Create & Cultivate 100: Find New Roads: Daisha Graf

Daisha Graf has a lot of titles to her name. As an actress, dancer, model, singer, influencer, and fitness coach, it’s a bit of an understatement to say she knows a thing or two about managing multiple careers simultaneously. (Really though, when does she have time to sleep?)

Below, she shares her advice for those who want to pursue multiple career interests but don’t know where to start, the biggest lessons she’s learned from working with famous artists by the likes of Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Ariana Grande, and the definition of success that keeps her motivated and inspired every day.  

CREATE & CULTIVATE: What advice do you have for those who want to pursue multiple creative interests but don't know where to start? How do you manage all of these careers simultaneously? Why did you choose to pursue them all instead of honing in on one specific thing? How has this benefitted you, and would you recommend this path to others?

DAISHA GRAF: I think, if God gave me all of these talents, I should use them all. It took me several years to let go of the fact I'm not pursuing one active career like many other people... but then again, I've never done things the conventional way, and I'm okay with that. I will say, I haven't necessarily pursued them all at once. I've allotted solid amounts of concentrated time to them all. Most of my life through college was solely dance (and piano till my senior year of high school.) I was on a professional track to pursue a modern dance career. It wasn't until college at Hofstra University studying for my B.A. in dance where I discovered hip hop. From there, I shifted focus. After college, I studied commercial dance and my career blossomed. Once I felt I had a handle on that field, several years later I pursued music heavily. Then, years after that, I pursued acting (which is present time). I gave each of my interests the proper time, individually, to hone my skills. Now, I now switch hats easily if I need to. Listen, it's a daily journey and there have been plenty of times that I wondered why I couldn't choose a career with a clearer path, but I genuinely feel this arts life chose me.

You started as a back-up dancer who’s performed in some of the largest hip-hop, pop, and R&B acts in recent memory alongside icons like Rihanna, Diddy, Pitbull, TLC, Santigold, Janelle Monae, Jill Scott, Ariana Grande, Big Boi, and Beyoncé, to name a few. What are some of the biggest lessons you've learned from working with them? What advice do you have for other dancers reading this who want to achieve your success?

I've learned that working as a team is always the best and most successful way to run a business, create a healthy environment, and cultivate an electric show. If everyone doesn't feel seen or if the group a a whole feels divided, that's how the show is going to feel... disconnected. I've also learned how important it is to be professional: be early, know how to take constructive criticism, know when to speak up and when to listen, and know how to handle money matters. Being kind goes a long way. Treat people how you would want to be treated. There are been several instances that I have booked a gig "out of nowhere" because someone remembered me from something years before. Also, I had no idea where I was going to end up. I just buried myself in the work. Train, train, train. Stay in class. That is my home base. That is all you have to worry about. Be a good person and work hard. The rest will manifest for itself.

We read that you hope to use your art to effect change, what does this look like for you? What changes are you hoping to make? What messages are you hoping to spread? Why?

I think the arts are the biggest tools of self-expression. Imagine if little kids couldn't draw or play. Imagine if we never listened to or played music or moved our bodies. I genuinely feel that people would be more frantic, depressed, and in a constant state of rage. The arts are our outlets. The arts create safe spaces for this expression that can be understood in any language. Feelings are universal. Also, the arts cultivate an intellectual, critical, empathetic, and creative way of thinking. They promote quick problem-solving skills, team building, unity, and an outlet for all. I truly believe they’re necessities in the human experience. This is why I love storytelling in any capacity (dancing, singing, acting) because it is the space where people from all backgrounds can really SEE each other in new ways. The arts have to be made more easily accessible to all.

“‘Making it’ is subjective. I have in no way, shape, or form ‘made it’ in my mind. I feel once I’ve ‘made it’ there will be nothing left to pursue. I never want to feel that.”

How did you make the transition from dance into the world of entertainment and acting? What doors did you have to break down?

I had always wanted to try acting, but my focus had been on dance and music. My music management at the time had a connection to an acting agent and I asked if there was a way to be connected. I was lucky enough to secure a meeting, and I pitched myself. I was honest about my lack of acting experience, but I assured her that I was professional and was willing to train my ass off. I had years of live stage performance and film under my belt already (“Step Up: 2,” “Step Up: 3D,” music videos, awards shows, etc.), so it was just adding a few more layers to what I already knew. She took me up on my offer and here we are. Sometimes you just gotta leap through a door even if you feel you aren't "ready." You never know. Bet on yourself.

Your career looks like a dream run on paper but we all know there is a lot of hustle and hard work behind the scenes. Can you talk us through your journey and share some of the struggles along the way? What is the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make professionally and how did you get through it?

Haha, the "on paper" dream is a trap! Don't believe it. Yes, I have done a lot of cool things. Sometimes I need to take a step back when I'm frustrated to look how far I've come. It is by no means easy. I am a freelance artist, so I do not always know when or where the next check is coming (hence the 3,849 jobs I juggle). I've crashed on many a couch and cried on many a shoulder. The amount of money my family and I have spent on my training throughout my life is insurmountable. The amount of rejection one receives can be daunting at times, but I have this mustard seed of faith that has always stuck with me since I was young confirming that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. The hardest decision I’ve made was to leave everything I knew in N.Y.C., my family and friends, and start anew in Los Angeles. I decided to transition to acting. I didn't feel like I was starting over necessarily, but I did feel I needed a drastic change. I recommend a lot of self-care, finding your tribe, faith, and patience. If you love what you are doing, its easier to let go of the timeline because you know this is what you will be doing in some capacity for the rest of your life. There is some ease in that thought for me. I will never not be an artist. 

You said in an interview that you did not feel you were born with natural ability as a dancer, but you worked hard, stayed disciplined, remained faithful, and grew confident in yourself. What does it take to be successful in your line of work? How much effort, how many hours do you have to put in before you make it? Why?

"Making it" is subjective. I have in no way, shape, or form "made it" in my mind. I feel once I've "made it" there will be nothing left to pursue. I never want to feel that. I will always be striving to be better, learn, and grow. Again, you can't shortcut hard work. Whatever you pursue, you have to train. You have to put in those hours. The work speaks for itself, and if you haven't done the work, it shows. The artists that appear effortless in their work appear effortless because of the tireless work they have put into their craft. They have toiled every day for years to the point where they can let all the training go and be free because it is that deeply ingrained in them. You have to do it every day. Every day. You have to try and fail. You have to fail forward. Then try again. Through it all, remember to have fun in the process because that is why you started. 

You are also an ambassador for DevaCurl. What does your role entail? And why did you choose to partner with them?

Thank God for them! I started going to the salon some 10 years ago in New York. They have shaped and colored my hair ever since. I reached out to their social media department one day in hopes of a collab and we cultivated a relationship. They have hooked my hair up for years and years. I am so grateful. Even after I moved to L.A., I still go to DevaCurl affiliated salons. They have been consistent. Much love!

You're the co-founder of Daisha and Alicia Graf Arts Collective (a.k.a. D(n)A Arts), an initiative you and your sister, Alicia Graf Mack, created that is committed to enriching lives through the arts. Can you tell us more about this project? Why did you start it and what has been the impact on your community?

My sister and I started this collective in pursuit of spreading what we know of the arts to others. My sister, Alicia Graf Mack, is now the director of the Juilliard Dance Department and has a wealth of knowledge through her professional career as a dancer and educator. Together, we can hit many sides of the arts spectrum. We hold several different, affordable workshops, as well as offer scholarships for students to attend. Community service through the arts is important to us as well as there are several communities that have not had arts exposure. We also act as mentors for people who would like some guidance in navigating a career in the arts.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

I go back to my home base and stay in class. I keep training. If I need to take some time away to process some feelings, I'll do that too. Yoga, meditation, quality time with friends, journaling, and time in nature are very healing for me. I practice gratitude and think about what IS working. I dust myself off and keep it moving.

Success is such a broad term and it means something different to everyone. How do you define success? What does being successful mean to you?

Success for me is: "Liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it," Maya Angelou. To be in complete alignment with how you feel, your purpose, and how you are pursuing it is #goals.

What advice do you have for people reading this who haven’t found their path/passion yet? Where do they start?

I would tell them to be aware of what they DON'T like and stay away from that. Be aware of what things bring you joy, even if they are not the typical things you think could create a career. Stay open-minded and continue to explore those areas. Journal about it! Get ideas down on paper. Also, take some risks and try new things.

There is so much competition out there now, especially in your line of work. What makes you and your business stand out? How do you find/create a unique point of view? What advice do you have for others who are aiming to find the white space and build a unique brand?

It is easy to get stuck in the idea of becoming a person or artist that you think others want to see. This or that thing worked for them, so I have to do it like that. I got stuck in that mentality for a while, but it wore on my spirit. Through a lot of self-work and hard lessons, I found it more serving and, ultimately, more interesting for me to be my unique, messy self. Be YOU. That's what people are drawn to. Nobody wants to listen or watch clones of other people. People want to feel. Be vulnerable. Own your truth and show up as you are. This is why is it such an honor and privilege to be an artist. We get to make people feel. There is such power in self. When someone walks into an audition room, or any space fully grounded in who they are, it shifts the energy.

Whose work do you most admire? Why?

I admire the work of my family. Every single one of them. I also admire Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, the Obamas, Oprah, Meryl Streep, and so, so many more. I feel all of these people have pursued lives of purpose and have persevered no matter what. In the passion for what they do, they have influenced so many people along the way.

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss. Keep the wonder in your life. Nothing is impossible. If you can dream it, you can do it.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FIND NEW ROADS LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Small Business: Kelsea Olivia

If you’ve ever been to a Create & Cultivate event then you’ll be very familiar with the work of Kelsea Olivia. Her sculptural floral arrangements adorn every single element of our conferences, summits, and parties to visually bring them to life. Founded in New York, East Olivia is a women-led creative agency that brings immersive installations, creative production, and styling to businesses and events across the U.S.

But turning her passion into profit took a lot of grit and hustle. Luckily, Olivia doesn't shy from hard work and just as well because she believes that it’s the key ingredient to building a successful small business. Read on to hear how she worked full-time at Anthropologie for almost three years while building East Olivia on the side, how she’s adapted to her new leadership role managing a team, and her biggest lessons along the way.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: As the founder of East Olivia, you create stunning floral and visual installations for some of the biggest brands in the beauty and lifestyle industry. Turning your creative passion into profit is everyone's dream but it's not an easy step to take. How did you create and cultivate the career of your dreams? What advice can you share for others who want to do it too but don't know where to start?

KELSEA OLIVIA: I worked on building East Olivia for nearly two and a half to three years before I considered stepping away from my full-time gig. I was truly passionate about the Anthropologie brand and felt in many ways that bringing my skillset to this company could be an exciting and lucrative career path for me. However, over time I realized that I only have so many hours in a day and so many possibilities as to how I can allocate the value that I bring to the table. Something that truly impacted me deeply was seeing the ability to create jobs for talented creatives, specifically in NY, at a living wage while providing health insurance.

The desire to do this, the drive to do this is not the norm. Many more fiscally successful businesses do not even offer these things but to me, it has been a non-negotiable from day one. I want my employees to see that we put our money where our mouth is. We are walking the talk, talking the walk, etc. There has yet to be a more proud day for me as the owner of EO as when our health insurance cards were delivered via snail mail. I opened up those envelopes and truly shed some joyous tears.

“It will be difficult but it will be worth it.”

You were freelance prop styling while working full-time for BHLDN/Anthropologie in NYC before launching East Olivia. How long did you freelance while you were building East Olivia? When did you know it was time to press go and leave your other jobs to do EO full time? Why?

I hired two full-time staff before I hired myself full-time. I did this because I wanted to minimize the amount of compromising I would need to do on the artistic side in order to make this work.

You now run a large team in NY and LA but you travel all over America. How have you handled the growth both personally and as a business? What has the hiring experience like? Can you share any hiring advice for those going through it right now?

Hiring is hard. Setting apart those who are excited to be apart of what you are doing versus those who really what to step up to the plate is extremely difficult. but if you can differentiate between the two of those you will have such a strong jumping-off point.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

I always start first with a trusted group of other business owners that I can ask for advice and insight. I cannot stress enough that we do not know what we don't know. If I cannot humble myself and ask for support I am stuck, stagnant and surrounded by fear. Admitting I don't know everything is the first step towards learning the insights and tools that will get me to the next level.

You are extremely popular which is great, but that also means you're very busy. What are your productivity hacks for getting it all done? What three apps or sites do you use every day that help keep you organized and on track?

My number one hack is to take the task you are avoiding the most and do it first. Such freedom is gained by getting that thing out of the way. Three apps I love are Planoly, Xero and Google calendar. I mean it’s basic but I truly live by my calendar now.

You've achieved so much success, but what do you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you were first starting out? Why?

I truly don’t know if I wish I could tell myself anything except to accept what is and that thing will always turn out better than what you'd expect.

You've grown as a brand and as a person since the launch of East Olivia, what are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned throughout your career and what have they taught you?

My biggest lessons have been that first impressions truly are not always what they seem and that there is no substitute for hard work and humility. Even when others around you may pressure you to take the easy road, pride in your work can only come by truly putting in the hard work.

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who have an idea but don’t know where to start to execute it?

It will be difficult but it will be worth it.

What have been some of the hardest money lessons you've learned along the way? What is your #1 money tip for small business owners? Why?

My number one money tip is to remember that you do not know what you do not know. Be humble. Look for resources, seek out advice from those you trust. We're never too good to ask for support from those who know more than us.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 SMALL BUSINESS LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Giada de Laurentiis

Giada de Laurentiis doesn't take no for an answer. In fact, it only gives the celebrity chef fuel to work harder and prove them wrong. Despite all of her success as a globally-revered celebrity chef, Emmy award-winning television personality (she has eight shows on the Food Network), New York Times-bestselling author (she has nine cookbooks including a series of children’s books), and NBC Today Show contributor, Laurentiis’ biggest obstacle has been getting people to take her seriously.

“I was in a field that was very heavily male-dominated—I didn't look the part,” she told us at the Self-Care Summit. “It's best that we just show them—actions are always louder than words. You show them every day and you don't get emotional. Men do not work well with emotional women. Be consistent with your work and that’s when they know, and start to take you seriously.”

Read on to hear more of her sage career advice, how motherhood made her better at her job, and what she attributes to her success.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You are one of the most recognizable faces in the food world—you’re now a globally-revered celebrity chef and Emmy award-winning television personality with eight shows on the Food Network, nine New York Times bestselling cookbooks (including a series of children’s books), and you’re also an NBC Today Show contributor. Tell us about the first product you made under the Giada brand and what it feels like now to be a household name around the world?

GIADA DE LAURENTIIS: The first products I launched under my name were Sicilian sea salt, a herb de province mix, and a few pasta shapes. I knew that I didn't want to put my name on a product unless a story could be told and I had a story and great recipe with those ingredients when paired together, but unfortunately, a lot of people would buy the items separately, like just the salt or just the pasta, and that was disheartening for me. After that first product launch, I decided to partner with Target because they had the shelf space to show the story I wanted to tell with my products. The story behind anything I do has always been key for me and it still is to this day.

You launched your lifestyle and e-commerce platform, Giadzy.com in 2017. Can you talk through why you created the brand? What the response has been like? And how you manage to fit it in with all of your other commitments?

Giadzy first started as a passion project because I wanted to have a direct voice with my fans and I wanted to talk to them about what they're interested in, what kind of recipes they wanted to see. A lot of the stuff I do is evergreen because other companies push for it to last forever and please the largest number of people, so I really wanted to do something that was different. What was refreshing about launching Giadzy is that I could narrow the focus and talk more about being a mom and my genuine interests and have more of a conversation directly with my fans.

“The more that people tell me no, the more I’m going to prove them wrong and work harder.”

In those the first stages building Giadzy and the Giada brand what were some of the obstacles you faced early on and how did you overcome them?

I think the biggest obstacle was people taking me seriously. I was in a field that was very heavily male-dominated and I didn't look the part—I was ‘too little’ and ‘too cute.’ And I was constantly told that no one could trust a skinny chef (people still say that to me to this day). So I didn't fit the mold and I think that's what the problem was—when you love something so deeply, but somehow you don't look the part and maybe don't act the part, it's really hard to change peoples' minds. So I think my biggest challenge was getting through that.

We read that every millionaire has at least 7 streams of revenue and you’ve definitely nailed that—what advice do you have for other women looking to emulate your success and financial freedom?

Diversify your portfolio, don't put all your eggs in one basket—but you need to think about what baskets you're putting them into. For me, I started with television shows and from television shows, I went to cookbooks and from cookbooks, I went to products and then eventually I went to restaurants. The goal for me was to not always be on television.

For years I was on planes and in different places for months at a time and it was taxing on my body, so I tried to find ways to not always be on camera. Also throughout everything don't forget your core business and try to have every additional source of income you have, be an arm to your core business and feedback into it.

You were the first woman to open a restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip with “Giada in The Cromwell” in 2014. You followed that success with “Pronto by Giada”, also in Las Vegas at Caesar's Palace last year. What were some of the obstacles you faced as a woman in the traditionally male-dominated restaurant business?

It was really hard. I didn't really want to do restaurants. I really just wanted to be the owner of the place my grandpa had when I was little, but Caesars kept knocking at my door for years until finally one day they showed me a space that was a two-floor parking garage that overlooked the strip. The view was incredible and my name would be right on the strip and I thought I'm going to go for it.

But it was really hard because the industry is so male-dominated and a lot of the men I was working with quite frankly didn't know how to talk to women and I found myself yelling in board rooms which I'm not proud of. There were many times I thought, ‘this is going to be the biggest mistake I've made,’ but at the end of the day it put me on the map and it got everyone to take me seriously. Plus, Vegas is an international city so all of a sudden my brand went from being in the U.S. to being known internationally. It was hard but so worth it.

In among all of this professional success, you had your biggest personal achievement, giving birth to your beautiful daughter, Jade. How has motherhood changed your relationship with work? Do you think it has given you an advantage? Why/Why not? and how?

I thought getting pregnant would end my career, I didn't think it would be possible to juggle everything. Surprisingly though, Jade helped me overcome a lot of those fears and realize that I could still have a career. She also taught me how to cook quickly. I think before I had Jade my recipes were a little longer and a little more complicated, but becoming a mom made me better at what I do because it taught me how little time we actually have for food, but how important it is. Jade also made me think of how important my culture is, which from a young age had taught me the importance of sitting down and eating together with family. So in short, I learned a lot of things from Jade and she truly made me better at what I do.

With success comes opportunity but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

I'm not done yet. I feel like there are more conversations to be had, especially with helping women and helping moms. I think there's a lot of stuff going on that women don't share about aging, career, relationships, etc. I think that through food, culture, and self-care we can get to a point where we take care of our body and mind first and have better all-around success.

“I think that through food, culture, and self-care we can get to a point where we take care of our body and mind first and have better all-around success.”

You are an incredibly successful and accomplished businesswoman, but unfortunately, women at the top are still rare—women hold 6.6 % of Fortune 500 CEO roles and while female millionaires are on the rise, men are still ahead—we’ve heard it can get lonely at the top, so I’d love to know, who do you turn to for business advice? What is the best advice you’ve received? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

My Aunt Raffy has been a mentor to me forever and also my chef friends, as well as my lawyer Eric Greenspan. I used to actually cook for Eric and his family before I got my Food Network deal. He's the person I turn to all of these years later and look to him to make important decisions. My grandfather used to say, “you always want a doctor and a lawyer at your table, so if you get sick you have someone to take care of you and if you get in trouble you have someone to get you out of it!”

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs and young chefs? How can they achieve the same success you've experienced? What key characteristics do they need?

You really have to believe in yourself. I always told myself, ‘the more that people tell me no, the more I'm going to prove them wrong and work harder.’ I thought as long as I continue to give people great recipes, eventually, I'll break them down and eventually they'll trust in me. But I knew I was going to be in it for the long run and honestly it's taken 18 years and it hasn't been until the last five or six years that I've really felt like I've risen to the place I want to be. So don't forget that it's a journey and make sure you ask yourself if whatever you're doing is what you really want to be doing, otherwise it's going to be tough.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTREPRENEUR LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Nyesha Arrington

In a field where the gender gap is getting wider, not narrower, Nyesha Arrington is inspiring the next generation of women in the food industry.

Though the accomplished chef is perhaps best known for her appearance on season nine of “Top Chef,” she’s certainly spent her fair share of time in Michelin-starred kitchens across the country, from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. She was even deemed “a force in Los Angeles cooking” by late L.A. Times food critic Jonathan Gold. (And, for all those foodies out there, she’s currently preparing to compete in the prestigious Bocuse d'Or world culinary competition trials.)

Ahead, Arrington explains how she’s carved out a successful career in an industry that’s not only known for its sharp knives but also its cutthroat competition. Read on to find out what advice she has for up-and-coming female chefs, how she’s managed to bounce back after failed business ventures, and why she firmly believes that there’s not one great recipe for success.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You are currently preparing to compete in the Bocuse d'Or world culinary competition trials. How do you prepare for a competition like this? What strategies are you planning to use? Why did you decide to compete?

NYESHA ARRINGTON: The reality is I have been preparing for something like the Bocuse d’Or competition my whole life. Playing team sports, studying martial arts, and working for some of the best chefs over the years has built my mind to sustain the mental willpower it takes to undergo such a challenge. Deciding to compete in the Bocuse d’Or felt like it was the next step for me in my culinary journey. As a creative, I am in a constant state of upward mobility, both in my craft and in my artistic expression. The opportunity to represent women and minorities on a global culinary stage was a huge honor that I felt was my duty to show up for.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

Being a person of multifaceted interests allows me to navigate my life in a way that keeps me learning, which is very important to me. I tap into the different areas of opportunity while manifesting diverse avenues of success. A lot of times, it can be challenging to create balance on the front end when you’re going into business. You are giving it everything you've got in the tank—and this goes for double in the food space. I find working out, painting, being an activist for our planet, and volunteering food banks at has created a unique voice in which I can connect with man [woman] kind from a humanitarian lens. 

“Sometimes things fall apart, it’s part of the journey.”

What advice would you give a woman at the beginning of her career in the food industry? Why? What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself at the beginning of yours?

I would tell a young woman at the beginning of her career to have perseverance. I think that is so important because she did not choose an easy career or path. There are going to be good days, bad days, and there are going to be hard days—but you must always persevere. 

At the beginning of my career, I think I would want to hear the exact same thing that I am telling this young woman. Perseverance is key and it has helped me get far in life, not only in my professional life but in my personal and spiritual life as well. 

Between moments of great success, you've also had business ventures fall apart. How do you move through these downtimes and come out of it better and invigorated? What have been some of the greatest lessons you've learned about yourself and your businesses through these challenging moments in your career?

I am a firm believer of “failing upward.” For individuals like myself who are self-made, sometimes things fall apart, it’s part of the journey. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Learning, growing, building, adapting. I have had to learn a lot about what I want and do not want in the public eye. Running my first kitchen at the age of 24 definitely taught me a lot about success and failure. The most important life lesson I learned is that there is no one great “recipe” for success. All of life's adventures in business are different and require different versions of yourself. I value the uncomfortable times because they push me to grow.  Stepping into new arenas can be seen in two forms, either as a defeat or an opportunity for growth. 

What is it about your career that makes you feel most complete? What drives you?

What makes me feel most complete about my career is the ability to nurture and connect with people. Cooking is a humble gift that transcends gender, race, religion and is a place to draw energy from to be a steward of our Mother Nature. Ultimately, the sustainability of our planet is what drives me the most in writing my love letter to the art of cooking.

Can you recall a mistake you made and share what you learned from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?

A mistake I made early on was not following my gut. I’ve been steered in the wrong direction whenever I don't listen to my intuition. Being able to have visited over five countries and 12 states this year, connecting with so many beautiful faces from different walks of life, I can definitely say taking a leap of faith to lean into myself this year as a brand has been beneficial in leading the life I want to live. 

You've described cooking as artistry and even hosted "Food Is Art" dinner installations. Can you share a little more about this philosophy? How has this viewpoint served you through your career?

I am a “creative,” whether I’m curating an immersive experience through cooking or I’m creating visual art using the mediums of watercolors or acrylics. Cooking is an art using the medium of food. Creating a landscape of an experience through temperature, texture, and flavor balance. 

Your unique POV has been the secret to your success in such a competitive space. What advice do you have for upcoming female chefs? What are the main traits or characteristics you need to be a successful chef today?

Being a trailblazer in the industry comes from staying authentic to my message and bringing life experience to my plates of self-expression. Cooking is such an intimate articulation that combines a celebration of mother nature and technical skill. Today in the industry, it is important to be very business savvy and diversify.

What drives your passion for your cooking? Where do you source your inspiration? How do you incorporate that into your cooking style? Why?

My cooking life is literally an outward expression of what is in my soul. Growing up, I had a very diverse landscape of inspiration in Los Angeles. My parents always supported my love for art and it very much plays into my approach of how I translate that to the plate today.

You are currently "freelancing" and cooking mostly for private events. Why did you make that pivot? What is your vision for this business strategy? What can we expect to see next from you?

It's been a super fun year! I am the type of person who wants to connect with as many people around the globe as possible. I feel like I am living my best life when I experience different cultures and share life experiences, recipes, and learn new techniques. The business strategy is one of wanderlust, I have met some very powerful people on this planet and you can expect to see me continue to work towards activism and change for good. 

“There are going to be good days, bad days, and there are going to be hard days—but you must always persevere.”

With success comes opportunity but that also means you have your hands full—what keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

For me, self-care is paramount. Proper nutrition for brain function has allowed me to have clear thoughts and not feel anxious. This year, I adopted an alkaline vegan diet and it has changed my life. I also have a great support system! A group of hard-working women who support each other with so much love and compassion. We call ourselves the “Allday Divas” and met in the best workout group in L.A. led by fitness extraordinaire Lacey Stone. I used to think I didn’t have the time to work out and now I cannot function properly until I jump into a spin class or lift heavyweights.

What is the #1 book/cookbook you always recommend? Why?

The Four Agreements is my all-time favorite book!

In The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.

My dad gave me this book when I turned 21 years old. He is a very spiritual gentleman and I undoubtedly value his universal perspective of life. This is the most recommended “self-care” book I tell people about and I have read/re-read it at least 20 times.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FOOD LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Paige Adams-Geller

Paige Adams-Geller was one of the denim industry’s most sought-after fit models before she transitioned into a career “behind the seams” and launched her namesake fashion brand in 2004. She is now considered a true pioneer for disrupting a billion-dollar industry that is traditionally male-dominated and ultimately rising above the skepticism and cynics to create a global brand with a cult following.

Needless to say, PAIGE is now an über-successful premium denim and lifestyle brand that stands apart from competitors in a saturated space. But don’t take our word for it, let’s look at some stats. The brand now employs around 300 people from Los Angeles to London, with 15 brick-and-mortar stores (and more on the way), an online e-commerce site, and retail partnerships with Shopbop, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Anthropologie. Oh, and they stepped beyond denim to launch sell-out footwear in 2018 with more accessories to come.

To get the scoop on how she did it, we tapped Adams-Geller to share the life-changing events that led to her namesake fashion brand, the secret to PAIGE’s continued brick-and-mortar success in the digital age and their sustainable initiatives that include greener processes and eco-friendly designs.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You started out as a fit model before moving into a career "behind the seams"—what inspired you to take that leap? How did you move past the fear to pursue a career in denim?

PAIGE ADAMS-GELLER: I was inspired to start PAIGE by a series of events that were life-changing. I was attacked in the workplace by my boss on a modeling job, which lead me to the Rape Treatment Center in Santa Monica. During the aftermath, I was in therapy and was able to open up and start talking about an old buried wound—I was raped when I was 16-years-old and had never shared this with anyone. This was a pivotal moment in my life, one of immense healing and growth. Through this process, I was able to let go of shame and blame, and find my voice. With that, I knew I needed to find my purpose and passion in life in order to move forward.

From there, I went to a life coach and that’s when the idea of starting PAIGE was born. PAIGE would be the accumulation of all of my past experiences—modeling and acting, my education at USC in Broadcast Journalism and Communications, as well as my love of fashion. PAIGE would also give me the ability to use my brain and talents and no longer be treated as a commodity.

Empowering others is my purpose and my passion is the fashion business.

How did your career as a fit model inform your pivot into the denim designer role? What skillsets transferred over? And what did you have to learn?

My career as a fit model turned into the opportunity to be a technical fit expert and design consultant to the top brands in Los Angeles. The premium denim market was exploding in L.A. and I worked for all of the top denim brands at that time. I was able to absorb what start-up companies were doing and learn everything from fit and design to business while on the job. 

When I started PAIGE, I had a strong foundation and understanding of what it takes to build a business. I felt denim would be the best start and was able to build my dream team. 

I have learned so much on the job, from how to manage a team to honing in on the mission and vision of a brand, to international business and retail expansion. 

“Empowering others is my purpose and my passion is the fashion business.”

There are very few female founders in the denim industry, what do you think being a woman brings to the table? What challenges have you faced along the way that are unique to you being a woman in a male-dominated industry?

I think being a woman brings a lot to the table. The premium denim industry was male-dominated and had very few women representing our thoughts, needs, and perspective. It was my goal to see premium denim through a different lens, to work as a woman designing for other women and really transitioning denim to be part of real fashion culture. 

As someone who has suffered from an eating disorder and body dysmorphia, I also wanted to share my experiences and embrace inclusivity. PAIGE was founded on wanting women to love their body, to feel comfortable in their skin and comfortable in their genes.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

Resilience is key! The nine bars on the side of our jeans represent nine lives, the constant reminder to grow, evolve, and change. I have needed the help of others many times along my career path and I have learned the hard way that I can’t do it alone! It's important to find your way of coping, growing, and taking time for yourself. Whether that includes meditation, support from your spouse, or therapy, it's so important to stay open-minded and allow yourself the space to breathe while never becoming complacent.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? Or a favorite piece of #realtalk?

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is: Secrets make you sick. If I had never gone to get help and share my past, I would have never been able to heal and start the company so this continues to be my mantra.

Your business continues to thrive both online and in brick-and-mortar stores despite media reports of other big fashion businesses struggling in recent years. What is the secret to your success? What makes PAIGE a standout brand in a saturated space? Where do you see Paige Denim in the next 10 years?

I like to think our secret to success is the strong teams we have built. There are team members who have been at PAIGE since day one, others for 10 to 12 years, and every day we continue to grow and bring in fresh perspectives.

As a brand, we're able to stand out because of our strong voice. We know who we are and we know what we stand for. The original voice of the brand is still there so I can lead all management teams with a strong creative direction and without confusion. We also try not to do too much, too soon—slow and steady wins the race. I see PAIGE continuing to expand into other categories one step at a time as an iconic California lifestyle brand that will be here for years to come.

You're always at the forefront of innovation from design to marketing, where does your inspiration come from?

My inspiration comes from getting outside and seeing the world. I love to travel and stay open-minded so I can take in all that I am seeing and doing. I also look to all the young people who work within the company. I love hearing their thoughts and opinions, it definitely helps to avoid tunnel vision!

There is a huge sustainability push in the fashion industry, especially in denim. Where do you see PAIGE in this movement? What are some of the initiatives you're moving towards to incorporate greener processes and eco-friendly designs?

Our commitment to sustainability has only grown in the last few years. During the California drought, we all worked together to do all we could to make our entire business greener. California is our home and it's such an integral part of our brand and its DNA that it became imperative for us to do more than ever. We moved production to factories that focus on lasers rather than chemicals. This reduces the use of the chemicals while still creating the same wash effect. We also focused on water usage and using recycled water wherever possible. 

The part closest to my heart is that our team created a Sustainability Crew! It's an in-house council of our most devoted environmentalists. They have done everything from creating new recycling programs to eliminating the use of single-use cups. Instead, we all have reusable PAIGE cups! It makes me so proud to see everyone with them!

What's a mistake you made and what did you learn from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?

An early mistake (without knowing it at the time) was the brand name and its labeling, which was very limiting. It featured my signature and the words "premium denim." Because of that, many believed that we only made denim and could only ever offer women’s. We worked hard to simplify things and came up with the simple name PAIGE along with a more modern logo. It allowed us to grow to become the lifestyle brand for men and women that I had always dreamed up. It also works for whatever the future holds too!

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs? How can they achieve the same success you've experienced?

My advice for other entrepreneurs is to have a "reason to be," and a clear vision and strong voice. If you are passionate and authentic, your point of difference becomes a greater asset. It’s also important to remember that you will make mistakes, the key is to learn from them in order to grow.

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. This book is a quick read that can be applied not only in business but in all of your personal interactions.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FASHION LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Find New Roads: Sigal Cordeiro

When it comes to game-changing women forging a new path for the generations to come, Sigal Cordeiro is at the top of our list. As the Vice President of Urban Mobility and Maven Car Sharing at General Motors, Cordeiro is redefining what the future of personal mobility looks like while smashing the glass ceiling for women in the automotive industry.

We’re so inspired by Cordeiro’s story and know you will be too! Read on to learn more about the groundbreaking work she’s doing with Maven, her advice for women who want to break into their field, and some lessons she’s learned along the way. Grab a pen, these are tips you’ll want to write down!

You’re the vice president of Urban Mobility and Maven at General Motors. Can you explain your role and what it entails? What does your day-to-day life look like on the job?

At General Motors our vision is to create a world with zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion. One way of helping to achieve our vision is Maven, GM’s car-sharing business. Maven is helping to redefine car ownership by making cars available to people who are looking for on-demand transportation, all through seamless technology. Leading Maven, I oversee all business operations, including guiding the strategy, reviewing future plans and providing insights to ensure our members have a great experience.

Your mission is "to define the future of personal mobility through an on-demand car-sharing marketplace"—Can you elaborate on what that means and how you are bringing this mission to life?

The sharing economy is an important societal shift taking place that is impacting a lot of industries, including automotive. Consumers are increasingly valuing access to assets over ownership, and with this comes an openness to sharing things. Just look at Airbnb and Rent the Runway, for example. Years ago, who would have thought people would be okay with sharing homes and clothes? The openness to share is changing the way people look at transportation too. Maven supports this movement by making cars available on-demand.

It’s important that we consider how people want to access mobility now and in the future. Maven members can look for the date and time they need a car, make a reservation, lock and unlock the car, and start it, all through a simple app. Today, consumers have a lot more options to get around, if they decide that owning a car is not right for them.

“I hope as a society we can get to a place where there is nothing stopping women from achieving success in any industry.”

You work in a traditionally male-dominated industry—What drew you to work in the automotive space? What advice would you give to other women who want to break into the industry? Why?

I started my career in marketing and I knew I wanted to work with products that people care about; products that create an emotional connection. Cars do that for many people. It’s a highly involved and emotional purchase. For many, owning a car is a symbol of accomplishment, it brings joy and a sense of achievement. Cars also transport you to some of the most special moments in your life. I love working with products and services that have this kind of impact on people’s lives.

While the automotive industry has traditionally been male-dominated, this is changing. Just look at General Motors, where we have a female CEO and CFO inspiring women across all industries to believe in themselves and aim for the top. I definitely encourage women to consider the automotive industry—or any industry of interest—without hesitation.

With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full—What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

Mobility is a critical consumer need. It’s what allows people to get to their jobs, get back home to their loved ones and enjoy amazing experiences during trips. Working on a business that enables mobility for so many people makes my job truly rewarding. And being a part of the future of mobility and what it will look like makes it even more interesting.

You have really carved out a blueprint for other women behind you who want to get into the automotive industry—What message do you have for these women? Have you had any mentors along the way? What did you learn from them?

I hope my career can serve as inspiration for other women who are considering going into traditionally male-dominated industries. I hope as a society we can get to a place where there is nothing stopping women from achieving success in any industry. There have been several female role models in my professional life and one common thing they have taught me is that I should always be proud of who I am and the perspectives that I bring to the table. Anything is possible if you believe in yourself and work hard to achieve your objective.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job? Why?

At Maven, we are helping people access transportation so that they can get to where they need to when they need to—whether it be to make money, visit a friend, or go on a trip. I love being a part of something that is rooted in purpose and helping improves our members’ lives. It’s also fulfilling to be the leader of Maven, as my team is filled with extremely talented people who are passionate about changing the future of mobility.

You've achieved phenomenal success but that didn't come without hard work and determination—What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned along the way and what have they taught you?

BE POSITIVE: Having a positive attitude helps you navigate the challenges that you will invariably face. Plus, nobody likes to work with someone who is always negative—choose to be positive!

BE OPEN TO TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS: The more challenging the better. That’s how we learn and grow.

WORK AS ONE TEAM: You can’t possibly do everything on your own. Collaborate. Delegate. Your team will make you much stronger.

SPEAK UP: Don’t be afraid to share your opinions. Diversity of thought is critical for the success of every business so share your point of view.

“The key is to not fear change but to embrace it.”

If you could go back to the beginning of your career with the knowledge you have now, what's one thing you would tell yourself and why?

Be confident in yourself. There were times early in my career when I doubted myself and my ability to succeed. There was no basis for it and seeing what I’ve been able to accomplish to date, it is even clearer that I should have never questioned my ability to grow and contribute.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success

The first step is to be accepting that you will encounter bumps along the way and to be okay with it. The only constant is change—those bumps keep your career interesting and will make you grow. The ability to face challenges with courage, learn and pivot when needed, are critical skills that everyone must develop, particularly in these ever-changing times. For me, the key is to not fear change but to embrace it.

What are you most excited about/looking forward to in 2020?

We have a few new mobility product and service ideas being explored for Maven, so I can’t wait to keep improving the lives of our members as we continue to evolve our car-sharing business.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FIND NEW ROADS LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Robin Arzón

It’s no surprise that Robin “The Fitness Queen” Arzón’s motto is “do epic shit.” As the vice president of fitness programming and head instructor at Peloton, a 26-time marathoner, a brand ambassador for Adidas, a New York Times bestselling author, and, not to mention, a former lawyer, she does epic shit every day—and makes it look way easier than it actually is. 

Arzón lives every day like it’s her last, and that’s because she almost did experience her last. A traumatizing brush with death (she was held hostage at gunpoint) when she was 20 served as the impetus behind her joie de vivre approach to life. She has become an inspiration to thousands with her enthusiasm and message to live life to the fullest.

Here, we ask Arzón to share her sage advice for anyone considering a huge career shift, how she pushes through negative thoughts or moments of doubt and persists, and the changes she hopes to see in the health, wellness, and fitness industry.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You left a successful law career to start working in the health, wellness, and fitness space—what was the catalyst behind this career shift? What advice would you give to others considering such a huge career change?

ROIN ARZÓN: While practicing law, I developed a double life as an athlete. I counted down the hours until I could run again. I needed to live for more than an hour of joy a day.

My career transition advice: 

1. Take an honest inventory of your current skillset and circumstances. How do you need to level up? 

2. Plant all the seeds. Do not ask to “pick someone’s brain.” Instead, offer help to those who you admire and seek mentorship from. 

3. Move your body, your office furniture. Shake things up for a new perspective. 

4. Just start. Fear is paralyzing. There will never be the right time to level up. Use fear as fuel. Fear is your friend. Jealousy shows what you care about. Fear shows what you have to work on. Act it out. Don’t figure it out. 

5. Discomfort is your biggest ally. Nerves mean you care. 

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads and switch gears to find success?

Hurdles are jet fuel to a hustler. Recalibrate your focus and go back to the tips above.

You are a brand ambassador for Adidas—how do you choose what brands to work with? How do you manage those partnerships?

Brand partnerships are marriages, not dates. Adidas was an obvious synergy in how they elevate the everyday hero in sport, especially for female athletes. I was also drawn to their mission to change the narrative for young girls in sport. We put strength on a pedestal. I left law to monetize and leverage who I am, how I view movement and push the conversation forward for how the everyday person can do epic shit. That's my North Star. When you know your mission, everything else falls on gut instinct.

“The most successful people don’t fear failure—they fear mediocrity.”

How do you define your personal fitness brand in a way that stands out?

Do epic shit.

As a 26-time marathoner, you know a thing or two about persistence. How do you push through negative thoughts or moments of doubt?

Our inner voice is the most powerful conversation we have. When you tell yourself "I can’t, I won’t, historically I haven’t," then you’re stuck. You might as well reframe that story. The most successful people don’t fear failure—they fear mediocrity. A lot of people want that finish line but they aren’t willing to work for it. I am not that person. I actively revere and seek out discomfort.

What do you wish more people knew about your job?

I only make it look easy.

Peloton has changed the in-home fitness game—how has working on an online platform changed the way you work?

The scale and breadth of our Peloton community are powerful. We are part of a family of over 1.4 million strong. I've never been part of a sports team in my life. I didn't play sports as a child and never identified as an athlete until adulthood. Peloton is the ultimate, global sports team. Everyone is welcome. Everyone has the opportunity to level up through a connected fitness experience on their bike, tread, mat, and phone.

What is the best advice you have been given? Or a favorite piece of #realtalk?

Complaints are not a conversation. Nobody owes you shit.

Your New York Times bestselling book Shut Up and Run is a guide to help anyone achieve their running goals. What is the next big goal you are working toward?

My next book about the hustler's oath, confronting fear, and using discomfort as a launching pad. And making Peloton the biggest wellness brand on the planet.

What changes do you hope to see in the health and wellness/fitness industry?

The democratization of wellness by improving access for all communities. Empowering more people to step into power through movement. I want to eliminate every barrier of entry for someone to reach their strongest self.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Small Business: Paige Appel & Kelly Harris

At a time when e-commerce is on the rise and big chains and small mom-and-pop shops alike are going out of business, Paige Appel and Kelly Harris are reinventing the brick-and-mortar retail game. With their inspired Los Angeles-based shop, Midland, the creative team is bringing back the nostalgia of in-person shopping—all while supporting local artisans while curating an inventory of covetable finds in the process. (And ICYWW, you can count industry heavy-weights by the likes of Emily Henderson, Amber Lewis, and Sarah Sherman Samuel as fans.)

But before Appel and Harris were disrupting retail, they were running their own event production company, Bash Please, which they sold in late 2016. (Yes, the pair have been best friends since their 20s). Talk about a major pivot, but the pair haven’t looked back and are looking at expanding into more retail locations in 2020. Ahead, the dynamic duo fills C&C in on the marketing tools and strategies they’ve used to successfully (and organically) grow their business and the advice they’d give to young entrepreneurs who have a great idea but don’t know where to start on executing it.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: Your early careers were in the film industry and advertising—but you also started an event production company called Bash Please in 2009 which you later sold. How have these careers informed your new roles as founders? What skill sets have you carried over? Why?

PAIGE APPEL & KELLY HARRIS: Working in film and advertising in our 20s was much like grad school for the job of life. Those careers shaped our historical and aesthetic points of view as well as toughened us up in the Los Angeles creative hustle. Working from a strong foundation helped us become successful in the event production business quickly and we had a book deal before we even had enough events to really showcase. That business grew from a hobby to a full-fledged operation quickly which is what really prepared and launched us as female founders.

We always said that producing an event was like producing a movie with only one take. There aren't directives such as "cut" and "take 5" and "reset". It's go-time and everything has to be perfect and smooth. You can't tell a bride to stop and go back down the aisle because the quartet missed a note. So in that way, our first company really prepared us for the worst-case scenario, to be on top of every nuanced detail, and to learn how to manage all personality types. It was the Master’s program of life. If anyone needs a well-rounded education, go work in events.

Being a founder is never a smooth path. What are some of the biggest lessons you've learned through the process of starting Midland? What have been the biggest challenges? Why?

One of the biggest lessons we've learned since starting Midland is that retail is an ever-changing organism. Keeping up with the demand to have new items in-store for the regular customer while also staying true to our original vendors is creative and challenging. We’re constantly asking ourselves, “What will be the long game win? What makes a good retail shop stay in business? Why do we go back to certain shops? Beyond the social media game and the lure to fast and cheap fashion, how can we be sustainable financially and ethically?”

We want to offer beauty and quality with a distinct aesthetic while still being approachable and not pretentious. Reaching that customer requires constant analysis and marketing. We live in a time where big chain stores and small mom-and-pop shops are going out of business, so planting our feet in the grounded reality that this is not a guaranteed place to thrive. It does require our attention and our passion which keeps us interested and working on refining our customer's experience and searching for the goods that really speak to us and not just what is popular at the moment.

“All entrepreneurs have set-backs and mountains to climb. Ask for help. Use your community resources. Stay humble and be right where you’re at.”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

Hurdles are inevitable as an entrepreneur. If you look at them as opportunities to shift and grow, they can be your biggest helpers in achieving success. We are lucky to have each other to bounce ideas off of, encourage each other's talents, take on different roles, give each other a break, and allow space for a different point of view. We often take a day to "deep dive" on all things working and not working in the business, and if there is a problem, we take a little time to spin out and vent and curse and purge our fears and then re-center ourselves and tackle it the best way we know-how. It's important to allow yourself that moment or hour or day to expel the negative feelings about the bump in the road so it doesn't wreak more havoc.

Then we switch gears, and if we can't get over it, we ask someone more seasoned than us. Asking for help, tapping into our community of knowledgeable entrepreneurs, and looking for someone smarter than us to guide, have all been essential ways of evolving and learning. We’d highly encourage anyone starting a business to look for opinions and data from other people. Also, don't get too stuck in one path. With three careers behind us, we don't look at an endeavor as the "one that has to work." If something isn't working or maybe it is working but you want to switch gears, find a way to do it. Fluidity creates freedom and if you feel trapped in a job, you will be unhappy and that business won't prosper.

You operate both online and brick-and-mortar retail stores, what have been the hardest parts about running retail? Why did you decide to launch physical stores? Would you recommend it?

We believe in a sensory experience. You can't really get that online. You can't touch or smell or even see the details when buying something from a website. You don't interact with a human being. You don't engage with a piece. It's a flat experience. We want our customers to come in and feel like they encountered something special and rare. 75% of our customers walk in and say, "What is that smell? I want it!" They feel the worn concrete floors, they see the oil-stained spruce shelves, they rest in the leather window seat, they touch the hay in the Japanese stucco wall, they ask about the dried flowers on display, they hum along to the Patsy Cline song on the Midland playlist. It's a vibe and we ourselves love to just be in the shop with it.

The hardest part about retail is getting people into the shop to fall in love with a piece of pottery. A certain fragrance. A linen shirt. A Mexican cookbook. A vintage record. Nowadays, people look for the ease and immediacy of online shopping and we understand that to some degree, but it's a limited experience. We send them a little scent and some dried flowers when they shop online with us, but we really hope our customers can come in and hold the carved stone Zuni Owl fetish and feel it's medicine. Or spray our signature sweet hay and palo santo scent. When a customer comes alive in our shop and a maker is ecstatic to be a part of the roster, that's what makes us feel we are doing something good for the soul. It truly makes us happy to support good people making intentional products and to collaborate and buy from people of indigenous cultures. And we recommend any job that makes someone happy and supports a creative, working person's livelihood.

We read that you met via Twitter, is that true? How have you turned a friendship into a working relationship? What's the secret to making that work? Would you recommend it? What advice can you share?

The good old days of Twitter! Before Instagram was the way. We were both working on our hobby careers—post-film and advertising—and some blogs had published our work. Paige reached out to Kelly via twitter to meet up for coffee and work on a project. After three canceled meetings, they met up at Bloom Cafe on Pico and hit it off instantly. After working together on three events, we agreed we were better together and merged companies.

We highly recommend having your best friend as your business partner! It has worked so well for us and we continue to evolve in both roles. We get asked this question a lot, “What’s the secret to being best friends and business partners?” We honestly just work well together and really like each other. It's a marriage. Honesty, trust, and commitment to what's best for each other and the business is key. Talking through the arguments, being vulnerable, and respecting each other's way. Having no ego and letting the other person shine when they deserve it. Knowing who's strengths should lead and when to take a back seat. Trusting each other and keeping each other in a safe space to be ourselves. Pushing each other to be better. It's a complex and beautiful relationship. It's dharmic to be in this work together. Feels every essential to our selves to be partners.

You've achieved so much success since launch. What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you were first starting out? Why?

To always meditate before going to work! We really believe that if we operated from a centered and calm place before making any decisions or dealing with any human beings, our work in this world would be clearer and more connected to all of the success. Sometimes, something that is making money can leave fragments of yourself and others behind. We felt this way quite a bit with our event company. Casualties of our family relationships, employees, clients, etc. because we were operating from an overly ambitious, often fearful place that wasn’t always in line with our soul work. Recalibrating our intentions makes the work and the partnership much richer and kinder to ourselves and to all around us. That vibration we hope spreads wider than the Los Angeles hustle that can grind away at being present and not comparing ourselves to what others are doing.

When you're a small business you have to fall in love with the numbers. What have been some of the hardest money lessons you've learned along the way? What is your #1 money tip for small business owners? Why?

Money comes and goes. Don't get too attached to it and don't judge your success based on your bank account. A lesson we learned and value is that money spent on team building, taking care of our employees, giving to a charity, supporting an up and coming artist, are all things that seem luxurious but are actually essential to creating wealth in your community and in your soul. Allocating money to support the greater good of humanity benefits your own business in intention and in conscious. Don't complicate your accounting. Simple spreadsheets (thank god for Google Docs) and a good bookkeeper will keep you stress-free.

Creating buzz so people know about your brand/shop can be challenging for small businesses. How do you market your business? How are people aware of your business? What are some unique social/marketing tools you've used to grow Midland organically?

Tapping into our community and asking for help on social media is key these days. People organically post photos from the shop and in our clothes but also we also reach out to influencers and ask if they will post if it makes sense. Cross-promotion increases visibility and that's really what it's about with online marketing. It's a saturated world of images nowadays so staying active in people's feed is key without being obnoxious and over-posting. Hosting pop-ups with designers and makers in-store where customers can get a custom and in-person meeting with them has worked really well. Carrying goods that people are drawn to and love is the best marketing. Word of mouth will always be a tried-and-true way to increase your growth. If someone has a good experience, they will tell others.

“Word of mouth will always be a tried-and-true way to increase your growth. If someone has a good experience, they will tell others.”

Your store is really popular, which is great, but it also means you're very busy. What are your productivity hacks to get it all done? What three apps or sites do you use every day to help keep you organized and on track?

Productivity hacks! We love that phrase. Definitely, a shared calendar and shared notes, shared email addresses, and group texts. The more eyes on something, the better, and the easier it is to answer and keep the flow going. Google Docs, for sure, to keep track of orders, and Apple Notes to keep track of customer requests and in-store happenings. When someone clocks in, they can see an end-of-day report from the closing shift and reference the notes to see if anything needs to be shipped or a customer contacted. Connecting the dots for everyone keeps us sane and communication clear.

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who have an idea but don’t know where to start to execute it?

Start by working in the field you want to go into. There’s no better training than learning from someone already doing it. Sometimes you may have to intern or volunteer, but take some time to research and learn. Then go for it. If you can't work for someone else, then just don't be afraid to learn by trial by error and don't get discouraged. All entrepreneurs have set-backs and mountains to climb. Ask for help. Use your community resources. Stay humble and be right where you're at.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 SMALL BUSINESS LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin decided to go into business together just four hours after meeting. True story. Though the move may sound like a risky one, it’s more than paid off for the design-minded organizational geniuses.

Shearer and Teplin’s sought-after home organization company, The Home Edit, has garnered a long list of celebrity clients by the likes of Mandy Moore, Busy Philipps, Kacey Musgraves, and Khloé Kardashian. Not to mention over 1.4 million followers on Instagram, a line of products at The Container Store, a New York Times bestselling book, and a forthcoming Netflix show produced by none other than Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine.

Here, Shearer and Teplin share their tips for navigating a business relationship with a close friend, their tried-and-true social media marketing strategy, and their preferred stress-relieving activity, which (hint!) requires a box of crayons.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You two met and became instant friends and shortly after business partners—how have you developed a good working relationship? What tips can you give to other business partners trying to make it work?

CLEA SHEARER: We met, became friends, and decided to start a business together after just four hours. Are we crazy?! The answer is probably yes. But that’s what makes us such great business partners. We have this shared ability to trust our instincts and just do. To this day, you can still find us making huge life-altering business decisions over lunch. What’s even more strange is that Joanna and I are simultaneously the same people and complete opposites. It’s what allows us to spend so much time together without calling it quits. We rely on each other’s individual strengths to take the lead when needed, and to help balance out our independent weaknesses.

JOANNA TEPLIN: It’s true. As business partners, it’s SO important to be cognizant of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It allows you to work more efficiently and divide and conquer without ego or frustration holding you back. We actually took the Enneagram Institute test together and it provided a lot of insight for us into the good (and bad) sides of our personalities. The more you know yourself, and your partner, the more successful you will be. Being different isn’t bad, it can actually bring more opportunity.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

JOANNA: It all goes back to trusting our instincts. If something didn’t turn out the way we planned, there’s usually a reason for that. We’re all for moving forward in a different direction and taking the knowledge we’ve learned from what didn’t work to help us find what will.

CLEA: What Joanna said. We’ve learned that analyzing things until we are blue in the face is just a waste of time and usually leads to one of us crying in a corner. We’re better off not getting stuck on a problem, even if it means risking a trial and error. You learn from those mistakes and bumps in the road, so we might as well embrace them.

““Setting the bar just low enough to accomplish all kinds of bite-size victories helps us stay motivated.—Clea Shearer”

Why do you think organization has become so popular? To what do you attribute your success?

JOANNA: I think people are realizing that organizing is about more than making a space pretty for pretty’s sake. Believe us when we say that if it were just about staging spaces for gorgeous photos, we would have been out of business a long time ago. One of the things we love most about having organized homes, and one of the things we often hear from our clients, is how calm they feel when everything’s put away. Organization can help save time, money, and ultimately, your sanity.

CLEA: When we first launched The Home Edit, we had a very clear objective: Transform the way people think about organization. We weren’t satisfied being just another couple of organizers who could sort things into bins and use a label maker. We wanted to showcase the magical sweet spot that exists where form meets function when spaces are efficient, user-friendly, and beautiful all at once. It not only makes sections of your home more enjoyable to look at, but it also inspires people to maintain it—and isn’t that the whole point?

Your Instagram account has over 1.4 million followers, how has social media changed or impacted the success and growth/awareness of your business? What is your social media strategy? What unique social marketing tips do you have for other entrepreneurs to help grow their company online?

CLEA: Instagram is the perfect tool to market our type of business. People love seeing photos of organized spaces because it elicits a sense of calm, which let’s be honest, is always nice. But even more importantly, the photos inspire them to do the same in their home and we can offer the tools to get them there.

Then, there’s our Instagram stories, where we share a more personal side. It gives us a unique opportunity to engage with our followers, and show them that just because our feed is perfectly curated doesn’t mean that our lives are. Joanna jokingly refers to it as “The Mullet Philosophy”, which means business in the front (organization on the feed) and party in the back (us and all of our issues in stories). I wouldn’t necessarily call it a strategy, it’s just what felt the most authentic to us. Not every follower of ours is interested in organization, some just come for the stories. Either way, it’s important to remember that when building a brand, both count. 

JOANNA: Speaking of owning our strengths and weaknesses, I have absolutely no clue how to use social media. I am so thankful that Clea not only enjoys it but is really, really good at it. It’s a full-time job, people, and that’s truly what it takes.

Your business has grown significantly with a book and a TV show. What was your biggest challenge this year and what did you learn from it?

JOANNA: Expanding our business while also traveling non-stop proved to be a challenge. It takes a lot of effort to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks, especially when you don’t remember what time zone you are in. It was also hard dealing with the guilt of being away from my family and missing my kids and husband constantly. But I learned that in order to manage it all, I had to be patient with myself and set realistic expectations. It’s better to compartmentalize than to spread yourself too thin.

CLEA: Being pulled in a million different directions. This past year has taught me a lot about the importance of prioritizing and the power of saying no. There’s only so many hours in a day and setting clear boundaries helps me be fully present where it matters most.

You have teams in Nashville, L.A., and N.Y.C. What has been the biggest challenge in expanding? How do you grow a team and keep the same quality and culture across the board?

JOANNA: Expanding a company can definitely be a risk, but we’ve always been confident that with high risk comes high reward. It’s obviously been a challenge to navigate our non-stop work schedule and all the aspects that go into launching a new city, but we try to take it one step at a time and have realistic expectations for growth. 

With every new team, we’ve learned that in order to maintain the same quality and culture across the board, the first step is to trust our instincts in the hiring process. It goes beyond whether or not someone is good at organizing, we want someone who can collaborate and bring their own unique strengths and weaknesses to the table. Being hands-on and creating an environment where people aren’t afraid to be themselves and ask questions has been our greatest tool. 

With success comes opportunity but that also means you have your hands full—what keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

CLEA: It’s all about embracing the Low-Bar Lifestyle, which is a credo we came up with to describe just barely managing to make it through the day yet still feeling like you achieved something. For instance, if we give the kids a bath, then we get a gold star in parenting. If we shower instead of putting our hair up in a bun, that’s another A+. Setting the bar just low enough to accomplish all kinds of bite-size victories helps us stay motivated.

JOANNA: “Surviving Not Thriving” is another mantra we live by. Whenever we are having a challenging day and nothing seems to be going right, it helps take the pressure off and laugh at ourselves a bit. No one is perfect and life is too short to feel guilty about that.

“It’s like anything in life: Work hard, trust your instincts, and surrender to the highs and lows.—Clea Shearer”

Success is such a broad term and it means something different to everyone—how do you define success? What traits do you need to succeed today?

CLEA: Success is figuring out what your strengths are and owning them. When I was a kid, I was somewhat shy and awkward and would count down the days until spring break so I could stay home all day and organize my pencils. (Yes, I’ve always been this nuts.) The point is that I never knew that this could be my job... and it just so happens to be the only thing I’m actually good at. 

JOANNA: What Clea said. I did the same thing with my miniature horses. Being successful (and happy) takes owning your strengths, with the humility to admit to your weaknesses.

What do you wish people knew about being an entrepreneur? What are the biggest misconceptions?

JOANNA: There isn’t a one-size-fits-all process for starting a business. And our story is the perfect example. Building a successful business doesn’t happen overnight and be prepared for everything that comes with that. There will be times when you feel completely lost without direction and that every decision you’ve made was a mistake. But then in a matter of a day, you feel on top of the world. It’s like anything in life: Work hard, trust your instincts, and surrender to the highs and lows. 

CLEA: If you want to start your own business because you want to “be your own boss,” I’ll go ahead and stop you right there. Owning a business is hard work and takes sacrifice. As much as it seems like you can just show up whenever you want and make things happen, that’s very unlikely. What you give is what you get.

You co-wrote a New York Times Bestselling book together, also titled The Home Edit. What was the co-writing process like? What did you learn from that experience?

CLEA: I still can’t believe we wrote a book. AND THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING ANOTHER ONE!!! It’s like I gave birth and forgot about how painful the pregnancy was… until I decided to do it all over again. The co-writing process is collaborative, just like when we organize. I do the bulk of the writing, which is usually stream-of-consciousness, and Joanna goes back and makes sense of it. 

JOANNA: When we started writing the first book, we had no idea whether or not people would even read it. That was the scariest part. But thankfully, we decided to risk it and found out how supportive our followers truly are, and we are so, so, so thankful for that.

What is the best advice you’ve received? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

JOANNA: “Don’t focus on the problem, focus on the solution.” This was the advice that my (very entrepreneurial) grandfather always reminded all of his kids and grandkids. 

CLEA: “Never take the first room the hotel gives you.” — My mother

What's a mistake you made and what did you learn from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?

Hiring people that weren't a good fit for our company. It was a tough lesson but ended up a blessing in disguise. It made us take a step back and really think about what qualities are important to us in team members. It goes beyond being good at organizing because we can train someone in that skill. But what we can't teach and what matters the most is that they bring enthusiasm, positivity, and collaboration.

What is the #1 piece of advice you'd like women to know when starting out or building a business today? Why?

Bet on yourself and no one else. You are the ticket to your success and that's your greatest power. 

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?

This may be an unusual answer to this question but… adult coloring books. It's like our therapy and helps to relieve stress after a long day. Seriously, go buy a coloring book and a pack of crayons and you'll thank us.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTREPRENEUR LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Shani Darden

Shani “The Skin Whisperer” Darden is, hands down, the most sought-after esthetician in Hollywood. With a client list that includes A-listers by the likes of Chrissy Teigen, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Jessica Alba, and January Jones, it’s no wonder getting an appointment at her recently opened skincare studio in Beverly Hills is nearly impossible. 

To the joy of skincare fanatics, Darden started bottling her cult retinol serum in 2013. And she’s since launched an everyday skincare line, complete with a cleanser, moisturizer, and toning essence, that makes getting glowing skin attainable for those who may not be able to snag a one-on-one appointment with the esthetician to the stars.

Here, Darden generously offers insight into her success, including her strategy for turning every challenge into a valuable learning experience, her decision to launch a skincare line, and her process for developing new products that stand apart from the rest.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: After years of working as Hollywood's hottest esthetician, you decided to launch your own skincare line in 2013. What was the catalyst for this decision? How has your brand changed over the years?

SHANI DARDEN: I launched my Retinol Reform six years ago, and then, last year, expanded the line by launching Texture Reform, which is a gentler retinyl palmitate serum. I realized that some of my clients with sensitive skin couldn’t tolerate retinol so I wanted to develop a serum that would work great for their skin too. After I launched Texture Reform, I released Daily Cleansing Serum, Daily Toning Essence, and Daily Oil-Free Moisturizer. These are meant to be your daily skincare essentials to supplement your treatment products.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

Every bump in the road has been an incredible learning experience. I think those moments are invaluable because they help you better understand what does and doesn’t work.

What do you wish your younger self knew when you were first starting out in the beauty industry?

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and take risks. Be your most authentic self!

When developing your skincare line how did you make sure it would stand apart from other products out there? How do you keep growing your brand?

Every product that I make, I test for so long, as well as test it with my team and my clients.

For many years, I’ve been working with different ages, ethnicities, and skin types. I’ve tried so many different ingredients and formulas and have been able to really determine what works best for all different types of skin and why. I have taken all of that knowledge and put it into my own skincare line.

My focus has been on developing products with the most efficacious ingredients to address the concerns that I’ve heard about from clients and customers over the years. An amazing treatment product can make all of the difference in your skin. A powerful treatment product that uses really effective ingredients paired with the staples like a great cleanser and moisturizer can transform your skin.

What changes do you hope to see in the beauty industry in the future?

My philosophy is: less is more. I think we are overdoing it with skincare. There’s a machine for everything now, and I hope we get back to a place where we aren’t doing as much because it can damage your skin.

What is your best social media advice?

Bring value to everything you put out there.

You are an esthetician to the stars. Has who you work with, changed the way you do things? Do you feel your clients have helped shape your success?

I’ve been fortunate enough to have some truly amazing clients with me from the very beginning. Amazing clients have led to amazing referrals, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and take risks. Be your most authentic self!”

Where do you find the most inspiration? What drives your passion?

Everything I do is for my two daughters. They are my greatest inspiration.

Your new Beverly Hills studio gained a lot of media attention, as you move into this new chapter what's next for your brand?

I have several innovative products in development that we will be launching in the near future. Content creation is always top of mind for me as well. My new studio is the perfect space for me to be creating content to continue to help people all over the world!

How do you define beauty? What makes you feel beautiful?

Feeling confident in my own skin is what makes me feel beautiful.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 BEAUTY LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Sarah Barthel

When you tune into Sarah Barthel’s emotive lyrics from the popular electro-pop duo, Phantogram there’s a moment where space and time disappear and you lose yourself. Tracks like “Mouthful of Diamonds” and “When I’m Small” became instant hits and garnered an immediate global fanbase, but it’s easy to see why. It’s not just Barthel’s insane musical talent that attracts us to her—a killer style, ever-changing hairstyles, and ultra-cool persona make us all wish she was our best friend.

And after being on set with her for the CC100 photoshoot, we can attest that she is all of the above, and more. Barthel’s electronic-rock music has been pushing the boundaries of pop for over a decade, inspiring audiences around the world and musicians. Billie Eilish recently covered the group’s 2016 hit, ‘You Don’t Get Me High Anymore’ for BBC 1 Radio and called it, “one of her favorite songs.”

Ahead, the singer/songwriter shares her musical journey, how she collaborates with friend and Phantogram’s other half, Josh Carter, and some major career advice for emerging musicians.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: Your latest release and third single this year, 'In a Spiral' was just released—Can you talk us through the creative process for this song? What was the inspiration/drive? How have you grown since releasing your first album? How has the music evolved?

SARAH BARTHEL: In a Spiral has been sitting in my pocket for a few years in the hopes that it would make it on our last album Three. I started writing on josh's original beat when I lived in NYC and loved the energy and how fresh it sounded. The rest of the song was finished up in Joshua Tree and you can definitely hear the desert influence in the sample that Josh added. We love writing songs that you can't put into any category and this one is definitely that.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

I think keeping things fresh and exciting is very important especially being in a band together as long as we have—each album cycle is a new journey experience. They all have their own hurdles to overcome but it's a part of the journey.

You've been collaborating with Josh since 2007 and I read that you kept most of your music to yourselves in the beginning. It wasn't until 2009 when you started giving away free CDs on a street corner—what does your creative process look like? How do you maintain a good working relationship? What tips do you have for other creatives on making a partnership work successfully like yours?

Josh and I are one of the lucky ones. We've been friends our whole lives. He's like a brother to me and my best friend on this earth. I call him my biggest witness as well as my psychic twin. We've always had the same vision musically, visually, and aesthetically. We are one of the lucky bands because we've never had our egos get in the way. I'm his biggest fan and he's mine.

Our drive to make the band a success has been the same since day one. We knew what we wanted and we hit the ground running. My advice to other bands is to understand why you want to be doing this. It's not an easy road but if you're doing it for the right reasons, then you will find your success, whatever that may be.

“It’s not an easy road but if you’re doing it for the right reasons, then you will find your success, whatever that may be.”

Who in your field most inspires/influences you? How has this person shaped your career and music style? Why?

I'm inspired by artists who aren't afraid of evolving, growing, and experimenting. Artists like Beck, Outkast, and Kendrick Lamar are good examples of this; each one of their records is nothing like the last and continues to allow themselves to be true artists. I strive to do the same as an artist.

Music, like any art, is really subjective. Do you ever read what people say about the music or their response, whether it’s positive or negative? How do you respond/deal with criticism? What advice do you have for other creatives reading this who are dealing with that? What helped you get through the early/uncertain stages of your career?

I used to give a shit—it's not worth it effecting your art. As long as we maintain our integrity, it makes me feel satisfied. I want to make music that is fresh and innovative. If people don't understand it, it's okay. That just means it's ahead of its time and that's a good thing to me.

You always seem so bold and self-assured—where do you think this confidence stems from? What advice do you have for people who are feeling self-doubt and want to have more courage?

It comes from believing in my art—I know what I want and who I am.

You and Josh have chosen to take an unhurried approach to create music rather than pumping it out on-demand. Why have you chosen this slower-paced strategy? What are the advantages/disadvantages? Would you recommend this?

We've built a solid fanbase organically so all of our fans are true fans. They understand and respect us as artists. Sometimes that means waiting a little longer because they know the product will not disappoint. All killer no filler is our motto. If the art you are making is timeless, then time doesn't matter as much.

The filtered world of social media often hides a lot of the hard work and hustle behind-the-scenes—what is the reality of being a musician today? Be honest!

It's a hard road to get to where we are now. I'm so glad we started when we did because social media shows a fake reality. It's not glamorous but that's not why we do it. I can't even count the number of disgusting bathrooms and green rooms I've had to change and put on makeup in, how many strangers floors I’ve slept on, and top ramens I've eaten in the past but it was well worth it.

You tackle some of the big topics head-on in your music with raw lyrics and moody beats which really resonates with your fans. Have you always felt drawn to this style? Where does it stem from? What advice do you have for other musicians reading this who are still finding their style or voice?

I have always been drawn to emotional and meaningful music—the rawness comes from my heart. My art is honest and vulnerable and I think our fans can see that it comes from somewhere real. People are fed so much bull shit in this world so they want to find the truth somewhere. My advice is, people can smell bullshit a mile away so be honest with yourself.

With success comes opportunity but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

The reminder that I get to live my dream every single day and my art makes a difference in people’s lives.

You've had such a successful career in such a short space of time—What do you wish you had known when you first started out? What advice would you give other young women hoping to break it in the music industry?

We've been a band for 10 years! Holy shit yeah that's a long time. My advice to myself 10 years ago would be don't try and do it all. There is a breaking point that can be very dangerous and harmful to your mental health—just be aware of that.

“Don’t try and do it all.”

You have a really unique image and your personality shines through on your Instagram. How do you stay true to who you are and your voice? What advice do you have for other women who want to carve a unique POV for themselves?

Thank you! I think this goes back to being confident in who I am, accepting myself and not being afraid to live my truth. Even if that truth is being Post Malone for Halloween or feeling myself in the mirror, haha.

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why? What is the #1 album you always recommend? Why?

I'm kind of a weirdo when it comes to books—the darker the better—so I'd recommend any Bukowski or Hubert Selby Junior. Dang, my number one album is a tough one. There are too many albums that have had a huge impact on me. One of the recent favorites that I could recommend is Angel Olsen’s Woman—it's phenomenal.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 MUSIC LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Jessie James Decker

We don’t have to tell you that Jessie James Decker has had an impressive career in country music and beyond (but we will anyway). Her latest album “Southern Girl City Lights,” debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Her book Just Jessie is a New York Times bestseller. And her clothing line Kittenish has not one but two successful brick-and-mortar retail locations (no small feat in the era of online shopping.) Like we said, impressive.

Given all her recent success, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s been all roses for the country music star since the start—but, as you may suspect, getting to the top was much harder than it looks. As a teen, she auditioned for (and was rejected by) most country labels in Nashville—but she refused to give up, which isn’t easy in a field as cutthroat and competitive as the music industry.

Below, the persistent singer-songwriter tells us all about her remarkable, chart-topping career in country music, including why she’s glad her career didn’t take off when she was younger, how she stays grounded despite all the fame and fanfare, and her #1 piece of advice for today’s up-and-coming musicians.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You are such a successful country music singer but where did this passion stem from? What is your earliest music memory?

JESSIE JAMES DECKER: I have been singing for as long as I can remember. My earliest memory is at the age of two singing Disney songs into a plastic mic for my mama. I knew I loved to perform and entertain and make people happy early on.

In addition to being a musician, you are also an author, founder of a clothing brand, and the curator of a makeup collection. Where do you draw inspiration for all of these creative projects? Why did you expand into all of these categories?

I'm a creative person, and I feel all of these outlets are a way to express my creativity and inspiration in many different ways. My mind is always going and always coming up with different ideas and I've been fortunate enough to meet some amazing people to help make those visions come to life. I'm a girls’ girl and, from makeup to music, these things can make a woman feel good in their own skin.

You've amassed such a huge following in such a short amount of time with millions of fans around the world listening to your music. How do you stay grounded despite all the fame and fanfare? What advice do you have for other up-and-coming musicians?

I grew up in a very humble household and my family raised me to always remember what's most important in this life and to keep it real. I am grateful and very blessed for the wonderful dreams that have come true but I am still the same girl I was when I left home. I think that's what my fans appreciate about me. I'm not trying to be something I'm not and I'm honest about who I am and what I portray. Authenticity will never steer you wrong.

“Be your unique self because chances are, someone in the world can relate. And that’s all anyone wants these days—to not feel alone and to know someone gets them.”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

When I hit a bump in the road, I always feel it’s a sign I need to pay attention to. Maybe I need to take a step back and re-strategize or maybe its time to take another direction to get to the goal I'm trying to achieve. For me, there is always another way to get there, even if I hit a bump.

Who inspires and influences you the most? How have they helped shape you and your career? Why?

My mom inspires me more than anyone, she gave me the courage and confidence to make my dreams come true. When I was ready to give up and when I felt like something wasn't achievable, she always put things into perspective and encouraged me to try again. Giving up was not allowed in my house and I'm glad it wasn't.

What do you wish you had known about the music industry when first starting out? What lessons have you learned along the way?

I have learned to be patient. I wanted to be a big country star at the age of 19 when I got my first record deal. I would get so frustrated and make decisions based on a "wanting it now" attitude, but I'm glad it didn't happen then. Looking back, I wasn't ready. I think I needed to be happy in my personal life and have a family to really know what was important in life in order to succeed in my professional life.

Music is a cut-throat industry—how do you handle rejection? I read in an interview that it can still be challenging for you to think that some people don't like you, how do you deal with criticism like that?

Growing up, I was bullied terribly in school, so feeling rejected will always be something that hurts. But, it’s also something I'm used to, therefore, I'm stronger for it. These days, if I'm rejected, I have a good attitude about it because that means they don't "get me" and I don't need to be in business with someone or a company that doesn't have the passion for me and my projects.

With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

I just get this feeling in my gut that I don't want to fail. I want to succeed. Once I put my mind to something, I have to see it happen. Also, my family motivates me. They keep me going every day because I want to make them proud. I want to show my daughter that she should never give up. The words I tell her daily, whether she's playing soccer or about to do a cheerleading performance, are, "You got this girl!"

What's a mistake you made and what did you learn from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?

Early on, I thought I knew everything. Not in a "know it all way," I just knew who I was so strongly, that I didn't want to take any advice about who I was as an artist from anyone. I will say, it worked out better in the end, though. If I had molded myself into the artist that the labels wanted me to be, I wouldn't be sitting in my dining room right now answering these questions with a cup of coffee and my kids running around living my best life!

“I just get this feeling in my gut that I don’t want to fail—I want to succeed. ”

What advice do you have for other musicians coming up behind you? How can they achieve the same success you've experienced? How hard is it to break into the industry? Why?

Use social media to be heard... literally. I didn't have this tool when I was starting out, and my goodness, it’s a huge tool to have! You no longer need large companies to tell you that you’re great in order to get behind you. So many talented artists are now being discovered from building their own fanbases and following because of their talent. Be your unique self because chances are, someone in the world can relate—and that's all anyone wants these days; to not feel alone and to know someone gets them.

The music industry is such a competitive space. How do you stay true to who you are and your voice? How do you stand out and cut through the noise?

I've been told "no" from the beginning because I was different, but I decided that I would create my own path and it wouldn't deter me from making my dreams come true. I got creative and knew that if I did things my way and created a fanbase, then that would be all I needed to keep going. I have always wanted to be a role model for women, and I knew my voice could help and inspire them. I have proven that there are many ways to make it in this industry, and you don't have to follow any cookie-cutter path.

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?

I loved The Glass Castle. Jeannette Walls had a wild and unique childhood, but that didn't stop her from achieving her goals and building her character. That's what I always say when things seem messy... it builds character.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 MUSIC LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Melissa Wood-Tepperberg

After years of struggling with self-doubt, cystic acne, and an eating disorder, Melissa Wood-Tepperberg started taking steps to drastically change her life. She enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, earned her health coaching certification, and eventually launched her wildly popular eponymous platform Melissa Wood Health.

Fast-forward to 2020, and the health and wellness coach has amassed something of a cult following, thanks in part to her trademark MWH Method, which can be done at the office, at home, at the park, and pretty much anywhere. With over 210k Instagram followers and 16.4k YouTube subscribers, it’s safe to say she’s struck a chord with the wellness community.

Ahead, we ask Wood-Tepperberg how she turned her passion for health and wellness into a successful business, how she finds work/life balance, and how she switches gears when she hits a bump or hurdle in the road.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: How did you decide to get into the health and wellness/fitness industry?

MELISSA WOOD-TEPPERBERG: Honestly, it was less of a decision and more of something I was completely guided towards after having a horrible relationship with myself for many years. I woke up one day and knew something needed to change. So, I made a decision that changed my life forever. To actually change something!

Melissa Wood Health is more than just a workout—how do you define your brand? What do you think makes you or your business stand out?

Melissa Wood Health is a wellness platform created in hopes to not only guide you to feeling your absolute best but moving into a place of complete alignment with yourself. I believe people join my community because of the shorter workouts I share that you can do anytime and anywhere using your own body weight. Most importantly, I think it’s my unfiltered way of sharing what people connect to most.

You were able to find your way out of a dark time, discover your passion, and turn it into a successful business—how did you become the confident entrepreneur you are today?  

First of all, thank you. I tried my hand at many things I “thought” I wanted to do. But once I found what truly made me happy, I decided to give it 100% of my attention. That discipline coupled with my genuine love for what I now do every day is what led me down a path to success. Staying the course and staying true to myself are what continue to carry me today.

“I’m really learning that bumps in the road are par for the course. It’s not how many you hit but how you recover from them that matters most.”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find new roads and switch gears to find success?

I’m really learning that bumps in the road are par for the course. It’s not how many you hit but how you recover from them that matters most. I’m grateful for the lessons I’m able to take away from these experiences. Instead of looking at them as “bumps,” I suggest looking at them as a way that redirects you towards your purpose. 

What is the biggest work challenge you have faced? What did you learn from it?

By far the biggest work challenge I’ve faced is not following my gut intuition on something that was speaking so loudly to me. Always listen to what that little voice is saying to you.

You have two children and run your business at the same time—what is your life hack for getting it all done? What is your go-to mantra for staying motivated?

Omg, my life hack is constantly reminding myself every day that I’m doing the very best I can in all roles. Learning to manage my time and stick to a schedule (sorry Dylan) helps keep me in check. And building a team that has strengths that I don’t have. My go-to mantra for staying motivated is: It’s not just about me anymore—I have to show up for so many people in my life. And I love it, I jump out of bed and can’t wait to start my day. As long as it’s not before 6 A.M.

What do you wish more people knew about your job?

I’m not just sitting around working out all day and filming myself. Hahaha. I know I share a lot on Instagram Stories, but remember, Instagram doesn’t show everything! I’m in the office with my team Monday through Friday and all hands are still on deck during off hours because running a digital business means it never sleeps. 

You built your brand primarily online—why did you choose to do this? What would you suggest to other entrepreneurs looking to build a digital brand?

I was guided to teach digitally. As soon as I started, I knew it was where I was supposed to be. Being able to connect with people all over the world and hearing any ounce of impact I’ve had in their lives completely shifted something in me. For others looking to do the same, I would tell them to get specific on what message they want to share and, most importantly, do it in your own voice. And practice, practice, practice. Do your research, follow like-minded people in the space and read the book Subscribed!

“For people just starting out, I think the most important thing is to take the focus off your following, likes, and views and hone in on your gift.”

What is the best advice you have been given? Or a favorite piece of #realtalk?

The best piece of advice I’ve been told is that time is money. You have to think about the things you’re spending your time doing and if it’s worth taking time from something you actually love. This is something my husband taught me—and it’s not about the money, it’s about putting your time into things that matter most.

What changes do you hope to see in the health and wellness/fitness industry? What's next for you and the brand?

My team and I are constantly working on creating the best user experience and more live experiences where I can better connect with people face to face.

What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you were first launching your business? Why?

If I could go back, I would tell myself to do less opinion shopping. To fully follow your heart, your gut, and your vision. And no matter where you are, just start because nothing will ever be “perfect,” you adjust as you grow.

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who have an idea but don’t know where to start to execute it?

For people just starting out, I think the most important thing is to take the focus off your following, likes, and views and hone in on your gift. That one thing that sets you apart and that you want to share with the world. I truly believe that when you come from this place and your intention is to share from your heart, things start to align. Consistency is also key.

Anything else you would like to add?

Keep an open mind with whatever it is you’re doing. I would have never imagined years ago that I’d have this burning desire to share my workouts online.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Ally Maki

Ally Maki knows firsthand that representation matters.

When she was younger, she joined club after club in search of a community where she felt seen—but they all came up short. Which is why the actress (who you no doubt recognize from popular TV shows like “Cloak & Dagger,” “Dear White People,” and “Wrecked” and whose voice you know as Giggles from “Toy Story 4”) founded Asian American Girl Club, an apparel company that celebrates Asian American women.

But this is about so much more than just apparel. Maki has launched a movement. A global community has rallied around AAGC’s culture-pushing content that is “dedicated to the normalization of the next generation of AAPI gals and boss babes,” as their mission so aptly puts it. Maki is giving the next generation a platform and a voice—and she’s just getting started.

Ahead, the actor tells Create & Cultivate all about her plans to carve out the career of her dreams and empower women like herself, how she handles failure, and her #1 piece of advice for aspiring actresses starting out today.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You started doing musical theatre when you were six but you’ve also worked in the journalism field and even performed in a band. How did you settle on acting as a career? What did it take to get to where you are today? Was Hollywood receptive or have you had to fight for your spot? Why?

ALLY MAKI: I've had a love for performing since before I can remember. I was the kid who put on very detailed musical puppet shows from my bedroom but would be completely silent at school. I was insufferably shy. My parents were extremely supportive and really allowed me to try everything as a kid, even when we all knew it wasn't going to be "my thing." Sports was a total disaster. But I always got to try, which was important. When I started doing theater, everything started to make sense for me. It was the one place where I felt like I could be as crazy and weird as I wanted without any judgment. I think that passion and want for a safe space are what has always kept me going through any situation I’ve faced. It will always be fuel for me.

You recently landed the part of Giggle McDimples in “Toy Story 4.” We read that you were a huge fan growing up and that it was one of the first films you saw in a movie theater, what was your first memory of seeing “Toy Story?” Can you talk through why and how this movie impacted you? And how did this character Giggle allow you to unlock your true potential?

Friendships create the baseline foundation for a person’s life, especially during childhood. “Toy Story” as a franchise has taught me so much about friendship, purpose, and identity. I remember my mom had this huge basket that when you opened the top, was just filled to the brim with old school clam shell Disney VHS boxes. It was like a real-life treasure chest. “Toy Story” was the film that played on repeat all day long.

Animation hits in a way for underrepresented kids that’s insanely powerful. When you don’t see people who look like you on screen, you find yourself desperately searching for representation in any format. Characters like Buzz, Woody or Slinky Dog defied stereotypes and created heroes that looked as imaginative as we wanted. Anybody could find comfort in Rex’s anxiety. We saw ourselves in Hamm’s wisecracking wit. Giggle shows me how to use my voice in a big way even when I feel small. And we all know at the end of the day that these characters would be there for us at any moment.

“If I’m not vocal about my unique experiences, there is no one else who can tell them.”

You’re also on a lot of the merchandise, and you now have little girls dressing up as you. What does that mean for you to see that? How will that impact generations coming up behind you and why is that visibility important?

It really means everything. Seeing little girls dressing up as Giggle during the release of the film was absolutely one of the most emotional experiences. It’s a hard feeling to describe. I found it fascinating that through all the brilliant minds at Pixar who helped to create this character, a new iteration of what is possible was put into existence. I love that girls can now say “of course I can be police chief, duh.” This is what TV/film characters do. They can change culture in an instant. I remember a moment that really got me, a mom had sent me a message on Instagram saying that her 6-year-old Asian American daughter had just seen the film and told her excitedly, “Giggle looks like me.” She’s making that connection. It’s moments like these where you feel it on a massive level.

As one of the few South Asian actors in Hollywood what are some of the biggest challenges, you've faced as an actor? Do you think this is changing? And what more needs to be done?

I moved to L.A. when I was a teenager, and by the time I was in my early 20s, I remember feeling so burnt out. The industry was a massively different place than the awesome little musical theater camps I grew up in. All of a sudden, we were being categorized and put into separate boxes based upon factors like appearance and ethnicity. At 14 years old, it did a doozy on my self-worth. I internalized it in a way that went far past auditioning—I told myself I could never play or deserve to be a leading character. Even in real life. Half of my inner battle has been really reprogramming my own psyche. Finding and nurturing young talent in front of and behind the screen is so important. It’s about creating that pipeline of creativity.

You're the founder of Asian American Girl Club, so when you're not busy filming, you're working tirelessly to inspire Asian American girls and women to not be afraid to use their voices and be proud of who they are. When did you decide to start this club? Was there a moment that inspired the movement or was it something you always wanted to do? How do you join the club, what do you do once you're in, and how is it inspiring change?

There really was no specific “aha” moment for the creation of Asian American Girl Club, but rather a culmination of all of the life experiences I had not only experienced but witnessed through the eyes of other AAPI women around me. These women are multifaceted, beautifully talented, and so wanting to build a sisterhood of support. It’s something I found was missing in my own life, as a girl who had two brothers and very few female friends growing up. AAGC was founded on the floor of my living room with nothing but a name and a logo, truthfully not really knowing what it would be. We uploaded it to IG at 10:30 pm and I swear the next morning our inboxes were flooded with messages from girls around the country just wanting to tell their stories and share what it means to them that this exists. A few had sent in college style essays that read as if they were taken from my very own mind.

One of my hopes for AAGC is that it inspires others to start their own companies, projects our just aim for their highest dreams—because they see others who look like them doing it. To be fearless and strong knowing there are support and community behind them saying, “Yes, it’s possible.”

When did you first realize that you are a voice for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community? And how do you feel about that responsibility?

When I first started doing interviews, I was just answering questions authentically from my life experiences. Through each one, I started to get clearer and more confident in what I was saying and how it could be valuable for others. It certainly feels scary, but at the same time, I realize that if I’m not vocal about my unique experiences, there is no one else who can tell them. That springs me into action.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

Just follow your heart. If you had told me a year ago, I would have my own business, I would have probably laughed. Just follow where your intuition is taking you. It knows you better than you know yourself.

You've had an incredibly successful career. If you could go back and talk with young Ally, what do you wish you could tell her? Why?

That you can do all the things you’re dreaming of. It’s all possible.

You have become a role model to so many young women everywhere, what advice would you give to a young woman hoping to follow in your footsteps? How should they be prepared? What are the key traits to succeed in entertainment today?

Don’t be afraid to use your voice and take big chances. Everything good that has ever happened in my career has come from a moment of choosing what may seem like the scarier path—but something about it rang true to me and only me. You have to own that.

Take time alone to really think about what your true goals are. They are going to be unlike anyone else’s—and that’s okay.

Speak up for those that may not have as loud of a voice.

Embrace your uniqueness. The weirdest parts about you are usually what people will resonate most with.

The entertainment industry is incredibly competitive, how do you create a unique voice and character that stands out above the rest?

Funny enough, the hardest part about creating a character, for me, is grounding it in authenticity first. The trap of acting is feeling like you need to be someone else before you can play a character. Finding that tiny bit of truth that rings true for me is the impetus for everything else. Once you find it, it seems to open everything. You can then add all the fun nuances and character-driven elements and it still feels real.

Most people are scared to voice their opinions for fear of the ramifications, but you always seem so bold and self-assured. Do you ever worry being so outspoken will hurt your career? Where do you think this confidence stems from? What advice do you have for people who are feeling self-doubt and want to have more courage?

It’s certainly very scary, in this social climate, to feel like you can speak up, and I deal with that fear all the time. In my experience, I’ve always tried to stay true to who I am and speak directly from my personal journey. That’s all I can ever speak from. I remember when people first started to talk about representation, people would ask me my thoughts on it and I would just share things that have happened to me. Throughout the years, the more I talk about it, the stronger I get. It becomes less about fear and more about finding those people that connect with what you’re saying. Start small. It doesn’t have to be a full-on TED talk, but maybe practice a mini one in the mirror to yourself solo and go from there.

You don't seem afraid of making tough decisions, but what is the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make professionally? And how did you get through it?

I am actually a terrible decision-maker. It’s something I’ve struggled with over the entire course of my life. Through mistake after mistake, I’ve finally come to the realization that it was never the decisions themselves that were difficult, it was always my underlying reasoning for making them. I was making choices based on what I should do and the validation of others versus following my heart, intuition and what I want to do—should versus want. It’s been a definite uphill battle these last few years as someone who is an absolute perfectionist and eager to make the people around me proud, but I realize that I am no good to others if deep down I’m not happy or fulfilled. All the art we create has to come from that good place. Don’t ignore that first gut feeling telling you what you know is true for you.

“Just follow where your intuition is taking you. It knows you better than you know yourself.”

Who in your field most inspires/influences you the most? How has this person changed/influenced your career? Why?

I am incredibly enamored by those who walk the walk confidently and use their voice for change. Ava DuVernay, Reese Witherspoon, Malala, and activists during the Japanese American internment camps. My friend and editor-in-chief at Allure, Michelle Lee, who time after time shows how we can use our influence to help others.

Success is such a broad term and it means something different to everyone. How do you define success? Why?

Success should never be measured in comparison to others or defined by money or fame. There are so many alluring factors that come with a career in the arts, but I find that, at the end of the day, if you don’t 100% love what you’re doing, it will never fulfill you, no matter how high up you get. I’m still that girl that would put on goofy shows in my parent’s living room and I hope to never lose her. I really try not to let other people define my personal success. When I go into auditions, I only feel like a failure if I think I let myself down. If I knew I didn’t do the best that I could have or wasn’t true to myself. Everyone else’s opinion I try not to let affect me as heavily.

With success comes opportunity, but it also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

Being grateful and feeling everything. My stylist, Zadrian Smith, and I were recently in New York to attend an event that I considered to be a pretty big moment in my career. I remember being so extraordinarily overwhelmed by it all—the travel, feelings of unworthiness and social anxiety, looking and feeling confident (which are two completely different things) balancing auditions that always seem to pile on when I’m away. It’s so easy in these moments to lose focus of why we’re doing it all. It becomes a bit blurry and you can really lose yourself in the moment.

My inspiration in those times really comes from putting into focus what my goals are and the things I’ve day one dreamed of. When I feel it’s all too much, I will literally freeze in the middle of the room, take a deep breath and start to remind myself what I’m really doing this for and why it matters to me. If we don’t have our “why” then the doing just starts to feel like work. You start to just feel like a chicken with your head cut off.

The filtered world of social media often hides a lot of hard work and behind-the-scenes hustle. What is the reality of being an entrepreneur today? How hard is it really? Be honest!

This question makes me laugh because most people have no idea that we at Asian American Girl Club are a teeny tiny team. That means that—from posting to keeping up the shop, developing new products, social media campaigns, shoots, and writing content—it is mostly all created between a couple of people. I am hands-on with every single detail. It’s madness and there are times where I will just burst into tears, yell into a pillow, or fall onto the hardwood floor in the shape of a sloth-like snow angel. Entrepreneurship has challenged me in ways I never thought possible, but I love it so much. One DM from a girl who says that it helped her understand herself in a new way makes everything worth it. I’m such an adrenaline based person so the thrill of not knowing what’s around every moment gives me massive energy.

What is the best advice you have been given? Or a favorite piece of #realtalk?

“What’s the worst that can happen?”

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why? 

Anything by Brené Brown. Her words on vulnerability and shame have gotten me through some of my toughest moments. 

What is the #1 movie you always recommend? Why?

Early Miyazaki films are the cornerstone of my youth. They were some of my earliest showings of outside-of-the-box heroines and women that were powerful in extraordinarily imaginative settings.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Sarah Larson Levey

Sarah Larson Levey was a New York-based fashion executive before she founded Y7, an unconventional yoga studio with humble beginnings as a pop-up in Williamsburg. Fast-forward to 2019 and Y7 has expanded to 14 locations across the U.S. from Brooklyn to Silver Lake—and shows no signs of slowing down.

And to think Larson Levey hated yoga. Her dissatisfaction with the current offering led her to a Craiglist search for a small space where she could host hot yoga classes in the dark to hip-hop music. It was a radical idea but it took off and has completely disrupted the market ever since. The company launched in 2013 and made $9.8 million in revenue in 2018 where it was also included as No. 80 on Inc.’s list of America's 500 Fastest-Growing Companies—Larson Levey also starred on the issue’s cover.

Ahead, she shares the lightbulb moment that sparked her to leave her full-time job in fashion behind to pursue an entrepreneurial endeavor in the fitness industry, including the mistakes she’s learned from along the way, the #1 piece of advice she’d give to women starting out in the fitness field, and the reality of the behind-the-scenes hustle. 

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You were a New York-based fashion executive before you made the huge pivot to co-found Y7 with your husband in 2013 as a pop-up in Williamsburg. Can you take us back to that lightbulb moment? Where did this idea come from and did you know it would be as big and successful as it is now? Why do you think this style of Yoga has struck a chord with so many people?   

SARAH LARSON LEVEY: I was so frustrated with my yoga experiences. I never felt skinny enough, fit enough, flexible enough, spiritual enough. I was tired of feeling like an outsider in a practice that is for everyone. I decided to create a space that catered to that. Y7 is a space that you can move how you want to, every cue is just a suggestion. I had no idea anyone would even want to practice yoga this way, but it turns out a lot of people were craving a place to practice that doesn’t require these false prerequisites that are portrayed to us.

Now Y7 is available in 14 locations across the U.S. with plans to expand and over 300 employees. Can you take us through your marketing strategy and branding? How do you create a brand that stands out in a sea of competition? What unique social marketing tips do you have for other entrepreneurs to help grow their company online?

Our strategy has always been to provide a consistent client experience. For Y7, that is sweat-dripping, beat-bumping, candlelit yoga. In a space that is so competitive with endless options, it is important to be the space that clients can count on.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

I always find that taking a step back is helpful. Looking back at how much has already been accomplished and remembering that I have been in this tough space before and I can get through it again.

“It’s hard AF. You have to be okay with failing. You have to be okay with getting tough feedback.”

Growing as quickly as you have doesn't come without its challenges. What have been some of the biggest hurdles you've faced along the way? And what did you learn from it? How did you turn that into an opportunity?

One of the biggest hurdles I had was myself. I used to take every review of every class personally. Every time anyone had any sort of feedback I would get defensive and sit in my thoughts. I would get so worried about what every other studio was doing and how I was going to keep up that I almost lost sight of my vision for Y7. I got out of that headspace and learned that the way to grow is to stay focused. Know what you stand for and be that and keep going.

From the outside, you're hugely successful and killing it but we all know the reality is very different. What do you wish more people knew about your job? What are the biggest misconceptions?

The highs are so high that it looks like fun all the time but it takes a lot of work to get to those moments. Sleepless nights, constant worry, roadblocks, you just have to keep going through it all and know that it will pass. Also... yes I work in fitness, but I barely get to work out I am so busy!

The filtered world of social media often hides a lot of the hard work and hustle behind-the-scenes. What is the reality of being an entrepreneur today? How hard is it really? Be honest! What traits do you need to succeed as an entrepreneur or founder in the competitive start-up environment? Why?

It’s hard AF. You have to be okay with failing. You have to be okay with getting tough feedback. Knowing when you have to change your behavior and knowing what your strengths are and where you may need help. You have to let go of your ego—be open to ideas.

Where do you think is the most important area for a business owner to focus their financial energy? Why?

Oh, wow. This is a tough one—it depends on what business you are in! For me, it has been supplies and labor. For the first three years of the business I ordered all of my supplies off of Amazon... lol... not the best idea. We have since switched to a vendor that is able to consolidate all of our orders and items so we are minimizing our costs and ordering efficiently.

Raising money was necessary to take Y7 to the next level and grow in the way that it has. What are some of the most common mistakes people make when raising money? Why?

Know your worth. Don't just take the first offer you get because it's better than you thought. Do your due diligence and ask questions. The fate of your future isn't something that should be rushed.

Founder depression has been a hot topic of discussion in recent months with more entrepreneurs opening up about their personal struggles. Who do you reach out to when you need advice or support? Do you have a mentor or are there groups you can turn to? What advice do you have for people here today who might be struggling with that too?

This is something that I definitely struggle with. There are moments of being so overwhelmed you think you will never be able to deal with everything. Early on, when I made the decision to make Y7 my full-time priority, I found a coach/therapist that I love. She helps me not only professionally but personally as well. She has been instrumental in helping me become the leader I am today. I feel very fortunate that I have girlfriends who are in the same position as me and I can always count on them for bottles of wine and just talking. If you ever start struggling with depression my number one recommendation is to seek professional help. It's so important we start to take care of ourselves in this way.

What’s a piece of advice you’d give to women starting out in your field? Why?

Don't be afraid to try something new. People could be craving something they don't realize.

We live in a fast-paced world that doesn't seem to slow down, what's your best tip for taking care of our mental, physical, and spiritual selves? 

Know what works for you! I know that time with friends and a good glass of wine is how I fill up my cup.

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?

The Monk by Matthew Lewis. It was required reading for one of my lit classes in high school. It was written in the 1700s and is still so relevant today. I come back to it time and time again.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Bebe Rexha

She's a Grammy-nominated artist with 7.6 million Instagram followers but Bebe Rexha is also here to shine a light on mental health issues. The multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter is known for some of your favorite pop star’s biggest hits (think Selena Gomez, Iggy Azalea, Rihanna and Eminem) and now as she branches out as a solo artist, Rexha is riding a wave of success. But she’s not afraid to pull back the filter on social media and share her vulnerabilities too—the good days with the bad.

Despite all of her fame and fortune (she’s collaborated with major artists like Cardi B and Rita Ora) the talented musician has proven there’s plenty below the surface, too. Read on to learn why she is one of the industry's most promising musicians and how she’s changing the game, one truth bomb after another.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You recently launched a minute long docu-series in which you share your life with your fans over Instagram. Why did you choose to start sharing more? Where did the idea for 60-second mini-documentaries come from?

BEBE REXHA: I'm so glad you saw this. This was an idea I had to share what some of my favorite and most hectic moments are like while on the road. When on tour for several months, I wanted to think of a fun way to connect with fans outside of quick social media posts, so we decided to make these mini-docs. They're actually a blast to make.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success

When I reach an obstacle, I push right through it. The only way to overcome fear, nerves, and hurdles to face them with strength and confidence. Anyone can do anything they set their hearts to.

“I say what I feel, I mean what I see, and I try to spread words that empower and/or make people think.”

You recently said your new song 'You Can't Stop The Girl' was inspired by Serena Williams. Where else do you find your inspiration? Who else inspires you and your work?

I find inspiration everywhere in this world. I am inspired by the stories from fans I meet on the road, I am inspired by fellow artists and musicians who also use their reach to help others, I am inspired by everyone who stands up against society's pre-constructed norms, and much more. I just returned from Albania where I visited those affected by a recent earthquake, and I met some families who lost everything, yet they greeted me with open arms and smiles on their faces—that is inspiring.

You preach (and practice) the idea of self-love. What does self-love mean to you? Why is it important for women to embrace this attitude?

I'm grateful to be surrounded by people who also practice self-love, and that has helped me learn self-love. I try to pay that forward with my music and messages.

The music industry is fairly cut-throat and competitive. What advice do you have for musicians coming up now? What do you wish you'd know when you were first starting out? Why?

It is okay to say ‘no.’ And if someone says' ‘no’ to you, it doesn't mean you cannot push forward in other ways.

You've spoken out about many of the problems with the music industry, especially those surrounding body image and sexism. What changes are you hoping to see in the industry in the future? How can we make it happen?

I'd really like to see people of all ages, all sizes, and all genders continue to prevail in the music industry. I feel proud to see diversity on the stage and by celebrating art for what it is, and not what the person who makes it looks like, is what we should continue to focus on.

You have had incredible success already but what does success mean to you? How do you measure success? Why? What characteristics make you successful in the music industry?

Thank you. I am proud of my accomplishments thus far, and I do not feel anywhere close to being finished. I actually feel like I'm just getting started. One of the things that I am most proud of is that I am afforded the opportunity to write the songs I perform. The songwriting process and art of collaboration is something that keeps me going.

“Even with all of the self-love and confidence I strive for, I do still have my moments of vulnerability.”

You come across so confident in both your music and your online presence. How have you developed this confidence? How can other people build this confidence in themselves?

I am proud that it appears that way but even with all of the self-love and confidence I strive for, I do still have my moments of vulnerability. And I'm not shy about showing my vulnerabilities on social media and embracing the good days and bad days. I feel so much love from my fans—they can turn my mood around in a heartbeat (love you all).

Social media filters have disrupted our sense of reality. How do you stay true to who you are and your voice and not follow what everyone else is doing or is popular on Instagram?

Oh, sometimes I receive suggestions to have a better filter on Instagram (keeping in mind the diverse age demographics of people on social media) but I just stay true to me. I say what I feel, I mean what I see, and I try to spread words that empower and/or make people think.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 MUSIC LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Small Business: Chelsea Moore

Every successful business idea comes from a need, a gap. It's in this whitespace where Chelsea Moore and her two co-founders, Jenni Olivero and Sabena Suri stumbled upon the idea for their gifting company, BOXFOX.

After a close friend became sick, Moore and her cofounders, Jenni Olivero and Sabena Suri, realized there was a serious lack of options that could show you were “there” for someone even when you couldn't be there physically. “We wanted something that went beyond flowers and the typical overpriced (and wasteful) gift basket,” she tells Create & Cultivate. “Our standards were high: we wanted something presentable, personal, and with a purposeful product that was simple to send.”

So, they did some research and discovered a lot of people were also looking for a modern and seamless gifting experience, too. It didn't exist, so they built it and they’ve been disrupting the space ever since. Now, five years later, they have an easy-to-use consumer platform with a pre-curated ready-to-ship collection, a Build a BOXFOX platform where customers can build their own gifts and care packages from all the best brands in one place, and a corporate gifting arm called BOXFOX Concierge, with a dedicated sales team and a members-only platform.

Read on to hear more about how they are redefining the gifting model, how they work together as co-founders, and why they decided to bootstrap the business over raising VC.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: As the co-founder and CEO of BOXFOX you have your hand across all areas of the business—but for those of us who don't know what it's like to be a CEO or aspire to, can you share what your role entails? Can you give our readers a snapshot into what your day-to-day of a CEO looks like? Does the reality of your role stack up to your expectations?

CHELSEA MOORE: Here at BOXFOX, as co-founders, we lead equally, so we share a lot of the long-term planning, people management, and financial responsibility. However, we've all settled into the verticals we spearhead, with each other’s support, of course. As the CEO, I oversee all creative, marketing, legal, and web development. On a daily basis, I'm either diving right into emails, design work, photography, approving content calendars, web development projects, putting out fires, or planning meetings. Being our CEO is everything I expected, in that I believe there is sometimes stuff you want to do and stuff you have to do, and I was prepared for that roll-up-your-sleeves reality. The one aspect of the job I wasn't expecting though was how much more complex it all gets as you grow. There's more to oversee, more to manage, and more at stake.

Gifting is such a saturated space. What makes BOXFOX different? How have you differentiated the brand so it stands out above the competition and in a crowded industry? Why do you think BOXFOX has been so successful?

We didn't invent gifting, but we did make it modern in a way no one else was doing. We prioritized being a business built with scalable customization at its core, empowering customers to gift well and often. For B2B, corporate gifting lacked a ‘go-to’, elevated, all-in-one solution. BOXFOX has built a brand with a diverse, loyal following who seek approachable, no-fluff, tech-forward, personalized service to make life easier for everything from small tokens to grand gestures. We're proud to share an office space with our warehouse and be an approachable, authentic gifting resource for our loyal customers.

“Do your research, be prepared, and be ready to work 10x harder than you could have ever expected.”

You proudly run a self-funded startup, so can you talk us through the bootstrapping process? Would you recommend that route to other entrepreneurs? Do you have plans to scale? Do you have plans to raise?

For us, bootstrapping from the start was intentional: we wanted to prove the effectiveness of our business model, perfect our systems, and decide what type of company we wanted to build—how quickly or slowly, how much control we wanted to maintain, and what our priorities were. Early on, our goals were to achieve steady, organic growth, build a meaningful workplace, and reinforce the human side of e-commerce. We weren’t necessarily thinking about an exit strategy, which raising money would have necessitated, so it wasn’t the path for us.

Of course, there are so many businesses that raising makes sense for; the best advice I’ve ever gotten is to truly think about what your priorities are, and whether those objectives line up with taking on capital. It all comes down to what kind of business you want to run.

When you're a small business you have to fall in love with the numbers, what have been some of the hardest money lessons you've learned along the way? What is your #1 money tip for small business owners? Why?

Do not be afraid of numbers—run into their arms and embrace them. Understanding them is the key to really understanding your business. If they intimidate you, take classes on Skillshare or Lynda, find a family friend who will sit down with you for an hour and explain more advanced concepts. Don't just find accountants and bookkeepers who you delegate to, find ones that will educate you and make you a stronger business owner.

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business?

I'm not sure if there is a perfect order for these initial items, but we bought our website domain, went through the city/county/state to set up all business license documents, got a CA resale ID, and then started our social channels about six months prior to launch. Then in the meantime, we were building our website and coordinating our first BOXFOX box samples.

There are three co-founders at BoxFox—do you recommend having partners in business? Why? What is the secret to a successful working relationship?

I think every business can have different needs when it comes to solo founders versus co-founders, but for us, it has been such a blessing to have each other on this journey. We each bring complementary strengths to the table and different backgrounds which only bring out the best in each other and our business. The secret to our successful relationship is a shared long term vision for where we want this to go, respect for each other's personal and professional needs, and over-communication.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success

On a business level, there can be setbacks or mistakes and our company philosophy is always to analyze, find the silver lining, and never make the same mistake twice. When it's a personal bump or hurdle, like creative burnout or management overload, I've always believed in taking action. Identify the issue, come up with a plan, and move forward, because life is way too short. Before BOXFOX, I was so unhappy at my old job, but after a month-long pity party, I quit and we set off on this entrepreneurial journey.

You have had so much success, but if you could go back to the beginning with the knowledge you have now, what's one thing you would tell yourself and why?

We have such great lawyers, accountants, insurance brokers and outside partners that we rely on so heavily. It can be scary to reach outside of your immediate circle to find the experts you need, but if I could go back, I would have prioritized finding these superstars sooner.

“The biggest lesson we’ve learned along the way is that business is personal and management is a muscle that has to be strengthened.”

Creating buzz so people know about your brand can be challenging for small businesses. How do you market your business? How are people aware of your business? What are some unique social media and marketing tools you've used to grow organically?

We didn't have the money for digital marketing or PR in the beginning, so we got creative. We have a very strong visual identity, so we took the time to perfect that and lean into free tools, like Instagram and Pinterest. Beyond that, we leveraged our network and told everyone we knew and met about our company and mission. We definitely got lucky with some organic press hits in the beginning too. As we've gotten bigger, we've experimented with PR and digital marketing in small bursts of concentrated effort, but the overwhelming majority of our traffic is still organic or word of mouth.

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned along the way and what have they taught you?

The biggest lesson we've learned along the way is that business is personal and management is a muscle that has to be strengthened. Leading a company requires empathy, interpersonal skills, a desire to connect with employees, partners, and vendors in a meaningful way. It takes practice, and it's never perfect, but the reinforcement of those skills has happily become a big part of my life.

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who have an idea but don’t know where to start to execute it?

Do your research, be prepared, and be ready to work 10x harder than you could have ever expected. I always share with fellow entrepreneurs to just get started. Perfect those product samples, start setting up the business paperwork, test the software. Once you get going, it really will snowball from there. Also, never agree to start doing anything without a signed contract (you will thank me for this later, I promise!).

Photographer: Lexi Hatch

 VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 SMALL BUSINESS LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Desi Perkins

From cocktail server to YouTube star, mega-beauty-influencer Desi Perkins is proof that anything is possible. After her last-minute Halloween costume went viral in 2012 (and her husband posted this selfie) her career suddenly snowballed into a social media star.

Cut to today and the makeup brush-wielding influencer has amassed millions of fans around the world (we’re talking 3.9m on Instagram and 3.2m on YouTube) who tune into her incredible makeup tutorials. (Even industry heavyweights by the likes of Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham (!) Nicole Richie, and Kate Hudson can be counted among her fans.)

Ahead, we tap Perkin’s to find out how she sets herself apart in a competitive space, the hardest lesson she’s had to learn, and her #1 piece of advice.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: First things first, how did you get into makeup? Can you share your earliest memory with makeup and how it impacted you?

DESI PERKINS: My mother could create a perfect winged eyeliner in the middle of chaos. When I was a kid I always watched her with amazement. I’ll never forget saying to her “I want to be able to do that” and she said, “One day you will.” She was right haha. I’ve always been passionate about art. I would sketch and paint and I remember my husband had a Halloween party and no costume. I had stumbled upon YouTube and watched a special effects how-to tutorial and thought, “I could do that.” I gathered my makeup and a face paint palette and painted his face. I figured it would be just like painting just on a different canvas. He went out that night and everyone asked who had done his makeup and if I do it for a living. I said yes, even though I didn’t, and the rest is history. Next thing I knew I was taking bookings out of my house. 

You are incredibly successful but we know it has taken a lot of hustle and hard work to get there. What does a day in the life of Desi Perkins look like? How many hours do you put in a day? How hard is it to be your own boss? How has your role evolved over time since you first launched your YouTube channel? 

Anything worth doing takes hustle. I started out on my own not knowing what this would turn into. Before I knew it, I was my own manager, producer, editor, photographer, and makeup artist. It’s a juggling act for sure, but I love it. We do a good job of making this job look easy but in reality, it’s many different jobs rolled up into one. I have slowly recruited my family members onto my team to help me, and I love the dynamic because we are all in and love spending time together. For the first few years of my career, I didn’t have designated days off, which I soon realized was a disservice to my creativity so now I make sure to give myself time to reset. It has been a learning experience, but now I have the hang of it. I get to create every day which is what I always wanted in life. 

You're creating a new blueprint for female leaders and forging a new path for women coming up behind you. What are your hopes for women? What advice do you have for the many fans reading this who want to achieve your success? Where should they start? 

Thank you! I have seen firsthand how women can be treated in the business world and it can be discouraging, but I also see all the opportunities out there for us. You just have to show up and work hard towards what you want and be consistent. 

“If I could give my younger self any advice, it would be that business is business and every deal you do must be beneficial to both parties so protect yourself.”

In an interview with ET, you spoke about how your mom immigrated here at a young age and worked incredibly hard to make sure you had what you needed. What has been her greatest piece of advice? How has she inspired and motivated you to succeed as an entrepreneur? Why?

My mom has always been one of the hardest working women I know. She always had an incredible work ethic and an insane amount of creativity. She would tell me I was too creative, haha. I knew what she meant. I was all over the place with what I wanted to do in life because I just loved doing everything. One day, she told me to focus on one passion and put my all into it. That was the best advice ever because that’s when I focused on makeup and that led me to where I am now. Ironically enough, I have a job where I can now do everything I’m passionate about, but the focus that led me here stemmed from the advice my mom gave me that day. 

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

I see every problem as an opportunity to find a solution. There are always going to be bumps in the road, and how you navigate them is what will set you apart. I used to let problems get to me, but I learned to protect my energy and see the positive in the situation. The hurdles make you appreciate your successes. 

What do you wish your younger self knew when you were first starting out in the beauty industry? Why? What characteristics make you successful in this industry?

I wish I wasn’t so trusting and understood the importance of contracts. I think it’s easy to be excited about a project and not want to rock the boat on the business side of things when you are first starting out. But, if I could give my younger self any advice, it would be that business is business and every deal you do must be beneficial to both parties so protect yourself. On the upside, it was a valuable lesson to learn early on in my career. 

In an interview you mentioned that you'd love to launch your own collection one day, is that still on the cards? 

That is 100% still in the cards. I’m very excited for 2020. 

You are obviously a multi-hyphenate with so many careers happening simultaneously. What is your best work hack for getting everything done? Tell us your productivity secrets!

Lots of coffee and drive. I always make lists of what I need to do and prioritize them by what’s more pressing. I start with the creative process of each project because that’s what I’m passionate about and it fuels the rest. 

You are one of our favorite people to follow on social media, so we'd love to know, what is the secret to growing a community like yours? What are your top three tips for growing a following and building a brand on social media?

My three tips would be:

1.  Be consistent with your content and post often. 

2. Be yourself! As cliché as that sounds, it’s the best tool you have. 

3. Lastly, I would say, if you want to work with brands, look at their page to see what kinds of things they are posting so you can make sure your content is on par with theirs so that your work can also be reposted. 

Social media always shows the highlight reel but we know that it’s not always a depiction of reality. What's a mistake you made in your career and what did you learn from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?

It really is a highlight reel. Behind the scenes is the business side of things—which isn’t often seen. I made the mistake of trusting business projects without contracts and that was a huge learning lesson for me. I was upset about it at first but later understood I had great ideas to give and it actually gave me comfort and confidence towards my career. 

“If I could give my younger self any advice, it would be that business is business and every deal you do must be beneficial to both parties so protect yourself.”

With success comes opportunity, but it also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

I’ve learned that self-care is so important. It’s easy to become a workaholic, especially when you work for yourself, but if you don’t take time for yourself you can burn out and kill your motivation. I recently took a seven-day digital detox and I was incredibly amazed at how much inspiration I gained just by disconnecting. 

There is so much competition in your industry, how do you set yourself apart from other major players in the industry? What is your advice for others reading this who want to achieve your success?

I only compete with the person I was the day before. You can’t compare yourself to others because, at the end of the day, it’s your journey, not theirs. I just do what makes me happy and hope people appreciate my art. 

How do you define beauty? What makes you feel beautiful?

Beauty is who you are as a person on the inside. When someone is a good person, it radiates brighter than someone who is just a pretty person. I feel the most beautiful when I’m happy and people can feel it. 

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?

I’m going to recommend a podcast because I just love listening to podcasts, “How I Built This” by Guy Raz. It’s so motivating to hear everyone’s stories of how they built their successful business.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 BEAUTY LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Lindsay Albanese

As with many of the best business ideas, TopTote was born from a personal need. Lindsay Albanese knew firsthand the inconvenience that came with traveling with a hat, and it was her own experience that sparked the idea for a hat clip travel accessory—a.k.a. TopTote. And hat lovers everywhere are rejoicing.

Fast-forward six years, and Albanese’s ingenious invention, which started out as a humble solution more akin to an “arts and crafts” project, is now available at big-name retailers like Nordstrom (where the product has sold out a staggering twelve times). 

Albanese is another career pivot success story. Before she took the leap to become an entrepreneur, she was a prominent celebrity stylist and fashion expert on TV and print media from the Today Show to InStyle Magazine for more than 10 years. Talk about a bold move.

Ahead, Albanese shares the moment she knew her deceivingly simple invention could be a successful business idea, the thing she wishes people knew about being an entrepreneur, and the best piece of #realtalk she’s ever received.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: Your company TopTote sells your innovative invention to solve an age-old fashion problem—traveling with a hat. Can you tell us a little about the lightbulb moment behind this idea? How did you turn your idea into a successful company? What lessons did you learn along the way?

LINDSAY ALBANESE: As a celebrity stylist, I traveled a lot for business and I was always annoyed with the commitment that came when wearing a hat. To wear it or not to wear it, or carry it in my hand. Forget it, I'm leaving it at home! The only option for traveling with a hat, without wearing it the entire trip, is bringing a hatbox. Talk about impractical! I knew there had to be a better way so I created a little "arts and crafts" version and would use it at the airport and people would stop me and say, "That's so smart." I knew I was onto something so I stopped using my little invention. At that time I was in the thick of my styling career and something in me knew it wasn't the time to dive into developing a product but I knew I would come back to it in the future. Cut to 6 years later, and I felt an urge and a shift in what I wanted to do with my career, big-picture wise, and I knew it was the time to take a chance and launch this little idea of mine.

The biggest advantage of my success and building my business was tapping into my resources and network of people. You can't be shy!! I wracked my brain to remember who I knew or had ever met in the product development and manufacturing business. I even called my parents' neighbor who I haven't talked to since I was probably in junior high! But I knew he was in manufacturing so I got him on the phone. This journey of discovery not only gave me different perspectives and opinions about what I should and should not do, but it also gave me a crash course education that helped me make decisions to move forward with my idea. Ultimately all of these conversations lead me to the team I'm still working with today. Trust me, if you dig deep enough and forget about being shy or bothering people, you will always find a link to help guide you in the profession you want to go into.

TopTote has expanded dramatically. You've already sold out at Nordstrom 12 times in the last year, how has your brand been able to grow so rapidly? What challenges have you faced as you've scaled? What tips do you have for entrepreneurs growing their own companies?

A big part of it is that I invented a product that solves a problem that has never been solved before. But then again, people have great ideas all the time and have failure-to-launch syndrome so I need to give myself a little more credit than that. I feel like the hard work and dues I have paid working in the entertainment business the past 17 years as a celebrity fashion stylist, TV personality, and social influencer set the foundation. When you think about it, finding a job or pursuing a career is all about essentially selling yourself, and I've done that since day one back when I was 21 years old convincing people to hire me as a stylist. I translated that experience into marketing and selling my product.

The biggest challenge is learning the business and process of manufacturing. I'm a student CEO in a company that is making huge moves very early on. There are so many layers and steps from idea to a finished product that’s ready to sell. It's mind-blowing! A few of my biggest tips for entrepreneurs is to tap into your resources, reach out and don't be shy, and ask questions to anyone who can help you. People naturally like to talk about themselves, so listen and take it in. Take what resonates with you, and leave the rest. This is free knowledge and education that will help guide you in the right direction.

Also, take the proper steps to legitimize your business legally with the states and for taxes and hire an accountant/financial advisor so you understand your finances. That was the first big retainer I invested in when launching my business and the best decision I have ever made. The biggest challenge, NEWS FLASH, is capital! I am a 100% self-funded company by choice and investing your savings into something that has no guarantee is terrifying.

“If you take ‘no’ for an answer, you’re not cut out for the entrepreneurial journey. Most roads lead to ‘no’ and you have to push through it to get the ‘yes.’”

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

Keep going. I have been hired, fired, humiliated, you name it. I always got back up. Persistence and consistency are the keys to success.

Where do you think is the most important area for a business owner to focus their financial energy? Why? What was the biggest money lesson you learned since launching your business?

Secure a trustworthy lawyer and financial advisor because if shit goes down it will most likely affect those two areas. From day one, you need to put best practices in place and have that clarity. As far as product, the money should go into evolving that and making it better.

You're still in the early stages of TopTote but there always competition around the corner. What makes you and your business stand out? How do you find and create a unique point of view?

The Lindsay Albanese brand is a serviceable style company that will continue to create products that make people's lives easier. TopTote is the first of an entire collection under that philosophy. I don't want to just create cute products—there are enough people doing that and that will bore me. I want to create products that create conversations and get people sharing with each other. That, and the fact that I am uniquely me, given my experiences, credibility, and point of view. That is enough to differentiate me just as much as it does for anyone else to be able to show up and compete in this market. It's really all you need.

With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

That I'm doing it. When this was an idea, a dream, a thought, many years ago is now a reality. That's why passion should play a huge part in pursuing any career or taking the path less traveled when it comes to business. When the going gets tough, the passion for the goal is the magic that always brings you back and keeps you motivated.

Can you recall a specific time you failed and how you turned that around into an opportunity?

Many times. I actually failed most of my life. Up until my first year in college, I was a D and F student. No joke! Finding my passion was the cure for that.

You've been working as a stylist for years and still serve looks all over Instagram, what about your life has changed since you decided to start your own company? What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you were first launching your business? Why?

The hardest part is juggling both of my businesses: developing my personal brand as a content creator and influencer and acting as the CEO of my namesake product company. My days are now mostly spent in front of the computer. Startup life is not glamorous! How many stories in my pajamas can I do in one day? The struggle to do outfit posts and curate stories is something I have given myself a break on recently—I'm working on something bigger here that builds an empire—and that’s the focus.

What do you wish people knew about being an entrepreneur? What are the biggest misconceptions? What traits do you need to succeed as an entrepreneur or founder in the competitive start-up environment? Why?

That initial success of a product does not equal wealth. People have insinuated that I'm rich now. LOL. Quite the opposite. There's a transitional growth period when you start a company where you're having to meet the demand of keeping up with the growing business which means you're fronting even more money to manufacture products and paying those bills before the goods are even sold. I could go on and on but you get the picture.

If you take no for an answer, you're not cut out for the entrepreneurial journey. Most roads lead to no and you have to push through it to get the yes. The yes is always there for the entrepreneurs who don't take no for an answer and keep going.

What is your vision for the business? Do you want to stay small and manageable or do you have plans to scale and grow, maybe even sell it one day? Why?

I go back and forth on this. The truth is, I have a goal to build a company that makes serviceable style products that make people's lives easier and to enjoy my life and the business I'm building. That is the most important thing. I want to roll out two new, non-TopTote related products next year and eventually launch four core products the years following that. We will also license TopTote to Fortune 50 companies in the coming years. If you would have told me I would have been an inventor when I started out as a stylist 17 years ago, I would have thought you were absolutely insane. Same with this journey. I'm going to stay focused on building my brand, but I know there will be opportunities that come up that will inspire me to pivot and rethink my goal so we will see! Being open to pivoting and listening to my intuition have been the keys to my success in every move I've made.

What is the best advice you’ve received? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

Enjoy it. Sounds simple and that's why it's the most important—because it translates to happiness. I didn't pursue my dream to be miserable all the time and I refuse to be that person who's all of a sudden 80 years old wishing they would have enjoyed the journey a little more. I am fully present in what is happening right now. 

Additionally, the best advice was to get a financial advisor, especially when dealing with manufacturing. You need that clarity with your finances so you can sleep at night, run a profitable business, and stay in business! Many businesses fail because they underestimate their financials.

As you begin to grow, there are people that love your brand and spread the word organically, but there will also be those who have a bad experience and share negative feedback publicly. How do you deal with criticism and customer complaints?

Negative feedback can be useful in growing and making your brand or product better. You need to listen to your customers, and if a lot of them are saying the same thing about your product or service, you need to lean into that and decide for yourself what changes need to be made or not.

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs? How can they achieve the same success you've experienced?

The follow-up gets the fortune. In everything I have pursued, it’s the follow-up that’s resulted in the opportunity, not the first email or call.

Also, if you have that nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach that won't go away that's urging you to go for an idea or dream you have, that is your intuition trying to guide you to your purpose and you have to figure out how to make it a reality.

Little steps toward your goal build momentum that can create a big impact. It takes time, persistence, consistency, hard work, and unreasonable optimism to make anything happen.

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?

For entertainment, I loved Bad Blood. For business, I actually recommend people to take B-School by Marie Forleo to help entrepreneurs streamline their ideas. It really helped me define a few things that have been game-changing in regards to my current business.

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTREPRENEUR LIST HERE.

Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Sasha Sloan

Sasha Sloan isn’t here for filters, dramatic diatribes masquerading as captions, or any other Instagram BS, which is why we love following her. And given that the singer-songwriter (who goes by @sadgirlsloan on social media) has garnered over 202,000 followers, we’re certainly not the only ones who adore the irreverent artist.

Though she may have gotten her start penning pop songs for stars by the likes of Charlie XCX and Camila Cabello, Sloan has spent the last few years carving out a place in the spotlight for herself. With the release of her debut album and a slew of festival appearances on the horizon (including Coachella(!)), 2020 is poised to be a breakout year for the Los Angeles-based artist—and we can’t wait to see what she does next.

Below, the singer-songwriter lets us in on what it’s really like being a musician today, including where she gains her inspiration from, how she handles failure, and what motivates her on her toughest days.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You've been called the voice of our generation, how does it feel to be given such a profound title? Why do you think your music and lyrics have resonated so much with people today? What does 2020 hold for you musically?

SASHA SLOAN: Well, it’s super flattering but also pretty scary because that means our generation has a shit load of anxiety, lol. Half-kidding. I’m just writing from the heart, so the fact that people are connecting with it is just a massive bonus. I think there’s a lot of cool music out there, but I feel like it can be hard to find a song that’s saying something. We have a bunch of sexy pop songs, but I’ve literally never felt sexy in my entire life, lol. I’ve only ever felt anxious, out of place, and extremely uncomfortable in my body, and that’s what most of my songs are about. In 2020, I’ll be playing Coachella, as well as a bunch of other festivals that aren’t announced yet, writing and releasing my debut album, and touring a lot more. 

Your fan base is growing around the world, which means you're in the public eye more than ever before. How have you handled that? What advice do you have for others who are in the middle of that now? What have been some of the biggest lessons you've learned as a result?

I guess I don’t really think about it. I’ve never had a desire to be famous or idolized—I just like making music. It’s kind of weird, but the more people that listen to my music the more comfortable I feel being myself. Maybe that’s not weird. I’ve had a margarita, lol. The most important thing I’ve learned is to be real because people can tell when you’re not. 

You're not afraid to share vulnerability through your lyrics and bare your soul with your voice. Where does that confidence come from? Is it therapeutic in a way for you to share your emotions through music in this way? What message do you hope to send through the music?

Honestly, I never thought vulnerability had anything to do with confidence. I thought it meant the opposite. I always thought of confidence as the girls who were in bikinis dancing on stage. My god, how I would kill to be one of them, lol! Emoting through music is extremely therapeutic. I feel like when I write an emotional song it’s my way of saying something I can’t verbalize. I have a hard time being serious and I usually hide behind humor. Writing is the only way I can really get things off my chest and not feel weird about it. 

“The fear of letting my future self down is what really motivates me.”

Your “sadgirlsloan” brand continues to resonate with fans with your stories of an outsider who makes the wrong decisions but does her best to fit in. Where did this originate? How did you hope people would connect with it? Why?

Well, a lot of it stems from being a teenager. I was really overweight, and then in my sophomore year of high school, I lost 30 pounds and got my braces off. Just like that, I was homecoming queen and “in” with the popular kids. I think that really fucked with my head. I loved the attention, so I started doing things that weren’t natural to me like buying a bong and skipping school, lol. Being someone I wasn’t was incredibly stressful and ruined the relationships I actually cared about. I think there’s a part of everyone who wants to fit in with the cool kids, no matter how old you are. 

You have fostered an inclusive and engaged community of fans on Instagram who you have been very open with. How do you view your influence on social media? Why do you feel compelled to be so honest and vulnerable with your fans? What message do you hope to bring to your community? 

Honestly, I don’t really think about my influence on social media. I kind of view it as a necessary evil and don’t take it too seriously. I think there’s a lot of bullshit on Instagram. People are either boasting about some achievement, posting an edited selfie that took hours to perfect, or sharing some long dramatic deep saga. I feel like there can be a middle ground and that’s where I try to stay. I hope I can show people, especially young girls, it’s okay to be yourself and it’s okay to look normal. 

What advice can you share for other musicians reading this who are struggling with societies and the industry's expectations or limitations on them? How can they develop the confidence to be themselves and grow their own voice?

I think it’s really important to be yourself. I know that sounds very obvious and corny as hell but it took me a long time to figure out. If you’re an artist, songwriter, or producer, you’re going to run into a bunch of people who have a million different opinions on what you should do and who you should be. Take everything with a grain of salt and, at the end of the day, listen to your gut. Make music you like. If you keep trying to make music you think people will like, you’ll never be satisfied. 

How did you learn how to write music? What does your writing process look like now that you're writing for yourself instead of other singers? Where do you source inspiration? How has your music evolved?

I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember, and I started taking piano lessons when I was 10. I would buy chord books from Guitar Center and I think that naturally made me curious about songwriting. My favorite books were by Queen, The Beatles, and Elton John. I always thought they had the coolest, most experimental lyrics and melodies. I just started writing like crazy. I pretty much failed the math section of my SAT because I spent every class writing lyrics. I keep a running list of titles in my phone and that’s how I usually start a song. I develop the concept and think about what I want to say and then start fleshing out melodies. For me, inspiration comes from everywhere. Since I’m so lyric-focused, I’m always picking up phrases from people talking, TV shows, and books. My music has evolved in the sense that I’m not afraid to take risks anymore. When I was first starting out, I was scared of what people would think, but now I’m listening to my gut more.  

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

Whenever I hit a bump in the road I usually have a mental breakdown—lol, half-kidding. Once that is over, I take a step back and look at the big picture, which always makes me feel better. If I’m having writer’s block, it usually means I’m burned out, so I’ll take a week off. Sometimes grinding too much can backfire, especially when it comes to being creative. Breaks are huge for me, and I always feel recharged after taking one.  

You actually started out penning pop tunes for superstars such as Camila Cabello and Charli XCX as well as lending your vocals to EDM tracks before making the pivot to become a singer-songwriter. What was that earlier experience like? What made you pivot? Are you still writing for other musicians or just focusing on your own now?

Yeah, I started off writing songs for other artists. When I was 19, I signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell. I assumed I wasn’t supposed to be an artist because I was signed as a writer, which, at the time, I was cool with. Writing for others made me a much, much better songwriter. It was like boot camp. I was thrown in the studio with pros who really knew what they were doing. I learned a bunch of different styles, techniques, etc. Everyone has their own method to the madness. I had been writing for others for a few years, and it was great, but it wasn’t very rewarding. Creatively, it felt limiting, so that’s when I started to get the itch to put my own stuff out. I’ve always been an artist, I just needed time to find who I was and what I wanted to say. I’m still writing for other musicians, but mostly focusing on my own stuff now. 

The music industry is historically male-dominated but you are part of this new wave of female artists who are killing the game and dominating the industry. How does it feel to be part of that new wave? What hopes do you have for the future? What advice can you share for other female musicians coming up behind you? 

Honestly, the music industry has never felt male-dominated to me because my favorite artists have always been women. Regina Spektor, Karen Carpenter, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Eva Cassidy, etc. This new wave is awesome though. It’s shedding a light on artists that may not have been given a chance 10, 15 years ago. My advice for female musicians is: don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I’ve been put in a few situations where I didn’t want to wear a certain outfit or do something in a video and I had to get good at saying no. 

“I hope I can show people, especially young girls, it’s okay to be yourself and it’s okay to look normal.”

With success comes opportunity, but it also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

The hardest part for me has been balancing opportunity with my anxiety. I know touring is a huge part of being an artist, but I hate traveling. Being on the road is really tough. I also tend to get really down on myself. I start to think I’m a bad writer, and then I start to spiral from there. My motto has always been: “Do things you’re scared of, otherwise you’ll regret it later.” So, I guess the fear of letting my future self down is what really motivates me. 

The filtered world of social media often hides a lot of the hard work and behind-the-scenes hustle. What is the reality of being a famous musician today? What are the key traits required to be a success?

Well, I’m not famous so I wouldn’t really know, lol. But for real, there’s a ton of bullshit that goes on. A lot of negotiating and people getting ugly with each other. It is a business, after all. I think it’s important to have a good team around you. Surround yourself with people you trust and don’t be afraid to ask for what you deserve. I think creatives tend to be bad at business… at least I know I am. Just stick up for yourself. If someone isn’t willing to be fair or give you a decent deal off the bat, it probably means you shouldn’t do business with them.  

You have had incredible success already, but what does success mean to you? How do you measure success? Why? What characteristics make you successful in the music industry?

When I first moved to L.A., I worked at a coffee shop and then at the front desk of a gym. I would wake up at 4 am and work until noon. Then I would have an hour for lunch and head to a session. I remember thinking how happy I would be if I didn’t have to work in the mornings anymore and I could make music my full-time gig. Eventually, it did happen, and I feel insanely lucky to be able to do what I love for a living. For me, success has nothing to do with money. It’s all about being fulfilled and working hard. There’s no better feeling than busting your ass for something and seeing it come to life. As long as I can eat and have a roof over my head, I’m killing the game, lol. 

In a saturated industry, what do you think makes you and your music stand out? How can others reading this find their own unique point of view? How do you stay true to who you are and your voice?

I’m glad someone thinks my music stands out, lol. I always try to push myself to say things that haven’t been said yet. Love songs are great, but there’s so much more to life and so many different relationships and perspectives to talk about. I make music for me. If I like what I’m writing and it’s honest, I know I’m staying true to myself. The second I start making music that’s forced or I think people will like is when I’ll be going down a dark path, lol. 

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why? What is the #1 album you always recommend? Why?

Ah, it’s too hard to pick! I love to read. I guess my #1 book recommendation would be The Book Thief I read it in high school and I’ve loved it ever since. Number #1 album would have to be “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse. The raw emotion in the whole body of work gets me every time. She was just singing her life… not overthinking a word.

Photographer: David O’Donohue

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