In fact, she was only eight years old when she started designing her own games, which lead to games for all of her friends’ birthday parties, too. And now, as a Mellon Interdisciplinary Graduate Research Fellow at Columbia University, Jessica fosters that same creativity by designing a wide range of video games and researching, teaching and writing about the different ways video games affect the world in which we live and the people who play them.

Jessica nurtured an intense interest in the science of gaming while majoring in computer science at Harvard. As her questions and ideas increased, so did the notion that they could lead toward a career. Now, as a graduate researcher, Jessica is still asking questions. And that curiosity, along with persistence and courage, are the traits she believes allowed her combine scholarship, research and design into a career she loves.

Jessica Hammer
Occupation: Mellon Interdisciplinary Graduate Research Fellow / Columbia University
Education: Harvard / Computer Science + NYU / Interactive Telecommunications + Columbia / Cognitive Studies
Website: replayable.net  + @kleenestar

How did you discover your current job?

Persistence. I knew I wanted to understand play better, but I didn’t know where to start. I kept talking about my research ideas to everyone I met. Eventually, a friend of a friend suggested I meet with a professor at Columbia. After one conversation, I was hooked. I saw an opportunity to ask big questions and spend my life answering them.

I’ll add, though, that my job isn’t exactly one you can “discover.” It’s one you create! I have a lot of freedom to figure out what questions I want to spend my time trying to answer. I also get to figure out how to balance the universal parts of a scholarly life (teaching, writing, researching) with my own approach (playing, designing, mentoring). It’s not always easy, but it’s wonderfully worthwhile.

What drew you to a life of developing and researching games?

When I was eight years old, I took a book of party games out of the library. I read that book a dozen times – then reinvented and remixed and revised until I threw myself the most kick-butt ninth birthday party any girl has ever had. Then I helped my friends do the same for their own birthday parties. Fortunately, my parents were both patient and supportive.

This isn’t actually a story about how I always wanted to make games. My games craze lasted about a year, at which point I moved on to other things. I didn’t realize I might be interested in studying games until after college. I majored in computer science, but I kept asking myself, “What difference does technology make in people’s lives?” I noticed that one place people were having powerful emotional reactions to technology was in games. I started wondering about what made games different from other kinds of media and how they might affect players in both obvious and subtle ways. When the questions wouldn’t go away, I started to think they might be pointing me toward a career.

What my fourth grade experience taught me, though, is not to focus solely on technology. Games can be a powerful force for social connectedness. It also showed me that making games is really fun and that it can be accessible to anyone. Those are lessons I still draw on in my research and teaching today.

What does your typical job schedule and day look like?

As a graduate researcher, I have a lot of flexibility; both in terms of what my day looks like and what projects I work on. I try to have all my meetings in the early morning. For example, I might help a student design a research project, brainstorm new ideas with a colleague or discuss the psychology of games with the head of a start-up. After that, I keep a big block of time free for the creative work (the hardest part of my job). That usually means one of three things: writing articles, conducting research studies, or working on game development. At the end of the day, I treat myself by reading a thought-provoking book or playing a game I’ve never tried before. Yep, they’re both part of the job!

The one thing I’m not doing right now is teaching and I definitely miss it. My students inspire me to become a better teacher, a better designer and a better scholar. They always have great questions that challenge my assumptions and stretch my capacities. I’m looking forward to teaching again in the future.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

My favorite thing to do is work on projects that combine scholarship, research, and design – especially if I get to collaborate with smart, playful, insightful people in the process. Bonus points if the project might change the world or help us understand it in a new way!

For example, I’m working on a project called Lit 2 Quit, which looks at whether a mobile game can help people stop smoking. It brings together a playful spirit with a real-world issue: tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and a significant problem worldwide. Almost half of American smokers try to quit each year. If we could find a way to help them, it could be a big win for public health.

Our team researched the psychology and physiology of smoking and one of the things we found out is that people get into playful, or “paratelic,” states. And when people are feeling this way, they have a hard time sticking to their long-term goals. We saw an opportunity there! If we could make a game that pushed the same buttons for people as smoking did, people might pick up our game instead of a cigarette when they wanted to have fun.

Next, we started the design process. We knew our game needed to be mobile, so that it could be with the player anytime a cigarette would. But what did “push the same buttons” mean for smokers? What impact were we trying to have on players’ minds and bodies? What game mechanics could we use to do that? And how could we make it fun? We ended up building our game off existing game genres, so that smokers would find it easy to pick up and understand, but with a big twist. Part of each game was controlled by breathing into the phone. The patterns of breathing we created through gameplay helped us affect players’ bodies and minds.

Finally, we brought smokers into our lab and tested whether the game actually satisfied smokers’ needs. We looked at how the game affected their body, biofeedback style – we measured their heart rate, stress levels and brain waves. We also had players report on their emotional state before and after play. Then we compared how the game affected people to how smoking affected them. We found out that while parts of our game still needed more work, some parts of it actually made smokers feel just as good as a cigarette did, and in similar ways.

Not only does this research have the potential to save lives, I got to work with a group of my former students – some of the most inspiring people I’ve ever had the opportunity to collaborate with. That’s pretty rewarding all around.

What challenges keep you awake at night?

Academia is a tough road, especially these days. I want to be a professor, but many universities are hiring primarily adjunct faculty – low-wage part-time jobs with no benefits and very little community support. Full-time faculty are also increasingly overloaded and underpaid. Even if I’m able to beat the odds and get a great faculty position, the problems of the field as a whole are ones I feel morally obligated to grapple with.

Is work/life balance ever a problem with you? If so, what is one no-fail tactic you use to create balance?

The hardest part about working on play is that play becomes work. Whenever I play games, there’s always a part of my mind that’s in “scholar mode” – even if I’m just trying to hang out with my friends. Admitting that games don’t help me unwind was a big step toward balance. These days, I treat play as professional development and have my just-for-fun fun in other ways.

What is one lesson you’ve learned in your job that sticks with you?

Iterate. To me, that one word sums up three critical lessons. First, experiment quickly. Second, fail usefully. Third, rebuild thoughtfully.

The iterative approach makes it easier to try big things. For example, the first time I taught a game design course, I wasn’t sure I could do it. I reminded myself that I’d have fourteen classes over the semester. Even if I bombed the first one, I could learn from it and do a better job in the second class session and better again in the third. Knowing I could iterate gave me the courage to say yes to something new – and I ended up with great student reviews that year.

The iterative approach detoxifies failure. Failure just means you have some new information to work with, so you can do a better job next time. For example, I designed a storytelling game to help people experiment with different emotional states. When I watched people play, they avoided playing with certain emotions. Instead of deciding the game was a failure, I asked myself why that might be happening and made a better game as a result.

Finally, the iterative approach helps you stay flexible. It encourages you to try multiple approaches to solve a problem. For example, I got interested in how people learn from games. I tackled the problem in several different ways, each of which had its limitations – but I was able to see each attempt as providing a useful step toward the larger goal, even if each one was imperfect.

What are some of the rules you live by?

Time is precious. As a creator – both of games and of scholarship – I find uninterrupted time to be a rare and precious thing. I try to be very conscious of what I commit my time to; not just in the workplace but also outside it. I couldn’t do the work I do if I didn’t have the time and space to meander, mentally. I go down wrong paths, read things that turn out to be irrelevant and have ideas that don’t make any sense. That’s a necessary part of the process.

Open heart, open mind. Academia prizes the critical faculties, but radical empathy can also be a powerful way to learn. When I read something new, I give my mind and heart entirely to the author. I can come back later and pick holes in the argument, but first it’s important for me to sympathetically understand what the author was trying to do. It helps me see possibilities, what-ifs, next steps and applications – my favorite way to work!

Everything is interesting. What do doing dishes, singing opera, answering email and performing improvisational comedy have in common? All these things have made me a better scholar. Approaching my life mindfully means I can see connections between everyday activities and the questions I work on professionally, like how technology helps us think differently and why work feels different than play.

Unplug. I spend one day a week completely offline, no matter how busy my schedule. It helps me distinguish between what’s important and what’s merely urgent. I need patience and silence and solitude to do certain kinds of intellectual work and removing the temptation of constant communication makes it easier to get there.

What qualities does it take for someone to be successful as a Research Fellow?

There are as many ways to be a research fellow as there are research fellows! But here are three qualities that will help you no matter what: curiosity, persistence, and courage.

Curiosity will help you ask great questions. It’ll drive you to read and learn new things that you can bring back to your own research topics. Games scholarship, in particular, is very interdisciplinary. You’ll benefit if you want to know about lots of different fields and understand how people play lots of different games.

Persistence means you’ll keep plugging away through the tough parts of the job. Sometimes you have to spend twenty hours messing with a spreadsheet or read a dozen papers on the same subject before it makes sense. Persistence is critical for making games, too. I tell my students that their first stab at a game probably won’t be much fun for people to play. It’s whether they keep working on it that matters.

Courage lets you face ugly possibilities and new challenges. Maybe your experiment won’t work – but you won’t know until you try it. It takes courage to do that. Courage is especially important for working in a developing field such as games, because there is no one right way to do things. You can only do the best work that’s possible for you.

What advice do you have for women who want to follow in your footsteps?

Read voraciously. Don’t limit yourself to things that seem immediately relevant, but do read with your big questions in mind.

Ask lots of questions. Ask the same question from different perspectives. Learn what makes a good question according to different disciplines. Don’t stop at the easy answers.

Keep a journal. Today’s fleeting thought might be tomorrow’s brilliant game or next month’s research project. Go back and re-read your journal periodically to see what questions and issues keep coming up; those are probably the ones you should find a way to work on.

Play as many games as you can – even the bad ones. Even the ones you don’t like. Even the ones you can’t get anyone to play with you.

Make games. Don’t think you have to learn to program: you can start with index cards and construction paper and dice. But do make games that are very different from each other and do get other people to play them. It’s the best way to learn.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I expect to be reading, writing, researching, playing, designing and teaching – but to be doing it as a professor instead!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The single most important professional choice I made happened in my private life. I chose to marry a man who actively works to give me the time, space and intellectual freedom I need. That might mean making dinner while I read a book, or running errands when I’m under deadline or reformatting my presentation for a big lecture. Beyond his ordinary household responsibilities, he notices what I need and he makes sure I get it.

Most women still can’t count on this kind of domestic support to free them up for other activities. It makes me deeply grateful that I’ve found a partner willing to back me up, but it also makes me wonder how we can make it easier for other women to get what they need to do amazing work.

Our culture is slowly changing, but I still hear lots of men talk about “babysitting” their children or “helping when they’re asked.” The data say that married men average five hours more leisure per week than married women. Five hours every week – that’s a lot of time to read and think and play. If I’m going to do my job right, I need those hours for myself. I shouldn’t have to give them up just because I’m a woman and neither should you.

In other words: if you want my job, marry someone who’ll help you get it and keep it. I did.

Amber’s own journey to loving herself was hardly an easy one.  A dancer and actress, she felt the daily pressure and constant obsession of maintaining a perfect body.  It was during her coursework toward a master’s degree in spiritual psychology that Amber had her epiphany.  Tired of hating her body, Amber changed her outlook and in doing so changed the course of her life; that moment of self discovery planted the seed that would become bodyheart.

Her company bodyheart now serves women with a series of workshops meant to promote positive transformations from the inside out.  Through the bodyheart programs Amber believes every woman can walk through life feeling confident, joyful and pretty darn fantastic both about themselves and what they bring to the world.

Amber Krzys
Occupation: Creator / bodyheart
Education: University of Santa Monica / M.A. in Spiritual Psychology
Website: bodyheart.com + @bodyheart

What inspired you to create bodyheart?

It was never my intention to run my own business. As a matter of fact, if you would’ve told me five years ago that I’d be working with women on loving their bodies, I would’ve laughed in your face. But, life is funny that way, isn’t it? Takes us on many different twists and turns.

bodyheart was born out of my own experience. For over 20 years I punished myself. I loathed my body and I believed my life would be better if my body were different. At age 30, during my master’s program, I was so tired of living that way that I set out to see if I could actually love the body I had.

Turns out I could.

Because of this liberation, other women in my life started noticing a difference in me. They were asking what I did. They wanted to love and cherish their bodies the way I was. And, that is how bodyheart began.

What does your typical job schedule and day look like?

I’m very lucky. Working for myself creates a lot of freedom within my schedule. Each day is slightly different depending on what’s happening. If I’m launching a new program, I can be at the computer for 13+ hours. Those times are extremely intense.

When I’m not in launch mode, it’s a little more calm. I usually start my day with some sort of self time. Maybe a 24-minute mediation, or some spiritual reading or stretching. I usually take my dog, Lucky, on a big long walk or hike as well.

After that, it’s inspired work time. Meeting with clients and/or collaborators. Holding group calls. Writing blog posts. Filming BITS. Answering emails. Communicating with my assistant. Brainstorming. Calendaring. Setting up meetings. Working on the next steps of bodyheart – whatever the moment requires.

I usually honor my lunch break and give myself at least 30 minutes to sit and eat. Then, back to creating.

I like variety, so I really try to mix it up a bit. It’s nice to have the luxury to do that.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing someone free themselves from their prison. That is the most delicious moment. Having a woman – usually with tears in her eyes – open up to how amazing her body really is! That is the good stuff.

What challenges keep you awake at night?

I still have moments when I feel behind – like I should be further along than I am. There’s this irrational fear that I’ve missed the moment and I’ll never be/have what I want.

I worry that I’ll fail. I worry that I won’t reach as many women as I’d like. I worry that I’ll be alone forever. That my work will be the most fulfilling part of my life.

I think very typical fears.

Is work/life balance ever a problem with you? If so, what is one no-fail tactic you use to create balance?

Absolutely. I think we teach what we know best. And, I’m teaching how to have a better relationship with your body. That, in and of itself, requires time. Self-care is one of the most challenging things for us to give ourselves for some reason…and it’s not different for me.

Those moments when I’m launching a new program or creating a new program are usually super inspired and super intense. I’ve spent 18+ hours in front of the computer at times, because that’s what was needed in the moment.

Balance is such an interesting concept. One I’m not sure I believe in. I believe in priorities. Being able to discern what is most important in this moment, right now. Sometimes that’s me and sometimes it’s the inspiration coming through me.

What I can say, is I find myself more grounded when I take care of myself first. Something as simple as five full breaths in the morning where I breathe in the joy, love and enthusiasm for the day and let go of anything that is no longer serving me. That’s a really beautiful tactic I use. Another one is to take a shower before bed. No matter the time – even if it’s 1am – that shower will rinse off the day and help your body relax for a good night’s sleep. That’s another really good tactic.

What is one lesson you’ve learned in your job that sticks with you?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to risk and take action. The only way to determine if ANYTHING is going to work is to try it out. I started out offering live workshops. Those were a fantastic success for the participants, but not a fantastic financial success. It was like pulling teeth to get people in the room.

After about five events like that, I stopped. There had to be a better way. And there was via the Internet. But, I never would’ve known that had I not taken action.

Be flexible. How you see it isn’t always how it works out.

Who are your role models?

Kris Carr is a big role model of mine on many levels. She is a health and wellness guru that I trust and really resonate with. I find her to be a tremendous resource for better health. I also really love the way she has shared her personal story and made that the foundation of her business. She’s walked the walk and I don’t think there’s anything more inspiring that that. On a business note, I love she has heart-centered empire and I really dig the way she’s built it.

Some other role models include Tony Robbins, Marie Forleo, Oprah and so many more.

What are some of the rules you live by?

I try to take each day as it comes and not control every second and every feeling. I really just try to let the mood and moment wash over me.

I try my best to remember that we are all doing the best we can at all times, including myself. So, when I want to ‘beat’ myself or someone else up, I remind myself of this. I look for the deeper meaning. What’s really going on here? What irrational fear am I buying into? That’s where great opportunity lies.

What is one thing you wish every woman knew?

That she is BEAUITFUL.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I love this question!

I see bodyheart as a global success. I see books and book signings. I see talks and presentations offered all over the world. I see women stepping forward and celebrating their real bodies. I see us coming together and changing the model of beauty. I see balance and compassion brought into our modern work world.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Leading with your heart will open way more doors than leading with your drive or desire. Follow your heart.

That anecdote is a nice introduction into the passion and imagination Kathy brings to her work. Drawn by the creativity and people, Kathy started her career as a copywriter. Then, after working at several L.A. agencies, she went out on her own and freelanced for several years, during which time she wrote her first two novels. Her third novel, Prince of Lost Places, has been optioned as a movie, along with her book The House of Gentle Men.

Kathy Hepinstall
Occupation: Novelist + Copywriter
Education: UT Radio TV Film / Master’s Degree in Composition and Rhetoric
Website: kathyhepinstall.wordpress.com + kathyhepinstall.com + @kathyhepinstall

How did you discover your current job?

Well, I really have two – as an advertising writer and novelist. Advertising writing came first. I took a portfolio class in college and loved the creativity and the people. As for writing, it began early in the form of poetry. My mother dutifully cried. Later, I wrote short stories, and after a few years in advertising, the thought began to grow that it was time to write a novel. I moved to Austin, Texas and spent a lot of time holed up in my house, learning that skill, while continuing to work freelance in advertising.

What does your typical workday look like?

I work on a project basis for advertising agencies and write and promote my books. Often, in advertising, I write remotely. I work from home, in an environment as quiet as possible, and usually write very intensely in relatively short amounts of time. The same goes for writing novels. I still write novels from home, though I do enjoy writing in different locales – I worked on one novel in Mexico, another on Sanibel Island.

We heard you pulled a stunt to get attention from Oprah for your historical novel, “Blue Asylum.” Can you tell us more about that?

For many years, a call from Oprah had an almost mystical significance. It meant that a writer was accepted into her book club, and no matter how obscure they were before, they would now be making an immediate leap onto the bestseller list. It was like being gently poked in the back by a unicorn while you were taking out the trash. That fateful meeting of magical and everyday. Of course, I never got the call. Now that Oprah no longer has a book club or a show, I still want the call. I still want that unicorn poke.

By happenstance, I moved to Santa Barbara a few years after she moved to Montecito, a mere six miles away. Then my new novel, Blue Asylum, came out April 10. So many writers have flooded Oprah with books over the years. I wanted to do something different; something creative and playful that would give her, or whoever happened upon it, a laugh at the very least.

So I buried a copy of Blue Asylum in the foothills of Montecito and took an ad out in Oprah’s local paper, the Montecito Journal, with a map to the treasure, while instructing everyone but Oprah not to look at the map. No one dug up the book, but some thieving Montecito hiker stole the shovel I had left for her.

So I bought a safe from Home Depot and put another copy of Blue Asylum in it and took out another ad with the combination of the safe, but only Oprah was supposed to memorize it. We left the safe by the side of the road with an Oprah’s book sign. Within a day or two the whole set-up was gone. I don’t know if it was the work of the shovel thief or some roving gang of thieves, but there’s only one more thing to do – take out ad #3. Which will be my last, because I’m running out of money.

No word from Oprah yet, but a girl can dream.

What is the most rewarding aspect of writing novels?

I used to think I could teach the world a lesson: to learn how to be better. That was but the hubris of my youth. What I wish for now is a resonance, a recognition. And I like the parties when the book comes out. The generosity of friends. The joy, the tequila, the reunions. I also take joy in writing the books. That feeling of striking the right note as it happens, or reading back over what I’ve written.

What challenges keep you awake at night?

Both publishing and advertising have undergone sea changes in the past few years. Negotiating these changes; the desire not to just keep afloat but soar past the waterline into worlds unknown – this is the challenge and opportunity. But really, at the end of the day, you just need to ask yourself, “Was I kind? Was I surprising? Was I generous? Did I work hard? Was I young?” And if I accomplished all these things, I have to remember that I’m not responsible for the world’s response. And if I attempt to evoke magic from time to time, I must remember that magic lies not just in the reception, but in the act of creation.

Is work/life balance ever a problem with you? If so, what is one no-fail tactic you use to create balance?

Work and life balance is always a problem. It’s just the hours in the day thing. (I once tried to develop a 26 hour watch with a friend. It had two extra hours.)

A couple of things: I’m fascinated by books about maximizing energy, efficiency and brain function. And when I undertake a great task, like writing a novel, I assume that for a certain period of time there will not be a balance, at least not for me. Instead, there will be a sacrifice. And I’ll try to make the novel, or whatever it is, worthy of the sacrifice I’m making.

What is one lesson you’ve learned in your job that sticks with you?

To surprise people. People love to be surprised, for the most part. A generous surprise. Not filling their office with shaving cream. And not to be cynical. Cynicism is so easy and it makes a person seem brittle, like a beetle. Don’t be a beetle. Be a salamander. Or a meerkat or a panther.

Where – and how – do you find inspiration?

Among the young people. Those kids quivering with creativity and exuberance and longing. When they’re in their early twenties and up for anything; scheming and plotting to get ahead. Some of the greatest ideas were hatched while someone was scheming and plotting and I never want to forget how to do it.

What are some of the rules you live by?

Use the word “unless” when you need to. It’s the great U-turn word of the universe. I’m going to have a bad day, unless (U-turn) it turns around and I have a great day. I’m going to die alone, clutching the paw of my neutered Burmese, unless (U-turn) I die instead in the arms of Oprah. I mean, the man I love.

Also, Matt Damon taught me a great lesson in “The Departed” when Mark Wahlberg was about to shoot him in the head. He put down his bag of groceries and he said, “Okay.” That’s it. “Okay.” And Mark Wahlberg shot him in the head and a great lesson was learned. Sometimes when something’s happened or going to happen that I can’t control, that’s what I say: okay.

What qualities does it take for someone to be successful as an author?

That is a really hard question to answer, because some people are successful that seem to have nothing but luck. I’m not saying that in a bitter way at all. More power to them and more power to the people who seem to enjoy their books. But if you don’t have luck, you have to write that book that no one else can write. (I stole this? Okay? I stole it.) You also have to market the heck out of your book. And I lied. Okay? I lied. You still need luck! Even if just having your massive talent is lucky.

What advice do you have for women who want your job?

Let’s take advertising first. Let me just say, welcome. Advertising loves women writers and wants more of them, especially women with power and surprise and humor in their work. So yes, welcome: read the award show books and keep up with the changing mediums. Advertising is still a great business for a woman and a springboard to so many other things – screenplays, photography, directing, novel writing, etc.

And women writers: be ferocious in gaining knowledge and honing your craft. Know that there are still books being published and that you can still put your first sentence down one morning and see your book in print in the not so distant future. Know that each sentence in a novel is an advertisement for the next.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I hope to be kinder.

I hope to have more readership.

I have some other plans, more private.

Jessica’s glad she waited. Today, she’s a copy editor for TransWorld Media, where she oversees edits to seven sports magazines, from surfing and snowboarding to skateboarding, BMX, UFC, motocross and business. The variation keeps her job fresh and the once unfamiliar realm of sports has now become second nature.

To those still searching for the right job rather than the right now job, Jessica says, “Good things take time and effort. Hang in there and keep making contacts and knocking down doors.”

Jessica Matteson
Occupation: Copy Editor / TransWorld Media
Education: University of Missouri / Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism + Multicultural Studies Minor
Website: @JMatteson

How did you discover your current job?

As a 24-year-old who was still just an intern, I made a promise to myself that I would find the job that was right for me and that I wouldn’t give up until I found it. I scoured job postings daily and reached out to anyone and everyone. I found my job on mediabistro.com, a wonderful resource for those in the journalism field.

What does your typical job schedule and day look like?

Right now I oversee edits to seven magazines. There are three stages in which I look at the text for the publications. This means that I read a lot of copy throughout the day! First, I look at the text in a Word document format, then a design layout, and finally a printout of the magazine page. This gives me three chances to catch mistakes. I correct everything including spelling, grammar, punctuation and factual mistakes. The dictionary and Google are my best friends when I’m at work.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Sports, a realm that was once so unfamiliar to me, has now become like second nature. I’m able to rattle off terms such as “heelflip,” “riptide” and “guillotine choke” without missing a beat. It’s definitely a job where I can guarantee I’ll learn something new every day.

What challenges keep you awake at night?

My eyes are the last to look at the magazines and make any editorial changes before they are shipped to the printer. I literally have had nightmares about commas and quotations. You can never feel 100 percent certain that you didn’t overlook something.

What is the biggest personal sacrifice you have to make because of your job?

Luckily, the only sacrifice I’ve made is leaving my dog at home while I’m at work. Only pet parents will understand when I say that I miss my pup like crazy when I’m at work and that I’d rather go home to cuddle with him than out for happy hour at the end of the workday.

What is one lesson you’ve learned in your job that sticks with you?

Pick your battles. The publishing business is such a creative one. From writers to designers, photographers and even copy editors, we all want to put in our two cents. And at the end of the day, it’s such subjective work that no one is truly right or wrong.

Who are your role models?

Cathie Black, former president of Hearst Magazines, is certainly a motivator. After attending a seminar where she explained how she paved her own path in the cutthroat world of publishing, I was convinced I could do just the same. Giuliana Rancic, entertainment host, is by far the most fearless and inspiring woman. I bawled like a baby while watching her touching E! True Hollywood Story. This woman just doesn’t give up.

What are some of the rules you live by?

“Remember who you are.” This one has a lot of meaning behind it. My mom started saying this to me long, long ago to remind me to make good decisions. I use this in a much broader sense now. Not only do I remind myself of who I am, but who I want to be, what I want to accomplish and how I will do that.

What qualities does someone need to be a successful copy editor?

You truly have to have a love for the written word. A copy editor should find vocabulary, synonyms and grammar fascinating. Being a good speller and wordsmith is great, but you have to be able to read something over and over again with a fresh pair of eyes and be able to latch on to each word. Catching and correcting mistakes should be a thrill—it certainly is for me!

What advice do you have for women who want to work in the magazine industry?

It’s an interesting time in media right now. Print is still alive, but it seems to be hanging on for dear life. Women who want to work in the magazine industry need to have a passion for print, but they also need to be aware of and skilled in digital and mobile media. Being trained in all aspects of journalism—print, digital, mobile, broadcast etc.—is essential these days. Get a Twitter, start a blog, design a website, create an app and have a voice.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Although I love being a copy editor, I would eventually like to harness my creativity and work behind the scenes at one of our magazines as a creative director or managing editor. Ever since a capstone project in college where I created a magazine from scratch, I’ve wanted to tap into the artistry of dreaming up magazines.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I want to give some encouragement to the women who are post-college and still either interning or unemployed. Better than anyone, I know the feeling of being overworked and unpaid. I could have easily taken a job at the local newspaper or moved up the ranks at my job at the mall, but I stuck it out and held out for the right job to come along. And boy, I’m glad I did. I promise that you’ll find your dream job. Good things take time and effort. Hang in there and keep making contacts and knocking down doors.

Image | Jessica poses at the office skatepark inside TransWorld Media. Teams for TransWorld SKATEboarding and Ride BMX hang here, as well as guests and interviewees. Oh, and employees get to skate/ride during downtime as well!

Celebrating 25 years, Utenzi has made it her mission to help people “discover their eyedentity” with fashionable frames for all budgets. To accomplish this, Utenzi makes it a priority to know her industry inside and out, dedicating herself wholly to her business with a marked passion. After all, Utenzi has a fierce belief that passion is crucial to succeed in any business. That’s a strong piece of advice we can definitely subscribe to.

Utenzi Miller
Occupation: Owner / Elegant Eyes
Education: Essex County College + Rutgers
Website: eleganteyes.com + @eleganteyes

How did you discover your current job?

My job discovered me! Coming from a long line of optical owned businesses, it was a natural progression for me to be in the field.

What is your typical day like, and what types of things do you do in your job?

My days are never consistent. I live by the motto that my schedule’s subject to change. The start of my day consists of running through the to do list I’ve made the night before, store runs, delivery and pick-ups. Once I arrive at my final stop, I review emails and prep the staff for our morning meetings. And I always make time for a quick check in on all of the company’s social media sites.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is helping a customer who doesn’t like wearing glasses discover that perfect frame. I enjoy seeing them walk out loving their new look. It’s them “discovering their Eyedentity.”

What challenges keep you awake at night?

A huge challenge is keeping the inventory fresh and up-to-date. Another challenge is finding the balance between stocking stylish, affordable options and luxury lines. We always try to attract new and diverse customers while remaining loyal to our current and long-term ones.

What is the biggest personal sacrifice you have to make because of your job?

The biggest personal sacrifice is definitely my personal time. Being a workaholic is a part of my DNA, so I focus a lot of time on my business, whether it’s shopping my competition, spending hours reading new articles about the industry or networking to attract new customers. Over the years, there have been dinners and events that I’ve missed because of my work schedule. But it’s all a part of making a business grow and be sustainable. Sometimes I become so consumed with the business that it takes time away from my friends and family.

What is one lesson you’ve learned in your job that sticks with you?

When you treat people with respect and dignity, coupled with a great product/service, they come back for generations. Also, in business, you always have to keep your composure.

You’re celebrating the 25-year mark for your family-owned business. What new challenges are you facing today as a small business?

Like all businesses, Elegant Eyes is facing the concern of what people will (and won’t) spend their money on. So, it’s important to make sure I can meet the needs of any and everyone.

Who are your role models?

My family. My grandparents started in the field over 50 years ago with sheer will and determination. My only hope is that I can continue to build that legacy. I’m really inspired by my mother and grandmother because of their strength and integrity.

What are some of the rules you live by?

There are a few keys to success: wanting it, making it happen, envisioning yourself doing it and then going for it because nothing’s impossible!

What advice do you have for women who want to lead a successful small business?

I would advise women wanting to lead a successful business to be passionate. To not give up and never become complacent. To keep pushing, even when you think you can’t. Remember, “We are stronger than we know.”  This is not an easy process or task! Understand that it will take a lot of time and determination. If you want it, you can have it.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Five years from now, I see the Elegant Eyes brand in other retailers. I see a few more locations and our “Eye For Style” personal concierge sister company on the upward slope.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I always remind myself of the Maya Angelou quote, “All great achievements require time.”

Lesa France Kennedy is the Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for International Speedway Corporation, a motorsports entertainment property that owns the majority of NASCAR-sanctioned race tracks. In addition, she also serves as the Vice Chair of NASCAR, an organization that her grandfather, Bill France Sr., founded.

With International Speedway Corporation since 1983, Lesa has been a tremendous visionary force. Her leadership has received many accolades from the nod by Forbes to being named the Most Influential Woman in Sports Business, as well as Female Sports Executive of the Year by Street and Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal. But as you’ll see in her interview below, Lesa is quick to credit her success to the hard work and dedication of the team surrounding her.

Lesa France Kennedy
Occupation: CEO / International Speedway Corporation + Vice Chair / NASCAR
Education: B.A. Economics + B.A. Psychology / Duke
Website: iscmotorsports.com

What is your typical day like? What types of things do you do on a daily basis?

I try to schedule most of my meetings in the morning. That works better for me. I try to do more one-on-one’s or phone calls or reading in the afternoon. It doesn’t always work out that way, obviously, because the day is so fluid. That usually helps me schedule my time the best.

What types of sources do you go to for inspiration?

I go to everything. I go to all kinds of newspapers. I go to a number of magazines to keep up with what’s going on there. It’s just a variety and it really depends on what the current topic is that we’re really working on at the company.

What qualities do you look for when building and structuring a leadership team?

As the business has grown, I feel like people have become more specialized. We had more generalists, I would say, 15 or 20 years ago.  But now you have so many professionals that have a specific talent, and so to me it really, really requires being able to work with a team. For whatever projects you’re working on you may have five or six people who are specialized in their area, but it’s critical that they are able to share information and work with others on the team.

You have a lot of responsibilities day-to-day, but what are the challenges that keep you up at night?

Usually it will be whatever major project, or projects, that we have going on that go through my mind. The other thing is I’ll usually be thinking about the rest of the week and how to schedule or reschedule it to get a little bit more in the day. So, for example, if I leave a little later to get somewhere, then I can I get something else in later in the day. It’s that type of thing.

How are you able to manage a work-life balance in the position you have?

Well, once again, it’s obviously about the people around you. I also think that if you keep some things in your life very organized, to where it’s a no-brainer, it’s helpful. I travel a lot. The things I travel with are always in the same place, and it’s always ready to go.  Then you can check off your list in the event that something comes your way. It frees you up to deal with more curve balls that might come your way. As much as you can frontload the things that you need to do, the more time you have for curveballs.

I may pack on a Monday for a Friday trip, just because I might have an extra few minutes there, and then it’s ready to go. I try to frontload things like that. So if I end up with a Thursday night crisis, I’m not scrambling. People tease me about that sometimes.

What is one of the sacrifices you have to make because of your job?

My son is older now, but it was family time. I was very lucky I had a family – because we are a family business – that really understood that you couldn’t be in two places at once. I think personal time with my family – and, you know, personal time with myself – sometimes had to be put on hold.

Can you tell me a lesson you learned in your job, or when you were younger, that has shaped you in some way as a leader?

I learned a lot from my mother and from my grandmother in different ways. They both were really concerned with other people, and people around them, and their perceptions of the business – and also, personally, what they were like. If you get to know the people around you, then you can really start to make some wise decisions about who you’re going to have on your team or who would be involved in taking your company – and yourself – to the next level.

What are some of those things that you look for when you’re filling out your team?

It’s all about your ability to communicate. There are a lot of smart people out there, but if they can’t communicate it in somewhat of a concise or articulate matter, they’re not going to be able to get their vision and their story across. I think that’s really important.

What do you think is the biggest challenge for women today who are trying to make a name for themselves in ISC, NASCAR or the sports industry?

One thing that I see is sometimes I think self-esteem can get in the way, or a woman’s self-perspective and self-worth. The reason I say that is I find that usually the women who struggle the most for some reason are always looking over their shoulder because they are a woman. They really need to find their own personal value, and if they do that I think it really serves them well. I would sum it up to self-esteem, which sometimes can be your biggest challenge and can be your own worst enemy.

Do you have a specific rule you live by in your career?

Just be well ahead of a deadline. If we have a board meeting it needs to be wrapped up a month before if it can so you have time to react or make changes if necessary. Organization and being ahead of a deadline will get you a long way.

You have all these amazing accolades in the sport and obviously within the industry. What kind of qualities do you feel you have that set you apart and aide you in your leadership position?

The best thing that anybody can do is hire the best people. I feel like we have a phenomenal team who have been here for a number of years. They’re very seasoned. They know the business, and they are great contributors.

What advice do you have for women who one day hope to become a CEO like yourself?

Number one is work hard. It’s basic, but you have to work hard. Number two is to pick a mentor. Who do you believe in? Who would you like to be like? Try to become invaluable to that mentor. That way they are open to sharing their ideas and the ways that they got to where they are.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I LOVE my job. I absolutely love it. I would like to be in a place where I’m looking at a company that has grown by improving its guest experiences. So, it’s not necessarily a new job, but it’s my focus. I’d like to look back five years from now and see a company that has excelled in that area.

NASCAR is working hard to attract different markets to the sport. Can you talk a bit more about that, as well as how a female audience plays into that equation?

Currently, 40 percent of our fans are women.  We are focused on expanding our fan base, and not just with women, but to have a much more diverse fan base overall. At the NASCAR level, as well as at the track level, we want to try to reach a broader group of people.

Image | Lesa with her son, Ben Kennedy, at last year’s Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway
Photo courtesy of ISC Images and Archives