Lead + Follow: Sharmila Swenson
This month’s edition of Lead + Follow features Sharmila Swenson, vice president of public affairs and social impact for Symetra Life Insurance Co. Swenson oversees public affairs at the local, state, and federal level; community relations; corporate giving; employee community engagement; and corporate social responsibility.
What is your exercise routine, and how often do you do it? When traveling, I like to spend time walking and exploring a city. At home, it’s my stationary bike and yoga.
What makes you laugh? My son and I crack each other up, often at my husband’s expense. He’s a good sport.
What matters most to you? Raising our son to be a thoughtful and caring person and being there to support family and friends.
Do you make investments in startups? I’m a big believer in supporting local startups through investment; patronage; and by talking about my favorite places, products, and founders. More recently, I’ve become interested in opportunities to invest specifically in female-founded ventures, so I’m exploring those options.
Best advice given from a mentor? Make it a priority to schedule time to think and process.
Worst advice given from a mentor? “That’s just the way it is.”
Best way to motivate your team? Develop shared goals, empower ownership, and couple it with the caring and support needed along the way.
What apps do you use most? Maps — I travel around a lot for work, and Out of Milk — I’m a big fan of checklists, so I use it for much more than just groceries.
What do you still use that is analog? The car radio.
What do you wear most often? Jeans.
What is the most recent thing you regret not buying? I regret not shipping home more truffle spread and olive oil from our trip to Italy.
If you could learn one skill, what would it be? Speed-reading.
Whom do you admire most? Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
What are you afraid of? Losing loved ones, and snakes.
What have you done recently for the first time? I switched from snowboarding to skiing.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? I hit a five-minute snooze. I’m a night owl.
Do you have personal rituals? As often as possible, I love to take my morning coffee outside for a few minutes to take in the Sound and the mountains. I find it very centering.
How do you find calm? I find calm in all of our natural beauty and love taking walks at our local marina.
What is the most recent thing you have added to your collection? A new Starbucks city mug.
What does success look like to you? Doing work that I find personally meaningful and productive, and striving to live a happy, healthy life.
When was the last time you completely unplugged? Two years ago during a trip to Italy — it was at the top of my bucket list for a long time, and I really disconnected to fully enjoy the experience.
What is your favorite hotel? The Grand Hyatt in Kauai — we honeymooned there, and it was a huge splurge for us at the time, but well worth it.
What is the last piece of advice you gave to somebody? Extend trust and give people grace. Don’t assume the worst; you never know what someone else is going through.
What sort of music makes you happy? 1980s new wave.
