"Network, network, network. Join as many woman-centered groups as you can because you’ll find an incredible support system there as well as resources you can tap easily. That doesn’t mean neglect the male-oriented events/groups, but by growing your network of women will open up a lot of options when you need them."

-Amanda Telford, Entrepreneur

Age 42

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

"Don’t do it alone. Find a real partner who believes in you and your dream and team up!"

-Holly Lynch, Communications Entrepreneur

Age 35

New York, NY

"Break the stereotype. Screenwriters, unfortunately, come with a preconceived reputation of being flaky, difficult and/or overly sensitive. Writing is a profession as much as it is an art, so there are times when you have to leave your artistic temperament at the door and strictly be a professional. Even when you think the script is perfect, someone will want changes. When the feedback stabs you in the gut, take a breath and don’t take it personally because it’s not. That’s a challenge because the work often is personal. As a writer, there is always more to learn. Even the worst notes can help make you better at your craft. We have to keep in mind our careers will not be sustained on talent alone; reputation can make or break you. Strive to exceed expectations, collaborate wholeheartedly and deliver best work."

-Sandra Ann Miller, Screenwriter and Author

Age 42

Venice, CA

"Only ever depend on one person - you."

-Kristen Dolle, Entrepreneur and Media Executive

Age 25

New York, NY

"Do your work truly. Don’t view it as a man’s or woman’s job. If you are working, then your health will stay good. Don’t depend on others to do your work. I always told my kids that if you don’t want to do hard work like us, then go to school."

-Laxmiben Jashvantlal Patel, Business Owner

Age 65

San Angelo, TX

"Forget the naysayers and if you want it, get it. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. And if they do, don’t listen. Be strong and confident. Establish your reputation and let it do the work for you!"

-Mamta Jashvantlal Patel Nagaraja, NASA Engineer

Age 31

Washington, D.C.

"To all women who are in the process of creating an innovative technology business, remember your audience, be they prospective clients, investors, even friends. Remember that no one, NO ONE is waiting for your fabulous new idea to revolutionize the world or their lives. To be convincing, you must yourself be convinced of your idea and its value."

-Pamela Spencer Balague, Entrepreneur

Age 33

Paris, France

"Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know, start from what you do know. And do everything in your power to build strong female networks that will support you emotionally and intellectually."

-Elizabeth Crowell, Entrepreneur and Angel Investor

Age 40

Brooklyn, NY

"Just do it. Stop worrying so much, stop waiting for that one golden idea which will make you rich easy and quickly, get your head out of the clouds and start. Take something you love and go after it. And yes it will take all of your energy, time and effort and might still fail. But you will learn more than you ever imagined possible, even if you fall flat on your face. I was 24 when we started; we knew nothing, lived on bread and peanut butter for 2 years and worked extreme hours for zero financial reward. But I get to do something new and exciting everyday, nobody tells us what to do (to the point where we painted our office bright pink) and we get to work with friends every day. As long as you dream about an idea it remains just that; a fantasy. As soon as you realize an idea the real adventure starts, so stop dreaming and just do it."

-Emily Jacometti, Tech Entrepreneur

Age 28

Amsterdam, Netherlands

"Keep in touch with the women you met at university, etc.: they are like you and can help you grow to whatever you want to be."

-Karin Sluis, Civil Engineer

Age 46

Deventer, Netherlands

"My first boss in technology, Susan Thomas, told me something that I still use to this day: never leave a meeting without having asked a question or made a comment. This is doubly important for women and another version of Sheryl Sandberg’s edict to ‘take a seat at the table.’ It’s not the responsibility of others to hand us opportunity; it’s our responsibility to reach out and take it."

-Carla Thompson, Tech Entrepreneur

Age 39

Austin, TX

"Don’t think that other people know more just because they speak up more than you do. Trust your intellect and your instincts about things. Take leadership when you feel you can and should. And when you don’t need to lead, sit back and listen for a while."

-Kelly Anderson, Documentary Filmmaker and Professor

Age 46

Brooklyn, NY

"Everyone tells you to work hard, but I would say work smart. Working smart requires working hard, but it also requires you to think and feel what you’re working.

I work in games, one of the fastest moving business industries. It requires speed and being limber. Whether you’re in a fast moving business segment or any other, I feel like we’re all in a hurry. Hurry and finish. Hurry and get home. Hurry and move on to the next thing. You can hurry yourself past many really important learnings. But when you really absorb what you’re working on, it not only enables you to build your career, it also enlarges who you are as a person."

-Sharon Wood

Age 52

Ridgefield, CT

"Women are good listeners with a knack for empathy. Embrace those qualities and find the stories that need to be told. Listen for the kernel of truth and fight for it."

-Julie Morey, Chief Creative Director

Age 57

Denver, CO

"All women in philosophy “know,” even the ones who appear to be passing. Find those of us who aren’t afraid to talk about what it’s like and, more importantly, are doing something about it."

-Nancy Bauer, Philosophy Professor

Age 51

Boston, MA

"One piece of advice I would give to a woman starting out in this career is to operate out of an optimistic and positive mind reminding yourself that your daily ventures, as annoying and mundane as they may be, will one day take you to where you want to be in your career. In this field you must think long-term and I still struggle with this every single day. Working in journalism can be quite negative due to the content of what we report. With that being said, try to limit harboring negativity in your thoughts or conversation, as it will spill out into your actions…and always carry tampons because they don’t sell them in Africa!!!"

-Erica Ayisi, Broadcast Journalist

Age 29

Accra, Ghana

"Think outside of your field and operate between the lines. You define (and erase) the parameters, and that boundary is limitless and in a constant state of flux. Don’t be pigeon-holed into a singular career/discipline/path/life goal. Find the connections – amongst people, ideas, and even the most seemingly disparate threads – because connections are what make life worth living."

-Anna Akbari, Sociologist and Entrepreneur

Age 32

New York, NY

"One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given is that “writing is something that is done alone in a room.” Many people are creative; many people are intelligent; but “the talent of the room,” the ability to sit alone with your thoughts and return again and again to a story or problem–that may be the most important talent of them all."

-Rochelle Spencer, College Instructor and Freelance Writer

Age 33

New York, NY

"Know that you will be scrutinized by your co-workers and that you will have to go to great lengths to prove yourself. Don’t give up; it gets better eventually."

-Jen Scheer, Freelance Photographer and Artist; Space Outreach Advocate

Age 36

Merritt Island, FL

"There’s no short-cutting experience–You have to put in the time and hard work, but progress will be made, even if it seems like it’s slow and difficult. The flip side of this bit of advice is to remember to celebrate each success, even the small stuff."

-Leela Cyd Ross, Writer and Photogrpaher

Age 27

Portland, OR

"Do not underestimate the powerful effect on your life of finding the work that truly inspires you. It becomes a calling and provides a joy filled life. Don’t be afraid to flounder until you find that passion because once you do, it will be the force that can guide you through your entire career."

-Michelle Thyen, Director of Volunteer Services

Age 35

Northern VA

"Relax, enjoy yourself, and don’t forget to develop your personal life because work will always be there tomorrow, but friends and family may not."

-Mary Beth Vigneron, Financial Services

Age 48

New York, NY

"Be sure to carve out as much time as you can to making your work and then make it as often as you can. For me the work is the most important thing so I often go without many “luxuries”. I live simply and bust it!"

-Shannon Rankin, Visual Artist

Age 39

Rangely, ME

"Journalism is in many ways a very manly field, so my advice would be to believe in yourself and your ideas – even if the male editor doesn’t agree. Try to build a female network of colleagues to draw strength from."

-Katarina Matsson, Freelance Journalist 

Age 29

New York, NY

"Don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams, whatever they are. If you happen to be attracted to a field that is traditionally male dominated, know that “you are standing on the shoulders of giants” as Isaac Newton once said. There are great women who in the past made it possible for us to be where we are, and we are responsible for achieving the success that will inspire the next generation of women."

-Deborah Berebichez, National Geographic TV Host; Writer; Public Speaker

Age 30s

New York, NY

"First, take any opportunity to study or work abroad. Otherwise, I’d say don’t under-estimate the power of blogs, Twitter and other social networking tools. They’re amazingly connective and you can find people who think like you, and it’s an wonderful and supportive community out there if you can figure out where you fit in and what makes you tick (and things you never knew made you tick). I’ve even been lucky enough to meet many of these online personas in person, and a lot of wonderful opportunities have come through it. It’s a small world sometimes."

-Anne Ditmeyer, Freelance Graphic Designer; Blogger; Writer; Social Media Specialist; Editor

Age 30

Paris, France

"Don’t expect it to be easy. Expect it to be very, very hard and be positively surprised if it is not. The rewards for a successful career in finance are immense, not just financially, but in terms of doing interesting and challenging work. Yes it is still predominantly a man’s world, but fight for your place in that world and use your seat at the table to create space for others."

-Jacki Zehner, Investor

Age 46

Park City, UT

"Recently, I found myself in the difficult situation of giving a piece of advice to my own daughter. She’s 25 and has always been very mature and independent. Still, she’s at a crossroads and seeking for help. What I told her might be surprising, but here it is: “Ask for help, open your heart to others, listen to their advices, but in the end, never forget to trust your own gut! Be your own best friend!” Apply to yourself first the principles you teach to others in coaching: Walk Your Talk!"

-Marion Chapsal, Consultant

Age 47

France

"Don’t be afraid to make it up as you go along. I’ve literally created my career as I go. Yes, it’s scary and yes it’s hard but it is also so incredibly rich and diverse and personal. Also, follow your gut. It’s better than any GPS system, psychic reading, or friend’s advice. We know our own barometer of truth – don’t be afraid to follow it."

-Jessica Weiner, Entrepreneur; Author

Age 37

Los Angeles, CA

"Don’t be afraid to be a little different! It may be difficult to convince your family and friends about your unconventional choices (in my case, it was the decision to take my first post-university job in India), but your life and career will be more interesting and rewarding if you take the road less traveled. Doing things differently will set you apart from everyone else and help you find those opportunities that leverage your particular skills and experience."

-Jacqueline Thong, Founder and CEO of Ubiqi Health

Age 33 

Boston, MA

"Trust your own eyes. Be open to learning from and being inspired by others, but when it comes down to it, trust in yourself. Trust that what you find beautiful, what you feel is right, will lead you to discover your own voice. Trust your gut, when it comes to people and situations. Especially when dealing with issues you care about, it sometimes feels like nothing is more important than the film you’re making. Love your work and give your best, but try to tell yourself every once in a while: It’s only a film."

-Magdalena Hutter, Film maker

Age 31

Cologne, Germany

 "Get an internship in college or right out of college at your dream job. It’s a lot easier to get hired as an intern when they’re barely paying you, then you can do some networking and show them what a great asset you are to the team. You are much more likely to get a real job that way then trying to break in when you’re older. I would also say to really take networking seriously and become involved in your local film/media community."

-Hilary Kirnser, Freelance Video Producer

Age 33

Washington, DC

"Protect your vision when you need to but also enroll people in that vision with your passion and perseverance. One more thing: have faith that 'if you build it, they will come.'"

-Emily Abt, Writer/ Director/ Teacher at Princeton

Age 36

Brooklyn, NY

"The only way you can succeed in the education business is by teaching. Teach a lot and teach often. In fact, I think everyone involved in the education industry even at the principal level or policy level should always teach in some form. This is not a field you can simply study and get. You can’t go to business school to understand kids."

-Kelly Yang, Managing Director of Kelly Yang Project - writing program for students in Hong Kong

Age 26

Hong Kong

"This is the hardest question you’ve asked so far. I think I’d give this advice to a man or a woman starting out in any field (and, of course, it’s not just one bit of advice, but the trio’s inseparable): love what you do, work hard at it, really hard at it, and say ‘yes’ to everything that comes your way – saying yes opens the door to surprises."

-Dorie Greenspan, Food Writer

NYC; Westbrook, CT; Paris, France

"Draw everyday, study the past, imagine the future, call everyone, work hard on your portfolio, get a website, print business cards, go outside, visit museums, drink green tea, fight for your right (to be paid), read books or at least look at the images, breathe and never give up."

-Olimpia Zagnoli, Freelance Illustrator

Age 26

Milan, Italy

"I’d tell them to trust themselves. At the end of the day, you know all the answers to your questions. The trick is learning how to clear away the clutter of family expectations, friendly advice, boyfriend suggestions, etc. Basically, any thought that starts with “should.” Don’t should on yourself and you’ll be fine."

-Alicia Morga, Entrepreneur 

Age 38

San Francisco, CA 

"Commit to educating yourself about your personal finances as early in your career as you can. Money gives you a voice and it gives you life choices. When you are living your life from a place of financial strength, you can live the life you want on your own terms."

-Manisha Thakor, Finance Guru

Age 40

Houston, TX

"Know thyself! Whether your journey of self-discovery involves journaling, meditation, church, or therapy, it is so important to be firmly rooted in your own personal identification. It will help you in all aspects of your career and will help you to make the difficult decisions that will definitely come your way."

-Laura Kauffman, Psychologist

Age 35

San Carlos, CA

"Absorb as much as you can and recognize opportunities when they present themselves."

-Mary Beth Vigneron, Financial Services

Age 48

New York, NY

"Be yourself. Believe in yourself—and don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do. You define you. Keep your own faith."

-Beth Arnold, Writer

Age 56

Paris, France

"Make yourself happy first. Do what feels right in your heart, gut, or wherever else you receive your truth. This is the biggest service you can do for the world and for yourself. Women have a tremendously challenging time turning off the “pleaser/perfectionist” instinct. Which is a beautiful thing to have. But we need to remember ourselves. Make yourself STRONG first, and then, well, then, watch out, world."

-Stella Griznot, Entrepreneur (Ladies who Launch); Branding Executive

Age 29

New York, NY

"Build, maintain and leverage your network of advisors, mentors, champions and contacts. Tap into and connect with people in your network. It is your greatest career asset. Everything that has happened in my career since I moved to New York in 1998 – career changes, promotions, board positions – has occurred because of a network."

-Kelly Hoey, Entrepreneur 

Age 45

Canadian, NY

"Develop practices that enable you to keep your own values and objectives in focus.

Always keep your options open."

-Tizra Latimer, Professor; Art Historian; Curator

Age 60

San Francisco, CA

"Always keep your options open."

-Mary Churchill, Sociologist; Academic Administrator

Age 44

Boston, MA

"Every year… envision your five year plan. Write it out, look at it every day and expect it to come to fruition. There will always be someone who tells you can’t so something. I am testimony to the fact that it is complete crap. Do yourself a favor and just go for it!"

-Pamela Abula, Architect

Age mid 30s 

New York, NY

"I think a lot of women can be plagued by insecurity and easily discouraged when they are starting out in the film industry, especially since there are so few female role models. My advice would be to trust in your own voice, believe that you have something of value to contribute, and know that you have all the resources within yourself to accomplish your goals."

-Alexandra Mann, Filmaker

Age 20s

New York, NY; Munich, Germany

"You may mature but you’ll never stop growing up as long as you are alive. There’s nothing wrong with thinking about what you want to be when you grow up several times over the course of your life as long as you also think about how you will get there."

-Erica Ginsberg, Executive Director in Film Industry

Age 40

Washington, DC

"Be fearless, trust your voice, believe in yourself and don’t give up."

-Melissa Silverstein, Blogger; Film Festival Producer

Age 43

Brooklyn, NY

"Be fearless. We can’t waste time worrying about if we are not smart enough, skinny enough, or charming enough. It’s not about us; it’s about the world we seek. We’re going to have to be bold if we want to build it."

- Emily May, Social Entrepreneur

Age 29

Brooklyn, NY

"When / if you make a mistake, recognize that the correction is an opportunity to change. Learn from it. Working / learning is a process. Recognize that you won’t be excellent at everything. And excel at what you are good at."

-Mary Beth Vigneron, Financial Services

Age 48

New York, NY

"Take advantage of each opportunity that comes your way, even if you’re afraid of where it may take you."

-Emily, Med Student; Non-profit Director

Age 22

Boston, MA

"No job is too small when you are starting out, and never miss an opportunity to network. Most of my work comes from referrals, and without them, I wouldn’t have a business. Editors and creative directors move around, and they will take their best writers with them. And if you want to be a writer, you have to love words. Love, love, love words and read as many of them as you can."

-Nichole Roberston, Copywriter

Age 37

Glen Ridge, NJ

"Don’t make very rigid plans for your career. It’s good to have a plan, just don’t ignore all the happy accidents. Sometimes little opportunities happen along the way that make a big difference in your happiness and put you ultimately where you should be in your career."

-Jessica Hische, Typographer; Illustrator

Age 26

Brooklyn, NY

"Don’t ever lie to yourself about who you are and what you want to do. I love the quote, 'I’d rather be loathed for who I am than loved for something I’m not.' Decide who you are and have the guts to live as that person, in entirety."

-Selena Rezvani, Leadership Development Consultant

Age 32

Philadelphia, PA

"Don’t be too concerned about what other people think of you. Men may sideline you or not take you seriously but persevere. Other women may not always be your friend either. Taking leadership, being willing to be responsible for making a difference, puts you in the firing line in any profession so we need to have a strong home base and key people that we can turn to for support when the going gets tough."

-Lee Chalmers, Leadership Development Consultant

Age 38

London, UK

"Take time to learn about yourself. Learn what you really like, not what you think you’re supposed to like — to read, to do, to say, to be, to write. Dive into your life, but not in the scripted movie bungee-jumping way — they do that in movies because it’s visual and can be an easy way to see someone diving into life! I, for one, would not have a great time bungee jumping. So dive in in a way that suits you, suits who you are right now. Deborah Eisenberg’s story 'Days' is an amazing story about this — a kind of masterpiece on the moment of trying to tune in, maybe for the first time, to what truly interests you."

-Aimee Bender, Writer Professor

Age 41

Los Angelos, CA

"Trust your voice. You are unique—your ideas, your point of view, the way you see the world and what you put into it are special. Valid. Important."

-Elissa Stein, Writer; Graphic Designer

Age 46

New York, NY

"Be tenacious, don’t take yourself too seriously, approach things with an open heart, and put yourself around those with similar minds."

-Tammy Camp, Tech Entrepreneur; Interactive Marketing Executive

Age 31

San Francisco, CA

"Intellectual humility is the key to greatness. As soon as you believe you know everything you stop learning."

-Melissa Harris-Lacewell, Professor; Writer

Age 36

Princeton, NJ; New Orleans, LA

"Your story is the most important asset you have. Don’t let anyone tell you that just because your lived experience is shorter, it isn’t valid. Speak it with the confidence that you know everything, be willing to admit that you don’t, own your privileges and identities, and remember that if you’ve made one person feel more human, you’ve changed the world."

-Shelby Knox, Itinerant Feminist Organizer

Age 23

New York, NY

"Grow a very thick scaly skin, and persevere. Try every door you can. And sometimes make funny, happy or just beautiful pictures to balance things out."

-Julia Rice, Artist; Teacher

Age 34

Banyoles, Spain

"Do what you love, do it well, and don’t let anyone tell you that it can’t be done if it matters to you."

-Ann Cooper, Chef & Food Reform Advocate

Age 56

Boulder, CO

"I have no advice to give on my specific industry. But I would just add, more generally, that we cannot do everything perfectly: have a demanding job, exercise, have a perfect relationship, raise children… but we can try to do a bit of everything, evaluate how important each element is, and ultimately be very happy."

-Axelle Hardy Demézon, Foreign Rights Manager

Age 30

Paris, France

"Do not close yourself off to the experience of learning, even while at work. Be always open to new ideas and remember that, first and foremost, everything you write is a story you didn’t know before – therefore you’re your very first reader. There are a lot of eye-openers in this career, if you only let them."

-Chiara Papaccio, Journalist

Age 36

Rome, Italy

"Be nice. Kindness is so underrated. If you are always good to the people you work with and meet, from secretaries and interns to CEOs, you will be remembered. I have tried in life to treat everyone fairly and do favors as often as I can. I try to never burn bridges. Little kindnesses (helping young people find jobs, connecting people, supporting other people’s causes) mean the world to people, and help you establish a reputation as someone people want to help."

-Susannah Wellford Shakow, Non-Profit Director

Age 40

Washington, DC

"You can’t have it all. But you can have a little bit of everything. So figure out what bits you’re actually willing to give up. Carve a life for yourself with a razor blade, not a chainsaw."

-Laurel Snyder, Writer

Age 36

Atlanta, GA

"Be aware of your surroundings, meaning find that area in your department / business that is missing something such as coverage or control. Try to be the ‘go to person’ for that missing piece."

-Mary Beth Vigneron, Financial Services

Age 48

New York, NY

"Find reliable people or a reliable person to give you regular emotional and creative support."

-Heather Gold, Comedian

Age 42

Huntington, NY

"Don’t be afraid to be the first."

-Tammy Tibbetts, Social Entrepreneur; Digital Storyteller

Age 24

New York, NY

"Be yourself, which is one of the hardest things to do when you’re staring at a teleprompter. Be well-rounded, know a little about a lot, and if you don’t know, ask. Don’t ever come to the table and say “I don’t know.” Remember, you’re setting the bar for someone coming up right behind you."

-Ann Nyberg, TV News Anchor; Reporter

Age 53

CT

"Find your own unique path and build connections to people who will support you in all of your endeavors.  You can never succeed alone or without passion.  And it’s crucial to find your own voice and sing loud and clear."

-Danah Boyd, Social Media Researcher

Age 32

Cambridge, MA

"My advice to women starting out on Wall Street would be to be yourself. It’s really easy to fall into the trap of trying to be more like the people around you—it seems like an easy short-term solution to success. But at the end of the day, you can’t be happy (or successful) if you are trying to be someone else. So in every decision, you should ask yourself, is this really who I am?"

-Financial Analyst

Age 20s

New York, NY