Standing Tall

As I blogged, last time..I work at Toshiba Business Solutions in Asheville, NC. 

I started this job, as a new graduate from Western Carolina University. Where I studied broadcast journalism under the communication department. I fell in love with the industry and knew that's what I wanted to do. Well, I was off to a great start. I went to Germany for two months, published a travel guide and then came back to find...a really flimsy job market. I quickly found out that the jobs that I wanted (in the areas that I was considering) were few and far between. Then I quickly realized, that without a job I had no way of doing anything. 

After getting on with Toshiba Business Solutions, I was worried that I wasn't going to be good at the job. It was a job in sales and my title was "Account Executive".....nothing I ever dreamt of being or even considered being. However, the opportunity was given and I jumped on it. 

Two months down the road I was producing numbers that were incredibly average, nothing special. I was told "no" at least 15 times by business owners daily. I was naive to the business world and how it works. I believed what everyone told me, whole heartedly. In the end, it was me who lost out on important appointments, meetings and more importantly the potential money that I could have made. I was in tears every other day from the stress of disappointing people, the negativity and the deadlines and expectations that went along with it.

It didn't take me long after this phase to realize that I needed to make a change. If I wanted this career to turn into something, I needed to man up and prove to everyone (Toshiba & my clients) that I did in fact, know what I was talking about, that I was proud of the company that I represent and that my time is just as important as theirs and they shouldn't waste it. 

Confidence is a funny thing. I'm just now getting the hang of it and I couldn't be more thankful. This job has blessed me with such an opportunity to grow and excel in areas that I never thought I could. Having the ability to talk to anyone, no matter what their age, sex, race, how much money they make, social status or personality, is a beautiful thing. Toshiba has taught me how to do that. It has taught me what it takes to be taken seriously as a professional. 

God works in mysterious ways, so I've heard. I see how he is still working on me, even when he doesn't have college to use as a tool. I learn something new every day, still. I notice it, when I learn something new, as opposed to before when I took my teachers and educators for granted. 

I am proud to work for such an outstanding organization, one that believes in me and is willing to work on making me not only a strong professional but a strong individual as well. Since this growth, I have scheduled more appointments, built life time relationships with clients in all different markets (churches, nonprofits, law, medical etc) and of course the main goal of working, making money. 

The root of this change is though unlimited expectations for yourself and most of all, confidence. 

#stilllearning