Voice of a Leader Podcast, Episode #2: Krista Bourne

By Alanna Fairey

In the next exciting episode of Voice of a Leader, we welcome Krista Bourne as our guest. Believe me when I say Krista is a woman whose remarkable journey from humble beginnings to the heights of corporate success is nothing short of inspiring.

At 19, Krista faced a significant, and scary life decision to some: she became pregnant and made the choice to drop out of college to raise her son.

This decision, while challenging, would change the trajectory of her life. 

Krista found herself working in the mailroom at Verizon, eventually climbing up the corporate ladder until she became Verizon’s Chief Operating Officer, Consumer Group (COO) –– all without a college degree. 

Back when Krista was working in the mailroom at Verizon, she would often hear her colleagues sharing stories about their college experiences, something that she just couldn’t relate to, as her path looked very different from theirs. This brought about a sense of Imposter Syndrome for Krista. 

So, how did she combat that feeling?  

By being honest with herself. 

“I was insecure because [my colleagues] had something that I seemed to not have…they had an experience I couldn’t relate to,” Krista says.

“Once I got real connected through my reflection on what it was that was really bothering me, I became very, very confident by practicing how to respond. ‘No, I did not get the opportunity to finish school, but I look forward to both of my children finishing college’ and then I move on.” 

Krista’s advice to listeners? Do not chase titles. Instead, chase impact. So often, we get caught up in whatever job title shows on our CV, or are simply just waiting for the next promotion to post about on LinkedIn, or share at the next family reunion to impress their hard-to-impress relatives (speaking from personal experience!). Krista is a reminder that you can make a meaningful impact, no matter what your role is. 

“Titles change all the time, but impact is what lasts,” Krista says. 

You can listen to the full episode with Krista’s insights here! 

Alanna Fairey is a Client Engagement Specialist at Brand of a Leader. To speak with us about building your personal brand, click here.