Congratulations to career pivot extraordinaire Erin Flynn, mother of two, who turned an investment banking career into a thriving fine jewelry business that was featured at this year’s Emmys!
How did she turn this side hustle into her full time career?
ALWAYS START WITH A YES
When Erin decided to return to her roots in jewelry design, she made a big shift in her work and took retail sales floor positions at Tiffany’s and Cartier so that she could learn about what customers wanted, and she took design classes.
“Always start with a yes,” Erin says.
Saying yes to what might look like a big risk — moving from a corporate job to a retail sales job — was part of a larger plan, one we highlighted in Your Turn the book!
It’s also a message we highlight regularly in our coaching sessions — it’s important to say yes to opportunities that may not seem perfect or check every box. But saying yes to something that’s slightly outside your comfort zone or perhaps looks like a step in the wrong direction. can provide a learning experience that gets one closer to a bigger career move. Or it can open doors in a new direction one might not have envisioned.
In capturing the lessons from her Year of Yes, award-winning screenwriter, producer and author Shonda Rhimes noted, “Everyone’s got some greatness in them. You do. That girl over there does. That guy to the left has some. But in order to really mine it, you have to own it. You have to grab hold of it. You have to believe it.”
If career change is on your horizon, in addition to building your yes muscle, consider small steps to get you started. Build a bridge to a new career. Test out new directions through volunteering. Take some classes.
In just a few years, after a lot of hard work and intentionality, Erin puts the skills and knowledge she gained from saying yes to a new direction to work designing gorgeous jewelry and loving her work at Erin Flynn Fine Jewelry.
Congratulations, Erin! Your YES is taking you exciting places – we can’t wait to see what’s next. It is YOUR TURN! 🎉
(Photos via @erinflynnfinejewelry)
