Anyone who meets Jana is astounded at her brilliance, beauty, spirit, and strength. But she wasn’t always this together. Jana had to be vulnerable, and respect and honor her vulnerability, before she could come out on the other side, a strong and successful entrepreneur.
On Seller Sessions, Jana catches up with Izabella Hamilton, another strong European woman making waves in the e-Commerce space, and they talk about what it is to be human.
Here’s a sneak peek:
The Thing About Confidence Is, No One Knows if It’s Real or Not.
This quote, from Euphoria, is one of Jana’s favorites. “Not everything is what it seems,” she says. Sometimes the most successful people are hiding years of trauma and years of therapy. Often, those therapy sessions are vilified. Why? There’s no need to be embarrassed or shy about your issues. Sharing your vulnerabilities is not wrong. Vulnerability is strength!
Everything You’ve Been Through is Important. It Brought You to This Point.
Many people hide their vulnerabilities. They think that years of trauma, therapy, insecurities, and the imposter syndrome are a sign of weakness. This couldn’t be more wrong. It’s important to honor the journey, because it has contributed to the person you are now, and that person is extremely special.
You Are the Average of the Five People You Spend the Most Time With.
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn made a really good point. Once at a party, Jana tried explaining what YLT Translations was all about to someone who made it clear that he didn’t care. She was hurt and offended by the man’s reaction. Then something clicked inside of her. “This isn’t how I should react,” she realized. She understood that her friends from her youth were truly wonderful – but she needed new friends for her e-Commerce and entrepreneurship journey. Your vibe attracts your tribe. Jana recognized early on how crucial good connections were to her success, and she went out of her way to establish relationships – thereupon creating her tribe.
Always Be Growing. Leave Your Comfort Zone. Get Scared.
Grow your network. Grow your collection of friends. Grow yourself. “Put yourself into a position that makes you feel uncomfortable,” Jana says. “Either you’ll get a reward, or you’ll fail and you’ll feel embarrassed. Soon you’ll realize it’s not that bad, and you’re probably just overthinking.” As a chronic overthinker, Jana understands this full well, which brings us to the next point…
You’re Driving Through Life. It Doesn’t Matter What Other Drivers Think About You. They’ll Eventually Move On and Forget About You.
That’s why it’s important not to overthink. In America, the entrepreneurial spirit is celebrated. Many people encourage you to work hard and build something. In Europe, perhaps the sentiment is more about joining a good firm, rising up the ranks, and eventually getting your retirement fund. But Jana was keen to break out of the mold, so she had to still her overthinking “America has better soil to build on,” she shares. “There are better opportunities.”
Jana shares these, and many more nuggets of wisdom, on the podcast with Izabella. It’s definitely a good idea to give it a listen – after all, it was one of the most successful Fireside Chats from the recently concluded Branded By Women.
It’s time to learn from the best in the business – and Jana is definitely way up there!
