From Healthcare to Highlighters

Today marks my 4 year anniversary at Fenty and Kendo brands. The past four years have flown by, and I don’t think I’ve ever learned and grown so much as I have here at Kendo. It is truly a testament to the company culture, as I’ve literally never been at any other company for over two years!! I am so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had here, and all the mentors who supported me, who invested in me, and who believed in me. 

As I reflect upon my career thus far, it’s fascinating to see how all the pieces of my unconventional journey to the beauty industry have shaped me to become who I am today. Every single role, even if it didn’t seem highly relevant, has been pivotal to leading me here. It seems cliche, but I truly believe every single step that I took was necessary. Whether it was working in regulatory & compliance or talking about trash bags, everything I’ve learned has helped me in my current role. 

I often think about a very particular experience I had in my mid-20s. I saw a role that I truly thought was my dream job. It was for a small startup (no longer exists) where I would have been paid to be a “tastemaker,” curating the best things to do, eat, and drink for certain cities. Needless to say, I was absolutely CRUSHED when I was rejected after the final interview. The reason for the rejection blew my mind, and it stayed with me for a long time. Thinking about it still stresses me out due to the emotional impact of the rejection and how much I believed it was a dream role. 

Nonetheless, I continued to persevere. The rejection motivated me to push even harder so I could prove to MYSELF that I would overcome. Some people are driven by reaching a certain title by x number of years. I am not one of those people. It was actually a point of insecurity for many years. I was terrified that someone would ask me “where do you see yourself in 5 years” during an interview, and I would get rejected (again). I didn’t really have an answer, and it made me self-conscious. During those formative years out of college, it was really drilled into me that I should have a 5 or 10 year plan ready for any recruiter or interview. But I never did. I knew I was searching for something, but I couldn’t quite label what it was. 

It was actually just this past year when I finally realized what it was. During a conversation with a friend, she told me how author Elizabeth Gilbert describes overcoming writer’s block, that through exploring her curiosity was she able to find her passion. That really struck me. It took many years but I finally realized what motivated and drove me to this space where I am today. It’s curiosity. I have always been led by curiosity. 

When I think about the most critical parts in my career, I’ve always made decisions based on curiosity and exploration. When I quit the healthcare industry, it was because I wanted to know what life was like “on the other side.” I had grown up expecting to work in healthcare and was surrounded by people who worked in healthcare. But I wanted to know what else I could do. I needed to see what else was out there for me. This was during the rise of blogging (blogspot anyone??) and I was fascinated by blogging and content creation, and I hungered to learn more. This is what led me to community management, which then brought me to social marketing. Even as I established myself as a social marketer, I still never realized I could pursue a career in Beauty. Then, when the opportunity came up, I literally jumped at the chance, gripping with all the strength I had in every fiber of my being!! And while there was definitely a learning curve, I can see how every single step I’ve taken in my career journey has helped me become the best marketer I can be. And I wouldn’t change any part of it at all. 

If you had told my 16 year old self that this was what my future held, I would have been flabbergasted. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that little old me, who used to wear blue and gold eyeshadow and had braces in college, would be a part of the team at Fenty Beauty! Every day I am so grateful for all I have in life, and I try to hold onto that spark of joy during even the toughest of times. 

My 16 year old self (blue + gold eyeshadow) vs. today :)