From Food Industry to Tech Ops: Theresa Freet on Building Around What Lights You Up

In this episode, I interview Theresa Freet, a Strategy & Operations leader with over 12 years of experience in the ed-tech field. Before her rise as an operator, she traveled internationally and immersed herself in the food industry, exploring the world and ruling out alternative career paths. Theresa emphasizes the importance of finding the right overlap between personal fulfillment and career growth, being comfortable with uncertainty, and effective delegation in management. Her experiences highlight the importance of recognizing what truly 'lights you up' and trusting the journey, even through transitions and unexpected shifts.00:00 Introduction to the Push Pull Podcast00:20 Meet Theresa Free: A Journey in Ed Tech00:50 Early Career: Embracing Travel and Passion03:29 The Madrid Experience: Unlocking Fearlessness05:42 Teaching in Bogota: A Year in Colombia06:52 AmeriCorps and the Path to Japan09:25 JET Program: Life in Rural Japan14:58 Discovering a Love for Cooking in Ireland17:36 Exploring the Food Industry in New York and California28:58 Transitioning to Tech and Volunteer Work32:22 Joining IIN: A Return to Education36:11 Incredible Team and Unmatched Benefits37:06 Optimizing Systems and Project Management38:04 Frustrations with Leadership40:56 Transition to Thinkful43:22 Growth and Challenges at Thinkful46:45 Managing Remote Teams58:07 Joining Polygence01:04:55 Navigating Cultural Shifts01:08:24 Exploring New Opportunities01:13:50 Final Thoughts and Reflections