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Featuring Beth Levy: Women’s Health Advocate & Fashion Entrepreneur

May 28, 2020 by Kelly Nash Leave a Comment

Beth Levy is the definition of badass. She’s a badass breast cancer fighter and survivor. She’s a badass advocate for women’s health. She’s a badass mom and wife. And she’s a badass female entrepreneur with a spirited and innovative approach to fashion.

While Beth’s breast cancer diagnosis in June 2018 was undoubtedly scary, terrifying and life-changing, it also allowed Beth to dig deep and discover what meant the most to her – her family and following her dreams. From this trying and scary battle with breast cancer came a silver living – the birth of Bolt Addiction.

Bolt Addiction not only pays homage to Beth’s familial retail roots, but it also symbolizes Beth’s fight to pursue her passions and authentically showcase what fashion means to her. Bolt Addiction is a way for people just like Beth to feel confident, strong, and stylish without the high price tag. A way for people to feel like a million bucks without spending a million bucks.

Find out more about the incredible Beth Levy and Bolt Addiction in our interview below!

Beth Levy - I Am the Hero of This Story

KN: Beth, great to have you a part of the series! How about you share a bit about your story and how you got to be where you are today with your company, Bolt Addiction. 

Beth Levy: Like many working moms, my life has always been go, go, go. Running to pick up my kids, running to my next work meeting, packing my carry-on for a quick business trip. In mid-2018,  I had landed what I considered my dream job. I had been working my whole life for this big job and this big title. I had given myself a grace period of a week in between jobs to recover, spend a bit of time with my kids, and check off a few appointments hanging over my head, including my very first mammogram.

What happened next was a whirlwind. I was diagnosed with Stage 2B breast cancer, and while my diagnosis was undoubtedly scary, terrifying and life-changing, it also allowed me to dig deeper and discover what meant the most to me — my health, my daily routine, and following my dreams. From this trying and scary battle with breast cancer came a silver lining – the birth of my other baby, Bolt Addiction!

KN: It’s incredible that you turned your experience with cancer on its head to help you reevaluate what was truly important with your life. And bravo to you for so fiercely fighting cancer! Can you explain why you started Bolt Addiction? 

BL: I started Bolt Addiction because there is a gap in the market that we’re hoping to fill. Women of all ages want to look and feel confident – they also want help, guidance, and style inspiration. Bolt Addiction provides all of this and more. It’s really about creating an experience that leaves our customers feeling inspired, excited, and beautiful from the inside out.

KN: Love it! What would you credit your success to? 

BL: I would have to credit my success to my parents. Growing up, my parents were entwined in the retail world in Chicago, and I helped my dad work street festivals and sell t-shirts. At the time, I was a young girl who was frustrated with being dragged around every weekend. But, it truly prepared me for the real world and allowed me to gain invaluable knowledge in the fashion, wholesale, and sales world. It ultimately allowed me the opportunity to launch Bolt Addiction.

KN: Sounds like it was meant to be! What has been the most rewarding part of starting your business? 

BL: It’s hard to pinpoint, but I’d have to say that the support from my local community has truly been inspiring. I live in Deerfield – a northwest suburb of Chicago – and the launch of Bolt Addiction was greeted by authentic and genuine support from those in and around my community. It’s amazing to see people rally around you and help you grow. I am forever grateful to those who pushed me and helped me achieve my dreams.

Beth Levy and her family at Kendra Scott.

KN: Community is critical and I’m so happy to hear yours has come together to support you. Through all of this, what would you say has been the most challenging of your business? How have you pushed through it?

BL: I think the most challenging part of starting Bolt Addiction was the unknown. I left a secure and safe industry and a job that helped to steadily provide for my family. But, with big risk comes big reward, and I couldn’t be happier to be where I am today. Running your own company isn’t always easy – it takes determination, hard work, commitment, and sacrifice – but I am up for the challenge.

KN: Yeah, you are! That’s amazing. What keeps you motivated?

BL: Hands down, my family. My husband and two daughters motivated me through all of my treatments and kept me going, even during the darkest of times. It’s no different today. They have helped me celebrate being in remission, they’ve encouraged me to pursue my dreams, and they’ve motivated me to keep going even when the going gets tough. Running my own business (and a household) is no easy feat, but my family has been there for me every step of the way. I couldn’t do it without them.

Beth Levy and her husband.

KN: That’s so great. Family support is everything. How do you balance being a mom, owning your business and tending to your well-being? 

BL: If I’m being honest, I don’t always do it well. Given the current climate in the country and the global pandemic, I’m trying to run my own business while simultaneously doing e-learning and keeping my daughters entertained at home. Add in a husband working from home, a dog that wants constant attention, and trying to get three meals on the table every single day — it’s not a walk in the park and I’m sure every single mom can relate.

I’m just really trying to cut myself some slack and realize that even though women ARE superheroes, it’s okay if we can’t give everything all the time. We’re all just doing the best we can, and that’s enough for me.

Regarding my well-being, my health journey has taught me that we need to always take care of our bodies. I put off way too many appointments while I was working in the corporate world — I was too busy, too tired, and too overwhelmed to think about my own health. But, my battle with cancer taught me that if I don’t take care of myself, I certainly can’t take care of anyone else.

KN: So true. We have to put ourselves first and I’m sure so many women can relate to trying to do it all! I’d love to know now who inspires you and why?

BL: My two daughters, Drew and Sloan, inspire me every single day. They watched me battle cancer and lose my hair, yet they remained pillars of strength for me at my weakest times. My daughters are resilient, beautiful and a reminder to me daily that I have so much to live for.

KN: Aww, they are so lucky to have you as their mom. So, Lipstick & Ink is all about encouraging women to make their mark on their lives, the lives of others, and on the world. What does “making your mark” mean to you?

BL: To me, making your mark means living in and celebrating the “here and now.” I have always struggled with this, but it’s something I’m working on every day. I’m trying to embrace the present rather than focus on the past or trying to meticulously map out my future. Bolt Addiction has been a lifelong dream of mine, but I was terrified to leave my corporate job and everything I had ever known to pursue something that wasn’t a guarantee. My cancer diagnosis taught me that nothing in life is a guarantee, so I channeled my fears and vulnerability and put them into pursuing my passion.

Beth Levy - Badass Beth

KN: I haven’t heard it interpreted like that before, but I think your response is so powerful. Thank you for sharing that. Before we close this out, if you had one general piece of advice for women, what would it be?

BL: Women play so many roles throughout their lives. For me, it’s been a mom, wife, daughter, entrepreneur, friend, and survivor. Each role has given me a gift that has helped to mold me into who I am today. As women, we have so many amazing gifts. So, my advice is to take those gifts and run with them — do whatever you want, become whoever we want, and celebrate it all along the way.

Gahhh, that’s amazing and I couldn’t agree more! To learn more about Beth and Bolt Addiction, you can connect via the channels below!

  • www.BoltAddiction.com
  • Contact: Beth@boltaddiction.com
  • Instagram: @boltaddiction and @beth_boltlevy
  • Facebook
Kelly, Founder of Lipstick & Ink
Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, speaker, career advisor, and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. In addition, she works full-time in technology as a Success Manager at Salesforce and has over 10 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, SheFactor, and Six Degrees Society. She is also in the process of writing her first book.

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About Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, speaker, career advisor, and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. In addition, she works full-time in technology as a Success Manager at Salesforce and has over 10 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, SheFactor, and Six Degrees Society. She is also in the process of writing her first book.

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Kelly, Founder of Lipstick & Ink

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Kelly💋 Career Advisor & Writer
I don’t know about you, but I have some 𝘴𝘱 I don’t know about you, but I have some 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 in my step this month. The last few months were a different story. It was like 𝚊 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎, day after day. Between the dreary Chi weather, starting a new role at work, watching mass shootings and anti-Asian hate in horror, all while in my condo with nowhere to go but the grocery store, it was feeling bleak. 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗.
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In the last week or so, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍. With warmer & lighter days, vaccine rollouts, & vacations around the corner, things are looking up. 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜:⠀
♡ 𝗜’𝗺 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 - My mojo is BACK & I’m feeling so good about how my book is turning out.⠀
♡ 𝗜’𝗺 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻) - Being in a new role for a few months, I’ve realized it’s not a good fit long-term. I was fortunate to discover a role opening that’s better suited for me that I'm now interviewing for.⠀
♡ 𝗜’𝗺 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 - @ajayvedo and I were so cautious this last year and rarely saw family & friends. I didn’t realize how much I missed that quality time until I hugged my parents sans masks. I can't wait to spend time with people again, especially my sister @knash27, who I haven’t seen in almost a year 1/2.⠀
♡ 𝗜’𝗺 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 - Adam & I will be vaccinated this month and have 2 trips planned, both involving the beach! I can’t wait to feel the sand between my toes and sun on my skin. Being in nature is my mental cure and I already know changing my scenery & being outside more will be good for my soul.
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One day, 𝘪𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴.  Even in the most hopeless of days, with time, things turn around. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚜. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚗𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜. 𝚂𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑, 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜, 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗💋
During the first job of my career, I convinced mys During the first job of my career, I convinced myself that because I was at the bottom of the ladder, 𝒎𝒚 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕. . Because of that, I remained timid at work, kept my head down and did what was expected of me. When I started my job at Salesforce nearly 7 years ago, I recognized that I was a small fish in a very large pond. Because of that, I accepted that I’d 𝑰’𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕.
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Here's the thing though: I was wrong in both scenarios. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it's that despite your job title, despite your years of experience and despite how big your company is, you can build and exude influence. You can make an impact on your team, your organization, and your company. Swipe to find out how and save this post as a reminder that 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙚💋
Whether you’re new around here or not, on this # Whether you’re new around here or not, on this #workingwomanwednesday (is that a thing?), I wanted to introduce myself & share a bit about me & the mission behind L&I!
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◉ I'm Kelly, 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲. I grew up in the north Chicago burbs, went to college at U of I (𝘐-𝘓-𝘓!), and have lived in #Chicity the last 9 years
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◉ I started my career in advertising but transitioned to tech 7 years ago when I landed a job at 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚, where I currently work today in Customer Success
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◉ After years of happily & successfully building my career, 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 2018 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 - 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨. I had an awakening that I wasn't being true to who I was. I had always considered myself a writer, but as I entered adulthood, I suppressed that part of me due to fear & self-doubt. By doing that, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛. It was then that I decided to start L&I, not only to resurrect my writing, but to make an impact (𝙸'𝚖 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚢!)
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◉ I started L&I with a mission to help women 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 & 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 so they can advance & drive impact in the workplace and beyond. With everything I do, 𝗺𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲
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◉ L&I consists of the blog where I write career, wellness, & #realtalk content, a monthly newsletter, virtual and in-person events, as well as career services, which consists of resume & cover letter reviews/rewrites, LinkedIn reviews, & career chats
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My hope is you think of L&I any time you're looking for career advice, direction, or motivation because I am here in your corner, cheering you on. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿💋
If you’re looking to land a promotion, obtain a If you’re looking to land a promotion, obtain a new job, or get noticed by leadership, then 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸! Keeping a record of this information is critical to growing your career.
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𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙨, 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙪𝙘𝙠! I have a free template you can download on thelipstickandink.com, found via the link in my bio under 𝚁𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚜. This worksheet is ideal for professionals who work with clients and on specific projects. However, the template can easily be modified to adapt to the work that you do.
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I recommend updating this worksheet on a consistent basis and doing so immediately when you acknowledge your accomplishments or receive positive feedback.
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Have a great weekend!💋
𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙥. Today is #EqualPayDay, marking the day into the year the average woman must work to be paid what the average white man was paid the previous year. Aka - it takes us 𝟏𝟓 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬.
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The gender pay gap now stands at 18% globally, meaning women earn an average of 82% of what men earn. For women of color and women with children, the difference is even greater. At this rate, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟮𝟱𝟬+ 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report. 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑼𝒏𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆. 𝑴𝒂𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔.
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So what can we individually do to ensure equal pay? ⠀
$ 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻: The pay gap typically gets wider as women get older. Part of that is due to what is called “motherhood penalty” that proves being a mother leads to discrimination in the workplace. (The pandemic has amplified this as women have left the workforce 4x higher than men.) ⠀
$𝗕𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲: Realize you hold the power in your career trajectory. Don’t put off asking for a promotion and raise, especially when you’ve taken on additional responsibilities or it’s been awhile since you last received one. Plant the seed early on and discuss your aspirations with your manager. ⠀
$𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: Find your market value based on your role, location, and years of experience by researching on sites like Glassdoor.com. If you’re feeling bold, ask your coworkers if they’re willing to share their pay so you can check for parity. ⠀
$𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 & 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀: Always negotiate your pay. As I always say, it never hurts to ask!! Bring facts to the table & quantify your work to showcase your value and make your case.
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Remember to always know your worth & speak up for yourself💋
When I first started my career, I remember being t When I first started my career, I remember being told to '𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭,' make my social media profiles private, and leave my emotions at the office front door. I listened and abided by that for a number of years, 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀.
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After a few years, I said enough was enough. I didn't like that I wasn't being authentic to who I really was. The person I was at work didn't need to be any different from who I was outside of the office. Little by little, I began taking "risks:"⠀
✔ giving my resume and LinkedIn some personality⠀
✔ starting L&I and sharing about it in career settings⠀
✔ speaking my truth and not being afraid to speak up⠀
✔ not sitting in silence at the beginning of calls and asking attendees questions⠀
✔ showing my emotions and sharing how I'm feeling
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And little by little, I learned that 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. Simply being myself and putting it out there ultimately led to new connections, deeper relationships, increased visibility, and more leadership opportunities - all of which are crucial to growing in your career.
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𝙎𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 - 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 - 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧. You'll be surprised as to what happens when you do💋
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