Meet Jennifer Oliver | Mentor / Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Oliver and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I have learned over the years the importance of taking care of yourself and having a variety of interests as well as surrounding yourself with a variety of people in order to maintain a healthy mental and physical well being. My primary job is pretty demanding and can be quite stressful and can easily take over my life so sometimes it is a challenge to maintain a good life balance.

I fortunately have many hobbies outside of work including hiking, crafts and paddling on a Dragon Boat team. Pretty much anything that gets me outside, provides me with good balance and ability to make time for family and friends which also is important for my mental health.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
For my primary career I am a Regional Manager at a clinical laboratory. I have worked for the same company for 28 years and have worked in many different areas and worked hard to advance in the company to my current position. I enjoy what I do and am particularly excited to be able to be a mentor to new leaders within the organization. The part I love the most about my job is my opportunity to be a Leadership Mentor for new leaders in my field. Leadership is not telling people what to do but it is about building relationships with people and in turn they want to work with you for a common goal. I enjoy having the opportunity to share my experiences, both successful as well as unsuccessful with new leaders in my industry and watching their growth over time.

In my downtime from work, I have practiced the art of bead weaving for many years and have transitioned that into a part time business. The art of bead weaving is sacred in many cultures all over the world. It was introduced to North America by American Indians in the mid 1800s through which they created beautiful pieces of art including different colors and patterns for each tribe. However, evidence of beadwork dates as far back as the Ancient Egyptian period. It has become a very therapeutic and relaxing hobby for me. I also create resin jewelry and art which is a new venture I recently started that I also enjoy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am from Florida so I have a lot of friends visit from there. Colorado is such an amazing place with so much to see and do particularly coming from an area that is so different. My itinerary usually involves anything outdoors. Rocky Mountain National Park is almost always on my list of must see, whether it is a short walk around Bear Lake or one of my favorite hikes in the area. If possible, a show at Red Rocks is always on everyone’s bucket list. Breckenridge for a hike or visit to the beautiful little downtown or Steamboat Springs to check out Strawberry Park hot springs is also often on the itinerary. As well as possibly a show at Red Rocks.

When not playing outside, we often visit many of the great craft breweries in the area.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to my family and friends who sometimes did not understand my decisions in life but never the less supported me 100% and have always been there for me.

Website: https://beadiful-destiny.myshopify.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeadifulDestiny/

Image Credits
Martha Montiel Photography