Hindsight is 20/20, and it is also something young professionals who are just starting their careers won’t have until later down the line. Four leaders of the Corridor’s Largest Privately Held Companies share what they wish someone would have told them at the start of their careers.
Brandon Achen
CEO, West Liberty Foods
“Ask as many questions as you can and learn as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to go try something different… Be willing to take a chance and go take a position somewhere completely new or take on a project that is outside of your wheelhouse. You can do so many other things and learn a lot about yourself just through experiences in your career. Some people like to just do one thing and they’re happy doing it and that’s great. But I encourage anybody that’s getting out of school now to really try a lot of different paths.”
Jennifer Bennett
President, Shive-Hattery
“Be open. Be open to opportunities even if it’s not what you planned. Don’t lose sight of the things that are really important to you. I had a tendency in my younger years to set a goal and then pursue it relentlessly, even if at some point during the journey, I thought, I’m not sure if I should have this goal anymore… I would encourage my younger staff, or my younger self, to step back and make sure that goal is still the right goal… Staying true to yourself and your values is so incredibly important because you can lose sight of all that. Real success is not about a position on a corporate ladder, it’s deeper than that.”
Cari McCoy
CEO, Clickstop Inc.
“I think my biggest advice to my younger self would be to not try to have it all figured out… I really I think, as somebody who really wanted to just get straight to work as soon as college was over, I think I was a little disappointed in myself that it didn’t shape up exactly the way I thought it was going to. And I think it came in due time and it came at the right time, not when I wanted it to come. When it came, it ended up being something completely different… There are so many learning opportunities that I think people navigate away from because it doesn’t fit into their ‘plan.’ They can be huge opportunities, sort of in disguise. So I think that would be my advice. Don’t beat yourself up for veering off course and what you think your path should look like.”
Shea Kelly
CEO, Circle Computer Resources Inc.
“Being a lifelong learner is really important. There’s no such thing as perfection. Have high standards, but know that perfection is not always attainable. So give yourself a break.”
This feature was originally published in the CBJ’s Largest Privately Held Companies magazine.
In 2023, this magazine celebrated its tenth anniversary, after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. It featured a look back through the last decade and a glimpse into the future of the Corridor’s biggest, and most impactful, companies. Through in-depth interviews and people-focussed articles, the magazine explored how these industry titans have supported and inspired their communities through hardship and prosperity, and how they plan to continue their involvement for years to come.
