Opinion: When Life Gives You a Pandemic, Scrap Everything

About The Author: Sarah Moret is the Founder & CEO of Curie, a venture-backed direct-to-consumer clean body care brand. In this piece, she discussed the business decisions she's made in response to COVID-19, and how staying focused on your customers is the key to success in times of uncertainty.

Photo: Courtesy of Curie

COVID-19 has had a never-before-seen level of impact on our lives. This pandemic is, literally, reshaping the world as we know it. As a CEO and small business owner, this has had a huge impact. Not only has my personal life changed overnight, but professionally, a year’s worth of carefully laid plans around product launches, brand strategy, and partnerships were completely turned upside down seemingly overnight. COVID-19 walked into our conference room and erased the whiteboard.

My company, Curie, is a direct-to-consumer brand that sells clean, performance-based body care products. Fitness studio partnerships were a huge part of our 2020 strategy. We were scheduled to announce a partnership with a major national fitness chain the week of April 1 and had another large partnership in the works. With gyms, fitness studios and retail stores all off the table, for the time being, we immediately shifted gears.

“Out went our entire social media and content calendar. In came an even deeper obsession with our customers and what they wanted.”

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, right? There’s no recipe for this situation. Scrap it, start over. Out went our entire social media and content calendar. In came an even deeper obsession with our customers and what they wanted.

Now is a good time to engage with your community in a way that isn’t strictly focused on selling products. People are home, relying on screens for work, connection, distraction and more willing than ever to share their thoughts. What our customers told us is that they wanted interactive digital content. Instagram Live workouts, how-to-tutorials, tips, and funny content simply meant to make them smile. I made a conscious business decision to focus on building relationships rather than growing sales.

If you rely on physical spaces, like we do with our retailers and fitness studios, this temporary shelter-in-place has had an even greater impact on your business. A solution is to move toward virtual partnerships and campaigns with other brands. These are a fantastic way to leverage other audiences with which you wouldn’t typically connect. This led us to Better Together, a community campaign we launched with 35 other female-founded brands that included a universal discount code, a charitable donation, and a massive giveaway. It was organized virtually overnight by Nichole Powell, CEO of Kinfield. Partnering with other like-minded companies is a great way to provide a benefit to existing customers while also tapping into new audiences. For Curie, the Better Together campaign contributed to over 50% of our revenue during the week it was live. 

Right now, there are plenty of things that are going wrong in our businesses, but identify what is working, and invest your team’s time and focus on that. For us, our DTC website stayed relatively flat during the first week of shelter-in-place in California and other states, but our Amazon.com business was booming. We leaned into this shift, putting all of our SKUs (stock-keeping units) on Amazon.com. When Amazon lengthened their shipping times for what they deemed “non-essential products,” like deodorant, we pivoted our strategy. We made shipping free for all orders on our online store and started fulfilling Amazon orders out of our own warehouse to decrease transit times. Since we had previously used the low-cost FBA (fulfilled by Amazon) service for these orders, this meant a 30% increase to our shipping cost, which we decided was the right thing to do to keep our customers happy (and fresh!) during this time. Give yourself permission to throw out “the plan.” 

“Things have changed, our world has changed, and the faster you can adapt to these changes, the better you will be able to serve your customers.”

Think about what your company has to offer. Does it still meet your customer’s needs? As COVID-19 spread in the United States, hand sanitizer, overnight, became an essential part of people’s daily routine. Coincidentally, we had just wrapped up the development of a new product: a moisturizing, natural hand sanitizer. We originally planned to sell this product to our fitness studio partners versus direct-to-consumer, but clearly, needs had changed. At the beginning of March, we got on the phone with our suppliers and were able to move the launch date for the hand sanitizer up six months. We will be launching this product in a few weeks and will be gifting 10% of our initial inventory to those on the frontline: delivery men and women, grocery store workers, doctors, and nurses. Things have changed, our world has changed, and the faster you can adapt to these changes, the better you will be able to serve your customers.

Lastly, never underestimate the impact of giving back in small ways. As Paul Graham once said, “Do things that don’t scale.” During this time, that especially rings true. I personally wrote 100 hand-written postcards to our most loyal customers. There were no marketing ploys and no offers involved. Simply short and sweet notes to show my gratitude and wish them well. My team also sent care packages to people who are stepping up in the community, such as fitness instructors that are leading virtual workouts online. Everyone could use a little extra love right now.

The economic uncertainty we are all experiencing right now is out of our control, but what you can control is your response. Keep your focus on doing right by your customers and don’t be afraid to throw out the plan. 

MORE ON THE BLOG

Ask an Expert: How to Be a “Taboo” Brand and Speak Out on Topics That Matter

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: Courtesy of Laura Schubert

Launching a business that’s centered around a taboo topic isn’t easy.

Just ask of Laura Schubert, the co-founder and CEO of Fur, a self-care brand that’s signature product is pubic hair oil. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Today, Fur’s products are beloved by celebs (Emma Watson’s a fan) and the brand’s products are stocked everywhere from boutique salons to big-box beauty stores like Ulta.

But all this success didn’t come easily. “When I was reaching out to partners to create the formula, people thought I was prank calling them—they’d call me a pervert and hang up on me,“ explains Schubert. For today’s Ask an Expert Live segment, we asked Schubert to tell us all about how she’s used her brand’s platform to speak out on topics that matter, give back, and create a sense of community.

Scroll on for a few highlights and be sure to follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram to catch the next installment of Ask an Expert.

Stay True to Your Brand

“During this pandemic, we haven’t changed our messaging that much. We’ve always been a self-care brand and we’re all about self-care rituals that leave space for people to reexamine how they view pubic hair and reframe ideas that they may have about their own bodies and their body hair.”

Use Your Platform to Pay It Forward

“We’ve been giving back to the extent that we can. We gave away 500 Fur oils to healthcare workers—we asked people to send us a picture of their badge—and over 2,000 people got back to us. So, we’re trying to figure out ways that we can give back to people at this time and help people as much as much as we can.”

Create a Virtual Community

“At Fur, we asked ourselves, How can we create community online when we’re all hurting in so many ways? So we started Further Together an Instagram Live series where our community can

About the Expert: Laura Schubert is the co-founder and CEO of Fur. Prior to Fur, Laura was a management consultant at Bain and Company. Interested in starting her own business since graduate school, she honed her skills while waiting for the right idea and the right team to launch a new venture. Fur seemed like the perfect opportunity to create an entirely new beauty category with her sister and close friend, who also happened to have complementary backgrounds.

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

Ask an Expert: How to Develop Your Brand Voice, Personification, and Tag Line

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: cottonbro for Pexels

Branding is more important now than ever before with COVID-19. While it may not be the time to be pushing sales, it’s certainly the time to put your best foot forward and showcase your brand values in order to build a community. In order to market successfully during this time, you have to be able to connect with people and their stories. After all, companies are made up of people, and stories are just narratives that are the foundation of great marketing. 

“Buyers make most of their decisions by relying on their two second first impressions based on stored memories, images and feelings.” This quote from Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Blink,” powerfully expresses how your customers think. In layman's terms, you only get one chance to make a first impression. To find out how to do it right, scroll on to learn more about branding, including developing your tag line and voice.

What Is Branding? 

To begin, it’s crucial that you understand what branding is and what it is not. Branding is not telling people who you are, it’s managing what other people say you are. What will your audience associate with your brand? It’s up to you to create this emotional connection through your branding.

Specifically, branding is the look and feel of a brand, the characteristics, values, tag lines, logos, energy, etc. Branding includes all the ways your company shows up in the world and how you hope a consumer will relate and engage with it on an emotional level.

However, before you can even begin to market your brand out into the world, you must start by building a strong foundation. Here’s how. 

How to Define Your Brand 

Branding Exercise

When establishing your personal or corporate brand, it’s critical to begin by defining what you want your brand to be. This starts with developing a name and logo that speaks to your target market and evokes a specific emotion, adjective or sensory experience. You can go about this in many ways.  When working with a new client, one of the first things we do is take them through a branding exercise that we call “word vomit” that looks a little bit like this: 

1. Write down a list of words, potential names and/or concepts that you might want to start with (this is if you don’t already have your company name).

2. Write down a list of adjectives and emotions you want your potential client to feel when they see your logo or hear your brand name.

3. Go out and find 5-10 logos you like and 5-10 logos you don’t like and describe in detail why you do or don’t like them. The creative process is so subjective, so before we start throwing ideas at the wall, it's crucial that we know what your aesthetic is. Knowing what you don’t like is as important as knowing what you do like.

4. Similarly, determine a list of colors you like and don’t like and types of designs you do and don’t like e.g. I do like minimalist fonts, but I don’t like figures in logos.

This exercise allows you to get clear on your brand values, decide which words you want associated with your brand and, almost as importantly, which words and sentiments you don’t want associated with your brand. This type of exercise can help with buy in and can also spark creativity and should be a lot of fun. 

At the end of the day you get what you pay for, so remember, this logo will live on your business cards, web site, and all marketing materials that you will create for your company, which are the first things a prospect sees, even before they get to know you. So putting your best brand effort first is key.

Brand Book

Let’s just get this out of the way—yes, you absolutely need a brand book. A brand book is a document that outlines every detail about your brand. It’s basically your brand’s DNA. At its most fundamental level, a brand book must include your mission and vision, your logo and colors, your typography, and sample imagery. The best brand book, however, has more than the basics. 

As important as it is to define your brand, it’s equally important to define what your brand is not. What words or phrases are off limits? In order to stay on brand, you must know what it means to be off brand. 

I said it once and I’ll say it again: Branding is not telling people who you are, it’s managing what other people say you are. In order to do this, you must know a little bit about your target audience. What do they like? With your target audience in mind, how can you shape your branding into something they can appreciate and recognize? 

Ultimately, your brand is the foundation for all things marketing, so it’s critical that you get it right from the start and build a lexicon around it so that as you build and scale, the original ethos of the brand remains intact. 

About the Expert: Laurel Mintz, J.D., M.B.A. is the CEO and founder of award-winning, Los Angeles-based digital marketing agency Elevate My Brand. Laurel’s gift is connecting with people and their stories. After all, companies are made up of people, and stories are just narratives that are the foundation of great marketing. Laurel’s energy has been the driving force behind the agency’s growth since it launched in 2009. Her awards include the 2017 Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovation Award, the 2016 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Company award, the Los Angeles Business Journal 2016 Women In Business Award, and more. Need help figuring out how to do this for your brand? I can’t wait to talk. Reach out today to get started.

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

Ask an Expert: How to Make the Most of Social Distancing and Be Productive With Your Extra Time

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

“

Don’t allow your inner critic to talk you out of starting. Just start.”

—Stephanie Fleming, co-founder of The Happy Planner

Now, let us start off by saying that we are not here to pressure you into being productive. After all, we’re in the midst of a global health crisis that has disrupted every aspect of our daily lives. One that has taken a serious toll on both our mental health and overall wellbeing, as well as our financial stability. First and foremost, we all need to take care of ourselves and our loved ones.

We are here, however, to give you the tools you need in order to be productive if you are looking to launch that business, learn that new skill, or get started on that project you’ve had on the back burner while you’re self-isolating. That’s why we tapped creative entrepreneur and co-founder of The Happy Planner, Stephanie Fleming, to share her tips on the topic for our latest Ask an Expert Live segment.

Scroll on for three takeaways from the conversation and be sure to follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram so you don’t miss out on the next one.

Create Work-Life Boundaries

“In a situation like this, boundaries are very important. Remember, you are the guardian of your own time so you need to create the boundaries that you need in order to be productive. Create a schedule for yourself but be aware that there are always going to be boundary bulldozers (i.e., Facebook, the news, your kids), just be aware of them, take a deep breath, and recognize that these are difficult times and it’s okay to not be at the top of your game.”

Minimize Distractions

“Set aside a dedicated workspace where you can minimize distractions. If you don’t have the space (some of us live in tight quarters), schedule some time for yourself to use a shared space. Do whatever you need to do to find a distraction-free zone or time so you have the space you need, both mentally and physically, to cross items off your to-do list.”

Just Start

“Procrastination and perfection are the enemies of productivity. Just start the damn thing. Rip the band-aid off. Use Mel Robbins’ 5-second rule and literally countdown from 5-4-3-2-1 and just go. Don’t allow your inner critic to talk you out of starting. Just start.”

About the Expert: Stephanie Fleming is a creative entrepreneur, speaker, optimist, and wellness seeker. Most notably, she is the co-founder of The Happy Planner. What began 20 years ago as a tiny, garage-based business is now an industry-leading lifestyle brand that offers a wide variety of products that inspire customers to live creatively and plan a happy life It’s Stephanie’s mission to create a happy life movement by empowering people everywhere to take control of their own happiness by embracing planning, positivity and all things creative!

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

What Is Toxic Productivity (and How Do I Avoid It)?

Photo: Polina Zimmerman for Pexels

Everywhere you turn, people are feeling the pressure to do something truly meaningful during this time of self-quarantine. Sure, it's great if you can write your next bestselling novel, or re-organize your entire home, but sometimes, that need to be productive can be toxic. Here are some signs to spot if toxic productivity is creeping into your life—and what you can do to break the cycle.

What Are Toxic Behaviors?

First things first, toxic behaviors are behaviors that are harmful to you, your goals, and your daily life. Our culture expresses a lot of value for productivity (we reward the best students, we’re impressed when others pull all-nighters, we glorify the entrepreneurs who boast about their work ethic and lack of sleep). Rarely do we celebrate when people are present, rest well, or set and meet reasonable goals.

Quarantine means that people are at home, trying to work, in the middle of a crisis. And yet there’s never been so much content about how people should be using all this “extra time” to try and pivot their businesses, take every e-course on entrepreneurship, or check things off their endless to-do lists.

Don’t get me wrong, if someone is able to do these things in the midst of food and product scarcity, health concerns, and social isolation, that’s great. But to expect people to be productive during a pandemic is undeniably harmful. If we aren’t being generative in our homes and businesses at a breakneck pace right now, it doesn't mean we are failures, it means we are human.

Toxic productivity would have us see things differently, and it’s hurting us.

Here Are Three Signs of Toxic Productivity

Working to the extent that it harms your health or personal relationships.

Perseverance and determination are admirable, but if your work ethic means that you’re ignoring human requirements like the need to eat, drink, sleep, or go to the bathroom, then your hard work “ethic” is toxic productivity in disguise.

Your family members may repeatedly express frustration with you and complain that you’re “always working,” “never around” or “always on your phone.” What they are really saying is, “We miss you. We need you. Please spend time with us.”

Forgetting obligations and neglecting personal responsibilities is another sign that your tendency to have tunnel vision when it comes to work is harming you and your loved ones.

Having unrealistic expectations for yourself and ignoring important information (such as the detrimental effects of a pandemic).

Many people are expecting their level of output and productivity to be the same right now. When their entire lives have been disrupted. When they are working under stressful conditions at home. IN. THE. MIDST. OF. A. PANDEMIC.

These unrealistic expectations can make an already traumatic situation even worse. Expecting the same output from yourself during a crisis is like expecting a crop to yield the same harvest after a drought.

It’s unreasonable, and will likely add to your stress if you try to maintain your previous standards.

Difficulty with rest or stillness.

If you have a toxic relationship with productivity, you might struggle to be alone with yourself anytime you’re not busy working. When you finally take a break or let yourself have a day off, you might feel guilty. Alternatively, you could feel a sense of restlessness or emptiness during moments of stillness, play, or other things you may label in your head as “non-productive.”

People might complain that you’re “not present” emotionally or physically. For example, you might rush to do the dishes after dinner instead of sitting at the table and connecting with your family. Or you might find yourself feeling impatient while a loved one tells you a long story because it feels like an inefficient use of time.

You might notice feelings of lower self-worth when you aren’t producing, creating, or working in some way, or be distracted by comparing yourself to others that you see as more productive than you.

How to heal your toxic productivity

If you’ve determined that you are one of the many suffering from a sense of toxic productivity right now, you’re not alone. The good news is, it doesn’t have to stay this way. There are lots of things you can do to have a healthier relationship with your need to be productive. Below are a few ideas.

Set realistic goals; adjust as needed.

It’s important to consider the context when setting goals. During this time when there may be extra demands on you (perhaps you’re homeschooling your children or adjusting to working from home), you may need to reduce your goals to accommodate the transition.

Part of being realistic is recognizing that your home office is likely to have more distractions, interruptions, and stressors than your old office. When we are under stress, our ability to concentrate and think clearly suffers, so it may also be helpful to extend deadlines to accommodate increased stress levels.

If you’re managing a team you’ll want to revise expectations for them as well.

Reframe what it means to rest and take breaks.

Rest is not a four-letter word or something just for the weak. Rest is 100% necessary. Studies show that people who take breaks end up being more productive than people who don’t.

Reframe rest to be a vital part of your productivity. See it as a necessary tool to help you reach your goals more effectively. Instead of taking breaks when you feel on the verge of collapse, how about scheduling them regularly throughout your day? You’ll feel a lot better, and you'll likely be able to get even more accomplished.

The Pomodoro method is a great strategy to stay on task while also taking frequent breaks.

Practice mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a way to help us connect to ourselves and the present moment. Mindfulness invites us to observe and accept what is happening around us and within us without judgement. We learn to be more aware of our body and needs. Mindfulness is proven to have all sorts of health benefits, including increasing frontal lobe activity, which is where logical reasoning and executive functioning takes place.

Mindfulness helps us disconnect from our “fight or flight” survival instincts (which often keep us stuck in toxic patterns) and instead gives us the opportunity to connect with more mature, healthy ways of relating to the world.

Calm and Headspace are two apps that I highly recommend if you want to give mindfulness a try.

Get some accountability.

Make sure that you have wise people in your life that can hold you accountable and keep you aware of your self-destructive behaviors. Most importantly, take their advice. When they say you’re working too much and need a break, listen to them. 

Define clearer boundaries.

Rework your boundaries with work, or clarify them to serve you better. Establish a few “baseline” boundaries and then refine as needed, such as:

• No cell phone at the dinner table.

• No more than 3 hours of work at a time before taking a break.

• No more than 40 hours of work a week.

• You must spend quality time with your kids at least once a week.

• You must eat at least 2 meals a day.

• You must get at least 6 hours of sleep.

These baseline boundaries are just ideas to help you get started but can be adjusted to fit your individual needs.

Heal your self-talk.

Do you define your sense of self-worth by how productive you are? If so, you may find yourself caught in a cycle of chasing accomplishments that give you a temporary sense of worth, until that wears off and you need yet another accomplishment to make you feel valuable. To heal your self-talk, start seeing that your value is not in what you produce or accomplish, but in who you are.

Ask yourself, “Would I have these same expectations for someone I care for deeply?” If the answer is no, then you shouldn’t have these expectations for yourself, either. Practice learning to speak to yourself the way you would a dear friend.

If you need help healing your self-talk, consider getting support from a therapist. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can be especially effective at helping you heal toxic narratives that have kept you stuck in a cycle of addiction to productivity.

It’s perfectly normal to feel uncomfortable with the changes you’re experiencing due to COVID-19, but this is a great opportunity to get real with yourself and heal from things that aren’t serving you well. When this is all over, hopefully, you can leave behind your toxic productivity, too.

About the Author: Dr. Therese Mascardo is a Filipina-American licensed clinical psychologist, founder of the L.A. Digital Nomads, and CEO and founder of Exploring Therapy, a wellness community that helps people build a life they don’t need a vacation from. She has been featured in HuffPost, Women’s Health, & Tastemade. Berkeley educated, she shares her knowledge in mental health, entrepreneurship, community building, and traveling full time as a digital nomad to inspire people to create more healthy, free, and connected lives they love.

Ask an Expert: How to Sell Through Video, According to a Business Coach

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

“It is an 80% higher conversion rate when you share services and products on video rather than standard text posts.”

—Tiffany Carter, founder of ProjectME

During COVID-19, you have to step up your social media game—and, according to business coach, Tiffany Carter, video is essential for engaging your followers. Whether you are going live on Instagram, pumping out some quick stories, or posting vids directly to your page, if you aren’t using video, you’re not making the most of your social channels.

In this installment of our Instagram Live Ask an Expert series, we asked the founder of ProjectME to walk us through her best tips for turning videos into conversions. If you’re afraid to go live, show your face on camera, or even just make your videos worth watching, scroll on for her best tips, and be sure to follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram to tune into the next conversation.

Video Is A Must!

“It is an 80% higher conversion rate when you share services and products on video rather than standard text posts.”

“You need to do video every day in your stories.”

“Its vulnerable to be our silly, goofy, awkward selves, but that converts the best.”

Use The EASE Method

E - Energy and Engagement

“You cannot fake energy. Get into the highest possible energy state you can get in for that moment. Do jumping jacks, put on fun music, call a friend to hype you up, whatever it takes”

“Look at the screen as though it is your best friend and use those same mannerisms you would use in real life.”

“The first ten seconds are crucial, especially for pre-recorded videos. It determines if someone will click on or off. Do not start a video with ‘hey, guys,’ it’s basic, it doesn’t work, it’s not engaging.“

A - Authority and Confidence

“You need to establish yourself as the authority in your niche.”

“What we tend to do [when we lack confidence] are weird things like looking down, not getting close to the video, or hair twirling. These nervous habits don’t translate.”

S – Storytelling

“Stories sell. People remember stories.”

“Have a story, it can be a mirco-story, but have a story prepared to share in your videos, something funny, or something that worked really well for you, have some kind of story.”

E - Execution

“You have to tell people what in the hell to do or they don’t do it.”

“If you want people to comment below, don’t only ask them a question but tell them to comment below, point to the comment section.”

“If you’re not so sick of yourself that you’re thinking I can’t say this again or I can’t listen to my voice anymore, then you’re not saying it enough.”

The 3 Es of Content

Good content should do at least one of these three things:

• Educate your people

• Enlighten them

• Entertain them

About The Expert. Tiffany Carter takes the mystery out of making big money while doing something you love. She uses a magnetic combination of her clear-cut communication style that she developed as a TV news broadcaster for NBC and CBS, her business savvy and proven strategies as a multi-millionaire entrepreneur, and her intuitive ability to connect with women on a deeper level, to uncover what’s blocking you from achieving your dream life.

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

5 Things to Do While Self-Quarantining Without Buying a Single Thing

Photo: Alex Gállego for Pexels

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our normal lives have come to a grinding halt. Beyond streaming our go-to TV shows for hours on end, there’s a lot more we can do during this downtime that will help retrain our minds and help us live our life, even beyond this period of quarantine.

So often, when we are looking to grow, change, or shift something in our lives, we are looking outside of ourselves. But, the truth is, everything you need to continue your growth journey is within you—and within arm’s reach. All you need is passion, interest, and a few simple strategies that’ll help you find what works for you. 

Here are some simple things you can do to shift your mindset in order to stimulate growth, without spending a dime.

1. Try cooking a new recipe.

This incredible resource allows you to discover new recipes by listing the ingredients you have in your pantry, fridge, or freezer. If you're at a loss of what to make, this is a great way to shop what you already have and try something new, too.

Personally, every morning, I come up with some type of frittata using leftover vegetables, protein, and eggs. You can also use frozen veggies if you are trying to clean out your freezer. 

2. Refresh your living space.

Beyond spring cleaning, try changing the layout of your space as well. It sounds simple but reorganizing furniture or décor can provide your brain with a really satisfying sense of change (without spending any money on new pieces.) You would be surprised how much this can act as a refresh during quarantine. 

Now that I’m home a lot more, I’ve rearranged three rooms already. It’s been nice to re-think the space I have and make it feel new again. I have also used this time to clean out my pantries, fridge, and my kids’ play areas. I’ve cleaned out so much, I feel like every room is new.

3. Pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read (instead of buying a new one).

Psychologically speaking, we get a rush when making purchases. Buying new things, even when we have something similar at home, gives us temporary satisfaction. We can use this time to work on that, challenging ourselves with a "no buy" mandate (because, well, it's sort of the only option) and getting enjoyment from actually using things up.

Instead of focusing on the next purchase, we can simultaneously produce less waste, reduce clutter, save money, and shift our mindsets. Books take up a lot of space in our rooms as well as storage. We are reading a lot more these days and are finding books we forgot to start or stories we want to read again. 

4. Learn a new skill.

I don't suggest putting too much pressure on yourself to be productive during quarantine, but if there's something you've been putting off doing due to a lack of time, now is a good chance to start.

Download Duolingo to work on learning a new language, watch free online videos to help you become more flexible, or bake the bread you've been seeing everyone make on Instagram.

For me, this is improving recipes, testing new ones, and adding twists to ones I use today in order to support immunity.

5. Connect (virtually) with your family and friends.

Throw a happy hour via Zoom. Download Houseparty to connect with your friends. FaceTime with your family during dinner. These circumstances make us truly value the people in our lives.

With Marco Polo, you can leave video messages with friends and family. This allows you to connect face-to-face but asynchronously. I’ve been celebrating birthdays over Zoom and scheduling virtual coffee dates and lunch meet-ups with my friends and family.

About the Author: Nora McCaffrey is the Chief Academic Officer at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She oversees all academic components to IIN’s course offerings. Prior to joining IIN, she trained at the Institute for Culinary Education in culinary arts and ran her own catering business in Brooklyn, NY, providing healthy food options for private events, school events, and meal deliveries. 

To support her health focus, she became an IIN health coach and later decided to join the IIN team. In 2017, she obtained a master’s degree in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University. Her experience and education help her to continuously improve and innovate course offerings and learning platforms

Nora is from Brooklyn, NY and now lives with her wife, Helen, and two kids in Maplewood, NJ. As a lifelong foodie, Nora supports local farmers and restaurants to feed her family.  

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#SmallBusinessBigInfluence: A Live Discussion on How to Support Small Businesses During COVID-19

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: Smith House Photography

It’s safe to say COVID-19 has upended our lives in every possible way. Socially, emotionally, physically, and certainly financially. In times of crisis, businesses are put to the test—supply chains are disrupted and profit margins are compromised. But if there’s one industry that has been impacted the most, it’s small business—and they need our help more than ever right now. 

The Shelter at Home policy has seen all our favorite restaurants, fitness studios, salons, and boutiques close shop across the country. These businesses are the backbone of our country, and we need to support them the best way we can. In times of great uncertainty, success comes down to how you pivot and respond—and now is the time to be swift, not reactive.

For some #realtalk on how to pivot in a crisis, lead with purpose, and promote small business through big influence during these challenging times, we asked three powerhouse female founders—Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted, Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What, and Amber Fillerup, founder of Barefoot Blonde—to join our founder and CEO Jaclyn Johnson for a special roundtable discussion (via Zoom, of course) on the state of the industry and how we can support it. 

Scroll on for some highlights from the conversation and be sure to follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram to find out how to join our next roundtable discussion. If you want to join the movement and support small businesses right now, please visit @SmallBusinessBigInfluence on Instagram.

Jaclyn Johnson, Founder and CEO, Create & Cultivate Deepica Mutyala, Founder and CEO, Live Tinted Danielle Bernstein, Entrepreneur and Founder, WeWoreWhat Amber Fillerup Clark, Founder of Barefoot Blonde

On accept and establishing a new normal…

“I think the toughest part is creating that sense of culture when you’re not together.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“I didn’t realize how much we accomplished in in-person meetings” – Amber Fillerup, founder of Barefoot Blonde

“Having a morning routine and treating it like normal has been the only way to create a normal.” – Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“I keep telling myself that we are all human and that’s the number one thing that matters right now.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

On embracing authenticity on social media…

“Now more than ever, people just want to see human.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“I’ve tried to have the right balance of content that can distract with content that can educate with content that is actually helpful and useful.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

“It’s been an opportunity for us to do weekly newsletters where we profile people from the community who are doing heroic things.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted 

On leaning into charitable contributions…

“Everything has meaning behind it and I want my followers to feel better about their purchases and feel like they are really going to help someone.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

“No matter how much I do, no matter how many people I’m helping right now, I’m still getting hate thrown my way.”— Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

“Every sponsorship I have coming up I’m asking them if we can donate to a charity in need.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

On pivoting during this unprecedented pandemic…

“We’re sold out of two shades and can’t get that back in stock, so its forcing us to get really creative, and something we’ve always wanted to do is merch and there are manufacturers in LA that are still working.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“At C&C, our whole business is events, so were thinking how can we bring things online.” — Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate

“Social media views and engagement have increased by over 30% in the last two weeks. Everyone is spending a lot more time on digital and social media.” — Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate

“More than ever, it’s a great time to work with influencers, you just have to be sensitive to what’s going on in our current landscape.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

On putting your employees first…

“I’m trying to feel out my employees because this is really taxing on our mental health, too, and I don’t want to push my employees too much. So, were being really sensitive and taking things slow.” — Amber Fillerup, founder of Barefoot Blonde

“Every morning, we get on a FaceTime call and have our coffee and do a morning ritual where we do our rose and thorn for the week.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

“Transparency has been key for us.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“I think there is solace in the fact that its everyone and it’s not industry-specific.” — Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate

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Ask an Expert: How to Design a Work-From-Home Space That Boosts Productivity

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: Courtesy of Ariel Kaye

Not to state the obvious, but the lines between work-life and home-life have been blurred beyond distinction. Now that we’re all sheltering in place and working from home in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, it’s harder than ever to separate our work lives from our personal lives and, #realtalk, we’re all just trying to make it work.

For tips on creating a work-from-home space that boosts productivity, we virtually sat down with Ariel Kaye, the founder and CEO of Parachute, for our Ask an Expert Instagram Live series. Not only is Kaye at the helm of a cult-favorite home brand, but she also lives in an 800-square-foot bungalow with her husband and 14-month-old-daughter (!), so it’s safe to say she knows a thing or two about maximizing space.

Keep scrolling for three key takeaways from our conversation, as told to Create & Cultivate by Kaye, and be sure to follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram to catch the next installment of our Ask an Expert series.

Set Up a Workspace That’s Easy to Walk Away From

Right now, more than anything, set up a work area that easy to step away from to maintain your mental health. I like to take my calls from my bedroom or outside in the yard, and I answer emails from the dining table, and I review content from the couch.

Then, at the end of the day, I like to take a beat by closing my computer and setting down my phone. It’s really about that distinction and having boundaries that establish your work zone and your home zone, which can be difficult now that we’re in the same space.

Clear Clutter to Minimize Distractions

I need a clutter-free space to be productive, so I have a basket with headphones, pens, and everything else I need to have within reach, and then I put away things that I know I won’t be using for a while to clear clutter. Every morning, I’ll fluff the pillows, wipe down surfaces, and clear clutter to get my space ready for the day.

Liven Things Up to Keep Your Space Feeling Fresh

I’m a big believer in grabbing fresh bouquets of flowers at the market every week to keep the house looking and feeling lively and beautiful. If you’re not going to the farmer’s market or grocery store right now, consider picking things that are already overgrown in your neighborhood, like branches of bougainvillea, for example.

I’ve also been shopping my own home and moving things from one room to the next to keep things fresh. I recently moved a piece of art from my bedroom to the living room and it’s changed the whole space. I also love candles. Burning a candle is one of the things I do to transition from day to night at the end of the workday. 

I try to remember that we’re all just trying our best and i have to tell myself every day to be kind to myself.

About the Expert: Ariel Kaye is the founder and CEO of Parachute. While it began in Los Angeles in 2014 as a digitally native brand, Parachute has since expanded beyond its roots—premium-quality artisanal bedding—to include essentials for every room in the home. In the last six years, Ariel has evolved Parachute into a beloved home lifestyle brand with numerous brick-and-mortar locations across the country. Under Ariel's leadership, the brand also launched a hospitality collection, created in partnership with the U.S.'s top hoteliers and interior designers. Ariel’s first book, “How to Make a House a Home,” will be released on April 14, 2020. She currently resides with her family in Venice Beach, California.

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

Ask an Expert: How to Be Innovative as a Small Business Right Now and Remain Profitable

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: Courtesy of Trinity Mouzon Wofford

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our Ask an Expert series, it’s that innovating will be crucial for small businesses to come out of the COVID-19 crisis stronger than ever. “Pivot,” “shift,” and “adapt” are buzzwords that have popped up in nearly every conversation we’ve had with founders in nearly every industry, ranging from events to skincare to fitness.

Naturally, we could think of no one better to speak to the topic of innovation than Trinity Mouzon Wofford, the youngest black woman to ever launch a line at Sephora and a Forbes 2020 30 Under 30 honoree. Keep scrolling to read a few highlights from our conversation with the forward-thinking co-founder and CEO behind the wellness-meets-skincare brand Golde, as told by Wofford to Create & Cultivate.

Check-In With Your Community

If you’re wondering how to talk to people right now about your business, ask your community. Instead of racking your brain trying to figure out what’s appropriate, ask them. It all comes back to thinking about your community and what they’re looking for from you right now.

Does your product or your service provide value for people right now? At Golde, we’ve found that our products provide a lot of value and service to people who want to practice wellness at home right now. What is it you’re selling and does it resonate with what people are going through right now?

Prioritize Word-of-Mouth Product Recommendations

No one wants to be sold to right now. More than ever, those micro-influencer relationships, those one to one product recommendations that are coming from friend to friend, are what’s resonating with people right now.

Lean Into Digital to Acquire (and Retain) New Customers

If you’re seeing increased traffic to your site and increased conversion rates, this is an opportunity to develop an acquisition strategy that brings people into your retention strategy.

We’re shopping online way more than we were before, and although consumer patterns have shifted due to a temporary situation, these shifts may last longer than the crisis, if not permanently.

Again, it comes down to having honest conversations with your community and what they want from you. You have to figure out what your voice is and what your opinion is and couple that with who’s listening and what they want to hear from you.

About the Expert: Trinity Mouzon Wofford was raised in New York's Hudson Valley by a single mom with an autoimmune disease. When she was a teenager, her mom started seeing a holistically-minded physician and saw an incredible improvement in her symptoms, which inspired Wofford to study pre-med at NYU. When Wofford’s mom had to stop seeing her doctor because she couldn't afford it, Wofford abandoned her plans for med school, frustrated by the lack of accessibility to holistic care, and fell into a marketing career in New York. She absolutely loved it, but she knew she wanted to come back to wellness somehow. That's the mindset Golde was born from in 2017.

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

Ask an Expert: How to Elevate Your Brand, Strategize, and Execute in These Strange Days

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: bongkarn thanyakij for Pexels

Marketing can be confusing, but even when it feels like the sky is falling, it is not a dirty word and, in fact, often makes the difference between a three- or a six-month uphill battle to recovery.

Trust me, I know a lot about both marketing and dirty words! And if the recession in 2008 showed us anything, it’s that now is the time to amp up your digital marketing spend. At Elevate My Brand, our creative experts are good as hell in all the many and multifaceted elements of marketing that support your business’ visibility, awareness and sales. 

Ahead, I’m breaking it down in two broad categories: digital and experiential. While these two forms of marketing may sound like they’re on opposite sides of the spectrum, they are integral to brand success (yes, even now!). They amplify each other’s effectiveness, so it is crucial that there’s synergy between the two. Enter, the mind map!

So, what is a mind map session?

Strategy is extremely valuable because of what is discovered in the planning process. It uncovers truths, areas of opportunities, blind spots and outlines the answers to necessary questions about audiences, goals, and budgets. This session is the starting point on any brand journey. It’s an opportunity to play, visualize and map out a strategic go-forward plan. Here’s what this could look like for you.

Digital Marketing

How do your customers find you online? This includes everything from your website and your social channels to your email marketing campaigns. We live in a digital world where people can access information fast and on every possible platform. Plus, people are more digitally literate and brand-minded than ever before, which is why brand consistency across all platforms can increase company revenue by 23%. Your digital footprint is a critical starting point. See if you can map it out like this for your brand.

Now, let’s break it down.

Your website

Let’s be clear. It’s 2020, so there is no excuse for a sub-par website. A website is basically a digital brochure of your brand. It’s your online headquarters. Making sure your website represents your brand through visual storytelling and quality content is critical. It’s often the first and only impression you make with a potential client, so make sure that you spend the time and money to create a stunning, interesting, information-rich and user-focused platform for your company. Think through the most important marketing elements of your site, such as forms, e-commerce API, mailing and database integrations, etc., to make the most of your customers’ online experience.

Your social media presence

Social media can be a great brand-building tool for your business if you use it the right way, especially right now where people are bored and looking to engage more than ever before. In your mind map session, make sure you’re outlining the social media platforms that will provide the most impact for your brand category and ones that you will be able to maintain activity on.

There’s nothing worse than seeing a brand social page whose content is spotty or non-existence. That doesn’t build brand loyalty and trust. If business development is your priority, consider LinkedIn or Twitter; product development or customer research, consider Twitter or Reddit; sales and UGC, consider Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest; and for general education or content, consider Facebook. Your social network of choice matters. Develop a social media strategy that aligns with your business plan and KPIs. What are the general goals for your quarter, your year? Don’t try to be everything to everyone.

In developing your social media strategy, it’s important that you stay updated on current news and trends. There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has caused several businesses to alter their social media strategy. You probably won’t be posting the same content, but that doesn’t mean you should lay off on posting all together. In fact, social media content is more important now than ever, with engagement up nearly 30%!

During times like these, your social media content is probably going to be less about showing your product, and more about showing your values. How is your company remaining positive and helping the community during COVID-19? Showcasing your values and how you treat your employees will help build brand loyalty and potentially put you ahead of your competitors when budgets open back up. 

Your advertising strategy

Once you’ve developed a plan on your social network(s) of choice, it’s time to carve out a social ad budget and create some campaigns. Sadly, organic social alone won’t grow your audience or build brand recognition these days. You absolutely need ads to reach more eyeballs and increase your follower count.

In a mind map session, we guide potential clients in choosing the right ad platforms, whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or even TikTok. You may think that advertising during the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t the best idea, but it’s actually the perfect time. Think about it: with other advertisers and competitors pulling out their ad spend, you have more opportunity than ever to grow your market share and rise to the top at a lower CPC, that’s a huge potential win.

Social isn’t the only ads platform. There’s also Google, have you heard of them? Whether you like it or not, Google Ads are a necessity. Recent updates to Google Ads’ algorithms have made it so that, if you want to be on the first page of a search engine results page (SERP), you have no choice but to pay to play. At a minimum, you need constantly running, highly targeted search ads to increase your SEO.

Your content development

Content is queen! Many people are surprised to hear that you should be posting content at least twice a week, which translates to 104 pieces of content for the year. How will you come up with this content? Our secret sauce, and something you can definitely execute while in quarantine, is a once-quarterly session where we spend one whole day to create content for three months or about 26 pieces. And rather than writing blog posts, we record vlog posts.

Why? Because YouTube is the #2 search engine after Google. In other words, video content with written transcriptions play nicely with the top two engines. The best part about content development? It’s low-risk and high-reward. You can set up some lighting and a good camera and record great content on the fly. Right now, while businesses are coping with COVID-19, is the perfect time to fill out your content reservoir. In our mind map sessions, we share with you some ways to create content “pillars” and build out a strategy from there.

Experiential Marketing

Whereas digital is the online experience of your brand, experiential is the offline experience. This includes events such as pop-ups, product launches, activations, trade shows, conferences, and even field marketing efforts. When planning and hosting events, it’s wise to use a little bit of your budget to bring on a photographer and a videographer so you can tie the experiential to the digital side as well.

A recent event series we did with the fabulous Tamara Mellon is a great example of how the two work synergistically. We partnered with the luxury shoe brand to create, fabricate and execute an event concept for the Create & Cultivate conferences. While we worked hard to fabricate their event, we also worked on the digital side to execute a hashtag that was unique to the event. It was #FlashYourMellons. It was a little salacious, and the brand wasn’t sure about it at first, but on the first day of the conference, Tamara Mellon got more social engagement through that hashtag than in the entire history of the brand! 

Obviously, in-person experiential marketing is temporarily on hold thanks to COVID-19. But that doesn’t mean all experiential is on hold. Convert, don’t cancel. If you can, convert in-person events to digital hangouts. Rather than reveal a new product in-store, go live on social. In just one week, Facebook and Instagram Live views doubled. Use this bizarre time to build brand loyalists by converting your events rather than canceling, and creating even more intimate and engaging moments online.

Right now, Elevate My Brand is offering complimentary strategy sessions to any brands in need. Shoot them an email at info@elevatemybrand.com or ping them on Instagram or Facebook. 

About the Expert: Laurel Mintz, J.D., M.B.A. is the CEO and founder of award-winning, Los Angeles-based digital marketing agency Elevate My Brand. Laurel’s gift is connecting with people and their stories. After all, companies are made up of people, and stories are just narratives that are the foundation of great marketing. Laurel’s energy has been the driving force behind the agency’s growth since it launched in 2009. Her awards include the 2017 Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovation Award, the 2016 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Company award, the Los Angeles Business Journal 2016 Women In Business Award, and more. 

"How Should I Handle This Crisis?"—What to Do When It's NOT Business as Usual

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: Polina Zimmerman for Pexels

It’s safe to say that nothing feels normal right now. In the infamous words of Ross Geller, it’s time to “pivot” in both our personal and professional lives. As part of our Ask an Expert Instagram Live series, we’ve tapped some amazing women—spanning CEOs, lawyers, fitness instructors, and more—to help ease the transition for us all.

If you missed their conversations live, don’t worry. It’s not too late to catch them all on C&C’s IGTV. Below, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite segments for you to watch (or rewatch!). Spanning a conversation with a lawyer about force majeure clauses to a chat with a small biz owner on how to unite a remote team, there’s something on this list for everyone.

We’re all spending the better part of our days on Instagram, so we might as well spend that time learning something, right? Scroll on to get started.

“Have the difficult conversations—don’t avoid them.”

—Jamie Lieberman, attorney and founder of Hashtag Legal

If You Want To... understand what COVID-19 means for your contracts.

Watch... How to Review a Contract for a Force Majeure Clause (and What to Do If You Don’t Have One)

What You'll Take Away... Most of us ignore the force majeure clause in our contracts, but they are super important in a time like this. Jamie Lieberman, attorney and founder of Hashtag Legal, talks us through what it means when it is impossible to carry out contracts in place. Can I cancel? Can I postpone? Do I have to give my client their money back? Jamie is here to answer all these questions and more. If you’re not exactly Elle Woods and you need a little legal advice, this is a must watch!

“Fear is something that you have to embrace as an entrepreneur.”

—Cyndi Ramirez, founder and CEO, Chillhouse

If You Want To... chill out!

Watch... How to Stay Chill During a Stressful Time

What You'll Take Away... It is stressful to be a business owner right now. Cyndi Ramirez, the founder and CEO of Chillhouse, walks us through the ways that COVID-19 has effected her business and how her self care centric business is staying afloat. Cyndi is #relatable for anyone struggling to find their place in the middle of a crisis. Watch to see the ways she is pivoting, embracing fear, and supporting businesses doing the right thing.

“Regardless of how talented you are, if someone can’t look at your resume and see how you’d be a good fit for the role, your resume is not going to be effective.”

—Michelle Lando, certified professional resume writer, personal branding expert, and founder of Write Styles

If You Want To... spend your downtime updating your resume.

Watch... How to Update Your Resume and Find a Job When You've Been Laid Off

What You'll Take Away... If you’ve been laid off, there are still things you can be doing to make yourself hirable. Michelle Lando, a certified professional resume writer, personal branding expert, and the founder of Write Styles, joins us to share all the ways you can be using your time off to expand your resume and find a job. Michelle recommends using this time to learn new software, get new certifications, take on small projects to show off your skills, and tailor your resume to your dream job. Take a look at all the tips on how to make the most of your time off.

“Know that, when you are feeling anxious, the anxiety will end. It’s okay to be uncomfortable right now.”

—Lo Bosworth, founder & CEO, Love Wellness

If You Want To... ditch your anxiety.

Watch... How to Take Care of Yourself and Reduce Anxiety

What You'll Take Away... Anxiety is at an all-time high right now as we face an unprecedented change in our lives, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do about it. Lo Bosworth, the founder and CEO of Love Wellness, walks us through her best self-care tips and ways to calm anxiety. Lo recommends sticking to a schedule, meditating, moving your body, and, above all, leaning into the anxiety and acknowledging and accepting your feelings. “Don’t be afraid to help yourself,” by watching for more tips from this wellness expert!

“What I would encourage you all to be thinking about, more than thinking about growth right now, is sustainability.”

—Gretchen Jones, strategic business advisor and keynote speaker

If You Want To... carry your business through this crisis.

Watch... How to Understand the Needs of Your Business During a Crisis

What You'll Take Away... This is anything but business as usual, but we aren’t throwing our goals out the window. We hear from Create & Cultivate founder and CEO Jaclyn Johnson’s business coach, Gretchen Jones on how we can adjust our business strategies in this crazy time. She talks through lay-offs, sustaining your business, budgeting, and being a good virtual boss. If you’re trying to keep your business afloat and adjusting to a new economic reality, DO NOT skip this must-watch IG Live.

“Think back to when fun was your number one boss, your number one motivation.”

—Grace Harry, joy strategist

If You Want To... find joy in isolation!

Watch... How to Discover Joy in Turbulent Times

What You'll Take Away... It may feel like the world is lacking joy, but that is far from the truth. While joy may not look the way it used to, Grace Harry, a joy strategist, joins us to share all the ways you can find joy while stuck inside. Whether you want to shake out the “sillys,” think back to your favorite childhood activities, or turn your house into an adult playground, joy is everywhere. Time to tap into the collective experience we are all having and bring on the joy!

“If necessity is the mother of invention, then COVID-19 is the mother of creativity.”

—Cindy Eckert, founder & CEO, The Pink Ceiling

If You Want To... use downtime as dream-time.

Watch... How to Be Innovative in a Time of Isolation

What You'll Take Away... We’re stuck at home, and as tempting as Netflix may be, we are using our downtime to dream big! Cindy Eckert, the founder and CEO of The Pink Ceiling, is sharing her tips for getting innovative. Whether you’re problem-solving for your business or trying to develop your skills, an hour a day of “creative time” is the number thing Cindy recommends for isolation time. Make time for yourself, your ideas, and to watch this video!

“Let’s get our bodies moving, let’s feel good together.”

—Megan Roup, celebrity trainer & founder of The Sculpt Society

If You Want To... have a lunch break sweat sesh from your living room.

Watch... 30-Minute Live Stretch and Sculpt Session with Megan Roup

What You'll Take Away... Fitness is more important than ever these days. Not just because we can’t stop snacking, but because movement is self-care. Megan Roup, a celebrity trainer and the founder of The Sculpt Society, brings us a quick work out that everyone can do from home. Put the computer down for 30 minutes and refresh your mind and body.

“Make sure you’re giving your audience and customers only what they want.”

—Vanessa Lee, cosmetic nurse, skincare specialist, and founder of The Things We Do

If You Want To... make use of digital and master the pivot.

Watch... How to Jump on Digital Even If Your Business Isn't Online

What You'll Take Away... Pivot is THE hot topic for business owners right now. Businesses everywhere are trying to figure out how to stay connected and make money as our routines have shifted. Vanessa Lee, a cosmetic nurse, skincare specialist, and the founder of The Things We Do, is sharing her quick shift to digital and tips on how to make it all work. Its time to get creative people! Whether it’s online consults, extra social media content, or offering new services, the pivot is essential.

“Being positive and optimistic yourself is really important. You set the bar. Even if you are freaking the eff out on the inside, you need to be as cool, calm, and collected as you can for your team.”

—Sonja Rasula, founder, Unique Markets

If You Want To... connect with your team and be the leader they deserve.

Watch... How to Unite a Remote Team

What You'll Take Away... Isolation can be really, well, isolating. But socializing at work and feeling like a part of the team is essential to WFH productivity. Sonja Rasula, Founder, Unique Markets, shares her tricks for staying connected and spreading positivity in our new digital workplace. It’s time to start a Slack channel for water-cooler talk, remind your employees that you too are a human, and avoid freaking the eff out!

“Use your values to determine what expenses are important, protect your company culture, and trim where you can without hurting your core business.”

—Sallie Krawcheck, CEO & co-founder, Ellevest

If You Want To… be wise with your $.

Watch… How to Make Smart Money Moves During COVID-19

What You’ll Take Away… For small business owners, money matters are stressful on even the best days, but now the pressure is on more than ever. If you’re feeling paralyzed, Sallie Krawcheck, the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, is here to be your guide through this turbulent economy. Her first tip: control what you can control and stop thinking ‘what if?” Watch on as she breaks down budgeting, layoffs, and why you need to keep your eye on D.C. right now.

About The Author: Cassie White is an editorial intern at Create & Cultivate. She's a senior at Chapman University majoring in Marketing and minoring in Leadership. Cassie is from Denver, Colorado and is excited to be pursuing her passion for supporting women in business.

Ask an Expert: What Does the Small Business Stimulus Package Mean for You?

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

“

To speed up the process, you want to apply with a bank where you already have a relationship. I’d suggest trying your local bank first because they’re viewing this as a way to get new customers.”

—Kimberly Weisul, editor-at-large for Inc. Magazine and Inc.com

It’s no secret that small businesses are hurting right now. Local restaurants, salons, and fitness studios across the country have closed their doors in order to help flatten the coronavirus curve and contain the spread of COVID-19, and needless to say, closing shop has put untold financial strain on these businesses.

In previous installments of our Ask an Expert series, we’ve covered how to get financial relief as a small business owner, how to pivot to digital even if your business isn’t online, and how to support small businesses right now (even if you can’t afford to spend a dime). In today’s segment, we tapped the editor-at-large for Inc. Magazine and Inc.com, Kimberly Weisul, to talk us through what we need to know about the small business stimulus package so far (note: information is still forthcoming from the government on when payments will be released, how independent contractors can apply, and more).

That said, here are some key takeaways from the conversation, including a breakdown of the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance.

The Paycheck Protection Program

Who can apply?

“Almost any business with less than 500 employees is eligible to apply. If you’re self-employed, an independent contractor, or someone who receives 1099 tax forms, you can apply starting this Friday, April 10. Small not-for-profits and faith-based business are eligible to apply as well.

What are the details?

“This loan is designed to be used especially for paying employees. It’s a loan that has the potential to turn into a grant if you use 75% of the money for payroll expenses and you keep your employees on for at least 8 weeks after getting the loan

You can apply for up to 2x the amount of your payroll for the previous year. It’s a two-year loan with a 1% interest per year. You don’t need to put up collateral or a personal guarantee and you don’t need to show that you tried to get credit elsewhere and failed.

More information will be available for independent contracts on how they can calculate their income this week—this information is not yet available.”

How do I apply?

“The loan is guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), but you’ll need to apply through a bank. That said, banks aren’t set up for this yet. On the first day, Bank of America received 800,000 applications.

To speed up the process, you want to apply with a bank where you already have a relationship. I’d suggest trying your local bank first because they’re viewing this as a way to get new customers.

If your bank has told you they’ve already closed applications, keep in contact with them because they might open applications up again, but I would suggest that you start bank shopping. Keep in mind that the interest rate for this loan is fixed, so if you find interest rates higher than 1% that’s illegal.”

What else do I need to know?

“Be careful when you apply that you know what you’re signing up for. If you’re using an intermediary, you should read the fine print on all the documents. You’re sharing a lot of financial information so you want to be clear on what you’re signing up for.”

When can I expect to receive funds?

“The most optimistic projection I’ve heard for the release off funds is one week. We’re thinking at least two weeks.”

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance (EIDL)

Who can apply?

“Almost any business with less than 500 employees is eligible to apply.”

What are the details?

“If you apply in good faith, you can ask for the $10,000 to be granted to you immediately, and if you eventually declined for the loan, that $10,000 is forgiven. So it’s well worth the time to apply for this loan.

It can only be used for working capital. For example, say you’re a restaurant, you can keep the employees on using the Paycheck Protection Program loan, but you can use the working capital to pay for inventory that’s spoiled.”

How do I apply?

“You can apply directly through The U.S. Small Business Association (SBA). Only about half the application form is up, meaning it’s really easy to apply for this lean quickly. This money would come directly from the SBA, in other words, you don’t need to have a relationship with a bank, unlike the Paycheck Protection Program.”

When can I expect to receive funds?

“The most optimistic projection I’ve heard for the release off funds is one week. We’re thinking at least two weeks.”

**”If you do apply for either of these loans, you need to make sure your bookkeeping is up to speed. Be very careful. If you do get one of these loans and you’re ultimately looking to have it forgiven, you will need to have the documentation to make sure that happens.”

**”If you already have an SBA loan (you may also know this as a 7A loan) through your bank, they’re offering deferment on payment for up to six months so that’s cashflow that you can have coming in right now. Talk to your bank—keep in mind that they’re very overwhelmed—and set this up.”

About the Expert: Kimberly Weisul is the editor-at-large for Inc. Magazine and Inc.com, where she writes features, opinion, and news stories about entrepreneurship, women, and technology. Before joining Inc., she was a senior editor at a BusinessWeek, where she directed all coverage of small business and entrepreneurship and was the founding editor of a spin-off publication, BusinessWeek SmallBiz. She is also the creator of The Fundery, the only searchable database of venture funds that have a mandate to invest in women.

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

8 PR Pros on How to Stand Out in a Sea of COVID-19 Headlines

Photo: Ekaterina Bolovtsova for Pexels

Unprecedented. Uncertain. Extraordinary. It’s safe to say you can’t scroll through your news or social media feeds without coming across at least one of these coronavirus-related buzzwords. Of course, these terms are completely justified seeing as we’re in the midst of a global health crisis of unparalleled proportions, however, it does beg the question, how do you stand out amid the coronavirus headline saturation to get your brand’s message heard?

To gain insight into how brands can lead with humanity, stay relevant, and be of service during the COVID-19 crisis, we tapped some of the leading public relations and digital marketing pros in the industry and asked them to share their #1 tip for cutting through the noise. From setting up virtual desksides with media editors to re-engaging existing customers in new ways, keep scrolling for their innovative and mindful tips—you’re going to want to write these down.

Melissa Davis

Founder & Co-Owner, Ruby Press

Experience: 19 years

The Tip: Make it relevant and solve a problem. Many of us are working from home, many of us are concerned about finances, and we are all concerned about staying healthy. While my agency represents lifestyle brands, there are many stories we can share with the media and influencers that are very relevant to the current situation.

Why It Works: While we are all keeping up with the news about the pandemic, we need some good news too.  It's a balance. Those fun, light-hearted features are also important right now—but they need to be sensitive to the current state of the world. The best results we have seen from outreach over the best couple of weeks have been surrounding positive, problem-solving stories.

Benjamin Almeter

Founder & Managing Director, Dispatch

Experience: 7 years

The Tip: Lead with authenticity. 

 Why It Works: Speak to what's most authentic to you and your brand, that's where you'll organically resonate and find the most success in growing your community, standing out and driving conversion. Now, more than ever, we're surrounded by brands pushing product and leaning into a timely conversation where they're not always the most relevant. That's off-putting to consumers, easy to spot, and can have long term negative effects on your brand’s perception.

 The Tip: Don't undervalue your existing community. 

Why It Works: We're always focused on ways to engage and acquire new customers—now's the time look back and reengage your existing customers to do just that. Utilize your existing customers as a tool to share your brand’s story and introduce the product to their community. Consumers highly value the opinion of those within their direct communities.

Kamari Guthrie

Founder & CEO, Kamari Chelsea

Experience: 15 years

The Tip: If you're looking to make headlines right now, your brand has to tell a story about one of the following: novelty, altruism, practicality. 

Why It Works: I use the acronym "NAP" to help people remember this, but don't be fooled by the name. You'll have to put in work.  

Novelty: Is your brand saying or doing something new right now that no one has ever heard of? For example, are you offering a unique service to help women-run small businesses survive? Or, are you launching an at-home manicure kit that creates salon-perfect results right at home for half the cost? Be honest with yourself about whether your brand offers something new, unique, and essential that people need during these times. And if so, pitch it as a novel solution to the many new challenges people are having.

Altruism: Maybe you don't have something to offer that fits within your business model, but you have extra cash to donate or a robust and influential network. Mine your business for resources that you can give to those who have lost everything. For example, you can start a new campaign with your brand's influencers or extra cash to help fund and inspire those who are struggling. Then, pitch it to the media to get the word out that you're offering support. 

Practicality: If your brand has a utility or a good use that can be applied to support those impacted by COVID, double down on telling stories about that thing. For example, if you're a designer and you can design masks—talk about it! Or, if you're running an accounting business, offer to write an op-ed or pitch a podcast interview, where you will provide tangible advice to companies and employees who've lost revenue and income.

Meghan Donovan

Founder, mmd communications

Experience: 13 years

The Tip: My goal is always to be a helpful resource for editors, and now is no different. I am, however, being extra sensitive in my pitches and also more cautious in follow up. There's so much more at play in the world right now than beauty and wellness, and so I think the majority of publicists are trying to be more in-tune with the stories that make the most sense given the current climate.  

Why It Works: I got into PR because I value communication and relationships. Now, more than ever, we need to be resources for one another. I always tell the brands I represent that my style is not mass-pitching or trend pitching but rather I want to meet the editors where their needs are and try and tell the best stories.

This is more important than ever as—work aside—we're all human and we're all trying to manage both stress from working under new constraints but also managing our new normal in the world. I think we all feel stress and anxiety at how our lives are evolving and no one needs overly zealous or tone-deaf pitching in their inboxes. (I've seen a few horror stories circulating that exhibit that!)

Jaspre Guest

Founder & CEO, NOISE 784

Experience: 9 years

The Tip: At NOISE 784, we are focused on keeping positive momentum through this uncertain period. I believe you need to be open to shift strategies by changing the narrative. When everything changes the ability to pivot quickly is almost the surefire way to be still standing when the dust settles. 

Why It Works: During this unprecedented time, consumers are craving direction. We are meeting a need. One of my mantras is to find the hole and go through it. Currently, there are a ton of holes. You just have to reframe the situation. We are highlighting how our clients' expertise can provide guidance to consumers on how to thrive despite the circumstances. 

Simona Rozhko

Founder & CEO, evna media

Experience: 8 years

The Tip: My number one tip for standing out during this time involves a two-step approach. First, you have to quickly let your clients know you're aware of the climate and that things are rapidly changing (for them and for you). Setting up a dedicated call and agenda regarding the situation is crucial so that the next steps can be created to navigate together.

It's an important time to let the world know that brands are still okay, given the circumstances, and that we're in this together. There are many questions that arise week after week, so the client-publicist conversation should remain a two-way street—what changes are we experiencing in PR should the client know about? What changes is the client experiencing that PR should know about?

This leads me into the second step, which is to identify that a pivot has to be made as well as a plan to restrategize for the next TBD period of time featuring new goal-oriented programming for the client. For evna media, it was moving current and future initiatives into a digital-first protocol and making sure we could support our clients beyond PR if need be.

Some initiatives were easily applied to a digital version while others needed more definition and finesse. These initiatives included meetings, product launches, events, desksides, social media, and of course pitching-- heavily monitoring the news cycle and checking in with editors. We were able to quickly create meaningful moments with media while connecting with widespread communities and supporting our clients through this unusual adjustment. 

Why It Works: Relying on digital tools and virtual workshops has worked pretty seamlessly for us because the majority of the world is checking the news, universal updates, stats, government regulations, etc. on our smartphones already. We're creating content in real-time while everyone's user-activity is surging.

On top of that, we are working from the comfort of our own homes, which creates much less physical effort for someone to attend a virtual event or make time for a digital meeting. I think there are going to be many permanent changes post-COVID-19, not only in the PR but across all industries. Some of the tools we're using now that maybe didn't have a place before—because of the forces of innovation—will carry over when we're all back in our offices.

Megan Bell

Senior Account Executive, Sharp Think

Experience: 7 years

The Tip: Be human! It’s important that we’re compassionate and socially aware during these uncertain times. 

Why It Works: The current COVID-19 crisis has impacted all of us on both a personal and professional level, causing us to rethink how we’re communicating with our clients and the media. A sense of compassion for all and sharing relevant, impactful news are the driving forces for our current strategy. We’re checking in with our media contacts to see how they are holding up and asking how we can be most helpful with their editorial plans—after all, we’re all in this together!

This way, we can be sure that we’re sharing the most relevant, topical news to meet their needs. We’re providing solutions for their readers to help tackle everyday issues, from financial anxiety and coping with the changes to our everyday routines to providing a temporary escape through virtual experiences that readers can enjoy from their living rooms. We’ve seen great success in highlighting these much-needed topic areas and feel that our media contacts appreciate this approach. 

With the state of the media landscape changing on a daily basis, my team has made it a priority to check-in with our clients regularly. We’ve shifted our status calls to video conferences for some much-needed face time, which allows us to have a more open and organic dialogue while strategizing. We’ve been nimble and thoughtful in providing creative recommendations for clients, with a primary focus on consumer and community needs. My team is implementing virtual experiences in lieu of in-person meetings or events, and we are crafting solution-based pitches for our product-focused brands.

Now more than ever, we need to prioritize collaboration with our client partners and journalists, as we’re all working towards a collective goal! 

Beth Bassil

Co-Founder, b.good PR

Experience: 7 years

The Tip: Keeping it real. It's not about being self-serving right now and worrying if your brand is making sales or included in every single story. We are encouraging our clients to focus on rebuilding community, take this time to network and collaborate with one another.

Connecting with your network on another level. B.good PR has been hosting virtual coffee meetings where we ask for 15 minutes to meet with our media contacts to learn more about them, the work they do and to pump some fun into our days—it's not all business.

We consider our media relationships like an extended family. In exchange, we share virtual gift cards to their favorite coffee or juice shop to help support local businesses during this time. The response has been so positive—it's really nice to see we're lifting people's moods during this time.

Why It Works: Through the virtual meetings, we're able to connect on a whole other level—learning fun personal quirks about each other, too. We're able to share what our clients are doing during this time to help spread positivity and bring communities together… by keeping it real we've actually landed a lot of opportunities for clients through these meetings.

Up next: How to Adjust Your Media Strategy and Connect With Customers in a Crisis

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Ask an Expert: How to Adjust Your Media Strategy and Connect With Customers in a Crisis

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: Courtesy of Ali Grant

Ali Grant is always ahead of the curve. Case in point: She was among the first people to recognize the power of influencer marketing back in 2011 when she launched her sought-after PR agency Be Social. Today, her client list includes the likes of H&M, SoulCycle, and Tone It Up, so naturally, she’s at the top of our list of experts when it comes to the topic of adjusting a media strategy and connecting with customers during a crisis.

In this installment of our ongoing Instagram Live series, Ask an Expert, the public relations specialist offers her expert guidance on how to navigate marketing and PR in the midst of the COVID-19 new normal. Keep scrolling to read the top three takeaways from the conversation and to find out how to tune into our next Ask an Expert live chat. (Psst… follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram and head to our COVID-19 content hub for more resources on navigating the coronavirus crisis).

1. Lead with compassion.

“If you remain authentic, compassionate, and transparent, you’re one step closer to building trust and loyalty. By building trust, you’re building your consumer relations and brand affinity. Be a resource for your customers during this challenging time, and hopefully, organic sales will come naturally, but that shouldn’t be the prime motivation right now. Consumers will appreciate any value you’re adding to their lives and will support your brand naturally.”

2. Don’t be opportunistic and look for ways to capitalize on this crisis.

“Remember, this is a health crisis. Lead with compassion in every decision. Now is the time to prioritize and pivot. Remember that it’s okay to put a pause on non-essential messaging—evaluate what’s important to push across, and what’s not. Avoid messaging that feel irrelevant or inappropriate right now, and pause or cancel campaigns that don’t make sense. Now is the time to lead with compassion and be inclusive.

3. Find ways to give back to the community and be helpful.

“First and foremost, this a health crisis, the biggest consideration should be humanitarian support. We’re recommending our clients find ways to add value to their customers, whether that means sharing expertise or offering a virtual service, while remaining authentic to their brands. Keep your brand mission together but pivot messaging to remain relevant and considerate of the time. Be a resource for accurate news and information.”

About the Expert: Ali Grant launched Be Social in 2011 as one of the first agencies executing integrated influencer outreach and collaboration. Be Social has been named one of Inc.’s fastest growing businesses spearheading influencer campaigns. Accolades, speaking engagements, and notable press coverage include Inc., PRWeek The Innovation 50, Forbes, Huffington Post, Fashion Monitor, The PR Closet, PR Couture, Bulldog Reporter, Daily Front Row, BW Confidential, The Holmes Report, America’s Beauty Show, and O’Dwyer PR.

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

50 Ways to Practice Self-Care and Prevent Burnout While Working From Home During COVID-19

Photo: Smith House Photography

Did you know that two in three workers today feel burned out? That’s not a difficult stat to believe considering American workers put in the most hours when compared to other industrialized nations like the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

Now that we’re all working from home and sheltering in place in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, logging off at the end of the day to maintain some semblance of work-life balance is harder than ever. But, guess what? If you keep going without stopping, your body will force you, eventually because you will burn out, which could mean that it will take you even longer to get back on track. As with everything, preventing is better than curing, so stop hustling and start healing before burnout sets in. 

Here are 50 ways to practice self-care and prevent burnout while working from home during COVID-19, and be sure to scroll to the end to shop our Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Self-Care Bundle with a habits tracker, sleep log, self-care panel videos, and so much more! 

1. Have a mini declutter session.

2. Get eight hours of sleep

3. Meditate for 5 minutes. 

4. Watch your favorite movie. 

5. Take an Epsom salt bath with lavender. 

6. Burn your favorite candle.

7. Turn off your phone for a few hours.

8. Go for a walk.

9. Write yourself a love letter.

10. Make a list of goals.

11. Put some music on and dance away.

12. Make your favorite meal or snack.

13. Go outside and put your bare feet on the grass. 

14. Take your vitamins.

15. Make a cup of tea.

16. Write down 10 things you’re grateful for.

17. Give yourself a manicure.

18. Do yoga or some stretching.

19. Pick some flowers and put them in a vase.

20. Write a self-love list.

21. Have an intense workout session.

22. Listen to your favorite song. 

23. Wear your favorite outfit.

24. Learn something new.

25. Sing in the shower.

26. Write a letter to your future self.

27. Create a vision board.

28. Call someone you love.

29. Read a book. 

30. Take a nap.

31. Write your favorite quotes on post-it notes and stick them around the house and office

32. Write affirmations and put them where you can see them every day. 

33. Organize your closet.

34. Host a virtual game night.

35. Bake your favorite cookies. 

36. Try a new recipe from a cookbook. 

37. Show a random act of kindness. 

38. Create a bucket list.

39. Write a kind note to someone. 

40. Start a journal.

41. Sleep in.

42. Go outside, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and soak in the sun. 

43. Listen to a podcast. 

44. Watch a documentary and learn something new. 

45. Get crafty. 

46. Listen to nature sounds.

47. Make a playlist of your favorite songs.

48. Work on a puzzle.

49. Do something you’ve avoided. 

50. Take a moment to reflect on your life and the good things.

Want another 50 ways to practice self-care and prevent burnout?

Add the Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Self-Care Bundle to your cart, or get unlimited access to our entire library of downloads and videos when you join Insiders.

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Ask an Expert: 3 Ways to Connect, Collaborate, and Grow Your Biz While Social Distancing

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

There’s no question that we’re living in uncertain, anxiety-ridden times, especially if you’re an entrepreneur whose business has come to a screeching halt since the country was told to stay home starting in mid-March. We’re being faced with unprecedented pressure to pivot, innovate, and get wildly creative to keep our businesses afloat, yet we’re housebound and unable to be out in the world doing business as usual.

So what’s an entrepreneur to do? Collaborate like your business depends on it (because it just might.) 

Collaboration has always been an incredible way to achieve your business goals, whether that includes growing your email list and social following, gaining credibility as a thought leader in your space, or collaborating with another brand on a product or service offering. It’s been entirely through collaboration and partnerships that I’ve grown my own business, and I’ve taught dozens of other entrepreneurs how to do the same. But now, more than ever, adopting a collaboration strategy is crucial to staying in front of your potential audience and continuing to bring in revenue. 

Here are three ways you can leverage collaboration to help your business survive this indefinite period of social distancing.

1. Do More With Less

Even if you haven’t seen your revenue slow or stop, there’s definitely a lingering feeling of uneasiness floating around about if and when that will happen. With a recession looming, now is the perfect time to take a “do more with less” approach to your marketing. By combining your resources, energy, and time with a like-minded individual or brand, you’ll be able to do exactly that. 

Most of the collaborations I help my clients create are barter-based, meaning no money is exchanged between partners. That’s good news for entrepreneurs who weren’t working with a lot of marketing dollars to begin with, but it’s even better news for entrepreneurs who have had to reallocate their budget to other areas of the business in the last few weeks.

When you collaborate with another individual or brand, you’re able to tap into their reach, resources, content, and community, and vice-versa. If you and your partner decide to run a co-produced webinar and promote it to each of your audiences, your combined reach becomes much greater than each of yours alone. On the flip side, when you both contribute to a collaboration, the effort required to run it is the same or less than it would be if you were to do it alone. Greater reach + less effort = collaboration at its finest.  

2. Amplify Each Other’s Voices

If I had a dollar for every free downloadable or webinar that’s been promoted to me in the last week alone, I wouldn’t be worried about a recession. Our normal platforms for promotion have gotten exhaustingly loud, which makes cutting through that noise increasingly difficult. When you collaborate, you and your partner are able to amplify one another’s voices and share the same message to multiple audiences, which is a heck of a lot more powerful than two individual voices screaming with multiple offers to the same target market.

Going back to the co-produced webinar example, when you choose to combine yours and your partner’s knowledge and expertise into one webinar as opposed to you each creating and running your own, you increase the likelihood that people will actually sign up. Instead of each of you promoting your own individual webinars, you can both promote one. One message, one call to action, one amplified voice speaking over the many other voices yelling into the feed. 

3. Innovate and Collaborate

One potential bright spot in an otherwise dark time is that by the end of this (whenever that may be) I have no doubt that some amazing new products, services, and companies will emerge. When your back is against the wall, sometimes the only escape is through innovation and some serious creative thinking. Often the best solutions to life’s challenges come from people joining forces and working together in a collaborative effort. Or, as I like to say, “My This + Your That = Our Magic.”

The best way to initiate the innovation through the collaboration process is to think about all of the people in your community who offer a product or service that’s complementary to yours and choose one or two who you’d feel comfortable brainstorming ideas with. Reach out and see if they’re open to putting your heads together to find ways to make one another’s offerings that much better. 

By bringing in a different set of eyeballs, you’re able to see your business from a fresh perspective. When you look at your business as a whole, are there areas where you feel like you might be able to expand your thinking and try a new approach? If you’ve been offering the same services for a while, perhaps now is the perfect time to shake everything out on the table and pick up only the pieces that feel relevant going forward. In addition to each of you expanding your individual businesses, you might find ways to combine your offerings together to co-create something new that will serve both of your audiences. 

Even though “social distancing” looks to be our new reality for the foreseeable future, that doesn’t mean we can’t connect and collaborate with our community. Now, more than ever, we must band together with those around us to help keep each other going. It will be through collaboration that we’re able to rise to the challenge and find new ways to do business and - hopefully - survive this tumultuous time. 

It’s together that we’ll get through this and emerge stronger and more capable than before. 

About the Expert: Baily Hancock is a collaboration consultant, speaker, and the host of the “Stop, Collaborate & Listen” Podcast who’s on a mission to save humanity with collaboration. Join the Collaboration Coalition Facebook Group to find potential partners and receive Baily’s collaboration templates, tools, and tips.

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

Ask a Lawyer: I Was Furloughed, Laid Off, or Fired Because of COVID-19—What Do I Do Now?

We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!

Photo: Andrew Neel for Pexels

Here’s a staggering statistic: Nearly 10 million people in the United States have filed for unemployment benefits in the past two weeks alone. To put that into perspective, that’s more than double the population of Los Angeles (which currently has an estimated 4 million residents) and two million more people than currently reside in New York City (with its estimated 8 million residents). Like we said, staggering.

In this installment of Ask an Expert, we tapped two lawyers to answer all your most pressing questions about being furloughed, laid off, or fired in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Ahead, Brenda Schamy, the co-founding partner at DiSchino & Schamy, PLLC, and Tara E. Faenza, a labor and employment attorney, walk us through everything you need to know if you’ve lost your job, including available financial relief resources.

Read on to dive into their detailed answers, then keep scrolling to find out how to tune into our next Ask an Expert conversation on Instagram.

I was recently furloughed. What does that mean? Why do companies furlough? 

Furlough is a mandatory suspension from work without pay,  which can be for any time period at the sole discretion of the company. This is a cost-saving method when the company does not want to terminate the employee but can’t afford to pay them. Furloughed employees may not do any work for the company. If they do any work for that company they must pay them for the day if hourly must pay for hours worked. For salaried employees, they must be compensated. Some companies will block access to email and other resources to ensure that no work is being done. It is important to discuss this with the company or with your employees so everyone understands how the furlough will work.  

Do furloughed employees still get paid? 

No, while furloughed employees will not be paid unless work is performed. (see above). 

Is being furloughed actually better than being fired/laid off? Or is it the same thing? What’s the difference? 

In some ways, yes. Although when furloughed the company is not paying you, the assumption (although the company is not obligated to) is that you will be rehired once the company returns to normal.  This may also eliminate the need to re-apply, interview, run background checks, and more. Unlike a furlough, a lay off is a permanent separation from the company. Whether you were furloughed or laid off, if you are an "at-will" employee, you are free to apply and look for other work during this time.

How long can a company furlough an employee? Why do they choose that option instead of firing an employee? 

The law does not define this time frame. As mentioned above, in some circumstances, the intention of the company is to bring the employee back after things return to normal and the company doesn't want to start the process from the beginning. 

Can I collect unemployment when I’ve been furloughed? Can I still apply for other jobs? What are my rights? 

Yes and yes. Your rights are the same as if you were employed as it relates to discrimination, retaliation, and other employment laws. Unless bound by a contract, you are free to look for other work, whether temporary or permanent. If furloughed or laid off and you have certain contractual restrictions such as non-competes you may want to discuss a waiver of these provisions with your employer. However, all applications for unemployment must be truthful. If you are furloughed but maybe now working part-time or other particular circumstances, you must disclose and correctly answer all questions on the unemployment application.

What steps can I take now that I have been fired, laid off, or furloughed? How can I get financial support while I look for work? What advice can you share? 

Stay positive! Look for work or use this time to polish your resume, start a business you've always wanted or freelance! Update your resume and emphasize your flexibility, tech-savviness, and ability to work from home. Also, the CARES Act will provide for unemployment to be increased by $600 additional per week by the federal government and extend benefits for 13 extra weeks. Many lenders (e.g. credit cards, car loans, etc.) will offer forbearance or temporary holds on accounts to delay bills between 1-3 months. Student loans, for example, are delayed during this time. Additionally, the CARES Act provides for direct financial assistance to Americans in the form of a one-time direct payment in the amount of:

• $1,200 for individuals earning $75,000 or less, 

• $2,400 for individuals filing a joint return earning $150,000 or less, 

• $1,200 for heads of household earning $112,500 or less, and $500 per child.

The U.S. Treasury stated that the administration expects to begin direct payments to individuals within three weeks of the CARES Act being signed into law.

Is my job still available when the company goes back to being in a financially stable position? How will I know that time has come? 

This depends on your company and you. The company may not come back, so stay in contact and protect yourself. Do not assume there will be a job or a company to come back to and even if there is it may not be in the same financial position or have the same staffing needs as it was before. For companies who furloughed or took advantage of the CARES Act, and other government incentives, loans, and grants, there are advantages in the form of loan forgiveness, if they take the employee back and meet other requirements. Your company should communicate with you when you are able to return. Should you feel that your company might not make it, you should consider other employment options as soon as possible.

I’m a small business owner and I think I need to furlough employees. What are the pros and cons? Can employees dip into their PTO or vacation balances to be paid during the furlough? 

Pros are that you can keep valuable employees with certain conditions. Employers should check with their benefits provider to determine what is required and see from a state practitioner what is required for furloughs. When you return to "normal," your uptime is faster, your team is in place and ready to work. Cons are that you may end up losing employees who need money and find other jobs before you can return to normal. You may end up paying for insurance benefits for employees during this time, which is also expensive. 

Employees do not need to dip into their own sick and PTO time. Can they? That depends upon your state laws and company policy. A company is not required to advance paid time off that is not yet earned. 

The company is required to pay Emergency Paid Sick Leave for those either (1) quarantined due to sickness or government order and cannot work remotely or in person or (2) is caring for someone who is sick or a child who is not in school. The maximum is (1) $5,110 (100% of base pay) and (2) $2,000 (2/3 of base pay). Some Companies may be eligible to apply for certain loans (which may eventually be forgiven if certain requirements are met)  like the Payroll Protection Program which may lend up to 2.5X a business' average total monthly payroll if the business meets certain criteria.

How do I go about it? What tips can you share? Are there resources or templates I can use to help? 

You can speak to an employment, corporate, or other attorney for help. Accountants and bankers often help with locating the applications for these various programs. The banks are currently developing processes and applications and those may not be available yet but contact your bank to find out more as things continue to progress. Other .gov websites may offer additional insight on unemployment applications and information regarding the CARES Act and its application.

I was recently laid off due to COVID-19 but I didn’t receive a severance package. Is that legal? What are my rights? 

Federal law and most state laws do not require severance or any kind. Failure to pay severance is not unlawful, in most cases, barring an employment contract or union agreement.

I was laid off at work with no notice. Does my employer have to give me notice before laying me off? What are my legal rights?  

With the exception of large companies under the WARN Act, which applies mainly to large companies, most small or medium-sized companies do not need to give notice.

How do I know if my layoff was illegal? Do employees have any protections from being laid off? Can you fight a layoff? 

An employer who lays off may usually do so without legal recourse. However, if the selection of the person who is laid off is due to age, race, gender, national origin, pregnancy, color, religion, disability, or other protected category, the selection of that employee for lay off (who arguably would not have been laid off) may be unlawful. In other words, layoffs or furloughs do not relax the laws relating to unlawful discrimination and retaliation. 

You would be better off working with an employer, rather than fighting (e.g. temporarily reduced hours or pay), if you wish to maintain that employment relationship. Otherwise, "fighting" a lay off would be no different now than if fired for any other reason. You are still terminated, but you will need to prove an unlawful motivation for you specifically if you wanted to file a claim for unlawful termination. However please keep in mind that each case is fact and state-specific and it's best if you feel you were wrongfully terminated to contact an attorney.

What can I do/what are my rights if I think I got fired for no reason? 

In most states, you can be fired for a "good reason, bad reason, or no reason at all..." and it is lawful. If you believe you were terminated for an unlawful or discriminatory reason, contact an attorney to determine your rights.

About the Experts: Brenda Schamy is a founding partner at DiSchino & Schamy, PLLC. She practices a blend of litigation and transactional work. Brenda concentrates her practice in the areas of entertainment, hospitality, branding, fashion, art, startups, and general business dealings. Prior to founding her own law firm, which subsequently merged to become DiSchino & Schamy, PLLC she was a Miami Dade Public Defender. Brenda is currently licensed in Florida, New York, District of Columbia, and Michigan.

Tara E. Faenza is a labor and employment attorney who represents companies and employees in employment and labor disputes and advises clients in all aspects of employment law, as well as and general litigation matters. Ms. Faenza represents clients in pre-litigation counseling before the EEOC and the FCHR, as well as in state and federal court. Ms. Faenza is an aggressive and skilled federal and state court litigator, having served as a trial attorney and former prosecutor for the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, where she tried over twenty cases to jury verdict.

DISCLAIMER: The information here is not legal advice. Legal advice is fact-specific and can differ from state to state.  

Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert. 

Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!

We Talked to 4 Music Industry Insiders About How Coronavirus Is Impacting Their Business

Photo: Retha Ferguson for Pexels

No industry is immune to the sudden rise of the stay-at-home economy—and the music industry is no exception. With people around the world practicing social distancing, self-quarantining, and sheltering in place, concert venues have been shuttered, music festivals have been postponed, and album tours have been canceled in a concerted effort to flatten the coronavirus curve.

To find out how the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the music industry, we chatted with artists, record-label founders, and even the music partnerships manager at Instagram. Ahead, they fill us in on how they’re adjusting to the new normal, how they’re pivoting to adapt during this period, and what fans can do to help support the industry, even if they don’t have a dollar to spare.

Lizzy Plapinger, aka LPX, Co-Founder of Neon Gold Records

“A

rtists will continue to create and be mirrors and loudspeakers to the world around us, they/we can be light in the darkest of times, or a friend and voice in the void.”

—Lizzy Plapinger, aka LPX, Co-Founder of Neon Gold Records

How are you handling the news as the co-founder of a record label and as an independent artist? Are you able to work from home?

While I’m generally a pretty productive person and regular self-starter, it’s been challenging to go about “business as usual” because nothing about the world is “as usual” right now. I’m grateful that, while not ideal, it is actually possible for me to work from home and that I’m still able to freely pivot between my roles at Neon Gold and as LPX throughout the day, but it is a huge adjustment emotionally and mentally. 

Right now I’m focused on regularly checking in with my artists to see how they’re doing and how/if I can help provide them with resources to create, listening to their music and providing feedback. Writing new music as LPX and going through old demos while trying to finish up new releases I have slated for the coming months. Exploring more sync opportunities. Reaching out to people for collaborations, remixes, production edits, features etc. Deep diving on new music for both pleasure and business. Looking at music grants to apply for and share with my community for anyone in need, including myself. Getting creative with DIY video projects. Putting deals together for new artists to make sure we’re continuing to sow seeds of opportunity for the future. Encouraging myself and more women to try their hand at producing and engaging on the more technical side of things. And potentially most importantly, talking to friends, artists, family (and myself) off the ledge in those understandable moments of *wtf is going on.* 

Allowing myself, my colleagues and my artists the space to cut themselves some slack and give them the support they need for their mental well being has and is an important piece of this. In the end, we’re only human and these are unprecedented times. Finding the balance between carrying on and finding a new normal for what a constructive day looks like while also taking care of oneself is going to take a minute to figure out.

How has social distancing and the cancelation of festivals, concerts, tours, and live events impacted your business operations and financials? Can you share some ways that you've pivoted to adapt during this period?

With the live side completely shut down, it feels like losing a limb. Shows, tours, and festivals are a CRUCIAL part of this industry. To take that out of the equation is a detriment to everyone involved (the artists, the fans, the agents, the promoters, and the labels). Financially, it’s a hit for everyone. And an enormous loss to the artists and their fans. 

As LPX, I had two tours on the horizon supporting Maggie Rogers and Carly Rae Jepsen and a headline tour of my own (and two more for the fall to be confirmed), which are now all up in the air. I rely on those opportunities to make money, sell merch, engage new fans and connect with an audience. It’s also the most sacred and important aspect of being an artist to me, so on a personal level, it is emotionally, artistically and financially gutting. 

The emphasis is now on engaging fans on the social side and continuing to release music and take advantage of the people (artists, producers, mixers, writers, etc.) who might have otherwise been too busy or unavailable. Some of our artists are doing live streams and we’re trying to get creative in ways that are genuine to both the artists and the fans. Whether that’s an acoustic set, inviting people into the studio with them, releasing live videos of old performances, showcasing other sides or talents they have on social media. It’s cool to be let into people's creative process or to see a song in the raw etc. But for me it doesn’t come close to replacing the live side—nothing could. 

But artists will continue to create and be mirrors and loudspeakers to the world around us, they/we can be light in the darkest of times, or a friend and voice in the void. I have always felt purpose in music, from both sides, and now more than ever. Nothing will take that away, not even the indefinite halting of shows. 

What advice can you share for fans who want to help support the music industry right now?

There are SO many concrete ways to help support the artists you love, financially and otherwise, and it is NEEDED right now more than ever. Below are a number of ways you can really help the music industry and artists you love:

STREAM their music. A song has to played for at least 30 seconds for it to register as a “play,” and every stream helps show the DSPS (Spotify/Apple/Amazon/Pandora, etc.) that there is a fan while also helping to pay the artist, labels, and publishers. It will also help get them placed on more playlists which will help get the artist more exposure.

ADD songs to your playlists (public and private). This registers behind the scenes in a way that is super helpful for the artist. 

SHARE and PROMOTE the songs and artists you love on socials and TAG them. Introducing new fans to their music is crucial and you are their best and most important asset in doing that. 

BUY MERCH if you can afford to. This helps put money back in the pocket of the artist directly (where they usually sell on tour) and in a lot of cases right now artists are using that money to help give back to their band and former road crews who are currently out of work.

BUY MUSIC online, vinyl, cd, tape if you can afford to.

COMMENT/LIKE/FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE on all socials across the board: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, etc. 

Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums

“

Our entire industry is taking a hit, so we are all in it together in figuring out ways to support our crew members, the venues, and back-end business representatives.”

—Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums

How are you handling the news as an artist? Are you able to work from home? How have you pivoted to that schedule?  

As far as the social distancing aspect of all of this, oddly enough, it’s not so far off from my lifestyle anyway. I pretty much stay in the house and work from home, especially when I’m not on the road. I think the main factors for me have been the uncertainty of how long this will realistically be, how it’s going to affect our ability to pay our staff that we keep on retainer when we will actually be able to tour, and when we can have sessions in the same space as other human beings without worrying.

I think with the shift of musicians having their own home studio spaces and making music without having to go to pay hourly locations has made it easier to continue to be creative, COVID-19 can’t really stop that ship from sailing. So where I may pivot from collaboration in the same space as others, I’m able to do a lot of work virtually, it’s just a learning curve because I am forced to engineer my own sessions, which can be frustrating but liberating. 

How has social distancing and the cancelation of festivals, concerts, tours, and live events impacted your business operations and financials? 

We were very lucky in that we got through the majority of our summer tour. A lot of my friends were not so lucky and are having to revise their plans. At this point, all any of us can do is wait it out. Personally, I’ve been trying not to wrap my head around things I cannot control and allowing our teams to strategize and figure out how to best plan the rest of the year. 

However, I am working to help support initiatives that help others. Our entire industry is taking a hit, so we are all in it together in figuring out ways to support our crew members, the venues, and back-end business representatives. I know that the entertainment agencies are working to get some sort of stimulus in order.  A lot of bands and artists are rescheduling tours for later in the season. It’s really a wait-and-see at this stage. IG Live has become a popular tool for many of us, including DJs who can’t work due to venue and event cancelations. 

What advice can you share for fans who want to help support the music industry right now?

I think, monetarily speaking, people can donate to organizations like Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, Music For Relief (which currently has a COVID-19 response fund running to support industry professionals who are most vulnerable to the economic crisis, as well as funding public health efforts), and Plus1, which also has a COVID-19 Relief fund running. Other simple ways are buying band merchandise, especially merch from smaller baby bands and independents, and yes, buying music still matters.

I think people can support in non-monetary ways by supporting artists’ posts, watching their live feeds on IG and FB, commenting just letting us know that you appreciate us, and spreading the word about causes we are trying to support. I would also say by being compassionate towards artists who have to cancel shows. Keep things positive. It is really hard to let our fans down, even harder when we have to read negative comments on our pages. Above all STAY HOME, so we can get through this sooner!  

Lola Plaku, CEO of Lola Media Group & Founder of Girl Connected

“

Don’t just listen to a song or an album or watch a YouTube clip; share that with someone, even if it’s just two or three people in your immediate circle. Hopefully, your one view can turn into 10, that 10 can turn into 100, that 100 into 1000, and so on.”

—Lola Plaku, CEO of Lola Media Group & Founder of Girl Connected

How are you handling the news as the founder and owner of a leading artist management and branding company? Are you able to work from home?

Over the past year, I have spent most of my time working in the office growing my business and my team. Many of the marketing ideas we execute are online, so working during this time hasn’t been much different.

The methods have shifted slightly, so we’re constantly figuring out how to best deliver messages to consumers without over saturating them. Some ideas we were hoping to implement have been halted due to social distancing and businesses closing down temporarily, so that’s been a little bit tough for the artists and projects that require creative asset delivery. 

How has social distancing and the cancelation of live events impacted your business operations and financials? Can you share some ways that you've pivoted to adapt during this period?

Social distancing has mainly affected the creation of certain content like photo and video shoots, in-studio interviews, and any other creative that requires several individuals to work together. I haven’t had to deal with booking cancellations for talent yet, but I’m sure as the weeks pass we’ll have to plan and adjust accordingly. The company’s Girl Connected initiative for women in the entertainment community produces quarterly events for over 400 attendees, so we have put those events on hold for now and will offer online tools and resources to our group of mentees and community members. 

What advice can you share for fans who want to help support the music industry right now?

I think people are finding ways to create and support from home, and conversation and consumption are two of the biggest driving factors of an artist's success. Conversation is you telling your friends, your family and your immediate and social network about something or someone you like. Hopefully, 10% of those people engage with what you are saying and tell their social circle about that artist, song, album, movie, show, etc. as well. And the circle continues.

If you and the people you are communicating with also decide to stream/watch/talk about said artist, then you have created a domino effect that can turn into financial income for the artist on the backend. While you’re at home, share what you’re doing with others. What are you listening to? What are you watching? Where are you getting information from? Don’t just listen to a song or an album or watch a YouTube clip; share that with someone, even if it’s just two or three people in your immediate circle. Hopefully, your one view can turn into 10, that 10 can turn into 100, that 100 into 1000, and so on. Artists, writers, producers, and managers can make money off streams, publishing, and sales from projects and content that have already been delivered to platforms! 

Fadia Kader, Music Partnership Manager at Instagram

“

I suggest not only supporting your favorite artists by streaming their music or purchasing merch, but also by being kind to one another and sharing uplifting messages with other fans and the artist directly.”

—Fadia Kader, Music Partnership Manager at Instagram

How are you handling the news as the music partnership manager at Instagram?

Going with the flow. It’s important for me to stay on top of the news and find a way to engage with music partners to keep them motivated during these times, which in turn, keeps me motivated and creative. 

Are you able to work from home? How have you pivoted to that schedule?
I am very lucky to have the kind of role that allows me the flexibility to do my job remotely, so the working-from-home adjustment hasn’t been too bad for me, but I do miss interacting with my colleagues in the office. Sticking to my daily schedule gives me a sense of normalcy.

What trends have you been seeing across Instagram and how have artists been using the platform to their advantage? 

With artists not being able to connect to their audiences and fans in person at shows, it’s been really inspiring to see them connect in real-time on IG Live. More than ever, artists are getting more and more comfortable with the feature and realizing the value of connecting directly with an audience in real-time.

What advice can you share for fans who want to help support the music industry right now?

I suggest not only supporting your favorite artists by streaming their music or purchasing merch, but also by being kind to one another and sharing uplifting messages with other fans and the artist directly. Encouraging artists to stay their creative ground and practice self-care in these times. We are all in the same boat and all we need right now is to be there for one another. Even if it's virtual.

Up next: 7 Things a Financial Expert Says to Do to Prepare for COVID-19

18 Women With Stressful Jobs on the TV Shows They Binge-Watch to Unwind

Photo: Vincent Rivaud for Pexels

It’s safe to say stress levels are at an all-time high. The Dow Jones had its worst day since the 1987 crash, nearly 10 million people have filed for unemployment benefits in the past two weeks alone, and have we mentioned we’re in the midst of an unprecedented public health pandemic? If you’re in need of a bit of escapism (because, honestly, who couldn’t use a break from the anxiety-inducing headlines RN?), scroll on.

Ahead, we tapped 18 women with stressful jobs to find out which TV shows help them unwind at the end of a long day. Whether you’re drawn to dramas filled with heartfelt moments and melodramatic soundtracks or you have an affinity for comedies that make you laugh so hard you start to cry, here are the shows you should tune in to in order to tune out, according to founders, CEOs, and all-around bosses.

Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton

Founder & CEO, Chillhouse

The Show: “New Girl”

Why She Loves It: “‘New Girl,’ forever and always. It’s become my new ‘Friends.’ I put it on right before I want to close my eyes and it makes me doze off in complete ease every time.”

Kristin O'Keeffe Merrick

Financial Advisor, O'Keeffe Financial Partners

The Shows: “Workin’ Moms,” “I’m Sorry,” and “Better Call Saul”

Why She Loves It: "I am a TV addict so I have a huge list of shows. My go-to's for a good laugh are 'Workin' Moms' (Netflix), 'I'm Sorry' (Andrea Savage is just the best), and 'Better Call Saul' because it's BRILLIANT."

Katie Sturino

Founder, Megababe

The Show: “90 Day Fiancé”

Why She Loves It: “I could give you a million reasons why I love it. One of my favorite things about it is that I like watching people having to adapt to other cultures… all while they start a new relationship!”

Ally Walsh

Co-Founder, Canyon Coffee

The Show: “Law and Order: SVU”

Why She Loves It: ”I would have to say my go-to show is ‘Law and Order: SVU!’ I grew up watching with my mom and it was something we always put on together at night. It gets you out of your own head and engaged in a whole other world.”

Kaylin Marcotte

Founder & CEO, Jiggy

The Shows: “The Office” and “American Idol”

Why She Loves It: "My go-to TV show to unwind is ‘The Office’—it's easy, fun, and can be watched in any order. I never get through an episode without laughing out loud. (Plus, I understand so many more memes/quotes now!). I also rediscovered “American Idol” recently and it's so heartwarming, I've been loving it."

Jessica Assaf

Co-Founder & Chief Education Officer, Prima

The Show: “The Bachelor”

Why She Loves It: “There is no rational reason why this concept could work, but somehow people really do find love. There have been so many Bachelor marriages and babies and I love getting lost in an episode after a long day.”

Tonya Rapley

Financial Expert & Founder, My Fab Finance

The Show: “90 Day Fiancé”

Why She Loves It: "I think a lot with my day-to-day work. This show literally allows me to get lost in the problems and dealings of others. I'm so fascinated by the lengths people will go for the idea of love.”

Tracey Hummel

Founder, Bee & Kin

The Show: “Friday Night Lights”

Why She Loves It: “To de-stress and unwind, I've been on this binge of watching old TV shows that I never got to watch when they were airing! So I just started watching ‘Friday Night Lights’ and it's addictive. It helps me decompress after days of working from home. I love watching something that I can really get into and not think about what's going on in the world for at least 45 minutes. It also gives me hope that we will get back to some sort of normalcy sooner than later.” 

Daniella Mizrahi

Founder, Yella Activewear

The Shows: “Workin’ Moms” and “Schitt's Creek”

Why She Loves It: “Comedic relief and a reminder/appreciation of simpler times!”

Amanda Greeley

Founder, Thelma

The Show: “Curb Your Enthusiasm”

Why She Loves It: “I've been enjoying the new season of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (sad to say the finale just aired). Some Larry David humor can always make me laugh. Maybe it's time to dip into the archives.” 

Gretchen Maclver

Founder, Treehouse Kidswear

The Shows: “McMillions” and “Tiger King”

Why She Loves It: “I started watching ‘McMillions’ just before the COVID-19 crisis broke out and binged my way through it as I was working late in the evenings. However, my true guilty pleasure is now Netflix’s ‘Tiger King,’ which I just discovered. It not only reminds me that it could be worse (as in, my husband could be tiger bait... or, worse, I’d be willing to volunteer him as tiger bait), but I can’t help but chuckle imagining what state we’d currently be in if Joe Exotic had been elected, you know, I can’t say for certain, but I think it would be worse? This show has forced me to drop everything I’m doing and totally tune in, which is a pretty great release. Watch it. Your. Mouth. Will. Drop. And, it just keeps getting better with each episode.”

Melanie Travis

Founder & CEO, Andie

The Show: “Friends”

Why She Loves It: “It's been my go-to since high school. There's something so relaxing about tuning in to watch their issues, heartbreaks, wins. It never gets old and it really helps me de-stress and unwind.”

Fatma Collins

Co-Founder & CEO, Ten Little

The Show: “Self Made”

Why She Loves It: “I just watched ‘Self Made’ on Netflix this week. It was inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker, who built a beauty empire that challenged the status quo in challenging times, and became America’s first self-made female millionaire. As a female entrepreneur who is building a new brand during these uncertain times, Madam C. J. Walker’s determination was inspiring. The feel-good nature of the series helped lift up my spirits and find comfort in other founder’s stories.”

Jamie Grimstad

Co-Founder & CEO, Favour Gum

The Show: Whatever is currently on the Food Network

Why She Loves It: “For me, it’s Food Network all the way (with a little reality TV mixed in, if I’m being honest)—which is kind of nerdy, but I think it speaks to why I love cooking in the first place. During the week, I make it a point to come home from work and cook dinner every night—as it truly is a time where I can destress/unwind, and not be distracted by my phone or computer screen. Even if it’s a 20-minute meal, taking that little amount of time to myself to get creative in the kitchen, helps me to re-focus on whatever I need to tackle next.” 

Margaret Luce

Co-Founder, Favour Gum

The Shows: “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” “60 Minutes,” and “Later... with Jools Holland”

Why She Loves It: “I love to unwind with HBO’s ‘Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.’ I save the episodes and watch 20 minutes at a time. They are like small documentaries mostly dealing with athletes journeys the good and the bad. On Sunday nights, ‘60 Minutes’ is still my favorite. I also search for ‘Later... with Jools Holland,’ one night catching Kings of Leon, Sting, M83 and Jimmy Page. The show is groundbreaking and cast in such a unique way. It’s on my DVR ,I’m a music lover so when this is on I’m locked in :).)”

Kerry Benjamin

Founder & CEO, StackedSkincare

The Shows: “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Schitt’s Creek”

Why She Loves It: ”’Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and ‘Schitt’s Creek’ are hilarious and perfect to get my mind off the insanity!”

Rachel Sanders

Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Rootine Vitamins

The Shows: “Grey's Anatomy,” “Gilmore Girls,” and “Entourage”

Why She Loves It: ”I am a big proponent of re-watching series I have previously loved to destress/unwind—very low stress and super easy and fun entertainment. Recently, I have been re-watching ‘Grey's Anatomy,’ which has brought back some fun memories as I started watching the show with my mother when I was much younger. Once I am done, I am planning to re-watch ‘Gilmore Girls!’ I am from a smaller town in Connecticut and I always loved the reminder of home, especially during these times when I can't really travel to see my family in CT.  My husband and I also started re-watching ‘Entourage’ together, a welcome bit of comedic relief!”

Andrea Blieden

General Manager, United States, The Body Shop

The Shows: “Below Deck,” “Summer House,” and “Billions”

Why She Loves It: “A lot of Bravo. It’s one of my favorite things to watch, especially recently. Some of my favorites are ‘Below Deck’ and ‘Summer House.’ But for when I do switch it up a bit, I really love to watch ‘Billions.’”

Up next: 10 Women Who Have Your Dream Job on How They Fight Burnout, Stay Motivated, and Get Re-Energized for Work

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