Victoria Sanchez

Oddly enough, my rebellious nature has proven to be handy when dealing with adversity. I’ve been able to take what plagued me as a child to stay true to myself and be steadfast in achieving what might have initially felt unobtainable. My family and faith are always the ultimate reason to preserve and work hard.

The biggest piece of advice I received was actually from high school. I did track and field, and my coach used to tell us little freshmen practicing with other schools in the county, which was very intimidating, to assert myself. I have taken that and put it in my back pocket for life. It’s a reminder to me, even now after years off the track, to be confident and unapologetic about taking up space.

Growing up a young Hispanic woman, I was told to be quiet and agreeable. Not very much ever felt in my control. I continued to hear this sort of language working in corporate America, “this is just how it is” and “we're just here to collect a check”, but I've totally run the opposite direction of that kind of advice. We don't have to resign to those mentalities. Trust yourself, voice your opinions, and be the example you wish you had.

A big challenge in working with data today is keeping up with how quickly technology and business needs are growing, but it’s also a huge opportunity. Data has become a pivotal part of nearly every business decision, from understanding customers to driving innovation. There’s a certain amount of fear around AI as well but looking at it as a tool, rather than competition, can help enhance your skills to analyze data faster and automate repetitive tasks, driving efficiency and value.

In life, you have to be curious to keep on learning and keep wanting to better yourself. I see my four year olds curiosity and wish I still had that childlike nature too. There is so much to explore and learn in this world, and thinking of it as play is the type of mindset that keeps you humble, grateful, and hungry for knowledge. Things are constantly changing, especially in a field like payroll, so knowing this is a never ending book will only make life and working in life, more fun.