“I’ve always believed that there was something of value in whatever my circumstances were, even if they felt rough at the time. I tried to learn what I could from each of those experiences.” –Kristen Bashaw
Kristen Bashaw graduated college at the height of the Great Recession, with few job prospects and feeling disillusioned by the “you can do anything you want if you work hard”’ message she received growing up. She shares the mindsets and tools that helped her find her way – and why she thinks curiosity is the key to navigating both work and life.
More About Kristen:
Kristen Bashaw is an adult educator with nearly 10 years of experience in curriculum development and implementation. As director of learning and development for Columbia Hospitality, Kristen designs and delivers training programs that bring out the best in our team members, helping energize and drive them to produce improved business results.
Prior to joining Columbia, Kristen held learning and development positions with Imperative, PitchBook, and Point B. She has extensive experience in performance management, training, mentoring and leadership advancement. She is focused on aligning training opportunities with Columbia’s strategic business needs, including investing in our team members’ growth and assisting clients with customized training programs.
Kristen has her Bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Seattle University, and earned her Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Otis College of Art & Design. In her free time, Kristen enjoys painting, hiking and reading. She is a certified yoga instructor as well as a youth mentor at Year Up.
Highlights
- How the 2008 economic downturn affected Kristen’s career path – and how she navigated the “professional limbo” she found herself in
- The story that Millennials were told about success growing up that turned out to be a “colossal lie”
- The mindset that became critical to Kristen’s ability to find her career path, even when things weren’t looking great
- How Kristen’s curious nature became both an asset and a liability as she navigated her way to a satisfying career
- The pop culture phenomenon that led Kristen to pursue a degree in criminology – and how it turned out to be surprisingly relevant to her current career
- Kristen’s thoughts on who is responsible for your career development: you or your employer?
- Why Kristen thinks companies should make more space for emotions in the workplace – and how she thinks employees (especially women) can begin moving the needle from inside
- How Kristen became a “reluctant yogi” – and how practicing yoga changed not only her negative perception of yoga but also the way she approaches work and life
- The specific lessons Kristen learned from yoga that informs how she interacts with the people at work – and that makes her relationships stronger
- The ah-ha moment that Kristen had about what she needs to do for herself in order to be her best at work
- The “hiking quest” that Kristen committed to at the beginning of 2019, and the creative way that she and her partner bring a piece of each hiking adventure home with them
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Connect with Kristen: Instagram | LinkedIn
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