Tania Boler Founder and CEO Elvie Interview

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Tania Boler

Tania Boler founder and CEO of Elvie

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you were doing professionally before launching Elvie?

I’ve always been passionate about women’s health, and I studied the topic extensively during my time at Oxford and Stanford University earning a Ph.D. in sexual reproductive health. As a sexual health researcher, I spent most of my early professional life in roles that worked to provide women safe, quality care and access to health education. 

While working for the U.N., I was stationed in Africa and launched the first-ever curriculum on sexual education. During this time, I began to recognize technology’s potential to disrupt the way we think about health—and even quicken the pace at which change can occur. 

Before starting Elvie, I served as the global director of research and innovation at Marie Stopes International where I worked to improve sexual health among developing countries. Working directly with women across the world inspired me to advocate for women while understanding their unique health needs. 

What was your “lightbulb moment” for Elvie? What inspired you to start your business and pursue this path?

Despite having extensive academic and professional experience in women’s health, when I was pregnant, I discovered that there was much I didn’t know about my body. It felt like the changes I was experiencing should have been something I knew would happen. This was particularly true about my pelvic floor health. In my studies, training, or personal life, no one described pelvic floor health’s importance. 

At the time, I was spending lots of time in France with my husband’s family and learned that the women there were much more open to discussing their intimate health. In fact, pelvic floor exercise was part of their usual postnatal routine. After experiencing first-hand how pregnancy impacted this core muscle group, I was stunned that this cultural practice wasn’t more common in other countries. I began to do extensive research to understand better the intimate health challenges women face daily. 

The “lightbulb moment” came from this exploratory phase. As I learned more about how women currently care for their pelvic floors, I began to think about how few products were available to promote women’s intimate health. This is especially true when you think about how many generations of iPhones have been developed in the past ten years. Astonishingly, there have been limited modern innovations to address women’s basic needs in the past few decades! I was determined to do something about this, starting by tackling pelvic floor health’s taboo status while creating a design that made caring for this muscle group easy, efficient, and fun. That’s where Elvie Trainer came in. 

Since launching Elvie in 2013, you’ve raised over $50 million in funding from investors, garnering some of the biggest investments in femtech to date. What advice can you share for entrepreneurs on partnering with the right investors? What do investors need to bring to the table other than just money?

My best advice is to be your best advocate, never wavering from your mission or values. When I first started pitching Elvie Trainer to investors, most of whom were men and didn’t understand the need for the product, I would worry about making them feel uncomfortable when talking about the product’s purpose. After leading many meetings like this, where I put the investors first, I realized that I needed to prioritize Elvie. I didn’t want to work with the investors who just stared at the sample Elvie Trainers I’d leave out on the table, but those who’d immediately pick them up to better understand them. That’s why I’d recommend looking for investors who can not only offer capital but also provide partnership as your company grows. Suppose we at Elvie are going to realize our vision of revolutionizing women’s healthcare. In that case, we need investors who share our mission and values and will be open to putting more than just dollars behind it.  

You’re not only the founder and CEO of a technology company that’s revolutionizing women’s health, but you’re also a mother. How has being a mom changed your priorities and your focus in terms of your career and business? Do you think motherhood has made you a better business person?  

As many women know, being a mom completely changes everything. In the beginning, I struggled with how I would juggle my independent, career-driven life while caring for a baby. But after a while, balance comes—and at some point, you start to realize that hey, it’s okay to drop a few balls now and then. 

Once I started Elvie, I did have the advantage of knowing the unique challenges that moms face. I’d say, get used to multitasking and improving how you prioritize aspects of your life. And definitely, get more efficient with your time! 

Elvie’s mission is built around the need to support women, starting with moms. Unlike many other brands, we’ve created an internal culture that reflects these values. I enjoy being a champion for all the mothers and women who are a part of the team.

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful? If not, what did you use to guide your business instead and why did you take this approach?

Writing a business plan was a crucial step for us to outline the opportunities in the category and ensure we stayed true to our promise to women to deliver the most innovative technology to improve their everyday health as we scaled the business. Once we designed the product and realized how many women we could help by bringing the device to market, we quickly launched it via an e-commerce site. 

How did you come up with the name Elvie? What are some of the things you considered during the naming process?

Our name is the first definition of our brand. The word “Elvie” actually derives from the abbreviation for the levator muscles (“LVs”), the key muscle group on either side of the pelvis. We bandied some names around, but Elvie felt right. It simultaneously evokes strength and unabashed femininity. We also loved the name because it felt familiar yet unique. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business?

My business partner, Alexander Asseily, recommended that the first step was to hire the best designers to bring our vision to life. From there, the business took off. What was once trying to convince naysayers that this tool wasn’t “too niche,” we were suddenly being endorsed by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and even included in the swag bag for nominees at The Academy Awards. 

For us, digital and social are essential channels. Both are a means of getting our brand to a wider audience and as a platform to start conversations around taboo topics and intimate issues. From a strategic standpoint, it was important for us to have a presence that women can connect with online from the word “go.” 

What research did you do for the business beforehand? Why would you recommend it?

While I had a background in women’s health and had worked with women across the globe, I realized how much more I had to learn about women’s health when I became pregnant and experienced changes in my own body. I did extensive research to better understand women’s intimate health, the healthcare industry, and the technology already available to address these needs. To bring something to market that was truly innovative and could change women’s lives, I had to understand their health challenges and the products that failed them. 

Research is a crucial step for any entrepreneur. However, it’s also important to recognize that you won’t have all of the answers you need before starting your business. The hard part is finding the confidence to take the leap and go from the research phase to market. If you feel strongly about your idea, commit yourself to it and sell your passion for it to your team, investors, and consumers. You’ll never know until you try. 

Photo: Courtesy of Tania Boler

How did you find and identify the manufacturers that you work with? What was important to you during this process? Are there any mistakes you made and learned from along the way?

In the initial stages, we didn’t have any experience in manufacturing. Alex, my business partner, had plenty of advice, including adding a few names to the list of recommendations. But essentially, it’s all a case of setting out your manufacturing objectives; how many you need to make, the capabilities required to make it, and understanding your budget to get it done. 

From there, it’s lots of heavy research to create a shortlist of companies you’d like to speak with, making approaches and discussing your goals while gauging if there are synergies between the two companies. It’s important not to underestimate the people side of things—they may be able to demonstrate capabilities, but you need to be sure that you can work together as a team. After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time working together to refine your design and troubleshooting manufacturing challenges. There will always be tough times, so you need to be able to detach from the work and have fun together. 

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself? 

Like many new entrepreneurs, I accepted that during the early days of Elvie, it wouldn’t be like a normal salary. That said, I recommend being as open and frank as possible with your investors, because it shouldn’t mean that you sacrifice essential things you need to pay for, like child care. It’s all about striking a balance between company needs and making sure you’re able to focus on building the business—not about whether you can pay your own bills! For me, I initially took 40% of my previous salary. 

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like?

Finding the right people to build our brilliant team has been vital to Elvie’s success and crucial from the beginning. This includes everyone from the talented engineers and designers who helped bring our ideas to life or the advisors who navigated the tech sector while Elvie was still a growing startup. Giving women leadership positions and hiring so many talented people with like-minded values has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. 

In 2020, we had 114 new starters, which represents a +80.5% growth. When any company is scaling this rapidly, there’s a significant risk of the cultural DNA getting diluted or lost. With COVID and remote working, this is exacerbated even further. So as we (hopefully) emerge from the stresses of the pandemic, our big re-focus will be on people and culture in 2021. As soon as it’s feasible and safe, we’ll be investing in making up for lost time—encouraging quality collaboration between team members and socializing in real life! 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? Are there any tools or programs you recommend for bookkeeping?

Quite early on, we were set on hiring an accounting firm, specifically one which had a record of working with early-stage companies in London’s tech ecosystem. That being said, we also relied quite heavily on the readily available internal expertise, who helped with financial decision-making on several things, from the selection of banking partners to the management of company share schemes and the like. We also handled the bookkeeping internally and used Xero. It’s really great and user-friendly accounting software that is well-suited for early-stage businesses. It’s simple to set up and even simpler to use, which meant that we could maintain internal control of essential aspects of our day-to-day financial operations instead of outsourcing.

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing your business?

Elvie was born out of a passion for women’s health, and it was not very cut-and-dry to carve out space in a very male-dominated tech and investor community. It poses unique challenges to female entrepreneurs trying to design with women in mind. And as a non-tech founder, one of my biggest pieces of advice is to surround yourself with people who can capture that passion with innovative products that meet a need. I mean, when I first started, the term “femtech” didn’t even exist—so it was a great leap into the unknown. If you’re looking to launch something new, the startup ecosystem is vibrant and friendly, with plenty of experienced individuals who are willing to offer practical help and support. There are always lots of meet-ups which can help short-cut problems as you go along and learn from others who have done it before. 

For Elvie Pump, our greatest challenge was building the technology that could solve the breastfeeding problems women had been enduring for far too long. We also knew that we would have to convince investors that it was time to create a better solution for women than what’s been available to them so far. We did this by hiring world-class female designers who understood women’s needs and created a beautiful product that then spoke for itself.

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz?

Given the number of taboos surrounding women’s bodies and health, the Elvie team is driven by our overarching mission of changing perceptions while pioneering life-changing health solutions for women. Our work encourages us to engage in these discussions, shift people’s views, and educate both women and men on important—often intimate—topics. We see this as an excellent opportunity to drive real change in the culture at large while addressing the often-ignored needs of 50% of the population. 

With that in mind, we’ve always known we would need to be disruptive to grab women’s attention on a global scale. These moments opened the door to more significant conversations and helped to begin eliminating taboos on the topic.

One of the larger stunts we created was our massive vaginal blimp at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to raise awareness on pelvic floor weakness and incontinence. Our campaign was actually banned by the local council, which highlighted how taboos around women’s health and anatomy still run deep in our society. But happily, this led to the viral #LetFannyFly movement on social media—and it was empowering to see so many women get on our side and almost become activists for Elvie. 

A few other buzzworthy moments for us included our #FreeTheFeed campaign when we placed five giant inflatable breasts across London’s skyline. We aimed to fight the stigma around breastfeeding and pumping in public. We knew it would raise a few eyebrows – but in so doing, no one could overlook this taboo that’s been used to repress women for so long. 

Our stunt at London Fashion Week was another disruptive event that made headlines. To amplify our Elvie Pump launch in 2018, we partnered with London-based designer Marta Jakubowski to feature a model (and new mother) wearing our breast pump on the catwalk during her show. If it was talked about at all, pumping was considered a grind, an unpleasant necessity, or a punch line. By crashing London Fashion Week, we wanted to prove that women who happen to be mothers are still women: they can still be fashionable, walk the catwalk, lead businesses, run the world… and ultimately, they shouldn’t feel restricted or held back by anything (including pumping!). 

Do you have a business coach or mentor? How has this person helped you, and would you recommend one? What advice can you share on how do you get one?

I’ve been involved in women’s health for my entire career, and along the way, I’ve been introduced to so many individuals who’ve both inspired me and helped me find my way to creating Elvie. 

Carving out space in a male-centric world is never easy, and it can be intimidating to jump into something when you haven’t seen many examples set by other female friends or leaders. However, there is a growing network of extraordinary, like-minded female entrepreneurs out there who are willing to support you and help you to make essential connections. For anyone looking for a mentor, start by evaluating who you admire in your own circle and ask them for advice and guidance. 

For advice and information around startups, “The Lean Startup” and “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” were great resources for me. Phil Knight’s “Shoe Dog” was also incredibly inspiring at the early stages. 

There are a wealth of exciting podcasts out there, some personal favorites of mine include; “The Future of Everything” from the Wall Street Journal, “Masters of Scale,” and the “WIRED UK Podcast” to keep me up to speed on all the latest trends and stories.

I am constantly impressed by people who are challenging the status quo and introducing new ways of doing things. Tortoise is doing this by encouraging readers to consume information more slowly and with more purpose.  

What is one thing you didn’t do during the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap?

I would advise others to never skirt around topics or words that you feel might make potential investors uncomfortable. Take Elvie Trainer as an example. It took me a few fundraising meetings to realize that I needed to be upfront about women's issues and not shy away from words like "vagina" or other intimate topics. But, how can we create and sell in products that make women’s lives easier if we aren’t open and honest? Now, when meeting with prospective investors, I like to see their reaction once I say the "V" word. I call this the "vagina test!” It's a fun and easy way to gauge whether we'll be a good fit for one another. 

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner, and why?

Beyond attracting investors, our most significant obstacles at the start of our business came with building our technology. For example, designing one solution that could truly solve breastfeeding problems that women have been enduring for far too long! My business partner, Alexander, encouraged hiring top engineers from the word “go.” As you scale, this is extremely important. You need to surround yourself with people who believe in the mission as much as you do and are the best at doing the jobs you need. So, we set out to hire world-class designers who understood women's needs, placed them in the heart of the design process, and created beautiful products that offered women the best solution out there.

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The Definitive Guide to Making Time for Self-Care

Photo: Smith House Photo

We live in a time where self-care has a dedicated day on the calendar and a sticker on Instagram. But if you’re like me, finding the time to practice self-care can feel impossible. You’re working from nine to five, building your side hustle, and then it’s time for bed. When can you catch your breath, let alone make time for a face mask?

That’s where I can help. As someone who works a nine-to-five job in addition to freelancing, I’ve tried literally everything (and I mean, everything) to find time for my self-care practice. We’ve all become so accustomed to talking about self-care and hearing about self-care, that we’ve forgotten to allow ourselves the time to do it. I’ve found a few key ways you can incorporate self-care into your day. Because who could benefit from lower stress levels, better sleep, and stronger self-awareness? I’m raising my hand. I’ll assume that you are, too!

Below, I’m sharing the routine that ensures I make time to take care of myself. Here’s how you create your own self-care practice too.

Morning

For me, mornings are the most gentle time of day. You’ve (hopefully) just rested for six to eight hours, and your body is regaining its awareness. Mornings are the perfect time to practice self-care if you tend to have a very busy schedule during the day, have plans most evenings, or consider yourself an early bird. If this is you, then I’d recommend incorporating one of the ideas below into your routine:

1. Before caffeine, drink 24 ounces of water. So, hydration is not what you had in mind for self-care. But think about it: your body has just spent six to eight hours fasting. It spent the entire evening losing body fluids from breathing, snoring, or sweating—I know, such a beautiful way to describe sleep. By “flooding” your system when you wake up, you’re invigorating your body and giving it what it needs to propel you through the day. Another bonus? It kickstarts digestion.

2. Read (just not the news). For me, the smell of a newspaper reminds me of mornings with my parents. But the news itself can be disheartening, so I now opt for a book. Even if it’s just five pages with a glass of water or tea, it’s a gentle way to reawaken the mind. The ability to get lost in someone else’s world with a fiction novel allows for your own creativity to flourish. You can ignite the creative left side of your brain and the analytical right side of your brain all at once, thereby enhancing connectivity in the brain and improving brain function—talk about a life hack.

3. Go on a slow walk. Moving your body in a slow, deliberate way is perfect for clearing your mind and setting your intentions. And, most mornings, the weather is cooler than it will be during the day, so you won’t break a sweat. Try going on a walk without music, too. Whether you live in a busy city or a quiet suburb, listening to your surroundings can be refreshing. You’ll learn more about where you physically are, a form of awareness that is incredibly valuable for feeling good throughout the day.

Afternoon

These self-care practices are all about utilizing that lunch break effectively. Yes, a lunch break! Many of us neglect our lunch breaks. In a study of 2,000 American workers, 51 percent said, “it is rare or unrealistic for them to take a proper lunch break away from their work.” But that may not reflect the laws in your state—confirm your rights here. If mornings are too rushed and evenings just aren’t your thing, here are a few ways to practice self-care during the day:

1. Listen to a podcast (comedy, preferably). I love laughing. The type that makes your stomach hurt, like those six-pack abs are one joke away. Turns out, that’s a good thing. Laughing has been shown to relieve your stress response, soothe tension, and improve mood. Finding a way to laugh during the day is a great way to release and reconnect with yourself. If you don’t have someone at work who makes you laugh, take the time to listen to a funny podcast. “2 Dope Queens,” “My Favorite Murder,” and “Anna Faris Is Unqualified” are some of my ultimate favorites.

2. Be a plant. I mean literally. Do as the plants do and stand in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes (be sure to sunscreen up first). While you won't photosynthesize, you will benefit from the added dose of vitamin D, as nearly 80 to 90% of vitamin D comes from sunlight. Plus, most office spaces can be so cold. Warming up in natural sunlight will feel like a much-needed hug.

3. Chew your food. Now you probably think I’m crazy. Be a plant and chew my food, who is she? Pay particular attention to what you eat for lunch, it’s going to fuel you for the rest of the day. Focus on nourishing ingredients that are full of protein and fiber. And like I said, chew your food and chew it well. Slow everything down. Make it an effort to eat methodically and mindfully, stopping to acknowledge how good the food tastes and how it makes you feel.

Evening

Mornings aren’t your thing and you work through lunch—I get it. Hello to my night owls! These nighttime self-care ideas are meant to prepare your body for rest.

1. Eliminate decision fatigue. Your “morning self” will thank you for this one. Have fun choosing your clothes for the next day, assembling your lunch, and putting everything back in its place. Put on some music and go all-out Carrie Bradshaw when she sold her apartment. Try on anything and everything that you want to, so you don’t have to do it in the morning. Make it a dance party, because why not?

2. Cook a nostalgic meal. My favorite meal of all time is spaghetti and meatballs. Something about it reminds me of home. So I make it for any situation—when I’m feeling down and when I’m feeling good. Loving a certain meal for its nostalgic qualities can boost your mood and reduce stress. Plus, I give you permission to forget about the dishes just this once. Future you can handle that.

3. Dry brush and moisturize. I’m in love with dry brushing, the act of taking a dry, bristle brush and gently pressing it from the skin of your feet to your neck in circular motions. It’s a thorough exfoliation that stimulates your circulation and aids in lymphatic drainage, which can help the body eliminate toxins. You’ll feel vibrant and glowy. Always follow dry brushing with a good, soothing moisturizer. And please avoid dry brushing if you have sensitive skin, you don’t want to cause irritation.

And that’s all, folks! You can do these practices daily, weekly, monthly, or when you remember to—all that’s important is knowing that self-care doesn’t have to be extravagant. It’s showing your body and mind the love it deserves for serving you through the highs and lows.

About the Author: By day, Lily Comba works in business development for an online marketplace. By night, Lily lives an entrepreneurial life. After working as a Career Consultant for two years at her alma mater, Scripps College, Lily developed a passion for helping women in their careers. She embodies the mantra, “If not me, who? If not now, when?” in her work as a career advisor to college students, and creative and business strategist for fellow entrepreneurs. Catch her running around Los Angeles or at lilycomba.com.

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This story was originally published on May 18, 2019, and has since been updated.

"Nothing Was Standardized"—How 2 Frustrated Moms Took On a $61.8 Billion Industry

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Perelel

 Did you know that one out of every 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect? In fact, birth defects are the leading cause of infant deaths, accounting for 20% of all infant deaths, according to the CDC.

So, when Tori Thain Gioia’s daughter was born with a cleft lip despite not having any risk factors or genetic link, “it really knocked me off my feet” she told Create & Cultivate. “I started looking for answers.” she continued. “I did a lot of research with my OB/GYN and learned that the type of cleft my daughter was born with is often associated with a folate deficiency.”

Shocked is an understatement because Gioia had been taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid which she thought was the same thing as folate. “I later learned that folic acid is the synthetic version of the nutrient folate and some 60% of women cannot transform it into the absorbable format, known as folate.” What’s more, she learned that folate levels during the first nine weeks of pregnancy are crucial to development. “I was frustrated to find that so many prenatals had poor quality ingredients like folic acid and saddened that there was so little education out there about what and when you really in need your prenatal.”

So, she partnered up with friend and fellow frustrated mama, Alex Taylor to change the statistics. When they first met, they had both just given birth and as two people with a lot of startup experience, they were equally disappointed by the current offering for millennial moms.

Today, they’re taking on the $61.8 Billion supplements industry—it’s predicted to reach a value of $349 billion by 2026—with their own prenatal line, Perelel vitamins to be parallel to where our woman is in her journey, there to support her when she needs it most. These supplements have been designed to adapt to your body’s changing needs throughout your motherhood journey. Using only bioavailable, high-quality ingredients at doctor-recommended doses, their formulations offer targeted nutrients for each phase.

Read on to hear more about how Gioia and Taylor are disrupting the supplements space and sparking connection and community with new moms along the way.

On the lightbulb moment…

Alex Taylor: I had also recently given birth to my first child and felt frustrated with my prenatal vitamin experience. I’ve always been incredibly health-conscious, which was only magnified when I was diagnosed with a thyroid disease about seven years ago. I’ve been fortunate to have access to incredible practitioners over the years, so when it came to pregnancy I was especially privy to the nutritional nuances associated with each phase. In a nutshell, I learned that the timing of certain nutrients was paramount.

When I began my pregnancy journey, I supplemented my prenatal vitamin with CoQ10 and additional folate while we were trying to conceive. Once I finally got pregnant, I supplemented with added calcium and iron and tracked down a separate Omega that offered both high-quality DHA and EPA, and so on. I was chasing down vitamins from Amazon, Whole Foods, your name it, piecing together what I understood to be the optimal mix of vitamins. It was a haphazard experience, to say the least. Each morning, I’d line up my various pill bottles and sort out my daily dose, which my husband found very amusing.

What made things all the more confusing was the fact that there was very little credible information online about prenatal vitamin nutrition—nothing was standardized and most of the resources I found were on community forums, which just didn’t cut it. After putting together the puzzle pieces of our challenges, Tori and I knew there had to be a better way.

What we found were three major issues with the current one-size-fits-all prenatal vitamin market:

1. Poor quality ingredients

2. Timing the introduction of certain ingredients was vital

3. Lack of information from credible sources

Appreciating we weren’t MDs, we teamed up with Tori’s OB/GYN, Dr. Banafsheh Bayati, who eagerly validated our concept (and joined as a Medical Co-Founder). Along with Dr. Bayati, we also ran the idea by a handful of other leading OB/GYNs and maternal-fetal medicine doctors who were equally enthusiastic about the need for a more targeted prenatal vitamin with a holistic approach.

From there, we knew we were onto something special, and so, Perelel was born.

“There was very little credible information online about prenatal vitamin nutrition—nothing was standardized.”

—Alex Taylor, Co-Founder, Perelel

On writing a business plan…

AT: In our own way, yes! Instead of writing a memo, we used the exercise of creating a full presentation as a way to crystalize the brand, our product assortment, our mission, and what we hoped to accomplish. We used the deck as a roadmap for the concept, how we’d get it off the ground, and what the financial architecture would be. We built a financial model that contemplates a number of scenarios and strives to ensure a path to profitability. Both exercises have been invaluable tools for us and served as compasses that we often reference and discuss.

On coming up with the name…

AT: Naming was probably the toughest part! We created endless lists of ideas but never seemed to pull the trigger. Finally, Tori called me one evening as I was driving down the 405 and said that we had to pick a name so we could incorporate the business. As luck would have it, we both gravitated toward the same name on our long list of options: Perelel. We chose this name because our goal is to always be parallel to where our woman is in her journey, there to support her when she needs it most. Plus, we loved that our version of the spelling used the root word “pere-” which means “to produce”—a nice wink to the goal of taking our products: to produce a healthy pregnancy.

As soon as we locked in the name, we secured the web domain, social handles, and applied for the trademark. From there, jumped into the formulation process with our doctors while also interviewing manufacturers that met our high quality and production standards.

On finding a trustworthy manufacturer…

TTG: While the FDA does not approve dietary supplements, we manufacture our products in accordance with the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) to ensure quality and safety. And for good measure, we test all of our products for heavy metals, microbes, allergens, and contaminants. To find our manufacturers, we teamed up with a supplement consultant who has 20 years of experience in the space to help us find the right partners while also working hand-in-hand with our team of doctors and Medical Co-Founder, Dr. Bayati, to formulate the perfect product.

Due to COVID-19, we encountered some hurdles as many supply chains were disrupted and manufacturing lines were backed up due to the shutdowns. Eventually, we found an amazing partner who met our long list of requirements. We did many reference checks and Zoom interviews. If you’re looking for a manufacturer, we suggest pulling in a consultant with a deep category experience. There are so many nuances you need to be aware of, and unless you’re an expert yourself, it helps to have the reassurance an insider can offer.

On funding the company…

TTG: We raised a small friends-and-family round, but because we’re focused on proving our concept and establishing the brand, we decided to primarily bootstrap through launch. We have plans to raise a small institutional seed round in early 2021 from the right partners who believe in the mission of the brand and an efficient path to break-even.

“

We chose this name because our goal is to always be parallel to where our woman is in her journey—there to support her when she needs it most.”

—Alex Taylor, Co-founder, Perelel

On paying themselves a wage…

TTG: Right now we’re not paying ourselves, but hope to someday soon! When we reach an appropriate scale, we will both look to take a salary, but as we bootstrap through launch, we’re not.

On the building a team…

AT: We have two primary co-founders along with an OB/GYN who is our medical co-founder. Additionally, we have two full-time employees, an amazing intern, and we have a panel of 9 experts and advisors who support us with content, community building, product review, and development.

Both Tori and I have managed larger operations and teams in the past, so hiring and building out the infrastructure came second nature to us.

On staying on top of the financials…

AT: Tori has a finance background, which spans investment banking, investing, and operations. She also has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a lot of experience building financial plans for very early-stage businesses, so we’ve leaned heavily on her savvy there for sure. That said, strategic finance and operations are a different beast than accounting, so we’ve onboarded a great partner to help us there. We want to be buttoned up and organized from the start so we don’t have to undo (or redo) a lot of work there.

On the biggest learning curve…

AT: There’s never a dull moment, especially when you’re dealing with third-party operators and have supply-chain dependencies. We’ve had to block-and-tackle as we go, making tough decisions. But honestly, the process has helped us build a strong foundation as partners. We trust one another implicitly and deeply respect each other, too.

There are so many nuances you need to be aware of, and unless you’re an expert yourself, it helps to have the reassurance an insider can offer.

—Tori Thain Gioia, Co-founder, Perelel

On having a business coach…

AT: I’ve worked with an incredible coach on-and-off for the past five years or so. He’s helped me build a resilient mindset, grow as a leader, make leaps in my career to better align with my personal values, and has equipped me with tools to not only make better decisions but also insights that have helped me become a better person, too. I am deeply grateful to him. If you can, I highly recommend finding a coach or a mentor you can regularly check in with.

On creating buzz around the brand…

AT: I come from a content, marketing, and strategy background where I’ve built many brands you might know and love today, so building Perelel came second nature to me. Part of it was pulling the more obvious levers such as social media and building our email list ahead of launch through compelling programming, but what’s been especially fun are all of the new and unconventional strategies we’ve been pursuing! Consumer habits are shifting a mile-a-minute so we’ve been focused on understanding fresh ways to engage our customers and pull her into our universe. Think outside the box!

On advice for small business owners…

AT: In the very early days of starting Perelel, I was chatting with a mentor of mine and he shared a story with me: He told me about a dinner he had with Elon Musk, who said being an entrepreneur is like waking up every morning and chewing glass. I laughed it off at the time, but it’s true. You have to be prepared to deal with a whole new set of challenges each day. And these challenges don’t ever go away, no matter how successful your business. Starting and running your own company is not a cakewalk. And it’s definitely nothing like the “girl boss” fantasy you often see portrayed in the media or founder press out there.

On the #1 piece of financial advice for new business owners…

AT: Loaded question! The first is spending the time upfront to do an honest assessment about what capital is required to break-even, even if it’s a range. Forming a point of view as to what your cash needs are in the near and long-term is crucial given there is no business if there isn’t cash. The second piece is being thoughtful about what KPIs you’re targeting to determine what success looks like. We’re trying to identify the metrics that we’ll need to achieve and not fall into the trap of cherry-picking data points to make strategic choices.

On developing a solid working relationship as co-founders…

TTG & AT: We are launching this business while also expanding our families (Tori just had a new baby and Alex is due in December). Fortunately, we are not first-time moms and fully understand what is involved in coming home with a newborn. We have great respect and understanding of what each other is experiencing, and because we are a small, nimble team, we can flex when the other needs to retreat to be with family, but we still feel fully supported by each other. We also knew we would need to have some support, so we brought on two full-time team members to Perelel to help keep the day-to-day rolling when we need to focus on family.

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I Took CBD Oil Every Day for a Week to Ease My Anxiety—Here’s What Happened

Photo: Courtesy of Equilibria

Given that we’re in the midst of a global health crisis of unprecedented proportions, it’s safe to say anxiety levels are at an all-time high right now. In an effort to help lower our cortisol levels, we partnered with our friends at Equilibria—a science-backed CBD brand created by women, for women—to put their line of premium daily drops, softgels, and relief creams to the test.

For the uninitiated, CBD is a natural ingredient found in hemp flowers (and doesn’t induce an intoxicating effect that makes you feel “high”). Though the science behind CBD's effectiveness for treating anxiety, pain, and insomnia is still a work in progress, it’s stress-reducing benefits certainly look promising. "In this unregulated market, quality varies considerably from brand to brand, and even when using a high-quality product, dosage, and delivery techniques are highly personal," explains Equilibria CEO and co-founder Coco Meers. "Finding balance through CBD is our mission, and delivering on that promise requires an impeccable, standardized product, and investing in education and clinical support."

Given that it takes time, consistency, and the right dosage to experience the full effects of CBD, we decided to put these products to the test every day for a week and log the results. Here’s what happened. 

The Product: Equilibria Daily Drops ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

The Goal(s): Stress relief and better sleep!

The Taste: The drops have an earthy taste, not medicinal or too strong!

The Ease of Dosage: I love that they connect you with a CBD educator from their team that helps you with how/when you should dose. They check in on you to adjust as needed.

The Effect(s): I'm a new mom with a nine-month-old and even though she sleeps through the night, I have not been, and I find myself waking up on her old newborn schedule. I’ve been taking 1 1/2 droppers full at night and find that I don’t wake up as many times during the night. I also wake up so much more refreshed. My job as an account manager is super fast-paced and I often find it hard to wind down at night. This dose has really helped me to feel calm, wind down, and sleep much better!

Equilibria

Daily Drops

$58 ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

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The Product: Equilibria Relief Cream ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

The Goal(s): Relief from aches, pains, and soreness.

The Scent: It has a lavender and rosemary scent.

The Ease of Application: Once mixed, the application was very simple. Over the course of the next seven days that I used the product, I noticed it began to solidify and become a similar texture to a moisturizer. The application was still pretty easy. I do wish the mouth of the container was larger, and I felt like it took multiple attempts to get the amount of the product needed for use.

The Effect(s): This was the first time I've used a CBD cream, and I am honestly so thrilled with the results. I've always known that I carry my stress in my neck and shoulders so these areas were my first test. The cream provided instant relief, and as the week went on, I began to notice that I was waking up less sore each day. With not having a true office desk set up during this time I've noticed a lot more tension in my neck and shoulders and the cream is working wonders. I've also applied it after a workout and notice I am less sore the next day as well. It's really helping my recovery time. I am truly so grateful this product came into my life during this time. It's keeping my body at ease!

Equilibria

Relief Cream

$58 ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

SHOP

The Product: Equilibria Daily Softgels, Extra-Strength 25mg (30ct) ($92 with code “createcultivate”)

The Goal(s): Stress-relief, migraine-relief.

The Taste: I’ve test-run flavored CBD drops and oils in the past as a sleep-aid and for stress-relief, but I wanted to see which CBD product fit my daily WFH routine best in terms of ease and efficiency, if I’m being honest. The plus-side of an unflavored option is that I can eliminate a couple of steps and just take it with a gulp of water, which I always replenish throughout the day and have handy at my WFH desk at all times.  

The Ease of Dosage: This was my first experience trying CBD in softgel form. I loved the Equilibria packaging and the dosage instructions were super easy to follow, but the game-changer for me was turning to the how-to video on the Daily Softgels product landing page which featured a Dosage Specialist breaking everything down for me. That helped a ton. 

The Effect(s): I started to incorporate the softgels into my daily routine starting Sunday, April 26 evening with the goal of taking one (1) softgel in the mornings after a light breakfast for five consecutive days. (This was the week leading up to our inaugural Money Moves Digital Summit, so it was all hands on deck!) I wanted to be proactive about my stress-levels during this time by getting enough sleep, eating well, and fitting in a 30-minute sanity walk in the afternoons. Day 1-3 felt like an “orientation” for me, I stuck to the morning ritual I set for myself each day and was feeling focused and good. On Day 4, I woke up with a gnarly migraine—these are rare for me, and I attribute it to a high-stress, exciting week, the great news was that it started to mellow out throughout the day. Phew! Day 5 went off without a hitch, all was calm and I felt energized for the weekend. I’m currently on week two with my Daily Softgels, and I am excited to see how things progress after a month.

Equilibria

Daily Softgels, Extra-Strength 25mg (30ct)

$115 ($92 with code “createcultivate”)

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The Product: Equilibria Daily Drops ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

The Goal(s): Stress relief, and insomnia 

The Ease of Dosage: Dosage was super easy and straight forward. Keeping product by my bed made it easy to incorporate into my evening routine. 

The Effect(s): Definitely relaxed me faster, and helped me get ready for bed. Normally, with everything going on in my day-to-day, I go to bed thinking of all of the things I need to finish or do the following day. After taking this, it helped me chill out and disconnect in some way to fall asleep faster and thus get a better nights rest to accomplish everything the following day! 

Equilibria

Daily Drops

$58 ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

SHOP

The Product: Equilibria Relief Cream ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

The Goal(s): To relieve muscle tension from stress and to aid sleep. 

The Scent: Immediately upon opening the balm I loved the herbal scent. So many of the CBD creams I’ve used in the past tried to mask the smell and that was always a turnoff for me. I’m also allergic to a lot of fragrances (even natural ones can make me sneeze) so I appreciated how simple and stripped back this one is. It smells like the source it was made from which for me, is a sign that it isn’t filled with anything synthetic and instead, focuses on the ingredients that will work and treat the area I need it to. 

The Ease of Application: It has a beautiful balm-like consistency that is easy to apply. The nourishing ingredients of activated full-spectrum hemp flower oil, coconut oil, and shea butter make this a cream that works overtime in terms of relief—it eases muscle tension while providing intense hydration. I applied it to the back of my neck and shoulders to relieve stress and tension from sitting at a computer all day right before I went to sleep each night. I also used it for areas that were sore from a hard workout the day before such as my lower back, thigh, and calf muscles.  

The Effect(s): In recent years, I’ve become less reliant on traditional medicine for aches and pains and instead, tap into my body and diet first to understand where it’s coming from before masking it. When I do need relief from cramps, anxiety, stress, or tension, I reach for relief creams with CBD because it just targets the area rather than numbing my whole body. This relief cream has been a nightly ritual for me. I prefer a topical cream because it absorbs into the skin without entering the bloodstream and helps to calm the tension so I can fall asleep naturally without any after-effects. I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go the next day. 

Equilibria

Relief Cream

$58 ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

SHOP

The Product: Equilibria Daily Drops ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

The Goal(s): Uninterrupted sleep.

The Taste: As an irregular CBD user, the taste took some getting used to.

The Ease of Dosage: I love dropper applicators. Taking my nightly dosage was quick and painless.

The Effect(s): The first few nights required some guessing and checking. On nights when I couldn't get my full 8+ hours of sleep, the required dosage left me feeling groggy in the morning (in a good way though—I was so relaxed and comfy I didn't want to get out of bed). I played around with the dosage after those first few nights and found that 50-75ml was my personal sweet spot. I love it! Usually, I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom or re-position, but the nights I've used the Daily Drops I sleep straight through the night, uninterrupted. Excited to use these more on weekends when I'm able to sleep in!

Equilibria

Daily Drops

$58 ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

SHOP

The Product: Equilibria Relief Cream ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

The Goal(s): Relief from muscle aches and soreness.

The Scent: Herbaceous with hints of lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

The Ease of Application: The cream is really thick and is more balm-like than cream -like. It melts into the skin quickly and easily, but it did make my hands quite oily.

The Effect(s): I was training for a half marathon when the stay at home order was put in place. Now, I’ve been working out indoors and doing a lot more strength training, which my body is not used to. (Let me tell you, if you’re looking for a tough workout, enroll in Kirsty Godso’s Burn program on the Nike Training Club app.) I’m typically skeptical of CBD products, but this relief cream has been a game-changer. When I wake up with sore muscles, I rub on this cream and notice an almost immediate difference. Over the course of a week, I have to say, this cream made me a CBD convert.

Equilibria

Relief Cream

$58 ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

SHOP

The Product: Equilibria Daily Drops ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

The Goal(s): Stress relief and uninterrupted sleep.

The Taste: Honestly, the taste was not as strong as I had initially anticipated. I didn't mind the overall taste, it does linger a little bit after you swallow but for the most part it was relatively minimal for me.

The Ease of Dosage: The dropper was super easy to use and very helpful to count out the amount of drops that I wanted with every use.

The Effect(s): Overall, I really enjoyed this product. This was my first foray into CBD in droplet form, and I was happily surprised. I will definitely continue to use it for my nighttime routine as it significantly helped me sleep better. I did wake up a little groggy some days, but maybe that was just because I got too much REM sleep.

Equilibria

Daily Drops

$58 ($47 with code “createcultivate”)

SHOP

Our friends at Equilibria are offering Create & Cultivators an exclusive 20% discount with the code “createcultivate.” Head to Equilibria to shop now.

Photo: Courtesy of Equilibria

As per FDA guidelines, Equilibria is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any ailments or disease. As always, consult with your physician before starting any new program that may interact with your current health plan.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Ally Love

Ally Love truly does it all.

The Brooklyn Nets host, Peloton instructor, model, and dancer has her hands full. Between hosting games and teaching classes, Ally founded #LoveSquad, a lifestyle movement where she shares her own journey to success and encourages others in the health industry to do the same. She stays busy, but in ways she finds truly fulfilling—and we can only hope to have our priorities as straight as Ally in 2019.

Read on for Ally’s take on representation, her multi-hyphenate career, and what makes her tick.

You’re a part of the “slash generation.” You’re a host for the Brooklyn Nets, Peloton instructor, model, and entrepreneur. What do you love about pursuing multiple ventures at once?

I love that I am able to create a career that works for me. All of these tracks are a great combination that provide me with my dream job, and they all intersect with community.

Your business, Love Squad, aims to empower women who work in sports and fitness. Tell us more about your goals for the company.

Love Squad is founded on inclusivity and diversity. We believe that it is important to cultivate spaces that champion women, by providing conversations and experiences that affect women’s professional and personal lives and, ultimately, provide tools, answers, and opportunities that will create positive change. I hoping that in 2019 we grow more awareness around our brand, create bigger and more impactful events, as well as partner with larger brands to provide one-of-a-kind events and conversations.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

I’d say the the highlight of my career was founding Love Squad. I never thought of myself as an entrepreneur, it was almost scary in fact; But it organically became a part of my message, and what I was seeking - it was clear that I needed to continue to build, define, redefine, and create something that makes myself, makes people, and the world better.

Do you feel like female representation in sports has improved in the last few years? Why or why not?

I think it has improved, while we have more to go, I am proud of the conversations around women in all rooms where decisions are being made, especially where those decisions directly affect us. Women are amazing athletes, high-level professionals, political officials, and members of society. Love Squad will continue to initiate conversations around women, that are not just for women - but for everyone to contribute to.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I’m fulfilled by the vast community that I get to encounter everyday, whether that’s in person, via social media, or through on-camera media. Establishing, building, and cultivating relationships that result in exchanges of stories, information,, knowledge, and processes to make the world better, is what I live for.

“I love that I am able to create a career that works for me. All of these tracks are a great combination that provide me with my dream job, and they all intersect with community. ”

What advice do you have for other “slash generation” women who want to do it all? How do you invest yourself equally in all of your business ventures?

First, identify what “all” means to you, create a road map to get those things, understand the cross-section of those things, and understand that you cannot apply equal energy to each track - so being conscious of your immediate goals and operate accordingly.

What does a typical day look like for you?

There is no typical day! lol…most times each day includes some type of live on camera component and interaction with many people - which are the through-line within my career.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

I slow down, ask friends for advice: because most times a hurdle means I may not be seeing the forest from the trees because I am in too deep, and I don’t get too down on myself…as this is expected when you’re building a career.

Whose career really inspires you?

Michelle Obama, Elaine Welteroth

What are you most excited for in 2019?

I’m excited that our events for Love Squad are growing! We are able to impact a larger community - we are able to inspire, motivate, and encourage more people through conversations and experiences.

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Jera Foster-Fell

Jera Foster-Fell didn’t build her successful fitness brand overnight—it took some hiccups for the Soul Cycle instructor, blogger, and beloved IG influencer to get where she is today.

Years ago, after moving across the country and going through a breakup, Jera decided to start a new fitness routine. She created an Instagram account to document her progress and connect with other women doing the regimen. In mere weeks, her account had amassed a following of thousands, and within six months of beginning the program, Jera quit her full-time job to pursue fitness and social media full-time.

If it’s not clear, Jera pursues her passions with everything she’s got, and we can’t wait to see what she does in 2019. Below, she shares what fuels her.

You got into wellness after working full-time as a graphic designer in Boston for five years. Tell us what inspired you to start Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide workouts.

In early 2015, I was in a really dark place of my life. I had been working at a terrible job at a startup as a graphic designer. I was working 7 days a week for no money and was stressed to the point where I had a bald patch on my head from hair falling out. On top of that, my long term, four year relationship had recently ended. I had no friends. And I was suffering from social anxiety. There was nothing good happening in my life personally or professionally.

Around this time, I had been following a fitness account, @kaylaitsines, for about a year. She had a workout program called BBG, aka Bikini Body Guide, and I had always admired the transformation photos of the women that she posted. One morning I woke up and I thought, “Damn Jera, you have to do something to turn your life around. You need to create some sort of positivity for yourself.” So despite having done zero physical activity for the last few years, I bought the twelve week program, went to the gym, and I began day one, week one.

That same day, I created my Instagram account simply as a tool hold myself accountable, and very quickly, some crazy things began to happen. I was sticking to the BBG guide, and it felt incredible to have a physical outlet and do finally do something that was just for me. Through my Insta account, I started to virtually connect with other women doing the guide, and creating friendships. I had been desperately lacking female connection for several years, so this was huge for me. And lastly, out of nowhere, I started to gain a following. Within three months, I had 10k followers. It was completely mind boggling, but extremely exciting. I finally felt excited, happy, and passionate about something for the first time in years.

You started an Instagram account to track your BBG progress. How did using Instagram for your training help you stay on track?

The biggest part to staying on track when I initially started BBG was the online community. It was so reassuring to know that there were other women no only doing the the same program as I was, but women literally on the same day/week. We would message each other post workout to say good job, or talk about how hard the burpees were, or talk about how sore we were. There was a camaraderie that blossomed, and it was a really special thing. For the first time in awhile, I didn’t feel alone.

When did you know it was time to quit your full-time job and go freelance with fitness and social media, and what advice would you give to women who don’t know if it’s the right time to make the leap?

I left my office job as a graphic designer and started to work as a freelance designer towards the end of 2015, about six months after I created my Instagram account. I made that transition because I needed to create time, space, and energy to work on this new passion of mine. I loved fitness. I love social media. My following was growing. Though I wasn’t 100% sure about what I would do, I knew that I could do something special with all of these elements. I ended up exploring a lot over the two years that followed. I got my NASM personal training certification, I became a SoulCycle instructor, and continued to grow my following and brand. Fast forward to the present, I’m a full time influencer, and my emphasis is less on fitness these days and more on lifestyle. I talk about everything from mental health, break ups, career changes, and body positivity. My goal is to create a space where women feel seen and heard, and feel comfortable talking about topics that aren’t always the easiest to open up about.

When it comes to making the leap, I think there are a few things that one needs to take into consideration. First things first, everyone’s least favorite topic to talk about, money. Before leaving your full time job, you need to make sure your financially stable for at least a few months with money that you’ve saved up. And perhaps that means making a decision to temporarily move in with your parents, or a roommate- you make it work however you can. Second, before making the full leap from one career to the next, I would suggest starting your new gig as a side hustle. Sean Wes has an awesome book called “The Overlap Technique”, which is all about starting a business while working a full time job. Lastly, consider how you feel and truly listen to your gut. If you feel stuck, frustrated, or passionless about your current position, but there’s something else that tugging at your heart strings, listen to that regardless of how scary it is to acknowledge. It’s terrifying to make a change, but we have to take risks and get outside our comfort zone to grow and succeed.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

I’ve always held myself to a really high standard. I’ve always been a really hard worker. I’ve also always been creative and curious. So these elements blended together drive me. I think being stuck in that really dark place a few years ago really dulled me down though. Once I was able to crawl out of that hole, I think I have this added motivation of never wanting to allow myself to get back there. I work every day to create a life for myself that’s full of passion and happiness. Obviously not everyday is full of roses and puppies, but I do my best!

You’ve been open about your history with social anxiety. How has taking charge of your mental health affected your career?

This topic is immensely important to me. Thanks to social media, I think mental health becoming less taboo to talk about, but it’s still something that needs to be openly discussed.

When I was around 24, after having a heart to heart conversation with my mom, I came to realize that I had an issue that need professional help addressing. I didn’t know it had a name at the time, but I was suffering from social anxiety. I would absolutely dread all kinds of social situations whether it was work or personal. I would get a rush of anxiety, and start to sweat from my face, which ultimately lead me to avoiding social gatherings if possible. Once I realized that it was a real problem, I ended up seeking out the help of a therapist specializing in social anxiety, and saw him for about a year. It was absolutely life-changing. I learned how to manage my anxiety and not let it control my life.

Another thing that was immensely helpful with working on my mental health was my year long journey to becoming a SoulCycle instructor, and then actually instructing for about a year and half. It’s a long story, but to put it succinctly, the journey was transformational. I had to face fears and doubts every day, and prove to myself that I truly am strong enough mentally, physically, and emotionally. And on top of all that, it really helped with my fear of public speaking!

Addressing my social anxiety head on with the help of a professional, and then tackling my fears and fighting for my dream through my SoulCycle journey were both two indispensable experiences that shaped me into the woman that I am today.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

My community is incredibly important to me. I always love hearing from everyone through comments and DMs. I think I feel the most fulfilled when I hear about individual experiences that my followers have had and positive changes that they’ve made due to things that I’ve said or content that I’ve created.

Sometimes it can be really simple, like someone reaching out saying that they’re drinking more water because of me, or that they didn’t press snooze that morning because of me. Or even that I made them smile or laugh on a bad day because of something that I said on my stories.

But then there are the deeper moments. I’ve had women reach out to me to tell me that they started to go to therapy because I’ve been so open about my mental health challenges. Recently I’ve had a lot of women message me to let them know that I’ve helped them feel so much more comfortable in their bodies, and more confident in their everyday life.

Knowing that I’ve had a positive effect on someone, regardless of how big or small, is indescribable.

Whose career really inspires you?

Top of mind right now is Jenna Kutcher. I originally found her when I discovered her podcast, The Goal Digger Podcast. I am totally in awe of her! She’s a photographer, educator, entrepreneur, among many other roles. She started off a few years ago by buying a $300 camera off of Craigslist, and from that moment, hustled her butt off to become a successful wedding photographer, and she’s transitioned to becoming a resource for others to grow passionate and profitable business through her podcast, free resources, and online courses. She built and seven figure business from the ground up. She is amazing!

In a world where likes and follower counts are so coveted, how do you stay authentic and true to yourself/your brand?

In this day and age, we’re constantly judged by numbers, especially when it comes to social media. But all of these elements are outward facing statistics. Yeah, I won’t lie. Of course I want to continue to grow my following and have good engagement on Instagram for both personal reasons, and because it’s my business. When it comes down to it though, I have to ask myself, what am I doing with those numbers? If there’s no purpose behind getting likes and followers besides the vanity of it, then you’re in it for the wrong reason.

“If there’s no purpose behind getting likes and followers besides the vanity of it, then you’re in it for the wrong reason.”

The goal of my Instagram account, and the goal of my brand on a larger level, is to empower women to feel confident and get out of their comfort zone. I do that simply by sharing about me and my life. I stay authentic by speaking about what I’m currently going through and experiencing, whether it’s good or whether it’s shitty. Over the last three and a half years, I’ve learned that opening up and being vulnerable with my community is when the true connection occurs.

When it comes down to it, the numbers are fine, but it’s the moments that people feel seen, heard, and connected that make me feel the most successful.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

Hitting a bump in one’s career can be incredibly tough within the moment; however, looking back now at the rough patches I’ve been through, I’ve realized that those tough moments have shaped me in such a positive way. I’ve found that being told “no” is actually a really special opportunity. If you want something, and you’re told “no” and just give up right away, then it’s likely you didn’t really want whatever you were working towards that much to begin with. But if you’re told no, and then find it within yourself to pick up the pieces and keep fighting, then you clearly have the drive to really go for your dream.

It’s all about shifting your perspective to understand that hurdles are part of the process, being told no is inevitable, and that challenges when working on your passion are ultimately what’s going to make you stronger.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“Feel the fear and do it anyway.”

I absolutely adore this quote. It’s so powerful. I love it because it acknowledges that fear is part of the process. We don’t need to be fearless in order to pursue what we’re passionate about. Instead, we can use our fear as a tool to help drive us forward, instead of something that holds us back.

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Melissa Alcantara

It’s not every day Kim Kardashian finds your Instagram and shoots you an email asking for workout advice. But for Melissa Alcantara, it’s her reality. The 33-year-old fitness guru wasn’t always a trainer, though; she got into wellness just a few years ago after the birth of her baby girl. But once she set her mind to overcoming her pregnancy weight gain and postpartum depression, she hit her stride.

Melissa began posting about her fitness journey on Instagram—starting with Weight Watchers, then Jiu Jitsu, then bodybuilding—before eventually becoming a personal trainer. After she created her first fitness program, Melissa’s 8-Week Body Sculptor, she received the fateful email from Kim asking if she’d be her trainer. And now, between training clients, taking care of her daughter, and writing fitness programs, she’ll appear on an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians (very casual).

We’re blown away by Mel’s drive to succeed. Read more about her story below.

You got into fitness after your pregnancy. Tell us more about what drove you to start training and eventual enter bodybuilding competitions.

After I had my daughter Bella, I didn’t know what to expect when it came to how my body would look or how I would feel. I guess I didn’t really think about it, I was more preoccupied with if I’d be a good mother and if I was ready for my life to completely change. But, when life settled in and I saw that my pre-baby body was not coming back on my pregnancy diet, it really brought me down.

I then started all sorts of “diets” and my usual “starve yourself” method before I realized this only works for a short time because it isn’t sustainable. I was so damn tired of the shortcuts! One day I snapped. I was lying on the couch watching tv, I felt lazy, I was unhappy with my body and with myself...I was tired of being tired and being in limbo land about what I needed to do.

The answers were not going to fall out of the sky and into my lap, so I decided I had to do something about it, something different, not the lazy shortcut way I always reverted to. The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again expecting a different turnout. So I knew I had to get uncomfortable and do something I had never done before.

I decided to do a home workout program I saw an infomercial for, I saw these people’s transformations and thought ‘if they can do it, I can too’.

So I downloaded the program and just started. I knew nothing of fitness, of exercising, of form...I did not know what to expect or if I would survive, all I knew is that no matter what I wouldn’t give up before giving myself a real HONEST chance.

What drove me to start was knowing what I didn’t want and paving the way in the opposite direction.

You have a history of leaving secure, salaried jobs to chase your dreams. Could you walk us through those experiences? How did you work up the courage to leave?

Fear in my life has been a driver. Most of the time people are afraid to make choices and decisions for themselves because they are left with the responsibility of their choice, of their life. I learned very early on in my life that no one will be there for you more than you, no one will take action for you to accomplish the things you want like you.

Not once did I think I was not capable. I am smart, I am determined, and only I can “eff” this up, that’s the beauty of it! I always felt I was in control of the outcome of any decision because I took all the steps possible to get where I wanted to go, not leaving one stone unturned. And, if none of that worked then it wasn’t for me and in that case I wouldn’t want it anymore.

The belief in myself is what gave me the courage, the knowing I was doing everything in my power, in my control, to make things happen for myself. Don’t get me wrong, I get scared to death but my fear of unfulfillment is stronger than my fear of failure. I know that in order to succeed you must be willing to fail and keep moving forward, it is actually the recipe to live a fulfilled successful life; I never let a job define me. I’m forever evolving and forever changing.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

My passion and drive come from a place deep down within me. I didn’t grow up with a support system, with parents or family who encouraged me to do things, to be the person I wanted to be, who told me not to worry and that things would be ok.

I didn’t have time to be a kid and experience life the way I saw other kids experience it. I started working at a very young age and before that I stayed home cooking and cleaning for my younger brother and I.

After seeking approval from a distraught mother and absent father, approval that never came, I realized that no one was there for me but me and I had to survive for me. And although it was a very hard life to live, it taught me to live in fear and use it to my advantage...it taught me to take charge of my life and in that I learned that anything is possible if I put my mind to it, if I get uncomfortable enough to change, to be the person I want to be.

Authenticity—being who you truly are and striving to be the best version of you—is the best way to “sell” yourself.

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You’re now Kim Kardashian’s trainer, after she found you on Instagram! What social marketing tips do you have for other entrepreneurs looking to be discovered by dream clients?

I’m sure you’ve heard this before but authenticity, being who you truly are and striving to be the best version of you is the best way to “sell” yourself.

It’s all about being real, and sharing your experiences; people want to relate to you so if you’re not willing to share some bad along with the good then you’re missing out. Remember there’s an audience for you out there, trying to satisfy everyone is where you lose yourself and become “just another person on the ‘gram.”

What is it about you that sets you apart? For many people that’s a hard question to answer, but it’s easy, it’s right in your face, it is exactly who you are at that moment. It’s all about staying true to yourself and your audience. Energy is felt through social media so if you are fake, you will be sniffed out quickly.

Whose career really inspires you?

Honestly, my own. I made something of myself with my own grit and determination. I lived it, I’m still living it, it wasn’t easy and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What’s your morning routine?

I wake up very early in the morning usually before the sun rises.

I put the “water for coffee” to heat to the perfect temperature.

I read a meditation of the day or a few pages of a book about something that I’m currently learning to incorporate into my life, something else that helps me continue to grow.

Prepare my coffee and drink it by the window where the light of the sun comes in just right.

I shower, brush my teeth and wash my face.

I usually don’t do anything before any of the previous events happen. I then go about my day dependent on how I feel and how much time I have. I may or may not have breakfast before I start work or go train myself.

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

“I don’t know”

“I don’t have”

“I see other people doing the same thing”

Those are just examples of the same basic challenges: fear of failure. We usually start by thinking “hey I want to have my own business and turn my passion/hobby into money.” “BUT”, is what’s usually followed by that statement and it’s a combination of lack of money, time, support, flexibility. Fear of failure.

When we want to start our own business, specially for professional women, you have to be willing to fail miserably while having to run a household, give up your career, which comes with insurance and retirement, and then you will be faced with preconceived ideas of how to start or run a business. Fear of failure.

The good news is that there are more women owned business than ever before and we are moving toward a collaborative culture where women support each other so that we can thrive and achieve financial freedom outside of a “job.” Failures turned into success.

If I can give any advice to women about business it would be to skip getting a job and start whatever business they think about as early as they can, the earlier you fail—over and over again—the more successful you’ll be when it counts.

“The earlier you fail—over and over again—the more successful you’ll be when it counts.”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

This actually goes back to my only piece of advice for women either wanting to or starting a business, the earlier and more often you fail the more you will learn that failure is a HUGE part of success. These are opportunities disguised as challenges. Early humans burned themselves when they came in contact with fire, now we have an innate response that keeps us from getting too close to it...plus it literally burns.

The second part has to do with adopting a mentality of having rather than not having, by this I mean thinking and acting as if you will grow and things will get better. By seeing failure for what it is, part of success, and changing the mindset we will get through the hurdles and re-create creation all over again ;)

If you weren’t working in health, what career path would you choose?

I’d probably be a fighter—I’m actually a competition level blue belt in Jiu Jitsu and I’ve trained Muay Thai—of some sort lol which is kinda like being in health, except you really need healthcare LOL. Or, I’d be a hairstylist.

What are you most excited for in 2019?

2019: The Year of Mastering Manifestation (taking responsibility for being WOKE, purposeful, and reborn to achieve my potential).

I have a few interesting opportunities coming down the pipeline, they range from career to media opportunities. But, more importantly, I’m looking forward to not just 2019, 2020...2050, I’m looking forward to a lifetime of growth and opportunities because I’m inviting those into my life. The way I see things, every year I’ll be more excited than the previous one.

Photography by Annie McElwain Photography

Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica 

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH + WELLNESS LIST HERE

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Jane Wurwand

Before emigrating to the states in the 80s, Jane Wurwand completed a two-year skin therapy program typical of the UK. When she got to the US, she realized there was no licensing program in most states...so she built one. In 1983, Jane launched the International Dermal Institute in a small classroom space in California. Today, IDI has 37 locations and is considered the best of the best in skin therapy programs.

Simply starting a school wasn’t enough for Jane, though; a few years after starting IDI, she realized there was no product that focused on skin health instead of beauty alone. Thus began Dermalogica, a line of irritant-free products now sold in more than 80 countries worldwide.

Jane is an inspiring example of what it means to be an entrepreneur: She saw a need and not only filled it but went above and beyond in making her vision a reality. Below, Jane share what keeps her motivated, common challenges she sees among female entrepreneurs, and why she’d give her 20-year-old self the same advice as she would at age 60.

Your mother once said, “If you’re bored, it’s because you’re boring.” Tell us what this means to you and how it’s propelled you in your career.

It’s about cause and effect. It means that any time I feel bored or stale or uninspired, the issue isn’t something external—the solution is within me. If you are motivated, you are motivating. I use this to always push me to seek out surprise which is the root of creativity. Get out there and do something, see something and find something or someone that inspires you.

Your business was founded on a lack of education in the beauty industry. What was missing, and how did you fill that void?

Being from the UK, I had studied in a typical skin therapy program that was two years in length with a one year apprenticeship. When I emigrated to the USA in 1983, only 7 of the 50 States even had a license at all, and the length of study was a few months. The lack of success in the US professional skin care industry was a lack of skills, and without them, you can’t get results for your clients and you can’t build a business. I started The International Dermal Institute to bridge the gap, wrote a curriculum that covered the ‘missing’ two years, and taught it in a 1,000 sq. ft office space. We launched Dermalogica 3 years later after realizing that there was no American professional product that could serve the industry we were building. Any disruption starts with education.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

The highlight of my career is that we train and upskill 100,000 professional skin therapists every year around the world to become more successful. What we teach them works and the product we make allows them to build great careers because they get results for their client’s skin. The biggest surprise is that so many people think the industry is about ‘beauty’ and it’s actually about all those salon entrepreneurs, 98% of whom are women. Women own 64% of all salons and our industry is an economic powerhouse for women globally that puts more women into their own business than any other.

What advice would you give to a young woman who’s passionate about a business idea, but doesn’t know where to start?

Sit down at your kitchen table [or equivalent workspace] and start writing out what you want to do, who you want to speak to and serve, and most importantly WHY you want to do it for them. Make it about who you will serve and benefit, and not about how they will benefit you. After that, the ‘how’ you will do it will start to become clear. I believe that unless your business improves the lives of others in some way, the path ahead is very unclear. It’s all about the Why.

What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge?

My biggest opportunity was emigrating to the USA with a skill set that I literally carry in my hands, head and heart. It’s fully transportable. My biggest challenge is dispelling the myth that skin career is about female superficial ‘beauty’ when it is actually about skin health which is genderless, ageless and part of our critical health and wellness. It was much harder to make that distinction in 1983 when we started, and I like to believe we have played a part in making it clearer through our decades of work and leadership in upskilling the industry and the language we use professionally. Beauty is not an aspirational goal, but economic empowerment through entrepreneurs providing skin health sure is. That was the big opportunity and challenge.

“I don’t believe that a business can be successful if it doesn’t serve to improve the lives of others in some way.”

Dermalogica funds women-owned businesses through a program called FITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship). How does the program work and why is giving back an important part of your business?

I don’t believe that a business can be successful if it doesn’t serve to improve the lives of others in some way. The key to Dermalogica’s success is that we are first and foremost an education company and we train more salon industry professionals than any other skin care company. That makes them more successful and supported. We have always known that our biggest ‘Why’ is upskilling professional skin therapists. In 2010 we launched FITE with a goal to fund 25,000 women around the world to start or grow their own business. So far, we have funded 100,000 women entrepreneurs in all industries and not just salons. Our 2019 expanded focus is to teach skills to disenfranchised women to come into the salon industry as it is now the greatest opportunity for women’s entrepreneurship. I believe in the Law of Return—what we give away returns to us ten-fold in myriad ways.

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

Expected entrepreneurial challenges are lack of funding, coaching, support, finding community, and resilience. These challenges are not gender specific except in one area – funding. Less than 3% of all available funding goes to women—97% goes to men. That’s crazy. And it’s not showing any signs of changing. Unexpected challenges that I see are that because of this lack of funding, most small entrepreneurs have to self-fund – often around $25K on three credit cards. That might get you started but you are going to need funding to grow. We self-funded on $14K because as new immigrants without credit history, no one would have lent us anything even if we had known where to go [which we didn’t]. Hidden challenges are those within us – self-doubt, shrinking our capacity for success, dreaming too small and not making the idea big enough and limiting ourselves because of whatever construct of success we have decided we don’t fit into. This can affect women more than men due to cultural and societal bias. Let it all go. It doesn’t serve us.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

Energy in the universe continually flows in ebbs, curves, rushes and tides – just look at nature – there are no straight lines. Success and growth aren’t an even road, it’s sometimes hectic and at other times pretty slow, but it is moving all the time. If I hit a bump, it’s ok but if I hit a roadblock I have to stop and really look at what’s happening. Am I heading off course? Have I misread the road ahead? Do I need to hit ‘reset’? I take a step back, I wait and I literally ask, ‘What am I missing here? What is it that I’m not seeing?’ Then I put myself in a situation to be surprised – surprise is the trigger for creativity. Surprise happens in new situations, so find them – something as simple as sleeping outside in a sleeping bag and tent on your back lawn one night can restart your thinking and creativity. Try it.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

Knowing that I can make a difference in other people’s lives by sharing what I know and have learned and helping them in whatever way I can. I’m a teacher and I know that’s where my true calling has always been. I just happen to also be obsessed with skin. My personal focus is on local entrepreneurs and helping them be successful and ‘seen’ through our non-profit initiative FOUND/LA – I want to build back our Main Street through community entrepreneurs who are women, minorities or immigrants. Check out what we are up to at foundla.org

If you could go back and give 20-year-old Jane a word of advice, what would it be?

Same advice I give myself at 60. Trust your instincts and never shrink yourself, your capacity or what you know to be actually happening. Stop worrying as much about what you look like and focus on how you feel. Health and positive energy are everything.

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Lo Bosworth

Lo Bosworth is a true example of what it means to use your platform for good.

The 32-year-old former Laguna Beach and The Hills star is the founder of Love Wellness, an inclusive feminine health brand that ditches body shame and archaic packaging for a female-first voice. She founded the brand after experiencing her own health scares, and she aims to empower women everywhere to take charge and feel good about their personal health.

Below, Lo shares her best moments of 2018, her thoughts on social media, and why she won’t be appearing on The Hills reboot this year.

You’ve been busy! In addition to your site, TheLoDown, you host a podcast (LadyLovin) and run a health and hygiene company, Love Wellness. What inspired your journey into the women’s wellness space?

Running Love Wellness is my first priority and has been for the past year. I was inspired to make this move in my life after a personal wellness journey that I chronicled on TheLoDown. It's been nice to move into Love Wellness full-time as it's a space where I can have a greater, or more tangible impact on women's lives. I personally felt there was a lack of an open self-care culture for women in the United States when I was experiencing health issues a few years ago and through Love Wellness we're actively working to cultivate these body positive conversations and culture through natural and safe products that directly support that mission.

Tell us more about Love Wellness. You offer beautifully-packaged period and vaginal health products—did you feel like that was previously missing from the market?

When I started Love Wellness what I felt was most lacking from the feminine care category, ironically, was a true female voice. It's no secret that the majority of the traditional personal care products for women you know have been conjured up by men in a boardroom. The proof of that is in the anti-feminist undertones of the messaging used to market these products to women, teaching young girls and women through subliminal images and words that our bodies and genitals are dirty, shameful, and private. Ask any woman you know about the emotional experience of buying tampons or anti-fungal cream and generally speaking, it's not a positive one.

At its core, Love Wellness aims to solve that problem. Our products are more than their packaging (though the packaging is lovely). Our products give women their power back by giving them a choice. Most women, when presented with the options, will go with a modern, female-founded brand that understands that a body-positive message is as important as effectiveness and packaging. We want women to feel good about their personal care choices. We make products that do that.

You recently gave a resounding “no” when asked if you’d be appearing on The Hills reboot. What about reality TV is unappealing to you at this point in your career?

I run a women's personal care company that is about positivity for all women and nothing less. Reality television programming, inherently, is about conflict. You need conflict for any type of programming to be remotely interesting. If I participated I can guarantee that a decision would be made by the powers that be to pit me against another woman on the show in order to feed that conflict. As the owner of a business for women by women, it's unconscionable to think that I would agree to submit myself to potential vilification of that nature that could de-base another woman's feelings, reputation, or worldview.

“We want women to feel good about their personal care choices. We make products that do that.”

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

It's the women of Love Wellness that make me feel the most fulfilled: our customers and my team. It's so encouraging to receive notes of support from a woman whose life has been changed by using our products, and I love that we've been able to attract women to work alongside me that are powerful, smart, and inspired to be a part of the positivity and awareness we're spreading.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

I consider bumps in the road to be the greatest measures of success. It's how you deal with problems that defines your character and strength. There is a solution to every problem if you're willing to discover what it is. I thrive on the solutions.

In a world where likes and follower counts are so coveted, how do you stay authentic and true to yourself/your brand?

The honest answer is that I'm exhausted by social media; it's just something I deal with at this point. Authenticity here is important for two reasons: my authentic self is a kind and straight-forward person and I want people to know me for who I am. The second reason is that I believe social media is eating away at the core values of our society and so if I have to send out any message at all, it better be one that's positive. If we can at least consume positivity, we have a shot.

“It’s not meat ‘til it’s in your mouth - meaning, that until the contract is signed and the money is in your account, keep working at it.”

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Hiring full-time employees at Love Wellness in 2018 has been the highlight of my career to date, hands down.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

It's not meat ‘til it's in your mouth - meaning, that until the contract is signed and the money is in your account, keep working at it.

What are you most excited for in 2019?

I'm hoping to have a year that's steady: with work, with friendship, family, romantic relationships, and home. The past few years have been ones of turmoil, lessons learned and rebuilding and I'm ready for 12 months of calm seas and clear skies.

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Cassey Ho

If it’s easy, it’s probably not POP Pilates.

Cassey Ho, the boss behind Blogilates, has used her digital platform for over a decade to teach her signature fitness routines and preach the Pilates gospel. What started as a small YouTube community is now an international health movement and multi-million dollar brand with Cassey at the helm.

POP Pilates is definitely Cassey’s largest endeavor, and its scale is hard to ignore. It’s an entire philosophy and empire—from DVDs to workshops to 12-week teacher trainings to international classes, Cassey has created a discernible Pilates practice with a cult-like following. She’s personable and passionate, which is part of her appeal and why she can draw crowds of 500+ to join her for Pilates when she’s passing through town.

Above all, Cassey keeps it real. She’s vocal about cyberbullying and body-shaming and sheds light on the less-than-fun aspects of being a public figure online. In an industry that too often preaches perfection, Cassey Ho is a refreshing (and strong as hell) teacher and thought leader.

You started Blogilates, an award-winning fitness channel, nearly a decade ago. What drove you to start the company, and how has it changed over time?

Blogilates began as one YouTube video that I filmed for my 40 students at 24 Hour Fitness, as I was moving cross country. I put it up because I wanted to continue teaching Pilates and being connected with my students no matter where I was. Unexpectedly...way more than 40 people started watching that first ab video!

Now, Blogilates has become so much more than fitness. It’s a multimillion-dollar brand with high quality activewear, our own certified instructors, and over 4,000 POP Pilates classes being taught every month worldwide!

Your video The Perfect Body has nearly 13 million views on YouTube. What drove you to shoot the video, and what do you hope viewers take away?

What drove me to shoot that video were mean, body-shaming comments directed at me. I took all that sadness, that anger, and turned it into positivity. The response was totally unexpected! But I’m so happy that a piece of heartfelt content like this went viral. I think a lot of women felt very empowered seeing that the way we look at ourselves is way more important than the way other people view us.

If you could give one piece of advice to young girls just entering the phase of life where body image becomes a big focus, what would you say?

Focus on your skills. Your talent. Your brain. Beauty TRULY comes from confidence. And when you can see yourself getting better at something you train at, you glow more and more.

If you weren’t working in health, what career path would you choose?

Evening gown fashion designer!

Don’t do anything that makes you lose trust with your audience. They got you where you are.

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What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

If you don’t take a risk on your own success, who will?

What keeps you up at night?

Not much really. I’m so exhausted that I fall asleep as soon as I hit the pillow!

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

Problems. I welcome them with open arms. They force me to be more creative.

Whose career really inspires you?

Jennifer Hyman, Rent The Runway.

In a world where likes and follower counts are so coveted, how do you stay authentic and true to yourself/your brand?

Don’t do anything that makes you lose trust with your audience. They got you where you are. But at the same time...do what gets you fired up and excited in your soul!

What are you most excited for in 2019?

My goal is to spend more time doing fewer things while having greater impact!

Photography by Annie McElwain Photography

Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica 

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH + WELLNESS LIST HERE

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Candice Kumai

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with golden lacquer, transforming it into a new and beautiful work of art in its own right.

If you ask chef, model, and entrepreneur Candice Kumai, the technique can also be applied to real life. She’s had her own share of struggles, but she’s made a life for herself built on those imperfections. Kintsugi Wellness, her latest of six books, explores this very idea—and it makes Candice the wonderfully relatable influencer we know and love.

Below, Candice talks about her book, her podcast Wabi Sabi, her love of matcha, and why Elle calls her the “Golden Girl of Wellness.”

You were raised by hard-working immigrant parents. How has their dedication affected your career story?

When I think of success, I think of Mom + Dad: they’re the only reason why I work so hard. Watching them as a child, they showed me what hard work was — in Japanese we call this “Oyano se wo mite ko wa sodatsu.” Translates to— children watch what their parents do, not by what they say.

In a world where likes and follower counts are so coveted, how do you stay authentic and true to yourself/your brand?

Oh man, this has been a gnarly challenge to be honest.

I started out as a poor-broke-ass writer who moved to Brooklyn at 26– with $200 and a suitcase— who lived next to the projects and could barely make rent ...

Prior to that I paid for culinary school on my own at 22-23 by modeling and fit modeling in LA, NY and Asia. Mom told me to my face, I’d never make it cooking for other people.

I’ve been broke AF and I’ve made major cash money. I’ve been someone’s assistant chef and line cook mopping floors and doing dishes and I’ve also been a judge on Iron Chef and opened Nasdaq and closed the New York Stock Exchange with the New York Times, twice.

Life threw me every curve ball you could ever imagine — people tied my hands behind my back, blindfolded me and set me on fire — miraculously with Japanese practice (Gaman/great resilience) I always made it out alive and made pioneering look easy; and I didn’t always hit home runs, but when I did— I had to note how hard I worked to get there.

That’s the long answer, the short answer is —humility.

Nobody handed me sh*t, I paved my own path solo..worked every job as a writer/tv host/ for very little and most of my work for a decade was for no pay. It was about building a real brand that would last, from scratch.

All the boys in food (you know; those tatted up chefs all over the nation) and some top execs in media never thought I’d make it and now, they come to me to seek advice/inspo/content and ask— “how do you do it all”?

Humility —every time I fell on my face and humility for every day as an entrepreneur— self funded, self propelled and self made. That’s it.

Being an entrepreneur continues to be a challenge: Pioneerin’ ain’t easy, but it’s the only thing I’m wired to do —create the new.

And f—- follower counts —what do you have to offer when the battery dies?

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Wow. So many! Too many to count but I can name a few:

When mom told me my first solo cookbook, Pretty Delicious at 26 years old was “better than she thought it was going to be.”

When Chanel, Origins, Cover Girl, Shiseido, Sephora, Bosica etc. all signed me for beauty campaigns —over a 8 year span, all over the globe—I never thought a girl who cooked and wrote would become a mogul for beauty

When my agents at WME IMG made a decision to sign/rep me globally in Japan/Tokyo/Asia

Gracing the back of a Kashi Cereal Box - Werd up.

The 500+ 5 star reviews on my podcast, Wabi Sabi and the 200k downloads within a few months of its inception — who knew my stories of struggle and tenacity were so relatable? It made me smile with humility.

When my mom’s school principal (where she teaches) asked me to come speak with Mom—to the kids and their parents—and share how a small San Diego hometown Japanese- American surfer girl could “make it” big as a writer/author in NYC.

Being interviewed by Forbes & The Wall Street Journal, Arianna Huffington, Vogue & Oprah Mag all in one year—major surprise.

Whose career really inspires you?

Mom - Japanese Cultural Teacher

Dad- Nuclear Auditor and US Navy Veteran, drafted at 21

Sis - Entrepreneur in London, founder and director of The London Bike Kitchen-killin it overseas sis!

Grandpa- Impressionist painter in Tokyo

Aunt Kyoko - has a permanent collection at the MoMa

Anyone who’s out there trailblazing -I truly commend you.

You’re super open about your past struggles in business and finance. What’s the driving force behind this vulnerability?

Simply being honest and real — there are too many fakes and wannabes out there & this is the way I’m wired.

I gotta tell the truth and keep it real. My work is honorable to my legacy- it does me and none of you any good if I fake sh*t. Truth and honor are part of my legacy, that’s the Japanese and Polish American way—be honest and always give your best. This is what my family taught me. I’m not out here bustin’ my ass to be fake, I have no desire to be famous- I’m out there on the field everyday (writing, producing, directing) to help people. I can only help people when I’m vulnerable, myself and masks are all off.

“Success is immeasurable — stop looking around and look within.”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

Oh man—shift down or shift up. Take breaks—TRAVEL SOLO. Spend time alone—learn to love your solidarity. Write. Stop depending on others and outside factors for happiness. Be original and find new and fresh inspiration. Listen to Drake, Lil Wayne and ASAP Rocky. Go hiking/forest bathing. Stay away from people who don’t make you feel good. Get a pet or hang with animals. Volunteer at a space where you can help those in need: a shelter, a food bank, a soup kitchen, an animal shelter, the Salvation Army, donate and connect w those less fortunate than you. Hop to the beach and learn how to surf, swim or stand up paddle. Success is immeasurable — stop looking around and look within— f—- what everyone else is doing. Pray for others. Practice gratitude and tell those you love, you love them. xx

You’ve run your business for over 10 years now: What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

Staying on top of email marketing and the changing social landscape.

Finances - tough to balance, & payroll/admin: hard to keep inspired by that lol

It’s tough to get investors when you’re a creative artist

I really don’t want to be on social all day—it kills creativity

It was once very hard for execs and tv execs to take me serious & I wasn’t going to change who I was to fit into their basic mold

I have so many creative ideas- it’s hard to keep up with my ideas and my love of the new!

Struggling to keep the arts profound and inspiring while having to run a business and deal with admin/finance

What does a normal day in the life of Candice Kumai look like?

Wake up, make matcha

Write or create content in some format

Meditate

Work out at barre, yoga, surf or run depending on where I’m at

Conf calls, meetings or shoot

Finish all work tasks and emails

Cook, enjoy some kind of view or company of another/friends

Drink a ton of water

Review video cuts or images or content

Manage finances/accounts and payments to team

Eat chocolate, laugh w some homies or go listen to ASAP Mob etc

Read something profound/reflect/pray

Sleep really really good

What are you most excited for in 2019?

- Tokyo 2020 prep

- Shooting/directing/writing/producing a NHK World Series in Japan

Setting up shop in SF and NY and Tokyo the trifecta year

NEW CONTENT I CREATE⚡️

Making my clients in LA, NY, SF, Japan all happy

Possibly writing a new paperback book

Creating a new form of media and journalism with the launch of my new company: Kirei Media Inc

Growing: TheMatchaShoppe.com

Wabi Sabi Podcast: to take off into outer space lol-I just want more girls to fall in love w it.

I just wanna laugh more, spend time with those I love, eat cookies, cook more, find a home soon, create better content, sleep like a goddess and be a better journalist, financially kill it & keep being weird. That’s it. xxx ck

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Koya Webb

For Koya Webb, a great day is just one flow away.

The former competitive track and field athlete combines the work ethic and dedication of an athlete with simple practical holistic health practices that anyone can follow to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

It’s hard to name something the wellness expert doesn’t have her hands in. Each day brings something different because, well, she has a lot of titles: yoga teacher, personal trainer, holistic health and wellness coach, author, motivational speaker, and professional fitness model, to name a few. Or, as her clients refer to her, a “transformational specialist.” She’s also the founder of the Get Loved Up movement, a source for all things yoga, holistic health, and integrated nutrition. The subscription app provides yoga flows, mindfulness meditations, sculpting workouts and tutorials for cooking plant-based vegan recipes, in addition to a community of self-care seekers and direct access to Koya.

Get Loved Up is not your generic fitness or yoga app—it’s a platform that makes healthy living a priority in a fun, accessible way. (And for the budding yoga-preneurs, don’t miss out on the Get Loved Up 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training!)

You’re an ex-track athlete. How has your background influenced your current career, and has your mindset on wellness changed since then?

Being an athlete most importantly taught me the importance of discipline, consistency, and teamwork. My track injury lead me to yoga and guided me into the lifestyle of taking better care of myself.

You’re a big advocate of eating vegan. How do you think a plant-based diet affects our day-to-day health?

Eating a plant-based vegan diet gives you the optimal nutrition you need without the negative side effects of getting nutrition from animal products. A vegan diet is also better for our environment as we use fewer resources and reduce our carbon footprint by adopting a plant-based diet.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Treat others how you would like to be treated...including animals.

What advice do you have for busy entrepreneurs who might be putting their wellness regimen on the back burner?

The healthier you are, the more you can accomplish each day. When you take care of yourself, you have more than enough room and time to take care of others and work.

If you weren’t working in health, what career path would you choose?

I’d be a singer for sure. I just produced my first single “Be Loved” with a music video last year and it was SO much fun! I want to let my creative juices out more so I plan to sing and dance more this year.

Watch our interview with Koya Webb on the set of our Create & Cultivate 100 photoshoot.

What keeps you up at night?

Social injustice and the state of our government. I feel politics are a bit out of control. It’s always been rough but now it’s getting nasty. Some of our leaders can’t even be looked up to as good role models for our kids, and that should be a prerequisite...at least be decent person who is kind and loves ALL people.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

I know consistency is the key. I have to keep pushing and find a way no matter what. Happiness is success to me, so as long as I’m happy, I’m a success. I use challenges to make me stronger.

Whose career really inspires you?

Oprah and Michelle Obama inspire me the most. Oprah has been a lifelong business and “live the life of your dreams all while blessing the world with your gifts and talents” inspiration to me, while Michelle Obama is an inspiration of how you can be a successful leader, wife, and mother and still live your purpose. I draw daily inspiration from both of these women and how they move in the world.

What are you most excited for in 2019?

I’m most excited about my first book, “Let Your Fears Make You Fierce.” It comes out June 11th!

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health + Wellness: Katie Austin

On top of serving major ab envy, Katie Austin is building a fitness empire.

The trainer, health coach, author, blogger, and model may have picked up a thing or two on how to inspire confidence through fitness from her mom—the iconic queen of spandex and home fitness tapes, Denise Austin. Katie has followed in her mother’s footsteps by building a community of fitness seekers and an app for those looking for new routines, recipes, and ways to get sore.

The former D1 college athlete knows a thing or two about conditioning the human body, and that deep-seated discipline is now powering her career. Below, the 25 year-old health expert sat with the C&C team to talk about what’s next for her digital wellness movement.

You played D1 lacrosse at USC. How has your background in sports affected your career path?

I’ve played lacrosse ever since I was 7 years old, so I think it taught me hard work, discipline, and time management from a young age. Those attributes have definitely helped me start my business and my career. I think playing sports definitely played a huge role in wanting to do fitness as a career, too. I did running/lifting tests for lacrosse since middle school, so fitness has really always been a part of my life. I love being surrounded by athletes. There’s a strong work ethic to every athlete out there that I really respect.

Being a fitness influencer is a big responsibility—what do you hope young girls and women take away from following you online?

I think being a fitness/health influencer is the best- just because you’re giving girls a positive takeaway. I really hope girls can learn how to better themselves, but in a real and practical way. It’s really important in this day and age to know that a lot of the stuff you see online isn’t attainable in real life. I want to empower girls with easy ways they can get fit, eat healthy, but still live their damn life.

If you weren’t working in fitness or social media, what would you be doing instead?

Well I am also a sports host! I co-host a Friday night show on Fox Sports West, and do some basketball hosting here and there. So I would definitely be pursuing that a bit harder!

Tell us about a time you failed, and how you turned that moment into opportunity.

Ohhh many of times!! So I have an app now, with workouts, recipes, challenges, etc., and it looks like it was super easy for me to just build something like that. Well, nobody knows that I actually built an app before.. I saved up $20,000 in college, and put it all towards an app. Long story short, it was terrible hahah. But I waited two years, and tried again!! It wasn’t a failure because I AM SO HAPPY it happened! I learned so much about what went wrong, how to make it better, and go stronger the next time. Every failure teaches me something great.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

Two answers. My parents! They both came from nothing, and grew their businesses from the ground up in their twenties. They inspire me like crazy! Then second, the girls who follow me and my workouts. I see their posts, stories, or messages to me and it makes me just want to help more and more people across the world.

What would you say to the haters who think Instagram isn’t a “real” job?

I’ve actually lost a friend over this… She would make fun of me for “instagramming for a job.” And it used to bother me, but now it doesn’t. Bring on the haters- they have no clue how much work goes into creating content, building a brand, creating and managing a blog/app/site, maintaining customer service, engaging back to your audience, pitching yourself, and SO much more. It’s funny though, because whenever a friend who isn’t a social media influencer sees the amount of work we put in they always say, “oh my gosh, I had no idea.” So I think it’s really that people just don’t understand it.

Watch our interview with Katie on the set of our Create & Cultivate 100 photoshoot.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

Seeing girls feel accomplished, feel confident, and feel so great about themselves!! Even if it’s just a recipe they like of mine, or a workout, if I can just make another girl happy in the slightest, I feel fulfilled!! Truly.

What are some of your hobbies outside of fitness?

Hanging out with my friends! Anyone who follows my instagram stories… first off, I am sorry. I like to have fun haha. I love my girlfriends. And Sex and the City for the 38th time.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

I can definitely get down on myself when I hit a bump or hurdle. First off, I make sure to calm myself down and try not to be stressed out! Then I reassess what went wrong, or how I can be better. To keep up my motivation, I like creating new projects. I like to think of new creative things, guides, series, challenges, etc. I always like to switch it up with new content!

What are you most excited for in 2019?

Most excited about being 25, and really feeling like this is the first year I KINDA know what I’m doing with my life. Haha but seriously…

Photography by Annie McElwain Photography

Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica 

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

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How to Pack an Extra Bit of Protein in Your Day

We don’t want to call you out, but your snack choices are questionable.

And when you’re clocking long days at work, you want snacks that fuel your performance. Not choices that slow you down.

Which is why we want to serve up a new option-- one that you can blend, shake, mix and beyond-- even right from your desk.

Leading almond butter producer, Barney Butter is launching the nation’s first-ever powdered almond butter! Barney Powdered Almond Butter is a completely natural defatted product made using only California’s best grade almonds in a 100% peanut-free facility. After going through an all-natural expeller pressed process with absolutely no chemicals, the Powdered Almond Butter has only 45 calories, 1g of fat and a powerful punch of 6g of protein per serving.

Here are a couple of ways you can enjoy it straight from your desk.

With only 1 ingredient (almonds!), our Powdered Almond Butter gives you a clean, nutrient dense option and checks so many boxes: peanut free, Paleo, Keto, Vegan, gluten-free.

For an additional way to enjoy almond butter, Barney Butter’s Powdered Almond Butter will be available starting June 1st (today!) at BarneyButter.com for $9.99, and at retailers nationwide shortly after.

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Should You Switch to Cold Brew?

You’ve been drinking piping hot coffee since your lips first tasted the joys of java. But it might be time for a switch. Why? One, change is good. It’s about to be summer and chances are, a cold-brew will do your body good. And yes, it’s oh-so-refreshing on a humid summer day. 

Beyond that, we’re sharing some of our favorite reasons to make the switch to Chameleon Cold-Brew. First up, it lasts the day long… 

THAT’S RIGHT, COFFEE LOVERS, YOU CAN SIP ON IT ALL DAY 

Cold-brew coffee is already, well, cold. You don’t have to worry about reheating it and dealing with that bitter aftertaste. Instead, go cold.

IT’S LESS ACIDIC THAN HOT BREWED COFFEE

If you’re having a bit of tummy trouble with hot coffee, it would be worthwhile to make the switch. Sources report that cold-brew may have up to 67% less acid than traditional brewing methods. 

If you switch to cold brew, you got 99 problems but your coffee ain’t one. 

KNOW WHERE YOUR COFFEE COMES FROM 

What you put in your body is important to you-- so why should your coffee be any different? Chameleon Cold- Brew is committed to organic, premium and sustainably sourced cold-brew coffee. At Chameleon all green coffee purchases are cupped by a licensed Q grader and scored as a specialty grade, above 80pts using Specialty Coffee Association cupping protocol. To find out more about their coffee quality, spot sourcing, and organic certification click here and know what you’re drinking. 

YOUR PALATE WILL LOVE IT 

WIth cold-brew you tend to get the best tasting coffee in the world. OK, OK. That might be subjective to individual taste buds, but the lack of heat helps extract the original flavor of the beans. You know, that bitter taste that we add cream and sugar to avoid. 

Bonus: you might end up using less sugar and cream, which is a benefit to your body overall. 

REDUCE YOUR RISK OF SLEEP PROBLEMS 

You shouldn’t drink any caffeine before bed, but on average cold brew contains around 20% less caffeine per 100 grams that other brew methods. According to the Huffington Post, “Caffeine is soluble in water, and the hotter the water used to brew coffee, the more caffeine is extracted ― meaning you get more caffeine out of the beans and into your coffee.”

YOUR NEXT CUP IS ONLY A BOTTLE AWAY

We know your type. Your morning cuppa is on your mind when you hit the hay at night. And with the 32oz Coffee Concentrates, you can enjoy coffee your way, first thing in the morning. No time wasted waiting for it to brew. And the results are in, people l-o-v-e the Chameleon Cold-Brew Concentrate. It’s certified organic, fully customizable: Enjoy it hot or iced, black or creamy, sweet or bold. Using a 1:1 ratio, add your favorite mix-in. It’s just coffee, water, and natural flavor. 

So, let us know. Are you ready to make the switch?

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Why You Need to Stop Putting Yourself Down ASAP

For certified holistic nutritionist, wellness expert and health coach Kelly LeVeque, the hustle began four years ago.

During that time she worked two jobs, "weekends and nights," she says, "and today, I have a book deal with Harper Collins (pub date: April 2017), celebrity clientele (pinch me) and solely run my private practice Be Well by Kelly." 

We caught up with the LA-based lady to chat health (of course), happiness (yes!) and why we should all stop putting ourselves down (forever!!).

Tell us a little about your background? Why did you get into the health space? I have always loved health! After graduating from USC, I took the corporate path though health and wellness working for Fortune 500 companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Stryker and Hologic, and Agendia specializing in cancer and personalized medicine, offering tumor gene mapping and molecular sub-typing to oncologists. My career in medical science meant I had to keep up with cutting-edge research on how diseases develop and how they can be treated. I loved the deep thinking required, especially the statistical analysis—deciphering data for statistical significance, distinguishing between causation vs. correlation, and understanding why study design mattered so much. My career enabled me to go deeper in my passion; I would mine nutrition based pubmed research and build my own opinions around current research. I became the one my friends leaned on (for weight loss, autoimmune diseases, allergies, bad blood tests etc.) so when I let them know I would be going back to school to follow my passion not my paycheck they weren’t surprised. 

Balance. It’s the word of the year, but it’s also super hard to achieve. And it doesn’t happen all at once. What is a healthy way to work toward balance?

I try to instill balance in my clients by giving them light structure (Be Well Fab Four) around what they should eat and breaking down their rigid food rules and cleansing habits. Binging and cleansing cycles swing you back and forth like an out of control pendulum ball. Happiness and health are attained when you find that small swing. Balance isn’t when you stop moving and live a rigid, on-plan, perfect life; when you are focused on a perfect food day you aren’t present, and most likely you are anxious, irritable and thinking about food all day. Instead focus on turning off hunger hormones and thoughts about food and know it be okay to swing a little from time to time. Balance is found with intentional movement to eat clean, sweat and even enjoy a glass of wine with friends. Accept who you are, love who you are and build a lifestyle focused on health, not some abstract idea of “perfection.” So if you have a glass of wine with friends one evening, jump into an app on your phone and schedule a workout or plan to have a fruit free low glycemic smoothie the next morning to bring yourself back into alignment, or both. 

"Happiness and health are attained when you find that small swing."

Tweet this. 

How do you set realistic goals? 

Stop trying to do it all at once and enjoy the journey! Transforming our mindset, our nutrition and our bodies is a journey. It takes practice to be present; to see that big leaps start with small steps and to not get discouraged if we have setbacks. Learn to enjoy it by breaking your “big goals” down into attainable action steps that can reinforce how strong, brilliant and beautiful you are. Just look at the week ahead of you: Plan a workout with a friend and create a healthy meal plan to nourish your body. Step by step, you’ll build a healthy lifestyle, and moments of clarity and opportunities for fun will follow. By focusing on eating real and nutrient-dense food, and striving to build a healthy, active lifestyle, you’ll take the important first steps to being well and it will naturally become a lifestyle. True progress happens when we enjoy making it happen and when we get out of our own way. When you try to change more than one thing at a time chances are you will be overwhelmed and give up. Maybe for just 2 weeks you commit to have a Be Well Smoothie for breakfast, you will be surprised how that positively affects the rest of your life. 

People have a fear of fat. What else are we afraid of that we shouldn’t be? (existential life question…)

Stop fearing change; change your career, get out of a bad relationship, determine if your nutrition habits or “lifestyle” is no longer serving you and change, nothing needs to be forever. Don’t just cling to a mistake because you have invested time and energy making it, convinced your friends or family it was right or invested time. You only have one life to live; live it without regrets by having the guts to adjust your ships sail as needed. Stop waiting for your inner voice to scream, the change will be harder to make, instead trust your voice and make a calculated change sooner rather than later. 

"Change your career, get out of a bad relationship; nothing needs to be forever."

Tweet this.

You’ve said that punishing yourself for failing is unhealthy. We all do it. What are some other habits we can kick to the curb that will benefit our well being both personally and professionally? 

Stop putting yourself down! As women, we need to stop allowing one another to openly bash themselves; “I am,” I can’t,” or “ I am sorry” solidifies those opinions of ourselves and undermines our ability to rise above it. The next time your friend says, “I am fat” simply respond with “that’s great, you have one more” if they do it again, make them stand up in front of everyone and name three things they love about their body. We need to help one another break this horrible habit immediately. 

How do you see health as related to our careers? 

Your nutrition, activity and stress levels directly affect the health and wellness of your career; working actively to remove the stress from your life can also be a good way to get going on the things you want to achieve. Stress reduction is not a one size fits all formula, but there are a few techniques I recommend to help my clients start their day. Meditate via an app, or start your day with a walk or workout. These exercises can provide clarity, comfort and help you prioritize your day. Even doing 15 minutes of exercise or mediation in the morning can move the negative unaligned thoughts from your mind.

What’s a great recipe that will get us energized and feeling productive in the am? 

I always start my day with one of the low sugar, meal replacement smoothie recipes I created for my clients! My Be Well Smoothie formula helps develop a blood-sugar balancing meal in any flavor with enough protein, fat and fiber to keep you full for four to six hours, feed your microbiome, turn off hunger hormones and nourish your body with amino acids, fatty acids and phytonutrients. It limits fruit to 1/4 -1/2 cup, depending on your body composition goals, and some are totally fruit free. A killer go-to is my Spa Smoothie, loaded with greens, cucumber, avocado and lemon. (find my recipe below!).

THE “BE WELL” SPA SMOOTHIE

1/4 avocado
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 small Persian cucumber
1 handful of spinach
1 lemon, freshly juiced
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (love Perfect Fit)
2 cups unsweetened nut milk

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

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