Resilience and Consistency: More powerful than motivation 

Pursuing a professional designation through one of NACM and FCIB’s Professional Certification Programs is not only a chance to deepen your understanding of business credit, but an opportunity to learn more about yourself. For Dane Navia, CICP, senior credit analyst for Johnson and Johnson International (Singapore), earning her Certified International Credit Professional (CICP) designation was a transformative experience. 

Earning a professional designation is an investment in your credit career, with the expertise gained through the coursework accelerating your professional growth. For Navia, pursuing a professional designation was an opportunity to strengthen her credibility as a credit professional while gaining a deeper understanding of international credit and risk management.  

“Coming from a marketing background, I’ve always been fascinated by the balance between business growth and risk control,” Navia said. “The CICP allowed me to merge both perspectives—understanding not only how to protect the company’s financial interests, but also how sound credit decisions can enable sustainable growth. Working in a regional portfolio, I recognize how crucial it is to align with global standards and best practices.” 

Obtaining a designation was transformative for Navia, who found that the courses’ rigor reaffirmed her love for the credit profession. “Balancing the coursework with my full-time responsibilities required structure, discipline and a lot of late nights,” Navia said. “But applying what I learned directly to my regional portfolio made every challenge worthwhile. Completing the program wasn’t just about passing an exam, it reaffirmed my passion for continuous development and showed me that growth often comes through discomfort.” 

Continued education is not only an opportunity to learn more about the credit field, but a chance to learn more about yourself. “The program deepened my appreciation for how global trade, credit and currency decisions influence one another, connecting the dots between theory and real-world business impact,” Navia said. “On a personal level, I learned that resilience and consistency are far more powerful than motivation. There will always be tough days, but staying grounded in your purpose makes all the difference.” 

Study tip: When it comes to reviewing materials, prioritize consistency over intensity. “I found it more effective to study in short, focused blocks rather than trying to absorb everything at once,” Navia said. “When things felt overwhelming, I’d take a step back, reset and revisit the material with a fresh mindset.”