We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amarilis (amy) Lopez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amarilis (Amy) below.
Amarilis (Amy) , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Work ethic is generally developed through a blend of upbringing, cultural influences,
and personal values. I am grateful that it was instilled during my childhood through
the illustration of responsibility and diligence by my parents. Both of my parents were
hardworking immigrants and with the very little English they knew, they showed
integrity, determination, and dedication in their jobs.
A good work ethic often comes out of necessity. My dad, who was mostly the
breadwinner of the family, would get up at 4am, leave the house by 5am, just to beat
the Bay Area traffic to be at his job on time. I remember witnessing my mom going to
work after dropping my sisters and I off to school. This normalized work for me. So, I
knew that I would be expected to do the same when I became an adult.
My parents made it clear if I wanted something, I would need to earn it. I landed my
first job at the age of 17 and worked full time throughout my college career. It was
challenging, but I persevered with the encouragement I received from my family and
community.
I didn't have much growing up, but I am thankful of the core morals and values my
parents instilled in me. Because of them, I hold a bachelor's degree in business
administration and a career. It has shaped me of the person I am today.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I love to help people whether it be in health and fitness, volunteering, donating, or
giving financial support.
I am a Client Banking Officer, and the most fulfilling aspect in my job is helping
customers. I do so by building trust, show empathy and approachability, provide long-
term vision, and customize the service to better suit each customer.
On top of that, I just launched a new side gig! I am a pet sitter in my local community.
I absolutely love animals and one of the greatest rewards of being a pet sitter is the
unconditional love and companionship I receive from the pets I care. This also
allowed me to develop interpersonal skills as I interact with the pet owners and build
relationships with my clients.
On my free time, I enjoy volunteering at my church in the hospitality ministry. I love
to cook and find such joy in sharing my recipes. I enjoy serving others. There is
fulfillment and purpose. Contributing to the well-being of others has led my life in
greater satisfaction and happiness. Being a servant has helped me developed valuable
skills such as leadership, communication, and problem solving, which has been
beneficial in my personal and professional life.
Outside of work and serving, I enjoy hiking with my Siberian Husky! I also enjoy
running 5ks and half marathons.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities that were (still is!) the most impactful in my journey are integrity,
serve others, and resilience.
Integrity-because it guides us in making ethical-decision, produces a positive culture,
and builds trust. Integrity is the epitome of ethical leadership. It shows a person's
strength of character and without integrity there is a loss of self-respect.
Serve others-because it produces gratitude! It can help us be grateful for what we have
in life instead of comparing ourselves to others.
Resilience-because it is the key for growth and success! I have witness numerous
close friends and leaders overcome hardships. Despite all that, they pivoted in a way
that was motivating and encouraging to me.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
Since my parents worked a lot when I was a young, my two sisters and I relied on
each other for strength, support, and comfort.
As middle-aged adults, we still do.
They have been the most helpful in helping me overcome challenges and are always
building me up, encouraging me, and giving me their support in whatever avenue I
decide to make. They are the epitome of what sisters should be. While my relationship
with my sisters is nowhere near perfect, I try my best to not take it for granted. I
would not be where I am today without them.
When I think back on how we got to this place, it’s easy to see the intentional ways
that our parents encouraged us to have a strong sibling relationship- that is raising us
on the foundation of God's love.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you,
that you also love one another. " John 13:34
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
