Orquidia Carrion

I personally attribute my success to never giving up, especially because I was so ill early on in my life. I wanted to show myself that it doesn't matter what gets thrown at you - keep moving, keep going. If I would have stopped and gave in and surrendered to my illnesses, I wouldn't be where I am today. I always have a goal in front of me, and I think that's something my kids have learned from me too. They're now very successful in their positions, a lot earlier than I got there, which makes me so proud. I also believe in being a team player and knowing that there's always room for improvement. I took my time to prove myself and never rushed. I always found somebody above me that I wanted to be like, and I would ask them how they got there and how I could help them to help me get there. I gave myself time to grow and learn, to become an expert in different areas, and I wasn't afraid to take on new challenges like learning new management systems. I also made sure people remembered my name by being transparent with my managers about my goals. If you're a good team player and they admire your work, you should be able to go to them and say what you want for the next step in your career. And I truly believe in balance - so many people get really married to their jobs and careers that they forget they have a family that looks up to them. As women, we're the focal point of our families, so I make sure I give my family all the time I possibly can while still achieving my professional goals.

I want women to know that you don't have to shy away from wanting to have more or do more, because you're just as qualified as any other man out there if you put in the time and you have the right goals set in front of you. Insurance has always been an industry where if you wanted to be in leadership, you had to be a man, but now it's really changing. You just really need to know what you want and not be afraid to say, 'How do I get there?' Management appreciates that, and it builds their bench too. Don't be afraid to tell your manager these are your goals in the next 5 years, 10 years, 2 years, and ask what you need to do to get there. I was not shy about that, and it really helped me. Give yourself the base that you need to grow and learn and keep evolving, and then you'll get to your right spot. Take your time - nobody's rushing you. Don't feel like you need to make six digits right away when you haven't done much yet. Explore which area within insurance you want to focus on, because you can do so many different things. And don't be afraid to learn new things, like new management systems. If you really focus and hone in on those things you want to do, there's nothing that we can't accomplish in this industry, because everybody's looking for really good people. But you have to prove yourself first - you can't just get there immediately. Be transparent with your managers, don't be sneaky. If you have a really good mentor and a really good boss, they're going to support you when you tell them about your career goals.

One of the biggest challenges in the field right now is managing operations consistently across many states and offices while adapting to evolving management systems and preventing E&O exposure. At the same time, there are tremendous opportunities for women in leadership and for skilled professionals who continue investing in their development and growth.

The values most important to me are balance, family, teamwork, and collaboration. I truly believe in balance because so many people get really married to their jobs and their careers that they forget they have a family that looks up to them. As women, we're the focal point of our families, so it's so important to give yourself the right balance to be able to spend time with them. Outside of work, my main focus is my family - I love spending time with my two kids and five grandchildren, making memories, because I think that's really important. In my work life, I believe collaboration is key. There is no room for jealousy or being all about 'me, me, me.' I'm not jealous of anyone - if you're better than me in an area, you're only going to make me look good, and I'm going to make my boss look good. I've met quite a few people in my career that are all about themselves and feel threatened by others who are really good, and those people stay where they're at. But if you surround yourself with the right people and use each person's strengths through delegation and teamwork, that's when you showcase yourself and achieve success. I also value never giving up and always having room for improvement, no matter where you are in your career.