Believing in Me Before I Believed in Myself
I started working at Ocaquatics in Kendall in 2014, and by 2015 we were preparing to open our Northwest location. Around that same time, we were launching what would eventually become our Manager in Training (MIT) program. The moment I heard about it, I knew I wanted to apply.
There was just one problem. Transportation wasn't easy for me at the time, and going to Northwest seemed almost impossible. On top of that, as someone who was very religious at the time, I wasn't sure I could be in the water teaching. I worried about whether I would feel comfortable maintaining my modesty. I felt torn between what I wanted professionally, despite all the challenges, and what I believed I should do personally.
One day, Miguel, who was my manager at the time, asked me to lunch. He even chose Sweet Tomatoes because he knew there would be plenty of food options for me.
During that conversation, he told me the decision was completely mine. I could continue growing on an office-focused path, or I could step into the pool and continue growing as an MIT. But then he said something that has stayed with me ever since. He told me he saw someone who wanted more, someone who wouldn't settle, someone who was hungry to grow. He encouraged me to seriously think about the opportunity because he believed I was capable of so much more.
I don't want to say that was the only time someone believed in me, because many people have throughout my journey. But at 20 years old, that conversation was one of the most significant pushes I ever received.
After a lot of thought, I decided to take the pool path. I started teaching babies, and it ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made. That single decision shaped my entire career and ultimately led me to where I am today.