Founder & CEO @ Growth Street® | Go-to-market expert | Author of "Unrivaled" | Fortune 500 executive and business growth catalyst | Podcast guest, keynote speaker, board member and strategic advisor | Giddy up! 🔥
I set out to climb a ladder but here's what happened instead 👇🏼 I started my career as an administrative assistant at Fidelity Investments. I was fresh out of college and saw myself on the cover of Forbes. The reality as a woman was very different. I took the job - worked for the SVP of Sales Supported 25 sales guys And didn't even really know what a 401k was. After a few years of proving myself - 💪 Delivering work early and flawlessly 💪 Asking to take on more responsibility 💪 Going on sales calls with the guys (even driving one guy around when he broke his leg!) 💪 Hustling and working my a$$ off I got promoted and suddenly, I was climbing the ladder. After a decade or so in a variety of roles, I got to one of the top rungs and realized, I don't really want to be on this ladder. I wanted to: ✅ Roll-up my sleeves and get my hands dirty ✅ Be close to the customer ✅ Make an impact beyond committee meetings ✅ Create a rewarding culture for employees ✅ Build a great company ✅ Feel good about the work I'm doing ✅ Make a difference in the world ✅ Be happy So, I stepped off And away from - a great comp package - a beautiful office - a fantastic team - a fancy title - an admin of my own:) And I went in-house as a start-up CMO. The first start-up failed. The second start-up was acquired. The third start-up was my own. I tell you all of this because sometimes The path is more like a jungle gym than a ladder. We've been taught to "go up" as the measure of success - But that's not for everyone. If you're thinking about your career path, Give yourself the freedom to choose your own adventure. 🏆 Try a new path 🏆 Move across 🏆 Go down 🏆 Climb off and start again It might feel a little risky, But you've got this! Keep going and GIDDY UP! 🤩🚀 Have you experienced the jungle gym or the ladder? What would you share as a career learning to help others?
Really love this!
White boards, brainstorming, and entrepreneurship are brilliant companions in life Michelle Heath. You are right. Choice is risky. NOT choosing is more risky.
What an incredible story! Sometimes the "dream" changes, and turns out even better than we thought!!
YES!!! Build your own ladder!!!!
Love This
Definitely jungle gym here too 🤣 Cheers to your journey towards the Giddy up!
Jungle gym - I love that!
I love it!
Redefining the Modern CMO — Podcast Host, 2x CMO, Chief Branding Officer and Investor
1moAlways important to remember: success comes in many forms, and sometimes taking a different path can lead to even greater satisfaction and impact.