In August of 2020, the NX Direct team gained an incredible new team member. Alexandra Downey joined our team as an Account Executive at the age of twenty. There has been one undeniable change in our company culture since Ali Downey joined the ranks- endless positivity. There are few entrepreneurs in the field quite as positive and encouraging as Downey. This month, we sat down with Downey to discuss the road that brought her here and what the future has in store.
Tell us about your background.
“I am all Georgia, born and raised. My childhood dream was to open up my own farm with horses, goats, cows, dogs and, of course, barn cats. I wanted to own fancy horses and take kids to horse shows and live a fearless life with no limits. That dream still lives in my spirit. My high school journey began when I was in sixth grade. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t spend four years in high school, so I started taking summer school classes in seventh grade in order to graduate early. When I was sixteen years old, I began college full time. That experience led me to realize that with proper goal-setting and time management, anything is possible. Pushing myself to take the necessary steps to achieve my goal was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I am forever grateful to my family for constantly encouraging me.”
What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment to date?
“When I was fifteen, I published a short novel of poetry. I am one of millions living with anxiety and depression. When I was twelve years old, I realized I was attracted to one of my best friends who also happened to be a female, and that thought absolutely terrified me. I had just been baptized the week before, and I specifically remembered telling myself that I could never be loved by God if I gave in to those feelings. Years passed and my anxiety grew, and I was still the only one who knew about my same-sex attraction. I dated boys, and I broke up with every single one of them. None of them deserved the heartbreak. I was fifteen years old when I finally came to terms with my sexuality. It took three years and thousands of dollars in therapy to tell my mom. She hugged me and reminded me that God loves me because he made each and every one of us special. In that book of poetry is three years of my life left out from above. I used writing as an outlet and took the steps necessary to publish in hopes to hopefully inspire someone else going through a relatable situation.”
What makes you well-suited for a career like this?
“I have the drive to motivate both myself and others, a passion for leadership development, and a mentality of ‘approach it as if you could never fail.’ I am a very competitive person. I didn’t play traditional team sports with a ball or a racket. Instead, I chose to associate myself to the world of equestrianism, and I will forever carry the lessons I learned with me. While many people relate riding horses to extravagant wealth, this is not the case at all. My parents worked tremendously hard to provide me with the opportunity to participate in IEA — The Interscholastic Equestrian Association. My parents didn’t pay for me to learn how to ride a 1,200-pound creature, although that, too, was a valuable experience. My parents gave me the opportunity to learn self-control, the ability to understand body language within a body that is not mine, and the skill of working on a team and being a great team player. I find competition to be a great way to boost team morale and energy. After all, extrinsic motivation and competition go hand-in-hand.”
“I find competition within myself. Everyone has a little voice inside of them saying they aren’t good enough, or that they can’t do it. For me, that little voice was not so little, but rather echoed in my head every second of the day. I struggle with anxiety and bipolar depression, and learning to grow my confidence helped me lower the volume on that echo and turn up the volume of my inner self-worth. There’s a constant battle within us between that little negative echo and the little cheerleader in our hearts. Compete with yourself and always allow that cheerleader to win. It’s worth it.”
How has NX Direct changed your career path?
“My career before NX Direct consisted of a little under five years at Chick-Fil-A. I spent two years as a team member, learning the foundations of business and what it looks like to assist in the day-to-day operations of running an independently-operated franchise business. I was involved in inventory management, team member development and much of the leadership development. I was also able to mentor my peers one-on-one for both professional and personal growth, which is by far one of my biggest passions. Customer service happens to be one of my strong suits, solely because I try to live by the idea of being the reason someone else realizes how easy it is to be kind.”
“Since starting at NX Direct, I have not only found a career that values growth as much as I do, but I have found a company that is willing to mentor me and teach me the ins and outs of all aspects of running a business. Since starting at NX, I have found my why — my big picture goal, and that is the most motivating, unearthing thing one could possibly ask to find.”
How do you know this is the career for you?
“I love this field. My favorite thing about working in the business industry is working for a merit-based company. I’ve always had a strong worth ethic, and I get that from my mom and my dad. Business is a very competitive field, especially for women, so having that strong work ethic automatically sets me apart from most other candidates. I make sure to put the extra in ordinary in everything I do.”
In the next five years, Ali Downey hopes to continue growing and building a strong team. Passionate about helping others grow, Ali Downey is always there to inspire and motivate her NX Direct team members. For future leaders, she’s got one piece of advice; “be unapologetically confident.” Move with confidence and never look back — that’s the Ali Downey way.
Originally published at http://nxdirectatl.wordpress.com on October 29, 2020.
