We need to be Fearless in the Face of other people's opinions

If you’re on LinkedIn and you have not yet been introduced to Judi Fox, it is time! This week’s Fearless Female re-defines what it means to show up on this social platform. After the 2008 financial crisis gave her the opportunity to re-define her career, Judi has been honing her skills as a LinkedIn coach for individuals seeking to make deeper connections on the platform. Here, Judi shares with us what brought her to this point, and what continues to drive her passion for social connection.

In celebration of Women’s History month, and to spread some positivity, I am sharing #FearlessFemale stories each week on LinkedIn. Read on to be introduced to a female who will inspire you!

NB: Judi practices what she preaches! I met Judi through a social media connection (on Twitter, in fact!) and was intrigued by her energy on LinkedIn. After speaking with her, I decided to enroll in her LinkedIn Accelerator course, and met a small tribe of amazing people there. Judi fosters connections with people that are authentic, valuable, and thoughtful. As we re-focus our energy in connecting via digital means in this new reality, Judi is one to watch and learn from!

Q: What was your career journey?

A: My career journey started with my dad taking me to “Take your daughter to Work Day” when I was seventeen. He worked at the Reynolds Metals corporate office, so he had me prepare interview questions for the c-suite executives that I’d be able to meet that day.

Looking back, this was truly a pivotal moment in my career, because it was the first time I met a woman occupying a c-suite position. I had the opportunity to speak with her, and be inspired by someone who had a similar background as I did, who pursued a career in the environmental field and became an executive. In all honesty, I probably met a lot of influential and important people that day, but as a seventeen-year-old, I really couldn’t relate to them… so what was un-relatable, was unmemorable! For me, it really reinforced the idea of diversity in the workplace, and the idea that “you can’t be what you can’t see” (Marian Wright Edelman).

When I was looking at colleges in the 1990s, there weren’t many of them offering environmental degrees, so based on her advice, I entered into the chemical engineering field, as a way of understanding the impact of chemicals on our environment, how to reduce pollution. I continued my education with a Master’s degree in Environmental Management and Business Sustainability, and worked for a company for a decade.

With the housing crisis and recession, I lost my corporate role, and this was when I tapped into the power of networking on LinkedIn. At first, I ran my own environmental consulting firm, but since that financial crisis in 2008, I really developed my skills in business development, sales, and marketing, specifically using LinkedIn. I realized that this became my superpower of sorts, at a time when people weren’t yet seeing the full potential of LinkedIn.

At that point, I decided to make a full pivot into the world of LinkedIn; I now run my Fox Rocks “LinkedIn Business Accelerator” course as my full-time work. Meaningful networking has always been something that has been important to me. In fact, the c-suite executive who I met at seventeen? I made sure to stay in touch. Not too often – probably ever five to ten years – but when I had updates to share from my career journey, I’d reach out. I’d mention that I’d seen her highlighted in the newspaper, as she was a mover and shaker, or simply congratulate her on a new role. And you know what? About 17 years later, I ended up working with her. This is the big lesson that I carry through to my career today: be authentic, reciprocate, and “your vibe attracts your tribe”, meaning that if you create a positive energy around you, you will gain a solid network.

Q: What big risk have you taken in your career?

A: For me, the biggest risks have been when it feels like I have a lot to lose, and a lot at stake. When I was in my twenties, with fewer assets and less experience, I may have taken what some consider to be risks, but I didn’t understand them as big risks. When I became a mother, and then a single mother, it was a huge risk for me to go out and build my own business. Quite frankly, it was a breathtaking risk, because I had so much at stake, and I understood that this personal risk may jeopardize people other than myself.

When you start your own company, forgo a solid paycheck, and hear everyone’s unsolicited advice on the matter, it truly bucks with the traditional mindset of security that many people have. While there are never any guarantees, I think that many of us have an illusion of safety and stability when we work for larger companies.

What really made me take the leap out of that comfort zone was hitting forty. It wasn’t really the act of turning forty itself, but instead it gave me a moment to reflect on my journey so far. I looked at the corporate work environment that I was been in, which was really a toxic work environment. It was the type work workplace where you had to justify coming in at 9:05 or asking permission to go to a doctor’s appointment. At that point in my life, I was managing multimillion-dollar accounts… I wanted to be treated like an executive who had my life together, someone who would get the job done, and I desired more flexibility in how and when it would get done. I’ve observed that some companies, in times of stress, feel the need to control what is happening with teams. They implement restrictions that get tighter and tighter on their employees. To me, this is their way of ensuring certainty, but it also kills individuality. It becomes daunting to receive a performance review where the target is always changing – like a carrot on a stick.

It was this reflection that ultimately led me to take the path of creating my own business and investing in myself and my business. Now, I’m on my own, and I get to see both the rewards and the consequences of all of my choices. They’re mine: I don’t have to ask anyone’s permission! At the same time, I know that failure is human, but I believe that it’s how you approach the problem, how you manage it, and ultimately what you learn from it, that propels you forward.

What drives me is the idea that we need to be fearless in the face of other people’s opinions.

Q: What’s a piece of advice you’d like to share?

A: The earlier you take radical ownership of your own life and your career journey, the better. As women, we have a lot to combat when it comes to asking for permission. Remove this feeling – it will change your entire perspective of life and business. To put it bluntly, YOU are the CEO of you: no one will look out for your career, or yourself, as much as you will. 

Q: What’s your definition of a Fearless Female?

A: Along the same lines of not asking for permission, my definition of a Fearless Female is one who does not ask for permission to truly live the life that she wants to build. I have witnessed the journey of some incredible leaders, both men and women, but in looking at their lives, I’ve discerned that their path and their choices aren’t right for me. That doesn’t diminish their lives or their choices; on the contrary, it is owning our respective choices that come from within.  

Honoring our choices is knowing that any time we say yes to something, we’re obviously saying no to something else. It allows to be the master of our choose-your-own-adventure book. Being a Fearless Female means that we don’t bookmark that page, read all of the possible outcomes, and then return back to the choice. It’s moving boldly forward, living through that choice and allowing it to be your future – perfect or imperfect.

Q: Who is your favorite Fearless Female?

A: I have two – the first is Sara Blakely, because she keeps putting her real self out there. It feels like she is willing to push the envelope, to show up as herself, live her life loudly. I really connect with her origin story of starting Spanx from her apartment, building the business from the ground up, and not allowing that business to be derailed. As a female founder of a company for women, early feedback from male investors told her that her ideas wouldn’t work. This is something that many women have to face in their careers and is an important reminder of our tenacity.

My second person is my past self. I want to look back on myself as fearless, and I think our past selves can be a great inspiration for what is possible to achieve in the future… we’ve already come this far! To this day, I receive feedback on how I run my business, quite a lot of it is unsolicited. Many people suggest that I’m “doing it wrong” or that my business isn’t structured correctly. What I’ve noticed is that their approach, or their definition of success, may differ wildly from my own. As a Fearless Female, I’ve had to face people (as shortly as two weeks ago!) that challenge me. I look back and think, “She’s still here. She’s still in business.” Sometimes, you are the motivation that you need to keep going.

When I look at Sarah Blakely’s journey, as well as my own, I’m inspired, while being realistic that there is a lot for women to still overcome. What drives me is the idea that we need to be fearless in the face of other people’s opinions.

Who is a #fearlessfemale in your network? Give them a shout-out below and remind them how they inspire you!

#womeninbusiness #inspiration #womenshistory #networking #authenticity #femalefounders #foxrocks