Katia Beauchamp quotes: the billionaire Birchbox boss sounds off.
“Whatever it is that you think you want to do, and whatever it is that you think stands between you and that, stop making excuses. You can do anything.”
“Work hard and own it. You make your own success and your own luck. Ask for what you deserve.”
“The reality is that there are many paths to success; there is no one path. Realizing that frees you to move fast and get things done in the best way that you can. Once you start executing and realizing that you can make reasonable decisions that lead to successful outcomes, you gain the confidence to keep going. For us, it is critical that we all keep that in mind, because every day brings new firsts.”
“Authenticity helps with anything you’re doing.”
“Keep your head down and focus on your brand and your service or your product and what makes it unique and special. Don’t take too much time obsessing over what somebody else is, versus what you really saw and started, because nobody can copy your vision.”
“Nothing is more delightful than being efficient.”
“One of the things that I really, firmly believe in for those interested in entrepreneurship is: Start. And the way to start is share your idea. When we shared our idea for Birchbox, almost everybody was like, ‘That’s a bad idea.’ Frankly, there’s a lot of really good ideas out there. Execution is the hardest thing, and you have to put one foot in front of the other to start. If you keep your idea confidential because you’re worried someone’s going to copy it, that is going to not serve you. Execution is really hard.”
“If you work hard, ask questions, and learn from every opportunity, you are going to have a fulfilling journey in your career. Be thoughtful of the people you work for including your manager. Find someone who is open and respects you. It makes work more enjoyable and gives you the opportunity to learn. It is also highly important to remember to enjoy building your career.”
“When you get to work with people who are your friends, spending time with them makes work that much more enjoyable.”
“I think the most important thing that I care about for my team and for the world is that when we spend our days at work, we have high expectations for that. We deserve to spend our days surrounded by things that inspire us, surrounded by humans who care about our development so that it doesn’t feel like you’re so depleted because it’s such a one-sided agreement that you need to escape it.”
“The idea that you’re only working right now during the hours when you’re in the office is done. I need people to be inspired on their weekends when they have amazing customer experiences that are discretionary, and bring those ideas to work. That’s work: Being open to thinking about this and being inspired. It’s very difficult to expect that you can turn it off.”
“I don’t think you just have one mentor; there are so many people we have the chance to meet, so I am constantly looking for new perspectives. There are definitely people I go to for the big questions, but mentors are there to be helpful. They aren’t there to give you the answers but to help you see that your perspective can answer the question.”
“Know your self-worth. It’s important for women to know what they are capable of and how talented they are—but also staying humble and grounded. Women are really great at understanding this type of duality because I think we are generally more self-aware. It’s challenging, but it really comes down to the details of the approach: the timing of it, the reputation you have and your relationship to whomever you are speaking. It’s important for your manager to understand how vested you are in the greater good and that it’s what you’re thinking about constantly. Of course, you are an important part of the equation and you should state your value in that role clearly. Showing that you are someone consistently thinking about the greater good and the team will go far in building your reputation. It shows leadership and humility.”
“It’s always tricky to find the right time to advocate for yourself. Timing is really important. But don’t overthink it, because part of this is just practice. It won’t always be perceived in the best way. It’s important that you don’t fear the perception and understand that it’s a part of the process. Stay calm and always respectful and never apologize for advocating for yourself.”
“I wanted something very ambitious, and I didn’t know what that was when I was really little. I just said, ‘I want to be President of the United States.’ That seems like the top, right? I was hungry to try hard things. I was hungry to know what I was capable of.”
“I don’t want to just be in a job, where I put my head down, no one wants to hear any of my thoughts for five to 10 years, and then someone will let me have an idea. The alternative was entrepreneurship, which afforded me the chance to make my ideas tangible. I cofounded a startup. When we shared our idea for Birchbox, almost everybody was like, ‘That’s a bad idea,’ and [yet we] grew it into one of the largest subscription e-commerce companies in the world. And that, in turn, amounted to something tangible in the lives of the millions of paying subscribers.”
“I know it’s a fallacy when I catch myself needing someone else’s validation and needing someone else to tell me what I’m capable of. I’m human; of course I go there. Of course I worry about what all of you think about me and what the press will write about me. We’re so hardwired to source our value that way. And, you know, if you notice it and you pay attention, you’re like, ‘Wow. I’m just giving all of this power to someone else.'”
“I think, just like everything, this has all been a learning experience. The first time you think something’s going to be really insurmountable, you expect the worst; your mindset immediately goes to a place of fear, and also a place of defeat. But then you get on the other side and you realize that there’s not an inevitability. There is much more of a chance that you just got stronger and that you’re going to be able to face something in a different way.”
“And once you can recognize that, it becomes a lot easier. It’s shifting the mindset: instead of seeing the hard thing as conquering you, recognizing that it doesn’t. You always get on the other side. And starting to feel that in the moment makes it feel less dramatic, and makes it feel very navigable.”
“I like to say it allows you to stay present in your body. But when you are present and not thinking of the inevitability of the future or your fear of the future, you have so much to work with. When you’re there fully to think about a challenge you’re facing, you’d be shocked how many ideas you have. But when you’re constantly afraid of the future, or reliving something terrible from the past, you’re not totally present to even think about it. Of course you feel frazzled. Of course you feel like it won’t be okay. You don’t have all of you to face it.”
“It feels like a life worth living. It feels exciting and engaging to try to push the boundaries of what you thought you could weather. And it feels so much better to not let yourself go to despair, but to feel in the moment how okay things are. Knowing that everything is really okay and that you are okay is very powerful. And eventually, it doesn’t end up feeling so brave, it just feels logical.”
“I work really hard at trying to see the big picture and not getting stuck in ego. I believe we’re all put on this planet for a purpose, and we all have a different purpose. When you connect with that love and that compassion, that’s when everything unfolds.”
“When you’re feeling a little lost this is something great to reflect on. Look at the big picture, put away your ego and focus on why you’re doing what you do.”
“I don’t think you can be prepared for starting a company. I don’t think that’s in any way feasible. I think if you knew what was coming, it would feel daunting because it’s crazy.”
“Forget about the concept of work-life balance. There is no such thing. That balance is overall life, not this week or this month; you don’t have to be balanced, just prioritize different things at different points in your life.”
“I learned to prioritize better once I became a mom. I realized that you do a lot of things that you don’t have to do. The important stuff starts to rise to the top of your to-do list and not everything is urgent anymore.”
“When do you feel like you’re in the right place in your career to pursue having a family? It’s never going to be a ‘good’ time. It’s not going to feel easy to pursue a family and still be successful in your career. Because ultimately, you haven’t yet met this version of yourself and you don’t know what it’s going to do to you mentally or psychologically. You don’t realize how efficient you become because you have new priorities.”
“Learning to set boundaries early is great practice. You have to take care of yourself and do things that make you happy, or else you’ll be miserable in both areas of your life. If you’re not happy, you’re not going to do your best work. It is possible to have a successful career and a meaningful personal life.”
