We are excited to announce that Victoria Washington is our feature MogulMoxie Maven for July 2022!
Get ready to be encouraged, inspired, and empowered by our virtual chat with Victoria Washington, founder of Vision IT.
At MogulMoxie® we believe in the value of both formal and informal education, so let’s start here. Tell us about your formal or informal educational background.
I obtained my bachelor’s of science from an HBCU, Grambling State University (Grambling, LA) in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. Then I attended graduate school at George Mason University (Fairfax, VA) and obtained my master of science in Systems Engineering and certification in C4I (command, control, communication, computers, and intelligence).
I loved attending Grambling. Even though the majority of my family are Southern University fans. We loved the healthy rivalry during Bayou Classic or any sport for the matter. My time at Grambling State taught me a lot of life lessons. I loved being around people that looked like me, but I had to learn how to deal with people that didn’t share my southern hospitality.
What does ambition mean to you?
That’s simple. It’s that drive to “Go Get It.” Whatever your “it” is then design a pathway for you to do just that. Now, I’m not saying that does not mean the pathway that you originally designed would not be interrupted, but you have to stay focused on the end goal and keep pressing forward.
That drive in me has played and still playing in many facets of my life. I remember in high school; I was determined that my parents would not have to pay for me to attend college. I didn’t think they could afford it and I honestly didn’t know the cost of going to college. Would they have made sacrifices to get me to school? Absolutely, but I didn’t want to burden them. I attended a magnet high school; I knew I wanted to major in Biomedical Engineering. And everyone was smart at my high school, so I needed a little bit more than my big brain to make this happen. I was an athlete, and that was my key out of this. I played volleyball and I was good, but I couldn’t just be good. I needed to stand out and be the best player. I didn’t have it easy, because my parents were not investing in volleyball camps and personal trainers, so I had to self-train with what I had. I remember saving up my money for these vertical strength shoes. I would go run (endurance) and jump (vertical) in them hoping this would help. It did, but I was still limited. I could only perfect what I knew, and I didn’t have resources that could help or correct me, but that didn’t stop me. I played varsity all four years and received a full athletic scholarship to a Division I university.
What does faith mean to you?
Faith is the confident expectation that what I ask God for will happen. My faith in God is everything, and regardless of the outcome, I’m still going to praise Him. I’ve witnessed what He has done in my life (personal and business) and I have to give Him all the praise and glory. I know that I would not be in my position today if it was not for Him. He saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself.
Tell us about your company.
I am the lead servant for Vision IT. Vision IT is a government contract company that delivers solutions in IT, Cyber, and Logistics support services. We help fulfill the mission of the Department of Defense by protecting the security of our nation.
Tell us about a typical day in your work life.
My days normally start at 4:30 AM. That’s my time of stillness with God. It really sets the tone for my day, and I know that whatever I have to face God will give me the strength to see it through.
I try my best not to have meetings scheduled before 10:30, this allows me time to work out, review emails, and get focused by identifying my Big 3 for the day. My Big 3 are the three things I want to accomplish in my workday if I do nothing else.
I stop whatever I’m doing at 4:00 PM and transition to the highest-paying job ever. I convert into an Uber driver to pick my son up from school. That curbside service to drop off and pick up my son is so important to me. Definitely a happy place for me. Those rides are so valuable, memorable, and irreplaceable. He tips pretty well also.
Tell us about what motivates you.
My great-grandchildren are motivators for me. I want to stop a cycle in our community of just doing well. It is my desire to build wealth for future generations. I didn’t want my kids to start from scratch. I want them to stay humble and build on top of the foundation that is being created for the Washington generations to come.
Have you ever struggled with confidence or courage?
Encountering struggles is a time when our faith is being tested, but it also presents an opportunity for patience to grow. Being a black woman in the IT industry is a struggle. This field is 77% male, and only 10% black and African American. ** I recall going to briefings and meetings and being 1 of 10 women and 1 of 5 blacks present, and I would always wonder where we were.
It’s hard not being able to relate to people when you are in these massive spaces. When I would have one of my engineers attend meetings with me, who would be a white male, men would talk to him as though I was not there. I wasn’t surprised or shocked. I expected it. The one thing I would say about my engineers, they’ve always been very good about re-directing people to me and making it clear that I’m the one who makes the decision. It’s amazing how things change when they actually speak with me, and they figured out that I wasn’t just a pretty face, but I actually knew my stuff from both an engineering and business perspective.
As a college-educated woman, I struggled with having to prove myself day in and day out. To be honest, it was exhausting, and I questioned if I was cut out for this because I didn’t like dealing with the dismissive behaviors of these men. So how did I overcome that?
I just reached a point where I simply didn’t care anymore of their thoughts because I was confident in who I was. I was confident that I didn’t have to sleep with someone to make it. I was confident in what I knew. I was confident in the type of culture I wanted to create, and I was just going to trust God with it all.
**According to Zippa.com
What is your favorite word and why?
My favorite word is “Trust.” Every day I wake up to fight another fight, but I have to make the decision to trust God to see me through.
What have you accomplished, created, or built that makes you the most proud or brings you the most joy?
I am most proud of creating a blueprint for a selfless culture organization. We are all here to serve another. I never wanted anyone on my team to feel like they were just a billable number. I always want them to feel like a person that is heard, wanted, and desired.
What honors, awards or other recognitions have you received for which you are the most grateful and why?
Being one who tries to stay out of the spotlight, I’m very grateful for all the honors I’ve received thus far. I would say that receiving the AFCEA International Woman Appreciation Award would be the most memorable. I have a passion for encouraging women to excel despite of their circumstances.
How can our readers keep up with you?
Linkedin.com/in/victoria-washington-8a594533
We hope you have enjoyed learning about Victoria’s journey and are inspired by her wisdom. Share this interview with at least 7 people to keep the positive vibes and inspiration going.
