Two passionate women with radically different expressions of living with purpose.

Kira is risk-averse, present in the moment, and motivated by helping others. She is reserved, cautious and patient. Katie is bold, calculated, and unapologetically comfortable being “selfish.” Her intense desire for more and thirst for learning give her true fulfillment.  

Through our conversation, one message became clear. There is no one way to live on purpose.  

Our motivators, values, and appetite for risk are unique to each of us. The journey to purpose cannot be forced, but rather nurtured. As we go through life, our experiences shape our perspectives which shape our values. Our values lead us closer to our purpose. Learning who we are through intentional self-discovery opens the door for new experiences. These experiences teach us what brings us joy, and what does not.  

To know and live our purpose can be daunting and overwhelming because we expect “purpose” to be one-dimensional – an answer to everything for our entire lives. 

It is not.  

Our purpose is driven by what brings fulfillment and impact through the values we have today. We change over time; what and how we express ourselves is merely part of the renewal process.  

Break it down.  

Don’t expect to have it all figured out overnight. You can take action without having clear direction. Intention will become your compass. Cast your net wide and often. Dabble. Learn. Explore. Feel. Pay attention to what lights you up and what doesn’t. Pick up a new hobby. Find a mentor. Seek therapy. Volunteer locally. Commit to one new experience every month. Apply for the promotion. Learn a new skill. Meet new people. Be curious. 

You don’t need a monumental breakthrough moment to be worthy in your journey.
You simply need a spark of joy – a stepping stone – to help lead the way.

Our conversation recapped: 

Katie Tucker - Director of Operations

What was your life like before Burn Boot Camp? 

Katie was born and raised in St. Louis with a long line of family members who were employed at Anheuser-Busch. She gained an early respect for the brand and pursued this path early on in logistics. Her intense hunger for new knowledge and problem-solving provided her with several positions within the company; she quickly climbed the corporate ladder earning new titles, promotions, and status. She was a “Rising Star.”  

I realized that I was not happy after about two years in every position I was in. I constantly felt like I needed more, and needed more, and needed more. I knew I needed to leave Anheuser-Busch to see what else was out there.  

Katie got married and started to grow her family. She realized her innate need for growth and learning was affecting other people – her family.  

 Everything I do is very conscious. I am very intentional in what I do and why. We were thinking about having a kid and I knew I couldn’t work 100 hours a day, be a wife and be a mom. I knew I still wanted to learn and I wanted to leave Anheuser-Busch so I decided to pursue my PhD in Supply Chain and Logistics. 

An opportunity with Pabst Brewing Company popped up and it was “too good to pass up.” Her PhD was put on hold and a re-location to Dallas was in order with her family. Katie (again) struggled to find balance in her work/home life and dedicated much of this season to her career.  

So now we’re in Dallas and all we did was work 24/7. I would drop Max off at daycare at 6AM, pick him up at 7PM, and cross paths with my Husband in the airport. It was fulfilling for me in some ways but very unfulfilling in other ways. After three years in Dallas, we decided that if we ever wanted to have another child we would have to change our paths.  

Katie and her family moved back home to St. Louis, and had her second son, Sam. She left Corporate America and was introduced to Burn Boot Camp.  

What motivated you in Corporate America? 

The challenge. My biggest thing was implementing change across the world and the impact that it made in making the foundation stronger. It fulfilled every part of my being. I kept going almost to see how far I could go to the point in which I could break. It’s always been a battle. I’m always fighting with myself to be peaceful and find that sweet spot that I can be fulfilled but not overwhelmed.  

When did that motivation shift? 

Seeing the impact it had on my family and children.  

How are you different today?  

This is hard, because I feel like I’ve lived on purpose for a lot of years. My purposes just keep changing over time. I’m constantly finding my purpose and reinventing myself over and over again. That works for me. The hardest part is accepting who I am. I feel like I’m different than others, and so I feel like an outsider at times. I’m trying to accept who I am and always searching to be the best version of who I am.  

Kira Nolen - Master Trainer

What was your life like before Burn Boot Camp?  

Kira was born and raised in an isolated mecca of atomic weapons, Los Alamos, New Mexico. This abnormal environment and familiarity of “the lab” was all she knew. From forest fires to the traumatic death of her close friend, Kira experienced significant change overnight. Kira always knew she wanted to be a teacher and taught for several years in both Math and Science.  

I got married at 20. Very young. I went from “High School Kira,” to “College Kira,” to “Married Kira,” to “Mom Kira” to “Teacher Kira.” I never really knew who Kira was.  

She and her husband, Russell, left Los Alamos to pursue his career ultimately ending up in St. Louis. Kira, a natural servant to others was there to support his career and their three children. She picked up a teaching position as a pre-school teacher. While she loved teaching, this was not the right fit.  

“I had attended several pop-up camps and was approached by the Head Trainer about training at Burn Boot Camp Manchester. It sparked an interest. The teacher heart in me was completely drawn to it”   

What happened next? 

Kira’s role at Burn Boot Camp has progressed over the years taking on more and more as she’s felt the comfort and confidence to do so. Evolving from a Support Trainer, Trainer, Head Trainer, dual-role Head Trainer/Master Trainer and now full time Master Trainer overseeing all Training across four gyms. This progression took five years, and fully exited her from a career in the classroom. Each steppingstone led her to a path of deeper purpose, ultimately finding “Kira.” 

This journey feels really successful because I’ve been able to do it in my own way.  

When did you learn who Kira was?  

“About two years ago.” 

Kira is 41 years old.  

What happened two years ago?  

COVID-19. 

During our shut down, Kira was responsible for converting our in-gym training product (i.e. camp on the floating floor) to a virtual experience. She successfully did this overnight and through the disruption and chaos of keeping the business alive through Zoom, a large part of her role had changed. One thing that remained constant was helping others. Keeping our members active through a virtual platform was fulfilling. The gift she was able to give to others became a gift for herself.   

It was this moment that I realized that being selfish is really challenging for me. When I do things that are selfish, they are not fulfilling for me. For me, it’s how much impact can I make and who am I helping. 

What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone who is considering a change?  

I’m not a big risk taker. I understand now that you don’t have to jump into the deep end. If you read self-help books and you’re around people like Katie, there can be pressure to jump into the deep end because that’s what Katie would do. Own who you are and what you’re comfortable with, and then doing a little more than that. For me, a little bit of discomfort goes a long way and you don’t have to do it the same way as someone else. Take baby step and see what happens.