Follow us on all podcasting channels.  

Comment + Watch the video on Spotify.

Follow us online:

• Discover the Career Masterclass to launch a side business, accelerate your career or develop your personal brand: https://www.top5percentmethod.com/
• Join the 28,000 high performance tribe in my FREE newsletter:  https://www.top5method.com/

Summary:

In this episode of Driving Impact, host Katheline reconnects with former Google colleague Ivana Tay, who has transformed from a sales professional in the trenches to the CEO and founder of Playfield (https://ourplayfield.com/), a pet gear company. Ivana shares her unconventional journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship, discussing the challenges she faced as a first-generation college graduate and daughter of immigrants in finding her voice in corporate America. 

She shares that participating in Katheline's leadership program has helped increase her Executive Presence and take BOLD steps in her career. The conversation explores her early entrepreneurial spirit, the pivotal moments that gave her the courage to leave her eight-year career at Google, and how she built a six-figure business in just one year. From discussing executive presence and career reinvention to the practical realities of running a product business, Ivana offers candid insights about taking bold career leaps and building something from scratch.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Cash Flow Challenges in Product Businesses
03:00 From Corporate to Entrepreneur: Ivana's Journey
06:09 Overcoming Cultural Barriers in Corporate America
09:11 The Power of Authentic Networking
11:49 Turning Adversity into Opportunity: The Bike Incident
14:49 Launching Playfield: The Birth of a Brand
17:57 Designing for Pet Owners: The Bailey Kit
21:05 Understanding Customer Pain Points
24:07 The Intersection of Lifestyle and Pet Care
27:57 Navigating Career Transitions
30:06 The Journey to Entrepreneurship
32:49 Financial Planning for Startups
34:03 Understanding Product Margins and Supply Chain
36:14 Cash Flow Management in Product Businesses
38:45 Scaling and Distribution Strategies
40:13 Building Confidence and Executive Presence
46:00 Radical Career Advice and Finding Your Voice