As an outsider, breaking into an industry can often seem like an impossible challenge and so we reached out to some very generous folks who agreed to share their stories of how they broke into their respective industries.

Zayna Salloum

I’ll never forget the moment I got the call that I landed my first job as a Sales Assistant at 20th Television in Chicago. At the time, I was living in Michigan, eager to explore a new city and start a new chapter. I was thrilled to begin my journey, filled with big goals and a strong desire to make an impact in the advertising world. My ambition was to work my way up to an Account Executive role, leveraging my sales skills to get there. It was an incredibly exciting and proud moment—proof that I could accomplish what I set out to do. Read more>>

Naz Moghaddam

I got my first job as a Pilates instructor while I was still a student at BASI. One day, during our training sessions, one of the studio owners was observing. She noticed how focused I was on practicing each movement with precision and proper form. After class, she approached me and said she could see I had the potential to be a great instructor—and she invited me to teach at her studio. Read more>>

Linda Galicia

In a world full of uncertainty, when COVID-19 hit, everything changed. The world seemed to shut down overnight—schools closed, curfews were imposed, and fear took hold. I had just graduated with a Bachelor’s in Biology and a minor in Forensic Science, and I knew I wanted to do something meaningful to help my community during such a critical time. That’s when I stumbled upon a position as a laboratory scientist. Read more>>