You can’t be everything for anyone //I’ve known this since the first day. We talked a lot about this when we worked as a corporate rewarding merchant in SF and NYC. The more you try to do everything *the more you appeal to the public, the more you lose your identity and what makes you personal and unique? For me, this means always having fashion and styling at the forefront of what I do. I sometimes share other things, but the centre of what I stand at is consistent.
Privacy and time are your most valuable assets //We live in a completely different world than we did 15 years ago. When I started this site, Instagram didn’t exist – neither did Snapchat, Tiktok, etc. We all know what time is valuable resources, but I believe in the current climate. The very close thing is privacy. I love sharing with all of you, but I draw clear lines to protect my family, friends and my mental health. I am very grateful to have had this belief when I was younger. Who knew * could make a mature decision at that age! Never forget that the internet is forever.
Leading with curiosity //When you run a small business, you are lifting yourself a lot. There is no job that is too small or too big. You will also be navigating so many tasks and jobs with little expertise. Instead of outsourced something I’m not very familiar with right away, I always try to understand it first. Take the time to educate yourself and understand why I can really need help and whether I can take it myself, and how I can understand.
Not making a decision is a decision //I tend to make decisions very quickly. I often prescribe controversial ideas. Even making a decision means moving forward faster and landing in the right space faster. You lose much more indecisively. This is also closely related to analytical paralysis. Some decisions require you to dig into the numbers and do more research, but at a certain point, you need to go ahead and decide what information you have. Don’t argue that you will die a decision.
Rewards great work //When working with others, it is extremely important to reward great work. This may apply a little more to my time managing people in corporate work, but it always rewards great work. Often, the biggest reward for someone is a perception of well-made work. It can feel even more meaningful when done in front of peers, cross-functional partners and other bosses. I have met some people from various companies that feel threatened by peers and even direct reports of talent. Your goal is to be dressed in people who are better than you. Learn to shake up your desire to be blackmailed – your team is your biggest asset.
Kindness is important //I’m by no means perfect, but I always lead with kindness and surround myself with a partner who does the same thing. I see that magical things can happen when I align myself with people and opportunities that closely reflect my values. Some of the best decisions I have made are to communicate projects where culture is not optimal. I may love the brand and product, but headaches dealing with negative, cold or toxic teams are never worth it.
Just take on what you can consistently do //I need to be very efficient in my time as I am part of a small team. When it comes to content creation, the number of platforms and media seems to be growing and growing. If you commit to a new platform or venture, we want to be able to handle it without compromising existing commitments such as sites and social media channels. I only take on new things if I continue to show up in meaningful ways on the platforms I have committed to and work to grow my audience. There is only a lot of time in the day.
Perfection doesn’t exist (and shouldn’t be a goal))// At the beginning of Atlantic Pacific, I wait to try something new until I feel like I’ve reached an almost perfect level. Over time, I realize that it’s much better to start by leaps and bounds before you’re ready. I can tweak everything when I go, but when I wait, I might miss out on progress and growth. I learn a lot more than I sit comfortably. Perfectionism, as they say, is another way of saying procrastination.
Negotiations are not personal //My husband and I run through Atlantic Pacific without an agent or representative. This is what works for us. We are much more involved with the business side, including contracts and negotiations. You may not be able to find a common foundation for negotiations. Some creators treat contracts like sparring matches, but am I taking a different approach simply by saying, “Can we both come to a happy agreement?” Sometimes we are not, and it’s completely fine. Often, when things change, the brand will come back and eventually work together. I see clients as coworkers and think we are all on the same team.
Play a long game // Being a creator is the same as any other business in terms of short-term and long-term goals. Hopefully I’ll play my cards because I’ll be there for a long time. I try not to respond to any trends, social media changes, or knee jerks to immerse myself in business. There were many twists and turns in this business, and it could be quite overwhelming for my younger years. Now I’m trying to follow the flow. I know I have created a long-term, consistent business that won’t live or die from cleaning changes.
I take responsibility // When I’m wrong, or when I make a mistake, I’ll do my best to own it and actively find a way to make it right. We all make mistakes and one of the worst qualities I have found for someone I affiliated with is when we can’t admit or take responsibility for them being wrong. I own my side as usual and I respect others by being honest and open. This is how trust is gained and long-term relationships are built.
I reserve the right to change your mind //You need to always have a roadmap and plan, but you also need to maintain flexibility. Over time, and with new information, I will allow myself to change my mind. There are certain core values ​​that I will never waver, but running my business in a very fast-paced, changing environment means I need to be agile and change direction. No matter what decisions I make, I always trust my gut.
That’s not as bad as you think //This is a fashion and style site, not life or death. Things can sometimes feel devastating in difficult times, but usually, even on my worst day with Atlantic Pacific, it’s not as bad as it looks. I focus on what I have control and continue to move forward even when things are difficult. I visualize myself in a year and imagine how I’ll feel in the time, space and difficult situations between me. life goes on.
Treat your business like a business from day one //I wish I had done this. In 2010, I started as a hobby. If I could go back in time, I would have taken it more seriously and set up the infrastructure I needed to expand my business. I started making money second, so I set up an LLC, hired a professional accountant, and built a custom site. If it becomes business, protect it.
Leave something for yourself // This site is my career and from day one I have always been committed to not letting money fuel every decision. This is a creative business and there are often projects I want to take on because I love ideas and it excites me. I lost money in some and I simply don’t care. As long as I run a healthy business, it gives me this creative freedom. Not everything has to go down to the dollar sign.
Source: Atlantic-Pacific – www.the-atlantic-pacific.com
