“Be the first to show up, the last to leave, and get your job done.” Robert recalls seeing his father work hard his whole life as a supervisor and a foreman and he brings this same work ethic to his career. His first job was at a skate shop where he learned to manage people and inventory. He helped his boss open three new stores and then manage them. These experiences allowed Robert to transition to a larger company where he started as a sales associate and demonstrated his ability to succeed across multiple management and sales roles. He is currently a merchandiser and he loves to analyze the numbers and predict trends so he can send stores the correct inventory. Working his way from the sales floor to the corporate office, Robert has gained skills that have laid the foundation for him to excel at his job. He has been with his company for almost 10 years and has a high level of commitment and desire to be a positive influence on his work environment.

Over the last few years, Robert has learned how to be a better leader. A priority of his is to be empathetic and understand that every role in the company is important. “I have learned to take my intrinsic biases and expectations out of the equation and focus on what the employee is good at and drive them from there.” Despite his skills and accomplishments, Robert worries that he still needs a degree. If his company had a shift in leadership, there is a chance that they could require a bachelor’s degree for his position. He continues to take part in organizational training and classes to prepare him for the next step in his career.