Barbara Cabrera

I attribute my success to hard work and putting in the time to really learn and follow through on what I commit to. It's not about chasing the immediate money or the fancy title. It's about being willing to put in your time and genuinely wanting to learn. That's what opens up all the different avenues for you. I've been fortunate to have people who saw my potential and were willing to sit down and show me things along the way. But ultimately, it comes down to showing up, doing the work, and following through on your commitments. That consistency and dedication is what has allowed me to build the expertise and relationships that have shaped my career.

The best career advice I ever received was that it's not about the immediate money or the immediate title. It's about putting in your time and wanting to learn. That's what's going to open up all the different avenues for you. I've really taken that to heart throughout my career. I started at the front desk and worked my way up through every level of healthcare operations, and each position taught me something valuable. I've been blessed to have people who saw potential in me and wanted to sit down and show me the ropes. That willingness to learn and put in the time, rather than just chasing the next paycheck or promotion, is what allowed me to eventually start my own consulting company and help other practices succeed.

My advice to young women entering this industry is to stick in there and learn, and then stand your ground respectfully. This is sometimes a man's world, and you need to be prepared for that reality. But I want you to know that you should hang in there, because little by little, we have established the knowledge to come in and show them that we are capable of doing it. We are capable of holding our ground and doing the right thing. Don't let anyone make you feel like you don't belong or that you can't handle the work. Learn everything you can, build your expertise, and then stand firm in what you know, always with respect but never backing down from what's right.

The biggest challenge in my field right now has been finding people who have the morals, the responsibility, and that old-school mentality of when you start something, you have to finish it, and you have to have loyalty to your company. You don't just hop around from one job to the other. It has become very challenging because people just don't have that anymore. It's not something that has been established with this new generation. I feel like people from my era have been kind of moved on because our mentality is different. I'm very open-minded and very out of the box in my thinking, but if you're not out of the box, you become not necessary anymore. The lack of work ethic and commitment in today's workforce makes it incredibly difficult to build stable, productive practices.

The most important values to me in both my work and personal life are loyalty, work ethics, and responsibility. I believe in doing what you say you're going to do and sticking to your word. When I commit to something, I follow through on it. These values have been the foundation of everything I've built in my career. Whether it's working with a practice, opening a new office, or managing my consulting company, I bring that same sense of responsibility and commitment. I expect loyalty from the people I work with, and I give that same loyalty in return. Having strong work ethics means showing up, putting in the time, and doing things the right way, even when it's difficult.