Member Spotlight: Defining Success

Success is earned through education by providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and critical thinking abilities necessary to excel in their fields. Education opens doors to opportunities, expands perspectives and equips individuals with the tools to overcome challenges and achieve their goals. By earning a certification through NACM's six-level Professional Certification Program, credit professionals gain the knowledge and skills for personal and professional growth to succeed in their career.

For instance, Marcela Rolon, CBA, credit manager at RCP Block & Brick, Inc. (Lemon Grove, CA) recently earned her Credit Business Associate (CBA) designation, which signals mastery of three business-credit related disciplines: Basic Financial Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis 1 and Business Credit Principles. "I had been in the business for 10 years and felt like I needed to challenge myself and see if I was able to accomplish it," she said. "It was time, so I made it a goal of mine."

But earning her CBA was challenging and intimidating at first. "I had to take all three courses needed to earn my CBA and the last time I took a class was over 15 years ago," Rolon said.

Despite her challenges, Rolon achieved success. "It feels great and very rewarding," she said. "I learned I was still up for a challenge. Sometimes you get stuck on the same routine and feel like you need to change things up a bit. My advice: it's never too late to relearn or start this process."

💡Study Tip from Rolon: Take plenty of notes. "It's a lot of information to read but taking good notes is important to be able to study the material," she said. "It might help to study with someone else as well to interact and ask each other questions. It is very important not to be afraid to ask questions."

For more information about each designation within NACM's Professional Certification Program, visit our website.