Words can’t describe the joy it was to sit down with our amazing yet humble colleague, Jade Petersen. She’s so much more than an accounting assistant. From her bubbly and charismatic personality to her knowledgeable and driven professionalism, Jade is an integral and vivacious part of our team. We are so excited to have the opportunity to get to know her better and couldn’t have picked a more deserving candidate for our Employee of the Quarter. 

Interview by our previous employee of the quarter, Ryan Greenwood.

What is your role at Bond Collective and how do you like it?

I’m an accounting assistant and love it. It’s a good role for me because I get to be behind the scenes but also am involved with hospitality. I get to interact with the members and see what’s going on with both sides of the business.

When did you start working at Bond Collective? What were some of your first impressions?

I started back in November of 2021. Coming from real estate finance, everything was so black and white and mundane. Here we get to have a bit more fun and take ourselves a little less seriously. People are young, they have new ideas, and they actually care. It was a real breath of fresh air!

What were you doing before you started here?

I went to school and got my bachelor’s degree in accounting. Before this I worked for a real estate finance company and the change from doing that to working for a coworking company has been really fun. I like that I’m not stuck to one location or in a boring cubicle. I get the option to switch it up and I love visiting all of the other locations.

Are you typically working in the office at 55 Broadway or do you ever choose to work at another location?

I’m typically at 55 but it depends on the week. Sometimes I’ll get the option to work somewhere else and I might choose to work at a location in Brooklyn.

Is that close to home? Where are you from originally? Where did you grow up?

Well I’m currently in Queens but I’ve always lived in NYC. I moved all over the city growing up living in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens.

Well I’d never mistaken you for anything but a New Yorker... I love hearing your accent coming out a bit!

Yeah! As soon as I tell people where I’m from, they’re like, “Yeah, that’s what it is!”. And we just talk fast, New Yorkers talk fast and sometimes people can’t keep up!

What were your first interests and aspirations when you were younger? What did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?

I always thought I was going to get into something Science-y. I was thinking of becoming a vet or a doctor or something. I always wanted to help people or animals. I started to take some science classes in college and when I got to chemistry, I soon realized that path wasn’t for me. So then I thought about it more and realized I always liked math and was always good at math, so maybe I’ll do something in business and see where we end up! When I looked closer into finance it seemed to be a pretty well rounded career path, opening a lot of doors which was very appealing to me. 

I can understand that a lot. Finance seems like something that is very straightforward and numbers don’t lie. There’s always a solution to a problem and that must be very satisfying and rewarding in the workplace. 

Yeah, I feel like I’m not very creative and more technical and need an answer, so this career path really resonated with me.

If you could make a sudden career change, what would it be?

I feel like if I was good at science and I could finish the right schooling, I would work with animals. I’ve always loved animals and loved helping people and I think being a vet or something along those lines would be super fulfilling.

What were some of your biggest influences in your professional life?

Honestly, I have a very big family, mostly women who have been such great role models in my life. I feel like I have a really large female support group and we all are very close. We all have our own lives and are scattered around but we’ve always tried to be there for one another.

Favorite Bond Collective location?

That’s a tough question, but if I had to choose it would be Greenpoint. From the pink tile, to Jeffrey, everything about Greenpoint is the best.

I love it too, it’s just the coziest. It feels like a warm blanket when you’re there.

Yeah! I think that’s what it is, I think it’s just cozy. That’s a great description. It’s so welcoming, I like how it’s smaller than most of the other locations too and if I have a sweet tooth, I know Jeffrey always has the best candy.

Out of all of your daily duties and tasks, do you have a specific thing that you like most?

I would say when I get the chance to interact with the members and the community teams. I enjoy changing perspectives and seeing what I do behind the scenes and how it impacts the daily lives of our team and members.

You forget to bring your lunch to work, what do you order or where do you go?

Oooh, I feel like it changes and depends on the day. It’s very dangerous because they just put a Whole Foods across the street. Before that, there wasn’t a lot downtown in FIDI but now, since they moved in, I love seeing what prepared food they have available. Really anything from Whole Foods is just amazing!

What’s the best cure for a mental roadblock at work?

Definitely just taking a break, walking away from the computer, getting a nice giant cup of coffee. I feel like that’s always my go-to. When I can’t figure something out, I have to get a cup of coffee.

 I love hearing you say “Cup of coffee.” Your accent is everything.

Do you have any pets?

Yes! I have a Boston Terrier named Skippy. I got him right before Covid in October 2019. 

Cute! That was like the perfect time to get a dog!

Yeah, it actually worked out so well, I don’t think I would have been able to survive Covid without him! 

What’s your favorite season of the year and why?

I definitely would say Fall. I love all the fashion - the boots, the scarves, the jackets… The weather is beautiful too. I’m a very pale person so the summer and I don’t get along well. Ready for fall at all times!

What’s your zodiac sign?

I’m a Capricorn!

Oh, that makes sense with your profession!

That’s what everyone says! Everyone’s like, “that makes total sense!” I like a schedule, I need a plan. 

So I take it you’re not a super spontaneous person?

I feel like I’m not at work. I try to be on the weekends but even then, I like to have a plan with everything. My sisters just drag me everywhere, I need to know where I’m going, who’s going to be there…

Speaking of where you’re going, if you could do a dream vacation anywhere, unlimited funds, where would it be?

I’ve always wanted to go to Australia. It’s just so beautiful and all the crazy animals that I would see while I’m there would just be so cool. Would definitely burn up in the summertime so I would need to go in the off season.

Favorite pastime when you’re off the clock?

I like to go out to eat, hang out with Skippy. If it’s nice out I love to get out of the city, go hiking and explore new places. I try to get out of the city as much as possible.

Do you have any favorite shows right now?

I just try to watch everything! There’s so many streaming services now so it’s hard to keep up! I’m very excited for the upcoming Harry Potter series.

Harry Potter is amazing! We’ve been really into the game, Hogwarts Legacy.

Yes, I’ve been playing that too! I was so bummed when it first came out because I couldn’t download it on our console but soon it became available.

Favorite movie or genre?

My favorite genre of movie has to be comedies or rom-coms.

What’s the first rom-com that comes to mind?

I just think of when I was younger and my sister would make me watch the movie 27 Dresses. Every time it was on TV we would watch it. One summer I think we watched it like a thousand times!

Any big plans on the horizon? 

I just got married to my husband, Vincent so that’s been a fun life change! I would say growing my career with Bond, maybe even moving out of the city into somewhere a little less busy. That’s probably my biggest goal.

Yes, congratulations! Sounds like you’ve got some changes coming your way!

If there’s one thing you could tell your younger self, what would it be?

If I could tell myself one thing it’s that you can do so much more than you think you can do. You don’t give yourself enough credit for the amount of work that you do. Accept the credit when people give it to you. 

That’s really inspiring and honestly we don’t hear that enough.

Right? I think we need to put that quote on our desk to remind ourselves daily that you are deserving, worth it, and amazing.