Today we had two conversations that gave me a better idea of what it means to grow professionally. In the morning, we talked with Joe Pietropola, who’s had a long, unique career. He explained how throughout his career, he kept finding new opportunities by exploring new options. He told us how he jumped between departments at Dick’s Sporting Goods, eventually leading their IT department even though his background was in marketing. During COVID, he helped build curbside pickup and the app system, which changed how the company operated. His story portrayed the importance of versatility and how knowledge from different sectors can be applied to other ones.
In the afternoon, we met Nima Sherpa, the owner of Grapow, where we also ate lunch. The food was extremely tasty, and the space had a cool environment. He spoke about how he grew up in Nepal and how hospitality has always been important to him. One of his main goals is to keep his restaurant feeling like an authentic spot and emulate the South Asian cuisine. He changes the menu to keep things fresh and uses art and design to make it a more welcoming place. It’s only their first year open, and he mentioned that they face similar struggles to Carrigart, especially with the slower summer season when students leave. To work around that, he relies a lot on local marketing and influencers to keep the business going. Hearing from both Joe and Nima made me think a lot about how important it is to stay flexible and use your experiences to excel in different fields.