The global licensing community is powered by an incredible group of professionals whose diverse backgrounds and creative energy drive innovation and excellence. Each week we’re profiling one of these professionals in this ongoing series.

How did you get into licensing (or how did licensing find you)?
I stumbled into licensing by accident when I was part of Nike’s EMEA merchandising team. Before fashion brands embraced sportswear, Nike identified an opportunity for a fashion range using performance fabrics, and a new White Label range was born. While the men’s and women’s ranges were developed in house, we decided to license out the kids’ range and I was given the project of launching this partnership. This experience ultimately helped me land my next role at Disney, and I’ve never looked back!

What’s a “typical” day in your current position?
The exciting thing about consulting on a fractional basis is that no two days are alike. My time is divided between my existing clients (each with different needs and challenges), new business development, and working with my fellow “Insiders” in launching our collective.

What’s your biggest personal or professional accomplishment?
Over the course of my career, I’ve been lucky enough to have several “pinch me” moments. I’ve collaborated with amazing designers and artists and scaled businesses for incredible brands. But as I look back, I’m most proud of the relationships I fostered and the teams I built. I get my energy from people, and that’s where I invest much of my time. Nothing makes me prouder than watching people I hired go on to have amazing careers.

What are the most significant trends or changes that you’ve seen in the business in recent years?
The pace of change we are experiencing today is unparalleled in history and impacts everything we do. It forces us to constantly challenge the way we operate and continuously experiment and innovate. People now consume content differently and this has challenged traditional licensing timelines and lifecycles. Speed to market and capturing cultural moments are essential. Competition is also fierce. Entertainment companies no longer monopolize the licensing landscape as gaming, sports and eSports, celebrities, and influencers all entered the mix.

This changing landscape gave birth to the idea of the Licensing Insiders. In such a fast-paced and evolving landscape, companies need fractional expertise to seize opportunities but don’t always need to invest in large licensing teams. We fill that gap and provide that service.

What keeps you up at night? What’s your biggest challenge these days?
I think relevancy is the biggest challenge for brands today. In a world of fickle consumers and short attention spans, capturing minds and hearts is crucial. How you thread that needle and sustain engagement over time is a rarified art form.

In your opinion, what is the top skill every licensing executive should have in order to succeed?
I feel vision is the most important skill to have. The ability to see the potential of a brand and articulate it clearly is critical. Signing deals and driving short-term revenue is easy. Knowing where you are taking a brand over the long term is when you strike gold.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, or what’s your favorite quote?
Early in my career I was told to surround myself with people who are different from myself. It was a comment I only learned to fully value over time but have since made it a mantra. The worst thing for any team is to develop group think. Different points of view come from people with different life experiences. It makes for healthy debate and richer results.

What is your favorite licensing deal of all time? (It doesn’t have to be one that was signed by you.)
I love the Donald Duck orange juice deal. Originally signed in 1940, it has become a brand unto itself that has been on the breakfast table for generations of kids in the U.S. Its ability to stand the test of time speaks for itself.

If you weren’t in licensing, what would you be doing now?
I’m passionate about travelling. It’s my greatest source of inspiration and feeds my endless curiosity. If I wasn’t in licensing, I would likely look for a way to segue this passion into a career.

The last licensed product I bought was…
Perhaps not the most original purchase, but a NY Yankees baseball cap.