corporate leader to entrepreneur, Amy Hilliard delivers a compelling framework for ‘believing in your possibilities,’ and showcasing why ‘pivots create purpose.’ ”
—Bonita C. Stewart, VP, Global Partnerships, Google; coauthor, A Blessing: Women of Color Teaming Up to Lead, Empower, and Thrive
“Amy S. Hilliard has been an agent of change throughout her career. After a year like 2020, this book could not be better timed. Pivot for Success is a roadmap that can be your guidepost to success, no matter where you are in life or your career. Follow the 10 Pivot Points and manifest your success … Bravo, Amy.”
—Brenda Lauderback, Chairman, Denny's Corporation; Past President, Nine West Footwear Group
“Amy has had a fascinating career as an intrapreneur, entrepreneur, and a pioneer in diversity marketing. She has leveraged her skills to inspire and innovate, and in this book, she provides insightful guidance on how anyone can navigate the successes and challenges of your career and personal life.”
—Linda Darragh, The Larry Levy Executive Director and Clinical Professor, Kellogg Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative, Kellogg Business School
“Amy is a gifted storyteller and so very relatable. One might read the title and say, ‘Oh my goodness, not another book about pivoting,’ and yes, in these tough times of a once‐in‐a‐generation pandemic and economic collapse, pivoting is what we must do. But this is a story that goes beyond that; it is a quintessential American story told through the eyes and heart of a Black woman entrepreneur from Detroit whose words leap out at you and hold your hand as a guide, navigating you through your own personal journey to success. I thought I had heard and seen all the business advice/motivation one needs in a lifetime, but this is truly a unique approach to success, self‐realization, and personal revelation. I strongly endorse Amy S. Hilliard's Pivot for Success.”
—Terrez Marriott Thompson, Retired, Coca‐Cola, VP Global Supplier Diversity Founder and Chair, Powered By Zerret, Incorporated
AMY S. HILLIARD
PIVOT FOR SUCCESS
Hone Your Vision,
Shift Your Energy,
Make Your Move
Copyright © 2021 by Amy S. Hilliard. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data is Available:
ISBN 978‐1‐119‐78097‐7 (Hardback)
ISBN 978‐1‐119‐78099‐1 (ePDF)
ISBN 978‐1‐119‐78098‐4 (ePub)
COVER DESIGN: PAUL MCCARTHY
This book is dedicated to my parents,
Stratford and Gwendolyn Hilliard,
whose strong spirits still guide me every single day.
And to my children,
Angelica and Nicholas Jones,
who light my life with their love and support always.
Introduction
AT THE END of 2013, I was sitting in the office of The ComfortCake® Company, the dream business I started in 2001 that sold pound cakes based on my recipes to United Airlines, Walmart, Home Shopping Network, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and several grocery chains across the country. I had just ended a call with my lawyer, who had laid out my options for holding on to the business. It had been a very difficult few years. We had started out strong, won awards, and even became an approved supplier to McDonald's. Yet several events had taken their toll on the business and on my finances: the recession of 2008; the decision by CPS to take desserts off the school menus; the need to switch to other offerings; and my desire to help care for my ailing dad. As I looked at the paperwork before me, I made up my mind: I would declare personal bankruptcy so that the business would survive. And it did. Doing so was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, and no one but my family and closest friends even knew about it. For years, I just wasn't ready or able to tell my full story—until now.
I'm a Harvard MBA, a successful senior corporate executive, and a serial entrepreneur whose journey has been different from what you may expect. The things that happened to me weren't
