Links From Our Group Chat: Minnie Driver Slams Matt Damon & We Applaud All Black Women
You snooze, you lose.
Feminism. It's the word of the year, according to Merriam-Webster. #trending. According to the wordsmiths, Merriam-Webster said "feminism" was the most looked-up word in its online dictionary, with the term generating 70% more searches than last year.
So how do we make sure that this continues? Maybe not treat gender equality as a trend.
Would you ride a gondola to the Hollywood sign? DVF and her husband are looking into it.
Thank you black women. Thank you black women. Thank you.
Thank you Salma Hayek for so explicitly detailing the abuse of power.
Ugh, but no thank you on this. We like our internet the way we like our winter wardrobe: neutral.
Also, no thank you on this many Diet Cokes.
Russell Simmons started a #notme hashtag. & Matt Damon did an awful lot of mansplaining this week, but Minnie Driver wasn't havin' it.
Conde Nast's newest online publication that focuses on queer youth is called them.
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Professional Ghosting: Why Is It So Horrible
Are you there colleauge? It's me Margaret.
Urban Dictionary defines ghosting as “The act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone,” and while the term originated in the dating world, it seems to be slithering itself into the workplace too.
Professional ghosting isn’t just horrible when you’re on the receiving end, but it can be disastrous for your reputation of you’re the one doing the ghosting. The average worker spends an estimated 28% of the workweek managing e-mails, so chances are that if you’re the recipient, you’ve at least seen the email come through. According to a study done at USC, more than 90% of replies happen within a day of receiving the message, so if you haven’t received a reply in a day or two, there’s a very high chance that you won’t receive a reply at all.
TWO DAYS?!
GETTING GHOSTED
Obviously no one likes being on the receiving end of professional ghosting. It can hurt your self-esteem, and lead to internal questions about what you could have done differently. “Did I say something wrong?” “Could I have approached this differently?”
The important thing to remember if you’re being professionally ghosted is to take the high road. Learn from your experience and don’t ghost others. If you come across the person who ghosted you at a later time, keep your cool and act professional. While it’s okay to mention that you sent them an email (or many) without a response a while back, it’s important to show that you have taken the high road and aren’t holding a grudge. Internal feelings are fine, but keeping outward presentation pleasant is what will help you professionally. No one likes someone who holds grudges, especially at work. And while it doesn’t make it okay, you never know what came up or why that person never responded.
BEING THE GHOSTER
It may seem easy to just brush off an email and not respond, but on top of being extremely rude, if you professionally ghost someone, you are being unprofessional and hurting your reputation. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and as long as you voice that opinion respectfully and appropriately, there is nothing wrong with that.
Have you decided that you don’t want to work with someone or that a project isn’t the right fit? Totally your choice, but take action and tell your potential partners what’s going on. There’s nothing worse than negotiating with someone only to all of the sudden not receive any responses. If you’ve gone with another option, that’s okay, but communicate and don’t burn your bridges.
By ghosting someone, you are showing that you:
- Don’t care enough or respect the other party enough to respond
- You lack professionalism
- You cannot take accountability for your decisions
Do you want to represent that in your career? Hopefully not. Try the touch it once rule-- it helps keep you on your best email grind.
What do you do if you’ve ghosted someone and want to fix it?
Responding late is better than never. It’s still rude to wait a long time to respond to someone, but if you have and want to remedy the situation, the best way to handle it is to take responsibility.
A great way to respond is something like this:
“Hi ___, So sorry for the delayed response. This email should have gotten out to you sooner. Unfortunately we’ve decided to go with another option, but we appreciate your hard work, and would love to keep in touch about future opportunities. Best of luck on your endeavors!”
This response shows contrition (or email guilt), gives you accountability for your actions, and lays out the situation clearly. All you can do is take responsibility, learn from your mistakes, and move forward. A simple email saying “Thank you, but we’re not interested at this time” or something of that nature takes seconds to craft, and shows the recipient that you care enough to take the time to respond. No one can hold it against you if you’ve gone a different direction as long as you’ve been clear with your communication.
______
Is one email response really worth ruining your reputation and potentially your career? Chime in below.
In the time it takes to write a quick email, you will be able to help your professional reputation, give someone piece of mind, and ensure that you’re not burning any bridges.
A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your resume, style, and boost your confidence.
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Exclusive! BTS at the Create & Cultivate x Google Store Dinner
Fun, fashion, and the season's best gifts.
What the best time of the year?
The holidays, obviously.
That was certainly the vibe at our holiday party with Google Store Tuesday night at NeueHouse in Los Angeles. So we’re throwing it to last night’s “bests.”
From Nicolette Mason toasting to her exciting new line Premme, to Whitney Leigh Morris chatting about renovations on her Tiny Canal Cottage, everyone was in the mood to chat and be merry. We had some laughs as well.
Sarah Dubbeldam, founder of Darling Magazine, actress Arielle Vandenberg, and Caroline Lee, founder at Woodnote Photography, gathered around the Google Daydream View to experience the world of virtual reality. While Bianca Alexa, doodled on the Google Pixelbook.
There were laughs and good vibes all around, while notable attendees Whitney Port and Arielle Vandenberg dished on their tips and tricks for holiday shopping. @Arielle said, "I love giving gifts. It's probably my favorite thing ever." Adding "I'm a practical giver. I only give things I know someone will use. Like a salt shaker."
The actress and IG star may have been kidding, but we’re into practicality. (We’re busy women, ya know?) Especially the practical help that the Google Home Mini offers. Want to know what traffic is like by the mall where you do all your holiday shopping? Just ask, “Hey Google, what’s the traffic like near The Grove?”
Whitney Port dressed up for one of the first times since becoming a new mom. The "I Love My Baby, But" star put on her Miu Miu shoes-- "they're surprisingly comfortable!" she said.
Jaclyn Johnson, founder of Create & Cultivate addressed the crowd, telling them that holiday season surrounded by her favorite women is something she looks forward to every year.
"It is an honor to have each and every one of you here tonight," she said, "and I am so excited for you guys to experience the joys of Google Store. This has been a partnership of which we are extremely proud. Be sure to follow @madebygoogle."
Suruchi Shukla, Head of Global Marketing, Google Store, likewise raised a glass and toasted to the table. “I want to welcome all of you to this wonderful dinner organized by Jaclyn, and team,” she shared. “This is a great opportunity for us, at Google, to introduce our new line of products to you and have you experience them and my hope is that you fall in love with these products as much as we have and tell your friends and family about them. So many are geared toward making your lives easier. As busy, working women we know how important this is. The Google Home Mini we’re gifting to you acts like a mini assistant.”
There were cheers from the table.
Click through the gallery below to enjoy an exclusive BTS look at our holiday dinner with Google Store.
And for any last minute shoppers, you can shop for Google Home or Google Home Mini at Google Store: store.google.com, where you can learn more about Google’s products and offers. Heads up there’s free 2-day shipping on your holiday gifts when you order by 12/19!
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How CRWN Magazine Founder Is Changing the World by Being Herself
Real Queens fix each other's CRWNs.
Real Queens fix each other's CRWNs.
“Don’t touch my hair! “ Many of us have heard Solange Knowles sing about it, but Lindsey Day co-founder of CRWN magazine is doing something about it. Lindsey launched CRWN, a hair and lifestyle magazine for black women, with longtime collaborator, Nkrumah. It’s no secret that women of color go to inexplicable lengths to transform their natural hair to Caucasian standards of beauty. It’s an arguably negative cycle of self-denunciation with a great financial and cultural burden. However, in this age of information saturation, there has been a surge of natural hair influencers on social media and a boom in Black hair care products. Both Nkrumah and Day felt compelled to contribute to this movement, finding that the one thing missing was “a premium magazine documenting the phenomenon, or authentically portraying our narrative”(Day). And thus, CRWN magazine was born, a culturally aware art platform that prides itself on showcasing only NATURAL Black hair.
Day is no stranger to running magazines, uplifting social morale, or being on the cusp of innovation, but the road to her existential success was not direct. She landed her first full time job at Interscope Records, while also editing a blog called “livelevated.com” with collegiate friend and creative director Nkrumah. At the time they were working in the corporate music industry and found a little haven in this side project. During Lindsey’s six years with Interscope, she witnessed the economic crash and the corporate industry flip inside out due to expanding technology. This uncertainty drove Day to crave ownership. And in 2009, she co-founded “Made Woman,” “an online magazine that helps young professional women connect and learn from each others’ careers.”
She quit Interscope, worked full time at MW, and took some freelance gigs along the way. One of which turned into a full time position with Intern Queen, doing content, business, and project management, honing in on her digital marketing skills.
As she was approaching 30, the wordsmith needed a change. She reconnected with Nkrumah on a Brooklyn rooftop in 2014, where they reflected on ownership, career, and voids in the marketplace, but most importantly “what life would look like if we could sustain ourselves by serving our people.” That was the beginning of CRWN.
CRWN is a quarterly print magazine with an e-commerce offering. It is 100% independent and self-funded, and has built successful advertisement relationships based on its ability and promise to stay true to its core message of authentic Black culture. This authenticity is what drives the owner. Lindsey says it’s her “love of my people, and the work,” it’s about seeing “a woman or girl flip through CRWN and her eyes light up…or when a sister confides in me about her hairstory and how CRWN is a place where she can finally see herself…These are the reminders that CRWN is so much bigger than Nkrumah and myself.” A profound feeling that most of us hope to evoke at some point in our life.
CRWN is culture. It is the Black musicians, painters, photographers, writers, activists, and visionaries of a culture that have never been honestly represented in the media, nor maybe even to it themselves. It is healing Black people in America by saying ‘it is beautiful to be you.’ The team at CRWN feel a moral obligation to tell their story and document their culture. In years to come, Lindsey sees CRWN growing into a “true media platform and hub for the culture,” where creatives and business people alike can come and “cut their teeth,” as she says.
CrwnMag Issue no. 01; CrwnMag Issue no. 02.
The co-founder's ability to show up, persevere, work hard, and trust her gut instinct, has brought her to a place of ownership, pride, humanitarianism, and cultural revival. She has created a tangible change in the Black community, and most importantly, an awareness of truth and self-love. In a world where African Americans have been systematically misrepresented, discredited, and traumatized throughout the course of history, Lindsey Day and CRWN have created a haven of acceptance, beauty, self-love, and open conversation. The powerhouse tells it like this, “This is the first time in my life I’ve known I’m walking in my true purpose.”
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.
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C&C Classifieds: Beach Riot, Popular Pays & More!
Celebrate the holidays with a new gig.
December is finally here, and we're one step closer to 2018. We have the holiday music on repeat, and we can already hear the New Year's Eve noisemakers in the distance.
However, if you're looking if you're looking to lock in a new gig before you hear the 2018 countdown, we've got a new batch of classifieds for you this week.
Scotch & Soda - New York, NY
Kendra Scott - Austin, TX
Techstyle Fashion Group - El Segundo, CA
How to Not Harass Women as Told Through The Office Memes
Dear men.
Dear Men of the World,
We need to talk.
Seriously, we like sex. When it's consensual. But when it comes to office culture and harassment, and like, whipping it out in public, it's pretty simple.
Because when you do sh*t like that, especially in an office environment, or when you're our boss, it's really freakin' confusing. Because we like our jobs, want to keep our jobs. And then we're all:
And this.
Look, it's a massive bummer that Harvey Weinstein ruined bathrobes for everyone.
It's an even bigger bummer that he's a predator.
Yes, that kind of predator. Kind of like this:
Which makes us feel a lot of this:
And this.
So next time you're wondering if you should grab a woman without consent. Or tell her she'd look better if she lost weight. Or you're sitting at your desk thinking:
Or.
Or.
Keep it to yourself.
Love,
Women everywhere.
Arianna Schioldager is EIC at Create & Cultivate. You can follow along with her @ariannawrotethis.
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We've Got *all the* Tips If You're Rolling to Create & Cultivate Solo
Solo is the new yolo.
Going anywhere by yourself can be intimidating. Let alone being solo amongst a thousand women!
Recently, I attended Create & Cultivate Seattle. I did a lot of things leading up to an during the conference that helped me make the most of it. Some of it I did intentionally and some I did unknowingly - only realizing how helpful it was really after the fact.
That being said, I'm hoping some of these takeaways I'll be sharing with you below help you get your money's worth (because conferences aren't all that cheap!).
Study the agenda
All conferences are different but for the most part, they have a lot going on. Before attending Create & Cultivate Seattle, I *literally* did some brief research on every single speaker that was going to be there! This is a step you could also (should definitely) do before purchasing your ticket. That way you know if the content they're offering is even something you're interested in understanding more.
When I received my track (sometimes conferences will assign you the discussions you'll be attending), I did even more research on the speakers that were a part of that track! You could also make notes on the people you want to try and approach or even make note of panels you're okay with skipping, so you can check out the pop-up shops instead (or whatever else is going on at the conference you're attending).
Make your own agenda
This may be the most important step if you're serious about making the most out of your time there! Because you may have so many options, really take the time to sit down and write out a personalized agenda for yourself. Take note of all the things you definitely do not want to miss and maybe add another column of things you'd also like to attend if you end up having the extra time for it!
Did you end up seeing some individuals that you would like to try and introduce yourself to during your research stage? Write their names down! Also even take a brief note on what the individual does and why they inspire you. You'll definitely want to do that if you have a long list of people you're planning to try and meet.
Browse social media
Events nowadays typically create their own hashtag! And if they do it ahead of the event, explore that hashtag to see if you could find other people who will be attending too! Maybe you'll find someone you make plans to meet with ahead of time and you're ahead of the game when it comes to meeting people. I found a handful of women doing this and I think I only actually met one or two of them. But we still follow and support one another on social media (both the ones I met and didn't meet).
Be business card ready
Okay. Some people say business cards are outdated but regardless, I always have them on me. Especially if I'm attending an event where "networking" happens and the chances of this or that person remembering my name, contact info, and "title" are slim!
Don't have a business card or even an actual business? Don't sweat it. Head on over to Canva and use one of their templates or check out Moo.com! Put your name and contact info on there and call it a day. Just make sure you have something to hand all the awesome people you'll meet.
Attend the pre-game
Some conferences may have a pre-event before the big day. Some only offer it to VIP. Regardless, do some research and check to see if there's a mixer the night before or something. If there is, definitely go! Yes, even if you're intimidated to go alone. To be honest, I was a little hesitant myself but the thought of meeting someone who ended up miraculously becoming my future business partner motivated me to go. (Hey you never know!)
Create & Cultivate had a "happy hour" the night before and I met a few girls there that I ended up seeing throughout the day of the conference, which was cool because we'd say hi to each other and briefly go over how our days were going. Plus I still keep in touch with some of them on social media!
Pay attention to the pre-event emails
I am so happy that I took advantage of the shuttle that Create & Cultivate offered via *email. (Make sure you're checking and reading all the emails the conference sends you if they're doing that sort of thing). The Create & Cultivate Seattle conference itself was actually located in town right outside of Seattle, so I saved myself from a couple expensive Uber rides. Not only that but I actually also met my conference buddy in there!
Create a conference buddy
This isn't required. Totally optional. And also totally not guaranteed to happen. Your "conference buddy" is basically the person you randomly end up meeting, connecting with, and spending the day(s) together! I lucked out. Though, I totally would've been fine having not found a buddy because I wasn't expecting to. But I will say it was awesome experiencing it with someone I had just met and debriefing all the panels right after we saw them. As mentioned, I met her on the shuttle on my way there! We clicked, found out we were on the same track, and (without verbally expressing it) decided to conquer the day as a unit.
Venture away from your conference buddy
Although it is awesome to find someone you click with enough to experience the event together... you still want to give yourself the opportunity to meet and network with other people! Conferences are cool because you and all the other attendees have similar interests. So allow yourself to click with multiple people by straying away from your conference buddy every now and then.
Attending Create & Cultivate Los Angeles in February of 2018 and have some more questions about the experience? Feel free to reach out or comment below!
Jocelyn is an event planner and writer currently creating in Tucson, Arizona with an affinity for Hip Hop, food, travel and storytelling. Bienvenido!
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Issa Rae on Failure, The Old Hollywood Boys Club & Throwing Chairs
When Issa Rae joined us on stage at Create & Cultivate Seattle as keynote conversation with CEO founder Jaclyn Johnson there was a fair amount of fan-girling that went on. Which, fair. The self-made YouTube star has made moves since Awkward Black Girl, creating and starring in HBO's Insecure, as well as landing in Time Magazine's "Firsts" issue, credited as the "First black woman to create and star in a premium cable series."
Here's what she shared with the audience.
On the old boys club:
"You’re constantly getting excuses from higher-ups that they can’t find people.. But they’re not trying hard enough.
Sometimes you have to take a risk on people that have no experience, so they can work. There is an old boys club at the end of the day. They’re recycling people and they are risk-averse. But when you have black and Latino people supporting a black show, the results are clear and it feels authentic. For us it was making sure that we’re doing our part to give other people the spotlight."
On your ‘one shot':
"During Awkward Black Girl... I was producing that out of pocket, and my pockets were empty. That was hard. I produced it with 25 dollars. We set a Kickstarter goal of 30k and ended up raising 60k. And then Pharrell [Williams] contacted us in the middle of our season and asked if he could fund the second season. That changed the game from there."
Shonda Rhimes and co ended up reaching out to Issa.
"I was producing Awkward Black Girl out of pocket. And my pockets were empty."
Tweet this.
"I pitched them a show called I Hate LA Dudes. It was something true to my heart and true to their hearts too. I developed that with them. I felt like it was my one shot. I was extremely eager to please. Shonda was great at hand-holding but where I fell short was navigating network notes. When the studio and network would give notes I was a 'yes woman' and I lost what I was trying to say in the process. At the end of the day they want you to funnel their notes through your voice. I didn’t get that at the time. They ended up passing on the series. I thought that was my one shot. So when HBO called and I knew that I should never dilute my voice again."
On failure:
"I can’t go a day without failing. I think where I thrive is knowing I’m not gonna make that mistake the same way again."
On bringing up other people:
"Too often we try to find people that are established or go the star route and networks encourage that. But I’d been following Yvonne’s [Orji] career for such a long time, just via Facebook. She was one of the random people I had friended post election when she had posted a video trying to claim Obama as a family member after the election. I thought it was the funniest shit ever. I just friended her. When we got picked up I hit her up and said, ‘Hey will you audition for this?’
The web is where you can be the most free. It’s your pure unfiltered voice. And it’s where you can highlight other content creators. Which is what Issa Rae Productions is about. It’s about building a pipeline to get people into television and film. It’s been super exciting as a genuine fan of dope artists.
Everyone on the Insecure team is all about that. Elevating other content creators. That’s what it’s going to take to shift the industry and shift the crazy excuses as to why there aren’t relatable shows of color."
On first mini-viral moments:
"Me and my girlfriends were sitting around drinking Moscato one night. Because we heard Lil' Kim talk about it in a song. And we could afford it. We had a freestyle session where I thought, I need to record this. We are killing it. We weren’t. I used Windows Movie Maker and turned it into a music video. It spread around our campus."
On breaking into the industry:
"At the same time [as the viral videos] I was trying to break into the industry traditionally. I came to LA to try and sell a spec script I wrote with a partner. I was told by executives that there was no audience for the kind of work we we’re trying to do. I had a lightbulb moment when I thought I am such an avid user of Facebook, it would be so cool to do a mocumentary about what it’s like to be black at Stanford and just upload it. And did it. It started spreading to other schools. For me that was an epiphany that I had direct access to an audience. But I graduated and didn’t do it again until about two years later. Awkward Black Girl was my third web series. It blew up from there."
On being ‘Insecure’
For Awkward Black Girl I was 100% nervous. I had never put my own face out there. I wanted another friend to star in it, but by the time I actually went through with it she was like, ‘Girl I’m in law school.’ I knew I was running out of time. And I knew the character and that I could play it. That took a lot of pumping up. I know how ruthless people are, but I had to get over it. I had my best friend come over and showed her the first edit and watched her genuine feedback and laughter. Then I closed my eyes, uploaded it, and went to sleep. By the time I woke up, it had spread beyond my network, which I thought was just incredible."
"I can’t go a day without failing."
Tweet this.
On representation:
"I was a fan of television shows that had a specific type of humor. But I never saw people of color representing that humor. Sometimes they were being laughed at or the butt of the joke, but they weren’t cracking the jokes."
At the time Issa had a film blog where she would vent her frustrations.
"On the blog I would talk about what I wanted to see. And I would talk shit a lot. And one commenter was like, ‘Bitch you talk a lot of shit, why don’t you do it?’ And I was like, 'Oh maybe I can.' So I really created Awkward Black Girl so I could continue to talk shit."
On the start of her career:
"There is someone who should have equity and is the reason I put out the show. Commenter ShyWeb18 is responsible for my entire career. Shoutout to her."
On female friendships:
"When I was in in college I loved watched the reality shows for the drama and the ignorance and the ridiculousness of it. But then I thought this is all we have depicting black female friends. We’re constantly battling each other, we’re conniving. We’re throwing chairs and wine bottles at each other. And I’ve never thrown chairs in my life.. at my friends. We wouldn’t be friends after that. I wanted to depict the real friendships that I knew. Yvonne’s character Molly is based off of one of my best friends.
I love women. Some of my best friends are women. There’s just a comfort and a shorthand and a support system. For me it comes from being around dope active women. There’s a narrative that we don’t support each other, that we’re catty, that we tear each other down. That’s never been my experience. It’s so rewarding to grow with so many different women. "
Photo credit: Smith House Photography
Arianna Schioldager is editor-in-chief at Create & Cultivate. You can find her @ariannawrotethis.
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WTF: A Super Unsettling Trend Among Female Abuse Lawsuits
So many odd feelings about this.
There is a growing and unsettling trend among high (or "higher") profile women.
Elsie Hewitt, a model who dated Ryan Phillippe for two months this past summer, filed a lawsuit against him alleging that he assaulted her on July 4 when she showed up at his house to pick up her stuff post-breakup. She claims he beat her and threw her down the stairs. She went to the cops after the incident and a temporary restraining order was granted. According to Hewitt she also saw Phillippe “repeatedly abusing a panoply of legal and illegal drugs, including without limitation: cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and steroids…Phillippe increasingly combined these drugs with excessive alcohol consumption and often exhibited symptoms attendant of poly drug and alcohol abuse, including mood swings and bouts of anger.”
She’s posted photos (somehow deemed "glamour shots"), which can be seen here and is asking for no less than one million dollars in damages.
Cue: the money-grabbing, whore narrative. Cue: the lawyer’s rebuttal.
To undercut that “whore” narrative we so often see associated with public cases like this, Hewitt’s lawyers have said that the accusations that she is out for money and fame aren’t true, and that if she wins, she will donate the money to domestic violence charities. The suit was filed only yesterday, and Hewitt is already on the defense.
This is becoming an all too familiar plot point and smells a bit like victim-blaming's cousin. In order for women to be taken seriously by the public, they’re required to take extra measures to ensure that people know they’re telling the truth. i.e. not take a pay day. (This is theme all too familiar among women in general. We’re asking for too much. You can’t be feminist capitalist. Women have to pretend that they aren’t running for-profit businesses.) But specifically as it relates to narratives and accusations around abuse, more women feel compelled to pay up (or pay it forward) when the men are required to pay out. If they want to be taken seriously, they can’t ask for a dime.
Or rather, they can only ask for a dollar.
Just last month Taylor Swift’s federal-counter lawsuit against former radio host/ass groper DJ David Mueller made headlines when the Grammy-winning entertainer won the suit where she testifies that Mueller stayed attached to her bare backside during a photo op with him and his then-girlfriend Shannon Melcher. Her winnings? A symbolic $1 as a chance to stand up for other women. Mueller, on his part, should he have won, could have received $300,000. There was no way he was donating that money or making symbolic gestures.
In closing arguments, Swift’s lawyer Douglas Baldridge said, “That single dollar is of immeasurable value in the scheme of things. It says no means no for all women.”
But I’m not entirely sold on this. Sure, it’s not about the money. It’s about calling men out on their shit and holding them responsible. But it enforces the ongoing storyline that women have to prove the validity of their story by foregoing funds.
Yet another recent example is that of actress Amber Heard, who settled her divorce and domestic abuse claims against ex-husband Johnny Depp for $7 million dollars. Heard, 30, filed for divorce in May and obtained a temporary restraining order, alleging her Oscar-nominated husband assaulted her after a drunken argument in their LA apartment. Those claims were met with similar jeering as Hewitt. Some cried blackmail. Others like actor Paul Bettany tweeted: tweeted: “Known Johnny Depp for years and through several relationships. He’s the sweetest, kindest, gentlest man that I’ve ever known. Just saying.”
Of her settlement, Heard has said, ”As described in the restraining order and divorce settlement, money played no role for me personally and never has, except to the extent that I could donate it to charity and, in doing so, hopefully help those less able to defend themselves." She went on: "As reported in the media, the amount received in the divorce was $7 million and $7 million is being donated. This is over and above any funds that I have given away in the past and will continue to give away in the future." Amber added that the $7 million will be divided amongst charities with "a particular focus to stop violence against women," including the ACLU and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, where she has volunteered for over a decade.
While we admire these noble acts surely beneficial to foundations in need, something about this is hard to swallow. Is it necessary for women to donate their winnings or take symbolic stands to be viewed as honest? Or to be taken seriously?
Is proof no longer sufficient? (Side note: proof has never really been sufficient when it comes to dudes getting away with things.)
Apparently not, according to the uptick in these kinds of cases.
Women are still required to be the sweetest, kindest, gentlest victims. Donating all money to charities. #Justsaying.
Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.
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#FollowFriday 10 Female Leaders We #Ship it With
It’s called leadership for a reason.
This week we're shouting out some seriously inspiring women leading movements across the country. It’s called leadership for a reason.
@repmaxinewaters
Congresswoman Maxine Waters is considered by many to be one of the most powerful women in American politics today. She has gained a reputation as a fearless and outspoken advocate for women, children, people of color and the poor. Throughout her 37 years of public service, Maxine Waters has been on the cutting edge, tackling difficult and often controversial issues. She has combined her strong legislative and public policy acumen and high visibility in Democratic Party activities with an unusual ability to do grassroots organizing. Prior to her election to the House of Representatives in 1990, Congresswoman Waters had already attracted national attention for her no-nonsense, no-holds-barred style of politics.
@jessomatt
“I think that is the beauty of struggle–that you have an appreciation for the simple things in life,” Jessica said. “In life you have two choices: you can resolve to be the person who just lets life happen to you or you can be the person who gets up each day, and focus on what you can control and how you can make the most out of what God has given you.” Matthews, 28, is founder and chief executive officer of Uncharted Play, based in New York City. Her company began with the development of the Soccket–a soccer ball that could generate three hours of LED light after 30 minutes of play. The technology of the Soccket and another invention, Pulse–a jump rope that generates six hours of LED light or a 50% iPhone charge after 15 minutes of play–is now being applied to other energy-generated play products.
@raquel_willis
As Communications Associate for the Transgender Law Center, black queer transgender activist Raquel Willis is dedicated to helping marginalized individuals in her personal and professional work. In response to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's controversial statement on trans women, Willis' op-ed for The Root, "Trans Women Are Women. This Isn't A Debate" was her most revolutionary moment to date.
@sherylsandberg
Sheryl Kara Sandberg is an American technology executive, activist, and author. She is the chief operating officer of Facebook and founder of Leanin.org. Sandberg is the author of the bestseller Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, which has sold more than a million copies and has been optioned as a film. Lean In inspired a global community group, LeanIn.org, which Sandberg founded to support women striving to reach their ambitions. From her COO post, Sandberg oversees Facebook’s business operations, specifically helping Facebook scale its operations and expand its global footprint. For her duties, Sandberg has been richly rewarded, and she made her way onto the billionaires’ list in early 2014, based on her stake in Facebook, which made its initial public stock offering in 2012, the same year that Sandberg became the first female member of the company's board of directors.
@repbarragan
Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán represents California's 44th Congressional District #CA44. Rep. Barragán has worked as a community advocate in Los Angeles as well as in Washington. She worked in the White House in the late 90’s and then at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – focusing on racial and social justice issues. While serving as a Councilwoman, she stood up to an oil company to stop a proposal to drill thirty-four oil and water injection wells in Hermosa Beach and out into the Santa Monica Bay. She became the first Latina ever elected and the first woman in ten years. Rep. Barragán began her congressional career in January of 2017, where she is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Progressive Caucus. She serves on the Committee on Homeland Security and Natural Resources.
@kirstengillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand is an American attorney and politician serving since 2009 as a United States Senator from New York, alongside the Democratic Leader of the United States Senate, Chuck Schumer. One of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s top priorities in the United States Senate is to rebuild the American economy. She is fighting every day for more good-paying jobs, more products stamped with the words “Made in America,” and more new small businesses around New York State. She is determined to make sure that all New Yorkers have the opportunity to reach their potential, and she has consistently been a voice for the voiceless across New York and all around the country.
@amyklobuchar
Amy Jean Klobuchar is an American former prosecutor, author and politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is the first woman elected to represent the State of Minnesota in the United States Senate. Throughout her public service, Senator Klobuchar has always embraced the values she learned growing up in Minnesota. Since arriving in the Senate, Senator Klobuchar has worked with Democrats and Republicans to get things done. She led the effort to pass landmark pieces of legislation to end human trafficking and to combat the opioid epidemic. She fought to pass the most significant consumer product safety legislation in a generation, keeping foreign toxic products off our shores and out of our stores, and pushed the cell phone companies to enact more consumer-friendly policies. Additionally, her efforts to protect consumers have resulted in the largest furniture recall in American history as well as millions of defective airbags being taken off the road.
@senatorheitkamp
Mary Kathryn "Heidi" Heitkamp is an American businesswoman, lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States Senator from North Dakota since 2013. As a former director of the one-of-a-kind Dakota Gasification synfuels plant, Senator Heitkamp has a long record of serving as a champion for North Dakota’s energy jobs and industry. Senator Heitkamp sits on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, where she has been fighting for North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers to make sure they get the resources and support they need to continue to feed North Dakota, the country, and the world. Starting on day one in the Senate, she helped write, negotiate, and pass a long-term, comprehensive Farm Bill which Congress passed in 2014.
@sarahsophief
Writer, activist, performer and mother, Sarah Sophie Flicker is truly a jack of all trades. "We live in a world where so many people don't have official titles anymore, but there's this pressure to explain what you do, or know what you're gonna be when you grow up," Sarah says, "The thing that's cool about life is that that changes all the time." Between performing with her political cabaret The Citizen's Band, producing political PSAs, and picking up her babies from school, Flicker is paving the way for women everywhere to kick ass on their own terms.
Rep Patricia Todd
(honorary-- no IG avail, but we'd follow for sure.)
Patricia Todd is an American politician from Alabama. A Democrat, she is a member of the Alabama House of Representatives representing District 54 in downtown Birmingham. She was elected in November 2006. She is currently the Human Rights Campaign Alabama State Director and is the first ever openly gay elected official in the state of Alabama. Formerly she was the associate director of AIDS Alabama.
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How To Reclaim Your Time & Your Meetings
Hello timesaver. Hello future.
If you were super-duper, pep-talk in the mirror honest with yourself, how would you answer this question: Where are your eyes during a meeting? Are they on your phone? Scrolling through emails?
Liking photos on Instagram…
We’ve all been there, to the point where we at C&C have a company-wide policy that at all-hands meetings, it’s all hands off phones. That’s right. They stay in our pockets or at our desks. Because ACTIVE listening is how we truly get into action.
And while you might be thinking, hold up, wait a multi-tasking minute. That’s how I stay productive. Studies show that you’re not actually getting as much done as you think while “multitasking.” The truth is, our brains can’t handle jumping from task to task.
Just. Not. Possible.
However, thanks to Bamboo, we've found a solution to the meeting madness. They introduced us to the idea of Mindful Meetings and their new smartpad is unplugged digital note taking at its finest! All you need is the Bamboo Folio and the accompanying pen, and it does the rest-- tracking your notes, sending them to your device-- it will even auto-type your handwritten notes with its Inkspace app. It’s been a HUGE timesaver for us. It also helps us focus on the meeting at hand. And the less you’re distracted in meetings, the less meetings you have to have! Who isn’t keen on that? (Your boss will love it, for one.)
And speaking of bosses, we asked 3 successful CEOs their best advice for having more mindful meetings in the office. This is what they said.
WEEKLY TEAM MEETINGS
"Something Social values weekly meetings to their core. We meet weekly to discuss major team goals, updates on clients, new initiatives, and more. While it may seem really easy to do all of this while also being on your laptop and phone, we make sure we don’t waste this time by fully focusing on the conversation. We leave our laptops and phones at our desks. Oftentimes, we’ll also take a few moments to discuss personal goals as well as professional, which helps us tie our work to our personal growth. Ironically, one of the things that most helps us stay mindful at the office is a piece of technology – the Bamboo Folio. The Folio lets us write meeting notes and ideas with a pen on any paper and then save the work as a digital file with the touch of a button."
Cali Cholodenko, Founder/CEO of Something Social
Read more on Something Social’s mindful office practices here.
TIME BLOCK YOUR SCHEDULE
"If you’ve been around these parts for a while, then you know time blocking is a method that I absolutely swear by! I give each hour of my workday a specific task and I focus solely on that task during that allotted timeframe. This keeps me from spending hours in my inbox or getting caught up on one client project that eats away my entire afternoon. Plus, having a consistent schedule for my workday allows me to plan accordingly and know what’s next. Rather than floating from task to task, I know that I’ll spend 30 minutes answering emails, one hour working on client design projects, 15 minutes brainstorming future content ideas, etc. If you haven’t tried time blocking before, I highly recommend it!"
Bonni, Founder/CEO of B is For Bonnie Design
Read Bonnie’s Time Management Tips + Tools For Running A Business here.
STAND UP!
"When your body is active, so is your mind! Have a standing, no-tech meeting. You’ll be surprised how fast people will try to get things done in that meeting. You could also invest in a standing desk. We use them for when we are really ready to bust out tasks. Plus, it’s easier to do a victory dance when you’re already standing."
Promise Tangman, Founder of Go Live HQ
Read more on how the Go Live HQ Team tackles their to-do lists.
Want to learn more about how you can apply mindfulness to your office culture? Read more about Bamboo’s Mindful Meetings movement + see what their Smartpads have to offer. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
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This Millennial Female Firefighter Is the Only Woman on Her Crew
And you thought your job was hard.
Over the past few months wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres in California. Families are losing their homes and everything they've ever owned. Animals are scared. (Shoutout to the LA hometown hero who rescued the baby bunny.) And the Santa Ana winds are making headlines again for blowing embers and flames up and down the coast.
But when wildfires strike, 25-year-old Bailey McDade, a “granola geek turned badass of the brush fire” hikes toward the flames. "I was a good kid. I loved to play outside," the firefighter says of her youth. "Always barefoot, always running around in the woods. And always playing sports. I feel like that's a huge part of my career choice. It feels like I'm still on a sports team." After studying Wildlife Science at Virginia Tech and serving with AmeriCorps, Bailey followed her love of environmental biology all the way down to Belize and back up to the Yukon studying wildcats. Her continued interest in everything outdoors led to her current role as a wildland firefighter, noting that on her worst day, she “wants to be sitting on a log in the woods somewhere.”
"I never get to talk to anybody about my job," she tells us when we speak. Which, makes sense considering during fire season Bailey can work up to 160+ hours. "My job can be a lot of different things," she explains. There's no typical "day in the life."
"Some days it's going to the station and waiting for a call, but for large fires, which we get sent to all over the country," she says, "it's typically about 200 hours per assignment, or 14 day stretches." #Hero.
She eats on the fire lines. Sleeps on the fire lines. "The job is all about being flexible. You wake up, you breakfast and then you get your assignment. I could be on a fire line, or cutting down dead trees and brush. Doing structure protection or putting up sprinkler systems around houses. Or we could be standing right in the flames."
When she’s face-to-face with the flames—close enough to feel the heat on her face and in her lungs—her pants, shirt, and face shroud made with flame-resistant plastic fabric help keep her protected as she stands waste-high in the heart of the fire.
Contrary to city firefighters, as a wildland firefighter Bailey says she doesn't wear much. "Everything that we use we have to carry on our backs," she explains. She Bailey and her team wear specialized fire gear. "It kind of just looks like cargo pants and a button down shirt. It feels like cloth, but it's a fire-resistant plastic blend." Everything needs to be durable enough to withstand 200 hours, 14 days straight. Part of the reason the gear is different is because she and her team are hiking into the fire. "We can spend a full day hiking," she says. "We sleep in it, we eat in it. We live in it for weeks at a time. Every pound counts when you're hiking straight up a mountain. We don't have the luxury of going back to our trucks very often. We might have to walk ten miles in our gear."
Which, isn't a bad thing for the self-described "antsy" woman. "I love to be active," she says. "Sometimes with fire we say there's a hurry up and wait mentality. You may not be doing anything that you think is a big deal that day, but it's part of a much bigger operation. You might be digging a trench for 14 days straight and not feeling like you're doing anything, but that might save a community." She says, "My hardest days are when I'm sedentary."
An environmental biologist turned badass of the brushfire, Bailey is currently the only woman on her crew. "There are other women on other crews, but I'm the only one on mine," she shares. "I can't say that I feel the difference. We all pack the same weight, wear the same gear, and do the same job. I sometimes have to remind myself that women in this field and in general, we don't have to prove anything. These guys are like my brothers. They've been there for me through hard times. Those guys are willing to carry me out of a forest."
They've even nicknamed her. "The guys on my crew call me Fern Gully, but it's all in good fun."
"I sometimes have to remind myself that women don't have to prove anything."
Tweet this.
Bailey is willing to make the same sacrifices for her team. "I'm working with a lot of people who are like me. And I'm working with a lot of people who intentionally chose this job. Nobody accidentally becomes a firefighter. We're all in sleeping bags on the ground, sleeping next to each other under the stars. We eat sitting in the dirt. We're there for a very serious job, but sometimes it's really fun to be around other people who also enjoy this lifestyle.
And as for her solo female status? "Somebody is always going to be able to do more pull-ups than me, or hike faster," she admits. "But I'm also going to be faster and stronger than someone else. At the end of the day we hike into fires together, we fight them together, and we hike out together."
If you want to help the 200,000+ people in California affected by the wildfires we're listing several ways to help below.
Ready Ventura County has set up a texting service. Text UWVC to 41444 and 100% of your donation will go directly to those impacted by the fires.
The American Red Cross is looking for volunteers to help evacuees.
The Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation is accepting donations through its website.
The Humane Society of Ventura County is also accepting donations.
There are a number of verified fundraisers on GoFundMe where you can donate to relief efforts.
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Blogger Ali Edwards Shares the One Word You Need in 2018
This might change your year.
How do you think about yourself? And how do you think about others?
The words we think, write and speak have so much influence on our daily lives. If we wake up and start the morning off with a smile and a proclamation “I’m going to be happy,”-- it may not set the course of the day in stone, but it definitely makes a lasting impression.
Words are so much more powerful than we give them credit for. They are able to directly influence our day, so we have to be sure we’re speaking life into our surroundings.
It’s something blogger Ali Edwards knows a lot about. Says Edwards, “In 2006 I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January-- a word to focus on, meditate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life.” Her words have included: play, peace, thrive, and whole. They are now embedded into who she is. She shares, “They’ve helped me to breathe deeper, to see clearer to navigate challenges, and to grow.”
One Little Word® Inspiration Card set.
HEAD INTO THE NEW YEAR WITH ONE LITTLE WORD
Imagine directing the entire year of 2018 with just one word. How would you choose it and what would it mean to you? What do you want out of the next year? Claim it, speak it, go for it.
Think about your one word for 2018, one word that you want to define your progression for this next year. It can seem like just a little word, but it can have a big meaning and an even bigger effect over the course of this next year. When we put intention and clear direction behind our actions, it can be transformational.
If your word for 2018 is Joy, imagine taking everyday of 2018 with a joyful spirit and filling your work with energy and happiness. Could your word be Intention? That way every decision you make in 2018 is directed and focused. What if you pick Love and everyone you meet is affected by your word within their first impression of you.
With One Little Word®, Ali, with the help of Inked Brands, wants you to set the tone of your year.
Join us and them, and take control over your next year.
So what’s your word? Share in the comments below.
To find out more about Ali Edwards and the One Little Word® project click here. & be sure to use the code CULTIVATE5OFF at checkout.*
*Offer valid till 11:59pm ET on 01/01/18. Offer valid on purchase with minimum subtotal of $35. Promo code can not be used with another promo code. One time use only. Must enter promo code at checkout. Not responsible for forgotten or misused promo codes. Not valid on subscriptions or preorder items. Some additional exclusions may apply. Offer subject to change.
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C&C Classifieds No. 70: Madewell, Soukie Modern, 6up Productions & More
'Cause it's beginning to look a lot like, credit card debt.
Everyone says you shouldn't show up to a holiday shindig empty-handed. But what if you're pockets are feeling a lil' empty... it's hard around the holidays when your job doesn't support your desire to give. So, before you go worrying about how get your BFF the best present ever, maybe it's time to shop for a new job. We got you. And we don't expect any gift in return.
Soukie Modern - LA, CA
Simon Property Group - Atlanta, GA
6up Productions - LA, CA
Butter London - Seattle, WA
Cole Haan - NY, NY
Madewell - NY, NY
WANT MORE JOB OPPS? SIGN UP FOR OUR FULL LIST OF CLASSIFIEDS HERE.
EDITOR'S FAVORITES
How These Co-Founders Are Revolutionizing the Jewelry Industry
For your benefit.
Gold is element 79 and its symbol is Au. And Sophie Kahn and Bouchra Ezzahraoui, the co-founders of AUrate, have struck their own version of the shiny element with their jewelry brand. Inspired by Warby Parker, the duo launched in 2015, with the intention of offering high-quality gold jewelry direct-to-consumer.
What began as a friendship forged in the hallways of Princeton University's graduate school, where they met studying Finance, became a life-altering, business-founding partnership for the women. Both had recently moved to the US, Sophie from the Netherlands and Bouchra from France (and previously Morocco), and they connected over a love of fashion and a keen ambition to do things differently. I.e. smarter and better. "We realized that many fine jewelry brands have higher price points because of the wholesale markups and the customers’ lack of education about gold. For that reason, we decided to start a fine jewelry brand with a direct-to-consumer model, cutting out the middleman," says Bouchra.
The powerhouse duo share a remarkably complementary partnership, combining Bouchra's sharp expertise in business and passion for artisanship with Sophie's fashion industry experience and design savvy. And this month, the brand is opening 3 new retail stores in Boston, Williamsburg and DC.
So we had to know, how are they doing it? And making it look so good...? Read on.
Turning a friendship into a business relationship can be challenging. What made you both know you were up to the challenge?
Sophie Kahn: Bouchra was a Derivatives trader at Goldman Sachs and I was doing strategy & Marketing at Marc Jacobs after a stint at The Boston Consulting Group. Our different backgrounds and our shared love for fashion and business were the reasons we came up with the idea, we saw a need in the market and wanted to address it. Instead of seeing it as a challenge we saw it as an opportunity, not only to turn “a friendship into a business relationship,” but to build a strong foundation for AUrate.
Piggybacking on that a little. You’ve said that you have a complimentary partnership. So what were each of your strengths and weaknesses that made you confident in each other?
Bouchra Ezzahraoui: We both realized very quickly we wanted to do build something of our own that is bigger and more meaningful while at our corporate jobs. Our complimentary personalities and skill sets enabled us to strike the balance you find in your ideal co-founder. Sophie built a great toolkit combining fashion industry knowledge along with her consultant skills, I on the other hand really learned how to work in a very fast-paced result-driven environment that forged my business and risk taking experience. I believe you need a business partner who shares the same vision but who can bring something different to the founders’ table.
To answer the last part of your question: We’re both very impatient and that’s the common denominator that keeps the AUrate journey going.
"You need a business partner who shares the same vision but brings something different to the founders’ table."
Bouchra, from a BSc in Mathematics and an MsC in Applied Mathematics, your road to AUrate co-founder has certainly been an interesting one. You obviously bring a wealth of business knowledge to the team. So what would you tell young entrepreneurs just starting out that they need to be aware of on the numbers side?
BS: Make sure you keep the big picture in mind, know your market (all the numbers and your competition) and invest very early in your team and your product. Cashflow management is primordial but it all comes down to taking calculated risks. Your investors would appreciate that.
Sophie, similar question to you— because a successful company is not just about numbers. What should young entrepreneurs be focusing on in terms of branding and creative strategy?
SK: Use a consumer-centric approach to business – creating a brand with our consumers in mind, getting to know of what they want and appreciate, what are their preferences, instead of what we think they want.
How much of business is going by the numbers?
SK: Most of it, if not all. Our team focuses a lot on collecting data and executing on findings. We just opened 3 stores at 3 locations where our customers wanted an AUrate physical presence. We also just designed a whole collection based on customer feedback.
How much is going with your gut?
BS: ALL of it. Really. You can simulate all the possible scenarios but in a startup environment, you won’t have enough data to allocate the appropriate probabilities to those very scenarios. It comes down to following your gut and just going for it.
How did you each know that it was time to turn AUrate into a full-time gig?
SK: We had the proof of concept after a few months of operations. We saw a void in the market, we tackled it and our customers were receptive to our product and our mission. It was a no brainer.
Was the transition hard for you?
BS: Neither of us had the jewelry background nor went through the traditional fashion route. We learned how to run a business from scratch. The market structure, hiring the right talent, looking for strategic manufacturers and partners all had to be done at the same time. You have to build structure within an endless list of priorities without having the traditional set up at a corporate job. The hardest part of the transition is learning how to be patient and dealing 100% with unexpected scenarios.
What was the hardest part of leaving your jobs and striking out on your own?
The trajectory is less obvious, you become your own boss and have to take all the decisions.
What was the easiest?
SK: For me, it's having a real impact on this world. My parents are doctors, so I've always had this thing of wanting to give back. But I like fashion, so I felt very conflicted for a very long time. Now, we've got our company where we're a) helping kids read, b) creating jobs, and c) doing that all by ourselves.
How is AUrate revolutionizing the industry for the consumers’ benefit?
BS: We felt a true void in the marketplace, as we found it hard to find fine contemporary jewelry that was accessible. We realized that many fine jewelry brands have higher price points because of the wholesale markups and the customers’ lack of education about gold. For that reason, we decided to start a fine jewelry brand with a direct-to-consumer model, cutting out the middleman, empowering our customers, giving back in a transparent way and providing the same to better quality jewelry at a fair price without any concessions.
What is your hope for the company?
BOTH: We believe that the new generation of consumers cares not only about the aesthetics of the product but also its quality, how it is made and what it stands for.
It is important that we invest ourselves in more than just beautiful jewelry and business growth but we also strongly believe that true corporate social responsibility is increasingly critical in this world– we’re hoping AUrate will lead by example in a much bigger impactful way in our industry.
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Links From Our Group Chat: New York City Just Banned This Question During Hiring
And other goodies.
Good news for activists and advocacy groups seeking to eradicate the gender wage gap — on Tuesday, New York City banned asking about salary history as a question during hiring processes.
However. Something else bit the dust last week. And it wasn't great.
But to lift your spirits, check out these self-made women.
Wondering how young women get ahead in entertainment? Click thru.
ANND. This makes us want to clean out our closets. Stat.
What are you digging into this crispy almost Christmas evening?
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8 Profiles Helping Us Keep Our Sh*t Together This Month
#FollowFridays. Get it together girl.
It's the first day of the last month of the year. And shit is about to get crazy. (as if it hasn't already) We've pulled some super organized IG accounts to follow to keep everything together this month and end 2017 with a bang. Don't bring a mess into the new year. Wether you're clearing your closets of old clothes, organizing the kitchen pantry, or getting your planner prepped with all the holiday party reminders, these IG accounts have all the tips you need.
@neatmethod + @simplyorganized
Need new inspirational IG accounts to follow? Our #FollowFridays posts will have you showing mad love online when we round up our favs in art, business, wellness, philanthropy, tech, media + so much more. Click their handles & show them some love.
Who are you following?
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The 5 Best Free Apps to Help Your Job Hunt Now
Get the career edge on yourself.
photo credit: Sarah Natasha Photography
JOB HUNT.
There are few words that cause such considerable strain, anxiety, and YES! Heartache. Searching for the right job is as time consuming as searching for Mr. or Mrs. Right. But just as the dating world has gone the way of the app, so has the job search. And these 5 apps will help you land the career of your dreams instead of your career of right now.
We have faith in the system.
Good & Co.
Cost: Free
Let’s start at the beginning. Maybe you have NO IDEA what you want to do. The good news is, you can’t be stuck in a career rut, until you find yourself a career. Good & Co. wants to help you get there (to the career, not the rut.)
"Good news: you can’t be stuck in a career rut, until you find yourself a career."
Tweet this.
This app is designed to help you find a cultural company fit. What does that mean? It’s a personality quiz that asks you a series of questions based on measuring eight personality factors, including the academic, clinical, and organizational psychology gold standard ‘Big Five’ – the five basic building blocks of personality, supported by a wealth of empirical research reaching back many decades.
It’s like career day at school, but the counselor has been replaced by an app.
According to the Wall Street Journal, it’s a “personality test that raises the bar” and hopefully your salary when you find your niche and hit your career stride.
Resume Star
Cost: Free
Writing a resume doesn’t have to be difficult, but it is a crucial component of the job-seeking process.
Resume Star is credited as one of the easiest (and free!) resume builders on the app market. It is a precision targeted and professionally typeset resume-- which, two LA-recruiters will tell you is key to scoring the interview. (Find their tips on NAILING that interview here.)
You type in your information and Resume Star produces a clean, correctly formatted PDF that you can email, post, or print. It’s the first step in standing out.
Jobr.
Cost: Free
Swipe right on your career? That’s the idea with Jobr.
Jobr lets you advance your career by easily browsing for jobs and connecting with employers without the hassle of a formal job search. Engage with recruiters at top companies and only spend time on those interested in hiring you! Jobr shows you positions it thinks you’d be interesting and allows you to anonymously “Like” or “Pass.” If a hiring manager is interesting in you, Jobr makes the introduction and allows you to chat within the app. It works the same way for recruiters.
It’s a simple and informal way to get to weed out jobs that don’t make sense and chat through the ones that do.
BumbleBizz
Cost: Free, but Bumble does have plans to monetize their apps in the future
This one is from the genius of Whitney Wolfe. The Founder of Bumble wants to help you network, professionally. With Bizz, every swipe you make is an opportunity to expand your professional landscape and make empowered career moves.
BumbleBizz, like Bumble, will require the female users to initiate conversation. The app will exist within the Bumble framework and users will be able to move back and forth between dating on Bumble, career contacts on Bizz, or making friends on BumbleBFF. (Who needs to go outside!?)
This is one beehive that wants you connecting and making plans for your future-- in more ways than one.
Glassdoor
Cost: Free
Do you know what your earning potential is? Glassdoor job search not only gives you the latest job listing, it also provides applicants with an inside look at company reviews, salaries, benefits, and office photos by those who know the company from the inside out-- the employees.
It’s a comprehensive career community that gives you the edge on yourself.
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You Should Def Think Twice Before Doing This On Social Media
Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
It’s estimated that 81% of Americans are on social media, (up 5% from last year) so it’s more than likely that you’ll come across professional contacts on various social media platforms. While it might be second nature to connect with those in your professional network, it’s important to think twice before adding a professional contact on social media and make a conscious decision about whether or not connecting is the right move. There are a few extremely important things to consider first.
Nothing is private
One of the reasons why you should think twice before adding a professional contact on a social platform is because nothing is private. This goes for anything you put on the internet, but it becomes even more important when you’re dealing with your career. Regardless of privacy settings, it’s important to remember that everything you put out there can be seen by those in your network.
The first thing that comes to mind may be party pictures, but it’s important to think about the other factors of social media that others see. Are you posting pictures of a relaxing mental health day? Or did one of your friends post a funny meme that your boss might not like? Just remember that when you connect with someone on social media, you are giving them a window into your personal life. If you’re someone that likes to keep your work life separate from your private life, it’s best not to connect with professional contacts on social media.
You’re putting yourself in the line of judgement
It’s human nature to judge others, but when you add a professional contact on social media, you’re opening yourself up to a new line of judgement. Think about it this way: If someone sends you an email and you don’t respond, but you’re actively posting on social media, it sends the message that you don’t care enough to respond to your professional contact, or that you are spending more time on social media than handling your professional obligations.
This can negatively affect you and cause others to judge your work ethic and level of respect. Similarly, if you’re sneakily (or not so sneakily) on social media at work, others will be able to see it. Depending on the office culture and social media rules, this may or may not be allowed, so you’ll want to make sure that you consider this when you’re posting.
If you’re someone who often posts social updates and pictures, you might want to think twice before adding a professional contact on a social platform so it doesn’t affect your reputation at work. If you are going to make a social post, be conscious of who will see it and what they will think.
Sometimes it’s best to keep your work and personal life separate
An industry-wide study of over 2,500 people found that 55% of workers would take less pay to have more fun at work. With that in mind, fun at work is still different than fun outside of work, and it’s important to note the difference. Regardless of your company culture or how relaxed your office is, it’s still important to remember that work is work, and you need to uphold your professionalism.
Remember that you can’t un-see something. If someone sees a picture of you hanging out at the beach in a bathing suit, they will remember that at the office. If you’re comfortable with your office contacts seeing you in that setting, there’s no problem, but it just depends on what you’re comfortable with. It’s a very personal decision that only you can make.
This goes back to the judgement issue, but one of the reasons why you should think twice before adding a professional contact on a social platform is because you don’t want your personal life, outside hobbies, or personal opinions to have an impact on your work. In a perfect world these issues would not affect one another, but it’s human nature to take everything into consideration. With that said, it would be a shame if a personal opinion or weekend activity affected how someone viewed your work or your professional reputation.
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In a society where we’re all connected and plugged into various social platforms, it’s important to think twice before adding a professional contact on social media. Ultimately it comes down to what you’re comfortable with and what you want to share with others. Social platforms are a window into our personal lives, so when you’re considering adding a professional contact, consider if your personal life outside of the office is something you’re willing to share, or if it’s something that you want to keep private.
A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your resume, style, and boost your confidence.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Ask: Jaclyn Johnson, Create + Cultivate founder
Jaclyn Johnsons' tips for hiring potential staff.
We put out a call on Instagram to find out what you wanted to ask Create + Cultivate founder Jaclyn Johnson about starting and running a business. We got tons of amazing questions, and here Jaclyn is addressing one from South African jewelry designer A Ring To It: "Any tips when interviewing or hiring potential staff members and what has been your approach to managing a team that executes your creative vision?"
• Get referrals
When it comes to hiring, I start with friend referrals and fans of the brand before I look anywhere else. Send an email to everyone you know in your industry and ask if they know of anyone; and also put out a call on social media. If someone is already familiar with your brand, it will likely be easier for them to jump in and get up to speed. (If you're the one who wants the job, email and email—and follow up—to show that you want it.) Also, intern! Three of our current employees are former interns :).
• Do a trial run
Once you do find someone, start them out with a test period. I think three months is always good for new employees—that way, you can find out if they're the right fit. It's always good to have an open dialogue about how they're feeling and performing in the job. Not everyone is right for every job, so if something doesn't work out, it's not necessarily because they or you failed.
• Know what characteristics are important to you
I tend to look for and hire self-starters. Our business is always changing and I need people who can think on their feet. With new employees, I like to give them a few projects and situations that they can own and run with so that I can see how they think and how comfortable they are with autonomy. Also, be brutally honest—I never pretend to have the fluffiest work environment—it’s hard work! Also understanding your employees' goals are key! Where do they see their career going? What is their dream? That way you can map back to that at all times.
Our business is always changing and I need people who can think on their feet.
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• Expect that there will be a learning curve
As a business owner, you sometimes have to remind yourself that people aren't mind readers. In most cases, it's going to take at least six months for people to understand how you think and work, and how you expect them to perform. Also, assign mentors—as a business owner you might be too slammed to be on top of everything, but having senior employees mentor junior employees has been a super helpful program for us!
Entrepreneurs, do you have any hiring and management tips? If so, share them in the comments below.