Brittnie Mascarella

I would attribute my success to the love and support of my family. I have three families, really - my grandmother and grandfather both have huge families, and I was connected to both sides, so I've always had this incredible network of support around me. If I showed you a picture of my college graduation, you would be amazed at how many people showed up. That love and support is what kept me going, especially as a first-generation college graduate. There was a lot I had to learn on my own about college and navigating that world, and sometimes you feel alone when no one before you has done it. But even though I was figuring things out independently, I never truly felt alone because of the constant encouragement from my family. They gave me the confidence to keep pushing forward and keep going, no matter what challenges I faced. That foundation of family support is absolutely what has enabled me to succeed in everything I've done.

The best career advice I ever received came from one of my mentor teachers, someone who actually encouraged me to go to college and who I ended up working alongside in the same building later. She knew that I'm the type of person who wants to fix everything, and she told me something really important: you cannot fix everything. She said that as long as you're able to take a situation, speak with someone about it, and change at least one person, that's what matters. You can't change every student, but you can be influential. What really stuck with me was her warning not to get lost in myself because I was too busy trying to fix others. She wanted me to understand that if I could help at least one person, I would be rewarded and feel good about it. That advice has shaped how I approach my work - focusing on making a genuine impact without losing myself in the process.

My advice is to start with yourself - internalize and go deep within to figure out what really makes you feel good, what fills your heart. There are so many things in the world that we see and are interested in, but you need to discover what truly resonates with you on a personal level, what puts a smile on your face. That said, I also believe it's important to try different things and get experience. Don't expect to have it all figured out in your head before you do it - you have to move forward and explore. And here's the key: if something isn't for you, it's okay to go in another direction. I don't even want to call it taking a step back, because it's really about pivoting and finding your path. When I started taking my professional life coaching certification, the things they were teaching us gave me chills in my body. I felt like 'this is really me.' That's the feeling you're looking for. So internalize first, try things with confidence, and trust that if something aligns with who you are, you'll know it and be more successful at it.

The biggest challenge in my field is definitely client retention - you're not gonna keep everyone that you gain. People can simply choose to go another way on any given day, and that's just something you have to be prepared for as a business owner. It's the normal challenge of clientele that changes over time. But here's what keeps me going: if this work is truly in you, that drive will push you forward no matter what. If you lose someone today, there's always going to be the next person who's ready to work with you, just like the person before them was. The opportunity side is incredible - it's the ability to witness real transformation in people's lives. When you help someone and they experience that change, it's so rewarding. The path is going to work for you if you stay committed to it. What makes it all worthwhile is seeing people smile and knowing that you've made a genuine impact on their journey.

The values most important to me center around genuine connection and balance. I believe in having real, meaningful time with others - not just hanging out and having a good time, but having those deep relationships and conversations. If we don't talk about things, we're not motivated and we're not going to do what we say we want to do. So I make sure to balance my professional responsibilities with my personal life, always making time for my little sister who needs to talk or my family members who call on me. At the same time, I've learned to protect myself and set boundaries, just like Ms. Briggs told me - you can't give too much of yourself because then you'll have nothing left to give. That's how I maintain balance between my work and personal life. My core values are integrity, compassion, empathy, and honesty, and I'm guided by the importance of forging genuine connections both personally and professionally. My family is at the heart of everything I do.