Aug 2, 2017
Jennifer Massaro is a Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at Cisco. On this episode of On the Run, she shares her experience of sailing halfway around the world with her family and finding the inspiration to tell her story in her very own Tedx Talk session. Tune in to hear how Jennifer faced her fears and overcame challenges in order to fulfil her dreams.
Key Takeaways:
[:30] Who is Jennifer Massaro and what does she do at Cisco?
[:45] Jennifer took a two-year leave of absence in 2014 and 2015 to go sailing with her husband and son.
[1:00] What were some epiphanies that Jennifer had while sailing that are relevant to her job at Cisco?
[3:09] Jennifer had the opportunity to share her sailing experience with a wider audience at a TEDx talk through a storytelling course she had taken with the Marketing Communications U.
[4:13] It was really brave of Jennifer to have given the TEDx talk — many people are really afraid of public speaking!
[5:00] Everyone has different things they are uncomfortable about, or scared of, but all the energy you spend worrying about it ahead of time is energy that’s wasted.
[6:09] How have Jennifer’s uncomfortable experiences with sailing and giving the TEDx talk changed her in other ways?
[8:45] Jennifer challenges you to get comfortable with being a little uncomfortable. Seek out the situations that you might be scared of, and challenge yourself.
[11:19] If you are able to accomplish something you didn’t think you could accomplish, you gain more perspective and are able to conquer problems better.
[12:18] All the experiences that you have in your life, you bring with you to work.
[13:35] People can be afraid of all sorts of things, but it is important to confront those fears. You can draw inspiration from what you’ve overcome in the past, to face new challenges.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Ease the Main, The Massaro Family’s Sailing Blog
“Don’t Conquer Your Fears: Confront Them,” by Jennifer Massaro on LinkedIn
“Breaking Free of Your Mooring,” by Darold and Jennifer Massaro – TEDx Los Gatos High School
Darold