Here’s a fun fact Ashley Farber likes to share with the new hires she trains: she was in their shoes not too long ago.
“I love to tell them that and you can see the surprise in their faces,” she explained. “I’m like, ‘yep, you’re not far off. You just have to show up and be proactive about your own success.’”
Within two years of starting an entry-level customer care agent job at Cox, Ashley became a supervisor. And, more recently, she has stepped into a new supervisor role that’s focused on onboarding and training within the technical support and customer care teams.
Here, Ashley shares some of her secrets to success, including how she got on the fast-track to leadership at Cox.
Carving out her own path
When it comes to her career, Ashley calls herself a late bloomer. She didn’t go to college and instead went to work at her family’s fine dining establishment, Luciano’s, in her hometown of Mulvane, KS.
“I didn’t really know my potential back then,” Ashley said. “So, I went to work for my cousin and her husband, and man, did I grow and learn during my time working for them; it changed the trajectory of my life.”
Ashley worked at the restaurant on and off for a decade before she joined Cox. She’d done just about every job, from managing the front of the house to bartending and overseeing event planning for wedding dinners.
But when it came down to it, Ashley realized she didn’t want to take over the business someday.
“I was 33 years old, and I knew I wanted to have a 401(k), basically,” she said, laughing. She started looking for an entry-level opportunity at a large company, where she’d have room to grow in her career. Cox was at the top of her list.
“Cox has a great reputation here. So, I applied online one day,” she said. “I can’t explain it; I just had a feeling.”
Turning up the heat on career growth
Since starting at Cox, Ashley felt encouraged to quickly advance in her career.
“All of my leaders would tell me, ‘You have the potential to grow,’” she said. “And from day one, the advice I’d hear is to ‘build your brand; treat every day like is an interview.’ And I really took it to heart.”
Ashley made it clear to her leaders that she was eager to grow her career at Cox. In turn, they started offering opportunities where she could step up, from participating in cross-departmental projects to leading team meetings to helping train new hires.
Ashley knew that saying “yes” to those opportunities was all part of building up her reputation as someone who takes initiative and follows through.
“Saying ‘yes’ was strategic because I knew they would remember: ‘If we ask Ashley, she’ll show up, she’ll be positive, and she’ll deliver,’” Ashley said.
Two leaders supporting Ashley’s development gave her a heads-up when a supervisor position became available. Another leader who’d been working with Ashley on a stretch assignment was on the interview panel.
“That’s why they say every day is an interview, right?” Ashley said. “You never know if the person that you’re interacting with in any given moment is possibly going to be your boss someday.”
Savoring the journey
In her latest role as a supervisor for onboarding, Ashley is now one of the first people new hires meet when they join Cox.
“I had such a positive experience when I was going through onboarding, and I want others to feel that same way and want to be here as much as I did,” she said. “Being that person who sets the precedent for their time at Cox is such an honor.”
The skills Ashley gained working at her family’s restaurant — from leadership and customer service to humility and adaptability — have served her well as a leader on Cox’s customer care team.
“There are a lot of strong personalities in restaurants, so the first big lesson I learned was to manage the different types of personalities — not have them adhere to mine,” she said. “If I learn who they are and what they need, then I can serve them better.”
Ashley is also working on getting her bachelor’s degree at the University of Phoenix as part of Cox’s tuition reimbursem*nt program.
I’m more than halfway to finishing my degree — something I never thought I be able to do — thanks to Cox.
Ashley Farber
As Ashley reflects on her own career, her best advice is to not let doubt or fear stop her from taking that next step.
“Don’t wait until you’re ready,” she said. “Chances are you’ll never feel totally ready, but you can’t let that stop you.”
She also advises others to trust their instincts: “I had a feeling about Cox and each step I’ve taken was because I knew inside that I could do it. So, honor your intuition.”
