Denise Farmer

I attribute my success to my daughter. She has been my inspiration from the very beginning.

I became a mother at a young age, and very early on realized that I didn't have the luxury of following a traditional path and that I needed to build a career that would create opportunities for us right away. At the time, I was working as an assistant, and I watched buyers around me negotiating contracts, influencing business decisions, and driving results. I was always fascinated by the impact they had on the organization, and I knew that was where I wanted to be.

I wanted financial stability, career growth, and the ability to create a different future than the one many people expected, but more importantly, I wanted to be a role model for that little girl watching me at home.

Throughout my career, I've worked my way up through determination, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. I didn't take the traditional route, but I've built a successful career in procurement, capital projects, and strategic sourcing by consistently delivering results, building strong relationships, and refusing to let my circumstances define my future.

Today, one of my proudest accomplishments is seeing my daughter thrive. She is on track to graduate next fall from Sam Houston State University with her Bachelor's degree and watching her pursue her own goals reminds me why I worked so hard in the first place.

If there's one lesson I hope she takes from my journey, it's that your starting point doesn't determine your destination. No matter where you begin, you can reinvent yourself, grow, and create opportunities that once seemed out of reach. I'm proud that she has watched that lesson unfold in real time, and even prouder of the incredible young woman she has become.

The best career advice I've ever received was to never let what you don't know stop you from pursuing what you want.

Early in my career, there were plenty of opportunities that challenged me and pushed me beyond what I knew and way beyond my comfort zone.

It would have been easy to convince myself that I wasn't qualified or experienced enough, but instead, I learned to stay curious, ask questions, and trust my ability to learn.

That mindset has shaped my entire career. Every role I've taken on has required me to develop new skills, whether in procurement, contract negotiations, supplier management, strategic sourcing, or capital projects. Each new challenge expanded my knowledge and prepared me for the next opportunity.

The most successful people I've worked with never stop learning. They ask questions, seek different perspectives, remain open to feedback, and continuously look for ways to improve.

For me, success has come from recognizing that there is always more to learn and being willing to invest the time and effort to keep growing.

My advice to young women entering the industry is to stay curious, be confident in your abilities, and never stop learning.

Procurement and strategic sourcing offer far more opportunities than people realize. Whether your interests are in negotiations, supplier relationships, contract management, category management, capital projects, analytics, or leadership, there are countless paths you can take. Take the time to explore different areas of the profession and discover what genuinely interests you.

I would also encourage young women not to underestimate the value they bring to the table. You don't need to know everything on day one. Ask questions, seek out mentors, and be willing to learn from the people around you.

Most importantly, be intentional about your development, set goals, continue building your knowledge, and look for opportunities to add value. The more value you create, the more opportunities will follow.

One of the biggest challenges in this field is that procurement is still often viewed as the department that says "no." That perception can make it difficult for others to recognize the value procurement brings when we're involved early in the process. In reality, our greatest impact often comes from helping shape strategy from the very beginning, identifying risks, creating competitive opportunities, and helping teams make informed decisions.

At the same time, I think one of the biggest opportunities is that the profession is evolving. Procurement has become far more strategic than it was when I started my career. We have more visibility, more influence, and more opportunities than ever before to drive meaningful business results.

It's an exciting time to be in the profession because we're no longer just supporting the business, we're helping shape its future.

The values that are most important to me, both professionally and personally, are accountability, integrity, and transparency.

Accountability is probably at the top of the list. I've always believed that when things go well, you should share the credit, and when things don't go as planned, you should be willing to ask yourself, "What could I have done differently?" Taking ownership of your actions, decisions, and outcomes is one of the most important ways we learn, grow, and move forward.

Integrity is equally important to me.Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose, so I think it's important to be consistent in both your words and your actions.

I also value honesty, directness, and transparency. I've found that clear and honest communication builds stronger relationships, solves problems faster, and creates opportunities for growth.

At the end of the day, I believe people earn respect not by being perfect, but by being accountable, trustworthy, and authentic.