REAL LIFE ROSIE

Stephanie Dell’Olio

President, Retail Division, Marcus Bros.

http://www.marcusbrothers.com/

Follow me:

“It’s not about having opportunities. It’s about capturing them. It’s not about seeing something. It’s about seeing everything. It’s not about having plans. It’s about turning plans into actions.”

What inspires you? I am inspired by the passion of those around me that live to create with fabrics and color.

What are your favorite quotes?
1) The challenge is staying focused, fresh and with our wits about us.
2) In the final analysis you just live with all the pros and cons. Choices are
imperfect. Just decide which seems best.
3) It’s not about having opportunities. It’s about capturing them. It’s not about seeing something. It’s about seeing everything. It’s not about having plans. It’s about turning plans into actions.

What are the most pressing issues for women in business today? The most pressing issue I see today is the same we have seen for years -doing it all.

What has contributed to your success? I think my success is owed to two bosses. One taught me to work fast and smart. The other taught me about being ethical and the importance of handling challenges that are unavoidable. I am reminded of what he taught me just by how he did his job. He was a reasonable man, doing a reasonable job and so others were reasonable in response.

What do you think is most important in advancing? To advance you must be able to listen and learn. People love to share their knowledge if you want to hear it. You must also understand how to look at the big picture. Every decision has a cause and effect. No decision is forever or made in a vacuum. Try and avoid surprises. I think it is important to identify the people you can learn from and stay away from the people that are just distractions. Don’t get involved with office politics. Work does not equal a social life. With that said learn how to be social so people want to help you. Learn how to feel comfortable speaking in front of people and presenting ideas. To this day I believe the most important college class I took was public speaking. Learn to be a salesperson if not for your product, for yourself and your ideas. Find smart people to work with you and let them do their jobs.

What challenges do women face in the workplace? I believe women expect more from women managers and accept a lower standard from male managers.