Mariah Grimwood, Consultant

We’re honored to showcase our team’s diversity, talents, and interests at AG Consulting Partners. This month is about Mariah Grimwood, a Consultant in the Management Consulting workforce. Learn about her travels across six continents in five years and her advice on what to do when first arriving in a new location. 

What’s your background, where did you grow up, and what do you enjoy doing? 

While I’m originally from Seattle, I’ve lived in various locations before returning to the area. When I was a kid, my family moved to England for a few years, then to Texas, where I lived until I left to pursue my degree at UC Berkeley. Having moved multiple times early in my life gave me a taste for traveling, so I decided to see the world after graduating.  

I initially planned to travel for one year, but that quickly turned into five years as I enjoyed immersing myself in different cultures and meeting people from all walks of life. I intended to spend about three months in each destination, starting my journey in New Zealand and making my way through South Africa. But I ended up spending two years in Vietnam – I just couldn’t get enough of the local experience. I eventually explored more of southeast Asia before making another long stop in the Republic of Georgia, where I stayed about a year and a half through the pandemic. One of the first things I’d do whenever I found myself in a new destination was to seek out restaurant recommendations from locals – they never let me down. Throughout those years, I also found joy working as an ESL teacher, a college admissions advisor, and a freelance professional writer. Fortunately, the pandemic didn’t halt my adventures as I traveled to Mexico, Peru, Ireland, and Costa Rica before finally returning to the United States. 

So far, I’ve been to six continents, with Antarctica the last one left to visit. I hope to make it there someday as I continue exploring more of the world – my next bucket list destination is Patagonia! 

Can you share some insights from your travels? 

Watching my parents navigate various challenges during our travels together helped me develop the right mindset for my travels and not fear change or ambiguity. Budget, timing, location, mode, and experience all impact the approach taken from one trip to the next. Confronting the unknown and dealing with challenges is one of the best parts of the experience! It helped me understand myself more deeply and realize borderless empathy and understanding. No matter where we’re from, we are all just trying to find moments of happiness where we can. 

My experiences also taught me that the most memorable part of any travel experience isn’t the place; it’s the people. I’ve met many individuals who’ve left a mark on me over those years. The people and sense of community determine whether you feel like you’re at home and belong, which is beautiful.  

Tell us about your experience at AGCP. 

When I started with AGCP in January, I had no expectations and was open to jumping into anything. But I feel like I hit the jackpot. I fell in love with the work I do for my client, from content creation to project management, and I later found myself interested in taking on another challenge through the Management Consulting (MC) leadership track. It’s been awesome to apply skillsets that I don’t usually get to use. I’ve found it a wonderful opportunity to do more collaborative work with folks in the company that I might’ve never had the chance to work with otherwise. People have my best interests at heart, and the support the company and individuals provide feels genuine – and that’s a unique experience that sets AGCP apart for me. 

What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received? 

“You belong where you’re invited to be.” This phrase came to me from my dad during a conversation about imposter syndrome, which I was experiencing at the time. Early in our careers, we tend to believe we don’t deserve to be in our position. And whether we think it’s due to lack of experience or skill, my dad pointed out that even individuals with 20-plus years of experience sometimes feel the same way. It was a significant mental shift for me because I viewed those people as the ones who had it all figured out, but I was projecting that idea onto them. So now, if I get those feelings, I remind myself that I belong where I’m invited. 

Thank you, Mariah, for the creativity, passion, and joy you bring to all you do. 

We’d love to chat if you’re interested in joining our team of outstanding consultants! To learn more about our openings at the firm right now, click here. We look forward to hearing from you soon!