WWLF News and Annoucements

You may have seen the acronym ESG floating around, especially in earnings reports and company updates. This relatively new concept is gaining momentum and shaping the way many companies are doing business.

What is ESG? ESG stands for ‘Environmental, Social and Governance,’ and it describes factors many companies are now using to guide their operations with responsibility and ethics toward society in mind. The theory behind ESG is that a focus on these three tenets of company behavior, including hiring practices and operational processes, makes the company more attractive to investors, customers, regulators and employees. ESG also is thought to reduce various risks and increase company success.

Environmental factors generally refer to how a company safeguards the environment, including energy consumption, emissions and equipment end-of-life. Social factors refer to how the company manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers and the community. Governance addresses the company’s leadership, executive pay, internal controls and shareholder rights.

ESG considerations can vary widely among industries. In the wireless industry, for example, infrastructure that connects individuals, companies and governments typically consume about 1 percent of a country’s total electricity consumption, according to PwC Partner Rolf Meakin in an interview with Financier Worldwide. The ongoing rollout of the next generation of ultra-high-speed communications networks will enable greater economic inclusion and have the potential to improve energy efficiency, he said.

Several companies in the wireless infrastructure ecosystem are already forging ahead with ESG initiatives.

American Tower reports on its ESG initiatives annually. For 2021, the company pointed to its efforts to reduce emissions, expand its portfolio of solar capacity, continue to establish digital communities, distribute nearly $6 million in workplace giving and matching programs and become a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Global Compact and the UN’s Women’s Empowerment Principles.

“Our sustainability program is grounded in our strategic priorities to foster a more equitable culture for our employees, improve our operational efficiencies, support the needs of our customers, uphold ethics and integrity at every level of the organization and engage with our local communities,” said Tom Bartlett, president and CEO of American Tower. ”Steadfast commitment to these key priorities will be integral to our continued success, especially as we continue to grow our business in this technology-driven era.”

DigitalBridge Group Inc. published its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report this summer, which outlines the company’s approach to creating a positive global impact, driving sustainable growth and advancing its ESG initiatives across its portfolio companies, as well as notable recent ESG achievements and commitments for 2022.

“At DigitalBridge, we are focused on raising the bar as we invest in value-add digital infrastructure opportunities,” said Marc Ganzi, chief executive officer of DigitalBridge. “We are proud to have further evolved our responsible, sustainable approach to owning and managing our portfolio companies over the past year. Moreover, the successful implementation of our company-wide ESG initiatives and commitment to reaching net zero by 2030 have set higher standards for us all.”

In addition to its commitment for portfolio companies to achieve net zero, DigitalBridge has worked to ensure all its portfolio companies manage their environmental performance in a manner that seeks to conserve natural resources, reduce operating costs and adhere to all local regulations.

Belden, a global supplier of specialty networking solutions, announced its first reporting of ESG data this year. Belden’s environmental goals include reducing greenhouse emissions; increasing the use of renewable electricity and increasing total global electricity use efficiency at manufacturing and distribution locations; minimizing waste generation including hazardous wastes and requiring recycling of waste rather than disposal. Belden’s social goals include fostering a culture of teamwork through diversity and inclusion. The company hired a director of inclusive culture and has a goal of delivering unconscious bias training to 100 percent of its team worldwide by 2025.

“ESG is a key piece of Belden’s overall strategy,” said Roel Vestjens, president and CEO. “These efforts will positively impact Belden associates, enhance our care of the world around us, and continue our long-standing commitment to operating with the highest level of ethics and responsibility. From our ESG commitment to our shift to providing comprehensive solutions for our customers, many of which enable them to accomplish their own sustainability goals, there are many initiatives taking place which demonstrate the transformation driving the next chapter in Belden’s history. I’m so proud of all Belden associates who share the passion for bringing this to life.”

This past August, WWLF held another dynamic virtual book discussion.  I was thrilled to co-lead the session along with WWLF Vice-President, Beth Martindale.  Our choice of book was the inspirational “Unapologetically Ambitious” by Shellye Archambeau. Shellye is the former CEO of MetricStream.  Ms. Archambeau has over 30 years of experience in technology leading organizations focused on business-to-business as well as business-to-consumer.

The book begins with her remarkable childhood beginnings and paints a vivid picture of her loving family and the values they instilled in her.  Like many parents, they sacrificed and saved to afford quality experiences and education for their children.  But Shellye remembers these “sacrifices” as “choices” and uses this notion as a framework for her story.

She divides her book into five distinct sections and offers advice and insights on how to navigate the various stages of professional and personal life.  Some of the Early Lessons in Part One are: “Create Your Own Luck” and “Beware of Imposter Syndrome”.  One of the chapters that really resonated with the WWLF members on the video call was “Find Your Cheerleaders” - “We all need cheerleaders in life:  People who, when things aren’t going well, will believe in you and tell you you’re a good person.”  For Archambeau, her family was her first cheerleaders.  Through WWLF, we have found cheerleaders who support each other.

In the chapter entitled “Set Your Goals”, the author writes about her “seemingly insatiable craving for recognition.”  With vivid honesty, she recounts her early realizations that being involved in organizations gave her a way to show leadership and make an impact, even as a high schooler.  A younger version of herself connected the dots that would lead her to set a goal of wanting to run a business someday.

In Part Two, “Strategize for Success”, she digs into the juice of the book about her planning and preparation.  In the chapter on Fostering Self-Determination, Shellye writes about the three key factors of self-determination: competence, autonomy, and relatedness.  “Research has shown that if you don’t have all three, you’ll be more likely to struggle or withdraw from challenges… Looking back I see how carefully my parents steered me toward developing all three categories.”

Part Three is about “Living the Plan” and her descriptions of how she put her ambitious and thoughtful plan into action are fascinating!  Each goal was executed, from her choice of qualities in a spouse to the timing of when she had children.  Shellye Archambeau moved forward with no second thoughts.  The chapter about delegating hit home for me.  Her advice echoes many other management and leadership experts: Learn to delegate.  “I don’t mean that senior people don’t work hard.  Most do.  But they take on less creation personally.  They inspire, direct, review, edit, and enable their teams to get the necessary work done.”  The author challenges her readers to Embrace their Limits, Live Your Values, and, somewhat controversially, “Forget about Work/Life Balance.”  “I believe in making choices, not sacrifices.”

In Part Four of the book, entitled “Swerve,” we join the author as she matures into her life and career and has to make even more difficult decisions in order to achieve her goals.  She acknowledges the choices that took her away from her family, especially as she pursued a new position in Silicon Valley.  I don’t want to spoil the ending, but for those who aren’t familiar with Ms. Archambeau’s trajectory, let’s just say she had to make some tough decisions in order to build and grow each company that she was a part of, especially the technology start-ups she joined.  Her tenacity is catching.  You cannot help but be inspired by her journey.  She also shares encouragement with her readers..  “Believe in yourself.  Set your goals.  Go after them.  Reap the rewards.  You deserve it.  These are the messages I want you to take with you.”

In the final section, Improving Your Odds, she covers such topics as Finding Your Mentors, Building Your Network, and Taking Risks.  Her story is more than just a how-to but also serves to inspire and embolden women to take action to further their career without apologies!

Catching up with friends, coworkers and industry colleagues is something I enjoy doing. Seeing how they are doing, talking about how they are managing their workload, and recently there’s been a lot of concern ‘how can someone do it all?’. The joke was “you can’t have a clean house, healthy habits, and a growing career all at once, you can only pick two of those things and realistically succeed.” That was concerning for me and made me adjust my attitude at what success means for me.

Oftentimes, as women we wear many hats, both in our personal life and our professional life. Having the energy to wear all these hats, and be the best you can for each hat- isn’t always an easy task. You can look at some influencers, girl bosses, and public figures and ask “How do they have the time and energy to do it all?!” The answer is complicated, yet simple: Use your energy where it is needed. Complicated and simple. You can not be 100% for all things, at all times. So use your energy wisely.

Psychology Today lists 5 easy ways to ‘use your energy wisely’, and it breaks down to find what is important to you, what you like, and spend energy there. This advice can be applied to personal relationships, professional tasks, and with yourself as you mentally divide and conquer the day. Planning where NOT to invest your time is probably easier than finding where to invest your time. Is it Cleaning? Is it that weekly Ladies Happy Hour you dread? Is it deciding dinner every night? Find what you dislike and see if there's a way to navigate around or make those draining tasks easier on you.

Find ways you can save your energy for things that are important to you, such as dinner with the family – exercising – or that Sunday night bubble bath. I’ll never forget the conversation where I was complaining about how someone can do it all and have a clean house, because the answer was – they can’t. I actually like cleaning, it gives me peace of mind- but with two pets I am unable to keep up with it while I travel for work, so I passed it on and found a service that cleans my space while I’m traveling for work. It added years to my life, I swear.

So the answer is- find shortcuts for your life, if you have the finances to cover gaps in your life- go for it! there is no shame in outsourcing things you don’t have energy or time to do so you can spend your precious energy where it matters. You can do it all, and phoning in help is the best way to keep your sanity while doing it.

Sources:

Bregman, P. (2016)  How We Work

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-we-work/201603/5-ways-use-your-energy-more-wisely

Ashley DeCabia, Account Executive, EBI Consulting

How long have you been a City/Regional Rep for WWLF and what is your territory/region?
Northeast Director of Events since 2017,  I joined WWLF in 2010

How has being a part of WWLF impacted you personally or professionally?  
The WWLF community has always felt like my second family in the telecom industry.  Many of the women that are involved today as Executive Leaders, Directors, City Representatives & Members have been part of the community with me for the last 10+ years.  When I began my Sales role in ~2010 they opened their arms to me and no matter where I was traveling or what event I was attending I knew there would be a familiar face/name. 

Where did you get your start in the industry? What is your current role?  
I started my career in Telecom right out of college in 2005 working at an Engineering firm in upstate NY (my Ocean Engineering degree somehow landed me in a role with a team providing geotechnical and due diligence for wireless installations).  In 2007 I joined EBI Consulting as a Project Manager and transitioned into the Telecom Sales Team in 2010.  Fifteen years later I am still part of the EBI family as the Eastern Region Account Executive.

What is your favorite Quote?
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget the way you made them feel.”

What has been the best experience you’ve had with WWLF? 
I don’t even know where to start, there have been too many amazing experiences, events, conversations, meetings, webinars, etc.  Recently we launched the Richmond market and it was a remarkable experience bringing new and legacy members together.  To name a few; Ericka Lewis launched the market as City Representative, Kelsey Trundle (who has grown with me in the wireless industry since 2013) presented on “Knowing Your Worth” and Carolyn Hardwick, former WWLF President, traveled from Atlanta to be a part of the impactful launch event.  Truly represented the WWLF community and showed the amazing future of the organization.      

What does confidence mean to you? 
The recent quote of the day in a Coaching Program I am involved with was “Confidence is what happens when courage meets preparation.”  This hit home with me, as it is so true and personally I feel it relates to my growth in my Sales position in the wireless world.

How do you define success? 
Success to me means being happy, satisfied, confident and content.

After the Great Resignation:  Your Next Move
By Carolyn Hardwick, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Stratis 

We are all too familiar with the phrase “the great resignation.” Over 47 million Americans left their jobs by the end of 2021, and there were 11.26 million job openings (Zippia) in the United States in January 2022.  What do these statistics mean for employers and for employees?  Many companies state that their toughest challenges these days are recruiting, managing, and retaining employees.  As a manager who has interviewed over 300 candidates over the last 3 years, I can tell you that recruiting and managing is not for the faint of heart.  To take it a step further and to be honest, lately, I have seen candidates and employees behaving badly.

You may be one of the telecom workers who analyzed your work situation and decided to resign in the past 18 months.  With the new challenges of working from home, flexing your schedule, or juggling home-schooling with work demands, perhaps you decided to pursue a position that offered better work-life balance, higher pay, or better benefits.  Job candidates and employees hold a lot of power in today’s job market.  “To put it simply, the bar has been raised and the power has transitioned from the hands of the employer to those of the employee.” says Kristen Fowler, Vice President at JMJ Phillip Executive Search, writes in Forbes.

I recently heard the phrase, “with great power comes great responsibility”, a line quoted by Peter Parker in Marvel’s Spiderman.  It is similar to a Biblical parable of the faithful servant in Luke 12:48: "To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked”.  If you know you are in a favorable and powerful position as an employee or prospective employee, shouldn’t you use your abilities in the best possible way? 

If you are contemplating change or are in the throes of recruiting for your next position, what’s your next move? Knowing those first impressions are lasting impressions, I hope that everyone, whether interviewing or simply attending work meetings, adheres to some basic business guidelines: be prepared, be prompt, listen more than you speak, and dress professionally.  Even in a virtual setting, showing up late, being disheveled, wearing your “weekend casual” attire, and being unprepared demonstrates disrespect to your audience.  

Be realistic about your worth and your experience.  If you’ve been in the industry with little or no experience, know that you will be offered an entry-level position with a commensurate salary.  Be realistic, but don’t disqualify yourself by demanding an unrealistically high salary.  Be prepared to go through months of training, and be willing to work diligently to get to the next level.  I recently spoke with a CEO who credits his success to being the person who was willing to do the jobs no one wanted to take.  He also took every opportunity to learn something new, take advice from managers, and believed that there was no limit to what he could achieve.

Finally, if you have landed a new job, stop looking.  Your new employer has hired you with confidence and is ready to train and retain you.  It is inappropriate to start your position, yet continue to interview with other companies.  It is also unfair to start a position, then threaten to leave within the first 90 days with mention that another company has approached you with a better offer.  Don’t burn that bridge with a company that is investing in you as part of their team.

Remember your power and your responsibility.  Be humble.  We can all learn.  “There can be a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Confident people are naturally magnetic, but nobody is attracted to people who act superior to others” (Celia Harvey) Let’s all put our best foot forward and raise the bar with our best efforts and contributions.  Decide to bring your A-game every day, and you’ll see an incredible return on your personal investment.  Don’t let anyone hold you back, including yourself.

Sources: 
18 Great Resignation Statistics [2022]: Why Are Americans Leaving Their Jobs? – Zippia

Why Is It So Hard to Find the Right Candidates in Todays Economy

The-6-rules-of-starting-a-new-job

Arelis Baden
WWLF City Rep South Carolina
Kineticom, Regional Manager

1) How long have you been a City/Regional Rep for WWLF and what is your territory/region?I began as a City Rep in Michigan and am currently the City Rep for South Carolina.

2) Why did you join WWLF?When I started in the industry, I saw WWLF as a great way to network but realized quickly that was only a small part of it. Getting to know some of the ladies locally and nationally made it a fun way to connect and support each other in the industry.

3) How has being a part of WWLF impacted you personally or professionally?Being part of the WWLF has helped me grow in my career by getting to meet so many strong professional women who boost your level of confidence and help mentor you as you develop in your career.

4) Where did you get your start in the industry? What is your current role?
I started in Telecom staffing 10 years ago and I am currently a Regional Manager at Kineticom.

5) What has been the best experience you’ve had with WWLF?
All the experiences I have had have been extremely rewarding, but overall, I am happy to be a part of the organization because I am able to connect with strong women. Over the years going to events and meeting these women, I have been able to see how everyone grows individually, and it inspires me to work harder and continue excelling in my job.

6) What does confidence mean to you?
Confidence to me means staying focused on how I as an individual can grow personally and professionally, staying positive, motivated, and patient in order to achieve my goals.

7) How would you describe yourself in three words?
I would describe myself as positive, grateful, and motivated.

8) What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I love to travel, experience new restaurants, and spend time with my daughter.

Juliette D. Hamer
Business Development, Director of Sales, Tillman Infrastructure

When I started in telecom in 1993, I had just moved to Texas from Los Angeles and was working for a temp agency.  They placed me at a two-way radio company called A&B Electronics as a file clerk. I had no idea what two-way was, let alone what they even did! I had plans to be an architect: I would design, and my dad would build. Little did I know my path was about to change.

Time went on and A&B Electronics grew to be Pittencrieff Communications and a few years later was acquired by a little company we all know: Nextel Communications. I was so eager to learn and absorb as much as I could from the people that took the time to teach me. I wanted to be in every department so I could understand how each impacted one another. And that I did, I would soon move from filing to air-time billing, to a position as an executive assistant to the Director of Operations as well as Human Resources in my early years. 

Several years later, I started working for Titan Towers, and this was truly my introduction to legal and the tower side of vertical real estate. I had the most incredible leaders at Titan who mentored me, many of whom are still in the industry. While I was working at Titan Towers, I found my groove and knew I was headed in the right direction. I was hooked on wireless. After a brief stint on the carrier side working for T-Mobile, I soon went back to the tower side with Mountain Union Telecom, T-Mobile Towers, and Crown Castle. My direction shifted and the collective experience from my past gave me the confidence to continue to pursue advancement. Currently, I work at Tillman Infrastructure as their Director of Sales. This is a position I created in tandem with my boss, as a solution to business needs and the next step in my career advancement.

Of all the lessons I have learned over the years, one of my key takeaways is you do not have to stay in a role that is not the right fit for you. If you find yourself in a role that is not fulfilling, glean the information you can while seeking out your next opportunity. Always trust your gut and surround yourself with teams that make you strive to be better. Find companies that believe in you and give you the platform to grow and be the best version of yourself. As you continue to grow, establish relationships, and pivot to the next endeavor, pause and enjoy the journey and never forget the “telecom roots'' you came from.

Heidi Nelson
Business Development Manager, Harmoni Towers
LWA Vice President

How long have you been a City/Regional Rep for WWLF and what is your territory/region?
I was appointed in January 2014.  New Orleans is my area!  They also added Jackson since the two are so closely related.

Why did you join WWLF?
I believe WWLF is an amazing organization that really helps women in the industry connect and learn from one another.  One thing I really enjoy is that we are able to learn from all facets of the industry and build each other up.  Women helping, mentoring and uplifting women is so important!  I also appreciate and commend our male members and supporters!

How has being a part of WWLF impacted you personally or professionally? 
I have gotten to meet some wonderful women and have been able to build relationships with them whereas I might not have been able to otherwise.  I’ll reiterate again that it’s been such a pleasure learning from all of them as well.

Where did you get your start in the industry? What is your current role?
Believe it or not, I started as a receptionist at Faulk & Foster in 2004!  I enjoyed learning and helping so much that I quickly moved up the ranks because I was so eager to do more and more.  I attribute a lot of my success to the training and excellent managers I was able to sit under there, as well as Integrisite and Castille Consolidated!  I am now a Business Development Manager at Harmoni Towers.  I absolutely love our company and my team!

What is your favorite Quote?
My all-time favorite quote is:  If you’re gonna be a bear, be a grizzly!  I truly believe that anything you do, you should absolutely do your best.  I often always quote this to my son as well, working to pass along my drive to him.

If you could meet anyone dead or alive who would it be and why?
Honestly, I have about 14 different people that I would like to meet.  But, at the top of the list, is my paternal grandmother.  She passed away when I was very young, so I didn’t really get to know her, but stories of her are amazing.  She was a poet and the best person most people say they’ve ever met.  She went out of her way to show kindness and humility.  Also, it’s pretty cool that I look almost exactly like her.  I try to be the person that people would say that about as my mark on them.

What do you like to do outside of work?
My dad is a high school football coach and it’s pretty much all I know, besides telecom!  I love football (Geaux Tigers & Saints)!!  I love to fish.  I enjoy my roles as Vice President of the Louisiana Wireless Association and Board Member/Clay Co-Chair for the South Wireless Association as well! But, most importantly, my number 1 is my son.  He keeps me on my toes and is without a doubt my “why”.

Sorry to interrupt what you were doing, but do you have a few moments to read this article?

Saying “I’m sorry” is so ubiquitous in our day-to-day vocabulary that it has almost become an unconscious filler phrase or standard sentence starter. Does your outgoing phone message start with, “I’m sorry I missed your call?” How many times have you apologized for ‘bothering’ a co-worker or client when you have a question? Do you say you are sorry if you have to turn down an invitation to a work-related event?

Certainly, apologizing is sometimes necessary, but experts advise people to pay attention to what they are apologizing for, especially at work. And especially women, who tend to offer up more apologies than their male counterparts. Interestingly, when scientists studied why women say sorry more than men, they found it is because women and men have different perspectives on what type of behavior warrants an apology, with women finding themselves guilty of more offenses and viewing those offenses as more severe than men typically do.

For many of us, apologizing often just feels like the polite thing to do when things don’t go exactly to plan, and it can become a handy catchphrase to diffuse a potentially uncomfortable situation and keep the peace. However experts suggest saying sorry can have unintended consequences, such as making the apologizer appear weak or blameworthy, and it can devalue their contributions.

Career coach Elana Konstant blogged about what she called her ‘apology addiction,’ an affliction she didn’t fully realize she had until she started her own business and found herself apologizing for charging for her services. She said people she counsels on career transitions often apologize when negotiating employment offers or requesting a promotion or raise, a habit she interprets as an attempt to appear less aggressive and engender approval. Konstant suggests counting how many times you apologize on a given day, especially at work, to see if you might be an apology addict as well.

If you discover you are an over-apologizer, there are a few things you can do, experts say. First, only apologize for things you are truly sorry and regretful about. Put an end to apologizing for things that are out of your control. Don’t apologize for doing your job or taking time off for personal reasons. When you are tempted to apologize, try tweaking it into a ‘thank you’ instead. For instance, rather than saying “I’m sorry I’m a few minutes late,” try “Thank you for your patience while I finished up on a call.”

Orlagh Claire, a blog for young professionals, outlines other seemingly innocuous phrases that inadvertently minimize your authority and presence in the business world. For instance: “Just.” Just following up, just reaching out, just checking in. Just diminishes your question or comment so just stop saying just.

The blog also challenges professionals to think twice about the word ‘Yes.’ As women, it can be easy to fall into the trap of saying yes to every ask or task that comes our way in an attempt to demonstrate our value on the job. Being honest about your workload and limits will actually set you up for success more effectively than taking on too much and not being able to give a project the attention it deserves. And when you politely decline, don’t say you’re sorry.

Debra Mercier, Comcast Business Sales Executive WWLF Co- Executive Director of Programs

In an industry that is focused primarily on customer-driven satisfaction, creating the perfect customer experience is so much more than giving the customer what they want. It is about creating strong, lasting relationships. It’s about knowledge of the industry itself and providing real-time support. It’s about knowing their needs before they do and understanding future requirements that will assist in their growth as well as ours.

            I have always said, ‘love what you do, and it will show.’ This is another component of the great customer experience. The customer should be able to rely, not just on the quality of the work but the integrity of the team. Trust is a key factor as well. I suppose you could say that the telecom industry is much like a balancing act. On one hand, we have quality and needs. While on the other hand, we have speed and reliability. So many factors go into creating a great customer experience. For me, integrity and credibility are at the top. The customer has chosen you, now go out and give them the best experience they have ever had. Tell them what you are going to do, then go do it.

            After 20 years in the telecom industry, I’m not quite sure how to put my journey into words. Let’s just say, ‘be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.’ Ironically, I didn’t actively look for a position within the industry. However, the industry found me. Like many others my age, I put my career in the hands of employment agencies; starting first with a growing cable television company. This was a time before cell phones became as popular as they are today. I was then, as I continue to be, a very forward-thinking person. I knew what I wanted, and I simply went for it; headfirst.

            As I stated previously, I didn’t find telecom, it found me. Paging was where I really dug my heels in and grew as a salesperson. Surprisingly, successes came easily, and naturally. I was intrigued by how quickly the products and services evolved and all the training. I thrived on interpersonal connections, and, like a sponge, I gained as much knowledge as I could. Frankly, there was so much to learn. The different businesses and products were vast, and I took it all in. I wanted to know everything about the telecom industry.

            I feel a sense of enormous pride when I think about all I have accomplished. As the industry has grown, I too have grown with it. Unfortunately, growth isn’t always enough. Lately, we have had to take on a larger amount of adaptability. Within the last two years, the world around us has changed, and we have found that we must change with it and adapt to the diverse needs of our customers. It has taken me 25 years to get where I am today. A lot of hard work and sacrifice; long hours full of success and failure. My failures are small, but I value them just as I do my successes. It is easy for a person to be judged upon by their successes. However, it takes a real winner to accept the judgments of their mistakes, for it is not how many times we win but how we accept defeat and gain strength from it.

            The future of the telecom industry is unknown. Much like gazing into a crystal ball. There are so many advances on the horizon in the telecom industry. However, technology is rapidly changing. Even as we speak, new devices are being developed, networks are being built and new companies are entering the industry. The industry is changing so we must change with it. What I see more and more is the convergence of solutions and Telecom as a Service, this will allow all buildings and users to get what they need when they need it, and fully managed solutions. We need new, free-thinking individuals that are not afraid to get their hands dirty; men and women that have the ability to think out of the box. Scratch that, throw away the box and dive in -  the world is our oyster. 

            My advice to those seeking a career in the industry is to first find a mentor. This will guide you along in your journey. Always keep networking; in sales it is the key to your success. You never know who you’re talking to and how that person can support you someday. Never stop learning, always want more, and become active in your community.

            Eight years ago, I was introduced to WWLF, and the access to so many people, education, and companies, WWLF gave me the support platform to help launch my career to the next level. I became a member, a mentor, and in the last 3 years on the Leadership board. The knowledge I have gained from this organization is priceless. I am currently excited and ready to run for President in the upcoming election later this year, these opportunities are open and ready for you to go for it. I am a strong believer in what WWLF stands for. The organization’s passion for advocating for strong, career-minded women is one I wholeheartedly share. I work hard to support the success of our industry for our customers and for those of us that strive for professional and personal success.