When you were little, what’s one of the things you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you ever say pilot and then you got a little older and the naysayers came out to play? Abingdon didn’t always know she wanted to be a pilot, but when she learned more, she knew it was for her.   Listen as she shares her story of becoming a pilot and later a watchmaker while contributing to the conversation of diversity and inclusion in the airline industry.    Abingdon really didn’t know what she wanted to do, but she went to school, got a degree and decided to figure it out from there. She later went into the Peace Corps and when she came home, started learning what it would take to become a pilot. She’d initially heard about the career field in high school, but it simply didn’t seem possible.   Within 45 days she had her private license and a company willing to pay her to get her commercial license (and pay for her training.) This isn’t even out of the ordinary. It turns out there are TONS of resources to help you get started in the field of aviation!   In the first part of our conversation, Abingdon shares her story and why building her personal brand was so important. She is now a well respected pilot and trainer in the field which wouldn’t have been possible if she’d    Links and Resources: Alibaba.com   Connect with Abingdon: The Abingdon Co.   Connect with Siobhan:  Industry ExplorersIndustry Explorers Facebook GroupIndustry Explorers on FacebookIndustry Explorers on InstagramIndustry Explorers on YouTubeIndustry Explorers on TikTokBook a Connection Call   Love the show and want to help support us? Donate to our Ko-Fi Account. We love providing you with these stories, tips, and recommendations, but it takes a lot of time and resources. Keep the podcast going and donate today!   In this episode: [00:41] Welcome to the show, Abingdon! [02:08] She shares when she got interested in being a pilot. [06:14] She speaks about her parents wanting her to go to college and get a degree. [08:49] She is really happy she went to college because the internship she applied for required a four-year degree and covered the cost of getting her commercial pilot’s license. [10:08] Abingdon shares a story about her mom. [12:16] Companies look at a college degree because they show you dedicated yourself to something for four years. [15:20] She studied psychology in college because she wanted to understand what the brain does when it has a chemical imbalance or trauma. [21:45] She talks about what causes people to have things like a foot fetish. [24:41] Abingdon discusses what she did once she graduated from college. [26:46] She wanted to sell women’s pilot watches, and she shares how she made that happen. [30:04] You are building your brand right now, have integrity and keep your word. [31:42] The way you treat people will stay with you. [33:28] She is now trying to get into the astronaut program. [34:25] Listen next week for part 2 of my interview with Abingdon.