10 Mic Drop Moments from C&C Chicago 2018

If you've been following along, then you know we took over House of Vans in Chicago for our C&C conference. The Windy City welcomed us with open arms and Vans provided the perfect space for us to build our beautiful dream conference. We decked out the space with beautiful furnishings courtesy of Deny Designs, and Instagrammable moments thanks to Name Glo, Vince Camuto, Bic Soleil, Volvo, and so many more. The pros at WeWork provided VIP guests with a cozy lounge for networking between panels, Comcast provided an in-depth mentor power hour with some of the fire-hearted women in the game and JC Penney took over our stunning outdoor stage and treated our guests with a music-filled post-conference happy hour to celebrate an unforgettable day.

Throughout the day we heard some killer quotes from our speakers and moderators that deserve some major credit. Ahead, some of the biggest mic-drop moments of the day. 

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"Full ass EVERYTHING."

- Rachel Tipograff, Founder & CEO MikMak

 

"I'm not too expensive. You just can't afford me yet."

-Blake Von D, Attorney & Influencer

 

"The sooner you embrace the messiness in life; the sooner order will show itself."

-Lori Wright, Microsoft

"The only boundaries I have now are the ones I set for myself."

-Marianna Hewitt, Co-founder of Summer Fridays & Founder of Life With Me

 

"To be an entrepreneur in 2018 you need hustle, passion, and no fear."

-Shay Mitchell, Actress, Producer, & Influencer

"The best advice I've ever received: Feedback is a gift."

-Alli Webb, Co-Founder of Drybar

“If it’s not worth working hard for, it’s not worth it at all.”

-Jennifer Hudson, Singer, Actress, Philanthropist

“People need to learn how to rest, rather than learn how to quit.”

-Ben Silbermann, Co-Founder & CEO of Pinterest

"Know your value, know your worth, and know what you can bring to the table."

-Reesa Lake, Partner & EVP at Digital Brand Architects

“Don’t ever let technology replace the importance of personal relationships.”

-Julia Simon, Chief Legal Officer of Mary Kay

“Figure out what you need to make your life easier. That’s how you run a one-woman show.”

- Maxie McCoy, Author of You're Not Lost & Public Speaker

Thank Yous!

Our guests were able to stay fueled throughout the day thanks to our food and beverage sponsors. Health-Ade kicked off the day with breakfast and of course some kombucha for our guests to sip on as they got settled for the day. Sweetgreen provided a delicious array of salads for lunch, and McDonald's came through with a food truck for a mid-afternoon bite. OUI by Yoplait, RX Bar, and Luna also had snacks prepared for everyone to nibble one. And of course, OLLY had our backs with a variety of vitamins for guests to stay clear-headed and healthy for panels and networking.

It wouldn't be a C&C conference without a fully-stocked bar to enjoy while making your way to through the event. Chandon provided mini-bottles of its summer-themed bubbly, and the Crown Royal team mixed a delicious variety of cocktails. Of course, there were other options such as everyone's favorite La Croix, and Icelandic Glacial water to stay hydrated in the Chi-town heat. 

One of our biggest hits was the pop-up market, which featured everything from beauty touch-ups to business pitching opportunities and relaxation. Our guests got to try the buzzy Dyson Super Sonic blow dryer, and both Sexy Hair and Living Proof featured the latest products for both volume and styling. Nordstrom Beauty had so many of its best-selling brands available on-site, and our beauty babes loved it. 

The Pinterest team put a twist on their activation with tarot cards for building your future, and Pacifica Beauty emphasized gemstones and healing crystals for boosting girl power. The Microsoft Teams squad also introduced everyone to the collaborative platform that can boost team communication and productivity, while WeddingWire showed all the busy ladies that nuptials don't need to be put on hold if you plan like a boss. Our Chicago ticket-holders also had the opportunity to sit back and relax at Serena & Lily's Lake Michigan-inspired hangout. 

Method Home even managed to take over the restrooms with a mix of hand soaps, rainbow bright decor and cell-phone holders in every stall. 

Once again, thank you to ALL of our C&C Chicago partners and speakers, we couldn't have made the day so special without all of your hard work and dedication to women in business!

Did you have a favorite quote from the day? Drop it in the comments below!

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The Best Negotiation Tips We Learned at Our Chicago Conference

Our Chicago conference was a day full of inspiration and career advice from women of all different walks of life. A big topic of the day was negotiation—you know, that one word that makes so many of us cringe. A surprising statistic that the audience learned was that only 30% of women are negotiating. Yes, you read that right. 

During our Art of Negotiation panel, presented by LUNA, our speakers discussed the taboo topic both openly and honestly, which is the only way to move that conversation forward. The truth of the matter is that if women aren't freely discussing all things money, then negotiations aren't going to happen and the gender wage gap won't narrow or disappear once and for all. 

Today also happens to be Women's Equality Day, so what better time to dish on money and negotiations? The year might be 2018, but the wage gap is prevalent and on our minds more than ever. Women earn 20% less than men do on average, for doing the same job with the same experience. Learning to negotiate and knowing your worth is the first step in closing the gap in order for women to be paid fairly and equally for their work and services. 

Earlier this year, LUNA launched its 'Your Worth is Worth Negotiating' initiative to kick off the conversation that a lot of us tend to avoid, and the discussion continued during our conversation this past Saturday in CHI-town. Moderated by Maxie McCoy with an introduction by LUNA's Juliana French-Arnold, speakers Zoë Scharf, Reesa Lake, Blake Von D, and Robin Li fed our audience logic and real-talk advice on what it takes to negotiate effectively and confidently. Ahead are some of the biggest takeaways. 

"Know your value, know your worth, and know what you can bring to the table."-Reesa Lake, Partner and Executive Vice President of Digital Brand Architects

Once women are self-aware of their value and worth, they're unstoppable. If you can confidently share your skills, experience, how you've contributed to your company, how you've helped it grow, what you plan on doing next, and more, then you can navigate successfully throughout a negotiation setting. If you don't think that you have what it takes, then that's what is setting you back. 

"If my value was zero, you would not have come to me."-Blake Von D, Attorney & Influencer

Sometimes, you just have to lay down the law with anyone who's trying to offer you less than what you're worth. If they feel that you're worth much less than your value, then why should they attempt to work with you in the first place? 

"Knowing what other people value companies that are similar to yours is very important."- Robin Li,  Vice President of GGV Capital

This can pertain to small business owners, who are looking to market their product or service. On the other hand, this can also work for negotiating a salary and knowing what the standard salary for your field of work.  You won't learn the proper value of what you're bringing to the table until you learn what others in the same area of work are valued as or are bringing home as income. 

“Think about the potential you have to add and remember that you’re offering this person something that is really beneficial to them.”-Zoë Scharf, Co-founder of Greetabl

A negotiation is just as much about the other person than it is about you. Sure, you can know what you're worth, but they may need to be reminded that you're only here to help them. Have some facts ready about why your services will benefit this person and their business and help them grow even further. 

“You have to be willing to hold off and say ‘no’ when you’re negotiating.”-Maxie McCoy, Writer & Public Speaker

A lot of us don't like using the word 'no', and that needs to stop today. Don't let anyone get away with taking advantage of you and your market value. It may be uncomfortable, but be prepared to walk away and reject a deal that doesn't benefit both parties or cater to your own needs. 

"I'm not too expensive, you just can't afford me yet."-Blake Von D, Attorney & Influencer

This was the quote that caused a loud cheer from our audience! In the ultimate #facts moment of the panel, Blake said what a lot of us are thinking but never say to anyone on the other side of the table. It's true. If anyone thinks that you're charging too much when you clearly aren't, then they can't afford you. Point. Blank. Period. 

Are you part of the 30% of women who negotiate? If so, let us know your own tactics for getting the deal you want. If not, what's stopping you?

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