Victoria Holmes-Gordon, M.S., M.A.

I attribute my success to my love of learning and constantly seeking opportunities to grow myself. If I can find an opportunity for professional development, I'm going to do that. I pack into modules and programs to grow myself personally, and I'm not afraid to ask others for feedback - not just the gravy, but the lumps in the gravy too. I ask people to give me perception and statistics, to tell me ways I've grown and give me examples so I can continue growing in those areas. I'm learning vulnerability, even though vulnerability and I don't get along - we're like oil and water. But I'm not afraid to have conversations with others about how they got a seat at the table and how they got invited. I invest in myself because that investment is going to be the greatest key. I also built really strong relationships, not just friendships, because relationships last no matter what. My mentor helped me strategize by using my job description to measure my growth, and I created interview sheets for friends who would tell me the truth and pinch me in areas where I needed to improve. When you're fearful or uncertain, you start second-guessing yourself, but I learned to trust myself and build that confidence to walk forward.

The best career advice I've received is to seek out professional development opportunities early and consistently throughout your career, especially in areas where you want to grow. My mentor taught me to strategize by actually using my job description to measure my growth and performance. He challenged me to think about how I was going to measure the things I wanted to accomplish. That led me to create interview sheets and coaching questions for people I trusted to tell me the truth - not those warm, fluffy comments, but the ones that would pinch a little bit. Through that process, I discovered areas where I had actually done better than I thought, but also areas where I was reverting back when I felt fearful or uncertain. The key lesson was to follow my mindset, trust myself, and build the confidence to walk forward without second-guessing. When I shared this approach with my mentor, he was amazed and even took it to his own team because he had never thought to use a job description that way to measure growth. That strategic thinking and willingness to seek honest feedback is what ultimately led to my promotion.

My advice to young women is to focus on your personal branding and understand that your niche may be similar to someone else's, but your fingerprint is different and unique. You have to identify what your niche is and then grow in that area. Be yourself, walk in who you are, and soar. Don't look over your shoulder at what you used to be - step into what's greater, because greater things are for all of us. Be careful about the seeds you plant today, because they have to grow into tomorrow. If something is no longer you, start clipping it off and step into a brand new you, because today is a brand new day. Your brand needs to say something about your vision - it's not just about having a vision board, but about what your brand is communicating about who you are. As women, we have to be like iron sharpening iron, helping each other. I can't give you all my nuggets, but I can give you enough that you can start a campfire and make a meal. But once you run out, you need to know how to get more on your own. We have to teach young women to stand on their own feet while also having mentors and support along the way. Walk in your confidence, because your confidence is what challenges others. Don't let people misinterpret your confidence as anger - it's just your conviction. We need to continually empower women in their identity so they understand this is who they are and they can be themselves.

I feel that for women in general, we're making a mark because doors are opening more than they used to. We're not where we used to be, and I'm grateful for that, but there's still room for improvement. The biggest challenge is that we still don't have the salary that proves we are influential and can bring a lot to the table - people just don't see that yet. Unfortunately, when we walk in our confidence and conviction, people sometimes misinterpret it and ask why we have to be so angry, but it's not anger, it's our confidence challenging the status quo. Because those doors aren't opening fast enough in traditional settings, women are taking their future into their own hands and saying they're going to start their own businesses. We're finding that level of knowledge, wisdom, and experience, fostering it, and then opening our own doors. Women are landing successfully and also becoming mentors, helping others become entrepreneurs as well. The opportunity is that the world is no longer saying you can only go this far - so many women are blowing that limitation out of the water. Women need to continually be empowered in their identity and understand they can walk in who they are. There are challenges for all women, and while I don't see color lines because I didn't grow up that way, I recognize the challenges exist and we need to keep pushing forward together.

The values most important to me are honesty, authenticity, and driving results. Honesty is very important to me in my personal life - I want people to tell me the truth, not just warm, fluffy comments, but the real feedback that will help me grow. Authenticity is crucial because I believe in being yourself and walking in who you are. I focus on helping others understand their personal brand and identity, and that starts with being authentic. Driving results matters to me because I'm always looking to make a significant impact and measure my growth. I also value ministry deeply - working with women who are broken and scattered and helping them see that life can be for them. Building strong relationships, not just friendships, is important because relationships last through the ups and downs. I value vulnerability, even though it doesn't come naturally to me, because I'm learning that being vulnerable and asking for help is key to growth. Family is also central to my life, especially my relationship with my daughter.