Will Baumgardner is Live on Elevate!
It was a pleasure to have Will Baumgardner on the show! Will is Chief of Staff for Venture First. He has extensive experience in the e-commerce industry, holding roles in finance, strategy and operations. Will started his career with Zappos.com, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, where he was ultimately responsible for the finance function of three fulfillment centers and over $230 million in operating and capital expenses. He has strong expertise in financial planning and analysis, financial modeling, operations and corporate strategy. Will attended the University of Louisville, where he received his degree in Finance. Will currently serves on the Board of Directors for the UofL Alumni Association and works with other local organizations to strengthen his community.
In this episode, Tyler and Will conversation focused on how the other side of discomfort creates profound experiences. Will explained his “obstacle is the way” mindset, and his goal of seeking to do one hard thing everyday. He also shared his experiences of overcoming various trials and tribulations in his work and personal life, whether it’s through innovation at Venture First, leading a team of 30 people or summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.
“On the attempt to summit, I remember being like, ‘I’m going to have to call a helicopter to get me off the side of this mountain. I can’t take another step.’ If I had given up at that moment, then I would’ve missed the whole rest of the trip. On the other side of discomfort is where experiences are made.”
Other topics included Will’s journey of moving to California and realizing the power of authenticity, facing brutal facts, situationally managing emotions, showing up everyday, being present, leaving something better than when you found it, positive information and more!
The books mentioned in the show can be purchased below:
Measure What Matters, by John Doerr
The Daily Stoic, by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
You can connect with Will via his company website or instagram:
