{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6049ce165e66895efa7f67fd/6049ce1f440b3614ff5a4faa?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Career advice and fostering kittens with Business Strategy Consultant and Community Activist, Neil Chavan","description":"<p>{public release to <a href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/4emtCs5Kwv0ptixIz8XYGy?si=ZSpPDpbuTmmlBdfhvjy-NA\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Spotify</a>, also available on <a href=\"https://shows.acast.com/walk-the-talk/episodes/s1e106-highlight-with-consultant-and-activist-neil-chavan\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Acast</a> – 25 minutes}</p><p>Hello podcast listeners! </p><p>Here are my notes and take-aways from my conversation with environmental consultant, Neil Chavan, who has been working at Newry Corps in Cleveland, Ohio for 13 months and recently got appointed to the Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission in Lakewood, Ohio. </p><p>It's a 25 minute episode – super concise, and worth a listen if you have the time! </p><p>(1:54) About non-profit grant-writing work at the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN):</p><ul> <li>(2:38) Neil says: \"it's very much about storytelling and that's really the key; it's about sharing your journey, your mission, your vision, how you inspire others, and trying to get people to subscribe to what you're doing.\"</li></ul><p>(3:35) The kinds of projects he's gotten to work on:</p><ul> <li>Materials science, carbon capture, and lots of other things that are mostly confidential!</li></ul><p>(5:45) People say the economy rewards specialization. But  consultants are highly valued. So how does that work out?</p><ul> <li>\"In some sense, there's certainly value to being a specialist in a certain field. But especially nowadays, you have industries being changed at the drop of a hat with the introduction of a new technology, and it's actually valuable to have experience across a broad range of industries. Many people are also saying that the future is for generalists; in the future, generalists are going to thrive. Being a specialist might mean you can't as easily transfer from one skill space to another.\"  – Neil Chavan</li></ul><p>(7:45) Advice for graduates considering consulting to start their careers:</p><ul> <li>It's a good opportunity to figure out where your skills and interests are, and how you can apply those in a way that fulfills you.</li> <li>He came from an engineering background with little business experience: \"Coming into consulting was certainly intimidating. I felt almost like an imposter like how did I get here? And didn't feel qualified in business. But you don't need any other qualifications than just curiosity and interest in learning and understanding why things happen, how to make things better, or just solve problems.\" – Neil Chavan</li></ul><p>(9:22) Other key skills and qualities helpful in growing into a consulting role?</p><ul> <li>Good and clear communication </li> <li>Being collaborative and thought-sharing</li> <li>Creativity in how you present solutions or go about finding and creating datasets.</li> <li>It helps to have a strong quantitative background as well. (11:29)</li></ul><p>(12:35) Building client relationships where they like you, and keep coming back to you:</p><ul> <li>Still in early stages, but \"being able to put yourself in the shoes of the client and really understand what drives them and what they need at that time\" is really important. </li> <li>Empathy is key; \"understand what they're going through and how you can help them in the best way.\"</li></ul><p>(13:50) COVID and work-life balance:</p><ul> <li>\"Overall, COVID has certainly blurred the lines between work and home or non-work life. It has become more of a challenge, especially for a lot of people in consulting who are workaholics, you're just used to going and going, and producing the best output for the client.\"</li></ul><p>(15:17) Raising kittens in quarantine:</p><ul> <li>You can foster kittens through the Humane Society: \"they give you all the supplies, you don't have to pay for anything you just provide a home and love for the animals.\" </li> <li>\"They are quite messy and they can be destructive, but there's so many more positives to having them.\"</li></ul><p>(16:48) By request from Aryn Aiken, whom I interviewed last week, I asked Neil how he got appointed to city government, and how that's all going:</p><ul> <li>Ever since PLAN, Neil has been interested in the public sector. Upon his recent move to Lakewood, he reached out to all the city council members expressing interest in getting involved in city government. The President ended up appointing him to the Community Relations Advisory Commission for Lakewood, where they're starting an antiracism task force and making sure the right people are selected for it.</li> <li>\"COVID has kind of thrown a wrench in things.\" re: being able to make progress within the commission</li></ul><p>(20:12) Great example of how you just have to ask!</p><ul> <li>\"Especially in school, I was always so nervous to ask for anything. But when you're a student, everyone wants to help you; but once you're out in the real world, it's almost like there's something that changes and people are less willing, sometimes, to help out. But it never hurts to ask, and you never know who will be willing to help you out.\" – Neil Chavan</li></ul><p>(21:00) Looking ahead at the options in public vs. private sector</p><ul> <li>He wants to get back toward mission-oriented work, whether it's full-time or volunteerism through city commissions. \"It's hard to say what or how or when I'll get back to that kind of work, but I want to leverage the passion I have for these problems, especially in the environmental space, to really make a difference.\"</li> <li>(23:15) \"One of the reasons I decided to go into consulting right after college instead of non-profit was I realized that business is actually a really good way to bring about some of the social changes that can be really hard to accomplish in the public sector or non-profit sector. Learning business strategy, knowing that one day I'll be able to apply these strategies to solving the climate crisis or other areas; that's what's keeping me in this role.\"</li> <li>\"This year has been such a crazy year with COVID, the ongoing-struggle with police brutality, racial tensions, and the forest fires in California has stirred something in me; I feel I need to really get more involved in mission-oriented work, and get back to that in some capacity, whether in full-time work or just serving on this commission.\" </li> <li>(24:00) Potentially grad school in a subject to be determined with further experience. \"Time will tell but it's on my radar.\"</li></ul><p>And then he closed with super nice and encouraging remarks about the podcast!</p><p>You can find Neil Chavan at:</p><ul> <li>Linkedin: <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-chavan/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><u>https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-chavan/</u></a> </li> <li>Facebook: <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/neil.chavan.96/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><u>https://www.facebook.com/neil.chavan.96/</u></a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/avocadoneil/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><u>https://www.instagram.com/avocadoneil/</u></a></li></ul><p>Take care, and spread the love and peace today. </p><p>Aldís</p>","author_name":"Podcast"}