2017 40 Under 40 Honoree: Diana Day, 33

Her personal philosophy is, “No matter what you are doing, you are leading someone,” and she’s definitely setting an example. Not only does she lead a growing company where she’s helped increase revenues by over 400 percent, Diana Day somehow also finds time to attend Drury University to work on her MBA and works with various community organizations. She’s actively involved with the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Springfield Symphony Board, sits on the Advisory Council for the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools, and serves on Drury’s Graduate Student Advisory Board.

What was your first job? I worked at Hollywood Video on West Florissant Road in St. Louis. It was the largest video rental store in Missouri. It also was one of the most fun jobs I ever had. We watched movies while we closed the store.

What is your theme song? “The Imperial March,” from “Star Wars.” I wear a lot of black, and most people can’t tell if I am a good guy or a bad guy.  

What was your professional “aha” moment? I think one of the biggest ones is that CEOs, presidents and owners are all just people. They may be in a position of power and knowledge, but they don’t know everything. You can learn as much from them as they can learn from you.  

What historical figure do you identify with most? Ruth Bader Ginsberg. She is very different from me, but we approach problems with the same idea that incremental change will equal big change.