We recently connected with Haleigh Watts and have shared our conversation below.
Haleigh, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I haven’t! The most backward part of imposter syndrome, at least for me, is that each time I have started a new position or encountered a new experience within my position (which is literally all the time), the first thing I have done is question why on earth I was hired to do this. Despite my incessant internal thoughts, the flip side to this is that someone DOES trust me to do this, even if I’ve never done it before. Just because I may not be technically trained on certain aspects of the job, what I am capable of doing is using my resources to make an informed decision. My job as the National Marketing Director for The Numbers Holding Co. is to know the brand inside and out, and that I do know. So the question becomes, how can I use my knowledge of the brand to make a decision at this impasse? I don’t think imposter syndrome ever fully disappears, but you simply learn how to find the silver lining and manage yourself to the best of your abilities. You were hired to do a job because you have something that company finds valuable – so pinpoint what that is and lead with it. Besides – imposter syndrome means you are constantly learning. Once you experience something for the first time, it’s no longer new. Add it to your toolbelt and pull it out the next time you need it!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the National Marketing Director for The Numbers Holding Co., LLC. We are the Colorado-based parent company for Number 38, a bar and entertainment hall in RiNo. Number 38 opened in October 2020 and we are launching our second location, Number 15, in Louisville, KY this Spring! Each location is named after and honors the state it resides in; Colorado was the 38th state to join the union and Kentucky was the 15th. I have been so fortunate to be part of this team from the beginning and watching the personal and professional growth of each team member individually as well as as a unit has been incredible. We’re a scrappy group of 20-30 somethings with big dreams and lots of passion for what we do and I just cannot fathom being at any other place in my career right now.
The idea for our social halls was to bring local beverages, food, musicians, and entertainment together under one roof under the lense of highlighting the uniqueness and history each state has to offer. A Wednesday night could bring a new solo musician you’ve never heard of and the next night could be a national artist who is a household name. What makes our brand so unique is the range of experiences we are able to provide. You might want to come brunch on the patio on a Sunday and watch football all day with your family or you might want to host a work happy hour with private event space within the bar on a Friday. There really is something for everyone and we pride ourselves on being a spot locals are excited to bring their friends to.
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?
1. Always stay willing to learn and never thinking you are the smartest person in the room: There are so many people you will meet along your career path and that starts in school! The mindset you have in college needs to be the mindset you take with you after you graduate and into your career. There is always something to learn and always someone to learn from. I don’t necessarily mean a hard skill, but moreso soft skills and different ways of thinking. I have entered situations before with a hard stance and opinion and have been quickly humbled by those around me because I didn’t go in willing to learn. Having a malleable mindset, while still forming opinions based on your knowledge and resources, is so important. Some of the best ideas we’ve had as a team have come after hard conversations with differing opinions. This isn’t to say that you don’t have to put your foot down now and again, but at the end of the day, your team is working toward the same goal as you; they are simply taking a different route there and it’s important to meet up in the middle.
2. Self-Confidence: As noted in my response about imposter syndrome, this is one I have to work on every day. While you should always be willing to learn from others, it’s important not to let differing opinions make you feel less than. Different doesn’t mean worse – it just means different! I have learned that nobody is thinking about you the way you think about yourself; honestly, people probably think higher of you than you think of yourself. We are our harshest critics and this is a lifelong trait, but you should also provide yourself with grace and understanding, just like you would for someone else. I’ve learned that making mistakes is okay, not knowing the answer is okay, and asking for help is okay. Self-confidence is feeling at peace when you do need to ask for help and not putting yourself down along the way because you didn’t know the answer.
3. Risk-taking: I have essentially been risk-averse my entire life. I liked to play things safe and stay in a zone where I knew I was comfortable. Was I happy? No. I was in positions I knew I could do, but where I was bored, unchallenged, and not appreciated. The minute I took a risk in reaching out to the owner of this company directly even though I maybe wasn’t the most qualified, asking for a tour of the space (which was at that point a construction site), and sending over my resume after we met in person, both my life and career path were drastically changed for the better. The amount of new experiences, people, and knowledge I have gained in the last 3 years is worth more to me than the previous 5 years of professional experience combined ever was. Risk-taking can come in big and small forms. Maybe you want to quit and start your own company, maybe you’re looking to start in a new industry, or maybe you want to go back to school – in a year from now, no matter where you are, you will very likely be glad you did. Whether it works out or not, you were looking for a change for a reason and one step forward is better than none.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
I will forever be indebted to my parents for starting a college savings fund for me when I was young. To be able to go to college without having to take out loans and graduate debt-free feels unheard of. I went to a much more affordable university than your typical state university, but the sentiment remains the same. As I type this, it really hits me again just how privileged I am to have had a) the opportunity to even go to school and b) having parents who were in a financial position to help me do so. There are so so many of my peers who were not afforded the same opportunities or who had to finance their own way through school, and of course this what the majority of young adults have to do, but I am forever grateful for being able to start adulthood on a path where I didn’t have debt to start and was essentially able to enjoy my education without having to worry about paying back loans.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nmbr15.com & https://www.nmbr38.com
- Instagram: @haleighbwatts
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleighwatts/
Image Credits
Image 2: 4 Blades Digital Images 3, 5, & 6: Jay Piper
