Latese Hickson, a Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Foot Locker, sits down with Tara to discuss taking a risk by changing her career path.   She offers tips for owning the room, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and how each of those can lead to success.  Also, Latese discusses being the only female voice on the Foot Locker Men’s team and her advice for leaning into that dynamic.

Taking Risk

Latese discusses the change she made from being a buyer to a marketer and the risk of changing careers and starting over.  For her, she listened to the signs and herself, the change felt like the right thing to do.  Latese believes in shooting your shot and suggests when evaluating risks, consider your passion.  She says you'll know it’s a good time to take a risk when you’ve given something your all and are no longer experiencing growth and development in return.  Latese tells us to not be afraid to raise your hand and ask for more – usually the worst that can happen is being told no.

Owning the room and learning from others

To be successful in a job, Latese says it helps if you know how to own the room. To do this, know what you know, be confident about what you know, own it, and be good at it. Also, transparency is key. Along with being confident in what you know, recognize and be honest about what you don’t know and ask for help in those areas. When asking for help, check in with those you are asking and request feedback. 

Being uncomfortable

Throughout her career, Latese has often found herself in uncomfortable positions, speaking to consumers that she doesn’t necessarily identify with. She is empowered to understand those around her, so she is always learning by consistently asking questions, listening, and trying to be a part of the different conversations. Latese states that it is good to get comfortable with being uncomfortable – you should always be looking to create passion and challenge yourself. 

Working in a male-dominated environment

Currently, Latese is working on the Foot Locker Men’s team, is the only female voice, and she owns it. In filling this role, in addition to owning the room and being confident about what she knows, she also aims to empower her team. She welcomes insight from team members, and when authentic and respectful male colleagues offer advice, she receives and applies that advice.

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