5 Apps That Will Help You Get Sh*t Done In 2019

Here at C&C, we love a good checklist. Seriously, the entire team breathes and lives by checklists, and they keep us organized no matter what. With so many events to plan and maintaining a strong online presence, it’s essential for us to have all things streamlined, up-to-date, and trackable.

Here are five of our favorite apps for creating lists and getting shit done.

TickTick

iTunes

TickTick is seriously a game changer. We discovered the app a while ago and have been hooked ever since. You can find your tasks in both a calendar view and timeline view on the app, and set up a checklist that can be marked off on your mobile phone or desktop. You can also set up specific reminders for each of your tasks so that there’s no excuse for not getting them done.

Google Keep

Google

We all love Google, right? Well it was only a matter of time before the online giant created a tool to make our lives even easier. Apart from Gmail, Chrome, Google Docs, and Google Calendar, we now have Google Keep. Also accessible on mobile or desktop, Keep allows you to put together a list and share it with others. However, it’s not just any old list. You can add sticky notes, images, voice notes, and more to your checklist.

Wunderlist

Wunderlist

Wunderlist is another app that allows you to share your checklist with others. Create a personal to-do list or one that you can share with your team to track a specific assignment. Your team members can collaborate on the list via the comment tool and can add notes as well. You can use Wunderlist on your mobile phone, desktop, your Apple Watch and more.

Evernote

Evernote

Evernote is one of the OG note-taking apps. It’s very popular among college students and professionals, and is definitely designed for your work-related tasks. You can add images, videos, attachments and more to any of your lists and access them anywhere on the go. Evernote is unique for its cloud-based storage, which makes it easier for us to save everything we need.

Clear Todos

Clear Todos

If simplicity is key to your life, then so is Clear Todos. The easy-to-use app makes the basic checklist experience more enjoyable and pleasing to the eye. This one will set you back by $4.99 on the App Store, but if you need to get your life together then it’s worth the price.

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5 Preventable Startup Culture Mistakes

Every founder knows that culture is crucial to a startup’s success — as Fred Wilson says, “If you want to be in business forever, you need to build a culture that sustains the business” — but there are a few common mistakes that startups make when creating their culture:

1. YOU THINK CULTURE JUST "HAPPENS."

Running a startup means your burn rate is always in the forefront of your mind, and as a result, everything takes a backseat to getting to MVP. Culture can be fixed later, right? The truth is that “culture” is just another way of saying “how we work here,” and by the time you get to your MVP, it will be deeply entrenched.

FiveStars’s founder Victor Ho never took the time to officially define the culture— he felt it was too “cheesy.” But as they grew from 40 to 80 employees, their culture got diluted and as people clashed over ways of getting work done. As quoted in Fast Company, Ho described it as “one of the hardest periods of the company.” Rather than waiting to define your culture, consciously shape your culture while you build your MVP. You don’t have to go on an expensive company retreat, or write an elaborate culture deck. It can be as simple as writing down five words that describe your culture and once a month, as a team, discussing whether they’re still appropriate.

2. YOU THINK HIRING MORE PEOPLE MEANS SUCCESS.

Celebrating is so important because success at a startup can be so rare in the first months. It’s comforting to be able to point something that’s a clear sign it’s all working. And as Buffer’s founder noted, “Team size is easy to understand. Sometimes it impressed people when I told them how big the company was, and I was proud to share it.” But the company brought on too many people, too fast, and was forced to lay off 11% of the company. Protect team morale by tracking more accurate measures of success, and find ways to celebrate small wins regularly.

3. YOU SPEND TOO MUCH ON PERKS.

Bribing employees is a common Silicon Valley practice — what else are meals by gourmet chefs, meditation classes, and laundry service but attempts to get more work out of employees? And those bribes don’t come cheap: shrinking VC funds forced Dropbox to cancel its free shuttle and and limit free meals a few years ago.

If you really want your team to do their best work, regardless of your compensation budget, give them meaningful work. Show them how their work is directly impacting the organization, and how the organization is making a difference in the world. In other words, give them purpose. Oh, and don’t worry — “purpose” doesn’t necessarily have to be a product or service that saves the world (though that’s a plus); it just means that you have a compelling vision and mission.

4. YOU OVERWORK PEOPLE IN PURSUIT OF THE PRODUCT. 

Signing up for a startup is a commitment; long hours and outrageous goals are part of the bargain. But push too hard, and you’ll flare out. At Zynga, for instance, long hours, “aggressive” deadlines, and an obsession with performance metrics led to a talent drain, and even hampered its ability to acquire companies. To prevent burnout, hold regular check-ins with your team to help them manage workload and stress levels. And don’t forget to check-in with the founder: 30% of founders report being depressed, as opposed to only 7% of the general population.

Again, we’re not saying you won’t spend some long nights and weekends at this office, but don’t make it a cultural norm.

5. YOU DON'T FIRE JERKS BECAUSE THEY'RE SMART. 

Hiring the best talent is highly competitive, but ignore the “no asshole” rule at your own peril. Despite their superior skill set, their personality will destroy your team culture, not to mention their productivity. In one of our engagements, we worked with an executive whose attitude turned the rest of the team against him. This led him to protect his own job by guarding his data more and more closely, leaving the startup completely in the dark when making crucial decisions.

The best way to avoid this problem is to carefully screen for jerks during the interview process, listening for self-centered answers and trash talking past employers. (As Raylan Givens of Justified noted, “If you run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you’re the asshole.”) But if one has slipped past your radar, talk to them and make it clear how you expect their behavior to change. If they don’t shape up, then it’s time to go your separate ways — the rest of the team will thank you.

Written by Paula Cizek, Director of Knowledge & Editorial at NOBL. NOBL is an organizational and team design consultancy that unleashes the creativity and capability of teams through new ways of working.

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How to Make New Year's Resolutions That Last

In the day or two after New Year’s Eve, you likely process a mix of feelings: euphoria and hope for a new year, resolve to change those ‘bad habits’ that held you back last year -- and often, a fresh perspective on who you are and where you see yourself going.

You probably set some goals. But not your friendly neighborhood diner type of goals. No, you set Michelin-star, creme-brulee-boasting, so-fancy-they-serve-the-salad-with-the-baby-fork restaurant type of goals.

You want to work on that six pack every day of the week, write a bestselling novel, give up being the ‘always late’ coworker, save 80% of the money you're making and call that long-distance friend every day to check in.

We all set lofty goals for ourselves with each new year. Our ambition is one of the many things that makes us so amazing as humans. There’s just one part of the whole New Year’s resolutions formula that tends to go awry: Our goals often aren’t sustainable. 

Change is hard overnight, and when we set unrealistic, binary milestones for ourselves and subsequently struggle to reach them in a short timeframe, we crash and burn. In fact, USA Today reported that by mid-February, eighty percent of resolutions fail. The good news? There’s an antidote that is 100% within our control: setting goals with self-compassion.

In it’s simplest terms, self-compassion means being kind to ourselves when we feel inadequate or slip up. It's been proven to lead to greater emotional wellbeing and is linked to less depression, anxiety and stress. Psychologist and researcher Dr. Kristen Neff defines self-compassion in three abilities: self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness. Here’s how you can use self-compassion when making your resolutions:

Self-kindness

...is about flipping the script and reserving judgement on ourselves (studies have shown that we are three times more likely to feel compassion for a total stranger). 

If we are struggling to meet a goal, there are probably valid reasons. Recognize that you’re going to do the best you can, and when you have off days—empathize with where you’re coming from.

Common humanity

...is about realizing that we all are imperfect beings. 

Recognizing that you’re not alone and that you will doubtlessly hit roadblocks along the way, can empower you to rely on community and support for others in moments of self-criticism. There is a 100% chance that someone else has felt exactly the way you do, whether you’re crushing it or struggling.

“Self-compassion helps bridge the gap between who we feel we are and who we really are.”

Mindfulness

...is about cultivating an awareness. We can’t be kind to ourselves or rely on the power in shared humanity if we don’t recognize when we’re being particularly hard ourselves.

As Dr. Anna Rowley, psychologist and millennial wellbeing expert, says, “We can separate ourselves from our negative thinking or feelings of inadequacy. Your boss chews you out for a report she doesn’t like. You have a choice—dwell on what a failure you are or practice mindfulness and acknowledge the feedback and do better next time. By separating ourselves from the emotion—anger, frustration, or self pity—we are available to problem solve.”

Did you know? We are 3 times more likely to feel compassion for a total stranger than for ourselves.

Unfortunately there is a common misconception, that being compassionate with ourselves means that we’re going to take it easy, give ourselves a pass to never improve or become set in our ways. But the reality is that when we focus on empathizing with ourselves and meeting ourselves where we are, we can set goals that build on our strengths and realistically help us improve.

“Self-compassion helps bridge the gap between who we feel we are and who we really are,” says Dr. Rowley. “Resolutions are hard to change because we are trying to alter aspects of ourself we aren’t happy with or behaviors we may have ‘lived’ for a long, long time. Many of us set unrealistic or unreasonable goals. 

For example, ‘I will go to the gym 4 times this week’ might be a tough resolution to keep if you have never been to a gym before or you are embarrassed walking into a room full of strangers grunting and heaving. Self-compassion is about reducing the risk of feeling like a failure if you don’t nail your immediate goal. 

It also helps us set more realistic compassionate goals. Rather than join a gym, I’ll go for a walk or next time I shop, I’ll look for a healthier choice of foods. Self-compassion can help us make smarter choices and offer a helping hand when we mess up…and we will mess up.”

So this year, as you continue to grow, evolve and work on yourself, remember to set goals that allow you to be kind to yourself, too.

Written by: Marah Lidey, co-founder Shine

Sign up for Shine to set an intention and track your goals for the year.

The original version of this article appeared on Shine. 

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This Easy Analog Resolution Will Make 2019 Your Best Year Yet

Lately, it seems that more and more invites for all things festive and fun come via email rather than the postal service, especially over the holidays. While tracking RSVPs online simplifies the party-planning process, it doesn’t mean we should give up on traditional correspondence. A card is a classic way to let somebody know you appreciate them while making a lasting impression. Don’t believe us? Take it from our C&C Atlanta keynote speaker, actor and activist, Meghan Markle, who told us that she often sends out and loves to receive handwritten thank you notes. "I can't tell you how few of them I get," she said, "but one hundred percent of the time, I end up remembering that person."

It’s an approach to business and life that can easily be worked into your 2019 resolutions. Here’s how!

SEND A WARM NEW YEAR GREETING

So, you didn’t get around to taking the picture-perfect holiday card. Not a problem. The New Year is the perfect time to send someone special a card that wishes them the best in 2019. Thinking of others is a great way to start your January off on the right foot.

HANDWRITE YOUR THANK-YOUS

Make a “thank you list” and check it twice because they pile up as fast as the presents you receive. From grandparents to bosses, to hosts of holiday parties and gatherings, you will have a lot of thanking to do. Hit pause on sending out digital appreciation; just like it’s fun to open a present, there is nothing like opening a piece of mail.

"Hit pause on sending out digital appreciation; there is nothing like opening a piece of mail."

Tweet this.

Not only that - writing out a thank you note goes a long way to show your appreciation and will last longer than an email. People are more likely to hold onto thank you notes and beautiful cards to display around their office or living space. Think of a card as a sweet memory in return for their generosity.

MAKE IT WORTH REMEMBERING

Remember the old rule “show, don’t tell?” A well-written and memorable thank you note follows this line of thought.

You don’t have to write a novel to create meaningful thank you notes or New Year’s wishes; you can express how much you appreciate their generosity in one or two sentences. Single out a memorable moment. What it felt like opening the gift. An instance in which you’ve since used it. Use these prompts to express your thanks and wishes for a happy and healthy 2019.

BONUS: IT HELPS YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS

We’re used to firing off emails. (Anyone else ever met their email quota for the day? Yep, it’s a thing.) Digital communication may be quick, but it isn’t necessarily the most meaningful or effective. It’s important to honor the practice of sending letters, writing notes, and thank you letters to keep relationships strong and grounded in real-life.

Think of the last time you opened a letter and thought, “Wow, what a great feeling.” Be sure to pass that feeling on as we enter 2019. It will not go unnoticed.

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We Asked Women How They’re Shifting Their Mindsets (And Saying OUI) in 2019

Sponsored by Oui by Yoplait

The night before my very first “move-in day” of college, my parents sat me down for what felt like their final pieces of advice. I predicted what my mom was going to say — work hard, be safe, buddy system, enjoy yourself (within reason). But my dad surprised me. He told me to say “yes” to everything, something I’d never heard from anyone before. Yes to taking a class you never thought you would take, yes to studying abroad a year early, yes to falling in love. Yes. Yes. Yes.

That’s not to say that embodying a “yes” mantra is easy. In all honesty, I’ve forgotten how important it is to say “yes” with my other responsibilities that have taken precedence. But our words have a direct impact on our mindset. By saying “yes” — even if it’s “yes, I can take on this project, but I’ll need an extra day” — you will bring confidence and positivity into your life. This is exactly why I’m making it a priority  to say “yes” this year. And I’m not alone — Oui by Yoplait recently asked attendees at this year’s Vision Summit, “What are you saying “OUI” to in 2019?” And the responses will inspire you.

Oui by Yoplait believes in making the best satisfyingly thick, subtly sweet, fresh tasting French style yogurt. Their approach to French style yogurt starts with simple, non-GMO ingredients, poured and set in individual glass pots for eight hours. And to top it off — “Yes” is literally in their name, which makes them the perfect companion as you say “oui” or “yes” in 2019. Take it from the women who attended the Vision Summit. They’re saying yes to “opening my business,” “embracing my imperfections,” “new perspectives,” and “no more negative self labels.” How great are those? And the Create & Cultivate team has their own ideas...

“I’m saying “OUI” to me. Knowing my value and validating my own wants and needs all 2019.” Tyeal Howell - Marketing Manager

“I’m saying “OUI” to more sleep and more money and less parking tickets” Natalie Tran - Graphic Designer

“Balance. My “OUI” is for more life balance in 2019.” Natalie Pirzad - Project Coordinator

“More creative output. My “OUI” is for more creativity in 2019.” Jenay Ross - Talent Coordinator + Event Producer

“My 2019 “OUI” is for more time with my cats and the people I love.” Heather Records - Senior Director of Digital Marketing

What will you be saying “yes” to this year? I know I’ll be saying “yes” to every exciting opportunity that comes my way, in order to let happiness infiltrate everything I do. And I’ll be starting every morning with a glass pot of Oui to get the day started the right way.

---

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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How Letting Go of the Hustle Helped Me Grow My Business

By Alysha Light, FLIGHT PR

Ask any entrepreneur if they consider themselves a hustler, and most of them will proudly say, “Heck yes!” The concept of the hustle is glorified in business and entrepreneurial communities, because we’re struck by the image of the self-sufficient go-getters who are putting themselves out there, making things happen and having no one but themselves to thank for the the leaps and bounds they've made along the way.
For a long time, I was damn proud of my ability to get sh*t done, to do more with less, to fire on all cylinders and go out into the wild in pursuit of big game because hey, fortune favors the bold and those bills aren’t gonna pay themselves, amiright? In a 2016 C&C piece, Dr. Lauren Hazzouri broke down why so many of us are addicted to the hustle: "We're human-beings, and humans tend to repeat anything that feels good," she wrote. "For women, especially, nailing the presentation and bringing home the bacon feels SO damn good."

And she's right. It does feel good to secure a big win. But how "good" is it really, when you're spending every waking moment on your phone or laptop and missing out on life in the name of the hustle and grind?

That's how I operated for the first few years after launching my business in 2013: no vacation, no team, #nodaysoff. Just me, grinding away 24/7 to prove that I can get things done for my clients, fast. That I was basically superwoman.

Unsurprisingly, I was burning out from the constant grind. I was bending over backwards and stretching myself so thin for small wins and inch-by-inch growth. I knew I needed to reprogram my mindset if I wanted to stay physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

Here’s the thing about the "hustle" mentality that no one tells you: Even though it champions hard work and self-reliance, it's ultimately rooted in fear. Your core belief is basically, If I'm not constantly chasing new opportunities and busting my ass, then I don't eat. I’ll let people down. My business will stall. You become terrified of the things you think you might lose if you dare to take the world off your shoulders for a moment.

Even though ‘the hustle’ champions hard work and self-reliance, it's ultimately rooted in fear.

click to tweet

Plot twist: When I stopped hustling, that's when my business grew the most. In no way have I lost my "go get 'em" attitude – but hear me when I say that my business tripled when I let go of the idea that things would stop if I stopped...chasing, pursuing, stressing, hustling, stretching, bending over backwards, etc. In fact, it was just the opposite.

There’s a spiritual principle behind this that basically shifts your mindset to one of stress and anxiety (or fear) to one of ease (abundance). What you’re basically doing, is signaling to the universe that you trust it to operate on behalf of your highest good, and that you believe things are always working out for you. Because they are. And when you really get this, you find yourself in “the flow”—that amazing space where things start flowing with minimal “effort” on your part.

Setting intentions > goals

One of my favorite people on Twitter, Maryam Hasnaa, believes in setting intentions rather than goals. Having adopted this for myself, rather than focusing on a list of things I want to accomplish, I’ve started asking a simple question: how do I want to feel?

One of my intentions this year was to feel ‘in demand’. If I'm in demand, that implies money is flowing and my inbox is flooding with new business opportunities. And guess what? That's exactly what’s happened.

As Rumi once said, “When I run after what I think I want, my days are a furnace of stress and anxiety; if I sit in my own place of patience, what I need flows to me, and without any pain. From this I understand that what I want also wants me, is looking for me and attracting me. [There] is a great secret here for anyone who can grasp it.”

Grasp it, and prosper girl!

Alysha Light, a reformed hustler, is founder of FLIGHT PR, a boutique PR agency for companies at the intersection of tech, design, marketing and entertainment. Follow her @lightalysha.

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Five Affirmations From Aerie Role Models We Should All Repeat Daily

In January of 2014 Aerie shared the beginning of their “untouched photo” campaign featuring women in their most natural state. The images went viral and the comment section became an open door for anything and anyone. Cut to almost five years later and the power of positivity has been real for the brand. What once was simply an inspiring ad campaign has now transformed into a powerful movement to empower all women to love their real selves.

Women everywhere have come together to support each other and celebrate these images of authenticity and beauty. We passed the mic to five Aerie Role Models at the Vision Summit to get the biggest lessons they’ve learned about self love, the inside scoop on what it’s like to partner with Aerie, and their favorite affirmations to start their day.

Meet the Panelists

Brenna Huckaby

Brenna’s athletic career began with gymnastics, but after getting amputation surgery, Brenna got her first prosthetic leg and thanks to her mom, uprooted her life in Louisiana and moved to Salt Lake City to pursue snowboarding. She’s a 2018 Paralympian, Two-time Paralympic medalist, 3-time World Championship gold medalist and honestly the list goes on, but Brenna Huckaby says she’s “A person first. I’m not an athlete with a disability or a brand ambassador with a disability. I’m a person. I decided to stop letting my past dictate my future. I stopped holding on to the fear of “what happens if I get injured?” and I just went for it. Stop allowing people to label you in a sub category. That shouldn’t exist. I hope my work shows other people that they have the power to dictate how the world sees them.”

Iskra Lawrence

Iskra has been working with Aerie for 5 years with a front and center view while the brand grew from campaign to movement. She says, “Being a role model is wonderful but terrifying. Every single day I’m super aware. One thing I was told is that when you’re a role model, you have to diversify your feed and diversify your life. Diversifying your life will make you more round minded and open to other experiences. For me, being a role model is a constant discovery of trying to be the best you can be.” When her first untouched photo was published with the brand she was terrified. She hadn’t ever read negative comments about her body. After the campaign photo was published, the haters started rolling in. “I got so excited because I couldn’t believe the world had not seen images like that. I broke some societal norms about what a women should look like. If something scares you or you don’t see yourself represented, you have to step up and do that. Please stand up and do it. We need you.”

Monique Coleman

Monique is an American actress, dancer, singer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and recently launched her own talk show ‘GimmeMO’, a movement to empower and motivate the next generation, distributed on Discovery Life network. Before the show started, she spent years pitching it and being told that her story wasn’t important, that the timing wasn’t right, that people didn’t want content to help them feel better about themselves. So, she set out to produce it herself and she did it. We spoke about authenticity and working on projects you’re truly aligned with as a creative. “We need to be authentic and aligned with things that make us feel good. It’s all about alignment. Things we believe in and things that make us feel good may not be the most popular today but they WILL be the most long lasting.”

Jess Weiner

Jess Weiner is a CEO and Cultural Changemaker whose work has played a role in two culture shifting moments: Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty and Barbie’s new look introducing 4 new body types, 7 new skin tones, 22 hair styles and 24 eye colors. Safe to say Jess knows a thing or two about female empowerment. She reminded us that, “It’s so important to remember that we’re more powerful when we come together. We can’t underestimate the power of representation. I believe systemic change is possible, it’s a marathon not a sprint.” She spoke to us about the power of owning your social platforms and content creation strategy. When we talked about social media and the comparison game Jess chimed in and said, ”It’s easy to go to the lowest common denominator and compare yourself, but the REAL power is knowing that you don’t have to go through a gatekeeper. Everyone sitting here is the CEO of their own media platform. YOU have the power to publish your story.”

Stephanie Campbell

Stephanie Campbell knew that after college she wanted to work in marketing for a brand with a mission. As the social media manager for Aerie she’s doing just that. Stephanie talked about her experience working for the brand and how much she loves doing work that inspires and encourages women to celebrate themselves and honor their natural beauty. “I’ve always been an Aerie girl,” she says while speaking on why she loves the work she does. “We’re not telling our brand’s story, we’re telling the story of our customer to our customer. We’re inspiring and uplifting the women who shop with us. We ask “who are the women who make up Aerie?” And then we find inspiration from other women’s stories of life. We know that as women, we are stronger together.”

What affirmations do you repeat to yourself on a daily basis?

Click to tweet!

“I have the power to create change.”

- Stephanie Campbell

In front of the mirror making eye contact with yourself say: I am enough.

- Iskra

I am in control of everything that I do. I have the control.

- Brenna

Don’t outsource your power. Allow yourself to feel the fear and say “I am here and I matter.”

- Monique Coleman

I deserve the best and I accept it now, gracefully and graciously.

- Jess Weiner

Do you have daily affirmations? Share some in the comments!

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Everything You Missed at Our Resistance Rises Pop-Up in Portland

Resistance. Defined as the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument. It's easy to sit by and let things happen; it's harder to stand up and fight for what’s right.  And that’s something we’ve all been faced with all of our lives and particularly within the last few years. It’s also why we’ve teamed up with Amazon Prime Video and its hit-show The Man in the High Castle, which has resistance embedded in its core storyline and characters. Together, our goal is to bring you compelling, noteworthy, and inspiring conversations that we hope will encourage everyone here to go out and shake shit up.

The second stop during our Resistance Rising pop-up took place in Portland, OR. We flocked to the Jacobsen Salt Co. and the energy in the room was electric - to say the least. Our first-ever Portland. pop-up was made particularly special thanks to our lovely speakers Lindsay Meyer-Harley, Candace Reels, Ev’Yan Whitney, and Amy Nelson.

The ladies discussed the true meaning of resistance, how it started, and what it means to each of them. They also touched on how productive discomfort can encourage women to go out and make a change, but still touched on the importance of putting yourself first. The audience also learned on how to use questions as a tool to effectively speak to people who may have difference beliefs or stances on different issues. Overall, the room was electrifying and made our first time in Portland one for the books. Ahead, some key takeaways from the conversation and more information on how you can get registered to vote and make a difference.

Mic-Drop Moments

“Even if you’re just voting for your local officials, it actually matters.”

“Two things are important: businesses and company owners being responsible and helping their communities, and conscious consumerism (putting money behind women-owned businesses).”

“I’m sick of hearing that politics is this hobby people don’t have time for.”

“With social media, you don’t have to shop anywhere without knowing more about the business.”

“There’s people out there that are dealing with the same stuff you’re dealing with.”

‘’Women are less likely to get promoted than men.”

“In changing the future of work for women the conversation must involve everyone.”

“It is way easier for me to give love and hold space for other people than it is to hold space for myself.”

“As someone who’s a chronic nurturer and caregiver, it’s very difficult for me to take a step back before I start posting on Instagram and trying to help people. I need to take a step back and think about what I need in the moment.“

“I can’t help people if I can’t fill my own cup first.”

Join the Resistance

We’re encouraging our readers to get out and vote in the November elections, as registration in many cities will be closing soon. To find out the deadline for your state, click here. And yes, you can register to vote online and the process takes an average of two minutes or less to complete. Head to the polls, and most importantly, resist.

While we wait for November, be sure to catch Season 3 of The Man in the High Castle only on Amazon Prime Video and use the hashtag #ResistanceRises to join in on the conversation online!

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Today is International Day of the Girl—Here's What it Means

We’re all about a holiday that represents girls and women across the globe to honor them in one way or another. Today is International Day of the Girl, and we’re breaking down why it’s time to work more efficiently towards gender equality, female education, the fight against poverty, and more. And, if you don’t know what the meaning behind International Day of the Girl is, that’s likely because it’s a much newer holiday on our calendar.

The Origin

On October 11, 2012 the United Nations acknowledged marked the day as the first International Day of the Girl. “The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.” It’s celebrated in the US by working to dismantle the patriarchy through girl-led activism across the country. This year’s theme for the special day is With Her: A Skilled GirlForce.

Stats  

• Out of the 600 million teen girls across the world, more than 90% of those living in developed countries will receive little to no pay once they enter the workforce.

• Abuse and exploitation are common. Approximately 603 million women still live in countries where domestic violence is not considered a crime.

• As much as $28 trillion dollars could be added to the global GDP if we reach gender equality by 2025.

• Out of the 757 million adults in the world who cannot read or write, two out of three are women.

• 41 million girls living in developing countries are denied a primary education

• 71 percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls

• 40 percent of women don’t identify with the women they see in the media and advertising

• Women only account for 4.8% of Fortune 500 CEOs and 22% of global parliamentarians

How to Get Involved

You can write girls inspiring letters through To Love Ourselves. Seven in 10 girls believe they are not good enough. To Love Ourselves is on a mission to change their minds. They write letters to girls around the world who are going through a hard time, and each recipient receives 15 letters from writers, all filled with love and support. The message is simple: We believe in you and are rooting for you. You are never alone. You can also host a write night or make a donation.

Help spread awareness online. At the moment, the #InternationalDayoftheGirl hashtag has over 76,000 shares on Instagram, and you can join in with #DayoftheGirl on Twitter. Incorporate the conversation into your real-life interactions too, by advocating for girls with co-workers, friends, and family.

Donate! There are several organizations that continuously accept donations to support girls and women across the globe. These organizations also focus on different topics ranging from helping girls get an education to fighting poverty and more. Consider the Malala Fund, Girls Not Brides, and CARE International.

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6 Podcasts to Listen to on World Mental Health Day

The World Health Organization, or WHO coined October 10th as World Mental Health Day. Here are the WHOs (pun intended) of the podcast world who can help you clear your mind, practice mindfulness, and give you advice when needed. Without further adieu, fill those ears and clear that mind.

Therapy For Black Girls

Licensed Psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford shows us what its like BTS of a therapy session with weekly talks about all things mental health, personal growth, and decision-making. Her goal is to make people the best versions of themselves that they can be with her practical tips and strategies as well as providing context with current trends in that space. She is also open to any questions, so ask away!

Mentally Ch(ill)

We know mental health can be a serious topic, but comedians Kristen Carney adds a zest of humor and lightheartedness that we are addicted to!

Mentally Yours

Another lighthearted take on mental health, however, hosts Yvette Caster and Ellen Scott of Metro.co.uk keep things interesting by chatting to a mystery guest each week and discuss all the complexity in our minds.

The Struggle Bus

Advice from co-hosts Katharine Heller and Sally Tamarkin range from mental health, to self care, to just getting through day-to-day life. They answer listeners’ questions and do not leave any topics off-limits. To them there’s no such thing as a problem that is big or small, or even too weird! Get ready for the wheels in your mind to go round and round, because this podcast will do just that

Talking in Circles

Laura Miller keeps things relatable, authentic, and accessible while opening a safe space for listeners to have the tough convos that we’re often times afraid of having. There is a lot to learn from her and some of her special guests include some of our fave boss babes Joy Cho, Jen Gotch and others!

Let’s Discuss

Friends and Lifestyle Bloggers Ella Gregory and Monica Beatrice Welburn want to grab virtual coffee with their listeners and chat in this podcast that totally goes hand in hand with the C&C brand. They talk about everything, aka “life etc.” and help you navigate you through your lives so you can live the best you can with what you have and end up at the right destination for you. Now, you can listen to how to take on your life journey while on your commuting journey to the office!

Speaking of on brand podcasts, forget to also subscribe to our very own WorkParty podcast if you haven’t already!

By: Ashley Banayan

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Think Pink: Brands Donating Towards Breast Cancer Awareness

There are so many reasons to wear pink in October, but one reason to throw on your favorite pink-hued items is in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. So, with Mean Girls day officially behind us, don’t only wear pink on Wednesdays, but every day to support BCA.

Plenty of brands we love are involved with the cause, and showing their support through both limited-edition products and donations. If you weren’t aware, 12% of women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. To show your support, check out the brands showing BCA some love below. Get yourselves, you colleagues, and everyone you know involved in supporting such an important cause for women.

Stella McCartney

The contemporary designer has created a lingerie set for a very personal cause. The “Rose Romancing” set will benefit leading charities and support centers worldwide, including the Linda McCartney Centre in Liverpool, the Hello Beautiful Foundation in London, and Memorial Sloan Kettering in the US, to support their work in providing the most advanced early detection programs and treatments for patients with breast cancer.

Tamara Mellon

Luxury women’s footwear brand Tamara Mellon says that they design shoes, but care more about the women wearing them. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they’re turning that tagline into action, and prompting women to “Love Your Mellons” by offering complimentary mammograms. From October 8–10, the brand is taking over a mobile mammogram screening RV and visiting a different Los Angeles neighborhood each day. Women can sign up for appointments in advance via www.tamaramellon.com for each specific location in Venice, the Fairfax District and Inglewood.

It Cosmetics

For every Love Beauty Fully Love is the Foundation Brush purchased, one is donated to Look Good Feel Better.

The Bouqs Company

The Bouqs Company is supporting this great cause by partnering with The Pink Agenda to raise awareness and support their mission to fund breast cancer research and care by donating 20% of the purchase price on select pink bouquets during the month of October.

In addition to their give back collection of flowers, they’re aiming to drive awareness online by generating positive, honest conversation about the topic amongst friends and likeminded partners on social media. On October 12th, they’re hosting a 'Post for #Pinklove' Instagram rally where they’re encouraging friends of the brand to spread the word that it's breast cancer awareness month.

Ouidad

As a breast cancer survivor herself, founder Ouidad and her brand will donate to Breast Cancer Research Foundation $1 per retail sale of every product sold on Ouidad.com from today, October 1st, through October 31st, 2018.  Ouidad will also match dollar-for-dollar donations made to Curls for a Cure program, donating 100% to BCRF, up to $50,000.  Ouidad agrees to a minimum donation of $10,000 regardless of sales, in connection to these programs during the campaign period.

Lilly Pulitzer

Lilly Pulitzer is celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness month by spreading ‘Pawsitive Cattitude!’ Lilly Pulitzer is teaming up with Bright Pink for a brand-new Print with Purpose capsule collection that launched in-stores and online TODAY! The limited-edition collection supports the mission of Bright Pink to save women’s lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering them to live proactively at a young age. In addition to shopping the new collection, Lilly Pulitzer is encouraging all women to take care of themselves and the women in their lives by using the ‘Asses Your Risk’ tool available online. The more you know, the better prepared you are to take actions that can help reduce your risk—join the over one million women who have completed this assessment.

Wet Brush

This October, WetBrush will offer a new BCA Detangler, and 20% of profits will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. 

Becca Cosmetics

In support of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign, BECCA will donate $8 from the purchase price of Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Opal to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® from September 7, 2018 – November 30, 2018.  BCRF is dedicated to advancing the world’s most promising research to eradicate breast cancer. Learn more at www.beccacosmetics.com.

Manic Panic

This October, 100% of the proceeds of MANIC PANIC’s JEM Amplified Hair Color in Pink for the month of October will be donated to CANCERLAND, a media platform focused on changing the conversation about breast cancer through the honest voices of real individuals living with the disease. After co-founder Snooky’s personal battle with and beating breast cancer, MANIC PANIC, is extremely dedicated to do whatever they can to aid in helping those suffering and survivors of the disease.

COS Bar

Bobbi Brown Art Stick Duo Set ($50)- Features two best-selling shades of pink that flatter all skin tones: Dusty Pink and Electric Pink. For every set purchased, Bobbi Brown will donate $10 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Available the first week of October.

Oribe Pink Dry Texturizing Spray ($44) - Oribe is proudly partnering for a second year with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. to created out Limited Edition Pink Dry Texturizing Spray. In Stores now.

Clinique Great Skin, Great Cause DDML+ ($38.00)- Special Edition Jumbo DDML+ offered for this year's Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign with a unique charm. This set features a limited-edition jumbo size. Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ paired with a pink BCA key ring. $10.00 from each sale goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Available the first week in October.

Sand & Sky

Australia’s Sand & Sky is known for its Millennial Pink skincare treatments and this October the brand is going pink for BCA donating 30% of proceeds from the sale of their robes, mask and robe kit, or exfoliator and robe kit to Look Good Feel Better during the entire month of October.

Koral

Inspired by founder Ilana Kugel’s late grandmother’s battle with breast cancer, Koral is donating 25% of the proceeds from the three of their best sellers below to the Keep-A-Breast Foundation.

Naked Cashmere

Donating $50 for every purchase of the LOVE Scarf and donating $25 for every purchase of the Love Slippers, Love Gloves, and Love Pom-Pom Beanie to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

Aerie

Donating 100% of the proceeds from the Bright Pink Play High Neck Sports Bra and Bright Pink Move High Waisted 7/8 Legging will be donated to Bright Pink through 10/31. Customers of select Aerie stores can design bracelets that will be donated to hospitals for women in treatment and recovery.

Lunya

Lunya partnered up with the Fuck Cancer (501c3) organization to create the ultimate Power Suit. We believe in clothes that serve a purpose and confidently send a message - and this one definitely does, with the Fuck Cancer logo embroidered on the left arm. This set is a limited edition must-have and we don’t have many to sell, so don’t snooze on this one - get yours before they’re gone. Comfort with a cause, now that’s something we can get behind!

100% of the proceeds from each suit sold will be donated to the Fuck Cancer (501c3) non-profit organization, which provides resources to promote early detection and prevention, as well as support for cancer patients and their families.

Privé Revaux

The brand will be donating 50% of proceeds from four pink sunglasses styles to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

ESTÉE LAUDER

The company will be donating 100 percent of each purchase of the limited-edition Powerful Pink Color Collection from Sept. 2018-June 2019 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Saks Fifth Avenue

All proceeds from  the Carolina Herrera Key to the Cure Poppy T-shirt will go to supporting the AiRS Foundation, with a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000. It is available for purchase at all Saks Fifth Avenue locations in the US and Canada, as well as online.

H&M

This October, H&M is launching the first collection of bras for breast cancer survivors with inspiration from one of their employees while supporting the American Cancer Society (ACS) as they unite in the fight against breast cancer. One hundred percent of sales from the H&M "Close to My Heart" collection on www.hm.com will go directly to the American Cancer Society.

The "Close to My Heart" collection was inspired by an H&M employee surviving breast cancer who was unable to find affordable, fashionable and functional undergarments in her time in need. H&M created this collection for her and all those fighting against breast cancer around the world. The assortment includes three style bras in muted neutral tones. You can choose from a sports bra in fast-drying and functional fabric in a racer back style as well as a soft-cup bra in either lace or microfiber with ventilating mesh pockets.

LOFT

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and BCRF's 25th anniversary, LOFT created this limited-edition set of earrings. 60% of the purchase price will be donated to Breast Cancer Research Foundation through November 15.

No B.S. Skincare

50% of the retail price on the Ultra-Hydating Moisurizer with SPF 20 goes to Susan G. Komen.

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The Biggest Mic-Drop Moments from Our Resistance Rises Pop-Up in D.C.

Resistance. Defined as the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument. It's easy to sit by and let things happen; it's harder to stand up and fight for what’s right.  And that’s something we’ve all been faced with all of our lives and particularly within the last few years. It’s also why we’ve teamed up with Amazon Prime Video and its hit-show The Man in the High Castle, which has resistance embedded in its core storyline and characters. Together, our goal is to bring you compelling, noteworthy, and inspiring conversations that we hope will encourage everyone here to go out and shake shit up.

The first stop during our Resistance Rising pop-up took place in Washington D.C.. Yes, right as some very impactful protests were happening. We flocked to the Line Hotel and the energy in the room was electric - to say the least. Our first-ever D.C. pop-up was made particularly special thanks to our lovely speakers Alex Elle, Katalina Mayorga, Randi Gloss, Brandi Chantalle, and Brittany Packnett who joined us for an impactful discussion on the important issues we’re currently facing and how to become more effective change agents in our communities.

The ladies discussed the true meaning of resistance, how it started, and what it means to each of them. They also touched on how productive discomfort can encourage women to go out and make a change, but still touched on the importance of putting yourself first. The audience also learned on how to use questions as a tool to effectively speak to people who may have difference beliefs or stances on different issues. Overall, the room was electrifying and made our first time in D.C. one for the books. Ahead, some key takeaways from the conversation and more information on how you can get registered to vote and make a difference.

Mic-Drop Moments

“The resistance is showing up for each other.” -Randi Gloss

“People think that the resistance started the day after 2016 election and I’m here to tell you that it did not. There were lots of women, and women of color in particular all across this country who reminded this country of how to protest, what it looked like to protest, what it means to get arrested when it wasn’t planned, what it means to show up to a march when there is no time on a flyer.”-Brittany Packnett

“Changing is not failing.”-Randi Gloss

“Social media is great, but doing the work off the internet is greater.”-Alex Elle

“Just because you’re a progressively white woman, it doesn’t mean you’re woke.”-Katalina Mayorga

”Be mindful of your homegirls that are not checking in on you every week and asking if you’re okay.”-Randi Gloss

“I always think: How can I be present to my community that’s right in front of me, before I lend myself to a fight that is beyond my home?”-Brandi Chantalle

“The changes that I’m making, glory to god you’re going to benefit from them, but they’re for ME”-Brittany Packnett

“Showing up as my whole self, and being on my best behavior, and sharing my truth is the lesson, and whoever receives that can take it and do with what they will.”-Alex Elle

“If you can’t think of questions right away, just ask why.”-Katalina Mayorga

“A lot of people think things are happening to them and that they are not able to be in charge. We need to recognize that we are all change agents and that we have power in the decisions we make.”-Brandi Chantalle

”Self-choosing is HARD. The hard work is what we don’t want to do. A lot of people are looking for the why and not the HOW? And the how is SHOWING UP! Self choosing has to be the goal. You are allowed to choose yourself without guilt, shame or second guessing.”- Alex Elle

”Sauce is forever, juice is temporary.”- Randi Gloss

”I’ve been trying to get myself free so I can go out and do it for other people but I am still learning to advocate for myself.” -Brittany Packnett

”A lot of the time choosing yourself is almost a last resort.” - Randi Gloss

”Before you look into your community, look into yourself. Write in your journal. Self advocacy is filling out what do I need today? It’s vocalizing what you need, when you need it.”- Randi Gloss

”Asking a lot of questions breaks down defenses. That way things start to unravel and then you start to draw conclusions of how illogical that belief is.”- Brittany Packnett

Join the Resistance

We’re encouraging our readers to get out and vote in the November elections, as registration in many cities will be closing soon. To find out the deadline for your state, click here. And yes, you can register to vote online and the process takes an average of two minutes or less to complete. Head to the polls, and most importantly, resist.

While we wait for November, be sure to catch Season 3 of The Man in the High Castle only on Amazon Prime Video starting today and use the hashtag #ResistanceRises to join in on the conversation online!

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We Asked Entrepreneurs Their Best West Coast Vacation Reccomendations to Unplug

We took a pit stop from our WorkParty tour to continue enjoying San Francisco. WorkParty and Alaska Airlines threw a dinner party for some of our favorite Bay Area entrepreneurs at The Progress in SF. The Hawaii-themed soiree was everyone’s Instagram dream, and gave guests the perfect island vibes for unwinding and enjoying a night out in the city. As we all know, entrepreneurs are some of the hardest working people in the game, and there’s not always room to unwind and unplug. So, we had to ask the ladies in attendance what their favorite West Coast spot is to get out of the office and unplug.

“If you come to California, you have to go to Big Sur. You get the best of everything, including the ocean, mountains, hikes, rustic feels.”

“You need to go to Seattle in September or October. The light becomes golden and beautiful, and it’s the most beautiful time, it’s not too cold, and it doesn’t rain.”

“You can’t go to LA, without going to Venice Beach. You’ve got to hit up the boardwalk, and not only for sightseeing.”

“Ojai is so charming and beautiful.”

“If you need relaxation, you need to go to Palm Springs.”

“LA all day!”

“Go glamping in Mendocino. There’s no signal out there so you’re forced to unplug.”

Alaska Air was also kind enough to provide guests with roundtrip travel vouchers for anywhere they’d like to go. As if they already didn't get to feel like they were on vacation for one night, they’re now able to enjoy the real deal.

Have you already snagged a copy of WorkParty the book? If not, what are you waiting for? Purchase the book here.

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7 Podcasts to Tune Into on International Podcast Day

We hope your AirPods are charged and ready to go because these podcasts are so good that you won’t want to put them on pause. Filled with words of wisdom and life experiences, these shows and hosts will get you through your morning and evening commute, entertain you during your lunch break, and leave you sitting in your car even when you park your car at home because you will want to finish every episode.

Safe For Work

(N)SFW is here to remind you that things in the office can get hectic at times but Liz Dolan and Rico Gagliano are here to keep you sane during times like these. From resume and cover letter writing, to getting back into work after having a baby, Liz and Rico tackle everything hoping you will feel more fulfilled from your work life.

Switch, Pivot, Or Quit with Ahyiana Angel

Former sports entertainment publicist Ahiyana Angel made the switch to a traditionally published author will route your career trajectory from where it is to where you want to be. She is what she calls a “chief encourager” and is there to share her tips as well as interview professional women who offer their life experiences to guide you along the way.

Starving Artist with Honor Eastly

Have you heard art and money in the same sentence? Probably only when a Picasso was just sold for millions at an auction. This podcast from down under hosted by Honor Eastly  talks to local artists about how they handle their finances only to find out that the term “starving artist” is just a myth.

Millennial Money

Talking about your personal finances can be awkward AF, so Certified Financial Planner and host Shannah Compton Game gives her two cents (pun intended) that is totally relatable and easy to understand. With her husband and co-host Jeff Game, this podcast features experts and anecdotes from people in literally every field you can imagine, expanding your mind and your wallet at the same time.

Being Boss: Mindset, Habits, Tactics and Lifestyle for Creative Entrepreneurs

Calling all entrepreneurs, freelancers, and side-hustlers! Whether you want to quit your day job, or are starting your own Etsy store Being Boss is dedicated to you. “Business Besties”, hosts, and authors Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon discuss the mindset, habits, strategies, tactics and so much more that help you do what you love while making money.

Side Hustle Pro: Women Entrepreneurs

Side Hustle Pro puts the spotlight on WOC who’ve scaled their businesses from side hustles to profitable stand-alone businesses. Hosted weekly by Nicalia Matthews Okome, learn strategies to start small and get grow-ing no matter who or where you are and features interviews with leading ladies and exciting entrepreneurs.

How it is.

From Reese Witherspoon and her team at Hello Sunshine, this podcast hosted by Diane Guerrero shares the common experiences we have lived through and learned from as women in the workforce. Topics discussed in their second season (coming soon!) include the concept of values, the desire to work, the time to work, the time to play and more. It is an all encompassing series featuring guests including Maria Menounos, Gabrielle Union, and Lena Waithe, just to name a few.

Don’t forget to also subscribe to our very own WorkParty podcast if you haven’t already!

By: Ashley Banayan

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Are You Making These Common Website Mistakes?

You’ve built a business from the ground up, whether it’s a side-hustle, or a deep-dive straight into entrepreneurship, it’s a challenge.

Congratulations are in order.

Not only do you have to figure out your business name, offerings, pricing, shipping, bookkeeping, and taxes, you also have to market your business.

When your website is just one of a million things you’re managing, it can be easy to let it slide, or slap it up in a hurry and then move back to your overflowing inbox of tasks.

But your website is a front door for potential clients just learning about your business. So believe me, it pays to invest in making it a good one.

I write and review small business websites for a living...so I see a lot of them. And let me say first, many of them are beautifully designed, and a lot are already optimized for user experience. A good portion also has meaningful, heartfelt copy. 

But if you're not sure if your website copy is entirely up to par, then hopefully this article will be helpful. Before we jump into some mistakes and problems I see frequently, I want to first invite you to congratulate yourself for getting this far.

Building a website is time-consuming. Even with the templates and all-in-one hosting services available today, it's still a significant time investment. So if you've got a domain with your name and contact info on it, that's an accomplishment to celebrate.

Great copy is a work in progress - especially in the early stages of your business journey. You may still be refining your product or service offerings. You're probably gaining new insights into your ideal client base, and getting new ideas for your own brand positioning.

So there's no shame in having multiple revisions and edits. And hopefully, you'll be able to identify if one of these three mistakes needs to be fixed and corrected to make your site even better.

Not Having an Easy Way to Get in Touch

Don’t leave your readers searching for a way to work for you. Every single page on your site should have an invitation for your reader to take the next step.

If you're a service-based business in the creative space, you likely need your website visitors to contact you for more information or a consult call. So make it super easy to do so.

Have a "Contact" button in the upper-right hand corner of your header - that's where more people expect to see it when they're looking, so don't confuse them.

Consider having it in the bottom footer of your site too. And then make sure you have an actual email address easily accessible—not just a contact form. It might not seem like a big difference, but some prospects are put off by contact forms. They might not yet know their wedding date for example, but know you're their dream wedding planner. 

This applies to product-based businesses too, no matter how perfect and seamless your checkout system is, and no matter how complete your product descriptions, people will think of questions. Questions they'll need an answer if they're going to proceed to buy, so make it easy—have a way for prospective customers to get those pesky questions answered so they can enter their credit card digits with confidence.

Not Providing a Clear Explanation of What’s for Sale

There's a trend in the wedding industry to use ultra-minimal cover pages as your entire site.

I'm all for having an aesthetically pleasing landing page. But sometimes when I land on a designer's site, I'm not sure if they're available for weddings, or if they only do editorial shoots. 

And when brides are rapid-fire googling "best wedding photographers in my city" it's easy for them to pass you by and go to the next site where there's more transparent information.

So don't leave your visitors guessing. Have a clearly labeled "Services" or "Shop" button on your top navigation and lay out exactly what you sell, and to whom.

 Talking too much about ourselves 

Okay, this is a tricky one, and I don't want to step on any toes here. But I see it over and over again. About pages—and whole websites—become absorbed into the founder's personal backstory, their passions, hobbies, and even quirky facts. 

Personal connection is essential in business. None of those elements are bad. In fact, they all have a place on your site.

But, they all need to be secondary to your client who gets to take center stage - even on your site. Check out this post for some helpful tips on having the right mindset before writing your about page, or really any page, on your site.

These are all super common mistakes, but they’re also easy to fix. So nothing is holding you back–go out there and make your website awesome.

By: Anna Bradshaw

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Anna Bradshaw is a copywriter specializing in helping creative entrepreneurs promote their businesses with confidence. In her free time, you'll find her curled up with a book, or strolling the beach, ice cream cone in hand. Anna lives in Orange County, CA with her husband of almost a year. 

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6 Books You Should Read This Month

Fall is right around the corner. Grab your cozy sweater, pumpkin spiced latte, and these great reads to get you through the season. Not only with the changing leaves comes new book releases, but it is also a time for us to make changes for ourselves to live better and more fulfilled lives. In turn, these books can give the ‘spice’ we need to inspire us to chase after our dreams. We hope you fall in love with these books full of advice and anecdotes as much as we have!

Money Diaries, Lindsey Stanberry

Featuring advice from a team of female financial advisers, the Refinery29 series-turned-book gives readers an inside look into personal finances, from spending to saving and everything in between. Learn how to save the most, while affording a comfortable everyday life at the same time. With the money challenges and easy steps to follow, take control of your finances today.

Under Fire, April Ryan

Ryan provides readers with an inside look into adjustment reporters on the frontlines made with the chaos and confusion of today’s political climate. From policy debates, to asking hard-hitting questions, we see her transition from being the one who writes the stories to the one who is written about.  

She Would Be King, Wayetu Moore

In her debut novel, Moore takes readers through the journeys of three characters during Liberia’s formation. The use of history and magical realism showcases her vibrant storytelling of the African Diaspora, while highlighting ties to the United States. In addition to the three pivotal roles of Gbessa, June Dey, and Norman Aragon, the spirit of wind also adds an air of wisdom when speaking of Gbessa: “If she was not a woman, then she would be king.”

Transcription, Kate Atkinson

Atkinson explores the world of espionage during the WWII era through the lens of 18-year-old Juliet Armstrong. A decade after the war ended, Armstrong works for BBC as a radio producer, only to be confronted by her past. Through moments of wit, power, empathy, and betrayal, the bestselling author tells this story in best way she possibly can; victoriously.

Small Fry, Lisa Brennan-Jobs

With the recent Apple Special Event happening just days ago, founder Steve Jobs’ and artist Chrisann Brennan’s daughter, Lisa, depicts her life living on a farm while Silicon Valley was constantly changing, and the minimal role her father played in her life. Later on in life, her father began paying closer attention to her and showing her the luxuries life has to offer, which felt great, but at times he was cold and critical. This is a wise and funny story of childhood and the magic of growing up in the first family of technology during the seventies and eighties in California.

The Best Damn Answers to Life’s Hardest Questions, Tess Koman

This collection of flowcharts, pros and cons lists and rants is the book we needed to get us through our tough decisions. The advice is invaluable, but also relatable AF which makes this the perfect gift for the indecisive person in your group chats. We know who you are.

By: Ashley Banayan

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Ashley is a senior at the University of Southern California pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism with a minor in Web Technologies and Applications from the Viterbi School of Engineering. Currently, she works as an editorial intern for Create and Cultivate. She has experience in traditional public relations, social media marketing, influencer relations, content creation, and web development. Furthermore, she is the founder of Geocasion, a company designing Snapchat Geofilters for both businesses and personal clients, garnering 4.5 million views.  In turn, these experiences led her to focus on the convergence and disruption in media, communication and web technologies.

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How to Use Your Weekend Plans to Elevate Your Brand

Ahhh…the weekend. We’re trying to stay productive while enjoying our jam-packed social schedules, running errands, and more. It’s not easy to balance it all but, of course, you make it happen. But what if it could be easier? What if you could enjoy some dinner and drinks while making strides for the future of your company?

It’s possible, and you can get started today. Ahead, learn how you can leverage your weekend plans to help boost your brand.

Elevate Your Personal Brand

The quality of your network strengthens (or weakens) your personal brand. In turn, your personal brand impacts the brand of your business. So get out there. Meet new people and make new friends. Meet them without expectations and realize the benefits turn up in the long run. This isn’t the time for the hard sell and don’t try to close any deals.

Excellent summertime networking spots include professionally elevated social and co-working spaces, conferences and even Facebook groups dedicated to exciting events. For membership spots, I like Soho House, NeueHouse, WeWork, and The Wing. For conferences and events, check out Summit, and Create & Cultivate, of course. These are the kinds of places where it’s okay to talk business while having fun. Research for your best fit, and get ready to discover new like-minded people.

Relax and have fun. Sometimes you’ll find it’s best to keep the business talk to a minimum, but always at least share what you do and find out what industry others’ are in. And chances are you may even know some of the same people since you’re hanging out at the same place. This could serve to further strengthen these new connections while lending everyone greater credibility and trust.

Strengthen Your Network for Future Opportunities

Your network can lead you to significant opportunities in the future like partnerships and branded collaborations. Special deals like these can boost your sales and the visibility of your brand.

For instance, let’s say a particular company is in high demand for collaborations. You and the CEO are friends or share the same friends. This immediately gets you on the shortlist for who will most likely get the deal. That’s not all. The collaboration will be easier to plan and execute and could even cost significantly less than it would if you didn’t have a personal connection.

Introduce the Possibility of Potential Reduced Costs

The quality of your network can save you a great deal of money. If your network includes critical influencers, photographers, writers, and other industry talents, you can walk away with special pricing for photography, influencer campaigns, copywriting, PR, web development and more.

Finally, while I’ve mentioned a million benefits for you, don’t forget about everyone else. Relationships are always a two-way street, and as I said, your plan is to make friends. Friends help one another out!

Always be mindful of opportunities that show up on your radar that could interest others in your network. Think about how you can help the people you know. Could this buyer benefit from meeting this emerging handbag designer? Could this photographer benefit from meeting this magazine editor? Also be willing to share your expert know-how through the form of friendly solicited advice.

The concept of networking can be cold and very transactional. We prefer to think of it as making new friends- because that’s really what it should be like at the end of the day. So make a new friend (or two) with mutual interests, and help one another out.

We’ll let you get back to dinner now…

By: Syama Meagher, Chief Retail Strategist at Scaling Retail

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Scaling Retail has launched brands around the world, through a combination of expert advice and creative marketing strategy. We believe in the power of hard work to grow and build your businesses. Discover Scaling Retail at www.ScalingRetail.com.

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Four Reasons You Should Hire a PR Agency for Your Business

Public relations is one of the most alluring, fast-paced and competitive industries to work within. Whether you were drawn into the industry because you like writing, managing information, or garnering press - one thing is certain, it is not for the faint-hearted.

It is also not for D-I-Y doers.

Yes, it is okay to buy a press release template and craft a release if you intend to dock it on your website, under the press tab. No, It is not okay to assume that media outlets will reach out to you because you put the release on your website.

No, CNN will not call you for an interview. No, ELLE magazine will not put you on the cover. If you are serious about getting publicity, hiring a publicist or an agency is your best bet. At a minimum, speaking to a consultant can help you understand why cold calling a journalist who writes about fashion trends to write about your cook book is unacceptable.

PR pros know how journalists, editors, and writers prefer to be contacted, and how to negotiate exclusivity. We spend years (and a lot of money attending conferences) building our network, so when we need a story to go out quickly, we can go through our Twitter lists, roller-deck, business card binder, email addresses, and cell phone. Our contacts are scared. Asking us to share our contacts with you is not okay. Journalists are overloaded with people asking them for press coverage each day and usually by someone who is copying and pasting the same email to other people in the same newsroom as them. It is the publicists responsibility to decide and leverage newsworthy coverage that benefits the client, and it must be done in a way that is respectful of journalists.

To help you better understand, if you’re revealing a new logo, as your publicist, I would share that news on social media, Facebook first, because it’s community-based. If you are changing the name of your company, as your publicist, I would write a press release and have it go through a newswire. A newswire can be costly, but it’s worth it because it improves the visibility of your news and helps you connect with your target audience. You would not want consumers still referring to your company by its old name because you never put out a statement to newswires. You know who did this wrong? Rally’s. The company formerly known as Rally’s is…Checkers! It has been more than a decade, but I remember it because I never really heard a bell to unring the name across a mass campaign. Smh.

I confess I am a snob when it comes to the public relations industry because we have a bad rep. There are a lot of party-promoters and event planners who use PR tactics but self-identify as a publicist when a job or pay calls for PR professionals skills. This brings me to four reasons why you should hire a public relations agency and not someone who knows a few PR tactics.

Crisis Communications

When things go wrong, you will always immediately fill with worry. Publicists are trained to begin researching and strategizing around formulas such as C.A.C. We handle the situation with care, action, and context. If there is a rumor, we research the rumor, take control of the rumor and address the rumor through the RIA formula. Publicists break down the reach, importance, and level of ambiguity of the rumor. We center the truth and take a position that is comfortable for the client and enough for the public. Don’t handle a crisis on your own. Even large companies are handling crises poorly. If something goes word, the last thing you should do is spin it. Spin is propaganda; it is used to deceive people and convince them to buy-in to what is being said or sold. Always be honest about your business, it’s successes and failures. The public is forgiving when you apologize for a mistake, not when you lie to cover it up. Get your PR team to serve as the first and last line of defense.

Reputation Management

The way you introduce yourself to the world is often the way the world will see you for years to come. Whether it is adversity towards a product or tragedy, reputation is the key elements of your business being successful or failing. Customers value trust above all else. For example, if you are a skincare company and you attend a conference where the founder is speaking on regulations of the beauty industry, and you cannot answer honestly that animals were not tested and harmed to produce your product, as a consumer, I would not trust you as a beauty lead, or businessperson. A publicist would can prep you for situations like that. You cannot respond, “oh, email me and I’ll ask the company that supplies my product.” Hire a publicist to help you craft the three things your business does exceptionally well, what your company is working on and what’s to come. If I were a consumer, I would believe you and continue to support you because you know your brand and where you plan to take it next. The more long-time consumers you have that trust you, the more of them will support you on social media, write reviews and video testimonials.

Return On Investment

Katie Bouwkamp said it best when she said, “the public relations industry has a big PR problem when it comes to communicating how it directly impacts the bottom-line.” Today, PR pros rely on several systems to be able to tell if your press plan is bringing in money or wasting money. The most popular way to know if your PR plan is thriving is website traffic generated after people read your earned media articles. PR pros use metrics such as website visitors generated, leads created through form submissions, and transactions completed (for e-commerce companies). To put it simply, web analytics track goal conversions and assign a dollar value to those conversions. Public relations firms are managing campaigns, writing news releases, producing content for social media and arranging interviews, preparing clients for press conferences, so that you can gain and retain loyal consumers. PR pros take your stakeholders seriously and have a deep understanding of what it means when those stakeholders are happy or unhappy.

Social Media

No matter how much you want to save money by running your social media account on your own, you will never be able to do it better than someone who knows how to do it practically and most importantly, theoretically. You will miss out on consumers every day who would have gladly paid $14 for a vegan lip balm - I know because I am one of those people. Believe it or not, there is a science and psychology behind levering your social media, and PR pros have mastered it. When you entrust a PR pro with your social media assets, we goal set between social capabilities to increase your brand awareness, get you a higher quality of sales, create a loyal fan base and get you a better pulse in your industry. We know how to find your competitors, not to necessarily to take them out but to make sure you are setting the standard, leading the way and bringing in just as much, of nor more revenue. We know what strategies to use to drive engagement and sales (for those of us who are hybrid-mass communications professionals) because we do a lot of social listening to find out what your consumers are saying about the brand and product. Let a PR pro manage your social media, not only so you can serve as the face, voice, and brand of your company, but so you can continue to grow your business.

In the vast skillsets of PR pros, there are a few things you should never D-I-Y, the four are mentioned are the ones I do not waiver on. Trust me it’s worth it, hire a PR firm.

By: Danyelle R. Carter

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Danyelle R. Carter is the President of Her Communications Agency, the first communications and public affairs firm committed to delivering high impact strategy to organizations, companies, and candidates that center on advancing women and girls. She formerly served as a U.S. Digital and Press Congressional Staffer and legislative support for women and girls. While serving in the House of Representatives, Danyelle helped launched the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls and Multicultural Media Caucus. Most notably, she conceptualized and wrote the bill to get a statue representative of Shirley Chisholm in the U.S. Capitol that is now being championed by Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY) and Senator Kamala Harris (CA). Connect with Danyelle on Twitter.

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How Your Office Can Be More Environmentally Conscious

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.

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How One Busy Blogger Unplugs and Finds Some 'Me' Time

@visualbychristina

We all know how important it is to have a consistent beauty routine, while also practicing self-care. While the two can mean very different things for all of us, it’s important to take care of ourselves from the inside out. We all love massages (yes, please), baths, and some overall “me” time, but what we’re putting into our body matters too. We’ve partnered with HUM Nutrition and some of our favorite influencers in the wellness space, to chat a little bit about self-care and the importance of getting those proper nutrients. Gotta live long and strong, ladies!

Finding the right balance for anything is tough and especially so with supplements - it can take trial and error or hours of tunneling through research and reviews to figure out exactly which ones will best support you.

Luckily, HUM Nutrition, the all-natural line of mind, body and beauty supplements, takes all the time and guess work out of finding the perfect vitamin match. Just take their 3-minute online evaluation and their team of RD Nutritionists will provide you a foolproof plan of personalized recommendations with exactly what you need to deliver results now and help protect against future concerns. Their targeted and innovative formulas support everything from clear glowing skin to reduced under-eye circles, boosted energy, improved digestion, and an overall healthy body.

Below, we caught up with Niké of Specs & Blazers to discuss how she unplugs, stays healthy, and everything in between.

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Create & Cultivate: The digital world never sleeps. How do you unplug?

Niké: Unplug? What is that? Kidding. I unplug by practicing mindfulness and practicing meditation. Meditating has been key to my success. It is like working out your mind. It brings peace and mental clarity like I've never experienced before in my life. I turn off my phone between 4-5pm 4 times a week. 

C&C: While we love a good face mask, it’s important that we focus on prevention + long-term self-care vs. damage control + quick fixes. What are some ways you invest in your inner-health?

N: I invest in my inner health by eating well, detoxing regularly. I do a cleanse with my favorite smoothie once a week and take my HUM Glow Sweet Glow vegan gummies on the daily.

@visualbychristina

C&C: How do you find the time to make me-time? 

N: Well, realizing you can't help others until you help yourself is so important. I know that I can't be my best self with my friends or family unless I feel centered within myself and I can only do that when I practice taking “me” time. I always joke that I am a professional napper. No matter what I am doing or how busy my day is, I can easily find a corner, pull out a chair and fall into a deep sleep for about 10 minutes. I am also a voracious reader. I read two books a month. I found reading to be cathartic and an escape. I can get lost in a book for the night. During the time I am reading my book, I tend to turn my phone off and play music. 

C&C: Walk us through your ideal self-care Sunday.

N: On Sundays, I make an effort to look after myself. My biggest self-care routine is making breakfast and watching the news in the morning. It’s something that I have found calming and sets the tone for my fay. I then proceed to go to Yoga. Yoga has just been incorporated into my life recently, and I am loving it. Sometimes I grab lunch with friends or dinner. More importantly, before going to bed, I grab my gratitude journal and write down one or two good things that happened to me that day. I finish my day making a bath with Epsom salt with a glass of wine and a good book. When I feel good, I look good and vice versa. 

C&C: If you could only pick one self-care hack, what would it be and why?

N: Gratitude. Practicing gratitude is my favorite self-care hack. 

C&C: When you don’t have time for your normal self-care routine, what do you do to keep stress and anxiety at bay?

N: I know this might sound silly but drinking lots of water.  They always say anxiety is staying in the future. So, learning to shut my mind off an staying present is so imperative. 

C&C: Is there anyone you look to for self-care inspiration?

N: Yes. My Mother. She has an ability to balance work and life in a very admirable way.

Curious to try HUM Nutrition? Well you’re in luck! ! Once you’ve taken the quiz and received your recommendations C&C readers get 20% off their purchase with promo code ‘CULTIVATE’. Get your health on with HUM, today!

This is a paid partnership with HUM Nutrition.

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