Maranda Hickman

I attribute my success to being a people person and having the confidence to try new approaches. When I started at this company, they had only been in the US for three years and weren't doing much marketing. I convinced my boss to let me try things my way instead of just relying on email marketing. I told him that I could send 100 emails a day and they'd all go to trash, but if I went out and started door knocking, even if 10 doors got shut in my face, I'd get 3 or 4 legit people who would know my face and give me a chance to sit down and show them our product line. He didn't believe in that method at first because he's old school, but I asked him to just try my way for a couple months since that's what he hired me for. It really worked. He started getting more orders, his name started getting out on bigger platforms, and he was like, okay, Miranda. I've learned that you've got to do the footwork and get out there. I'm really good with people, so when I approach things the right way, like saying I'm sorry for interrupting but can I just leave a pamphlet and grab a card to make a meeting, people respond positively. I think it's all in the way you approach things. Since I've come on board, I feel like I've gotten their name out a lot and I'm helping grow the business for sure by going to networking events and building relationships.

Someone sat me down and told me that my personality is golden and that I'm very humble. They said that when you walk in a room, you don't show fear, you don't stutter when you speak. You sit down, be set up straight, be proper, and be very intuitive to the conversation that you're having, and it goes a long way. I've noticed that it really does go a long way. When you carry yourself and walk in a room like you've got this and nothing's gonna shut you down, when you walk in with confidence, it's very hard for someone to tear you down. That advice has really stuck with me.

My dad always said, you sell the sizzle, not the steak. There's no reason for a woman to go into this industry thinking that she has to do something else to get a job with men. Coming into this oil field, it is a men company, it is a man's world, and honestly, we step in and most of the time we do their job better than them. But I've also noticed that men in this industry can be very unprofessional. So I would say know your boundaries. Stand strong on what you believe, and don't allow anyone to alter what you have planned for your future or planned for you at that time. I like to sit down and make a plan. When I walk into a meeting or if I'm meeting someone, I like to put three key points of what I'm focusing on, this is what I'm doing, and this is what I'm coming to do, and no matter what, I don't want to move off these three points. I feel like a lot of men try to persuade you in other things in this industry. No, these are what I want to work on, and this is what I want to do, and this is what I'm offering you. And if you don't want this, then you're not worth my time, because I'm not going to sell myself short like that. I've met some strong women in Midland who have been in the industry for a long time, but I've also seen how some women carry themselves in ways that perpetuate stereotypes. In Midland, they have a saying, they call them lips and tits, and it's sad because some women feel like they have to go sell something other than themselves, and it shouldn't be like that. I should be able to be as beautiful as I am and wear a full turtleneck and just go in and be able to speak and be as prideful as I am as my person, with my personality. If my personality and my knowledge can't win you a deal because you're a perverted person, then I don't need to work with you, period. I have a really good firm handshake, so when I walk in, I'm shaking your hand, then I sit them down and put a pamphlet or a PowerPoint in front of them. I get straight to the point and let them know what I have. I don't need the tit-tat and the flirting. I'm not here to flirt or make a husband. I'm here to sell some valves and make some money for my family.

The biggest challenge in my field is navigating a male-dominated industry where double standards and occasional unprofessional behavior still exist. The opportunity lies in advancing women’s leadership, expanding professional networks, and addressing U.S. marketing gaps for global suppliers through proactive field sales.

The values most important to me are confidence, professionalism, humility, and maintaining clear boundaries and self-respect, which guide both my work in sales and my personal life as a mother and community member. These principles help me navigate challenges, build credibility, and balance a demanding career with family and personal commitments.