Perseverance and grit have served Winnie Park her entire life. At age 2 1/2, the new CEO of fashion retailer Forever 21 and former CEO of Paper Source emigrated from Korea to the United States with her parents, who had only $500 in their pockets. Growing up in rural Tennessee, Winnie was bullied because of her race, gender and size (among other things), so cultivating a gritty mindset was key.
Being gritty means you use the skill of perseverance in pursuit of your goals despite any chaos, challenges or fire that comes your way. Perseverance enables you to overcome setbacks, stick with it, and try again and again until you succeed. The more you persevere, the grittier you will become. And Winnie’s grit fueled her success.
“I was given opportunities because of my work ethic and sweat equity,” Winnie says. “When you’re willing to learn with humility, and you deliver results, you’re given opportunities to do more.”
Grit enables you to stick with it, no matter what. You’re determined to see it to conclusion, even in the face of adversity. And if there’s a setback, you have the mental toughness to try again and again until you succeed. The gritty mindset drives persistence, commitment and resilience.
I’m honored that Winnie shared her inspiring story in my new book, Become the Fire: Transform Life’s Chaos into Business and Personal Success. As the featured “Flame” in the chapter on being gritty, Winnie explains how she followed her passions despite any hardships along the way. She shares many insights learned from her experiences on the road to becoming a CEO, to encourage women from all walks of life to achieve their own success.
Winnie attributes her leadership success to perseverance and staying humble. “You don’t have to be the expert, or always be right. Be willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work.”
You can read more about Winnie, and get more of her insights, by ordering a copy of Become the Fire (foreword by Mary Dillon, CEO of Foot Locker, former CEO of Ulta Beauty) for yourself or for someone you think may benefit from the stories and lessons shared by myself and this diverse group of highly successful leaders:
- Paula Boggs, former chief legal officer of Starbucks
- Laura Desmond, former CEO of Starcom
- Talita Ramos Erickson, chief legal officer and chief D&I officer of Barilla
- Sarah Hofstetter, president of Profitero
- Angela Martinez Korompilas, former CEO of American Hotel Register Company
- Kim Oster-Holstein, founder and CEO of Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels, Twisted Alchemy
- Jules Pieri, founder of The Grommet, author of How We Make Stuff Now
- Desiree Rogers, CEO of Black Opal Beauty
- Emily Smith, former CEO of Wild Sky Media
I hope Become the Fire sparks your grit, too! 🔥
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Perseverance and grit have served Winnie Park her entire life. At age 2 1/2, the new CEO of fashion retailer Forever 21 and former CEO of Paper Source emigrated from Korea to the United States with her parents, who had only $500 in their pockets. Growing up in rural Tennessee, Winnie was bullied because of her race, gender and size (among other things), so cultivating a gritty mindset was key.
Being gritty means you use the skill of perseverance in pursuit of your goals despite any chaos, challenges or fire that comes your way. Perseverance enables you to overcome setbacks, stick with it, and try again and again until you succeed. The more you persevere, the grittier you will become. And Winnie’s grit fueled her success.
“I was given opportunities because of my work ethic and sweat equity,” Winnie says. “When you’re willing to learn with humility, and you deliver results, you’re given opportunities to do more.”
Grit enables you to stick with it, no matter what. You’re determined to see it to conclusion, even in the face of adversity. And if there’s a setback, you have the mental toughness to try again and again until you succeed. The gritty mindset drives persistence, commitment and resilience.
I’m honored that Winnie shared her inspiring story in my new book, Become the Fire: Transform Life’s Chaos into Business and Personal Success. As the featured “Flame” in the chapter on being gritty, Winnie explains how she followed her passions despite any hardships along the way. She shares many insights learned from her experiences on the road to becoming a CEO, to encourage women from all walks of life to achieve their own success.
Winnie attributes her leadership success to perseverance and staying humble. “You don’t have to be the expert, or always be right. Be willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work.”
You can read more about Winnie, and get more of her insights, by ordering a copy of Become the Fire (foreword by Mary Dillon, CEO of Foot Locker, former CEO of Ulta Beauty) for yourself or for someone you think may benefit from the stories and lessons shared by myself and this diverse group of highly successful leaders:
- Paula Boggs, former chief legal officer of Starbucks
- Laura Desmond, former CEO of Starcom
- Talita Ramos Erickson, chief legal officer and chief D&I officer of Barilla
- Sarah Hofstetter, president of Profitero
- Angela Martinez Korompilas, former CEO of American Hotel Register Company
- Kim Oster-Holstein, founder and CEO of Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels, Twisted Alchemy
- Jules Pieri, founder of The Grommet, author of How We Make Stuff Now
- Desiree Rogers, CEO of Black Opal Beauty
- Emily Smith, former CEO of Wild Sky Media
I hope Become the Fire sparks your grit, too! 🔥