When I became a manager for the first time in my early twenties, I worked for a very small BPO with a very big client. At that point, you could fit the amount of my leadership knowledge in the palm of your hand. But only a few days in, the client threatened the livelihood of my pretty sizable team. The thought of families taking home short paychecks because of my ignorance was not something I could live with. I was sick to my stomach. I studied John Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership as if my life depended on it. It didn't matter how many hours I worked; I never wanted my team to be compromised like that again.

My career blossomed with that small company as it grew into a large one. In fact, it was growing at such an incredible pace that (unqualified) people like me were getting opportunities to step into new launches, new programs, new platforms, and new locations all across the country. As I accepted new challenges, I also continued to read leadership books and learn from an incredible mentor; both of which equipped me to lead teams well and achieve ridiculously impossible goals.

More recently, I left an amazing job because I felt like I wasn't doing enough with all of what I learned during those years and the ones that followed. Convinced of the Lord's intervention, I took a deep breath and gave my official notice. For someone who has always felt like her self-worth was the same as her net worth, this was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made.

The success I've had across multiple industries and teams is something that I never would've dreamed of. In fact, there were many times that I looked in the mirror and couldn't even recognize myself. From a young age, I battled with depression and abuse which eventually led to becoming a single mother. Throughout this journey, I've been homeless, under arrest, and even held at the border. Twenty years ago, I was just a young girl raising a baby and clawing her way out of poverty piece by piece.