Meet Nancy Nash!
Alumni Profile Interviews Series
Nancy Nash took part in the August 2016 MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, also known as “Class 4”, that was held on the MIT campus at the Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Nancy lives in Sacramento, California, and is originally from Massachusetts.
She currently works as a personal trainer, seeing clients throughout the day and helping them with their goals, physical and otherwise. She also runs a charitable organisation called “Fit for Girls”, which is an exercise and empowerment program for middle school girls that prepares them physically and mentally to run their first 5k. On the sidelines, Nancy is developing a project that utilizes scientific principles of behavior change to help people live their best lives, teaching them how to access the motivation they need to make their great dreams a reality.
“You don’t know me until…”
“… you know that I’m the oldest of 11 children. Also, that I come off as bubbly and energetic but that I do actually run out of energy.”
“What was life like, before and after Bootcamp?”
“Bootcamp didn’t change anything major in my life, maybe this sounds like a statement that’s not really fair to the program, but the whole Bootcamp experience in fact taught and reinforced to me certain aspects of myself. For instance, I was not the youngest amongst applicants, so I already knew that if I had to pull a week of all-nighters I could — and I did! It was mind-blowing to connect with so many amazing minds and realise that I could be a leader among them. To help convey the biggest learning about myself I like to reference Zootopia [the animation movie], it’s a perfect analogy for how I felt before Bootcamp: I wanted to prove that I was not just another bunny, “not a token bunny cop”. I quite honestly wasn’t sure that I belonged among the calibre of minds that were being represented at MIT. But I’m delighted to say that I came out of Bootcamp with a greater sense of who I am as a leader, and how I can effectively lead others. I really have to thank my group, a very diverse group of individuals, that taught me a lot about how I communicate with others — both good and not good. About the Bootcamp experience itself, when people are put under pressure (as the program was designed to do) they react, and when the pressure is from all angles and with total strangers, it’s an amazing way to learn about your strengths and weaknesses and how you can use it all to not just start a company, but also live a better life. I learnt a lot, even if I did not come out and start the next Amazon.”
What’s one best moment or highlight from Bootcamp?
“Finishing at the end felt fabulous! Also, some of the connections made there outweigh anything else. I am very much a “people person”, I value relationships, and being able to meet some participants beforehand and work on a project really set me up for knowing who I wanted to meet on the first day there. At Bootcamp some early morning conversations (getting there early, having breakfast) were truly amazing. Learning from people younger and older than me truly inspired me. I’d say the connection parts outweigh any given little moment. Times when I had to let go of control were really good for me. I am the oldest of 11, I know I am a control freak and sometimes don’t give people the opportunity to shine: I want to do it all, so there, I had the opportunity to see myself through a different lens.”
Did you experience a nightmare moment at Bootcamp?
“There were definitely some tough moments. I knew what they were trying to do, but I still fell for it! I am passionate and emotional, I broke down crying a few times because I did not feel listened to and valued, and then I was almost ashamed for breaking down and crying, but I think that was a valuable experience: when we’re that low, we’re really open to reach out for help and what others have to offer. Also it was really interesting to meet Bootcampers from previous classes who were there, who mentored, or just showed up for the day. Tony and Billy were very calming and sobering, each in their own ways. I did not even know that Tony is a lot younger than me, he said such wise things.
I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet people from other classes, this definitely spoke to the impact of the program, being around that energy was a very unique experience. On the last day: I met quite a few Alumni, at that time I probably had more mental capacity to realise they were there, and wanted to talk to them. That part really motivates me for wanting to make the Alumni Reunion happen.”
On entrepreneurship and founding a startup: do you feel entrepreneurial, and where would you place yourself on the spectrum?
“We often think of entrepreneurship as meaning starting a company from the ground up, maybe against all odds, but the spirit of entrepreneurship I think does live within many of us. I know that the spirit of wanting to solve problems lives strongly within me, in that sense I feel entrepreneurial. I realise that Bootcamp made me brave enough to take on the role of Executive Director with the Fit for Girls charity organisation. I would categorise myself as a “reluctant leader” sometimes, I definitely have a tendency to underestimate my leadership abilities. I think an entrepreneur needs to be a natural leader in some sense, it’s about a curiosity that lives within you: that’s the part that I have, even though don’t have a business yet. My desire is to leave something behind for a better world. There are entrepreneurs who start companies that fail, but you don’t fail as an entrepreneur until you stop having that curiosity and willingness to try.”
Did someone influence you in the direction of entrepreneurship?
“I’ve realised only recently (in front of Lucie, when I met her in person) that with the passing of my dad, even though I looked at him as a failure in that sense, he was an entrepreneur: he started an entertainment business. Some people told him it was a foolish endeavour, but he had his strong personal ideas, and did some things really well. I’m still trying to learn from his mistakes. He would never have done a survey, he did things his way. What guides my approach to entrepreneurship now is a blend between the Bootcamp teachings (e.g. making sure your customer wants what you’re going to deliver, market testing, interviewing possible markets etc.) and my dad’s passion of “I want to do this and nothing else”. Those are the 2 things that together inspire me that entrepreneurship can work. My grandpa passed away too, and on the side he had started to be an entertainer which is why my dad made it his full time career. I feel I could carry on their legacy in some way, if I succeed in making these elements work together — although I have no desire to become an entertainer!”
What’s your personal definition of success?
“I think a lot about not just how I, but how we all as people, define success. It’s not just reaching some grand big goal. It’s measurable every day, in multiple capacities in our lives. Today, I can be successful in my relationships at work, in executing my work, in caring for my family (those near and far), or by just cleaning the bathroom. Adding up all the small daily successes is incredibly important to quantify and lead up to the bigger, larger goals (like entrepreneurship). I think it’s very important to quantify and acknowledge the progress. When it gets hard to measure, that’s when our motivation lacks the most. I see a direct correlation.”
“I feel that it’s unfortunate that sometimes even our big successes will fade over time and become intangible. We ask ourselves “was it really me who did that?” So I ask myself: how do we keep memories fresh and use them as momentum for the future?”
”I think that most people don’t realise that they are already a success. We have a million choices that we can make each day, to just accept the given, or to question and create something new. We must look at the whole array of information and ask ourselves “what will I choose to do today with this information, who will I choose to be today?” That’s what I try to pass on to the middle school girls that I work with: I want them to be aware that they have a choice.”
What does a typical weekday in your life look like?
“It can be very varied. That’s part of the beauty of this position I’m in. My schedule is ever-changing. Some clients are very regular. Being as flexible as possible has taught me a lot. I usually get up at 5.30–6 am, have some breakfast, and do some cardiovascular exercise for myself in the am, it’s one of the little things that already make me feel successful by the time I get to work. Typically, I will see 3–5 clients, and take a break in the middle of the day. I try to come home for lunch if I can, I do a strength workout, and then I have evening clients. When Fit For Girls is in season, it runs for 9 weeks. The practice is in the middle of the day, I run the program and then come back to work. I get everything ready the night before. There’s a lot of pre-production in the background. Monday mornings are set aside to work on admin stuff for Fit For Girls and for the MIT Alumni reunion. I have tried to carve out space for things that are important, but I can say I definitely don’t get around to everything.”
Are there any technologies that you can’t live without?
“My phone, I need it for constant communication with clients, and with family. But when I spent 10 days in Panama I had to force-unplug, and that was very good.”
What’s been your greatest reward from choices made?
“Choosing the right life partner (even though it might sound cheesy). It’s made everything else better and easier. I was very picky and it has paid off. Honesty in the relationship, and working through things, has set me up to have other successful relationships, more so than before.”
What’s your wildest aspiration or dream?
“To live somewhere I can snorkel every morning before breakfast! I absolutely love the ocean. I really want to get up and re-remind myself of how vast and amazing the world is. You can have new experiences just in the place you’re in, and I‘ve always felt like this about the ocean: it’s a place for discovery.”
What do you wish to learn from this community of peers?
“I want to continue to learn how I can be a better leader, how I can see things in a way that I had never even conceived of before. I really appreciate having perspectives that are completely different from my own. I make room in my own brain for that, and see it translate into things in my life. I’d like to be able to provide that for the community as well.”
Watch the videoclip:
Nancy’s GIVE:
A kind ear and thoughtful, honest feedback.
Nancy’s ASK:
That we use our creativity, intelligence, and drive to make the world a better place for all.
