Just Not Sorry: A New Plugin Helps Edit Weakly Worded Emails

In October of 2015 Academy-Award winning actress Jennifer Lawrence penned a now famous open-letter addressing the wage equality, titled: “Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars?”

It was brave, honest, to the point, and unequivocally Lawrence.  

Missing from the letter was one word we’ve been recently taught as women to eradicate from our vocab: sorry. Present in the letter was another qualifying word: just. It appeared twice.

In the first instance Lawrence writes, “A few weeks ago at work, I spoke my mind and gave my opinion in a clear and no-bullshit way; no aggression, just blunt.”

The second is the very last line of the letter: “For some reason, I just can’t picture someone saying that about a man.”

In the first instance it can be argued that the word is being used less as a modifier, and more in the word’s traditional sense: “deserved or appropriate in the circumstances.” 

In the second however, it cushions the final blow and avoids committing, even if she is being sardonic. 

It’s something that a lot of women have taken note of lately. 

JUST NOT SORRY

Not too late now.

In December of this past year, a plugin for Gmail that highlights words that weaken your writing was released by Cyrus Innovation. The idea was first conceived by CEO Tami Reiss at a League of Extraordinary Women brunch when Reiss and many of her colleagues were noting the still prevalent use of "undermining" words. 

In a blog post explaining the plugins origins, Reiss writes: 

"We had all inadvertently fallen prey to a cultural communication pattern that undermined our ideas. As entrepreneurial women, we run businesses and lead teams — why aren’t we writing with the confidence of their positions?"

She then asked her colleagues if they would use a plugin that had a simple feature that would mitigate the chance of using undermining language. The response was yes, and  Just Not Sorry was created.  The plugin underlines any words or phrases considered not effective.

After downloading, step 2 is committing to a pledge to send better emails. It reads: “In 2016, I will be a more effective communicator. I will only use "sorry" in emails when I mean it. I will not say "I think" things that I know. I will be more conscious of my tone and it's impact.”

It so happened to make a few women mad. 

“So you’re telling me,” a friend said the other day, “that I can just install a man in my keyboard?” 

Speaking with another work peer who asked to remain anonymous, she said: ”This war on the "J" word is interesting to me. In my c-suite both men and women were banned from using the word “just” to describe any work because it implied a lack of conscious thought. But to ban it in other instances, is strange to me. Language is not that cut and dry.” 

OPINIONS ARE LIKE AHOLES

Everyone has one.  *raises feminist hand.*

Jessica Grose is the editor of Lenny. The same site that published Lawrence’s letter. On January 4th in a op-ed for The Washington Post Grose took issue with the plugin. The lead-in read: 

"Telling women to apologize less isn't about empowerment. It's about shame."

Grosee claims that unwarranted scrutiny, not specific words, surrounding female speech works to undermine female authority. She includes counter-arguments from linguists who claim that words like “sorry” can be used as “conversational smoothers,” and that women have found a way to make their speech work for them at work. She also links to a study from linguist Cynthia McLemore who found that Texan sorority girls used uptalk to “cement authority.” 

She argues that language is fluid, depends on environment, and if certain women feel more effective using “undermining” language, then so be it. None of this is wrong. Men and women have distinctly different work styles, and some studies have proven that a woman's approach is more effective in leadership positions. What Grosse glosses over (a criticism she makes of Reiss and the simplicity of the plugin) is a complicated history of gender politics in the workforce where women have occupied subordinate positions, both figurative and metaphorical, and have adjusted their vocabulary to fit said positions. 

More so, giving women the OPTION to apologize less is not about shame, it's about choice. (Also, though women are the target demo, the plugin isn't only for women. Last I checked men can download it as well-- plus it's free.)

"Giving women the OPTION to apologize less is not about shame, it's about choice."

Tweet this.  

If Lawrence hadn't qualified her final sentence with "just," it would have been a stronger finish. That's my opinion, and as just a woman, I'm entitled to it and a plugin if I so choose. 

15 Girl Boss Moments of 2015

2015 was a notoriously BIG (or notorious R.B.G., as it so were) year for females. We laughed, we cried, we banded together, we kicked some corporate ass, and we had some fun in the process. As we're gearing up to say goodbye, we tip our hats and kick off our heels to the women who owned this year. You make our future look bright. 

1. Patricia Arquette started the year off on the right fancy foot. When the actress won Best Supporting Actress at the Oscar's she took the time to address wage inequality and a rallying cry for all women. "It's our time to have wage equality once and for all," she exclaimed, which got both Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez out of their seats. 

2. Jennifer Lawrence continued the wage convo, when she penned an open-letter about the Hollywood pay gap for Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter, entitled: STORIES Hollywood’s Gender Wage Gap Jennifer Lawrence Letters to Lenny Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner Get That Second Wave Style Laia Garcia How Sports Gave Me Swagger Gina Prince-Bythewood Becoming Grace Jones Doreen St. Fél

"Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co‑Stars?"

 “Are we socially conditioned to behave this way?” she wrote. Not if boss women have anything to say about it. 

3. During the Superbowl Always #LikeAGirl commercial struck a chord with the nation. And then the U.S Women’s Soccer Team showed the whole world what playing like a a girl really meant. The U.S. team defeated Japan to win the FIFA wold cup. According to some news outlets it was the most watched soccer match in the history of television— men or women. Annndd then Obama mic-dropped everyone: "This team taught all of America’s children that 'playing like a girl' means you're a badass.”

"This team taught all of America’s children that 'playing like a girl' means you're a badass.”

4. In 75 years of ABT (American Ballet Theater) there was never an African American female principle dancer. In June of 2015 Misty Copeland broke down that barrier. “I’m here to be a vessel,” she said at the April 2015 TIME 100 gala, “for these brown ballerinas who have come before me.” 

5. Adele said FU to the male gaze on the cover of Rolling Stone, and sold 3 million album copies in one week. Hello. It’s me. The boss. 

6. United we stand. 35 women banded together to fight Bill Cosby and a history of sexual assault. On the July cover of NY Magazine, 35 women sat in chairs facing the world: "I'm No Longer Afraid," they told announced. Together. One chair remained empty for all voiceless victims of sexual assault. 

7. Hillary Clinton announced her run for the 2016 Presidential bid. "I'm running for President," she said in a video that also featured a diverse group of American stories.  

8. Gloria Steinem dedicated her book, "My Life On the Road," to Dr. John Sharpe who performed her illegal abortion when she was 22 years old who made her promise him: "you will do what you want to do with your life."  

9. In March Monica Lewinsky gave a TED Talk: The Price of Shame, where the now 41 year old took back her narrative. 

"Public shaming as a blood sport has to stop." 

10. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been known for her “incrementalism,” -- a slow-but-steady approach to feminism that really hit its stride in 2015 (thanks to the Internet and a few great memes). As an architect for the women's rights movement in the '60s and '70s, Bader Ginsberg has been fighting for gender equality for decades. The now 82-year-old is the oldest Justice on the bench, bit that's not slowing her down. 

"Now I happen to be the oldest. But John Paul Stevens didn't step down until he was 90."

11. Viola Davis became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy in the Best Actress in a drama category.  “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that simply are not there,” she told the crowd.  

12. Female-friendly, safe place on the Internet, HelloGiggles- the website founded by Sophia Rossi and Zooey Deschanel, sold to TIME Inc. this year for a reported 20 million dollars. These ladies proved that you can play nice on the Internet and win. 

13. Nepal made history when it elected its first female President. A long-running proponent of equal rights for women, Bidhya Devi Bhandari is seen as cultural shift in male-dominated Nepal politics.

14. The Pentagon announced that women can now serve in front-line ground combat positions. 

15. Saudi women not only registered to vote for the first time (in a country where they still aren't allowed to drive), but Saudi women also won a monumental 20 seats in the municipal polls. 

AND finally, our hats are off to the following female CEOs and leaders of HUGE tech companies, proving that women have broken through that glass ceiling once and for all: Marissa Mayer, CEO Yahoo!, Meg Whitman, CEO HP, Virginia Rometty, CEO IBM, Susan Wojcicki, CEO YouTube, Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook, Angela Ahrendts, Senior VP, Apple, and Ursula Burns, CEO, Xerox. 

7 Office Trends You Can Expect to See in 2016

2015 has been a great year for office trends. Many ditched behemoth leather chairs for standing desks (and scored chiseled leg muscles along the way), waved goodbye to real pants in favor of athleisure, and kicked off super-interesting side hustles. Now that we’re right on the verge of 2016, there’s even more to look forward to.

Some of the internet’s favorite career experts chimed in on the changes we can expect to see in the workplace throughout the next 365 days—and honestly? We’re pretty excited about what’s to come:

A SHIFT TO HEALTH-CONSCIOUS OFFICES

Companies know their employees are starting to focus on healthier lifestyles, and they plan on helping with that. “Through group wellness challenges, the workplace is becoming a bigger part of everyone’s plan to get healthy. In the coming year, employers are going to find more ways to encourage and facilitate their employees’ fitness, be it through healthier snacks in the break room or sanctioned exercise breaks,” says Heather R. Ruhman, founder and president of Come Recommended.

A GREATER USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO WORK REMOTELY 

Three cheers for working from home! In 2016, being able to do your job outside the office will become even more of a norm, and technology is to thank. “I think we’re going to see a greater adoption of video technology that allows us to work more remotely. In a recent study, the use of video conferencing and project management on apps is really low. In order for flexibility for increased remote work to happen, we have to adopt that technology,” says Cali Yost, CEO and founder of Flex + Strategy Group.

According to Yost, right now employers and their employees are mostly using email, work documents, and Excel spreadsheets to update each other, but the problem is they’re not saving those documents on a Cloud-based, easily accessible platform.

“With this inconsistency, it’s hard to collaborate. If we change the types of platforms we’re using, the way we’re communicating with each other, and the way we store our data so it’s easily accessible, remote work will succeed.”

Kimra Luna, a personal branding and online business strategist, agrees.

“Employees who work virtually is becoming even more popular—especially among startups—because it’s lower overhead and you don’t need to rent out an actual office space until the startup begins to grow,” she says.

AN INCREASE IN WORK PERKS

Employers are starting to realize if they don’t make their employees happy, someone else will. Because of this, companies continue adding offers that are hard to pass up, like unlimited vacation days and in-office happy hours. Not to mention casual workspaces that allow you to not only get your work done, but ramp up your ping pong skills. Instead of feeling like work, offices are starting to feel more like home.

A RISE IN FREELANCING 

As working remotely increases, freelancing will become even more popular in 2016 amongst twenty-somethings as well. Instead of having someone else in control, the power is shifting to the individual to make money and advance their career on their own time. “Young professionals who freelance gain more freedom and flexibility around when and where they do work—and they can protect themselves from only having one employer who could drop them in an instant,” says Dan Schawbel, Millennial career and workplace expert, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author.

A WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY TAKEOVER

With the Apple Watch and other wearable technologies at the top of everyone’s shopping list this year, it might be harder to find work-life balance in 2016. Since it’s becoming easier and easier to stay constantly connected—whether you’re on your lunch break or trying to fall asleep at night—completely shutting off could become more of a challenge. One bonus, though? With the advanced technology comes more freedom, so even if you have to take a call or respond to an email at 9 p.m., at least you won’t be sitting in a cubicle doing it.

AN INCREASE IN EMPLOYER BRANDING 

Instead of cookie-cutter offices, employers are looking for ways to show talent their workplace is a great place to be. “One of the easiest ways to do this is through office designs that are unique and show more of the company culture. We’ll see fewer white walls with beige carpet, and more workplaces that are customized to what an individual company does and that are a reflection of their core mission and values,” says Ruhman.

A FOCUS ON GIVING BACK 

Workplaces are amping up their power to give back, and employees get to come along for the ride. More companies will show their humanitarianism side by promoting feel-good challenges to raise money for charities. In fact, many will take things to the next level and adopt small non-profits of their own, creating a partnership that allows them to use their workspace as they grow.

Content in partnership with LEVO. 

Getting the Raise You Deserve in 2016

2016 is right around the corner, which means you’re about to be in the midst of drafting up those resolutions. Beyond the standard eating healthy and working out, this NYE make the goal to ask for what you deserve, especially on the job. If you have been waiting to ask for a raise because of company layoffs or downsizing, or you simply don’t enjoy the dance of negotiation, don’t let fear stand in the way of an amazing -- and economically fruitful-- 2016.

According to a study conducted by Payscale, almost half of the American workforce never ask for a raise. Moreover women are more likely than men to state that they are uncomfortable negotiating salary – 31 percent vs. 23 percent. 

It's time to get out of your head and into the money. You know if you deserve it. So don’t be afraid to ask. 

1. Be realistic. Does your work merit a raise? This the most crucial question you need to ask yourself. If there is any hesitation— we’re not talking self-doubt— it might be critical to wait until you’ve proven you worth. However, if you can say without fail that you meet and go beyond the requirements of your job description, are a key team player, benefit your company in multiple verticals, and know that you are indispensable to the business, what are you waiting for? Start jotting down your talking points now. 

2. Do the research. Simple but important. The average yearly salary increase is 3% a year. However, if you’ve done your homework and know that you are being drastically underpaid, it’s time you let your employers know that you know your worth. Averages vary from state to state, but there are many websites— like glassdoor— that can help you figure out just how many zeros should be at the end of your check. 

3. Ask in the morning, before you’ve had lunch. It may sound odd, but not only do people tend to be more “moral,” in the AM (and therefore more likely to take your proposal into serious consideration), but according to a study out of Cornell and Dartmouth, hunger tends to make people feel entitled. How does this benefit you? While that hangry feeling may not serve you best while meeting with clients, if you’re feeling at all hesitant or nervous, it could make you more assertive, firm, and all the more likely to get a raise.  

4. Know the boss’s workload, schedule, and temperament. Is your boss a morning person? Or does she really hit her stride in the afternoon? Does she like to answer emails without interruption for the first couple hours of the day? Schedule your meeting during a time period that works for your boss. If you’re the kind employee who deserves a raise, you’ll know the right time to ask. 

5. Don’t focus on the negative. Don’t complain. Sitting down with the boss to talk money isn’t the right time to air grievances, talk about how something is unfair, or how you’re doing someone else’s job for them. A salary negotiation should focus on everything you’re doing to benefit your company. Whining is not going to work in your favor. Ever. 

5 Tips on Landing The Job You Want (& Then Keeping It!)

Soniya Monga is busy. After helping launch LinkedIn Canada in 2010, she was named one of Marketing’s 2013 Top 30 Under 30. Now based in New York, she's been with the networking company for five years, successfully growing her own brand within its ranks. She's now working on global agency partnerships and spent time cultivating and growing global experience based out of Hong Kong for LinkedIn North Asia. From Day 1 (which she spent grabbing office supplies) to Day RN, Soniya's professional triumphs are impressive including speaking at the internationally recognized One Young World (Davos for the cool kids). Which is why we wanted to find out from her just how to land that dream job-- because she's got know-how in spades.    

Be sure to check-in with Soniya at Create & Cultivate Dallas, where she'll be a mentor and panel moderator.

PICK WHICH GAME YOU'RE PLAYING

A big part of success is picking which game you’re playing. In the tech industry people refer to this as pivoting, but I think it can apply to careers. If your current plan or company isn’t working for you, pivot to a new one where you can win. Choose to be somewhere where you’ll be valued.

"Choose to be somewhere where you’ll be valued."

Tweet this. 

BE UN-CONFIDENT WHEN TRYING SOMETHING NEW 

Let yourself see how things become less scary through experience. When I was working at LinkedIn in Asia, doing business in Korea felt scary and was the definition of being outside of my area of comfort. I didn’t know the language, understand the cultural nuances, or frankly feel qualified to have a seat at the table. But trip after trip, the challenge became subsequently less intimidating. It taught me to always to consider your audience and who you’re talking to, and to respect that audience immensely. 

CRAFT A CAREER ACCORDING TO YOUR STRENGTHS

Growing up, I always thought that having a profession was the ultimate pinnacle of success. By calling myself a doctor, lawyer, etc., I was under the assumption that this would be most fulfilling. For some, this is true, and that’s wonderful, but I quickly realized that following passion projects, thinking about ideas and finding a way to package that into a job I love, has been most gratifying. 

DON'T BE AN IDEA STEALER OR KNOW-IT-ALL

Instead be a question asker – asking questions is simply the best way to break through, challenge yourself and the environment around you. I think the art of inquiry is often the most underrated form of expression. Whenever I've asked the most questions being new to a job, team or country, I've found it helpful in breaking barriers and learn 10x faster. Also, know-it-alls aren't fun to be around or work with - give credit wherever you can. 

"The art of inquiry is often the most underrated form of expression."

Tweet this. 

WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT, YOU'RE SELF-EMPLOYED

Think about picking a career where growth is dependent on the quality of your decisions – this can ensure you’re positioning yourself to over-index for skill vs. time, and can potentially generate a higher pay off. At my time at LinkedIn specifically, I’ve been fortunate enough to work in multiple “start-up like” environments, which meant doing everything from ordering envelopes to talking to CEOs of global companies in the same day. You may not be an entrepreneur in the traditional sense, but it’s important to act like one.

Whether you want to lead and build a company some day or make high impact in your current job, self-improvement is for everyone. There are clearly more than five things you can and should do to optimize for career success, however, making intentional choices throughout your career will hopefully help you land the job you want...and keep it!

Since 2010, Soniya Monga's career journey with LinkedIn has grown exponentially. The maven built their presence in Canada and took the helm as the company's global agency partnership lead. She was also named Marketing's Top 30 Under 30 when she was regional account director for LinkedIn, North Asia. Hear some of Soniya's best tips for building strategic partnerships and how she's been able to expand the brand internationally at her mentor session at Create & Cultivate Dallas.

C&C Classifieds: Jobs to Get You Over the Holiday Hump

It's the first of December-- one of the most expensive months of the entire year. Holiday parties mean holiday outfits. Gift exchanging means presents-- lots and lots of presents. And who can forget those New Year's Eve plans and pre-fixe dinners? Nothing comes free anymore. So for those who are still on the job hunt we have some good leads, which hopefully might lead to you ringing in 2016 with a smile. 

ASOS

(UK) 

It’s no question that ASOS has dominated the world of e-commerce, selling over 800 brands, plus their own ASOS line, on the site. If there’s something you need for the perf #OOTD ASOS has you covered. BUT! They also have your back when it comes to being a part of their team. If you’re in the UK, or you’re looking to make the trip across the pond, ASOS is the perfect place to take that jump in your career. Check their positions below!

+Junior Mktg Analyst

+Social Media Assistant

+Business Analyst

Krupa Consulting

(New York, NY)

If you’re looking to work with cutting-edge culinary, fitness, and fashion brands, Krupa Consulting is the place for you. Not only do they work with amazing brands, but they also work with environmentally conscious companies that inspire the best in each of us.  If you’re all about believing in your clients, you should apply to be a part of Krupa Consulting’s amazing team. As they say, "We believe in and use them ourselves.”

+Senior Acct Executive

(Please submit a letter of interest and resume to rachel@krupaconsulting.com. Upon interview, one must be able to show at least 10 media contacts as reference and writing samples. A press book is a plus.)

Iconix

(New York, NY)

Iconix Brand Group is the world’s premier brand management company. They represent diversified strong global consumer brands across fashion, sports, entertainment, and home. Iconix specializes in marketing, merchandising, and licensing its brand portfolio. They have over 1,100 licenses with leading retailers and manufacturers worldwide (including: Candies, Bongo, Badgley Mischka, Rocawear, and Sharper Image, to name a few). These brands sell across various distribution channels, from the mass-tier to the luxury market, as well as through various media outlets. If Iconix sounds like the company you’ve been looking to work for, they have a sweet Jr. Public Relations Manager position available for you. 

Junior Public Relations Manager email Ashames@iconixbrand.com

J Public Relations

(USA)

JPR is a luxury PR agency specializing in travel, hospitality, culinary, and luxury lifestyle clientele the world-over. They are a bi-coastal force with more than 30 experienced, passionate publicists, and provide invaluable media saturation across the country. The JPR team is a group of savvy specialists, experienced with launching brands and maintaining relevancy. If this sounds like the kind of team that you’re meant to be a part of, check out their positions below!

+Lifestyle Senior Publicist (Los Angeles)

+Senior Acct Supervisor (New York)

+Senior Social Media Strategist (San Diego)

Estee Lauder Companies

(New York, NY)

There’s no doubt that working for Estée Lauder Companies would be an amazing gig for your next career move. With approximately 28 companies in their portfolio, including Bobbi Brow, Clinique, Estée Lauder, MAC, Origins, Marni, Michael Kors, Tom Ford, and Bumble and bumble, working for this massive corporation definitely has its perks. Check out a few of the positions available now at Origins and Bobbi Brown below!

+Origins -  Marketing Coordinator

+Bobbi Brown - PR Associate

Aldo Group

(Canada)

If your shoe closet has a fair share of Aldo or Call It Spring shoes, and you’re beyond obsessed with the brand and their billboards, you should look into being a part of their Home Office. Also, if you’re in the states and are looking for your next move out of the country (but not too far away from home), their offices in Montreal are a happy medium.

+Assistant Account Manager

+Market Research Manager

PopSugar

(USA)

PopSugar HQ

With over 75 million unique visitors and over 20 million social fans, it's safe to say that PopSugar has a strong fan base. If you’re all about working for an all-embracing lifestyle company that is built around the power of happy and producing up-to-the-minute female-focussed content, PopSugar is for you. Get poppin' on applying to these positions below! 

+PopSugar Social Media Editor - San Francisco, New York

+PopSugar Senior Writer - San Francisco, New York

Factory PR

(Los Angeles, CA)

Factory PR is a top-tier bi-coastal lifestyle and fashion public relations house, as well as a branding, and events agency. Working with notables like Levi’s, Wesc, Marie Claire, and Camper, they are also well-versed in launching and repositioning brands. They do a bit of everything. From fashion shows and presentations to openings to online campaign building and engagement. Join their fashionable team and move on up in the world. 

+West Coast Public Relations Account Manager

Why Your Digital Business Could Use Some Offline Love

You'll hear it a million times: scale. Can you build an epic audience? Does your platform have reach? Only do things that are replicable and *scalable.* And in that constant push, that repeated tech-startup infused, online platform- anchored sentiment, a massively important strategy for your brand gets overlooked: offline engagement. Real world activation. Human-to-human love. Game changer.

I spent the most crucial time of my career to date immersed in creating and growing the offline communities at Levo - a network of 30 cities averaging 7 professional development events a week globally. As an organization, we saw the way this brand came to life in rooms of a hundred or in circles of 5. We were able to be an ingredient and a catalyst in the professional success of these connections. And I got to be the woman leading the offline charge.

As my life and career transitioned away from being the chief guerrilla love fare officer at Levo and into building my own digital brand of inspiration at Maxie, I thought long and hard about why and how the same offline love I'd created at Levo should be integrated into my personal brand strategy. Here's why:

Never underestimate the power of a mighty few

Call them brand ambassadors. Call them groupies. Call them fierce supporters. Whatever you call them, they matter. And when you engage with them past the tweets and emails, you create a tether of energy that will carry your message and brand far and wide.

This can look different for any company.

At Levo it was a formalized (and kick ass) Local Leader program. For me, it's getting myself on the road and speaking as much as possible– so I can do what I do best with live audiences. For fashion lines, think creative pop up shops. And for bloggers, take a page out of my girl The College Prepster’s book who always amazes me with the time she spends with loyal fans in any city she goes - hello group coffee dates!

It's a virtuous cycle

Feel free to laugh at this sketch (TK), which was originally created on a train from the Silicon Valley to San Francisco sitting alongside a genius mentor and personal sage, Gina Bianchini of Mightybell. She was the first to demonstrate to me how what we do offline feeds into our online platforms and vice versa. When you're able to connect the two and allow them to continuously support each other, the entire brand gets bigger and bigger.

What does that look like for you?

Making sure that your engagement offline has a way of funneling back to your site.  And creating a unique digital experience for them there. My oh so bunk, solopreneur way of doing this is emails from all of my speaking events and handouts of beautifully designed collateral with special codes and unique links (and love-infused follow up emails). With a more robust tech team you can look into NFC technology, and other cool ways of tracking humans engaging with your brand.

Whatever “how” you come up with the goal is simple: nurture the connections you made in person with love, humanness, and support online.

Immediate, examinable feedback

Want to know what is resonating and what is not? Interested in knowing which of your stories affect people and which fall flat? Which products people can't keep their hands off and why? Get in a room. Ask the question. Watch their faces. Take note of their energy.

Yes, Facebook analytics, GA, counted pins and open rates are killer data to drive your business. Data, however, means shit unless paired alongside anecdotal feedback. Figure out what resonated what doesn't by getting real humans in the room and engaging with them around your business.

For me this happens in the conversations during the mentor sessions I host at Create + Cultivate (who's joining mine in Dallas??) I get to see what people are asking. What advice they write down. What their blocks are. It’s fodder, insight, and material for months of business planning.

But for you it can be as simple as having five of your most recent customers joining a google hangout with you. It could be taking your spring purse line to the table at a beach and see who stops and why. Or hosting a thank you for following me party in your backyard. It doesn't always have to be a crazy strategic business busting soirée. It can be casual. It can be accessible. It just requires your presence and obsessive curiosity into the human nature behind your market.

Hi, MONEY. 

Cold. Hard. Cash. Bigger brands have a hard time accessing audiences - especially of young professional women like many of us cater to. If you can prove that your audience is large enough, and you're tapped into them so much so that they will show up. To a dinner party. To a store opening. To a workshop. You've hit a gold mine.

"The best marketing strategy is an obsessive focus on being human." 

Twitter. 

There are so many businesses out there who would kill to be involved in your offline strategy. Big and small. Engage them and discover for yourself an entire revenue stream that can open for you through offline activation and events (ahem, no one does this better than C+C queen goddess herself, Jaclyn). 

Whatever you're doing, big or small, fashion or law, don't keep your business only in the digital sphere. Get out there. Talk to your readers and your customers. The best marketing strategy is simply an obsessive focus on being human. 

Startup Toolkit: Get on Track with These Amazing Business Tools

Image via Opendesk

Creating and managing a business isn’t easy. If it was, success would grow on money trees. And though the struggle is part of the process, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Let's say you’ve started your business, but now you need tools. Apps to make sure you're meeting all of your goals-- and your meetings.  

To get your week started off on the right foot, we’re listing some of the best websites and apps to keep you on the right track to building a strong business!

Learnvest

If you’re just starting your business and are looking for a financial planner, Learnvest is for you. Knowing exactly where every nickel and dime goes is key to growth. Learnvest helps you keep strict tabs on your finances in both a simple and affordable (bonus!) way. Not only that, you get personalized advice that is aimed at both your personal and business financial goals. Get your financial plan in action and climb one step closer to the top of the ladder. 

GoLive HQ

You know your company or brand isn’t set without a proper website. It's the face you show the web world. So forget that pretty (but boring) template that’s been used time and again. What you need is to call GO LIVE HQ for the most dynamic web design that’s right for your brand. The amazing all-girl team at Go Live HQ will Hook. You. Up. These web-savvy ladies will connect you with web designs, brand resources, and Go Live workshops that make web design easy as pie.

Mailchimp

If you haven’t thought about including a newsletter into your brand’s digital strategy, then think again. Even if you feel intimidated by the idea, Mailchimp makes creating and sending out newsletters simple. Not only is Mailchimp easy to use, but the service allows you to send emails at optimized times, and provides you with analytics that track newsletter campaigns and click-through rates. As the chimps say: send better email. 

Asana

Some people work off their notebooks and write down every little thing they need to do every day. It's old school. It works. Sort of. Asana helps you project manage a lot better. It helps you craft a perfect to-do list. It also assists in managing team projects. You and your colleagues can check off tasks that are done, as well as easily see what still needs to be completed. It's effective digital teamwork. You do want to be organized, right? 

Slack

Slack is the perfect way for you to communicate with your team. You can transfer files, integrate the tools that you already use for work (like Asana, Mailchimp, Twitter, Dropbox, and Google Drive), as well as categorize conversations based on what department you’re in. With Slack, you might just (happily) say goodbye to your outdated email, and switch to the platform that makes communication and team productivity much easier, more streamlined, and more transparent.

Shake

As a business owner, you have to know what contracts and legal agreements are going to keep your business running. That’s where Shake comes in. Shake is an app that allows you to create, sign, and send legally binding agreements in seconds. Perfect for business owners and freelancers alike, Shake aims to remove the stress of creating legally-binding agreements. If you’re hiring ,or just got hired for a freelance gig, Shake is going to be a lifesaver for you.

C&C Classifieds: Job Positions at 6 Rad Female-Led Companies

Fridays at Glossier - @glossier on Instagram

Some boss ladies want to start their own companies,and others want to support those companies and be a part of an amazing team. If you're looking to make the next step in your career and help support an amazing company, we've got you covered with some amazing positions at some of our favorite companies founded by kick-ass female entrepreneurs. Check out the positions down below! 

Glossier - New York, NY

Not only are Glossier’s products one of our favorites when it comes to our daily skincare routine, but we’re in love with the way Emily Weiss has been able to grow the amazing brand in just over a year. Working on Emily’s team not only means that you’ll be working on amazing and fun brand that embraces natural beauty, but you’ll be working on a team that knows how to execute quality work and means business. Check out their openings below, and if they don't have what you're looking for, click here to get on their radar!

Positions Available:

• Front-end Engineer - New York, NY
• g.Team Customer Service Representative - New York, NY

Away - New York, NY

Away Luggage isn’t your ordinary luggage company. Just launched this month, Away is one of the companies that focuses beyond the product and applies the culture of travel to its brand. If you’re about that travel life, and want to contribute to a brand that embodies that vision, Away is for you.

Positions Available:

• Operations Associate - New York, United States 
• MBA Intern - New York, United States
• Undergrad Intern - New York, United States

Food52 - New York, NY

Food52 is the destination for all culinary enthusiasts that. Not only is Food52 the perfect site to find amazing new recipes, but you’ll be able to find the perfect accessories for your kitchen and cooking needs. If you have the hunger to work with a company that can feed your career needs, you should apply to Food52’s positions below. 

Positions Available:

• Account Executive - New York, NY
• Account Manager - New York, NY
• Ad Operations Associate - New York, NY
• Assistant Buyer/Account Manager - New York, NY
• Director of Customer Experience - New York, NY
• Editorial Intern - New York, NY

Ipsy - Select US Cities

If you’re a beauty junkie, Ipsy is the company you want to work for. Ipsy, the brainchild of YouTuber Michelle Phan, is a monthly subscription that delivers new makeup samples right to your doorstep. Just in 4 years since it’s inception, Ipsy has already racked in more than $150 million in revenue. Want to be a part of this continuously-growing company? Check out the positions below!

Positions Available:

• Data Scientist San Mateo, CA, United States
• Merchandise Planning Manager New York, NY, United States
• Art Director Santa Monica, CA, United States
• Graphic Designer Santa Monica, CA, United States
• Customer Care Content Manager San Mateo, CA, United States
• Customer Care Representative - Tier III San Mateo, CA, United States
• Front End Developer San Mateo, CA, United States
• Email Operations Specialist San Mateo, CA, United States
• Loyalty Marketing Director San Mateo, CA, United States
• Social Media Coordinator Santa Monica, CA, United States
• Associate Producer Santa Monica, CA, United States
• Production Assistant Santa Monica, CA, United States

Tradesy - Santa Monica, CA

Tradesy is the destination for turning the items in your closet to cash, all through the use of their simple-to-use app. In just three years, Tradesy has had over a million customers and had been backed by investors such as Richard Branson and John Doerr. Not only that, but the company’s core values about being fearless, sharing your style, and transparency breeding trust are things we’re behind 100%. If Tradesy speaks to you, check out their positions below! 

Positions Available:

• Marketing Designer - Santa Monica, CA
• User Experience Designer - Santa Monica, CA
• Senior Frontend Engineer - Santa Monica, CA
• Senior Software Engineer - Santa Monica, CA
• Software Engineer (Data Engineer) - Santa Monica, CA
• Software Engineer (Data Scientist) - Santa Monica, CA
• Head of Technical Recruiting - Santa Monica, CA
• Intern for Public & Community Relations - Santa Monica
• Customer Support Representative - Santa Monica, CA
• Merchandising and Logistics Intern - Santa Monica, CA
• Return Support Representative - Santa Monica, CA
• Metadata Analyst Intern - Santa Monica, CA
• SEO Specialist - Santa Monica
• Taxonomist - Santa Monica, CA

Rent The Runway - Select US Cities

Rent The Runway has established itself as one of the go-to online destinations that have given fashion enthusiasts access to some of the most coveted designer pieces on the market, at less than half the price of retail. RTR is definitely a company that has thought outside of the box and capitalized on an opportunity that no one else had touched on. Now, it’s become a $400 million + business. Talk about a success story! Looking to work with a company that has set itself apart from the e-commerce world? Look at Rent The Runway’s positions, and become a part of the team!

Positions Available:

• Senior Stylist -  Secaucus, NJ
• Fashion Copywriter Rent - The Runway HQ, Union Square, New York, NY
• Graphic Designer (Freelance) - Rent The Runway HQ, Union Square, New York, NY
• Project Manager, Creative -  Rent The Runway HQ, Union Square, New York, NY
• Customer Insights Team Lead - Secaucus, NJ
• Senior Software Engineer - New York, NY
• Senior Director, Merchandise Planning - Rent The Runway HQ, Union Square, New York, NY
• Senior Manager, Business Development - Rent The Runway HQ, Union Square, New York, NY
• Head of UX/UI Design - New York, NY
• Associate Manager of Sales Associates - Georgetown, Washington DC
• Associate Manger of Stylists - New York, NY

Pedal To The Metal: LA Accelerators To Jumpstart Your Idea

For months now, you’ve been set on making your business idea come true. You have the idea set in stone, and you’ve mastered your plan down to a T, but you just need a little bit of a financial push and some proper coaching on how to get your business off the ground. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of help available to get you up and running!

If you’re looking to kick your business into gear in Los Angeles, you’re in the right place. Now, more than ever, today’s prosperous world of Silicon Beach has been able to churn out successful companies, all with the help of accelerators and incubators that are designed to make your business grow at an exceptional pace. To give you your first boost in helping your startup grow, we’ve listed some great accelerators and incubators in LA that will set you up with the tools you need to get your idea to a million-dollar level. (You can thank us later.) ;)

1. Science, Inc. Santa Monica, CA

As one of Silicon Beach’s most successful accelerators, Science has been able to implement its transformation strategy taken from experience at leading technology firms like News Corp, American Capital, AOL, and IAC to many fresh startups. They’ve got you covered on everything from technology, digital marketing, human resources, product, design, and business development, and have racked in 12 acquisitions, over $1B+ in exits, and have founded 8 companies. If companies like Medium, This Is Ground, Dollar Shave Club, MeUndies.com, and Dog Vacay can hang with these guys, you should too. Trust us, you’ll be in good hands.

2. MuckerLab - Los Angeles, CA

You can think of MuckerLab as school for startups. MuckerLab dedicates itself to all of its students, making sure they’re tapping in onto all the details that will make their business succeed, and having established CEO’s mentor them as well. With companies like StyleSaint, TaskRabbit, and Bloom Nation, you can see how strategies followed by MuckerLab has made companies like these widely successful. 

3. Amplify - Venice, CA

Both a creative workspace and a curriculum-based accelerator, Venice-based Amplify is one of the OGs when it comes to accelerators in LA. Amplify has been able to add 40+ startups businesses to its portfolio, including RadPad, Sensay, Clutter, and The Bouqs. Not only do they invest in your idea, but they also offer amenities and creative workspace to you as a coworkers, making sure you feel right at home.

4. Originate - Los Angeles, CA

Established as a digital product development and venture firm, Originate helps design, build operate, and invest in transformative software products. They look for some of the brightest and boldest innovators to work with, and help them reach their business goals with their team of designers, developers, product strategists, and investors. If you’re looking to build a digital product, work with teams that have helped Flipagram and MileIQ become successful, and are ready to become a partner (not a client) with an accelerator, Originate is made for you.

Create & Connect: Crafting a Balance with Eva Goicochea

We’re natural born doers and multitaskers. There’s always a million things we want to do, and with a hunger to hustle, we’re going to do it all. However, when it comes to managing tons of projects at the same time, you have to know how to balance all of them at once and known how to seamlessly move your focus from one to the other. That’s why we’ve partnered with our friends at Logitech, in celebration of their new K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard,  to highlight some of the most hard-working women in the digital space that have put multiple projects under their belt whose careers have thrived off of multi-tasking and efficient productivity.

This week, we have Eva Goicochea, digital brand strategist, entrepreneur and born traveller at heart. Eva, a Jill of all trades, has managed strategy and web design for many notable brands such as Virgin Atlantic, Herschel Supply Co., and Shinola, just to name a few, and most recently, she has co-founded Tinker Watches and Maude. However, with all these clients and projects, Eva has maintained her own personal brand with her beautifully curated Instagram, so to learn on how we could be more productive in our own careers, we caught up with Eva and picked her brain a bit.

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+ From your Instagram, we can see that you're a natural wanderluster. How have you found the balance when it comes to traveling, work, and life?

Because I run my own small studio and we're prelaunch with Maude and Tinker, I've been able to weave together a travel schedule that accommodates deadlines. If I have to work while I'm away, I'll make sure to find a co-working space or a coffee shop with elbow room and I'll try and link up with local clients to put in face-to-face time. Exception: In October, I didn't plan well and logged 17,000 miles of traveling without downtime. Needless to say, the emails piled up.

+As a natural born multi-tasker, how have tools like the Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard helped your productivity?

I often hesitate to answer emails on my phone as the keys are frustratingly small. The Logitech K380 Multi-Device keyboard makes using my phone for productivity and communication super simple since it connects via Bluetooth. If I'm out and need to answer emails, I don't have to lug around my laptop anymore!

+ What tips/tricks have you learned about keeping yourself organized when you're on the go?

I first set the expectation for communication by creating a thoughtful out of office reply, then I update my Dropbox and Wunderlist so that I have access to my work/to-dos from wherever I am. 

+ What’s the best part of being busy?

When you juggle multiple projects, it's easy to be motivated by the variety and, because you're interests are split, you have to be efficient and be productive. I find that the busier I am, the happier I am.

"I find that the busier I am, the happier I am."

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+ How do you deal with the busy trap?

Organization is my best friend so I like the idea of scheduling everything anyway. If you agree to meet me for coffee, expect a calendar invite! So I don't deal with it—I celebrate it. (Shaking my head).

+ With Tinker Watches, Maude, and your roster of clients, how do you shift your focus from one project to another?

I typically set my day up in thirds: Current Business (clients, emails, etc.), New Business, and Tinker/Maude. I also use the different desktop feature on Mac (F3). It makes focusing so much easier.

+With producing digital content, strategy, marketing, branding, web design, and even becoming a founder of two companies, are there any more skills that you want to add under your belt?

IF I had the time, I'd learn how to code.

Stay tuned for our weekly Create & Connect series presented by Logitech, and learn more about the Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard here!

One Size Fits All: How Stowaway Cosmetics Was Built To Last

Stowaway Cosmetics Co-Founders Chelsa Crowley and Julie Fredrickson

What if we told you that probably more than half of the makeup that you have in your collection is probably expired? Trust us, we're grossed out too and are refreshing our makeup bags thanks to the brainchild of Chelsa Crowley and Julie Fredrickson: Stowaway Cosmetics.

Chelsa and Julie's idea for Stowaway was born from necessity, and nurtured with hard work and determination. If you haven’t already heard, Stowaway Cosmetics is a perfect example of kickass female entrepreneurs wasting no time to produce a product that serves a very practical purpose and educates women about their cosmetics. Focusing on how makeup is never finished, which leaves users hoarding expired makeup in their makeup bags, Chelsa and Julie produced a line of cosmetics that are petite, practical, portable, and are meant to be finished before they expire. We caught up with Chelsa & Julie to find out what it means to survive and thrive in today’s beauty industry.

Some of the best business comes from spotting holes in the market, which seems like exactly what you ladies did - when did you have this revelation about how much make up goes to waste?

The idea sprouted over breakfast when we were discussing our very different frustrations about beauty. Julie at the time talked about her “gift with purchase and box of the month club” problem where she would scout out these smaller sizes that made more sense to her often mobile life. Whereas, I was talking about the size and safety issues in the industry. I hated spending so much cash on products that never stood the chance of being finished before they expired, let alone, not ever having a clear understanding of what was “safe” out there. Beauty is overall pretty self-regulated and that’s a scary thought.

What were your first steps in making this revelation into a business?

It really was one of those “once you see the problem, you can’t unsee it” for us. We continued to chat about and and to be honest, it all happened very quickly. Julie went head first into marking up docs on her thoughts, the industry, the opportunity, budgets we would need to get it off the ground, etc. Meanwhile, I headed out to meet with factories and began putting together what is now our first collection of products. It was important to us to feel super buttoned up, or as buttoned up you can feel in while venturing into the unknown, before we went out to raise capital for our company. For timing purposes, we worked on this and self-funded for 6 months until we felt we were in a good enough place to talk to investors, 3 months after that we had the capital, and 6 months from there we launched the company. So like I said, it all happened very fast considering the amount of things we had to get done in that time frame.

"Beauty is overall pretty self-regulated and that’s a scary thought." 

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What challenges have you faced starting a business in the beauty industry in particular? How do they differ from your previous projects?

Delivering consumers incredible value by offering direct to consumer beauty requires capital and quick scaling, luckily, Julie had previous experience in starting something from scratch with her entrepreneurial spirit and I had the beauty knowledge. I guess you can say that ignorance is bliss, maybe if we knew ALL of the challenges before we started it would have deterred us but instead we tackled each one as they popped up.

How do you feel your experience in e-commerce benefited you? What would you advise an individual who doesn't have the same experience?

E-commerce is a very executionally and operationally challenging discipline. On the surface it seems sort of easy (just design a nice website, put it on Shopify and be loud on social media) but building scalable, cost efficient and consumer friendly experience requires a lot of focused tactical work. It is also quite technically demanding as a lot of best practices from data integration to user experience requires specialist knowledge.

Growth and acquisition in e-commerce is especially complex (ask me about using CRM data to build & prime lookalike audiences cross platform without having access to DMP by encoding pixel tracking via i-frames on your earned media!)

How do you balance each other out?

We really are the ying to each other's yang. Our skill set doesn’t overlap in the slightest which is really helpful at the stage where divide and conquer is crucial for our time and bandwidth constraints. We joke that it’s our super power.   

How do you stay current with industry trends to evolve your business?

Julie is obsessed with trade publications like Beauty Packaging but also compulsively reads financial reports. You would be surprised just how much you can learn from the investor reports of the big conglomerates. They have to report to their investors (aka the public) every quarter and disclose their costs. If you read between the lines accounting will tell you the REAL story of what is and is not working.

What was your biggest initial investment?

Our products! A lot of time, care and of course money went into developing and manufacturing our line. Cosmetics isn’t like say the apparel industry where you can do a small run of a couple dozen products and see how it goes. You have to commit larger production runs or else the mixing and pourings of the formulations might not turn out right.

What do you wish you had known in the beginning of launching Stowaway?

Ignorance may actually be bliss! Sometimes not knowing how hard something is going to be helps you get it done!

What has been your proudest moment with the business?

Surviving and thriving.  At every step there is always some new challenge that feels insurmountable (launching, scaling, keeping people interested) but somehow we always muscle our way through it!

"Ignorance may actually be bliss! Sometimes not knowing how hard something is going to be helps you get it done!"

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How do you manage the 24/7 schedule of running a company?

Ha! Ask us when we’ve figured it out.

What have been some of the lessons learned since launching Stowaway?

If you put in the work you can build a business. Don’t get us wrong, it is way harder than it looks or sounds but if you are willing to sacrifice and put in the the hours, it is super rewarding.

As your company continues to grow, how do you stay in tune with your consumer's specific needs and market trends at the same time?

Our company is still so young (not even a year old!) that I'm not sure we have the best insight yet. We keep on top of market trends and especially take our customer feedback to heart but we also never plan to be a trendy sku-intensive company. We will also help women by giving them the best of the best in limited selections because decisions fatigue is real. 

Stowaway stands out in the beauty market by focusing on being small. What tips would you give to anyone trying to find their own niche in a saturated market?

I’m not sure we even like to think of ourselves as niche--our whole concept is right-sized and these are the sizes you should have been using all along. If anything, our limited sku and vision to make women’s lives easier is the angle we want to tackle. We never plan to be super sku intensive, we know that decision fatigue is real so ensuring our customers that we did the research so they don’t have to goes a long way with today’s woman.

To answer your question however, I think it's important to find something that you really really want that's not already out there. Chances are, if you want it that badly, others probably do too.

Good Vibes Only: Lauryn Evarts on staying positive & building a brand

Spend more than a few minutes on Lauryn Evart's blog The Skinny Confidential, and you will want her to be your best friend. She's smart, relatable and has a girls-night-out sense of humor. She's also drop-dead gorgeous with a passion for healthy living. Lauryn will be speaking at Create & Cultivate Dallas on our Brand Vibes: How to create a brand that lives beyond the blog bubble panel, so we caught up with her in advance here. 

You recently did a post about focusing on positivity on social media. What tips do you have for using social media in a positive and proactive way, as opposed to just using it to wallow in FOMO?

I think it’s really important to follow people who radiate positivity. I like my daily social feeds to consist of inspiring entrepreneurs, people I look up to, specific charities, business tips, and people in my industry. If you follow negativity on social media, you subconsciously absorb that downer vibe, even if you don’t notice. I love waking up to a positive and motivating social media feed in the morning. It starts my day off on the right foot.

You’re very open on your blog about sometimes not having great days. How do you decide how much and what personal information to share?

I would say that I share 45% of my life on The Skinny Confidential and the remaining 55% of my life I keep to my family, my friends , and to myself. I have always referred to The Skinny Confidential as my alter ego and my alter ego is not every single part of me. Overall I’m very private in many ways; I don’t show my bedroom, family stuff, my whole relationship, etc. I think it’s really important to differentiate work life and personal life. And as a blogger that can get tricky, but I make a conscious effort to keep them separate.

I think of the blog as the meat & bun in my hamburger. The rest is just added touches.

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How do you define TSC brand and how have you worked to build it outside of the blog?

I have always viewed the blog as the platform for the brand. When I first started blogging, I knew that the blog was the foundation of the brand. I think a lot of people go into blogging thinking of starting a brand, but I have always gone back to the blog, and grew the brand from there. I think of the blog as the meat & bun in my hamburger (if the hamburger was my brand, LOL ). The rest is just added touches.

How did TSC book come about? What tips do you have for other people who want to take their blog into a book format?

"The Skinny Confidential Book" was a natural extension of the blog. Before I started the blog, I laid out a map of where I saw my brand in two years. A piece of that was a book so that's always been a goal of mine, to write a book. It was the next natural step. Ultimately it was really exciting to extend the blog into a book, and share fresh new content in the book that I had saved up over time.

If you are a blogger looking to get a book deal, I’d say it is important to keep your posting consistent ( at least 5 times a week ), find your voice, and make sure you're posting quality. Also, I think it’s also a good idea to go into blogging with the idea of eventually writing a book—that way you will know what to share on the blog and keep separate tidbits for your book. Since I knew I wanted to write a book, I was very careful about scheduling my content accordingly. As you can imagine, my iPhone notes app is FULL!

What would you say are the three keys to a successful blog?

The first key to a successful blog is to grow with your readers. The readers are what make the blog and you always want to gauge what they like and what they don't like. You also want to respond and engage with the readers. I see a lot of bloggers that get so big and don’t have time to interact with their readers. The readers are what make the blog, so I’ve always put a major effort into interacting with them. Without them, The Skinny Confidential wouldn't exist.

You list perverted humor as one of your likes. Can you tell us a dirty joke? ;)

I have a veryyyyy dirty sense of humor so I definitely wouldn’t call myself a conservative blogger. I like to tell it how it is, even if that means it’s disgusting/weird/inappropriate. Some people don't like to share that side online, but I feel like life is too serious sometimes so you should have a little fun. I also think that humor makes dry, uncomfortable subjects more interesting. If you want a dirty joke, read my posts on: camel toes, organic tampons, boob jobs, vagina steaming, and Kegels.

What tips/tricks/tools do you use to manage your time while working for yourself?

I have a lot of ideas & can sometimes be all over the place, so I rely on my team to keep me on track & help me stay focused. For someone who just started blogger, I'd recommend setting a time every day to JUST DO IT. It is kind of like brushing your teeth - you just do it. Blog every day. Even if you're sick, tired, hungover, whatever. Excuses are like assholes, everyone has one. Really though, no one is going to hold you accountable but yourself, so staying on track when it comes to blogging is so important.

What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from blogging?

The biggest thing I have learned from blogging is authenticity is golden. I've also learned how many women there are all over the world that want to connect and tell their story. Everyone truly has a story to tell. I’ve learned to step out of myself and learn from other people's experiences; I’ve learned a lot about other people’s spirituality, holistic experiences, wellness journey, boyfriend problems, life struggles, & much more. The Internet makes it possible to connect with anyone, anywhere. It's great.

How do you build a community with a blog? With readers and with other bloggers?

I love to interview other women. I am a big fan of collaborating and not competing. Supporting one another in the blogging community is so important. And really, there is no need to tear each other down; there's plenty of room for all of us. I also like to build a community with my readers. When I created TSC Bombshell Body Guide, I listened to my readers and I created the guide based on their requests/questions/suggestions. Engaging is key, the reader will tell you the right direction. Listen to them & engage.

What has been your proudest moment with your career?

The proudest moment of my career thus far is probably the launch of my book. I've also been able to work some brands that I absolutely love, which is awesome because they're organic, authentic partnerships. And stay tuned because I'm working on an upcoming project that's totally different for me. Very excited! The ultimate goal though is to continue to inspire and motivate women from all over the world.

Real Mom, Real Talk: Work Life Balance is a Myth

It’s the million-dollar question for every working mom. How do you balance your job and your family? It’s a valid question and worth discussing if for no other reason than it’s reassuring to hear that other working moms struggle with this too. My opinions on this topic are quite strong and I’m happy to share with you exactly what I’ve said at numerous business panels over the last eight years: Work life balance is a myth.

More than that, it’s a hurtful myth because I don’t think anyone actually achieves it and yet we feel positive that other women somehow have. So when we feel off-balance and we’re struggling to keep all our balls in the air, we assume it’s just because we haven’t figured out work / life balance. It becomes one more thing you’re failing at as a mom beyond forgetting it was weird and wacky hair day at school and buying the wrong kind of yogurt. Ugh! I detest anything that makes women feel unworthy or less than, so allow me to debunk this ridiculous myth.

Work/life balance… it’s description implies that those two things live in harmony, perfectly divided up on the scale of your life. My work and home life have never, ever been balanced evenly on any level. Even when I was a seventeen-year-old sandwich maker at the Substation in my hometown… even then there were days when a big project at school meant that I couldn’t work as many hours. Or accepting a lucrative Saturday shift (ripe with tip money) meant that I couldn’t hang out with my friends. Work and personal life will always battle each other for supremacy, because both require your full attention to be successful. It’s doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong, it’s just how life works.

Work and personal life will always battle each other for supremacy, because both require your full attention to be successful.

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Sometimes my boys have school activities or doctor’s appointments and I have to leave work to be present for those. Likewise there are days when we have a big photo shoot at Chic or I have to travel for business, which means missing a couple of evenings at home. The scale is never balanced; it’s an ever-moving thing that constantly shifts back and forth based on what requires my attention that day. I think that’s real for most of us moms and the only way we’re going to get past this mythology that some people have it all figured out is to start being honest about what our lives and priorities really look like. Here, I’ll go first…

My Self – In my early days as a mom and entrepreneur I wasn’t a priority at all. I would run myself ragged taking care of everyone else and never once worried about how it all might affect me. This was a disaster. I got really sick at least once a year. I was always stressed out. I was always struggling with my weight. It was a mess. Then someone pointed out that I couldn’t take care of anyone properly if I didn’t first take care of myself. My health and well-being is now my biggest priority. I get eight hours of sleep every night… yes, eight. Not six or even seven, eight full hours. I eat well, I drink water by the bucket load, I haven’t let Diet Coke touch my lips in over two years. Yes, I’m still addicted to coffee, but we can’t win ‘em all.

I don’t think the goal is ever to be balanced ladies, I think the goal is to be centered.

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I took up running and schedule my time so I get in at least twelve miles a week. I carve out several hours a week for prayer, church and volunteer work because my faith is extremely important to me. I don’t think the goal is ever to be balanced ladies, I think the goal is to be centered. If I prioritize myself and make sure I’m grounded and centered then everything else runs smoothly… even when it’s running at a hundred miles an hour!

My Marriage – I’m sure that many parents would naturally list their children as their first priority, but my marriage will always be the most important relationship in my life. Dave and I have a weekly date night and we take an annual vacation—wait for it—without our children. When we’re at home we’re playing interference with three little boys so it’s essential that we get to hang out with each other and act like real live adults. Because we’re both so supportive of each other’s careers it can be really easy to start to neglect our relationship, which has happened numerous times over the years. So rather than risk slipping into somewhere unhealthy, we’ve agreed to make each other our first priority.

My Kids – I have three little boys; Jackson (8) Sawyer (7) and Ford (3) so even when I’m not at work, I’m always on the go. I take all three boys to school every day unless I’m traveling. I leave work by five to relieve the nanny and then it’s dinner, baths, books, bedtime, etc. Now that I’ve painted that picture I will back up and tell you about the first two years of running my company. I worked like a maniac. I was often in the office by eight in the morning, which means I was never able to do school drop off. I got snarky notes from moms at school about missing field trips and bake sales and I cried myself to sleep about them more nights than I can count. Nobody ever sent snarky notes to my husband for having to work during a field trip— but that’s a diatribe for another time. Most evenings I got home around 7pm which means I missed dinner. It was a really difficult time, but that kind of workload is also part of being an entrepreneur and running a startup. Some people will argue that I lost valuable time with my kids, and I won't disagree. I’ve since scaled back my time at work in order to present for those moments I missed for two years. But what I will say is, those three little boys have watched their mom build a company from the ground up. They’ve seen first-hand the power of hard work and dedication and for being that example to them, I’m proud.

My Work – I wont pretend that there weren’t times where work didn’t take up most of my attention. I also wont pretend that those weren’t the times that were hardest on my marriage, my health and my ability to be the kind of mom I want to be. Now that I’m more established in my career, I’m better able to get my work done during office hours. Also three years in means I have the help of my incredible assistant and staff, so it doesn’t all fall on my shoulders. Of course there are times when work gets hectic, but I push to make sure my family gets make-up time if I’m away. Remember, it’s a scale that slides back and forth. Some seasons of your life will require more attention in one area than another, and that’s ok. Give yourself some grace because, “this too shall pass.”

 Rachel Hollis is the founder of the popular lifestyle blog The Chic Site and Los Angeles-based event-planning firm, Chic Events.  At 27, she was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 30 Entrepreneurs under 30.” Hollis is also the author of the Amazon Bestselling women’s fiction series, “The Girls” published by Lake Union Publishing.      

TCB: Side Hustle Queens, Part II

All hail the side-hustle—the art of pursuing a passion project even when it's not the only thing on your plate. Here, the second part of our series on talented woman who are getting it done, even when there's a lot to do.

Name: Courtney Halverson

Full Time Gig: Film and TV Actress

Current Side Hustle: Fashion Blogging over at Pretty Little Fawn.

Elevator Pitch: I'm a bit of a hodge-podge, but I think in the best way possible. Because I started as an actress when I was young—I started in film when I was 13—it made the side hustle of blogging a lot easier. I was already comfortable(ish) with a camera, so the only thing that was hard was learning how to express myself rather than a character. I still find myself posing a little too much, and keeping my reader's at arms length because I'm so used to hiding myself behind someone else's words. I've had to work hard to break down the barriers and share as much as I can. I think I'm getting better at it the older I get—probably because pretending is exhausting!   

How you balance the two: I started blogging a few years ago when I was in between filming, and to be honest, when I was bored. It helped me through a slower patch in my career and gave me something to remain focused on. Now that I'm busy on both sides of my career, the balancing has become more important. As much as I love blogging, I have to remind myself that acting has always been and will always be my first love, and that blogging is something I do for fun. So sometimes that means skipping out on a blogger-party in favor of working on lines, and remembering to not wear things that are too 'fashion-y' to an audition where I'm supposed to be an average college student.

Name: Natalie Alcala

Full Time Gig: Senior Editor, Racked LA

Current Side Hustle: Founder, Fashion Mamas

Elevator Pitch: Fashion Mamas is a members-only network for local moms who work in the fashion industry—designers, editors, stylists, models, publicists, bloggers, etc. This influential group meets often for playdates and other outings to discuss work, share baby stories, swap style notes and seek non-judgmental support, all while watching our little ones grow together. Fashion Mamas LA launched December 2014 with 10 members, and we're now nearly 100 members strong. Next up: Fashion Mamas NY!

How you balance the two: Organization is key. I toggle between my two inboxes all day long, side by side, and place items in their designated folders as they come. Also, being an early bird helps, because I'm often up and ready for the world by 5am, plowing through my work before my son wakes up at 6:30. Having a child really tests both your productivity and efficiency. You know that old saying, "You have as many hours in a day as Beyonce"? I get it now. You'd be surprised how much shit you can get done in 24 hours!

Name: Kaitlynn Carter

Full Time Gig: The Western Wild

Current Side Hustle: Foray Collective

Elevator Pitch: Western Wild is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about everything from what I'm wearing, to dating advice, to the chia breakfast parfaits I made this morning. Foray Collective is the new fashion e-commerce site I've developed with a friend, which serves as a venue for emerging designers and style influencers to come together so consumers will have a uniquely curated shopping experience.

How you balance the two: Western Wild is my day-to-day focus and something that I am constantly coming up with new material for and being creative with. Foray Collective is what I see as a long term project. I'm passionate about both so it's easy to balance the two! As long as you love what you're doing, there's always time.

 

 

Name: Marah Lidey (left), Director of Mobile; Naomi Hirabayashi (center), Chief Marketing Officer; Chloe Lee (right), Jr. Software Engineer, all at DoSomething.org

Photo by Keri Goff

Current side hustle: Co-creators of Shine

Elevator pitch: Shine is a daily text to help you slay the day. 1 in 2 working women say that they struggle with issues of self-doubt or feel a lack of confidence at work. We want to use technology to change that!

How you balance the two:

Marah:

One of my very best friends passed away last year, and I always used to ask her the same thing. She’d crush her full-time job and have 2-3 things going on the side at the same time. She inspired me in so many ways and made me realize, that I myself feel more balanced and creative when I have a full plate of diversified projects. While I don’t believe being ‘busy’ should ever be a point of pride, I love the feeling of being mentally stimulated throughout the whole day—and kicking my boots (hi Fall) off at the end of the day, knowing I crushed multiple projects across totally different verticals.

Like with other passion projects, when working on Shine I am able to start my day by thinking creatively about something personal that I care about, and at the same time be hyper-organized, passionate and on-my-feet in my day-to-day role as Director of Mobile at DoSomething.org, where I work on a lot of exciting cross-functional mobile projects. I’m loving getting to pursue two passions at once.

The other major factor that helps with balance is that all three of us work full-time at a place that not only encourages entrepreneurship and side hustle, but exemplifies it. Both our current CEO (who is leaving to rock another social change org) and our incoming CEO have created social ventures on the side that have a massive impact today. It’s been so inspiring to see two badass women lead a growing organization, and build new initiatives on the side at the same time.

Lastly and maybe most importantly, having a partner that I can rely on, bounce ideas off of and relax with has made all of the difference at this exciting time. My boyfriend is an incredible resource for me and he, along with some awesome friends, has made realize how important it is to have a strong support system when you’re pursuing multiple passions at once!

Naomi:

1. To balance both, you need to find your place and your people.

My place: I work at an organization that breeds creativity, entrepreneurship and hustle. The vibe of the DoSomething.org office feels way more Silicon Alley start up then not-for-profit org. When we hire, we look for three things in the new employee: will they hit a home run in 90 days, would you want to be in a bunker with them (DoSomething.org is a straight up family) and finally will they be doing something cool in five years? Doing cool shit is part of the DoSomething.org world and part of the culture that DoSomething.org leadership, Nancy Lublin and Aria Finger, have built: we move fast, we’re passionate, and we create.

My people: Remember that friend in high school (Hi, Jenni Bobbio!) that you would talk to for two hours on the phone with (high likelihood: it was the famed clear, plastic landline of the 90s)? You had just spent all day together but those conversations, covering everything from boys, to school stress, to your parents (they just don’t understand), etc., was pure elation. In Marah and Chloe, and in a different stage of life, the topics may have changed but the feeling is the same. I can’t get enough. Our conversations are full of honesty, vulnerability, and productivity and I love it. They’re my people and that matters a lot when you’re doing something on the side, getting less sleep, and working on something purely out of passion. Lastly, having a partner that gives me daily confidence, drive and inspiration makes all of this whole (Hi, Ruar!).

2. Side hustle is an advantage, not a distraction.

Ever heard of Le Pain Quotidien? In addition to having a killer happy hour deal (half off wine until 9pm, amazing), the friendliest staff around (shout out to the team at the Flatiron location!), and free wifi, LPQ (yeah, we’re on that acronym level) also serves as the unofficial Shine office.

At least twice a week, before work, we’re meeting to hustle away at Shine at LPQ. Usher confessions, yes, I have a lot more coffee and croissants in my system but getting a head start on the day with a passion project is addicting.

As a result, by working on Shine, my time management has approved, my creativity has improved, and my focus has improved. If the project is right, aka: you’re in love with it, side hustle isn’t a distraction from your full time job, it’s an advantage. Your knowledge and experience gets validated, you own something which makes you feel more confident, and that competency transcends to your personal and professional sense of self.

3. It’s easy to balance things you f’ing believe* in.

I believe in Shine. I’m obsessed with it. I believe in DoSomething.org. I’m obsessed with it. In the words of the great philosopher, Eminem, you only have one shot, one opportunity. I believe in the work I do. The growth and success of DoSomething.org and the growth and success of Shine result in, respectively, more young people taking action around social issues they care about and more women gaining confidence to own their day and their career. Seeing the big picture and being obsessed with the societal impact of your project / org’s success makes it very easy to balance.

Chloe:

By being involved in a project you’re genuinely passionate about and allowing for personal time. Shine is a project that I love working on and as an extra bonus, I’m fortunate to adore my friends who I’m working on it with. I feel lucky to be involved in a project with my best friends while having a blast and learning a ton. This passion and respect for your partners is key to balancing the two because then, it sort of comes naturally.

When the side hustle is something you find yourself prioritizing in your week, you know you’re involved in the right thing. Shine is a project that I love working on in my free time and it’s so important to me that I want to do my best work on it. I also know that I produce my best work when I have some me time, so in order to balance things in life, I prioritize Shine and other personal aspects of life, try to practice good communication, and am open to rearranging my schedule.

Communication is key for this, both with close ones you spend your time with and partners you’re working with. Luckily, I have the best people surrounding me both in life and Shine that it’s easy to be honest when anything has to give or take. Even more so, the support and enthusiasm about Shine both from Marah and Naomi and friends and family not directly involved (especially from my parents and my boyfriend) makes me work even harder around Shine.

Lately, I’ve been waking up early to settle into my day and work on Shine -  it’s been a great way to start the morning with a project you’re passionate about and sets a great energy for the day. In fact, many of our Shine meetings are in the morning - there’s no better way to start off with best friends and positivity!

Cool Job Alert: Fiona Boyce, Director of Social Media + Brand Content for Commune Hotels + Resorts

Imagine this: You have a job that involves traveling the world, immersing yourself in the role of pampered hotel guest, and documenting it on social media. That pretty much sums up Fiona Boyce's job—except that it also involves a ton of hard work, scrupulous attention to detail and some serious number nerdery. Here, we talk to Fiona about everything from making contacts and interpreting analytics to building a cohesive brand and how to avoid the sunset rabbit hole in the process.

You're the Director of Social Media + Brand Content for Commune Hotels + Resorts. What does that job entail?

Commune Hotels + Resorts is comprised of three brands, Thompson Hotels, JDV Hotels, and our newest brand: tommie. My day-to-day includes overseeing the social media profiles for our hotels (35 hotels and counting), our incredible internal social media community management team, working on the content of our brand blogs (Upper Stories/Thompson Hotels, Joyride/JDV Hotels, and our Chicago Athletic Association blog), and discovering and executing social media and digital brand partnerships.

What attracted you to working in the hospitality industry?

I started my career working at a social media agency where I worked on a variety of accounts, but was drawn to the luxury lifestyle brands. I love to travel, and it made sense when we signed on hotel/hospitality clients I would work on those accounts. What I loved about working with boutique lifestyle brands is that it wasn't just about the physical hotel product. Art, music, design, and food were all equally important brand pillars and critical to the guest experience. "Lifestyle" hotels combine my love of travel infused with other elements to make for a really diverse content mix.

The Cape

What advice would you have for someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

The best advice I could give if you're looking to go into social media is to begin your career at an agency where you'll be exposed to a variety of brands and industries. You can figure out which one speaks to you, and go from there, but it helps to give you a baseline understanding. Also, never underestimate the value of an informational interview. You can make contacts that might be beneficial to you down the road. Don't be shy about reaching out!

A lot of people assume that social media is ‘just updating Instagram.’ Can you give us some insight into what actually goes into handling social media for a big company, and how it is different than just updating your own accounts?

Although Instagram is my favorite social channel, there is much more that goes into our social media strategy than just beautiful, aspirational photos. A large role of our social media is to assist with larger sales and marketing goals, which we support through our content creation. We also are always looking at the analytics of our postings, and determining how to increase referral website traffic and revenue through our postings. I spend quite a bit of time in Google Analytics and on our social software getting really nerdy about numbers, but you have to have them to show value of the program to key stakeholders that like to see hard data.

Epiphany

What is the hardest part of your job?

Making sure that we don't fall down the rabbit hole of sunset and dog pictures, although it's what our followers like to see! They perform better than any other types of content, however we have to make sure that we remain true to other brand pillars as well!

What is the best part of your job?

Traveling to amazing places around the world and getting to experience our hotels through a traveler's perspective. When we open a hotel in a new location, I fully immerse myself in what the traveler experience will be, where they'll go, what they'll see, eat, and do. It's fun, I feel like a mini-expert on places I haven't even visited!

tommie

What has been one of the most exciting things you have worked on at Commune?

Right now I'm working on the launch of our newest brand, tommie, which will open next year in NYC. Working on launching a brand is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I'm so honored to be part of it!

What advice do you have for people about getting creative in their corporate jobs?

There's room for creativity everywhere, don't be afraid to speak up and pitch your idea! Also, I can't stress enough the importance of finding time to pursue some type of creative outlet beyond your job. Even if you have a job that involves creativity, it's good to work on your own thing on the side—it might even make you think differently in your day-to-day!

Even if you have a job that involves creativity, it's good to work on your own thing on the side.

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What are the key aspects that make a brand’s social media presence engaging and cohesive?

Being authentic, timely, and human.

Thompson Miami Beach

What are some common mistakes that brands make?

Jumping on trends that aren't right for their brand just because it is popular on the internet. Your customers are smart and can see through it! Stay true to who you are as a brand—it will keep you relevant in the long run.

What are your favorite travel Instagrams to follow?

@escapebklyn is my favorite source for weekend destinations, @fathomwaytogo is my go-to news source for all things travel, @alexstrohl has the most incredible nature images that make me want to be deep in the woods, and @afarmedia which is my favorite new travel magazine with stunning images from around the globe

Want to learn more about getting creative in your current job? Check out our Pushing Boundaries Not Buttons panel at #CreateCultivateDallas!

Ask Camille Styles: How Do I Build My Following?

On Instagram, we asked what you wanted to learn from the lovely Camille Styles and your questions came pouring in. Camille is a blogger and party stylist living in Austin, Texas, and the author of the book Camille Styles Entertaining. As her name would suggest, she has an impeccable eye and is known for transforming a space and making the whole thing seemed effortless. Below, she answers a question that we're sure tons of you are wondering about, and this is just a taste of her wisdom! Catch Camille live at #CreateCultivateDALLAS, where she'll be speaking on the panel Brand Vibes: How to create a brand that lives beyond the blog bubble.

Casuallydisheveled: As a new blogger, how do you build a following outside of your friend's group?

Creating a blog requires energy, resources, creativity, and most of all, time, so it’s natural that we all want an audience reading and appreciating our efforts. However, the first thing to realize is that building a following is usually a slow process—one that I’ve been working on for the last seven years, since I launched my blog. The second most important thing to keep in mind is that your audience will only stick around if you’re creating great content. So while it’s important to strategize about your promotional efforts, creating high quality original work should always be first and foremost.

While it’s important to strategize about your promotional efforts, creating high quality original work should always be first and foremost.

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With that being said, there are a few strategies I’ve used over the years that have significantly helped to build my following and get the word out about CamilleStyles.com. Here are the most successful ones: 

• Just say yes to collaborations. This is probably the most important one, especially if you’re a new blogger. In the early days of my blog, I jumped on every opportunity to be interviewed, featured, or contribute to another site, even if it required an outlay of time and energy on my part and I wasn’t getting paid for it. Remember: value doesn’t have to come in the form of cash. Exposure and promotion can be an incredibly valuable way to grow your readership, so look for any opportunities and say “yes” to any that come your way. 

• Be proactive about getting what you want. Even if tons of opportunities aren’t coming your way, you can be proactive about going after them! Think about what unique point-of-view you have to offer as a blogger, whether it’s in fashion or food or lifestyle, then offer to contribute to sites that are bigger than yours in exchange for promotion. I can’t tell you how many times I styled photo shoots, wrote stories, and pitched new ideas to larger media outlets just to keep getting my name out there in front of their audiences. Over time, that exposure adds up.

• Brand yourself on social. It probably goes without saying that you should have a strong social media presence if you’re hoping to grow your audience. But have you spent time thinking about and cultivating your unique personal brand on your channels? Every tweet, Instagram, and Facebook post is a building block that defines your brand message. Take some time to articulate what sets you apart as a blogger and determine your brand vision, then write it down. Now you’re ready to be strategic in the messaging that you put out there on social, and this is what will make you memorable and build a following that keeps coming back for more. 

When it comes to building your brand, start with these small steps, but don’t be afraid to dream big! It may seem like a daunting task at the beginning of your journey, but if you keep at it, before you know it you’ll have built something great. And since being a blogger is all about having the opportunity to do what you love, don’t forget to enjoy the process!

Meet the Speaker: Katherine Power & Hillary Kerr, Co-Founders of Clique Media Group

Major news today: At #CreateCultivateDallas, our featured keynote speakers will be Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr, the fashion and business powerhouses behind Clique Media Group. Katherine and Hillary founded their first media outlet, Who What Wear (yeah, we think you've probably heard of that one ;) almost 10 years ago and have since grown their company into a full-on empire that includes the websites MyDomaine and Byrdie, as well as talent management. We caught up with them to get a mere sliver of all the wisdom they're sure to drop on January 30th.

With almost a decade of running Clique under your belt, what do you think is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?

Never underestimate the importance of hiring correctly, delegating appropriately, and communicating effectively and clearly. It’s a big lesson—okay, lessons—that we continue to work on every single day.

What do you wish you had known in the beginning?

I wouldn’t trade our experience for the world. Sure, it might be nice to have some foresight into industry trends, but truthfully, hands-on experience is the best way to learn anything. 
 

Los Angeles isn’t known as a powerhouse of fashion media. How do you think that has benefited Clique?

There’s a benefit to being an outsider, in the sense that when you’re operating outside the industry, you get to make more independent decisions and not worry about what everyone else is doing. I think that certainly benefited Clique, especially in the early days. 

How have you seen the L.A. fashion landscape change since you started?

The L.A. fashion landscape has changed tremendously since we started. In 2006, the industry didn’t pay much attention to Los Angeles; now the world recognizes our incredible homegrown talent, and designers are embracing the city in a whole new way. It’s no longer seen as simply the land of denim and red carpets, but rather a place of inspiration and artistry, and an essential piece of the fashion world. We’re thrilled about it! 

What has been your proudest moment with the business?

We’ve had so many milestone moments over the past nine years, but getting to announce our debut Who What Wear collection, which will be available at Target stores and Target.com starting in February 2016, certainly is at the top of the list.

Knowing grammar is like having good manners; it makes you feel more confident and at ease in any situation.

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As writers, what books (business or other) are in your forever library?

KP: Venture Deals by Jason Mendelson and Brad Feld. I listened to this audiobook before doing our Series A fundraise. I recommend it to any entrepreneur; it’s a quick way to learn the language and basic principles of the venture capital world. Also, Scaling Up Excellence is a must-read for anyone building a team or expanding a business.

HK: The Elements of Style by E.B. White and William Strunk Jr. Everyone needs to be able to write well, even if it’s just emails, which is why this classic guide is a must-read book! After all, knowing grammar is like having good manners; it makes you feel more confident and at ease in any situation.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned about being a boss and leader?

The importance of being organized, both in the short and long term. On a day-to-day basis, organization is important because it helps you manage your time and delegate effectively, both of which are key when leading a team. It’s equally important in the grand scheme of things, because if you’re organized, you’ll have enough breathing room to be able to think about the future of your industry and company, which is a big part of leading a company effectively.

What qualities do you look for in the people you hire?

People with an entrepreneurial spirit are really important to us, because we value resourceful problem-solvers who aren’t afraid to tackle projects outside the scope of their day-to-day work.

Three essential characteristics of successful brands:

• They always have a strong identity and point of view.

• They’re always evolving in an organic way.

• They’re not afraid to embrace technology. 

What is next for Clique?

We are expanding internationally, launching products lines based on our core brands, and tackling mobile commerce.

TCB: Side Hustle Queens

All hail the side-hustle—the art of pursuing a passion project even when it's not the only thing on your plate. Here, four talented woman who are getting it done, even when there's a lot to do.

Name: Brandy Pham

Full Time Gig: Wife, Mommy, Brandy Pham Jewelry

Current Side Hustle: Planogr.am has been a side hustle for a year now, but turned into full time along side @brandypham

Elevator Pitch:

I dreamt up Planogr.am because Instagram was such a vital part of our Brandy Pham jewelry business. If I didn't post, I didn't get a sell, and my husband quickly called that out. Being a new parent was a full time job in itself and I would have to plan out my Instagram content and draft my captions ahead of time (nap times and late at night). I would take photos and edit on my iPhone, e-mail to myself, visually plan my feed on photoshop, draft my captions in Evernote, set alarms for when to post, then copy and paste to Instagram. My husband thought I was insane, so he set out to make Planogr.am come to life for me. Now you can plan your Instagram content, draft captions, schedule each post all on one platform via mobile or web dashboard seamlessly. It's beautifully designed, simple to use, and will make your life easier whether you're a brand, business, agency, or power Instagrammer. This was truly a labor love!

How you balance the two:

Some days are better than others, but having a schedule and routine has been the key to our sanity and happiness. I love knowing exactly what's going to happen each day and it keeps my boys happy as well. Even though I have two businesses, I always make sure I take care of my family first.

My husband and I both take care of our toddler at home, and since we are business owners as well as partners in work and life, we never really stop working. We had to set boundaries, so everyday, after dinner, we take Theo out for a nice long walk and we always leave our phones at home. That's our time to really talk and have personal engagement.

We don't sleep as much as we want to, but you have to do what you have to do for the life you want. At night, we usually work until midnight or if we're on a tight deadline, we try our best to be in bed by 2-3am since our son wakes up at 6:30am on the dot. We usually put in some work on the weekends as well... it never really stops, but that's the life of entrepreneurs, right? We make sure we take some days off and some nights we just put on a movie and decompress. We try to stop and remind ourselves to enjoy the journey and have fun in the process!

We don't sleep as much as we want to, but you do what you have to do for the life you want.

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Name: Eva Goicochea

Full Time Gig: Founder/Web Designer/Brand strategist at eg° studio

Current Side Hustle: I co-founded Tinker Watches and Hush Supply Co.

Elevator Pitch:

Tinker: Build-your-own, minimalist watches
Hush Supply: Well-designed, get-lucky essentials

How you balance the two: I used a LOT of tools to stay organized and make sure to organize my in-box every.single.day. I recommend: assistant.to, Sunrise, Wave Apps, and Proposify. Also, if you work in a team, get on Trello.

 

Name: Monica Wang

Full Time Gig:  Director of Finance at Saucey

Current Side Hustle: Photographer

Elevator Pitch:

I am a big believer in life is what you make out of it. I actively seek out opportunities and work incredibly hard to make things happen. I am constantly learning, exploring, and practicing my craft, whatever it may be, because it really does take that extra amount of effort to be great at it. My philosophy is if you want something you have to go after it with everything you got and put your words into action.
 
How you balance the two:  

For me, I am always juggling between time and my innate desire to do everything (I get major FOMO), but I have accepted that I cannot physically nor mentally handle it all. That was a hard lesson for me to learn.  I realized that I had to choose my opportunities strategically and map out a business plan for photography just the way I created business plans for Saucey. That helped me to weed out gigs that don't contribute to my overall life goals.  I try to use every opportunity as a stepping stone to learn and connect with others and that has helped me to get my name out there quickly within the industry.

Weed out gigs that don't contribute to your overall life goals.

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Name: Meghan Donovan

Full Time Gig: Vice President, MSLGROUP

Current Side Hustle: Blogger behind wit & whimsy

Elevator Pitch:

I currently oversee a team working on one of the world's most recognized Silicon Valley brands as a VP in PR & marketing. When I'm not developing integrated plans or strategy, playing manager or providing client counsel, I pen my fashion and lifestyle blog, wit & whimsy which I created in 2006! See also: Brunch fiend. Soulcycle addict. Ice coffee enthusiast. Fan of wit.

How you balance the two:

After over eight years of balancing both I can say that what I've learned is that you'll never actually achieve perfection when it comes to the art of balance. But you can employ tactics for running your side hustle like you do your career to make the two manageable. These include scheduling in-person meetings to foster key relationships, finding mentors that will help inspire and motivate you and limiting your "office hours" to help diminish burnout. I've certainly had those days and weeks where I feel like I'm spinning but when I do feel that way, I know it's time to hit the pause button. I unplug, do something for myself that's unrelated to either my job or my blog and I spend time with friends that help rejuvenate me! Remember that you are not alone and can't do it all but you are powerful, capable and determined and those are all to be respected and celebrated!

Dress for Success: In the creative world, what does that even mean?

My mom thought I was sartorially unprepared for my entré into the professional world—and her doubts were well-founded. Three weeks after graduating from college in Kansas, I’d managed to land a job as a magazine editor in New York. I celebrated this feat like any reasonable 22-year-old would, and got matching tattoos with my best friend.

I’d kept the tattoo on my left foot carefully hidden, but mom was on high-alert after she found my “To-Do Before New York” list, on which I’d written “get tattoo” because that was just the kind of responsible person that I was. One morning, mom’s suspicions proved true, when I got out of bed and sleepily forgot to put socks on.  She was irate, and I got a strong lecture about living and working in the real world—aka, being an adult—and also a new wardrobe, which was a strange punishment. But the new wardrobe was dressy officewear—black, boot-cut dress pants (this was the early ‘00s), stretch cotton button down shirts, and pointy black kitten heels—all the kind of clothing that I would never buy for my self, and all the kind of stuff that my mom was convinced I’d need in my newfound life as a fledgling career woman. I packed it all into my suitcase, got myself a one-way plane ticket, and once in New York, never wore a single piece of it.

My mom was far from the only parent I knew who tried to equip their offspring’s closet for grown-up cubicle life. My roommate’s dad insisted she get a suit custom-made. “You’ll need it for interviews!” he said, even though she had just spent four years studying sculpture and had no intention of going on interviews, much less any that required a suit. Her dad was involved enough to take her to the tailor, but not involved enough to stick around for the process. With no parental supervision, she designed and had made the suit of her dreams: billowing, wide-legged pants, topped off with a sleeveless button down suit vest that came complete with a detachable hood and had a bright pink lining. The result—though made with care and by no means cheap—was too hideous, even for an art major.

For our parents’ generation, dress for success meant somber, conservative clothes that made the wearer blend in and look responsible. For our generation, especially those of us who aspired to creative careers, the rules for dressing for success were much more vague and open to interpretation. And in a sense, also much harder to follow.

When I got to New York, I wasn’t rebelling against anything by not donning a button-down and dress pants that my mom had bought me. I would have worn them had they seemed appropriate, but they actually didn't. No one I worked with dressed like that, at all. I worked with beauty and fashion editors, who wore distressed jeans and platform heels, vintage dresses, boutique bags and handmade jewelry. They didn’t dress like they were trying to look responsible, they dressed like they were cool. If that was success, then dressing for it was as hard to grab onto as a chiffon scarf billowing in the breeze of a passing L train. The other adage we always hear is 'dress for the job you want, not the job you have.' That's a good point, but when the job you want seems to involve a Céline bag and a Saint Laurent jacket, that's hard to accomplish on a Forever 21 budget.

Fortunately, I had a savoir: fast fashion. I couldn’t afford what my coworkers were wearing (and in retrospect, I’m pretty sure a lot of them couldn’t afford it either), but I could at least keep up with the trends. Every paycheck, I'd treat myself to a high-street shopping trip, where I'd scrutinize the sale rack at Zara as if it were the new arrivals at Barneys. I still remember one of the best, possibly back-handed, compliments I’ve ever received, from a senior beauty editor I worked with. “I don’t know how you always look so cute,” she said to me one day as we were walking out of the building, “When I know you don’t make any money.”

As my career progressed, my jobs got more ‘creative’ and my outfits followed suit. Since I now had the job I wanted and no longer had to just dress for it, the lines blurred between what I'd wear out on a Saturday night and what I'd wear to work on a Tuesday morning. Was it always appropriate? Probably not. I once showed up to work a holey T-shirt that I’d bought off eBay (I was in a vintage Americana phase), which said ‘Maui High Life’ and was illustrated with weed leafs arranged to look like a beer can logo. “Nice shirt,” my boss said. “Thanks!” I said, “It only cost $4.” Once again, hindsight is 20/20, and he was probably being a bit sarcastic.

It wasn’t until I quit my full-time job to go freelance that I really started to think about how I dressed again.

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It wasn’t until I quit my full-time job to go freelance that I really started to think about how I dressed again. When I was working for a brand or a company, I had that pedigree behind me. I could go to meetings in a weird hat and astrological nail, and know that the business card I threw down on the table was my calling card of professionalism and know-how. But representing myself, I didn’t have that luxury.  Instead, everything about me had to look professional and like I knew what I was doing. When I'd quit my full-time job, I’d initially told myself that things like shopping and manicures were luxuries that would stop when my steady paycheck stopped. Instead I came to see them as, if not actual business expenses, at least justified purchases. I had to dress for the jobs I hoped people would hire me to do. Since I work from home, I still don’t get dressed every day (and I’m actually sitting here in leggings as I type), but you can bet that when I have a meeting, I put on something appropriate, wear a little makeup (to show that I didn’t just roll out of bed), and leave the weed T-shirt at home.

How to dress for your own version of success:

1.     Know what looks good on you. Even if everyone around you looks killer in a trend, skip it if it doesn’t work on you. I love the look of a sophisticated one-piece jumpsuit, but since I’m short, I just look like I’m the janitor who’s come to take out the trash.

2.     If you don’t know what to wear, ask. Every place I’ve ever worked has been non-traditional, and it was always painful to see people show up to interviews in a suit (le sigh, they probably listened to their parents or a well-meaning career counselor). You can always ask the person setting up your interview if there’s a dress code, and they’ll probably give you some hints.

3.     If you’re going to a meeting, think about your potential client. You wouldn’t show up to a meeting with Coke drinking Pepsi, would you? If you’re meeting with a fashion company, you don’t have to wear their brand, but dress on a level that’s on par with their products, and be aware of obvious brand conflicts. People want to know that you can understand their brand and think like they do, and what you wear is just one way you demonstrate this.

4.     It really is all about the investment pieces. I still shop high-street brands like Zara and Topshop for most of my clothes, but have learned to splurge on shoes and bags. A nice bag will make the most casual outfit look more polished. Have your eye on a few investment pieces, and set up sale alerts (ShopStyle is great for this) so that you can snag them as soon as the price drops.

5.     Avoid impulse buys. Give yourself a monetary limit, and if something costs more than that, impose a waiting period where you have to think about it. Usually, practicality will win out, but if you really did fall in love, and can’t stop thinking about those red patent leather pants, then by all means. Eventually, by buying thoughtfully, you’ll end up with a wardrobe as opposed to a closet crammed full of things that don’t go together. That's the kind of closet that induces those "I have nothing to wear!" mornings.

6.     When in doubt, keep it simple. Your outfit doesn’t always have to make a statement, especially when it comes to job interviews or meeting new contacts. Coco Chanel herself is quoted as saying it is always better to be slightly underdressed, and when you leave, you want people to be talking about you, not what you were wearing.

Kate Williams is a freelance writer and editor in Los Angeles. Previously, she was editorial director at Nasty Gal and at Urban Outfitters, and a senior editor at NYLON magazine. Her work is a mix of editorial, ghostwriting, branded content and fiction.