Her Story
About CeCelia
CeCelia Redmond is an author, explorer, and speaker based in Mobile, Alabama. She earned her journalism degree in 1990 and began her career writing for newspapers and magazines, serving as a stringer for the Associated Press and contributing to the Mobile Press Register with human interest stories. Redmond later pursued maritime work, becoming one of the first 25 women to receive a Merchant Marine Master license from the Coast Guard. She worked offshore captaining vessels up to 400 feet in length as the only woman among crews of 57 men and retired with a 1,600 ton Master credential. Today, she focuses on writing narrative memoirs and novels, having self-published her first book in 2014 and additional titles including a children's book and a sporting clays logbook. She previously served as president of the Mobile Writers Guild and the Public Relations Council of Alabama. Redmond attributes her success to the individual fortitude instilled by her family and values honesty, forthrightness, and independence in both her professional and personal life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with CeCelia
01What do you attribute your success to?
The individual fortitude that my family instilled in me. They never held me back, and they always told me I could do anything I wanted to do, so I just had to put my mind to it. That's kind of where it all started and where it's still going. I'm still going, so I'm not done yet.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be sure to make the effort to step into the next role. Even if somebody tells you you can't, find a way to do it. It may mean I have to move from this position to another position to do it, but find a way to follow the path that is my path.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The basic challenge today is where we are industry-wise, with the self-publishing versus the traditional publishing, and the whole gambit of platform building that the traditional publishers are telling us we have to do bites into my writing time. I have to balance that time factor of challenge of do I write this on my story today, or do I do a podcast today, which one, what am I, where am I putting my priorities in order to have readers read my book.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty, and being forthright. I'm not easily swayed into mass thought, I'm an individualist. I inherited it from my mother, who used to say she's a GDI, half darn independent. That's me. I started independent. And then this, my freedom as a woman to be able to do things that are very non-traditional for women to do. If you tell me I can't do it, it's watch me.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.