Why Ban.do's CCO Says There's No Shame In The Hustle Struggle

Our girl Jen Gotch is back with her business advice series. This week, the CCO of ban.do + breakout star of Instagram stories is answering your burning questions on the infamous work-life balance. One of our favorite pieces of gold from JG? "There shouldn't be any shame in the struggle of doing what you LOVE!"

Check the videos below for more gems on pursuing your passions! 

Q: HOW DO I PERSEVERE TOWARDS MY GOALS + BALANCE CAREER AMBITIONS WITH MENTAL HEALTH/STRESS?

Q: HOW DO YOU PREVENT YOURSELF FROM BURNING OUT?

Jen also designed a super soft, short sleeve t-shirt as a little tribute to her advice series and 15% of the proceeds will be donated to writegirl, an la-based creative writing and mentoring organization that promotes creativity, critical thinking and leadership skills to empower teen girls. 

Why Genevieve Padalecki Says the World Is a Crazy Place Right Now

Rocking a black "We Should All Be Feminists" tee on Saturday at Create & Cultivate Seattle, digital darling Genevieve Padalecki took to the Microsoft stage to chat all things tag, snap, story, and social. 

Though the Cali-native, who now calls Texas home, admits she's relatively new to the social game,   she's clearly caught onto the rules. Genevieve boasts a highly engaged audience-- woman's got a 25% engagement rate. If you're wondering what that means, know it's relatively unheard of in the blogging world. 

So what does the actress (she's classically trained), blogger (of Now and Gen), mom (of three), and wife (she met husband Jared on the set of Supernatural) think about this crazy, social world we live in? We found out. From how often she posts to her thoughts on political content, you've got to read through! 

You launched your blog this year and saw immediate success.  As part of the launch strategy you worked with skincare brand Elemis and crashed their site with a giveaway you hosted, thats MAJOR!.... How has the transition been going from social only content to long form blogs?  

It’s been really surreal! I loved working with Elemis as I actually love their products, so it felt like an organic partnership that was really natural and aligned. Also, I’m breastfeeding currently as I have a 6 month old and so I’m really cautious of beauty brands that are low chemical and more natural. We decided to host a giveaway on the blog as part of our launch strategy - my followers really love a giveaway, and it was fun to create a space for them to participate! Yes, they actually BROKE the link in bio on Instagram...we were all trying to figure out why the link wasn’t working and TONS of comments were coming in, and after a LOT of confusion we figured out that they crashed the site where the giveaway was hosted! Pretty crazy!

I enjoy creating long format content because I get to tell more of a story. Long form blogs provide a space for narrative to build and for people to go deeper...I always think of social as a “tease” and a great place to foster community, but long form blogs are a DESTINATION where you can drive people and encourage them to go deeper...which is really fun in the beauty space, because we’re always looking to discover new products...but I especially love it for some more of the emotional pieces, like blogs about parenting, or an open letter that my husband wrote to our 3 children on the blog which was really rad too. The letter really moved people and was WAY too long for a social post!

"Authenticity always wins. Be unapologetic about who you are, and have no fear."

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What’s changed the way you create content the most in the past year? Do you love it or hate it?

I am really new to the social media game. I officially launched my Instagram prior to my blog earlier this year in March, and became really strategic about what I wanted to post about and promote. I had been private on Instagram for a while, but figured it was time!

We all know video is happening with IG LIVE and Facebook Live and algorithms propping up video the most. How are you all using it to build your businesses?

I only post once per day, and try to get more active in stories. I use my static “feed” as a place to post more curated things, and photos that I want to have a level of “permanance.” I use IG Stories to post what’s happening in real time, mainly of the kids eating...there is always a TON of food! I’m a big foodie and I love to cook, so that content tends to go there. Kids and food. LOL.

From a business perspective, your audience wants to really connect authentically. Videos, especially in stories since they delete after 24 hours, gives people a really inside look. I’ve seen a lot of engagement in stories, as well as fans screenshotting the stories because it’s much more intimate, fleeting, almost uncensored….there used to be a lot of focus on curating a gorgeous feed, which is still important, but there is so much connectivity in IG Stories, Boomerangs, videos...it’s also a place where I share my thoughts on the political climate or what’s happening in Texas (with the hurricane, for example).

There’s literally a million places we could be sharing content if we wanted. How do you decide what platforms to use? And what type of content goes where?

Social media is kind of like hosting a party. If you are creating an experience for your people, they will hang out there with you. It can be anywhere you are really, heavily engaged. Which is why there are “experts” in each space - youtube, pinterest, etc. Instagram is where I hang out because it’s the platform I’m most interested and engaged with personally.

"People are really looking for permission to be real."

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As a mother who shares these amazing moments with your family, how do you decide what to share and how to share it when it comes to your family? Do you stick to any self made rules?

Personally, I try to be as open as I can about motherhood being messy. My most vulnerable posts, when I felt like I SURVIVED through a day, have gotten some of the most beautiful and best responses. I think people are really looking for permission to be real. I want to create a safe space and open up some of that dialogue.

I decided to launch my new blogging business while I was 9 months pregnant, I basically gave birth to my new baby and my blog at the same time. It hasn’t been easy, and I don’t want to hide that. There is a level of perfection that people try to project on social media, since everything is so highly curated. I love a pretty picture too, but I also try to balance brand partnerships and the curated stuff that I shoot with a photographer with a selfie I shot at midnight breastfeeding my baby and zoning out to Bravo. We all can be a little more vulnerable.

You’ve collaborated with brands, you’ve put political issues into the work, which as a new content creator that can be scary-- how are you deciding on content and what you want to put out into the world?

One of my first collaborations straight out of the gate was with Pop & Suki. One of my friends is a co-founder, and when Odette was born, we decided to announce our baby name on a heart keychain with the brand and created a space for others to personalize hearts with their names on it. 50% of proceeds went to the Human Rights Foundation, and the other 50% went to Planned Parenthood. We raised over $200,000 for these causes.

Not everyone is going to like what you stand for. And that’s fine, because there are enough people out there who will show up and stand beside you to do what’s right. The world is in a really crazy place right now, and anything I can do to spread awareness I will show up and do. Maybe it will reach one person, or two, or three...that is the beauty of having a platform. Use your platform for good.

I’m constantly amazed about how many brands are aligning with more causes every day. People are really conscious right now, and awake. They want to know they are spending money with a brand who is doing something to better the world.

I also worked with SECRET who launched a new campaign about transgender people, and what it must feel like for them to walk into a restroom and feel judged. That is a reality for many people, and something that should be shared and neutralized.

Any final advice for all the content creators out there in handling whatever gets thrown their way next?

Authenticity always wins. Be unapologetic about who you are, and have no fear. Perfection is bullshit, just find your voice and have a vision for what you want to create. Make sure to stand for something. That’s how you will find your tribe, keep giving, consistently.

Photo Credit: Smith House Photography/Alyssa Dawson Photography

Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can find her here. 

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How to Trust Your Gut When the World Is Telling You Otherwise

Would you be willing to risk it all for you biz? That's what Aussie expat Koel Thomae, co-founder of Noosa Yoghurt did. And it's a route we hear many entrepreneurs take. As they say, without passion and risk, there is usually no reward. 

Thomae, alongside co-founder Colorado dairy farmer Rob Graves, launched Noosa in January 2010, with the idea of bringing the sweet, tangy and full-fat yogurt of Australia to America. They are now in the full swing of things, developing new flavor profiles that customers can't get enough of. 

So today, we’re talking trusting your gut. You know, going with that undeniable feeling - even when the world is telling you otherwise.  Read through as founder Koel Thomae shares her experience keeping it  100 while scaling her company and why she thinks it’s ultimately the core of their success. 

DIG IN.

How much of your new flavor offerings is driven by data and market research? 

In the early days it was all instinct. As we've grown up into a national brand and face more competition for shelf space we obviously have to be mindful of what's happening in the category and if we are missing any of the top tier flavors. But ultimately we want to deliver a wow taste moment and aren't afraid to walk away from a flavor if it doesn't achieve that mark by our own internal tastebuds! 

How much is driven by trusting your gut? 

So much. I think too much consumer research can be crippling in innovation. If you love food you know what tastes good and that to me is the ultimate barometer.

Is that still an essential part of being a woman in business for you? 

Absolutely! The few times I haven't listened to my gut it has ultimately been a bad decision. But I also take every mistake as a learning opportunity versus beating myself up.

"The few times I haven't listened to my gut it has ultimately been a bad decision."

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Are flavor profiles and the new “mates” driven by trends that you’re seeing in the food world? 

We gain insights and inspiration from so many sources in the food landscape, from farmer's markets (can someone please grow more Dapple Dandy pluots so we can launch this flavor!) to the culinary world to looking beyond our category in the grocery store. We have seen a rise in snacking as a whole and know that yoghurt consumption is still underdeveloped compared to other global markets and this was the starting point in our thinking for mates. As we developed flavor profiles we absolutely knew coconut had to be part of the lineup - this flavor has exploded beyond the traditional pina colada of days past! 

How do you get ahead of trends in the food world? 

I often think of myself and my team as flavor/food trend anthropologists. We all have a passion for food and travel and these in tandem allow us to see and taste so many new things that we bring back to our internal think-tank so to speak. I've taken both national and global food treks (did I mention that I LOVE my job) and we see more ethnic flavors showing up across categories, more spice, more fermented foods. Obviously not everything lends itself to yoghurt but it's a great framework to ideate within and it keeps us at the forefront of trends. 

Noosa has really exploded over the last year. We see it everyone. People are freaking out over it. Part of how you continue to innovate is through flavor. What else? 

I know, I have to pinch myself at how much people love noosa.  Beyond flavor I believe our success is a testament to staying true to who we are and that's making bloody good yoghurt, staying grounded, always making sure we hear and respond to our fans and ultimately having fun. 

How do you test new flavors in different markets? What kind of strategy goes into wide-releasing new flavor profiles?

We are so fortunate to have had amazing support from our retailer community in Colorado in tandem with the best fans a yoghurt could ask for. This has allowed us to use our backyard as a test market as we push the boundaries on what is expected from yoghurt, like our sweet heat launch. We also love to reward our Colorado base with special batch flavors like Palisade Peach, available this summer. But we also know when we've got winners that can go national out of the gates like our new Mates. 

What’s your favorite flavor in the newest "match" batch? 

Maple ginger! I'm a ginger fan and I love that we haven't shied away from delivering on that flavor promise! 

And we need to know, how much yoghurt are you eating daily? 

I'm a passion fruit noosa a day kinda gal! But now that we have this amazing Mates lineup it could be noosa for brekkie, afternoon tea & dessert! 

For more from Koel and how she launched her biz, click here. 

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Meet the Beverage That Will Replace Your Beloved Rosé

Maybe we were a little overzealous. Rosé is never going away. (Prayer hands.) But, if RAMONA wines founder, Jordan Salcito, has a say in the drinking game (which, based on her career experience, she does) you're going to fall head over heels for her canned (yep) lightly sparkling organic Sicilian wine blended with natural ruby grapefruit. Salcito is a Master Sommelier candidate. She was sommelier and manager at Eleven Madison Park and Momofuku, the latter of which earned several awards and three James Beard semi-finalist nominations.

While the wine world can feel a bit snobby, RAMONA is wine, but cooler. So we say sign us up. We caught up with the founder below to chat beverages, bubbles, and what cross-country running has to do with it all. 

You’ve been a part of the sommelier world— when you said you wanted to package RAMONA in a cute, poppy, branded aluminum can… what was the feedback? 

For me, the most important aspect of RAMONA has always been trying our best to create a delicious product with the same quality and value system as the great wines of the world I seek out, drink, have helped produce and have long admired.  I've had the opportunity to work at some incredible restaurants - from Eleven Madison Park to Momofuku, as well as at some incredible wineries - and those experiences have underscored for me that style is always second to substance.  

The sommelier community has been incredibly supportive!  One of my favorite moments at the Aspen Food & Wine festival recently were several Master Sommelier friends drinking RAMONA throughout the weekend.  More recently, dear friend and James Beard Award Winner / winemaker Rajat Parr has become a RAMONA fan too.  He's posted about it a on Instagram -- the ultimate compliment.

You knew a lot about wine, but how much did you understand about the manufacturing process before launch? And what was the first call you made to get going?  

Luckily thanks to Bellus (www.belluswines.com) as well as experience working harvests in Burgundy, Tuscany, Sicily, Patagonia and California, I knew something about wine production.  That said, RAMONA is very different from Bellus or any of the more traditional wines I've had the opportunity to work with.  Canned wine is an extremely new market and so many things - like finding the right canning partner, sourcing cans, testing the recipe were just much different than anything I'd done previously.  

My first call was to a brilliant friend, Charles Bieler, who makes wine and has long pushed boundaries with packaging. 

Blogger Bethany Marie imbibes. 

Who is the last person you talked to who gave you great business advice?  

Christina Tosi, Christina White, my friend Bill, and Rajat Parr.

You have a background in wine, but what else prepared you for this journey?  

Running Cross Country in college (and subsequently the NYC Marathons a few years after that) have been invaluable exercises in preparing for any journey and sticking with it during difficult moments!

We talk a lot about mentorship at C&C, do you have a mentor or someone you turn to for biz advice?  

I'm very fortunate to have an amazing team of partners and advisers at RAMONA who are very generous with their insight.  In addition, my husband, Robert, is the ultimate sounding board.

What has been your biggest learning curve?  

Wearing so many hats at the same time. I constantly wish the day held more than 24 hours. 

You’re launching national distribution this summer! Which, is exciting and amazing. How did you figure out how to negotiate what that looks like?  

We chose markets and distribution partners that we know and believe in.  We launched in New York, our biggest market, but Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Colorado have been incredible partners as well.   

Where do you see the company in five years?  

I hope we are able to continue to empower people to drink what they like and keep open minds and fresh senses of curiosity about wine!

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Find Out Why Women Are Running the Weed Industry

graphic credit: Moon Bacon

Karson Humiston is the founder of Vangst— the cannabis industry's largest and leading recruiting resource. Since launching in 2015, her company has successfully connected over 3,000 skilled workers with jobs. 

It’s an industry that’s growing. And that is incredibly exciting for Humiston and other women who are getting in at the ground level. 

Humiston has always had that entrepreneurial kick. When she was younger her family lived on a golf course. At night, the budding business woman would head out with a bag and collect golf balls. She’d clean them and sell them back to the golfers the following day. “I convinced the kids in my neighborhood to help too. They set up second stands and I would pay them.” 

So how did she go from manicured greens to the green industry? The same as other entrepreneurs— she recognized a need and the ability to fill a void. A new report from New Frontier Data projects that by 2020 the legal cannabis market will create more than a quarter of a million jobs. The legal cannabis market was worth an estimated $7.2 billion in 2016 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 17%.

That’s a lot of jobs in an economy that has seen better days. And what does a growing industry need? Recruiters. Good ones. Huminston is great. 

We caught up with the impresario to talk cannabis, job creation, and why there are so many women at the top of the weed chain. 

Can you tell us a bit about how you got started, the backstory of what led you down this career path? For some, it’s certainly not an obvious choice. 

When I was in college I had a student travel company. After I sold my student travel company I realized I had a really big network of students and recent grads. I was trying to figure out what these group of people needed. I realized they needed jobs. And an industry that was very interesting to me because of the high growth and career opportunity potential was the cannabis. industry. I went to career services [at St. Lawrence in upstate New York] to get their general sense on the cannabis industry. They were horrified. They were not interested in helping people find jobs in the cannabis industry, helping alumni find jobs or current students. So I went to a cannabis trade show to do a little of my own investigating and was blown away by the types of jobs that were available. From accounting jobs, marketing jobs, cultivation jobs, there were a ton of jobs and there was no source to help people find jobs in the space. So I literally graduated and got in my car and drove to Denver where I didn’t know anybody. I had no place to live. I lived in a hotel for the first half. And I started the company first focusing on young professionals in the cannabis industry. 

"

I started the company first focusing on young professionals in the cannabis industry."

So how did you make those first connections because weed is legal in Colorado but not in a lot of other states. How did you break down doors?

So the business used to be called ‘Gradjuana,’ which was connecting college students and recent college grads with cannabis jobs. Like I said I was at the trade show and I pitched myself as being with Gradjuana. I said, “Hey I have a huge network of college grads and recent grads. I'm a college grad myself and I had this other company that allowed me to help build this huge network for other people. So I could help you find your next entry level person for just a small fee.” At that first trade show I spoke with everyone at every booth asking, “What positions are you hiring for?” With anything entry level I would send it out to my personal database. People would apply and I would interview them and check their references from past on campus jobs and then connect them with the company. So when I moved to Denver, to be honest it was a door-to-door strategy I didn’t have the money for some huge marketing campaign. I would walk into dispensaries or people’s offices and say, “I’m Karson with Gradjuana and I heard you’re hiring an intern,” —  even if they weren’t. And they would say, “Actually we’ve been talking about hiring an intern can you help us?” I went all in that summer, connecting a lot of interns and recent grads with cannabis companies. In September a company came to me and said they needed a technical writer, construction project manager, and an executive assistant. They didn't want entry level, but someone with 5-7 years with experience. They said, "We are paying our current search firm 20% of annual salary, you obviously don’t seem to know what you are doing so we’ll give you 8% if you can find these roles." At that point a huge lightbulb went off in my head and I decided to take a risk and go out and hire my first two recruiters.

How long have you been in business now?

Two years ago we realized there was an opportunity far beyond interns and recent grads. That’s when we rebranded to be a full search firm. Fast forward, now we are a team of 25 employees. It has really grown a lot since door to door intern placement. I got my first official placement on July 12, 2015. I'll never forget it. Her name is Kiara and it was an intern placement for Open Bake.

So it’s been almost exactly two years to date? I assume the bulk placements are happening in states where the industry is legal…?

I can’t believe it’s been 2 years. Right now 29 states have legal medical marijuana and eight states are recreationally legal. What is really interesting for our business is that a lot of clients are out of state.

Why is that?

So for example, a group in Maryland is awarded a license. So they need to hire some experts from within the industry. They’ll engage us to pull a director of cultivation to relocate from Colorado. Someone who understand how to grow cannabis in a potentially a 50-1000 square foot growth facility. Who understands how to come in and build the SOP, who can write the training manual,who understands compliance, how to source the equipment, how to source the nutrients and relocate their expertise to Maryland. We’ve chosen to stay in Colorado because this is where we started, we still have an awesome client base here but with that said about 40% of our clients are outside Colorado. A lot of them are in states that are just coming up.

Do you ever experience push back from the community? Especially in places where it's not legal?

Honestly, the community has been super receptive to it. One of the things we’re doing this year is we’re throwing some career fairs in different places and it is such a job stimulator.  There are currently 125,000 people employed in the states and we’re supposed to get up to 250,000 by 2020 —- meaning there will be more jobs created in cannabis than manufacturing. Look at Colorado, their unemployment rate is less than 2% right now. Not only is it creating a ton of tax revenue but a ton of jobs.

Even though it’s a relatively new industry, it’s hard to argue with numbers. We recently spoke with a female grower who said it’s interesting an interesting time because it is new and profitable. Women can get in at the ground and grow a career as the same rate a a man. Are you seeing any kind of gender split in applicants or placements?

Since it is a new industry there are so many opportunities for people to get in on the ground floor. And because we live in an age where women are so empowered, they are taking this opportunity of a leveled playing field to start companies. It hasn’t been predominantly run by men for the past 100 years. I think we’re all kind of starting at ground zero like you indicated earlier. I think that is awesome. So, last month of the people we placed in jobs, 63% of our placements were women. And at our company we have 19 female employees six guys. 

"Last month of the people we placed in jobs, 63% of our placements were women."

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You seem pretty fearless and willing to put yourself out there. Have there been any moments of doubt?

Yes of course. I think there are always times when you get to the end of a crazy week and you’re sitting there thinking, “Holy cow what am I doing?” But then I look around and we have helped over 3,500 people get jobs, we have 25 great people who work here, and we are doing a lot of really cool things that are paying off. But I’m from an East Coast conservative family, friends of my family are pretty conservatives, and many parents told me that if I did this, it was going to ruin my career. I’ve always been inspired to be in politics some day and many of them said, “You’ll never have a shot to be in politics, this is going to be the biggest mistake of your life.” Hearing that from people I’ve looked up to my whole life, I remember on the drive out here sort of feeling sick to my stomach, questioning if I was making the right choice, asking myself should I turn around and go back and find a job in Boston or New York like everyone else I know? And those types of moments don’t stop just because it’s working well now. I am now committed to the idea, which I think is a huge piece for anyone who is an entrepreneur to commit and stick through it and stay confident along the way. I know where we’re going and so far it’s working. I need to stay confident and things will continue to work out. 

Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis. 

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Why This Blogger Says Don't Worry So Much About Your IG Feed

Do something special with people you love the most. It's simple advice that most of us forget to take. But for Jacqui Saldana, the woman behind the Baby Boy Bakery blog and Baby Boy Bakery Kids, they are words of wisdom she takes to heart. And part of the reason she created My First Year: A baby journal and My Little Years: A toddler journal dedicated to important moments. 

Though she started her blog six years ago with the intention of making friends, it has turned into so much more, including being a way to deal with the loss of her three-year-old son, Ryan. It's been a long, often hard journey, but the Jacqui always puts on strong foot in front of the other and is now happy mama to daughter Mila. 

We chatted with the mom and entrepreneur about blogging, next steps, and where she finds joy in the day-to-day.

Read our interview below. 

Your honesty and sharing your story has helped so many people. How has it helped you?

Writing and sharing my life, how I deal with grief and the joys found after suffering a great loss have helped me cope immensely. Ever since I was little I have been known to expel my thoughts and emotions to anyone who will listen, because in doing so it helped me process what I was feeling. I wear my heart on my sleeve so to speak. When someones asks “How are you?” I soon rattle off exactly how I am in that moment in time. I guess it could be viewed as a blessing or curse. Being so emotional and open with my thoughts have gotten me into some weird relationships and also heartache. But it has also allowed me to help others close to me and people all over the world. I’m damn proud of my life and what has become of it, sharing it is all I know how to do. I am so blessed it has been a light and hope for others. 

When you started the blog did you know anything about the influencer/blog world? What about your background made it a no-brainer?

No, I started my blog nearly six years ago with the only intention of making friends. I was craving conversation with other like minded moms as I was the only one in my friend group who had a child. I felt lonely and turned to the only thing I knew how to do well, talk. I started out sharing recipes and all my motherhood mishaps. I began sharing our daily happenings on social media and as the years went by life happened. As life started to truly unfold I just continued to share. My back-ground is in human development. That was my major in college. I studied humans from birth up until death and I am not really sure if it prepared me for owning my own business and being a social influencer. I think becoming a mother has prepared me more for everything I do now. Upon becoming a mother life took on this new ultra vibrant look. I was birthed into a stronger more resilient woman. Being a mother and business owner is forever under construction if you will. Constantly being worked on, re-built. But it truly is the most rewarding. I am not sure how long this will last, but I work hard everyday and I’ll keep creating and sharing until I join my son up in Heaven!

Where was the learning curve? Something you really had to learn?

I think with owning your own business and running your own space on the internet is a constant give and take. There is never a moment when I take a step back and think “Oh, now I get it!” Meaning I’m always learning and always baffled at how quickly things change. I know I’ll mess up. I know I’ll say “Yes” too often and feel like I am drowning. But what I try to remind myself is that most likely many of us feel like that. I think what I have been forced to learn is that I need to go at my own pace, create things that make sense to me and products I am passionate about. I need to share what I feel and not worry about a picturesque Instagram feed. If I remember all that then I can’t go wrong.

"I need to share what I feel and not worry about a picturesque Instagram feed."

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Why did you decide the first book should be a baby journal and not say, a cookbook? 

To be frank I was pregnant and couldn’t find a baby book that fit my needs. I wanted a journal that I could freely write in when I wanted about what I wanted. I wanted something more chic with minimal design. So, I created one! [Ed note: The above mentioned My Little Years.] I remember getting home from the hospital after my daughter was born and the sample copy got delivered just as we were unbuckling her from the car seat. I was high off hormones but I cried such happy tears! I think my time will come when a cookbook that also shares my story will come. I reached out to a publishing company once last year about my cookbook idea and it got denied. I’d be lying if I said that didn’t rattle me and make me scared. With that said, if you know of a good publishing company that would be interested in me let me know! ;) 

How did you make the decision to work with Inked Brands?

Inked Brands approached me at a conference with one sentence, “We can make whatever you come up with!” In a few short months I told my husband about this random cooking kit idea I had and we flew to the Inked office and pitched it to them. We then sat together for days brainstorming what this all would look like and Baby Boy Bakery Kids was born. Essentially, I wanted to create products that would bring families together and enhance memory keeping. I wanted to drive home the fact that families need to spend time tougher and capture this time with their children while they have it. All the products I create for my brand Baby Boy Bakery Kids come from my heart and are fueled by my passion for parenthood. A portion of my Baby Boy Bakery Kids proceeds benefit various child based charities each month. It is important for me to give back because as mother I believe in the betterment of not just my own children but ALL children. Inked Brands has allowed me to focus on content creation, design and giving back. Working with Inked Brands in bringing Baby Boy Bakery Kids to life is something I am quite proud of. Our partnership has allowed me to dream up things that make a difference in the lives of families and children all around the world. 

How do you hope to continue to grow your blog and community?

I hope to continue what I am doing. I hope to bring new eyes to my brand and my story while inspiring them to live intently. I’d also love to collaborate with other women business owners. When women help other women out magic happens! My dream is to make Baby Boy Bakery Kids a household name wherein both parents and children thrive with my products and make lasting memories.

I think this online world is ever growing, ever changing. I am doing my best to keep it all moving and grooving with things that are important to me. I can only hope that myself and what I am doing resonates with others and inspires them. 

What’s coming up next? 

I have some very exciting things coming out this Summer and later this Fall! Think activity placemats for your children, a fun apron collab and the coolest gift box for the children who enjoy time in the kitchen! Plus the third installment to my memory journal collection and a coloring book that takes children around the world! I couldn’t be more proud and excited about what is coming up, it has been the best year yet for Baby Boy Bakery Kids. I love my #BBBKids so much and I am thrilled we are growing so quickly!

What’s something you do every day to find joy?

I find joy when spending time with my daughter, we read a lot of books and she is slowly but surely finding interest in helping me cook. My therapy though is writing my thoughts and emotions. I use my blog as a safe place where I can share my deepest thoughts and my motherhood experiences. Posting on my blog brings me such joy as it has brought me together with such incredible people. I adore my online community. I also take SoulCycle classes regularly and sip on a nightly glass of chilled white wine or rosé after my daughter heads to bed!

For more inspiration from Jacqui follow along her journey here! 

To learn more about Inked Brands and the future of influencer commerce, click here. 

Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis. 

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Finally, This Major Blogger Is Launching a Solution for This *Hush Hush* Beauty Issue

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photo credit: 12ish Style 

Boob sweat? Thigh chafe? Raise your hand if you’ve been there. Yeah, us too. And it’s why megababe Kate Sturino of 12ish Style is launching her Megababe product line. 

Determined to deal with the not-so-chic, but oh so relatable parts of fashion, Kate developed Megababe Thigh Rescue ($14) to deal with the issue. Forget men’s products. Forget rubbing Vaseline on your body. The fashion blogger took matters in her own hands. 

The deodorant-like stick, which is available for pre-order now, starts shipping on June 26th. Crafted with ingredients like aloe, grape seed oil to promote collagen production, lime oil for healing purposes, and pomegranate seed extract to protect the skin, it is a toxin-free formula that will keep skin happy, hydrated, and chafe-free. While you’re at it, Bust Dust, which is set to launch mid-July, is a ultrafine, 100% natural powder. Kate calls it the “final word on boob sweat,” because “talc is nasty stuff.”

We caught up with Kate to talk the sweaty motivation and why this is product you’ll want to pull out of your Chanel bag. 

Why launch a product line? 

I have been dealing with thigh chafe forever! And yet judging by the anti-chafe products out there, chafing seems to be reserved for men and athletes. I was sick of toting a men’s stick around in my handbag, and even worse was having to pull it out in front of people. Even though some of what’s out there does work, a lot of it is full of toxins and none of it is designed for me to pull out of my Chanel bag! And I was done wearing bike shorts under skirts -- the last thing anyone wants on an 80 degree day is another layer!

All I wanted was a non-toxic anti-chafe stick that would make me feel cute and not embarrassed. And year after year I couldn’t find it, so I decided to make it myself. 

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Tell us about Megababe? 

Megababe was born out of a personal need for cute solutions to not-so-cute issues like thigh chafe and boob sweat. Start asking around and will you discover how many women of different shapes and sizes actually deal with these “hush hush” things. So many! I don’t know how or why there came to be a stigma around these very normal issues, but Megababe is here to say there’s nothing embarrassing about your thighs rubbing together or your boobs sweating on a hot day. We’re going to take care of it for you so you can get out there and live your life!

"Megababe is here to say there’s nothing embarrassing about your boobs sweating on a hot day."

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Where can we buy it?

Exclusively at megababebeauty.com ; IG: @Megababe 

There you have it. Sweaty girls unite. 

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You'll Never Guess What This Top Blogger Says Is More Valuable Than Being #1

Photo credit: Keiko Lynn 

Before Live Journal, there was Open Diary. A platform that OG, now Brooklyn-based blogger Keiko Lynn, used as a personal outlet. Today her blog KeikoLynn.com is a space where the self-proclaimed "restless adventurer" shares her take on fashion, beauty, and her daily life.  

We caught up with Keiko to chat all things  influencer and why you have to be willing to put in the time, without any immediate return. 

After more than decade in the blogosphere (shout out to your 1999 Open Diary) how have you been able to stay true to yourself?

Since the primary focus of my blog started out as a personal diary, it's actually pretty difficult to not stay true to myself. I named my blog "Keiko Lynn" before I ever intended for it to be more than just a personal outlet, but it still maintains that personal feeling. If I ever strayed from my true self, I'd have a lot of friends and family and loyal readers to answer to. 

You didn’t set out to build a brand, but that’s what you’ve done. How do you feel about person as brand? Did you ever have any hesitation?

It happened so gradually that I didn't really contemplate it, before or as it was happening. I am the opposite of an overnight success. It was little things here and there, starting with blogging for Cingular when I was on LiveJournal, or having a magazine featuring me in a photo shoot, etc. I would just think of them as solitary opportunities that I couldn't pass up, not as stepping stones in my career path. It was years before it became a career, and by that time, "Keiko Lynn" had been my online (and real life, of course) identity for long enough that I didn't think I should change it. I still don't think of myself as a brand. I never think, "Is this on brand for me?" I just know what I do and do not like; I know myself. 

"I never think, 'Is this on brand for me?' I just know what I do and do not like; I know myself."

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Do you consider yourself an early adaptor? What are some other important traits to have as a blogger and influencer? 

When I started my current blog, I was a young and perpetually broke independent clothing designer, so everything I wore was handmade or from a thrift store, and most of my photos were taken with a self timer. That was what blogging was like, back then. We were remixing what we had in our closets. Now, we have bloggers who are starting out with a whole creative team behind them; they're coming in with photographers, beautiful web design, and a closet full of current, contemporary and designer clothing. I think that's amazing, and if you have the wherewithal or creative contacts to start a blog as a legitimate business platform, why not?! That's what's so cool about modern blogging -- you don't always have to go through the awkward growing stages that many of us went through. But I probably wouldn't have had a fighting chance, with my wide-angled, self-timer photos and second-hand clothing, if I weren't one of the early adopters. Even now that I have an actual closet (I didn't, back then), at least half of what I wear is vintage or thrifted...and I still take many of my own photos.  I'm in a very particular niche, and I'm well aware that I was lucky to have early exposure. 

The most important trait to have as a blogger is tenacity. I've known many people who started blogging and gave up after awhile, when they didn't see immediate growth. Overnight success stories usually only look like overnight successes. You have to be willing to put in the time without any immediate return, and keep going until you build yourself a base. It will come, but you have to keep going.

"You have to be willing to put in the time without any immediate return."

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What are some shifts you’ve been hesitant to adopt, but eventually jumped on board?

I am famous for being late to just about every social media platform. My very first tweet was something along the lines of, "Let's see how long this lasts..." 

Do you ever feel like, enough! No more apps, no more sharing, I can’t possibly add one more “must” to my social lineup?

I feel like that almost every day of my life. I drew the line at Periscope. I won't do another one...I can't!! Although Instagram just added their very Snapchat-like feature, and I might end up giving that a try. I'm trying not to be the last one for that.

We’ve talked to a few bloggers about unexpected difficulties and the BTS realities, but what are some BTS unexpected joys? 

I have made some wonderful friends through blogging, whether bloggers, readers, or people in the fashion and beauty industry. When I moved to NYC, I barely knew anyone. I had one friend and a LiveJournal friend, and my roommate and I had only met a few times before living together. Making friends in a new city is so difficult, and the blogging world really opened me up to a whole community.

How do you come up with creative ideas?

With style, I look to the past. With makeup, I look to both the past and the runways. But mostly, I just garner inspiration from everyday life, whether it's someone I pass in the streets or a page from a current read.

What’s a business aphorism you live by/what’s one you don’t think rings true anymore?  

As trite as it sounds to "stay true to yourself," it's something I live by in both work and in my personal life. But I also think it's important to let yourself evolve naturally; the two are not mutually exclusive. 31 year old me is not exactly the same as 19 year old me. Part of staying true to yourself is allowing yourself room to grow and evolve. What doesn't ring true anymore is that you have to always be number one. Staying power can be just as valuable.

"What doesn't ring true anymore is that you have to always be number one. Staying power can be just as valuable."

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What do you think you’d be doing without the advent of social media?

I think about this often, because when you're in this sort of career, you have to be on your toes. What if it all went away, tomorrow -- what would I do? I imagine I would go back to my roots and start a new clothing line or invest in starting a makeup line, which is something I've always dreamed of doing. 

How do you feel about the term influencer?

What do you think is the future of influencer? I prefer the term when referring to other people, and don't mind when others use it to describe me -- but referring to myself as an influencer feels strange and boastful. The truth is, we're all influencers in some way. Some just have a larger audience.

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You'll Never Guess What Birchbox Co-Founder Calls Her Secret Weapon

photo credit: Birchbox 

Before launching Birchbox in the fall of 2010, CEO and co-founder Katia Beauchamp had to figure out how to get the attention of some of the world's biggest beauty brands. The recent Harvard Business School grad knew that her love of beauty and style combined with her finance background were a winning biz combo, but getting the heads of brands like NARS and Kiehl’s to pay attention was a different story. But Beauchamp, along with fellow Harvard grad and co-founder Haley Barna, kept it simple. They cold emailed presidents, CEOs, and executives at major companies with a subject line about reimagining beauty retail. It was their way in. And it worked. 

Today, the $10-a-month subscription service that ships sample-sized products to consumers, has made good on that subject line promise. Birchbox has more than 1 million subscribers, sells full-size products on its website, and most recently announced profitability. 

We chatted with the CEO about those infamous cold-emails, why she hires new moms, and raising money while female. 

Let’s talk about cold-emailing. You’ve said that you and your co-founder started cold-emailing CEOs in the beauty industry to get the idea in front of them. What are a few things that every cold-email should include?

I cold-emailed several presidents, CEOs, and brand managers in the beauty industry and the majority of people responded! Here are some tips:

1. Have a compelling subject line. It needs to motivate the reader to open the message. At the very least it should say something more than "Hello" or "Looking to get in touch." I used "Reimagining beauty online."

2. Keep the email concise. The email should be short enough so that a person can read it without having to scroll down on his or her phone. The less time and energy it takes to read it, the better.

3. Don't attach a business plan to explain the idea. That's asking a lot. Try a one-pager that briefly describes the idea/value proposition. We framed our one-pager by introducing the brands as the stakeholder and how Birchbox could help that brand.

4. Ask for something that’s easy to say yes to. I asked CEOs and brand managers for five minutes of their time to give me advice. Those emails eventually turned into a meeting and the meeting turned into a pitch. Those pitch meetings ultimately led to partnerships with massive brands, early on.

You’ve said your secret weapon is hiring new moms because they are productive, efficient, and grounded. Why do you think this is important?

There’s a real appreciation at Birchbox that moms remain ambitious in their careers. This may not sound revolutionary but I believe this perspective can unlock the power of women at work and benefit all parties. The ideas of flexibility and ambition can seem at odds for some, but we have worked to give our team that space and see it pay off. As far as putting it into practice, we place an emphasis on on-boarding moms as they transition back to work, as a core part of our maternity policy. This has built stability and trust between us and our team members, and continues to provide value for organization. We have extremely talented people, who come back to work with energy, excitement, and a new perspective.

"We place an emphasis on on-boarding moms as they transition back to work, as a core part of our maternity policy."

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You interned at Estee Lauder during college, what about that experience made you want to get into the beauty industry? Did you have any mentors coming out of the experience that helped along the way to founding Birchbox?

I co-founded Birchbox in 2010, technically, as an outsider from the beauty industry. I did have one taste of the industry as an intern for the Estee Lauder executive training program while attending Vassar College. It was a very competitive program, which was something that initially attracted me to the opportunity. That summer, I fell in love with the business of beauty. At 19, I met Leonard and Evelyn Launder, and other executives with whom we now partner. I was struck by the passion of the Estee Lauder employees and for the beauty industry. I distinctly remember realizing that this industry was special and unique, and that it wasn’t the norm for people to feel so connected to what they did for work. I now recognize why this was the case; the Lauders and their executives put energy into their culture and they had a reciprocal passion for their people. Additionally, the beauty industry has unique and fascinating dynamics with a wide appeal. It doesn’t typically follow macro consumer trends in terms of the overall economy and the strength of the business (inelastic demand!). There are very healthy margins and a seemingly endless ability to reinvent and shift demand. Clearly, my internship experience had a lasting impression.

After starting my career in real estate finance, I went to business school thinking about shifting industries. Luckily, six months before graduation, Hayley and I had the idea for Birchbox. Seven years later, I still feel somewhat new to the party, but also truly embraced by this industry and grateful to so many of the insiders that have supported us from the beginning.

Work-life balance is now a buzz phrase. Why do you think everyone is so focused on finding a balance? And what has that meant to you throughout your journey?

My personal perspective is that this concept is becoming less and less relevant in its traditional meaning. Traditionally, work and life were stark extremes where the expectation was little overlap. Today, there is a lot more awareness in the value of having more blurred lines in these two areas that allow for a person to feel connected to their whole self. I am grateful to care so much about my work that it is something I want to spend time thinking through. I am stimulated by the challenges and motivated throughout my days, not just during specific hours. That said, I also believe it is critical to disconnect from work and have space to develop in other areas of interest. From experience, this allows us to bring more energy and a fresh perspective, but it doesn’t always need to happen during specific times of the day or week. I have learned the value in taking 10 minutes during the work day to meditate, or 20 minutes to walk outside and appreciate the world outside of our bubble. I also have experienced wanting to have meetings on a weekend to speak to a colleague or mentor about the company. There is no perfect work-life ratio but it is important to feel connected to who you are and what brings out your energy and motivation for life.

"There is no perfect work-life ratio but it is important to feel connected to who you are."

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Photo by Tory Williams 

Talk a bit about the transition into a brick-and-mortar space. What was the full strategy behind that move? And how did you know you were ready?

We opened our first brick-and-mortar store in Soho, New York in July 2014. It was never our original plan to go the brick-and-mortar route, but as we learned more about our customer and her shopping habits, we realized we could add value to her beauty experience in the offline world. We experimented with pop-ups and saw how excited and engaged our customers were. They were hungry to experience the Birchbox brand in a tangible way, and it helped them understand the full scope of our value proposition. When we opened our permanent location in Soho, we thought carefully about how to create a new, unique type of retail experience for women who typically haven't enjoyed shopping for beauty. For example, we merchandise everything by category (hair, makeup, skincare, etc.) instead of by brand, which is a more approachable, efficient way for our customer to discover new products. We just opened a store in Paris, so we’re thrilled to be able to connect with our French customers a deeper way too.

And your expansion into Birchbox Man in 2012? Did you find it challenging to shift from a brand focused on selling to women, to a brand focusing on men and women?

Back in 2011, our female customers told us they wanted a Birchbox experience for the men in their life, so we tested a limited-edition gift box filled with men’s grooming products and lifestyle accessories. It sold out in less than three days. We thought it would just be women purchasing for men, but it wasn’t. It turns out guys were buying it for themselves too. With that customer insight, we put the wheels in motion to launch a men’s vertical and debuted BirchboxMan four months later in April 2012. We’re grounded in discovery, so just like with our women’s product, our try-before-you-buy sampling model is all about helping men upgrade their routines. However, there are some important differences. For example, we knew that men were less likely to talk about grooming products so we added lifestyle to the subscription to help with the vitality. We continue to test and iterate on the product for men, but believe that there is a big opportunity to serve this very different and underserved consumer base.

Over Birchbox’s lifetime, you’ve raised 71.9M. Did you ever feel at a disadvantage because you were two female founders pitching a product built for women?

It's a challenge to pitch a female-oriented business to mostly male investors who don't inherently relate to the value proposition and pain points you're working to solve. When we first started Birchbox, it took many no's before we heard our first yes. In part, we learned to better represent the opportunity, and eventually found investors who did appreciate the total addressable market, as well as relate to the human value proposition that we saw. I do believe that more gender diversity for investors will help female-focused and female-run businesses access capital more effectively.

"I believe that more gender diversity for investors will help female-run businesses access capital more effectively."

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Were you selective when it came to choosing investors? Or was it all about collecting capital?

We decided pretty early to raise capital once we tested the concept. We launched a beta in business school to understand whether it was a viable model, whether the unit economics were sufficient, etc. We met with dozens of investors, some independent and some institutional. Ultimately, we chose individuals (largely venture capitalists) who we connected with the opportunity and believed in it’s massive potential. We are so appreciative for their individual contribution to our business as well as recognizing that they could grow their investment with the business.

Any decision that you’ve made that you'd change if you got a do-over?

No. Of course, there have been mistakes along the way! My firm belief is that it is much more valuable to be naive than try to anticipate or know every pitfall or weakness. First, you can’t really “know” until you experience the hard. It shapes you and constantly sets a new standard for challenges you tackle. Second, putting one foot in front of the other is more digestible than expending energy on every impending challenge. Take things in stride as you do with every aspect of tackling an opportunity.  

Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis. 

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Exclusive Interview: How This Wedding Company Just Changed the Entire Game

Big day. Dream wedding. I do. There is major pressure around weddings, but Zola is determined to streamline the process for the ease, comfort, and bliss of new couples. Taking you from planning stages through your first year, the wedding-meets-tech company just released brand new functionality with Zola Weddings, a free suite of wedding planning tools including: your wedding website, registry, check list, and guest list all in one place. Reread that. It's everything in ONE PLACE. It not only saves you time, but major wedding headaches, so you don't have to get bogged down in details. Keeping track of your guest list? No problem. (Mapping your seating chart, that's still on you.) The company's co-founders took to the Zola blog to announce, "Today, we’re so excited to introduce you to Zola Weddings, a suite of wedding planning tools including your wedding website, registry, checklist, and guest list all in one place. And because couples have enough quotes and bills to take care of, we made these tools entirely free to use."

We caught up with Jennifer Spector, Director of Brand at Zola, to find out more about the new suite and why she wishes it was around when she was planning her wedding. As she says, "My wedding planner described weddings as a live performance, a family reunion, a religious ceremony, and the biggest party you’ve ever thrown, all in one day. That is a lot."

What were you hearing from couples and users that made you realize now was the right time for Zola to expand the brand? Why become a one-stop shop?

Since Zola was founded in 2013, we have consistently heard from couples that they wish their wedding websites could be as beautiful and easy to use as their registry. As we have grown, these requests have only gotten louder. Once we decided to build websites for couples, we took a step back and asked ourselves, how else can we help people plan their wedding? The average couple uses 3+ wedding tools to plan their wedding, which is just one part of the planning process. We realized we had to do more, wedding planning was outdated and today’s couples were spending all their time stressed out, instead of enjoying their engagement. So we created Zola Weddings - a free suite of wedding planning tools that includes your wedding website, a customizable checklist, guest list manager, and your registry, all in one place and all for free.

How did the company determine what functionality and platforms to include?

At it’s heart, Zola is a technology company and is focused on delivering the best possible experience to couples and their guests. Most other wedding companies are focused on inspiration, and the look and feel of your wedding day. But for anyone who has planned a wedding (or been involved in a friend’s wedding), there really are a year’s worth of details that take a lot of time and energy. So we focused on streamlining the logistics and planning, so that you can take pleasure in the day of your wedding, not all the endless details that pile up. The biggest pain points we heard from couples were around getting everything done, managing timelines, handling guest communication, and having one place to do it all. By having our Wedding Website, Checklist, Guest List, and Registry all in once place, couples can stay organized at home or on mobile, and take the pain out of planning what should be a wonderful celebration. Zola Weddings is so easy to use, that you can focus on your wedding day, not collecting RSVPs, or remembering to pay the deposit for the band.

Piggybacking on that, you said you wish this was around when you were getting married. What are the functions and tools that you’re most excited by?

I got married in 2015, and two of my biggest challenges were creating our wedding website and keeping track of our guest list. The wedding website becomes this bottleneck for many people, myself included, because before you send out save the dates you need to have all your information on your website. The details need to be close to final. We used what was supposed to be a very simple website builder, but it took weeks and was really frustrating. So I really wish I could have used Zola’s Wedding Websites, because the designs are beautiful and fit with any wedding theme, but it is so easy to use that you don’t need to know how to code, or sacrifice your style with a cheesy theme. For the guest list, my husband and I had our guests, and then both sets of our parents had lists. It became a puzzle fitting it all together and trying to get information from people. Zola’s Guest List manager solves that.

Speaking of, the automated guest list sounds like a GAME-changer. To totally nix the old-school invite, mail-in RSVPS, and to also manage gifts and thank you notes in one place— you’ve saved the new couple so much time. Is time a major factor for the millennial couple?

Yes the Guest List is a total game changer! Time is a major factor for the millennial couple, planning a wedding becomes like a second job for many people because there are so many details and logistics. Today’s couples can order anything from their phone but when it comes to wedding planning everything is so analog. Our Website, Checklist, Guest List, and Registry bring wedding planning into the 21st century, and help simplify and save time.  

What are the main considerations for a company when rebranding? Especially online. People get used to an interface and can get thrown when they see something new.

For Zola, we always had an incredibly well-designed site and mobile experience. Our tech, product, and design team is incredible. So our rebrand was less about changing the site or the experience, and more about adding warmth and humor to the brand. I joined Zola right after my wedding, because I had fallen in love with the experience, and wanted to share that obsession with anyone getting married or buying a wedding gift. We approached the rebrand as a way to share our story with couples and their guests. So we relaxed the brand a bit from being quite minimal, to livening things up with more color, whimsy and a personalized tone. We A/B tested every change on the site to make sure that any new addition did not negatively impact our user experience. The result has been a great marriage of new form but the same superior function.   

Your pool of millennial users is massive, but in an ideal world, they’re also one-time users. How do you deal with this as a brand?

Ideally our couples only get married once, but they are guests at other people’s weddings, and continue to shop the site after they are married. Zola Registry is an ecommerce site with over 450 brands and almost 50,000 gifts and experiences that we curate. Many couples rely on us to decorate their entire home, long after they are married.  So as a company, we want to make sure the experience as strong whether you are a couple or a guest so you will continue to come back and refer friends to use the site.

Big day. Dream wedding. There’s a lot of high pressure marketing lingo around weddings. And globally, it’s a 300 billion dollar business. Does it ever feel like the pressure to ‘perform’ is greater because of those factors?

100%. My wedding planner described weddings as a live performance, a family reunion, a religious ceremony, and the biggest party you’ve ever thrown, all into one day. That is a lot. Then if you add on all of the wedding content online and on social media, it can be quite overwhelming. My advice to couples is to think about the day after, and the year after your wedding - what do you want to remember? Then reverse engineer your celebration to make sure you make those memories, and forget about everything else that won’t be memorable or important to you. The best weddings are the ones where the couple is having the time of their lives, people just want to see you happy!

Is it exciting to be in the middle of an industry that’s in transition?

It is definitely exciting to be in the middle of a company that is transforming the wedding industry. But the industry in general is still quite traditional, and the act of getting married is still very traditional. Even though couples are changing societal norms in many ways, they are still getting married and still celebrating in the same ways that their parents celebrated. So that is what is very exciting - how do we take this very traditional, emotional, and important time, and make it easier and more modern without sacrificing any of the sentimentality or specialness of the occasion. That is most exciting - making couples happy during the happiest time of their lives!

Whether you’re hitched, engaged, or making guest appearances at several nuptials this season, sign up now to use Zola Weddings here for free! And for any NYC-based peeps, celebrate the launch of Zola Weddings with the Zola Retreat this Saturday. Experience some chill vibes and serious om at 43 Crosby Street this Saturday, April 22, 11AM – 4PM. Here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect.

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How the CEO of C&C Built a Truly Original Company

What’s does it mean to be a New Original?

It means you’re forward-thinking. A free thinker. You get outside the box and you pull people along with you. You see a hole in the market and go after it with everything you have. You trust your gut.

Which is exactly what happened when Jaclyn Johnson launched Create & Cultivate. After digging around the internet for answers about what it means to be a woman in business, she came up empty. What she ended up creating is a life and business fuller than she ever imagined.

With double-digit conferences under her belt and plenty more to come this year, American-made luxury eyewear brand STATE Optical Co. caught Jackie in between meetings to chat about what it’s like to be a boss in 2017.

Who has influenced you most?

I am consistently inspired by the women around me, I get to meet so many incredible women who are working hard to shatter the glass ceiling, push each other further and taking on challenges to pave the way.

What is your definition of excellence?

Your own version of getting it right.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

We need women in power, we need women taken seriously and we need real systemic change when it comes to women in power.

Head over to State Optical Co. to read the full profile on Jackie where she shares her key insights to success as their latest New Original ambassador. She also happens to look damn good in glasses.

Dreaming Big & Manifesting Your Hustle Into Something More

Kat Lane started working at a very young age and she hasn't stopped the hustle since. We caught up with the Miami-based radio host, creative director, and musician to ask about balance, hustle and working with clothing brand QPED Life. 

She's got the right attitude when it comes to achieving your dreams. 

You started working when you were 12. Can you give us a little bit about your background and what compelled you to start so early? 

It all started on the dance floor. As far back as I can remember I was dancing, acting, and on stage, and because I grew up around people who worked hard at what they loved - I got used to working hard for what I wanted to do from early on.  Age 12 was a big year for me in that I booked my first commercial, I wrote my first song, and recorded the song.  I started pursing my love for dancing, singing, and acting on a level where I was actually making money (imagine that!).  It was definitely a progressive build, but since I was 12, I remember equating the whole "if you do what you love, you'll never work a day of your life" perspective to the fact that I loved expressing myself through music and motivation.

From microphone to desk. How have you balanced the line of creative and business woman?

There are a couple factors here, the first is knowing the importance of working hard and having a willingness to expand your boundaries and grow on different levels.  When I study people I consider "great" at what they do (or did), and see the amount of tenacity, persistence, patience, and ingenuity it took for them to achieve their goals, I clearly understand what I'm taking on, and that it requires both a creative and practical approach. My team at Sound Business Recordings and at QPED Life are branding experts, and have always urged me to stay focused on both aspects (creative and business), as one could not exist without the other.  

The second factor is in having an awesome support system between my family and the awesome company I get to work with.  There's nothing better than to have a team that finds importance and value in the same things you yourself do - and also a team that cares for each other and has each others' backs.  

So what is your role with QPED Life?

I started with QPED Life when it was just a concept that Sean Sloan had created.  The original thought was to create something positive and meaningful in entertainment, and digestible for anyone with an ambition to succeed and be the most they can be.  The concept evolved into the song "QPED", which I sang and recorded, and which contains a lot of the sentiment of what has become the brand QPED Life - ambition, heart, focus, forward movement, honesty to oneself.  Once I really understood the mantras and what the brand stood for, and started seeing the initial apparel designs, I was completely on-board.

I currently consult with QPED Life on the creative side, advising on garments/cuts/fabrics as well as current and future fashion trends. I'll be overseeing our upcoming music program, which you'll hear more about in Q2 of next year, and I'm also a Brand Ambassador for the line.  Basically I get to offer my ideas and expertise/vision of what is possible with the brand - from a variety of angles.   

And why was it important for you to take on another role? 

The entertainment industry is kind of like a creative garden - you can keep planting different herbs/plants/varietals, and they all feed off of the same energy and stem from the same roots.  What I've done and continue to do in music - makes the garden more interesting from the outside as well as internally.  For example, when I'm searching for new records to play in my radio mix, I get music from all over the world.  A great artist is like a journalist reporting on the energy of a particular location or a movement, so many times I get reports that help me spot trends way ahead of the curve.  I use this during our QPED Life discussions on new designs, marketing campaigns, social media, and more.  Best of all, I get to bring ME to whatever I get involved with, and being in multiple roles allows me to have different ways to reach & connect with people.  

What is it about the company that’s unique?

QPED Life is a communal brand that's all about bringing people UP, and this translates from the designs down to the people involved with the company.  The owners of QPED Life have a strong belief in the physical aspect of human interaction, which is a fresh take in an era where we're all staring at our phones for a good portion of the day!  I think the overall positive messaging and encouragement of dreaming big and putting thoughts into action - is something I believe is not only healthy, but absolutely necessary.

"Dreaming big and putting thoughts into action - is something I believe is not only healthy, but absolutely necessary."

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There is also a level playing field at QPED Life, so doesn't matter if you're a guy or a girl, young/old, etc - your ideas and your work ethic are what are most valued and critiqued.  I get a lot of hands-on training and no matter what happens, I know the brand will have my back, and that's not something that everyone can always bet on.  

What’s a phrase or image that you really want to put on a shirt? 

Love over Hate.  We actually made a shirt with Love over Hate a few years ago - prior to launching QPED Life.  With the recent political atmosphere, this is a phrase that could really help unite people over what really matters to all of us.  Another phrase I'm drawn to is "Shoot for the Moon", and we actually just made a design with this phrase for Kat Lane fans!  I really love this piece, you can check it out here:  www.katlanemusic.com/merch

How do you see the company growing?

I've seen the company grow from a set of principles, to a song, then designs, and eventually to a real clothing line.  You're going to see a lot of growth from QPED Life over the next 2 years, from expansion of the line/designs to accessories, live events, and one huge surprise that will be revealed around June/July 2017 :)

But on a basic level, the messages of motivation and positivity will continue to be conveyed in many different platforms - anywhere the message could make a difference in someone's life.  The goal is to grow organically to where people understand and support the spirit of the brand and then the actual physical products - because this is the underlying purpose of why we do what we do at QPED Life. 

Do you think it’s important for women to have more than one hustle? 

Whether it's for women or for men, hustling just to have a hustle doesn't work, I really feel like you have to work for something that's important to you - and only then will hustle manifest into something more.  Our belief has always been quality over quantity - so when you put your heart into something, it will grow into things we never could have imagined.  Entertainment in general is important for me - I've always been creative, so having different "hustles" means having different avenues to utilize and share my creativity.

"You have to work for something that's important to you - and only then will hustle manifest into something more."

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"Shoot from the heart,” what does that mean to you?

"Shoot from the Heart" is a message of going for something with honesty for who you are, and giving it all you've got.  It's all about being true to yourself. 

If we were to find you anywhere at 7am, where would it be?

Radio!  I host on weekend mornings on Miami's #1 pop station - the New Hits 97.3

If we were to find you somewhere at midnight, where would that be?

Radio!  I have a mixshow on Friday nights too :D  I spend a lot of time outside of the office with QPED Life - experiencing life, and since the customer is now the real boss with retail as well as with music and so much more - I like to get out and meet people as much as I can!

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Kat Von D on Making it in a Male-Dominated Industry

Most of us got acquainted with tattoo artist, Kat Von D from her appearances on both Miami Ink and LA Ink.  Shortly after her reality debut, the starlet got approached by the big beauty bosses at Sephora, in 2008, to start her own makeup line. The self-proclaimed beauty junkie instantly found herself in another successful business venture with Kat Von D Beauty. Not only did she recently relaunch her entire collection to be a vegan and cruelty-free brand, but Kat has also created cult favorites that have consistently found a place on Sephora’s Bestsellers list. In a recent conversation with James Vincent at The Makeup Show Chicago, Kat candidly talked on how involved she is in building her beauty brand and how she uses creativity to stay inspired in the ever growing industry. 

How did it start for you and what inspired the beauty line?

I think I got lucky in a lot of ways. When I was first on Miami Ink that’s when the people at Sephora were interested in seeing what my perspective was on makeup. I think they were surprised of how much of a beauty junkie I was at the time. I was already a Beauty Insider. I was a card carrying member and everything. They saw the opportunity for something different and unique. We started off with four lipsticks. The idea was to create the four perfect shades of red. Even back then I’m like ‘Oh this is so much. I can’t believe it. I’m the luckiest girl in the world’. I thought I was going to make one lipstick, fast forward to now, and we got 3 million lipsticks. Obviously it’s not that easy there is so much work in it. I think there are different ways to go about creating your own makeup line. For me, I don’t have absolutely any interest in pouring myself into anything if I’m not going to do it 110%. So there are a lot of people who just want to put their name on something, they don’t show up, just collect a paycheck, and hope it does well. As for me, [I’m] somewhat micromanaging but creatively involved in the entire process. 

I get asked a lot by people ‘How do I start my own makeup line?’ I think that I am the worst at giving advice but I do think that we’re in a day and age where it’s important to go back to handmade. That’s why I love Etsy. Anybody who has a small business that means you can do it out of your garage or your living room. And I think that’s something to be celebrated.  I connect with something that’s made with love versus mass produced or computer generated. Not to knock computers. Because computers are cool too, but there is this certain magic that happens when it has the human fingerprint on it. 

"I connect with something that’s made with love versus mass produced."

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I just always tell people: figure it out. If you really want, you can do it. There are a ton of great independent brands out there that don’t get enough love, that are vegan and cruelty free, that are producing things that are really pushing the envelope as far as artistry goes. When you get into the corporate world it’s a lot easier to play it safe, but what’s the fucking fun in that? So I celebrate all the indie brands as much as possible. 

Tell us about your artistry and what you think defines an artist.

I don’t feel worthy enough to answer that. I do like to make things with my hands and with my mind, and heart so I guess that can be called an artist or a creator. I think art is one of humanity’s most redeeming qualities in this world where we are so selfish. We shit on everything and never really give anything back, and I’m talking about Mother Nature.  It’s constantly taking and not producing. When you’re an artist its one of the most selfless acts you can do. You are giving whether you inspire somebody or make something beautiful. That’s so crucial and so important. And if we do want to be remembered by something let’s hope that it is art in a world like today where you have an orange person telling us bull shit things.

How do you come up with some of your product ideas?

We do treat every product like a snowflake in a sense that the creative process may come in a different way. Sometimes it’s the idea [first]. For example when I had the Butterfly Effect collection I figured out the art direction first. Then there are other times where it’s like the Alchemist Palette where I had this specific vision for the formula first and then you know the component and everything else came later. As far as shade names, that’s the fun part, that’s like the dessert. I get to name shades after my best friends [or] my exes. It’s almost like a little tiny love letter. Also I’m inspired by music so you guys will find that the majority of the shade names are like songs or lyrics or band names, just overall muses. 

As a female in a male-dominated industry what is the piece of advice to finding your own success?

We live in a male-dominated world with an exception of very few fields out there, actually makeup artistry being one of them. Makeup artistry is made up with the majority of female. As a tattooer I remember before the TV shows I didn’t have any girlfriends that were tattoo artist. I feel that the best representation of feminism is not making your gender an issue because that’s the problem in the beginning. I don’t want people getting tattooed by me because I am a girl. That would be the opposite of feminism. I want them to get tattooed by me because of my work. You want that to speak for itself. I don’t care if you are a girl or boy or chimpanzee. If you’re good, you’re on my team. 

"I don’t care if you are a girl or boy or chimpanzee. If you’re good, you’re on my team."

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What are some tips for artists for keeping themselves inspired?

I don’t know what it’s like to be bored. If I have any downtime I’m looking at trees. I’m going to sound like a hippie right now, but trying to understand and label what it is when light shines through a leaf. I think these things are really inspiring. Also people, if we practiced looking at each and find this special beautiful thing about them, oh my God, you are going to fall in love everyday like I do. I think inspiration is all around us. You can ask my team I drag them to so many museums. I’m like a total art nerd about it. I think that is something worship worthy.

There are times where I am completely depressed. I don’t need makeup to be happy but then I get a new palette and I look at it and its like ‘Oooh I like this color combination!’ It’s just that little tiny thing [that] gets us excited about tomorrow.

Is there one thing you love the most about your beauty line?

It’s not a product. I love all the products. I use everything that I make. I think it’s mainly the interaction. This makeup line has introduced me to such an amazing new world that I really wasn’t apart of before, especially after being made fun of as a kid at school for using black eyeliner as lipstick and shaving my head into a Mohawk. It’s nice to celebrate unconventional beauty together. I would say 40%, because 60% of the screenshots in my phone are my cat, but 40% of my screenshots are of you guys. I try my best to repost it or reproduce it and give credit. I think my favorite part of being involved in the makeup world is you guys. 

Adrienne Gadling reported this from The Makeup Show Chicago. She is the editor-in-chief of IAMSADIDDY.com 

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Brushing Up: You're Waiting Too Long to Swap Your Toothbrush

Claire Burke wants you to brush better. Which is why she and Goby, co-founder Ben Goldberg, are sinking their teeth into the business of oral hygiene. It may not sound like the sexiest venture, but it's one full of possibility. Last week Goby launched their first product, the first-ever direct-to-consumer rechargeable electric toothbrush combining unprecedented value and convenience. The toothbrush is available for $50 with a subscription and replacement heads start at just $4. The charging station has no cords and is designed to minimize post-brushing build-up. Sound like a dream clean? 

We caught up with the entrepreneur to talk why teeth and how Goby is changing the game.

Can you tell us a little about your background? How did you end up as the co-founder of Goby?

I graduated from NYU’s Stern School of Business before working at investment bank Lincoln International for six years. Simultaneously, I pursued my personal passion for film and media by co-founding a production company. In 2013, I left investment banking to pursue an MBA at Columbia Business School. While at Columbia, I immersed myself in media and technology, working for The Raine Group, Hearst, theSkimm, and Female Founders Fund, each of which expanded my interest in startups and exposed me to the value and power of brand. I met Ben through a mutual friend from business school and was immediately drawn to the Goby mission. Deemed “Cavity Claire” by my family growing up, I was inspired by my own struggles with good oral care and was determined to enhance consumers’ oral care experience by creating a value-driven oral care product with a relatable brand personality. 

With Goby you’re hitting a few of major markets and key trends— direct-to-consumer, health and beauty, and the membership business model. We’ve seen many businesses go this route. Why was now the right time for teeth?

We saw a significant opportunity to disrupt oral care because oral health is an overlooked space in health and beauty. Oral health is important! Many diseases have oral manifestations, oral issues are the leading cause of missed school and work days and 50% of people aged 30 and older have some form of gum disease. Leveraging the direct-to-consumer / membership business model was a natural starting point for us to enhance the brushing experience for consumers across the country. The average consumer changes their toothbrush every nine months as opposed to the dentist-recommended three months, so we offer a subscription to ensure that our customers can keep both their mouths and brushes clean without having to worry about running to the drug store.

"The average consumer changes their toothbrush every nine months as opposed to the dentist-recommended three months."

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What went into research and development? How long did it take from concept to product? 

We tested all the various models on the market to determine which features were necessary and which were superfluous. We assessed dozens of other products, surveyed friends, family and colleagues and ultimately designed a product that fits seamlessly into the modern consumer’s lifestyle. From concept to product, it took about two years. 

Why was the design element so important? 

Design was important because it folds into so many aspects of the value proposition -- creating something intuitive and user-friendly that breaks through the currently overcrowded and over complicated market, ultimately providing the consumer with the best possible brushing experience at a fraction of the price of the competition.

How do you get people to look at something that they’ve used their entire life and think about the possibility of doing it differently?

It wasn’t as much about rethinking, but rather maximizing the consumer’s time and taking the onus off of the consumer -- having them think less about brushing and replacing, while simultaneously improving the quality of their brush and ultimately the state of their oral health.

Was it a hard sell?

We had been working on Goby for nearly two years, bootstrapping the vast majority of the way. The funding process was definitely not easy, but fortunately, our investors appreciated the problem we were trying to solve because they experienced the same problem firsthand -- frustration with today’s current oral care products. For both Goby and our investors, we experienced a pain point, and felt there must be a better way.

You have an investor specifically geared toward early stage tech products that transform consumer experiences for the better. How did you approach those meetings?

First, we tried to clearly articulate the problem. What we found with the investors that ultimately invested was they personally experienced the problem, too, and saw value in our solution. Second, it helped that the market opportunity is significant. Everyone brushes their teeth, but most people don’t do it well. Electric toothbrushes provide value, yet less than 15% of people in the U.S. use them. Goby’s improved experience has a measurable impact on consumers’ oral health.

From your perspective, what goes into building a strong brand?

Developing a brand personality that the consumer can connect with, while simplifying and maximizing the consumer’s experience with the product.

Why do you think there hasn’t been much innovation— aside from bristles and grip— in the toothbrush space?

In the electric toothbrush space in particular, there hasn’t been much innovation because the market is dominated by two large companies and is thus zero-sum. For the incumbents, there’s no need to innovate from a business model, messaging or experience perspective, but consumers are consistently expecting more from the brands with which they affiliate. Goby aims to resonate with those who are looking for an easier, relatable and more affordable oral care experience.

What do you hope to achieve with Goby?

We want to improve oral care by providing a brush that is affordable, intuitive and relatable -- overall, we want to enhance the oral care experience. 

Cavity Claire, your nickname as a kid. If you had to blame one food, what was your go-to indulgence as a kid? And now?  

I always had and always will have a sweet-tooth. I can’t blame my cavities on one specific food item, but in general, sugar was the culprit.

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Why You Need to Stop Putting Yourself Down ASAP

For certified holistic nutritionist, wellness expert and health coach Kelly LeVeque, the hustle began four years ago.

During that time she worked two jobs, "weekends and nights," she says, "and today, I have a book deal with Harper Collins (pub date: April 2017), celebrity clientele (pinch me) and solely run my private practice Be Well by Kelly." 

We caught up with the LA-based lady to chat health (of course), happiness (yes!) and why we should all stop putting ourselves down (forever!!).

Tell us a little about your background? Why did you get into the health space? I have always loved health! After graduating from USC, I took the corporate path though health and wellness working for Fortune 500 companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Stryker and Hologic, and Agendia specializing in cancer and personalized medicine, offering tumor gene mapping and molecular sub-typing to oncologists. My career in medical science meant I had to keep up with cutting-edge research on how diseases develop and how they can be treated. I loved the deep thinking required, especially the statistical analysis—deciphering data for statistical significance, distinguishing between causation vs. correlation, and understanding why study design mattered so much. My career enabled me to go deeper in my passion; I would mine nutrition based pubmed research and build my own opinions around current research. I became the one my friends leaned on (for weight loss, autoimmune diseases, allergies, bad blood tests etc.) so when I let them know I would be going back to school to follow my passion not my paycheck they weren’t surprised. 

Balance. It’s the word of the year, but it’s also super hard to achieve. And it doesn’t happen all at once. What is a healthy way to work toward balance?

I try to instill balance in my clients by giving them light structure (Be Well Fab Four) around what they should eat and breaking down their rigid food rules and cleansing habits. Binging and cleansing cycles swing you back and forth like an out of control pendulum ball. Happiness and health are attained when you find that small swing. Balance isn’t when you stop moving and live a rigid, on-plan, perfect life; when you are focused on a perfect food day you aren’t present, and most likely you are anxious, irritable and thinking about food all day. Instead focus on turning off hunger hormones and thoughts about food and know it be okay to swing a little from time to time. Balance is found with intentional movement to eat clean, sweat and even enjoy a glass of wine with friends. Accept who you are, love who you are and build a lifestyle focused on health, not some abstract idea of “perfection.” So if you have a glass of wine with friends one evening, jump into an app on your phone and schedule a workout or plan to have a fruit free low glycemic smoothie the next morning to bring yourself back into alignment, or both. 

"Happiness and health are attained when you find that small swing."

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How do you set realistic goals? 

Stop trying to do it all at once and enjoy the journey! Transforming our mindset, our nutrition and our bodies is a journey. It takes practice to be present; to see that big leaps start with small steps and to not get discouraged if we have setbacks. Learn to enjoy it by breaking your “big goals” down into attainable action steps that can reinforce how strong, brilliant and beautiful you are. Just look at the week ahead of you: Plan a workout with a friend and create a healthy meal plan to nourish your body. Step by step, you’ll build a healthy lifestyle, and moments of clarity and opportunities for fun will follow. By focusing on eating real and nutrient-dense food, and striving to build a healthy, active lifestyle, you’ll take the important first steps to being well and it will naturally become a lifestyle. True progress happens when we enjoy making it happen and when we get out of our own way. When you try to change more than one thing at a time chances are you will be overwhelmed and give up. Maybe for just 2 weeks you commit to have a Be Well Smoothie for breakfast, you will be surprised how that positively affects the rest of your life. 

People have a fear of fat. What else are we afraid of that we shouldn’t be? (existential life question…)

Stop fearing change; change your career, get out of a bad relationship, determine if your nutrition habits or “lifestyle” is no longer serving you and change, nothing needs to be forever. Don’t just cling to a mistake because you have invested time and energy making it, convinced your friends or family it was right or invested time. You only have one life to live; live it without regrets by having the guts to adjust your ships sail as needed. Stop waiting for your inner voice to scream, the change will be harder to make, instead trust your voice and make a calculated change sooner rather than later. 

"Change your career, get out of a bad relationship; nothing needs to be forever."

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You’ve said that punishing yourself for failing is unhealthy. We all do it. What are some other habits we can kick to the curb that will benefit our well being both personally and professionally? 

Stop putting yourself down! As women, we need to stop allowing one another to openly bash themselves; “I am,” I can’t,” or “ I am sorry” solidifies those opinions of ourselves and undermines our ability to rise above it. The next time your friend says, “I am fat” simply respond with “that’s great, you have one more” if they do it again, make them stand up in front of everyone and name three things they love about their body. We need to help one another break this horrible habit immediately. 

How do you see health as related to our careers? 

Your nutrition, activity and stress levels directly affect the health and wellness of your career; working actively to remove the stress from your life can also be a good way to get going on the things you want to achieve. Stress reduction is not a one size fits all formula, but there are a few techniques I recommend to help my clients start their day. Meditate via an app, or start your day with a walk or workout. These exercises can provide clarity, comfort and help you prioritize your day. Even doing 15 minutes of exercise or mediation in the morning can move the negative unaligned thoughts from your mind.

What’s a great recipe that will get us energized and feeling productive in the am? 

I always start my day with one of the low sugar, meal replacement smoothie recipes I created for my clients! My Be Well Smoothie formula helps develop a blood-sugar balancing meal in any flavor with enough protein, fat and fiber to keep you full for four to six hours, feed your microbiome, turn off hunger hormones and nourish your body with amino acids, fatty acids and phytonutrients. It limits fruit to 1/4 -1/2 cup, depending on your body composition goals, and some are totally fruit free. A killer go-to is my Spa Smoothie, loaded with greens, cucumber, avocado and lemon. (find my recipe below!).

THE “BE WELL” SPA SMOOTHIE

1/4 avocado
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 small Persian cucumber
1 handful of spinach
1 lemon, freshly juiced
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (love Perfect Fit)
2 cups unsweetened nut milk

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

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Rock the Vote President Says Young Female Voters Are Louder Than Ever

This November marks one of the most historic elections. Ever. Not only did Hillary Clinton make history when she secured the win as the first female nominated by a major political party for President, but Millennials, the biggest and most diverse generation the United States has ever seen are primed to be a driving force at the polls. In 2008 and 2012, voters under 30 were a crucial piece of winning the presidential election. They stand to make the same impact this election year. 

It's something that Rock the Vote, the non-profit, nonpartisan organization committed to galvanizing youth to vote has been encouraging since 1990. 

It was 26 years ago when a bikini-clad Madonna motivated generation MTV to vote. Wrapped in an American flag and rapping about former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, she delivered the first PSA for Rock the Vote.

Today, according to Rock the Vote, the diversity of Millennials is not simply reflected in age, background, ability or race, but in the way Gen M approached problems, finds opportunities and envisions the future. 80 million strong, it is a generation that wants a better, more just future for all. Young women are a driving force behind that vision. According to RtV "anyone who ignores the importance of young women in this election, does so at their own peril."

"Anyone who ignores the importance of young women in this election, does so at their own peril."

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In a poll released earlier this month with Rock the Vote's partner USA Today, they found that 73% of women between 18 and 34 strongly disagree with banning an entire religious group from entering to the United States. They've also found young women across the country who are engaged in issues that matter to them, like defending access to reproductive rights, reforming the criminal justice system, and securing equal pay.

Young women are poised to make a big difference in the world by voting for candidates who will elevate the issues they care about across every office, not just President. It's why Create & Cultivate has teamed up with Rock the Vote. From encouraging young women to register to talking about issues that matter most, we asked Rock the Vote President, Carolyn DeWitt about the importance of this election, the power of the vote, and a generation that's only getting stronger.

 Why is it important for Rock the Vote to be at Create & Cultivate?

It’s so important for us because we know that young women are some of the most passionate and engaged people in this country. Young women are playing a more vocal role than ever before in their families, communities, politics, business and across every facet of American life.  Create & Cultivate is a place for young women to come together and learn how to carve out a life for ourselves that makes us proud. At Rock the Vote, we know that participating in elections is also a way, one of the most important ways, that women can shape our futures.

What kind of galvanization have you seen from young women this election cycle?

Young women are getting louder about the issues we know affect our lives. From demanding equal pay for equal work, pushing back against sexism and defending our access to reproductive rights, this election cycle has been one where women are speaking truth to the powers that be. We may want different things, we may have different visions of where we want to be in life, but we are empowered to fight for it and we are only getting stronger.

What do you think a female POTUS would do for the future of our country?

This is a really big milestone for our country—one that has been long overdue. Across the globe, we currently have a record number of female world leaders. This is important because women often approach challenges differently and are often more likely to consider the direct impact of policies on women. But more than that, we are seeing that issues are the driving force behind engagement in elections. Young women are becoming more independent.  We want to go to college and not experience crushing debt. We want to get paid what we’re worth in the workplace. We want to turn the tide on climate change and leave for our kids and grandkids an environment that is healthy. No matter who is president come November, we are going to keep fighting for these issues.

"Young women are becoming more independent. We want to get paid what we’re worth in the workplace."

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Do you remember the first time you voted and what that feeling was like?

The first time I was eligible to vote in an election, I was living in Kenya. It was a midterm election. I wasn’t particularly interested in politics; in fact, I would say I was completely turned off by politics. But, I had seen the impact of democracy and the power those in office had over their country and its people. I witnessed that the right to vote, especially free from intimidation was something I had that those around me didn’t. I had visited countries and knew people who had died fighting for a democratic system. I couldn’t take that right for granted. I went to the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi and completed an absentee ballot. 

Why is this election so important for young women?

There is a lot at stake this election. It’s easy to forget how far women have come in the last few decades and that it wasn’t that long ago that women didn’t have rights over their bodies, protection against domestic violence or harassment in the workplace or equality in places of education, including school athletics. This election, we’re not only fighting for progress, but we’re also fighting against regression. We are more independent and stronger than ever, but there is still work to be done from access to reproductive rights to equal pay. We are also more likely to play active roles as advocates for our families, our friends, and our communities and will fight for the issues that impact the lives closest to us. We know that when we work together we can change the course of our country and build an inclusive system that works for all of us.

"When we work together we can change the course of our country and build an inclusive system that works for all of us."

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What have you seen and learned as a business woman that you can share with our audience?

I’m so grateful that I have had the experiences that have shaped me into who I am today, leading Rock the Vote during this critical time in our nation’s history. I have experienced the democratic process here at home and abroad, in an effort to build more just and equitable institutions. When I was in South Africa, I met with various leaders who helped end apartheid and set up a democratic state and the victims who were imprisoned under apartheid. In Kenya, I was part of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission to build a more democratic state. As an adult, I’ve been the primary advocate and caretaker to a family member with disabilities. Whether as a mother, daughter, sister, neighbor, or employer we often play the role of caretaker and advocate for those in our lives. To me, that means it’s even more critical that we use our voice to express our values in the democratic process. I will always be working to build and protect democracies and fighting for a political system that welcomes everyone’s perspective.

To register and Rock the Vote click here.

Share why you're voting this election in the comments below! 

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What Kelly Mindell of Studio DIY Learned From a 13-Year-Old

photo credit: Studio DIY 

DIY is more than project-based crafting-- it’s an attitude, a lifestyle, and according to Kelly Mindell of Studio DIY it's also about making life a party. Born and raised New Jersey, Kelly says she's been a DIY-er since birth and an entrepreneur since 15. She moved to LA in 2011, founded her business the same year, and has put her crafty head and hands to good use since.

Dedicated to a good time, Studio DIY gives readers the kind of excited feeling they had as kids. Think: the moment the piñata broke open and candy rained from the sky. The time you had donuts for dinner. The day you spend running through sprinklers. It's joy in motion.

It's also a lot of work. 

We caught up with Kelly to talk biz, what she's learning from younger generations, and the one thing she's bad at (that you'd never, ever expect). 

How do you DIY your life?

I've always been one to ask questions and not play by the rules. In high school, I asked if I could do an independent study to build my portfolio instead of spending hours in classes I knew I wouldn't use. In college, I did the same and built Studio DIY during the process! I've always worked tirelessly to make these situations my own and, well, if that's not the true basis of DIY, I don't know what is!

How do you DIY your business?

What I love most about DIY is that it's all about figuring things out and finding a solution, and lord knows that running a business involves figuring things out on the daily. The cool thing about blogging is that no two blogs or business models are the same, so I get to make Studio DIY completely my own... and make things up along the way, too

What was the learning curve for you taking something that was crafty and project-based and scaling it into a business?

Was? How about "is"? Ha! Building and scaling this business is a constant learning curve! DIY blogging takes so many hours, such extensive overhead and so much man-power all while things are changing constantly. I have to learn to grow my revenue, bring on and manage new team members and determine which new avenues for the brand are the right ones to take. And that's all in my spare time!

"DIY blogging takes so many hours, such extensive overhead and so much man-power."

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Where do you see the movement heading? Are you interested in getting into the world of AR/VR?

I've noticed that readers, myself included, are placing more and more value on the personality behind the content, versus the content itself. Now that the DIY and blogging markets are so saturated, it's often the person behind the business that people relate to, are interested in or want to build a relationship with. One of the best things I did was start showing and sharing more of myself on my platforms. Sure, I create larger-than-life projects for a living, but I'm also a person... who struggles with infertility, who steps over a pile of clothes to get to her bed, and who really likes watching Teen Mom and eating pizza on a Friday night. It's fun to share those parts of me and build connections with my readers on a much deeper level. And I think that's becoming more important than ever. 

What are you learning from the younger generations, especially as it’s related to tech and social media?

So much! I have a growing tween and teen audience and it's been fascinating to learn how differently they consume media. My 13 year old niece helped out at the office over the summer and I quizzed her about everything she knew so I could learn more. YouTube is integral for reaching their generations and that's precisely why we recently launched our YouTube channel. 

Life is not a Pinterest board. Can you walk me through the BTS reality-- how much goes into it?

I work around the clock and the work is still never done! Our studio looks like a never-ending craft tornado blew through it. I work with my husband which is rewarding and challenging all at the same time. Most nights our dinner consists of avocado toast eaten on the couch while answering emails. I have certainly not mastered a work life balance, but I know that this is the season to work my hardest so my priorities can shift in the coming years. 

How have you grown up as a business woman in the digital scene?

I've gone from being a one-woman show to managing an incredible team. I've also gone from knowing nobody in the industry to now calling my colleagues some of my best friends. Both have been some of the most rewarding experiences in my career, and I am thankful every day for the amazing community of women that surrounds me!

What social platforms are most relevant to your business? Are there platforms you’re more hesitant to grow? 

Instagram has been by far the most relevant and important, as far as community building goes. It's where my largest and most interactive audience lives. And Pinterest is integral as far as circulating content and exposing it to new eyeballs each day. It's a big traffic driver. Snapchat has also become far more important to me than I ever expected.

On the flip side, I know I'm not the only one who was thrown for a loop when Instagram Stories launched. On the surface, making the jump from Snapchat back to Instagram seems like a no-brainer (one app, better view counts), but I treat Snapchat very differently than Instagram. Snapchat is my core audience and almost like a built-in focus group. I love having one-on-one conversations over there and posing questions to get real time answers. Yes, I can do that on Instagram Stories too, but the audience is much larger and therefore the response much more overwhelming. It has been nice to have a smaller platform like Snapchat so I can build more intimate relationships. That said, I'm sure I'll find a way to incorporate Stories soon enough!

photo credit: Studio DIY

What parts of your career would you say have expanded your mind the most? 

Without a doubt the amazing community that surrounds me, both with fellow bloggers (now friends) and readers. Our community spans the world and it has been so fun, and eye-opening, to learn more about them. About how they learn, what they like, how they range from being 13 to being the grandmother of a 13-year-old. How cool is that!? I love being able to interact with people of all walks of life on a daily basis.

Is there anything you’ve found that you’re just not good at? 

Well I have terrible handwriting! Ha! Learning to be a manager has been a huge struggle for me, but as a boss, that's not something that I can just "not be good at" so I'm learning as I go! But the handwriting thing... that's just hopeless! 

How do you separate person from brand?

Right now, it's quite a blurred line! Now is the season in life where I am fully immersed in my business and my personal life and business life blend together quite often. However, soon enough the business will be much bigger than myself, and I will be much more fiercely protective over my personal life once there are little ones in the mix!

Your husband Jeff is an integral part of your team. How did you go about building the rest of it? 

When I knew it was time to hire someone, I determined two things: what I wasn't good at and what took up the most of my time. Getting what you're bad at off your plate is the most important thing because there's always someone else out there who's good at it. So that was the first major hire I made. Then, when I was in a better financial position, I was able to start taking off the tasks that I was good at, but that took up more time than I had. As the business grows, I continue to look at these two pain points and hire accordingly!

"Getting what you're bad at off your plate is the most important because there's always someone else out there who's good at it." 

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What’s next! 

We're putting a lot of effort into our new YouTube channel and we're about to launch the biggest endeavor yet for Studio DIY, but that's all I can say... for now! On the personal side, Jeff and I are excited to start growing our family in the near future and begin a whole new adventure as parents!

VIP Tickets for #CreateCultivateATL are ALMOST gone. To hear Kelly speak on "You Do You" grab a ticket before it's too late!

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Katherine Schwarzenegger Shares Key Moments From Her Life-Changing Road Trip

With mother Maria Shriver as inspiration, Katherine Schwarzenegger has always known that women do it all. This past May Katherine embarked on a road trip across the country. She met and interviewed over 500 women in collaboration with T.J. Maxx, aiding their mission in highlighting women who live life on their own terms. After three moths of traveling across 16 cities, Katherine finally headed home with a head and heart full of inspirational stories.

We caught up with Katherine to chat what she learned from the collab, how her mom helped her prep, and the six common traits she found in every single woman. 

You just finished up the “Road to Real” 16 city tour where you were interviewing real women about living life on their terms. What was the most surprising part of the journey?

When I started the Road to Real tour, I didn’t know what to expect. But I think the most surprising part of this journey was how open and honest each woman was, and how their stories have truly made an impact on my life, and how I want to live life moving forward. The purpose of the tour was to show others that you don’t have to look far to be inspired. And what I have learned and hope others have too, is that everyone has a story to tell, we are all on this journey of life, we are all doing our best and that inspiration really is all around you – it’s in our friends, family, neighbors, and even the woman shopping next to you in a T.J.Maxx store. When you hear so many amazing, real and inspirational stories each day, you cant help but walk away changed. So the next time someone yells or snaps at you for no reason, just know that you never know what’s going on in peoples lives; they could be going home to a sick child or parent, they could’ve just lost a loved one, they could be going through a divorce. Bottom line is, we are all just trying to do our best so the most important thing is treat one another with love and kindness and the world will be a much better place. 

"You don’t have to look far to be inspired."

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Your mom is a journalist, did she share any tricks to getting people to open up before you embarked on the tour? 

My mom helps me with everything and she is definitely my number one supporter. When I first learned about the Road to Real tour, I was so excited and I told her right away. I grew up watching her interview people in her professional life and personal. She used to interview everyone around us, even in the line at the coffee shop, and that all rubbed off on me, so this experience felt very natural to me. I am a very curious person and I ask a million questions, but before the tour launched, she did help to coach me on my interview skills and gave me advice on talking with people I didn’t know. The most important thing she taught me was the importance of listening and on this tour I realized that one of the greatest gifts you can give someone is listening to them. We don’t realize how many people just don’t have someone to talk to or to listen to them, and a really good listener is a huge gift. Every time I finished a interview, most women would thank me for listening to them. I was so surprised by this because for me, to be able to listen to their stories was such a gift, and knowing that just sitting and listening to them made a difference, was so rewarding for me. 

"One of the greatest gifts you can give someone is listening to them."

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How did the collaboration initially come about? What was the conversation? 

T.J.Maxx actually approached me to be a part of the Road to Real tour, and I was immediately obsessed with the whole concept of the tour. When I learned more about the campaign I couldn’t say no – to have the opportunity to travel the country (to some places I had never been before), and connect with real women and hear their inspiring stories is what really peaked my interest. I love talking with people, asking questions and learning from others so it was a natural fit. I am always eager to learn and to grow and I knew this tour would not only be an amazing career experience, but it would be a life changing experience that I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. I am all about talking to people, learning from their life experiences, and being able to take a nugget of wisdom from each person I spoke to. Plus, the fact that my website is all about “living life on your own terms” was a natural tie to the brand and the Road to Real campaign. 

It’s easy to see the Road to Real as an internal journey we all take as women. What has your own road to real looked like? 

I think my Road to Real is a journey that I am on and continue to be on and one I am very excited about. We are all on this journey of life; sometimes it’s great, other times it’s more challenging, but as long as you look at life as a growing and learning process that never stops, you will be able to live a fulfilling life. This tour has completely changed me; I am not the same woman today, than I was when I started this tour in May and I will forever be grateful to T.J. Maxx for allowing me to be a part of this experience. I learned so much about life, about myself, about how I want to live my life moving forward, and how I deal and interact with people. This tour was a journey for me in my personal, spiritual, and mental well-being; I went out of my comfort zone, traveled to new places, met new people, formed new friendships, and experienced new things. I laughed with strangers, I cried with strangers and I listened and learned from them. These are the kinds of things you only learn by having the kind of experiences I was lucky enough to have on the Road to Real. 

"I laughed with strangers, I cried with strangers and I listened and learned from them."

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What parts of your journey as a business woman and entrepreneur are you most proud of?

What I’m most proud of is that I have had the opportunity to work on projects that I’m truly passionate about, like my two books and website. I’ve been able to do so many amazing things, and I always want to try to make a difference and do work that I’m proud of. That said, I am definitely proud of my partnership with T.J.Maxx, because the Road to Real campaign speaks to something I truly believe in, which is that women are living life on their own terms, in their own unique way. I feel lucky to have worked on such a meaningful campaign by celebrating women all over the country, and by sharing their inspiring and amazing stories with the world. 

When are you your most real/authentic version of yourself? 

I try to be real and authentic all day every day because that’s just how I want to live my life. It took me awhile to get there but I have come to realize that whenever I am not my real self, nothing good comes from that. It’s much easier said than done but staying true to who you are is the greatest gift you can give yourself and you only get there by going through the ups and downs of life. I still haven’t mastered it and I do make mistakes of course, but I always try to remind myself the importance of being YOU because there is no one else like you. 

You spoke with over 500 women. How do you process that amount of information? That number of stories?

Throughout the course of the tour we visited sixteen different cities and spent two days in each store location, so I spoke with about 15-20 women per day, sometimes more! The experience was amazing but at times the conversations lead me to feel overwhelmed by my own emotions. The women really opened up to me and some of the stories shared were extremely personal, open and raw. It’s crazy to believe that each story was more inspiring then the next, but it’s true. Although I talked with over 500 women, there was a commonality among the stories I heard, like the strength to persevere and live life on their terms, and just an overall sense of the women wanting to do good, and give back to others. I would be lying to you if I said that I wasn’t overwhelmed by some of the stories I heard, but I decided to look at this experience like I wanted to take at least one nugget of wisdom from each person I spoke to and be able to grow from their stories. 

Why do you think storytelling is important? 

I have always been interested in learning and hearing from real women, it helps you to not only grow and learn as a person, but to see things from a different perspective. I think storytelling is important because it connects people everywhere. Everyone has a story to tell and inspiration is all around us. We just need to take a moment to open our eyes, maybe ask a few questions and really see the people around us.

What was a universal truth among all of the women you spoke with?

After speaking with all of these women, I learned that strength, perseverance, courage, love, kindness and the desire to do good, lives in the women walking amongst us daily. Every woman I spoke with, no matter her background or personal struggle, wanted to help those in need and leave the world a better place. It can be easy to focus on negativity, especially with recent events our country has faced, but you have to remember to never lose sight of what’s important. The need to love one another, treat each other with kindness, compassion, and understanding is what every woman agreed our world needs most.

"Strength, perseverance, courage, love, kindness and the desire to do good, lives in the women walking amongst us daily."

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The tour culminates in a gallery event this fall in NYC. What do you hope people see in the work?

The stories that these women shared both touched and influenced me, not only in the way I view life, but in the way that I want to live my life each day moving forward. So my hope is that this same raw emotion, these inspiring stories of struggle and perseverance and vulnerability, are conveyed within the gallery portraits. I hope people see that women are playing many different roles in their lives and that no matter what, they make it work in their own way. I hope that these pictures impact people in the same way that I was impacted.

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Sugar & Cloth's Ashley Rose Talks DIY, Dream Collabs, and Dedication

photo credit: Sugar & Cloth

Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth is all about serious DIY. So much so that she got to create a Sugar & Cloth color wall in Houston (see above) that has been the site of some serious 'gramming. 

One look at the website that she launched in September 2011 after leaving Marshall University where she studied Art & Design, moving to Houston and following her dreams, you'll quickly find the injection of color she's put into the blogosphere was much needed. The blogger self-admittedly takes a lot of coffee and macaroon breaks, but she's also the proof in the blog pudding that committing to an idea is sometimes the best idea of all. 

We caught up with Ashley in anticipation of Create & Cultivate ATL where she'll be joining us on panel to chat all things craft, creativity, and DIY-why not. 

Was there a project where you thought, this is impossible but I’m going to try! And it turned out?

Being a DIY blog, I have A LOT of these, haha! It’s a good mix of trying to reinvent the wheel but it either turns as: a literal pile of trash, pretty but much harder than I anticipated, or it turns out amazing and I even surprise myself!

What lessons have you learned from DIY’ing? That apply to life?

That you’ll win some, you’ll lose some, and everyone is going to have an opinion. What really counts is that you’re honest and true to yourself about the outcome, whatever it is. 

 "You’ll win some, you’ll lose some, and everyone is going to have an opinion."

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DIY is more than a craft-- it’s a choice, a frame of mind-- to do it yourself. What other parts of your life are about “doing it yourself?”

I think in general DIY is simply a frame of mind that speaks independence for whatever you’re creating, doing, or achieving. 

What parts of your life do you let go of the reigns a little bit?

Outside of work decisions, I’m actually much more go with the flow, ha! When it comes to where we eat, who drives, what our weekend plans are. I’m pretty much game for whatever as long as deadlines have been met. We definitely make it a point to spend time with friends and family each week.

When you first got started you were working on your blog full time and had a full time job. What have you learned about balance and pursuing your passion? 

It’s funny how working multiple jobs seems super exhausting to some people, but once you’ve done it, you learn really quickly how to process through what absolutely needs to get done first. It really helps you prioritize, because you essentially have no choice not to if you’re going to do two jobs well. In some ways I’d say I was even more productive with my time back then. It’s easy to get lost in little details when time allows.

What would you say to women in the same boat right now? Even as simple as how many hours is reasonable to put in?

My best advice is to say — Don’t sweat the small stuff. Whether that means not letting an unkind comment get to you, moving on from a failed DIY, or letting go of the struggle to get it all done before bedtime. It’s not worth spending your energy on worrying about things unnecessarily. 

What’s your favorite part of working in a creative field?

Always getting to dream up the next new thing!

Do you ever run out of DIY-ideas? What happens when you’re coming up empty?

I definitely struggle in A LOT of small business areas (hello, accounting and all things taxes), but running out of ideas thankfully isn’t one of them. When I do start to feel complacent with some ideas, I try to just move on to one I am excited about to get the good juju flowing again. 

When you live a Pinterest-looking lifestyle, it can be hard to keep up appearances, or have everything look curated all of the time. What are some of the BTS difficulties? 

First world problems, am I right?! Ha! It’s definitely super easy for me to get burnt out on social media for that reason, or even just have the constant feeling of keeping up with the Joneses because it’s my entire job basically. I think every online personality feels that at some point, but at the end of the day I think the most important reminder is to not think more highly of yourself than you ought to. 

Where do you see the blog world evolving? 

It’s basically a new generation of free reality TV! Or at least I keep pretty entertained by it ;)

I don’t think the blog world has hit it’s prime yet, but it’s definitely getting quickly saturated. To keep up at this point, you really have to hustle and be a forward thinker to make it a longstanding career move instead of becoming an overnight, internet one-hit-wonder. 

Dream collab?

A product line with Target or Amazon!

How important is your Instagram game? Is Snapchat part of your social strategy and how are you using it?

Instagram has become a huge part of our business. Within the last year it’s come super close to being our highest earning platform, and we’ve now started focusing a lot more on Snapchat for the sake of feeling more real. It may or may not take off like IG, but it’s a great tool for followers to see a real, everyday you without the Pinterest-esque smoke and mirrors. 

What’s the messiest room in your house/What is your favorite?

Messiest is definitely my closet! My favorite would be my bedroom, I LOVE a good Saturday sleeping in. 

"You know it’s a passion project when you’d be there regardless of your circumstances."

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What does Sugar & Cloth mean to you?

It’s an attainable place for everyday inspiration. And even if I won the lottery tomorrow, I’d still be making pretty things to share there. You know it’s a passion project when you’d be there regardless of your circumstances.

 

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Why Otherwild Founder Wants to Uplift and Support Small Business Any Way She Can

photo credit: Gilda Davidian

Otherwild Founder Rachel Berks didn't set out to open a boutique shop slash graphic design studio (making her an official slashie), but when the graphic design world and a brief stint at William Morris designing presentations for fast food companies didn't align with the vision she had for her future, she shifted gears. Otherwild was born in LA in 2012 and just opened a second location in New York this past May. 

Now she's focussed less on fast and more on building community and offering an inclusive space for the LGBTQ population. It's the glue that binds Otherwild's followers together and also sets her apart as a business owner. You might recall Rachel as the unapologetic force that brought back "The Future is Female" shirt after seeing the image on HerStory's Instagram, which focusses on the herstory of lesbian imagery. She's also committed to representing the multi-dimensional and expansive queer community. 

We caught up with Rachel to talk the importance of reputation, what working with like-minded individuals means to her, and women she admires. 

What’s your background? How do you end up owner of a brick-and-mortar/graphic design studio?

I studied modern dance, printmaking and gender studies at Sarah Lawrence College, and after a brief stint as a professional dancer/waiter in NYC, I went to work with my friend Stacey Mark, who was the photo editor of NYLON Magazine. While there, I assisted in photoshoot production and contributed collage, illustration and writing. After about a year, I was recruited to join Ford Models’ newly established New York-based in-house art department in 2004, promoted to Art Director for the company’s international corporate network in 2006, and appointed Creative Director through 2011. In the fall of 2011, I followed my girlfriend, artist A.L. Steiner to Los Angeles. I imagined I would build a freelance design business out in LA. During my first couple of months there, I was very inspired by the DIY spirit of LA, and befriended my former business partner, Marisa Suarez-Orozco, who was also a graphic designer. In early 2012, we conceived of Otherwild, a hybrid retail store, that would sell work by our artist + designer friends, as well as a graphic design studio.

Can you talk a bit about how NOT getting a (series of) job(s) lead you to where you are today?

When I first landed in LA, a creative freelance agency immediately placed me at William Morris, designing PowerPoint presentations for fast food companies. I was the only woman on the team, where I had to endure misogynist conversations all day in a windowless office. I lasted about a week and a half. From there, I interviewed at a slew of production companies and ad agencies, where in one interview, I found myself defending my ability to design work that was less creative, and more appropriate for corporate clients. I freelanced for a few of these agencies, until I met Marisa and we decided to open Otherwild.

Is it important to you that female founders support each other? Why?

In the Summer of 2014, I received a random email from two female shop owners, Marlee Grace from Have Company in Grand Rapids, MI and Courtney Webb of Hey Rooster General Store in Nashville, TN, inviting me to "SHOP : KEEP - - a retreat for shop owners." It was shortly after Mari and I had parted ways and even though I didn't know anything about these women, I booked a ticket the day I got the email. The retreat was an incredible life-changing moment, where we discovered through our total transparency that we could help each other grow our businesses. Since that moment, I've tried to uplift and support small business owners as much as I possibly can. Some of my closest friends are other female and genderqueer business owners... we have a truly unique connection and understanding.

You talk about working with like-minded individuals. What mindset is that? Do you think it’s important to work with non-like-minded people sometimes?

I think taken out of context, that sounds like I'm part of an exclusive clique, which isn't the case. I'm referring to craftspeople, the handmade, feminisms, and social justice organizations. I don't want to work with racists, homophobes, misogynists, gun enthusiasts or multinational corporations, for instance.

"I don't want to work with racists, homophobes, misogynists, gun enthusiasts or multinational corporations, for instance."

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photo credit: Gilda Davidian

You’re surrounded by a pretty stellar creative squad. Who is a woman in your life who is doing something you’re proud and amazed by?

My partner A.L. Steiner is an incredible artist and activist, and her work is endlessly inspiring to me. You can see more at hellomynameissteiner.com.

Also my friend and collaborator Kelly Rakowksi, who runs the Instagram account @h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y,  mines various sources for archival lesbian imagery. Together we've been working on a clothing line that reinterprets some of these images. See more here.

Invest as little as possible-- how did that work as a business plan? 

It was really about playing it safe and working with the resources that we had. Initially, everything in the shop was brought in on consignment. The original Otherwild was down an alley on Hollywood Blvd - it was under 300 square feet and cost $500 a month. We were determined not to fail, and not being in debt was crucial to that plan. Once we felt a little more secure, we moved to a bigger space on a residential stretch of Echo Park Ave. and continued to slowly and carefully build the business. Recently, Otherwild moved once again to Vermont Ave in Los Feliz where the storefront finally has foot traffic!

To a degree you built a business on reputation-- do you think this is rare? To promise something and deliver on said promise? 

I think this is rare, but I think it is often true of small businesses. My dad is a small business owner and my grandfather was too, and I think through that lineage, I learned to build something that had integrity and generosity at it's core. I think being unapologetic in Otherwild's embrace of all things queer, feminist and small-scale shows a certain truth in who we are and what we believe in as well.

"Otherwild's embrace of all things queer, feminist and small-scale shows a certain truth in who we are and what we believe in as well."

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photo credit: Gilda Davidian

What other ways do you think you do business differently? 

Otherwild has evolved from being a retail/design studio to being a social space that hosts music, comedy, performance, readings and classes in herbalism, craft, tarot and more. I've always wanted Otherwild to be an active space. 

Additionally, Otherwild donates money from the sales of specific products to Planned Parenthood, The National Center for Transgender Equality, The Lesbian Herstory Archives and Black Lives Matter. This is an important aspect of living our politics beyond a slogan on a t-shirt.

What have you learned through the ups and downs? Breaking up with your partner, for example?

It's not easy having your own business, you basically work all the time. When you start a business, everyone always says it takes 3-5 years, and you don't want to believe that at the beginning, but it's absolutely true, and you need to be willing and able to put in the time. Breaking up with my partner felt like a tremendous setback at the time, but ultimately it was the right thing for both of us. 

Two stores-- is that something you ever imagined? Any further plans for expansion?

I had only just left NYC when I opened Otherwild, and so I always imagined that I might come back to NY and launch a NY store. Otherwild had to be born in LA, it was very much product of LA's cultural climate in that moment, but NY seems really excited to embrace us now. As of right now, the NY shop is a longterm pop-up which will be installed through March 2017. I've yet to decide what will happen after that!

Otherwild carries the work of Tuesday Bassen who just called out Zara for ripping her off.  What are your thoughts on big corporations taking advantage of small biz? And how does Otherwild work against this? 

I love Tuesday Bassen and her work, and I am excited to watch this particular situation continue to unfold. I feel like Tuesday actually has the power and possibility to set new precedents. I've always been outspoken about big corporations and their cruel treatment of artists, as well as terrible labor practices. After this latest example of IP theft, I made a personal vow to boycott multinational corporations, as wholly a possible. For me, it was not such a stretch but I recognize for some that might feel impossible. I am dedicated to supporting small businesses, artists and designers in all aspects of my life.

What do you want the legacy of Otherwild to be? 

Legacy denotes history -- or herstory as I might read it -- and I don't know what our herstory as humans will be. I just hope to provide those interested with inspiration, knowledge or objects that they love and cherish by being as conscious, kind and caring as possible, and by supporting the people who want to produce in this way. It's a continual learning process. There's book that came out in 1973 called Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered by British economist E. F. Schumacher, which is the antithesis of our current ethos of growth and exploitation. Although I participate in a form of capitalist exchange, I challenge myself to figure out ways to find ethics and humanity within this model, and continually transition where necessary.

OTHERWILD LA 1768 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027

OTHERWILD NY 37 Orchard St. Basement New York, NY 10002

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