As most of us know all too well, life doesn't always go as planned. We are conditioned to think about "change" as a negative, but there are incredible, life changing benefits to opening up and accepting the opportunities the world throws our way. Katie Keita, Director of Investor Relations at Shopify has experienced this first hand.
Katie and her family had been living in Massachusetts but when an opportunity presented itself that could change her life, she grabbed it and made the trek up north to Canada. "I have always been a person who likes to seek new horizons," explains Katie. "The opportunity at Shopify, which was to take a company public and then see it grow into a much bigger company, one that we intend to have around for the next 100 years, was the opportunity to really make my mark professionally and be part of a team that's growing something very special."
However, no life changing decision like this one can be made in a bubble. For Katie, the decision to relocate was equal parts professional and personal. "We like the cultural connection that we're building, we like the exposure our children are getting to a new environment, especially the language." This kind of dramatic change was not new to Katie, who was no stranger to new countries and new languages. "I was in the Peace Corps, I had lived in other countries before, I was pretty used to being resourceful. However, when it expands beyond just you, and it touches so many people who are close to you, not just your partner and your children but also obviously your extended family, your parents, your siblings, I think about relationships and how to maintain those, you have to work a little bit harder."
That willingness to grow and change is not only a key to Katie's success, but also an important asset that Shopify looks for in seeking out new hires, especially if they are asking those potential new employees to relocate. "Be prepared for the unexpected," advises Katie. "That's a huge part of what we look for at Shopify, this growth mindset and the ability to, not just bounce back from things that might have taken you away from your projected career, but learn from them and emerge from them better for it."
As Shopify continues to grow, so does Katie. "This growth mindset is what keeps you young, right, it's what keeps you kind of alive and joyful, this process of always discovering."
It's easy to get trapped in thinking that our lives aren't going as planned or that we haven't reached our career goals but we have to take a step back, breathe and realize that the next big opportunity may be where we least expect it. Like Katie says about trajectory: "Like my friend Sheryl says, your career is a jungle gym, not a ladder -- which is much more fun."
For more information about Shopify, or to apply for open roles, check them out here.
