Remixer of the Month: Tiffany Dufu and The Cru – Info Career Dev

Tiffany Dufu is a women’s leadership advocate, bestselling author, fabulous speaker and fellow Gen Xer. She and I had met at various professional events over the years, but it was her recent video post, “Everyone Needs a Millennial Mentor,” that prompted me to reach out and reconnect with her, which I did basically the minute the video ended.

As Tiffany shares in the video, it was her Millennial colleagues who prompted her to offer her thoughts and advice in a vlog, and now she has amassed over 100 videos, called “Tiffany’s Epiphanies.” When Tiffany and I got together at The Wing, a women’s co-working community in New York’s Flatiron district, I asked her to tell me more about her relationships with Millennial women. She immediately told me the following story, which immediately prompted me to invite her to be my June Remixer of the Month:

I’ve had a job since I was sixteen. For me, a regular paycheck represented stability and financial security. Direct deposits were the pathway to financial freedom. But a conversation with a Millennial changed my perspective.

I had recently begun to grow a portfolio career. I had a day job as an executive at a technology company. I was also a public speaker and author. I was itching to write another book and was exploring launching my own company, but I was lamenting to my Millennial assistant that I didn’t have the time to do either.

She asked me, “Why are you still working at the tech company given you want to start a company and write another book?”

I explained there was no way I could leave my job – it was my “anchor” and provided health insurance for my family. She asked me how much health insurance would cost me annually, and I told her the amount.

“That is a lot of money,” she said. “But a client just paid you that exact amount to give one keynote speech!”

I literally sat back in my chair. I realized how I had been making decisions based on this old dinosaur model of what a career was and what success was. If I had considered the actual economics of my situation, it made perfect sense to leave my job. Her insight awakened me to how our old paradigms can hinder us from executing on new models in the new economy.

Tiffany moved fast after this “a-ha” moment. Just a few weeks ago, less than a year after this conversation, Tiffany launched her new venture, The Cru, a peer coaching service for women looking to accelerate their professional and personal growth. Curated by leading development experts, each Cru will bring together ten women who live in the same city. Women will be matched with other participants based on everything from demographics and values to personality and goals. The Cru is open to all women across the country. Learn more about The Cru or apply for membership if you are interested!

Do you have a Remixer to recommend for a future newsletter and my upcoming book? Please let me know!

Note: I do not receive any affiliate payments for the above endorsement or have any financial interest in the Cru. I just want to share good information! 

Lindsey Pollak is the leading expert on millennials and the multigenerational workplace, trusted by global companies, universities and the world’s top media outlets. A New York Times bestselling author and keynote speaker, Lindsey began her career as a dorm RA in college and has been mentoring millennials — and explaining them to other generations — ever since. Her presentations have audiences so engaged that, in the words of one attendee, “I didn’t check my phone once!” Contact Lindsey to discuss a speaking engagement for your organization.