5 Questions with our Director of Ops

You may have heard me say it before: the BE MORE team is a small but mighty group. We lift up the most important work of our lifetimes, and we work together as more than the sum of our parts. 

Every hire we make on such a small team is critical... and this week, we're thrilled to announce that we're hiring our first business development representative! This person will oversee lead generation for our team and facilitate new growth in 2023 and beyond.

We hope that you might know our next team member... in fact, it might even be you! To share a bit about what it's like to work at BE MORE with Anu, I am sitting down this week with Caroline Horste, our Director of Operations & Strategy.

Caroline has been with BE MORE since 2020, and it's safe to say she's in it for the long run. I want you to hear from her about what's up next for BE MORE in 2023 and beyond, and why you might want to hop on board to be the next person to join our team!

What do you love about working for BE MORE with Anu?

We're a start-up, led by a thought-leader with a really incredible network of relationships and partnerships in the academic, legal, scientific, mindfulness, and diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging space. So I definitely feel like I get to flex my creative muscles and suggest new ways of working based on my own expertise -- I never have to worry about whether the product is solid, or about whether we actually have a story to tell. 

I also love that no two days are the same -- we move quickly, and we're always building. So I like that I get to be agile and wear a lot of different hats, but that there's always a common thread serving as our North Star.

When did you know this was the place for you?

The interview, actually! You and I talked about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and how our values informed our work. I came from higher ed, so it was really important to me to find a workplace that was mission-aligned and driven by impact. 

I had never left an interview feeling like I connected with someone on the level of... oh, this is exactly what I want to do with my life, and this guy needs a team to help him build it. I'd left interviews thinking wow, I really hope I get that job, but I'd never felt like, wow, that could really be the direction of my career.

What have you learned working for BE MORE with Anu?

Oh, my gosh... everything!! I guess that gets back to question one... when you get to work on a little bit of everything, you get to learn a little (or a lot) of everything. Learning to be really action-oriented, and to jump in and take a whack if I'm not sure what the next step is, has been so important. It's more helpful to the team if I take a task or an idea as far as I can on my own and then bring them something and say, "hey, I might need help taking this across the finish line," than it is to stay stuck.

If I had to bottom-line it: Love everyone. Save your work in the team drive.

What advice would you give to a fellow non-SME wanting to work in DEIB?

Be humble, and don't ever be afraid to ask questions. You have to be willing to educate yourself while learning from those around you. You don't have the same skillset as those around you, but your skills are important! You wouldn't be at the table if we didn't need you there.

What has been a favorite moment?

During the tech check of our inaugural Breaking Bias Summit, you and I brought together probably fifteen different experts across fields, and I remember sitting there thinking about what a dream it was to be convening them. I respected all of their careers and their scholarship so much, and then one of them talked about how awed they were by the work we were doing and how grateful they were to be a part of it. That was really the moment where I knew we were doing something big and that I got to be a part of building a platform that gave all of these amazing minds and voices a space. I got chills at the time and I'm getting chills thinking about it now!

We'll cheat and ask a sixth question... how does one apply to work at BE MORE?

Great question and excellent use of a cheat! You can learn more about the role by reviewing the job description here. To apply just send a cover letter and resume to jobs@bemorewithanu.com. Reach out to that same email with any questions and I hope we hear from you!

PS -- if you're not the right person for the role, but there's someone in your network who might be, do us both a favor and connect us! We'd love to meet them!