Find your creative muse.
No matter what, creativity is a must. To be successful, find a new spin on an old classic, or think up something that’s never been done before (consider Diane von Furstenberg and her conception of the wrap dress).

“You can’t always be overly marketing-oriented or it’s just going to be the same as everything else,” says Jennifer Blue, founder and designer of the Jennifer Blue brand. “Usually, I [start] drawing. It may not make sense how everything is coming together at first, but I keep sketching and sketching. Sometimes, I’ll see materials that inspire me, [or] it could be music or something that I see that takes me to a different place that could inspire a whole look.”

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
Despite the intense creativity needed to succeed in the field of fashion, Sainz says that the same business adages that your CEO-sister is always spouting still hold true.

“A woman once told me, if there’s someone within five feet of you, you always want to know what their name is, what they do and how they can help you. You never know whom you’re sitting next to, so it’s always good to have that 30-second elevator speech prepared,” says Sainz. “If you believe in yourself and your product, it’s contagious and people will believe in your dream.”

Median Income: $60,860
Job Growth Rate: 0 to 8 percent through 2014
Source: U.S. Department of Labor