Hollie Miles

I attribute my success to having Bob Erskine as my mentor - he believed in me before I believed in myself. I worked with him at Lake Sheen International for almost 10 years, and he was always my sounding board for whatever crazy idea I came up with. Being a woman in the construction world was very hard to get things pushed forward, and Bob would sometimes present my ideas for me, then after they succeeded, he'd give me the credit and say 'I want you to know that that was Holly's idea, and Holly did all the work for it.' That's when I was actually taken seriously when I came up with ideas. Bob literally backed me from the beginning, knew I could do anything I set my mind to, and was always there cheering me on and giving me words of wisdom and guidance. He still does - we still meet periodically and he tells me to stay focused on staying productive and positive, and things will work out. Beyond Bob's mentorship, I've found success by networking and connecting in my local community, building brand awareness through social media, and always being open to helping other people connect to the right people. My most notable achievement is moving to Forever Lawn and building that brand with the freedom and support to put my own spin on their message without having to ask permission every time I turn around.

The best career advice I've received comes from my mentor Bob Erskine, who continues to guide me to this day. He always tells me to focus on staying productive and positive, and things will work out for me. That simple but powerful advice has carried me through career transitions, setbacks like being overlooked for promotions, and even being let go from a job for the first time. Bob's consistent message has been that I can do anything I set my mind to, and his words of wisdom remind me to keep pushing forward with a positive attitude no matter what obstacles come my way.

I am a huge proponent of women in the trades and women in leadership, and my advice is to do the research, have a tough skin, but don't give up. Push through the obstacles, because it will be worth it and rewarding in the end. The trades now are a million times more welcoming than they were probably 30 years ago, but you still need to be mindful and respectful to the women that paved the path before you. Look to them for guidance, and always ask questions. Don't be afraid to reach out to those who came before you - they've fought hard to make it easier for you, and their wisdom is invaluable.

The values most important to me are loyalty, perseverance, and giving back. I married my high school sweetheart and just celebrated 31 years of marriage - I'm that loyal person who doesn't give up, even through the hard times. As a teenage mother who graduated high school just 2 months after my daughter was born, I learned early that you keep trying and don't give up. I use the Giver's Game to do everything in life and want to make sure I'm doing what's best for everyone. I'm passionate about being an honest person with integrity and making sure I give back to the community. I'm always open to helping other people connect to the right people - it's not only about building the brand, but it's also 'how can I help?' I believe in continuous learning and sharing knowledge, which is why I created 'Let's Talk Thursdays' on social media where I talk about things most people won't discuss and remain an open book. I'm not scared to fail - I will learn from that failure and try again. I'm not scared to try something and see what happens. I also believe strongly in mentoring the next generation, like I'm doing with my 17-year-old nephew in the entrepreneurial program, watching him flourish through networking and sharing wisdom with other students gives me hope for the future.