The Upsides of Self-Funding Your Biz, From Eadem Co-Founders Alice Lin Glover and Marie Kouadio Amouzame
For Eadem co-founders Alice Lin Glover and Marie Kouadio Amouzame, the path to getting their inclusive, clean skin-care brand off the ground started with their own pocket books. The duo, who met while working in marketing at Google, had discovered a blank space in the market for clean skin care formulated with melanin-rich skin in mind. It was a gap in the industry they knew intimately as women of color (Amouzame is West African and French, and Glover is Taiwanese-American) and years of searching for products that never quite suited their unique needs. Soon after, the idea for Eadem was born. Then came the daunting task of securing cash flow.
The pair decided early on that venture capitalists were off the table. “I’m not sure the venture community was ready for us and interested in our vision,” says Glover, who together with Amouzame, launched Eadem in 2021 with a dark-spot serum designed with its proprietary “Smart Melanin Beauty” formulas made by women of color, for women of color. “We didn’t want to compromise what we were trying to build.”
Venture Capital, otherwise known as VC funding, is a private equity investor that provides capital for startups or small businesses in exchange for an equity stake in the company. The biggest benefit is undoubtedly having the financial anchor to boost your business, but it doesn’t come without compromise. In other words, there’s another cook in the kitchen when making business decisions that impact revenue. The reality is that less than one percent of startups raise venture capital, reports financial resource platform Fundera.
Most entrepreneurs end up financing through good old-fashioned bootstrapping. Nearly 70 percent of small businesses rely on personal savings to finance their business, according to a recent survey by the MetLife and U.S. Chamber Small Business Index.
“I know VC funding is so sexy and everyone wants that headline and it’s so important to them, but how much of your company, or yourself, are you selling in exchange for that?” asks Glover. Self-funding grants you the opportunity to have more flexibility, control, focus on long-term growth, and more authenticity in your decisions. Since launch, Eadem has skyrocketed to success and is now on the shelves of Sephora.
However, bootstrapping does come with its own unique challenges (including not always seeing a paycheck right away). “It’s both a curse and a blessing,” admits Azouame. “You see all these other brands that launch the same day, if not the same week as you, and they have $2–$3 million, and can do all these things like get employees and run ads, and everything looks so beautiful. Then on our end, it’s just the two of us doing everything.”
While it can be stressful, Azouame attests that self-funding forces you to be creative with your money, who you’re going to work with, how to convince people to take a chance on you, and in so many other ways.
“I think that [bootstrapping] is one of the best ways to learn, even after having worked in tech,” she says. “We learned so much in the first two years by being self-funded.”
The pair acknowledges that self-funding may not be for everyone, but attest that sometimes it’s just about taking that blind leap of faith.
Tune into the latest episode of WorkParty to uncover how the founders launched their business to success, what the beauty industry can do to be more inclusive, and why brand storytelling is so important.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2nyZrvLa1PyNYRkVEgfis6?si=6Q9cMOHATH6TB6Xvine1yw
RESOURCES
To connect with Alice Lin Glover click here
To connect with Marie Kouadio Amouzame click here
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To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)
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Hot Takes With Cheval: Don’t Forget Yourself While Chasing Your Dreams
Classifieds: Free People, Tastemade, Outdoor Voices and More Are Hiring!
Check out our fresh batch of job listings every Thursday! This week we have new roles from Free People, Tastemade, Aesop, Four Sigmatic and so much more. Good luck with your job search!
Are you a company looking to hire? To post your job listing, click HERE.
WEST COAST
Urban Outfitters | Buying Assistant | Los Angeles, CA
Sephora | Senior Operations Manager | San Francisco, CA
Crate & Barrel | Design Consultant | Seattle, WA
Sidlee | Client Partnerships Manager | Los Angeles, CA
Netflix | Brand Strategy Manager | Los Angeles, CA
Outdoor Voices | Art Director | Austin, TX (Description)
Minted | Email Marketing Associate | San Francisco, CA
J Public Relations | Social Media Strategist | San Diego, CA
Four Sigmatic | Sales Operations Manager | Los Angeles, CA
Rosewood Creative | Head of Production | Los Angeles, CA
BPCM | Director of Influencer & Celebrity Relations | West Hollywood, CA
EAST COAST
J.Crew | Senior Digital Analytics Analyst | New York, NY
H&M | Inventory Optimization Project Manager | New York, NY
Vice Media | Media Strategist | Brooklyn, NY
Aesop | Head of US Marketing | New York, NY
Shopbop | Customer Support Specialist | Madison, WI
Shadow | Creative Producer | New York, NY
Free People | Assistant Visual Manager | Philadelphia, PA
Sakara Life | UI/UX Lead Designer | New York, NY
Able | Merchandise Planner | Nashville, TN
REMOTE
The Shelf | Traffic / Project Manager | Remote
The Shelf | Senior Campaign Manager | Remote
Amy Porterfield | Senior Marketing Manager | Remote
Wantable | Performance Marketing Manager | Remote
Lulu and Georgia | Account Payable Specialist | Remote
Calpak | Creative Freelance Copywriter | Remote
Ritual | Director of Sales | Remote
Rose Inc | Sales & Education Manager | Remote
Tastemade | Junior Brand Strategist | Remote
Media.Monks | Senior Project Manager (Web) | Remote
CREATE & CULTIVATE
Create & Cultivate | Senior Graphic Designer | Los Angeles, CA (Hybrid)
Create & Cultivate | VP of Membership | Los Angeles, CA (Hybrid)
Diem Co-Founder Emma Bates on Human-Centered Technology and The Power of Female Communication
ABOUT THE EPISODE
In today's episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn is joined by Emma Bates, founder & CEO of Diem. If you attended Create & Cultivate's Austin Pop-Up event earlier this year, you might've already heard from Emma on one of our panels where she spoke about women paving the way with blockchain technology.
If you're not familiar with Diem, it's a community-powered search engine designed for women. Diem is a Techstars NYC portfolio brand backed by leading investors like Flybridge, Acrew, & Sellation. By trade, Emma is a marketer and a community builder. Her entry into marketing was somewhat untraditional–in that she started out by growing her personal blog to 100K+ readers at age 19, and later transitioned into corporate marketing roles at some of the fastest-growing consumer brands in NYC and the UK. Prior to founding Diem, she worked as the Head of Global Marketing at the direct-to-consumer luggage brand, Away, where she found her passion for connecting with consumers through brand partnerships.
When she's not sidestepping her way into another entrepreneurial endeavor, she works to create social change as a lifelong advocate for gender equality. Emma has also been featured in Forbes, HuffPost, Entrepreneur, and The Cut for her unique approach to marketing, community building, and partnerships.
In this episode, she shares the importance of adding a human element to technology and product design, the power of female communication, and how she's working to bring inclusive, reliable information to people all over the world.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE
RESOURCES
To connect with Emma Bates click here
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click here
To sign up for the Diem newsletter click here
To follow along with Create & Cultivate click here
To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)
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How One Woman Used TikTok To Land a Job Promotion
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Outdoor Voices & Try Your Best Founder Ty Haney Shares How to Leverage Web3 to Build Powerful Communities
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Live from our 2022 Small Business Summit event, Ty Haney joins Jaclyn Johnson for a keynote conversation about building community in Web3. If you're listening to this episode it's because you believe in doing things. Big things. And Ty Haney is on the same page. Haney founded Outdoor Voices–a vibrant, fun-first athleticwear brand back in 2014.
During Haney's time with Outdoor Voices, the brand became synonymous with IRL events that brought shoppers together to celebrate movement. And today, she's here to talk about how to bring that same IRL magic online with the next wave of community-driven technology.
Haney's new brand TYB, which stands for Try Your Best, makes Web3 community-powered growth tools that allow brands and fans to directly link, come together, build, and win together. And if you don't know what that means, it's okay! By the end of this episode, you'll be a pro.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE
RESOURCES
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click here
To follow along with Outdoor Voices click here
To follow along with Try Your Best click here
To follow along with Create & Cultivate click here
To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)
SHOW OUR SPONSORS SOME LOVE
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OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE . . .
How One Woman Used TikTok To Land a Job Promotion
This Black-Owned Company’s CEO Is Disrupting The Beauty Industry
Pietra COO, Tala Akhavan on Balancing Work, Motherhood, and Access to Female Entrepreneurship
Using Technology to Drive Social Impact with AllVoices Founder, Claire Schmidt
How to Build a Portfolio Career With CEO and Selling Sunset Star, Emma Hernan
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Live from our 2022 Small Business Summit event, CEO and Selling Sunset star Emma Hernan joins Bunita Sawhney Executive Vice President of US Financial Institutions at Mastercard for a fireside chat about what it takes to build a portfolio career. While you may know her from the hit Netflix show, you may not realize that Emma Hernan is someone whose business savvy goes far beyond what's depicted on the silver screen. As a self-made multimillionaire, Emma is not only a realtor at one of Los Angeles' top agencies, The Oppenheim Group, but she's also an entrepreneur and CEO of Emma Leigh & Co, as well as an angel investor. In other words, her plate is very full.
It's clear that she loves the work she does, and her drive and passion to help other female entrepreneurs grow and succeed is evident from the moment you meet her. We're lucky that she's here today to share tips on how to vary the types of work that you're doing, what investors are looking for, and how to persist with founding a business even when you come up against obstacles. (Plus, she might even spill a little Selling Sunset tea!)
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE
RESOURCES
To connect with Emma Hernan click here
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click here
To start bingeing Selling Sunset click here
To follow along with The Oppenheim Group click here
To follow along with Emma Leigh & Co. click here
To follow along with Create & Cultivate click here
To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)
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This TikTok Trend Is Shining a Light on Hiring Discrimination
A new trend on TikTok is taking aim at hiring discrimination that is still rampant in today's workforce. Black content creators are coming forward to share that when they omit or change their race to "white" on job applications, they're landing interviews they otherwise didn't.
According to the National Women’s Law Center, throughout much of the pandemic, Black women’s unemployment (5.8%) has been significantly and consistently higher than that of Latinas, Asian women, and white women. “Black women have two [factors] counting against them, away from the majority, and this makes them have to work twice as hard to get half as much as the average white man," says Andrea Logan, career coach and founder of The Career Island, of both sex and race. "So many job seekers play with race statistics and say they're a 'white man' to get through the human bias in the initial phase of the candidate selection process of the hiring industry."
While this TikTok trend is new, the idea behind it is not. In 2016, the findings of a two-year study showed evidence of bias against minorities. Resumes, which were “whitened” or scrubbed of any racial cues, were more successful than resumes that included minority information. For Black candidates, 25 percent received callbacks with a whitened resume, while only 10 percent got calls when they left racial details intact.
“You could potentially get double as many callback interviews scheduled from declaring a different race or even changing the first or last name to blur race guessing if the name stands out,” says Logan. But there are disadvantages, too. “You will show up to the interview as a non-white or non-male candidate and cause an awkward conversation that essentially shows you that this potential employer could be racist and only selected your application because they thought it was a white person behind the resume.”
For 24-year-old Jacqueline Young, who tried the TikTok trend, getting even one interview was a battle after graduating from Methodist University in May 2021. “I was applying to 10 jobs a day,” Young says. “I had been applying to jobs since before I graduated college, and it was hard for me to get a job, especially with a major in psychology.”
Young hopped started putting “white” as her race on several applications to see if it made a difference. “When you are desperate, you think of everything. I found myself in a moment of desperation. Living in Virginia is expensive. The cost of daycare is the same as the cost of the rent. At the time, I was living off of credit cards,” Young recalls. Changing her race helped her get noticed, but she still received no job offers.
However, eventually, Young found a job working for a company with diversity goals that didn't require her to lie about her race. “It’s been life-changing, literally overnight,” Young says. “I’m still learning humbly. But since I got hired in June, I’ve been able to support myself and help my family. The quality of life has just been better.”
Logan suggests shopping around to find your fit, and "when you get to the interview, ask them how many Black people work there—if that is important to you. Interrogate the company on their hiring practices and find companies where people who look like you are the majority.”
As a stay-at-home mother looking to re-enter the workforce, Sumyia Evans, a 26-year-old Georgia resident, experienced a similar situation to Young when applying as a BIPOC woman, which prompted her to try the trend. “I filled out an estimated 140 job applications and only received three follow-ups. Most of them were mainly scam job posts from Indeed, and I received a total of 137 rejections."
Ultimately, however, Evans realized she didn't feel right changing her application to get noticed. “I honestly would not lie on any more job applications just to get a job. I want people to wholeheartedly accept me for me, regardless of race, gender, etc. When God has something for you, he will put you in the right room with the right people. I just landed a job as a teacher associate,” she shares. “I got a call back that same day and was set up with an interview three days later, had orientation the next day, and began working two days after my orientation.”
Young and Evans eventually found a job that was the right fit for them, yet many Black and minority parents, anticipating discrimination their child may face, are giving their children more “resume-friendly” names. Black author Austin Channing Brown is just one example. In a Grazia article, Brown shares how her mother once told her: “We knew that anyone who saw it before meeting you would assume you are a white man. One day, you will have to apply for jobs. We just wanted to make sure you could make it to the interview.”
Because of history and content creators now shining light on an ongoing issue, it's evident that companies are still failing as equal-opportunity employers, and more people are aware of it today. There's hope that as this trend spreads and more voices are being heard, companies will take an initiative to accept a more diverse candidate pool to push forward in their hiring process.
Written by: Kristina Valdez
Classifieds Nº283: Chief, theSkimm, Frame, and More Are Hiring!
Check out our fresh batch of job listings every Thursday! This week we have new roles from Chief, theSkimm, Frame, Amy Porterfield, and so much more. Good luck in your job search!
Are you a company looking to hire? To post your job listing, click HERE.
WEST COAST
Pura Vida Bracelets | Creative Director | La Jolla, CA
Cleobella | Technical Designer | Huntington Beach, CA
Arielle Estoria | Personal Assistant | Los Angeles, CA
Savage x Fenty by Rihanna | Senior Manager, Brand Marketing | El Segundo, CA
Frame | Content Marketing Coordinator | Culver City, CA
Eloquence | Sales & Client Relationship Executive | Los Angeles, CA
Open | Head of Growth Marketing | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Organizing Team Member | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Client Concierge | Los Angeles, CA
Avaline Wine | Head of Operations | Los Angeles, CA
EAST COAST
Wantable | Paid Social & Digital Media Manager | Milwaukee, WI
Vital Proteins | Project Manager, Commercialization | Chicago, IL
Outdoor Voices | Copywriter | Austin, TX
WITHIN | Senior Creative Strategist | New York, NY
theSkimm | Junior Account Executive | New York, NY
Fohr | Finance Associate | New York, NY
Parachute | Divisional Manager | New York, NY
Sakara Life | Senior Accounting Manager | New York, NY
Havenly | Interior Designer | New York, NY
SDCO Partners | Business Development Coordinator | Charleston, SC
SDCO Partners | Account Coordinator | Charleston, SC
REMOTE
Amy Porterfield | Content Manager | Remote
Food52 | Director of Acquisition Marketing | Remote
Chief | Community Events Manager | Remote
Little Sleepies | Growth Marketing Director | Remote
Legacy Investment Real Estate | Marketing Manager | Remote
Narrative | Senior Manager, Influencer Marketing | Remote
Monday.com | Strategic Account Manager | Remote
Vox Media | Solutions Planner | Remote
Karat Financial | Accounting Lead | New York, NY
Maria Forleo International | Web Designer | Remote
Danika Daly PR | Junior PR Account Executive | Remote
CREATE & CULTIVATE
Create & Cultivate | Director of Experiential | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Senior Social Media Manager | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Associate Account Manager | Remote
Classifieds Nº281: Frame, Sakara Life, Parachute and More Are Hiring!
Check out our fresh batch of job listings every Thursday! This week we have new roles from Frame, Open, Sakara Life, Parachute, and so much more. Good luck in your job search!
Are you a company looking to hire? To post your job listing, click HERE.
WEST COAST
Arielle Estoria | Personal Assistant | Los Angeles, CA
Savage x Fenty by Rihanna | Senior Manager, Brand Marketing | El Segundo, CA
Frame | Content Marketing Coordinator | Culver City, CA
Eloquence | Sales & Client Relationship Executive | Los Angeles, CA
Open | Head of Growth Marketing | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Organizing Team Member | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Client Concierge | Los Angeles, CA
Avaline Wine | Head of Operations | Los Angeles, CA
EAST COAST
WITHIN | Senior Creative Strategist | New York, NY
theSkimm | Junior Account Executive | New York, NY
Fohr | Finance Associate | New York, NY
Parachute | Divisional Manager | New York, NY
Sakara Life | Senior Accounting Manager | New York, NY
Havenly | Interior Designer | New York, NY
SDCO Partners | Business Development Coordinator | Charleston, SC
SDCO Partners | Account Coordinator | Charleston, SC
REMOTE
Little Sleepies | Growth Marketing Director | Remote
Legacy Investment Real Estate | Marketing Manager | Remote
Narrative | Senior Manager, Influencer Marketing | Remote
Monday.com | Strategic Account Manager | Remote
Vox Media | Solutions Planner | Remote
Karat Financial | Accounting Lead | New York, NY
Maria Forleo International | Web Designer | Remote
Danika Daly PR | Junior PR Account Executive | Remote
CREATE & CULTIVATE
Create & Cultivate | Director of Experiential | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Senior Social Media Manager | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Associate Account Manager | Remote
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Why 'Quiet Quitting' Has Become So Pervasive, According To These 5 Founders
It’s no surprise that Google searches for “quiet quitting” have spiked over the last month. Everyone seems to have a hot take on this topic, referring to an employee's decision to detach emotionally from their day jobs, instead of physically handing in their resignation letters. Although the buzz around the subject is new, quiet quitting is a workforce phenomenon with which many of us are all too familiar.
As TikTok user zaidleppelin pointed out in a post that launched a thousand think pieces, quietly deciding to coast through your job responsibilities is a way to reject hustle culture. (Ever heard of it?) However, it also raises questions about why nine-to-fivers feel the need to phone it in at work in the first place.
So is “quiet quitting” a product of a lack of inflation raises as the cost of living continues to increase? Or does it stem from the fact that 59 percent of managers are reporting feeling overworked as of 2021? Maybe it’s something else! While there’s no one culprit of quiet quitting, here’s five founders to offer their honest opinions about why quiet quitting has a loud message about workplace happiness (and one thing leaders can do to keep quiet quitting out of their company culture).
Monisha Bajaj, Founder and Business Strategist of m times v
“Instead of accepting the status quo, people are starting to zoom out and redefine their personal relationship to work,” Bajaj says. She attributes quiet quitting to a cultural shift in how work fits into our lives. “At the same time, we still live in a society where work is how you make money to support your livelihood. So, in part, people who are deciding to quiet quit may not feel they have the power to change how their workplace is structured or the need to make a living, but they’ve realized they can control how they personally show up.”
Bajaj’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: “As leaders, it’s important to actively foster a healthy workplace that promotes autonomy and that is free from any kind of coercion, shame, and blame,” she advises. “When you show people respect through how you structure your workplace and the culture you create, it gives them room to show up fully engaged.”
Lekisha Middleton, Founder of The Good Success Network
Some argue that “quiet quitting” is a fancy, 21st-century term for simply doing what’s in your job description, and calling it a day. Middleton is in that camp. “If quiet quitting is quitting anything, it's the hustle and grind culture. It's doing exactly what you were hired to do and providing an even exchange between the work you're doing, the value you're adding, and the compensation and benefits you're receiving in return,” she explains.
Middleton’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: “Leaders should not expect employees to go above and beyond their assigned job duties for the same compensation and benefits,” she says. “People have a right to keep strong boundaries between their work and personal lives, and human-centered leaders both understand and respect that right.”
Jess Podgajny, Co-Founder and CEO of LLUNA
Hybrid work culture is on the rise, and as we WFH, WFW, and do some blend of both, the idea of the “office” needs to evolve for the better. “We cannot simply put a policy in place [for where people should work] and then expect everyone to operate exactly the same way as before, yet within a whole new context. Companies need to engage employees differently, motivate them regularly, and, most importantly, connect employees with the purpose and meaning of their work in much more intentional ways,” Podgajny shares.
Podgajny’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: “In the age of hybrid and remote work, leaders and companies must prioritize clear messaging and regular dialogue with employees to convey the meaning of a job, and connect daily outcomes to purpose. Hard work is easy when the purpose is motivating,” she adds.
Kimone Napier, Founder of Hire Breakthrough
Napier says that “quiet firing” is yet another factor contributing to people feeling disinvested from work. “Quiet quitting is a direct correlation of quiet firing. For years, employees have fired workers at will and without any indication. Although quiet firing is tied to legalities to avoid a lawsuit, workers feel this approach is not inclusive. As a result quiet quitting is workers taking power into their own hands when it comes to their positions and the future of work,” Napier says.
Napier’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: “Business owners and leaders need to be aware of the signs of quiet quitting (less enthusiasm, lack of contribution, lateness, etc.) amongst their workers. Rather than ignoring the signs, employers need to speak to their workers to get their feedback once they notice the signs,” she advises. “They should also look at the worker's workload, look at their career paths, and help them to set some work boundaries.”
Rachel Kanarowski, Founder of Year of Living Better
“Ultimately, quiet quitting is a management issue,” Kanarowski says. “It's not about the caricature of ‘The Lazy Employee,’ but more about knowing what you truly need from each member of your team, and being comfortable if that is exactly what they deliver, no-more-no-less. When leaders cannot define what success looks like for a role and how that success will be measured, they are inadvertently creating an adversarial work relationship where their people can never feel certain they've done what's expected of them.”
Kanarowski’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: Kanarowski is a big advocate of “stay interviews,” or bi-weekly, one-on-one meetings held with everyone on your direct team, to gather feedback about what’s working and what isn’t. “Think of this as a relationship check-in; it shouldn't be combined with a status report or other functional meeting where this person would be presenting to you,” she says. “While it might seem counterintuitive to add more meetings, research shows that ‘stay interviews’ decrease turnover and increase engagement, and research by Gallup shows a direct correlation between decreased communication and a perception that their organization doesn't care about their well-being.”
Written by Kells McPhillips
Classifieds Nº280: Refinery29, Free People, Levi's and More Are Hiring!
Check out our fresh batch of job listings every Thursday! This week we have new roles from Eloquence, Refinery29, Open, Free People, Levi's and so much more. Good luck in your job search!
Are you a company looking to hire? To post your job listing, click HERE.
WEST COAST
Eloquence | Sales & Client Relationship Executive | Los Angeles, CA
Open | Head of Growth Marketing | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Organizing Team Member | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Client Concierge | Los Angeles, CA
EAST COAST
SDCO Partners | Business Development Coordinator | Charleston, SC
SDCO Partners | Account Coordinator | Charleston, SC
REED Public Relations | Public Relations Account Supervisor | Nashville, TN (Hybrid)
Refinery29 | Associate Creative Director | Brooklyn, NY
Free People | Senior Stylist | Philadelphia, PA
REMOTE
Crowe PR | Senior Account Manager, Consumer Goods | Remote
Crowe PR | Senior Account Manager, Healthcare & Technology | Remote
Karat Financial | Accounting Lead | New York, NY
Levi Strauss & Co. | Associate Art Director | Remote
Maria Forleo International | Web Designer | Remote
The Shelf | Paid Social Media Expert | Remote
Danika Daly PR | Junior PR Account Executive | Remot
CREATE & CULTIVATE
Create & Cultivate | Chief Financial Officer | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Director of Experiential | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Senior Social Media Manager | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Director, Brand Partnerships & Sales | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Associate Account Manager | Remote
Create & Cultivate | Chief of Staff | Remote
This Career Coach Shares 4 Ways You Can Combat Work-Induced Stress
Are you one of the 70% of Americans who say they experience work stress, and that work is your number one stressor over family or even financial issues? How to deal with work stress may seem stressful itself. As it is the harmful, physical, and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of your job do not match your capabilities, resources, or needs. In essence, stress sets in when there is a lack of fit between an employee and their work environment.
Work stress eventually results in physical and mental health issues if left unaddressed. In some extreme cases, toxic work stress can ultimately result in traumatic experiences. The most straightforward way to address it is often to find aligned work, but that isn’t always an option for everyone.
If this sounds a bit like what you are currently experiencing, here are four things you can do if you're currently unable (or not ready) to pivot into doing aligned work.
1. Identify your triggers
Start by clarifying what stress feels like for you so that you're able to identify your triggers. How do you know when you’re stressed? What thoughts do you have? What happens in your body?
Pay attention to how you feel at work for a week or two. How do you feel physically in your body, emotionally in your heart and mind, and mentally? Then, record any situations, events, and people that lead to you having a negative physical, mental, or emotional response.
During each entry in your records, answer these questions:
Who was involved in the situation?
What was your reaction?
How did you feel before, during, and after?
After two weeks, evaluate. You might find obvious stressors or patterns, and notice subtle but persistent stress causes such as specific work tasks, interactions with particular people, or an uncomfortable workspace.
2. Set non-negotiable work boundaries
The fact is work never ends. There’s always something to do, and if you’re already experiencing stress at work, it’s important that you become very clear and strict about your boundaries.
I know a lot of times, it can feel uncomfortable to set or establish boundaries. Still, it’s important to remember that you show up better for everybody when you are healthy, whole, and happy. And when you don’t have clear boundaries, you experience more work stress. So you show up as a lesser version of yourself.
It’s also important to remember that it is your responsibility to hold your boundaries and not other people’s. People will always try to push your boundaries; your job is to ensure they are not successful.
Whether it’s boundaries around work hours, communication, the tasks you take on, or whatever that looks like for you, identify where you are experiencing stress at work and set clear boundaries for yourself, and those around you.
3. Adopt strong conflict resolution practices
Another major cause of work stress is the relationships and interactions we have at work, with colleagues and managers. If after identifying your triggers, you notice that your work stress is mostly coming from relationships, then it might be time to evaluate your communication practices.
Do you speak up when you feel like your values have been violated? Do you speak up when your boundaries have been violated? Lastly, do you advocate for yourself? If you’re not doing any of these things, they might lead to conflict and thus causing you to experience work stress. In this case, you’re going to want to develop clear conflict resolution and communication skills that allow you to advocate for yourself.
Here’s a simple process to follow to help you address workplace conflict:
Identify what exactly the conflict is.
Meet with the source of your conflict.
Communicate the situation (and remember, communication involves talking and listening).
Identify a solution.
Enforce the solution. (see no. 2 above)
4. Be proactive with your restoration practices.
When you’ve been in a work situation that has been stressful for an extended period, there’s a high chance that your stress response systems are overwhelmed. And when your stress response systems are overwhelmed, that’s when trauma sets in, along with your ability to cope goes out the window.
If you’ve been experiencing chronic toxic stress that your body hasn’t been able to manage well, your brain changes on a fundamental level. It changes how you interact and see the world, and collapses the time between event and reaction in your life. You might find yourself “overreacting” to certain situations at work, or getting stressed quicker and more intensely than you’d expect.
Mindfulness can help you rewire your responses and interaction with the world. It can help you feel psychologically safe and perceive the world as is, and not through your stress lens. Note that mindfulness is not a treatment for clinical trauma but simply a coping strategy you can use to navigate work stress. If you’ve been experiencing chronic work stress for years, an important component of your healing is going to be therapy.
On a final note, at some point, it’s no longer about stress management, or about coping strategies and preventing stress. If you’re doing unaligned work, you will experience stress and there’s nothing you can do about it. It might be time for you to start making your exit plan and finding something else to do.
If you're looking for a sign, here's four to look out for that say it might be time for you to find a new job.
You dread the work you do.
Your energy is drained.
Your physical and mental health is being impacted.
You’re not growing professionally.
You make “enough” money and are still unhappy at work.
About the author:
Dr. Tega Edwin (pronounced tay-gah) is an award-winning career development educator, researcher, and speaker. She is the owner of Her Career Doctor, where she coaches women who are unhappy at work to exit soul-sucking jobs and find a fulfilling career that allows them to thrive in their zone of genius, live on purpose, and get paid a value-aligned salary. She developed the VISA Career Clarity Framework that has helped women across four continents in over 20 industries clarify their aligned career paths.
C&C Classifieds Nº279: Alleyoop, Newsette, Vice Media Group, and More Are Hiring!
August is here, and as a new month arrives, you might be feeling a wave of change in your career as well.
Kick off the month with a fresh batch of job listings for you to apply from our good friends at Alleyoop, The Honest Company, Vice Media Group, REED Public Relations, and so many more!
To post a new job, just click HERE. Good luck!
WEST COAST
Subtropic Studios | Creative Project Manager | Los Angeles, CA (Remote)
Open | Head of Growth Marketing | Los Angeles, CA
Salted | Marketing Manager | Los Angeles, CA
The Honest Company | Senior Designer | Los Angeles, CA
Avaline Wine | Head of Operations | Los Angeles, CA
Sid Lee | Project Manager, Digital Kitchen | Los Angeles, CA
Vice Media Group | Senior Brand Strategist | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Organizing Team Member | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Client Concierge | Los Angeles, CA
FRAME | Social Media Manager | Culver City, CA
EAST COAST
SDCO Partners | Business Development Coordinator | Charleston, SC
SDCO Partners | Account Coordinator | Charleston, SC
REED Public Relations | Public Relations Account Supervisor | Nashville, TN (Hybrid)
Adventurous Journeys | Public Relations & Communications Manager | Nashville, TN
Sakara Life | Senior Manager, Client Experience | New York, NY
Parsley Health | Junior Billing Partner | New York, NY
Refinery29 | Associate Creative Director | Brooklyn, NY
Free People | Senior Stylist | Philadelphia, PA
TAO Group | Corporate Partnerships Coordinator | New York, NY
The Newsette | Account Director | New York, NY
Warby Parker | Creative Project Manager | New York, NY
REMOTE
Hims & Hers | Product Manager | Miami, FL (Remote)
Karat Financial | Accounting Lead | New York, NY
Levi Strauss & Co. | Associate Art Director | Remote
Amy Porterfield | Content Manager | Remote
Whym | Travel Planning Specialist | Remote
Alleyoop | Senior Paid Media Manager | Remote
Maria Forleo International | Web Designer | Remote
The Shelf | Paid Social Media Expert | Remote
The Bungalow PR | Junior Account Executive for PR Project | Remote
Danika Daly PR | Junior PR Account Executive | Remote
CREATE & CULTIVATE
Create & Cultivate • Director of Experiential • Remote
Create & Cultivate • Senior Social Media Manager • Remote
Create & Cultivate • Director, Brand Partnerships & Sales • Remote
Create & Cultivate • Associate Account Manager • Remote
Create & Cultivate • Chief of Staff • Remote
Classifieds: Free People, Levi Strauss & Co., Levain Bakery, and More Are Hiring!
Ready to post your job? Click HERE.
WEST COAST
Open | Head of Growth Marketing | Los Angeles, CA
Salted | Marketing Manager | Los Angeles, CA
The Honest Company | Senior Designer | Los Angeles, CA
Avaline Wine | Head of Operations | Los Angeles, CA
Sid Lee | Project Manager, Digital Kitchen | Los Angeles, CA
Vice Media Group | Senior Brand Strategist | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Organizing Team Member | Los Angeles, CA
Space Camp Organizing | Client Concierge | Los Angeles, CA
FRAME | Social Media Manager | Culver City, CA
Levain Bakery | Social Media Coordinator | Los Angeles, CA or Remote
EAST COAST
SDCO Partners | Business Development Coordinator | Charleston, SC
SDCO Partners | Account Coordinator | Charleston, SC
REED Public Relations | Public Relations Account Supervisor | Nashville, TN (Hybrid)
Adventurous Journeys | Public Relations & Communications Manager | Nashville, TN
Sakara Life | Senior Manager, Client Experience | New York, NY
Parsley Health | Junior Billing Partner | New York, NY
Refinery29 | Associate Creative Director | Brooklyn, NY
Strava | Global Social Manager | Chicago, IL
Free People | Senior Stylist | Philadelphia, PA
TAO Group | Corporate Partnerships Coordinator | New York, NY
The Newsette | Account Director | New York, NY
OUI the People | Community Manager | New York, NY
Warby Parker | Creative Project Manager | New York, NY
REMOTE
Karat Financial | Accounting Lead | New York, NY
Levi Strauss & Co. | Associate Art Director | Remote
Amy Porterfield | Content Manager | Remote
Whym | Travel Planning Specialist | Remote
Alleyoop | Senior Paid Media Manager | Remote
Edit Media Group | Social Media Manager | Remote
Maria Forleo International | Web Designer | Remote
The Shelf | Paid Social Media Expert | Remote
The Bungalow PR | Junior Account Executive for PR Project | Remote
Danika Daly PR | Junior PR Account Executive | Remote
CREATE & CULTIVATE
Create & Cultivate • Director of Experiential • Remote
Create & Cultivate • Senior Social Media Manager • Remote
Create & Cultivate • Director, Brand Partnerships & Sales • Remote
Create & Cultivate • Associate Account Manager • Remote
Create & Cultivate • Chief of Staff • Remote
How Being Overdressed for an Interview Can Negatively Affect Your Chances of Landing the Job
Make a great first impression.
Photo: Create & Cultivate
Once you schedule an interview, these are just a few of the questions that might be swimming in your head: What if I show up and I’m overdressed? What if I’m underdressed? Will it even make that much of a difference? How bad is it really to be overdressed for an interview?
According to data released in the Job Interview Anxiety Survey, 92% of employed Americans get stressed out about job interviews, but it’s not just the actual interview that stresses people out. Figuring out what to wear for an interview can often become just as stress-inducing as wondering what questions they will ask you.
With the rise of startups and tech companies with laid-back company cultures, figuring out what to wear for your next interview has become more confusing than ever, but these tips will help you navigate the process with ease.
How bad is it to be overdressed for an interview?
Really bad.
If you’re interviewing at a company known for its laid-back dress code and company culture, showing up to your interview in a suit will show that you haven’t done your research on the company and the environment.
Even worse, showing up in a suit could mean that you did research the company and didn’t care about the dress code and rules.
What can you do to ensure that you’re properly dressed?
Research the company to figure out what the company culture is like. Company culture often dictates the dress code and how formal or casual people will dress. Use websites like Glassdoor to your advantage. These platforms allow users to rate and comment on companies, giving you inside knowledge about the company culture, and what it’s really like to work there. Often people will discuss dress code and the general vibe of the office.
Another option is to search for employees on LinkedIn. Observe what employees are wearing in their LinkedIn profile photos to get a better sense of the daily dress code.
Finally, if all else fails, pick up the phone and ask someone about the company’s dress code. This is something so simple, yet almost no one does this. If you want to make sure that you won’t be overdressed for an interview, simply pick up the phone and call the front desk or a recruiter that you’re working with.
If the dress code is really casual, stick with the guidelines, but ensure that you look put together and ready for work.
This is the most important thing to remember when you’re figuring out what to wear for an interview. I always suggest being a step above the dress code, but if you do decide that it would be in your best interest to come completely casual, just make sure that you look put together. Regardless of whether or not the dress code is super casual, you do not want to look like you just rolled out of bed. You’re still interviewing for a job.
If you do decide to go with jeans, make sure they are dark wash jeans without any rips or tears. Similarly, if you opt for a T-shirt, make sure that it is clean, plain without graphics or logos, and wrinkle-free. If you don’t like to iron, (I hate ironing!) invest in a mini steamer. It will change your life and make it super simple to get the wrinkles out of any of your clothes.
How bad is it to be overdressed for an interview? Depending on the company it could be detrimental and could be the reason why you don’t get the job. Showing up completely overdressed suggests that you didn’t research the company and have not paid any attention to the company culture.
Employers want to ensure that they hire employees who will fit in with the general office vibe, and showing up to an interview overdressed can be a major red flag. When you’re determining what to wear for your next interview, do some research on the company dress code and company culture, and dress accordingly. With the rise of business casual and completely casual dress codes, figuring out what to wear for your next interview can be tricky, however, if you follow these simple steps, you’ll be good to go.
Good luck!
About the author: A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer and the founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish an individual’s application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your résumé, style, and boost your confidence.
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This story was originally published on September 21, 2018, and has since been updated.
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4 Important Things to Know Before Becoming a Freelancer
Shift your mindset from employee to CEO.
Photo: ColorJoy Stock
Starting a freelance career sounds like the ultimate dream: working independently, whenever and wherever you want, as well as choosing who you work with. If this appeals to you and you want to quit your full-time job to take that big leap, becoming a freelancer is a great idea. I know, it sounds scary! But like any other challenge in life, it will require you to create a new mindset, be persistent, and use your creativity in ways you’ve never imagined.
Once you’re on track, the benefits are extremely satisfying. Being a freelancer can be difficult at times, and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But for me, however, freelance work has been an incredibly rewarding journey. I have more flexibility, I pick my own clients (and also fire the bad ones), and I can choose my own assignments. And honestly, you will be the best boss you ever had.
So if you’re like me, grab a hot cup of tea, relax, and follow my four pieces of advice to someone who is about to start a career as a full-time freelancer.
#1 Get comfortable with inconsistency.
One important step in the process of becoming a freelancer is to shout it from the rooftops! Yes, let everyone know that you have transitioned to independence and are ready for business. Go ahead and do as much networking as you can, gain confidence by selling yourself, showcase your portfolio, and have a marketing plan ready. Building your personal brand is essential to gain recognition and make people want to hire you.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you will encounter clients who just can’t seem to pay on time. You can be the best, most trusted freelancer in the world, completing projects on time, and keeping track of invoices, but unfortunately, that doesn't mean your clients will do the same. It's important that you are financially prepared for hiccups like these and save enough funds to cover until you get paid.
#2 Adopt a CEO mindset.
When you transition from full-time employee to full-time freelancer, a shift takes place from thinking like an employee to thinking like a business owner. As a freelancer, you are your own boss, bookkeeper, business developer, HR department, and project manager all in one. As I became a more experienced freelancer, I started to think of myself as a CEO. I began to act more professionally, which resulted in attracting better clients. I also hired a lawyer who could help me with contracts, and doing this made me feel more confident controlling my business.
Freelancing is a way of working that offers you a lot of freedom. You could be a freelancer who prefers to do smaller projects for many different clients. Others like to work on long-term projects for one client for a number of months. It all depends on what you’re comfortable with. Most importantly, as an entrepreneur, you want to develop the skills you need to lead and work with efficiency and focus, and to set your priorities for your projects.
#3 Keep up with taxes and paying your own benefits.
Ask any freelancer about self-employment taxes and you will surely hear a big sigh. Many freelance business owners consider keeping up with taxes to be one of the most daunting and important parts of being self-employed. But don’t worry, after a while, it will become routine. Paying your taxes on time can also have a positive impact on your credit score.
Keep track of your business expenses (from furniture, to travel and lunch with clients) so you can write these off at the end of the year. Efficiently monitoring your finances, invoices, expenses, and taxes will give you peace of mind. There are also many useful tools to help you complete these tasks, such as Quickbooks.
#4 Know the importance of networking and building a portfolio.
It is essential to build a good network of people who appreciate you, potential customers, and people who can connect you with others. Find where your customers are moving. I advise you to do your research on Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, professional associations, etc. Networking takes time, and if you are consistent and gain confidence selling yourself, sooner or later, you will start to make meaningful and authentic connections with people you admire and trust, and someone may end up referring you or even hiring you.
“When you transition from full-time employee to full-time freelancer, a shift takes place from thinking like an employee to thinking like a business owner.”
—Silvia Cantu, Art Director and Visual Artist
About the Author: Silvia Cantu is a Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary art director and visual artist. She is always looking for new stimuli, whether it is for work or style. Passionate about beauty in all its forms, Silvia is an all-around designer. She’s made a full-time job from her obsession and now she’s an eclectic artist with a strong eye for digital design. Silvia graduated with a degree in fashion design from Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan where she cultivated her talent for design and art direction. After university, she started working freelance with national and international clients in London, Sydney, Los Angeles, and Toronto in the fields of fashion and beauty. Her clients include big names such as Nike, ELLE Magazine, For Love and Lemons, Casio, and Dr. Roebuck’s.
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3 Ways We Can Stop Professionally Ghosting Each Other
Let’s talk about it.
Photo: ColorJoy Stock
Several years ago, I was interviewing for a role at one of the top beauty companies in the world. I went through rounds of interviews and met key members of the cross-functional and senior leadership teams on multiple occasions at their offices.
In my very last conversation, the head of HR called me on a Friday to say, “The team loved you. We would like to put together an offer for you. Can you please remind me of your current compensation package and specifically your stock grant component?”
I was thrilled. I immediately provided the details. She thanked me for my time. She said she would call me first thing Monday morning with the offer details.
She didn’t call me first thing Monday morning. She didn’t call me later that afternoon, or later that week, or the Monday after that. She never called me again.
I followed up a few times. Maybe she’s just busy. Maybe something happened to her (Oh god, I hope she’s ok!). Maybe she lost my contact information. And then I realized I had invested my time and effort into a process that would never receive any closure: I was a victim of ghosting. I had been ghosted. She would never reach out to me again.
Since then, I have been ghosted more times than I can remember in my career. And the hard truth is, I have also ghosted people. I, too, have been the ghoster.
What is ghosting? Ghosting is to completely stop responding over text, email, or phone (insert your preferred mode of communication here) after having been responsive and in touch with someone over a distinct period of time for a specific business objective.
The business objectives during which the ghosting occurs can be a wide variety, including being in the process of prospecting a new client, interviewing for a job, raising funds for a non-profit event, a promised introduction to another industry contact, or seeking investors for a new venture.
Please note: Ghosting does not include cold emailing, cold calling, or cold LinkedIn messaging. If the person doesn’t know you, they don’t actually owe you a response. It’s not considered ghosting. Unless you call me Rita instead of Mita, I try to respond when someone reaches out to me even if I don’t know them.
So why have I ghosted people?
Because I was uncomfortable with the request, because I didn’t have time, because I could no longer deliver on what I had promised. Because I had said yes when I should have said no. Because I am working, teaching, and parenting (all during a pandemic). Because I was scared to respond with the truth and I didn’t want to hurt them.
If we acknowledge what’s holding us back from engaging and push through to respond, we show up as the leaders we want to be, acting with kindness and empathy. Here are three ways we can stop ghosting once and for all.
1. Be Timely
To avoid potential ghosting, I try to respond to people within 72 hours (during a pandemic, it might be closer to a week) when they reach back out with a quick one-liner: Thanks for checking in. It’s a busy time. Please reach back out in two weeks.
The ghosting can begin when you simply don’t have an answer for that person yet. You might not know what your response should be. You might have a response and realize it should be a phone call or a longer email.
If I don’t respond because I don’t have a response yet, and too much time passes, I am slipping into ghosting territory.
2. Be Honest and Transparent
No one wants to deliver bad news. And what’s worse than bad news is no closure, obsessively refreshing your inbox and checking your phone incessantly. We are living in limbo during this pandemic; there’s no need to add any more uncertainty or stress on each other.
When I think back to the offer I never received on that Monday morning, how would I have handled it as the head of HR? A simple email would have sufficed: “We have decided to move ahead with another candidate. We wish you the best of luck in your career endeavors.”
Any additional insight would have been appreciated given the amount of time I spent interviewing (i.e. not aligning on salary expectations or looking for someone with more technical experience). I would have been upset, but the ghosting was far worse. I was left with an incredibly negative impression of the company that I didn’t hesitate to share with others in my network.
Unfortunately, budgets were cut and we can’t proceed with the proposal.
Unfortunately, we have a hiring freeze now and the role is no longer open.
Unfortunately, we don’t believe this is the right fit for us and we won’t be proceeding with the partnership.
We all are owed the respect of closure. We would want it for ourselves. And we have the power to give closure to others.
3. Be Clear on What You Can and Can’t Commit To
Recently, I was asked by two individuals if I could mentor them. While I wanted to say yes, I knew I couldn’t give them the time they deserved. If I did say yes to avoid saying no, I would eventually not have time to mentor them and ultimately ghost them.
And while I hesitated to respond to their requests with the truth, I knew if I ghosted them I would risk damaging these relationships. So I told them I was humbled they thought of me and with a new job and raising young kids in this pandemic, I just couldn’t commit right now. Each individual responded saying they understood and looked forward to keeping in touch.
Please don’t say yes when you mean to say no. Please be clear on what you can and cannot commit to. And if you committed to something and can no longer deliver on what you agreed to, just speak up. Let individuals know your circumstances have changed. While they may be disappointed, they will appreciate your honesty and respect you for being accountable and for not disappearing on them, never to be heard from again.
“If we acknowledge what’s holding us back from engaging and push through to respond, we show up as the leaders we want to be, acting with kindness and empathy.”
—Mita Mallick, Head of Inclusion, Equity, and Impact at Carta
About the Author: Mita Mallick is a corporate change-maker with a track record of transforming businesses and cultures. She is the head of inclusion, equity, and impact at Carta. Mallick is a columnist for Entrepreneur, and her writing has been published in outlets including Harvard Business Review, The New York Post, and Business Insider.
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You Need to Ditch This If You Want to Be a Better Leader—Here's How
It’s time to get your boss on.
Photo: Create & Cultivate
Millennials are not only taking over the workforce, they’re quickly stepping into more and more leadership roles. In fact, a 2017 study found that the millennial leadership trajectory is as follows:
2.6 years: Entry-level to mid-level
5.3 years: Higher mid-level to senior
6.9 years: Senior level to c-suite
8.4 years: C-suite to CEO
More millennials are moving into leadership roles where they can finally execute on visionary ideas and implement change that they wished those who came before them would. Despite the value millennials bring to the workforce, we’re all a work in progress, and becoming a better leader is necessary for many of the millennials who are new to the role.
Keep these ideas in mind as you grow into your leadership position, which bodes well for your career and the organization. You may find that you garner greater respect and get more done as you learn and develop the skills necessary to manage an organization. Read on to find out what you need to do (and ditch) to become a better leader.
Let Go of Fears
Be better: Stop second-guessing yourself.
Fear of personal failure was the number one fear in a 2016 poll of Americans. And for millennials, this fear is often masked as “imposter syndrome.” Imposter syndrome can be defined as the feeling of being inadequate, despite continued success. A whopping 70% of millennials experience this, in both work and life, but why?
“Millennials might feel impostor syndrome more as they’ve entered the workforce at a time of outrageous technological advancements and constant comparison on social media,” says Breena Kerr of The Hustle.
She continues, “Technology is growing so fast that most of us are learning something new on almost every project we work on. And that can make you feel like you don’t have the expertise you should.”
To be a better millennial leader, you must ditch the fear and find confidence in what you do, and channel that when managing employees and making decisions. Trust your intuition and your skills—this is a requirement for leaders who want to see growth and success in their position.
Strategize Effectively
Be better: Find solutions that are effective—not just fast or easy.
A McKinsey and Company study of 80 organizations around the world, of varying sizes and industries, found that effectiveness was one of the top four attributes of a great leader.
When you focus on being effective, rather than making decisions or problem solving based on what’s easiest or fastest, you become a stronger leader. “Often leaders assume that as long as they have ideas, a vision, and a sense of purpose, that will be enough to lead the way forward,” says David Grossman, CEO of Grossman Group. “If only it were that easy. In truth, good leaders know the importance of planning and clearly spelling out the path ahead.”
Find the best brainstorming style for you and use that to flesh out ideas fully and effectively. A simple pros and cons list may be all you need to shake out the best solutions.
Communicate
Be better: Be authoritative and flexible.
Being a leader requires great communication skills, which can be challenging for some millennials. “The real reason millennial leaders struggle to communicate doesn’t lie in their ability to have reasoned, productive exchanges with other people,” explains Kimberly Fries, a millennial communication and leadership coach. “Instead, it lies in their circumstance, the very style of their leadership, and their personality.”
She breaks it down further, explaining that this struggle with communication comes down to three things:
Their disposition to be diplomatic and non-confrontational
Differences in generational preferences with communication
A credibility problem
To combat these innate issues, focus on communicating clearly and effectively while embracing the strengths of your employees and maintaining your authority. Be flexible and willing to adapt communication skills as employees need, especially when working with a mixed generational team. For example, some employees will do better with emails and chat, while others need more in-person time; adjust for both to be a better millennial leader.
Be Authentic
Be better: Listen attentively.
In a world filled with social media, where we’re surrounded by the perception of who someone is, it’s easy to be inauthentic. Especially in a role of authority, where you want to command the respect that a leadership role commands. Yet, authenticity is critical in business.
When you’re hyper-focused on the image you’re portraying to others, it’s hard to build true and lasting relationships that you need to be successful in business—relationships with mentors, financial advisors, and most importantly, with employees:
“Authenticity—both in business and in networking—is important for establishing reciprocal relationships with others,” says Ted Rollins, entrepreneur and founder of Valeo Groupe. “Long-term, rewarding professional partnerships don’t begin with a selfish attitude.”
When you listen and remain authentic in both your decision-making and interactions with others, you’ll be better at driving the ship.
Start Leading
Keep these ideas in mind as you grow into your role and take steps in your career. Authenticity, effectiveness, communication, and confidence are all critical for all high-level roles—both getting and keeping them. When you work toward becoming a better leader, you boost both your career and your position within your current role.
About the Author: Jessica Thiefels has been writing for more than 10 years and is currently a full-time writer, content marketing consultant, and business owner. She’s been featured in Forbes and Business Insider and has written for Manta, StartupNation, Glassdoor, Lifehack, and more. Follow her on Twitter @Jlsander07 and connect on LinkedIn.
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This story was published on August 29, 2017, and has since been updated.
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17 Successful Women Share the Insightful Books That Supercharged Their Careers
Consider these tomes required reading.
In this age of information, we have everything we need to start a new business, create a website, or set up a budget right at our fingertips—Google is a powerful tool. But sometimes you need a deep dive into the topic to truly understand the scope of what’s required from every angle—that’s when we turn to books. In our series, Turning a Page, we ask successful people to share their go-to tomes that helped transform their business, career, or money mindset. Whether you listen to them or need to physically flip the pages (and write notes or underline the text like us!), there is so much power in self-educating. Ready to turn a page in your career? These books will help take you there.
Photo: ColorJoy Stock by Christina Jones Photography
Our career roadmaps are typically anything but linear. In fact, there are often many different paths to find success, which can make navigating the process that much more difficult. Fortunately, an abundance of trailblazing leaders have paved the way to show us that anything is possible, and many of their journeys have been documented in powerful books that are readily available to us.
To narrow down the seemingly endless options out there, we tapped 17 incredible women to uncover the books that have supercharged their careers, helped them land promotions, lead companies, and, ultimately, shaped the ways they’re positively impacting the world around them. Their recommendations—like their backgrounds—are eclectic. They include titles from a corporate lens, an entrepreneurial perspective, and even the viewpoint of a symphony orchestra player turned consultant.
Emily Chen
Founder of Emcstudioco
The Book: “You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” by Jen Sincerio
The Key Takeaway: As creatives and entrepreneurs, we so often fall into the mindset of scarcity. This book helped me shift my mindset when I was starting my creative studio and first entrepreneurial venture. It made me realize we are all born with innate gifts and that fulfilling our purpose allows others around us to step into theirs.
Samantha Patil
Co-Founder and CEO of Well Traveled
The Book: “Everything Is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo
The Key Takeaway: A couple of years ago I made the decision to walk away from my stable and successful career that I'd put 10 years of work into building. I dove into the path of entrepreneurship and I couldn't be happier that I did. Entrepreneurship is scary, exciting, frustrating, exhausting, and thrilling all the time and I wouldn't have it any other way. I read Forleo's book not long after taking the plunge into running my own business and now have the words "everything is figureoutable" in a frame on my desk. The minute I start to think, "What am I doing? I don't know how to do this!" I look at those words and I get back to work. I've realized I'm stronger, more capable, and more resilient than I ever imagined, and Forleo's book and these words often help me give myself the pep talk I need whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed.
Yewande Faloyin
Founder and CEO of OTITỌ Leadership Coaching & Consulting
The Book: “Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope” by Johann Hari
The Key Takeaway: After two years of exhaustion and burnout, “Lost Connections” reminded me that I am so much more than what I do. It emphasized the significance of connecting to more than just my work for success, fulfillment, and satisfaction. This book would benefit anyone seeking to find true, lasting success in all areas of their life, recognizing that when we thrive in one area, it elevates the others! Understanding how depression can result from one being disconnected from different yet equally important areas in one's life helped me to confidently quit my consulting job at McKinsey and build a business that I love in a way that connects with, supports, and amplifies all other areas of my life.
Olivia Bowser
Founder and CEO of Liberate
The Book: “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle
The Key Takeaway: Each page opened my eyes to what life could feel like when living fully embodied in the here and now. I realized that I had so often been consumed by obsessing about the past or ruminating over the future that I was missing what was right in front of me. By living for the now, I can create positive change, be a better leader, and be the best version of myself.
Sophia Sunwoo
Founder and Principal of Ascent Strategy
The Book: “Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making” Machine by Mike Michalowicz
The Key Takeaway: I have never met an entrepreneur who has read this book and hasn’t raved about how drastically it has changed how they manage their money and helped them turn a profit in their business. There really isn’t anyone who wouldn’t benefit from this book—it’s simply genius and sets you up to always have cash on hand for payroll and to self-fund any desired investments for your business. If you want to boost your financial literacy and wield your money to your desires, read this book.
Sam Ogborn
Founder and CEO of Once + More
The Book: “Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are” by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
The Key Takeaway: This book helped me understand the socially acceptable conversations we all have versus our personal, inner thoughts, and feelings. This book has been invaluable for my career as it's helped me understand true human nature and the importance of reading between the lines.
Mariya Leona Illarionova
Founder and Creative Director of Wild Side Studio
The Book: “Start Something That Matters” by Blake Mycoskie
The Key Takeaway: This book changed my perspective on business and pivoted my career. At the time, I was working in a laboratory at Brookfield Zoo. The book inspired me to quit the lab, dive into the startup world, and eventually start my own business. Mycoskie taught me that we can use capitalism as a tool to redistribute wealth and better our planet. I recommend this book to anyone who feels let down by society and the professional world. Reading it gave me the momentum to follow my heart and to be the change I wish to see in the world.
Lori Abichandani
Founder and Brand Strategist at A Big Idea
The Book: “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business” by Danny Meyer
The Key Takeaway: I love this book—so much of my philosophy on life and business has been shaped by it. It emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, cultivating strong culture, leading with generosity, and building to last instead of building for trends. It's truly a timeless read. While set in the hospitality industry, there are lessons to be found for anyone building a company from the ground up. I highly recommend it to entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs of all kinds.
Alex Cooley
Founder of AC Electric
The Book: “The Path of Least Resistance: Learning to Become the Creative Force in Your Own Life” by Robert Fritz
The Key Takeaway: This is not a business book. Robert Fritz is a symphony orchestra player turned consultant of all things. The book's main idea is that addressing life, business, and societal concerns is not just about tackling its problems but about envisioning an altogether new, idealized vision. This implementation with structural change is a powerful perspective on how to solve nearly any situation. It's the first book I have my clients read and is so great for anyone who wants to own a vision and make a big impact in their industry and society.
Maiko Sakai
Founder and Lead Strategist at Airtight Concepts
The Book: “Radical Candor (Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity)” by Kim Scott
The Key Takeaway: The revised version is key because the newly added parts clarify Scott’s true intention for the framework as well as her definition of radical candor, which was misunderstood and meme’d when the first edition was released. This is one of those books that makes me say, “I wish I’d written it!” with the utmost respect. Scott’s decision to work on the revised version and how sincere and transparent she was with the process left me thinking about how to revamp my work and my business for days. I was deeply inspired by her candid ways to continuously improve the framework she created and truly walk the walk as a boss and as an entrepreneur. I highly recommend this book to all entrepreneurs who aspire to create their own intellectual property but have doubts creeping up and/or are planning on building and nurturing a kick-ass team for their businesses.
Kim Kaupe
Founder of Bright Ideas Only
The Book: “Hearts, Smarts, Guts and Luck: What It Takes to Be an Entrepreneur and Build a Great Business” by Anthony Tjan, Richard Harrington, and Tsun-Yan Hsieh
The Key Takeaway: This was the first book to help me understand what my entrepreneurial mapping was thanks to their first-ever Entrepreneurial Aptitude Test. I could see where my strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities were when it came to building my business and expanding my dreams. I recommend it to anyone who wants to start a company or lead change.
Melinda Wang
Founder of MW Projects
The Book: “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! Adventures of a Curious Character” by Richard P. Feynman
The Key Takeaway: I came across this book by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman when I was in middle school and only recently did I realize how much it impacted my life, both professionally and personally. This semi-autobiographical book is a collection of anecdotes of Feynman’s adventures in theoretical physics, Brazilian samba, academia, visual art, safe-cracking, and more. Words of wisdom about authentic knowledge, intellectual idealism, and the importance of following through on curiosities flow throughout the stories. Meeting this self-professed curious character inspired me to not only follow my passions across art, law, and entrepreneurship but to go deep and always challenge myself to learn more.
Lauren Rosenthal
Founder and Chief Chick of Birdie
The Book: “The Paradox of Choice: Why Less Is More” by Barry Schwartz
The Key Takeaway: This book finally gave me a term to explain what I'm addressing with my app, Birdie! So many people are familiar with the book that as soon as I bring up "The Paradox of Choice" everyone understands the issue and how important it is to solve. I believe everyone can benefit from this book. We are all so inundated with options on a daily basis, so better understanding how the paradox of choice impacts us can help change our mindset and reduce unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Lori Sussle Bonanni
Founder and Communications Consultant at Elssus, LLC
The Book: “Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel” by Rolf Potts
The Key Takeaway: I read this for the first time while traveling solo during my career break in South America nearly a decade ago. Travel is a real-life choose-your-own-adventure novel, especially if you travel without being tethered to an itinerary like me. Ultimately, the benefits of travel—curiosity, creativity, flexibility, and an increased tolerance for uncertainty—make me a stronger entrepreneur.
Dina Kaplan
Founder and CEO of The Path
The Book: “The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection” by Michael A. Singer
The Key Takeaway: Singer shows how much we can change our lives, and our careers, by making new choices about how we want to live. He also shows that it is possible to lead a company while being kind and ethical. I think about the decisions he made constantly as I remind myself that I can change my life—and the lives of others—by always choosing to act ethically, and that I can lead my team by being strong but also caring. This book will benefit people leading companies or teams or really anyone open to believing they have the power within themselves to be happy and to control their destiny.
Wadeeha Jackson
Director of Compliance and Ops at HXRO Game Ltd
The Book: “Expect to Win: 10 Proven Strategies for Thriving in the Workplace” by Carla Harris
The Key Takeaway: “Expect to Win” was a game-changer for me during the earlier part of my career in the finance industry. For me, the key takeaway was the importance of having a sponsor. As a young professional, you usually seek seasoned professionals for mentorship. Throughout the book, Harris points out that a sponsor provides influence and expresses a willingness to advocate on your behalf. Unlike mentorship, sponsors serve as a direct pipeline toward unique opportunities to push your career forward.
Trish Boes
Leadership and Life Coach at Soul Leadership Solutions, LLC
The Book: “The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are” by Brené Brown
The Key Takeaway: This book totally rocked my world and is one of the reasons why I chose to become a leadership coach years ago. It introduced me to the concept of perfectionism, which, eight years ago, I didn't know was a thing. I realized that I was a perfectionist and that a lot of the things I was doing in my career were based around people-pleasing and avoiding feelings of shame, which eventually led to my burnout. I still read this book regularly because it reminds me to lean into vulnerability and prioritize wholehearted living, which means engaging in our own lives from a place of courage and worthiness. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to reconnect with their own brilliance and to let go of feelings of burnout, imposter syndrome, or constant self-judgment.
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Why I Deleted "Sorry" From My Vocabulary
And why you should, too.
“Your message becomes direct, clear, and representative of your self-worth.”
-Kate Davis, Founder of Knockout
As business owners, we all want to project confidence through our interactions with vendors, contractors, clients, customers, and other business owners. I started my company at 25 years old with no business experience. In these past five years, I’ve worked with manufacturers, lawyers, consultants, and event organizers. Many of these people didn’t take me seriously because of my age, gender, or lack of industry knowledge. I couldn’t change who I was (nor did I want to), but I could adjust my language to present a stronger, more confident version of myself.
It’s become increasingly clear to me that language is powerful, and we have the ability to convey self-confidence through our word choices. In our digital world (even more so during a pandemic), our written communications are important opportunities to use purposeful language. Getting rid of the self-defeating “sorry” and “just” make a major difference in the way we are perceived.
Did you say or write “sorry” today when you didn’t do anything wrong? Look through some emails and texts, and you might be surprised how regularly “sorry” slips in. Once I started looking for it, I realized that I’d been saying “sorry” instinctively throughout my whole life. When I posted about this recently on Instagram, I couldn’t believe how many women said they also say it unnecessarily and often. Why do we do this?
Many women I talk with compulsively apologize when asking for something or making a reasonable request. To be clear, there are definitely moments when an apology is necessary, and we should say sorry when we make a mistake or hurt someone. We know how to identify when we should say “sorry”, so let’s talk about when we don’t need to say it—and more importantly—what we can say instead.
“Sorry to bother you, but could you send me that project proposal we talked about when you get a chance?”
This “sorry” is not necessary. It might feel aggressive to say “Could you send me that project proposal?”, but that’s what you need, right? If you want to soften it a bit, you can always add “please.” The point is, it’s not your fault that this person is late, and you have no reason to say sorry. Apologizing diminishes our message and perceived confidence.
A great substitute for “sorry” is “thank you”, which completely changes the tone of your exchange. The person you’re talking with will feel appreciated and will recognize the positive framing of the situation.
Let’s go through some examples of how to not say “sorry.”
If you’re asking a busy person for a meeting or if you’re looking for advice, rather than saying “sorry I’m bothering you”, try “thank you for taking the time to meet/talk with me”.
Your project got delayed because of an urgent assignment that came in, and you’re writing “Sorry this is taking so long” to your boss. They may need some explanation, but you can shift the language to “Thanks for your patience on this. The [time-sensitive assignment] set me back slightly. I’ll have this to you on Monday.”
A friend or co-worker listened to you vent during your lunch hour, and you want to text her, “Sorry I was talking so much today!” Try writing “Thank you for listening to me today! I appreciate your advice and patience.” This shows her that you value her time.
Now, while we’re at it, let’s talk about “just.”
I’m constantly on the lookout for the word “just.” I didn’t realize how much I used it until a loved one told me I use it all the time. We want to feel confident and be perceived as strong, right? This word does us no favors.
Listen closely for “just” because it is the death of a powerful statement. “Just” comes up in my emails constantly, and I try to delete it whenever it pops up. We use “just” so often that the actual meaning slips away.
“She just found that jacket in the closet”
“They just cooked the most delicious meal!”
These examples are correct because “just” indicates that something happened very recently.
Here’s where we need to delete “just:”
“I’m just checking in to see if you received my invoice.”
“I just have a few more questions.”
“I just thought I’d suggest…”
In all three examples, “just” makes the statement weaker. Once you start cutting out “just,” you’ll see faster responses to your emails (and responses to the ones that might never get answered). Your message becomes direct, clear, and representative of your self-worth.
Our strength is in our ability to navigate our daily lives with confidence and be unwavering in our sense of self. When we feel that strength, we radiate it, and others take note. Whether it’s our children seeing us as confident adults, co-workers who know we’re direct, vendors who realize we know what we want, or employers who see our strength, the way we’re seen is based on what we project.
Let’s delete those two undermining words and start sending some confident emails and texts!
About the author: Kate Davis believes personal safety should feel fun, rather than burdensome. Through her Knockout collection, Davis utilizes her background in Italian art and design to bring together daily wear with personal safety, marrying functionality with fashion and design. The collection is both stylish and sharp, featuring sleek, minimalist designs in both bold and neutral color options. With Knockout women can carry their personal safety as part of their daily style without having to compromise. More than just jewelry, Knockout is a community for women looking for camaraderie, encouragement, safety tips, and financial advice. Through Knockout, Davis wants to help women tap into their own power.
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How to Meet Anyone With This 15 Step Strategy
Meeting the biggest of fish is possible.
Photo: Andrew Neel from Pexels
If you've ever wondered how to get out of someone's inbox and into their (virtual) office, then heed the advice from Gillian Zoe Segal’s book, Getting There: A Book of Mentors. Trust us.
From Rachel Zoe to Sara Blakely and even Warren Buffet are just some of the entrepreneurs Gillian features in her book who all dish their top advice, tips, and strategies for building a successful career.
Ahead, Gillian shares her 15 tips for meeting anyone you want using creative networking techniques and the best part is, you can totally do it too. Read on…
1. Understand the lay of the land.
Most luminaries are extremely busy. They receive multiple requests every day for interviews, speaking engagements, new business opportunities, charity functions, you name it, not to mention the obligations they have with their careers, families, and personal lives. Understandably, there are simply not enough hours in the day for them to say yes to everything. And they definitely don’t.
If you are not a big name or don’t have something major to offer, accept that you will not be at the top of anyone’s priority list—no matter how important your request might seem to you.
2. Toss your ego out the window.
You will be ignored and rejected a lot, and you can’t take it personally or allow it to depress or discourage you.
3. Know that you can lead a horse to water, but the biggest hurdle is making sure the horse knows that the water is in front of its face.
You must get your request noticed by the decision-maker.
4. If you have any connection at all, use it.
Your connection doesn’t need to be a big one.
Here’s how I contacted Leslie Moonves, President, and CEO of CBS: My best friend’s husband had a friend who used to work at CBS and was willing to put me in touch with Moonves’s assistant. The assistant, who works closely with him every day, made sure he saw my request.
If you don’t have a connection (and most often I didn’t), here are some ways to get your request noticed:
5. Make yourself as human as possible.
The less human you appear, the easier it is for someone to reject you. Asking in person is the best method; that way it’s obvious you’re human. (It’s a lot easier to say no to a faceless email or tweet.) If you can figure out a way to run into your target in a not stalkerish way, try to do so—for example at a party or event.
But don’t be annoying or take up too much of your target’s time. I usually introduce myself, give a one or two-sentence pitch, and then ask whom I should contact with more details. The luminary usually gives me the name of a point person; then I contact that person ASAP.
6. If you can’t ask in person—and most times you can’t, especially now—try to connect to the person you can reach (your target’s publicist, assistant, etc.).
Always use the name of the person you are corresponding with since it makes for a more personal connection. If you don’t have that person’s name, ask for it. An email to a specific person instead of one addressed “to whom it may concern” is a bit harder for the recipient to ignore.
7. Never accept “no” from someone who can’t give you a “yes.”
My friend (Steve Cohen!) told me this early on, and it really stuck with me. The point is, don’t let a “no” from one employee deter you. If the front door is locked, try the back door; if the back door is locked, try the side door; if the side door is locked, try crawling in a window. If you can’t do that, wait a while then try the front door again. Someone might answer this time!
What does this front door/side door/window bit really mean? I am talking about ways in—avenues—like a publicist, an agent, an employee, someone who once did business with the person, a friend of a friend of a friend….
I rarely dealt with just one employee and one door. When someone ignored me repeatedly or rejected me, I switched to someone else and acted as nothing had ever happened—I never mentioned I was previously ignored or rejected. (A lot of times your target never even saw your request—an employee rejected it instead.)
8. Take responses literally.
If you don’t get a definitive “no” from someone, try again. For example, if you get an, “Unfortunately, he can’t participate in that now,” take “now” literally and follow up later.
9. Never be anything but friendly and pleasant to deal with.
No one reacts well to “attitude” from strangers. That kind of behavior will only get you ignored even more — or axed for good. (It may also earn you a bad reputation.)
If you do get what you consider to be a final rejection, lose graciously and thank the person for considering your request.
10. Never rub anyone’s nose in the fact that they’re ignoring you.
For example, don’t complain that you called five times already. If you send a follow-up email to someone that has been ignoring you, don’t forward the old email. Send a new email (or send your prior email) as it has never been sent before.
This allows your contact to save face if they do choose to respond—and lets that person respond without having to make any excuses for why they previously ignored you.
11. Keep your correspondence simple and clear.
Get to your point quickly. Remember how busy everyone is; no one has time to sift through paragraphs to figure out what your email is about.
12. Once you get a response from someone, grab hold of that person, and don’t let go.
I learned this lesson in the summer of 1993 when I worked as a real estate broker. When clients decided they wanted to rent an apartment I had just shown them, I was instructed not to let them out of my sight until they put down a deposit. Why? Simple: if I let them walk away and “get back to me tomorrow,” they might reconsider their decision. So I literally accompanied my clients to the bank while they took out cash for their deposit.
The same is true with networking. If someone responds to your request, act fast, and respond immediately. You need to get the ball rolling before they forget about you and move on to something else.
13. Take whatever you can get as soon as you can get it.
That means accepting the very first day the person is available—regardless of your schedule.
14. Get your foot in the door any way you can.
One of the most challenging Getting There subjects for me to land was the architect Frank Gehry. I sent a couple of blind requests to the email address listed on his company’s website. The good news is that I was not totally ignored; the bad news is that I was rejected both times.
A few months later I found out my friend’s father’s new girlfriend (read that relationship twice and realize any connection can be a good connection) knew Frank and was willing to pass along my request. She sent him my request twice and was totally ignored both times!
A few months later I figured I would try again (after all, emails are free, and ya never know!), so I sent yet another email to his company’s email address and a miracle happened—I got a response! I can only assume a new assistant was on duty that day.
I immediately emailed her back, got her name, and asked if I could send her some samples of my work to show Gehry. Again, strike while the iron is hot: I was away at the time so I had my cat sitter overnight the material to her.
I called the office to follow up and make sure that she got it; remember, speaking on the phone makes the connection more personal. She showed my material to Gehry, he said yes, and we set up an appointment!
But that’s not the end of the story. Gehry then proceeded to cancel on me for a full year (I was that low on his priority list). During that time I bounced between 4 of his assistants (it seemed like every time I called to follow up a new person needed to be filled in on who I was and what Gehry had agreed to), but I eventually got some time with him and he is now in Getting There!
By the way: when I finally met with Gehry he had absolutely no idea I had ever been hounding him or his office. (In fact, none of my subjects did.)
15. Persistence pays off.
If I learned one lesson from the people who I interviewed for Getting There it is that determination and resilience eventually pay off. Of all my subjects, I think that Ian Schrager sums up this sentiment best in his Getting Thereessay. He says, “In the end, there’s so little that separates people. Those who want success the most and are relentless about pursuing it are the ones who get it.”
Pursuing any goal is much easier if you are truly passionate about what you want; that’s what gives you the fuel to persevere. In my case, I really believed in the concept of my book and felt that readers would truly benefit from what my subjects could share. I also felt sure my subjects would be happy with the finished product; if I hadn’t felt that way it would have been extremely difficult to overcome all the rejection and keep approaching people over and over again.
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The original version of this article appeared on Hey Mama. This post was originally published on June 25, 2017, and has since been updated.
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