On my first day at Toyota Industries Commercial Finance, I learned a Japanese word that summed up the culture of TICF. This world is kaizen, which means improvement. A project might be great, but there are always ways to strive to make it better. Following all that the term implies, in my opinion, is how the TICF family has gained its success and continues to flourish.

I was able to experience the culture of TICF in person on two occasions. The first time was when I had the opportunity to travel to a sales meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. I was able to observe colleagues from different departments creatively coming together to develop ideas for upcoming projects. Everyone was respectful, engaging, and sincerely interested in every idea that was brought to the table. No matter the rank, all employees’ viewpoints were heard and considered.

My second experience was when I traveled to visit the TICF headquarters in Coppell, Texas. I was able to meet all the other students interning this summer. Together, we sat down with all the executives as department heads spoke about what their departments do within the company. The presentations were creative and engaging, and the presenters were eager to answer all our questions; they made it clear they saw us as future investments.

Alicia, along with fellow TICF and Shoppa’s Material Handling Interns, is pictured above.

The skills I have gained have shaped my understanding of many of the different platforms the company uses. I am also taking with me strong life skills that will be valuable to me no matter what my future holds. I have learned how to work on meaningful projects in a team setting and see the benefits of multiple points of view.

I have learned how to better manage my time with the guidance of my leadership team and by reading The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management as part of this summer’s book club. With the freedom I enjoyed in making my own decisions on projects, I was also able to strengthen my decision-making skills and problem-solving skills.

As I approach the last few weeks here at TICF, I am excited to see the completion of some of the projects that I took part in. To see the life cycle of a plan my team put into play was the best part of this internship. I am excited to see how projects turned out and the value that comes from them.