Shenita Baker stood at a crossroads 12 years ago, her career in title insurance teetering on the edge of burnout. She was working relentless hours, weekends blending into weekdays, yet the results didn’t match her effort. “I was taking on everyone’s crises as my own, but I wasn’t moving forward,” she recalls. Desperate for a breakthrough, Shenita made a decision that would change everything: she invested $20,000 in a career coach. The number still stings, vivid in her memory because it was a massive leap of faith. “It was a lot of money,” she says, “but worth every penny.”
That bold move, rooted in her belief that she could unlock a new chapter in her career, became the catalyst for her rise to Strategic Growth Director at Fidelity National Title. Today, Shenita channels that same transformative energy into coaching others, helping them believe in their own potential to achieve extraordinary results.
The $20,000 investment wasn’t just about money; it was about Shenita betting on herself. She knew she needed help to reach the next phase of her career, but self-doubt lingered. Growing up in New Orleans, she was ambitious yet shy, always feeling the need to prove to herself that she could succeed. “I was my own biggest obstacle,” she admits. Skipped ahead in school and graduating high school early, Shenita carried a quiet drive to excel, but her introversion often hid her talents.
Her husband, whom she married young after college, saw through her hesitation. “He’d say, ‘Why do you hide behind your own shadow? People don’t know what you can do because you don’t show it.’” His words echoed as she wrote that $20,000 check, a commitment to step out from her own shadow and into her potential.
The coach taught her to focus on high-value activities and let go of others’ emergencies, but the real shift was internal. Shenita began to believe she was worth the investment, and the results, a thriving sales career and a clear path to leadership, proved her right.
Now, as Strategic Growth Director, Shenita sees echoes of her own journey in the reps she coaches. “My role is about helping others believe in themselves enough to take that leap,” she says. Many younger reps, new to the title insurance industry, struggle to find their footing. They lean on low-impact activities like coffee meetups or drinks, hoping relationships will drive business. Shenita challenges them to think strategically. “Service is a given; everyone competes on it,” she explains. “But what sets you apart? What’s your roadmap?”
She pushes them to articulate their company’s unique value, but the deeper work is personal. “If you don’t know what differentiates you, how can you convince a prospect in 15 minutes?” she asks. Her coaching sessions are collaborative, not prescriptive, guiding reps to prioritize actions that grow market share. But the real hurdle is confidence. Just as Shenita had to believe in herself to justify that $20,000, she helps reps see their own worth, empowering them to invest in their growth.
Shenita’s journey to this role wasn’t linear. After her coaching epiphany, she soared in sales at Fidelity, where she’s been for 25 years, but early missteps shaped her path. Fresh out of law school, she worked in commercial banking’s real estate division, but craved more prestige. She joined a big law firm in Tennessee, where she moved in the early ‘90s for her husband’s job with General Motors. The firm’s allure faded fast. “I loved helping clients, but billable hours were the death of me,” she says. Disillusioned, she left, but an unexpected opportunity in title insurance found her through her banking and legal experience.
She joined United General Title Insurance Company (later acquired by First American) as an underwriter, but her shyness held her back. Then, a company president saw her potential. “He said, ‘You’d be great in sales,’” Shenita recalls. She resisted, insisting she wasn’t a salesperson, but his words, “We’re all in sales,” shifted her perspective. She dove in, but early struggles with overwork and misplaced priorities led to that pivotal $20,000 investment.
Shenita’s coaching philosophy draws heavily from books like The Challenger Sale, which she loves for its focus on pushing clients beyond their comfort zones to recognize needs. “It’s not just selling; it’s smarter,” she says. She also recommends How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Extraordinary Coach, and Becoming a Category of One, each reinforcing growth through action and self-awareness.
But even experienced reps face challenges. Some feel left behind as the industry evolves, trying hard but falling short. Shenita meets them with empathy, suggesting a book or strategy to spark change, then following up to track progress. “If they’re trying, they’re open-minded,” she says. But resistance persists. Some cling to old methods, hesitant to embrace new approaches. Shenita persists, knowing belief in oneself is the first step to transformation.
Her proactive mindset shines in her work with the Tennessee Land Title Association. When members complained about lagging innovation, Shenita didn’t just listen. “I asked myself, ‘What am I doing to help?’” she says. That question led her to take a leadership role, but progress requires constant effort. “The effort you put in determines what you get out,” she insists. She urges reps to move beyond complaining about bad sales months and instead ask, “What can I do? How can I help?” Before acting, she advises assessing the impact. “Don’t just jump; jump fully,” she says, a lesson born from her own leap of faith.
Shenita’s story is one of quiet courage, of investing in herself to rise above self-doubt. From a shy attorney to a transformative leader, she’s learned to demonstrate her value through actions, not words. But her greatest joy is helping others believe in themselves. “When you know your value, you show up differently,” she says. Through her coaching, her infectious passion, and her refusal to settle, Shenita Baker isn’t just running her race; she’s inspiring others to invest in their own.