In high school, my generation was told that we could be anything – at least, that’s what me and my cohort were told, although I did go to a particularly nerd-laden school where everyone was generally expected to become a success. Now that I think about, there was a certain amount of pressure to become a leader in your chosen field. But the choice of field that we would pursue was left open to our own discretion.
It was like, we don’t care if you’re a brain surgeon or a nano-technologist or a nano surgeon, or an elevator mechanic or an astrologer, for that matter, as long as you’re the best in that arena. I guess it explains a lot about why I’m so driven to become the top stylist in the world, at least in the vintage southwestern Americana niche.
While my peers were doing corporate management courses, I’ve been out here taking the bull by the horns, and I’ve learnt some lessons the hard way. I’ve made mistakes on the journey, like that time I let a work experience kid do some buying and he accidentally ordered all those cheap turquoise money clips. They weren’t even real turquoise… facepalm. But at the end of the day, those mistakes have made me the business leader that I am.
Sure, I might have had a smoother path to where I am if I’d had some sort of structured training. Recently, I’ve been looking into business management short courses, but the work just keeps coming, and I can’t see myself having the time for something like that. I’m good at what I do, so my business somehow seems to manage itself – I can get away with not quite knowing what I’m doing on the business front, if that makes sense.
I mean, people aren’t lining up for my managerial prowess or perfectly balanced books, are they? It’s my uncanny ability to match clients to the perfect hat and boots combo that’s in demand. And let’s just say my (genuine turquoise) money clip isn’t complaining.