"Confidence Comes From Knowing Your Worth" & Other Key Takeaways From Our NYC Priceless Conversations Panel

How did you turn your business idea into something priceless? At our New York conference, we partnered with Mastercard on our Priceless Conversations panel to ask five of our favorite ladies in business exactly that. Women are contributing more than $3 trillion to today’s US economy, and Mastercard is putting the spotlight on several of those incredible business owners through a new national advertising campaign that celebrates and tells the stories of women business owners who are driving impact. We at C&C are so excited to be a part of the program with our Women’s Business Advisory Council and a small business marketplace at our NYC conference.

Moderated by Cheryl Guerin, Executive Vice President of North America Marketing & Communications at Mastercard, our Priceless Conversations panel was filled with incredible advice from Kelsea Gaynor, Founder of East Olivia; Bliss Lau, Founder of Bliss Lau; Brianna "Breezy" Dotson, Co-Founder of Coco and Breezy; Piera Gelardi, Co-Founder of Refinery 29; and our own Jaclyn Johnson, Founder & CEO of Create & Cultivate.

Want to hear some insider advice from these boss ladies? Read on for some of our fave mic-drop moments from the event!

Jaclyn: You have to start saying, “This is a business, and I’m going to take it seriously.” It completely changed the trajectory of all things Create & Cultivate for me.

Piera: You do need a strategy, but it doesn’t always need to be a five-year plan. Agility and following our intuition has allowed us to deliver what our audience is looking for, work on new platforms that didn’t previously exist, and work with brands as well.

Breezy: [My sister/business partner] and I had anxiety about raising capital. As black women, we were afraid to ask for money. When we started this company, we didn’t know sh*t, and we made it work. Stepping into this new lane of asking for funding and understanding it all makes me realize, I know I’m going to figure it out.

Bliss: If there’s one thing I’ve always done, I always knew exactly down to the penny how much money I wanted to make.

Breezy: Our goal is to take away the anxiety from asking from funding and share our knowledge with everybody else. Know that you are worth it, and it’s OK to ask for money.

Kelsea: I funded my business off relationships and intuition. It was really about staying true to what the brand meant to me. My PTO days were my funding.

Piera: It’s critical to maintain majority control of your business. When you give away 80 percent of your business, you lose the ability to move your business in the direction you know it should go.

Jaclyn: If you’re going to go the self-funded route, there’s a big level of sacrifice. I didn’t pay myself for a very long time. You are the driving force; you are the one keeping an eye on cash flow, but you’re also the one who takes all the flack when things go wrong.

Breezy: Don’t be afraid to fail. Have self-awareness so that when you do fail, you know how to do better next time.

“Our goal is to take away the anxiety from asking from funding and share our knowledge with everybody else. Know that you are worth it, and it’s OK to ask for money.”

— Breezy Dotson

Jaclyn: When my business took off, my mom told me to fall in love with the business side of my company. Not only as a business owner, but as a woman, it’s really important to know your where you stand with your financial health.

Piera: I think about how I can take my strengths into areas that are less familiar for me. I had this pivotal moment where I was sitting in a meeting with all these executives and a lot of people who’d gone to business school and I remember having the most severe imposter syndrome—feeling like a kid at the adults’ table. It was really alienating for me, but I said, “you know, I’m just going to bring curiosity to it.” I would start asking clarifying questions. I thought i was going to be laughed out of the room, but what started happening is people would lean in to hear the answers and thank me afterward, because they didn’t understand it either. That’s when I realized i could take my strengths into meetings and leverage them to grow, learn, and develop all sides of myself.

Kelsea: Be unafraid to partner with people who will support you.

Breezy: It’s important to wear all hats, so when you do hire a team, you can understand all sides. That way, you can be a leader who can delegate well, so you can focus on the bigger picture.

Kelsea: Confidence comes from knowing your worth. When you get turned down, you’ll know it’s not because of you, but because it’s not a good fit.

Breezy: If you don’t know something, ask. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to be your mentor.

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We Asked 15 NYC Attendees What They're Cheersing to This Summer

This post is in paid partnership with Ketel One Botanical.

If you’re anything like us, you love celebrating the wins of other women. That’s why we teamed up with Ketel One Botanical to find out what our C&C family is “cheersing” to this summer! We polled our community and are so impressed by what you’re planning this season—from business anniversary celebrations to new ventures, exciting travel plans to pursuing new opportunities.

We’re raising a glass to each and every one of you this summer! Join us in cheersing our C&C community with a glass of Botanical Spritz. It’s sugar-free and the perfect way to kick off your happy hour—scroll down for the recipe!

🍹 WHAT ARE YOU CHEERSING TO THIS SUMMER? 🍹

“I’m cheersing to finally decreasing my work hours at my full-time job so I can ramp up my hours for my side hustle blog!” - Diane

“I’m looking forward to squeezing in some R&R around my day job and planning the next half of the year.” - Kate

“Traveling and finding new spots to collection inspiration!” - Brandi

“I’m looking forward to working with my first client.” - Moliehi

“I’m working on a lifestyle reset as a rediscovery of myself.” - S. Angelique

“I’m so excited to be almost done with my rebrand that will launch this summer!” - Harmony

“I’m excited to launch my startup and get my name out there!” - Michelle

“A week-long vacation in Canada. First time I’ll be able to unplug in months!” - Tory

“Finding a new role where I can feel invigorated and ready to take the next step in my professional journey.” - Amberli

“Streamlining and automating most of my process—I am starting finally have a legit design process that is great for myself and my clients!” - Ally

“Getting to feature my designs at a local popup!” - Kait

“Working on a script for a web series and starting a blog!” - Deme

“I’m excited to travel to Spain for the first time!” - Heldine

“Getting traction and press for my company!” - Michelle

“Celebrating our second business anniversary!” - Gina

KETEL ONE BOTANICAL SPRITZ

1.5oz Ketel One Botanical

3oz club soda

Fruit or herb garnish

Combine in a wine glass over ice and enjoy!



This post is sponsored by Ketel One Botanical. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. 

KETEL ONE BOTANICAL.  Made With Vodka Distilled With Real Botanicals And Infused With Natural Flavors.  30% Alc/Vol. © Double Eagle Brands, B.V.  Imported by Ketel One USA, Aliso Viejo, CA.

Ketel One Botanical is a first-of-its kind spirit made from vodka distilled with real botanicals and infused with natural fruit and botanical essences. Made with 100% non-GMO grain, this 30% ABV spirit is an exceptionally smooth, fresh-tasting drink with no carbs, no artificial flavors, no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners. Ketel One Botanical is available nationwide in three varietals: Peach & Orange Blossom, Cucumber & Mint, and Grapefruit & Rose. For more information please visit www.ketelonebotanical.com.

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C&C Classifieds: Vestique, Something Social, J Public Relations, & More!

OK ladies, now let’s get your career in formation.

Vestique- Charlotte, NC

Graphic Designer

Something Social - Los Angeles

Account Coordinator

J Public Relations - Multiple

Future Hire - Social Opportunities

Future Hire - PR Opportunities

Kendra Scott - Austin

Technical Designer

Director Design Intent

Thinkful - Remote

Social Media Manager

Ticketmaster - Los Angeles

Senior UX Product Designer

Live Nation Entertainment - Atlanta

Production Runner

22Squared - Atlanta

Influencer Marketing Associate

American Heart Association - Dallas

Associate Digital Marketing Manager

Sony Music - NYC

Marketing Coordinator

Director of Urban Marketing

Styleseat - San Francisco

Head of Production Design

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Slow Stories: Slow and Steady: How Sustainable Relationships Lead to Quality Content

The more experience I've gained throughout my career, the more I'm continually reminded that all good things take time. And as I look back at how my company has evolved as a whole, I attribute its success to our ability to remain committed to a singular vision — and with the acknowledgment that it takes a village to keep the wheels turning. Since launching Slow Stories in October 2018 (and subsequently, this column earlier in the year), I've outlined the many ways to approach slow content and storytelling in your own endeavors. And whether you run a small business, manage a large team, or embrace a "solopreneur" venture, cultivating sustainable relationships is an essential part of building brands and telling stories with real longevity. Enter my latest article.

Even with the accessibility of technology, communication tools, and social media platforms, we're constantly faced with the challenge of fostering substantive relationships both in our personal and professional lives. That is in part, why slow movements in industries like fashion, food, and business have started to pave the way for conversations about the importance of simplifying in the digital age so that we can create more space to focus on the people in our lives just as much as the products that we're selling. This idea has been especially prevalent in this season of the podcast:

1. Transparent communication ensures long-term success.

Many of my interviews so far have touched on the importance of finding the courage to facilitate harder conversations with higher-level decision-makers, managers or clients. While this can sometimes lead to discomfort, it's something to work through so that you can create the best (and most honest) work long-term. 

2. Checking in with your people matters.

With the above point in mind, a lot of the women I've been speaking with this season bring up the important matter of checking in with your internal team specifically. Providing the opportunity for everyone to pause and weigh in on certain initiatives is a way to hold one another accountable to your company's overarching brand mission, and in turn, make sure it's amplified consistently and thoughtfully across channels. 

3. Use online as a vehicle to build offline relationships.

While it may seem like a no-brainer, these interviews have also reinforced the idea that digital platforms and storytelling should be a driver for offline relationship-building. As professionals in content and marketing, it's essential to spend time away from our devices and create an environment for discovery and connection that might not be possible digitally, but in turn, can inspire compelling storytelling online.

With all of this in mind, and in the case of this column, when it comes to creating compelling content, there needs to be a level of trust. So much of the successful storytelling we see online and on social media is a result of collaboration and shared expertise — but this is something that takes a level of focus and commitment to establish. Below are a few steps to consider when creating healthy and lasting professional relationships:

1. Human relationships = humanized content.

Tactically speaking, building relationships in a professional setting may be a strategic move, but it is key to balance your work-related aspirations and ensure that you are respectful of the other person's talents and needs. When looking to create big-picture relationships, make sure to come from a place of authenticity, which can ultimately lead to discovering shared experiences that can make your content and storytelling that much more relatable. 

2. Build your network, but nurture older relationships, too.

While we're taught to attend as many events or engage in as many networking opportunities as possible, it's critical to consider the idea of "quality versus quantity" and be selective about how you spend your time — and who you spend your time with. In the content and marketing space, having a robust roster of people to call upon is vital as this industry is dependent on fresh perspectives, unique skill-sets, and diverse thinking. And while I'm all for meeting new collaborators, clients, and friends, it's important to also keep in touch with older peers. You never know when there might be a project opportunity that you can reconnect over.

3. Establish communication workflows and set boundaries accordingly.

As the owner of a service-based business, creating and fostering long-term relationships is a two-fold approach: client-facing and internally with my team. This in itself can be a lot to manage as a small business owner and can sometimes lead to certain relationships taking priority over others. However, as my network and client roster have both grown in tandem with one another, I've learned that the best way to attend to everyone appropriately means that it's essential to set expectations and boundaries accordingly and based on the communication needs of the particular individual. Doing this will provide a baseline understanding of what your team and/or clients can expect from you regarding how you communicate and what means you use to stay in touch. If you're able to establish these guidelines, this will ensure proper communication channels so that all involved parties can remain in touch and see a project through — content or not — to its fullest potential. 

The art of relationship building is in a constant state of evolution as we work to keep up with the changing expectations of the modern workplace. And coupling this idea with the changes we see in content and brand-building, it's never been a better time to find your tribe and work together to tell stories with impact! For more on slow content and brand-building I invite you to deep-dive into past articles in our column, and of course, follow along with the Slow Stories podcast on iTunes.

Rachel Schwartzmann is the Founder and CEO of The Style Line LLC. She created The Style Line in late January 2011 via Tumblr and has fostered The Style Line’s brand in its growth since then. Rachel has been featured in esteemed sources including Forbes, Refinery29, and MyDomaine and has also spoken at Create & Cultivate and Columbia University on establishing a unique brand point of view and entrepreneurship. On October 1, 2015, Rachel took The Style Line in a new direction as a boutique content company with the introduction of its slow content agency CONNECT(ED)ITORIAL.

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How to Build a Successful Corporate Career After Years As a Stay-at-Home Mom

The summer after my oldest daughter’s freshman year of high school, I had a mini identity crisis when I suddenly realized my kids weren’t going to need me forever. I’d been a stay-at-home mom for 15 years and had no idea what I wanted to do or even could do. For years I had been fully focused on my kids, and my former life as an ad agency copywriter and freelance writer were distant memories. “You need to get it together,” I told myself. And I did, landing a writing position at a Fortune 100 company (Target!) – with just a handful of current writing samples, no idea how to use Outlook, and almost no experience interviewing. Getting the job felt like a freaking miracle, and entering corporate America for the first time at age 43 (!!)  was both daunting and empowering.

But I did it, and you can too. Here are a few tips.

Get some experience - it’s not as hard as you think

I hadn’t worked in years, so before I started applying for jobs, I did some freelance writing for our local newspaper. It happened almost by accident: I had an idea for a story and emailed the editor. She liked the idea and suggested I write and submit it. I did, they published it, and that led to many more writing assignments. Without those published articles, I’m not sure I would have been considered for any jobs, since my other published writing samples were ancient. If you’re in the same boat, try getting current experience however you can. It doesn’t matter how small the project or organization. You don’t have to get paid for it. Just get out there and do something in the area you’re looking to get back into. Try volunteering your time at your kids’ school or reaching out to small companies or nonprofit organizations and offer to help them out. You’d be surprised by how many will say yes. (I recently did this myself - I reached out to a nonprofit organization in Seattle that really touched my heart, and I’ve been working with them doing pro bono writing for the past few months.)

Get your family on board

Going back to work will impact your whole family. Make sure they’re fully on board because it’s going to be a big adjustment and will mean more work for them. A friend with an intense career who has three kids told me that her husband, a professor, does more than 50 percent of the work when it comes to taking care of the kids and the house – and that for them, this division of labor was the only way to manage their crazy schedule. I shared this with my husband and made sure he was up for it. (He was, and his awesome support made the transition much smoother for all of us.)

Get the inside scoop from friends and connections

A friend of mine worked at Target headquarters, so before I applied for the job I reached out to her and asked a million questions. She helped prep me for my interviews by explaining how the company was structured and what the company’s culture was like. She also gave me advice on what to wear. (Three separate days of interviews meant three interview outfits! Stressful!)

If you know someone at a company you’re interested in, reach out to them and offer to take them to coffee or lunch. They can provide valuable insight and will likely be very happy to do so. Have good questions ready and be respectful of their time.

Give it six months

I was very nervous about the thought of working full time and how it might impact my three daughters. I was also afraid it might turn out to be a huge mistake. The same friend who told me to make sure my husband was on board also gave me a piece of advice that saved me. “Give it six months,” she said. That’s enough time to get over the hump and truly assess if it’s right for you. And if it’s not, you can leave. Six months felt very doable. Knowing it didn’t have to be permanent if it truly wasn’t right gave me the freedom to move forward.

Be realistic

The job I applied for and landed was a perfect fit for me, but it was also at a lower level than most people my age. And it was fine. Since starting that first job seven years ago, I have switched companies, been promoted several times, and doubled my initial salary.

Ask for help and Google like crazy

If you’ve been out of the workforce for any amount of time, you’re going to have a learning curve. An embarrassing example for me was when my boss asked me to pull together a best practices document for a project I was working on. I literally did not know what a best practices document was. But I googled it, figured it out, and got it done. Sometimes asking for help or asking questions is the right approach. And sometimes you just need to figure it out yourself.

Nancy Brandt is a Twin Cities copywriter and editor who spent years in corporate communications at both Target and 3M. She now spends her days writing, editing, brainstorming, and collaborating with companies of all sizes. She also helps high school students find their voice when writing their college application essays and does pro bono work for several nonprofits. Find Nancy at NancyBWriting.com or follow her on Instagram.

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Desk-Side: This YouTuber Shares How She Stays Motivated Through Challenging Times

If you’ve been on YouTube in the last five years, you’ve probably already heard of Dani Austin. The vlogger/blogger has been on the content creation scene for years, and she’s got this thing down to a science. But between running her channel, writing for her blog, and crafting the perfect Instagram post, Dani doesn’t have a lot of down time. That’s why we partnered with Glade® Essentials Room Mist to find out what keeps her going strong—and how she gets it all done in her gorgeous Dallas home! Read on to get to know Dani.

Q: How long have you lived in Texas?

A: I have lived in Dallas my entire life, and my favorite things about living here are the people and the margaritas!

Q: What’s your morning routine?

A: I wake up, cuddle the dogs, go for a run, and do my devotional.

Q: How do you set the tone for a great day at work?

A: The Glade® Essentials Room Mist in Mandarin & Mimosa makes me happy—because nothing is more powerful than smell!

Q: What are you looking forward to most this year?

A: One of the projects I’m most excited about is working on the Sassy Club tour! The Sassy Club is an app that I’ve created to help women connect all over the country.

Q: Who inspires you most?

A: My grandma, who is 92 years old, inspires me most. That chick can still drive a car and she has the best style!

Q: What’s a fun fact about you?

A: I have an extra rib!

Q: How do you stay motivated through challenging times at work?

A: When I hit a hurdle in a project in my career, I blast Taylor Swift and give myself a pep talk.

See Dani’s full interview here:

This post is sponsored by Glade.

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How to Fire Someone (Without Getting Sued)

On paper, it looked like the perfect fit. The applicant had all the experience you wanted, an engaging interview, and proficiency in three languages. But a few months (or years!) into the job, and you just aren’t feeling it anymore. That’s usually the time I get a call from the entrepreneurs I work with saying, “It’s just not the right fit. Can we fire them?”

Of course you can. But…how to do it and what the risk level is depends on the individual facts. Here’s the process I walk through with clients contemplating a termination:

Is termination fair? Does the employee know that their performance or conduct isn’t up to par? If they have violated a company policy, is the policy in writing, and has the rule been enforced equally?

Does the employee have any potential legal claims? Have they been paid properly, given mandatory meal breaks or overtime?

Consider the timing. Has the employee recently complained about working conditions or pay? Has the employee taken sick leave or had any medical issues? You want to be careful that the timing doesn’t seem retaliatory for any complaint or protected time off.

Once you’ve decided to move forward, you have to prepare for that difficult termination meeting. I can offer some pointers to hopefully make a tough transition a bit less painful:

Don’t wait.

There’s never the perfect time, and there’s always an excuse not to do it today. There’s no best day of the week or time of day that makes it easier, but waiting to notify the employees comes with the potential risk that they get injured at work, diagnosed with an illness, or even get pregnant, making the termination timing seem retaliatory.  If you must wait to conduct the termination, document your decision internally and the reason that you are waiting. Perhaps draft an email to your business partner saying, “I agree we need to terminate Sally because of the performance issues we discussed. Let’s plan to do this next Tuesday when you are back from vacation.” That way, if something comes up before the termination date, you have some protection against a retaliation or discrimination claim.

Identify the best way to communicate.  

Make every attempt to do it in person rather than by phone or Skype.  Have a company witness present. Give the employee a chance to respond or tell their side of the story, even if it can’t change the outcome. Tell the truth about the reason for termination; don’t make it a fake layoff if you are replacing the position. Whatever you say can be used to discredit you in the event an employee does pursue legal action.

Consider any security issues.

This includes employee security, data and technology resources, and confidential company information. Be sure you have electronic access to everything you need for business continuity purposes, get any confidential material before the employee leaves the premises, and if you think the employee is prone to violence, hire security to assist.

Have the paperwork ready.

Some states, including California, require that employees be paid at the time of termination, so check the state in which your employee is located to make sure you are issuing final pay properly (including accrued but unused PTO if required by law or your policy). Also check on any state-mandated termination documents or letters that you need to give a terminating employee.  You may also want to consider whether offering severance pay in exchange for a release of legal claims makes sense. It’s usually cheaper than resolving a claim on the back-end, and if you are seeking capital, it’s helpful for potential investors to know the company has cleaned up any potential employment liabilities. Check with an attorney who can assist in preparing all termination documents.  The dollars spent up front are far less than those spent to resolve a claim on the back-end.

Communicate to the rest of the staff.

While you need to be mindful of employee privacy, you can’t really ignore the fact that they just watched a coworker pack up their desk or just received a text from. Address employee morale with empathy and a plan for moving forward, e.g. “I know Sally was an important part of the team, and we have already taken steps to find someone with XXX experience who we think will be a better match for the upcoming team projects.”

Sahara Pynes is an attorney at Fox Rothschild LLP whose practices focus almost exclusively on minimizing liability against lawsuits through preventative counseling on a range of employment issues.  She works directly with business owners and their management teams to enhance company culture and provide practical strategies to manage human resources and risks. Sahara was named one of Angeleno Magazine’s Most Dynamic Women of 2018.  If you’re a business owner who doesn’t know what forms to give a new hire, how to properly classify and pay employees/contractors, or just wants to button up their HR issues, reach out to Sahara at SPynes@Foxrothschild.com to see if she can help.

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How This Production Company Founder Is Sharing Authentic Stories in Hollywood

Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch didn’t always know she wanted to be in television. But after interning for a local talk show, she knew it was her calling. Fast-forward to today, and Stephanie is the president and co-founder of 44 Blue Productions, an award-winning production company leading the field in unscripted and non-fiction TV with shows like Wahlburgers and Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry.

Read on to hear how Stephanie moved up in Hollywood, her advice for women looking to work in television, and how she stays confident in a male-dominated industry.

Describe your career journey. How did you get to the position you’re at now?   

My mom went to Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, was a voracious reader and talented writer, and inspired my love for magazines—between that and my infatuation with Mary Richards on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, I became a magazine journalism major at U of Oregon.  

After interning through the Magazine Publishers Association one summer, I got an internship at the daily live talk show on the local ABC affiliate in Portland, Oregon, and that began my love affair with live television! I went from production assistant (my duties ranged from warming up the audience to running the teleprompter and gathering props for the weekly household hints segment) at KATU to associate producer at WPVI’s AM PHILADELPHIA to Executive Producer at WCAU, the CBS Owned and Operated station then in Philadelphia.  I was their youngest EP at the time, doing a live daily issue-and-entertainment based talk show. Lots of decisions every day in the control room!

I then joined Telepictures in Los Angeles as a producer of a daily news magazine, then KRON in San Francisco to EP their live daily show. At that point my now-husband and I had started our own production company with the dream of producing our own shows. We lived in the Bay Area, and he was running it while I had the steady paycheck. I got offered a job as a studio executive at Disney in LA, so we decided to jump on it as an opportunity to move our fledgling company back to LA where we could return to the center of the entertainment industry.  That led to a 13-year career as a studio exec, where I went from Director of Development at the Disney division that launched REGIS & KATHIE LEE (now LIVE WITH KELLY & RYAN), then moved to Vice President of Development at Group W Productions, Executive Vice President of Development at UK indie Pearson Television (now Fremantle), back to Disney as Senior Vice President of Development (we launched WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE during that period) and finally, Senior Vice President of Development at Warner Bros./Telepictures (we launched THE BACHELOR and ELLEN while I was there).  After surviving five studio jobs and working for a new boss nearly every three years, my husband convinced me to jump out of the crazy studio world and return to 44 Blue in 2003. I’ve been with our company ever since!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?  

My dad taught me to go for it and “always leave it all on the field.” Never wonder “what if I’d only….?”  My favorite advice to give to others: “You can’t win if you don’t play.” Which is just another way of saying you don’t get something unless you ask, so be fearless about reaching out, introducing yourself, asking for what you need—whatever form it takes.  My other favorites: Everything leads to something. On time is late and early is on time. Always send a thank-you note.  

What moment in your career are you most proud of?

Besides the sale of our company to Red Arrow Studios after three decades of hard work and wondering if we’d make payroll on Fridays, it would be our series MARRIED TO THE ARMY: ALASKA.  As an Army brat whose mom raised three kids during the turbulence of the Vietnam War era, I was determined to tell the real-life stories of what military families were going through during the height of the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It took five years of trying to get access from the Department of Defense, but we finally got the “yes” to allow us to embed in the lives of real-life Army wives at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, ironically where my parents met.  That led to our Gracie Award-winning MARRIED TO THE ARMY: ALASKA for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network in 2012.

What do you love most about working in unscripted and nonfiction television?

It’s introduced me to so many people from all walks of life, from around the country and the world—from Army wives in Alaska to content creators in India—it’s allowed me to tell stories of people and places whose stories have not been told.  It’s such a rewarding genre because you are meeting the real people who are living real lives—not fictionalized where everything wraps up neatly in an hour because you can write it that way. When we tell the stories of real people, we become part of their lives. We are thankful that they trust us with their stories and invite us in.  I treasure the relationships and the people I’ve been able to meet over the past three decades!

What advice do you have for women looking to become showrunners?  

If you want to become a showrunner, you have to put yourself out there, say you want it, but also be willing to fail and accept responsibility for your mistakes and when you could’ve done better. You have to be willing to learn every day, from every show and every interaction. Each series is different and teaches you something new.  It’s important to realize that showrunning is not just about being creative or being a visionary storyteller. It also takes strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills. Be open to new ideas and points of view. Read everything you can about how to inspire and lead. It will show on the screen!

44 Blue is about to head into its 35th year, how does your company and its content stay relevant and fresh after all these years?  

Great question! We always try to look around us, as well as down the road as far as we can and ask ourselves what else we could be doing to push ourselves to try new things, explore new worlds, teach ourselves new skillsets. For example, last year we did our first SnapChat projects and brand commercials,  and this year we’ve launched a podcast initiative and are doing short-form series for IMDB. We can’t be afraid to try new things that test our creative chops and business models.

How do you speak up and have confidence when in an industry that’s so male-dominated?  

I’ve never been asked that—I guess I’ve never been intimidated by speaking up, and I’ve made sure to always push myself to speak up—maybe because I grew up as a military kid and my parents always encouraged me to speak up?  But that said, I do still remember at one job not wanting to be taller than my boss (I’m 5’9”) and so I never wore heels. I guess I didn’t want him to feel intimated by me. Then one day I was like “forget that!” I should be able to be as tall as I want—who cares if he’s intimidated!  And out came the heels haha! Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In book is an insightful read into what we sometimes do to unintentionally hold ourselves back.

What’s next for you and 44 Blue?

I can hardly wait to see - we have an amazing team of people that inspire me every day when I walk in. Our new series Jailbirds just debuted on Netflix on May 10, our tenth and final season of Wahlburgers is currently airing on A&E, and we’re working on a new series with FOX called First Responders Live that premieres in June. We have a few more projects coming out this year - both on linear and some new initiatives in the digital space - that I can’t say too much about at the moment, but we’re incredibly excited. That’s why I love this business. Things change by the minute—the sky’s the limit!  

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C&C Classifieds: Twelve NYC, Telia Agency, Hourglass Cosmetics, & More!

Need a new job? Look no further—we’ve rounded up the best openings of the week for you!

Twelve NYC - Brooklyn, NY

Assistant, Design + Development

Telia Agency - Tampa, FL

SEO Strategist

Hourglass Cosmetics - Venice, CA

Project Manager

Sr. Manager, Social Media

Sling & Stone  - Los Angeles, CA

PR Account Supervisor – Startups

PR Senior Account Executive

Soda Pop Public Relations - Los Angeles, CA

Media Relations Specialist

ID Group - West Hollywood, CA

Assistant Architect/ Designer/ Hospitality Manager

Hospitality Marketing Assistant

The Media Grind - Pacific Palisades, CA

Social Media Manager

PersonalizationMall.com  - Burr Ridge, IL

Digital Paid Search Manager  

Merchandise Buyer - Life Stages

The Dallas Girl Gang Team - Dallas, TX

Summer Intern

HarperCollins Publishers - San Francisco, CA

Marketing Manager

Volvo - Rockleigh, NJ

Senior Specialist, Brand Marketing

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How Living Abroad Changed My View On “Being Busy”

We’re constantly connected. We use how little space our calendars have as bragging rights and idolize that “we’re just so busy” that girls’ night has to be put off for another two weeks.

Our society glorifies being busy. The hustle. The infamous “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mentality.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but always being busy is not sustainable or admirable.

Society has been set up to make us believe that going 100 miles an hour is what’s needed to be successful. More often than not, working until 10pm every day is what leads to burnout, breakdowns, and mental health issues that we justify and normalize.

Luckily, there’s a shift happening. When you see women like Arianna Huffington talking about the importance of sleep or the fact that the global wellness industry is worth 4.2 trillion dollars, we realize that there has to be another way.

“While everything looked great on paper, I was working too much between my day job and side business and not taking time for myself. Of course, I justified it, thinking it was normal until something changed. ”

In my case, it took having a major breakdown while I was living in New York working the “perfect job” right out of college. While everything looked great on paper, I was working too much between my day job and side business and not taking time for myself. Of course, I justified it, thinking it was normal until something changed.

It wasn’t until I had moved to Spain, did I truly unlearn what makes a good life. Here are three mindset shifts you can use to stop glorifying being busy and start truly living the life you were meant to live.

Find inspiration in the slow moments

When was the last time you did nothing and didn’t feel guilty about it?

Stepping back and proactively scheduling time to disconnect leads to personal and professional growth. When we slow down and unplug, we’re able to tap into a creative state of mind, a flow state, that allows for us to find inspiration.

In Spain, you learn how to slow down whether you want to or not. People walk slower, bureaucracy takes longer, stores are closed midday. Once I learned to embrace that, I realized that taking time to just be brings joy that later overflows into the work I do.

Making space for things that bring joy like walking in nature, listening to your favorite podcast, or taking time to eat and actually enjoy it can bring about new ideas and thought processes that you may not have if you’re always thinking about the next email you have to send.

Work smarter, not harder

Most of us believe that we’re supposed to work long days and longer nights until we hit financial freedom and retire early. If you’re a part of the Create and Cultivate collective, odds are you’re a bit more intentional and don’t want that to be your narrative.

Working is a given, but we can change the way we work. Living on the Mediterranean coast, I’ve found that when you’re inspired by your surroundings and all that you do, you learn to be more intentional with the way you work.

Think about a normal day and ask yourself how much time do you actually spend getting quality work done. Most of the time, we don’t need to be behind our computers for 10 hours a day, but we can get it all done in six hours instead.

Enter Parkinson’s law: “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” Try cutting down a couple of hours in the day and be more intentional with what tasks are necessary for growth, and you’ll find that you have more time to make space for what really matters. Tools like Toggl are great for tracking how you actually spend your time in the work day so you can see how much time you really need to get it all done and make space for living as well.

“Try cutting down a couple of hours in the day and be more intentional with what tasks are necessary for growth, and you’ll find that you have more time to make space for what really matters. ”

Schedule weekly “you time” during the week

Some people laugh at Spanish culture for embracing things like the siesta or tomando algo during the middle of the week, but there is a method to the madness.

Spain was just named the healthiest country in the world (while the US camein at #35). Many countries in Europe embrace taking time off, while Americans leave 169 million vacation days on the table each year. It has a lot to do with the mentality of what it means to take “time off” and how that will impact our lives and view of success.

One of the best ways to make sure you’re going a sustainable pace is by not waiting for your 5 days of vacation twice a year to take time for yourself. Scheduling a bit of “you time” during the week allows you to put less emphasis on the weekend and start thinking of each day as an opportunity to work efficiently, live well, and take time for self-care.

Our joy shouldn’t be confined to mimosa brunches on the weekend, but instead to start taking into account that each day has the potential to be well-rounded, spacious, and filled with what truly matters.

Unlearning what we’ve been taught for years can sometimes be difficult, especially when being busy and working hard is so normalized in our culture. While it took me a few years living abroad to truly redesign my life and start living at a sustainable pace, I was able to better understand that the more balanced your life is, the more productive, efficient, and intentional you can become.

Sienna Brown is an entrepreneur and expat thriving on the coast of Spain. Her mission is to teach others how build a life that they love. She’s the founder of Las Morenas de Espana, a platform teaching women of color how to move abroad and thrive. She also leads business development at Sun and Co., one of the leading coliving spaces in Europe. Follow her on Instagram @siempregirando and reach out sienna@siempregirando.com

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Pro Tip: 5 Ways Women Can Navigate Male-Dominated Workspaces

For years, pundits have outlined the need to incorporate more diverse voices in traditionally male-dominated industries. Fields such as technology, medicine, and business leadership have struggled to recruit and retain women on their staff.

This gap exists for a number of reasons, but one of them, research has shown, exists because of the environment in which women are required to work. Women often report feeling as though they are operating in an environment that feels like a "good ol' boys club," that their opinions are not respected among male peers, and that they cannot maintain an appropriate work-life balance. Additionally, many of them deal with workplace harassment.

This lack of diversity has had extreme consequences on those industries:

• Certain AI technologies have proven to have racist and sexist tendencies.

• Clinical trials run by male medical staff often don’t include female patients, causing a number of negative health effects for female patients.

• Companies across every industry that don’t have women on staff have proven to be less profitable.

Many male-dominated workplaces make it uncomfortable, if not impossible, for women to have long and fulfilling careers in the fields that desperately need their fresh approach, problem-solving abilities, and unique life experience.

While it’s not women’s responsibility to change a toxic workplace culture on their own, there are ways, from within and outside of management, that women can navigate these spaces and have fulfilling and rewarding careers in the long run.

Seek Out Other Women in Your Field for Support

This can help you create a support network. These women can be in your general industry, women in leadership roles within the company you work for, or other women who also work in male-dominated fields.

In a recent profile of tech giant Microsoft published by the Seattle Times, one woman noted a feeling of isolation in her position, stating “I am surrounded by men and only men in most of my meetings.” It’s this sense of isolation that can make maintaining a position in a male-dominated industry so difficult.

One solution to that problem is to actively seek out people like you who share some of your experiences. In the tech industry especially, mentorship and sponsorship are key to keeping women in these integral positions. Research shows that having a powerful female role model in a leadership position will help other women in the company feel more comfortable with the idea that they, too, can attain a leadership role within the company.

Advocate for a Better Work-Life Balance

Another reason many women struggle in male-dominated spaces is due to a culture of overwork. This is especially true for working mothers. In a number of male-dominated industries, it is common that people work overtime and after hours.

“Corporate culture is often less accessible to women for very clear historical reasons,” Liz Elting writes for Forbes. “The modern workplace was built around the assumption of a nuclear family with a working father and a stay-at-home mom, and for as much as our society has changed, that model is still assumed in workplaces across America. The result is a culture that excludes all but a specific type of employee and isn’t actually good for anyone.”

With working mothers also having the so-called “second shift” of coming home and taking care of children, no one benefits from improper work-life balance. The woman suffers from being overworked and burnt out; her children suffer from not having her full attention and energy; and co-workers suffer from decreased output and an overreliance on them to pick up the slack.

Women who work for small businesses should be especially careful to recognize signs of being overworked, as employees in small businesses are particularly prone to burnout. With fewer employees often working harder to make the business successful, combined with not having enough time to manage home life, a woman can very easily spiral into an unhealthy work-life balance.

Advocate for Yourself and Reclaim Your Space

As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said, “We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man.”

Part of this can also be imposter syndrome, where the woman does not feel she is worth her accomplishments and feels like a fraud in her industry. It’s not uncommon even among high-achieving women.

Again, strong female role models can help in this regard. They can help women feel they will not fail and were hired for a reason. A lack of role models can diminish confidence, which in turn can foster imposter syndrome.

Part of being successful in the workplace is to unlearn tendencies to shrink yourself and reclaim the space that is rightfully yours. Part of combating imposter syndrome is breaking the cycle of needing to achieve to feel accepted by the company or vice versa.

While this can be off-putting to some, it’s an idea that can make or break you in male-dominated spaces.

Take Advantage of Available Opportunities to Move Up

Women are statistically less likely to apply for positions if they feel underqualified for the position. In fact, a recent Harvard Business Review Study indicates that women refuse to apply for positions unless they’re 100 percent qualified.

Despite not feeling qualified, women should take advantage of every opportunity available to them. Perfection is not necessary; having skills is. It can’t hurt to apply, after all, and should you obtain the position, other women may see that it is possible to advance, bolstering the entire workforce of women in the company.

Ask for Constructive Feedback Early and Often

Without feedback, it can be harder to improve your performance. Studies show that women are statistically less likely to receive feedback from their managers and superiors, meaning they’re more likely to be passed over for promotions.

By asking for feedback early and often, women can find out the exact requirements and expectations of the job they currently have. They also can have a better idea of what it will take to move forward in the companies that they’re in.

Women face an uphill battle in the workplace, especially in male-dominated industries. While it’s hard to fight imposter syndrome, it’s possible to find a support group of other women, especially those already in leadership roles. It’s also vital that you be an advocate for yourself when it comes to maintaining a healthy work-life balance in order to avoid burning out. Solicit feedback and use it to better yourself. Apply for better positions in the company. While you may not think you are qualified, it can’t hurt — and you might be surprised to find you have the skills necessary. From that leadership position, you can help other women, having proved you are right for the job.

Jori Hamilton is a writer from the pacific northwest. You can follow her work on twitter @hamiltonjori or her Contently.

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Five Ways To Embrace Digital Minimalism At Work

We live in a digital society where everything is interconnected, so it’s not possible to completely step away from your computer or phone at work. But there are ways to create a more balanced relationship with technology.

In Cal Newport’s new book, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World, he discusses how to figure out what digital communication tools (and behaviors surrounding them) add the most value to your life. In other words, he talks about how to create balance between digital and physical reality. Balance technically means even distribution; however, a work life balance means something different for everyone.

It’s easy to get swept up in work and feel like you always have to be “on.” Answer your emails quickly, work late, arrive early. It can seem like everything is coming at you a mile a minute, but the key to successfully navigating your career is creating a lifestyle that works for you. Here are five ways to embrace digital minimalism to help keep tech from impacting your life and mental health.

Make a habit of being proactive with your projects

One of the best ways to help minimize your time in a crazed digital state is to make a habit of being proactive with your projects. Instead of procrastinating and waiting until the last minute to crank out a big report, work on it piece by piece. Write part of it, then step away. Being proactive with your projects allows you to progress at an attainable pace, look at the project with fresh eyes, and maintain a healthy relationship with it so you don’t dread working on it.

If you know that you have a given deadline, start preparing for it a few weeks in advance. Look at the list of what needs to be accomplished and start putting things into place piece by piece. Is there an outline you can put together or an extra memo you can write now so you don’t have to do everything at the last minute?

Automate

The saying “work smarter, not harder” is around for a reason. We live in an era where we can automate some areas of business, and it won’t make any difference. Social media posting and email marketing are simple and easy places you can automate to save you time and brainpower.

Do you send out a weekly newsletter? Do you follow up with clients periodically? Make a list of what needs to get done each week and keep it on hand. This way you can check off various items and make sure that each task gets accomplished on time in an organized manner. If you know that something needs to be done weekly, you’re more likely to stick to a schedule and be consistent with your work.

Once you have the content, you can automate the communication plan so it sends without a second thought. By doing this, you are ensuring consistency and giving your clients the same services without having to physically be present for it. Some great tools include Hootsuite and MailChimp to schedule articles on social media and send out weekly newsletters. Another great tool is Meet Edgar. This automates how you promote your business and content on social media, and uses previous articles so that you can recycle content in order to ensure that it doesn’t get lost in the black hole that is the internet.

By putting in a bit of time to automate your communication and social media efforts, you can move away from the constant ties to digital media, save time, and put your mind to better use.

Clearly communicate that you’ll be out of office

An essential part of embracing digital minimalism is to actually take time away from the office. When you take time for yourself, it’s essential to clearly communicate that you will be out. Tell your peers and clients ahead of time when you will be unavailable so there’s no confusion, and make sure that this is marked and communicated in several locations.

People may still try to contact you, so it’s important to understand that as long as you’ve labeled and communicated your out of office status, there’s nothing more you can do.

A good rule of thumb is to put an away message on your email, record a voicemail which clearly states that you’re out along with your return date, and if you have a website, you can mark your business as “closed” for a specific time period. Most people will completely understand and even commend you for taking time away from work as long as you clearly communicate that you’re unavailable. The biggest issues arise when someone is trying to contact you because they are unaware that you’re not available. If you don’t clearly communicate your out of office status, someone may feel as though you’re ignoring or ghosting them which is never good.

Do something you love every day

Part of clearing away low-value digital noise is about being present and finding ways to improve your life. Discover something that you love and do it every day. This could be as small as walking your dog, cooking a healthy meal, or doing yoga. The point is to treat yourself and do something that makes you happy on a daily basis.

Work can be stressful and overwhelming, so getting out of your head and doing something you truly enjoy is hugely beneficial. It’s backed by science! Studies show that happiness leads to an approximate 12% spike in productivity.

Remember that most things won’t make or break you

In a society where we are completely plugged in and see every email come through, it’s easy to feel like we have to do everything right now and that every move we make is life altering. It’s not.

If you find yourself feeling like every move you make is critical, take a step back and think about five years ago. I know, it sounds weird, but just stick with me for a minute. Do you remember all the little things you were stressed out about five years ago? Do they matter anymore? Did they even make a difference? Probably not.

A good way to put things into perspective is to think about whether or not this will matter five years from now. If it’s something trivial, don’t stress about it. We tend to build things up in our head and make ourselves feel like everything is more important than it actually is. All you can do is be the best version of yourself, do the best you can, and accept that no one is perfect.

It can feel impossible to unplug and leave work at work but doing so is extremely important.

A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your resume, style, and boost your confidence.

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How This Physicist Is Challenging the Birth Control Industry

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Elina Berglund isn’t your typical company cofounder. Originally a particle physicist, Elina was unimpressed with the birth control options offered to women, so she went about creating her own. Today, she is the CTO and cofounder of Natural Cycles, the only FDA approved digital birth control.

Below, Elina shares how she created Natural Cycles, how she transitioned from physics to business, and the best advice she’s ever been given.

What whitespace did you see in the birth control industry, and how did you go about filling it?

Natural Cycles came out of a personal need of an effective, easy-to-use, hormone free birth control method. When I did not find such a product on the market, I started reading up on the scientific literature on how the basal body temperature can indicate when you ovulate and hence when you are fertile and not. Using my knowledge from particle physics (I was currently working at CERN on what would lead to the Higgs discovery in 2012), I started crafting an algorithm that gives a green day if there is no risk of fertility that day and a red day if one needs to use protection in order to prevent pregnancy.

Not long after I realized what a huge unmet need this is among women worldwide for such a hormone free birth control option and that many women don’t use any birth control at all, or very non-effective methods such as the rhythm method, since they haven’t found a method that suits them.  

How does Natural Cycles work? What sets it apart from other birth control options?

Natural Cycles comes in the form of an app and a basal thermometer. The user measures her temperature in her mouth when she wakes up in the morning and enters it into the app. Then, the algorithm is run in the background and returns a red day if she needs to use protection that day or a green day if she definitely is not fertile that day.

Natural Cycles is the only FDA cleared, digital birth control method. The method has been shown repeatedly in several studies published in peer reviewed journals to be 93% effective under typical use and 98% effective under perfect use (which is when the user does use protection when the app gives red days).

Natural Cycles fills the void in the family of birth control methods for women who are looking for an effective and non-invasive hormone free method. It also has the additional benefit of being able to be used for planning a pregnancy. As our average user is 30 years old, we often see women first use the app to prevent pregnancy for a few years, until they are ready for the next step and then they on average get pregnant quite quickly as they’ve by now really learned how their unique cycle and body works.

Why was it important for you to create Natural Cycles?

I think it is really important to provide women with different types of birth control options as there is no one size fits all when it comes to birth control, as different women have different needs and which also often changes throughout the reproductive lifetime.

Then, I also feel that women’s health is an under-researched and under-developed area in general, and I’m happy to make a contribution by developing the first FDA cleared birth control app, but hope to contribute even more in the future.

Your background is in physics, and you even worked on a project that received a Nobel Prize. How did you make the shift from physics into business and the tech industry?

Yes, in some sense it is very different but in another sense very similar. I still work with data and research and use programming and advanced statistics as the main tools, just with a different purpose. Then on the other hand, the business and the tech world is quite different from the world of physics and academia, so I do think I’ve learned quite a lot in the last years by changing paths.

You cofounded Natural Cycles with your husband. What has it been like being married to your business partner?

Yes, I did! I think it has mainly been a source of strength as we are almost always very aligned, and it is amazing to be able to share such a passion, which Natural Cycles is to both us. There are of course a few down sides as well, for instance it is really hard to stop talking about work in the late evening when it would probably be better for us to think about something more relaxing.

“One should always consider: ‘What is the worst that could happen, and how likely is that?’”

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? What’s the best piece of advice you have to share?

My dad often said that “People too often let fear control their lives.” I think he is right in the sense that we often take decisions based on a too risk-averse profile, especially women.

One should always consider: “What is the worst that could happen, and how likely is that?” This is what I thought about when giving up my career in physics and not having a salary for a while when creating Natural Cycles. I thought that I had enough savings to get by for a while and hence the worst case that can happen is that Natural Cycles does not take off, but I’ve then still learned about how to develop an app, and I might end up getting a job at Google instead.

How do you hope female contraception will evolve in the future? Where do you see the industry going?

Well, I hope there will also be more options for male contraception, although I think it’s unfortunately unlikely in the nearer future.

I hope female contraception will also keep evolving, of course, but I think there is an increased need for more solutions driven by the tech industry to compensate for that the pharmaceutical industry unfortunately has cut back funding in this area.

Here in the United States, female sexuality is still pretty taboo. How do you see your company combating that stigma?

We do try to spread knowledge more generally about birth control, female sexuality, and how the women’s reproductive system works. We’ve seen that unfortunately there is a big education gap when it comes to these topics. We are trying to address that, and we do see a huge interest from our users’ side in understanding their bodies better and everything around it, which is exciting.

You have a daughter, what are the biggest lessons you hope to teach her?

Oh, so many things of course! Just like I was at her age (she is 4), she is already curious about so many things about how nature and the universe works. I am trying to spark more of that interest by answering all her questions and discussing with her.

What’s next for you? What’s next for Natural Cycles?

We’ve moved to NYC last fall, following the FDA clearance to build up a team here as we believe that the US market is and will be very important to us going forward. It’s very exciting to be here and learn about what kind of user is ideal for us here and how to best reach her.

We are also expecting a little baby brother next week, so that’s of course quite a big thing for us :)

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"I Refuse To Accept The Status Quo" — Amber Heard on Using Your Voice For Change

When actor and activist Amber Heard took the stage with I Am A Voter founder Mandana Dayani for last weekend’s New York conference keynote, we knew we were in for a powerful, enlightening conversation. But Amber delivered so much more than that, speaking passionately about her activism in a way that got us all amped up to create real change in the world. We left her keynote feeling inspired, empowered, and unafraid—and you will, too, after reading what she had to say below.

On her activism…

”It’s one thing to talk about food deserts or unlivable wages or cyclical poverty, but to see face-to-face the people that are affected by the consequences of these institutions is a whole other thing. It taught me that there’s an element of these conditions that was lost on me as a relatively privileged white kid who could get food if I needed it. The flaw is in the institutions, and not a character flaw.”

“If one person’s human rights can be violated, it means all our rights can be violated. We live in an unfair, unjust world—the same tragedies that can happen to others can happen to you. I am in a position where I can amplify voices and raise awareness for people who are forgotten. I can’t think of a more important thing to fight for than our basic human rights and right to health.”

On the importance of voting…

“If you like the way things are right now, if you’re happy earning 60 cents to the dollar, if you’re happy with how that will play out, then don’t do anything. But if you want to see things change, then break it open.”

“If you’re quiet, you’ll be ignored.”

“I refuse to accept the status quo. I refuse to stand in line.”

On using your voice for change…

“The world that’s better for someone else is going to be an inherently better world for you.”

“I want to be on the right side of history and change.”

“What I’ve learned is that at the end of the day, I’m proud of my movies, sure; but that’s nothing in comparison to the things I’ve stood up for because they were right and true—and I did it despite what it cost me. It has always made an impact, and it has always upset people.”

”Only the people who benefit from the status quo don’t want to change it.”

“Policy can’t be just wrapped up in political debates. Basic needs are universal.”

“When someone puts you in a box, change what the walls of the box are made out of.”

“We’re a generation of daughters of equality. We’ve inherited too much to accept anything less than that—it’s our burden to push it forward.”

On the patriarchy…

“Why is it my responsibility for boys and men to treat me with the respect that I deserve? Why is it my job?”

“We see these really narrow archetypes of ourselves [as women] in media. We don’t get to see real representations because we haven’t been behind the camera telling those stories.”

“We’re a generation of daughters of equality. We’ve inherited too much to accept anything less than that—it’s our burden to push it forward.”

“Visibility is crucial. That’s what we’ve seen in the wake of these social movements, that the value is in the voice, the connection we form when we hear other people say, Yes, me too.”

“We’re saying, ‘We’re loud, we’re here, and we want to change the world’ to respect and believe survivors and push the conversations even further.”

“We are a part of a vast army of voices that are not accepting silence.”

On creating a legacy…

“One day, someone other than you who hasn’t had the privilege to be able to speak out is going to be affected by the positive change that you make. You just have to choose: Which side of history do you want to be on?”

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We Asked Six Women How Moms & Motherhood Have Changed Their Lives

How has your mom changed the course of your life? We partnered with Hallmark to host a Mother’s Day brunch with a few of our favorite women to talk about motherhood, words of wisdom, and how the women we love have impacted our lives. Below, hear from a few of our brunch guests on how their moms have changed the way they approach their careers and beyond.

“The greatest thing I’ve inherited from my mother is the ability to turn anything into a joke that we can laugh about later. I think it really serves us so well.”
- Melissa Vale

“My mom is a nurse who works all the time and doesn’t complain at all—whenever I have to work late nights, I think of my mom and how hard she’s worked for us.”
- Nita Mann

“One of the things I’m most grateful for in my mom is her kindness and her smile. She’s such a happy, delightful person to be around all the time.”
- Olivia Jeanette

“The best trait I inherited from my mom is the ability to make everyone in the room feel comfortable and not excluded.“
- Katie Sands

“Motherhood has taught me patience I never had before. My children have taught me to slow down and appreciate everything happening around me.”
- Sai De Silva

“My mom loves when I plan time together—actual quiet time with nobody else. Those are the best moments with her.”
- Cynthia Andrew

“The best thing I inherited from my mom is my kindness. I always loved how she treated other people and always wanted to inherit that as a mother.”
- Olivia Jeanette

What are you grateful to have inherited from the strong women in your life? Don’t forget Mother’s Day is this Sunday. Show mom your gratitude with a Hallmark card.

This post is sponsored by Hallmark.

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In Her Shoes: Why Authenticity Sits at the Core of This Style Blogger's Philosophy

Fashion influencer Katie Sands didn’t just choose her blog name (Honestly Kate) because it’s catchy. She’s on a mission to make the world a more authentic, relatable, honest place, and she means it. Below, we partnered with Jessica Simpson to catch up with Katie and hear more about her mission. Read on to hear what makes her feel confident, the women she looks up to, and how she’s embracing authenticity in a competitive industry.

What do you wear when you want to feel most confident (shoes included)?

At work: For sure a power suit! I’ve been loving all the pastel and plaid suits I’ve been seeing for spring! Pair your set with a pair of stilettos, and you’re guaranteed to get into to have that automatic confidence boost in any meeting you’re in!

With friends/IRL: My vintage skinny jeans–they just hug you in all the right places, a sexy silk top, my leather jacket that I bought used on eBay 50% off  (No one loves a deal more than me!), and a pair of very high heeled booties… I’m 5’3, so anything to make me look just a tad bit taller gives me that extra chutzpah!

If you could walk in someone else’s shoes for a day, who would it be?

Patricia Fields! She single-handedly created what a New York woman should emulate in beauty, fashion, and attitude. Both in Sex and the City, and now with Younger.

Or Iris Apfel—the OG fashion icon, she paved the way for women to show their eclectic style, vivacious personalities, and has stayed true to her values to through all the glitz and the glam of it all!

Describe your style in 3 words.

Whimsical, Flirty, & Colorful.

You recently wrote about authenticity and originality on your blog. What’s the difference between the two, and why do you think it’s important to remember?

This is topic I’m very passionate about, as I feel it’s important for creatives to understand that not everything they do needs to be completely “original”. In fact, almost nothing we do can be original, as we had to be influenced by something in order to come up with our ideas in the first place. Instead of trying to say something completely new, we should aim to say something in our own authentic way. We should take what speaks to us, and make that a pillar for what we base our creativity on. If you think about it, is anything truly original? I remember having this conversation in college after reading Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and comparing it to She’s the Man (I majored in Theater, so I took a lot of literature classes). Essentially, they have the same plot – one is just a more modernized version of the other. Instead of seeking to be original, She’s the Man garnered influence from Twelfth Night and authentically portrayed the same characters and themes. Authenticity and creative concepts do not derive from originality; they come from emulating notions that already exist. To make them authentic, you’ve got to apply your own experience and unique perspective to them.

It’s important we shift our focus from “I need to create something new” to “why does this speak to me”, I think there are infinite possibilities of what we can conceptualize and create. For someone who works in fashion and beauty, I have been influenced by so many designers, stylists, movie stars, and fashion icons, that it feels almost impossible to create any sort of new style. But when I combine my influences into something that feels uniquely and authentically me, that’s when I feel like I’m doing my best work. That’s when my creativity soars.

Love Katie’s look? Shop her pieces from Jessica Simpson here, and get $10 off any purchase of $50 or more with code create10! One use per customer.

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Ashley Graham on Representation, Knowing Your Worth, and Her Media Empire

If you only know Ashley Graham for her modeling work, it’s time to catch up. The activist, entrepreneur, and media mogul has been busy these past few years, and we were so excited to catch up with everything she’s been working on (including her amazing podcast, Pretty Big Deal) during her keynote conversation at our New York conference! Read on for Ashley’s wise words on inclusivity, internet trolls, and why she thinks we should be sharing our salaries with other women.

On body positivity…

“It’s really all about getting through the hurdles and building up your confidence, no matter what you’re doing.”

“It doesn’t matter what size or shape you are, you can be healthy.”

“My mom told me my body was going to change someone’s life. And here we are, with so many different women saying, ‘I am represented.’”

“Your body is yours. Nobody else has ownership over it. This is truly your own journey.”

“It’s not just about our size. It’s about our mind, our heart, our emotions. We get so wrapped up in this size conversation.”

On inclusion & representation...

“I’ve been modeling for 20 years and have seen how slow this has been—and now we’ve accelerated into the body positivity movement. Within the course of three years, we’ve got girls in movies, on magazines, in campaigns, on blogs—yes, this is what needed to happen, but we need to be careful, because things that happen so quickly can be brushed away so quickly.”

“Here I am, a white woman who has been given a platform for a body that’s now quote trendy. But here are so many women of color who have always had this body type and have been celebrating their own bodies for so long—it’s wild that we haven’t given women of color the same platform that I as a white woman have, and i really want to see more representation for women of color in this space.”

“We gotta talk about the word diversity. I’ll be on a campaign and it’ll be one black girl, one curvy girl, one Asian girl… The word diversity does not mean one—it means a group.”

“The word diversity does not mean one—it means a group.”

On internet trolls...

“I make troll moments into teachable moments. I say, ‘You’re right, ma’am, my cellulite is hanging out of my pants...and I am sexy AF!’ Why are we gonna give so much room to trolls? I don’t have time for that.”

On knowing your worth...

“Talk to each other about how much you’re making and what your goals are. When I started talking to other models about what they made, we all started realizing we were making such a vastly different amount of money, and we knew we could build a portfolio on how much we each made and how the plus size industry was going to change. The agents we shared it with were so blown away.”

“Talk to your colleagues about how much you’re making. You need to know your worth in the workplace—there’s nothing wrong with building each other up, having these conversations, and taking it on together.”

On building confidence...

I’ll have moments when I leave the bathroom and look in the mirror and say to myself, “You are fine, you are beautiful, you are brilliant, and you are bold.”

On brand partnerships...

For me, everything I do is authentic—I know, I know, you keep hearing it everywhere—but this is really what authenticity is. If I’m posting what sports bra I love on Instagram, it’s because I really love it.

On how she designed her lines...

I don’t really have to switch hats because I am the customer for my lines. There were so many things I saw firsthand as a model that I got to go and change on my own. I couldn’t find a bra or a string bikini. Where i saw a hole, it was like, boom, I’m gonna go fill that up.

Her guilty IG follow…

“Dr. Pimple Popper!”

A woman she admires...

My mom! And Cindy Eckert—she created the female version of Viagra and sold it for a billion dollars. They did nothing with it and gave it right back to her. So now she’s helping women startups progress into bigger companies.

Face compliment to receive...

“You are kind.”

On what keeps her centered…

“Waking up and having 15 minutes of my own time. It’s not my agent’s time or my husband’s time, it’s my time.”

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4 Ways This Summer Retreat Will Help You Level Up Your Biz Goals

Tell us, what is better than a summer getaway with your girls? We’ve got the answer, and it’s a full-blown retreat full of hard-working bosses and baddies looking to disconnect and collaborate under the sun.

Multi-cultural brands The Baddie Brunch Series and The B is For Boss are joining forces to host “Baddies and Bosses Take Cancun,” a retreat for millennial women of color going down in Cancun, Mexico July 25-28. Here are four reasons why this investment will be worthwhile.

1. Bosses

The B is For Boss is a community for millennial women who are working towards building their empires. Whether that means: taking charge of your career, starting a business, or a blend of both, the blog is for you! Joining The B is For Boss community in Mexico will be a live experience of everything The B is For boss stands for. If you’re an alpha female ready to learn from, connect with, and be inspired by other boss women, while gaining skills on branding and business - you need to hop on this flight and join us for much needed R&R.

2. Baddies

If the bosses didn’t speak to your soul, the Baddies most definitely will.

The Baddie Brunch is an organization created to bridge Baddies together through brunches, mixers, and social soirees! Hosting over 1000 Dallas, Houston, and Austin professional women of color, the goal is to Celebrate, Collaborate, Slay, and Socialize -- channeling our Black Girl Magic and using it to inspire one another! The Brunch Series is an incredible display of female empowerment through conversation, education and service. Women of color come together, engage in conversation and create productive Baddie tribes. This is the energy we all need summer 2K19 and beyond.

3. You need a brain break

If you’re living the 9-5 and 5-9 life, sitting at a computer screen, basically putting in a postmates order for every lunch and canceling your girls nights out every other weekend…. you definitely need a break girl. A weekend fully planned out and organized by someone else that’d be fully dedicated to giving you maximum relaxation is just what you need. When you join the Baddies and Bosses Take Cancun retreat, you’ll enjoy all-inclusive luxury accommodations at the Now Jade Riviera in Cancun, Mexico for 4 days and 3 nights.

“Each guest will leave with a renewed sense of self-confidence, a girl gang to support them on their journey, and feeling recharged and ready to take their career and personal brands to the next level.” - The Retreat Team.

4. Content alert

Last, but most definitely not least– content alert! What is a better time to curate some content your personal socials and or business feeds. Stage some flat lays, pose for a lifestyle shot or two and get your summer time fine shine on, girl.

Honestly, what else can we say?

Go to Mexico babe, you deserve it.

For more information or to sign-up for the ultimate summer getaway, check out Baddies and Bosses here.

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Behind The Stage: How The C&C Team Built Our Desert Pop Up Event

Putting on a Create & Cultivate event takes some serious teamwork. From the first idea to the last panel, from setup to the final IG post, the C&C team has to stay in constant communication to keep production, talent coordination, brand partnerships, and marketing efforts on track. And we know our situation isn’t unique—all teams thrive when they have great communication and collaboration systems in place.

That’s why we’re partnering with Microsoft Teams to show you how we bring events like our Desert Pop Up to life. Our Teams documentary gives a behind-the-stage look at what it took to put the pop up together—and how we used Teams chat, file sharing, and video conferencing to make it all happen.

Heading back to Palm Springs was a big homecoming for us—the first-ever Create & Cultivate event was held in Palm Springs, with just 50 attendees! We’ve grown juuust a bit since then: more than a thousand people attended this year’s event. See how we did it bigger and better this year in the mini-doc below!

How We Use Teams To Bring Events To Life

0:55 - Our production, accounts, and digital teams work closely on campaigns. To keep things organized, we keep all our brand briefs, deadlines, and working files in shared PowerPoint docs. Teams makes it easy to share those files between coworkers.

1:20 - Well before events take place, our production team is on the ground scouting venue options. Our senior producer, Lainey, put together a floor plan for the event to present to the team in an online meeting to make it easy for everyone to understand their roles at the venue.

1:42 - While much of our team is on-site, the others are back in LA working on prepping digital assets. Team chat and online meetings make it easy for us to stay in touch in real-time—we can even send a quote from a speaker back to our designer to illustrate before the panel is even over.

2:40 - Our partners are located all over the country—sometimes we don’t ever meet our contacts in real life! So when we need to collaborate with them on pop-up designs or digital campaigns, we add them as guests to our chats so they can review PowerPoint presentations and creative documents. Feedback is easy, communication is smooth, and both our sponsors and our team leave happy and ready to tackle the job.

Need to streamline your team’s processes and create a collaborative hub for your business? Download Microsoft Teams today to get a jump start on teamwork success!

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C&C Classifieds: HarperCollins, Personalization Mall, Blended Strategy Group, & More!

Need a new gig? Start your search here!

HarperCollins Publishers - San Francisco, CA

Marketing Manager

Personalization Mall - Burr Ridge, IL

Merchandise Buyer - Life Stages

Digital Paid Search Manager

Blended Strategy Group - Los Angeles, CA

VP of Operations & Client Services

Sling & Stone - Los Angeles, CA

PR Senior Account Executive

PR Account Supervisor - Startups

Indie Lee - New York, NY

Community Manager

Thrillist - New York, NY

Editorial Assistant, Travel & Local

Spotify - New York, NY

Podcast Content Strategist

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission - Austin, TX

Human Resources Specialist

She Reads Truth - Nashville

Associate Editor

Apple - Cupertino, CA

Senior Designer

iHeartMedia - Atlanta, GA

Podcast Producer

LA Clippers - Los Angeles, CA

Director of Marketing

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