Dedra Helms

I attribute my success to my dad. He was the best person I have ever known. He firmly believed that you should work hard and be good to people, and that life is exactly what you make out of it. He taught me that if there's something that you don't know, the first thing you should do is research and learn. Those principles have guided everything I do - the belief in working hard, treating people well, and never stopping learning. That foundation he gave me is what drives me to constantly improve, to dig deeper when I see opportunities others don't, and to approach every challenge as a chance to learn something new.

The best career advice I ever received came from my mentor in hotels, Hoss Kazaroonian. He taught me what it means to move with purpose and grace - whether it's a meeting or a phone call, to always step in from a calm, balanced place. He led by example with flawless professionalism, grace, and kindness.

What he really taught me was that you set the tone for every room that you walk into and what people should expect from you. How you walk into a room, each and every day, sets expectations. When you learn how to keep your calm, remain professional, and stay poised regardless of what is happening around you, you can change the entire atmosphere.

Consider it when it's said, but never take no as a final answer. If you know what your goal is, if you see something other people don't see, dig deeper. Other people may not see what you see, or they may not see the value that seems inherent to you. Trust yourself, trust your instincts, and push through. You have to believe in what you see and what you know, even when others don't understand it yet.

It's unlikely that you will have a moment where someone creates an opportunity for you, but when you play to your strengths and hone the skills you excel at, you can create incredible opportunities. We each have strengths, and the key is always being as aware of those strengths as we are our weaknesses. When you see a need that you have the ability to take on, jump at the chance and volunteer to take the project on.

Some of the biggest opportunities right now are the way that everything is changing and the way that AI is coming in. There are so many options and opportunities to diversify and go in different directions. We're in such an interesting point right now with the workforce that making a pivot in your career would be something so easily done, because everything is in flux and evolving.

The challenge right now is to find where AI can not replace you, but be a force multiplier for you. Especially as an executive assistant who works closely with people that constantly have high demands, the human factor and human element are so necessary. But if you don't regularly show how necessary that is and show the value of it, you could easily get replaced by a few AI programs or AI agents. You have to learn how to use AI to your advantage and demonstrate the irreplaceable value of the human element.

I think everything should be done with a level of integrity, clarity and transparency, and with honesty. It's my intention to always move with integrity. People need clarity about what the goals are, what you're trying to accomplish, and where you're trying to get to. I firmly believe that you have to be able to speak with people and be honest, especially when that means finding a kinder, gentler way. If you want people to trust you, you have to be honest and transparent. If you don't have those things, other people can't trust you. They can't follow your lead or know that things will be taken care of, because you're not setting that expectation.