Pushing through the fear with a solid community who got your back
Do you think an unconventional career pivot can lead to better fulfillment? As I peel through my network, I am discovering there many Career Professionals who have made unconventional pivots into entrepreneurship for a variety of reasons. This time you will be fascinated since how I met this new connection was quite surprising. Diane Najm and I met in a twitter chat group one year ago which comprised of ladies from different parts of the world, where I did a casual check-in to say, “Hello” with my morning coffee and exchange some twitter chats during the early days of the pandemic. Surprisingly enough, these chats evolved and now over one year later, I asked Diane to share her story with my community and she agreed.
It is my pleasure to share with you the story of CEO and Founder Diane Najm, of PhotoPad living in Seattle, USA. Diane’s story is a fascinating one since she made a 360 degree pivot from working over twenty years in the Social Work field to developing a storytelling consumer photo app in 2010 followed by PhotoPad – a web based platform for businesses in 2016. This huge move into the Digital TECH world was not an easy one but definitely a worthwhile one since it helped her to grow her inner confidence while she pushed passed her fears during the many obstacles along the way. Her inner belief compass kept her moving forward as she encountered people who did not buy into her “photo stories concept” and discouraged her to continue along this path. Luckily for Diane she had the support of a rock solid community that help her to press forward without blinking an eye. Diane is passionate about empowering Women Business Owners bring out their stories into the world with PhotoPad.
In this episode we had a great one-one candid conversation about the obstacles she faced building PhotoPad; leading her team with authenticity; being a continuous learner; staying true to herself in spite of difficult times; as well as how to build community with service at the heart of it. Enjoy this episode!
Other ways to listen Diane’s Episode:
Golden Nugget: You can pursue your passion and dream at any age, you just have to push past the fear since you only have one chance in this life.
Diane Najm
Her Favorite Books:
Miss Dior: A Story of Courage and Couture by Justine Picardi
The Mary Kay Way by Mary Kay Ash
To continue to feed your mind and develop a growth mindset check out our wall of love here. Be sure to connect with Diane Najm by heading over to her website.
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