This week I had the honor of being invited to present via video chat to a classroom of 6th to 8th grade girls as part of a curriculum called: Unladylike: Boss Lady Edition. I even had my son BB appear for parts of the video chat so the girls could see life for me as a new mom.
Below is a rough outline of some of the questions I was asked.
What do you do for work and how did you get this job?
I’m currently a management consultant full-time, and an Instagram blogger / influencer part-time. I got into consulting right after college. For Instagram it is something that I developed over time.
What are the best parts of your job? The hardest?
The best part is solving hard business problems for my clients. They are also the hardest. Because my clients come to me often with business problems that they themselves don’t have the resources to solve on their own.
How has becoming a mother changed you?
Becoming a mother changes everything! I want to be there for him so much and I want to be able to see him grow up. I am so lucky to be able to enjoy an unusually long (for the US) maternity break.
How does it feel to work in a male dominated field? Did you ever feel like you can’t do anything because you’re a woman?
(As a side note – consulting isn’t male dominated at the entry level, but at the most senior level, it is still majority male)
When I first started consulting, I felt very intimidated. No one in the meetings looked like me. All the clients were mostly male. I didn’t know how to self advocate and was afraid to speak up. Over time I realized that this was all in my head. No one ever told me I couldn’t do anything just because I was a woman. So I decided to push my abilities to the limits. I can be anything I want to me if I put my mind to manifesting my dreams.
Growing up I am thankful my parents never placed limits on my abilities just because I was a girl.
Who inspires you?
Growing up many people inspired me. From my piano teacher to Amelia Earhart, who is a strong example of a woman who showed that anything can be done. These days I’m also very inspired by my father – it only occurred to me now as a mother, how much my father worked, sacrificed, and did whatever he could, to provide for my family.
Did you always know that you wanted to be in your field?
Actually no! When I was in middle school I wanted to be a doctor. Bad idea, as I’m very afraid of blood. Even in high school I wanted to be something different than I am today. And after I first did consulting, I left to go to business school and had stints in startups and also at corporations. My point being – try a lot, and it’s okay if something doesn’t work out. It will not be the end of the world.
How important are mentors?
Very important. I’ve been seeking mentors and also champions all my life. Champions are mentors who not only give advice, but have enough power where you need it, to help you get even better opportunities. Right now most of my mentors are male just because I work in a male dominated field.
What advice would you give to middle schoolers?
You are under a lot of pressure today to be perfect. However, life is never perfect. Don’t try to be perfect. Progress is good enough.
You may not know what you want to do right away. Try something and see if you like it. And if you don’t, try something else.
Negotiate often – if you don’t ask, the answer is always going to be “no”. Be open to change. Don’t be afraid of failure – failure is a great teacher on the road to success. Be open to the fact that your goals and passions can change.
Thank you to Miss Caroline for having me virtually be in your classroom.
Here are some of my favorite books to get inspired. I may receive compensation if you click on these links:
Give and Take by Adam Grant
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
#AskGaryVee: One Entrepreneur’s Take on Leadership, Social Media, and Self-Awareness by Gary Vaynerchuck
The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Benjamin Zander
Defying Limits by Dr. Dave Williams
