#MyPinFlex: Holly Byers relocated to Ohio, a story about putting family first

In our Life at Pinterest series, #MyPinFlex, our Pinployees share how they’re enjoying Pinterest’s new work model, PinFlex, which promotes flexibility while prioritizing in-person moments. First up – meet Holly Byers, Pinterest Senior Partner Manager, who recently relocated home to Ohio to be closer to her parents. 

I’ve been at Pinterest for seven and half years and will reach my eight year milestone in March 2023. I’m a Senior Partner Manager working with retail clients on the Field Sales team. While I enjoyed living and working in Chicago, I recently relocated as I felt a growing need to be closer to my elderly parents. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, I immediately packed up and traveled to Ohio. With virtual work being the new normal, I was able to do my job from my parent’s home. Unfortunately, neither of my parents are in great health, and I had always promised them that I would be available to oversee their care. It was essential for me to be present during doctor’s appointments as a patient advocate. My manager was very supportive of my temporary relocation and understood the importance of being close to my family. 

What was next? 

Ultimately, my goal was to stay in Ohio, and I ended up buying a new home and started renovating it. As a Pinterest employee, I, of course, used Pinterest to design new features and decorate my house. Here’s a sneak peek at the renovations: Pre-Renovation Family Room (left) and Pinterest inspired Post-Renovation Family Room (right).

Once renovations were complete, I was thrilled to move in! However, there were several months where I was seriously contemplating what was next for me. I knew that my now-permanent relocation might impact my role at Pinterest if I was required to move back to Chicago. Transparently, that was not an option. Living close to my parents went from being a “nice to have” to a non-negotiable criteria for any role I’m in. 

When PinFlex was announced in April 2022, it felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Implementing a new work model that promotes flexibility and the ability to work where I’m most inspired showed me that Pinterest had my back and cares about me outside of the work that I’m doing for the company. I’m able to attend important doctor’s appointments with my parents, spend weekends with them, grocery shop for them, mow their lawn and anything else they need assistance with. PinFlex empowers employees to live where they choose.

Still being connected

In a PinFlex world, the connection and bond I have with my teammates is as strong as it was when we were in the office. Personally, I feel more productive with less interruptions, and it’s easier for me to carve out focus time. As a result of our new work model, I have the flexibility to create my own work schedule that aligns with my team and clients while maintaining a healthy work life balance. Now more than ever, being an owner of our work responsibilities is super important. This accountability has helped form a deeper level of trust among teammates to get work and projects done on our own accord. With a nurturing culture that promotes a good work life balance, I feel like people are able to live their lives in a more meaningful and inspired way. 

As a Senior Partner Manager in Sales, I initially thought I would need to be regionally focused and in person with clients. I was worried that my decision to stay in Ohio would mean I’d be dedicating more time to traveling back and forth to Chicago. However, my clients aren’t 100% back in the office and aren’t begging me to be either. Without commuting to the office or traveling to Chicago, the additional time in my schedule has driven my productivity and increased my work efficiency. Something unique that I’ve been able to do is visit my retail clients’ stores in person, right here in Ohio! It’s exciting to walk into a store and see the campaigns we’ve talked about, and this helps me bring a new perspective into our meetings. 

More inspired work

I feel most inspired when I work from home. In my new house, I have a designated work space that allows me to fully immerse myself in my daily work, projects and much needed focus time – distraction-free. Speaking of being distracted, I recently adopted a Labrador puppy, Beau! Since I’m working from home, I now have the ability to walk my dog before I jump into my day, take him for a 10 minute walk at lunch and walk him immediately after I’m done. If I worked in the office, I wouldn’t be able to do that. Beau and I are grateful for our time together, and I think he secretly loves working for Pinterest too. 

Before COVID and PinFlex, my team had a running joke that I worked best at home. If I had a big project coming up or many deliverables, my team would say, “Holly, you should work from home for a few days.” They know I’m most productive working in my own space – my working style thrives in an environment that I’m most comfortable in. There’s a tremendous amount of value in allowing employees to live their best and most inspired life. Take it from me – a home renovation, adopting a puppy and putting family first. In this time, I found out what was of greatest importance to me, and PinFlex allowed me to focus on and dedicate time to these priorities. As a result of PinFlex, I have a newfound level of commitment to my work and Pinterest. I’m thankful and grateful that I’ve been able to double down on my work and be inspired in all areas of my life.