Danielle Bernstein Opens Up About Her Life But Be Warned, This Is Not a Fashion Story

Danielle Bernstein—We Wore What

INTRO

We’re pretty sure you’ve heard of Danielle Bernstein. If that still isn’t ringing a bell right now then you definitely know her as We Wore What on Instagram—you and 2.4 million others.

On getting personal…

I've been doing this for 10 years and people definitely think they know who I am through my social media but there's so much more to me than fashion, so I finally felt ready to share my full story. From my successes and failures in both relationships and business ventures, I'm hoping that my readers not only learn more about me but gain inspiration and motivation to go after what they want.  

On landing a book deal…

I didn’t have an agent; I was introduced to my publisher through a friend. One of the things that got me excited was how they encouraged me to be involved creatively.

On the writing process…

I originally started writing this book five years ago but decided I wasn't ready to share my story. Almost a year ago, I picked it back up and worked with a co-writer to create This is Not a Fashion Story. I was surprised by how vulnerable writing made me feel and how much work it actually took.

On the biggest lesson readers will take away…

There's so many, whether it's how to pick business partners, spot a red flag guy, or to follow your gut. 

On her favorite chapter…

That's like asking to pick your favorite child!!

On the most rewarding part of launching a book…

I've become even closer to my audience by writing my book. Being able to talk to my readers directly while hearing their thoughts and feedback has been amazing. The most challenging part, I knew when writing the book there would be a lot of criticism coming my way, and dealing with any negativity is always challenging, but something I know comes with the territory.

On COVID-19 interrupting her book launch plans…

I'll be doing a few nights of a digital book club at the beginning of June, where I’ll discuss the book with readers and be able to have a more intimate discussion with them. 

On advice for fellow authors…

I'd say to make sure you're ready and make sure that your story has a purpose!

10 Work-Life Balance Books That Belong on Your To-Read List

Achieving your career goals, trying to be a successful adult, and keeping your personal life in check can sometimes feel impossible. (If you’re juggling a million tasks and still trying to find time to watch The Bachelor with the girls, trust us, we know the struggle). But no matter how often you may feel overwhelmed, it’s important to know that you can find the balance you’re looking for—it may just take a new way of thinking and organizing your everyday life. 

Luckily, there are resources and mentors with proven methods and insights that will help you find the balance between living your best life and getting to work on time. No one ever said achieving work-life balance would be easy, but with these 10 insightful new books, you will be well on your way to reaching both your professional and personal goals in no time. Written by 10 fierce females who know a thing or two about running their own businesses and carving out time for themselves, you’ll find true wisdom and hope in the pages of these self-help and business-focused books. 

From the creator of one of the biggest natural hygiene companies to Netflix sensation Marie Kondo to a single mother from the Middle East who rose to the top of the tech industry, these books will leave you with anecdotes that will help you find the work-life balance you’ve been craving. If you want to find the perfect work-life balance, add these insightful books to your to-read pile ASAP.

Written by Ashley Johnson, content editor, She Reads.

About the Author:

Ashley Johnson is the content editor at She Reads, an online media outlet that specializes in promoting books and authors with a female-centric approach. In addition to editorial roundups, exclusive author content and thought pieces, She Reads is committed to building a community of readers who love nothing more than getting lost in a good book.

Up next: Gwyneth Paltrow, Marie Kondo, Tyra Banks, and More on the #1 Book They Always Recommend

This story was originally published on March 13, 2019, and has since been updated.

Tinx On Embracing the Unknown and Navigating Career Paths in Your Twenties

Before Christina Najjar, known to her 1.5 million TikTok followers and nearly 550,000-strong Instagram community as “Tinx,” became the creator and influencer she is today, she was a twenty-something-year-old Stanford grad dealing with uncertainty and dissatisfaction in her career.

“I was so lost [in my twenties],” shares Najjar on the latest episode of WorkParty. Now 32, the social media star, podcast host of It’s Me, Tinx, and author of her newly released book, The Shift: Change Your Perspective, Not Yourself, describes the often glamorized decade as a time of self-doubt with high highs and low lows. “It was very scatterbrained, very spiral-y,” she says. “It was a far cry from what I thought my twenties were going to be.”

After graduating from college, Najjar went on to work in retail management for Gap Inc. for three years at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco. “I always thought I wanted to be in retail or fashion, and it was really difficult for me,” she says. “I had a hard time; I wasn't good at my job; I felt stressed all the time. I was just so confused because I had put all my hopes on this career and then it was not what I thought it was.”

Najjar then began working for Poshmark, a social marketplace to sell new and secondhand fashion, but encountered the same lack of fulfillment and purpose in her career. “I didn't feel like I was doing a good job,” she confesses. Her frankness and refreshing openness on the topic is exactly what brought her notoriety and a loyal following on social media.

“I learned a lot in both [roles],” she says. “That's the thing: Even if you're not in a job you love, you can always take something and learn from it." Eventually, Najjar pivoted and went on to pursue a master’s in fashion journalism at Parsons in New York City; after which she began freelance writing.

Then, during the pandemic, like many, she found herself unemployed, which is when she decided to download TikTok for the first time under the name “Tinx.” Creating content and building an online community gave her the fulfillment she had been yearning for. Her candid conversation and advice on everything from mental health to relationships (plus comical skits and bits on rich moms) earned her the title of “TikTok’s older sister.” 

Though her previous jobs felt like misdirections at the time, she says that her early work experiences informed the incredibly successful career she has today—Najjar reportedly earned $11 million in 2022 alone. It's a lesson that she believes could be true for anyone navigating their careers and looking to take that next step.

Tune into the latest episode of WorkParty with Jaclyn Johnson where Tinx dives into dating and relationships, why your twenties aren’t all it’s marketed to be, and why everyone needs to “double down” on friendships.

60 Percent of Moms Polled Are Interested in Entrepreneurship, According to New Survey

After more than three years of living in a pandemic, this May, the World Health Organization officially declared an end to the Covid-19 emergency, closing the book on a tumultuous, dark period in history. It's still unclear what the full, long-term effects of the global health crisis will be, but thanks to a recent survey by Shopify, we do know that one of its major impacts so far is a rising inclination toward entrepreneurship among women with children.

One in six moms are now interested in starting a business (and 60 percent of women with children are exploring entrepreneurship of some kind), according to the report. In 2021, 49 percent of new business owners were women, up from 29 percent before the pandemic, according to survey data from Gusto (though it didn't indicate what fraction of them were also parents). The software company notes that the surge in entrepreneurship is directly correlated to pandemic-induced disruptions.

It's no secret that women in the workforce—especially those with children—were significantly (and disproportionately) impacted by the pandemic. Over 2.3 million women left the U.S. labor force between February 2020 and February 2021, as documented by the National Women’s Law Center. Additionally, one in three mothers considered downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce entirely due to Covid-19, with many pointing to childcare responsibilities as the primary reason, according to a 2020 report from LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company. The results are staggering, yet not surprising. With widespread school and daycare closures, as well as social distancing ruling out the option for caretakers, working parents were forced to juggle jobs, childcare, and, in many cases, homeschooling at various points over the past few years.

As they say, necessity is the mother of invention, and while it’s unclear exactly what's behind the growing interest in entrepreneurship among women with children, needing to figure out a way to earn a living while full-time parenting—plus a desire for greater flexibility and control than corporate America offers—may have something to do it with.

Furthermore, Heidi K. Gardner, PhD, former professor at Harvard Business School, points to a number of factors that could also be driving this interest in self-employment among mothers, including more opportunities for women in male-dominated fields like tech and healthcare, a shift in priorities resulting from the pandemic, and new digital tools, such as Canva and social media, that not only provide free design and marketing services, but also reduce the barriers to selling a product or service. 

“What is particularly significant is that you don’t need to leave home to use them,” says Gardner, author of Smarter Collaboration, A New Approach to Breaking Down Barriers and Transforming Work. She also notes the sheer access to potential customers all over the world through the internet as another element making entrepreneurship a more viable option in general. “It’s easier now to have a bigger impact with what you're doing. It's certainly giving the opportunity for stay-at-home parents to have professional roles and identities.”  

While there have certainly always been moms who've owned businesses, there has never been a time in history where entrepreneurship was as accessible, according to Gardner. “The digital capabilities that exist today are unprecedented,” she says.

The most recent data shows that 42 percent of all U.S. businesses are owned by women, and generate approximately $1.8 trillion per year in revenue, according to the 2019 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report commissioned by American Express. Undoubtedly, this number has changed significantly since the days of the pandemic, and the Shopify survey certainly speaks to that.

“It will be interesting to see how this trend plays out,” says Gardner. We already have an idea of what a world with more mompreneurs in it will look like, thanks to the number of mothers who have launched businesses in the past three years.

Below, three female entrepreneurs and moms who started or scaled their businesses during the pandemic share the realities of running a business in this post-pandemic era, the tools they use to streamline their daily lives, and their wellness routines to stay grounded.

1. Babba Rivera

The New York-based founder and CEO of Ceremonia—now the first Latina-owned hair care brand carried at Sephora—launched her sustainably focused company at the height of the pandemic while pregnant with her first child. Since then, the Forbes 30 under 30 alum has become a mother of two, raised $10 million in a Series A funding round, and debuted the brand’s first fragrance this May.

Create & Cultivate: Take us through your experience launching a business—while pregnant—in 2020?

Babba Rivera: If I were ever to pick a time in life, I wouldn’t have intentionally picked a global pandemic. I was running a brand agency at the time [bybabba] and trying to fundraise for Ceremonia. It was going well until the world collapsed and suddenly a lot of people who confirmed their pre-seed investments were starting to subtract and hold their cash. I was sitting there with two challenging companies, a big belly, and a global pandemic. It forced me to decide where I wanted to put my energy because I couldn’t sustain both. Ultimately, Ceremonia is where my heart was and I made the difficult decision to fold the agency. 

CC: How did these early hurdles affect your approach with Ceremonia?

BR: It forced me to do a lot of research and get super clear around product and brand positioning. The beauty space is really crowded, so we had to think: How were we going to be different? When you are pitching, it’s all in the potential. I had to be much more rigid around who we are going to be in this crowded space, so we really had to foolproof our business model.

CC: How did you adjust work-wise when your first baby arrived? 

BR: I was so deep in the weeds with Ceremonia when my first baby arrived that I had to set up a structure from the get-go. In the early days, I was working from home, and that was a huge contributing factor in being able to do what I do. I was able to breastfeed my baby and launch and build a business, so I’m really grateful for that sort of shift in the workforce. I had a night nurse which helped me prioritize my sleep. I could be alert and ready to go during the day.

CC: Lessons you’ve learned from motherhood that have impacted your business?

BR: I work with a lot of moms now in my company—mothers just have this super power of getting things done and cutting through the bullshit. We know that time is of the essence, so there’s very little ambiguity. On the flip side, what I bring from work to motherhood is a lot of the system thinking—trying to be more proactive with anticipating “problems” before they become problems and also bringing the communication skills. 

CC: What makes entrepreneurship more achievable for moms today?

BR: Working from home can drive a lot of productivity so there is a lot of flexibility on that from investors. We’re seeing a lot of cool moms starting really cool things, and seeing them get funding—it’s always easier when there is someone else to point to that has a similar story. Mothers are also some of the biggest spenders online, so we know the consumer better than anyone else. There’s a lot of reasons why moms should enter the space of entrepreneurship. 

CC: Tools to streamline your workflow?

BR: I put everything in my calendar—my husband and I even have a shared calendar. I also try to separate internal vs. external communication. Internal team communication happens on Slack and my email is more external, so then I know to prioritize Slack when I’m in a time crunch.

CC: Advice for other aspiring mompreneurs? 

BR: The reality is that a business does not get built in the little pockets of nap time. It doesn’t happen just when you feel super inspired, and when the kids are perfectly aligned and happy and smiley. You have to carve out the space consistently.

CC: Self-care or wellness routines that help you stay grounded? 

BR: Pilates and yoga—I feel like it keeps me sane. At night, I listen to peaceful piano music, apply our Aceite de Moska scalp oil, and give myself a little scalp massage. Sometimes I put on a face mask. It’s just that intentional moment of pausing and doing something for me before going to bed.

2. Nyakio Grieco

The serial entrepreneur and mother of two founded Nyakio Beauty in 2002 (which was acquired by Unilever) and has since gone on to launch Thirteen Lune (an e-commerce platform supporting Black- and-Brown-owned beauty brands) in 2020—it just opened its first brick-and-mortar in Los Angeles and is set to expand its beauty offerings into 600 JC Penny locations—and Relevant: Your Skin Seen (an inclusive skin-care brand that debuted in 2022).

CC: With three businesses under your belt, how has becoming a founder and a parent not only been achievable, but sustainable?  

Nyakio Grieco: As a working mom, I understood the importance of representing and serving a diverse community. I recognized an unmet need in the beauty industry and knew the potential I had to create a solution. I felt empowered to take on the challenges. Also, the sheer joy of seeing my children be proud of what I’ve accomplished and see a roadmap of what they can achieve for themselves—that makes motherhood and entrepreneurship feel entirely sustainable. I think it's important to have a growth mindset, a supportive network, and a clear vision of what you want to achieve.

CC: What has motherhood taught you about business and vice versa? 

NG: Being a mother, I've had to learn to be patient and flexible and to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. In business, I've applied these same skills to stay nimble and adjust my strategy when necessary, especially in response to unexpected challenges. Entrepreneurship taught me the value of perseverance and resilience. There have been many times when things haven't gone according to plan or when I've faced setbacks or obstacles, but I've learned to keep pushing forward and stay focused on my goals. This mindset has definitely influenced my motherhood journey.

CC: Biggest challenges for aspiring entrepreneurs today? 

NG: These are really frenetic times and so much is unknown. Most industries are in a cycle of change. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome is always capital. Marketing, retail, production, staff—it all takes capital. With my first brand Nyakio Beauty, I had to essentially "re-launch" the brand multiple times. I had to redirect, find new partners, sometimes shut down a project and take a step back before moving forward again. I even had to support myself and the business by creating other avenues for revenue. I would work two to three jobs sometimes, doing whatever I could do to bring my vision to life. There were always friends and family supporting me though, and I think the community of support has only grown in the past years, and there’s people to support new entrepreneurs as they learn.

CC: Best tools for mothers looking to start a business? 

NG: A community is one of the best tools and support you can have for your business. My friends and family have shown me a lot of encouragement and because of that community, I’ve been empowered to navigate every step and continue moving forward. It gave me a place to fall back on and try again.  

CC: Self-care or wellness routines that help you stay grounded? 

NG: I really love meditation and clearing my space. I use sage and palo santo, and will use my crystals to really set the vibe. It’s important to go easy on yourself and find power in saying no. 

CC: Any women who inspired you that made you feel it was possible to do both? 

NG: My grandmother was a huge inspiration to me. She was a coffee farmer in Kenya and taught me how to make an organic coffee scrub from scratch. My mom was always practicing the same sort of rituals that she grew up with. She has and always will be my mentor. 

3. Karen Young

The Brooklyn-based founder and CEO initially launched her company (formerly known as Oui Shave) in 2017 with a safety razor and $1,500 in her pocket. During the pandemic, she not only rebranded to Oui the People and introduced a body care line, but she also became a mother. Last year, Young became one of under 100 Black women to raise more than $1 million in venture funding.

CC: How did you muster the courage to expand in 2020, and have the tenacity to maintain it?

Karen Young: With regards to the courage, a lot of running a business is market conditions. There’s obviously all the internal things such as planning, strategy, and getting the right people in place, but a good amount of it does entail luck and market conditions. A lot of direct-to-consumer businesses in 2020 really experienced tailwinds of everyone shopping in droves online. Second, we were obviously selling a razor when most people couldn’t go out and get their typical hair removal services. Third part was a focus on businesses owned by people of color. All of these things really came together and gave us quite a bit of tailwinds to introduce and expand upon body care. It had been on our roadmap for such a long time.

CC: How has motherhood influenced your career journey?

KY: Time is different now. I am laser-focused on the things that move the needle, finding the right team to support me in the journey, and the growth and trajectory of the business. I used to obsess over the business 24/7 (it’s always your first baby, right?). Now, I try to protect my time. I find that when I am really engaged with my son on the weekends and then get up on Monday morning, the ideas are flowing a little bit more and that’s because when you’re just fixated on it, you actually can’t see above and beyond. You can’t rise up and kind of see what’s happening.

CC: What does your entrepreneurial journey mean for you as a mother?

KY: There are very rigid parameters that have been set on women that say we cannot be loving, kind, available moms and partners, while also building really powerful, successful businesses. I think my son will come to adulthood and to a world where he will bring his own perception of what women are capable of. [Growing up with a loving mom who runs a business] will be the foundation of that perception. I think of every mom I know who is kicking ass and doing exactly that type of thing. It means that we’re going to bring more people—men, women, and all gender identities, to this idea that the old [ways] are just that—they’re old. This is what it can look like.

CC: What factors are likely influencing a rising interest in entrepreneurship among moms today? 

KY: I think about the weight that was put on parents to figure out both childcare and working over the past few years—and we know that there’s always going to be a little bit more weight placed on women. I think that’s probably a push back against that experience and maybe a desire for more autonomy. We also know that when women launch ventures, they are largely successful and maybe, in part, we have to balance quite a bit more and that includes how we use our time and the people who we put around us to help us succeed. I think those are sort of the tailwinds behind this particular movement. 

CC: Best tools for mothers looking to start a business? 

KY: I am still very much a note taker. I just have to lay it all out. I use the notes app on my phone, and I create a bullet point checklist and knock things off as I go. You just have to understand how your mind works and lean into that. 

CC: Self-care or wellness routines that help you stay grounded?

KY: What I have leaned into though is heavily prioritizing my sleep. There is nothing in the world that will help you understand how significant sleep is to the general function and excellence of the human body than those first two months to a year postpartum. I try to have a very specific cut-off where I’m thinking about or talking about work. After about 7 or 8 o’clock at night it actually moves into my dreams and my brain thinks there’s still something to solve. 

CC: Any women who inspire you or make you feel it's possible to do both? 

KY: A very good friend of mine is Eliza Blank, the founder of The Sill. She was one of my first examples of a mom who was also managing a team and growing and scaling a company. I’m really lucky to know a number of these women. There’s a larger conversation here around this ridiculous idea that women can’t get it done and can’t live in these multiple planes of existence at the same time that a man or anyone else could. We can and we can actually do better, and often run circles around other folks because the level of caring for someone, nurturing them, and the emotional labor of consistently carrying another’s experience and success in the world, that is very much like the feeling of running a company. I just think that we have been really undersold in our capabilities. 

Amy Liu Shares Her Playbook for Using What You Learn as an Employee To Become an Entrepreneur

Even though Amy Liu was co-president of the Entrepreneurship Venture Management Association in business school, she wasn't totally convinced her post-grad career plans would include adding "founder" to her CV. "I've had a really linear path," says Liu. "I went to business school, I worked in the beauty industry, and I worked my way up. I just kept telling myself I'm going to learn on someone else's dime, and I'm going to get really good."

And that she did. Liu's time as a marketing executive for beauty brands like Smashbox and Kate Somerville built up the knowledge and experience she needed to finally launch her own beloved makeup brand, Tower 28, and helped make the learning curve of going from an employee to an entrepreneur less steep for her.

Having always felt that founders were typically authorities in their field—professional makeup artists or skincare experts, Liu initially didn’t believe she belonged in the same cohort of women who were building disruptive beauty brands, seemingly singlehandedly, because her experience was in working for others. Not to mention, she had kids and a mortgage to think about, which made the decision to start a business even scarier.

But after a meeting with a friend from business school 15 years into her career, Liu finally was convinced that her experience in the corporate world would be instrumental in preparing her for entrepreneurship. "I gained a lot of skills in terms of understanding what it's like to be an employee," she said on this week's episode of WorkParty. This epiphany led to a core lesson in Liu's playbook: Never underestimate the power of experience—no matter the industry.

Liu suggests taking stock of your background and identifying transferable skills that will be valuable in your new venture. If you work in marketing, you likely have know-how in branding, advertising, and customer acquisition. As an employee you likely built up a network of contacts in your industry. These contacts can be valuable resources when starting your own business. (Liu's co-president from the aforementioned Entrepreneurship Venture Management Association was Tower 28's very first investor!)

Liu also emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and willing to learn. As an employee, you likely had a set of defined responsibilities and tasks. As an entrepreneur, you will need to be comfortable with uncertainty and change, try new approaches, and pivot when necessary. In fact, the most successful entrepreneurs tend to be middle-aged, according to a study of 2.7 million startups.

On this week's episode of WorkParty, Liu, who's also an honoree on this year's Create Cultivate 100 List, joins Jaclyn to share everything from her favorite hiring tips to what she learned while formulating Tower 28’s first product. Plus, we get into the business details like her tech stack, scheduling strategies, and go-to personal development tools. 

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Accelerators To Help You Launch or Level Up Your Business in 2023

Incoming: A mega-list of opportunities to kickstart your business this year. Whether you're searching for the seed money to launch your venture or seeking mentors whose relationships will last a lifetime, these accelerators for small business owners are for you.

Ongoing accelerator and grant opportunities

The Amber Grant for Women

Deadline: Monthly deadlines

This award honors Amber Wigdahl, who died at 19 years old before pursuing her business dreams. WomensNet gives away at least $30,000 every month in Amber Grant money, as well as offering a host of other grant opportunities.

Apply now

Black Founder Startup Grant

Deadline: Rolling applications

Black women entrepreneurs receive less than 0.5% of venture capital funding—but this grant is trying to change that. SoGal Foundation teamed up with Winky LuxbluemercurytwelveNYCTwilio, and  Walmart.org’s Center for Racial Equity to provide $10K and $5K cash grants to Black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs. They will also receive lifetime access to the SoGal Foundation and SoGal Ventures teams—and all they have to offer.

Spring accelerator and grant opportunities

Google for Startups Accelerator: Climate Change for North America and Europe

Deadline: January 19, 2023

This 10-week accelerator program for North America-based Seed to Series A tech startups. This digital opportunity connects you to the best minds at Google to take your climate change-focused business to the next level. "In addition to mentorship and technical project support, the accelerator will focus on product design, customer acquisition, and leadership development for founders," according to the site.

Apply now

FedEx® Small Business Grant Contest

Deadline: Opening January 31, 2023

This content awards "unique and innovative small businesses" with $30K to help you get your idea off the ground. Check out last year's winners here.

Apply now

Female Founders Startup Accelerator

Deadline: January 24, 2022

This startup accelerator is all about helping women business owners get investment-ready. This accelerator has raised over $3 million for its portfolio company. Expect deep-dive sessions with industry experts and plenty of mentorships in this experience.

Apply now

MassChallenges U.S. Early Stage

Deadline: March 3, 2023

This mentor-based program opens annually and lasts four months in total. This accelerator also offers an optional residency in a market of your choosing and allows you to choose an "industry track," including safety and security, health tech, social impact, and more.

Apply now

Female Founder Initiative

Deadline: March 27, 2023

"The Founder Institute helps you get traction and funding with a support network of startup experts that are invested in your success and through a structured business-building process that has helped alumni raise over $1.75BN," reads the description of this incredible opp.

Apply now

Apply now

Know of other incredible accelerator programs for women and femme entrepreneurs? Email us at editorial@createcultivate.com.

Classifieds: Free People, Tastemade, Outdoor Voices and More Are Hiring!

Check out our fresh batch of job listings every Thursday! This week we have new roles from Free People, Tastemade, Aesop, Four Sigmatic and so much more. Good luck with your job search! 

Are you a company looking to hire? To post your job listing, click HERE.

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Diem Co-Founder Emma Bates on Human-Centered Technology and The Power of Female Communication

ABOUT THE EPISODE

In today's episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn is joined by Emma Bates, founder & CEO of Diem. If you attended Create & Cultivate's Austin Pop-Up event earlier this year, you might've already heard from Emma on one of our panels where she spoke about women paving the way with blockchain technology.

If you're not familiar with Diem, it's a community-powered search engine designed for women. Diem is a Techstars NYC portfolio brand backed by leading investors like Flybridge, Acrew, & Sellation. By trade, Emma is a marketer and a community builder. Her entry into marketing was somewhat untraditional–in that she started out by growing her personal blog to 100K+ readers at age 19, and later transitioned into corporate marketing roles at some of the fastest-growing consumer brands in NYC and the UK. Prior to founding Diem, she worked as the Head of Global Marketing at the direct-to-consumer luggage brand, Away, where she found her passion for connecting with consumers through brand partnerships.

When she's not sidestepping her way into another entrepreneurial endeavor, she works to create social change as a lifelong advocate for gender equality. Emma has also been featured in Forbes, HuffPost, Entrepreneur, and The Cut for her unique approach to marketing, community building, and partnerships.

In this episode, she shares the importance of adding a human element to technology and product design, the power of female communication, and how she's working to bring inclusive, reliable information to people all over the world.

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Outdoor Voices & Try Your Best Founder Ty Haney Shares How to Leverage Web3 to Build Powerful Communities

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Live from our 2022 Small Business Summit event, Ty Haney joins Jaclyn Johnson for a keynote conversation about building community in Web3. If you're listening to this episode it's because you believe in doing things. Big things. And Ty Haney is on the same page. Haney founded Outdoor Voices–a vibrant, fun-first athleticwear brand back in 2014.

During Haney's time with Outdoor Voices, the brand became synonymous with IRL events that brought shoppers together to celebrate movement. And today, she's here to talk about how to bring that same IRL magic online with the next wave of community-driven technology.

Haney's new brand TYB, which stands for Try Your Best, makes Web3 community-powered growth tools that allow brands and fans to directly link, come together, build, and win together. And if you don't know what that means, it's okay! By the end of this episode, you'll be a pro.

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How to Build a Portfolio Career With CEO and Selling Sunset Star, Emma Hernan

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Live from our 2022 Small Business Summit event, CEO and Selling Sunset star Emma Hernan joins Bunita Sawhney Executive Vice President of US Financial Institutions at Mastercard for a fireside chat about what it takes to build a portfolio career. While you may know her from the hit Netflix show, you may not realize that Emma Hernan is someone whose business savvy goes far beyond what's depicted on the silver screen. As a self-made multimillionaire, Emma is not only a realtor at one of Los Angeles' top agencies, The Oppenheim Group, but she's also an entrepreneur and CEO of Emma Leigh & Co, as well as an angel investor. In other words, her plate is very full.

It's clear that she loves the work she does, and her drive and passion to help other female entrepreneurs grow and succeed is evident from the moment you meet her. We're lucky that she's here today to share tips on how to vary the types of work that you're doing, what investors are looking for, and how to persist with founding a business even when you come up against obstacles. (Plus, she might even spill a little Selling Sunset tea!)

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This TikTok Trend Is Shining a Light on Hiring Discrimination

A new trend on TikTok is taking aim at hiring discrimination that is still rampant in today's workforce. Black content creators are coming forward to share that when they omit or change their race to "white" on job applications, they're landing interviews they otherwise didn't.

According to the National Women’s Law Center, throughout much of the pandemic, Black women’s unemployment (5.8%) has been significantly and consistently higher than that of Latinas, Asian women, and white women. “Black women have two [factors] counting against them, away from the majority, and this makes them have to work twice as hard to get half as much as the average white man," says Andrea Logan, career coach and founder of The Career Island, of both sex and race. "So many job seekers play with race statistics and say they're a 'white man' to get through the human bias in the initial phase of the candidate selection process of the hiring industry."

While this TikTok trend is new, the idea behind it is not. In 2016, the findings of a two-year study showed evidence of bias against minorities. Resumes, which were “whitened” or scrubbed of any racial cues, were more successful than resumes that included minority information. For Black candidates, 25 percent received callbacks with a whitened resume, while only 10 percent got calls when they left racial details intact.

“You could potentially get double as many callback interviews scheduled from declaring a different race or even changing the first or last name to blur race guessing if the name stands out,” says Logan. But there are disadvantages, too. “You will show up to the interview as a non-white or non-male candidate and cause an awkward conversation that essentially shows you that this potential employer could be racist and only selected your application because they thought it was a white person behind the resume.”

For 24-year-old Jacqueline Young, who tried the TikTok trend, getting even one interview was a battle after graduating from Methodist University in May 2021. “I was applying to 10 jobs a day,” Young says. “I had been applying to jobs since before I graduated college, and it was hard for me to get a job, especially with a major in psychology.” 

Young hopped started putting “white” as her race on several applications to see if it made a difference. “When you are desperate, you think of everything. I found myself in a moment of desperation. Living in Virginia is expensive. The cost of daycare is the same as the cost of the rent. At the time, I was living off of credit cards,”  Young recalls. Changing her race helped her get noticed, but she still received no job offers.

However, eventually, Young found a job working for a company with diversity goals that didn't require her to lie about her race. “It’s been life-changing, literally overnight,” Young says. “I’m still learning humbly. But since I got hired in June, I’ve been able to support myself and help my family. The quality of life has just been better.”

Logan suggests shopping around to find your fit, and "when you get to the interview, ask them how many Black people work there—if that is important to you. Interrogate the company on their hiring practices and find companies where people who look like you are the majority.”

As a stay-at-home mother looking to re-enter the workforce, Sumyia Evans, a 26-year-old Georgia resident, experienced a similar situation to Young when applying as a BIPOC woman, which prompted her to try the trend. “I filled out an estimated 140 job applications and only received three follow-ups. Most of them were mainly scam job posts from Indeed, and I received a total of 137 rejections."

Ultimately, however, Evans realized she didn't feel right changing her application to get noticed. “I honestly would not lie on any more job applications just to get a job. I want people to wholeheartedly accept me for me, regardless of race, gender, etc. When God has something for you, he will put you in the right room with the right people. I just landed a job as a teacher associate,” she shares. “I got a call back that same day and was set up with an interview three days later, had orientation the next day, and began working two days after my orientation.”

Young and Evans eventually found a job that was the right fit for them, yet many Black and minority parents, anticipating discrimination their child may face, are giving their children more “resume-friendly” names. Black author Austin Channing Brown is just one example. In a Grazia article, Brown shares how her mother once told her: “We knew that anyone who saw it before meeting you would assume you are a white man. One day, you will have to apply for jobs. We just wanted to make sure you could make it to the interview.”

Because of history and content creators now shining light on an ongoing issue, it's evident that companies are still failing as equal-opportunity employers, and more people are aware of it today. There's hope that as this trend spreads and more voices are being heard, companies will take an initiative to accept a more diverse candidate pool to push forward in their hiring process.

Written by: Kristina Valdez

How 5 Women Wellness Entrepreneurs Built Successful Businesses By Putting Themselves First

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about the last moment when you felt great success. What surrounds you at that moment? Maybe it’s community. Maybe it’s a sense of overcoming. Likely, there’s a thread of hard work and determination. Now, another question: In that success, did you prioritize others? Or did you prioritize yourself and the work at hand? Open your eyes. 

There’s a misconception that self-care is selfish, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. To work well, you must first be well. No one knows this better than AthletaWell Guides, accredited wellness professionals who have built businesses dedicated to supporting women on their well-being journeys across mental health, nutrition, movement, sleep, and more. If you dive deeper into each of the guide’s secrets to success, you’ll find that they succeeded by prioritizing their own well-being—and this storyline is a common thread on AthletaWell.

AthletaWell is an expert-led community platform committed to empowering and motivating women on their well-being journeys. It was created to break the mold and build a community to bring women together in a safe space to share experiences, exchange real advice and get access to vetted leaders and experts to navigate wellbeing together. 

Here, we dive deep into advice from five Athleta Well expert guides who prioritized their own well-being to help serve others. Take it from them self-care and service are not mutually exclusive. 

1. Allow Yourself the Grace To Fail: Margeaux House, certified yoga instructor; Founder, This Curvy World

“Failing is part of learning and growth. Instead of being hard on yourself when something doesn't work out the way you imagined, use it as an opportunity for growth.  We tend to be harder on ourselves than anyone else. Don't give up. Try a different approach using the knowledge you gained.”

2. Be the Student and the Teacher: Nichomi Higgins, Licensed Marriage & Family Psychotherapist

“I always tell my clients, if you take nothing away from me, take away the fact that you must give yourself permission to be the student and the teacher in all aspects of your life. As high performers and experts in our respective lanes, we often fall victim to the myth that in order to be successful we must have all of the answers, or else our credibility will be ruined. So we end up anxiously avoiding mistakes and risks like the plague. When I gave myself permission to be both student and teacher it became easier to ask for help, share my fears vulnerably and fend off perfectionism. More importantly, this permission promotes mental agility when it comes to change.”

3. Don’t Try To Go It Alone: Dr. Natalie Crawford, OBGYN 

“Find people you trust and allow them to help you. One of the biggest barriers to growth is controlling everything yourself. Instead, view your time as a limited resource, and allow others to help you.”

4. Reframe Challenges As Growth Opportunities: Lauren Rosen, Licensed Marriage & Family Psychotherapist

“Being less-than-great at things is inevitable when you’re living on your growth edge. If you’re challenging yourself and struggling, you may find that your typical go-tos are frustration and self-flagellation. If we recognize that doing a clunky, clumsy job of something is an inevitable part of learning, we can give ourselves more grace to learn. We might even have more fun in the process of learning.” 

5. Take Advantage of the Mornings: Dalina Soto, registered dietician

“Prioritize a morning self-care routine, like morning coffee reflection with breakfast or a morning snack. Stay hydrated—when we are on the go, we forget water! Carve some time for stretching throughout the day if you sit a lot. Get the blood flowing! 

Ready to dive into even more from AthletaWell? Create your free account on AthletaWell today to meet AthletaWell Guides and visit your nearest Athleta store to sign up for the WellPro Program, designed for wellbeing professionals like you. You'll receive 25% off product in store and online plus exclusive opportunities to connect with Athleta and their customers.

Classifieds Nº283:  Chief, theSkimm, Frame, and More Are Hiring!

Check out our fresh batch of job listings every Thursday! This week we have new roles from Chief, theSkimm, Frame, Amy Porterfield, and so much more. Good luck in your job search! 

Are you a company looking to hire? To post your job listing, click HERE.

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Why 'Quiet Quitting' Has Become So Pervasive, According To These 5 Founders

It’s no surprise that Google searches for “quiet quitting” have spiked over the last month. Everyone seems to have a hot take on this topic, referring to an employee's decision to detach emotionally from their day jobs, instead of physically handing in their resignation letters. Although the buzz around the subject is new, quiet quitting is a workforce phenomenon with which many of us are all too familiar. 

As TikTok user zaidleppelin pointed out in a post that launched a thousand think pieces, quietly deciding to coast through your job responsibilities is a way to reject hustle culture. (Ever heard of it?) However, it also raises questions about why nine-to-fivers feel the need to phone it in at work in the first place. 

So is “quiet quitting” a product of a lack of inflation raises as the cost of living continues to increase? Or does it stem from the fact that 59 percent of managers are reporting feeling overworked as of 2021? Maybe it’s something else! While there’s no one culprit of quiet quitting, here’s five founders to offer their honest opinions about why quiet quitting has a loud message about workplace happiness (and one thing leaders can do to keep quiet quitting out of their company culture). 

Monisha Bajaj, Founder and Business Strategist of m times v

“Instead of accepting the status quo, people are starting to zoom out and redefine their personal relationship to work,” Bajaj says. She attributes quiet quitting to a cultural shift in how work fits into our lives.  “At the same time, we still live in a society where work is how you make money to support your livelihood. So, in part, people who are deciding to quiet quit may not feel they have the power to change how their workplace is structured or the need to make a living, but they’ve realized they can control how they personally show up.”

Bajaj’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: “As leaders, it’s important to actively foster a healthy workplace that promotes autonomy and that is free from any kind of coercion, shame, and blame,” she advises. “When you show people respect through how you structure your workplace and the culture you create, it gives them room to show up fully engaged.” 

Lekisha Middleton, Founder of The Good Success Network

Some argue that “quiet quitting” is a fancy, 21st-century term for simply doing what’s in your job description, and calling it a day. Middleton is in that camp. “If quiet quitting is quitting anything, it's the hustle and grind culture. It's doing exactly what you were hired to do and providing an even exchange between the work you're doing, the value you're adding, and the compensation and benefits you're receiving in return,” she explains. 

Middleton’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: “Leaders should not expect employees to go above and beyond their assigned job duties for the same compensation and benefits,” she says. “People have a right to keep strong boundaries between their work and personal lives, and human-centered leaders both understand and respect that right.”

Jess Podgajny, Co-Founder and CEO of LLUNA

Hybrid work culture is on the rise, and as we WFH, WFW, and do some blend of both, the idea of the “office” needs to evolve for the better. “We cannot simply put a policy in place [for where people should work] and then expect everyone to operate exactly the same way as before, yet within a whole new context. Companies need to engage employees differently, motivate them regularly, and, most importantly, connect employees with the purpose and meaning of their work in much more intentional ways,” Podgajny shares.

Podgajny’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: “In the age of hybrid and remote work, leaders and companies must prioritize clear messaging and regular dialogue with employees to convey the meaning of a job, and connect daily outcomes to purpose. Hard work is easy when the purpose is motivating,” she adds.

Kimone Napier, Founder of Hire Breakthrough

Napier says that “quiet firing” is yet another factor contributing to people feeling disinvested from work. “Quiet quitting is a direct correlation of quiet firing. For years, employees have fired workers at will and without any indication. Although quiet firing is tied to legalities to avoid a lawsuit, workers feel this approach is not inclusive. As a result quiet quitting is workers taking power into their own hands when it comes to their positions and the future of work,” Napier says. 

Napier’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: “Business owners and leaders need to be aware of the signs of quiet quitting (less enthusiasm, lack of contribution, lateness, etc.) amongst their workers. Rather than ignoring the signs, employers need to speak to their workers to get their feedback once they notice the signs,” she advises. “They should also look at the worker's workload, look at their career paths, and help them to set some work boundaries.”

Rachel Kanarowski, Founder of Year of Living Better

“Ultimately, quiet quitting is a management issue,” Kanarowski says. “It's not about the caricature of ‘The Lazy Employee,’ but more about knowing what you truly need from each member of your team, and being comfortable if that is exactly what they deliver, no-more-no-less. When leaders cannot define what success looks like for a role and how that success will be measured, they are inadvertently creating an adversarial work relationship where their people can never feel certain they've done what's expected of them.” 


Kanarowski’s advice for how leaders can support employees in the age of quiet quitting: Kanarowski is a big advocate of “stay interviews,” or bi-weekly, one-on-one meetings held with everyone on your direct team, to gather feedback about what’s working and what isn’t. “Think of this as a relationship check-in; it shouldn't be combined with a status report or other functional meeting where this person would be presenting to you,” she says. “While it might seem counterintuitive to add more meetings, research shows that ‘stay interviews’ decrease turnover and increase engagement, and research by Gallup shows a direct correlation between decreased communication and a perception that their organization doesn't care about their well-being.”

Written by Kells McPhillips

Classifieds Nº280:  Refinery29, Free People, Levi's and More Are Hiring!

Check out our fresh batch of job listings every Thursday! This week we have new roles from Eloquence, Refinery29, Open, Free People, Levi's and so much more. Good luck in your job search! 

Are you a company looking to hire? To post your job listing, click HERE.

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Pivoting In Your Career In Your 30s: It's Okay And Here's How To Tackle It

Your 30s are a divergent decade—between life milestones and relationships, you develop into the adult you want to become. With shifting priorities and life perspectives, you might come to realize the career path you're on is not the final destination. (You may also be experiencing burnout.) Maybe it's time to consider pivoting in your career.

The good news is that your career doesn’t have to follow a linear path. There is no one-size-fits-all solution and you are not being graded on your commitment to your first career path. You get to reinvent your work life as many times as you want. Just because it sounds daunting does not mean it's not doable. 

So, where do you start when you’re looking to change careers, or maybe you don’t know what kind of change you’re seeking. We know it can be overwhelming to contemplate a complete change, so whatever your mindset, the following tips will help you begin your journey. 

1. Assess your network 

The benefit of changing your career path in your 30s is that you’re not starting from square one. First, go through your contact list, starting with your email address book and LinkedIn connections. Is there anyone you already know in a role that interests you? Do you have a mentor at your current job that could advise you on the next chapter of your career? Make a spreadsheet of your closest contacts and note their job title, your relationship with them, and why they could be a promising resource for your new career journey.

The goal is to begin researching new career directions with the support and guidance of peers you’ve already established relationships with. This might be a good time to try out a LinkedIn Premium account to maximize your networking, and you'll also have more access to hiring managers. 

2. Assess your skills

Ask yourself what top skills your current job requires. Do you interface with high-profile clients or oversee your company’s internship program? Do you have project management software development experience? Maybe you write your company’s social media posts or sell marketing automation solutions. No matter what you are currently doing, your skills are transferable. As an exercise, write out the primary responsibilities of your current role and what skills are required for each. Brainstorm how those skills will translate into a new career field. 

3. Take classes

The internet has democratized access to continuing education opportunities. Research the kind of certificates or credentials that can introduce you to, and give you experience with, a new career field. 

Platforms like Udemy and General Assembly are great resources for education and career transformation. Both companies specialize in in-demand skills and offer thousands of courses online. Through ongoing education, you can hone new skills, while also understanding the full scope of interesting new career paths.

4. Be open-minded 

Maybe you know what career field you want to go into, but if you don’t The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook is a great resource for beginning your research. It outlines different industries and career sectors, as well as qualifications for becoming that type of professional. You might not know your dream career already exists! 

Another free resource to check out is "The Career-Switching Handbook for 30‑Somethings." It's an ebook from The Wharton School that details data-driven strategies for advancing your career through job-hopping. No matter where your research takes you, be open-minded to careers you have never considered before.

5. Plan for salary changes 

Lastly, changing career paths will affect your salary in the short term. But don’t fret! This is a temporary reality of starting anew. Salaries, like career paths, are not always about incremental growth. Consider side hustles or part-time work that pays the bills, but still allows you the time to develop into your new career path. 

Written by Dana Kelly

This Career Coach Shares 4 Ways You Can Combat Work-Induced Stress

Are you one of the 70% of Americans who say they experience work stress, and that work is your number one stressor over family or even financial issues? How to deal with work stress may seem stressful itself. As it is the harmful, physical, and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of your job do not match your capabilities, resources, or needs. In essence, stress sets in when there is a lack of fit between an employee and their work environment.

Work stress eventually results in physical and mental health issues if left unaddressed. In some extreme cases, toxic work stress can ultimately result in traumatic experiences. The most straightforward way to address it is often to find aligned work, but that isn’t always an option for everyone.

If this sounds a bit like what you are currently experiencing, here are four things you can do if you're currently unable (or not ready) to pivot into doing aligned work. 

1. Identify your triggers

Start by clarifying what stress feels like for you so that you're able to identify your triggers. How do you know when you’re stressed? What thoughts do you have? What happens in your body? 

Pay attention to how you feel at work for a week or two. How do you feel physically in your body, emotionally in your heart and mind, and mentally? Then, record any situations, events, and people that lead to you having a negative physical, mental, or emotional response.

During each entry in your records, answer these questions: 

  • Who was involved in the situation?

  • What was your reaction?

  • How did you feel before, during, and after?

After two weeks, evaluate. You might find obvious stressors or patterns, and notice subtle but persistent stress causes such as specific work tasks, interactions with particular people, or an uncomfortable workspace. 

2. Set non-negotiable work boundaries 

The fact is work never ends. There’s always something to do, and if you’re already experiencing stress at work, it’s important that you become very clear and strict about your boundaries. 

I know a lot of times, it can feel uncomfortable to set or establish boundaries. Still, it’s important to remember that you show up better for everybody when you are healthy, whole, and happy. And when you don’t have clear boundaries, you experience more work stress. So you show up as a lesser version of yourself. 

It’s also important to remember that it is your responsibility to hold your boundaries and not other people’s. People will always try to push your boundaries; your job is to ensure they are not successful. 

Whether it’s boundaries around work hours, communication, the tasks you take on, or whatever that looks like for you, identify where you are experiencing stress at work and set clear boundaries for yourself, and those around you.

3. Adopt strong conflict resolution practices

Another major cause of work stress is the relationships and interactions we have at work, with colleagues and managers. If after identifying your triggers, you notice that your work stress is mostly coming from relationships, then it might be time to evaluate your communication practices.  

Do you speak up when you feel like your values have been violated? Do you speak up when your boundaries have been violated? Lastly, do you advocate for yourself? If you’re not doing any of these things, they might lead to conflict and thus causing you to experience work stress. In this case, you’re going to want to develop clear conflict resolution and communication skills that allow you to advocate for yourself.

Here’s a simple process to follow to help you address workplace conflict:

  • Identify what exactly the conflict is.

  • Meet with the source of your conflict.

  • Communicate the situation (and remember, communication involves talking and listening).

  • Identify a solution.

  • Enforce the solution. (see no. 2 above)

4. Be proactive with your restoration practices.

When you’ve been in a work situation that has been stressful for an extended period, there’s a high chance that your stress response systems are overwhelmed. And when your stress response systems are overwhelmed, that’s when trauma sets in, along with your ability to cope goes out the window. 

If you’ve been experiencing chronic toxic stress that your body hasn’t been able to manage well, your brain changes on a fundamental level. It changes how you interact and see the world, and collapses the time between event and reaction in your life. You might find yourself “overreacting” to certain situations at work, or getting stressed quicker and more intensely than you’d expect.

Mindfulness can help you rewire your responses and interaction with the world. It can help you feel psychologically safe and perceive the world as is, and not through your stress lens. Note that mindfulness is not a treatment for clinical trauma but simply a coping strategy you can use to navigate work stress. If you’ve been experiencing chronic work stress for years, an important component of your healing is going to be therapy.

On a final note, at some point, it’s no longer about stress management, or about coping strategies and preventing stress. If you’re doing unaligned work, you will experience stress and there’s nothing you can do about it. It might be time for you to start making your exit plan and finding something else to do. 

If you're looking for a sign, here's four to look out for that say it might be time for you to find a new job.

  • You dread the work you do.

  • Your energy is drained.

  • Your physical and mental health is being impacted.

  • You’re not growing professionally.

  • You make “enough” money and are still unhappy at work.

About the author:

Dr. Tega Edwin (pronounced tay-gah) is an award-winning career development educator, researcher, and speaker. She is the owner of Her Career Doctor, where she coaches women who are unhappy at work to exit soul-sucking jobs and find a fulfilling career that allows them to thrive in their zone of genius, live on purpose, and get paid a value-aligned salary. She developed the VISA Career Clarity Framework that has helped women across four continents in over 20 industries clarify their aligned career paths.

This Black-Owned Company's CEO Is Disrupting The Beauty Industry

When Piersten Gaines set out to learn if other women were having negative salon experiences like herself, she had no idea that she’d end up interviewing 300 women with traumatic stories. There was a consensus that they all had to deal with stylists not trained in textured hair, all while being a demographic who already spends nine times more than others on hair care, according to her. Gaines saw this as a huge gap in the market, and sought out the opportunity to build the black-owned business taking over Dallas, Texas, Pressed Roots.

Today, the business school graduate is a full-fledged entrepreneur and CEO for Pressed Roots, a brand of salons with trained stylists that are combatting a well-known problem with the beauty industry--not having enough diversity. It's the blow-out bar for textured hair women. From pop-ups where she learned about the customers and what they really needed, to raising 3.1 million in funding, Gaines is creating a more inclusive space for BIPOC women. Click play below to see how she used her background in business marketing to build a brand that has expanded in Dallas.

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C&C Classifieds Nº279:  Alleyoop, Newsette, Vice Media Group, and More Are Hiring!

August is here, and as a new month arrives, you might be feeling a wave of change in your career as well. 

Kick off the month with a fresh batch of job listings for you to apply from our good friends at Alleyoop, The Honest Company, Vice Media Group, REED Public Relations, and so many more!

To post a new job, just click HERE. Good luck! 

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