Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Elizabeth Chambers

While you may be most familiar with Elizabeth Chambers from the red carpet or her idyllic Instagram that documents life with her husband, actor Armie Hammer, and their two children, you may not be familiar with her greatest love: baking.

Elizabeth worked as a model, actress, TV journalist, and amateur matchmaker before founding BIRD Bakery with her husband. The family-inspired bakery serves up nostalgic sweet treats (think coffee cake and southern pecan pie) that have inspired a cult-like following at both her San Antonio and Dallas locations.

To say that the San Antonio-born entrepreneur’s schedule is hectic would be an understatement. She’s a globetrotting mama who supports her partner on every red carpet, premiere, and festival, all while overseeing two store locations and building the BIRD Bakery brand. Yet somehow she remains stunningly down-to-earth—if homemade baked goods are the key to her success, we’ll have a dozen Elvis cupcakes and some champagne cake for good measure.

You’ve held many titles throughout your career. What inspired you to step into the food industry?

I come from a big food family, my dad is in the wine business, my sister is a chef and I grew up in the kitchen with my mother and grandmother. My grandmother had a catering business in San Antonio and people always asked us for her recipes so opening up BIRD Bakery was a no brainer! It’s so special meeting so many people who remember my grandmother all these years later.

What goes into creating one of your iconic Bird Bakery recipes?

So many of them are inspired by our own family recipes! Whether they were passed down from my grandmother or a family favorite my mom made growing up, so many of them have a personal connection from childhood.

If you could have a meal with someone, living or deceased, who would it be and why? What would you eat?

I would love to share a meal with my grandmother who sadly has passed away. I’d want to eat all of the amazing dishes she was known for creating when she had her catering business in San Antonio.

You’re very involved with your team, even after the massive growth Bird Bakery. Why is it important for you to stay active in all aspects of your business?

Nobody understands, appreciates and knows your business like you do. There is no substitute for being present.

What do you crave in life?

Feeling like you’re actually making a difference. I crave feeling fulfilled and I do that by being the best I can be to my family and business. I always aim to give my absolute best in every aspect of my life.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I’m most fulfilled when I’m giving my best and not leaving anything on the table. It’s important to know we’re always growing and expanding, living up to our greatest potential whether that’s personally or professionally.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

My mom taught me early on to never take no for an answer.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

I’ve had so many many amazing moments through the years but I think starting a new BIRD location and watching it not just operate but thrive is incredibly rewarding.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

The feeling of success is something I’ve always craves. Whether it was in school and getting good grades or doing well in business, I love knowing we are positively affecting people and keeping them happy. Also my mom, she has the most extraordinary drive of anyone I’ve ever met and instilled that in me.

What keeps you up at night?

What doesn’t?! Mostly just being busy. I know it sounds redundant but I’m always thinking about how we can be the best we can be and better serve our customers. On top of that, just my to-do list! It’s never ending.

“I kind of love a ‘no’ because that means something isn’t meant to be and we are forced to take new roads. Taking challenges head on is important and force you to perfect your business. There aren’t failures; there are opportunities for success.”

Whose career really inspires you?

There are so many amazing people who inspired me! 10 years ago you couldn’t own a bakery and be a news correspondent. I love that there are so many people doing so many things. Whit Wolfe Heard has inspired me because she’s built something incredible the serves such a greater purpose. And Oprah! She will forever be my beacon of television inspiration not to mention all the good she’s done. I also look at so many restaurateurs who have built out multi-location concepts as inspirations as well.

What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge as a woman in the food industry?

Opening our original location was my biggest challenge. I had never owned or opened a restaurant; my background was TV and marketing but not building something from scratch. It was easy for people to discount me as someone who wanted a side-hobby which couldn’t be further from the truth. BIRD is a true passion project and I’ve always known in my heard it was going to be a success.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

Hurdles happen every day. I kind of love a ‘no’ because that means something isn’t meant to be and we are forced to take new roads. Taking challenges head on is important and force you to perfect your business. There aren’t failures; there are opportunities for success.

What are you toasting to in 2019? What are you most excited for?

In 2019 I’m toasting to health, happiness and new beginnings. I want to take everything to the next level, potentially open a new location in Denver and approach each opportunity the 365 days ahead will bring.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Courtney Adeleye

Courtney Adeleye is a BAWSE. Literally.

The self-made mogul is the CEO of The Mane Choice, Foolproof Body, executive producer of Who’s The Bawse (coming summer ‘19!), and CEO of The Bawse Conference. She launched The Mane Choice hair empire with $500 of her own money and business acumen from growing up with scarce resources in Detroit and putting herself through college. Her entrepreneurship paired with her unique perspective on the beauty industry has made her a force to be reckoned with.

Oh, and that $500 investment in herself scaled to $25 million in sales for The Mane Choice in just four years.

She is the definition of a hustler, but with the spirit of a community leader. Because she didn’t have a mentor as she launched her career, she’s passionate about providing professional counsel to a new generation of entrepreneurial women. Whether it’s through her weekly “Pay My Bill” initiative on Instagram wherein she pays one follower’s bills each week, granting female-driven startups seed capital through Who’s The Bawse, or sharing motivational realness on her Instagram, Courtney has an intimate relationship with her community of aspiring BAWSE babes.

How did the idea for The Mane Choice come about? What made you want to start a hair care line?

After a hair coloring experience went terribly wrong, I went on a rampage to find the best way to fix it, but I wanted a more natural solution. I started to research ingredients and hair products to help with the journey. So, I decided to make my own deep conditioner by blending natural ingredients together. I started a YouTube channel to document my journey to healthy, waist-length hair. Eventually, I shared my deep conditioning recipe with my subscribers, and most of them didn’t want to make it. They preferred for me to make it and sell it to them. The light bulb came on, and that’s when The Mane Choice was born. My husband, Wale, and I started the business with $500. That same deep conditioner was the very first product sold under The Mane Choice name, and the rest is history!

A lot of people have asked you to be their mentor. What’s one piece of advice you would give everyone if you could?

Everyone has a gift! Ultimately, it’s up to you to learn what it is and hone it. Be open minded and receptive to learning and growing—ALWAYS. If you’re not teachable, there’s no way you can evolve. Condition your mind and your body every day. Take it upon yourself to learn something new and exercise, daily. Be introspective; always evaluate yourself—polish your current skills, develop new ones, and expand your limitations.

You have such a large presence on social media. How has it impacted your career?

I’ve been able to build some new relationships and nurture existing ones. Social media has been instrumental in helping me to touch people that I may not have had access to before.

What can the beauty industry be doing better?

By not only recognizing that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and colors, but by being intentional and inclusive. All people should see themselves represented in a positive light in the beauty industry. We need to see more variations of beauty. EVERYONE should be represented, as representation matters.

What characteristics make you successful in the beauty industry?

You must be bold, creative, and resilient! The beauty industry is ever-changing, and you must be adaptable, or you’ll be stagnant. Stagnation eventually causes you to become extinct or invisible (at least in the eyes of the consumer).

What does it take to build a beauty brand from the ground up in today’s world?

It takes innovation and the guts to take risks. Find your target demographic and shower her with love and attention! You MUST listen to your consumer and be open to not nailing it 100% in the beginning. That creates opportunities to learn and evolve.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I’m fulfilled knowing that my way of creating solutions to problems in the beauty industry has simultaneously enabled me to offer livelihoods to some amazing people.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?

Try not to rush the process, yet don’t be afraid to take chances. Enjoy each phase of growth. Learn as much as you can in each “season” of building your business so that you can scale in the best way possible. Many business owners want to grow large, and quickly! Believe it or not, it’s possible to be unprepared for rapid growth, so pace yourself.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

My biggest highlight, so far, really has little to do with business. It has been the effect that my giving back has on people. What comes second nature to me, can be monumental to others. Recently, my husband and I wanted to do something special for our daughters’ teacher. She works so hard, and when I found out that she was taking multiple buses to get to work, I thought something was grossly wrong with that. It bothered me terribly; it was only natural for me to want her to have reliable transportation, so I bought her a car. It was so fulfilling to just GIVE! The response I received from everyone caught me completely off guard! It was and still is an overwhelming highlight in my life.

“Try not to rush the process, yet don’t be afraid to take chances. Enjoy each phase of growth.”

Where does your passion/drive come from?

I’m heavily driven by my family. Mostly my husband and my children. They’re my ”why!”

What are the common challenges you've seen among female hairstylists?

Typically, I’ve seen them have challenges with adaptability. When times change, and hair styles and techniques evolve, some of them either refuse to just go with it or they wait as long as they can to learn new techniques or polish up the ones they have.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road and switch gears to find success?

Just like in life, you deal with it. In the beginning, it may knock the wind out of you, but you assess the situation, learn from it and use it as a catalyst to grow. Sometimes the solution won’t be obvious, so you may have to really dig deep and request the help of your support system, and/or mentor.

Whose career really inspires you?

Right now, the owner of Amazon, Jeff Bezos. He’s a beast! I truly admire his work ethic and business savvy!

What’s next for you in 2019? What are you most excited for?

For 2019, my mission is to be on all hair care aisles, not just the ethnic/multicultural section…I am most excited about the possibilities. They are infinite!

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 BEAUTY LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Michelle Wolf

Known most recently as the woman who crushed hosting the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Michelle Wolf is a force in comedy. After working in finance and taking improv classes after college, she traded in her “Wolf of Wall Street” title for recruiting work at a biochemistry lab because it offered her more time to work on comedy. She honed jokes at her desk, tweeting them out and rewriting bits each day. Eventually, she saved up enough money from the gig to last a year without a job, so she took a chance on herself.

It paid off.

A year after leaving the lab, Michelle got hired as a writer on Late Night With Seth Meyers. Two years later, she was performing on-camera on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. And two years after that, she was giving that famed speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. If it seems she came out of nowhere, know this: Michelle performs sometimes upwards of 20 times a week. She’s a hustler, and it shows. We’re so excited to see where 2019 takes her.

You quit a career in finance to pursue comedy. What did you learn from leaving a steady career to pursue your passion?

That the best motivation for me was to be absolutely terrified.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I just love jokes. I love figuring them out, finding where they go, and how they end.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Evolve.

What keeps you up at night?

Nothing. I work a lot. As soon as I go to bed, I'm out.

To prepare for your HBO special Nice Lady, you did a 100-show tour. What advice would you give women on the importance of practice and preparation for their dream job?

I'd give women the same advice I'd give men: do the work.  

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

Any time I'm stuck, I'll go for a run. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. Comedy is hard. You're gonna hit hurdles all the time. Run into them and try again.

You’re an ultramarathoner and completed a 50-mile race this year. What do you love most about running?

Everything.

Comedy is hard. You're gonna hit hurdles all the time.

Run into them and try again.

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Which women in your industry do you look up to most? Why?

Carol Burnett. She's the best.  

What are you most excited for in 2019?

I'm just excited to work hard and see what happens.

Photo Credit: Craig Blankenhorn

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Shiona Turini

Shiona Turini is bold. When she wanted a job in fashion, she walked into YSL and asked for one.

Shiona got what she wanted. After an internship, she served on the PR team at YSL for three years before moving on to jobs at magazines like W, Teen Vogue, and Cosmopolitan, then moving into consulting and styling.

Today, Shiona is the costume designer for the hit HBO show Insecure (dream job, right?), among an already-impressive resume filled with clients like SZA, Nike, and New York Magazine. Oh, and she was also a stylist on Beyoncé’s Formation music video in 2016. Casual.

Below, she talks the difference between fashion and costume styling, her aesthetic, and what she wants to change about the industry.

How did you get your start in the fashion world?

I showed up at the doorsteps of YSL one day with little notice and stalked the girls there until they gave me an internship. To be honest, my real entry was my knowledge and passion. YSL was the first major house to put a black model on the runway. I admired the history and heritage of the house as well as its foresight; it made me work ten times harder to be there and appreciative of every opportunity I had. After interning, I was asked to join the PR team and gladly obliged.

You went from a fashion editor to having your own consulting business, and now you’ve stepped into the world of costume design. What inspired you switch paths throughout your career?

I’ve been extremely privileged to be able to follow my passion for storytelling with clothing across a few fields. While every title comes with different process, my responsibility remains the same in a sense. As an editor, I worked closely with brands and oversaw the fashion and accessories market at a few incredible publications I was able to learn from really innovative stylists, and was also given the opportunity to produce content. Consulting and freelance styling was a logical next step. I saw the industry changing, I was evolving as a person, and I wanted to be in greater control of my own path. I got to marry my understanding of brand needs with my passion for creating beautiful videos and images, while still styling music videos, commercials and some red carpet. My venture into costume designing came out of my genuine love for TV and changing tides in the fashion industry. It wasn’t a planned path, but when the opportunity presented itself - it felt like the right next chapter. Still, in all spheres, I find myself asking the same storytelling questions for characters and editorials: what is the backstory, who is this girl/ character, what inspires them and what is their aesthetic?

Your Instagram is a hub of fashion inspiration. How would you describe your aesthetic?

Once an editor, always an editor. I use the same careful consideration I comb through my work with to curate my grid. When it comes to my personal style, I definitely have a recognizable M.O.: catch me in a flowy skirt or high waisted pant, and never not a crop top. I love to sprinkle in a great shoe pic - the previous accessories editor in me insists. Also, as someone who loves travel, I want my page to be reflective of the amazing experiences I've had all around the world. Ultimately, it's all about balancing bright colors and mixing two of my favorite things: fashion and travel - all cohered by rap lyrics in my captions because that's what feels most natural to me.

How does being a costume designer for television differ from everyday styling?

So much of that depends on the job, the character and the script. What I have loved so much about costume designing is being a part of the character development and evolution of a person on screen. Both have a creative root and aim to make the person or character look like the best version of themselves. But costume designing is much more real. There is no retouching, you have to be so detail oriented in the process - how will this fabric move, how will it sound, how will it react day 3 of shooting? How does it play with the other characters and how will it look in changing environments? Depending on action, we may need multiples of a look and everything, must be fit to perfection, especially for principal characters - there is no clipping or editing in post. It’s quite a different approach but it’s all about finding the best options that work for each character. The pace is also considerably different - with costume designing, there are so many elements, moving storylines, and bodies to dress to meet one vision that it is a lot more intense, and it's all about tempered fantasy. While with editorial you're almost encouraged to play up the extravagance in fashion, the costume designing I have been a part of so far is about the balance of fantasy, TV magic and reality.

What do you think people crave when they get dressed in the morning?

People want to feel like the best version of themselves and comfortable in their own skin. Style is intrinsically linked to this!

What should every woman have in her wardrobe?

A well-tailored suit. It’s a classic professional look and can be broken up into separates. The ultimate multi-tasker in your wardrobe.

“My passion and drive, especially in fashion, come from a deep-seated respect for those who came before me and the roads they’ve paved, and knowing that is is a privilege to be able to do what I do for a living.”

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

On a lot of my projects, I'm given complete autonomy to create. Being able to exercise my creative muscle daily is truly fulfilling—something I don't take for granted.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

"It's just fashion."

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Going freelance and realizing that I can transform my name into a business that people gravitate to has been a highlight. I was linked to large corporations for a large portion of my career, so stepping outside of that was really daunting, but I'm finding that the successes and challenges in creating on my own or alongside others (fashion houses, editorial hubs, etc.) from my perspective and knowledge are one and the same.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

My passion and drive, especially in fashion, come from a deep-seated respect for those who came before me and the roads they've paved, and knowing that is is a privilege to be able to do what I do for a living. It all makes me even more motivated to achieve my goals and set new standards.

Whose career really inspires you?

Patti Wilson. June Ambrose. Misa Hylton.

Whose style inspires you?

Diana Ross is my number one style icon. She's bold and unapologetically fabulous. Mahogany is one of my favorite movies - She's a vision in bold colors and dramatic flair. I also have the pleasure of working and collaborating with Melina Matsoukas. She has an incredible sense of style and vision; her finger is on the pulse of the upcoming and new and she isn't afraid to take risks with fashion.

What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge?

My biggest opportunities are often my biggest challenges. When I was approached by the team at HBO to costume design for Insecure, the prospect was both exciting and intimidating. I had never worked in TV before and was jumping in mid-season all while relocating and managing several other projects. It helped to mentally change the frame. To approach the position not as a challenge, but an opportunity to learn and grow outside of my field.

What are the common challenges you've seen among women in the fashion industry?

What I really love about the industry is that I get to work and surround myself with strong female voices and opinions from all different walks of life. Still, I do not see as many women of color in these spaces as I should. I do not think that black women and minorities are given as many opportunities in these spaces. It's quite frustrating because we know the value of having different voices at the proverbial table; the lack of diversity is a disservice to the industry.

What would you change about the fashion industry if you could?

Even with as many internal issues as the fashion industry has, I would change the perception of it to the outside world. Someone, please get us a PR agency! More than anything, we're a group of (mostly) forward-thinking doers and have a lot to share and teach. It's refreshing to see now that music, art and tech, (industries people are taken seriously for years) are becoming larger, more vocal components of fashion. I think that's a reflection of outsiders beginning to understand the value of what we do and how various fields can have a symbiotic relationship with us.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

Finding new roads is all about getting out of your comfort zone - saying ‘yes’ to opportunities that aren’t necessarily in your wheelhouse, and being open to learning. There’s an illusion in many industries that everyone knows what they’re doing. Sometimes, you have to trust that even without past experience, you can figure it out. Before Insecure, I’d never costume designed but I trusted myself to take my knowledge of the industry to the department and I’ll never look back.

What’s next for you? What are you most excited for in 2019?

I’m currently the costume designer for Queen and Slim, a movie written by Lena Waithe, and directed by Melina Matsoukas. I’m excited to work under these women and watch it all come to life.

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FASHION CATEGORY HERE!

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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Stacey Bendet

“Dress like you are going to meet your worst enemy today.”

While Coco Chanel never got the chance to acquaint herself with alice + olivia, it’s likely that she would have worn the brand for any showdown with her enemies. The pieces make a statement.

Stacey Bendet founded alice + olivia in 2002 with her college roommate with one mission: to make trousers sexy. Sixteen years later, after taking the reins of the business at 23, Stacey has expanded that mission beyond that first pair of perfect pants into a full lifestyle collection sold in major retailers and brick and mortar stores across the world. She functions as the brand’s CEO and creative director and has become a staple of the industry, known for her whimsical Fashion Week presentations, vivid colors, and eye-catching prints. She is a champion of women, as evidenced by how she’s scaled her empire: The brand is designed by women and run by a team of 400+ women. alice + olivia was profitable in its first year, and Stacey still owns the majority of the company—valued at a cool $200 million—proving that her keen eye for fashion is rivaled by her business acumen.

In a post-Trump era, Stacey has become even more vocal about social issues, specifically equal pay. By using the brand as a vehicle for public discourse, she’s simultaneously been able to support women in the arts and prompt necessary discussions in a largely male-dominated industry.

How did the idea for alice + olivia come about?

In the beginning, I wanted to create the perfect pair of pants! Everything was either jeans or slacks, so in 2002 I made my own pants and it just grew from there!

Who is the alice + olivia girl?

She’s empowered, confident, and supports other women!

How would you describe alice + olivia’s aesthetic?

Whimsical and flirty with a sexy and sophisticated twist!

You’ve embedded activism into a lot of your clothing. Why is it important for you to use your platform this way?

My brand is so much about women. We are women designing for women and inspiring women. I have a global platform that I want to use to spread messages of positivity and awareness whenever I can!

How has the power of social media impacted your business?

It has been amazing! Every brand is now their own marketing vehicle; social media has allowed us to connect with customers and share our creativity in so many new amazing ways! And I believe the next generation of social media is social commerce which will continue to allow for new innovative ways for shoppers and brands to connect!

What do you think people crave when they get dressed in the morning?

When you get dressed in the morning, you are choosing how to express yourself to the world! Sometimes we feel colorful and happy; some days maybe more subdued, but your clothes allow you to share your inner you!

What should every woman have in her wardrobe?

A chic statement jacket that can make any jeans and t-shirt look feel fancy!

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

How good women feel when they wear the clothes I design!!

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Probably opening my first retail store. It just made my whole business seem more real and it taught me so much about our customers.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

I am not sure! I just love seeing ideas come to life!

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

Do what you love and success will come (Thanks, Dad!).

“Every creative person needs a business partner to really succeed.”

Whose career really inspires you?

My partner, Andrew Rosen. He is truly the godfather to the American fashion industry.

What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge?

In business, challenge and opportunity come every day—you have to take those challenges and turn them into opportunities.

What are the common challenges you've seen among female fashion designers?

Every creative person needs a business partner to really succeed.

What would you change about the fashion industry if you could?

I have always strived to have my clothes and stores make women feel their best verses feel not good enough. For many years, I think magazines and the industry were about elitism and making women feel like they had to aspire to be a part of something. I want women to feel like they ARE SOMETHING, anything and everything they want to be and clothes can just make you feel a little bit better while you do it!!

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

When times are tough, I try and focus on what I know and what I can improve no matter what!

What’s next for you? What are you most excited for in 2019?

We have new store openings, some exciting collaborations and lots of excitement happening in Asia!

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FASHION CATEGORY HERE!

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Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Jennifer Hyman

Once upon a time, you had to buy an expensive new dress if you were invited to a formal event.

Then Jennifer Hyman came along and, in her words, “democratized fashion.” Jennifer saw whitespace in the fashion world: Women going into debt on formal wear they needed for a single event. And so she took it upon herself to fix it, and thus, in 2009, Rent the Runway was born. Simply choose a dress to have shipped to your home, wear it, and return it, either via mail, to a RTR store, or at a designated WeWork dropbox—Hyman wants to make it easy for you. Repeat as desired (warning: RTR is pretty addictive).

Jennifer is a visionary and the ultimate disrupter in the fashion industry, and we can’t wait to see how she continues to revolutionize the way we get dressed in 2019 and beyond.

Rent the Runway has been celebrated for disrupting the fashion industry in so many ways. Where did the idea start?

I had the idea when I watched my sister Becky go into credit card debt buying a designer dress to wear to a wedding. She didn’t want to wear a dress she already had in her closet as she had been photographed in everything already and the photos were up on social media. I realized that what Becky and what millions of women care about is the feeling of walking into a room and feeling your most confident.

​I also was thinking through the huge expense of closets filled with clothes that we didn’t wear—and feeling like we had to splurge to buy the designer pieces we aspired to. I loved the idea that RTR could democratize fashion for all.

Tell us about the new WeWork and Rent the Runway partnership. What inspired it?

This is one of my favorite partnerships we’ve ever done! In October of this year, we launched a national Drop-off Box network in 15 WeWork locations across 6 cities in the US: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, D.C., and Miami. Our customers can use the dropboxes to return clothing they’ve already worn and instantly order their next items. With the dropboxes situated in WeWork lobbies we were eager to make it convenient and easy for our customers to return their rentals.

RTR and WeWork members already using the drop-off boxes daily. We’ve heard from so many customers requesting dropboxes in their neighborhoods—so stay tuned!

What do you think is key to finding a great co-founder for a business?

Look for someone you have fun being around and who has a fundamentally different skill set than you do. Therefore, you are both bringing something special and important to the table.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I’m proud that an idea I had in my sister’s apartment has impacted millions of women’s lives and empowered diverse women to feel like the best versions of themselves before important days in their lives. I also feel incredibly fulfilled when I think about the team that we have built at RTR—it is an extremely passionate, innovative group of people who are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. And most, the team is incredibly fun and kind! It’s amazing how many RTR team members have met their best friends, significant others or future co-founders at Rent the Runway. To create a community—an extended family— that lives beyond me is one of the most incredible things in life.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

Keep a positive attitude, learn as much as you possibly can from the hurdle and keep moving. Hurdles are part of the ride and the more you get used to these daily challenges—big and small—and view them as opportunities for growth, the less they’ll slow you down.

“Hurdles are part of the ride and the more you get used to these daily challenges—big and small—and view them as opportunities for growth, the less they’ll slow you down.”

Who are the first three people you think an entrepreneur should hire?

Early team members at a startup need to be all-around athletes—people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do anything and everything they can to make the business grow from answering customer service calls to implementing wacky marketing campaigns to taking out the trash. Jenny and I looked for a can-do attitude and a founder mentality because there is no real plan at the beginning. Every day is different, incredibly fast paced and exciting. From a tangible skills perspective—if your business has technology at its core, one of your first hires has to be able to code.

Who inspired you the most in your life growing up?

My parents are my role models. They have what I think is the most important quality in people: resilience. They have always maintained a positive attitude despite any challenges thrown their way and have inspired me to be resilient, tenacious and to always go after my dreams.

Whose career is inspiring you today?

I’m inspired by anyone who goes after their own happiness in every part of their life and doesn’t make their career the only thing in their life. This takes self-awareness and honesty to understand what it is on a personal level that makes you happy. For me, it’s a close, loving family and circle of friends that make day-to-day life fun.

If you could live a day in the life of anyone else, who would it be?

Beyonce—I want to understand what it would feel like to be able to dance and sing like that!

“To create a community—an extended family— that lives beyond me is one of the most incredible things in life.”

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

A big challenge is that the capital is still largely controlled by men—and many men are not as confident in or passionate about businesses that cater to women (which is bizarre as women control over 80% of household purchases!). It’s a case of not being able to see the world as clearly because you lack the desire or willingness to step into someone else’s shoes.

When beginning to raise venture capital it became very clear to me that this was not an equal playing field for women. Growing up I was told there were no limitations to what I could do—the idea that being a woman would make it more difficult to raise money never crossed my mind. But, many male investors couldn’t understand the potential for RTR, the largeness of the idea and the extent of demand for a closet in the cloud. Therefore, businesses like RTR likely have raised less money than they should have and therefore don’t have as much capital to swing for the fences.

What are you most excited for in 2019?

First and most importantly, I’m having my second baby in 2019—so I’m really excited to meet him or her and continue to build my family with my amazing husband. We also have so much in store for Rent the Runway in 2019 especially related to making our subscription to fashion an even bigger, more important and easier part of women’s lives. It’s incredible how many new brands are coming on board so that our customers can have something to wear for every imaginable occasion.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTREPRENEUR LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Anine Bing

There’s a lot more to Anine Bing than her perfectly-sculpted eyebrows.

Jealousy-inducing brows aside, the former model-turned-blogger-turned-designer has made her mark on the retail industry with her eponymous clothing line, Anine Bing, which launched in 2012. The brand is inspired by the fusion of “Scandinavian heritage and American spirit,” which draws from Anine’s Danish upbringing and love of Los Angeles, where the brand’s headquarters are located.

If you’ve followed Anine on Instagram for a while, you’ll know that she’s queen of “effortlessly chic” and can wear the hell out of a band tee and blazer. Her style is accessible yet elevated and captures that elusive “daytime to date night” style that fashion editors seem to always talk about. With a sizable blog platform and a fandom of fashion-obsessed shoppers, Anine turned her aspirational looks into a global brand that was an instant hit.

2019 is going to be a big year for Anine Bing. This past September, the womenswear company closed a $15 million series A round of funding with plans to put the money towards retail expansion, digital growth, and development of consumer analytics technology and personnel. Keep your eyes on Anine, because she’s going to continue to make waves in the industry.

How does the Anine Bing brand manage to stay fresh and relevant?

When I started the company, I wanted to make clothes that were effortless. It was really about designing the few pieces I wanted to wear again and again. Everything I design has that feel of being an essential in it’s own way, which I hope will make them staples in everyone’s closet for a long time. But I’m also always looking for new inspiration to spark ideas and keep our brand feeling fresh. Sometimes I’ll see something around LA that sparks a new idea or I’ll get inspired listening to my favorite music. There’s always new ideas we are bringing into the design studio to keep reinventing what basics our women want to wear.

How would you describe the Anine Bing aesthetic?

Our clothes are all about finding that perfect balance between effortless and put together with a little rock ‘n’ roll twist. The women that wear our brand are dynamic and cool and I want our clothes to embody that. Each piece is feminine but masculine and timeless but still cool and edgy so everything can mix and match easily.

What do you think people crave when they get dressed in the morning?

Being able to feel their best with minimal effort. We have such busy lives, most people don’t have an extra hour to pick out what they’re wearing, I know I don’t, so I rely on basics to always mix and match and go together. Over the years I've created a sort of uniform for myself so I could get ready quickly and so many people have been drawn to that, which I think is what makes our company successful.

What should every woman have in her wardrobe?

A great pair of denim, a go-to pair of boots and a classic piece that gets better with time—mine is a leather jacket.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I love working with so many amazing women who inspire me every day. It’s an incredible feeling to wake up each morning and do what I love and learn from everyone around me.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Stay true to yourself. I know it sounds cheesy, but I really believe it! I have a tattoo that says “be true, be you” which is the motto I try to live by. There will be so many people who don’t understand your vision or everything you want to do, but when you know something is right in your gut you just have to go for it.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

There have been so many incredible moments since we started the company, it’s hard to pick one highlight. Opening our store in New York was definitely huge, and the first time we did a really big collaboration was a moment I will never forget, but honestly, so much is happening day to day and I’m grateful for all of it.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

I’ve always loved fashion and being creative. I’ve done a little bit of everything and learned through my career that I’m happiest when I can create things. I am constantly inspired by all of the incredible women around me. They push me to do better. And my family, who supports me no matter what. They keep my drive strong.

What keeps you up at night?

I think more than anything, the pressure that comes with growing this team and company. It’s the most rewarding feeling, and I really feel as though I met my calling doing exactly what I’m doing. But it doesn’t come without its own stress and pressure. Around our five-year mark as a company, we went through a big hiring spree and experienced lots of changes. And with that, of course, comes growing pains and new pressures. Since we went through that big transition, we’ve been stronger than ever, but those transitional pain points can definitely keep a person up at night!

Whose career really inspires you?

I recently saw Diane Von Furstenberg speak at a CFDA event here in LA, and she was so inspiring. I was beaming the rest of the day after I got the chance to see her speak and connect with her one-on-one. She went really deep into the idea that the most important relationship is the one you have with yourself, and that’s something I’ve been working on both personally and professionally, especially lately. Everything about her work ethic and way of life really resonated with me. I also never stop getting inspired by the life and path of Coco Chanel—she will always be a huge source of inspo for me.

What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge?

Going through the motions of seeing our company change and grow was a big challenge, but also an amazing opportunity for me to grow, too… Like I mentioned before, we went through a big transition with the team and bringing on new roles, departments, and new ways of doing things. It forced me to open my eyes in a different way, and open myself up to learning and organizing the company structure very differently from before, when we were a small team of five out of a garage in Silver Lake. We’re in such an amazing place now, but it took a lot of work and sometimes hard decisions to get there. But I learned more than ever about myself both as an entrepreneur and as a designer.

What are the common challenges you've seen among women in the fashion industry?

We’re always trying to do everything: Network, grow, create, take the kids to school, make dinner, say yes to everyone, also take time for ourselves. Women can do so much, but I really feel that sometimes we do too much. I think it’s so important to remember to recharge and take time for us so we can continue to support our companies and our friends and family the way we want to. Lately I’ve realized I most definitely cannot do everything and that learning to say no is a powerful lesson in itself. I’m trying to be more selective with my time and choices, and it’s paying off in a big way.

“I’ve realized I most definitely cannot do everything and that learning to say no is a powerful lesson in itself.”

Whose style do you love?

I love how effortless Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looks in everything. She’s been an ANINE BING Muse since the beginning. I also love vintage style and Mick Jagger’s rock ‘n’ roll edge has always been huge inspiration of mine.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

I try to take some time for myself to reset and refocus. Something small that lets me get centered on what’s important. Sometimes I feel guilty taking this time for myself, but every time I do, I always come back feeling better and more motivated to go after what I want. One thing I recommend is to really sit down and write down your thoughts. Sometimes I write a little story to myself on how I envision the future looking, in an effort to manifest my goals, both long and short term. It really helps me stay inspired and organized and accountable.

What’s next for you? What are you most excited for in 2019?

Our brand is growing every day which is so exciting. We’re adding more people to our team, we are opening more stores, and we’re finding new ways to get our brand out in the world. We’re also coming out with some of my favorite designs yet in our spring collection, which I am so excited about. It’s going to be a big year for us, I can’t wait.

Photography by Annie McElwain Photography

Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica 

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FASHION LIST HERE!

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Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Moj Mahdara

“You don’t need lipstick; lipstick needs you.”

This is just one of the quotes that hang on the walls of the BeautyCon HQ, but it encapsulates a lot of Moj Mahdara’s attitude. The BeautyCon CEO is steadfast in her mission to redefine the beauty industry and how consumers feel about beauty.

BeautyCon is more than a conference—it’s a festival celebrating a new generation of self-expression. Under Moj’s direction (she took over the company in 2015), the event has transformed from an invite-only YouTuber meetup to a massive sold-out festival with crowds of 15,000 makeup- and YouTube-obsessed fans. The platform enables the trifecta of beauty industry stakeholders to come together—the brands, the influencers, and the fans under one roof.

If you’ve ever been to a BeautyCon event, you know firsthand the kind of energy that pulses throughout. Complete with neon signs, 360-degree photo booths, keynote speakers and panels, hundreds of brand booths, celeb appearances, and influencer meet-and-greets, the festival feels like a bazaar for the cult of beauty. While events are mostly held in LA or New York, the beauty festival has also held its signature events in Dallas, London, and Dubai, proving there is a global audience who co-signs the movement to redefine what beauty means to them. And Moj Mahdara is hustling behind the scenes to ensure it continues to scale.

You’ve been named a serial entrepreneur. Where do you get your business momentum?

I probably get my business momentum from our fans. I think BeautyCon has some of the most contagiously enthusiastic fans in the space, and I get momentum from fellow founders who I find to be super inspiring. I'm also biologically someone who's just incredibly ambitions and really likes to push things to the extreme next level and constantly innovate.

In the early stages of your career with the Beautycon team, you took the company to new levels. Change isn’t always easy for people to adapt to. Did you face any criticism and how did you move past it?

Criticism is a part of leadership, which is not fun. It's not the sexy stuff. But I think when you get criticism, you have to balance by thinking, "The truth is somewhere in the middle." Initially, I used to be really hurt by criticism, and I think now I’ve come to understand that sometimes those criticisms are about me, and sometimes they're not about me. And when they are about me, I take that feedback as a opportunity to innovate, iterate, and better the product and process that we're working on.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job here at BeautyCon is getting to work with hundreds of thousands of young people who want to redefine beauty and think about beauty through the lens of expression and power and creativity. I'm super inspired by the overall energy of our audience.

It’s incredible to meet someone who feels like they've been particularly touched by BeautyCon's mission. How they've had a moment of insight into themselves around what beauty really is, or when we're able to work with talent and have them have sort of a breakthrough around what beauty means for them. Because beauty can be such an amazing thing, but can also be very vicious. And I think beauty being redefined is really important to a generation of people that were raised to be very hard on themselves.

What are some habits or routines you’ve established that you’d say contribute to your success?

Well, exercise is super important to me. I'm an avid boxer and I like to swim at Equinox. I eat really well and I don't drink very much alcohol, if at all. I have a bit of a CBD habit that helps with anxiety. I have a lot of anxiety at times. Meditation and prayer help too. I believe in faith and a higher power can be a well-balanced practice. Also cuddling my new baby is also really grounding.

When you get a new idea what’s the first thing you do with it?

Oh my gosh, when I get a new idea, I like to tell someone else about it, talk about it. Start to research it, Google it, look on social about it. I do a lot of research when I think about a new idea.

“It’s incredible to meet someone who feels like they’ve been particularly touched by BeautyCon’s mission—how they’ve had a moment of insight [about] what beauty really is.”

When it comes to building a strong team, what qualities or personality traits do you look for?

I feel like that's an always-building process. I think the qualities and personality traits are changing on a yearly basis, but I would say I'm always looking of people who are better at different projects and tasks than I am, that I can learn from. I don't like "yes" people, I like working with people that can be direct and honest about what can or can't be done within a certain amount of time or budget. I like people who have a good sense of humor, because working in a startup you have to have really thick skin. So people who have a strong emotional constitution is something I also really look for.

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

Pretty much every single thing that we have to do is going to be about ten times harder than it would be for a man. I sometimes have fantasies about, what would my life be like if I just could be a boy Monday through Friday, and go home and be myself on the weekends and evenings.

Because I feel like, frankly, there's a lot of things that would be a lot easier. I don't know if society is ready for female CEOs to exist the way we want to exist or the way I want to exist. And there's still such intense gender disparity, especially when you fold in sexuality and ethnicity and faith, that I don't know that people are quite ready to deal with a queer, Iranian-American, butch CEO. I think it's still something that society as a whole is still adjusting to, but it doesn't change my ambitions or the things I'm interested in.

I think women in general need to learn to be more comfortable talking about money. I think we need to be more comfortable with being stronger leaders and personalities, and I think we need to lean into our instincts more, because I think that's one of our greater gifts.

“Being self-reflective and keeping detailed track of decisions you made is important to move forward and not make the same mistakes over and over again.”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

I think I hit bumps and hurdles every day. I think I am constantly switching gears. I mean, look, when you're an entrepreneur, you're constantly auditing and analyzing your behavior to see where you can alter outcomes. And so being self-reflective and keeping detailed track of decisions you made and how you made those decisions, are really important factors moving to moving forward and not making the same mistakes over and over again.

What’s the best piece of #realtalk advice you’ve ever received?

You need to give more than you take in terms of your network and your relationships. Just because an idea has never been done, doesn't mean that it should. Your marriage and your significant other is probably the most important business decision and co-founder you could ever choose in your life. Those are all three things that I really do believe.

What are two qualities you think every entrepreneur needs in order to be successful?

The ability to lean into the sharp edges of failure and to not personalize those failures. To move forward and use them as insights and education. And then, I think you have to have really strong instincts, and I don't know that you can learn that. I think having really, really strong instincts is one of the most important things an entrepreneur can hone-in on themselves.

If you were stranded on a deserted island what beauty products are you bringing with you?

Well, obviously some sunscreen. I've been using a lot of True Botanicals, and its clinical face washes and cool serums and night creams. I also love this new product Bite. It's in my pocket. It's an agave lip-mask and just something I've been using a lot.

Who inspired you the most in your life growing up?

Bob Geldof, Steve Jobs, Jimmy Iovine, Oprah Winfrey, and Hillary Clinton. Those were some folks that I was very inspired by as a young person.

Whose career is inspiring you today?

Oh, gosh. I think Whitney Wolfe is super inspiring with what she's done with her bounce back from Tinder. And Bozoma Saint John is also someone that I am really inspired by. Oh! And Mindy Grossman, the new CEO of Weight Watchers. Those are three boss women that I really think are amazing.

What are you most excited for in 2019?

I feel like I'm always excited for whatever's next. 2019's going to be a big year, and I'm excited to continue to explore the boundaries of what health and well-being mean to me. I'm excited for my baby boy's one-year birthday on March 17th. And for BeautyCon New York and BeautyCon LA. We have three big formats we're announcing, and then we have a bunch of new team members joining, so stay tuned.

Photography by Annie McElwain Photography

Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE ENTREPRENEUR LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: STEM & Finance: Leanne Pittsford

Queer. Inclusive. Badass.

These are the fundamental principles behind Lesbians Who Tech, a global community of 50,000 LGBTQ women, trans and non-binary folks, and allies in tech. These principles also describe the organization’s CEO and founder, Leanne Pittsford.

Leanne describes herself as an entrepreneur, investor, and thought leader at the intersection of technology and economic opportunity. We’d also like to add "cute dog mom” and "humanitarian” to this description. Leanne has spent her career advocating for marginalized groups in STEM fields while also creating tactical solutions for recruiters and companies to find underrepresented tech talent.

Leanne founded several companies under this mission, but Lesbians Who Tech is the largest community she’s formed. Women currently account for one in 15 people in STEM fields, but Leanne’s work will undoubtedly shift that incongruous ratio. In 2019, she’s literally breaking records (more below!), launching new platforms, and gearing up for the Lesbians Who Tech San Francisco Summit, where past speakers have included Hillary Clinton, Sheryl Sandberg, and Lydia Polgreen—to name drop a few. She’s the advocate and ally you might not have known you needed, but you absolutely deserve.

What are you most proud of with Lesbians Who Tech + Allies and why?

We have built the largest LGBTQ technology community in world focused 100% on and for queer women.

Lesbians Who Tech + Allies is the largest LGBTQ technology community in the world -- committed to visibility, intersectionality, and changing the face of technology. In 2012, Pittsford took her frustrations with the preexisting networks dominated by men and cis straight women and channeled them into launching Lesbians Who Tech. The first happy hour event in 2012 attracted 30 LGBTQ women for a night of networking.The 50,000 non-binary, LGBTQ women, queer women of color (and our allies) in tech who make up our community come from every background and live in over 40+ cities worldwide. This year we become the largest professional LGBTQ event in the world and the largest event for women in tech in California.

Our programmatic work includes a coding scholarship for non-binary and LGBTQ women called the Edie Windsor Coding Scholarship Fund, a mentoring program, Bring a Lesbian to Work Day, and a leadership program -- #LWTSQUAD -- focused on supporting our members as they move into senior leadership roles. We're not just creating communities; we're pushing the tech sector to be more inclusive and changing the face of the entire tech industry.

What lead you to start Lesbians Who Tech + Allies?

Lesbians Who Tech + Allies started out as an experiment to prove myself wrong. I wanted to see if there were other lgbtq women in tech who'd want to meet up and talk about the issues facing us in the tech sector. I started with one happy hour in 2012 in San Francisco and soon after we grew to a 1000 person summit in SF. This year, we hosted summits across the globe in San Francisco, New York, London, Tel Aviv, Mexico City, Montreal and more. I think we have to put ourselves out there to try what we think can't be done and see what happens as a result. Without that first happy hour, we wouldn't be where we are now with over 50,000 members, in 52 cities around the world.

What’s been your favorite Lesbians Who Tech + Allies memory or achievement and why?

Interviewing Hillary Clinton for the New York summit this year. To have her walk onto a stage called Lesbians Who Tech and then interview her on everything from technology as a utility to her favorite app.

Also, to be able to honor Edie Windsor by naming our coding scholarship after her was a moment I’ll never forget. We were able to bring her on stage to announce the scholarship and to date we’ve been able to support over 100+ queer, lesbians, gender non-conforming and trans folks gain the skills to enter the tech workforce -- therefore, truly doing the work to change the face of technology.

You once told Forbes that “There are more CEOs in the Fortune 1000 literally named John than there are women”. Do you think this is changing at all? What do you think needs to happen to make this shift?

I very much try to steer conversations away from the focus on individuals. What we have to do is change power structures and create urgency to do that. Why can’t we have 50% women and 50% people of color on corporate boards? We look at Norway and other countries and see that they have implemented quotas. For this country, companies can make public statements that the press can hold them accountable for. I’m honestly surprised that no tech company has said we’re going to be the first to mandate 50% women on our technical team by next year and we want you to hold us accountable to that. Could you imagine if Mark Zuckerberg came out and made a goal like that? Hundreds of companies would follow suit.

I would also love to see the laws changed around quotas, as affirmative action policies like that are illegal in our country. With that, you change the criteria around the prerequisites for jobs. Currently, if a company is looking for a CEO to go public with, the pool of candidates to choose from is mostly white, straight cis-gender men who are all probably named John. That’s the list, and if you’re always looking at the same prerequisite the pool will never change. Power doesn’t give up power. You must create urgency around change. It doesn’t happen naturally.

I’d recommend having quotas to every single tech company out there. And for employees who want to see more diversity in your company: say something! Especially if you’re a man, and especially if you’re a white man. Use that privilege and ask to be on a hiring committee, or just suggest that the next five hires be nontraditional tech hires. The more a company hears that this is important to employees, the more pressure there is to actually change something in the hiring process.

“We’re not just creating communities; we’re pushing the tech sector to be more inclusive & changing the face of the entire tech industry.”

Who are some LGBTQA women in tech/entrepreneurs that you consider your mentors and why?

Megan Smith, 3rd CTO of the US and CEO shift7. One of the first female VPs at Google.

Kara Swisher, Recode

A long time ago, back when President Obama was in office, I was asked to help organize the very first LGBTQ Tech Innovation Summit at the White House. I asked a VP at Google named Megan Smith to come and speak, and, with very little notice, she said yes. It was there that she was recruited to be the next CTO of the United States. That’s the kind of thing that happens when we connect queer women and give them the chance to be visible. That’s the power of events and building relationships. And for queer women especially, visibility doesn’t just happen -- we have to make it happen.Lesbians Who Tech + Allies brings together the people who are, literally, building rocket ships and curing cancer, and we give them the chance to think and work together. We don’t even know yet what kind of impact that will have, but what we’re seeing already has been amazing.

Who are some queer women in tech/entrepreneurs we should keep our eye on and why?

Rose Marcario, Patagonia's CEO

Moj Mahdara, CEO & Founder, BeautyCon

Arlan Hamilton, VC & Founder, Backstage Capital

Diedra Nelson, CFO, The-Wing

What advice do you have for women with great ideas that are afraid to launch them?

I tell women all the time that when you’re the only woman in the room at a tech conference, a pitch or at a meeting, you carry with you the other women who have been in this space before or who want to be. You’re not actually alone, no matter how much it may feel that way. And the more women we can get into tech spaces, the easier it’s going to be for women in the future. I can’t wait.

“I believe in positive persistence + hustle.”

What are some apps you can’t live without?

Blinkist and Texture.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

I believe in positive persistence + hustle. With both, you are able to move past bumps in the road, find alternative paths, and move forward toward success.

What are you most excited for 2019?

The launch of Include.io launch and getting Michelle Obama and Lena Waithe on the Lesbians Who Tech main stage!

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 STEM & FINANCE LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Whitney Port

Whitney Port needs no introduction.

The fashion designer, TV personality, and author has spent the last decade on the main stage, fielding everything from her starring role on The City and her namesake blog to her fashion line and the upcoming relaunch of Bundle Organics, a line of juice and teas for new and expecting moms. All while parenting her toddler son. Are you exhausted just reading that?

Now, with the upcoming premiere of The Hills reboot, we’ll get to see her life unfold on-screen. Below, she talks about why she’s excited for the reboot, how she juggles her many ventures, and what she’s excited for in 2019.

We’ve loved followed along with you as your career has changed and grown over the years. What are you most excited to be working on right now?

Wow! So many things! I actually just wrapped filming THE HILLS: New Beginnings, which was such a trip! It’s crazy to think about how so much has changed since I first started filming the show. I’m so excited for everyone to experience our lives through a more adult lens and for the audience to experience the complexities of our adult lives instead of the simplicity of what our 20s entailed. I mean, at 25 I thought my life was so complicated and intense but it is NOTHING compared to what it is now.

I’m also super excited for the launch of Bundle Organics. Bundle has been my baby for 2 years now. Our mission is to help expecting and new moms be more healthy, active, and comfortable and to better nourish their little ones from the very beginning. We’re striving to build a community and inspire a larger movement dedicated to the health and wellness of women during this special transition in their lives. Bundle Organics is the first line of organic prenatal snacks and beverages, pasteurized and specially designed to meet the nutritional needs of women that are trying to get pregnant, expecting, and new moms. Our teas, juices, smoothies, granola bars and granola bites are designed with nutrients and vitamins to maintain a healthy pregnancy for mom and help support baby’s healthy development, as well as providing breastfeeding moms a boost of nutrients they need. For more information and to buy products visit bundleorganics.com and buybuybaby.com.

You started a YouTube series called “I Love My Baby, But…” after having your son. What value do you think there is in sharing “the hard stuff” with your followers?

The value is the support and feedback I get from my followers. Knowing I am not the only one who has these issues or feels this way not only helps me feel sane and ok, but also allows my followers to not feel so alone. I strive to create a nurturing and open community where no feeling one has is wrong.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I feel most fulfilled when I feel like the work I have done has solved some sort of problem. Whether it's keeping a pregnant woman satisfied with the snacks we make or tackling issues like mom-guilt or mom-shaming. I strive to show how I work through problems, and I think that empowers anyone that reads or buys what I make to work through their own.

What advice would you give to women who are just starting out where you did, stressing over coveted internships and opportunities in the industry?

It’s scary! Times have moved away from gradually working your way up somewhere. It’s more about paving your own way and figuring it out for yourself. Do not rely on a degree or a connection, just hustle as hard as you can and don’t let anyone tell you the idea you have isn’t worth while. However, create a backup plan/more traditional way to make money while you are trying to pave your way. Also, try as little as possible to say no to things. Saying yes opens you up to so many more opportunities to meet people. Do random things and eventually you might land in a place you never thought you’d be in but feels so right.

Can women really “have it all?” Is that a myth?

I don’t think anyone can really have it all without a good amount of financial freedom. The world unfortunately just isn’t set up that way. You can’t get 8 hours of sleep, work a 10 day hour, have two hours of free time, volunteer, work out, cook dinner for you family, etc. every day. There’s just not enough hours in the day. The trick is to identify the few things that are the most important to you (and these may change day to day) and plan your life so you get to do those things as much as possible.

If you could entirely switch careers for a year, what would you choose?

I would want to be a painter, but only if I were really good at it. I know being “good at it” is subjective, but you know what I mean. The thought of just sitting in a studio and doing art sounds so relaxing and nourishing.

I strive to show how I work through problems, and I think that empowers anyone that reads or buys what I make to work through their own.

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What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge was dealing with the clean up of my clothing line, Whitney Eve, when my dad passed away. I started my clothing line with him in 2008. He had a lot of experience within the business of fashion, and I knew he would always steer me in the right direction. After he passed away, my sister, brother and I tried to make it work, but we just couldn’t. It was so hard, because it wasn’t only just closing a business and shutting down a passion, but it felt like I was letting my father down. About a year after we closed our doors, I got more perspective and realized it was also one of the best things career-wise I had ever done. The burden of this responsibility to make him proud was too large for me to bear, and I was able to have more career freedom once I let that go. It kind of just goes to show, as cliche as this sounds, when one door closes, another one really does open.

You’re going to be on The Hills reboot this year! What are you most looking forward to about the show? Are you nervous to see it premiere?

Ahhhhhhhhh! I am so excited! I’m just excited to be out there again! I’m excited that it will shed more light on what it is like to be a new mom and continue to expose what I have been up to.

I’m a little nervous just because I’m getting old and I am nervous for how I am going to look! I know that sounds shallow but it’s true!

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

I take time away from the situation and sleep on it for a couple days. I really think there is nothing that some time and some good conversation can’t fix. Choose a couple people in your lives whose opinions may vary and talk to them about these things. Get their opinions, think about them, sleep on them and then form your own solution.

What are you most excited for in 2019?

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have such a great foundation from which to take my career in whatever direction I want. I truly feel like the world is my oyster and there’s nothing I can’t at least try. None of it may be successful, but I feel confident about my possibilities.

I am also just so excited to keep getting to know Sonny and form a more meaningful relationship with him. I know that sounds silly. Tonight, while giving him a bath, we were looking at each other in the eyes as I sang Norah Jones, and I felt this connection that never would have happened 6 months ago. So, I am just excited for him to grow and want to nurture him through all of it. My goal is to give him the most amount of possibility to be the happiest he can be.

Photography by Annie McElwain Photography

Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 CONTENT CREATORS LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Huda Kattan

Huda Kattan is living proof that when one door closes, another opens. Within days of getting laid off from her finance job, the lifelong makeup lover was on a plane to Los Angeles to study at the Joe Blasco Makeup Artistry School. This passion for self-expression, paired with her charismatic energy, translated to her beauty blog and YouTube tutorials, and by 2013, she launched Huda Beauty along with her sisters Mona and Alya. Cut to 2018, and Huda Beauty is an empire with millions of brand-loyal followers. Seriously. The brand has over 30 million followers. Casual.

The sister-owned and operated company is poised to dominate the beauty game in 2019 by expanding their makeup empire to include fragrance and skincare. Listening to Huda talk about her success, you can feel how genuine her love of this business is. Without a doubt, you’ll see more of Huda in the headlines for a long time to come.

What characteristics make you successful in the beauty industry?

Our success comes down to listening to our social family and reminding them that they have the power to define beauty for themselves. I am constantly inspired by the comments and requests we see on Instagram. When it comes to creating new products, we always consider what they are looking for and we never create anything unless we recognize that there is a need for it.

What does it take to build a beauty brand from the ground up in today’s world?

As cliché as it might sound it has to start with passion and that goes for any brand, not just beauty brands. For beauty brands specifically, I think you need to be open, authentic and inclusive to continue to garner the right type of community that will follow you and support you through and through.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

My team and I spend so many months developing the most amazing products so when I see people using these products every day it’s the most incredible feeling. Seeing the effect my product has on the community is so fulfilling. Seriously, every video tutorial that I see of people inspired by our products or every person that stops to tell me how much they love our brand reminds me why I love what I do.

What have you learned the most about today’s beauty consumer? What do people want from beauty brands?

They want honesty and authenticity which really isn’t much to ask for when you think about it. They just want product that delivers, and they want to trust the source it’s coming from. They also want to be heard, which is something we always keep in mind when we are developing new products. We want to give them what they want, so why not ask them? Our social family has influenced every single product launch in more ways than they’ll ever know.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?

One of my mentors from University always told me, "It’s better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.” That statement has replayed in my head over and over again and every time I’m about to make decisions, I remind myself of this. I really think this is what has made me as bold as I am today. I really live by this.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Sephora stocking our lashes for the first time was a really surreal moment for me – I literally had to pinch myself! If anyone knew how many times I emailed them to schedule a meeting to give my business pitch, they’d think I was crazy. But I was so determined, and I wasn’t giving up until that meeting was secured. When it was, I told myself, “Go in there and give the best business pitch you know how to give.” And I did.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

Ever since I knew what makeup was, I loved it. When I understood how powerful makeup was and how it could alter your feelings and confidence, I wanted to share that power with the world. My passion really comes from the feeling that makeup can give you, no matter how much or little you choose to use and apply. It’s really a vehicle for confidence and creativity and with confidence, you can conquer anything.

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

In my experience, it’s getting the right people to take you seriously. In the beginning, getting anyone to take me and my business ideas was so difficult—it was really upsetting and challenging. It’s kind of sad and backwards, but it takes succeeding first in order for people to then take you seriously as an entrepreneur. I really wish that weren’t the case!

“When I understood how powerful makeup was and how it could alter your feelings and confidence, I wanted to share that power with the world. ”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road and switch gears to find success?

It’s really all about where you apply your focus. If you focus on the bump or hurdle, it will start to consume you and won’t benefit you. You just have to learn from your mistakes and apply those learnings to future situations and remain positive. No one is perfect, and problems will always arise. It just takes being solution oriented and positive to get through it all.

Whose career really inspires you?

I’d probably have to say Oprah. I mean, she is major goals. She’s honest and authentic, and she’s challenged so many norms and broken so many rules in all of the right ways. She’s gotten to where she is by never taking no for an answer, believing in her vision and relentlessly chasing her dreams. I think if you use her journey as guidance, you can’t go wrong.

What’s next for Huda Beauty in 2019? What are you most excited for?

We ended 2018 really strongly with the introduction of KAYALI and the announcement that we’d not only be diving into fragrance but also into skincare come 2019. We’re super excited to be challenged by something new and to work as a team to continue to make the magic happen. We’re working on so many fun and innovative things right now and we can’t wait to share with everyone soon!

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 BEAUTY LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Art & Design: Laci Jordan

There seems to be a common theme with the artists the C&C team has connected with this year. Almost all of them were on the path to what they thought was a “good” career—a nurse, a lawyer, or, in Laci Jordan’s case, an F.B.I. agent. Casual.

For Laci, her leap of faith to become a full-fledged, fully autonomous artist began with a challenge for herself: Specifically, a 30-day illustration challenge where she would create and publish a new illustration every day for a month. By day 21, that bet on herself paid off (more on that below!). Now, years later, Laci is a sought-after illustrator whose work synthesizes pop culture, streetwear, intersectional feminism, and identity politics. Her portfolio is rich in colors—amplified by burnt oranges to corals to cobalt blues—and her affinity for sneakers is immediately apparent. She’s an advocate for inclusivity in the art and design space, and is passionate about seeing more women of color represented in the arts, which shines through in her illustrations of people. The reality is, you just feel cooler just by viewing her art.

Below, Laci share a bit more of her nontraditional journey and elaborates on the importance of being your own biggest hype woman.

You went from working for the FBI to Walt Disney, and now you’re killing it as a freelance artist. What inspired you to make that jump and take matters into your own hands?

Thank you! Honestly, I reached a point where I hit a glass ceiling in my 9-to-5. My role at the time wasn’t fulfilling anymore and I didn’t see much room for growth. I started looking for jobs around the area but I never found a listing or role where I wouldn’t be placed in a box. Nothing excited me.

Simultaneously, I was dealing with guilt of not being able to create illustrations as often as I wanted because of other creative projects. I decided to challenge myself to a 30-day illustration challenge. By day 21, my inbox was very overwhelmed with illustration requests from publications and brands that I admire. That’s when a little light bulb came on—I realized that with a great level of hustle and faith, I could create the type of career I want without working in a corporate structure. I decided to bet on my own magic.

Tell us how you got your start as an artist, and how you eventually found your niche.

During my senior year of college and after graduation, I did a few internships and remote design positions. Even though that experience was great, I think my true career started when I moved to Los Angeles to intern with Walt Disney Imagineering. During my time at Disney, I was exposed to multiple disciplines and and variations of art + design. One discipline that I realized I really gravitated to was illustration, in particular vector illustration. It was something that I dabbled in previously but never took it seriously or really knew how to approach it.

When figuring out what to draw, I immediately go to the things I love, such as black culture, music, fashion, etc. Those categories became my “niche,” but my niche is forever evolving. I believe I can create my way into any arena.

People look to you for inspiration, but where do you go to feel creatively inspired?

I have super weird and crazy ideas of where I see my life going and my capability to inspire people around the world. I want to do everything from illustration to working on visuals for Rihanna and Beyonce. Those dreams keep me inspired.

Sometimes there are moments that while I’m inspired, I just don’t have the energy to create or I’m having a block. When that happens if I can, I travel or I try to focus on something else and come back to the issue with fresh eyes.

I’m also a huge fan of podcasts and interviews. I love to constantly soak in information and learn about people doing cool stuff in different spaces. It keeps me going. For example recently I saw media girlboss ScottieBeam receive a contract at Wilhelmina Models. It was so amazing to see a black girl that looks like me be in that space. It’s a reminder and proof you can do anything.

Who are some female artists that inspired your past? Who do you think is a rising star?

Its so weird to talk about the “past” because while I’ve been creating for years, I’m just coming into myself and figuring out the things I’m truly inspired by. To be honest, my exposure to women artists in college and after (until I became active in social media) wasn’t the best. I knew of a few fine artists but wanted to look to someone more graphic-based. After searching and really diving into the design world, I found designers such as Jessica Walsh—her ability to create in different worlds always amazes me and is something I strive to do.

Now that platforms like Instagram are here, it’s much easier to find artists. There’s a ton of people I’m inspired by and that I see killing it in the design and creative space. When I think of rising stars (other than myself) haha, I think of people like Sage Adams (SZA Creative Director), Kelly Shami, Ravie B, and D'ana of COVL. I also love Andrea Pippins; she’s a vet in the game but her work is amazing and always super inspiring.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

Three things: Inspiring people, highlighting and representing POC, and continuously surprising myself by beating my own goals and expectations.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

If you build it, they will come.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Honestly, getting this far, haha.

For 2018, I have two highlights: Working with Jordan (three times) and a writeup on my life and work in Forbes. While both brand names hold weight, it’s not just about that for me. With Jordan, it’s a brand I’ve admired and invested my money in my whole life. I made a goal to work with them in 2018 and actually did it. Those projects are a constant reminder I can do exactly what I put my mind to. Forbes was huge to me because I thought no one was looking at me on that level, so it taught me my potential reach and true influence. Both projects were confirmation that I could quit my 9-5, which was the highlight of the year.

What keeps you up at night?

One or two things. Either I have a bunch of ideas and I want to stay up and brainstorm, or I’m tossing and turning at the idea of not obtaining certain goals—those thoughts are now going in one window and out the other, but I still have them.

What are the common challenges you've seen among female creatives?

I tend to work in a few different spaces, from streetwear to activism, and there are different challenges in each space. Common challenges are equality in both pay and opportunities. I also hear people say that they can’t find women artists or artists of color when recruiting; leading to another challenge in visibility—I’ve heard this a TON in the corporate space. Good thing it’s platforms like Women Who Draw and Women Illustrators of Color that give a directory of dope artists.

Never, ever, ever stop learning. The internet is free.99

Tweet this.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

If you’re from the south, you’ve probably heard the phrase “there's more than one way to skin a cat” (sorry, cat people). The meaning is there’s always another way to do something. I love problem solving and figuring out that other route, so when any bumps occur, I immediately try to figure out a plan B to get to back to plan A. Usually, the answer is right in front of me and I need to take a step back to realize it.

Artists have it tough when it comes to pricing talent/skills. What’s the best advice you have for artists/designers/photographers out there who are working to turn their creative skills into a career?

Bet and believe in yourself

Put in the work (do self projects, don’t wait on jobs)

Put your work out there (if not, how will people know you?)

Never, ever, ever stop learning. The internet is free.99

Have a voice and don’t be afraid to use it

What are you most excited for in 2019?

The unknown and new opportunities. I’m ready to make crazy dreams come true and embrace the unexpected ones.

Photography by Annie McElwain Photography

Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica 

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE ART & DESIGN LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Christina Tosi

“Not your average cookie. Not your average bakery.” This is how Christina depicts her Milk Bar empire.

But that almost feels like an understatement. The chef-turned-entrepreneur and brains behind the sister bakery to the Momofuku restaurant group has expanded her business to fifteen locations throughout North America, while simultaneously publishing cookbooks, appearing as a judge on MasterChef, and being featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table. Fun fact: She majored in math in college, but stumbled into baking.

Tosi understands the gravity in becoming a celebrated pastry queen, as she has created a product that plays a celebratory role in her customer’s lives, whether it be celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or another milestone. Her creations bring people together in a way that only sugar can. With this in mind, she’s on a one-woman campaign to become BFFs with The Rock...which we fully support.

What inspired you to open Milk Bar and how did you come up with the branding?

I had always wanted a bakery. When I was a kid, the working name was “Cookies, Cookies, Cookies.” I think Milk Bar is a better name. It’s a modern-day take on a Dairy Queen plus my quirky take on an American bakery. The first shop was several steps off a busy corner. I needed to pull people into the block to find us. NEON SIGN! And quick! The first logo, believe it or not, was just the word “milk” in brush script medium, which I typed out myself on Microsoft Word, highlighted, and sent off to the neon shop.

Milk Bar is an NYC staple, and you now have locations in LA, Vegas, D.C., and Toronto. When did you know it was time to expand?

Our growth has been gradual and organic. This is very important to me. I have always trusted my gut and tried to build new stores in spaces and places that call out to me, that own a piece of my heart in one way or another. Our roots will always be in NYC, but we are finding ourselves at home in new markets, following the demand, making each new store unique to itself, it’s home and to us.

If you could have a meal with someone, living or deceased, who would it be and why? What would you eat?

The Rock. For too many reasons to explain. We’d eat a pizza, then crush strawberry corn milkquakes because I’d lure him into cheat day and we’d giggle and high kick and talk about how giving this world more laughter, realness and light is the most important thing.

What do you crave in life?

I’m constantly curious and always on the move. I crave the feeling of bouncing from one meeting to the next, ideas flying. I crave time in the kitchen, blank countertops and a full pantry, to let my head and heart run wild. I crave endorphins. I crave time with friends and family. I’m most excited by the little things, though. I call them the little BIG things -- the teensy moments of humanity in life that make up a day. The smell of a warm cookie, the stolen joy of watching strangers embrace, reading a handwritten note from a fan or a friend, when the subway car comes right away, jumping over a puddle just in time. I celebrate every day and find joy in these things, because we only have one today, and I want to make the most of it.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I love getting to be a vehicle and a tool for spreading happiness in people’s lives—seeing how Milk Bar plays a role in birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and more often than not the everyday excuse for a celebration, the little life moments that make us FEEL.

My biggest source of pride in my role is giving a home to now more than 400 (!) hardbody employees. Milk Bar is a place where they can be—hardworking, creative, kind, ambitious, but also wacky and weird in all the best ways. I’m thankful that Milk Bar is a space where my team can take pride in their work, where they can feel and a part of something greater, a lightness in a world that needs lightness more than ever.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

My mother always told me to “be unapologetically yourself.” When I started in the restaurant industry, that meant rocking a cute headscarf in the kitchen to let the boys know I wasn’t going anywhere, and now as a CEO it means always going after the things I know/believe in. All you have in this world is your POV and your insights, your gut as your guide, so you better own it.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Milk Bar just celebrated our ten year anniversary! I never would have predicted all of the crazy places this business would take me, and I’ve loved every minute of it.

I celebrate every day and find joy in these things, because we only have one today, and I want to make the most of it.

Tweet this.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

It comes from within, I suppose. I like being in motion, defying what one can accomplish i a day, a week, a year. Working hard is the single best way I know how to get what I want.

What keeps you up at night?

A million things, but mostly the questions “Did I get the most out of the day?” and “Did I leave the world a better place than I found it?”

Whose career really inspires you?

RBG! Obsessed. A hardbody in every sense of the word. For one, she’s 85 and can still plank like a CrossFit champ. She is an icon for strong women everywhere—fierce, resolute, resilient, making the world a better place bit by bit. Her career is a perfect example of the fact that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge as a woman in the food industry?

I’m naturally a very warm and friendly person. I have a sweet voice, I wear colorful scarves, and I make cookies for a living. I think this gives certain people the wrong expectation when it comes to working with me. There’s an assumption that because I’m nice, I’m also naive...

The pastry industry is huge. How does Milk Bar constantly stay fresh and relevant?

Innovation is key. So is humility. We are constantly churning, spinning out new ideas and flavors. You can’t be afraid to take risks. Just be willing to edit when the risks don’t pan out. To zig when others zag. And above all, to keep it real.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

I look forward, not back. When something is done, I move on immediately. I am constantly learning from my mistakes as a leader and as a businesswoman. It’s important to take time to process events in order to learn from them, but it’s also important not to dwell on things or wallow in self-pity or embarrassment. Learn and move on!

What are you toasting to in 2019? What are you most excited for?

I’m toasting to b’day cake, to friendship bracelets, to innovation, and to constant creativity and connectivity.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Natasha Oakley & Devin Brugman

Don’t let the golden tans and crystal clear waters fool you—the business of bikinis is serious work. Take it from Tash Oakley and Devin Brugman.

The beach-loving business BFFs and bikini connoisseurs spent years building their brand on social media, and their swimwear business is a testament to this labor of love. The duo launched A Bikini a Day in 2012, a blog dedicated to...well, showcasing a bikini a day. But here’s the thing about consistency: It’s the direct product of work ethic. And relationships, especially on social media, require that kind of consistency. It wasn’t long before A Bikini a Day became a community of its own—a digital enclave for women to share love for their bodies and celebrate swimwear that enhanced that self love.

The community behind A Bikini A Day gave Oakley and Brugman the fuel to create MONDAY Swimwear, a collection built on the notion that every body is a beach body. With the support of their collective 4 million Instagram followers, the entrepreneurs launched the brand’s first collection in 2014. Their sophomore collection debuted in 2015 and sold out in under 48 hours.

Fast forward to 2019 and this dynamic duo has plenty more “firsts” on their horizon. Their consistency has given way to a successful business poised for growth and a community of passionate, body-positive warriors.

Reflecting on what they’ve built and what lies on the sand bar ahead, Oakley and Brugman consider just how social media, their friendship, and their values shaped their booming biz.

You both went from having a blog to being brand owners. How do you still manage the two successfully?

Creating Monday Swimwear was a natural next step for us and went hand-in-hand with running a blog. Both A Bikini A Day and Monday Swimwear encompass the same lifestyle and they both seamlessly fit into our lives. Our incredible Monday Swimwear team has also helped tremendously in building, strengthening, and running the brand.

What goes into the design process for Monday Swimwear? What’s your inspiration?

Our design process begins with what we believe will flatter the female form. First and foremost, fit and comfort are always our priority. We ask ourselves “Would we actually want to wear this?” over and over when working on designs. It may sound selfish, but we often start by designing for ourselves. As bikini connoisseurs, we truly know what we like and seek when shopping for swim, and we believe we know what our customer is looking for. Our inspiration comes from so many places, but the classic, timeless, and effortless fashion from the 80’s and 90’s is a huge inspiration for our design.

Monday Swimwear has body-positivity at its core. Why is that so important to the both of you?

Body positivity has been a foundational part of our company and its core value from day one. This was something that came very natural to us because we are both curvaceous women and know the struggles of finding flattering and classic swimwear that actually fits. It’s very important for us to make Monday Swimwear as inclusive as possible. We know how disappointing it is to find something you love that doesn’t fit well. We really strive to make sexy and great-fitting swimwear for all different shapes and sizes without sacrificing comfort.

What’s the key to building a business with social media?

Patience, passion, persistence, and consistency. These factors are extremely important in building a business with social media. A lot of people expect overnight success as we’re living in an era of instant satisfaction, but patience is key. It took us 6 years to build our brands and achieve success. It also takes a lot of hard work and dedication. We’ve dedicated our lives to our companies, and this requires lots of passion.

Why is it important for influencers to pay it forward and use their voices?

We believe having an influential platform comes with a responsibility to share good to the world. Topics such as environmental issues, political views, human rights, body positivity, and animal rights are all topics some of our favorite influencers incorporate into their social media.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

Being able to inspire women around the world is the most fulfilling part of our job. Women tell us all the time that we’ve inspired them to start a business or to love their bodies and rock that bikini they’ve always been scared to wear! The fact that we can impact so many lives on a deeper level is the most rewarding thing.

“Hitting a road bump or hurdle happens more often than people know. We see them as opportunities to learn and grow. We really can’t live with them, but also can’t live without them!”

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

As cliché as it sounds, some of the best advice we’ve ever received is to do what you love so you won’t ever have to work a day in your life. Running our own business requires our attention 365 days of the year. If you don’t love what you’re doing, the constant demands will take a toll on you personally.

What’s been the biggest highlight of your career to date?

Our biggest career highlight would definitely be successfully launching Monday Swimwear and building our business to achieve the success it’s been able to achieve thus far. We’ve worked on so many amazing partnerships and have had some dream collaborations over the years, however there’s nothing more rewarding than launching our own brand as our most successful endeavor.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

Both of us come from entrepreneurial families. We’ve always been taught that if you want something you have to work hard to get it. Having this mindset from childhood has helped fuel our drive and remain passionate.

Whose career really inspires you?

Jessica Alba and Elle MacPherson!

Whose style do you love?

Definitely Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (another Create & Cultivate 100 honoree!).

What has been your biggest opportunity to date?

The social media era/movement is definitely the foundation of our business.

What would you change about the fashion industry if you could?

We would love to see sizing standardized throughout the fashion industry. The fashion and swim industries are moving in a really positive direction by becoming more inclusive and using more sustainable fabrics and materials. However, on a more fundamental level, if sizing was standardized, it would revolutionize fashion. We would also love if brands stopped using animal fur.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

Hitting a road bump or hurdle happens more often than people know. We see them as opportunities to learn and grow. We really can’t live with them, but also can’t live without them!

What’s next for you? What are you most excited for in 2019?

Summer 2019 is going to be really exciting for us, and especially for Monday Swimwear. We have so many amazing launches and really cool surprises coming out. We can’t wait to share it with you all!

Photography by Annie McElwain Photography

Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica

VIEW THE ENTIRE CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FASHION CATEGORY HERE!

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Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Ayesha Curry

Food is Ayesha Curry’s love language.

Building relationships and fostering connection through home cooking is one of the many talents that make this multi-dimensional, multi-tasking, multi-hyphenate mama so remarkable. Motherhood is her muse, and she feels closest to her faith with her kids in the kitchen. She says it’s where her balance begins and she can just “be.”

Given the amount on her plate in 2019, balance will be critical. From TV hosting to launching restaurants to developing cookbooks to her latest venture, winemaking, America’s Sweetheart will be on her grind.

What is your process for recipe development? Where do you source your inspiration from?

Try, try, try again... I love to cook with seasonal ingredients, so I usually find inspiration at my local farmers market or grocery store. I also like to take dishes I’ve had out at restaurants, say on a date night, and recreate them at home. I love taking an elevated dish and figuring out how to make it more approachable.

You’ve recently delved into winemaking. What has been your hardest challenge so far—TV, cookbook writing, winemaking or restaurant-starting and why?

Hands down the cookbook, because I took on every aspect of it from the recipe development to the food styling to the photography. I was very hands on.

You must know the Bay Area inside out. What are your favorite food spots in the city you call home?

International Smoke, Michael Mina and Pabu when I’m feeling sassy and want some sushi.

If you could have a meal with someone, living or deceased, who would it be?

Prince.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

When I see families coming together and building stronger relationships through food.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Don’t take no for an answer, and that it’s OK to be imperfect.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Highlight: Forbes 30 Under 30!

Where does your passion/drive come from?

Watching my mom work so hard growing up instilled in me an entrepreneurial spirit. I love to have an idea and watch it manifest into something bigger.

What keeps you up at night?

Right now, my 5-month old! But sadly, a lot of times it’s a to-do list.

Whose career really inspires you?

Jessica Alba. Michelle Obama.

What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge as a business owner?

Figuring out how to turn negatives into positives. Take the mistakes and failures and make something out of them.

Take the mistakes and failures and make something out of them.

Tweet this.

What are the common challenges you've seen among women in the food industry?

Being taken seriously, and making sure that our opinions are heard and matter.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

You just persevere.

What are you most excited for in 2019?

The relaunch of my new food and lifestyle destination website, Homemade, the expansion of my restaurant concept International Smoke, and the premiere of Family Food Fight (my new show for ABC, which I host and executive produce).

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST HERE

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Create & Cultivate 100: STEM & Finance: Katie Mack

There’s a reason that scientists rarely join the pop culture zeitgeist.

“Becoming famous for talking about science is considered self-promotion, even if you're promoting science," says Dr. Katherine J. Mack. But that hasn’t stopped Dr. Mack, who goes by @AstroKatie on Twitter, from using her supernatural talent for breaking down theoretical astrophysics to the general public. And it’s getting her more than a blue checkmark on Twitter— she’s gaining notoriety in a field typically reserved for mid-career men and those who have achieved the field’s crowning peak: a permanent, tenured research position.

But for the self-described astrophysicist/cosmologist, occasional freelance science writer, and connoisseur of airplane food, social media has becomes a vehicle to build her hyperspecific, dark matter-powered personal brand. She understands trolls and clapback culture in a way most scientists could never, and it’s earned her high praise from the likes of J.K. Rowling.

She knows it’s not typical for a scientist to become a social media celebrity, but she sees her public position as a way to direct attention to the field to empower women in STEM careers.

What inspired you to be a cosmologist? Was there a pivotal moment in your life where you realized what you wanted to do?

I’ve always been obsessed with figuring out how things work. When I was a kid, this prompted me to do things like take apart radios or try to build little solar-powered cars out of Legos, but when I learned about things like black holes and spacetime and the Big Bang, I knew I wanted to know how the whole universe works. I’m not sure there was any pivotal moment exactly, but I have vivid memories of going to public talks by people like Stephen Hawking and Paul Davies and being completely fascinated by the kind of things they got to spend their time thinking about. I wanted to do that too.

Can you tell our Create & Cultivate readers a little about the work that you do & any projects that you’re currently working on?

I do theoretical cosmology. Cosmology is basically the study of the whole universe, from beginning to end, on the largest scales and including how it evolves over time. The theoretical part means I don’t use telescopes or do experiments, but rather do my work mostly in equations and computer programs. Because understanding the universe means understanding the fundamentals of physics, I also spend a lot of my time thinking more about the physics of the very very small – particles and fields and things. When you’re trying to understand EVERYTHING, it has a way of pushing you to the boundaries, on both ends of the scale. So I’m really interested in the big questions: where did it all come from, where is it going, what is the universe made of and why does it work the way it does. Of course, you always have to specialize at some point, but in cosmology, even when you’re focused, you can still be incorporating a lot of big fun ideas. My main research work these days is on dark matter (the mysterious, invisible substance that makes up something like 85% of the matter in the universe), how galaxies formed and evolved over time in the early stages of the universe, and the end of the universe – how the cosmos will eventually die. One of the things I really love about this kind of work is that there’s lots of room for creativity, and I get try all the time to think about things in new ways, to figure out how we can learn about these big foundational ideas using the kinds of data we can get from telescopes or experiments.

You’ve built a massive online community. When did you start to see growth & why do you think Twitter has become your go-to platform?

I’ve been on Twitter for a long time, and aside from a few rather sudden shifts, it’s been a pretty steady thing. I feel like Twitter as a platform is perfect for the way I like to talk about science, because it’s well suited to short, pithy statements with maybe a link or a picture attached. It sounds weird to say it, but writing tweets, especially if you want them to connect with people, is a kind of a literary form. It’s a real challenge to get meaningful, intriguing information, or any kind of statement that people will want to share, into a small number of characters, and it can really help you hone your communication skills. I really enjoy the challenge of it, and I like to practice my writing and try to amuse or intrigue or fascinate or delight people. It’s a lot of fun when it works, and the kinds of interactions you can have there with people can be really great.

“There are always SO MANY THINGS to study and to investigate in cosmology, so finding a new project or idea is never difficult. The harder part is getting deep enough into a topic to make a meaningful contribution, and not getting distracted by the latest shiny thing before you’ve finished.”

How has social media helped with sharing your knowledge to your followers?

I guess it’s really a two-part thing. One is that using Twitter to talk about science has given me a lot of practice talking about science – it’s made me think deeply about my work, and it’s prompted me to learn a lot of things in other areas of physics and astronomy that I might not have spent time on. But the fact that it’s a social medium means that I get very clear, instant feedback on anything I’m sharing, so I learn very quickly what kinds of things are confusing, or where I might accidentally mislead people if I’m stating something in an unclear way. It’s made a big difference in helping me with my other writing (in blogs, magazines, and the book I’m currently working on) and in my public speaking. I know what kinds of explanations work well because I know what gets positive responses (and not too much confusion) on Twitter, and I know what really blows people’s minds because on Twitter, they tell me.

What is one app you can’t live without and why?

Twitter, and it’s probably not a good thing. I know that it can be a pretty toxic place sometimes, and it certainly can be a massive time sink, but at the same time, there are a lot of really wonderful clever people on there and I’ve had such a great time connecting with people. Other than that… I listen to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks, so Overcast and Audible are certainly near the top of my list. I’m pretty much always listening to something. There’s a lot to be said for being in the moment and aware of your surroundings and all that but also there’s just so much information in the world and I want to consume all of it.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

There are a lot of bumps and hurdles in academia. There’s a lot of rejection and failure just sort of built into the system. You have to try to become inured to it, or at least to be able to accept the lessons without losing your whole sense of self-worth. It’s not easy. And I think for most of us in academia, we go through periods where we feel like we’re not cut out for this. But it helps to share stories and get advice from your peers and mentors and realize that everyone goes through this stuff from time to time. As for switching gears, that’s almost too easy. There are always SO MANY THINGS to study and to investigate in cosmology, so finding a new project or idea is never difficult. The harder part is getting deep enough into a topic to make a meaningful contribution, and not getting distracted by the latest shiny thing before you’ve finished. But really the confidence and the success (when it comes) is largely a result of trying not to pay too much attention to anything other than the work, and just doing what you can. (And a healthy amount of luck, too, obviously.) If you’re gonna crash out, you’ll know, so in the meantime, keep at it and make the most of the opportunities you have. I keep thinking eventually this whole academia thing will stop working out but so far I’m still here and it’s really going pretty well.

“The most exciting part of research is when you learn something really new and interesting. It doesn’t happen very often that it’s a real breakthrough, but making a new connection between two ideas or understanding something for the first time in a new way can be amazing.”

What are you most excited for in 2019?

I’m writing a book about the end of the Universe, called “The End of Everything.” It won’t be published until 2020, but the manuscript is due in 2019 and I’m just really excited about the prospect of having it all together in one place, as a complete piece of work. It’s a lot of fun to write, so far, and I can’t wait to get it out into the world. I’m also doing a massive amount of travel in 2019 (some of it connected to book things) and some of those trips should be a lot of fun.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

The most exciting part of research is when you learn something really new and interesting. It doesn’t happen very often that it’s a real breakthrough exactly, but making a new connection between two ideas or understanding something for the first time in a new way can be amazing. The other thing I love about my job is just talking to other people about cosmology. Sometimes it’s colleagues, where we’re bouncing ideas back and forth, and sometimes it’s students or even people outside academia. I love it all. I feel like I’m the sort of person who is smarter when I’m in conversation than when I’m just mulling things over on my own. And luckily, my job isn’t anywhere near as solitary as one might imagine. I’m constantly giving talks, going to conferences, and talking with collaborators, in addition to all the teaching and public science. There are lots of opportunities to just think out loud, and I love that.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

At various times in my life, in the midst of job applications or at other times of uncertainty, I’ve heard the advice that instead of trying to conform to some ideal of the position you’re looking for, you should focus on the strengths you have that make you unique. In my case, that meant that instead of trying to be a head-down physics-publication-machine, I should probably embrace the non-traditional part of what I do and pitch the work I’ve done in science outreach as an asset. And that worked out, but even if it hadn’t, I’m not sure I would have been happy in a job that didn’t let me participate in that kind of work. But really just in general, a lot of the most successful people I know (by their own subjective definitions of success) are people who have discovered the thing that they can do better than anyone else, and built a career around that. It’s not always possible to do this, of course – I always hesitate to give advice about careers or success because I know that most of the advice you get is based on a combination of privilege and survivor bias – but if you’re in a position where you can plausibly carve out a niche for yourself, you might be surprised at the kinds of things that can ultimately pay off. If you have some really unique talent, don’t write it off as frivolous right away just because it’s not what people might expect to see.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

The biggest surprise has probably been all the opportunities to travel and meet amazing people. When I first started thinking about getting into physics, I imagined there would be a lot of sitting around writing out equations in an office (and there is a lot of that!) but I didn’t count on the part where I would travel the world going to conferences and collaboration meetings and giving talks. The first research project I ever got involved in was in Japan; a few years later I was doing a summer project in Germany. I’ve held postdoctoral fellowship positions in the UK and Australia, and I’ve gone to conferences and workshops and done teaching gigs and public science things in more countries than I can even keep track of, on five continents. It’s been a real adventure.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 STEM & FINANCE LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Tina Sharkey

Tina Sharkey wants to sell you all your pantry staples—for a price that’s actually fair.

Tina wanted to shake up the food, health, cleaning, and office supply categories with products that were clean, organic, vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. And so she launched Brandless with her cofounder, Ido Leffler, in 2017. Brandless offers staples like peanut butter, bath tissue, granola, body wash, and other non-perishables and daily necessities—but with better and fairer pricing. We’re huge fans of Tina’s business ethos (including her commitment to fighting hunger with business profits), and we know you will be too.

What was the inspiration behind Brandless, and what aspects do you think have really resonated with people to achieve the level of success it has reached?

When my co-founder Ido Leffler and I began working on Brandless in 2015, it was during a heightened time of division in our country. We saw people rejecting establishment and institutions all across different ages and demographics. We also noticed this rejection applying to the legacy brands they had grown up with. In fact, 77 percent of millennials were saying they didn’t want to buy the brands that their parents used. With Brandless, we saw an opportunity to create a new kind of brand that is rooted in truth, trust and transparency. One that puts people first.

For us, that meant building Brandless as a community and movement alongside people who share our belief that everyone deserves better. We are constantly connecting and having conversations with our community, and listening to what matters most to them to curate our assortment. For some, that may mean they want organic or vegan food, while for others that means they only use beauty products that are clean and cruelty-free. We’re in two-way conversations with them every day. After all, people are people and they just want to be heard and treated fairly.

The price point at Brandless is very affordable. Why does that business model work for you?

Brandless is built on the premise that everyone deserves better and better doesn’t need to cost more. We are removing the inefficiencies in how traditional goods are created, bought and sold, and are inventing a new system that cuts out a lot of those inefficiencies (a.k.a the middleman) and ships directly to the community of people who buy and use our products. We want to create a world where people aren’t forced to choose between what matters to them and what they can afford.

How did you come to the decision to take the leap from VC to the food industry and why?

I went into venture capital because I wanted to leverage my experience as an active angel investor and social media community and platform builder to help give unfair advantages to entrepreneurs. It was also a great cross-training experience for my personal and professional development. I’ve had the opportunity to sit on multiple boards of companies across different stages and sectors, and to mentor and coach so many talented founders and teams.

With a new vantage point, I was inspired to think bigger about new opportunities. When we started Brandless, it was through the lens of both profit AND purpose (aka social entrepreneurship). We had the intention of creating a new system and a new kind of community-informed brand that would fundamentally impact our modern society and make a positive change in the world.

If you could have a meal with someone, living or deceased, who would it be and why?

I would like to have a meal with Michelle Obama. I respect the way she has been able to gracefully balance both internal and external focus and success. She seems to successfully shift her focus and energy between her inwardly focused role as an anchor to her family, and her externally focused role -- using her platform to promote kindness, inclusivity, positive societal change and personal empowerment.

I’d especially love to get her perspective when it comes to mastering the four Ps: Prioritization (ranking and ordering so many important roles), Productivity (getting so much done personally and professionally), Privilege (having a rarified platform she can use for good) and Poise (handling this all with grace under pressure, especially under the public eye).

“We wanted to create a new system and a new kind of community-informed brand that would fundamentally impact our modern society and make a positive change in the world.”

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

I feel most fulfilled when I can facilitate opportunities for people on our team and in my life to manifest their passions, interests and intentions. I think of myself as a player-coach. I love when I can support behind the scenes and leverage my experience and network to mentor my teammates and help them cut corners, accelerate projects and connect dots they may not have seen.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

To take feedback seriously, but not personally.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

I was invited by Steph Curry shortly after the Brandless launch in summer 2017 to give a private talk at a summit with an extraordinary group of athletes interested in learning more about investing in, building and operating early stage companies. My eldest son Jacob was interning at the summit before he entered USC that fall. My talk was centered on Brandless’ mission to build a new kind of company. One that puts people first, practices tangible acts of kindness every day and believes that everyone deserves better. In the middle of my remarks, Steph stood up and asked if they could invest because they wanted to fuel a company like ours with such a powerful purpose. I was in shock; caught completely by surprise, especially given that I was not raising additional investment dollars at that time. I remember looking up and across the room in what felt like super slow motion to make eye contact with Jacob as he waved his hands motioning that I should accept Steph’s offer. Sharing that surreal real-time moment and my speechless, tearful reaction in front of every All Star who was eager to endorse Brandless in the same room at the same time with Jacob was priceless. It was one of the most poignant moments of my career.

Where does your passion/drive come from?

My favorite quote is by Hillel who said, “If I’m not for myself, who will be for me? If I’m only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?” I use that as my filter on life and it drives my intention for leaving this world a better place than it was before I came. This also inspires my passion for building communities based on shared affinities, values and aspirations, where I can help facilitate the creation of pathways for people to walk their walk, meet their goals and collectively improve this world we all inhabit.

What keeps you up at night?

That 40 million people go hungry in this country every day, and that’s just simply NOT okay.

Whose career really inspires you?

I am surrounded by role models. My dear friend Aileen Lee inspires me because she makes all kinds of awesome things happen every day, everywhere. After cutting her teeth in banking, going back to get her MBA at Harvard, then working at the heels of Mickey Drexler—one of the brightest minds in retail, she found her way to Sand Hill Road and became a partner at the storied VC Kleiner Perkins. From there, she founded one of the first female-led venture firms—Cowboy Ventures, where they now invest in some of the best early stage companies and founders in the industry. Aileen also coined the word and the research behind what defines a “unicorn” company. Most recently, she has galvanized an extraordinary group of female investors to fuel AllRaise.org, a movement dedicated to increasing diversity in venture and founders. In addition to her day job, which includes running a fund and firm, investing in great founders and companies and sitting on Boards to guide young companies, Aileen is an engaged wife and mom of three, softball coach, school board member, convener of constant friends and strangers and a champion of fun wherever and whenever. I could go on and on about the many ways she inspires.

Take feedback seriously, not personally.

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What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge as a business owner?

Scaling the Brandless platform as quickly as possible to keep up with the extraordinary demand.

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners?

The relentless pursuit of perfection. Women want to be great at everything all at once while prioritizing family, friendship, personal care, work (not possible). Additionally, we sometimes can overthink the small stuff and don’t ask for help. Remember, you can have it all, just not at the same time. Perfect can be the enemy of progress. Try making small improvements every day.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

There were times in my career where I felt I had hit a plateau in my current position or I felt ready for the next challenge and began to look elsewhere. A big lesson for me is that sometimes, before you look for “greener pastures,” you can create new opportunities and get re-engaged on your home turf.

While leading BabyCenter globally at Johnson and Johnson, I felt that J&J could benefit from a public face to speak on maternal health. I advocated for the company to dedicate funds toward tackling these specific issues and soon became the spokesperson for an entirely new initiative. We created the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA) with the U.S. State Department to serve women in need of more resources across the world, and it was announced by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Instead of looking outside, I created a new opportunity within the larger J&J global platform. By seeing an opportunity, advocating for myself and the issue I believed in, and recognizing the value both my team and I could lend and leverage, I was able to catalyze a real and tangible impact within the larger organization.

Sometimes, it’s not others who will create that opportunity for you, but YOU who need to create it for yourself and for others.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FOOD LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: STEM & Finance: Kathy Terry

Kathy Terry was fed up with frivolous gift-giving...so she decided to change the game.

She launched inLieu, a social giving app that allows you to give a gift to charity in honor of someone, instead of bringing a bottle of wine, sending a small token as a thank-you, or giving a birthday gift your friend doesn’t need. It’s a welcome addition to the social space, making it easy to directly support your favorite charities (the app lists more than 1.8 million verified nonprofits) and make your friends feel good, too.

We love what Kathy has created and can’t wait to watch inLieu grow and thrive—and in turn, see how it changes the world one donation at a time.

Tell us about your company, inLieu. What did you see missing from the charity market and what did you seek to build?

inLieu was created to fill a gap between material gift giving and donating to the causes we love. I felt a push to show up differently to my friends especially in the way I expressed my love, appreciation and gratitude. I was tired of the obligatory gift giving -- the hostess gifts, thank you gifts, birthday gifts -- we are all just checking the box. We are gifting things to friends, family, co-workers, and others that 1) they don’t really need or want 2) worse, aren’t fulfilling our desire to show appreciation and gratitude, and 3) are leaving billions unspent and misspent in a world that could use those billions to be a part of the solution to many of society’s ills. So I asked myself, what if we decided to skip the obligatory or last minute gift and instead give the gift of giving back, replacing material gifts with donations? This intentional giving is what I saw missing in the gift and charity markets There was no platform that allowed me to donate in honor of a friend with a personal message via text or email at anytime from anywhere. inLieu gives us the opportunity to participate in changing the world, one gift at a time.

Your app is social-first. How has social media changed the giving game?

Social media has changed the world! Frankly, I’m not sure I have embraced it fully yet, but it’s here to stay. In fact, my initial vision of inLieu did not include the social feed and it wasn’t until I committed to building it, that I decide it needed to be social. At the time, I had no social presence. No Facebook, no Twitter account, and only an old abandoned Instagram account. But, I started using Venmo and found myself scrolling through the feed and realized if I wanted to build an app to encourage others to give, it would have to be social. If people (including me) were spending time seeing who was spending money on pizza or paying their babysitters then it only made sense to use it to help people learn about the causes their friends are passionate about, and encourage others to donate and make an impact too. I guess you could say, I was slow to catching on. I realized social media is where we connect, get inspiration, find our tribe, find our passions and share our thoughts and beliefs with the world. It only makes sense to use social media to not just change the world, but to make it better!

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

Every month I send checks out to nonprofits all over the US that have received donations in the app. Knowing that the majority of these donations represent money that would have normally been spent on material gifts but was instead turned into impact puts a little smile on my face. In fact, every dollar we raise goes towards decreasing the amount of money that will sit on unused gift cards, regifted candles and unwanted gifts. Did you know that there is currently $45B (yes that is a B for billion) sitting on unused gift cards and $14B is spent on greeting cards every year. Together we can all make a difference.

What tech announcement or new release are you most looking forward to this year?

I’m very excited about our redesign that will be fully released in the next few months. We have spent a lot of time listening to users and making updates to the app that will make inLieu even more social, engaging and easy to use!

What is one app (other than yours!) you can’t live without and why?

It would either be Venmo or my Podcast app. I wouldn’t be able to pay my babysitters without Venmo and I am a fanatic about listening to podcasts. I’m a big runner...it’s my stress reliever, where I do my most creative thinking (I actually thought of inLieu while out on a long run!) and it’s when I listen to my podcasts. My favorite is How I Built This. I may have a secret crush on Guy Raz because I also love Ted Radio Hour (not that you asked and now it’s not a secret).

Who are some women you look up to in your field?

Brooklyn Decker and Whitney Casey, founders of Finery, are definitely on the top of my list. They are both from Austin and could not have been more encouraging and helpful while I was building inLieu. In fact, as soon as I launched Whitney downloaded the app and sent me a google doc with screenshots that included UX/UI recommendations. These two women launched a technology business with no technology experience, which gave me the confidence to do the same.

Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice are the visionaries behind SoulCycle and I love how they took an already existing model and turned it on it’s head. That’s how you disrupt shit!

I love the drive and passion of Jenn Hyman and Jenny Fleiss, founders of Rent the Runway. Their “dream big and go after it” mentality is exactly what you need when you start a business. They have changed the way we think about shopping and have created a market that didn’t exist before. I’m definitely on Team JJ, and a big fan!

I would be remiss to not include Whitney Wolfe Herd, another Austinite who is definitely empowering women to make the first move through Bumble. I think Whitney has set an amazing example for other women to take control of their life, follow their passion and not let anyone else define the person you should be.

“Surround yourself with people smarter than you and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

I tell my girls all the time (ages 8 & 10) that the only thing between them and success is hard work and passion, but most importantly passion. Passion does not always equate to skill or experience, but it will carry you further. But you have to make sure that even when you are driven by passion, you are also nimble. Without flexibility, you can end up off course. You can get stuck in one direction, ultimately missing the curve in the road.f you are too rigid, you won’t be able to pivot and that can lead to disaster! inLieu is the fourth business I’ve started, and there are always bumps and hurdles. In fact, there are more hard days then easy ones, and you have to always remind yourself to find the joy in as many moments as you can. LIke they say, the joy has to be in the journey (not sure if anyone actually said those exact words, but it does sound good!).

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Surround yourself with people smarter than you and don’t be afraid to ask for help!

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

My biggest surprise? How hard it is to change a behavior! When I launched inLieu I was naive thinking that everyone was already in the same mindset I was about giving differently. Boy, was I surprised when I realized that not only did I build a high-touch consumer product, but I also had to change people’s behavior and their mindset around giving. Holy Hell, where is the exit?

My biggest highlight? When I saw people who were initially skeptical about the entire idea of inLieu and the idea of giving a donation unsolicited in lieu of a gift, turn into inLieu super-users. I have actually witnessed people’s behaviour change firsthand, and it’s moved me to keep pushing.We have users who have donated over 20, 40, 60 times since we launched in March 2018. I LOVE IT!

What are you most excited about in 2019?

I am excited to see what change we can ignite in the world by changing the way we give!

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 STEM & FINANCE LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Taylor Sterling

They say when one door closes, another door opens—so when Taylor Sterling was laid off from her job as a financial services advisor, she decided to take the leap from blogging as a hobby to running one full-time. She launched her lifestyle site, Glitter Guide, in 2011—and little did she know, she’d create an empire over the next eight years. Taylor has amassed a following of 600k followers who come to GG for inspiring home tours, product reviews, and fashion roundups and stay for her honest, BFF-like demeanor.

Below, Taylor talks about what it’s like to build a brand that’s authentic in the age of Instagram.

You used to work in financial recruiting. How did you make the jump from the corporate world to blogging full-time?

The bad news is that I was laid off, but the good news is that I was looking for a way to quit so I could launch Glitter Guide and I was able to finally do that. It was a blessing in disguise.

You were one of the first lifestyle blogs in your space. How do you continue to stand out among so many resources for similar content?

It’s not always easy. I’m not going to life. I think it’s about staying focused on who you are, what you love and what you can offer. That way it’s true to its core. There are always going to be competitors that pop up in whatever field you’re in. It’s about concentrating on you and only you. It’s also about bouncing back from challenges and not giving up!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

I’m not sure there is one piece of advice that stands out, but after almost ten years of running my own business I know that it’s about your attitude and the choices you make. More than anything else, how you deal with challenges and your perseverance is what keeps you going and drives success.

In a world where likes and follower counts are so coveted, how do you stay authentic and true to yourself/your brand?

At Glitter Guide we have never paid for any traditional marketing or advertising. We also have never paid for followers or engagement. We actually are just starting to play around with social media promotions of content. We just stay hyper-focused on who we are as a team and who are readers are and just go with it. We have had plenty of flops and hard months with social media, but we just keep on going! We try not to focus on it too much.

Whose career really inspires you?

I recently met Morgane Sezalory of Sezane after years of knowing each other online. She was incredibly kind and generous with her time and knowledge even with how busy and successful she is. I loved that about her. She also has two small kids. So she’s Superwoman!

What advice do you have for other women who work from home? It can often feel lonely and isolating.

That is so true. You have to find a rhythm that works for you and your personality. For some people that may mean they are meant to work from home and that’s OK. For me, it’s about creating a daily schedule that helps me feel productive. I like to be routine and follow mine pretty strictly. Especially since I have two small kids and limited hours to get everything done personally and professionally. I also schedule face-to-face time with people I work with to connect and plan meetings and events in San Francisco to socialize.

If you weren’t working in content creation, what career path would you choose?

That’s so hard. I feel like content creation is what I excel at. However, I would play around with photography, art direction or maybe starting a small product-based company.

There are always going to be competitors that pop up in whatever field you’re in. It’s about concentrating on you and only you.

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What keeps you up at night?

Not being able to provide for my family in a way that also makes me happy. I’m not really afraid of failure. I also know if I ever had to I would get out there and land a good job. The issue is would I be happy doing that? I would really hate to be unhappy in my work and schedule.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads + switch gears to find success?

I’ve dealt with my fair share of this over the years. I’m pretty conservative when it comes to my business. I’ve never taken out any loans, tried to get any kind of funding, or hired a large team. All of those things scare me. Not to say that they won’t ever happen, but I prefer to keep things smaller and more suited for my desired lifestyle. That said, I still have had hurdles to deal with. Heck, even that choice is a hurdle I deal with. As I have aged, I have gotten a lot better about not taking things to heart and not making everything so personal. If I know I’m doing my best and have the best intentions that is really all I need to keep going through the difficult times.

What are you most excited for in 2019?

2018 felt like the year of cleaning up. We created a lot of systems, goals, and now have a clear vision of who we are and what we want. That helps us know who is right on our team, if we’re on track with our editorial and really everything. Now that most of that has been sorted it’s about adding fresh people and things to the business that will help invigorate it!

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 CONTENT CREATORS LIST HERE.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Melanie Elturk

An elegant DIY solution turned Melanie Elturk’s life and career into a platform to empower Muslim women and elevate her community as a whole.

Frustrated by the lack of stylish (not to mention comfortable) hijab options, Melanie began collecting vintage scarves to create more fashion-forward hijabs for herself. She craved a closeness with her faith that she could represent with confidence, something that the hijabs she grew up wearing as a teen in the suburbs of Michigan hadn’t offered her. Her commitment to her faith is in the fabric of her identity, and hijab is a powerful demonstration of that identity. But a girl’s gotta feel good! Melanie created her own hijab collection from vintage scarves as a way to express both her American and Muslim identities at the same time (“hijab, but make it fashion”).

Inspired by the Islamic tradition of ihsaan—doing everything with beauty and excellence—Melanie and her husband Ahmed Zedan launched Haute Hijab in 2010. At this juncture, Melanie had a career as a civil-rights attorney under her belt and her own collection of DIY hijabs, but she saw an opportunity to create something bigger than herself. She saw the opportunity to contribute to a paradigm shift, one in which hijab and “American” exist in harmony to create a more inclusive and empathetic generation.

Now, Haute hijab caters to hundreds of thousands of Muslim women worldwide. The brand releases new styles weekly, has thousands of women posting their #HHSpottedClub selfies, and recently closed its second round of funding and release. Suffice to say, everyone could learn something from Melanie’s hijab hustle.

On the Haute Hijab site, it says, “The community surrounding the brand is just as important as the hijabs we make because together, we’re creating real change.” What is the key to building such a community?

The key to building community is having something bigger than you that others can rally around. If you’re going to be the spokesperson for that bigger-than-you-thing, then you also have to be transparent as to why others should rally around you. Why should you or your brand be at the helm of steering your broader mission? I started this brand with the mission of elevating Muslim women and our community as a whole. I brought my background of civil rights and social justice from the legal world with me and put my money where my mouth is. I live, breathe, and eat hijab. You have to believe that there’s nobody out there in your space that’s more passionate about the work you do than yourself.

A lot of people get distracted by likes and followers. If you get on Instagram with the intention of amassing tons of followers, you’ll get nowhere fast. If you get on there with the intention of building a community (no matter how small), you’ll get numbers, fast.

Did you have any hesitations when you were launching Haute Hijab? How did you overcome them?

Absolutely! I’m an attorney by profession and while I’ve always loved fashion, I was nowhere near the proficiency level I needed to be at to start a fashion brand. I overcame that by quickly finding the people I needed to aid me in my mission. Our first hire back in the early days in Chicago was a fashion designer who was so incredibly talented and knowledgeable, she could’ve written the book herself.

Our next hurdle was money. Again, back in those days, this was just a lifestyle business, but even then we needed to put up capital in order to pay said fashion designer as well as fund the clothing line itself. I got creative and launched our site with vintage scarves repurposed as hijabs. I put up 30 vintage scarves every Tuesday that gave us $800-$1,000 to fund the business each week. We still have weekly Tuesday drops to this day ;)

Who was the first person you hired for your business and how much of a difference did it make?

I always play to my strengths and recognize where I’m weak and delegate out those tasks. The first hire we made was a trained fashion designer, since again, I had only worked as an attorney to this point. It made *all* the difference. She’s the reason we even had a clothing line—her extensive knowledge and talent was a game-changer and there’s no way we could have done what we did without her.

You’re in the business of making women feel more confident about themselves on a daily basis. What moments are the most rewarding for you?

Hearing personal stories from customers, for sure. Here’s an example of an email I received from a customer recently:

“To the entire haute hijab team and importantly the founder Melanie. I want to say thank you for giving me the extra courage to feel comfortable to begin wearing hijab again. The soul must find its own light and once found can be donned with courage and bravery. Thank you for providing women like me who struggled for so long to feel comfortable in hijab truly feel empowered.”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?

I’m all about creative problem solving, as well as positive framing. Whenever I find myself in a perceived bind, I remind myself that it’s actually an opportunity to grow, and it’s God’s way of saying, “Let me show you another way.” I truly believe that if you work hard and put in the work and truly have good intentions, you’ll find a way through any obstacle. There’s a deeper force guiding us at every turn. We even have a saying around the office when we’ve achieved the impossible: “Haute Hijab miracle.” :)

What’s the best piece of #realtalk advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t try to be something for everyone. Be everything for someone.

“Whenever I find myself in a perceived bind, I remind myself that it’s actually an opportunity to grow.”

Who are the first three people you think an entrepreneur should hire?

It all really depends on your own strengths and what you bring to the table, as well as the company you’re running. For my husband and I, our first hires were a combination of weaknesses in our repertoires as well as hires that took substantial work off our plates so we could focus on more heavy-lifting. Those hires were: 1) fashion designer 2) customer service associate 3) graphic designer.

Who inspired you the most in your life growing up?

My Dad, definitely. He always encouraged my entrepreneurial side, and I learned so much about business and interpersonal skills from him. Just watching him haggle at a market was so informative; he had the perfect balance between tenacity and compassion that makes one very effective. He was an engineer that broke out on his own to become a consultant and in effect call his own shots. He always pushed me to be better and recognized my strengths and encouraged me to sharpen and nurture them. He was a single Dad for many years so he had a huge impact on my upbringing during my most impressionable years.

Whose career is inspiring you today?

Sophia Amoruso. She gets a lot of heat, but it can’t be ignored that she built an incredible business and drove revenues to over $100M. She’s a fighter and even in her new role, she’s still kicking the door down and inspiring us all.

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

Raising money! Women raise money at rates alarmingly lower than men. I don’t think the issue is necessarily that women aren’t taken seriously by VCs; I think it’s more an issue of access and pattern recognition. VCs fund those with pedigrees they recognize that have had past success, and often they tend to be men with ivy league backgrounds.

What’s next for the Haute Hijab brand in 2019?

2019 is such an exciting year for us! We *just* finished raising our second round of funding so it’s going to be an incredible year of growth and evolution! We’ll be focused on rounding out different categories in hijab, hiring like crazy, moving into an HH office and out of this co-working space and hopefully planning and executing our first HH summit!!!

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTREPRENEUR LIST HERE.

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