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Career Path of a Founder at WellSpace

Maria's career path was unconventional, focusing on self-discovery through diverse experiences; starting with teenage work in a family business, this journey included a structured clerical role at UCLA, high-impact student leadership in creative labs and the Solar Decathlon, and post-graduation work as a podcast host and producer for Conservation X Labs, where they "learned all the skills on the job" and developed crucial entrepreneurial skills.

Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Project Management, Career Exploration

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Maria Ko (Kiejnich)

Founder

WellSpace

UCLA Class of 2020

Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ed.M. in Learning Design, Innovation and Technology

Economics

Healthcare, Medical & Wellness, Technology

Entrepreneurship and Business Owner

International Student, First Generation College Student

Video Highlights

1. Maria's career path highlights a proactive approach to self-discovery, involving diverse experiences to identify passions and strengths. She started with a teenage job in her mother's fashion business, gaining early insights into customer relationships and business operations. Later, a clerical role at UCLA provided structured experience, contrasting with her entrepreneurial pursuits in student projects and leadership roles within UCLA's Creative Labs and the Solar Decathlon. This combination of structured and entrepreneurial work provided valuable insight into her skills and strengths.

2. Her involvement in the Solar Decathlon, a national design challenge focusing on sustainable energy, demonstrates her commitment to sustainable practices and showcases leadership in a high-profile, collaborative project. This experience not only enhanced her leadership skills but also broadened her understanding of sustainable energy and design, demonstrating initiative and a passion for sustainable solutions.

3. After graduation, Maria took on a podcast hosting and producing role at Conservation X Labs, learning on-the-job skills in communication, media production, and outreach. This role further developed her entrepreneurial skills by requiring her to market a product (the podcast) and interact with high-profile individuals. It also showcases adaptability and a willingness to embrace new challenges, key skills for entrepreneurs

Transcript

Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?

I definitely did not have a traditional career path. My focus was on getting to know myself and finding the things I truly care about, which required trying a lot of different things. My first work experience started before college and shaped the opportunities I took on during college.

I worked with my mom in her fashion handbag business in Poland when I was a teenager. I learned a lot about the importance of customer relationships and how messy the business process can be, with so many components needing to fit together. It also showed me how important interpersonal skills and caring about your customers truly are.

My first official job with a paycheck was at UCLA, in the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences. I worked there as a clerical assistant because I wanted to experience a very structured environment with structured tasks, but also do something different every day. That slow office feeling, combined with structure, helped me realize my strengths. I definitely did things in a high-paced way, so that job, while it might not look like the craziest on a resume, taught me a lot about structure.

During my time at UCLA, I invested a lot in leading projects and gaining low-risk leadership skills. I joined Creative Labs, which required me to step up and lead a technical team, something I'd never done before. I came up with an idea for a tech project and was able to lead it.

In my senior year, I took on the Solar Decathlon design challenge. Teams of students across the US were tasked with designing a net-zero house or an innovative building. I really wanted to learn more about sustainable energy and living, so I led a team of architects and designers. We became finalists nationwide, and that recognition from the EPA was a big deal.

These opportunities weren't formal employment, but they were definitely part of my career path. These experiences shaped my early leadership skills and my understanding of how I can contribute in a project or environment.

One major thing that has helped me be a better entrepreneur is a job I took after graduation as a podcast host and producer for a conservation company called Conservation X Labs. I had to learn all the skills on the job, as I'd never done anything with podcasting before and didn't even listen to them. I took this job because it seemed like a cool thing to do right as the pandemic was starting.

I gained a lot of communication skills, like reaching out to high-profile people via email to ask them for interviews. I learned how to present media work in an attractive way, similar to putting a product out there in an entrepreneurial space. I would say this has definitely shaped my career trajectory so far.

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