Reese May Domus DiBiase

I attribute my success to the people who taught me to pair ambition with humility. My family has always been my foundation. My twin brothers have been mentors, best friends, and constant examples of discipline, while my mother showed me that strength and compassion are not opposites—they make each other more powerful. My dad taught me the meaning of unconditional love, the importance of never taking myself too seriously, and that true leadership is not about being the most impressive person in the room. It is about helping everyone around you recognize what they are capable of.

Together, they taught me that success is never entirely individual; it is built upon the love, standards, and belief that others invest in us. The most meaningful way I can honor that foundation is not simply by seeing how far I can go, but by helping the people around me go even farther.

The best career advice I have received came from a female mentor who had already navigated many parts of the finance industry. We were discussing the risks that accompany ambitious decisions when I asked whether she had ever worried that, despite working hard and preparing thoroughly, she might still fail.

She told me, “I promise you that, at some point, you will fail. The more ambitious your goals become, the more failure you are likely to encounter. But failure is not evidence that you were incapable or did not belong—it is evidence that you had the courage to pursue something whose outcome was not guaranteed.”

She continued, “That voice inside you can be driven by fear, or it can become a signal of recognition—a reminder that this matters to you and that you are standing at the edge of growth. Some people might ask, ‘But what if you can?’ I do not want to replace one doubt with another ‘if.’ I cannot decide what you are capable of, but neither should fear. There is little more powerful than a woman who removes the ‘ifs’ from her potential and replaces them with the conviction to discover what she can accomplish.”

Her advice reshaped my understanding of confidence. Confidence is not assuming that every decision will produce the outcome I want. It is trusting that I can prepare fully, act decisively, learn from any result, and continue moving forward. I no longer view the possibility of failure as a reason to question whether I should begin; I see it as part of pursuing goals meaningful enough to require courage.

It's not always just about the end goal and the destination, really soak up every experience you have in the moment. Find a group of incredible women to surround yourself with and lean on them, especially in finance which can be a predominantly male-dominated industry. Having people you can turn to, female mentors and colleagues that make you feel seen and understood.

The biggest challenge is confidence. Women in the workplace, especially in finance, often don't think they would be able to succeed or get the opportunity. Mentorship is important to build confidence and remind people it is okay to fail, that is how you learn.

Trust, companionship and teamwork. I believe you succeed and fail as a team, and having the mindset where you could just trust people have your back and your best interests.