What’s a Moment That Changed Your Career Perspective? — Part 1

Was it a major life change or a quiet, subtle moment that shifted your career perspective? This month’s responses have been incredible — each one unique and deeply personal. When we recognize the value in what we do, work becomes something truly worth doing. 

In this column, adopted from the familiar “Heard on the Street” format, we offer our responders a chance to answer the question posed in the title. These are their replies, reported verbatim. Enjoy! 

Leading Without a Safety Net 

A defining moment in my career came the morning my father passed away. Although he died peacefully in his sleep and we had a succession plan in place, the loss was sudden and deeply unsettling. At the time, we were also in the midst of the 2008 global financial crisis, which only heightened the uncertainty. For most of my life, I had the reassurance of a mentor I could turn to for guidance. Overnight, that safety net was gone. Our employees looked to me for stability and direction, and I realized the responsibility now rested entirely on my shoulders. That experience fundamentally changed how I view my work. It pushed me to grow into a leadership role more quickly than I had anticipated and taught me the importance of resilience, accountability and trust. Looking back, it was a challenging period, but also a pivotal one. In the end, everything worked out. And it reinforced something I truly believe: When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. 

Julie Johnson 
Ted Johnson Propane 
Baldwin Park, California 

A moment in my career that changed how I see my work was when I became the manager of our propane department. All of a sudden, I had people depending on the decisions I made, and I needed to step up and lead. I was still fairly new to the company, and I learned quickly to be humble enough to ask a lot of questions of the employees who had a lot more experience than me. Those early experiences made it easier to continue to seek help and rely on my team when I didn’t know something. I don’t have to face tough decisions alone, and I can lean on the many experts that I work with. 

Trevor Beaudry 
Beaudry Oil & Propane 
Elk River, Minnesota 

It was probably in the late 90s when the company I was working for was implementing a new software and operating system. I was responsible for leading the project for the region I was working in. We were trying to do this late fall/early winter, and the implementation was not without its issues. Each operation I went into, I would hear how [it wasn’t going well], won’t work, can’t understand the process, etc. It was a stressful period. That weekend, my wife and I went to see ‘Saving Private Ryan’ in the theater. After watching that first five minutes of troops trying to take Omaha Beach, I said to myself, ‘Quit feeling sorry for yourself. Your job pales in comparison to what those men did for our country in putting their lives on the line.’ That certainly put things in perspective for me when it came to my job. 

Tom Krupa 
NGL Supply Terminals Co. 
Richmond, Virginia 

Redefining Success: Teamwork 

One moment that changed how I see my work didn’t happen during a major milestone or achievement — it came during a quieter period when I found myself stepping back from the day-to-day pace of the business. Like many people in leadership roles, I had spent years focused on growth, performance and solving the next immediate challenge. But taking time to reflect made me realize how much of the long-term impact of our work isn’t measured in quarterly results — it’s measured in people. I started thinking about the team members who had grown their careers alongside the company, the relationships built over decades and the trust customers placed in us year after year. It shifted my perspective from simply driving outcomes to intentionally building something sustainable — a culture where people feel supported, opportunities are created and knowledge is shared. That realization changed how I approach my work. Success became less about short-term wins and more about long-term stewardship — investing in people, fostering collaboration and creating an environment where others can succeed. In the end, those are the things that outlast any single project or achievement, and they’re what make the work truly meaningful. 

Leslie Woodward 
Fairview Fittings 
Oakville, Ontario, Canada 

The biggest moment that changed how I see my work was starting the Young Professionals Council. I’ve grown up around the industry and began working in it when I was 16. Being someone who’s always been one of the youngest in the room, I realized how important it was to create a space for young professionals to be seen, heard and supported. Working within this council the last two years has reminded me that building the future of our industry starts with believing in the people entering it, and I hope others will remember that as well. 

Steph Hennen 
Lakes Gas Co. 
Wyoming, Minnesota 

Growth at scale has changed how we value employees. Understanding how new beings transform from knowing nothing on day one to putting on a master class in propane only a few years later. This path to scale has driven me to cherish our best employees and support those who are struggling. This happened when we began our journey with EOS, and I read the book ‘How to be a Great Boss’ by Gino Wickman. 

Mike Dodd 
Propane Ninja 
Tampa, Florida 

My whole career, my work had always been inward-facing. Focused on improvements within the operation, safety, costs and profitability. My idea for success was to do the best we could possibly do at what we did. This took good care of our primary stakeholders and even our customers who appreciated receiving their products up to spec and on time. For the most part, that had led to a successful early-stage career for me. The moment I believe something switched in me was the first time I attended [a National Propane Gas Association] (NPGA) meeting as an elected board member. For the first time, I was looking outside the walls of the company and my immediate customers and looking at the industry as a whole. It opened my eyes to additional factors that guide success and how important it is to look toward overall industry success as a driver for company growth and success. Now, as I make decisions about products, R&D and strategic positioning, I always put it through the filter of, ‘How does this benefit our customers, how does it benefit our internal stakeholders and, now, how does this benefit the success of the overall industry?’ I believe this, coupled with my increasing participation in the associations in leadership roles, has molded me into a far more superior leader and executive than I had been in my earlier career. 

Robert Kenney 
Metsa Tanks 
McCallum, Texas 

As a young engineer working in the building and construction codes industry, I pretty much relied on my colleagues and bosses to give me directions on what I should be spending time on. When I joined NPGA staff in 1993, my predecessor was no longer there, and my boss didn’t really know the details of the job. Thankfully, I did have great help from my administrative assistant and knowledgeable NPGA members to provide support and direction. But it was during those initial days that I realized I had the latitude to develop my role in a manner that I hoped would serve the members and my needs most effectively. 

Bruce Swiecicki 
Consulting Engineer 
Tinley Park, Illinois 

Finding Meaning 

These messages say it best: When you find meaning in your work each day, life feels just a little bit lighter. Next month, we’ll hear from more propane leaders in part two of this Verbatim question.