25 Year Reflections: Nora Foster’s Story
As we celebrate 25 years of building community, we asked our team to reflect on their own growth from 1999 to today. Managing Director Nora Foster worked in the entertainment industry and cherished her Blackberry. How did she find herself at Bridgepoint 25 years later? Read the full interview below to get an inside look at Nora’s story.
Reflect on where you were 25 years ago and what your aspirations were for your career. What would you tell that person now? I was 15 years away from joining Bridgepoint, but I’d tell myself to dive into consulting sooner than I did! I worked for a growing company that had just bought an NHL team and launched a new regional television network, which prepared me well for my consulting journey.
How does your career progression align or differentiate from your expectations 25 years ago? I was the Vice President of Finance & Accounting at Turner Entertainment Group. At that time, I thought I’d finish my career in media, but I moved to Austin and joined Bridgepoint in 2013.
What was your biggest work tech headache 25 years ago? I’m pretty sure 25 years ago we were all using Blackberries, right?! A few years later, an operations employee requested a pager that was also a phone. I denied his request, thinking, “Who’s going to use that???”
What was your dream office perk in 1999? An ice machine!
Did your job require more formal attire in 1999? Any memorable or outrageous outfits you sported? Thankfully, I worked in the entertainment industry, and we could wear jeans by 1999.
How did you collaborate with colleagues? We got up from our desk and walked to where they were, or called them on the phone!
What office supplies did you hoard the most back in 1999? Mechanical pencils and separate erasers. I loved those things!
What was your biggest work disaster 25 years ago? We got a new CFO, and I was the first person to meet with him. It did not go well. In fact, my boss said to me the next morning, “Well, I don’t think you’ll get fired or anything!” Fast forward 4 years, and I got promoted. The CFO was leaving the company and he met with me and told me how I responded to what was a really big mistake (and not funny), proving to him I had what it took.
Looking back, what surprises you most about how work has changed from 1999 to 2024? I never saw remote work coming!
