Community of Cultivators: Edition 60

Here at GCUC we are immensely fortunate to cross paths and work with so many amazing people. Through our work, we’ve cultivated a global community of people we think you should know about.

Community of Cultivators is a blog series we created to introduce you to coworking game changers and connectors. Each month, we’ll release new interviews that we hope inform and inspire you.

This week’s interview is with Tracy Wilson. You likely know her as a partner in Pacific Workplaces, a regional serviced office provider in Northern California and Nevada. She is also on the management team of CloudVO, a global network of touchdown officing providers that supports mobile workers and entrepreneurs. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the flex office/coworking industry. Tracy has a BA in History from UC Santa Barbara and is a licensed real estate broker in the state of California.

Tracy’s current role is co-founder of SUPER® (single-use plastics elimination or reduction) and non-profit which provides certification systems for businesses, globally, working to reduce their single-use plastic footprint in business operations.

To learn more about Tracy, keep reading.

What in your life are you most proud of cultivating or creating? Why?

Very long-lasting friendships and a well-connected nuclear family are the things that give me the most pride. I have many friends that I’ve remained close to for decades. That doesn’t happen by accident; it takes work to tend the garden of beloved friends and family.

I’m also very prideful of my leadership from an HR perspective. I take very seriously the role I play as an employer to participate in the professional development of all teammates under my purview. I believe that the best situation is to build on each person’s strengths and long-term professional desires by creatively finding ways to incorporate those into every role. The best job we can do is to develop our teammates and then let them fly – even to be joyous when they fly elsewhere.

Where do you personally feel the most sense of community?

I find community in lots of different ways, there isn’t a single place. I am sustained by community feels when I am with my college besties for our annual girl’s trip; when I am volunteering with others, all driving toward a common goal; when I’m in a classroom setting and the conversation is interesting; when I’m at the office ‘vibing’ with a new member, and when I am out on a hike taking in the majesty of Mother Earth. There are so many ways to feel and find community but, it takes action – community doesn’t find you; you find it.

What podcast would you recommend to others and why?

Podcasts, I love them! The world at your earlobes! There is such a wide world of interesting things to learn in the podcast realm: Liz Elam, as you know is a great interviewer. Just listed to her conversation with Justin Harley, a long-time industry friend. I really like The Prof G Pod. There is a weird youthful, manly, energetic vibe and I always feel like I’ve learned something. Brenè Brown’s, Unlocking Us podcast is another one that I enjoy. There are few better words to live by than her tagline: be awkward, brave, and kind. The Ellen Macarthur Foundation Podcast is fantastic for getting my sustainability and circular economy fix. Bunga Bunga about Silvio Berlusconi and narrated by Whitney Cummings was one of the craziest stories ever! There are quite a few others in my Pod library depending on my mood.

What is one piece of advice you give everyone that works with and/or for you?

I should probably ask my teammates what I should learn to ‘caution’ people about working with me. No doubt, I can be frustrating, obstinate, and even whinny at times. I lead with my heart and I generally remain very level headed. Word of advice … I’m a talker – just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

If you had $500 to spend- what would you buy?

Recently saw a price for an economy airline ticket on Aer Lingus SFO – Dublin. Loan me $40 and that ticket is mine.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming an entrepreneur?

I have been thinking about this topic a lot lately. I never thought of myself as an entrepreneur because I associated that word with a person who ‘goes it alone’ and I very much need to be part of a team or something bigger than me. However, I’ve realized one can have entrepreneurial spirit within a group. I think I’ve found entrepreneurial success by 1) showing up every day, 2) generally having a growth-mindset, 3) saying ‘yes’, more than I said ‘no’ – even when it was scary and, 4) surrounding myself with people (above and below) who are smarter than me. (Wanting to being the ‘smartest person in the room’, or worse, thinking you are, is never a recipe for long-term success.)

What is the best habit you ever started? What habit do you want to start but haven’t yet?

Best habit I started, this sounds silly, but I never used to make my bed. I thought, why, I’ll just mess it up again in about 14 hours. Years ago, a friend of mine mentioned that she never missed a day making her bed. I asked why, and she said two reasons 1) she could say that no matter how her day went, she accomplished something and 2) when she came home after a long day at work seeing her nicely made bed gave her a feeling of calm. Her reasoning made more sense than mine, so I tried it and decades later, I don’t think I’ve missed a morning.

That’s all for this week. Come back next week for another industry interview. To read other interviews in this series, keep scrolling.