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Editor-In-Chief

[MUSIC] Okay. you're going to want to make a left on 29. >> I have no idea what other name it could be. >> And no, it doesn't say. This map's really big, so it's not gonna have every street, so I can't. And I have no idea where we are because I can't. It's changed three times in two blocks, so [INAUDIBLE]. I'm just gonna wait til you see what these signs up here direct us to do. [MUSIC] How do we get to, through 78 East? >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN] >> He's gonna pull over. [MUSIC] >> Take the service road straight down. >> This road right here? >> Yes, you can get the service road right there. Just take the right hand turn. >> Thanks guys. Bye. [MUSIC] >> Oh, that is big. >> Look at that. >> I saw the statue of liberty to our left. You saw him marking out the sword. >> I did. What's the Empire State Building? >> It's the one King Kong climbed. I'm sure there's more of a historical significance to it- >> [LAUGH] >> But that's what I know about it. >> Meribel Lieberman in Latina magazine they had an article like they do articles on different people and I read hers in there. Like she always had a fascination with like cocoa, like the powdered cocoa and just always had like this desire to like find or make a better one that suited her. So she finally just started off and made her company. And that's what she does now. They do like really kinda high end chocolates and also like cocoa powder. >> Would you like something to drink, some hot chocolate maybe? >> [LAUGH] >> All right, okay. >> Yeah, actually the whole reason for this roadtrip from California to New York is that we're trying to book interviews with people who are really passion about what they do. And love what they do. And it's really not about your career or what it is you're doing. It's how you got to where you are in life. And how streams like us will be able reset someday too. And we're wondering like it our age, which is like 20, 21 were you in the same predicament? >> I lived in Honduras. I grew up in Honduras, and was always dreaming, my mind was always dreaming. I knew that I didn't want to be a doctor, that I didn't want to be a lawyer. It was to formal for me. I was always thinking something more. I mean, I have just that type of personality. You know, I was more More like out of, you know like an audience type. I guess I was confused but I was just flying. You know, so, you know I am right now where I feel like I landed where- >> [LAUGH] >> Finally. [LAUGH] Yeah. >> Did you ever have anyone questioning, I don't know if you should do that, I don't think it's a good idea? Did you ever have anyone- >> Well I tell you, I come from a huge family of eight. >> Wow! >> And I'm the youngest one. I am the only one that left too. So I always told my mother I wanted to be an architect okay. >> Uh-huh. >> So then, when I was going to go to school I already I graduated and my mother said no you aren't going to be an architect. Because you're too, you're not even going to finish the university because you want to do things too fast you know. So this is the time when she said you're going to be a secretary. A bilingual secretary. You're going to learn English and this is what she put me to study, of course I failed. I failed because I hated it. I found today that what I really like is creation, you know. This is [LAUGH] [LAUGH] Oh, I should have been an architect. My mother should have listened to me. I think parents should listen more to the kids. I feel that often they always think that they know best. And I mean, a lot of times they know best. But there are a lot of times that you know, the kids know. Because there's another personality. Sometimes they expect the child to be like them. And it's totally different, you know. So when I started on my own by myself in the United States, I started knowing myself. You keep on living and then you say okay no I don't like psychology. I'd really like to be a beautician. Then you go for beautician. It doesn't matter. School doesn't close when you finish school. You know, the schools are open all the time. The point is, really enjoy what you do. And it's not about so much about money. Of course money comes, but I think when you enjoy what you like to do, you put your passion, and you work so hard, that eventually, the money's gonna come, because hard work is paid. >> You said you always dreamed, but it seemed like you just, you didn't just dream, you were doing something about it. Even if you didn't know exactly, >> Yeah, yeah. I was actually doing it. I was actually doing my dream. I think I was just being driven by my energy, but in the United States I think that, I really feel that you can do, you can achieve what you want, you know. But you have to always have the vision because if not you'll stay where you are you and you won't grow. In the beginning I didn't have a business plan because I opened a store luna chocolate with my girlfriend you know. And what happened the press went crazy for it. And a year later I opened this store. >> When you originally came to America were you scared at all? >> This is the thing, I was never scared. I was always very spunky Yeah. [LAUGH] >> Was it that you wanted to do something? Is that what kept you going? >> I think there was something that kept me going. And I think today it's because since I was the youngest one in my family and always telling me what to do and what's best for me. I think what get me going was to prove them that they're not always right just because they're older, you know. Now my family's working for me. [LAUGH] >> If there's a last piece of advice you can give us three confused college students [LAUGH] and our generation, I think it's on the same boat as we are as far as not knowing. And you know what would make us happy? >> Mm-hm. >> What advice would that be? >> I'm just gonna base it on what I did. When I was little, when I was eight years old I was making caramels to sell in school. And today, I'm making the same thing. [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH] So what you see or sell, what you did when you're little. What you really enjoyed doing. Just go back to that age because at that age you're not trying to even prove yourself to anybody. You're not trying to even make money because you don't, I mean your parents are supporting you. You're used doing something for fun, so, I think that's a good way to find a little bit about yourself, what you like. [SOUND] >> She is amazing. >> When she said like I like to create and I was, that's freaking awesome. You don't ever go to school and I want to get a major in create, they never tell you that. >> Yeah, I think she's like an artist and that's like what art is is just like creating things. >> When they tell us make your own title. Totally she made her own title. [LAUGH] >> Yeah, I just really liked her. >> She's happy. >> Yeah, she's happy, and she was lost. >> So, do I wanna make a left here? >> Make a left. >> Okay. [MUSIC] Maybe I should take the turnpike exit because why does it say 25 south? Is this. >> See I don't know, I don't get it. >> Do you think if I loop around or something? What do I need to do? >> Turn around. >> I can't do it, now this car's slowing down. Is that really necessary? >> Where are [INAUDIBLE] far? Time wise, hour and a half? >> We have an interview at the Fitzers Rubenstein today. Hey, at two and I was actually calling to see, we're probably gonna be about a half an hour late. [MUSIC] >> We're never gonna get out of here. [MUSIC] >> We're going tothe house of Abelardo Morell, who's a fine art photographer based here in Boston. The problem is we don't have an intersection, I guess. >> Do you have his street address? >> What city are we in? [MUSIC] >> It's Davis Court, right? It's on Davis Avenue? Okay, is there any, you don't have any suggestions of where we could park a 36 foot motor home do you? We kind of just start it with asking where were you when you were just graduating and figuring out exactly like what sort of decisions to make, what kind of path you wanted to take in your life. >> I was born in Cuba and I left when I was 14. And we arrived here not as rich people but immigrants, poor. I mean, we were working class in Cuba. So it was very troubling when I said I wanna make pictures. I was sure that I was gonna do it. I didn't know how I was gonna make a living or the road ahead and it's probably good not to know, what you need to do. >> Mm-hm. >> Cuz it shouldn't be easy. >> He's just like a really simple guy. Just like his pictures. I love his emphasis of ordinary. Just, having an ordinary life doesn't matter. All right. Something about that Is extra ordinary in its own way. >> I worked as a janitor and door man and worked in the hospital for years and in the mean time I just kept having a somewhere and to me it's really important to have some sense of hope. Even when things are not feeling that great you stick with it. >> Mm-hm. >> You got to work for a living. So that sense of, when people talk about artist being these supreme beings, I just find that I don't like being put in some kind of hierarchy thing. So, I stress the idea of photographing things that we all share in some ways. It's important not to be esoteric. I love ordinary life, it's more productive I think. >> Makes me wanna go home and make more work. Just what he said, keep doing this, you got to, I know exact, when he says there are things you got to work on, I know exactly what I have to work on. And hell, I'm gonna go home and work on that. >> People always imagine oh wow, it's great photography. Eh, fame. 25 years of just money going out. [LAUGH] Money just going out. Effort, weekends. And then at some point things kinda, oh. But it really does take a long time and in fact it's good to get some kind of little fame in something later in life. If you get it too young, I think it's trouble. You start getting cocky and you think that you're the cat's meow and stuff. >> Because it's not about the success, it's about the work and so if the success comes before the work, how are you gonna work after that? >> It's just refreshing that your idols are normal people. >> He would like to ride around in a green RV in it's not above this or that, he was just- >> A regular guy. >> A regular guy. An ordinary guy. Yeah, I like that. [MUSIC] >> Half hour, half hour. >> Half hour, okay. [MUSIC] I was calling to say that we're running pretty late. I don't know how her, how this availability is today. I don't know if we could push it back. If you could just give me a call. We're still on the, are we on the Jersey Turnpike? >> Manhattan Bridge. >> Okay. [MUSIC] So we're assuming that Canal is straight ahead of me. Are we supposed to be on the left of Canal or right? [NOISE] [MUSIC] I really cannot move. [MUSIC] Should I try to switch lanes? >> I can't see anything. [MUSIC] All right. [MUSIC] [SOUND] [SOUND] [MUSIC] I'm Erica. >> Erica. >> Nice to meet you. >> Diana. >> Hi [CROSSTALK] >> You guys, what the hell happened? >> I know. >> That must have been so frustrating. [CROSSTALK] We are so sorry. >> We like to start out with the question to ask what you were like when you are on our age. When you were 21. >> I guess unlike you guys, knew exactly what I wanted to do. I thought the magazine thing was really interesting. So when you say, like, oh, we have no idea what we wanna do, part of me says, you sort of know. You just, it's a very daunting thing to sort of say, this is it. So basically what I did was when I was 21, I worked two different internships, one that was in beauty and fashion at Sassy Magazine and one that was editorial at American Health. So that way, worst case scenario I had more options. And then I graduated, I was 21, from Barnard. I still had my cap and gown on and my phone rings. And I assumed it was one of my friends saying, my parents and I are at such and such place, can you come meet us? But it was hi, I'm so and so, I'm the beauty director at Seventeen Magazine and I heard you're really terrific. I'm looking for an assistant, can you come in for an interview? And I was like, you know totally played it cool on the phone but hung up and I was screaming my head off. >> [LAUGH] >> Ten minutes later, the phone rings again. And it was the fashion director at Cosmopolitan magazine and she had heard about me and was looking for an assistant. And I ended up getting both jobs and I went to Cosmopolitan. And you know, that's what I did. June ninth I started as a fashion assistant at Cosmo. >> What, what brought you here to begin with? >> I wasn't the smartest girl in high school, I think or even in college. I really didn't care about school, like I never sat in my classes and was like wow this is great. I sat in my classes and thought about other things. You know, I had opinions about life, I had opinions about guys, I had opinions about jobs, I had opinions about everything and you know moving out of fashion was the only way I could make those opinions heard. >> Actually, I wanted to ask you about when you left to start CosmoGirl. >> I'll tell you how the CosmoGirl thing came about. I was a fashion editor. The editor in chief of Cosmo at the time told me that they were thinking about starting a teen magazine at Hearst. And next thing I know I'm meeting with the president of Hearst, again she's like oh it's no big deal. She just wants to pick your brain because you used to work at Sassy. Fine no big deal. I show up, sister's wearing. Well I used to dress really crazy. I was wearing pants slit up to my hips. Something covering my breasts. And stiletto boots like this that were like silver metallic, metallic. I didn't even think to not be myself. And at the end of the meeting she said, will you do a project for me? And I was like, yeah sure, sure. I don't really know what that meant. I did. I just worked really hard in two days. Got it ready for her. I didn't second guess. I didn't ask anybody for their opinions. I just did what I thought was right. She said to me, looks like we have ourselves a magazine. I didn't ask what that meant again because I was too shy. But, eventually I learned that I was the editor-in-chief. But isn't that funny how life happens? It's never how you expected. It's just a matter of dong the work of you. What is interesting to you right now? Maybe this is interesting to you right now. And once this is over there'll be another project which is interesting. You just keep doing it. And you do what you like. And eventually it turns into your life's work. Do you know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> You don't have to like go [SOUND] this. That's a lot of pressure. >> Okay, so if you do find work that you are passionate about, how do you keep it from consuming you? >> You don't. It consumes you. I will tell you this, that being the editor-in-chief is very different than when I was in your shoes talking to an editor-in-chief at how I expected her life was. It is so different. It, there's a reason why they call your salary, your compensation program, because they are compensating you, for giving up everything. Every single thing that touches me is, has to be related to my job. I work constantly. I'm always stress about the bottom line, if I walk by a new stand and Seventeen isn't there. I'm not like, must of sold out, I'm like call in my new stand person, why isn't Seventeen there. You do the best that you can, that's all that you can do. So don't think that people who are successful have it all together and I'm just some girl, do you understand what I'm saying? I'm not doing what I do, because I want more money, or because I want more recognition. Thank God I am fine. I don't need anything like that. But really, why I'm in this business, is to do what we're doing here. I like to talk to girls, and I like to help girls, in any way that they need help. Because I feel very fortunate. Today, terrible day. I've had a terrible, terrible, horrible day. But to be able to talk to you three, this is it. This is the best way for me to end my week. >> What advice or what new knowledge, in the niche that you're trying to fill, is it most important to pass onto the girls who read your magazine? >> I think at the end of the day, literally, if you just listen to yourself, there's always a voice inside your head, and a lot of people second guess it. It can tell me very crazy things and I will walk willingly into its arms. >> The day was long and the trip was hard and she made it worth it, you know. You were going there for a reason, and that makes it feel more valuable too you know. It was like you were in a search for something and she delivered it. >> I was like, I feel better. I'm like, that makes so much sense you know. Don't even think about a month from now. Don't even think about it. You found this project. You'll find things. Think about what you're doing right now. >> I think she helped us to understand ourselves better. >> Yeah. >> I don't think we've had that many other people worry, walked away and saying, I learned about me because of talking to her. >> But, she said that, she had a bad day but talking to us like was the way to end it, absolutely. >> Ditto. >> Today was a bad day, let's be honest. >> So now this day is just golden, you know what I mean? This is why. I'm so excited to do this every day. [MUSIC] >> The worst thing you can do in life is observe. Too many people >> Live it, derive it. >> I think we've got to take a moment from, everyone does, where they say wait a minute, who am I living this life for? >> It hasn't hit me yet, yeah it's the last day. I started packing. >> It's a little surreal still. >> It's totally flown by though. The days were so long, but it just seems like we just started, and now it's over. >> To watch more interviews from the road and listen to the music that keeps us driving, visit roadtripnation.com. Online you can learn more about the movement and how to bring the experience into your classroom. [MUSIC] 

The Central route team heads east to New York City to interview Maribel Leiberman, founder of Mariebelle Fine Treats and Chocolates. In Boston, the Northern route team interviews photographer Abellardo Morell. The Southern route team braves New York City traffic to interview Atoosa Rubenstein, editor-in-chief of Seventeen Magazine

New York City - Boston - New York City

We like to start out with a question to ask what you were like when you were our age, when you were 21. >> I guess unlike you guys knew exactly what I wanted to do. I thought the magazine thing was really interesting. So when you say we have no idea what we want to do, part of me says, you sort of know It's a very daunting thing to sort of say, this is it. So basically, what I did was when I was 21, I worked two different internships. One that was in beauty and fashion, at Sassy magazine, and one that was editorial, at American Health. So that way, worse case scenario, I had more options. And then I graduated, I was 21, from Barnard. I still have my cap and gown on and my phone rings, and I assumed it was one of my friends saying, my parents and I are at such and such a place. Can you come meet us? But it was hi, I'm so and so. I'm the Beauty Director at Seventeen Magazine and I heard you're really terrific. I'm looking for an assistant. Can you come in for an interview? And I was like, totally played it cool on the phone but hung up and I was screaming- >> [LAUGH] >> My head off. Ten minutes later, the phone rings again and it was the Fashion Director at Cosmopolitan magazine and she'd heard about me, and was looking for an assistant. And I ended up getting both jobs, and I went to Cosmopolitan and you know, that's what I did. June 9th, I started as a fashion assistant at Cosmo. >> What brought you here, to begin with? >> I wasn't the smartest girl in high school I think, or even in college. I really didn't care about school. Like, I never sat in my classes and was like, wow, this is great. I sat in my classes and thought about other things. You know, I had opinions about life. I had opinions about guys, I had opinions about jobs. I had opinions about everything. And moving out of fashion was the only way that I could make those opinions heard. >> Actually, I wanted to ask you about when you left to start Cosmo Girl? >> I tell you how the Cosmo Girl thing came about. I was a fashion editor, the Editor in Chief of Cosmo at the time told me they were thinking about starting a teen magazine at Hearst. And next thing I know I'm meeting with the President of Hearst. Again, she's like, oh, it's no big deal, she just wants to pick your brain cuz you use to work at Sassy. Fine, no big deal. I show up, sisters, wearing, well, I use to dress really crazy. I was wearing pants slit up to my hips, something covering my breast and stiletto boots like this that were silver metallic, metallic. I didn't even think to not be myself. And at the end of the meeting she said, will you do a project for me? And I was like, yeah, sure, sure. I didn't really know what that meant. I just worked really hard and in two days got it ready for her. I didn't second guess, I didn't ask anybody for their opinions. I just did what I thought was right. She said to me, looks like we have ourselves a magazine. I didn't ask what that meant again, because I was too shy. But eventually I learned that I was the editor-in-chief. But isn't that funny how life happens? It's never how you expect it. It's just a matter of doing the work that is in front of you. What is interesting to you right now? Like, maybe this is what's interesting to you right now. And once this is over, there'll be another project that's interesting. You just keep doing it and you do what you like and eventually, it turns into your life's work, do you know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> You don't have to like go, this, that's very, that's a lot of pressure. >> Okay, so if you do find work that you're passionate about, how do you keep it from consuming you? >> You don't. It consumes you. I will tell you this, being the editor-in-chief is very different than when I was in your shoes talking to an editor-in-chief, at how I expected her life was. It is so different. There is a reason why they call your salary your compensation program, because they are compensating you for giving up everything. Every single thing that touches me has to be related to my job. I work constantly, I'm always stressed about the bottomline. If I walk by a newsstand and Seventeen isn't there, I'm not like, must have sold out, I'm like calling my newsstand person, why isn't Seventeen there? You do the best that you can, that's all you can do. So, don't think that people who are successful have it all together and I'm just some girl. Do you understand what I'm saying? I'm not doing what I do because I want more money or because I want more recognition. And thank God I am fine. I don't need anything like that. But really, why I'm in this business is to do what we're doing here. I like to talk to girls. And I like to help girls in any way that they need help because I feel very fortunate. Today, terrible day, I've had a terrible, terrible, horrible day. But to be able to talk to you three, this is it. This is the best way for me to end my week. >> What advice or what new knowledge like in the niche that you're trying to fill, is it the most important for you to the pass on to the girls who read your magazine. >> I think at the end of the day, literally if like you just listen to yourself. There's always a voice inside your head and a lot of people second guess it. It can tell me very crazy things and I will walk willingly into its arms. 

Interview

What brought you here to begin with? >> I wasn't the smartest girl in high school or even in college. I really didn't care about school. I never sat in my classes and was like, wow, this is great. I sat in my classes and thought about other things. I had opinions about life, I had opinions about guys, I had opinions about jobs, I had opinions about everything. And moving out of fashion is the only way I could make those opinions heard. >> Actually, I wanted to ask you about when you left to start Cosmo Girl. >> I'll tell you how the Cosmo Girl thing came about. I was a fashion editor. The editor-in-chief of Cosmo at that time asked me, told me, that they were thinking about starting a teen magazine at Hearst. And next thing I know I'm meeting with the president of Hearst. Again she's like oh it's no big deal she just wants to pick your brain because you used to work at Sassy. Fine no big deal I show up sisters wearing, well I used to dress really crazy. I was wearing pants split up to my hips. Something covering my breast. And like stiletto boots like this they were like silver metallic, metallic. I didn't even think to not be myself. And at the end of the meeting she said, we do a project for me and I was like oh, sure. I really didn't know what that meant. I did, I just worked really hard in two days, got it ready for her, I didn't second guess, I didn't ask anybody for their opinions, I just did what I thought was right. She said to me, it looks like we have ourselves a magazine. I didn't ask what it meant again because I was too shy, but eventually I learned that I was the editor-in-chief. But like isn't that funny how life happens. It's never how you expect it. It's just a matter of doing the work that's in front of you, but what is interesting to you right now, like maybe this is what's interesting to you right now. And once this is over, they'll be another project that's interesting. You just keep doing it and you do what you like and eventually it turns into your life's work. Do you know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> You don't have to like go mm this. That's very, that's a lot of pressure 

Transitions

Do What You Like

What advice, or what new knowledge in the Niche that you're trying to fill, is it most important to you to pass on to the girls, who read your magazine? >> I think, at the end of the day, literally, if you just listen to yourself. >> Mm-hm. >> There's always a voice inside your head, and a lot of people second guess it. >> Mm-hm. >> It can tell me very crazy things, and I will walk willingly into its arm. 

Instincts

Listen To Yourself

We like to start out with a question. I like ask what you were like when you were our age, when you were 21? >> I guess unlike you guys, knew exactly what I wanted to do. But I thought the magazine thing was really interesting. So, when you say, oh, we have no idea what we want to do, part of me says, you sort of know. It's a very daunting to think, to sort of say, this is it. 

Confidence

This Is It

When I graduated, I was 21, from Barnard. I still had my cap and gown on, and my phone rings. And I assumed it was one of my friends, uh, saying, you know, "My parents and I are at such and such place, "can you come meet us?" But it was, "Hi, I'm so and so. "I'm the beauty director at Seventeen Magazine, "and I heard you're really terrific. "I'm looking for an assistant, can you come in "for an interview?" And I was like, you know, totally played it cool on the phone, but like hung up and I was screaming my head off. Ten minutes later, the phone rings again, and it was the fashion director at Cosmopolitan Magazine. And she had heard about me and was looking for an assistant. And I ended up getting both jobs, ah, and I went to Cosmopolitan, um, and...you know that's, that's what I did. June 9th, I started as a fashion assistant at Cosmo. It's never how you expect it. It's just a matter of doing the work that's in front of you. Like, what is interesting to you right now? Like maybe this is what's interesting to you right now. And...once this is over, there will be another project that's interesting. You just keep doing it, and you do what, what you like. And eventually, it turns into your life's work. 

Atoosa Rubenstein Highlight

The most valuable lesson I've learned is to be a good person and to be honest and have integrity. Because it's very easy to burn your bridges. And in this business especially, I've seen people be duplicitous at work. I'll give you an example, when I first got the Cosmo Girl job, the editor in chief of Cosmo told me, listen, there's a couple of people on my staff who are really bitter that they didn't get it because they were much more senior to me. And she said, just so you don't have enemies, why don't you ask them for their help and their suggestions as you hire people? It'll make them feel useful, and I, sure, absolutely. So I sent an email to those people and I said, you have such great experience and this is new for me, if you know of anybody that's wonderful I should hire, please let me know. And one of them means to send the email to the other one, but sends it to me. And it says, look, the Fashion Girl needs a groomarium. So then of course she comes bolting into my office, I sent you an email by accident, you can delete it. And I didn't say anything, I just said, okay, I'll delete it. But I knew, and I will never do something nice for that person, I will never be there for them. And not because I'm petty, but because there are plenty of people who need my help and resources other than that person. So I guess I did learn that lesson luckily, knock on wood, not at my own expense. 

Individualism

Negativity

Valuable Lesson

One year after I started Cosmo Girl, I was doing an interview with the New York Post, which is a big newspaper here. And the first thing the reporter said to me was, how did it feel that no one thought you could do it? [LAUGH] And I was like, what do you mean? I had no idea, I literally had no idea. You wanna know why? Because I was working, I was working and this thing was gonna be successful. It was my one shot, and I had been a fashion person all my life and I wanted to break out of that. A lot of times when people say to me, like in business, they're insecure about things and they're worried about things. Things that are not tangible, things that don't have to do with the work in front of them. I say, man, you must have a lot of time on your hands, that you're sitting there hemming and hawing about what someone might be saying about you, or how someone might be. Just do the work, if you do the work, you're gonna be successful. Because at the end of the day, that's the thing that people judge you off of. And Cosmo Girl was very successful. I didn't know that people didn't think I could do it. I learned that afterwards, but knock on wood I had done it, so it was fine. 

Determination

Do The Work

The main lesson of my life has been that fire that has always been in my heart, which was not necessarily precisely leading me into magazines. There was just a fire that said to me, I could do big things. Anything that I've applied to, that I've been rejected by, none of that mattered. That was all people and people's opinions. And people's opinions are just that. And those people who tell you that you can't, those people who show you, in some cases, that you can't, maybe because of your bad grades or anything, those are all just distractions. Think of it as the Wizard of Oz. You are on this path and there are all of these people on the outside. And that is the difference between good and great. Great are the people who walk that path no matter who is on the sidelines. Sometimes on the sidelines is friends with drugs. Sometimes on the sideline is people who tell you you're no good. But you just keep doing it. Don't give up. Cuz if you give up, you go off to the path and you got as far as you got. You didn't get to Oz. And Oz is defined by you. And just don't let anybody get you off, because they're wrong. They don't know. 

Success

Life Lessons

You had said that, what you love about is getting to talk to us, getting to talk to girls, getting to make those connections and help them any way you can. So do you have figures who mentored you as you progressed? &gt;&gt; Once I got into the industry, it's funny, you learn as much from the horrible people as you do from the great people. &gt;&gt; [LAUGH] &gt;&gt; So I was fortunate, or unfortunate, enough to have a series of psychotic bosses, which is not unusual in the fashion business. &gt;&gt; Devil wears Prada [CROSSTALK]. [LAUGH] &gt;&gt; And so you do, but you learn. You say, you know, I won't be like that. So other people, editors-in-chief, like Bonnie Fuller was the editor-in-chief of Cosmo when I was there for part of the time. And she was so intense and she's the type of person that gets very negative press and people say terrible things about her. And that's nonsense. Because her job wasn't to pet me all day and tell me how terrific I was. But she was really good at what she did. And so I had a lot of respect for her for that. And she recognized my work and promoted me. So definitely she was important to me, Helen Gurley Brown. Who was at Cosmo when I was there was very important to me. More than anything, because she was human, and she was nice, and she was just the kind of person who would make me laugh and make me feel proud of myself. And my boss today, Cathie Black, what a risk she took. A 26 year old kid, I always look at girls on my staff and I think, okay she's 26. Would I say to her, go ahead, go launch a brand off of the company's most successful brand. I think that she showed a tremendous amount of courage. I always say to her Cathie, what if I would've messed up? What if I wouldn't have done a good job? And she'll say, we would have gotten rid of you. [LAUGH] And so I guess, the fact is you can't stress about these too much and when you get to her level, you don't. You take your best shot and if it doesn't work, you change it. 

Experience

Mentors

What are you the most proud of? &gt;&gt; I'm most proud of the fact that I can take care of my family, because they took care of me. We had no money, and my dad died and my mom barely spoke English. And she made $20,000 a year. And she sent two kids to really good schools and we became really successful. And so to me, like tonight my mom is at the Josh Grobin concert, cuz I got her tickets for hard life sister and for my connection to Tommy Hilfiger. &gt;&gt; [LAUGH] &gt;&gt; And like that makes me proud. Any time she's proud, any time I get honored and she can be there is 100% about her. And at the end of the day, even though you guys are travelling and you're learning about careers. You have to always remember, at the end of the day it's about your family and your friends and the people that you love. And that's why we don't, we have to, we work to live. So and that's why I feel so fortunate to be able to get paid for it, get compensated for doing things like this. The fact that I'm getting paid. I'm sitting now that you're paying me, but somebody's paying me, right? &gt;&gt; [LAUGH] &gt;&gt; It's an amazing feeling. 

Atoosa Rubenstein

Editor-In-Chief

Videos

Atoosa Rubenstein

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Fashion

Journalism

Helping People

Atoosa Rubenstein

Editor-In-Chief

Videos

Atoosa Rubenstein

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Fashion

Journalism

Helping People

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