Megan's journey from merchandising at major retailers to leading people strategy at Bain Capital Ventures shows how analytical thinking and relationship-building skills translate across completely different contexts.

She opens up about making the leap to an entry-level recruiting role after years in merchandising, and the question that reframed everything: "Am I swimming away from something or towards something?" You'll also hear how she evaluates opportunities using a simple framework (what you're good at, what you enjoy, and what the business needs).

Megan reveals how extreme structure creates space for both deep work and spontaneity, why showing up and doing solid work builds trust that leads to stretch opportunities, and how she approaches interviews by asking questions that reveal whether she can build honest, open relationships with the people she'll work with.

This conversation is about following curiosity, creating structure, and building a career path that works for you—whether you're just starting out or navigating your next transition.

This episode is brought to you by Gem — an AI-first, all-in-one recruiting platform where you get your ATS, CRM, sourcing, scheduling, and analytics all in one place.