When people find out I've worked at the same company for ten years, the most common response is, WOW! Tell me more!
When I get the chance to tell someone more about what I do, they understand pretty quickly why I've thrived through this decade. I officially celebrated 10 years of working at Cultivate What Matters on July 20th, and in honor of that anniversary, I thought you might like to hear a few of the reasons, too!
P.S. Want to come work with me?! We're hiring for two brand new positions! If you're looking for your dream job, we'd love to have you apply!
1. I get a front-row seat to transformation. It's hard to understate how much has changed in my ten years with Cultivate—truly, almost everything. We've changed the way we do business, the ways we generate revenue and the structure of the company itself. My role, of course, has also changed significantly.
We often talk about how a prerequisite for success with PowerSheets is that you have to believe you're capable of change. I know change can be scary—I'm an Enneagram 5, people! We don't like change!—but you ARE capable of change, and so am I. And on the other side of change, there are often very good things.
You know how I know? Not only have I seen an immense amount of change in our business, but I've been privileged to hear countless stories from the Cultivate community about progress made. From relationships transformed to businesses ignited, there are no shortage of amazing stories we hear from customers generous enough to share them with us. Just one small snippet from a recent email detailing many incredible changes in the life of a PowerSheets user: "I look back at my life two years ago, and I would have never imagined it would be this fulfilling and healthy!"
2. I might have the same job, but I'm not the same person. My great aunt had a famous maxim that my whole family has adopted: every day, learn something new, do something kind, and see something beautiful. My role at Cultivate makes that first one realllllly easy—on a small and nimble team, I feel like I learn something new every hour, let alone every day!
And with learning, comes growth—my own transformation! Just one example: ten years ago, not only did it make me extremely nervous to speak in front of a crowd, but I just plain wasn't good at it. With experience, practice, and many lessons from our resident expert, I am proud to say that I have become more skilled at communicating to a group. And all along the way, each new lesson has been folded into the person I'm becoming, adding up to a very different 32-year-old than the 22-year-old who first walked into Lara Casey's office.
3. I'm surrounded by people asking the big questions. If you've been here any amount of time, you know the ones I mean: where do you want to be when you're 80? What will matter to you then? What won't? Oof. Those are the types of questions that, if you ask them with sincerity and really take the time to make a true answer, can change your life.
I've been in this work so long that sometimes I forget most people aren't surrounded by a community who continually challenges each other to ask these questions, and encourages each other to take action on their answers. My life is infinitely better for being surrounded by all of you, and I try never to take that for granted.
4. I get to be really generous. Generosity is a deeply-important personal value of mine, and so I feel incredibly lucky to work on a team that also cares deeply about being generous. Whether it's giving away our best business "secrets," making a donation with every sale, donating product to auctions and causes, or giving of our time to encourage the people who cross our business path, Cultivate is a really generous business, and I feel lucky to get to be a part of that generosity.
5. I work with some amazing people. Saved the best one for last :) Over the last ten years, I've worked with hundreds of people—so many photographers, planners, and brides at Southern Weddings; consultants and partners and part-time helpers; event volunteers and speakers at Making Things Happen; and of course, some incredible teammates.
You know that person who hated to do group projects in high school because she'd rather just do it herself? Hand raised. It's not lost on me that I now get to work alongside people who do their work with excellence and heart, who are incredibly smart and incredibly passionate, and I do my best to hold up my end of the bargain :)
Speaking of generosity—friends, I can't thank you enough for YOUR generosity to me over the years. It truly brings tears to my eyes, and, as my teammates will tell you, I am usually the last one in the group to cry :) This work has been sweet because I have done it for and with the most incredible community of readers and customers a gal could ever ask for. Here's to many more memories together!
Join me! We're hiring for two brand new positions!
Emily Thomas
