Jennifer Miller

I attribute my success to working extremely hard, consistently proving myself on the job, and taking my personal branding seriously. I’ve learned the value of asking questions, practicing phone-based relationship skills, and showing up fully for every client. My persistence and focus on results have helped me excel in business development, earn top-performer recognition, mentor new team members, and grow into my current role—even without a formal degree.

The best career advice I ever received was from a close friend at Thomson Reuters who encouraged me to try business development—a suggestion that completely transformed my career path.

Don't be afraid to ask questions and get on the phones with customers - that's how we find out the needs of our clients. I know it can be intimidating if you've never done business over the phone before, but practice makes perfect. I like to remind everybody who's new in my position that nobody sounds great starting out. Everyone's had a bad phone call, but the more you do it, the better you get. And here's something really important: don't let the fact that you don't have a degree stop you from applying for the positions you want. Show up as the person you want to be, and all things are possible. I can't tell you how many times I've been told something wasn't possible for me without a degree, and I've ended up either getting those positions or being considered. Sometimes exceptions are made, and it really depends on the person. Just believe in yourself, don't be afraid to mess up because you learn along the way, and don't let not having a degree hold you back. The other thing I'd say is take your personal brand seriously - whether that's LinkedIn, your presence with your company and in the community. Everything you do contributes to your personal brand, so make sure it's strong and well represented. I think personal brand and working extremely hard are the two things that can open mostly any doors to where you're looking to go.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is handling rejection and adapting in-person relationship skills to phone-based client interactions. Key opportunities include leveraging hybrid work models, applying transferable skills from previous roles, and building a strong personal brand to advance my career.

My path hasn’t been traditional. I don’t currently hold a college degree, although I’ve taken courses at Collin College and plan to pursue a degree in business management or marketing in the future. There were times when not having a degree felt like a disadvantage—and in some ways, it still can be—but it also pushed me to work harder, prove myself, and build my career through performance and persistence.Go after opportunities, even if you don’t feel 100% ready. Confidence builds through doing, not waiting.I’m also passionate about mental health awareness and supporting organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It’s something I care about deeply and hope to become more involved with over time.