These Women Speed-Pitched Their Businesses and Won $5K Grants from McDonald's
Last month, we gathered in CHI-town for our Create & Cultivate conference. Apart from hearing inspiring panel discussions, networking with fellow boss ladies, and getting career advice from new mentors, our guests had the ability to pitch their entrepreneurial business ventures to McDonald’s. The McDonald’s mini conference room activation at C&C Chicago was a huge hit amongst our guests, especially the ones who had a pitch ready to take their business to the next level. But why did they pitch their big idea to McDonald’s?
With 90% of McDonald’s restaurants being owned and operated by franchisees, McDonald's runs on entrepreneurial spirit and understands what it takes to build a business. McDonald's brought this spirit to C&C Chicago offering conference guests a $5,000 grant to the business with the strongest pitch providing a clear vision on how these funds would help them achieve the next phase for their dream.
Well, there was a major plot twist at the event when McDonald’s ended up choosing two grant winners—Curve Shop, a seasonal plus-size pop-up consignment sale, and We Are Boss Moms, a platform for working moms to thrive—both amazing business ideas with a strong vision for the future of their companies. We caught up with the winners to learn the ins and outs of what went into their McDonald’s pitch and learned some key advice that any entrepreneurial business woman can use. Ahead, the founders of both businesses tell all.
Curve Shop
Tell us a little about your business…
Curve Shop is a seasonal plus-size pop-up consignment sale that was created out of a need to provide a larger range of sizes at an IRL shopping experience. So many of our plus friends struggled to find their size in stores and usually would end up having to buy multiple sizes online before they’d find something that fit perfectly. What’s left are items they can’t return, a cluttered closet and the shopping process starts all over again as soon as a new outfit is needed. We wanted to put all this hard work to good use, by creating a place where women could shop in a body positive space, where everything is a size 12 and up and items are curated to be flattering because another plus-size stylish babe took the time to find and love each item.
Each of our sales usually has over 50 consigners who tag and price their own items, get to shop the sale before it’s open to the public and make a percentage of every item they sell. We also always partner with a local non-profit and to date have donated over 1,500 pounds of clothing to help women in need. It’s a huge win-win for everyone! We’ve received feedback that many women not only find a whole new wardrobe at 85% less than what they would buy retail, they also make new friends and feel better about their bodies after they leave our sale. One of our favorite comments was from a shopper who said she had never had seen so many items that actually fit her size 16 body in one place before!
What went in to your pitch to McDonald's?
We talked about our vision for Curve Shop ahead of time and decided who would be doing the majority of the talking and who would be answering follow up questions. We made sure to have clear answers on how a sale operates, data we have gathered about our target audience, research on our competitors and personal stories on why we thought a body-positive shopping event is so needed.
What do you plan to do with your $5K grant from McDonald's?
Currently, Curve Shop is only popping up in Madison, WI but we have been wanting to expand for a while. With the grant from McDonald’s we’ll be able to grow to Chicago and Milwaukee in 2019 and then hopefully both the east and west coasts soon after that!
What are the challenges you face as a small business owner?
The biggest challenge we’ve faced owning a small business is that we’re doing something new that we haven’t seen done before. There isn’t a mentor in our field to help us navigate growth and business decisions. So far, running Curve Shop has required a lot of trial and error, learning as we go and pivoting when necessary.
What did you learn from pitching your business in this timed experience?
It’s important to deeply care about and know your business inside and out. It’s stressful to pitch in a time crunch, especially when tricky questions can be asked about your business on the fly. If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it’s so much easier to reply honestly and without stumbling for an answer because you can speak from the heart. In a scenario like the McDonald’s speed pitch that we did, we only had 3 minutes to speak and then 4 minutes for questions. We found it worked best to stick with the “big picture” to get the judges to see our vision. We knew if we came with too many statistics or facts to share we wouldn’t have enough time to say everything and would have left feeling defeated. Instead we did our best to paint a picture of what the Curve Shop experience is and let the judges ask about the specifics. We kept calm and focused on something other than the time ticking away by making eye contact, reading our audience and making a genuine connection.
Where can women go to support your business?
We are on Instagram and Facebook at curveshopconsignment and our website is www.curveshopconsignment.com. We are looking for awesome plus babes to partner with so please reach out if you are interested in a Curve Shop popping up in your city!
We Are Boss Mom
Tell us a little about your non-for-profit…
Modern mothers - who work at home, stay at home, own their own businesses, work in corporate America, etc. - aren’t equipped with resources, support, direction and community after becoming a mom, leading to not knowing or pursuing their purpose, increased guilt and pressure to “do it all.” Moreover, many corporations aren’t offering environments, flexible schedules, benefits or resources to support working moms and thus, women are leaving the workforce. This is a clear problem. Thankfully, some companies have made progress but not fast enough and not significant enough.
This matters because the more women that are supported, specific to their needs and their familiar needs, we see a positive growth to the global economy.
According to Forbes:
28% of the decline was attributed to lack of family-friendly workplace policies
Half of the earnings gap women experience can be made up for with parental leave and childcare policies
In the United States childcare accounts for the single largest household expense in many regions, which leads to decline in workforce participation
The United States is the only developed country without a universal paid parental leave policy
There are thousands of data points pointing to the positive impact every aspect of the world has when women work. When they work well. Not for a paycheck, but for a purpose. We believe that if we can create an ecosystem of tangible programs - on and offline - that directly support mothers, we can make a dent in furthering the global economy. We can keep women in the workplace. We can keep families together. We can redefine what it means to be a working mom, offering purpose that becomes the foundation of furthering growth where it matters most.
WE ARE BOSS MOM (WABM) is a 501c3 non-for-profit platform for working moms to thrive. We are a creative incubator for mothers who work, entrepreneurs, work -at-home-moms, business owners and corporate employees all coming together for a common purpose—workforce development for mothers.
Our focus is to create an open and inspirational place to gather, experiment, and foster connections from a wide-range of disciplines. We share a common desire to drive innovation and support working families by providing opportunities for both organizations to thrive and mothers to contribute to the overall vision of how we rewrite the modern workplace. We’re a movement for a new generation of mothers who are redefining the meaning of work-life balance, parenting and purpose.
WABM’s main objective is to support and actively help 5,000 working moms by 2020 to achieve their potential by defining and living out their purpose. #purposedevelopment
What went in to your pitch to McDonald's?
As an entrepreneur I strive everyday to promote We Are Boss Mom with conviction and excitement towards everyone I meet because it’s my passion. For the past year, I have made it a point to connect with three new people a week with the goal of building genuine connections and learning from individuals who I might not just “run into” within my daily routine. After countless blind conversations and lots of weekly conversations you become good at reading people and clearly identifying your objective and goals in a short amount of time. You really only have about 2 minutes to make an impression.
Even though I knew I had 7 minutes to “pitch”, I made sure that I did not speak more than about half my allotted time to give an opportunity for their questions and feedback. It’s key to always make sure you have time to learn about the person/org you’re “pitching” to and see how you can intertwine their objectives into your own.
Oh, and one more thing. Make sure you’re passionate about your cause! People may not remember everything you say, but they will remember your passion.
What do you plan to do with your $5K grant from McDonald's?
We focus on #purposedevelopment for mothers; leveraging resources from our B2B partners to provide accessibility, education and resources for scaling mother-owned businesses. Boss Mom Mercado focuses on moms who run their own business (side hustles) and we wanted to create a hands-on experience tacking multiple aspects of scaling or growing their online business. The goal is to give local mother-owned businesses the opportunity to experience a brick and mortar location while inspiring the community and encouraging the Shop Small movement supported by progressive retail outlets such as Simon Malls. The top mother-owned retailer that makes the best number of sales combined with bringing the most fans wins a POP UP SHOP location within a Simon Mall.
We just successfully launched the first Boss Mom Mercado in Miami and we are looking to expand this competition nationally. The professional development component of the Boss Mom Mercado is the mandatory Boss Mom Bootcamp that the competing vendors must go through to compete. In this Bootcamp they learn merchandising, retail leasing and marketing techniques; but we wanted to take it a step further and provide hands-on practice with tools and methods available to solve problems using data science. By teaching these mompreneurs the benefits of computer science and data analytics we are providing equal opportunity to learn an important skill which is the largest and fastest growing field and job listing in the U.S. This field, which will reach 2.7 million, is also among the highest paid professionals, with salaries averaging over 113% more than average salaries for all job postings.
To ensure full support among the mothers on this journey, we will provide on-site childcare and tutors to assist during boot camp hours—so that moms can feel supported and assisted during the course. We are excited to announce the expansion for Boss Mom Mercado/ Bootcamp in select cities starting in 2019 thanks to the McDonalds grant.
What did you learn from pitching your business in this timed experience?
I learned to never underestimate yourself, and always show up early! I had a noon time slot for the pitch and when I walked by early to ask a question they had an opening immediately at 10am, so I jumped on the opportunity to get the pitch completed in the morning. I really think it was one of my advantages, I felt fresh and still had energy. I think if I would have waited till my allotted time “during lunch” I might not have had the right amount of energy and spontaneity.
Where can women go to support your business?
So, we made something cool. We made a We Are Boss Mom kinda bag. This limited edition handbag is on pre-order and 100% of proceeds will be going towards taking Boss Mom Mercado nationwide and empowering our Mompreneur community of small business owners. it was never meant to be just a clear bag.
For $45 100% proceeds go to bringing opportunities for working mothers. At WABM we want to make sure that all mothers have a voice and benefit from the programs, data research and relationships we develop. We aim to empower and ignite your Boss Mom spirit. You are a Boss Mom. But together, WE ARE BOSS MOM.
Contact Info:
Website: wearebossmom.com
Email: hello@wearebossmom.com
Instagram: @wearebossmom
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Space Isn’t the Only Thing Your Growing Business Needs. The Secret to Success: Community.
Allow this checklist to show you the way.
Every founder knows the growing pains that come with starting a business. Seeing your big business idea start to take off is certainly rewarding, and pat-on-the-back worthy, but then you have the question of where to take it next. How do you take things to the next level? Sometimes the next step is to move your business to a space where you have the room to expand, the ability to connect with others in your field, and the convenience of being able to work from almost anywhere.
But where should you take your company? If you’ve talked with other small business owners you’ve likely noticed that a lot of them are moving their operations into a co-working space.
Co-working spaces don’t just give you a physical place to run your business. They also provide a sense of community that you won’t get working from home or the neighborhood coffee shop. The pioneer in this movement is a company you’ve likely heard of before: WeWork. Scroll down for a special desk giveaway with WeWork + enter for a chance to win a complimentary desk at a space near you!
C&C worked closely with the WeWork team when we held our Chicago conference. We needed a lounge space for our VIP guests, and WeWork was the perfect spot. We also hosted our attendee happy hour at WeWork Kinzie. Once we saw a WeWork space for ourselves, we understood why so many businesses are taking the co-working route.
How do you know if it’s time to make this move? We’re giving you the full rundown.
You’re Running Out of Space—Literally
Maybe you started your business from your home. Some of the biggest corporations, including Google and Amazon, started in someone’s garage, and look at them now. If you’ve reached a point where you’re no longer flying solo, it may be time to scope out your nearest WeWork location. There are different plans to choose from that can better fit the needs of you and your employees. They’re also a lot more affordable than building out your own space. You can check out pricing and membership options here.
You Love Collaboration
Moving into a co-working space means you’ll have access to hundreds of go-getters like you from across various industries. You can find potential business partners, form a brand partnership, or meet some great friends all in one space. WeWork thrives on providing its members with an open office environment that’s built for collaboration, teamwork, and lifelong relationships. A few other networking and collaboration opportunities that WeWork offers include office hours with investors and industry leaders, lunch-and-learn events where members share their knowledge and expertise, group meditations, and peer reviews.
Working Remotely Isn’t Your Jam
While working from home has been called the “millennial dream,” it’s not for everyone. Even if you’re on your own, WeWork provides the perfect space for a one-woman business. Rent a desk and it’s easy to get your business up and running. Yes, really. You’re also free to take meetings here once you’re building out a client roster or pitching yourself and your business to potential customers. It’s a great space to meet like-minded entrepreneurs and creatives.
Convenience
With over 268,000 members and 287 locations in 77 cities worldwide, there’s bound to be a WeWork location that is accessible to you. In C&C’s base of Los Angeles, there are 19 WeWork buildings alone. Check out the location listings to see if there’s a WeWork location near you.
Looking for a co-working space? Well, you’re in luck! We’re partnering with our business BFFs over at WeWork to giveaway two complimentary hot desks at WeWorks around the country! Enter your info below to enter for a change to win:
2 Hot Desks at a WeWork in your local WeWork: Guaranteed workspace in a common area at one location. Just bring your laptop, pick an open seat, and get to work.
Included in your Hot Desk Membership, you'll also gain access to the WeWork Member Network is a digital platform available on iOS, Android, and web that enables you to connect with other members and interact with your space.
Check out the terms & conditions here.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. WINNERS WILL BE CONTACTED VIA THE CONTACT INFORMATION PROVIDED!
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
How to Dress Like a Boss at Work This Fall
Business in the front and back.
With today’s office environments featuring a wide range of dress codes from suited up to business casual, selecting an outfit for work each morning can be downright stressful! You want to ensure you look professional but you also want to be able to add your own personal style to your work look—it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds.
JCPenney offers an array of stylish career wear, with on-trend fashions for women of every shape and size, and for jobs of every kind. And if you find yourself heading out to a lot of evening events when the workday is over, JCPenney has you covered with day-to-night pieces to take the stress of switching outfits away.
JCPenney recently joined Create & Cultivate at our Chicago conference, where the retailer showcased trend-forward looks to our attendees from its collection of private brands including Liz Claiborne, Worthington, a.n.a. and Boutique+.
To bring this fashion inspiration to all our readers, we’ve teamed up with the JCPenney once again – this time to share five key looks to take with you to the office this fall. From bold colors, fashion jackets, wide leg pants and even menswear as well as athleisure inspired looks, these trends will work however—and wherever—you work:
Bold Color
Ditch the traditional pantsuit and add a vibrant hue to your closet. Pair a bold power pantsuit with a classic pair of black pumps and strut with confidence as you head to your desk.
The Fashion Jacket
For a casual, yet polished look, pair a patterned blazer with your favorite jeans and add kitten heels into the mix to complete the look.
Menswear
If you’re the type to experiment with your looks, try mixing and matching patterns, texture and color. Menswear-inspired textiles take on a whole new look when mixed with feminine details like a floral or animal-print blouse.
Don’t forget to complete your boss work look with a visit to Sephora inside JCPenney and the Salon by InStyle.
For more stylish work staples, head over to JCPenney.com and shop your favorites. What’s your go-to office look for fall? Let us know in the comments below!
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
How Your Office Can Be More Environmentally Conscious
Starting with carpooling.
If we look at the world around us today, plenty of us are making more efforts to be conscious towards our Mother Earth. Whether it’s making an effort to recycle in your home or switching plastic straws for paper ones, being more conscious of our everyday decisions can have such a great impact on the way we function and the place we call our home.
Electric & Hybrid Vehicles
One thing we’ve all noticed is the abundance of electric or hybrid cars hitting our roads today, and it’s important to note that businesses can benefit from hopping on the bandwagon. Car manufacturers have picked up on the importance of this too; a great example is Volvo. All new Volvo models introduced from 2019 will have an electric motor, marking the end of cars that only have one internal combustion engine. That’s huge. Why is this important? Well, let us give you the full rundown.
This may be the biggest fact to point out. Using fuel-efficient vehicles such as electric, hybrid, or mild hybrids, will improve fuel economy and CO2 emissions. If that sounds confusing, think of it this way: the more fuel-efficient cars on the road, the less pollution. And trust us, we have enough pollution as it is. If businesses used these cars for company events, deliveries, etc. then they’re reducing their car footprint and encouraging cleaner, less-polluted roads.
Carpooling
Depending on where you live, carpooling can become an office tradition. If you look near colleagues and drive an electric or hybrid vehicle, why not give them a lift? Think about it; you’re encouraging fewer fuel emissions into the air, meaning that you’re contributing to promoting less pollution in your area. Your team can alternate on who gets to drive when and divide up rides into different groups every week or month. This method also works if your team has to head to any offsite meetings or events during the day. It’s a simple way to avoid having more cars on the road and helps save each other’s time.
Providing Charging Points
The US government has already agreed to invest in more car charging points across the country. As of 2017, it was reported that over 50,000 charging outlets for cars were available nationwide, and the number is only expected to increase. If companies make it a point to provide more charging points for their employees at an office’s parking structure, then it’s likely that more employees will get encouraged to go the electric or hybrid route. A full list of charging points across the country is available here, courtesy of the US Department of Energy.
Educating Yourselves
The topic of energy-saving vehicles can still be very complex and confusing, but it’s one worth learning more about. A team initiative for taking more steps to be more eco-friendly can be an educational workshop. Have an energy expert come in and talk with your team about all of the benefits of going electric or hybrid as a company. Highlighting the impacts that these vehicles can have on the environment is a great way to get started, but naturally, we’re all encouraged to make a change if we know what’s coming from it.
To learn more about Volvo and electric motors, check out the Volvo website for more information.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
5 Lessons We Learned from This Beauty Exec at C&C Chicago
Starting with analytics.
As women, we tend to think that we must follow the path that someone set before us, especially when it comes to our careers. This wasn’t the case for Mary Kay Ash, the founder of global beauty empire Mary Kay. When she came face to face with glass ceilings, she went and created her own company so she could structure the ceiling however high she wanted it to be. This is a woman who built her brand in 1963, in her 40s, and turned it into a global empire. Her story is all about being disruptive before the term was so commonly used, and being an innovator who thought ahead of their time. Mary Kay’s Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Julia Simon, joined us at C&C Chicago and dished on how the brand maintains its boss status today, after 55 years in the biz. Ahead, we’ve compiled five impactful takeaways from the conversation that all entrepreneurs and women in business can learn from and kick into gear today.
Use Data to Your Advantage
“The heart of our business for its entirety has been the salesforce. Our independent beauty consultants gain customers, service them, and have been doing so for 55 years. That one-on-one contact brings us analytics. When you get to add the digital tools and technology to that sort of a personal relationship, it just enhances it even more. We get real face to face data and can back that up with the digital analytics.”
Authenticity Is Everything
“Two things that are very important are building trust and building authenticity. Who are you? And do you match what you say with what you do? Do your actions and your words all match? In the world of social media, it’s easy for one thing to take you off on a tangent. If you can stay true to who you are and show that authenticity through everything you do - whether it’s how your beauty consultants treat people or the fabulous products you can present. All of those things come back to the real truth that helps us connect with our customer and form long-standing relationships.”
Disruption is Reconstruction
“I like to call the concept of disruption, reconstruction. There isn't any established brand that wants to stick around that doesn’t constantly evaluate and reevaluate who they are. Figure out what your core values are and stay true to them, but then constantly reconstruct and reevaluate. Ask yourselves, are we on the right path? Have we added the right tools? Are we talking to the right people? Are we engaging people in the way we need to engage them? I love to be around millennials because it makes me constantly educate myself about what’s new and what’s different. I don’t want to be stuck where I was - that won’t get me any further to where I want to be.”
Constantly Evaluate & Reevaluate
“Giving women around the world the opportunity to make money selling these products is really our goal. You can’t do that unless you have products that people really want. How you engage with people differs from market to market, but the one thing that is constant is mobile, digital, social media—all growing globally. We stay relevant because we’re constantly evaluating and reevaluating to ensure that what we’re giving to the marketplace results in a great opportunity for people to make money and great products for people to use.”
Mentors Are Everywhere
“There are mentors all around you. Whenever I go to meet someone, I ask questions. I’ve never really had anyone reject me. Some people are quick about their answers, but for the most part, they are happy to talk to you. There are real mentors all around you, so just have no fear and go out and talk to people.”
Brow Tips and Tricks from Mary Kay
Mary Kay was present on site at C&C Chicago and taught us the must-know tips and tricks for show-stopping brows all day. With brow expert and Mary Kay Global Beauty Ambassador Luis Casco on site, our attendees got tips from the best of the best on how to get a flawless set of arches. Check out some of the key pointers they learned:
For brow products, you always want to start with a color that's one shade lighter than your hair color.
If you have red, silver or gray hair, your brows will look best with an ashy tone. Try a blonde or dark blonde shade to start.
Before applying any product, use the Mary Kay Eyebrow/Eyeliner Brush to brush brows upward, then out toward the tails.
Always make sure that you're applying your brow products onto clean brows for the best results.
When using the Mary Kay Precision Brow Liner, using light, feathery strokes will make your brows look more natural.
When using the Mary Kay Volumizing Brow Tint, apply to the inner sections of the brows last - this is where you want the lightest application.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Let us know in the comments below!
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
The Self-Care Sunday Essentials To Try Today
Treat yourself.
This post is in partnership with BIC® Soleil® Balance® razors.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen a wave of self-care enthusiasts on social media contributing to the #SelfcareSunday movement. Whether it’s in the form of avocado toast, a special facial, a drive down PCH with the windows down, self-care can take place in so many different forms.
BIC® Soleil® Balance® razor knows the importance of taking those me-time moments – even if it’s just a fresh, smooth shave and a soak in the tub. In a recent survey, BIC® Soleil® razors found that 88% of women shave for themselves, not anyone else. Talk about self-care!
“I’m always striving to be my best self, so I knew I wanted to work on a campaign that encouraged other women to embrace their best selves too, even if it’s doing something as simple as shaving. I'm always wearing dresses in the summer months and even in the winter, I really like to be clean shaven for those winter workouts as I’m prepping for summer clothes. Just throwing on cozy sweatpants feels better with smooth legs, you know? ‘Why I Shave’ is all about embracing the tools to help us all feel more comfortable and confident in our own skin,” said Jessica Sturdy of Bows and Sequins.
So what does it really mean? We should each take some time to define self-care for ourselves, because who else really knows better than you what your body and mind need in order to be 100%?
Here at C&C, our brains are working overtime every day and when we finally get some time to ourselves, we love to join in on the self-care Sunday fun - because what is better than taking some me-time? Read below to hear how our team defines self-care and what we do to recharge.
How the C&C Team Defines Self-Care
A perfect self-care Sunday for me involves some Pinot Noir, a bubble bath, smooth, shaved legs and re-runs of my favorite show. After a long week of work and tons of Insta-notifications, nothing feels better than chilling in bed after a good soak with smooth legs and a great glass of wine.- Tyeal, Marketing Coordinator
Getting yourself a hotel robe is everything! Along with some eucalyptus scents for your room to unwind.- Andrea, Digital Editor
Lavender bubble bath with lots of candles, putting on comfy PJs - cause what's better than soft sweatpants on freshly shaved legs. Add in my pup and it’s a perfect night.- Natty, Graphic Designer
I live for my Sundays at home. Cleaning house, cuddling cats + prepping my mind for the week is mandatory + everyone in my life knows that. I try to plan out outfits for the week + note any out-of-office events, dinners or work events that are coming up.- Heather, Marketing Director
We wanted to hear what our Create & Cultivate community defines self-care too, so we asked the creative and ambitious ladies in our Facebook group for their perfect self-care day and here’s what they had to say:
Alberthe K. B.: My self-care takes usually 1 of 3 forms—I love to get long walks in around my neighborhood at the start of the day, away from my daughter & husband so I can collect my thoughts & go into the day with more ease... I like to end my day with some music or an audiobook while having tea or wine (some days call for a lil alcohol lol) to decompress... and the third isn’t daily, but more of a weekly & it’s taking time to do a face mask & caffeine body scrub after a long bath, all followed by sinking into the sofa with my shows that I’m either catching up on or rewatching
Aleia W.: Self-care for me has turned into making my own self-care products - massage oil candles, body oils, and bath salts and settling in for a long bath using all the products until I get wrinkly. And then it's time for a little journaling (and if Sunday) filling out my planner with the upcoming events for the week!
Taylor M.: For me, self-care is all about listening to yourself and responding in the most loving way possible. It looks different depending on the day. Most Sunday nights, I stop looking at my phone and computer and take a warm bath with a good book before bed. It helps me transition from weekend to work week with ease.
Rosie C.: For me, a true self-care Sunday includes a lot of things, but most importantly, cooking. It has become essential to cook during my self-care days because it reminds me that when I approach food as a means to nourish and fuel my body, and when I remind myself that my body always has a need to nourished and fueled, I have a healthier relationship not only with food but with my outlook on the capabilities of my mind, body and spirit.
BIC® Soleil® Balance® razor invites you to take some me-time this Sunday. What do you do for a perfect self-care Sunday? Let us know in the comments!
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Bring On the Weekend: 3 Cocktails Recipes We Love!
Feet up, glasses up!
Jessica Bornder Photography
Create & Cultivate conferences are such an adrenaline rush that we almost forget that we end up putting in between 70-80 hours of work! That feeling tends to fade a week later which is why we're sharing three tasty Crown Royal cocktail recipes for all the ladies out there that need to kickback and unwind this weekend. Drink up the deliciousness, below!
TGIF, ladies!
WHISKY GAL
Crown Royal Deluxe
Simple Syrup
Lime
Muddled blueberries
Served on ice
Meagan Shuptar
This post is brought to you by our Create & Cultivate Chicago partner, Crown Royal.
Do you have a favorite unwind cocktail? Share the name & recipe below!
3 Lessons we Learned from Our Create & Cultivate Chicago Mentors
Jot these down.
Start your next meeting with “Is this your best work?”Do you ever just wish someone gave you the playbook for the next five years of your life? Like, imagine if someone really took the time to write out the list of things you need to do step-by-step in order to accomplish your dreams?
Welcome to mentorship.
Disclaimer: It doesn’t actually come with a step-by-step playbook.
What it does come with, are real life lessons, candid advice, and a mutually beneficial relationship.
Everyone tells us mentorship is one of the major keys to success. Cool, but when, where and how do we even start finding a mentor? We all have those same questions. So we tapped some of our mentors from the #CreateCultivateCHI Comcast Mentor Power Hour to break down all the keys to mentorship.
Jeni Britton Bauer is the founder of Jeni’s Ice Cream. After leaving school to start her business, Jeni overcame a ton of challenges, and her business has now expanded to 33 stores across the U.S.
Ebony Lee is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Development at Comcast NBCUniversal. Innovation is central to her role, and she works in emerging areas of growth for the company, including supporting startups in media and technology.
Riyhana Bey is the Director of Brand Execution and Marketing at Volvo. She oversees digital and social strategy and helps execute integrated marketing campaigns.
Maxie McCoy is a career coach, motivational speaker and the author of You’re Not Lost, a tough-loving guide to figuring out your next steps and believing in yourself enough to take them.
We love knowing that Comcast NBCUniversal believes that mentoring matters! Keep reading to get their advice on mentorship below.
On modeling behaviors
One reason mentorship is essential for young professionals is because success leaves clues. Meaning, as people rise to the top of their respective career chains, they leave behind habits and example behaviors that we can model. What are some behaviors or habits that you shaped from mentors along the way?
Jeni Britton Bauer: Never cry “why me!?” Accept unexpected challenges and begin to be a part of the solution immediately.
Every single moment or event is a chance to grow, learn, explore, discover, have fun. Always be aware of and curious about what’s going on around you and of the people in the room and your life will be a great adventure.
Champions are champions because they get good at being beat up, knocked down, and never losing focus. That’s why LeBron is so good at basketball. That’s why I’m good at ice cream. Make your number one trait about resilience. Show the world that you are a champion at never losing sight of your vision of who you want to be and that nothing will stop you. Let that pride fuel you.
Never underestimate the smallest, meekest among us. They are often the most powerful.
These I learned from a Wayne Dyer self-help book in 1993, my grandmother (Enid Scripture), LeBron James, and Frodo Baggins.
Ebony Lee: The smartest people in a room are usually not the ones with all of the answers, but the ones asking the most thought-provoking questions. I’ve seen the greatest leaders use this trick and I completely believe that it has helped shape my success. I keep this in mind all the time, and definitely cut my teeth on this approach early in my career when I was a consultant, and still do to this day. When you’re able to get people thinking and talking, it’s a powerful tool in guiding people to the right answer or approach. Plus, you’ve now given them an ownership stake in a project’s success.
Maxie McCoy: I’ve been on the receiving end of incredible mentorship. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from these mentors is to know where you shine and then optimize for that. There’s never a single path to success. Rather, it’s important to take the best practices you see your mentors or inspirations doing, and then layer your own unique way on top of it.
Riyhana Bey: One of my favorite bosses would start meetings by asking one simple question: “Is this your best work?” If anyone hesitated or said no, he would immediately stop the meeting and ask what it would take to get to your best. He believed in hiring a team that was smarter than he was, and he saw his only role as being a facilitator of allowing others to do their best work. I fully believe in surrounding yourself with people smarter than yourself, listening to them, inspiring them, and getting out of the way of their greatness.
On finding their first mentors
Jenni: When I was 13 I decided that I had no one in my life who could help me become who I wanted to become—my family had broken apart, and it was not a good situation. I was worried about my future. So I wrote in my journal that I was going to find people outside of my immediate family I could model myself on. And that’s what I’ve done since.
I never had real mentors. I studied others I admired from afar and picked up their traits. From Katherine Hepburn to Luke Skywalker, and Aragorn to LeBron James.
Ebony: I found many of my mentors by volunteering for projects that were outside of my scope of work. In taking this calculated risk I expanded my skill set, and I was also able to gain exposure to leaders that I wouldn’t have met or had access to in my day-to-day. It’s happened more than once that these leaders saw my potential and became my mentors, and these are people who’ve guided me through many of my career choices, including my decision to join Comcast.
Maxie: My first mentor came from a cold email that I sent to the then highest ranked woman at ESPN, Rosa Gatti, to see if she’d talk with me about my goals to be a sports broadcaster. I was obsessed with the idea of interning at ESPN while in college, so I joined the Association of Women in Sports Media and highlighted every woman that worked at ESPN. Rosa answered that email. She got on the phone with me. She said I impressed her. And then she proceeded to open a door that put my life on a rocket ship forward, but I still had to run through the doors that she was opening. Normally, I wouldn’t tell people to go cold calling for mentorship, but in this case, it worked for me in a big way. So, don’t expect it, but it is a good reminder that the worst someone could say is “No”...and the best I could possibly be better than you can even believe!
Riyhana: All of my mentors were found the same way. I sat in a room, listened to them speak and was in awe. After that, I sought them all out and volunteered ideas on how could be helpful to them and asked for a value exchange whereby they let me ask as many questions as I wanted. I’m lucky they obliged, and I’ve learned more from lunches with them than entire years of my career.
On mentors and mentees benefiting each other
It’s crucial for us to think of a mentor relationship just the same as any other relationship in our lives. Adding value to your mentor's projects and business goals is just as important as receiving value from them. We asked our Comcast mentors their best advice for creating a mutually beneficial relationship with a mentor.
Jeni: Show up with your homework done. I had one guy I stalked in the food science department at Ohio State University who only said “yes” or “no” to my theories. I would read a science textbook on milk, work at the dairy, make a few discoveries and say to him, “So, if I heat milk like this, the proteins will act like that?” And, “Can I use that to build body instead of stabilizing or emulsifiers?” He would just say, “You are on the right track,” or “Nope.” Nothing is free. You gotta do your work. I learned more from him than almost anyone.
Also, if you aren’t working on or thinking about your thing all hours of your free time, then you aren’t passionate enough. I still do that. Self-care for me is working. It’s what I enjoy most. Don’t ever look for shortcuts from mentors. You are strong and capable, and you need to show that. Unless you’re a rare genius and your idea is so great that it builds itself. And while we’re here, I’ll add that all the money in the world isn’t worth what it will take from you. You’ve got to have a better, more inspiring motivation — like “I want to live a life of adventure and excitement.” Use a mentor to help you focus on the important stuff and then let everything else go.
Never waste time, especially mine.
Ebony: Like any relationship, you need to be truly committed to getting the most out of it. There are a lot of inspiring people you will meet, and while it is tempting to try and cast a wide mentorship net, this doesn’t always work out in your best interest. Really take the time to invest in your relationship with a mentor – and make sure that you’re getting what you need as a mentee. This might mean taking it slow and studying someone before approaching them, and I think you also should ask yourself the tough question about whether there is actually a connection between you and the potential mentor.
Remember you get what you give, and that’s true for a mentor and a mentee.
Maxie: Know exactly where they can provide value. Most great mentor relationships don’t come from “picking their brain” on everything under the sun. Nobody has time for that. Rather, know where their specific expertise can provide insight into your own career and focus your time on that.
Circle back. If a mentor gives you advice and you take it, let them know! If they open a door for you or a connection, let them know how it turned out! These are the highlights of mentor relationships so make sure they know. Show your gratitude. Whether that’s supporting their work, giving them your feedback, or sending a handwritten card, make sure you’re giving as much as your taking. Often, a heartfelt thank you can go a really long way.
Riyhana: I have only one key – you must genuinely admire and respect each other. Mentoring can be as wonderful as being mentored, and both parties have to be engaged and see something special in one another that allows you to make the time and commit to the process over time.
Mentors can be found in various ways and sometimes, they don’t even need to know they are a mentor of yours. Just watch and take notes. Remember ladies; success leaves clues. Study those who inspire you and ask the right questions. Take the advice from our Comcast #CreateCultivateCHI mentors and apply it to your mentor relationships.
What’s your experience with mentorship been? Leave us a comment below to join the convo!
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
The Healthy Drink You Should Be Sipping At Your Desk
For a healthy gut and clear mind.
Just like all of you, we know how important office snacks are. In the midst of emails, calls, meetings, and being busy overall, we need something to refuel us and help us power through the day. That 3 pm slump? Yup. That’s not fun for anyone.
And because we love to always throw some logic your way. Here are some facts about taking a break in the middle of your workday to enjoy a little something extra after being at your desk all day.
Snacks bring teams together! A quick snack break can encourage bonding among colleagues.
You and your team will be more focused and productive for the rest of the day.
Breaks are essential for mental clarity, and sipping on a healthy beverage is never a bad idea.
Having healthy snacks available makes employees feel valued and appreciated.
Healthier options can decrease the amount of sick days team members take.
We’ve been highlighting some of our favorite snack options here at C&C, and the team is already a big fan of Health-Ade kombucha and sip on them almost daily.
“Because not all kombucha is created equal.”
What if we told you that your midday pick-me-up can also help your gut and overall health as you sit at your desk? Well, you better believe us. A lot of us gravitate towards snacks that sound great but aren’t always necessarily great for us. That’s where our favorite bubbly beverage comes in to add some fizz, a little bit of sweetness, and a dose of healthy probiotics all around.
Detoxification, energy enhancement, and an immune system boost are just a few benefits of the bubbly probiotic tea. Our healthy snack of the moment is Health-Ade kombucha, which creates some of the best-tasting kombuchas around, with fun, refreshing flavors and Instagrammable packaging to match.
So, why is it so good? Well, Health-Ade brews their kombucha 100% the old-fashioned way, in small 2.5-gallon glass jars to prevent plastic and metal leaching. And those quirky, delicious flavors such as Jalapeño-Kiwi-Cucumber? They’re always flavored with fresh ingredients, including cold-pressed juice from organic produce. Our guts are already happier just thinking about it.
As a team, we’re all about convenience and Health-Ade has made an effort to make employees everywhere happier and healthier with the in-office “kegs”. That’s right, you can easily have kombucha on tap and grab some whenever you’re in the mood for a glass.
For those regular kombucha sippers out there, this is great news because it removes having to purchase your own bottles from the equation! Plus, it’s a great way to experiment with some new flavors that weren’t already on your radar.
Not sure how to get it? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered in that department as well. If you’re interested in getting Health-Ade on tap for you and your coworkers, get in contact with their team to coordinate further.
Happy sipping!
What’s your favorite healthy snack to have at work? Let us know in the comments below!
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Jennifer Hudson's Best Quotes from C&C Chicago 2018
The Chicago native dropped some knowledge.
You've seen her on your TVs, the big screen, heard her albums, her judge's seat on The Voice, and if you were at C&C Chicago this past Saturday, you heard her keynote conversation there. Jennifer Hudson is a multi-faceted powerhouse and we had no doubt that she'd have some killer knowledge to share with our audience. In one big room full of entrepreneurial, creative, badass women, J.Hud ignited the fire in our bellies with her real-talk advice on business, personal growth, and more. Ahead, her best quotes from the night.
“If it’s not worth working hard for, it’s not worth it at all.”
“I don’t do a single thing for money. Everything I do is because I love it.”
“There’s no set formula for success. Success to me is what you love and what YOU value.”
“You can have all the talent in the world, but you need to have a business sense too.”
“If you don’t like something, just change it! You have the power to do that.”
“I always say: I can show you, better than I can tell you.”
“I want my legacy to be for people to see me as a human being and see my heart.”
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
How This Tool Changed The Way We Do Business at Create & Cultivate
Collaboration at its best.
Photo Credit: Jessica Bordner Photography & Smithhouse Photography
Here at C&C, we believe that teamwork makes the dream work. Behind every successful brand and company is a hardworking, collaborative team helping make all of the magic happen. As a small team for an exponentially-growing business, we’re tiny but mighty and are always looking for new tools to help us work more efficiently. Email is great and all, but once conversations are going in 500 different directions it’s so easy to lose track of what’s to be done. Communication is key, but we all know what it’s like to have our minds going in circles at work and like we need to take a breather.
ENTER: Microsoft Teams. Our gamechanger. Our northern star. Our hub for everything.
Pulling off a conference the scale of Create & Cultivate Chicago is no easy feat for a team of 10. It’s 70 speakers, 1,5000 attendees, and 50+ brands, vendors and partners. Plus, our content game needs to be on point. As you can imagine, we’re pulled in a lot of different directions and all have different tasks and duties when planning such a large event. Whether it’s production to-dos, editorial assignments, or social media content planning, using Microsoft Teams has helped us move forward in a simpler, more efficient direction.
So, how exactly did we get the job done to create the magic that was C&C Chicago? We’re laying that all out for you along with how it can help your own business, and how the tool has helped change the way we work going forward.
Photo Credit: Smithhouse Photography
Onboarding
We obviously had our own way of doing things, so we tapped Microsoft Teams experts to get us started using the new platform. A Microsoft Teams trainer came in to help the team with everything from getting an account to demonstrating the different ways we can use it across departments and throughout the workday.
One of the things our team was happiest to learn is how simple Teams makes office communication. Through its chat system, we can ask as many questions as we’d like, give direction or get feedback from our colleagues. Seriously, who has time for getting up and walking over to anyone’s desk all day long? We were sold.
The overall reaction was an ecstatic group of women, who were more than excited to get stuff done in an easier, faster way. Some comments at the kickoff meeting and demo include, but are not limited to:
Create & Cultivate: A New Hope (For you Star Wars nerds)
Guys, work is lit
I feel like life will never be the same
It’s like the freshman year, senior year meme but for to-do lists
Besides the immediate onslaught of .gifs that were shared, it was obvious that project management & processes would become instantly easier using Teams because of the ability to assign tasks, track their progress, and confirm completion. For a team that loves to be efficient, we geeked out about it pretty hard. We even tapped our teams for the tips and implementation tips that we should include in this blog post!
Oh, and we can’t forget to mention that Teams can be used on desktop and mobile, so if you’re ever on-the-go, you can still leverage their amazing mobile app to do your work along the way. It also shifts our on-the-go group texts into organized work-related conversations.
You can sign up to try teams for yourself and also try an interactive demo for the platform to get a firsthand experience on how Teams really works. Check it out here.
Pro-tip: Respond to your manager with Michael B. Jordan gifs for an always enhanced work experience.
Process Change
As mentioned above, we were the most excited about having more streamlined communication. Rather than sending individual emails or messages to team members, we’re now able to create different Teams within the hub that included chat conversations, organized to-do lists and central hub for all moving documents.
Identify Your Teams
For example, we created conversations for each team when planning for Chicago. The first thing we did was agree which teams needed to be made and under those umbrella Teams, what conversations needed to be had. For us, we separated the Chicago Team into our different projects in order to discuss and follow-up on different areas of the event and the status of things: Production, Talent, Digital marketing, Graphics, Social and Editorial. Each Team has a General tab where all members can provide blanket updates or team brainstorms! As you can see, we also have Teams for future events and general team conversations to use moving forward. A lot of them follow the same outline so once you have a skeleton of what you need, you can always duplicate for new projects.
Optimize & Organize Your Teams
Once you identify the Team theme and projects/conversations within that team, we set a Teams transfer date. This was important for us because it allowed each team to think through what existing documents, files, and conversations needed to be transferred into Teams in order for this to improve our workflow. We agreed that we should start fresh on the first of the month. During the transition time, each group met and walked through the different apps and tools available through the Microsoft Teams hub (hint: it’s a lot!) and what would be the most beneficial for each group. We also incorporated documents that we were already using and pulled all important pieces into one central place.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the best tools found in Teams that small business owners can leverage.
Planner: This tool allows you to create different ‘boards’ for your employees. These boards act as project management tools in order to keep track of what’s been done and what hasn’t. They can be split into different categories such as not complete, in progress, completed, etc.
One Note: It’s exactly what it sounds like--a note-taking tool. What makes it so efficient is that you can use it right in the Teams app, rather than having to open any separate tabs and making it difficult to focus on more than one thing at a time. We like to use OneNote during our meetings to jot down anything important.
Smartsheet: Let’s face it, we all use more sheets than expected. This comes in handy for tracking and updating any important lists, budgets, sponsor obligations, and more.
Who: This one is mostly for the managers of your biz. You can search for any of your employees based on what they’re working on, who they’re working with, and more.
If you’re a content creator, we *HIGHLY* recommend creating a digital Team where you can leverage the Planner App to implement your content calendars, graphic design assignments, and review meetings into Teams to have everything in one place for our team members to always refer to. This streamlining has changed the game for our digital team and helped both managers, coordinators, and designers across the board.
The assignments feature is also very helpful for managers to look over their respective teams, rather than having to constantly follow-up on the status of their tasks. We can add updates, due dates, assign teammates, and create digital checklists for feedback and edits so that there are no missed steps during the feedback and approval process.
We previously found ourselves having too many separate conversations and taking meetings that filled up our workdays and real-talk feedback that would sometimes be lost in conversation. Now we can do all of that using the tool and spend more time working and getting our tasks done on time and even quicker than before.
Photo Credit: Jessica Bordner Photography & Becki Smith of Smithhouse Photography
Tips From Our Team
Because we’ve been using Teams for a ton of different things, we wanted to give you all more insight on how we’re doing so for different aspects throughout our company. Here are some feedback and tips from the different C&C verticals in which we like to use Microsoft Teams.
Production: Our production team is the backbone of all our C&C events, so they need to be in constant communication with both each other and vendors. Teams can be used to gather information on budgets, invite lists, talent updates, and of course the layouts for our events. When heading on-site, the checklist functionality is clutch so nothing gets left behind! Our production team can also brainstorm any ideas for future events and separate them using Teams.
Editorial: Our digital editor relies heavily on a content calendar for strategizing and planning, in connection with our marketing team. Teams allows her to update the status of any co-branded content pieces, deadlines, and future blog posts to go live on our website. If there isn’t time for an editorial meeting, it’s also a great tool for brainstorming and putting together future ideas for the site through the notes tool and of course, chatting with her direct manager. The Planner tool is also a huge part of editorial workflow because it helps us delegate a concept, assigned writer, review, scheduling and completion for each of our posts.
Design: Our graphic designer uses Teams to put together her to-do list for the day, as she designs assets for all of our different outlets. Whether it’s decals for Chicago, Instagram Stories, gifs, newsletter content, and more, she has a lot of things to keep track of. She also uses Teams to chat with her direct manager in regards to any new assignments and daily updates.
Lunch: Sometimes we forget to eat and we all have to have each other's backs to make sure we get fed and are fueled for the day ahead. The lunch team is everyone's favorite team and this way no woman gets left behind.
Fun (duh!): We like to work hard, and that doesn’t mean we don’t play just as hard. Teams helps us plan and get suggestions for any future team outings, dinners, happy hours and more. Whether it’s sharing the hottest gossip or much-needed puppy photo, Teams has us covered in the fun department. You can even make your own memes.
While we wish we could invite you into our little WorkParty, the best thing we can do is tell you that Microsoft Teams helps you work smarter, not harder. For a startup and a small team, this is key because you need to put your time and resources towards the things that really matter!
We encourage you to join us in streamlining the way your team plans and executes different tasks. If you’re interested, Microsoft Teams is free for all to use and a great tool for small businesses all across the board.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
The Stress-Free Way to Refresh Your Work Wardrobe
Plus, some easy shopping tips.
As working women, we understand how difficult it can be to fit everyday activities into our schedules. We’re way too busy for leisurely activities such as shopping, but does that really mean we should miss out? After all, every woman wants (and deserves) to look and feel fabulous in her clothes! We should all be able to stay on top of the latest trends and update our wardrobes whether it be for in the office or play.
So, what are our options when there’s no time to peruse endless racks at the mall, camp out at the next trending sample sale, or spend a few hours scrolling through your favorite online shop? You turn to the next alternative, and that’s shopping right at home with your own personal Stylist (and a few of your best girlfriends, of course!). Yes, you read that right. Think you can’t afford a personal Stylist—what if I said you could get one for free? Yes, you read that right.
Maybe you’ve never heard of cabi before: Cabi is the solution to the frustration and inconvenience of shopping. It offers a unique “pop-up boutique” shopping experience in the comfort of the home, where a cabi Stylist provides personalized styling, and presents a designer collection to you and your friends. Your Stylist will curate looks for you based on your lifestyle, help ensure you get just the right fit, and show you what works and doesn’t work for your body shape. The result? A fun, stress-free shopping experience surrounded by friends, with a trusted Stylist guiding your choices.
So, what’s a girl to do when she needs a new blazer for work? Find a cabi stylist near you, and get your office attire on point.
How It Works
At a cabi Fashion Experience, a Stylist presents the seasonal cabi collection (usually 80-100 pieces in a varied size range), sharing educational fashion and styling tips all along the way. After the presentation, you can try on the clothes, while the Stylist works with you on fit and helps put together looks based on your needs—this part of the experience is personal to you! And of course, no shopping experience is complete without the trusted fashion advice of your girlfriends—as you all try on your favorite pieces, you’re able to share thoughts on each other’s selections and to encourage each other to step out of your comfort zones.
Becoming a Stylist
Becoming a cabi Stylist yourself might be something to consider, too! Maybe you’re looking to work remotely or pick up a side hustle for some extra cash, or maybe you’ve recently suffered a job loss, want to get involved in fashion, or need a little bit of a creative outlet. Whatever your situation—cabi offers a simple business model that balances the realities of a busy woman’s life, while having very real earning potential, building relationships, and serving other women through her business working as a fashion Stylist.
Cabi has created thousands of opportunities for women to have a relevant, liberating and profitable career. You can find out more information on how to become a cabi Stylist yourself here.
Tips from cabi Design Team
How to dress for your shape: A huge part of nailing down the best work wardrobe for you is to dress for your body type. Determine if your shape is triangle, rectangle, diamond, hourglass, pear, etc. You can find a full breakdown on dressing for your shape here.
The perfect fall color palette: According to the styling experts at Cabi, there are three colors that should be on your radar this fall: red, gold, and currant. The shades are all perfect for the changing season and are complementary to one another.
Day-to-Night looks: Find some multi-functional pieces that can be worn from from day to night. A lot of us working women have a busy schedule outside of the office too, and that involves a lot of after-work plans. Rather than stressing over an outfit change, find pieces that can work for plenty of different occasions. The perfect example would be a jacket that works well with a dress but also just as well with a pair of jeans.
Rather than experiencing another shopping nightmare, shop the cabi way!
MORE FROM OUR BLOG