Conversations with Phaedra Earhart

Today we’d like to introduce you to Phaedra Earhart.

Phaedra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have volunteered on the board of Oakwood Creative Care for about 4.5 years now (it’s important to the story), and I used to be in business development for the trades. I often found myself at the same events as Kerri Ann (our owner) and Sandy (our Ops Director) and they were always so much fun to hang out with! Less than 3 years ago, I was in a particular mood about something out of my control at work. I received a text from Sandy that read…”I’m sitting here with Kerri Ann and we would love to have you come work for us”. Now, it helped that I was irritated about something going on at work that day, because I responded with, “Well, it would be so much fun to work with you guys!”. I went home that evening and spoke with my husband…. wouldn’t it be awesome to combine my passion for volunteering in the senior world with my career world?? Isn’t that the dream?? So here I am in this amazing job, working with the most kind-hearted, passionate, beautiful and fierce women I know. I am thankful beyond measure and my wish for EVERYONE is that they get to find this kind of passion for the work they do in this life.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Working with humans who are often time in crisis can be challenging…but it’s also incredibly rewarding. There can be high emotions and strained relationships (no judgement – I have no idea what traumas someone has gone through), so we sometimes need to navigate tough waters. But most of the time I find love. I find love in the friends and families of those going through struggles and it makes my heart happy to see so much tenderness. I feel so blessed to be on this journey with them.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are a free service to seniors and their loved ones, helping them navigate most anything in the senior world. We offer resources to help our clients stay at home as long as possible, with our trusted resource partners. But if that becomes unsafe, too expensive, too much for a care partner to handle, or maybe they’re just tired of cooking meals and mowing the lawn, we will help the family navigate through numerous community and group home choices. But most importantly, we want to help find the right care for each individual’s unique situation. We pride ourselves on our community involvement – we donate money and countless hours in helping nonprofits across the Valley. We want you to know you have choices – there’s not just one way to do this. We try to be there every step of the way, helping families understand how to advocate for their loved one and understand that they, as a care partner, matter too.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Who you surround yourself with is who you will become. Find someone that believes in you, who matches your vitality and also challenges you. While you are trying to make a difference in this world, the last thing you need is to be around someone who is feeding off of your energy. And know that people will enter and exit your life at the perfect and divinely guided time – just when you need them to.

Pricing:

• We are a no charge service to families

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aayss.com
• Instagram: @phaedra.earhart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phaedra.earhart
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phaedraearhart

Image Credits
Headshots by Christine Lowell