Would you accept a job offer in a country where you didn’t know the language? What about starting a non-profit while juggling college life? Or auditioning to be a TV show host with no on-air hosting experience?
Our featured women this week are not afraid to take risks.
Elizabeth J Taylor (pictured above) accepted a job offer in Germany after graduating from Vanderbilt University. By reading Calvin and Hobbs and surrounding herself with German friends and colleagues, Elizabeth learned to speak German fluently. Early in her career, Elizabeth and her German colleague founded Sollertis Strategy a company that consults and invests in high-growth startups. Continue reading Elizabeth’s story here.
Up next is Jessica Ekstrom, founder of Headbands of Hope. Jessica started Headbands of Hope during her time at North Caroline State. While working for Make-A-Wish Foundation, Jessica discovered that young girls prefer to wear headbands over wigs following chemotherapy. Jessica’s college teachers were her mentors and she leveraged the large market of fellow students to help her start her own non-profit from the ground up. Read more about Jessica here.
Last but certainly not least is Australian actor, TV host, and filmmaker, Kristy Best. Kristy took risks early on in her career and started her own Talent School for kids when she was in college. In 2010, Kristy submitted a script for a film competition and won. Since then, Kristy has starred as the TV Host for “Sunday Best” on Australia’s ABC2 and produced and directed her own film, “Something Fishy.” Check out Kristy’s full story here.
These three women prove that early risks can lead to great success. They also reinforce the importance of hard work and making critical decisions at the right time.
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Anna Lizaur is a Marketing Manager with about.me. She graduated from the University of Virginia.