Name: Claudia Chan
Age: 36
Job Title and Description: Founder, ClaudiaChan.com, a new media voice sharing the wisdom of remarkable women
College/Major: Smith College, Government & International Relations, Class 97
Website: www.ClaudiaChan.com
Twitter Handle: @claudiachan
HC: What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day? 
Claudia Chan:
- Defining business growth phases & strategic plans for each phase
- Leading and empowering my team which is divided into several departments: Content & Editorial Production, Strategic Partnerships & Marketing, Events & Operations
- Typical of any entrepreneur in a startup phase, and especially since we launched this month, I have my hands in just about everything but am mostly focused on strategic partnerships which is my favorite of all the roles
- Always championing our mission and marketing the brand as ClaudiaChan.com are made up of my personal values of affecting positive change for women
HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
CC: It was my first job after graduating college in 1997 as International Sales & Marketing Assistant at W.W. Norton & Company – the publishing house famous at that time for trade title like The Perfect Storm and Trainspotting, as well as college titles Norton Anthologies. I found the job listing online and straight out applied for it. Looking back, it’s probably one of the few opportunities in my life that I did not need to network myself into.
HC: What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
CC: My industry is media and I would say there are two things:
- Content is king and queen
- It’s critical to define the mission you want to achieve with your content and brand (i.e. what problem is it solving, void it is filling and audience it is serving?). These answers should be baked into your mission. Without this information you cannot develop a strong brand strategy.
HC: Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
CC: There are several. My father taught me how to be more comfortable in taking financial risk; and to focus my energy more on making the money than spending it.
My mother taught me the significance of relationship building, relentless hard work, and that entrepreneurship was the only career to have. She’d say “to own my independence, I need to own my business.”
My fiancé has helped me look more at the half glass “full” and have more gratitude and acknowledgment for all of my achievements.
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