Known’s VP, Culture + Experience, Cheria Young talks being in the business of humans
Learn how a National Geographic special became a philosophy for life.
Cheria Young, Known’s VP, Culture + Experience, is a true strategist. She’s focused on building a heart-centered culture where people show up with their whole selves to do the best work of their lives. Cheria partners with Known’s business leads to design experiences that nourish culture, inspire employees, and drive strategy.
Since it’s hard to summarize Cheria’s “dizzying past life” in just a few words, we’ll have to give you the Sparknotes. She grew up in the music industry as a studio vocalist, later touring the world as a backup singer. In college Cheria “rebelled” against said music life to study theology, which changed her life in ways she didn’t expect, but set her north star to apply meaning through her work. Eventually her journey led her to the innovation space within the nonprofit sector. Her most recent nonprofit role was leading innovation and building out transformative culture initiatives at ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This work helped earn St. Jude the top spot on Fast Company’s Best Workplace for Innovators in 2020. Now at Known, Cheria is taking all the lessons learned from her earlier pursuits to drive innovation for our growing team of Knowners.
Recently, Cheria spoke with Justin Barnett, host of the ADcademics podcast, a beginner’s guide to advertising designed to help anyone interested in better understanding the industry. She spoke about being in the business of humans, creating environments that hold fast to our values, and how non-linear career paths are fruitful journeys.
On bringing your whole self to work
It’s no secret that companies throw around the buzzword “culture” so much it’s almost meaningless. With the ongoing pandemic shifting how we work, companies are realizing that their cultures cannot slip through the cracks. It’s a crucial factor that helps companies drive success. As VP, Culture + Experience at Known, Cheria is constantly looking at the experience Known is providing for its workforce “with the eye towards making an environment in which employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work,” she says. It means valuing deep diversity — of experience, background, interests, hobbies, and all the pieces that make up you. “We want you to bring the entire kind of repertoire of who you are into the work environment,” adds Cheria. “Because we believe if you bring your whole self to work, then you’re going to be happier in what you do. You’re not going to be fragmenting yourself. And that means you have a chance of being able to do the best work of your life.”
Known prides itself on having invested in culture from the beginning, insisting that the way employees show up to work and the experiences they have will make all the difference in producing innovative outcomes for our clients.
“It’s funny because I don’t tell a lot of people that I studied theology when I tell my story. Not because I’m ashamed of it — I’m proud of it — but it feels strange and I want to hold back. At Known, our CEO, Kern Schireson, studied philosophy. Our President, Ross Martin, studied poetry. We have this incredibly eclectic group of people coming together to supercharge award-winning work for our clients.”
“If you bring your whole self to work, then you’re going to be happier in what you do. You’re not going to be fragmenting yourself. And that means you have a chance of being able to do the best work of your life.”
On the importance of work culture
Cheria says people need to stay inspired, passionate, and excited by problems to solve. “When I think of starting a job and looking at the culture of an organization, I think, ‘How is that culture going to grow me as a human? Who am I going to become as a result of working for this company?’ And also, ‘What is it that I can propagate within this company?’”
While culture is what Cheria spends her time rallying, building culture is the role of every single employee. A strong work culture is an opportunity for all employees to bring the best version of themselves to the table or Zoom room.
Cheria insists companies must understand that their employees possess an amalgamation of talents. “We need to be able to bring them all [to work] because it’s going to help us feel good about what we do… I know that Known values culture — they were willing to hire me because that’s literally what my life is about.”
On following a leader when taking a new job
While many people follow company names or titles, there’s a certain level of bravery that comes with following a trusted someone who you want to learn from. “I think if there’s one piece of advice I can give to any young person,” begins Cheria, “In your life, you will have a short list of people that you deeply admire and that you respect. And when you look at that list, if someone on that list comes to you and says, ‘Hey, would you be interested in working with me, or volunteering with me or spending some time working on this project with me?’ Don’t walk, run to that opportunity.”
And Cheria did just that when she joined Known. Aside from joining Known because she knew that innovation was inherently embedded within the company DNA, she decided to follow a leader, Known President Ross Martin, whom she had been connected to throughout her work at ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
On the key to a non-linear path to success
Maintain a sense of curiosity about the future and never box yourself in. Trust the process and be brave enough to say yes when a door opens that may have not been expected to open.
Cheria recalls watching a National Geographic show when the narrator said, “Everything we know now is simply an approximation of what we have yet to discover.” Taking it to heart, this sentiment was something she now applies to her own life — to everything including her career path, dreams, goals, and aspirations.
And, in theory, as employees and employers, that’s something we can all apply to our own outlook on work and life. Everything we know now will simply get us closer to what we will soon discover. And that discovery, that ongoing commitment to learning as we practice at Known, is endless.
Listen to the full episode on ADcademics.
