Ep 115: The Most Powerful Woman in the Room | Lydia Fenet (former Christie's Managing Director & Global Head of Strategic Partnerships and Most Powerful Woman in the Room

So This Is My Why

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2+ y ago 50:52

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Lydia Fenet is the most powerful woman in the room.

She has sold over $1 billion dollars for nonprofits globally alongside Elton John, Jason Bourne (aka Matt Bourne), Bruce Springsteen & every other big-name superstar you can think of.

In 2018, she became Christie's Global Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships and has also:

Been named one of New York’s most influential women by Gotham magazine;
Appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair and Town & Country;
Published 2 books (her first book was optioned by Netflix in Feb 2022!); and
Runs the Claim Your Confidence podcast featuring Glenn Close, Candace Nelson, Stephanie Horton, and Courtney Dauwalter.

All while leading multiple benefit auctions for the biggest names in the industry. Including Elton John's 2023 AIDS Foundation Oscar Party!

Lydia is now living the life she has always wanted.

But it wasn't.

When young, she wanted to be a lawyer just like her father. Unlike she came across a Vanity Fair article & discovered the exclusive world of Christie's.

She convinced the Matriarch of Christie's to let her join Christie's internship program.

But for the first 10 years, was told (and believed!) to not talk about money. And that "she was lucky to work there".

If you want to learn how Lydia later managed to triple her salary + gain a global title + lead a new department at Christie's, you'll have to listen to the episode!

Highlights:

2:47 Why Lydia is a "life in motion"
3:32 Network or die
5:30 Learning about Christie's
7:13 Not Sotheby's?
8:01 Convincing the Matriarch of Christie's, Mary Libby, to let her join the internship program
12:51 How Lauren Short influenced her
14:33 How Lydia became Christie's benefit auctioneer
16:27 Why Lydia did 500 mediocre auctions but never wanted to quit
18:20 The breakthrough
22:31 Leading the auction at Elton John's 2023 AIDS Foundation Oscar Party
25:58 Where Lydia gets her energy from
30:01 When Lehman Brothers collapsed but Lydia managed to save her colleague
34:49 Ask for what you're worth, because you're just a number on a P&L
41:44 How being a published author has opened doors

📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/115

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