TYVY: Why start over?

Why start over - especially after 20+ years in a successful corporate career?

When I started TYVY, I knew that I had to meet other like-minded women or men that have made pivots in their careers. With that I had the chance to meet an inspiring group of successful women entrepreneurs from various media, digital and publishing backgrounds. Many of whom, like me, left behind impressive corporate careers to build something of their own. Their stories were very inspiring as someone that is just getting started.

I'm always excited to keep connecting with this incredible community. The generosity in sharing their journeys, hard-won lessons, and founder tips was so energizing. A few things that stuck with them were to always: lead with passion and confidence, think outside the box, stay resilient, and one I loved: "give, give, give… then ask.”

It made me reflect on how many times I’ve rewritten TYVY’s About us, values and mission this past year. Not because it needs to be perfect before launch- but because it has to truly reflect my why and true to what I'm trying to establish which will drive the company mission and culture.

Yes, my intention is to build beautiful, functional, well made products for women like me who juggle work, travel, and family. But beyond that, this business is my outlet to:

💫 Empower women to reimagine career paths.
I had always followed the corporate path but for years, I started to think of "What if?" and realized as I started this corporate path doesn’t have to be the only way. Starting over is hard and scary - but also full of possibility. I’ve learned more in one year of building than I ever expected, and I’ve met so many women who have done it and are doing it.

💫 Mentor and uplift.
I navigated much of my early career alone in the early days. Back then, women’s mentorship programs didn’t exist. When I finally got a taste of what that could be like at Uniqlo as part of their first women's leadership mentoring program, I knew it was something I wanted to keep doing and build into this next chapter.

💫 Give back to the retail community.
Retail has shaped my entire career. It’s a demanding and intense space, but also deeply rewarding. I’m grateful to those who opened doors for me. As TYVY grows, I hope to one day do the same by hiring, mentoring, and creating opportunities for others in this industry.

💫 Be a role model for my daughter.
So she knows that her path doesn’t have to be linear. That she can take risks, change direction, and create something meaningful on her own terms.

Some morning start with me being a bit off centered so meeting and building relationships with others make me realize that finding your community really does make all the difference.

If anyone new founders in earlier stages in product want to connect, let me know! I will definitely share what I've learned up to now.