Growing up my bedroom was wallpapered with fashion magazines. I loved fashion, but I never thought of it as a career. I went the most traditional route, majoring in Neurobiology & Physiology on the pre-med track to ultimately become a plastic surgeon. During my junior summer, I got an internship at a hospital, and that experience proved to me that I didn’t have the passion to continue down that path. I broke the news to my parents without a Plan B. Luckily, my fashion inspiration came to me in time for me to reset my experience in the magazine industry.

I truly believe that the fashion industry is a boot camp for so many life skills.  It was during my time at magazines that I learned how important it was to do the work. Quite frankly, there was so much work, not doing it wasn’t an option. I used to stay in the fashion closet some nights until 1 AM because the breadth of what needed to be accomplished simply couldn’t be handled during a normal work day. That was the norm. I had the support of my fellow fashion assistants, and they became my family.

Building my reputation was the key to borrowing the designer accessories samples that I needed to pull in for our fashion shoots. It was all about who you knew and which publicist would pick you over another editor at a competing magazine to loan product to. I learned how to work under intense pressure and with very colorful personalities. I wouldn’t trade this education for anything. It is priceless and prepared me for my job in communications later on.

Yeah, that sounds like me (laughs). I think one of the greatest gifts is having conviction. Over the years, I have sat in meetings and watched people either remain silent or nod their heads at bad ideas. I can’t and will not do that. I have always had the confidence to say no to something that either I can’t do or won’t do because I don’t believe it’s the right path. I credit my parents with bringing me up in an environment where it was encouraged to respectfully disagree! By doing so, you build credibility and authority.

I’ve had a ton of support and people ahead of me who always looked out for me. But one thing I have always done and continue to do, is working hard. I have high standards for what I produce and with that, I am also very passionate about the relationships I have made. I don’t want to let people down, so I always tend to over-perform. I’m also one of those people who likes a report card. I need feedback! Along my twenty-year journey in fashion, I have valued the friendship and guidance of so many, but my greatest mentor is Patti Cohen, my former boss at Donna Karan. She is an industry icon, and she has always encouraged me to grow.

Almost two years ago, an editor from Grand Central Publishing, who was following my former DKNY PR GIRL’s Twitter and blog, called and said: “I think there’s a book in here somewhere.”

Of course, I was flattered, but I was also intimated by the idea because I had that initial: How? When? About what? I was very hesitant, but she was really good at her job, and every few weeks she would call me again and ask: “Have you put any more thought into writing a book? You can just put just some thoughts down on paper, write a short proposal.” I'd say: “Yes, I’m thinking about it, but I just don’t know what I would want to write about.” That went on for months.

I have to feel passion for a concept to consider doing it. It had to have a purpose, and I didn’t say yes until I figured what that purpose was. I started to think about how many times someone has reached out and said, “I would love to grab a coffee and pick your brain about my career.” Then I thought how well work and coffee go hand-in-hand and how I start every morning with a red lipstick stain on my cup. And it hit me: [writing a book] could be my way of grabbing coffee with everyone. I could be a virtual mentor.

A lot of different projects. My theme for 2016 is “Eclectic.” I’ve joined two fashion technology companies as a strategic advisor and board member. I also started BLACKBOARD, my subscritpion newsletter which comes out for #motivationmonday. 

I set my alarm 30 minutes earlier than I need to wake up every day. Then I snooze. I take my snoozing very seriously. If snoozing is cut short for any reason, my day is doomed. Generally, I set the alarm for 6 AM  and start moving at 6:30 AM. The first thing I do before I move is check Twitter and scan emails. Then I head for the kitchen. My husband David is a saint and leaves my coffee made, complete with skim and sugar, on the counter. So once snooze time is up, I stumble into the kitchen and make a beeline for the coffee. If for any reason he neglected to make it that morning, I assume we are in a fight ha ha.

Next, I get the kids moving which is as any mother will tell you, an Olympic sport. I drop the kids at school by 8:15, and then it’s off to the races!

We have hundreds of ideas a day. Some people write their ideas down, others ignore them. I don’t ignore them. The good ones make me move and inspire me to continue learning and, most importantly, to experiment. I am a big believer in trusting your gut. If it doesn’t feel good, it’s probably not a good idea. That said, don’t confuse feeling good with feeling comfortable. Sometimes the best ideas make you very uncomfortable.

Define and own your personal brand. It’s the only thing you have full control over.

Success is first and foremost visible in my children. I don’t think as a mother you can let your career define you. My family life and a good marriage are very important to me. Beyond that, I define success in making a difference, whether it’s helping someone land a job through LEAVE YOUR MARK or writing a great piece that resonates with my audience, I enjoy connecting with people. I am not one of those people who ever feels like I’ve made it. I am always on the journey.

Work your butt off between 22-30 so that you can have more flexibility from 30-40. From 22-30, if you’re too comfortable in your job and your hours are great, you need a new job.

I am excited to explore new paths and push my creativity to new places!