Sonia Carpentier began her career in the beauty industry before diving into her passion for craftsmanship. Later, she discovered her passion lay somewhere else. Carpentier shares how her desire to work in hard luxury helped her take on a new path after turning down two job offers in beauty. “Have you ever bought a watch or a piece of jewelry for yourself or someone without it being associated with a beautiful memory or celebration? We are in the business of happiness; as cheesy as it sounds, it’s a reality,” says Carpentier.

She shares tips on how wearing multiple hats of a mother, student, and professional didn’t hinder her focus but enabled her to be more self-aware. “Being self-aware and authentic makes you a better leader; you know exactly what you’re good at and can defend with great confidence. Also, you know exactly what you’re not good at, so you surround yourself with the right people who are better than you on specific topics”. 

We caught up with her for Fast Company Middle East’s “How I Got Here” series, to hear how she leveraged her passion to land her dream job at Swiss luxury watchmaker and jeweler Piaget where she is the Brand Director for the Middle East, India, and Africa.