What It's Like To Work For A Company Where You Can Be Yourself

I always sort of thought that really, truly enjoying your job was a luxury. That not everyone was lucky enough to like their boss, share values with their co-workers, or genuinely look forward to attending their annual holiday party. I still believe this; I just never thought I’d be one of the small percentage of the population that really is that lucky.

“It’s OK to only tolerate your job but love your hobbies” — Kelton Wright

It’s okay to go to a job every day that you aren’t 100% passionate about. Someone needs to deliver our Amazon Prime packages on Saturday, and Uber drunk people home at 3AM, and work at the airport on Thanksgiving. I’ve always believed in this theory, the theory that you can still live a good life without working at a job you absolutely love. And I still think this is true, but I didn’t realize how much better my life could be working at a job I truly enjoy.

Some of us, the lucky ones, get to go to a job every day where we feel comfortable, encouraged, and stimulated.

My first week at Juliet Zulu was a calming whirlwind of adjustments. Suddenly, I was surrounded by like-minded, hilarious, brilliant people who felt like real peers. I flinched when my bosses started following me on Instagram, but quickly realized the welcoming world I was stepping into. These are people who frequently laugh out loud, have impromptu pre-lunch dance parties, and are completely themselves between the hours of 9 and 5.

Months later, someone told me that the only concern after interviewing me was that I dressed too professionally. They were worried that my look was too stuffy, which is actually great, because I was coming from a background where old men would ask me if I was cold when I wore a spring scarf indoors.

Juliet Zulu is a place where people are getting paid for their hobbies. It’s a place where I think, She’s wearing skull-print running tights? Just wait ’til you see what I wear tomorrow! It’s where quality of life shoots through the roof because there’s no longer dread of going to work in the morning.

There was the time I met a colleague and her brother for drinks, and throughout the night she was scolding me for introducing her as my co-worker. “No,” she corrected. “Your friend. I’m your friend.”

During my workweek, I’m surrounded by charming goofballs, daring writers, kick-ass parents, absurdly talented artists, and bosses who encourage scratching creative itches in a real, raw way.

What I’m trying to say is that it’s an absolute luxury, and we can’t all be so lucky.