, you know.