Superpowers and SmartFriend’s Spark

Written By Cheryl F

I never imagined myself as an entrepreneur. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what kind of business would suit me; I’m not a chef or designer, and I am terrible at crafts. I didn’t think I possessed something tangible. I assumed I would work for someone else for the entirety of my career.

What sparked the idea for SmartFriend was the concept of your “superpower.” You may have heard about this at work, on podcasts, or social media—your superpower is what makes you uniquely you. What lived experiences make you unique? This isn’t just about the jobs you’ve held; your upbringing, education, managers, and mentors can play a role in creating your superpower(s).

Mine comes from an unexpected life path. My journey has neither been consistent nor predictable, but it’s become something I now treasure. It’s what I bring to my work every day as the founder of SmartFriend.

Here are some key moments:

  • Changed majors in college multiple times between advertising, writing, music, and even political science

  • Pursued advertising but couldn’t find a job in my field after college

  • Moved to NYC to pursue my music career when I was 24 (spoiler alert—I didn’t “make it” but I am still a musician)

  • Stumbled into a retail job at a local clothing store, then switched my career to Merchandising/Buying in both brick & mortar and e-commerce retail

  • Managed budgets ranging from thousands to billions across 20+ different product categories, thousands of suppliers/brands in a range of geographies, including start-ups and category leaders with varying product lifecycles

  • Gained traction in different roles then stalled out due to internal politics or, worse yet, layoffs

  • Directly impacted by mass layoffs three times at three different companies

  • Participated in multiple 501(c)3s as a volunteer or Board of Directors member

  • Strategically supported multiple friends while they started their own small businesses (my first consulting clients who truly encouraged me to launch SmartFriend!)

  • Came out as queer as a teenager

  • Diagnosed as neurodivergent in my 40s

  • Started my own consulting company in my 40s

TLDR - I’ve accomplished vastly different things despite - and because of - unforeseen events.

This journey harnessed my superpowers and became the foundation for SmartFriend. My experiences and creative thinking allow me to impact a business in a uniquely meaningful way. I see opportunities where others don’t—I am great at “connecting the dots”—and challenge the status quo. I love improving my work from the previous year, campaign, or role. My peers and clients seek out my creative ideas and I frequently hear “I never thought of that” (my favorite thing to hear). I am passionate about meaningful output and mutually beneficial partnerships. I am not afraid of change and I love problem solving. I may not always have the answer, but I have the experience to find the solution (or I call on my SmartFriends!). And, no matter what, I will always make a genuine effort.

Thank you for joining my journey in launching my queer woman-owned small business. My dream is to grow SmartFriend into a boutique consulting firm, where we support passionate, hard-working small business owners in their pursuit of success and service to their communities. If you or someone you know could use a SmartFriend, please reach out!

Cheryl F