Dear Little Candice,
While you play business executive in grandma’s living room, as your sister and cousin are playing teacher, I want to let you know that you will indeed become a business executive! Yes, your future will be filled with many big important meetings in those big board rooms with long wooden tables. Yes, you will get to wear stylish suits. And yes, you will get to present really impactful insights to tens of thousands of people. You will achieve all this by building a successful career in finance.
Yes, finance! I know it’s hard to believe. You will receive an offer to join Goldman Sachs full-time after graduating from Rutgers with your undergrad degree in Marketing, and you will leave the firm to go back to school to get your MBA in Finance and Management from Columbia Business School.
And you know what? Fast forward to 2024, you will be inducted into an elite group on Wall Street – you will be invited to join the Goldman Sachs Quarter Century Club! Becoming a member of this community of individuals across divisions, regions and levels who have been part of the firm and contributed to its culture for more than 25 years feels incredibly special. I know it’s hard to imagine working anywhere for a quarter of a century, but you will have proven to yourself and the world that you have indeed succeeded in becoming that successful business woman you’ve always dreamed of.
Here are some of the things that helped to get you to this point – and along the way, remember to keep smiling, because your positive energy is infectious.
Have grit. Your perseverance, passion and strong work ethic will always be differentiating and critical to your long-term success.
Being kind and thoughtful is free – and it is you. Your empathy and genuine care and empowerment of others will lead many to want to collaborate with you.
Good luck requires being prepared. It may not always come at the exact time you want, but all your hard work and preparation gets you ready to answer when opportunities come knocking.
Adopt a commercial mindset. You will bring unique perspectives, and a discerning eye to delivering business results.
Proudly be yourself because everyone else is taken. Remember to focus on your own path - your career is a marathon and not a sprint. Approach it at your own pace and in your own way.
Most importantly, thank your village. You certainly won’t make it all on your own. Be thankful and eternally grateful as you stand on the shoulders of giants: especially your family, your friends, your sponsors, your mentors, your mentees, your team. They each believed in your talent and leadership and made it possible for you to stretch and shine. They gave you the support, motivation, guidance and love you needed to succeed.
By the way, that cute engineer sneaking glances at you at the computer lab…will be your husband and you will have two amazing girls: a little fashionista and a little comedian.
So what are you waiting for, go get it! And don’t forget to power pose!
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