How One 28 Year Old Phenom Got Recruited by Arianna Huffington
And landed her dream job.
At only 28 Callie Schweitzer has a career highlight reel most often reserved for retirement parties. (We think people still have those.) At 24, Forbes called her one of NYC "best networked youngsters." She is also an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, The Huffington Post and PEOPLE. Which caught the attention of HuffPo herself, Arianna Huffington who recruited Schweitzer to be the Chief Content Officer at her new life and well-being platform, Thrive Global.
And despite what you've read (or refused to read), Callie knows that this is an incredibly exciting time for journalism. Here's why.
Who: Callie Schweitzer
Where: Chief Content Officer, Thrive Global
Why: Tell us a little about your background. How did you get into the content world?
A: When I was in fourth grade I earned the nickname “Sherlock Schweitzer.” I was always on the lookout for a good story or the clue to one. I’m pretty sure I’d written a library full of books about Beanie Babies and Junie B. Jones by the time I graduated elementary school. But my actual career in the content world really started as a journalism student at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. I was the editor-in-chief of a student-run news site called Neon Tommy, and that experience of running a newsroom of over 200 student volunteers kickstarted my entrepreneurial hunger for great stories and how they’re told. I had always wanted to be an investigative reporter, but it was running Neon Tommy that made me see that I cared much more about making sure people got the news than being the person who wrote it. My path since graduation has been at companies of all different sizes -- Talking Points Memo, Vox Media, Time Inc. and now Thrive Global -- but my passion has stayed the same. I want to make sure great content is widely read.
Q: So more importantly, why have you stayed and climbed the ranks in the content world?
A: This is an incredibly exciting time in journalism. The new technology we have available to us -- from VR and AR to voice-enabled technology like Amazon Alexa—just enhances our storytelling abilities. Digital and social media have had a tremendous impact on how new ideas spread. One of the reasons I joined Thrive Global is because of my interest in helping people live better lives. Thrive is all about action and helping you go from knowing what to do to actually doing it. I love that we’re working to help people put content and stories into action and covering some of the defining topics of our time, like our relationship with technology.
"I want to make sure great content is widely read."
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Q: What about your job do you wish people knew?
A: There’s no such thing as a typical day, and I love that. I might go from a meeting with a partner and brainstorming feature ideas to testing a new product and working on our corporate content curriculum, which we use in our corporate trainings and digital learning programs.
Q: I read something last month about the death of the opinion piece. Would love to know your thoughts on that...
A: The opinion piece is alive and well! I think it’s really important to expose yourself to as many perspectives as possible -- especially in today’s world. Studies show that your weakest ties can lead you to news you wouldn’t have discovered yourself. We have to force ourselves to get outside our filter bubbles and learn about parts of the world where people don’t live the way we do. I so believe in following people and news you don’t agree with so that you always have an understanding of someone else’s “why.”
"You always have an understanding of someone else’s 'why.'”
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Q: And where do you think the world of content is heading?
A: I think that the world of content is going to become increasingly personalized. People are looking to be super-served in areas they’re passionate about. Our on-demand world means that people want the content they want when they want it. It’s our job as content providers to make sure we’re finding people where they are, syncing with their habits and delivering them content that helps them live their lives better -- whether that’s informing them, entertaining them or engaging them.
Q: For sites that are publishing a TON of content, how would you suggest readers sift through it?
A: I think it’s really key to find a format that works for you. For me, that’s email newsletters. I’ve been obsessed with them for years. I think they’re amazing containers for curated content delivery. For someone else, it might be a print newspaper or magazine, news apps, Facebook or Instagram.
Q: And how do you as a reader sift through the content online?
A: I really rely on email newsletters for a lot of my topic-specific news -- politics, media, tech, etc. -- but throughout the day I’m visiting Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and various news sites’ homepages to make sure I’m up to date. I’ve really re-invested in visiting homepages directly since the election. I also do a ton of reading on the subway with my favorite read later app, Pocket. And I subscribe to a ton of podcasts to get even more news and information.
Q: How much time do you spend reading content offline?
A: I am a huge print reader. I still subscribe to about 12 magazines ranging from Businessweek and New York Magazine to Vogue and Glamour, and read them every month.
Q: What was the most crucial skill that you brought to your job?
A: I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and an adaptability for rapid change. That’s been important in every role that I’ve had, but especially at a fast-moving startup like Thrive Global.
Q: What was a skill you were able to develop over time?
A: A big part of what we’re focused on at Thrive is the idea that we don’t have different selves for our work lives and personal lives -- that we bring our whole selves with us wherever we go. So one of my favorite things about working here is that we can be free to be open about our “sacred time” -- the time you need each day/week/month to be your best self. I love that my coworkers hold me accountable for mine and I hold them accountable for theirs. I know them as their whole selves -- not just their “work” selves.
Q: Do you think the role of editor/content creator is more important than ever… and of course, the why?
A: The role of editor and content creator is definitely more important than ever. In a world of fake news and filter bubbles, it is so crucial that we have people who are committed to making sure people get a wide range of real news and meaningful content that affects them.
Photo credit: Golden Rule Excelsior
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Finally! It's the Launch of the Best Plus-Size Collection Ever
Nicolette Mason and Gabi Gregg are taking over.
photo credit: Premme.
"We're so excited to finally debut our collection, Premme. This is a dream come true for both of us and something we've been working on behind the scenes for years," shares blogger Nicolette Mason.
Launched online this morning Premme is the fashion-forward collection from Mason and fellow blogger Gabi Gregg of GabiFresh, with rightly fresh pieces sized 12-30. A combo of the words premiere, premium, feminist, and femme, Mason says, "Premme was born out of our own frustrations in the plus-size fashion market. We know there are amazing brands out there (and we've been shopping them for years) but still felt like something was missing, and we wanted to create a collection of statement pieces for the babes who aren't afraid to break the fashion rules."
photo credit: Premme
Furthering, "It's been SO hard to keep this secret, but we're so excited to finally share everything. We're starting with a limited edition run of 15-pieces that are inspired by street style and runway trends and are informed by our work experience and the insight our community has shared with us over the years. We can't wait to go on this journey together and grow as a brand."
We can't wait either.
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New Study Shows Have Fun First, Work Later
Do you have on your Monday Party Pants?
By: Naomi Hirabayashi, co-founder Shine
*This piece originally appeared on Shine, a free daily text to help you thrive.*
Work hard, play hard. We’ve habituated ourselves to feel like this is the only appropriate order of things.
We save up our movie nights and dance parties for the weekends. We hold out on that calming bubble bath until the end of the day. We don’t let ourselves Netflix and Chill until we’ve pushed through all (OK, most) of those backed-up emails.
Yet new research shows that waiting to have fun until after we’ve worked doesn’t necessarily make it more enjoyable.
In fact, the study shows that fun is just as fun even if you haven’t “earned it” and it can actually motivate us to work smarter.
Fun is just as fun even if you haven’t earned it.
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Ed O’Brien, a professor at the Chicago Booth School of Business, discussed his new research in Harvard Business Review:
“We built a makeshift “spa” in the laboratory — with a massage chair and footbath — for 259 ever-at-work University of Chicago students. Students could choose to come during the weeks right after their stressful midterm exam period or during the weeks right before midterms began. (We had essentially the same number of students show up at both time periods, and they were of similar age, gender, etc.) They predicted their enjoyment before visiting and rated their experience afterward.”
The results:
“We found that while the students who visited the spa before midterms predicted that the experience would be less enjoyable due to looming midterms exams, they actually enjoyed themselves just as much as those who visited the spa after midterms.”
While happy hour before work might not be realistic (or desirable), the powerful message that not only are we allowed to loosen up in between all of our obligations -- but it can actually make us more motivated and better equipped to handle our busy days, is a welcome one.
How can we enact this in our daily lives?
By flipping play on its head and finding ways to start (instead of just finishing) with fun.
Dance before you leave the house in the morning; you don’t have to wait until Friday night to do throw on some #TBT 90s hits or to let DJ Khaled remind you that ‘we the best’.
Pre-game a big meeting with a funny video that puts everyone in a good mood or share a random fact you recently learned with the group.
Swap a weekday / weekend routine; typically save dinner with a friend for the weekend? Get an extra boost of joy by going for a breakfast or lunch catch up during the weekday.
Whatever your version of fun is, remember: you don’t have to earn it. You already deserve to enjoy yourself and by incorporating more play at the beginning, you’ll give yourself a catalyst to stay motivated and keep hustling.
photo credit: Geronimo Balloons
Shine is a free daily text message experience that makes it easier to live a more intentional life. Each weekday morning, Shine sends curated content and actionable tips across confidence, daily happiness, mental health and productivity. Why? Because we all need a little help to get through the day—and Shine’s got your back. To sign up, text “SHINE” to 759-85 or go to www.shinetext.com to learn more.
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5 CEOs Who Look Exactly Like Their Companies
Like mother, like child.
You know that old saying, dogs look like their owners. Well the same applies to companies and their founders.
And why wouldn't they? These women live, eat, breathe their companies. It's only natural their brands would be natural extensions. The great news is, there is NO one "look" that says business owner anymore. You can look like anything and be anything.
Jen Gotch, ban.do
Jen Gotch, the front woman of the poppy and playful ban.do ("serious about fun,") is exactly what you'd expect. With Starbucks collabs and a loyal following, she's tapped into fun in a whole new way. We can't even imagine what her suitcase looks like when she packs.
Ariel Kaye, Parachute Home
photo credit: Lianna Tarantin for Sakara Life
Parachute sheets give you a reason to make your bed in the morning and an even better one to crawl into bed at night. They're unfussy but chic, just like the company's founder Ariel Kaye. “I launched Parachute online with the intention of bringing the brand offline at some point, too.” With the recently opened Parachute Hotel in Venice, CA, the company is providing another opportunity for the community to engage. There's also the new Portland location and the recently added baby line. It's all almost too dreamy to be true.
Justina Blakeney, The Jungalow
Bold with color and mixing and matching patterns, the beautiful brain and founder behind the Jungalow brand is every bit live out loud as her co. Her environment is lush. Full of color, vibrant patterns and plants; it’s a design style that says no to minimalism. In a way, it’s a multi-hustle of its own. And with a New York Times bestseller, The New Bohemians (which, she wrote and shot in less than three months), a Sunset Magazine cover, a booming design business and blog, a tot at home, five employees at her office space, and plenty more in the works, Justina has reached a point where she gets her gig. “Having a lot going on at one time really suits my personality,” she's told us.
Joy Cho, Oh Joy!
photo credit: Joy Cho for Glamour Mag.
There's no way we could put this list together without the founder and creative director of the playful and inspiring Oh Joy! Launched in 2005 as a graphic design studio the color and design maven now has collabs with majors like Target, has authored three books, and consulted for hundreds of companies around the world.
Ellen Bennett, Hedley & Bennett
She revolutionized chef garb and she's often donned in bright, colors. But don't get her playful approach to her wardrobe confused with her aprons. These are badass aprons from a badass CEO. She didn't want mundane. She didn't want stale. So she did it her way and now Ellen and her #apronsquad are taking over kitchens everywhere.
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.
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5 Ways to Be a Strategic Slacker
Chill work fam. Chill.
We've made it. It's Friday. Which means it's almost time to kickoff those boots and stick your toes in the ocean or your nose in a book-- whatever suits your weekend fancy will do.
It's time to slack.
But what about the work week slack? Is it possible to kick your feet up at your desk and STILL be incredibly productive. Perhaps they aren't as at odds as your might think. Here are the 7 magical ways to slack at work and still get shit done. Most employees are only productive four hours a day.
Call it failing upwards.
1. TAKE AN EXTENDED BREAK
Or really, take any break. Chances are that 15 minutes you’re legally allowed twice a day goes unused. You get busy, you get buried. It’s common. But when you’re working that hard your brain stops functioning at optimum output. So take a walk and grab a coffee. (Or bring water along for the jaunt, since dehydration during the workday can also lead to an kaput of creativity.)
Whatever you do, use it. Especially when you’re feeling stuck.
2. SHUT YOUR COMPUTER OFF AND READ
Word to the wise: always bring a book to your office. Sure, powering down your computer and taking a break from responding to emails may feel out of the question, but here’s an important one to ask yourself: when you’ve hit a slump is it better to stay stuck or read yourself out of it? Stand up. Give your spine a stretch and then crack the spine on a book. Seeing words come together in unexpected ways might be the jumpstart your brain needs. It’s not work, but it will work for you.
3. MEDITATE
We’ve all read about the benefits of meditating in the morning or before bed, but meditating in the office can bring clarity, calm your nerves before presentations, and de-stress high impact situations. Stress brings on emotions. Some of which are not beneficial to us in the work environment. Meditating at your desk (or in the storage closet) can help bring clarity and the right kind of emotions to your decision making. For instance, if you’re about to blow your top at a co-worker, take a beat. Meditate. And come into the situation with a clear head. It might look like you’re not doing a thing, but you’re being incredibly productive for you and the company’s well-being.
4. PLAY GAMES ON YOUR PHONE
While we don’t suggest scrolling through the IG during the work day, there are word games and brain games you can play to whip that brain into shape. You could opt for memory, attention, and problem solving apps like Luminosity, or try an app like Happify, that helps you build skills for lasting happiness. And being happy at work directly affects your productivity. So come on, get happy. Play a game or two.
5. DON’T MULTI-TASK
Sometimes it feels like the busier you are, the better you’re working. Untrue! You don’t have to do multiple things at once in order to get things done. Slow down and work on one thing at a time. It might feel like you’re slacking at first, but once you see how quickly you start ticking things off your list, you just might abandon the multi-tasking addiction.
We want to know… how do you do work slack? Share below!
8 Incredibly Inspiring Quotes from Our Live Your Adventure Series
We do as many as six impossible things before breakfast. Just sayin'.
This week started with an adventure. Alongside Eddie Bauer and inspirational women like Melissa Arnot Reid, Lexi duPont, Ruthie Lindsey, Alyssa Ravasio and so many more, we traveled to three cities (LA, SF, and NYC) in three days to host our Live Your Adventure popup. We laughed (a few of us cried) and we came together to build an even stronger community. Click through to read some of our favorite quotes from the events.
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C&C Classifieds Nº48: Chipotle, Three Day Rule, Pablove Foundation & More
Get into action. (Also there's a matchmaker job, NBD.)
We might be busy on our Eddie Bauer "Live Your Adventure" triple city popup this week (follow along on our IG here), but you need to get busy on your job hunt. The hustle sleeps, but not for long.
Don't miss out on job opps you won't find posted other places. Looking for something special? Or rather, do you want to help people look for THEIR someone special? Yes, matchmaker jobs exist. Read on intrepid job trekkers. Adventure awaits us all.
Chipotle - New York, NY
Cross Campus - Los Angeles, CA
Three Day Rule - Boston, Orange County, LA
Clover - Remote/Petaluma, CA
Pablove Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
WANT MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR FULL CLASSIFIEDS LISTINGS!
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How to Trust Your Gut When the World Is Telling You Otherwise
All in a day's work.
Would you be willing to risk it all for you biz? That's what Aussie expat Koel Thomae, co-founder of Noosa Yoghurt did. And it's a route we hear many entrepreneurs take. As they say, without passion and risk, there is usually no reward.
Thomae, alongside co-founder Colorado dairy farmer Rob Graves, launched Noosa in January 2010, with the idea of bringing the sweet, tangy and full-fat yogurt of Australia to America. They are now in the full swing of things, developing new flavor profiles that customers can't get enough of.
So today, we’re talking trusting your gut. You know, going with that undeniable feeling - even when the world is telling you otherwise. Read through as founder Koel Thomae shares her experience keeping it 100 while scaling her company and why she thinks it’s ultimately the core of their success.
DIG IN.
How much of your new flavor offerings is driven by data and market research?
In the early days it was all instinct. As we've grown up into a national brand and face more competition for shelf space we obviously have to be mindful of what's happening in the category and if we are missing any of the top tier flavors. But ultimately we want to deliver a wow taste moment and aren't afraid to walk away from a flavor if it doesn't achieve that mark by our own internal tastebuds!
How much is driven by trusting your gut?
So much. I think too much consumer research can be crippling in innovation. If you love food you know what tastes good and that to me is the ultimate barometer.
Is that still an essential part of being a woman in business for you?
Absolutely! The few times I haven't listened to my gut it has ultimately been a bad decision. But I also take every mistake as a learning opportunity versus beating myself up.
"The few times I haven't listened to my gut it has ultimately been a bad decision."
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Are flavor profiles and the new “mates” driven by trends that you’re seeing in the food world?
We gain insights and inspiration from so many sources in the food landscape, from farmer's markets (can someone please grow more Dapple Dandy pluots so we can launch this flavor!) to the culinary world to looking beyond our category in the grocery store. We have seen a rise in snacking as a whole and know that yoghurt consumption is still underdeveloped compared to other global markets and this was the starting point in our thinking for mates. As we developed flavor profiles we absolutely knew coconut had to be part of the lineup - this flavor has exploded beyond the traditional pina colada of days past!
How do you get ahead of trends in the food world?
I often think of myself and my team as flavor/food trend anthropologists. We all have a passion for food and travel and these in tandem allow us to see and taste so many new things that we bring back to our internal think-tank so to speak. I've taken both national and global food treks (did I mention that I LOVE my job) and we see more ethnic flavors showing up across categories, more spice, more fermented foods. Obviously not everything lends itself to yoghurt but it's a great framework to ideate within and it keeps us at the forefront of trends.
Noosa has really exploded over the last year. We see it everyone. People are freaking out over it. Part of how you continue to innovate is through flavor. What else?
I know, I have to pinch myself at how much people love noosa. Beyond flavor I believe our success is a testament to staying true to who we are and that's making bloody good yoghurt, staying grounded, always making sure we hear and respond to our fans and ultimately having fun.
How do you test new flavors in different markets? What kind of strategy goes into wide-releasing new flavor profiles?
We are so fortunate to have had amazing support from our retailer community in Colorado in tandem with the best fans a yoghurt could ask for. This has allowed us to use our backyard as a test market as we push the boundaries on what is expected from yoghurt, like our sweet heat launch. We also love to reward our Colorado base with special batch flavors like Palisade Peach, available this summer. But we also know when we've got winners that can go national out of the gates like our new Mates.
What’s your favorite flavor in the newest "match" batch?
Maple ginger! I'm a ginger fan and I love that we haven't shied away from delivering on that flavor promise!
And we need to know, how much yoghurt are you eating daily?
I'm a passion fruit noosa a day kinda gal! But now that we have this amazing Mates lineup it could be noosa for brekkie, afternoon tea & dessert!
For more from Koel and how she launched her biz, click here.
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Why I'll Never Take Period Time Off
Started from vaginas, now we here.
Like many '90s tweens, the first time I became aware that I could use my period as an excuse was watching Clueless. Arguing her way out of a tardy, protagonist Cher uses her period to defend herself: "I was surfing the crimson wave. I had to haul ass to the ladies'." Being the loveable, progressive that he is, her teacher, Mr. Hall forgives the punctuality faux period. And so sparked the idea in my head that my period was more like an ellipses.
I'd come but I have the worst cramps...
I don't want to get off my couch...
I need to stay home from school...
As women we've all used our periods as the reasoning to not attend certain functions or dinners, and I get it. Sometimes you don't want to chit chat about the chicken when your uterus feels like it's being ripped from your body. But skipping out on girl's night or date night is a little different from ditching work. Right?
Not for one company in London. Coexist, an education non-profit, made the media rounds this past March when it publicly addressed its company policy that will allow female employees to take time off for their periods: PTO, or Period Time Off.
Bex Baxter, one of Coexist’s company directors, told the Bristol Post, "I have managed many female members of staff over the years and I have seen women at work who are bent over double because of the pain caused by their periods. Despite this, they feel they cannot go home because they do not class themselves as unwell. And this is unfair.”
(Is this where I get to say: Life's not fair!?)
She continued, “The spring section of the cycle, immediately after a period, is a time when women are actually three times as productive as usual. So it is about balancing work-load in line with the natural cycles of the body."
Baxter is confident the company's new policy will increase productivity for the mostly female (there are seven males on a team of 31) staff, nor does she believe such a policy will threaten women's employability.
There is evidence to support such a claim. One such study from the University of Bath examined the effects of period pain on fifty-two healthy adult females. The study found that greater attentional inference effects (ability to concentrate) were found when women were in the pain phase of their period, and that likewise there was a general worsening of performance.
It’s part of a larger conversation about periods that’s dominating the www waves.
Man Repeller broke down the period talk in a post where contributor Haley Nahman asked “Have We Reached Peak Period?”
On the one hand, it’s refreshing that this conversation has been moved from the taboo shadows and into the streets. On the other, we have to ask: While periods are trending, are they also a reason to skip work? What happens when we prove that periods affect our concentration negatively?
“Periods may be trending, but are they a reason to skip work?”
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This isn't a new concept. Menstrual leave began in Japan in 1947 and in other Asian nations like Taiwan and Indonesia, paid periods are already a common part of workplace culture and laws. Nike is thought to be the only worldwide company to officially include menstrual leave as part of their Code of Conduct, which they implemented in 2007.
Considering the ongoing struggle surrounding equality in the workplace I have hard time accepting pro-period legislation as progress for women’s rights, however positioned. Periods are not a disability* and to treat them as such is debilitating to progress. Do employees who suffer from IBS get PTO? Women have fought too long and hard for equality for such measures to take the front seat.
I spoke with five women, who are all full time employees who all get monthly periods, and the consensus was that even if PTO was an option, they wouldn’t take it. Asking for period time off would just be yet another drop in hat of conversations that dominate workplace sexism, validating the claims of so many men and women who oppose the Equal Rights Amendment. Those that argue the wage gap is a myth and there’s a reason women are paid less.
Nor am I convinced that cycle awareness will help either women or men be more productive-- something that was discussed last month during a 'Pioneering Period Policy: Valuing Natural Cycles in the Workplace' seminar in the UK.
[Related: How to Deal with Sexism in the Workplace.]
It's a dialogue that reminds me of Gloria Steinam’s famous 1978 essay for Ms. Magazine, “If Men Could Menstruate.”
“So what would happen if suddenly, magically, men could menstruate and women could not?” she wrote. “Clearly, menstruation would become an enviable, worthy, masculine event: Men would brag about how long and how much.”
If men got their periods, there would be free Midol in the break room, PTO, and those that didn’t take it would be lauded for performing "so well!' during their “time of the month.” But that’s not the case, nor will it ever be.
So let’s fight the bloody wage gap first.
Let’s get paid the same dollars for the same work before we start drawing lines in the sand with our tampons. Sorry, but I don’t need my womb attuned to my 9-5 and for now I'm going to surf my crimson wave right into my office.
"Let's fight the wage gap before we start drawing lines in the sand with our tampons."
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But maybe that’s just me. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
*There are legitimate period-related medical conditions women face. We are not referring to these. NOT ONE LITTLE BIT.
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.
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Meet the Beverage That Will Replace Your Beloved Rosé
And it comes in a can.
Maybe we were a little overzealous. Rosé is never going away. (Prayer hands.) But, if RAMONA wines founder, Jordan Salcito, has a say in the drinking game (which, based on her career experience, she does) you're going to fall head over heels for her canned (yep) lightly sparkling organic Sicilian wine blended with natural ruby grapefruit. Salcito is a Master Sommelier candidate. She was sommelier and manager at Eleven Madison Park and Momofuku, the latter of which earned several awards and three James Beard semi-finalist nominations.
While the wine world can feel a bit snobby, RAMONA is wine, but cooler. So we say sign us up. We caught up with the founder below to chat beverages, bubbles, and what cross-country running has to do with it all.
You’ve been a part of the sommelier world— when you said you wanted to package RAMONA in a cute, poppy, branded aluminum can… what was the feedback?
For me, the most important aspect of RAMONA has always been trying our best to create a delicious product with the same quality and value system as the great wines of the world I seek out, drink, have helped produce and have long admired. I've had the opportunity to work at some incredible restaurants - from Eleven Madison Park to Momofuku, as well as at some incredible wineries - and those experiences have underscored for me that style is always second to substance.
The sommelier community has been incredibly supportive! One of my favorite moments at the Aspen Food & Wine festival recently were several Master Sommelier friends drinking RAMONA throughout the weekend. More recently, dear friend and James Beard Award Winner / winemaker Rajat Parr has become a RAMONA fan too. He's posted about it a on Instagram -- the ultimate compliment.
You knew a lot about wine, but how much did you understand about the manufacturing process before launch? And what was the first call you made to get going?
Luckily thanks to Bellus (www.belluswines.com) as well as experience working harvests in Burgundy, Tuscany, Sicily, Patagonia and California, I knew something about wine production. That said, RAMONA is very different from Bellus or any of the more traditional wines I've had the opportunity to work with. Canned wine is an extremely new market and so many things - like finding the right canning partner, sourcing cans, testing the recipe were just much different than anything I'd done previously.
My first call was to a brilliant friend, Charles Bieler, who makes wine and has long pushed boundaries with packaging.
Blogger Bethany Marie imbibes.
Who is the last person you talked to who gave you great business advice?
Christina Tosi, Christina White, my friend Bill, and Rajat Parr.
You have a background in wine, but what else prepared you for this journey?
Running Cross Country in college (and subsequently the NYC Marathons a few years after that) have been invaluable exercises in preparing for any journey and sticking with it during difficult moments!
We talk a lot about mentorship at C&C, do you have a mentor or someone you turn to for biz advice?
I'm very fortunate to have an amazing team of partners and advisers at RAMONA who are very generous with their insight. In addition, my husband, Robert, is the ultimate sounding board.
What has been your biggest learning curve?
Wearing so many hats at the same time. I constantly wish the day held more than 24 hours.
You’re launching national distribution this summer! Which, is exciting and amazing. How did you figure out how to negotiate what that looks like?
We chose markets and distribution partners that we know and believe in. We launched in New York, our biggest market, but Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Colorado have been incredible partners as well.
Where do you see the company in five years?
I hope we are able to continue to empower people to drink what they like and keep open minds and fresh senses of curiosity about wine!
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What Up Real World: 5 Recent Grads On What’s Next
Does the anxiety ever end? YEP.
The panic hits! You are suddenly a second semester senior starting to realize, “Wait, I have to find a job! I need to start making money! I'm not sure what I want to do!” Totally normal. The Washington Post found "only 27% of college grads had a job that was closely related to their major." And though some grads work all of college to secure their dream jobs, most have no clue what field they even want to be in. Does the anxiety ever end?
Maybe.
Fast-forward.
You are a recent post-grad in your new position. That old familiar panic starts to set in: “How do I feel about my job? Where do I see myself going? Do I even like what I am doing?” In a poll published by the Huff Post it was found "nearly 80% of workers in their 20s, said they want to change career paths." So if you aren't exactly loving your first job...it is completely normal.
The transition from college into 'the real world' is a learning experience. As a recent college grad myself, I thought who better people to ask than my friends? We're all in the same boat. So I spoke with 5 post-college grads to help us get a clear picture of what the beginning of their journey looks like and where they see themselves going in the future. It's nice to know all 5 grads have their own goals set, but are waiting to see where their paths take them-- one step at a time.
Emily K.
Last month I graduated from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. I studied Public Relations and minored in Communications in the Entertainment Industry. Just a few days after graduation, I began my job at Viewpoint, which is a public relations firm located in Beverly Hills. I’m currently working as a Talent Publicity Assistant. The job is exactly what it sounds like. I’ve been working at Viewpoint for about a month now, and every day brings something new. It’s hard to say exactly where I want to end up career-wise, but I could definitely see myself sticking to this path and eventually becoming a publicist. I could also see myself going down other paths in the entertainment industry. Only time will tell!
Zoe S.
I recently graduated from Lehigh University with a double major in sociology and women's studies with a minor in public healthy. Naturally, I had no idea what I wanted to do with that discipline, nor did I have any clue what skill set beyond college it prepared me for. As I proceeded through my college years, I got more and more confused with my own personal expectations post college. I did not know what I wanted to do. I could not envision where I belonged in this massive industry that is carved out for post-grad college kids. All I knew was that I wanted to be in a field that allowed me to interact with people. I love people; talking to different people, connecting with people, learning from as many people as I could. Yes, I would describe myself as a "people person," which to some might be a cop out, but for me it's my truth. I ended up being hired at this amazing company called ChowNow in which people are the focus of the business. We help business set up their online ordering, which may not sound so glamorous or stereotypically lucrative for a recent college grad, but that is false. Not only is it an amazing place to work with an incredible culture that cultivates strong, incredibly ambitious people, but, everyday, it is my mission as an account coordinator to interact with people. I never imagined finding a job that satisfied both my creativity and desire to belong to the growing "trendish" industry, while simultaneously allowing me to exercise my love of people, but, needless to say, I found the job that is absolutely perfect for me. Now, I have no idea where I'll be in 5 years from now or where I'm going in terms of big picture, but I know that I'm one step closer to figuring that out, and that is just alright for me.
Mackenzie H.
After recently graduating from The George Washington University I am now working as a Recruiting Coordinator at Publicis Health. Publicis Health is the third largest advertising network in the world, and first largest health network! I'm passionate about people and their careers, as a recruiting coordinator I pay an integral part of the Talent Acquisition process. Even though I'm just starting out, I see myself working hard to lead a Talent Acquisition team to facilitate growth and change within a health-based organization.
Nina B.
I just recently graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Elementary Education. For the summer I am working with a non-profit whose goal is to promote literacy for children coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and LAUSD schools. In August I will be starting a job as a teachers assistant in a second grade classroom. However, next year I hope to have a classroom of my own and eventually go back to school to receive my masters in Special Education. My future is very undecided, but for now that is the plan.
Emily P.
I just recently graduated from the University of Michigan. I am now moving to Austin to start my career at Facebook as an SMB Account Manager. I have always been fascinated with the interconnectivity of organizations through the shared purpose of helping others in their communities. I see Facebook as the perfect place to jumpstart my career as it is a platform for connecting people and organizations on a worldwide scale. I hope to continue to strengthen my knowledge of change management, practical development skills and positive leadership practices while gaining invaluable experience from the incredible people I will have the chance to work with. My ultimate goal is to strive for impactful change that has the ability make a difference on multiple levels - helping communities join together to change lives through corporate social responsibility.
Every person starts somewhere. Each person has their own individual journey. Hopefully the experiences shared by these recent college grads can help the rest of us feel a bit more at ease and accepting of our unknown paths.
Are you a recent grad in a job that you're MEH... about? Or maybe you LOVE what you're doing. We'd love to hear from you either way... Hit us in the comments below.
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Meet the 8 Women Living Out Their Career Adventure
Live out loud.
Would you say your career is an adventure? For these 8 women, all of whom will be joining us at our Eddie Bauer pop-up next week, are doing just that. Why? Because adventure drives us forward. It's at the center of every great story; the beginning of every leap. And it's why Create & Cultivate teamed up with Eddie Bauer to bring you a three-city tour of change-makers, record-breakers and radical women who have dreamed big and dared bigger, and are willing to share their tales with you. They live out loud. They unapologetically follow their dreams. And they're sharing how they do it.
Lauren McGoodwin, Founder of Career Contessa
I live my adventure in my career every day as an entrepreneur. I come from a more corporate (i.e. safe) background and I'm very risk averse so going out on my own to launch Career Contessa has been one hell of an adventure! Of course, the more risk I take, the more I learn from them—either as successes or failures— and the more inspired I am to add, or sprinkle in, the adventure into other parts of my career. That might mean agreeing to be a keynote speaker in front of hundreds of people or directly reaching out to a brand I love or launching a new service like online courses on Career Contessa.
Lee Tilghman, Founder of Lee from America
Every single day is different. I'm inherently a planner and nothing gets me more excited than crossing items off my to-do list, but my career as a blogger and lifestyle persona keeps me spontaneous and always on the edge of my seat. It keeps me balanced. I like how my job pushes me out of my comfort zone every day- whether it's speaking about issues that are close to my heart or getting vulnerable about my past, I'm always putting my heart on the line.
Claire Smallwood, Founder of She Jumps
This question evokes my personal responsibility to always be an authentic leader of my organization, and more often than not, that doesn't mean being the fastest, most gnarly, or highest-achieving person. It means having some non-negotiables: try at least one new activity per year, teach at least one new thing to a new friend, and think back to the person I was 20 years ago—would my 12 year-old self be impressed with what I am doing now?
"We have to be willing to always come back to the original call of adventure."
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Basically it all comes down an existential mindset—none of us get into a career to find out it's more about emails and networking than blisters and sweaty backs, but we have to be willing to always come back to the original call of adventure that brought us there in the first place.
Ruthie Lindsay, Influencer, Stylist & Motivational Speaker
I feel so fortunate because most of my work is on the road. Oftentimes I get to travel and work with some of my best friends but I also love when I don't because I tend to make even more new friends than I would have if I had my pals with me. I love seeing new cultures and meeting locals. I love waking up in new towns or new countries and anticipating all the beautiful things and humans I will meet that day! It's a constant gift and thrill to get to live that adventure as part of my work! I feel so incredibly thankful for every opportunity!
Rachel Schwarztmann, Founder and CEO, The Style Line
I live my adventure by remembering that my career is an adventure! I know the last thing anyone wants to hear is the cliche “it’s just as much about the journey as it is the destination” but in a lot of ways embracing the unexpected experiences that comes with being an entrepreneur has provided me with so much perspective. Now more than ever, I’m understanding that’s what makes the adventure all the more rewarding.
Tara Sowlaty, co-founder of How You Glow
I live my adventure in my career because I have centered my career around exploring and finding new and amazing places to share with others. A big component of my site is my travel guides, where I curate and highlight my favorite spots both popular and off the beaten path from around the world. It's not just traveling around the world where this magic can happen though, it also occurs at home too. I really try everyday to find the adventure and new excitement in daily life, no matter where I am.
Noel Russell, Community Organizer at Covenant House & Hope Slanger
John Muir says that when we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.
I would venture to say, that based on his social action and engagement, humankind was a big part of this entangled community he's referencing.
My daily adventure is helping trace these connections between us in plain sight.
Helping us see ourselves in the person sitting at the table across from us, the person in line ahead of you, the person living in a tent in the park.
Helping us push back the lines we draw around the things we're comfortable with, the spaces familiar to us.
Helping us reflect our interconnectedness back to one another, see value and beauty in that,
And then helping move us to action.
This is my exploration into the unknown.
My job challenges me, and those I engage with, to stretch our self-imposed limits of hope, our personal cap on care, and carefully structured sense of identity to include those across every spectrum of demographic, experience, culture...it challenges us to love wildly, recklessly and without abandon.
Day after day, the topography of my journey is marked by the growth of new heart muscles, the action of advocacy, and the fierceness of newly formed kinship.
"The topography of my journey is marked by the growth of new heart muscles."
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My everyday adventure is found in envisioning a world where everyone is seen and known, where there is no “other,” where everyone belongs to everyone - then waving people over to catch a glimpse for themselves.
Also, spending time with a shelter full of teenagers always calls for a spirit of adventure - even when it's just dinnertime…and especially when its chore time.
Becca Skinner, Photographer
Adventure is (luckily) a regular part of my career because my work is based around it! Being an adventure photographer means I get to regularly be outside and capture images of places and people recreating and protecting parts of our landscape. That usually means spending many days and nights outdoors.
Top photos left to right: Noel Russell, Tara Sowlaty, Lee Tilghman
Bottom photos left to right: Ruthie Lindsey, Rachel Schwartzmann, Claire Smallwood
The list for our adventure pop-up is closed; you can join the waitlist here.
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The One Travel Essential Every Eco-Conscious Working Woman Carries
#Travellyfe.
Summer means travel. Plain and simple. But when you’re a working woman there’s nothing simple about powering down. Is there such a thing as a working vacation? (Some say no.) We say yes. Anything is possible when you’re committed to a healthy hustle.
So we’ve rounded up some of the best summer travel products from Mark & Graham’s swag summer shop. All that’s left for you to consider is how you’re gonna phrase that out of office message.
1. Concourse Boarding Bag
While most working women are struggling to find “the” perfect tote, we’re happy to report you’re done searching. We are all constantly on the hunt for a bag that can be used for multiple purposes; such as traveling, carrying your laptop, chargers, etc. Well, Mark and Graham’s Concourse Boarding Bag is the answer to all of your problems. It is the perfect size tote with an adjustable strap perfect for traveling, zipper closer, and extra pockets. What more could any working girl need?
2. Leather Charger Roll Up
Don’t get it twisted. Your cords that is. Carrying around all of our chargers, headphones, and electronics can get to be rather annoying. This Leather Charger Roll Up is definitely what every working woman needs to help stay organized. Now, go get your roll up monogrammed and pick the color that best suits you, we promise you won’t look back. (Or lose something essential.)
3. Cosmetics Case
You need makeup and toiletries that travel as well as you do. Therefore, we need the perfect size cosmetic case. Mark and Graham have made our dream 2-in-1 travel case, with plenty of room and a removable pouch (this one is for your carry-on). This cosmetic case will make your traveling 100% easier and more organized.
4. Kennedy Garment Bag
Keeping your clothes wrinkle free can be a challenge when traveling for meetings. This Kennedy Garment Bag is the perfect option for helping keep your outfits looking good as new. Make sure you go get yours monogrammed to add some color to your new travel accessory.
5. Jet-Set Carry-On Spinner
Plan on getting away for only a few days? There’s no need to check luggage if you’re not checking out entirely. Parking smart is part of being a savvy traveler. No chance of lost luggage here. This hard case suitcase will fit all of your essentials with perfect pockets, monogram decal, and tons of space.
6. S’well Water Bottle
Buying bottled water at the airport can get so expensive. But staying hydrated when you travel is a must— for your health, your skin, and your energy levels. With a S’well Water Bottle you spend a little to save a lot (including the environment). Especially since so many airports now how water refill stations. Drink it down before you hit security. And fill it up when you get to the other side. For women on-the-go this is an essential way to save money, the planet, and stay hydrated.
Have summer travel plans? For work or pleasure? Share with us in the comments below!
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Meet the Celeb Stylist Who Styled OG Beyoncé
Say her name, say her name.
Two days ago Billboard released its list of 100 greatest girl group songs of all time. Coming in strong at No. 7 is Destiny’s Child’s iconic anthem Say My Name. The year was 1999 and Destiny's Child was starting to make serious moves (take a 4-minute break and relive this greatness).
On set for the song's video, stylist Negar Ali Kline was holding it down in the wardrobe department. Glossy lipstick was en vogue. There were still four members of the group to dress. And though she recalls it being her longest shoot ever, ("a record 26 hours!!") the styling maven says, "There’s nothing better than being in a wardrobe truck with my team and in the trenches together. In battle together."
As for Queen B? "Even at the very beginning, Beyoncé was just pure magic and such a force," she says. "I remember all the ladies were so gracious and down-to-earth Southern girls. The video shoots were epic, this was the height of the big budget video."
"There’s nothing better than being in a wardrobe truck with my team and in the trenches together."
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In the early 2000s that was the life of celebrity stylist Negar Ali Kline, who has styled everyone from Beyoncé to Tom Hanks to comedian Maya Rudolph and badass Jessica Lange. If it sounds like a dream career, it is, but Kline has put in years of hard work, building relationships with people across town, and navigating the styling space with smarts and class. The sought-after stylist says she "really paid her dues" in New York, developing her confidence and experience at Paper Mag. "At the time," she notes, "there were only a handful of stylists— celebrity styling wasn’t a thing."
When we meet up with Kline, she’s wearing her LA uniform: jeans, sweater, and a block heel. But she doesn’t carry any of kind of industry bravado. We're at Palace Costume, a beloved industry spot only open to pros. It is owned and operated by Melody Barnett, who opened her doors in 1960 as a vintage clothing retailer. Barnett was the first vintage retailer on Fairfax. Today, the 36,000-square-foot emporium houses over half a million different pieces, making it one of the largest vintage clothing collections in the entire country (and not open to the pub, sorry!) Also on the scene is Lee, the costume house's second employee. Kline has known him since her first pull.
Despite having come for twenty years, she’s like a kid in a candy store. "The first time I walked in here," she says, her eyes already moving toward the rows of racks on racks, "it was intimidating and overwhelming, but at the same time I knew this is what I was meant to do. I was 19, but it was very obvious." As we walk through the rooms and floors of goodies, Kline points out some of her favorites and for whom she's pulled. "The Western room, I've pulled for Beck." She casually mentions one of her first jobs assisting on an Elton John video. She's more enthralled by the clothes than the big names she's worked with. A stylish though-and-through.
The costume house is organized by decades and themes. There's a veritable polyester playground. “Wardrobe at That ‘70s Show has definitely pulled every single shirt here,” she jokes. There are rows of 1920s gowns and piano shawls, the likes of which you’d see mostly on extras she says, in period movies like The Hours. Being here with Kline is like walking down memory lane with her via articles of clothing, and is a testament to the longevity of her twenty year career.
Along her career the Los Angeles-based stylist and mom has weathered every storm. Part of her strategy has been mixing up the work. She’ll work on big agency jobs, styling big brand commercials, as well as editorial shoots and press tours.
"I think the biggest misconception is that its 'glamorous,' she shares. "The truth is that it is a tremendous amount of hard work- literally and metaphorically 'heavy lifting.' The process really requires left brain and right brain. It is creative, but there is also managing the budget, team and client expectations, and an insane amount of organization."
She continues, "I always find it hard to describe what I do because there’s a bit of range from advertising styling to red carpet to costume design on a film, and they each require a different philosophy and approach. There are many levels to it."
For Kline, her 360-degree approach to the biz keeps things from getting stale. "I feel very grateful that I have a range," she explains. "One day we’re shopping or pulling at Tom Ford and the next we’re at Kohl’s in Sun Valley for Lauren Conrad." Though some jobs are inevitably more glamorous than others, she maintains that she's much happier working like this. "I like to constantly be challenged, with styling there is always a new problem to be solved. With every project it’s different."
Like one of her most recent jobs styling yet another QUEEN, Jessica Lange, on the Feud press tour. "With editorial and music video, there are quite a lot of creative liberties one can assert. On a press tour, you are not dressing a 'character,'" she says, explaining the various nuances of her job. "It’s more about feeling authentic and comfortable in what they are wearing and cultivating a personal style."
With more corporate clients, Kline says those companies are hiring her to have a POV, even if that means gently pushing back against their comfort zone. "When I find myself in those situations, for instance, in a room with a creative director and the agency and they’re looking to me for an answer, I have to explain the 'why.' Why I believe your hero character should be in denim rather than a suit— that’s really the job of a stylist. Something as small as the hem of a shirt. The width of a tank top strap. There are so many thing that go on behind-the-scenes." Kline says that clients appreciate, and continue to hire you, when you have the knowledge to back up the 'why.'
Though she no longer works on music videos (BTW she's also done OG Snoop and Puffy videos NBD), explaining that "3am fittings are not conducive to morning drop-offs when you have a family," someone she'd still love to work with is Sofia Coppola. " I love the aesthetic of her films and I am very much drawn to working with female directors."
To check out more of Negar Ali's work, see her portfolio here.
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.
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C&C Classifieds Nº47: NPR, Shop Filbert, Kendra Scott & More
Go ahead. Make today awesome.
Hump day is our favorite day-- for a lot of reasons. It's the week's half-way point. It's also when we roll out with a brand new batch of C&C Classifieds.
And this week has us beyond excited for you. Let's see. Are you dreaming of heading to D.C. to work for everyone's fave national public broadcast? Or do you have the Austin bug and want to dive into the Kendra Scott HQ? (Doesn't hurt their offices are what DREAMS are made of.)
You're in luck. Grab your java and polish up your cover letter. This week we're coming in strong with Classified no. 47.
Shop Filbert, Sausalito, CA
NPR, Washington, D.C.
Aisle Planner, San Diego, CA
ShopStyle, San Francisco, CA
Smashbox - Culver City, CA
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Find Out Why Women Are Running the Weed Industry
And meet the cannabiz pro getting women alllll the jobs.
graphic credit: Moon Bacon
Karson Humiston is the founder of Vangst— the cannabis industry's largest and leading recruiting resource. Since launching in 2015, her company has successfully connected over 3,000 skilled workers with jobs.
It’s an industry that’s growing. And that is incredibly exciting for Humiston and other women who are getting in at the ground level.
Humiston has always had that entrepreneurial kick. When she was younger her family lived on a golf course. At night, the budding business woman would head out with a bag and collect golf balls. She’d clean them and sell them back to the golfers the following day. “I convinced the kids in my neighborhood to help too. They set up second stands and I would pay them.”
So how did she go from manicured greens to the green industry? The same as other entrepreneurs— she recognized a need and the ability to fill a void. A new report from New Frontier Data projects that by 2020 the legal cannabis market will create more than a quarter of a million jobs. The legal cannabis market was worth an estimated $7.2 billion in 2016 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 17%.
That’s a lot of jobs in an economy that has seen better days. And what does a growing industry need? Recruiters. Good ones. Huminston is great.
We caught up with the impresario to talk cannabis, job creation, and why there are so many women at the top of the weed chain.
Can you tell us a bit about how you got started, the backstory of what led you down this career path? For some, it’s certainly not an obvious choice.
When I was in college I had a student travel company. After I sold my student travel company I realized I had a really big network of students and recent grads. I was trying to figure out what these group of people needed. I realized they needed jobs. And an industry that was very interesting to me because of the high growth and career opportunity potential was the cannabis. industry. I went to career services [at St. Lawrence in upstate New York] to get their general sense on the cannabis industry. They were horrified. They were not interested in helping people find jobs in the cannabis industry, helping alumni find jobs or current students. So I went to a cannabis trade show to do a little of my own investigating and was blown away by the types of jobs that were available. From accounting jobs, marketing jobs, cultivation jobs, there were a ton of jobs and there was no source to help people find jobs in the space. So I literally graduated and got in my car and drove to Denver where I didn’t know anybody. I had no place to live. I lived in a hotel for the first half. And I started the company first focusing on young professionals in the cannabis industry.
"
I started the company first focusing on young professionals in the cannabis industry."
So how did you make those first connections because weed is legal in Colorado but not in a lot of other states. How did you break down doors?
So the business used to be called ‘Gradjuana,’ which was connecting college students and recent college grads with cannabis jobs. Like I said I was at the trade show and I pitched myself as being with Gradjuana. I said, “Hey I have a huge network of college grads and recent grads. I'm a college grad myself and I had this other company that allowed me to help build this huge network for other people. So I could help you find your next entry level person for just a small fee.” At that first trade show I spoke with everyone at every booth asking, “What positions are you hiring for?” With anything entry level I would send it out to my personal database. People would apply and I would interview them and check their references from past on campus jobs and then connect them with the company. So when I moved to Denver, to be honest it was a door-to-door strategy I didn’t have the money for some huge marketing campaign. I would walk into dispensaries or people’s offices and say, “I’m Karson with Gradjuana and I heard you’re hiring an intern,” — even if they weren’t. And they would say, “Actually we’ve been talking about hiring an intern can you help us?” I went all in that summer, connecting a lot of interns and recent grads with cannabis companies. In September a company came to me and said they needed a technical writer, construction project manager, and an executive assistant. They didn't want entry level, but someone with 5-7 years with experience. They said, "We are paying our current search firm 20% of annual salary, you obviously don’t seem to know what you are doing so we’ll give you 8% if you can find these roles." At that point a huge lightbulb went off in my head and I decided to take a risk and go out and hire my first two recruiters.
How long have you been in business now?
Two years ago we realized there was an opportunity far beyond interns and recent grads. That’s when we rebranded to be a full search firm. Fast forward, now we are a team of 25 employees. It has really grown a lot since door to door intern placement. I got my first official placement on July 12, 2015. I'll never forget it. Her name is Kiara and it was an intern placement for Open Bake.
So it’s been almost exactly two years to date? I assume the bulk placements are happening in states where the industry is legal…?
I can’t believe it’s been 2 years. Right now 29 states have legal medical marijuana and eight states are recreationally legal. What is really interesting for our business is that a lot of clients are out of state.
Why is that?
So for example, a group in Maryland is awarded a license. So they need to hire some experts from within the industry. They’ll engage us to pull a director of cultivation to relocate from Colorado. Someone who understand how to grow cannabis in a potentially a 50-1000 square foot growth facility. Who understands how to come in and build the SOP, who can write the training manual,who understands compliance, how to source the equipment, how to source the nutrients and relocate their expertise to Maryland. We’ve chosen to stay in Colorado because this is where we started, we still have an awesome client base here but with that said about 40% of our clients are outside Colorado. A lot of them are in states that are just coming up.
Do you ever experience push back from the community? Especially in places where it's not legal?
Honestly, the community has been super receptive to it. One of the things we’re doing this year is we’re throwing some career fairs in different places and it is such a job stimulator. There are currently 125,000 people employed in the states and we’re supposed to get up to 250,000 by 2020 —- meaning there will be more jobs created in cannabis than manufacturing. Look at Colorado, their unemployment rate is less than 2% right now. Not only is it creating a ton of tax revenue but a ton of jobs.
Even though it’s a relatively new industry, it’s hard to argue with numbers. We recently spoke with a female grower who said it’s interesting an interesting time because it is new and profitable. Women can get in at the ground and grow a career as the same rate a a man. Are you seeing any kind of gender split in applicants or placements?
Since it is a new industry there are so many opportunities for people to get in on the ground floor. And because we live in an age where women are so empowered, they are taking this opportunity of a leveled playing field to start companies. It hasn’t been predominantly run by men for the past 100 years. I think we’re all kind of starting at ground zero like you indicated earlier. I think that is awesome. So, last month of the people we placed in jobs, 63% of our placements were women. And at our company we have 19 female employees six guys.
"Last month of the people we placed in jobs, 63% of our placements were women."
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You seem pretty fearless and willing to put yourself out there. Have there been any moments of doubt?
Yes of course. I think there are always times when you get to the end of a crazy week and you’re sitting there thinking, “Holy cow what am I doing?” But then I look around and we have helped over 3,500 people get jobs, we have 25 great people who work here, and we are doing a lot of really cool things that are paying off. But I’m from an East Coast conservative family, friends of my family are pretty conservatives, and many parents told me that if I did this, it was going to ruin my career. I’ve always been inspired to be in politics some day and many of them said, “You’ll never have a shot to be in politics, this is going to be the biggest mistake of your life.” Hearing that from people I’ve looked up to my whole life, I remember on the drive out here sort of feeling sick to my stomach, questioning if I was making the right choice, asking myself should I turn around and go back and find a job in Boston or New York like everyone else I know? And those types of moments don’t stop just because it’s working well now. I am now committed to the idea, which I think is a huge piece for anyone who is an entrepreneur to commit and stick through it and stay confident along the way. I know where we’re going and so far it’s working. I need to stay confident and things will continue to work out.
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.
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Free Weekend Download: The Business Plan You Can Use Now
Free download to get you on your A-game.
You have your BIG idea.
You've started talking to people. People are responding well. You think, I can actually do this. Create this. Start this. But then in a meeting someone asks you if you've drafted your business plan. Rewind. Business plan?
You try downloading one off the internet, and then another, but they all look so different. You wind up more confused than ever.
Business plans can be subjective, but they really should cover a set list of topics to tell the best story for themselves and any future business partners, employees, investors, etc.
From what it looks like to what it needs to include, the co-founders of Above the Glass are dishing. They created a business plan checklist to help direct your research and business plan creation.
Fill out the below to download!
What It's Really Like to Be Fired from Vogue
Not all dreams are dreamy.
The original version of this article appeared on Levo.
Though being an editor at Vogue was pretty much what every heroine in the '90s and early aughts romcoms aspired to do, it may not be all it is cracked up to be. In a new very revealing interview with British Vogue's longtime fashion director Lucinda Chambers, she spoke about her recent firing with annual academic fashion journal Vestoj. And she didn't hold back--so much so, in fact, that the interview had to be temporarily removed from Vestoj's website.
But Chambers should really be commended for being so forthright about what it is like to be suddenly as well as shockingly fired when you are at the top of your career. Though it was announced in May that was she stepping down from her role after 30 years, she told Vestoj that she was in fact fired by British Vogue's new editor in chief, Edward Enninful.
"A month and a half ago I was fired from Vogue. I phoned my lawyer; she asked me what I wanted to do about it. I told her I wanted to write a letter to my colleagues to tell them that Edward [Enninful] decided to let me go. And to say how proud I am to have worked at Vogue for as long as I did, to thank them for being such brilliant colleagues. My lawyer said sure, but don’t tell HR. They wouldn’t have wanted me to send it."
She also got super real about what its like working on editorials that you have absolutely no passion about and very little respect for as they are purely for advertisers.
"You’re not allowed to fail in fashion – especially in this age of social media, when everything is about leading a successful, amazing life. Nobody today is allowed to fail, instead the prospect causes anxiety and terror. But why can’t we celebrate failure? After all, it helps us grow and develop. I’m not ashamed of what happened to me. If my shoots were really crappy… Oh I know they weren’t all good – some were crappy. The June cover with Alexa Chung in a stupid Michael Kors T-shirt is crap. He’s a big advertiser so I knew why I had to do it. I knew it was cheesy when I was doing it, and I did it anyway. Ok, whatever. But there were others… There were others that were great."
While Condé Nast wasn't impressed--the media company released a statement claiming it's "usual for an incoming editor to make some changes to the team"--others took to Twitter to commend Chambers' honesty
As for Chambers, she has a vision for "useful and aspirational" fashion magazines of the future:
"[I]n fashion we are always trying to make people buy something they don’t need. We don’t need any more bags, shirts or shoes. So we cajole, bully or encourage people into continue buying. I know glossy magazines are meant to be aspirational, but why not be both useful and aspirational? That’s the kind of fashion magazine I’d like to see."
Honesty, failure, and useful. Now that would make for an interesting magazine.
photo credit: Puma/Smith House Photography
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Here's Why Lauren Conrad Is Going to Make the Best New Mom
One: She's a powerhouse. Two: click through.
Lauren Conrad is no reality TV has-been, to say the least. A decade later, and new mama to son, Liam James Tell, the former star of Laguna Beach and The Hills has parlayed a flare for on-screen drama into a fashion and retail empire complete with best-selling novels, multiple fashion lines, and, now, The Little Market, an online fair trade shop empowering a network of global artisans to rise above the poverty line.
Yesterday, the new mom announced the birth of her son via Instagram, with this adorable shot claiming, "and then there were five."
Conrad has spent her post-reality years building a strong brand and name for herself-- and being an advocate for female artisans.
With The Little Market, Conrad and partner Hannah Skvarla are supporting female artisans around the world by selling their handmade goods to socially conscious consumers who value ethical and sustainable manufacturing, not just stylish design. It’s a mutually beneficial partnership that allows customers to purchase beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces while enhancing the lives of women makers — it’s a far cry from tube tops, spray tans, and beachside boy beef with Heidi Montag and Stephanie Pratt.
Appropriately, the journey to the Little Market began in Africa, home to many of the market’s skilled craftswomen. “When we were trying to come up with the concept for The Little Market Hannah and I were visiting a girl's school in Africa,” Conrad tells us. “While we were there, we had the chance to speak to a lot of the students. When we asked them if there was anything they needed their requests were heartbreaking. Water, vegetables, and a bed. At the very end of our visit it began to rain and the girls started dancing around. The rain meant that they would not have to make their daily four hour round-trip walk to get freshwater and they would be able to read their books in the daylight because they have no electricity and can't study at night.”
Building a marketplace for remote regions devoid of technology isn’t always easy, but Conrad forges ahead with the help of her team. “Language barriers, internet access, long lead times, and customs all can make the process challenging. Fortunately, we have an awesome team who always seems to get it done somehow.”
Moreover, in a culture that increasingly craves fast fashion, it’s all the more important for The Little Market to establish that resonant emotional connection with its audience — to showcase the people behind the product, the lives who benefit from the exchange. “The more a consumer sees value in the story behind the product, the more likely they are to take an interest it where it comes from,” says Conrad, who knows a thing or two about design and manufacturing, herself a Kohl’s fashion mogul. “Continuing to tell these stories and see products for so much more than they appear to be will encourage others to do the same. Whether it's a shoe made from reclaimed plastic or an artisan made product that can help send girls to school, sometimes the message is just as important as the trend.”
"I've learned the value in saying no and learned to delegate."
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As The Little Market continues to make big moves, Conrad navigates the murky waters of being your own boss — she even allows herself at least one day a week off. “Even though you often have to work through the weekend you can give yourself a Tuesday off. It's important to have time to focus on things that aren't work related and to clear your mind. I've found that I'm happier and more productive this way,” advises Conrad, who knits, hikes, and hits the beach with her pups in her spare time and says having a partner has helped her to become more selfless. She’s also learning to be less hard on herself. “There was definitely a point in my life when I took on too much and was burning the candle at both ends. Since then, I've learned the value in saying no and learned to delegate. It can be hard to trust others to work on a brand that you spent so much time on, but you can't do it all,” muses the soon-to-be-new-mama.
At the heart of The Little Market is its mission to support women artisans around the world, but let’s not forget the work that’s left to do right here at home. “Female empowerment means looking at being a woman as a strength not a weakness. Because let's be honest, we are pretty damn strong.”
Photo credit: Lauren Conrad for Kohl's