{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Owl Have You Know","title":"Why Smart Failure Wins feat. Michelle Lewis '05","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1788,"description":"What’s worse than failing in your career? For Michelle Lewis ’05, it’s not trying at all.That fearless mindset propelled her from a fine arts degree to a global career as a C-suite leader, board director, and private equity principal. Over the years, Michelle has helped drive $10 billion in acquisitions across 30 countries and guided companies through complex strategic transitions in the energy and industrial sectors.At the Women in Leadership Conference, she sat down with Owl Have You Know co-host Brian Jackson ’21 to talk about her journey — from the arts to executive leadership, why soft skills matter more than you think, and how failing fast and smart can shape a resilient career.Michelle also shares one of her favorite tips as a self-proclaimed uber-organizer, and what it’s like balancing board service, entrepreneurship and motherhood.Episode Guide:00:10 Meet Michelle Lewis00:55 Insights from the Women in Leadership Conference01:42 The Role of Luck and Hard Work in Career Success05:15 Mentorship and Leadership06:42 Pathway to Board Membership11:23 From Fine Arts to Private Equity22:06 The Importance of Soft Skills26:07 Tips for Balancing Career and Family28:25 Final Thoughts and TakeawaysOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Failing is learning not losing17:25: I've never been afraid to just try something new. I mean, because what can happen, right? You can fail. And what happens when you fail? You learn. You learn more than when you're successful. You know, I sell all the veggies, and great, I got, you know, some points in my pocket, but if I don't sell them, I have to try a new way the next day. Right? Yeah. So, I mean, there are a lot of my mentors who I attribute that to, like there's another woman. Same thing in executive recruiting. All you do is just, like, pick up the phone and ask someone—it's an opportunity. Maybe they're interested, maybe they're not. Like, worst case, they say, \"No...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/TJ_bP9v1zp60qvMRjx8jTuTiOVRFDdgjR-9C4xy2Tmg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzE1ODMyLzE2MDM5/OTczNzQtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}