Meet Carey Platto

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carey Platto a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Carey, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

I am very glad that I have a glass half full perspective on life. I believe it’s come from more successes than failures in my life. Those successes have come from following my heart, pursuing jobs and experiences that align with my passions and core values. If you know what fulfills you, that comes across in all your interactions.

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

From a young age, I strived to connect the things I have to do with the things I love to do. This philosophy led me to a career connected to my passion for outdoor sport. I started as a summer camp counsellor teaching white water kayaking, and took the skills I developed there to the country’s leading kayaking and outdoor education programs during summers through college. After graduation I cold called Patagonia for a year, knowing that was the company for me. The day I got my first job as Assistant Manager in Patagonia’s San Francisco store was one of the best of my life; it validated my vision and set me on the path towards my future. After four year with the brand getting to know the inner workings of the industry, I went to business school to hone my professional skills. From there I moved into Athletic Footwear, where I spent the next fifteen years in roles of progressively increasing responsibility until I was in charge of global businesses for the worlds leading brands (New Balance, Puma, The North Face). After I was laid off from the North Face in 2018, I had become really into mountain biking. I targeted the cycling industry and landed a national marketing role with Bicycle Blue Book. I was furloughed after one year due to Covid, but the depth of my background and the experience I gained in the cycling industry gave me to confidence to launch my own venture.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

1 – North Star: the consistent north star in my career has been helping people access and enjoy the outdoor sports. Knowing your internal compass and finding/making professional roles that keep you close to it is one proven means of being fulfilled by your work.
2 – Listening: Ask them meaningful questions, keep your mind open and really hear people. The empathy this behavior creates generates substantive relationships, and allows you to effectively fulfill your customers true needs.
3 – Communication: set clear expectations, communicate pro-actively and honestly. Be straightforward if something goes wrong. Everyone makes mistakes; how you handle them defines your character.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

I approach life and career very similarly to new features on the trail, ski slope or river. I go through a process that allows me to push my comfort zone in a proven, safe, consistent manner. I try not to pressure myself to overstep my abilities or how I’m feeling on a given day. At it’s core this process entails assessing the danger, deciding whether the risk is worth it, then either backing off or committing to focusing on the path forward.

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Image Credits

I took all these photos 🙂

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