Meet Araceli Avionn | Leadership Professional, Author, Speaker, & Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Araceli Avionn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Araceli, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
In 2009 I graduated from the University of Houston and began my career in Operational Leadership. Being a young African American female in a predominantly male industry I found myself struggling at times to “blend” in or fit the mold of what I thought leadership should be. During that time, I desired to have a mentor or a documented guide on how to navigate through the highs and lows of leadership. Unfortunately, there was none, and it was my responsibility to learn from my experiences and determine the best course of action and solutions as adversity arose. As I was on my journey to becoming a servant leader, I made it my mission to find a mentor/coach to ask for guidance during difficult times and solicit feedback for the best leadership techniques. I then documented my learnings and real life experiences to write a book on leadership entitled, “UNDERRATED: The Rise of The New Face In Leadership” which has launched as a #1 New Release and Best Seller on Amazon. This book is essential because not only does it help navigate through the must-haves in leadership, but it also touches on the emotional side of leadership. Throughout this book, I help provide techniques to create a thriving work environment through “How To” guides and lessons learned throughout my career. My desire is to shine a light on the true highs and lows of leadership and the skill set it will take to navigate in a healthy manner to overcome any obstacles. This is what I will continue to provide to current and future leaders, through mentoring, coaching, and speaking engagements.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am currently working in the Logistics field within the airline industry, with additional experience in the retail logistics. My leadership experience totals 15 years thus far. I earned my Bachelor of Science Degree in Technology Logistics and Supply Chain Management from the University of Houston, a Master of Business Administration from The Institute of Florida Technology and a Certification of Professional in Human Resources from HR Certification Institute.

What sets me apart from others is my ability to think strategically with a winners mindset in all that I want to accomplish. I have not allowed adversity to stray me away from success in my career or personal life. For every challenge there is a solution, it may not be easily attainable, but I remain focused to achieved the desired outcome. My personal thought is that it is all about raising the bar not only for others, but for myself as well. Keep the bar high and do everything you can to reach it consistently. I have a daily reminder to set my bar high to attain my desired growth.

I have been able to achieve the level of professional success that I have, by keeping “people” at the forefront of my overall vision. Learning to let go of the control of completing every task at work and relying on my team was the best adjustment that I could have ever made. This allowed me to further learn the meaningful and purposeful impact I can create for others.

If there was a key thing that I would want the world to know about my story it would be the following… While faced with many facets of biases and adversity, I continued to focus on my end game which was to learn how to navigate successfully through leadership and provide others in my position with the same road map that I have traveled, in hopes that they would have a smoother journey. In terms of my brand, I am a motivated leader who mentors, coaches, and empowers others to create and obtain goals in their personal and professional lives. My mission is to “Engage, Excite, Empower” others by utilizing my unique skill set and life lessons to reach greater heights in education and leadership.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend were visiting Houston and we would have to eat at the following places.

A nice placed to hangout would be, Kemah Boardwalk. While it is a little past Houston it provides you with the element of being on the water, great places to eat such as the Aquarium and Landry’s. Fun boardwalk games and rides, and you are just minutes away from the experience of visiting Moody Gardens.

Our midtown area provides nice eateries such as Taste Bar, for some great southern food. The Breakfast Klub, Brennan’s of Houston, and Gen Korean BBQ House.

The museum district is always a nice and peaceful scene. If we wanted a day of shopping and great food, it would be a must to visit Galleria Houston and eat and Eddie V’s.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to recognize my prior leader, manager, and mentor Milad Alhir. She was the first female leader who believed in my abilities and skillset and encouraged me to continue to strive for greatness while gracefully demanding the respect that is required in my industry. She continuously pushed me outside of my comfort zone and aligned me with the development that would ensure continued upward success in leadership. Thank you Milad!

Website: www.iamaraceliavionn.com

Instagram: iamaraceliavionn

Linkedin: Araceli Avionn