My Best Career Advice to My Daughter

I’ll admit: I give lots of advice to my four kids, solicited or not. However, as one of my oldest daughters was agonizing on where to go for college, a piece of wisdom that determines a lot of my own decisions kept coming up. It goes like this: Choose to surround yourself with people who don’t think the same way as you.

Whether it’s where to study, the friend groups to hang out with, the places to work or who to hire, this tip has led to some of my biggest breakthroughs and successes.

Being around a multitude of voices has helped me become a better leader, partner, and business person. I’m intentional about spending time with people who are not like me. Maybe they went to different schools, they grew up in another part of the country or world, came from an unfamiliar background or hold the opposite political affiliation; it’s essential to soak in as many viewpoints as possible. (Related: The Top 8 Books That Shifted My Perspective in 2019)

Here are my top three reasons to avoid creating an echo chamber within your community and your office.

1. Seeing different perspectives improves your compassion and relatability.

I run a business that sells products to everyone, from parents of young kids in Nebraska to single working professionals in New York City. To run this company well, I need to see the world beyond my own lens. So I spend time with folks who can help me have a better understanding of people and places that I’m not familiar with. This, in turn, allows me to better serve them in their quest to live a healthier lives.

2. Understanding different viewpoints can help you evolve as a person.

The people I enjoy engaging with the most are the ones who don’t agree with everything I say. Being around people who are smarter than me in certain areas, puts me in a perpetual state of learning. Sameness begets sameness. When you seek out the differences, you also seek out growth. Spend time with people who make you a little uncomfortable and force you to look long and hard at your own beliefs and standards.

3. New perspectives keeps life (and work) interesting.

Even though I’ve been married to my husband, Theo, for 20 years, he still surprises me with the things he knows and says. Theo grew up on the opposite coast and attended a much different college than I did. So I listened closely when he spoke passionately about ensuring that our water is delivered in the most sustainable and best casing. He taught me a lot about it and the industry in general, which informed our innovative approach to packaging and addressing the BPA in cans and glass bottles. (Related: My Top 3 Mindsets for Success)

The next time you’re making a decision about who you’ll spend your time with—even if it’s attending a networking event where you don’t know anyone—ask yourself this question: What scenario will help you grow, which group will challenge your opinions, and who will expand your worldview? Choose wisely.

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Let’s Connect! Find me on Twitter (@KaraGoldin), and DM me your burning business questions and/or comments.

Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of San Francisco–based hint?, a healthy lifestyle brand that produces the leading unsweetened flavored water and a scented sunscreen spray that’s oxybenzone and paraben-free. Listen to her podcast, Unstoppable, where she interviews founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors across various industries and keep up with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.