CHANGING THE ‘CAREER’ STORY – PLOTR INTERVIEW WITH GENEVIEVE
How do you start by learning archaeology in uni and end up with a business that helps people tell their life stories anew? Social entrepreneur Genevieve Boast has the answer!
How did you end up founding Beyond Human Stories?
After University, I fell into the world of business under the pretence of ‘making some money until I worked out what I actually wanted to do’. I became very good at the jobs I was given (working in logistics, then in the world of TV, with various roles for Sky TV). I enjoyed playing the money and success game, loving the ego boost that came with being a ‘business woman’.
After five years I was making lots of money, had a house, a car, a great job title… but I was deeply unhappy. When I was 27 I started learning psychology and discovering what I really loved. For me, it was freedom and adventure. From there, all my decisions became about finding these things.
It led me to start my own business as an entrepreneur, discover yoga and find the career of my dreams (Plotr hint: that’s a link to the Plotr Game! It helps match your personality to dream careers for you. Have you played yet?). Even though being my own boss was totally scary every day, it was also totally exciting. I started to live my own story instead of the one that I was told would make me happy!
My own social enterprise is called Beyond Human Stories and it helps people find happiness in their careers. I work with people and organisations all over the world. Beyond Human Stories helps them to create new and better stories for themselves and the planet.
What are the best bits about your job?
I love being my own boss. I get to use my own unique gifts and expertise each and every day to make the world a better place.
What 3 top skills or qualities are important in your job?
- Tenacity
- Endless energy
- Courage
Top tip: When you do work experience of any kind, always think about how you’re displaying your very own skills and strengths to write up in your CV!
What did you want to be when you were younger?
I spent much of my young life wishing that I could change my story. Longing to live a more magical, happy, heroic life. I always wanted to be someone who changed the world by inspiring people to live their greatest adventures.
What subjects did you love at school?
I loved less structured creative subjects like art, design and creative writing. I hated anything with too many rules and based on intense competition. I worked out early on that if I memorised the essential information well enough to pass my exams I could then move on to something that interested me more.
What training or courses did you do to get to where you are today?
All of the courses I’ve done have taught me something useful that I have gone on to use in my career. Nothing is irrelevant. The important thing is that you are interested enough to really throw yourself into learning the subject.
I studied Archaeology and Prehistory at Uni and got a high 2:1 because I loved doing the course work and attending the lectures. I loved studying NLP (a form of applied psychology) because it started to teach me about myself. Find what you’re passionate about. Learn about it. Master it and the career / money can follow!
Did you overcome any difficulties to get to where you are?
Every day! In becoming who I am today, I have had to take risks and make difficult choices that scared me on a regular basis. Difficulties lead us to our strengths and we should never be afraid to walk through the fire to live our passion.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business?
Be brave, find your passion and then be creative in discovering ways of living it. Even if it looks like you can’t make money from it to start with…..your bliss can still lead you to your career and work in the world.
Tell us a careers secret we didn’t know…
Everyone has a unique story. Everything we ‘know’ to be true or a ‘fact’ is actually based on a story told by someone who is making up the best story they can based on what they think at the time. Do you believe the story that money buys you happiness? Do you believe the story that the world is a dangerous place?
George Orwell said ‘myths that are believed in tend to become true’. The key things that stop you from having the career of your dreams are the stories you tell yourself about why you ‘can’t’ do it ….whatever ‘it’ might be!
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