It wasn't my dream...
I mean who sets out to become a banker? The whole profession sounds like a dry tweed suit. I wanted to be a plastic surgeon. Now hear me out, this was when Nip Tuck was extremely popular, and the idea of giving implants to people while listening to soundtracks sounded fun and lucrative.
As soon as I started a degree in Biology, I quickly realized that it was not for me. Long story short, I ended up working for a microlender that, within months of my joining, went out of business. There I was, 19 and with no idea what was going to come next for me. I didn't have an education outside of High School. I had no direction. I just knew that I wanted to go to a job where I could provide value, help people, and feel proud of myself.
I choose to apply to Banks.
I was hired for a 20-hour hybrid Teller/Personal Banker role. I was offered a full-time position at another Bank but felt that working for the Country's largest financial organization at the time would provide more opportunities long term.
And it did.
Within 3 months, I was promoted to full-time. I soaked up all the training they could throw at me. Finally, I was in my element. Very quickly, I became an adept salesperson, and it wasn't because I was just innately very good. I didn't give up. I was persistent, I believed in the products I was offering, so I felt it was my obligation to show others how they could help them pay off their homes faster, pay down debt, keep the change.
I would go above and beyond. When I saw someone model exceptional service, I would try to emulate them.
3 Banks later, 5 Management positions, 1 Small Business Banker position, and countless summits, workshops, and sales training, and I was at a crossroads. I had just had my son.
The Program that Changed the Game
In my career in corporate, there is one program that stands out to me that defines how I approach training.
It was called the Aspire Program.
One day, the Market President came to me with an idea to hold a talent development program "for the next generation of leaders."
He said…
"I don't know what it looks like, but can you bring it to life?"
Even with the tedious work I knew would lie ahead, I said yes.
I built the program from the ground up.
I developed all the content...
I structured the learnings…
And I created all the activities and homework.
Eventually, it caught the interest of executives and other decision-makers…
Then, we got some buy-ins.
In no time, people were flying in to join the trainings…
That was amazing enough as it is.
But what blew my mind was…
After some time since the program ended, we got word that all who attended got promoted.
That meant we had a 100% success rate from that program.
And that's when it was solidified for me…
People don't come to me for the numbers.
They come to me because of HOW I train people and HOW I pull together my programs.