What A Brand Strategist And Business Consultant At JessKimia Consulting Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Consulting

I'm not sure. I realized this rule existed before I entered the industry, and I think that's the biggest value of platforms like this or doing information or interviews with people in your personal or extended networks. It's learning about where they started, what their path looked like, and what they discovered along the way. You can learn about positions and industries you may not be familiar with, or perhaps ones that didn't even exist a few years ago.

I don't know if anyone would have shared this. I think "brand strategy" sounded very senior-level when I was younger, and maybe I didn't know what that really entailed. Then I started doing it, and I was like, "Oh, this is brand strategy."

However, what I consider brand strategy might look a little different in every company. Marketing looks different in every company, too. So, I don't know if what someone tells you can always be taken at face value because it will continue to evolve.

I think in general, I wish someone had just told me, "You're going to change your mind. You're going to evolve." The business marketplace is constantly evolving, and so are your desires for how you want to live your life, how much money you want to make, and how much personal fulfillment you get from your job.

All those things are going to continue to shift. It’s not like you just decide you're going to get into a role or position and you're good. You're going to constantly be reevaluating that and making sure it works for you and what you want out of your life, not just your professional growth.

Maybe I wouldn't have felt so stressed out during the in-between stages of my life when I was figuring out transitions. That's what I tell almost anyone I speak to now: transitions are just the most normal, consistent part of life. So if you know those are coming, you won't think there's something wrong with you or that you're failing at your current job.

The whole point is to have these experiences and see what drives you and what doesn't. You need to figure out how to continue moving toward roles and jobs that offer a bigger piece of the pie that keeps you nourished and excited, and where you feel like you're really good. This minimizes the areas where you feel like you're really struggling, not good at something, or it's not fulfilling.

I think that's the biggest thing I wish I understood early on. It's the biggest wisdom I could pass on to others who are in undergrad right now.