Dianna Worthington, CFE

I attribute my success to investing in people and being a lifelong learner. My husband has always been a great advocate for me, telling me I have so much more to offer, so much more talent to give, encouraging me to go chase my dream. That's been a wonderful dynamic. I've got about a four or five-year positional track record, but a lot of it tied to systems and people development, training, support, and coaching, which is the world I love. Along the way, he has always encouraged me, whether out of boredom or hunger to learn and grow, to embrace the next challenge. For me, a huge value is investing in my people. I had a really great team at Neighborly and got them to a place in their development and skill set where I was comfortable leaving, knowing they could carry on, because I invested in each one of them. I think too often certain organizations miss that people attention and investment. We use nice words like career pathing and people development, but oftentimes they're left to their own devices to figure it out. I've been very intentional through the years as I've developed teams to find out what is the next challenge that you want, and how can I help you get there. I've been very intentional in their development, what I put in front of them, not just go on LinkedIn Learning and take a course, but how can I challenge you in their everyday work to learn and grow. As much as I've been intentional with others and developing them, I've also been intentional with myself. I've always leaned into the conversations, went and found information online, whether you're chatting with AI or taking a course or whatever it is - keep learning, keep growing, keep being curious. I think curiosity helps you become that lifelong learner.

The best career advice I ever received came from my husband when I was teaching in public schools. He continually encouraged me to think beyond my current role and reminded me that I had more to offer. His advice was simple: don't limit yourself to what you've already done—have the courage to pursue what you're capable of becoming.

His belief in my talents, leadership abilities, and passion for developing people gave me the confidence to transition into the private sector and eventually into franchising, where training, leadership, and systems are critical to success. Throughout my career, he has continued to encourage me to embrace new challenges, keep learning, and never become too comfortable. That advice taught me that growth often begins the moment you're willing to step outside of what feels familiar.

My advice to young women entering the industry is simple: don't wait until you're 100% ready. Too often, we overthink, try to create the perfect plan, or feel like we need to have every answer before raising our hand. The truth is, if you have a solid foundation of knowledge, a willingness to learn, and the courage to step forward, opportunities will help shape you along the way.

I've always believed in saying, "I'll figure it out." Not because I know everything, but because I trust myself to ask the right questions, seek the right guidance, and continue learning. Confidence doesn't come from having all the answers - it comes from knowing you can navigate challenges and grow through them.

I would also encourage women to invest in relationships as intentionally as they invest in their work. When you pour into others, mentor, collaborate, and build meaningful connections, those relationships often become a source of support, wisdom, and opportunity throughout your career.

Women are often incredibly hardworking, but sometimes we become so busy proving ourselves that we neglect investing in our own growth. Then, when new opportunities arise, we feel unprepared. As much as I've been intentional about developing others, I've been equally intentional about developing myself. Keep learning, keep growing, keep being curious, and remember that curiosity is what fuels lifelong learning.

The franchising industry offers strong opportunities for women to lead, coach, and influence organizational success. While challenges such as confidence, visibility, and readiness can still exist, these barriers are steadily decreasing as more women advance into leadership roles. I believe organizations benefit from diverse perspectives, especially in people development, training, communication, and culture-building, and the industry’s growing focus on leadership and talent development continues to create meaningful opportunities for women to make a lasting impact.

People are the core value in both my personal and professional life. I believe business success is driven by investing in and empowering the people who make it possible, ensuring they are supported, challenged, and given meaningful opportunities to grow rather than left to navigate development on their own. I’ve always been intentional about understanding individual goals and helping team members stretch into new challenges through their day-to-day work. That commitment extends beyond my career into my personal life as well, where family is deeply important to me, and where I’ve also been involved in ministry and missions work focused on supporting and investing in underserved communities, particularly children.