Nadiya Babbar

I think my parents are the ones who built the right foundation for me. They're the ones who taught me the values and how to live my life, so I would attribute everything to them. Growing up, I saw my parents giving back to the community, and that's something I've always valued. They showed me what it means to serve others and to live with purpose, and those lessons have guided everything I do in both my professional and personal life.

The best advice I've received, not by a person but by something I've read recently, is to just try and don't be afraid. Don't be looking at the full job description, because I think us women, we tend to look at ourselves and don't give ourselves enough credit. We think we need to check off all the boxes in order for us to do something, but that's not the case. You can always learn on the job, and when you're put in the position, you'll figure it out, unless it's like building a rocket or something. I was reading somewhere that men don't worry about those things - they just go and apply themselves and apply for jobs without thinking that they don't have everything on the checklist. We need to give ourselves more credit and just go for it.

Network. Don't be afraid to reach out to people. Don't be afraid to ask. You know, the worst that's going to happen is people are going to say no, not right now, but just keep trying, keep trying. Building relationships and putting yourself out there is so important, and you can't let fear of rejection hold you back.

One of my biggest challenges right now is that the growth is not as I would like it to be. In the field where I am, for me to go up, it's a management position, and people being so loyal in this company are not going anywhere, so no position is open. That's really my biggest challenge - the lack of upward mobility because people stay in their roles for so long.

Community service and giving back are values that are really near and dear to my heart. I've always wanted to teach and educate people, and providing that one-on-one education to our customers is something I truly value. The community aspect of my work is what attracted me to my bank in the first place - the focus on serving the community and giving back. That's something I grew up seeing my parents do, and it's been a guiding principle throughout my life. I'm also a person of harmony who values building great relationships with people. Being able to work with anyone in any situation and truly understanding how people are feeling is important to me, both professionally and personally.