There are jobs and then there are careers, and I have been fortunate enough to have a very full career. My most recent move was to join the team at Zia Consulting as their Marketing Communications Manager. As someone with a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies and decades of experience working with youth and families, this may seem like an interesting move. The truth is, it could not feel more like home. This blog shares some of the reasons I feel this way.
First, you may be asking…why marketing? Over time, I’ve learned that you can be very good at a lot of things, but it is important to do the things that bring you joy.
Shelly Mahon,
Marketing Communications Manager
I enjoy all aspects of marketing—including writing, editing, researching, creating campaigns, planning and hosting events, and so much more. But, it is also important that my job has a positive impact on my overall quality of life. There is a venn diagram that describes meaningful work as the combination of doing something you love, that comes easy, and pays the bills. I have found this sweet spot in my role at Zia.
Another reason I enjoy my job at Zia is the respect and opportunity I get to contribute. Any C-level executive gets used to being in a position of leadership, and as the Executive Director of a non-profit it was my job to work with other leadership to set the strategic direction of the organization and make company-wide decisions that impacted its culture and overall financial health. Since it was a small non-profit, I was very good at switching hats between executive, finance, programming, fundraising, and marketing, sometimes taking on entire projects in multiple departments. Those at Zia Consulting recognize that I have the energy and experience to contribute, and they have already given me multiple opportunities to take on tasks that are interesting to me and go beyond my job description.
Another important factor is that the way Zia does business aligns with my values. I believe a person’s work should always be a reflection of their integrity and the values they hold. I believe that “as you go they go,” and that businesses lose value and credibility when they start making compromises in their culture and quality of work. Regardless of my position, it is my goal to do my job with pride, be clear about what others can expect from me, and set an example of how the organization treats employees, partners, and customers. This is in complete alignment with Zia’s five values and their EPIC value proposition that all things be done around a core of integrity.
The team at Zia is caring and compassionate, taking a customer-focused approach, giving back to their community, and fostering a strong work-life balance. They get the right things done by focusing on the highest impact items first and always doing what is best for the customer. Being driven and hardworking is a requirement. And, family is central to the organization and always welcome. In fact, extended families, including fur babies, are considered to be part of the Zia Family. Finally, they are awesome smart and hire only top talent who are extremely experienced and engage in ongoing education and training.
This leads to one of the other reasons I enjoy my role at Zia. As a lifelong learner, I have always sought to deepen my understanding of a wide variety of subjects. This is reflected in my diverse work experience. Who would guess that I started my career in criminal justice, first as a probation officer and then driving a school bus of 30 people doing weekend jail time for the sheriff’s department. At the young age of 23, I learned a lot about life and what it means to prevent problems, so that you don’t end up fixing them later. Besides, this job built my skills in painting, drywall, fixing fences, restoring roofs, and yes…picking up trash on the side of the road, LOL! That job launched my prevention career where I worked in experiential education, taught in university, developed my own social programs, and finally served as the Executive Director of a non-profit supporting parents in raising healthy, happy youth.
As you can see, it is not a stretch for me to expand my knowledge of technology and enterprise content management. I believe that the more you understand diverse subjects, the more you can relate to others, be curiously interested in what matters to them, understand their perspectives, and work together to solve problems. Working at Zia expands my career, giving me opportunities to learn, apply myself, take healthy risks, and dive deep into new areas. Plus, I haven’t forgotten my decades of work with youth and families. I will continue to write, speak, and deliver my online programs for parents. Zia has given me a new opportunity to do meaningful work with people I respect. I am honored to be part of the team.