Emma

And what I mean by that is that I've made it a habit to take whatever I've had, whatever the situation was, and use it as a springboard to get me to the next place. So let me give you a couple of real examples. I started my career working in a fashion show production company, which sounds very glamorous.

And what I mean by that is that I've made it a habit to take whatever I've had, whatever the situation was, and use it as a springboard to get me to the next place. So let me give you a couple of real examples. I started my career working in a fashion show production company, which sounds very glamorous.

But essentially, I was building the sets for catwalk shows, which is a completely thankless task. You spend three months developing this beautiful concept alongside a designer and their team. The show goes up and down in seven minutes. And as the event producer, you're backstage. You don't see any of it, like not a sausage.

But essentially, I was building the sets for catwalk shows, which is a completely thankless task. You spend three months developing this beautiful concept alongside a designer and their team. The show goes up and down in seven minutes. And as the event producer, you're backstage. You don't see any of it, like not a sausage.

And you would be taking down your work to restore the venue back to what it was before you started right afterwards. Three months of work, just poof, gone. Meanwhile, everybody else is talking to the press or going off to the next show or the next party that you are completely uninvited to. This was my life for over five years.

And you would be taking down your work to restore the venue back to what it was before you started right afterwards. Three months of work, just poof, gone. Meanwhile, everybody else is talking to the press or going off to the next show or the next party that you are completely uninvited to. This was my life for over five years.

It might well have been the least rewarding job I've ever had in my life. Or was it? Ultimately, I used that job to understand fundamentally how the fashion business worked. Why were people at the fashion shows? Well, they were there to buy the collections and create press stories and reviews to publicize the shows.

It might well have been the least rewarding job I've ever had in my life. Or was it? Ultimately, I used that job to understand fundamentally how the fashion business worked. Why were people at the fashion shows? Well, they were there to buy the collections and create press stories and reviews to publicize the shows.

And every single person that attended those shows was a potential good contact for me. Every client who had a show could be useful to me in some way, shape or form. And so when I eventually left that company, not only did I have a lot of contacts that I could leverage, but I also had a reputation that I could leverage.

And every single person that attended those shows was a potential good contact for me. Every client who had a show could be useful to me in some way, shape or form. And so when I eventually left that company, not only did I have a lot of contacts that I could leverage, but I also had a reputation that I could leverage.

My reputation at that young age wasn't about doing anything dramatically good or different, but I was known as a really hard worker, as someone that had so much passion for the industry and someone that was clearly going to do whatever it took to get to the next stage in her career.

My reputation at that young age wasn't about doing anything dramatically good or different, but I was known as a really hard worker, as someone that had so much passion for the industry and someone that was clearly going to do whatever it took to get to the next stage in her career.

And so I leveraged those things about myself into my next position and ultimately found the client base for my first agency business within those contacts that I'd made. And so the story went on. Those contacts became my clients. Those clients gave me bigger and bigger and bigger projects and opportunities.

And so I leveraged those things about myself into my next position and ultimately found the client base for my first agency business within those contacts that I'd made. And so the story went on. Those contacts became my clients. Those clients gave me bigger and bigger and bigger projects and opportunities.

And eventually, when I needed to raise money for my first startup 10 years later, who did I go to? Not a fund or a VC. I didn't know any of those type of people. I went to a client who I had a reputation of delivering excellent work with and a long and trusted working relationship with.

And eventually, when I needed to raise money for my first startup 10 years later, who did I go to? Not a fund or a VC. I didn't know any of those type of people. I went to a client who I had a reputation of delivering excellent work with and a long and trusted working relationship with.

And not only was I able to pitch my idea and the potential of an investment, but I also managed to make that person a trusted advisor and someone that would help me throughout the years. The key take out here is that it's not always easy to see your path forward. And I have so many people that come to me asking about the next step.

And not only was I able to pitch my idea and the potential of an investment, but I also managed to make that person a trusted advisor and someone that would help me throughout the years. The key take out here is that it's not always easy to see your path forward. And I have so many people that come to me asking about the next step.

How do they get from where they are today to where they want to be? And my simple answer is that you have to be excellent at what you're doing right now, where you are today. The single best way to be noticed and to be able to use the leverage that you might have is for people to notice how good you are right now at what you're doing in this moment.

How do they get from where they are today to where they want to be? And my simple answer is that you have to be excellent at what you're doing right now, where you are today. The single best way to be noticed and to be able to use the leverage that you might have is for people to notice how good you are right now at what you're doing in this moment.