You Don't Have To Do It Alone
Musings with Max Pete, Community Engagement Program Manager at Square
Behind every thriving community is a a human with emotions and things to deal with. This is Community Musings: Conversations. — a series dedicated to navigating the mental and emotional rollercoaster of building a career in community.
Meet Max Pete!
Max Pete is not just any community builder, he’s a community builder at heart. He carries with him a contagious positive energy, and that’s something you can’t miss. Connected with him on X for over a year now, and I've been inspired by his journey, his work and the gems he shares.
Here is his story!
I had no idea this role existed and it really opened up this whole industry to me.
Back in 2020 I was freelancing full-time and looking for a career change. I stumbled upon a freelance Slack community and thought it looked interesting so I signed up for a membership. I ended up loving it so much and getting super involved with hosting events, connecting others, etc. that the founder wanted me to become their part-time Community Manager. That opened up this whole industry to me.
On job hunting…
Max: It was tough to be honest. I had a lot of doubt because during my layoff I felt like I didn't have enough experience quite yet to move into a better role and also worried about the state of Community roles in general. But one thing that I did do was make time to connect with other Community builders because it reminded me why I am in this industry and all of the beautiful things in it as well.
On days when you don’t just feel like it…
Max: I try and show up as best as I can. On some days it is better than others, and that's okay. I think one of the beautiful things about Community is that we can show up as ourselves and not feel like we'll be judged or ridiculed. I also get a lot of energy helping others which helps my mood overall on the days that I may not be feeling my best.
On work-life balance…
Max: Ha, I am still really figuring this out! I try and do my best to close the laptop at a certain time and be done with work, but it doesn't always happen. I do like to give myself plenty of breaks in my day which I find helpful. I also find that just checking in for 20-30 minutes on my off days helps a lot with my anxiety about coming back to work from the weekend or PTO. It may not work for everyone, but it does for me.
On imposter syndrome…
I struggle with this a lot! I think having a wins folder has definitely been helpful when reflecting. I also think talking about it helps a lot. We often get inside our own heads and bottle up these emotions instead of telling others how we feel. A quick call with a friend or family member about this can do wonders. We all tend to go through this and can empathize!
The one thing that sets in the right direction…
Taking a deep breath and not rushing into something. I find that if I can center myself when feeling overwhelmed or feeling challenged, it helps a lot. Instead of just powering through, taking a moment to pause can make all of the difference.
Connect with Max Pete on LinkedIn and on Substack-
- Enjoyed this piece?
- Did something stand out to you?
- Yet to subscribe?