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John Garrett [00:00:03]:
Hey, this is John Garrett. I’m passionate about making work more human, especially in this age of AI. I don’t just host this podcast. I also help organizations put people first through my keynote speaking, coaching, and What’s Your “And”? implementation programs. To learn more or to connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram, I invite you to join the movement at WhatsYourAnd.com. Now let’s jump into this week’s conversation.

Natalie Gandara [00:00:25]:
Hi, I’m Natalie Gandara, and when I’m not coaching youth softball for my daughter in our community, I’m listening to John Garrett on What’s Your “And”?.

John Garrett [00:00:38]:
Welcome to episode 739 of What’s Your “And”?. This is John Garrett, and each Wednesday I interview a professional who, just like me, is known for a hobby or a passion or an interest outside of work. And to put it another way, it’s encouraging people to find their “And”— those things above and beyond your technical skills. It’s the things that actually differentiate you when you’re at work. Think of it as the answer to the question of, “Who else am I beyond the job title?” And if you like what the show’s about, be sure to check out the award-winning book on Amazon, Indigo, Barnes Noble Bookshop, a few other websites. All the links are at WhatsYourAnd.com. The book goes more in depth with the research behind why these outside-of-work passions are so crucial to your corporate culture. I can’t say how much it means that everyone’s reading it and writing such great reviews on Amazon.

John Garrett [00:01:25]:
Thank you so much for those. And more importantly, changing the cultures where they work because of it. If you want me to read it to you— that’s right, this voice reading the book— look for What’s Your “And”? on Audible or wherever you get your audiobooks. And please don’t forget to hit subscribe so you don’t miss any of the future episodes. I love sharing such interesting stories each and every week, and this week is no different with my guest Natalie Gandara. She’s the Director of Human Resources at Frazer and also the President of PIHRA, Professionals in HR Association North OC chapter. She’s out of Orange County, California, and now she’s with me here today. Natalie, thanks so much for taking time to be with me on What’s Your “And”?.

Natalie Gandara [00:02:04]:
Of course, thanks for the invite.

John Garrett [00:02:06]:
This is going to be super awesome. I’m excited about this. I have 17 rapid-fire questions, get to know Natalie out of the gate. I’ll start you out with, uh, maybe an easy one. I don’t know, computer, you go PC or Mac?

Natalie Gandara [00:02:17]:
PC, but I have an iPhone.

John Garrett [00:02:20]:
Oh, okay. All right. Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Yeah, probably more corporate is PC, that’s, that’s for sure. How about ice cream? You going in a cup or in a cone?

Natalie Gandara [00:02:29]:
Ooh, I would say probably a bowl if there’s an option for a bowl.

John Garrett [00:02:34]:
Yeah, yeah, no, I love that.

Natalie Gandara [00:02:35]:
You get more of that.

John Garrett [00:02:37]:
Yeah, yeah, no, that’s fantastic. I’m all for that. You know what? That’s a good note. That’s a professional answer right there. I like that. What’s a typical breakfast?

Natalie Gandara [00:02:45]:
Depends on the day of the week. If we’re talking weekday, probably something simple right out the door, yogurt, maybe a banana if I’m lucky. Or, you know, on the weekends I get spoiled with avocado toast.

John Garrett [00:02:58]:
Ah, good stuff. There you go. Okay. Do you have a favorite band or musician?

Natalie Gandara [00:03:03]:
Oh my gosh, I am a music fanatic. Love music, go to concerts a lot. But geez, if I had to put it to like one band of all time— oh, it depends on the decade. But okay.

John Garrett [00:03:15]:
I’ll give you more than one. You can go more than one. You can get your next level. So you can go more than one on this.

Natalie Gandara [00:03:19]:
I’ll keep it nostalgia. We’ll just go simple. We’ll just do ’90s. My favorite boy band was NSYNC. I was absolutely obsessed with them. So.

John Garrett [00:03:26]:
Okay, there you go. That’s awesome. That’s great. Okay, this is— that’s fantastic. I love it. Uh, are you more heels or flats?

Natalie Gandara [00:03:37]:
Ooh, again, depends on the day. You know, if I have a lot of work meetings and I’m gonna be in front of people, then obviously heels. Or if I’m going out to a nice dinner with some friends, definitely heels. But if I have a busy work day and I’ve gotta get work done, my Nike Air Force 1s are a must, or my Converse or Vans, flat, 1,000%.

John Garrett [00:03:55]:
There you go. I like it. That’s— but that’s just like That’s sneaker flat. Like, that’s, that’s a, that’s the— okay.

Natalie Gandara [00:04:02]:
Yeah, yeah, you won’t find me in dirty shoes or anything like that.

John Garrett [00:04:06]:
Oh no, no, no. Yeah, obviously. Yeah, yeah. Are you more into people or processes?

Natalie Gandara [00:04:10]:
Uh, people, hands down people. I love getting to know people, getting to know their story, what makes them tick. Probably hence why I’m in HR, right?

John Garrett [00:04:18]:
Yeah, totally. But then there’s the process side of it.

Natalie Gandara [00:04:21]:
Yeah, I do like processes, don’t get me wrong.

John Garrett [00:04:23]:
There’s the compliance, there’s all that.

Natalie Gandara [00:04:25]:
Yeah, you know.

John Garrett [00:04:26]:
Whatever. Uh, do you have a favorite number?

Natalie Gandara [00:04:28]:
Uh, I would probably say number 5. That’s what I grew up on. That was my, uh, you know, number as a kid when I was in softball myself. So yeah, number 5.

John Garrett [00:04:36]:
That’s a solid number. I like it. Star Wars or Star Trek?

Natalie Gandara [00:04:39]:
Okay, so I know nothing diddly squat about Star Trek, so I’m going to say Star Wars. Um, I am a sibling of 3, so I’m the baby of the family, and, um, a little bit of age group between, uh, my siblings and me, but we grew up with Star Wars on TV in the household. That was a must. So I love the nostalgia, more of the earlier stuff, like from the ’80s, Return of the Jedi and whatnot. But yeah, I would probably still fail a trivia quiz on Star Wars. So if it’s not Yoda or Jar Jar Binks related, I would probably fail.

John Garrett [00:05:14]:
Well, I mean, that’s going to cover a lot of it. I mean, right there, I mean, you at least got a lot of bases covered. That’s hilarious. That’s awesome. How about more pens or pencils?

Natalie Gandara [00:05:26]:
Pens. I have so many pens everywhere in my house. So if you ever need a pen, I’m your girl. Blue ink, purple, you know, whatever you need.

John Garrett [00:05:34]:
Whatever you need. They’re all over. That’s great. I love it. How about mountains or oceans?

Natalie Gandara [00:05:39]:
Oceans. I absolutely love oceans. In my younger years, I lived literally 500 steps from the beach. It was the best experience. Living by the water just does something to your energy, your soul. So yeah, ocean, hands down.

John Garrett [00:05:53]:
Okay, I like it. How about puzzles? Sudoku, crossword, jigsaw puzzle?

Natalie Gandara [00:05:57]:
Okay, so the only time you’re gonna catch me doing any kind of puzzle is either like a word search or a crossword puzzle type thing. And that’s like if I’m absolutely forced to do it, like if I’m on a plane or about to go on a plane. So that’s the only time you’re gonna catch me doing a puzzle.

John Garrett [00:06:12]:
There you go. There you go. And even then, I’m gonna flip to the back to get an answer because I’m like, what is this?

Natalie Gandara [00:06:17]:
Literally me.

John Garrett [00:06:19]:
I don’t have time for this. That’s hilarious. How about a favorite color?

Natalie Gandara [00:06:22]:
Okay, so blue, but not just any blue, navy blue. So definitely not Dodger blue. And I feel like we’ll probably get that a little bit more.

John Garrett [00:06:28]:
Okay, fair. I get that. All right, Orange County, I see you. How about a least favorite color?

Natalie Gandara [00:06:35]:
I’m gonna go on the far other side. Or maybe it is kind of in the similar side, like gray. I don’t know. I don’t get— I don’t get excited about gray, you know, but it’s everywhere. So put up with it.

John Garrett [00:06:46]:
It’s there to make navy blue look good.

Natalie Gandara [00:06:48]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:06:49]:
How about chocolate or vanilla?

Natalie Gandara [00:06:53]:
Okay, so I’m the girl that I wait in the long line for the machine and I’m pressing the middle lever. I want both. I want the swirl. Give me the swirl every time.

John Garrett [00:07:03]:
Okay. Okay. I like that. Okay. How about, do you have a favorite actor or an actress?

Natalie Gandara [00:07:09]:
I’m gonna go old school a little bit, or maybe not old school. Yeah, I think maybe a little bit old school. I’m gonna say Jack Nicholson, like The Shining.

John Garrett [00:07:15]:
Oh, yeah.

Natalie Gandara [00:07:16]:
Yeah. Yeah.

John Garrett [00:07:17]:
That’s old school.

Natalie Gandara [00:07:18]:
Yeah, I can vibe on that.

John Garrett [00:07:19]:
That’s good stuff. Yeah, yeah. How about toilet paper roll? You go over or under?

Natalie Gandara [00:07:23]:
Over, never under.

John Garrett [00:07:25]:
Right. Are you changing it if you see under?

Natalie Gandara [00:07:28]:
Yes. And I’m get— and I’m not happy about it.

John Garrett [00:07:32]:
Like, I don’t know if we can be friends anymore. Like, I’m just leaving your house.

Natalie Gandara [00:07:36]:
There’s like a— there’s like an email that goes out to the group explaining what happened. Why did this occur? Moving forward on top.

John Garrett [00:07:45]:
That’s hilarious. That’s— the HR comes out. There it is.

Natalie Gandara [00:07:48]:
There it is.

John Garrett [00:07:50]:
And the last one, the favorite thing you have or the favorite thing you own?

Natalie Gandara [00:07:53]:
I’m going to say a glove. So, I love my glove. I love softball, which I’m sure we’ll get into. But to other people, a glove is just a glove. But I don’t know, every time I look at it, it means something different. It means my past in playing softball and watching my daughter play, coaching her. So, yeah, I’m going to say my glove.

John Garrett [00:08:09]:
How long have you had it?

Natalie Gandara [00:08:11]:
Oh gosh. Well—

John Garrett [00:08:13]:
Or since when, I guess? Since high school days or?

Natalie Gandara [00:08:16]:
Yeah, definitely since the high school days. Yeah. So.

John Garrett [00:08:18]:
Okay.

Natalie Gandara [00:08:18]:
Yep.

John Garrett [00:08:19]:
That’s awesome. Yeah. And that’s why you get a good glove. Like, I have my, my glove from my high school days.

Natalie Gandara [00:08:25]:
Yeah. Breaking in a new glove is like, it’s an emotional process. It takes forever. It’s frustrating, right? So.

John Garrett [00:08:31]:
Oh yeah. You gotta break it in. You gotta like, it’s like, forget about it. I love it. That’s awesome. Well, yeah. Well, let’s talk softball and, you know, is that something you played from as a little, little girl or was it something you got into?

Natalie Gandara [00:08:44]:
Yeah. So when I was, when I was a little youngin’, you know, I grew up on the softball fields. My older sister at the time was playing softball. And so I looked at my mom and I said, hey, I wanna try that. And so, yeah, both me and my sister, we grew up playing softball, I would say from the age of 4 all the way until through high school for me. And then after that, I kind of just kept with the adult co-ed softball stuff. But yeah, softball was a huge part of my life.

John Garrett [00:09:11]:
That’s awesome. And so, do you have any like favorite memories or favorite games or, you know, things that come to mind?

Natalie Gandara [00:09:20]:
Yeah. So, I think in my career of softball, I think personally, so I grew up being a pitcher. So I was a pitcher from like the age of 7 through 14.

John Garrett [00:09:29]:
Oh wow.

Natalie Gandara [00:09:30]:
Yeah, I absolutely loved it. You know, not to brag, but I was known for throwing strikes and, uh, I grew up with my dad being the coach. And so when I didn’t throw a strike, he would say, Nat, are you all right? Is everything okay? You need water? I’m like, Dad, you know, I, I can mess up too. Okay.

John Garrett [00:09:45]:
I just gotta keep the umpire honest.

Natalie Gandara [00:09:47]:
That’s all. Yeah. So I think just in general, be, you know, being a pitcher was, was fun and, um, But yeah, definitely many more memories have been sort of developing as I’ve been coaching my daughter now. So, so it’s been exciting.

John Garrett [00:09:59]:
That’s cool. Yeah. And I mean, the pitcher’s, I mean, kind of the quarterback. I mean, because you’re touching the ball every play. I mean, you’re, I mean, in softball especially, I mean, it’s— yeah, yeah, you’re, you’re all in on that. Yeah, that’s, that’s a big deal. So, uh, yeah, that’s cool. I mean, like pitcher, shortstop, and catcher, right?

Natalie Gandara [00:10:16]:
You have a good catcher.

John Garrett [00:10:17]:
Yeah, and catcher. Yeah, that’s it. And then out of the— after that, it’s like, well, we’ll figure it out.

Natalie Gandara [00:10:21]:
Like, you know, we’ll go with it. Yeah.

John Garrett [00:10:24]:
Well, I mean, it’s a little more sophisticated than that, but I, but yeah, I mean, that’s, that’s legit. So that’s fantastic. Good for you. Uh, that’s really fun. And, and then in high school, and then did you play in college or was it the co-ed kind of?

Natalie Gandara [00:10:36]:
Yeah. You know, so after high school, I got offered to play at a local, uh, junior college. And, um, you know, uh, if I was going to change anything about my past, I probably would have said yes. But at the time in that part of my life, I was ready to go to a 4-year college. I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian up and down. You know, I wanted to save pets like any, you know, teenager graduating out of high school. Yeah, exactly.

Natalie Gandara [00:11:01]:
Uh, but yeah, no, first year in college realized, yeah, you got to know some stuff about science, and, uh, science didn’t come natural to me. So, you know, got into business and ended up getting my degree in HR. So it took a total, total different route. Uh, but yeah, no, so, uh, that’s why I kind of resorted to adult softball after that.

John Garrett [00:11:19]:
Yeah, no, that’s great. And then it’s less pressure, more fun. Like, yeah, yeah, it’s all enjoyable and, and all that. And, and it’s just something that It comes up at work. Do they know the softball side of you?

Natalie Gandara [00:11:29]:
Oh yeah. So, you know, not just work, but through my HR organization that I’m a part of, they all know me as AKA Coach Nat. Ah, it’s honestly a name I prefer. If I was able to change my name legally on my driver’s license, I would, I think I would probably change it to Coach Nat. I think it’s easier to remember anyway. But, uh, yeah, no, everybody knows that about me. And, um, you know, even like group chats through work and stuff, like my, you know, my signature is Coach Nat. I’ve got a picture of me and my daughter.

Natalie Gandara [00:11:55]:
Uh, so yeah, it’s, it’s It’s a nice feeling.

John Garrett [00:11:59]:
That’s really cool. And that transition from playing to coaching, was that easy or? Yes.

Natalie Gandara [00:12:05]:
My daughter right now, she’s currently 7. And so we started her softball journey at the age of 4. And so the league that we had joined at the time, you know, they were looking for coaches to sign up, you know, to take on a team, you know? And so I thought about it for a moment and I said, yeah, sure. How hard could it be? You know? I mean, I kind of know a little bit about softball and you know, my dad coached for me when I was a kid. So yeah, this might be a little cool experience to, to coach for my daughter. So let’s give it a shot.

John Garrett [00:12:36]:
That’s great. And then, I mean, I would imagine, I mean, I, I umpired, uh, when I was in high school.

Natalie Gandara [00:12:43]:
You get it.

John Garrett [00:12:43]:
And I get it. And, uh, it’s the parents. I mean, the parents are crazy. And the younger the kids, the crazier the parents. Like T-ball, like there’s no score. Like it’s got 100 to 100. I don’t know. Like we, we do 10 runs an inning and you’re gonna get all 10.

John Garrett [00:13:00]:
‘Cause forget about it. And, and then kids are like, parents are yelling at the umpire. I’m like, calm down. Like, your kid just wants ice cream after the game.

Natalie Gandara [00:13:09]:
I know, we’re all gonna go for ice cream and pizza afterwards. Like, you know, yeah, it is fascinating, like, how sports, youth sports has changed over the years because I’m— I remember it being a lot different. Um, you know, when I was a kid, I remember it didn’t matter what age group you joined, you know, it was You know, easy. Uh, but now it’s like people, their kids, you know, start at very young ages. And, uh, it’s, it’s definitely, I feel a little bit more competitive than what it used to be.

John Garrett [00:13:36]:
My kid’s gonna be a D1 athlete. And then it’s like, no, they’re not. I look at you and look at a D1. No, like, I mean, do you know how kids come from you? Right? Like, that’s your DNA. It’s your genes. It’s your, uh, like, we’re gonna have to have a freak here to, uh, make this happen. It’s almost like, hey, I brought over a D1 athlete just so you could see what one looks like.

Natalie Gandara [00:13:58]:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then ask me again.

John Garrett [00:14:01]:
Yeah, yeah, exactly. This is— oh, they look different than on TV. Yeah, no kidding. Because they all look huge on— I mean, they’re all the same on TV, but then you bring them up to you up close, it’s like, whoa. That’s hilarious. And so do you feel like any of the coaching— I mean, I’m sure it has to— or even the playing side of you comes to work with you? The softball, the Coach Nat? I mean, it’s in your signature, so I’m guessing it must. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Natalie Gandara [00:14:23]:
No, it’s definitely— you know, in my opinion, I feel like it complements each other. So being a coach now, it really complements my role in HR at my job and through the, you know, HR organization that I help volunteer for, you know, because I— so this is my 7th season coaching softball. So 3 years, but if you can coach one season, you can coach them all. So that’s why I say 7 seasons versus 3 years, because that’s a total difference. But yeah, just that, that, that building of, uh, you know, helping the girls like develop their skills, you know, and it’s not just about being on the field, but, you know, helping them, encouraging them to build their confidence. So that they can take it beyond the field, you know, into their, their personal lives and with their families. And, uh, I love that aspect. And, you know, just helping grow, grow these girls into being strong leaders.

Natalie Gandara [00:15:07]:
‘Cause, you know, a lot of CFOs that are out there that are females, they came from sports, you know?

John Garrett [00:15:12]:
Yes, that is very true, actually.

Natalie Gandara [00:15:14]:
Yeah. So it’s just really cool to be a part of that process. Um, so yeah, I definitely feel a lot of the stuff that I’ve learned as a coach translates over to, uh, my job.

John Garrett [00:15:22]:
And just being a role model for them. I mean, you know, you’re not just telling them, you’re modeling it, which is also really awesome. You know, that’s fantastic and, and, and really neat. And yeah, it’s a deeper thing. It’s a bigger thing than coaching softball.

Natalie Gandara [00:15:35]:
Yeah, yeah. There’s a lot more logistics that go into it that I think, you know, individuals that have never coached probably don’t see or recognize, which is fine. You know, you don’t really know something, or as a phrase I like to say, you don’t know what you don’t know. So, I know for me, you know, jumping into coaching, um, every season I learned something different about the girls and about myself and how to coach better, you know, like with the young— so I coach right now, it’s 8 and under. So I started in the 6 and under route. So you can imagine, you know, reps, repetitive, keep it fun and simple, right? So that has definitely translated over into, you know, my coaching career for sure.

John Garrett [00:16:14]:
That’s fantastic. And I mean, you know, it’s, it’s that level of caring that’s just in you, you know, that, that you bring to the softball team, but you also bring to your, you know, work.

Natalie Gandara [00:16:24]:
Yeah. And I love it. And, you know, you, you spend more time out on the field with these girls than, you know, you do your own family. So your softball family becomes your family. And that’s another aspect that I love. Like, we’re just a small little community, you know, and we, uh, we enjoy each other’s time hanging out and watching our— we cheer on every girl on the team. It’s not just It’s a team effort, uh, and so yeah, that aspect is also pretty fun too.

John Garrett [00:16:49]:
Yeah, and I mean, I, I imagine that has to play out at Frazer as well, you know, like you’re cheering on all the, all the groups and all the people and all the individuals. And I’m sure there are some partners that only cheer on tax and it’s like, okay, calm down.

Natalie Gandara [00:17:03]:
Yeah, like audit’s important too.

John Garrett [00:17:07]:
Exactly. But I mean, it’s cool that, you know, you have the heart Behind it, which is awesome. You know, really, really neat. And I guess, is there a part of you that ever thought like, oh, I don’t know if I should share the softball side of me or not? Or was it— did that ever cross your mind?

Natalie Gandara [00:17:22]:
Yeah. You know, when I first signed up as a coach, it was definitely something that I didn’t share with my work at that given moment. And I think only because like I myself was trying to figure out and navigate through being a coach, what that meant, what the investment was going to look like. I didn’t know any of that. And so, I was definitely hesitant. You know, you always hear these conversations about work-life balance, right? Uh, and so, you know, sometimes there’s a feeling of, well, I don’t want to, you know, intrude, or I don’t want to bother my coworkers and letting them know, you know, why my schedule’s changing and whatnot, right? Because, you know, being a coach is— it can be demanding. Um, so there was definitely some reservations at first, but I think over time, um, as I got more comfortable as being a coach and developing those skills, I couldn’t help but just share. It was just a part of my life that I was just so proud of to be a part of that I wanted to just share my story with coworkers.

Natalie Gandara [00:18:18]:
And so, one day, I was in the break room and I just started talking and they’re like, no way, you’re a coach? And I’m like, yeah. They’re like, I’m going to call you Coach Nat. I’m all, okay, yeah, I don’t mind.

John Garrett [00:18:28]:
That’s pretty awesome. And actually, now I want to change my name to that.

Natalie Gandara [00:18:32]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:18:33]:
I mean, that’s the thing is like in our own heads, I found in all the research and everything that I’ve done is We have this thing in our head that is like, ah, people aren’t going to care, or they’re going to judge me. Or if I have this free time to coach, why am I not doing more HR stuff? And all those things, they’re lies. And then when we do let it out, it’s awesome. At no point is someone like, that’s it, you’re fired. Provided it’s not illegal or super taboo, obviously. But coaching youth softball, Yeah, it’s cool. That’s great.

Natalie Gandara [00:19:06]:
And I think once I unlocked that thought that, like I mentioned a moment ago, like once I unlocked the realization that it like complements each other. So, my role as a coach complements being HR and my volunteer. And so, you just make it work. Like you get in, you get in the office earlier, you put in the extra time, you work faster, you work harder, you just, you just make it work. And, you know, that’s, that is also something that has helped me. be able to blend all, all three aspects of, uh, my life into that.

John Garrett [00:19:35]:
I know, that’s fantastic. And, and I love you. I mean, you make it work because it, it makes your soul sing, you know? It’s where you’re alive. And so, yeah, I’ll figure it out, you know? But, and it’s funny because, uh, sometimes when I speak at conferences, I’ll get off stage and I’ll just go in the room and I’m like, who’s got stuff? Like, what do you do? What do you love to do? And then, you know, it comes up, you know, all these amazing things I spoke at the AICPA Spring Council.

Natalie Gandara [00:20:01]:
Oh, cool. Okay.

John Garrett [00:20:02]:
Yeah. And so this is 500 of the leaders of the profession from all the states and all this. And there was a guy there who’s been to nine WrestleManias.

Natalie Gandara [00:20:12]:
Wow.

John Garrett [00:20:13]:
Like wrestling, like way into it. I said to him, if you could never go to another WrestleMania, how would that go? And he’s like, that’d be terrible. Like, I would body slam you. Like, that would be over. Like, it would be just, why would I exist? And I said, but if I told you you could never do another audit again? And he’s like, I’d get over it. Like, it’d be fine. Like, you know, so it’s like, you know, that the work side of us matters for sure, but the other sides of us also matter just as much, if not more, because that’s who you are. What you do is the work side.

Natalie Gandara [00:20:43]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:20:44]:
But who you are is deeper and richer and bigger. And we abandon that side so quickly. And that’s where What’s Your “And”? comes in is like, hey, what’s that part of you? Who else are you? And so it’s cool to hear like you come alive through this and all that. Because, you know, it’s easy for us to not think it’s important because it doesn’t pay money.

Natalie Gandara [00:21:04]:
It’s all volunteer. I’m not getting paid. I don’t have a coach’s salary. You know, I have the free coach’s contract. That’s what I have.

John Garrett [00:21:11]:
Right? I get free Gatorade during the game. Like, you know, like—

Natalie Gandara [00:21:15]:
Yeah. I get a snack bag too. The moms, you know, get me a snack bag too.

John Garrett [00:21:20]:
So— There you go.

Natalie Gandara [00:21:20]:
Appreciative of that.

John Garrett [00:21:22]:
Right? An orange wedge for the, you know, the 5th inning or whatever. You know, it’s like, that’s hilarious. That’s awesome.

Natalie Gandara [00:21:28]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:21:28]:
That’s so great. And how how much do you feel like it’s on an organization to create that space for people to have an “And” and find out what their “Ands” are? Does that matter? Or how much is it just on the individual to just share with their peers?

Natalie Gandara [00:21:40]:
Yeah, I think especially like sitting in the HR space, I think it’s really important for, you know, my peers and individuals that are in the workforce and whatnot to really identify their “And”. And it can be more than one thing, by the way, like it can be multiple things, right? But just, you know, again, going back to like, what makes you tick? What makes you happy? Because believe it or not, like that will affect you at work. You know, if you’re not having that outlet or if you’re, you know, not doing what makes you happy, it’s gonna be hard to, you know, give 110% at work because it’s just weighing on you. So yeah, absolutely. It complements, it’s important. Find your “And”. If you don’t, you can be a coach with me. We’ll coach together.

John Garrett [00:22:23]:
Right. There you go. I need a good first base coach.

Natalie Gandara [00:22:25]:
Let’s do this. Exactly. Yeah. No, I have a full-blown team, so I have like 4 assistant coaches.

John Garrett [00:22:31]:
That’s awesome.

Natalie Gandara [00:22:32]:
I run a lean operation, uh, you know, but the families are always happy with, uh, with what we produce. So, you know.

John Garrett [00:22:38]:
Yeah, you come rolling into the visitors, uh, they’re like, whoa.

Natalie Gandara [00:22:42]:
Oh yeah, we’ve got full force. We’ve got a Game Changer scorekeeper, we’ve got a DJ for walk-up bats. Like, we’ve got— okay, yes, okay, ready to go. It’s a show. It’s a, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s an actual game.

John Garrett [00:22:54]:
This is a reality TV show waiting to happen. I know. Like, how is this not a thing?

Natalie Gandara [00:22:57]:
How is it not? This is awesome. It’s— we might be onto something. We might want to get that trademarked.

John Garrett [00:23:01]:
I’ll make a few phone calls. Let me see what I can do. Yeah, I don’t know anybody. Like, you’re the one who lives in OC. Come on now. But, uh, that’s so, so fantastic. And I love how you said that, you know, just that if, if the outside-of-work you isn’t alive and activated, then the at-work you is worthless. You can ride on fumes for a bit, but then it peters out.

John Garrett [00:23:22]:
Yeah. And then that’s, that’s when you’re no good to anybody. And your family, your friends, you know, especially your, your coworkers and leaders at work. and stuff.

Natalie Gandara [00:23:31]:
So, absolutely.

John Garrett [00:23:32]:
So do you have any words of encouragement, or is there anything at Frazer that you guys do that encourages people to have an “And” or share their “And”, or, or what, that side of things?

Natalie Gandara [00:23:41]:
Yeah, I mean, I know we have team members that have like days where like they do, they plan trips especially. So, you know, CPA firm, so, you know, January to April it’s really hard to do anything. But, you know, we’re in the process of like planning like a, like a summer outing, you know, probably like a bonfire or something like that. But I know like a lot of the groups, like they’re pretty close-knit, they, uh, Their and is bobas. Like, they pick the boba spot. They like to try different places, you know, and then they’re like critics of their own, you know. They pick some good spots. So if you’re looking for a place in Orange County, let us know at Frazer.

Natalie Gandara [00:24:14]:
We’ll, we’ll recommend something.

John Garrett [00:24:15]:
But that’s fantastic.

Natalie Gandara [00:24:16]:
Yeah, we have like book clubs too, and, uh, we do walks. So a lot of our staff like to— because we’re right next door to the Angel Stadium, so like they’ll go like on long walks and stuff like that. So we’ve got walk groups, book clubs, we’ve got it all. Just let us know what you want.

John Garrett [00:24:29]:
That’s fantastic, because then it, you know, if somebody’s new and it’s like, oh, I’m a big reader, well, we’ve got a book club. So now you have friends here, not just coworkers in your department, but you have people all across the firm.

Natalie Gandara [00:24:41]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:24:42]:
That also love to do what you love to do, which is a next-level connection on a human level as opposed to a coworker level. And then that’s a pretty awesome way to receive them, uh, you know, and bring them into the fold. And so that’s, that’s great. So any words of encouragement to people listening that have an hand but they think no one cares because it has nothing to do with my job?

Natalie Gandara [00:25:00]:
Yeah, I would say my advice to you is don’t feel discouraged. You know, start little by little, share it with just maybe 1 or 2 people and see how they receive the information. But I think at the end of the day, be proud of what you do. As long as you’re not hurting anybody, be proud of what you do. And, you know, it’s okay to brag about it. It’s okay to have something that you love, that you’re passionate about, because you know what? When you’re happy, that’s going to translate over into, you know, your, your work output. So don’t, don’t feel discouraged.

John Garrett [00:25:28]:
No, that’s, that’s for sure. Like, when I, when I speak and I tell people, what’s your “And”? Like, there’s a work you, and don’t abandon that. There’s a home you, and obviously don’t abandon that.

Natalie Gandara [00:25:37]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:25:37]:
But there’s a you that’s just you. It has nothing to do with work, has nothing to do with family. It’s just you. Like, it’s okay to be a little bit selfish.

Natalie Gandara [00:25:46]:
Yes.

John Garrett [00:25:46]:
And say, this is what lights me up.

Natalie Gandara [00:25:50]:
100%.

John Garrett [00:25:50]:
And I don’t care if it has to do with my job. I don’t care if my kids like it or my husband or spouse or whatever likes it.

Natalie Gandara [00:25:56]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:25:57]:
I love it. And that’s what I’m doing. And if you guys want to come along, you can or not. I don’t care. Like, I’m doing it.

Natalie Gandara [00:26:03]:
Exactly.

John Garrett [00:26:04]:
Every fall I went to Notre Dame, so I bring my wife and my daughter to a Notre Dame football game. They’ve learned to like it, but it’s my jam. Like, that’s what I’m doing. And if you guys want to see me most alive, come with me to a Notre Dame football game. And that’s most John you’ll ever see.

Natalie Gandara [00:26:20]:
Love that. Love that.

John Garrett [00:26:21]:
Yeah. And so they love that, you know? And so they come too, you know? And so, You know, you can feed off that energy. When you’re coaching in season, you have a different energy to you than when it’s offseason. And that’s magic energy. So, like, you know, bring it.

Natalie Gandara [00:26:38]:
Yeah. My motivation’s a little bit more enthusiastic, especially at work too. Like, you got this, John, you can do it.

John Garrett [00:26:43]:
Right. There you go.

Natalie Gandara [00:26:45]:
Is it spray season, Nat? Yes. Yes, it is.

John Garrett [00:26:47]:
Right? Oh, apparently softball just started. Coach Nat’s out. That’s hilarious. You come in with like eye black under your eyes. Exactly.

Natalie Gandara [00:26:57]:
Baseball cap.

John Garrett [00:26:58]:
Yeah. Big wad of gum in your corner. You’re chewing like, like, it’s like, all right, who has sunflower seeds? Let’s go.

Natalie Gandara [00:27:05]:
I’ve got the uniform hanging out in my office door. So, you know, when I’m booking it, you know, they see me in uniform. Yeah.

John Garrett [00:27:12]:
That’s fantastic. I love it. Because why not? I mean, like, what else are we here for?

Natalie Gandara [00:27:16]:
Yeah, exactly.

John Garrett [00:27:17]:
This has been so great, Natalie, but I feel like it’s only fair that I turn the tables. Make this the, uh, the Coach Nat podcast. Why not? And, uh, I’m your guest in the hot seat. So, if you have any questions, I’m all yours. What do you got?

Natalie Gandara [00:27:29]:
Yeah. So, I’ve had a chance to listen to some of your past podcasts and I love what you do. I love that you’re bringing awareness to this about, you know, what your “And” is. I think it’s really important. Uh, what is your advice to somebody who maybe wants to incorporate this into their job?

John Garrett [00:27:45]:
Oh, well, thank you so much for the kind words. And yeah, I mean, it’s, this is our message. It’s not just, you know, mine, it’s, it’s a collective message, uh, for sure, which makes it easier for me to do and gives me the energy to share everyone’s stories, you know, not just mine, you know, type of thing. And, and, you know, to, to bring it into work, I mean, you know, it’s really just, uh, just have a genuine interest in the people around you. You know, it’s, uh, there was a study done at Johns Hopkins University a couple years ago, 2 years ago, and they found that just 40 seconds of genuine interaction creates a greater sense of belonging, less anxiety. In 40 seconds. I mean, that’s literally just remembering what someone’s “And” is and asking them about it and then having 1 or 2 follow-up questions, and that’s 40 seconds. So if you could do that every day or a couple times a week, I mean, they feel valued as a human being, not just valued as senior associate or whatever their job title is.

John Garrett [00:28:42]:
And like, what I’ve come to realize is that like, if you have people that are whole, Whole humans, then they’re unstoppable. And if you get a firm full of whole humans, I mean, Fraser’s unstoppable. And what’s your and is the key that unlocks that other Narnia side of you that’s on the other side of work, you know, that, that wall that we build up, that, you know, facade that like, What’s Your “And”? just kind of is the key to unlock that door. And on the other side of that is nothing but amazing, you know, I mean, and, and the energy that comes from that, but also you learning about that. from the other person. And so, I think it’s just that genuine interest in as much as you can get out from behind your desk and go get that 40 seconds. And don’t do it outta obligation, do it because you genuinely care and really come from the heart and not from the head. And I mean, that’s a whole lot at once and it sounds pretty simple, but it’s definitely not easy, which is why I guess I have a job.

John Garrett [00:29:42]:
But just continuing to remind yourself that these are human beings. And I hired the whole human being. So, let’s nurture and make sure that that human being is flourishing.

Natalie Gandara [00:29:56]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:29:56]:
You know, and maybe it’s here, maybe at some point it’s going to be somewhere else, and that’s also fine, you know. But it’s wild to me how some organizations would rather have 30 grumpy people than— let them go. Like, let them go. like, get out of here. This is terrible. I’d rather have you not here than you miserable.

Natalie Gandara [00:30:18]:
I mean, sometimes I find it just to take it upon myself if I’m like calling a customer service rep and I can sense it in their tone that they’re having a bad day. I’m like, are you okay? Do you want to talk about it? I mean, I’m calling them for help, but I’m just like, geez, like, you know, let’s fix this. You know, there’s a coach now in me.

John Garrett [00:30:35]:
Exactly, exactly. But I mean, that’s it, you know, like, I mean, just, you know, on a human-to-human level. Like, just care a little bit and it’ll— it’s such a gray— I mean, you hate gray, and I mean, it’s, it’s such a gray world that like, if you just, if you just provide a little bit of color, boom!

Natalie Gandara [00:30:54]:
A little bit of navy blue.

John Garrett [00:30:56]:
It’s like, I mean, it’s just a little bit of color is like—

Natalie Gandara [00:30:59]:
Goes a long way. Yeah.

John Garrett [00:31:01]:
So like, bring it, you know? Like, just, just a little bit of caring about people. That’s all And not the work that they did, like the human side. So yeah. And beyond family, like for them, like not their role at home or whatever. That’s important.

Natalie Gandara [00:31:17]:
Yeah. Them themselves.

John Garrett [00:31:19]:
Exactly.

Natalie Gandara [00:31:20]:
Love that.

John Garrett [00:31:20]:
Natalie, thank you so much for being a part of What’s Your “And “? and being an ambassador of this message. So thank you so much.

Natalie Gandara [00:31:27]:
Thank you for having me.

John Garrett [00:31:32]:
And everybody listening, if you wanna see some pictures of Coach Nat on the diamond, or maybe connect with her on social media, be sure to go to WhatsYourAnd.com. All the links are there. And while you’re on the page, please click that big button, do the anonymous research survey about corporate culture, and don’t forget to read the book. So thanks again for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or whatever app you use, and for sharing this with your friends so they get the message that we’re all trying to spread, that who you are is so much more than what you do.