The GenHERation^® 5 Questions series features our exclusive interviews with the most powerful women in the world to provide you with actionable advice on how to navigate your career path.

Dr. Jen Welter is an entrepreneur, a keynote speaker, and the NFL’s first female coach.

What do you know now that you wish you knew at the beginning of your career? 

Setbacks. Be in love with the journey, not yearning for an outcome. So many times we focus on an outcome or outcomes as being the definition of success and by extension, happiness. However, if we love the journey, the learning, the adventure, then success comes with each turn, each thing we learn, and even setbacks are interpreted as setups.

Which high school or college class best prepared you for your professional career? 

Honestly, the combination of practical experience in sports, the lessons of teamwork, the wins, losses, and fight of competition paired with the knowledge gained with sport psychology I learned to fuse theory and practice.

What is the go-to question you ask interview candidates? 

You have the opportunity to create your own team, how do you build your team?

What is the biggest risk you have taken? 

The biggest risk I have ever taken was stepping into the men’s game.

What is your genius?

Empathy, especially in situations where it has not traditionally been valued. In football, it was understanding and valuing the players as people.

You can learn from more of the most powerful women in the world here.