Humble Brags, Big Impact

Pictured Left to Right: Alissa, Stephanie & Angela.

On February 25th, our chapter gathered at United Rentals for a Professional Development & Education (PD&E) meeting unlike any we’ve hosted before. With Vice President Marina leading the charge, we launched our very first “Humble Brag” session — an empowering new tradition designed to uplift, celebrate, and spotlight the women who make our chapter strong.

Marina invited three of our NAWIC members to present personal “humble brags” sharing stories from both their professional journeys and personal lives. Each speaker had about 20 minutes to reflect on a year of learning, leadership, courage, and resilience. What unfolded was an evening filled with honesty, humor, vulnerability, and inspiration.

Angela is a designer for LB Classic Closets. She reflected on feedback from clients who value her ability to listen with care—something that guides her in creating designs that truly reflect the homeowners she serves. She shared how a past mistake in specifying the wrong product taught her the importance of research and collaboration, and how she continued showing up through difficult remodels by keeping teams focused on solutions rather than blame.

Alissa, founder of Olive Tree Design Build, spoke about the professional goal she set in 2019 to start her own company—a leap she fully committed to and continues to grow seven years later. She also opened up about balancing entrepreneurship with raising young kids, showing up even when it’s overwhelming, and celebrating the quiet, unseen win of building systems and processes that make her projects run smoothly.

Stephanie, Outside Sales Rep with United Rentals , highlighted three key themes in her personal and professional growth: the power of teamwork, the value of persistence, and the importance of trusting her own judgment. She recalls successfully coordinating across branches to quickly resolve a customer’s equipment issue, demonstrating her commitment to collaboration and customer care.  She also shared how staying positive and persistent—despite frequent rejection—helps her build long-term customer relationships. Finally, she reflected on a moment when doubting herself led to a missed opportunity, a lesson that ultimately strengthened her confidence and reinforced the importance of trusting her instincts.

THANK YOU to our three presenters for your honesty, vulnerability, and leadership. Your stories resonated deeply and reminded us all of the strength that comes from showing up as our full selves — successes, struggles, and everything in between.

Based on the energy, engagement, and laughter in the room, it’s safe to say the Humble Brag session will become a staple for our chapter’s professional development programming. We can’t wait to see who steps forward next.

Here’s to Celebrating Effort.

Celebrating Growth.

Celebrating Momentum — even the kind only you can see.

Because in NAWIC, every win counts.