Meet Peggy Bodde | author | leader | founder of Sacred Work

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

Hi Peggy, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
In 2014, I left corporate as a senior vice president and pivoted careers to start a freelance writing business, but I knew God didn’t want me to waste the 20+ years of business experience he’d blessed me with. So I founded a ministry called “Sacred Work,” where I provide free leadership and career coaching for women. Women come to me with specific leadership and work challenges, and I help them find solutions. Some want to learn how to negotiate a raise or promotion, others want to change careers or need guidance dealing with tough personnel issues. Providing this mentorship for free is my way of giving back.

As a writer, my primary source of income comes from working in educational publishing: I write textbooks! Because I was out on my own at a very young age, I deeply appreciate the value of an education. It’s one of a few things that no one can take from you. Knowledge is empowerment!

I enjoy the textbook world, but my passions are writing about the intersection between faith and work and empowering women to show up boldly in both spaces. A lot of Christian women doubt that their work has value in God’s economy, which simply isn’t true. I use words and mentorship to help them defeat their doubts and help them understand that God celebrates ALL of them, including their work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I graduated from college with an English degree and was accepted to law school, but the summer before school started, I worked a seasonal job for a small manufacturing company called Pigeon Mountain Industries (PMI). My title was “receptionist,” but since the company was small and informal, I was cross-trained in all the different departments. Before the summer ended, Steve Hudson (my boss) took me aside and said, “Do you really want to go to law school? You have a knack for business, and I think you have a future in leadership. Why don’t you stay here and grow with the company?” That conversation changed the trajectory of my career!

Looking back, I know God used that moment to redirect me. I was a single mom with a toddler, and it would have been very difficult to attend law school in a big city with no support system. As my first business mentor, Steve taught me a lot about leadership, and those lessons helped me grow from my first position as the receptionist for PMI to my last position as the senior vice president of supply chain for Petzl.

The outdoor industry, where I spent the bulk of my career, was male-dominated, which meant that certain gender disparities were prevalent, like unequal pay and the underrepresentation of women in leadership. I struggled to find women mentors who were leaders and there was definitely a shortage of Christian women leaders. Because of the absence of women leaders in the industry, I was determined to be for other women what I didn’t have. I started mentoring women in and outside the workplace and joined industry organizations where women were just starting to talk about things like overcoming workplace bias and uniting for change.

Since then, women have come a long way across industries, but we have a long way to go. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned relates to what I call the power of “recycled strength.” This term is based on 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, which paraphrased says that God brings us through tough situations so we can use the help He’s given us to help other people. Strength recycled is strength multiplied! We take what we had to learn the hard way and use it to help others learn the easy way, and along the way—we build community.

Speaking of community, there’s an exciting, growing movement right now where women are advocating fiercely for other women and pioneering better and more accessible seats at the table. The Sacred Work foundation is part of that movement. In my small corner of the working world, I strive to support professional women with encouragement, practical help, and all the resources and connections I’ve accumulated over my 20+ years in business. I’m very excited about being under contract with Moody Publishers for my first book, which I hope will become another resource for women leaders: “Sacred Work: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Leadership in the Marketplace.” The book comes out in April 2024!

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?
Pagosa Springs is a mountain town, and its best attractions are free: the mountains, rivers, lakes, and forests. I’m an avid fly fisher, and there’s a river in the heart of downtown and rivers and streams that take some effort to get to if you prefer solitude. We have several sport climbing areas just a short drive from town. If you like paddle boarding, kayaking, or lake fishing, Pagosa has an abundance of lakes. The mountains and national forest offer endless hiking/running trails, and in the winter, the Wolf Creek ski area gets about 430 inches of natural powder. My husband, George has been skiing since he was four and loves that he can drive 40 minutes to the ski area and then jump on a chair without a lift line. He also skis the back country. If you’re like me, and you prefer cross country skiing or snowshoeing, there are plenty of groomed trails, many of them through the national forest.

If all that activity wears you out and makes you sore, we also have three different hot springs resorts and several free hot springs scattered around the Piedra and San Juan rivers. The resorts each offer something a little different, but they all have natural hot springs, varying in depth and temperature. Very relaxing!

We’re foodies, and our favorite restaurants are Thai Pagosa, Meander (farm-to-table), and Rosies (pizza, but they also have a fabulous beet salad and make their own dressing!). We also enjoy Kip’s Grill, which is a Pagosa icon. It’s open 7 days a week and has tasty tacos and a fun, hole-in-the wall vibe. The Neon Mallard is a relatively recent addition to Pagosa. Here you’ll find a a great place for conversation, complete with hipster vibe, unique cocktails, and tasty appetizers.

George is in his second-act career and pivoted out of corporate leadership to become a professional artist specializing in western themes and landscapes. He is self-taught and his work is represented in four different Colorado galleries, including The Two Old Crows Gallery, right here in Pagosa! The gallery owner, Evelyn Tennyson, and the manager, Vickie Thompson, are both working hard to build an art community in our town. They host a weekly artist reception for the public on Thursday nights (summer/ fall) and Evelyn is building a sculpture garden that will be completed in 2024.

Evelyn is also the co-owner of the Liberty Theater, which is over 100 years old. I love going to the movies and in a town as small as ours, we don’t take our access to the big screen for granted. The Thingamajig Theatre Co is another Pagosa gem. We attract performers from all over the world who perform in amazing productions, everything from Godspell to Jekyll and Hyde.

We are incredibly grateful to live in a small town where we can enjoy all things outdoors and still have access to great food, the arts, and entertainment!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to give a shoutout to Jim and Kathy Brown who gave me a safe place to land when I was a young teenager out on my own. I was adopted into an abusive home and put out of the house at thirteen. The foster system wasn’t involved, but by God’s grace, I bounced around from family to family until the Browns welcomed me into their home. They already had five children, but they accepted and loved me with no questions asked. They saved my life and were my first long glimpse of Jesus.

Ma Brown, as I called her, was the first woman leader in my life, and her influence shaped my understanding that women can be strong Christians and strong leaders: we don’t have to choose between the two.

Website: https://www.peggybodde.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peggybodde/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggybodde/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeggyBodde

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peggybodde/; https://www.facebook.com/PeggyBoddeSacredWork/

Other: https://www.georgeboddefineart.com/ https://www.instagram.com/georgeboddefineart/ https://www.facebook.com/georgeboddefineart

Image Credits
Kierstan Renner