Influential Woman · Retail Store Management, Jewelry Retail, Pawn Industry

Betrina Silloway

Store Manager, Cash America

Mobile, AL

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Cert Certified in Diamonds through Diamond Council of America Cert Certified in Colored Gemstones through Diamond Council of America Cert Certified in Professional Jewelry Sales through Diamond Council of America Member Diamond Council of America

Her Story

About Betrina

I've been in retail store management for around 40 years total, working since I was young. I've managed various operations including Kmart Portrait Studio, and had two terms with Cash America, the world's largest pawn shop chain that's also part of First Cash. It's a huge corporation where I handled everything from pawn loans and retail sales to scheduling people, making sure everyone shows up for work, and dealing in precious metals and fine jewelry - just a whole wide range of things that go on in the pawn shop. Before that, I was with Goldstein's Jewelry for 6 years, where I got certified in diamonds, colored gemstones, and professional jewelry sales through the Diamond Council of America (DCA). When you guys sent me the invitation, I had just lost that job and was unemployed for 3 weeks. I went in yesterday to Goldstein's for an interview with them under new ownership, and I'm stepping into the role of Assistant Manager. I'm back with my loves, and I start back Monday at 9am. Things have changed over the years in retail - these younger kids prefer to shop online and don't go to brick and mortar much anymore, so you need a lot of that foot traffic or you have to have a presence in the social world where you do a lot of things online.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Betrina

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would say just learning people in general, and learning the employees that you have to mentor, and gearing their learning towards the way that they can learn. Making it easy. You know, things don't have to be difficult. But I did have an advantage of having some really great male managers that were great mentors for me along the way. So it's not all me. I had some great people in place that helped me, no matter where I was.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Never stop learning. You don't know everything, because you can't. I've had employees that were just, well, you know, I already know better, and you can't teach me anything. Honey, life is gonna hit you. I do my employees the same way I did my own children. I raised my children by myself, no child support or husband. I stayed single for 30 plus years. I raised my children, and they are all good, hard workers. They are strong, they take care of their families. I was able to take them off of Mama's payroll by the time they were 18 and 19. I turned out 3 wonderful, beautiful people.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Never stop learning. Never. And don't get caught up with the accolades, because those accolades are only for a minute, and there will always be something to criticize. But take it, and work with it, and build from it. That's where growth comes from.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

It's a whole different world out there right now, because these younger kids prefer to shop online and they don't go to brick and mortar much anymore. So it does hinder a little bit, because you need a lot of that foot traffic, or you have to have a presence in the social world, where you do a lot of things online. Things have changed over the years. In the loaning industry itself, things have changed. We were doing military loans now, and there's a whole lot with that, with the MLA Acts, and it's just everything about it.

Keep Exploring