Adriana L. Cowdin, CEO of Be Bold Executive Coaching, shares a key career lesson in Under30CEO’s recent article, Pieces of Career Advice Experts Wish They Knew Sooner: working hard isn’t enough. She highlights the importance of strategic visibility and advocating for your value. Read her full insight below.
Follow Your Passions and Trust Your Instincts
The one piece of career advice I wish I had received earlier is to follow your passions and trust your instincts—they are the best guides to both professional fulfillment and financial success. Too often, we’re told to prioritize stability over passion, but history proves that those who lean into what they love often create the most extraordinary careers.
Take Cesar Millan, for example. He arrived in the U.S. with little money and barely spoke English, yet he pursued his love for working with dogs. A simple job washing dogs in a grooming salon led to grooming, training, and eventually a global brand with TV shows, books, and magazines. Many would have dismissed dog training as a low-paying career, but his passion turned it into an empire.
Had I embraced this advice earlier, I would have trusted myself more, taken bolder leaps, and leaned into opportunities that aligned with my passions sooner. Passion fuels resilience, and when you love what you do, success—both personal and financial—follows. I learned this later in life and now, after a successful corporate career and entrepreneurial ventures, I’m leaning full-time into my passion of executive coaching.
