Michelle Ferraro

I attribute my success to my ability to take complex scientific data and explain it simply, especially when working with busy providers who don't have a lot of time. I think the root of it goes back to storytelling and getting to the point as quickly as possible. Another huge part of my success is being aware of the energy and mindset I bring into every conversation. I try to detach from negativity and focus on a positive mindset that helps move business forward, rooted in truth and transparency. I give everybody grace and read the room, understanding that people might be having bad days. I think having that emotional intelligence to know when and what to say, regardless of what my plan was, has been critical. I also believe that my discipline in health is completely underrated. I start my day in the gym every morning at 5 AM, and when I do something hard first thing, it sets the tone for the entire day. I've already said yes to myself and to doing something difficult, so everything else feels more manageable. I really emphasize the interconnectedness between body, mind, and soul, and I try to work on all of those things separately while also giving myself time to rest, because rest is not a reward but something necessary for productivity.

I would say the best thing I could say is to stay curious and truthful to who you are, because curiosity is oftentimes what has led me down the right path. When you're genuinely curious about something, you're living in your authenticity. Don't focus on tailoring yourself to fit what a job posting requires or what you think they're looking for, because that's not living in your authenticity and that's not following your curiosity. For me, the times I've done that, nothing got to a good place. I also want to emphasize that ambition and success can live side by side with motherhood and family. I think as women, sometimes we feel a certain pressure once we have children or become mothers to kind of silence that ambition and focus on just this one side of us. But you can do it all, just maybe not all at the same time. I want to show my daughters that failure is a part of growth. You have to be able to fail well to succeed. I don't hide my struggles from them anymore. I used to hide in my office to do my work, but now I realize that even crying over my math homework in front of them is actually valuable for them because they learn that it's okay to struggle.

I think defining your principles and getting them down on paper is hugely important because once you do, you have your own rules to live by that help keep you focused. I look at my life almost like a machine in terms of body, mind, and soul. I would actually say body, mind, soul in that order, because your health is your wealth and without that, the other things don't function. I was a competitive athlete my whole life, so discipline in health is a huge value for me. I work out 6 days a week and start my day in the gym every morning because it clears my mind and gets me in the right frame of mind. When you start your day saying yes to yourself and setting that time aside for yourself, you're already accomplishing something hard. Truth and transparency are also core values for me. I believe in approaching conversations and business relationships with honesty and giving people grace. I also value rest as something necessary for productivity, not as a reward. And finally, I deeply value showing my daughters that ambition and motherhood can coexist, that failure is part of growth, and that you can do it all, just maybe not all at the same time.