BC Business
BCBusiness will announce the 2017 30 Under 30 winners on April 13. In the meantime, here's what a 2016 winner had to say last year
To help us choose last year’s 30 Under 30, we sent each candidate a series of questions to see what made them tick. Here’s how Sunny Lenarduzzi, who is the CEO of SunnyLenarduzzi.com, responded.
What motivational quote gets you going? “Think like a queen, a queen is not afraid to fail; Failure is a stepping stone on the way to greatness; and No pressure, no diamonds.”
Beyond family and friends, who inspires you to succeed? “Steve Jobs is one of my greatest inspirations because he believed in the ‘crazy ones’ and broke the mould with everything he ever did. One of my favourite quotes of his is ‘I want to put a ding in the universe,‘ and I couldn’t agree more—I want to leave a positive legacy that stands the test of time. And I grew up rushing home from school to watch Oprah—she will always be one of my greatest inspirations and role models. And lastly, Mark Zuckerberg. He may be controversial at times, but you can’t deny the impact he’s had on our world. Anyone who thinks big, persists and challenges the status quo is an inspiration to me.”
What’s the best advice you¹ve ever received?“1. Believe in yourself, because if you don’t, no one else will. 2. Credibility is like virginity—once you lose it, you can’t get it back. 3. Trust your gut…always.”
What’s the worst advice you’ve ever received?“When I was just starting my business, an old boss of mine sent me a lengthy email saying he wanted to make me a marketing manager and he thought it was a better career move because ‘this whole social media thing was just a fad.’ LOL, super glad I didn’t listen! Also, my journalism teacher in high school told me I couldn’t write and gave me the only C+ I’ve ever gotten. It crushed me, but it also made me extremely determined to succeed in the media field.”
What’s your biggest fear? “Leaving the world without making a positive impact in some way shape or form.”
What’s your biggest regret? “It’s cliche, but I have none. Everything that’s happened in my life was either a blessing or a lesson.”
What is your favourite TV show right now?“Scandal. Olivia Pope. That is all.”
Favourite magazine?“Fast Company”
What song is on repeat on your device right now? “Rise Up by Andra Day”
A little-known fact about me is…“I am a music junkie. My career started in radio, I love any and every type of music, and I will break into a dance anywhere at any time.”
Meet the 2017 winners at the 30 Under 30 celebration.