Kate Erickson of Entrepreneur on Fire talks with Bob about her leadership journey from college life to retail banking to running one of the most successful online communities with the Future Nation and Entrepreneur On Fire. She and Bob talk about her recent adventure to the Phillipines for Tropical Think Tank and the mind changing community that she was immersed in.
Kate started her career in banking, but that only lasted until she returned to graduate school to study English literature. She had a passion for writing, and this was what moved her enough to declare a major. She had a professor that inspired her to find new ways to appreciate the work. She started to envision herself teaching in college. Bob recounts the moment his favorite teacher introduced him to the importance of critical thinking skills through writing a Tolkien paper.
As her most significant person in her past, Kate names Dr. Barton Thurber as encouraging her in a way that made her more confident as a writer and as a reader. While she no longer sees herself teaching any longer, she feels the community she builds at EOF allows her to impact that community’s members the same way that a great professor encourages their students.
Just as any professor would have done though, Kate has written a book in The Fire Path. She calls this a step by step guide to growing your business. She breaks down each action so readers know actually what needs to be done.
Kate says she strives to be a better leader by immersing herself in the community rather than being above them. She enjoys A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. She believes this from the heart and is the driver of what she does daily. She fully believes that being approachable is accomplished
Kate’s advice to a new MBA? “Don’t give up. Don’t let fear or the imposter syndrome hold you back from achieving your potential.”
Find Kate at EOFire.com. Read her book The Fire Path.
Bob, thank you so much for inviting me on to share some of my leadership advice and habits with your audience. It was such a pleasure chatting, and I hope the leaders in your audience enjoyed it!