602: Moving from Doing to Leading, with Gemma Aguiar

Gemma Aguiar: Design Like Whoa

Gemma Aguiar is the CEO of Design Like Whoa. Her firm helps brands like Sephora, Meta, the Golden State Warriors, and Spotify amplify their brand and strengthen their culture through sustainably focused apparel, accessories, and gifts. Her team serves clients by curating meaningful, high-quality products through partnership with local, minority-owned, sustainable, and mission-driven businesses. She’s also an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.

In this episode, Gemma and I discuss the transition she made of doing it all herself early on in the business to now empowering a large team. We detail how she made this change tactically through calendar blocking, regular delegation, and intentional outcomes. Plus, we explore how asking for help is a critical muscle for all leaders to develop.

Key Points

• Gemma didn’t see the growth potential in her traditional role, so she started her own, sustainable business.
• Being able to do lots of things well can be a trap for leaders. Shifting to delegate effectively is key.
• Getting clear on how time is used through planning and calendar blocking is essential.
• The responsibility of leadership changes over time. It’s key to be able to learn and adapt as the organization demands a different skillset.
• Asking for help is a critical competency for leaders. Getting better at this opens tons of doors.

Resources Mentioned

• Design Like Whoa
• [email protected]

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