Deborah Christine Newton

I attribute my success to consistency and organization. Being organized is huge. When I first started my career, I did very well - making it into the six figures at 25 was awesome - but then I learned very quickly that if the organization isn't there, you're going to fall flat on your face like I did. It's not that I wanted to, it's just you get overwhelmed. You want to be able to say it's not about my intentions - I love people and would never want to upset anybody or lose connection - but life happens and things fall through the cracks. When you're dealing with clients and customers, that can't happen. So being able to know when I talked to somebody last, especially when I tell them I'm going to follow up with you, even if it's just to say hello, I do that. If I say I'm going to give you a quick ring every month or so and then I call you in 6 months, then my word is not my bond. You have to do what you say you're going to do. Having that consistency and doing what you say you're going to do, and staying organized so that 6 months doesn't travel that fast - that's key. And then staying on it, not giving up on things. That consistency works. I remember cold calling somebody for over a year, year and a half, leaving messages on an answering machine. I felt like I was talking to myself, but that consistency - finally, he picked up and said, 'Wow, you're relentless. You're not giving up,' because he felt like he knew me just because of the way I was leaving the messages. So it works, sticking with it. That consistency keeps you going.

The best career advice I've ever received came from my mom, and it's about the integrity component. She told me about being able to be present and have time, but the integrity piece is always having that. She was an extremely faithful and God-fearing woman, and she taught me about doing the right thing no matter what, and listening to your intuition, and always, no matter what, sticking with your beliefs and your values. Keeping that integrity, no matter what, is what's more important than winning any sale or being successful, or whatever that success will look like for you. That has stuck with me throughout my career.

My advice would be to network and build your community of unconditional love. Surround yourself with people that are your cheering squad, your voice of reason - people that support you, good and bad, and will be able to be honest with you and call you out if you're overstepping. I have my cousins, my mom was always that, my best friend - just surrounding yourself with people who have good intentions, that unconditional love, non-judgmental support. It's not going to have to be a whole bunch of people and not airing your dirty laundry, but if you have a solid core of people to be able to have as counsel - people who know you, who know your beliefs, and only want the best for you, and that you know, love, and trust - having that around you is most important. Because we get in our own heads, we can doom scroll, we can get in our own way, but being able to have those people makes all the difference. And then, of course, that leads into your reputation. Your reputation is the only thing that you can control. Being able to guard that with your life is critical. Especially in business, I don't care what industry you're in, all industries are small. It's a big, small world. In the logistics space, everybody knows everybody. No matter what the business or how big it is, they really do. So being able to have your people and then protecting your reputation and making sure that you protect that - that's what I tell my niece who's graduating high school. It really is the thing that you can control. And anybody who talks or whatever, the people who know and love you know. That's all that matters, because people are going to talk.

Honestly, I think the biggest challenge is getting in my own way, in my own headspace. It's similar to what we talked about - I can train and I can coach and be your number one fan. I can encourage and have all of the things for all of my clients. But being able to take that same advice myself, giving myself that grace, having the patience, and bringing that in - I almost need to detach myself from me and talk to myself as if I'm a client. That's the hardest part - wanting everyone to succeed but not giving yourself that same grace. So that's at least for me, getting out of my own way.

The values most important to me are integrity, showing up and wanting to be there for people, and having that unconditional piece of it. I try to be transparent in my life, not just asking and needing it from people, but being that same person for others. The same things I want to surround myself with, I want to be that in my life for other people. Because I can't go around and be one way and want other people to be another. I'm trying to live by the examples of everything and everyone I want to attract as a person that I also have to be. It's about being present, maintaining integrity no matter what, and being the kind of support and presence for others that I value in my own life.