Occupation?
Freight Broker, Chief Freightologist
College/University attended?
University of TN at Chattanooga
Tell us about yourself:
Mother, wife, from KY, extreme environmentalist, 2nd business launch, friend in freight- Hi, I’m Dena. I love supporting women in business and especially in a male-driven field. I run a woman-owned freight agency in St. Elmo that is part of a larger women-owned brokerage in Atlanta that’s been in business since 1992. Glad to be here!
What does leadership mean to you?
Building from each individual’s strengths and learning from them. Sharing responsibilities with each team member so each member feels valued and nobody is singly overwhelmed. I love a tight ship that can sail autonomously!
What advice do you have for women aspiring to be leaders in their field?
If you aspire to lead, then you already have your calling. Just do it! You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. You’ll be surprised about what you innately can figure out as you guide your team forward.
Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Why and how did this person impact your life?
My only answer to this is my son. I was a single, divorced mother with no safety net and no family to lean on. I had to go out of my comfort zone. He’s 14 now and thinks that I can figure out anything! That’s not the case, but I don’t mind trying. Right now, we’re getting ready for a mother/son trip to Amsterdam. I want to see the tulips and he wants to go to the neighboring countries to see the car museums!
What has been your proudest moment in your career?
It was my efforts with a failed business. The business concept was bigger than I was at the time and I couldn’t make it sustainable while I was a single mom of a little boy. I ended up putting the business on a mostly permanent hiatus. I learned from it and realized that I could pivot. I lived through it and gained a lot of knowledge from the adventure!
What steps do you think members can take to make more of a difference in women’s leadership issues in the local community?
Bring up valuable ideas that could work. Support others with their ideas. Be bold and unapologetic. Be available to listen while also having a voice in the community.
How do you like to spend your free time?
Traveling. Also, there’s a yoga studio downstairs from my office and I like to pop in for classes.
What have you gained most from your CWLI membership?
Brand new member. Looking forward to meeting so many of the members to gain knowledge about how you’re running your businesses!
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’m up for new friendships. I’ve been working way too much lately and the weather is finally our friend. I need to get outside more!