We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Whitmire recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
It’s Sunday morning at our small family owned outfitter. The river is up from last night’s rain and the busy hustle of a summer day hasn’t set in yet. Coffee is still warm and I am doing a morning sweep through the shop to see what needs attention, restocked or refolded. A loud crank and buzz of the blower on the front porch breaks up the silence. It is my dad blowing off sand, rocks and leaves that blew up from last night’s high winds and rain. We both open on Sundays, while my 7 year old hangs with his “Gram” at home. To make it through summer, we all have to operate as a team, each one sharing important roles in order for the business to succeed. For 31 years, I have watched my parents work long days, fast paced summers, and through multiple economic crisis’. My mom, she is an incredibly strong woman, leader and mother. Her vision has built this small business to what it is today. When people compliment me on my work ethic, I always tell them it is a reflection of how I was raised.
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?
From cleaning the bathrooms and taking out trash/recycling, to planning destination trips and doing payroll, as the Director of Operations for our small business, I get to do a little bit of it all! It is my favorite part of what I do, something new every day. I thrive when I am multitasking. In the past 8-10 years, our business has seen a lot of growth. With growth comes more staff. I think one of my favorite parts of my job, is finding the people who become part of our team. Our staff become like family, and they reflect our mission and brand every day. I am so thankful for the honest, hard working, team minded individuals that make it all happen each day. HR work is not my strong suit. I have a lot of room to grow and learn there, as far as organization, paperwork and protocols go. My mom just happens to be a rockstar at all that! I am excited to grow and develop more leadership skills. Our business is known for 5 star customer service, friendly staff, and professional programs. We take that reputation very serious. We are leaders in creating events and programs, which are often mimicked by others in the industry. A big part of our mission is enhancing and protecting our rivers, streams and natural resources. We partner with local nonprofits and government entities to support and develop programs that focus on the sustainability of our public lands, forest and waterways.
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?
Growing up in a small town in the mountains, I was raised on the river and in the woods. I learned important values from my parents on how to be a good steward to the outdoors. Those lessons and values have stayed with me, and that knowledge base I put to use every day. I also grew up playing sports, by nature I am a very competitive person. Sports gave me invaluable lessons and qualities over the years. When I reflect on who I am, a lot of times I go back to who I was as an athlete. I reflect on the good and the bad. The times I succeeded and was a good teammate, and the times I wasn’t. The times I failed and wanted to quit. Sports made me resilient and also self aware. Qualities that I find help me become the best person I can be today.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I used to be someone who kept all my personal concerns and problems inside. I am people pleaser personality type and never wanted to let others know when I am struggling or need help. When I ran into issues in college with self esteem and recovering from an injury, I found myself in a pretty dark place. Instead of being honest with those closest to me, I kept inside. That led me to some of my darkest struggles, with eating disorders. My ED allowed me to feel this since of control hidden from others. I struggled for over 10 years trying to recover. Even to this day, when I get overwhelmed that mindset can creep back in. I have found mediation, writing, listening to podcast and talking to others helps me so much. I have been able to be honest with my husband. He knows my struggles and how to help. Having such a strong support system has helped me stay in recovery. Being overwhelmed is okay, and now I know how to navigate it and be honest with others around me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.headwatersoutfitters.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headwaters_outfitters/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadwatersOutfitters/
