Whether you’re a go-getting entrepreneur crafting your destiny, a goal-oriented gal who’s climbing the corporate ladder, or a passionate woman who wants to start a side hustle, this advice is crafted just for you. In today’s guide, you’ll discover valuable pearls of wisdom from several powerhouse women who are leading various industries (including beauty, health and fitness, travel and hospitality, tech, legal, finance, automotive, and more).

Their unique perspectives and insightful tips are not just inspiring but downright empowering, showing us that with a dash of determination, the drive to keep learning, and the belief that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to, we can turn our dreams into reality while becoming the women we’re destined to be.

Since launching Inspirations & Celebrations in 2011, I’ve been on a mission to educate and empower women through inspiration and information. As a gal who believes in celebrating and supporting women, today has become a special holiday in my mind, as it’s an opportunity to honor women for all their wonders – their success, determination, strength, and character.

In my mind, Wonder Women are ladies who daringly venture into the world on a mission to make a positive impact, all while facing their fears, risking failure, and overcoming challenges. When women help each other, everyone benefits; and when powerful women use their strength to uplift others, everyone wins.

With that said, may the following words of wisdom inspire you to follow your dreams, become your best self, and discover your innate superpowers.

Karina Kogan is the Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at Pvolve, an omnichannel fitness company with a science-led method that pairs low-impact, functional movement, and patented resistance equipment to sculpt, strengthen, and restore the body. Since joining the company in 2023, she has led a rebrand and launched Pvolve’s strategic partnership with Jennifer Aniston. Karina has served as a senior executive working at the intersections of innovation and marketing for over two decades, with prior roles as CMO of Oura, SVP and Global Head of Product Marketing at Peloton, and SVP of Digital Media and Products at WarnerMedia. In addition to her operating post at Pvolve, Karina holds board and advisory positions at Jackpot.com, Fightcamp, and NILENT.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?  

KK: “I am allergic to inertia and am perpetually inspired by feeling like I am learning, progressing, and growing.  It’s just in my DNA. But the thrill of progress is motivating and I feel a real high when I learn things.” 

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

KK: “I actually love challenges.  I get excited when I have problems to solve.  As far as fears or “scary challenges” go, I typically feel comforted by being able to connect with friends, family, or colleagues.  Not feeling alone can go a long way in making you feel strong going into overcoming a fear or challenge.”

What tips would give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

KK: “Even the most powerful and seemingly confident women experience feelings of insecurity or imposter syndrome. But believing in yourself is a requirement for success. You just have to do it.  And remember, you can be humble and confident at the same time – these things are not at odds with each other and are two wonderful traits to have.  Finally, honing your self-confidence skills is similar to working a muscle. The more you do things that make you insecure (e.g., public speaking), the more secure you get when you do them.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

KK: “I have two favorites: 1) Learning, learning learning. No matter how much work experience I have (and it’s A LOT), I still feel there is so much more I am eager to learn and experience. I am constantly looking to try new things and build new capabilities. 2) I love working with a team to solve complex problems. It’s so thrilling when a group of people get together and put their different knowledge and perspectives together to achieve a BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal).”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

KK: “I always joke that my advice would be to buy stocks like Google, Apple, Meta, and Tesla.  But the less cheeky answer to that question is that I would tell myself to believe in myself more and to be less afraid about taking risks.”

Caroline MacDonald is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Pebble Beach Company, a world-famous golf resort located in California’s Monterey Peninsula. In her current role, she is responsible for the operational oversight and financial performance of the three iconic hotels: The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay, and Casa Palmero, in addition to Spanish Bay Club and Beach & Tennis Club, nine restaurants and special event operations for Pebble Beach Company. She joined Pebble Beach Company in September of 2022. Before joining Pebble Beach Company, she served as Senior Vice President of Operations at Rosewood Hotel Group, responsible for directing operations for 15 hotels in the Americas region. Additionally, Caroline also held a global role as Group Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Business performance for Rosewood’s portfolio which included Rosewood, New World, and KHOS brands.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

CM: “As the saying goes, “Success breeds success.” Nothing beats the positive feeling of achieving a goal. That makes me want to reach higher. I’m constantly amazed at what my colleagues and the people around me accomplish every day. It reinforces that the impossible is possible when we work together.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

CM: “I’m a huge believer in positive thinking, and I’ve seen firsthand how setting intentions can contribute to positive outcomes. A challenge doesn’t have to be huge to be daunting. It could be anything that takes you out of your comfort zone. It’s helpful to take a step back and ask yourself what’s driving your fear, write that down on a piece of paper, and then write down all the positive things that can happen if you overcome the challenge that’s in front of you. Looking objectively at your fear against all that you stand to gain can really reframe your perspective.”

What tips would you give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

CM: “Too often, women are their own worst critics – we’re a lot harder on ourselves than we are on others. If you don’t stand up for yourself and be your own advocate, who will? Self-confidence begins when you give yourself permission to know that you are worthy. I also believe it’s important to not measure yourself against others. Remember that everyone is on their own journey.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

CM: “I’ve spent my career in the hospitality industry, where teamwork and collaboration are essential to creating an incredible guest experience. I love playing a role in this. My favorite part of my job is the human part  – guiding others to achieve the extraordinary and being part of a top-performing team. It’s fulfilling for me to see our team members making magic happen and creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will stay with our guests forever.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

CM: “Go for it — go for that job, make that change, take on that challenge. You will regret the chances that you didn’t take. Believe in yourself and know that you are capable of extraordinary things!”

Kathy Kuo is the founder and CEO of Kathy Kuo Home, an award-winning interior designer, a recognized TV personality, an activist for female founders, and a mother of two. With 20+ years of experience in the home and design industries, Kathy has unparalleled insights into the business of home furnishings, decor, and interior design. A sought-after speaker throughout the industry, Kathy has made notable panel appearances for Architectural Digest, Left Bank Art at the New York Design Center, and as a mentor for the Beacon High School Women in Business Club. Founded in 2012, her company, Kathy Kuo Home, has grown into a premiere e-commerce destination with a beautifully curated collection of luxury furniture and decor essentials. Her company has also been seen in Forbes, Glamour, Better Homes & Gardens, Bazaar, and other leading publications.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

KK: “I truly love working in the interiors industry because my customers and clients literally welcome me and my team into their homes and trust us to help them love where they live. I don’t take that lightly—it’s an honor and an inspiration…and also so much fun and so creatively fulfilling. I also feel like success builds on itself, so every new marketing initiative or content series or exclusive product launch or completed design project is fuel for setting higher and higher goals.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

KK: “I’m a big believer in practicing gratitude daily and using that to strengthen my mindset—both at work as a business owner and CEO, and at home as a mother. Even in challenging moments, I have so much to be grateful for and so many amazing team members around who I know are here to work through challenging moments with me.”

What tips would give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

KK: “Again, I turn to gratitude here! If you’re stuck in a moment where you’re not feeling confident, think about all of the people in your life you’re thankful for and think about what they would say about you. Chances are, you’ll start to realize you attract these wonderful people around you because you have smart ideas, a good work ethic, and a solid moral compass. Don’t be shy about actually being the person your loved ones know that you are!”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

KK: “My favorite part of my job is when I hear from an interior design client about how much joy their home brings them. Our goal at Kathy Kuo Home is for our clients and customers to feel safe, loved, and nurtured at home—it’s not about our own ego or creating the most Pinterest-worthy home on the planet…it’s about that everyday joy of living in a well-designed home.” 

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

KK: “Nothing last forever—neither the good times nor the bad ones. Don’t take happiness or success for granted when it comes your way, and don’t despair when times feel tough.” 

Shelley Pratt is the Director of Marketing Communications & Media for INFINITI USA. Appointed to this position in February 2022, Shelley is responsible for managing the strategic development and execution of INFINITI’s marketing communications and paid media strategy. Since joining Nissan Group in 2006, Shelley brings more than 20 years of experience, with more than 12 of those years being at INFINITI USA in various marketing positions. These roles include her most previous position of senior manager, CMM Office and senior manager, Marketing Communications. Shelley started out in the automotive industry with the goal of trying something completely new and different from her previous experience in the power tools industry. She is also a proud ally, as she is a member of GSAN (Gay Straight Alliance at Nissan). Shelley holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from University of Tennessee – Knoxville and a master’s degree in communication and new media from Southern New Hampshire University.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

SP: “I am naturally inclined to strive for continuous improvement. I have dedicated my entire career to reaching the position of INFINITI marketing director, and I am motivated to fulfill the responsibilities that come with it. I am genuinely passionate about this brand and am committed to its success, as well as ensuring that my team takes pride in working with me.

Additionally, I am motivated by my 15-year-old daughter, who aspires to be a future marketer. I strive to make her proud and recognize that she observes and learns from me, so I am determined to live up to her perception.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

SP: “I don’t do it alone. I surround myself with people who uplift and support me unconditionally. Through openness and honesty, I am backed by incredible individuals in my personal life and at INFINITI. I am extremely vulnerable and honest with others, which naturally helps me overcome many of my fears.

Also, our familial culture at INFINITI transforms even the toughest days into manageable ones because we face them together.

Additionally, I prioritize self-care practices such as working out and meditation to clear my mind. Amidst life’s whirlwind, grounding myself in the present moment is essential, rather than fixating on the uncertainties of the future, which can evoke both fear and/or excitement.  As my husband battles a very aggressive cancer, facing these fears is a daily struggle for me so I have to be very mindful when controlling these scary thoughts and feelings.”

What tips would you give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

SP: “To develop more self-confidence, my top tip for women is to practice self-compassion. It’s often easy to be self-critical and dwell on mistakes, but it’s crucial to treat yourself with kindness and understanding. Just as you would uplift others, make a conscious effort to build yourself up and avoid getting trapped in a negative feedback loop. While this can be challenging, it’s essential to be intentional and recognize the power of words, even when speaking to yourself.  Be kind to yourself.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

SP: “I find immense fulfillment in the creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork involved in marketing. It’s a function that blends art and science, allowing for the stimulation of both sides of my brain. Utilizing data to inform our creative strategies for future INFINITI launches fills me with excitement. Understanding our target customers, especially as we cater to new demographics, challenges both myself and the team to explore innovative approaches. As we prepare for a new product launch, working through every touchpoint of the launch communications and marketing plan has been rewarding.

Moreover, I am fulfilled by the collaborative efforts of my team, including our agency partners. They are incredibly intelligent, driven, and innovative individuals from whom I continually learn and grow. They are a constant inspiration to me, and I feel lucky to work with them.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

SP: “Don’t strive for perfection. I used to dedicate myself to being a perfectionist, allowing the fear of failure to drive decisions. However, I eventually learned that genuine growth and learning comes from moments when things deviate from the perfect plan. It’s in these instances that real learning occurs, leading to continuous improvement. I encourage my team not to fear trying new things because when things don’t go like you think they will… it’s all part of the growth process.”

Michelle Heston is a seasoned PR and marketing communications professional with over two decades of experience. In her current role as Executive Regional Director of PR and Marketing Communications, she oversees all public relations and communication strategy in the US for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a world-leading travel and lifestyle group. She is highly skilled at driving earned media activity, elevating market positioning, and driving community stewardship. She leads communication teams and agencies in guiding publicity programs, press outreach and engagement, strategic messaging, content development, and crisis management.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

MH: “Throughout my tenure at Fairmont I have worked with dozens of amazing colleagues.  Our teams work daily to create and support a culture that acts as a catalyst to innovate, try new things, and not be afraid of failure. I’m challenged and at the same time encouraged to find creative ways to solve problems. I’m grateful to have found an environment and coworkers who inspire me every day.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

MH: “Face each challenge head-on. And know that each “hard” decision or project is an opportunity for growth.  We all will make mistakes – work toward creating and supporting an environment that allows you to stretch your abilities.”

What tips would you give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

MH: “Identify disparaging messages and replace them with more productive, positive thoughts. For instance, when your performance isn’t perfect, avoid blaming or shaming yourself. Instead, shift your mindset by acknowledging that the task is an objectively challenging one and that you’re growing as you work through it.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

MH: “Having a good team makes all the difference. My current team is great – everyone is smart, capable, and driven.  I love developing young talent!”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

MH: “Embrace your uniqueness, your quirks, and your passions. The things that make you different are the things that will make your journey extraordinary. Do what you love!  The money will come. Don’t let others define you and just be yourself, you are awesome!”

Michelle Ngome is an award-winning marketer, the Founder of Line 25 Consulting, an agency specializing in inclusive marketing strategies for organizations, the Founder of African American Marketing Association (a 501c3 nonprofit that empowers Black marketers all over the United States), and the Outreach Director for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses in Houston, Texas. Her work has allowed her to be recognized by LinkedIn as 25 Inspiration Black Women in Marketing and LinkedIn’s Rising Stars in the Marketing World.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

MN: “People inspire me. Everyone has a story and I always look for a chance to help someone whether providing a resource or introducing a new relationship.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

MN: “I’ve learned to express myself in safe spaces. By surrounding myself with other dynamic women leaders who can check me if I’m wrong but provide great insight into my situation. I tap into my network to help me connect the dots when it comes to new opportunities which helps with my decision-making process.”

What tips would give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

MN: “Talk nice to yourself every day, preferably out loud. I know it sounds funny, but when we speak positively to ourselves there is power in that. Whether it is affirmations or reciting your presentation all of it builds confidence for you to approach the task at hand.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

MN: “In my corporate and nonprofit role, I am fortunate to serve as a small business advocate. I attend a lot of events and I am able to meet people in all industries and provide them with resources and education that can help improve their business.” 

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

MN: “Be the person your younger self needed. I remember when I started my career in finance and I realized that although I did good work it wasn’t enough. It was important that I develop and nurture value-based relationships for me to grow my career. Developing those relationships allows for mentors and sponsorship that allows you to receive insight to properly navigate your career path.”

Nellie Akalp is a serial entrepreneur and the CEO of CorpNet.com, which resulted in her becoming recognized as an industry pioneer in the online legal document filing industry. As a passionate entrepreneur, she and her husband/business partner started their first company in 1997 with just $100. Eight years later it was acquired by Intuit for $20 million. A few years later they launched CorpNet.com, (which the company says is “the most innovative way to start a business, register for payroll taxes, and maintain business compliance across the United States”) the same year Nellie was expecting her fourth child. Today CorpNet is thriving having been recognized many times on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America. Nellie is an inspiration to all around her, having built successful companies while maintaining a healthy marriage and raising four children.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

NA: “Every day I challenge myself to do something out of my comfort zone. Whatever it may be that day, fulfilling this challenge helps me get into a new state of mind and helps me see things from a different perspective. That in turn guides me to manifest and envision exactly what I want to achieve in goals and dreams moving forward.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

NA: “I’ve learned to face everything as it comes my way and being in a state of vibrational flow. I am always putting myself in a place of gratitude and looking at everything as the cup half full vs empty. Even in the unfortunate circumstances that I don’t want to face, I face them and I always ask myself what’s the teachable moment and lesson to be learned from that event.

What tips would give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

NA: “Through many years of self-reflection, I would tell another woman trying to build their self-confidence to: love yourself, date yourself, take care of yourself, give yourself grace, respect yourself.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

NA: “My favorite part of my job is when I see I’m making a difference in people’s lives and I see their lives change for the better. For example, we were blessed in that during the pandemic our company grew over 200%. This sent us on a hiring spree across all 50 states. We were able to hire many people who were in a state of disarray having been laid off from their previous jobs and worrying how they would take care of their families. Being able to provide them with a job to take that burden and fret off of their shoulders is something I am grateful to be able to offer.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

NA: “Be more kind and loving to myself.”

In 2007, aged 44 and after growing several successful businesses, Deb Farnworth-Wood moved from the UK to Australia to “retire”. Her retirement saw her build a $70M international Medi-Aesthetic Franchise, a shop fitting business, an aesthetic training school, an equipment supply company, and a skincare brand before exiting in 2019. This time, she took a full year off before building her 11th Company – ISSADA Cosmeceuticals. In addition to this, she was named Gold Coast Woman in Business of the Year in 2017 and was a national finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards in 2016, and also serves as an Advisory Board Member and an Investor.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and goals?

DFW: “Simply the desire to live a full, active, and busy life. I need to have a sense of purpose, and I love to be busy, learn new things, and meet new people. I love a challenge. If I’m told something can’t be done, well, then my nature is to make it happen anyway. People told me no one would want Botox in a shopping centre, but I forged on regardless. At school, my housemistress told me I had no focus and would never amount to anything. Having recently discovered I have ADHD so much now makes sense! My mind is active all the time. It’s not that I have no focus – it’s that I focus on what I want to do, not what others want me to do!” 

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears and challenges)

DFW: “This took work! In my youth, I was shy and reserved and generally the last person to speak in a room. I had an unhappy childhood but managed to leave home at 16 by finding a college course that I couldn’t do in my hometown. While my father gave me a small allowance I also had to work to support myself through my studies. I think that toughened me up, but in business, every year has presented new challenges and eventually,  you just learn not to take them personally and to just keep on. I also have a no-regret policy – we all make decisions based on the best information we have at the time so there is no point in worrying over old mistakes.” 

What tips would you give women to develop more confidence?

DFW: “Life is hard, and you need to be surrounded by cheerleaders – hang out with people who lift you up not those who push you down. Take yourself on a voyage of self-discovery – challenge your own thinking and ideas, recognise your strengths, and work on your weaknesses. Travel alone, make new friends, and when it gets tough keep going.” 

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it fulfill you?

DFW: “Being around other people – whether it is my team, customers, suppliers or others. I like working in a team, and when you get that team right you fly, but creating the team takes effort and persistence. I love to see people succeed and grow personally and professionally and know that I was a part of that.”

If there’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self, what would it be?

DFW: “Embrace every positive and negative experience in life as an opportunity to learn and grow. We all have setbacks but life is too short to dwell on things we cannot change but we should always learn from them.”

Patty Arvielo is the CEO and Co-Founder of New American Funding, the largest Latina-owned private mortgage company nationwide. A first-generation Hispanic American, Patty and her husband, Rick, founded New American Funding in 2003 and today, she leverages more than 40 years of experience in the mortgage industry to lead the company’s sales and operation efforts. She manages the company’s operations and sales while overseeing 190 locations and approximately 3,600 employees nationwide. Patty was named to the 2022 Forbes “50 Over 50” list (in the money category), which honors women for their “historic achievements and barrier-breaking success after 50.” She was also named one of the 100 Influential Latinos by Bloomberg Linea, was inducted into the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame, named one of the Most Powerful Women in Mortgage by Mortgage Banker Magazine, recognized as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Latinas by Latino Leaders Magazine, and named Latina Style’s Latina Executive of the Year.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

PA: “Life itself motivates me. I cherish it as a gift and realize that it doesn’t last forever. That drives me every day to make sure that I’m always being proactive towards my personal goals. It’s also helped me realize so many of my goals already, which then encourages me to keep pushing for bigger and better things.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)? 

PA: “I use self-talk as a tool to work with when dealing with challenges and fear. I always tell myself that “this too shall pass.” That helps me know that what I’m feeling in the present will probably not exist in the future. That’s not to say that it’s easy, but realizing that these feelings are temporary helps me work through them without letting them overwhelm me.”

What tips would you give a woman to develop more self-confidence? 

PA: “Some people are raised with amazing self-confidence. But for those of us who were not, it’s about doing the things you fear the most and conquering your goals. Overcoming those challenges helps improve how you feel about yourself and increase your self-confidence. It is something I work on daily.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you? 

PA: “I love being a leader to amazing team members. I love watching others grow and succeed with our company and with our platform. It’s an important goal of mine to empower and help women rise in our industry. Seeing them thrive fulfills me and encourages me to do more to help more people become their own success stories.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

PA: “I would tell my younger self that I love myself. I love myself enough to know that I deserve everything that was meant for me. That I’m unique in every way and that being different is my superpower!”

Lindsay Nahmiache, Founder of Jive PR + Digital, is an exceptional entrepreneur with a venture and private equity-inspired approach to scaling brands. With an impressive portfolio of 13 companies, including exits and a double unicorn, Lindsay’s expertise spans industries like med-tech and international music-tech, earning her recognition as USA Enterprising Women of the Year and in Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

LN: “What inspires me each day to follow my dreams and set higher goals is the belief that every challenge presents an opportunity for growth and innovation and it makes me feel like I’m ‘fully living’. The thought of not being able to do these things makes me realize how lucky I am to have the opportunity to go out and create my life and help others do the same. I also have a 6-year-old that I want to set the best example – if you want something in life, you have the power to do it if you apply yourself and try. You may not end up where you thought you would but maybe that’s even better!”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

LN: “I’m reminded of the Disney movie that came out a couple of years ago called “Luca.” There is a part where his friend teaches Luca that if he hears a voice in his head telling him to be afraid or not do something, say to it loudly: “Silencio Bruno!.” Sometimes, that’s what it takes, you need to be aware of the false fear your mind tells you and interrupt its pattern by saying – “No, Silencio Bruno.” I also believe that mindset is a muscle, the more you pay attention to it and make it do something it finds hard, the easier it starts to get.”

What tips would you give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

LN: “Learn from others who have had to figure out the tools to help them have more confidence. I’m an avid consumer of self-growth content. Some great examples are Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk on the power of body language, as well as a great book called The Charisma Myth (which everyone should be made to read in high-school). Additionally, make sure you surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, mentors, and allies who uplift you. Become aware of how you feel around certain people, do some friends constantly gossip or criticize people? Maybe you should spend less time with them. It’s been scientifically proven that we take on a lot of the characteristics of the 5 people we spend the most time with, so be very careful about who you have in your circle as that will dictate your confidence and success levels in life.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

LN: “My favorite part of my work is the people and conversations I have. From team members to clients and peers, I get charged by great conversations with people who are passionate and working on their growth. I also love being able to leverage my expertise in marketing and business investment to help brands grow. I love seeing the companies I’ve been involved in, from med-tech to music, film, and entertainment, turn into successful businesses that have a huge impact on the world. Additionally, being able to mentor and support the next generation of entrepreneurs through initiatives like developing a financial literacy and entrepreneurial app for kids and advising for companies, from start-ups to ones that are publicly listed.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

LN: “Think bigger. We often underestimate what we can actually achieve based on societal conditioning and wanting to fit in. I’ve read a lot of research on the fact that ‘thinking small’, is actually harder than thinking bigger because there are so many people doing it. People who think bigger, have less competition. There is a great book called “10X is Easier Than 2X” that describes this phenomenon if you want to learn more about it. My other advice would be ‘have more fun’ – ultimately life moves fast and you want to be able to look back and say, wow, I got to do and experience so much… and I’ve made some of the most amazing friendships along the way.”

One of the first visionaries at the intersection of tech and beauty, Alice H. Chang is the CEO of Perfect Corp. (NYSE: PERF), the leading AI and AR beauty and fashion tech solutions provider and the developer of the award-winning YouCam apps, where she leads the team in creating Beautiful AI innovations. Perfect Corp. powers virtual try-ons for major brands and retailers like Walmart, Estee Lauder, Google, and more. Their tech enables online customers to virtually try on different shades of makeup, nail polish, jewelry, etc., to find what’s right for them, and confidently order online. In addition to this, Alice has been recognized by Forbes as one of Asia’s Power Businesswomen and by Tech Trailblazers as a top female leader in Tech. Alice currently resides in Taipei, Taiwan, and holds an MBA from UCLA.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

AC: “Innovation and change has been part of my DNA from a very young age, and it has inspired me throughout my career to strive for excellence and forge new frontiers in technology. I have always been a curious individual who isn’t afraid to ask questions and try new things, and I’ve set goals in my career accordingly. As the CEO of Perfect Corp., my goal is to harness the latest advancements in tech to improve the lives of consumers. Over the years, as we’ve introduced AI and AR solutions to the beauty and fashion industries, I’ve seen the many ways women and consumers are empowered by technology, and this has inspired me to set higher goals and continue innovating. Today at Perfect Corp., we have the most comprehensive suite of AI and AR solutions available on the market and we are continuing to introduce new technologies to help consumers discover the products best fit for their needs. As CEO, I have to be fearless and push forward, leading my team of young talents to dream big together with me. It is so rewarding when I can motivate my teams to dream big and achieve high. Only the sky’s the limit.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

AC: “In order to develop a strong mindset when pursuing your goals, you need to be rooted in resilience and adaptability. Firstly, it’s crucial to embrace challenges you encounter along the way as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles, viewing them as essential steps in your journey. Establishing a mindset that acknowledges failures as valuable lessons fosters continuous learning and improvement. Additionally, acknowledging and addressing challenges head-on, whether they relate to decision-making or uncertainty, can empower you to make informed choices and build a foundation of confidence that will get you to the next level of success. Lastly, remember to prioritize yourself and practice self-care. This can include activities such as exercise, meditation, or engaging hobbies that bring you joy. This can help you to show up as your best and most confident self as you pursue your dreams.”

What tips would you give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

AC: “Developing self-confidence requires you to embrace your uniqueness and recognize that your unique perspective and experiences bring value to the table. Embrace what makes you unique as a strength and don’t be afraid to showcase it. This is necessary for growth as you pursue your dreams, and will allow you to shine in any industry you pursue.

Also, make it a point to continuously learn, grow, and stay curious. Expanding your knowledge and skills will give you the confidence to tackle new challenges head-on and feel empowered to contribute your point of view. More often than not, this will require you to step outside of your comfort zone, but being committed to continuous learning will allow you to become a thought leader and a true expert in your field.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

AC: “As a leader in tech, I am energized by innovating, and developing creative technologies that improve the lives of consumers is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work. But, especially as a woman in the tech industry, I enjoy helping to break barriers that pave the way for the next generation of women leaders. One of my favorite parts about my work is creating empowering spaces and opportunities for women to shine and realize their potential. This mission is integral to how I lead my team at Perfect.

This focus on inclusivity and empowerment is also a key aspect of how we develop our AI technology and something that deeply fulfills me. When developing new technologies, inclusivity is imperative. The success of our technology as a true tool to aid in the consumer shopping experience is dependent on its accuracy and ability to work for all consumers – not just a segment of them. Ensuring that all consumers, regardless of ethnicity, age, gender, or other factors, can be empowered and helped by our technologies is an incredibly fulfilling part of my work.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

AC: “There are many pieces of advice I would give to my younger self, but if I had to pick one, I would tell my younger self to stay committed to my vision, and to be courageous in pursuit of that vision. Many people who are now leaders in their field will tell you that when they first started out, they faced adversity and skepticism from those who did not believe in their mission.

You have to be fearless and push forward, even when everyone around you may say that it can’t be done. It is equally important to stay persistent and work hard. Many times I see people fail because they gave up too easily on their dreams. Persevere through the challenges and you will be able to achieve your dreams and realize your potential.”

Rita Case is the President, CEO, and Owner of The Rick Case Automotive Group, the nation’s largest retail auto group owned and operated by a woman. The dealership group which produces $2 Billion in annual sales and ranks among the largest volume dealer groups nationally. The company owns numerous auto dealerships (including Maserati, Audi, Acura, VW, Honda, and other popular brands) located in South Florida and Atlanta, Georgia, and has been consistently recognized for setting national volume sale records. Rita has received national recognition for her contribution to the auto industry including a few significant awards such as TIME Dealer of the Year, “National Dealer of the Year” by USA Today; and Automotive News “Outstanding Women in the Auto Industry”. She has been recognized for her business leadership: Recipient of the 2022 Horatio Alger Award. Ernst and Young “Entrepreneur of the Year”, Nova Southeastern University inducted Rita into the “H. Wayne Huizenga Entrepreneur Hall of Fame”. As a major philanthropist who’s passionate about giving back, Rita and her husband Rick have developed and led events for non-profit groups which to date have raised over 100 million dollars for their communities. Rita balances her day with the dealership responsibilities, multiple community projects, and mentoring her adult children, Ryan and Raquel, in the business.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals? 

RC: “My inspiration comes from my passion to simply help people, by providing the freedom of mobility that an automobile offers. I am proud to be a car dealer and my goals are to be respected as a positive leader, supporting the auto industry and the community. My dreams are to be the largest volume while earning recognition from my customers and manufacturers for operational excellence.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

RC: “Education. Continually educating yourself on your career field will build your confidence.  Confidence is the key to overcome fear and tackle challenges. When you know the playing field, the game rules, and your competition, you feel strong, fearless, and ready for any challenge without fear of failure.”

What tips would you give a woman to develop more self-confidence? 

RC: “Self-confidence is built within, believing in yourself, being your own head cheerleader, and not letting others talk you out of following your path to succeed with your goals. Self-confidence is built from knowledge. When you know a topic, you aren’t afraid to speak about it, share your passion for the project, or know the answer to the discussion. Most everyone who crossed my career path said car dealers are men, so why do you want to be a car dealer? Because it was a fun career and everyone loved to talk about cars. I am self-confident because I worked hard to be knowledgeable about my career and its industry.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you? 

RC: “I enjoy people, I want to be surrounded in my career by interacting with people and I most enjoy helping people which a car dealer does. I enjoy providing a career path for my energetic, hard-working, positive associates with a passion for being great in their profession. A car dealership offers so many career paths. There are 5 different businesses in a dealership. My favorite part of my work is the happiness I bring to my customers, my community, and my associates so they can all improve their lives with my leadership.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

RC: “When I graduated from college and became the general manager of the dealership at 21 years old, I wish I had taken more time to reach out and learn from other established successful dealers and how they achieved their success. I was too busy wanting to prove I could do it on my own. I did clearly prove I could do it on my own but as I look back, taking time in the beginning to seek education from other dealers in my town would have saved me time and straightened out the career path a bit. I could have learned faster and been more confident sooner, had I reached out for advice.”

Michelle Geib is the Co-founder and President of Xperience Days, which offers 1,000s of unique activity-based gifts across the US. From Food Tours to Racecar Driving, Flight Lessons to Wine Tasting, and Skydiving to Dinner Cruises, the range of activities offered across the US, UK, and South Africa includes both the relaxing and the heart-pounding. The Company was recognized by Inc 500 as one of the Country’s Fastest Growing Businesses; and, both the company and Michelle have been highlighted in over 100 publications and media outlets including Entrepreneur, The Huffington Post, Fox News, Yahoo Tech, The TODAY Show, and more.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

MG: “I have always been driven and goal-oriented, even at a young age. Perhaps it’s a disproportionally large internal desire to keep raising the bar to new heights. Setting goals that seem a bit scary or too big. The fun is in figuring out a plan to achieve the goals I set for myself. I do this in both my professional life as well as my personal life. Achieving a goal and accomplishing a difficult task brings a level of personal fulfillment unlike any other. Whether it’s crossing the finish line of the Moab 240-mile foot race or launching a company, coming up with the idea, developing a plan, and working the steps to reach the finish line is the reward.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

MG: “Developing a strong mindset comes with the practice of working towards and achieving minor goals. Minor goals can be used as mental stepping stones towards major milestones. Belief in yourself from the outset and learning to create a plan for success is key. Over time you gain strength from doing the work, learning how to draft a formula that will lead you to success. Understanding how to take achievable steps is one of the biggest keys to overcoming fears and challenges.”

What tips would give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

MG: “Greater self-confidence can be developed in a few ways, however, my overarching tip is to simply try. You never know if you can do something until you try. The more willing you are to try something the more courage you will develop overall. The more courage you have, the more likely you are to take on the task to achieve your big goal(s). So, the next time you think you might want to do something, say yes and just do it. It doesn’t need to be career-related. That willingness to try in one aspect of your life will translate to others.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

MG: “My favorite part of my work is figuring out the puzzle pieces. Idea generation to strategy development, planning, and creation, to execution and seeing the end result. Turning an idea into a real thing is what drives me.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

MG: “One piece of advice I’d give my younger self is to start running, you’ll like it. I began running about a decade ago at the age of 36. Today I now run ultra-marathons and have completed (and won) events ranging from 4 miles to 240 miles. Running is many things to me and has had a great impact on my personal and professional life. In addition to the health benefits, it helps with creativity and idea generation and my productivity, goal setting, and level of confidence. It has been a conversation starter at corporate functions and opened doors that never even knew were there to walk through in my younger years.”

Heather Sloan and Enwei Li are the Founders of HEALI, a health and wellness company determined to improve the approach to injury prevention, rehabilitation, and pain relief. By developing Heali Tape, the company’s first product, the dynamic duo is driven to offer people the solution to continue leading an active lifestyle while naturally helping speed up the body’s recovery process.

Heather trained and practiced as a chiropractor and later spent many years in medical product sales in healthcare facilities. She is also an active patient using chiropractic, massage, and acupuncture treatments to help heal various conditions. Heather has always been very active and has a strong interest in health, sports, and living an active lifestyle. Heather was inspired to create a natural way to help heal injuries quicker. Heather’s goal was to provide temporary pain relief while also continuing to support the body so athletes could continue to train and compete.

Li was a TCM practitioner and has always had a passion for design and combining health and beauty. Li’s practice had a strong focus on Chinese Medicine and integrating Eastern practices into the Western working world. Many of Li’s patients requested a portable solution that had a non-offensive (mild/vanishing) scent – to help them with day-to-day issues such as back pain, wrist issues, and other desk jobs and work-related injuries. Li was inspired to create different natural and stylish options to help teens, adults, and the geriatric population.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals? 

HS & EL: “We are very passionate founders who want to make a difference.  Listening to countless stories about how HEALI has helped people with pain relief or recovery or allowing them to do something they previously couldn’t is so inspiring and exciting that we are doing some good in the world.  We have both always wanted to create something on our own and living out this reality and sharing it as friends is super rewarding and a lot of fun.

It is also incredible to be Women Founders and part of this incredible group of Business Women who continue to support each other and lift each other up.  We have been incredibly lucky to have had so many connections, mentors, and introductions and we are motivated to grow HEALI and share our wisdom and success to help the next generation of Women leaders.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)? 

HS & EL: “Both of us as founders were born with determination and strong mindsets so it comes naturally for us to work hard and not stop, no matter what the challenge.  We have also learned that you can build resistance kind of like building a muscle.  As you overcome each challenge the bar moves and you can withstand greater challenges.  The key is to just keep going.  There is always a solution or another path.”

What tips would give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

HS & EL: “Not to worry about anyone else or what others are thinking.  There will always be talkers and judgers and nay-sayers. Do what feels right inside and you will naturally attract the right opportunities and move forward.  Above all believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to repeat it to yourself multiple times a day…..You’ve got this!”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you? 

HS & EL: “Our favorite part of HEALI is truly to be able to create something that helps people live healthy lives – No matter where you live or how much you have  – health really is the deciding factor as to what you can do with your life.  HEALI is creating Natural Wellness products that can actually allow people to go do what they love or to live a pain-free existence – knowing you can help so many people is motivating and pushes both Li and me to create more products to help solve issues in a new and better way.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be? 

HS & EL: “Don’t take things personally, everyone is going through life and doing what they need based on their own perspective, it’s all relative and most of the time not about you.

I once heard a quote that has stuck with me and shaped these thoughts…  “A girl on a farm sees a plane fly overhead and dreams of a faraway place.  A Woman on the plane looks down and sees a farm…and dreams of home.”

Angel Vossough is the CEO and Co-Founder of BetterAI, a Silicon Valley-based AI service provider. Angel is a technology leader and serial entrepreneur and was previously a Senior Network Engineer at Cisco Systems, specializing in Network Architecture for major telecommunications companies including Verizon Wireless. She subsequently founded DiverseUp, a public-benefit corporation building a professional community for technical & scientific women. She is also Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Caspian Capital, an early-stage investment firm focusing on deep tech, biotech, and AI; and was Co-Founder of OpenCovidScreen, a non-profit focused on driving innovation in low-cost, accessible COVID-19 testing. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Computer Engineering, as well as master’s degrees in Software Engineering from San Jose State University and Data Science from UC Berkeley where she graduated with honors.

What inspires you each day to follow your dreams and set higher goals?

AV: “My motivation stems from curiosity and the desire to make a meaningful impact. Learning is a source of genuine happiness for me, driving my passion for continuous growth and innovation. The potential to make a positive impact on the world through technology drives me. I see AI as a powerful tool to solve complex problems and improve lives. Knowing that my contributions might lead to advancements in fields like healthcare or create new opportunities motivates me to push boundaries.”

How do you develop a strong mindset (to overcome fears or challenges)?

AV: “Developing a strong mindset involves embracing challenges as part of my journey. I maintain a positive attitude, viewing obstacles and mistakes as valuable learning opportunities. The sense of accomplishment and growth I experience after overcoming challenges fuels my energy and helps me to develop a strong growth mindset. I focus on the process rather than fixating on the end goal. Breaking down large challenges into smaller, achievable tasks makes them less intimidating.  I also remind myself that setbacks are a natural part of growth, and I try to learn from them instead of being discouraged.”

What tips would you give a woman to develop more self-confidence?

AV: “I would advise young women to acknowledge that perfection is unattainable and embrace learning from mistakes without fear of failure. It’s important to prioritize self-respect, not be overly concerned with others’ opinions, and understand that it’s impossible to please everyone. Celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Recognizing your accomplishments builds a foundation of self-belief. Surround yourself with supportive people who uplift you and challenge you to grow. And don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone – that’s where confidence often flourishes.”

What is your favorite part of your work? How does it personally fulfill you?

AV: “Personally, my favorite aspect of my work lies in learning and exploring the unknown. Discovering and innovating within the dynamic field of AI technology gives me a sense of fulfillment. I love the collaborative nature of building AI solutions. Working with brilliant engineers, scientists, and domain experts inspires me daily. Knowing that our technology could potentially improve people’s lives brings immense personal fulfillment.”

If there’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self, what would it be?

AV: “My advice is to remember that every risk taken is a step towards discovering your true potential and carving out your unique path in the world. This isn’t easy, and requires confidence and a willingness to embrace uncertainty, knowing that’s where growth comes. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks and embrace the unknown. Some of the most rewarding experiences come from venturing outside the familiar.  Trust your instincts, and don’t let self-doubt hold you back.”

May today remind you that you can do anything in life – you just have to tap into your innate superpowers to realize that you’re a modern-day Wonder Woman. As an Executive & Entrepreneur, I’ve learned that we need to find the courage to believe in ourselves, imagine limitless possibilities, and passionately pursue anything our heart desires.

If you’re looking to read more inspiring words from other successful Wonder Women, check out previous years’ guides from Inspirations & Celebrations featuring exclusive advice from many of the world’s most incredible and talented women, including top executives, notable industry leaders, best-selling authors, celebrities and more.

The post The Wonder Women’s Guide to Discovering Your Superpowers at Work and in your Personal Life appeared first on Inspirations and Celebrations.

Ralph is not only an award-winning designer (receiving honors including the Automotive Hall of Fame Young Leadership & Excellence Award, the NV Magazine Innovation Award, and the Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award), but he’s also an empowering and empathetic leader who has been guiding his teams to success for many years. With an illustrious career that spans multiple decades (including previous roles as President & CEO of Dodge Brand, Head of Design for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., etc.), his story is not just one of design triumphs; it’s also an inspiring narrative that resonates with the aspirations of dreamers, the determination of achievers, and the innate power of superheroes.

In today’s designer spotlight, we get a chance to delve deeper into the artistic mind of Ralph Gilles, to discover what drives his visionary designs and innovative ideas.

I first met Ralph 6 years ago at an Alfa-Romeo VIP Party in Carmel during Monterey Car Week. I vividly recall him presenting (alongside other industry leaders), as he had a captivating ability to move the audience. Over the past couple of years, I’ve enjoyed getting to know Ralph and his lovely wife, Doris, even better. Aside from his professional success, what stood out to me, in particular, was his down-to-earth, genuine, and amiable personality. He has the ability to make even strangers feel like they’re old friends, which goes to show the type of character he has.

Because I’m passionate about educating and empowering people to follow their dreams while becoming their best selves, given that I’m currently writing a rolling series of articles about Car Week (and the people who run the industry), I thought it was the perfect time to feature Ralph, as he’s exemplary of the type of leader that any industry (not just the auto industry) can benefit from.

So, if you love to feel inspired, read on to learn about how Ralph became a distinguished designer and top executive for one of the world’s largest auto companies, in addition to discovering how he motivates his team, where he finds inspiration, and even how he balances work and his personal life, to fuel his creativity, innovation, and design prowess.

CLP: From a childhood fascination to becoming a design visionary for Stellantis, can you take us on the journey of how you nurtured your passion for automobiles and design into a remarkable career?

RG: “Well, I think number one is – I was born with an attention-to-detail mindset. You know, really paying attention to my surroundings as a kid growing up in the 1970s, looking at, cool cars and not-so-cool cars. I used to joke about the ugly 70s; it was a very tough time for the auto industry, transitioning from big muscle cars to front-wheel drive economy cars, but they still had European cars – the Porsches and all that stuff. So I kind of took note of this dichotomy. I wanted to be involved in how to make that better and, because cars pull at your heartstrings, (so I wanted to) keep that going. I followed my dreams… but honestly, I was going down the engineering path and realized that I liked drawing more than I liked trigonometry. I like physics, but more driving-type physics, not mapping it out. So I ended up finding out about a design school in Detroit called CCS. Through a very generous aunt of mine who pushed me to write a letter to the then-CEO of the company, Lee Iaccoca. They were kind enough to write back. So I followed their advice and applied. Long story short, I got accepted and moved to Detroit from Montreal, Canada, and followed my aspirations by being in that environment. I was surrounded by incredibly talented people, and I thought I was a good designer and really learned a lot from being in that environment. That is what led to the job I have today.”

CLP: You once mentioned to me that you’re inspired by superheroes – could you share an instance where a superhero’s essence directly influenced one of your design projects? And for that matter, which superheroes have had an impact on you, and why? I think superheroes have a really big influence on many people, especially those who really follow their dreams, push boundaries, and challenge themselves to outgrow their old self-concept –  transforming from who they thought they once were into who they can become.

RG: “Well, Superman is one of my favorites ’cause he can do everything. I do like the benevolence of Spider-Man. I think he’s a regular-ish person doing incredible things, and he’s got great empathy. Most of the superheroes I tend to like are the ones that have empathy skills, not just power and strength. So that’s inspiring. In terms of design, I use the word heroic a lot when I describe the vehicles that we do – an outside personality, something that you just can’t walk past, you have to go back and look at it again, you know, that kind of thing. Unforgettable designs are what I try to encourage my team to do, and what I’ve tried to do myself.”

CLP: In the world of automotive design, where each line and curve is meticulously crafted, what emotions or reactions do you aim to convey through your designs?

RG: “We design for a lot of brands. We are very lucky. We have about 100 nameplates at Santes now. Some are sporty, some are purposeful, and some are even delivery trucks. But, I think the ones that you would call iconic tend to, first of all, have an outsized personality. Again, you can recognize these vehicles without even looking at the nameplate or the name, you know, or the brand. You just know it’s a Jeep or it’s a Dodge, and I like that. Timeless design is something I’m very big on because, unlike the fashion industry, our products tend to have to survive 6-10 years in the market, and we’re designing them 4-5 years ahead of that. So, in my mind, it’s a 10-year lifespan that something has to be relevant and attractive, and that requires discipline to not overstyle it. So I tend to like simpler designs that age well and that allows a little room, a little air on the paper, so to speak. This way, the consumer can finish the design in their mind; they can see themselves in the vehicle.”

CLP: From pen and paper to advanced digital tools, can you walk us through your creative process and how technology has transformed the way you bring your ideas to life?

RG: “Today is a bit like a snowball – it gets bigger and bigger. When I was coming up, we had literally pen-to-paper or pencil-to-paper, or pastel was the way, and then the airbrush came along, then the computers followed, and then digital. Photoshop is like next level now. And now we have 3-D and we have ocular systems where 10 designers can design one car together. They can actually spin the car around and argue about design in this virtual space. So I would say we’re using all the above. You know, we haven’t stopped using, people. I still ideate personally on pen and paper, just like I did back in the day. The one big difference is today we tend to look at vehicles in the 3-D space very quickly, sometimes within a few days of the ideation process. It’s pretty amazing!

CLP: As Chief Design Officer, you oversee multiple iconic brands. How do you strike a balance between maintaining brand identity and pushing the boundaries of innovation?

RG: “We always start trying to push the boundaries. We don’t just sit on the brand’s legacy, let’s say, and try to keep milking that because it’s dangerous and you can get stuck. We always open up the design competition to people who may not love the brand or may not understand much about brands. Sometimes I use my Asia studios to sketch new Jeeps or my Italians to sketch Rams, and vice-versa. We throw it around, and that’s our benefit of being a larger company like this, is that we have those resources and there’s nothing more exciting than for a Latin American designer to sketch a Chrysler that they know they’ll never have in their country, for example. It forces them to think out of the box. I try to till the soil and see what happens. Luckily, most of our brands tend to have 3-4 nameplates. Some of them, like the Wrangler, are the iconic ones that will probably evolve. And then the other ones, we can have some fun with and really take some chances. We tend to try to hold a little bit, let’s call it a 10% iconic detail from the past, and try to make sure the rest is as new as possible.”

CLP: Tell us about a specific design challenge that initially seemed insurmountable, but through creative thinking and collaboration, turned into a triumph.

RG: “The new concept Charger that we showed. We were trying to find a way to create a very slippery new design that would have great electric range, yet still have the character, the menacing feeling of a muscle car. We are able to find a solution with the pass-through wing on the front end of the Charger, that does both things. So, it has the illusion of a muscle car front end, and then it has the efficiency of a bullet-nose, a futuristic vehicle. So it took a lot of doing, but I think it’s a really cool solution.”

CLP: If you weren’t a car designer, what alternative creative path do you think you would have pursued, and why?

RG: “You’re gonna laugh, Christina. One of my things was to be a weatherman.”

CLP: Your career has been one of constant evolution. How do you ensure that you keep reinventing your design approach while staying true to your core artistic values?

RG: “I think a lot of greats have said this, but you have to surround yourself with great people. I really believe in that. I hire very carefully. When I hire people, I try to mind the culture. Culture is important. You can’t be creative in a toxic culture or a weird competitive culture. I think we have a good dose of competition, but our designers tend to build on each other. They work together very well, and that’s what I look for. It’s not a one-man band at all, and could never be. So, my team is everything. I don’t sketch cars every day like I used to. So it really is about the team that you build and giving them the freedom to be creative, to ask questions, to fail, etc. So I really try to create the most fertile environment possible and then really reward. When we have some wins, we celebrate together and we really kind of make it fun to succeed.”

CLP: Well, I think that’s actually really important to say because I think so many leaders miss that. They focus on just the bottom line or the outward success, but they’re forgetting the corporate culture. At the end of the day, you could say – it’s not personal, it’s just business. But that’s not true. Everything is a human experience. What you’re doing – inspiring, motivating, guiding, leading, and helping them overcome their fear of failure while trying new things – takes a lot of leadership and character. And I think you have those values, which I’ve seen personally, as a human knowing you. That to me, is the mark of a true leader.

CLP: One of the hallmarks of a great designer is the ability to envision beyond the present. What do you see as the future of automotive design, and how are you contributing to shaping it?

RG: “I think the form factor’s gonna have to change, as it already has changed. I think vehicles have maybe peaked in size. We actually have to coax people back into smaller, more efficient vehicles. With the proliferation of electrification, the engine is no longer where it used to be. So a lot of our vehicles that we know today, all the classics we see at the shows, all had some kind of engine in front which really defined the vehicle’s shape for almost 100 years. That’s going away very quickly. In some cases, it’s already gone, but yet we have legacy silhouettes. And, some of that is due to crash requirements. But I think that the next big thing is to say the car can be 20% more compact than what you’re used to. How do you convince people that they’re still getting the same value?  Because, especially in this country, you tend to equate size with value. So we’re trying to change that conversation to content, to experience, to the idea that sometimes less is more, right? I think that’s gonna be the challenge as designers try to educate people or just make them fall in love with a different thing now. We embrace it. We love to have this opportunity to shift once again. You can really redirect popular culture with a couple of great hits and then build on each other.”

CLP: Amidst the fast-paced automotive industry, how do you find moments of stillness and inspiration to recharge your creative energy? Do you have a mindfulness practice? If so, what do you do to stay balanced/centered?

RG: “Well, I just started breathing exercises, which is something I never did before. I did a getaway trip in Sedona, Arizona, and for the first time in my life at 53 years old, I did some soul searching. I’m just giving myself time to just sort things out because it is a complex business. There are a lot of actors and characters, let’s say, in their play. You know, learning how to manage very big agendas, big budgets – that all takes a lot of work. And, inner strength, that’s a different skill; something they don’t teach you in school. So, I’m just trying to find the balance between managing humans. Also, putting a helmet on is great therapy for me. Driving actually lowers my heart rate. It’s the opposite of most people. I actually find peace when I’m going fastest. It gives me something to perfect. I love the idea of perfecting something and managing a machine. Especially now, I race in a series where everyone has the same equipment. So it’s really, truly about how well I’m driving the machine, so that’s another source. And finally, a good old-fashioned hike. Separating myself from the industry and just taking a hike in nature, I love it more than anything else. If it’s not a hike in nature, it’s a hike in the city – in the urban jungle.”

CLP: Among the dazzling lineup of Stellantis brands of vehicles, do you have a personal favorite that holds a special place in your heart? What makes it stand out to you?

RG: “It changes every year ’cause we launch a lot of cars. I’m very proud of the Maserati Cielo that Klaus and his team (indirectly under me) designed, and I gave him a lot of freedom on that. It’s gorgeous; it’s just so clean. For all the noise that’s out there, it’s a very mature design that will hopefully look good for 20-30 more years. It’s just beautiful.”

CLP: Beyond the confines of the studio, I know you’re also passionate about racing cars (a hobby you enjoy with your wife Doris). How has your experience on the racetrack influenced your design philosophy and vice versa?

RG: “It’s a bit of a stretch to go all the way back to design philosophy. First of all, it’s humbling ’cause I’m normally used to being the best at something. But it’s really humbling when I finish 3rd or 4th. So the competitive thing is getting the best of me, I would say. What’s interesting about being in the racing community is that you mix it up with people who don’t know anything about your company. So I race with friends who come from completely different walks of life. Having a conversation with them in the pit while we’re waiting is like a research clinic because they’ll mention cars that I hadn’t thought about, and they don’t even know that we make certain cars that they love. Finding a way to be relevant to a totally different audience is an interesting challenge. So, I take that back with me. I think we have to be careful as designers or even people in our industry, not to talk to just ourselves. We can surround ourselves with people from our industry, people from our beloved brands, or even car collectors who love what we love, but then you’re not really listening to the real market. So, that gives me an opportunity to jump out of my comfort zone and really interview real people.”

CLP: Dreams often drive innovation, as our subconscious minds speak to us in mysterious ways. Can you recall a vivid dream or a particular moment of inspiration that led to a groundbreaking design idea?

RG: “I can’t tell you because that would give a secret away. But what I find is – it is definitely dreaming. Usually what happens is that I’ll meet someone in a different industry or go to a tech show or something and be exposed to a certain piece of technology or innovation, and then I have a dream that night about it and wake up with an idea of how to combine that into something I’m doing. So inspiration is always happening. That’s why I welcome new experiences all the time, especially if I get to go to any kind of event that I don’t normally go to. I’m very fascinated by the tech industry now. We rub elbows more and more with the tech industry, and that brings crazy innovation. Just walking into the CES show is one way to do it. But, I have a group of friends who are in Palo Alto, and just having dinner with them, my brain is swimming with ideas. I mean, they’re fearless, all these ideas they’re having. I used to think that Palo Altonians thought autos were dinosaurs, but it’s the opposite. They see that we’re changing and they wanna be part of it. So to me it’s all, it’s all just amazing! So I tend to have a lot of vivid dreams about how to conflate the two things; how to mix tech and auto, in a way that’s holistic.”

CLP: Your journey showcases the power of determination. What advice would you give to aspiring creatives (such as entrepreneurs, artists, designers, etc.) who face obstacles on their path to success?

RG: “Ask for help and spend a lot of time with discovery. I think people underestimate that artists tend to be single contributors, they tend to be loners. So, try not to be a loner and ask for help. Be observant and hunt away. You know, luckily the internet is full of incredible stuff, so use it to reverse-engineer some of your favorite designers.”

CLP: A design is a reflection of its creator. How do you infuse your personal values and life experiences into your automotive masterpieces?

RG: “The industry is huge, so I let other competitors do what they want to do. I want to focus on timeless taste, and tasteful designs, that just don’t need to be explained. My big thing is to make sure it’s just beautiful. Shock is great, but not lasting. I’d rather create lasting artifacts.”

CLP: From online trolls to industry critics, when bringing a new concept to life, like all leaders, you most likely experience challenging moments, especially when negative media reviews or social media commentary sparks controversy. How do you overcome self-doubt and keep faith in your creative vision? What advice would you give to people who are striving to build brands, while overcoming rejection, negative feedback, and disheartening responses from the public?

RG: “Well, I’m better at it now. I think if it’s overwhelmingly negative, you have to learn from it. That means that there’s something you missed in the process. But, I do see a lot of times you could tell by the tonality of the critic, if it’s just not for them, per se, or if it’s just truly bad. If you hear a rhythm of badness, which is rare, and I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that directly in our world. It’s usually more questioning something. But then again, when you see the vehicle does really well in the marketplace, that means, well, I didn’t design it for that journalist or just for that person. But rather, I designed it for this person, and I don’t expect everyone to get it. I know in my heart, that by the time they’ve seen it, we already have 2-3 years invested in it. So, you can’t undo 3 years of work, right?! So just let it simmer, and over time, people will get it. For example, the Viper. I remember when we launched the Viper, people were like, ‘Oh, that’s it?!’. They were expecting much more. But, now it’s crazy… People love the car! Five years on, they’re now collecting and overpaying for it, like triple the price. So, sometimes art appreciates.”

CLP: Speaking of art, if you could collaborate with any artist, living or from history, on a design project, who would it be and why?

RG: “Basquiat – I think I would love to work with him. I’m saying that ’cause he’s a Haitian artist. There are also furniture artists. I think it would be more the type of industry I would love to work with, as I do think the interiors are going to become more of a living space.”

CLP: You’re known for pushing boundaries – from design to leadership. How do you foster a culture of innovation within your design teams at Stellantis?

RG: “Tolerating failure. I think letting them have some free time is very important. So I tend to not be involved in the early work. My briefs are very high level on purpose, because I want to see what innocence brings, you know? One way that we keep inspiring them is to rub our elbows with students. We do a lot of work with design students. We have interns blend into our studios as if they’re contributors every day, and that brings amazing results. Sometimes I forget that the interns are there, and they have this innocence about them which is contagious. So, that’s one way that we continue to keep ourselves as fresh as possible. But, it really comes down to the ‘no dumb ideas’ mentality. We really let it be crazy at the beginning and never over-criticize something that’s a little bit out there. So, it’s fun.”

CLP: Your journey inspires people to dream big. Can you share a mantra or quote that has been your guiding light throughout your career? 

RG: “‘Dream big’ is one I use all the time, literally.”

CLP: Which leaders or innovators have inspired your career path, and why?

RG: “Tom Gale, who was my predecessor’s predecessor of design because of his multipolarity. What I mean by that is he had a degree as an engineer, a degree as a designer, and also a Master’s in Business. And I have two out of those three, as I went back and got my Master’s. But I kind of got my engineering mind through my early trials in engineering, but also rubbing elbows. I think it’s important because, in our industry, to convince a mega-size company like ours to go a certain direction, you have to know your stuff and you’ve gotta really understand the product in a 360-degree way. I’ve been really inspired by Tom Gale in that way.”

CLP: What legacy do you aspire to leave not only in the automotive industry but also as a source of motivation for those who dare to dream fearlessly?

RG: “That’s a deep one. Well, there are a couple of things going on with me as a person. First, I’m only the second black head of design of a company. I also just found out that I’m the longest-running continuous head of design for any auto company, I think, in the world. That’s why I want to leave the place better than I found it. When I say that – I mean the products, the brands, the people, even the engineers, everybody involved, even the marketing people, and the PR people. Everyone involved in the process of making a new car should love what they’re doing, and that love will come through in the product. I used to joke that I really believe that a customer can tell that a car is made with love.”

As evidenced by his remarkable journey, Ralph is living proof that when you believe in yourself, nurture your talents, and pursue your passions – you’ll find the momentum to propel yourself further than you can even imagine. His embodiment of creativity, resilience, and a genuine desire to uplift and encourage people extends far beyond the world of automobiles, serving as an inspiration for those who dare to turn their dreams into an exciting and fulfilling reality.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the stories of other incredible car designers and successful executives who are also steering the direction of the auto industry. Stay connected on MSN or subscribe to Inspirations & Celebrations for access to exclusive insights and in-depth interviews that will motivate, empower, and inspire you.

The post Driving Innovation & Inspiring Visionary Design: An Empowering Conversation with Ralph Gilles – Chief Design Officer for Stellantis appeared first on Inspirations and Celebrations.

Uncover 6 influential female voices and their valuable wisdom on how to pursue your dreams and goals, courageously forge your path to success, navigate obstacles with grace, and reach heights you never thought possible. Read on for motivating guidance that will stimulate your enthusiasm for becoming your best self.

If you haven’t done so, be sure to check out the previous guide called “The Wonder Women’s Guide to Pursuing Your Passions & Purpose”, which featured advice from the billion-dollar brand-building veteran & Co-Founder of Match.com, one of the most influential female executives in the music industry, and other notable women and leaders forging their way in life and business.

Devin Alexander, Celebrity Chef, 3x NY Times Bestselling Author, Foster-Adoptive Mom

Devin Alexander is best known as “the chef” on NBC’s The Biggest Loser. Her unique approach to healthy cooking, and her own motivational story of maintaining a 70-pound weight loss, cemented her as THE media expert for ‘decadence without consequence’ for over two decades. In 2018, 3-years after a debilitating and almost fatal car accident, Devin adopted her foster daughter from the Los Angeles foster care system. She is now constantly adapting and channeling her food and nutrition knowledge to share with parents everywhere. Her parenting videos have become viral sensations, some racking up over 6.5M views and more with hundreds of thousands of shares.

She’s written 10 books, including receiving the honor of becoming a 3x NY Times bestselling cookbook author, and earned the coveted 2023 Parent Tested Parent Approved seal for her first children’s book called The Land of Secret Superpowers: Vegetables. She has served on the Advisory Board of the American Culinary Federation’s Chef & Child Foundation, has traveled to speak on behalf of the Larry King Foundation, and has been honored for work with FirstStar.org. She’s passionate about giving back to people, which is why her philanthropy efforts are focused on diabetes, obesity, and foster care-related charities.

HER TIPS ON FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

“Pushing through our biggest fears is often the only way to get the greatest rewards. Having not met my soulmate at 45, I faced the foster care system and lucked into my great blessing – my now 5-year-old mini-me. She’s a miracle on so many levels and I was terrified for years to become a mother on my own.”

HER ADVICE ON BUILDING A BUSINESS

“Women are so used to juggling so much that they think they don’t need to hire anyone else. But the more you “do yourself” as a business owner, the less chance you have for your business to grow. I learned this loud and clear during the pandemic lockdown. I was recovering from my accident as a solo mom and had seriously downsized everything from housekeeping and childcare (simply to stay safe) and my office team. I was so proud, at first that I was “doing so much”. But it wasn’t long before I realized that I was just digging a“deep hole of busy” and losing my creativity.”

HER TIPS FOR OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

“Every challenge is a forced opportunity to happen upon “something better”.  At the height of my career in 2015, en route to a celebrity event in a town car, we were struck on the freeway. One of the most devastating days of my life was months after when a neurologist told me my career was over and that I would never speak publicly again. She handed me 4 prescriptions and told me to shut down my brain, sitting in a dark room. I went home, read the potential side effects of the 4 bottles, and resolved to find doctors who could help me. I did… and in the process, I realized that I worked so much, I didn’t allow myself the space for a personal life, which cost me becoming a mom. And it forced me to get my daughter. Without that accident, I’m not sure I ever would have taken the time to “stop” and get my daughter, who is definitely my biggest blessing!”

HER VIEW ON THE VALUE OF PERSONAL BRANDING

“If you don’t understand your brand and what you stand for, your audience never will. My personal ‘why’ is to help people “have it all”. I was an overweight teen turned healthy decadence chef to show people they could “have it all” around food and even being fit. When I desperately wanted to be a mom, I didn’t let the lack of a husband stop me, got my dream baby and then did speaking engagements around “women having it all” around family, encouraging others to pursue their life partner and children in whichever order that presented – and encouraged considering fostering to help give more to foster youth! And then when I became a mom, I was able to pivot my career to focus on helping busy moms have it all with my FitMomFitKids platform. If I didn’t have a strong personal brand, doing cooking demos for people living with diabetes one day then speaking to foster youth then appearing on tv trying to help moms feed their kids with more fun might seem random. But with one core message, it will all appear (and be) authentic and (hopefully) inspiring.”

HER PERSPECTIVE ON BALANCING WORK/LIFE AS A WOMAN

“As women, we need to find ways to include our children in our work if we want to spend as much time as possible with them – for me as a solo mom, this was and is particularly important. For instance, last summer, instead of sending my then 4-year-old daughter “off to camp”, I hired 3 college students to be rotating “camp counselors” in our home (and my office). They created an actual camp schedule, we (my whole office team) had a camp chant and there were breaks worked into my daughter’s daily activities that allowed for “Mommy Hugs”(my daughter says “hug” more than any word on the planet and thrives on hugs). And some of her “life skills” activities (like fine motor skills)took place in our kitchen where she “got to help” the team. It was the most rewarding experience for me and she has been an even more joyous child and an amazing little cook ever since! And it all came about because I saw people posting about missing those “first 4 years” and wishing they could get them back. I couldn’t bear to “miss that time”.”

Liyia Wu, Founder & CEO of ShopShops

A pioneer in the live-stream shopping space, Liyia Wu​ founded​ ShopShops​ as the first U.S.-based live-stream shopping app for fashion, beauty,​ and lifestyle products.​ ShopShops enables consumers to ​discover and shop the most sought-after ​luxury and designer resales​ while interacting one-on-one with ShopShops vendors and renowned host-sellers in real-time from all over the world, from the palm of their hand.​

In her role as CEO, Liyia leads the company in all aspects of marketing, technology, product development, and analytics, and – since founding the company in 2016 – has raised over $50 million in capital for the app, successfully scaling ShopShops into a business with over 2 million active users across the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Liyia’s background and experience have uniquely positioned her to understand the business from the consumer, the seller, and the brand lenses – having been all three herself.

In 2009, she founded and managed a contemporary fashion brand sold throughout Beijing, in addition to opening a luxury brick-and-mortar boutique that featured American designers hand-picked by Liyia, including Tory Burch, Loeffler Randall, and Helmut Lang, among others – several of whom entered the Chinese market exclusively through her store.

In 2016, Liyia pivoted from her fashion brand and business to concentrate on launching ShopShops, and – with no prior tech experience – leveraged her fashion background and degree, as well as her finance and accounting degree. Under her leadership, ShopShops has now expanded to host 12,000 live stream segments a year and features a roster of over 1,000 fashion retail partners, including Coach, Chloe, Ganni, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Loewe, Macy’s, Marni, MaxMara, Rag & Bone, Theory, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and many others.

HER TIPS ON FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

“Oprah was and still is a “superhero” in my mind. She once said: ” the biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.” I think it’s also the bravest adventure. It takes a lot of courage first to hear the inner self, follow that voice, ignore all the “no’s” (or fears), and act with intuition.”

HER ADVICE ON BUILDING A BUSINESS

“I think building a business starts as simple as an idea and a calculator, but for it to succeed, it requires a lot of hard work, discipline, fast learning, a strong team, and tons of luck. I believe any success is ” Man proposes, God disposes”. The challenge is how to stay persistent, keep trying, and not give up too easily. I also think it’s super important to build a business in what you really love, not just for the sake of “an opportunity to make money” or to have “quick success”. True passion is probably the only reason to keep you trying and not give up during the ups and downs.”

HER TIPS FOR OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

“In my opinion, most of the time challenges are often psychological rather than physical. I make myself believe I can get to the finish line, and this drives me to keep looking for solutions to solve the problems in front of me. A motto that resonates for me is “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10000 ways that won’t work” by Thomas Edison. It’s like riding a wave, you have to paddle hard, and get through the down and flats to catch a rise.”

HER VIEW ON THE VALUE OF PERSONAL BRANDING

“Authentic and being real, would be what I consider the most important values in my life. Being not only real and honest to others, but also myself, true to my feelings, my thoughts, and my beliefs. I have so many different roles to play in life: mom, wife, daughter, boss, partner, etc, and I want to succeed in all of them. So I think being true to myself enables me to be “real” in the different roles that I constantly need to switch to or from, and I find true happiness in living for myself.”

HER PERSPECTIVE ON BALANCING WORK/LIFE AS A WOMAN

“As the founder of a start-up business, it’s tough to define the difference between “work” and “life”. It’s almost like asking a mother who’s your favorite child. I’m very lucky that what I’m working on is also what I am passionate about. I’ve always tried my best to live the life of my dream and make every moment of it valuable to me. I do make time to recharge. Snowboarding, cooking, and playing with legos are things that help me reduce destress and stay focused.”

Katie Stippec, Emmy-nominated Executive Producer at Battle Island

Katie Stippec is the executive producer at Battle Island who is responsible for overseeing the development and execution of the new series, “Ghosts of Ruin”. As an Emmy-nominated executive producer, she executes the overall vision and strategizes community involvement, and maintains the integrity of the property and brand.

She produced Hallmark’s “Home & Family” for 5 years, and worked on “Big Chicken Shaq” with Shaquille O’Neal in 2018. She has previous experience in casting for shows including “Girls”, “Orange is the New Black”, and “Blue Bloods”. Katie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from the University of Missouri – Columbia. Outside of work, she enjoys all things St. Louis, especially the Cardinals and the Blues.

HER TIPS ON FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

“Dreams can be a blessing or a curse, sometimes both. Following them is a hard and arduous path filled with landmines and unexpected obstacles, but it leaves you with fewer regrets. Not following them can torture you – mind, body, and soul – for the entirety of your life, eating away at you like cancer. Personally, I’d prefer the former. Life is going to be hard no matter what path you choose, so you might as well “choose the suck” that you want, putting yourself in the driver’s seat. For me, that’s chasing dreams as hard and as fast as I can. The alternative is monotony and complacency, and if we only get one of these lives, I want to look back knowing that I gave it everything I could.”

HER ADVICE ON BUILDING A BUSINESS

“When I first moved to New York in 2015, I was lost and broke. I didn’t know what I was doing or where I was going. I knew I had to hustle, explore, learn, and figure it out. The first job I had in the entertainment industry was in casting. When I quit pursuing my own passions, they had to hire two people to replace me. That was a wake-up call. It helped to have a very supportive partner who continually opens my eyes for me to realize my own potential. Standing out, and building something is hard. It takes time, energy, and sacrifice. My journey made me who I am, and I love myself. It’s easy to forget what you’re capable of, but the achievements you can accomplish in a short amount of time are really insane when you take the time to think about it and give yourself the credit you deserve.”

HER TIPS FOR OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

“There are always challenges, most of which can be overcome, avoided, or planned for, but for me, for some reason, it always boils down to confrontation – whether that be confronting the problem, confronting the person, or confronting myself. It helps me with all challenges to remind myself that time is fleeting. No matter how bad things seem at any given time, nothing lasts longer than the time that it lasts. Meaning, there will always be ups and downs. A person’s response to challenges is where the magic is. Conquering challenges builds you into who you are, makes you stronger, and reminds you of your power. You can overcome anything. We make our own luck in this world, and I’m a firm believer that luck is when preparation meets opportunity.”

HER VIEW ON THE VALUE OF PERSONAL BRANDING

“I think of personal branding as less about who I am on social media and more about who I am as a person. In the entertainment industry, and in most industries, your name is everything. Cultivating relationships is not only important, but it’s also the most important thing. That’s why breaking in is so hard and there’s so much nepotism because people want to work with their friends. The extrovert in me loves maintaining relationships, although at times of course it can be taxing and time-consuming, it’s well worth it. It pays in dividends not just with career success, but with feeding your soul and feeling connected to your community and peers.”

HER PERSPECTIVE ON BALANCING WORK/LIFE AS A WOMAN

“I’d rather be working than doing anything else. And I feel guilty if I’m NOT working. There is always something I could be doing, (which) could put me half a step ahead, and always a task to complete. Admittedly, I don’t have children but I do have family and friends that I’m sure would like more of my time. I’m being patient with myself as I work through this. I started cultivating hobbies that are just for me – painting, reading, growing herbs, and baking. I try to make myself text at least one or two people a day outside of work contacts. I want to help everyone do everything. I don’t know if that’s a woman thing or just my thing. But, either way, I’m working on it.”

Annette Walker, President of City of Hope Orange County

Annette M. Walker is the visionary President of the City of Hope Orange County who has gained a national reputation for her industry-changing insights, outstanding leadership, and keen abilities to bring people together and achieve extraordinary results. Twice recognized as one of the most influential leaders in U.S. healthcare by Modern Healthcare, Annette has been at the helm of many top organizations in her field. She considers her leadership at the City of Hope among her most important roles as she is developing a cancer campus and network of care that will transform the Orange County, California region – her home for more than 40 years.

Last year, Annette and her team fulfilled the promise made to Orange County to open the City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center and break ground on Orange County’s only cancer specialty hospital in Irvine, California. This cancer campus disrupts traditional models for academic medicine by speeding highly specialized care to the heart of a community. Annette has also established a network of regional clinics that brings advanced cancer care and lifesaving services even closer within reach for those who need them.

Annette is a featured speaker for national audiences and is the author of numerous articles on strategy, leadership, marketing, quality, planning, and management. She has received many leadership and innovation honors for her work from major institutions, organizations, and publications, including Top 25 Women in Healthcare (Modern Healthcare), Cal State Fullerton’s Excellence in Executive Leadership award, Orange County Business Journal’s Top Woman in Business, Businessperson of the Year, OC 50 (2020, 2021 and 2022) and one of the Top 100 Orange County Influencers by the Orange County Register.

Annette says her proudest achievement is partnering with her husband Chuck to raise a close family of six that now includes 13 grandchildren.

HER TIPS ON FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

“Follow your heart and be brave. One of my inspirations is Joan of Arc. She was an illiterate 14-year-old who got an army of men to follow her. That’s brave and that’s inspirational. We don’t talk about bravery a lot these days, but I do think it takes courage to step out of your comfort zone and try to figure out what else is waiting out there for you.

Women think they need to act like men to be successful, but that’s not true. Many of our feminine attributes are the very qualities that can make us successful in the workplace. Instead of trying to tone them down, we should learn to leverage them.”

HER ADVICE ON BUILDING A BUSINESS

“When you take on a responsibility, you are accepting stewardship, or responsibility, for the mission of that organization, for the people of that organization, and for the community that is to benefit from what that organization does. A great leader stewards the organization and leaves it better than when they received it when they leave it.”

HER TIPS FOR OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

“There were times in my career when I had to choose who to talk to about my children. Even though they’ve been a major asset in my career and my life, there were people who doubted that I could handle the responsibility when they learned how many children I had. Being a parent teaches us to recognize the skill and aptitude in others and how to nurture and encourage those skills. The wisdom we gain from parenting is an invaluable aspect of becoming a business leader.”

HER VIEW ON THE VALUE OF PERSONAL BRANDING

“The poet Maya Angelou said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ I try to live by that. Never be afraid to express to people that you love them.

If you’re doing work you love, work that aligns with your values, it lifts you up. It drives you over the bumps in the workplace. It inspires you. And that’s when you’re able to accomplish great things – when you’re doing what you were born to do.

Love your people. When people know that you sincerely care about them and have their interests at heart, that’s the real value and reward of leadership. This kind of sponsorship, as opposed to mentorship, is an important element of leadership—whoever you work with should be better for having been with you.”

HER PERSPECTIVE ON BALANCING WORK/LIFE AS A WOMAN

“It’s not going to be 50-50. I have a saying: Be fully present wherever you are. It’s the wisdom to know when something really matters, where your presence will be missed.”

Dielle Charon, Certified Life Coach, Podcast Host & Sales Expert for WOC Coaches

Dielle Charon, MSW, is a certified life coach and 7 figure sales expert for WOC Coaches. She is the host of the Black, Banked, and Booked Out Podcast with over 150,000 downloads and runs two sales programs: Five Figure Freedom and Six Figure Liberation which have served over 300 WOC.

HER TIPS ON FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

“Following your dreams can feel scary. Do not let fear be the thing that holds you back. Step into the identity of what your dream is before you even get there. That means, if you want to be a millionaire, start thinking what would my millionaire self do? This helps us to get into the right space and believe in this dream.

If a broke social worker like me can have my dreams come true of building a powerful community of women of color and a successful business, you can too.”

HER ADVICE ON BUILDING A BUSINESS

“Building a business can be simple. Stop feeling like you have to follow every piece of advice you see online. What fits you, your strengths, and your passions? Long term, this prevents burnout and helps you build the business of your dreams, for example, I hate making reels but I can rant! I make sure to rant on Instagram live and my team clips these into reels. I am plying to my strengths and you can too!”

HER VIEW ON THE VALUE OF PERSONAL BRANDING

“Personal branding is key. I invest in this a lot because it is important to me. You want people to be able to recognize you immediately from the look, the words you use, and every bit of your brand. I am known as the woman of color business coach who will tell it straight. This is my brand! This allows me to stand out and hit seven figures with a small following and a small email list.”

HER PERSPECTIVE ON BALANCING WORK/LIFE AS A WOMAN

“Have hobbies! Make time for things that are play because this will keep up your creativity.”

Nicole Eckels, CEO & Founder of Glasshouse Fragrances

As the number one home fragrance brand in Australia and now available to stateside shoppers, Nicole Eckels and her label Glasshouse Fragrances have set out on a mission to provide Americans with an aromatic escape through their wanderlust-inspired range of fine personal and household fragrances.

Nicole, a native New Yorker who set out in 2005 to discover the world, became captivated by all of the delightful aromas that she experienced while visiting New South Wales. She wanted to be able to keep these complex scents with her forever, so she decided to bottle them up! In 2006 right from her own kitchen in Australia, Nicole founded Glasshouse Fragrances with a mission of preserving scent memories and bringing them alive through vibrant fragrances inspired by unique cities around the globe. After two decades away from New York City, Nicole returned with Glasshouse Fragrances in tow, aiming to provide customers a way to explore the world without ever leaving home: through scent!

In the United States, Glasshouse has gained considerable traction and attained partnerships with renowned retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and Saks. Their US lineup consists of Triple Scented Candles, Diffusers, Eau de Parfum fragrances for him & her plus exclusive Bath & Body products.

HER TIPS ON FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

“Figure out what you love doing, and then dream up a way to make a living doing it.”

HER ADVICE ON BUILDING A BUSINESS

“I think that you have to do something that you really believe in at a gut level and that you genuinely love. Surround yourself with people who are experts in their field and listen to their wisdom, but determine what feels true to you. Ultimately, it’s your business and you need to trust your instincts.”

HER TIPS FOR OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

“Look at rejection in a new light. I’m from New York and my background is in sales, so I understand rejection. I don’t mind it – it’s just the way it is. It’s a numbers game. Work out your ratio of yes to no and every time you get rejected, just think about being that much closer to a yes. You will make mistakes and that is just the way it is, learn from them and move on.”

HER VIEW ON THE VALUE OF PERSONAL BRANDING

“The DNA of Glasshouse Fragrances and me as a person are so connected. You can’t take them apart. You and your business should coexist in a way that’s unique. It will help navigate when you go off-course. If there’s uncertainty, I go back to that place.”

HER PERSPECTIVE ON BALANCING WORK/LIFE AS A WOMAN

“Living in New York has meant I walk a lot more, which is wonderful for letting go of the day. And time with my friends…there is nothing like a good laugh that helps you unwind from a busy day.

For women, we often have other constraints that add extra pressure such as caring for children or having to work harder and push harder in a male-dominated environment. You have to trust that you deserve to be there by acknowledging your talent and experience. Sometimes I reflect on my position and have to remind myself that I didn’t become a Founder and CEO out of the goodness of someone’s heart. I earned it.”

As an Executive & Entrepreneur who’s passionate about personal growth and empowerment of ourselves and others, I’ve come to learn that how we choose to define being our “best self” truly depends on our individual perspective. That’s why we need to learn to just commit to getting better each day while living authentically, rather than comparing ourselves with others. The truth is – we each have talents, skills, gifts, and experiences that make us one-of-a-kind. So, we need to celebrate who we are by focusing on just being our best.

No matter where you are in your journey in life, always remember that everything starts with just the first step. Keep going and be proud of yourself for every step you take towards becoming the best, authentic version of yourself. You might surprise yourself with your own transformation!

If you’re looking to read more inspiring words from other successful Wonder Women, check out previous years’ guides from Inspirations & Celebrations featuring exclusive advice from many of the world’s most incredible and talented women, including top executives, industry leaders, and more.

The post The Wonder Women’s Guide to Boldly & Bravely Becoming Your Best Self While Helping Others appeared first on Inspirations and Celebrations.