In my life, I've had many icons. Lee Iococca (a man who belives that with vision and hard work, anything is possible), Sir Richard Branson (renegade extraordinaire and a many whose lust for life knows no bounds), Arnold Schwarzenegger (the ultimate 'if you can dream it, you can do it' master). After reading the morning's paper, I'm adding Vera Wang to my list.

The WSJ ran a multi-page story on her brand. Vera (mogul, mom, Manhattanite) has gone from seamstress to owner of an empire without so much as blinking. At the center of it all is her vision for her life, her brand and her customers. I like her description of the Vera Wang customer:

It is always the same woman. It is a woman who is quite confident and independent and also loves a bit of art, some unique detail, an element of surprise, even if it is a twist of a sleeve. One of the women I have always admired a lot is [Scottish model] Stella Tenant. She puts vintage together with new. She puts boyish with dress-up. She makes fashion her own.

But at the heart of each icon is a risk taker. Vera, like the others listed above understand that if you are not growing you are shrinking. We must continue to evolve as dreamers, designer and humans. I believe that your life will never surpass the vision you have for it, so you'd better have a big vision for your life. You can bet these icons have a grand vision of their future.

Side note: If you're seeking a little inspiration in your life, you must (must) read Branson's book Losing my Virginity.