This Startup Is Offering Independent Artists a Real Shot
Using crowdsourcing to produce art.
Minted founder and CEO Mariam Naficy (Credit: Minted)
Art has gone crowdsourcing. At least in the case of Minted, a design marketplace that connects the consumer to a world of independent artists and designers. Founded by Mariam Naficy in 2007, she has said, "we wanted Minted to be the enabler, not the decider."
Enable they have.
The way it works is fairly simple. Artists and designers submit their work during monthly challenges and the community votes what they want to see sold. It’s art by the people, for the people, that's also chosen by the people. And it's making the independent art world a little less financially intimidating. When an artists wins a competition they are given a personalized storefront on the site, an upfront cash prize, a percentage of the sales (10% for art), and Minted fulfills the product orders. The company also offers customizable stationery, custom wedding design services, as well as home décor options.
We spoke with three artists whose work is featured on Minted about being part of this community and why the brand has been invaluable to their online presence and confidence as artists.
One of the ways Minted supports independent artists is getting the work in front of eyeballs. How else has the company boosted your presence as an artist?
Kristi Kohut, Mixed Media Artist & Designer at Hapi Art
When I was just starting it was quite scary putting my work out there and not knowing how it would be received. The community and support Minted gives its artists helped me push through this and be inspired to keep moving forward. They really work hard to promote their artists through online editorial features, Minted catalogs and national print campaigns. This is a huge deal as an independent artist with a tight advertising budget!
Alexandra Nazari, Los Angeles-based Photographer
Minted has been great in providing web traffic, sales (the best feeling is walking into apartment buildings, offices, stores, etc and seeing my work hung by total strangers ! Before the only people who saw or purchased my work were either directly related or kind friend ) and an amazing community of very kind fellow artists from around the country I would have never connected with otherwise.
Betty Hatchett, Graphic Designer & Painter
Minted’s reach is truly incredible. I’ve had both private and corporate customers connect with me from all over the world after seeing my work on Minted. Also the way they’ve combined business, community and education is brilliant. They’ve introduced my work to a broad audience of collectors, but have also shown me how to better market myself, as well as form strategic, mutually beneficial alignments with other creatives and entrepreneurs.
What are some ways the company exceeded your expectations?
Kristi: There really is a strong bold vision and team behind Minted and I'm so impressed with their continued growth and commitment to growing their brand and establishing a huge presence in the marketplace. It's exciting to be a part of and inspired by this kind of direction.
Alexandra: Their attention to making sure my work isn't stolen or plagiarized (a huge concern when selling online) and supporting a community that is so genuinely kind and constructive. It never feels competitive! It's so hard to find a "troll-free zone" on the Internet, but Minted has really made the seemingly impossible happen!
Betty: I’ve been floored by the community Minted has created, both within Minted’s staff and the designers who’ve connected and banded together around the world. My true hook after I dipped my toe in at Minted was participating in an independent fundraiser for victims of hurricane Sandy. Organized completely by Minted designers in their free time and supported by Minted staff with a donation of paper for all art prints that were sold, it showed me the core generosity that runs through this exceptional pocket of the industry.
What is important to you as an artist who sells digitally?
Kristi: It’s important to me to be able to convey online what is created offline; the color, the quality, the feel of my work has to translate online so the customer can envision the work in their home. My hope is that the work matches or exceeds their expectations.
Alexandra: Making sure that the work is printed and presented in a way that is high quality and enhances the work - unlike some other online stores that cut corners and print really poorly. In the end that makes both parties look bad- I never want to disappoint someone who not only a) wants to actually hang my work in their home or other special place and b) spent their hard earned money. Minted really prints, frames , and ships their products impeccably at a very reasonable price. Another thing that Minted is great at that is very important is protecting my intellectual property. As an independent artist hiring a lawyer to send a letter is a very expensive and difficult task. It's amazing to know that Minted is behind me protecting the rights to my own work and keeping it out of the hands of copy cats!
Betty: My favorite art professor in college liked to use the phrase “Your passion is your edge.” Of course, this is true for any kind of artist, but especially as as an artist who sells digitally, there is no good reason not to mine to the very core of your joy and curiosity in the work that you do. If your town isn’t celebrating the kind of work you long to make…there is a corner of this world that will and you can find them online. Time and again I’ve found that the work I most wanted/needed to do, even though I wasn’t sure it would resonate beyond my own brain, has become the work that defines my voice as an artist and connects me with patrons and collaborators that fit.
"My favorite art professor in college liked to use the phrase 'Your passion is your edge.'”
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It’s hard to be an independent artist. What advice do you have for other women trying to make it and remain independent?
Alexandra: Always have some sort of space even if it's as small as a desk in the corner of your apartment that is your own and strictly reserved for making art. I find this separation essential.
Betty: Find and nurture friendships with other creatives. There are very specific challenges and joys to being an artist as well as being an entrepreneur. We all need friends to remind us of why we love the creative process when we have hit a block, friends who understand the mental angst grappling with pieces that just aren’t “there” yet, the vulnerability we all will face if we are committed to sharing our work, as well as the joy of life illuminated by finding your voice through creativity.
What do you want people to get out of your work?
Kristi: Joy. My hope is that my work elicits a feeling that lifts the viewer out of the ordinary.
Betty: The creative process allows me to slow down, listen to life’s stories, beauty, humor, questions and give as honest a response as I can muster. It's a push and pull between meandering and direction, control and release, mistakes to embrace and perfections to forfeit...much as life is. I feel more human when I make things, more aware of how strange and wonderful it is to be alive, more grateful. I hope my work can offer a piece of that wonder to other people as well.
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Cracking the Code: Atlanta Is Changing the Face of Startup Culture
The peach of the south is also a hub for female entrepreneurs.
Women in Atlanta are proving that you don't have to be in Silicon Valley to explore your tech dreams. Over the past few years, Atlanta has been growing as hub for female entrepreneurs and defying the status quo with its increasing number of women in tech.
Does it come as any surprise as to why we made the big peach of the south our next stop for Create & Cultivate?
According to Allyson Eman, Executive Director of Venture Atlanta, the premier tech conference held every October for Georgia’s top technology innovators and top-tier investors told Forbes, "Women are seizing the opportunity to start tech companies in Atlanta’s key industries—fintech, health IT and IT security—as well as in emerging industries, such as marketing automation." According to Eman, Atlanta is much more open to female techies than many other cities. In San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle, for example, tech workforces are more than 75% male.
At the beginning of 2016, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced the inaugural class of a new program geared at women in business. Called the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative, Mayor Reed said the program is "an important step forward in strengthening our city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem." The group of women, selected through a rigorous process in the fall of 2015, now have opportunity to operate their small businesses in an incubator environment, with designated workspace. The WEI initiative lasts for 15 months and is housed on the 11th floor of Downtown Atlanta’s iconic Flatiron Building – the city’s oldest standing skyscraper. This signifies an important step forward in the city's diverse history and demographics.
Likewise there are venture firms, Atlanta-based Valor Ventures for one, that are focussing on female entrepreneurs in Atlanta and setting up women-only capital funds. Designed to fill the gap in the startup world, Valor also sees this as smart business. In Quarter 2 of 2015, Atlanta tech companies raised more venture capital — $206.8 million — than in any quarter since Q2 2001. General Partner of Valor told Upstart Biz Journals, "Of the $48 billion in venture capital invested last year, just 7 percent went to female founders. It’s a market niche that’s incredibly underserved, yet is high opportunity.”
She also told them that female-led companies perform better.
Tickets for Create & Cultivate Atlanta are on sale now! Get yours before they go.
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6 Simple Steps to Gallery Wall Your Office Space
For spaces that spark creativity.
So you want to create an inspiring office nook? A gallery wall that gives you the mid-day spark you need to fire off inventive ideas. A good piece of art in the right spot can do that. Which is why Artfully Walls, an online curated art marketplace that helps you fill your space with affordable art, is breaking down 6 steps to making that happen.
THE SIMPLE HOW-TOS
1. Don't become overwhelmed, really focus on art that makes you happy. This wall, nook, space above your toilet (legit anywhere) is for you. No one else.
2. Combine different types of work. Think: one photograph, one oil/acrylic painting, one portrait, and something geometric. (But there really are no rules.) Color outside the lines if you dare.
3. If you're afraid to put holes in the wall, don't be! You can use 3M Command strips to hang prints - they don't destroy walls and let you play around with positioning.
4. Level up and use one. iHandy Level is an easy app that will make sure you're hanging everything straight.
5. If combining multiple frame colors gives you major art anxiety, start with simple white, black, light wood finishes.
6. A "gallery" wall doesn't have to be top to bottom. It can be three pieces that each speak to you. You don't even have to hang them.
See the below for inspo! And check out the Gallery Wall section on their site where you can rearrange groupings they've picked or get step-by-step instructions on how to hang your choices.
THE MORE THE MERRIER
Herringbone by Kate Roebuck; Arboricola Study by Kiana Mosley; Sea and a Sailboat by Daniela Orlev; Black Arrows by Heather J Chontos; Blackberry by Jorey Hurley; Hermit's Road by Harry Stooshinoff; Beast Coast by Matthew Korbel-Bowers; Flowers by Tali Yalonetzki; Flowers on a Table by Daniela Orlev; Ruth by Tali Yalonetzki.
LEAN INTO IT
Black Glitter Etching by Anna Ullman; Knuba, 2010 by Alex Kostinskyi; Untitled by Anna Ullman.
CORNER VIGNETTES
Forever by Ashley Woodson Bailey; Equine no. 1 by Lisa Golightly; Owl by Karyn Lyons.
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The Golden Rules for Staffing & Hosting an Event
Producing an event is no small feat, but here are the tips from some of the best event producers to get you on the right foot.
Photo by Arnelle Lozada
Producing an event is no small feat. From the passed apps to how many bottles of wine to buy to staffing there are a million tiny details to get right. Behind-the-scenes is rather different from front of house.
There's a reason "art" is part of the party. Hosting is an art and if you're looking to throw an event or produce one, Quench Staffing is breaking down the logistics and what to expect when you host a 50-100 person event.
1. HAVE FOOD AND DRINKS READY FOR WHEN GUESTS ARRIVE
Passed appetizers are important-- especially if you aren't hosting a sit-down meal. You can keep it simple while remembering the basics.
Napkins, bite-sized tasty morsels, and drinks. You don't want people twiddling their thumbs and thinking about how hungry they are.
People come to events hungry. Feed them.
2. STAFFING, JUST WHAT DO YOU NEED?
The staff will be well versed in serving etiquette and bussing procedures.
This is what Quench recommends for a 50-100 person event.
- 4-6 Mixologist Bartenders
- 4-6 Tray Passers passing both cocktails and food (Who wants to wait?!)
Quench says that occasionally clients don't take them up on their staffing count recommendations or forget to book bussers! Bussers are extremely important. Guests standing around with a dirty napkin or seeing empty plates scattered through the event is not an image you want.
What you do want? Guests with fresh cocktails in hand and the perfect bite within arms' reach at all times. This comes down to staffing right. Which brings us to the next "must":
OPT FOR A STAFF MANAGER
Staff managers are essential for large events. Quench is a well-oiled machine and operate as efficiently as possible! Popular A-list events with packed guests list can be very demanding and staff managers are able to relive the stress the client might be experiencing.
What you want to focus on is entertaining-- not micro-managing the kitchen or the rate at which apps are being consumed. A staff manager pays attention to all of the details so you can pay attention to your guests.
Mix, mingle, and make solid impression, while the staff manager handles the minutia.
A PLAYLIST IS A MUST
Music at an event is a non-negotiable. Radio commercials are a non-starter. It doesn't matter how gorgeous the decor is, how on top of it the staff is, or how tasty the morsels are, without music your event will fall flat, and your guests will u-turn out the door.
EXPECT YOUR HOME LEFT SPIC AND SPAN
There are certain tasks you might not realize a staff is responsible for. These are all deal points that can, and should, be discussed upfront. Quench loves leaving a home or venue perfectly clean so the hosts can kick back and bask in the afterglow of the event rather than worry about an after party mess!
One old hosting rule of thumb: never let your guests see you cleaning. You don't need to worry about dirty dishes in the sink.
Want more tips of how to nail your next event? Check out Quench Staffing and their recommendations while also taking full advantage of their unique staffing services tailored to any event you might have!
About Quench: From corporate events in need of marketing and branding, to weddings and private events, Quench can help you meet your unique entertainment and staffing needs. At Quench we believe in an hands-on staffing experience so we have developed a unique casting software allowing you to hand-pick your team from a selection of available reliable, professional, gorgeous model staff. We are here to exceed your expectations with our amazing team.
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How to Transition Your Work Wardrobe for Summer
Create your best workdrobe.
The weather is turning and so is your head toward key pieces for summer. Dressing in summer is more laid-back. Less austere. Which means it's time to ditch the black turtlenecks and leather jackets, but hold onto those black ripped jeans and bodysuits. You want office outfits that are comfortable, don't require extra AC, and have a casual Friday vibe to them, even on Mondays.
From adding in pastels and other light colors to the shoe-of-the-moment open back mule (backless is better!), there are easy ways to give your closet a minor update that don't break the bank. We're rounding up key pieces to add to your work wardrobe from TOPSHOP.
PULL OFF THE PASTEL
Fitted Suit Trousers. MOTO Denim Stripe Crop Top. Soft Tailored Jacket. KYLIE Backless Mule.
OFF-THE-SHOULDER IS OF THE MOMENT
To make the transition to summer brighten up the colors of your typical work wardrobe. From pastel pink off-the-shoulder tops and blue jeans with embroidered detailing to a stacked, lace-up neutral heel. Summer workdrobes are a bit more playful.
Structured Bardot Top. MOTO Embroidered Straight Jean. VIOLET Tassel Sandal.
LIGHTWEIGHT DUSTER IS A MUST-ER
The coat of summer, a lightweight duster has serious Great Gatsby '20s chicness and is the simplest way to dress up a pair of jeans. Plus you can thank the wardrobe gods that comfortable shoes are still being favored over stilettos. Slip on a pair of pink mules and give your toes a peak at sunshine.
C&C Asks: What Do You Create & Cultivate ? Part I
Everybody's cultivating community & it feels damn good.
We had our share of amazing and stellar panelists and keynotes at Create & Cultivate DTLA this past weekend. And with all of them on site, we had to pick their brains and ask them what they create and what they cultivate in their everyday lives as boss women in the digital space.
Check out Part 1 for some end-of-week inspiration!
Video courtesy of Juice Box Media.
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Jessica Alba Has a Crucial Piece of Advice for Your Career
It took getting over this insecurity for Honest to grow.
Photo by Sarah Natasha.
Jessica Alba might be a boss (of a company valued at over $1billion) but she doesn't dress like your average businessman or woman. When she took the stage Saturday at Create & Cultivate she told the audience the story of her first business conference.
"I feel like everyone here will appreciate this. I showed up to my first business conference with my business partner and it was 98% men. I was wearing a Dolce & Gabbana leather mini-skirt-- I had tights on-- and my partner told me, 'This is really inappropriate.' But I said, 'This is my business casual.'"
Jessica being Jessica is a move that paid off. Yet another example of power of authenticity, something that's a through-line of every conference we host.
Interviewed by former Create & Cultivate keynotes Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr the women openly chatted about preconceived notions and how people not taking you seriously fans your flame.
Here are our four favorite takeaways plus one piece of crucial advice every single woman should hear.
NO, THAT'S NOT THE PASSION.
"My journey into entrepreneurship is very similar to a lot of people. I found a need and an opportunity in the marketplace. I wasn't the only one who wanted a healthy, cleaner, high performance product that was beautifully designed, delivered to your door, and was transparent. And had a social mission. I was dreaming up a company I thought should exist and would touch home with a modern person. I went through three years of rejection and running into brick wall after brick wall and everyone in Hollywood looking at me sideways. They all asked me if I could do a perfume, and I said,'No, that's not the passion.'"
MAYBE YOU'RE ON TO SOMETHING
"I went down many different roads. I honed in on the idea. I took a 50-page deck and turned it into 20 pages and asked myself 'What are the essentials you need delivered every month?' The day-to-day stuff."
BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS ARE LIKE AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE
"I liken getting into business with someone as getting married right away, without ever dating. It's kind of like an arranged marriage, but you're into it. And you have to have respect with whomever you're in business with. You have to communicate. You have to be in it to win it. It's a real partnership."
THEY CAN'T TEACH YOU THAT IN BUSINESS SCHOOL
"There were people who didn't take me seriously-- pretty much everybody. One investor really didn't value me, the way I deserved to me valued. I could have gone with him and given up a huge chunk of the company. But because I really felt like I deserved more than that-- and I don't even know what it was or why I was so stubborn and resistant to that money, access, and distribution, it just didn't sit right. When I started a company I undervalued how important it is to trust your gut. They can't teach you that in business school. You have intuition and you have to listen to it."
SUPPORT YOUR WEAKNESSES WITH OTHERS' STRENGTHS
"I was super insecure about not having a college degree or a conventional education. And I really thought I wasn't smart or didn't deserve to have a seat at the table. I felt like a fraud in business settings. It took me getting over that for the company to get on its feet. It doesn't matter if you don't have a degree or expertise. Surround yourself with people who have done it before and support your weaknesses with their strengths."
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10 Most Gorgeous Instagrammable Spots at Create & Cultivate DTLA
Rolling Greens created a green dream.
When 500 attendees and 60 speakers gathered in Downtown Los Angeles this past Saturday for Create & Cultivate DTLA at Hudson Lofts they first passed under a verdant archway full of Protea, Air Plants, Banana Palms, Monstera Leaves, Umbrella Ferns and more green goodness, created by Rolling Greens. LA's premier destination for unique home and garden provided dream installations throughout the venue. Click through the below gallery for inspiration and be sure to visit the Rolling Greens Arrangement Bar for customized arrangements or ask them about their myriad of Design Services.
Photos by Irida Mete and Sarah Natasha.
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5 Incredibly Useful Tips from Top Startup Founders
"You want people who've watched boats burn."
photo by Irida Mete.
When Create & Cultivate founder Jaclyn Johnson took to the Shopstyle Stage on Saturday for the Startup 101 panel the first question on everyone's mind was, "Who makes that amazing chair?" (Bend Goods for the goods FYI.) The second, of course, was "What can I glean from these founders?"
From Ariel Kaye CEO founder of Parachute telling Cultivators "Being a founder is the best and worst thing ever, all the time," to Carly de Castro co-founder of Pressed Juicery joking, "I didn't know any entrepreneurs. I didn't know anything about business. And I thought well if I can learn to make juice, how hard can it be? It was really hard," there was so much note taking, nodding, and knowledge dropping. So we're recapping the best of the best to encourage and aid you with your entrepreneurial dreams.
YOU HAVE TO BE OBSESSED WITH YOUR COMPANY, OR IT WILL BURN YOU OUT.
Josh Zad, founder of Alfred Coffee told the audience, "Coffee is a timeless beverage. I opened the cafe and I became obsessed with it. I'm focussed 100% on food and beverage."
Gabby Etrog Cohen SVP of Brand Strategy at SoulCycle echoed this sentiment. "I'm not a founder," she told the crowd, "but I am SoulCycle's 5th corporate employee and helped grow the brand from four to 60 studios. We deliver service, we don't sell. It's of utmost importance for our riders to feel like family and to feel like from the moment they walk through our doors to the moment they leave they have someone who cares about them. It's why after six years I'm still so committed to the company."
"My soul," said Carly de Castro, "is part of this brand."
"My soul is part of this brand."
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KNOW YOUR BRAND AND STICK TO YOUR GUNS
If people aren't initially following or engaging, but you have a brand and a social strategy that you believe in, you can use that to carry you through until they do. Get your grid right but also stick to your vision.
"Coffee is infinitely sharable," said Josh Zad, "and the trending coffee shop phase took off at the same time as Instagram. But we had a strong social media strategy from day one. The same way we treated developing our menu and customer service strategy we had a focus on social media that we stuck to. When not that many people were following or engaging with us, we didn't get upset or change it all up. We stuck to the plan."
photo by Sarah Natasha.
CONTINUE TO ASK YOURSELF WHAT PROBLEM AM I SOLVING?
One of the most important questions you can ask yourself is "What problem am I solving?" It's a very simple question, but it's something that goes a long way. And if it's a problem that someone has already solved, ask yourself, "How am I doing it differently?"
There can be many solutions to one problem.
"We are a commodity product at the core of our business," said Ariel Kaye, "but there is also this movement around investing in yourself. One of my biggest ah-ha moments was that I didn't know where to go to buy these products and none of my friends knew where to go either. I had a brand background and I couldn't believe there weren't brands people were loving. You spend a third of your life in bed and yet none of these companies were asking me how I was sleeping at night or suggesting that I could do something differently to enhance my sleep."
"As a brand," Kaye added, "you should keep circling back to that core question."
ACCELERATORS ARE AN AMAZING RESOURCE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Ivka Adam, founder of Iconery whose company was part of Amplify, one of the top accelerators in Los Angeles, talked about the difference between incubators and accelerators.
"Incubators" explained Adam, "give space and a little bit of money to a company with an idea to get it off the ground. An accelerator is one step beyond that. It's for a company with fully formed idea and most often you get somewhere between $50,000-$250,000 to take your idea to launch. After a year of forming the idea, we had a working prototype and our manufacturing figured out, and we were starting to sell, which is when we got accepted into Amplify. Three months later we were able to raise our seed round."
Ariel Kaye chimed in on the importance of accelerators as well, telling the audience, "I was also in an accelerator and I have to say when you are are a sole founder and you feel like you are an island of one, being with other founders who are in that grind with you is a lifesaver."
THE RIGHT PEOPLE MATTER
Key hires are part of the founder struggle. (Along with "founder depression," something Ivka Adam told the audience "is very real.")
Creating the right team takes time, patience, and sacrifice, but it will also make all the difference in your business. Gabby Cohen shared "We like to say, if you have the right people on the bus, it doesn't matter where the bus is going. You change direction every 90 days." Ariel Kaye said something similar, "With hires you don't always need people to reinvent the wheel. You want people who've watched boats burned."
Hiring practices: "You want people who've watched boats burned."
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"Spend the money on talent," said Josh Zad. "Do not lose that person that's maybe a little more expensive. It will payoff in the long run."
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How to Host a Tasting Party Like a Boss (And Invite Her Too)
Patina Catering gives us the best (and most useful) tips.
Summer is coming! Which means great weather, soirees as the sun goes down, and outdoor gatherings with friends (and yes, sometimes colleagues.) A wine and cheese tasting party is a lovely way to enjoy the season, but if you haven't quite perfected the "art" of the party we have you covered.
Patina Catering, part of Patina Restaurant Group, is dedicated to creating memorable menus and experiences for so we asked for their best tips on how to host a summer wine and cheese party. They know with longer days right around the corner white or sparkling is the way to go-- and they're also spilling best practices for hosting your boss or co-workers.
JUST HOW MANY WINES SHOULD YOU HAVE?
And just how do you serve them? According to Patina, it's best to keep the tasting to around 5 different wines. Any more than that might overwhelm the palette.
It's also OK to mix reds and whites, but you should serve in order from lightest to darkest.
WHAT ARE THE BEST PAIRINGS?
- IF YOU'RE SERVING CHEESE:
- Cabernet Sauvignon with a nutty cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Sauvignon Blanc with soft goat cheese or French Roquefort
- IF YOU'RE SERVING CLASSICS
- Champagne with smoked salmon
- Chardonnay with gratin
- Pinot Noir with stone fruits and cured meats
HELP GUESTS IDENTIFY WHAY THEY'RE DRINKING AND EATING
Gold-plated place cards are a simple and chic way to let guests know what they're tasting. You can also choose a theme related to and stating each region/wine available with flavor notes.
Extra tip: Make it pretty because the details matter. If the wine has "notes of cherry," decorate that wine's tablescape with a bowl of Rainier cherries and cheeses like Chevre or Brie that work well with the pitted fruit. Display it with floral arrangements and the notecards. Each little "tasting" section can have its own gorgeous theme.
WHEN IT'S SOCIAL & WORK
It's called a tasting party, not a tipsy party. It's great to let your hair down and enjoy yourself, but if you've invited your boss, clients, or co-workers, make sure that you don't go overboard.
A night out with the girls is much different than socializing with your boss. Quick rule of thumb: the same things that make you stellar at the office, are the same that make you stellar at home. (At least when those higher-ups are present.)
Images courtesy of Patina Catering.
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6 of Rachel Zoe's Most Inspiring Create & Cultivate Takeaways
A truly uplifting convo between friends.
Photo by Irida Mete.
Rachel Zoe may have popularized such phrases as "I die," and "Bananas," but the multi-hyphenate who credited launching The Zoe Report as one of her smartest business decisions this past Saturday at Create & Cultivate DTLA, had much more knowledge to drop. Interviewed by friend, fellow businesswoman, and jewelry designer Jen Meyer, the impeccably dressed maven shared her savvy with the audience of 500. She also blushed crimson when Jen asked her how she works with her husband, Rodger Berman who was in the audience, and still goes home and f*cks him. "I just want you to know my nephew is here, so shh," Rachel laughed. Adding her signature, "I'm going to die right now."
"Rachel," said Jen before getting into the meat of their talk, "is quite possibly one of the most supportive friends, people, business women on the planet. When I started my jewelry company, one of the first people to support me and say 'I'm going to be everything I can for people to see it,' was Rachel."
Here are 6 of the most inspiring takeaways from Rachel and Jen.
They talked work ethic. What keeps her going?
"I love it. As I've grown from stylist to everything else, I am driven by the passion. It started with me wanting to be a great stylist and after that it was following my gut and instinct for what felt right." Later in the talk Rachel said, "I don’t think you can be good at something if you don’t love it."
What resonates through the Rachel Zoe brand?
"At the core of my brand I've always wanted to speak to, empower, and motivate young women. Give them confidence to do whatever they want to do in life. The mantra of my brand has always been: Provide aspiration and inspiration, and always be accessible. Never be intimidating. When someone shows a 20,000 dollar coat on a runway, I'm not ever saying that's what everyone needs to wear in order to look good."
Pre-panel snap in the Green Room. Photo by Irida Mete.
What is she like as a boss?
She has an open-door policy in her office-- but she rarely spends time in it. "Roger keeps threatening to close my office because I never go in it." She likes being in the middle of the creative energy and talking to everyone in the office. "We are so synergistic throughout the company-- everyone talks, and one part of the brand could not exist without the other." As for the members of her team, she had this to say: "Don’t micro-manage people. I think if you hire talented people, you have to let them be. Let them govern their time."
"Don’t micro-manage people. If you hire talented people, you have to let them be. Let them govern their time."
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What are the rules she lives by?
"It's about being honest, kind, and forthcoming. Internally and externally it's what we put out and it's how I govern my business and my life." Also adding, "Follow your gut and your instinct. I know what I know, but I know what I don't know. "
According to Jen, Rachel is a pro a balancing her life. How does she do it?
"Before I had children I felt I was very imbalanced. I was so obsessed with my career that I couldn't see anything else. I missed every birthday. I missed every holiday. I missed everything that mattered outside of work. And then weirdly when I had my first son I feel like I became better at my job. I was better able to focus, prioritize, look at really important things in a different way, and handle them in a much more sane way. I don't get worked up about things the way I used to and that has helped me achieve some balance."
But acknowledged, "Every day is different and a struggle and there is guilt on both sides when you're a working mom. You have to know you can't plan every day. It's never going to turn out the way you think it will. The ultimate goal is to be present when you're with your children and present when you're working."
What are some lessons she learned as a stylist that she's applied to her businesses?
"Really learning about people is the thing in styling that actually overrides all of the styling. You have to have patience, a true understanding that everyone is different; it's not a formula. These are not mannequins, they are people like you and me. They have problems and insecurities. Styling has really taught me that you have to work so hard for what you want in life. That this business is not always glamourous. And it helped me as a designer to know what women want and don't want."
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Dove and Create & Cultivate Host Top Influencers at #BeautyIs Dinner
Go behind-the-scenes with our favorite boss ladies.
Images by Sarah Natasha and Laura Dee
On Friday night Create & Cultivate DTLA kicked-off with a Speaker Dinner hosted by Dove at The Line Hotel. The guests gathered on the Breezeway to celebrate and dine on cuisine from famed LA chef Roy Choi.
Of the Dove partnership Jaclyn Johnson, founder of C&C told attendees, "When I started this company, what I was looking for was real advice, from real women. Those who had knowledge and ideas to share. Women who could inspire me. This is a notion that runs through all Dove campaigns. It’s at the core of their business."
Dove boasts a near 60 year heritage in helping women to reveal beautiful, radiant skin, believing when women look and feel their best, they feel happier.At the dinner Dove unveiled their new product collection that offers a beautiful way to celebrate the women in our lives. For the first time in nearly 60 years, Dove transformed its iconic Beauty Bar with the words love, kind, care, and real engraved for a limited time. Dove Dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara encouraged attendees to think of a woman in their life who embodies one of these words and to let her know what a positive impact she’s made by tagging her in a post using #BeautyIs.
At the dinner Kellee Khalil, founder of Lover.ly told us, "One of the most influential women in my life is my business partner, Peggy Fry. She is a twenty year media executive and she inspires me every day to be a better leader. But also a powerful woman who is able to get stuff done, but do so with grace."
Guests sat to a simple and chic tablescape, played with flash tattoos supplied by Dove, and in line with Dove's #BeautyIs campaign, chatted about what beauty means to them. To lead-off the evening Dr. Gohara told us, "Beauty is having confidence in yourself and appreciating your inner core and what makes you unique. It’s about celebrating each other and the strong, powerful women in our lives who have helped us along the way whether it be your mom, grandma, sister friend or mentor."
Gabby Etrog Cohen, VP of PR at SoulCycle said, "Beauty is a feeling of strength and feeling like the best version of yourself no matter what you have on. Frankly, I feel the most beautiful when I’m sweaty and dripping post class, whether that’s a dance class or a SoulCycle workout. I feel the most beautiful and the strongest when I am sweaty."
For a behind-the scenes look at the dinner and to hear what beauty means to some of the other guests, like Paola Alberi of Blank Itinerary and Nicolette Mason, browse the below gallery. We invite you to celebrate the woman who inspires you by tagging her using #BeautyIs.
Images by Sarah Natasha and Laura Dee
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How To Design Your Day and Plan Well In 4 Steps
Tips to design your life with productivity.
With Monday here, we know how busy life can get. Between meetings, appointments, set commitments, work or school and a social life, it can be hard to find the time to manage it all.
The Best Way to Balance? Plan Well, with Focus and Intention.
Our friends at Blue Sky create dated planners, calendars and notebooks that help people manage their time and organize their lives, effectively and fashionably. They were able to team up with Whitney English, creator of the iconic Day Designer & Create & Cultivate DTLA panelist, to create a collection of planners, calendars and accessories that offer stylish solutions to busy women all over the world. And if you didn’t notice, they brought the buzz to our Create & Cultivate DTLA gift bags too!
Whitney, who spoke this weekend on “She Means Business: The Balancing Act of Mother and Mogul” created the collection in response to her own desire for a planner that was both functional and beautiful.
“I envisioned a planner that would be simple to use yet robust enough to handle the modern woman's busy, chaotic, challenging - yet ultimately rewarding – life,” notes Whitney.
“An efficient planning system was truly the key to helping me, and busy women all over the world, find focus, create balance and live a more inspiring life.
Essential Steps for Living Your Best
Each Day Designer planner offers four easy steps (and special pages) for you to define your values, envision your goals and live your best.
Start with the Big Picture: Your big picture is a combination of your dreams, ideas about the life you want to live, and your vision of what the coming year could be. Use this space to brainstorm. Include thoughts about the people in your life and the kind of people you’d like to surround yourself with. Think about the non-negotiable activities and events in your days, weeks, months and years. Usually, you can start by thinking about what you spend your time and your money on as an indicator of what matters most to you. Challenge yourself to not only dream big on this page, but also to dream better. You can always come back to this page throughout the year and add to it, so don’t feel like you have to fill it out all at once.
Set Your Goals: Looking at your big picture list, ask yourself this question: what do I have the time, money, energy, knowledge, and network to start working on right now? That’s the question that tells you which of those big ideas are the most realistic to move forward on in this moment. Break your goals into categories to achieve a balanced life: family & friends; heart & spirit, business & finance, health & fitness, etc. Finally, assign dates to have your goal achieved by. If one goal feels too big, break it down into lots of little goals and space your milestone dates out to help you create progress and momentum toward achieving your goal.
Design Your Days: Be intentional. Each day is a unique reflection of you. Morning and evening routines should help you start each day energized, and finish with a sense of accomplishment. Your routine needs to work for you, but don’t fear challenging yourself to change it up every now and then.
Your routine needs to work for you, but don’t fear challenging yourself to change it up every now and then.
Stay on Course: Review your goals throughout the year. The checkpoint interval is not important. Some people review their goals daily, some review weekly, some choose the monthly or even quarterly option. The important thing is to remember to review them and make sure you’re on course, as well as celebrate successful milestones along the way.
Your Life, Well Designed
The line of planners, calendars and desk accessories empowers women to manage their busy daily lives with creativity and style.
The collection reflects Whitney’s sophisticated aesthetic with classic patterns, colorful floral accents, stripes and touches of gold to dress up any desk or life space. In addition to planners and calendars, the collection includes pencils, washi tape, a pen and clipfolio.
Each planner in the Day Designer for Blue Sky collection is designed to guide thoughtful, effective planning. Smart page layouts are available in weekly, monthly and daily formats to help you plan according to your needs and preferences.
With use, each Day Designer x Blue Sky planner becomes a reflection of the confident, empowered woman who designs her days and lives in balance.
Happy planning!
Top Career Advice from Chelsea Handler at Create & Cultivate DTLA
Photo by Irida Mete.
On Saturday night when Chelsea Handler took the stage at #CreateCultivateDTLA, we knew that comedienne would slay. From telling the audience how sick she is of answering how she feels about being "the only woman in late night" to talking about her own fears, she was every bit the boss we expected. Her life advice can be applied to business and vice versa.
Below find our nine favorite takeaways.
1. ON HER NEW SHOW (WHICH, IS SET TO PREMIERE May 11 on Netflix.)
"There are eleven men doing the same exact thing every fucking night. Used to be two. Now there are eleven. I’ll break every rule to make it more interesting."
2. WHEN AN AUDIENCE MEMBER ASKED HER ABOUT BEING FEARLESS
"I’m scared right now. I could fail on a global level. But I don’t think I will, because I embrace my fear. I’m not fearless. I live in fear. I just want it to go away, so I’m constantly trying to swim toward something, with floaties on. "
3. ON BEING CONFIDENT IN HERSELF
"You have to be so into what you're saying that you can convince someone to send you to Peru to take ayahuasca."
4. ON ROOTING FOR OTHERS' SUCCESS
"I want people to move past me, I want to help them, and have them succeed on their own."
5. ON GETTING OUT OF HER COMFORT ZONE
"I don't wanna go to Russia, but I'm interested in going, because I don't wanna go."
6. ON HATING FILTERS
"The important thing for women is to not use filters. I’m not filter friendly. I’m 41 now and I want to be a real person. And tell people, this is what it looks like, and that’s how powerful I can be."
7. ON HONESTY BEING THE BEST POLICY
"Every time we don’t tell the people that we love what we really think, we’re putting their lives off for another five years."
8. ON DEALING WITH SEXISM IN THE WORKPLACE
"What do I do? I’m fucking sexist right back. I say, 'You guys are idiots. And you’re fucking lucky I’m here.'"
9. ON SUPPORTING OTHER WOMEN
"It’s so important for women to know that they can rely on other women. Because there’s nothing worse than a fucking bitch. If it's a woman you don't like, just pretend. If it's a man, go off on him."
#CreateCultivateDTLA Quotes To Inspire You This Sunday
Inspiration from amazing boss women at #CreateCultivateDTLA.
Image by Irida Mete.
Can someone take us back to yesterday? Thanks to you and all of our amazing speakers, this Create & Cultivate is definitely one for the books. And even with a little bit of gloomy weather in the AM, Hudson Loft radiated beams from all the inspiring and motivating women that were there to support one another as bosses yesterday.
To keep up with the inspirational vibes from yesterday, we've rounded up some of our favorite quotes from yesterday's panels.
An Honest Look Into the Brand That Is Jessica Alba
The modern multi-hyphenate gives us 5 amazing pieces of advice.
Jessica Alba has been acting since the age of 12 and when her needs as a modern parent and conscious consumer weren’t being met she set out to create a solution. Founder of The Honest Company— a lifestyle brand that started as an online subscription business featuring safe and effective baby, personal care, home care, vitamins and supplements cleaners (10+ products), the line is now sold in over 6,000 locations, including Target and Whole Foods. She also recently launched Honesty Beauty, a comprehensive collection of high-performance skincare and makeup products, backed by the company’s Honestly Free Guarantee that all products are made without questionable or potentially harmful ingredients. She’s on a mission and is the modern version of a multi-hyphenate.
Here are 5 of our favorite lessons from the amazing honestprenuer.
1. WE CALL THEM MOTIV-HATERS
If someone is throwing shade your way because they don’t think you’re experienced enough, or know what you’re doing, use it to your advantage. Listen to Jessica when she says: “It’s hard for people to take anyone seriously who’s never done this before. But that just gave me fire to move forward.” You get to choose whether being underestimated is an obstacle or a motivation.
2. CHANGE BRINGS OPPORTUNITY
Continue to evolve as a brand and a person, it’s something the mom and business woman (and New York Times-bestselling author) knows well: “Every five years I feel like I’m a completely different person.” Most successful entrepreneurs have the ability to be fluid. It’s an attitude that helps them be the change agent from within their organization or business, and out into the world.
3. MANIFEST YOUR OWN SUCCESS
If you want something done, you go out and do it yourself. Even before Honest, Jessica has always been a proponent of creating her career. “I always wanted to be a big action star, to be as relevant as men. I was very aggressive with the vision and manifesting it.” Jessica has told the story many times of how the company got its start. In 2008 she was pregnant with her first child, daughter Honor, looking to find a solution to what she (and many other frustrated parents) saw as a lack in the market. She couldn’t find one brand with all of the safe and effective products she wanted to bring into her home, so she created it.
4. OVERCOMING DOUBT IS PART OF THE WORK
A lot of entrepreneurs talk about blind faith, but even with that faith, their ideas, strategies, and beliefs are tested. And the more successful you become, the more challenges you will face. Belief in your strengths--and knowing your weaknesses--will bolster you when the going really gets tough. Jessica says, “I believed that there was a real opportunity for my idea, but I had to get over my own anxiety about not having the typical business trajectory or schooling and I had to stay focused on the end goal. If you are constantly looking to the left or to the right, you are never going to get to the finish line. Regardless of your obstacles, the challenges you overcame to get to the finish line are going to make you stronger. Find confidence in your journey and don't be held back by your obstacles. And don’t let your failures define you, they actually prepare you for the next step."
"If you are constantly looking to the left or to the right, you are never going to get to the finish line."
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5. WORK HARD, WORK SMART, WORK UNTIL...
We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again. Time spent does not equal success, but successful people put the work in and aren’t afraid to commit to their dream heart and soul. Jessica says, "Don't be afraid to try it. You only have this one life to go out there and do what you can."
Arianna Schioldager is Create & Cultivate's editorial direction. You can find her on IG @ariannawrotethis and more about her on this site she never updates www.ariannawrotethis.com
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7 Life Lessons I Learned from a Two-Year-Old
Big teachings from a little peanut.
In the midst of our day-to-day, the rise, the grind, the email and making moves, it’s all too easy to forget the simple things. The parts of life that make us feel lucky to be here and the people that make us feel strong, inspired, and imbued with the confidence to carry-on. But if you slow down, it’s easy to see that something as small as one word or action can be impactful enough to change the course of a day, a year, a lifetime.
This is something that Dove understands. That a simple Beauty Bar, shared between generations of moms and daughters, friends and sisters, can reveal radiant and beautiful skin. That one word has the power to change your outlook on the world. It’s why for a limited time the words love, real, kind or care will be engraved into the Dove Beauty Bar. Four letters that remind us as women to love, care, be kind, and be real with ourselves-- and the other women we are grateful to have in our lives.
In honor of Mother’s Day, who better to remind us about the power of words, than a child first learning and experiencing the wonder of language? Because a conversation with a two-year-old is the most real, most honest conversation you will have at any point, during any day, and they are wise beyond their years.
“CLOSE THE COMPUTER”
This is for the woman who is committed to her job, but deserves to take a break. We all know how easy it is to fall into the trappings of work. We think, in order to get ahead we need to bury ours in work. This isn’t the case, and sometimes the best thing you can do for your career and life, is close the computer and focus on the people in front of you.
IT’S OK TO CRY
How poignant, and at the same time, how difficult for us to understand as adults. We’re told that we should step outside if we need to cry. But there is strength in understanding and giving in to your humanity and emotion. We’re strong, independent, and capable but no one needs to be the rock all the time. That’s what leaning on your team— work and personal— is for. Know that crying doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human.
"Crying doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human."
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YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL MOMMY
To a two-year-old, what is most beautiful is the love you share. It has nothing to do with what you wear, if you’ve done your hair, or if your makeup is just right. This is a message we can carry to all our friends, and every woman in our life. What makes you beautiful is how you radiate.
I AM SO BRAVE
Fear is normal (especially when it comes to starting a business or taking a leap of faith like so many of us have done) but there would be no bravery without fear. There would be no reward without risk. So go for it. Whatever it is. And when things don’t land exactly where you planned, memorize this next lesson.
IT’S GONNA BE OK.
It doesn’t always seem like it, and days when you’re down feel like they’ll last a lifetime. But you have survived every single one of your worst days yet. That’s a fact, and the women in your life are there to support you. So know with certainty, that it’s gonna be OK.
WHY DID YOU EAT THE ICE CREAM, ALL?
We don’t have to do everything in order. Sentence structure included. We get so caught up in making sure we check things off our to-dos (both work and life) but there is no one right path. In fact, switching up your path and doing a few things out of order is occasionally what the life doctor orders. (And remember: sometimes it’s perfectly OK to eat all the ice cream and love yourself for it.)
"Sometimes it’s perfectly OK to eat all the ice cream and love yourself for it."
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I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU
There are never enough ways to say “I love you.” There is never a wrong way to say it either. When a child reaches out touches your face, and whispers, “I love you, I love you, I love you,” take it as a cue to spread the love far and wide.
Whether it’s your mom, grandmother, sister, daughter, friend or mentor, I invite you to use the power of words to honor a beautiful woman in your life. Share a post, a tweet, a picture, and let her know how much she means to you. Tell her how she shows you the meaning of love, kind, real or care, using the hashtag #BeautyIs.
Arianna Schioldager is the editorial director at Create & Cultivate. She wishes every mom out there a very happy, love-filled Mother's Day.
Image of Scout The City via Unsplash.
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Join us for the #CreateCultivateDTLA Attendee Happy Hour!
Join us in kicking off this weekend's festivities at WeWork DTLA!
What would a Create & Cultivate conference be without our attendee happy hour? We're beyond excited for this weekend's festivities, and we're kicking it all off tomorrow at WeWork's Gas Tower location in DTLA!
If you're ready to put your networking skills into action right before the conference, join us! Full details below:
WeWork Gas Tower, DTLA
555 West 5th Street, 35th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013
6PM - 7:30PM
Beer, wine, light snacks, and valet will be provided. Also, a photobooth from Flipbooth will be on site!
To enter, make sure you have your badge or a print out of your ticket confirmation, and you're all set! (This event is reserved for Create & Cultivate DTLA attendees ONLY.)
See you tomorrow night LA!
Go Behind the Scenes of Our Brunch with Topshop
A brunch full of babes to kick-off the weekend!
Not even a little morning drizzle could dampen the mood at the kickoff Create & Cultivate x Topshop brunch at Estrella on Sunset in West Hollywood. It was florals and fun when the sun came out, and speakers, influencers, and bloggers enjoyed a preview of Topshop's Summer Collection as Carly Kuhn AKA @thecartorialist live-sketched illustrations of the fashionable brunchers. Click through the gallery below for snaps of ladies like Paola Alberi from Blank Itinerary, Teni Panosian, Marianna Hewitt from Life with Me, and some scrumptious "Bread Pudding" French toast.
Images courtesy of Irida Mete.
Here's All The OOTD Inspo You Need For #CreateCultivateDTLA
This should help you with deciding what to wear this weekend.
We are only two days away from #CreateCultivateDTLA this Saturday - are you ready LA?
You may or may not be packing for this weekend's festivities, and if you're still debating on what you should wear to the conference, we've got you covered. We've picked some of our favorite outfits from our past attendees for some major outfit inspo for this weekend, and if you missed it, here is an outline of all the things you should bring in your bag. Rule of thumb: be comfortable and wear comfy shoes! It's going to be a long day!
Share your OOTD's this weekend on social and make sure to tag us and #CreateCultivateDTLA to show us your outfits! We'll be sharing our favorites!
