Starts Align’s Post

𝐃𝐨 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 If you’ve been following my journey, you know I’m all about venturing into the unknown and seizing new opportunities. But sometimes, chasing the next big thing can do more harm than good. I was on a call with Moritz Lembert, excitedly sharing my plans to hire my first assistant. I envisioned a streamlined business—my website polished, resources managed, admin tasks off my plate, and clients rolling in. But then Moritz asked a question that stopped me in my tracks: Is this really the right time? It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new possibilities, but sometimes those shiny distractions pull us away from what’s already working. Recently, my business has been on a growth streak. Last month was my best month ever, and I did it while taking more time off than usual. Success has a way of sweeping us up, making us think bigger, dream bolder. But here’s the truth: The reason things are working so well is that I’ve been laser-focused on what’s already proven to work. Changing direction too soon—just as things are gaining momentum—can derail that success. Innovation isn’t bad, but it should come naturally, as a response to what’s already working, not as a distraction. The lure of a new solution, the next possibility, or the latest shiny object is powerful. But remember, it’s just that—a shiny object. Innovating too early can set you back, undoing months, or even years, of progress. What if you would become three times more effective in what you do? Sometimes, the best answer isn’t to innovate but to double down on what’s already driving success. Efficiency, consistency, and focus are often the keys to long-term growth. #StayFocused #SmartGrowth #BusinessSuccess

Have you ever loved working for a brand so much that it felt like your home?? This morning, as I opened my system with a full cup of coffee in my new office, a wave of emotions hit me. I found myself reminiscing about my previous brand—where I put all my dedication, accepted it as my own, and grew with it. Now, I’m facing the FEAR of Uncertainty and wondering if I will be able to love this new brand the same way. In my previous role as a #SocialMediaStrategist, I experienced deep personal bonds, the grind, the goofiness, the camaraderie, the evening tapri ki chai, endless laughter, and a shared motivation. We worked as if the brand was ours, growing together. It wasn’t just a job; it was a family. The memories are precious, and the bond was real. However, one of my biggest mistakes was blurring the lines between my professional and personal life. In budding D2C startups, with their multifaceted roles, unfixed work hours, and super-friendly environments, there’s often no boss or owner—just teamwork. But, I lost friends and saw trust and respect broken in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Now, I’m stepping into a new role as an #ExecutiveAssistant at a much bigger B2B brand launching their new D2C segment— there’s more discipline, more opportunities, and more scope to grow. As I sip my coffee today, I feel a mixture of anxiety and excitement. I’m ready to dive into the depths of knowledge and learning with this new brand, bringing with me the lessons from my past. Change is daunting, but it’s also a chance for growth. Here’s to new beginnings, embracing challenges, and making new memories. Will things ever be the same? Maybe not. But different doesn’t mean worse; it means a new adventure and a new story to write. #NewBeginnings #CareerJourney #BrandLoyalty #LearningAndGrowth #ProfessionalLife #D2CStartup #Teamwork #NewOpportunities #EmbraceChange

I don't have a founder story of hating my job, rejecting the 9-5 and wanting to change the world. I loved social, I was good at it, and that wasn't a huge part of my role. I wanted to do MORE stuff, not less 😅 I see posts about leaving toxic cultures, but I loved my team at Digital Velocity Limited. We played Mario Kart every lunchtime (which is why I'm SICK) and I still speak to a lot of my team and work with another now! After learning a shedload about eComm management, I knew I wanted to work with eComm brands, just in a different capacity. I'm still mostly working through the hours of 9-5 (clients ain't responding at 6am on a Saturday), and have an office in Leeds rather than a beach hut somewhere tropical. My daily routine is pretty similar, only the tasks and work have changed. I get messages MOST DAYS from people wanting to sack off their full-time jobs and go solo. These are the questions to ask: → Could you run a business? → What’s the long-term goal here? → What do you want from your career? → What do you need, to start TOMORROW? → Are you comfortable with shameless self-promotion? → Could you cope if all your clients bailed on you tomorrow? → Have you done everything in your power to get all of that from your current role and couldn't get that from another full-time role? → If you had everything you needed to set up and start tomorrow - what’s holding you back? If those answers excite rather than terrify you: 📆 Set a 'date with destiny' when you're launching and work backwards. Phil and Roman set theirs and LOOK AT THEM NOW. Not everyone needs to leave their job and slag off hustle culture to be happy and achieve what they want to. Self-employment ain't the four-hour work week! 📸 My 5-year-old agency headshot.

This month marks a year since I made one of the most pivotal decisions of my career and walked away from the #techindustry. After almost five years as a #contentmarketer working with #B2B and #SaaS companies, I was ready to take a leap of faith into something new—working for myself. I was making the highest salary and had leveled up into a role and company that, on paper, was a dream come true...and it was also the unhappiest I had ever been. - I had a first-time manager who didn't respect or understand me, which led to tension. - I had always cultivated great professional and personal relationships with my managers, but I didn't know how to navigate not being a #prizedpupil. - I was promoting a product I didn't understand or care about and was in an environment where I didn't feel seen or appreciated. - It was the only time I ever said I was working for the money and not for my team, people, or company. - I didn't understand that being in a product-facing content role would starkly contrast the fluffy and fun branded content I was used to writing. It was maddening, and in true Desiree fashion, I fought like hell to make it work because I wasn't a quitter, which meant failure. As a #minorityintech, I had broken into a sector financially and professionally that my family and friends could only dream of. Who was I to walk away from a 401k, medical insurance, and #hybridwork life complete with free weekly lunches and perks? But like so many of us, I created many #sidehustles to gain extra income because we all know nothing lasts forever. Where my cup wasn't being filled within the tech industry, it could be filled working #minorityowned and #womenowned businesses. This allowed me to hone my skills, build clientele, and focus on my strengths in #brandmarketing, #socialmanagement, #editing, and #writing. When I decided to leave, several opportunities flooded in to allow me to work with companies and people I was passionate about. So I said goodbye, gave up the false sense of job security, and embraced the road less traveled, which is being a #fulltimeentrepreneur. I wasn't scared, nervous, or worried; I was excited and confident. I knew what I was walking into would be exponentially better than this role I was leaving behind. I have led, strategized, and developed content for amazing #blackownedbrands this past year. I couldn't have predicted the game-changing opportunities I've had over the past year as I'm learning to be the leader my community needs to be. Present me thanks past me for being brave instead of comfortable. In a few weeks, I'll be moderating and leading a panel as the #Editor for NaturallyCurly at #EssenceFest. Always bet on yourself; it's worth it.

One of the best decisions of my career isn’t what you think… At the time, it was also one of the scariest. I once left a job b/c I was averaging 15+ hours of meetings/week.   It was a promising startup, but all the meetings were crushing my potential. My ability to learn fast, compound momentum, and do my best work.   On top of meetings, there were 15 hours of switching costs going in and out of meetings.   I had less than 20-hours/week to think, execute, and produce big results.   The money was good, and the role was a great talking point. But it wasn’t enough to do the work of my life, so I left.   Not sure of their financials today, but I know all my favorite people left.   B/c they DM’d me within a year of me leaving.   And these weren’t just any hires…it was C Suite & VPs.   Nothing stifles a team’s potential like a bunch of no-to-low ROI meetings.

Innovation isn't itself new. To be sure, innovation is the *state* of newness, and it's always been here. But it never stays here. Because, well, it's innovation. In my mind's eye, innovation is a slinky walking down a staircase. Once set into motion, it grounds momentarily when it hits the next step, but only long enough to establish a platform for the momentum of the coil to spiral continuously. I have always felt a tinge of sadness each time my slinky reached the bottom of the stairs, wishing for an unending staircase so my slinky never had to stop slinking. Ever a fan of the innovation-slinky, I've been a "gigger" for a long time, preferring the authorship of my own trajectory story to relegating that story to someone else's narrative. The ability to turn adversity into opportunity involves little more than a shift in context. Once shifted, this new perspective offers a force multiplier for personal investment, satisfaction, and downright delight. My friend and colleague, 🔮Kes Sampanthar ✨, identifies this strategic perspective as WORKCRAFTING, and I invite you to learn more about his work and his commitment to innovation as a personal brand.

Kes is a kind and intelligent practitioner. We could all gain from his perspective.

My first job wasn’t exactly what I had in mind but I made it work. Then, I landed my current role as 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟—a title I hadn’t even heard of when I was graduating. I quickly realized that this role is a perfect match for my passion for being busy and a multi-tasker. When people ask me what a Chief of Staff does, I often say what my Slack bio says: "𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪(𝒉𝒂)𝑶𝑺" Here’s what I 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 about my job: 👉 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲: I’ve picked up so many skills on the job from mastering Excel to setting up tools and understanding finances. The learning never stops and that’s what keeps me going. 👉 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬: I thrive on being involved in everything. It’s not about being a specialist; it’s about being adaptable and resourceful whenever you can! 👉𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐬: There’s nothing like the feeling of setting something right and knowing it’s helping everyone. It’s those moments that make all the chaos worth it. But it’s not all easy: ✅𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: This is my first Chief of Staff role and when I first heard the title, it sounded fancy. But it’s far from a 9-to-5 job. It’s about being ready for anything at any time. ✅𝐀 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞: There are many assumed responsibilities. Being a Chief of Staff often means working behind the scenes, making things happen without expecting recognition. ✅𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐬. 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: The constant battle between being a jack of all trades and a master of none is real. It’s a challenge to balance being broadly knowledgeable while sometimes feeling the pressure to specialize. This role may vary from one organization to another and is not a one-size-fits-all but well suited for someone who needs their plate full just like me :) #corporatejobs #startups #legistify #chiefofstaff #employee #thoughts

Five years ago, I embarked on a new chapter, stepping into the role of State Manager at a Tech Recruitment company. I left a stable and lucrative position, chasing growth and new horizons. However, the experience wasn’t what I expected. The culture clashed, and the dynamics were far from what I had envisioned, culminating in a challenging five-month stint. It was a time of reflection and learning, understanding deeply what I value in workplace culture and leadership. Fast forward to now, and the contrast couldn’t be more profound. After navigating various roles—from operations to HR in diverse industries—I’ve garnered invaluable insights and resilience. These experiences shaped my approach and understanding of what businesses need, especially in the small to medium sector. Just 4 to 6 weeks ago, I took the plunge to run my own company, HumanizX, full-time. This journey has been an enlightening one, reaffirming my belief in the importance of support and guidance for businesses to thrive. Today, looking at these two photos, my smile may be subtler, but it’s rooted in genuine contentment and fulfillment. I’ve always believed in taking risks, pursuing what feels right, even when the path is uncertain. And now, standing at this juncture, I’m convinced more than ever that this is where I’m meant to be. It’s about backing yourself, championing your dreams, and making that bold move when it counts. Here’s to embracing our paths, learning from every twist and turn, and stepping into our purpose with conviction. If not now, when? If not us, who? Here’s to the journey of growth, resilience, and empowerment. 🌟 #MyJourney #EntrepreneurLife #GrowthMindset #Empowerment #HumanizX

Taking a career detour may not be the shortest or easiest path to success, but it’s definitely a rewarding experience. 🛣️ Just take a look at how our Head of Customer Success Sierra Trance when through a career shift that led her to where she’s destined to be. ✨ Read her story: https://lnkd.in/ghPS_MDF #EmployeeGrowth #HumanizingGrowth #EmployeeStories