RTDM: Elizabeth Ricks
Elizabeth Ricks
Consultant, speaker & writer
Charlotte, NC
We want to get to know you! Briefly tell us about yourself: Where you came from, where you've been and how you're living your dream?
I work as a consultant & trainer for Storytelling with Data - we teach others who need to communicate with data how to do it more effectively and elegantly. Throughout my professional career, I've worked in a variety of analytical roles for the pharmaceutical, retail, manufacturing and financial services industries and recognized a need for this skillset, learned it and now I am living my dream job of helping others learn how to do it by teaching workshops across the country to all different kinds of organizations! When I'm not at work, I'm a mother to a sweet little boy (and one more on the way!), wife to an amazing husband, daughter to wonderful parents. I love traveling, reading, our golden retriever, fitness classes and cheering on the West Virginia Mountaineers!
How do you define success?
My definition of success has evolved over the course of my career! Currently, it's having both a career that's fulfilling & gives me purpose combined with the work/life balance that allows me to spend time with family. Five years ago, I might have answered very differently: a specific job title or salary range. I don't imagine my current definition evolving much more now.
What did it take to make your dream happen and when did you know you had arrived?
After I went back to work from maternity leave from my first child, everything changed (as they said it would!). I still wanted to have a career outside the home but I slowly came to realize in the post-maternity leave months that this career truly had to be something fulfilling that gave me purpose. I became less tolerant of things that weren't impactful or provided me fulfillment outside of taking care of my baby son. I realized I wanted to make a change and did some self-reflection on what aspects of my existing career truly fulfilled me and where there opportunities to shift 100% into that. I realized I wanted to spend my time teaching others how to learn a valuable and important skillset that I had learned over my career in analytics - how to effectively communicate and tell stories with data. I reached out to a well-known author and thought leader in my field and straight up asked her if she was interested in growing her team and if so, how I could contribute. It started a conversation which led to us doing some part-time work together (on my nights & weekends) which led to me leaving my existing job and joining her company full-time where I now spend my days doing exactly what I wanted to do - teaching and helping others develop this important skillset. All I had to do was be willing to put myself out there and ask!
What are you most proud of? Go ahead, boast a little!
Recognizing that a path that once worked for me and that I thought I "should" be on wasn't working for me anymore and then taking steps to change it.
What was your biggest obstacle/fear and what was your turning point?
I think we always fear the unknown - what if this doesn't work out? What if I made a mistake - would I be able to go back? I believe that we always have the power to change our situation - with enough patience, effort and time - so that helped me calm my fears.
What’s the best advice you’d give to a younger you?
Be open to new opportunities that stretch you outside the status quo. Build and maintain a good network and create opportunities for yourself. Don't wait for others to show you the way or take you under their wings. One of my favorite quotes is, "If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
How do you stay motivated and purposeful when you feel overwhelmed?
I think this is something we all struggle with tremendously in our day-to-day lives. I try as best I can to focus on the long-term picture when I'm overwhelmed - asking myself, will this matter in 5 years? Will this matter in 18 years when I'm sending my children off to college? Will this matter when I'm on my deathbed reflecting back over my life?
What is your favorite vice/guilty pleasure/strange habit? Come on now, we all have them!
Ice cream and chocolate :-)
What's the smartest investment you’ve made for yourself?
Getting my master's in a cutting edge field that I enjoyed.
What’s MOST important to you right now?
Having a balance between career and family. Both are extremely important to me and they positively impact each other but should never negatively impact each other.
Share 1-2 books you've given as gifts:
Deep Work by Cal Newport and Tools of Titans by Tim Ferris. Both I highly recommend!
What have you learned to say no to?
Over-scheduling and over-committing myself in all aspects of life - work, family commitments, social activities, housework, etc. It's so easy to find yourself scheduled 24/7 but I've learned the value of building in downtime to recharge my batteries.
Follow Elizabeth:
Twitter: @EHRicks
LinkedIn: Elizabeth Hardman Ricks
