Photo: Create & Cultivate
On Saturday, July 25, we hosted our Digital Beauty & Self-Care Summit presented by Mastercard. Thousands of attendees from all around the world (India! Puerto Rico! South Africa!) joined us for a day of networking (our Slack channel was hot), learning new skills (search engine optimization, anyone?), and listening to thought-provoking conversations with a diverse lineup of leading industry disruptors.
We touched on everything from bootstrapping a business to developing a marketing strategy to growing a podcast. Miranda Kerr, Tyra Banks, Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Michelle Pfeiffer, and more bosses taught us a thing or two about scaling a business, raising capital, and being an entrepreneur. If you missed out or if you just want to relive the highlights, scroll on because we captured the most memorable moments for you!
(Psst… If reading this is giving you serious FOMO, join Create & Cultivate Insiders to get unlimited access to all of our Digital Beauty & Self-Care Summit content, including video recordings of every panel and workshop download in C&C history.)
Morning Keynote: A Conversation With Miranda Kerr & Sacha Strebe
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If you’re not able to give 150% then you shouldn’t even think about having your own company.”
—Miranda Kerr
Panelist:
Miranda Kerr | CEO & Founder, Kora Organics
Moderator:
Sacha Strebe | Editorial Director, Create & Cultivate
On launching a clean skincare line...
“Certified organic skincare is so much more than just clean skincare—it’s more potent, powerful, and results-driven.”
“I don’t want to put something on my face just because it’s clean. I want to put something on my face because it’s really going to fill my skin with nutrients to be healthy and glowy and full of vitality. That’s why it’s important for me to be Certified Organic.”
On focusing on your strengths…
“You can’t be everything so it’s important to focus on your strengths.”
“One thing that is not my strength is finance—putting a P&L together, understanding cash flow, making projections, and re-adjusting our revenue is something I’ve had to learn.”
“Still, to this day, I haven’t taken a cent out of the company.”
On self-funding over investors…
“I want to keep it as my baby for as long as I can because I’m very specific about the way I want it to be. I didn’t want anyone else coming in to water down my ideas or make the products less potent.”
On raising money…
“I’ve always been open to those conversations and I might need it at some point but I’ve been lucky that I haven’t yet. Hopefully, I won’t.”
“Our team understands that for us, this is more than just selling skincare. This is about helping people build their confidence—it’s a holistic perspective.”
“I lead with my heart. When I’m in that heart space, all the answers come.”
On being an entrepreneur...
“It’s a full time job plus plus. It’s like raising a child. You love and care about your business just like you do your child. It requires consistent love and nurturing from you, the founder.”
“If you’re not able to put that in and give 150%, then you shouldn’t even think about having your own company. It takes a specific type of person who is willing to give that without expecting much in return—just giving it for the love of it.”
“It’s not easy and there are things you have to do that you don’t like doing like hiring and firing or going through each line of the P&L—it’s a lot! You can’t turn a blind eye to anything when it’s your own company.”
Small Biz, Big Dreams: Meet the Women Building the Next-Gen of Beauty & Wellness Brands, Powered by Mastercard
“There’s a big difference between starting a business and running a business.”
—Africa Miranda
Panelists:
Shontay Lundy | Founder, Black Girl Sunscreen
Tai Beauchamp | Co-Founder & CBO, Brown Girl Jane
Rochelle Graham-Campbell | CEO & Co-Founder, Alikay Naturals
Africa Miranda | Author, Host, & Founder, Beauty by Africa Miranda
Moderator:
Ginger Siegel | North America Small Business Lead, Mastercard
On disrupting an outdated industry…
“A cosmetic product is supposed to make you feel good and look good.” - Shontay Lundy
“There is a myth that Black people don’t need sunscreen and we’re here to bust that myth.” - Shontay Lundy
On finding whitespace in a market…
“Pivoting is never easy, but oftentimes it’s about recognizing a void in the market and an opportunity to have an impact.” - Tai Beauchamp
On finding your purpose…
“Passion is not enough. Passion is necessary. Passion helps fuel the energy that you need to go at times when you don’t have the resources, capacity, or bandwidth. However, what should inspire you is finding your purpose and being clear about your intention.” - Tai Beauchamp
“The same way that a business has a manifesto and a mission statement,you should have your own personal mission statement, you should have your own personal manifesto, and then align that as you’re looking for opportunities in the market to build.” - Tai Beauchamp
On building a community…
“If you remain authentic with your audience and take them along on the journey with you, I believe that it builds a loyalty that cannot be broken.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
“I’ve shared my wins, I’ve shared my pitfalls. We’ve cried together, we’ve celebrated together. It’s a “we.” It really is a community.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
“If you are a business owner or a brand owner, you have to figure out if you want the responsibility of a community because you owe them more. You have more of a social responsibility to them and you have more of a responsibility to make sure that the actions that your brand is taking are not just a reflection of your own beliefs but also the beliefs of the community as well.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
On finding a whitespace in the market…
“Create something with your story and your approach. That does not exist. There will always be a space for that if you stay true to that.” - Africa Miranda
On learning along the way…
“Respecting the process is a big part of the entrepreneurial journey. If you don’t respect the process, then being an entrepreneur may not be for you.” - Shontay Lundy
On breaking into a controversial category…
“Being a Black-owned business focused on centering Black and Brown women, there are so many stigmas that exist within our community around CBD and a lack of knowledge and education.” - Tai Beauchamp
“A part of our business model is that a portion of all our proceeds go to support nonprofit and for-purpose organizations that center women of color around their mental health and wellness and the over criminalization of Black and Brown people who have been incarcerated because of cannabis and marijuana.” - Tai Beauchamp
On running a business…
“There’s a big difference between starting a business and running a business.” - Africa Miranda
On raising money for your business from your network...
“Utilize your network. There may be someone in your circle of family and friends who has been watching your journey and may be very willing to give you a small loan or a small gift to help you get started.” - Africa Miranda
“We think that we need $10,000 or $100,000 to get started, but sometimes $1,000 or $500 can be the difference between an idea and actually starting a business. Be open to nontraditional sources of support.” - Africa Miranda
On just going for it…
“I didn’t overthink the process and I didn't focus on my launch needing to go the perfect or traditional route, I just went for it.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
On running a self-funded business…
“We decided that, instead of focusing on what we couldn’t have, let’s focus on what we were making and just make sure that we manage our business finances just as strictly as we do our personal finances.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
“For every dollar that we spend, we have an ROI.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
“Every dollar I spend, I need it back.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
“If anyone is considering starting a business and self-funding, understanding your cash flow management is something that is extremely important. As early as you possibly can, hire an accountant or a CFO.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
On prioritizing e-commerce and DTC channels…
“A mistake that a lot of product-owned businesses make is they focus more on the retail channels and then they neglect their e-commerce. Your e-commerce is your direct connection to your people—to your customers and to your tribe—and you have to make sure that you’re nurturing that because retail can disappear at any time.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
On their Priceless money tip for small business owners…
“The first hire is a bookkeeper, accountant, or CFO.” - Tai Beauchamp
“Know what you’re spending and be very intentional about it even as you’re building a business.” - Tai Beauchamp
“You should be very dangerous in every department, so know a little bit about a lot of things.” - Shontay Lundy
“Fire yourself from every position other than CEO. Once you get your company to the point that you’re able to, it’s really important to take a step back and delegate to other people on your team.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
“As CEO you need to focus on money-making or brand-building and driving activities and not answering an email or filling out a form.” - Rochelle Graham-Campbell
“Prioritize. If you know you don’t have a large pot to pull from, then really look at where your dollars can go the furthest.” - Africa Miranda
A Conversation With Glow-Getter Courtney Shields, Powered by TULA
“You can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once.”
—Courtney Shields
Panelist:
Courtney Shields | Founder, CourtneyShields.com
Moderator:
Maya Allen | Digital Beauty Editor, MarieClaire.com
On launching a beauty blog…
“I love helping women feel more confident.” - Courtney Shields
On cultivating inner beauty…
“Inside out, outside in.” - Courtney Shields
On the importance of getting started...
“You can always pivot as you go, but just start.” - Courtney Shields
On forging ahead during COVID…
“You can look at 2020 two ways. One way is you can choose to complain and feel stuck and frustrated, or you can use 2020 as an opportunity for growth.” - Courtney Shields
“There’s power in our perspective.” - Maya Allen
On not paying attention to the number of followers, likes, or comments…
“If you are seeking outside validation, you’re never going to be happy.” - Courtney Shields
On seeking work-life balance…
“You can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once.” - Courtney Shields
On prioritizing self-care…
“Go for the walk, take the bath, do whatever fills you up, otherwise you’re pouring from an empty cup.” - Courtney Shields
On standing out in a saturated space…
“You have to do what you’re passionate about.” - Courtney Shields
“Standing out in a saturated space is all about being yourself and being authentic.” - Courtney Shields
“If you start trying to emulate what everyone else is doing, you’re on an uphill battle.” - Courtney Shields
“Looking inward, figuring out what feels good to you, and then doing that full-force is so important.” - Maya Allen
On navigating negativity and naysayers…
“I’m not a jar of Nutella, I can't please everyone, no matter what I do.” - Courtney Shields
On the best advice she’s ever received…
“Don’t procrastinate. You’ve got to get it done eventually, so might as well do it now.” - Courtney Shields
On her purpose…
“Walking through hard shit and showing people that you can still do hard things with a positive attitude and come out on the other side.” - Courtney Shields
The New Disruptors: Meet the Women Shaking Up the Beauty, Fashion, & Wellness Business
“To follow your passion, sometimes you have to make really difficult decisions.”
Panelists:
Monique Rodriguez | Founder & CEO, Mielle Organics
Lauren Chan | Founder & CEO, Henning
Babba C. Rivera | Founder, ByBabba
Beatrice Dixon | CEO & Founder, The Honey Pot Company
Barbara Paldus | Founder & CEO, Codex
Moderator:
Ashley Dunn | Host & Entertainment Journalist
On switching lanes after establishing a career…
“I worked as a registered nurse for 8 ½ years before stepping out on faith and starting something that I love and that I was truly passionate about.” - Monique Rodriguez
“Even though I always had the burning desire to be an entrepreneur, I never thought that it was something that was attainable.” - Monique Rodriguez
“You can’t be what you can’t see.” - Monique Rodriguez
“My vision was not to create a hair care brand. I was looking to just talk about something that I love and am passionate about with other women who look like me.” - Monique Rodriguez
On launching a size-inclusive fashion brand…
“I was surrounded by fashion all the time and I wanted to participate but I couldn’t because I had a bigger body than everyone else.” - Lauren Chan
“I grew sick of the disadvantage for being plus-size. I grew sick of being unequal.” - Lauren Chan
On leaving a steady paycheck…
“To follow your passion, sometimes you have to make really difficult decisions.” - Babba C. Rivera
“Not making a decision is also a decision.” - Babba C. Rivera
“I couldn’t stand to continue as an employee because of this inner voice.” - Babba C. Rivera
“I had to just do it and trust that I would figure it out.” - Babba C. Rivera
On launching a brand with confidence...
“The reason I started the company is because I had issues with my own vagina. The mother of invention is often necessity.” - Beatrice Dixon
“I always knew that Honey Pot would be a household name, as synonymous as Tampax and Kotex and Summer’s Eve and Vagisil.” - Beatrice Dixon
On scaling quickly and sustainably…
“You want to be efficient in everything that you do because, at the end of the day, you want to make sure you’re having profits in your business.” - Monique Rodriguez
“Make sure your books are in order and make sure you understand your margins and profits.” - Monique Rodriguez
“You have to know your numbers. You have to know what you’re bringing in and what you have to spend.” - Monique Rodriguez
“Every challenge is an opportunity to rise higher.” - Monique Rodriguez
“You’re going to have obstacles, you’re going to have challenges, you’re going to not know, and you’re not going to have anybody to ask those questions to, and you've just got to figure it out and do it afraid.” - Monique Rodriguez
“No successful person has made it to the success or level that they have without making stupid mistakes—but they didn’t give it up.” - Monique Rodriguez
On bootstrapping over seeking venture capital…
“I thought I could do it better and faster if I had no one to answer to but myself.” - Lauren Chan
“I set the prices. I set what we pay for cost of goods to insure that it is high quality.” - Lauren Chan
“I went out and proved that there is a plus-size luxury market. My average customer spends $2400 dollars with us in a few seasons. Our average order value is $750. Now I have that to back me up.” - Lauren Chan
“I was being told that you can’t make things that expensive for this market, that the customer does not exist.” - Lauren Chan
On hiring and managing a team as your grow…
“Management skills have expiration dates. As we face new generations, we have to adapt our management skills.” - Babba C. Rivera
“Everyone is different and the only way to figure out what drives them is to have those conversations on an ongoing basis.” - Babba C. Rivera
“For each piece of negative feedback you give someone, you have to give them more positive ones.” - Babba C. Rivera
“My time as a boss is better invested in focusing on what they are doing really well and how can I create a greater space for them to do more of that.” - Babba C. Rivera
“When people get the space to focus more on the things that they’re really good at, they tend to have more fun at work, they tend to become more loyal, they tend to stay longer, they tend to recommend their friends to come and work for you, it has so many trickle affects and it becomes more than just a job.” - Babba C. Rivera
On giving back during COVID and beyond…
“My philosophy is: To whom much is given, much is required.” - Monique Rodriguez
“One of the key things that defines success is: How many opportunities do you create? How many people do you build up? How many people do you motivate, do you inspire?” - Monique Rodriguez
“People first, then product.” - Monique Rodriguez
On launching new product despite the pandemic...
“We wanted to keep fighting. We didn’t want to lay down.” - Lauren Chan
“If the independent’s don't survive, then consumers will lose many a plus-size option and they will lose mostly the options that are well-made, high-quality, ethically made, fairly sourced, sustainably minded, and what we’d be left with is the giant corporation that could stand to survive this time and i just couldn’t stomach that regression in size-inclusive fashion that we’ve been building on for a decade plus now.” - Lauren Chan
On being in the midst of planning a product launch during COVID…
“My team and myself have been hard at work during the lockdown prepping for a big launch we have coming up this fall. We are in the process of launching a clean hair care brand rooted in Latin heritage.” - Babba C. Rivera
“For me, it’s much more than a business, it’s part of a mission that I’ve been on throughout my career to create space for women, and in this particular case, really bringing up the Latin woman.” - Babba C. Rivera
“We live in a world where the Latinx community accounts for 20% of the country yet most brands are speaking to a predominantly white demographic.” - Babba C. Rivera
“Latinas spend the most on hair care products. They spend 46% more than their white counterparts, and I’m like, ‘Where are the brands that are talking to me and my friends and my family?’” - Babba C. Rivera
“Only 0.4% —less than half a percentage—of venture funding goes to Latina founders.” - Babba C. Rivera
“Only 58 Latina women have ever raised $1 million in capital.” - Babba C. Rivera
On expanding to markets beyond the U.S.…
“By going outside of the U.S., we can set the new standard for what natural, effective, sustainable, and ethical beauty should be.” - Barbara Paldus
On seeking the right investors for your company…
“As an investor, you can be a partner to that entrepreneur for five to seven years. It’s like a marriage and you really need to have a relationship that is like a two-way street.” - Barbara Paldus
“Make sure you really want to go the VC route and then really figure out which VCs you want to work with.” - Barbara Paldus
“See if the VC really understands the business and you because they’re going to make or break your company.” - Barbara Paldus
Work It Out: A Conversation on Why Brands and Consumers Are Jumping on the Health, Wellness, & Fitness Boom
“If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not growing.”
Panelists:
Katie Dunlop | Founder & CEO, Love Sweat Fitness
Zehra Allibhai | Founder, The FitNest
Lora Haddock DiCarlo | Founder & CEO, Lora DiCarlo
Maryam Ajayi | Energy Healer, Entrepreneur, Writer, Activist, & Speaker
Devi Brown | Wellness Educator, Energy Healer, Author, & Founder, Karma Bliss
Remi Ishizuka | Founder, Rrayyme
Moderator:
Faith Xue | Editorial Director, Byrdie
On cultivating a thriving community…
“Everyone’s journey is unique. I want to help inspire and empower other women to figure out and create what healthy looks like for them because it’s very personal.” - Katie Dunlop
On overcoming feelings of self-doubt…
“Who cares what other people think as long as I'm helping the people that I set out and have intention to help, that really gave me a sense of belonging.” - Zehra Allibhai
On driving innovation in the sexual wellness industry…
“I wanted to change the conversation around mastrubation.” - Lora Haddock DiCarlo
“Disruption was a part of the business plan very early on.” - Lora Haddock DiCarlo
“There are almost 250 parts in our product, whereas most products in the sex-tech space have about 20 to 30 parts.” - Lora Haddock DiCarlo
On producing products to help people feel more confident…
“Our mission is to strive for a world where folks can feel more comfortable in their identity and their sexuality.” - Lora Haddock DiCarlo
“Confidence is what empowers the greatest of us to go out and change the world each in our own way.” - Lora Haddock DiCarlo
On changing the narrative of the wellness industry…
“We’re in real time changing the trajectory of the wellness industry and making it one that’s inclusive for everybody, for BIPOC, for LGBTQIIA+, for people that are differently abled.” - Maryam Ajayi
“If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not growing.” - Maryam Ajayi
“Growth is messy and hard, but on the other side of that is fulfillment.” - Maryam Ajayi
On navigating self-acceptance…
“Your level of self-acceptance is what informs every other relationship you have in your entire life and what informs everything that you do in the world.” - Devi Brown
“We are the stars of our own life. The point of being here is finding yourself, remembering yourself, coming into a space of wholeness. There is nothing more important you can be doing with your life. No work is more important than the work of you.” - Devi Brown
On starting the journey to self-acceptance…
“If you find yourself not able to do a lot of self-care, investigate why. Is it because it’s uncomfortable to be in the mirror with yourself? Is it because it’s uncomfortable to touch your own self? Or to just spend time in your own body without outside stimulation or conversation?” - Devi Brown
On being consistent…
“You need to be consistent to see improvement in your fitness, your nutrition, your wellness, and it’s the same in business. You have to show up consistently and know what it is that drives you and motivates you.” - Remi Ishizuka
On championing diversity in the wellness industry…
“People of color created wellness. All of the things that we do in the wellness industry—every technique, every time you’re doing breathwork, every time you’re doing a yoga posture—it was all created by people of color in different cultures, globally.” - Devi Brown
“It’s really dangerous when we’re learning to democratize and decolonize our wellness practices from other white individuals—that only upholds white supremacy.” - Maryam Ajayi
“For any wellness leader, influencer, company, step one is hiring black indigenous women of color to help them unpack the systems of oppression that they’ve learned to uphold.” - Maryam Ajayi
“Start to decolonize your individual wellness practices and how you spend your dollars.” - Maryam Ajayi
“White people can act in solidarity by supporting BIPOC businesses in wellness.” - Maryam Ajayi
“If we’re going to champion diversity and inclusivity, we also need to understand that intersectionality involves diverse passions, preferences, anatomies, regardless of gender, identity, expression, sexuality, ethnicity, age, relationship status, disability or even socioeconomic status.” - Lora Haddock DiCarlo
On working with brands…
“I probably end up working with10% of the brands that reach out.” - Katie Dunlop
“It’s really important that the product is something that I personally already use and love.” - Katie Dunlop
“Following your intuition is so important. If something feels off, it’s probably off for a reason.” - Maryam Ajayi
“Make sure you know what you stand for and why you stand for it. Integrity goes a really long way. You may have to say no to a lot of money and a lot of deals, but in the long run, you’re going to be ahead of the game if you’re a person of integrity who’s putting yourself and your community first.” - Maryam Ajayi
“Once I accept a brand deal, I put as much value into it as possible so that my audience is getting the same amount of value from a branded post as an organic post.” - Remi Ishizuka
Mid-Morning Keynote: A Conversation With Tyra Banks & Jaclyn Johnson
“Different is better than better.”
—Tyra Banks
Panelist:
Tyra Banks | Entrepreneur & Supermodel
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO & Founder, Create & Cultivate
On being an entrepreneur…
“I’m such an entrepreneur at heart.”
“For me, if it doesn’t hurt, it’s just not worth it.”
“I’m a business person. I want to own something. I get so much pleasure being in a meeting with my team. I love the process.”
On finding whitespace in a crowded market…
“Different is better than better.”
On doing the research and putting in the work…
“When you are trying to get that job, do as much research as you can about that company.”
On being the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue…
“I went from being a well-known model in the fashion industry to a household name walking down the street.”
“I did know that it was bigger than me. I did understand that being a Black woman on that magazine cover was impactful.”
“I think that it did some things for the industry but a lot more for public perception of Black women's sexuality and beauty. That we can be the girl next door who just happens to be Black. That we are American.”
On knowing the difference between hate and healthy critique…
“Hurt people hurt people.”
“Is this hate, or is this healthy critique? You have to learn the difference.”
On managing finances…
“Cash flow is everything.”
“It is so important that, if you are starting a business, to be as modest as you can.”
On navigating COVID-19…
“Don’t stop thinking about different things that you can do.”
“If the dream is there, you can get there.”
“If your business went away, that doesn’t mean you can’t start another one.”
“Investors always say they don’t invest the product, they don’t invest in the idea, they invest in the person.”
On making an impact…
“How many People of Color can I give an opportunity to that not just changes their life but changes the trajectory of their legacy for generations?”
On being an entrepreneur and a mother during COVID…
“I have so much respect for stay-at-home moms and I have so much respect for teachers because this is no joke. The only thing that helps me is I know we’re all in this together and trying to figure this out because it’s not easy.”
Holding Space: The Women Leading the Way for WOC in the Health & Wellness Industry, Powered by Califia
“The answer to wellness is not always a purchase.”
Panelists:
Latham Thomas | Celebrity Doula, Maternity Wellness Expert, Author, “Own Your Glow”
Koya Webb | Founder, Get Loved Up Holistic Health and Yoga School
Gianne Doherty | Co-Founder, Organic Bath Co. and Founder, WELL Summit
Jenné Claiborne | Vegan Chef, Author, YouTuber, and Founder, Sweet Potato Soul
Moderator:
Sonja Rasula | CEO and Founder, Unique Markets
On making space for WOC and BIPOC in wellness and beyond…
“Amplifying our voices and coming together to make a change is the way we’re going to see massive change in the future.” - Koya Webb
On rest as a form of resistance…
“Rest is how we reclaim our peace, it’s how we reclaim our mental health and no matter what you’re passionate about and what you stand for, if you are not well rested you are going to drive yourself into the ground.” - Gianne Doherty
On diversifying wellness…
“There is a misperception that wellness, and wellness as most of us think of it now, is for people who have more money, for white people, for women and that leaves a lot of people out of the conversation, and out of wellness.” - Jenné Claiborne
On improving health outcomes…
“It doesn't just affect Black people, but it affects Black people disproportionately, so if we focus our energy on solving the problem for Black folks first, everybody’s going to improve.” - Latham Thomas
“We’re serving everybody, but we’re especially equipped to serve those who we know may fall through the cracks.” - Latham Thomas
On visibility and representation in wellness…
“We’re creating our own spaces and those spaces are allowing us to heal from the trauma that we’ve experienced from living in a world that’s cloaked with white supremacy and oppression.” - Koya Webb
“When we take care of ourselves, we can start change, we can start getting out there to vote, changing the systems, and coming together to make change that we want to see in the world.” - Koya Webb
On cancel culture…
“I’m not a fan of cancel culture. I don’t really think that helps people evolve and I don’t think it solves a lot of problems. I think we need to invite people to the conversation and we can’t shy away from these conversations.” - Gianne Doherty
On voting with your wallet…
“As consumers, we vote with our dollars, we have so much power.” - Gianne Doherty
“I think it is important to actively divest in brands who are not part of this conversation. Not just spend your money over here, but stop spending your money over here.” - Latham Thomas
On creating wellness brands and spaces that reflect the community…
“Hire the people who are in positions of leadership in their communities, in organizations doing this incredible work already. Bring them in to help so that you don’t make mistakes and you don’t misstep and then when you’re designing spaces you’ll be designing for who’s most marginal, who’s going to benefit the most.” - Latham Thomas
“If we’re designing from our space of privilege, then we’re never going to consider the needs of people who are underserved or underestimated.” - Latham Thomas
On making space at the table...
“I hate this metaphor about bringing people to the table. I don’t need that. I don’t need people to bring me to a table. I can build my own stuff. We need to expand that table so it can fit everybody or we need to completely dismantle it and build something new that is actually inclusive of the needs of everybody who’s involved, especially the most marginalized.” - Latham Thomas
On finding your place…
“Just me being me, my presence, is a protest.” - Koya Webb
“Me dealing with all of the pain and trauma is worth it because it’s inspiring other women to do the same, that they can do it too.” - Koya Webb
“Just show up the best that you can, being the best version of yourself, and knowing that that is enough.” - Koya Webb
On coming together to make change…
“Together we can make a difference but it can’t be all put on Black people—we all have to bond together and really change the systematic racism and systematic oppression that we see in the world today.“ - Koya Webb
On wellness for all…
“Wellness is what you need, where you are, with what you have.” - Gianne Doherty
“The answer to wellness is not always a purchase.” - Gianne Doherty
On self-care doesn’t cost money…
“It’s part of our culture to think that we need to buy something to satisfy. You don’t really need anything. Really take an honest look at what you’ve got around you and what you can utilize.” - Jenné Claiborne
On ending systemic racism in wellness and beyond…
“I’m not in resistance, I’m in a dance with joy towards liberation.” - Latham Thomas
“What we are calling for is people who are non-Black to show up in a bigger way with dollars, with access, pick up the phone and make the calls, get out to vote, but stop putting the burden on us.” - Latham Thomas
Self-Care Nation: Why Taking Care of Yourself Has Cultivated a Major Following
“Confidence isn’t an end point. Confidence is something you have to chip away at daily.”
Panelists:
Coco Bassey | Content Creator
Hunter McGrady | Model & Designer
Christina Grasso | Content Creator & Co-Founder, The Chain
Candice Nikeia | Content Creator & Motivational Influencer
Candice Kumai | CEO, Writer, NYTimes Bestselling Author, and Chef
Moderator:
Kristina Rodulfo | Women's Health Beauty Director
On slowing down and making time for rest...
“It’s important to make sure that you’re okay, that you are taking care of you before you take care of other people.” - Candice Nikeia
On confidence...
“Confidence isn’t an end point. Confidence is something you have to chip away at daily.” - Hunter McGrady
On self-love…
“Self-love to me looks like peace. I think being at peace with yourself no matter where you are in that journey, no matter what your size is, no matter what you do, being at peace with you in that moment.” - Hunter McGrady
On the power of vulnerability…
“If we don’t share our story in the most authentic way with others then we’ll never actually be able to connect.” - Candice Kumai
On her approach to wellness...
“Just understanding that we are enough as we are, no matter what it is that we’re wearing, no matter what we have on our skin, or whatever people are selling to us.” - Coco Bassey
On supporting women...
“I would love for more women to support more women and love women.” - Candice Kumai
“We have to stand up for each other and learn to love a little bit deeper and practice empathy, compassion, kindness. Those are the three most important things in wellness.” - Candice Kumai
On her #AllWorthy movement…
“We’re all worthy of success, of feeling beautiful, of feeling valued, of feeling important, we’re worthy purely because we exist.’ - Hunter McGrady
“It’s about holding brands accountable and saying this is what I want to see, this is what I’m going to support, and I’m not going to support this, my dollar doesn’t go there anymore and then the domino effect can happen.” - Hunter McGrady
On the self-care movement…
“When you look at the voices now in social media, they’re really breaking ground, making changes, and really being raised up.” - Coco Bassey
“It’s okay to show your less perfect days, it’s okay to show that even if you’re trying out a skincare brand that your skin isn’t perfect but that you're a work in progress just like every other person.” - Coco Bassey
On the comparison trap…
“Comparison is the thief of all joy” - Candice Nikeia
On ending the shame…
“It’s okay to not be okay, and it’s okay to love yourself as you are and if you gained 10 pounds you gained 10 pounds, it’s not the end of the world.” - Hunter McGrady
On getting out of the negativity spiral...
“When someone is in that realm of tearing someone else down, they’re really projecting that they haven’t healed yet.” - Candice Nikeia
“What you see in other people is really what you see in yourself.” - Candice Nikeia
“The best thing for me to do is figure out who I am, the things that I love about myself, and use them to heal and to develop myself instead of looking at the lacks in my life.” - Candice Nikeia
On striving for change…
“We’re seeing that when you’re loud, things can change—so, stay loud!” - Hunter McGrady
On being yourself and telling your story…
“Regardless of who you are or what you look like, your own story matters.” - Coco Bassey
“Be yourself. You are enough, you are interesting as you are.” - Coco Bassey
Beyond the Filter: How to Launch, Scale, and Grow a Brand from the Ground Up
“
We don’t sell diversity and inclusivity, we sell authenticity and self-love.”
—Sharon Chuter
Panelists:
Lauren Bosworth | Founder & CEO, Love Wellness
Katie Sturino | Founder, Megababe
Sharon Chuter | Founder & CEO, UOMA Beauty
Courtney Adeleye | CEO & Founder, Mane Choice
Bobbi Brown | Founder and CEO, Beauty Evolution
Moderator:
Kayla Greaves | Senior Beauty Editor, InStyle
On turning a home-based hobby into a thriving beauty empire…
“The biggest form of marketing you can receive is customer service and word of mouth. So, for me it was always about exceeding the customer expectations. If that’s the foundation of your company, it’s much easier to grow.” - Courtney Adeleye
On ditching the fear to start all over again…
“Anything you do as an entrepreneur you could either look as scary or as an opportunity.” - Bobbi Brown
“I am incredibly naive, I’m not afraid, and I don’t think what I’m going to do is necessarily going to be a success but I don’t worry that it’s not going to work out.” - Bobbi Brown
On ditching unrealistic beauty ideals to redefine beauty…
“We don’t sell diversity and inclusivity, we sell authenticity and self-love and the ability to be unapologetically yourself and that’s what makes us different.” - Sharon Chuter
On the challenges that come with scaling a business…
“If you want to scale your business, the entire thing is a challenge so what are you going to do about it? Not everyone is built for it. But you have to roll right through it, and learn from your mistakes, and keep rolling.” - Courtney Adeleye
On the challenge of being an “overnight success”...
“It takes 14 years to blow up overnight.” - Sharon Chuter
On hiring the right team…
“Hire slowly and fire quickly as you build your team because team is everything.” - Sharon Chuter
“Everything is a challenge but I would urge every entrepreneur to not underestimate the value of the right people around you, especially when you are in the fast growth phase.” - Sharon Chuter
“The strength of our business is that the people who are in it are the brand.” - Sharon Chuter
On following your own path...
“I will never do what’s popular, I will always do what’s right to me.” - Sharon Chuter
“Be strong enough to defend the values of the business because, at the end of the day, throughout whatever growth and as you scale, if the foundation is not right the house is going to collapse.” - Sharon Chuter
On tapping into her community for R&D...
“We take the feedback from our community and we put that back into the research and development and we evolve. We give the people what they want.” - Katie Sturino
On raising capital…
“Talking about capital and raising money has really been romanticized over the past few years. There’s this element of glamour. But it’s really important to realize that you don’t have to go out and raise money like that.” - Lauren Bosworth
“If you are starting a business, I would really think about exploring traditional, old-school routes of raising money, which is a bank loan, or raising from friends and family instead of being convinced that you have to go down this investment path.” - Lauren Bosworth
““If you choose to bring on investors and bring people into your business it’s like a marriage and a lot of people raising for the first time don’t quite realize the depth of those relationships with these people.” - Lauren Bosworth
On starting The Generational Advantage Fund...
“When I started my company with $500 we went from zero to 60,000 doors within two or three years. No credit card, no line of credit, no loan, no investor, it was, literally grow as you go.” - Courtney Adeleye
“Here I am, having sold over $100 million worth of products and I still have to prove myself in the finance world. There’s still a lot of discrimination that’s going on. We can’t get the funding, we can’t get a loan, we can’t get a line of credit. There’s no one speaking up for us as an African American—as a business owner we are automatically exiled out of things, there are grants that don’t apply for us, so for me this really hit home.” - Courtney Adeleye
On creating a diverse brand…
“It was really important to me that there was a color for every woman that came to the counter.” - Bobbi Brown
“We should always have room for diverse people because it makes the conversation richer, it makes your products stronger, it makes your management approach better and overall it creates a healthier business.” - Sharon Chuter
“Diversity is reality, at the end of the day. It’s what makes the world turn.” - Courtney Adeleye
On switching career lanes…
“First and foremost, you have to make peace with how you feel about yourself and how you feel about how other people perceive you. And then it’s figuring out how you tell your story. You have to figure out how to market yourself.” - Lauren Bosworth
Redefining Beauty: A Conversation With Self-Love Advocate Nabela Noor, Powered by OGX
“You are beyond any size, measurement, tag, label, or anything that’s trying to put you into a box.”
—Nabela Noor
Panelist:
Nabela Noor | Content Creator, Founder of Zeba, & OGXpert
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO & Founder, Create & Cultivate
On launching her YouTube channel...
“When I started to make videos, it was really because I saw other people doing it and felt so inspired by them and they represented so many beautiful diverse communities.”
“I realized that I can do this for my community. I can do this for Brown girls everywhere. I can make videos about my complexion and share tips for people like me and anybody who wants to celebrate beauty.”
“It all started from seeing that there wasn’t something there yet for people like me and then making it happen.”
On embarking on a self-love journey…
“I grew up, and still live, in a very conservative, predominately white town, and I did not see myself represented in the world around me. Not just in the media, not just in entertainment, not just in beauty and fashion, but also physically in the world around me.”
“I grew up with a lot of insecurities and not feeling beautiful in my own skin and not knowing that I am beautiful and that those differences that I’m reminded of daily actually are beautiful and should be celebrated.”
On being a champion for diversity and inclusion…
“This isn’t something that’s a fad right now, this is our truth. We have, for our entire lives, wanted to be seen and represented.”
On navigating negativity in the comments…
“If you are happy and successful, the likelihood of you going online and saying horrible things to someone else is very small.”
“Happy people don’t say hurtful things. With joy comes kindness. It’s offered me peace in times when I’ve wanted to cry and believed the things that people say about me.”
“It’s helped me, it’s freed me, because there was a time where I was constantly shaping my understanding of myself based on what other people were saying about me.”
On collaborating with Elf Cosmetics…
“I’ve had opportunities to do other collaborations but I chose Elf for my first-ever collaboration because I come from very humble beginnings, I'm a daughter of immigrant parents who came to this country with nothing, and I know what it’s like to want to look and feel your best but not have a big budget.”
On choosing which brands to partner with...
“A brand that loves and values me and has an incredible product is a brand that I’m going to want to work with.”
On being an OGXpert…
“I started my self-love journey by picking up a bottle of OGX shampoo and deciding I’m not going to listen to what other people say about me and my body, I’m going to try to find the things I love about myself and start there—and it was my hair.”
On holding brands accountable...
“I’m really looking for people and brands who are championing diversity from the ground up, from their business internally outward.”
“Are you actually doing the things internally within your company and with your actions to really reflect what you’re saying to the world?”
“We want to feel seen and heard in a way that’s authentic and in a way that includes us.”
“If we’re not having diverse people in these conference rooms, if it’s just a bunch of white people talking about how they can be more diverse, how is that actually authentically seeking diversity?”
On becoming the first-ever Bangladeshi-American cover star for a major magazine...
“Me having the Glamour UK cover, hopefully inspires another brown girl—another Bangladeshi girl—to reach for her dreams to try something because she saw that somebody can do it too.”
On cultivating confidence…
“When you make a conscious effort to be in love with yourself, it really helps you be more confident and feel like you can take on things that are tough or difficult or uncomfortable, because you know, at the end of the day, you can sit with yourself and be proud.”
On launching Zeba, a self-love movement and a size-inclusive brand…
“We are challenging the idea that beauty is something that can be defined by one institution or by society and we’re constantly encouraging others to redefine beauty standards to include them rather than changing themselves to fit within someone else’s standards of beauty.”
“You are beyond any size, measurement, tag, label, or anything that’s trying to put you into a box.”
On creating an inclusive community online…
“When you’re building your own community, really figure out ways to champion conversation rather than you on a stage—that’ll make the difference.”
“Are you talking at people or are you talking with them?”
“I create posts that I think invite people to share their stories—and people want to share their stories.”
WorkParty Podcast: Tia Mowry-Hardrict on the (Many) Benefits of Having More Than One Career
“Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. Don’t be afraid to get the answers that you’re looking for.”
—Tia Mowry-Hardrict
Panelist:
Tia Mowry-Hardrict | Actress, Author, Producer, Co-Founder, Anser Supplements
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO & Founder, Create & Cultivate
On believing in yourself…
“You have to ignore the naysayers.”
“It starts with you believing in yourself, believing who you are.”
“When you know who you are and you believe in who you are, then you become this strong pillar, and the outside noise or wind or turbulence doesn’t affect you because you’re strong in who you are.”
On listening to your body and navigating a broken healthcare system…
“Don’t give up. Don’t listen to one doctor. You know your body, you know what’s going on, and don’t give up the fight.”
“Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. Don’t be afraid to get the answers that you’re looking for.”
On taking care of yourself…
“Self-care is not selfish.”
“How can you be the best mom, how can you be the best sister, how can you be the best entrepreneur, how can you be the best friend, if you do not take care of yourself?”
“It’s okay to take care of yourself.”
On launching her wellness brand Anser…
“I wanted to encourage women to take charge of their health and wellness.”
“When I was on my personal wellness journey, I did not see representation. I did not see Women of Color, I did not see women of diversity, and that bothered me. I wanted to change this narrative. That’s why it was so important for me to come out with a brand that spoke to consumers that did not feel involved, that did not feel included.”
“DNA doesn’t vary when it comes to ethnicity, but where it does vary is with lifestyle, culture, awareness, and education.”
“My goal with this brand is to continue to educate, to continue to bring awareness, to continue to inspire, and to encourage people to reach their potential when it comes to their wellness. You deserve it!”
“You are in control of your health and your wellness. You have that responsibility, don’t put that responsibility just on a doctor.”
On selling products at affordable price points…
“It hurt me to the core when I was out there on my personal journey and I saw that wellness was only designed or made for one type of customer. That’s not fair; I wanted to change that narrative.”
“My goal is definitely to make sure that Anser is accessible without sacrificing the quality and the integrity of the product.”
On where entrepreneurs should focus their financial resources…
“Product, product, product is the most important thing.”
“You want to make sure that you put a lot of your coins on the product.”
On carrying a business through COVID-19…
“The key to being a great entrepreneur is learning how to pivot, learning how to adjust.”
“The key in times like this is to communicate with your audience—what are they thinking, what do they want from you, what’s going in their minds—and deliver.”
On leading a team…
“You can’t do everything on your own.”
“I look at it like a song. You cannot have a beautiful song with just one person, or one instrument, one note.”
“Trusting your team and building a team that knows how to take care of your weaknesses—because we all have weaknesses—you start to build this beautiful symphony and the music is harmonized and it’s beautiful.”
“You have to be very vocal in vocalizing what your goals are and what your vision is, unapologetically.”
On the advice she’d give to her younger self…
“You are enough. You can do anything that you put your mind to.”
“Make sure that you continue to stay steadfast, believe in yourself. Trust the journey.”
“Look at yourself in the mirror every single day and tell yourself, ‘I love you! You are worth it.’”
Evening Keynote: A Conversation With Michelle Pfeiffer & Jaclyn Johnson
“When you start a business, you want to serve a need that nobody else has served.”
—Michelle Pfeiffer
Panelist:
Michelle Pfeiffer | Actress & Founder, Henry Rose
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO & Founder, Create & Cultivate
On moving past the negativity and forging ahead…
“Initially, it was a lot of ‘no,’ ‘this will never work,’ ‘you’re going to fail,’ ‘nobody’s going to buy genderless fragrances,’ ‘nobody wants to hear about celebrity fragrances.’”
On launching a business in a brand-new category…
“I am equal parts naive and courageous. Often, I’ve thrown myself into a situation without really thinking it through because of my courage and then I find myself in the deep end and I can’t swim.”
“When you start a business, you want to serve a need that nobody else has served.”
“The problem is, because no one has treaded that path yet, there are no guidelines for you and you have to make it up as you go along.”
On developing a clean fragrance line…
“Between IFF’s restrictions Cradle to Cradle’s restrictions EWG’s restrictions, our perfumers went from a typical palette of 3,000 ingredients to 250.”
“Everybody put their egos aside and set about making this happen.”
“Throughout the process I learned that there are some safe synthetics that are safer for the general population than these concentrated plant-based materials.”
On pursuing 100% transparency…
“When I went to the cosmetics industry to develop this with them, it was much too soon. Nobody was willing to look at the safety at a deeper level in the products that they used and nobody wanted to be 100% transparent.”
“Everybody’s afraid of trade secrets and getting their formulations ripped off, which I understand, but with reverse engineering you can pretty much find out what’s in anything.”
On navigating COVID-19…
“We’ve had to pivot along the way and the good thing about being a direct-to-consumer product is you aren’t really affected by retail closing down and you can pivot quickly.”
“We had our supply chain disrupted a couple of times and we had our labs closed down in the middle of working on things for holiday, so there are some things that won’t happen this year that we wanted to happen, but at the same time, we still have so much work to do on awareness of our fragrance line.”
On finding the right partners…
“The hardest thing is finding the right partners, whether it’s your partners in developing your product, doing your packaging, your PR, and building the business.”
On advocating for environmental health…
“The consumers really believe that whatever is on those store shelves is safe because they believe that their government has looked at the ingredients and know them to be safe, and they have a right for that to be true.”
“The FDA right now doesn’t have the authority to demand to know what’s in the product, to demand to recall the product, they have no jurisdiction.”
Don’t miss Sophie Monet, Steffi Lynn Tsai, Blair Armstrong, and more at our digital Making It With Madewell summit on Saturday, August 15. RSVP for free here.
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