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To Jayden and Chloe—my loves, my life, and my inspiration. Thank you for proving that life holds enormous promise and for challenging me to make you proud.
Contents
| INTRODUCTION: FORGE YOUR OWN PATH | |
| PART I | Attract Opportunities (Be Prepared) |
| CHAPTER 1 | This Entrepreneurial Life |
| CHAPTER 2 | Build a Life That’s Serendipitous by Design (It’s Okay to Ask for Help) |
| CHAPTER 3 | Make No Small Plans (Don’t Just Wing It) |
| CHAPTER 4 | Take Control of Your Own Voice (Own Your Destiny) |
| PART II | Invest in Relationships (Relationships Bring Opportunities) |
| CHAPTER 5 | Exceed Expectations (Build a Legacy of Success) |
| CHAPTER 6 | Reinvent Yourself (And Your Business) |
| CHAPTER 7 | There’s No Such Thing as Work-Life Balance! (Give 110 Percent to Whatever You Do) |
| CHAPTER 8 | Claim It and Shine (Leverage Is What Makes You Different) |
| PART III | Seize Opportunities (Don’t Hesitate) |
| CHAPTER 9 | Be Deliberate (Put Your Emotions Aside) |
| CHAPTER 10 | Always Push Ahead (Use Your Tears to Move Through the Obstacles) |
| CHAPTER 11 | Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate (Finessing a Successful Negotiation) |
| CHAPTER 12 | Rebound Gracefully (Keep Calm and Carry On) |
| PART IV | Succeed on Your Own Terms (Redefine Your Path) |
| CHAPTER 13 | Live Life on Your Terms (Decide What Success Means to You) |
| CHAPTER 14 | Embrace Failure (But Learn from Your Mistakes) |
| CHAPTER 15 | Make It Look Easy (Don’t Look Like What You’ve Been Through) |
| CHAPTER 16 | Optimize for Satisfaction (Maximize Opportunities for Happiness) |
| NOTES | |
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | |
| ABOUT THE AUTHOR |
Introduction
Forge Your Own Path
AS I WRITE THIS BOOK, I am twenty-eight years old. I am a successful entrepreneur, and a single mother with two young children. I didn’t expect to be single again at this point in my life, but after five years of marriage, I realized that I’d been living in a dreamworld where my vows and all that I thought marriage stood for were worth absolutely nothing, every ounce of joy in my life was sucked right out of me. I questioned me. I questioned the decisions I had made. And, I questioned my own self-worth.
I could have let this experience defeat me, but I refused to let someone else determine the story of my life. I knew that my story wasn’t over yet—not by a long shot—and I was determined to succeed regardless of the obstacles in my path. I would succeed on my own terms and no one else’s.
At age nineteen, I cofounded Sugarleaf Vineyards near Charlottesville, Virginia, my first major success as an entrepreneur. This was followed by my next successful business—Luxury Market Branding (LMB), a strategic marketing and branding company, located in my home base of New York City. In 2011, after nearly a year of advising technology start-ups on their marketing and branding strategies, I branched out into a new field when I became a founding partner of Gen Y Capital Partners, an early stage venture capital firm targeting Gen Y technology start-ups.
With each new venture, I learned important lessons that have helped prepare me for the next stage in my life—for the next business relationship and the next venture. And while I didn’t see it at the time, there were valuable lessons to be learned when my marriage collapsed. The experience made me an impeccable judge of character, morality, and integrity. It also made me crystal clear about who I was as a human being, separate from the titles of wife, mother, daughter, mentor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. The experience brought my understanding of what I wanted both personally and professionally into laser-sharp focus, and it helped me redefine my own path—in business and in life.
This is my story. It is a continuous journey with many ups and downs; countless highs and lows. At the core, this is a memoir of identity, perseverance, and the ability to achieve success on your own terms while building upon your passions. As you read this book, try to keep three ideas in mind: Serendipity is powerful. Know who you want to be in a relationship with. Know what you want your reputation to be.
I am a huge believer in the power of serendipity. I don’t plan
