Episode 3: Beyond the Ladder - Jessica Smith on Consulting, Careers and Resilience

In this third episode of Confluence, host Eunchim Choi is joined by longtime friend and former TMC director Jessica Smith, whose path to The Mangrove Collective began when their careers kept crossing in New Zealand's small development and humanitarian sector. The two trace Jessica's journey from Tearfund, New Zealand's mission in Geneva and World Vision to her 2021 move into consulting in the middle of Auckland's lockdowns, and how she grew from a self-described generalist into TMC's business development and evaluation lead. They reflect on the limited leadership pathways for women balancing careers and family, why a career doesn't have to be a climb up the ladder, and the value of staying focused on the quality of the work. They also open up about the realities of working with all kinds of consultants and clients, including the behind-the-scenes challenges behind a polished final product. The conversation closes with what has carried Jessica through challenging seasons: the people around her, faith that things will turn out, and small daily habits that build resilience.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The CONFLUENCE Podcast is hosted by The Mangrove Collective, an international humanitarian and development/social impact consultancy. Find us at: https://themangrovecollective.com Would you consider supporting the CONFLUENCE Podcast?  Visit the support page here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2631413/support Support the show