“It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.” ~ Confucius
My friend, Poornima, recently explained to me that entrepreneurship is like regularly getting punched in the face and getting up again for more. And still I was not deterred. Neither is she.
As I think about every wonderful experience in my life, I’m reminded that all of them required their fair share of punches. Some times, the punches came in bunches and that expedited the process. Some times, those rounds of punches happened over a long stretch of time. Nothing was ever easy for me, and now I understand why. I needed to build my stamina for the journey I’m on today.
We’re a culture addicted to over night success, to the belief that everyone we admire woke up more morning with a brilliant idea and suddenly became a sensation. But it’s not that way. Beneath all successes worth having, there is a long, long list of things that didn’t work out, opportunities missed and lost, and a map that shows how we often take a step forward only to take two steps back. We should not be discouraged.We need the conditioning.
The trick is of course to keep going. To keep our eyes on the prize. To recognize that no matter how much adversity we face, it’s impossible to beat someone who never gives up. Do not stop.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
I'd love to know what you think of this post! Please leave a reply and I'll get back to you in a jiffy! ~ CRA Cancel reply
Christa Avampato 