I’m a few weeks from turning the big 3-0. I’m beyond excited, but I also realize how quickly the time has passed. As a mentor and big sister closing out the chapter of her 20s, I’ve been inspired to write a list of lessons learned.

Some of these lessons have some extra meat-and-potatoes, while others don’t. Share with your favorite 20-something, or the last teenager you heard say “I can’t wait to grow up and do what I want”.

20 lessons from my 20s:

1. Learn how to manage your money ASAP. Yes, the economy sucks and billionaires aren’t making it any easier. No, I’m not saying avocado toast is the problem. But you should not put all of your money towards vacation and going out with friends without putting at least 10% of your income towards an emergency fund. Emergencies are what makes adulting ten times harder, because you can’t predict them - that’s kinda the point!

2. Pick a partner that knows how to manage money as well, or is at least willing to learn with you. This is going to be a factor in the life you want to live together, and is also a positive indicator of self-control and patience. Lots of relationships end due to financially-driven issues, so think of this as a way to save your money, time, and your heart.

3. You’re never going to know everything. We’re all living for the first time. No one knows everything. Anyone that thinks they do is pretending. None of us were asked to be here, so we’re doing the best we can with what we have.

4. Get comfortable making friends outside of your current circles. Some of your best friends and family have yet to find you. Go to those weekend events in your city. Take those solo trips. Attend those classes you’ve been thinking about. Your people can’t find you if you never leave the house!

   (Shameless plug: Yours truly is cooking up an opportunity for folks in Houston to make friends, but there are plenty of options out there!)

5. Being a good friend may require sacrifices occasionally, but those sacrifices should not include your morals, peace, or mental health. If you find yourself constantly making excuses for their behavior, they may be the problem, and you might be an enabler. Consider this as an anchor point: if the only thing holding you together is time, that might not be your friend.

6. Find something solid to root your identity in. For me, that’s my faith in Jesus. Before that, it was my desire to help everyone, or the issues I had with my birth parents, or my grades in school, or being well-liked. None of the latter ever gave me peace. God really made me see myself in a way that I can take pride in, without having to perform or “earn” the love and respect of those around me. I genuinely feel like the new creation that’s mentioned in the bible (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

7. If you’re working, you don’t have to be friends with everybody there. Your career may be about 40 years. Take it slow. Jobs are a lot like high school - bullies, cliques, and hidden agendas. You want people to know you for good things, and they should never know all of your business. I’ve literally watched 50-somethings share other people’s personal (and sad, tbh) information…..in the break room at work. You best believe that lady will only hear of the good and boring things in my life, IF she is privileged with that opportunity!

8. Don’t be afraid to change your mind with what you want to do with your life. Just spend some time planning how to pivot, starting with your general direction. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that society expects a 17 or 18 year old to know what they want to do for the rest of their life. Your frontal lobe isn’t even developed until age 26!

9. Exercise NOW. Whether you like taking walks, pickleball, roller skating, dancing - find a way to move your body.

   It’s not just about looking good - although that has its perks, of course.

Your mental health, brain function, balance, and even your bones will reflect what you did or did not do in this era. Starting building those healthy habits now.

10. Find a hobby, and do it because you love it. You don’t have to make money off of it. Joy is cool and will help you stay sane. It can also help you make sense of your skills and interests (see # 8), but don’t force the connection.

11. If you’re carrying a heavy load from your childhood or other past experiences, go to therapy. It can literally change your life and help you love yourself. However, note that you might be in rooms where you’re the only person with emotional intelligence. It is both a blessing and a burden, but you’ll start to really understand people in a way that you haven’t before, which can deepen your relationships!

12. Sometimes you’ll make decisions that your loved ones won’t agree with. As long as no one is harmed, do it anyway. They’ll come around, or simply get over it.

13. No person that loves you will ever try to degrade you simply because they’re upset. Toxic relationships (or situationships, for that matter) are not cute. If they can’t express their emotions without attacking your character, intelligence, or self-esteem - DROP THEM.

14. Hold your loved ones really tight. One day, you’ll wish you had more time together, trust me.

15. Not everyone is your friend. Be very selective about who you confide in or invest time into. This is the season where your friend group may dwindle. Everyone is growing into a version of themselves that might not be incompatible. Yes it will suck, but you will survive it.

16. Revisit those childhood interests, so that you’re never too old to have fun. I still get sad when I hear people say video games, or coloring, is childish. Even if it is, so what? Life is serious enough. I can’t play my little Animal Crossing to relax? Should I be impressed you’re too mature to do anything whimsical??? I’m not, sorry.

17. Don’t feel like you need to say yes to every social outing. Give yourself some time to recharge and attend the things you’re aligned with.

18. Healing is not linear. Keep showing up and doing your best.

19. Learn for fun, not just for school. If social media and ChatGPT is your only way of actively learning about anything, you’re going to be easily influenced. That makes you gullible, green, and whatever other term you can call it. I don’t want that for you.

20. Doordash, Postmates, and UberEats will drain your pockets. Even if you’re still living with your parents, learn how to cook at the Culinary Institute at Youtube University. (See Lesson #1 🙂)

21. Bonus: Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life - Proverbs 4:23

To anyone who has already passed this season, what did your 20s teach you? Drop some comments below.

God is asking more of me, and I desire to give it to Him. In this season, that looks like committing to calling myself a creator, and cleaning up my habits to make room for His gifts while reducing the noise. I’ve done podcasts, I’ve dabbled in YouTube, but nothing has felt more right to me than…writing (bah-dum-tsk). So, I’m excited for the Lord will continue to do with this little gift of mine. I’m determined to make the most of it.

Again, thank you so much for being here!

John 15:4, New Living Translation

Over the past 5 years, I’ve been getting more and more involved in ministry. As I write this, my church is moving into a new era of leadership. With change in the air and a glimpse or two into the minds of my elders, I’ve realized something interesting: the Corporate world and the Church may be very similar.

Corporate: like high school, but with pay and health insurance

A magical place of nuances - slide decks, alignment calls, circling back. Maybe you’re lucky enough to be in a role where you actually get to do something. And if you’re Black, female, or just not the “typical fit” for a corporate environment, there’s a chance you will have experienced a few things that remind you that you’re not quite one of “them”. Depending on where you are and the industry you’re in, “them” is a moving target.

Church: a place of (intended) refuge, but also like high school…

(special note: Church here refers to the building and its culture, not the institution itself)

The house of the Lord, a pillar of the community, and a place of worship. There are few places that I always enjoy entering. No matter what life is doing, I’m always so glad to make it to another Sunday morning. Whether you’re filling the pews, serving as an usher, singing in the choir stand, or something in between - you can count on your gifts to be used in a beautiful way. The thing is, though, there are just as many nuances to be aware of as in a corporate environment.

Quick example here, and I’ll explain for anyone not aware of the terminology or just “how things go”:

Invitation time, which is a designated time of service for people to make a decision to follow Christ, is a really special part of attending church services. In fact, this is meant to create an environment in which people can make an incredible decision to accept Him into their lives and begin their journey of faith. One could assume that this is a pretty special moment. Well, this may be at the end of the service, where people take the opportunity to quietly leave. Yes, people may have an emergency or something else that’s really important. But, if you’re trying to make it to brunch a little earlier? Let’s give these people a few minutes of respect. Oftentimes, someone has to be brave enough to stand and walk up in front of people. So, in short? Nuance.

How Church and Corporate Culture are similar:

Unfortunately, there are some common experiences in both the office and the church building that have been really hard for me to ignore….

How Corporate culture can run people away (Corporate politics):

In the corporate world, people are more concerned about visibility and self-preservation than they are about the consumer or even the established goals of the company. Yes, you should be able to just do your job and go home. But the special job offers, speaking opportunities, and promotions come from being seen by the right people.

Middle management is the playground for power trips. People with little control or joy in their own lives are too happy to take it out on those that report to them. It’s as if everyone who had a bully in high school now manages an entire team of the kids that got along with everybody.

Now, add in sexism, racism, xenophobia, and any other form of bias? It’s a party (sarcasm). Tell me, who in their right mind would want to spend their entire career dealing with this? The few, the proud…..the tired.

Okay, now let’s look at the Church version (+ politics):

By default, all denominations of Christianity are called to love and serve Christ, as well as watch our behaviors, ideas, and physical desires. The Holy Bible has plenty of guidance on what to do, but you know what gets the bulk of attention from people? What not to do. Add that, plus the fact that there are people in leadership, highly coveted professionals with some money and prestige to throw around, and impressionable minds all in the same room. At first glance, you would think that these people should know better - or at least that was my default opinion. Especially at a church like mine, where the majority of the congregation is over 60 years old.

So, how does this manifest into the church experience? Judgment disguised as “friendly” advice, creation of cliques, rigid structures and patterns justified by “that’s how we’ve always done it” instead of being based on scripture and theology, and misplaced expectations that lead people to be more loyal to a Pastor than to justice and fairness - things Jesus cares A LOT about. And then, don’t get me started on the abuse of power, misogyny, and plenty of other terrible things that have damaged people and driven them not just away from the church, but from Jesus Himself. Who can blame them???

As of earlier this year, church attendance has started to rise for the first time in 10 years. While that may be great, I have some concerns about what it takes to keep people coming back.

In Romans 12, Paul tried to warn us about getting too big for our britches. “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

Romans 12:3, NKJV

Yet, over the past few weeks, I’ve had the displeasure of watching people who have known Jesus longer than I have been alive, put their age, financial status, and opinion at a higher level of respect than the needs of our church. If you’ve been here long enough to read my intro piece, then you may remember that Brentwood Baptist Church is the place where CHRIST is the main attraction. Not your donations, not the singing, not one single preacher; it’s ALL about Jesus Christ.

People that you deeply respect and admire can disagree with you, and in fact, we should expect it. It’s impossible to put people on this earth, even as the body of Christ, and think everyone will agree on everything all of the time. Besides, if everyone agreed on everything, there wouldn’t be several denominations, and today’s podcast industry would be non-existent (kidding, but not really).

Disagreements are one thing. Now, starting rumors, attempting to overthrow the established rules of the church governance and insulting people’s character, because you don’t agree with them?? That’s unacceptable.

I keep a little log of topics to write about, and when the idea of this article came to me, I was instantly excited - then horrified. Because I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to defend the idea of attending church, so finding out there are just enough reasons not to was really sad. The rose-colored glasses have since shattered, and I won’t begin to deny it.

I try to be solution-oriented, as a STEM girlie and overall Positive Patty. Let’s end this ride with how I’m combating it:

Whether at work or at church, I’m focusing on John 15:4 that calls us to abide in Him. I can’t do any of this on my own; trust me, I’ve tried. When I focus on that in my career, I choose jobs that challenge me but align with the gifts God has given me. Going off on my own means choosing opportunities that look and sound “amazing”, but cost you some energy, sleep, and confidence.

At church, it looks like remembering why I decided to serve in ministry, and letting that be the lens in which I view people in and outside of the building. I came to serve others, and create a welcoming environment for anyone looking to seek Christ. When I don’t abide in Him, I’m more concerned with how I look on Sundays than why I’m showing up, or letting gossip and personal agendas take up more space in my heart than it’s supposed to.

I’ve learned time and time again, when I lose sight of these things, I’m walking blind. I’m much more likely to lead with my emotions and pride than to be empathetic.

“And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:27-28

With my church’s official vote for new leadership being in the rearview mirror, I’m learning to look at the people who have surprised me in a different light without judgment. It’ll take some time to remove my little hurt, but I see them from a place of empathy. It’s become clear to me that they’re operating from a place of fear, insecurity, and pride. Change is scary, no matter when it comes. Most of us don’t say “yay, let’s totally change everything” with a smile on our faces. Another consideration is that as Black Americans, many traditions were started as either a means of survival or to establish pride in our identity during a time when we were barely recognized as humans. When I think about these things, it’s easier to forgive the nonsense. Am I excusing it? Nah. Am I being quiet? Nope, I’m actually speaking up. On a microphone, in front of 500 people to tell them to chill...maybe when I write my memoir I’ll speak on this. We’ll save that for another time….

Well, if you’ve read this far - I love you! Share this with a ministry leader, your favorite nine-to-fiver, or anyone who might have left either the church or corporate due to these pains. I’d love to hear more from you. I leave you with this:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path.”

Psalms 119:105

On one hand, I was taught to be a little cautious about forming “work friends”. On the other, there’s a sense of community and connection that I had to go build while the new 20-somethings have just arrived with it. I’m happy for them, but I’ve recently started catching some FOMO. I hope that these young adults (although I want to call them kids) know how fortunate they are; to have a little bubble of your own to lean on is a beautiful thing.

I’ve been introduced as a designated resource for the past two cohorts, yet only 3 out of these 25 people have actually taken me up on my offer to ask me questions, get advice, and seek mentorship. When I was in their shoes a few years ago, I wanted any and every piece of advice I could get. If there was someone just a few years ahead of me to help me along in my career, I would have been booking time on their calendar as much as possible.

On one hand, I assume that everyone is doing great and simply doesn’t need my help. But then, today, watching them all leave for lunch and return together, I thought, “no, something is up.”

And then I remembered: I’m turning 30 in a few months.

Despite hearing from my family and aging church congregation that I’m still young, I realized that the perception of age itself can be relative. Maybe the new hires think I’m too far removed from the college life they lived, or at least too mature to be added to the group chats and happy hour hangouts.

Okay, Brittany, do you actually want to hang out with them? Isn’t life full enough for you? Don’t you have actual friends outside of this place?

No, I don’t want to hang out with them, and yes, I have a full life with great friends. However, that’s beside the point! I can admit that it’s just nice to be wanted. But I have my own little work crew that is older than me, and I love it here. We learn and teach each other, and are interested in the same things. I do believe that I’ve found my piece of community.

I’m not trying to sound like the mom from Mean Girls. I don’t want to insist that I’m cool enough for them to talk to me. But dang, I got a lot more days ahead of me than I do behind (if the Lord says the same).

This brings me to my question for you: Are the 30s the beginning of the middle child era? Too young to hang with the older siblings, but too old for the kids? Of course this is all dependent on your line of work, but it’s an interesting question nonetheless.

This week reminded me of just how much that lyric screams to me.

My 77-year old grandmother, who I lovingly refer to as “Mama”, is a firecracker of a lady. The life of the party, first on the dance floor, domino and spades champion, and brave single mom that added her 6-week old grandbaby to the mix - is finally slowing down.

After losing her youngest son suddenly almost 3 years ago, grief has transformed her emotionally as well as physically; but the fire is still there, even if the blaze is a little lighter. The person you miss and happily visit after church, until she asks her nosy questions like “when are you going to comb your hair”...is once again reminding me of just how frail and weak she is.

Ma has always been stubborn, but this week showed something different. While serving food for a neighbor’s birthday party, she made her way over to me in a quiet panic.

“I don’t feel very good”. A small knot formed in my stomach. She was sweating, nose running, and her skin felt very cold.

As a room of concerned partygoers asked if she was okay, I felt a range of emotions. The fact that she lived in a Senior Living Facility put me at ease, because everyone looks after each other with the simple understanding of “hey, we’re in this together”. On the other hand, when I’m working, or with my husband, or just out living life, I start to feel guilty. I don’t visit as much as I would like, but that morning, my spirit said “hey, go see Mama today. It’s important”. So there I was, feeling like I did something right, but not nearly enough.

Her friend and fellow neighbor, who I’ll refer to as “Lettie” helped me take her up to her apartment. My aunt-slash-big sister “Tiffany” was already on the way to join the party, but within the 5 minutes that it took us to get settled, decides to call me in a panic. Apparently, the party people decided to tell her that Ma was crying and upset, and that something was wrong….

So after I clear that whole mess up, we’re trying to look after Ma. She’s laying down and is feeling a lot better within minutes. Her skin is warming up, and she’s no longer sweating. She’s fussing at us for pleading with her to eat something or drink water - so yeah, that firecracker is still in there!

As Mama drifts off to sleep, clearly tired from her “spell”, Tiffany asks me to stop by more often and says she’s glad I was there to help. I admitted that I could do better about that, because I absolutely can. I live 30 minutes away, not hours - it’s no excuse really.

Recently, we’ve all spent quite a bit of time together, but before that it had been over a month before I saw Ma. And it’s not because I don’t want to. It’s simply just that much going on in my life that when I do get some time to stay home, I’m going to take it.

Before this happened, my husband and I had been having some conversations about this. We’re both extremely busy people, but we both have an aging family that we need to be present for, not to mention our own businesses and passions we’re neglecting for the sake of being busy supporting several ministries.

But the reality is, at some point, you have to choose. Losing my brother taught me that some stuff can wait, but spending time with your loved ones must be the exception. You always think you have time, or at least that’s what you tell yourself…but you don’t. And yet, here I was, falling back into the trap.

My goal is to arrange more family dinners, and visit Ma bi-weekly if not every week. I want to show up in a way that’s consistent, but better than once a month.

My advice? Make the time now, so you’re not wishing for more of it later.

It didn’t happen overnight. It happened in a quiet conversation with a leader I deeply respected, when she asked me something I wasn’t ready for: “Forget about job titles and tasks; what are 2–3 key characteristics that actually describe you?”

My first answer came immediately. And it changed everything…..

I’m an advocate. I always have been.

Once I said it out loud, I couldn’t unsee it. Every role I’d ever held suddenly made sense. Every frustration, every pivot, every moment I wasn’t sure why I cared so much suddenly had a name.

• Presales — advocating on behalf of the company by proving our solutions could solve real customer problems

• Enablement — advocating internally for Presales to get the support they needed, and for our team to earn the trust of leadership

• Career Coaching — building self-advocacy in clients so they can pivot with confidence

The thread had always been there. I just finally had the word for it.

And speaking of pivots: I have one of my own to share.

Next month, I’m stepping into a new role as a Customer Success Manager. It’s a move that makes complete sense for me: I’ve always been the person asking the hard questions on behalf of others, and now I get to do it with the full weight of the company behind me. I’ll also get to use my technical background in a way I haven’t since my days in Presales — which honestly, I’ve missed. Being paid to be nerdy? A 10/10 experience!

Customer Success is about maintaining relationships and creating new pathways for growth based on what customers actually need. No pressure, right? But I’m most excited because, for the first time in a while, my role and my natural gifts are pointing in the same direction.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRITT WRITES

Whether I’m working 9–5 or coaching, I show up the same way — as an advocate. So it only makes sense that Britt Writes reflects that too.

I’m calling this season my "advocacy adventures" — a mix of real lessons, honest reflections, and practical tools for professionals who are navigating growth on their own terms.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between who you are and what your job asks you to be, this space is for you.

Here’s what’s coming:

• How to advocate for yourself at work without feeling like you’re being “difficult”

• Strategic career moves that align with who you actually are

• Real lessons from Customer Success — the wins and the hard ones

• How to position yourself for opportunities that are actually worth it

If you’re in the middle of a career pivot right now, I’d love to hear from you.

And if this resonates, or you just want to be in the room where it happens — subscribe. We’re just getting started. 🙂

Part I: August 27, 2025 - My Annual Well Woman’s Exam

What a day that was. For months, I dealt with terrible cramps, fatigue, mood swings, and was constantly gaining weight, no matter what I did. I had been dealing with heavy periods and knew that “something” was off. So, what do you do? You make sure to bring it up in your next doctor’s appointment.

As I explain my weird symptoms, the doctor does the usual “feel test” on my stomach and pelvis area, then says some magic words:

“Something feels hard, feels like a fibroid. I’m going to send you downstairs for an ultrasound. You’re the 4th patient today I’ve had to do this for.”

We can skip the logistics, but I’ll tell you this. It was just my luck that the appointments were booked up for the day, so I had to come back the following week - the agony! (don’t mind me, that’s just my attempt at being dramatic)

A week later, I’m in the warm and cozy ultrasound room. The lights are low, 2000s pop music is playing softly in the background, and my feet are in the stirrups. The techs explain that they’re going to do a vaginal ultrasound and the specifics that go into that. Things are going fine, but apparently the fibroid is so big that I felt some pressure and slight pain as the tech is getting certain “angles” for imaging.

All in all, it took about 20 minutes. I head home, praying that somehow this all a mix up, and the ultrasound is going to come back clean…..right?

Welp, that’s not what happened (duh). The doctor scheduled a telehealth visit with me to discuss my results and says:

“it’s definitely a fibroid, and you have some small cysts on one of your ovaries to suggest mild PCOS”....

I can’t really remember what else was said in the conversation because at that point, I started to mentally check out. Like I had said at the beginning, I’ve always felt that something was off, but come on now! The funny thing is, I wasn’t at all surprised at the PCOS diagnosis. About 4 years ago, I asked my last OBGYN to evaluate me for it, and she refused for some reason. I had almost every single symptom, but nope.

I shut off my thoughts to listen to her explain my options:

Option A: removing the fibroids surgically, in a procedure called an Open Myomectomy. The procedure is very similar to a C-section, and the expected downtime is about 8-12 weeks.

Option B: get a referral to a surgeon that specializes in a minimally invasive myomectomy. This option requires a consultation to make sure I’m a good candidate for the surgery, but if approved, the expected downtime is only 6-8 weeks. This is specifically called a Laproscopic Myomectomy.

You might be wondering, what if I did nothing - what’s the big deal?

Well, they would continue to grow, and make it more difficult (not impossible) to carry a pregnancy to term. Plus, I’d still be dealing with my horrible periods. I’ll take Option B for 500, Alex.

Part II: Oct 2025 - Surgery Consultation

Shout out to my loving husband for taking me to that appointment. 💕

As with most doctor visits, even if you’re on time, you’re going to have enough time to sit there and get anxious! But, eventually, my surgeon comes in and asks me about my symptoms, feels the “hard” spot in my lower stomach, and then confirms that I’m a great candidate for the surgery. This was a relief, because I barely wanted surgery, but I definitely didn’t want to be out of commission for 3 months if I didn’t have to. To know me is to know that I’m a busy body - so that would be TOUGH.

My next step is getting an MRI, just to get a proper view of the fibroids. It’s possible to have more than 1, so this gives the surgeon a better idea of what she would be doing.

An MRI is its own experience, but overall went well - but remember when I said that there would be more than 1 fibroid? Surprise, the results state a “possible 4-5 fibroids”

Me: “FIVE?!” *cue the Soulja boy meme* what do you mean?!

Anywho, that news made me so sad.

My surgery is scheduled for Jan 21st, and I’m only sad that I had to wait since it’s like October or November at this time. It felt like forever away, while I felt the fibroids every day. So much started to make sense: why I couldn’t tie my shoes or paint my toenails without being in pain or out of breath, why I was tired all of the time, why I had hot flashes…..at nearly 29 years old.

The next few weeks would be a very emotional time for me. I was working out 3-4 times a week, eating healthy, and here I was, a few months out from surgery. I felt like my body had betrayed me. So I did what most people do when they first find out about a medical condition…..I google it.

Apparently, stress and alcohol consumption don’t help and that’s not a total surprise. What did surprise me is that black women are 25% more likely to have uterine fibroids. Vitamin D deficiency and diet have been linked to fibroid growth, but no real cure exists yet.

With the scheduled date ahead, something within me shifted. Skipping workouts were no longer an option, because soon enough I wouldn’t be able to for a while. Every week until I had to sit down were some of my best workouts, and I look forward to being able to get back to that soon.

Part III: Jan 21, 2026 - Surgery

The morning of my surgery, I took a picture to capture the moment. After months of fielding questions from family and even strangers about whether I was pregnant, I prayed that the Lord would make that my reality one day, but even if He didn’t, I thanked him for bringing me this far. I was ready to be healthy, and this was the first step.

The procedure went well! It took just under 2 hours, and the hospital took great care of me and sent me home with some pictures of what my husband would nickname “broids” to keep.

Wait Brittany, what actually happened in the operating room?

Great question! This snippet from Cornell University’s Obstetrics website describes it pretty well:

“First, you’re put under anesthesia. Then, the surgeon makes three or four small incisions in your lower abdomen. Then, surgeon will then place a laparoscope through one of the incisions. A laparoscope is a thin, lighted tube with a camera on one end. Small instruments will be placed into the other incision sites and will be used to perform the surgery. If the surgery is being done robotically, your surgeon will control the instruments remotely using robotic arms.”

Closing Thoughts

I’m posting this 9 weeks post-op, and I feel SO much better with each day. I am beyond thankful to my husband, family (special shout out to my sister Kayla for the oatmeal) and friends for the help, prayer, and kind words. Psalm 23:2 says “He makes me lie down in green pastures” - and that’s exactly what God did. I have learned so much about myself and those around me, and am so grateful. I feel like a 19 year old again, and that’s pretty cool.

As I ease back into the gym and other heavy activities, I’m thankful for the downtime. For one, it gave me the chance to tell this story. And two, this entire experience forced me to really look at the pedestal I put myself on. For years, I’ve always felt like I held things together and had to push through whatever circumstances to keep my loved ones in good spirits. My most weak moments - from the surgery itself, to not being able to walk to the bathroom by myself, sit up straight, or drive anywhere - really taught me to lean into the true sovereignty of God.

When the scripture says “He maketh me lie down”, that’s real. Great is thy faithfulness.

FIN.

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I think it’s time to be a little honest with myself. I’m tired. I am so grateful for the life God has given me, but man. This season is going to be a test. I need rest and restoration. Prayer works, but I thought it might be worth sharing one with you too. Feel free to send this to someone else that needs some motivation.

God, I thank you for this day, even if I’m exhausted. I thank you for your Son who gave His life for us, so that I might one day be able to rest in Him. Your Word tells us to come when we are heavy laden, and Lord we need you. We need rest. Your Word tells us that to whom much is given, much is required, so Lord please help us balance it all. Remind us that you will do the heavy lifting if we just surrender it all to you. We do not have to do it all. We do not have to be perfect. You are El Shaddai, God Almighty - help us to remember that. In your mighty and powerful name, we pray, Amen.

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Of course, “never” is a strong word; yet felt appropriate.

I’ve been in the industrial tech space for 5 years and have learned that there’s so much about tech opportunities that people don’t tell you. The job market has been insane, so tech itself isn’t a guaranteed pot of gold at the end of the job application rainbow. However, as a self-declared “career advocate” and career coach, I thought it would be cool to share some interesting roles that you may not think of when you hear about breaking into tech.

Disclaimer: these roles will be described based on my experience working with them. It’s also important to note that every company can and will define these roles differently. The following descriptions are for educational purposes only, within the context of tech.

Let’s start off with one of my favorites: Solution Consultant

A Solution Consultant, also known as a Technical Sales Consultant or Presales Consultant, is the trusted advisor of the sales team. They are responsible for conducting product demos, answering technical questions, and serving as a strategic partner of the Account Manager. The prospect, or potential customer, often relies on the Solution Consultant’s knowledge to help them make an informed choice on the best product and based on their most pressing problems and/or goals.

(fun fact: I was a Solution Consultant for about 2.5 years)

Pros:

• fairly high salary with bonuses (on avg $100k)

• good for people who can present and articulate themselves clearly but not interested in being in sales

• travel opportunities

Cons:

• travel is often unpredictable and can negatively affect work/life/home balance

• salary is only about ⅓ of what the Account Manager would make

• can be a thankless job compared to the AM’s recognition and pay

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Enablement Specialist: What I’m doing right now

Let’s explain this by first looking at what Enablement is. Enablement is a dedicated function or department that’s designed to accelerate the performance of Commercial teams, including a Solution Consultant, Account Manager or Customer Success Manager. This department or team can be summarized in several pillars:

• content and assets used to upskill and prepare for customer engagements

• a feedback loop about what Sales teams are missing or creating themselves

• establishing tracking and reporting to see what deals are being closed, what’s been lost, and more (also known as Operations + Governance)

As a Field Enablement Specialist for Solution Consultants (i.e Presales), my role requires me to work closely with director-level and above leadership to drive initiatives that support customer facing Presales teams. Sometimes, it’s simply passing their feedback to our content teams to fill in current gaps. Other duties include driving virtual events, creating communications, and doing an analysis on attendance across the company globally.

Pros:

• a great way to be exposed to different roles in the Commercial side of the company

• different challenges each day/week

• impactful ways to make someone else’s job easier

Cons:

• leadership can shift quite a bit which impacts priorities

• ambiguous goals/targets can be a problem for those who like concrete criteria (me, lol),

• stakeholders can be hard to catch to communicate with

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Customer Success Managers (also called “CSMs”)

Last but certainly not least, I had to introduce you to the heroes of the Commercial world. CSMs are the customer’s primary point of contact once a product is purchased and implemented into their current systems. After the contract is signed, CSMs conduct what’s called an Onboarding to give customers the resources, training, and tactical support they need to use the product effectively.

This also when CSMs help the customer define what longer term success is like, while still balancing real-time support requests and other immediate needs. CSMs sit on the “post-sale” side of the buyer’s journey, which allows Account Managers and Presales teams to continue chasing new business. Without CSMs though, companies would have to balance both at all times – something that large businesses have yet to learn how to do effectively.

Pros:

• great for learning from an end-user

• drives customer loyalty and retention

• drives revenue by identifying opportunities to cross-sell and upsell (i.e. sell more to a current customer to make the company more $$$ and solve another important customer problem.)

• gain product expertise that will serve you well internally as well as give you more credibility with the customer

Cons:

• you will hear the good AND the bad from the customer

• a handover from Sales is not always detailed, leaving you with half of the information you might need for a successful Onboarding

• you can be stuck in “firefight-mode” if customers are having severe escalations

• can be given the “extra” tasks that seem to never fall in Sales or tech support’s lap

Well, that’s all for this post. I’m currently deciding if I want to interview people in these roles, or maybe others to help them tell their stories. I make no promises haha.

But for now, I hope my corporate friends walked away with something new to learn and maybe explore!

If these roles piqued your interests but you’re not sure where to start, DM me or drop a comment below! I absolutely love helping people figure out their next career move :)

Addiction, homelessness, abuse, grief, depression - these are just a few of many obstacles that people have encountered (and defeated) before and even after they start walking with Jesus.

Not everyone is comfortable sharing their stories, but hearing them is something that human nature is pretty interested in. Why else would people be into documentaries, or even reality TV? As a species, people are pretty nosy; curiosity tends to do that for many of us.

I’m one of those people where I love sharing my story and what God has done in my life - not because I want a certain type of attention, but because I understand its power. If you knew what I went through, and the life I’ve been blessed with, and how God has orchestrated it, you’d be inspired. That’s not being conceited or overselling it - it’s simply the truth. Shoot, it even inspires me when I tell it. See how that works?

BUT, what if you’re a creator? Then how do you manage?

Our favorite apps can cause us to crave attention - because attention generates money and a following. Attention also tells us that we’ve finally figured out how to “hack” the social media algorithms, which puts us on a hamster wheel of trying to keep up - no matter the cost.

So, then even the most innocent creations are at risk of being exaggerated so that you can be seen. That reminds me of the rappers that say “my parents didn’t have anything so we had to struggle”, when they actually sent them to private school and have family photos from summer vacations…..

Authenticity is sacrificed in the name of telling the “coolest” or most wild stories. Real people consume content thinking that they don’t need to have a plan before making big decisions, that their significant other is a problem to fix, or maybe that they have no right to complain about their own struggles - because they’ve watched people tell these crazy stories that might not be true!

I truly believe that God is the source from whom all blessings flow, and I’ve seen him work miracles in mine and my loved ones’ lives, even if they don’t “look” like it. It would do me a disservice if I told a LIE about what “the way, the TRUTH, and the life” has done in my life. Authenticity is always your safest bet - for both the people that can be reached, and your lasting legacy.

So, what’s the difference between telling your testimony and attention-seeking? Here’s how I’d say you can check:

1. when telling the story, do you find yourself saying “I did” or “God” did?

2. why are you telling it? for sympathy, notoriety, or to help someone that you used to be?

Depending on your answers, you’re either part of the solution…..or part of the problem.

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My name is Brittany (obviously) and I’m from Houston, Texas. I love to eat, and my Pinterest and YouTube playlist will back me up. I can be chatty, but I’m also an introvert. Even with the people I love the most, you have about 2 social gatherings before I’m ready to stay home for a month. Do I ever get that chance? Not really, but I surely try (lol).

Understanding the cringe and trauma that the following descriptor includes, I’m going to get to it quickly, so just give me a minute: I’m a Christian. But I promise I’m not one of those types of Christians. I actually treat everyone nicely, even my “opps” - yep, them too. Against my will honestly (IYKYK), but nonetheless I do the right thing. I love Jesus and what He’s done for me and others, but I NEVER use that as an excuse to be rude or arrogant. Those Christians are the ones I avoid. Those make me itch, but I love ‘em - just from a distance.

I serve in several ministries at my church - Brentwood Baptist Church, where Christ is the main attraction. I’ve grown to love it since I was about 16, when I met my now husband Myles, who’s actually a newly licensed minister (more on him later, because I love me some him 🥰).

I’ve been on a mental health journey for about 5 years now, which has taught me a few things, one of which being that I LOVE sharing my stories and ideas. Not because I’m conceited; in fact I am still very much working on the confidence part of life. I love sharing my story because it empowers me while helping others at the same time. We all have traumas, triumphs and moments in between, but I believe that sharing more can reduce the power your lowest days have over you. So, you’ll hear a few stories from me now and then.

Topics you can expect from me (for now): following Jesus in 2025, productivity hacks, working in corporate, my resume writing business, anddd whatever you might recommend.

Thanks for reading, and I’m already looking forward to next one. Subscribe below to get monthly posts from me. We get way too many emails nowadays - so let’s take it easy!

Signing off,

—Britt

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