How She Got There: Pamela Fields, CEO of Stetson Worldwide, Inc.

Name: Pamela Fields           

Job Title and Description: CEO of Stetson Worldwide, Inc.

College/Major: Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University
 
Her Campus: What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
Pamela Fields: I have two prime responsibilities. First, I grow, develop, manage and oversee the growth of the Stetson brand on a global basis. Second, I bring new business partners into the Stetson brand through licensing deals.
 
HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it? 
 
PF: My first job was at Avon Products. I called the Human Resource office and told them I was fluent in three languages, one of which was Portuguese. There was an opening on the Brazil marketing team and I was in.
 
HC: What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now? 
PF: I really benefitted from working abroad and gaining a global perspective. I would have loved to have had the perspective even earlier.

HC: Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
PF: I had a mentor early on, my boss at Avon, who taught me that no matter how well I thought I had accomplished something, there was always something even better, smarter, more insightful that I could have delivered.
 
HC: What words of wisdom do you find most valuable? 
PF: “Stupid and uninformed is forever.” Be a voracious reader and lifelong learner. It will inform your work and your insights and gain you the respect trust of your colleagues.
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HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
PF: Early on, I had to learn how to manage and wasn’t as clear in establishing the jobs to be done to members of the team as I needed to be. The team sat me down and let me know what wasn’t working so I could fix it.

HC: What is the best part of your job? 
PF: I have the luxury of working with smart, committed professionals on projects that challenge me.
 
HC: What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
PF: Smart, articulate, professionals who communicate effectively, challenge the status quo with better ideas. Word to the wise: there is no role in business for someone who uses the word “like” as a space filler. It’s an immediate disqualification.
 
HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations? 
PF: Network as much as possible. Set up meetings with people inside and outside of your company to learn what they do. Write thank you notes (not e-mails) and make connections. They may not bear fruit immediately, but they will over time. Work harder than everyone else, take on every assignment and do it brilliantly.

• how she got there