From Working in the Fashion Industry to Starting a Podcast: Liz Stohl

Liz has made bold career leaps including leaving the fashion and retail field in which she worked for 8 years to work in the digital e-commerce space. She then quit her job after a year, after realizing she felt unfulfilled. Fueled by her own desire to connect and hear stories from fellow New Yorkers, she started her podcast, “Realistically with Liz”, after only a few months of preparation. If this isn’t a brilliant example of planning + execution, I don’t know what is. Read more about her story below.

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Q: Tell us about your current work roles.

I recently created my own podcast titled Realistically with Liz. I found myself thinking, “I wish I could connect with someone to hear and learn about their personal experience in New York.” There is always this big burden that NYC is scary, tough and not for everyone - which to some extent I agree. I needed to hear from the people around me how they were thriving in their own unique way, so I researched how to start a podcast and after a few months I decided to launch this past spring. I want to build a space for people from millennials to Gen Z to hear from like-minded peers about the experiences they have encountered while living in New York City whether good or bad.

Q: what led you to that career?

I was the kid that loved fashion and playing dress-up, but when it came to choosing a career path I didn’t want to go the traditional route. Over the years I experienced this tunnel-vision and pressure in college to become a fashion buyer, but that didn’t feel like the right fit for me. Since my freshman year of college I started working in retail to keep up with the NYC lifestyle, newsflash it’s not cheap to live in New York. I turned out to be really good at working with customers and merchandising which got me far in my career. I had the privilege to work for premium labels like Ted Baker, 7 For All Mankind, and J Brand at different levels to grow their sales and brand strategy.

Q: what is your educational background?

I moved to New York from Puerto Rico after getting my acceptance letter from the Fashion Institute of Technology. I got my Associate and Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Business Management. I was 1 of 44 people in my high-school graduating class and 1 of 5 that moved to New York.

Q: How did your family and upbringing influenced your career choices?

As a child of divorced parents, both of them were small business owners in Puerto Rico. They decided to leave New Jersey when my sister and I were very young to do so. My sister and I were the first people (and women) to go to college in our family. We all had very independent spirits and were always encouraged to try new things out.

Q: Who has been your strongest influence in life?

My mother has been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years, and I think knowing that she knew all her customers by their first name showed me the importance of customer experience. I think that was an underlying factor of how I became a great team member throughout my career. 

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing?

I say this now 6 years after graduating from college, even though my experience in New York was more memorable than what I was learning in the classroom, I am thankful for having the opportunity of completing two degrees. Sometimes it may feel overlooked when somebody is looking at your job resume, but it was a good stepping stone. 

Q: What would you say motivates you the most to do what you do?

I think the most important thing to feel motivated is to “be your own motivation.”

2020 is turning out to be a year full of awakenings and before COVID-19 let us to a lockdown, I made the bold decision to quit my job after a year because I wasn’t feeling fulfilled by my work. After countless conversations with my friends and family, it was the only answer that made sense to me. 

Her podcast “Realistically with Liz” features true stories about life in New York City

On Making a Career Shift

Q: what made you decide to leave your past career?

After working in the fashion industry for over 8 years across sales and retail, there was a shift happening that was leading more customers online than in-store. I was recruited by a digital company that focused on building and amplifying a brand's e-commerce strategy.

It was a risk to leave a field where I was so experienced and qualified, but the idea was so intriguing to me.

A month in, everything was great from my co-workers to the office pantry, dynamic work environment, and schedule. I met so many people with diverse career journeys that I just wanted to absorb and learn from them. My actual day-to-day tasks were not challenging enough and I just didn’t feel like myself.

Q: How did you find the courage to leap from one field to another?

Honestly, it was such a big risk at the time, but it was an opportunity to try something different.

Sometimes we get ourselves pigeon-holed into one specific lane in our careers, but why shouldn’t we be allowed to test out different things?

Q: What advice do you have for others who are trying to switch careers?

Seize the opportunity, whether it's 6 months or a year, give it a chance, everything can be a learning experience for better or worse.

Q: What’s next for you, what are you looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to my next career opportunity - I want to work for a brand/agency that has strong values, diverse culture and a good roadmap for the future.

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Learn more about and connect with Liz at:

Podcast: Realistically with Liz

LinkedIn: Elizabeth Stohl

Instagram: @realisticallywithliz

Girlboss Network: Liz Stohl