Had I played it safe or stayed quiet at Pepsi and Apple, I might never have been considered for future C-suite roles at Uber, Endeavor, and Netflix. My willingness to promote my work and to stand in my difference made me visible. It made me trusted.
That visibility opened doors I never imagined. In my first episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, I shared my career highlights—not out of vanity, but to show who I am and how hard I’ve worked. This led to the opportunity for me to co-host NBC’s On Brand with Jimmy Fallon. It was a risky, untested show that required more than on-camera presence. It demanded real marketing expertise. My self-promotion built that bridge.
That’s why I always say: control your narrative, or someone else will.
The real cost, and reward, of being different
Not everyone will cheer you on. The more visible you become, the more others project their insecurities onto your confidence. They may call you “too much,” “too loud,” or “too ambitious.” I’ve heard it all. And every time, I’m reminded: that’s exactly what got me here.