A 32-year-old CFO explains how a novel as old as she is has helped her figure out most of her big career choices
- At 32 years old, Jamie Cohen is not only the youngest person in the C-Suite of ANGI Homeservices, she's also one of the youngest female CFOs in the country.
- Cohen says she's regularly turned to Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" whenever she needed inspiration along the many stages of her career.
- Now, she recommends the novel to friends and colleagues who are struggling professionally.
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Jamie Cohen, one of the youngest female CFOs in the country, left her first college internship with something more than job experience: She left with a book recommendation that would change her life.
Her boss at the time, whom she describes as an "incredible mentor," told her to check out "The Alchemist" by Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho. She read it and immediately fell in love with the book's universal message about pursuing one's own path.
"Following my dreams and trusting my heart provided me with so many professional and personal opportunities," Cohen, who is the CFO of digital-marketplace company ANGI Homeservices, told Business Insider. "It has taught me more than I ever expected."
Many people have "that book" they turn to time and time again for insights. And while some power players might recommend self-help tomes or lofty works of nonfiction (as hedge-fund billionaire Ray Dalio recently did in an exclusive interview with Business Insider), Cohen's choice stands out for being a novel.
Published in 1988, "The Alchemist" is a simple tale about a young shepherd who has a dream about finding treasure in the pyramids of Egypt. He sells his flock and begins a journey to fulfill that vision. He learns multiple lessons life lessons along the way, with an often quoted one being: "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
"The beauty of this book is that no matter your background or experience, there is something to learn from reading it, and something different may resonate with you depending on your life circumstances," Cohen said.
The CFO says she's frequently turned to the book when making big life choices, such as the time she had to decide whether to take a job in the East Coast or one in Denver right after college. Rereading her favorite novel gave her the perspective to take the plunge and move to Denver, where she joined a tech company that eventually became ANGI Homeservices.
"As chance would have it, Denver became a very important part to both my personal growth and my professional growth," Cohen explained. "I eventually found a job at a small tech company that was trying to change the way people found and hired home pros. Now, that small company has become a much bigger company and my opportunities have grown along with it."
Cohen is not alone in praising the life lessons found in "The Alchemist." Oprah Winfrey writes: "Though he doesn't consider himself a spiritual guide, Paulo Coelho has been one of my great teachers. I still keep 'The Alchemist' beside my bed and am always meeting others who do the same."
When Cohen recently reread the book, she realized that she had identified her own life purpose, and was firmly along the path to fulfilling it.
Two lessons from the book resonated with her when she read it this time around:
- How challenges along the path shaped her, and strengthened her personal resiliency (or fortitude).
- The power of relationships and mentorships she's benefited from along the way, and the influence she has on others.
Cohen has recommended this book to colleagues or friends who are struggling professionally to help them find their long-term purpose.
She recently recommended the book to a newer director at the company.
"She has a lot of opportunity ahead of her," Cohen shared, "but that is often very daunting. I hope this book will provide some balance and inspiration for her as it has done for me."