In this episode, Monique Schafer welcomes powerhouse executive Katie Kruger for a raw, riveting, and deeply relatable conversation on transformation, grit, and redefining what success looks like.
Raised in rural Alaska, dreaming of skyscrapers while hauling firewood and joining an exclusive male workforce in the oil fields, Katie now leads in the C-suite of a $35B company and has become a sought-after policy influencer and mentor. Her story is a masterclass in reinvention — not the loud, flashy kind, but the kind that happens when no one is watching, when you say “yes” to growth, over and over again, even when it’s hard.
She shares what it was like being one of the only women in the oil fields, how she taught herself policy in a coffee shop, and why her version of success has nothing to do with titles — and everything to do with relationships, service, and staying grounded.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in a version of yourself that no longer fits, if you think you’re too late to pivot, or that your past defines your ceiling, you need to hear this one.
In this episode:(08:38) - Katie’s Early Years in Rural Alaska (10:46) - Incremental Transformation (11:11) - Strategic Career Pivots: Katie’s Journey to Becoming a Policy Expert (12:27) - Katie’s Rigorous Self-Study Routine (15:55) - The Power of Building Relationships and Adding Value to Others (27:09) - The ROI of Giving Without Expecting (35:57) - Balancing Work and Personal Life, Especially for Working Parents (40:56) - The Importance of Taking Risks and Being Curious in Personal & Professional Growth (41:25) - The Role of Policy in Supporting Working Parents (43:48) - Believing You Can Become Something New
Connect with Katie: Connect with Monique:- Website | https://www.thegreatlifeexperimentpodcast.com/
- Instagram - thegreatlifeexperiment_podcast | https://www.instagram.com/thegreatlifeexperiment_podcast
- Instagram - @itsmoniqueschafer | https://www.instagram.com/itsmoniqueschafer
- YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@GreatLifeExperiment
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