Young Working Women: Career Forward

Lawyer-turned-Hypnotist, Nancy Loven

2008-08-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

I am a certified clinical hypnotist with a private practice in Larchmont, New York (25 minutes north of New York City). I worked as a litigation attorney for eight years and just never felt fulfilled by what I did. Four years ago, I used hypnosis to quit smoking and after that, I started seeing a hypnotist regularly for various issues. Over time, I began to realize that I, too, wanted to use hypnosis to help people heal and I obtained the necessary training and education to become a Certified Hypnotist. Most recently, I became a certified Hypnobirthing Childbirth Educator and a Certified Hypnofertility Specialist.

Although it sounds trite, the thing I most love about being a hypnotist is how I am able to help people. People come to me with all kinds of problems, and I am able to provide my clients with a new perspective on how they can use hypnosis to heal themselves -- I am simply a guide in this process. People walk out of my office refreshed, happy and ready to take on the world!

I am most proud of helping women with fertility problems, especially those who were told that they would never be able to conceive a baby. I tell them, "NEVER say never." Profound success is often possible simply by working at the level of the sub-conscious mind and removing blocks to fertility. I am also proud of helping people to rid themselves of negative habits and phobias that have often plagued them for years -- for example, I had one client who stopped biting his nails after having done so for 40 years! I have helped many, many people to quit smoking for good and to lose extra weight.

The greatest career advice I have been given is the same as the best advice I can give: no matter what, follow your heart -- do what you love. When you act according to your higher purpose, when you consciously follow the path that is right for you -- only good things can come from that. I left a high-paying, secure career as an attorney to follow my heart into the hypnosis field -- and I now look forward to each and every client, each and every day. There is no better feeling than doing what you KNOW you were born to do.

Kerri Kimball, Financial Advisor

2008-08-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

Kerri Kimball

Education: B.S. BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

Job title and employer: FINANCIAL ADVISOR, ELEMENT FINANCIAL GROUP

What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?

My job is to help successful people to identify and achieve their financial goals. When I was 33, I had my first experience working with a financial advisor. I’d never expected to be single in my 30’s and hadn’t done anything to prepare myself for making my own financial decisions about buying a home, saving for retirement, or protecting my assets. Working with an advisor opened my eyes to the world of personal finance and I felt amazingly empowered. I had been working in advertising agencies for 12 years and was ready for a change and I was so moved by my experience that I decided to make this my new career. I could see that there are thousands of women out there like me who need advice but haven’t known that they could ask, or who they could trust to really listen to them. I’ve been in this field for 4 years now and I feel so lucky.

What do you like about your current career?

I love that I get to make a difference in the lives of my clients. When I can show them that they can afford that bigger home or that they can retire 5 years sooner than they thought, the look on their faces is priceless. It’s especially rewarding when I can help a client leave a legacy behind to family or charity. I also love that it’s my job to meet new people all the time. I’m out at social events 2 to 3 times a week getting to know people, building my network of resources, and growing my business.

If you were to start over again from college and still end up at the same job you’re currently at, what steps would you take differently?

I wouldn’t do anything differently. Each unique experience I’ve had – from reviewing expense reports to negotiating client contracts to taking a sabbatical to hike to Mt. Everest Base Camp – has taught me the skills I need to be successful.

What barriers have you overcome to get to your present position today, and what lessons have you learned from your mistakes?

When I left corporate America to start my financial advisory practice, I had to start over and learn a new industry from scratch. Buddhists have a distinction called “beginner’s mind” that I referred back to often: a state of mind that is free of preconceptions and expectations, full of curiosity and wonder. Early on, there were many times where my lack of experience was extremely frustrating and I had to take a deep breath and say to myself, “ok, this is interesting”. I didn’t get a lot of lucky breaks, but I was incredibly tenacious and would not give up. It’s important to keep going even if you get a No or you miss your target. After the last No there is always a Yes.

What’s the greatest career advice you have ever been given? What advice do you bestow on others?

Someone recently told me “Do what you love because you’ll spend a significant portion of your life doing it.” Do what you love, or at least what you like a lot, and remember that 90% of that is your attitude. Be grateful for all the terrific things that your job or business provides to you, whether it be creativity, financial security, travel, or just great people to work with every day. As women in today’s business environment, we are so fortunate to have relative equality with men. But we still have a long way to go before we reach full equality. Don’t ever sell yourself short or compromise your values. Seek out good mentors who are looking out for your best interests, and take time to be a mentor yourself.

Jennifer Beckmann, Founder of Cancer Nerd and MBA student

2008-08-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Beckmann

Education: A.B. with Honors, Brown University (2002) – double concentration in Archaeology and Art History; MBA, University of Cambridge (2009)

What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?

Well, I am in between livings right now. I spent five years in New York City after graduating from college both working and volunteering at various non-profit organizations, including the American Museum of Natural History. I am also a big advocate for colon cancer research and patient support, having lost my stepdad to the disease in 2004. In January 2008, I moved to London and have taken time off before starting my MBA in September. This has been a richly introspective time for me, in which I have done a lot of reading and a lot of writing. My blog Cancer Nerd focuses on my personal quest to learn as much as I can about cancer so that, post-MBA, I can lead an organization working to eradicate it.

What are three of the most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you, career-wise or other?

Career-wise, I have to say the most interesting job I held was as an educator for the Moveable Museum Program at AMNH. The position included driving a 37-foot Winnebago around NYC, visiting kids at schools who otherwise would not likely visit the Museum. That job increased my confidence and made me realize I like working directly with people, having that direct impact.

Otherwise, one of the best experiences of my life was leading the NYC chapter of the Colon Cancer Alliance, an advocacy group made up of survivors, caregivers, and others touched by this very preventable disease. Getting to know these amazing volunteers – including a few women who had been diagnosed in their 20s! – was beyond inspiring.

Oh, and I was an archaeologist for awhile! That was fun!

What do you like about your current career?

Honestly, I could be very happy blogging all day! I have found it very empowering to share my thoughts on cancer and what I learn from my reading with others. I started Cancer Nerd to keep myself on task, so that I would feel responsible for my self-assigned reading and be productive during this time off – or, as I refer to it, my “independent study time.” Blogging has helped me face the idea of cancer with less fear and more moxie – which will be increasingly invaluable to me in the years to come. I am excited to get my MBA and re-enter the professional world as well. I would love to help a cancer organization with its marketing or programming – any way I can have a direct impact on people and help them cope with this horrible disease.

What career successes are you most proud of having achieved?

My proudest moments have been as a volunteer for colon cancer awareness and prevention. Leading the NYC chapter of the Colon Cancer Alliance – indeed, turning it into the organization’s model chapter – was incredibly rewarding. I have also participated in the Colon Cancer Challenge for the last five years, and have been in the top three fundraisers each year. I am very proud of the fact that following my passions led me to the University of Cambridge and also to Cancer Nerd!

What training and education have you completed and what did you take away from these experiences?

My undergraduate degree was actually in Archaeology and Art History, and I spent a year out of college as an archaeologist. Although I am no longer digging in the dirt for a living, being able to fulfill my childhood Indiana Jones fantasies was very empowering for me, and set the tone for my atypical but passion-fueled career path.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

Back in New York, I spent a lot of time as a volunteer – I probably volunteered for as many hours a week as I worked! Here in London I do my “independent study” reading and writing all day and split my free time between my boyfriend, my trainer, and exploring this delightful (if often overcast) city. I have also started tapping into my long-abandoned artistic side, creating mosaics. I loved studying mosaics as an Archaeology student and it has been fun having a little time to make them myself!

In what ways are you making a difference in other people’s lives?

Ask them! No, seriously, I hope that my blog’s readership continues to increase. Cancer is not going to go away any time soon. If we can’t obliterate the disease, we should obliterate the fear surrounding it. The more informed we are about the choices we can make in our lives to lessen our chances of getting cancer and also the choices we can make if we get it anyway, the less of a hold this disease will have over us. We all have moments where we are overcome with fear. But knowledge is power. I hope that through Cancer Nerd, my readers will feel a little more empowered against the foe that is cancer.

If you were to start over again from college and still end up at the same job you’re currently at, what steps would you take differently?

I certainly have had countless moments over the years when I wished I had taken a more traditional professional path and, ahem, made a little more money. But I know if I had taken some high-paying gig, I would not have been true to myself. Not to mention the fact that I wouldn’t have had time to explore my true passions. So while it won’t be easy to enter into an expensive graduate program with no savings, no sponsor, and a big ol’ loan on my shoulders, I also feel that I will get more out of the program because I know what I want out of my professional life.

What accomplishments – both professionally and personally – do you hope to have achieved 20 years from now?

This sounds like one of my MBA application essay questions! As I said on my application (and kudos to Cambridge for accepting me anyway), my top priority in life is to raise a happy, healthy family with my happy, healthy future husband in our happy, healthy marriage. Everything else is secondary: career, money, worldwide fame, all of it! That being said, I hope to be known as a driving force in the cancer advocacy world. If a few more people can stand up to this disease with a little more confidence, courage, and hope because of me, I will have done something good indeed.

Katherine Shappley of Microsoft

2008-08-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

Katherine Shappley

Education: BA, English Literature, University of Mississippi & Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism, London School of Journalism

Job title and employer: Account Executive, Microsoft

What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?

I had a friend at a company called Quigo, who introduced me to some of the people she worked with. I ended up interviewing for a sales position with no experience, but they took me on because of my life experience, I think. Having travelled around the world teaching business English for 4 years, I was able to spin my experience as “selling English to a busy executive crowd”. Once I started working for Quigo, I established myself there and began working my network. I ended up at MSFT because of those connections and my track record at Quigo.

What are three of the most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you, career-wise or other?

Traveling around the world in my 20s was by far the best thing I’ve ever done. It set me up for success in ways that I couldn’t have foreseen when I got back home. Getting a job is not always about fitting the exact job description and experience requirements. I was very lucky that the people I’ve interviewed with found a lot of value in my experiences abroad.

I moved to London to study Journalism after my traveling. I ended up getting a job at a magazine house, where they agreed to apply for my work permit. The permit application was eventually rejected, and I ended up having to leave the country. If this had not happened, I would not have moved to New York, nor would I be where I am today in my career. Lesson: Always be open to challenges and new opportunities, even if they seem tough at the time. The more you can turn challenging experiences into something positive, the more successful you’ll be.

Working in the online space at Microsoft is extremely interesting. No two days are the same, and the landscape is constantly shifting. Technology is getting better every second, and the way that we think about digital marketing is also evolving. This helps to keep everything fresh and interesting.

What do you like about your current career?

There are a lot of great things about working in online sales at Microsoft. First of all, MSFT has some of the best benefits around. I just got back from our global conference in Atlanta, where we not only learned about the future vision of the company, but they also had spectacular events, like the renting out Six Flags for us at the end of the meeting! Day to day, I love sales because I’m constantly meeting people and interacting with highly intelligent teams. Part of my job is entertaining my clients, and I’m also very passionate about that.

How does your career use your skills and what projects are you working on that best demonstrate them?

I’m very outgoing and love meeting new people. I am also highly detail-oriented. I have a lot of clients, so it’s imperative that I’m organized and focused on the right priorities. I’m currently getting ready for a meeting with a new team, where we’ll present MSFT’s vision for search marketing specifically. I’m also organizing this meeting around a lunch, so I’m busy hammering out the logistical details there.

What career successes are you most proud of having achieved?

I’ve won two awards at Microsoft which I’m particularly proud of. The first is called the JACK award, which stands for Judgement, Accountability, Customer-Focus, and Know-How. This is an award presented based on peer feedback, so it means a lot to me that my colleagues would take the time to nominate me. Also, I won a trip to Maui last year, as one of MSFT’s highest revenue attainers globally. It was great!

What training and education have you completed and what did you take away from these experiences?

I have a BA in English Literature and a British diploma in Journalism. Both of these accreditations have helped me in my written and oral communication skills, which are imperative to my job. I’ve also taken a lot of training at Microsoft, in areas such as presentation skills, negotiations, and how to effectively speak to your customers. This on the job training is another great benefit of working at MSFT and has helped my grow in my career.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

I recently completed a photography course, so I’m often out and about in NYC taking photos of anything and everything. In addition to that, I love hanging out with friends and going to live music concerts. I try to see at least 1-2 shows a week!

In what ways are you making a difference in other people’s lives?

I hope that I’m making it easier for people to do business with my team. If you don’t start with good communication and strong relationships, working with people in business can be downright awful. I also work for a company that places a high value on community service and charity. Every year, MSFT matches all of my charitable donations dollar for dollar, so hopefully I’ve been able to create something positive for people in that way.

If you have children, how do you find the work/family balance?

N/a However, I think it’s really important to hammer out a company’s policy on work/life/family balance. This is something you should always ask in an interview.

If you were to start over again from college and still end up at the same job you’re currently at, what steps would you take differently?

None, I’ve absolutely loved every minute of what I’ve done. The key for me is the diverse range of experiences which I’ve been lucky enough to have in my career chapters.

What barriers have you overcome to get to your present position today, and what lessons have you learned from your mistakes?

One of my biggest challenges has always been controlling my emotions. I have a lot of passion for life, and that can be a positive and negative thing, since passion can manifest itself in different ways. I have worked very hard to not take things personally and keep my emotions in check during difficult business situations. That really comes mostly from experience.

What’s the greatest career advice you have ever been given? What advice do you bestow on others?

Stay positive, and take advantage of challenges! If you can successfully mitigate a challenge, you will gain infinite respect among your colleagues and build confidence in yourself. Get involved! You’ll never get ahead if you don’t put yourself out there.

What accomplishments – both professionally and personally – do you hope to have achieved 20 years from now?

I’d love to get to a place financially where I can open a photography studio for fun!

Mandy Van Deven, Founder and Editor of Feminist Review

2008-07-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

Mandy Van Deven

Education:

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA: B.A. Sociology/B.I.S. Women's Studies, 2002

Hunter College School of Social Work, New York, NY: MSW (Major Method: Administration, Minor Method: Community Organizing), 2008

Job title and employer:

Founder and Editor, Feminist Review (blog)

What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?

When I was a junior and senior in college, I worked as a Student Assistant at the Women’s Studies Institute at Georgia State University. During the summer of 2001, I had a lot of free time on my hands, so I decided to make a zine (Strike) because I had access to the copy machine, and my boss didn’t mind me using it. Over the next year, I put out two issues, which I both gave away for free and sold through online zine distros. In 2003, a friend of mine and I started Altar Magazine, which then merged with Clamor magazine in early 2006 in an attempt to increase both of our respective resources, but it wasn’t long before Clamor was forced to close its doors (http://clamormagazine.org/#farewell). By that point, I’d been bitten by the media bug and started Feminist Review, which provides a variation on typical reviews in that our reviews are written from a perspective that is critical of the culture, at large, and also allows for readers to ‘talk back’ to the review writer through posting comments about the review itself or the book, album, film, etc. being reviewed.

What are three of the most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you, career-wise or other?

I have learned an enormous amount over the past seven years about media production and sustainability, and a lot of that knowledge was gained through skill sharing, attending workshops, and trial by fire. My formal education is not in media work so I had a lot of learning to do when I started. What a blessing the internet can be!

I have also had the opportunity to meet a lot of amazing women and men who work in a variety of fields (i.e., publishing, music, film, community organizing), some of whom have name recognition and some of whom don’t. All of them are a constant inspiration for me, and I certainly feel privileged to have this kind of access to such incredible people.

What do you like about your current career?

I like that I have the flexibility to work at my own pace. I am not a fan of rigid daily schedules or office dress codes, so being able to do my work while I eat breakfast feels great. I also like that I can work where ever I am, since Feminist Review is online, which means that I can travel (for example, I’m currently in Calcutta, India) and still get my work done.

How does your career use your skills and what projects are you working on that best demonstrate them?

There are two skills that I am quite adept at, probably because I use them the most: one is time management and the other is supervision. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on at Feminist Review that makes the blog possible other than the more obvious writing and editing that takes place. I sell advertisements. I work to increase web traffic. I recruit new writers and maintain solid relationships with current writers. It’s certainly more than a full-time job, which is why we take up just a slight corner of the interweb… for now. We’ve grown significantly since our inception, and continue to grow a little more each day.

What career successes are you most proud of having achieved?

Really, I’m proud of it all. It has been a trying road, and I’ve made more mistakes than I’d like to admit, but I am glad for the education that these mistakes have given me. Hopefully, I do not repeat the more egregious ones. Every day that Feminist Review continues to be a source of alternative information is a success because media that engages critically with culture and politics is slowly being eradicated. I’m proud to be a part of the history and present of the global production of independent media.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

At present, I spend a lot of time learning how to live in another country since I just moved to Calcutta in June. I take Bengali classes twice a week. I am learning to cook Indian food, which I love because cooking is a passion of mine. I go for walks to become more familiar with the neighborhood that I am living in and buy small things, like books or jewelry, so I can figure out how to haggle with the market sellers. It’s all terribly fun, and also enormously time consuming. My goal is to complete just one new thing a day. So far, so good.

If you have children, how do you find the work/family balance?

I don’t have children, but I do still have the challenge of balancing my work with my relationships - with my partner, as well as with my friends and family. I used to work all the time; there was barely an hour of the day that I wasn’t trying to finish some project or another, and my social life primarily revolved around meals because that was the only time I would stop working. That changed once I started having stress-related illnesses – like constant headaches – and when my relationships started to fall apart. Now I keep things in check and tell myself all the time, “The work will always be there. You don’t have to do it all today.” This shift has really caused all aspects of my life to substantially improve.

If you were to start over again from college and still end up at the same job you’re currently at, what steps would you take differently?

I would have made more of an effort to have a formal mentor, someone who could walk me through the process along the way. Apprenticeships tend to be thought of as a thing of the past, but they’re informally around us all of the time. I think a lot of the difficulties that I faced, especially in the beginning, would have been easier if I’d had someone more experienced to turn to for help or to answer questions. And social networks are no joke either. It is so important to meet people who are working in your field to swap stories and advice with. Because I had no formal training, I felt very intimidated and insecure in the field and didn’t want to be “found out” as a novice. But we all have to start somewhere, and in giving way to my fears, I was my own worst enemy.

What’s the greatest career advice you have ever been given? What advice do you bestow on others?

This isn’t exactly advice, but there are some things that I think are very important to incorporate into one’s thoughts and actions, particularly when working in a field that makes you very visible and where people who disagree with you aren’t always kind when expressing their opinion. You need a support system to keep you grounded, and to help you sort out what criticism is and isn’t useful in becoming better at your work. A good friend of mine, who is a writer and activist I admire immensely, is very good at reminding me of the need for self-care, both physically and mentally, which is an essential aspect of human existence that is constantly overlooked and under-prioritized. Whether it’s having a chat with a friend at the end of the day or playing basketball or loudly singing in the car with the windows down or cooking a brilliant dinner, we all need to have a positive outlet for coping with the stress in our lives. It’s up to you to find yours.

What accomplishments – both professionally and personally – do you hope to have achieved 20 years from now?

I just want to keep learning, that’s all. I’m pretty easy to please in this way, and it’s something that is completely within my control to accomplish. I want to continue to challenge myself to do things that I don’t think I can do, or that I am scared of doing. For now, I’m just trying to remember that I can only take one breath at a time.

Emiko, Recording Artist, Songwriter and President

2008-07-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Name: Emiko

Job title and employer: Recording artist, songwriter, President of The 6412 Ltd Entertainment (a full service artist management, consulting and development company). Aside from the above, I run and own a recording studio in midtown Manhattan and am the Founder and Executive Director of AAMIA, (the Asian American Music Industry Association).

What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?
I’m primarily a recording artist and songwriter. I started playing the piano when I was two and I have been in music all my life. I entered the world as a classical concert pianist but when I was 8, discovered Billy Joel and hatched a plan to move over to rock n’ roll! At 12, I made my first pop recording, at 15 I had my own record out and a tour with a band. Music is something I was born with, but as time goes on, I’ve realized that my dreams have expanded. When I was younger, I wanted to be a “rock star.” Now, I want to be a mogul. I’ve learned that the most successful people in my industry are the ones who stay current, innovative, and blaze their own paths. So, how did I end up doing this? I just don’t accept “no” as an answer! Seriously. “No” is an excuse to me—not an answer.

What are three of the most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you, career-wise or other?
Good question! Three of the most interesting things I have encountered in my career are probably meeting the man who jump started my career in pop music, signing a deal with a major label/publisher and then realizing that that isn’t the be all end all to my career. So many people get into the music industry with the hopes of signing a major contract. They go to networking events, panel discussions, etc., to “learn” how to get signed by a major label. If I knew that the process was completely different from what the panels tell you, I never would have believed it! And you know what? It IS completely different! But I guarantee you no one would believe me!

What do you like about your current career?
The thing I like best about my career now is that I am my own boss in all the facets of my work. I’m the bandleader, the studio owner, the head of the entertainment company, the manager, the educator, and the artist! Oh, and to be honest, that it’s 9:30 in the morning and I’m sitting at my kitchen table doing this interview in my PJs! That’s definitely a perk of it!

How does your career use your skills and what projects are you working on that best demonstrate them?
At the moment, I have so many projects in the air. I am in the process of making my new album, I manage two other artists, produce a third, and my company is about to sign a partnership deal with a major distributor. To be successful in my industry, I firmly believe you need so much more than talent these days! The more you know, the more you can do. Tasks that I encounter on a regular basis require me to be a clear and decisive communicator, an effective leader, super organized, and have the ability to create everything out of nothing, often times. I don’t have a background in finance or business, but I got a crash course in it early on, and it makes all the difference in the world!

What career successes are you most proud of having achieved?
There are so many that I am proud of—most recently I would have to say – signing the deal with the major publisher, the licensing deal, and starting my new album. Those are definitely successes to be proud of. But, what makes me realize that my hard work is paying off? The fact that I have two artists under my wing who trust my judgment, that I love working so hard for, and the fact that people recognize me as an “idea woman.” It’s when people start to know you for your knowledge and experience and not just your talent that you know you’re on the right track!

What training and education have you completed and what did you take away from these experiences?
Like I said, I started playing the piano when I was two. My first teacher was my grandmother, who was a Julliard graduate. I credit my education in music to the Levine School of Music where I had two of the greatest piano teachers in the world, Lois Narvey and Jeffrey Chappell. To be completely honest, the last grade I completed was 7th grade. By this point, my parents and I realized that my life was in music and therefore planned accordingly. I got a job at the Levine School working with their Childrens’ Chorus and stayed there until I met the 10,000 Maniacs. You want to talk about education?! The Maniacs gave me the best education I could get in the industry. I learned what it was to be a real-life, signed, touring musician from their guitarist, Rob Buck. I have to give a huge shout out to my old manager, Paul Miletti. He really taught me everything I know about the business and I really credit him for giving me the staying power and the legs to stand up in this industry!

How do you spend your time outside of work?
Thinking up more whimsical ideas to add to my plan, of course! Honestly, I don’t have a lot of free time. In my industry, you only get out of it what you put into it and I have severely lofty plans for myself, therefore, I am working every chance I get. That being said, when I am not working, I am usually at the dojo, training Shotokan Karate. Aside from that, I love to try new restaurants, go to comedy clubs, and spend time with my family.

In what ways are you making a difference in other people’s lives?
By leading by example and educating them as they go along. Case and point, when I produce an album for an artist, I have them in the studio with me every step of the way, even after they’ve finished “their part.” It’s their album, right? So, they should know how it gets edited, mixed, mastered, and packaged. The most important thing I learned is that to be a success, you have to be taken seriously. And to be taken seriously, you need to have all the knowledge you can. I try to impart this on everyone I work with as much as possible. Also, it raises the standards of the products they put out. In my world, the best can always be bested.

If you have children, how do you find the work/family balance?
I don’t have children, but I am looking to start a family in the next few years. Currently, I’m really lucky because I get to work from home whenever I want to so making time for family isn’t really an issue for me. When I go on the road, however, it is somewhat of a balancing act, yes, but there are twice daily phone calls, emails, and video chats on a nightly basis. I keep in touch. They are my support system.
They also keep me sane and connected to the world outside the circus that is my career!

If you were to start over again from college and still end up at the same job you’re currently at, what steps would you take differently?
I can’t say that I would do anything differently—well, except for one thing. After making my first album, I realized that we didn’t have a PR budget for it. The record has been selling for about 7 years now, but it would have done a LOT better if we had a PR budget for it. I take the responsibility in being rather short sighted on that one and have made sure that it has never happened again.

What barriers have you overcome to get to your present position today, and what lessons have you learned from your mistakes?
The two biggest barriers/challenges I am overcoming in my present position are finding a balance in my life between work and life itself, and also knowing what I’m good at and being okay with my level of expertise. In the entertainment industry, you’re only as good as what you did yesterday and everyone always thinks they know better than you, and that can create unnecessary mis-steps and clouded visions for a lot of people, but learning your craft and honing it to the master level and then standing firm in your position is a fight well worth it. It takes a lot of time and heartache, but leaves you in a much better position in the long run! It’s a very hard lesson to learn.

What’s the greatest career advice you have ever been given? What advice do you bestow on others?
The greatest career advice I have ever been given was by the guys in the band, Smashmouth. They said that everyday, I should do something, no matter what it was, to advance my career. Even if it was as small as making fliers for a show or answering that one extra email, I was propelling myself forward. I have lived by that advice ever since I heard it!
The advice I would bestow onto others is this: Be clear about what you want to do in your life, and be honest with yourself about it. Do NOT get lost in believing your own hype. You MUST be able to back it up, and every day, the best can be bested. The amount of success you garner is directly proportionate to the amount of work you put in. Don’t ever tell yourself you are “good enough.” Good enough isn’t good enough. Always seek to be the best, and you can be.

What accomplishments – both professionally and personally – do you hope to have achieved 20 years from now?
Hahaha! I recently got asked that in a TV interview and I will answer it the same way: I want to be so big that tabloids will dig through my trash. What a wonderful problem to have! Seriously, I’d love to have a family (I’m hoping for two kids), and support them through my music and my business. I want them to grow up knowing that they can be anything they want to be and that they can make the rules to their own empires if they put the work in. I’d like a Grammy, sure, who wouldn’t?! I’d like to own the controlling shares in Viacom. But really, when I think about it, I’d like to be known for my creativity and my honest, superior standards that I hold in my industry.

Dr. Emily Splichal, Founder and CEO of Catwalk Confidence

2008-07-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

Dr. Emily Splichal
Education: Doctorate in Podiatric Medicine (DPM); Master’s in Public Health

Job title and employer: Beth Israel Medical Center, Manhattan, NY; Founder and CEO of Catwalk Confidence_TM

What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?

I am a first year podiatric surgical resident at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan NY. I am a recent graduate of podiatric medical school where I was actively involved in research and in presenting at medical and public health conferences.

In addition, I am an exercise specialist. For the past 8 years I have been promoting healthy lifestyle and chronic disease prevention through exercise. I recently have started my own company called Catwalk Confidence which is a fitness DVD collection designed for women who wear stilettos. I have combined my passion for fitness and podiatric medicine through in these DVDs.

What are three of the most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you, career-wise or other?

Definitely starting my own company, Catwalk Confidence_TM. I am working with a business consultant who is helping me push the product in European and Asian markets and creating franchise rights to the workout. My training style is very unique with a special appreciation for the medical side of fitness, so by seeing my workout becoming franchised is an amazing accomplishment.

My passion for lecturing at fitness and medical conferences has taken me to many great cities across the United States. I have presented to audiences up to 100 doctors or exercise specialist. This July I will be traveling to Hawaii to present my research on balance training for diabetics.

My interest in writing, fitness and medicine has brought me opportunities to write for some amazing journals and magazines. I am a staff writer for Fitness Magazine, as well as various fitness websites and journals.

What career successes are you most proud of having achieved?

I am most proud of:

· My first publication in a medical journal

· Acceptance to present at my first major fitness conference

· Completion of an independent research project that was sponsored by a research grant I was awarded

Starting up my own company

· Acceptance to the Beth Israel Medical residency

In what ways are you making a difference in other people’s lives?

I am helping people understand the importance of fitness in controlling chronic disease and extending people’s lives. Many diseases can effectively be prevented or managed with a regular fitness routine. The research I have done on balance training and pilates training for diabetics with neuropathy, has effectively shown that fitness is effective at reducing falls in diabetics. It is my goal to get the word out about the importance of reducing falls in diabetics and elderly by adding pilates to their routine. I have had many clients who have come to me with high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes and through our hard work are able to get off all of their medications and implement healthy diets and lifestyles, making them feel younger and happier.

What’s the greatest career advice you have ever been given? What advice do you bestow on others?

My advice is to definitely follow your heart. My education and career path was anything but straight. I had many hurdles to overcome but kept focuses on my dream to be successful and impact other’s lives.

Most people who had to achieve their dreams had to take a risk. As scary as it may seem taking that risk is necessary to move to the next level. In the end you will look back and realize that the struggles and long days/nights were so worth it!

What accomplishments – both professionally and personally – do you hope to have achieved 20 years from now?

Professionally I hope to:

· Have my workout franchised and available in the major European and Asian markets.

· I want to establish myself as a fitness expert/podiatrist who has a successful Manhattan practice

· I want to continue my love for research by regularly lecturing at both medical and fitness conferences across the U.S. and internationally

· I want to open a wellness center that will enable me to continue my love for fitness and medicine

Personally I hope to:

· Be fully confident and proud of who I have become as a woman in medicine

· I want to continue to build my friendships and network in the New York City community

· I want to continue to be happy in my career and not think of my career as work but my passion

· Begin a family

Just Me by Trish N.

2008-06-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

I had to go to a work party tonight, a small departmental gathering. It was an intimate setting, expensive wine and lots of polite and (office) politically correct conversation.

I do have this rule now, when Annie, my colleague, goes home, I have to leave too, because I always get into trouble when she's not around. For some reason, I can't mix free food, happy hour and work people on my own. She's my trusty barometer for allowed drunken behavior. So, I leave early, at a decent hour, quite proud of myself for being a lady and not saying the wrong thing, at the right time, to the wrong person...which I've done before – sober. BUT,On my way home, who do I run into - my Boss (!), the only person who wasn't at the party, taking the same train at the same time in the same car with me. (Me: tipsy. Him: innocent bystander and slightly confused).

To say the least that was the longest eight-minute commute ever for both of us combined. Life has a real funny sense of humor sometimes. Unfortunately, I don't when I'm tipsy. Now, I'm really sure he'll have a word or two with me...

Trish N. Bio

After leaving the corporate world of banking and finance, Trish N., an aspiring New York writer and yoga enthusiast, has decided to take cabs home from now on. Currently she dreams of living in a Brooklyn brownstone someday with her beloved kitty, but Manhattan will always be her first true love...

Major Decision by Mayra David

2008-06-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

Few decisions I've made have been as profound as my choice in college majors. In high school, I knew some who were completely clear on what they wanted to study in college, but I was not so fortunate. Of course I was looking forward to experiencing college. And I liked the notions of 'campus life' and 'study abroad' but those words might as well have been 'whole world' and 'my oyster'.

I hated getting asked what I would major in. I wish I had known it was alright to say I'm keeping my options open, thank you very much. Instead, I often said 'International Relations' – several in my family were in the foreign service, so it made sense. Thank goodness for freshman disorientation. Overwhelmed, I basically stuck to the requirements during my first year. This left me more time for courses of my choosing in the following semesters, but more than that: it bought me a year's worth of time.

I started taking classes in political science and world history, trying to get a taste for 'international relations' (whatever that meant). At the same time, however, through the friends I made and the activities I was drawn to, I became very involved in the artistic community of the college. I loved my writing courses and I was getting great roles in theater productions.

Soon, I was spending all my time in those disciplines and my performance in non-related courses suffered. My parents were not happy; neither was I. Many discussions ensued where the words 'sensible' and 'passion' collided. I learned that 'passion' is a word of inherent dichotomy – it can bring about both focus and confusion. I was passionate about traveling and languages, writing and the theatre. But I had to admit to myself that my interest in international affairs was just that – an interest. My future was in the arts and I wanted to focus all my energy on that major.

Once decided, I wanted to declare it to the world! Or at least to the Registrars Office. Fortunately, despite feeling like I spent time in clashing disciplines, in reality all my courses thus far complemented each other and fulfilled requirements for a double major in writing and theatre arts. I hadn't been as divided as I thought.

Though my parents were worried about the lack of security a non-traditional career, I remained firm in my dedication to it. They knew that if I don't care for the work, my performance – and rewards – were going to suffer anyway. On average, a person will hold 12-15 different jobs and will change their careers 4-5 times in their lifetime. In light of this, it would be easy to listen to those who say just get a degree, any degree. But I say, it means don't worry: keep making choices for yourself that keep you happy and productive.

Mayra David Bio

Mayra was born in Seattle and raised in the Philippines, Germany, and the U.S. due to her mother's work as a diplomat. She graduated from RCNJ in 2002 with a B.F.A in Writing and Theater and with no more concrete plan than "moving to New York City to pursue my dreams." Of course setting that plan into action proved far more difficult than she originally anticipated what with rent, security deposit, student loans and fierce competition to deal with. You live, you learn, and learn that being practical and savvy turns dreams into goals. She is happy to be a part of YWW and hopes her experiences thus far can be a help to young women navigating their own working lives. Mayra currently lives in New York City.