By 2010, I had grown from entry level to ‘Manager of Business Transformation’ at Ralph Lauren. Of course, the term is buzzy and ubiquitous now, but, back then, it was so new that it confounded those trying to understand my trajectory. Luckily for me, that was just the start of my current journey. 

After about a dozen years of working for the biggest companies in Fashion (Polo, VF & Luxottica), I took a break to experiment. I already knew that I had experience managing most, if not every part, of the global fashion supply chain, but, I wanted ‘more’ and I wasn’t getting offered the roles (that I felt) appropriate to my experience.

This frustration drove me to explore other interests in other industries. By extension, it means that I spent a few years gathering skills in all manner of interesting places. From taking founders courses to running my own consultancy and working on small projects with all kinds of brands and even trying out a few start-ups of my own, I was getting a chance to put theories into practice and to be involved in projects that interested me in new ways. I even ventured out from behind the desk to do fun things like manage a busy bar in The West Village of NYC or work with local artists to produce event-based projects.

Then, one day, I was offered a role in my domain career. It was one that finally spoke to my experience and interest and the kind for which I had not been previously considered ‘ready’. So, I took the chance. I agreed to be the only full time employee of a US entity backed by a parent company pulling in +$100M of global revenue (Autry USA). 

It was my success in this role that made me realize that I had the option to take my freshly honed skill package and attempt to achieve new heights within the Corporate structure. Or, I could, also, take that success as a sign that I was already prepared to strike out on my own. At the time, I not only felt ready to trust my own instincts and run my own company, I felt ready to trust that I had the preparation, experience and instincts to help other founders create a framework to succeed at their own enterprises.

To date, I regularly deploy the skills, judgement and understanding I have gained in my experience in technology, fashion and beyond. This toolbox more than empowers me to design, remediate and implement pivotal processes and strategies on behalf of clients. Even though I have founded a Brand Development Agency (www.versatilestrategies.com), I continue to keep this channel open so that I can independently advise and consult directly with a wide range of artists, organizations and entrepreneurs.