Today, I welcome Julia McKenna, who is the founder and CEO of Managerine LLC.
Managerine LLC is a company that helps inspire new and aspiring leaders, especially by helping women gain the confidence and skills they need. In this day and age I think that is so important! Be sure to check out her website as well, because it is amazing! And I love the creativity she brings to her business, including the title! Isn’t it great!
Tell me about yourself. Who are you as a person? What are you likes, dislikes? What is your career?
First and foremost, I come from an amazing family. As the oldest of 6 kids, I helped my mom, who worked part-time, with all the kids while my dad commuted across state lines. My parents are incredible- they both earned masters degrees and raised 6 children while launching successful careers. From a young age, they told us we were capable of anything as long as you work hard enough.
I took this to heart and jumped into college right after high school. To make it all happen, I worked 50 hours a week in addition to full-time school to get my degree. This drive carried over into my career and I was promoted to my first management role at 17. I was terrified and had no idea what I was doing. However, I had a boss who saw something in me and knew I could do it.
As a young leader, I struggled for years with earning the respect of my colleagues and employees. It’s hard to feel confident and capable when your average employee is a decade or more older than you! However, I worked my butt off, took every class I came across, and read every book on leadership I could find. It was hard work, but it was also exciting and rewarding!
In 2019, I vowed that this would be the year I took my career to the next level. I published my first academic article, enrolled in a leadership institute, started two masters degrees, and joined several committees and organizations in the library world. To my surprise, these activities all lead me to the same conclusion- my true passion and calling was in the world of leadership development!
To pursue this calling, I founded Managerine LLC. Managerine is my passion project. Our mission? To provide support for new and aspiring leaders. I think back to what I would have loved to have as a scared 17-year-old and that’s what I provide through my company. We offer cheat sheets on management topics, a subscription box with leadership books and products from woman-owned businesses, and are in the process of developing a new manager academy! I love seeing all of the amazing female leaders out there and it’s my greatest joy in life to give back to them.
A little about me personally- I live with my boyfriend and his son, who are the loves on my life. I’m obsessed with garden gnomes and have tiny ceramic men all over my house, much to my boyfriend’s chagrin. I’ve solidified my place in the librarian hall of fame with two cats named after female authors, Jane Pawsten and Zora Neale Purrston. My deepest, darkest secret is that I religiously keep up with the Kardashians. I can be found most days drinking copious amounts of tea and listening to “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me” on NPR
Walk me through a typical day in your business/career/life?
I was recently diagnosed with ADHD, so for me a schedule and a routine is a necessity to stay on track! (Side note, if you or a loved one has this or any other mental health concerns, I cannot stress enough to get help! My diagnosis of ADHD, depression, and anxiety and the subsequent treatment I received seriously changed my life). I’m a morning person, so typically I wake up at 6am. Then comes some yoga, stationary bike if I’m feeling motivated, a shower, and getting dressed. I try to always put on pants and makeup, even when working from home, to help stay productive. Next comes a hot mug of tea and checking my email. Then, I make a list of what I want to accomplish that day. I’ve found that by writing down everything I need to do in order of deadline/priority, I find myself not pushing off those little tasks I hate as much (I’m looking at you QuickBooks!).
After my work, I typically knock out some schoolwork- I’m on track to finish up two master’s degrees this fall, because why not! My boyfriend works most nights, so I try to cook a healthy dinner for me to eat and him to bring as dinner the next day. I’m dairy free and his son is newly gluten free, so I’ve been experimenting with a lot of new recipes lately! Finally, I try to let myself relax a bit. I’m a doer, so I try to schedule me time so I don’t forget and burn myself out. That could mean reading, hanging with my cats, going for a walk, or binging Netflix- anything to just chill a bit and decompress! Then bed by 10 and back at it the next day!
What is your biggest pet peeve about that day/business/career/life? Biggest frustration? Biggest source of joy?
My biggest pet peeve and frustration is not being taken seriously. As young women, we have to work twice as hard to have our accomplishments recognized. I have to be careful of how I dress, how I talk, how I act to avoid being written off as a silly young girl. You’ll see me in heels and a blazer instead of my preferred twirly skirt in a dino print because I don’t want anyone to doubt my confidence and capability. And yet it’s this struggle that has make me confident. I know that I’m capable because I’ve worked incredibly hard to become the person I am. I know that my work will pay off because it has in the past.
My greatest source of joy is hearing how I’ve helped others. I keep notes and emails from former employees that I’ve helped and when I have a bad day, I pull them out. Transitioning into management is one of the toughest career moves many people make! I love to see others succeed and feel less stressed through my support.
Do you have any relationship advice?
In December of 2016, I moved across the country to follow a boyfriend who I should have not been dating, never mind leaving behind my family and friends and moving across the country for. However, I felt like it was my obligation to help fix him. I’ve always been a fixer, whether that meant supergluing together my shoes or trying to help my siblings find jobs. It took me three years of this relationship to realize that I couldn’t fix someone who didn’t want to be fixed. Any when I broke up with him, it was painful and hard, but one of the best decisions I made in my entire life.
After a year of dating casually, I met Connor. He was a divorced army dad, most certainly not my type, and lived 2 hours away. Yet for some reason, whether just being tired of playing the field or the kind, intelligent way he talked to me, we started dating. This isn’t to say it hasn’t been hard. We would alternate driving 2 hours to visit each other each weekend. I had to learn to love his amazing son, but not get to be his mom. That was hard- that little boy is the love of my life and I want to make his life perfect, but with a child of divorce, you can’t always do that. We’re going through a custody battle and I helped Connor transition as he left the military, moved in with me, I started grad school, and he went back to finish his undergrad. It’s been hard!
But you know what? Neither of us are fixing each other. No one is putting I more work on the other. I help him with his homework. He has encouraged me and supported me in building my business. We both do chores and split the bills and love each other more than I knew was possible. Given this, my greatest piece of relationship advice is finding a partner. Connor and I are above all a team. Find someone who loves and supports and believes in you. Connor will text me through the day with ideas for my business that he can’t wait until I get home to tell me. It’s that passion and support that has kept me going and allowed me to make my dream a reality.
Do you have any favorite quotes?
“The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes” -Tony Blair. I find that my tendency is to say yes to everything instead of setting boundaries. And when I do this, I burn out! It’s important to remember to say no sometimes.
Website: Managerine.com
Instagram: @managerineleadership
Facebook: Managerine Leadership
Take our 7-day Mastering Management Challenge: managerine.com
Subscribe to the Female Leaders Book Club: managerine.cratejoy.com/
