At our November Speaker Series, Jessica Honegger energized our membership with a speech about the courage it takes to pursue your dreams. Jessica is the founder of Noonday Collection, a business that partners with vendors to provide meaningful opportunities through fashion.
We sat down with Jessica after her speech to get a little more insight.
Q. What do you wish you had known? What advice would you give your past self?
A. It’s hard, because in so many ways I’m glad I didn’t know anything. It’s taken such an enormous amount of effort and it still does, but I think that as more time has gone by, what’s changing me is owning my place and owning my story and owning my leadership. Additionally, when you start something, you don’t often have the long view in mind, but I think focusing on the long view is really important.
Q. When did you know you had to start delegating? Was it hard?
A. It happened in stages. I knew I needed a business partner if this was actually going to be a business – I needed the expertise. I was out selling all the products, training all the ambassadors, booking all the trunk shows, designing all the product, writing the website – so I knew I needed back-end support.
Q. Was there a point where you felt comfortable? Like you were above water?
A. About two years ago. We got a creative director and had more people on our design team and got an HR person. Delegating is never easy as a creative and a Founder but I care so much more about the long term and what the long term goal is that I know to get to the next place, I have to delegate. And I love empowering other people! Which is really what delegation is – it’s empowering other people.
Q. Do you have a motto that you live by?
A. That I’m loved. God loves me and has carried me through a lot.
Learn more about Jessica, her story, and her awesome company on her website here!
