Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Melissa Arnot Reid
THE SUMMIT MASTER.
THE SUMMIT MASTER.
Nothing can stop her she's all the way up (on the top of Mt. Everest without supplemental oxygen).
She may be the first American woman to successfully summit and descend Everest without supplemental oxygen, but Eddie Bauer guide Melissa Arnot Reid has said that “being the first is irrelevant.” As one of the world’s most revered climbers, she has summited Everest 6 times, holding the record for an American woman. (Nepali Lhakpa Sherpa has 7 summits as of 2016, the most of any woman, anywhere.) Despite her near-mastery of the mountain, Arnot Reid remains in humbled by it, all-too aware of its indiscriminate power over even the most skilled and seasoned climbers. Its with this humility in mind that Arnot Reid co-founded The Juniper Fund to provide financial support to families of local workers killed in the mountains of Nepal.
Find out this world class athlete literally climbed her way to the top.
On August 7th of 2017, you and Maddie Miller broke the record for the fastest time to summit each state’s high point in 41 days, 16 hours, and 10 minutes. WOW. Just Wow. And also, why? What compelled the 50 Peaks challenge?
We completed this challenge in August of 2016 after 3 years of planning. It was really Maddie's idea- a way to have an adventure framed within a goal. Our goal was to complete the peaks in 50 days but when it became clear we might be able to get the speed record we decided to go all out (aka, no sleeping).
Mentorship is a huge part of Create & Cultivate? Did you have a mentor? And why is mentorship important to you?
Mentorship is a totally lost art. I never had a mentor and I had to make a lot of mistakes of my own, which is why I have dedicated myself to trying to be a solid mentor for the next generation of young female climbers. I work with a 15, 18 and 22 year old and it is super rewarding to see where they are going with what tools I can share with them.
Is there a climb where you would say you learned the "hardest" lesson?
My hardest lesson came on a climb in 2010 when my partner was killed in an ice avalanche while we were together. I had always felt that I was making safe decisions so I would always be safe but that moment reminded me and taught me that mother nature is in control and all you can do is respect that. It changed the path of my life.
You're the first American woman to ascend and descend Everest without supplemental oxygen. What's it like to be the "first" in something? Does that make you feel more pressure to perform?
I think that being first is a little scary but also wonderful because it shows others what is possible.
Everyone always talks about the ascension. But what's the climb down like?
The climb is one thing but the descent is so much more serious- you are already tired and have so much to lose. Each step matters, there and back.
Where does your boundless ability to push yourself come from?
I have a deep personal curiosity of what is possible for me. That keeps me pushing myself and trying new things.
What would you call your superpower?
Perseverance and a real ability to tune out discomfort.
If you could give a room of women one piece of advice, what would it be?
Take the first step. Ignore the end goal, it always seems overwhelming if you are looking 20 miles down the road. Just take the first step and you will be surprised at what momentum you create.
What's your favorite advice you've ever received?
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams- (it's a Thoreau quote). It is my guiding principal. Don't be timid, go after your dreams.
"Don't be timid, go after your dreams."
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How much of a climb is psychical? And how much is mental?
100 percent both. You need to be strong the whole time but you also need to believe in yourself and keep those mental traps from weighing you down.
What do you think you'll be doing as an 80-year-old lady?
I hope climbing on a sunny day with my husband and family. Something outside for sure. I am an outdoor animal, I don't think that will change with age.
What new challenges are you excited to face in your lifetime?
I am always looking for new ways to learn and push my own boundries. Anything where I am learning I consider an adventure.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE WELLNESS LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Philanthropy: Monique Coleman
THE EQUALITY AMBASSADOR.
THE EQUALITY AMBASSADOR.
She's using her platform to make real change.
From High-School Musical to the United Nations, actress and activist Monique Coleman has dedicated her life and celebrity to empowering girls and women. Recently named the UN’s newest Girl Up Champion, the GimmeMo talk show host continues to uplift, using her platform to advocate for keeping girls around the world educated, healthy, and safe. Named the first ever United Nations Youth Champion in 2010, Coleman visited 24 countries in just six months, tackling the most pressing issues affecting our at-risk youth.
While you may know her as Taylor McKessie from the hit High School Musical franchise, her true passion lies in fighting for human rights.
More from Monique below.
Name: Monique Coleman
Instagram Handle: @_moniquecoleman
Where do your drive and passion for Girl Up come from?
My passion stems from my deep belief that empowering girls does change the world.
Philanthropy means the "love of humanity." It's so beautiful and simple. What does it mean to you?
To serve without limits.
Much of your work involved traveling. What have you seen on your journeys that inspired you to keep going?
I’m amazed at the resilience of humanity. The strength of a mother to walk for days with her family to escape a war; the dedication of young students who see education as a way to a better future; the pride of a village who receives clean water. I’m also inspired when I see how little it takes sometimes to make an enormous impact.
What have you found to be the most pressing issues facing today's youth?
Self Esteem, Comparison, Feeling like their voices aren’t heard.
Do you think you've found your true calling?
I believe my purpose is to empower, inspire, and motivate people however the form that it takes is ever evolving.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
The ability to use my platform to make a difference.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
The Dalai Lama. I’d love to spend my days engulfed in teaching Peace & Compassion.
At what point in your life did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
Still working on it :)
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Nothing is ever “life or death” unless it’s literally “life” or “death”
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
I don’t. I cry.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE PHILANTHROPY LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Marissa Ross
PAIRS WELL WITH OTHERS.
PAIRS WELL WITH OTHERS.
Notes of brilliance, with a hint of sarcasm, finishes strong.
That's Marissa Ross as a wine. *We know nothing about wine.* But we are the exact kind of reader and drinker the wine writer has empowered. Wine, for most, is a scary subject. *Do you taste cherry? Is it peppery? Can wine be fuzzy? I feel fuzzy. Why am I swirling this glass? hits floor.*
'Cause look, shoving our nose into a glass and inhaling wine notes, makes most of us feel like imposters. Marissa has loosened up that stigma, writing about vino like as one writes about their favorite other binges. Wine and Amazon Prime, ya'll.
She's got haters, ya-- those who says she's unqualified. And she responds to them. (SHE GIVES NO DAMNS.) She does however give great IG Story, is the author of Wine. All The Time, The Casual Guide to Confident Drinking, is Man Repeller's "go-to wine expert," and looks damn good in a red lip (see above) with a red (see above) in hand.
Don't put a cork in her. She's not even close to done.
More from Marissa below.
Name: Marissa A. Ross
Instagram handle: @marissaaross
So when Mindy Kaling writes this about you, “Can I just be Marissa, please? I want to be hilarious and sexy and smart and insanely knowledgeable about wine.” Where do you go from there?
The retirement home! [laughs] You can't really top that.
Now let's back it up. When did you first realize that you could write about wine in a way that made people want to know more?
February 3rd, 2015. I'd been making videos and writing about wine since 2011, but it wasn't like a "thing." I never went viral, I didn't have insane traffic. Honestly, I'd have like fourteen hits, and half of those would be me neurotically rereading and editing my own work. Writing about wine was something I did for me because I genuinely enjoyed it, and honestly, never in a million years thought about it as a career. But February 3rd, 2015, Grub Street published an article about my wine writing and videos by Sierra Tishgart and my life changed forever. I woke up that morning to fifty-something emails from literary agents, publishers, magazines, all asking me to write about wine. It was like a cartoon anvil falling out of the sky on my head. I couldn't believe it. It's still hard for me to believe.
Why do you think wine makes people so nervous/like they have to know so much?
I think of wine and its culture on this constant pendulum, swinging between being for the people and being for status. In the 1990s, we hit a peak of wine being for status; it was used to show off money, to show off intellect, to show off "taste," just like people brag about Rolexes, Ivy League degrees or Leonard Cohen albums. People are nervous and feel like they have to know so much about wine because wine culture made sure we felt that way. Not only was "good" wine exclusive, but so was the information around it. But now that pendulum is swinging back, and people are realizing that wine is not just for them, but for everyone. It's really exciting for me to see more people enjoy wine, and be empowered by it.
"Wine is for everyone."
Best wine night memory:
It would be impossible to choose just one. Wine is so special because it is so much about set and setting. I've had the best nights in the countryside of Umbria, the wine bars of Barcelona, just in my backyard with my husband.
Worst wine might memory:
I used to do these under $10 wine review videos for Hello Giggles called Wine Time. The first time I ever shot anything, I was being very cocky and thought for some reason I could do two episodes back to back. As it turns out, if you drink nearly two bottles of $3, you will inevitably-- and mysteriously-- end up crying on your neighbor's couch for no apparent reason and then going home to spend the rest of the evening puking straight wine. Glad I got that mistake, and valuable lesson, out of the way, right away.
How deep into a glass should one actually put their nose?
As someone who has a long nose and constantly has wine on the end of it, I say as deep as you damn well want!
What is your biggest pet peeve?
It's a tossup between winesplaining, and when finished plates are left on the table for long periods of time in restaurants.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I don't just drink wine all day. (laughs) [ed note: laughs]
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
I think it's important to immerse yourself in art that is outside of what you personally create in your career. You want to stay inspired, to be seeking fresh perspectives, to push yourself in new directions. Sometimes those directions don't work out like you'd like, but you're still moving forward, and you never know where those directions will lead you.
"It's important to immerse yourself in art that is outside of what you personally create in your career."
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Five star Amazon reviews. I'm kidding! The thing that really completes me, is that I get to empower others. I meet people all the time that were so afraid of wine, that are now confident and enjoying wine more than ever because I was able to give them the tools and information they needed in an accessible, fun way. I feel really fortunate every day that I have the opportunity to tell people that think they can't, that they can.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
Bourdain, of course. Who doesn't want to travel the world eating and drinking all the delicious things? Or Amy Sedaris. Her new show, "At Home with Amy Sedaris" is a dream show to me-- hilarious comedy and commentary with a midcentury slant. Like if I could somehow trade half of Bourdain's job with half of Sedaris', that would be the ultimate for me.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
It was before I had a career, back when I dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles. I had no money, no connections, no prospects. Every day I wrote and told myself I was a writer, that I was going to be a writer, and that nothing could stop me. I know my career seemingly happened overnight, but there were many failures, dead ends, and shitty day jobs before any success. I had to have confidence in my work and in myself very early on to keep going no matter what. That relentless, blind confidence, combined with the confidence of finding success by working through failure, is what makes me the woman I am today.
Every day I just wrote and told myself I was a writer, that I was going to be a writer, and that nothing could stop me.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Don't let "perfect" stand in the way of good.
"Don't let "perfect" stand in the way of good."
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When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I take a deep breath and I look around, and I listen. There are opportunities around us every day; we're often just too busy looking and listening to everything else to notice them.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"Forest Green" by Mike G. or "The Spiteful Chant" by Kendrick Lamar.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100 Music: Hannah Lux Davis
THE CREATIVE WARRIOR.
THE CREATIVE WARRIOR.
Hannah Lux Davis attended Create & Cultivate and now she's on our C&C 100 list. Let that sink in.
Also let it sink in that the creative powerhouse is one of the most sought-after music video directors in the game. Having worked with talent like Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Hailee Steinfeld, Demi Lovato, , Jessie J, and Tinashe, the 31 year old is unstoppable.
Her videos have racked up billions of views. Yes, BILLIONS. (Other words that start with B: Boss, Badass, Big Cheese.)
After moving from Seattle to LA, where Hannah attended the Los Angeles Film School. When it came to her final project, she made a music video instead of the typical short film.
It's that kind of creative hustle and risk-taking that have made her successful. She PA'd on multiple sets, just to make contacts. She did the same thing working as a makeup artist. The whole time she was networking like nobody's business/made it all her business. She may not have known what was going to happen, but she did know how to throw her name in the race.
And she just keeps running shit.
More from Hannah below.
So. We HAVE to bring it up, because it makes us giddy. You attended Create & Cultivate. What was that experience like?
It was inspiring to be in a space with dozens of like-minded women, all eager to write their own story in whatever capacity that meant to them. The atmosphere was all also incredibly special with its attention to detail. Everything from the neon signs to the chairs we sat on felt curated.
Was there advice you took from that day that you still apply to your career?
What stuck with me the most is the importance of persistence.
You've worked with the most amazing set of female artists. What has that experience been like?
My interest in music videos began with artists like Britney, Christina, and Avril, so to be working with this new era of female artists has really been a dream come true. It's been challenging but incredibly rewarding. Each artist has their own set of idiosyncrasies and it's different every time. As a director, the collaborative process is one in which you have to be receptive, confident, and just enjoy the ride!
"What stuck with me the most is the importance of persistence."
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Is there a standout moment for you?
Anytime I get to work with Ariana on a project for her music, it's always pretty major for me. I have so much respect for her as an artist. She's so in tune with herself (on top of being crazy talented). When we work together it's a real collaboration. She's at a point in her career where there usually aren't too many other voices involved, so it's always really liberating, for both of us, to just be creative and go for it! I definitely cherish our relationship. Directing the visuals for her Dangerous Tour was a real honor.
Another standout moment would be directing the Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated documentary. The premiere itself was such a trip! It was insanely rewarding to watch the film with a huge audience and I was so excited about the positive reaction it received. It was easily the hardest project I've ever done!
Where do your drive and passion come from?
The work! I just want to make cool shit and you can't do that if you don't have drive or passion
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
I always say that every job is a learning lesson. These learning lessons usually have a common theme: communication. Whether it's assuming someone understands my vision, not checking in with certain departments, not testing something ahead of time, or not fighting for something I know I need to execute the idea, I always take something away from the project. The size of that lesson varies of course, but there's always a unique obstacle of some sort that presents itself...and I'm grateful for it! Like, "OK COOL! That happened. It won't happen again!". Knowing I'm learning and growing each job definitely drives me forward!
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Laziness or negativity on set! It gets me off my game and brings the energy down.
What is it like being a female director in such a male-dominated world?
I'd be lying if I said it wasn't awesome. Now more than ever, brands, artists, and agencies understand that they need a female's perspective, and I'm loving what's being created! That being said, there are a TON of female directors in the music video and commercial space and a ton of really great talent. I don't know how much longer people can continue to say "male-dominated."
Do you get tired of hearing the words "male-dominated?" (We do.)
Yes.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
It's a lot of writing! If someone were to tell me 10 years ago that I'd be writing as much as I do on the daily...well I actually don't know what I would have done, but I wish someone would have warned me!
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
This is tough. When writing music video or commercial treatments it's expected to include tons of imagery to support your written concept, and it can be hard for everyone to step away from those visuals. Originality comes with practice. It comes with taking the time to find your voice - and the understanding that you need to listen to it.
"Originality comes with practice."
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What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I believe what I'm doing now (and will do in the future) truly encompasses all of my passions. For as long as I can remember. I've been into visual storytelling, fashion, makeup, music, and sports - and it has ALL come together in this career that I've made for myself. I pull from all of my passions to direct. For example, I used to do makeup, and now I get to creative direct looks for massive artists. I used to play the drums growing up, and now, when I edit, I cut to music and communicate with music composers. Most recently, I directed a Gatorade commercial and got to work with athletes! It's super fun to combine all my passions under one umbrella! I also get to work with my fiancé (he's my Executive Producer) and my best friends every day. That's pretty awesome.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
TBH... a busy stay-at-home mom with a SICK house and tons of kids!
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
Turning 30 was good for me. Competition in my industry is brutal and I found myself constantly comparing myself to others - professionally and personally. "This person is booking more work!", "That person's doing cooler projects!", "She looks way better than me while doing all of that!"... a lot of that kind of thing. Once I turned 30, for whatever reason my mind settled quite a bit. I'm not saying I'm made of confidence now, but with age comes a bit of wisdom and appreciation for all artists. I know I've put in my time and deserve to be here.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
This industry can be demanding and chaotic. My rep, Tommy LaBuda and I will have the occasional pep talk (these are quite often actually, haha) about tuning out the noise prioritizing what's on my plate. He's someone who reminds me that when I take time for myself, ideas will follow!
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Such a sucker for this song... Florida Georgia Line ft. Nelly, "Cruise"!
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE MUSIC LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Karen Okonkwo
CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO.
CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO.
Karen Okonkwo of TONL, a platform which seeks to transform the idea of stock photography by displaying images of diverse people and their stories around the world, has said, “For people to feel welcome in any industry, they need to see online that there are other people that look like them, in those particular fields. Imagery, in the form of advertising, is the first step in saying, ‘hey you are welcome and we want you here.’ That angle is very powerful and underutilized.”
“Sometimes, especially in the black community we feel tokenized,” she's explained. "I’m not trying to act like the spokesperson for the black community. I’m simply someone who is trying to provide change and influence. I may have some missteps along the way. Try to give people grace as they launch their businesses and feedback.”
But representation is of the utmost importance to the entrepreneur and content creator. For TONL, photography and storytelling can help humanize and hopefully diminish the stereotypes and prejudice against black and brown people, especially. They are committed to showcasing the ethnic backgrounds of every day people. And the Nigerian-American social entrepreneur believes anyone can do this.
“If you don’t see what you want— anyone who has a skill set, be that change. Start your own Facebook group or start your own meet up, or agree to mentor one person, that’s how we create that cascade of people. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, either. That knowledge is there for you to take."
More below on why she says she's a secret gangsta. (We don't think it's too secret.)
You've said that with TONL it was not only important to create a database of diverse photographs, but to also tell the stories behind the people in the shots. Why was this important?
Often times the narrative for people in our community is already decided for them: criminal, thug, loud, low income and the list goes on. We felt that it was important that we allow the underrepresented the opportunity to tell their own stories; allow us to really get to know them. The hope is that people reading will embrace who these people are and not what they think they are.
When your work is redefining a category, what are you up against?
The biggest hurdle for many of us is access. We are up against household stock photography names so we have to not only be up to speed but one level better as a niche business.
How hard is it to fight the system?
Based on so many racial injustices, it is very hard to fight the system. It's the same system not designed for the underrepresented in the first place.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I attribute my drive and passion to my Nigerian roots. We are fighters, competitors. We strive for excellence in the littlest and biggest things-its just in our nature and a part of our culture. My Dad is a successful entrepreneur and my Mom is a hardworking woman with several accolades under her belt so I had great examples growing up.
"I attribute my drive and passion to my Nigerian roots."
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When you run into a career obstacle or road block, what drives you forward?
When I run into a career obstacle, my why drives me forward. I know that I'm positioning myself to impact the world tremendously and so for every obstacle I know it's just a groove, a stepping stone for the best that is yet to come.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
My biggest pet peeve is when people smoke cigarettes in front of public facilities, especially the hospital! I hate cigarette smoke around me period!
What are your biggest fears about running a business?
My biggest fear within running a business is not being able to properly compensate people helping to build our business. When you're bootstrapping, you have to be very careful in how you try to expand, but you also want to be fair to those willing to put in the work to see your business to fruition.
When you're bootstrapping, you have to be very careful in how you try to expand, but you also want to be fair to those willing to put in the work to see your business to fruition.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I handle the Marketing and Business Development for TONL. I think sometimes people think that I'm a photographer and I can't help but chuckle because that's not my strong suit. I mean, don't get me wrong, I can take some okay pictures, but I leave all of that to Joshua, Temi and Sam.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I feel so complete whenever our phone buzzes with a new order. It tells me that someone was able to solve the long, frustrating issue of locating imagery of people of color online. It makes me pleased to know that we are a trusted outlet for that.
"When I run into a career obstacle, my why drives me forward."
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If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I would love to be Oprah for a day! She is my mentor from afar and it would be an honor to see life through her lens.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I had moved to Seattle for a Medical Sales position and while the job was everything I had wanted professionally and financially, I knew it didn't align with my deepest desires. All the while, I was starting to build new friendships in a city where I knew no one, hosting events and really making a name for myself in that realm. A friend of mine complimented me on how well I through events and suggested that I turn it into a business. It was at that point that I decided to take charge with full confidence and start my very first business which is still in existence today: Party With a K, LLC.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Give it to God. There is so much power in that piece of advice because when you realize that God has it already planned out for you, you can just sit back on autopilot mode. Every move we are making in life has been set forth before we were even conceived. When you understand that, you live life with an immense amount of peace.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Cardi B's Bodak Yellow has me hella hype these days! I'm a secret gangsta so it's fun to rile up that side of me haha.
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Massy Arias
THE MOST FIERCE.
THE MOST FIERCE.
There are body goals, and then there’s Massy Arias aka MankoFit.
With 2.4 million Instagram followers, the rockhard rockstar is setting the precedent for workout ethic with a holistic approach to body and mind wellbeing. What began as an effort to overcome depression soon became a life-saving lifestyle for the fitness fanatic, who says that failure is the ultimate opportunity for learning. As a certified personal trainer, Arias aspires to shape futures, not just as six packs.
Follow along for MankoFit’s thoughts on cheat days, motherhood, and more.
Name: Massy Arias
Instagram Handle: @massy.arias
When did your passion for fitness begin? Do you have any cheat days? If so, we can’t tell.
About 5 years ago when I went through a depression. Fitness was my outlet to beat it. I don’t believe in cheat days. I like food and I eat healthy. If I decide to have something that has less nutritional value and a bit more calories than usual per meal, I don’t consider it cheating. I am just eating what my body felt like eating.
What are the basics of a healthy morning routine for busy women?
Fitness and nutrition isn’t a size fits all approach in my book. When it comes to my habits in the morning, I’ve established a routine for myself. I prep the night before so it’s easy to make the things I love in the morning. Overnight oats, oatmeal pancake batter, and even overnight Greek yogurt are my top choices in the morning especially if I am super busy.
You were super honest about learning to accept your post-preg body. What have you learned about your body since having your daughter?
Since having my daughter I’ve learned I’m a superwoman. I did something amazing that took close to 10 months, it’s going to take time to feel like myself and look the same way I used to before her. I love my body even more because it was the body that helped me bring my daughter into the world.
"Since having my daughter I’ve learned I’m a superwoman."
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Are there parts of your life that have become more clear since her birth?
Every aspect of my life and even I have changed since giving birth to Indi. I have become a better trainer, daughter, and wife. I can relate to a whole new “hood” I’ve never been able to relate with; motherhood and parenthood.
What’s the legacy you want to leave on your community?
The day I die, I’d like people to remember me as someone who taught how to be fearless and how to create their own destiny. I would love my daughter to say I was her motivator and role model.
"I would love my daughter to say I was her motivator and role model."
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What advice do you have for women working towards cultivating the career of their dreams?
Have Integrity. Don’t give up on your big goal once things get tough because I didn’t. The tougher it got for me, the more I learned how to navigate the things that today are easy for me to accomplish. I have never lowered my standards and I haven’t lost integrity to get the things I’ve wanted in my career. Too many people fall short and lower their standards for the things they want at the moment not realizing they are compromising their goals. Look at the big picture and don’t settle for less.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
When my husband eats my food. Drives me insane especially when I ask beforehand if I should get extra of “that something” and he says, “no.” Then it’s gone and I want to scream.
Top 3 artists on your workout playlist?
Leikeli 47, Major Lazer, Kendrick Lamar. (Cardi B but until she makes more music, I’ll continue playing Bodak Yellow, lol).
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I handle all my social media, create my programs from top to bottom, and all the decisions I make for my supplement company are my own. From ingredients to new products. I don’t play around with neither my business or my fans. The reason I am here today is because of them and they deserve me staying genuine and telling them only the truth.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
I love what I do. I’ve been complete ever since I started helping people and doing fitness. I LOVE what I do. I think I’ve found my purpose and I hope my love for fitness and helping others shows even if those who show me support haven’t met me directly.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I’d trade jobs with Ayesha Curry. I happen to be really good in the kitchen and she seems to have so much love and passion for cooking that it looks so rewarding. You can tell she loves what she does.
"I’d trade jobs with Ayesha Curry."
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
At the point, I had a serious talk with my mother and I had anxiety about everything I was doing. She told me to read Ecclesiastes in the Bible and that was it. I never doubted myself. I’m very spiritual and that gave me so much confidence because of the man above always, ALWAYS, backs me up.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
The best advice I was given was by my mother. She’s always told me to be myself and not try to be what people expect me to be.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I hit bumps every day. I don’t look at failure or anything for that matter as a negative. I’ve learned a lot more failing or through bumps in the road than I have when everything is going great. I learn from the situation and I find a solution. But I keep moving forward with applying what I’ve learned and hopefully not make that mistake again.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
"Stronger" by Tank.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE WELLNESS LIST CLICK HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Cara Santana
THE BOLD BEAUTY.
THE BOLD BEAUTY.
Cara Santana is keeping it real.
Though she lives her life under a microscope, she's never shied away from speaking her mind, telling her truth, or posting a make-up free shot on her Instagram, which boasts over 820k followers.
To point: After the most recent Golden Globes weekend, Cara posted a photo showing half of her face "done," and the other half completely make-up free. "It’s a glamorous weekend..but don’t forget, when the make up comes off, we are all the same and every single one of us, just as beautiful. #nofilter #noretouching #truebeauty#beautyexpectations," she captioned the photo.
Though the beauty influencer and actress recently bid farewell to The Glam App, an on-demand beauty service she co-founded in 2015, she told her IG followers, "Thank you all for your amazing support and contributions to this incredible journey I have taken. A special debt of gratitude to the amazing team, the fantastic stylists, to all of you who supported the company and the amazing partners."
She's a woman who took a risk and launched a very successful biz. Not every actress and influencer has the ability to say that. Nor does every actress and influencer have the ability to say they shaved their head. Yep, Cara's done that too and it helped shaped her relationship to beauty.
Read more from the bold Cara below.
Name: Cara Santana
Instagram Handle: @CaraASantana
Being surrounded by an industry that puts such an emphasis on "beauty." What has that word come to mean to you?
Beauty to me is the ability to exude confidence and empowerment.
Do you remember a moment when you first felt beautiful?
When I was 18 years old I shaved my head 5 days before my brother's Bar Mitzvah, much to my mother's chagrin. It was for a project I was doing. It was scary. So much of my femininity and beauty was wrapped up in my appearance and the superficial aspects of my aesthetic. I remember vividly having a moment after I had done it, standing in the mirror at 18 years old and saying to myself this is you - no hair, no make-up, - nothing. Love yourself now or you never will. And I was suddenly empowered and felt beautiful. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate hair or make up - obviously, but I am not hostage to it. My beauty comes from being me.
"Love yourself now or you never will."
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How has your relationship to beauty changed as you've gotten older?
It's love/hate. Kidding. Listen, honestly, it's a battle. Your face changes. Some of those changes, I love. For instance, the loss of my baby fat. My cheek bones are in full view. Some of those changes I hate, like fine lines. I just remember that 18-year-old girl in the mirror and tell myself to embrace who I naturally am. And now there is a larger budget on skincare and make up.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
My mom. She taught me the value of hard work, of being a strong, independent woman. She is 60 and still works 80 hours a week. And she never compromised, she has it all - a 38-year-old marriage, 2 awesome kids (lol), a successful career and the respect and admiration of her colleagues. She is perseverant, doesn't conform, and has paved her own way. She would work a full week, be at every family dinner, have date night with my dad, run the Junior League and show up at every extracurricular activity we had. She basically never slept and still doesn't, but I suspect she likes it that way. And I am glad I had that example.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated by other people's work?
Knowing who you are and what separates you from everyone else and focusing on that. There is only one you, so be you.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Candidly, I don't really feel that complete at this moment, which I am okay with. I am 32 and I think it's probably premature to feel complete. I enjoy the struggle, the grind and putting in the work and I feel like I have a lot more of that to do before I feel complete professionally.
I enjoy the struggle, the grind and putting in the work and I feel like I have a lot more of that to do before I feel complete professionally.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I don't think I could choose a person, but I can say if I wasn't an actress, an influencer and business owner, I'd probably do something in social justice or law.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
You know it's funny, for me the biggest challenge is finding the balance of being a strong assertive woman who is likable and effective. Taking charge isn't important to me, you can lead in a variety of ways, my confidence is built for sure - but the issue for me is really identifying the woman I want to be and how to navigate THIS world in a way I am proud of. It's really been hard for me, I am still figuring it out.
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Take your criticism seriously, but not personally.
When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?
I couldn't answer this question so I asked all the people in my office from my Executive Assistant to my COO and they all said, I just go over the bump, hit the bump, swerve the bump or go straight through it. Apparently, I am not very malleable.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Eric Clapton's "Pretty Girl". It's my fiancé and I's song and he proposed to me while it was playing. It always makes me smile.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE BEAUTY LIST CLICK HERE.
Your Mom Thinks You Should Quit
And other reasons you might want to leave your job.
Photo: Becki Smithhouse Photo
Spotting the warning signs of a bad relationship can be hard when you’re in the thick of it. Especially when you’re trying to stick it out for the sake of (insert life goal here). But a bad job, like partners and friends, can be just as toxic.
We’ve all had horrible Mondays. Where we feel like crawling beneath our desk and hiding out or napping for a few hours. That’s normal— even if you’re in love with your career, off-days are part the deal.
However, if driving to work is driving you low key mental. Or it feels like every time you send an email, you’re sending off a tiny bit of your soul, it might be quitting time. You can suffer for your art, but don’t suffer for a job that’s going no where.
Here are eight reg flags that the milk in your work fridge has gone sour, and it’s time to turn a page. (Hello, mixed metaphors to represent your oh so confusing mixed feelings about your j-o-b.)
"If driving to work is driving you low key mental, it might be time to quit."
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1. You feel creatively lost. There are days when the ideas aren’t coming no matter how many cups of java you down, but IF you are coming up one espresso shot short every day, you might not be in the right job. Before you take a dive into unemployment, try to do things that will reignite that spark with your job-- like go to a lecture or take a class. If that still isn't working and you're drawing blank after blank, day after day, really consider why you think this job is the right job. Sometimes things just fizzle out, and the best thing we can do for ourselves is realize that it doesn't have to be horribly wrong, for it not to be right.
2. You have an abusive boss. Bosses, like partners, can be abusive. People who take advantage of their position of power. But being in charge doesn't give anyone the right to treat employees like animals. If heading into your boss’ office is something you dread because you know no matter what you do it won’t be good enough, it's time to reevaluate the situation. I once had a boss throw trash at my head (yes, for real). I was out the door shortly thereafter. Know your self worth and trust in that.
3. You’ve consulted everyone you know about hating your job. Happy hour? What’s that? When you meet your friends after work, all you do is complain. About work. The problem with negative energy is that little by little it starts to infiltrate every other part of your life. Others relationships suffer, and you become um, insufferable to be around. Don’t let this happen. If your friends are avoiding your phone calls, there’s a good shot your endless complaints about work are dragging them down as well.
"Happy hour? What's that?"
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4. You’re compromising your morals. If you’ve found that you’re moving toward the Dark Side, without having any desire to do so, it’s either time to stand your ground, or change the ground your standing on. Sometimes at work we are asked to do things we aren’t entirely comfortable with— but these should be things that advance our careers. For example, you don’t like public speaking, but your boss asks you to give a presentation— this is a step outside your comfort zone that’s beneficial to progress. However if you’re being put in ethically, morally, or even illegal situations, no job is worth that risk.
5. You can’t come up with five good reasons to stay. Pro and con this beast. Make a list, check it twice, and if you don’t have five really solid reasons to keep your job— financial security aside— it might be time to start getting your ducks in a row.
6 .Your job gives you every kind of the sads. You know that feeling when you’re up at night, wondering why your dude is ignoring your calls, and you feel sad, lost, drained, pathetic? If your job makes you feel legit sad and question everything you’re doing with your life, it’s high time to move on.
7. Your mom thinks you should quit. Let’s consult Justin Bieber on this one. If you can sing, “My mama don’t like you and she likes everyone,” about your job… remember: Mom is always right. She was right about that 10th grade boyfriend, and she’s right about this job.
8. You're letting other opportunities pass you by. Some people in relationships are never satisfied because they are always on the lookout for the next best thing. That's not what I'm suggesting. But if the work universe is offering up an out-- or a better job, or maybe even a less financially lucrative, but potentially amazing job, and you're not taking it out of fear... close your eyes and take a leap. More often than we care to admit, it necessary to take a step back in order to alter our course, and start down the more meaningful path.
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You Are a Walking Billboard (And That's A Good Thing)
We promise.
Billboards are meant to be simple, engaging, and creative. Even though advertising has become largely digital, billboard space is still highly valued, as it is a golden opportunity to do groundbreaking, impactful work. Most people don’t think much about it, but you are a walking billboard. Everything you do and every piece of information you put out there is part of your personal brand, and it’s important for everything to reflect the same image and vibe. Create a successful personal brand through your clothing, your confidence, your elevator pitch, and your ability to establish rapport with others. Never forget that you have the power to change how people see you. It’s really empowering when you realize that you control everything you put out there including how people see you and what perception you give off.
Create an image for your billboard
Think about how often we judge people almost immediately based on their appearance. Clothing is a tool which can help you take control of how people see you and manipulate their viewpoint. Do you want to appear as a strong, knowledgeable, and confident individual? Your clothing can help with that!
Think about how a brand is cohesive in every aspect of marketing and aesthetics. What would a brand put on a billboard to enhance brand awareness? Decide how you want other people to see you and the brand you represent, and dress accordingly. If you want to be seen as a professional, wear professional clothing. It won’t only affect how people see you, but there’s something empowering about dressing "up." It changes your demeanor and studies have shown that it influences the way we think.
Communicate with confidence
Part of being a walking billboard is being confident in who you are, what you believe in, and what your personal brand represents. Have you ever noticed that some people communicate with confidence and command respect when speaking while others don't? When you communicate with confidence, it is the difference between telling your boss that you need the day off and asking if it would be possible to take the day off. While it's not okay to act self-righteous and show a lack of respect others, it is important to act on what you need.
It can be a hard to communicate with confidence, and even harder to implement if you aren’t used to actively telling people how you feel and what you need. However once you do learn how to utilize this concept, there will be an immediate and noticeable difference in how others react to you.
Perfect your elevator pitch
An elevator pitch is a short and persuasive speech that summarizes who you are, what you do, and why you’re unique. You should know it by heart and be able to say your elevator pitch at any time, from a casual conversation with friends to a job interview. Your elevator pitch is one of the most important parts of pitching yourself to others whether it’s at a party, for a job, a writing opportunity, or to gain experience. You’re pitching yourself any time you met someone or try to further develop your career, so getting confident in your elevator pitch is essential.
A great way to practice is to give your elevator pitch to a friend and ask them to give you feedback on three main aspects:
· What they learned
· What they wish they learned/what information you should include
· Where they think you could improve
This exercise will help you figure out where you are with your elevator pitch and how you can improve it to perfect this important part of your personal brand.
__________
When you think about your personal brand, what perception do you want to give off? You are a walking billboard and have the ability to put any perception or image about yourself into the world. You have the power to affect how people see you based on your confidence, your appearance, your communication skills, and your online footprint.
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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What If We Had a Solution to the High Cost of College
Listen up learners.
Smith House Photography
You want an education. You’re told you need an education. But at what cost should that education come? Last year for our inaugural Create & Cultivate 100 list, where we honored 100 women across 10 categories, we found a fairly even split amongst our 100 honorees, when it came to their thoughts on college. About half said that a college education was still important, but the other half said that college, in its traditional four-year form, was growing less important.
In part, that has to do with the cost. It is BANK to attend college. According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2017–2018 school year was $34,740 at private colleges, $9,970 for state residents at public colleges, and $25,620 for out-of-state residents attending public universities.
That’s a whole lotta dollars for students who aren’t yet employed and paying their own way. More so, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York 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. And they waste precious time and money trying to figure it out.
Like so many, Lee S. attended a four-year college. And like so many she found herself asking big questions. Life questions are often complicated by options. “Throughout my time at school,” she says. “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.”
She ended up landing a job at a company that allows her to interact with people as well as satisfy her creative needs. But what if there was a solution that was cost effective and helped her narrow her focus? What if she didn’t need to be so confused along her journey?
Strayer University is helping driven students do just that.
Strayer is helping students with personalized learning solutions. To help increase attainment and improve student engagement rates – a fundamental component of success – Strayer introduced Strayer Studios, an entirely revolutionary platform featuring enhanced online content that blends Emmy Award-winning film production with real-life, engaging stories.
In an initial pilot, 10 percent fewer students dropped courses that included Strayer Studios content – a critical data point given drop rates are higher among the non-traditional student population.
By the end of 2017, Strayer estimates that 52,000 classes will have been delivered in the Studios format.
Moreover, according to Strayer, “Too many students take on debt, but do not finish their degrees. As a result, many fail to reap the rewards of postsecondary attainment: meaningful employment, higher salary and improved quality of life.”
"Too many students take on debt, but do not finish their degrees."
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Instead of stressing students out MORE, Strayer wondered if it could build an approach that rewarded students for their continued progress towards a degree.
Enter the Strayer Graduation Fund, which allows students to earn a course at no-cost for every three classes they complete and has the potential to reduce the total cost of a student’s degree by up to 25 percent as long as they stay continuously enrolled. Since the program launched in 2013, student persistence from the first to second year of instruction has improved by 45 percent. And among at-risk students, first-to-second year retention rates increased by 80 percent. These are important markers because first-to-second year retention is a key indicator of a student’s likelihood of progressing towards a degree.
And isn’t that what we all want? Progress? Yes. Progress. And progress ensures that you’ll meet your goals, whatever they may be.
Every person starts somewhere. Everyone has their own journey. Perhaps the solutions offered by Strayer will be a first step in yours.
This is sponsored post, created in collaboration with Strayer University.
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Stars of The Teachers Talk Writing Process & Working with Friends
Crushing on women who are crushin' it.
The Cast of TV Land's The Teachers
TV Land's Teachers is an irreverent ensemble comedy about six elementary school teachers based on a web series created by The Katydids and Matthew Miller. The Katydids, a comedic troupe of six women from Chicago whose names are all derived from Katherine, wrote, executive produced, and star in the show (C&C fave Alison Brie is an executive producer), which is entering its third season.
We were able to grab the attention of 2/6, which is an F by school standards, but def an A in content.
Kate Lambert & Kathryn Renée Thomas chat with us on everything from the writing process to being scared to audition to superpowers.
On the writing process:
What does the writing process look like for the six of you?
Kathryn Renée Thomas: We generally spend the first 10 to 15 minutes talking about garbage. We have to get it out. We all arrive in the morning and have to gossip about what horrible things Trump tweeted last night or whatever Real Housewives did-- we cover all the really important things. Then we just dive right in.
Which means?
KRT: It depends on where we are in the process with the script to be honest. Sundays we come in and there are times where we’ll have to brainstorm a plot for an episode. But sometimes we just jump right in and start throwing out ideas. In the beginning we have a couple weeks of brainstorming. Sometimes a plot gets thrown out by the network and we’ll have to come up with something new to plug into a current script. There’s one script that we’re going to table read together for the first time. There’s another script that already has been table read that we’ve gotten notes on. Everyone has written their punch-ups and we bring them in and we sit around a monitor with our writers' assistants and we all pitch for different lines.
Kate Lambert: Going into Season 3 we’re looking to explore our characters on a deeper level. So that’s something we’ve been doing as well.
On having tough convos with the team:
You work together on so many levels and have known each other for a long time. Is it hard to be honest or tell someone you don't like their idea?
KRT: We’re pretty open and honest with each other. It was a hard transition at first. We’ve been together for over 9 years. It started with improv and it started as a joke. This group started as, “Hey we all have the same name. Isn’t that funny? Let’s do a show.” 9 years later we’re executive producing and writing our own show. The transition happened slowly, but we started treating the improv as a business early on and getting pretty serious. Then when we were actually getting paid for what we were doing as a business, we had to shift gears. At first, it was hard for me a to hear a “No” or have my pitches rejected in the room. Especially from people who were my friends and my sisters. We had to learn pretty quickly that that is just part of the process and part of the writer's room process. Any writer's room you go into, you’re going to have to pitch one thousand ideas and maybe none of them get chosen that day. I had to separate friends from business and say “You know, these are just my business partners,” for a while. Then once I got comfortable enough to understand,we’re doing what’s best for the show, I was able to go, “Oh yeah these are my friends!"
On the turning point for the business:
You mention a turning point-- when it all changed. When was that?
KL: It originally started as a one-off show. It was a lot of fun. Then it ran at a small black box theater in Chicago and that was so much fun and so exciting. I think it was the highlight of everyone’s week, and we had a great time and there was such an interesting chemistry between everyone that we thought we should explore. We ended up hiring a coach and getting a run on IO which was a huge deal. From there, we decided to make videos. It's such a great way to get your comedy out there. We made a video promoting the run and we thought that if people didn’t know our name or names of people in the group, they could watch these videos and that would entice them to come to the show. From there it turned into more of a business. We got a website, a Facebook fan page, we took professional photos, and we had a friend design a logo for us. We decided that we wanted to pursue this together, put our best foot forward and try to get to the next step.
KT: I wanna give a shoutout to Kate Lambert because she was really awesome about leading the charge with a lot of that stuff. I think it was Lambert's idea to create a press release for our show and some of the videos we started to make. Which, at the time, I didn’t know a lot of people in the improv community that were doing press releases about their show runs. I think that was a step above what other people were doing.
KL: Aww, thanks!
KT: It’s true! You really lead the charge on some of that stuff and I think it was incredibly helpful and lucrative for us.
On relationships and culture shock in Hollywood:
You've obviously got your tribe and support each other. What was in like moving from Chicago to Hollywood?
KL: Well, I think when you move to Los Angeles, like anything business and Hollywood related aside, the weirdest thing is that the weather never changes. And you lose all sense of time. I can't tell you whether I’ve lived here a hundred years or four. Living Chicago, you remember experiences according to weather and what people were wearing. I really can’t tell if something happened 3 years ago or two months ago.
KT: I’m so Midwestern and I think all the women in the group are really. My idea of LA was a very stereotypical -- douchey managers and fakey-fakey everything. Boob jobs and coke, you know? I was thinking, I’m this nice Midwestern girl, I’m not going to fit in there. But I love it out here. I think what helps with moving from the midwest to LA is the fact that we had a team of people whom we'd been working with and that support system was amazing. We were also really, really lucky to work with TV Land-- I'm not saying that because they’re our boss but they were really willing to take a risk with our voice and our vision. We anticipated that if we did sell this show, we would have to change it a lot to make it mainstream or that we’d be let go in creative aspects, and maybe just get creator credit. We truly found the love of our lives with TV Land because they let us keep all the same cast, all the same producers, all same writers, and they say yes to a lot of the crazy stuff we come up with. So my idea of this bad boss, people being douchey, was really squashed as soon as we started working with them. Not only that, but they’re just the nicest, warmest people so we felt like we were being brought into a family. That was such a great surprise.
KT: Also, on the business side, we came from a sketch background and all of our characters in the web series were different. But they were different by shades of gray and we tried to really blow them out for the show. We had to differentiate the characters and make their differences even more apparent. We also had to make them freer and move into their histories more. We weren’t just exploring them for two minutes anymore-- it was 22 minutes now. It was all a process of developing the characters to a further extent.
"Our success, in the end, came out of a lot failure."
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How did your backgrounds in sketch comedy prepare you for the successes you've seen?
KT: We failed a lot. Our success, in the end, came out of a lot failure. We’re 6 weird quirky girls from Chicago who were auditioning for a lot of things-- not all for weird quirky girls though. We weren't getting cast but instead of taking that as “Forget it, you’re worthless,” we collectively thought, “Forget it, we’ll do our own thing.” So being told no so many times, getting rejected, doing a show to an audience of one, or a hundred who aren’t laughing, we took all that and we learned from this and said how can we just keep going? And we managed to succeed anyway with our own trajectory and our own voices and we have more creative control than a lot of people do.
Early group shot. photo credit: TOM MCGRATH
On dealing with uncomfortable moments:
What’s worse, doing a show with an audience of one who is laughing hysterically or audience of a hundred who are silent?
KL: I always think it’s more uncomfortable to perform for one person. I’d much rather be in front of a crowd of one hundred people. To be honest, sometimes it’s pretty hilarious when nobody laughs. You just have to focus on what you think is funny. If an audience feels like you’re trying to be funny, they get uncomfortable for you as a performer because they can feel your nervousness. You just have to be comfortable and pretend it’s a huge audience.
But you were scared of auditioning...and didn't do it for a long time...
KL: I was lucky. I was working at a department store and the people I worked with knew all about my dreams and what I wanted to do. They were incredibly encouraging and they honestly really pushed me and helped me get over my fear. It was when I was working there that I took my first improv class for actors and I was there when I got cast in my first sketch show. I think it was a combination of support from friends and family, my parents obviously. And also just realizing life's short and I need to do what I want to do. Working jobs like that was good for me in some ways because it made me realize just how bad I wanted the job that I have now.
KT: For me, it can go either way. You can definitely kind of get in your head like Lambert was saying. You can even let go a little more than you would with a crowd of a hundred people. If you’re in a crowd of four people in the audience, it’s kind of like “Well maybe I can take more risks this way. I’m not gonna blow it in front of one hundred people.” I might take a risk and let go a bit in an audience of 4 people and I might play more lightheartedly and have more fun, that often times happens. It just takes a minute to get out of your head to move from “Fuck this, no one came to my show,” to “Okay, well let’s make the best of it.”
On their superpowers:
KL: I can love any dog on sight. And anytime I see a dog I get extraordinarily excited. I think dogs are the best thing.
KT: Oversharing. Girl, I’m an open book. It’s gonna get me in trouble some day.
Teachers is on TV Land. Catch up with the series here.
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4 Creative Ways to Announce Your New Engagement
Make it pop.
Are you one of the 40 percent of people that get engaged between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day? The holiday months are some of the most popular when it comes to love.
It makes sense after all. Family and fun, eggnog. Mistletoe… the New Year’s Eve capital K Kiss. There’s a lot of smoochin’ going on lately. And we love it. So does Simon G Jewelry, the leader in engagement rings and bling. But announcing your love to the world can feel more overwhelming than the wedding. How do you make sure your announcement is equal parts sweet and creative?
Here are some ideas!
MAKE IT COLORFUL
The recently engaged blogger Color Me Courtney wanted an IG announcement that popped as much as her ring. (#SimonGSparkles.)A couple balloons, a bright pink monochrome, and the #onbendedknee Boyz to Men style swagger from her now fiancé, it was picture perfect. It didn’t hurt that she was rocking a gorgeous yellow diamond stunner.
IT SHOULD BE OUT OF THIS WORLD
This couple took their proposal to the moon and back. To recreate this amazing announcement, find yourself a creative partner and get to work. No one said marriage is easy, but this couple has the moon (and likely the world) on a string.
SMILE BIG.
OK. Maybe it’s not the most creative but you don’t have to have a paint war engagement photoshoot (yes, those exist) to show your true happiness. Sometimes the best thing you can do is smile big and flash a little ring.
And look, it’s not only about the proposal. You have to pop the question to your best gals as well, so why not make it ‘grammable with bridesmaid proposal cards from Etsy! We love the scratch off "Will you be my Bridesmaid" cards.
Have other creative ways to announce? Let us know below!
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Links From Our Group Chat: Cardi B.'s Real Name & #MeToo Controversy
What'd you think we talked about? The weather.
If, like the rest of the internet, you spent the weekend figuring out you're classic art doppelgänger, you're not alone. Thanks to the new "Google Arts and Culture" app, all you have to do is snap a selfie to figure out which famous portrait you most look like. And who said selfies don't do us any good?
Remember the dude (whose name we refuse to use) who wrote that Google memo? Well he's suing for discrimination. [FACEPALM]
We all learned Cardi B’s real name + we’re shook.
I Started the Media Men List. My name is Moira Donegan.
How do we feel about a man writing this? Why Andrew, why? (Clicks.)
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WORK PARTY ON
The Most Interesting Interview Questions You Need to Know
When you're in a sea of applicants battling it out for the same job, make sure you're prepared with the proper answers to nail that interview and land that job.
“So, tell me about yourself?” How many interviews have you had that open with that question? It serves two purposes: 1) an ice-breaker to kick off the conversation and 2) to witness how the candidate prioritizes the details of her life. After that easy lob, you can’t predict what interview questions will come next.
Our favorite Q&A site Quora posed the question: What one question do you always ask applicants in a job interview, and why? Here, our favorite interesting interview questions and answers.
1. How do you stay current?
“The answer gives me a feel for the candidate’s curiosity and desire to continue learning, technical interests apart from work experience and how they value the knowledge and experiences of the broader technical community in building their skills and network.” —Travis Truman, software architect
2. If you could change one thing on your resume, what would it be and why?
“The answer tells me a lot about what they perceive as their own weaknesses, career regrets, and shortcomings.” —Tommy Thorton, IT professional
3. On a scale of 1-10, how lucky do you think you are, and why?
“This question has worked wonders for me to bring out some key incidents, experiences, and the overall philosophy.” —Puneet Mehta, cofounder, MyCityWay
4. Where do you rate your skills in [software/program/] on a scale 1-10?
“The number they give is usually irrelevant to the actual interview, but the way they go about explaining their answer reveals a lot about their character. A simple 1-10 rating scale on skill set with an explanation will give you so much insight about how a person views learning and improving.” —John B. Petersen III, startup founder
5. What’s the biggest misconception about you and why?
“Then, after they’ve answered, I follow up with, “How do you know it’s a misconception?” Tests how self-aware someone is, and whether they are open-minded. Two key traits in a great team member.” —Jane Yu, partnerships and philanthropy, AltSchool
6. What did you care about most when you were 10 years old?
7. What was the last thing you changed your mind about?
“Both are more specific than ‘tell me about yourself,’ and challenge the respondent to be specific, and, to me, the second question can show maturity and introspection.”—Gagan Diesh
8. What’s your favorite website?
“In truth, there are no wrong answers, but people who practice and read how to give the perfect interview are always flabbergasted. I want to know how they sound when they’re passionate about something, and make sure they love the internet. You can teach the rest…” —Alex Williams, creative and digital strategy director
9. Rank the following in terms of importance:
- Investors
- Management
- Colleagues
- Customers
- Oneself
“It speaks to the alignment of goals, resource allocation, and priorities, and ability to tie different moving parts i.e. people … that are hard to measure and which make or break the company.” —Mrinal Desai, CEO and cofounder of addappt
10. Who is your hero and why?
“The why is most important. Research has shown that high-achievers have role models and you want to find out what personal attributes the job candidate admires and hopefully tries to live up to.” —Tony Mariotti, COO, Friendbuy
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Women Moving The Movement, #FollowFriday
Time's Up.
This week's #FollowFriday is all about women behind the scenes of the #TimesUp movement. The all black moment of solidarity at the Golden Globes was just one piece of the puzzle. Time's Up is a leaderless initiative made up of many working groups to fight against sexual harassment.
According to the New York Times, the movement will address:
• A legal defense fund, backed by $13 million in donations, to help less privileged women — like janitors, nurses and workers at farms, factories, restaurants and hotels — protect themselves from sexual misconduct and the fallout from reporting it.
• Legislation to penalize companies that tolerate persistent harassment, and to discourage the use of nondisclosure agreements to silence victims.
• A drive to reach gender parity at studios and talent agencies that has already begun making headway.
Check out these women moving the movement and the groups they're leading down below. Don't forget to show some social media love for #FollowFriday!
Leaders of the new commission on sexual harassment in the entertainment industry
Anita Hill + Nina Shaw
honorary follows*
Television producer + writer and President + CEO of National Women's Law Center
This Is Us Through the Week
We've *almost* made it.
WE made it! Congrats. Take a brief recap walk through your week with British comedian Miranda Hart.
Catch you on the other side.
MONDAY AM.
MONDAY END OF DAY.
TUESDAY.
WEDNESDAY.
THURSDAY.
FRIDAY.
AND A BIT MORE OF THIS.
BUT DON'T WORRY. SATURDAY IS VERY CLOSE.
AND.
SUNDAY... THIS IS US.
Any questions?
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C&C Classifieds: UM We're Hiring, DBA & Calvin Klein
Your dreams are a resume away.
Have a dream of joining the C&C Dream Team (that's what we've named our group chat)...? It might be in your future. This week we have job opps from us! (Oh, and a couple of other major companies you might have heard of.
Dig in dreamers.
DBA - NY, NY
Amazon Studios - LA, CA
Too Faced Cosmetics - LA, CA
Calvin Klein - NY, NY
Squarespace - NY, NY
WANT TO SIGN UP FOR A FULL LIST OF CLASSIFIEDS HERE.
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CHECK OUT WORK PARTY.
The Golden Globe Acceptance Speeches That Weren’t
Rewriting history a bit.
Men are scared. Men in Hollywood are even more scared.
To point, last night, Seth Meyer, the 75th Golden Globes host, joked this in his opening monologue: “Good evening ladies and remaining gentleman,” he said to the applause of the room. "For the male nominees in the room tonight, this is the first time in three months it won't be terrifying to hear your name read out loud.”
Cue the laughter and the claps, but also, cue the dopey confused male faces. Do we laugh or do we cry. Or do we crawl under these tables? Men last night were lost.
And we do understand, but not a single man who accepted a #GoldenGlobes tonight spoke out about sexual assault, #MeToo, or #TimesUP.
Guys, wearing a black tux isn't enough. I mean, if you're going to wear the pin, at least know what it's about.
UMM.
So don't worry guys, we go this too. We did a little rewrite for you. Here's how to treat women who are changing your professional for the better.
JAMES FRANCO, BEST ACTOR, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
“First person I have to thank is the man himself Tommy Wiseau. Come on up here Tommy. 19 years ago, he was stuck in traffic from the Golden Globes. He said to his best friend Greg, “Golden Globes, so what? I’m not invited. I know they don’t want a guy with accent, long hair, so I show them. I don’t wait for Hollywood, I make my own movie.” I’m very happy to share this moment with him today and with all the women in the room, who have been pulling a Tommy for the last 75 years. Women who made their own way. And who continue to do so tonight. Thank you so much for your efforts, for your hard work. For bringing Hollywood into a new era and to every woman who has ever said, “I show them. I don’t wait for Hollywood, I make my own movie.”
ALEXANDER SKARSGARD, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, TELEVISION SERIES
Hi. I have a friend who is eight years old and he was perplexed when I didn’t thank him at the Emmy’s. I will not make that mistake tonight. Ossian Skarsgard this is for you. Now, it does not escape me that I am winning an award for playing an abusive rapist during a monumental time in Hollywood when predators have been exposed. When women are saying Time’s Up. Women like the powerhouses who made this show possible. I am here tonight because I have the privilege of working with extraordinarily talented women. Most of whom who are in this room. Liane Moriarty who wrote the novel. Bruna, our producer. Reese, Laura, Zoe, Shailene, and Nicole, I am humbled to stand by you. To tell a story that is the unfortunate story of so many women. Too many women. For those of you at home who don’t know, this pin that I’m wearing is in reference to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund which provides subsidized legal support to those who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or abuse in the workplace. It is a movement against sexual harassment founded in 2018 in response to the Weinstein effect and #MeToo. It is a movement against the men, like the very one I am winning an award for playing. And to that man, to the Perry Wright’s of the world, your time is up.
GARY OLDMAN, BEST ACTOR, MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
I feel very humbled and surprised to have been asked to this stage. I’d like to congratulate my fellow nominees for their beautiful work. I am in very fine company this evening. Indeed. Winston Churchill said, “My tastes are simple, I am easily satisfied with the very best.” And I was surrounded by the very best. To the magnificent makeup team – your artistry has no equal. Kristin Scott Thomas, thank you for my beautiful Clementine. Your work is exquisite. And thank you for putting up with all those awful cigars. To the women in this room, I’d like to thank you for no longer putting up with the awful, truly despicable behavior of men in Hollywood. You have battled the worst and come out victorious. You’ve been patient, too patient. And to my wife, who put up with my crazy for a year. She would say to friends, ‘I go to bed with Winston Churchill but I wake up with Gary Oldman.’ Which is, I suppose better than the other way around. I am very proud of Darkest Hour. It illustrates the words and actions can change the world– and boy, oh boy, could it use some change now. Thank you, Winston Churchill. And thank you to the women in this room and in other rooms who are also changing the world.
Who else should we rewrite? Comment below!
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Links From Our Group Chat: Time's Up, Lady Bird & Gal Gadot
Shoutout to all rad women everywhere.
Women in Hollywood are about to get after it (it being sexual harassment) tonight at the Golden Globes. While you're waiting for the awards (and ahem, the red carpet) to start, check out some of the links we passed back and forth in our group chat.
300+ women in Hollywood have HAD IT. #TIMESUP anti-harassment plan sweeps the nation.
Founder of Shea Moisture buys Essence Magazine from Time Inc making it a fully black-owned publication again!
7 Teenage Girls + Their Moms on Watching Lady Bird together.
Gal Gadot is not here for James Cameron.
Are you going to wear black tonight? Let us know!
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10 Page-Turning Books We're Loving Right Now
New year, new shelfie.
If you want #shelfie goals, you need some good stacks (of books) to line them with. Luckily, female authors are busting out badass books in droves. Get your hands and eyes on these!! We have.
1. The Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown
Meryl Streep sped through this book and we know why. The Vanity Fair Diaries is the story of an Englishwoman barely out of her twenties who arrives in New York City with a dream. That woman is Tina Brown, who, between the years of 1979 to 2001 she was the editor of Tatler, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker. Lucky for readers, during her eight year magical ride as editor-in-chief at Vanity Fair, she kept a daily diary. Today they provide an incendiary portrait of the flash and dash and power brokering of the Excessive Eighties in New York and Hollywood.
2. Women at Work Interviews from the Paris Review
Women at Work, the first anthology from the Paris Review Editions imprint, features interviews with Margaret Atwood, Simone de Beauvoir, Elizabeth Bishop, Joan Didion, Isak Dinesen, Hilary Mantel, Toni Morrison, Jan Morris, Grace Paley, Dorothy Parker, Claudia Rankine, and Marguerite Yourcenar. Intimate, deep, full of surprises, these classic interviews will be a source of inspiration and instruction to writers, students, and anyone else who cares about the creative process, or about the specific challenges faced by creative women.
Enough said. Speaking of Joan... She's always going to make our list.
3. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
An oldie but a goodie. Didion deals with the death of her husband and daughter in this tearful tale of the year following their deaths. And for anyone who hasn't checked out the Didion Doc on Netflix yet, we've found your Saturday night.
4. Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
The New York Times Best Seller is on top of her craft in this novel that explores the whole range of human emotion through the intimate dramas of people struggling to understand themselves and others.
Plus, it's about feuding sisters. Little dramatic reading never hurt anyone's imagination.
5. I've Got This Round: More Tales of Debauchery by Mamrie Hart
One of our fave funny women, Mamrie Hart is releasing her second book this Feb! In I've Got This Round, readers will find the same shameless honesty and I'll-try-anything-once spirit they loved in Hart’s New York Times bestseller You Deserve a Drink. Mamrie doubles down on her strong female friendships, her willingness to engage in shenanigans, and her inimitable candor, taking the reader along for a wild and unforgettable journey through adulting.
6. Rookie on Love edited by Tavi Gevinson
A single-subject anthology about the heart's most powerful emotion, edited by Rookie's EIC Tavi Gevinson. Featuring exclusive, never-before-seen essays, poems, comics, and interviews from contributors like Jenny Zhang, Emma Straub, Hilton Als, Janet Mock, John Green, Rainbow Rowell & Gabourey Sidibe.
7. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Winner of a National Book Award for Fiction, Jesmyn's beautiful and haunting novel is about three generations and the ghosts that haunt them. It tells the story of Jojo, a young black Mississippi boy raised by his grandparents, who is forced to become a man far before he should because his mother is a drug addict, his father is in jail, and his baby sister needs a guardian.
8. Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit
In her 7 essays that punctuate exactly what you feel when getting mansplained, Rebecca takes men to task. Two of the book’s most powerful essays (“Men Explain Things To Me” and “#YesAllWomen”) are exactly what you need to read. Traditional gender roles? Nah fam.
9. It's Messy: On Boys, Boobs, and Badass Women by Amanda de Cadenet
In this deeply personal collection of essays, creator of the The Conversation Amanda de Cadenet shares the hard-won advice and practical insights she’s gained through her experiences as businesswoman, friend, wife, and mother. Part manual, part manifesto, this intimate, hilarious, and insightful collection of essays challenges stereotypes and social norms, and examines the universal experiences relevant to women today.
Take it from her-- we certainly have.
10. Her Bodies and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Our first pick this January for our Book Club! To kick it off this January we are starting Carmen Maria Machado's “Her Body and Other Parties," the author's debut book of short stories. A finalist for the National Book Award, the eight fables are a startling and at times unsettling cross between feminist fiction, as the stories deal with worlds in which women literally and metaphorically fade away, and science fiction
What are you reading on? Share below!
right and cover photo credit: Adenorah