School of Side Hustle Lesson 4: From Market to Marketing!
All the tools you’ll need to market your business.
For those of you just joining our Create & Cultivate x Weebly School of Side Hustle Series, where have you been? Missing out, that’s where.
Luckily, we love a recap.
In “Lesson One: Building a Brand Online,” we talked to Emily McDowell, founder of The Emily McDowell Studio about the basics of brand building.
In “Lesson Two: From Concept to Commerce,” we talked to illustrator and artist, Carly Kuhn (@theCartorialist) about her advice for selling online and what kind of websites she prefers.
In “Lesson Three: Don’t Just Build a Website, Build a Business,” Kelsey Kelley of KKelley Designs walks us through her hustle and flow.
Caught up? Good. Because it’s full steam ahead for “Lesson 4: From Market, To Marketing.”
Watch: Lesson Four From Market to Marketing
At stage right, we’ve got @DazeyLA.
Dazey LA is a brand that stands out.
And yet it’s founder, Danielle Nagel, says she started off the same way so many businesses begin: with a side hustle. (Are you sensing a pattern here?!)
“I started off with odd jobs for friends, print shops, doctors offices, and slowly worked my way up,” Danielle shares. “Fast forward 6 years later and I was full-time designing apparel graphics for large companies like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Forever 21, Macy's and Nordstrom to name a few! I had a great career as a young designer but all I really wanted was to start my own brand and design shirts that stood for something.”
The idea of standing for something and taking a stand against fast fashion was vital to Danielle’s success. From the start her brand has been about transparency-- this wasn’t only a marketing ploy.
But like so many others, even Danielle had the concept, she had to take “the leap” we talked about in Lesson 2. “I still always say my biggest challenge was actually gathering the courage to start Dazey. It took me years to finally do it. Self-doubt and other peoples negative opinions can so easily slip in. Of course, it wasn’t easy sailing after that, every season of my company presents new challenges. You just have to learn to take them one at a time. Believe in yourself.”
Photos by @Dazey_LA
Danielle adds that she had to work to be taken seriously. “It can be hard to be taken seriously, especially when I come skipping into a factory wearing pink shoes and spice girl buns. I may not look it but I can be a tough bitch when push comes to shove and I will stand my ground and protect my company. Ask for a better price and better product every single time! Find production people you trust and who respect you. It will save you some serious headaches. Never forget you are already endlessly brave for starting a company in the first place, use that power!”
This is something we talk about at C&C all the time: Your power tools. Standing your ground. Protecting your company. Walking into a warehouse and asking for exactly what you want.
But you also want tools on the backend to do the same. You want tools that work for you-- not against you. Tools that make your site searchable. Tools that make sure you are getting all of eyeballs on your product.
Katie Swett, Director of Product at Weebly knows all about this. When it comes to marketing 101, Katie says,
“Learn to use your tools! The big brands have huge marketing teams and budgets to power intelligent marketing. BUT a lot of that power is now available to small businesses."
Platforms like Weebly Promote can help you automate campaigns, personalize content, and market uniquely to different segments.
Katie also encourages those new to marketing to be sure to collect email addresses. “Don’t wait to get started with marketing! Even if you are not ready to sell your product, it’s always a great idea to create a Coming Soon Page that collects the email addresses of people interested in learning more about your business. This list of subscribers can start small with friends and family, but will be meaningful over time,” she says.
As Danielle has, Katie encourages new brands to get to know their customers. “Respond to them when they reach out on social media, ask them questions, listen to their complaints and use that information to build a community that reflects your brand.” More so, she says you need to, “Be your authentic self! You have a huge advantage when you’re starting, you can be real and authentic with your customers. That’s harder for bigger brands to do. Tell you story, be transparent, make them feel like they’re talking to a human. That’s the little guys secret weapon.”
It was certainly part of Danielle’s secret weapon.
So let’s fill up your arsenal a bit more.
We’ve touched a bit on marketing, but we want to dig a little deeper. In Lesson 4: From Market to Marketing, Jaclyn Johnson talks with Katie who is going to walk you through marketing tools and techniques, which include Weebly's latest product, Weebly Promote, an integrated marketing platform.
As discussed in Lesson 4's video, an essential part of marketing, is the kind of grassroots engagement you do with your followers. Because, once you’ve built your brand, your site, and your following, you need to keep said followers engaged. It’s an important part of the game. So we asked Katie Swett for some other pro-tips on how tools like "Weebly Marketing" and help you build and maintain your customer base." These automated tools allow you to work smarter, not harder.
With Weebly you can:
Build brand awareness and drive traffic to your site by creating Facebook ads right from the Weebly platform.
Use the benefits of Automation. Abandon Cart Emails allow you to automatically detect when a customer leaves a cart with products in it and sends them an email follow-up with their abandoned products. This lets you potentially win back customers you may have lost without doing any work.
Try different prices, sales, offers and messaging and see what works best for your audience. Weebly has an Insights dashboard that gives you analytics on your computer or phone so you know what's working (and what's not) right away.
Break your audience up into targeted groups. Then you can send different emails to people that visit you every week, than you do to people who have only visited one. Or, different emails to people who normally buy mens clothes, than you do to people how normally buy womens. This personalization helps you send more resonant emails to smaller groups, without overwhelming people with too many.
Build up a list of subscribers. Email marketing is still the most effective marketing tool to maximize your ROI (return on investment). It’s is how you start a relationship with your audience, and how you will ultimately turn visitors into customers.”
For Danielle, part of her marketing plan means connecting with her customers on a “deeply personal level” as well as “sharing what the day-to-day life of an entrepreneur really looks like.”
It’s all about connection.
Katie likewise encourages small businesses to connect with their customers on an intimate level. She says, “Social media has made it easier than ever to start communicating with potential customers. We always recommend heading out to farmers markets or craft fairs to have those face to face conversations with your customers. You will be amazed how grateful they are to speak with you and learn more about your story. In turn, you will get real feedback from customers that can dramatically shape how your grow and iterate.”
That doesn’t mean it’s the right direction for everyone, but for Danielle and Dazey LA, it gives her work meaning. “I noticed so many of the boss babes I looked up to didn’t share the nitty gritty or their biggest tips and tricks,” Danielle says. “Those were the things I was dying to see when I was still in my corporate design job daydreaming of starting a company. Being open has hands down been my biggest asset. So many small businesses feel the need to look more professional or bigger than they actually are. I choose to do to the opposite and embrace being a small one-gal company. People are so much more excited to support something small, real, and relatable. My suggestion to people is to be as true to yourself and your mission as possible. Align your beliefs with your company and then promote the hell out of it!”
Ahh. Promote the hell out of it. That’s part of your job as a small business. And you need to get comfortable with self-promotion, even if there are other parts of launching that scare you.
Danielle assures all her side-hustle people who are unsure of the next step that you don’t have to know “business” to create a successful business. “You don’t have to know anything!! You just need to find the people who do." I knew how to design shirts and that was basically it. You learn so much as you go and there is no rules to follow. Put yourself out there and you will figure it out. It’s the wild west baby! - Also Google is your best friend.” Shop Danielle's latest collection here.
And so is Weebly, we would add.
Have more questions, drop us a line below and we’ll get them answered!
Be sure to look back at Lesson One: Building a Brand Online, Lesson 2: From Concept to Commerce, and Lesson 3: Don’t Just Build a Website, Build a Business.
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Why This Houston Mom Thinks Employers Should Encourage Vacation Time
Moms for summer fun.
Simple summer pleasures are upon us. No matter what your job, summer is the season of FUN. But work does not wait for summer—unfortunately. With the bulk of the summer ahead of us (YAY!), we're teaming up with Old Navy to tap on-the-go moms across the country to find out how they squeeze more fun out of summer in their cities - while keeping that to-do list managed and inboxes at a minimum.
BEATING THE HOUSTON HEAT
Houstonian and first-time mom, Carrie Colbert, shares her summer hacks + new plans for making summer memories with her new baby girl.
SHOP THE COLBERT FAMILY'S OLD NAVY SUMMER LOOKS HERE
How does your family “squeeze more fun” out of summer?
At the risk of sounding trite, we make the most of everyday moments! Sure, vacations are fabulous! But there is a joy to be found at home in the day to day moments as well. Whether that's going for an evening swim or going to get ice cream, we cherish those extra hours of daylight in the summer.
I am really looking forward to this summer in particular. You see, last summer, I was due to give birth on July 7, but she actually came early on June 12. So, after a difficult pregnancy, an early delivery, and the craziness of having a newborn and being a first-time mother, last summer was a total blur.
So, I am really intent on creating lots of fun this year!
What are some of your favorite Houston memories or Houston-specific summer traditions?
Truth be told, many Houstonians flee Houston in the summer. The heat and humidity can be overwhelming. But in fact, there are great things to do to beat the heat! Occasionally, we make the short road trip down to Galveston to enjoy some beach time. Other times, we opt to enjoy the air-conditioned offerings of Houston like a trip to the museum or a the theater. Most days, you can find us very close to our swimming pool!
As an entrepreneurial mom, there’s a lot of pressure to be plugged in and online. Why is it important to you to make family memories in the summer?
Isn't that the truth? The struggle is real! Being online is not just a "bad habit" that I can forego altogether. Rather it's part of my business. What I've found works for me though is choosing to set aside my phone for certain hours. I have to make an intentional choice to be completely present and focused.
And that choice has gotten easier as I've seen how quickly my daughter changes! Time certainly does not stand still. She is one year old now and is changing and growing and learning new things all the time. I don't want to miss a moment with her!
Do you have any favorite summer traditions? What is your go-to activity for summer fun with the family?
Admittedly, I am one of those Houstonians who does like to escape the high heat and humidity for at least a week or two. You can often find us in Aspen, Colorado enjoying summer outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and more.
Vacations are wonderful but they can also be hard work to plan. Do you have any family vacay planning tips?
Pack light! You don't need as much as you think. In fact, I almost always travel just with one simple carry-on bag. Of course, a baby has added some additional traveling logistics. But I still try not to overpack.
Traveling light makes the whole process of getting there so much easier.
What can the workplace do to help families inject more FUN into their summer?
A lot! Ha.
When I worked in the corporate world (for almost two decades!), I found that often vacation time wasn't truly vacation time. You were still expected to check in, to keep up with emails, answer phone calls, and so on.
But we all need a chance to disconnect, unwind, and refresh - not to mention the need to really connect with our loved ones.
So, workplaces could help inject more fun into summer by truly encouraging employees to disconnect during PTO.
What are your summer fun hacks?
I'm trying something new this summer: making a summer bucket list! It includes things big and very small. But, as one who believes in the power of writing down intentions, I thought I'd try it with our summer plans this year!
Want to add some color to your inbox? Visit Carrie's website and subscribe to her newsletter!
How do you #SqueezeMoreFun out of the summer with your family? Let us know in the comments!
SHOP THEIR OLD NAVY LOOKS!
Carrie:
Elle:
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The Trick to Avoiding Burnout Isn't Delegating or Meditating
This calls for a celebration.
photo credit: Memorandum
This whole business of building your dream career is not for the faint of heart; we know this.
Delegate! The productivity hackers command. Automate! The digital marketing experts implore. Meditate before meetings! Suggest the self-care gurus. And yes, a healthy mix of all of the above will go far in helping to grow and expand one’s professional empire. The problem is that in the quest to outperform, overdeliver and yes maybe even overachieve, we often miss out on a powerful, potentially easier way.
What if I told you there was a nearly foolproof, feel-good tactic available to you? Right now. Something basically guaranteed to activate a serious mood-boost, along with a burst of motivation, creativity and enthusiasm for yourself and your team? A strategy that will help to drive demand for your products and services, build extreme team loyalty and attract your right people and opportunities your way, like a magnet.
So what is this powerful career cocktail?
Professional recognition.
Employees who do not feel adequately recognized are twice as likely to say they’ll quit in the next year, which seems likely as a Gallup poll conducted in 2016 found that employees often feel their best efforts are routinely ignored. In fact, the number one reason Americans leave their jobs is that they don’t feel appreciated. And yet, the Aberdeen Group found that only 14% of organizations provide managers with the necessary tools for rewards and recognition.”
Seriously.
So how do we turn this around? Here are 3 ideas:
Seek out PR opportunities for your experts
The standard protocol is often to have the CEO act as the mouthpiece for a company, whether or not she is intimately involved in the subject matter at hand. Instead, make company PR a group effort. Encourage your team to seek out opportunities to write articles, contribute expert quotes, submit for career interviews, apply to speak on panels, heck, give a keynote speech. Share the spotlight with the experts who are helping you succeed and everyone wins. If you’re an employee, being opportunities like this to the table and argue your case.
Earmark budget (and-time) for awards and celebrations
Every cent matters, particularly in a startup environment. But take note of a World at Work study that found 46% of senior managers view recognition programs as an investment rather than an expense. From that perspective, consider putting money aside for external and internal recognition opportunities. Whether you apply for industry awards, incentivize an employee of the month program with a half day of paid-time-off, or host a quarterly peer-recognition love fest complete with seasonal snacks, ensure everyone knows these programs (and the core value of appreciation) are a company priority.
Write love letters
One of my career maxims is to ‘lead with generosity.’ This idea aligns well with one of my favorite quotes by the French philosopher Simone Weil, particularly apt in our multi-platform, multi-distraction world: “Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” (It's also free.)
One of my favorite strategies to bust through my own burnout is to send out emails of appreciation. I send them to people I know and complete strangers, anyone whose work I am inspired by, anyone who has gone above and beyond for me in a meaningful way.
No matter where you are at in your career, you have every opportunity to build yourself up - and those around you - through a heartfelt note of appreciation.
By adopting formal-or even informal-recognition practices for yourself and your team, you’ll enjoy perks like an improvement in outside perception, an easier time attracting top talent, higher customer satisfaction, lower turnover, less frustration, a more highly engaged workforce and better business results overall.
Now that sounds like something worth celebrating.
Crosby Noricks is the founder and director of PR Couture, the sourcebook for fashion and lifestyle communicators. As part of the site’s own 10-year anniversary celebration, Crosby launched The Bespoke Communication Awards, a global online award program established to recognize excellence among agencies, in-house teams, individuals and brands. The BCAs include a free “Favorites Category” nomination form for 6 awards, including ‘Breakout Lifestyle Brand’ and ‘Favorite Industry News Source/Publication’ - submit your faves today!
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Dadsplaining Our Jobs
Our dads explain Create & Cultivate.
Photo via @lmferreira3
DADS. You gotta love em. This Father's Day, the Create & Cultivate team asked our dads to explain what we each do for a living. Their responses were perfectly adorable.
If you're putting in some quality time with Dad this Father's Day, we highly recommend giving this a spin.
JACLYN, CEO & Founder
“Promote the women in business through electronic media.”
TYEAL, Marketing Coordinator
🤔‘Creating and cultivating’ brands for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Helping little people have big presence in our digital online Universe. 🤗
NIKIA, SR. Producer
“Ok - this is what I've been able to gather:
You go to trade shows all across the country and set up exhibit booths for your companies customers. The customers hire the company that you work for to take care of the logistics involved in setting up and taking down of the booths.
You make all if the important decisions. They don't make a move with out your input 😊”
HEATHER, Digital Marketing Director
"Professional social media and blogger."
NATALIE, Team Coordinator
“You help plan, organize and manage events that your company does.”
Happy Father's Day to strong dads who champion their daughters by teaching them that strength, independence, and fierceness aren't gendered traits.
Ask your old man and share his response with your title in the comments below!
5 Summer Hair Care Tips
Let your hair down, but keep it moisturized.
All dressed up and everywhere to go! We are about two weeks out from the official start of summer and that means, pool parties, BBQs and summer Fridays.
And whether you’re at events for work or pleasure, the fact is we’re all about to have some fun under the sun. But there’s ONE downfall: the blazing summer heat has the ability to do major damage to our hair.
Beauty experts know it’s important during these months to keep your hair covered, moisturized, and to keep your scalp hydrated as well. This is why we rounded up a few of our favorite tips for summer hair care below with our friends at WEN® Hair & Body Care by Chaz Dean.
Get your head in the hair game girl.
1. WEAR YOUR HAIR UP
Pulling your hair back and out of your face is a must for long summer days. Throw it up in a high pony or rock a topknot fresh out of the shower. You could get creative and spice up the look every so often with accessories. Headbands, scarves and even over-the-top straw hats for beach days, when you need a little more shade.
2. CONDITION, CONDITION, CONDITION
Keeping your hair conditioned is the number one summer hair care essential. From leave-in conditioning sprays to overnight deep conditioner creams, there are many ways to keep the moisture locked in. One of our favorite conditioners (and yes, it smells as good as it sounds) is the WEN® Summer Coconut Lime Verbena Cleansing Conditioner. It’s enhanced with antioxidant rich four-tea complex, strengthening amino acid blend as well as Coconut, Lime, Verbena oils, and extracts help to enhance shine, volume and body. All while keeping the moisture locked in.
3. USE A HYDRATING MASK
For an extra boost of hydration, try a mask. We all know DIY spa days aren’t complete without our favorite soothing or brightening face masks, but a hair mask can work wonders as well. The WEN® Summer Honey Peach ReMoist Hydrating Mask is full of nutrients to maintain healthy hair and scalp. It helps improve lackluster hair, restoring it to a much healthier state. Just apply the mask to clean, wet hair. Comb through, clip hair up, and leave-on for 30-45 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and style as desired.
4. WRAP IT
Another sure-fire way to protect your gorgeous locks from the unforgiving summer heat, is to wrap it up. Try braiding your hair back and pinning the loose pieces up, then throwing on a fun and playful scarf on top. There’s no such thing as a bad hair day if your hair isn’t in the way!
5. TRY A TREATMENT OIL
Our scalps naturally emit oils on a regular basis to keep our bodies in balance. It might seem crazy to think about adding more oil to your scalp in the summertime, but it’s a great way to keep your scalp hydrated and actually helps your hair grow a bit faster. The WEN® Summer Mango Coconut Treatment Oil is a unique blend of nourishing oils. It blends the moisturizing properties of Argan oil, the restorative properties of Abyssinian oil and other nourishing botanicals. This treatment oil hydrates and softens both hair and skin. It is a non-greasy formula perfect for daily use.
What are your go-to summer hair care tips? Let us know in the comments!
This Major Factor Is Costing Employers Over $50 Billion Annually
Yeah billion with a b.
Patti Murin, who plays Anna in the Broadway production of Frozen took to her Instagram in April to address "calling out" of the previous night's show.
"So last night I called out of the show because I had a massive anxiety attack in the afternoon. It had been building up for a while, and while the past month has been incredible, all of the ups and downs and stress and excitement really takes a toll on my mental health. I’ve learned that these situations aren’t something to 'deal with' or 'push through.' Anxiety and depression are real diseases that affect so many of us. It requires a lot of rest and self care to heal every time it becomes more than I can handle in my daily life. While I hate missing the show for any reason at all, Disney has been nothing but supportive of me as I navigate my life and work, and I’m so grateful to them. Just remember that you’re not alone, your feelings are real, and this is not your fault. Even Disney princesses are terrified sometimes."
Nor are "Disney princesses" alone.
Millennials report higher rates of depression than any other generation and are now the biggest sector of the workforce, creating new challenges in work culture and mental health treatment. To boot, recent research shows depression is becoming more prevalent in younger women.
These mental health struggles are extending themselves into the workplace, with millennial and Gen Z women far more likely than their male counterparts to experience burn out and depression. It's both emotionally and financially costly.
Depression costs the U.S. economy more than $51 billion a year in absenteeism from work and lost productivity and $26 billion in direct treatment costs, according to mental illness nonprofit Mental Health America.
We tapped Dr. Lauren Hazzouri, Licensed Psychologist & Founder of The Practice, a foundation revolutionizing the way girls and women care for their emotional health, for her insight and she reminded that, "it's important to look at the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Millennials changed what the workplace looks like."
"Recognizing that entrepreneurship is a lifestyle rather than a job is an important part of understanding the pros and cons that come with the lifestyle. One of the most exciting yet often, detrimental parts of being an entrepreneur is the obsession that comes with putting all you’ve got into an idea of your own. That obsession can be isolating and harmful in multiple ways. Many entrepreneurs work alone much of the time. It’s hard to connect with others in a meaningful way when hyper-focused on a singular vision and purpose. Time is scarce for entrepreneurs, so self-care suffers. Financial insecurity often increases stress levels."
"With that said, entrepreneurial lifestyle patterns certainly do not cause mental health concerns, though they may contribute. As a community, we can offer discounts on gym memberships and sports leagues for entrepreneurs, taking a lead from the education system. For example, when children or adolescents are home schooled, they are encouraged to engage in the extra-curricular sports, arts programs, clubs, and other school activities provided by their home school district. Once we graduate, our human need for connection doesn’t decrease yet organized opportunities do. So, it’s important for entrepreneurs to integrate being human and being successful, according to society’s standards."
So what's a woman to do?
Get help. It was widely misreported that the late designer Kate Spade did not seek treatment out of fear that it would hurt her brand. However, according to a statement released by her husband, Andy Spade, that was not the case. "Kate suffered from depression and anxiety for many years. She was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives," he wrote.
Educate yourself. During a 2009 lecture at Stanford University, Professor Robert Sapolsky told the room, "Depression is absolutely crippling. Depression is incredibly pervasive, and thus, important to talk about." He makes the argument that depression is "the worst disease you can get."
"It is bad news and it is becoming more common," he shared. "If I had to define major depression in one sentence, I would say, it's a biochemical disorder with a genetic component and early experience influences, where somebody can't appreciate sunsets." The room laughs. But, he says, "When you think about it, that is a very sad thing."
He explains that though, "we all get depressed," not everyone feels lousy and then copes. "There is this lurking sense given that all of us have periods of being depressed and come out the other end. When you look at people who go down and stay down.. there's always this little voice between the lines there--'Come on get better. We all deal with this sort of thing.'"
He furthers, "I will make the argument that depression is as real a biological disorder as is juvenile diabetes. And you don't sit down a diabetic and say, 'Oh come on, what's with this insulin stuff, pull it together.'"
Pull it together. It's probably a pep talk you've given yourself in a mirror. Pull. It. Together. Sometimes you can't.
Connect IRL. Dr. Lauren explains, "The increase in mental health concerns for millennials and Gen Z can be attributed to evolved gender expectations, increased screen time, and interpersonal stress perpetuated by social media. We mustn’t confuse connected ( via social media) for connection. As human beings, we need to connect with others in a meaningful way. We are social beings having a human experience, not visa versa.
She suggests, "that entrepreneurs work in community spaces, such as WeWork or my personal favorite, The Wing. Even without significant engagement with those around us, being in the company of others often feels better than being alone day-in and day-out. We are social beings having a human experience, not visa versa. We need each other to feel good."
Written By Arianna Schoildager
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Why Taking Your Vacation Days is Necessary
PTO FTW
Photo by Yoox
There’s a common misconception in American office culture that those who work the longest hours are the hardest working employees. Too often than not, vacation is seen as a luxury, instead of a right, and it's made it so that few full time working Americans are taking time-off.
In 2014, 42% of working Americans didn't take a single vacation day. NOT ONE. In 2013, Americans collectively squandered 169 million vacation days. A pattern that is taking its toll on workers, proving to have a negative ripple effect on employee mental health, productivity, even the economy. The United States is the only developed country in the world without a single legally required paid vacation day or holiday. By law, every country in the European Union has at least four work weeks of paid vacation. However, in a measure of labor productivity — GDP per hour worked — the U.S. is only marginally better than Germany and France, both developed countries that guarantee among the most vacation time.
Taking your vacation days is necessary. So don't be scared to ask (put those requests in writing now!).
"Studies have shown that the respite effects of a vacation can increase productivity, concentration, and creativity, by as much as 80 percent."
Tweet This.
Of course, there’s always going to be work to do and it might never feel like a good time to go, but you simply need to get ahead and make sure your teammates and clients are prepared for your absence. You need to be able to take breaks + treat yo self.
Today, there are even companies offering bonuses to employees who use their vacation days. (Sounds like a dream, right?) Speaking of a dream, we’re sharing swoon-worthy vacation looks from our friends at YOOX. They’re celebrating their birthday and have some hot offers to make your next tropical trip or summer staycation on point.
FUN IN THE SUN
The great thing about the sun? You can enjoy it anywhere. Plus, it makes you feel HAPPY. Currently crushing on these swimsuits for our next poolside PTO.
ISLAND TIME
Sometimes, you just need a post up on a tropical island + unplug from the mainland madness.
YOOX is giving away amazing prizes through a contest on yoox.com. Shoppers will be asked to spin a virtual wheel on YOOX to win a voucher to shop the site. Winners will be chosen every day until June 21st!
Those who don’t win will still receive the deal of the day (a different offer on a different product category every day).
What are your summer PTO plans? Sound off in the comments!
GIVEAWAY: Live Every Day Like A SUN Day
Practice safe sun.
Imagine the perfect Sunday: You go for a run in the park, pick up a green juice from your favorite health food store and take your family to the beach for an afternoon of swimming and sand castle building. By the end of the day, you feel exhausted but happy — radiant, even. A day in the sun will do that to you.
To celebrate summer and live every day like SUNday, we're giving sharing every day sun hacks & giving away FREE Neutrogena SUN Kits jam-packed with sun care goodies for you + your entire family. Use the form below to get yours!
EVERYDAY SUN HACKS
1. Easy as Brushing Your Teeth. A recent study found that when you keep your sunscreen next to your toothpaste, you’re 20% more likely to apply every morning.
2. Set an Alarm or Calendar Appointment on Your Phone: We all live busy, over-scheduled lives. Setting a daily SPF reminder will help get you in the habit. Bonus points if the alarm plays “Here Comes the Sun.”
3. Choose Makeup With SPF: While you’ll still need to layer sunscreen underneath, makeup with SPF will give you a little sun protection boost.
4. Pick a Formula You Like: This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you like applying your sunscreen — whether it’s a face lotion with SPF or an all-over stick — you’ll be more likely to use it.
5. Have Fun With It: Play your favorite song and dance along as you slather on your sunscreen. (Kids love this one, too!)
6. Go High: Research shows that higher SPF prevents a greater amount of sunburning rays from reaching your skin.
THE FIRST 100 CREATE & CULTIVATORS WILL RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY SUN KIT IN THE MAIL.
*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS BEEN CLOSED & WINNERS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY!
Join us in the movement to make every day a SUNday – share how you enjoy life under the sun with friends and family. #EverydayIsaSUNday
School of Side Hustle Lesson 3: Don't Just Build a Website. Build a Business.
The tools you need to turn your side-hustle into a full-time operation.
Hustle.
It’s a word that gets tossed around a lot. It’s part of what our Create & Cultivate x Weebly School of Side Hustle is about. And we see you. Working on your passion projects. Juggling a corporate career and your jewelry line.
Or if you’re Kelsey Kelley, founder of KKelly Designs, you’re juggling a 9-5 and your calligraphy biz. “I started KKelly Designs 3 years ago this month,” she shares. “My husband is very supportive of my side hustle and is my #1 encourager when things get hard. I also have a full time day job. I work in a mortgage office 9-5 every week day.”
As someone who has always loved, “drawing, painting, and doodling,” Kelsey says KKelly Designs happened out of a combination of two things: “my talent in art, and being too broke to afford gifts for people.” The struggle is real.
“I started addressing friend's wedding envelopes and painting their houses or pets as wedding/birthday gifts. We really didn't have ‘gifting’ in our budget when we got married,” she says of her time as a newlywed. “We were trying to pay off our student loans as fast as possible. Thankfully the additional income from KKelly Designs allowed us to pay off our loans this March - 6 years ahead of schedule!”
Which is nothing short of amazing. And that brings us to a critical turning point in our Create & Cultivate x Weebly School of Side Hustle series. You shouldn’t simply build a website, you should build a business.
Here’s why and how:
Watch: Lesson 3 Don't Just Build a Website. Build a Business
For Kelsey, KKelly Designs is built upon passion, sure, but she’s constantly learning ways to build her biz and make it better. “The hustle and the determination will set you apart,” she says. “I also believe investing in yourself and in your skill-set is huge. Whether it be by reading a book about your craft, attending a workshop/seminar or just investing time to watch YouTube tutorials! Keep pushing yourself to grow in your craft.”
Beyond growing your craft there’s also some starter business know-how that will help you expand into profitability, and perhaps, take the side-hustle and turn it into a full-time operation.
1. WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN
This is vital first step if you want the business to become something more than a side-hustle. Weebly has some amazing resources for you to checkout on how to write a business plan. Familiarize yourself with the basics below and then head to their blog where they explore the concept in more depth.
The first section is about articulating your business concept. This is where you explore your industry, your business structure, your product or service, and your plan for bringing in revenue.
The second section is about understanding your marketplace. This is where you describe potential customers and their buying habits. This section will describe and explore your marketing plan versus the competition.
The last section is about detailing your finances, where you outline your cash flow and income statements, financial projections, and investor details.
2. MONTHLY FINANCE REPORT
You can’t spend money and pretend it’s not happening. This is not your bank account during college years where your overdrawing your account was a monthly occurrence. That’s no way to run a profitable business.
Don’t let a month go by where you don’t examine your monthly spending. From there you can decide what sacrifices you have to make in variable expenses to meet your goal.
Maybe you’re spending too much on shipping. Perhaps you aren’t selling as much as you initially projected. Weebly can help with this. By using the tools already built into a Weebly sites functionality you can save money.
For example, Weebly can help you rescue a sale with an automatic abandoned cart email. Did you know that more than 69% of online carts are abandoned by shoppers? Use Weebly's abandoned cart emails to send an automated message to customers who drop out of checkout after a certain period of time. Weebly can also help you understand why users aren’t purchasing. Weebly Performance Plans allow you to track lost carts to better understand why shoppers aren't making purchases. Knowing this info just might help you close the sale, which, will ultimately shift those monthly finance reports into the green.
3. P&L SHEET 101
There are no guarantees-- that’s the name of business game since you’ve been tracking your monthly finances, you know this and you have an idea of your financial standing. However, you need to be able to track it all. What you’re spending money on. Where you’re not recouping your costs. From there you can adjust your spending for the following accordingly, and ideally, continue to turn a profit.
A Profit and Loss (P & L) statement measures a company's sales and expenses during a specified period of time, traditionally over the course of a fiscal year. The function of a P & L statement is to total all sources of revenue and subtract all expenses related to the revenue. It shows a company's financial progress during the time period being examined.
Kelsey, is confident in her choice with Weebly. “Weebly has been and still is so great for my business. It's affordable, convenient and super easy to navigate from a business owner's perspective and from the customers perspective. Someone once told me that if your website can pass the ‘mom test’ then you've got a good website.”
i.e. if mom or grandma can understand how to check out with no further instruction, it’s a winner. “Weebly,” Kelsey says, “passed the ‘mom test.’”
If your website can pass the ‘mom test’ then you've got a good website.
And if you’re thinking about the basics of time-value-money, Weebly allowed Kelsey to focus more on her art and “less time creating invoices and going back and forth with the customer about basic information about their orders.” This matters because your time as entrepreneurs is valuable. “I finally had one place where all of my information was gathered and where people could place their orders,” says Kelsey.
And she is committed. “A common trend between many successful side hustlers turned full-time business owners was their refusal to quit,” says the hustler. They don’t give up. “That has stuck with me through the times when it is hard and I feel like I am at a wall.” She relies on her ability to “just keep going forward and get back up when you get knocked down.”
Keep going forward and get back up when you get knocked down.
Kelsey is at the point where she could focus full time on KKelly Designs. “But,” she says, “I don’t want to be overconfident and go belly up. My end goal is to build a business that allows me to confidently work from home by the time we are ready for a family.”
That’s right. As this Lesson states, you need to build a business-- not just a website. “Nights are hard sometimes,” she says of her tendency to burn the midnight oil for KKelly Designs, “but, they are so rewarding because I can see my end goal in the distance.”
Have more questions, drop us a line below and we’ll get them answered!
Be sure to look back at Lesson One: Building a Brand Online, Lesson Two: From Concept to Commerce, and be sure to check in for Lesson 4: From Market, to Marketing!
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C&C Classifieds: J Public Relations, Halo Top Creamery, Girlgaze & More!
Dream job alert, hot off the market!
It's Wednesday and that means we're back with a sparkling list of hot new jobs fresh on the market. The job search can be hectic if you don't know where to start. Which is why we're here and listed them out just for you! From New York to Los Angeles, this week's classifieds list is full of opportunity.
Read through these job descriptions and tailor that resume for your dream gig.
P.S. We're hiring! Wanna join the C&C fam? Dive in below.
Create & Cultivate - LA
J Public Relations - Multi-City
Halo Top Creamery - LA, CA
GirlGaze - LA, CA
Riley Rose - LA. CA
Bare Minerals -NY, NY
WANT MORE? SEE OUR FULL LIST OF CLASSIFIEDS HERE.
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Guess How Often This Beverage Company Debuts A New SKU
Taking bets now.
Everyone is on the hunt for the next buzzy beverage to sip on. Companies like Suja know all about this.
The beverage brand is always working on its next product innovation. And in building Suja from a cold pressed juice company to a healthy beverage “master brand,” CEO and co-founder Jeff Church has instilled in the Suja team the importance of taking chances.
Over the company’s six years in existence, that bias toward risk-taking has become Suja’s calling card. Fueled by an innovation pipeline that debuts a new SKU every nine days on average, Suja has extended beyond its core juice line into categories like probiotic beverages, kombuchas and most recently making its debut with plant-based milks. Dedicated to consumer needs and demands, the company is setup to quickly adapt its offerings post-release based on consumer feedback and, in doing so, has learned a great deal about how to win-over fans with each new product they introduce to the market.
Innovation is the name of their game. Here are a few ways they stay in front of the market.
Probiotic Beverages: Probiotic functional beverages were first introduced to the market as a way to promote gut health but have since evolved to support overall wellness. As a response, Suja created Probiotic Vinegar Juices and Pressed Probiotic Waters to introduce their consumers to a new facet of beverages that the brand had yet to tap. The Probiotic Vinegar Juices (formerly Drinking Vinegars that launched in Sept. 2016) were born from Suja’s obsession with nutritious cold-pressed juice and digestive health and includes blends of organic Apple Cider Vinegar or Coconut Vinegar with the mother still intact, plus four billion live probiotics in every bottle. For a lighter option, in early 2016 Suja opted for Pressed Probiotic Waters enhanced with nothing but organic fruits, vegetables and vegan probiotics. At ten calories and one gram of sugar or less per bottle, Suja Pressed Probiotic Waters offer a subtle sweetness with no additives of any kind.
Kombuchas: While the brand was a bit late to the kombucha market, in September of 2017 Suja made up for it with the introduction of first-of-its-kind adaptogenic Organic Kombuchas boosted with functional adaptogens like reishi, ashwagandha and moringa. Combined with cold-pressed juice and 5 billion CFUs of vegan probiotics, these powerful herbal adaptogens are found in Suja's six varieties of non-alcoholic kombucha that are also organic and non-GMO with just 30 calories and 7 grams of sugar per serving.
Plant Milks: For the first time, Suja is entering the plant milk category with its latest innovation - Organic Plant Protein Milks. Suja’s new organic plant protein milks offer a comparable nutritional profile to dairy milk, but with more fiber and 50% less sugar. This premium, nut-free alternative features a creamy blend of pea protein, sunflower seed butter and flax seeds with no artificial or natural flavors. Enjoy straight from a glass or as a plant-powered base for cereal or smoothies.
What sounds good to you?
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Professional Opinion: How to Take a Leap of Faith in Your Career
The time is now, take the leap.
Sometimes the toughest part of starting a new venture—or just starting anew—is the beginning. We often convince ourselves that we're not ready, not capable, not financially stable enough (and so on) to just go after what we really want. So we keep grinding away to live a life other than the one we should have. You hear it all the time. Nike most memorably captured the motto: Just Do It. Well, Creator + Author of You're Not Lost, Maxie McCoy did just that. As in, exactly what she wanted to do, and like many before (and after her), it was all okay. We can all learn a thing or two from Maxie (to that point, she'll be mentoring at #createcultivateCHI!), which is why we asked her to share her advice and adventures in just doing it. Trust us, you need this. Read on. —JM
Six months ago, I stood facing the Pacific on the other side of the world. My stomach was in my toes. My toes were in the sand. And there were “What have I just done?” tears in my eyes.
I had chosen to leap. To the other side of the world. To a business that was mine. To distance myself from what I knew and could count on in order to be closer to a dream...my dream.
Launching a business of my own had been in the making for a while, whether I consciously realized it or not. I had been making tiny, daily, decisions for years: writing publicly, developing content partnerships, hosting my first giveaway, talking about my dream, taping my first video, meeting with other entrepreneurs to talk about my work. Each of those steps felt big while they were happening, but they were really just preparing me for the big leap—the one that would lead to formalized services and digital products, hiring a team of help, and moving to Bali to make my business a reality.
Leaps of faith happen as much in the small moments as they do in the large ones. And your career requires that you take them. You won’t always know how they’ll turn out, but you’ll be stronger, wiser, and more successful because of your willingness to make them. You may have to stick affirmations all over your desk and mirror to get you over that threshold of fear and onto your path…but once you do you’ll never look back. The hardest part is the decision to leap, the rest is an exhilarating ride.
If you’re on the cusp of making a big change or taking a risk for the sake of your dreams, remember this:
LOOK FOR THE PIT IN YOUR TUMMY
Wait for feeling of nausea that just won’t budge when you think about the idea. Wait for the the thing that scares you. The one you immediately want to say “ah hell no to”—and then do that thing. It’s part of the (sh)ero journey to initially want to deny that call to do something bigger. That’s typically when you’re actually onto something. Summon every support system, affirmation, and pep talk you can to get your toes of the ground.
"wait for the thing that scares you—then do that thing."
YOU'LL NEVER BE FULLY READY
If you’re waiting until “you’re ready” to quit your job, start your side hustle, or make that phone call—you’ll be waiting a lifetime. There’s never going to be a good time to leap. When it’s bold, it won’t always be logical. But it’ll be right. The less you wait for being ready, the more ready you’ll be.
WRITE OUT YOUR DISASTER SCENARIO
What’s the worst that could happen? Literally—the worst. Detail the absolute worst scenario you can imagine if this leap of faith were to go terribly wrong. Get it out there. Read it. Think about it. Roll around in it. If you can take inventory of your worst case scenario and still be pretty OK with the choice, you’ll be even more propelled to jump. Getting groovy with my worst case scenario was one of the best tactics I had in getting the courage to do it. I knew that if I could mentally handle that, I could handle anything. And now that I’m on the other side of that leap? I didn’t even come close to my worst case scenario. It truly did all work out.
Big magic requires even bigger courage. Making a leap of faith for your career is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and your chances of success.
Maxie McCoy is the energy designer of Maxie, where she shares soul wisdom on the digital video series #maxie and her weekly writings. If you want your spiritual and emotional IQ shooting to the stars, Maxie is the place to be.
Let Maxie be your guide to unlocking your brilliance by following along at maxiemccoy.com. Maxie offers soul sessions, workshops, one-on-one coaching, and words of wisdom you really shouldn't miss. And get tickets to #createcultivateCHI to land a seat a our Mentor Power Hour with Maxie.
Studio DIY's Kelly Mindell Shares Her Summer Traditions
Tiny human. Big summer fun!
Simple summer pleasures are upon us. No matter what your job, summer is the season of FUN. But work does not wait for summer -- unfortunately. With the bulk of the summer ahead of us (YAY!), we're teaming up with Old Navy to tap on-the-go moms across the country to find out how they squeeze more fun out of summer in their cities - while keeping that to-do list managed and inboxes at a minimum.
SUMMER FUN IN LA LA LAND
Los Angeles blogger Kelly Mindell of Studio DIY shares her summer fun hacks with her son below.
How does your family “squeeze more fun” out of summer?
We've instated "Family Fridays" in our house so we get to spend Fridays doing fun activities with our son, Arlo! Sometimes we'll go on a big adventure to Disneyland or just a quick one to our local park, but it's so nice to squeeze in that extra day together!
SHOP THE MINDELL FAMILY OLD NAVY SUMMER LOOKS HERE
What are some of your favorite picnic memories or summer traditions?
We picnicked everywhere in the summer. We lived a block away from the park so we were there ALL the time but we also took picnics to the town pool or the beach. My mom is the one person I know who doesn't like a pb&j. But she'd make it for me, for every picnic. Strawberry jam, crustless and diagonally cut, obviously! It's always the little things you remember most, right??
As an entrepreneurial mom, there’s a lot of pressure to be plugged in + online. Why is it important for you to make family memories in the summer?
Summer felt so magical as a kid and I am so excited to recreate that feeling for my children. A few years ago, my mom recently gifted me 25 years worth of scrapbooks documenting every memory and major moment of my childhood. It is my most treasured gift! I hope to do the same for Arlo so we're trying to be better about taking our real camera with us instead of our phones, so we don't feel the need to also check in on emails while capturing some of these memories for him!
Do you have any favorite summer traditions? What is your go-to activity for summer fun with the family?
I grew up in New Jersey, so every summer we took a long family trip to the shore. We stayed at the same hotel every time and saw the same friends every single year. It was such a fun tradition and we all looked forward to it. While we now live on the other side of the country, we're looking forward to finding our "spot" here on the west coast and starting that tradition this year!
Vacations are wonderful but they can also be hard work to plan. Do you have any family vacay planning tips?
The biggest thing I've learned about traveling with a little one is that you have to take things a bit slower! We like to pick just one thing a day we want to do, see or eat and let the rest of the day fall into place from there. That way, if we fit in more in a day it feels like a bonus! Plus, we are able to keep our family on somewhat of a schedule so the transition back to real life is easier, too!
The biggest thing I've learned about traveling with a little one is that you have to take things a bit slower!
What can the workplace do to help families inject more FUN into their summer?
I've seen several companies have employees work a few extra hours during the week so they can spend one Friday a month with their family or even a half day every Friday during the summer. It's totally worth putting in those extra hours to get a solid chunk of extra time with your kids to get out and experience something new!
When you’re not on PTO, how do you keep the family fun going at home in the summer?
We take a lot of "adventure" walks around our neighborhood with different destinations! Sometimes we just check out all different the plants, leaves, and animals, sometimes we say hello to neighbors and sometimes we hit up the park or our favorite coffee shop for a treat.
What are your summer fun hacks?
Arlo has recently become obsessed with bubbles so this summer I'm planning on filling an inexpensive kiddie pool with bubble mix and using hula hoops to make giant bubbles with him. I think he's going to go crazy for it!
Want even more summer fun? Check out Kelly's site, Studio DIY for some MAJOR inspo!
How do you #SqueezeMoreFun out of the summer with your family? Let us know in the comments!
SHOP THEIR OLD NAVY LOOKS!
Kelly:
Shirt (available in select stores)
Arlo:
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This One Is For the Nice Girls At Work
Hey nice girl, we need to talk.
Attention all nice girls, let’s really talk. Being the nice girl is honestly nothing nice. Both in our personal lives and on our grind (a.k.a our work life) we get treated as outsiders. Before I get into this, let me describe what a nice girl is: the girl who puts their best self forward every day with a positive attitude and tries their best to avoid the negativity that surrounds them. We are the opposite of the girl who always gives you an attitude, has nothing nice to say, and well— somehow finds the wrong way to talk to you.
In this new age of social media people are continuously trying to put each other down, and somehow it is all becoming normal. With all of the conflict around us, I’d rather be the light at the end of the tunnel. There is no reason to feed into all the negativity, but instead, I believe it’s important to put my best foot forward each day with positive affirmations and a level head. Someone needs to be the positive one in the friend group, right?
Growing up through adolescence and now in my adult life, people have always tried to take advantage of my nice girl attitude and have attempted to discredit my ability to get things done (as if being nice would ever prevent me from being successful anyway). I’ve had friends who have teased me for not being “tough” enough and coworkers who’ve advised me to be more “stern”. A message to everyone out there: my presence of niceness does not mean the absence of a backbone. It also definitely does not mean you can run over me; I can and will speak up for myself when I feel I need to and not when you feel I should - I can do that with a smile, too.
The nice girl side effects don’t stop in your personal life, however. Like I’d mentioned, you’re expected to be even more stern in the workplace. Personally, I’ve been told several times to be tougher, and worse - it’s often been implied directly or indirectly that I might not make it far. Question is, what’s so wrong with holding on to good character? Are we really a little too positive? Does not conforming to the ideal “boss attitude” intimidate you? Do you feel that you can take advantage of me? Does my good character offend you? All hell no’s!
There has been several (and I mean several) instances in the workplace that has really made me rethink if I should shift my attitude - should I conform and be rougher on the edges? I’ve had a boss feel that she could scream at me. I’ve even had a coworker be rude to me daily (and we all know that’s uncalled for). I felt that I got those responses because somehow being nice meant, “I am less than and I don’t deserve to be respected.” Don’t get me wrong though, as I said before, I will speak up for myself, but somehow when you show too much niceness people forget what respect is even on the days you demand it. Even if you speak up when needed, it’s somehow laughable and isn’t taken seriously because you’re “just the nice girl”.
Somehow the nice girls get painted as a villain. I’ve had people get irritated with me because I’m too nice. We even get victimized for following our authentic behavior because we don’t want to be the “mean” girl everyone else wants us to be— well, at least I do. It’s a double edged sword - a lose-lose game.
You know what— yes, I am the nice girl and I am proud of it. I’d rather spew positivity into the workplace and in my personal life. I’d rather respond with a smile and a nice comment. I really want to help you, and no I don’t want to be lunged into any work drama. No, I am not faking any of it. I’m beaming with the utmost sincerity.
You know what— yes, I am the nice girl and I am proud of it. I’d rather spew positivity into the workplace and in my personal life.
Advice to those telling us not to be who we are: let us, the nice girls, speak our truth. We are nice but that is not a green light to take advantage of us - we’re human just like you. We decide to pick positivity over negativity because we believe it makes a better atmosphere for everyone. We decide to treat others the same exact way we want to be treated. Most importantly, we decide to not emerge ourselves into drama. We will not stoop down to some petty level of negativity because we will kill with kindness (a skill few can master and most are fearful of). We like the nice girl that we are and man, it feels good to be nice. What can we say, we’re living our best life. Nice girls are total badasses.
Guess what? We don’t have to turn into this grumpy person to be successful. We can greet you with smile. We can be morning people. We can be okay with someone you may not be okay with. You know it’s acceptable to be likable, right? Sometimes it’s not necessary to have something mean and criticizing to say. Ladies, you don’t have to be this mean girl to get ahead, because guess what - men definitely don’t have to follow the same standards as we do to reach the same end goal.
Listen ladies, don’t be afraid to be exactly who you are. There will be people will try to put you down or cramp your style, but you are a special kind of person. Find your place at work and don’t move for no one. Trust me, I know, you are the positive person everyone wish they could be. Continue to live your truth. Continue to be that light wherever you can be. This world needs more of us, more nice girls.
Written by: Epiphany Ciers. Follow her here: Online Portfolio.
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5 Women Share When They Feel the Most Fearless
The limit does not exist.
Fear is normal. It keeps us safe. It can even motivate us to get our ducks in a row.
But every woman knows that moment, when you hit your stride, and a surge of fearlessness surges through you. The moment where you know, “I got this.”
It’s a get up and go after it feeling that is empowering. And contagious.
So we asked five women to share when they feel the most fearless. We encourage you to do the same in the comments and pass on the good vibes.
Allie Greenberg, Senior Brand Marketing Manager, Richer Poorer
“This is corny,” says the Marketing Manager at LA’s favorite inner-wear company, “but after a really good, sweaty workout.”
“Or,” the new mom says, “when Sadie [her daughter] and I take a stroller walk around the neighborhood-- I’m so overwhelmed with happiness that nothing can touch me.”
She adds, “Wine also does the trick.”
Paige Bowen, co-founder of Bowen House
Known for their one-of-a-kind furniture pieces, the “daughter,” behind the mother-daughter team at Bowen House, says she feels the most free and fearless after delivering a custom piece to a client.
“Whenever we create really custom pieces for clients I’m always really inspired,” Bowen says. “Then, fear sets in right before it’s delivered.” Luckily that feeling doesn’t last long. “It’s probably right after I see how perfect it looks and the client loves it that I’m the most fearless. It’s like a mini-high.”
Adri Contreras, Senior Events Director, Create & Cultivate
“Fresh out of the salon,” Adri says, “is when I feel the most fearless. I color my hair. I get highlights and when they are glossy and everything is blown out, I feel unstoppable.” However the event director knows that there isn’t always time to hit up the salon, especially before traveling for big conferences. So she keeps things spruced with Moroccanoil Color Complete Collection. The Protect & Prevent Spay super easy to bring along in her suitcase. By shielding hair from environmental factors including UV rays, pollution and thermal damage, Protect & Prevent Spray helps reduce brassiness and fading at the source. And it’s proven to work. After 10 washes, the Moroccanoil Color Complete Collection is scientifically proven to extend color life and vibrancy by 100%. Those are the kind of numbers we like over here.
“Look good, feel good,” says Contreras.
Aideé Chavez, Founder @MexicanYogaGirl
Friends and fam do it for this writer and content creator.
“I feel the most fearless around the people I love and love me back,” Aideé says. “My family and friends are such a sweet place for me. When I am around them I love how I laugh and the stupid stuff I feel open to say, how all my insecurities can be on blast for them to see and yet in that, there is this power where we connect with each other in a way that gives me the energy to go out into the world feeling and loved.”
Can we get a #same?
Brittany Littleton, Activist, Rescuer & Rehabilitator @LitteLoveRescue
“I feel the most fearless right after getting through hard situations. Any time I feel afraid or unsure of myself I remember those times and look at how far I’ve come. Last year was truly the hardest year of my life,” the single mama shares. “I thought I wouldn’t get through it. Then I had my son and I felt-- fearless isn’t even the word for it. I felt invincible.”
What makes you feel fearless? Share below!!
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Women Aren't Just Running for Office, They're Winning
A win for women is a win for all.
Women across the country are rising up to run for office in record numbers.
Since the 2016 election, 36,000 women have contacted Emily's List about running for office, and 417 women have filed to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018.
This May, 2018, Maggie's List, a federal political action committee (PAC) dedicated to electing fiscally conservative women to federal office and statewide executive office, announced that they are endorsing 49 candidates for United States Senate, United States House of Representatives races and state-wide offices.
According to CNN, "In 1970, there was just one female Senate candidate. Today, there are 49 to 54 women running, depending on whether and which third-party candidates you include. There are 394 women running for the House and 56 in governor's races (including third-party candidates), as of May 23."
CNN also reports that Arizona has never had a woman in the Senate, making it a hotly contested seat. There are multiple women running for both the Republican and Democratic nominations in a primary on Aug. 28.
According to the Center for American Women in Politics, the number of Democratic women running for House seats this year increased 146 percent over 2016 (to 351), while the number of Republican women running for the House increased just 35 percent (to 99); on the other side of the Capitol there are only 14 Republican women running for Senate compared to 27 Democratic women.
This wave of female candidates is groundbreaking, making clear that women will be the foundation of change in 2018.
After this season’s first batch of primary races, we know women aren’t just running; they’re winning. Specifically Democratic women are winning.
Approximately one-third of the way through primary season, here’s a look at where Democratic women candidates are by the numbers:
289 Democratic women remain in the running for the U.S. House of Representatives. Meanwhile, 29 Democratic women remain in the running for the U.S. Senate, and 43 remain in gubernatorial contests.
In the 65 contested Democratic races between men and women without an incumbent candidate, women won 45.
In the May 8 primaries in Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, and West Virginia, 22 of 31 Democratic omen wo their races.
In the Texas primaries, 24 Democratic omen either won or made it into the top two spots for runoff elections out of 32 congressional districts.
In first big primary night, of the 27 female House candidates who were successful, nearly 30 percent were women of color.
Tomorrow’s California primaries, a record 57 women will be on the ballot for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Women are paying attention, and they’re rising up to make their voices heard. Who is excited for this sea change?
Photo by Mirah Curzer on Unsplash
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The Most Inspirational Thing You'll Read All Day
Mel Robbins is breaking down everything.
Mel Robbins used to work all day long. She never set a stop time and so, she never stopped. But the renowned motivational speaker, creator of The 5 Second Rule, and a best-selling author and Audible Original host, is on a new track-- one that took her many years and 5 seconds to figure out.
At 41 her life was a mess. (Self-admittedly.) She couldn't get out of bed. She was unemployed. And then she changed her life with the 5 Second Rule. Laying in bed Mel counted backward from 5 to zero.
In that blip of time she activated her prefrontal cortex, which, according to Mel (and science) "is the part of the brain in charge of decision making, strategic thinking, acting with courage, learning new behavior, and working towards goals."
She's now the host of the Audible Original, "Kick Ass with Mel Robbins," where she talks to real people with real problems. Sound like you?
Read on.
You've said that dreams deserve 5 minutes in the morning before you let the world in. Can this kind of thinking be applied to any point during the day and have the same effect?
Most of us live our day-to-day in a reactionary mindset. We’re rolling through our to-dos, firing out emails, doing the daily chores and tasks, and getting what needs to be done finished.
And, as long as you’re putting out fires, you aren’t moving the ball down the field on what matters most to you. We knock things off of our to-do lists because that feels productive, but because we never actually make any real progress on the things that matter, we often still feel a void in our lives.
Your dreams will never come to life if you’re checking boxes off your to-do list. Instead, you need to take deliberate time each day to make meaningful progress on your goals.
I do this by carving out 30 minutes each morning of protected time to work on my goals.
There’s a reason the morning is the best time to work on your goals–and it lies in neuroscience.
According to Duke University professor and researcher Dan Ariely, we all have a two or three hour window of peak productivity every single day–and it starts an hour after you wake up.
So, if you pop out of bed at 6 a.m., your peak thinking and productivity window is 7 a.m. – 9 a.m.
I do whatever it takes to find 30 minutes before 7:30 a.m. to plan out my day and spend some time on a project that matters to me.
Why else is it important to plan and do the most important stuff first thing? Because it’s the best time for the brain to focus on the tasks or goals that advance your own personal or professional goals.
Answering emails, taking phone calls, sitting in meetings have a way of taking over your schedule and rarely lead to making major improvements in your life.
The concept of “30 before 7:30” cannot be done once you walk into the office. You must do this at home, at your favorite coffee shop, on the train, or sitting in your car in the parking lot.
Do not try to do this at work. The moment you walk into your office, answer that first email, or take that first call–your day is gone. Your attention is no longer being focused on your own goals and dreams.
For your own happiness and to protect the time necessary to focus on the deep work, the first two hours of your day must be grabbed by you. Now, if every once and a while you’ve a morning in which it’s impossible to take 30, you can leave it until the evening. But I’ve found that most of the time “later” becomes “not today.” At night, you’re tired–and you’re about 12 hours past your peak thinking window.
If you are making progress on projects that matter, even if for just a few minutes a day, you are winning the long game.
For our readers who have a hard time setting professional boundaries-- they're burnt out, they're replying to emails constantly, they never say no, they work weekends-- what's your advice?
When I find myself working around the clock, I remember Parkinson's Law.
Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the amount of time given to it, which means that if you never set your own boundaries, you'll literally ALWAYS be working.
And that not only wears you down–it wears other people in your life down, too. A recent study found 33% of people answer messages in the middle of the night. And you don’t need me to tell you that checking your emails at 3 AM puts you at risk for burnout and emotional exhaustion.
Instead of endlessly working and being addicted to your phone from sunrise to sunset, try this: Set a time today that you will absolutely stop working.
As someone who used to work all day long, I was amazed what happened when I started setting a quitting time, something I now do every single day.
Instead of becoming less productive, I actually got more done. With my quitting time in mind, I was more focused, concentrated, and made even more progress.
A quitting time is the difference between an unfocused 12 hours of work or a productive, distraction-free 8 hours–in which you get the same amount of work done.
If you can get serious about managing distractions and removing them, you will find your productivity is off the charts. Every interruption takes 25 minutes to fully recover from and get back into focus mode.
If signing off at 5 PM makes you nervous, try this method for just one day. Before you get to work, take your 30 before 7:30 and plan out your day. Once you get into the office, write your quitting time down and start on your #1 project of the day before you check your email. Keep your phone on silent and your computer’s notifications off. If you find yourself getting tired, get up and walk for 5 minutes.
By 5PM, you will have most likely accomplished as much as you would working even longer.
Try this one day at a time and you’ll find that the extra time to recharge at night actually makes you even more productive the next day!
On a related note, the art of managing distractions is one of the superpowers of the 21st century. If you can tune out the notifications, the noise, and the chatter, you will get twice as much work done in half the time–allowing you to have quality time with your family and loved ones at night.
For young working women there are fear-based thoughts that if they don't do all of the above (are the last one the leave the office, say no to answering emails on the weekend, etc.) there will be someone behind them happy to take their place. What do you say to that?
The key word here is “value.” There’s a major difference between showing up at work (no matter how many hours you are online) and providing real value.
If you make your boss’ life easier and you further your boss’ strategic objectives, you are providing an incredible amount of value–and your boss will not think about firing you, even if you set clear boundaries around your time.
The secret to providing value is to ask yourself one question every day.
It’s to put yourself in your boss’ shoes and ask: What is the most valuable thing that I can do for him/her?
When you choose which projects to work on, you should actively seek to align your workload and your priorities with your boss’ objectives. While it may be more fun for you to work on projects that are not as important, when you become a proactive strategic contributor, you become an invaluable asset to your team.
If you’re currently not a huge value-add to your company, you can change that starting now. Tomorrow, ask your boss to talk and find out his or her strategic objectives–and start to align your work in this direction.
This question also gives you a formula for how you will answer other people who ask for your time and energy at work.
Many of us, especially women, want to please everyone in our lives, and it’s no easier to say no to a colleague or your boss as it is to say no to a friend or family member.
At work, you need to get clear on your priorities. And then, when someone asks you to do something that you don’t have time for or that would hurt your work on your most important projects, here is how to say no without feeling guilty:
First: understand that you are not saying NO to the person. You are saying it to the task. You are also saying YES to prioritizing your own time. If a colleague asks you, acknowledge the request and thank the person for thinking of you, explain why you don’t have the time due to your other projects, and then offer a lifeline by helping them brainstorm another person or offer guidance if they need help.
Second: if your boss is the one to ask for a request, use it as a strategic, high visibility moment. Listen to the request and then say that you are aiming to help them with strategic priorities and ask what is most important for you to focus on: this new project or your current work.
Remember: if you don’t prioritize your time and learn to say no, someone else will be the one to dictate your priorities, which is not the key to making progress at work.
It’s not just important to “say no” to projects that don’t align with your strategic goals. It’s also important to “say no” to being available all the time. If you don’t take care of yourself, it’s impossible show up as your best self. Research shows that today’s pressure to always be accessible has left more than half of workers feeling burned out and in desperate need of a reset button. In the United States alone, 200 million days are lost from work each year due to mental health issues, which is costing employers over $100 billion.
Researchers believe that one reason women are not promoted at the same levels men are is because of burnout. Women face high expectations in the home and at work (especially be having to be “always on” even after work hours).
Being “always on” is impossible. Make sure to prioritize things like sleep, getting time outdoors, exercising, not sitting all day, and spending time with friends.
And, if you’re actively aligning your workload with your company’s top priorities and getting more done in less time by managing distractions, you will become an invaluable employees who can set boundaries–and not have to worry about being replaced by someone else.
Sign up for Audible today! And listen to Kick Ass with Mel Robbins. Change your life already.
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School of Side Hustle Lesson 2: From Concept to Commerce
A creative’s guide to easy e-commerce.
In Lesson One: Create & Cultivate + Weebly talked brand building basics. We worked through some simple, but necessary brand building exercises. And we read up on how Emily McDowell grew her online card side-hustle into a legit brand. So let’s turn the lens on you for a minute.
You’ve done the brand work. You’ve figured out your three adjectives. You’ve played “This Not That,” and you’re ready. But, you’re not. But.... you are. You think. *Scratches head.*
Are you ready? It’s a hard question to answer because the “launch my biz” trepidation tremors are real. Of the hundreds of women we talk to about entrepreneurship the common thread is “the leap.” At one point they’ve all faced the challenge of closing their eyes and sprinting straight ahead. You need guts, because as you know, without guts there is no glory.
Watch: Lesson 2 From Concept To Commerce
Carly Kuhn, AKA The Cartorialist, had to take one such leap. And it all started with a secret Instagram persona. When she launched @theCartorialist she was working full time on “Chelsea Lately.” She had no clue what her illustration side hustle would turn into, nor did she want it to look like she was trying to switch careers. However, Carly did know that she had to show the world the artist within. “Working in comedy,” Carly says, “I thought it may be awkward to tell my coworkers “Hey guys, I started an Instagram account where I draw people, check it out!’”
But she gathered her courage and did it.
“I think the reason I had the courage to actually go through with it was because I had been doing Improv and Sketch comedy for a few years. Let me tell you - standing on a stage with no lines, improvising comedy to a group of strangers seemed much more daunting to me than posting a drawing to the unknown abyss that is the internet! So, I guess you can say, without comedy, I wouldn’t have had the chutzpah to show my art to the world!”
It was that chutzpah that turned into her first sale. “A lot of the monetization happened organically,” she says. “For example, my first paid job (while I was still at “Chelsea”), a PR company hired me to draw a few top magazine editors that they then framed and gifted to them for the holidays. I had no clue how to price this- I think I just made up a number! They came back with their budget, and what worked for them. That’s kind of how it happened in the beginning. And once I had one paid job under my belt, that was my barometer for pricing moving forward.”
With that sale she knew she could take her idea from concept to commerce. If one person is willing to pay, so are others.
But all of those questions about pricing and getting started are tricky. Which is why in Lesson 2: From Concept to Commerce, Create & Cultivate's CEO & Founder Jaclyn Johnson is breaking down a creative’s guide to easy e-commerce.
Now, that’s a lot of info to take in. But here are some of the basics, further explained.
One of the most important touch-points for you brand is your website. And Weebly gives you the ability to create one that tells your unique story. Weebly offers users the ability to tell their unique story. And storytelling is the rock solid foundation of any successful brand. With Weebly you can:
Choose a unique online store design with a customizable theme to showcase your products. Their easy-to-use drag & drop builder helps you launch your online store quickly.
They also offer intuitive and time-saving marketing tools, which are incredibly useful when it’s only you, business party of one. With Weebly you can:
Use customizable email templates, like an abandoned cart or welcome email, to connect with your customers.
Optimize your site for SEO to help search engines discover you. Their analytics tools help you track site performance. Plus, you can further enhance your store with partners from their app center.
Their blog also offers a ton of amazing and useful content for new builders. From the “4 Questions to Ask Yourself When Designing Your Web Store,” to turning a one time customer into a return customer, to how to design your site so that it’s optimized for SEO. When you’re launching there is so much to consider-- the good news is, Weebly has already considered it for you. Seriously. Do you know what your “hero” product should be? Or what people should see first? These are all small details that require patience, thoughtfulness, and attention.
Even as your business grows, there are a million considerations. For Carly, selling is still a work in progress, but she encourages young entrepreneurs to do their research. “I had a hard time pricing out my work in the beginning (and still do!). But today, there are a lot of resources out there. You can approximate the pricing of your work through research. There are a lot of other art/design websites out there that can give you a sense of what is being sold and for how much. Then go with your gut...what feels right.”
She also shares this insider piece of advice: “I feel like I am only now just beginning to get the hang of it! But, what I did learn very quickly is that the holiday season is when most customers want to make their special art purchases. So, if you can launch a site/start selling your work, do it in time for the November/December holiday season!”
As for how she prefers her sites to look and feel? “A website should be clean, clear, not overwhelming to the eye, and user friendly. I typically like a white background with black text, but that’s just me! Let the content speak for itself. If you can’t navigate a website easily, people will leave it after a few seconds.”
Let the content speak for itself.
Whether you opt for a white background with black type, or you’re into a more colorful interface, Weebly has options. But we bet they’ll also tell you, make that website user-friendly, or that user will no friend of yours.
Have more questions, drop us a line below and we’ll get them answered!
Be sure to look back at Lesson One: Building a Brand Online and check in for Lesson 3: Don’t Just Build a Website, Build a Business and Lesson 4: From Market To Marketing.
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C&C Classifieds: Refinery29, Billion Dollar Boy, Mistress & More!
Another Wednesday, another classifieds!
If you've been searching job boards and obsessively refreshing LinkedIn for the latest openings at your dream company, look no further. Your weekly classifieds listing is here with positions in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and more. Weather you're transitioning into a new industry or looking to put that fresh college degree to work, we've got you.
Dive into this week's classifieds listing here and get your resumes ready to rock!
PS.: We're hiring, check out our open positions if you'd like to join the C&C fam!
Create & Cultivate - LA, CA
Capital Hair Products - Washington DC
Billion Dollar Boy - NY, NY
Mistress - LA, CA
Refinery29 - LA, CA
Groupon - CHI, IL
WANT MORE? SEE OUR FULL LIST OF CLASSIFIEDS HERE.
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4 LGBTQ Female Entrepreneurs Changing the Game
Making waves. Making history.
At C&C we're constantly talking to trailblazers. Women who champion others because they champion themselves first. In honor of Pride Month, we're highlighting some of our fave openly out female entrepreneurs.
Left: Gigi Gorgeous, Right: Nicolette Mason
Tim Cook might be the first name that comes to mind when you think openly gay CEO. In fact, before Cook came out, there were no openly gay CEOs in the Fortune 500. But there are countless other women (and men) challenging the status quo of what it means to be an entrepreneur. We love the below women who have forged their own path. Created their own careers. And continue to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ community.
GIGI GORGEOUS
Being inspired keeps up alive. And YouTube star Gigi Gorgeous, currently clocking 2.2 million followers on the video platform and 2 million on Insta, is nothing short of inspiring. Born Gregory Lazzarato, the middle of three brothers, Gigi began sharing YouTube videos from her bedroom in Toronto in 2008. They were confessionals, makeup tutorials, and normal goofy videos with high school friends. At the time Gigi identified as a gay male, receiving support from both her parents. Her brothers appeared in videos alongside her as well. It was after losing her mother to cancer that Gigi posted a video officially identifying as transgender. That was December 2013.
She’s spent almost a decade in front of the camera. She edits all her own videos. She's taken acting classes and made a few moves in the world of cinema. As to who she wants to work with? "Any major star would be amazing," she says. "I really love acting." But she's also broken barriers, working with major brands like Pantene and Crest- what she calls “pinch me moments.” "When I signed the deal for the Crest campaign for 3D White, I bawled my eyes out to my dad, but it shows what you put in, is what you get out.”
"Being a transgender woman I know the hardships that the people in my community go through," she says. "I think it's important to get my story out there for the world to see. We saw this with Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox-- they're huge media icons but they made transgender a household topic and that's really powerful. It changes people's perspective."
For our full interview with Gigi click here.
INGRID NILSEN
In the world of YouTube there are those considered to be “top of their game.” Beauty blogger Ingrid Nilsen is one such name. Her charm and smile are infectious. As is her honesty.
In her coming out video titled, “Something I Want You to Know,” Ingrid told her subscribers the she was gay. The video has over 15 million views to date. "I'm gay," she tells the camera, laughing and crying, "it feels so good to say that."
Though it felt “natural and important" to her, it was also "a big step in bringing my audience closer and letting them in. I didn’t want to hide. I didn’t want to shut them out."
"YouTube has been a space where people can be themselves, and be themselves in whatever light that is that day and receive acceptance," she says. "I think that’s why it’s why it’s so accepting of the LGBQT community. It’s rooted in authenticity and acceptance at its core." For our full interview with Ingrid click here.
Left: Ingrid Nilsen, Right: Rachel Berks
NICOLETTE MASON
We think it's maybe a little too obvious about how much we fan girl over writer and influencer Nicolette Mason, but the sharp-witted bloggers is the real deal. "I never thought working for a fashion magazine was ever in the realm of possibility for me," said blogger and writer Nicolette Mason. "I had the education and the background, but there was no one who looked like me. No one I could look to as an example," she shared. "When Vogue Italia reached out to me and asked if I would be a contributor and a year from that point Marie Claire asked me to come in as a columnist and I penned a column for five years-- it was so amazing and surreal to know that my voice did have the potential and ability to be part of the mainstream."
Nicolette says, "It's the job of content creators and media creators to reflect our real world." For more on Diversity and Representation in Media click here.
RACHEL BERKS, FOUNDER OF OTHERWILD
Otherwild Founder Rachel Berks didn't set out to open a boutique shop slash graphic design studio (making her an official slashie), but when the graphic design world and a brief stint at William Morris designing presentations for fast food companies didn't align with the vision she had for her future, she shifted gears. Otherwild was born in LA in 2012 and just opened a second location in New York this past May.
Now she's focussed less on fast and more on building community and offering an inclusive space for the LGBTQ population. It's the glue that binds Otherwild's followers together and also sets her apart as a business owner. You might recall Rachel as the unapologetic force that brought back "The Future is Female" shirt after seeing the image on HerStory's Instagram, which focusses on the herstory of lesbian imagery. She's also committed to representing the multi-dimensional and expansive queer community. For our full interview with Rachel click here.
Who are some women you admire? Share in the comments below!
Cover photo credit: Thornspike