What is the best advice a mentor or someone you admired gave you early in your career?
At 22, I was hired to manage and develop a wholesale landscape distribution store. I was the youngest—and nearly only—female manager at the time. Our region met annually for a week of meetings followed by an educational tradeshow for our customers.
That first year, I met the President and CEO of the John Deere division that encompassed our unit. He could tell I was nervous. After all, it was intimidating having a one-on-one interaction with a veteran C-Suite executive so early in my career!
He could tell I was uneasy and awestruck at the same time. So he offered this piece of advice….
“We all put our pants on the same way—one leg at a time.”
Remembering that we’re all human and that we share basic common experiences regardless of our interests and career achievements has been instrumental in developing a successful career. It has translated to full-time positions and working for myself as a professional writer, content strategist, and now an executive coach who specializes in team development.
Case in point, when I traveled to Terry Bradshaw’s Oklahoma ranch to conduct a magazine interview, I was more afraid of getting lost (I’m directionally challenged) than I was of meeting Terry and his wife!
Meeting people we respect, admire, or who have achieved celebrity status will always carry a little nervous energy, but remembering the CEO’s advice has given me the confidence to find common ground to build meaningful relationships and a successful business.
Katie Navarra
Writer & Creative Coach
About Katie
In sixth grade, I discovered my knack for writing through an essay about my childhood dog, Pokey. A high school teacher who shared my passion for the horse industry nurtured my writing abilities. She inspired me to combine my lifelong love of horses with my natural talent for writing to pursue a career in content marketing and journalism.
There’s nothing more satisfying than crafting a story that captivates readers and connects them with the publications and brands that serve their needs. I started my writing career as a journalist and have bylines in national publications like the Society for Human Resources Management, PopSci.com, Tractor Supply Company, and others. Today, I specialize in content marketing writing and ghostwriting for business leaders.
She also helps people create meaningful experiences throughout their professional lives. She does this by bringing together business owners and leaders to amplify their individual and collective growth through life-changing experiences in horse-assisted coaching workshops.
Horses offer a thought-provoking adventure that helps leaders find out what energizes them (and their teams), receive unbiased feedback about how they show up, and get honest feedback about what stands in your (or team’s) way to achieving remarkable results.
Katie is an International Coaching Federation ACC accredited coach and is a certified equine-assisted coaching facilitator through the Equine Experiential Education Association (E3A). She currently serves as the Vice President of American Horse Publications.
