Meet Betsy Gist

We recently connected with Betsy Gist and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Betsy with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

I truly believe I inherited my work effort from my mother. She is 76 and continues to work- something that doesn’t surprise anyone who knows her. When I look back on my childhood, and even my adulthood, I can’t recall many moments she wasn’t in motion.
I watched her enroll in graduate school when I was a young teen, determined to earn her master’s degree in early childhood Intervention. That decision taught her 3 teenage daughters a powerful lesson: dream big, work hard toward achieving your goals, and strive to accomplish them, regardless of your age or where you are in life.
But I also learned something just as important from myself– no one is going to do the work for you. If you want to grow and evolve, to become the best version you imagine yourself being, you need to do the work—it’s on you, no one else.
Just as my mom demonstrated to us, I hope to show my own adult children what is possible. I want them to have that same passion-the drive and the confidence to dream big and then chase those dreams, and to have the determination and drive to work for it every step of the way

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Turn the Page is a dream, I still cannot believe that this is what I get to do every day. It’s cozy and full of heart and stacked with stories we love. You’ll find little pieces of our family throughout the shop. Then there is Indie, the friendliest bookstore pup, making sure everyone fells right at home.
We believe in kindness, good books, and the magic of a great conversation. Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about, and sometimes, a smile & an engaging conversation can change the entire trajectory of a person’s day. Be kind, always. Come visit. Stay awhile. Leave with more books than you planned, no judgement here. That is what Turn the Page has become.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Honestly? I don’t know that I have any special skills. I certainly subscribe to the “Fake it Till You Make it” philosophy and learning as I go, hoping I’m getting it more right than wrong. I’m very much a hands-on learner. I figure things out by doing, messing up, and trying again until it begins to feel like ME.
If I had to choose three things that have been impactful in my journey and growth, they would be:
1. Just starting, even when I didn’t feel “ready”. Waiting for the “perfect time” is a trap, there is never going to be a perfect anything. Just do your best and invest 110% of yourself.
2. Being OK with getting it wrong. Mistakes, failures, having to start over-they are not the end. Sometimes they are the beginning of something better. EVERYONE has failed at something.
3. Showing up anyway, even on the hard days, even when self-doubt kicks in-just show up. My advice? Don’t let fear of doing it wrong keep you from doing it at all. You learn from trying and you grow by rebuilding. No one actually has it all figured out. We’re all just doing our best. And that’s OK

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

One of my biggest challenges is working to grow this business, successfully, and into more than it already is, while constantly battling that inner voice of self-doubt. My mind is constantly generating new ideas and opportunities for growth. I’m full of big ideas and creative plans, but, behind the scenes i am constantly wondering if I’m doing enough or if I am even doing it right.
Still, I have learned that confidence isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about showing up, trusting your instincts, accepting the failures, and figuring it out as you go. I am learning to lead with confidence, even on the days I have to fake it a little

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