30 Days of Reflection: Day 4 (Cover Girl)

“Never be limited by other people’s imaginations.” — Dr. Mae Jemison, American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut; First Black woman to travel into space?

I was just cleared by my doctor to fly to Austria, but I knew I was nowhere close to 100%. That trip was rough, but I didn’t let the physical pain steal my joy. I was on the cover of Forbes!?

A few weeks earlier, I had gone into the office to pick up my belongings after being laid off. Lying on my desk in a pile of mail was a brown box, the kind that opens up flat when you pull the strip. Once opened, I found a letter thanking me for sitting for an interview a few months earlier as part of the Forbes Women kickoff in Austria. The letter also mentioned that a surprise was inside. Puzzled at what it could be, I lifted up the page, and that’s when I saw it — me, on the cover of a real-life magazine! I was in complete awe, and pure joy overcame me. A dream that I didn’t even know I had came true. I was on the cover of Forbes Austria.

As one who has the privilege of doing does, I called my mom to share the news. But other than that, I erred on the side of telling very, very few people. I was in the middle of a legal battle, and I was still on medical leave. I feared giving the opposition any fodder to use against me.?

Part of the letter included an invitation to keynote a series of kickoff events in Austria. So though I wasn’t 100%, I did what I was accustomed to doing, what I was good at. I pulled myself up, laced up my shoes, and turned it on.?

When I arrived in Vienna after a long flight, I was stressed to the max, and everything was draining me — I had just received the devastating news that my mother had cancer, I was grieving the loss of a woman who was like a second mother to me, and on top of that, I was attempting to negotiate a severance package from another time zone with the help of my lawyer. The calls with my lawyer felt like a constant battle to assert my worth after pouring so much of myself into the company. It was a struggle that nearly broke my spirit. At one point, I even had to step out of a luncheon meant to honor all the speakers in order to urgently talk to my lawyer, who required important documents on a tight deadline.

When it was all said and done, the experience turned out to be a beacon of light. I had the privilege of connecting with individuals who restored my faith in humanity. Their kindness, support, and genuine interest in my journey uplifted my spirits and reminded me that I was not alone. This was part of my restoration. Acknowledgment of my work reinforced what I already knew — no matter if I’m up or down, I'm still a force to be reckoned with.

To Pamela Wagner who recommended me for the article — you’re a champion for always lifting up other women; you deserve your success a million times over. To the Forbes Austria team — Elisabeth Woditschka (who wrote a great article), Christian Peacock (who took the amazing photos), Heidi Aichinger (the definition of a true boss), and the whole crew ( Margit Berner , Agnieszka Turlejska, Pia-Maria Hauschild , and more) — thank you for hosting me and making sure I was well cared for. To Amel Derragui , Angela Matthes , and the other women featured on covers as part of the launch — I am inspired by your stories; thanks for allowing me to share the stage with you. And to Wilhelmina Jewell Strong - Sparks MBA 科技创新 , who saw through my facade when I was just about ready to break down and pulled me aside to encourage me — I will never forget that moment; thank you.

To the little girl in me who only dreamed of recognition and success — I’m sorry I didn’t celebrate you publicly when you were having a big moment. Just know that I have your magazine cover up on the fridge, and I look at it daily. My mistake doesn’t change how much of a winner you are and always will be. Don’t ever let other people’s perceptions hold you back. I sure won’t anymore.