Episode 99: Sonja Mathews (Nonprofit Exec, formerly VP roles at USAA, PepsiCo)

In this episode, rachel, Kendall, and Sonja talk about: * The fact that this podcast is not sponsored by USAA * A journey that started with childhood on a "poser farm" in North Carolina * Driving the tractor as a path to an enjoyment of adventure and power * Discovering that being a defense lawyer meant you would represent a lot of guilty people * How Kendall ruins everything * Being the data pusher and getting hooked on her own supply * The Stephen Covey 7 Habits seminar, aka a sausagefest * Early interpretations of leadership as a command and control process, feedback from other managers, being curious, being willing to apologize and grow * Kendall gets his due, FINALLY * Learning more from mistakes than successes * That there's a difference between listening and "waiting to speak" * The fun of building and running her own "retail lab" aka fake grocery store theater for research * Advocating for the strategic pre-meeting when decisions are being made * Reasons to switch to the nonprofit world, including a cancer diagnosis * What strong 501c3 nonprofit board leadership looks like * That all workers deserve joy in their work * The tragedy of over-volunteering, trying to extricate herself * Recommendations for exploring the Olympic Peninsula * Friends: you should make some and spend time with them :) You can find Sonja at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonja-mathews-63a6a02/ Special thanks to Mel Stanley for our theme music <3