Empowering women to own their careers
"If you want to get started you need to know the industry inside out. You don’t necessarily have to have a degree in design, but should be familiar with the industry standards, terms and history of the design industry. And of course, you need an eye for space, colour, texture and a passion to bring it all together. Another aspect is to have your own unique style, that you can be associated with"
"Focusing on your why will lead you to breakthrough moments in your career. You can only impart through seemingly daunting barriers if you stay true to your purpose"
"I think having to prove your value as a woman in a male dominated field can be difficult considering men are often valued off the bat .I have on many occasions said exactly the same thing as my male counterpart but it seemed to not be received until a man said it. It makes me laugh now but at the time it was frustrating to say the least. I have a “anything a man can do a woman can do better” mentality"
" So I encourage you, university - graduate / college diploma - holder / matriculant, create what you want, call yourself what you want others to call you. Be specific about the work you want to do and watch as it comes to you - because it will, if your intention is aligned with your desire"
"My biggest advice is stay motivated and stay creative with how you pursue your goals. It is so easy to get off track or get tired of what can seem like an endless battle uphill against so many factors that are out of our control. But if you have a dream, create a mantra so that you can repeat to yourself the reasons why you are pursuing your this dream, especially when you are close to walking away. More than anything, remember that the landscape is changing and if you have an idea and the work ethic to make things come in to fruition, you can create your own reality. My career is a direct testament to that"
" First let’s face it, sometimes being a woman of color can present itself as a “double negative” - woman and a person of color. But it’s important that you don’t narrate your story from that vantage point alone. As a matter of fact, I’m learning it can be quite a powerful blessing if approached from a place of contentment and self awareness. And you often don’t get to that place until you’ve faced your fair share of “you don’t belong here” and “you don’t deserve as much as x, y, or z”. Those moments only make you stronger - cliche but trust me, it does. And then you come to find that the people who don’t think your contribution is worth much are actually a very small % of the population"
"It is such a blessing to know every day I am going to come to work and learn something new. I could be learning something from an interview on one of our platforms, from getting through a management hurdle I haven’t faced before, from researching, from our slack (a true treasure trove) or something from the business or events side of the brands"
"I randomly took an online personality test that revealed I may like to code. I found it intriguing and quickly jumped on the opportunity to give it a try. Within only six months, I taught myself how to code using free online resources and switched careers to become a web developer. While at it, I discover my passion for UX Design and found that to be my sweet spot – a mix of research, design, and code. Today, I absolutely love what I do"
La Femme Exec 