Carley Smith

I attribute my success to my parents, my family, my Savior Jesus Christ, and a solid, strong base that was built over time by great mentors. My parents gave me that foundation, and then as I've grown, my husband and my family have been there for me, along with strong community support. All of these people and this foundation have been essential to where I am today.

The best career advice I ever received came from my mentor, Tom Martone, who taught me to stay true to myself and be intentional about leading people and holding them accountable. He always told me that if I don't know the answer to a question, I should just tell people I'll get back to them, and then actually follow up. This has been invaluable in my work, especially in construction where I'm often the only woman in a room of 20 men. Sometimes people will try to throw me off track with silly questions to see if I really know my stuff, and I've seen so many trainers fumble when they don't know an answer by trying to fake it. But if you just say 'that's a great question, I don't know, let me get back to you' and then actually follow up, you earn respect. You're showing that you don't know everything, but you're getting the answer and following through. That's where intentional accountability comes in - when you follow up, you make a connection where they thought you were going to completely flake. This approach of being honest and following through translates to everything in my business. If clients invest in safety early and intentionally, and if you do the right thing for people, it always delivers a measurable business result.

I would say be yourself, but be patient, and be willing to earn the respect of those around you. It's so tough for females in my industry, but I've watched it change over the last 25 years. I'm particularly passionate about empowering women to take ownership of safety and safety culture, not just as a policy but almost as a core value that's embedded in daily operations. To do that, women have to earn the respect of the workforce around them, and being less than 20% of that workforce, it can be challenging. If females and women who are entering this industry are strong, tenacious, and confident, and are willing to put in the work, they're all going to succeed. The space now has widened, and this generation that is retiring is really excited to share their knowledge if you let them. You can't ever underestimate the experience, expertise, or value that you bring as a woman. If you're consistent, prepared, and focused on delivering results, you're going to succeed. It's not about being the loudest voice in the room - it's about being the most trusted person in the room. Own your expertise, but also be vulnerable enough to say 'I don't exactly know that, let me get back to you.' If you're consistent and prepared, you're going to be a trusted resource because you're going to deliver on results.

The opportunities in the field are growing at an exponential rate. The boomer generation is retiring, and we're seeing increases in the safety field alone, but also women entering the field. There are opportunities anywhere you go. My daughter is a perfect example - she graduated from the University of South Carolina last year at 23, and she was going to school to be a physical therapist. But she couldn't get a job that was worth what she had put into school. With $100,000 of school debt, you can't come out and make $16 or $18 an hour. She started training first aid and CPR with me for the summer, made contacts with some of my clients, and got hired as a safety coordinator. She had more opportunity in the safety field as a female safety coordinator at the lowest level of entry, making almost twice what she would have made coming out as a physical therapy assistant. Now we're in a position where I never thought I would be able to sell my business at some point or hand it over to my next generation, but here we are - it's a plausible reality at this point. There's so much opportunity in the world of safety in general because we're watching how standard operating procedures and making sure you have a good safety culture really impact the bottom line of a company. Companies are realizing that their success isn't necessarily only measured in financial growth - it's measured in the lives that they protect along the way, and that's a really big deal.

Honesty and integrity are the most important values to me, guiding both my professional work and my personal life.