Know Your Worth—How to Calculate Your Hourly Rate As a Freelancer
Get that money.
When I started freelancing in 2014, determining my hourly rate was pretty daunting. What’s too high? What’s too low? Will this be enough to support my monthly bills? When someone has a full-time job, they’re given a salary that sets a financial road in place for raises, promotions and new positions ahead. When that person starts freelancing, a new road is set before them with a million different turns to take.
There’s an actual formula I recommend to anyone needing guidance in determining their rate as a freelancer. It starts by researching the salary you would ideally have if you were employed full-time for the services you look to provide your clients. For example, at the time this article was written the average national salary for a full-time marketing manager is around $80,000 according to glassdoor.com. If a person wants to freelance their marketing skills and is at a manager level in years of experience and general expertise, this is a good number for them to use for our freelance formula and it looks a little something like this.
From here, round that number to the nearest five. So in this case, the hourly rate is $85. Now that you have your hourly rate, it’s up to you to determine if that number will provide enough financial stability for your needs and the amount of hours you want to work. Whether you charge less or more is entirely up to you. You may charge less if you want to work with a client that has a smaller budget, or charge more if you specialize in a high-demand field of work. This formula is intended to give you a starting point to determine an hourly rate that is reflective of your value and what you can provide your clients with it.
Use the freelance hourly rate calculator to determine your hourly rate.
Another approach to freelancing is offering flat fees for routine services. For example, a graphic designer will more than likely be hired for designing repeat services like logos, business cards and social media headers. If that designer knows it takes an average of 10 hours to design a logo, they can use their hourly rate (let’s say it’s $45) to determine a flat fee of $450 for their logo design service and so on.
Also remember that as a self-employed person, you are responsible for taking out your own taxes, contributing to your own retirement plan and paying for health insurance. This is why we multiply by two to get our final rate. So if the number sounds higher than you anticipated, it’s for good reason.
By: Audrey Adair
Audrey Adair is a freelance communications consultant and founder of The Scope - a website providing resources and community for the self-employed. She had the idea for The Scope after about a hundred different people asked her the same exact question, “How do I do what you do?” With the freelance economy predicted to make up half of the total US workforce within the next decade, it's her goal to provide aspiring independent talent with the know-how and confidence to take on this burgeoning and in-demand industry.
This post was originally published on October 17, 2018, and has since been updated.
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Out of Office, Out of Mind: The Ultimate Guide to Taking PTO Without Guilt
When it comes time to actually take advantage of vacation hours, many of us feel anxiety: How will my work get done? What if my team needs me? Am I going to come back to a ton of work to catch up on? We break it down.
Ahhh, PTO. There are few abbreviations that make us so giddy. But when it comes time to actually take advantage of vacation hours, many of us feel anxiety: How will my work get done? What if my team needs me? Am I going to come back to a ton of work to catch up on?
We hear you. That’s why we’re partnering with Microsoft Teams to share the ultimate guide to taking PTO without leaving your coworkers in the lurch. Read on, reach out, and get that vacation planned, girl—you’re about to go on a guilt-free getaway.
1. Make a formal PTO request. This step is easy—obviously, you should follow your company’s handbook in requesting time off (whether it be through an HR system, email, or calendar) and get it approved by your manager before moving forward.
2. Share your vacation schedule with your team. If you have a shared team calendar, input your PTO as soon as you know you’ll be vacationing. If you’ll be gone for an extended period of time, give your team plenty of notice so they’re not caught off guard—otherwise, a week or two in advance works well so it’s on everyone’s radar.
3. Adapt your workflow. You might be leaving, but your work’s not going anywhere. Work with your direct manager to figure out the nitty-gritty of what’ll happen in the office while you’re gone. Move deadlines, reschedule meetings, and start conversations about assigning crucial tasks to other employees.
“Will you be checking email while you’re gone? Or are you going totally off the grid? Share your availability to set reasonable expectations (and boundaries) for your colleagues while you’re away.”
4. Come up with a coverage plan. Your coworkers will be picking up your slack while you’re gone (bless them). Work with your boss to delegate your responsibilities while you’re OOO, then use a project management tool like Microsoft Planner to reassign projects that need to be completed in your absence.
5. Remind your boss. As the date of your departure approaches, give your supervisor a friendly reminder that you’ll be out of office soon, and reassure them that your responsibilities are being taken care of by your team. Your PTO schedule isn’t likely top of mind for them, so they’ll appreciate a second notice.
6. Set your away message. Will you be checking email while you’re gone? Or are you going totally off the grid? Share your availability to set reasonable expectations (and boundaries) for your colleagues while you’re away.
7. Hand off remaining work. If you’ve followed the steps above, you shouldn’t be panicking last-minute about leaving the office. Wrap up what you need to do on your last day, then send out a message in your team chat with any updates on projects they’ll be handling while you’re out.
8. Go forth and vacation! Today’s the day! Take your mind off those deadlines and kick back and relax. You’ve (literally) earned it.
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How to Craft an Elevator Pitch That Gets You Hired (Yes, Really)
Don’t leave home without it.
Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, running your own business, or looking for a job, you know you need an elevator pitch. But how do you create a clear, concise elevator pitch that gets you noticed and hired?It’s all about connecting with your audience, communicating how you help, and feeling confident when you say it. Here’s a few tips to get you started.
It’s time to rethink your elevator pitch
Traditionally, the elevator pitch referred to a 60 seconds (or less) speech about your accomplishments that you prepared ahead of time in the off chance that you stepped into an elevator with a high-level executive. Today, your elevator pitch serves a much larger purpose: to form a connection and open the door to future opportunities.
Think of your elevator pitch as a “what I do and how I help” statement that you can use anywhere: at networking events, on your website and social media bios, in an interview, and of course, in an elevator. A good elevator pitch can get you clients, jobs, referrals, and more. But it’s not just about finding the right words.
A strong elevator pitch has these three characteristics:
They connect. The best elevator pitches don’t sound like pitches. They sound like a conversation between friends.
They’re natural. Reading a bio doesn’t make for a great elevator pitch. But being yourself and feeling confident does.
They let you shine. A strong elevator pitch helps you highlight your strengths and how you can help.
When you seek to connect and communicate with your audience, instead of just sell to them, you can better form relationships which lead to getting hired.
How to create an elevator pitch that connects
So you know you want an elevator pitch that sounds like you, connects to your audience, and doesn’t feel rigid or salesy, but how do you get started?
Here are some tips for creating a clear, compelling elevator pitch:
Know your audience. Tailor your pitch to the audience at hand. When you know who you’re speaking to and what they need, you can talk about how you can solve their specific problems. It’s best to know your audience ahead of time so you can plan your pitch accordingly.
Focus on the benefits your work provides. When you introduce yourself, don’t just talk about the tactical work you do. Focus on how your work benefits clients and companies. “I handle social media so business owners like you can focus on your next launch,” is a much more compelling statement than “I’m a social media manager.”
Keep it simple. Use every day language and skip the jargon. It might seem like using industry lingo makes you sound like an expert, but it can confuse your potential client and cause them to tune out entirely.
Remember it’s not just about you. Your elevator pitch isn’t a brag fest. It’s the start of a conversation and an opportunity for each person to learn more. Ideally, if your introduction goes well, you’ll get follow up questions where you can explain more about your work.
Confidence is key. It doesn’t matter how great your words are. If you can’t say what you do with confidence, your audience won’t buy it. Remember that you do have something of value to offer, and people want to hear about it.
Experiment and evolve over time. The right elevator pitch doesn’t happen overnight. It evolves over time. Practice introducing yourself every chance you get and adjust along the way. Eventually, you’ll find that the right words effortlessly roll off your tongue.
Examples of strong elevator pitches
A strong elevator pitch covers who you are, what you do, and how you help your target audience. Here are some examples:
I’m a career coach for multi-passionate millennials who struggle with choosing a direction. I help you get clarity on your next steps so you can stop wasting time and start doing the work you love.
I’m a marketing consultant for wellness brands. I help you find the marketing strategies that will work best for you, so you can stop spinning your wheels and grow your business.
I’m a productivity coach for business owners who feel overwhelmed and frazzled. I help you get organized and focused so you can start taking action on your most important work.
The key to creating an elevator pitch that gets you noticed and hired starts with connection. When you know your audience, understand their needs, and can confidently communicate how you can solve for those needs, you’ll open the door to new opportunities.
Stacey Hagen is the founder of Create Coaching & Consulting, where she helps women solopreneurs and business owners to define a clear message and articulate their value, so they can attract their dream clients and make a living doing what they love.
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Five Glo Getter Looks From Our NYC Conference
Shine on.
At Create & Cultivate, we believe glowing happens from the inside, out. For us, it’s less about physical attributes and more about your inner charm. We’ve all been privy to the light someone brings when they enter a room with confidence. Now that’s a glow we can get behind. But how does someone tap into that fountain of assurance? Well, self-confidence is all about believing in your ability to succeed. Once you begin to nail that, you’ll glow all day long and achieve your goals. ability to succeed.
But there are some smaller steps you can take to ensure you glow with confidence every day and it can be as simple as maintaining a daily self-care ritual that sets you up for success. Taking time to care for your skin is also instrumental because when you feel good in your skin, you naturally exude confidence. Because let’s face it, with all that hustle and hard work, we need to give our minds and bodies the love they deserve.
Setting aside some time to apply your regimen of serums, creams, or oils is a great way to prep yourself for the day ahead and allow you to unwind that night. We are also convinced that healthy skin makes for the ideal canvas to apply your makeup too. And for those who opt out of makeup, your skin care ritual is the key to achieving naturally beautiful skin. So where does that leave you? Looking for the best possible skin care products the market has to offer and hoping for cutting edge, natural ingredients.
Ingredients like squalene. Yup, you heard it right. Squalane. A natural compound you have probably never heard of, but will soon not live without. Squalane is an oil that reacts well with all skin types. Not many oils can say the same. Whether you are acne-prone or embracing mature skin, Squalene will replenish your natural skin barrier and provide it with the moisture it needs. *Que radiant, glowing skin*. Biossance skincare has based its products on the all the magic squalene has to offer. Our favorite? Nylon Beauty Hotlist and Glamour Beauty award winner, Biossance Squalane + Mineral SPF 45. Why just moisturize when you can protect your skin from the sun at the same time?!
You’ve probably heard the words, “look good, feel good” at one point or another. While we adhere to this catchy phrase, we also believe feeling good will inevitably make you look good. So take all the time you can to love yourself, your skin, and your mind. The pay off? Glowing from the inside out.
In the spirit of this message, we captured five of our favorite glo-etter looks from our NYC Conference. Take a look below!
How Big Is Your "But"?—4 Simple Ways to Kick the Bad Habit
Stop making excuses.
“But,” it’s probably one of the most crippling words in our vocabulary and often the hardest to kick. Think about it. So many of us have dreams and goals that end with “but.”
BUT… I don’t have enough time.
BUT… I’m not good enough.
BUT… It’s already been done.
When we add “but” or “someday” or “if only” to our dreams we often hold ourselves back with an excuse for inaction. Because the truth is we have as many hours in a day as Beyoncé, self-discipline and endurance can trump talent, and there’s enough room for all of us to chase our passions. If we want to create a life that we love, a life where we feel deeply fulfilled, it takes self-awareness and action. You have to know what you want and then actually show up to pursue them.
Sounds pretty obvious right? But there are so many feelings that can creep up and distract us from reaching our goals. Here are a few types of kryptonite that we’ve all fallen victim to:
Fear
Fear is the number one thing that holds people back from finding (and living out) their full potential. Fear is tricky to notice because it can sneak into our subconscious as a tiny seed of doubt, slowing us down with thoughts like, “I don’t have what it takes,” “what if I fail,” or “what will people think?" and so on. Over time though, these small thoughts can snowball, leaving even the best of us with a pile of “what ifs” that can paralyze us from taking action.
Perfection
We all want to put our best selves out into the world. But the attempt to be “perfect” can also keep us stuck. It’s easy to get caught up in all the details, which can lead to self-sabotaging our growth as we wait for everything to be “just so” before we move forward.
Feeling Overwhelmed
So many of us walk around carrying the weight of unneeded stress and feeling overwhelmed—chasing our version of success one check mark at a time. It’s so easy to get caught up in all-of-the-things that we think we should be doing, including those menial tasks that don’t actually help us gain any real ground toward our goals. But the truth is, complexity is the enemy of execution. Working in an endless state of feeling overwhelmed isn’t proactive and it slows down our efficiency and progress.
Loss of Excitement
When we’re passionate about something, our desire can outweigh and override the hustle needed to reach our goals. But if we lose the excitement and the passion behind what we’re working toward and why, our drive can easily fizzle away as well. This can leave us feeling unmotivated and quite honestly, blah about the work in front of us which opens the door to any type of excuse or distraction.
So how do we kick the excuses and stay focused on our goals when the feelings of fear, stress, overwhelm, or a lack of motivation stand in our way? Here are four quick tips to help you kick the “but...” and stay on top of your game.
1 | Make sure your vision is clear.
Take some time to really visualize your goal. When you have a clear vision, and you’re working toward something that you're passionate about, your desire can propel you past the doubt or fear. The future vision of your goal coming to life can act as a springboard to push you forward out of the struggle (whether it be stress, overwhelm, or just feeling meh).
2 | Prioritize and Plan.
Take time to thoughtfully break down your goals. When we have huge dreams, it's easy to get overly ambitious and want to accomplish everything all at once. But when you take on more than you can handle, it can quickly lead to that feeling of being overwhelmed which in turn can lead to burnout. So, it’s important to pull the reins and remember that it’s a long-term game. Be strategic in planning out how you will reach your goals; break them up into annual, quarterly, monthly, and weekly mini-goals (working forward one step at a time).
3 | Take Action—again and again.
It’s easy to take action when we’re in the zone, but sometimes we have to commit to ourselves and take action even when we don’t necessarily feel like it—i.e. when fear walks in the door.
It’s also natural for our brains to coax us to stay in the comfort zone, to resist change. But if you want to reach your goals, you have to be willing to put in the work and embrace the not-so-great feelings sometimes. I'm not saying that you need to subscribe to a lifestyle of stress or overwhelm, but it’s important to expect seasons of hustle–where you'll have to roll up your sleeves and put in the work.
4 | Choose your thoughts.
Too many of us listen to our thoughts instead of choosing which thoughts we actually want to think. (Let that soak in for a moment.) We may not have a choice over our circumstances, but we can always choose our thoughts. There’s a lot of mindset training out there, but a quick way to keep your thoughts in check is to use a simple mantra that can help you to stay grounded and focused.
At Create & Cultivate NYC (Spring 2019), we had the opportunity to listen to the fabulous Ashley Graham. She shared a simple but powerful mantra that she uses to remind herself of her worth, “I am bold, I am brilliant, I am beautiful.” So good, right?!
Regardless of where you are in chasing your dreams, and no matter how big your “but” is, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. Everyone with a pulse deals with their own kind of fear and doubt. Chasing big goals isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.
If you’re serious about reaching your and living your fullest potential you’ll need to get comfortable being bold and taking action again and again (despite the fear). And it all starts with kicking the excuses and the “but” out of your vocabulary.
Sasha Kill is the founder and lead designer at Outlaw Creative where she’s on a mission to empower entrepreneurs to grow their brands in remarkable ways. With an extensive background in marketing design and online strategy her clients include best-selling authors, celebrity chefs, world renowned artists, and multiple self-made 7 figure businesses. You can find her insights on design, marketing, and branding on www.outlawcreative.com.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Built a Billion-Dollar Empire—Here's What We Learned
They don’t seem to put a stylish foot wrong.
In our eyes, the Olsen twins can do no wrong. From their iconic style we all want to mimic to their tenacious business acumen, the stylish duo haven’t put a (stylish) foot wrong since they launched Dualstar, at just 6 years old. Now, they’re building a billion-dollar empire that runs the gamut from fashion to fragrance with their brands Elizabeth and James and luxury line, The Row—arguably the Hermès of America. In 2011, their parent company, Dualstar recorded over $1 billion in sales.
On top of that success, they are also incredibly well respected in the fashion community, having won three CFDA awards. It's pretty clear that these stylish sisters know what they’re doing. But we want to know how? According to an interview with Vogue, the Olsens bought out the former owners of Dualstar when they turned 18 and took a break from acting to focus on the business. You might ask how they had the qualifications to run a billion-dollar company at such a young age, but as Mary-Kate quips, “Well, at that point we had been working eighteen years.” Fair point.
To glean a little more insight—and in honor of their birthday today—we read through some of favorite interviews with them (they’re notoriously shy so this required an internet deep dive) and pulled together their best business advice so you too can build a billion-dollar empire.
“We were always hard workers as kids. It’s just the way we are, the way we were raised. Our work ethic was everything, and that never left us. We like to work hard, and we like to try to do everything 100%. In fact, it’s actually almost impossible for us not to. Sometimes you succeed and sometimes not so much, but it’s learning.”
—Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to WWD.
“We’ve been exposed to so much. We were very fortunate to have parents and people around us who wanted us to be part of the creative meetings and the business meetings, and we would just sit and listen and be sponges. At that time in your life, you really are a sponge. And we’ve learned so much from people we’ve been exposed to in our lives—interesting people from different walks of life, different CEO’s. The list goes on and on. Mary-Kate and I have always taken advantage of our time with those people and walked away learning a thing or two.”
Ashley Olsen, as told to WWD.
“The thing about us is we think big. Huge.”
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to Vogue.
“If you want things to be perfect or beautiful, it’s a lot of hard work. Nothing comes easy. That’s just the way we were raised; that’s what we believe is necessary to do something different.””
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to British Vogue.
“I am not great at not being able to control the end product.”
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to Allure.
“ It takes a lot of discipline but we’ve always been very driven, and we enjoy what we do. It’s what we know.”
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to The Telegraph.
“We were always involved in the conversation. We worked so much that they wanted to make sure that we knew exactly what was happening and why—and our opinions mattered.”
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to The Telegraph.
“It was about taking a step back and reflecting on our past, all the things that we’d learned, then deciding how we take all the knowledge that we have from the range of businesses that we’ve been in, and do it the way that we want to do it.”
Ashley Olsen, as told to The Telegraph.
“We didn’t want people to know that we were behind it. We had learned so much about building brands and talking to a specific customer. We did it with our faces at the beginning, and we knew we didn’t want to do that anymore. It’s far more fun this way.””
Ashley Olsen, as told to The Telegraph.
“Thank God our parents wanted us to be involved,” Ashley says. “Running a fashion company, it’s just as important to understand numbers as it is to have a design point of view.”
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to Newsweek.
“We work as a team, side by side every day. At times it can get overwhelming, but at the end of the day, you care so much that you find the energy to keep going: Balance will always be a struggle.”
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to MyDomaine.
““Don’t be afraid to take risks—well-informed risks.””
Ashley Olsen, as told to MyDomaine.
“No is a full sentence.”
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to MyDomaine.
“I think we’re lucky [working hard] comes quite naturally for us. We don’t need so much time to sit and think and ponder. But then I have a husband, two step-kids and a life; I have to go home and cook dinner. I ride horses on the weekends. You find the thing that helps you relax and if you don’t have it, look for it. Or you get burned out and then you’re not productive.”
Mary-Kate Olsen, as told to Net-a-Porter.
“I’ve always been a worker. It has taken me a lot to figure out how to take a vacation.”
Ashley Olsen, as told to Net-a-Porter.
C&C Classifieds: Leo Burnett, Orlando Studios, KIPP Schools, Ford and more!
The perfect job for you is only a click away!
The perfect job for you is only a click away!
Eloquence - Los Angeles, CA
CafeMedia - New York, NY or Remote
Follow Beauty- Los Angeles, CA
Leaf Group- Santa Monica, CA
Leaf Group- Denver, CO
Sales Coordinator - Deny Designs
The Shelf- NYC/Remote
Lowe’s - Mooresville, NC
Leo Burnett - Chicago, IL
Otis Spunkmeyer - Chicago, IL
Universal Orlando Resort - Orlando, FL
Amazon Web Services - Herndon, VA
Ford - Remote
American Red Cross - Kansas City, MO
Create & Cultivate - Los Angeles, CA
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science -Beverly Hills, CA
University of South Carolina - Greenville, SC
Google - Stockholm, SE
Product Marketing Manager (Brand and reputation)
Miami University - Oxford, OH
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"I Do Everything Out of My Desire to Create Impact, Not Income" and More Badass Quotes From L.A's Aerie REALTreat
Let’s get real.
Iskra Lawrence opens the first #AerieREALtreat in Los Angeles.
What does being “real” mean to you? In a world of social media filters and Facetune, that concept can sometimes be a little hard to grasp. But there is a new movement of authentic leaders who are on a mission to adopt the #nofilter philosophy. They’re ditching the traditional social constructs and standards to share their true selves both online and #IRL with vulnerability and grace. And the global response has been overwhelmingly in favor.
Well, we heard you loud and clear, too. That’s why we partnered with Aerie and their #AerieREAL role models to continue spreading their message of realness and authenticity, connection and collaboration over competition at the inaugural Aerie REALtreat event in Los Angeles. The turnout was incredible and the energy was palpable with everyone leaving super charged to continue the “real” conversation beyond the Rolling Greens DTLA nursery walls.
If you couldn’t make it to the event, don’t stress, we got you. Keep scrolling to read some of the best quotes from all of the panelists throughout the day and be sure to share your favorites on social using the hashtag #ccAerieREALtreat.
The panel discuss the concept of being real at #AerieREALtreat for Create + Cultivate.
Real Talk, Right Now:
An Honest Conversation With #AerieREAL role models, Iskra Lawrence, Cleo Wade, and Aly Raisman; moderated by Jess Weiner
Panelists:
Iskra Lawrence, Model, Self-Care Activist, Executive Producer and Host of #TheMirrorChallenge
Cleo Wade, Poet, Artist, and Author.
Aly Raisman, Gold-Medal Gymnast and Advocate.
Moderator:
Jess Weiner, CEO, Speaker, Author, and Cultural Expert.
Iskra Lawrence:
"My mission is to build a world where everyone knows their real power.”
"When you are in our own lane, no-one is competition."
“You are perfectly imperfect. You are not the issue, they are.“
“If you cannot see, you cannot be.”
“If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”
Aly Raisman:
"We shouldn’t live in a world where it is scary to speak your truth."
"Never be afraid to ask for what you want or what you need."
“You have to do what works for you and what makes you happy.”
“Treat yourself and talk to yourself the way you talk to somebody else, someone you really love and care about. Be loving, be accepting, be patient.”
“I want everyone to realize they are progressing and there is always room to grow and be better.”
“If you’re afraid, that’s a sign you are doing something right.”
Cleo Wade:
“My mission is to create a world where people feel less alone. I don’t think it is an accident or a mistake that we are all here together at this moment in history. I think that all of us are here together on purpose and because of that it is so important we get to know each other and understand how much we belong to each other—we are our sisters keepers.”
"Self-love really is a practice. It’s something you have to commit to and recommit to."
"You can't care about other people well if you cannot care for yourself."
“If you know what your hell no’s are and your hell yes’s are it is really easy to make decisions for your platform. “
“It’s really important to consistently have many goals, and to connect them and reset them.”
Jess Weiner:
“Rejection is God’s protection in a lot of ways.”
"The change that we seek is internal before it manifests externally.”
“This is a process, it’s not a product. The change that we seek is internal before it manifests externally. “
Fireside Chat:
A Frank Conversation on Self-Love With Jameela Jamil; moderated by Jenna Kutcher
Panelist:
Jameela Jamil, Actress and Activist.
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson, CEO of Create + Cultivate
On Body Positivity:
“I’m working towards body ambivalence and body neutrality. I don’t want to think about my ass, I want to think about my bank account, or my retirement. I have so much to achieve in this world so it wastes my time thinking too much about my body, personally.”
“We are never taught to be content because if we’re content we can’t consume. It’s all about marketing and getting you to buy things. All I’m trying to do is wake people up to this .I don’t ever want to buy anything that I have been shamed and manipulated into.”
On Confidence:
“I’ve just stopped caring and I ask for whatever I want. The more I ask the more I get. I was taught not to ask. You have to ask, be aggressive about it and first and foremost back yourself.”
“Don’t be afraid of seeming confident, or afraid of seeming powerful.”
“I used to try and lower myself and shrink myself, but now I like being a bit scary and powerful. Get a little bit scary, be more honest.”
“Don’t control yourself too much and don’t set yourself up for too many falls. We are so, so, so, much smarter and more skilled than anyone has ever allowed us to know that we are. All the risks I have ever taken have been the biggest payoffs in my career.”
“I am now willing to cut anyone out of my life that doesn’t accept how I look and how I feel. I don’t want any toxicity anywhere near me any more. I’ve been through enough.”
“Don’t be afraid of not being liked. It is jarring when people hear the truth from you. It’s okay to be a bit difficult and be a bit opinionated.”
“The more I speak out, the more I fight back, the better I feel and the better I do.”
“It’s not up to me to please everyone around me, I just have to make sure that I know I’m doing the right thing.”
On the #MeToo movement:
“I don’t think the work is done. I do think we are in danger of #metoo and #timesup being left as a fashion statement. We have to aggressively keep this conversation going, telling our stories and fighting back.”
“It’s very important that we don’t just stick up for our own, but that we stand up for each other.”
“We should make space not take space, there is room for all of us.”
Being real means to me… Speaking without filter. I don’t tiptoe anymore.
A role model to me is… Someone who is transparent about their triumphs and their failures.
The best advice I ever received was… My therapist told me that a doormat is already lying down before people wipe their feet all over it. Knowing that, and that I can make a change, has empowered me greatly.”
Multi-hyphenate business woman, Jenna Kutcher joined Jaclyn Johnson for a live episode of WorkParty the Podcast at #AerieREALtreat.
Live WorkParty Podcast:
Jenna Kutcher interviewed by Jaclyn Johnson for a special live episode of WorkParty the Podcast.
Panelist:
Jenna Kutcher, Photographer, Podcaster, and Mom.
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson, CEO of Create + Cultivate
“I don’t want to show up because I’m getting paid I want to show up because I want to be in the room. I do everything out of my desire to create impact not income.”
“I’m so passionate about encouraging women to build a true brand that is based on the fact that you are a multi-passionate human. You don’t have to pick a lane and stay in it.”
Stay tuned for more enlightening quotes like this in the WorkParty podcast conversation coming soon!
Fireside Chat:
Busy Philipps in conversation with Jaclyn Johnson about being confident and carefree.
Panelist:
Busy Philipps, Actress and Author
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson, CEO of Create + Cultivate
“Comparison is only going to waste your energy. The world is wide enough for all of us.”
“I’m in it for the long game I always thought that. While I wish that I had won an academy award at age 25 that is not part of the trajectory for me. It is really important to truly understand that your path, your journey to success is not the same as anyone sitting next to you. Even if on paper you are the same, you have fundamentally different life experiences to offer and your journey will be different.”
Stay tuned for an in-depth recap of their conversation on the blog soon.
What was your favorite part of the #AerieREALtreat event this weekend? Be sure to tag us in your photos on social. Until next time, stay real.
Collaboration Over Competition: How This Company Is Sharing Data to Make Driving Safer for All
We all know we’re stronger together than apart and this company is proving exactly that.
I grew up in a 1980 Volvo Coupe. It was large and in charge with a bold, bright red hue. Fast forward 20 years, and I would do anything to have that car again. Now more so than ever because I’ve learned about Volvo’s positive impact on the auto industry, and the values they’re inspiring all of us to believe in, too.
Volvo is a prime example of how “collaboration over competition” can be put into action for the greater good. We’re partnering with Volvo to share how this philosophy can be applied to every aspect of your life, whether or not you’re behind the driver’s seat.
Volvo Gave Away Their #1 Invention
It’s hard to believe that car safety used to be an afterthought. Now, we have cameras on our rear view mirrors and sensors telling us when we’re getting close to other cars. Driving has never been easier, some would argue, but it wasn’t always that way. Volvo was the first car manufacturer to care deeply about consumer safety. So much so that they “gave away the most important safety device ever invented: the three-point seat belt.” Car safety was forever changed because they believed that the best thing to do was to share their knowledge and collaborate on changing the way we drive today.
Building the Road Ahead—for Women
In March 2019, Volvo announced that they will share research on “crash-test safety with other automakers for free,” roughly 60 years after the three-point seat belts became standard in all cars. They continue to embody this idea of “collaboration over competition,” and are even making strides to specifically protect female car occupants. Volvo’s Project EVA, which stands for Equal Vehicles for All, aims to diversify test dummy sizes and designs, including people outside of average height and weight ranges that fare worse in car crashes. One of the ways Volvo has already addressed this concern is by implementing WHIPS anti-whiplash seat design in 1998 to help women, and especially tall women, be less likely to incur whiplash neck injuries in crashes.
Aiming for Zero
Volvo is not only changing the way all automakers keep their drivers safe, but they’re committing to Vision 2020, the goal being to have no one killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020. This isn’t a “better than thou” type of commitment, this is a basic priority that they’re giving to every human being. Volvo’s safety experts have identified three ‘gaps to zero’ that they will address to reach Vision 2020: speeding, intoxication, and distraction. Volvo will be limiting the top speed on all its cars to 180 kph (that’s roughly 112 mph) in 2020, as well as looking into geofencing technology that would automatically limit speeds around schools and hospitals. And with the invention of in-car cameras, Volvo vehicles may be able to intervene by slowing down and parking safely if it senses the driver is intoxicated or distracted in other ways. They’re thinking of everything and sharing their ideas and findings with their counterparts.
Volvo’s embodiment of “collaboration over competition” inspires all of us to think about how we can share our own knowledge and advice to those who need it most. When we’re open to sharing and open to caring, great things happen.
Sponsor: Volvo
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How These 5 Female Founders Organize Their Time
Ever wonder how CEOs manage their time and stay productive? This week, we’ve partnered with Project 925, our favorite LA-based workwear destination, to demystify CEO productivity.
Ever wonder how CEOs manage their time and stay productive? This week, we’ve partnered with Project 925, our favorite LA-based workwear destination, to demystify CEO productivity.
We’re chatting with five rockstar female CEOs who are building their companies from the ground up. Read more on how Debbie Wei Mullen from Copper Cow Coffee, Jane Fisher and Jenna Kerner from Harper Wilde, Koh Kim from EVENPRIME, Quynh Onel from Project 925, and Sashee Chandran from Tea Drops spend their time and stay productive.
For context, what’s your company? What stage of growth is it in?
Debbie: Copper Cow Coffee brings Asian-inspired beverages to your home, office, and adventure using the best ingredients and innovative design. We are best known for our pour over Vietnamese coffee, now distributed in about 3,000 retailers. We closed our seed round of funding at the end of 2018, and the fastest growing area of our business is direct to consumer coffee subscriptions.
Jenna: Harper Wilde takes the B.S. out of Bra Shopping. We’re just over a year old.
Koh: EVENPRIME is a digitally native, clean skincare brand based in Los Angeles, designed in Korea. Our products were created to help make young men (and women!) feel handsome. Our team is inspired by brands like Helmut Lang, Theory, Maison Kitsuné, and by iconic ’90s video games like Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid. We’re an early-stage company getting ready to launch our rebrand very soon.
Quynh: Project 925 is a workwear destination that’s glamourizing the weekday. We’re here to help women build a work wardrobe they’re excited about and celebrate the careers they're working so hard to build. Project 925 is in beta mode and accepting orders!
Sashee: At Tea Drops, we create loose leaf tea, without the tea bag -- in very fun, whimsical formats! We’re about 3.5 years old, available in about 2,500 retail stores including Neiman Marcus, Whole Foods, and Anthropologie, as well as online.
Where do you currently spend most of your time?
Debbie: Setting up the foundations for growth. Bootstrapping the business for the first two years meant that I was doing every job - design, operations, marketing, trashman, you name it. Now with our investment, we are building a team, systems, and customer experience meant for our ambitious plans for growth in 2019 and beyond.
Jenna: Early stage Co-CEO means doing everything from fundraising and setting high-level strategy, to figuring out how to keep our office plants alive. Thankfully, I’m better at the former than the latter. We’re growing the team and spending quite a bit of time thinking about what roles and skills are needed to get us to the next level.
Koh: Building the right team and culture. To be able to recruit the best people, we have to be able to articulate a vision worth pursuing and a role worth taking. The best people will stay because they’re learning and feel empowered. That comes from culture.
Quynh: As a solo Founder and only full-time team member – I’m spread across all activities. I’ll go from refining my vision for what I want Project 925’s impact to be, to building our financial model, to packaging boxes and everything in between. Given our early stage, most of my time is focused on growth initiatives.
Sashee: We are a small team of five people given our scope, so a lot of us wear many hats. Most of my time is spent supporting my team, as well as investor relations and overarching strategy (marketing, brand, team).
How do you start your week?
Debbie: Sunday evenings, I write a recap to my lead investor, and then Monday we kick off with a team meeting to: 1) highlight progress we’ve made from last week, 2) see what’s on our plate for the week, and 3) call out any issues or challenges we are currently struggling with. It’s a great way for everyone to sync, find synergies, and quickly problem solve as a team.
Jenna: Each Monday morning before our team All Hands meeting, I lay out the top three to five things I need to get done that week, in a running list with all of the priorities from weeks prior. It keeps me both focused and accountable.
Koh: On Sunday evenings, I write down my top three projects I have to get done for the upcoming week. Every morning, I meditate for five to 10 minutes before doing my workouts or light walk along the beach. This allows me to clear my head and set the one task I have to get done first thing when I walk into the office.
Quynh: I spend about one hour on Monday mornings doing two things: (1) review my high-level goals for the quarter – it’s a powerpoint with a heatmap representing progress towards each goal, (2) decide on the top two to three areas I should/can focus on and create smaller tasks on my Scrum board (fancy word for a prioritized list, documented in Trello). It’s never a perfect list, and higher priority things always get added mid-week, but it helps me stay focused.
Sashee: Mondays are reserved for team check-ins -- where I set one-on-ones with each team member to set priorities together for the week. This also helps clarify where I might have gaps or areas that I need to spend more time on. I’d like to say that I’m a task master and have two to three high level priorities, but the reality is that some weeks are more clear than others. Sometimes you truly are responding to fire drills, but other times you feel more in control when you are able to focus on the stuff that matters. The goal is to have more weeks where you feel in control :)
What’s your best productivity hack?
Debbie: Working out in the mornings. This was something that I struggled with in the early days of the company, but that I now am a stickler about, even in the most stressful of times. Not only does it give me twice as much energy for the day, it sets the tone of having started off my day with self-care, making me a much more generous and patient CEO for the day.
Jenna: I take 10-15 minutes to tag each item in my to-do list with how long I think it should take. This helps me evaluate how important something is, so that I don’t spend too much time on items that aren’t important in the long-run. Also, during times when I feel overwhelmed by a 20-item to-do list, this exercise helps a list seem much more achievable if I know it should only take 60-90 minutes to knock out.
Koh: Making my bed in the morning (J/K but actually). I use a productivity planner to help me better prioritize my time. Writing down tasks with time estimates by hand helps me mentally commit and get into execution mode.
Quynh: Batch processing my tasks (including checking email) and avoiding multitasking as much as possible. Multitasking and context switching can negatively impact productivity by as much as 40 percent (according to the American Psychological Association).
Sashee: Putting my phone in airplane mode when I have something that requires more intense concentration. I also like to break up tasks into more manageable chunks. For instance, I tell myself, “How many emails can I respond to in the next 10 minutes?” It focuses my time, and makes me respond quickly to the easy emails, and flag the others for when I have more dedicated time to focus on them.
How do you evaluate your productivity? How do you know you’re on track?
Debbie: I evaluate my productivity by how much I’ve supported the needs of my staff. I’m lucky to have made some great early hires, and I know my team is the key to taking my business to the next level. I view my job now as getting what my team needs to succeed in order to hit the productivity goals we’ve made together.
Koh: I spend at least one hour on Friday reflecting on the past week: wins, what didn’t get done, what I learned, and how I feel about the week. Since I track how much time I’ve spent on tasks in my productivity planner, it makes it really easy for me to see what’s working and not working. Also, it’s fun to look back six to 12 months from now on what we accomplished or learned.
Quynh: Outside of reviewing my goals powerpoint on Monday mornings, I keep a time log (in excel). I track my time in 15-minute increments and have categories that tie to business functions and personal activities. It sounds daunting, but it’s a habit that takes seconds and forces me to be more mindful of how I’m spending my time. I have a weekly summary that helps to: (1) confirm with data, not feeling, how much I’m working and what I’m actually doing; (2) inform me what activities are taking up too much of my time that I can potentially hire someone to help me with.
Sashee: On a broader scale, I do quarterly lookbacks where I dive deep into what was accomplished, what was missed, and what’s in progress from every aspect of the business. On a weekly basis, we have team meetings that really set forth our weekly and quarterly goals. Everyone has their own key performance indicators of what success is. Our weekly business review provides a good measure of if we are on track.
Quynh Onel is the founder & CEO of Project 925, a new destination for women's workwear.
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The CC Team Asks: How Do I Make My First Investment?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Written by: Camilla Marcus, Co-Founder of TechTable and Partner of Pound for Pound Consulting
The start of a new year is often when we take stock of our lives, think about new opportunities we can pursue that will enrich our day-to-day, and look for ways we can give back. Investing is an incredibly rewarding experience, and a smart way to accomplish both of those goals. By investing, not only do you get to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams (and maybe change the world) but you’ll often see worthwhile returns yourself.
Yet I constantly hear reasons why people don’t invest. I get it, investing can seem daunting. But getting started is often the hardest part. As a female investor, I especially want to encourage other women to leverage whatever success they have to pay it forward and support female-led startups. So, if you’re interested to kick off your investment portfolio, here are six tips for how to make an investment and ensure your first steps as an investor are less intimidating.
START WITH WHO YOU KNOW
For the first few investments you make, it can be helpful to invest in a friend’s company or alongside another friend with experience. If you’re investing in the venture of a friend, ideally you already know their work ethic and if they are a fit for the idea, so you can have faith they will put your hard-earned money to good use and (hopefully) yield a solid return. Additionally, investing alongside people you know—a business savvy friend or a colleague in your network whom you trust and respect—is a helpful way to learn the ropes and can often lead to more opportunities in the future.
ONLY INVEST WHAT YOU CAN STAND TO LOSE
This sounds self-explanatory, but it’s still worth saying (and reminding yourself over and over): “Don’t bet the house.” As a general rule, your total portfolio shouldn’t be more than 10% of your income or net worth, so don’t invest what you need, such as rent.
"Your total portfolio shouldn’t be more than 10% of your income or net worth."
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Sometimes even the best sounding deals don’t go anywhere, and you may never see a return on some investments, especially in the early or seed stages. Before signing on the dotted line, ask yourself, “If I lost this, would I be okay?”
DON'T SELL YOURSELF SHORT
A common misconception is that because you might not have a large amount of capital to work with, you can’t or shouldn’t invest. “I don’t have a lot of money” isn’t a good reason not to invest at all. You may not have unlimited funds, but you likely have a unique skill set or valuable network. Perhaps you’re a marketing savant or a talented writer or work for an exciting company, and you can be a strategic asset to the venture in other ways, even if you can’t cut a big check. You won’t know until you show interest and ask the founder—nothing ventured, nothing gained. Another option is to create an informal syndicate with other friends interested in investing, pooling together what you each have to spend in order to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW
In the beginning, it’s easier to learn to swim in familiar waters, so invest in products, companies, or industries that you’re passionate about and have at least some level of expertise in. No matter how appealing or attractive an opportunity appears, it’s important to be able to have a pulse on that specific market and the competitive landscape so you can properly evaluate the business with context. I personally prefer to be a more hands-on, strategic partner rather than a passive capital provider, so I find it most valuable to invest in products that I would use or in businesses where my specific background and experience can be useful to the founders. There are a lot of resources out there for beginners, such as Joanne Wilson’s blog Gotham Gal and Charlie O’Donnell’s #newtovc, which hosts monthly classes and workshops for people new to the investing community. And if there’s any part of the process that you don’t understand, it’s important to be thoughtful and humble about asking for help.
“'I don’t have a lot of money' isn’t a good reason not to invest."
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HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
Along the same lines, you have to be truthful with yourself about what kind of investor you are and want to be. Are you willing to invest long term? Do you need cash flow right away? What is the maximum check size you’re willing to contribute? Do you have any other special requirements or restrictions? Deciding what your investor profile is will help attract the right kind of opportunities, guide you through the evaluation process, and help you filter through deals more efficiently.
PASS IS NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD
Be realistic about what opportunities are a good fit and be confident to know that not every company or investment is right for you. Sometimes people who’ve never invested before begin to feel obligated to complete a transaction during due diligence because they feel they’ve put too much time and energy into the investment already. Even if you’ve taken a few meetings with an entrepreneur and you’ve seen their term sheet, it’s okay to pass at any point before signing final documents as long as you do it politely and while maintaining an earnest and thoughtful reputation (this world is small, after all).
BONUS—HAVE FUN WITH IT
Finally, investing should be something you enjoy and have a passion for. It’s okay if you find out it’s not a great fit for you, but if you’re going to be investing your hard-earned (and post-tax) money, you should definitely embrace the adventure. Remember to live by the golden rule: don’t invest just to invest.
Camilla Marcus is the co-founder of TechTable, a hospitality technology thought leadership platform, an active angel investor, and a partner of Pound for Pound Consulting. She brings a broad base of experience across business development, hospitality ideation, culinary operations, and real estate. She received a JD/MBA from New York University, an AA from the International Culinary Center, and a BS from The Wharton School. She is also a mentor in residence for TechStars New York and a board member for Wellness in the Schools in New York City.
This post was originally published on December 11, 2017, and has since been updated.
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If You Have These 4 Money Books You Won't Need a Financial Planner
Read 'til you own it.
photo credit: Beth Cath
Sure, the world wide web has a seemingly endless bounty of information. Better yet, it’s all just a click away. But that doesn’t mean you should discount the value of a great book, especially when you’re looking to take charge of your financial situation.
Whether you are looking to reduce your debts, up your savings, start investing, or anything in between, there’s a book for you. Ahead, we check out some of the best personal finance books, period. So, pick up a coffee and settle in for some excellent reading—and start cultivating the bank account of your dreams, too.
FINANCIALLY FEARLESS
LearnVest founder Alexa von Tobel published Financially Fearless a few years ago, and it has quickly risen to the top of the ladder when it comes to must-read books. Von Tobel won’t make you give up your latte. But she will make you whip your finances into shape. That’s the good news. The even-better news is it won’t hurt. Von Tobel’s advice is accessible, down-to-earth and easy-to-implement. By the end of this book, you’ll feel confident about your financial future and raring to put your new money routines in place.
WORTH IT
If you hate being the last to know, make sure you add Worth It, the book by DailyWorth founder and CEO Amanda Steinberg, to your reading list, stat. Worth It will inspire you to see how money can be the key to freedom—by building your savings, taking control of your situation, or even just taking steps to understand what comes next for you. Sure, Steinberg gets into the nitty-gritty, which can be overwhelming for some of us. Happily, Steinberg makes it feel as easy as talking to your BFF.
YOU ARE A BADASS AT MAKING MONEY
If you’ve already read Jen Sincero’s life-changing New York Times best-seller, You Are a Badass, don’t skip the financial-themed follow-up: You Are a Badass at Making Money. Here, Sincero breaks down her money story in detail in a series of personal essays. Along the way, you’ll discover the little lessons that Sincero has learned from, all of which lead her from living in a converted garage to traveling the world. While every woman’s story is and will be different, Sincero’s is relatable, which means it’s practically guaranteed you’ll be able to pull something from this book that will change your life for the better.
OWN IT
Okay, so Own It is not a book about money. But it is written by Sallie Krawcheck, Ellevest founder and one of the most powerful women to have ever worked on Wall Street. In Own It, Krawcheck offers up advice on how women can play by a new set of rules in the workplace. And Krawcheck doesn’t just talk the talk; she walks the walk. Drawing on her experiences at the highest levels of business, Krawcheck outlines all the steps women can take to seize our power, at this moment in time, and change the game.
Noa is a Certified Financial Planner™ and founder of Socialyte Capital, a financial planning firm for style influencers. She is passionate about helping women reach their wealth potential through financial education and strategic money management.
This post was originally published on April 18, 2017, and has since been updated.
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5 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling
Summer is PTO season and getting sick when you should be enjoying your vacation sunshine is probably the last thing you want. So today we’re sharing five ways to stay healthy.
Summer is known for long days and endless sunshine. While it’s the perfect time to sit back and work on your tan, it’s also the time to focus on that work-life balance. The best way to do that? Take those PTO days. And in order to make the most out of those vacay days our friends at Olly are here to ensure that we’re supported from the inside out. From taking the right supplements to staying hydrated, we’re sharing our top five tips to stay healthy when you’re on the move this summer.
Tip #1: Catch Enough Zzz’s
Sleep? Why? I’m on vacation. I hear you but trust me, if you’re allowing your body to reset, and recuperate, you’ll feel like a new person every time you wake up. By sleeping enough, you’ll also be able to shake the symptoms of jet lag. If you’re traveling internationally, try to sleep based on the timezone of the country that you’re traveling to. Same goes for domestic flights. To ensure a restful sleep, I recommend taking a melatonin-based sleep aid, like Olly’s “Sleep” supplement. By combining melatonin, L-Theanine, and botanicals like chamomile and passionflower, you’ll boost your body's natural sleep hormone to help mellow your mind and calm your senses.
Tip #2: Indulgence Done Right
I’m the biggest advocate for experimenting with food when traveling. Trying local cuisine is one of the most authentic and eye-opening experiences you can have. But I’m also the first one to get a stomach ache. That’s why I’ve learned to balance my consumption of local cuisine with diet stabilizers like fresh vegetables and fruit. The natural fibers will support a healthy digestive system, so you can avoid any of the painful cramping, nausea, or fatigue that might accompany an imbalanced diet. You should also be taking a probiotic and prebiotic supplement. Prebiotics act as a fertilizer for the good bacteria in your gut, whereas probiotics are the actual beneficial bacteria that support healthy digestion. Olly’s “Probiotic + Prebiotic” supplement supports a healthy digestive tract and immune system.
Tip #3: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Drink, drink, drink. 60% of the human adult body is composed of water, but most of us are not drinking the recommended two to three liters of water a day (that’s about 74 ounces). When you’re well-hydrated, your body keeps cool, you’re able to flush toxins, and your skin is beautifully supple. You’ve got to keep that vacation glow, right? Travel with a water bottle that’s a manageable size, anything too large and you might want to leave it in the hotel room. I would also recommend a water bottle that is a twist off, rather than one with a built-in reusable straw. On a recent flight, I took an unintentional shower in my seat because the air pressure had built up in my water bottles’ straw. One Sip. Water. Everywhere.
Tip #4: Move Your Body
Some people recommend doing full-on workouts when traveling. And while I want to believe that that’s an option, it’s never been something I’m able to do. You can increase blood flow to your muscles and elevate your happy endorphins without crushing it at the hotel gym. And I’m all about that balance. Try to move your body for at least 20 minutes a day, which should be easy for most people who are walking everywhere in the city they’re visiting. On your more relaxed days (say, sitting poolside or cozying up next to a fireplace), try to get in 20 minutes of stretching or low-impact yoga. You’ll still give your muscles the movement they need and won’t break a sweat. Combine these daily movement goals with Olly’s “The Perfect Women's Multi” vitamin, which delivers a dose of 18 essential nutrients so you can keep doing all the amazing things that matter to you.
Tip #5: Stress Less
Managing your stress is easier said than done. Maybe you missed your flight, checked into the wrong hostel, or lost your passport. Traveling can be stressful and when you feel stressed, your immune system's ability to fight off antigens is reduced, mainly because corticosteroid (the stress hormone) suppresses the effectiveness of the immune system. Luckily, there are ways that you can manage stress in seemingly unmanageable situations. First, try square breathing. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds (don’t do this if you’re pregnant), and breathe out for four seconds.
Second, remove yourself from the situation, if you can. Do a quick lap around the block and think about possible resolutions without the help of anyone else. Feel empowered by your ability to make the first decision, then consult those around you. And third, take a stress related supplement. Olly’s “Goodbye Stress” uses gaba to combat the acute effects of stress within 30 to 60 minutes. Bye, bad vibes.
Sponsor: Olly
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These Branding Gurus Share Why Storytelling In Business Matters
“The beauty of owning your own business is that you make the rules.”
When many people think of launching a business, they think about the financials, clients, and other logistics—but building a strong brand identity often falls to the wayside. Bliss Lau and Jasmine Takanikos, the instructors of the Centering Your Brand course at Open Campus at The New School, want to change that. After all, creating a strong brand is integral to your company’s success. Below, Bliss and Jasmine share why personal branding matters, the details of their class, and the branding tips you need to know for your biz.
Q: First things first: For those who aren’t convinced, why should I care about crafting my personal brand?
BLISS: Regardless if you are an entrepreneur launching a business or an individual, knowing how to tell your own story is imperative to the process of crafting your future. I don't see it as a personal brand, but rather being in control of your own narrative.
JASMINE: You are building a personal brand everyday, whether you are conscious of it or not. One of the principles in my BrandHuman Methodology is “Perception Value,” which is a strong currency in our current age of the social economy.
Q: Tell us a bit about your New School class, Centering Your Brand. What takeaways do you hope your students leave with?
JASMINE: We created our course, Centering Your Brand because we believe that creative companies need more than just a good idea to thrive in today's economy. I help bring strategy and a clearly defined purpose while Bliss helps nurture the creative expression with a long-term mindset. The class is built upon a Socratic method that aids each student in their development to bring an idea to reality. We want our students to experience some form of transformation. We have built a program around the concept of intensive learning- there are big wins for our students if they commit to the process. If they apply discipline and passion, the learning outcome is a full brand outline, inclusive of back-end strategy and development.
BLISS: CYB is a self-discovery process explored through our Socratic method of teaching paired with real life examples from our own experiences growing our companies. We are honest with our students about both our successes and failures. Students hopefully take away a comfort in knowing that perceived risk in taking the next leap is important. And whether they “fail” or not, it is all part of the process of growth. We hope the class will help them move on a realistic path towards their goal.
Q: Jasmine, your company, BrandHuman, goes beyond the average branding and marketing firm. Can you tell us a bit about your mission?
JASMINE: BrandHuman is a methodology, and daily practice of how you function as an entrepreneur and intrapreneur. We are committed to serving the creative communities through directional and profound programming. My branding firm is called Candor Branding.
BLISS: If I may chime in here, BrandHuman is also incorporated into CYB, and Jasmine’s firm Candor incorporates BrandHuman with her strategy work. Her firm not only helps with naming, but also provides a full multi-dimensional kit for a company of colors, sound, atmosphere, strategic targets, expansion and has now begun to explore how spaces and environment are important to a brand’s footprint. Candor takes a holistic approach to working with creative clients by acting as a vessel to refine and communicate their vision.
“You only get one chance to launch. Make sure you are really prepared. There is no need to rush. ”
Q: Let’s say I’m launching a new company. What are the top three branding tips you’d offer to a business newbie who wants to connect deeply with their audience?
BLISS:
1) You only get one chance to launch. Make sure you are really prepared. There is no need to rush.
2) Be flexible and ready to fine-tune and adjust details based on how your audience reacts. Often times, what we think they want is different than what they actually want. An entrepreneur’s flexibility to pivot can affect their success or failure.
3) At this moment, every brand needs someone to be the face of it. Prepare yourself for how to communicate your mission at the drop of a dime. You never know who you might meet!
JASMINE:
1) Ask yourself why you are in the game—have a deep purpose, this creates the drive.
2) Know your value and or the value of your services, be confident in this.
3) Hire a designer or agency who understands how your brand needs to be activated through design.
Q: Especially in today’s social-first market, the personal really is professional—what advice do you have for the entrepreneur who might feel uncomfortable building their personal brand alongside their company?
JASMINE: Develop a strategy for what is considered personal. Not every business requires that the owner is personally exposed. Often it is not necessary. Take a deep dive into what value it brings your work. If it is a must, then it is time for you to evolve. This is a vital part of growth. Map out what you are willing to share and create a content strategy.
BLISS: The beauty of owning your own business is that you make the rules. There is no need to be personal if you are not comfortable doing so. As long as you know your boundaries, then sharing your ideas, thoughts, mission, and vision do not need to cross over to exposing personal information.
This post is sponsored by Open Campus at The New School.
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We Want to Know—How Was Your C&C Experience “Unlike Any Other?”
In the spirit of the Agua Fresca Cerveza tagline, “unlike any other” we askjed C&C attendees how their conference experience was unlike any other alongside photos of the New Belgium popup.
Who has Mexico City on their travel bucket list? I know I do. With the vibrant culture, incredible food, and refreshing agua frescas you can get right from any street market, it’s no wonder we wanted to bring some of that energy to our NYC Create & Cultivate conference.
Thanks to our friends at New Belgium Brewing, we were serving up their deliciously light and refreshing Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza. This new beer is produced in partnership with Primus Cerveceria, a leading Mexican craft brewery based in Mexico City. Mural is an homage to the classic agua fresca that pushes boundaries of what we think about beer. Featuring hibiscus, agave, watermelon, and lime for a fresh, vibrant sip—this beer is like going to Mexico City, minus the airfare.
Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza is a beer unlike any other, and in that spirit, we asked C&C attendees how their conference experience was unlike any other too.
Amie Colosa: “The fact that everyone wanted to connect and learn about each other. I’ve been to conferences before that touted the social aspect but it was definitely lacking. C&C NYC made it so interactive and truly set up for connecting.”
Audrey Saskia Tetzeli: “Similar to the Workparty book and podcast, it was equal parts inspirational and informational. I also loved how it was feminine, curated to perfection, and still unpretentious. You quickly found out how much talent and heart was behind each and every detail, speaker, and sponsor alike.“
Nadia Rassoul: “I’ve been following Create & Cultivate for years and have always wanted to attend their conferences so I was ecstatic that I could attend their NYC one. The jam-packed day was filled with meaningful conversation, inspiring panels, and empowering women.”
Sponsor: New Belgium Mural Agua Fresca
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Exclusive Survey: We Asked Working Women About the State of Teamwork
32% of women said this was the hardest part about working on a team. Any guesses?
Behind every strong woman is five other strong women who proofread her email real quick when they had a second. Teamship is at the core of women making things happen—so when we wanted to know exactly what it’s like for all of you who are out there running teams and turning your dreams into careers, we asked.
We partnered with Microsoft Teams to tap hundreds of modern working women to learn more about how they communicate, collaborate, and crush it with their team. One of the biggest takeaways was the 32.3% of women surveyed said that the hardest part of working on a team is poor communication. Here are some of our favorite stats about teamship below!
Make sure your team is reaching its full potential with Microsoft Teams - a hub for all teamwork and communication!
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This Celebrity Stylist Shares Her Secret to Success (Pssst...It's Instagram)
“If you want engagement on your page, you need to engage with other pages and be active on the app.“
Justine Marjan is a celebrity hair stylist and ghd ambassador.
If you don’t think of Instagram as a networking tool…think again. Celebrity hair stylist Justine Marjan is an IG guru, using it to not only score gigs but also build a wildly-beautiful portfolio. We partnered with ghd to hear how she makes the most of social media—plus ask for all her beauty secrets and beyond.
Q: Working with celebrities sounds incredible, but also scary! What’s been the biggest challenge and the biggest reward in having a famous roster of clients?
A: The biggest challenge has been putting my personal life on the backburner to meet crazy call times and travel schedules. I love traveling so it’s been an amazing experience, but when I moved to LA I dived head first in to my career that I didn’t have much time to socialize. The biggest reward is getting to be creative, share a vision with fellow artists, and see your work come together on a carpet or editorial. I love making women feel good about themselves and it’s great to be a part of that transformation.
Q: You attribute your career to social media. Tell us a little about how you built your career thanks to Instagram?
A: Instagram is the greatest marketing tool, and it’s free! As an artist, it is less essential to have a traditional portfolio or website now as most people find and look for your work on Instagram. I love using the platform to educate my peers, share my work with my followers, and connect with potential and future clients.
Q: Any tips you can share with others who look at how you built your career and say, “I want to leverage social media in that way?”
A: I would suggest being consistent, only posting quality content, using hashtags, and engaging with other artists and people you want to work with! In a meeting with Instagram, they told me “engagement is a two way street,” meaning if you are only a voyeur on the app, you can’t expect people to comment and like your content. If you want engagement on your page, you need to engage with other pages and be active on the app.
“In a meeting with Instagram, they told me “engagement is a two-way street,” meaning if you are only a voyeur on the app, you can’t expect people to comment and like your content.”
Q: What are some of your best tips for working women who want to get out the door quickly but want to look put together for work?
A: I love the new ghd glide hot brush! It is my life saver for busy mornings where I need to fix my hair but don’t want to spend a ton of time on it. It’s a heated brush that tames frizz, adds shine, and smooths the hair. If I wake up with a crease or frizz I can trust that it will quickly fix it.
Q: You’ve said before that the most underrated hairstyle is the ponytail, and as busy women, we agree! What’s the secret to a great ponytail?
A: The secret is placement! We are so used to seeing our hair from the front, but a ponytail is all about the profile. Notice where it sits on your head and how that compliments your facial features from the side. I love a ponytail that falls right in like with the cheekbone for a super flattering finish.
Q: What are some of your favorite tools or products for on-the-go women?
A: If I could only have one tool in my kit, it would definitely be the ghd platinum plus styler. I love that the rounded edges make it easy to create waves, curls, and sleek looks. The new festival collection styler also comes in a cute holographic color. Another must have for women on the go is a great silk pillowcase. Sleeping on silk reduces frizz, bedhead, sleek crease, and extends the life of your blowout. My favorite brand is The Hollywood Silk Solutions.
Q: If you weren’t a stylist, what would you be doing?
A: I would probably be a photographer, creative director, or social media manager. I love taking photos, coming up with a concept, behind behind the camera and engaging on social media. Anything creative and hands on gets me excited.
Q: What’s something we might not know about you?
A: I’m a certified yoga teacher.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: My hair accessory collection with Kitsch has really inspired me to keep creating new pieces! I’m working on my next two launches with them and can’t wait to share what we’re working on. I just finished filming Project Runway on Bravo and loved working on TV. That is definitely something I would love to do more of. And I hope to get more into education and sharing my knowledge and story to inspire others.
This post is sponsored by ghd.
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How This Marketing Director Stays Innovative and Agile in the Age of Social Media
“The key to creativity is to surround yourself with curious people who will ask questions and challenge the status quo.”
After more than a decade in marketing, Rachel Curry, Director of Marketing, Owned Channels for Volvo, knows the secret to success in the industry. But as social media and content creation is changing the way we consume ads, branded content, and marketing, how is she pivoting to adapt? She shares her advice below—plus, how she’s challenging the status quo and the advice she wishes she could give her younger self.
Q: Your brand just rolled out an incredible resource in the automotive community, sharing crash data with not just Volvo, but with any and all car companies. How did your team make that decision, and how are you leveraging it within marketing?
A: We’ve collected real-world data since the 1970s to better understand what happens during a collision. As a result, it has been possible to identify what injuries arise in different crashes for men, women, and children. To help make cars safer for everyone, we are now sharing our research with the world—just like we did when we released the patent on the three-point seatbelt. It’s reassuring to me that we do our best to make our cars are just as safe for women and children, as men.
Q: You run a team that’s constantly coming up with new ways to market your product online and off. How do you continue to stay creative in an ever-changing marketplace?
A: I read… every chance I get! I love Wired and Harvard Business Review and because I’m often on a flight, it allows me the time get inspired by new ideas. Most of my work is in digital channels, but I still love a print subscription! We’re not the biggest car brand, so the team is extremely creative by nature, our CEO Håkan Samuelsson is a major disrupter in the industry so fresh thinking is actively encouraged at every level of the organization. The key to creativity is to surround yourself with curious people who will ask questions and challenge the status quo.
“The key to creativity is to surround yourself with curious people who will ask questions and challenge the status quo.”
Q: You’re in charge of messaging for Volvo Car USA across all their channels, which means you’re the ultimate content calendar owner. What are some resources or tools you use to plan out messaging across all platforms?
A: My work wife, the director marketing for campaigns and I work extremely closely and we strategize after every executive meeting and debrief on business priorities. Our teams collaborate on a calendar on key milestones, with enough flexibility that we can jump on opportunities when they arise. We’re a tight, nimble team – and over-communication is key! We also watch the data to understand what content resonates on each platform – we don’t set it and forget it!
Q: You’re a marketing director in the car biz, which is often considered a boys’ club. How do you see your role as an opportunity?
A: I think it’s a huge opportunity to shake things up and challenge assumptions! Women in tech and automotive are under-represented, so I strongly advocate for gender equality and female advancement within our organization - about half our marketing team is female. Platforms like Create & Cultivate help show that women are in these roles now, and thriving!
Q: What advice do you wish you could go back and give your younger self?
A: Be your own advocate – it’s ok to challenge the status quo, don’t apologize for negotiating for what you want. Feedback is truly a gift… I learnt that later than I should have, but embracing any opportunity to improve is a great catalyst for growth, personally and professionally, so don’t shy away from it. If you’re not getting feedback, be sure to ask for it.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting a brand and needs some digital marketing tips in a world that’s so saturated with content?
A: Own your data. Data is king. Whether it’s your subscribers to your newsletter, cookies for retargeting, customer purchase behavior or even preparing to calculate your customer lifetime value – own your data! Platforms are constantly changing and it’s tough to keep up – but what’s yours they can never take away and will only be incremental value in the future. Keep one eye on the work in hand, and one on the horizon so you see what’s next.
Q: What are you most excited about for your work in 2019?
A: I think the automotive industry is about to experience more change in the next 10 years, than it has in the last 50. I’m excited to be part of it. At Volvo we lean in to that disruption, and want to make our consumers lives easier, safer and less complicated… oh and more women in the drivers seat!
This post is sponsored by Volvo.
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3 Easy Tips to Optimize Your Blog Content
Make sure your work is being seen.
With the rising popularity of content creation, it’s time to hone in your craft and be the best you can possibly be. Whether it be today’s OOTD or yesterday's organic meatball recipe, all of your content should be enticing to the reader, but also benefit your blog as well. You don’t have to be an SEO expert to understand how to optimize your content to garner more page views, a higher SERP (search engine result page) ranking, and even an increase in your blog traffic. Check out some of these tips to help get you started:
Label, label, label
After you finish writing an article, take the time to look for all the ways you can label your content. This is easier than you think! Start with the meta description.This is the snippet under your url that appears in the SERPs. Using keywords in the meta description is crucial if you want to see your content rank in Google’s search results. For example, if you’re writing about your spring wardrobe picks, the words “spring fashion” or “my spring wardrobe” would be excellent keywords to include in your short meta description.
Another place you can label to your advantage is the slug of the page you’re writing or editing. This is the part of the url that is specific to the actual page. For example, if your article is about Beyonce (as it should be) and her new music, the slug should be edited to look like this: “sarahsdiary.com/beyonce-new-music” instead of “sarahsdiary.com/post7865%”. Not only does this appear straight to the point with your readers but the slug acts as a keyword, boosting the visibility of your content.
Do your research
Internet Live Stats estimates that there are over 2 trillion Google searches per day in 2019. That’s a lot of searching, a lot of reading, and a lot of keywords. Using SEO tools like Ahrefs and Moz will give you the golden tickets to the keyword world (say that ten times fast). Find the search volume for the keywords you’re looking for and decide what words you’re going to include in your piece of content. But, be aware of keywords with a high search volume. If you’re trying to rank on page one, you will have to beat out several other established online publishers to get there...which is hard to do. Sometimes sticking with long tail keywords (three and four specific keyword phrases) and a niche market is where your content will truly shine and actually be noticed.
Once you have your keywords solidified, it’s time to link back to your own blog content. If you write an article about your baby where you also mention your favorite clothes to buy for him or her, insert a link to any previous pieces you’ve written about baby clothes. This drives traffic back to your site, increases your page views, and introduces your audience to more content that might be relevant to them.
Incorporate social media
Every writer and blogger has social media, but are you using it to your advantage? Integrating social media with your online content is the best way to expand your audience and hopefully encourage yourself to keep creating. Add your Instagram feed to the sidebar of your blog for your readers to browse while they are already on your site. Create your own footer at the end of each of your blog posts leading your audience back to some (or all) of your social media accounts. Try to post your original content across all your social platforms in a timely manner so your readers get a sense of your content schedule, consistency, etc. Social media management tools like Hootsuite, Trello, and MeetEdgar organize all of your social media content to make your life a little less stressful. Utilize the story option on Instagram to pull in more profile views and engagement to your account. Tag brands, people, publishers, etc. on Twitter and Instagram for a chance to be retweeted, mentioned, or even followed.
Set aside some time each week to interact with your audience. Whether it be through Instagram DM or responding to comments on a blog post keeping your readers entertained and engaged is key. Social media is FREE, so take advantage of it!
Abbey currently works at a digital marketing company while also maintaining her music blog (blondieandthebeat.com) of six years. Throughout her time as a freelance writer for a women’s magazine she’s learned to share every story and empower as many women as possible. You can usually find her writing in bed binging Sex and the City (for the 10th time) or at the gym sweating out her anxiety on the stairclimber.
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C&C Classifieds: ESPN, ModCloth, Kate Spade, CAA, and more!
OK ladies, now let’s get your career in formation.
In the words of Ciara, level up!
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