What Wall Street, Newsrooms, and Startups Taught Me About Being Bold
Being bold is part of my DNA. Boldness is having a strong conviction in my ideas and passions and then finding resources to help me achieve my goals. I’ve been fortunate to split my career between finance, media, and tech — industries that aren’t built for the faint of heart. Below I’ve outlined the five biggest lessons I’ve learned about being bold and the impact it has had on being a female founder of a men’s athleisure skincare brand: Oars + Alps.
1. Have a can-do attitude
Prior to joining Goldman Sachs out of college, I had only worked in science and engineering internships and jobs. As a result, working alongside finance experts with seasoned business experience was daunting at best. Rather than becoming overwhelmed by imposter syndrome, I focused on what I knew: I was a trained problem solver. My prior experience combined with the knowledge that I could tackle any challenge headed my way helped me survive and thrive in a highly competitive environment there.
2. Take the leap, even when other people think you’re crazy
One of the boldest things I ever did was to drop out of Harvard Business School with only 1 semester left until graduation to pursue a job as a business TV anchor at Forbes TV. I was told I was the only person in HBS’s 10- year history at the time to do that, and most people thought I was nuts. But my then boyfriend (now husband) was incredibly supportive, and he and I knew that on-air jobs were rare. I took the leap, had a great experience at Forbes TV, and was lucky enough to return to HBS to graduate. It was worth the hustle…and the risk to make it happen.
3. Use a deep breath to your advantage
I’ve been on camera for over five years and I’ve interviewed some very important people including CEOs, heads of state, billionaires, and economists. Being part of live TV means being ready for anything…literally. I once interviewed Sir Richard Branson hours after the death of his friend, Nelson Mandela.
I couldn’t let the interview pass without asking some business questions, but in the end I found a delicate balance between empathy and business and ended up asking tough business-focused questions without ruining the cadence of the interview. Speak from the force of your diaphragm, not your throat, and take a deep breath, but don’t back down from hard questions or problems. Be bold and remind yourself you’ve got this.
4. Start from Scratch
I loved being on TV, but the engineer in me wanted to build something from scratch. I wanted to build something bigger than myself, but where would I start? I decided to start close to home.
Working in TV, you get access to the best skincare products in the world, and my husband would always borrow them, leading to countless bathroom brawls each morning. In addition to my own sanity, the scientist in me knew that men’s skin was thicker, oilier, and coarser, so he (and a generation of men along with him) needed a different kind of product and a different kind of retail experience to purchase that product. Thus, Oars + Alps was born. We are an athleisure brand providing premium men’s skincare products without the premium price.
5. Believe in yourself (and your team)
Running Oars + Alps has taught me how to turn an idea into reality. I’ve had to explain my vision to investors, suppliers, manufacturers, customers, and team members. I’ve received tremendous support, but pitching people on your business idea can be daunting, intimidating, and awkward.
What allows me to make the “asks” is the supreme belief that the business is going to be successful and that my team is the right team to help men become empowered in every aspect of their lives. I have a co-founder, Laura Lisowski Cox, who shares my vision on athleisure and empowering guys on-the-go, and a partner who is equally committed and energized by the certainty of our success. A little confidence goes a long way, regardless of whether you’re pitching a future business partner or a future intern.
From Harvard to Hong Kong and Goldman Sachs to gentlemen’s skincare, it feels as if I had a career journey that even the best movie script couldn’t predict. But along the way, I’ve been powered by boldness, and being a founder has empowered me more than ever.
Being bold is hard. It’s tough, and it’s non-stop. But I wouldn’t want to be anything else.
Check us out! Oarsandalps.com
