If you’re a loyal reader of my blog, you know I’m a huge fan of Rich Bitch by Nicole Lapin, a personal finance book. So I was stoked when I got an advance copy of her new career book, Boss Bitch: A Simple 12-Step Plan to Take Charge of Your Career. I love Lapin’s sassy tone and her ability to explain complicated topics simply and conversationally.
Her new book is divided into three sections: Being the Boss of You, Being the Boss at Work, and Being the Boss of your Own Business. I was tempted to start and end with section two, as I’m already on my way into my career and honestly have no interest in being an entrepreneur, but I’m glad I didn’t because I learned an important lesson in personal branding.
For the last decade I’ve identified with my job title. While inherently I knew I was more than my job, I had been so focused on my career that I stopped developing the other areas of my life. I was a PR girl with no hobbies and no passions outside of activities directly related to work. And I wanted to change that.
Enter Lapin’s personal branding exercises. She lays this out in step one because you can’t succeed at work if you don’t have a strong personal brand, and you can’t make strategic career moves if you don’t consider your own values. I had fun with these questions and actually rediscovered my passions and interests that I had suppressed over the years to make room for climbing the career ladder.
Her exercises helped me to prioritize my health, personal relationships, and contributions to the community, and now I feel like I’m on a much better track. I started exercising regularly again, I’ve cut out almost all processed food from my diet (working on getting to 100% by the end of 2017), and I applied to join the Junior League so I can contribute more to my wonderful community here in the Queen City.
I highly recommend a read of Boss Bitch and a deep contemplation of her questions and exercises. Who knows what positive changes you could see in your life and career? ☀️
Caitlin Ryan, APR 