Just a little reminder after the unfortunate passing of a hero yesterday to live every moment to the fullest. The world takes away so many good people for no good reason. 

Wearing BCBGMAXAZRIA, ShoeDazzle heels

Hair + Makeup by Zink Salon in Menlo, California

On Saturday I had the honor of presenting a keynote at the Stanford Women in Business conference. It was a truly surreal moment for me. I’ve spoken at colleges across the country but I’m not often in a room with this amount of young women in the audience so the day was one for the books!

I had a lot to say in the hour that I had to speak. Since I figured there would be a lot of questions at the end, I wanted to keep my speech short and focus on the Q&A. Usually I’d present a powerpoint but I started this presentation with a deep dive into my background. From never doing well in school, to what happened with my father when I was little, to writing my first blog post and never giving up…I was eager for every young person in the room to feel the energy behind having a strong drive like I do. As many of them will go on to apply to their dream colleges and eventually their dream jobs, it’s important for them to remember that resilience is a key part is finding success. You can’t take no for an answer!

Other takeaways from the Stanford summit: 

Don’t be afraid to talk about your mental health. I was asked a great question about how I decided to talk so openly about my personal mental health on social media, and I answered by saying that I talk about everything I suffer with. It’s not hard for me to be myself or authentic regardless of whether I’m talking to someone online or talking to someone in real life. I steer clear of talking about topics that I haven’t dealt with, and if I think the topic is important, I’ll bring in an expert who has experience on the topic.

To overcome rejection, think of the people you’re emailing as if they’re all gummy bears. I say this because to overcome rejection, you have to overcome the fear of the unknown. When you’re emailing someone, you’re talking to someone that you’ve never met. Why be scared of them not replying when you don’t know them? Think of them like gummy bears!

Be the 1%. I compare entrepreneur’s and unique thinkers to the 1%. 99% of people will follow the traditional path because it’s easier, but 1% of people will create their own path. Everyone in the audience (and everyone reading this post) has the power to be the 1%. You can follow in my footsteps or you can follow in someone else who inspire’s you footsteps, as long as you’re pursuing something that makes YOU feel fulfilled.