Here on the WomenShare podcast, our mission is to help women advance their careers by sharing specific, actionable advice from those who have navigated the journey before them. We believe in the power of storytelling and the impact of shared experiences.
Each episode, we ask our guests, "What's the best career advice you've received?" The answers we receive are invaluable, offering a roadmap for professional growth and personal development.
Today, we want to highlight some of the advice that resonated most with us—advice that not only guided our guests but also taught us important lessons along the way. By sharing what this advice meant to us and how it influenced our own paths, we hope to inspire and support you in your career journey.
Leah's Picks
- Karen Reifel of Beacon Pointe shared, "Don't stop learning. Always stay curious."
This advice struck a chord with me because it's easy to get comfortable in a job you're good at. However, there’s always room to stretch ourselves. By paying attention to what excites us and staying curious, we can uncover new opportunities both professionally and personally. Following those breadcrumbs can lead to unexpected and rewarding paths. - Maria Bethel from Axtella offered this wisdom: "Follow your gut and intuition."
This is my personal favorite. I firmly believe that our intuition is rarely wrong. Trusting our instincts without overthinking often leads to wonderful opportunities and can steer us away from potential pitfalls.
Joanna's Picks
- Anne McCabe of Curo Private Wealth advises, "Put yourself out there. You will learn, you will fall. That is how you grow."
As a recovering perfectionist, this advice hit home for me. Stepping out before I’m 100% ready has been both scary and exhilarating. But nothing bad has happened! I've realized that no one has it all figured out; we’re all learning as we go. Embracing discomfort has been a powerful driver for personal and professional growth. - Debra Brennan Tagg from BFS Advisory Group emphasizes, "Focus on the client and everything else will become clear."
This advice is particularly poignant in the realm of marketing. It reminds me to view all efforts through the eyes of the ideal client. Often, we get tangled in highlighting our firm's features. However, what truly matters to clients is how these features benefit them. Developing customer personas and speaking directly to them ensures our marketing is relevant and impactful. If the message isn’t clear, it’s time to rethink it.
These pieces of advice remind us that growth often lies outside our comfort zone, that a client-centered approach is crucial, and that continuous learning and intuition are invaluable assets.
