Kristine Moore Shares Her Unique Journey of Finding her Truth & Silver Lining Through Life Crisis

Pamela Bardhi
Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of underdog, today I have an incredible guest here with me, Christine, how are you?

Kristine Moore
Super, super good. Thank you for having me.

Pamela Bardhi
Thank you so much for being here all the way from Panama, which So amazing. No, thank you so much. It’s truly an honor to have you, Kristine. You have such an amazing story. And you’re just an amazing person. So I’m excited to dig into your story a little bit and go from there. So I’m going to start you with the best question which I love so much of what inspired you on your journey to where you are today.

Kristine Moore
I think my mom when every time that someone asked me, who is your person? I have two answers. One is my mom. And the other one is my husband. And my mom is because she always took care of stuff. She was always so hands-on. Besides she now that I’m a grown-up. I know that she was so afraid sometimes and very scared. But she never let that stop her from giving us opportunities and expanding our horizons. I have two siblings, one older and one younger.

So I’m the jam of the sandwich. And she has always given us experiences with older limitations or the economic situation. But yeah, she’s the one that inspires me to grow to be myself to not be afraid to be myself.  My husband is like the best support group that you could ever have. It’s like my best cheerleader. And my toolkits.

Pamela Bardhi
That’s all wonderful, two very important people in your life, which is absolutely incredible. No question for you. What did you want to be when you grew up as a kid? What did you want to be?

Kristine Moore
That has a very interesting answer because I wanted to be a soccer player. I wanted to be a professional soccer player, I love soccer. I still play with other moms from school. Yeah, so I wanted to be a soccer player. But then life happens and you start growing. And all the tests was you’re so good at math. And you should study engineering. So I’m an engineer.

Pamela Bardhi
You stick to F you’re good at math. So why not engineering the way to go? Walk me through your educational background a little bit too. That would be awesome to hear about because I know you’re in you’ve always been in Panama. We’ve always been there.

Kristine Moore
Actually, I’m from Venezuela, I was born in Venezuela. I’m first-generation there. My parents are from Argentina. My mom is first generation in Argentina because my grandma was from Sweden, and my grandpa was from Hungary. So we are a family of first generations. And my kids are from Panama. So I was born and raised in Venezuela in Caracas, the capital city. I went to school to a very different school. It was a school founded by parents that got tired of the system. And they founded a school in which you had your own voice and they respect your thoughts and they expand your view of life. Being a kid I remember being a jury in a book contest. I remember being in radio shows and in TV shows as a kid because that school was amazing.

And I know that a big part of the person that I am today’s thing to that different education that I had when I was until sixth grade. Then I went to a traditional school where everyone was like, educated the same and there were no differences. But yeah, actually, they were aware of left brain right brain back in the 80s. So it was very trendsetter at the time. And it was a very creative school with a lot of experiences. I remember going to the sidewalk with a book with leaves and try to identify leaves from the trees and stuff like that. So I graduated very young. I was 16 when I graduated high school.

So I got into college, into the university to study engineer, and I just turned 17 when I got into the university, so I was very young. And I started production engineer, which is something similar like industrial process engineering. And I get to be into an organization with other students in which we build race cars. We actually went to Michigan to compete. It was a very big competition. So that was like a highlight from my career to be in that organization. It was called formula psi. As a formula. It was pretty cool. We learn so many stuff then as a professional, we got to put into practice and differentiate ourselves from our peers because of that experience.

Pamela Bardhi
That’s so cool. So you literally built racecars? That was college or college? Okay. That’s pretty awesome. You know, maybe that’s something you don’t do until you’re out in the workforce usually.

Kristine Moore
Yeah, yeah, it’s true, you get to understand a lot of the different tasks from building a racecar. There’s so much to the building part because you have to take care of the finance of the team. And you have to lead and you have to do the PR and a lot of stuff that are within that huge project. So it was pretty awesome. My brother was there, and then I follow his steps. And I was in there, too.

Pamela Bardhi
That’s incredible. So your brother was there before? And then you stepped down afterward? Incredible. So and then you finished with an engineering degree?

Kristine Moore
Yeah, yeah. And I got to start into the automotive industry, which I worked there for 15 years. All the industries were the car brands, we’re looking for people inside that organization. Because we were in a higher level of knowledge of what the industry was about. So it was a lot of us that continued that industry further.

Pamela Bardhi
Wow. So you’re in the industry for 15 years? Yep. Whoa, what were you primarily working on? Where you designing them?

Kristine Moore
No, no, I was in them. Since in Venezuela, and in Panama, there were no fabrics. So we were in the distribution part. So I was not in design or that but I was in the distribution, part sales, after-sales, with spare parts and defining the dealerships and that kind of stuff. That’s so cool.

Pamela Bardhi
What were some of the companies that you work with?

Kristine Moore
I worked for Peugeot, that it’s a French brand that is not in the US, but it’s in the rest of the world. And then I worked for Honda, Acura, and Honda.

Pamela Bardhi
That’s awesome. Which one was your favorite?

Kristine Moore
Oh, no, that’s not a fair question.

Pamela Bardhi
They’re probably very different cars.

Kristine Moore
Very different. They’re very different dynamics. It’s different culture with the French and the Japanese, American, Japanese, it’s different. So each one of those experiences was very rewarding. I learned a lot in the good way and the bad way. But I learned a lot. After 15 years, I actually got layoff because of COVID. And I started a process with Simon Sinek’s team, to find my why. Because I always thought that my career was, like, erratic.

It was so different job from another that it didn’t make sense for me why I had to change so much. From one job to another, I got bored so easily. So I started that journey to understand and to discover my why. And when I did that, everything, like fell into place. It’s one of those aha moments that you have in life. And I found that my Why is to bridge gaps. So I was in every crisis, in every problem. Once that problem was fixed, I was looking for another one.

When you see my career, it’s like, I was in process. And then I was marketing manager and then I was facility manager. Then I was in after-sales, with spare parts and service and the technicians and in all those tasks. I was challenged to be There was a huge crisis or a problem to fix. Once I fix it, I was like, Okay, so what’s next? I wanted something else, even though it was something very different that I didn’t do before. It was. I’m not afraid of challenges. And I’m a fast learner. But until last year, I thought that my career was kind of, like a mistake. Because it didn’t make sense.

Pamela Bardhi
So what, what caused you to feel that why to go searching for it? Like, there’s just something internally told you like, this is not like, something’s got to change?

Kristine Moore
Yeah, I wasn’t feeling good. At the last part of my job, I wasn’t feeling that I was contributing to something. I wasn’t loving Mondays, it was not a place that I wanted to be an idea and understand why. If I have been here in this industry for 15 years, how come is that? I have been feeling this way so many times. And that question that why you want to be when you grow up? Or what’s your ultimate dream. I used to avoid those questions because I didn’t have an answer.

I just like, step into a video of Simon Sinek. Those type of videos shake you up and give you so much curiosity about what’s next. So I start digging in there. I found that discover you’re why, jumpstart your why was the name of the course. And I was like, Okay, so let’s try something very different. And I did that. When you start calling to the universe, the things that you really, really want, they start showing up.

Pamela Bardhi
Oh, yeah. Yes, they do. Once you start asking those questions. What is my Why? And then all of a sudden, it starts to,

Kristine Moore
Yeah, 12 years ago, I was certified in thinking style models. In which I kind of understand what was my thinking style, which is analytic. So I understand facts and figures, and I’m very, with arguments. And when things are not the way understood, which is not logic, I’m going to speak up, and I’m going to say what, in my mind. Not every time I do it in the right way, but I tell you. So I could understand a lot of myself back then. But there were some missing links, you know, so when I did that, I get to know Olivia Jaras. And I did a LinkedIn challenge with her.

I learned a lot about how do you regain my confidence through LinkedIn, to show myself in a very different way. And then I got into a community that there were a lot of people that followed Simon Sinek. So they were all trying to leave theirs why. And they were like discovering stuff about themselves. So we are a huge community of nearly 60 people from all over the world, and we still together after a year. Those have been like different perspectives, thanks to this pandemia and this virtuality that I didn’t have before.

So those different points of view, expand you, even more, the way you used to think about things. I realized that I had to change and sometimes you don’t make the call someone else does that for you. And that was what happened, I got laid off, but it was something that I truly wanted. But I was never going to make that decision to take that step further. And sometimes you get to be the toxic person. In the environment, when you are not feeling well, is not the company is toxic. Is it you become toxic?

Pamela Bardhi
Right, exactly. And it’s like, what do you do with that? You know, what do you do at that point? When you realize that you’re the problem, you’re the roadblock. But what’s cool is Covid has done a lot of negatives, but it’s also done a lot of positive looking back on it. Because would you have made these steps and would you have created these networks? If you weren’t laid off? Would you like know, your job or whatever?

Kristine Moore
No, I wouldn’t. And actually, I don’t say this. I take care of who am I saying this. This whole situation has been a blessing for me. It’s been tough. Because getting layoff is not easy. I acknowledge that you don’t have that stability. Because last year showed us that there is no stability in the corporate world, either way. But when you realize all the stuff, it’s not easy. But I have spent so many precious minutes with my kids that they are here. Virtual School, it’s been a challenge. Thanks to my husband, this is a system that it’s working here in this house, because he’s taking care of many things here.

But I was like a dropping drop-off mom because I used to take my kids to school, then I went to work and then hit home by 6:37 pm. So there were a lot of things that I was missing. So thanks to this, I’m experiencing and seeing them grow. And they have grown so much in this almost a year and a half so it’s been incredible. For me, it’s been every day, I’m learning something and there’s upside downs and peaks and valleys. You get to doubt yourself, yes, when you are on your own working as a freelance and consultant. And trying to get your own business to work, but every day is a new thing to learn.

Pamela Bardhi
Absolutely. So in that program that you did, how did you realize your WHY? So like, say somebody listening right now? Who is like, I’m struggling to find my purpose? Like, how were you able to find that? Like, what were some of the steps you took?

Kristine Moore
Well, it was so amazing for me, then in two hours, you could finish that course with a draft of your why. I actually use that methodology to help people find their why. And it’s all about your stories, you gather stories, and you tell stories. Tell stories about when you were a kid, the best thing that you enjoy while working, people that inspire you. You need someone else perspective to understand the pattern because doing this, on your own is very hard. Because we are the worst criticism of ourselves.

We are always inside our minds. So we need someone else to start looking at those silver linings. The positive side inside all those stories, and you start seeing an apparent pattern of superpowers. A power and a pattern of impacts that you want to achieve. And always with a question that why you like what you like to do? Why you enjoy that? And what is it that you want to achieve?

What is it that you want to be able to feel to gain to achieve? And when you start doing those questions, answers follow and flow and you take notes of all of that. And then you have like this superpower, this contribution, and this impact. There’s your first draft, and within two hours, it’s amazing how many superpowers and impacts you can write about someone with these stories.

What Is Kristine WHY and Her Purpose

Pamela Bardhi
That’s incredible. So you basically took a course and it literally drafted your work. And so now question for you. What is your Why? What have you identified him? What’s your purpose?

Kristine Moore
Yeah, my ways to bridge gaps so that we can be ourselves and flourish every day. And I figured that every time I was fixing a problem being in a crisis to mitigate that crisis. I also took care of everyone that was around me. My team, things like this person is doing, a job that takes like four days of the month to do that report or whatever. I want to make it simple. So I tried to figure how to make things simple, so that person can gain time and gain quality in his life and release stress.

So everyone around me was getting better. I tried to make them better understand what they were going through. There was a saying before that, whatever you’re carrying from your backpacking, whatever problem you have to leave it outside the door. That’s not a reality. You are one person in your personal life, in your professional life. And as a leader, you need to understand that person. What’s going on in that head, in that mind, in that heart.

So I was always taking care of people. So that’s how I discovered that that was not my first draft. To me like to other two other months to refine that, and meeting with other people to tell my stories and refine it. But yeah, that’s my biggest superpower. It’s to bridge gaps, connect people with solutions and to get things closer, and fix things.

Pamela Bardhi
Amazing. I love that so much. Well, because now you’re in the coaching space now.

Kristine Moore
Yeah, I’m a purpose, coach.

Pamela Bardhi
Oh, that’s even better purpose. Good. That’s so cool. Because you think about it. Like two years ago, would you ever envision yourself in this space?

Kristine Moore
Never, ever, ever,

Pamela Bardhi
Never give because it’s tough. When you first start a business something totally different than what you were doing before, what have been some things that are helping you right now. Or have helped you in order to start to build your book of business. And basically taking a business off the ground, because that’s what you’re doing. You were basically thrown into entrepreneurship now that you found your why your purpose.

Kristine Moore
Since summer up, I bridge gaps, and I know that I cannot be just doing one thing. I’m not just with my business. I’m also a consultant, and I work in talent development, and with business management, and other stuff. But in my business, I think that curiosity is like the first element. And that’s always been within me being curious and tried to figure things. I know, I like that origin, feeling of asking help. And that’s something that I’m working on. Because I have always done stuff on my own, then try to figure things. It’s something with I don’t know if it’s pride, ego, or fear, but I know that I’m struggling with that. Because I am not the person who asked for help.

So I just understand that to run a business, you need someone to help you with things. You can be in your zone to play and to do the things that you’re good at. And the other stuff that you’re not so good at. You have to delegate that, so I’m working on it. I’m on work in progress on that. But curiosity, I think is one of the first elements that you need just to get yourself out of the hamster wheel. And start watching and seeing things in a different perspective. I think that’s one of the main things that have helped me and determination. I’m very stubborn. So when I put something on the table, I know that I have to change this strategy, but unchanged the goal,

Pamela Bardhi
Right, amen. I love your journey and sort of where things are headed and like what’s happening in your world in the next six to 12 months. What’s going to be new and coming up?

Kristine Moore
Oh, so I have ideas for two books. One is with my partners in one of the consulting companies. They want to write a book about leadership, but in a different perspective. With a lot of research that we have been doing. And so I have those two ideas of books. I know that this is going to be awesome journey, I want to build my business in a way that it’s more on-demand. So people can have those courses without me being live all the time. Because I know that time is so precious, and the agendas of everyone are getting crazier every day. So to be in one place everyone at the same time.

It’s getting harder every time. So I want to make things easier. I’m starting to plan some recordings that I want to do so I can put my courses. So people can have that whatever they want and to continue my journey as a consultant. Because it’s for me that I need to switch from different things. The consultant world is amazing for that. Because you get to work in different industries.

You get to meet different people and you get challenges every day. So that’s why I’m working with two different consulting companies so I can get more of that. So yeah, I see myself here working from home. And having my own time and managing my agenda and enjoying with my kids. And if I want to go to the beach on Wednesday, we can go to the beach on a Wednesday. It’s something that we are aiming to do.

Pamela Bardhi
That’s incredible. And I know you’re gonna get there because look how far you’ve come in such short time already. So I’m so excited for you, Christine. That’s amazing.

Kristine Moore
Yeah. And something else, that it’s been helpful, I got certified by an initiative from Google, I am remarkable. So I get to facilitate those workshops now. It’s a very cool initiative. It’s been like five years I think now since it started. He helps people to understand and to practice the skill of self-promotion. I know that it can sound easy, but it’s not. Sometimes it’s easier to see what everyone else is doing than what you have accomplished yourself. So I get to teach this and I’m very excited about this. Because it’s all about diversity and how women and under representative groups have struggled with self-promotion. How this impacts the corporate world, the revenues in the companies. And when you do that switch, how people start to feel so.

So welcome work-life quality, their start growing in their careers. There’s a lot of positive change when you start exercising that muscle of self-promotion. And other stuff that came into my world and stuck with me. So I hope to contribute with that initiative as much as I can. This is a nonprofit workshop. It’s a good way to get into companies that everyone needs. This is a message for everyone. And even for myself to not forget everything that I have done and to acknowledge that if it’s a fact is not bragging

Pamela Bardhi
Exactly. I love your mission of bridging the gap. And that’s what you intend to do. And I just see you like a year from now, just absolutely taking off. You’ll train your own coaches too. It’s gonna be awesome, you’re gonna take off and do absolutely amazing. I just think it’s just gonna keep growing and keep going, which is so exciting. Now I’m going to ask you my final and most favorite question, which is what your older self, tell your younger self based on what you know now?

Kristine Moore
Never be afraid of being you because I get lost in the way. And because of that, I pay the price. I call that to pay the price of not knowing yourself, and I lost my hearing, actually. I suffer from sudden death, because of not listening to myself, and being true to myself. So I think that will be my message for my younger. Never, never, never compromise, what you feel is right. For anyone, don’t let anyone tell you what you are worth. Because that comes with a price. And now you already pay it. So I’m sending this message to everyone that it’s somehow hesitating about what they’re worth. Or they know or what their value is, and be true to yourself and there’s no losing in that.

Pamela Bardhi
Amen. I love that. Thank you so much for sharing that. And I mean, it’s not easy. When you’re in and when you’re not where you’re supposed to be because you can feel it inside your whole body. It’s telling you this is not right. And sometimes I know and I have friends who tell me this who are healers. If you don’t listen to your higher self, it will manifest into parts of the body. Like you said, your hearing, which is crazy by not listening.

You literally lost your hair. Yep, just crazy. But this is what the mind and the body can do when you’re disconnected from your purpose. That’s exactly what happened. Which is yes, that’s the thing about people are like, Wow, you’re so spiritual. You’re so and I’m like, no, it’s energy. It’s simple energy. And if you’re not listening to your internal self, it’s gonna like keep giving off the red flags. Like you’re not supposed to be here. You’re there, but you were there. And your body’s trying to be like, give you the red flags like, listen and you’re done. You just don’t listen and then they force. Listen, you know

Kristine Moore
Exactly that’s right. It’s just like that. And I was not listening. So if everyone that is out there, and even if you’re pretty young. Just recognize all this stuff that is good in yourself and live it, because that way, that’s the true wealth. You know, it’s not about money. It’s about inner peace.

Pamela Bardhi
Yeah. Amen. Absolutely. Wealth is truly time. Money is money, it’s always gonna keep going. There’s always going to be work, there’s always going to be these things. But like, do you have time? Or do you have money? Which one equals wealth more?

Kristine Moore
And do you have health to enjoy that life that you are building? I imagine a world in which people love Mondays. Because they love what they do. And they’re kind to each other. I think that most of the time, we are not being kind because there’s something that it’s not working within us. I want to work with schools. If we can get our workforce in a few years to be happier. Imagine the world that we are going to have. So if I can get all those teams keeps to understand their purpose, to understand their talents, their superpowers. Imagine that the career choice they’re going to make is going to be aligned with their true self. So that’s the word I imagined.

Pamela Bardhi
Amen Kristine, you are amazing. Thank you so much for all of that. And now you’ve got to let everyone know where to find you online and connect with you and your awesomeness.

Kristine Moore
You can find me on social media to bridge gaps. It’s my account and my social media areas. I have a website tobridgegaps.com for my main audience. It’s in Spanish right now. But I’m thinking further, so I’m actually doing some things to bring these measures into English. So there will be more teens, more people were parents be more aware of what their kids can be. And what they are modeling to their kids by not loving their jobs or not being good in what they’re doing. So that’s where we’re working. To bridge gaps, you can find me on LinkedIn.

Pamela Bardhi
You’re amazing. Christine, thank you so much for being here today. So honored to have you. Thank you just so much for everything and I can’t wait to see what you do in the future, my friend. Thank you