Walking a Path Less Travelled: Lessons from Stuart Weitzman
One thing business school keeps teaching me is that the most meaningful lessons often appear in places you do not expect. When I signed up for LeadX: Unplugged with Stuart Weitzman, I was simply curious. I thought it would be a fun break, a couple of hours of fashion talk, maybe a glimpse into shoe design, and a chance to see a few iconic pieces up close. And I did. Seeing the diamond-encrusted sandals once valued at nearly a million dollars and the famous six-inch heels felt like stepping into a small piece of fashion history.
But the real surprise was how much his reflections quietly mirrored the questions I have been wrestling with in my own journey. Beneath the sparkle and storytelling was a mindset shaped by discipline, humility, experimentation, and resilience. These qualities matter far beyond the runway.
He spoke about having an apprenticeship mindset, particularly if you want to be an entrepreneur, but I think this is also important for career professionals. Find a place to learn intensely by doing and build judgment through experience. That idea resonated with me as I prepare for the next chapter of my MBA. He also talked about staying open to unconventional opportunities because breakthroughs rarely come from the most obvious paths. That reminder landed at the perfect time since breaking into a new industry requires both courage and creativity.
What stayed with me most was his clarity about people. He emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with partners who align with your values, working with those who sharpen your thinking, and maintaining character even when success tries to pull you in other directions. In a season when everyone is chasing internships, titles, and pathways to the next big thing, it felt grounding to hear someone so accomplished focus on substance instead of status.
The talk was supposed to be about shoes. Instead, it became a quiet recalibration of how I want to approach my MBA experience. I want to stay curious, be intentional about who I learn from, bet on preparation instead of luck, and remain brave enough to walk the path that feels right even when it is the one less traveled.
