My First Year at Strava: A look back

This will be a short sappy happy story, that I've waited a whole year to tell! I don't think I could have let my Stravaversary go by without sharing my experience. My road to Strava was winding and bumpy. It took me 16 years in recruiting to get to the best place I've ever been. Without my amazing network (Thanks Danae and Kyle), I wouldn't have known who or what Strava was. I'm not an athlete, well at least I thought I wasn't.

During my interviews with Strava, I decided to do something I've never done...Be myself. I know, sounds weird huh? Not for me, I am a black woman who grew up in Corporate America and knows how to play the game well. When I turned 40 in the middle of a global pandemic, I decided I wasn't playing the game anymore. So I showed up, in front of my soon-to-be boss, DEI lead/business partner, our CEO, our VP of Engineering (now CTO), and part of my amazing team as 100% Camille. It was freeing for me and the ball was in their court. They decided to bet on ME and in return I bet on Strava.

I started at Strava, exactly one year ago, TODAY and surrounded by an amazing support system internally and externally, I still had a private meltdown on week two. How could I do this? Make an impact? Manage a growing team? Influence the trajectory of the talent status quo in tech? It took a few of my TA friends to talk me down off the ledge of imposter syndrome. Once I shook off the jitters, I began to work with intention and I'm proud to say, Talent at Strava had a breakout year, honoring our commitments and being the team.

The culture, the people and this community, has all the great bones. I've learned so much about myself, what I'm capable of, and the voice that I use alongside my amazing colleagues to help build the Strava we know and love today. So on my 1 year Stravaversary, I cheers to my amazing teammates for making this year so great, I hope you're glad you put your money on me, because I'm sure glad I put my money on you!