Welcome, Tanja!
We’re excited to introduce Tanja Schroeder, our new Chief of Staff! Learn more about her background, ideal employee experience, and what she would do with one extra hour a day in this interview.
Tell us about your new role at Holistic! What do you do? Who are you working with?
Hi! I'm Chief of Staff, it’s a new role! I’m excited about the diversity and creativity within this role. I’m passionate about the employee and client experience and now it’s what I get to do! I am fortunate to work with just about everyone on this hardworking team. I am inspired by everyone’s enthusiasm for changing the world and ready to roll up my sleeves and jump in!
We’re interested in learning more about your background. Can you tell us more about your career journey?
I didn’t follow a traditional roadmap. The unconventional journey provided me with so many opportunities to step out of my shell and grow! After my undergrad, I took off to explore the world. I coordinated cultural immersion programs for teens in three different countries, worked on cruise ships, and worked in Mexico City, where my family is from. Most recently, back home in San Diego, I worked in the nonprofit sector and got my masters in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. I’m so excited Holistic is now a part of my journey, it was meant to be!
Let’s switch gears. What excites you about life? What gives you hope? What keeps you up at night?
Learning and new experiences excite me. I love trying new things (I have my limits though- not about to go sky diving anytime soon, lol). Recently, I’ve started taking dance classes. It’s been so fun to move and experience my body in a completely different way. Trying new things keeps my energy and creativity flowing. Same goes for traveling. I love to find myself in unfamiliar places, the feeling of turning a corner and not knowing what’s ahead is really exciting.
Believe it or not, the “Great Resignation” gives me hope! There is a strong collective energy of people putting their foot down and demanding more from life. More justice, better work environments, and opportunities for healing. For me, the great resignation is evidence that change is happening because we are no longer going to accept how things were. On the flip side though, it does keep me up at night to know change doesn’t happen overnight.
In your mind, what does the ideal employee experience look like?
The ideal employee experience is one that doesn’t give you the Sunday scaries. You know, anxiety at the thought of the weekend ending and five long days of discomfort coming up. It’s a horrible feeling and one that we relive every week! We spend SO much time at work, it has to be enjoyable. Trust is huge in a work environment- trust your employees, empower them to grow, and allow them to make mistakes. I think a healthy organization knows that when something fails, it’s not one person’s fault. It’s an opportunity to learn and improve. To feel like your organization supports you is incredibly fruitful- it allows us to show up to work authentically, take risks, learn, and feel accomplished at the end of the day. Other than that, great colleagues make all the difference too ;).
If you had an extra hour each day, what would you do with it?
If I had an extra hour every day, it would be dedicated to turning off my mind. It would be a no errand, no planning ahead, no thinking hour. I would go on a hike and spend the full hour immersed in nature. I try to hike at least once a week, but for some reason this question makes me feel like I get to include the superpower of quieting my mind for one hour!
Lastly, what do you do for fun?
I love spending time catching up with friends, as much as I enjoy hanging out alone and reading a book. I have to make sure to maintain that balance because I definitely recharge alone. Other than spending time outdoors, I love to craft. I make jewelry! I also take my dog, Romeo, to the dog park most evenings. It’s so fun watching him run around. He goes with me just about everywhere dogs are allowed!
Thank you, Tanja, for all of your support!