How Shenae Grimes and AnnaLynne McCord Balance Being BFFs and Biz Partners
This week on WorkParty, the co-hosts of "Unzipped" don't hold back.
Photo: Courtesy of Shenae Grimes & AnnaLynne McCord
Listen to the full episode here.
Going into business with a friend can be an incredible experience, but it can also be a real challenge. You need to ensure your values, goals, and work ethics align.
So, how do you make it work with your bestie? How do you maintain healthy boundaries between being friends and being business partners? How do you navigate creative differences and make sure both of your opinions are heard?
To talk about what it really takes to go into business with a friend, Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate and host of the “WorkParty” podcast, chatted with Shenae Grimes and AnnaLynne McCord on this week’s episode of “WorkParty.”
Although Shenae and AnnaLynne played fictional best friends on the CW show “90210,” today, they’re real-life besties and co-hosts of the podcast “Unzipped” where they talk about everything from friendship and parenting to pop culture and social issues.
On the “WorkParty” podcast, Jaclyn asked these BFFs turned business partners what it’s like to navigate the friend-business-partner relationship, why they decided to launch a podcast, and so much more. Listen to the full episode here.
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On starting a podcast together…
“We like people's stories. We like having in-depth conversations. We like questioning ourselves, we like questioning other people, and we're not afraid to quote-unquote go there.” — Shenae Grimes
On finding value outside of your career…
“You can be rich in life and not be the richest and most famous.” — Shenae Grimes
On being an advocate for children…
“I want to be a part of creating a world where we don't see the number of child suicides that we're seeing right now. For example, children as young as eight and nine years old, are killing themselves.” — AnnaLynne McCord
On prioritizing a career with work-life balance…
“Ultimately, what led me down wanting to get into the content creation thing and veer away from acting was the freedom to work from home, so that I could physically be present with my family instead of on a set for 16 hours a day.” — Shenae Grimes
On balancing friendship and business…
"This is business. If there's a decision that needs to be made, this is not about your heart or your feelings, this is about money." — AnnaLynne McCord
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“Save Aggressively”—How Samara Walker Bootstrapped Her Business While Working 9-to-5 at Amazon
This week, on WorkParty.
Photo: Courtesy of Samara Walker
Listen to the full episode here.
Side hustles are on the rise.
According to a recent survey, as many as one in four Americans are planning on starting a side hustle in 2021. On top of the 34% of people who have already started a side hustle venture this year.
But starting a side-hustle while working a 9-to-5 isn't easy. It takes determination, drive, and passion. Which is something that today’s WorkParty guest, Samara Walker, knows a thing or two about.
Samara started the luxury nail polish brand Àuda.B while working full-time as a senior financial analyst at Amazon after noticing that women of color aren’t often represented within luxury beauty.
And, thankfully, major retailers have taken notice, too. Earlier this year, Àuda.B launched at Nordstrom, becoming the first Black-owned polish brand to be sold by the retailer. (Which is incredible!)
On this episode of WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johnson chats with Samara all about how she went from full-time employee to full-time entrepreneur, and how she’s pushing the beauty industry forward in the process.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On self-funding Àuda.B through her Amazon paycheck…
“I created a direct deposit that went to my business bank account, so every time I got paid that was the money that I automatically put aside for Àuda.B.”
On building a network…
“Build your network. Ask questions. No question is a stupid question.”
“Always have some type of intimate circle and never be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and ask things that you don't know about.”
On the pros and cons of bootstrapping a business…
“The pros are your hundred percent hands-on and you have the ability to learn from the ground up.”
“It allows you to see your business at full scale because you have your hands in the pot on everything.”
"One of the cons is you're not able to scale as quickly as possible, and the lack of resources. Not only are investors money, but they also come with tons of knowledge and resources."
On being the best version of yourself as a founder…
“Be the best person that you can be right now.”
“You're going to grow and develop over time, but don't try to go from one to 10 because you're going to miss all those phases of your life and all those phases of growth that your company that you could have learned from.”
“Failures are successes.”
On the best career advice she’s ever received…
"Dreams are real, but the hustle sold separately."
On the money advice she always gives to entrepreneurs…
“Save aggressively. Save as if your life depended on it.”
Photo: Courtesy of Àuda.B
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Making a Comeback: How Perseverance Can Help You Pivot to New Possibilities
This week, on WorkParty.
Listen to the full episode here.
It’s no secret that COVID-19 has challenged small businesses everywhere to rethink the brick-and-mortar business model. With physical retail locations closing and e-commerce on the rise, it's been crucial for small businesses to pivot to digital to weather the pandemic.
By the numbers: Online sales grew by nearly 50% at the peak of the pandemic, and experts are predicting the shift may be permanent. According to a recent survey, 41% of consumers are currently shopping via social media and 51% say they’ll continue to use in-app shopping post-COVID.
Bank of America recently released their yearly survey of small business owners in the 2021 Small Business Owner Report. Their research found that business owners have started to regain their footing as economic confidence, business revenue expectations, and hiring plans bounce back significantly from levels seen in the fall. For example, 50% of SBOs are confident the national economy will improve – up significantly from 37% last fall, and 60% expect their revenue to increase – up even more from 34% last fall.
To address the impact of the pandemic, business owners tapped into various funding sources to stay afloat and made operational changes that they anticipate will continue going forward. More than half of SBOs tapped into funding sources such as personal savings, business credit cards and PPP loans. A majority of SBOs anticipate that the operational changes they made in response to the coronavirus will continue beyond the pandemic – specifically enhancing their sanitation practices and further building a digital sales strategy.
Regardless, entrepreneurship is on the rise—and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Today, nearly 40% of the workforce is made up of freelancers, temps, independent contractors, and solopreneurs, and a growing number of millennials and Gen-Zers are becoming solopreneurs—61% of independent millennials are planning to stay independent as solopreneurs.
So, how do you successfully lead your business through COVID-19? How do you turn a seemingly insurmountable challenge into an opportunity? And how do you start planning for the “new normal” when the future is still unwritten?
On this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn sits down with Ellen Marie Bennett, the founder and CEO of Hedley & Bennett, the leading Los Angeles based culinary workwear brand, to answer these questions and discover what it takes to weather the storm, and outfit hundreds of thousands of home cooks all over the world. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in the know at workparty.com.
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Monique Rodriguez on Building a Multi-Million Dollar Business (and Having Megan Thee Stallion on Speed Dial, NBD)
“Success is not owned, it’s rented—and rent is due every day.”
Photo: Courtesy of Monique Rodriguez
Monique Rodriguez knows a thing or two about scaling a business.
In 2014, she started mixing up homemade haircare solutions in her kitchen. Now—cut to 2021—and her brand, Mielle Organics, has grown into a multi-million-dollar company with products sold in over 100,000 major retailers, including Target, Walgreens, and CVS.
And, earlier this year, Monique secured a “significant investment” for Mielle Organics from Berkshire, which typically makes equity investments of $100 million to $1 billion in size. Needless to say, it’s a huge deal. But it’s not just about turning a profit for Monique.
She’s paying it forward with her More Than a Strand philanthropic initiative, which includes $200,000 in scholarships for HBCU students and $1 million for the brand’s Global Education and Entrepreneurship Program in partnership with Rutgers University and the Newark Business Hub.
This week on WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johnson chats with Monique about how she scaled her business from self-made to shelf space and how she’s paying it forward to fellow entrepreneurs along the way.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On growing with the business…
“We grew with the company and we had to pay a lot of money and make a lot of mistakes in order for us to learn from those mistakes.”
On securing funding…
“Funding is a huge challenge, especially for a Black-owned business going into the retail space. You're competing with conglomerate brands that have way more marketing dollars than you have as a small Black-owned business.”
“We had to really fight for our shelf space, and we really had to prove that we deserve to be there.”
On landing an investment from Berkshire Partners…
“It truly defined how we are changing the narrative for Black women. This deal means so much more than just the figure behind it, it paves the way and it shows the value that we as Black women bring to the table.”
“[Black women] build great businesses, but sometimes we're not afforded the same opportunity as our counterparts to scale our businesses.“
“[Black women] don't have to give away our majority stake and we don't have to have our company acquired, we can still maintain that destiny and have majority ownership and still make the decisions we need to make in order to scale.”
On enlisting A-list brand ambassadors like Saweetie and Megan Thee Stallion to reach new consumers…
“Working with big names is great, but if you don't have a relationship or a connection with them, they'll get paid and they'll treat your brand like it's nothing.”
“I have most of my celeb ambassadors on speed dial.”
On paying it forward to the next generation of entrepreneurs…
“The seeds that we plant today are for the next generation to blossom.”
On building a profitable business…
“In order to build a profitable company, you have to know everything there is to know about your business and your spend, your cost of goods. You need to be looking at your P&L sheet, your financials.”
On building generational wealth…
“When you build something great that's profitable, you have leverage and you have the ability to pretty much dictate what you require in order for somebody to acquire your business or for somebody to buy a portion of your company and that can set you up for many generations to come.”
On uplifting her community…
“Continuing to uplift and raise our community as we continue to climb this ladder of success is ultimately you know what truly drives me.”
On her definition of success…
“Success is not owned, it’s rented—and rent is due every day.”
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How This Fitness Co-Founder Turned Her Passion into a Successful Business
This week, on WorkParty.
Listen to the full episode here.
Over the past year, at-home workouts have soared–but there is one platform that stands apart from all the rest. Meet P.volve, the accessible, at-home fitness method that everyone is talking about.
In short, the method combines resistance-based, high-intensity, low-impact movements to strengthen, sculpt and energize the whole body (much like pilates).
Beyond the studio, the brand offers a global on-demand platform featuring hundreds of workouts, a growing line of patented equipment, and physical studios in NYC, Chicago, and LA. The wellness-forward startup has garnered attention for flipping traditional fitness on its head and captured an impressive and loyal community (that includes some major names) in the process.
On this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn sits down with P.volve Co-founder, Rachel Katzman, for an inside look behind the revolutionary fitness brand––including driving the creative vision of the company forward, growing the digital platform, and looking to establish P.volve’s footing in the fitness space–and doing it all successfully in sweatpants. (...a true legend!). Join the party on social @workparty and stay in the know at workparty.com.
Subscribe to WorkParty
and never miss an episode.
On the meaning of the name P.volve…
"P.volve stands for personal evolution"
On what makes P.volve different from other fitness methods…
"We focus on dynamic joint movement, combined with one of a kind resistance training that's really going to strengthen and activate each muscle in your body––which is then going to improve your performance and reduce pain."
"With P.volve you can have your cake and eat it too."
On cutting through the noise in a saturated industry…
"If a product works and the experience is really good, word gets around."
On the entrepreneurial learning curve...
"You have to teach yourself as you go, and that's really the best way to learn."
On raising capital and scaling...
"If you wait until something's perfect to get it out the door, someone else is going to do it before you."
On being a CEO...
"I needed to fall a few times to realize that it's okay to ask for help."
"I don't want to be the smartest person in the room. I want to ask a million questions."
On the advice she would give her younger self...
"I'm a big believer that everything leads you to where you are meant to be."
On holding space for fitness as a passion, and not just a career...
"I believe movement is medicine."
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Why the Best Path to Success Is Your Own, According to Nutrafol’s Founders
This week, on WorkParty.
Listen to the full episode here.
The experience of thinning hair is not only a physical journey, but an emotional one. Many people, especially women, suffer from hair loss and thinning without support or understanding of why it is happening. But the truth is, this is an incredibly common experience for both men and women, and something that affects hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. alone.
For this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn sits down with the founders of Nutrafol, Giorgos Tsetis and Dr. Sophia Kogan, MD, to dive into their personalized and education-driven approach that has helped thousands and thousands of people suffering from hair loss around the world. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.
Subscribe to WorkParty
and never miss an episode.
Topics in this episode include:
The emotional journey of hair loss for both men and women
Taking a holistic approach to create and market a product with a personalized solution
Cultivating a community and providing customers with support throughout the emotional journey
Education and resources to help cope with hair loss
Developing a product that helps treat and target concerns throughout different phases of the life cycle (youth to adult development, stress, menopause)
Challenges (and wins) in entrepreneurship
Finding the path to success through personal experience
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How Tracey Wigfield Worked Her Way From ‘30 Rock’ Writer’s Assistant To Emmy Award-Winning Comedy Writer
This week, on WorkParty.
Photo: Courtesy of Tracey Wigfield
Listen to the full episode here.
Do you remember your favorite television shows growing up––the shows that not only got you through your adolescence, but where you discovered your first ‘tv crush’ or shed a few tears during that ‘one episode’ that tugged on your heart strings and left you wanting more? We’ve all been there. And we bet you can recount those memorable scenes and quotes too. So where do the creators of these newly reimagined television shows even start when they want to reintroduce their beloved show back to the world? And how do they continue to keep their episode topics relevant and trending in an industry where the audience's attention is so quick to jump ship?
Today I’m sitting down with producer and Emmy Award-winning writer, Tracey Wigfield, to discuss exactly that - how she helped create and write the critically-acclaimed and reimagined Saved by the Bell TV series on NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock. We’ll be tapping into the reimagined show, and the path that got her there - including her winning an Emmy alongside co-writer Tina Fey (Hello, amazing partner!) - and how she balances being a working mom in the process. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.
Subscribe to WorkParty
and never miss an episode.
On Her Career Journey
“I just kind of spent the first five months after school, I remember feeling like, “Oh my God, I’m floundering, I don’t even have a lead.”
On Being in the Writer’s Room
“It was very intimidating at first, because everybody’s talking really fast and everyone is really funny and pitching jokes and stuff and it felt overwhelming, but multiple people took me under their wing.”
On Working With Tina Fey
“I felt like it took me a year to not be terrified to open my mouth around her because I was just in awe of her.”
On Reimagining Saved By The Bell
“It felt like themes of privilege and wealth disparity and education and equality sort of were right on the table and that seemed really exciting and kind of unexpected for a Saved by the Bell reboot.”
On Finding the Balance When Merging Comedy with Challenging Social Issues
“What exactly do we want the end point of our message to be? And making sure we have these larger conversations about what we want to be saying about harder topics...just so everyone is clear, before you know, making it funny.”
On Advice For Aspiring Show Writers and Content Creators
“The funniest things to me are things and observations that feel true.”
On Balancing Motherhood With Career
“It’s a struggle but I also think I’m very lucky to be in a position where I have some power over my schedule. When you’re the boss...you are able to make your own hours.”
On The Traits That Got Me Where I Am
“I really love my job–I think that’s a big one. I don’t think you can be successful at something if you don’t.”
On Her Best Career Advice
“You know the answer often, and even when you’re in situations where you’re not quite ready to be doing this big job or whatever, you actually do have everything you need to be doing it.”
On What Success Looks Like to Her
“I think it’s making the life for yourself that you want, and then once you do that, using the power you have to empower other people to do the same.”
“If I'm Going to Be Promoting Health and Well-Being, Why Would I Not Talk About My Own Personal Journey?”
Ashley Tisdale on opening up about her experience with anxiety and depression, launching Frenshe, and more.
Photo: Courtesy of Ashley Tisdale
Listen to the full episode here.
Ashley Tisdale has starred in wildly popular shows and TV movies, playing every character from an enterprising teen as Maddie Fitzpatrick in “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” to a scene-stealing antagonist as Sharpay Evans in “High School Musical.”
But now, she’s stepping into a new role as a health and wellness industry trailblazer.
As the founder of the health, wellness, and beauty site, Frenshe, she’s disrupting a saturated content market by rejecting unattainable beauty standards, confronting mental health stigmas, and opening up about her own self-love journey.
On this week’s episode of WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johson chats with Ashley Tisdale about launching Frenshe, her experience with anxiety and depression, and more.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On cultivating a genuine community online…
“You can't create an authentic audience unless you are authentic yourself.”
On opening up about her experience with anxiety and depression…
“If I'm going to be promoting health and well-being, why would I not talk about my own personal journey?”
On navigating missteps and mistakes…
“Yes, sometimes you fail, but it's how you get back up.”
“It's horrible and you feel such a failure, but you don't know where that moment is going to lead you to.”
On loving yourself and combating body-shaming…
“When you can love yourself is when you can love another.”
“If we can start to really love ourselves and our bodies, maybe we won’t be so judgmental over other’s bodies.”
On launching during COVID…
“It was kind of the weirdest timing launching in this moment, but in a moment where we're isolated and we want so badly to connect, I just felt like it was the perfect time.”
On defining success…
“I think of success as being everything as a whole, your family life, your personal life, what you do. It's not about numbers and judging yourself based on what works and doesn't work.”
On switching to a non-toxic lifestyle…
“The only way to change to non-toxic is to know it's a lifestyle, not a diet, and so it's never good to just jump all the way in.”
On her best advice for new entrepreneurs…
“Think of yourself as a start-up until you're not.”
"You're Going to Want to Quit 100 Times"—Julianne Hough Gets Real About Being an Entrepreneur
This week, on WorkParty.
Photo: Courtesy of Julianne Hough
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE.
Julianne Hough is the epitome of a multi-hyphenate.
She's an actress, dancer, singer-songwriter, and producer. Not to mention, a serial entrepreneur who's taking on the health and wellness space—and generating multiple revenue streams in the process.
Last year, she launched her innovative fitness platform KINRGY (with a little help from Oprah, no big deal!). And she recently started a wine brand with her BFF-turned-business-partner Nina Dobrev.
All this to say, Julianne has experience when it comes to pursuing her passions, managing her money and businesses, and inspiring others to chase their dreams along the way.
This week on the WorkParty podcast, host Jaclyn Johnson dives into the incredible career of this successful multi-hyphenate and her multiple revenue streams.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On having a vision and being flexible…
“Have a vision and go for it, but be flexible and malleable because you never know what's going to happen—and that's where the magic happens.”
On breaking through in a competitive industry…
“The more other people innovate, the more you innovate. I don't look at it as competition, I look at it as colleagues and peers that are creating.”
On being a multihyphenate…
“Know your strengths and know your weaknesses. Know what you're good at and like live in that place. Don't try to do everything.”
“Wherever your focus goes, energy flows.”
On starting a business…
“There's a lot of sacrifice that's involved and the reward is there when you realize that you're impacting people's lives.”
"You're going to want to quit 100 times, maybe 101. It's inevitable because you'll sometimes feel like, 'Is this all worth it?' I'm exhausted. But then you get these kernels of inspiration and it keeps you going."
“You don't even have to sell your company, but have an exit strategy.”
On the #1 piece of advice she’d give her younger self…
“Make sure that you're happy and that it's not taking and stripping you have your happiness, but that it's fueling and adding to it.”
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How to Build a Subscribe-Worthy Podcast With Olivia Perez, Host of Friend of a Friend
Listen up.
Photo: Courtesy of Olivia Perez
Podcasts are the hottest content medium of the moment. In 2021, people have already spent 15 billion hours listening to podcasts—and their popularity doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. By 2024, it’s estimated there will be 100 million podcast listeners in the United States.
With over 20% of people listening to podcasts on a weekly basis, podcasts pose a huge opportunity for content creators to reach a massive, highly engaged audience. Not to mention, a sizable revenue opportunity: In 2019, podcast advertising revenue reached over $708 million.
So, how do you build a podcast that attracts loyal listeners? How do you turn those 45-minute conversations into revenue streams? And how do you decide when to follow the metrics and when to follow your gut when curating guests and episode topics?
Thankfully, we had Olivia Perez—the host of the podcast “Friend of a Friend,” a weekly talk show where she interviews the next generation of luminaries like Maggie Rogers, Bella Hadid, and Symone Sanders—on the latest episode of WorkParty to help answer these questions.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On building a supportive team…
“You can’t do it all yourself.”
“Building a team, investing in people, and outsourcing things I’m not good at, have been the most important thing that have helped me continue to grow.”
On not getting distracted by the competition…
“If I impact one person, I’m thrilled about that and I’m excited about that.”
“My mantra has always been, ‘Keep your blinders on.’”
“If you stay true to your authentic self, your brand, and your mission, that’s what’s going to propel you forward.”
On navigating interviews that don’t go as planned…
“Part of being an interviewer is being quick on your feet and not being precious about anything.”
On turning a podcast into a revenue stream…
“It took me about a year and a half to get a steady flow of advertisers in.”
On playing the long game…
“Podcasting is a long game. You’re not going to wake up one morning and have millions of downloads.”
“If you’re persistent and you’re ambitious about it and you’re ready to ride it out, it will reward you.”
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79% of Women Are Feeling Weighed Down by Money and Stress—The Millennial Money Expert Is Here to Help
On the WorkParty podcast, Tonya Rapley shares her top money tips.
Photo: Courtesy of Tonya Rapley
One year into the COVID-19 crisis, women are more financially stressed than ever.
Studies have shown that women typically suffer from more money stress than men, but the coronavirus pandemic has put even more of a strain on women. In fact, a recent survey by Fidelity Investments revealed 79% of women are feeling weighed down by money and stress, which is up from 67% last fall.
To talk about practical ways to take control of your finances, manage your money anxiety, and make smart money moves during these trying and stressful times, Jaclyn Johnson sat down with Tonya Rapley, a.k.a “The Millennial Money Expert” and founder of My Fab Finance, on this episode of WorkParty.
Tonya has completely changed the game, turning the once stuffy financial industry into a fun, familiar, and, dare I say, cool space. She’s been named the “New Face of Wealth Building” by Black Enterprise magazine, lauded as a modern “history maker,” and honored on Create & Cultivate’s CC100 List.
Scroll on to tune into the episode (and grab a pen because Tonya drops some serious knowledge!) and read on for just a few of the many, many mic-drop moments.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On setting your financial goals…
“Your financial goals should be based on what’s most important to you. Is it important to you to retire early and travel the world? Is it important for you to continue to work and build passive income and then retire? What’s most important to you?”
On assessing your unique financial situation…
“A lot of people want to do things the ‘right’ way because they’re afraid of doing things the wrong way, but right looks so different for so many people.”
On managing COVID-induced money anxiety...
“First, we have to question where that anxiety comes from and if it’s own or if it’s external or environmentally induced anxiety when it comes to our finances.”
“A lot of times it’s helpful to just go sit and look at the numbers. Sit down and look at your bank account, look at your expenses. Really face the numbers.”
On leaning on your support system…
“If you are dealing with things like a loss of income, then really lean on your support network. Be honest and transparent and ask for what you need.”
“Ask for what you need and don’t be ashamed to do it because everyone has seasons when they need support and help.”
“No one is going to judge you for what you’re going through. It’s a collective experience.”
On investing your money as a beginner…
“Start small. Use that money to learn. Don’t put it all in one place at one time and don’t go out and buy what is trending, such as Game Stop.”
“Don’t be afraid to hire someone else to do it. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it on your own or if you don’t have the space to learn.”
On her top three money tips for WorkParty listeners…
“Make sure that you’re saving. You always want to make sure you’re saving so you can be your own emergency fund.”
“Don’t overcomplicate your finances. Start with what’s simple and try to keep things simple for as long as possible.”
“If you don’t know how to do it, find someone who does.”
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This Entrepreneur is Leading a Revolution to End to Period Stigma and Taboo
Breaking the taboo–period.
The topic of menstruation and period care products has long been stigmatized. Within the femcare industry, breaking down the barriers to innovation first requires breaking longstanding taboos – and that's exactly what Carinne Chambers-Saini intends to do.
As the CEO and Co-Founder of DivaCup and a champion for menstrual equity, Carinne is revolutionizing the period experience by taking the concept of menstrual cups from niche to mainstream,
In this episode of WorkParty, I’m sitting down with Carinne to chat about overcoming adversity, balancing purpose and profit, and finally breaking taboos––Period.
Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.
“Using our business as a force for good and as a vehicle to create meaningful change in the world is what drives our success–that is really what I’m most proud of.” –Carinne Chambers-Saini
“That’s entrepreneurship–you’re always going to be faced with new challenges and things are always changing–you can never get too comfortable.” –Carinne Chambers-Saini
“Anytime an opportunity I was excited about fell through, there was almost always something better that came behind it.”–Carinne Chambers-Saini
Driven Women Who Dream Big
Key takeaways: Dream big and believe in yourself.
Ayesha Coker brings the Porsche brand to life as the Director of Experiential Marketing for Porsche Cars North America, Inc. She leads a high-performing team focused on experiential brand marketing, strategic partnerships, driving programs, and the Porsche Club of America. In the midst of our new reality, strong leaders like Ayesha stand out by innovating, adapting, and fostering connection in new and even unconventional ways.
As an entrepreneur, Mattie James is a total BOSS in the truest sense of the word and she really does walk the talk. Not only has she successfully turned her passion project into a thriving business but she’s bringing the rest of us along with her thanks to her online courses and downloads that teach us how to build a multi-figure business, too.
In this episode of WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johnson sits down with both of these ladies to discuss how to turn your ambition into a booming business, and level up your leadership skills. If there’s one message they want you to take away from the conversation, it’s to dream big and believe in yourself.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
“In a position of leadership, you must learn how to listen to your team.”
Ayesha Coker, Director of Experiential Marketing for Porsche Cars North America, Inc
On pursuing your passion full time...
“It was really easy for me because I was fired. When you get fired you have to figure things out rather quickly.” – Mattie James
“Take action – it's hard to stop momentum.” – Mattie James
“You cannot manufacture momentum.” – Jaclyn Johnson
On the challenges…
“2020 was definitely a year to remember, but I loved watching how my team came together to create unique brand experiences for our customers.” – Ayesha Coker
“We listened to our customer and really took it to heart, banding together as a team to create unique experiences during such a challenging time.” – Ayesha Coker
On ditching the perfectionist trope…
“Being present is way more is way more important than being perfect.” – Mattie James
“There is no way to be a perfect mother, but there's a million ways to be a good one.” – Mattie James
“I like to call it life-work balance, because those are my priorities. When you honor life, you honor work and vice versa.” – Mattie James
On pivoting experiential Porsche events…
We quickly realized that nothing replaced human connection. Nothing replaced that one-on-one experience that people were longing for.” – Ayesha Coker
“Our customers are an extension of us – they're like an extended family, as we would say.” – Ayesha Coker
“We had to create our own space, so that's what we did. We called it ‘Stay Driven’ because we wanted people to stay driven during the pandemic, not to forget that we will get through it.” – Ayesha Coker
Mattie James, Influencer
““Being present is way more is way more important than being perfect.” ”
On leadership learnings...
“Having a following as an influencer is one thing, but having a community that really believes in the value of your offering is another thing.” – Mattie James
“In a position of leadership, you must learn how to listen to your team.” – Ayesha Coker
“Sometimes leaders are expected to know everything, but I find what the team needs the most is support, honesty and a clear vision.” – Ayesha Coker
“As a leader, you have to make quick decisions and then you have to stand by them.” – Jaclyn Johnson
“I tell my team that we may have different titles, but at the same time, we have the same goals.” – Ayesha Coker
On pursuing your dreams…
“Find that uncomfortable middle – you don't want to be comfortable, but you do want to make sure you're taking a calculated risk.” – Mattie James
“Get clear on what it is that you want to do, get clear on what it is that you're trying to accomplish, and when do you want to accomplish it.” – Mattie James
“We love to overwhelm ourselves with big audacious dreams. Take a deep breath, and break it down into digestible pieces.” – Mattie James
On building your dream career…
“Go with your gut. Never second guess yourself. Show confidence at all times. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Live your most authentic self.” – Ayesha Coker
“Self-leadership is so important. It’s plays into the trifecta self-awareness, self-confidence and self-care.” – Mattie James
“Be intentional about self-care.” – Ayesha Coker
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Jamie Kern Lima Shares Her #1 Piece of Advice for Overcoming Rejection
Her success is a testament to why you should never take “no” for an answer.
Photo: Courtesy of Jamie Kern Lima
It’s not easy to cope with rejection. No matter how many times you hear “no,” it never gets any easier to swallow. But learning how to deal with and overcome rejection is essential if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur. And nobody knows this better than IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima. Before the ubiquitous beauty brand became the household name that it is today, Jamie pitched IT Cosmetics to retailers for three years (!) before she got a “yes.”
And it’s safe to say her persistence has paid off. Today, IT Cosmetics has over 1,000 employees and is one of the largest makeup brands in the country, not to mention one of the top-selling brands at Sephora, ULTA, and QVC. And Jamie has been named on the 2020 Forbes Richest Self-Made Women list, Goldman Sachs’ 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs, and WWD’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Beauty. Essentially, her success is a testament to why you should never take “no” for an answer.
In this episode of WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johnson sits down with Jamie to chat about how she cultivated confidence in the face of rejection, overcame self-doubt, and built a veritable beauty empire.
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On launching IT Cosmetics…
“I knew nobody in the beauty industry, and I knew nothing about how to start and scale a makeup company.”
“My husband and I wrote the business plan for IT Cosmetics on our honeymoon flight. Got back, quit our jobs, and dove all in.”
On facing rejection…
“The first three years of the brand were really hard.”
“I would send products to Sephora, Ulta, QVC, and the department stores and every single one of them said ‘no.’”
“I couldn’t afford to pay myself for the first three years and we got down to under $1,000 in our personal and business bank account.”
On IT Cosmetics becoming the #1 luxury makeup brand in the U.S.…
“This company that I created in my living room with close to no money is now larger than all of those brands that I used to save my Denny’s tip money to buy.”
On tuning out the noise…
“There is so much noise all around us, from our own self-doubt and our own inner critic to other people’s opinions.”
“The dial of the volume is so loud that we don’t know how to hear our own gut anymore and we second guess it.”
On coping with the “no’s”…
“Our humanness wants to take it personally when someone tells us that we’re not the right fit or your vision isn’t going to work.”
“No matter what kind of rejection I got, I made the decision not to take it personally.”
On believing in yourself…
“Learning to believe in yourself and trust yourself are the only ways to become the person you’re born to be.”
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This Beauty Entrepreneur Is Changing the Industry With an Accessible Under-$15 Brand
This week on the WorkParty podcast.
Photo: Courtesy of Colette Laxton
Any investment in knowledge pays interest, even (and especially) when it comes to the beauty industry. With so many brands available in a highly competitive market, how do consumers see through the marketing clutter and educate themselves in order to make informed purchasing decisions? Thankfully, The INKEY List is imparting the beauty of knowledge to their ever-growing community.
Founded by Colette Laxton and Mark Curry in 2018, The INKEY List is the ultimate affordable, accessible, transparent, and efficacious skincare brand, born from a belief that better knowledge powers better decisions. Frustrated by the lack of transparency and education in the skincare industry, Colette and Mark saw a clear gap in the market for a skincare brand that actually informed their customers about what they were buying. Having seen platforms full of communities that were turning to each other through the confusion about products, ingredients, and what brands were telling them, they knew that knowledge needed to be at the heart of their business.
In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn sits down with Colette to dive into The INKEY List’s information-driven mission and the challenges of creating a beauty brand while simultaneously educating their customer.
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On having a co-founder…
“It blows my mind that people have companies on their own. Having a co-founder to scream at, to cry with, to celebrate with, I honestly commend and I’m in awe of anyone who can do it on their own.”
“This is more than a marriage we’re talking about because this is your future, this is your finances, this is your life. Having someone you can 100% trust is the cornerstone of any co-founder relationship.”
On democratizing skincare…
“The single-ingredient products were driven by this idea of democratizing skincare and making it as simple as possible for everyone to understand, but if you want to make it accessible to everyone, then the price needs to be accessible too.”
“To create every product under $15 has been crazy hard to do, but it’s also a challenge from a customer perception perspective. Teaching consumers that you don’t have to pay $50 for a serum is actually the biggest challenge that we face.”
On breaking into a competitive industry…
“It’s not about what you do, it’s about why you do it, and we so clear from the outset about what our brand’s superpower are: knowledge and education.”
“As an entrepreneur, if you can find a point of difference, start with “why” and really understand what you’re doing and why.”
On launching at Sephora…
“We launched with Sephora in the U.S. within six months of our brand launch. We didn’t even have a warehouse in the U.S., and we had to take on extra funding in order to afford the stock to support Sephora.”
“We were scrambling behind the scenes and had no idea how Sephora worked. They were talking about endcaps and fixturization, and we were nodding and smiling, then Googling what to do.”
On navigating tough times…
“People are going to tell you you’re idea is rubbish or it’s never going to work, just stay in the game. Keep that passion that you’ve got inside you and just stay in the game.”
On being an entrepreneur…
“You literally give up your life. There’s no part-time entrepreneur, and I would say I’ve definitely given up three years of my life. It looks really cute and fun, but it is so much hard work.”
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How Journalist Noor Tagouri Became a Voice of Our Generation
On WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson chats with the award-winning journalist about her impressive career.
Photo: Smith House Photo for Create & Cultivate
Noor Tagouri has the eyes and ears of our generation at her fingertips. At only 27 years old, the Libyan-American journalist, producer, and touring speaker has earned international recognition as one of new media’s most impactful voices by encouraging others to stand up, speak out, and be themselves.
With an engaged community totaling over two million followers, Noor is using storytelling to share the perspectives of marginalized people with the world. She famously put U.S. sex trafficking under the microscope in her documentary and subsequent podcast series “Sold in America,” which received a Gracies Award in 2019 for Best Investigative Series. Now she’s embarking on a podcast interview series under her own production company At Your Service (AYS) called “Podcast Noor” to go beyond the highlight reel and delve into the mindsets of some of the world’s most fascinating people.
In this episode of the WorkParty podcast, host Jaclyn Johnson had the pleasure of sitting down with the award-winning journalist to learn about her journey in becoming a pioneering voice of our generation, how she faces the hard conversations, and why you too should commit to speaking your truth. Scroll on to tune into the full episode and check out just a few of the highlights from the conversation.
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On being of service to others…
“When you're of service to yourself and you channel that to be of service to other people, people see your heart and your mind being opened in a way that gives them permission to do the same."
“People enjoy when you are winning and you are learning and you are developing things that you would do for you.”
On living in the present…
“Tomorrow’s not guaranteed for us.”
“The journey, the process, the practice, those are the things that actually matter because the outcome is always going to change.”
“I’m only letting myself feel attached to the ‘now,’ because nothing else matters.”
“Every day I'm a new person.”
“I don’t want to waste time anymore.”
On returning to normalcy…
“What I know for sure is we need each other.”
On waking up early…
“You can work smarter and still go to bed at 8:30.”
On staying inspired during COVID…
“Now I have these groundbreaking ideas that I think are going to change the landscape of representation and storytelling and I wouldn’t have gotten it without this desperation.”
“Survival mode has been a gracious experience, even though we’ve had to bear a lot more.”
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