Career Growth Lessons from Intel’s Kristin Widing on Leadership, Networking, and Owning Your Personal Brand | Career Advice for Women in Business and Tech

2B Bolder Podcast – Episode 103
Featuring Kristin Widing

Episode Title: #103 Empowering Executives and Beyond: Kristin Widing's Leadership Journey

Host: Mary Killelea
Guest: Kristin Widing



Mary Killelea: Hi there. My name is Mary Killelea. Welcome to the 2B Bolder podcast, providing career insights for the next generation of women in business and tech.2B Bolder was created out of my love for technology and marketing, my desire to bring together like-minded women, and my hope to be a great role model and source of inspiration for my two girls and other young women like you, encouraging you guys to show up and to be bolder, and to know that anything you guys dream of, it’s totally possible. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the conversation.

Hi there. Today’s guest is a wonderful, kind, intelligent woman who is always up for helping other women. It’s awesome to have with us today Kristin Widing. Kristin is the director of leadership experience at Intel. In this role, she oversees exec-only programming and events, manager development, new executive onboarding and integration, and manages a number of career and community-building programs. Prior to her role in human resources, Kristin was the chief of staff to an executive in the Client Computing Group and a B2B marketing content strategist. Before joining Intel in 2015, Kristin worked at a very well-known agency called WE Communications, where she spent eight years on the Microsoft account, focused on work relating to policy and issue management, cyber crime education, and global product launches. Kristin also worked in the integrated marketing and communications role with the Starbucks-owned Tazo Tea Company. Kristin got her professional start at Southwest Airlines, working in marketing, sales, and PR. She has deep experience in executive media training and coaching, brand integration, and communications. Kristin earned a journalism degree from the University of Oregon. Kristin grew up in Santa Rosa, California, but has been in Oregon long enough that she should earn dual native status. She’s the mom of two boys in high school and the wife of a sheep farmer. She is passionate about music, food, travel, new experiences, and the proper use of apostrophes. Kristin, thank you so much for being here.

Kristin Widing: Thank you, Mary. I appreciate you having me.

Mary Killelea: You're welcome. Okay, so I touched on a very high level kind of your background. But let's hear it from you, walk us through your journey and how you got to where you are today.

Kristin Widing: My very first job was actually when I was in college. I was a student telephone operator for the University of Oregon, which I don’t even know if that job still exists. But what I loved, my job, I loved that my friends would call me just because they would love how I would answer the phone, “University of Oregon,” which not a lot of people get to answer the phone that way. But I became, like, very resourceful, and I realized I loved being resourceful. I loved helping other people. When I graduated from college, I went to work with something I wasn’t particularly passionate about, and that was a food service brokerage. And, you know, basically making sure that our products got into restaurants and things like that. While I was there, I was kind of looking for other things and found out about an opportunity at KINK Radio, which is a radio station in Portland, to be a news assistant. So I worked part-time, making like $5 an hour, I think, you know, working from 6 in the morning to 9 o’clock in the morning and so I managed to do that for a while in concert with the food brokerage job and really fell in love with working in radio. And the people in radio meant my soon to be, or not soon to be, we dated a long, long time, but my eventual husband was there, and left the food brokerage to be a sales assistant at a couple of the radio stations in the building. From there, a friend of mine was leaving her job at Southwest Airlines. She was moving into a different market, as one in an airline might do, and recommended me for her job. So for seven and a half years, I worked at Southwest Airlines doing PR, marketing, and internal culture work. You know, we would sometimes help at the airport and throw bags and do whatever we could, because it was just that kind of company. And did some amazing things for somebody in their mid-20s, from, you know, going on, like, Blazer sponsor trips with Scottie Pippen to, you know, oh gosh, marching in a different parade, it seemed like, every weekend over the summer. My favorite thing, my favorite story from there was that I had to once expense new shoes because I was holding a penguin that we were in a partnership with SeaWorld, and she pooped all over me. And so I tried to, so basically my shoes, I brought them to the cleaner, they couldn’t, they couldn’t get the poop out, and so I had to buy new shoes. So that’s an expense report that not a lot of people can say that they’ve had. So Southwest was amazing, but I was really limited by my growth because I wanted to stay in Portland. And so after seven and a half years, I went to work for Tazo Tea Company, which is part of Starbucks. But the unique thing about Tazo was that it had a culture very much its own. You know, we did all the tea blending in Portland, and you walk into the building and it was so experiential. You, it smelled like whatever they were blending, and everyone had their own personality. And as much as we loved being a part of Starbucks, because, you know, you’ve got Starbucks and the name recognition and all the perks that come along with Starbucks and being a well-known global company, we very much wanted to do things our own way. And we worked really hard to differentiate ourselves from a brand and a culture perspective. But I had a lot of amazing experiences there. My job ultimately was moved up to the Starbucks headquarters in Seattle. And once again, my love of Portland kept me here. And so a few of us from the marketing team were excited, but with much fanfare and delight. And I, you know, there was actually a little documentary made about Tazo after it closed in Portland, and it was such a privilege to be part of that because I feel so lucky to have worked with Steve Smith, who, you know, founded Tazo and was still there blending tea, later went on to start his own, you know, named tea brand, Steven Smith Teamaker. But just, there was so much creativity in that building and a value of words and phrases, and just, it was so lovely. And all the people were lovely.

And anyhow, I will always say that is my favorite culture experience at work I’ve ever had. From there, finding a new job since my job moved away, I got a job at what was then called Waggener Edstrom, which is a global PR firm. And it was my first time, even though I had managed PR at Tazo, it was my first time working for an agency and really learning all the things that I thought that I knew but I really didn’t know. You know, I had done a lot of media training at Southwest because we had to do that and get everyone prepared in case something happened. I did it at, prep people at Tazo. But then going in and being actually supposed to be the specialist in this for our clients was a whole different thing. But as you mentioned, I worked on the Microsoft account, lots of different roles there. It was fantastic. I learned so much. But, you know, as happens with agencies, when your client decides to do layoffs, the agency usually feels the effect too. So my job was eliminated. And after some good time figuring out what I wanted to do and spending some time with my kids, an opportunity opened up at Intel, which, you know, has a big presence in Oregon. And, you know, the person who hired me there was someone who had worked at the agency once before and always knew that the work ethic that we had to have at that agency was something that could carry me into Intel and serve me well. So I started at Intel in a marketing role. Eventually, after about 18 months, I decided I was tired of that. And so I worked as a chief of staff for one of our VPs and traveled the world with him and had so many amazing experiences learning about, you know, calling on businesses and doing events in the high-tech world built around the PC, which was amazing. And then an opportunity opened up at Intel in HR when I was kind of done with my time as a chief of staff, because it’s usually about a two-year role. We can only handle it so long, so they can only handle us so long. I don’t know. So I, there was a job opening for an executive onboarding and integration person to onboard and welcome people into Intel from the outside at the executive level. And so I have been in that role and have gradually taken on other bits of work underneath my scope in the almost five years that I have been in that role. So now I’m an HR person. I never would have thought.

Mary Killelea: But it sounds like everything that you did along the journey developed you and just made you blossom to the skills that are unique for your current position.

Kristin Widing: Yeah, that’s the thing that I think I realize as I, you know, was thinking about just my journey. It really does feel like every single experience I’ve had, in one way or another, has led me to this role, which is why I think I’m so happy in my job. I love what I do, and I love the people I work with. I feel like I can add value, and so, yes, it does feel like I have landed in this amazing space of goodness. And so, it’s like I said, it’s not your traditional HR job, for sure. And I do a lot of communications-related things. I work very closely with the communications team, so I love that I still have my foot in that door. I still have to pull on my marketing chops. So it’s really kind of like the best of all worlds.

Mary Killelea: But let’s talk more about your kind of daily responsibilities. It sounds like an exciting role. I mean, from programming events, manager development, executive onboarding and integration, it sounds fun. And it sounds very, like, in the know, if you will, because you’re working with execs. What’s that like?

Kristin Widing: It’s a lot of fun. I’ll tell you, no, it’s, I mean, you know, it’s, at the end of the day, I may sound, like, really excited about it. It’s a job, you know, sure, but it’s a great job. So my job focuses really on learning leadership and development, and the bulk of my time is spent on exec-related things, making sure that our leaders have the information and the skills to lead our company through a considerable transformation. And so this includes, you know, making sure that newly hired executives and newly promoted executives also have those things. And I get to welcome them to Intel and into that executive space, and kind of talk about their responsibilities in that role, and, you know, how they’re held to a different standard of really making sure that they’re role-modeling the behavior that they want to see. Then, you know, beyond executives, my team broadly also focuses on skill building and knowledge sharing for managers, who are really the unsung heroes, who have to manage the ups and downs of, you know, day-to-day life, and really also manage stakeholders up and down the organization. So every day is a bit different, which I absolutely love. I don’t, I think I’d get bored if I had the same thing over and over again. Even if it’s similar, it always presents itself differently. So I love that.

Mary Killelea: Have you ever been intimidated by working with an exec?

Kristin Widing: Only if I don’t know what I’m talking about. Like if I get in a position if I have to cover for somebody, or, you know, I thought the meeting was one thing and it ended up being entirely something else. But, you know, really, at the end of the day, I feel like executives are, executives are people too. You know, they feel impostor syndrome. They have the same doubts that everyone else has. You know, they’re people. And so I don’t treat an executive really any differently than I would somebody who is new to the company in a very junior role. You know, I want to treat them kindly. I want to ask them questions, learn about them. You know, someone once told me that a person’s favorite word in the English language is their own name. And so, you know, I mean, again, that spans anybody. So, you know, I really do try to make a connection with people. And I really don’t get intimidated. And I think just by trying not to, I see people sometimes work with executives and, you know, there’s a certain amount of, I want to say it like awe, I don’t know. And I think that people get into their roles, I mean, obviously, in my thing, like through situations and hard work and happenstance sometimes. And so I don’t necessarily think these people are any better than anybody else. And I think that there is something about just treating them kind of on the same level that makes it feel genuine and authentic. And so I don’t really get too intimidated by it.

Mary Killelea: That’s awesome, and I would assume that it’s probably really refreshing for some of them, or for many of them, to just say, okay, I’m not, I’m getting the same treatment. I’m like, she’s not distracted by something she shouldn’t be. She’s actually doing her job because she wants me to succeed, kind of thing.

Kristin Widing: Right. Like, I get uncomfortable sometimes. I was at an event a couple years ago and the CEO was there, and, you know, someone I was with and working with was like, “Oh, can I get a selfie with you?” And I was like, oh gosh, that makes me feel so uncomfortable. Because, again, it’s like, and I understand, like, CEO of a big company, and it is really cool, and he’s wonderful and lovely and all these things. But, like, you know, I try not to put them on too big of a pedestal, because, again, they get up and put their pants on the same way we all do, right? So anyhow, I, but I also think that my comfort comes with the fact that a majority of my career has been spent working with executives, so that.

Mary Killelea: Yeah, no, and I love that. So, transitioning from B2B marketing content strategist to chief of staff and now to your current role, how have you navigated, I guess, these shifts? And what advice do you give to professionals looking to diversify their career?

Kristin Widing: Well, for so long I feel like I was really limited by my location. And, you know, I love where I live, but it’s definitely limited my career growth. You know, if you’re willing to hop all over the planet or whatever and grow, grow, grow, like that is absolutely something you can do, and your path will probably, you know, if you jump careers all the time like that, will probably, you know, get you farther faster You know, I’m a creature of comfort, but I still try to innovate when I can. And I like what I like, right? And, you know, that’s not for me. You know, that was one thing that excited me about Intel when I joined. You know, it’s like a city. Like, sure, you have a mayor, but you have someone who runs the parks department too, right? Like, there’s all these different things that make a company function. And people, when I interviewed there, really said, like, you know, that is something that you could do. You can change who you are every 18 months. And for somebody who had been limited in my career with companies I loved, but because I didn’t want to move to Texas or I didn’t want to move to Seattle, you know, that was, like, the greatest thing I could ever hear. So I love that in today’s working world it’s really less of an issue. You know, and then I was limited before I had kids by personal preference. But now I’ve, like, established my community, and I have kids that are happy in their school. And I really think that younger people are so fortunate that geography doesn’t have to be a gate to career growth. So, you know, that said, if I look at my time at Intel and the fact that I’ve been in three entirely different business units and very different jobs, you know, I do have some thoughts about that. You know, my résumé got me in the door. I knew very little about semiconductors, honestly. But again, I came from this well-respected communications agency, and the hiring manager, since he had worked there, had the opinion that anyone who could survive that could survive Intel. So, you know, and I loved the team I was on, but I didn’t necessarily love the day-to-day. So then, as I started looking for what was next, it was a work friend who told me about another mutual friend who had a VP that was looking for a chief of staff. And when I interviewed with him, you know, he and I were this incredible personality fit, and we had similar senses of humor. There was an instant connection. And, you know, I would just say, if you’re ever considering a role like a chief of staff, or at Intel we call them technical assistants, you really have to love your manager. Like, this was the only person I would answer the phone for when I was eating dinner with my family. You know, we, like I said, we traveled around the world. You really have to love your job and the person, otherwise you’ll be resentful and miserable.

So, you know, that’s, you know, I give that advice to anybody. Like, that’s an amazing opportunity in terms of a job, because you get to see a company from a very different lens, and you get to touch a lot of different things, which is cool. Because when my appointment with him, you know, kind of wrapped up, it was like, okay, what was my favorite thing that I did when I worked for him? And how could I take my, you know, limited experience with him, but in that space, and turn it into my next big thing? So for me, you know, although I’d always done a lot of internal culture-building things and, you know, I owned a lot of that stuff at Tazo and at Southwest, you know, for the airport team and all that, I’d never been in HR. I just had always been on the periphery of HR. And, you know, going back to, like, the operator thing, right? You know, I love helping people. I love bringing people along and teaching them about the reasons we do things a certain way. And, you know, actually, when I was at Tazo, one of the things that I did in my role was teaching people at Starbucks about why we weren’t Starbucks. Like, why we didn’t have the, you know, green siren on our tea. It was, you know, our brand had its own personality, and here was why, here’s what’s special. So when this opportunity came up to do new executive onboarding, I thought, you know, kind of to your point before, I really thought, like, wow, every single job experience I’ve had has led me to this. You know, I love being part of the welcome wagon and helping people feel like they’re part of something that’s bigger. And, you know, starting a new job is scary no matter what level you’re at. So if I could help people feel more comfortable with their decision, I was all in. And, you know, I could, I just could make people feel at home, because that’s how I would want to feel. And, you know, over time my role morphed with what I was passionate about. Like, I love planning events, and I love logistics and details. And so I was given the opportunity to own and execute our regular all-executive meetings. And, you know, got to use a little of my communications background and my knowledge of the audience and my desire to bring people along and educate them on things. And so, and I got to work through all the little details that I love so much. And then, as I continued to work with that population, I realized all the assumptions people have about executives. And, you know, I think we all, I say we, the royal we, we all believe, you know, that executives, like, need to know everything about everything. And this is completely unrealistic. Like, there are only so many hours in the day. And, you know, if you’re a leader in, like, corporate services, you know, how are you getting exposure to the new business models in one of our business units? Like, it’s not possible. So we created this quarterly executive strategy learning series that allows for anonymous question asking, so there’s psychological safety and getting the information you need to be a better and more educated leader. So being able to create things like that has been awesome, because again, it’s just, it’s taking pieces that I love to do and like, oh, okay, let’s do this. This can add some value. And so, you know, kind of going back to your question about career diversity, I think it’s so important that, you know, you follow your passion. And when I worked at Southwest, we talked about hiring for attitude and training for skill. And I feel like if you’re willing to do the work to skill up and bring your passion to everything you do, like, you should. And, you know, I get excited about my role and all the additive things I’ve been able to do every single day. And so sometimes I see these remote jobs with other companies, you know, going back to my point earlier, like they pique my interest. But then I think, like, why on Earth would I change? Like, I have everything I want here. So I guess, you know, in terms of the skills and advice I would give, like, you know, be curious, ask questions, and then, you know, earn the trust to really take on the things that fill your bucket. Because then it doesn’t feel like a job anymore. It feels like something that, you know, it’s okay, like, I’m gonna say this and, like, want to gag myself, but like, it’s a gift. Because you are authentically able to give of yourself in a service-type way, you know, thinking about your customers and what they need. And it just feels so real to me. And, you know, so clearly you can tell I get very excited talking about my job.

Mary Killelea: Well, no, and I wish people could see. I know we’re only doing this audio, but you and I are on camera, and literally you’re just smiling, and I can see your face lighting up when you talk about your career. And I think that really is what I try to do here, is to bring women who are successful, who love what they do, to women who are like, they don’t have a career strategy, they’re not sure where they’re going. But we have the gift of life, if you will, to have reflect, you know, to reflect and say, oh, that came together beautifully, and I didn’t even intend it to. Or there’s some women that plot out every, you know, step of the way and are very strategic. So I just think women need to take that pressure off of themselves. It can be a squiggly line, it can be straight, it can be intentional, it can be accidental. But as long as you’re doing what you love, I really think we can talk about our jobs and smile and be happy about it. So it’s so fun.

Kristin Widing: 100%. Thank you. Yeah, it’s, it’s, I feel like there is definitely an opportunity for people to get burnt out. And, you know, job, again, jobs are jobs, right? Like, I definitely am one of those people that, like, I don’t work to live, or I work to live, I don’t live to work, kind of thing. But if you can make that place where you spend a majority of your time every single day something that you like, it, it, it sucks a little bit less. How about that?

Mary Killelea: Let’s talk about, because you worked at the agency and then you went, well, actually you’ve done it both. So you went corporate, agency, corporate, and I went agency, corporate. And I think it’s so interesting to talk to women who have done both the agency and corporate side of it. And in hindsight, one, how valuable is that dual experience for your success within your career? And then two, if you were talking to someone who was debating whether or not they should go start with the agency side or start with the client side, what would be your recommendation?

Kristin Widing: I feel pretty strongly that the agency side is a better place to start. I feel like, you know, these people bill your hours, and to make sure that you are good at what you do, like, you need to earn your client’s money. And so they make sure that you have the training that you need to, you know, show up in the right way and be a trusted adviser. When I went to the agency, there were all these words. Even, like I said, you know, I’d been working on, like, I mean, a little fluffier stuff, surely, for, like, Tazo, working with writers on stories about tea. And, you know, same with Southwest. We were kind of prepared, like, we wanted to make sure that there, you know, if there had been, like, a plane crash, like, you need to be prepared to talk about that, right? So, you know, very different, like, feelings in terms of storytelling. But at the agency, I just feel like you, when I got there, I was like, they were talking about, like, pitch emails and this and that. And I came in at, like, kind of a mid-level role, and I had no idea anything that they were talking about. So I felt like the biggest, like, impostor. Because here I am, I’ve got, like, you know, years of experience, I’ve been quoted in national publications, like, you know, I’ve trained people, I’ve done all these things. And then I’m suddenly, like, you know, here at the agency going, like, why on earth did they hire me for this job? Like, I just knew nothing. So I think that there is something about learning some of those best practices and, again, how to show up and, you know, watching how other people do it, having more of a model in that. It just kind of gives the training wheels, right? And then when you go to the corporate side, I feel like you can take the pieces of that that meant something to you, or gave you the structure you need, or again, like, you know, we were fast. Like, billable hours, like, you have to account for how you spend your time. So you can’t be screwing around. And people, it’s funny, people that I work with now are like, you work so fast. And it’s like, I’m accustomed to the fact that I had, like, a time card. And, you know, I had to, if I was saying I worked seven hours, like, I needed to be able to show for that. It couldn’t be like, I wrote one email. You know, that wasn’t going to work. So I just think that there is a certain amount of pressure, some of it healthy, some of it not healthy, that exists at the agency that sometimes you don’t have at corporate. And the other observation I had from the agency side was that a lot of times our client would look to the agency to be able to see, get out of the silos, and see what else was going on around the company that maybe the person in those silos didn’t know about. And so somehow we would all look at each other and say, like, how do they not know that there is this other event that’s happening in their world? And, but we know about it. We don’t even work there. We’re in a different state. And now working at a big company, I, you know, you can get in those silos, and you absolutely see how it’s possible. But I think you become a little bit more aware of those things that you need to watch out for. So that’s my opinion. You know, I definitely had fun on the corporate side too. But I also didn’t really know how to manage an agency either. And that was one of my gaps. Also I managed an agency. And again, like, I, they could have told me the sky was, you know, purple, and I would have said, okay. Like, I didn’t know. So that’s, yeah, the agency side. That’s my vote.

Mary Killelea: I love it. Now those are all great perspectives. What would you say is your superpower?

Kristin Widing: Finding an extra space in a sentence that doesn’t belong there. It’s really grammar related. I, you know, there are people at Intel of a variety of ages, you know, some older, some younger, and there are people who put, like, 10 spaces after a period. And I don’t understand it. But I read something maybe five years ago that if you are over 35, it is obvious because you are double spacing after a period. And, you know, I realize that a lot of people of my generation are still doing that. And so I notice, I notice weird spaces. And then I’m also kind of grammar focused. I’m much better with grammar in the written word than the spoken word. I realize I trip up all the time when I’m speaking. But when I write, and when I see other people’s writing, I am kind of neurotic about, like, proper use, as I mentioned, of apostrophes and spacing. And, you know, don’t use a dash when you mean to use a hyphen, and blah, blah, blah. So that’s what I would say my superpower is.

Mary Killelea: That’s awesome. My boss has that same superpower, so, boy, I watch.

Kristin Widing: We are really annoying people, I will admit. Like, you know, I interrupt people all the time, like, “Hey, could you just fix that real quick before you keep presenting that?” Like, I’m so annoying. So.

Mary Killelea: I love that. So on the show, I love to talk about the importance of personal brand and how it’s your opportunity to write your own narrative and, you know, have people know you for what you want to be known for. What advice do you have for women who are trying to figure out their personal brand, and how have you maybe approached it for your own career?

Kristin Widing: It’s interesting, because I don’t think that it’s intentional all the time. But I would say that my best guidance on that is to really just be true to your personal values. What are the things that are important to you? I read a book called The Desire Map probably 10 years ago, maybe a little more, that really kind of helped you define what your core values were. And then the idea, this was kind of when I was in between jobs before I came to Intel, the idea was if you could identify what your core values were, you look for a job that fills those buckets and matches your values, because then it’s, again, you’re finding something that’s more true to you. And I think that it’s really true to think about, like, you know, am I having to show up in a different way than I actually am? Like, actually, the first time I did that exercise, one of my core values was comfortable, like being comfortable, which meant both, like, I’m not going to wear heels. And it also meant, like, I don’t want to work at a job where that’s an expectation, because I can’t walk in heels and my feet hurt. And, you know, but it was also comfortable to be who I am around my coworkers. And, you know, if I feel like I have to put on some airs to be somebody I’m not, like, hard pass. So, you know, I think that there really is something about, like, knowing what those values are. And then any job search you’re doing, or if you’re thinking about making a move within your company, to think about if you can really be true to your personal values, because that becomes kind of what you’re known for. People know that you’re dependable, or they know, you know, what you’re getting. And in part, it’s because you’re responsive, because you love what you’re doing, right? It goes back to that. So I think that’s my biggest thing. You know, I think people know that they can rely on me, and, you know, I do what I say I’m going to do, and I expect that of other people as well. So, you know, your word is everything. So I just, that’s what I think about when I think about a personal brand, is just making sure that, you know, you can wake up every morning and look yourself in the mirror and be okay with that.

Mary Killelea: No, I think values are key to a successful, and I don’t successful personal brand, but, like, an authentic or comfortable personal brand, which is what your personal brand should be, in my opinion.

Kristin Widing: Totally.

Mary Killelea: Let’s touch base on the importance of networking. How has networking helped you to build your career? And I know that you said that the gentleman who hired you used to work together at the PR company. So, I mean, we know in today’s business it’s a lot of who you know and, you know, fostering network relationships. What is your advice to women who struggle with networking?

Kristin Widing: Well, first of all, with the guy who hired me at Intel, he worked there, but I never knew him. So I don’t even know if we were there at the same time. But again, it was just, like, the agency reputation. Yeah, that’s what got me in there. So I would love to pretend it was my dazzling personality, like, I must see her, but it really wasn’t. I don’t like networking. I’m going to be honest. I don’t love small talk. I don’t. And so I feel like networking both has negative and positive connotations for what it does for you. Networking is brilliant and amazing, but if you think about the act of networking, it can be met with so much consternation and disappointment, because you feel like you have to show up in a certain way and, you know, think about, like, oh God, what are in my personal, like, index cards of what I need to, what can I talk about, what can I talk about? So I don’t like to think about it as networking. I need to reframe it in my head. And I actually think about building real relationships with people. Networking, to me, feels so transactional, and once again, totally not who I am. Like, I don’t want to get something from someone without giving something. I don’t want to, I don’t, I don’t know. Like, I just, I feel like it can be so transactional. And so my mom, when I was like five, gave me advice. She’s like, anytime you meet somebody new, it’s an opportunity to have a new friend. And I always feel like that is the best advice I’ve ever gotten. And it’s, I remember the girl who I introduced myself to, we’re still Facebook friends. But, you know, it was a girl down the street, a neighbor kid who was about our age when we moved to town. And I really try to look at it that way. And I do think that kind of reframing it makes a difference. Like, this could be somebody who actually makes a huge difference in your life. And if you connect with someone in that way, like, wow, how lucky. And if it’s kind of like, this person’s boring, or, like, I don’t really ever want to see this person again, then fine, like, no harm, no foul. But I always kind of approach it with a possibility, thinking that perhaps something really amazing comes out of this. And I try to do that flip, and it makes it feel like less of a chore and more of an opportunity.

Mary Killelea: Yeah, that's great advice. What would you tell your 20- year- old self?

Kristin Widing: The creature of comfort is gonna give you a very different answer, because I’ve learned it would be like, do it, try it. Like, if you’re like, I want to go live in New York City for six months, go live in New York City for six months. You know, you can always go home, you can always start over. Don’t be so afraid of trying something or traveling somewhere or whatever. Like, we, you know, it’s amazing how there are so many safety nets that exist now, ways to try things. Or, you know, if you travel to a foreign country and you’re struggling with, I don’t know, like a language barrier, you can go online and someone can help you overcome that. And so I just think that, like, there is so much out there to do, do and try and experience. And yes, being comfortable is an amazing thing. And I love when you have that wisdom. That’s what I think I actually like with being comfortable, is like I feel smart enough that I can just be myself, right, in about a certain topic. But I would tell myself to just, like, don’t be so scared. Just go try new things. And I did, you know, I did a little of that. I mean, I definitely wasn’t, you know, I moved out of state for college. And I, you know, didn’t want to stay in school in California for college because I felt like I would know somebody from my high school at every single college. So I was like, well, I’m gonna get, I mean, I just went to, stayed away, but still it felt like the right adventure. But, you know, I just, I really, you know, I see people now who are traveling abroad and taking P assignments and all that stuff, and I’m like, maybe when my kids are in college, maybe when, you know, I keep thinking, like, when is my chance to get to be that 20-year-old again and try something vastly different? Because, you know, as much as I love comfort now, I also love adventure.

Mary Killelea: The expat is on my bucket list. I have to really consider that. And as you go through different career stages of your life and age, you know, opportunities that maybe didn’t get taken advantage of when you were younger, you have an opportunity later in life, which is so.

Kristin Widing: Absolutely.

Mary Killelea: So amazing.

Kristin Widing: It’s so refreshing. It’s such a different way to think about things.

Mary Killelea: Absolutely. Okay, working moms. How in the world do you balance it, especially working for demanding companies? What’s your stress relief? What’s your, I mean, a lot of people will say there’s no balance, which, you know, I agree, there’s no balance.

Kristin Widing: Right, work-life blend, as they call it. Yeah, I, this week specifically, I feel like I’ve completely overextended myself, and I hate when I do that. But I have a hard time sometimes saying no to things.
So I will tell you that a key part for me is a partner who encourages my independence, so I get the space I need to have a life outside of my family. And a lot of my colleagues tease me because they’re like, you have the most active social life, like you’re always at shows or you’re at happy hour or whatever. But, you know, I love my friends. Like, they’re part of my family, and so I can’t imagine not prioritizing them because they mean so much to me. And, you know, of course, like, I wake up with my kids. I, you know, I spend time with my kids. I don’t want to dismiss them. But they’re also, you know, teenage boys who really oftentimes would like to have nothing to do with me. So I take full advantage of that and try to, you know, fill my bucket in the ways that I need. But in terms of stress relief, you know, I do try to wake up every day and put on a sports bra, because it’s like my constant reminder that I need to do something. And, like, I kind of can’t. My rule to myself, and it’s a disgusting one, is that I can’t take a shower until I’ve done something. I don’t care what it is. It can be just stretching, it can be yoga, it can be, you know, lifting weights, it can be going for a walk, whatever it is. But, I mean, you’ll notice, Mary, I am still in my sports bra because I haven’t done that yet. And so it’s like, it’s the thing that nags me all day long, which, you know, probably isn’t the most healthy thing. But I know at the end of the day that is a really good thing for me to do. So that helps me get outside my head a little bit.

Mary Killelea: I love that. And I showed you my sports bra. I definitely had the same mentality when I got dressed this morning. Oh my gosh. Okay, so if someone wanted to do exactly what you’re doing today, what’s one piece of advice that you would give them?

Kristin Widing: Be a good listener. I think, you know, this is essentially a customer service job. I mean, if you get down to, like, the nuts and bolts of it, like, yes, there’s strategy, and sure, but you have to strategically solve problems too, right? So I kind of think to myself, like, how can I make other people’s jobs better for them, and how can I be there for them, and how can I, you know, serve you in that way? And it allows me to authentically make connections between others. Like, I love when someone tells me that, you know, “Oh, like, I’m moving to Atlanta,” and then I’ll be like, “Oh gosh, just like a month ago I talked to somebody who was saying he had a house in Atlanta. Maybe he’s got some advice.” So then I can connect these people and help them build their networks and make connections. So I think that being a good listener has been really helpful to me. And I’m gonna tell you a really it’s not, I always say, I always start my stories with, “It’s a really quick story.” They’re always not quick. But this is kind of my favorite example of customer service that I have been a part of. When I was the operator at UO, there was a woman who called me, who called in, happened to get me, and was like, “Hey, I hear the Grateful Dead are coming to Eugene. Like, do you know anything about this?” And again, like, you know, Eugene and the Grateful Dead have a very, like, symbiotic relationship. But I didn’t. I hadn’t really heard anything. And, you know, she and I got into a conversation about where she was from, and, you know, I don’t know, we just were having a chat because she lived in a town, like, a half hour from where I grew up. And anyhow, the next day tickets were announced to go on sale about the Grateful Dead coming to Eugene. And I remembered her name and her last name. And it was when the internet was, like, new. Like, I’m not, you know, we did not like, this would be such an easy thing for anyone to find out now. But in 1993 or whatever it was, it was like I found, like, the white pages in Mill Valley, California, and I found her phone number. And I called her, and I said, “Hey, this is Kristin from the University of Oregon, and I just found out information about the Grateful Dead tickets, so I wanted to share that with you.” And it was nothing I had to do. But it was like, oh my gosh, like, I can brighten this person’s day and give them the information they need. Like, sign me up, right? So I just think being a good listener can lead you down so many wonderful paths.

Mary Killelea: That’s awesome. How happy was she?

Kristin Widing: Stoked.

Mary Killelea: So I have been fortunate because you have been a sponsor of mine, meaning that you’ve reached out and when you saw a job opportunity, made some introductions. And you didn’t have to do that, but you did that. And I’ve never forgotten it, and I think it’s just so special. And what do you, I guess, say to women listening who are looking for sponsors or mentors and feel like they’re stuck and on an island and, you know, don’t know where to turn to? I mean, I think today we’re lucky because, you know, you can go on the internet and there’s different programs for mentoring and that, but within your company.

Kristin Widing: Yeah. I never pass up an opportunity to talk to somebody who wants to talk about my job or my experience or whatever, because, you know, I’m sure that inevitably I will do that to somebody at some point and they will be helpful to me. So, and I really do believe that people, in their heart of hearts, are good and they want to be helpful. And sometimes, you know, you just need to ask. And the thing is, you can’t always ask, like, the person at the top of the company. Like, yeah, you know, there are so many unsung heroes in a company who are more senior than you, who, you know, aren’t ever asked about their opinion about something or, you know, tapped for career advice because they’re not at the very, very top of the pinnacle, right? And, you know, I think that there is gold in not necessarily feeling like you have to reach all the way to the top because you think, like, “Oh, they’ve got power and they can tell somebody what to do,” or whatever. But I feel like, you know, you can find peers and, you know, slightly more senior colleagues who, if you just ping them and say, you know, “Hey, I would love to learn a little bit more about your job and just kind of pick your brain about, you know, for someone new to that area, what you’d recommend or how would you get smarter.” And, like, people are flattered by that. And again, especially if they’re the ones that you don’t think to ask, and they’re the people you see in the cafeteria and you don’t even realize what they do. So I guess I would just say, like, turn over some rocks, and you might find a really unexpected person who’s willing to help you, in part because no one’s ever asked.

Mary Killelea: Such great advice.

Kristin Widing: Yeah. So that’s what I would say about that.

Mary Killelea: Okay, we’re close to being done. Before we get into this little rapid-fire fun with you, what does to be bolder mean to you?

Kristin Widing: I think it’s a mindset of not being afraid to stand up and stand out and, you know, own who you are. And if you’re a little offbeat, especially own that. Like, you know, you don’t need to be like everybody else. And so I think that to be bolder is really just the opportunity to just, like, let your freak flag fly and be proud of it, because, you know, it’s like those are the memorable ones. People won’t forget you.

Mary Killelea: I love it. Okay, fast round. Coffee or tea?

Kristin Widing: Coffee.

Mary Killelea: Summer or winter?

Kristin Widing: Spring and fall, if I can change it. If I had to pick one, I would probably say summer, with air conditioning.

Mary Killelea: Okay. Pizza or pasta?

Kristin Widing: Pizza.

Mary Killelea: Beach or mountains?

Kristin Widing: Beach.

Mary Killelea: Dogs or cats?

Kristin Widing: Dogs, but mostly because I’m allergic to cats. But dogs.

Mary Killelea: Okay, I’m throwing in this new one because it just popped into my head the other day. Who’s your favorite Friends character?

Kristin Widing: Who’s my favorite, or who am I most like?

Mary Killelea: Okay, let’s do that. Who are you most like?

Kristin Widing: Which I can probably most like Monica Geller. And that horrifies me, but it’s probably true. Although there are parts of me that are very Phoebe. But so I would say she’s probably my favorite, because I do love the songs, and I do make up songs and song parodies, and so I feel like it’s very relatable. But I am kind of neurotic in a lot of ways, so I feel like I’m a little more Monica Geller.

Mary Killelea: I love it. And I love you. Thank you.

Kristin Widing: Oh, thank you, Mary. What an honor. Thank you so much.

Mary Killelea: I appreciate you sharing your story with everyone. I really do.

Kristin Widing: Absolutely.

Mary Killelea: Thanks for list listening to the episode today it was really fun chatting with my guest if you liked our show please like it and share it with your friends if you want to learn what we're up to please go check out our website at 2bbolder.com, that's the number 2 little b bolder.com