I once had a dream: To create my own fashion brand.
My mother had exposed me to the world of colours & textures, and I’d always loved dressing up even while working as a VP at BlackRock (not the place for innovative fashion attire, as you might imagine!).
But here’s the problem: I was too scared.
When I was conceptualising my fashion brand, I adopted a top-down, cerebral approach. All I could think of was:
👀 Market size
👀 Supply chain issues
👀 Acquisition funnels
👀 Business plans
👀 Expenses, expenses, expenses!!
There was so much to figure out & finally, overwhelmed, I gave up.
Despite the fact that I was already:
✅ Visiting trade shows & factories
✅ Had samples of own pencil skirts created
✅ Had a website up and running; and
✅ Getting the green light from an established hotel chain who was keen to work together!!
I will never know how far that fashion brand could’ve gone, but I’ve learned my lesson & taken a different approach with my current coaching business.
It’s been very organic.
I first:
1️⃣ Started the Ctrl Alt Career podcast
I struggled between talking about sustainable fashion vs careers, and did a survey using Google Forms.
And as it turned out - people really wanted to know about alternative careers in Asia!
2️⃣ Received lots of feedback!
My inbox was flooded with DMs from strangers who thanked me for the podcast & asked me how I could help them with their own career.
3️⃣ Ad Hoc Consultancy
With so many requests, I started providing ad hoc coaching. Learning their pain points & ways to overcome them so that each of these high-achieving individuals could find their dream job.
And along the way, I refined my coaching style and…
4️⃣ Built a coaching program
That contained all the lessons that I had learned from working with clients from Google, DBS, BlackRock, KPMG etc. because I realised that people really wanted a career change but had no idea how to do it.
This journey might have been organic but it feels perfect for me because I’ve gone through the same trouble, faced the same risks & worries and can confirm that the Big Leap is 💯 worth it.
You just have to start.
And don’t let your inner worries stop you from building the life you deserve!!
PS: If you need help taking that first big step, DM me “STEP”. I’d love to help you!
