Just like businesses, people have their own brands. What advertisers call the “Brand Promise” comes with quality expectations, image, and associations.  Doesn’t it feel different walking into the Ritz Carlton than entering the W Hotel?  That old Ritz is stuck in its ways, old money, mature, predictable, doesn’t want to recreate the wheel. Yet it is sophisticated, strong and reliable.  The W is the trendsetter, hip, sexy, cutting-edge, open-minded, and creative. Unpredictable and loud. 

So, what type of brand are you? Think about the associations people attach to your image. Do trendsetter and innovator come to mind?  Do you get loads of praise for your great ideas at work?  Are you a little quirky?  Or are you conservative and do others see you as the rock that holds everyone together? Knowing your brand can move your career forward.  You can package yourself to fit your brand image and stay consistent to maintain it. 

What’s in your package nowadays?  Is it a true reflection of your brand?  Most successful brands project a consistent image. When you think about Apple, you expect to get steady innovation, ease of use, high-end design products, and great customer service at the genius bar.  You wouldn’t find a Dell look-alike among Apple’s product lines.  Likewise, think about whether the way you dress, what you say on your resume, your career behavior, and your attitude are consistent with your brand. If the shoe fits, wear it! 

If you find that you need a different branding strategy, don’t despair!  It’s never too late to change your brand image. In fact, many strong brands in today’s market had to reinvent themselves during certain points in their existence.  Remember Apple’s come back with the Ipod? or Martha Stewart?  The successes of the tech innovator and the domestic diva did not happen without the help of their marketing teams and PR experts. You too can tailor your current packaging to fit with your brand. Partner up with a coach and secure a winning revival.

Written by Olya Artman

Reinvented your brand recently?  Tell us your story and help inspire others.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

The story of how Marlo Scott baked herself a happier career.    
                                                                    
Marlo Scott can’t stop smiling today. How could she? In January 2009 she spent an afternoon with Martha Stewart making cupcakes for an upcoming show.  Being chosen for this segment was amazing and beyond anything she ever imagined.

If you ask Marlo for the recipe of her Crimson and Cream Cupcake, she will gladly share it with you as she recently did for Fox5 Good Day New York, to celebrate Valentine’s Day. She is also more than glad to give you her recipe for a happier life. Like many people on a career track, Marlo thought she had the ingredients for success. But after an MBA at the University of Michigan and three layoffs, she discovered that her original recipe had a certain aftertaste that she needed to eliminate. So with a few ounces of inspiration, a splash of networking and lot of hard work, Marlo baked up the idea for a cupcake, wine and beer bar and a happier existence.

Marlo thought she had it all. Even after being laid off from two different jobs, she still thought she was on the right track and considered her career a successful one. She had a great job in business development within Time inc.; she was motivated, well-liked, and up for a promotion. “Life just doesn’t get better than this,” she thought. And she was right, it didn’t. In fact, Marlo’s professional life took a nosedive from that point on.

After delivering outstanding results and successfully leading a business group, her reward was the deferral of her promotion for 9 months. Marlo was underwhelmed and disappointed, and she came to the conclusion that Corporate America just wasn’t the place for her. She soul searched to sort out her next steps. “The hardest thing was to figure out what I wanted, where my passion was. Once I did that, things started coming together”.

Marlo eventually discovered that her true calling was, in fact, very sweet. Everyday on her way to work, she passed by a popular New York cupcake bakery. Marlo observed its operations and after months of due dilligence – and a few extra cupcake pounds – Marlo came to the conclusion that the famed bakery had sweet cupcakes but an even sweeter horizon if given an opportunity to differentiate. “I would pass by every day and think what I would do differently. I started to brainstorm on my concept and I looked for opportunities to educate myself on the industry”. She signed up for restaurant administration courses and began networking with entrepreneurs and restaurant owners. She spent countless hours in the kitchen, perfecting her cupcakes and writing recipes from scratch.

In January 2007, she was laid off along with 200 others at Time Inc. The news came as a shock but mostly as a relief. She knew instantly that fate was intervening, and she was being given the opportunity to add sweetness to her life. “Getting laid off gave me a chance to put life in perspective. It allowed me the freedom to take a bet on myself. I felt empowered to go for it – to build a business and a brand that would offer a sweet environment for me, the good folks that work with me and for all my lovely patrons”.

Marlo opened Sweet Revenge in July 2008. The upscale, world-inspired cupcake, beer and wine bar has already made a mark.  Fox5’s morning should and Martha Stewart are not the only ones clamoring on her door. Time Out New York Magazine named Sweet Revenge the “Critic’s Pick” and is among the contenders for the 2009 EatOut Awards for Best New Bakery (results not yet published/known as of March 4, 2009). The Feedbag.com, Brides.Com, CupcakesTakeTheCake, and New York Metro, among others have profiled her.  She was also distinguished by New York City's Department of Small Business Services as an NYC Business Solutions Success Story.

“My life is unbelievable. Two years ago I was laid off, and almost to the day, I was baking my cupcakes with Martha Stewart”. Marlo smiles, “The best advice I can give to people wanting to change their lives is to have confidence and take a bet on yourself. It’s the safest one you can take and the most rewarding one too.”

Edited by Ignacio Villanueva

Have your own recipe for career success?  Share with us and inspire others.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

“We usually have our status update calls on Fridays; we discuss our progress, leads, best practices and have a bit of a team venting session” Justin tells me over lunch. He is not referring to a work meeting, however; he is talking about a new trend with those that have been recently laid off: support groups.

Until recently, Justin used to work at one of the top management consulting firms. He was part of a group of people that lost their jobs due to cost cutting across the company. After the initial shock and mourning period, many of them got together and asked themselves “now what?”

I saw how determined and excited he was about this group so I decided to dig a little deeper and find out: does misery really love company? As it turns out, it does. But it goes beyond group therapy: “we keep each other motivated and action oriented – we try not spend too much time complaining” – said Brian, another former employee.

The downturn of the economy came very suddenly for some, and being a part of a community of likeminded people helps you make sense of the events. Whether you are sharing through the phone, in person or on a blog, this exercise can also make you feel more engaged and integrated.

Once the emotional wounds have healed, groups have also found that keeping in touch with other can be useful for their career search. “By sharing job search stories, tips and market color, we keep each other focused and on track” – explained Julie. And for those who are considering a career change, they have found a supportive sounding board that encourages them to try new things and makes them more comfortable with risk. “If you’ve ever thought about leaving finance to become a chef, now might be the time to do it!” –concludes Justin, with a big smile on his face.

Written by Adriana Roche

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

A Banker’s Transition to the Intimate World of Women's fashion

Can you imagine juggling fourteen-hours a day in the office, planning a wedding in a foreign country, having a relationship, and maintaining a decent social life? Yeah, well, neither can we. But that used to be Cinthia Martinez’ life during her investment banking days. Growing up in Honduras, Cinthia always dreamed of becoming a Wall Street executive with designer pantsuits and a fabulous life. But after finally getting the job, achieving the rank and wearing the pantsuit, Cinthia discovered that the life she dreamed of wasn’t as fabulous as she expected. Actually, life wasn’t fabulous at all.  She was always on the run, feeling irritable, stressed, and with no time for herself. At one point her career started taking a toll in her relationship and was even affecting her health. During one of her “regular” workdays, Cinthia started hyperventilating and ended up collapsing at her desk. This disturbing incident, of course, marked a turning point in her life: either she changed careers or hired an on-staff hair stylist to color her fast-growing gray hairs.
   
Cinthia thought of searching a new career path even before her incident, but not knowing what else she wanted to do, quitting her job didn’t really sound like the wisest of choices.  She did know, however, that she wanted to have what her mother had back home: a career that would allow her to have a healthy balance between work and family. Based on this insightful finding, Cinthia dedicated herself to find a strong female role model with a well-rounded life balance and who she could look up to. It proved challenging, but she kept searching.

It took Cinthia one month after her panic attack to start actively searching for new career opportunities.  She started by sending her resume out to recruiters and applying to every job post that seemed interesting to her. As the interviews began, the search became more challenging since she was competing with candidates that had experience in the fields she was pursuing. However, Cinthia decided to get the most out of the interview process. “On every interview I had, I became the interviewer”. Today, she advises people to ask as many questions as possible during their interviews, so they can ensure they are transitioning into a field they would enjoy. She also took the opportunity to polish her creativity as she always looked for ways to turn her past work experience into relevant skills for any field.

Cinthia ended up finding her passion by accident, while listening to a guest speaker at a recruiting event she attended.  The speaker was a Harvard graduate and former Wall Street professional who had found greener pastures working as an executive for Victoria’s Secret.  As she heard the woman’s story, Cinthia realized that she could relate to everything she was saying. She also found herself very interested by the nature of the work that was being described. “This is it!” Cinthia thought, “this lady is the role model I’ve been looking for.” Motivated by her newly discovered interest in the world of undergarments, Cinthia decided to reach out to her new role model.   Impressed by Cinthia’s courage, the speaker connected her with the right person within Victoria’s Secret to further explore the potential fit.  Soon after, Cinthia got an interview and ended landing a job in their merchandising department.  Simultaneously, Cinthia received an offer from another bulge bracket firm in Wall Street. The offer implied a promotion and was more aligned with Cinthia’s experience and definitively within her comfort zone, which made the decision really tough. After carefully weighing her options with her husband – who had been very supportive during this transition process – Cinthia decided to go out on a limb and walk down the runway towards successful career in fashion.  “All along, I aimed for the perfect fit, because I knew that once I left I would never be back” said Cinthia, who has been extremely happy with her decision. 

Now the days when Cinthia got home from work at 11pm to find that her boss had already emailed her blackberry are over. Of course, her new career is not magically perfect; like everything else in life, fragrances and beauty can also give you headaches from time to time.  However, Cinthia is now able to leave the bad days at work, where they belong. She’s also working with a team of talented people that teach her something new everyday. And as for her investment banking skills, well, they have allowed her to always bring an innovative approach to every challenge she’s tackled. Happy with her work/life balance, Cinthia discovered that “when you have a job you enjoy, you never have to work a day in your life”.

Looking back at her career, Cinthia is very pleased with the way things turned out for her.  She is also passionate about sharing her story and giving tips to others. When asked to give advice to those seeking a career change, Cinthia said: “It is not easy to change, but I just want people to know that there is something beyond.  Pursue your passion.”   Many of her friends and acquaintances approach her for advice about career transition and she loves being a role model for them.  After all, not everyone is fortunate enough to have lots of support.  As for her future, she looks forward to keep enjoying the benefits of her new balanced life and improved relationships, and plans on starting the family she has always wanted. 

Have you changed careers? Tell us your story and help inspire others!

Edited by Ignacio Villanueva

Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |