Entrepreneur
Masters in International Business
Class of 2014
Vienna, Austria
linkedin.com/in/pamela-wagner
Pamela Wagner
No
Two Weeks the
Same
Pamela Wagner worked for one of the biggest companies
in the world before founding her own venture. She also
established a new way of working—one that allowed her
to travel widely, think creatively, and follow her heart. She
shares a look at her “typical” week, and what it means to
make work work for you.
HULT
How do you describe your working life, Pamela?
PAMELA WAGNER
H
PW
Pamela Wagner photographed
by Joupin Ghamsari in London, UK
30
H
I think it’s best described as: I work when I want,
from where I want, with who I want, and how I
want. Being able to choose these four factors is
probably what lots of people call the ultimate
freedom.
PW
Is it a lifestyle you sought out?
Yes, it was an intentional choice. When I left
Google, I had the chance to do things exactly how
I wanted—for the first time, really, in my life, so I
ended up creating my own company. I think it had
always been in my subconscious to do things my
way. My mind is always focused on finding oppor-
tunities to make that a reality.
How do you find balance?
PW
I believe people should hustle less and live more.
There are only really five or six productive hours in
Ways of Working
H
H
a day; beyond that we may be busy being busy, but
we’re not creating. We have to take care of setting
focused working hours and getting stuff done, but
at the same time make sure we go to the gym, med-
itate, meet with friends, and do whatever feels good.
What can we do to achieve this lifestyle?
It all starts with self-awareness and caring less what
other people think. A lot of people choose jobs just
for their CV, or encourage a culture of minimal
sleep, maximum work hours. We need to stop and
ask: am I doing this to fit in? Or is it something I
really want to do that makes me happy? That’s
what it boils down to.
How can employers help their employees live better?
PW
As leaders, be more transparent in yourselves—like
parents and children, your behaviors will be ech-
oed back at you. Bring more of the human element
to work and everyone will benefit.
Ways of Working
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