“I call it a happy place. Everyone goes through things in life, but once you get here it’s a free world and everyone is happy.”
Shakira Logan has been an account manager with Xcellent ATL since July of 2018 and has made great strides in success since that day. We decided to sit down with her in a one-on-one interview because we are inspired by her work ethic each and every day, and value her as an irreplaceable member of the team.
Logan was born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in Collins, Mississippi, where she would live until heading off to college. As a kid, Logan was a natural introvert, bookworm, and highly intelligent student. Logan even skipped the eighth grade entirely, moving from seventh grade to high school. Alongside her dedication to her studies, Logan played basketball throughout high school and into college. “Basketball gave me the competitive mindset I have today, as far as always wanting to win,” says Logan, “I always knew what I wanted to accomplish, and there’s always someone better than you- it pushes you to continuously strive for your best.”
Logan graduated high school in May of 2014 and headed to Alabama A&M, where she would study Sports Management. Logan was a busy college student, as she struggled to balance her workload with her time on the basketball team. Ultimately, Logan closed out her basketball career in her junior year, which she cites as “the hardest, but the best decision I ever made.” “I ended up having three surgeries in less than a year,” says Logan, “I would get out of practice at 7 and sit in my car until 10, because I couldn’t physically move. I was forced to make the decision because I didn’t want to be in a wheelchair at 30, but it was the hardest decision of my life- this was everything I had been working towards all my life. However, when I quit basketball I got the opportunity to become more involved on campus. I joined a professional business fraternity and a sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho.” Logan went on to become the President of Sigma Gamma Rho in her time as a college student. The account manager credits this involvement and professional training with much of her success today. “Basketball made me competitive,” says Logan, “but letting it go allowed me to grow into a young professional.”
Immediately after college, Logan took a 9-5 position in finance, but in an out of the blue moment, was let go. “I think I got comfortable there,” says Logan, “but God didn’t have that plan for me.” Shortly after that, Logan touched up her resume and put it out into the professional world- prompting Xcellent ATL to reach out. “Within a few days of losing the job, I was contacted by Xcellent ATL,” says Logan, “it was meant to be.”
Logan started with the company on July 4th, 2018. “I didn’t know exactly what I would be doing, so I came in with an open mindset,” says Logan, “when I learned about the opportunity in front of me, I turned on that student mentality and got excited to learn.” What Logan quickly saw was the strength of culture we have created here at Xcellent ATL. “I call it a happy place,” says Logan, “everyone goes through things in life, but once you get here it’s a free world and everyone is happy.”
Through her work, Logan has seen both personal and professional growth, and her gratitude goes out to the company and her team. “I learned that I have a whole lot of patience,” laughs Logan, “I’ve learned that I am really great at talking to people- I make other people feel good about themselves.”
As for her goals, Shakira Logan sees only green lights ahead. “I want to open up my own office,” says Logan, “I want to grow a strong team and help others understand the opportunity we have here, and help them achieve their goals.”
