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Emily Willette
856-489-8654 ext.1025
Hi, I’m Jacqueline!
I have a commitment to inspiring people like you and organizations just like yours to take meaningful action. (I’m also an avid dinner party host, but we’ll get back to that later.)
From podcast producer and author, to founder and leadership advocate, I occupy many spaces. Through each of these roles, I am committed to helping you embrace your inner leader.
I want to help you move confidently to your next level and Just Start the things you want to do.
10 years ago, I saw a need to provide tools and resources to ensure people at any stage of their professional and personal journeys could feel ready for their next step. That’s why I launched Scarlet, a company aimed at supporting individual and collective growth, curiosity, and connection through the use of everyday leadership and modern etiquette.
With over 20,000 students across the world, 200+ workshops executed and over 100,000 frequent flyer miles racked up, Scarlet continues to make meaningful impact through modern etiquette and leadership, both in-person and virtually.
As the founder and principal consultant at Scarlet, I have provided training, coaching, and consultation to corporations and community organizations, including Nike, the Department of Defense, the Detroit Lions, Deloitte, the Buffalo Bills, Ernst & Young, Fiat Chrysler, Midnight Golf, Spice Island Resort, and many others.
The impact I’ve had is firmly rooted in my approach to modern etiquette and leadership.
I believe that everyone has leadership potential.
Leadership isn’t just a skill that’s reserved for those in the c-suite. We all have the power to lead in our own unique ways across both social and professional settings. Sometimes we just need a little push in the right direction to get there.
That’s why I wrote two books: The Unexpected Leader: Discovering The Leader Within You (2022) and Leader By Mistake: Becoming a Leader One Mistake at a Time (2017), which shows how you too can find your inner leader by learning from your mistakes and homing in on the skills you already possess to lead confidently.
I live and breathe this leadership-for-all concept and my expertise is grounded in years of experience across a variety of organizations.
Before I became an author and a specialist in leadership and etiquette, I spent nearly a decade working in wedding and event production and serving in corporate leadership and management roles for companies like AT&T, Chrysler, Ford Motor Company and AAA of Michigan.
In my most recent corporate role as vice president of startup programming at AARP Innovation Labs, I led a team committed to finding the most promising startups world-wide and identifying how they can move their innovations forward and become better leaders of their organizations.
I also serve as a corporate board member at Plastipak Packaging on the Functional Leadership Development Committee.
While my professional experiences have been instrumental to my success and impact over the years, my hometown and education have been too.
Born, raised, and educated in Detroit, I am a Warrior through and through.
I proudly hold two degrees from Wayne State University—a Bachelor of Arts in public relations and Master of Education in instructional technology with specializations in interactive technologies and performance improvement.
I’m also a graduate of the Protocol School of Washington, where I focused on international etiquette & protocol, and hold a Six Sigma Green Belt certification in process improvement, which I use to help clients develop systems and processes that will allow them to reach their strategic planning and development goals.
Outside of my professional and educational endeavors, I enjoy mentoring both young and seasoned leaders and serve as vice president for 12 Days DC Metro. I also love traveling, watching James Bond movies, and hitting the slopes during the winter for some snowboarding.
Oh, and about that dinner party mention from earlier…
Every chance that I get, I convene meaningful groups of people for great conversation, idea sharing, and accountability paired with delicious cuisine and wine. Maybe I’ll see you at a future gathering!
To keep in touch and learn more about my work, check out: www.thescarletway.com and www.leaderbymistake.com.
Because of my work in the leadership field, I have been recognized by several fine publications and organizations, including Essence Magazine, Medium, Ambassador Magazine, McDonald’s and Michigan Chronicle/Michigan FrontPage and on NBC, Detroit Public TV, CBS and Metro Parent Magazine.