When Life Hands You Lemons, Grubhub Something Else

If you were to tell me in the summer of 2020 that I’d enjoy my job AND own a home in Virginia the following year, I’d have written you off as a crazy person. For starters, I was living in Texas and working through some of the absolute worst times to be in the service industry; customers were increasingly violent, demanding, and flat out refusing to adhere to safety measures we desperately tried to uphold. Second, homeownership was a dream that I had pretty much given up on. What I couldn’t have imagined was that my family would turn me on to an opportunity back home—and that by going “back to the nest,” I would end up joining Nest.

For 12 years, I worked in Austin, Texas, building my business operations experience with plans to join a consulting firm. When working downtown turned from “normal” to quasi-apocalyptic, I wasn’t sure what the future would hold. The once-bustling metropolis was eerily quiet—the streets were empty, sidewalks were bare, and boards covered the windows of street-level businesses. Looters?! Seriously?! Now, I’m no stranger to challenges and even needing to overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable, but this was definitely a new one for all of us. Without customers, there was no business to consult.

Enter Mom.

One day, I get an email from my mom informing me that Nest is hiring and, without any local prospects, I bite. I quickly learn that the founders are very down to earth and we get along instantly. I’m ultimately offered an entry position that will help me learn this new structure. I pack my bags, load up the cats, and head back to Virginia! The quick rapport continues as I meet more and more of the staff. This is a fantastic group of people who are absolutely defining the hustle. Who’d’ve thunk there was a business besides Amazon that was going so strong during such a bizarre time in our world? I jump in with both feet and find my way through reinventing a role that supports local agents, staff, and even Nesters in other locales. Ever seen that phrase, “Work hard and be nice to people?” That’s it. That’s how we do. When I tell you the last year has flown by, I mean it. Joining this flock and doing what I can to keep anyone and everyone soaring has been incredibly rewarding, particularly after the Sisyphean struggles of 2020. A calm sea never made a skillful sailor, and, as it turns out, sometimes persevering through dark and pressure-filled times can end up giving you a diamond.