Her Story
About Samantha
My journey in telecom operations started about 7 years ago in a retail location in Ogden, Utah. I needed something and started as a sales rep, and my sales took off thanks to great leadership. After everyone told me I couldn't become a manager in less than a year, I did it in 9 months - I love when people tell me I can't do something. From management, I took people under my wing and followed my mentor, continuing to push forward. My biggest accomplishment was being handpicked to relocate to Texas around 2020 as part of a special project when Houston's massive market split into north and south regions. They picked one of the highest performing teams in the nation, which was our little group in Utah, and my manager who took me under his wing selected the best of the best to move. He always told me 'you interview every day' - people see your work throughout everything, you don't have to wait until that job interview to interview. Today, I manage 24 salespeople and two Associate Directors of retail, handling audit compliance, fleet compliance, Power BI reports, and helping them find opportunities in their sales gaps by creating the data to support it so we can attack those areas of opportunity. What I love most about my job is the connections - I'm from a military family, so the smallest worlds are your work field and the military. I constantly meet people who have relocated and reconnect with those I worked with years ago, building bonds all over the country. You can't get anywhere without people.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Samantha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think it sounds so corny all the time, but I really think it's just resilience - just resetting every time there's a hard conversation, every time there's a challenge, it's just the mental reset, no matter what. Being able to have faith and confidence in yourself, first and foremost, and be able to convey that in whatever space you're in, whether that's sales, operations, or anything. You have to be the best at what you're doing, you know?
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My mentor always told me 'you interview every day' - people see your work throughout everything, you don't have to wait until that job interview to interview. That advice has stuck with me and really shaped how I approach my work. It's about showing up and demonstrating your value consistently, not just when you're being formally evaluated.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I will always say that when someone tells you no, more often than not, it means I hear 'not right now.' Continue to push and find opportunities - don't listen to the one manager's no, go to the other and talk to them about building. Go to the salesperson that works for that manager and talk to them about building. Creating relationships will get you way farther than just working hard every single day. It's about building those connections and not taking no as a final answer.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Texas
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.