In "America's Next Top Model," Tyra Banks's memorable catchphrase is "you wanna be on top?" The only way Tyra Banks was able to establish a media empire out of a modeling career was by asking herself this question.
There are many questions one can ask during every stage in a career. "How can I ask for a raise?"; "Should I just completely change my career?"; or "How do I start my own app?"
Tyra Banks found the answers to all of these questions and featured them in her book, co-authored with her mother Carolyn London, Perfect is Boring. Following is a transcript of the video.
Tyra Banks: Sometimes you have to size step, step backwards, do so many things in order to get the quan, the thing. The thing that you desire so much.
How to ask for a raise.
Here's a big Tyra tip in how to ask for a raise. First I'm gonna tell you what not to do. Do not go to your boss or employer and say, "I can't pay my bills, I need to do this for my kid. I just need this because I just need to shop more. I can't pay my car payment." It is not your employer's interest, their personal interest to actually really truly care for that, and it's not necessarily gonna make them open up the pockets of that company to pay you for that.
You need to sit there and talk about your value. Talk about what you have done that has increased revenues, increased engagement, or how you've been working from nine to nine, even though you are only supposed to be working from nine to six. And that you are a salaried employee, so it's not like you're getting more money. And based on your input, into that company, and based on the metrics and the things that have happened because of the things that you were doing, that's why you deserve the raise. You don't need a raise, deserve a raise.
Persistence is crucial.
Persistence is crucial. You have a goal, you have a dream, you have a desire. You see that thing over there and you want it so bad. It is so important to keep on keeping on, especially when you feel like crap and you feel like nothing that you are doing is getting you there. But one thing that my mother told me is, it's not always about going through the front door. So the dream, it's right on the other side of that front door, there's other entrances to get inside of that house which represents your dream, your goal, your desire. So figure out that way. And what that means is the path is not always straight.
I talk about this a lot. About pivoting, moving on to the next thing. You have to have the nose of like a bloodhound. And know when something feels like it could go stale. Being one step ahead. Or, you know what, I used to love this job and then I used to like it, and now I kinda tolerate it. And it's not necessarily just like, "oop screw this. I'm outta here." And then you can't pay your rent. Sometimes it's about transitioning and doing it smoothly.
Leave at the top with respect, even if you hate that damn job, you don't wanna burn bridges. Get into that next job, still be able to pay your rent and don't piss off your boss because you never know when you're gonna need that recommendation.
Wanna be on top?
If you have an idea, if you wanna be an entrepreneur and you just have no way in, you don't have access to capital to, you know, to make this dream come true, I say, work for companies that have a similar mission product, service that you wish to create. Learn their secrets, learn what makes them tick. And then take that and tweak it. And make it your own. The more knowledge that you have, the more power you have. When you need to sit down in front of a VC or private equity and say, "I need some money to make this dream come true."
And in my career, I have wanted so much but it's not always about this. Sometimes you gotta, it's like a dance. Back, back, side, side, back, dip and attic. And side door, and window, and cellar, and cellar. Get it?