Who run the world?
John Lamparski | Getty Images
International Women’s Week 2022 is underway and in honor of the occasion, we’re revisiting some of our favorite interviews with inspirational women entrepreneurs and businesswomen from the past year.
From multi-millionaire celebrities, to innovative women in tech, to the women ruling the boardroom at big-name companies, the advice from these trailblazers is invaluable.
Here are some of the most powerful nuggets of advice we’ve gathered from some of our favorite ladies.
Focus on where you are now, and master it
“‘Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.’ I love that because it’s such inspiration. It’s think big, it’s do big, it’s reach for the stars, but really keep grounded in your own reality. And your own reality is that you can be so much more than you ever imagined you could be.”
Jane Poynter, Founder, Co-CEO and CXO of Space Perspective
“When I have a really important meeting or audition or performance, I try to just meet the stage or the audition or the fashion where it’s at in that moment,” she says. “Be present. People are always forward-thinking, and it’s good to have goals and dreams. But being in the moment and checking out your surroundings — noticing what is around you — that’s so important to growth.”
Jessica Simpson, Founder, The Jessica Simpson Collection
“I think really caring and really being committed to the job you’re in is the secret to your long-term success. I didn’t spend too much time looking ahead and saying ‘What do I want to do next?’ I really focused on the job that I was doing at any given time, to try to be the best I possibly could, and to give it 110%.”
Katie Couric, Founder, Katie Couric Media
Learn to appreciate the journey
“You lay the groundwork one brick at a time; you don’t eat the whole meal at once, you just take a bite at a time and put one foot in front of the other, and you get there. And it’s never the journey you thought it was going to be — it’s more interesting. And all these steps, even if you think they have nothing to do with what you want to do, they teach you something. So really business is about the journey.”
Bethenny Frankel, CEO, Skinnygirl
“You don’t always have to go straight up the cliff. Being very competitive, I always took on the hardest assignments, sometimes even before I was ready, and I just muscled through — at great personal cost to myself. Sometimes you have to work harder at things, because you don’t know what you’re doing. Once you’ve built up the skills, it’s more effortless.”
Christine Day, Co-Founder and CEO, House of LR&C
Find mentors, and utilize your community
“Starting out, when you’re younger, I think being a sponge and pursuing your passions are two really invaluable traits, absorbing all the knowledge you possibly can and capitalizing on failures as a chance to learn. Having other perspectives from your friends and co-workers and mentors are crucial in this journey … in becoming an entrepreneur, you have to be able to focus and learn what you’re good at. We’re not all good at everything; I learned that a long time ago. You’re better at some things than others, and some things are not going to click. But if you know where you’re headed, that’s helpful.”
Kris Jenner, CEO, Jenner Communications; Co-Founder, Safely
“It’s really about allyship and community and helping each other out. That’s helped me immensely in my journey — just seeking, finding mentors in women that I admire that are a few steps ahead of me and then also ones who are at the same level as I am — and those who are a few steps behind.” Gao says. “All of us have insights and help that we can provide each other.”
Jing Gao, Founder & CEO, Fly By Jing
Know your audience, and live by what your brand stands for
“You have to show up for yourself in order to show up for others, and that requires physical but also mental and spiritual well being. And for me, as a long admirer of the brand, I have been the beneficiary of the magic that is sold in terms of how it was able to provide me that physical, mental and spiritual well being.”
Evelyn Webster, CEO, SoulCycle
“I’ve had opportunities to partner with brands that I absolutely love, but if I don’t think that it’s right for my customer, meaning it might not be as relatable to them or might not work in the right price bracket for them, those are decisions that I take into account. I want it to be something that they’re going to be able to use in their life and truly love and [that] it’s going to be worth it for them.”
Candace Cameron Bure, Co-Founder, Candy Rock Entertainment
Don’t fear failure
“One of the things that I’ve certainly learned from the world of tech is that you have to constantly fail. Otherwise, you’re not going to be making the changes that you need to go forward. And when you have those failures — and they will be there — take the learnings from them so that you don’t make the same mistakes going forward. It’s hard work, but the rewards will be there. And you’ll look back on these early years of doing it, and you’ll feel the success as a result.”
Nicola Mendelsohn, Global Head of Advertising, Meta
