Reflections on my 20-plus years in the outdoor industry offer images of a young woman eager to be a whitewater guide, a budding professional experiencing soph-omoric tumbles and mistakes, and an enterprising spirit that enabled me to push on in this one-of-a-kind industry.
If I were to do it all again, I would lean in to four areas. These are the areas that I think have made a difference in my career and that I wish I had focused on earlier.
Understand the business of your business.
Learn how your company makes money. Understand each department’s role, how you affect either the revenue or the bottom line, and the strengths and weaknesses of your competition. This understanding builds your value to the business, allows you to have constructive conversations about your company, and, most important, enables you to learn the nuts and bolts of how a business works.
Network, network, network.
There simply isn’t a downside to making connections in this industry. Every aspect of the outdoor industry (manufacturing, textiles, retail, recreation, advocacy) is part of an amazing community. This is something I stumbled upon without a lot of purpose, and I wish I had joined professional organizations earlier in my career. For me, joining Camber Outdoors (formerly Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition) connected me to people who, even now, are critical partners in my career path. These relationships have grown over the years. The sales reps I met early on are now sales directors, the program coordinators are now running programs, and the friends I made as a young professional are now like family. Net-working creates important connections that will serve you well in your future career opportunities.
Get a mentor.
Don’t seek out a mentor just because you are checking this off a to-do list. Connect with a mentor to build a long-term relationship with someone you’d like to go to with career questions—like how to negotiate a salary or how to navigate job decisions. Mentorships are very personal connections, so be sure that it isn’t a one-way relationship. Reach out to see how your perspective and skills can help benefit your mentor. Ultimately you are teaching each other.
Understand that emotional intelligence matters.
Being able to understand and manage emotions will help you succeed. Your authentic self comes from your ability to proactively accept candid feedback, empathize with other people’s experience, be humble, and understand how your actions—or inactions—affect others. The importance of investing time and purpose in your own emotional intelligence is paramount. When you work to control your thoughts, your emotions don’t control you. This allows you to live in authentic harmony with your goals and values, both personally and professionally.
Whether you are just starting out in your career or are already on a path in this industry, consider leaning in to one of these topics. I continue to focus on all four.
"If I could be a young professional again, I would . . ."
By Sarah Harper Burke
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