Shatara Young

I would say a lot of my success comes from the example my parents gave me. My mother was a double amputee and battled with lupus, and watching her overcome challenges taught me resilience at a very young age. She showed me that circumstances don’t have to determine what you’re capable of.

My father was also a very hard worker, and he taught me the importance of being dependable, taking pride in your work, and doing what you say you’re going to do.

Those lessons have really shaped the way I approach my career. When something is difficult, my first instinct isn’t to give up—it’s to figure out what needs to be done and find a way forward. I think that resilience, work ethic, and willingness to take responsibility have been a big part of my success, and they’re also qualities I bring to the people I work with.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is that there are no dumb questions, and you should never stop learning.

I’ve always believed that if you don’t know something, it’s better to ask, learn it, and become better at it than to be afraid of looking like you don’t know. I’ve also learned that it’s never too late to grow, change direction, or challenge yourself professionally.

That mindset has helped me throughout my career. I try to learn as much as I can, stay open to feedback, and always look for ways to improve—not just for myself, but so I can be someone my team can rely on. I don’t think success means knowing everything. I think it means being willing to keep learning and striving to be better.

The advice I would give young women entering my industry is to never be afraid to ask questions. There are no dumb questions, and you don’t have to walk into a new position knowing everything. Be willing to learn.

I would also tell them to be dependable, have integrity, and be consistent. Your reputation matters. People should know that when you say you’re going to do something, you’re going to do it, and that you’re going to do it the right way.

And don’t be afraid to strive for more. Learn everything you can, take opportunities to grow, and don’t limit yourself based on where you are today. You don’t have to have your entire career figured out—you just need to keep moving forward and becoming better.

I think one of the biggest challenges in my field right now is keeping up with the volume and pace of the work while still maintaining accuracy and good communication. In legal support and process service, there are a lot of moving pieces, and small mistakes can have a big impact.

But I also see that as an opportunity. Technology is changing the way we work, and I think the women who are willing to embrace those changes, learn new things, and find better ways of doing things can have a real impact on the industry.

For me, leadership isn’t necessarily about having a title. It’s about being willing to learn, being someone others can depend on, and looking for ways to make things better. I want to continue growing with my industry rather than simply keeping up with it.

I think some of the most important values to me are integrity, dependability, and treating people with respect.

I want people to know that they can trust me—whether that’s at work, in my personal life, or just in everyday interactions. If I say I’m going to do something, I want to follow through and do it the right way, even when nobody is watching.

I also really value growth. I don’t believe we ever get to a point where we know everything or have nothing left to learn. I want to continue growing as a person, growing in my career, and being better than I was yesterday.

And probably most importantly, I want to be someone who leaves people better than I found them. Whether that’s through helping someone, encouraging them, or simply being someone they can count on, those are the values that are important to me.