Dana Kent

Most people know I've spent the last 30 years in the outdoor industry. What they may not know is that, for much of my career, I was slowly drifting away from the person who first fell in love with it. It started when I was a teenager working at Pico Mountain. I remember sitting at the bottom of the Alpine Slide, surrounded by fresh air and mountains, thinking, I want to work outside forever. That dream came true. As my career grew, so did my responsibilities. Promotions led to bigger teams,...

I don’t know about you, but the world feels like it is constantly on fire. Every time I open a news feed, scroll social media, or even listen to NPR, I feel it in my body: that conflicted pull between wanting to hide and wanting to fight. Between the urge to shut down and the urge to take action. Trauma gets triggered. My nervous system says, run. My heart says, don’t look away. And I know I’m not the only one. So I want to talk about it—because this is bigger than a news cycle. This is...

I’ve moved more than a few times—not as many as some, but probably more than average. Frankly, I really don't like it. As someone whose core value is community, moving can be jarring. I coach myself through the “opportunities” of each new place. I motivate myself to let the old go and embrace the rebirth of the new. But in the end, it’s just plain hard. Many of my clients also have opportunities for growth in their roles and geographical locations. They too find themselves questioning how...