YOU CAN’T BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE // I knew this from day one. We used to talk about this a lot when I was working as a merchant in corporate fashion in SF and NYC. The more you try to do *all of the things* and appeal to more and more people, the more you loose your identity and what makes you individual and unique. This can be applied in so many different ways, but for me it is about having fashion and styling at the forefront of what I do. I share other things from time to time, but the heart of what I do has remained consistent.
PRIVACY AND TIME ARE YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSETS // We are living in a very different world than 15 years ago. When I started my site Instagram didn’t exist – not to mention Snapchat, TikTok, and more. We all know what a valuable resource time is, but I believe in the current climate, a very close second is privacy. I love sharing with all of you, but I draw distinct lines to protect my family, friends and my mental health. I am so thankful I had this viewpoint when I was younger (who knew I *was* actually capable of making mature decisions at that age). Never forget that the internet is forever.
LEAD WITH CURIOSITY // When you are running a small business you end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting yourself. No job is too small or big. You also find yourself having to navigate so many tasks and jobs that you simply have no background in. Instead of immediately outsourcing anything I don’t know, I always try to understand it. Taking the time to educate myself and figure out the why and the how allows me to understand if I need to outsource or can I tackle and learn it myself. In the case I do need help, I now know enough to ensure I hire the right person and ask the right questions.
NOT MAKING A DECISION IS A DECISION // I tend to make decisions very quickly. I prescribe to the sometimes controversial idea that making a decision, even the wrong one, will have you move forward more quickly and eventually land you in the right space sooner than overthinking and sitting on your hands. I think you loose far more with indecision. This also goes hand in hand with analysis paralysis. Some decisions do require you to dig into the numbers and do research, but at some point you have gathered enough info and you need to move ahead and make a decision with the information you have. Don’t research a decision to death.
REWARD GREAT WORK // When you work with others it is so important to reward great work. This may apply a bit more to my time managing people at my corporate jobs, but reward great work publicly and often. Many times the greatest reward for someone is recognition of a job well done – and it feels even more meaningful when you can do this in front of their peers, cross functional partners, and other superiors. I have come across some people in business who are threatened by peers and even direct reports who are talented. Your goal should be to surround yourself with people who are better than you. Learn to shake the desire to feel threatened – your team is your greatest asset.
KINDNESS IS KEY // I am by no means perfect, but I have always tried to lead with kindness and surround myself with partners who do the same. I have found that when I align myself with people and opportunities that closely mirror my value system, magical things can happen. Some of the best decisions I have made are to pass on projects where the culture isn’t the right fit. I may love the brand and the product, and especially for long term projects, the headache of dealing with a negative, cold or toxic team simply isn’t worth it.
ONLY TAKE ON WHAT YOU CAN DO WELL CONSISTENTLY // Being a part of a small team I need to be very efficient with my time. When it comes to content creation the number of platforms and mediums just seems to get larger and larger. If I commit to a new platform or venture I want to ensure I can handle it without letting my existing commitments, such as my site or social media channels, suffer. I only take on something new if I can still show up in a meaningful way on the platforms I have committed to and have worked to grow an audience on. There are only so many hours in a day so that means I may have to cut something behind the scenes, eat into my personal time, or hire someone to take on more.
PERFECTION DOESN’T EXIST (AND SHOULDN’T BE THE GOAL) // In the beginning of Atlantic-Pacific I would wait to try something new until I felt like I had reached a level of near perfection. As time has gone on I realize that it is far better to just take the leap and start before I feel like I am ready. I can fine tune everything as I go, but by waiting, I may miss out on both progress and growth. I will learn far more by pushing myself than sitting in comfort or waiting until I am convinced I am ready. As they say, perfectionism is another way to say procrastination.
NEGOTIATIONS AREN’T PERSONAL // My husband and I run Atlantic-Pacific without an agent or rep. This is what works for us. We are much more involved on the business side which includes contracts and negotiations. There are times we just can’t find common ground when negotiating. Some creators treat contracts like a sparring match, while I take a different approach by simply saying ‘can we come to an agreement we are both satisfied with’? Sometimes we can’t and that is perfectly okay. Many times brands will circle back when circumstances have changed and we end up working together in the end. I view my clients as coworkers and I consider us all on the same team.
PLAY THE LONG GAME // Being a creator is no different than any other business when it comes to short term versus long term gains. Hopefully I am in it for the long haul, so I play my cards as such. I try not to have knee jerk reactions to every trend, change in social media, or a dip in business. This business has A LOT of twists and turns and in my younger years I became quite overwhelmed by these shifts. Now I try to go with the flow knowing I have created a long term consistent business that won’t live or die with one sweeping change.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY // When I am wrong or make a mistake I try my best to own up to it and actively find ways to make it right. We all make mistakes and one of the worst qualities I have found in anyone I partner with is when they are unable to admit they are wrong and take responsibility. So on the flip side I try and own my side of the street and show respect to others by being honest and open. This is how trust is earned and long term relationships are built.
RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND // While you should always have a roadmap and plan, you should also remain flexible. Over time, and with new information, I allow myself to change my mind. There are certain core values I will never waver from, but operating a business in a very fast paced and changing environment means that I need to be nimble and change direction at times. No matter what decision I am making though, I always trust my gut.
IT IS NEVER AS BAD AS YOU THINK // This is a fashion and style site, not life or death. During hard times things can feel catastrophic, but typically even on my worst day with Atlantic-Pacific, it is never as bad as I think it is. I try to focus on what I can control and continue to move forward even when things are hard. I try to visualize myself a year from now and envision how I will feel with some time and space between me and a difficult situation. Life goes on.
TREAT YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A BUSINESS FROM DAY ONE // I wish I would have done this. Back in 2010 I started Atlantic-Pacific started as a hobby. If I could go back in time I wish I would have taken it more seriously and and set up the necessary infrastructure needed for a scalable business. The second I started making money I should have set up an LLC, hired a professional accountant, built a custom site, etc. The list goes on a on, but you get the point. If it is a business, protect it.
LEAVE SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF // While this site is my career and how I support myself, from day one, I have always committed to not have every decision fueled by money. This is a creative business and there are often projects that I work on or endeavors I want to take on because I love the idea and it excites me. I have lost money on some, and I simply don’t care. As long as I am running a healthy business it will afford me this freedom. Not everything has to come down to a dollar sign.
The post THE 15 BIGGEST LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED IN 15 YEARS appeared first on Atlantic-Pacific.
