Advice from 40 Under 40 honorees

As the North Idaho Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 celebrates the latest group of the most impressive younger members of region’s business community, three past honorees share lessons and advice from their own career journeys.

Kate Mosgrove, Dovetail Home Designs 

After graduating from high school in Coeur d’Alene, Kate Mosgrove attended trade school for painting and went to college for interior design. She founded Dovetail Home Designs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“During the early pandemic, I took that downtime to get set up,” she said. “I took advantage of some of the slower and more uncertain times to launch my own business.” 

Before launching her business, Mosgrove had worked for a different local painting company for more than three years. Taking the leap to start her own business was intimidating, she said, and she worried about whether she would be able to build up her own clientele from scratch. She said persistence was key. 

“I tried to do my best any chance I got and just continued to put myself out there and make new connections,” she said. 

Mosgrove balances running a business with being a mom to a young child. 

“Being a single parent and having my daughter full-time made it very challenging to find the extra hours to put into the business,” she said. “But it’s paid off.” 

For Mosgrove, the real triumph in running her own business is supporting herself and her daughter using her background in art. That’s why she advises aspiring business owners to follow their passions. 

“Life might throw you curveballs,” she said. “There will be times when you think about giving up. But if it brings you joy, you should chase that, because we all deserve to love what we do every day.” 

Emily Boyd, Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association 

For a decade, Emily Boyd has served the business community and other stakeholders through her work at the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association. She got her start as an events coordinator before stepping into the role of director in 2020. 

“I love getting to work with the downtown stakeholders and businesses and helping to facilitate an environment for them to be successful,” she said. 

As she transitioned into the role, Boyd said she discovered that there are many ways to do a job well. Each person’s style is different. She carries out her role differently than her predecessor, for example, and finds success in her own way. 

“You need to find your own groove,” she said. “That’s one of the hard things, especially when you work with a board. You need to find your ways of communicating and your processes. It takes time and learning and working with other people.” 

After nearly five years in her position, Boyd said she knows there’s still more to learn and she welcomes opportunities to develop her skills and knowledge. She advises people looking to grow in their careers to be open to change and to seek mentorship. 

“Always seek input, especially in a community role,” she said. “There are so many people in our area who are a wealth of knowledge. Tap into it as much as possible.” 

Josh McDonald, Shoshone News-Press 

A lifelong Shoshone County resident, Josh McDonald has always had a passion for sharing the stories that are important to everyday people. Since 2015, he’s served his community through his work at the Shoshone News-Press, first as a reporter and now as the local editor. 

When he first applied to work at the newspaper, he said he recognized that he didn’t have the training that many reporters do before getting their start in the industry. What he did have was someone willing to take a chance on him. 

“One of my biggest strengths is a willingness to learn, which former Shoshone News-Press publisher Keri Alexander thankfully recognized and gave me a shot,” he said. 

McDonald said his background makes him uniquely situated to cover the close-knit rural communities in his coverage area. He emphasized the importance of understanding what matters most to Shoshone County residents. 

“There’s a responsibility that comes with the role of a small-town news reporter,” he said. “Rural reporting is so different than metro journalism. Small towns care about parades, blood drives, elementary school talent shows. That doesn’t mean you don’t cover the hard news, but you have to be willing to give just as much attention toa one-day niche city festival as you do to a murder trial.” 

McDonald’s top tip for those interested in exploring journalism: be a sponge and absorb as much information as possible. 

“The second piece of advice is to value your time,” he said. “People will want your time, but you only have so much you can give. If you’re going to value your time, you have to be willing to give some. Arrive 15 minutes early. Stay 15 minutes later. If you make a habit of this, people are more understanding when you’re unable to.” 

    Boyd
  

    McDonald