9 Incredible Founders On The Advice That Kick-Started Their Careers
In celebration of Women’s History Month, PORTER asks a series of inspiring founders to share the words of wisdom that have stayed with them as they have built their brands and organizations
Emma Grede, co-founder and CEO of Good American
“As women, I think we would do well to be a little more selfish. For a lot of women early on in their career, there is a window where you can really focus on yourself and your career goals, and I wish more people would take advantage of that timing. For many women, we are wired to nurture and over-compromize, and so being a little more focused on what best serves ourselves is no bad thing. This doesn’t stop you from leading with empathy or inspiring those around you. Two things can be true at once: you can make the right decisions for yourself and be a successful leader who lifts up those around you at the same time.” Shop Good American
Ariela Safira, founder and CEO of mental-health organization Real
“‘An outsider to math is more likely to solve the hardest math proof than a well-trained mathematician.’ Keith Schwartz, a computer-science professor at Stanford, ingrained in me the notion that to solve the world’s most difficult problems, we need ‘outsiders’ to take on those problems. People who haven’t been indoctrinated by a system but, instead, approach it with unbiased eyes, skepticism and uniquely creative thinking.
“This way of thinking changed me – Keith instilled a belief in myself that created Real. It propelled me into solving healthcare’s biggest problems, not despite the fact that I’m an outsider, but because I am an outsider. I’m not constrained by the way the system looks today. As an outsider, I have the luxury of clearly seeing the gaps that exist, and asking the necessary questions to build a better, more inclusive system.” join-real.com
Sophie Ashby, interior designer and founder of Studio Ashby
“‘Work on yourself, so you can be there for your team.’ The stress of running a business is not to be underestimated, and that can trickle down and affect studio culture and team morale. I try to better myself through coaching, talking to my peers, seeking honest advice and self-reflection so that I can be the kind of leader I want to be.” studioashby.com
June Angelides MBE, investor, speaker and founder of Mums In Technology
“My mother is such an inspiring force. Growing up, I would watch with admiration how much love and sacrifice she put into building the family business that her father started. She always said, ‘Time waits for no one.’ That quote has stuck with me, as I think about how to spend my time and making every minute count.” juneangelides.com
Carolina Bucci, jewelry designer and brand founder
“The best advice I have ever received came from one of my tutors at the Fashion Institute of Technology. I was young and in New York and so busy with life and work, and nights and days were long and filled with everything. He noticed that I wasn’t happy with my design work and was in a creative rut, and he told me that I should allow myself to be bored. That I should try to be bored. Stop running around so much and just daydream. It was, and still is, something I remember every time I need to find inspiration. These days, there are meditation apps but, 20 years ago, in a new and busy city, this was the best advice I could ever have received.” Shop Carolina Bucci
Brittney Escovedo, CEO and founder of experiential-event production company Beyond 8
“Two of the most important pieces of advice that have been shared with me are to network on my level (don’t get hung up on rubbing shoulders with the CEO if you’re an assistant – the reality is that an assistant or manager sitting next to you will be the CEO in your near future) and to cultivate genuine relationships with people. I spend time intentionally carving out time in my week to get to know people on a deeper level, sharing a meal together or jumping on a call to remain connected.
“When I get to know people in an authentic way, I create bonds that last a lifetime. My clients become friends, and my friends become clients. There is a mutual respect, trust and humanity that exists between people who know each other and care to see one another succeed.” beyond8.co
Laura Jackson, founder of Glassette
“When I was talking about starting a business with [entrepreneur] Sharmadean Reid, she said to me, ‘Don’t feel like you need to be CEO.’ There are so many other roles within a business where you can make a big impact and still retain control. Hire people who are experts and concentrate on where you can add value to help the company thrive.” glassette.com
Sandrine Zhang Ferron, founder of Vinterior
“The best advice I received from a friend when starting Vinterior was to learn to code, so that I could understand the business from the inside out. We are a tech business and, as I’ve built the platform myself, I am better informed when it comes to making decisions and understanding the pain points within the product engineering team. It also meant in the early days I had the technical skills and experience with hiring, managing and challenging decisions whilst remaining credible and understanding the context of each trade-off we were making.
“This approach has stood me in good stead when it comes to growing the wider team. I am constantly learning and up-skilling so I can continue to understand all aspects of the business and ensure I can ask the questions that need to be asked. I won’t always be the expert, but I want to ensure I can be involved in the conversation.” vinterior.co
Natsuko Shoji, chef and founder of restaurant Été
“‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’ My mother told me these words to encourage me when I was younger, because home was not a stable, peaceful place for us. This experience has made me stronger and has given me the power to get over tough working conditions in my career.” Discover Natsuko Shoji on Instagram
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The people featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown