Pivot for Success E-Book

Amy S. Hilliard

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 302

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Inspiring stories and success secrets from business leader and entrepreneur Amy Hilliard Pivot for Success tells business leader and entrepreneur Amy Hilliard's stories of success, struggle, and sustainability to inspire you to become resilient. Hilliard offers her hard-won perspective on what it takes to "make it" in American business and in life. She talks about the tough stuff, the stuff that most people who rise to her level of accomplishment aren't eager for others to know. Few women, and few women of color, have created multi-million-dollar brands in senior corporate positions, legendary entrepreneurial environments, and start-ups. Hilliard's fearless honesty in revealing her experience can help you find your way forward, even if you face obstacles in today's business environment. While Hilliard is a Harvard Business School graduate, Pivot for Success contains lessons not taught in school. Her perspective on success and the failure it often takes to succeed are invaluable. In this book, you will learn the 10 Pivot Points that have led Hilliard to where she is today, including Purpose, Passion, Perseverance, Positivity, Priorities, and more. The 10 Pivot Points you'll learn in Pivot for Success have been tried and tested, and even endorsed by Michelle Obama. In this book, Hilliard shares her impactful life lessons. No matter who you are or where you are in your life's journey, you'll need to gain vision, shift your energy, and make moves in order to get where you're going. Through Pivot for Success, you'll find that you can succeed, even when you think you've lost it all. * Gain inspiration from Amy Hilliard's rise and resilience to multi-million-dollar success * Leverage the 10 Pivot Points to best fit your goals in business and in life * Learn to recognize when you're on the right track or bounce back if your situation calls for a change of outlook and strategy * Build the courage to take risks, shift your perspective, and discover new opportunities As the owner of three businesses, Amy Hilliard knows what it takes to hustle and get there. In Pivot for Success, she shows you how.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Introduction

Entrepreneurship Is in My DNA

Part I: Hone Your Vision

1 Finding Your Purpose

Finding Your Purpose Can Serve Others and Move Mountains

Align Your Purpose with Your Values and What You Enjoy

2 Believing in Possibilities

Possibilities Abound for Those with Entrepreneurial Mindsets

If That Possibility Keeps Knocking at You, Believe It

Believing Is Everything, but Be Specific

Notes

3 Defining Your Priorities

Priorities Can Shift

Opportunities Shift Priorities Also

Hold on to Your Core Values as Priorities Evolve

4 Envisioning Prosperity

Know What Your Enough Is

Have the Right Intentions for Prosperity

Notes

Part II: Shift Your Energy

5 Getting Prepared

Getting Prepared Gives You a Framework

Getting Prepared Is a Mindset

Notes

6 Having Patience

Patience Can Unlock the Door to Dreams

Patience Is an Intermission Between Acts

Notes

7 Seeking Positivity

Choose Where People and Thoughts Sit in Your Life

Your Mind Can Move Mountains—One Way or the Other

Note

Part III: Make Your Move

8 Honoring Your Passion

Passions Can Evolve and Stand Strong with Effort

Be Patient with Your Passion

The Power of Passion

Note

9 Maintaining Perseverance

Bounce‐backability: The Harder the Fall, the Higher the Rise

Maintaining Perseverance: Protecting What You Create

The Courage to Accept and to Change

Knowing “When”

Synergies Pay Off

10 Managing Perceptions

How You Present Yourself Impacts Your Potential for Success

Don't Advertise What You Don't Have—But Leverage What You Do

Put Your O.A.R. in the Water

Note

Epilogue: Pivot for Success

I Won a Lot by Losing Everything

Hone Your Vision, Shift Your Energy, and Make Your Move

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Index

End User License Agreement

Guide

Cover Page

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

Pages

i

ii

iii

iv

vii

viii

ix

xiii

xiv

xv

xvi

xvii

xviii

xix

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

67

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

182

183

184

Praise for Pivot for Success

“Historically, the principles of rigid resolve and fierce intractability have been baked into the nation's DNA. Now comes Amy Hilliard with Pivot for Success, in which she draws on her own character‐building personal and career experiences to convincingly reinforce the counterargument that, in today's fickle and fast‐moving environment, the inability or unwillingness to pivot can easily lead to unfortunate and unfixable results. This book is based on the most solid kind of research: the kind derived from the real‐life story of a highly accomplished, keen observer of human behavior. It says that we must all learn to dodge the curve balls that fate will invariably throw at us, and that life is not going to adjust itself to custom fit our master plan. This book supplants the sin of certitude with the positive power of pivotability.”

—Tom Burrell,Founder, Burrell Communications

“In Pivot for Success, Amy Hilliard provides a step‐by‐step guide of how to not only survive but thrive in corporate America. From defining priorities to having patience (my personal favorite!) she does a masterful job of sharing the lessons learned throughout her storied career.”

—Mellody Hobson,Co‐CEO and President of Ariel Investments

“With bracing candor and boundless wit, Amy Hilliard's Pivot for Success offers inspiring stories of invention and reinvention drawn from her own remarkable life and career and provides concrete guidance about how to create a life of purpose and fulfillment by transforming difficulty into opportunity.”

—Phylicia Rashad,Actor/Director/Producer

“I love this book! Amy is one of the country's great thought leaders. She is also an excellent businesswoman with an abundance of diverse experiences. This book successfully melds those two attributes, thought leadership and realistic experiences, with the result being a pragmatic tool for success.”

—Steven Rogers,Harvard Business School, Senior Lecturer (Retired)

“Powerful, clear, dynamic, and impactful—these are just some of the reasons that make this book so important. It is based on true experiences and fortified with the knowledge gained from the life experiences, and it helps the many people Amy has mentored.

I have seen her apply each of the 10 Pivot Points and obtain extremely successful results over and over. I have literally followed Amy for years. As her sister, I assure you each chapter will give you a place to identify yourself and use and gain effective ways to steer your career and life in the direction of your dreams.”

—Gloria Mayfield Banks,#1 Worldwide Elite Executive National Sales Director—Mary Kay, Inc.; International Success Strategist, CEO, Gloria Mayfield Banks, Inc.

“I've known Amy for 30+ years and witnessed her marketing acumen and brilliance firsthand at the Pillsbury Company. As much as I thought I knew about her journey, I learned so much more by reading her honest, no‐holds‐barred account of successfully overcoming adversity. For all who clamor for the keys to living richly, envision prosperity and dig in for a revealing read.”

—Jerri DeVard,C‐Suite Executive and Corporate Board Director

“Whether we know it or not, we're all about to pivot—out of a year that has changed our lives and our world, forever. Whatever you're facing, with Amy Hilliard's Pivot for Success, you got this!”

—Caroline Clarke,Founder and Former Chief Brand Officer, Black Enterprise Women of Power, SVP, Content Strategy & Thought Leadership, Nielsen Media

“Amy Hilliard has written a very good new book that essentially recalls ancient wisdom: vision, resilience, and perseverance matter still. Every generation faces the same problems in different settings. She reminds us that no matter the circumstances, personal character will ultimately determine one's ability to survive and thrive in spite of the challenges. This book allows us to follow her own journey, and I recommend it to you.”

—Carol Moseley Braun,U.S. Ambassador, U.S. Senator (Retired)

“Pivot for Success is a book that is so needed in these times and in this environment. As we all try to establish what's normal in today's world, Amy lays out several guidelines to get anyone back on track. This book will inspire you to push through your difficulties and refocus your efforts in a very strategic and tactical way that's also easy to understand.”

—Louis Carr,President of Media Sales at BET Networks

“Amy can talk about success because she has been extremely successful in many roles and businesses. This book couldn't be more timely. Being successful in this new world mandates the ability to ‘Pivot!’ This is the manual on how to do it.”

—Charles Jenkins,Filmmaker, Businessman, Multi‐Award‐Winning Songwriter/Artist

“I first met Amy over 10 years ago. Having both learned from and worked directly with Amy, I've been blessed to see her gift for inspiring others to push past what's possible up close. Her uncanny ability to genuinely connect with almost anyone has opened doors and broken down barriers, serving as a true testament to the validity of what she exhorts (or in other words, she most certainly practices what she preaches!).

I believe Amy's effectiveness comes from the fact that she truly lives the principles outlined in this book every day. Amy's approach brings practical and tangible steps for continuing to move forward. Both uplifting and challenging, Pivot for Success strikes a great balance of what we all need, similar to the qualities of a great coach. Throughout the book, Amy establishes a clear “why” for each step of her well‐honed process, supported by both personal stories and valuable anecdotes from the amazing ‘Who's Who’ of her personal network.

Given our current context, this book and its insights could not be more relevant. If “unprecedented” has become the universal condition for the world in which we live, ‘pivot’ absolutely should be the universal remedy we all adopt.”

—Karla Davis,Vice President, Integrated Marketing & Media of ULTA Beauty, friend and mentee

“From corporate leader to entrepreneur, Amy Hilliard delivers a compelling framework for ‘believing in your possibilities,’ and showcasing why ‘pivots create purpose.’ ”

—Bonita C. Stewart,VP, Global Partnerships, Google; coauthor, A Blessing: Women of Color Teaming Up to Lead, Empower, and Thrive

“Amy S. Hilliard has been an agent of change throughout her career. After a year like 2020, this book could not be better timed. Pivot for Success is a roadmap that can be your guidepost to success, no matter where you are in life or your career. Follow the 10 Pivot Points and manifest your success … Bravo, Amy.”

—Brenda Lauderback,Chairman, Denny's Corporation; Past President, Nine West Footwear Group

“Amy has had a fascinating career as an intrapreneur, entrepreneur, and a pioneer in diversity marketing. She has leveraged her skills to inspire and innovate, and in this book, she provides insightful guidance on how anyone can navigate the successes and challenges of your career and personal life.”

—Linda Darragh,The Larry Levy Executive Director and Clinical Professor, Kellogg Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative, Kellogg Business School

“Amy is a gifted storyteller and so very relatable. One might read the title and say, ‘Oh my goodness, not another book about pivoting,’ and yes, in these tough times of a once‐in‐a‐generation pandemic and economic collapse, pivoting is what we must do. But this is a story that goes beyond that; it is a quintessential American story told through the eyes and heart of a Black woman entrepreneur from Detroit whose words leap out at you and hold your hand as a guide, navigating you through your own personal journey to success. I thought I had heard and seen all the business advice/motivation one needs in a lifetime, but this is truly a unique approach to success, self‐realization, and personal revelation. I strongly endorse Amy S. Hilliard's Pivot for Success.”

—Terrez Marriott Thompson,Retired, Coca‐Cola, VP Global Supplier Diversity Founder and Chair, Powered By Zerret, Incorporated

AMY S. HILLIARD

PIVOT FOR SUCCESS

Hone Your Vision,Shift Your Energy,Make Your Move

Copyright © 2021 by Amy S. Hilliard. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 646‐8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762‐2974, outside the United States at (317) 572‐3993 or fax (317) 572‐4002.

Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print‐on‐demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e‐books or in print‐on‐demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data is Available:

ISBN 978‐1‐119‐78097‐7 (Hardback)

ISBN 978‐1‐119‐78099‐1 (ePDF)

ISBN 978‐1‐119‐78098‐4 (ePub)

COVER DESIGN: PAUL MCCARTHY

This book is dedicated to my parents,

Stratford and Gwendolyn Hilliard,

whose strong spirits still guide me every single day.

And to my children,

Angelica and Nicholas Jones,

who light my life with their love and support always.

Introduction

AT THE END of 2013, I was sitting in the office of The ComfortCake® Company, the dream business I started in 2001 that sold pound cakes based on my recipes to United Airlines, Walmart, Home Shopping Network, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and several grocery chains across the country. I had just ended a call with my lawyer, who had laid out my options for holding on to the business. It had been a very difficult few years. We had started out strong, won awards, and even became an approved supplier to McDonald's. Yet several events had taken their toll on the business and on my finances: the recession of 2008; the decision by CPS to take desserts off the school menus; the need to switch to other offerings; and my desire to help care for my ailing dad. As I looked at the paperwork before me, I made up my mind: I would declare personal bankruptcy so that the business would survive. And it did. Doing so was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, and no one but my family and closest friends even knew about it. For years, I just wasn't ready or able to tell my full story—until now.

I'm a Harvard MBA, a successful senior corporate executive, and a serial entrepreneur whose journey has been different from what you may expect. The things that happened to me weren't in anybody's textbook, nor were they what I or anyone could have predicted would happen. I've made it to senior levels of corporate America, been profiled by national publications, honored by the US Department of Commerce—and been bankrupted, foreclosed on, laid off, and divorced twice. Yet I'm here to share that even when you think you've lost it all, you can actually win everything. I'm here to share lessons learned from a life of dreams realized, and dreams deferred—lessons of how to keep it moving through the landscapes of success, failure, triumph, and tragedy. Most of all, I'm here to share the reason I'm still standing tall: I know how to Pivot and I learned when to make the turn.

In these pages, I will share with you how to Hone Your Vision, Shift Your Energy, and Make Your Move. In today's times, if you aren't willing to change, you will be left behind. One thing we all know for sure is that Life. Will. Change. And you must be able to change with it. It can be hard, but don't be afraid to Reinvent yourself and build the Resilience it takes to do it. In doing so, you may find Resurrection as you grow. Listen—Jesus isn't the only one who has risen from the dead! Dreams, plans, businesses, and more can come alive again if you learn how to Pivot. Over the years, I've developed a simple system and a strategic process that has worked for me, and I have been guided to share it with you.

It does not matter if you are an aspiring professional, at the beginning of your career, at the midpoint, or in the third act of your career and life. If you are looking to make some changes, you may feel stuck or overwhelmed by the challenges. My goal for Pivot for Success is to provide an easy‐to‐use framework to make those changes; based on that framework, I share stories from my life of how you can use my 10 Pivot Points strategically to make the changes you need. As I complete this book at the very beginning of 2021, we are in an incredible period of disruption, and also a time when history is being made. We all need to rise and use our gifts to bring positive energy to the world. This is not a time to be afraid. Why? The pace of change is so fast that if you are afraid of uncertainty and don't move forward, you will become obsolete. It's time to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Now is not the time to stick our heads in the sand and wish for the best. Nor is it a time for just protest. Although protest is vitally important, we need concrete action on many levels to make the moves that get the results the world needs now. With Reinvention, Resilience, and Resurrection, our mindsets can motivate us forward toward lives we never could have dreamed of, or thought were out of reach, especially when the world is turned upside down.

Entrepreneurship Is in My DNA

I grew up in Detroit and always wanted to please my parents, who had high expectations for me and my three sisters. We were expected to get good grades, be good girls, marry, and have a family. Entrepreneurship was okay as a side hustle—both my parents did that. But full time? That wasn't really embraced. Getting a good J‐O‐B was the right thing to do. But I always heard the whisper of my own siren song, so I tried many things, balancing bouts of doubt with fearless actions. Pivot for Success tells what I went through to land a debate team scholarship to go to my dream school, Howard University in Washington, DC, when I already had a full scholarship to go to Michigan State. I didn't realize it then, but entrepreneurship was in my DNA. As a kid, I took rose petals from my mother's prized rose garden, soaked them in water, filled little vials, and sold “perfume” to my mother's friends. The fragrance of being my own boss was compelling, seductive, and addictive. At 10 or 11, I had a lock on babysitting in my neighborhood. Later on, even when I worked for someone else, I was an intrapreneur, always wanting to create something new or do things my own way.

At the age of 48, I started The ComfortCake Company, makers of “Pound Cake So Good It Feels Like a Hug.” Yet, even armed with an Ivy League degree and more than 20 years of corporate experience during which my teams successfully launched multimillion‐dollar brands, banks wouldn't give me a loan. No matter. I pivoted, sold my home to finance the business, and United Airlines became our first customer.

Another Pivot occurred when my favorite cousin was killed in a tragic car accident and I had to comb a wig on her head while the mortician put her face back together. In that moment I came to a profound understanding about life. I knew then that as long as I wasn't dead, if I could look up, I could get up. These and many other stories have built my Resilience, ignited Reinvention, and helped me embrace Resurrection in many forms.

This book covers the 10 Pivot Points, or Power Ps, as I originally called them, that have guided me for decades as I've made key decisions. I initially presented the Power Ps in my first guidebook, Tap Into Your Juice, in 2005. I'm deeply honored that Michelle Obama endorsed these Powers Ps and my guidebook, and after she became First Lady, she gave me her endorsement of them for life. The Power Ps are now my 10 Pivot Points and are part of a 3‐Step Strategic Pivot Process that has helped me stay on my path. The great thing about them is that they are flexible and interchangeable for the evolving decisions and life stages that happen.

I've been using the Pivot Points since 1997, giving seminars, following the guidebook, and speaking about them, and will continue to do so. When I recently went to my storage unit to look for some notes, I realized just how long it's taken to get this full book written—23 years! It also shows how thoroughly I've integrated the 10 Pivot Points into my life, both professionally and personally.

The 10 Pivot Points are simple to remember, easy to use, and are universal. They never go out of style. I have taught them worldwide and have dusted them off to apply them relentlessly to myself to know which way to turn. I still do. There's an old Latin proverb that says, “By learning you will teach; by teaching you will learn.” Well, Amen to that!

Pivot for Success is divided into 10 chapters, one for each of the Pivot Points I live by.

Pivot Point #1

: 

Finding Your Purpose

—

What gift is uniquely yours, like a fingerprint, that you can share to help others?

Pivot Point #2

: 

Believing in Possibilities

—

What's possible now? A year from now? Five years from now? Who can help you?

Pivot Point #3

: 

Defining Your Priorities

—

If you knew you had five years left to live what would you be doing? Three years? One year? Why aren't you doing that

now

?

Pivot Point #4

: 

Envisioning Prosperity

—

Prosperity isn't always about money, and all money isn't green.

Pivot Point #5

: 

Getting Prepared

—

Like the company DreamWorks®, you have to work to live your dreams.

Pivot Point #6

: 

Having Patience

—

Putting one foot in front of the other is the only way to create a path.

Pivot Point #7

: 

Seeking Positivity

—

Positive thoughts and people are necessities, not luxuries.

Pivot Point #8

: 

Honoring Your Passion

—

It's the lubricant that keeps your dreams alive.

Pivot Point #9

: 

Maintaining Perseverance

—

Developing “bounce‐backability” is imperative.

Pivot Point #10

: 

Managing Perceptions

—

There's no such thing as a second first impression, yet don't advertise what you don't have.

When making decisions and considering which Pivot Points best fit your situation, the 3‐Step Strategic Pivot Process will help you keep focus on your decisions. You'll see in the book which Pivot Points are recommended under which step and how they align with where you are in the process:

Hone Your Vision—About the Decision

Shift Your Energy—To Meet the Decision

Make Your Move—Toward the Decision

That's how I've done it. Grounded in faith, and using these tools, I've been able to keep it moving. By sharing these tools I've helped others. Nothing gives me more gratification than knowing that my stories of success, struggle, failure, and sustainability have helped thousands of people see that they can make it, too. The stories I share about my life and experiences represent various perspectives about what it takes to make it in business and in life. Few people have created multimillion‐dollar brands in senior corporate positions, legendary entrepreneurial environments, and start‐ups. Not to mention, few have done it as a woman, and as a woman of color. I want to share my journey as you move forward on yours! Here's some of what I'll let you in on:

How growing up in Detroit, among hard‐working people, entrepreneurs, and creative geniuses ignited my dreams. And how witnessing the impact of segregation and integration fueled my determination.

How getting into and studying at Howard University fundamentally changed my worldview of who I could become and what my value could be in the world.

How pivoting my ambitions to higher levels got me into Harvard Business School, a buying position at a major retail store, access to the fashion houses of New York City, and senior executive positions in corporate America and legendary entrepreneurial firms.

What happened when I had to pivot from my ambitions and be true to the traditions of family that called my spirit.

Knowing that entrepreneurship was in my blood, how I pivoted to build a pathway into that world.

What happened when I turned full‐time into entrepreneurship, and the many pivots necessary to create and sustain more than one business.

How I kept pivoting when failure closed doors and opportunity opened others.

As I write this introduction at my dining room table with notes and books surrounding me, I'm reminded of seeing my mom, when I was in grade school, write her master's thesis at our dining room table on my grandfather's manual typewriter. Books and notes everywhere, carbon paper nearby. I feel her spirit cheering me on. It is my sincere hope that my experiences and circumstances may spark a solution to some of the challenges and opportunities you face and that by following these solutions, you too can learn to Pivot for Success and Hone Your Vison, Shift Your Energy, and Make Your Move.

I look forward to joining you on your journey!

Amy S. Hilliard

January 3, 2021

Part I: Hone Your Vision

Pivot Point #1: Finding Your Purpose

Pivot Point #2: Believing in Possibilities

Pivot Point #3: Defining Your Priorities

Pivot Point #4: Envisioning Prosperity

1Finding Your Purpose

Just as your fingerprints leave a unique mark, so does the gift of your purpose.

WHENEVER I'VE GIVEN a speech, and people come up to me afterwards to thank me for inspiring them to pursue their dream of starting a business or make a strategic move, it gives me a feeling of deep satisfaction. The same is true when I've helped someone with a career decision or business issue. Marketing is my expertise; I have decades of professional experience and I've taught marketing at the university level. Inspiring others is like teaching. When the lightbulb comes on in a student's eyes, and they “get it,” their excitement becomes real. Suddenly, a pathway, an example of something I showed them, or how I did it has opened the door for them and, boy, that's exciting!

The same feeling sweeps over me when it comes to helping others maintain a healthy lifestyle as we age. When I turned 60, I created a blog—Sizzling After 60—to chronicle my journey to thrive at every stage of life; I present my journey as a blueprint for others to follow. Over the years, I've realized that inspiring others is my purpose. In a way, it is my ministry. It is what people come to me for and have for years. It makes me feel good that others are able to move forward positively thanks to what I've been able to share with them. It's my unique fingerprint, and I believe that in its own way, it helps the world. #inspiringothers

Finding Your Purpose Can Serve Others and Move Mountains

That's what Finding Your Purpose can do. We all have a purpose—that unique gift that we can each share with others to positively help a business, your community, and the world. For example, the COVID‐19 pandemic moved the world into a new normal. As such, many of us had to make significant changes in our lives—often suddenly and unplanned. In doing so, Finding Your Purpose and using it may have had to fall by the wayside as bills needed to be paid. I urge you, however, not to discount the power of purpose in challenging times. It is what we all are gifted to do. Finding Your Purpose is listed as the first Pivot Point because I believe that operating from a sense of purpose can be the foundation for so much of what you do in life.

As I shared in my book Tap Into Your Juice, nature provides some wonderful examples of purposeful existence. Everything in nature has a purpose. Birds fly, flowers grow, and the sun can't help but shine. They each do what they are meant to do. It's the same with us, when we discover our purpose. I love how purpose is often described: purpose is the reason something or someone exists. It can also be how something is used or made—which leads to an intended goal or result. Once you discover what your gifts are, you can pivot toward endeavors that use them with determination and resoluteness in your life choices and in service for others. I've found that serving others provides important balance with your values. Finding Your Purpose and using it in your daily life is great for your health, reduces stress, and is an amazing personal superpower! When you use it, particularly in challenging times, you'll find motivation when you need it and the ability to Hone Your Vision, Shift Your Energy, and Make Your Move.

What's interesting for me is that inspiring others doesn't mean that I'm always sharing stories of triumph or of “knowing it all.” Not by a long shot. In 1986, when I was a relatively new product manager at Gillette, I was given the job of managing two of the oldest brands in the Personal Care Division, Adorn and White Rain Hairsprays. I guess they figured I couldn't mess up those highly profitable brands—just keep shipping them, right? Well, obviously this was before the days of social media, and I was getting about 10 letters a week from customers who remembered the old White Rain Shampoo that Gillette marketed in the 1950s and 60s. I couldn't believe it. I figured if that many people were taking the time to write to ask a company to bring back a product, lots of customers might want it to come to back. Gillette had tried a “new and improved” version of White Rain Shampoo in the 1970s; it was fruit scented in various colors and didn't do well. These customers wanted the original, crystal‐clear version back. So, I had to inspire my management to let me bring back this product. It was a process, and I needed to draw on my Purpose to carry it out.

Using your Purpose can be spontaneous and it can also be strategic, or a combination of both. I used a combined strategic and spontaneous inspirational approach I call “Hallway Management” for gaining approval to relaunch White Rain Shampoo at Gillette. What's that, you may ask? Well, whenever I saw my boss, the VP, or the president of the division at the water cooler in the hall, I'd tell them about all the letters I received asking to bring back the original White Rain Shampoo. It was a casual, excited, but determined and purposeful way of inspiring them to see the potential in bringing back that product. Finally, after several hallway encounters and additional mentions in more formal meetings, I was given the green light. I was told I could launch the product with the following parameters: I had a six‐month timetable and no increase in my budget. I had inspired a “yes.” Next, I had to inspire the team to make it happen.

I had assisted on new product launches at Gillette while climbing the ladder, but those were well supported with major budgets and long planning times. This was very different—I was now the project lead with a super short planning window. I knew it was a major career risk, and we had to make it a success. Knowing I had to light others up with the idea, I called a meeting of everyone who would be involved to jump‐start the project—Manufacturing, R&D, Packaging, Sales, Market Research, Advertising, and Art Design. When we were all in the room, I told them, “Congratulations! I've been getting a ton of letters from customers asking to bring back the clear White Rain Shampoo. Management has just given us the green light to relaunch it! I'm not sure how to do it. But I know you all do. I want to hear from each of your areas how we can do it fast and profitably. We only have six months to get it out the door on and on the shelves. So, let's get started!”

The team sat in stunned silence at first. Marketing had never called a new products meeting like that before. Usually, Marketing came to the subject matter experts with a concept fully planned out, and their job was to execute it. They were not in on the initial planning stages. Well, let me tell you. Within minutes, that team came forth with incredible ideas. “We have a shampoo bottle that works with the line that's already tooled, and production line approved,” said Manufacturing. “We have a wonderful clear shampoo formula and fragrance that beats Suave, and has been sitting on the shelf for a while,” said R&D. “We can turn the hair spray graphics into shampoo graphics that will fit that bottle,” said Art Design and Packaging after they huddled together. “I think we can do a tag on our regional advertising media flight,” Advertising chimed in and Market Research agreed they'd look into that also. After a while, I had to slow everyone down so my assistant product manager and I could capture all the notes! It was just amazing and taught me very valuable lessons about Finding Your Purpose and using it. I knew I could inspire people, but respecting others, being transparent, vulnerable, and authentic in the process is what can galvanize and motivate people to take action. Being perfect is not important. Being real is.

White Rain Shampoo was relaunched in six months with much success and went on to help grow the White Rain franchise from $25 million to a $100 million business. I was asked to write up the launch process we used. The New Products Development process at Gillette was changed: starting with bringing the subject expert teams together at the beginning of the process instead of much later on. In addition, the work of my team to get this done was chronicled in a case study for the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.