​What brought you to this career?
Honestly, I tried to avoid it.  I had served as a float teller in college and hated it.  Even took a banking course and hated it.  When I was a senior, I swore three things:  1) I’d never move back to the Valley, 2) I’d never get into banking, & 3) I’d never follow this Jesus guy my friends talked about.  Now I’m firmly rooted in the Valley, have a top-level banking role, and am actively following Jesus every day.

So how it all played out is this…. I came out of college two recessions ago.  There were no jobs for a kid with a small network and barely graduating with honors.  I wanted to stay away from NOVA, but otherwise was willing to go anywhere.  Instead, I ended up in my parents’ basement in Grottoes.  First job was working on a turkey farm (fitting for a VT grad), then his son hired me on at a non-profit.  I enjoyed it but got burnt out quickly seeing the same kids make the same mistakes.  The best part about it was that I met my future wife while working there.

As bills piled up and I got further in debt, my buddy Scott, who has been my friend since middle school and now leads our mortgage division in the Valley, told me about an opening at SunTrust in town.  This opening was two levels lower than the jobs I refused to apply for in college, but I needed to get my foot in the door and figured using my finance and management degrees would be helpful.  That job got me started in banking and I’ve worked hard, tried to learn a lot, and made some strategic moves that have led me to this.

What is your most memorable experience in your career?
During the downturn of 2008, banking was not fun.  Real estate lending and land development loans got killed.  That spring I took over a $20MM portfolio for this developer that consisted of about five projects.  Appraisals all came in at 80% of what was owed (usually it’s the other way around).  For most banks, that sort of situation would have led to foreclosure, losses for the borrower, and losses for the bank.

When we had our first meeting, the customer later told me that his initial thought was “Oh no, who is this young guy?  We are so screwed”.  Likely his language was a little more colorful.  I had no authority and had to manage the fate of this customer and his investment partners while answering to at least three levels of bosses over two geographical areas,  plus the attorneys!  It took three months of 80+ hour weeks, but I was able to come up with a creative structure that let the borrower work out the loans and the bank did not have to write off a dime.

I had the CEO compliment me at a lenders meeting, my direct boss (who had the most commercial lending experience in all of Harrisonburg) was impressed with the creativity, and even the attorneys felt like they were working with a peer who knew what he was doing.  But the best thing was what the borrower told me years later related to his comment mentioned before.  While he felt “screwed”, he followed it up with “But I’m not sure there is anyone else who could have orchestrated that deal the way you did.”

He and I have remained friends, and even though I am at a different financial institution, he remains one of my most loyal customers.

What is a typical day like for you?
At its core, I come in, decide what needs to get accomplished that day, what I’d like to get accomplished, and other items to be working towards.  Then I have some combination of desk time, time on the phone, meetings, and travel to accomplish everything.  Some days have bigger lists than others, but rarely are two days the exact same with what is on the list.

It seems that 40% of my time is dedicated to production and growth, 30% to helping/managing the team and working with internal partners, and 30% dedicated to strategic growth and long-term planning.  My role is very entrepreneurial, which fits my personality.  I set the vision for the market and it will grow based on my ability to execute and adjust on that vision. I always try to keep in mind the bigger vision and plan, that way I can be flexible and open to new opportunities that may come up that are unexpected but fit into the longer-term vision.  I enjoy building things, and this creates a unique challenge that I thrive in.

For the production role, I spend time creating, developing, and growing relationships with customers, prospects and referral sources.  Whether it is working on direct requests, trying to take deals from the competition, or laying seeds for future opportunities, it is all customer facing or working directly on their needs.

On working with the team and internal partners, it ranges from building relationships with underwriting, operations, and other back office roles to ensure they have what they need from us and we’re doing what we need to run efficiently and effectively.  For the direct team in Harrisonburg, it is helping them catch a vision for what it means to be a banker and helping them grow their brand in this field.  Sales training, customer service training, and giving them challenges to grow their own book are all part of this.
Lastly, on the long-term planning component, I always have an eye for strategic opportunities.  These can be with customers, but also look like developing relationships with future teammates, opening new offices, and trying to figure out what the bank needs five years from now, not just five months from now.

All of these things are interrelated, and probably the biggest challenge is ensuring that each gets ample attention week to week and throughout the year.  Every day isn’t equal, but it must remain in balance for us to remain relevant.
 
What do you like most about your job; what motivates you throughout the day?
Autonomy is the number one for me.  I recognize that I have a lot of ideas and not all are worth pursuing, but the ability to do things my way is what charges me up.  Part of my way is building up my teammates and coworkers and trying to make them look better than me.  Its rewarding for sure, but more so just the right way to do business. 

What has been fun is that when I stepped into this role I definitely had a sense that I was in over my head, but I also felt like I knew what this market needed and that if we focused on doing things the right way, the numbers would take care of themselves.  Who knows what the future holds, but the success we’ve had so far has been very affirming and rewarding.
 
What advice would you give for someone looking to pursue a similar career?
(What education/certifications, skills or experiences would they need, what salary could they expect to make?)
For any career I recommend you focus on how you care/treat others and focus on growing yourself.  There were many times that I could have taken better titles and/or more money and I turned them down.  When I made moves it was because I felt like I had maxed out my growth potential in that role.  Not to say that the banks didn’t have other opportunities, but that would often mean a change in location or work life balance that I wasn’t willing to give up.  I didn’t chase the money or titles and ended up with more money and a better title than I could have imagined. One thing I’ve learned is that you really do need to take care of yourself in all areas of your life, whether that be relationally, educationally, spiritually, physically, and make sure those are aligning with your values and then your work will fall in line with that. During different seasons of life, some of those aspects might be more important to focus on, but one thing that is always true for me is that my work is important, but I have a lot of other parts of my life that are a primary focus for me and that’s where I get my energy for my work.

In that same vein, continue to work on you and discovering who you are.  Self-awareness is key in leadership.  The way I first got connected with CPL was working with Kyle to figure out my personal values.  I had a sense of my purpose, and I was living out my mission/vocation, but what were the values unique for me?  It takes some years of experience to be able to figure them out, and it took me getting help from a trusted advisor to be able to articulate them.  Once I had them, they gave me the foundation I needed to team up with Bank of the James, and also the foundation of how we were going to grow in Harrisonburg.  Values first helps me align with the company and helps attract the right people to the team. If you can know your purpose and values and are firm in your identity, then your specific vocation or workplace could change but you will know the key things that need to remain steady for you. This has helped me in my leadership by trying to be a servant-leader, others-focused and wanting to help them grow and develop.

For sure my bachelor’s degree in Finance, and my double major in management have helped me, but much of what I do comes down effectively dealing with people, being able to manage multiple things at once, and a willingness to work hard (though I don’t recommend many 80+ hour weeks, that was a hard season for me). 

Certifications can help in this industry, but I would only pursue them from a life long learning standpoint and continued growth standpoint – not to get a certificate.  Personally, getting my MBA from JMU was a huge catalyst that allowed me to move up the ranks quicker and I also gained some great relationships from that.  But, it isn’t a requirement.  None of my current teammates in Harrisonburg have a finance background and only one has a business degree.  They are a foot in the door, but people skills, initiative, being a self-starter and a willingness to start new relationships are key.  There is a difference in calling on people and building a network compared to just a ‘sales background’. 

​Most importantly, you have to be willing to fail.  Failing at something is not failure.  Not trying is failure.  So few people today are willing to fail, but I don’t believe you can grow without it and you’re honestly not very useful if you can’t be ok with it.  Certainly, it takes the right environment, but you aren’t failing some, then you aren’t trying.

Practically speaking, we don’t have tellers anymore, so most roles start at the customer service level.  That range is $30K to $40K depending on experience.  Branch managers start out at $50K and move up quickly.  Junior lenders start out similarly but can quickly (within five years) get $60K to $80K or more and those focused on commercial lending can go much higher.  Banking has always been a low salary entry point, but the ceiling has few caps.  If you can add value, you’ll get taken care of.

 What brought you to this career?
​
I changed my major in college from Nutrition to Interior Design largely in part because of my desire to have art and creation or creativity in my life on a daily basis. I could pursue a career in a branch of art and design that for me didn’t mean a Fine Arts degree.  Also, a friend in the major was making models of homes out of balsa wood for a design project and that looked fun to me!

What is your most memorable experience in your career?

The one that stands out among many cherished client memories is when a “walk –in” or someone that didn’t have an appointment came in to talk about her and her husband’s kitchen remodel.
After 30 plus years they were ready to knock out some walls and enlarge not only the kitchen but the dining room and sun room.
Their to-date experience with another local cabinet or design place left them less than enthused and as I later found out downright devastated.  The client was in tears as she talked about her project and her current experience with the other shop.  As she talked and I listened for a long time she and I hit it off and began their remodel journey.  She shared later with me that the reason she chose to work with me is because I just really listened to her.
Rather than try to fill in the conversation or tell her what she wanted to hear I let her “let it out”.  That really clicked with me because I started to get a lot of feedback that my clients felt heard and not steamrolled or pushed into their decisions.  It felt great to know that the collaboration is part of the experience of the remodel and to encourage or lead as needed but most of all to be as excited as they are!

 What is a typical day like for you?

My day usually starts right at 8am because most contractors or builders are starting early (earlier than that most times) and need a question answered or to meet in the field during framing of a new home.
This might mean to bring my tape measurer, set of plans and to be ready to take a lot of notes or take measurements to transfer to my computer program.
I am a full time designer and have the responsibility of being the showroom coordinator so I split my week with those tasks.
When I arrive at the office I start with answering emails or voicemails for about ½ hour. 
In the morning I am with appointments in the showroom either presenting or showing a new client around the showroom and discussing their project.  Or I am sitting with one new design.  Around lunchtime I usually eat at my desk only because I might be on a deadline to get an estimate done.  I have been trying to set more boundaries to allow myself that time to eat away from my desk and move around to clear and re-set my brain space as I sit with designs in the afternoon.
After lunchtime I sit down with another new design in the between of those appointment times.  There are usually one or two more appointments.
About once or twice a week there is a full staff meeting to review sales and how things are going during the week as well as vendor or product training from specialists.
Once a week I compile news on design, new products, product promotions, inspirational design or competitions coming up and email out to the staff a product update to keep informed.
I am finding that the average is working on 2 new designs or revisions on a current design and needs to be blocked on my day.
I usually leave the office around 5:30-6pm and twice a month I have an evening meeting starting after 5pm or on a Saturday morning for clients that work a lot or come from out of town.

What do you like most about your job; what motivates you throughout the day?

Sitting with a design and figuring out the design puzzle is my favorite.  When I am able to present my design recommendations to a client and pull the color palette together for them is such a joy.  Even if they don’t immediately like ALL of it, we work together to tweak and change it to their desire and we are all excited by the end of the appointment.  The relationship building is fun and getting to know the client and they get to know me as well.  

What advice would you give for someone looking to pursue a similar career?
(What education/certifications, skills or experiences would they need, what salary could they expect to make?)
​
Interior Design or more specifically Kitchen and Bath Design does mean computer work, the desire to figure out problems and come up with solutions, working with fractions, math, quick sketching and a lot of that on the fly if you are with a client. When at the computer you can really move things around to see what will work best on your own time.
Confidence to talk and chat with people is a must.  I am not extraverted, but I do enjoy delivering information that I know well and giving suggestions on how to solve a problem.  Most of all to work together well with others to find the best solution to a problem. 
Sales is a part of the Kitchen and Bath design career so you do need to be able to make the client comfortable and make sure it is all about them.  This is vastly learned as you go but the desire needs to be there to network to gain more sales opportunities and track your sales through organization and follow up and really asking for the sale.
Certification and continuing education is a major part of this career.  For me, following the National Kitchen and Bath Association tools and training has been so beneficial to stay up to date, know people in the design community, and pursue further certifications to let my potential clients know I am educated in the field rather than taking my word for it through the years of experience.  Especially when starting out you can learn valuable industry systems, product, and guidelines that can avoid mistakes in the field.  Some sort of higher education is very helpful to have to land the job and after that specific NAHB (National Home Builders Association ) or NKBA  (National Kitchen and Bath Association) certification and training really helps to move up.
You can expect as a Junior Designer or Design Assistant to make anywhere from $25K-$35K and as a Senior Designer $45K-$65K.  This does of course depend on where you live and work in the country but also on if you are paid just straight commission, Salary plus commission, or Draw.
Salary is the best way to plan your finances and what you will make because commission only or draw can come sporadically.  It is not uncommon to start with a client and 4-6 months later the job is completed and completely paid at which time you get the commission.  By achieving certain certifications not soon after starting you will be able to negotiate more on the salary based upon education and experience.
What I love about this field is the satisfaction to have a really neat design that works well and your clients are happy.  The competition with myself to keep my sales up and be the top sales person is also something I like.  Sometimes things can go wrong or a client isn’t happy but you have a learning opportunity or chance to make things right or better and it can explode into more opportunities because they will sing your praises and send friends and family your way because you took care of them and their experience.
I would give the advice to shadow or intern or become a design assistant to decide if the pace and sales part of it appeals.  Most people entering into this field also look at the art or design part of it of the interior designers they see on HGTV as inspiration. Some are surprised by how much is about sales and intense deadlines on returning pricing to clients and builders.
A love of creativity, fast-paced environment, learning, meeting people and solving problems sums up the design industry for me.

What brought you to this career?
In high school, I had the opportunity to shadow my aunt, who is also a speech language pathologist, and I instantly loved it. It was amazing to see how she interacted with children and families, how they responded to her, and how she helped them to communicate through play. When I was an undergraduate, I was also a caregiver for a child with autism who was minimally verbal, and I enjoyed working with him so much. These experiences helped clarify for me that I wanted to do this work.

What is your most memorable experience?
I would say my most memorable experiences probably come from working with younger children (birth to 3 years old) because this can involve a therapy model that includes coaching parents and empowering them to help their children with communication. It is so rewarding to see the families work together and have fun as they are learning. 

What is a typical day like for you?
At the SLC, I alternate between seeing kids in a school setting and in an office setting, and I love having this variety in my day. I typically work with each client once or twice a week for 30 minutes-1 hour, depending on their needs. Mondays and Wednesdays, I am at one school all day; Tuesdays and Thursdays I am at three different schools and then at our office in the evening; Fridays I am at one school in the morning and then at the office for the rest of the day. I see clients with a variety of ages, diagnoses, and needs. Typically my clients are children, but we also treat many adults at our office as well. Because of this variety, the therapy sessions are tailored to the individual. In order to address each client’s goals, we try to incorporate fun activities that can range from playing pretend to making slime to completing an obstacle course in our gross motor gym. And this is just what my typical week looks like! SLPs can work in a huge variety of settings with clients of any age and with any form of communication or feeding/swallowing impairment. 

What do you like most about your job?
I really value the relationships I build with children and their families and finding fun, meaningful ways to make functional changes in a family’s life.

What advice would you give for someone looking to pursue a similar career?
Graduate school can be a difficult process, but it is definitely worth the effort. I would suggest making connections and relationships with speech language professionals and with your professors in school; this was very helpful for me to learn more about the work. 

(What education/certifications, skills or experiences would they need?)
You need a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. I have a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology (a 2-year program), both from JMU. After finishing your master’s, you do a clinical fellowship to get a certain number of hours (minimum 9 months) working under the supervision of a certified speech language pathologist. After your clinical fellowship, you can apply for your “C’s”, or your Certificate of Clinical Competency (CCC), and a state license. There are also yearly continuing education requirements.
​

 
What education/certifications, skills or experiences have helped you in your career?
I transferred from community college to James Madison University and graduated with a degree in English. My life and prior work experiences have been the most influential to me in my business. A combination of my own wedding planning experience, teaching and running a classroom, management roles in customer service/food industry, and having good bosses have helped me learn how to lead people well and treat customers well.