Elaine Welteroth is a BOSS. I have followed her career closely since – just a year apart in age – we both started in the print industry around the same time (albeit on opposite sides of the desk). That’s where the similarities end because Welteroth has a drive I simply can’t compete with. I watched her trajectory outpace mine by miles and was awed by her ascent. Not in the shocked way; in the wow-this-is the-coolest-woman-and-I-want-to-be-just-like-her way. Welteroth championed diversity and, as Condé’s first Black Beauty Director and youngest editor-in-chief, she has shifted the entire industry, pushing it the right direction. It may seem odd for someone to pen a memoir in their early thirties, but Welteroth has already lived an incredibly rich life and has valuable advice to share.
While Welteroth certainly has a robust career that would allow her to name drop all over the place, this book wasn’t about that. You won’t find story after story of her hobnobbing with celebs. Sure, there are a few cameos sprinkled throughout, but they seem almost incidental as part of her job. What you will find is one of the most empowering lives lived. Welteroth’s story is almost divided into pre-career and career (though it doesn’t even reach her current career milestones like Project Runway judge) and I found myself reacting in that head nodding way to both halves. This reads like an inspirational book, but that’s because she is such an inspiration and I’m happy to soak up all her counsel.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: A Grand Royal cocktail
Peaches to Apples 