Anne Enberg runs ASWE Consulting, LLC, where she advises organizations (usually in the tech space) on marketing, growth, and general management. Before she started her consulting business, Anne worked at Castlight Health, BCG, and Google, and she received her MBA from Harvard Business School. She now lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband, their two little boys, and a surly, but lovable, dog.
What’s the best advice you received that you like to pass on?
As a teenager, my mom used to say, “You need all the legs of your stool to be strong to sit comfortably.” The legs represent your family, friends, work, school, your various activities, hobbies, personal time etc. The idea is that you shouldn’t overinvest in one area of your life at the expense of others; and if one leg turns sour, it’s ok to periodically lean on the other legs to keep you steady. Through the years, I’ve found this concept critical to maintaining balance in my life, whether it was to move past the drama of high school social dynamics or to cultivate my own interests and life outside of my children as a mother. I still find today, if I’m feeling out of sorts, it’s because I’m overextended on one of the legs of my stool and need to lean back into the other areas of my life that help me be whole.
What’s the top song on your playlist right now?
“Bam Bam” by Camila Cabello (feat Ed Sheeran) is a big favorite right now. It finds its way onto every Pandora station I make (and, yes, I still use Pandora).
What book moved you in recent years?
I loved “Rules of Civility,” by Amor Towles. Set in 1930s New York City, it explores the time in early adulthood when you’re still figuring out the path you’ll take, and in the process, you encounter a slew of new characters and new worlds. I read it in the peak-COVID-times of 2020, and it was a poignant, expertly written escape.
What’s the biggest takeaway from your career thus far?
I’ve learned that there is no map – my career path is mine to create. I am not a natural “outside the box” thinker. I love structure and rules and planning ahead. But I panicked at the prospect of going back to work after having my first child because I couldn’t fathom working the way I used to. Before a call with my boss and our HR team when I was particularly stressed, my husband pointed out the obvious: “If you’re worried about the hours, why don’t you ask if you can work less or go part-time?” I had never even considered it, but when I asked, the organization was more than willing to work out an arrangement that kept me on board and accommodated my need for more family time. This is not the world our parents worked in – and there are million creative ways to sculpt a fulfilling career, as long as you ask and work for what you want. This takeaway was fundamental to my starting my own consulting business in 2021, and I hope will continue to guide me from here.
What’s your favorite home office hack, habit, or accessory that you use?
I love my Airpods. But, I also keep a notebook where I put all of my checklists, my notes, my to-do’s, and my brainstorming. It’s nothing fancy and it doesn’t have a special format. It’s a blank, lined notebook that keeps the details of my professional and personal life organized.
How do you cultivate joy in your professional life?
We need more laughter in the workplace (really in all environments these days) so I try to inject a little wherever I can. I love a Slack giphy back and forth, I love a discussion about bad reality tv before a meeting, I love hearing about someone’s dog’s Halloween costume.
What’s your favorite way to unplug from work?
I need face-to-face, in-person interactions to refocus my brain. I live for post-dinner walks with my family, and I never miss a Book Club meeting. Being with people outside of my work world helps me recharge.
What’s one thing you do away from work that helps you at work? (Something you wouldn’t immediately connect)
I’m going to forego the generic “exercise” answer and confess that I am a Zumba and Cardio Dance evangelist. There is just something about moving your body to great music, with a room full of every kind of person you can imagine, that makes you feel ready to take on whatever challenge comes your way. Each class forces me to pay attention, forgive myself when I inevitably put a foot wrong, and smile. I feel focused, optimistic and energized every time I walk out of a class, and would highly recommend it, especially in these endemic times.
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