Name: Stephanie Horbaczewski
Age: 33
Job Title: President and CEO of StyleHaul, Inc.
College/Major: Trinity College, Classics and Suffolk University, JD/MBA
Website: www.youtube.com/stylehaul
Twitter Handle: @stylehaulsteph
HC: What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
SH: We have grown so quickly each day brings new opportunities and challenges so no typical days yet!
HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
SH: As part of a sales class I took a job in a clothing store.
HC: What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
SH: How many different opportunities and possibilities there are for your career path outside of the few everyone knows and talks about.
HC: Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
SH: Nicole and Matthew Mellon gave me my first entrepreneurial leadership role in the fashion industry that changed my career.
HC: What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
SH: “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs
“Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.” – Mary Kay Ash
“Believe you can and you’re half way there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
SH: I sometimes wish I had listened immediately to myself and followed my entrepreneurial passion sooner. But had I, I would have missed out on law school and business school and would never have been as prepared as I was when I did. Sometimes what seems like a deviation from your path can be an integral part of your future.
HC: What is the best part of your job?
SH: Being inspired every day.
HC: What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
SH: The two qualities I look for are ambition and flexibility. It’s hard to pioneer a new space; you have to be adaptable and resilient when things don’t go as planned.
HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
SH: Find a mentor and don’t be afraid to ask family, friends, and your school for help and introductions to opportunities you want to pursue.