We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amanda Rodriguez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amanda, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success is multifaceted. I view success more like a tapestry woven with threads of grit, kindness, creativity, giving back to others, and a willingness to be bold. Grit is the backbone of achievement; it is the resiliency that carries you through challenges and guides you to keep moving forward. It is knowing your voice may quiver, your hands may shake, your eyes may tear up…but know you will thrive. Kindness can help guide your actions. It is the genuine care for others, the willingness to extend a helping hand, and the understanding that true success is shared and celebrated together.
Creativity is daring to breathe life into your work. It is the ability to see possibilities where others see roadblocks, and to craft solutions that are as unique as they are effective. I also believe pouring yourself into others and giving back is at the core of success. It is the recognition that true fulfillment comes not just from personal achievements, but from the impact you can make on the lives of others.

In the tapestry of success and achievement, there’s a pivotal moment – the leap of faith, the bold step into the unknown. Being bold propels you beyond your comfort zone, opening doors and possibilities. John F. Kennedy said it well, “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Sure! First, I am a wife to an incredibly supportive husband and a mother to the three most amazing children. I start with them because they are my why and my fuel. I grew up in a military family moving quite frequently all around the world. These experiences shaped who I am today. It forced me to be flexible, make meaningful connections, and soak in the moments because I know they can change rapidly.
I have always been a dreamer and a doer. My career has taken me from my start in a public accounting firm, to a Fortune 500 oil and gas company, then to become the first Chief Financial Officer for the State of Oklahoma, to helping bring the largest consulting firm in the world to my home state in Oklahoma, and now my greatest adventure…launching my own consulting and advisory firm.

My partner and I co-founded LYT Consulting Group with the desire to serve clients to overcome challenges, innovate and adapt, and take advantage of opportunities to better our community. We strive to help our clients see what is possible. LYT represents my lifelong mission to bring a positive shining LYT to the lives of others. I enjoy helping clients see all that is possible in their strategy, their processes, and in themselves. We offer a broad range of services you would normally find in a large firm but have made them attainable for the smaller market. Our offerings include strategy and delivery, program and project leadership, organizational effectiveness, accounting and finance, and risk mitigation and management. We deliver all with excellence and place importance on creating a space where all feel welcomed, included, and heard.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Whew, this question makes me smile because I have had my share of pivots. I have experienced rapid change in my career and without the ability to pivot quickly, I would not be where I am today. Pivots have shaped my life and I also can’t help but laugh thinking of the Friends episode and Ross carrying the couch up the stairs, yelling, “Pivot!” That about sums it up, twists and turns trying to make something work.
The moment that sticks out most in my mind, however, was motherhood and specifically my experience with my youngest. He arrived six weeks early and was in the NICU for a couple of weeks; those weeks felt like a lifetime and the scariest of our families’ lives. He was such a little fighter, and that strength has remained true in his personality today. It gave me a deeper appreciation for life, love, and finding my purpose.

I have always enjoyed the quote, “Behind you are the challenges you’ve met. Before you lie new possibilities. Today you choose the direction of your life.”

It gave me an aha moment, to pause and make sure I was living my life in a way that was meaningful and with intention and purpose. I made changes both professionally and personally. I remember going through a massive layoff at work during that maternity leave, leading an additional team as a result, having a new baby, and working to finish my MBA. I remember going to my leadership at the time to pitch an idea for a new team – a team I thought was truly needed and I wanted to lead it. I was bold and a bit fearless at that moment and guess what? My leadership said yes, let’s do it! And that moment set the trajectory for the rest of my career. I believed in myself. I had been more of a supporter up until that point and enjoyed it, but that was my first leap of faith that then led to other opportunities in my career. That was the magic moment.

As the saying goes, that move you are afraid to make could be the one that changes everything. Do it scared. Do it knowing that you won’t know everything. Do it even though you don’t feel ready. Do it without perfection. Whatever you do, take the leap, and go for it.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Relationships. The LYT difference is evident in the core values that guide us and the impact we make on our communities through our client delivery. Trust, respect, connections, courage, curiosity, and community. We create meaningful relationships with our clients due to these values and it creates a trickledown effect – relationships create the opportunity, we deliver with excellence, and referrals come as a result.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.discoverlyt.com
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/lyt-consulting-group