How I Got There

When I came to Washington, I thought of myself only as a member of the president's staff. But I think my decision to move home to Texas because my son was unhappy in Washington caused people to view me as a leader, particularly on the issue of work-family balance. I remember a mother stopping me in Austin and introducing me to her daughter and saying, "I want my daughter to grow up and be like you." It made me feel I had an obligation to try to live up to that.

After I left the White House, I wasn't planning on coming back to Washing-ton. I promised my family that I would spend the rest of my son's senior year at home in Texas and make home-cooked meals. I'm not sure I did great on the home-cooked meals--but I tried.

I started to think about what I would do once my son went to college. Then the president and the secretary of State said they wanted me to work on public diplomacy. I said I couldn't start until later in the year, after my son left. But I compromised on that. When I was in Washington for the Inaugural, I had breakfast with my son and asked him what he thought about it. He said, "I think you ought to do it. You really care about it and it's really important to my generation." That just really hit me. It is important to his generation.

TAMARA MELLON

President, Jimmy Choo shoes

I have always been independent. When I was 17, I set up a stall in London's Portobello Road market to sell my old clothes to make money. I have never wanted to be dependent on my father or on a husband. It gives you freedom if you are financially independent. My father was my best friend and mentor in life. I didn't go to university so I really learned everything from him--simple lessons like make sure you have more coming in than going out and make sure that your rent is no more than 10 percent of your turnover on a shop lease.