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Detra Mills is a wife and mom of four children, residing on the North Side of Indy. Also under her roof is her dog, who she describes as being the boss of her home. As general counsel and executive vice president for The Basement, Mills works to provide operational leadership and legal guidance in regards to productivity, development, and advancement.
We chatted with Mills and got the details on all things meditation, confidence, and the holiday gift she recently gave her dog.
My Maven Superpower is … Gratitude. I believe that our footsteps are ordered. You don’t have to be grateful for everything, but you’ve got to be grateful for what you learned.
The best book I’ve read lately is … a book by Max Yoder called “Do Better Work.” It’s about finding clarity and camaraderie in your work.
Self-care habit I swear by … is meditation. I’m a fervent meditator. There’s something magic that happens when you can quiet your mind because we’re all so busy all the time. When you can still your body and quiet your mind and breath, it’s renewing. It’s like magic.
My favorite charity to give back to is … Coburn Place Safe Haven. Along with Coburn Place, I also really love the work that’s being done at Trinity Haven. Both of them provide safe housing. Coburn Place is for victims of domestic violence and Trinity Haven is for children who find themselves without homes as a result of their gender identity.
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Best career advice I’ve ever received … is to surround yourself with good people. If you think that you’re the smartest person in the room, then you need to change rooms. The idea of learning and inclusion comes from being supported by being in different rooms with different types of people.
Favorite purchase I’ve made lately … for Hanukkah I ordered my puppy a bunch of festive holiday T-shirts. So, he’s about 80 pounds of fluff walking around in a T-shirt that has little doggies on it.
I feel most confident when … I wear red lipstick. I wear it when I’m going for full confidence and want to own a room. It’s a signal that I’m bringing it today.
If you think that you’re the smartest person in the room, then you need to change rooms.
The local restaurant dish I can’t get enough of is … Cooper’s Hawk roasted Brussel sprouts. It is divine.
The last TV show I binged … was “Nine Perfect Strangers” with Nicole Kidman. That show is batshit nuts. I sat there and kept pushing the button, one right after the other. It was Crazy Town.
My go-to host gift is … dependent on the season. In the winter, I give door wreaths as host gifts because they’re beautiful and timely. Everybody wants a little sparkle and cheer during the last quarter of the year. I also love bubbles, so I’m pretty good for a bottle of champagne.
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