THE 15 BIGGEST LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED IN 15 YEARS
YOU CAN’T BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE // I knew this from day one. We used to talk about this a lot while I was working as a merchant in corporate fashion in SF and NYC. The more you try to do *all of the things* and appeal to the masses, the more you lose your identity and what makes you individual and unique. For me, this means having fashion and styling always at the forefront of what I do. I share other things from time to time, but the heart of what I stand for has remained consistent.
PRIVACY AND TIME ARE YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSETS // We are living in a much different world than we were 15 years ago. When I started this site Instagram didn’t exist – nor did Snapchat, TikTok, and more. We all know what a valuable resource time is, but I believe in the current climate, a very close second is privacy. I love sharing with all of you, but I draw distinct lines to protect my family, my friends and my mental health. I am so thankful I had this belief when I was younger – who knew I *was* actually capable of making mature decisions at that age! Never forget that the internet is forever.
LEAD WITH CURIOSITY // When you are running a small business you end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting yourself. No job is too small or too big. You also find yourself navigating so many tasks and jobs where you have little expertise. Instead of immediately outsourcing anything I’m less familiar with, I always attempt to understand it first. Taking time to educate myself and figure out the why and the how allows me to understand if I truly need help or if can I take it on myself.
NOT MAKING A DECISION IS A DECISION // I tend to make decisions quite quickly. I prescribe to an oftentimes controversial idea: that making a decision, even the wrong one, will move you forward more quickly, landing you in the right space sooner. You lose far more with indecision. This also goes hand in hand with analysis paralysis. Some decisions will require you to dig into the numbers and do more research, but at a certain point you need to move ahead and make a decision with the information you have. Don’t debate decisions to death.
REWARD GREAT WORK // When you work with others it is so important to reward great work. This may apply a bit more to my time managing people at corporate jobs, but always reward great work publicly and often. Many times the greatest reward for someone is the recognition of a job well done. It can feel even more meaningful when it is done in front of peers, cross functional partners, and other superiors. I have come across some people in various businesses who feel threatened by peers and even talented direct reports. Your goal should be to surround yourself with people who are better than you. Learn to shake the desire of feeling threatened – your team is your greatest asset.
KINDNESS IS KEY // I am by no means perfect, but I have always tried to lead with kindness and surround myself with partners who do the same. I find that when I align myself with people and opportunities that closely mirror my values, magical things can happen. Some of the best decisions I have made are to pass on projects where the culture isn’t the best fit. I may love the brand and the product, but the headache of dealing with negative, cold or toxic teams is never worth it.
ONLY TAKE ON WHAT YOU CAN DO WELL CONSISTENTLY // Being a part of a small team I need to be very efficient with my time. When it comes to content creation the number of platforms and mediums just seems to grow and grow. If I commit to a new platform or venture I want to make sure that I can handle it without letting existing commitments, such as my site or social media channels, suffer. I only take on something new if I can continue to show up in a meaningful way on the platforms I have committed to and have worked to grow an audience on. There are only so many hours in a day.
PERFECTION DOESN’T EXIST (AND SHOULDN’T BE THE GOAL) // In the beginning of Atlantic-Pacific I would wait to try something new until I felt like I had reached a level of near perfection. As time has passed I realize that it is far better to take a leap and start before I am ready. I can fine tune everything as I go, but in waiting, I may miss out on progress and growth. I will learn far more pushing myself than sitting in comfort. As they say, perfectionism is another way to say procrastination.
NEGOTIATIONS AREN’T PERSONAL // My husband and I run Atlantic-Pacific without an agent or representaive. This is what works for us. We are much more involved on the business side, which includes contracts and negotiations. There are times we can’t find common ground in negotiations. Some creators treat contracts like a sparring match, while I take a different approach by simply saying ‘can we come to an agreement we are both satisfied with’? Sometimes we don’t, and that is perfectly okay. Many times brands will circle back when circumstances have changed and we end up working together in the end. I view my clients as coworkers and I consider us all on the same team.
PLAY THE LONG GAME // Being a creator is no different than any other business when it comes to short term versus long term goals. Hopefully I am in it for the long haul, so I play my cards as such. I try not to have knee jerk reactions to every trend, change in social media, or dip in business. This business has A LOT of twists and turns and in my younger years I could become quite overwhelmed. Now I try to go with the flow, knowing I have created a long term consistent business that won’t live or die with sweeping changes.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY // When I am wrong, or make a mistake, I try my best to own up to it and actively find ways to make it right. We all make mistakes and one of the worst qualities I have found in anyone I partner with is when they are unable to admit they are wrong or take responsibility. I always own my side of the street and show respect to others by being honest and open. This is how trust is earned and long term relationships are built.
RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND // While you should always have a roadmap and plan, you should also remain flexible. Over time, and with new information, I allow myself to change my mind. There are certain core values I will never waver from, but operating a business in a very fast paced and changing environment means that I need to be nimble and change direction. No matter what decision I make, I always trust my gut.
IT IS NEVER AS BAD AS YOU THINK // This is a fashion and style site, not life or death. During hard times things can feel catastrophic, but typically, even on my worst day with Atlantic-Pacific, it is never as bad as it seems. I focus on what I can control and continue to move forward even when things are hard. I try to visualize myself a year later and envision how I will feel with time and space between me and a difficult situation. Life goes on.
TREAT YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A BUSINESS FROM DAY ONE // I wish I would have done this. Back in 2010 I started Atlantic-Pacific started as a hobby. If I could go back in time I would have taken it more seriously and and set up the necessary infrastructure needed to scale the business. The second I started making money I would have set up an LLC, hired a professional accountant, built a custom site, etc. The list goes on a on, but you get the point. If it becomes a business, protect it.
LEAVE SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF // While this site is my career and how I support myself, from day one, I have always committed to not have every decision be fueled by money. This is a creative business and there are often projects I want to take on because I love the idea and it excites me. I have lost money on some, and I simply don’t care. As long as I am running a healthy business it will afford me this creative freedom. Not everything has to come down to a dollar sign.
