Follow the person, not the position
One compelling reason to never chase prestige
When I was 28, I had a quarter-life crisis —
Armed with a career in consulting and several interesting experiences from travel to Asia, time in San Francisco (I’m in Boston), and cool, meaningful projects at work, I still felt like everything was piecemeal; all over the place.
Where I was didn’t mesh with where I thought I should be at that point in my life.
I was struggling. But I found comfort in the experience and wisdom of my husband’s aunt and uncle — both well established and successful people who themselves had taken very different approaches to their careers.
My uncle built his career based on prestige — working at the best companies with the best brands, achieving the highest level he could every step of the way.
My aunt followed her career path based on who she wanted to be working for —
— identifying a leader she wanted to support and using that as her guide. She started her career out of Wellesley answering phones at a Senator’s office. She didn’t get a traditional (read fancy) job as an analyst or banker. She was answering phones because she wanted to be working for that particular Senator.
And I had never even heard of that path!
I thought if I wasn’t hired by BCG or some other prestigious company, I wasn’t smart enough or good enough. I had focused on the pedigree, like my uncle. So I thought maybe less linear thinking, like my aunt’s, would be good. “Follow the person not the position” — this was really eye-opening for me, and the moment I met Laurel Taylor, Founder & CEO of FutureFuel.io, I put my aunt’s philosophy into action.
I wasn’t sure where her company was going, or what it was going to be, but one thing was clear to me —
If I spent 6 months with her and everything crashed and burned, I’d be in a better position moving forward —
— and it would have been time well spent. FutureFuel.io is a FinTech startup focused on bringing the software to employers to allow them to pay off student debt to their employees as a benefit. The space itself was interesting, but it really was Laurel’s leadership that was a motivating factor for me.
“There’s gotta be a better way, right?” Laurel asked of alleviating the student debt burden, which is now at $1.3T. I believe that there is a better way, and here I am, one year later, with things at FutureFuel.io really beginning to come together.
As the first employee, I have worn many hats and have helped the company progress.
I even found my passion for building product in the process. All the while, I have been both recognized and compensated for my contributions.
When I look back on this past year, it feels like 5 years. I’ve grown so much in that time. I think this is what attracts people to startups. There’s a steep learning curve, and I really enjoy it. Here, we’re just getting started so it’s really exciting and I don’t want to leave. As a person who still feels like she’s evolving in her career, I can tell you this:
My aunt was right — focus on the person, not the position
— and you’ll find yourself in the presence of a great leader, on a high-performing team driving towards a meaningful goal — and with the right rewards and incentives to sustain you as you grow.
Kristen Tyrell is the Chief Product Officer at Rio in the Greater Boston Area. She’s spent her career building innovative solutions to difficult problems. She has worked in management consulting and financial services and believes that business must be a force for good.
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