How do you help people who probably want to go in the right path,
 2
00:00:03.403 --> 00:00:07.540 but just losing the motivation for any reason, what would you tell them?
 3
00:00:07.907 --> 00:00:10.076 It depends on the who
 4
00:00:10.076 --> 00:00:12.746 and the reason why I'm saying some people are faithful,
 5
00:00:12.746 --> 00:00:16.383 so they have some kind of faith, whether it's, Christian, Muslim or whatever,
 6
00:00:16.516 --> 00:00:20.220 I would say that the challenge is your close, it gets harder
 7
00:00:20.253 --> 00:00:21.187 the closer you get.
 8
00:00:21.187 --> 00:00:24.190 And if you give up now and see that you were right around the corner,
 9
00:00:24.557 --> 00:00:26.026 you have a different problem.
 10
00:00:26.026 --> 00:00:27.227 Remain discipline.
 11
00:00:27.227 --> 00:00:30.196 Those who are gung ho like, I don't believe in nothing.
 12
00:00:30.196 --> 00:00:33.033 I believe in me. And this is what I'm going to do.
 13
00:00:33.033 --> 00:00:36.036 I remind them you're not going to wake up every morning motivated.
 14
00:00:36.302 --> 00:00:39.272 But you know what you have to do in order to take the next step.
 15
00:00:39.372 --> 00:00:41.441 I said, there's some days I don't want to go to work.
 16
00:00:41.441 --> 00:00:44.511 There's going to be days that I don't want to see anybody, there's going to be this
 17
00:00:44.511 --> 00:00:47.514 or that and the other but I have the discipline to get up.
 18
00:00:47.747 --> 00:00:51.017 I have the discipline to put my face back on and say, you know what?
 19
00:00:51.151 --> 00:00:53.787 I'm blessed and I need to act like it.
 20
00:00:53.787 --> 00:00:56.689 So I said, you won you're still here.
 21
00:00:56.689 --> 00:00:59.959 So that means you're up one, you know, let's get the second victory.
 22
00:01:00.093 --> 00:01:03.897 So like I said, I focus really strongly on being positive
 23
00:01:04.264 --> 00:01:08.068 and giving hope, even when it's a, serious challenge.
 

2025 PGCO Hub Interviews
formerly-incarcerated

I spent 26 years in prison. It wasn't how I expected my life to go but I used my time in prison to turn my life around, better myself, and work towards reentry. Now I devote my career to helping others going through the same thing.

I work with people who are navigating the challenges of reentry after incarceration. Whether I’m coaching someone who just came home after 30 years or guiding a young first-time offender through a program, my goal is to help them avoid more time behind bars and rebuild their lives. It’s tough work—sometimes they fight me because they’re still fighting themselves. But when they realize I’m on their side and they can see a future for themselves, that’s when I know I’m where I’m meant to be.

Peer Recovery Support Specialist

Determination & Hard Work

Adversity

Remain Disciplined While Working Through Challenges

Since you mentioned that you were not really, I don't know, around people
 2
00:00:04.004 --> 00:00:05.005 that look like you
 3
00:00:05.005 --> 00:00:07.607 when you were in these rooms and having these conversations,
 4
00:00:07.607 --> 00:00:09.909 like at times, did you feel as though you had to?
 5
00:00:09.909 --> 00:00:12.245 I don't know more than anyone else.
 6
00:00:12.245 --> 00:00:13.046 Did you feel at times
 7
00:00:13.046 --> 00:00:16.916 you had to kind of prove that like, no, like I know what I'm talking about?
 8
00:00:17.117 --> 00:00:17.550 Yeah.
 9
00:00:17.550 --> 00:00:22.550 So that was I was probably starting from junior year
 10
00:00:23.023 --> 00:00:26.659 undergrad up to today and beyond today,
 11
00:00:27.093 --> 00:00:30.563 trying to ensure and of course it's not
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00:00:30.563 --> 00:00:33.666 showboating or showing off I'm not into elitistism or something.
 13
00:00:33.700 --> 00:00:35.368 I have my own accolades and y'all can
 14
00:00:35.368 --> 00:00:39.005 you can Google if you want to. And in some circles in some circumstances
 15
00:00:39.272 --> 00:00:40.807 there were instances where people were trying
 16
00:00:40.807 --> 00:00:44.878 to challenge my abilities, challenge you know, my knowledge base.
 17
00:00:44.878 --> 00:00:46.846 Do you actually know the math Ron, and I was like,
 18
00:00:46.846 --> 00:00:49.315 Yeah, and I can do the math in my head if you want to.
 19
00:00:49.315 --> 00:00:52.986 And so in grad school, because of that I had to then prove
 20
00:00:52.986 --> 00:00:56.790 I'm like, okay, well, I'm going to listen to how they present their poster.
 21
00:00:56.790 --> 00:00:58.758 And then I got to do better than that you know, it's like,
 22
00:00:58.758 --> 00:01:02.295 okay, well, Ron you can't - This isn't just a one off experience.
 23
00:01:02.295 --> 00:01:04.464 This is going to be every time now.
 24
00:01:04.464 --> 00:01:07.600 Every time someone's going to ask, well, where's A&amp;T?
 25
00:01:08.068 --> 00:01:09.335 What do they do?
 26
00:01:09.335 --> 00:01:12.305 You look up A&amp;T, you might find astrophysics and you're
 27
00:01:12.305 --> 00:01:15.942 probably going to find my dissertation. But other than that, it's not there.
 28
00:01:16.076 --> 00:01:16.810 Right.
 29
00:01:16.810 --> 00:01:17.977 And that's kind of across
 30
00:01:17.977 --> 00:01:21.815 all of our HBCU's in terms of the hard science. There's only 13
 31
00:01:21.815 --> 00:01:25.518 physics departments at HBCUs, even though there's 101.
 32
00:01:26.119 --> 00:01:28.088 So there's already a disparity, right?
 33
00:01:28.088 --> 00:01:31.091 So going out into the world, I had to be
 34
00:01:31.124 --> 00:01:34.194 not better, but I had to be like stellar.
 35
00:01:34.194 --> 00:01:35.428 I had to be top notch.
 36
00:01:35.428 --> 00:01:38.665 So grad school, I learned how to do differential equations in my head
 37
00:01:38.765 --> 00:01:43.169 so that in the case where I have to go quick, I could solve that very quickly.
 38
00:01:43.503 --> 00:01:45.538 and I know to me it doesn't matter.
 39
00:01:45.538 --> 00:01:46.406 To some it might.
 40
00:01:46.406 --> 00:01:50.043 But even at my HBCU, the person that really instilled
 41
00:01:50.043 --> 00:01:52.712 that in me was not someone who looked like me.
 42
00:01:52.712 --> 00:01:54.914 He was, God rest his soul.
 43
00:01:54.914 --> 00:01:56.983 He was a former advisor of mine.
 44
00:01:56.983 --> 00:01:58.017 He passed in 2018.
 45
00:01:58.017 --> 00:02:01.688 I was one of his last grad students, so he was a reason why I have my Ph.D.
 46
00:02:02.188 --> 00:02:04.190 so and we fought for that PhD.
 47
00:02:04.190 --> 00:02:07.193 And he told me, you know, when you're out in the world Ron,
 48
00:02:07.260 --> 00:02:10.897 you're going to have to explain what you did just scientifically.
 49
00:02:11.097 --> 00:02:12.665 You got to you have to fight for that.
 50
00:02:12.665 --> 00:02:15.702 Because we're 1% of the field of astrophysics.
 51
00:02:16.169 --> 00:02:19.372 And so the other 99% is like, okay, well,
 52
00:02:19.372 --> 00:02:22.408 did you go to did you go to the Harvard programs?
 53
00:02:22.408 --> 00:02:24.110 Like, No, I've never been to Harvard.
 54
00:02:24.110 --> 00:02:25.945 and that's part of the HBCU environment.
 55
00:02:25.945 --> 00:02:28.114 The resiliency is it's automatic,
 56
00:02:28.114 --> 00:02:31.518 you don't even have to be at an HBCU, you can be HBCU adjacent, right?
 57
00:02:31.518 --> 00:02:35.622 Meaning that you might be at MIT and have friends at Morehouse, Right.
 58
00:02:35.855 --> 00:02:38.057 Or have new friends that went to AT&amp;T. Right.
 59
00:02:38.057 --> 00:02:42.228 But now that's HBCU adjacent, because now everybody's sharing the same experiences.
 60
00:02:42.562 --> 00:02:45.231 It's not just siloed at an HBCU,
 61
00:02:45.231 --> 00:02:48.101 I think it's probably cultivated a little bit more.
 62
00:02:48.101 --> 00:02:51.304 It's comforted a little bit more because you're kind of at home.
 63
00:02:51.471 --> 00:02:54.240 But if you're away from home, so to speak, it's still there.
 64
00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:56.176 You still have to learn that resiliency.
 65
00:02:56.176 --> 00:02:59.445 And so while I was at school, I was at home and it was great.
 66
00:02:59.846 --> 00:03:00.747 And I traveled.
 67
00:03:00.747 --> 00:03:02.482 I came back home. And you do that.
 68
00:03:02.482 --> 00:03:05.485 Now that I've graduated, I feel like, you know, I'm away from home
 69
00:03:05.952 --> 00:03:07.854 and I it's got to be every day.
 

In this field, you need to have a "can't stop, won't stop" attitude. I applied to NASA multiple times before I was finally offered a position—and it wasn't even one I applied for! I sent a cold email and went the extra mile to prepare a slide presentation of my work. Be prepared. There's always somebody watching you. A lot of the times, you won't even know an opportunity exists because it's being saved for the right person. You can be the right person. Be confident, persistent, and resilient.

I spend my time diving into the mysteries of black holes as a theoretical astrophysicist at NASA. My work balances cutting-edge research on relativistic jet emissions with mentoring early-career scientists through the Cosmic Pathfinders program. Whether I’m analyzing data, speaking at conferences, or guiding students toward careers in space science, my goal is to expand our understanding of the universe while inspiring the next generation​.

Theoretical Astrophysicist

Working Hard To Prove Myself In College

I'm just curious like, what's the most difficult part of seeing a client these days?
 2
00:00:03.203 --> 00:00:04.671 The trauma of the experience.
 3
00:00:04.671 --> 00:00:08.708 A good maybe 5 or 10 of my clients have specific gun violence.
 4
00:00:08.808 --> 00:00:11.811 So when you hear that stuff, I've learned how to grow in empathy,
 5
00:00:12.379 --> 00:00:15.548 but I've also learned how to not take it home with me.
 6
00:00:15.648 --> 00:00:16.950 You never know what someone needs,
 7
00:00:16.950 --> 00:00:21.950 so me being a client centered or person centered therapist to a certain extent,
 8
00:00:22.288 --> 00:00:25.592 but also I'm able to confront them to make sure that they pull out
 9
00:00:25.925 --> 00:00:28.361 whatever it is that needs to be pulled out.
 10
00:00:28.361 --> 00:00:29.696 But make sure they're honest and vulnerable
 11
00:00:29.696 --> 00:00:32.065 because I can't help you unless you're honest with me.
 12
00:00:32.065 --> 00:00:32.632 Yeah.
 13
00:00:32.632 --> 00:00:34.334 So learning how to be relatable.
 14
00:00:34.334 --> 00:00:36.936 I'm not your typical therapist. I don't look like your typical therapist.
 15
00:00:36.936 --> 00:00:40.807 So clients say I create a safe space for them to talk. Even if they have
 16
00:00:40.807 --> 00:00:42.942 a really good relationship with their parents or their friends.
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00:00:42.942 --> 00:00:44.677 There's a certain thing that I don't want to tell them,
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00:00:44.677 --> 00:00:48.314 because their view of me might change based off of them,
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00:00:48.448 --> 00:00:51.317 or they may view a past version of you and they're stuck there
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00:00:51.317 --> 00:00:54.320 and not realize that you're growing and changing right before their eyes.
 21
00:00:54.521 --> 00:00:57.724 So being that person for them kind of helps me put in perspective,
 22
00:00:57.724 --> 00:01:01.027 like, I'm blessed to be able to do what I do, but I'm also able
 23
00:01:01.027 --> 00:01:05.465 to learn so many different ways to help many different people on a daily basis.
 24
00:01:05.498 --> 00:01:07.133 Because you never know who's going to walk in or what
 25
00:01:07.133 --> 00:01:09.502 they're going to walk in with, and I got to be prepared.
 

2024 BMHE Roadtrip
first-in-family
advanced-degree
career-change

I recommend pursuing an undergraduate degree in psychology. If possible, try to network with more licensed professionals to better know what to expect instead of just relying on an academic institution. Counseling is a very complex field and there are many different paths to take, so do your research and choose what's best for you.

I started my mental health journey in 2016. I was supporting my wife through postpartum depression. I was working two jobs, wasn't aligned with my passion, and was having panic attacks at work. I decided it was time to get help and talk to someone.

As a licensed therapist, I provide psychotherapy for clients in-person and via Telehealth. Every day, I create a safe space where young Black men can open up, process emotions, and break free from what’s holding them back. Using cognitive and dialectical behavioral therapy, I help my clients uncover the root causes of their struggles and build a mindset for growth. No two sessions are the same—my job is to listen, challenge, and guide people toward healing and self-discovery​.

Licensed Professional Counselor Associate

Fulfillment

The Most Difficult Part Of Being A Therapist

For me when I think of the word fashion, I think of runways and magazines
 2
00:00:05.071 --> 00:00:08.074 and like the thing that's very transparent.
 3
00:00:08.241 --> 00:00:12.245 But I am kind of curious what are the values of fashion
 4
00:00:12.245 --> 00:00:13.613 that like you want people
 5
00:00:13.613 --> 00:00:17.083 that are looking in from like perspectives like my own that you want us to know?
 6
00:00:17.317 --> 00:00:19.019 Yeah, no again great question.
 7
00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:22.022 You bring up a bunch of different points within your question
 8
00:00:22.022 --> 00:00:25.325 is that there's like fashion with a capital F and then there's clothes.
 9
00:00:25.725 --> 00:00:28.695 And so the thing is, is we all wear clothes
 10
00:00:28.695 --> 00:00:31.598 and we all, as I mentioned earlier, are
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00:00:33.033 --> 00:00:33.400 trying to
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00:00:33.400 --> 00:00:36.770 transmit something, even if it's I just want to fit in or I want to hide
 13
00:00:36.770 --> 00:00:40.006 today, I don't want anyone to talk to me or like, please look at me right?
 14
00:00:40.006 --> 00:00:41.107 There's the whole gamut.
 15
00:00:41.107 --> 00:00:43.443 But we're all participating in that in some way.
 16
00:00:43.443 --> 00:00:47.313 Sustainability is for everybody because we all wear clothes and also
 17
00:00:47.313 --> 00:00:50.483 we all live on this earth and hopefully we all care about this right?
 18
00:00:50.750 --> 00:00:53.019 What I do is more fashion with the capital.
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00:00:53.019 --> 00:00:54.888 F you know, it's more
 20
00:00:54.888 --> 00:00:58.925 for people who want to stand out or they have a special occasion
 21
00:00:58.925 --> 00:01:01.294 where they really they need to look good, they need to look nice.
 22
00:01:01.294 --> 00:01:05.832 But there's plenty of other companies that are you know, we're doing basics,
 23
00:01:05.999 --> 00:01:09.736 we're doing workwear and sustainability can fit into that.
 24
00:01:09.736 --> 00:01:12.439 but it's also like it takes a lot of
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00:01:14.074 --> 00:01:16.443 passion and
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00:01:16.443 --> 00:01:19.446 endurance to do this job,
 27
00:01:20.180 --> 00:01:20.880 like whatever.
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00:01:20.880 --> 00:01:22.182 I don't want to be overly dramatic,
 29
00:01:22.182 --> 00:01:25.051 but the fashion industry is not an easy industry to work in.
 30
00:01:25.051 --> 00:01:28.788 It's not easy to launch a fashion design in the U.S.,
 31
00:01:28.788 --> 00:01:31.791 and certainly not if it's more of an ethical fashion line.
 32
00:01:31.925 --> 00:01:33.793 But you do it because you're passionate about it
 33
00:01:33.793 --> 00:01:36.496 and you care and because you want to live your values.
 34
00:01:36.496 --> 00:01:41.496 and I've seen that in my 20 plus year career, like no one used to care.
 35
00:01:41.501 --> 00:01:44.771 And now Columbia College, where I went for my fashion degree,
 36
00:01:45.105 --> 00:01:49.142 they hired me to teach the inaugural Sustainable Fashion Practice course.
 37
00:01:49.142 --> 00:01:51.377 And they now actually have a minor in sustainability.
 38
00:01:51.377 --> 00:01:52.946 So like, that's so great.
 39
00:01:52.946 --> 00:01:55.115 And one of the things that I tell students is just like,
 40
00:01:55.115 --> 00:01:56.649 you have more power than you think.
 41
00:01:56.649 --> 00:01:58.017 at the jobs that you have.
 42
00:01:58.017 --> 00:02:01.554 If you start saying, hey, we need to change the packaging here,
 43
00:02:01.554 --> 00:02:05.592 we need to stop buying conventional cotton, whatever it is you might not hear.
 44
00:02:05.592 --> 00:02:06.493 Yes, right away.
 45
00:02:06.493 --> 00:02:10.196 But management is listening and eventually you will be management, you know.
 46
00:02:10.463 --> 00:02:14.400 And also we have power as consumers to say we want these things to change.
 47
00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:19.400 But again, try to find a brand that you can trust.
 48
00:02:19.672 --> 00:02:22.175 what are the brands that are doing the best work?
 49
00:02:22.175 --> 00:02:23.243 What can you afford?
 50
00:02:23.243 --> 00:02:26.713 And then how do you increase the longevity of what you already have in your closet,
 51
00:02:26.713 --> 00:02:30.517 whether it's fashion with a capital F or, you know, a basic shirt, you know,
 52
00:02:30.750 --> 00:02:33.753 like just because the button fell off doesn't mean you have to get rid of it.
 53
00:02:33.753 --> 00:02:35.388 You can you can put a button back on.
 54
00:02:35.388 --> 00:02:37.524 You can learn how to do that. You can have someone help you.
 55
00:02:37.524 --> 00:02:40.527 You know so I think kind of like having that mindset of like, well,
 56
00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.563 how am I going to recycle these looks and turn them into different looks
 57
00:02:43.563 --> 00:02:47.800 if you're, you know, the kind of person who has multiple types of style or,
 58
00:02:48.034 --> 00:02:52.438 hey, I can do kind of more of a uniform dressing, these are my go to looks
 59
00:02:52.805 --> 00:02:55.275 and then you kind of get more bang for your buck, both
 60
00:02:55.275 --> 00:02:58.111 in terms of sustainability but also in terms of money, you know,
 61
00:02:58.111 --> 00:03:01.748 and then obviously vintage and thrift are things that folks can do
 62
00:03:01.848 --> 00:03:02.582 and things like that.
 63
00:03:02.582 --> 00:03:03.783 But that's a way to be
 64
00:03:03.783 --> 00:03:06.553 more creative and more sustainable and also do it on a budget.
 65
00:03:06.553 --> 00:03:09.556 But like the sustainability conversation is relevant regardless.
 

2024 VOHE Roadtrip
first-in-family
advanced-degree
entrepreneur

You really only need to go to school for design if you want to be a designer. I definitely attended more school than is necessary—I just really like school! I do think that my degrees in fields other than fashion have made me stand out and actually helped me to gain teaching positions, and have made me a more well-rounded designer. I think that finding a way to broaden your focus in the field of fashion is helpful.

Production Mode is a small business, so we all do a bit of everything in the business. It's a bit less efficient that way but also more interesting. It also helps us to appreciate one another and our respective strengths and weaknesses. Design and pattern drafting are my favorite activities, so I try to prioritize those. I also prioritize strategic business planning, as it's important to work on my business, not just in it.

Founder & Designer

Passion

Values

Values In The Fashion Industry

When you walk through life and you're kind of aware of your ability,
 2
00:00:03.670 --> 00:00:07.007 but that hasn't really been validated much, you kind of
 3
00:00:07.007 --> 00:00:07.640 question it.
 4
00:00:07.640 --> 00:00:11.011 And I think without that writing getting published,
 5
00:00:11.011 --> 00:00:15.048 I don't think I would have even tried to attempt developing an app.
 6
00:00:15.515 --> 00:00:18.651 I don't think I would have tried to attempt a lot of the things that
 7
00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:20.653 I did shortly after that.
 8
00:00:20.653 --> 00:00:23.123 I never had that vocabulary for myself
 9
00:00:23.123 --> 00:00:23.790 growing up where I did.
 10
00:00:23.790 --> 00:00:27.227 But that was all because, I took the opportunity
 11
00:00:27.227 --> 00:00:30.497 to apply purpose to a personal narrative.
 12
00:00:30.597 --> 00:00:35.268 For people who grow up in those types of environments, they have a drive
 13
00:00:35.268 --> 00:00:39.072 that I don't really see anywhere else outside of that.
 14
00:00:39.072 --> 00:00:42.308 That's why I got involved in the communities the way that I did
 15
00:00:42.308 --> 00:00:46.179 and was a part of opening platforms of expression,
 16
00:00:46.179 --> 00:00:48.448 in these communities, because there is a drive
 17
00:00:48.448 --> 00:00:51.251 to want to get out and to want to see more.
 18
00:00:51.251 --> 00:00:55.188 But if there aren't, opportunities provided or even platforms
 19
00:00:55.188 --> 00:00:59.626 to even express that, then a lot of that energy gets directed into the wrong thing.
 20
00:00:59.626 --> 00:01:02.028 My biggest message in those
 21
00:01:02.028 --> 00:01:06.900 communities and what I even bring back to my own community back home is if you
 22
00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:08.568 don't have the money to go to school,
 23
00:01:08.568 --> 00:01:13.306 expose yourself to more travel, go meet new people, go learn new cultures,
 24
00:01:13.306 --> 00:01:16.810 go see something different in order to broaden your perspective.
 25
00:01:17.043 --> 00:01:19.546 And that will push your education further.
 26
00:01:19.546 --> 00:01:22.549 And it may even push you to go to school eventually.
 27
00:01:22.549 --> 00:01:23.616 I don't think you can really see
 28
00:01:23.616 --> 00:01:27.487 much value in anything outside of you until you see value in yourself.
 29
00:01:27.654 --> 00:01:31.257 And I think that's ultimately what the difference maker was for me.
 30
00:01:31.257 --> 00:01:33.293 It's that concept of purpose, right.
 31
00:01:33.293 --> 00:01:35.161 And that gives you the conviction.
 32
00:01:35.161 --> 00:01:37.397 What do I want to do with this moment?
 33
00:01:37.397 --> 00:01:39.032 What do I want to do with this time?
 34
00:01:39.032 --> 00:01:40.733 How do I want to leave an impact?
 35
00:01:40.733 --> 00:01:43.603 How do I even want to be remembered in this space?
 36
00:01:43.603 --> 00:01:46.106 I think if anybody applies a sense of purpose
 37
00:01:46.106 --> 00:01:49.709 to anything, really, it can become something special.
 38
00:01:49.709 --> 00:01:52.645 So just hold on to the things that you believe in and make sure
 39
00:01:52.645 --> 00:01:56.416 the things that you're doing, every choice kind of aligns with that.
 40
00:01:56.416 --> 00:02:00.053 Use that fuel, use that fire, use that passion, use that pain,
 41
00:02:00.053 --> 00:02:03.690 and channel it into something that is going to bring value back to you.
 42
00:02:03.690 --> 00:02:05.525 And ultimately, your community.
 

I had to drop out of university to prioritize work. I eventually re-enrolled in community college had a 1.2 GPA and was placed on academic probation. I started realizing the value that a good education has and decided to focus to succeed in school.

I fell on hard times, struggled to make money through negative avenues, and eventually ended up homeless. Through mentorship and community service organizations, I was able to find a renewed sense of purpose and pull myself back up.

As the creator of J.R. Stark, a signature info content app, I focus on simplifying life skills for users. My day involves curating concise, practical courses on topics like nutrition, self-reliance, and skill development. I’m also refining the app’s features, ensuring it builds a supportive community for users to exchange ideas and grow together.

Creator

Confidence

Opportunities & Possibilities

Finding Confidence And Purpose

Do you think that you're you're happy with how hard you worked?
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00:00:04.838 --> 00:00:05.638 Do you think that
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00:00:07.073 --> 00:00:07.941 the work that
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00:00:07.941 --> 00:00:11.311 you put in after everything, do you look back
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00:00:11.311 --> 00:00:13.880 and you think like, that It's worth it?
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00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:15.215 Yes.
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00:00:15.515 --> 00:00:17.417 And the reason why I say yes.
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00:00:17.417 --> 00:00:20.420 Well, the reason why I say yes
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00:00:20.420 --> 00:00:23.923 is because I would not be where I am today.
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00:00:23.923 --> 00:00:28.728 Literally talking to the three of you, if it wasn't for all the hard work
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00:00:28.728 --> 00:00:33.728 that myself, my sisters and my parents contributed to my academic success,
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00:00:34.367 --> 00:00:37.370 which is now what has led to my entrepreneurial success.
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00:00:37.437 --> 00:00:41.374 I still have a lot of long nights because I've barely went into full time
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00:00:41.374 --> 00:00:46.012 entrepreneur, but I look back and I wouldn't change anything.
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00:00:46.012 --> 00:00:49.482 Yes, I missed out on a lot of fun college nights.
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00:00:49.549 --> 00:00:52.719 I missed out on the cool, glamorous trips.
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00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:56.256 Like I still did some fun stuff, but I also know I missed out on a lot.
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00:00:56.356 --> 00:01:00.393 But I look back and I'm like, Who else gets to say that they run
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00:01:00.393 --> 00:01:05.393 an entire business dedicated to supporting first gen students from the ground up?
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00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:10.170 And what really gave me that validation too, is my current cohort
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00:01:10.403 --> 00:01:15.041 of my membership groups, because we've had a handful of our mujeres
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00:01:15.375 --> 00:01:19.179 gain careers since joining my membership, where they work at school districts,
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00:01:19.179 --> 00:01:22.582 they work at nonprofits, they work in research based positions.
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00:01:22.715 --> 00:01:24.918 And then we have mujeres that have won scholarships.
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00:01:24.918 --> 00:01:25.752 And why?
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00:01:25.752 --> 00:01:29.656 Because of the way that I've built my membership to support current
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00:01:29.656 --> 00:01:33.726 first gen students or graduates, roadmaps they're currently looking at.
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00:01:33.726 --> 00:01:37.464 And again, it's a lot of work, but all the work that I did
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00:01:37.464 --> 00:01:40.500 prior, it set me to be where I am today.
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00:01:40.500 --> 00:01:43.303 So I don't I don't regret it.
 

2024 VOHE Roadtrip
first-in-family
community-college
entrepreneur

For anyone who may want to pursue a similar path as me, I recommend an undergraduate degree in marketing and education. It's also important to get involved on campus, whether it's through research, volunteering, or mentorship. Afterwards, I would recommend getting your master's in business or entrepreneurship. And if you really want to go big, create your own passion project that will simultaneously make you money while creating an impact.

I'm proud to be the first in my family to graduate college but it was difficult. I experienced imposter syndrome and culture shock. What helped me combat that were my mentors as well as the opportunities I got to go home and reconnect with my family.

My typical work day includes sitting in virtual meetings with brands to explore partnership opportunities and researching topics and potential interviewees for the Cafecito con Estrellita podcast. I also lead 1-1 and group calls with students from our membership to review college admissions and scholarship essays, resumes, and career exploration plans—all while having my favorite cup of coffee by my side!

The Hard Work Was Worth It

I think the service industry in general is so similar to what I do.
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00:00:04.137 --> 00:00:07.273 I would argue that the service industry is ten times harder than what I do.
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00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:11.244 There's so many aspects to what I do on a daily basis or in sales.
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00:00:11.544 --> 00:00:12.946 So like one of them being like,
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00:00:12.946 --> 00:00:13.179 you know,
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00:00:13.179 --> 00:00:15.015 you're serving that you have so many things
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00:00:15.015 --> 00:00:17.183 going on in your head and just like prioritizing
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00:00:17.183 --> 00:00:20.186 those tasks will come a long way when you're in sales.
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00:00:20.253 --> 00:00:22.722 Like I probably support about 1500 accounts.
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00:00:22.722 --> 00:00:25.725 Wow. You have to like, just go.
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00:00:25.792 --> 00:00:26.860 Do I send emails out?
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00:00:26.860 --> 00:00:28.495 Do I go calls? All that. Right.
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00:00:28.495 --> 00:00:30.864 Even in the service industry, you're getting yelled at,
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00:00:30.864 --> 00:00:33.633 constantly getting yelled that to your face. Right?
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00:00:33.633 --> 00:00:37.470 I rather get yelled at over the phone than to my face.
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00:00:38.071 --> 00:00:39.572 Yeah. Yeah.
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00:00:39.572 --> 00:00:43.643 The multitasking aspect, just being like, you have that grit, you have that
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00:00:43.710 --> 00:00:44.744 tenacity. Like
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00:00:45.845 --> 00:00:46.112 you're
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00:00:46.112 --> 00:00:49.215 on your feet for 6 hours, just like, straight grinding.
 

2023 ADLT2 Roadtrip
school-drop-out
career-change

I start my mornings with admin tasks and emails. Then I prepare for the day ahead, focusing on cold calls and outreach. My goal is to generate interest and demonstrate the value of our identity and access management solutions. Working in the office from Tuesday to Thursday, I prioritize networking and building relationships. Whether selling cybersecurity or making personal recommendations, authenticity and trust are key.

Sr. Sales Development Representative

You need to go straight to college, complete a degree, and enter corporate America in order to be successful.

Talent

How Skills I Learned In The Service Industry Help Me In The Sales Industry

What advice
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00:00:00.567 --> 00:00:04.270 would you have for a young professional, trying to break into the industry?
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00:00:04.471 --> 00:00:08.041 Be able to work hard because no brainer.
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00:00:08.074 --> 00:00:09.042 Okay, work hard.
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00:00:09.042 --> 00:00:13.113 But really put in the effort to know that some of the hard things
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00:00:13.113 --> 00:00:15.815 that you're going through initially, it's going to be part of growth.
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00:00:15.815 --> 00:00:19.252 And you know, right out of school you're like, okay, well, I've taken exams.
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00:00:19.252 --> 00:00:21.988 I know I get my syllabus and it's going to be however many weeks
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00:00:21.988 --> 00:00:24.190 till my exam and I'm gonna know how I did on that immediately.
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00:00:24.190 --> 00:00:25.025 I'm going to get a score.
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00:00:25.025 --> 00:00:27.894 But in the professional world, you're not even going to realize
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00:00:28.194 --> 00:00:29.129 you're taking an exam.
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00:00:29.129 --> 00:00:31.765 When you're doing something, you know you're going to be learning from something
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00:00:31.765 --> 00:00:34.200 and you may not get your score back for another six weeks.
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00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:37.871 And it may not be a numerical score, it may be pass fail, could be whatever.
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00:00:38.238 --> 00:00:41.074 But just know that everything that you're doing is building up
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00:00:41.207 --> 00:00:45.311 to something in the future and you don't even know what that something is just yet
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00:00:45.578 --> 00:00:47.113 until you start looking back on it.
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00:00:47.113 --> 00:00:49.482 And you're like, Yeah, that did make a difference.
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00:00:49.616 --> 00:00:52.485 It's really corny for me to say, but it's like The Karate Kid.
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00:00:52.485 --> 00:00:56.222 So, you know, Daniel's out there, you know, waxing the cars
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00:00:56.222 --> 00:00:57.390 and sanding the wood.
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00:00:57.390 --> 00:01:01.127 He doesn't realize that what he's doing is learning these different mechanics
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00:01:01.127 --> 00:01:03.296 that are going to help him in karate, what have you.
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00:01:03.897 --> 00:01:06.699 I'm out there sampling sewers. That's great.
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00:01:06.733 --> 00:01:08.835 This is exactly what I got into this industry for.
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00:01:08.835 --> 00:01:10.503 But later on, I'm realizing,
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00:01:10.503 --> 00:01:14.074 Oh, I'm learning about how these different pathways are,
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00:01:14.074 --> 00:01:16.242 you know, going to get contaminants from one place to another.
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00:01:16.242 --> 00:01:19.746 Or if I'm going to ask somebody to get that later on, I know the process now.
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00:01:19.746 --> 00:01:20.647 I know what's going on.
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00:01:20.647 --> 00:01:24.584 So the moment can be incredibly challenging, but the process is building
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00:01:24.617 --> 00:01:25.919 towards something bigger.
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00:01:25.919 --> 00:01:28.354 And so just remember that, you know, put yourself out there.
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00:01:28.621 --> 00:01:30.623 There's going to be stuff that it sucks.
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00:01:30.790 --> 00:01:34.327 You don't want to be doing it, but you get into it and you realize
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00:01:34.327 --> 00:01:38.231 later on that that was so valuable for my professional development.
 

There are lots of different ways to get into environmental consulting. Many people major in geology or engineering in college. I didn't take that traditional path but have still been able to succeed.

I'm typically working with my team to help our clients deal with environmental contamination and liabilities. That could mean we're collecting samples, writing reports, or implementing a remediation work plan. No two days are alike and I'm constantly seeking creative ways to meet our client's needs.

Vice President

What if I had picked a different path? Would that have been better?

Determination & Hard Work

Remain Disciplined While Working Through Challenges

Remain Disciplined While Working Through Challenges

Alexander Campbell

748 videos on Determination & Hard Work: