Erin Adams is the executive director of Seattle Good Business Network. “We’re an entrepreneurial nonprofit working at the intersection of the economy, equity and the environment.” Learn about Erin Adams…
Hometown: I was born in San Francisco and grew up in LA, but have lived all over and, at this point, Seattle is my hometown.
First job: Scooping ice cream at 31 Flavors.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in WA: Hiking and being outdoors. We are so lucky to live in this beautiful place!
Your biggest accomplishment and why: Has to be raising two great kids.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: Probably becoming a single parent the same month I became executive director of this organization – I’m proud of how far we’ve all come.
Someone who inspires you and why: Honestly, the tirelessly hard-working people on my staff and our partners in the community who give it their all to make the world a better place.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: I didn’t follow a very direct path to what I do – but I would say nothing beats on-the-ground experience to learn how systems and the local economy works. Curiosity, persistence and humility are also helpful – community economic development is a long game.
Favorite quote: I don’t know that I have a favorite quote, but this one by Jon Kabat-Zinn sits on my desk and I read it every day: “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: Maybe that I lived in Southeast Asia for several years when I was younger and was fluent in the Filipino language of Ilokano as well as Bahasa Indonesia – but don’t ask me to converse in either now. I fear I’ve lost it!
What makes someone fabulous: There are so many ways people can be fabulous, but having integrity and a sense of humor are top of my list.