Building Community, Creativity & Career with Anastasia Harris

What does it look like to build a successful career while also pursuing your passions and creating meaningful community? 🎧✨🏃🏾‍♀️

In this episode of Gateway to Growth, Jamal Cornelious sits down with St. Louis creative, community builder, and entrepreneur Anastasia Harris to explore how she balances a career in public health research while growing multiple passion-driven ventures.

Anastasia wears many hats: clinical research associate, DJ, track coach, founder of Run It Back Track Club, mentor, and community advocate. Throughout the conversation, she shares how St. Louis became the perfect place to blend her professional ambitions with her creative pursuits and why community has been the foundation of her success.

This episode explores:

• How Anastasia built a career in maternal and child health research while pursuing creative passions outside of work.

• The story behind Run It Back, St. Louis' adult track and field club creating space for former athletes and newcomers alike.

• Why community support has been critical to turning ideas into reality.

• The challenges of balancing a full-time career, entrepreneurship, creativity, and leadership.

• Lessons on avoiding burnout through intentional rest, structure, and boundaries.

• How she's growing her DJ career and helping others break into corporate event opportunities.

• The importance of delegation, building teams, and learning to let go of control as organizations grow.

• Advice for professionals looking to pursue creative passions alongside their corporate careers.

• Why St. Louis continues to be a city where entrepreneurs, artists, and community builders can thrive.

Key Takeaways 💡

• Start before you're ready—perfection isn't required to begin.

• Creative pursuits require discipline, consistency, and sacrifice.

• Community can accelerate growth in ways you can't accomplish alone.

• Rest is just as important as productivity when pursuing multiple goals.

• Building something meaningful means learning not to take every setback personally.

Whether you're navigating a career transition, building a side project, pursuing creative work, or searching for ways to connect more deeply with your community, Anastasia's story offers practical insights and inspiration for creating a life that blends purpose, passion, and impact.

Connect with Anastasia:

  Run it Back Instagram ▶   https://www.instagram.com/runitbacktrackclub/?hl=en

  Personal Instagram ▶   https://www.instagram.com/papistazi/?hl=en 

  LinkedIn ▶https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-harris-mph-ches-91315863/

  Run it Back Website ▶ https://www.joinrunitback.com/?utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnM-IS5OCd40HohE0OXpEq0BLm86uo0wRyoUhw6OtifTfp6RQBYzxsY20-Dx8_aem_S8TxKEYSJTbAFsFwQoor9A 

Connect with Gateway to Growth: 

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Transcript

Introduction to Anastasia Harris

0:04

Welcome to another episode of the Gateway to Growth Podcast in partnership with SEO Bucket List. I'm your host, Jamal Cornelius, an executive coach, working with leaders to help navigate transition and growth. We have a very special interview for you guys today. We have a friend and local St. Louis legend, Anastasia Harris. Anastasia is a clinical research associate. She is a DJ, a community builder, she is a coach, she is all things, and we are excited to talk about her journey here today on the Gateway to Growth Podcast. So, Anastasia, welcome. Yay, thank you for having me. Thank you so much for joining us.

Public Health Career, DJing & Building Run It Back

0:35

So to kick us off, I'd love to learn, you know, tell our audience a little bit about just what you do and the many things that you do. Yeah, okay, let's get into it. So as you mentioned, I'm a clinical research associate. I actually work um at Northwest University in Chicago. I used to live there for five years, um, but I still work remote here. So I work on maternal and child health research studies. Um I actually got a master in public health and concentrated in maternal and child health. And so I um went into that field. I work on doula research, which is really exciting and important work, um, especially with the new administration. A lot of things are being cut and a lot of things are um being shown to like not be important anymore, but they very much are. Um so that's my full-time job. That's what pays my bills, you know. Um's got that mortgage, that rent to pay. Hello, exactly. Um, so that's yeah, I'm a nine to five. And then I am a DJ, as you mentioned. Um, I this year decided to call myself a corporate DJ Betty because I really enjoy corporate events. Yeah. Um, one of my favorite spots to DJ at is at St. Louis City, our soccer team. Right. Shout out because you just DJ'd the home opener. Yes, I did. Yes, I do. Yeah, I love being there. Um, and so I've actually been with them since the beginning. So they're like my favorite place to DJ at, but also just like any corporate clients, any major brands, like I'm your girl. I DJ at Lululemon recently. And so um, yeah, but I also do like other parties and events. I'm actually doing um Earth Day Festival coming up, which is exciting. Um, and then I also have a track and field club, so which that's how we met. How we met, yeah. Exactly. I wanted to get these old legs outside, and I just missed running. A lot of former athletes will miss being an athlete, and most of the time your body can't do what you used to do. Oh no. And then I discovered that you started running back. Yes, yes. So tell us a little bit about Run It Back. Yeah, so Run It Back is an adult track and field club. Um, we are, like I say, for the track heads and for the communities. So track heads like me and you who used to run maybe in the past, but need to get back into it. And then also community members. So people that maybe have never run before or like want to get back into it, um, but it's been like childhood. Like they literally do not run for real. Um, and so yeah, we are the only adult track and field club in St. Louis. Um, I think one of the few in the Midwest. Um, we host weekly track practices, so Wednesday and Saturday. Um, and then we have track meets, which are probably like my favorite part about running back. Like I love like the feel of a track meet, like the energy, the competition. We have a DJ, so there's good music. Um and we have three of those a season. So yeah, it's like a it's a full, it's a full like season of like activity starting in May until September, kind of October.

Community, Competition & the Run It Back Experience

3:16

But yeah. Yeah, I mean the the track meets, track meets in general are special if you've never been or never run. Yeah, but the way you set up run it back is also a whole separate vibe because you guys have a DJ, it kind of feels like it's a party, it's laid back. There's competition, but it's also camaraderie. Like everybody's rooting for each other, everyone's helping each other. Yeah, the kids are running around, you know, playing in the sand in between long jumps and everything else in between. It is it is just a full family, like fun experience. And if if anybody hasn't experienced it or just wants to try to visit or come out and run, I'd highly definitely recommend that. No, yeah, it's it's amazing. It's a it's a really cool, tight-knit community. Everyone's always like cheering each other on. Because as you mentioned, like we like our bodies age, but like our minds don't necessarily age. And so it's like I don't like I'm 32. I don't necessarily feel like in my mind, 32. Like I could be, I could be 18. Oh, my mind. You know, my knees disagree with me.

Balancing Career and Creativity in St. Louis

4:11

Exactly. So like having um people there to kind of like mentally support you um while your body kind of is like trying to get back into it is so so important. Um, and so yeah, I really, I really love it. I really love when track season has started because it's just a good time. Yeah. So one of the reasons I wanted to have you on is because I feel like your story is so quintessentially St. Louis and that you have the job where you're doing important work and you're doing what you have to do and you're carving out this corporate path for yourself, but you also are full-blown into the art and creative side of your life. And I think more than I've seen in other places, a lot of St. Louis's will have their artistic side kind of be front and center and really spend time investing in it and you know, getting into the community with it. Whether you are a painter, you're a filmmaker, whatever it is, you see a lot of that. It's not necessarily a side hustle, it's just they're filling out the rest of that circle. Like this is a part of me that I need to express. And I see a lot more St. Louis's do that. Yeah. And I would love to learn more about your superhero origin story. Like, how did you carve out this unique path where you have your foot in several worlds? Well, I feel like I've always been a creative. I uh being like in healthcare and like in public health, it's very kind of like left brain focused, where it's like science and math and um healthcare. And so, but like in high school and stuff, I love like all my art classes, like my teachers love me. I was, you know, doing sculpting and painting and graphic design. Like I was always very really interested in it and I had those skills. But once I decided my career, it was like, well, that's just like there's just not not a lot of opportunity to be creative in like a research study. Like you can be, but it's like a reach. Um, and so I really didn't feel like I had that kind of like opportunity or platform until I moved to St. Louis. And I feel like it is something really special about St. Louis where you can become anything that you want to become, you can start anything that you want to start. This city is extremely supportive in literally any idea that you have. I think St. Louis is also cool is because it's a small city. So there isn't like a lot here. Like there's so much, like you can like I want to open like a ramen shop, like that you can like make little ramen, whatever. Cause like there isn't one. Like there's so many things that aren't here that you can kind of create, and people will be more than happy to support it. Um, and so as when I moved here and kind of like got acclimated and stuff, I met my partner, Nayara, who is very heavily in the arts. And like with her support and again with like the people around my friends, my family, because my family lives here, friends live here, it was like easy to kind of like lean more into my creative, uh just like energy that was always that was always there. I just needed like support from a community to like help it come to life. Um, and so it it can be difficult though, because like as you mentioned, like it's not, it is a hobby slash like extracurricular activity, but it like takes a lot to do. Like it's just it is a lot of work. It like the actual work, but also like the mental work to kind of create these things. And like my brain never turns off. When we're on track, when we're in like track season, I like the ideas are like constantly flowing, which I'm so grateful for because like God just like constantly gives me ideas, but it's also like I'm exhausted because I'm trying to like execute all this stuff, like be a social media like manager and be a graphic designer and be a track coach, and then also in my full-time job. So it is a lot, but I do feel like I have so much support to be able to like you know make my dreams come true. I love that. Yeah, and when you throw out that bad signal, all your all the people that you know are your people and also people you haven't met yet will just come out and get support. Literally, it's it's a unique experience here. Yeah, no, it's special for sure. Yeah. So I'm curious, and I feel like we kind of touched on it with that response,

Why Anastasia Chose to Build Her Life in St. Louis

8:06

but you moved here from Chicago and you had an opportunity to plant roots. And anytime we make a transition, we do anything in our in our professional lives, we're choosing where we want to be every single day. True. And you have chosen to plant your roots here, to bloom here. What is it that's special about St. Louis that made you want to really plant here and build? Well, I I don't know. I am from St. Louis. Maybe I didn't say that. You are St. Louis. Okay, so I am from here, right? But most people move to a different city. And you are right about it, stay there. And you're right about it. Uh, because I had no intention on um staying here uh because before I moved, like I lived here like in high school, and then I literally left from high school on. Um, St. Louis has changed. Like the reason I say it is because it's not the same St. Louis that I left. Um there, like I said, there's more opportunities here. We have a major league soccer team now. We have so much like development happening in the downtown area. Um, I was more plugged in into the art scene, and like the people in the art scene are just dope. Like, I just love those people. Um, I feel like for the first time in my life, I am part of a true community. Um, like I know the people that I know like Luke, like works, but like I know him. I know like Uplate, like the like Nate, he like works there, whatever. I know Anita, she had Anita Cafe. Like, I know owners of like businesses. I can call on people to like help me design stuff. Like Cam, he designed several things, like our Art Culture King. He designed things for running back. And I'm just like, I truly have like relationships with people. I've connected with them. We are building like a community together. And I feel like I've never experienced that in other places. Like I've just like lived there, maybe consumed, but never like contributed to the community and vice versa, where they contributed and like poured into me. So I'm like, I want to be where I am celebrated, I want to be where I'm welcome. And I felt that literally as soon as I got tapped into the community here. So I'm like, yeah, I should probably stay. Like, why would I why would I run from this? Like it's nice. I mean, yeah, I mean you can't. Yeah, that's exactly what we all hope for. We dream of a community that allows us to really pursue our passions and rallies behind us and makes the connections where we need to. Yeah, and I found that to be a really uniquely St. Louis experience in that if you are really about that life, people are gonna get behind you and support you in any way, shape, or form they can. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely love that. Awesome. Yeah, okay. So you've got so many irons in the fire. I'm curious, just what's next?

What's Next: DJing, Teaching & Growing Run It Back

10:27

What's coming down the pike for you? Where are you like focusing on growing? Oh my goodness. Um, well, what's next is just a track season. I'm not too, I think what I'm doing now is enough, you know. Like I'm not trying to add nothing else to the plate, but um for my DJing, like I wanna create more content to like share. I really kind of enjoy playing music like in the house, like in a controlled environment. Um, and so I wanna post more just like mixes for people to play like in their homes. Um, I have a series right now called How to Become a Corporate DJ Baddie. And I'm just like really sharing tips and tricks on how to be like professional in the DJ space um and how to kind of get into those corporate opportunities because they are different from like a party like scene and guess like other types of DJ opportunities. So um I've been sharing that. So, you know, doing more of that. I really love sharing information and um like teaching. I feel like one day I'm gonna be a like professor, so maybe that's what's next, like a PhD or something. But that's like 10 years from now. Um, but yeah, I really love kind of sharing tips that I've accumulated along the way. Um, and then for run it back, just having another great season. So this is our third season. We um are we grow every year, which is amazing to see. Um, and so just continue to do that. We're doing this really fun um street race because I I have like ran a marathon and I am familiar with like street racing. That's what kind of the transition I did after college. Like I went straight into distance running because like there weren't track clubs for real. Exactly. Um, and so yeah, I did that. And street racing is fun. So I wanted to like combine track and field with a street race. So we're gonna do this thing called Street 200. I haven't like posted about it yet, but it's street 200, and I did 200 because it's earlier in the season and I don't want people to pull muscles because they do that when we run the 100 way too early. Yes. Um, and so we're gonna do a 200-meter shuttle style relay right um like under the arch, like right near the arch by the riverfront. I know it's gonna be so cute. Yeah, it's gonna be fire. And so um I'm really excited about that and just again, making these like creative dreams come to life with Run It Back, hoping for more like sponsorships and collaborations throughout the season. Uh, because I'm always like trying to just like give things back to the community, free shoes, free clothes. Like our um coaches are all volunteer, and so we're giving like free training to people. Um, so just providing more opportunities and resources for folks within run it back is also like a goal and a dream. Love that. Okay, okay. I'm excited for that one. Let me see if I can get ready. I know. I feel like you should, it is gonna be in June. So you have a little bit of time. A little bit of an on-right. And you just gotta get three team members and uh yeah, do your big one. Okay, okay. So, with all of these pursuits that you have, all of these things, what's been some of the challenges of actually, you know, both the balancing all of that, but also creating in each of these spaces?

Managing Burnout, Rest & Multiple Responsibilities

13:28

So it is hard to balance for sure. I personally like took the winter off to kind of like recalibrate and refocus um into rest because there isn't really a lot of time for that when I have three like major pursuits that I'm doing. Um, and so like scheduled rest, scheduled um vacation. Uh my friend is getting married this year, so like leaving for a week. And unfortunately, we're not doing running back that week, and that's fine. Um, and so yeah, uh, it's like I won't be able to do it all, but I think that's okay because I don't want to be burnt out. I want to be able to show up in these spaces and be my best self. And so um, yeah, scheduled rest is like my go-to. Um and then also just being super structured. I feel like the more you have to do, the more structured you are. It seems like the more you have to do, like the more like chaotic or whatever, but it like forces you to like be to use your time intentionally. And so I, you know, have to do that with my full-time job. And then if I want to DJ, and then once the season starts, I'd run it back. So um, yeah, just being more focused. And then what was your other question? Well, I think that was that was a big chunk of it. I think it's really I feel like you said balance and what was the other thing? You know, just what were some of the what have been some of the challenges everything? Oh, the challenges of building and navigating a full-time career, navigating artistic pursuits, navigating, building community. Yeah, I mean, there's definitely a lot of challenges. I uh let's see, how personal do you want to kick? Because I feel like um

The Challenges of Community Building & Leadership

15:05

it can be challenging in the sense of you kind of can take things really personal, like when you're developing community and when you're trying to grow something, because it is very like sacred and like precious to you. And so everything that you do and you put out, it's literally like part of yourself that you're putting out. And so a challenge can be like not taking things so personal when people maybe are kidding, or maybe people like forgot or like people, I'm trying to as I navigate, um, assume best intent no matter what, um, and to not be so emotional, even though like I care so much about running back and like what we're doing. Um so learning how to yeah, be I don't even know the word, but I think I know where you're headed. I think one of the challenges when you're building anything is that the wins feel that much bigger because it's all personal, but the losses feel like a personal rejection sometimes. It feels like when someone doesn't follow through on a commitment, they are you know breaking a full commitment, not just to the organization, but to you. And being able to separate those things and understand that you know, some of those losses, some of those challenges, some of those no's, it's not inherently personal, even though it's going to feel that way because this is still the thing that you created. Right. Exactly, exactly. Because it's it's when you're trying to like build a team, because that's something I'm trying to work on this year, is like delegation and like building a team, which is which I think we were talking about this. Um, how it can be hard to, which I don't think you ever will find somebody that cares as much as you do about like your organization or your pursuits, which is okay. But I think trying to find a balance where I can like release some control and allow people to like have their own autonomy and feel like they are contributing to an organization. Um, so like trying to like get people to like buy in, not fully like be obsessed like I am, but um get yeah, just a strong team so that way I can balance things more and that we can grow bigger. Cause I feel like if it's just me carrying this on my back, like we're only gonna go so far because I can only do so much. But if like there's a team, um, people that care, I I mean the sky's the limit. So that's what I'm working on. I we're already, it's already in the works, so it's happening. Um, so I'm excited to see it like actually be put into action this year. Okay.

Coaching Corner: Balancing Corporate Life and Creative Passions

17:31

Love that. Yeah. So we have a segment that we do in the show that's called our coaching corner. So we have an opportunity to field questions from people who are listeners, who we've talked to and who are just navigating different parts of their career. And I think one of the things that would be perfect for you to field is you know, one of our listeners is thinking about how do I balance my corporate life and how do I start to somehow work in my creative pursuits and feel like I can be all of those things, kind of be fully part of myself. You know, I think uh Michelle Obama said, like you can have it all, but you can't have it all at the same time. Yeah. So the question is like, how do you, as someone who has successfully navigated having a full-time job but also building, you know, and really investing in your creative pursuits? How have you, what tips and advice would you give for somebody who's trying to figure out how to balance that or pursue those pursuits? Um, well, first, I've had to learn to kind of release control of like the outcomes. So when you're like deciding to be creative and like put yourself out there, it is cringe, it's very like really uncomfortable. It's like, how are people gonna take this? So I think you have to kind of release the control that you have of like how you're gonna be perceived and just do it. Um and like care less about how people, you know, might take it. Cause it's gonna be great. Like I think people underestimate how incredible they are and um just choose not to do anything at all before it's like perfect. But I think just trying taking a step is um the first step. And then when it comes to actually balancing, I do feel like it does take some um what's the word when you sacrifice? So you can't be outside and like chit-chatting all night or watching TV all night or doom scrolling, like if you have a side project that you want to like accomplish, like you have your full-time job that's taking up the majority of your day, which is terrible, but um, it pays the bill. So you gotta do what you gotta do. But then once you're off, you have to like commit time to it. And if you don't, it won't get done because there isn't a boss or isn't anybody like checking in and making sure things are getting done. So you have to have this internal um discipline to like get those things done. And if that hasn't turned on yet, it is gonna be much more difficult to accomplish these goals because you have to have that structure, that discipline, and sacrifice some of the other things maybe you've done in the past to get there. Cause it is work. Like it is work. I think people, I don't even know if it's like a, I don't want to say it's a trend, but people now, and maybe I'm in St. Louis, but I do think it's like we are in an era where everybody is starting something, everybody's creating something, um, which I think is great. Like if you have an idea, get it off, like go crazy. But also don't underestimate how much time and effort and attention it takes to um to do it. In my head, I'm like, if I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it right. Like I'm gonna do it to the best of my ability. It might not be perfect, but I wanna give my all in whatever that endeavor is. And so, yeah, you gotta be prepared for like the work that it takes because it's not, it ain't easy. So it is much more than a notion. I love that. That is really helpful. And I think layering into what you said, I think structure reads creativity. If you can allow yourself intentional space to do one thing and then to do your creative pursuits and hold yourself accountable, give yourself

Creating Structure for Creativity and Success

20:46

guardrails. Yeah, it allows you to really let go within that space. Absolutely. You know, even if we are artists, if we are painters, we still start with a canvas. We have borders, we have something that gives us that structure to say I can create whatever I want within this. And I think whatever we're building or pursuing, we need to make sure that we allow ourselves those guardrails and that structure. Otherwise, it's infinite possibility, which means it's so hard to stop. Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, I feel like that's the stress I felt when I graduated college. I'm like, okay, so I could do anything. Like this, like anything is like stressful. And so, yes, I totally agree. Having that, um, those boundaries to create to creation is so important. So I agree. Love that.

Run It Back Season Preview, Community Impact & Upcoming Events

21:25

Well, as we prepare to close, are there any nuggets, anything you want to share with our audience, anything you'd like to plug or any, you know, parting words of advice? Yeah, I would love to plug. Um, so run it back. We are starting our season um May 6th, so Wednesday at the SLU Medical Center track 3300 Hickory Street, um, right by the top golf in that area. Um, we are open to everyone. I feel like I want to emphasize always that run it back is not just for like super fast, super in shape people. It is truly for anyone that just has an interest in running and or jumping or throwing, because we also have field events, um, and wants to be in the community and doing that. So you don't have to be in shape before you come out to track practice. Um, you don't have to be fast, like ever. You just Most people aren't fast when they show up. Most people are just there and they're learning and they're doing their best, but there's no competition. People are just there to help each other. So if you're new to it, it's super welcoming. Absolutely. And I have to give a plug because I started throwing for the first time this year. And there were other athletes who had experience and they were like, just do this and do it this way. Here, try to fix that. And they were just open to giving me pointers. Yes. And I had never touched that, never done anything like that before. Exactly. And no matter what you're doing, when you come out, you can just you're just welcome into that part of the community. Someone who may know something will share and open space for you. And if you just want to train, but maybe don't even want to compete, you can just hang out on meet days and volunteer. That part, exactly, exactly. I think track and field, the sport in and of itself is like cutthroat and like intense, but that is not what running back is. Like it is very much like Since we're civilians, it's not as intense. Exactly. Like, ain't nobody going to the Olympics for running back. Like we're just here to have a good time. Unless you are going to the Olympics, that's amazing. But we are just, yeah, here to have fun, move our bodies, stay healthy. Um, so hoping that we don't feel intimidating to people. Um, and so yeah, that's May 6th. And then we I personally I'm DJing actually a couple things on Earth Day, Earth Day weekend. So there's Earth Day Festival happening. Um, and then Lutopia is also hosting an Earth Day event that same weekend. I want to say Saturday and Sunday, but you know, I'm gonna double check. But um, yeah, definitely come out to those events uh the last weekend in April. Awesome. And when does the running back season end? The season ends uh in a September, but then we have one more like event for Halloween where we do this inflatable uh relay race, which was so fun. Pretty epic. So yeah, we'll just do that last minute, but really the full season ends in September. Awesome. Yeah. Well, Anastasia, really appreciate you taking the time to come and join us today and just sharing

Closing Thoughts

24:05

your journey, what it's like to both work that full-time job and also build and pursue a lot of your disparate passions and somehow merge them and continue to build community. We appreciate your contributions here, and you know, for those who have not come out, we really encourage you to come out and support any one of the number of things that Anastasia's doing. Anastasia, thank you for joining us on Gay Way to Growth. Thank you. Appreciate it.