Titles & all of that ” ” … (introspection)

I’m often cut off mid-sentence and asked, “But..what do you wanna do?”.

Fair enough question.

(SPOILER: There are no images in this post)

I suppose operating from the gut can make sense to one’s self but not necessarily to others.

It isn’t as if I responsibly mapped out my professional trajectory like I was taught to do…Instead, I followed my heart (whatever that means) and learned important lessons along the way. But, that doesn’t help clarify things, does it?

Unfortunately, passion can lack the efficient jargon demanded by those who wish to make a quick assessment of another’s perceived added value.

How silly was I to add “passion” to the bulletpoints on my resume? The entire Dalek population would explode attempting to grasp this concept.

Passion is tough to quantify. Just ask any successful entrepreneur.

That said, using a wordcloud tool has failed to capture the essence of the value I can add to any organization – instinct, experience, heart, loyalty, intuition, perserverance, empathy, connection, et al…These terms are not trending on LinkedIn — Google alerts would’ve informed me, and I just checked.

So, since my unorthodox list of accomplishments are invisible to search engines (and, incomprehensible to Daleks), I decided to explicity define “success” for myself as a courtesy to my new friends and acquaintances.

Here is what my point B looks like:

*You’re having your A.M. coffee while reading about the biggest networking event of the year on a page in the WSJ.

(Blurb for one of many well-known international events)

The text reads:

Notable Speakers include:

Abby Joseph Cohen one of the most respected figures in investing circles and is the chief US investment strategist for Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue

Carrie Fisher, Actress best known as Princess Leia

Meg Gomez, Makes handmade stationery & sells them on Etsy

Sarah Blakely, CEO & Founder, Spanx

Genevieve Bos, Founding Publisher, Pink Magazine

Sheila Kahanek, former Accountant, Enron.

*end scene

I hope that helped clarify some things for you.

Have a great weekend!!!

Best,

Meg

*end scene

 ;P

(SPOILER: To be continued…)

Cool, Determined and Entrepreneurial: Etsy Community Strategist, Morgan Evans is awesome!

The Pink Ponies Etsy team is honored to have been invited to tonight’s Etsy dinner by Morgan Evans, Community Strategist for Etsy , the global online marketplace for handmade goods and antiques.

“Cool, Determined and Under 30” (via Inc. magazine)

Tonight we met inspiring local entrepreneurs who create and sell handmade goods via their online store on Etsy. These Los Angeles creatives utilize technology and the platform provided by Etsy to lead teams of like-minded sellers.

We don’t necessarily think about the handmade goods seller when the word “entrepreneur” is used, however, these small business owners aren’t sitting around bedazzling for nothing — they make it rain!

Stay tuned for more feedback and some background on the L.A. – based Etsy Entrepreneurs in an upcoming post!

3P

(Inc. mag article link)

How to improve your A-Game (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).

You were known as a focused player who wasn’t very personable. Did that hurt your career?

Well, it had a negative effect on how I was portrayed. But I had no one to explain the value of public relations to me. When I was in college, there was such an intense demand from the press that John Wooden said they couldn’t talk to me at all. So that was what I took for normal going into the NBA. Being at the top of my game and working as hard as I could for the people who employed me—that was my primary focus, and everything else was secondary. So I didn’t always respond to social situations in a pleasant way. When it came to talking to people, I was kind of reserved. But shyness is something you have to overcome. Later in my career, I started doing a lot better relating to fans and talking to the media. I think that’s continued to improve in my retirement.

Excellent interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Harvard Business Review. This interview highlights elements of success and transcends industries beyond sports. We continue to explore lessons from athletes on tonight’s #3PChat with @RickardonSports. Please follow and ask questions using “#3PCwin”. Thank you.

This interview discusses:

• Why PR matters in addition to your team’s results.
• What role managers play in development.
• Being multi-dimensional
• How to play with Magic.
• How being described as “difficult” hurts your game.
• Improvement in general.
• Being accessible.
• How to market and sell yourself.
• Good-judgment.
• Et cetera…

We highly recommend this interview with Kareem as he reflects on his trajectory as he evolved from a great player to a winning player on and off court:

Life’s Work: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Harvard Business Review.

Ten years in "corporate America"…

…and, I didn’t even get a lousy shirt!

‘Masculine Norms’: Why Working Women Find It Hard to Reach the Top – Knowledge@Wharton

I don’t understand why professional norms are classified as either “masculine” or “feminine”. Perhaps a professional norm is sufficient without the hyper-focus on gender issues which mostly create unnecessary inflammation around examples.


‘Masculine Norms’: Why Working Women Find It Hard to Reach the Top – Knowledge@Wharton

Pretty Pink Professional: Interview w. Prime-time TV Makeup Artist (images)

Have you ever thought about being a beauty consultant in the entertainment industry?  We interviewed the Dept. Head of Make-up for some of the biggest shows on television to gain insight on how to reach the stars in Hollywood.

3P: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?

My first film [project as a make-up artist] out of Joe Blasco Make up school was “Galaxina”:  a very low budget feature that reaped great rewards especially professional experience.


3P: What is one thing you now know that you wish you knew about your industry when you first started?

Never date Actors.

3P: Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?

The late Dixie Carter (actor) was an influential person to me.  It was an honor to be in her presence.  She provided me with knowledge and tools that were useful beyond my career….
   

She demanded excellence and I was committed to producing consistently excellent results for her as I am now.

3P: What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?

Keep personal life personal. Work is work.

3P: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?

Not getting my cosmetology licenses sooner.  Education is important if you want to continue to stay relevant and competitive. 

Although I learned a lot through experience and hands-on application, I eventually got my Esthetician’s licenses (after working on “Will & Grace” for eight seasons!), and it has provided my professional practice with even greater rewards.

3P: What is the best part of your job?

Aside from working alongside the most beautiful and talented people in the world, the best part of my job is getting paid to do something I’m passionate about. 

All work should be done with passion.  Passion produces consistently excellent results!

3P: What do you look for when hiring someone? 

I love those with excellent work ethic and who take initiative.

It’s helpful when a teammate does what is needed on his or her own accord without waiting for direction. 

I appreciate working around creative people because of their intuition to help when help is needed.

3P: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?

     

1.  Before putting all your investment in a career in entertainment do your research!  


Learn about the industry as a whole (producers, actors, culture, etc…).

2.  Get your degrees and licenses as soon as possible.  

3.    Be realistic about how much you’ll make.  There are very few people in creative fields in highly competitive and oversaturated fields who can make a living from their craft alone. 

 Be prepared for the ups and downs, lack of job security, long hiatuses, strikes, etc…

4.  Educate yourself on personal finance, budgeting and saving for retirement.  

5.  Continue learning.  When you think you’re the best, it usually means you have a lot to go.

farah@myprettypinkponies.com

Patty is also the founder of APB Networking.  Patty and her team are award winning and Emmy-nominated hair and make-up artists dedicated to providing a solid network to others.  They promote ethics, collaboration and the highest professional standards.

Thanks, Patty and APB!

3P