Erica Molina is a force to be reckoned with, both professionally and personally. As Director of Client Services, she's dedicated to keeping internal teams on track to deliver innovative web and CRM strategies for our clients. Offsite, Erica trains for triathlons with total intensity. Think you had a long day? Join Erica for a 10-mile run after work!
Interviewer: When you were a kid, what did you think you would be when you grew up?
I thought I was going to be a politician.
Really? That's a crazy thing for a kid to want to be.
I was so certain of it. I was going to be a senator.
Where did that come from?
I have no idea. Some people want to be ballerinas, but I wanted to be a senator. It does seem a little strange.
Were your parents political junkies or something?
No, my parents are both educators. My mom is a teacher for the blind, and my dad retired as a high school principal. But there was tons of discussion around the dinner table about education and political topics.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the L.A. area. Went to UCLA and also studied abroad in Mexico.
So you're fluent in Spanish?
I used to be, not so much anymore. Fluent-ish. Good enough for restaurants and to talk to my grandparents.
Are your grandparents from Mexico?
Yes. My dad was born in Mexico and then moved to the U.S. when he was really small, so he's pretty much born-and-raised. Both of my parents grew up in the L.A. area.
After you left home and graduated college, what was your path professionally?
I started in Diversity Management which was really interesting. I helped build relationships with organizations and universities to find talented minority candidates to move into the company. Then I went to LA Times.com where I worked as an editor and producer before moving into their marketing department. A few years later, I joined OGM.
What's the best part of working at OGM?
I love that it's constantly changing, always different, and that I'm always going to learn something new. Every day is a challenge and I like that.
Speaking of challenges... you have a rather big one coming up.
Yeah, I'm training for the Ironman.
That's incredible. How did you get into it?
I just had inclination to do it. I was already a runner, had just gotten a bike, and have friends who have done triathlons so it sounded like " fun." I started a couple years ago with a Sprint, a shorter-distance version. Which was all fine and dandy except I didn't know how to swim, and you have to swim in the ocean!
Wait a second. How do you decide to do a triathlon if you can't swim? Surely you had to know how.
No, not really. I wouldn't drown if you threw me in a pool, but I didn't know how to do freestyle or anything like that. But I thought the swim was short enough in my first race that it didn't seem that challenging. When I actually got out there, though, I discovered very quickly that swimming in the ocean is not at all like paddling around in a pool.
That is incredibly brave. Apparently it didn't put you off, though.
Nope. From there, I did a longer, Olympic-distance race in Hawaii on the Kona Ironman course. Then I just kept going up the ranks and did a half Ironman last September in California, then signed up with a group of friends for Ironman Florida, which is a full Ironman. (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle, 26.2 mile run)
Good lord.
I know! I have to work out twice a day, and then on the weekends four-hour bike rides followed by an hour run, and it only ramps up from there. It's a huge time commitment and lifestyle commitment. I wake up at six in the morning, work out, go to the office, then I work out after work, too.
Unreal. When you're not training so hard, what do you like to do?
I love cooking, I'm a photographer and I also do some writing. I love to hang out with my family, all my little nieces and nephews. What else? Hike. And sleep!
But no sleep for you now. Time for your 60-mile bike ride.
Don't make me tired!