Shortly after becoming a literary agent, my friend Marietta Zacker was invited to speak at a major children’s book conference. She reached out to me for help.

Our conversations helped me see that for Marietta, it was all about passion: her passion for children’s literature and the passion she looked for in potential clients. So I suggested she speak passionately about passion! (I also proposed an idea for her personal brand: “passionista.” She’s a proud Latina, so it fit perfectly.)

Marietta’s speech was a hit – she became known around the industry as “the passionista.” Authors and illustrators from around the country thanked her for validating and reigniting their passion for telling stories in writing and pictures.

When Marietta tries to give me credit, I remind her that I was just a mirror, helping her to see herself and her message more clearly. Sometimes a clear reflection is all we need to move forward with confidence.