How was your first job different that you thought it would be?
It was a lot more physically demanding than I anticipated. Being on my feet for a full shift (five hours per day) in a restaurant with a continuous flow of customers was exhausting.

What important lessons or skills did you learn in your first job that have been instrumental in your success?
You had to approach every new table with a great attitude no matter how difficult a time you might be having with another party or you might have had with a party that just left.

Which of those lessons, and how, carried into subsequent jobs after your first? How do you use those skills in your position today?
You have to recognize that each new encounter of each day, whether with someone inside or outside the organization, is important in and of itself and has to be approached with a positive and constructive attitude.

Have you seen how lacking those first job skills had negative effects on others?
Too often people are inconsistent from encounter to encounter depending on how they feel, what just happened to them, etc. The net result is that there is too much room for people to misconstrue their views and intentions, which can get in the way of their effectiveness.

Is there a specific event in your first job that you learned something you still use today?
Someone told me that in the restaurant business, you absolutely have to work hard to be successful. But, people are there for a comfortable and enjoyable experience, so they don't want to see the hard work—to see you "sweat" —they simply want to enjoy the product of the hard work, which is having a great time. I think that's true in a lot of businesses. People don't want to witness the effort, they just want to experience the result of it.

What obstacles that you faced had the greatest impact on your career path?
At one company, I realized that the leadership did not share my confidence in my ultimate potential. They saw me as much more limited in what I could do, even with additional experience and training. So, I made the decision to leave.

What people or outside factors affected your work ethic or motivated you the most to succeed?
I grew up in a community (the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles) that had many challenges and obstacles. But, there were many people in the community (my parents included), who believed that you could accomplish a great deal if you worked hard, regardless of your circumstances.

What advice would you give to someone staring his or her first job?
Be prepared to give it your full effort, to try as hard as you can. That will take anyone a long way.

What do you find most rewarding about your position today?
Our industry is one where almost anyone who likes people and is prepared to work hard can succeed. And, that's true regardless of their prior experience and regardless of where they start in the company. I enjoy seeing so many people recognize and take advantage of that.