I recently came across Marie Claire @ Work, a supplement to the celebrated fashion magazine, and read an interesting editorial by Leslie Bennetts on three highly successful women and their thoughts on the highs, lows and surprises of being on the top of their kick-butt careers.
Very inspiring piece.
Here are some of their TIPS FOR SUCCESS.
NATALIE MASSENET– Founder and Executive Chairman Net-a-Porter
- KNOW YOUR FIELD:
“The important thing is knowing what you’re going to do and be an expert in what you want to do. It can be something very simple, like being an artist doing screen prints on T-Shirts. But don’t pick an industry you have nothing to do with, and make sure you have a basic skill set or knowledge.”
- DEVELOP A VIABLE BUSINESS MODEL:
Start small, do everything beautifully, have the right people around you, and make sure what you do generates money, because you can’t sustain a business that doesn’t make money. It sounds simple, but a lot of people don’t have any idea of how they are going to make the money.”
- GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME
“Never forget that you only have one opportunity to make a first impression- with investors, with customers, with PR and with marketing.”
- PLAN FOR THE LONG TERM
“When I started, my entire salary went on paying the nanny. But I knew my salary would increase. You are building something, and your business gets bigger. I can invest in today and get the return tomorrow.”
NANCY DUBUC– President and General Manager, Lifetime and History Networks
- TO ADVANCE YOUR CAREER
“You have to find somebody who believes in you. I’m a big believer in picking your boss, not the job. Great people create great jobs.”
- WHEN YOUR PROGRESS HITS A PLATEAU
“Take those moments of opportunity and use them for self-development. Find the things you know you need to improve and make this time the boot camp for learning it.”
- NO MATTER WHAT PROBLEMS YOU CONFRONT
“You have to see them as learning opportunities and management challenges, and handle them with a sense of calm and control and responsibility to those around you. You have to look at every issue in terms of what it’s doing for the department or the company.”
CAROLYN EVERSON– VP, Global Marketing Solutions, Facebook
- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES
“I never planned to be in the marketing and media business, and Facebook didn’t even exist back then. You just can’t plan everything.”
- BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
“And have confidence in what you can do. Most successful people have setbacks, and if you recognize that, it won’t be such a shock when it happens. When I had a setback, it made me stronger.”
- BE CAREFUL HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE
“Your reputation is the most important thing you have, and it’s a small world. If you burn a bridge, it can come back to haunt you.”
- MARRY SOMEONE WHO IS INCREDIBLY KIND AND HELPFUL
“Somebody who wants his tombstone to say he was the best father as opposed to what he did in his career. My husband is an unbelievable partner, and I could not do without him.”
– Courtesy Marie Claire @ Work
All thanks to their hard work, perseverance, and belief in their selves that they can and will be successful, these women now lead dazzling lives that is sometimes unbelievable even to them. Vacations in Greece and the Carribean, multi-million dollar salary, a wardrobe consisting of only high-end designers are just some of the perks of being on top of their careers. Carolyn admits, “There are moments when I want to pinch myself and say, ‘Am I really here? How in the world did this happen?”
They worked hard, and now they are playing even harder.
Fabulous job, ladies and more power to ya.
Love,
Honey
Love, Honey 