How My First Boss Impacted My Career Journey
Like most, my first job was not super glamorous on paper. I'm sure if there had been a formal job description, it would have read as your simple retail job – sell a product, ensure the store looks presentable and manage the CRM. Thankfully, the lessons I learned had little to do with the actual position and more to do about how to be successful in life.
1. She taught me to treat people well.
As soon as someone walked into the store, they were greeted and invited to explore. Of course, there was the usual question of 'what are you looking for today?', but more significant than that was this vibe that we cared about your needs, how your family was and how happy you were with previous purchases. It wasn't just an opening line, nor something we were trained to do, it was how Josie treated everyone, and that permeated the environment. When you saw how she treated people, you did the same.
Josie believed in our community; she believed in being more significant than a brick-and-mortar store. We were empowered to make the experience delightful for our customers, every time. I can't tell you how many times I would bring out catalogs from the back to order the perfect shoe for a special occasion or send people home with many shoes out on approval to allow them to try shoes out for a while to make the right purchase decision. Josie knew that treating people with respect and kindness meant they would be happier and more confident with their choices, and they would come back time and again.
This lesson of treating people well is timeless. I can not tell you how important this is, especially in the corporate world. I choose daily to stay true to the lessons Josie taught me through her actions. I smile and greet everyone I see at work; I find ways to acknowledge others in ways they appreciate and try to make lasting connections with each person because people always have a way of coming back into your life.
I also know when something isn't healthy for me because I am not receiving back what I'm giving. I've learned to appreciate genuine kindness, and if that isn't returned, then I know when it is time to move forward.
2. She allowed me to do the things I was brilliant at doing.
If I'm honest, I wasn't great at the job of selling shoes. My calling was to create wondrous window displays to bring people into the store. (Think Macy's Christmas window display 24/7.) Gregg, Josie's better half, had created magical window displays for the store that I enjoyed for years before joining the Bootery. When I came on board, he shifted to another career path, opening the door for me to be the creator. Sixteen-year-old Brooke would spend hours pouring through his previous display pieces, promotional items, and dreaming up new ways to make the two huge wrap-around windows the talk of the town. I created these displays before Pinterest and Instagram…these displays were straight from a creative vision to execution. I spent hours up in the windows getting everything just right. One of my most favorite was a simple cardboard box with holes filled with cut up tissue paper. I tied a string to a little contraption, and it moved the box back and forth, gently shaking the paper out like the first snowfall.
As much as I loved creating these displays, when I look back, it wasn't my genius that made this happen. It was Josie allowing me to contribute in a way only I could for the business. This lesson has followed me my entire life. Because of this, I've always known I can do whatever I want to do. I've never been tied to a job description because I know I contribute my best when I focus on my curiosities and strengths in unexpected, yet valued ways.
3. She taught me it is not family or a career, they are both your life, and you don't need to choose one over the other to be successful.
Both of Josie's children were in college when I started working at the Bootery. They called her all the time for advice, and when that call would come in, she would drop everything to pick it up. Her family stopped by the Bootery regularly to bring in home-baked Lebanese bread, spending time chatting and laughing. There was never a choice to be made; both the Bootery and her family were equally as important to her. She treated each of them with the care and attention they needed to grow.
When we started our own family, this lesson is one I reflect on regularly. Although it doesn't always feel perfect, I know that what matters is continuously nurturing each to feel fulfilled and successful. With so much out there about work/life balance and questioning, if you can have it all, I encourage you to take each day and live it to your fullest. Work won't always fill you up; sometimes a cuddle is precisely what you need. Other days it is all about a presentation that you aced, and dinner is something you pick up on the way home. In the end, it isn't about trying to be everything to everyone; it is giving what you can for that day.
I am grateful for the lessons I learned in my first job. In reflection, I know how extraordinary this job was and how it has shaped me into the person that I am today. If you are a leader reading this, I hope that your takeaway is the knowledge that how you treat people and the opportunities you afford do matter. Someone is always looking to you to help them craft their understanding of how the world works. If you are starting, I encourage you to look at your leaders with a curiosity mindset – what can you learn from them? Years from now, you will realize that the way you looked at your first leaders and the lessons you learned will form who you will be in the future.