Create & Cultivate 100: Philanthropy: Grace Mahary
LIGHTING THE WAY.
LIGHTING THE WAY.
Grace Mahary, model and philanthropist, is all about bringing love and light to the world.
A first generation Canadian of Eritrean descent, Grace has walked in Victoria Secret shows and graced the pages of Vogue, but over the last four years, she has been researching renewable energy solutions, especially for countries lacking electrical and mechanical infrastructure
Drawing from her global network, Grace compiled a team to create tangible clean energy solutions for communities around the world, turning her sights to something near and dear to her heart: Project Tsheigh.
Project Tsehigh ( (pronounced se-hai, PjT for short) was established in New York City in 2015. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing uninterrupted energy to impoverished communities around the world via renewable energy sources. Tsehigh, translated as “sun” in English, is determined to bring uninterrupted clean energy to impoverished communities around the world, Grace launched the non-profit in Eritrea, home to her family and a place in desperate need of sustainable clean energy.
That’s what we call beauty on the inside. Keep shining Grace.
More below.
Name: Grace Mahary
Instagram: @gracemahary
Business Instagram: @ProjectTsehigh
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My parents, as they are extremely passionate people who exemplify hard work and perseverance.
How do you feel as a woman in tech?
I’ve never thought to consider myself “a woman in tech” because I don’t have formal STEM education. However, as I learned more about the sciences through my work with Project Tsehigh, I realized that I’m passionate about advancing technologies in the renewables space that will improve the quality of life for so many people. The traditional definition of technology is expanding, and I’m honored to be surrounded by these intelligent, strong women who are changing the world.
It’s great to see the numbers of women in stem rise, but it’s also important for young girls and adult women to know that if you don’t want to go into a career in tech or math or sciences, it doesn’t make your career less meaningful. As someone who has two careers, can you talk a bit about this?
I’ve had to deal with defending my job throughout my entire modeling career. Some people think that the fashion industry is completely frivolous and that modeling is as easy as standing in front of a camera and smiling. That’s definitely untrue, and now modeling has opened so many doors for Project Tsehigh. And even though I’m developing my STEM skills, that doesn’t devalue my career as a model. If you follow your passion, there is always room to incorporate purpose.
Would you say modeling gave you a thicker skin to deal with the STEM field?
Modeling has taught me a lot of valuable skills like confidence, independence, and the importance of humility. All of those skills are transferable to running a business or nonprofit. Project Tsehigh is still very new, and I compare it to a startup tech company that is building its infrastructure, reiterating processes and fundraising. This year we launched our first project and donated 105 solar power units to households and establishments in Maaya, Eritrea. It was one of the most challenging -- and rewarding -- projects I have ever worked on in my entire career. There were set-ups, setbacks, and comebacks, but my confidence, independence and humility helped me persevere.
What are your hopes for young women who are interested in STEM?
My hope is that young women who are interested in STEM are never discouraged because society says that tech is for men, or that working in tech “makes you less feminine” -- which is just ridiculous! Growing up I wanted to be a basketball star, but I was conditioned to think that women were either athletes or they were “girly girls” -- we couldn’t be both. As I grew older, I quickly learned that wasn’t true at all. I was able to play ball and walk the Victoria’s Secret Runway Show. The great thing about STEM is that you can combine multiple passions to make your career. If you love coding and reading, you could create an app for finding the best books. If you love the math and fashion, you could manage the finances for the biggest fashion houses. The possibilities are endless!
What is your biggest pet peeve?
My biggest pet peeve is when people chew with their mouth open. The sound of their lips smacking drives me off the wall!
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
My biggest fear about running a business is failing the people that work with me. I try to be transparent and honest with everyone I work with, and I take obligations to others seriously. I regularly ask for their feedback on how our organization is doing and how I’m doing as a leader, like a reverse employee evaluation.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
Working as a model is very unpredictable, and opportunities can be super last minute. Some mornings I’ll wake up with my day planned in my mind, and then I’ll receive an email or call about flying to another city that same evening for a job!
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
"Be authentic. You’ll break through the static when you find your secret sauce and share it with the world."
Tweet this.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Knowing that Project Tsehigh is creating lasting change on a global level.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
A performer! If I could sing well, I would be on tour igniting the stage and sharing my energy with everyone. Also an actor because I like challenging myself to play different characters, and then I could act out additional dream careers like working with professional athletes in sports medicine, working with Elon Musk on eliminating fossil fuels and powering the world with 100% renewable energy, or a character who lives minimalistically in the tropics teaching yoga or some type of exercise to the local community.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
That is still an ongoing effort for me. Over the last couple of years, I really started embracing my talents more and being less fearful. I’ve grown so much after starting Project Tsehigh. As a model, I’ve always had an agent guide me to make the best decisions, so running Project Tsehigh has pushed me out of my comfort zone. I’m usually speaking directly to partners and potential donors, which was daunting at first, but now has become second nature.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
You need to make mistakes in order to grow and learn. Don’t overthink -- take the first step and then figure out how to execute the rest of your goal. Specifically pertaining to modelling: don’t take things personally.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I will admit that I am a bit stubborn at times, but it becomes a positive character quality here because once I have my mind set on achieving something, I’ll literally do whatever it takes to accomplish it. If that means financial sacrifice, so be it. Hard labor and exhaustion, I’ll do it. I refuse to feel defeated because I believe in myself and know I can accomplish anything with hard work.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"Closer" by Goapple because it inspires and reminds me that no matter what happens, I’m closer to achieving my dreams and goals!
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Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Alison Brie
THE GLOW GODDESS.
THE GLOW GODDESS.
Voted "Most Outgoing" by her high school senior year, GLOW team leader Alison Brie has likewise lead a very "outgoing" career.
She never sticks to one schtick. Her characters vary. As does her acting style. She's taken major risks.
She excels at balancing -- managing to work on Mad Men and Community simultaneously, seamlessly jumping between characters and decades. On Mad Men, Alison played Trudy, the wife of Pete Campbell, a character she truly loved playing. ("A badass," she says.) On Community she played Annie Edison, elevating great writing to a hilarious level.
And then she hunkered down to play a professional wrestler in GLOW-- Ruth Wilder, a struggling actress who joins a female professional wrestling TV show. And then she got a call from Steven Spielberg, director of The Post, to play a role opposite Meryl Streep. The Meryl Streep.
She's wrestled her way to the top of her game, earning a Golden Globe nomination for her work on GLOW (AKA Glorious Ladies Of Wrestling.) The Screen Actor's Guild also nominated the cast of the wrestling dramedy as an ensemble.
In an era when more women are taking control-- hiring all female crews, writing their own roles, proving that all-female shows and female-led movies make dollars, championing other women on screen, and coming out in support of each other big time, Alison is someone who has been in the business and seen both sides. She also serves as executive producer on TV Land's Teachers, whose cast features 6 female leads.
What can't she do?
More from Alison below.
On working on Mad Men:
Matt Weiner was fantastic at writing these complex characters for women in an era where they were trapped in stereotypical roles, but could wield power. They made men think that they had the power while secretly controlling everything. Trudy was such a badass.
On current Weinstein Era of Hollywood:
It made me think about my experiences, cataloguing encounters over the years, going: ‘Yeah that was inappropriate…’ It’s a strange time, but it’s exciting. I feel very moved by the courage of these women. I hope it’s going to influence great change. It’s like cleaning your room: you have to make a big mess before it becomes clean. We’re in a real big, dark mess. Hopefully we’ll achieve some sort of clarity.
"We’re in a real big, dark mess. Hopefully we’ll achieve some sort of clarity."
Tweet this.
On her role in GLOW:
It’s so fulfilling, so empowering. And I can fucking wrestle. I can wrestle even better this year than I could last year. What a weird thing! I do feel this role on GLOW is the role of a lifetime. I feel so proud of this role. Even working on it, it was the most fulfilled I’ve ever been on a job. Similar to Ruth, I feel like I get to show some different side of myself. This job alone feels like a moment, to me.
On how wrestling helped her learn to be confident:
Learning how to wrestle was so empowering. You have to run at everything full force or you could get seriously injured. I do feel like I carry that confidence everywhere I go now.
On why the role in GLOW appealed to her:
It really fulfilled everything I was looking for as an actor. It has comedy. It has drama and physical action, unlike any I had done before. It felt very exciting and different.
On working with mostly women on the GLOW set:
It’s interesting to me because I’ve always felt very comfortable on sets, and I love it, and I love working with men, and – even if I was aware of being sexualized – it has never really bothered me. But the absence of that was totally amazing. It was just very freeing, and very important for this kind of job, because we were taking such big risks physically in the ring, and with our characters. It made for a lot of amazing discoveries, because people just felt empowered to take bigger risks.
This interview has been editing and condensed from multiple sources.
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Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Muna
CREATING MUSIC & SAFE SPACE.
CREATING MUSIC & SAFE SPACE.
Muna is about to blow up.
Muna is an American electronic pop band consisting of Katie Gavin (lead vocals/production), Josette Maskin (lead guitar), and Naomi McPherson (rhythm guitar/synths/production). They released their synth-pop debut, About U, in Feb of last year to wild acclaim. To point: NPR named their song, 'i know a place,' the top 20 song of 2017 and Harry Styles asked the band to open for him on his first solo world tour. They were, not surprisingly, nervous.
They haven't always played to such massive crowds all over the world.
They met at USC, where they dorm room jammed and played college parties. But they also made the point to identify as a queer band. Their songs, which are mostly about love and relationships, refrain from using gender pronouns-- like the 'U' in their debut album title. As their crazy touring sched came to an end, Muna took to Twitter to announce that they currently have no shows scheduled for 2018. Writing, "It's time for the three of us to get back to our bedroom turned studio and develop the next phase of this project."
But music is part of their DNA, one of the ways they make sense of their lives.
More from Muna below.
You've had to adjust to playing massive shows, touring with Harry Styles. What has that been like, both personally and as a unit?
It's been a process, and an extension of our bigger journey as a band. We've had moments throughout our career where we've felt we needed to be more than we were - to pose in some way. It always cracks and falls away. In the end we keep on being ourselves.
What was it like to be profiled in Rolling Stone?
Cool!
Why is it important for you to be a queer-identifying band?
It's important for us to be ourselves because it allows space for other people to do the same.
How does pop music fit into the LGBTQ scene?
Like a hand in a sleek leather glove.
Conversely, how does queer history find a place in your music?
If anything it serves as inspiration and motivation to work as much as we do. We wouldn't have had the same opportunities being who we are ten years ago or fifty years ago, so we feel a sense of duty and privilege because of that.
What was the music you each turned to for support when you were growing up? (Also, Katie shoutout from us to Shania as well.)
We all liked really different music. Katie mainly chose to write songs when she needed to find peace or comfort. Naomi loved Joni Mitchell but also pop punk and emo bands. Jo liked Incubus and Jeff Buckley.
Who have been your biggest supporters?
Our families and friends.
What would you tell your 15-year-old selves?
Can't wait to see you grow.
For the younger members of our audience who feel like they have to adjust to fit a job... what would you tell them?
You have so much time. Life is something you figure out every day. It's okay to not feel like your job is your passion. It's also okay to quit your job.
"It's okay to not feel like your job is your passion. It's also okay to quit your job."
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You're already working on a followup album, what can we expect?
Not telling yet!
There is a lot of talk about harassment and industry culture. Do you feel stronger as three?
Yes, we talk about this a lot among ourselves. We are so lucky that we are a group and that we are also self-produced and self-sufficient. Nobody can fuck with us.
Have you ever experienced workplace harassment? Individually or as a band?
Yes.
Katie, what's your favorite thing about Josette?
Josette is my hero. She is always fearlessly engaged with her environment and the people in it. Her heart is open.
Josette what's your favorite thing about Naomi?
Naomi is one of the most talented and hardworking people I know. I look at her and remember that if you set your mind to something anything is possible. I also like that she is funny and likes to eat with me.
Naomi what's your favorite thing about Katie?
My favorite thing about Katie is that she has an incredible amount of intellectual and emotional depth (as is demonstrable not only in her songwriting but her interpersonal relationships). She is constantly dedicating herself to a pursuit of knowledge, of self-awareness, and of personal betterment more generally. She’s also super adorable and funny when she first wakes up in the morning and doesn’t have her glasses on or contact lenses in.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE MUSIC LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Tiffany Haddish
TIFFANY HADDISH 2020.
TIFFANY HADDISH 2020.
Should Tiffany Haddish be President?
If the job was based on a candidate's ability to make us laugh, we'd vote yes. Tiffany was a much-needed reprieve during that endlessly L-O-N-G-W-T-F 2017. From her stories about Will and Jada and Groupon (which went viral), to her breakout hilarious supporting role in Girls Trip, Tiffany had us ROTFL when the rest of the world had us in tears.
And even though her story is a bit of a tear-jerker, she's never let it stop her. It's positively inspirational. The witty woman has been performing at The Laugh Factory since she was a teenager. But her childhood is nothing to laugh at. Tiffany frequently shares about growing up in foster care and stints spent living in her car.
Still, Tiffany is the first black woman standup to ever host Saturday Night Live in its four-plus decades. She also managed to release her memoir, "The Last Black Unicorn." And she's now an official spokesperson for Groupon, which makes sense seeing as she's in the top 1% of their users.
More from our next President below.
On success:
I'm still living in the same place, and -- none of your damn business where I live -- but I'm still driving a Honda. I'm trying to decide if I should get myself the Tesla SUV or if I should get myself a new pair of shoes. I don't know I think I'm going to go with the Ted Bakers because they might be a little cheaper, but the Tesla though.
On her social worker Colita Louis:
I thought it super necessary to thank her because she basically saved my life. She got me out of that living situation, and she noticed that I had something and she got me into Laugh Factory Comedy Camp. I went to the comedy camp and it changed my whole world and I'm so grateful to her for that.
On potentially saving the world:
I obviously went through these things for a reason, and if it's not to share with other people so they can handle their situations better, well, I don't know what the hell I went through it for. I might as well share it because this the only life I got to live and who knows it might save the world.
On eating kale with Taylor Swift:
When I met Taylor Swift, she was reciting my jokes back to me telling me how much she loved me. I'm going over to her house. … We supposed to be eating baked chicken and quinoa salad with kale and all this healthy stuff and talking and laughing. I'm going to hang out. It's going to be great. Taylor Swift knows I'm [all] jokes.
This interview has been edited and condensed from multiple sources.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE ENTERTAINMENT LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Philanthropy: Jo Ann Thrailkill
THE LOVE WARRIOR.
THE LOVE WARRIOR.
Jo Ann is Pablo's Mommy.
She’s also the co-founder of The Pablove Foundation.
When her youngest son Pablo was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer, Jo Ann and her then-husband Jeff Castelaz, set up a nonprofit. It was a way to move through the process. A way to deal with sadness. A way to focus their misfortune into something positive.
But in 2009, the Los Angeles mom and former music producer lost her youngest son, Pablo, to a battle with cancer. He was only 6. Dedicated to positively affecting the lives of children living with cancer, she’s managed to turn her heartbreak into healing.
The Pablove Foundation raises funds for cancer research and awards grants, educates families that are dealing with cancer, and importantly, improves the lives of children living with the disease by offering arts programs like their very successful Pablove Shutterbugs Program. By handing a camera to a child diagnosed with cancer, Shutterbugs gives kids a new way to view the world.
One with hope and love.
More from Jo Ann below.
Name: Jo Ann Thrailkill
Instagram Handle: @jothrailkill
Business Instagram Handle: @pablovefoundation
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I can trace this back to a defining moment in my childhood. When I was in the 8th grade I had an awful teacher who told me that I wouldn’t amount to much in life. That I was a “loser” and when I spoke to defend myself she slapped me across the face. I think it was that exact point in time that I discovered “drive,” although I didn’t have the name for it at the time. As for passion - my personal experiences throughout life have fueled that in me. When I was first starting out in my career, I never would have predicted that a Pediatric Cancer nonprofit would become such a passion. The experiences that my family has been through have dictated this path for me, and now the work that we do at Pablove fills my heart.
Philanthropy means the "love of humanity." It's so beautiful and simple. What does it mean to you?
For me, philanthropy means to “Pablove One Another” – and I get to do that by creating a community that provides an expressive outlet for kids living with cancer and giving them a joyful, creative experience outside of the hospital setting; something that was not available to my son, Pablo, or our family when we were going through our childhood cancer journey.
How did you find yourself on this particular career journey?
My son, Pablo was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer just before his 5th birthday. After 13 months of treatment, Pablo passed away - just 6 days after his 6th birthday. While we were in the throes of it all at CHLA, we set up a PayPal account called Pablove that was meant to raise money to help others in need. Shortly after Pablo passed away, we discovered that this account that our friends, family, and complete strangers had been contributing to had over $250,000 in it. Rather than donating that money to a single organization, I decided to invest my time and kick-start The Pablove Foundation. As someone that had been through the harrowing childhood cancer experience with my own child, I recognized that quality of life for children living with cancer is equally as important as finding a cure, which is how our dual mission came about. After Pablo passed away, we discovered hundreds of photos he had taken on our family’s phones, cameras, and computers. Finding these sweet gifts from Pablo made us realize how important creative self-expression was for him and that is what inspired Pablove Shutterbugs, a program where kids living with cancer could explore that part of themselves and just be kids. Our organization—The Pablove Foundation—fights childhood cancer with love through our dual mission of art and science.
Do you think you've found your true calling?
I have no idea! This is actually my 3rd act. I started in fashion retail with Esprit after college which got me to Los Angeles, transitioned to production and became a music video executive producer for over 15 years, and now... here I am! Being a founder and leader at a non-profit was not something that I would have envisioned for myself - after all, I often say that I fell into this line of work by accident because of what happened with me and my family. What I will say though, is that I am constantly using what I learned in my Esprit and Music Video production days as we work to launch Pablove into our next stage of growth… and make an even bigger difference for children and families living with cancer across the country. And I love my job!
Are there any fears associated with your work? If yes, what are they?
Yes. Always. As an organizational founder and CEO, I live with the fear of failure because there are so many children, families, and employees across the country that are relying on Pablove. Fear helps motivate - the important thing for me, is to not let it hold me back.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
While there is a very serious side to the work we do, we keep things optimistic, and our day to day at Pablove HQ is super fun. We are a mighty team of 18 here in Hollywood and our only rule is that we must LAUGH at least every work day.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
The Pablove Foundation approaches childhood cancer in a very unique way. We serve this incredible community through art and science… by providing our Pablove Shutterbugs art education program AND by funding childhood cancer research. Our mission came full circle this year when our Pablove Shutterbugs funded a $50,000 seed grant to an incredible scientist studying the late effects of chemotherapy on a child’s heart. They did this by selling their art with 100% of the proceeds going directly to our research program. Seeing (and hearing) the Shutterbugs’ reactions when we told them that they had single-handedly funded a research seed grant with their print sales was a moment I will never forget. In that moment I felt the most complete in my career as a non-profit leader... when I can see that we are really making a difference.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Ha! I’ve always said that I would LOVE to be the musical guest booker for SNL. Can you think of a cooler job?
At what point in your life did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
My son Grady has been my motivation and a consistent source of strength since the beginning of my career. When I was in my 20’s, I was a single Mom, struggling financially, and assisting an Executive Producer. I knew that I wanted to provide for my son and being in that moment with my first child gave me the reason and confidence to really push my career forward and grow into the Music Video Executive that I became. Being a single mother pushed me not only to be strong career women but to always prioritize family and have boundaries at work. When Grady needed me, I learned to put my work on pause, and that is something that continues to allow me to have a sustainable career.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Growing up in New Orleans, manners were a big part of my upbringing. In high school, my speech and drama teacher, Mrs. Mock, taught me the importance of being articulate, being able to communicate with others in a professional way and ask for what I want. This is something I have carried with me throughout all the different iterations of my career. The ability to communicate is so valuable and has definitely helped me get to where I am today.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road?
I reach out to others. There is no shame in my asking for advice game. I call everyone all the time and talk things out/through and every which way.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"Freedom” by George Michael and the Missy Elliot verse in “Heartbreaker” remix by Mariah Carey.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
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Create & Cultivate 100 Philanthropy: Mari Copeny
LITTLE MISS FLINT. BIG DREAMS.
LITTLE MISS FLINT. BIG DREAMS.
Little Miss Flint is going to change the world.
And hint: she already has.
When Mari Copeny was 8-years-old, she wrote a letter to President Obama, asking him to meet with her and a group of people coming to Washington D.C. It read:
Mr. President,
Hello my name is Mari Copeny and I’m 8 years old, I live in Flint, Michigan and I’m more commonly known around town as “Little Miss Flint”. I am one of the children that is effected by this water, and I’ve been doing my best to march in protest and to speak out for all the kids that live here in Flint. This Thursday I will be riding a bus to Washington, D.C. to watch the congressional hearings of our Governor Rick Snyder.”
The President responded.
Cue: the waterworks. Which is exactly what Mari, AKA “Little Miss Flint,” has been fighting for in Flint, Michigan since 2014. Working, clean, water. Yes, it’s a human right. She’s known around her town as “Little Miss Flint,” because of her work and activism on the matter to represent the children of Flint.
And she’s still hard at it. Now ten, Mari is the youngest Women’s March Youth Ambassador, National Youth Ambassador for the Climate March, and Youth Ambassador for Equality for Her. She has spoken in front of the White House and at the Science March in Washington D.C. Mari also spoke at the United Nations Girl Up Leadership Conference.
Read more about what we can expect from this amazing young girl below.
Name: Mari Copeny
Instagram Handle: @MariMyAngelOfficial
Your Twitter bio says "watch me change the world." But you ARE changing the world. Where do your drive and passion come from?
I am. My focus is on making the world see that kids are not just the future we are the present as well and we can change the world now. I am focusing so much time on Flint kids and making sure that we get all the things that we need to be successful.
Philanthropy means the "love of humanity." It's so beautiful and simple. What does it mean to you?
It means being able to give back to every single person and love them for who they are.
How did you find yourself on this particular journey?
The Flint Water Crisis kind of flung me into this life and I haven't looked back since. What began as me wanting the world to know that we have a serious problem in Flint has turned into me wanting to help out kids all over the country and to prove to other kids they can change the world as well.
We gotta know, what kind of hugs does Obama give?
They are amazing. He is so soft and warm. Best HUG ever. Like a big fluffy bear without the fluff.
What's something you'd like people to know about your work that they probably don’t?
That even though I'm an activist that I am also a kid as well and I LOVE being a kid. And my number one focus is on making sure that Flint kids are not forgotten.
What's the best advice your mom has ever given you?
To always find the good in every situation, even when things seem all bad.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road?
I dont find a new road, I will work until I am able to get over that bump. Sometimes it takes a lot of being told no to finally get the answer I want.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"Happy" by Pharrell Williams.
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Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Taste of Pace
TRY AND KEEP UP.
TRY AND KEEP UP.
Pace Webb is cooking with gas.
Drawing on her experiences in the L.A. food industry and world travel, Pace runs one of the most sought-after catering companies in Los Angeles.
Her motto, “Love people and cook them tasty food,” has proven to be a winning combo, with a focus on farmers' market-fresh produce and creative use of ethically sourced proteins. It doesn't hurt that she delivers a knock-out presentation. Her dishes end up as food fodder of guests.
Nothing is going to slow her down.
Find out more about the biz owner below.
Name: Pace Webb
Instagram Handle: @tasteofpace
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My parents are both artists, so I'm guessing growing up with artistic inspiration and freedom plays a huge part in that. My drive is very competitive, and we can't quite figure out where that came from. That's just as an individual separate from any other outside influence, I suppose.
You are a chef and lifestyle expert. Do you think that women who want to succeed have to have their hand in more than one cookie jar?
I have a Salted Cooking Kit in over 600 grocery stores nationwide (warm quinoa salad for two like Blue Apron but w/o the subscription or excessive packaging). I'm launching a chef-driven fast-casual concept (follow us at @daddyschickenshack), which is completely different from my current brand, Taste of Pace. And I have another mass distribution recipe deal in the works. And the most fun I have is the few times a year I get tapped to create online content for major brands!
I absolutely 1000% believe that anyone should have multiple streams of revenue so that you're always secure when one may temporarily be under-performing. The dream is free, the hustle is sold separately.
"The dream is free, the hustle is sold separately."
Why did you choose to run a catering company instead of opening a restaurant?
It's somewhat easier to start a catering company and it's not something I just woke up and decided to do one day, it just happened organically, like most good things that are meant to be. There is so much change in the economics of the restaurant industry that I would not open a new dining establishment at this point, but I would absolutely open a fast-casual concept. I could write a lengthy dissertation on this topic!
What's been the hardest learning curve to lean into as you grow?
To separate emotion from business. Since I'm an artist and so tightly tied to my craft it's been challenging to separate business performance from my value as an artist. For example, when business is going really well, I feel validated and the opposite when it's challenging.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Disorganization at work. I literally have it tattooed on my are "Mise En Place" is a French kitchen term that means "put in place". It's a concept that chefs obsess over and it applies to all areas of life as well. (I like to be more carefree in my personal life.)
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
That one day is just won't work anymore. It's a really odd fear, but I think it's not uncommon. I talk to plenty of high-level execs who have been in their respective industries forever and still feel like a fraud at times, like "they're gonna nd me out!" But most of the time I feel like we are crushing it and making awesome stuff happen.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
Cooking is made to look so glamorous and it is so far from that! The finished product is gorgeous, but the work that goes into it is not so.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
Boy, that is a tough one for any artist who is engaged in commerce. It's easy to jump on a bandwagon of what someone else is doing that is working or a new trend that is popular, but if it isn't a truly authentic creation from the source, it won't be a lasting success. Sometimes I get inspiration from IG and other times it's too "noisy" for my creativity. The best way to stay original for me is to get back to the basics of cooking. It may be a common menu we've always done, but there can always be new innovation that comes from a tiny bit of something leftover that we want to use in a dish so as not to waste if that can become a new signature dish (this happens often) or if an ingredient isn't available you have to think fast and use something else and it evolves the creation. There is something really powerful about the action of simply doing something to help with creativity. I also really enjoy (most of the time) the wacky requests we get- my favorites have been for an "all purple" menu for Sephora and for creating shapes of the Italian furniture designer, Gufram, like cacti and lip-shaped pasta. I like to push the limits of my comfort zone so that I am rewarded by deepening my craft. It is greatly satisfying! I am also a fan of "creative cross-training". This means to engage in other creative activities that are not your main medium. For me, this is dancing, painting, photography, seeing visual art and plays. The idea is that the other art forms will inspire your medium.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
The fact that I choose my career every day and that I'm passionate about it. Not many people can say that and I've sacrificed some things for that, but it doesn't actually feel like work most of the time.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
You know that saying, the grass is always greener? Well, I still believe that to be true and I'm pretty good about leading the life I want to lead and re-directing when it isn't going that way. But damn, @gypsea_lust (IG) sure does look good!
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I don't think there was an actual point. I was always outspoken and bossy. A woman with a plan! (Thanks, Mom and Dad!)
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Productivity equals morale. When you are at your lowest and things are really hard, just keep doing something. Anything. Don't just stop and lay around no matter how much you want to. Keep people close to you who will hold you to this.
Don't just stop and lay around no matter how much you want to. Keep people close to you who will hold you to this.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
Well, the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect different results, so when I hit a bump in a road, I go OK, what are we going to do that is different this time? And you just keep trying different things until you don't hit that bump anymore.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Well, truth be told one of my life hacks is a salt bath every night, so I'm not a shower person. I'm a sing in the car person! It's probably something very soulful and disco like "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer. That era is my jam.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Janessa Leone
THE MAD HATTER.
THE MAD HATTER.
Janessa Leoné graduated from the University of San Diego in 2009 with a degree in English literature. Shortly after she took a job as a nanny and started studying for the law school admission test. Hello GRE. But then, she hopped on a plane to Paris and her life changed. After stumbling into a thrift store in Paris' Marais neighborhood, she found a black fedora made in the 1940s.
She bought that hat for ten bucks. Under the headband of the hat she found the milliner's initials, and as fate would have it, he turned out to have the same last name her.
Now, eight years later, Leoné, 30, is running Janessa Leoné, her eponymous millinery label that sells in more than 450 stores worldwide, including at Barney’s, Nordstrom and at her Culver City, CA brick and mortar shop, opened last year. Chrissy Teigen, Lupita Nyongo and Jessica Alba all rock her creations. Her 2017 revenue was on track to top $3 million. Not bad for an almost lawyer and founder who doesn't have a background in design.
Read more.
As a fellow with an English degree- EVERYONE said, what are you gonna do with that? But you've built a brand and a company that is in track to do 3 million in 2017. Can you chat a little about your journey?
After graduating college, I had the intention of going to law school, but didn’t feel like that was necessarily my preferred path or one that inspired me—it was just something I chose without knowing what else to do. What I really wanted to do was create something that was unique to me using my own taste and aesthetic. The original idea was to design clothes, but that wasn’t within my resources or skill set at the time. I wasn’t able to just jump into it. I had always loved hats, so I decided to start there with something more niche that would let me break into the market.
Does your degree work into your career in any way?
It does, a lot actually. I learned to communicate and convey ideas effectively. I have manufacturers all over the world, so being able to communicate clearly and efficiently has been a huge value-add. Going through college in general, regardless of degree, was very helpful. Learning to problem solve, work on a timeline, think critically—all those things have helped me in every aspect of running a business.
I want to talk about the hat you found in the Marais. It was made in the '40s but the design was still relevant. How did timelessness play into the brand from the beginning?
The hat I found was from a thrift shop in the Marais in Paris. My aesthetic, whether it’s clothing or home decor, isn’t period specific. I’m always drawn to things that use timeless and quality materials with colors that are classic and relevant during any era. I’ve always had the goal to design items that you can’t necessarily tie back to a specific time period. I want these things to be able to stand on their own with inherent qualities that exist outside of the time they were made. I’ve never gone the route of design based on trends. I do my best to make things that are classic and elegant beyond the era.
Was there ever a question about what you would call the company?
I always wanted to use my name so that I could to carry on my family’s name.
How did you begin to learn the ropes of the fashion world? You're self-funded. You continue to design yourself. Does it come naturally?
I learned a lot from just internet searches. I wasn’t formally trained in design, so I learned from just doing the actual work, asking questions, and researching. I have a natural interest and inclination towards design and things that are well designed—but the work itself does not come naturally. It requires a lot of space and care in order for the inspiration to come. It takes intentional discipline to make sure there’s an environment and a headspace that can allow ideas to come to fruition. It requires a lot of work, but from what I’ve learned from other people who do creative work, that’s a normal relationship. It’s important to be tuned into your taste continually, so you can always be immersing yourself in all different types of art that cultivates your aesthetic and style.
"I’ve never gone the route of design based on trends."
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Speaking of being self-funding. In the beginning. You took 5% of $10,000 and spent it on gifting hats to fashion editors, including Hilary Kerr. It ended up paying off big time. Was that a big risk to you?
Yes, it was a huge risk for me at the time. I only had twenty hats in my entire inventory and I gave half of them away. I didn’t have a proper gifting budget, and just had to use my inventory that I had invested in. At the time, that was a big expense. I’m very grateful and appreciative, especially to Hillary, for supporting and helping me at the beginning.
What do you think people crave when they get dressed?
Confidence. They want to feel good. I think people crave pieces that accentuate their lifestyle and let them express themselves without hindering them or making them self-conscious. They want to be made more comfortable and more confident in who they are. Everyone wants to be comfortable in their lifestyle and whatever activity is entailed in that. So it’s about accentuating that lifestyle in a way that makes you look great and feel comfortable but also helps you go about your life without being hindered by what you’re wearing.
People crave pieces that accentuate their lifestyle and let them express themselves.
What would you call your superpower?
The support of my dad, boyfriend, and team who have not only given advice but have taken an active part in making this business possible every step of the way.
What's been the hardest part of your growth?
Managing the business side and the challenges that come along with that. That requires a lot of knowledge and skillsets that I wasn’t necessarily equipped for and had to learn quickly. There’s still a lot to learn on that side.
What would you tell budding entrepreneurs about the risk/reward of it all?
Spend time finding the part of your work that you’re passionate about and that fulfills you, and let that be what guides you and helps you persevere. The challenges involved and the sacrifices I’ve experienced have been far beyond anything I expected. But what has kept me going is that I love the work and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do something I find fulfilling.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FASHION LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: STEM: Ara Katz
THE STARTUP GURU.
THE STARTUP GURU.
A storyteller, designer, techie and dot connector, Ara Katz has vision.
A holistic vision and approach which she applies to every company she starts. Most recently, she Co-Founded and served as CMO of Spring, a venture and LVMH-backed mobile marketplace, which launched in August 2014. Before that, Ara was on the Founding Team of BeachMint, where she launched six direct-to-consumer, celebrity-partnered brands.
But the Seed of something new has sprung within her. A new journey that combines her curiosity around the human body, passion to raise the standards for consumer health products, and belief in the profound importance of the microbiome.
More from Ara below.
Name: Ara Katz
Instagram Handle: @arakatz
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My heart.
How do you feel as a woman in STEM?
Badass.
How have you successfully navigated such a male-dominated field?
By never thinking about it as a male-dominated field.
What are your hopes for young women who are interested in STEM?
That they pursue it. Our future cannot only be men asking the important questions and contributing to the solutions. That is, in large part, how we arrived here.
Can you chat about Seed and its aims?
Our aim is simple - to improve human health (and our understanding of it) through the microbiome - the 38 trillion microorganisms that live on and in us that are essential to our health and to what makes us human.
And in turn, about going with your gut?
For me, 'in your gut' is literal - our gut is our "second brain"; it is where the majority of the bacteria in your body reside (2-3 pounds!) and where they do the important work of keeping you healthy.
"Our gut is our "second brain.'"
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
Injustice, scarcity and bad tippers.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
I fear complacency and mediocrity - so if we ever get to a place where our team feels either of those, we are failing.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
The level of detail to which I'm involved and the amount of content I write myself.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Nothing. I learned the hard way that nothing external like my work should ever be a source of feeling complete.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
At this moment, POTUS.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
The pin my mother gave me just before she died that says, "She didn't always follow the recipe."
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
Hustle, persistence, creativity and the inability to see a bump as a dead-end.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
'Let the River Run' by Carly Simon - it's the closing credits song of 'Working Girl'.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE STEM LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Maryellis Bunn
The Wunderkind.
THE WUNDERKIND.
OK. It's a little tongue-in-cheek to put the 25-year-old founder of the Museum of Ice Cream Maryellis Bunn on the C&C 100 Food list, but the MOIC is a little cheeky with a cherry on top.
In the most brilliant ways. (As is everything having to do with ice cream.)
The mastermind behind the viral with a cherry on top Museum of Ice Cream, said people thought she was banana splits when she first came up with the idea. Then she launched the first MOIC space in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district with biz partner Manish Vora. 30,000 tickets, then priced between $12-$18, sold out in less than a week. Everyone was sweet on the idea.
People, including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Blue, all went wild for the second MOIC location in Downtown Los Angeles. The sprinkle pool was everywhere on IG. Inherently understanding the importance of online shareability (people crave content) and offline experience, the interactive confectionary-filled “museum” served up a saccharine escape that the public desperately wanted. NYMag called her The Millennial Walt Disney. Far cry from crazy.
So yeah, she gets Instagram, but what Maryellis also understands is supply and demand. She opened the brand’s third location in San Francisco, housed in a landmarked 1910 former bank building in the middle of Market Street. But as SF opened, the LA location announced its really, truly, no more extensions, final date as Sunday, Dec. 17.
If you shut it down, people will only want more. Kind of like when your mom told you no more cookies. If you give a millennial an ice cream museum… they’ll definitely want a cone.
Read more of Maryellis’ confectionary journey below.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My drive and passion come from the desire to create places where people feel they have the tools to explore their own imagination and live a more fruitful life.
What has been your biggest lesson learned with Museum of Ice Cream?
Museum of Ice Cream provides daily lessons that anything is possible.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
I believe that every obstacle is a disguised opportunity. When I started this journey, vulnerability was the key to the process and has remained so. The more I put my work out there the better it becomes. Fear is not my friend.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Excuses. They don’t exist within our company culture. Commandment number one of Museum of Ice Cream is “Anything is possible.” When you build a company that turns “what if’s...” into realities it shifts thinking. This is why I love what we do.
Who or what are you most inspired by?
The Museum of Ice Cream community, from our contractors and visitors to #TEAMMOIC they inspire me to continue to create spaces and experiences!
When you first approached someone and told them about your idea— did they think, that’s kind of crazy, but it might work?
No, everyone thought it was nuts. They didn’t understand the mission or the concept.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Not having enough time to seek out my visions. I want to build a city, I spend more and more time on the frameworks that can live on.
"Everyone thought it was nuts. They didn’t understand the mission or the concept."
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If you had to build an apocalypse team of 5, who would be on it and why?
My core team is 4, they would remain as is. What we lack in experience we make up in imagination! Time and time again, we defy what is said to be impossible due to our desire and ability to get things done. The fifth would be a role I am currently looking to fill, lead experience architect/designer, if I had it my way I would hire a kid, they have the ripest of ideas and designs. If you think like a child and want to create experiences around the world check our job listings!
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I run the business and all creative aspects of the brand. There is no corporation or investors behind Museum of Ice Cream, we are fully self-funded. For our V1 in NYC my core team and I worked the floor and managed every day. We painted the walls and cleaned all floors. On the design I direct everything from the trash can design and each installation to the items we manufacture for sale. In turn, I also create the structures and systems our business runs on. While leading our teams and oversee all operations. As we grow I am excited to share these responsibilities, one thing, however, will always remain, creative first then business. We have our own metrics to measure success, which allows us to always put the experience first.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
#TEAMMOIC, I could have never fathomed the family that we continue to build each day.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I’m living my dream! I have big dreams and know that this step is one of many I need to take to achieve them. The process and journey are how I evolve.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
Still working on it.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
That the first step is vulnerability.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
I take a bath and turn the lights off!
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Busy Philipps
BUSY ACCEPTING HERSELF.
BUSY ACCEPTING HERSELF.
When her career changed, she changed her game.
It's unlikely that you would have ever considered Busy Philipps a "struggling" actor. But when a New Yorker profile on the actress, mom, and not-so-casual baker, came out at the end of 2017, it painted the very colorful Busy in a new light. Namely, that she's been struggling with roles and her career as an actress. "Frustrated with her career in Hollywood, the actor turned her life into a sitcom,' the headline read. She's no longer interested in waiting around, asking for someone else to give her a job. Like many women who are fed up, she's taking matters into her own very capable hands.
Though she says she's always felt like a bit of an outsider, Busy has willingly taken us inside her life. As a result she's gaining traction and attention on Instagram Stories. People tune in because there's no actress facade. Just a woman, mother, wife, and actress (OK and badass baker) learning to lump the ups and downs and love herself in the process.
More from Busy below.
Name: Busy Philipps
Instagram Handle: @BusyPhilipps
We see this in your IG stories. Everyone talks about how they want to be your BFF. Why do you think it's so hard for people to be themselves?
I don't know, really. I guess fear is probably the over arc-ing thing, right? People are afraid that if they show who they truly are, they won't be accepted, I guess? I've obviously found the opposite to be true. I think the more I've been truly myself publicly, the more I've felt accepted. Sometimes the response to my stories or all of the comments about wanting to be my best friend feel overwhelming but its also incredibly heartening and lovely. Because I do allow myself to be vulnerable on social media, and truly those are the things that people respond to the most.
And at what point did you decide f*ck, it. This is me.
I've always kind of been this way. My whole life. My mom was always quoting Shakespeare to us(my sister and me) "This above all, to thine own self be true" and granted, the character who says it, Polonius is kind of an idiot blowhard but that particular sentiment is amazing. So privately, I've always been this person. And social media, both Twitter and Instagram have allowed my public persona to follow suit in that I have a direct line to fans and friends. Before, I was just relying on journalists with like 200 word articles about me to convey all of my beliefs and thoughts and feelings and the complexities of who I am as a human. And so what you would get would be an incredibly reductive version of my personality like "SHE'S BUBBLY AND FUN!" It's impossible to understand the scope of who someone is when that's all you have to work with. When people tell me they watch my instagram stories like its a tv show, I totally get it. It's why I've always loved being on TV. You have an ability to build characters slowly with nuance and depth in a way that movies have a hard time accomplishing. So now people really feel like they know me. And they do for sure know a lot about me but you know, as with everything, there are obviously some things that I don't share.
Speaking of being "you," you were very outspoken about Brett Ratner and the allegations about him. Is there a reason that accusation in particular drove you to Twitter? (Also, sidebar, "Garbage Human" is one of my favorite things to call men who suck.)
Oh. I guess I just had read the bullshit statement his lawyer put out and it enraged me. I've know Olivia Munn for a long time, and I knew the story of the initial assault and I've known how horrible he was to her and the lies he told about her and it was just like ENOUGH. And then to read this guy has a 450 MILLION dollar deal at Warner Brothers? His movies suck and he's a sexual predator?! The SYSTEM sucks. I don't know. I'm here for everyone coming forward with all the stories, not just in Hollywood but all industries. There's a movement happening and it's important and I hope that it makes a real difference to my daughter's generation. But after the election last year, I know for myself and for a lot of women that I am friends with, there was a real moment of like, Oh. There are so many people who HATE women. I guess I always kind of knew that on some level but it really became apparent how prevalent and deep the misogyny runs in this country after the election. There's a direct link to Trump being elected and women nally feeling like they can speak up and out and loudly about this.
"I read the bullshit statement his lawyer put out and it enraged me."
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What movie/TV trope garbage are you done seeing?
ugh. I deeply hate the uptight type A tiger mom thing in comedy. So annoying to me and it's always SO ARCH. I've played it and I still hate it. It sucks. Do better.
What's a narrative that you'd love to see explored?
I really loved Lady Bird and I love that it's a coming of age story about a girl and the complexities of her relationship with her mom. Truthfully, I don't know- Lovely and Amazing comes to mind (which I LOVE) but I am interested in more realistic takes on the complexities of mother/daughter/sister relationships.
You've been in the biz a long time. Do you think this post-Weinstein era is a real reckoning? And how will it affect the younger generations of actors and actresses?
I hope it is. I've never seen anything like it and I AM HERE FOR IT. I mean, there are some parts of this job that can get confusing, right? Like so much of being an actress is predicated on the objectification of women. So, especially as a young actress, who wants to work, there's a tendency to sort of resign yourself to 'it is what it is'. You don't question when you get a call from your agents that for your callback, they need you to dress sexier or you got the part but you need to lose 15 pounds. You HAVE TO BE FUCKABLE! Or you know, for instance, in the early 2000's I REALLY didn't want to pose for a men's magazine but I was told by a head of casting that he gets the hot 100 lists earmarked from executives with the actresses they want to be brought in for projects. Which was totally gross and also convinced me I had to do it. So, I hope that we start to see more women in positions of power, more female agents, more women behind the camera, more women writing the stories. That's where we will really succeed for younger generations. That the women are not just there to look good next to the shlub who gets all the funny lines(maybe you get one).
"I hope that we start to see more women in positions of power, more female agents, more women behind the camera, more women writing the stories."
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
Sometimes loud chewing makes me want to die.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
That every actor feels like the job they currently have is probably the last job they will ever have. That not getting jobs sometimes feels so heartbreaking, you're not sure if you can continue but then you read something and know that you have to try.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I suppose when people deeply love something I've been in, when it means something special to them, it feels like I'm doing the right thing.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Can it be Julia Roberts?
At what point in your career did you nd the con dence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
A year ago.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
I already said it. From Shakespeare via my mom Barb Philipps "And this above all to thine own self be true" Also, from Hello, Dolly! "Money is like manure, it should be spread around encouraging young things to grow." Fuck saving all that money- I don't need trust fund kids, I need kids who've had wild experiences and I need my Gucci purse.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Anything by Tori Amos
When you come up against a dead end, how do you find new roads?
Sometimes taking a step back and giving myself a break works. Sometimes working through it works. I think it's important to be exible and open and to try everything. You don't know where those new roads are! You have to be open to seeing them and if you're hyper focused, it can be di cult. I guess I'm saying, sometimes you have to un focus? That sounds like terrible advice. I don't know. I'm just making this all up as I go along. As we all are. (shrug emoji)
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE ENTERTAINMENT LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Emma Toshack
MAKES HER OWN RULES.
MAKES HER OWN RULES.
Emma Toshack put wine in a can.
But don't expect her to try and use a canned idea. The Aussie-entrepreneur is going her own way, which, not surprisingly is one of the songs she sings in the shower after a bad day.
But she's not one to let life get her down.
If there’s one thing that motivates law school dropout and former chef Emma Toshack, it’s that life is too short not to say yes. The Harvard MBA and Snapchat grad is the founder of free-spirited, art-based Nomadica Wines. Rooted in creativity and with a penchant for rule-breaking, Nomadica combats wine industry pretension by partnering with friends on beautiful, limited edition cans. If high-quality wine in low-brow packaging seems like an unlikely pairing, that’s exactly the intention. In the words of Nomadica’s multi-hyphenate founder, “Contradictions are what’s interesting.”
More from Emma below.
Name: Emma Toshack
Instagram Handle: @emtoshack
Business Instagram Handle: @nomadica
Where do your drive and passion come from?
The realization that life is so short. Two important people in my life died when I was 25. My girlfriend to suicide and my best guy friend in a road accident. My mom just wrapped up a four year battle with breast cancer. Life is too precious to not do something that fills you with excitement and energy every day.
The spirit of Nomadica really mirrors your career path. "It's unpretentious. It's unconstrained. It's fun." It's not afraid to leave Snapchat behind... Can you chat us through what was going through your head when it was time to launch on your own?
“It’s time.” Snapchat was a fascinating place to be at a moment of cultural zeitgeist, but it will always be Evan’s baby. I had a vision of a brand I wanted to create. I’ve always been a study in contradictions - law school, chef, MBA, dressage trainer, ripped jeans, vintage Chanel jacket. I think most people are. I wanted to create a brand that didn’t just embrace those contradictions but had them at its core. The contradictions are what’s interesting.
With an MBA from Harvard, why was wine the direction you decided to go?
Ha, that’s a great question. I joke I went to Harvard Business School and then became a parttime warehouse worker, part-time delivery driver. I knew there was an opportunity to shake up the wine industry. It’s so traditional, stuffy, sometimes pretentious. There are ‘relaxed’ wine brands, but they are mostly low quality. There are some super cool small producers doing great work and pushing the boundaries but they typically have a smaller reach and less scale. I wanted to take what’s best about small production, celebrate those winemakers, and build a brand that could take that renegade winemaking philosophy and make it global.
Do you think business is more about the numbers or going with your gut?
Both! It’s a delicate balance, especially when you’re trying to create something that breaks the rules and is fundamentally creative rather than utilitarian. In a world free of constraints, I’d release only limited edition wines, each with different art on the labels. But to work with the large retail stores and get our wines into more people’s hands, we have to have a more consistent product range. So the compromise is we might make 100 cases of the limited edition wine, but keep our four core SKUs consistent as the backbone of the business.I think of business strategy as creating an ecosystem so the numbers and gut must work in synch with each other. But that doesn’t mean they always agree, ha.
It's strange because you can really get a wine at any price point. But the wine world remains a little snobby sometimes. Was there resistance from friends, fam, other biz people to putting wine in a can?
TOTALLY! People initially had a strong knee-jerk reaction but as soon as people saw and held the cans, they got it. When they taste the wine for the first time they are surprised and delighted. Funnily enough, it was most often the established, well-respected professionals and sommeliers who thought it was an awesome idea.
Why was art an important part of the concept?
I think the world would be soooo boring without art. The brand is all about creativity and breaking the rules and going your own way, and artists embody that so it just made sense that every can would be a work of art. So we’re taking art off the walls and putting it into people’s hands.
"We’re taking art off the walls and putting it into people’s hands."
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
Honestly, not a lot annoys me. Maybe little things from when I was a chef - people salting food before they taste it. People using a cutting board without a wet towel underneath? Not big things! When you’re running a company you don’t have the time or mental capacity to have pet peeves and sweat the small stuff, you just x it out and move on.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Getting the timing right. So much of starting up is moving at the right speed and accelerating at the right time. But “fear” is a big word. I don’t really have any fears. I just make the best decisions I can with the information I have available and keep moving on.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
It’s chaos.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
I say embrace the saturation. There are 6 billion people on the planet. Nothing one person does is ever truly ‘original.’ Humans creating new cool things by remixing or building on things that have gone before them. So absorb everything that’s out there, combine them in new ways, build on them, experiment, play, collaborate, break the rules, and you’ll come up with something that feels fresh and new and exciting, and that’s what people mean when they say ‘original.'
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
That I’ve lived my actual life the way I’d have lived a video game version of it! I haven’t played it safe, I’ve gone on big crazy adventures.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I’ve had so many jobs. If I could I’d do 52 jobs - one a week - for a whole year and then write a book about it. People live such wildly different lives and we all mostly live in our little bubbles - and that’s not a bad thing, it’s largely necessity, but I’d get out of it and live in other people’s shoes for a year if I could.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I think it was more a point in my life than my career. When I woke up on my 30th birthday I thought “I can do whatever the F I want”. It was liberating. The second inflection point was when I went out on my own to run my company. When there’s nowhere to hide and everything is riding on you to step into it. It’s very empowering.
When I woke up on my 30th birthday I thought “I can do whatever the F I want.” It was liberating.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Be yourself. Wear what you want. Speak your mind. Don’t try to be what you think people want you to be. Don’t try to impress people. Just be you. It’s so liberating, so much easier to just be yourself. And people like you better!.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
Just look around. There’s always a window if the door is closed. And if there isn’t, it’s ok to just sit in the room and work on what’s right there. Or bash down the wall. It depends on the situation and you have to trust your gut. Sometimes brute force is the answer, sometimes not. So if you hit a bump in the road, just keep going. If you find as much joy in the journey as the destination you’ll be much happier.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac. Or the guitar riff from "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin or "All Right Now" by Free, which is my mom’s favorite song. I have the musical tastes of a 60-year-old but I’m totally OK with that.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
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Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Kelsey Lu
THE IL"LU"MINATED.
THE IL"LU"MINATED.
You can call her Lu. Seriously, the musician's biggest pet peeve is when people call her Kelsey.
But let's back up a minute.
Meet Kelsey McJunkins aka Kelsey Lu, the classically trained cellist raised Jehovah’s witness to musician parents in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The haunting songstress turned to music as an outlet from the restrictive religion she was born into, crediting the institution with both broadening her interests and shielding her from much of what her contemporaries were listening to. Lu has played with pop acts from Blood Orange to Florence and The Machine, yet her distinct sound—often ghostly and unsettling—exists in a far away world.
More on the enchanting cellist below.
Name: Kelsey Lu
Instagram:
Where do your drive and passion come from?
It comes from the basic instinct of survival. Tapping into something that is unseen but felt and riding with it.
Your mom played the piano. Your dad, percussion. He was also an artist. Was there a dichotomy between the "artist" part of your upbringing and the strict religious side?
Well being an "Artist" comes in so many different flavors you know. I wouldn't say that going to museums around the country, or my dad supporting a family based solely off of his being a Portrait/Court Room Artist as being something that clashed with the rulings of the Organization I was brought up in noticeably. The only times it did was when I decided to leave the religion I was raised in to further my life as an artist. Music and Art was my gateway away from that life, so it was then that the dichotomy began.
How do you think that's shaped your music and your relationship to music and art?
It narrowed my point of vision while exposing it to other parts that most kids my age weren't getting excited over, i.e. classical music. My exposure to pop culture was monitored much more so than a regular degular American childhood upbringing, but because of that, I was appreciating the things that most kids weren't which separates me from the herd.
What was life like on the road? What was the most fun and conversely, the most challenging?
In the very beginning when I started touring with Nappy Roots it was just exciting and fun, I wasn't thinking about the fact that I was the only female within a fully cis male environment. That was the challenge later on when the glitter in my eyes wore thin. Hard finding the space for myself. But it gets easier every time, you learn to make space and time for yourself.
"You learn to make space and time for yourself."
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
When people call me Kelsey.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I have to rosin my bow every time I play and the process of making rosin in a beautiful one. Most specifically though is that it is comprised mostly of Pine sap. Pine sap is indeed the key ingredient in rosin, and it is derived from pines grown for paper pulp on big southern plantations. I grew up around a lot of Pines in NC.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
It's like the mating songs of Lyre Birds, they are one of the most complex songbirds in the world. The reason for their complexity is their unique ability to mimic sounds, they can literally mimic the calls of any birds, as well as natural sounds they may come across, say for example like a camera shutter. What makes one stand out from the rest, is the way they personalize their mimicry.
"What makes one stand out from the rest, is the way they personalize their mimicry."
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What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Earth.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I can't really pinpoint the exact location of time or place upon which I found that confidence, I also don't feel like it's been fully realized for myself. It's something that takes time and trial and error.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Let the River run between your thighs and lift your eyes to the sky.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
By getting through the pain of that bump, you will naturally find another road.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
The song of my own tears falling to the bottom of the shower floor.
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Create & Cultivate 100: STEM: Ayah Bdeir
THE CREATOR.
THE CREATOR.
Join her current.
Ayah Bdeir is the founder and CEO of littleBits, an open source library of modular electronics that snap together with magnets. It is an award-winning platform of easy-to-use electronic building blocks that empowers kids everywhere to create inventions, large and small. What does that mean?
The company she founded in 2011 makes technology accessible across all ages. It sells a library of modular electronic units that can be easily connected for projects from night lights to sound machines to droids. (These are the droids you're looking for.)
Electronic building blocks are color-coded, magnetic, and reusable. Ayah designed everything herself to all fit together magnetically, so that the circuits always join correctly. Currently there are over 400k possible inventions with the littleBits starter kit. It's like your childhood erector set on Bulletproof-- to put it mildly.
She is an engineer, interactive artist and one of the leaders of the open source hardware movement.
More from Ayah below.
Where did your passion for creative technology start?
When I was growing up I was very good at math and science and I spent a lot of time taking things apart and putting them back together. I studied engineering in college and I didn’t feel like there was any room for creativity. After I graduated and discovered MIT I was introduced to the power of engineering when you pair it with creativity.
What inspired your mission behind littleBits?
My mission was to figure out how to bring this access to technology to people who were outside of engineering like designers, artists, kids. I wanted to find out how we could make technology easy, accessible and fun. littleBits is a platform of easy to use electronic building blocks for people creating inventions without a background in engineering. The world is changing constantly and for kids, we need to prepare them for careers that haven’t been invented yet.
The world is changing constantly and for kids, we need to prepare them for careers that haven’t been invented yet.
You’ve raised over 60 million for your company, how did you get to this point?
It wasn’t easy at all to raise the money in the early days. I think being a woman played a part in that but I got a lot of good advice from other entrepreneurs to make my pitches better. I learned that women tend to speak in questions marks so I practiced speak in more direct sentences. I also realized that women tend to overcompensate in their pitches with data when in reality the investors are looking for vision.
How do get your inspiration for new bits?
Early in the business I used to get a lot of inspiration from reading customer service tickets. I used to read almost every ticket and see what people were asking and get new ideas from those. Not so much anymore though, now I get inspiration from other things. When new pieces of technology come out I ask my team how can we make this fun and more accessible? Sometimes other fields.
"You can’t let things break you."
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What advice would you give someone who is looking to follow in your footsteps?
If you want to start a company, I’d advise that you do that only with an idea that you’re obsessed with. It’s every minute of your life and every single day. If you have a really strong belief in that mission of what you’re trying to achieve, it will carry you through the ups and downs. My second piece of advice is ask people for help. People are generally very willing to help someone who has drive. When they see someone with drive for a mission they want to get behind it.
What would you credit your success to?
The fact that I’m not afraid to ask when I don’t know something. Also, the understanding that I am a work in progress as a Founder and as a CEO I am constantly trying to work on myself. Tenacity is definitely a big part of being an entrepreneur. We have to have thick skin and you can’t let things break you.
This interview has been edited and condensed from multiple sources.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE STEM LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100 Philanthropy: Ty Stiklorius
TIED UP IN GOODNESS.
TIED UP IN GOODNESS
What can't this woman do?
The daughter of an immigrant father, Ty Stiklorius, says her dad had expectations for his daughter to be James Bond meets Lauren Bacall meets Super Woman.
Seeing as Marie Claire just named her one of their "Women Changing The World" on their annual New Guard 2017 list and Fast Company named her on of their Creative People of 2017, for combining traditional management services with social activism, we'd say she's come close to hitting that target.
The founder and CEO of Friends At Work, a media and impact agency that partners with leading artists and thinkers, FAW launched in 2015 and manages artists and influencers including John Legend, Lindsey Stirling, Fletcher (C&C 100 honoree) and Madame Gandhi (also a C&C 100 honoree). Alongside Legend, Ty is one of the principals of Get Lifted Film Co., production company based in Los Angeles. Under the Get Lifted banner, the trio has served as Executive Producers on the HBO documentary “Southern Rites,” WGN’s hit series “Underground” and the award-winning film “LaLa Land.”
With an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a BA from The University of Pennsylvania, she's using her brains and badassery for good.
More from Ty below.
Name: Ty Stiklorius
Instagram Handle: @Stiklori
Business Instagram Handle: @FriendsAtWork
Can you chat us through the inception of Friends at Work?
I had been a manager for over a decade focusing on helping artists thrive but within other people’s infrastructures. At 40 I realized it was time to own my ambition and launch my own company so that I could execute on a big vision for something beyond a management company with better services, more focus on wellness and social impact, more transparency, more creative services & business development and overall a better focus on long-term sustainable artistic development. And not just with musicians but with leaders of all kinds - astronauts, civil rights leaders of our time, etc.
"At 40 I realized it was time to own my ambition and launch my own company."
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What was the moment you knew it was time to launch something of your own?
It wasn’t one moment. It was a long process of building my experience, relationships, and confidence to take the lead. Starting a company is a big responsibility. I knew that when I did it I couldn’t fail my artist partners or my team. I knew I had to be ready, have the right funding, vision, and mix of the right team to be better than what I had seen elsewhere. It’s an iterative process of improving. But when my contract was up at my old company I knew I was ready to leave and start my own company.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I cultivate goosebumps. I lead with heart and passion. I stay in an inspired zone. I have always been that way. The drive is likely informed by a combo of my education, upbringing and my immigrant father’s expectations for me to be James Bond meets Lauren Bacall meets Super Woman.
My immigrant father had expectations for me to be James Bond meets Lauren Bacall meets Super Woman.
What does it mean to be a social impact company?
It means we prioritize making a positive impact on the world. We only work with artists and leaders who want to use their platform to create positive change and help others.
Do you think you've found your true calling?
In some ways, but I am constantly evolving and honing what that is. I think it changes as a human being evolves.
Who are some of the people who have championed your work?
John Legend. Dave Wirtschafter and Brent Smith. Troy Carter. Gary Gersh. Erik Flannigan. Kevin Mayer. Priya Chordia and Greg Propper. Rob English. Lindsey Stirling. Adina Friedman. Chuck Ortner. Sylvia Rhone. Jonas Stiklorius. Aaron Rosenberg. Mike Jackson. My Dad and Mom and old friends. You need a lot of people to believe in you and support you. Being an entrepreneur who is taking a leap & trying to change the world is not easy.
In addition to FAW you work with John Legend to launch #FREEAMERICA. What about incarceration policies drew you to the cause?
John and I had worked to improve K-12 education for many years. We launched The Show Me Campaign in 2007 with that aim. We believed that a good education was the path to success. But in our work we kept bumping into the school to prison pipeline. We saw places in the US where kids were more likely to end up in jail or prison than college. We were involved in a lm by Eugene Jerecki titled “The House I Live In” about the failed war on drugs. We helped promote the lm and screened it at churches. John Lewis helped too. It woke us up. Then John Legend suggested I read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. Those books changed us. We started learning more about how the United States is the most incarcerated country in the world. And at one point I said to John “you need to do a Johnny Cash and perform at prisons and jails around the US and draw attention to this issue.” A couple months later we had put together a team to help us do just that and we launched #FREEAMERICA. John has performed at jails in Texas, juvenile detention centers, max security prisons, a women’s correctional facility in WA, at immigration detention centers and has visited a prison in Portugal. We humbly listened to and learned from people affected by the system. And we helped tell their stories. That’s evolved into constantly honing our strategy to fix our broken system, to raise awareness, to focus on various strategies to reduce our prison and jail populations and to focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
Are there any fears associated with your work? If yes, what are they?
I am aware of risks and dangers, but rather than be fearful, I prefer to come up with strategies to address them. For example, these horrific shootings that have happened at live concerts are frightening, but the first thing I want to do is figure out how to be helpful, how to help us heal and come up with strategies so it won’t happen again. I try not to let fears overwhelm me.
What's one of the most culturally transformative evenings you've ever had?
Once I danced at the White House till around 1 am. Obama came out and danced with everyone. Questlove was to my left. Dave Chappelle was to my right. Tears were flowing. It was one of the biggest moments of joy, celebration, and happiness I’ve ever experienced. I can’t even explain how great that night was and how culturally transformative it was. To see the White House celebrating this moment of community, love, achievement.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
It requires a lot of creativity and an ability to stay optimistic. I’ve heard managers say, “I am not the creative person, I couldn’t pick the single if I tried.” The best managers are deeply creative people who help their artists learn about why Bruce Springsteen is so great and worthy of deep study. The best way to stay in a creative flow space, work out of the Hammer museum once a week and never let the brilliance of life get dull.
"Never let the brilliance of life get dull."
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You work on so many projects and campaigns. What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Not sure what it means to feel complete. But to me, I guess that feeling comes from my family, from love, from our FAW team, from having had a lifelong friendship with John Legend, with seeing Lindsey Stirling thrive and achieve her dreams, with having a bigger outlook on what we can achieve beyond ourselves.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I have always wanted to be a painter. Maybe Picasso or Georgia O’Keefe. How cool to paint all day long!
At what point in your life did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
It’s a process, not one point. It took years and years.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Don’t pre-suffer. Don’t worry. Work!
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road?
I hunker down with friends and we dream up some new dope shit to do. I meditate. I do the daily practices that keep me in a good healthy positive space. Big bumps are actually smaller when you know how not to inflate them.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Ella Fitzgerald & Louie Armstrong’s “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off,” or any song on Burnin’ by The Wailers.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
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Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Rachel Zoe
THE MULTI-HYPHENATE HUSTLER.
THE MULTI-HYPHENATE HUSTLER
She's a woman to set your watch to. And she'd tell you which one looks best.
Digitally-forward, socially-savvy, the fashion empire of Rachel Zoe is decidedly a stylish one— but it’s also built on the know-how of the entrepreneur.
Rachel Zoe may have popularized such phrases as "I die," and "Bananas," but the multi-hyphenate who credited launching The Zoe Report as one of her smartest business decisions has so much more knowledge to drop.
From her styling years she learned about people-- patience was part of that and no job or client was ever alike.
At the core of her brand she's always wanted to speak to, empower, and motivate young women. To give them confidence to do whatever they want to do in life. "The mantra of my brand has always been: Provide aspiration and inspiration, and always be accessible. Never be intimidating."
We love it.
More from the entrepreneur below.
From stylist to mogul. What's something about your journey that you've never told anyone?
I don't think people from the outside would realize how many highs and lows come along with owning your own business. Being an entrepreneur can be very challenging in that you only have yourself to rely on.That being said, I'm thankful that I have the most incredible team, and my family and friends have supported me throughout my entire career.
What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?
I think the biggest challenge is always being in a room full of men and constantly feeling like the odd woman out. It's a challenge to be taken seriously, but I do feel like the future for female entrepreneurs and business leaders is bright.
"The future for female entrepreneurs and business leaders is bright."
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Where do your drive and passion come from?
I have always been driven by my innate love for fashion. I have never looked at my job as work but as a way of life. I have always been motivated by my desire to succeed and to this day, I put 100% into everything I do. My father is a successful entrepreneur and his example of hard work and integrity has made a huge impact on me.
"I put 100% into everything I do."
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Speaking of drive-- when you hit a rough patch or a bump in the road, how have you found new roads?
Working alongside my husband and business partner Rodger (who is a long-time entrepreneur and investment banker), has made bumps in the road much easier to navigate. We have such different strengths which makes it helpful to see things from a different perspective. We find new roads together by staying positive, for each other and for the team.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
In the first phase of my career in styling, it was always my clients telling me they felt beautiful and when I could see their confidence soar. As an entrepreneur, being surrounded by and collaborating with incredible women in leadership positions is truly fulfilling. Between my friends and my team, we stay true to the motto of women supporting women.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
My friend and mentor, Natalie Massenet. I admire the career she has carved out for herself as a self-made entrepreneur who changed the way people shop. In her new role, at Farfetch, she continues to be a leader as she takes on new and exciting endeavors.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
I make it a habit to not sing in the shower, but I do play music as a stress release and its always mellow, classic rock. Fleetwood Mac, Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones are my favorite go-to's.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Paola Mathé
THE QUEEN OF COLOR.
THE QUEEN OF COLOR.
You don't need to write a novel to tell a story.
Paola Mathé is the embodiment of this. A storyteller at heart, the blogger and Creative Director was born a dreamer from a small town in Haiti. Paola moved to the United States during her teenage years, where she lived in a one bedroom apartment with her family in Newark, NJ. Of her mother, the creative shares, “She’s had a very tough life and over the years I’ve seen her get stronger and smarter." It's certainly helped shaped the woman Paola has become.
A driven individual, Paola was the first in her family to graduate from college, receiving her dual bachelor's degree in Economics and French Literature at Drew University. Post-grad she went on to launch a career in hospitality. As is the narrative with many bloggers, she started Finding Paola as a creative outlet during a time when her career was soaring. She recalls getting “four promotions over the course of about six months-- I was dominating and living that life," she says. "But I got really into it [the blog] and made time. I was working 50-60 hours a week, managing all of these different people but really wanting to be creative. So that’s what I started doing. And I remember thinking, I don’t have much, but how can I create this? How can I show people that they can live without having much?”
This was during 2009 when the blog in its infancy was called Finding Paola: Lost in New York. What was she searching for? Was she truly lost? Not exactly. “I was writing about things I was not familiar with but were intriguing and exciting. I was really trying to find who I was. I started seeing this girl," she says self-referentially, "who, whether she had someone to go to an event with or not, she would still show up, she would meet people, network, and then I started seeing me changing in front of me-- doing all these things I was never comfortable with, really trying to get stronger.”
She was busy documenting different events, but the content evolved over time to include her personal style. "I tried to keep up with that, while also being as honest as possible." She says that having a blog, especially before the dawn/explosion of social media was really hard. “I felt like everyone was studying a manual I didn’t have and everything looked the same. I didn’t want my blog to be that because my life is full of color and I felt like my story was so different from the blogs I was reading. I remember subscribing to a lot of them, trying to follow and keep up and then unsubscribing because I didn’t relate. But then I’d wonder why they were getting so popular. I didn’t realize that at the time my blog was also getting popular. I thought it would just be friends and family.”
“I felt like everyone was studying a manual I didn’t have."
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Occasionally she'll read her old posts to see how much she’s grown, although many have been lost as she’s transitioned platforms over the years. “A lot of posts don’t migrate," she laughs recalling the days when twenty views would get her really excited. “I thought the only person reading it was my mom because she was terrified of me being in New York and wanted to keep tabs on me.”
Describing herself as a shy child surrounded by strong women in Haiti, including her mother, Paola says, “I remember always trying to be in charge of her money. I would always try to calculate everything. How much does sugar cost and how much does rice cost? I was shy, but I was very observant. I had very strong opinions and I knew when I was older I wanted to be treated a certain way. I remember being in this house full of women. My mom didn’t like to be alone so when we lived in our family house in Haiti she surrounded herself with friends-- people who weren’t relatives but I would call them cousin. I saw how all these women lived. As a little girl I saw their love lives, how they cried, how they handled things, and I remember sitting there-- because in Haiti it’s very strict you can’t just get into grown folks business-- and thinking about what I liked and didn’t like. That’s why Fanm Djanm is important. They were all strong in their own way, but I didn’t want to be treated how they were treated. As I got older and older I found myself solving problems. And I realized that I could solve problems and be creative.”
She is referring to her company, Fanm Djanm, a head wrap collection and popular lifestyle brand launched in 2014 that celebrates the strength of women while empowering them to live boldly. It means “strong woman" in Haitian Creole.
More from Paola, a very strong woman, below.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My drive comes from the way my heart races when I feel like I'm going to step out of my comfort zone. It's embedded in all my daydreams as a shy little girl. And it continues to evolve as I realize how much I can do with the right mindset. My passion? Maybe I was born with it? I don't remember not ever being passionate. I see beauty in abandoned cracks and crevices. Sometimes I create it. And sometimes it just surprises me. It's hard not to have passion.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
Knowing that it's not going to be permanent. Knowing that it only gets worst if I ignore it. So I have to push and find a solution. Sometimes reading about other entrepreneur's obstacles help me because I know I'm not alone.
I know I'm not alone.
We've talked a little before about how you created your office space in Harlem. And that even though it's small, it's yours. Why is having something that's all yours important?
It's important to have something that's all mine because I make the rules. I create my world of beauty and happiness. The walls vibrate inspiration and truths that I don't find most places. I get to curate and be in charge of what I like. I can look around on a bad day and find a piece of artwork and some words that just lift me up. And that's where some of the magic happens.
How do you manage your time between your personal brand and Fanm Djamn?
It's hard to manage time between the two. It's hard to say that I'll work on Fanm Djanm for an x amount of time today and I'll dedicate another x amount to Finding Paola. It's exhausting. So I go by what demands my attention the most at the moment. Fanm Djanm is my baby, but it's just one of the long term projects I'm going to work on in my life. I think having a good team is extremely important. My transition to Austin hasn't made it easy.
How have you been able to work remotely with your team since you moved to Austin?
The move to Austin has been a big challenge for, and my pregnancy hasn't made it any easier. I'm happy to work young, ambitious, trustworthy people. I found that with the current state that I was, it was difficult to make solid plans. I've learned a lot about patience and not to be too hard on myself the past few months.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
My biggest pet peeve is how easy people find it to comment on other people's bodies, especially women's bodies. I think the world would be a better place for us if we weren't being reminded every time our bodies go through a major change or look different. It's our body, we know how we look, and we don't need your remarks unless we ask for it.
"It's our body, we know how we look, and we don't need your remarks unless we ask for it."
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Who or what are you most inspired by?
I'm inspired by women. I'm inspired by black women. I'm inspired by women who have found their voice, and who know what they want (or at least what they don't want). And of course color! I love color and how it makes me feel. It doesn't have to be bright or bold (although that's my go-to). Neutrals can be fun too. I love how mixing or not can tell a story. And my friend Mama Cax continues to inspire me everyday.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
My biggest fear is failing those who work with me. I want them to do well and be well just like I want to do well. It's difficult when you've started without much and are still finding yourself. But the more I learn, and the more I know, the more I'll be able to look out for them as well.
You're about to be a new mom. What do you hope to pass on to your child?
I'd like for my child to know that she was born from unfiltered and exciting love. I'd like for her to know that she will be privileged even as a biracial person, and that she should understand his or her role in all of this. I'd like to pass on open-mindedness, and being able to love, communicate, share, and inspire. I'd like to pass on that nobody is perfect and that life is unfair no matter where or how you're born. But if you're able to make a difference, you should. There's so much that I'd love to pass on. I think self-love is also one of the top things I'd like to pass on. Being free, but not carefree.
Where do you find inspiration?
When I was in Harlem I would go up to a stranger in the street if I thought they had a story or they’d be an amazing person to have a conversation with. I love talking to older women a lot. I started photographing older women in Harlem and I would approach them and tell them how beautiful and amazing they are. They would look at me like I was crazy-- that’s how you know you live in an ageist society. When you tell an older woman she’s beautiful often they think you’re making fun of them or it surprises them.
How does that make you feel as a woman?
People think you’re failing at life because you’re not doing something before you’re 30. I know so many amazing people who didn’t start to find themselves until later. When I meet a woman who says, ‘I’ve been doing this for a while, but it wasn’t until I was 45 that I really found my voice,’ to me that’s really inspiring. These aren’t just women breaking the rules but those who are doing something positive and impactful for their communities. I want to showcase stories like that.
"People think you’re failing at life because you’re not doing something before you’re 30."
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When did you find the confidence to become the woman you are today?
There was a video recently of me and I started crying because I was like WHO is this woman, WHY are they using these words to describe her-- and I realized, 'Oh it’s me.'
I painted the floors in my office in Harlem myself. I was tired and I wanted to get it done, because customers don’t care if you’re painting the floors, they want what they’ve ordered. But I was tired and I sat down and was looking around. And I remember thinking, “Oh my God, this is me. This is mine. The woman who wrote the piece about me in the New York Times described it as a matchbox and I was like 'damn, not even a shoebox?' But still, its my colorful matchbox.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FASHION LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate Beauty 100: Marianna Hewitt & Lauren Gores Ireland
MORE THAN SKIN DEEP.
MORE THAN SKIN DEEP.
The glow up is everything. Which, is something that Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland know a bit about.
As bloggers, the Summer Friday co-founders @laurengores + @marianna_hewitt have tried, tested, masked and mud bathed, just about every product on the market. And yet, even with all that beauty bag swag, bins and boxes full of every type of treatment, they were still in search of a skin care routine with good-for-you ingredients that gave their skin an immediate selfie-worthy glow. Like a Lumee in a bottle, baby.
As such, they've launched Summer Fridays believing that women deserve "it." They deserve to feel confident in clear, beautiful skin. Plus a little glow never hurt anyone.
Shine bright and learn more about the friends and co-founders below.
Names: Marianna Hewitt & Lauren Gores Ireland
Instagram Handles: @marianna_hewitt + @laurengores
Business Instagram Handle: @summerfridays
The launch of Summer Fridays is very exciting! How did to come to be? And tell us the goods! What's it all about?
Marianna: We have literally tried every product t there and had never found the perfect mask, so we decided to make one for ourselves. We're a line of luxe facial masks with good for you ingredients with super fast results, because who wants to wait 6 weeks to see if a product is working or not?
Lauren: We wanted to create something that could make you look and feel great- from home or a hotel room or even mid-flight. We are big believers in taking care of your skin first. We started with masks because we found they’re a super- fast game-changer for beautiful skin. And to be honest, there wasn’t anything out there that we truly loved.
Why was it time for each of you to launch your own line?
Marianna: My readers really come to me for advice on what to buy or use and skincare is the first step in your beauty routine so I knew I wanted to create a product that made women feel more confident so that they could go makeup free or so their makeup could look even better with great skin as a base.
Lauren: The remarkable part of social media is being able to connect directly with my followers. We wanted to support our amazing community and give them what they have been asking for: clean and effective skincare products that build confidence. We are doing this with our community as much as we are doing it for them.
How did you know the other was the right business partner?
Marianna: We mirrored each others lives --two Libras, from the Midwest, who went to school for Broadcast Journalism who grew up wanting to be Oprah. We started our blogs at the same time and through our years of friendship, we always related through our goals and aspirations. So we joined together after knowing each other for so long and it has been an amazing partnership.
Lauren: Marianna is not only impressively creative, but she is also strategic. She knows exactly how to create something that will resonate with her massive following. I wanted to work alongside her because she brings magic and meaning to everything she touches.
What's most exciting to each of you about the launch?
Marianna: I'm so used to doing things instantly posting content online so I'm really excited for my audience to see what we've been working on since 2016.
Lauren: We are so proud of this product and so passionate about this project. We are so excited to finally share it with the people who inspired us and who have gifted us with the incredible opportunity to do what we love.
Respectively, what does beauty mean to you?
Marianna: Feeling confident in your skin.
Lauren: To me, beauty is confidence. Confidence stems from so many elements of my life, but certainly feeling good in the skin I’m in is a huge part of it. We want our masks to make others feel confident in their own skin.
"Beauty means feeling confident in your skin."
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Again respectively, do you remember a moment when you first felt beautiful?
Marianna: When my skin looks good, I feel my best. I feel like I am glowing and confident and when I feel confident I can take on anything that comes my way.
Lauren: I’m really grateful that I have a mother who made me feel beautiful through instilling self- confidence. That’s really stayed with me as I’ve become a new mother myself. Even with no makeup and very little sleep, I’m reminded every day when I look at my son experiencing the world for the first time that happiness is what makes me most beautiful.
Even with no makeup and very little sleep, I’m reminded every day when I look at my son experiencing the world for the first time that happiness is what makes me most beautiful.
Marianna, you share so much with the world! What's something you'd like people to know about your career and day-to-day that they probably don’t?
It isn't as glamorous as it looks on Instagram.
Lauren, in your opinion, how can we stay original when we are so saturated by other people's work?
I think a lot of what is important to people now is to evolve and develop. My brand has changed as i have personally changed and I’ve found that my audience is responsive to that genuine growth.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Lauren: I think there is always some fear in taking risks and that’s a natural part of starting a new business. The biggest fear stems from not taking those risks and limiting ourselves because of that.
What about your individual careers make you feel the most complete?
Marianna: When I meet a reader or follower who has taken something I've shown or taught them to affect their lives in a positive way. That could be a product that makes them feel good, an outfit they got for a first date or life advice that made them take a risk that they were afraid to.
Lauren: What makes me the happiest in my career is when I know that what I’m creating is giving people a moment of joy in their own lives. Our world can often feel chaotic and I relish the moments that I can offer some solace even in the smallest way.
Our world can often feel chaotic and I relish the moments that I can offer some solace even in the smallest way.
What about doing this together adds to that feeling?
Marianna: We both have the same goals in mind for our company. We have Summer Fridays and our consumer at top of mind, so we work together really well to always stick to that goal. We know that our brand will build a community of women and give confidence through skincare.
Lauren: We really trust each other, and we are open to making changes. It’s really important to have a partner who is flexible. One of our top goals is to create an inclusive community around Summer Fridays that can grow and develop as we do.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Both: Oprah!
At what point in your careers did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the women you are today?
Lauren: I think that’s an ongoing process. It’s a journey and a challenge, and by finding things I am passionate about I aim to be continuously inspired to continue. There are days you feel completely con dent and days that you question everything, but the important part is to keep trying.
"The important part is to keep trying."
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Marianna: I think its something I have always known. Being from Ohio, I had big goals and aspirations that many people in my town did not. I think it was something I was born with and was going to work hard to achieve it.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Marianna: Be nice. It sounds simple but often people really forget.
Lauren: My dad always told me, “Most of the time you regret the things you didn’t do, not the things you did. Keep on doing.”
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
Marianna: Sometimes a detour is supposed to lead you in a better direction, so I am a roll with the punches kind of girl and just go with the ow instead of against it.
Lauren: When I feel frustrated that something is no longer working, I’ll take some time (whether it’s days, weeks, or months) to pause and process. I try to look at things from a new perspective and understand that things are constantly changing. Old habits that were once successful may not always work and I have to be open to change.
"Old habits that were once successful may not always work."
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What song do you each sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Marianna: Baby It's Cold Outside!
Lauren: Mariah Carey!
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE BEAUTY LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Philanthropy: Shaun Robinson
DOIN' IT FOR THE GIRLS.
DOIN' IT FOR THE GIRLS.
TV host and self-proclaimed “Motown Gal” Shaun Robinson is on a mission to make the world a better place for girls and women.
The Emmy Award winning journalist and Access Hollywood vet has hosted pre-shows for the Golden Globes and Academy Awards, yet being a positive role model has always been her principal goal. With her emonymous nonprofit, The S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls, Robinson has made it her life’s work to supports grassroots charities making advancements in five key areas of girls issues: (S)TEM, (H)EALTH, (A)RTS, (U)NITY and (N)EIGHBORHOODS.
Find out how the fervent philanthropist is working to reduce the inequities girls’ face.
Name: Shaun Robinson
Instagram Handle: @msshaunrobinson
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My drive and passion, in part, comes from my mom and dad. They encouraged me to work hard and never forget where I cam from. They taught me that I could achieve anything I put my mind to.
Philanthropy means the "love of humanity." It's so beautiful and simple. What does it mean to you?
Philanthropy means using your power to help make the lives of other people better. We all have that gift. We were put here to be a beacon of light for those in need.
How did you find yourself on this particular career journey?
I was inspired when I was a little girl. I use to watch a woman named Beverly Payne anchor the news in Detroit when I was about 6-years-old. She was the first African American woman that I ever saw on TV. She was my first TV role model.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
Sometimes, it's not as glamorous as you might think!
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I am proud to say that I was raised by a mother who taught me that I was complete all by myself...no matter what my job was, what my relationship status was or how I look. I always do my best when I work but, it is not what completes me.
"I was raised by a mother who taught me that I was complete all by myself."
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If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
The President of the United States. 'Nuff said.
At what point in your life did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I am someone who likes to keep growing and take on new challenges. I felt so empowered after I left my job of 16 years at Access Hollywood. I felt it was a new chapter that allowed me to take control of my life.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
I love swimmer Diana Nyad's motto..."Never, ever give up!". Those are very powerful words that I live by every day. You only need one "yes" so keep trying until you get it.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road?
When I encounter any type of roadblock, I pray about it. I sit in silence and ask God for direction. I always get clarity when I do that.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
If I have had a bad day, the last thing I want to do is hear myself sing! lol.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE PHILANTHROPY LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Liza Koshy
BETTER THAN NETFLIX.
BETTER THAN NETFLIX.
Actress and YouTube phenom Liza Koshy believes that content is a universal language. And if it gets people laughing we’d have to agree-- as does her following. With over 15 million followers on IG and a loyal YouTube crew that checks in to see the new vids Liza uploads every Wednesday. Like her 73 Questions Vogue parody, featuring her character Jet Patinski, or Helga, her 8th wonder of the world, ethnically nondescript character who likes her eggs, “unfertilized.” Same.
A self-made star that’s only on the rise, find out what’s new in Liza’s word in 2018 and why you shouldn’t take your eyes off her.
Binge on Liza below.
How would you describe what you do?
I’m making content to make people feel content.
When did your interest in video start? How’d you start creating content?
I started on Vine in High School. When I switched to YouTube I started to create more elaborate sketches. I moved to Los Angeles when I was 19 and signed with Creative Artists Agency to build my brand and put some strategy behind the funny.
Who were your biggest inspirations growing up?
Jim Carrey and Raven Symone. That’s So Raven was my jam!
Your social media feeds seem custom tailored for each platform. Your YouTube and your Instagram look so different from each other. How do you maintain your unique consistency online?
I treat each app as a different diary of me. I wish I could tweet the one-liners that I come up with for YouTube, but my audience, the bosses will call you out for recycling content.
You did a pretty cool collaboration with Giving Keys and had a line of necklaces out last year. How did that come about and what’s the meaning behind the necklaces?
My parents had gotten me one of the Giving Keys necklaces as a gift. After meeting the founder of the company, Caitlin Crosby, we started talking about a collaboration and what she wanted to put into the world. We both want to put out all sorts of good words and intentions. I decided to focus on the words 'Trust' and 'Laugh’ as they’re major themes in my life.
In your video titled “Mixed Kid Problems,” you mention bouncing among racial groups and constantly fielding queries about your ethnic background. What is your background and how do you feel like your audience relates to this?
I’m perceived as “ethnically ambiguous” online and I think that helps me broaden my Gen Z audience, which is more ethnically and racially diverse than most older generations. My father moved to the U.S. from India as a teen, and my mother is white. I mostly just describe myself as a “little brown girl.” My bosses are a bunch of 11-year-olds and they’re more informed about the world and more opinionated about it, which isn’t a bad thing. But it makes them a little more touchy at times.
You’re stepping into a new realm with your latest television deals. How does this feel?
This phase of my career relies on my bosses sticking around and following me to these new outlets. It is kind of hard to give up parts of the creative process now. I’m nervous about not setting up the camera and pressing record myself.
What’s the best part about what you do?
I can’t get fired.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Bad breath.
If you could switch jobs with anyone who would it be and why?
Jessica Alba. Her company Honest, honestly it’s amazing.
