An Interview With Eden Gold
Work-Life Integration: Instead of striving for a work-life balance that often pits career success against personal well-being, ambitious young adults are pursuing work-life integration. They seek careers that offer flexibility and allow them to blend their professional and personal lives in a way that supports overall happiness and well-being.
In a world rapidly changing through technology, societal norms, and global challenges, a new generation of leaders is emerging. Ambitious young adults are not just aiming for traditional markers of success; they are redefining what it means to be successful. Beyond the corporate ladder and financial milestones, they prioritize impact, sustainability, and personal fulfillment. They are entrepreneurs, activists, scientists, and artists who are shaping the future with innovative ideas and actions. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Lady Natasha Fines.
Lady Natasha Fines is the creative director behind the up-and-coming adaptive apparel fashion brand, Lady Fines, born and raised in Tampa Fl from Puerto Rican descent. She has a Psychology degree from the University of South Florida (USF) and a Fashion Business Management degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) New York City.
Lady Natasha’s natural love and passion for the study of fashion and its connection to human behavior truly blossomed as she began her buying career with The Home Shopping Network.
She explains, “As a buyer our job is to not only forecast trends but to understand who our customer is and what their needs are. As I would complete my usual trend and social media market research projects, I noticed the immense lack of representation of models with physical disabilities throughout the mainstream fashion brands. Later in my tenure at Akira I also realized how few adaptive fashion brand options there were for these customers that needed them. As much as I loved my job as a buyer for amazing companies, I couldn’t shake off my interest in taking the leap of faith to develop an adaptive clothing brand.”
Presently Lady Natasha Fines has made it her mission to develop both an Adaptive Clothing Fashion Brand (Lady Fines) and Non-Profit Organization (Rebels with a Cause Foundation) dedicating to supporting this mission and community.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about Future Leaders, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
The most interesting story that has happened to me since starting my career as the CEO and Creative Director of Lady Fines Adaptive Fashion, has been a story that is currently still unfolding. Last November, my brand’s Instagram received a very special “DM” that was from a production company called Runway 7 asking us if we’d be interested in being one of the featured brands during their New York Fashion Week Show in the fall of 2024. I being from Tampa Florida didn’t think it was a legitimate message and let me team know it was most likely spam. We carried on business as usual but then received a follow up message again from the Runway 7 team. I then decided to jump on a discovery call with them and quickly came to realize that this was the real deal! As I mentioned earlier, I am from Tampa, Florida and born from Puerto Rican parents, so never in a million years did I think I would have the opportunity to be a part of New York Fashion Week. This incredible opportunity has inspired me to share my story so that others like myself who don’t come from a wealthy background or live in a city like NYC or Hollywood know that if you work hard enough and not give up on your dreams anything is truly possible. This story is currently still being written as I write this it is two weeks out to our debut September 8 at the Sont Hall! Hopefully by the time you read this, there is a happy ending to this story!
You are a successful individual. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Courage- Having the courage to trust your gut instinct of a vision that you can’t stop thinking about. If you have something to say to the world you must have courage to convince others of the importance of your dream.
Kindness- From the wise lyrics from the bad ass CEO Selena Gomez “Kill them with Kindness”. You’ll never regret it, I promise.
Intelligence- Being a master at your craft will always stand you apart from your peers. NEVER STOP LEARNING & BEING CURIOUS! ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS. Never be the smartest person in the room.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview about how ambitious young adults are redefining success. How would you define success?
I define success by how many people I can help impact in a positive way.
Can you describe a moment or decision that significantly redirected your path toward leadership?
Being surrounded by incredible leaders during my buying career at The Home Shopping Network. If it wasn’t for the amazing peers and leaders I was surrounded and led by as I started my career in the fashion merchandising industry I wouldn’t know how impactful being an amazing boss and leader can be to someone with a dream and vision like mine. They helped train and nurture me in ways that truly helped build the leader I am today.
What role do mentorship and community play in shaping your approach to leadership and success?
Support Network- A strong community offers emotional support and encouragement. This network can boost confidence, provide different perspectives, and help sustain motivation during tough times. The collective wisdom and shared experiences within a community can offer practical solutions and innovative ideas.
Accountability-Both mentors and communities play a role in holding individuals accountable. Regular interactions with a mentor or active involvement in a community can create a sense of responsibility and commitment to goals.
In what ways do you think your generation’s view of success differs from previous generations?
There’s a growing acceptance with my generation of diverse career paths and non-traditional achievements. Success is not solely defined by conventional milestones such as degrees or high-status jobs but also includes creative endeavors, personal projects, and unique life experiences.
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Ways Ambitious Young Adults Are Redefining Success?”
1 . Global and Social Impact: Many are driven by the desire to create change on a global scale. They are engaged in social enterprises, advocacy, and initiatives that address global challenges like climate change, inequality, and education. Success, for them, is measured by the positive impact they can make on the world.
2 . Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Young adults are increasingly drawn to entrepreneurship, creating startups and innovative projects that reflect their vision and creativity. They value the autonomy and potential for impact that comes with building something from the ground up, often prioritizing innovation and disruption over traditional career paths.
3 . Purpose-Driven Careers: Many young adults are prioritizing work that aligns with their personal values and passions over conventional markers of success. They seek roles that make a positive impact on society or contribute to causes they care about, such as sustainability, social justice, or mental health.
4 . Work-Life Integration: Instead of striving for a work-life balance that often pits career success against personal well-being, ambitious young adults are pursuing work-life integration. They seek careers that offer flexibility and allow them to blend their professional and personal lives in a way that supports overall happiness and well-being.
5 . Holistic Well-Being: Success is being redefined to include a focus on mental, emotional, and physical health. Young adults are placing a higher value on self-care, personal development, and maintaining healthy relationships, viewing these aspects as integral to their overall success and fulfillment.
How do you navigate the challenges of innovation and change while staying true to your values and vision for success?
Staying open minded and flexible to not necessarily change direction of your goal but to be ready to think of innovative ways to achieve it.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Accessibility Awareness for persons with physical disabilities. Helping each other out whether we are abled or disabled.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Personal IG Page: @ladynatashafines
Fashion Brand IG Page: @ladyfines_
Non-profit IG Page: @rebelswithacause
Brand Website: Ladyfines.com
Non-profit Website: Rebelswithacausefoundation.org
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold.
Future Leaders: Lady Natasha Fines On How Ambitious Young Adults Are Redefining Success was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.