Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Denise Vasi
MINDFUL AF.
MINDFUL AF.
Denise Vasi has it Maed.
The actress (lead on the hit show Single Ladies) mother to Lennox Mae, wife to director Anthony Mandler, and founder of Maed, the soon-to-be launched lifestyle site committed to impact. Self-care tops her list of priorities. As does fostering open and honest convo, whether that's with Lennox, or her hundreds of thousands of IG followers. Denise is constantly dolling out her truth with her own spin on old adages.
"One day, or day one. You decide."
"The past is a place of reference. Not a place of residence."
"Be soft, kind, and loving. But also take nobody's shit."
She doesn't settle and she doesn't want you to either. She has it "made" because she made it herself. A Brooklyn native, Vasi signed to Ford Models at the age of 12. "For modeling they said I was too tiny, I wasn’t Caucasian enough, I wasn’t African American enough, I wasn’t Latina enough. They kept saying no but I kept moving forward and fighting my way in everyone’s door."
And we're glad she did.
More from Denise below.
Name: Denise Vasi
Instagram: @densievasi
Where do your drive and passion come from?
Launching Maed has always been about creating impact. Surely there will be shifts while the brand evolves but Maed strives to inspire others and that will always remain the heart of my brand. Being impactful is the force that drives me.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
I used to be easily stymied by obstacles, so I had to change my way of thinking. Knowing that any challenge at hand was actually an opportunity to educate myself, a chance to dig deeper, ask myself more questions and that ultimately from it all I would grow--- holding on to that is what pushes me through.
"Any challenge at hand is a opportunity, a chance to dig deeper."
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who don't deliver all that they say they will.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Letting my mind get in my way of my creative process.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
That it's not a job it's a passion project. I love what I am creating and I love the community that I'm creating it for.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated by other people's work?
I think because of the access we have today, it's hard to say 100 percent that we are not somewhat informed by others. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I do believe that the past informs the present and that to be great at what you do, you should study those that came before you. That being said there's a slippery slope between being influenced by and imitating someone's work or style. For me, I stay original by sticking to what I immediately gravitate to and staying true to my creative eye. When something does inspire me, I look at how I can dig deeper or build on the concept. Adding value to something is the most positive way to pay homage IMO. Also, you should always give credit where credit is due!
Being impactful is the force that drives me.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
That the path laid out for me is my own.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
OPRAH... need I say more?!
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I've always been on the journey to becoming the woman I am today whether I knew it in those exact moments or not. Things definitely changed after I gave birth to my daughter. Soon after, I figured out I wasn't ready to go back to acting. While I didn't exactly know what was next for me I felt so incredibly empowered-- I knew I could do anything.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Build meaningful relationships and look at others in your space as potential partners. Rather than viewing them as competition try to create dynamic ways to collaborate.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I sit back and evaluate the situation, then I make a list of all the possible solutions. Writing things down really helps me work thru things. I also have a group of 3-4 people that I reach out to when I need to brainstorm.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Whichever nursery song I listened to 72 times the night before while putting my daughter to sleep :)
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Garance Doré
THE FRENCH ICON.
THE FRENCH ICON.
In case you needed yet another reason to lament the fact that you weren’t born French, enter the effortlessly-iconic Garance Doré, Parisian fashion blogger living in Manhattan. Chronicling stylish women on her namesake personal blog since 2006, the dynamic writer, illustrator and photographer has recently rebranded and expanded as Atelier Doré—a lifestyle website and creative studio devoted to cool women, inspiring people, and “the art of life.” From a one woman show to full-fledged (and self-funded!) media site, Doré’s approachable and amiable take on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle have made her both an addictive household name and accidental guru.
Read on to discover what keeps this creative tour de force grounded, inspired, and living in the moment.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I want to live a free and creative life.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
Keeping grounded in myself and trusting my dreams.
"I want to live a free and creative life."
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
People taking my phone charger :)
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Letting my business run me.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
Some of most important things are the things we don't do and don't talk about.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated by other people's work?
By staying grounded in our true desires.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
That it allows me to grow and change.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
No one, except maybe Kelly Slater.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
There is no specific point. It's an ongoing process and it's never-ending.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
To stop overthinking.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
Like in martial arts, I try to use any force (positive or negative) to learn and grow.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Feeling Good by Nina Simone.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Rupi Kaur
THE BEST SELLER.
THE BEST SELLER.
Like most writers, Rupi Kaur, the 25-year-old Toronto-based poet, illustrator, and photographer thinks she’s better at putting pen to paper than she is at giving an oral interview. “I’m a better writer than I am a speaker,” she tells us.
On one hand, we believe her. Her work is biting and soft. She twists language in a way that makes you want to walk into a forest and stare up at the sky through the trees. Her words allow you the space to see the world a little differently.
On the other, we don’t. Not really. Especially when the author/mother of “milk and honey,” her debut book of poetry and prose which shot to the New York Times Bestseller List says this: “We navigate the world, come across so many people, but at the core of our experience is love. I think that’s the message I’m trying to consistently share, without even really realizing that I’m sharing it.” The message that, “you deserve to be here and you’re welcome here and allowed space.”
"You deserve to be here and you’re welcome here and allowed space.”
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She recently released her sophomore book of poetry, the much-anticipated, "the sun and her flowers," a #1 best seller on Amazon and another NY Times best seller. The young poet and performer is currently touring that book across India, coming off a 13-city tour as well as a visual performance of the poems from the book, which featured fellow C&C 100 honoree Lilly Singh and 2017 C&C 100 honoree Cleo Wade.
The exuberance of the crowd when Rupi takes the stage is much shared across social. The people, including Alicia Keys, they love her. More than love, they #regram her. A true digital sign of affection.
A native of the Punjab region in India, Kaur spent her formative years in Toronto, where she currently resides. She is a modern-day storyteller, using her poetry and social handle @rupikaur_ to explore beauty standards, violence, love, injustice, the female body, and more. “my issue with what they consider beautiful/is their concept of beauty/centers around excluding people,” she wrote in an Instagram post on July 11th of this year. It's the same platform that deleted a photo of Kaur's sister, Prabh Kaur on a bed, her gray sweatpants and bed sheet stained by (fake) period blood. Instagram claimed the post violated their community guidelines. Kaur reposted the photo, which was part of a photo-series project for a visual rhetoric course with a caption challenging the decision. "i will not apologize for not feeding the ego and pride of misogynist society," she wrote on August 25, 2015, "that will have my body in an underwear but not be ok with a small leak. i bleed each month to help make humankind a possibility." Instagram recoiled, apologized; the community clapped loudly. And they kept clapping. Her approach to language and honesty has captured the attention of nearly 2.1 million Instagram followers, which has grown from 600k in 2016.
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When she first started sharing her work online there was no intention of authoring a book. “It’s still such a personal experience for me. I’m not writing for anyone else," she says. "At times, I don’t understand the interest. But all of the sudden I was building this online community and they were the ones that would comment, ‘Where can I buy your book?’”
Consider that Kaur's first reaction to the idea of a book was, “I’m me, I can’t." She was 20 at the time, thought of writing as her “hobby,” and had just started university. Her thoughts were, “I need to finish my degree, I’m paying thousands of dollars to be here.” We’ve all experienced this tug of war-- the one between our head and our heart, our reason and our dreams. But Kaur slowly warmed to the idea. Between the encouragement of friends and the enthusiasm of the online community she began piecing together what would become ‘milk and honey.’
“It was a very difficult moment in my life,” she says, “and I just strapped down. It was the summer of 2014 and I didn’t think I was going to get through it. I couldn’t see myself and I couldn’t imagine my life after this moment. I needed it.”
She wrote the pieces and crafted her first book by listening, she says, “to what my body said.” She designed everything from front to back, the font, the pictures, and then put it into the world. “I don’t think anything I ever do will feel as holistic as that,” she says. “It was deeply grassroots, on the budget of zero dollars. When you give birth to something like that and see it blossom, it’s so incredible."
Now consider that her debut paperback, self-published book of poetry and prose sold over 18,000 copies in the first 8 months. "milk and honey" flowed into the world November 2014 and kept moving.
"the sun and her flowers" is divided into five chapters and illustrated by Kaur, much like "milk and honey." It is a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming.
More about Rupi's journey below.
Name: Rupi Kaur
Instagram: @rupikaur_
Why is it important to release physical copies of your work?
It’s very important to me that people have something to hold. That’s what gets passed down from hand to hand and moves across the world. A hardcover is the version that refuses to be ruined. The paperback version is going to fold, its matte black is going to stain, but the hardcover is beautiful and elegant. You keep the hardcover on your bookshelf and you keep the paperback under your pillow or in your purse. It’s not a product to me, it’s my heart.
Who do you write for?
Myself. I've tried writing for the audience. It was bad. I was holding a knife to the neck of my writing and it wasn’t working. During that time, there were people who told me I needed to release a second book. That by next year the industry would try and replace me. It only annoyed me. I have to be honest with myself. It’s a very Adele approach. But you have to remember why you started and stay true to that.
Are you able to see your work and feel a sense of pride?
I have to tell myself, "You brought yourself here, not the industry." I think that’s a huge source of my power. My inability to see how people perceive my work also allows me to see how powerful I am. I have my insecurities, but I feel powerful. I’m here and I’m doing what I love.
“It’s not a product to me, it’s my heart.”
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Why do you follow zero people on social media?
Like most people I have my own personal, multi-dimensional battles with social media. But, I also know without it the publishing world wouldn’t have cared about this young, brown woman. Social media was a free tool that I used to create my own community. It can also swallow you up. I spent a lot of time protecting myself from social media. I would tweet from my laptop. Or I'd download Instagram, log into my account, post, and log back out. I wouldn't read any of the comments. It helped me feel more rooted again. I’m a very sensitive person and I don’t want the thousands of eyes pouring over my work to change the way I’m going to write in the future.
Where are you going next?
When I first started writing it was about getting my voice back and finding my voice. Now, I have a loose idea of three to five books that I will write in the next ten years. So, I’m going to keep writing and listening to what my body tells me. The recipe for my success, if any, is that I’ve always been honest with myself. I’ve always written what I’ve needed.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Katie Sturino
THE TABOO SMASHER.
THE TABOO SMASHER.
It’s not everyday a major blogger drops bombs like “thigh chafe” and “boob sweat.”
But this is Katie Sturino of The 12ish Style we’re talking about, and we’ve come to expect nothing less. A proud size 12ish in a size 2 world, the body positive blogger and patron saint of dogs is changing the face of the plus size fashion space with the simple tenet that great style is not size dependent. In addition to running a multi-channel fashion empire, Sturino is the late @toastmeetsworld’s momager. Rescued from the horrors of a puppy mill, the celebrity king cavalier was beloved by allc, a huge fan of sunglasses, spooning, and Rob Lowe. Most recently, Sturino is tackling beauty taboos with the creation of Megababe, a line of anti-boob sweat and anti-chafe sticks designed to further celebrate the perfect imperfection of women.
Read on for more from this taboo-smashing game-changer.
Name: Katie Sturino
Instagram: @the12ishStyle
Where do your drive and passion come from?
A desire to help women thrive and have a positive feeling about themselves. And I want to save dogs. All of 'em.
What is the biggest message you would like to leave behind with 12ish Style?
Put your confidence on first! So much of looking great is feeling good on the inside.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
When men tell me that "boob sweat" and "thigh chafe" are not common problems for women.
Whenever you get stuck or find yourself up against a wall, how do you find new roads?
Don't puke on me, but I meditate. I try to release all the emotions around what I THINK should happen and accept what is happening. I reevaluate and see if the goal is still one I am looking to achieve. Usually, I receive some sort of resolution or step forward just by taking a min to step out. If that all fails, I ask everyone I know for an opinion and then do what I want to do anyway.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
That is will all fail and I will have to go work for someone else for the rest of my life.
Do you think it's still a Size 2 world? Or have you seen formidable and lasting change?
I do think it is still a size 2 world because stories for extended sizes are still labeled something like "Jackets for all sizes" rather than just "Jackets!" Some retailers are starting to offer extended sizes, which is great, but putting a size 14 IN STORE is not really that much of a step forward. Campaign models and online models are still mostly size 2s. BUT the conversation has started. And I am not going to complain about that!
"Putting a size 14 IN STORE is not really that much of a step forward."
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What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I change my clothes about 5 times a day and I do not enjoy that! Its impossible to keep my apt clean.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
When I get a message from a woman who tells me she wore something or did something for the first time because she was inspired to step out of her comfort zone by me.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Oprah. Everybody loves her and she has helped so many people. Plus she still gives away her favorite things.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
When I realized that no one is actually better than me or knows everything or has it all figured out. We are all a work in progress. And the more we can help each other out the better we all do.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Be nice.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Gross, I never sing but if you held a gun to my head and asked me what my perk up song would be I would have to tell you that its Taylor Swift Welcome to NY and then I would ask you to just shoot me anyway because I would be so embarrassed.
Who is your current blog crush?
@BatGio
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Liza Koshy
BETTER THAN NETFLIX.
BETTER THAN NETFLIX.
Actress and YouTube phenom Liza Koshy believes that content is a universal language. And if it gets people laughing we’d have to agree-- as does her following. With over 15 million followers on IG and a loyal YouTube crew that checks in to see the new vids Liza uploads every Wednesday. Like her 73 Questions Vogue parody, featuring her character Jet Patinski, or Helga, her 8th wonder of the world, ethnically nondescript character who likes her eggs, “unfertilized.” Same.
A self-made star that’s only on the rise, find out what’s new in Liza’s word in 2018 and why you shouldn’t take your eyes off her.
Binge on Liza below.
How would you describe what you do?
I’m making content to make people feel content.
When did your interest in video start? How’d you start creating content?
I started on Vine in High School. When I switched to YouTube I started to create more elaborate sketches. I moved to Los Angeles when I was 19 and signed with Creative Artists Agency to build my brand and put some strategy behind the funny.
Who were your biggest inspirations growing up?
Jim Carrey and Raven Symone. That’s So Raven was my jam!
Your social media feeds seem custom tailored for each platform. Your YouTube and your Instagram look so different from each other. How do you maintain your unique consistency online?
I treat each app as a different diary of me. I wish I could tweet the one-liners that I come up with for YouTube, but my audience, the bosses will call you out for recycling content.
You did a pretty cool collaboration with Giving Keys and had a line of necklaces out last year. How did that come about and what’s the meaning behind the necklaces?
My parents had gotten me one of the Giving Keys necklaces as a gift. After meeting the founder of the company, Caitlin Crosby, we started talking about a collaboration and what she wanted to put into the world. We both want to put out all sorts of good words and intentions. I decided to focus on the words 'Trust' and 'Laugh’ as they’re major themes in my life.
In your video titled “Mixed Kid Problems,” you mention bouncing among racial groups and constantly fielding queries about your ethnic background. What is your background and how do you feel like your audience relates to this?
I’m perceived as “ethnically ambiguous” online and I think that helps me broaden my Gen Z audience, which is more ethnically and racially diverse than most older generations. My father moved to the U.S. from India as a teen, and my mother is white. I mostly just describe myself as a “little brown girl.” My bosses are a bunch of 11-year-olds and they’re more informed about the world and more opinionated about it, which isn’t a bad thing. But it makes them a little more touchy at times.
You’re stepping into a new realm with your latest television deals. How does this feel?
This phase of my career relies on my bosses sticking around and following me to these new outlets. It is kind of hard to give up parts of the creative process now. I’m nervous about not setting up the camera and pressing record myself.
What’s the best part about what you do?
I can’t get fired.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Bad breath.
If you could switch jobs with anyone who would it be and why?
Jessica Alba. Her company Honest, honestly it’s amazing.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Jenna Wortham
THE WORTHY WORDSMITH.
THE WORTHY WORDSMITH.
photo credit: Melissa Hom
Most great careers start with a great story.
And New York Times Magazine staff writer Jenna Wortham has hers. It's not that she received a handwritten note from Beyoncé that read, "Thank you for the beautiful words you said about Formation. Thanks for understanding my heart." (OK.)
It's not that she's moderated convos with Ta-Nehisi Coates. Or that she's managed to grow her her Podcast, Still Processing, while launching the Black Future Project, while holding down her job as a culture writer for the Times magazine.
It's that she rejected her first job offer from the New York Times. She didn't think she was the right fit. You know, that whole imposter syndrome sinking feeling. Luckily, the Times gave her time to reconsider. And now, she is a critical voice, addressing what it means to be black and alive.
More below.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
The desire to see women like me reflected in the broader cultural conversation.
You've spoken on this before, but our audience needs to hear it. You rejected the first job offer from the NY Times. Not because of the money, but because you didn't have faith in yourself yet. Can you talk us through how you psyched yourself up?
I had no context for the type of job they offered - I was the first person in my family to graduate from a four-year university. I was afraid to find out I was a failure, to let people down. My tech editor at the NYT wouldn't let me give up so easily, and I'll always be grateful that they saw potential and taught me to nurture it.
Even though you did accept that job, how long did it take for you to accept yourself in that position? I think for us, and for a lot of our readers, those are two different things.
It absolutely is. It was a process, and it took a long time before I felt like I could hold my own. But I never doubted that I would eventually get there. I just wanted everyone else to know it, if that makes sense.
What is the smartest thing you've done to develop your voice?
Stop being afraid of it.
"Stop being afraid of it."
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A fear for a lot of writers and content creators in the digi-age is that when push comes to shove, we're only regurgitating content. That we don't actually have something important to say. How do you push through those moments?
I'm working on honing the art of resistance and refusal. I don't always have to weigh in, and I'm usually better for it when I don't and try to make a bigger point later on.
How do you know when you're onto something gold?
My biggest practice is learning to trust my gut and my intuition. My body tells me - my hands tingle, my heart races. It's up to me to pay attention to the signs.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
I think about the legacy of incredible black journalists before me and what they faced. If they can do that, I can do this.
I think about the legacy of incredible black journalists before me and what they faced. If they can do that, I can do this.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who disrespect each other's time. It's our most precious resource. We cannot take it for granted.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
It's non-stop. As a journalist and cultural critic, its impossible to turn my brain off, so even when I'm relaxing and watching TV, I'm thinking -- is this a story? Should we cover this? What's a good angle here? It's amazing but also exhausting!
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
The network of people that I've met through it. I'm lucky to have a job that allows me to be curious about the world, and how different people move through it. Learning about so many ways of being has helped me shape how I want to be and what feels important to me. It's the greatest gift.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Maybe a drone cam. I'm so tired of being stuck with this perspective on Earth.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
To savor the good moments. My friend and late colleague David Carr once called me out when I tried to brush off a compliment after landing a couple stories on the home page of the New York Times. I tried to diminish the pieces — I think they were about Instagram -- and I felt a little embarrassed celebrating given that our colleagues work in war zones, reporting on public health crisis like Ebola or Flint. But he looked me square in the eye and said that all victories count. There's no need to compare yours to someone else's. It's important to enjoy the moments where our work counts for something because they are rare and fleeting.
"All victories count. There's no need to compare yours to someone else's."
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What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
I'm not much of a singer in the shower! But after a bad day, I really like to draw a bath, throw in some rose petals, epsom salt, and maybe lavender oil, and just soak it all away. I'll probably listen to Moses Sumney and just focus on my breathing until I feel better.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Orion Carloto
THE ONE TO WATCH.
THE ONE TO WATCH.
Orion Carloto is in Flux.
But her approach to life's realities has a twist.
After writing for Local Wolves magazine, Orion decided to bare her soul, publishing her first book of poetry, Flux. With original illustrations by artist Katie Roberts, Orion pulls from her own experiences with love and loss, creating a safe space for the brokenhearted. Solitude, sex, and yearning for simpler times dot her pages.
Born in a small town in Georgia, the writer and poet first became popular on YouTube. Such is the world we live in. But growing up with her nose in a book and stuck deep in her own imagination, Orion was never fated to stick to the video platform. (It doesn't hurt that she understand the art of a good pic.) A fan of hot coffee, the color yellow and baring it all on the page, she's a Gen Xer to keep an eye on. As she writes on her Instagram, which has over 500k followers, "2017 was magical for many reasons. I traveled the most I’ve ever traveled. I wrote music. I moved to NYC. I came out as bisexual. I fell in love with a beautiful woman. I released my very first book of poetry and prose. I healed."
In this digital age when many young influencers take to video to express themselves, it's refreshing to see the 21-year-old take to paper.
More from Orion below.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
If anyone taught me how to go after the things you want the most in life best, it would be my mother. I know it's a cliché to praise one's own mother, but that woman has continuously enlightened me with the importance of working smart and working hard. Make mama proud.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
Pulling inspiration from everything that's surrounding my life. Literature, films, strangers, travel, music, photographs, stories, big cities, and the people that I love with my entire being. That's what pushes and excites me to move forward. Or by traveling to a place that I've never been to before. Experiencing unfamiliar places has a funny way of pulling heaps of creativity out of you.
What was it like putting your first book of poetry out in the world?
If I could describe that experience in one word, it would be bittersweet. Releasing 'Flux' was something I've always dreamt of achieving even before it was written. Yet, when the social release day came about, I was completely beaming and overwhelmingly terrified all at once!! My heartbreak, something that once only belonged to me, now lives on the shelves of thousands of people and I'm still trying to adjust to that.
My heartbreak, something that once only belonged to me, now lives on the shelves of thousands of people and I'm still trying to adjust to that.
Will you do it again?
Absolutely without a doubt! Exposing your vulnerabilities is a tough position to be in, but I wouldn't trade that experience for the world.
Since you work with curious creatives, where do you think good ideas come from?
My best ideas come from warm coffee in the morning, the people I cross souls with, and both the strange and endearing endeavors my life takes me on.
You have a young following with a ton of ideas and feelings. Based on what you read and see from them, if you ran the world, what one law you would enact?
Easy-- a law that ensures and protects everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community across the entire world.
"Exposing your vulnerabilities is tough but I wouldn't trade it for the world."
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who constantly interrupt!
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I think it's easy for people to assume that just because I'm a writer, that I write every single day! Truthfully, it takes a thoughtful sit down, complete solitude, and feeling inspired for me to successfully write a new piece that I'm proud of. Although I try to journal every day, when it comes to poetry or prose, I find myself greeting writers' block more often than I'd like.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
When others can connect with my words and truly feel them while reading. To me, that makes me feel like I'm doing something right.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Malia Obama. I know being a college student is her full-time "job" at the moment, but MAN, could you imagine having Barack and Michelle as your parents?!
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I can think back to two points in my life. The first was when I began working with my excellent team of strong and confident women. Like my manager, Rana Zand, for example. Watching her work ethic and absorbing her continuous advice inspired me to take charge and to absolutely never stop no matter the obstacle. The second was the moment I finished writing my first book. It was that moment that I let go of all of my heartbreak. I gained an appreciation and better understanding of who I am as a person and my potential in achieving absolutely anything I put my heart to.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Patti Smith said it best, "Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises, don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful — be concerned with doing good work and make the right choices and protect your work. And if you build a good name, eventually, that name will be its own currency."
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Anything Amy Winehouse!
Do you have any resolutions for 2018?
To begin and finish my second book. Oh, and also to be reasonable at texting people back much faster.... not days later.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Karen Okonkwo
CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO.
CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO.
Karen Okonkwo of TONL, a platform which seeks to transform the idea of stock photography by displaying images of diverse people and their stories around the world, has said, “For people to feel welcome in any industry, they need to see online that there are other people that look like them, in those particular fields. Imagery, in the form of advertising, is the first step in saying, ‘hey you are welcome and we want you here.’ That angle is very powerful and underutilized.”
“Sometimes, especially in the black community we feel tokenized,” she's explained. "I’m not trying to act like the spokesperson for the black community. I’m simply someone who is trying to provide change and influence. I may have some missteps along the way. Try to give people grace as they launch their businesses and feedback.”
But representation is of the utmost importance to the entrepreneur and content creator. For TONL, photography and storytelling can help humanize and hopefully diminish the stereotypes and prejudice against black and brown people, especially. They are committed to showcasing the ethnic backgrounds of every day people. And the Nigerian-American social entrepreneur believes anyone can do this.
“If you don’t see what you want— anyone who has a skill set, be that change. Start your own Facebook group or start your own meet up, or agree to mentor one person, that’s how we create that cascade of people. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, either. That knowledge is there for you to take."
More below on why she says she's a secret gangsta. (We don't think it's too secret.)
You've said that with TONL it was not only important to create a database of diverse photographs, but to also tell the stories behind the people in the shots. Why was this important?
Often times the narrative for people in our community is already decided for them: criminal, thug, loud, low income and the list goes on. We felt that it was important that we allow the underrepresented the opportunity to tell their own stories; allow us to really get to know them. The hope is that people reading will embrace who these people are and not what they think they are.
When your work is redefining a category, what are you up against?
The biggest hurdle for many of us is access. We are up against household stock photography names so we have to not only be up to speed but one level better as a niche business.
How hard is it to fight the system?
Based on so many racial injustices, it is very hard to fight the system. It's the same system not designed for the underrepresented in the first place.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I attribute my drive and passion to my Nigerian roots. We are fighters, competitors. We strive for excellence in the littlest and biggest things-its just in our nature and a part of our culture. My Dad is a successful entrepreneur and my Mom is a hardworking woman with several accolades under her belt so I had great examples growing up.
"I attribute my drive and passion to my Nigerian roots."
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When you run into a career obstacle or road block, what drives you forward?
When I run into a career obstacle, my why drives me forward. I know that I'm positioning myself to impact the world tremendously and so for every obstacle I know it's just a groove, a stepping stone for the best that is yet to come.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
My biggest pet peeve is when people smoke cigarettes in front of public facilities, especially the hospital! I hate cigarette smoke around me period!
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
My biggest fear within running a business is not being able to properly compensate people helping to build our business. When you're bootstrapping, you have to be very careful in how you try to expand, but you also want to be fair to those willing to put in the work to see your business to fruition.
When you're bootstrapping, you have to be very careful in how you try to expand, but you also want to be fair to those willing to put in the work to see your business to fruition.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I handle the Marketing and Business Development for TONL. I think sometimes people think that I'm a photographer and I can't help but chuckle because that's not my strong suit. I mean, don't get me wrong, I can take some okay pictures, but I leave all of that to Joshua, Temi and Sam.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I feel so complete whenever our phone buzzes with a new order. It tells me that someone was able to solve the long, frustrating issue of locating imagery of people of color online. It makes me pleased to know that we are a trusted outlet for that.
"When I run into a career obstacle, my why drives me forward."
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If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I would love to be Oprah for a day! She is my mentor from afar and it would be an honor to see life through her lens.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I had moved to Seattle for a Medical Sales position and while the job was everything I had wanted professionally and financially, I knew it didn't align with my deepest desires. All the while, I was starting to build new friendships in a city where I knew no one, hosting events and really making a name for myself in that realm. A friend of mine complimented me on how well I through events and suggested that I turn it into a business. It was at that point that I decided to take charge with full confidence and start my very first business which is still in existence today: Party With a K, LLC.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Give it to God. There is so much power in that piece of advice because when you realize that God has it already planned out for you, you can just sit back on autopilot mode. Every move we are making in life has been set forth before we were even conceived. When you understand that, you live life with an immense amount of peace.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Cardi B's Bodak Yellow has me hella hype these days! I'm a secret gangsta so it's fun to rile up that side of me haha.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
How One 28 Year Old Phenom Got Recruited by Arianna Huffington
And landed her dream job.
At only 28 Callie Schweitzer has a career highlight reel most often reserved for retirement parties. (We think people still have those.) At 24, Forbes called her one of NYC "best networked youngsters." She is also an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, The Huffington Post and PEOPLE. Which caught the attention of HuffPo herself, Arianna Huffington who recruited Schweitzer to be the Chief Content Officer at her new life and well-being platform, Thrive Global.
And despite what you've read (or refused to read), Callie knows that this is an incredibly exciting time for journalism. Here's why.
Who: Callie Schweitzer
Where: Chief Content Officer, Thrive Global
Why: Tell us a little about your background. How did you get into the content world?
A: When I was in fourth grade I earned the nickname “Sherlock Schweitzer.” I was always on the lookout for a good story or the clue to one. I’m pretty sure I’d written a library full of books about Beanie Babies and Junie B. Jones by the time I graduated elementary school. But my actual career in the content world really started as a journalism student at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. I was the editor-in-chief of a student-run news site called Neon Tommy, and that experience of running a newsroom of over 200 student volunteers kickstarted my entrepreneurial hunger for great stories and how they’re told. I had always wanted to be an investigative reporter, but it was running Neon Tommy that made me see that I cared much more about making sure people got the news than being the person who wrote it. My path since graduation has been at companies of all different sizes -- Talking Points Memo, Vox Media, Time Inc. and now Thrive Global -- but my passion has stayed the same. I want to make sure great content is widely read.
Q: So more importantly, why have you stayed and climbed the ranks in the content world?
A: This is an incredibly exciting time in journalism. The new technology we have available to us -- from VR and AR to voice-enabled technology like Amazon Alexa—just enhances our storytelling abilities. Digital and social media have had a tremendous impact on how new ideas spread. One of the reasons I joined Thrive Global is because of my interest in helping people live better lives. Thrive is all about action and helping you go from knowing what to do to actually doing it. I love that we’re working to help people put content and stories into action and covering some of the defining topics of our time, like our relationship with technology.
"I want to make sure great content is widely read."
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Q: What about your job do you wish people knew?
A: There’s no such thing as a typical day, and I love that. I might go from a meeting with a partner and brainstorming feature ideas to testing a new product and working on our corporate content curriculum, which we use in our corporate trainings and digital learning programs.
Q: I read something last month about the death of the opinion piece. Would love to know your thoughts on that...
A: The opinion piece is alive and well! I think it’s really important to expose yourself to as many perspectives as possible -- especially in today’s world. Studies show that your weakest ties can lead you to news you wouldn’t have discovered yourself. We have to force ourselves to get outside our filter bubbles and learn about parts of the world where people don’t live the way we do. I so believe in following people and news you don’t agree with so that you always have an understanding of someone else’s “why.”
"You always have an understanding of someone else’s 'why.'”
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Q: And where do you think the world of content is heading?
A: I think that the world of content is going to become increasingly personalized. People are looking to be super-served in areas they’re passionate about. Our on-demand world means that people want the content they want when they want it. It’s our job as content providers to make sure we’re finding people where they are, syncing with their habits and delivering them content that helps them live their lives better -- whether that’s informing them, entertaining them or engaging them.
Q: For sites that are publishing a TON of content, how would you suggest readers sift through it?
A: I think it’s really key to find a format that works for you. For me, that’s email newsletters. I’ve been obsessed with them for years. I think they’re amazing containers for curated content delivery. For someone else, it might be a print newspaper or magazine, news apps, Facebook or Instagram.
Q: And how do you as a reader sift through the content online?
A: I really rely on email newsletters for a lot of my topic-specific news -- politics, media, tech, etc. -- but throughout the day I’m visiting Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and various news sites’ homepages to make sure I’m up to date. I’ve really re-invested in visiting homepages directly since the election. I also do a ton of reading on the subway with my favorite read later app, Pocket. And I subscribe to a ton of podcasts to get even more news and information.
Q: How much time do you spend reading content offline?
A: I am a huge print reader. I still subscribe to about 12 magazines ranging from Businessweek and New York Magazine to Vogue and Glamour, and read them every month.
Q: What was the most crucial skill that you brought to your job?
A: I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and an adaptability for rapid change. That’s been important in every role that I’ve had, but especially at a fast-moving startup like Thrive Global.
Q: What was a skill you were able to develop over time?
A: A big part of what we’re focused on at Thrive is the idea that we don’t have different selves for our work lives and personal lives -- that we bring our whole selves with us wherever we go. So one of my favorite things about working here is that we can be free to be open about our “sacred time” -- the time you need each day/week/month to be your best self. I love that my coworkers hold me accountable for mine and I hold them accountable for theirs. I know them as their whole selves -- not just their “work” selves.
Q: Do you think the role of editor/content creator is more important than ever… and of course, the why?
A: The role of editor and content creator is definitely more important than ever. In a world of fake news and filter bubbles, it is so crucial that we have people who are committed to making sure people get a wide range of real news and meaningful content that affects them.
Photo credit: Golden Rule Excelsior
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Content Creator: Arielle Vandenberg
The funny girl-next-door.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Content Creator List Here.
Making grandma laugh since the '80s.
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.”
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 Matt Cutshall. Though the video app announced its shuttering last year, 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.
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, and says “internet bullies” have been challenging, but jokes, “haters gon hate.”
Arielle is wearing Keds' Champion Originals.
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."
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The multitalented digital star preaches kindness— makes sense she’s BFF with fellow 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 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.
Styling provided by Reservoir LA. Hair and makeup provided by Glamsquad. Photography courtesy of Light Lab and Woodnote Photography.
Content Creator: Cleo Wade
The people's poetess.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Content Creator List Here.
Power to the people's poetess.
Cleo Wade has a presence about her that cuts through the digital divide, a kind of solar-powered positivity halo that recharges our batteries when we need it most. It’s rare to be a poet in 2017, but the 28-year-old made the decision to “lead my life with vulnerability,”
Poet, artist, and speaker, Cleo was born in New Orleans and moved to New York City after high school where she began interning, taking jobs in fashion, and working for designers.
She says her favorite thing about her childhood, “was attending poetry summer camp.” But though she was “always writing,” she needed “some time to grow up and get brave enough to make things with words.”
They are words that interrupt a regularly scheduled Instagram stream of humblebrags, Sometimes handwritten, sometimes typed, she’ll employs a feminist narrative: “every mother/is a boss/every woman/is the president…/of/the/universe.” Or she’ll challenge her readers with a more simple: “First things first— give a damn.”
Though she models and collaborates with big fashion brands like Barney’s, she says today she spends most her her time, “making things with words. Sometimes as poems. Sometimes as painting. Sometimes as public art installations.” She’s also currently writing her first book, sits on EMILY’s List’s creative council, supports Planned Parenthood, and canvassed neighborhoods in Charlotte, North Carolina during the last presidential election in support for Hillary Clinton. But Cleo is not a list of things or activities. “Sometimes all people need is to be seen and heard,” shares Cleo. “Sometimes I invite my friends over just to listen. Compassionate listening is the greatest and simplest form of peacekeeping.”
“Compassionate listening is the greatest and simplest form of peacekeeping.”
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In a world in which picking up a phone to speak with someone, let alone talking face to face with a stranger, Cleo is an anachronism. She is the woman with a booth at the Hester Street Fair in downtown Manhattan, set up specifically with the intention of conversing, offering “peaceful and loving conversation.” She is the “hello” that pulls you out of an echo chamber.
“My life goal,” says Cleo, “is to just get up everyday and create tools that help others, listen more, and love big.”
More below.
What keeps you going?
The people who have allowed my work to be apart of their day keep me going. it is a privilege and an honor.
Who are the people you consider mentors or influences?
My brother, my best girlfriends and my parents. The people in my life who have shared with me their most intimate stories are my biggest inspirations and influences.
What is the best piece of "real talk" advice you've received?
My brother really taught me how to be radically honest with myself. The best advice he ever gave me was "seriously, it’s not that serious."
What is your favorite life advice?
There is a sign in someone’s yard in my hometown that says "Until Further Notice...celebrate everything" That is honestly the best advice anyone ever gave me and I stumbled on it on the way to the grocery store!
What is a time in your life when you thought, ‘I can’t do this anymore?’
I think we all have mini-moments of that feeling throughout our day. Our brain is constantly second guessing our decisions. I think you know you are doing something great if you have moments of feeling overwhelmed.
“You know you are doing something great if you have moments of feeling overwhelmed.”
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International Women’s Day is coming up. It's a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. If you could steer the conversation around International Women’s Day, what would that dialogue be about?
I think there are certain points in time when women feel like they are continuously fighting and they aren't sure if things are getting better because the fights feel like the same fight over and over again. There is a Coretta Scott King line that Kamala Harris sites often in her speeches that says "Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it every generation." If there is anything I would like to discuss, it is the importance of continuously recommitting yourself and rededicating yourself to the betterment of women everywhere in every aspect of life, and because all of the issues intersect we must care about and root for them all. There is no future in the economic advancement in women without a future in social advancement for all women of every race and background. I always tell my friends there is no future of feminism without a future of anti-racism.
“There is no future of feminism without a future of anti-racism.”
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How has your relationship to yourself changed in the last five years?
I get a little braver every day and as my audience grows, I feel a deeper responsibility and dig more deeply to create a conversation about the challenges of today.
What does female empowerment mean to you?
Knowing that you deserve to feel safe and take up space in this world and knowing that if you have the privilege to know that then you have a responsibility to help other women realize that too.
Content Creator: Amanda de Cadenet
The feminist fire starter.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Content Creator List Here.
The feminist fire starter.
Amanda de Cadenet pulls very few punches. “If I have zero interest in the question,” she tells us, “I won’t answer it.” It’s a refreshing frankness from the founder and CEO of The Conversation and now, #GirlGaze, a multimedia photo project designed to support girls behind the camera. The project's first exhibition, #girlgaze: a frame of mind, opened at the Annenberg Space of Photography in October 2016 and runs until February 2017. It features work from up-and-coming female and gender non-conforming photographers.
As the tale of implicit career bias goes, only one-third of professional news photographers are women. Which begs the question: whose eye is capturing what's important? The goal for de Cadenet is to get more perspectives seen, and begin championing that potential early. “It’s so important for girls to understand that they have the power,” the photographer slash founder says.
“It’s so important for girls to understand that they have the power.”
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It’s a message she has conveyed to all her children. Her eldest daughter, Atlanta, took the streets in protest after Trump was elected president, joining over 100,000 people in the streets of DTLA. Her twins, Ella and Silvan, phone banked for Hillary. “It was so wonderful to watch them on the phone,” she recalls, reciting their script with that proud mommy smile. "‘Hi, my name is Ella and I’m a ten-year-old volunteer for the Hillary Clinton campaign.’"
“A life of service is everything; it's crucial,” the activist says. "I'm hardcore about my kids being active in service.” She’s also adamant about raising feminist children and for de Cadenet there's no such thing as too early. "It’s so cool for them to know that they can affect change, that their actions matter, and that starts on the playground.” It is the exact sentiment supported by her work with #girlgaze. She's taking it out of her home and into the streets.
Modeling this behavior for her children is clearly important to the mom of three. We bring up the saying, 'If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.’
“A lot of people say that,” says the CEO, “but you’re either someone who follows or someone who innovates. Who did Hillary see when she decided to run for President? I don’t buy it. You can dream of something and see what’s missing. I made #girlgaze because it didn’t exist.”
The feminist thinks that the concept of female empowerment is often used out of context. “Empowerment,” she shares, “is anything that facilitates a person feeling better about themselves, or good about themselves. Building self-esteem is empowering. For me that means hiring more women across the board in various sectors, because careers build self-esteem.”
"Empowerment is anything that facilities a person feeling better about themselves."
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Careers like those in photography.
Where The Conversation addressed the fears and realities of women-- bringing the conversations taking place in Amanda’s kitchen about postpartum depression, sex, and gender stereotypes to light, #girlgaze has intentionally focused on the younger generation. "My audience was getting younger and younger-- that doesn’t happen," she says. The multitasking mama had to ask herself, why it was happening. What content was missing? She saw the gap, realizing that young girls’ exposure to the media, subtle racism and sexism and misogyny, was deeply affecting their self-esteem. “Something does well when it’s needed,” de Cadenet explains. And there was a need.
“They were getting impacted,” she says. “They wanted guidance younger, so I consciously made a choice to create something for them. Creativity is the vehicle for change for a lot of young girls that I know.” A generation she thinks highly of, citing young feminists like Rowan Blanchard. ‘It is our job and my commitment, now more than ever," she says, "to not abandon these issues and to support the next generation of girls tenfold.”
When we talked in November 2016 #girlgaze had received over 750,000 submissions. Photographs from young women all over the world who bring their unique perspective to the digital table, including protest photos documenting the global response to Trump’s election. Issues that strike close to her heart. “Women and people of color have been saying for a long time that we’re living with systematic, clear, undebatable racism and sexism in this country. You have to take stock on a situation before you can change it and then you can create realistic tools.”
For the lifelong activist and journalist who has interviewed everyone from Bernie Sanders to Hillary Clinton #girlgaze is one tool. A strong, female voice making media that matters is another. Community, yet one more integral piece of the revolution. “We must not become desensitized to our passion and commitment to female only safe spaces,” de Cadenet champions.
Now is the time to gaze hard at the present, to be heard, to rise up.
Styling provided by Reservoir LA. Hair and makeup provided by Glamsquad. Photography courtesy of Light Lab and Woodnote Photography.
Content Creators: Piera Gelardi & Christene Barberich, Refinery29
The digital visionaries.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Content Creator List Here.
The digital visionaires.
It's hard to imagine a digital world without Refinery29.
When the site first launched in 2005 the focus was city guides only. Now, the globally recognized media company, which serves as a go-to for information, community, and inspiration for millennial women scoping out news on everything from fashion and health, to technology and politics, boasts an audience of over 493 million across platforms. It's a bonafide global success. In many ways the site gave women the tools needed to become their own Anna Wintour. It was one of the first steps in democratizing fashion, moving the conversation out of the realm of luxury and into the realm of real life.
But without the guidance of Executive Creative Director and co-founder Piera Gelardi and Christene Barberich, co-founder and Global Editor in Chief, there would be no Refinery29 as you know and love it today. These two woman are powerhouses in the media, they shaped Refinery29 to be a true competitor, and they embrace change and collaboration in a way that continually moves the content needle forward.
Oh, and give their new podcast a listen. It just hit the airwaves last week and there is so much more to glean.
Read more from the visionaries below.
What has been the most challenging and rewarding aspect of your careers thus far?
Piera: The most challenging aspect of my career so far has been going from being a maker to a manager… going from being a sassy solo saxophonist to the conductor of a huge orchestra. It was an education for me to learn both how to lead in my own style, but also how to really enjoy leading and to find the creativity in it. Now, leading a team is one of my favorite parts of my job because I’ve found my own style that leverages my imagination, creativity, and empathy and I’ve developed fun, unique management systems that connect me to my own creativity while bringing out the ideas and creativity in others.
Christene: I've learned that launching a company is a ceaseless series of start-up moments...starting at the beginning, rewriting some rule that no longer applies. Almost 12 years after we launched Refinery29, we're still having to move quickly, adapt, be creative and often unorthodox in our problem solving...I know now that that never goes away. And sustaining the energy and motivation to constantly be thinking in new ways, challenging your own convictions and beliefs about how to do things, can be extremely challenging...but it's also what fuels growth—professionally AND personally. The startup spirit, if you're really conscious of how the company and its people are doing, never goes away.
Are their creative/content comprises that had to be made that you wish you would have stuck to your guns on?
Piera: I truly believe the greatest creative work is accomplished when you let your guard down, open your mind to new ideas, and focus on being inclusive of fresh ideas and thoughts. There’s a beauty in tension between ideas and often that creates the best results. At R29, we seek to challenge convention, and in order to do so, you must believe that great ideas can come in all forms. If/when I’ve had to make creative compromises, its been for the better. You have to make mistakes to learn. It’s about moving forever forward.
Christene: If other people have a stake in something, as millions of people do in Refinery29, compromise is essential in everything, so I don't spend too much time dwelling on moments where I might have given too much. I'm focused on the long game.
Refinery29 started with city guides. It is now a go-to site for females for everything from fashion to politics to tech. How do you see Refinery29 continuing to be a pivotal voice in the online space?
Piera: When we launched R29, so much in fashion felt like it was engineered to exclude and make people feel bad with rules and “don’ts.” We were all about thumbing our nose at the canons of fashion, instead celebrating personal style, and reveling in people who were going their own way and expressing themselves unabashedly.
Eventually, our perception of style evolved beyond beauty and fashion — we believe style is how a person chooses to live their life and the ideals they align with, and that includes everything from politics to technology, food to entertainment. We are continuing on our mission to make inclusive content that represents a diverse range of women’s experiences, voices and perspective. I see R29 continuing in the same path we have always been on, but with even greater ferocity, passion and a continued push to ensure our global audience feels seen, heard, and represented in 360 degrees of their lives.
Christene: To see principles and beliefs that Refinery29 has embodied from the beginning—body positivity and diversity, pay equity, a non-judgemental space to appreciate and explore a woman's passions and interests AND express herself without scrutiny...to see those values embraced and expressed globally, in the mainstream, that's progress.
How has your relationship to your career changed in the last five years?
Piera: Once I identified who I wanted to be as a leader, I focused on being courageous enough to hold onto that vision for myself, even when faced with doubt. Sometimes I ask myself, “Is what I am about to do a reflection of who I am and who I want to be?” I have told myself “I can’t do this” SO many times over the years but, despite that, I have done it. I have learned and pushed and grown and it’s been hard and it’s been amazing. My relationship to my career has evolved to where I have the ability to constantly grow, learn, and discover new things about myself and the world. I believe that life is a work in progress, and therefore nothing is ever finished or perfect.
Christene: I accept more fully the great responsibility I have to provide a critical platform for others, and, like most things, I see my ambitions and goals as a work in progress. To know that success is not a destination or an arrival somewhere, but a constant pursuit of knowledge, understanding, growth, transformation, and activism...thanks to all the remarkable women I'm surrounded by, the sky's the limit.
What does female empowerment mean to you?
Piera: At Refinery29, women’s empowerment is our mission; We want to be the catalyst for women to feel, see, and claim their power and, as a result, create a world where women can reach their infinite potential.
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Content Creator: Tayst
Don't call her a doodler.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Content Creator List Here.
Don't call her a doodler.
When Taylor St. Claire, AKA Tayst of Tayst Design, received negative feedback from a her college art professor on a project, she posted the piece on social media “on a whim.”
For the first time, she received positive affirmation of her work, while also having fun creating the artwork she was posting. After a few months of posting her illustrations to her personal channels, companies started reaching out. “Requests for sponsored posts and custom graphics for their company’s use started to flood in. I was so happy to think that people appreciated and wanted my artwork.”
"I was so happy to think that people appreciated and wanted my artwork.”
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Growing up in a very creative family, Taylor has been drawing as long as she can remember. Art came easily, but it’s been her unique approach to marketing herself as a brand, as well as “a lot of persistence and hard work,” that has catapulted a passion for art into a career that she loves. Take for example her approach to the business card. “At the beginning of my career I attended a seminar in New York at the Teen Vogue offices for young people interested in the business of fashion,” she says. Rather than opting for “the common business card,” Taylor created mini flip books showcasing her artwork. It set her apart from others at the event and hooked some of her favorite editors who were also in attendance. “When they contacted me,” she explains, “they helped give me confidence that I had found the right career path.”
That she has. “Ever since my initial post, business has been nonstop,” Taylor claims. Which sounds ideal, but can prove difficult for a young artist dipping her ink into the business world. Initially time management became a struggle. “It all happened so fast, I had to pretend to be professional, while still trying to figure everything out,” she explains. Everything from pricing, to copycats, including fake social media accounts imitating her style and blatantly copying her work, became hurdles. “Some even went so far as pretending to be me,” she says, “in hopes of taking my clients.” It was admittedly difficult, but Taylor is “always striving to learn the next latest and greatest thing to make my work stand out.”
“Not everyone understands what I do,” she adds, “but I am proud of all that I have accomplished in such a short time.”
Taylor is wearing Keds' Champion Originals.
She's inspired by "interesting" boss ladies who “live their lives with a sense of playfulness and humor.” Women like Beyoncé, Adele, and Chrissy Teigen. Taylor also says that her “absolute favorite character" Molly Gunn from the movie Uptown Girls, "gives me hope that the free-spirited and young-at-heart will overcome the hurdles in life to eventually thrive.”
Her favorite life advice is fitting for an artist: “Don’t be passive and end up with the black crayon. Always go for the red crayon.” But like many 23 year olds she also looks to Instagram stars like Gigi Hadid, who has said, “Eat clean to stay fit. Eat a burger to stay sane.” Which might help when she’s wide awake at 2am, the time she claims is when her “best creative work happens.”
"Don’t be passive and end up with the black crayon. Always go for the red crayon.”
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In addition to her work for Tayst Design, Taylor is also the Digital & Creative Content Manger for La Femme Collective, a site she launched with some of her best friends last year on International Women’s Day. “LFC,” says Taylor “is an online community created to support and celebrate the careers and personal development of women. On our site, we feature women from all walks of life to share their triumphs and struggles, and encourage both male and female audiences.”
After hearing their stories for a year Taylor says her takeaway is this: “Be strong, be independent, volunteer, get involved and support the women around you. It’s the only way that things will change.”
Styling provided by Reservoir LA. Hair and makeup provided by Glamsquad. Photography courtesy of Light Lab and Woodnote Photography.