Meet Beckie Watson | Founder, Em’s House Foundation

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

Hi Beckie, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world”. Harriet Tubman

I’ve alway been an achiever and set lofty expectations for myself. When I decided to start a non-profit to honor my daughter I knew this was a very big dream.

I’ve experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows in making this dream a reality and this quote has helped me persevere during the challenging times of getting a non-profit off the ground. This quote constantly reminds me that it takes courage and strength and lots of patience along the way.

If you want to change the world, you have to dig deep inside yourself to find the strength, the patience and the passion to realize that big dream.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I spent most of my professional career in IT starting in an era when the field was primarily male-dominated. It was the early days of IT when computers occupied the space of an entire floor of an office building.

Being one of the few females on most of the teams I was part of, I learned to use my keen mind and communication skills to be accepted as an equal. I listened to and studied the leaders and purposely looked for opportunities to work for the strongest leaders in the organization so I could learn from them and emulate them.

Starting out as a developer and working nearly every part of the IT industry throughout my career, I continued to be promoted and then made the choice to go into management. I loved managing teams and coaching and mentoring team members to help them achieve much more than they ever thought possible. Through hard work and great leaders to work for I rose through the management teams and served as CTO in my last position.

After nearly 30 years in IT, I looked for new challenges and became a real estate investor. Many of the skills and experiences I carried from my IT career came in hand in real estate as I managed fix and flip projects and built a portfolio of rental properties.

The tragic loss of my daughter led me to start a non-profit providing recovery housing for people who are trying to get their lives back in order after drug rehab, incarceration, or homelessness. It is this work that truly encompasses much of what I learned and experienced in both my IT career and real estate investing business.

I want the world to know that you are never too old to take on a new undertaking or project if you have the passion, patience and strength to see it through.

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 have always loved Colorado and really enjoy showing off the state to my friends and family.

Outdoor adventures would be an absolute must and bicycling is my passion so there would be at least one road bike ride in the foothills and several around Denver.

We would hike and see places like Red Rocks, Garden of the Gods, Rocky Mountain National Park, Mt. Evans, the Botanic Gardens and the Flatirons.

Outdoor music venues like Fiddlers Green, the Evergreen Lake House or one of the many rooftop places in Denver would be perfect for a late afternoon/early evening.

Coffee is a must every afternoon at places like Stella’s, Nixon’s at Hudson Gardens or Monk and Mongoose.

Many meals would be eaten and enjoyed at my home out on the covered patio. When we would go to a restaurant we would probably hit places like Postino, Angelo’s Taverna, French Press, or Seasons 52,

Dinners with my family would definitely be part of the fun.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My man Joe (my life partner) has been my rock and my cheerleader. Whenever I have doubted myself, he has been there to reassure me that I have the strength and patience to get through any challenge. He always tells me “my money is on my girl”.

My family have always loved and encouraged me through the good times and the bad times in my life. I know that I can always count on them to be there for me whatever the situation.

In my professional career I had the good fortune to work for a few strong and wise leaders. They taught me important lessons on how to delegate work and how to provide opportunities to team members that allows them to grow and succeed.

The board members of Em’s House Foundation have all known me for many years and have believed in me and trusted my ability to start a non-profit from the ground up.

Website: emshousefoundation.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emshouse22/

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

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