Amy Henry - What It Takes--Speak Up, Step Up, Move Up: A Modern Womans Guide to Success in Business

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Contents

To my parents,

Bob and Sue Rash,

I love you very much

Foreword

Amy Henrys life has changed dramatically since her experience with me on The Apprentice . She had a successful career in the high-tech sector before interviewing for the opportunity of a lifetimea chance to work directly for me in a prestigious role at the Trump Organization.

On the show, I continuously watched in amazement at her astonishing victory recordten wins in a row. No matter where she went, her team always won. Was it Amys leadership ability, her team spirit, her positive attitude, her work ethic? I think it was a combination of many traits that demonstrated her solid business savvy. She made it further than any other female contestant and was one of the final four to face me in the boardroom. During The Apprentice , I consistently called Amy the team MVP because she was always the first-round draft pick and the first person stolen every time I reshuffled the teams until I told everyone, Enough! By telling me Amy was the first person they wanted on their team, her competitors only made her look better. I thought it was a terrible move; Id never do that if I were in their shoes.

I must admit I was not at all surprised to see Amy rise above the competition on the show given her past successes off the show. Amys real-world experience working with customers, colleagues, and executives from start-up companies and Fortune 500 corporations gave her the skills and preparation to excel.

When Amy told me she was writing a book, I was delighted that she had already learned my number one rule of business: tell people about your successes or else they will never know about them. Amy goes many steps further and shares lessons she has learned from mistakes as well as victories. Business is tough, and her advice can help you stay focused, speak directly, take risks, be a leader, earn respect, and think big, as well as get the recognition you deserve and the money you are worth. She may even share a few words of wisdom she learned from The Donald.

I predict Amy will be a success at whatever she does. Shes got intelligence, discipline, pragmatism, and beauty, both inside and out. This woman has her bases covered, and I have to say that she was right to name her book after something I once said about her: Amys got what it takes .

Donald J. Trump

Acknowledgments

There have been so many people who provided guidance, advice, education, training, and support as I grewand continue to growinto the businesswoman I want to be. My colleagues and clients at Sabre, Commerce One, and BetweenMarkets have taught me much, and I thank each of you. While I am not able to cite every person from my past that has shaped me professionally, there are a few I would like to single out.

Im especially thankful to all my family and friends for their continuous love, patience, and support. Thanks to my mother, Sue Rash, for teaching me to remain optimistic, positive, and focused on achieving whatever I set my mind to. You have taught me the true meaning of a can-do attitude. To my father, Bob Rash: thanks for teaching me the ABCs of business. You created my business mind and shaped many of my professional standards; your guidance has helped me concentrate in my career and thoroughly evaluate each move I makealways balancing risk and reason. To Josh Rash, for being my brother and inspiring me with your focus. To my sister, Jessica Rash, who encourages me to always be true to myself and is a constant example of spirit and positive energy. To my grandmother, Jo Rash, who motivates me to stay balanced and active, and to my other grandmother, Dessi Lee Gibbs, who taught me how to be an independent woman.

Id like to thank Rob LaPlante, casting director for The Apprentice , for picking me out of hundreds of thousands of applicants and vociferously promoting me to his production staff. Thanks to Mark Burnett for being the genius behind The Apprentice , and to the entire MJB Production staff for their hard work and dedication to excellence. To Donald Trump for bringing The Apprentice to life and teaching me invaluable lessons for success in business.

Id like to thank my agent, Maura Teitlebaum, for her faith and perseverance and for taking a giant leap with me to fight for this book and make it happen. To my publisher, Sally Richardson at St. Martins Press: thanks for listening to my vision and saying, Lets make it happen now ! To my editor, Nichole Argyres, who provided exceptional feedback, guidance, and coaching. To Laura Henson at Escada for always ensuring I look my very best. And thanks to Michael Deane for your tolerance and constant reinforcement throughout this whirlwind experience.

I also extend my heartfelt appreciation to all the women who shared their insights and experiences with me for the book, and to my male colleagues and managers who, over the years, framed many of the bold ideas in this books pages. Many of these friends and colleagues are named in the book. Some names have been changed or withheld.

And last but not least, Id like to thank my collaborator, Joanne Gordon, who has helped bring my voice to life by patiently and diligently shaping everything I write and challenging me to think and speak bigger and bolder. Thank you so much for your wisdom.

Introduction

For years people have told me Im more man than woman when it comes to business. I was never sure whether to take that statement as a compliment or an insult, but Ive come to understand what colleagues mean when they describe me that way. They dont mean I lack femininityplease, I love my bleached blond hair, fitted clothes, high heels, and slight Southern accent. They mean Im confident, assertive, persistent, tough, headstrong, and ambitiousall qualities traditionally associated with business men , not business women .

But both men and women need those qualities to excel, and if women want to move up in their jobs, we must be aggressive, confident, vocal, and proud of our accomplishments. Women do not, I repeat not , have to act like men to succeed in the business worldstereotypically female traits such as listening, relationship building, and empathy are critical to meeting business goals. But to compete and thrive, we must combine male and female behaviors: assertiveness as well as hard work, confidence as well as charm, and decisiveness as well as intuition.

My own ability to take risks and express myselfas well as work compatibly with teammates and avoid pettinesshelped make me one of the final four contestants on The Apprentice in addition to bringing me success in my career. Now, I want to empower you to get what you want from your career. Whether you are new to the workplace and havent yet found a mentor to whisper business secrets in your ear, or if you have been working for some time and are having trouble climbing the corporate ladder as quickly as you think you should be, I am confident What It Takes will provide a few new ideas and strategies to help you.

Competence Is Not Enough

I was not uncomfortable being the last woman standing on The Apprentice Im used to being the sole woman standing among men. I grew up in a neighborhood where I was the only girl. I was surrounded by men in graduate school. I spent eight years in the male-dominated technology industry, and at my last job I was the only full-time female employee in a company of more than 30 men. The Apprentice was actually the first time in years I had worked with so many women.