Pamela Greenwalt, chief communications and marketing officer of SAG-AFTRA, Stacey Politi, chief marketing officer of IPSY, Laura Schwab, founder and CEO of Addition, and Molly Sims, entrepreneur and founder of YSE Beauty, joined a panel discussion during Newsweek’s Women’s Global Impact Forum 2026 on March 25 at the London West Hollywood in Los Angeles. In conversation with H. Alan Scott, senior editor and host of the Parting Shot podcast at Newsweek, they discussed how career pivots can serve as powerful strategies for growth, resilience and reinvention.
The discussion centered on how nonlinear career paths have become the norm across industries, with each speaker reflecting on moments when uncertainty forced them to change direction. Whether shifting industries or launching new ventures, the panelists emphasized that pivots are often driven as much by circumstance as by intention.
Sims, who transitioned from modeling and acting into entrepreneurship, said fear often plays a central role in those decisions—and can serve as a powerful motivator.
“I think fear can be a really good thing because you put everything into it because you’re so afraid,” she said.
Politi, who recently shifted industries into beauty, said truly embracing change can make those transitions easier. “I love change… when a pivot arrives, I’m not as afraid of it,” she said.
Greenwalt emphasized that weathering those moments often comes down to taking action and responding directly to challenges. “So for me, it’s like, get to work,” she said.
Schwab also reflected on her own adjustment from a long career in the automotive industry over to entrepreneurship, and described how pivotal moments often emerge from difficult periods. “My low point brought me to the pivot … you can walk toward it, or you can hide,” she said.
Their insights underlined that successfully navigating change comes down to self-awareness, persistence and a willingness to move forward without having every step mapped out.
For more coverage of the Women’s Global Impact Forum, read Newsweek’s full recap of the day’s events.
Read the full article here
