Unrelated to my career in fashion I started taking a dance class and after about one month I was bumped from Beginner to Intermediate. I was too excited I was ready to dance with the big kids, but I soon learned that I was going/am going to have to work much harder at these classes as well as the work I do to prepare in between classes if I ever want to move up to Advanced and I can clearly see now that will not happen in one month like with the Beginner classes. Not as much was required of me and it was at a much slower pace.

I'm starting to find similarities in my career. Sure I graduated FIDM with an A average, but there are days at work when I feel as if I am pulling in a big fat C. Remember the post on the book What Got You Here Wont Get You There? I still have not read the whole book but already do I understand the concept. I'm living the concept. I don't have a week to put a project together, I have 3 hours. There is no 5 min grace period and that eye for detail that you will one day grow into you need by the 3p buyers meeting. Multitasking is a must and there is no way to compartmentalize your life by completing work for one class and then moving on to another. Your classes are all rolled into one with a pretty stiff deadline.

I have full intentions to take this picture (which I took) and do some Photoshop magic but in the meantime I felt it appropriate for today's post.

So this brings me to the title of this post and the picture above. It takes more to build a career. Your whitty self in class that made your teachers smirk and say you have potential is just annoying to your boss. Your hours of visionary labor to create the perfect mood board is not cut to just 30 minutes. You need to be better; and if you want to stay where you are let alone GROW where you are you need to stay better. Work harder, think faster, and refuse to give up. You can't ride along your Fashion Freeway on Cruise Control thinking that it will maintain your speed and build your career. Put your foot on the gas and GO! Because as you can see it takes miles/years to get to a career, and this my dear Travelers is the desired Point B.

Happy Travels!

"One Step Forward, Just Glance Back. No Fear, Just DIVA!"

Just one day after I post the WSJ video with Russell Simmons and him speaking on how teamwork and delegation contributed to the growth of his empire, I read this article talking about how some of the top names in Fashion are now 70+ and have yet to even mention a successor. I don’t mess with politics here on No Fear, Just DIVA but it just really reminds me of McCain for some reason… Anywhoo, the truth stated in the article is that no one lives forever, at one point a designer must succumb to the inevitable and another must take their place to continue the brand. But is the fear that no successor can give the house the immortality that cannot be achieved by the designer himself or is it just a matter of control and not wanting to let go?

I am still learning much about the business of fashion but I think that with anything a good leader knows when to let go and pass the baton to their subordinates. When properly trained an employee/apprentice/intern should be able to successfully promote to a higher position and maintain the core values of the company.

Just once I tweeted “I’d rather them assume I know nothing and teach me everything than think I know everything and teach me nothing” When accepting my position my boss made it very clear that they were looking for someone teachable which let me know right away I was walking into a trusting environment that is about growth and promotion.

What are your thoughts and experiences Travelers? Review past post about the Secret Truths of the Fashion Industry. There is a “truth” in there about the insecurities of co-workers and employees that are used to hold each other down. I will do a separate post about that soon, but I think it may tie in pretty nicely with this theme. On that note Bravo! to employers and business persons like Russell Simmons who is more than ready and willing to pass on the baton to his readily trained subordinates.

I know I sure can’t wait until my boss says to me “Stick!” (track term for those of you not familiar)

Happy Travels! [source]