Kalyn Wiggins

I attribute my success to two main things: my daughter and my ability to take constructive criticism. My daughter keeps me going and motivated every single day. But what's really helped me thrive in corporate America is something I learned from my background in the gifted arts programs - I had to get my artwork critiqued constantly, making portfolios and going up against the most talented people in my school. When you're used to getting constructive criticism in that environment, it prepares you for the corporate world, because you're getting criticism every day. If you're thinking with your emotions, you're never going to sit there and see what you can fix or how you can self-reflect to figure out what you're doing wrong. I've learned to take that criticism, sit with myself, and think 'okay, I see where they're coming from, maybe I can do this to get a better outcome' - and it always helps me move up. Don't get me wrong, it definitely hurts my feelings sometimes, we're still human and that's natural. But I have to always look at it as maybe they're not attacking me, they're trying to help me. Sometimes don't worry about the delivery, listen to what's being said. A lot of people can't take constructive criticism, but being able to accept it and grow from it is what has saved me and helped me succeed.

Be a sponge. Don't be scared to ask questions, and even if you feel like they're dumb questions, or you feel like you just asked it, ask again. Soak up all the information from women that have been in this industry for years - it never stops. You would never know everything. We're always learning, especially if you're trying to grow in your career and in life in general. Always soak up good information, especially from people you can consider a mentor. Go to networking events, always network. Never sit there and get too comfortable - always find ways to grow. I truly mean it when I say never get comfortable, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Once you stop growing, you stop elevating, and you get stuck. Ten years from now you're like 'I haven't moved, I haven't left,' but you didn't put in the work. You were working every day, but you also stopped networking, stopped reaching out to the people that you spoke to when you first got hired, stopped keeping that relationship going. And one more thing I want to add - in the corporate world, I feel like women have to stick together, because we are the underdogs. I didn't know that until I got into the industry. We have to stick with each other, because when there's like one man on my team, once he says something, it goes that way. We definitely have to stick together. Find other women in the industry for advice and a listening ear.