On January 25th & 26th, 2020, Create & Cultivate joined forces with Disney's Minnie Mouse for the first-ever Polka Dot Summit in honor of National Polka Dot Day. We celebrated in true Create & Cultivate fashion by inviting modern-day muses to the stage who, like Minnie, are bold, fun, fashionable, and classic—and, most importantly, inspire people all over the world to be positively themselves.
It was a jam-packed two days filled with major mic-drop moments. Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott of Tone It Up kicked things off with a heart-pumping workout, Dr. Deepika Chopra taught us how to cultivate happiness (and led a spontaneous dance party), Disney character artists Jeff Shelly and Miran Kim showed us how to draw Minnie and her other pals, and Minnie herself spread joy everywhere she went. To everyone who came, thank you for joining us—and to those who couldn’t make it, don’t sweat it. Below, we’ve compiled the key takeaways from our positively inspiring weekend with Minnie and the gang.
Read on for the sagest soundbites from our panelists and keynote speakers, including Lindsay Peoples Wagner, the editor in chief of Teen Vogue, Katie Sturino, the founder of The 12ish Style and Megababe, Alex Morgan, the co-captain of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, and more.
Panel: Positively You—How to Cultivate Confidence Inside and Out
Panelists:
Quigley | Influencer & Content Creator
Aysha Harun | Content Creator
Jaci Marie Smith | Content Creator and Podcast Co-Host, What We Said
Glen "Coco" Oropeza | Celebrity Hair Stylist, Glen Coco for Hair
Paige Adams-Geller | Co-Founder & Creative Director, PAIGE
Moderator:
Sacha Strebe | Editorial Director, Create & Cultivate
On overcoming fear…
“One of the biggest things that I had to teach myself is that everything is on the other side of fear.”—Glen "Coco" Oropeza
“That moment when you search inside—and you put on the blinders, and you tune out the noise, and you believe in yourself—that’s when change happens.”—Paige Adams-Geller
“It’s easy for someone to give you an idea, but it takes courage and bravery and momentum to put it into action and make it yourself.”—Paige Adams-Geller
On being positively you…
“With any insecurity, be it with a birthmark, your weight, or the size of your feet it'll be with you until you leave, so embrace it.”—Aysha Harun
“When it comes down to it, I want to share things I love, so people who gravitate to that are the community I’ve built.”—Jaci Marie Smith
On navigating negativity in the comments section…
“Constructive criticism can be helpful, but I only try to take advice and criticism from people I admire and respect and who have my best interests in mind.”—Jaci Marie Smith
“Whoever made the comment is probably suffering or hurting, so I just take a moment to say, ‘I wish you well,’ and then I go on with my day.”—Quigley
“If you know yourself, then negative comments won’t affect you as much.”—Aysha Harun
“I never give it any energy—I think it’s a waste of time. To me, it’s just bad juju.”—Glen "Coco" Oropeza
On knowing your worth…
“One of the best pieces of advice I learned early on was know your worth and don't be afraid to say no to an opportunity.”—Aysha Harun
“Should I do it for that low rate? I don’t think I should because it brings the whole industry down. They’ll keep hunting for someone who will do it for that low rate. If you accept those low rates, then everyone does poorly because of that.”—Glen "Coco" Oropeza
On investing in yourself…
“Investing in yourself is so important. I think it’s so important to set aside a little money to make sure you're going to grow.”—Aysha Harun
Panel: Keynote Conversation With Lindsay Peoples Wagner
Panelist:
Lindsay Peoples Wagner | Editor in Chief, Teen Vogue
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | Founder and CEO, Create & Cultivate
On achieving success at a young age…
“I still hustle. It is still always a hustle—don’t be fooled.”
On being Teen Vogue’s editor in chief…
“Everything we do is about making young people feel seen and heard.”
“I’ve been careful about giving people chances that other people wouldn’t.”
On seeking out a mentor…
“Don’t wait for someone to save you or give you the keys.”
On finding work-life balance…
“The general rule is that I don’t do anything on the weekends, the only person I see is my husband I watch ‘Law and Order’ and ‘CSI’ and I zone out.”
On loving the color red...
“I felt like I needed a boost when I was starting in fashion and I wasn’t wearing head to toe designer.”
On defining your personal style…
“A lot of times, it’s just trying and not being so scared to take a little bit of a risk.”
Panel: Bold Moves—How to Fashion the Life and Career You Love
Panelists:
Jeanette Ogden | Founder, Shut the Kale Up
Gemma Correll | Cartoonist, Writer, Illustrator, GemmaCorrell.com
Meghan Rienks | Influencer, Actress, Author, and Podcast Co-Host, Don’t Blame the Pod
Noelle Scaggs | Singer-Songwriter, Fitz & The Tantrums; Food + Travel Influencer, Adventures With Scaggs, LLC.
Brittany Sky | Creator, Artist, DJ
Moderator:
Sacha Strebe | Editorial Director, Create & Cultivate
On building community…
“It’s so powerful to have community because it truly builds you up. We’re all in this together we should all be building each other up.”—Jeanette Ogden
On staying true to yourself and your brand...
"I think you can tell when someone isn’t being authentic with their artwork, there’s just something off about it."—Gemma Correll
"If you really believe in what you’re doing, you’ll find a throughline."—Meghan Rienks
"It’s about allowing yourself to really shine and not be afraid to show that off."—Noelle Scaggs
"I say ‘no’ to a ton of stuff. It’s my favorite word."—Meghan Rienks
On overcoming challenges…
"There are going to be people who punch at you every day, and you have to remember that, at the end of the day, you’re the one who walks in your shoes, not them."—Noelle Scaggs
On taking risks…
"When you're fashioning your career, it's about not being afraid to change your stripes every now and then."—Noelle Scaggs
“If you feel it in your gut and you know what you’re passionate about, just take the leap because what’s the worst thing that could happen?”—Brittany Sky
On dealing with rejection…
"They’re not saying no to you, they’re saying no to your offer, so don’t take it personally."—Brittany Sky
On partnering with brands...
"I want to make a long-term brand, this isn’t just a get rich right now thing. I want to be honest with my followers because they’re my friends, my family."—Jeanette Ogden
"This isn’t ad space, this is my diary."—Jeanette Ogden
"I’m just really upfront and forward and I know what I want and what I like and I know myself and my audience."—Meghan Rienks
On doing what makes you happy…
"As long as you’re doing what makes you happy, you’re going to see the money."—Brittany Sky
On breaking through creative blocks...
"I read, preferably something that has nothing to do with what I’m trying to do."—Gemma Correll
Panel: Keynote Conversation With Katie Sturino
Panelist:
Katie Sturino | Founder of The 12ish Style and Megababe
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | Founder and CEO, Create & Cultivate
On Minnie Mouse as a style icon…
“I love that she is bold with style and fashion and print. She’s a curvy girl and she’s not afraid to rock color.”
On launching 12ish…
“People didn’t understand and still, to a certain extent, don’t understand how to talk about size.”
“This is a blog for people who feel ignored by the fashion industry.”
“I was trying to provide hacks, but it really turned into a body acceptance movement way beyond clothes.”
“Just like myself, people were really desperate to find a fashion blog where they saw a body that looks like theirs.”
On creating #MakeMySize…
“It wasn’t meant to be a callout culture thing, it’s much more about letting the brands know that I want to wear their clothes.”
“It’s the part in ‘Pretty Woman’ where she walks in with the cash. That’s me every time—I have the cash.”
On the importance of diversifying…
“If it wasn’t a job 10 years ago, who’s to say it’ll be a job 10 years from now.”
On hiring the right people…
“I need someone who never looks at me and says, ‘That’s not in my job description.’”
On finding inspiration…
“I really like surrounding myself with inspiring women. It’s very inspiring to just see someone doing it.”
On authenticity…
“It’s important to be the kind of person that people feel like they can be real with.”
On being an entrepreneur…
“People are always trying to put out the success vibe, like #flyingprivate, but I’m like, #iminataxi.”
On her legacy…
“I want to be known for making people feel good.”
Panel: Keynote Conversation With Alex Morgan
Panelist:
Alex Morgan | Co-Captain, U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | Founder and CEO, Create & Cultivate
On taking risks…
“You’re never going to get the reward unless you take the risk.”
On being a pressure performer…
“What’s really helped me in pressure-intense situations is the self-belief that I have and betting on myself.”
On supporting other women…
"We’re stronger in numbers."
On starting an apparel company with her teammates…
"We wanted to invest in ourselves and it paid off."
On the importance of sports…
"There’s so much that sport can give you that you can’t learn otherwise."
On the state of gender equality in sports…
“We won’t stop until we’re not discriminated against at all. Until we’re given the same opportunity to do what we love and make the same amount.”
“We’ve tried to educate people on the fact that we do make as much revenue, or more, for our employer and that, in turn, means that we should receive the same amount or more, potentially.”
"Progress is good, but it’s never at the rate that you want it to go."
On maternity leave…
"If work is what you love to do, you shouldn’t think that you have to put that on hold to start a family. We can do both."
On surrounding yourself with women who lift you up…
"Having a group of women that support you unconditionally is important."
On being a leader…
"It’s important not to change the integrity of who you are. To change something that you do or say because you’re a captain or a leader is not what leading is all about."
On where her confidence comes from…
"I get my confidence from a lot of my teammates, and I get a lot of confidence from proving myself right."
On the importance of staying grounded…
"Remember where you started and how you got there, and know that the process is more important than the outcome."
On the value of self-care…
"Don’t hold yourself back, make sure that you’re fulfilling yourself."
See more photos from the event!
Photography: Smith House Photo
