By Dance Aoki
When she was growing up, Marilyn R. Borja always advocated for her favorite brands. She imagined that she would grow up to work representing iconic brands.
“A brand is important,” she says. “When I think back to childhood, the things I remember are all brand names.”
Throughout her career with Docomo, she has represented the values of the company, she says.
“We want to be more of a humble business partner. We trust each other. We understand business because we are one,” she says. Furthermore, she says the Docomo brand recognizes that mistakes will happen, no one is perfect, and the successes of the company and its employees need to be celebrated.
Borja began her career at Docomo as an account executive 13 years ago and has stayed with the company through several mergers. She says the milestones in her career run parallel with the history of the company.
“I started working for the company in July of 2002 as an account executive for business sales. Shortly after NTT Docomo acquired Guamcell Communications and Hafatel, I was then assigned my new role of business sales manager in October of 2009. In May of 2013, upon the merge of Docomo Pacific and MCV Broadband, my role was expanded to director of sales, overseeing all business sales for wireless and fixed line services,” she says. “These major milestones of our company history are definitely in line with my career growth and personal growth as well in the community.”
During one of the company’s mergers, Borja says she found herself faced with one of the greatest challenges of her career. Borja wondered if she would be respected for her work and recognized as an employee that embodied the values of Docomo. She remembers the experience as one of her greatest accomplishments.
“All of that pressure was amazing, and I surprised myself,” she says. “Of all the moments that I’m most proud of, it’s that tenacity.”
Those experiences were her stepping stones through the corporate ranks as one of the few female executives in the industry. She joined the Guam Chamber of Commerce’s Business Women’s Network to meet other women business leaders and to encourage other businesswomen to grow and develop their careers.
The network “has helped me not only be a resource for others, but also apply other local female leader experiences to my own career,” she says.
Though she enjoys her career and the network of mentors and professionals she’s built over the years, she enjoys going home to Talofofo to spend time with her family, cooking in her outside kitchen.
Without her kids and the survival instinct she developed as a young mother, Borja wouldn’t have pursued a career in telecommunications. She says Docomo provided for her and her family when they needed it most.
“I am a proud wife to my hard-working husband, Tory Borja, and we are indeed blessed by God with four amazing children: Dylan, 20; Dru, 16; Madison, 11; and Aberdeen, 7,” she says. “They are my biggest fans, seriously. I’m human, I doubt myself at times, but rest assured all five of them are ready with their ‘Go Mom’ signs exactly when I need it. My youngest thinks I fix phones during the day, and I’m absolutely fine with that because in her eyes, I’m the perfect mom.” n
Marilyn R. Borja
Vice president of enterprise sales, Docomo Pacific
Favorite Pandora station:Modest Mouse
Favorite app: Pinterest
Morning routine: Getting her kids ready for the day and petting the family dog, Elsa