Ashley Mulero

I think finding that great support system has been the biggest turnaround for me. When I moved to Danville, I didnt know anyone but my husband, I wanted to fit in and feel included, so I ended up creating relationships with the wrong people. I realized my career was getting pushed back, and then as time went on and I matured and saw the bigger picture, I realized those people weren't actually cheering me, they were using me as a stepping stone to their successes. So I think the biggest turnaround for me was finding the right support system, finding the people who are truly in my corner, where it's not just about them or just about me, it's about us, because nobody's journey is the same. I think it's just been finding that group of people who truly, genuinely care about one another.

The best career advice that I received is learning how to use my voice, but also learning when having a voice is not necessary. I was told not everything deserves a response, and that took a while for me. As a female in a male-dominated profession when I started my banking career, and I didn't have my college degree, I felt like everything needed a rebuttal or a response, so I always came off as pushy, bitchy, know-it-all. So somebody said not everything always deserves a response. Some things are louder without the response, and I think that's always stuck with me.

I would say don't be afraid of failure and don't be afraid of the setback. As many times as I was told I'm not ready or no in my career, I did not let that stop me. Just keep on going and, you know, if your plan has to take a shift in order to get to that ultimate goal that you're hoping to accomplish, keep on track even when you have to go off the rails at times. Keep doing what it takes. And don't let the no stop you, let it drive you.

The challenges are retail in general. There are so many financial institutions, whether it be investment companies, another bank, credit unions, online banks, so we all are looking for that customer and those new deposits. It's a challenge because people don't come into banks like they used to anymore. And so that piece of it is the challenge, where we're trying to be a community bank and have those relationships, know every customer by name. That's also the opportunity - we know our customers. The opportunities in the industry are that people still need people. The computers can't take it all from us. Things like Cash App, Zelle, all of those up-and-coming, very popular apps, they come with a lot of fraud, so that's where we come in play, that's the opportunity for us. But again, it's also the setback.

Definitely, when I go through the values category, family is always first. Then work-life balance, Community and consistency.