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If it seems incongruent that a self-described minimalist juggles both a full-time executive job—chief human resource officer at First Community Bank—while also running her own yoga studio, Meagan Krzywosinski can explain. “HR by day and yogi by life is my motto,” she says. “If you know what your values are, it becomes easy to know when to say ‘no,’ and when to say ‘yes.’”
Remaining in Northern Michigan after graduating from Petoskey High School was Krzywosinski’s first big adult “yes.” After initially going away to college, she had a reckoning that led her back home. “Being away at a four-year university didn’t fuel my soul. I just wanted to work, and I thought, if I work really hard and stay rooted in my values, then I can live where I want to live.”
Focusing her career on people and their needs was the next big “yes.” Since she was a teenager, Krzywosinski has always loved working with people, and as a young woman she had an experience that helped her turn that drive into a career path.
While working for the Inn at Bay Harbor in event planning, Krzywosinski was at a Marriott hospitality conference when she got a message that inspired her. “I heard Mr. Marriott himself speak, and he said something like, ‘If you’re not taking care of the guest, you’d better be taking care of the person who is taking care of the guest.’ I thought: I have to take care of the people!” she says.
That realization led her to apply for an internal posting in human resources, and despite having no HR experience, Krzywosinski got the job. In 2014, her journey brought her to the role of assistant vice president of human resources for First Community Bank.
Photo by Courtney Kent
Another easy “yes” for Krzywosinski? Opening her Petoskey yoga studio, Inspiring Inner Growth, in 2023. Krzywosinski was first introduced to yoga while pregnant with her now 16-year-old daughter, Piper, and initially was looking for physical benefits. But, “Yoga is so much more than just the physical practice,” she says. “Once I learned that on the mat, I never looked back.”
Krzywosinski finds yoga and HR blend well, offering her a different perspective on human nature. “People are complex. So, when they show up in my HR space, I can ask them: Are they having a difficult moment, or do they need to make a change to get where they’re trying to go? Are they consciously breathing? Those little tiny micro shifts can make such a big difference.”
Whether she’s navigating parenting as a single mom, teaching yoga or helping team members navigate conflicts, for Krzywosinski it ultimately all comes down to people.
“If we don’t have people, we don’t have companies. And if we don’t have healthy people, we really don’t have companies,” Krzywosinski explains. “My role in HR means truly walking alongside people to ensure they’re showing up the very best they can every day. And sometimes, that means just taking a breath.”
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Meet All 5 North Stars of 2024
These women are connecting the dots, bending the norms and lighting the road ahead. Get the March issue of Traverse Northern Michigan magazine to view our North Stars feature in celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, or view all 5 stories on MyNorth.com in March.
- Meet the Protector of Northern Michigan, Kira Davis
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Liaison, Beatriz Moreno
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Joy Creator, Heather Spooner
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Alchemist, Geri Lefebre
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Conservationist, Liz Petrella McKellar
- Meet the Dream Believer of Northern Michigan, Laura Galbraith
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Anchor, Jennifer Shorter