Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Megan Lytle
THE GLOW UP.
THE GLOW UP.
U Love Megz.
For vlogger Megan Lytle, aka ULoveMegz, embracing herself—and her natural hair—has been a lifelong journey. With her (new milestone!) of over 50 million YouTube viewers, Lytle’s mission of harnessing beauty as a means of “self-expression and mental wellness” is far from small. Beloved for her contagious positivity, inspirational tutorials, and real talk, Megz recently surprised followers with the announcement that she was retiring relaxers and celebrating her natural hair. After posting the “big chop” to her channel, Megz told her audience she felt relieved and liberated. “There are a lot of things that happen behind the scenes when it comes to the beauty world and even more when it comes to being an African American influencer,” she says.
Get the full “Megz experience” below.
Name: Megan Lytle
Instagram Handle: @ulovemegz
You've captured the hearts and attention of 40 million women. What do you think it is that draws women to you?
I've actually made a new milestone of catching the love of over 50 million lovies on Youtube alone. Sometimes I wonder to myself why are people watching or what makes someone want to watch me? It's truly a blessing because I never thought that I would be where I am today back when I started late 2009. If I could think of what it might be, I think its because I'm completely myself and I love talking and being a girly girl with all of my homegirl friends online. I don't act like I'm above and beyond anyone because I am just like them because we can relate to one another. I'm their best friend, sister, their auntie, daughter, cousin, etc.
I imagine it's a great feeling. To be able to positively impact the way someone feels about themselves. To help other women feel beautiful...
It's an amazing feeling, and I always get emotional when I think about it. I never intended to have any of what I've gained over the years! I started my channel when I was lost about what I wanted to do with my life and trying to figure things out and to know that I'm helping women all over the world truly warms my heart. While I'm sharing videos about how I'm trying to be my best self, it was rubbing off on those who watch to be their best selves.
What does beauty mean to you?
Beauty means choosing happiness. Being happy with the person you are right now and most of all having a positive attitude! Say if you aren't feeling the best, bettering yourself in some way is beauty to me because we all have to work on that from the inside out.
Do you remember a moment when you first felt beautiful?
I think the first time I TRULY felt beautiful was this year. I always knew I was beautiful but knowing your beautiful and feeling beautiful are two different things. This year I've found my way to happiness within myself and to know that I am the bomb just the way I am. I started doing things that make me feel good about me!
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My drive and passion come from all the love and support from my online beauty homies. Being able to connect and help people all over the world when it comes to beauty drives me to continue and grow and build. They've really encouraged and motivated me during some tough times that they aren't even aware of! The support of my family plays a major role also.
What are your biggest fears about running your brand?
I have no fears. Fear holds you back, and I plan to go all the way to concur my goals for a better me and a better brand. If I fail at something I just dust myself off and try again.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
It's not all just lipgloss, edge control, and the perfect selfie. It's hard work to continue to stay afloat and on trend with whats going on. There are a lot of things that happen behind the scenes that people would be surprised about when it comes to the beauty world and even more when it comes to being an African American influencer.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
Being yourself makes your content original. When you bring yourself to your content even though it might be the same genre, it already becomes different from someone else's because people watch for mainly YOU. They tune in to get the "Megz" experience.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I feel the most complete when I see that I've helped someone or when I'm told that I gave someone joy by putting them in a happy mood with laughter. That's the biggest reward for me!
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!
"Give someone a hug and sing 'oooooh cchhhillllld, things are gonna get easierrrrrr!'"
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At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I would say a lot of the confidence that I have gained came from taking a step back and taking time out for myself in my personal life. I'm still learning and growing so much so I would say once you are comfortable and happy with yourself it will spill over into your career.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
I get daily advice from my Dad, and I would say one of the best pieces of advice or what we live by is to never make excuses but to make things happen.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
Honestly, I just figure it out. I feel like with everything that I've ever been through I just stayed positive and figured things out. Things don't always go our way or are always full of sunshine, but those bumps get smooth eventually! Pimples pop, the scare fades away with a little tender love and skincare. That's how I look at it.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
The Five Stairsteps - Ooh Child I scream sing this song all the time and it puts me an inspirational good mood. I sing that really loud when people try to annoy me or when someone else is frustrated or trying to be negative. Give someone a hug and sing "oooooh cchhhillllld, things are gonna get easierrrrrr!" It works!
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE BEAUTY LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Gem & Bolt
THE MEZCAL FIRECRACKERS.
THE MEZCAL FIRECRACKERS.
The ladies of Gem & Bolt are wild.
Before alchemist-artist duo Adrinadrina and Elliott were Gem & Bolt, they almost ran off to join an eccentric Mayan circus in the Yucatan backwoods. The unorthodox makers of the plant-based “clean spirit” are on a mission to restore personal elevation to the art of celebration.
Produced by fourth generation master distillers in Oaxaca, Mexico using a sacred herb called Damiana, Gem & Bolt is organic, sustainable, and rooted in the mystical. Because mezcal chooses you, you don’t choose it—discover how the founders were seduced by this radical, healing elixir.
Join their party below.
Name: Adrinadrina and Elliott Coon
Instagram Handles: @adrinadrina @elliottcoon
Business Instagram Handle: @gemandbolt
"Positive life elevates consciousness." What does that mean to each of you?
We're dedicated to conscious evolution and find that teaching innovative ways to celebrate and creatively express oneself is fundamental to a positive life.
And how is that ethos imbued into the spirit of Gem & Bolt?
Positive forms of celebration and a clean plant-based botanical spirit elevate rather than deplete the human experience. Damiana is a connective and expansive herb connecting heart and mind which helps people celebrate in a more holistic manner. We call it Spirit in the Spirit.
How did you know that you wanted to launch a mezcal company?
They say Mezcal chooses you and you don't choose it. We were called to mezcal as artists, to bridge art and plants through celebration.
How did you know you wanted to do it together?
We were an artist duo and decided to create a project bringing together our shared passion for art and plants - born and raised together in a radical community of artists and visionaries, we share a deep-seated trust in one another and core values. It's the well-spring of all our cocreations.
Where does each of your respective drives and passion come from?
Bringing people together through art plants and celebration.
What are your biggest respective pet peeves?
That creative roles within companies are not always appropriately valued or honored. But this does seem to be changing. The most pioneering and successful new companies are those that do understand the value of balancing creative within the business.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
That the biggest responsibility we have as founders is to keep the heart and soul of the brand vital and vibrant in every respect, every day.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
Our perspective is that information is a gift and it's all about how you filter it through your own lens. We grew up outside of conventional society and we learned how to observe culture anthropologically and to curate our personal sources of inspiration and then reflect it back to the world.
What about your careers make you feel the most complete?
COLLABORATION !! & The fact that we've been able to take a heartfelt creative concept and turn it into a brand that reaches such a large audience.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
In the early stages of GEM&BOLT we were very close to joining an eccentric Mayan circus in the backwoods of the Yucatan. We often fantasize about the path that may have taken us down. So, perhaps we'd trade places with a past possibility of ourselves.
At what point in your careers did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the women you are today?
Yesterday. And every day.
"We recommend singing and dancing throughout the day as a preventative measure to bad moods."
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What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
"Lead your team from within" - Bobby Klein, friend, healer, and advisor to GEM&BOLT
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
We learned early on to reach out to advisors and mentors for perspective & also the power of creating our own realities, as well as our own roads. Bumps in the road are a phenomenal opportunity to revise and refine the vision.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
We recommend singing and dancing throughout the day as a preventative measure to bad moods.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Jen Atkin
THE MANE EVENT.
THE MANE EVENT.
No one can stop her, she's all the OUAI up.
But for real. Jen Atkin, the celeb hair stylist and founder of Ouai Haircare and Maneaddicts.com is really at the top of her game.
The number of mag covers she's styled is beyond impressive. From Kim K.'s Forbes cover (#notbadforagirlwithnotalent) to Gwen Stefani's Vogue and Nylon covers to Lorde's Rolling Stone cover, there are few places her magic hands haven't touched. From Bella to Chrissy, Kendall to Kaia, Jen's made a name for herself as one of the industry's most sought-after.
Instead of riding the celeb gravy train, she launched a company. Ouai Haircare has minimalist packaging with cheeky messaging. Her frizz sheets come in a white "cigarette box," with the phrase Frizzy Hair Kills, on the side. The #OuaiSquad is strong.
And honestly, she's just cool. And calm. Even though she's straight running shit, we've never seen her lose hers. It makes sense that the hair boss says, "One of the biggest keys to success is try to say YES instead of NO."
More from Jen below.
Name: Jen Atkin
Instagram Handle: @jenatkinhair
Business Handle: @theOUAI & @ManeAddicts
Part of your success can be attributed to the fact that you didn't listen to people in the beginning. You had your own ideas, your own vision. Was it ever hard to stick to your guns?
Two major things come to mind that people told me not to do and I stuck to my guns.
1. Once I started working with certain clients I had my peers and agents worried about who I was working with and didn’t think it would be good for my career. I’ve always chosen to work with people who have ambition and are inspiring and lovely to work with. I always trust my gut.
2. When I decided to not call my haircare line “Jen Atkin”. I was adamant about creating a line for real women and it was never about ME or how I do hair. I wanted to create a cool brand that could live on its own and have people like it regardless if they knew I was behind it or not.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I grew up with a working Mom. She taught me how to juggle and she never skipped a beat. I realize as I grow older that I try to emulate a lot of what she instilled in me about hard work and being a kind person. I also take pride in how many of my girlfriends are entrepreneurs in fashion, beauty, and tech. I get so much inspiration from watching all of them and the way they push boundaries every day.
At what point did you realize, woah, this big! And how did you handle and manage your success?
My a-ha moments in my career for sure have to be when I got the cover of Vogue with Gwen Stefani when I got to work with John Galliano and assist on Guido’s team at PFW when I launched Mane Addicts when I launched OUAI. In my classes, I try to tell my students: Be humble, work hard, and don’t try to compete with anyone else. There’s enough to go around for all of us to be successful. Don't expect success overnight. It takes years of hard work to start to build a long-standing career. And no matter what, remember we are in a service industry and it’s never about us it’s about our clients and them feeling comfortable and pretty.
"There’s enough to go around for all of us to be successful. Don't expect success overnight."
When did you know it was the right time to launch OUAI?
I struggled to find a haircare brand that I identified with or spoke to me or my clients. A brand that engaged with its consumers, a relatable brand. I was starting to feel like there was a major lack of realistic communication with haircare. It’s always been my dream to have my own hairline. I’ve been listening to my clients and followers for years and they all have the same complaints- they want healthier hair and they have a lack of time. I created OUAI as a real line for real life- it’s for the girl on the go that only has 5 minutes to do her hair. No more unrealistic hair campaigns- just multi-use products that cut styling time and nourish hair health. We are trying to create a brand, but also a culture. We are fighting against conformity, against boringness, against drudgery. More than a product we are selling an idea- a spirit.
What was the learning curve like in the beginning?
I think in the beginning I was so naive about what was needed to create OUAI. Looking back it's insane that nothing went wrong. Production, the messaging, packaging, etc... We are still such a small team and the whole HQ is full of amazing hardworking multitasking people. I’m excited to see whats next for us.
You've said that every client and every girlfriend has been part of the process for OUAI. Why is it important to you to be surrounded by other strong women?
I think that more brands are trying to empower women to learn how to do their own hair and creating tools, products, and content that make that easier to do (without a stylist). From a social standpoint, women are most active on social because we tend to share things more. We are changing the conversation in business and beauty!
What is your biggest pet peeve?
A "no" person. One of the biggest keys to success is try to say YES instead of NO. Or people letting their fear and doubt keep them from fulfilling their goals.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Now with social media, there aren’t boundaries when it comes to product. My biggest fear is not getting our product to consumers in a swift enough way. Supply and demand is always the root problem in business. Its hard to come up with, make and market a product, but then the challenge of getting it to the people who want it, when they want it- is one of my biggest concerns.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
Working as a hairstylist isn’t just about doing hair. There is a lot of scheduling and politics involved when you’re working with multiple clients. You also have to be up with current trends, etc.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated by other people's work?
I think everyone is inspired by every genre, era, etc. I think there is so much out there with Pinterest, Instagram, Magazines that we are foolish if we don’t get inspired by it all. Also, don’t be scared to try new things it may be the next big trend.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Making women look and feel good about themselves.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Honestly, I have always wanted to be Sade. It’s so random. But I dream of being as cool as her and having that voice.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I listened to my gut and have always been super proactive. I never shy away from hard work and my parents thankfully instilled confidence in me from a young age. I was always taught to write down and accomplish goals.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Serge Normant said not to be threatened by your peers, but be inspired by them. I truly believe there is enough work for all of us to go around and we should support and encourage each other. And Tracey Cunningham always says “Rejection is Gods protection”.
“Rejection is God's protection” - Tracey Cunningham
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When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I always try to look at the bigger picture and consider all options available.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
I don’t sing in the shower, I brainstorm.
I don’t sing in the shower, I brainstorm.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE BEAUTY LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Yvonne Orji
THE BREAKOUT STAR.
THE BREAKOUT STAR.
When Insecure actress Yvonne Orji says, "I feel good as a woman in Hollywood. I feel good as a black woman in Hollywood," you can tell she means it.
And she doesn't think her job would be easier if she were a man. "No, because I like being a woman. I think there is beauty and benefit to being a woman. I like being able to go into male-dominated spaces and blow people’s minds away."
That’s not to say she is blind to the discrepancy in Hollywood. Race issues. Age issues. Wage issues. There’s no way to avoid them.
"I like being able to go into male-dominated spaces and blow people’s minds away."
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Her journey through Hollywood certainly hasn't been without sexist moments. Having first made a name for herself on the stand-up circuit, Orji says there was always a moment where the announcer would prep the crowd. "Are you ready for a woman? are you ready for a woman?" they'd ask. These are the micro-aggressions that continuously diminish women at work. "They never do that for man," she says and it's no laughing matter. "Apparently," says Orji, "there are rules as a female standup comic. You can’t be pretty, skinny, and funny. Pick one. You can’t be all these things. To be funny, you have to be overweight, and you have to be dirty with your jokes." That's not the case for Orji. "I do clean comedy and just really want to make people laugh in a positive way. Yes, I know how to work out and put on makeup. Why are there so many fractions in order to make people laugh as a woman? You don’t hear this from guys. You can just be funny."
But she's never let those intros deter her or hold her back. "I stand my ground and stand my own. This is me. I am not backing down. You may not know me now, but by the time I finish my set, you’re going to think I’m incredibly funny."
These are also stereotypes she’s been working to break with Insecure, which is about to begin filming its highly-anticipated third season on HBO. Orji plays BFF Molly (a high-powered DTLA attorney) to Issa Rae's character, Issa. The show has been properly aplauded for being an important show with great roles with great roles for women as well as one that tackles social and race issues while avoiding cliches. "Molly can be insecure. Everyone can be insecure. And that happens in life. You have one thing set and then you don't. You’re dating someone, but then you want a new job. You have the job, but you don’t have the relationship. There are always things that aren't working."
It's this kind of material, and the specifically multi-faceted role she's currently playing, that makes Orji love being a woman in this town. "Especially now," she says. "With the type of content we put out there and the content creators that are allowed to have their voices expressed." She brings up Living Single. “There were shows that were popular in the ‘90s that featured strong black characters, and then that fell off for a minute. There was a gap in programming." But shows like Living Single allowed for the progress and next iteration of strong black female-led comedies. i.e. you can be a high-profile black, female attorney who also doesn't have it all together. It's the true Millennial experience, where women, and here specifically black women, are more than one thing.
When asked about the latest success of Wonder Woman and Gal Gadot (a fellow C&C 100 honoree), Orji quotes an article that talks about how true success will be when a female-led movie is allowed to fail and Hollywood will still make another. “Men have been failing for years. And they are still given development deals and big deals with studios. There is so much pressure on women. ‘Oh if this fails, Hollywood will NEVER make another movie like this. It HAS to be great.” It’s a dangerous setup. For Orji, “Divide and conquer doesn’t work here,” she says. Not if Hollywood wants to make progress. "Women helping other women is the way." And it's why she explains, "It’s so important for Issa and I and why we work really hard at it. It’s also more comfortable to look around a set and see a female sound tech, a female executive producer." She brings up award-winning director extraordinaire Ava duVernay, a champion for diversity in Hollywood. “It’s the same thing with directors like Ava. When people say, 'I don’t know another black actress.' Ava will say, 'Well, how about her?'” We bring up the all-female set of Zoe Lister-Jones’ movie Bandaid. “Ooh, checkmate, Hollywood,” she says. Except Orji isn’t sitting around waiting for Hollywood to make its move. She’s making her own. Taking her future into her own hands— a space where she is clearly comfortable.
"I came to Hollywood as an intern in the writer’s room and I didn't really know what that meant, but I saw how much power exists in there. With First Gen [her semi-autobiographical sitcom that that draws loosely from Yvonne's stand-up routines and real life experiences] maybe I didn’t know structure, but I knew people. And you have to be willing to take the risk. At least for me. It was up to me to take this into my own hands." Thats’s the kind of go-getter she is. And that part is so crucial.
"I stand my ground and do my thing as me. I can go toe-to-toe with the next guy."
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"I stand my ground and do my thing as me. I can go toe-to-toe with the next guy. There is strength and power in being a woman: we are smart, we are creative, and we are compassionate. Are there great women out there doing amazing things, with a guy coming in not doing anything extravagant and everyone thinks what he’s doing is amazing, but yet she has to prove herself? Yes, that does still exist and it does still suck, but not to the point where I want to be something other than an African immigrant black woman. No, no, no! I’ll take my portion, I like it."
She also notes there has to be more diversity because the women at the forefront of society are more diverse. “Who is going to play the First Lady (Michelle Obama), who is going to play Oprah?” she asks. (#Oprah2020.) Good questions.
We have a strong feeling she'll be in the running.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE ENTERTAINMENT LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Jennifer Meyer
THE MOST KICKASS.
COOL. CALM & TOTALLY KICKASS.
"You know when it’s a Jen Meyer piece. Her pieces have an identity.” So says stylist Karla Welch of jewelry designer Jen Meyer. A top-seller at luxe stores like Barney's New York, there is no mistaking when someone is rocking a Jennifer Meyer piece. Whether that someone is Jennifer Aniston or Gwyneth Paltrow, both of whom support the designer who has been hard at work since 2005 when she launched her jewelry line.
Now over a decade later, she remains Hollywood's go-to red carpet jewelry designer as well as the designer women look to for casual, every day jewelry. Her versatility and ease is part of her charm. And it doesn't hurt that she's always rocking her own pieces-- she believes in them. It's the kind of jewelry you can wear on a first date. The kind of jewelry you can sleep in. Something you'd be proud to gift a friend.
Kind, smart, creative, and opening her first boutique in LA... read more below.
In addition to being one of THR's top 20 red carpet designers this year, you have two kids. You're busy. Is that why you haven't watched a show since Sex and the City?
I haven’t watched a show since Sex and the City, until Big Little Lies. I’m obsessed with Big Little Lies and I think the next show I will watch will be Reese and Jen’s new project because I love them both so much!
What's your secret sauce to getting it all done and doing it well?
It’s all about balance! I have an amazing family, support system and an awesome team at work! It’s important to prioritize each day. What needs that little bit of extra attention? Is it work? Kids? A best friend? You stop and concentrate on the things that need it most.
What's your biggest pet peeve?
I have to say dishonesty and cattiness. Nothing is more important to me than being honest and supportive of one another – in all aspects of my life.
What would you consider your superpower?
As a mom of two, a CEO and someone who loves margaritas with her friends, I shock myself how well I function on such little sleep!
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
I look at obstacles as learning experiences. I always try to take my time and assess the situation and respond with a clear head. What drives me forward is knowing where there’s a problem, there’s a solution.
Speaking of superpowers, if you had to build an apocalypse team of 5, who would be on it and why?
My dad – he always knows what to do and say. My kids Ruby and Otis – of course, I can’t live without them! My two favorite Sara(h)’s: Sara Foster and my sister Sarah Meyer – for moral and comedic support and the balance they bring to my life. And probably Nobu Matsuhisa – for the best sushi… we gotta eat!
Not to go too dark, but who would be the last one standing?
This is the ultimate team – we would all stand together. No one would be left behind!
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Let's go back to biz. What's been the most challenging part of running a company with your name attached to it?
As the company grew, I had to let go of being involved in every single moment and decision, but lucky for me I have an incredible team behind me that represents the brand beautifully.
What would you like people to know about your job and day-to-day that they might not know?
I love that I get to start my day by taking my kids to school and end it with family dinner. In between, I collaborate with my amazing team, have business meetings, attend important events, and have weekly taco dates with my girlfriends. I have a lot of balls in the air and somehow manage not to drop too many. My kids remind me when I start the day and end the day that I have everything in the world to be grateful for. I try and remind myself, and those around me, that your day to day attitude determines the outcome of it all!
Any other exciting projects you're working on that you can tell us about?
Yes! I’m so excited to be designing and opening my first boutique in Los Angeles. It’s always been a dream of mine and watching it actually happen is beyond exciting. I finally feel like I’m giving my jewelry a home.
How do you continue to engage the Jennifer Meyer Jewelry audience in this digital age?
Social media is key, which is no surprise! I love to oversee our Instagram, so my team and I come up with all of our content. I find it really important in this age of social media to be authentic, and I think my audience is savvy and able to tell the difference. I’m just as excited to post a great earring shot, as I am a picture of my best friends. It’s all part of the brand. It’s me. It's my life. When you see me and my friends, my family, my quotes, etc… that comes straight from the heart and is exactly what I want to share at the time.
As someone who grew up in LA before the dawn of IG. Do you feel like you understand digital and social media well?
I’m learning something new every day! Lucky for me, I have smart, young awesome people on my team that know a lot more about digital and social media than I do – they give me lots of tips!
What's your favorite piece of biz advice you've ever received?
Be kind always. And my dad has always said to me: “Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups”
What's a piece of biz advice you ignored, but you kinda wish you hadn't?
I never ignore good advice!
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FASHION LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Lisa Sugar
THE DIGITAL PIONEER.
THE DIGITAL PIONEER
Lisa Sugar is as OG as a digital pop culture trailblazer can be.
As founder and president of POPSUGAR, the eponymous global media empire she started with her husband “when social media wasn’t a thing and the iPhone wasn’t invented yet,” Sugar oversees the business side of company she built from the ground up.
With a global audience of over 400 million and 3.1 billion views, POPSUGAR is an addictive information destination for the digital generation, spanning entertainment, fashion, beauty, fitness, food and parenting. “I took a risk and started something completely different on my own,” says the former ad exec, noting that managing excel spreadsheets and budgets were not her calling.
For more on how this internet maven made it, read on below.
Name: Lisa Sugar
Instagram: @lisapopsugar
You were an internet trailblazer. A pop culture digital pioneer. What was it like in the early days?
It was a blur of writing, writing, writing — digging for the next story and writing some more. I became so addicted to how fast I could write and finding something first. I had to force myself to take breaks. I also knew I needed to stay in touch with my readers to maintain momentum and I was addicted to the feedback and the thrill of cultivating an engaged community. We spent so much time in the comments and creating forums for our most passionate and active users. Everything was so new and there was no playbook yet!
We had to test and try new things all the time and figure out what our audience responded to the most and do more of it. We had such an amazing time finding stellar talent. There are so many creative people who are passionate about learning more about their fields and becoming experts. I also loved partnering with similar sites and working together in ways that were considered totally taboo by traditional companies. We had to exude our passion for what we were creating at POPSUGAR so investors, employees or partners would feel confident and take the risk to work with us! Oh, I also had my first daughter, Katie, in the midst of the first year launching POPSUGAR. It was a family affair — I started the company with my husband, Brian, and some very close friends joined us early on. We were such a tight group — we still are. Katie was born literally on our first official day of team training. Those first few years, she was in the office with us every day. POPSUGAR was a creative explosion we were all caught up in.
What from your past prepared for such a massive undertaking?
So many experiences from growing up prepared me to become a leader. Most impactful was seeing how much my father loved his job and how well he treated every person in his office. He greeted the mail room attendees, the receptionists and his assistants with the same smiles, hugs or handshakes as he did his partners or his own bosses. I loved seeing that. I was an avid soccer player growing up and loved team sports. I learned not only to play at the top of your game but also how crucial it is to encourage others and to collaborate. I also married young and moved across the country three months after to a place where I knew no one but my husband. Starting life over was a challenge. Not only did I make new friends that are like family, but I was also able to get my self-confidence strong enough to take a risk to start POPSUGAR with Brian. We became a husband-wife team who could tackle anything together.
Did you have a feeling it would be huge?
I had a feeling we were on to something when I saw the audience grow so quickly. Within a year of starting POPSUGAR, I had 1 million readers, and that felt incredible! That said, if you had told me when we started that I was founding a company with 360 employees and a global audience of 300M, I’m not sure I would have believed you ;)
What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?
Being an entrepreneur is extra challenging for a woman, so it’s important to not go at it alone. In my case, I built POPSUGAR with my husband, Brian, but for others just starting, it’s about finding support through a community that includes anyone you think may be helpful. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, recommendations and connections from those you think would be interested or helpful. Another obvious challenge is the everyday juggle of family and work. When you find a job you love so much, you want to spend time investing it in, but you also love your family more than anything imaginable. That is a tough push-pull that never goes away, and unfortunately, it also is the basis for the larger gender bias that exists around the world. We all need to be more conscious of it. I am personally very tuned in to the challenges of balancing a family and a career, and at POPSUGAR, we have worked hard at making the transition back to work as easy as possible. In my life, and in many women’s lives, balance is important but often hard to achieve. I find it helps to be very present wherever you are at any given time.
"Being an entrepreneur is extra challenging for a woman, so it’s important to not go at it alone."
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Where do your drive and passion come from?
Our audience and fans and my family continue to drive me to keep going, whether it’s challenging us to reevaluate our content, to think differently, or to get excited about a new product or site launch. The beauty of being such a young company is our jobs have grown and changed so much over the years that every day seems like it’s a new job. I want to make sure it’s also just as much fun and fulfilling for our new hires as it is to those who have been with us for the entire 11 years.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
So much of the media industry involves change. I learned early on you need to keep moving forward and innovating to survive. When we started, social media wasn’t a thing and the iPhone wasn’t even invented yet. Now, new platforms and mobile are an extremely important outlet for us. We can reach millions of more people thanks to them. It also means we have to think about how to budget more efficiently or adapt content for various audiences. As much as we’ve grown and changed, one thing I draw the line at is our voice and tone. I protect our supportive and kind POV. That's built into POPSUGAR’s DNA and it’s here to stay.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
I am the person who would give you a look of death if you were tapping your pen in class. I can’t stand annoying small noises when I am trying hard to concentrate.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Maintaining our success, of course, is always on my mind. Brian and I have so many people and their families depending on our continued growth. From there, fostering an atmosphere where people can thrive and are really be happy is a perpetual thought. I want to make sure kindness is part of everyone’s experience at POPSUGAR and I’m vigilant about banishing any whiff of a Mean Girls culture from taking hold. :)
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
What people don’t know is that I am a total beauty junkie! I love beauty products and have to test items for our Must Have subscription box and also for our upcoming beauty line, Beauty by POPSUGAR. It’s one of my favorite “work” demands :)
Every day there is someone in your shadow. How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
We see ourselves as a family and I do my best to be really supportive of all of our entire staff. We’re successful because we let our great staff shine and find their unique voices. Every writer is original, and that’s why people keep coming back to us. If our competitors are imitating us, it’s a compliment, but we will continue to be first, purposeful and feel-good as always. Also, it’s extremely important to take the extra time to figure out the unique angle — what is the POPSUGAR POV for each story? We make sure our team works smarter to avoid going down the most obvious route.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Our team! I love growing up with them. We started this company when I was 29. It’s been such a wild ride. It’s been so fulfilling to watch so many of our early staff members grow into tremendous, confident leaders. I love that. It makes me feel great. Our company mantra is “work hard, play nice,” and seeing that infuse every aspect of POPSUGAR makes me go to sleep with a smile on my face.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Oh, this is a fun but tough question. I love the idea of a day in the life of Victoria Beckham. To be able to design clothes, create a beauty line, be a mom to 4 adorable kids and a wife to David Beckham seems like a dream job ;) I’d say the same of Drew Barrymore too — wine, beauty line, clothing line, plus entertainment — seems like the best variety of ways to be creative. These women have worked hard and created their own paths in life to success. They continue to be creative in new ways and juggle new challenges each year.
You've said that one of the reasons you saw success was because you learned to speak up. At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I spent the early years of my career in advertising and it didn’t exactly foster a speak-up environment. I knew it wasn’t for me. Managing multimillion-dollar budgets in various Excel charts was not my calling. In my spare time, I was writing reviews, testing beauty products and taking any work breaks to search online and go down rabbit holes to be the first to know something new. Ultimately, it led me to speak up in a totally new way — through my writing by starting POPSUGAR. I took a risk and started something completely different on my own, and that was the first step toward truly finding my own voice. Since we started the company from scratch, I was comfortable speaking up and made sure all new employees felt the same way. It was always very collaborative. I’ve had to rend my voice as we’ve grown or my job has taken me down new roads to do more keynotes, panels, and presentations to complete strangers. This was scary at first, but I find the more I do it, the more I feel confident in who I have become today.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
The best advice I’ve ever received was from my dad when I was little: he told me to do what I love. It sounds so simple, but it’s not and sadly most of us don’t. His advice has never failed me.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Ha, I’m not much of a sing-in-the-shower girl, but I am happy to always blast music in my kitchen or working out. If I’m having a bad day, I’d probably throw on “Freedom!90” by George Michael, Rihanna’s “Must Be Love on the Brain” and/or “May I Have This Dance” by Francis and the Lights featuring Chance the Rapper.
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Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Myleik Teele
THE QUEEN OF CURLS.
THE QUEEN OF CURLS.
If you didn’t know that America’s first black millionaire was haircare entrepreneur Madam C. J. Walker, now ya do. And yet, despite the well established buying power of women of color, the market for black beauty is still shockingly scarce.
Myleik Teele, creator of Curlbox, aims to give black women options. With her subscription box of curly hair products, Teele is making the “black hair experience fun and beautiful for black women” by creating a service that lets women experiment with multiple products for the price of one. “The hardest part of launching curlBOX was convincing brands how important and needed this service was,” explains Teele, of the industry’s close-mindedness. “We aren’t always at the top of the marketing budgets though we're spending a lot.”
More the Myliek below.
Name: Myleik Teele
Instagram Handle: @myleik
Business Instagram Handle: @curlbox
What was the impetus for starting the CurlBOX?
I wanted make the black hair experience fun and beautiful for Black women.
We love the advice you've doled out on Medium. Specifically, do the worst first. What was the "worst" or the hardest part of launching CurlBOX?
The hardest part of launching curlBOX was convincing brands how important and needed this service was.
The beauty industry seems a little split-- there's natural and there's contour. And there doesn't seem to be a lot of in between. What direction do you hope the industry is heading?
I hope the industry is heading toward freedom and options. A woman should be able to do whatever she sees fit.
And how will CurlBOX be a part of that convo?
We are here to provide women with another option. If a woman chooses to wear her hair in it's natural state, we have something for her.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I am deeply passionate about creating solutions for women of color. Seeing those things come to fruition and seeing women who have long been neglected excited about their hair is what keeps me going. I'm here to make things better.
What does beauty mean to you?
Beauty is being comfortable in your own skin.
Do you remember a moment when you first felt beautiful?
I can't recall the exact moment but I'd say around 19 or 20 when I found ways to enhance my features
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
I don't really have any fears running a business. I'm here to do my best and in the event, my services are no longer needed I'll move on to something else.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I am an advocate for women of color. While the business has gotten popular over the years, I've spent a lot of time explaining our process (what we want to buy, how we want to feel, how we'd like to be sold) to companies. We aren't always at the top of the marketing budgets though we're spending a lot.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
While it's OK to be inspired by others, there's someone out there that's looking for the original you. Someone is looking for you so that they'll have permission to be themselves. Why be a second-best someone else when you can be YOU?
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
My company is ran mostly by women. The future is female and we are proof.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I'd love to trade jobs with Guy Raz, the host of "How I Built This" podcast. He gets to talk to some amazing entrepreneurs. I love hearing stories of success because there's always a hurdle and love hearing how each person made it over.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I spent about three years as an executive assistant to a high prole PR VP and after working with her and learning the ropes, I felt like I had something to offer. Once I learned a skill I was unstoppable.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
The best piece of advice I've ever been given is to network with people who are currently on your level. Don't break your neck to befriend the CEO if that's not where you are. You and your peers will rise together.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
A bump is an opportunity to learn a new skill. I'm excited to find ways to get over it. I'll either knock it down or build a bridge around it but I won't be stuck.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"No Weapon" by Fred Hammond.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE BEAUTY LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Denise Vasi
MINDFUL AF.
MINDFUL AF.
Denise Vasi has it Maed.
The actress (lead on the hit show Single Ladies) mother to Lennox Mae, wife to director Anthony Mandler, and founder of Maed, the soon-to-be launched lifestyle site committed to impact. Self-care tops her list of priorities. As does fostering open and honest convo, whether that's with Lennox, or her hundreds of thousands of IG followers. Denise is constantly dolling out her truth with her own spin on old adages.
"One day, or day one. You decide."
"The past is a place of reference. Not a place of residence."
"Be soft, kind, and loving. But also take nobody's shit."
She doesn't settle and she doesn't want you to either. She has it "made" because she made it herself. A Brooklyn native, Vasi signed to Ford Models at the age of 12. "For modeling they said I was too tiny, I wasn’t Caucasian enough, I wasn’t African American enough, I wasn’t Latina enough. They kept saying no but I kept moving forward and fighting my way in everyone’s door."
And we're glad she did.
More from Denise below.
Name: Denise Vasi
Instagram: @densievasi
Where do your drive and passion come from?
Launching Maed has always been about creating impact. Surely there will be shifts while the brand evolves but Maed strives to inspire others and that will always remain the heart of my brand. Being impactful is the force that drives me.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
I used to be easily stymied by obstacles, so I had to change my way of thinking. Knowing that any challenge at hand was actually an opportunity to educate myself, a chance to dig deeper, ask myself more questions and that ultimately from it all I would grow--- holding on to that is what pushes me through.
"Any challenge at hand is a opportunity, a chance to dig deeper."
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who don't deliver all that they say they will.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Letting my mind get in my way of my creative process.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
That it's not a job it's a passion project. I love what I am creating and I love the community that I'm creating it for.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated by other people's work?
I think because of the access we have today, it's hard to say 100 percent that we are not somewhat informed by others. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I do believe that the past informs the present and that to be great at what you do, you should study those that came before you. That being said there's a slippery slope between being influenced by and imitating someone's work or style. For me, I stay original by sticking to what I immediately gravitate to and staying true to my creative eye. When something does inspire me, I look at how I can dig deeper or build on the concept. Adding value to something is the most positive way to pay homage IMO. Also, you should always give credit where credit is due!
Being impactful is the force that drives me.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
That the path laid out for me is my own.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
OPRAH... need I say more?!
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I've always been on the journey to becoming the woman I am today whether I knew it in those exact moments or not. Things definitely changed after I gave birth to my daughter. Soon after, I figured out I wasn't ready to go back to acting. While I didn't exactly know what was next for me I felt so incredibly empowered-- I knew I could do anything.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Build meaningful relationships and look at others in your space as potential partners. Rather than viewing them as competition try to create dynamic ways to collaborate.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I sit back and evaluate the situation, then I make a list of all the possible solutions. Writing things down really helps me work thru things. I also have a group of 3-4 people that I reach out to when I need to brainstorm.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Whichever nursery song I listened to 72 times the night before while putting my daughter to sleep :)
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Lauren Ash
CREATING SPACE.
NAMA-SLAY.
photo credit: Deun Ivory
Lauren Ash is putting the OM in HOME.
A wellness visionary, yoga and meditation teacher, creative writer, and founder of the culture-shifting lifestyle brand synonymous with black women’s wellness—Black Girl In Om, Lauren is creating safe and honest space.
A space where women of color can close their eyes and feel surrounded by sisters.
Through BGIO, Lauren creates and cultivates meaningful experiences and content for a hugely marginalized community. From the BGIO podcast—which has reached more than half a million listeners—to holistic self-care retreats, Lauren considers her work an act of compassion, belonging, and ultimately a space she once needed and didn’t see.
More from Lauren below.
Name: Lauren Ash
Instagram Handle: @hellolaurenash
Business Instagram Handle: @blackgirlinom
Your site says, “Black Girl In Om creates space for women of color to breathe easy” what does breathing easy consist of?
Consider what it takes to breathe easy in the physical body: clean and safe air, lack of mental stressors causing you to breathe at a constricted, accelerated rate, and perhaps even the removal of constricting external forces on your chest, belly, and throat. Women of color are disproportionately faced with a greater number of challenges, ranging from economical and social, to health and psychological, so breathing easy is often a task much more complicated for us. However, when we remember that wellness is our birthright, and not some new, elite thing reserved only for the privileged, we begin to shift our paradigm and realize the possibilities that come with approaching breathing easy through simple, accessible practices such as compassionate exchanges with each other, a few moments of silence during the middle of a stressful day, and arming self-talk. Preventative and holistic self-care and selflove allows us all to breathe a little easier and slowly but surely it can become a lifestyle. This is what Black Girl In Om is all about.
What is your definition of holistic health for women?
Holistic health for me refers to experiencing wholeness in mind, body, and soul. Sometimes we feel fractured, and that’s okay. It’s important that we experience those fractures to know what wholeness feels like.
It’s important that we experience fractures to know what wholeness feels like.
When you were launching your platform what fears or doubts did you have to move past?
The fear that I would get in my own way. I experienced a tremendous amount of support from an intimate group of people who mattered a lot to me in the very beginning. I experienced some external fear and doubt from those who didn’t know what great resolve and determination I had and I allowed that to only fuel me. I believe that I’ve always known that the only force that could stop me would be me.
What’s the legacy you want to leave on your community?
The same legacy that my Grandmother Lillian Lazenberry-Martin left for me and everyone blessed by her presence: the feeling of true affirmation and support; the power of resilience and determination; the beauty in good vibes, a brilliant smile, and how good it feels to be taken care of. Also, a feeling of belonging and deservedness. Thanks to technology, I’m able to reach even more women than my Grandmother and continue to be an extension of the amazing legacy she left.
What advice do you have for women working towards cultivating the career of their dreams?
Don’t leave your Self out of the equation. When you dream up your ideal career, ensure that it involves prioritizing your energy, your spirit, your personal development. Approach your career from a holistic perspective.
"When you dream up your ideal career, ensure that it involves prioritizing your energy, your spirit, your personal development."
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What is your biggest pet peeve?
When someone interprets someone else’s glow-up as their downfall. Can’t we all shine together?
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I work in my pajamas and headscarf more than half of the time.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
That at thirty years old, and in my third year of being a creative entrepreneur, I finally feel empowered and equipped to thrive in my career while simultaneously thriving in my wellness journey. It’s been an ebb and ow thus far, but I’ve made recent decisions, changes, and investments and 2018 I’m making it all happen. The amazing thing is that this moment has been so tremendously supported by my team, our incredible global community, and my close friends and especially my Mother. This goes back to what I said earlier: only I can stand in the way of my own growth and potential!
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I feel enormously blessed with my path and wouldn’t trade it for the world. However, if you absolutely forced me to, I would swap with Issa Rae. She, like me, cultivated a very specific platform, Awkward Black Girl, on her own terms for quite some time. She did so with limited resources because she knew it was a narrative worth telling and knew that there was a community of people longing to see themselves represented. Now, she has overwhelming support and resources at her fingertips to continue to do what she’s always done. And she keeps it real. She is unapologetically Issa. On and off the screen. Always. I love her for that.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
Honestly, I’ve always been confident. Thankfully, from a young age, my family poured encouragement and affirmation into me and supported my creativity and expression. But I think that the confidence level has boosted from the stories of women in my community who has been inspired by my work and the mission of Black Girl In Om. Ranging from how BGIO has inspired them to prioritize their wellness and seek out support to how I have personally inspired them to become a yoga teacher or dramatically change their career to be in alignment with their values, it is these stories that remind me that I can be confident in my purpose and my path because it is quite literally transforming countless women’s lives. That’s what it is about. I’m simply a vessel; a vessel of inspiration and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
My Grandmother always told me “don’t take any wooden nickels” which basically means don’t put up with bullshit, ha! Seriously, though, she was speaking to a certain level of spiritual discernment and intuition which I’ve always tried to hone. My best friend Chelsea shared with me years ago what remains to be my favorite mantra: what is for you can’t be taken from you. This helps me time and time again as it reminds me to let things go, trust, and move on.
"What is for you can’t be taken from you."
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When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
Challenges breed innovation and creativity. I try to embrace challenges as opportunities. This is a must for anyone who wants to be in it for the long haul as a creative entrepreneur. My strategies include meditation and yoga, talking about the “bump” with people outside of my industry, and (importantly) not freaking out.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Jamila Woods’ “LSD” (and any song off of her HEAVN album!) because it’s such a beautiful reminder of self-love, my divinity, and my worth.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE WELLNESS LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Jasmin Larian
THE CULT (GAIA) LEADER.
THE CULT (GAIA) LEADER.
Meet Jasmin Larian, the LA-based designer behind Instagram’s coveted crescent-shaped bamboo “Ark” bag.
As founder of Cult Gaia, a lifestyle label known for its feminine yet sculptural silhouettes, Larian created an accidentally iconic handbag beloved by blogger babes and Beyoncé. But before there were sold out carryalls, there were festival-favorite flower crowns. Handmade by the FIT grad, it was boho-headwear that first put her on the map.
While the internet has a tendency to make success appear as though it happened overnight, it actually took two years before the Ark compelled anyone to bite. “Start with one iconic product and be patient. I think it takes much longer than one season for a 'it' item to reach critical mass.”
More from Jasmin below.
Name: Jasmin Larian
Instagram:
You side-hustled flower crowns before they hit critical mass. We're always curious about trendsetting and trendsetters. What made you think, this is gonna be a thing?
It was an easily recognizable piece which is what makes it iconic. It also had an emotional element to it where it made you feel special in one way or another when you were wearing it. I think those are two important things that are built into our brand DNA.
What kind of a kid were you? Creative? Outgoing? Dressed yourself?
All of the above!
What was your fave book as a child?
Richard Scarry's "Best Storybook Ever."
What most inspires you now?
Nature and vintage chairs are often a source of inspiration, but I nd inspiration in almost everything.
Obviously having a celeb like Jessica Alba helps brand recognition. But it's so much harder than that. What would you like people to know about launching an "it" bag and brand that they might not?
Start with one iconic product and be patient. I think it takes much longer than one season for an 'it' item to reach critical mass if happens organically, which is ideal. I also think content and imagery are key to having people understand how they can pull a piece off.
"Start with one iconic product and be patient."
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And now, you've expanded into full ready-to-wear. As a business owner how did you know it was time?
I was making my own clothes my whole life, and people were asking me if they could purchase them anywhere. I also didn't want to do any shoots with other brands clothes so decided it was time to round out the lifestyle aesthetic of our Gaia girl.
What do you think is your secret weapon?
Product innovation, restlessness, and my team.
As a woman in the world of fashion, what are some obstacles you've come up against?
I'm learning to be a better manager, leader, wife, daughter, friend, communicator, and creator all at once and there's a lot of pressure as a woman to do it all gracefully- but I'm learning.
What are you most excited for in your industry?
Less waste, less seasons and more focus.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FASHION LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Lion Babe
LIVING OUT LOUD.
LIVING OUT LOUD.
Hear her roar.
Never has the name of a musical group so perfectly encapsulated it's lead singer.
Jillian Hervey is Lion Babe.
One half of the electro soul duo hailing from NYC, the singular songstress is enigmatic both vocally and visually. She is king of her jungle. After Pharrell watched one of the duo's first music videos on his phone, he flew Jillian, and band producer Lucas Goodman to his Miami studio.
That song, "Treat Me Like Fire," released in 2012 was only the beginning of Lion Babe's spark. With songs like "Wonder Woman," which talks about female empowerment. Jillian has soul in her DNA. The daughter of singer/actress Vanessa Williams and music manager Ramon Hervey II (Babyface, Natalie Cole), she was raised listening to the likes of Chaka Khan.
She fierce, fresh, and unapologetic, recently explaining, "I honestly think that any women or person that says you should be dressing [or behaving a certain] way to avoid unwanted sexual advances, or else, is inviting negative behavior . . . Please, I have no time for it.”
But man, do we have time for her. (And you should too.)
More from Jillian below.
When you first made the jump from dancer to singer, was it as smooth as your voice? (JK but not really. We jam to your music in the office all day.)
Thank you for the love, I definitely know my dance experience informs my rhythms and influences. The transition to singing was actually pretty drastic for me. With dance, you are moving through large spaces with lots of light, bodies, and sweating, whereas with singing, it's more introspective, still, and you're usually creating in dark small spaces. I've never been one to sit still, so that was hard to adjust to. The creative space is crucial to me.
Your mom was the first black Miss America but had her titled unfairly taken away. And then went on to have an amazing career. What has she taught you about resiliency and strength?
She has taught me that we come from a long line of strong individuals. She always told me and my siblings about women and men in history who are black that have paved the way because of their resilience. It's in our blood. But mainly her teaching is by example. She always stays true to herself. She always takes risks and does the things she wants to do, because she knows she can. She has that will and believes in herself.
You've been compared to the likes of Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu. What does that feel like?
It doesn't really feel real still, those two women, in particular, have such a special place in my upbringing, that it's too nice of a compliment. I wanted them, The Spice Girls and Brandy to join a supergroup. The only thing I think people really are comparing is the feeling. Both women have super unique tones, flows and artistry and a very strong sense of self. Those are definitely attributes that I value and try to do for LION BABE.
What do you know about self-love today that you weren't so sure of ve years ago?
5 years ago I was just getting out of college, so I was still very scattered and was just beginning to dive into myself. I now know through more experience, practice, break ups and time, that I have a formula that when it's honored I am good. Staying creative and dancing always gives me confidence, traveling always keeps me grounded and allows me to experience and know myself differently, and gratitude for the things from the littlest to the biggest helps to put it all into perspective. The more your honor your spirit and soul, the more that energy grows around you. Also, I remind myself that life is always transforming, each moment, so there is always the opportunity to change.
"The more your honor your spirit and soul, the more that energy grows around you."
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When you come across a career obstacle what drives you forward?
The vision. If you can see something, the battles aren't so scary, you just have to adjust your map on how to get there.
What makes you feel powerful?
Being on stage is powerful because it is pure energy.
What would you call your superpower?
My intuition.
Did you always know you wanted to be a performer?
I have been performing since I was little so it was just a part of me. I didn't know exactly how it would manifest but I have always loved it.
What's been the hardest part of the music industry world for you?
The number of egos, fear, and pressure that get created for no reason.
Since the beginning, you've chosen to work with and be represented by a group of women. Why did you make this decision?
Being a woman, and writing as a woman, I can't help but think of our perspective so it just came naturally. I've always wanted to lift women up. Lucas aka Astro Raw and I are LION BABE together though, so I think there is just as much of a male presence as well. Our goal is to be universal and inclusive.
What's your favorite time of day to write?
Anytime after 3pm. I need my sunlight.
What do you sing in the shower?
Warm ups, jazz or Christmas songs (when it's in season.)
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE MUSIC LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Lauren Ruth Ward
THE WILD CHILD.
THE WILD CHILD.
Baltimore-born barber-turned-badass-bluesy songstress, Lauren Ruth Ward is not your honey...she can make love to herself.
With her guttural rasp and unruly edge, the emergent singer-songwriter has drawn comparisons to legendary industry outsider Janis Joplin. “I’m a grower, question asker, an empathetic rebel,” says Ward, who left a comfortable living as a colorist and hairdresser to pursue the call of the wild child. With a forthcoming debut album and a weekly residency in Los Angeles, Ward is taking on the notoriously misogynist music scene with her brazen brand of alt-country. Check her out at the Echo on Jan. 22 and Jan. 29 at 8:30 p.m.
And read more below.
Name: Lauren Ruth Ward
Instagram:
You've said that "within reason" you were always allowed to be who you wanted to be. So, who are you? What are you all about?
"Within reason" meaning my mother wouldn't let me leave the house naked - she supported me through my outlandish phases. When others would try to change me, My mother supported my self-expression. I'm a grower, question asker, an empathetic rebel.
Do you recall a moment where you really came into your power as a woman?
Every time I cross something off my to-do list I come into power as a human (woman).
Where do your drive and passion come from?
From my experiences.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
Knowing I am doing what I should be doing makes me want to do more.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Chewing with your mouth open.
What are your thoughts on the music industry and being a woman in a male-dominated field?
My approach, when I come in contact with the ones who are either subconsciously or consciously misogynistic, kill them with kindness and talent. That always makes them think.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I've been a barber and a colorist for nine years. I did updos for weddings for five years. I really miss my brides!
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
I don't look at others work as competition. I look around to stay connected to my community and to connect with them on a human level.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I'm doing exactly what I need to be doing.
"I'm doing exactly what I need to be doing."
Tweet this.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
No one, skipping steps makes me nervous.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
"there's enough to go around for everyone " - Kimi Recor
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Anything Frank Sinatra.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE MUSIC LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Music: KING
FREAKIN' ROYALTY.
FREAKIN' ROYALTY.
King is the title given to a male monarch.
But the Queens of KING said nah. They're taking the title crown.
The musical trio—comprised of Anita Bias and twins Paris and Amber Strother, released their debut EP in 2011. It was called The Story, but it was only the beginning of theirs. Immediately, the industry took notice. Prince and ?uestlove praised their magic. (When Prince first heard their debut album, he said: “Don’t change a thing.”) Kendrick Lamar sampled "Hey," one of the three songs on the EP, for Section.80 track "Chapter Six."
In February of 2016, after what felt like decades of waiting, the women released the full-length We Are King. The album was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 59th Grammy Awards, making them the first independent artists to be nominated in that category.
Like we said, freakin' royalty.
More from KING below.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
Paris: All of us are lifelong lovers of music- there’s something so touching about being able to communicate in this universal language. It’s been incredible to reach and inspire people by expressing our emotions through sound, and it’s that connection that keeps us going.
What's behind the name?
Anita: When we were first starting out, it was just the three of us independently creating this landscape of sound. The word KING was like a revelation- it was the first and only name that came to us. It reflected that we were kings of our own musical kingdom, and the name gave us the space to tell our own story.
We are kings of our own musical kingdom.
It took five years between the EP release and the debut album. What was going on during that time?
In hindsight, I can now say we were growing up and growing into being KING. Those five years saw us not only finding our sound and creating the album but learning tons about the business side of music. We’re so grateful we had the opportunity to take our time to learn more about ourselves and create an album that we were proud of.
Prince, Erykah Badu, Solange. KING has worked with some of the most amazing artists. Is that empowering?
Amber: It’s incredible when people you’ve always looked up to recognize something in your music also.
You've said that you'll never compromise the music for any reason. So when you run into a career obstacle or a roadblock, what drives you forward?
Amber: Knowing that the music is special to our fans, friends, and family keeps us going. There will always be obstacles, it’s just important to remember why you were drawn to making music in the first place.
Paris, you also produce for the group. There aren't many female producers in the music world. How are you changing the game?
Paris: I’d love to break down barriers that any woman feels when it comes to following your art. One of the highest compliments I’ve ever been paid was a fellow musician telling me that by just being who we are, we gave so many others permission to do the same.
"I’d love to break down barriers that any woman feels when it comes to following your art."
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Do you think it's surprising to people (or male producers specifically) that you're producing?
Paris: I think some people are surprised that it’s produced by a woman, I think some people are surprised that all the music so far has been produced in entirety by just one person. It’s an incredible time though, and super inspiring to see so many other women making great music. It’s becoming less of an anomaly.
We hear the words "male-dominated" so much that it's almost like white noise. And yet, almost all industries are dominated by men. What shift have you seen in the music industry that's exciting and/or empowering for you as women?
Anita: It’s a great time to be an independent artist. It’s so cool to see the way that women are able to create communities in the internet age- now it’s easier than ever before to connect with people who love and appreciate your art and vice versa.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
Amber: It’s all about finding balance, and knowing when to put your blinders on. It’s important to immerse yourself in others work- let all the art around you inspire you, and never forget the perspective you bring to the table. Hone in on your own originality.
What about your career makes you (each respectively,) feel the most complete?
Amber: Doing what I love with the people I love.
Anita: The ability to touch people that you’ve never met.
Paris: It’s incredible to watch something grow from just your imagination to being a fully- fleshed out piece of art
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
Paris: The support we received from so many people on the day we released our first project in 2011 will stay with us forever. Hearing from so many new fans and artists we admire gave us the spark to know we were on the right track, and that it was moving people the same way it moved us. That experience made us confident that we had something special with KING.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Anita: When Prince first heard our debut album, he said: “Don’t change a thing.” It was something we kept with us throughout the creation and release and gave us the backbone to know that even if nobody else had our backs, he thought it was perfect.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Amber: Any song by Stevie Wonder.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE MUSIC LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Candace Nelson
THE INNOVATOR.
THE INNOVATOR.
Candace Nelson has figured out the recipe for success.
It's pizza, cupcakes, and a cupcake ATM. The founder and pastry chef of Sprinkles Cupcakes, the world's first cupcake bakery, legit started a cupcake craze in 2005. Barbra Streisand sent Sprinkles to Oprah. Jimmy Kimmel saw the cupcakes on Oprah's show, and stood in line for 45 minutes to buy $80 worth of them. In 2012, a pregnancy craving inspired the company’s first cupcake ATM in Beverly Hills. It was 24-hour access to freshly baked red velvet.
But with over 20 Sprinkles locations under her chef's apron, Candace decided to test her hand at another comfort carb: pizza. She's a woman after our own hearts.
Pizzana launched in L.A.'s Brentwood neighborhood, with Daniele Uditi as chef and Candace as executive pastry chef, and once again, people lined up. People, including L.A.'s most notable food critic Jonathan Gold, who willingly waited in line for hours. In June 2017, the critic bylined the article, "Jonathan Gold willingly waits in line for hours at Pizzana, where Neapolitan pizza goes L.A." Enough written.
Her successes are many, her recipes superb. Though we have to wonder how does she find time to do it all? We really can't tell-- though it may have something to do with the fact that she doesn't have to wait in line for her own food.
More from Candace below.
Name: Candace Nelson
Instagram Handle: @candacenelson
Business Instagram Handle: @pizzana_la
In 2005 you created a cupcake craze. It's been over ten years of lines out the door now. What do you think is your secret sauce for success?
Innovation! We innovated 13 years ago by creating the world’s first cupcake bakery, and by elevating the cupcake itself. And we have continued to delight, surprise and innovate along the way with Sprinkles ice cream, the Cupcake ATM, whisper word programs and more.
And yet, Sprinkles came about after you lost your job. Where do your drive and passion come from?
Well, I’m a Taurus, so I’m very stubborn and determined. But really, I think challenges are often opportunities in disguise. I would never have quit my high paying job to attend pastry school, but when the bottom dropped out of the internet world in 2000, I was forced to consider what I really wanted to do with my life.
What does it mean to be a "cupcake expert?"
I think experience and training is the key to creating an expert in any field. Between the 13 years of founding and running Sprinkles and the 100+ episodes of judging Cupcake Wars on Food Network, I have quite a bit of both. I also have a new dessert competition show coming out on Netflix this year. Yes, more “expertise!"
Is there a specific smell from your childhood that brings up a great memory for you?
The smell of Toll House chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven!
What's something about the pastry biz that surprised you? And you think most other people would be surprised by.
When my husband and I were first starting Sprinkles, we went to a bakery convention in Las Vegas. As we were new to the industry, we figured it was a great place to learn a lot about the services and products available to us — all in one place. We were dismayed to learn that most of the companies there were focused on chemical additives to help extend the shelf life of baked goods. Everyone thought our plan of baking our cupcakes fresh from scratch every day was bound to fail.
Everyone thought our plan of baking our cupcakes fresh from scratch every day was bound to fail.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
I love problem-solvers so it irks me when someone can only see the obstacles in getting something done.
What's something you'd like people to know about your work that they probably don’t?
I am the executive pastry chef at Pizzana, a neo-neapolitan pizzeria in Brentwood. If you haven’t tried the desserts there, please do! Sometimes people fill up so much on our incredible pizza that it’s hard to save room!
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I love the fact that I do something that my children can understand and even participate in. They are constantly offering ideas for new cupcake flavors and desserts at Pizzana. It’s a true family business!
I do something that my children can understand and even participate in.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
A contemporary art advisor. To travel the world looking at and advising on contemporary art, connecting with artists and collectors would be fascinating and exciting.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
That is a generous assessment, however, I consider my career to be a journey with room for growth and learning every step of the way.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
My friend Reese Witherspoon says that women should embrace ambition and stop shying away from that word. She has inspired me to acknowledge my own ambition and to encourage other women in my life to do the same.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I think self-compassion is key to any bump in the road. It’s hard to fail, but important to honor the fact that you didn’t take the easy or expected path.
"It’s hard to fail, but important to honor the fact that you didn’t take the easy or expected path."
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What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"Free Falling" by Tom Petty.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Daina Trout
THE KOMBUCHA QUEEN.
THE KOMBUCHA QUEEN.
Daina Trout is running the kombucha game.
And yet, the CEO and co-founder of Health-Ade Kombucha, AKA the fastest growing kombucha company in the United States, spends her free (ahem, what?) time mentoring younger entrepreneurs. She says it’s an important part of the process that she didn’t have when starting her company in 2012.
Trout explains that often, after speaking with younger entrepreneurs, she'll “discover that they’re trying to have their cake and eat it too. The whole thing about being a successful entrepreneur is that there is some major risk you have to take. That’s the price of the game. Whether it’s a financial or personal risk, whatever it is, you’re taking a risk. I don’t think you’ll meet any successful entrepreneur who didn’t have the moment where they thought, ‘Oh shit, everybody is telling me this is stupid, I’m the only one who thinks this way. I have to quit my job. I have no money.’ Everybody has those stories. So when I talk to the entrepreneurs who are trying to mitigate that risk by keeping their job and their apartments, I tell them, ‘We had to live out of our car, what do you think this is?’”
Not for the faint-hearted, that’s for sure. “When they talk to me like that, I say, ‘OK, you’re not ready to start a business. Give up your apartment for four years. You can’t live the life you have from a corporate, steady and sturdy job, and also start a business. That’s the whole point.”
It's exactly what she did when she launched Health Ade with her two co-founders.
Alongside her co-founders, husband, Justin, and BFF, Vanessa Dew, the now-CEO quit her job. She calls it her most important jump. “I had steady job, where I was moving up and getting awards, to start a kombucha company in the farmer’s market,” she laughs. At first she did attempt to split her time.
For about four months over the summer of 2012 the three co-founders tried working the farmer's market circuit on nights and weekends while keeping on with their day jobs. “I was completely driving myself into a brick wall," Trout says. "I was starting to lose my mind." Adding, "And there is no physical way I could do this if I had a kid.” Noting that at the time, she didn’t.
Right around November 2012 is when the trio knew they couldn’t continue at this pace, nor were they doing at good job at either. They weren't going to expand, “certainly not into Whole Foods,” Trout shares, if they didn't commit. So in December they shook hands, made a pact, and as of January 1, 2013 they were full time Health-Ade.
More about Daina and her badass kombucha journey below.
Name: Daina Trout
Instagram Handle: @dainatrout
Business Instagram Handle: @healthade
From pharmaceuticals to kombucha takeover. We know it's been a wild ride. What's been the craziest twist on your journey?
Having a child while at the same time growing a business past its start up phase was the craziest most challenging "twist" of time at Health-Ade. Now it's a lot easier to take on, because I have more employees and processes to manage the work, and I have 2 years experience at being a mom. But when we were still a start up and he was just an infant--WHOA--was I in for a ride.
You're about to double *I think* your staff... how do you go from managing yourself to managing thousands?
We currently have 107 employees and yes, that was double how we started the year in 2017. This has both been a challenge and a blessing. The challenge: with numbers come complexity. Managing yourself, or even a small team of something like 10 employees, is a lot simpler. With less employees, you don't have to worry as much about leadership skills, communication styles, engagement, and culture. The reason is that YOU as the founder ARE the culture. So, as long as the founder is strong in these areas, the team breathes it. A larger employee number has layers, sometimes far away from the founder, so culture and leadership doesn’t just “happen.” It can easily slip away. You have to be seriously deliberate with how you build your team, your style, your values, your culture once you’re bigger. For me, I noticed a BIG difference when we passed 50 or so employees, and it helped to get an experienced lead in HR to help me tackle the right build. The blessing: with numbers comes support. More people get more work done, and we can hit our goals both strategically and quickly, without too much sacrifice to personal life.
You risked it all. Where do your drive and passion come from?
It comes from different places. In the beginning, I had something to prove...I knew I had something game-changing in me, and I needed to make my mark and show the world who Daina really could be. I got all my drive from that dream and the hustle. Now, that's not as much an influence on me--I'm good with what we've accomplished from that respect. Today it's 2 things that drive me: 1) the importance of bringing real food to the commercial shelf and being a part of this great movement and 2) my team. I am so inspired by my employees. I don't know what I did to attract so many magnificent and intelligent people, but they get me up every morning--it's an honor and a privilege to work by their side, and I don't take it for granted.
What's something you wish you had known about beverage production?
I had no idea how much money it would take. I don't "wish" I would have known this though, because it may have deterred me from starting. I don't think I could have fathomed back then how I'd raise over $30MM in 4 years. In a lot of ways, I'm glad I didn't know it then. You figure it out as you go, just like you always have.
"You figure it out as you go, just like you always have."
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What's something about the biz that surprised you? And you think most other people would be surprised by.
The business can be pretty cut throat. You'd think beverage and food, especially kombucha, would be hippy dippy. But it's not! It's like the wild wild west, and everyone is looking out for themselves.
It's like the wild wild west, and everyone is looking out for themselves.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Troller law suits just out to make a buck.
What's something you'd like people to know about your work that they probably don’t?
I do my absolute best in every single moment--i give it my all--but part of being at the top means your best always has to be even better tomorrow. So I kind of always feel like I'm chasing and never there. It's lonely and tough to be proud of yourself.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Hands down the people. When I see my team of 107 people truly gather around our tagline--aka my motto for life--FOLLOW YOUR GUT! and work for it and believe it and breathe it, I am in awe. That's so fulfilling.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Our pomegranate farmer Gene Etheridge of Etheridge Organic Farms. I miss getting my hands dirty. I love food and nature. I kind of fantasize about working the fields and harvesting fruits.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
There was no inflection point where I switched. It's been more like a constant climb. Each tough experience gets me closer to the woman I was meant to be. The toughest moments in life have gotten me further along. Questions like this make me take a breather and look back at how far I've come--and baby it's fucking far! But I'm only half way up the staircase still. There's a lot more of me to come.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Just do it. You will figure it out, just like you always have.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
The most important thing you have to do is accept that it's just a bump in the road and not a dead end. You have to accept that this is where you are, you are not a victim, you are not helpless, and there's no denying it. Once you do that, you're 99% there. Chances are, you can problem solve like a champ already, and it was just your own ego in the way of you jumping on it. Business is a game of CONSTANT detours. It's the people who can pivot the quickest and with the most ease that go the furthest.
Business is a game of CONSTANT detours. It's the people who can pivot the quickest and with the most ease that go the furthest.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
‘Eye of the Tiger’ by Katy Perry. IT gets me re-motivated every time. Especially the "you're gonna hear me roar" part.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE WELLNESS LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Garance Doré
THE FRENCH ICON.
THE FRENCH ICON.
In case you needed yet another reason to lament the fact that you weren’t born French, enter the effortlessly-iconic Garance Doré, Parisian fashion blogger living in Manhattan. Chronicling stylish women on her namesake personal blog since 2006, the dynamic writer, illustrator and photographer has recently rebranded and expanded as Atelier Doré—a lifestyle website and creative studio devoted to cool women, inspiring people, and “the art of life.” From a one woman show to full-fledged (and self-funded!) media site, Doré’s approachable and amiable take on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle have made her both an addictive household name and accidental guru.
Read on to discover what keeps this creative tour de force grounded, inspired, and living in the moment.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I want to live a free and creative life.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
Keeping grounded in myself and trusting my dreams.
"I want to live a free and creative life."
Tweet this.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
People taking my phone charger :)
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
Letting my business run me.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
Some of most important things are the things we don't do and don't talk about.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated by other people's work?
By staying grounded in our true desires.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
That it allows me to grow and change.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
No one, except maybe Kelly Slater.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
There is no specific point. It's an ongoing process and it's never-ending.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
To stop overthinking.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
Like in martial arts, I try to use any force (positive or negative) to learn and grow.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Feeling Good by Nina Simone.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: STEM: Kimberly Bryant
THE EXEMPLARY LEADER.
THE EXEMPLARY LEADER.
“I consider myself a fighter and a revolutionary and I’m driven to stand up to injustices and inequities whenever I see them manifest.”
When Kimberly Bryant first met computer programming as a freshman in an Electrical Engineering course at Vanderbilt she was excited.
But she also felt culturally isolated. "Few of my classmates looked like me," she says. Though much has changed in the tech sector since her college days, the issue of representation has not.
In 2011, Kimberly, founded Black Girls Code after her daughter expressed an interest in learning computer programming, but the mom found none of the programs in the Bay Area were crafted to or for young African American girls. The entrepreneur and champion for change has cited lack of access and lack of exposure to STEM topics as likely culprits.
"By launching Black Girls Code," she says, "I hope to provide young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming at a time when they are naturally thinking about what they want to be when they grow up."
That's the mission of Black Girls Code. Their aim is to increase the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls of color ages 7 to 17 to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology, and to train 1 million girls by 2040.
It's Kimberly's Code of Honor, if you will.
More from Kimberly below.
Name: Kimberly Bryant
Instagram Handle: @6gems
Mostly male. Mostly white. That's been the narrative. It's been the picture. Many of our readers struggle with owning rooms like that. How were you able to find your voice and your power?
I come from a very strong matrilineal family. Both of my grandmothers were businesswomen and were able to create opportunities for themselves and their families at times in circumstances much more difficult and tenuous for Black women than what I'm faced with today as a professional woman of color in a male-dominated industry. This ancestral heritage has played a significant role in helping me to both find and owns my voice, my unique views, and my personal power. My wish is that my daughter will find the same light within herself by the example I hope to set for her. I want her to know that she is powerful beyond measure and has absolutely everything she needs to find her path and thrive in these spaces.
Do you remember feeling fear in any of your initial career moments and how did you push through?
I still have fear during certain career moments. One way I push through is preparation. I've found it helps to ease my tension when I know I've prepared for the "moment" to ensure I know my stuff and I'm ready for whatever outcome I can imagine. For those outcomes, I can't foresee? Well, I lean on faith to conquer those fears. I honestly believe that every experience is meant to get you closer to where you're supposed to be. So this pushes me through the fear.
Our children have immense power to shift our perspective. We are able to do for them what, at times, we've been unable to do for ourselves. How has being a mom made you a better entrepreneur?
Embarking on this entrepreneurial journey as a single mom has definitely been one of the hardest things I've ever done yet it has also been the most rewarding.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
This is a difficult question to answer because in some ways I feel this is just who I am. I've always been a rather intense and passionate person and I'm not quite sure where that comes from. I do know that I consider myself a fighter and a revolutionary and I'm driven to stand up to injustices and inequities whenever I see them manifest.
So many industries are shifting. You're part of the movement that is doing the shifting. How does it feel to be a part of that seismic activity?
I'm very proud of the work that BGC has done to shift the narrative around who belongs in the field of technology and I'm very glad that this path found me. We still have much work to do and I'm reminded of a phrase from the musical Hamilton; "legacy is planting seeds in a garden you'll never see". I look at the work I'm doing now in this light. I may never see the true fruits of my work in this lifetime but I'm certain that the seeds we are planting now are creating a legacy that permanently transforms this industry for future generations. It better.
2040 you want to reach 1 million girls. What are some other benchmarks for Black Girls Code?
This year marks our seventh year in existence as a non-profit organization and what we are most excited about is seeing girls who have been involved with Black Girls CODE since they were 10 or 12 years old, graduate from high school and head off to college many in STEM and technical fields. We hope to focus a significant amount of our efforts this year on building a strong and active alumni network and connecting our BGC alumni to career and internship opportunities in some of the many companies we've worked with over the past seven years.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
The greatest sense of completeness in my work comes from seeing so many of our girls discover their passions and become empowered to follow their dreams. I am continually inspired by the girls who are such brilliant, creative, and strong leaders. When I see them shine I know my work and this path is exactly where I was meant to be.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Shortly after I graduated from high school one of the directors at a firm I was interning for during the summer took me to lunch and shared a crucial piece of advice with me---never go to lunch alone. His advice was to use the lunch hour as a time to network internally and build strong business relationships with my fellow co-workers and associates. Today in the age of self care I'm sure there are many folks who would disagree with this advice and I would certainly also encourage the art of disconnecting and resetting as a good practice, but his fundamental advice was really meant to emphasize the value of networking both within and outside of your work environment. Learning how to build a network very early in my career has yielded immense benefits for me both in my past corporate career and in my current entrepreneurial pursuits.
When you first when to raise, you were met with resistance, in part because of the name. But as you've said, words matter. How we chose to frame issues matters. You've shown that you can say no to dollars to don't feel right (multiple times). How would you encourage other young women to walk away from money that's not in their best interest? (It's scary!)
As I've built BGC over the last seven years it's been extremely important for me to lead with authenticity and to be willing to take a loss if it means we hold true to our values. I understand that making the hard decisions can be di cult and at times the seemingly impractical choice but I believe strongly that "values-driven leadership" is extremely important in mission driven organizations. The decisions we make at the top lter down and infect the work we do---it's the fertilizer for the soil that we build in.
“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance. — Vernā Myers, VP, Inclusion Strategy, Netflix”
When you hit a big bump in the road, like a NO, how do you find a new road?
I'm a person that doesn't take 'NO' for an answer. Perhaps it's my training as an engineer but I always think there could be a better or different way to get around a no so I'll actively look at the situation and try to figure out a way to reach my desired outcome. When I can't figure out the answer on my own I ask for help. This is probably one of the most important skills (asking for help) I've had to embrace as a leader.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
My current obsession is the Broadway musical Hamilton. I'm a late-comer to the Hamilton train but was completely blown away by the show and every single song in it. So I find myself humming the various melodies in the shower, during the day, and just about anytime I need a little extra boost of motivation and inspiration.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE STEM LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: STEM: Jesse Draper
CLOSING THE GAP.
CLOSING THE GAP.
Jesse Draper is proving that it takes a Valley Girl to take down the gender bias of Silicon Valley. We call this Sweet Valley High Schooling Your
As founding partner of Halogen Ventures as well as creator and host of the 2015 Emmy nominated television series,“The Valley Girl Show,” Jesse is Sweet Valley High Schooling our asses about what it means to put your money where your mouth is. A 4th generation venture capitalist focused on early stage investing in female founded consumer technology, Jesse is challenging the industry's penchant for funding more men than women.
Though her dad opened the investing doors to her at a young age, investing isn't just in her DNA. She's had unparalleled access and and easy education. She was one the first people to test AIM (AOL’s Instant Messenger) and participated in the first ever Skype video conference at 16. She's said that women take fewer risks with their money, but wants them to put it to work.
With a background in investing and media, that's double the reason to invest in her.
More from Jesse below.
Name: Jesse Draper
Instagram Handle: @jessecdraper
Business Instagram Handle: @halogenvc
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My family. My family is very driven and my grandfather always instilled in all of us that if you do what you love, the money will come with some really hard work. That is where my passion comes from. I feel like I do what I love by supporting female run tech companies every day.
How do you feel as a woman in STEM?
It is a huge advantage to be a female in STEM because there are fewer women. We have a long way to go and we need to encourage more women to enter the profession by giving media exposure to the ones within the STEM industries.
What do you think is a major "miss" for women when it comes to investments?
When it comes to raising money as a female, something I see regularly is that they aren't thinking big enough. We are realistic. We know exactly how much money we need to raise to get where we need to go. This is positive but sometimes we need to think bigger. Women need more of what I like to call the 'billion-dollar mindset' which is 'How do you build this company into a $Billion business?'. When women pitch me and I think they are thinking too small, I will say 'Take this idea. Imagine how big this business could get. How many different revenue streams? How do you find more customers, imagine the biggest business you possibly can with this idea Then multiply that by 100. Then multiply that by 1000. And then come back to me and pitch your company.'
How do we reprogram ourselves to believe that we are good at/with/handling money?
This is a problem buried deep in the history books as men used to control the majority of the nances. Women are still becoming used to handling the money in a relationship. A couple things: Go to every accountant or financial planner meeting with your spouse, don't let your husband make any large financial decision alone. The more exposure you have to finance, the more you will realize that you know more than you think. And what you don't know, you can easily learn. Women also need to experiment with their money more. They feel safe buying a pair of shoes or hard good that is tangible because they understand that. They would feel more comfortable investing in the stock market, companies, etc...if they tried it. It's not as complicated as we make it out to be. Start by investing in a stock that you know. Put your money to work. Don't 'save' it all, invest it, grow it. Play with it.
How do we get more venture dollars to go to women?
We need more female investors. I have found that often, the high net worth women that I meet feel more comfortable writing a $1 Million dollar check to a charity than they do investing in a for-profit venture. I encourage more women with this type of access to wealth to invest in both the non-profit world as well as the for-profit world because you can do just as much good, if not more by investing in women lead companies. By investing in a for-profit female-led company, you are creating more female billionaires of the future and thus more wealth handled by women. This is how we level the playing eld.
How have you successfully navigated such a male-dominated eld?
I am a tough negotiator and I speak up when it's important. I also try and promote the women around me because no one wants to stand on top of the mountain alone.
What are your hopes for young women who are interested in STEM?
I hope they go for it and build the Ubers, Googles and Amazon's of the future with the most diverse teams. If the data proves to be true, diverse teams breed success and with more women in leadership, these companies of the future will be infinitely more successful than those that currently exist.
"Diverse teams breed success and with more women in leadership, these companies of the future will be infinitely more successful than those that currently exist."
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Wasting water. I grew up in the never-ending drought that is California and my husband grew up in Seattle where they have tons of water. I hate the faucet running unnecessarily. Drives me nuts.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
You can't have any fears if you are running a business. You have to be insanely optimistic and open to pivoting, rolling with the punches and trying new things no matter how terrifying. You have to JUMP.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I get to bet on people's dreams and I feel incredibly fortunate to be an investor and be able to do so. It's a privilege. It's also a ton of hard work.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
I think the most dangerous place any human can live is inside the box. You need to think outside of the box. Question everything. Don't do things the way other people do. Create a company that solves a problem that you have experienced in a new way. Copycats are boring and they won't get anywhere. I stay original by going to the beat of my own drum. I don't like to do things the way other people do.
"The most dangerous place any human can live is inside the box."
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What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I don't think I ever feel complete in my career. I am always excited about what else there is to do. I just closed my first fund and that feels like a good step completed. I like to think that I can always do more and improve and no one has figured it all out. I certainly haven't. I do like knowing I have completed something but the only thing that gives me that feeling is finishing a book. Everything else can be improved or bettered in some way and that is how I see the world.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Trump. Just for the next couple of years.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I'm still finding the confidence but if you talked to me in my 20s, I think you would have met a much less secure woman. I had to learn how to be confident in my abilities and teach myself to trust my decisions.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
My family always says '80% of success is just showing up' - this has worked well for me.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I take a step back and go do something else for a little while. Sometimes I give it a night's sleep. I try to look at the situation through different people's perspectives and I talk to my friends, mentors, and advisors about it. Once I have done enough 'research', I make a swift decision and plow forward until I hit another bump.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Baby got Back by Sir Mixalot. It's my theme song. I have a Kardashian booty.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE STEM LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Jessie Randall
THE CREATIVE CRAFTSMAN.
THE CREATIVE CRAFTSMAN.
photo credit: Taylor Jewell
Living her dream, one step at a time.
Devoted mom, wife, and designer behind the brand she founded, Jessie Randall has called her shoe and handbag label a brand “for women who lead dynamic lives.” A woman like herself.
Loeffler Randall began in 2004 as a bit of a fairy tale. The brand sold into Bergdorf Goodman year one, and won a CFDA award two years after launching. People were hot on Jessie's heels. The brand stayed the course and is now one of the most sought-after brands of digital and fashion darlings.
Today, her office space in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood is equally as dynamic as the brand itself. It's minimal but bright, the large entryway serving as a yoga studio for the tea Artist Dana Haim's yarn installations hang on the walls. It all fits the brand's clean, cool aesthetic. And why wouldn't it.
As we said, it's Jessie's fairy tale. We're just wearing her shoes.
More below.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My love of making beautiful things and my life-long passion for shoes.
We love this quote from you about Loeer Randall's design aesthetic: “Oh yeah, that feels like me. I’m pushing a stroller and then running to work.” How are you designing for the modern working woman?
Our customer is dynamic and multi-faceted. She has so many interests and things going on and she needs her shoes and bags to function and also be beautiful. My company is a company that is comprised of 95% women and we understand what our customer needs because we are her. Everything that goes into our line has to be distinctive, beautifully well made and built to last season after season.
What do you think she needs most right now?
Our customer wants products that authentically distinguish her as an original. She wants to wear designs that help the outside world understand who she is inside.
When you run into a career obstacle, how do you find new roads?
Let's see: my circle of women business friends who always have great advice, lots of late night texts with my girlfriends, cognitive behavioral therapy, working out and making time for creative pursuits that have nothing to do with my job (like writing and knitting).
What is your biggest pet peeve?
I'm a pretty honest person so I would say it bothers me a lot when people are disingenuous.
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
I don't really have fears, but I definitely have anxiety. I like to work in a happy, positive environment so I do everything in my power to make sure we have great, upbeat people on our team, a lovely work/life balance, product we are crazy about and a happy vibe in the office.
"I don't really have fears, but I definitely have anxiety."
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What do you do when you lose your creative juice!?
I keep pushing. There are always millions of great ideas to be had. I'm lucky in that I feel really inspired lately. It's always so nice to be able to design the kinds of things you want to wear yourself. Then you can trust your instincts and have fun.
L: Jessie's mood board at her Soho Offices. photo credit: Sarah Elliott. R: Loeffler Randall's latest and greatest.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I guess that every job has parts of it that aren't fun, including and maybe even especially when you are the boss. I'm lucky in that I love what I do, but that doesn't mean that I don't have extremely boring or un-fun parts of my job.
I'm lucky in that I love what I do, but that doesn't mean that I don't have extremely boring or un-fun parts of my job.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
That my kids are proud of what I do.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I honestly can't think of anyone I would trade with. That's a good sign, I guess!
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
Haha. I don't think I ever found the confidence! I think everyone is secretly questioning themselves and often unsure lots of the time - I know I am. But the hardest thing for me was starting my company. I was so scared to fail and there was so much pressure on me to succeed. But I'm really grateful that we did take that leap.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
I've had lots of great advice over the years. I guess the most important to me is to just be myself, be authentic and stick to my guns, doing what I believe in.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
I don't sing. But I do love to take a bath when I've had a bad day and soak in Aesop soap.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FASHION LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Kristen Noel Crawley
MOGUL IN THE MAKING.
MOGUL IN THE MAKING.
Kristen Noel Crawley does not crawl. She sprints.
On her resume: beauty columnist, jewelry designer, and entrepreneur. After a trip to Tokyo with Dior, Kristen stumbled upon what would be her next big venture: lip masks.
From her eyes to our lips, she founded KNC Beauty, her now Insta-famous brand with a focus on all natural lip masks. Not only is she CEO to KNC, she's also a mother to two babes, and co-owner of a gallery space (Chicago's RSVP Gallery). She's an open and shut #boss. No jury deliberation.
Try and keep up below.
Name: Kristen Crawley
Instagram Handle: @kristennoelcrawley
Business Instagram Handle: @kncbeauty
What does beauty mean to you?
Feeling comfortable in your own skin, loving yourself and treating yourself right.
Do you remember a moment when you first felt beautiful?
When I was about 11 I plucked out ALL of my eyebrows so that I could look like my mom (it was the style back then) I thought I was so beautiful because I looked like her. She wasn’t too happy about it (laughs).
Where do your drive and passion come from?
Definitely from the strong women in my family! My grandma raised 5 kids on her own. My mom raised two. My sister is an attorney. With examples like that, how could I not have passion and drive?
What made you decide to launch KNC Beauty?
I needed a product like a lip mask so I created it. There were times I didn’t think it would be a good idea but I’m glad I kept pushing and believed in myself.
Did you ever imagine such a massive response to your lip mask?
Not at all! I still at times can’t believe how amazing the response has been. I definitely have to credit my lovely girlfriends that have supported me. I couldn’t have done it without them. It’s proof that when we as women support each other that we can accomplish anything!
"When women support each other we can accomplish anything!"
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What are your biggest fears about running a business?
I think failure, in general, is a fear of mine or people not liking my product.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
In the beginning, it was just my intern and I. Now I have a full team of women- sales director, creative team, assistant. It’s cook to work with so many ladies.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
Logging off of social media is always inspiring for me. It can get redundant and cloud your mind if you’re not careful. I try to take a weekly and monthly break. It always makes me feel so much better and my creative juices start owing when I’m not being fed other people’s ideas.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Well, I really feel like I’m just starting in the beauty space. I have so many ideas that I can’t wait to get out there. Finding a niche where I can be creative while still making something cool and accessible has been a great accomplishment for me.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I’d be a professional equestrian. I loved riding when I was younger and to experience that every day as a job would be the most fun!
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I remember when I was about to put my lip mask out and another company beat me to the punch. I felt so defeated. I talked to my friend about it and she encouraged me to keep pushing and I’m so glad I did. That was a turning point in my confidence that I needed to go after my goals!
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?Just do it!
Because if you don’t, someone else will.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I try to look at all of my options and weigh them out. There is ALWAYS a solution so don’t get frustrated, just get going!
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley. It fills my soul with happiness.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
