In this episode of Clover, I sit down with fellow Austinite, community builder, and multi-pivot queen Heather Trumpfheller for a conversation that hits on career, identity, sobriety, boundaries, and what it really means to build community with intention.We talk about:Her winding career path & permission to pivotGrowing up a storytelling-obsessed kid in Dallas, studying broadcast journalism at Mizzou, and working at an NBC stationThe scary identity shift of leaving journalism, trying PR, and then being “discovered” in the Central Market checkout line and pushed into salesWorking 11 years for the same leader, getting moved to Boston, and realizing she had outgrown a company she deeply lovedThat “make it obvious” moment & walking away from misalignmentThe gut-check prayer the morning she asked for a sign to quitThe wild 1:1 where her boss suggested a new role and she realized the real answer was: “I quit.”How she took six months to get clear on her values, not her job titleNetworking, mentorship & operationalizing relationships (without feeling icky)Why you should never wait until you need a job to start networkingBuilding “relationship capital” with systems: calendar-blocked Friday follow-ups, notes on people, and being intentional about second-degree connectionsHer take on mentorship as seasonal, specific, and often most powerful outside your current companyHow to make a compelling outreach ask that actually gets answeredSobriety, boundaries & redefining worth beyond achievementHitting her two-year sober anniversary and realizing how much she’d been numbing with alcoholRecognizing when your self-worth is tied to numbers, titles, and likabilityUsing how you feel after events and interactions as data to set better boundariesWhy she now sees boundaries as a gift—to herself and to the people around herLeading Austin Women in Tech & building true communityMoving to Austin not knowing anyone and finding Austin Women in Tech through a random MeetupStarting as membership director, then becoming president, and helping grow the org to hundreds of membersWhat it’s like to motivate and lead in a volunteer-only environmentWhy volunteering is a low-risk way to practice leadership, test new skills, and expand your networkHer current work: community, referrals & women-owned businessesHer role as Chief Growth Officer at Switchboard, a platform connecting skilled virtual volunteers with global mission and ministry organizations Switchboard+1Her work with What She Said and the RFRL app, a referral platform that routes everyday recommendations (CPAs, lawyers, favorite coffee shops) to women-owned businesses and rewards the people making referrals What She Said, Inc.+1Why she believes abundance follows alignment—and how these roles line up perfectly with the life she actually wantsInfluence without the titleHow to lead before you have the formal authorityWhy influence isn’t always the loudest person or the biggest title—it’s consistency, clarity, and alignmentLinks & resources mentioned:Connect with Heather on LinkedInAustin Women in Tech (AWT) – the nonprofit community Heather led as presidentWebsite: awtaustin.org Switchboard – virtual volunteering platform connecting skilled volunteers with