How CRWN Magazine Founder Is Changing the World by Being Herself
Real Queens fix each other's CRWNs.
Real Queens fix each other's CRWNs.
“Don’t touch my hair! “ Many of us have heard Solange Knowles sing about it, but Lindsey Day co-founder of CRWN magazine is doing something about it. Lindsey launched CRWN, a hair and lifestyle magazine for black women, with longtime collaborator, Nkrumah. It’s no secret that women of color go to inexplicable lengths to transform their natural hair to Caucasian standards of beauty. It’s an arguably negative cycle of self-denunciation with a great financial and cultural burden. However, in this age of information saturation, there has been a surge of natural hair influencers on social media and a boom in Black hair care products. Both Nkrumah and Day felt compelled to contribute to this movement, finding that the one thing missing was “a premium magazine documenting the phenomenon, or authentically portraying our narrative”(Day). And thus, CRWN magazine was born, a culturally aware art platform that prides itself on showcasing only NATURAL Black hair.
Day is no stranger to running magazines, uplifting social morale, or being on the cusp of innovation, but the road to her existential success was not direct. She landed her first full time job at Interscope Records, while also editing a blog called “livelevated.com” with collegiate friend and creative director Nkrumah. At the time they were working in the corporate music industry and found a little haven in this side project. During Lindsey’s six years with Interscope, she witnessed the economic crash and the corporate industry flip inside out due to expanding technology. This uncertainty drove Day to crave ownership. And in 2009, she co-founded “Made Woman,” “an online magazine that helps young professional women connect and learn from each others’ careers.”
She quit Interscope, worked full time at MW, and took some freelance gigs along the way. One of which turned into a full time position with Intern Queen, doing content, business, and project management, honing in on her digital marketing skills.
As she was approaching 30, the wordsmith needed a change. She reconnected with Nkrumah on a Brooklyn rooftop in 2014, where they reflected on ownership, career, and voids in the marketplace, but most importantly “what life would look like if we could sustain ourselves by serving our people.” That was the beginning of CRWN.
CRWN is a quarterly print magazine with an e-commerce offering. It is 100% independent and self-funded, and has built successful advertisement relationships based on its ability and promise to stay true to its core message of authentic Black culture. This authenticity is what drives the owner. Lindsey says it’s her “love of my people, and the work,” it’s about seeing “a woman or girl flip through CRWN and her eyes light up…or when a sister confides in me about her hairstory and how CRWN is a place where she can finally see herself…These are the reminders that CRWN is so much bigger than Nkrumah and myself.” A profound feeling that most of us hope to evoke at some point in our life.
CRWN is culture. It is the Black musicians, painters, photographers, writers, activists, and visionaries of a culture that have never been honestly represented in the media, nor maybe even to it themselves. It is healing Black people in America by saying ‘it is beautiful to be you.’ The team at CRWN feel a moral obligation to tell their story and document their culture. In years to come, Lindsey sees CRWN growing into a “true media platform and hub for the culture,” where creatives and business people alike can come and “cut their teeth,” as she says.
CrwnMag Issue no. 01; CrwnMag Issue no. 02.
The co-founder's ability to show up, persevere, work hard, and trust her gut instinct, has brought her to a place of ownership, pride, humanitarianism, and cultural revival. She has created a tangible change in the Black community, and most importantly, an awareness of truth and self-love. In a world where African Americans have been systematically misrepresented, discredited, and traumatized throughout the course of history, Lindsey Day and CRWN have created a haven of acceptance, beauty, self-love, and open conversation. The powerhouse tells it like this, “This is the first time in my life I’ve known I’m walking in my true purpose.”
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Issa Rae on Failure, The Old Hollywood Boys Club & Throwing Chairs
When Issa Rae joined us on stage at Create & Cultivate Seattle as keynote conversation with CEO founder Jaclyn Johnson there was a fair amount of fan-girling that went on. Which, fair. The self-made YouTube star has made moves since Awkward Black Girl, creating and starring in HBO's Insecure, as well as landing in Time Magazine's "Firsts" issue, credited as the "First black woman to create and star in a premium cable series."
Here's what she shared with the audience.
On the old boys club:
"You’re constantly getting excuses from higher-ups that they can’t find people.. But they’re not trying hard enough.
Sometimes you have to take a risk on people that have no experience, so they can work. There is an old boys club at the end of the day. They’re recycling people and they are risk-averse. But when you have black and Latino people supporting a black show, the results are clear and it feels authentic. For us it was making sure that we’re doing our part to give other people the spotlight."
On your ‘one shot':
"During Awkward Black Girl... I was producing that out of pocket, and my pockets were empty. That was hard. I produced it with 25 dollars. We set a Kickstarter goal of 30k and ended up raising 60k. And then Pharrell [Williams] contacted us in the middle of our season and asked if he could fund the second season. That changed the game from there."
Shonda Rhimes and co ended up reaching out to Issa.
"I was producing Awkward Black Girl out of pocket. And my pockets were empty."
Tweet this.
"I pitched them a show called I Hate LA Dudes. It was something true to my heart and true to their hearts too. I developed that with them. I felt like it was my one shot. I was extremely eager to please. Shonda was great at hand-holding but where I fell short was navigating network notes. When the studio and network would give notes I was a 'yes woman' and I lost what I was trying to say in the process. At the end of the day they want you to funnel their notes through your voice. I didn’t get that at the time. They ended up passing on the series. I thought that was my one shot. So when HBO called and I knew that I should never dilute my voice again."
On failure:
"I can’t go a day without failing. I think where I thrive is knowing I’m not gonna make that mistake the same way again."
On bringing up other people:
"Too often we try to find people that are established or go the star route and networks encourage that. But I’d been following Yvonne’s [Orji] career for such a long time, just via Facebook. She was one of the random people I had friended post election when she had posted a video trying to claim Obama as a family member after the election. I thought it was the funniest shit ever. I just friended her. When we got picked up I hit her up and said, ‘Hey will you audition for this?’
The web is where you can be the most free. It’s your pure unfiltered voice. And it’s where you can highlight other content creators. Which is what Issa Rae Productions is about. It’s about building a pipeline to get people into television and film. It’s been super exciting as a genuine fan of dope artists.
Everyone on the Insecure team is all about that. Elevating other content creators. That’s what it’s going to take to shift the industry and shift the crazy excuses as to why there aren’t relatable shows of color."
On first mini-viral moments:
"Me and my girlfriends were sitting around drinking Moscato one night. Because we heard Lil' Kim talk about it in a song. And we could afford it. We had a freestyle session where I thought, I need to record this. We are killing it. We weren’t. I used Windows Movie Maker and turned it into a music video. It spread around our campus."
On breaking into the industry:
"At the same time [as the viral videos] I was trying to break into the industry traditionally. I came to LA to try and sell a spec script I wrote with a partner. I was told by executives that there was no audience for the kind of work we we’re trying to do. I had a lightbulb moment when I thought I am such an avid user of Facebook, it would be so cool to do a mocumentary about what it’s like to be black at Stanford and just upload it. And did it. It started spreading to other schools. For me that was an epiphany that I had direct access to an audience. But I graduated and didn’t do it again until about two years later. Awkward Black Girl was my third web series. It blew up from there."
On being ‘Insecure’
For Awkward Black Girl I was 100% nervous. I had never put my own face out there. I wanted another friend to star in it, but by the time I actually went through with it she was like, ‘Girl I’m in law school.’ I knew I was running out of time. And I knew the character and that I could play it. That took a lot of pumping up. I know how ruthless people are, but I had to get over it. I had my best friend come over and showed her the first edit and watched her genuine feedback and laughter. Then I closed my eyes, uploaded it, and went to sleep. By the time I woke up, it had spread beyond my network, which I thought was just incredible."
"I can’t go a day without failing."
Tweet this.
On representation:
"I was a fan of television shows that had a specific type of humor. But I never saw people of color representing that humor. Sometimes they were being laughed at or the butt of the joke, but they weren’t cracking the jokes."
At the time Issa had a film blog where she would vent her frustrations.
"On the blog I would talk about what I wanted to see. And I would talk shit a lot. And one commenter was like, ‘Bitch you talk a lot of shit, why don’t you do it?’ And I was like, 'Oh maybe I can.' So I really created Awkward Black Girl so I could continue to talk shit."
On the start of her career:
"There is someone who should have equity and is the reason I put out the show. Commenter ShyWeb18 is responsible for my entire career. Shoutout to her."
On female friendships:
"When I was in in college I loved watched the reality shows for the drama and the ignorance and the ridiculousness of it. But then I thought this is all we have depicting black female friends. We’re constantly battling each other, we’re conniving. We’re throwing chairs and wine bottles at each other. And I’ve never thrown chairs in my life.. at my friends. We wouldn’t be friends after that. I wanted to depict the real friendships that I knew. Yvonne’s character Molly is based off of one of my best friends.
I love women. Some of my best friends are women. There’s just a comfort and a shorthand and a support system. For me it comes from being around dope active women. There’s a narrative that we don’t support each other, that we’re catty, that we tear each other down. That’s never been my experience. It’s so rewarding to grow with so many different women. "
Photo credit: Smith House Photography
Arianna Schioldager is editor-in-chief at Create & Cultivate. You can find her @ariannawrotethis.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
This Millennial Female Firefighter Is the Only Woman on Her Crew
And you thought your job was hard.
Over the past few months wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres in California. Families are losing their homes and everything they've ever owned. Animals are scared. (Shoutout to the LA hometown hero who rescued the baby bunny.) And the Santa Ana winds are making headlines again for blowing embers and flames up and down the coast.
But when wildfires strike, 25-year-old Bailey McDade, a “granola geek turned badass of the brush fire” hikes toward the flames. "I was a good kid. I loved to play outside," the firefighter says of her youth. "Always barefoot, always running around in the woods. And always playing sports. I feel like that's a huge part of my career choice. It feels like I'm still on a sports team." After studying Wildlife Science at Virginia Tech and serving with AmeriCorps, Bailey followed her love of environmental biology all the way down to Belize and back up to the Yukon studying wildcats. Her continued interest in everything outdoors led to her current role as a wildland firefighter, noting that on her worst day, she “wants to be sitting on a log in the woods somewhere.”
"I never get to talk to anybody about my job," she tells us when we speak. Which, makes sense considering during fire season Bailey can work up to 160+ hours. "My job can be a lot of different things," she explains. There's no typical "day in the life."
"Some days it's going to the station and waiting for a call, but for large fires, which we get sent to all over the country," she says, "it's typically about 200 hours per assignment, or 14 day stretches." #Hero.
She eats on the fire lines. Sleeps on the fire lines. "The job is all about being flexible. You wake up, you breakfast and then you get your assignment. I could be on a fire line, or cutting down dead trees and brush. Doing structure protection or putting up sprinkler systems around houses. Or we could be standing right in the flames."
When she’s face-to-face with the flames—close enough to feel the heat on her face and in her lungs—her pants, shirt, and face shroud made with flame-resistant plastic fabric help keep her protected as she stands waste-high in the heart of the fire.
Contrary to city firefighters, as a wildland firefighter Bailey says she doesn't wear much. "Everything that we use we have to carry on our backs," she explains. She Bailey and her team wear specialized fire gear. "It kind of just looks like cargo pants and a button down shirt. It feels like cloth, but it's a fire-resistant plastic blend." Everything needs to be durable enough to withstand 200 hours, 14 days straight. Part of the reason the gear is different is because she and her team are hiking into the fire. "We can spend a full day hiking," she says. "We sleep in it, we eat in it. We live in it for weeks at a time. Every pound counts when you're hiking straight up a mountain. We don't have the luxury of going back to our trucks very often. We might have to walk ten miles in our gear."
Which, isn't a bad thing for the self-described "antsy" woman. "I love to be active," she says. "Sometimes with fire we say there's a hurry up and wait mentality. You may not be doing anything that you think is a big deal that day, but it's part of a much bigger operation. You might be digging a trench for 14 days straight and not feeling like you're doing anything, but that might save a community." She says, "My hardest days are when I'm sedentary."
An environmental biologist turned badass of the brushfire, Bailey is currently the only woman on her crew. "There are other women on other crews, but I'm the only one on mine," she shares. "I can't say that I feel the difference. We all pack the same weight, wear the same gear, and do the same job. I sometimes have to remind myself that women in this field and in general, we don't have to prove anything. These guys are like my brothers. They've been there for me through hard times. Those guys are willing to carry me out of a forest."
They've even nicknamed her. "The guys on my crew call me Fern Gully, but it's all in good fun."
"I sometimes have to remind myself that women don't have to prove anything."
Tweet this.
Bailey is willing to make the same sacrifices for her team. "I'm working with a lot of people who are like me. And I'm working with a lot of people who intentionally chose this job. Nobody accidentally becomes a firefighter. We're all in sleeping bags on the ground, sleeping next to each other under the stars. We eat sitting in the dirt. We're there for a very serious job, but sometimes it's really fun to be around other people who also enjoy this lifestyle.
And as for her solo female status? "Somebody is always going to be able to do more pull-ups than me, or hike faster," she admits. "But I'm also going to be faster and stronger than someone else. At the end of the day we hike into fires together, we fight them together, and we hike out together."
If you want to help the 200,000+ people in California affected by the wildfires we're listing several ways to help below.
Ready Ventura County has set up a texting service. Text UWVC to 41444 and 100% of your donation will go directly to those impacted by the fires.
The American Red Cross is looking for volunteers to help evacuees.
The Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation is accepting donations through its website.
The Humane Society of Ventura County is also accepting donations.
There are a number of verified fundraisers on GoFundMe where you can donate to relief efforts.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
3 Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets of Building a Smart Brand
Your audience is always watching.
We're ever curious about what makes a brand successful-- and if there are certain tenets that will always remain important, especially in the face of shifting technology.
So we asked three of our upcoming Create & Cultivate DTLA panelists to share.
Ask for help and to let people help you whenever possible because you can’t do it all yourself. Also, find people that are better at you to handle the things that you don’t have time to do.
Work hard, be persistent, and don't be afraid to put yourself out there.
Don’t try to imitate the success of others. Instead let their success inspire you to find success in your own way.
Carly de Castro, Co-Founder, Pressed Juicery
Defining a brand mission and building every facet of your brand with this in mind. Also learning from your mistakes. No brand is perfect and I would be lying if I said that we made some choices that we maybe thought were good for our company but in the end were not. What we learned is that it’s not only about the good choices you make, but how you learn from the not so great ones - this learning process has truly helped create and strengthen the Pressed Juicery brand DNA. I also think it’s extremely important to stop and just be grateful every once in a while. As a growing and rapidly expanding brand sometimes it can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. We’re always thinking about the next step and striving to be better – but once in a while it’s necessary to just be thankful for what we’ve accomplished in these short 5 years, it’s a great boost of energy for me as we move forward.
"It’s not only about the good choices you make, but how you learn from the not so great ones."
Tweet this.
Emily Henderson: Founder, Style By Emily Henderson
1. Steer away from anything generic. I’m not saying be controversial, I’m saying be interesting and if you feel strongly about something but are scared of the outcome - just do it. It’s fine. Most of the time you aren’t alone and your audience will respond to that opinion and if not, you’ll still get traffic.
Obviously if you are a big companyyou have to be a little more careful, but I’m much more attracted to brands that have more of a personality, make a statement ,and stay away from cliche social sayings or really bland expressions.
2. Trust is EXTREMELY important. There are times when you’ll be tempted to sell out, there are times when you will sell out (I have) but man, just know that your audience is watching and while it may not be the death of you it can be hard to recover if you endorse something that you know people think is cheesy.
3. Think about your end goal for each new project. Is it money? Exposure? To broaden your network? New portfolio work? Fun? Ideally it's a combination of those things. Then cater how you handle that project based on your end goal.
Arianna Schioldager is Create & Cultivate's editorial director. You can find her on IG @ariannawrotethis and more about her on this site she never updates www.ariannawrotethis.com
How This LA Business Owner Tries to Live a Zero Waste Life
Waste not, want not.
We’re making zero waste toothpaste in the kitchen of Meryl Pritchard of Kore Kitchen. She’s using an olive wood spoon made from branches; no trees were cut down in the name of the spoon. She uses aloe instead of Bandaids. Her water jug is filled with spring water a friend delivers. Even her TP is made with wheat straw and requires no deforestation.
“Why would we cut down trees so we can wipe our butts?” she asks me as she mixes the concoction of coconut oil, baking soda, turmeric, peppermint, and cinnamon. She scoops it into a glass jar for me to take home.
“The turmeric makes the toothbrush orange,” she tells me, “so don’t get weirded out.”
What’s weird is how little I know about recycling; a blue bin is hardly a perfect solution. “Less than 10 percent of plastic that gets thrown in blue bins is recycled,” she explains. The reasons for this are multifold: people don't sort, rinse, or really know what can and cannot be recycled.
[Unfun fact: In Los Angeles alone nearly 10 tons of plastic fragments-- think parts of plastic bags, straws, and soda bottles-- are carried into the Pacific Ocean, every day.]
Meryl hasn’t always been about that zero waste lifestyle. For a minute she was about that life. In her early twenties she was working for a well-known Hollywood celebrity stylist. “We’d spend days picking dresses, fitting these beautiful women, and then they’d get torn to pieces in the press.” It made her feel terrible about herself and her body. “At the end of the day,” she tells me, “I’d think, if people are saying this gorgeous woman looks terrible, how am I supposed to feel about myself?” It lead her down a dark road rife with body image issues: “I was trying every fad diet out there, not eating,” she says. “Feeling bad in your own skin is the single worst feeling.”
[Define it: Zero Waste is a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused. No trash is sent to landfills or incinerators.]
“Feeling bad in your own skin is the single worst feeling."
Tweet this.
“This is my trash from the past three months!” she exclaims. "I’ll keep it and I’ll analyze it. I like to keep it because then I can go through it and find a solution.We don’t have a relationship to trash. People just don’t know where it’s going-- someone picks it up, takes it away, so how are you supposed to care when you don’t see it?”
But then she came across a book, “The Kind Diet,” by Alicia Silverstone. Meryl says she had so many ah-ha moments while reading, from coming to understand aspects of the food industry to what she was putting in her body, she knew it was time for a change. She emailed “every single holistic nutritionist in LA who had a website and seemed legit,” and was surprised when they all responded nicely. “I was so used to dealing with people not getting back to me or being nice,” she says in reference to her styling career, “that the energy immediately felt different and promising.”
She began working with a holistic nutritionist who let her sit in on all client sessions. “That’s when I saw healing first hand. I watched as people would cancel surgeries doctors told them were 100% necessary, and they’d go on to live life healthy.” With a little experience and a lot of enthusiasm she went back to school at 23. What she says is a “great age to make a shift.”
She attended The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which teaches over 100 different dietary theories. As she was learning them, she’d try them. “You are the best doctor you can have— you live in your body, you feed it, you feel what doesn’t work.” The hitch was that Meryl had no idea how to cook. “I would go on Google or talk to Siri and ask really basic things like, ‘Siri, how do I cook a chicken breast?’ But it taught me that I can do anything. If you want to, you can figure it out.”
Kore Kitchen evolved naturally from this mindset. Kore is a “curated and nutritionally designed, meal delivery service and cleanse offering based in Los Angeles.” The intention is to help clients adapt a healthier lifestyle through simple nutritional philosophies: eat whole, organic foods, that are local and sustainably sourced.
There's no packaging in her pantry. She fills reusable glass jars with foods from the bulk bins.
With these Kore values in mind she began cooking for friends and delivering meals. “It would take me forever.” she says. “What would take a chef 20 minutes would take me 3 hours, but with food you’re transferring energy into the meals.”
“I was planning the menu, doing the shopping, the cooking, the delivery, and right after I finished I’d get up and do it all over again.”
She had a few clients during this time, but it was when friends and clients Donovan and Libby Leitch recommended her to Gwyneth Paltrow, the business took an unexpected turn. “I delivered her meals and heard nothing for a few months,” she says. Until Goop’s food editor reached out in December 2014, saying they loved her recipes and would she contribute a few to the site. She shared some recipes for Goop’s 2015 Detox Guide and the email floodgates opened.
“It was just me with one pan, in this kitchen, and I had all these orders.” She hunkered down, found a chef, Anna Lagura, whom she met through a happenstance convo with her neighbors across the hall, and signed a lease for a commercial kitchen space. Anna and Meryl now work out of L.A. Prep.
Of Anna, Meryl says, “She’s the person I’m most inspired by. I can send her a photo of any dish and she can make it with our philosophy. And she knows all of the clients and their food preferences by name and memory.” The meals Kore offers are organic and made from local ingredients whenever possible. They use no processed foods, no additives, no antibiotics or hormones, no preservatives, and no refined cooking oils or refined sugars. They are 100% gluten-free and dairy-free.
The business has been running for about a year and a half, and Meryl acknowledges the difficulties of being a self-funded, small business, but insists that she prefers it this way. "No funding required us to be more creative with our marketing," she says, adding "and I think we have a stronger connection to our clients."
“It’s difficult, but it’s also really fun. Business is like life, there shouldn’t be an end goal— you should be learning and growing all the time.”
"Business is like life, there shouldn’t be an end goal— you should be learning and growing all the time.”
Tweet this.
Growth for Kore however, does not include meal delivery services outside of Los Angeles. It is important to Meryl that they stick to their values of staying local. “We’re not a corporation, we’re a small business.”
“I don’t want to grow outside of LA. Local is really important to me because of the carbon footprint. With other meal delivery programs, you have to wonder, why are you in California eating food from North Carolina?”
It’s also why they have partnered with LA Compost, a local compost with four hubs, one of which is five minus from the commercial kitchen space. “All of the food that you’re eating, the scraps are going directly to the compost. Not trucked out of the city and brought back to be sold as soil.” They also now have a plot at the Elysian Valley Community Garden where Meryl is trying out her green thumb.
“We’re not trying to feed everybody,” she says, “we’re trying to feed our community.”
Click through the below gallery to see more of Meryl's zero waste lifestyle and see our toothpaste!
More from our blog:
Hello to 5 Time-Saving Beauty Tips from Nikki DeRoest
The Hello to Beauty founder is dishing the beauty goods.
Our schedules are crammed. We can barely make enough time to get to that 7PM spin class after work-- so forget a 30-minute AM prep before work when we need to look presentable. We need a beauty routine that works for our schedules, not against them.
When you work a 9 to 9 every second is valuable.
To help us hack our morning beauty routine, we asked Create & Cultivate DTLA panelist Nikki DeRoest and Hello to Beauty guru to dish the beauty tricks she uses to make her life a little easier. Check her 5 key tips below, and be sure to catch her on panel this May as she shares how to succeed in the business of beauty!
1. Style your hair the night before.
Wash your hair in the evening and let it air dry either all the way or 80% of the way and then finish the last 20% with a blowdryer. You'll save time washing it at night, and will also help the health of your hair. I often completely style my hair at night so that I can do minor touch ups in the morning. You know what they say, when a woman says she can't go out because she has to wash her hair....there's some truth to that!
2. Invest in a good at-home mani.
I always use a "gel" topcoat on all of my at-home manicures. My favorite one is from Sally Hansen’s Miracle Gel, and it prolongs any of my manicures to last at least a week, but I don't damage my nails like the in-salon gel manicures. (Tip: You can use ANY brand nail polish with that topcoat and it works wonders!)
3. Have a masquerade party.
I don't know if I'd call it a hack, but using a lot of face masques is a REALLY good idea! Your skin will love you for it. I switch up the different types of masques, and usually sleep in them.
4. Glow up.
Glowing skin will always make you look younger. Promise.
Make sure to always add a good highlight to the cheekbones to give yourself a youthful glow. My favorite is RMS's Living Luminizer.
5. Have your boss look nailed down.
If you are a busy boss, I think it's important to come up with your "look." That way when you are getting ready for your day-to-day, you don't have to think too hard and can feel confident walking out the door.
MORNING HACK: HAVE YOUR BOSS LOOK NAILED DOWN.
Tweet this.
I have my standard "look" and easily switch it up with different lipstick shades. Of course, in the evening or weekends it can be more of a free-for-all, but I think it's important to know your routine and look so you can get it done quickly.
Celebrating #WorldKindnessDay with the Founders of The Kind Campaign
Killing it with kindness.
Kindness Day was born when a collection of humanitarian groups came together on November 13, 1997 and made a “Declaration of Kindness”. Donating books, food or clothes to your local community is a great way to celebrate. However, these boss ladies went even further and launched an entire campaign.
Both Lauren Paul and Molly Thompson, co-founders of The Kind Campaign experienced bullying in middle and high school. Experiences that shaped who they are and gave them the first-hand knowledge needed when they launched Kind Campaign.
While attending Pepperdine University, Lauren had the opportunity to intern for Tom Shadyac on his documentary project, I Am. Wanting to do something since being "severely bullied" in middle school, Lauren shares that the experience working on a documentary gave her the idea to work on a documentary of her own. One that specifically addressed the issues of bullying.
Lunch in the Broadway Cafe at Pepperdine was the starting point, when both Molly and Lauren enthusiastically said, “YES” to an “uncharted adventure.”
“It was during that life-changing lunch,” shares Lauren, “that I pitched the idea about creating a documentary.” Molly was all-in. “From that moment on,” she says, “we dove head first into everything. The moment we turned on the cameras and held our first interview for the film, we both knew there was a huge potential for something greater.”
That was in 2008. Bullying wasn’t the hot-button topic it is now. They didn’t know if people would be willing to open up about their experiences. But the moment women and girls started talking it was clear that the issue had been swept under the rug for too long. Like Lauren, Molly had her own share of bullying experiences in high school. “Bullying specifically between females,” shares Molly, “was not addressed. It was almost expected and accepted as a rite of passage.”
The college seniors were about to launch a movement.
Those initial interviews for Finding Kind, paved the road toward Kind Campaign, which officially launched in February, 2009. Since inception, Molly and Lauren have spoken at over 400 schools in North American and the UK, activated 390 Kind Clubs across the globe, and Lauren shares that “Kind Campaign Assemblies are now hosted by faculty and volunteers almost every day of the school year.” The co-founders are getting ready to head out on their 12th Founders Assembly Tour.
It’s been an incredible journey for both. Lauren grew up in Orange County and Molly in Dallas, but after sharing a laugh over a YouTube video their junior year of college the two became “fast friends.”
“It feels very surreal looking back on the last several years,” shares Molly who gave birth to daughter Lyla last August and understands the power of the messaging more than ever. “When we first started Kind Campaign, we were running on passion and adrenaline, pulling all nighters and barely scraping by with enough funds to keep going and spreading the movement.” Now the goal of offering free global programming is a reality.
Lauren knows that more than ever young women need to know “that they matter, they are heard and they are equal. That no one can tell them who they are and what they can and can't accomplish.” She also brings up the power of social media and the influence it has over girls’ self-esteem. “There needs to be more conversation about how to have a healthy relationship with your phone. To remind girls that their worth is not determined by how many likes or followers they have.” Adding, “This is something we ALL need to hear and think about.”
More from the co-founders below.
What do you think young women and girls need to hear now more than ever?
Molly: That they are strong, powerful, beautiful, inspiring, unique, and more than capable of accomplishing anything that they put their minds to. And then remind them of this over and over and over again in order to combat the mixed messages that women and girls are fed by the media, by what is going on in our world today, by the experience that they have at school or in the workplace, and by the things that they start to tell themselves because it has become so ingrained within them. I think more than anything they need to be encouraged and allowed to be whoever it is they truly are, rather than to be told what it is they can or can't do, or be put in a box. Now, more than ever, I think we need to remind ourselves and our peers that we are enough, more than enough; and no one can take away our intellect, our self-respect, our beauty, our talents, our voice, or our worth
How can we each carry kindness into the world?
Lauren: Serving others doesn’t necessarily mean starting your own non-profit or dedicating your whole life to community service. One of my favorite quotes was said by Howard Thurman. It reads: “Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
I deeply believe in that motto. There is nothing better than a person who comes alive when they tell or show you what they do or what they’re passionate about, whether that’s being a teacher, sailing, owning a bakery, being a lawyer, singing or being a mom. You will be the best you if you find a way to do what you love and love what you do.
Molly: Every single person has the ability to change the course of someone else's life, just by being awake, being aware, and being kind. We truly do not know the battles that others face in their day-to-day lives, so if we just focus on ourselves and our ability to carry kindness into the world, and we are a light in someone else's life (however small it may be), we have the chance to make someone's day and even save their life.
What is a time in your life when you thought, 'I can't do this anymore?'
Lauren: When I went through my experience being bullied in middle school I remember waking up every morning and thinking that there was no way I was going to make it through another day of school. I went to bed every night not wanting to wake up in the morning. I truly lost myself. But with the support of one friend and my family, I was able to dig myself out of that depression and now I look back and that dark time and know that it all happened for a reason. Without that experience, I would not be doing the work I am doing. I am now able to stand in front of hundreds of girls in our assemblies and remind them that their school experience is just one chapter of their story. That no matter how dark the chapter is that you are in, there is a whole life ahead of you, waiting to be lived, filled with love and adventure.
What's a surprising story you heard during a school assembly that's stuck with you?
Lauren: Rachel is a girl we met during our last Spring tour while in Utah. At the end of all of our assemblies, we take a picture with the group of girls we are speaking to and post the picture on Kind Campaign’s social media. We were scrolling through the girls comments on her school’s photo and came across this comment from Rachel:
“I was at the Kind Campaign assembly at Draper Park. You guys really changed my point of view on everything. I can relate to everyone in the film. Every girlfriend I've had, I have lost.This morning when I woke up I was thinking about committing suicide. I came to school today on the verge of tears. Once I got in and sat down I wasn't really paying attention but once I watched the movie and I was in tears. I came up and shared my Kind Card. It was about one of my best friends. He stood by me through all my hard times. Once I got home I realized that even though some girls can be rude and don't understand what their words can do that it shouldn't be worth dying over. I called my best friend and talked to him for an hour. I was just crying my eyes out. Your assembly today? Yeah, it saved my life.”
We were really moved after reading that and immediately connected with her through Instagram and offered further support with our in-house counselor. Our on-call therapist counsels girls and parents who write to Kind Campaign and need extra conversation and support. This service is free of charge. I still keep in touch with Rachel and she is happy, healthy and doing so well!
What does female empowerment mean to you?
Molly: Everything. Female empowerment is everything. Celebrating each other, our accomplishments, our differences, our failures and our victories so that we feel emboldened and proud of who we are with the knowledge that we are good enough. It has taken on a new meaning since having Lyla. Even though it's always been important to me, now it's even more personal. Not just for myself, not even for all of the incredible young women we meet through our work, but for her - my little heartbeat. She needs to know her worth and feel supported and celebrated. Not judged and picked a part, scrutinized under a more harsh microscope than others.
"Female empowerment is everything."
Tweet this.
Lauren: It means getting to know yourself. Loving and respecting your body, heart and mind. It means doing your best to let go of those female insecurities we all harbor. It means feeling genuinely happy for other women and celebrating their beauty, uniqueness and accomplishments without going to a jealous or competitive place. Don’t be a part of drama and gossip.
What’s on your career bucket list?
Lauren: I’ve always dreamt of writing a book. I would also love to continue speaking in other countries. Molly and I took our Kind Campaign Founders Assemblies to the UK last year and I would love to see our programming continue to spread globally.
Molly: Honestly, in so many ways I feel like I've already exceeded what any bucket list could capture. Not to sound cheesy, but I really do feel so unbelievably lucky to be in the position I am and do what we do. We have always said, "If we can just impact one person, then it has all been worth it." And thanks to social media for making this world seem so small and allowing us to see Kind Campaign's impact, we have the opportunity to hear from that "one person" who has been impacted on a regular basis. So I guess my career bucket list would be to keep Kind Campaign's messaging current enough as time goes on to continue to have such a profound impact on people. And to meet Oprah.
How This Female Comedian Went From Master of None to Master of All
There's no such thing as a career path.
Noël Wells spent one-season on Saturday Night Live before she landed opposite Aziz Ansari on Master of None, where she played Rachel.
She's also writes and sings lead in her band @t.h.e.m.a.r.y.s. and Power Couple (working title) a show she created, wrote, and is attached to star, was picked up by Comedy Central.
If that's not enough, earlier this year at SXSW Wells made her directorial debut in Mr. Roosevelt, a coming-of-age comedy that Wells wrote, directed, and stared in. The movie follows a young comedian Emily, played by Wells, who has gone "viral" with a spaghetti vid. But going viral isn't all it's cracked up to be, and when the titular character (spoiler: her cat) falls ill, Emily treks it back to her hometown of Austin where she must face the life she left behind. Namely, her ex-boyfriend and his Pinterest-perfect new girlfriend, who has gallery-walled the living room space and has the pair off coffee.
What follows is a frank misfortune of events (plus some smack talking on LA Mexican food) that leaves Emily wondering WTF happened to her life? We caught up with the quad-threat to real talk airbrushed armpits and why "Hollywood is just a bunch of weirdos trying to find their way."
Important question first: Why name the cat Teddy Roosevelt?
I wanted the cat to have a sort of timeless iconic name, the sort of name a younger person would think to name an animal, but also one that could sound like an actual important person so audiences who haven’t read the synopsis could have the potential of being surprised about who Mr. Roosevelt is. Originally I named him Mr. Rogers, which felt very much like “childhood” and burying the past, but my producers were working on a Fred Rogers movie already and so we had to change the name. After a couple of ideas, Teddy Roosevelt felt like it matched a big, orange cat and had the gravitas of something bigger. Since then we have had a lot of weird Teddy Roosevelt coincidences surrounding the film, so it feels meant to be.
Second: Do you really think LA has bad tacos?
Well I think my real battle is the big burrito/taco standoff. Tacos beat burritos, hands down. As far as LA tacos vs. Austin tacos, I like smaller taco trucks in LA, but I think generally I prefer Mexican food in Texas. It’s just more flavorful! Please don’t hate me!
Now...Working with Aziz you said that you felt the two characters were “on equal footing.” Why, besides the obvious, was this important to you?
I just am not interested in being an actress or creative that doesn’t have some say in what’s happening. I like collaborating, I want to be engaged. I have too many things inside me and I need places to put them. When I don’t, I get really depressed and despondent.
Do you feel like you’ve been able to be your authentic self in Hollywood?
I’m sure we all cave to some pressure to be like “something” else in order to fit in, and as much as I think I’m always being true to who I am, I see many ways I chase after the wrong things or people in this town. That being said, Hollywood is just a bunch of weirdos trying to find their way, and because of that, I’ve been able to find my true self more and more and it’s even welcomed. The most awkward things for me are glamorous events. I’m not great on red carpets or photo shoots, but I’m learning how to have fun with image where before I would think I was a liar or faking if I dressed up. I think I’m realizing I’ve been in the glamour closet and I actually like being fabulous. Time will tell.
Wells in Mr. Roosevelt
You’ve been promoting your directorial debut, Mr. Roosevelt, which, you also wrote and star in. More women are taking their careers into their own hands. Why was this an essential part of your journey?
I am always thinking about things to make and write and create, it’s always in my head and I go crazy if I’m not making something. This just felt like a natural progression of that journey. I think now it stands as proof to myself and other people that I have the capacity to do much bigger things.
Speaking of your journey, in the movie your character, Emily, works an editing job while pursuing her dream, what are some of the odder jobs you’ve taken while hustling your dream?
Oh boy. I’ve been working since I was 15, oftentimes having 2-3 jobs at a time so I’ve had many an odd job. A few that come to mind: I was a manager of an ice cream store, I created Wikipedia pages for businesses, I wrote and photographed how-to articles for listicle websites along the lines of “How to make a smoothie” or “How to give yourself a pedicure”...and I used to make my own clothes and sell them on eBay.
Mr. Roosevelt addresses the aimlessness that so many young women feel. What’s your advice to them?
We are in uncharted times economically as so many careers shift into tech and so much is being outsourced. I think my advice is really about healing and community. We’ve become so fractured as a culture, the only way to sustain ourselves is to come back together, and if you take care of yourself and get better, you’re going to be able to help other people too. This gives you a sense of purpose, and you get better, so it’s a win-win.
"The only way to sustain ourselves is to come back together."
Tweet this.
There’s a brief moment in the film when Emily looks at her diploma that’s been left in a box in a shed-- and there’s this universal feeling of 'oh, right, this thing. What IS this THING?' And she puts it back. Have you had similar moments?
Yeah. My favorite part about college was that I picked up a lot of useful skills in production classes, but I think in many ways, it seemed like a developmental delay. A diploma doesn’t really mean anything, really. After college I sort of realized I was trying way too hard to succeed in a system, and that success wasn’t really making me happy. I missed out on other real-world experiences I should have been having. But it’s different for everyone!
This also might seem rather minute, but when the she meets up with the crew at the swim hole, no one has perfectly shaved armpits. And it felt like another fresh breath of relief. Let’s not airbrush armpits! Let’s not airbrush life. There’s obviously some poking at Pinterest-life throughout the movie. “Pecans from another state,” meltdown in mind here. Would love hear your thoughts on this.
My big thing in life, is I’m just not interested in manufacturing or falsifying anything. Beauty is all around us in many shapes or sizes, and in many ways it’s all perception. We get to say what is beautiful. So for me, confidence is beautiful. Love is beautiful. Genuine self-expression is beautiful. So images can be beautiful, but often times, beauty gets distorted, and then the essence of what is beautiful is twisted, and it confuses people and makes them feel bad about themselves. I grew up hating everything about myself because of these distortions, and this has been my personal journey as a woman, to just learn to love myself. And part of that has been by seeing through these distortions, and also recognizing other people who are distorting things are also confused. So Emily’s critique of these perfect women is also problematic, if that makes sense. She’s not seeing them for who they really are, which are hurting women just like her.
"Beauty is all around us in many shapes or sizes, and in many ways it’s all perception."
Tweet this.
Accepting that everything changes is part of growing up. Do you remember a point like that in your life?
This is going to sound dumb, but just making this movie is a major lesson in everything changing. You have something very set in your head about how it’s going to go, you have all these plans and goals about what it will be and look like and what it will do for you, and by the end, if you held onto that image, you wouldn’t have made any progress and you would be in despair because it absolutely is not anything like what you wanted. But that’s okay, it’s been an insane ride and I honestly know I’m better off for it being so difficult and challenging.
Female friendships are super important in the movie. How did you find support while making the movie?
The female actors on the shoot were all really incredible, and they kept me going, and my cinematographer Dagmar Weaver-Madsen was my rock through the shoot. She totally understood the spirit of the film from the beginning, and is also incredibly perceptive about the pressures and roadblocks that women face day-to- day on set. Anytime I would get discouraged, she was there pumping me up and supporting me unconditionally.
Do you feel supported by Hollywood?
Hollywood isn’t really one thing or one entity. I will say I have found my people in the city of Los Angeles, and I’m working to find my creative partners as well. Like anything in life, it’s a journey trying to find where you fit in.
Do you feel stronger doing something on your own?
I’ve always been one to do things on my own, but this has shown to me you really could take everything away from me, put me on a desert island with nothing but some stick and some sand, and I’d still figure out a way to put on a show. But also, I don’t WANT to be on an island alone, I’m really sick and tired of doing everything alone. I want to make things with people.
What type of roles are you most interested in?
I like looking at people’s darkness, the thing that makes someone tick, and also the things that make them lovable even if they’re outwardly being bad or insufferable.
We recently talked to Zoe Lister-Jones who employed an all-female crew, which we found incredibly inspiring. Who have you recently been inspired by?
I’m really impressed with a lot of my female friends as of lately. After Trump was elected, it’s been a year where everyone is looking inside and at themselves and figuring out what they can do to change themselves so they can be of service to the world. I have friends who are hosting salons at their homes, organizing writer’s groups, spear-heading political fundraisers, getting us together to volunteer across Los Angeles, and creating content like I’ve never seen before. No woman I know is content with despairing for too long, we’re all figuring out how to come together.
Given the recent exposure of sexual assault stories in Hollywood, what would you like to see change in the industry?
I just think I’m exasperated by the abuse on all levels. I am here to make art, and I wish more people were into the creation process rather than the fame or money or accolades. That may not change, so I think just rooting out abuse in all forms is what I’d like to see. Outside of sexual harassment, there are a lot of bad bosses yelling and screaming and abusing their employees, and there are people who commit a lot of creative “crimes” to get ahead. I wish more people would operate from a place of integrity and accountability.
Have you experienced situations that have made you uncomfortable and how did you handle it?
All the time. I’ve never gotten it quite right. I’d say about 50 percent of the time I stand up for myself in violating situations, and 100% of those times it initially appeared to backfire on me. But as time is playing itself out, I see now that defending myself or leaving a bad sexual situation or standing up to bullies was the right thing to do, and that will hopefully empower me to do that always. It’s better to be ejected from toxic environments than to stay and be eaten alive.
"It’s better to be ejected from toxic environments than to stay and be eaten alive."
What’s coming up next?
A lot of writing, a lot of percolating. Hopefully more directing and acting.
To check out Mr. Roosevelt, click here.
Top photo credit: Beachside
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
How This Massive IG Star Handles the Haters
It's so simple, it's brillz.
She’s got jokes. Which also means, she’s got brains.
Arielle Vandenberg, who is on a first name basis (@arielle) with the digital world, has been making videos and thereby making people laugh for decades. She says she made her mom laugh all the time when she was little, but it was her grandma who thought Arielle was, “the funniest kid ever-- she even wrote everything I said down into a book,” the actress and comedian tells us.
It was also her grandma who told her “Don’t do drugs,” when she first thought about moving to LA. "I think that's pretty great advice,” she laughs. While GMA might have kept the digitally savvy star on the straight and narrow, it's her hard work, diligence, and “being true to myself,” that have really paid off.
In December of 2015 the actress and comedian was one of the most followed personalities on Vine, with a fanbase of almost 2 million. People tuned in to watch her goof off, ask life’s big mysterious questions, and upload videos with bestie and now boyfriend (AKA from Cutty to CUTIE) Matt Cutshall. Though the video app announced its shuttering in 2015, her feat of amassing such a loyal and large following can't be ignored. It comes down to creativity and precise comedic timing. If you can get people to laugh in six seconds or under, with an iPhone, you’re doing something right. She's transferred her following to Instagram, proving that it wasn't a one-off. She's good a social. Like, really good.
Calling herself “the professional Jim Carrey impersonator,” it was the funny man who got Arielle hooked on comedy. “I wanted to be a comedian because of Jim Carrey. I would sit in my room alone and just make faces in the mirror for hours. And also Tina Fey, well because she's a powerhouse of a woman!”
Growing up outside of Los Angeles, Arielle got the bug for acting when she was young. She’s had roles in numerous TV shows like How I Met Your Mother and Bones. She’s opinionated, telling Esquire, “If you don’t like animals, you’re not living,” not worried about fangirling out over Justin Bieber or dressing as the pop star for Halloween (a role she reprised this year), and says “internet bullies” have been challenging, but jokes, “haters gon hate.”
It’s easy for her to keep going, even in the face of Vine’s shuttering. She continues to build her career in the face of a tectonic shift in the digital landscape. “I’ve always loved making people laugh,” shares Arielle, “so I made it my job. And now I have the best job in the entire world!” She can also bust out “performance dance” anywhere and everywhere to keep her spirits up and her morning prayers “make the day a million times better.”
"I've always loved making people laugh, so I made it my job."
Tweet this.
The multitalented digital star preaches kindness— makes sense she’s BFF with last year's C&C 100 honoree Lauren Paul. “Teaching young girls to be kind,” she says, is immensely important. “Kids are the future and kindness is the way.”
In the last five years Arielle says she’s “gone to third base” with her career, which, guess what? means we can still expect her home run. What might that mean for her? Making Jim Carrey (who else?) a costar, creating her own show, and “purchasing a wiener dog.”
Alrighty then.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
How Cold-Calling Chanel Landed One Woman Her Dream Job
Twist ending on this one.
Alyssa Wasko cold-called her way into a job a Chanel. For most, that sounds like a dream job. (And it was.) But after six years at the fashion house, the budding designer struck out on her own, launching DONNI (previously Donni Charm). Wasko named the brand after her late father, whom she lost during her time at Chanel. She started making scarves as a way to cope with his passing, but it quickly turned into something more.
Today, DONNI, is a collection of everyday essentials, each with endless ways to wear. Scarves, capes, and more are made in Los Angeles by women who are like family to the brand. Something her dad would certainly be proud of.
You started you career at an incredibly chic fashion house. How did you land the job?
Persistence. I called the head of Chanel USA’s Visuals and Image department every day for about 3 months leaving him voicemails until he finally called me back. I think he gave me the job so I would stop bothering him. He was my boss for 6 years and now one of my closest friends.
Where does that drive and ability to pick up the phone come from?
I think it was how I was raised. If you want something go and get it. But, above all, I am old fashioned and I believe that the best things happen from a phone call. Every day there seems to be a new means of communication and I just like to keep it classic. The phone leaves no room for misinterpretation.
What did you learn while working there?
So much. What to do, what not to do. Working for a big corporation, you learn about infrastructure and procedures, experience that have proven invaluable for running Donni. I think my biggest take away is how important it is for each team member to see how their work directly affects the outcome and the brand’s success. Every email, phone call, meeting, brainstorming session, or even mistakes, by a member at Donni directly correlates to our growth and I think that is such a rewarding feeling. And I hope what makes them happy and excited to come to work each day!
When did you decide to strike out on your own?
I had already started Donni when I was working at Chanel, there were a few years of overlap. I was very lucky that my bosses were so supportive of Donni from the beginning. My father passed away during my first summer working with them so they lived through it all with me in a sense. Because I was able to sustain both for a while, it was hard to figure out when made sense to focus fully on Donni. But, as they say, man plans and g-d laughs and it just kind of happened after a few big orders and trips to our factory in LA. It just became too hard to sustain both and I wasn’t able to put 100% into both anymore.
Sometimes it’s the hardest moments that lead to our greatest development. Can you chat a little about this and how the loss of your dad gave birth to a new chapter?
My mantra and truly my survival was constantly telling myself to act and make decisions that would make my dad proud. A lot of people told me to take a semester off of school to cope, and while I considered it an option I knew my dad would have laughed and said “get your tush in gear. Wasko’s don’t give up.” I not only went back to school, but I took on another 3 classes to my already full course load and a few odd jobs. When that wasn’t enough, on an afternoon that wasn’t sufficiently busy I decided to make a scarf for myself and a friend adding a good luck charm to each. I had always loved scarves and found them so to be comforting yet effortless. Before I knew it, my piers wanted these scarves, and I was so confused! I went to school in Arizona where it was 90 degrees daily. But that’s how I realized my product was a real business, because people wanted more than just the scarf, they were buying into the idea, and the feel good component that it represented.
What would you encourage young female entrepreneurs to test out before they dip their toes in the startup world?
It sounds cliché, but don’t just start a brand to start a brand, let the idea find you—make sure you are truly solving a problem or filling a need, and make sure each of your products goes back to your fundamental solution. But furthermore, anyone can have an idea, and it is execution that determines your success or failure.
"Don’t just start a brand to start a brand, let the idea find you."
Tweet this.
What do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions about starting a business?
That it has this glamour to it. It doesn’t. You are always on the clock, always schlepping, always thinking of how to make things better—even when they are great. There is always room for improvement. I think a lot of people think you start something and hire all of these people and you can go on vacation whenever you want. Couldn’t be farther from the reality, its hard work! And it never stops. Ever.
You did a slight rebrand this year. Can you chat about that decision and why now was the right time?
Who knows if it was the right time, but it just happened. I felt simply that we had outgrown the Charm. I started this brand in college, and I have grown up a lot since then, so I wanted the name to reflect the more sophisticated lifestyle brand that we have grown into.
How do you expect DONNI to grow and change?
Retail is changing a lot these days, so I do see expanding our Direct to Consumer business, but I also try not to worry about the future, and just keep allowing the change as it comes. So far all of our growth has been such an organic evolution. Each pivot and change coming when something presents itself. I hope that that is how it continues. For a very long time.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
How This Touring Photographer Survives Life on the Road
She's photographed Dolly Parton. That's all we're gonna say.
Allister Ann recently spent two days with Dolly Parton in Nashville. How's that for a 9-5?
Hint: it's not. As a successful music photographer and director known for her work with such artists as Tegan and Sara, Cold War Kids, Andrew Bird, yes, Dolly Parton and Adele-- to name drop a few-- the photog is used to long hours on set and on tour. See, the 29-year-old is also one of the few female music tour photographers, working as Kenny Chesney's personal photographer.
But life on the road is no breeze. And it's a field that's dominated by men (tickle our tummies and call us not surprised!)-- but not for long. Though Allister admits that tour life can take it's toll, she's seeing more women join the ranks. Read through to learn more about life from Allister's side of the lens.
Do you remember the first photo you took that captured a look, a soul, a vibe, where you thought, YES! This is my medium?
I remember while walking to and from FIDM college in downtown Los Angeles, there was, and still is a large population of men and women without homes. Taking the same route every day, some of them became familiar and we exchanged greetings, over time getting to know some names and later hearing a few stories. There was a bakery close by and sometimes I would share breakfast with them. I finally asked to take one mans portrait. There was something very special seeing that film developed. It wasn't just a picture, it was someone that I had taken the time to get to know. There was sentiment within it. That's the feeling that gave it meaning.
Where did you get your professional start?
While in Los Angeles going to school, I was taking photographs all the time, and learning the trade, but didn't make the conscious decision to take it on as a possible career until I quit school, moved to Nashville, and got my first paying professional job. There truly is something to be said when declaring what you want for yourself. I won’t say it's fooling others into believing in you, but believing in yourself enough to get what you truly want.
"There truly is something to be said when declaring what you want for yourself."
Tweet this.
How did that transition to the music industry?
Music had always been a big part of my life, and Nashville naturally exposed me to some of the most talented artists in the business. My first job was photographing a musician, and it all fell into place from there.
What was the first tour you went out on?
There were several ‘unofficial’ tours in the beginning. The first being Augustana, friends who believed in me and asked me to tag along. It really just felt like a road trip with friends, but with the addition of a camera to document our time together. Another was 30 Seconds to Mars, that was an experience in and of itself. We did only festivals that part of tour, so in between photographing the guys, I met other bands and shot them as well. Some of those people are still dear friends. The first official tour was with The Civil Wars. I was hired to be their exclusive photographer/videographer. We were together for about 3 years, and I was constantly by their side to document everything. It was an incredible experience.
What was life like on the road?
Going from city to city, shows night after night, it can all blend in together, but we were happy to be there and made the most of it. You can't help but become a tight knit family when constantly on the road. In the beginning, it was smaller venues, but as it quickly progressed, the venues became bigger and the audiences larger. Our first tour of Europe was amazing. We were all so thrilled to be there and share that experience. Photographing every moment started as simply documenting but quickly changed to becoming the makings of a family album of an incredible journey that none of us ever wanted to forget.
Why do you think it’s a field not many women are in?
When I first started there weren't many women doing what I did. Traveling can be a downside for some, physically and mentally-- it can take its toll. It's a different lifestyle that can be exhausting, but also exhilarating. I've seen over time though that there are more touring women photographers now and that's inspiring.
I've seen over time though that there are more touring women photographers now and that's inspiring.
Linda McCartney, Autumn De Wilde, Pennie Smith, and Annie Leibovitz during her time with Rolling Stones opened the doors and paved the path, and I would hope that in time many more women will choose this challenging but rewarding career.
L: Jenny Lewis; R: Vérité Published, Allister Ann
Are there moments where you’ve been treated differently as a woman?
Unfortunately yes, there have been times when being a female is thought to be a disability in some way. Assumptions that I may not be physically able to do the job or that my knowledge is limited. I found over time that it's not so much having to prove yourself, but more so handling situations as they arise with professionalism and a bit of grace. If you are comfortable in your own skin, and confident in your work, it will ultimately speak for itself, and the gender factor will never come into play.
If you are comfortable in your own skin, and confident in your work, it will ultimately speak for itself.
As you’ve grown in your profession how has your photographer’s eye changed?
Not so much changing but more so evolving. What I am inspired by at the moment, subjects I'm working with, everything is a contributing element to the final product.This last year I have been studying forms and light in sculptures and flowers among other still objects.It's a nice relief from the immediate reaction that documentary work requires.
We live in a world where everything is shared, everything is very visual, what is part of your art form that digital can’t take away?
Shooting film is still why I love photography. It keeps me on my toes in the sense of feeling that I had to earn that photo. There's no immediate fulfillment, but just an excited anticipation of waiting to see if it turned out as good, or better then you hoped for. It's a toss of the coin, or luck of the draw when you shoot in film. There's something very mysterious about it that keeps me fascinated with it.
Who are you most excited to shoot coming up?
An artist that I've worked with for the past few years just announced next years tour, so I'm very excited to see that road family again and spend some time with them. Also have been working on a portrait project of some fascinating people I've been wanting to meet. Portraits to me are so intimate and allows me to spend time with a stranger and get to know them, still one of my favorite things to do when I'm home.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
This Is How You Thrive After Bankruptcy
Just keep swimming.
28 years ago, when Rachel Ashwell opened her first Shabby Chic store in Santa Monica, CA, "the world," she says, "was a very different place." It was August, 1989. There was no Instagram. Computers weren't yet a household mainstay. Google (b: 1998) was not around. At the time Ashwell was recently divorced and looking for a career path that allowed her to balance being a "young mum of two teeny children," who were six weeks and two-years-old, with work. A store "seemed like the perfect path."
Raised in an artistic and cultural household by parents who made money by way of flea markets, the designer learned the world of searching for treasure at an early age. At 16 she left school to become a stylist and "create worlds of fantasy." She used her background, her talents and know-how, her proclivity for hard work, and opened a "little store," on a "wing and a prayer." She didn't have a traditional business background, but in many ways this made her fearless.
"My mission," she says, "was simple: to bring a world of beauty, comfort and function to the home furnishing retail market." The first store had anchor products of washable slipcovered upholstery, vintage accessories, and sun-bleached fabrics.
It became a movement, spawning she says, " a whole new way for people to decorate and live." Shabby Chic was a retail success. Everyone from Julia Roberts to Oprah came calling. The E! Network offered Ashwell her own show which ran from 1998-2003, and by 2008, her children grown and about to head off to college, she was thinking, "what's next?" She hired a CEO, met with investor groups, and signed on to a plan that would expand the business from six to 57 stores in five years.
Then the financial crisis hit and Shabby Chic filed for bankruptcy in 2009.
"In 2007 I decided to bring on investors who had the capital and strategic skill sets I didn't have. Sadly the timing of the economy was wrong, and so after 18 months the new strategy fell apart."
It was a devastating blow.
"I was in disbelief; first to myself and many of my fans, as this was a beloved brand that was still so alive and had more beauty to share. But after months of trying to salvage portions of the company," she recalls, "it was all lost."
But part of the Shabby Chic dynamism is the acceptance of imperfection. For Ashwell, though this shock came during a time when she also suffered the loss of her mother and the hurdles of broken romance, it was her "lesson in learning to let go, grieving, finding faith and finding my strength."
In many way this was the same approach she took toward her company: accepting that life and people are not perfect. "How we live in the privacy of our homes," she explains, "is a manifestation of that philosophy. Learning to accept that things don't go as planned allows us to see the beauty of what isn't perfect."
This she believes is why Shabby Chic has resonated so profoundly with its customers over two decades. That, and an honest determination from its founder.
"While I watched my castle crumble, somewhere in my broken heart I knew somehow we would come back. Shabby Chic was my family."
"Learning to accept that things don't go as planned allows us to see the beauty of what isn't perfect."
Tweet this.
Looking back and given the chance to do it again, she says, "I would have let my voice be heard when my instincts had something to say. The investors were wise schooled men and so I trusted they knew more than I in 'scaling a company.'"
But fear has never ruled her roost. "I left school so young and really had no traditional education, and my way of learning is by trying and doing. The good side of that is fear doesn't fester."
So she tried, did, lost for a minute, but got back up. "One has to expect to make mistakes," she notes, "and somehow lessons have to be learned, if not in the classroom, then in life." Today, Shabby Chic is on a journey back to the top where Ashwell's instinct is to stay true to her brand, even if it seems out of fashion.
"My gut is saying, The World of Shabby Chic is still relevant and to stay authentic. Less in more, small is ok too.....just be true."
Last year in 2016 Ashwell expanded Simply Shabby Chic ™ into Target, from bedding to other areas of home. A collection called Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell Chalk & Clay Paint, which grew from customer requests over the years to learn how she selects and uses paint. She's also "letting Rachel Ashwell come to the light from the shadows of Shabby Chic. This will be at a couture level, not compromising on any details, the crème de la crème of my world."
It's a world where mistakes don't mean failure. Where rough patches are smoothed over with "friends, mentors," a lot of hard word, and the occasional "good, sad movie."
It is a world where bigger isn't always better.
In addition to her other projects, Ashwell opened, "The world’s smallest furniture store on Lexington Ave in NYC. Just 250 square feet. But my goal is to tell my visual story, curated intimately but proudly. For me I am happy sitting with the stars, the moon can be for the big boys."
"For me I am happy sitting with the stars, the moon can be for the big boys."
Tweet this.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Weed Need to Talk: I Had an Unconventional & Controversial Job
We chatted with a female grower about the weed biz.
We Need to Talk is a bi-monthly, anonymous series, where contributors share stories about business, life, and the stuff we don't talk about.
Mary Jane. Mother plant. Only female plants make the buds needed to get you buzzed. So it seems natural that women could dominate the billion dollar marijuana industry.
In 1996 California was the first state to allow the medical use of marijuana with the passing of Prop 215. There are now five states, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington State, as well as Washington, DC which have legalized recreational, as well as medical, marijuana. 20 more states have legalized medical Mary Jane. It's an incredibly lucrative business, both for health and fiscal purposes, but in 2004 there weren't a lot of women working as growers.
We caught up with one of the women in CA who went from grunt to dealing with large volume dispensaries to chat herb and business.
What was your role in the business?
I was green and super young when I started. At the beginning it was all about shadowing my business partners who were very knowledgeable, discreet, and a little intimidating. So like any job I did the grunt work: potting, balancing the PH water levels, feeding, spraying, plant spotting, testing equipment and cleaning water wells.
As we grew into the farm I managed the life-cycle of the plants from babies to curated buds. Every eight weeks we had a new crop but every five weeks we were seeding for the next round. It goes quickly and like any business you're constantly managing what's going out and what's growing up. Plant production is a lot like event production. High stress, lots of moving pieces and equipment, and big pay days!
"Plant production is a lot like event production. High stress, lots of moving pieces and equipment, and big pay days!"
Tweet this.
Six months into the business I was also managing the sales. Our business partner made some initial connections but since we all had the same product I started venturing out. I was eager, young, and a little naive, but it played well into my sales. I hit the pavement hard. I walked into dispensaries showed them samples, gave them notes, and high balled the product. Being a young and attractive lady in a male-dominated industry, I rocked at sales! Before long I did sales trips on my own and negotiated with large volume dispensaries in Oakland, LA, and SF.
How did you get into it?
Love! Love at first sight kind of love. My friend dragged me to a house party and the moment I locked eyes with this man we were hooked. But our romance was suppose to be quick since I was moving to NYC in five weeks. I told him not to fall in love.... I ended up leaving but only got as far as Santa Fe when he sent me an email and a business plan in Excel. He laid out his plan to build a farm, make loads of cash and travel the world with me. He was smitten and I was intrigued.
I put NYC on hold and flew back to him and started what was the beginning of an incredible journey and the story that is my life.
What kept you involved?
Love, money, and seeing the world! I was 22, it was 2004 and I had never considered I could be a self-made woman. I am fiercely independent so the appeal of creating my own lifestyle and product at such a young age was an incredible opportunity.
We both developed side projects throughout our partnership which helped with the stress and anxiety of our business. As a freelance florist I was exposed to a new side of luxury and I was hooked. Flowers and event design were ultimately the driving force to me leaving the farm business.
Was there any point where you were worried about the legality of what you were doing?
Yes and no!
No, because we always stayed within our permit limits when growing. But everything else we dealt with was like living in a constant state of extreme paranoia!
Were there any ‘oh sh*t’ moments? I’m about to get arrested or someone I know just got raided?
Many! I am actually considering writing a book about all of them. We were blackmailed, a few of my buyers got busted, and in a state of utter paranoia my ex partner had me cut down an entire crop. I remember that day thinking to myself this is it. I am done. I had a stash of cash and quickly made plans to leave SF. I had enough and was ready for my NY experience.
"In a state of utter paranoia my ex partner had me cut down an entire crop."
Tweet this.
When people asked you 'what do you do,' how did you respond?
Creative Services! Once we had the garden going I started freelancing as a florist. I really immersed myself and learned everything I could about plants, flowers, and business. I got a few steady freelance gigs that helped me stay connected to the outside world.
There aren’t many women in the weed biz, especially a decade ago, what was that like?
Oh, I love this question. I realized early on that being a women in my position was a huge asset. It was unexpected, surprising, and refreshing. It showed in my sales and gave me an edge. At times it was intimidating when negotiating price per lb. with five guys in a warehouse, a guard and cameras everywhere, but ultimately my product was superb and boutique. Having multiple businesses since then I actually prefer being a minority.
What do you think decriminalizing weed would look like nationwide? is this something that’s important to you?
Absolutely. We have got to pull out all those young men and women who are serving time for non -violent offenses, possession, or who have been targeted because of their socio-economic situation. Our laws surrounding marijuana are archaic, unjust, and need to be amended.
"Our laws surrounding marijuana are archaic, unjust, and need to be amended."
Tweet this.
More from our blog:
This Sought-After LA Designer Has So Much Going On (Your Head Will Spin)
But she is THRIVING.
“Take a deep breath and listen, practice some restraint.”
Those are the words of current breadwinner, mom, and captain of a design business that’s rapidly expanding: Justina Blakeney, founder of The Jungalow. The interior design boss is the first to admit that “no one knows how it’s going to go," but handling uncertainty is a big part of entrepreneurship. "There are days when I feel like things aren’t balanced or chill, when I have to work a lot and travel,” but, she says, “I think it’s important to understand in what type of environment your thrive. I flourish in the multi-hustle world.”
Her environment is lush. Full of color, vibrant patterns and plants; it’s a design style that says no to minimalism. In a way, it’s a multi-hustle of its own.
Images via The Jungalow
And with a New York Times bestseller, The New Bohemians (which, she wrote and shot in less than three months), as well as her new release (as of yesterday!) The New Bohemian Handbook, collabs with Living Spaces and Beyond Yoga, a Sunset Magazine cover, a booming design business and blog, a tot at home, multiple employees at her office space, and plenty more in the works, Justina has reached a point where she gets her gig. “Having a lot going on at one time really suits my personality,” she notes.
"I flourish in the multi-hustle world.”
Tweet this.
Most Jungalow income still comes from social media and the blog, but the business is expanding rapidly. What exactly is in the works? “The Jungalow world takeover.” NBD. And it’s moving fast— a pace she is most comfortable with. “People need to be able to keep up,” she says, “and I have no patience for people who work slowly. Being able to be fast is how you can make money. You have to be quick.”
Justina says, “I worked really hard to not be known as a blogger. I wanted to be known as a designer first.” The plan with the furniture line is to develop the wholesale side of the business first. That way, “by the time we get into a retail we’ll be a brand name.” She describes ecommerce as “an intimidating whole new universes.” Citing the customer service, sales tax, and returns. “But what I keep telling myself,” she explains, “is that it’s not hard, it’s just a lot. And the hardest part is making the leap.” Especially when you're conditioned to think business is a man's game. “There was this moment,” she explains, “where it became very clear to me that being good at business was not about being good at numbers, or understanding the Dow Industrial— that’s what I thought being ‘good a business’ meant.”
“As women,” she says, “we’re trained to think that business is not a woman’s game— it’s not left-brained. But being able to relate to people has proven to be a much bigger asset than I knew.”
Developing her brand meant make hard choices, like passing on 50k opportunities because they “didn’t make sense,” both aesthetically and in her gut. She’s driven by authenticity, while also understanding that “businesses are machines that are created for profit. You can’t depend on someone else for your well-being. It’s something I always have in the back of my mind— to make sure I have my own back.”
Still, her support for other women and women of color is unwavering. “Female empowerment is about having your own back and having the back of your sisters,” she insists. “It’s so hard for me to watch women not supporting other women and men not supporting women. As a woman of color and as a woman, it’s painful for me to see. It’s so easy to be catty and jealous, but it’s so counter-productive. It’s so much easier to be supportive.”
Styling provided by Reservoir LA. Hair and makeup provided by Glamsquad. Photography courtesy of Light Lab and Woodnote Photography.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Hollywood Roundtable: 4 Actresses Talk Sexism in Tinseltown
Take this sexism.
Given the recent reports of Harvey Weinstein's disgusting behavior, we are re-sharing this conversation, which took place this past July.
What’s it like being a woman in Hollywood? It’s a frustrating (and surely, aggravating) question on many fronts. Well, it’s like any other industry. There are moments of extreme pride and accomplishment. There are moments of doubt. Moments of anger and rage at endless sexism.
But we caught up with Natalie Morales, director, writer, and actress whom you'll see in the upcoming Emma Stone and Steve Carell flick, Battle of the Sexes, June Diane Raphael, actress, comedian, and writer who currently plays Jane Fonda's daughter and the CEO behind Lily Tomlin’s organic lube enterprise in the acclaimed Grace and Frankie, and Kulap Vilaysack, writer, actress, comedian, and the only female show-runner/EP alongside four male EP’s on Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ on Seeso to ask just that.
left to right: June Diane in Grace and Frankie; Natalie Morales for Into the Gloss shot by Tom Newton; and Kulap Vilaysack.
So, what’s it like as a woman in Hollywood?
Natalie Morales: This is a question I get a lot and I’m never sure how to answer because I don’t know what it’s like to be a man in Hollywood. I feel great. I love my industry. I love what I do and I love the people I meet.
June Diane Raphael: I love being a woman. And I love acting and writing and overall creating. Sometimes the combination of those two things can be frustrating, but being a woman is one of my favorite things to be!
Kuala Vilaysack: At the moment, I feel empowered and clear-eyed… Like Moana on the other side of the horizon. Now I know what you are thinking, “Kulap is very cool and accessible for connecting so strongly to an animated film made for children.” Thank you.
“At the moment, I feel empowered and clear-eyed… Like Moana on the other side of the horizon.”
Tweet this.
Do you ever think your job would be easier if you were a man?
Natalie: Definitely, but I think most jobs would be. For starters, I’d get paid more. So that makes it easier off the bat. Secondly, as in most jobs, people would take me more seriously. Especially as a director and writer. I’m sure there are a lot more reasons it’d be easier, but those are the big ones.
June Diane: I’m married to a man and we have very similar struggles (always wanting more out of our careers, always struggling with feeling “less than” as an artist) but I also have particular fears and concerns that (for me) feel specifically female (likability or lack there of, sexuality and too much of it/too little of it, reluctance to self promote) I think in general being a human (if you are awake to the experience) can be very challenging (men need healing for their role as oppressors/maintainers of the patriarchy as much as women need healing as the oppressed — we have both lost our humanity in this struggle). I feel this as a white person who benefits (through no merit of my own) from the white supremacist society we live in. I don’t wish to be in someone else’s shoes, but I wish to dismantle the racist patriarchal society I live in as it both oppresses me and supports me.
Kulap, you’re the only female show-runner/EP alongside four male EP’s on Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ on Seeso, has there been a time when it felt your gender held you back?
Kulap: No, probably because I have the final say on all matters concerning the show. Scott Aukerman, David Jargowsky, Thomas Lennon and R. Ben Garant continue to be incredibly supportive and I’ve benefited greatly from their experience and input. Fortunately, I’ve been afforded the space necessary to come into my own.
Do you have any specific anecdotes of gender bias?
Kulap: When we were interviewing department heads before production of Season 1, the old school men tended to direct their questions to the male seated beside me. I did not appreciate that. With four seasons of the show under my belt, I am glad to be past the craning of necks looking for the man in charge.
Natalie: I have had people tell me to my face, and mean it, that women are not as funny as men. And so they don’t hire women. This is a real thing. I have had people tell me to sit in the back of the 12 passenger van when I’m already in the front seat (I get car sick) because my male peer might like to sit in the front. I am 100% sure I have been paid less than most of my male co-stars for the same or more work. I have been thought of as a silly actress when I present work that I’m trying to direct or write.
"I have had people tell me to my face, and mean it, that women are not as funny as men. And so they don’t hire women."
Tweet this.
June Diane: Before pitching a feature film to a studio, an older male producer hid my index cards around the room while I went to the bathroom. When I returned, he had me play the “hotter colder” game while I walked around trying to find them. He then also requested I take off the blazer I was wearing to see my tank top. I complied.
That all sounds truly awful. Where are the areas where Hollywood can make progress?
Kulap: We need more women in power/hiring positions in all aspects of the business. More men in these positions need to make it a priority to hire more women. Hire women. Recommend women. Advocate for women.
June: Every story shouldn’t have one black friend or one woman to create the illusion of inclusion. Diverse casts can support more than ONE! The same goes for writer’s rooms. We need to look at this idea of “we just want to hire the best people for the job” and ask ourselves what that means. Storytelling, at least in my experience, has been at it’s best with a million different perspectives and viewpoints and life experience.
Natalie: Equal pay, equal hire, be less afraid of women, understand that women-led movies and tv MAKE MONEY, be more intersectional with your support of women, cast out of the “ordinary”, give chances to female filmmakers who are small and starting out, encourage women to tell their own stories.
So on the topic of sexism. Fun! Natalie, Battle of the Sexes is a timely movie. Women are living in the aftermath of demanding equality. What was it like being a part of telling that story?
Natalie: It’s kind of terrible that it’s timely, isn’t it? But it somehow is. It somehow feels like we’ve been fighting for our rights for so long and some people have convinced themselves that we’ve won, but we haven’t. Not by a long shot. Sure, women in America have some things easier than in other countries, but we’re still so behind. It was wonderful to be a part of that story. To show people that weren’t around when this happened (like myself) that this fight is not new, it’s hard, and it’s worth it.
Why do you think it’s important to tell now?
Natalie: I think it will be important to tell for all of time. It’s important now because Billie Jean King accomplished something by fighting back. It gives us courage and tells us someone came before us. We can do it too. It will be important in the future, when hopefully rights are truly equal across the board, to tell the story of why then needed to fight for it.
Why do you think studios are reluctant to put as much money behind female-led movies?
June Diane: The long-standing idea has been that male viewers will not care about female narratives while female viewers will care about male narratives. They fear “female led” movies will have a smaller audience and so they won’t make as much money. Wonder Woman disproves this theory as do the MANY MOVIES LED BY WOMEN THAT HAVE MADE MONEY AT THE BOX OFFICE.
Speaking of rights being truly equal across the board, do you think wage parity will become a reality in Hollywood?
Kulap: I sure hope so.
June Diane: Yes.
Natalie: I am an optimistic person, despite my snarky tone. So I’m going to say yes.
What needs to change to get there?
Kulap: A long road of greenlights to prove that our stories and our leadership have the same value. Better yet, an open highway.
June: I would love the major Hollywood agencies to start a real dialogue about this [wage parity]. I would also love every actor/writer/director to bring up wage parity in every conversation they have about what they are getting paid.
June, you’re about to launch into some positive convo with your book The Badass Woman's Guide to Running for Office and Changing the World, coming out 2019. How are you badass and how do you want to change the world?
I’m badass in that I’m a working mom. The end! But also because I’m committed to working hard to politically engage in my world. I’m calling my reps and showing up as much as I possibly can. I am also doing the internal work (much harder and more painful) to figure out where I can dismantle the racist heteronormative sexist ideology I have accepted unconsciously.
“I’m badass in that I’m a working mom. The end!”
Tweet this.
How do you reconcile the liberal face of Hollywood against the ageism and sexism that exists?
June Diane: I don’t reconcile it! I am working hard to change it.
Natalie Morales: I don’t [either]. I don’t know how. The most I can say is that I don’t work with the sexists. I’m lucky enough to be able to afford not to. I can turn down a role if I don’t like it. I will work hard to give women jobs so that they can turn down roles if they don’t like them too.
Let’s end this end on a positive note. What have you seen in your industry that excites you?
June Diane: I love what Zoe Lister-Jones just did with Bandaid (hiring an all female crew). I’m so used to seeing so many men on sets I find the idea exciting and I would LOVE to work with an all female crew.
Natalie: Opportunity for women, and successful women extending a hand to younger, less experienced women.
Kulap: Social media continues to shine a bright light on gender and racial bias, pushing us forward to be representative of the country as a whole.
It’s been thrilling to see badass girlfriends of mine, wearing hats on top of hats and getting their projects produced. Shout out and shine on June Diane Raphael, Casey Wilson, Danielle Schneider, Andrea Savage, Jessica St. Clair, Lennon Parham, Naomi Scott… this list too goes on and on, but not long enough.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
How to Own Your Glow During the Most Dysfunctional Season of All
Glow get 'em.
In her new book, OWN YOUR GLOW: A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living And Crowning The Queen Within, Latham Thomas talks about how, "Personal growth is not about how much you accumulate but how much you release." In the book, Thomas, who is also the creator and mama guru at Mama Glow, offers an antidote to the hustle-hard/burnout fast culture, instead suggesting a slower and intentional pathway to empowerment.
When it comes to our careers (and our career fears), "releasing" might sound like some NO_WAY_NOT-HAPPENING kind of advice. (If the idea of that has you clenching your fists, this read is def for you.) After all, we want to accumulate: titles, raises, praise. Right? Well, what if we flipped the script a bit? Especially during the upcoming holiday season when we can all get a little... antsy, to put it nicely. Because the holidays are hard. On everyone. We don’t take care of ourselves and contrary to glowing xmas tree lights, we all tend to DIM A LIL BIT.
Own Your Glow, is the ideal way to stay on life track and a way to stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as we close out 2017. So we asked Latham to talk about what she dubs “The Core Four,” as they relate to career and the workplace.
Latham tells us:
I encourage you to start asking yourself probing and productive questions to unlock hidden tendencies and obstacles and identify parts of yourself that need a little more glow so you can step more prominently into your power. When you construct your questions, use what I call “the Core Four”: who, what, when, and how. Here are some questions I invite you to explore as you reflect on your journey professionally.
When we are ready to facilitate change and up level our lives to harness what lies ahead we naturally take stock of what’s already on our plates and what we need to increase for our abundance and what we need to release.
Who am I holding on to by attracting people who don’t serve my highest good?
When we anchor ourselves in soil that is seeded with people who aren’t vested in our success, who don’t value our gifts and who are committed to catty competition, we replay the same patterns and experience the same lack of growth personally and professionally. Who deep down inside are we afraid of loosing, or becoming by keeping the wrong company? Find your flock. Invest time with people who make you feel more radiant who serve as a catalyst for the good in your life. This can be in the form of mentorship or sponsorship, a sister circle of friend supporters, a group mastermind or an online private group.
"Invest time with people who serve as a catalyst for the good in your life."
Tweet this.
What do I gain by remaining stuck in the same situation or circumstances?
It’s easy to adhere to the stories we tell ourselves about our circumstances. Why is it that I can’t seem to advance in my position? Sometimes staying in the same position or lingering in circumstances that we’ve outgrown serves as a comfort zone and an impediment to our personal growth. Sometimes being stuck feels most comfortable since it’s familiar. What would we gain if we moved past our comfort zone professionally speaking? What would it look like to put more on your plate, not task wise but risk wise? A quick way to jump forward past your circumstances is to embrace risk and commit to doing what scares you. Take on a project that will help you spread your wings, activate a team of supporters and show off a ton of your skills.
When do I feel my best, and what is keeping me from following that feeling?
Self-care is about assessing what supports you at the deepest level and honoring those feelings and responding with rituals and making space for yourself to rest and recharge. A strong self-care practice sharpens our discernment and we learn what supports us and what depletes us. When we feel our very best we make choices aligned with that sense of well-being. Knowing what actions lead to you feeling your best will help you stay on track with moving towards your goals and achieving them.
"A strong self-care practice sharpens our discernment."
Tweet this.
How have I constructed my life to follow other people’s rules?
It’s important to explore the paradigms we operate within. We have been indoctrinated to be kind, to keep in line, to follow the rules and always say 'yes' and please everyone else at the expense of our own well-being and happiness. Where do you need to excavate these patterns that are rooted in a lack of self-awareness? What are the building blocks of beliefs you’ve used to construct your life? What needs to crumble for you to succeed? I decided to stop following the rules a long time ago and my life has been prosperous ever since.
Want more? Grab your own copy of OWN YOUR GLOW: A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living And Crowning The Queen Within by Latham Thomas
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Find Out Why Lisa Ling Is the Most Exposed She's Ever Been
The award-winning journalist is at it again.
Lisa Ling in “Sexual Healing” Credit: Jeff Hutchens
A journalist exposes the truth. They aren’t usually the ones to expose themselves. But in Season 4 Episode 1 of the CNN docuseries This is Life with award-winning journalist and host Lisa Ling, that’s exactly what she does. Strips down. Gets exposed. Quite literally stands naked in front of her subjects and her crew to talk about her body. (You’ll have to tune in for tonight’s premiere to see what we mean.)
Ling says that was an unusual circumstance and a kind of journalistic storytelling we don’t often see. “I try very hard to not become the story. I am the vehicle. Some of the other guys on shows on CNN and other networks, it’s really about their journey." She repeats, "For me, I am the vehicle.”
“I try very hard to not become the story. I am the vehicle."
Tweet this.
However, she says that as “I was watching this young man with a ‘deformed’ body, stand there and talk about the things he loved about his body-- he stood there so confidently, I felt compelled to do it as well. It was one of those moments I didn’t expect I would ever do-- but I shared this very poignant experience with those two.”
The young man she’s referring to is Justin, one of the focal points in Episode 1 ‘Sexual Healing,’ who has cerebral palsy and visits a San Francisco-based sex therapist to deal with intimacy issues. In the episode Justin and therapist both get naked, stand in front of the mirror and talk about things they like.
Ling says, “I look at my body differently now, I still have issues. But I look at it differently after that experience. I was having trouble looking at myself but now I think, I freakin’ birthed two humans. I carried two humans and had them surgically removed from them. I should stand up and be proud of that. And anyone who gives me shit about that,” she laughs, “they can screw themselves.”
Part of Ling’s strength, which she plays to in Season 4, is that she digs into hard topics, sensitive topics, somehow able to be both fully immersed and totally omniscient when needed. Some reporters like to get in the shower without getting wet. Ling does the opposite: she soaks it all in and, in return, gets soaked. Or in the case of ‘Sexual Healing,’ gets naked.
There are moments in the first episode, where Ling attends a group sex therapy session with Psalm Isadora, a known sex expert and relationship guru, who has since passed since the episode was shot. In one scene Isadora instructs the class to pump their arms and yell out “YES,” while she simultaneously shouts, “orgasm is God!” At this moment the camera cuts to Ling, whose face is part horrified part happy: she’s uncomfortable. Admittedly so. “I grew up in a family that was very weird about sex. I was ordered never to have it. Never let my husband see me naked.” She even tells us that it was harder to get naked, stand in front of the mirror, and talk about her body, than it was to report on the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan-- which is where she started her career.
(L) “Patriot Movement” Credit: Eros Hoagland; (R) Lisa Ling in “Lost Vegas” Credit: CNN
“Because of how I was raised and the pressure that society puts on women, I’ve always felt kind of insecure,” she pauses and corrects herself here. “I’ve always felt insecure. When you watch any episode of television I’ve ever done in my life, I’ve always been very covered up, wearing the same shade of cargo pant. V-necks, but not too low. I have a certain look and one that's not revealing or distracting in any way.”
So why leave that shot in? “In that environment," she says, "which was so freeing and uninhibited, it was really uncomfortable. But if I'm going to allow other people to do something really uncomfortable, sometimes I feel like it’s not fair if I don’t do it myself.”
“I grew up in a family that was very weird about sex. I was ordered never to have it."
Tweet this.
When asked if there are moments where she’s felt she's gone or taken something too far, she says, “This coming season I embedded with the militia in Arizona and one of the conditions of getting the interview with these guys was that I had to fire a semi-automatic weapon. I am virulently anti-gun, but I did it and was actually really good at it. But I definitely did think to myself ‘Is this the kind of thing I want put on television?’ But in the end, despite political differences, of which there were many, especially since she was with them post-election, something she calls "personally quite devastating," she walked away with something useful. "What I came away with and what I very often come away with when I’m working on these kinds of stories, that despite different political ideologies, we have some common ground. No matter where I am or who I’m with we always get to the humanity of every story.”
Over the course of her career and with 'This Is Life,' Ling has been granted unprecedented access to many groups, like the Mongols. Though she says she’s not trying to “uncover stories,” she does bring a voice to stories that haven’t been publicly told, explaining she thinks a journalist is a storyteller. But even now, those stories don’t simply land in her inbox. “I fancy myself as a bit of a hustler,” she says. “I’m a very persistent person. I can be aggressive in my own way. You have to constantly be pushing to get the stories that you want told, told. I know that I can’t get complacent or stagnant. These kind of episodes are going to come to me, I have to find them and I have to push for them if I really want to do them.”
“This is Life with Lisa Ling,” premieres tonight, October 1 on CNN. In addition, she has a digital series coming out this fall, “This is Sex with Lisa Ling,” where she explores the enduring taboos around sex in this country.
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
F*ck Cancer Founders On Turning The F Word into a Rallying Call
Giving all of the f*cks.
Giving all of the F*cks.
Pink products to raise awareness and walks to raise money, but when it comes to a cancer diagnosis there is one word on everyone’s mind: fuck.
When Yael Cohen Braun’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 it was certainly a word that crossed her mind. So she made a shirt for her mom to wear in recovery. That shirt read: Fuck Cancer. That slogan became a non-profit by the same name, one that addressed the perils of the disease with wit and humor and that rallied people around sentiments felt by everyone when facing down the Big C. It’s a message of empowerment with a built-in rallying call. A big FU to the big C, if you will. Even Yael’s title at the non-profit, “Chief Cancer Fucker,” reminds people to not get beatdown by the disease and that there is a community of support.
Julie Greenbaum, co-founder and CRO, got involved in 2010 after her mother passed away from ovarian cancer. Honoring her mother’s legacy is what motivates and fuels her day-to-day.
“My mother was one of my greatest mentors, her positive attitude was always something I admired, something she instilled in her children,” Julie shares.
Yael was working in finance when her mom was diagnosed. She looked around for support, unable to find an organization willing to engage and do what Yael thought needed to be done: namely, activating youth’s participation in the fight, which including encouraging them to talk to their parents about early detection screenings and prevention efforts. Everything she found was pink and pretty— something that cancer is not. Engaging a digitally savvy crowd was also an important part of spreading the prevention message.
The women came together after realizing, “that by joining forces we would be able to make a greater impact in the Cancer space. Our desire was to create and stronger more impactful charity. We bonded over this overarching goal.”
Now some people don’t love the word fuck. That’s a given. But the co-founders aren’t concerned. They aren’t trying to be doctors or politically correct. First and foremost they are daughters, bonded by an experienced shared by so many. “I'm learning how important it is to grant yourself the freedom to live your life authentically,” says Julie who dropped out of college to focus on running the charity full time. “To really get to know yourself by exposing yourself to as many opportunities as you can. It has taken time and maturity to develop this comfort.”
In between running Fuck Cancer, and being new mom to Jagger, Yael also runs motherlucker.com, a honest breakdown of the realities of motherhood. The day-to-day can feel overwhelming; “we’re a smaller team and oftentimes we’re forced to juggle many different responsibilities,” Julie shares. But says, “Life doesn't owe you anything. You owe it to yourself to make your life the best that it can be.”
The includes remaining “constantly inspired by our team and the amazing people I continue to meet. I continue to feel a strong sense of determination and confidence in knowing that our charity is making and difference and playing an important role.”
Why Genevieve Padalecki Says the World Is a Crazy Place Right Now
But nothing can stop her.
Rocking a black "We Should All Be Feminists" tee on Saturday at Create & Cultivate Seattle, digital darling Genevieve Padalecki took to the Microsoft stage to chat all things tag, snap, story, and social.
Though the Cali-native, who now calls Texas home, admits she's relatively new to the social game, she's clearly caught onto the rules. Genevieve boasts a highly engaged audience-- woman's got a 25% engagement rate. If you're wondering what that means, know it's relatively unheard of in the blogging world.
So what does the actress (she's classically trained), blogger (of Now and Gen), mom (of three), and wife (she met husband Jared on the set of Supernatural) think about this crazy, social world we live in? We found out. From how often she posts to her thoughts on political content, you've got to read through!
You launched your blog this year and saw immediate success. As part of the launch strategy you worked with skincare brand Elemis and crashed their site with a giveaway you hosted, thats MAJOR!.... How has the transition been going from social only content to long form blogs?
It’s been really surreal! I loved working with Elemis as I actually love their products, so it felt like an organic partnership that was really natural and aligned. Also, I’m breastfeeding currently as I have a 6 month old and so I’m really cautious of beauty brands that are low chemical and more natural. We decided to host a giveaway on the blog as part of our launch strategy - my followers really love a giveaway, and it was fun to create a space for them to participate! Yes, they actually BROKE the link in bio on Instagram...we were all trying to figure out why the link wasn’t working and TONS of comments were coming in, and after a LOT of confusion we figured out that they crashed the site where the giveaway was hosted! Pretty crazy!
I enjoy creating long format content because I get to tell more of a story. Long form blogs provide a space for narrative to build and for people to go deeper...I always think of social as a “tease” and a great place to foster community, but long form blogs are a DESTINATION where you can drive people and encourage them to go deeper...which is really fun in the beauty space, because we’re always looking to discover new products...but I especially love it for some more of the emotional pieces, like blogs about parenting, or an open letter that my husband wrote to our 3 children on the blog which was really rad too. The letter really moved people and was WAY too long for a social post!
"Authenticity always wins. Be unapologetic about who you are, and have no fear."
Tweet this.
What’s changed the way you create content the most in the past year? Do you love it or hate it?
I am really new to the social media game. I officially launched my Instagram prior to my blog earlier this year in March, and became really strategic about what I wanted to post about and promote. I had been private on Instagram for a while, but figured it was time!
We all know video is happening with IG LIVE and Facebook Live and algorithms propping up video the most. How are you all using it to build your businesses?
I only post once per day, and try to get more active in stories. I use my static “feed” as a place to post more curated things, and photos that I want to have a level of “permanance.” I use IG Stories to post what’s happening in real time, mainly of the kids eating...there is always a TON of food! I’m a big foodie and I love to cook, so that content tends to go there. Kids and food. LOL.
From a business perspective, your audience wants to really connect authentically. Videos, especially in stories since they delete after 24 hours, gives people a really inside look. I’ve seen a lot of engagement in stories, as well as fans screenshotting the stories because it’s much more intimate, fleeting, almost uncensored….there used to be a lot of focus on curating a gorgeous feed, which is still important, but there is so much connectivity in IG Stories, Boomerangs, videos...it’s also a place where I share my thoughts on the political climate or what’s happening in Texas (with the hurricane, for example).
There’s literally a million places we could be sharing content if we wanted. How do you decide what platforms to use? And what type of content goes where?
Social media is kind of like hosting a party. If you are creating an experience for your people, they will hang out there with you. It can be anywhere you are really, heavily engaged. Which is why there are “experts” in each space - youtube, pinterest, etc. Instagram is where I hang out because it’s the platform I’m most interested and engaged with personally.
"People are really looking for permission to be real."
Tweet this.
As a mother who shares these amazing moments with your family, how do you decide what to share and how to share it when it comes to your family? Do you stick to any self made rules?
Personally, I try to be as open as I can about motherhood being messy. My most vulnerable posts, when I felt like I SURVIVED through a day, have gotten some of the most beautiful and best responses. I think people are really looking for permission to be real. I want to create a safe space and open up some of that dialogue.
I decided to launch my new blogging business while I was 9 months pregnant, I basically gave birth to my new baby and my blog at the same time. It hasn’t been easy, and I don’t want to hide that. There is a level of perfection that people try to project on social media, since everything is so highly curated. I love a pretty picture too, but I also try to balance brand partnerships and the curated stuff that I shoot with a photographer with a selfie I shot at midnight breastfeeding my baby and zoning out to Bravo. We all can be a little more vulnerable.
You’ve collaborated with brands, you’ve put political issues into the work, which as a new content creator that can be scary-- how are you deciding on content and what you want to put out into the world?
One of my first collaborations straight out of the gate was with Pop & Suki. One of my friends is a co-founder, and when Odette was born, we decided to announce our baby name on a heart keychain with the brand and created a space for others to personalize hearts with their names on it. 50% of proceeds went to the Human Rights Foundation, and the other 50% went to Planned Parenthood. We raised over $200,000 for these causes.
Not everyone is going to like what you stand for. And that’s fine, because there are enough people out there who will show up and stand beside you to do what’s right. The world is in a really crazy place right now, and anything I can do to spread awareness I will show up and do. Maybe it will reach one person, or two, or three...that is the beauty of having a platform. Use your platform for good.
I’m constantly amazed about how many brands are aligning with more causes every day. People are really conscious right now, and awake. They want to know they are spending money with a brand who is doing something to better the world.
I also worked with SECRET who launched a new campaign about transgender people, and what it must feel like for them to walk into a restroom and feel judged. That is a reality for many people, and something that should be shared and neutralized.
Any final advice for all the content creators out there in handling whatever gets thrown their way next?
Authenticity always wins. Be unapologetic about who you are, and have no fear. Perfection is bullshit, just find your voice and have a vision for what you want to create. Make sure to stand for something. That’s how you will find your tribe, keep giving, consistently.
Photo Credit: Smith House Photography/Alyssa Dawson Photography
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can find her here.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
How a Burning Man Honeymoon Led This Founder to Change Her Biz Model
Total eclipse of the plan.
Like many new couples, after Portland-based event rental company Something Borrowed founder Lane Bigsby married the love of her life, they went on a honeymoon. But instead of heading to a tropical destination or on a romance-and-baguette-filled trip to Paris, the freshly wedded duo headed to the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.
Yes, that's right. They went to Burning Man, honeymooning at the mecca of anti-capitalism. But Bigsby came home with a renewed idea for her biz.
So, we caught up with the founder to chat humble beginnings, what she notices when she first walks into a room, and why sustainability will always be a part of her biz.
What inspired the beginnings of Something Borrowed?
When I was planning my wedding, I noticed there was a lack of decor that was unique and less traditional. I scoured the area trying to find exactly what I needed for our small wedding, and after failed attempts to find anything I could rent, I ended up sourcing vintage and reclaimed items. I had thought of the idea of starting a rental business, but kept going back and forth with myself as I had just started a corporate job that I thought was going to be "the one" (aka my career job). After our Burning Man honeymoon, I came back with a much clearer sense of what it is I wanted to do with my life and working for corporate America just didn't feel as authentic and meaningful as it once did.
How did you being to compile your stock? Did it start with one piece? Multiple?
Our hand-curated collection started off small, with the left over wedding items from my own wedding (vintage china plates, rustic wood crates, antique mason jars, etc.). It felt like such a huge leap to branch off into furnishings and upholstered seating, which I did about nine months later. But, I quickly saw the demand for the few furniture pieces we had and I knew that was the direction to take the business, especially considering there was no one else doing what we did at the time.
Was sustainability always part of the Something Borrowed story and what inspired that route?
Sustainability has always been at the core of Something Borrowed. After moving to Portland from a five year stint in Phoenix, I wanted to educate myself with local recycling regulations. Phoenix left me feeling very wasteful and I knew I had to make personal changes. Being raised in a very rural part of Alaska where we literally "lived off the land", instilled in me how much we can get by with so little. I went through a 6-week training program with the City of Portland, and later became a certified Master Recycler. My own wedding produced less than one small grocery bag of waste as my rule was that anything we needed for our wedding was to be easily recyclable, reusable, and repurposed, such as my wedding dress which was made from old dresses and fabric scraps. Sustainability is not only part of my personal beliefs, but one of our core values and has earned us a Gold Certification with the City.
No matter what way you swing it, events produce a lot of waste. There's a lot of one-time usage. But you create beautiful environments AND care about the environment. What are some easy switches we can make when throwing an event?
Whenever possible, work with vendors who make sustainability a priority. Such as caterers or florists who source from local, organic farms. In fact, you can ditch the flowers all together and instead opt for longer lasting potted plants, which still help bring an event to life but are not ditched after one use. Instead of paper signage, opt for something cooler such as acrylic or treated wood which can be written on and reused many times. When you're looking to source, look to your local community first, versus buying into the temptation of a big box store who may have items trucked or shipped in from out of the country.
"When you're looking to source, look to your local community first."
Tweet this.
What are some ways you encourage your customers to be more eco-conscious?
We always try to offer suggestions on ways our clients can repurpose or use what they already have. We work with a lot of clients for their wedding and one tip we recommend is to reuse floral from your ceremony and incorporate it into your reception. Also, instead of using throw-away items such as plates and cutlery, opt for durable dishware. If cost is an issue, opt for basic place settings which are less expensive, but dress up your table with cool, colorful glassware or table linens that can help pull your look together so that it's cohesive.
Portland and the PNW are definitely a city leading this charge of sustainable. What is it about being in Portland that has inspired you to be even better?
We are surrounded by nature... the coast to the West and mountains to the East. One of the countries largest urban forest sits directly across the river from our warehouse and we want to do what we can to preserve its natural beauty. The City makes it easy to be as green as possible, offering programs and services to residents and businesses wanting to do their part, but who may not know where to start.
What are a few secret tricks of the trade for creating a beautiful and memorable event?
Excite the senses! You must not only create a visibly pleasing space with decor and lighting, but don't forget about the music, drinks, food and scents. Also, put effort into the theme of your event as this will spark the interest of your guests. It allows them the opportunity to step out of the ordinary and mundane, and into the extraordinary.
What is the most important part of an event?
The atmosphere you create for your guests. Orchestrate an environment that will WOW your guests, leaving them talking well after the party has ended. This might be curated decor that speak to and enhance your brand, interactive activities giving guests something to do, or creating swoon-worthy scenes that are so picture-perfect, you can't help but want to snap a photo to share with others which in turn creates buzz for your next event.
What is your favorite part of an event?
I love seeing how a blank slate can be transformed into a beautifully stylish space. You put in the hard work, plan for months, hand select your vendors and then to see it all come together is priceless!
When you walk into someone else’s event what is the first thing you tend to notice?
I tend to notice the details first. Does the scene fit with the brand or message of the event? Are there cool aspects that you may not have seen yet? People crave the unique and interesting and when I see this, I know the organizers put a lot of effort into truly understanding who their guests are and what vibe they want to create.
Photo credit: Something Borrowed Site