We were lucky to catch up with Heather Kinal recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Heather, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
That’s a really big question! I found my purpose by doing things that bring me joy and inviting others along for the (sometimes literal) ride. I really enjoy sharing experiences with people and making connections. If life were a machine, I think my purpose would be a cog that creates movement and connects others to each other.
I think people struggle to find their purpose because they think it has to be some big fancy thing or related to their careers, but if making people laugh is your super power, you don’t have to be a comedian, just know you are bringing joy to the world by being yourself and that is super important!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I run a not for profit mountain bike festival for femme identifying riders here in western New York State. I have found an amazing team of friends to help me create the best festival possible and we are now in the process of becoming a 501<c>3 organization!
The goal at Rooted is to empower women in nature through education, encouragement, and cultivating an open-minded perspective as we support local outdoor resources and regional recreation spaces. We strive to be a place where everyone feels welcome and we were so excited to welcome our first adaptive mountain biker this year!
I love this festival so much! It makes me happy to bring people in from all across the country to ride and learn together as we challenge and inspire each other.
It really feels like summer camp to me. We dress up and have a themed bike ride, we tell stories and dance around campfires, there are temporary tattoos and bubble tea parties, and people get to shed the ‘who they are supposed to bes” and show up just as they are or however they want to be seen.
Next year will be the fifth year of Rooted and its going to be out of this world level fun! That’s a hint to next year’s yet-to-be-announced theme ride 😉
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?
To begin with, I needed to have a vision. Giving myself the space to dream about doing something cool was the first step. In order to generate motivation to see this vision through I needed to seek out feedback. I asked people that I thought might attend my event if it was something they even thought would be fun. Once I got the feedback that it would be supported I was excited to bring it to fruition because I wasn’t just doing it for me, I was doing it for other people, too, and that is where I find my sense of purpose and fulfillment – in creating gatherings and experiences and bringing people together.
I think facilitating groups is a key component to my success. From running our board meetings to showing up for attendees at the festival its a pretty broad range. I started down the path of facilitating groups when I began attending women’s circles and loving them so much I knew I wanted to lead my own. I gained skills by leading my own circles. I learned so much from practicing and doing this monthly. I also learned SO MUCH from mentors, like the women who were leading the programs and circles I enjoyed participating in. I have learned so much every year at Rooted and I think I keep getting better at hosting this ever-growing gathering. I also enjoy reading books about leadership and connection and I strive to refine my skills and show up for everyone the best that I can.
Asking for help is another strategy for my success. It can be really hard to ask something of others, but I have found that if the ask is in alignment, people will rise to the challenge – large or small! My life is full of collaborations. In part because I love working together with people, in part because the outcome will likely be better when I combine my strengths with those of others. If someone wants to grow their ‘asking’ muscles, I’d recommend giving people the benefit of the doubt. Don’t say no for them (by not asking) and practice putting yourself out there and start requesting help when you need some.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters by Priya Parker is a fantastic book that I’ve read a few times.
A few key takeaways for me are how to take ownership of an event by hosting with purpose, intention and generosity. How to set rules in order to respect attendees time and experience. There is detailed info on how to plan an event with purpose: who to invite? how many to invite? what’s the goal, what do we want the attendees experience to be like? how do we create intimacy and connection between those in attendance? why would someone want to show up at the event? and how to end an event properly.
Contact Info:
- Website: rootedmtbfest.com
- Instagram: @HeluvaHeather, @rootedmtbfest
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherneckers/
Image Credits
Early Dawn Productions Ashley Baron
