Happy November, YWLC! Thank you to all of our current YWLC participants and alumni who showed up at the November monthly meeting with Courtney Smith, the super inspiring entrepreneur and the co-founder & CEO of NewNew.

The general consensus is that this was one of our best meetings EVER. It was an in-depth Q & A, in which Courtne got very honest about what it takes to be an entrepreneur and actually live out your dreams… instead of just dreaming it. This meeting is especially a must-watch if you are interested in becoming an entrepreneur or are pursuing a TAC with business elements.

Smith offered candid, practical advice on how she takes her business ideas from her Notes app to the world stage. These are our top 5 takeaways:

Chase your passions

Smith began as Drake’s personal assistant, joined his management team, and then shifted gears to business and app development after over a decade in the music industry. She is now a CEO and co-founder with two apps and a luxury hair extension brand under her belt. All of this is to say – it is never too late to change your career, school, major, or the general course of your life.
Not sure what your passion is? That’s okay too. Check out this TedTalk as you give yourself the space to follow your curiosity!

Write EVERYTHING down

How can your vision go anywhere if you don’t let it out of your head? Trick question – it can’t! Always have your phone or journal or scrap paper on hand for when you get struck by inspiration, and jot down even your craziest ideas – you never know what’s going to stick.

Learn as you go

Experience is the best teacher – but Google is there to fill in the gaps! With all the information available on the internet, becoming a self-taught musician/finance pro/tech guru is only a YouTube tutorial away.

Another part of learning as you go? Smith reminds us to not be afraid of looking like we don’t know what we’re doing. Gently remind yourself that feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed is an essential part of growing!

Know your worth

Don’t get bogged down by others’ opinions. As Smith put it: “If there’s not a seat at the table for you, go to Ikea and get your own tables and chairs.” Amen! When you believe in what you have to offer, the world will follow.

Get out of your own way

This was the major takeaway from the Q & A. No matter how prepared you are, there is no substitute for hard work. You may not feel “ready,” but have faith that you are! The sooner you put yourself out there, the closer you are to reaching your goals.

Release your fears, stop overthinking, and lead with action. The only way out is through!

We highly encourage you to take the time to watch this video recording (it’s almost like a juicy podcast!) and take notes from Courtney Smith’s Q&A:
CLICK HERE FOR RECORDING

We want to highlight this video made by our social media intern Adison for World Kindness Day on November 13. Acts of service and “paying it forward” are a big part of our YWLC summer conference curriculum…. have you continued your kindness and service practice?

Thank you to our YWLC alumni for sharing how they have recently paid it forward. It’s so inspiring to see the young women in our network making the world a kinder place.

Stay tuned for the December Monthly Meeting:
Healthy Relationships on Wednesday, December 1, 5 – 7 pm
Via Zoom

Join your fellow YWLC students and alumni at our December monthly meeting! This is also an opportunity to schedule a meeting with your mentor.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Jo Meir-Marquis
Dr. Jo Meir-Marquis’s research activities focus on parenting relationships, health psychology, and outcome evaluations of community outreach programs, altruism, and helping behavior. She can speak on social psychology, statistical analysis, and experimental health.

Zoom link will be emailed a week before the meeting!