What inspires you to show up at work every day?
If my body would let me, I’d work 24-hours a day. On many occasions I have because I love what I do for my clients. The ability to creatively use my mind on different projects with new people, gets me going every morning. My inspiration stems from my children who support me, sometimes work with me and who smile at me and say “wow, you’re smart mom …,” even when I occasionally bore them with my stories from work.
How did you determine your career path?
I didn’t determine my career path; I let opportunities lead me to my passion. … My degree in psychology, allows me to better understand people…and eventually help them. But I’ve always worked in technology, finance and media. Why? Because they are crucial to our everyday existence and inevitably equip me with a well-rounded skill set to do what I’ve always wanted to do — help people.
What other industries connect to your career choice?
Technology, finance, and media are all connected to what I have done for over 20 years. I started writing for my university’s paper, then writing for online news magazines, wrote my book when I was pregnant with my third child and have been going ever since.
Describe goal-setting methods you use and how you evaluate your success?
For the last 10 years of my life, I have spent my Christmas holidays writing strategies, plans and creating marketing plans for my business. I don’t attend Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve parties because I spend my time assessing, planning, writing and then creating systems to support my expected growth. It is easy being a small business owner because I don’t have to go to a board for approval when I create sales goals for my company — which has its pros and cons and no system is perfect.
… Ultimately, I evaluate my success based on two things: a) Did I deliver? and b) Are my clients happy?
Name your favorite role models for success in two industries.
Elon Musk is my role model because he’s confident, highly intelligent and he’s tough. He’s a matter-of-fact type of guy. I relate to him a great deal. The second is John Mackey because this guy is bringing whole foods to the masses one store at a time when so many others are feeding Americans junk. … I have to have a third person on this list because she’s paramount. That would be Kimora Lee Simmons, I don’t admire her for celebrity’s sake I respect her hustle and her smarts. She lands on her feet and she has a deep passionate side to her that I connect with not to mention she knows her target market intimately. That’s crucial for a business to survive let alone be successful. She’s a survivor.
Describe why lifelong learning is important to you?
Education is key. As a college professor, teaching others makes me who I am and learning is what I believe in deeply. I have always had a gift and ability to make complicated matters simple for others to understand. … You don’t have to go to class to learn. There is a website I use every week to take classes to enrich my skill set called General Assembly (www.generalassemb.ly).
What software and tools of technology have made the biggest difference in your life?
iTunes
QuickBooks Online
eVoice
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Zoho CRM
Define your personal culture?
My culture is bohemian hippy chic with a little jazzy Latin love integrated into it.
Describe your favorite vacation spot.
New Orleans, the music, the water, the history, the ambiance, and the food. It’s home away from home for me.
