Verified by 
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
After working at ABC News for nearly a decade, what led you to business school?
As a journalist, I was really interested in jobs, and how they had the power to change women's lives. I grew up around all single moms, including my mom and aunt. When you grow up with women who are on the economic edge you have an appreciation for the empowerment of money. People who say money "doesn't matter?" They've never been poor! So secondarily, I thought about b-school because of flexibility: an MBA would give me the flexibility to have a lucrative job if need be but also to write about things I cared deeply about.
You currently balance multiple jobs. Do you have any advice for people wanting to pursue their passion in their career?
For me, it's been a constant evolution. I kept looking for where I could make a difference and tell stories of women doing extraordinary things. I believe you have to create your own job. First ask yourself, what is it that I want to do? And then ask, how do I pay bills doing that? There are practical realities! You do it all: keep working on the passion while working to pay the bills, and hopefully they converge.
What did that look like for you—balancing a day job while writing your book during off-hours?
When I was working on my book, I was working in finance. I'd get up at 4 a.m. I wrote until 5:30 or 6, then go to the office [doing strategy and analysis at investment firm PIMCO]. After my 11-hour workday, I'd exercise for about an hour to clear my brain. Then, I'd write from 7:30-11:30 p.m. Also, my company gave me two sabbaticals to write the book.
What drove you during that time?
My cousin once told me, "Changing your life is supposed to be hard. If it weren't this hard, everyone would do it." He meant, don't try to go around the work. You have to go through the work. Don't complain when you're working 13 hours a day to make your dream a reality.
You're mom to a 10-month old. We hear so much about the challenge of being a working mom. Was that a difficult transition career-wise for you?
You know, I think that some of these questions are high-class problems. We had a lot of these "how do you find balance" discussions at Harvard Business School. That doesn't mean it's not a worthwhile conversation, but working moms shouldn't make themselves feel guilty. If you look at how a lot of mothers live—waitresses, receptionists, my mom worked for a phone company—they don't have the luxury of these conversations. You have to do what works for you. Kids fit into your life because they're part of your life. As long as you're a good and loving parent that is the most important.
Do you have a favorite motto?
I live by the words of strong women in my family. My mother used to say, "On a scale of major world tragedies, yours isn't even a three." Meaning, keep it all in perspective. My aunt would say, "After the dance [i.e., once you make your dream happen], they can't take it away from you." And my grandma always encouraged me to take big leaps and not dwell on the downside. She reminded me, "McDonald's is always hiring."
Connect with me on Twitter @debrashigley!
