It really is like Chutes and Ladders. Sometimes, you move backwards to go forward. — Sophia Amoruso, Founder and CEO of Girlboss
ColorComm Founder Lauren Wesley Wilson interviews Girlboss Founder and CEO Sophia Amoruso.
I've been up to some fun things the last couple of weeks, and the journey has been interesting. I started with a trip to Maui for the C2 conference. I've planned this since last December, but little did I know how on time it would be. Hearing Sophia Amoruso and other badass girlbosses share their stories of success and, yes, failure was a refreshing tonic at a time when I'm deciding the best next step for me.
C2 is always an opportunity to connect with women who have paved inroads and are ready to strip away some of the magic that adorns us. Like in the Real World, it's when people stop being polite and start getting real. That realness included ColorComm founder Lauren Wesley Wilson sharing how she found her path.
It wasn't the first job in DC in which her master's degree didn't guarantee success or make up for her not wanting to hang socially with coworkers. It wasn't finally landing a conversation with the PR pro she (respectfully) hunted for a year. They finally met, and there was no chemistry. It was a lunch filled with other eager young professional communicators that launched ColorComm. This was the niche, and even so, it took time for Lauren to let go of the career she thought she would have. This community swept her into this professional, and really, industry, development space.
In a session focused on driving dreams forward, Teneshia Jackson Warner, CEO and Founder of EGAMI Group & The Dream Project, noted that "the biggest robber of a great life is a really, really good life." And ain't that the damn truth? Sometimes, the steady biweekly or twice monthly check, the good(ish) healthcare, and the 401K match lull us into a life of comfort. But, really look at what you're putting in versus getting out of the situation. What is your hourly billing rate, and how much access does the job have into your overall life? Could you do this on your own?
In this session, we created vision boards, and mine looked similar to others I've created in the past. There's whimsy. There's freedom. There's cuteness and a desire to do good (and crazy things). I see myself as a freelance storyteller whose adventures change from day to day. I'm happiest when I am out of an office talking to interesting people, pursuing stories, producing events and sharing this content. Also, I enjoy a balance between work and personal pursuits. We all need downtime and self care.
Circa Line 5, the endorphins kicked in, and I felt playful.
Speaking of self care, while in Hawaii, I ziplined and played in waterfalls. Ziplining? I've done it before, but was reluctant to try because you know...the ground is comfortable. My cousin who traveled to Hawaii with me gave me the push I needed and basically told me I had to go. To my relief, the long, winding, rickety lines that I imagined didn't exist. The seven lines were all short and orderly, and on line three, I remembered to look around me rather than just hold the rope and breathe through the fear. The views were absolutely magnificent. Let's hope my next step is, too.
One of the best parts about my Hawaiian adventures was sharing the experience with my cousin.