Dress for Success CEO Joi Gordon Talks Style, Strategy, & Storytelling

Source: The Ampersand

If you have any doubt about the importance of style, spend a few minutes with Joi Gordon. As CEO of Dress for Success, a nonprofit that provides work apparel and career development services to low-income women, Joi is well aware of the impact that a quality wardrobe can have on a woman’s outlook and future.

At M.M. LaFleur, we’re supporting Dress for Success’s mission by collecting donations throughout the month of January—and offering $25 in M.M. LaFleur credit to those who give.

Below, Joi talks transformation, career strategy, and the power of the perfect black dress.

What are your top three tips for women building their careers?

1. Don’t limit yourself, and don’t assume that whatever degree you’ve gotten needs to direct where you go next. If I had gone to law school to be a lawyer, I probably wouldn’t have seen the door opening at Dress for Success. So follow your passion, follow your heart, and choose the roads that will lead you towards joy.
2. Build strong networks—both formal and informal. Be conscious of the image you’re projecting on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook. You want to be remembered for the right reasons, so be cautious. Social media is part of your life and it’s hard to scrub the slate clean. That’s something I tell my daughter almost every single day!
3. Be kind to everyone. You never know who will end up being your supporter and champion. It could be the people you work with and the people you work for, but also the person at the front desk. You never know who will open the next door for you, so don’t underestimate the power of kindness.

>> Continue Reading