To do the work you love, you’ve got to unlock a few doors. UNLOCKED Stories are honest conversations with people who chose a path and made it happen.

A note from Ellen:

Imagine walking into a major clothing store and seeing a fabulous pair of shoes—that you designed—sitting right there on the shelf. For Alana Oates, that’s not a far-fetched fantasy—that’s her reality!

Alana isn’t just a talented and creative shoe designer—she’s also a driven, ambitious women who won’t accept “no” for an answer, even when company leaders tell her “no” three, four, five or six times in a row.

It was such a pleasure to interview Alana. I have a feeling you’ll love “meeting” her—and seeing her beautiful designs—just as much as I have.

What do you do?

[Alana]: I’m a shoe designer for Gap Inc., designing their women’s shoe line for their Old Navy brand.

What were you doing before you became a shoe designer?

[Alana]: Before I was a shoe designer, I studied art and fashion design at an all-women’s art college in Philadelphia, Moore College of Art and Design.

While I was in school, I worked a number of internships. These jobs were pretty grueling, but each one helped to inform what I wanted in a career. Many of these internships were unpaid, so I spent my weekends working in restaurants.

What is your favorite part about your work?

[Alana]: I fell in love with designing shoes instantly. It felt so similar to sculpture, which has been a passion of mine throughout my life.

With shoes, you have the challenge of offering trend and beauty paired with the task of making it comfortable and wearable. That challenge excites me each time I design.

What is your least favorite part about your work?

[Alana]: My least favorite part is being far away from where the shoes are being made. I’m happiest when I’m in the factories—flipping through leather swatches, sifting through trims, meeting craftsmen and vendors face to face, and working hands-on with the makers. But I don’t get to do that every day. Often, I’m working from an office in San Francisco—not in the actual factories. In my “perfect world,” I’d be able to visit the factories every week.

How do you begin your day?

[Alana]: My ideal morning starts with a good workout. I love Pilates and yoga.

When I’m getting ready for work in the morning, I listen to podcasts—usually something inspiring. I’ve really been enjoying Sophia Amoruso’s #Girlboss podcast lately. Her show features interesting women from all kinds of industries: tech, fitness, wealth management, arts and entertainment. Listening to their success stories gives me a rush of inspiration for my day.

I love the process of doing my make-up, picking out an outfit, and deciding which shoes are best suited for my day’s schedule. If I’m not rushing, it’s actually my favorite part of the day!

Can you describe your morning beauty routine? Favorite products or make-up brands? What’s in your bathroom (or purse) right now?

[Alana]: My morning starts with a post workout shower. Right now I’m dedicated to Davines Oi hair products. The line is absolutely divine! The scent is so unique and makes your hair smell incredible all day. I also just discovered First Aid Beauty’s 5 in 1 Bouncy Mask. It’s such a fun product to use, and it has a cooling sensation and a light cucumber smell, which makes it vital for summer. Brows are trending right now so I take special time and attention for mine. I use a trifecta of wax, powder, and a tinted brow gel.

When you’re having a difficult or stressful day, how do you get through it?

[Alana]: When I’m having rough day, my first instinct is to meet up with a girlfriend. Talking it out is therapeutic for me, and I’m lucky enough to have incredible friends who give amazing advice. And wine always helps!

What has been the most challenging chapter of your career so far?

[Alana]: I was two years into my first job out of college and my incredible boss left the company. There was a development trip overseas planned, and in his absence, the budget for his part of the trip was dropped.

I was upset that he was leaving, but I knew I needed to go on that overseas trip. I redesigned the collection that he and I had been working on, and despite hearing “no”—my least favorite word—at least five times, I finally got the budget to go to India and spearhead the development of the collection.

It ended up being the best-selling collection that year, and the designs that came out of it are still some of my favorites.

You mentioned that you hate hearing the word “no,” and that your proposal was rejected over five times before the company finally agreed to send you to India. Hearing “no” is never fun! How did you manage to unlock that door—and persuade them to change their minds?

[Alana]: I knew it was important for me to go on the trip to India, so it was up to me to prove it to my leaders. I worked hard to pull everything together to illustrate what the collection could be—and I had to present my ideas over and over again. But finally, I got through. Basically: I just wouldn’t accept “no” for an answer!

Do you ever fantasize about having a totally different career? What would you do?

[Alana]: When left to my own devices, I’m flipping through home magazines like Elle Décor and Cabana Home or ‘Pinning’ interiors. If I wasn’t designing shoes or accessories, I would definitely become an interior designer.

Who are your personal heroes and role models?

[Alana]: I admire well-traveled and ambitious women. My mother is my #1 hero. Other than her—I admire Angelina Jolie, Diane Von Furstenberg, Diana Vreeland, and other women who have a clear vision, who are driven and hard-working, and who refuse to take “no” for an answer! I also have an amazing network of friends who inspire me every day. I’m constantly meeting new role models and mentors.

next door that you need to unlock? (And what’s the plan?)

[Alana]: The next door I’m hoping to unlock is the door to entrepreneurship. I’ve learned so many valuable lessons working for large companies and credible brands, but I’m excited to forge my own path. I’ll be releasing a special collection I developed with artisans in India around the holiday season. It’s a beautiful capsule and I can’t wait to share it, so stay tuned!

Last but not least: what’s your biggest piece of advice for anyone who wants to do amazing work in the world, stay motivated, and unlock major doors?

[Alana]: Cultivate a supportive and inspiring network for yourself.

My friends and those in my network are my biggest motivators, and it’s great to have friendly competition to keep you going when you feel like giving up.

Reach out to those who inspire you, and pay attention to the people around you who are doing great things. Having a strong network can unlock a lot of doors.

UNLOCK YOURSELF

Three questions to think about, write about—or talk about with a friend.

1. Alana did a series of unpaid internships—while still attending design school—to hone her skills. Those internships paved the way for her current job at Gap / Old Navy.

Imagine that you could get an unpaid internship or apprenticeship at any company in the world, learning about any industry or trade that you want. What would be your “fantasy internship”?

2. Alana’s favorite morning routine involves Pilates or yoga and an inspiring podcast or two—plus plenty of time to do her make-up and choose an outfit in a leisurely fashion!

What’s your ideal morning routine? Does your actual morning routine match up pretty closely? What could you adjust to make your morning feel a bit better? (A great morning always sets you up for a great day!)

3. For Alana, having close friends and a strong professional network is worth more than just about anything else. As she puts it, “having a strong network can unlock a lot of doors.”

Who are your three closest friends? When was the last time you reached out to each of those people just to say “Thanks for being in my life”? This week, make an effort to connect and nurture those friendships with a text, phone call, email, or face to face meeting.

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For more UNLOCKED interviews, click over here.

Know somebody that ought to be spotlighted? Write to me here.

See you next time for another inspiring conversation!

To do the work you love, you’ve got to unlock a few doors. UNLOCKED Stories are honest conversations with people who chose a path and made it happen.

A note from Ellen:

Nothing about Paul Jarvis is “conventional.”

This is a man who lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with his wife and two pet rats. His arms are covered with tattoos. His career is entirely self-directed. When he’s not working, he surfs, wanders through the woods and makes music with his wife (they have a band together).

How did he create this type of life and career?

The answer is: he really doesn’t care what anybody else is doing or how they choose to live and work, and he’s not interested in following someone else’s blueprint. He wants to follow his own gut instincts and sources of curiosity—wherever they may lead.

For the past seventeen years of his self-employed career, that’s exactly what he has done.

I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation with Paul, where he shares some of his current projects, his ongoing challenges, and his advice for anyone who wants to build a meaningful career.

What do you do?

[Paul]: I’m a website designer, software creator, writer, teacher, and podcaster. Basically: I make things for people who make things online.

I’ve been self-employed for the past seventeen years. My work has evolved a lot over that span of time. I’m always starting new projects and moving in different directions, depending on what’s most interesting to me at the moment.

Currently, I host a weekly podcast called The Freelancer where I share my thoughts on running a freelance business.

I recently released OfCoursebooks, a tool for people who teach online courses. OfCoursebooks gives your students an easy way to take notes on what they’re learning and share their notes with other students online.

I also run the Creative Class, a course for freelancers that shows you how to get more clients, earn more money, and deal with common business headaches—like figuring out how much to charge for your work, and figuring out what to do when a client wants ten million revisions on a project but doesn’t want to pay for your extra time.

I do quite a few other things too, most of which are listed here.

What were you doing before you became a maker of Internet-things?

[Paul]: I delivered newspapers, worked as a veterinary assistant, and worked as a creative director. I also toured with various bands and worked as a studio musician.

(I still make music today. My wife Lisa and I have a band called Mojave, which is an acoustic / folk project.)

What is your favorite part about your work?

[Paul]: Freedom. I’m in charge of my day, week, and life. I don’t have to set an alarm or keep to a rigid schedule. If the sun is shining and I feel like being outside all day long, and then working from 6pm to 10pm while it’s dark out, I can do that.

Also, I love the fact that I don’t have to do the exact same type of work every single day. I can explore new ideas—even if they’re wacky, weird, or “out there.”

What is your least favorite part about your work?

[Paul]: I don’t really have one. I love what I do, and if I don’t love something, then it’s my own fault since I work for myself.

If I had to pick ONE thing it would be accounting, but I hired a bookkeeper and accountant to do that for me—so now, I don’t even need to know what’s going on except for the big picture stuff.

How do you typically begin your day?

[Paul]: With a strong coffee from my AeroPress.

When you’re having a difficult or stressful day, how do you get through it?

[Paul]: I leave.

If work isn’t working, I stop. Typically I’ll go outside and work in my garden, build something with my hands or go for a walk in the woods.

What has been the most challenging chapter of your career so far? (A roadblock, setback, or “locked door” moment?)

[Paul]: The biggest challenge of my career has been learning how to deal with vicious criticism from people who feel offended by me, or my work, in some way.

People have written articles insisting that I am greedy (because I sell products online), that I am unprofessional (because I swear like a sailor), that my advice is terrible, my ideas are stupid, my products are worthless. You name it.

It might sound unbelievable, but I have received death threats and other threats of violence (“I’m going to come over to your house and beat your ass”) from random strangers on the Internet. And I’m not even writing about sensitive subjects like politics, religion, or abortions—I’m just sharing my thoughts on creativity and commerce!

Sadly, I have many colleagues who have received similar attacks and threats over the course of their careers. Once you reach a certain level of perceived “success” or “online visibility,” you become an easy target for trolls and bullies. I wish that wasn’t the case—but it is.

When someone is criticizing or threatening you like that, what do you do? How do you get through it?

[Paul]: First, when people voice their disapproval about who I am and what I do, it hurts. There’s no getting around that because I’m a human being with feelings.

Second, I’ve come to realize that when someone feels the need to spit criticism at me, it’s because that person is dealing with something in his or her own life—which usually has nothing to do with me. This person might be going through a divorce, a financial crisis, or a professional setback—and then, boom, this person happens to stumble upon my website and I become the target for their pent-up anger and frustration.

Third, and mainly, I’m OK if people dislike me for who I am. I would rather be myself (and make some people upset) rather than try to be someone else, and still probably wind up making some people upset anyway!

I’ve found the more I’m just “myself” in my work, the more I attract the audience I actually want. Sure, trolls show up, and that sucks, but those people are in the minority. Over 20,000 people receive my weekly newsletter, and those people have signed up because they like what I have to say and they want to hear more. That feels good. I focus on writing and creating products for those people—and I just try to ignore the trolls as much as possible.

Do you ever fantasize about having a totally different career? What would it be?

[Paul]: I thought about being a writer. Then I started writing. Then I wrote and published 4 books.

I thought about making digital products. So I made some. Then I started doing that full-time.

That’s how my whole career has gone. If there’s something I want to do, I just start doing it. I start moving towards it right away. I don’t “keep doing” every single thing that I start, but I always start.

Last but not least: what’s your biggest piece of advice for anyone who wants to do amazing work in the world, stay motivated, and unlock major doors?

[Paul]: Stop trying to “find your calling.”

Trying to find your calling is a recipe for disaster—or at best, a recipe for horrible disappointment. What if you can’t find it? What if you find it and then a few days later you realize that wasn’t it at all?

I don’t think we have “one true calling.” Or two. Or twelve. And I definitely don’t think it’s something you “discover” all of a sudden like a shiny golden coin on the ground—like, “Whoa, there it is, I found it, now everything in my life is the BEST!”

Instead of trying to find your “calling,” find a position, place, or project that allows you to make a difference.

Making a difference is fairly easy. First, you have to leave things better than you found them. Second, you have to leave yourself better than when you started.

Making a difference can be anything from collecting garbage, to serving coffee, to coaching billionaires, to raising children. It can be anything you choose. It’s just you, doing something that holds your attention and serves others.

UNLOCK YOURSELF

Three questions to think about, write about—or talk about with a friend.

1. Paul doesn’t have a one-track career. He does many different things including writing, podcasting, and developing software.

If you could have a “hybrid” career like Paul, what would it be? Choose three or four or even five “job titles” that appeal to you and string them together. Imagine what that life might look like. Can you visualize it, write about it, or describe it to a friend?

2. Paul has received intense criticism from people who don’t “like” or “get” his work.

Can you remember the last time you felt criticized at work? What happened? Was it your boss, a colleague, a customer, or someone else? How did you respond? If you could “do-over” that moment, what would you do differently?

3. Paul’s stance is that you don’t have just “one true calling,” and that searching for your calling is ultimately pointless and frustrating. Instead, he urges people to focus on “making a difference”—which means leaving other people (and yourself) in better condition than when you started.

Without thinking about money (salary, revenue, etc.) for a moment: how would you like to make a difference? What sounds interesting and enjoyable to you?

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For more UNLOCKED interviews, click over here.

Know somebody that ought to be spotlighted? Write to me here.

See you next time for another inspiring conversation!