So you told me before about how, like, you decided to hang up the coaching hat.
 2
00:00:05.739 --> 00:00:06.840 What was that like?
 3
00:00:06.840 --> 00:00:08.942 Like what was your headspace at the time?
 4
00:00:08.942 --> 00:00:12.946 It was very hard to say goodbye to a sport that I had known since I was literally,
 5
00:00:12.946 --> 00:00:13.947 like, six years old.
 6
00:00:13.947 --> 00:00:16.916 I played multiple sports in high school and, like, growing up,
 7
00:00:16.916 --> 00:00:19.319 which is one of the great things that my parents afforded me.
 8
00:00:19.319 --> 00:00:20.987 But basketball was the sport
 9
00:00:20.987 --> 00:00:23.990 I kind of latched on to that I ended up being the better at.
 10
00:00:24.257 --> 00:00:27.761 And there was a bit of a mourning period just because it's a sport
 11
00:00:27.761 --> 00:00:29.763 that got me to college.
 12
00:00:29.763 --> 00:00:32.899 It's a sport that got me to travel in the summer
 13
00:00:32.899 --> 00:00:35.769 to play AAU basketball, all those types of things.
 14
00:00:35.769 --> 00:00:38.938 So I got to experience so many different things through basketball.
 15
00:00:39.005 --> 00:00:42.675 To all then say goodbye to something that was a huge part of my life.
 16
00:00:42.675 --> 00:00:43.743 It was very, very hard.
 17
00:00:43.743 --> 00:00:48.081 I think I always kind of tuned in to say, well, how can I still use
 18
00:00:48.081 --> 00:00:51.217 the skill set that I had in coaching in maybe a new avenue?
 19
00:00:51.217 --> 00:00:53.887 So what I did initially is I said, okay, well,
 20
00:00:53.887 --> 00:00:55.688 then how can I make myself a better teacher?
 21
00:00:55.688 --> 00:00:58.958 And take the things that I've learned from coaching and bring that stuff
 22
00:00:58.958 --> 00:01:02.095 from the court situation into a classroom space
 23
00:01:02.095 --> 00:01:05.098 to make my classroom feel like a family or a community
 24
00:01:05.298 --> 00:01:08.468 so that my kids feel welcome because my players always felt welcome.
 25
00:01:08.468 --> 00:01:10.203 They felt welcome to come tell me anything.
 26
00:01:10.203 --> 00:01:12.038 But I wanted my students to feel the same way
 27
00:01:12.038 --> 00:01:15.241 that they didn't see this as just a class that they were just taking with me.
 28
00:01:15.241 --> 00:01:18.378 But this was something that I want to see you be successful in life.
 29
00:01:18.378 --> 00:01:20.013 And I felt like coaching allowed me to do that.
 30
00:01:20.013 --> 00:01:20.914 And so I wanted to kind of
 31
00:01:20.914 --> 00:01:24.150 take that mindset into the classroom, even though it's just one class.
 32
00:01:24.150 --> 00:01:26.086 Most of those kids six, seventh, eighth grade,
 33
00:01:26.086 --> 00:01:29.622 they don't remember, like now in their 30s, but they do remember.
 34
00:01:29.622 --> 00:01:30.190 Oh, I remember
 35
00:01:30.190 --> 00:01:33.860 you told me like I can always respect and recognize everybody's identity.
 36
00:01:34.160 --> 00:01:35.061 Like, that's the bare minimum.
 37
00:01:35.061 --> 00:01:37.030 That's how we can function as a society.
 38
00:01:37.030 --> 00:01:39.232 If I can sit there and say, I don't know all the identities
 39
00:01:39.232 --> 00:01:42.135 that exist in the world, all the races, ethnicities, cultures.
 40
00:01:42.135 --> 00:01:46.506 But I can recognize that those things exist and I can respect that they exist.
 41
00:01:46.573 --> 00:01:50.543 that to me is like, hey, I brought something from my coaching mindset
 42
00:01:50.777 --> 00:01:54.581 to the classroom that still is kind of long lasting and is leaving a legacy.
 43
00:01:54.581 --> 00:01:56.749 And I think that that kind of keeps me going.
 44
00:01:56.749 --> 00:01:59.319 And I still go and try to support, people that I see.
 45
00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:01.287 Like I have some of my former players
 46
00:02:01.287 --> 00:02:03.389 that are coaching and those type of things. But it was hard.
 47
00:02:03.389 --> 00:02:06.192 But now I see that, like in this time in my life,
 48
00:02:06.192 --> 00:02:09.262 my job is to coach in a different arena, and now it's more or less
 49
00:02:09.262 --> 00:02:12.699 to coach adults to be better people so they can be better for students.
 

2025 SXSW Conference
Interviewed in Austin, TX but works in Atlanta, GA USA.
advanced-degree
career-change

I work at the intersection of racial justice and tech, aiming to close gaps for marginalized students in technology and computer science. I support teachers with professional development, help students explore their dreams, and uplift parents’ voices in education. I help build community in classrooms, expand access to computer science, and empower young people to thrive with honesty, confidence, and joy.

Director of CS Equity Initiatives

Change

Skills

Transferring Skills Between Passions

Do you take your own time to cuddle the cows, to, like, calm down?
 2
00:00:02.836 --> 00:00:07.073 Or like, how do you take time for yourself to be like, calm, okay, to reset?
 3
00:00:07.073 --> 00:00:08.408 Everything's going to be okay?
 4
00:00:08.408 --> 00:00:10.844 That was actually really how the business started.
 5
00:00:10.844 --> 00:00:14.147 Is I was at a very high stress, high demand role
 6
00:00:14.147 --> 00:00:16.649 as a COO of a vascular surgery center.
 7
00:00:16.649 --> 00:00:19.753 And in that role, you know, the cows were for my daughter.
 8
00:00:19.753 --> 00:00:22.022 But I was out there enjoying them every day.
 9
00:00:22.022 --> 00:00:25.025 You know, and sitting having moments outside in the quiet
 10
00:00:25.025 --> 00:00:27.827 six wooded acres with cows, you think.
 11
00:00:27.827 --> 00:00:31.264 You know, and you think about, how do I make this a bigger part of my life?
 12
00:00:31.264 --> 00:00:34.067 I enjoy this, and I like making other people happy.
 13
00:00:34.067 --> 00:00:37.370 How do I help other people enjoy this and have this experience?
 14
00:00:37.470 --> 00:00:41.141 Really thinking about if I don't want to do what I'm currently doing,
 15
00:00:41.508 --> 00:00:45.712 life coach style, where do I want to be, what do I want life to look like?
 16
00:00:46.046 --> 00:00:49.049 And for me, and sitting with the cows, it really was
 17
00:00:49.182 --> 00:00:52.719 I want to do this every day, you know, I want to have this feeling.
 18
00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:54.020 And it kind of started, I think, more
 19
00:00:54.020 --> 00:00:58.058 with a feeling of me reflecting of what do I want every day to look like for me?
 20
00:00:58.324 --> 00:01:01.027 What do I want my finances to look like?
 21
00:01:01.027 --> 00:01:04.297 What do I want my connection with people to look like?
 22
00:01:04.297 --> 00:01:07.934 And in the business I was in, I was able to make an impact.
 23
00:01:07.934 --> 00:01:09.569 You know, in health care, you make an impact
 24
00:01:09.569 --> 00:01:11.771 whether you're on the clinical side or business side.
 25
00:01:11.771 --> 00:01:13.406 And when people would come,
 26
00:01:13.406 --> 00:01:16.443 you know, even when we started casually, when we first got the cows,
 27
00:01:16.443 --> 00:01:18.678 people were saying, thank you so much for doing this.
 28
00:01:18.678 --> 00:01:20.413 I can't believe this is a thing.
 29
00:01:20.413 --> 00:01:21.848 I didn't know this was a thing.
 30
00:01:21.848 --> 00:01:26.553 And compared to what you deal with in a high pressure
 31
00:01:26.553 --> 00:01:30.090 position, I'm like, poop, shovel, poop, shovel.
 32
00:01:30.290 --> 00:01:33.660 That was my zen, you know, that was like, this is the simplest thing
 33
00:01:33.893 --> 00:01:35.061 that I'm going to do today.
 34
00:01:35.061 --> 00:01:38.465 And that really inspired me to focus more
 35
00:01:38.731 --> 00:01:41.734 on that being a bigger part of my life.
 36
00:01:41.734 --> 00:01:44.304 How do you balance responsibilities while being an entrepreneur?
 37
00:01:44.304 --> 00:01:47.006 Trying to market towards cow cuddling?
 38
00:01:47.006 --> 00:01:48.842 And also life coaching.
 39
00:01:48.842 --> 00:01:50.110 Balance does not exist.
 40
00:01:50.110 --> 00:01:53.113 Like that's definitely something I'm still looking for.
 41
00:01:53.213 --> 00:01:56.583 I think when you're passionate about something, when you're
 42
00:01:56.583 --> 00:02:00.920 trying to get stuff done, I think that is a 24/7 job.
 43
00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:04.524 So I am personally working toward just finding that balance.
 44
00:02:04.524 --> 00:02:07.760 I find it now a little bit more easily with the cows, you know, when I'm
 45
00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:11.297 taking care of them, I'm pacing myself to enjoy the process.
 46
00:02:11.397 --> 00:02:13.466 Trying to listen to my own advice.
 47
00:02:13.466 --> 00:02:17.070 So the balance, it's not just something that you turn on and off.
 48
00:02:17.070 --> 00:02:19.439 I think that's something you have to be mindful of.
 49
00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:20.940 Of when are you turning the phone off?
 50
00:02:20.940 --> 00:02:24.210 When are you saying, no, I can't, you know, do this or
 51
00:02:24.410 --> 00:02:27.180 I want to do this, but we're going to schedule it for next week.
 52
00:02:27.180 --> 00:02:28.748 So I think definitely the balance
 53
00:02:28.748 --> 00:02:31.751 part of it is something you have to continually work on.
 54
00:02:31.951 --> 00:02:36.322 As far as balancing different businesses or different roles
 55
00:02:36.422 --> 00:02:39.993 kind of naturally happens if you have different priorities
 56
00:02:39.993 --> 00:02:42.729 at different times and different focuses at different times.
 57
00:02:42.729 --> 00:02:44.631 For me, life coaching is very passive.
 58
00:02:44.631 --> 00:02:45.565 It's something I do.
 59
00:02:45.565 --> 00:02:48.568 It's something that if people are interested, I provide those services.
 60
00:02:48.568 --> 00:02:50.670 It's not my main focus right now.
 61
00:02:50.670 --> 00:02:52.639 My main focus is my fur babies.
 62
00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:55.375 But I think you can't be 100% at everything.
 63
00:02:55.375 --> 00:02:59.846 So I think really having a focus of what you want to prioritize.
 64
00:03:00.046 --> 00:03:02.515 And then there's definitely other things you can do,
 65
00:03:02.515 --> 00:03:05.985 but that main focus is going to take the majority of your attention.
 

I recommend diversifying your education by embracing every learning opportunity, whether through college, trade school, mentorship, or on-the-job experience. Never pass up a chance to expand your knowledge. While my specific educational path didn’t directly prepare me for my current work, I believe that all the learning you gain throughout life equips you to pursue any opportunity that comes your way and aids in the ability to create your own path.

I became a mother at 16 years old. Being a teen parent really changes you into a go-getter. If you don't know how to do something, you figure it out. Don't default to outsourcing. I've carried that go-getter mentality with me throughout my life.

As the owner of Brandywine Cow Cuddles, my days are all about helping people find peace and comfort through unique experiences. I welcome visitors—many struggling with anxiety or stress—to connect with my gentle cows. Whether brushing their fur or simply sitting quietly beside them, I get to witness people relax and heal. What started as a simple joy for my daughter and me has grown into a fulfilling mission of spreading calm and kindness.

Owner

I should have a salary position and be more stable.

Making A Career Change And Incorporating More Balance

I'm curious, like
 2
00:00:00.834 --> 00:00:04.170 so you mentioned a lot of like career transitions and like different roles.
 3
00:00:04.604 --> 00:00:07.407 Can you talk to like what the thought process of when you thought,
 4
00:00:07.407 --> 00:00:09.175 like what you were thinking when you were like leaving?
 5
00:00:09.175 --> 00:00:12.045 When, how did you know it was time to go or move on to the next thing?
 6
00:00:12.045 --> 00:00:13.079 It's such an interesting question.
 7
00:00:13.079 --> 00:00:16.483 I feel like I've been like self psychoanalyzing because
 8
00:00:16.683 --> 00:00:20.687 trying to figure out like what sets me on this sort of path.
 9
00:00:20.687 --> 00:00:23.890 And I will say when I got my career start in the military.
 10
00:00:23.890 --> 00:00:27.761 The military does rotate positions every 2 to 3 years.
 11
00:00:28.395 --> 00:00:29.295 So in my career,
 12
00:00:29.295 --> 00:00:33.833 like you would go and be assigned or stationed at a billet for two years
 13
00:00:33.833 --> 00:00:36.069 and then you got there, you got up to speed
 14
00:00:36.069 --> 00:00:38.338 really quickly, you mastered it, you did your thing,
 15
00:00:38.338 --> 00:00:40.206 and then you were reassigned to another assignment.
 16
00:00:40.206 --> 00:00:43.443 And then I went into consulting, and consulting is very similarly
 17
00:00:43.443 --> 00:00:44.411 the same, right?
 18
00:00:44.411 --> 00:00:48.048 You go in, you work with a customer, maybe six months, maybe eight months,
 19
00:00:48.048 --> 00:00:49.449 but then you're on to the next thing.
 20
00:00:49.449 --> 00:00:53.620 And so I think for one, in my like neural pathways, very early on in my career,
 21
00:00:54.054 --> 00:00:57.357 I got honed in on I want to get in, I want to address
 22
00:00:57.357 --> 00:00:58.658 a meaty challenge and problem.
 23
00:00:58.658 --> 00:01:00.760 I want to get it stable or, you know, solve it,
 24
00:01:00.760 --> 00:01:02.695 and then I want to find the next thing.
 25
00:01:02.695 --> 00:01:05.698 And so now in my career, as I look back, I'm like, okay
 26
00:01:05.932 --> 00:01:08.635 45 years, you know, post military
 27
00:01:08.635 --> 00:01:11.604 and McKinsey, it's kind of been my runway.
 28
00:01:11.604 --> 00:01:13.273 Get in, take on the job,
 29
00:01:13.273 --> 00:01:17.010 you know, work the job, hopefully master it, leave it better than I found it,
 30
00:01:17.010 --> 00:01:18.344 and then find the next thing.
 31
00:01:18.344 --> 00:01:22.115 And I feel like we're seeing more and more of that, like our generation,
 32
00:01:22.148 --> 00:01:23.716 your generation, others,
 33
00:01:23.716 --> 00:01:26.886 you know, aren't going to stay in most places for 20, 30, 40 years.
 34
00:01:27.720 --> 00:01:29.622 And I think that's okay.
 

2024 TSOC Roadtrip
veteran
coast-guard
advanced-degree

A technology degree and MBA would be more helpful in my current role, though I wouldn't say they're required if you have enough life experience.

I wake up around 5 a.m., start my day with coffee, and get a head start on emails and work while the house is still quiet. After a workout, I head to a coffee shop for my first meeting, usually with a potential customer or investor. The rest of my morning and afternoon consist of internal team meetings, strategy sessions, emails, customer demos or pitch meetings, community events, and meetings for the external Boards I'm involved with.

Why would you make that career change? You're on a pathway to make a lot of money and that's a huge pay cut.

Knowing When It’s Time For A Job Transition

I feel like technology has evolved
 2
00:00:01.935 --> 00:00:05.205 a lot in like even the past decade or even like the last year or two.
 3
00:00:05.205 --> 00:00:07.240 I'm curious, like how that has like shifted
 4
00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:10.877 how you're thinking about like that medium of, like art and technology?
 5
00:00:11.378 --> 00:00:12.445 Yeah, totally.
 6
00:00:12.445 --> 00:00:16.149 I think, you know, I work in a space here at New Inc.
 7
00:00:16.149 --> 00:00:19.686 where I'm surrounded by artists who are all about early adoption, right?
 8
00:00:19.686 --> 00:00:23.256 Who are tinkering and playing and asking hard questions
 9
00:00:23.256 --> 00:00:26.292 when new technology makes it into society.
 10
00:00:26.292 --> 00:00:28.328 And so I don't think of
 11
00:00:29.329 --> 00:00:30.697 these
 12
00:00:30.697 --> 00:00:34.434 early adoption moments as like dissimilar from things we've seen in the past.
 13
00:00:34.434 --> 00:00:37.070 For example, like now, there are many members of our community
 14
00:00:37.070 --> 00:00:41.207 who are thinking about A.I., the creative opportunities, you know,
 15
00:00:41.307 --> 00:00:45.812 using AI, the social implications of using AI, and I think quite frequently
 16
00:00:45.812 --> 00:00:50.083 about how it must have felt like when the camera was introduced, right?
 17
00:00:50.083 --> 00:00:53.853 As an artistic medium and how there was pushback, definitely, right,
 18
00:00:53.987 --> 00:00:58.024 because many people saw it as a scientific objective tool and, you know, like,
 19
00:00:58.158 --> 00:00:58.525 what do you mean?
 20
00:00:58.525 --> 00:00:59.692 You're making artwork with this?
 21
00:00:59.692 --> 00:01:01.628 Like the camera does all the work, right?
 22
00:01:01.628 --> 00:01:05.598 But clearly, we've come to recognize that photography is a very creative
 23
00:01:05.832 --> 00:01:06.433 medium, right?
 24
00:01:06.433 --> 00:01:09.035 Where the person behind the camera is making all kinds
 25
00:01:09.035 --> 00:01:12.238 of subjective decisions and very artful and thoughtful decisions.
 26
00:01:12.238 --> 00:01:12.605 Right.
 27
00:01:12.605 --> 00:01:15.909 And I think we're like in emerging media in A.I.
 28
00:01:15.909 --> 00:01:19.512 specifically's like infancy. We don't quite yet know, like,
 29
00:01:19.712 --> 00:01:21.681 what can happen with it right.
 30
00:01:21.681 --> 00:01:24.384 But there's a lot of room to play right now.
 31
00:01:24.384 --> 00:01:28.621 And are you seeing the artists like, dabbling right now?
 32
00:01:28.721 --> 00:01:33.693 Oh for sure, dabbling with everything, from generative visuals, generative sound.
 33
00:01:34.060 --> 00:01:35.829 And there's so many ways to think about A.I. right?
 34
00:01:35.829 --> 00:01:38.832 Like from process to output, right?
 35
00:01:38.865 --> 00:01:41.901 There probably many artists that you see and know
 36
00:01:41.901 --> 00:01:44.904 that are working in traditional forms that are incorporating A.I.
 37
00:01:44.904 --> 00:01:47.540 as part of the process, but it doesn't quite
 38
00:01:47.540 --> 00:01:50.710 come out in the final form like a painting, right, or sculpture.
 39
00:01:50.710 --> 00:01:52.312 And then there are some artists who like,
 40
00:01:52.312 --> 00:01:55.081 The AI is the final form.
 41
00:01:55.081 --> 00:01:56.616 You see it happen in front of you.
 

Creativity doesn't start in a static place where you've gathered your tools and supplies. It happens out in the world. So go out and explore where creativity happens. Go to the NEW INC demo festival, or find a creative expo in your area. Find inspiration with other people in community. Network and bounce your ideas off others.

My days are vibrant and full of discovery as I support interdisciplinary creators working across art, design, and technology. Each day brings inspiring collaborations with innovative individuals shaping new paths in storytelling, architecture, and immersive realities. Guiding our 60+ project cohorts, I learn alongside them, embracing curiosity and creativity.

Director

Evolution Of Art And Technology

So something I'm really interested in is
 2
00:00:02.736 --> 00:00:05.739 how the Department of Education
 3
00:00:05.872 --> 00:00:09.843 kind of approaches generational challenges because I feel like for our generation
 4
00:00:09.843 --> 00:00:13.646 we've had a lot of unique challenges and I'm really interested
 5
00:00:13.680 --> 00:00:17.684 how the Department of Education adapts to the current educational landscape.
 6
00:00:17.817 --> 00:00:20.453 I think it is really critical to keep up to date.
 7
00:00:20.453 --> 00:00:24.424 And you know, one thing I found working on education, we've all had experiences
 8
00:00:24.424 --> 00:00:27.427 with the education systems ourselves and through family members,
 9
00:00:27.460 --> 00:00:29.863 but in some cases things have changed.
 10
00:00:29.863 --> 00:00:34.534 And, you know, the way we pay for college has changed a lot since that time
 11
00:00:34.534 --> 00:00:38.471 that I was enrolled And when we talk about the problems
 12
00:00:38.471 --> 00:00:43.043 of student debt, for example, we see people borrowing a lot more money
 13
00:00:43.143 --> 00:00:47.981 and more likely to struggle with those loans than they used to be.
 14
00:00:48.114 --> 00:00:52.118 So I think it's really important to try to stay up to date, to
 15
00:00:52.519 --> 00:00:54.020 not assume you know the answers.
 16
00:00:54.020 --> 00:00:58.558 And part of that is listening to students and to people that work directly
 17
00:00:58.558 --> 00:01:03.558 with students to get the best possible insight into what their lives are like.
 18
00:01:04.064 --> 00:01:08.068 And I think it's important to pay close attention to the data as well
 19
00:01:08.068 --> 00:01:11.304 so that you can put together individual experiences
 20
00:01:11.304 --> 00:01:14.507 with a sense for how many people are going through the same thing.
 21
00:01:14.841 --> 00:01:19.841 And we know that a college degree can be a big boost for everyone,
 22
00:01:19.979 --> 00:01:23.516 and that includes students of color or students from low income backgrounds.
 23
00:01:23.550 --> 00:01:26.553 And so we've made very large
 24
00:01:26.553 --> 00:01:29.589 investments in student debt relief.
 25
00:01:29.989 --> 00:01:34.494 And then we're also looking at where is all this unaffordable debt coming from.
 26
00:01:34.694 --> 00:01:38.798 you know, it is still the case that a lot of unaffordable loans
 27
00:01:38.798 --> 00:01:41.801 come from for profit colleges, unfortunately,
 28
00:01:42.068 --> 00:01:45.538 And what we have said to them is, you know, it's not okay
 29
00:01:45.538 --> 00:01:48.808 if you're leaving most of your graduates with loans they can't afford.
 30
00:01:48.808 --> 00:01:51.144 You've got to either improve the value
 31
00:01:51.144 --> 00:01:54.147 that you're offering students or we're going to cut off
 32
00:01:54.447 --> 00:01:58.751 loan eligibility and ask students to find a better choice elsewhere.
 33
00:01:59.052 --> 00:02:03.323 if we have high expectations for our students and we give them
 34
00:02:03.323 --> 00:02:06.626 the kind of support they need, you know, they can achieve great things.
 35
00:02:06.793 --> 00:02:09.796 And I think thankfully, you know, more and more colleges
 36
00:02:09.796 --> 00:02:13.299 are starting to change their minds about whether they're there to, you know,
 37
00:02:13.299 --> 00:02:16.636 to weed students out, are really there to help all students succeed.
 

2024 VOHE Roadtrip
Virtual interview but works in Washington, DC USA.
advanced-degree

I focus on higher education and student aid, ensuring college is accessible and affordable for all. My days involve collaborating with students, educators, and policymakers to improve student loan programs and expand loan forgiveness opportunities for public servants. Balancing policy development and operational work, I aim to create pathways for everyone to gain credentials that lead to meaningful careers and better lives.

Under Secretary of Education, 2021–2025

Education Needs To Adapt To The Current Landscape

What was it like transitioning from that sort of hands
 2
00:00:03.803 --> 00:00:08.803 on experience to the leadership experience with Qualifi?
 3
00:00:08.942 --> 00:00:13.942 My answer is it was difficult to go from productivity being tied to the task
 4
00:00:14.547 --> 00:00:19.547 list that I get completed when I was like, a IC individual contributor to now
 5
00:00:20.286 --> 00:00:23.790 it's about the whole of like, what does my team get done?
 6
00:00:23.923 --> 00:00:26.826 And I'm not necessarily the person like doing the work.
 7
00:00:27.060 --> 00:00:27.660 Right.
 8
00:00:27.827 --> 00:00:30.930 So for example, when we first started Qualifi for like the
 9
00:00:30.997 --> 00:00:34.768 first two years, I was marketing and I was sales and I was design,
 10
00:00:34.901 --> 00:00:37.937 I was on sales calls, I was cold emailing.
 11
00:00:38.538 --> 00:00:43.109 I was creating marketing campaigns that were trash, to be honest,
 12
00:00:44.177 --> 00:00:47.414 compared to what we do now and making designs that were way
 13
00:00:47.414 --> 00:00:48.982 worse than what we would do now.
 14
00:00:48.982 --> 00:00:52.185 And so for me, at the time, I was always busy,
 15
00:00:52.285 --> 00:00:55.355 so I always tied myself to like, busy is good.
 16
00:00:55.855 --> 00:00:57.957 And now I'm in this weird state of like
 17
00:00:58.992 --> 00:01:01.061 if I'm busy, that's probably actually not good.
 18
00:01:01.061 --> 00:01:04.431 Now it's about the high level metrics more so.
 19
00:01:04.431 --> 00:01:07.534 You go from the little like, did
 20
00:01:07.534 --> 00:01:10.837 I complete the activity to like what's the high level metric month over month?
 21
00:01:11.337 --> 00:01:13.807 I'm like, I have never thought about months in advance ever.
 22
00:01:13.940 --> 00:01:16.543 Like people ask me, what am I doing next week?
 23
00:01:16.543 --> 00:01:17.343 I'm like, I don't know.
 24
00:01:17.343 --> 00:01:21.047 Like, so it's just a very different skill set.
 25
00:01:21.047 --> 00:01:23.249 And I did not know I was ready for it.
 26
00:01:23.249 --> 00:01:26.619 Like, I don't think I still don't think I'm necessarily ready for it.
 27
00:01:27.020 --> 00:01:28.388 I'm learning to adapt to it.
 28
00:01:28.388 --> 00:01:32.292 But now I'm in this weird space of like, wow, I'm like, not that person anymore.
 29
00:01:32.992 --> 00:01:37.992 There's what, four or five people that I have one on ones with every week
 30
00:01:38.731 --> 00:01:41.868 and I'm trying to help them navigate what they're trying to execute.
 31
00:01:41.935 --> 00:01:44.370 So it's like very different, very, very different.
 

I'd recommend computer science, finance and accounting, or sales. These are all great skills to have. Entrepreneurship is more about willingness than anything, so no major will give you that.

Transitioning To A Leadership Position When Starting A Company

What was it like transitioning from that sort of hands
 2
00:00:03.803 --> 00:00:08.803 on experience to the leadership experience with Qualifi?
 3
00:00:08.908 --> 00:00:12.212 I think current day, we're in like a transition period
 4
00:00:12.912 --> 00:00:15.982 for me for sure as a leader.
 5
00:00:16.116 --> 00:00:16.349 You know,
 6
00:00:16.349 --> 00:00:17.917 one thing that I've learned over the course of this year
 7
00:00:17.917 --> 00:00:22.917 is just like actually how much impact I can have on an individual on the team
 8
00:00:24.190 --> 00:00:29.190 or the team as a whole and how people may or may not respond to things.
 9
00:00:29.529 --> 00:00:33.433 And I'm very used to being busy and doing a lot of stuff.
 10
00:00:33.433 --> 00:00:36.336 But like that also can come with its disadvantages,
 11
00:00:36.336 --> 00:00:40.140 like everyone has to, you know, put a lot of energy in.
 12
00:00:40.173 --> 00:00:42.342 We all wear a lot of different hats.
 13
00:00:42.342 --> 00:00:46.813 And so now there's more responsibility for me to be responsive.
 14
00:00:46.813 --> 00:00:49.649 And that's something I've had a challenge with, is just
 15
00:00:50.316 --> 00:00:53.253 responding anywhere, like texting my friends and,
 16
00:00:54.120 --> 00:00:57.390 you know, responding to our Slack channels, responding to email.
 17
00:00:57.390 --> 00:00:59.726 Those things can all be a big challenge.
 18
00:00:59.726 --> 00:01:01.528 And then also like setting proper direction,
 19
00:01:01.528 --> 00:01:03.129 like there's more people on the team and like,
 20
00:01:03.129 --> 00:01:05.732 they need clarity on like where we're going.
 21
00:01:05.732 --> 00:01:08.668 And that's something that, you know, when it's a small team like you talk,
 22
00:01:09.302 --> 00:01:11.838 everyone kind of hears everything all the time.
 23
00:01:11.838 --> 00:01:16.242 And so like it's easier to like not have to do that in a very clear cut way.
 24
00:01:16.242 --> 00:01:17.877 And now I feel like,
 25
00:01:17.877 --> 00:01:21.581 yeah, I need to do a better job of like having clear cut directives
 26
00:01:21.581 --> 00:01:24.484 and vision and like where we're going, why we're doing what we're doing.
 27
00:01:24.784 --> 00:01:26.553 And so that's, you know, a transition
 28
00:01:26.553 --> 00:01:30.623 and a challenge that I feel like I'm learning how to navigate as we speak.
 29
00:01:30.657 --> 00:01:33.093 And then when it comes to like the early days versus now,
 30
00:01:33.093 --> 00:01:36.830 I'm an ideator and a visionary person.
 31
00:01:36.963 --> 00:01:39.499 And so I get a lot of joy and fulfillment out of like
 32
00:01:39.933 --> 00:01:43.069 having an idea, getting it in motion and seeing it come to life.
 33
00:01:43.203 --> 00:01:45.672 And I still get to do that.
 34
00:01:45.672 --> 00:01:50.076 But now it has to be in unison with the overarching
 35
00:01:50.443 --> 00:01:51.878 strategic goals of the company.
 36
00:01:51.878 --> 00:01:54.347 I can't just be like, Hey, I have this idea, let's go do it,
 37
00:01:54.681 --> 00:01:57.584 because I already probably gave like a bunch of other ideas
 38
00:01:57.951 --> 00:02:01.921 a couple of weeks ago and those are being tested, validated, or
 39
00:02:02.322 --> 00:02:04.958 put in the queue basically for a future date.
 40
00:02:05.125 --> 00:02:06.226 Yeah, it's just a difference.
 41
00:02:06.226 --> 00:02:09.662 I enjoy every like I'm enjoying every stage,
 42
00:02:10.363 --> 00:02:11.898 but just learning how different they are.
 

I’m an entrepreneur and I don’t think being an entrepreneur requires a degree. However, it can help depending on what sort of business you want to start. So I’d recommend following your interests and what you're good at, and as you gain experience in the world, it may spark an idea and the know-how to get a business started.

Each day is never the same but generally speaking, I’m focused on aligning the team around strategy and helping in different areas, like sales and product, to make sure we are progressing as a company.

Transitioning To A Leadership Position

So how do you know when is the right time to make a move?
 2
00:00:04.471 --> 00:00:07.540 Up until I was 32.
 3
00:00:07.574 --> 00:00:08.775 31, you know,
 4
00:00:08.775 --> 00:00:12.645 I feel like I was living just to live and not really finding out what I needed
 5
00:00:12.645 --> 00:00:14.848 to do in life. You know, it was a lot of searching.
 6
00:00:14.848 --> 00:00:18.051 I was in the right areas, you know, military, law enforcement,
 7
00:00:18.051 --> 00:00:20.320 firefighting is all pretty much under the same umbrella.
 8
00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:22.489 You know, you're at service to someone.
 9
00:00:22.489 --> 00:00:25.825 But finding that passion, if you can wake up and
 10
00:00:25.892 --> 00:00:28.895 not feel like you're going to work and it feels like you're going somewhere fun
 11
00:00:29.062 --> 00:00:31.197 then you found it and that's where you need to be.
 12
00:00:31.197 --> 00:00:32.399 When you feel like you're living
 13
00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:34.868 in the wrong shoes, it really drags on you big time.
 14
00:00:34.868 --> 00:00:37.303 So it just wasn't enjoyable. And that's that was that switch.
 15
00:00:37.303 --> 00:00:39.305 It was like, there has to be something else,
 16
00:00:39.305 --> 00:00:42.442 you know, I'm not getting any younger and I got to find something I love doing
 17
00:00:42.442 --> 00:00:45.645 and this is not it and I'm fine, right?
 18
00:00:45.845 --> 00:00:46.813 You know where I'm at now?
 19
00:00:46.813 --> 00:00:50.683 I have a job of my dreams since I was a kid, a great wife and a child.
 20
00:00:50.717 --> 00:00:53.720 There's nothing I want to do right now in life to make things better.
 21
00:00:53.720 --> 00:00:56.423 But in the military, only thing I can say is
 22
00:00:56.423 --> 00:00:59.459 what I knew It was time to make a change is when I wasn't happy.
 23
00:00:59.526 --> 00:00:59.993 I grew up.
 24
00:00:59.993 --> 00:01:03.897 My mom is always telling me what's worth having is worth working for.
 25
00:01:03.963 --> 00:01:06.833 She'd always say that if you love what you do every day,
 26
00:01:06.833 --> 00:01:09.269 you're not waking up to a job. You know, you're just happy.
 27
00:01:09.269 --> 00:01:11.171 It's not a job when you love what you do.
 28
00:01:11.171 --> 00:01:12.939 You know, I don't consider this a job.
 29
00:01:12.939 --> 00:01:15.341 It's a huge passion of mine. I enjoy doing that.
 30
00:01:15.341 --> 00:01:19.679 So anything that I can wake up six years later and I'm still excited about work.
 31
00:01:19.679 --> 00:01:22.115 So if I didn't have that and I would probably start
 32
00:01:22.115 --> 00:01:24.517 thinking about something else. But it hasn't come yet.
 

2023 Indiana Roadtrip
veteran
marine-corps
career-change

Change

Transferring Skills Between Passions

Transferring Skills Between Passions

Shana V. White

379 videos on Change: