Participant Spotlight | Tara Yukawa
Director of Digital and Content at OneAffiniti
Ceresa Community Manager, Emily Worthington, talks with Tara about her experience being a participant in the Ceresa Accelerator, and the impact it’s made in her life.
E: Hey, Tara! Thanks for joining us to share your experience. Let’s start by hearing why you decided to invest in the Ceresa Accelerator program:
T: I am at a critical growth phase in my career. But at the same time, I am in a critical phase of motherhood. As a mom of two impressionable young boys (ages 5 and 3), I want to set an example for them of what it looks like to be strong and independent but also have grace, humility, and empathy. Moms feel they have to make a choice between homeschooling the kids and going after a promotion. I’m not willing to negotiate. I want both. I want to be successful in my career and an incredible mom.
But these years are fleeting and I know I need guidance to avoid any critical missteps. I recognize that I need help and could use some sage advice to navigate this season in my life. I want guidance from a mom and leader who has navigated these waters before, and that’s what I’m getting from my mentor.
E: Can you share a specific goal or aspect of your vision statement you worked on during your Ceresa journey?
T: I took a different approach in writing my vision statement. I wrote it in past tense intentionally. I wrote this thinking, "This is how I want to be remembered." This approach enabled me to address each of the most important areas of my life, Tara as a mother, leader, mentor, family member, friend, and individual.
E: What is your favorite thing about your Ceresa mentor?
T: She has this incredible way of asking questions that encourages me to find the answers on my own. She asks thoughtful questions that help guide me to find the answers within myself
E: What's new about you since beginning your Ceresa journey?
T: As a mom with young kids, I fell into the trap of deprioritizing my health. I wanted to look and feel better, but also set an example for my kids of what being healthy looks like, including food choices and prioritizing exercise. Adjusting my diet was the easy part, where I struggled was giving myself permission to prioritize exercise. Like a lot of moms, I prioritized everyone else’s needs above my own.
I enjoyed a small win over the holidays when I was organizing my home office (also where I sometimes exercise). My boys were calling for me from somewhere else in the house and I replied I was in the office. My oldest son asked, “Mom, are you exercising?” They noticed that mom had been working hard and prioritizing her health. I’ve achieved several short-term goals and am working to make this a long-term lifestyle change.
E: In what way(s) are you hoping to grow in the new year?
T: There are three ways that come to mind. The first is growth at work. We have several big initiatives that I am leading that will deliver a big impact to the business. I am focused on growing my skills with executive presentations and my influencing skills.
The second is to continue prioritizing my health, and the third is prioritizing family. With such a strong focus on my career, plus working from home, it’s easy to fall into the trap of letting work seep into family time. I’m working to get better at setting boundaries at work so that I am able to give my kids and my family the attention and focus they deserve.
E: How do you define leadership?
T: The ability to create a vision and communicate it in a way that motivates and inspires others. But to do this well, there are skills that you need to master: being an empathetic listener, instilling confidence in others, and having the ability to influence others without being overbearing.
E: Is there a resource (book, podcast, game, quote, etc.) that has kept you going in 2020? If so, tell us about it.
T: In 2020 I read Michelle Obama’s Becoming, and one of the lessons that resonated with me was the need to make time for your partner and family. The Obama’s obviously had the most demanding roles imaginable, yet they prioritized their closest relationships and, in part, owe their success to this incredible support structure.
With my kids being so young, I wake up, exercise, get the kids up, work, make dinner, and get them to bed. By the time it’s 8:30 pm, I realize I haven’t eaten or said 10 words to my spouse. So, my family and I started spending 30 minutes at night working together on a jigsaw puzzle. It was something that was fun and mindless, while also allowing my family to just talk versus being sucked into our devices.
E: What's on your bucket list for after quarantine?
T: Travelling with my family. I think San Diego, CA is first up on the list. My husband is from there and my kids have never been. It’s beautiful! I could spend a week at the museums and walking in Balboa Park.
E: Thanks for talking with me today, Tara. We wish you the best with the continued pursuit of your goals!
A Leadership Journey
Like No Other
The Ceresa Leadership Accelerator is designed for growth-minded leaders from first-time managers to executives, and this highly personalized program gives you the space, structure, and support to focus on achieving your biggest professional aspirations.