Get to know Vann Ellerbruch, one of our Professional Development Trainers, here at Peak-Inc!
- What was your upbringing in Colorado like?
“I grew up in Northglenn, which is suburb of Denver. Sort of in between Boulder and Denver. I have two younger brothers, Shey and Trace. Growing up in my family required two things: an intense love of sports (as myself and both of my brothers played baseball our whole lives), and an intense love of learning (my parents were both teachers). It was because of my upbringing that I was able to develop such a wide variety of interests and experiences.”
- What extracurricular activities did you participate in when you were younger?
“In high school, I played baseball all four years (all at center field) and basketball for three (point guard). But beyond that, I was very involved in the theater department at Northglenn High. The proudest moment I had in high school, was when I was given the opportunity to write and direct my own One Act play, which was performed for the entire school!”
- What was your first job?
My first job was at Boondocks Fun Center when I was sixteen. I was assigned to attractions, which meant I was in charge of all of the fun stuff outside (i.e. go karts and bumper boats).
- Where did you go to college and what did you major in?
I went to college at the University of Colorado at Boulder. For me, it was the only choice I really had because I was practically raised on that campus. For instance, I haven’t missed a football game since I was 5 years old. Even worse, my dad went to the CU football game the day I was born, which pretty much sealed my fate.
I went into college as a Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental biology major, in the
hopes of going to medical school. In retrospect, I think I really just liked the show Scrubs! In my junior year, I switched to a major that I was much more suited for, and that was Comparative Literature with a double major in Philosophy. I decided to go down this route, not only because it is infinitely interesting, but also because it helped me to learn about myself, both in terms of me as a person and how I fit into the bigger
picture.
- How do you like to spend your free time?
I spend the majority of my free time reading, going to local breweries, and playing music! As you can tell by my choice in majors, I am a sucker for literature. Right now, I’m working my way through my William Faulkner collection. At the moment, I’m reading, "The Sun Also Rises".
In terms of breweries, living in Boulder gives me a fantastic opportunity to try both well-established institutions, like Avery, but also smaller startups, like Gravity (my favorite). And playing music is just flat out fun! I’ve played in over 15 bands throughout high school and college, and I don’t plan to stop any time soon!
- Did you always want a career in this field? If so, what first sparked your interest and if not, what made you navigate toward this arena of work?
When I was in college, I switched my major to Comparative Literature and Philosophy with the plan ofattending law school. I wanted to be an environmental lawyer and work on the water rights in Colorado.
I initially started at Peak because I thought that having sales experience would help me greatly in law school. However, that was before I fully understood the opportunity that this company gave me. By working really hard, sticking to the systems already in place, and by fully committing to the process, I would be able to achieve all of my goals, and then some. Now, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything differently. I’m incredibly thankful for the way things turned out.
- What has the process been like working your way up through this company?
This is a tough one! The process of working my way up through the company has, for me, been both incredibly enlightening and challenging at the same time. With all of the systems we have in place, the path towards success is clearly defined. It just came down to my own work ethic and willingness to learn. When I started, I was more than eager to learn. I soaked up everything and tried my very best to apply the lessons I had been taught. And I did do very well.
However, in order to take the next step in my career, I had to shift my focus away from myself, and gauge my development on my ability to help others. This was a foreign concept for me up until this point. My whole life, I had been able to accomplish
my goals by focusing only on myself. For example, as long as I did the research and wrote the paper, I would find success in college. But this company has challenged me to extend the opportunity onto others, both in the forms of training, coaching, and by being the example. And in the end, I found this to be far more fulfilling. My success is gauged by my ability to help others, and that it what I truly love about this opportunity.
- What are you goals with Peak?
My goals with Peak are to be a managing partner. In order to achieve this goal, I need to continue learning as much as I can, following the systems in place, and incessantly work to make those dreams happen.
- What is your ultimate goal for your career?
I want to be a platinum level consultant in this company. I know this is an ambitious and aggressive goal, but I trust in myself, my work ethic, and my ceaseless student mentality enough, that I know I can make this happen.
- What advice do you have for those embarking on a career in this field?
My advice would be to take coaching seriously. The beauty of this business is that you will never encounter something that hasn’t been encountered before. Everyone goes through the same trials, challenges, and successes. If you remain open, listen, and apply what you learn, success is inevitable.
Thanks for sharing, Vann! We really enjoyed getting to know you more and we can’t wait to see where all of your hard work will take you!
No comments:
Post a Comment