When I came to work at Deseret Industries, I was suffering a lot from the disappointment, frustration, rejection, and feelings of failure I experienced in my former career. It was my bishop that suggested I try Deseret Industries and I agreed, but I didn’t recognize how much it would help me. In my first area at DI, I worked alone and had a lot of time to think about what had happened and why I was there. It took a few months, but I finally figured it out and started the process of healing.

After a time, I was given more responsibility and was eventually promoted to lead associate. I was able to successfully guide three different teams, one in processing, one on the sales floor, and a team on the receiving dock. Although each of those areas has very different needs and challenges, I was able to successfully help my fellow associates consistently reach our goals. Meanwhile, they were helping to build me back up into the person I used to be. The other associates, supervisors, and managers were able to see that I was a person of worth and treated me accordingly, despite the fact that I didn’t feel like I had any worth at the time.

These experiences not only helped to build my self-confidence, but also gave me the experience to secure my next job. I now manage another store that operates in a similar manner as Deseret Industries. Every day I’m able to use the knowledge I gained at Deseret Industries as I guide a new team towards success.