Her Story
About Tia
I've been with the bank for a little over a year and a half, working in the retail center at Fifth Third. My broader financial background spans about 7 years when you include my experience in insurance, real estate, and mortgage. My undergrad degree is in finance, and I was drawn to this field because I wanted to learn and understand how money works. As Robert Kiyosaki said, schools don't teach you how to manage money, and I didn't come from a background where anyone taught me that, so I wanted to figure it out for myself. In any company I've been in, I usually rank in the top, not because I'm trying to chase rankings, but because I do my job with a level of excellence and present myself with authenticity every day. I try to do everything to the best of my ability in that moment so I'm not left with questions of whether I did everything I could have. From a customer's perspective, they get a sense that they are heard, that I'm there to champion them, and that authenticity just works well. My customer service excellence scores are always going to be top tier. Right now, from the retail perspective, the biggest challenges are more competition coming into our local market. We recently saw Bank of America come into Louisville, and they had not been in Louisville before, so being able to substantiate ourselves as Fifth Third from other banks is key. When my customers come in and want to know what makes Fifth Third better, I focus on that person-to-person authenticity and championing their needs.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tia
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
After undergrad, focus on your career, don't date. Build your career first, then date. I didn't take it, but that was the advice. Another piece of professional advice someone gave me is that if someone is honoring you, let them honor you. You don't have to pay to be honored.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'm going to expand that from not just banking, but just in any field. Come up with your own standard of excellence and make sure that it either matches or exceeds whatever company or industry that you're in. That way, you're never used in a way where people try to make you chase a carrot, so to speak. But you have your own set vision, you've got your own vision of what you're trying to obtain, and you get there. And I think that that works in every industry.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I'm in the retail center, and I would think that the biggest challenges are more competition coming into our local market. We recently have seen Bank of America come into Louisville, and they had not been in Louisville. So, from the retail perspective, being able to substantiate ourselves as Fifth Third from other banks, when my customers come in and want to know, what is it about Fifth Third that makes you, that makes Fifth Third better, that's the challenge we're facing.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and person-to-person authenticity are most important to me. I also believe in doing my job with a sense of excellence. I try to do my job, my 9-to-5, as great as I can during the working day. That's just anything that I do. I try to do everything to the best of my ability in that moment. That way, I'm not left with any questions of, did I do everything I could have.
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