How Women in Charge Unwind and Get Out of the Office
Sip and disconnect.
We’ve all been there. After a long couple of weeks or months at work, we get the itch to unwind and get some time out of the office. For those work-from-homers, the need to step away from computers and working area is just as real too. As many of us know, being a boss means that you are always ready to go and plugged in, and many entrepreneurs sacrifice perks like vacations and weekends, and even late nights to put in the work needed to run a successful business.
We treated a group of fierce female founders to our first ever Out of Office Retreat, in partnership with Chandon. From fashion and jewelry designer, to winemakers, bloggers, and more, everyone who joined deserved a much-needed break. So, what did we do? We headed to the Domaine Chandon winery in Napa, California, sipped on bubbly, hopped on a hot air balloon, heard from inspiring women, and so much more. Keep on reading for some takeaways from the well-deserved time off.
First up, a balloon ride. The theme of the retreat was overcoming fears and taking flight, so what better activity? If there is one thing that holds so many of us back each day from growing as individuals, achieving high levels of success and becoming the best version of themselves, fear is definitely at the top of the list. High achievers, regardless of occupation, understand that taking risks and massive action is a vital part in getting from where you are to where you want to go. And that goes for in life, and in business.
Many of our guests faced their fear of heights and others simply crossed off this bucket list item. We took a ride across the lovely town of Napa, and got to bond, snap some pics, and of course enjoy more bubbly.
Next, the group toured the Domaine Chandon winery, where Pauline Lhote is a lead winemaker. It’s important to note that she’s one of the few women in charge across the winemaking industry, and has worked her way up the ladder with Chandon for many years.
After a relaxing lunch outside, our getaway attendees sat through an inspiring conversation with Rebecca Minkoff, Baublebar’s Daniella Yacobovsky, and Pauline Lhote. We also invited our Create & Cultivate scholarship winners along for the ride, Afenya Montgomery of the ICANCollective, and Samantha Santana of Samantha Santana designs. Ahead, some key points from the conversation.
#OOORetreat Convo Takeaways
“I think it’s more important to be authentic versus being on all the time.”- Rebecca Minkoff
“Surround yourself by really incredible people and count on them to bring that brand on vision to life.”-Daniella Yacobovsky
“You’re going to fail, you’re going to learn, you’re going to grow.”-Rebecca Minkoff
“Every woman is a superwoman.” -Rebecca Minkoff
“That’s the great thing about my job is that there is no typical day.” -Pauline Lhote
“Whenever I feel afraid, I tap into the part of me that’s most confident.”-Rebecca Minkoff
“You’re going to fail, you’re going to learn, you’re going to grow.”-Rebecca Minkoff
The retreat was special for so many reasons but we’ll admit that our favorite part was that we spent our days discussing issues that matter to us, plus what we can all do about them. We shared resources from website designers to PR and communications, and discussed the parts of a business that really move the needle. While our days were packed with activities, the brainstorming and collaboration was completely reenergizing, and we all left with new goals and new ladies to call our friends.
Check out all of the photos from the #OOORetreat weekend in our full album here.
How do you make sure to take time away from the office to unwind? Let us know in the comments below!
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These Women Speed-Pitched Their Businesses and Won $5K Grants from McDonald's
Last month, we gathered in CHI-town for our Create & Cultivate conference. Apart from hearing inspiring panel discussions, networking with fellow boss ladies, and getting career advice from new mentors, our guests had the ability to pitch their entrepreneurial business ventures to McDonald’s. The McDonald’s mini conference room activation at C&C Chicago was a huge hit amongst our guests, especially the ones who had a pitch ready to take their business to the next level. But why did they pitch their big idea to McDonald’s?
With 90% of McDonald’s restaurants being owned and operated by franchisees, McDonald's runs on entrepreneurial spirit and understands what it takes to build a business. McDonald's brought this spirit to C&C Chicago offering conference guests a $5,000 grant to the business with the strongest pitch providing a clear vision on how these funds would help them achieve the next phase for their dream.
Well, there was a major plot twist at the event when McDonald’s ended up choosing two grant winners—Curve Shop, a seasonal plus-size pop-up consignment sale, and We Are Boss Moms, a platform for working moms to thrive—both amazing business ideas with a strong vision for the future of their companies. We caught up with the winners to learn the ins and outs of what went into their McDonald’s pitch and learned some key advice that any entrepreneurial business woman can use. Ahead, the founders of both businesses tell all.
Curve Shop
Tell us a little about your business…
Curve Shop is a seasonal plus-size pop-up consignment sale that was created out of a need to provide a larger range of sizes at an IRL shopping experience. So many of our plus friends struggled to find their size in stores and usually would end up having to buy multiple sizes online before they’d find something that fit perfectly. What’s left are items they can’t return, a cluttered closet and the shopping process starts all over again as soon as a new outfit is needed. We wanted to put all this hard work to good use, by creating a place where women could shop in a body positive space, where everything is a size 12 and up and items are curated to be flattering because another plus-size stylish babe took the time to find and love each item.
Each of our sales usually has over 50 consigners who tag and price their own items, get to shop the sale before it’s open to the public and make a percentage of every item they sell. We also always partner with a local non-profit and to date have donated over 1,500 pounds of clothing to help women in need. It’s a huge win-win for everyone! We’ve received feedback that many women not only find a whole new wardrobe at 85% less than what they would buy retail, they also make new friends and feel better about their bodies after they leave our sale. One of our favorite comments was from a shopper who said she had never had seen so many items that actually fit her size 16 body in one place before!
What went in to your pitch to McDonald's?
We talked about our vision for Curve Shop ahead of time and decided who would be doing the majority of the talking and who would be answering follow up questions. We made sure to have clear answers on how a sale operates, data we have gathered about our target audience, research on our competitors and personal stories on why we thought a body-positive shopping event is so needed.
What do you plan to do with your $5K grant from McDonald's?
Currently, Curve Shop is only popping up in Madison, WI but we have been wanting to expand for a while. With the grant from McDonald’s we’ll be able to grow to Chicago and Milwaukee in 2019 and then hopefully both the east and west coasts soon after that!
What are the challenges you face as a small business owner?
The biggest challenge we’ve faced owning a small business is that we’re doing something new that we haven’t seen done before. There isn’t a mentor in our field to help us navigate growth and business decisions. So far, running Curve Shop has required a lot of trial and error, learning as we go and pivoting when necessary.
What did you learn from pitching your business in this timed experience?
It’s important to deeply care about and know your business inside and out. It’s stressful to pitch in a time crunch, especially when tricky questions can be asked about your business on the fly. If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it’s so much easier to reply honestly and without stumbling for an answer because you can speak from the heart. In a scenario like the McDonald’s speed pitch that we did, we only had 3 minutes to speak and then 4 minutes for questions. We found it worked best to stick with the “big picture” to get the judges to see our vision. We knew if we came with too many statistics or facts to share we wouldn’t have enough time to say everything and would have left feeling defeated. Instead we did our best to paint a picture of what the Curve Shop experience is and let the judges ask about the specifics. We kept calm and focused on something other than the time ticking away by making eye contact, reading our audience and making a genuine connection.
Where can women go to support your business?
We are on Instagram and Facebook at curveshopconsignment and our website is www.curveshopconsignment.com. We are looking for awesome plus babes to partner with so please reach out if you are interested in a Curve Shop popping up in your city!
We Are Boss Mom
Tell us a little about your non-for-profit…
Modern mothers - who work at home, stay at home, own their own businesses, work in corporate America, etc. - aren’t equipped with resources, support, direction and community after becoming a mom, leading to not knowing or pursuing their purpose, increased guilt and pressure to “do it all.” Moreover, many corporations aren’t offering environments, flexible schedules, benefits or resources to support working moms and thus, women are leaving the workforce. This is a clear problem. Thankfully, some companies have made progress but not fast enough and not significant enough.
This matters because the more women that are supported, specific to their needs and their familiar needs, we see a positive growth to the global economy.
According to Forbes:
28% of the decline was attributed to lack of family-friendly workplace policies
Half of the earnings gap women experience can be made up for with parental leave and childcare policies
In the United States childcare accounts for the single largest household expense in many regions, which leads to decline in workforce participation
The United States is the only developed country without a universal paid parental leave policy
There are thousands of data points pointing to the positive impact every aspect of the world has when women work. When they work well. Not for a paycheck, but for a purpose. We believe that if we can create an ecosystem of tangible programs - on and offline - that directly support mothers, we can make a dent in furthering the global economy. We can keep women in the workplace. We can keep families together. We can redefine what it means to be a working mom, offering purpose that becomes the foundation of furthering growth where it matters most.
WE ARE BOSS MOM (WABM) is a 501c3 non-for-profit platform for working moms to thrive. We are a creative incubator for mothers who work, entrepreneurs, work -at-home-moms, business owners and corporate employees all coming together for a common purpose—workforce development for mothers.
Our focus is to create an open and inspirational place to gather, experiment, and foster connections from a wide-range of disciplines. We share a common desire to drive innovation and support working families by providing opportunities for both organizations to thrive and mothers to contribute to the overall vision of how we rewrite the modern workplace. We’re a movement for a new generation of mothers who are redefining the meaning of work-life balance, parenting and purpose.
WABM’s main objective is to support and actively help 5,000 working moms by 2020 to achieve their potential by defining and living out their purpose. #purposedevelopment
What went in to your pitch to McDonald's?
As an entrepreneur I strive everyday to promote We Are Boss Mom with conviction and excitement towards everyone I meet because it’s my passion. For the past year, I have made it a point to connect with three new people a week with the goal of building genuine connections and learning from individuals who I might not just “run into” within my daily routine. After countless blind conversations and lots of weekly conversations you become good at reading people and clearly identifying your objective and goals in a short amount of time. You really only have about 2 minutes to make an impression.
Even though I knew I had 7 minutes to “pitch”, I made sure that I did not speak more than about half my allotted time to give an opportunity for their questions and feedback. It’s key to always make sure you have time to learn about the person/org you’re “pitching” to and see how you can intertwine their objectives into your own.
Oh, and one more thing. Make sure you’re passionate about your cause! People may not remember everything you say, but they will remember your passion.
What do you plan to do with your $5K grant from McDonald's?
We focus on #purposedevelopment for mothers; leveraging resources from our B2B partners to provide accessibility, education and resources for scaling mother-owned businesses. Boss Mom Mercado focuses on moms who run their own business (side hustles) and we wanted to create a hands-on experience tacking multiple aspects of scaling or growing their online business. The goal is to give local mother-owned businesses the opportunity to experience a brick and mortar location while inspiring the community and encouraging the Shop Small movement supported by progressive retail outlets such as Simon Malls. The top mother-owned retailer that makes the best number of sales combined with bringing the most fans wins a POP UP SHOP location within a Simon Mall.
We just successfully launched the first Boss Mom Mercado in Miami and we are looking to expand this competition nationally. The professional development component of the Boss Mom Mercado is the mandatory Boss Mom Bootcamp that the competing vendors must go through to compete. In this Bootcamp they learn merchandising, retail leasing and marketing techniques; but we wanted to take it a step further and provide hands-on practice with tools and methods available to solve problems using data science. By teaching these mompreneurs the benefits of computer science and data analytics we are providing equal opportunity to learn an important skill which is the largest and fastest growing field and job listing in the U.S. This field, which will reach 2.7 million, is also among the highest paid professionals, with salaries averaging over 113% more than average salaries for all job postings.
To ensure full support among the mothers on this journey, we will provide on-site childcare and tutors to assist during boot camp hours—so that moms can feel supported and assisted during the course. We are excited to announce the expansion for Boss Mom Mercado/ Bootcamp in select cities starting in 2019 thanks to the McDonalds grant.
What did you learn from pitching your business in this timed experience?
I learned to never underestimate yourself, and always show up early! I had a noon time slot for the pitch and when I walked by early to ask a question they had an opening immediately at 10am, so I jumped on the opportunity to get the pitch completed in the morning. I really think it was one of my advantages, I felt fresh and still had energy. I think if I would have waited till my allotted time “during lunch” I might not have had the right amount of energy and spontaneity.
Where can women go to support your business?
So, we made something cool. We made a We Are Boss Mom kinda bag. This limited edition handbag is on pre-order and 100% of proceeds will be going towards taking Boss Mom Mercado nationwide and empowering our Mompreneur community of small business owners. it was never meant to be just a clear bag.
For $45 100% proceeds go to bringing opportunities for working mothers. At WABM we want to make sure that all mothers have a voice and benefit from the programs, data research and relationships we develop. We aim to empower and ignite your Boss Mom spirit. You are a Boss Mom. But together, WE ARE BOSS MOM.
Contact Info:
Website: wearebossmom.com
Email: hello@wearebossmom.com
Instagram: @wearebossmom
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The Science Behind Intention-Setting, Plus 6 Ways How it Can Elevate Your Business Goals
We’re all in this together.
As an entrepreneur, it is essential to set goals to achieve the results you desire. However, women often put so much pressure on themselves for achieving a certain milestone or metric in the form of a goal that goals can sometimes be counterproductive. Let me explain.
Goals can inadvertently make us feel like a failure. We either hit the $10k month or we didn't. Traditional goal-setting often plays into the black/white mentality that is so pervasive in our society. These types of goals don't leave a lot of room for all the beautiful colors in between where we may not have hit the exact goal we wanted but we succeeded in other ways. For example, maybe you didn't hit your goal of $10k this month but you set up 20 meetings with prospects that could lead to $30k next month. Getting down on yourself for not hitting your original goal of $10k could rob you of celebrating the 20 prospect meetings you worked hard to achieve that may even result in more revenue in the long run.
Intentions, on the other hand, are less shame-based and offer more opportunity to feel a sense of accomplishment. Or as I like to say, they leave more room for magic. Those little surprises that help us generate income or increase our influence in ways we didn't expect. For example, you might have the goal "book 5 clients this month" when in reality what you desire is to make money in a way that feels energizing and aligned. Maybe booking 5 clients will feel energizing and aligned but maybe there's a speaking opportunity for the same amount of money that would feel even more energizing and aligned. You don't want to be so focused on booking your 5 clients that you 1) book clients who aren't aligned and suck the life out of you or 2) miss that amazing speaking opportunity. It's a practice of detaching from the outcome and believing in the infinite possibilities that are available to us at any given time.
Intentions not only offer a more compassionate way to set goals but there have been studies that look at psi (a general way to describe types of communication or information transfer that defy common understanding of time and space), which suggest that conscious intention (e.g. thoughts and feelings) influences unconscious activity. In fact, our eyes receive and process 10 million bits of information per second but we only consciously engage with 16 of them. This means we are only aware of a fraction of the information that is at our fingertips. Part of our work is to learn how to expand our awareness through practices like meditation. The other part is to simply believe there is more than meets the eye.
Here are 6 ways to use intention-setting to elevate your business goals:
1. Create a vision board for your business - vision boards are all the rage these days and there's a reason why. Have you ever considered creating a vision board specifically for your business? It can be a fun way to uncover what you desire your business to look and feel like and where you want to focus your attention. Especially if you find yourself too much in your head, spending time to reconnect with your bigger mission through imagery can be incredibly rewarding. Let your imagination run wild.
2. Schedule a monthly intention-setting party - it can be fun to get together with your fellow lady bosses once a month and share your intentions with each other. You can ask each other questions like: Where do you desire to focus your energy? What was your biggest learning from the previous month? What do you hope to celebrate at the end of this month?
3. Outline your ideal day as CEO - as an entrepreneur, it is important to be clear on what your ideal day as CEO would look and feel like. Otherwise, we can get side-tracked from our bigger vision of life and business by spending our days responding to low-priority emails, scheduling meetings over meal times, and slipping back into old workaholic routines. Setting your own schedule is one of the greatest perks of being an entrepreneur so take time to make this happen. Ask yourself: How many hours do I want to work every day? What would my dream mornings look like? How often do I want to work out each week? When am I most productive? How important is it to practice daily self-care?
4. Choose a word of the week - intention-setting doesn't have to be overwhelming. It can be as simple as choosing a word of the week like "confidence", "focus", "trust", "joy", "visibility", or "play." This is a great way to stay committed to an intention without having to do anything too elaborate. Try writing your word in your journal, putting it on a sticky note on your computer, or creating a calendar reminder so you see it daily.
5. Claim your superpower - in the midst of trying to achieve goals, it is easy to focus on where you are falling short and forget how amazing you are. Take some time to remind yourself what you are truly gifted at. What is your superpower? Is it navigating difficult conversations? Is it getting people to view something differently? Is it your strong intuition? Is it your coding skills? In the fast pace of entrepreneur life, don't forget to celebrate all the ways that you are shining.
6. Visualize yourself in 5 years - taking a step back to imagine where you would like to be in 5 years can be a powerful exercise. This isn't about knowing all the answers but tapping into the essence of your big dreams. We can get so caught up in the day-to-day activities of running a business that we lose sight of where we want to go. Take a moment to close your eyes and picture yourself 5 years from this moment. Where are you? What are you doing? What is the impact you are making? Who is around you? How do you feel? What wisdom does your future self want your younger self to know?
To all of my fellow hustlers out there, don't let your business goals be a cause of stress or shame. Weave some intention-setting into your business strategy because it's not only a fun way to stay focused but science is telling us there is real power putting words to positive changes we wish to make in our life.
By: Elizabeth Su
Elizabeth Su is a life coach and mindfulness expert who mentors high-achieving women around the world to unlock their potential, lean into joy, and live life to the fullest. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Clinical Psychology (concentration in Spirituality Mind Body) and an advanced certificate in Sexuality, Women, and Gender from Columbia University. I have been featured in numerous media outlets including OZY, Fatherly, Bustle, PopSugar, Elite Daily, and Thought Catalog for my work around marriage mindfulness, female empowerment, and navigating your own path to happiness.
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These MBA Programs Prove It’s Never Too Late to Start Fresh
Grad student 101.
As we all get further in our careers, many of us have the same thought: Should we go back to school? To be back in school sounds like a dream come true, but unfortunately it’s not one that becomes a reality for all of us.
Whether it’s for career advancement purposes, or switching career paths, getting a second degree can be beneficial for more reasons than one.
This has become clearer as the gender gap continues to narrow between men and women with advanced degrees. Women with advanced degrees are skyrocketing and will soon surpass men. We are graduating in higher numbers and we're the majority of the workforce, so of course, we should see the same patterns in secondary degrees. Among adults 25 years old or older in the US, approximately 10.2 million women have advanced degrees compared to 10.6 million men. The gap is narrowing since more and more women have thankfully found the resources to continue their education.
Let's look at some of the baddest ladies in the game. The #SELFMADE women that are running fortune 500 companies and more!
Youtube’s CEO Susan Wojcicki earned her MBA from UCLA
Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg and Mary Erdoes, the most powerful woman in finance and CEO of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, both have MBAs from Harvard
Melinda Gates, Co-Chair at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has an MBA from Duke.
These are just a few of the boss women who have continued their education and kill it in the workforce.
Listen, in the past, there were a lot of hurdles that stood in the way of earning an advanced degree but it's really becoming more flexible and easier for women and men of all backgrounds to make earning an MBA work around their schedules.
Three different MBA programs at Strayer University can help you break out of a career rut, grow a business, or learn to lead. Check them out:
The Strayer University MBA
This program is designed for us working adults. It can be completed entirely online, meaning that those who don’t have time to go into a classroom can still get the experience. Also, Strayer takes into account previous education and work experience, which can mean a shorter timeframe for getting it done. Plus, there’s a variety of different programs for different interests, so if you’re looking to switch gears and explore new areas, you can. These include Accounting, IT programs, and Health Services Administration just to name a few.
The Digital Entrepreneurship MBA
In today’s content-driven and virtual world, it feels like we need to be online all the time. No matter your industry, yes finance and education included, it’s time to get your mind digitally-friendly and with the times. Strayer’s Digital Entrepreneurship MBA combines media insights with business skills that can help get students ahead of the curve.
Through live-streaming, optimized courses for mobile devices and tablets, and lessons from execs from companies like Amazon, getting your mind in the game is so much easier.
You can explore courses in digital business operations, technology, business social media, business law, and a lot more.
The Jack Welch Management Institute MBA
Ranked as a Top 25 Online MBA Program by Princeton Review, the Jack Welch Management Institute redefines the MBA experience with an entirely online yet interactive curriculum for students.
Powerful lectures, insightful reading, video messages and experiential exercises are delivered by top executives like Jack Welch, Warren Buffett and C-suite leaders from Starbucks, McDonald’s, Netflix and more.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Strayer University.
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We Asked Entrepreneurs Their Best West Coast Vacation Reccomendations to Unplug
We took a pit stop from our WorkParty tour to continue enjoying San Francisco. WorkParty and Alaska Airlines threw a dinner party for some of our favorite Bay Area entrepreneurs at The Progress in SF. The Hawaii-themed soiree was everyone’s Instagram dream, and gave guests the perfect island vibes for unwinding and enjoying a night out in the city. As we all know, entrepreneurs are some of the hardest working people in the game, and there’s not always room to unwind and unplug. So, we had to ask the ladies in attendance what their favorite West Coast spot is to get out of the office and unplug.
“If you come to California, you have to go to Big Sur. You get the best of everything, including the ocean, mountains, hikes, rustic feels.”
“You need to go to Seattle in September or October. The light becomes golden and beautiful, and it’s the most beautiful time, it’s not too cold, and it doesn’t rain.”
“You can’t go to LA, without going to Venice Beach. You’ve got to hit up the boardwalk, and not only for sightseeing.”
“Ojai is so charming and beautiful.”
“If you need relaxation, you need to go to Palm Springs.”
“LA all day!”
“Go glamping in Mendocino. There’s no signal out there so you’re forced to unplug.”
Alaska Air was also kind enough to provide guests with roundtrip travel vouchers for anywhere they’d like to go. As if they already didn't get to feel like they were on vacation for one night, they’re now able to enjoy the real deal.
Have you already snagged a copy of WorkParty the book? If not, what are you waiting for? Purchase the book here.
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7 Podcasts to Tune Into on International Podcast Day
Your daily commute is about to get a lot more interesting with these podcasts.
We hope your AirPods are charged and ready to go because these podcasts are so good that you won’t want to put them on pause. Filled with words of wisdom and life experiences, these shows and hosts will get you through your morning and evening commute, entertain you during your lunch break, and leave you sitting in your car even when you park your car at home because you will want to finish every episode.
Safe For Work
(N)SFW is here to remind you that things in the office can get hectic at times but Liz Dolan and Rico Gagliano are here to keep you sane during times like these. From resume and cover letter writing, to getting back into work after having a baby, Liz and Rico tackle everything hoping you will feel more fulfilled from your work life.
Switch, Pivot, Or Quit with Ahyiana Angel
Former sports entertainment publicist Ahiyana Angel made the switch to a traditionally published author will route your career trajectory from where it is to where you want to be. She is what she calls a “chief encourager” and is there to share her tips as well as interview professional women who offer their life experiences to guide you along the way.
Starving Artist with Honor Eastly
Have you heard art and money in the same sentence? Probably only when a Picasso was just sold for millions at an auction. This podcast from down under hosted by Honor Eastly talks to local artists about how they handle their finances only to find out that the term “starving artist” is just a myth.
Millennial Money
Talking about your personal finances can be awkward AF, so Certified Financial Planner and host Shannah Compton Game gives her two cents (pun intended) that is totally relatable and easy to understand. With her husband and co-host Jeff Game, this podcast features experts and anecdotes from people in literally every field you can imagine, expanding your mind and your wallet at the same time.
Being Boss: Mindset, Habits, Tactics and Lifestyle for Creative Entrepreneurs
Calling all entrepreneurs, freelancers, and side-hustlers! Whether you want to quit your day job, or are starting your own Etsy store Being Boss is dedicated to you. “Business Besties”, hosts, and authors Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon discuss the mindset, habits, strategies, tactics and so much more that help you do what you love while making money.
Side Hustle Pro: Women Entrepreneurs
Side Hustle Pro puts the spotlight on WOC who’ve scaled their businesses from side hustles to profitable stand-alone businesses. Hosted weekly by Nicalia Matthews Okome, learn strategies to start small and get grow-ing no matter who or where you are and features interviews with leading ladies and exciting entrepreneurs.
How it is.
From Reese Witherspoon and her team at Hello Sunshine, this podcast hosted by Diane Guerrero shares the common experiences we have lived through and learned from as women in the workforce. Topics discussed in their second season (coming soon!) include the concept of values, the desire to work, the time to work, the time to play and more. It is an all encompassing series featuring guests including Maria Menounos, Gabrielle Union, and Lena Waithe, just to name a few.
Don’t forget to also subscribe to our very own WorkParty podcast if you haven’t already!
By: Ashley Banayan
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Links from Our Group Chat: Kavanaugh, National Coffee Day, & More!
Get your thumbs ready, this week’s group chat is about to go off!
Kavanaugh headlines are currently ablaze. On Thursday, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s detailed Senate testimony of her memories of Brett Kavanaugh’s attempted assault gave us goosebumps and tears. Many women found it relatable, heart-wreaching, and were sharing their own stories and support for Ford across social media. For the record, President Trump agreed to open a ‘limited’ FBI investigation into accusations against Kavanaugh. We’ll be watching.
Besides being the hometown of Travis Scott and Beyoncé, H-Town is now home to the first Black-owned hostel in the U.S.. Deidre Mathis founded Wanderstay, the hostel of our dreams with a bright aesthetic and co-working spaces in Houston with hopes to expand to more cities across the country.
Have you thought about moving to the City of Angels for your dream job? Tyeal (yes, like the color), our marketing coordinator here at C&C did. From couch surfing to interning with only $500 in her pocket, she blossomed into the woman that has brought so much color, life, and brightness into our office. Check out her full story on Forbes.
Ever heard the saying cracking open a cold one with the girls to watch a football game? Probably not. Andrea Kremer and Hannah Storm are “touching down” as the first all-woman broadcast for the NFL’s Thursday Night Football program streaming on Amazon Prime for the next 10 games. There’s something to add to your Thursday night watchlist aside from Shonda’s TGIT lineup.
But first, National Coffee Day (Sept. 29). Unfortunately, Instagram-worthy $10 lattes aren’t on the list for snagging a cup of cold brew on the house this weekend. However, some places that are trying to help you save up for the new iPhone Xs Max include Bulletproof Coffee, Intelligentsia, La Colombe, Peet’s Coffee, Sprinkles, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Verve.
ACLU-screwed up Facebook. A class-action lawsuit from the ACLU is pending against the social media giant for running hiring ads targeted only towards males. Thanks for making the job hunt even harder and more unfair than it already was, Facebook.
By: Ashley Banayan
Ashley Banayan is a senior at the University of Southern California pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism with a minor in Web Technologies and Applications from the Viterbi School of Engineering. Currently, she works as an editorial intern for Create and Cultivate. She has experience in traditional public relations, social media marketing, influencer relations, content creation, and web development. Furthermore, she is the founder of Geocasion, a company designing Snapchat Geofilters for both businesses and personal clients, garnering 4.5 million views. In turn, these experiences led her to focus on the convergence and disruption in media, communication and web technologies.
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5 Ways to Use Twitter for Your Brand in 2018
File this under: Twitter’s not dead.
Somewhere along the lines, the term Social Media became synonymous with Instagram. And sure, as Facebook’s protégé with a whopping 25 million Business Profiles and counting, it was love at first like for business owners and marketers alike.
But social media is so much more than just Instagram- and, believe it or not, your customer base lives and behaves differently on each platform that they use. As a social media marketer, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard phrases like ‘Isn’t Twitter Dead?’, and ‘Do people still go on Twitter?’- to which, my answers are always More alive than ever! and Yep- only the savviest of business owners.
In 2018, many business and brand owners are hesitant to add Twitter to their digital marketing strategies, usually citing uncertainty and inexperience with the platform. If you’re not utilizing Twitter for your brand in 2018, you should RUN (don’t walk) into the wings of the adorable blue bird—its capabilities are truly unparalleled, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
Here are 5 ways to use Twitter for your Brand in 2018.
Use it like a search engine.
Unlike Instagram, where search capabilities are limited by hashtag, Twitter’s search bar is comparable to that of Google or Bing — and a goldmine when it comes to cultivating new leads for your business. Use it like an advanced search engine by searching for the exact problem that your business offers a solution for. For example, if you own a Lash Studio, you might type in phrases like Eyelash extensions. You can then filter results by Latest to order the results reverse chronologically, or use Search filters and Published Near Me on the left hand side to yield tweets from your neighborhood.
Ready to up the ante? Use quotation marks around full sentences, keywords, and key phrases to find leads. Your search for Eyelash extensions tweets might become "thinking of getting eyelash extensions".
From there, send a personalized reply — and get the conversation going.
Reputation Management
Gone are the days that displeased customers pick up the phone to give unfiltered feedback. It’s certainly no secret that Twitter has been moved as the unspoken home for customer service complaints, but dealing with it is a narrative of itself. The biggest PR mistake that a brand can make on Twitter is sitting in their notifications (or waiting on tags) to be notified of an upset customer. If you’re not conducting a daily search for your business name on Twitter, you could be missing timely customer service issues that have yet to be addressed. Many upset customers opt not to tag the brand in negative tweets, so it’s up to you to venture out of your notifications and take care of your customers. If you happen to stumble upon a tweet with a negative tone, respond to negative feedback promptly and publicly, without suggesting that the conversation be taken to DM’s. Other customers will see your commitment to rectifying the issue and appreciate your transparency.
Use Twitter Lists Like a Pro
Sure, you may have heard of (or even dabbled in) creating Twitter lists- but are you using them to their full potential? Many businesses use Twitter lists to organize existing customers in one place, or build customer loyalty by adding them to a list called, say, Lash Out Studio’s Clients of the Year.
Twitter lists are a great way to network professionally, especially in the realm of event planning. If you regularly attend trade shows, conferences, or events for your business or brand, it’s a good idea to create a public list of influencers, buyers, media personnel, and other users who plan on attending. Creating an event-related list will not only allow you to corral event-related news in one place, but view content shared by members of a particular list to stay in the know.
Another great way to utilize Twitter lists is to flatter influencers and notable voices in your space. If an expert in your field is added to a Public list titled Best Beauty Bloggers in San Diego, you can bet you’ll grasp their attention.
Tweet Unique Content
Sure, it’s easy (and tempting) to automate your social media channels to cross-post your content from another platform, but it’s not what your audience wants to see. Not only does another platform’s content not properly convert to a tweet (Umm hello, URL-in-the-place-of-my-perfect-Instagram-photo.com), but the Twitter customer doesn’t consume content the way that the aesthetically inclined Instagram customer does. Instead of relying on your perfect coffee shop shot to auto-post to your profile, take advantage of Twitter’s conversation starters, like running a poll for your customer base or tweeting out a question for your audience. And if you can, try to adhere to the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should be engaging with other users, while only 20% should be salesy content that’s catered to your brand.
Run Ads
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been disappointed by the results of a Facebook ad, only to throw in more ad dollars to expand your reach. News Flash: CTR’s (Click-thru rates) on Twitter are actually higher than Facebook’s, despite being short of Facebook of about 918 Million active users. (Not joking.) According to AdWeek, engagement rates on Twitter ads in 2018 are averaging between 1 and 3%, while Facebook’s CTR sits at about 0.119%. (Low followers? You can even run engagement ads that specifically garner Twitter followers for your brand!) Plus, running an ad on Twitter looks almost identical to Facebook’s interface, so navigating it is a piece of cake.
By: Jamie Halper
Jamie Halper is a Digital Content Creator, Social Media Manager, and Influencer Publicist for today's leading Beauty, Pet, and Wellness Brands.
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C&C Classifieds: Sweetgreen, Stella McCartney, Amika & More!
Get those apps ready!
It’s that time of the week again! No, not Wednesday, we’re talking about a new round of C&C Classifieds. This week’s lineup includes roles at Sweetgreen, Stella McCartney, and so many more awesome places.
If you’re still looking for your dream job or want to explore a new industry, then you’ve come to the right place. Update those resumes, proofread those cover letters, and get to applying.
Good luck!
Sweetgreen - LA, CA
Stella McCartney - NY, NY
Amika - NY, NY
Soul Pancake - LA, CA
Space Isn’t the Only Thing Your Growing Business Needs. The Secret to Success: Community.
Allow this checklist to show you the way.
Every founder knows the growing pains that come with starting a business. Seeing your big business idea start to take off is certainly rewarding, and pat-on-the-back worthy, but then you have the question of where to take it next. How do you take things to the next level? Sometimes the next step is to move your business to a space where you have the room to expand, the ability to connect with others in your field, and the convenience of being able to work from almost anywhere.
But where should you take your company? If you’ve talked with other small business owners you’ve likely noticed that a lot of them are moving their operations into a co-working space.
Co-working spaces don’t just give you a physical place to run your business. They also provide a sense of community that you won’t get working from home or the neighborhood coffee shop. The pioneer in this movement is a company you’ve likely heard of before: WeWork. Scroll down for a special desk giveaway with WeWork + enter for a chance to win a complimentary desk at a space near you!
C&C worked closely with the WeWork team when we held our Chicago conference. We needed a lounge space for our VIP guests, and WeWork was the perfect spot. We also hosted our attendee happy hour at WeWork Kinzie. Once we saw a WeWork space for ourselves, we understood why so many businesses are taking the co-working route.
How do you know if it’s time to make this move? We’re giving you the full rundown.
You’re Running Out of Space—Literally
Maybe you started your business from your home. Some of the biggest corporations, including Google and Amazon, started in someone’s garage, and look at them now. If you’ve reached a point where you’re no longer flying solo, it may be time to scope out your nearest WeWork location. There are different plans to choose from that can better fit the needs of you and your employees. They’re also a lot more affordable than building out your own space. You can check out pricing and membership options here.
You Love Collaboration
Moving into a co-working space means you’ll have access to hundreds of go-getters like you from across various industries. You can find potential business partners, form a brand partnership, or meet some great friends all in one space. WeWork thrives on providing its members with an open office environment that’s built for collaboration, teamwork, and lifelong relationships. A few other networking and collaboration opportunities that WeWork offers include office hours with investors and industry leaders, lunch-and-learn events where members share their knowledge and expertise, group meditations, and peer reviews.
Working Remotely Isn’t Your Jam
While working from home has been called the “millennial dream,” it’s not for everyone. Even if you’re on your own, WeWork provides the perfect space for a one-woman business. Rent a desk and it’s easy to get your business up and running. Yes, really. You’re also free to take meetings here once you’re building out a client roster or pitching yourself and your business to potential customers. It’s a great space to meet like-minded entrepreneurs and creatives.
Convenience
With over 268,000 members and 287 locations in 77 cities worldwide, there’s bound to be a WeWork location that is accessible to you. In C&C’s base of Los Angeles, there are 19 WeWork buildings alone. Check out the location listings to see if there’s a WeWork location near you.
Looking for a co-working space? Well, you’re in luck! We’re partnering with our business BFFs over at WeWork to giveaway two complimentary hot desks at WeWorks around the country! Enter your info below to enter for a change to win:
2 Hot Desks at a WeWork in your local WeWork: Guaranteed workspace in a common area at one location. Just bring your laptop, pick an open seat, and get to work.
Included in your Hot Desk Membership, you'll also gain access to the WeWork Member Network is a digital platform available on iOS, Android, and web that enables you to connect with other members and interact with your space.
Check out the terms & conditions here.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. WINNERS WILL BE CONTACTED VIA THE CONTACT INFORMATION PROVIDED!
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Are You Making These Common Website Mistakes?
The do’s and don’ts for making your website stand out while being user-friendly at the same time.
You’ve built a business from the ground up, whether it’s a side-hustle, or a deep-dive straight into entrepreneurship, it’s a challenge.
Congratulations are in order.
Not only do you have to figure out your business name, offerings, pricing, shipping, bookkeeping, and taxes, you also have to market your business.
When your website is just one of a million things you’re managing, it can be easy to let it slide, or slap it up in a hurry and then move back to your overflowing inbox of tasks.
But your website is a front door for potential clients just learning about your business. So believe me, it pays to invest in making it a good one.
I write and review small business websites for a living...so I see a lot of them. And let me say first, many of them are beautifully designed, and a lot are already optimized for user experience. A good portion also has meaningful, heartfelt copy.
But if you're not sure if your website copy is entirely up to par, then hopefully this article will be helpful. Before we jump into some mistakes and problems I see frequently, I want to first invite you to congratulate yourself for getting this far.
Building a website is time-consuming. Even with the templates and all-in-one hosting services available today, it's still a significant time investment. So if you've got a domain with your name and contact info on it, that's an accomplishment to celebrate.
Great copy is a work in progress - especially in the early stages of your business journey. You may still be refining your product or service offerings. You're probably gaining new insights into your ideal client base, and getting new ideas for your own brand positioning.
So there's no shame in having multiple revisions and edits. And hopefully, you'll be able to identify if one of these three mistakes needs to be fixed and corrected to make your site even better.
Not Having an Easy Way to Get in Touch
Don’t leave your readers searching for a way to work for you. Every single page on your site should have an invitation for your reader to take the next step.
If you're a service-based business in the creative space, you likely need your website visitors to contact you for more information or a consult call. So make it super easy to do so.
Have a "Contact" button in the upper-right hand corner of your header - that's where more people expect to see it when they're looking, so don't confuse them.
Consider having it in the bottom footer of your site too. And then make sure you have an actual email address easily accessible—not just a contact form. It might not seem like a big difference, but some prospects are put off by contact forms. They might not yet know their wedding date for example, but know you're their dream wedding planner.
This applies to product-based businesses too, no matter how perfect and seamless your checkout system is, and no matter how complete your product descriptions, people will think of questions. Questions they'll need an answer if they're going to proceed to buy, so make it easy—have a way for prospective customers to get those pesky questions answered so they can enter their credit card digits with confidence.
Not Providing a Clear Explanation of What’s for Sale
There's a trend in the wedding industry to use ultra-minimal cover pages as your entire site.
I'm all for having an aesthetically pleasing landing page. But sometimes when I land on a designer's site, I'm not sure if they're available for weddings, or if they only do editorial shoots.
And when brides are rapid-fire googling "best wedding photographers in my city" it's easy for them to pass you by and go to the next site where there's more transparent information.
So don't leave your visitors guessing. Have a clearly labeled "Services" or "Shop" button on your top navigation and lay out exactly what you sell, and to whom.
Talking too much about ourselves
Okay, this is a tricky one, and I don't want to step on any toes here. But I see it over and over again. About pages—and whole websites—become absorbed into the founder's personal backstory, their passions, hobbies, and even quirky facts.
Personal connection is essential in business. None of those elements are bad. In fact, they all have a place on your site.
But, they all need to be secondary to your client who gets to take center stage - even on your site. Check out this post for some helpful tips on having the right mindset before writing your about page, or really any page, on your site.
These are all super common mistakes, but they’re also easy to fix. So nothing is holding you back–go out there and make your website awesome.
By: Anna Bradshaw
Anna Bradshaw is a copywriter specializing in helping creative entrepreneurs promote their businesses with confidence. In her free time, you'll find her curled up with a book, or strolling the beach, ice cream cone in hand. Anna lives in Orange County, CA with her husband of almost a year.
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Classifieds: ClassPass, Amazon, Spotify & More!
From client services to all things web.
We’re back a brand new list of C&C Classifieds. This week’s roundup includes big-time names, including Amazon and Spotify, along wth gigs in programming and client services.
There’s something in here for every type of gal, whether you’re a social media guru or are killing it in the marketing game.
Take a look, jot down some notes, and apply!
ClassPass - NY, NY
Salt & Straw - Portland, OR
Amazon - NY, NY
Spotify - LA, CA
AdWeek - NY, NY
Retail Me Not - Austin, TX
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How to Dress Like a Boss at Work This Fall
Business in the front and back.
With today’s office environments featuring a wide range of dress codes from suited up to business casual, selecting an outfit for work each morning can be downright stressful! You want to ensure you look professional but you also want to be able to add your own personal style to your work look—it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds.
JCPenney offers an array of stylish career wear, with on-trend fashions for women of every shape and size, and for jobs of every kind. And if you find yourself heading out to a lot of evening events when the workday is over, JCPenney has you covered with day-to-night pieces to take the stress of switching outfits away.
JCPenney recently joined Create & Cultivate at our Chicago conference, where the retailer showcased trend-forward looks to our attendees from its collection of private brands including Liz Claiborne, Worthington, a.n.a. and Boutique+.
To bring this fashion inspiration to all our readers, we’ve teamed up with the JCPenney once again – this time to share five key looks to take with you to the office this fall. From bold colors, fashion jackets, wide leg pants and even menswear as well as athleisure inspired looks, these trends will work however—and wherever—you work:
Bold Color
Ditch the traditional pantsuit and add a vibrant hue to your closet. Pair a bold power pantsuit with a classic pair of black pumps and strut with confidence as you head to your desk.
The Fashion Jacket
For a casual, yet polished look, pair a patterned blazer with your favorite jeans and add kitten heels into the mix to complete the look.
Menswear
If you’re the type to experiment with your looks, try mixing and matching patterns, texture and color. Menswear-inspired textiles take on a whole new look when mixed with feminine details like a floral or animal-print blouse.
Don’t forget to complete your boss work look with a visit to Sephora inside JCPenney and the Salon by InStyle.
For more stylish work staples, head over to JCPenney.com and shop your favorites. What’s your go-to office look for fall? Let us know in the comments below!
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6 Books You Should Read This Month
Gather your book club!
Fall is right around the corner. Grab your cozy sweater, pumpkin spiced latte, and these great reads to get you through the season. Not only with the changing leaves comes new book releases, but it is also a time for us to make changes for ourselves to live better and more fulfilled lives. In turn, these books can give the ‘spice’ we need to inspire us to chase after our dreams. We hope you fall in love with these books full of advice and anecdotes as much as we have!
Money Diaries, Lindsey Stanberry
Featuring advice from a team of female financial advisers, the Refinery29 series-turned-book gives readers an inside look into personal finances, from spending to saving and everything in between. Learn how to save the most, while affording a comfortable everyday life at the same time. With the money challenges and easy steps to follow, take control of your finances today.
Under Fire, April Ryan
Ryan provides readers with an inside look into adjustment reporters on the frontlines made with the chaos and confusion of today’s political climate. From policy debates, to asking hard-hitting questions, we see her transition from being the one who writes the stories to the one who is written about.
She Would Be King, Wayetu Moore
In her debut novel, Moore takes readers through the journeys of three characters during Liberia’s formation. The use of history and magical realism showcases her vibrant storytelling of the African Diaspora, while highlighting ties to the United States. In addition to the three pivotal roles of Gbessa, June Dey, and Norman Aragon, the spirit of wind also adds an air of wisdom when speaking of Gbessa: “If she was not a woman, then she would be king.”
Transcription, Kate Atkinson
Atkinson explores the world of espionage during the WWII era through the lens of 18-year-old Juliet Armstrong. A decade after the war ended, Armstrong works for BBC as a radio producer, only to be confronted by her past. Through moments of wit, power, empathy, and betrayal, the bestselling author tells this story in best way she possibly can; victoriously.
Small Fry, Lisa Brennan-Jobs
With the recent Apple Special Event happening just days ago, founder Steve Jobs’ and artist Chrisann Brennan’s daughter, Lisa, depicts her life living on a farm while Silicon Valley was constantly changing, and the minimal role her father played in her life. Later on in life, her father began paying closer attention to her and showing her the luxuries life has to offer, which felt great, but at times he was cold and critical. This is a wise and funny story of childhood and the magic of growing up in the first family of technology during the seventies and eighties in California.
The Best Damn Answers to Life’s Hardest Questions, Tess Koman
This collection of flowcharts, pros and cons lists and rants is the book we needed to get us through our tough decisions. The advice is invaluable, but also relatable AF which makes this the perfect gift for the indecisive person in your group chats. We know who you are.
By: Ashley Banayan
Ashley is a senior at the University of Southern California pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism with a minor in Web Technologies and Applications from the Viterbi School of Engineering. Currently, she works as an editorial intern for Create and Cultivate. She has experience in traditional public relations, social media marketing, influencer relations, content creation, and web development. Furthermore, she is the founder of Geocasion, a company designing Snapchat Geofilters for both businesses and personal clients, garnering 4.5 million views. In turn, these experiences led her to focus on the convergence and disruption in media, communication and web technologies.
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How to Use Your Weekend Plans to Elevate Your Brand
Cheers!
Ahhh…the weekend. We’re trying to stay productive while enjoying our jam-packed social schedules, running errands, and more. It’s not easy to balance it all but, of course, you make it happen. But what if it could be easier? What if you could enjoy some dinner and drinks while making strides for the future of your company?
It’s possible, and you can get started today. Ahead, learn how you can leverage your weekend plans to help boost your brand.
Elevate Your Personal Brand
The quality of your network strengthens (or weakens) your personal brand. In turn, your personal brand impacts the brand of your business. So get out there. Meet new people and make new friends. Meet them without expectations and realize the benefits turn up in the long run. This isn’t the time for the hard sell and don’t try to close any deals.
Excellent summertime networking spots include professionally elevated social and co-working spaces, conferences and even Facebook groups dedicated to exciting events. For membership spots, I like Soho House, NeueHouse, WeWork, and The Wing. For conferences and events, check out Summit, and Create & Cultivate, of course. These are the kinds of places where it’s okay to talk business while having fun. Research for your best fit, and get ready to discover new like-minded people.
Relax and have fun. Sometimes you’ll find it’s best to keep the business talk to a minimum, but always at least share what you do and find out what industry others’ are in. And chances are you may even know some of the same people since you’re hanging out at the same place. This could serve to further strengthen these new connections while lending everyone greater credibility and trust.
Strengthen Your Network for Future Opportunities
Your network can lead you to significant opportunities in the future like partnerships and branded collaborations. Special deals like these can boost your sales and the visibility of your brand.
For instance, let’s say a particular company is in high demand for collaborations. You and the CEO are friends or share the same friends. This immediately gets you on the shortlist for who will most likely get the deal. That’s not all. The collaboration will be easier to plan and execute and could even cost significantly less than it would if you didn’t have a personal connection.
Introduce the Possibility of Potential Reduced Costs
The quality of your network can save you a great deal of money. If your network includes critical influencers, photographers, writers, and other industry talents, you can walk away with special pricing for photography, influencer campaigns, copywriting, PR, web development and more.
Finally, while I’ve mentioned a million benefits for you, don’t forget about everyone else. Relationships are always a two-way street, and as I said, your plan is to make friends. Friends help one another out!
Always be mindful of opportunities that show up on your radar that could interest others in your network. Think about how you can help the people you know. Could this buyer benefit from meeting this emerging handbag designer? Could this photographer benefit from meeting this magazine editor? Also be willing to share your expert know-how through the form of friendly solicited advice.
The concept of networking can be cold and very transactional. We prefer to think of it as making new friends- because that’s really what it should be like at the end of the day. So make a new friend (or two) with mutual interests, and help one another out.
We’ll let you get back to dinner now…
By: Syama Meagher, Chief Retail Strategist at Scaling Retail
Scaling Retail has launched brands around the world, through a combination of expert advice and creative marketing strategy. We believe in the power of hard work to grow and build your businesses. Discover Scaling Retail at www.ScalingRetail.com.
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Four Reasons You Should Hire a PR Agency for Your Business
DIY is great when it comes to Pinterest, but not so much when it comes to PR.
Public relations is one of the most alluring, fast-paced and competitive industries to work within. Whether you were drawn into the industry because you like writing, managing information, or garnering press - one thing is certain, it is not for the faint-hearted.
It is also not for D-I-Y doers.
Yes, it is okay to buy a press release template and craft a release if you intend to dock it on your website, under the press tab. No, It is not okay to assume that media outlets will reach out to you because you put the release on your website.
No, CNN will not call you for an interview. No, ELLE magazine will not put you on the cover. If you are serious about getting publicity, hiring a publicist or an agency is your best bet. At a minimum, speaking to a consultant can help you understand why cold calling a journalist who writes about fashion trends to write about your cook book is unacceptable.
PR pros know how journalists, editors, and writers prefer to be contacted, and how to negotiate exclusivity. We spend years (and a lot of money attending conferences) building our network, so when we need a story to go out quickly, we can go through our Twitter lists, roller-deck, business card binder, email addresses, and cell phone. Our contacts are scared. Asking us to share our contacts with you is not okay. Journalists are overloaded with people asking them for press coverage each day and usually by someone who is copying and pasting the same email to other people in the same newsroom as them. It is the publicists responsibility to decide and leverage newsworthy coverage that benefits the client, and it must be done in a way that is respectful of journalists.
To help you better understand, if you’re revealing a new logo, as your publicist, I would share that news on social media, Facebook first, because it’s community-based. If you are changing the name of your company, as your publicist, I would write a press release and have it go through a newswire. A newswire can be costly, but it’s worth it because it improves the visibility of your news and helps you connect with your target audience. You would not want consumers still referring to your company by its old name because you never put out a statement to newswires. You know who did this wrong? Rally’s. The company formerly known as Rally’s is…Checkers! It has been more than a decade, but I remember it because I never really heard a bell to unring the name across a mass campaign. Smh.
I confess I am a snob when it comes to the public relations industry because we have a bad rep. There are a lot of party-promoters and event planners who use PR tactics but self-identify as a publicist when a job or pay calls for PR professionals skills. This brings me to four reasons why you should hire a public relations agency and not someone who knows a few PR tactics.
Crisis Communications
When things go wrong, you will always immediately fill with worry. Publicists are trained to begin researching and strategizing around formulas such as C.A.C. We handle the situation with care, action, and context. If there is a rumor, we research the rumor, take control of the rumor and address the rumor through the RIA formula. Publicists break down the reach, importance, and level of ambiguity of the rumor. We center the truth and take a position that is comfortable for the client and enough for the public. Don’t handle a crisis on your own. Even large companies are handling crises poorly. If something goes word, the last thing you should do is spin it. Spin is propaganda; it is used to deceive people and convince them to buy-in to what is being said or sold. Always be honest about your business, it’s successes and failures. The public is forgiving when you apologize for a mistake, not when you lie to cover it up. Get your PR team to serve as the first and last line of defense.
Reputation Management
The way you introduce yourself to the world is often the way the world will see you for years to come. Whether it is adversity towards a product or tragedy, reputation is the key elements of your business being successful or failing. Customers value trust above all else. For example, if you are a skincare company and you attend a conference where the founder is speaking on regulations of the beauty industry, and you cannot answer honestly that animals were not tested and harmed to produce your product, as a consumer, I would not trust you as a beauty lead, or businessperson. A publicist would can prep you for situations like that. You cannot respond, “oh, email me and I’ll ask the company that supplies my product.” Hire a publicist to help you craft the three things your business does exceptionally well, what your company is working on and what’s to come. If I were a consumer, I would believe you and continue to support you because you know your brand and where you plan to take it next. The more long-time consumers you have that trust you, the more of them will support you on social media, write reviews and video testimonials.
Return On Investment
Katie Bouwkamp said it best when she said, “the public relations industry has a big PR problem when it comes to communicating how it directly impacts the bottom-line.” Today, PR pros rely on several systems to be able to tell if your press plan is bringing in money or wasting money. The most popular way to know if your PR plan is thriving is website traffic generated after people read your earned media articles. PR pros use metrics such as website visitors generated, leads created through form submissions, and transactions completed (for e-commerce companies). To put it simply, web analytics track goal conversions and assign a dollar value to those conversions. Public relations firms are managing campaigns, writing news releases, producing content for social media and arranging interviews, preparing clients for press conferences, so that you can gain and retain loyal consumers. PR pros take your stakeholders seriously and have a deep understanding of what it means when those stakeholders are happy or unhappy.
Social Media
No matter how much you want to save money by running your social media account on your own, you will never be able to do it better than someone who knows how to do it practically and most importantly, theoretically. You will miss out on consumers every day who would have gladly paid $14 for a vegan lip balm - I know because I am one of those people. Believe it or not, there is a science and psychology behind levering your social media, and PR pros have mastered it. When you entrust a PR pro with your social media assets, we goal set between social capabilities to increase your brand awareness, get you a higher quality of sales, create a loyal fan base and get you a better pulse in your industry. We know how to find your competitors, not to necessarily to take them out but to make sure you are setting the standard, leading the way and bringing in just as much, of nor more revenue. We know what strategies to use to drive engagement and sales (for those of us who are hybrid-mass communications professionals) because we do a lot of social listening to find out what your consumers are saying about the brand and product. Let a PR pro manage your social media, not only so you can serve as the face, voice, and brand of your company, but so you can continue to grow your business.
In the vast skillsets of PR pros, there are a few things you should never D-I-Y, the four are mentioned are the ones I do not waiver on. Trust me it’s worth it, hire a PR firm.
By: Danyelle R. Carter
_______________________________________________________________________________
Danyelle R. Carter is the President of Her Communications Agency, the first communications and public affairs firm committed to delivering high impact strategy to organizations, companies, and candidates that center on advancing women and girls. She formerly served as a U.S. Digital and Press Congressional Staffer and legislative support for women and girls. While serving in the House of Representatives, Danyelle helped launched the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls and Multicultural Media Caucus. Most notably, she conceptualized and wrote the bill to get a statue representative of Shirley Chisholm in the U.S. Capitol that is now being championed by Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY) and Senator Kamala Harris (CA). Connect with Danyelle on Twitter.
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How One Brand is Making the Fashion Industry More Inclusive
Making a statement one look at a time.
From the clothing, to hair and makeup, and all the way to the venue, fashion week is all about pushing boundaries. Yes, people are wondering if top models will be gracing the runway, and if they can get their photos snapped by street style photographers, but fashion week has a much deeper meaning now. For years, the fashion industry has been called out on not being diverse enough and not promoting enough inclusivity throughout the media and campaigns, and especially at fashion shows. Whether it’s editors of color who’ve shared that street style photographers ignore their looks on the street, or models who’ve stated they haven’t been cast based solely on the color of their skin, voices are louder than ever. The LGBTQ+ community doesn’t get much love as fashion month takes off, especially on the catwalk, but now change is coming for that too.
DapperQ’s catwalk is defying the stereotype of what a model “should” look like with models from all walks of the LGBTQ+ community to showcase their gender non-conforming pieces.
Founded by Anita Dolce Vita, dapperQ’s theme this NYFW was ‘dress code’, with the goal of unifying 10 designers whose intention was to strip the gender conformity associated with fashion, in their words, ‘queering’ it and exhibiting the talents of LGBTQ+ designers.
The theme was there to challenge designers to decode clothing and to take down stereotypes that are associated with certain garments. More than 65 models strutted their stuff on the catwalk at the Brooklyn Museum this year, contributing to what Dolce Vita calls the “queer fashion revolution, one of the most stylish forms of protest of our generation.” The models were all-encompassing in terms of race, gender, sexuality, and body type and featured athleisure, suiting, intimates and more, making it the most inclusive NYFW show to date.
For the fifth year in a row, dapperQ broke down the barriers and stereotypes in the fashion and LGBTQ+ communities alike. Dolce Vita shines a rainbow lens onto a world that leans so thin and white when it comes to both designers and models for her shows. Can we get an amen?
DapperQ is the premier queer style and empowerment website specifically for masculine presenting women and trans-identified individuals. Dubbed GQ for the “unconventionally masculine,” dapperQ was among the first digital spaces to champion “menswear” for those traditionally under-served by mainstream menswear media and designers.
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How Your Office Can Be More Environmentally Conscious
Starting with carpooling.
If we look at the world around us today, plenty of us are making more efforts to be conscious towards our Mother Earth. Whether it’s making an effort to recycle in your home or switching plastic straws for paper ones, being more conscious of our everyday decisions can have such a great impact on the way we function and the place we call our home.
Electric & Hybrid Vehicles
One thing we’ve all noticed is the abundance of electric or hybrid cars hitting our roads today, and it’s important to note that businesses can benefit from hopping on the bandwagon. Car manufacturers have picked up on the importance of this too; a great example is Volvo. All new Volvo models introduced from 2019 will have an electric motor, marking the end of cars that only have one internal combustion engine. That’s huge. Why is this important? Well, let us give you the full rundown.
This may be the biggest fact to point out. Using fuel-efficient vehicles such as electric, hybrid, or mild hybrids, will improve fuel economy and CO2 emissions. If that sounds confusing, think of it this way: the more fuel-efficient cars on the road, the less pollution. And trust us, we have enough pollution as it is. If businesses used these cars for company events, deliveries, etc. then they’re reducing their car footprint and encouraging cleaner, less-polluted roads.
Carpooling
Depending on where you live, carpooling can become an office tradition. If you look near colleagues and drive an electric or hybrid vehicle, why not give them a lift? Think about it; you’re encouraging fewer fuel emissions into the air, meaning that you’re contributing to promoting less pollution in your area. Your team can alternate on who gets to drive when and divide up rides into different groups every week or month. This method also works if your team has to head to any offsite meetings or events during the day. It’s a simple way to avoid having more cars on the road and helps save each other’s time.
Providing Charging Points
The US government has already agreed to invest in more car charging points across the country. As of 2017, it was reported that over 50,000 charging outlets for cars were available nationwide, and the number is only expected to increase. If companies make it a point to provide more charging points for their employees at an office’s parking structure, then it’s likely that more employees will get encouraged to go the electric or hybrid route. A full list of charging points across the country is available here, courtesy of the US Department of Energy.
Educating Yourselves
The topic of energy-saving vehicles can still be very complex and confusing, but it’s one worth learning more about. A team initiative for taking more steps to be more eco-friendly can be an educational workshop. Have an energy expert come in and talk with your team about all of the benefits of going electric or hybrid as a company. Highlighting the impacts that these vehicles can have on the environment is a great way to get started, but naturally, we’re all encouraged to make a change if we know what’s coming from it.
To learn more about Volvo and electric motors, check out the Volvo website for more information.
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How This SoCal Mom & Influencer Stays Healthy from the Inside Out
We all know how important it is to have a consistent beauty routine, while also practicing self-care. While the two can mean very different things for all of us, it’s important to take care of ourselves from the inside out. We all love massages (yes, please), baths, and some overall “me” time, but what we’re putting into our body matters too. We’ve partnered with HUM Nutrition and some of our favorite influencers in the wellness space, to chat a little bit about self-care and the importance of getting those proper nutrients. Gotta live long and strong, ladies!
Finding the right balance for anything is tough and especially so with supplements - it can take trial and error or hours of tunneling through research and reviews to figure out exactly which ones will best support you.
Luckily, HUM Nutrition, the all-natural line of mind, body and beauty supplements, takes all the time and guess work out of finding the perfect vitamin match. Just take their 3-minute online evaluation and their team of RD Nutritionists will provide you a foolproof plan of personalized recommendations with exactly what you need to deliver results now and help protect against future concerns. Their targeted and innovative formulas support everything from clear glowing skin to reduced under-eye circles, boosted energy, improved digestion, and an overall healthy body.
Below, we caught up with Andee Layne of The Honeybee to discuss how she unplugs, stays healthy, and everything in between.
Create & Cultivate: The digital world never sleeps. How do you unplug?
Andee Lane: It's really hard given that it is a crucial part of my business, but I take a mandatory day out of the week to completely unplug and focus on self-care. Whether it's a workout or pampering myself with a mask that "me time" is imperative.
C&C: While we love a good face mask, it’s important that we focus on prevention + long-term self-care vs. damage control + quick fixes. What are some ways you invest in your inner-health?
AL: Investing in your inner health is a MUST and the earlier you start, the better! I invest in my inner health by being super mindful of what I put into my body, exercising consistently and also taking vitamins religiously. HUM gummy vitamins are so tasty and effective its been easy to stay consistent– and I love the convenience of their money-saving monthly plan options.
C&C: How do you find the time to make “me” time?
AL: It's extremely difficult at this stage in life chasing after two little ones, running a business and building a new house but my motto is "do what you can when you can." It's hard but... make it happen! Carve out that hour a day to detox and take for yourself.
C&C: Walk us through your ideal self-care Sunday.
AL: My ideal self-care Sunday would start off being technology free. I'm glued to my phone and computer so shutting everything off is the first step! Spending one on one quality time with my kiddos followed by doing something active for myself (usually a workout or yoga class that I like) and ending the day with a healthy meal and some sort of beauty/pampering treatment would be the perfect self-care Sunday for me.
C&C: If you could only pick one self-care hack, what would it be and why?
AL: Honestly taking vitamins and supplements would be my top self-care hack. It's quick, easy, convenient, beneficial and takes two mins! I’m all for a good sheet mask but find vitamins go beyond the surface and provide longer-lasting results with less effort.
C&C: When you don’t have time for your normal self-care routine, what do you do to keep stress and anxiety at bay?
AL: For me exercise is key! Whenever I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed If I sneak in a quick 30-minute workout (even if it's just at home) that always helps tremendously!
C&C: Is there anyone you look to for self-care inspiration?
AL: My kids actually! I see these little guys watching everything I do so I definitely want to set a good example for them so that they know the importance of self-care!
Curious to try HUM Nutrition? Well you’re in luck! Once you’ve taken the quiz and received your recommendations C&C readers get 20% off their purchase with the promo code ‘CULTIVATE’. Get your health on with HUM, today!
This is a paid partnership with HUM Nutrition.
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How This Fitness Star & Activewear Designer Practices Self-Care
We all know how important it is to have a consistent beauty routine, while also practicing self-care. While the two can mean very different things for all of us, it’s important to take care of ourselves from the inside out. We all love massages (yes, please), baths, and some overall “me” time, but what we’re putting into our body matters too. We’ve partnered with HUM Nutrition and some of our favorite influencers in the wellness space, to chat a little bit about self-care and the importance of getting those proper nutrients. Gotta live long and strong, ladies!
Finding the right balance for anything is tough and especially so with supplements - it can take trial and error or hours of tunneling through research and reviews to figure out exactly which ones will best support you.
Luckily, HUM Nutrition, the all-natural line of mind, body and beauty supplements, takes all the time and guess work out of finding the perfect vitamin match. Just take their 3-minute online evaluation and their team of RD Nutritionists will provide you a foolproof plan of personalized recommendations with exactly what you need to deliver results now and help protect against future concerns. Their targeted and innovative formulas support everything from clear glowing skin to reduced under-eye circles, boosted energy, improved digestion, and an overall healthy body.
Below, we caught up with Katie Austin, founder of Austin Active and fitness influencer, to discuss how she unplugs, stays healthy, and everything in between.
Create & Cultivate: The digital world never sleeps. How do you unplug?
Katie Austin: In the world of social media, it’s hard to realize when is a good time to disconnect. There’s new content to be made every hour, new things to see, post, engage with, and 100 more things on top of that. First, to unplug you must do the obvious- get off social media and your emails for a bit. Yet, for me, I know even when I’m not on my phone or computer I still am thinking about everythingggg I need to do. So I’m physically “unplugged” but not mentally unplugged. For me, my unplugging comes mostly from working out. A good workout makes me not think about the outside world, or all my stress going on. It lets be at peace with my anxiety. Also, engage in REAL life conversation (not just comments), listen to your friends' situations (not just seeing their posts), asking your loved ones how they are (not just thinking they’re doing amazing bc of social media). Being present in whatever you’re doing will help you mentally unplug.
C&C: While we love a good face mask, it’s important that we focus on prevention + long-term self-care vs. damage control + quick fixes. What are some ways you invest in your inner-health?
KA: I’ve learned this recently actually because my career has always been something I LOVE so I have never seen it as a job. But lately, I’ve been overworking like crazy, and my love has not really been there. My inner health is usually damaged by my stress levels and anxiousness. The past few weeks, I realized that I am taking away the side that I love- helping and motivating others because I’ve been burning myself to the ground with work. I have come back to my priorities and realized patience is everything to growing a business. Self-talk always helps me stay positive. And realizing the quote “Rome wasn’t built in a day” may be lame but it’s SO TRUE. Quality work over quantity work. Meaning, don’t spread yourself too thin, because it will take a toll on your inner health. You CAN say no to some things, and you don’t owe anyone an explanation for it.
C&C: How do you find the time to make me-time?
KA: Actually, my “me” time isn’t what you think it would be! It's not spent alone in my room, or meditating, etc. In my me-time, I love doing anything that takes away my stress, and that would mostly be spending time with my friends, family, and doing things I love with them. Especially because I work at home and alone, I have a lotttt of that time alone haha. So to take away time from my business, and worries, my friends always make me feel so content. Find a group of girls that support you through everything, that care, and that lift you up. My loved ones help me block out all outer voices that could be tearing me down.
C&C: Walk us through your ideal self-care Sunday.
KA: I’m usually SO lazy every Sunday, and I absolutely LOVE it. I don’t put any pressure on myself to workout hard, eat that clean, or do anything productive. And this helps me unwind from a hard week, and to re-group for the hard work I’m about to do all week. For me, I need these days because I tend to overwork. To make a day for myself with no high expectations is so needed.
C&C: If you could only pick one self-care hack, what would it be and why?
KA: Definitely a workout!! Makes me feel more confident, healthy, productive, and stress- free! Another hack I love is to wake up, and for the first 20 minutes to start your day, don’t look at your phone or emails. Enjoy a cup of coffee, write down with a pen and paper what you need to accomplish that day. You won’t be bombarded with all your emails yet, and it’s a great way to prioritize.
C&C: When you don’t have time for your normal self-care routine, what do you do to keep stress and anxiety at bay?
KA: Go for a walk, and listen to great music. Music, a podcast, talking on the phone to a friend. All of those things help ease my mind.
C&C: Is there anyone you look to for self-care inspiration?
KA: My boyfriend. He is so good about taking the time out of every day to put yourself first. When he first met me, I was all over the place (I still am but have gotten a lot better!!). I’d wake up at 7 am and work until 1 a.m. Granted, I still do that sometimes, but now I have more of the mentality of, if I don’t get it done today, there’s always tomorrow! Not the end of the world! Always set aside a bit of time for yourself each day.
Curious to try HUM Nutrition? Well you’re in luck! C&C readers can receive 20% off their next purchase with the promo code ‘CULTIVATE’. Get your health on with HUM, today!
This is a paid partnership with HUM Nutrition.
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