Continuous Improvement Specialist
Van Meter Inc.
AGE: 29
Who are your local mentors?
Barry Boyer, Alicia Murphy and David Borger-Germann.
What was the best advice you ever received?
“Turn your car into a mobile library” – Barry Boyer. I started listening to audiobooks and probably listen to one a week in my car, mostly business books. Anytime I drive somewhere, it’s an opportunity to learn something new.
What do you know now that you wish you had known earlier in your career?
Meditation can make you more productive. I used to be in the camp that tried meditation and felt like a total failure, but through this book [“The Productivity Project”] and talking to a few other people, I changed my perspective. A mantra is like a rep — and the more reps you do, the better you’re going to get. I’ve seen it totally translate into my work with an ability to focus on tasks and be more mindful, more productive and more grounded emotionally.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support?
I’m passionate about gender issues and the pressures we put on men. I would be focused on organizations that promote true masculinity and don’t feed toxic masculinity. I would support organizations that are doing this like Young Life, RVAP and local homeless shelters, as well as working with local leaders to start something new.
