4 Accomplished Women Share Their Secret Weapon for Supercharged Immunity
Zero hype, just honest herbal wellness customized for your life.
We live in an age where workplace burnout is now officially recognized as an “occupational phenomenon” and anxiety is at an all-time high. As the work/life pendulum swings out of balance during these uncertain times, people are searching for answers in a bid to restore a sense of calm and focus.
That’s where Mab & Stoke comes in with their simple but powerful mission: to make people feel their most amazing selves. And they’re doing just that with their made-to-order, customized herbal super tabs that are putting wellness back into our hands, literally. But this isn’t just another supplement selling empty promises. Their team of artists, explorers, scientists, and makers are done with waste, hype, and bad practices. They want results so they reinvented herbal wellness for modern life. Isn’t it time someone took the guesswork and grind out of amplifying wellness?
So what is it exactly? Well, these individually prepared herbal super tabs are created from a specially-selected blend of potent herbal extracts, including everything from Ashwagandha to Asian Ginseng, Elderberry and Lion’s Mane, Reishi, and more. You simply dissolve one in water, tea, juice, or a cocktail (if that’s your jam) either morning or night, or whenever you need a pick-me-up. To find a Mab Tab made for you, fill out their quick quiz and their herbal experts will get to work crafting your new BFF.
To learn more, we tapped several influential women who have been using the herbal super tab to hear their perspective on the super tab, how it’s positively impacted their health, and their daily self-care and wellness practice to maintain calm and balance.
Separate from their unique custom blends, Mab & Stoke just launched two new Readymade Mab Tabs today—Calm and Immunity—so keep reading to the end to learn more and add to cart for supercharged health.
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Do what your body is showing you it needs to feel complete—that’s a practice I do daily.”
Photo: Alex Palombo
On her morning routine…
The latest iteration of my morning routine, amidst the new normal of social distancing in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, is certainly different. I’m prioritizing my internal health as much as I have historically placed importance on my physical health and strength. It’s no longer enough to just hit the gym. I want to make sure my immune system is as strong and sound as possible. I’ve started using Mab Tabs with a dash of honey as my morning drink in place of coffee, then I work out outside with my TRX and battle ropes while following the Be Exceptional Fitness virtual training program, and then I get to work for the day.
Many of my clients are rethinking what brand innovation means to them in this climate and are realizing there needs to be a focused effort on business continuity and strategy to prepare for the unknown which means lots of sedentary time that I’m not accustomed to. My time is currently spent drafting and stress-testing crisis response scenarios. Working remotely means even more conference calls and video chats and lots of time at the computer, so I try to make sure to end my evening with essential oils and a little mediation practice to reset and calm my energy.
On dealing with stress…
My tips for avoiding burnout at work are to have and promote open lines of communication, clear expectations, delegate to the most capable and always inspire transparency. In that scenario, it’s hard to be unhappy unless you’re not adhering to the principles you’ve set for others. So much of burnout is a misalignment of expectations and an underestimate of bandwidth. I try my best to avoid doing either. As long as I’m happy and healthy, I have no stress.
On her self-care practice…
Self-care to me is synonymous with self-love. Self-care is an active exercise of replenishing and nourishing the parts of your mind, body, and soul as needed. Sometimes it’s a massage, other times it’s a therapeutic chat about life, or you're doing something to fortify an area where you feel weak. Do what your body is showing you it needs to feel complete—that’s a practice I do daily. My self-care routine keeps me feeling consistent with myself so that I can show up consistently for others.
On her top confidence-boosting tips…
Trust your intuition, know if you’re there you belong, and always know that you can create #ThePathRedefined on your life because you’re in control.
On how Mab & Stoke has positively impacted her health…
I’ve recently started using Mab and Stoke’s Mab Tabs as a daily supplement in addition to my vitamins. It’s easy to implement into my daily routine and comes packed with the natural ingredients to give me a homeopathic approach to Immunity support and better living.
On her favorite drink to drop a Mab Tab in…
Hot water and honey!
On her one piece of wellness advice…
Stay active so you can #BeExceptional!
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After spending 20 years in the corporate world, I found myself completely burned out… Turns out, self-care is a secret weapon.”
—Melanie Whelan
On her morning routine…
I set my alarm for 6 A.M. every morning. My 10-year-old son typically beats me out of bed so I need a few minutes of quiet before we leap into the day. I try to start each morning with a 10-minute meditation on my Calm App which I love. I keep clear quartz in my bathroom for manifestation and intention. It's next to my Sonicare toothbrush and I use my two minutes of teeth brushing to set my intentions for the day. I then head out to our kitchen to make breakfast for my kids before we leave the house by 7 A.M. I believe if you win breakfast, you win the day.
While my kids get ready, I drink my three favorites—cold brew iced coffee, seltzer with a splash of lime and my Mab Tab custom herbal tea. I started my Mab Tab routine a few months ago—it's a personally-formulated herbal super tab of highly concentrated, premium quality herbs that dissolves easily in water—and I love it.
On dealing with stress…
I've recently recommitted to a few habits to combat stress. First, I've always believed in the power of exercise to release endorphins and increase energy. I've recently fallen in love with [solidcore]. It's a pilates-inspired, reformer-based group workout in my neighborhood. I also weight train and run—I love it all. Secondly, the power of meditation and positive thinking is real. I try to take 10 minutes out of my day, twice a day, to meditate and clear my head. It's been transformative.
Finally, I read a few years ago that looking at pictures of your kids, releases endorphins and creates happiness. I like to flip through my camera roll multiple times/day and surround myself with family photos in my office. I post pics of my kids far too often on my Instagram but they make me laugh.
On her self-care practice…
After spending 20 years in the corporate world, I found myself completely burned out. I didn't prioritize myself at all, claiming that I was strong enough to power through anything. It turns out that self-care is a secret weapon. Research suggests that when you prioritize your own well-being, you make better decisions, build stronger relationships and are more productive.
Over the past few months, I've shifted my priorities so that I'm making deliberate time and space for myself. Activities like meditation, consistent workouts, putting away my phone by 7 P.M. each day, reading fiction, learning something new (right now I'm studying the foundations of Judaism in our local community center) all add up to a productive self-care routine.
On how a self-care routine plays a role in how she feels about herself…
When I make time and space for myself, I'm more attuned to how I'm feeling. I know when I need a break and when I'm ready to rock. It makes me be a better mother, wife, leader, decision-maker, and friend. You should ask my kids!
On her top three confidence-boosting tips…
Exercise. I can't say enough how good the endorphins make you feel.
Make great skincare choices. I drink a ton of water (I know where most restrooms are in my neighborhood!) and recently discovered a brand called Cocokind, a certified organic and socially conscious skincare line all based on virgin coconut oil. My skin has never felt better which makes me smile more confidently.
Intention setting. Before you go into any meeting, negotiation or conversation, set an intention for your goals and outcomes. When you're clear on your own expectations, you enter any setting more confident and more likely to achieve your desired outcome.
On how Mab & Stoke has positively impacted her health…
Mab & Stoke is my personal herbalist. My custom formulation is designed for me, my goals and my lifestyle. I trust Christina's deep knowledge of herbs and formulation. I love her passion for creating effective and personal products and the subscription makes it so easy.
On her favorite drink to drop a Mab Tab in…
I love that you can pop a Mab Tab into almost any beverage, hot or cold but I prefer my Tab in hot water. It creates a beautiful herbal tea. I love the morning ritual of warm herbal tea.
On her one piece of wellness advice…
You have one life. Live it intentionally, set goals for who you want to be, what you want to accomplish and what's most important to you. Practice them daily.
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Do your best to turn inward and listen to your body.”
—Ali Bonar
On her morning routine…
I consider myself part “morning routine aficionado” and part “slug coffee while sprinting out the door” (#balance, ya know?) There are weeks where I’m on my morning routine game, and weeks where it’s a blessing to remember to remove my retainer before heading out the door. No matter if I have an hour to get ready, or just five minutes, some non-negotiables for me are: warm bevvy (particularly Mab & Stoke with a squeeze of lemon), puppy cuddles (and boyfriend, if he’s lucky), and a quick stretch.
On dealing with stress…
I run my own business, so I’ve become comfortable with the fact that stressful moments are bound to crop up but I’ve definitely learned better coping strategies to deal with them. I’m a recent convert to the world of breathwork, and it’s been *life-changing* for me. I also have a slight obsession with Andy from Headspace (#marryme), and I try to squeeze it in as much as I can, even if it’s only five minutes.
On her self-care practice…
I used to think self-care was just bubble baths and pedicures, and sometimes it is, but I’ve come to realize that it can be much simpler than that—a few intentional breaths alone in my car after a long day, or having a night to myself with Netflix and snacks, or getting creative in the kitchen is also top of my list when it comes to self-care.
On how a self-care routine plays a role in how she feels about herself…
It’s massively important. I struggled with an eating disorder for over 10 years, and through lots of inner work/therapy, realized that I often turned to food (or restricted food) in times where I just needed a bit of self-care. There are weeks where I need a bit more self-care and weeks where I’m coasting. I’m learning to give myself grace and not judge why I might need a bit more during certain periods than others.
On her top three confidence-boosting tips…
Buy clothes that fit you. Don’t worry about the size on the tag. I tried for too long to fit into a smaller size and ended up feeling uncomfortable and self-conscious. My mama always told me: you look good when you’re comfortable.
Take time to love yourself, girl! Take yourself on a solo dinner date, book yourself a massage, go for a hike in nature without your phone (gasp, I know! I believe in you). Investing the time in yourself goes a long way in how you feel in your body.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up. You know the type—someone who leaves you feeling electric after seeing them. They support you and genuinely want to see you succeed. The older I get, the smaller my circle of friends becomes. Quality over quantity, kweens.
On how Mab & Stoke has positively impacted her health…
The personalization of Mab & Stoke really appealed to me. In a world where we’re all looking for a “magic pill,” I think it’s important to realize that we’re all so different and require different supplements at different phases of our lives. I’m pretty caffeine-sensitive, so my morning tab is serving me much better than my morning coffee was (sayonara, caffeine crash!) With my mab-tab, I feel alert but calm, centered and focused.
On her favorite drink to drop a Mab Tab in…
I love hot water, squeeze of lemon and a few drops of stevia. It gives me a tangy, sweet drink that gets me going in the morning.
On her one piece of wellness advice…
Do your best to turn inward and listen to your body. I spent too many years wrapped up in outside noise: do this, eat that. I was constantly trying to change my body, forcing it to slave away at the gym and restricting it from vital nutrients to make it smaller… and it came back to bite me (health issues, anxiety, etc). Now, the more I turn inward and honor what my body is telling me, the better I feel.
Kale salads and green juice are great, but tacos and tequila shots with your girlfriends can be just as healthy. It’s important to nourish your body, but even more important to nourish your soul.
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Water what you want to grow. Focus on the positive, say nice things to yourself. If you reinforce the negative and feelings of inadequacy, that is what will flourish.”
On her morning routine…
It’s so important to, as I like to say, “own your morning” because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. I get up and drink a tall glass of water with lemon to rehydrate. Then invariably, I have coffee. It may be a vice, but I also see it as a ritual—one I’m not planning to give up! Most days, I do intermittent fasting, so I don’t eat breakfast. If I do, it’s usually a combo of greens and eggs, and avo. I’m trained in Transcendental Meditation, but I have fallen off my practice. I really want to get back to that because it enhances everything.
On dealing with stress…
For me, dealing with stress isn’t an acute action or spot treatment. Instead, I try to cultivate a lifestyle that better equips me to deal with on-going stress because it is ever-present these days. That means getting a decent amount of sleep, moving my body, and eating healthfully (most of the time). I recently wrote a book called Sugar Free 3 about ditching added sugars from your diet and doing that has helped everything from my mood to my energy levels to the quality of my sleep.
On her self-care practice…
Self-care takes so many forms and it’s a personal journey for everyone. Some of my favorite forms of self-care are:
Hydrotherapy: Anything to do with water. I find it so healing to be submerged in warm water or to feel the buoyancy and support of water. I am lucky enough to have a beach house with a great free-standing bathtub and a jacuzzi on the roof, so hanging out in one of those places is paradise to me. Swimming in the ocean is pretty awesome too.
Strength Training and Rebounding: My two favorite workouts are training with weights and jumping on a mini-trampoline. I detest cardio, but “rebounding” is a super-effective form of cardio that also feels playful. My friend, Dria Murphy just opened a bouncing studio in NYC called The Ness, where I take classes when I can.
Wine with Friends: There are few things I enjoy more than sharing wine with friends—especially ones who make me laugh. It’s even better if we’re in nature somewhere sitting around a fire pit, but I happily do it crowded around the kitchen counter in my friends’ apartments.
Bodywork: I love a good massage or other forms of bodywork, but when there’s no time for that, a foot rub in the Reflexology Lounge at THE WELL is glorious.
On how a self-care routine plays a role in how she feels about herself…
You know that safety announcement on airplanes: “Put your mask on first before helping others”? Well, I think that’s true in general. You need to feel healthy, whole and strong in order to be a good leader or colleague or partner. Self-care is not selfish—in fact, it’s the opposite.
On her top three confidence-boosting tips…
Engage in observation. We can all feel like imposters at times, but when you look around and really observe people you think are doing well or are “successful” you often see that you are just as competent—if not more—than they are. This isn’t about comparing yourself to feel superior to anyone else; it’s about raising your own awareness that you stack up.
Help someone else. Volunteer to be someone’s mentor or to just lend a hand to someone who needs it—there is always someone less experienced or more in need than you. The gratitude you receive from imparting your skills/talent/gifts—whatever they are—is really powerful and goes a long way toward boosting your own self-worth. It’s a win-win.
Take risks. I say this not only because it’s critical to growth, but also because each time you triumph over a scary situation—or even just survive it—you get a little braver. I’m a big believer in getting comfortable with feeling uncomfortable.
Bonus tip: Water what you want to grow. Focus on the positive, say nice things to yourself. If you reinforce the negative and feelings of inadequacy, that is what will flourish.
On how Mab & Stoke has positively impacted her health…
It’s incredibly overwhelming. I’m a big believer in supplements and more specifically, in the power of herbal medicine. Herbal remedies have been used by many cultures for thousands of years. And though they may not all have clinical data behind them, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that comes out of this ancient wisdom. I have actually used a medicinal herbalist on and off, but that gets incredibly expensive and hard to schedule. Mab & Stoke has brilliantly solved for that with customized, easy-to-ingest supplements that are delivered to you. Most important to me is that what I take is efficacious and Mab & Stoke have taken great care to make sure their formulations come in meaningful doses—that is so key.
On her favorite drink to drop a Mab Tab in…
Just water (hot or cold), no mixers. I guess you could say I’m a purist.
Introducing the New Mab & Stoke Readymades
These fast-acting formulas can be taken when you need them—they act fast to enhance immunity or a sense of calm. They don’t need to be taken every day (as with the Custom Mab Tabs) but can be used daily, and in conjunction with custom blends. Mab & Stoke craft and press all Mab Tabs at their FDA-compliant facility in East Hampton, NY.
Given the current climate, the Mab & Stoke team is working as quickly as they can to make as many of these available for the community. They also plant a tree with every order through their partner American Forests.
Read on to learn more about the new Immunity and Calm Readymade Mab Tabs below and start enhancing your health today.
Mab & Stoke Readymade Calm
Readymade Calm is a Mab Tab to help you chill and unwind. It offers baseline immune support (as do all Mab Tabs) but this blend has been specifically designed to tackle stress when it starts to build up and you need help relaxing. It can be taken up to 3x daily on its own or up to 2x if in conjunction with your daily Custom Mab Tab.
$54 (includes 28 Mab Tabs)
Mab & Stoke Readymade Immunity
The immune-focused Readymade Mab Tab is a highly-concentrated blend of all the herbs you need to support a healthy immune system. This Readymade Mab Tab is designed to be taken up to 3x on its own or 2x if taken in conjunction with your daily Custom Mab Tab, at the first sign of illness or when your system needs an extra boost.
$54 (includes 28 Mab Tabs)
For more information on Mab & Stoke, their new Readymade Mab Tabs, or to order your custom Mab Tab, visit mabandstoke.com.
Ask an Expert: How to Get Buzz-Worthy Press Right Now, According to a Publicist
It's all about the R.I.C.H. formula.
We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting live discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!
Photo: Courtesy of Heather DeSantis
There is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs and small business owners to show up, share their message, and be a source of positivity right now. With the COVID-19 crisis impacting communities, businesses, and people across the country and the world, there’s a great need for positive news. So, how do you make your message really matter in a time that feels so dark to fill that void?
In this installment of our wildly popular Instagram Live series, Ask an Expert, we tapped Heather DeSantis, a media expert and the CEO of Publicity for Good, to answer all your burning publicity questions in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Read on for DeSantis’ tried-and-true R.I.C.H. formula for getting buzz-worthy press and creating content that resonates right now, and be sure to tune into our next Ask an Expert conversation on Instagram Live.
R: Reflect on who you are as an entrepreneur and a person.
“Ask yourself, Who are you as an entrepreneur? What key things have you gone through to become the entrepreneur you are today? What things have you gone through that you can share? What can you teach to others? How can you be of service? Use these answers to make a list of the core topics that you want to talk about in the media.”
I: Investigate.
“Figure out how to bridge the gap between what you want to talk about and what’s going on in the world right now to make your pitch relevant to the media.
Step 1: Go to Google and type in a topic that’s relevant to your business; a topic that you’re an expert in.
Step 2: Go through the results in the “News” section. Sift through the first three pages of results for inspiration on how to pitch yourself to media outlets.
Step 3: Search for your competitors via Google to see where they’ve been featured and start reaching out to those media outlets to get featured by those publications, networks, etc.
As a business owner, it’s really important to make your message relevant to what’s going on in the world. Search what’s trending in the media so that your content solves a problem and serves what people are interested in today.”
C: Connect with the media.
“First and foremost, post on your own social media channels. Go to your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and create a call to action post to let people know you want to get your message out there.
Then, authentically connect with members of the media before you pitch them. Engage with their content and create relationships and friendships with them. When you do reach out to them with a pitch, be sure to follow up three days later. Ask them how you can help and always come from a place of service.
If you want to pitch local/regional press, start watching the morning news to see what the flow of the show is, and then call the morning producer. You can go to Google and type in “news tips” to search for the direct email address of the producer and reach out.”
H: Help & hunt.
“Help. It’s all about service. You’re filling the need of the media, so come from a place of service. The media needs content to inspire people to keep them motivated and learn how to adjust during these times. Ask, What are you working on and how can I help?
Hunt. Show up every day and pitch yourself to the media.”
About the Expert: Heather DeSantis is the SHE-O of Publicity For Good and a Forbes 30 Under 30 nominee. Heather is the leading female millennial publicist of her generation with a fresh take on life which translates to a disruptive approach to PR, as evident with her choosing to run her agency nomadically from an Airstream. Together with her fiancé, she goes around the U.S. spreading the word about the unique way and mechanism PFG does PR.
Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert.
Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!
I Have Been Working From Home for Years—This Is How to Do It Successfully
“I totally use my phone as a procrastination crutch—it's incredibly helpful to just have it out of sight, out of mind.”
Photo: Lisa Fotios for Pexels
Given that many companies are implementing work-from-home policies to help flatten the curve and prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Create & Cultivate included!), we decided to reach out to some real work from home-office pros to find out how it’s done. Because, as enticing as working from home sounds in theory, it takes a surprising amount of discipline to stay productive and on-task with all the distractions that come with being at home (we’re looking at you, Netflix, pile of laundry, and sink full of dishes).
Ahead, six full-time WFH experts—spanning a senior fashion and beauty editor who’s been working from home for 7 (!) years to an editorial director who’s been working from home for 2 1/2 years to an acclaimed author who’s been working from home for just 8 months—share their tips and tricks for staying motivated and productive while working from home. Keep scrolling to find out how to establish a morning routine that will set you up for success and how to wind down and disconnect at the end of the day.
What time do you wake up? What’s the first thing you do upon waking?
I usually wake up between 6:15 and 6:30 am, depending on how many times I hit the snooze button. It's a habit I'm trying to break, but the first thing I do when I wake up is check my phone. My office's HQ is in New York, so by the time I get up, I've gotten a handful of emails and messages already.
Can you walk us through your morning routine? How does it set you up for a successful and productive workday?
I'll have my morning coffee, turn on NPR to listen to the news, and continue checking my emails and, yes, Instagram. I aim to get to the gym by 7:30 am unless I sign up for an earlier Barry’s or SoulCycle class. Checking my emails and my schedule and fitting in a workout in the morning put me in the best mindset for a successful and productive day. If I don't get a workout in, I'll spend the whole day thinking about how I'm going to squeeze it in later. I feel like it's my way of meditating and having "me" time before what's usually always a busy day.
“When you work from home, it’s easy to just plop onto the couch with your laptop, but I make it a point that the couch and the TV are off-limits during the workday.”
Do you have a dedicated workspace in your home? What helps you stay on task and protect your time from cleaning the house, doing laundry, or running errands while you're WFH?
I do and I think that's really important! When you work from home, it's easy to just plop onto the couch with your laptop, but I make it a point that the couch and the TV are off-limits during the workday. Making a to-do list and a rough schedule keeps me on task, as well as scheduling in breaks because realistically, I'm going to throw some laundry in or pick up some lunch. But as long as I allot myself a small window of time to do those things, then I don't feel guilty about it — it's just part of my schedule.
How do you prevent work burnout? How do you stay motivated and productive throughout the day?
After working from home for 7 years, I still struggle with this. It's really hard to disconnect at the end of the day from work because I work where I live! I really try to make an effort to turn my laptop off and not check my work emails after 6 pm, but I have to say, it's really impossible in the line of work that I'm in. But something I have gotten a lot better at is not working or responding to work emails during the weekend. That has really helped me avoid work burnout.
How do you wind down and log off at the end of the day? How do you separate your work time from your free time?
I make sure my laptop is out of sight! I take my dog for a walk, I cook, I have a nice, phone-free dinner with my husband, I call a friend. Separating work time from your free time is really about making a schedule for yourself and sticking to it, including when to stop working.
Nicole Lesmeister, Writer & Editor
WFH Experience Level: 3 years
What time do you wake up? What’s the first thing you do upon waking?
I wake up around 6:30 am. During this uncertain global situation, I’ve been trying to let myself wake up naturally and get all the sleep I need, but I go to bed around 10:30/11 pm, so my internal clock still gets me up at that time. The first thing I do is (avoid my phone for 30 minutes to an hour) scrape my tongue and do 5-10 minutes of oil pulling to deep cleanse, Ayurveda-style. Wellness truly begins in the mouth!
Can you walk us through your morning routine? How does it set you up for a successful and productive workday?
I then have a tall glass of warm water with lemon, because when you dehydrate overnight, your brain actually shrinks by 20%! Gotta lube up the ol’ noggin. I brew a pot of hibiscus tea or make a matcha if I’m feeling groggy and have a little quiet time with a book or just with my thoughts while I sip it, before I do some movement.
Depending on the day, I might do a HIIT or some yoga. I have a go-to flow, but when I feel like mixing it up, I’ll look up a Yoga With Adriene video on YouTube. She has a ton of really great free videos, and there are always video workouts on ClassPass you can do at home, too!
Moving in the morning is really crucial to me for feeling energized throughout the day and avoiding a wandering mind as soon as I open my computer. It gets the blood pumping and something about a good sweat first thing just makes me feel strong and powerful.
I do some vigorous dry brushing afterwards, hop in the shower, and make a simple breakfast– my favorite is soft scrambled eggs with some sautéed greens like dandelion and kimchi.
“I schedule little breaks, so I try to do a significant amount of work on something before I make an afternoon snack, or go to pilates, take a walk, or run to the grocery store. It’s all scheduled in, so I’m not wandering away from work on a whim.”
Do you have a dedicated workspace in your apartment? What helps you stay on task and protect your time from cleaning the house, doing laundry, or running errands while you're WFH?
I have a desk where I always start work, but after I take a pause for lunch I always find myself rotating to sitting at the higher bar area of my counter. I love the afternoon sun that seat gets; it’s a comfy perch and I feel productive there.
I rely on my daily planner from Oh Deer so much. It’s organized perfectly for me with an objective section, urgent section, list section, notes, and even a little space for doodles (!). I reference my Google calendar to see if I have any calls or meetings scheduled, and make a detailed list here right away, listing them in order from top priority to lowest priority of the day. I do this because I like to make an ambitious list that is still realistic, so if my day doesn’t go as perfectly streamlined as planned (they rarely do, right?) then at least the major objectives are taken care of.
One thing I make sure to do so that I avoid being distracted by errands and house tasks is to add them to my list if I need to do them. I decide what day I can squeeze them into or what day it makes the most sense, and stick to a day and time that I do them.
How do you prevent work burnout? How do you stay motivated and productive throughout the day?
I set tiny goals for myself, or little deadlines throughout the day. Like, “Let’s do a chunk of this client until noon, and get it done” (or a ¼ of the way done, depending on the project size and deadline, etc). I also schedule little breaks, so I try to be done with something or do a significant amount of work with something before I make an afternoon snack, or go to pilates, take a walk, or run to the grocery store. It’s all scheduled in, so I’m not wandering away from work on a whim.
I also cut myself off from working too late if I have a day in which I start work early, which is ideally most days. When you WFH, it’s easy to feel like you work a 15 hour day when you don’t account for or schedule in the typical distractions… but even in an office no one works eight full hours. About five true, solid, productive hours a day is typical for the average human.
If I have a deadline that day, I might work a little later, but essentially I give myself a cut-off time to make dinner and that lights a fire under my own a$$ to get what I need done at a decent time (5 or 6 pm) so I’m not burning out my retinas with blue light into the evening. No one is producing pure gold after dilly-dallying on their computer all day and into the evening anyway. My clients deserve my best self.
How do you wind down and log off at the end of the day? How do you separate your work time from your free time?
Carving out that cut-off time to prepare a nutritious but thoughtfully tasty meal is my ultimate act of self-care (and love language to my S.O.). It’s meditative, resetting, and gives me unwind time after to rest and digest so I can sleep well and be productive again the next day! Sometimes I’ll start my to-do list for the next day in my planner if I’m feeling juiced about it, but most often I just prep the kitchen for the next morning, set out my tea, fill the kettle. Stuff like that.
Depending on the intensity of the movement I did in the morning, I’ll usually try to take a little walk after dinner or some light stretching or foam rolling. Being a writer requires a lot of sitting, so making sure I move my body in intervals throughout the day keeps me from feeling tight and weighed down by my own poor posture (lol working on it) and gravity.
Because my S.O. and I have our shows we like to watch together for some cuddle time on the couch, I always make sure to read a little before bed in some warm light. Gotta allow the eyeballs some non-screen time so that my circadian clock can recalibrate! About 30-40 minutes is lovely, but sometimes it only takes me 15 to drift off.
Kelly Dawson, Freelance Writer and Editor & Editorial Director, Semihandmade
WFH Experience Level: 2 1/2 years
What time do you wake up? What’s the first thing you do upon waking?
I wake up around 7:00 am. My alarm is on my phone, which has been a habit I've been meaning to break for a while. But I do keep my phone on the opposite wall, away from my bed, so I have to get up to turn the alarm off. The first thing I do when I wake up is open my blinds, open the window, breathe in the fresh air, and make my bed. Yes, I make my bed every morning, and I do think it helps me start the day on a good note.
Can you walk us through your morning routine? How does it set you up for a successful and productive workday?
Ideally, my morning routine goes like this: I have breakfast, which is shorthand for I drink a strong cup of coffee with food. I watch a few minutes of CBS This Morning while I eat, change, and then do about a half-hour or so of stretches, weights, or cardio—I alternate the days to make it more fun. After that I get dressed, which is always an interesting topic for people who work from home. I know that it's usually perfectly fine if I wear sweatpants, but for the most part, I pick out an outfit, do my hair, and maybe put on makeup. It's nothing that doesn't take 10 minutes or so. I find that if I don't get dressed, I'm not as focused.
Do you have a dedicated workspace in your home? What helps you stay on task and protect your time from cleaning the house, doing laundry, or running errands while you're WFH?
I have a desk that I work at every day, and I work between 8:30 am and 6:30 pm, give or take. I think the thing that really helps me stay on task is a day planner. Every night before shutting work down I write a to-do list of all the things I need to accomplish for the next day, and I split it into columns. The left side is for the big stuff I have to do—write a story, do an interview, whatever—and the right side is for all the smaller things to get out of the way, like emails to send. I do the hardest ones on the list first, while the caffeine is still flowing, and then move on to the easier ones. I try to keep the list reasonable so that I don't feel panicked about completing everything. And to be fair to myself, whatever doesn't get done carries on to the next day. The goal is to keep from scrambling on Friday, which thankfully hasn't happened yet. I should say that most of my work-from-home schedule is on a weekly basis, which is why I can play with things a little.
As for email, I only check it at the start of the day, before lunch, and then right before I close up shop. I usually pretend I don't have a TV after breakfast, and I keep my phone either off or out of sight unless I'm using it for work. If I didn't do this it would be a slippery slope into Bravo and Instagram binges.
I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing to do laundry at home during "work hours" if you can swing it. I sometimes use it as a great gauge of time. For instance, like most people, my inbox is a never-ending black hole of notifications. But, I know that my washer takes about an hour to do a standard load. So that's how much time I give to answering emails before throwing things in the dryer and moving on to actual work. The same thing goes for cleaning and errands. If I'm stuck on something, I clean for a bit, run a fast errand, or go for a quick walk. That helps me think things through without staring blankly at my computer or scrolling some site. I still do that, I'm not a robot, but I try to be very aware of how I spend my time.
When you're in charge of your own work schedule, you can—and should—be flexible. But that flexibility has to have boundaries so that you don't get distracted. If you're more of a morning person, then get up earlier: It'll mean every afternoon can feel like a weekend. If you're more of a night owl, sleep in: It'll mean you can have slower mornings. But tell yourself that you're working, you're not just hanging out at home, and you need to plan accordingly. Of course, I'm saying all of this without children to worry about, which will obviously add a layer of complication to everything. As far as my universal advice goes, just try to be kind to yourself as you figure it out, and do your best to be intentional. I started my work-from-home life as a morning person, spent some time as a night owl, and now I'm in the middle. There are some days that completely get off track, and that's fine too. You'll get back on track tomorrow.
“The thing that has really helped me successfully work from home, minus a day planner, is my community of office and freelance friends. I check in with them daily, and we either tackle a work problem together or just send funny things to each other. ”
How do you prevent work burnout? How do you stay motivated and productive throughout the day?
The thing that has really helped me successfully work from home, minus a day planner, is my community of office and freelance friends. I check in with them daily, and we either tackle a work problem together or just send funny things to each other. That helps me feel like I'm not in a little bubble, even if the messages come in little bubbles. On the good days, I'm motivated and productive because I'm really into the work I'm doing and it's all coming together. On the bad days, I motivate myself with things like, "Ok, if I finish this task then I can have some candy or read the new magazine that came in the mail." There's also something to be said about not checking something off my to-do list. Only I would know, but that's enough of a motivator for my type-A personality. If you need someone to hold you accountable, my community also has "motivation buddies." We pair off, and our buddy knows what we need to accomplish and our ideal timeline. Then we check in with each other on how the project's coming along and what kind of support we need to make it happen.
Work burnout is a real possibility when instead of an in-the-flesh boss, there's just this omnipresent feeling of a boss. That feeling can give you the idea that you have to answer all the emails and do all the things right this second, because this omnipresent "boss" can feed off the guilt and anxiety you have about being at home. First off, working from home is still working, and it doesn't need to be qualified. Working from home is worthy of respect, and it's how a third of the American workforce made its living before the pandemic. At this moment in time, joining our ranks is keeping everyone safer. If you look at working from home as "less than," then you run the risk of wearing yourself out because you're trying to prove that you're just as productive as someone in an office. And we all know a certain someone in an office who makes that thought untrue.
When feelings of burnout happen to me, I've learned to just let it happen. I try to do the things I have to do for the day, but the rest, I put on pause. No one is going to get mad at you if you don't respond to their email right away, and when you do, it will still find them well. Shut your computer down, keep your phone off, and lay down for a while. Then, call a friend and tell them how you're feeling. Then, make some nachos. Then, listen to a happy song. Maybe two happy songs, depending on what you need. If it's small-scale burnout, it'll pass. If it's big-time burnout, don't be afraid to seek professional help, if you can.
How do you wind down and log off at the end of the day? How do you separate your work time from your free time?
This is a tough one for me, because if I'm writing and in a groove then I don't want to stop. But the honest answer is: I get hungry. I usually stop working when I need to eat dinner. I make a note of where I wanted to go with whatever thought I was working on, and then sign off. Sometimes I'll write after dinner, usually if I'm on a deadline. But usually once I leave my desk at night the work day is over. Lately I've been trying to separate work and dinner with a cool-down walk in between, so we'll see how that plays out in the coming weeks.
Another honest truth is that it's tough for me to balance work with free time! I've tried to be better about it since the start of this year, but I fail at it a lot. If there's a quote that's in my head whenever I do fail, it's what Toni Morrison's dad told her when she was struggling at her first job. He said, "Go to work, get your money, come home." Home is where the work is, so it's complicated. But home is where life is, too. And right now, when everything feels uncertain, I'm trying to remember to "come home" to my life mentally and physically. I need the balance probably more than ever.
Kamari Chelsea, Strategic Media Consultant
WFH Experience Level: 1 1/2 years
What time do you wake up? What’s the first thing you do upon waking?
Typically, I tend to wake up around 7:30 am. If you're working from home with your partner (as I am), it's essential that you try to get on the same page with wake up times to avoid feeling envious or lazy when you see your partner sleeping in.
The first thing I do when I open my eyes (or sometimes even before) is repeat an affirmation of gratitude to myself. When you're self-employed and always hustling to make things happen, mental health is more important than ever. It's critical to start your day being thankful for what you already have so that you aren't overcome with a "lack" mentality (especially during these times).
Can you walk us through your morning routine? How does it set you up for a successful and productive workday?
8 am: My morning routine firmly begins at 8 am because any later makes me feel like I've missed opportunities. I start the day with a hot shower, skincare routine, and picking out a cozy work-from-home look that is presentable enough for any video conferences I may have scheduled. Then, I make a two-minute commute to my office.
9 am: I created a mediation and yoga corner in my office for when I need breaks, but I also use this corner to do a morning meditation and stretch. I set a timer for 10 minutes or play Jhene Aiko's Trigger Protection Mantra for its sound healing qualities; after this, I typically feel safe and ready for what the day may bring.
9:10 am: I make a quick protein-packed breakfast for myself and my husband (usually eggs and a Vanilla Super Coffee). On Fridays, I used to cheat and drive straight to the Starbucks drive-through. Lately, I've been making my own "Starbucks" moment at home using my favorite plant-based coffee mixes.
9:30 am: I log on and feel ready to take on the day!
Do you have a dedicated workspace in your home? What helps you stay on task and protect your time from cleaning the house, doing laundry, and running errands while you're WFH?
One of the best investments I have made since I began working from home is converting one of the rooms in my house into a dedicated office space! It allows me to feel like I have a place to go every day to work and a place to leave when I need to separate work from my home life. I close the door to my office when I'm done for the day or on weekends, and I get to have my own life, away from the energy of work.
This way, during my business hours, I am unable to see laundry, the kitchen, television, or any other distractions. And, when I'm watching Netflix or unwinding with a glass of wine, I don't have my laptop and work notes beckoning me to come back to work.
Separation is a huge aspect of maintaining your mental health when working from home. Even if you find a corner that's set apart from your personal space (not in your bedroom), it will make all the difference by creating structure.
“When you’re self-employed and always hustling to make things happen, mental health is more important than ever. It’s critical to start your day being thankful for what you already have so that you aren’t overcome with a “lack” mentality (especially during these times).”
How do you prevent work burnout? How do you stay motivated and productive throughout the day?
Admittedly, when I first started my business, I burned out pretty hard. I was continually working because I felt the pressure to be "on" since my life was now intertwined with my work. Then, I had a conversation with my Dad and he gave me great insight. He said, "If you earn $100,000 in business, but work 100 hours a week, you're essentially making less than $20 an hour with no benefits." I realized then that I have to value every hour of my life because time is our most precious commodity. It was then that I realized to start capping my hours on specific projects based on the rates I was charging. If you're a full-time salaried employer, this should be even easier—set a rule to shut the computer by 6 pm at least three days a week. You'll be giving yourself an instant hourly raise!
To stay motivated and productive, I use standard systems, including a whiteboard with my daily to-dos. I break them up and task myself with achieving half before lunch and half after lunch. I'm strict about being on “Do Not Disturb” during peak working periods, and I'm BIG into not checking email constantly. Inbox zero be damned!
How do you wind down and log off at the end of the day? How do you separate your work time from your free time?
I love a glass of wine and a trashy reality show as much as the next girl! But first, as soon as I log off, I try to do something physical like spinning, walking, or lifting. This helps burn all the energy of my workday off my body.
Then (and this is admittedly a bit counterintuitive), I guzzle water, take another shower, and wind down (or shall I say, wine down) with my husband by cooking dinner. We rarely eat out, and cooking is a creative task that allows me to feel like I have moments in my day to look forward to doing whatever I want and being super inventive!
Amanda Montell, Writer & Author of Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language
WFH Experience Level: 8 months
What time do you wake up? What's the first thing you do upon waking?
Really late. I've become a night owl in this WFH phase of my career (it's like I'm on Hawaii's time zone now) so I find myself working best between the hours of 3 pm and 10 or 11 pm. I don't get to bed till maybe 2 am. I wake up around 10:30 am, peel myself out of bed, brush my teeth, wash my face and hands (!!!), and guzzle a coffee.
Can you walk us through your morning routine? How does it set you up for a successful and productive workday?
My morning is pretty leisurely. Because my job (writing books) is very solitary with little collaboration and few hard deadlines, I get to set my own pace. As it turns out, that pace requires a lot of warming up. Unless I have to interview a source early in the morning, I start my day with coffee, a small breakfast, hanging out with my dog and two cats, and checking my email/socials. Then, I put on a fresh set of clothes (still loungewear, it's more of a symbol that the day has begun), plug my laptop into my monitor, and review the day's tasks.
I'm not big into fancy to-do list apps or color-coded schedules—I keep track of everything I need to do for the day in my Google calendar, and I keep my to-do list really streamlined, so I have maybe two or three big work tasks for the day (e.g., write pages 10-13 of the book, pull quotes from the latest interview transcription, call my agent). I never crowd my to-do list, because that feels like I'm setting myself up to fail. My morning routine is all about creating this sense of "I can handle today, today is going to be chill," and approaching it from that relaxed place rather than an anxious one, and usually I wind up being way more productive than I meant to.
“I never crowd my to-do list, because that feels like I’m setting myself up to fail.”
Do you have a dedicated workspace in your apartment? What helps you stay on task and protect your time from cleaning the house, doing laundry, or running errands while you're WFH?
My porch, my couch, or my dining table, where I have a big monitor that I can easily set up and takedown. I never work from bed. I'm embarrassed to say I'm kind of messy and hopeless around the house, so the urge to procrastinate by doing laundry or dishes is pretty easy to resist, haha. I'm lucky to have my dream job—I'm genuinely obsessed with writing books—so to my great fortune, self-motivating isn't all that hard. Long before I was getting paid to do this work, I was doing it anyway.
How do you prevent work burnout? How do you stay motivated and productive throughout the day?
I'm very gentle with myself! If I need a break, I take it. Just like I know eating junk food in moderation won't ruin my body because I generally eat pretty healthy, I know that in the end, having "lazy" workdays will get balanced out by having spurts of hyper-productive days. If I have really terrible writer's block, I get up and take a walk or read a few pages of a great book (in the same genre as the one I'm writing, so I don't cross-contaminate) as a palate cleanser.
When you transition to working from home, there's an awkward period where you're always questioning if you should be getting more done, but after a week or so (sometimes more, sometimes less), you start to find your groove. And of course, it's different for everyone. My old roommate who worked from home was most productive between the hours of 7 am and noon. My partner has all these time management apps he swears by. At a point, you just have to ignore the prevailing wisdom and figure out what works for you.
How do you wind down and log off at the end of the day? How do you separate your work time from your free time?
I normally see friends at the end of the day for happy hour or dinner. Wine typically marks the end of the day for me, haha. But again, I'm fortunate that my work is something I love and would be doing either way, and I actually think that in our current age, strict work-life boundaries aren't necessarily the most realistic or productive for everyone. I'm 28 and have no kids... why should I stop working at 6 pm if I'm on a roll? If I'm motivated to write for an hour at midnight, I let myself. I know my work situation won't be so flexible forever, so for now, I just let myself be sort of loosey-goosey. So far, it's working out well.
Kelsey Clark, Freelance Writer & Content Strategist
WFH Experience Level: 5 months
What time do you wake up? What’s the first thing you do upon waking?
Despite my best efforts, I am still not a morning person. I usually wake up around 8 or 8:30 am (unless I'm going to a morning workout class) and check my email first thing. Coffee and water are immediate seconds!
Can you walk us through your morning routine? How does it set you up for a successful and productive workday?
I've only been freelance for five months now, so I'm still perfecting my morning routine. There's definitely an art to it—it can be incredibly difficult to maintain self-discipline when you're WFH.
Right now, I wake up, check my email, and drink coffee in bed or on the couch, then either shower or complete some sort of small grooming routine (i.e. wash my face, brush my teeth, brush my hair, etc.) depending on when I'm planning to workout that day. I think it's important to stick to a grooming ritual, even if it's as simple as brushing your teeth and splashing cold water in your face. In my experience, this signals to my body and brain that it's time to wake up.
From there, I apply my skincare/makeup and get dressed. If I'm staying at my apartment, I usually skip makeup and apply some fancy skincare—I've really enjoyed treating my skin to serums, masks, etc. during the day since I don't have to worry about layering makeup on top.
As far as my outfit goes, it's honestly leggings and a sweater, which is something I want to work on—I very much believe that what you wear influences your mood! If I'm going to a coffee shop (not right now, obviously), I usually wear very light makeup (i.e. tinted moisturizer, boy brow, mascara) and my standard jeans, ankle boots, and a sweater/T-shirt/turtleneck. I'm based in Detroit now, but most of my work is still based in New York, so in-person meetings are few and far between (i.e. I rarely have to worry about dressing up).
Routine aside, I aim to be actively working and starting the day's tasks by 9 am with the rest of the world! As much as my night owl self would love to work a 10-7 or 8, I think it's important to be online with everyone else; I feel anxious otherwise.
“I totally use my phone as a procrastination crutch—it’s incredibly helpful to just have it out of sight, out of mind.”
Do you have a dedicated workspace in your apartment? What helps you stay on task and protect your time from cleaning the house, doing laundry, or running errands while you're WFH?
Unfortunately, my apartment is too small for a dedicated workspace (I'm moving in a month and can't wait to have a desk!). I do find that I'm more productive if I'm able to head out to a coffee shop, even for just a few hours, but obviously that isn't an option right now. Keeping myself on-task is an ongoing battle, but I have found a few tricks that keep procrastination at bay:
I generally leave Netflix/music off, unless I'm doing something more visual like sourcing imagery where I'm not bothered by distracting sound.
Reward myself with small treats, i.e. when you finish this piece or send all these emails, you can make tea or check Instagram. Small victories!
Allot a certain amount of time for each task, i.e. I'll do email outreach until 11 am, then work on this piece from 11 am to 3 pm and the source market from 3 pm to 6 pm, etc. Even if you don't finish each task, it's important to move onto the next or else you can quickly feel overwhelmed/behind. If you stay on task #1 all day, it's easy to feel like your day was a failure.
Reserve certain time slots for any errands or small chores you want to do, i.e. at noon I'll take a lunch break and do the dishes. Or when I commute home from this meeting or outing, I'll stop and grab groceries, etc.
Honestly, hide your phone. I will literally put it in another room or throw it on the other side of the couch, as crazy as that sounds. I totally use my phone as a procrastination crutch—it's incredibly helpful to just have it out of sight, out of mind.
Change your scenery after a while, even if it's just moving from your couch to a chair, or your bed to the couch, or your couch to your friend or significant other's couch.
How do you prevent work burnout? How do you stay motivated and productive throughout the day?
It's definitely hard to separate work from your personal life when you work for yourself. While I do work the occasional Sunday, I try my best to enjoy my weekends to the fullest and allow myself to take time off and relax just like everyone else. I also have direct control over how much work I take on and which projects to prioritize from a financial perspective, which is really nice. I've had a few months where I was drowning, and the next month, I was able to tweak my schedule a bit to avoid total overwhelm.
For me, just knowing that everyone else is still working and grinding it out is strangely motivating. I made the choice to go off on my own, and I want to hold myself to the same standards as everyone else in the traditional workforce. It's important to me and my self-esteem to work hard and still feel like an equally productive member of society, even if I'm working from my couch. I want to succeed at my own venture, and I have direct control over that outcome. There's no part of me that decided to go freelance so I could be lazy or sleep in, you know? If anything, the pressure and motivation to succeed are amplified.
How do you wind down and log off at the end of the day? How do you separate your work time from your free time?
This can be difficult depending on workload, but I think having an after-work activity definitely forces you to log off and signals the end of the workday. For example, my significant other usually comes over after work, so I'm forced to log off and begin my evening wind-down. This can even be as simple as going to a workout class, going to the grocery store, hanging with your roommates, grabbing a drink with a friend, making dinner for yourself, etc. Just some sort of hard stop. These post-work activities also serve as motivation to get your work done throughout the day—i.e. I want to be able to grab drinks with this person, so I'm going to make sure I get all my work done.
How Putting Your Health and Happiness First Can Improve Your Career
And benefit your company, too.
Photo: Smith House Photography
In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) turned their attention to a problem so severe and damaging they called it the “health epidemic of the 21st century.” That epidemic was stress. Fast-forward to 2020, and the WHO has updated its handbook of diseases to include burnout, calling it an "occupational phenomenon" characterized by "feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job.”
We are the first to admit that 80 hour work weeks and side hustles are the new norm. While we certainly aren’t going to be the ones to tell you to stop working your butt off if that is what you want to do, that doesn’t mean we don’t acknowledge that putting your health and happiness above your work is necessary for your general wellness. In fact, when you take care of your personal needs you may find that it benefits your career just as much as your well-being. Scroll on to find out how.
What Stress Does to Your Mind
Stress can cause physical maladies such as headaches, jaw clenching, teeth grinding, muscle spasms, heartburn, and nausea, as well as back, neck and chest pain. Even if you are a super human who doesn’t feel the physical side effects of exhaustion and stress, you might be falling victim to non-physical symptoms such as forgetfulness, disorganization, confusion, trouble learning new information, difficulty in making decisions, nervous habits and overreaction to petty annoyances. To top it all off, according to The American Institute of Stress you may also experience reduced work efficiency or productivity.
Carve Out Some “Me” Time
Everyone's wellness needs are going to be different. Some may not feel their best if they don’t take the time to cook healthy meals. Others may be strongly affected by not being able to spend as much time with their loved ones as they would like. Bookworms may feel more anxious if they can’t spend quiet time reading and escaping their troubles before bed. Think about what is important to you and what makes you feel like your best self, then carve out the time to do it. Seriously, add it to the to-do list and make sure it gets done like any other vital task.
Exercise is a great way to take care of both your physical and mental health at once. Physical activity releases endorphins in the brain and is proven to lower stress levels as well as symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. It can also help relax muscles and relieve tension in the body. When you don’t have time to squeeze in a workout, try having a good laugh. Laughing also releases endorphins, which are significantly more powerful than the pain-relieving drug morphine. If relieving stress and pain isn’t enough to convince you, then consider this: endorphins boost immunity which could save you a lot of out of office days come flu season.
It Benefits Your Company, Too
It would financially benefit companies to look out for their employees’ health and happiness, not to mention be the decent thing to do. In fact, workplace stress costs U.S. businesses $300 billion annually. On top of lost productivity, work-related stress causes 120,000 deaths and results in $190 billion in healthcare costs yearly. If employers value the wellness of their employees they should ensure that they are working manageable hours, taking lunch breaks, encourage time off and create a generally positive work environment.
You are entitled to take a breather, play hooky, nap a day away, laugh, cry, whatever it is that will make you feel lighter. Never skip a doctor's appointment for a meeting, leave a few minutes early to make it to that yoga class, go home when you aren’t feeling well, turn off your phone when you are on vacation. If you do this you will be more creative, in control, calm, productive, focused and most importantly happy.
About the Author: Jacqueline DeMarco is a freelance writer with experience in editorial and news writing.
This story was originally published on September 2, 2017, and has since been updated.
Up next: 10 Women Who Have Your Dream Job on How They Fight Burnout, Stay Motivated, and Get Re-Energized for Work
MORE ON THE BLOG
Ask an Expert: How to Adjust Your Business Strategy During the Coronavirus Crisis, According to a Business Coach
“This is a time to be swift, but not reactive.”
We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!
Photo: Courtesy of Gretchen Jones
In times of crisis, businesses are put to the test—supply chains are disrupted and profit margins are compromised. And the COVID-19 crisis is certainly no exception. As our founder and CEO Jaclyn Johnson says, a company’s success comes down to how it pivots and responds during times of great uncertainty. However, as one of today’s Ask an Expert pros reminded us, “Now is the time to be swift, not reactive."
For some #realtalk on how to pivot a business, manage expectations, and lead with purpose during a crisis, we tapped Gretchen Jones, a strategic business advisor (she advises our CEO), for a special installment of our wildly popular Instagram Live series, Ask an Expert. Read on for three things you should know about adjusting your business strategy right now. If you missed the conversation, you can watch it in full here, and be sure to tune into our next Ask an Expert conversation on Instagram Live.
1. I want to be proactive during this time of quarantine—what can I do to reach my business growth goals and hit the ground running when things go back to normal?
“Achieving business goals right now is theoretical. More than thinking about growth, work on managing a healthy relationship with your business, not the potential capabilities ahead of you. Look at this slowdown as an opportunity to rise to the occasion, and look at initiatives that you’ve wanted to dive into but haven’t had the time to until now.“
2. I’m a small business owner and I don’t know how much longer I can afford to pay our staff while we’re closed during this time of quarantine. What advice can you share?
“Being a good boss sometimes means that moving through the pain [and going through with layoffs] is doing what is right for your community because you acted with integrity. You holding onto your staff because you’re afraid of laying them off in the future is going to complicate they’re ability to gain access to unemployment benefits. Take care of them now so that they will want to come back and work for you.”
3. How can I be a better, more supportive leader for my team, especially now that we’re all working remotely?
“The first thing is communication. Lead with humanity first in all communication. And, set goals. Real goal setting is about making sure your team knows that they have purpose and value and make sure that the expectations are really clear. Set benchmarks or KPIs (key performance indicators) so that you have really thoughtful ways of checking in with your team. Most importantly, hold yourself accountable by being better and more communicative with your staff.”
About the Expert: Gretchen Jones is a strategic business advisor and public speaker, as well as an award-winning design director, ambassador for sustainability, and NLP practitioner. She works with entrepreneurs and companies to develop future-minded, visionary approaches to ourselves and our work. Her methodology brings a directional, mindful lens of reflection to processes and belief systems, inside and outside of our businesses.
Gretchen has generously offered Create & Cultivators a special discount. Use the code gJLOVESC&C for 33% off Critical Conversations for the next three months. The code expires June 1st and can be up to three times.
Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert.
Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!
6 Things You Can Do to Support Small Businesses Right Now During the Coronavirus Crisis
“Small businesses are the backbone of our country, and we need to support them the best we can.”
Photo: Smith House Photography
Small businesses need our help more than ever right now. The coronavirus crisis is seriously impacting restaurants, fitness studios, salons, and brick-and-mortar shops across the country. To find out what we can do right now to support them, we tapped money expert and financial advisor Kristin O'Keeffe Merrick, a financial advisor at O'Keeffe Financial Partners, for our Ask an Expert Instagram Live series.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our country, and we need to support them the best we can,” the money expert and financial advisor reminded us during her Ask an Expert segment on our Instagram Live feed. Of course, we here at Create & Cultivate couldn’t agree more, so we’re sharing Merrick’s top tips for how to support small businesses during this challenging and unpredictable time.
Here are six things you can do right now—without leaving your couch—to support local small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic if you’re able to.
1. Order delivery, takeout, or even a gift card from your favorite local restaurants.
“Make sure you’re tipping when you go in for takeout. Servers aren’t serving people in restaurants right now so be sure to tip if you can to help support them.”
2. Shop your local brick-and-mortar small businesses online.
“Think ahead to some events you need to shop for (weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, Mother’s Day) and shop your local small businesses online.”
3. Stream fitness classes from your fave local studios online.
“If the instructors you love are giving free classes, consider sending them a tip ($20 via Venmo or Cash App), since they’re probably not getting paid for that service.”
4. Call up your local salons and buy gift cards for your next treatments.
“Think ahead to your next hair appointment, your next manicure or pedicure, etc., and consider buying a gift card now.”
5. Use your voice to help spread the word about local businesses that could use the extra love.
“Help your local community for free by posting about your favorite local businesses on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc.”
6. Pay your people.
“If you’re still getting a reg paycheck, pay your housekeeper, pay your dog walker, pay anyone who helps you with childcare.”
For more expert advice on how to navigate the COVID-19 crisis, tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of our Instagram Live series, Ask an Expert.
Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!
Up next: 7 Things a Financial Expert Wants You to Do to Prepare for COVID-19
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Slow Stories: Creating and Consuming Content During the COVID-19 Outbreak
“We've never had more tools at our disposal to create content that inspires action.”
Photo: Courtesy of Slow Stories
The spread of COVID-19 has upended the business community on a global level. However, living in an age of profound interconnectivity has brought people together in ways that we never expected—especially on social media.
Like so many others, I've tirelessly refreshed my news and social feeds and watched as they've unearthed a variety of responses to the uncertainty that we're all facing. Recently, I've also ruminated on the ways content can play a role in facilitating productivity in a time that will inevitably call for slowing down in nearly every aspect of our lives.
In one of my earlier columns, I outlined a few key pillars that our initial podcast interviewees attribute to the slow content movement. But as I look at the below touchpoints again (and in the context of present-day challenges), I find myself thinking about how we can take these one step further:
Slow content provides value and purpose.
Slow, thoughtful content has a clear intention. Whether it is to inspire or educate, creating content in this climate forces us to think about how we can provide value beyond our immediate business goals. Ask yourself: Can I provide value to my community by sharing a founder anecdote or reposting a fun image that evokes laughter? Even in a professional context, times of uncertainty offer the opportunity to create value for our customers in new (and necessary) ways.
Slow content considers data and fact-checking.
Content can be an incredible tool to drive conversations forward. Still, the spread of misinformation can also make it difficult to discern the difference between what is fabricated and what is real. During times where there is an uptick in sharing information, creators and businesses can engage with their community by using content to call attention to credible institutions and outlets.
Slowing down our relationship to content makes us nicer, more well-rounded people.
In a rapidly-changing news cycle and digital sharing landscape, slowing down our relationship with content can create more mental runway to think about the things that add value to our lives (beyond our devices). In the case of a global pandemic, finding a balance between staying aware and engaged while establishing healthy digital consumption habits will be essential in how we relate to one another through this trying time.
With so much hanging in the balance, our professional endeavors are certainly no exception. Many people in my own network have begun to think about how content and storytelling will play a role in their brands over the next few months. Below, I'm sharing a few things to consider as we recalibrate our routines and work through the challenges that are becoming increasingly present in our digital age.
Re-evaluate your communications strategy.
When there's an increase in online communication, content creators and business owners have the opportunity to streamline—and in some cases, reevaluate—their content, PR, and brand messaging so that the message they wish to convey is consistent across all communications channels. Use this time to think about what your brand wants to say, how you want it to come across, and how it can stay in-line with your usual voice and tone to avoid sounding inauthentic to your followers or customers.
Create content that inspires social/philanthropic participation.
We've never had more tools at our disposal to create content that inspires action.
However, it's essential to consider how to do this in a way that encourages inclusivity. From sharing charity donation stickers on Instagram Stories to creating bespoke content that ties in more personal brand narratives, creating content that can diversify how your community can get involved can elicit a powerful response. Thinking holistically about content in this way will also create more avenues for charitable goals to be reached, too.
Pause the post.
One of my interviewees said it best: "There is power in the pause." As we become more inundated with content from all directions, we have another option at our fingertips: to pause and step away. As consumers of content, we often forget to be discerning in what we choose to engage in a landscape that demands so much of our time and attention. Communicating what you want (and don't want!) from your favorite brands can be valuable feedback for business leaders to make informed decisions about their future storytelling and brand strategies. At the other end of the spectrum, if you're a content creator and unsure about how to proceed with your current storytelling efforts, use this period to take a step back and reflect. Your followers will thank you for it in the long run.
The points I've laid out in this article only scratch the surface of what we can be doing online. In any case, I hope this piece provides a jumping-off point for you to make thoughtful decisions about the kinds of stories you or your brand wants to tell in the near future. For more insights and musings on creating slow content and stories with longevity, I invite you to check out the ”Slow Stories” podcast (stay tuned for new episodes launching this spring) along with articles from my column here. And, most importantly, I wish you all health and happiness in this tumultuous time.
About the Author: Rachel Schwartzmann is the founder and CEO of The Style Line LLC. She created The Style Line in late January 2011 via Tumblr and has fostered The Style Line’s brand in its growth since then. Rachel has been featured in esteemed sources including Forbes, Refinery29, and MyDomaine and has also spoken at Create & Cultivate and Columbia University on establishing a unique brand point of view and entrepreneurship. On October 1, 2015, Rachel took The Style Line in a new direction as a boutique content company with the introduction of its slow content agency CONNECT(ED)ITORIAL.
You can follow Rachel at:
The Style Line: @thestyleline (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)
CONNECT(ED)ITORIAL: @connecteditorial (Instagram)
Rachel Schwartzmann: @rachelschwartzmann (Instagram) @RMSchwartzmann (Twitter)
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The First Four Things You Should Do EVERY Work Day
Eat the frog, get ahead, and hit all your goals.
If you're working from home and wondering where the week went, don’t worry—we're wondering the same thing. But instead of sitting here thinking about what we haven't yet achieved, we're sharing tips on how to take the next day by the horns. (World domination from there—who’s with us?)
If you're currently lacking in the productivity department, grab some coffee and start making these successful morning habits part of your routine. Ahead, we’re outlining exactly what you need to do to eat the frog, get ahead, and hit all your goals. Feeling pumped? Keep scrolling for more.
1. Eat the frog.
Mark Twain once said that if the first thing you do in the morning is eat a live frog, you can go through the rest of the day knowing it can’t get any worse. That doesn’t mean you have to go and switch your soy latte for a frog—it simply means you should do your most important assignment first. Studies have shown that you have the most willpower in the morning, so harness your motivation mojo and master your most important task bright and early.
2. Scan for red flags.
Productivity experts recommend that you not spend your morning reading and answering emails (it can totally derail your good AM intentions). Focus your morning on what you need to get done—not the little things people need from you. Quickly scan your emails to see if there is anything high-priority that will affect your goals for the day, then keep the trains moving. As Julie Morgenstern, author of Never Check Email in the Morning, told HuffPost, “Those requests and those interruptions and those unexpected surprises and those reminders and problems are endless… there is very little that cannot wait a minimum of 59 minutes.” So, if you want to be more productive throughout your day, step away from your inbox in the morning. Seriously.
3. Rally your to-do list.
Organizing your to-do list might sound like yet another thing to add to the chaos, but doing so is like creating a compass to get you to that golden “closing time” hour. How do you decide which task is “more important” than another? Use time management and productivity expert Laura Vanderkam’s advice and quickly ask yourself five questions: Does it take a step toward a big professional goal? Does your boss say it’s a top priority? Does it make you money? Does it lighten your mental load? Can it only be done today? Once you have your list organized, break down any big tasks into specific actions you’ll take to accomplish them.
4. Check-in with your team.
It’s small but mighty: Say hello to your colleagues in the morning. Not only will it help you start the day in a good mood, but they’ll be much more likely to help a friendly colleague than a Grumplestiltskin if you need help putting out a fire later that afternoon.
So, there you have it: The four things you should do to accomplish more throughout the workday. Drink coffee, eat a metaphorical frog, and get to work.
About the Author: Elana Lyn Gross is a freelance journalist and founder of the personal and professional development website, Elana Lyn. She has interviewed hundreds of businesswomen for her Career Profile series. Follow her here: @ElanaLynGross on Instagram and @ElanaLyn on Twitter.
This post was published on February 8, 2019, and has since been updated.
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How to Get Rid of Stress and Feel Centered in 5 Minutes
Melt away stress with this easy trick.
Photo: Valeria Ushakova for Pexels
Feeling stressed? Like the type of stressed out where you’ve got so much going on that your brain is racing every night, or you just feel lost and don’t know what to do? I used to feel it, too. Overwhelmed with clients, my work, my personal life, I had no time for my relationship. No time to paint (which is my passion). No time to spend with family and friends. I felt like my life was in an endless whirlwind.
Then, I learned one of the most amazing techniques for how to relieve stress quickly. Over the past 10 years, through coaching some of the world’s most successful businesswomen, and with my deep study of the subconscious mind, I reframed a powerful technique from my mentor Dr. Coletta Long, a leading pioneer in the field of regression, to help even more people achieve the freedom from stress and anxiety.
It’s called the Emotional Reset Method. And it’s so simple (kind of like the Mel Robbins 5-second method, which I love).
So… what is it?
The Emotional Reset Method (ERM) is a five-step technique to identify, name, and release that feeling or sensation of stress, anxiety, pain, or worry that you don’t want in your body anymore so you can move forward with more lightness, freedom, and purpose.
It only takes about five minutes, but if you sit, center, and do it with integrity—it can really help you get back to doing what you do.
Step 1. Pause. Tune in to what you feel.
The first step is to pause. To stop, sit still, and breathe deeply into your belly. Before you can discover where you’re carrying your emotions, you need to ground yourself in your body.
We’re often so busy that we spend a lot of our time “out of our bodies.” Many mindfulness practices start with the breath, which allows you to slow down and bring yourself back “into your body.” Think about a tree: when the wind blows, it’s the root that lets the wind sway through the limbs without knocking it over. It just takes a minute to breathe deeply, connect your mind and body, and “root” down.
Sit down in a comfy seat, place your hands on your thighs, close your eyes, and breathe deeply, starting from your belly (your diaphragm). Slowly count in-and-out for five seconds. This will center and ground you. You’ll feel more calm and present.
Step 2. Describe it. What do you feel?
Next, ask yourself: What sensation am I feeling? Let go of any self-judgment. There’s no need to critique or criticize. The key to this step is to be relaxed and honest with yourself so you can feel into the sensations of your body (and emotions). When you release and let yourself feel, different sensations, emotions, and reactions will come up. Is it anxiety? Fear? Just… tired? The key here is to just sink in, let yourself feel, and then name that out into the world.
For me, what I was feeling was heavy anxiety and fatigue. A desire to “do it all.” That desire to do a million things and try to fit it all into my chaotic day.
Step 3. Locate it. Where do you feel it?
The third step is to identify where you’re feeling it. Have you ever been incredibly anxious or worried and felt a tightening feeling in your stomach or lungs? That feeling you perceive is emotion making its presence known physically. Locate where that place is in your body.
In my case, it was right in the middle of my stomach. So, I brought my attention to that sensation and location.
Step 4. Give it a visual. Can you describe it as a color?
What’s most easy to describe is a color and use it for visualization. You need to be able to visualize this feeling you defined in Step 3. For many, it’s easiest to describe it as a color. Just keep that feeling in your mind and say whatever first comes to your head. Is fear a deep blue? Is anxiety a subtle purple? It will be different for everyone and every sensation, but if you pause and feel it out – you can think of a color that represents this emotion and feeling.
In my case, it was blue. That heavy, radiating feeling in my stomach was like a deep, fuzzy blue just sitting there.
Step 5. Release it. Time to let it go.
Visualize the power of the mind pushing that defined feeling up and out of the body. Once you’ve named your feeling, located it in your body, and labeled it with description/color, you’re ready to let it go—to release it.
Take one more deep breath and then really picture pushing that feeling/color out of your body. Do you feel it sneaking up your chest and out of your head like a mist or cloud? Do you feel it pushing out of your feet and fingertips?
Everyone will experience this differently. Feel into it and picture it leaving you. Imagine the emotional block inside you dissolving. Fading out and away.
After doing that whole process, I felt such a lightness—a weight lifted—I ended up releasing this ball of stress and fatigue that was inside of me.
ERM will remind you that you have the power within to take charge. To create a plan to take action on what needs to get done and let go of what is not as important as you think it may be.
So, whenever you feel that wave of stress coming over you… or if you’re dreading a conversation with your partner … do the Emotional Reset Method. Your body, your mind, and your heart will all thank you.
About the Author: Robin Emmerich has spent close to a decade coaching some of the most successful women in business. She currently offers the CIJ Clarity Catalyst online course, based on the famed Stanford Masters Degree Course, “Creativity in Business,” individual coaching, regression, and worldwide retreats. Connect with Robin at robinemmerich.com and on Instagram.
This post was published on May 26, 2019, and has since been updated.
C&C Classifieds: The Honest Company, Unilever, Revlon, & More!
Hey job seekers! We’ve got a fresh batch of job listings for you.
Hey job seekers! We’ve got a fresh batch of job listings for you.
Golden & Pine - Prairie Village, KS
Eastridge Center - San Jose, CA
Marketing & Business Development Manager
The Honest Company - Los Angeles, CA
Alo Yoga - Los Angeles, CA
Honeywell - Kansas City, MO
Unilever - Seattle, WA
Revlon - New York, NY
Snap Inc. - Los Angeles, CA
Nintendo - Redwood, WA
Specialist, Experiential Marketing
Purely Elizabeth - Boulder, CO
Social Media & Content Manager
Calm - San Francisco, CA
Mattel - El Segundo, CA
Ask an Expert: 5 Things a Lawyer Wants You to Know About Force Majeure Clauses and COVID-19
Can you get out of a contract RN?
We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!
Photo: Courtesy of Jamie Lieberman
Not to state the obvious, but talking to a lawyer can be intimidating. Between tracking down the right lawyer, budgeting for a consultation, and knowing which questions you need to ask, seeking out legal counsel can be daunting for a lot of small business owners. With that in mind—and given these unprecedented times—we asked an attorney to answer all your burning questions about force majeure contract clauses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this installment of our Instagram Live series, Ask an Expert, we tapped Jamie Lieberman, a seasoned attorney and the founder of Hashtag Legal, to discuss everything you need to know about force majeure clauses right now. Read on for five things you should know about getting out of a contract due to unforeseeable circumstances. If you missed the conversation, you can watch it in full here, and be sure to tune into our next Ask an Expert conversation on Instagram Live.
1. First things first, what is a force majeure clause anyway?
“It is a clause that’s written into many contracts that allows a contract to be canceled or postponed due to impossibility performance, which can be caused by things like natural disasters, strikes/riots, or ‘acts of God.’ Things that make it impossible for people to perform their obligations.”
2. What exactly is considered an act of God by a force majeure clause?
“Usually, an act of God includes natural disasters; hurricanes, floods, tornadoes. Illness is not always in the definition of force majeure. If you have a contract that you’re not sure about, you check whether or not there’s a force majeure clause in it and how it’s defined. Some contracts allow for cancellation and some just allow for postponement.”
3. What if I don’t have a force majeure clause in my contract?
“There are a number of ways you can be protected whether or not you have force majeure in your contract. If the purpose of the contracts is frustrated, meaning there’s no way for you to do it, you can be protected by the doctrine of impossibility or impracticability. If you can’t perform your contract, have that conversation with your client and see what you can do to postpone. Have a negotiation, have a conversation.”
4. What can I do if someone is trying to get out of a contract and I don't have a lawyer?
“Have the difficult conversations—don’t avoid them. Start negotiating and try to make new agreements so that you can move forward and both parties are protected. The worst thing you can do is avoid having these conversations.”
5. Do I need a contract?
“If there is anything of value being exchanged, whether it’s money, goods, or services, having a contract is a best practice. Contracts are meant to protect both parties—they’re not designed to favor one party or the other. And if you have everything in writing, you know what will happen in the event of something like the COVID-19 outbreak.”
About the Expert: Jamie Lieberman, owner and founder of Hashtag Legal has been a practicing lawyer for nearly 15 years. As an experienced entrepreneur, Jamie understands the unique needs of business owners at different stages in their organization’s growth. She has a deep commitment to making legal accessible and regularly speaks about legal matters, the art of negotiation and entrepreneurial topics at events such as Alt Summit, Podcast Movement, and FinCon and as an expert source for media like Digiday and Forbes. You can also catch her as a co-host on The FearLess Business Podcast.
Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert.
Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!
6 Tips for Creating a Productive Work-From-Home Environment
Become a boss at working from home.
Photo: Polina Zimmerman for Pexels
Working from home. It sounds great in theory, but it actually takes a lot of discipline to establish a routine that makes working from home productive and fulfilling. Given that many companies are currently implementing work from home policies to help flatten the curve and prevent the spread of COVID-19, I feel compelled to share my tried-and-true tips for creating a productive work-from-home environment.
As someone who’s been freelancing and working from home for the past five years, I’ve gone through all of the ups and downs WFH life can present—from feeling lonely and needing to talk to someone to needing to get out of the house and take a break (while practicing social distancing, of course). Scroll on for my tips on how to create a dedicated work space, set office hours, eliminate distracts, and more.
Create a Dedicated Work Space
Find a place in your home that you can dedicate to work. This will be different for everyone, and while I highly encourage having a desk, a dining room table or breakfast bar are great substitutes.
I don’t recommend your workspace be on your couch or on anything where you can recline. While I love being on my laptop and having my feet up on my couch, I am never as productive as I am when sitting upright.
When choosing a space for work in your home, try to find an area that has the following:
Natural light
Quiet
Minimal household distractions (dirty dishes in the sink, children’s toys on the floor, etc.)
Find a space that you can check-in for work and check-out for everything you’d typically do while at home.
Set Office Hours
As a freelancer, it’s incredibly important to have office hours. Not only to manage client expectations but to give yourself structure.
Setting office hours should empower you to develop a routine for yourself like you typically would if you had a 9-to-5 office job. You’d wake up in the morning, enjoy your morning cup of coffee, maybe squeeze in a yoga class before you get dressed, and head to work. The same should be taken into consideration when you work from home.
Freelance life is supposed to allow you to do all of the things you want to do with your time. Don’t let it create an opposite effect where you convince yourself to always be on and working just because you’re able to do it from the freedom of your own home.
Eliminate Distractions
It’s so important to eliminate any distractions from your home that would take you away from getting work done. For me, I need my home to be clean - period. If the home isn’t tidy, I’m not focused.
Other distractions I try to eliminate are:
Mindless social media scrolling. There’s a difference between taking time to engage on social media to benefit your business and spending 20 minutes scrolling through videos of pigs taking a bath. Cut the scroll!
Noise. If noise distracts you (or a lack thereof), plug in your noise-canceling headphones or put on some white noise to help you regain focus.
Pets. I have two dogs who can be very needy for attention. They sleep for most of the day, but every now and then they have a tendency for loudly playing with each other while I’m on client calls. When that happens, or if I think it could happen, I put them in their beds in our master bedroom and shut the door. It’s never for long and it helps calm them down - and helps prevent me from having to apologize to a client for the squeaky toy noises in the background.
If you find yourself being distracted by a common theme throughout your days, find a way to eliminate that distraction so you can stay focused and do your best work.
Get Out of Your PJs
We all have days where we want to stay in our PJs, but it’s important to get out of the jammies and into something that says, “my day has started.”
Most of the time I will change out of PJs and into activewear or comfortable denim. I’ll wash my face, brush my teeth and hair, put on some CC cream and deodorant, and then get to work. It’s a small effort that makes a big difference.
Talk To Someone
One of the biggest things I didn’t realize about working from home is just how lonely it can be.
You are by yourself all day and unless you have clients who love phone calls, most of your correspondence will primarily be done through email. It’s important to talk to someone; anyone. Make time to pick up the phone and call a relative or an old friend. Schedule calls with people in your network so you don’t lose your conversation skills.
I realized a change in myself probably around my second or third year of freelancing, where I would struggle with conversation because I just wasn’t having any. I’d either talk too long or too fast, have difficulty forming sentences, and just felt awkward. This is not me.
Now I talk to everyone.
I am not shy when it comes to conversation and make an effort to have a casual chat with just about anybody I come into contact with throughout the day. That’s people I pass by when I’m walking the dogs, the barista at Alfred’s, Anthony who does my nails at Olive & June, Mary who delivers our mail… AN-Y-BOD-Y.
Get Out of the House
How many of you working from home and reading this typically don’t leave your house during the workweek? 🙋 I get it.
Your home is your office and your office is your home, but it’s still important to get out of the house every once in a while. Keep yourself active and engaged with things happening in your community so you can get out of your PJs, talk to somebody, and enjoy those office hours! (You like what I did there?)
It’s important to get outside and break away from work so you can actually stay engaged in work.
When I spend hours on my computer without any breaks my mind becomes fatigued, and I become less productive. So I’ll take the dogs for a longer walk, do a workout class on my balcony, or take my laptop to the coffee shop down the road and just take in a bit of new scenery to help adjust my internal boss mode.
So if you’re feeling uninspired or having trouble getting anything done, give yourself a break and get out.
About the author: Audrey Adair is a seasoned freelance communications professional and founder of The Scope, a platform providing resources and community to freelancers and the self-employed. Connect with The Scope on Instagram and join their email list to receive your free resource, The Freelancer Starter Kit.
This story was originally published on March 5, 2019, and has since been updated.
Ask an Expert: Here Are 7 Things a Financial Expert Says to Do to Prepare for COVID-19
“This is a public health crisis, this is not a financial crisis.”
We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. Starting today, we will be hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am,12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!
Photo: Courtesy of Kristin O'Keeffe Merrick
Needless to say, the coronavirus outbreak has financially impacted businesses both large and small and employees and employers alike. With the OECD cutting global economic growth projections in half, the JPMorgan Global Manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) falling to its lowest level since 2009, and U.S. stocks having their worst day since the 1987 stock market crash, it’s safe to say money anxiety is at an all-time high.
To help assuage our financial fears, we tapped money expert and financial advisor Kristin O'Keeffe Merrick, a financial advisor at O'Keeffe Financial Partners, for the first-ever installment of our Instagram Live series, Ask an Expert. She answered all our burning money questions in the wake of the coronavirus, including, how to cut unnecessary spending from your budget and how to fund your small business after you've maxed out all your credit cards.
Read on for seven things you can do right now to feel financially stable, and be sure to tune into our next Ask an Expert conversation with Jamie Lieberman, attorney and founder of Hashtag Legal, on force majeure and if you can get out of a contract due to unforeseeable circumstances, tomorrow at 9 am PST on Instagram Live. Trust us, you won’t want to miss it!
1. Take stock of your subscription services.
“If you haven’t used your Hulu subscription by day four of self-isolating, you probably don’t need it. If you’re in a cash crunch, consider canceling or putting subscriptions you’re not using right now on hold."
2. File your taxes.
“If you’re worried about a cash crunch and you might be in line to get a refund, file your taxes early. If you’re a freelancer or an entrepreneur, you might need some liquidity right now, so think about filing now to get that refund.”
3. Make an IRA contribution.
“If you have a high risk tolerance for investing, put your IRA money to work.” (Note: If you’re a first-time investor, you should seek out professional advice before taking action here.)
4. Pay off debt.
“If you’re still getting a regular paycheck, use this as an opportunity to pay off some debt and put some money into an emergency fund.”
5. Start a savings account.
“One of the silver linings is that we’re not going out and spending money on drinks/dinner/coffee. Consider moving the money that you’d normally be spending to live and enjoy your life to a savings account or an emergency fund.”
6. Create a budget.
“Think about your fixed and variable costs. Fixed costs are things that won’t go away no matter what: your rent, car insurance, utilities, mortgage, etc. To look at your variable costs, pull up you bank and/or credit card statements for the last three months, and look at how you’re spending your money. Think about where your money goes and why you can’t save money; think about all the things you can lower and ways to allocate ways to save money.”
7. Read books that can help you get more financially savvy.
“If you’re looking to get more financially savvy, there’s no better time. One of the few money books I love is You Are a Badass at Making Money. Don’t overwhelm yourself with info, but use this time to get familiar with financial terms or investment terms.”
About the Expert: Kristin O’Keeffe Merrick is a money expert and financial advisor at her family-run firm, O'Keeffe Financial Partners, based in Fairfield, NJ. Kristin has over 19 years of investment experience, having spent the first part of her career as currency trader, and serving most recently as Vice President at Morgan Stanley. She has contributed to Forbes, CNBC,NY Magazine, Girlboss, Hey Mama, My Domaine, and Coveteur. She is a frequent guest on the Today Show, the NBC Nightly News and Yahoo Finance. Kristin was also recently named as 2020 Badass 50 by InStyle Magazine.
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"I Maxed Out All of My Credit Cards and Lived Off Savings"—Now She's Built a $100M Company
CAULIPOWER CEO, Gail Becker gets real about bootstrapping, raising money, and running a multi-million dollar business.
You asked for more content around business finances, so we’re delivering. Welcome to Money Matters where we give you an inside look at the pocketbooks of CEOs and entrepreneurs. In this series, you’ll learn what successful women in business spend on office spaces and employee salaries, how they knew it was time to hire someone to manage their finances, and their best advice for talking about money.
“I took a risk and bet on myself. That’s the hardest part. If you don’t bet on yourself, who else ever will?”
—Gail Becker, CEO of CAULIPOWER
Money: like religion and politics, it’s off the table but if there’s one thing we need to talk about more, it’s money, especially as women. Why? Because more women than ever before are starting their own businesses and they’re growing at twice the speed. In fact, a new report found that 42% of all firms are female-owned and women started 1,817 businesses a day in the past year. Despite that, women-owned businesses still struggle to get crucial financing so we need to ditch the taboo and open up a public dialogue to better understand how to raise it, manage it, and grow it.
Someone who is boycotting that ban is the founder, and CEO of CAULIPOWER, Gail Becker. Since 2017, Becker has built a $100m company and completely disrupted the food industry to become the #1 better-for-you pizza in the U.S. At our recent LA2020 conference, Becker had some no-filter money advice, especially around the topic of raising it. Having taken on two rounds of investment for CAULIPOWER, she knows each entrepreneur must make the right choice for them. “Just because you can raise more money, doesn’t mean that you should” she told the audience. “It’s not a symbol of how successful you are… or will be.”
Becker also decided against a friends and family round for her startup. “It made me nervous to play with my friends’ and family’s money,” she explained. “I waited as long as I could before seeking outside funding. I used all of my own money initially and maxed out all my credit cards.” There are different ways to fund your business and, ultimately, it needs to come down to what you feel most comfortable with and what your business needs are,” she explained. “I took a risk and bet on myself,“ she said. “That’s the hardest part. If you don’t bet on yourself, who else ever will?”
So, we tapped the powerhouse founder and CEO to share more of her money lessons, mistakes she’s made, and advice for small business owners. Read on and grab a pen, you’ll want to write these down.
On bootstrapping the company in the beginning…
When I first started CAULIPOWER, my goal actually wasn’t to make money. My dad, who was an entrepreneur and a Holocaust survivor, had recently passed away, and it made me recognize the fragility of life. I had been working my way up the proverbial ladder of corporate America, and then decided that I really didn’t like the view. I wanted to do something more meaningful with my life and I realized that I needed to make a change. That, along with my frustration in what I was seeing in the freezer aisle, created an ‘aha' moment that inspired me to launch CAULIPOWER.
My dad had left me with a small amount of money, and I knew the best way to honor his memory was to follow in his entrepreneurial footsteps. I knew how hard my father worked for every dollar he made, so I spent each one cautiously. I also put in a fair amount of my own money and lived off my savings. On a personal note, it was an interesting transition for me. I was coming from a comfortable job in corporate America with a comfortable salary, and I was used to a certain lifestyle.
When I started CAULIPOWER, I said goodbye to that life and paid attention to every dollar that I was spending, both personally and for the company. I downgraded my lifestyle significantly, saying goodbye to any shopping (outside of the grocery store) and vacations, and even sold most of my former wardrobe such as purses and shoes online. Even that wasn’t enough to sustain the launch of CAULIPOWER, so I maxed out all of my credit cards and tapped into more of my savings.
While this was the right decision for me, everyone has to choose the route that makes sense for them. For me, this was the only way I could bring my vision to life. I was nervous to take money from friends or family, but that doesn’t mean that’s the wrong choice for others. In hindsight, I have several friends and family who now wish I would have asked. At the time, I just followed my gut and made a choice about how I could make things work without negatively impacting others.
On raising money twice since then…
I raised money for a few reasons. First, the frozen food industry is an extremely cash-intensive business. You have to make the product before you can sell it, and there’s a pretty quick need for money given cash flow. When it comes to raising money, timing is incredibly important. I learned quickly that you should try and build the business as much as possible before you raise money. Why? The smaller your business is, the more of the company you will have to give away when you raise money in exchange for equity. Ideally, it’s best to try and hold off until you’ve made some actual sales.
Having said that, one of the worst things you can do is starve a business from cash. Cash is like fuel. We need it to make our products, to pay for promotions, to hire staff, and to market the brand. The timing of it all is a delicate balance between raising too much money, forcing you to give away more of the company when it is of the least value and starving the business, stunting its growth and first-to-market advantage.
“Just because you can raise more money, doesn’t mean that you should. It’s not a symbol of how successful you are or will be.”
On the most surprising part of the venture capital process…
I was surprised at how personal the process became. It would be easy for someone to interpret reactions as a reflection of the quality of one’s idea. If a VC didn’t want to invest in CAULIPOWER or wanted to wait for more data, I questioned myself. What did that say about my idea? The reverse was also true. When you find a partner that believes in you and is prepared to invest money into your business, it can be an incredible confidence boost. It’s a moment when you finally think, maybe this idea is not so crazy after all?!
One of the biggest mistakes that some people make during the fundraising process, is the instinctual desire to take money from the first person that offers it. You should always try to take ‘“smart” money—money from people who know more about the industry, category, and process of building a company than you do. What’s most important is to take money from people who will work hard for you and your idea.
Another part of the fundraising process that surprised me was how similar it was to, well, dating?! Remember, they’re not just interviewing you; you’re interviewing them too! You have to ask yourself ‘who do you want to be in the trenches with you for the long-term? Who will be there for you when the times and decisions get tough—because they will! Who shares your vision?
On the most common mistakes people make when raising money…
Raising too much. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. The ability to raise large amounts is not an indicator of the success of your business, rather it’s an indicator that a lot of people will be counting on you and you better deliver. It’s important to raise what you need, which should be enough to hold you over for a while, but not forever. From there, you can build the company to something bigger, then raise more money when it becomes more valuable. My first round of funding was $2M.
“One of the worst things you can do is starve a business from cash—cash is like fuel. ”
On the three crucial elements, every pitch deck should include…
First, you need to show the potential of the company or the white space. Why is this the right business at this time? What hole are you filling that currently doesn’t exist? Another crucial element is the data. You should try and show as much data as you can, even if you have to buy some of it. Show the real performance of your product if it's currently in stores, or use other competitive data to give a sense of how it might do. If it’s not already in the market, you need to prove why you believe it would do well, and this is best accomplished by definitive proof points. Show them that you have done your homework and that you don’t expect anyone to just take your word for it.
Finally, you need to show your passion. Most investors are not just investing in the business; they’re investing in YOU, the entrepreneur. If you're not passionate—and confident—about your own idea, then it really doesn't matter how good of a business plan you have.
On how much she paid herself in the beginning…
I didn't pay myself in the beginning. I lived off of my savings from about May 2016 to September 2017. Once I got VC funding, they made me take a salary and I’ve had the same one ever since. For comparison purposes, it is less than 1/5th of what I used to make when I worked in the corporate world… but I couldn't be happier.
On her first hire…
My first hire was someone who helped me fill out the deluge of paperwork I was facing from the retailers, brokers, and distributors. I realized all the time I was spending with paperwork was a huge opportunity cost and that my time would be better spent in other areas of the business.
On the first big expense as a business owner…
The first order I placed to make the first product.
On when she hired an accountant…
One of the best things about the economy we live in is that you can hire contractors to help you with just about anything. Thanks to some referrals, Google, and some other people I had met in the industry, I came across an agency that performed CFO duties for-hire for small companies. As soon as I got my first order, I knew I had to hire them.
I strongly believe that the most important thing to know as a first-time entrepreneur is to know what you don’t know and then hire around it. Many entrepreneurs mistakenly believe that they somehow need to know all aspects of their business. Nothing could be further from the truth. Know what you know and then hire experts to fill in the gaps.
“Know what you know and then hire experts to fill in the gaps. ”
On the most important area for business owners to focus their financial energy…
Put it into making the best product or service you possibly can. At the end of the day, you can have everything else figured out, but if you don’t have a product that people want, nothing else matters.
On why women should talk about money and business more…
When I was in my first marriage and at my old job, I’m embarrassed to admit that there was a lot I didn’t know about my own finances. I wasn’t financially illiterate, but I never made it a priority to become informed. When I got divorced, the need to become financially literate hit me in the face. I remember thinking, “I will never do that again.”
On having a financial mentor…
I did have some incredible people in the industry (and outside of it) that I looked up to, asked lots of questions of and with whom I’ve stayed connected. I never really had a financial mentor, but then again that wasn’t the primary reason why I started CAULIPOWER. My initial goal wasn’t to make lots of money; it was simply to help people have access to better options. If that’s why you start your business though, then that’s fantastic and finding a financial mentor might be the right choice for you. Now that I am running a business and am responsible for other people, the financial decisions I take on have tremendous importance.
On the money mistakes she’s made and learned from along the way…
I think it all depends on whether you’re new to your industry or if you have a background in it. If I had any sort of experience in the frozen food space prior to launching CAULIPOWER, I probably could have made some different decisions. Since that wasn’t the case, I placed a lot of trust in other people. I trusted that they knew more than I did and there’s a fair amount of trust that I probably placed blindly. In some cases, that ended up having a high price tag associated with it.
“If you’re not passionate—and confident—about your own idea, then it really doesn’t matter how good of a business plan you have. ”
On her best money advice for new entrepreneurs…
You don’t have to know all of the answers. You just have to know enough to hire the people who do. Just because you may not be a financial wizard, it doesn’t mean you shouldn't go into business. Just surround yourself with the right people who can teach you…and ask lots of questions. Daily.
I don’t equate money and happiness. The experience of launching and building CAULIPOWER showed me that one of the reasons I was so hesitant to leave my stable career is that I thought I had a great life. There was this inherent fear that if I lost all of those trappings that I had grown accustomed to, I wouldn’t be happy.
Today people who know me often hear me say “half as rich, but twice as happy” and no sentiment could be truer. Now, I realize that those things didn’t matter at all and the chance to build CAULIPOWER, take a bet on myself and help other people along the way has been the greatest professional joy of my life. I hope these words help to realize the same in you.
To learn more about CAULIPOWER and try their delicious pizzas, visit eatcaulipower.com.
Meet the Co-Founders Disrupting the $532-Billion Beauty Industry With a High-Performance Plant-Based Skincare Brand
Get to know Furtuna Skin.
We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day-in-the-life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.
Valued at $532 billion and counting, the beauty industry is on an upward trajectory that doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon. Despite the break-neck speed that’s driving the market forward, there’s one skincare brand that’s doing things differently—Furtuna Skin.
Built on a platform of radical transparency, Furtuna Skin is disrupting the industry by creating high-performance, plant-based products that are made with sustainably sourced ingredients—and their approach is paying off. The brand has already developed a cult-like following, including celebrity estheticians like Gina Marie and Shani Darden, to name-drop just a few high-profile Furtuna Skin devotees.
Ahead, Furtuna Skin’s co-founders, Agatha Relota Luczo and Kim Walls, break down how they built a high-performance, plant-based skincare brand from scratch, including why they didn’t write a business plan and what made them decide to go the self-funded route.
CREATE & CULTIVATE: Take us back to the beginning. How did you both meet and what was the lightbulb moment for Furtuna Skin?
AGATHA RELOTA LUCZO: We met first while working on creating organic, natural topical health remedies for our children (which is now our Bambini Furtuna brand). The more time we spent together, the more ideas we had for unique and powerful skincare products for adults. The plants on my family farm in Sicily were so powerful, so potent, that it became abundantly clear to us pretty immediately that we could create something special with these plants. Something groundbreaking that could redefine the very meaning of “clean beauty” by combining ancient wisdom with modern science using high potency organic plants to give beauty lovers high-performance results that they deserve from clean products—something we both struggled to find.
We’re both fiercely driven women who are passionately committed to achieving the best outcomes. We had unique areas of expertise that allowed each of us to bring something to the table that the other couldn’t. And we liked each other. A lot. There wasn’t much of a conversation about whether or not we were going to create Furtuna Skin. It happened because it couldn't not happen. In a way, Furtuna Skin willed itself to live through us. The brand took us both by the heart and that was that. We were off.
C&C: Did you write a business plan?
KIM WALLS: We had an aligned five-year vision for the brand within a few weeks of deciding we were doing it. With that, we created a product roadmap and began investigating the time and costs that would be associated with bringing those products to life. Our approach was the very definition of a product-driven company. From there, we created a financial model based on our strategy and assumptions. We still use that model today… updating it as we learn. We didn't write a traditional business plan but we agreed on targets to hit and milestones to measure our performance. The bottom line for us has always been that we wanted to create products that would be truly transformational.
C&C: How did you come up with the name Furtuna Skin?
AGATHA RELOTA LUCZO: It was important to us to keep the name “Furtuna” as part of our estate’s name where we forage our ingredients. My husband’s grandparents lived on the farm in Sicily before they moved to the United States. They used to say “Bona Furtuna!” to him with great love and excitement when they would say goodbye to each other. Bona Furtuna means “good luck or good fortune” in Sicilian. His Nona Rose was the inspiration for the farm’s name—La Furtuna Estate. The word “Fortune” is “Fortuna” in Italian, but in Sicilia, it is Furtuna. Our name honors our family, the powerful medicinal heritage of the land, and the great people who are there now and who came before us.
C&C: What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business?
KIM WALLS: All of the standard business pieces like domain, trademarks, social channels. We did all of those things but we didn’t let the logistics distract us from the more complex and challenging work of creating transformational products. We’ve seen too many people get caught up in the logistical details of it all and forget to think big. They shoot themselves in the foot by spending too much time on things that don’t matter unless you actually have a business. That said, intellectual property is important. We invested in locking down our trademarks in all critical markets because we knew that we wanted to create the opportunity for people around the world to experience the seemingly magical power of wildly potent ingredients.
C&C: What research did you do for the brand beforehand?
KIM WALLS: When it came to the plants and the performance of those plants to deliver unparalleled skincare results, we went all-in on research from day one. We knew that what we were setting out to do was incredibly complex, hadn’t been done before in the industry, and that there would be a great many challenges to overcome in the process. We surround ourselves with experts—like Mimmo who is the PhD botanist and biologist on the farm—to help answer the many questions we needed to answer, and to help figure out what additional questions we should be asking. We worked with pharmaceutical experts, ultrasound equipment experts, biochemists, nutritionists, and clinicians with extensive knowledge and niche expertise in a great many areas of science.
We spent almost all of our time in the early days researching and thinking about the details that would bring our full vision to life. We began with plants growing from the earth to transform them into skincare ingredients, which we then turned into skincare formulas… while also working on the fonts, textures, colors, coatings, materials, brand stories, and overall feel of Furtuna Skin. There was an enormous amount of research. We would each do big bursts of work in our respective areas of expertise and then come back together to share and refine our concepts by truly listening to each other’s thoughts, perspectives, and feedback… and then do it again. And again. And again.
We relied on Slack, Dropbox and Google Drive for a long time, and then moved onto programs that would allow for more complicated data associations like the Gantt charts in Asana and the cross-indexing of data and imagery that you can create in programs like Swivvel and Airtable. When you’re starting out though, there’s nothing better than a good old fashioned phone call to work through it all together.
“We approach our partnership like a marriage. Fundamentally, we care about each other and respect each other. When you and your partner want the same BIG things, then the little things don’t matter as much.”
C&C: How did you find the manufacturer/production facility that you use What advice do you have for other founders looking for a trustworthy manufacturer?
KIM WALLS: It is an absolutely monumental task to find the right labs, fillers, testers, designers, teammates, partners, agencies, sources of materials, and more, then to conduct them in alignment so they work together like an experienced orchestra. The difficulty of this process cannot be underestimated. There is no right answer to “who’s right for everyone.” The trick is to truly understand your needs, and then find partners who are excited to fulfill those needs.
In our case, we needed partners who had world-class track records in creating innovative skincare formulas using new organic ingredients and new processes. We needed people who had the right kind of experience—from pharmaceutical to nutraceutical—who were such deeply entrenched experts that they were comfortable in the space of experimentation and who were willing to dedicate countless hours to bringing together myriad unknowns to create finished skincare products that hit new levels in clean beauty and that would deliver on the results that they promised, from brightening the skin all over to instantly lifting and plumping fine lines around the lip and eye area.
C&C: Did you self-fund the company? Did you do a friends and family round? Or did you raise seed money or initial investment money?
AGATHA RELOTA LUCZO: We’re self-funded. We’ve both been involved in VC-, PE-, and F&F-backed businesses in the past, but we wanted to get Furtuna Skin off the ground ourselves because we wanted to ensure that we would have the time and space needed to develop the highest quality, most effective skincare ingredients from our organic estate in Sicily. For many years, we were working with a complex matrix of unknowns that, because we weren't being pushed for time in the early days, have now resulted in groundbreaking products that we are proud and honored to see empowering our clientele with a deep sense of transformational beauty.
C&C: How much did you pay yourself, and how did you know what to pay yourself?
KIM WALLS: Every situation is different, and there’s no one right way to go about determining when and how much to pay yourself. BUT, you must pay yourself. Even if the number is small, the mental effect is huge. For most people, it is a psychological fact that if they aren’t being paid with at least some cash, they will not give their greatest effort despite best intentions.
La Furtuna Estate in Sicily
C&C: How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like? Did you have any hiring experience? What advice can you share?
KIM WALLS: Not including us, our current team is nine people. We both have hiring experience from previous work. We created an organizational chart and have stayed pretty true to that chart so far. Putting in the time upfront to understand which skillsets we needed to find to create and market groundbreaking products helped us think through the roles we need to bring our dream to life. For any given position, we collaborate with internal team members to develop a job description and then begin the search. It is very important to us that we hire to a role, but we do also shape and reshape roles around the people we hire. In the early days, growing a team is like building a jigsaw puzzle, you might not know where one piece fits until another is in place. We want our people to be set up for success, and sometimes that means being flexible about the role each person plays in the company. When starting our company, it was critically important for us to hire people who thrive in a fast-paced environment where things can change quickly, and any team member might need to wear multiple hats. Because we outline the job descriptions and start with an understanding of how people will fit into our world both in the immediate term and the long term, we hire with the future in mind. Equally important to our peoples’ skill sets, we hire for energy. If the “vibe” isn’t there, then we keep searching regardless of the list of accomplishments a person may bring to the table.
We recently learned that the ideal number of people to interview any candidate is four. Data supports that if four team members think someone is a good fit for the role, then the candidate is more likely to be successful in that role. Once we had four people in the company, we started following that rule of thumb. The last bit of advice here is that you probably don’t need to bother checking the references that a candidate provides to you unless it is an extremely junior hire. Leverage your network of friends or even strangers to talk with people that have worked with your candidate before. That’s how you can learn the most about your candidate, and whether or not that person's particular quirks are going to be complimentary with your team… or not.
C&C: As co-founders, how have you developed a good working relationship? What tips can you give to other business partners trying to make it work?
AGATHA RELOTA LUCZO: We approach our partnership like a marriage. We’ve both been happily married for a long time, so we have practice doing this. Fundamentally, we care about each other and respect each other. We let each lead in the areas we’ve entrusted to each other. (I lead the creative function, and Kim leads the executive function.) Our partnership is part of what makes the work feel good and the journey worth taking. Tips for others would be to say the hard things. Be honest with yourself and your partner. Be willing to give in and to see when you are wrong. Make the big decisions together by taking time upfront to thoroughly talk through your perspectives. If your roles are clearly defined in the beginning and you butt heads about something, then if it isn’t your lead role, give in. Let it go, and do it because you remember that you entrusted this person with the responsibility to lead where they are leading and that you share a common vision and goal. When you and your partner want the same BIG things, then the little things don’t matter as much.
“In the early days, growing a team is like building a jigsaw puzzle, you might not know where one piece fits until another is in place.”
C&C: Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and set up?
KIM WALLS: Oh yes. Business is business. We had a freelance bookkeeper and accountant very shortly after we started spending money. As is true with most things in life, we knew that if our foundation wasn’t strong, we wouldn’t be able to focus our attention on what matters most to us—creating beautifully clean and effective, high-performance skincare that brings a deep sense of transformational beauty into the lives of our clientele.
C&C: What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing a business?
KIM WALLS: It is SO hard to wait sometimes. Most skincare products take anywhere from six months to a year to create and get to market. In our case, we start with people on the land who are wild foraging many of our ingredients. The extra time it takes to forage and then turn those plants into skincare ingredients, then test them for quality, purity, and effectiveness before we can even begin to use them to make skincare products can feel like forever by comparison to how most products are made in our industry. After we had our first finished formula, we were so excited to share it with people that we rushed to order some components (caps for our bottles) that we didn’t truly love. In the end, we scrapped those and made our own custom caps that we do truly love. In that haste, we created a lot of complexity for ourselves that we probably shouldn’t have. The old saying, “patience is a virtue,” is one that we need to remind ourselves of constantly.
C&C: How did you get retailers to start stocking your product? Were you told “no?” What advice can you share?
AGATHA RELOTA LUCZO: We launched on our own site and with our friend and partner Shani Darden, an esthetician who we respect immensely for her extensive knowledge, integrity, and the results she brings to her clientele. Retailers are calling us now, so you’ll start seeing us more and more in 2020.
When it comes to choosing retail partners, it is all about fit and sell-through. Sometimes it takes a long time to make retail happen, but if the fit is there, the product is great and you can drive customers to their stores to buy your products, then magic can happen. Most fundamentally, most retailers care about two things: a) will you drive traffic into their store, and b) will enough of the customers they already have want your products to make it worth their shelf space. Most retailers have metrics that they adhere to—like $10K per week in sales of any brand, for example. Find out what their metrics are and prove that they will sell enough of your product for them to exceed their metrics. With that, you’ll probably get the chance to partner with the retailers you want.
C&C: Do you have a business coach or mentor? How has this person helped? Would you recommend one?
AGATHA RELOTA LUCZO: We are unbelievably lucky to have one of the most successful businessman in history (literally) on our board, so when he talks we listen. We always seek outside advice to check our big assumptions. Mentors have been pivotal to the success that each of us have experienced in our lives. Most of the time, it isn’t a planned relationship. People who love to mentor get as much out of that relationship as the mentee because they love to teach and share their knowledge. If you want a great mentor, be someone who is worth mentoring. Come with great questions, show progress, listen, and act accordingly, tell your mentor how you have benefitted through their advice by sharing specific progress with them. They will probably get as much joy from your success as you do. Sharing progress that is partially attributable to your mentor will remind them of the value they are getting out of the relationship and make them want to give you more.
C&C: How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz?
KIM WALLS: We both knew a lot about marketing when we started, but marketing changes at light speed. It is important to both of us to stay relevant in our knowledge and to bring rockstars onto our team who focus exclusively on the most current forms of marketing at any given time. For example, we partnered with Shadow PR, an outstanding agency, and have leaned on their expertise and relationships. We also have relationships of our own from working in the beauty industry for decades. We work with celebrity estheticians like Gina Marie and Shani Darden, who have been incredible. They use our products in their facials on their amazing clients, and we’re also lucky to have the support of VIP friends like Jamie Greenberg and Lauren Roxburgh who share their love for the benefits of our products with their clientele too.
On the question of marketing spend as a percent of revenue, the rule of thumb in our industry is to spend about 15% of revenue on marketing to scale. These days, the average percentage is increasing. In the early days, the vast majority of cash in a consumer brand is spent on marketing because you probably don’t have much (or any) revenue to speak of, so your spend probably can’t be considered as a percent of revenue. The best advice we could give is to create reasonable goals for your business and then figure out what it is going to take to hit those goals and how much it will cost to do the things you think you need to do to hit the goals. Measure. Repeat. Measure. Repeat.
“If you want a great mentor, be someone who is worth mentoring. Come with great questions, show progress, listen, and act accordingly, tell your mentor how you have benefitted through their advice by sharing specific progress with them.”
C&C: What is one thing you didn’t do in the setup process, that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap?
KIM WALLS: We have started other businesses in the past, and we learned a lot of things the hard way, so we were in a more informed position this time around. We've made fewer mistakes, thankfully! From experience in our prior lives, we’d share that you must get comfortable with the basics of finance, at the very least, or you will definitely hurt yourself. Too many entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of nailing these essentials. If you don’t already, then learn to truly understand your balance sheet, P&L statement, and cash flow…. and maybe, more importantly, learn to understand the business drivers that most influence the outcomes represented by those basic documents for your endeavor.
C&C: For those who haven’t started a business (or are about to) what advice do you have?
KIM WALLS: Don’t get decision paralysis, and recognize that progress takes lots of different forms. There’s no one right way to accomplish what you want to accomplish. Recognize that it might be insanely hard to do what you want to do and accept the challenge in full light. When you get stuck (which you will) move forward no matter what. Look hard in the mirror when you make a mistake and set up a specific process so you don’t make the same mistake twice.
C&C: Anything else to add?
AGATHA RELOTA LUCZO: Yes! We need more and more women out there living up to their full potential and exceeding their self-imposed personal limits. Go hard at your dream, and keep going. When one dream doesn’t pan out, pick a new one. Enjoy your feeling of purpose and drive hard.
Our friends at Furtuna Skin were nice enough to share a giveaway with Create & Cultivate readers!
One lucky reader will receive a year’s supply of Furtuna Skin products. Simply fill out the form below to enter to win. *U.S. residents only.* The winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email. Good luck!
Giveaway now closed, thank you for entering! We will email the winners directly.
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We Talked to 4 Biz Owners About How They're Tackling COVID-19
Lauren Kleban, Dianna Cohen, and more weigh in.
As a small business, we here at Create & Cultivate understand how much the COVID-19 outbreak is impacting companies across the globe.
By shuttering offices, disrupting supply chains, canceling events, and clearing out public spaces like malls, restaurants, and gyms, the coronavirus’ impact on companies—particularly startups that don’t have the resources of Fortune 500 companies—is significant. However, as our founder and CEO Jaclyn Johnson says, a company’s success comes down to how it pivots and responds during times of great uncertainty.
Of course, we know that you, our Create & Cultivate audience of entrepreneurs and founders, are also grappling with this right now, so we reached out to some of the savviest business owners we know to find out how they’re handling the news, responding as a company, and, most importantly, pivoting their businesses in response. Scroll on to read how four founders are confronting the coronavirus crisis head-on.
Dianna Cohen, Founder & CEO, Crown Affair
How are you handling the news as a founder? Is your team working from home? How have you pivoted to that schedule?
The wellbeing of our team and customers is the most important thing to us. Our brand was built on the concept of the ritual—all the things you do to take care of yourself and make you feel whole. Whether that’s journaling, stretching, or brushing your hair before bed, we’re all about taking those extra few minutes to reset and recharge. During this time of uncertainty and unrest, we're letting our community know it's key to time for themselves and their friends and family that might need support and care as well.
How have the announcements impacted your business operations and financials? What tactics and strategies have you put in place to pivot and ensure your business is successful through this period?
We're monitoring the guidance of the CDC and health officials, so we're currently remote and will keep our scheduled meetings and touch bases, but do them via video or phone. Tools like Asana and Slack have been helpful for daily stand-ups to make sure as a new business (we're six weeks old!) we're staying on track and actively communicating. Because we're a digital-first company that sells products online, we've been able to continue connecting with our customers and growing the business. When the news first hit, we were mindful to order into inventory that wouldn't impact supply chain for our customers, and internally communicate updated daily goals and KPIs given there are global updates daily.
What advice can you share for small business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs who are also reeling in response to the news?
1. Have honest conversations with your team and community, we're in this together.
2. Your senior leadership team should plan into a mindful monthly spend to make sure you're preparing for any potential changes in supply chain or any area of the business that might be a meaningful part of your overhead.
3. See this as an opportunity to evaluate your strengths as a business and focus on clever, new ways you can still bring that to your audience.
Madison Ruggieri, Co-Founder, Onekind
How are you handling the news as a founder? How have you responded as a company? Is your team working from home?
As a founder, we’re really trying to carry on business as usual. We’re an online retailer and a very small team in a large office space, so, as of now, we’re still working from our office but thinking ahead in case that needs to change with a moment’s notice. Luckily, most of what we do can happen remotely if need be.
We fulfill all orders from our office, but if we were working with a 3PL for fulfillment, I’d be concerned that they might be shutting down temporarily. For brands who do rely on a 3PL, that would significantly impact their ability to continue processing orders.
How have the announcements impacted your business operations and financials?
Right now, we’re most concerned about the financial impact COVID-19 is having on those who are out of work because of it and whether it’s affecting our customers. We’re very aware that this could have an impact on people’s spending habits and that’s something that definitely worries me as a small business owner.
What advice can you share for small business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs who are also reeling in response to the news?
My advice to small business owners is to stay as calm as possible, stay informed, and try to plan a few steps ahead. If your business model allows for the ability to focus on digital sales/work, put your energy there. Most importantly, take care of your own health and the health and well-being of your team. Also, remember there’s a whole community of entrepreneurs dealing with the same issues right now, so let’s support each other in any way we can as we all get through this together.
Sonja Rasula, Founder & CEO, Unique Markets
How are you handling the news as a founder? Is your team working from home? How have you pivoted to that schedule?
As a founder, I'm in emergency-mode, which means I went from being in shock and assessing the situation, to now doing all I can to ensure my employees have jobs and income over the next few months. Every day this week has brought new information and bad news, but as a leader and founder, it's my job to now push emotions aside and turn this situation into an opportunity, to be responsible for my team and put on a happy face. As a company, we are working from home. But to be honest, it's not that different because I offer weekly "work from home" days already, which means we're all used to communicating via Slack or video already. One good thing! :)
How have the announcements impacted your business operations and financials? What tactics and strategies have you put in place to pivot and ensure your business is successful through this period?
My business is events based. We create amazing, community-based IRL pop-up markets that feature hundreds of small business owners and designers. Because we had to cancel our spring markets, I'm literally dealing with zero income for the next 3-4 months. In my past life, I designed and launched Fortune 500 websites and integrated e-commerce, so creating an online store as another revenue stream for us is the most obvious answer, but that takes a huge amount of resources and roles we don't currently have. While it's now something I'm looking at for 2021, we're going to do a few smaller, more manageable things over the next few months:
We've released online tickets to our summer markets already and are asking our community to purchase them and spread the word, which will provide some income and cash flow.
We're going to hold a series of live online workshops over the next two months, some free and some paid.
We're going to launch a weekly newsletter filled with stories of inspirational small business owners, design news, videos, and more.
What advice can you share for small business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs who are also reeling in response to the news?
My advice is twofold: First, take this time to pause. Seriously allow yourself to pause and evaluate what you are currently doing, what makes you happy, how you can improve. As entrepreneurs, we rarely get time to stop and breathe, so see this as an opportunity!
And then, second, get shit done! As the world slows to a halt, take advantage and use this time to redesign your website, take new product photography, work on your brand bible or style guide, watch YouTube or Skillshare to take a class and improve your skills (so many small business owners don't know graphic design programs like Illustrator, which could help them save so much money and have more creative control). Onward and upward!
*Also, I understand how daunting and downright depressing this is—I've ugly-cried too many times to count this week. But if you own a company that sells stuff online, you're already doing better than me, so cheer up a bit! And keep this in mind: You are a superhero, someone so strong and confident and passionate that you walked away from a 9-5 and regular paycheck to do your own thing! It's the harder choice. It's the lonlier choice. It's the challenging choice. You've made it this far, you've overcome too much to let a freaking global pandemic get you down. KEEP GOING.
Lauren Kleban, Founder & CEO, LEKFIT
How are you handling the news as a founder? How have you responded as a company?
We are taking the news day by day and not panicking. We have always taken extreme measures to maintain a clean studio space. We are a digital band first, and in a time like this, we take pride in knowing we can accommodate our customers as they are dealing with closures and quarantines. We maintain business as usual and believe that consistency is key for both our team and customers. The LEKFIT brand has consistently been a safe space both in-studio and online. We have taken major strides to provide a space for relief and our job is to remain calm for our customers.
How have the announcements impacted your business operations and financials?
We have not been impacted at this point, and hope that remains to be the case. We are slightly concerned this will delay the final week's construction of our flagship, set to open in April, but we will keep our pop-up doors open until we move.
What advice can you share for small business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs who are also reeling in response to the news?
Don't panic, and make decisions that are most beneficial for your team and customers. The best thing we can do is listen to the authorities, work together, and be kind.
For up-to-date information on the COVID-19 outbreak, we recommend referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization.
Up next: We Scrubbed the Internet for the Best Advice for Startup Founders During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Even CEOs Need Their 8 Hours a Night—6 Women Share Their Nightstand Must-Haves
These bedside essentials make all the difference.
Photo: Whitney Leigh Morris
What does your evening routine look like? Is it structured or does it change depending on the day?
The good news is, no one will judge you either way, but there is evidence that a bedtime routine will help you get better z’s. “Most of us cannot sleep on command, but routine helps the brain know that it’s preparing for sleep,” Rebecca Scott, research assistant professor of neurology at the NYU Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy Center—Sleep Center told Time. “Our sleep system, along with most other neurophysiological systems, likes predictability and consistency.”
Of course, there is no set regime that suits everyone so it’s up to you to determine what works, but it doesn’t hurt to hear how other women we admire wind down after a long day. Our CEO, Jaclyn Johnson, swears by eight hours of sleep a night to ensure she can perform at her optimum each day. Read on to hear what bedside essentials six women—who all joined us at our Self Care Summit in L.A. last year—have on their nightstand to ensure they get enough sleep and can perform at 100 each day.
Deepika Chopra, Optimism Doctor
1. The Things Are Looking Up Optimism Card Deck
”I pull a card every evening and carry out the holistic and science-based suggestion to increase happiness.”
2. Lavender and Lemon Essential Oils
”I use lavender before bed and lemon just as I wake up.”
3. Glass Carafe of Water.
”Drinking water is so challenging for me, so keeping it right by my bedside is one way to try and work on this.”
4. A children’s book.
”I always have at least one book that my son is super into at the moment. Right now it’s Blueberries For Sal.
Whitney Lee Morris, Founder of the Tiny Canal Cottage
1. Nothing
”The top must-have on my nightstand is actually the absence of something. If I keep my devices nearby I’m likely to wake up and check them and then stay up for the rest of the night. As such, I now keep tech—especially my phone—out of the bedroom.”
2.Books
”It’s important for me to have books by the bed—both for myself and for my child, who often climbs into bed with us overnight. Having books within arm’s reach helps my son stay safely and happily occupied in the early morning while I snag a few precious extra minutes of shut-eye.”
Claire Fountain, Wellness Writer, and Mental Health Advocate, Creator of Trillyoga
1.A Soft Light
”For me, I need to have a peaceful minimal environment and hydration. My nightstand only has a soft light that helps to prepare the body for sleep.
2. Body Butter, Eye Drops, and Lip Balm
”Hydration items (skin, eyes, lips) are essential because night is when the skin heals itself and so it’s a perfect time to let all that moisturized goodness absorb, plus I can’t sleep if I feel anything is dry.”
3. A Silk Eye Mask
”A silk eye mask because it’s the best for delicate face skin, and blocking out lights helps the body get the best, uninterrupted sleep I can.”
Shiva Rose, Founder of the Local Rose & Alchemist creator Shiva Rose Beauty
1.Magnesium Oil
”I love my nightstand since it’s almost like an altar for well being and beauty. For sleeping better I have a bottle of magnesium oil which calms the body, rescue remedy which calms the mind, and some rose quartz crystal for love and harmony.”
2.Books
”I’m currently re-reading Finding God Through Sex.”
3. Venus potion
”I collaborated on this potion with the lovely herbalist wooden spoon. This potion helps enhance our feminine elements.”
4. A landline.
”I have a landline since cell phones can disrupt our sleep and wellbeing.”
Lauren Gores, Co-Founder of Summer Fridays and Lifestyle Content Creator
1. 5 Minute Journal
”I love to have a few minutes of quiet time before bed, and the 5 Minute Journal is the perfect way to escape and reflect on my day.”
2. Slip Sleep Mist
”I love to spray this mist before bed—the chamomile and lavender oils create a super calm and relaxing environment.”
3. Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask
”I love to apply a thick layer of Jet Lag mask under my eyes before bed so I can wake up looking and feeling refreshed.”
4. LANIEGE Sleep Lip Mask
”I love to apply a layer of the LANIEGE lip mask before bed to hydrate and smooth my lips while I sleep.”
5. Slipsilk Sleep Mask
”I always get my best sleep when it is completely dark, so I always keep my Slipsilk Sleep Mask in my nightstand. It is *so* soft and the anti-aging properties are an added bonus.”
Lestraundra Alfred, Host of Balanced Black Girl podcast
1.Lip Balm
”I’m all about being as moisturized as possible, and I find having lip balm on my nightstand reminds me to put it on before bed, keeping my lips soft and moisturized.”
2.5 Minute Journal
”I love using my 5-minute journal to reflect each night before going to bed, and it is a key part of my morning routine as well. Each night I like to take a moment to reflect on the day's highlights and to start jotting down notes for the next day. This helps me end the day with gratitude, and to get any lingering thoughts out of my head for more peaceful rest.”
This story was originally published on July 9, 2019, and has since been updated.
3 Things That Are Holding You Back at Work
“If you’re not going to kick ass at work, what’s the point of spending all your time there?!”
Photo: Bru Santos for Pexels
Most of us spend half of our waking hours at work, five days a week—sometimes more! According to a recent study, the average full-time employee works 47 hours a week (yes, that’s 7 hours more than the standard 40). It’s no wonder so many of us name work as the most stressful aspect of our lives.
The good news is that with a few tweaks to your environment and brain, you can increase your productivity, decrease your stress, and advance faster than you’d expect. Based on cognitive science from a feminist POV, here are the top three ways you’re holding yourself back at work—and three solutions to start implementing today.
1. You’re underselling yourself—to your colleagues and yourself.
Imposter syndrome is no joke (even Martha Stewart isn’t immune to it). It’s also not an accident.
Women are socialized to constantly doubt themselves, underestimate their abilities, and believe that others are more qualified and talented than they are. Studies show that when women are primed with stereotypes about their abilities, they perform more poorly on cognitive and skill-based tests.
The insidious thing about this socialization is that it gets absorbed into your brain and then floats up into your consciousness as if it’s your own thoughts. So you don’t think, “Women aren’t good at project management, so I must be bad at my job.” Instead you think things like, “I’m not as organized as I should be and don’t think I’m doing a good job.” You think that because the thought came into your brain, it must be true.
Once you have that belief, your brain is constantly looking for evidence to justify it—which means you don’t show up as a confident badass who’s happy to take credit for her work, promote herself, and volunteer for new responsibilities. If you’re not going to kick ass at work, what’s the point of spending all your time there?!
The cure for imposter syndrome is to learn how to notice, evaluate, and change your negative thoughts about yourself.
2. You aren’t using your calendar correctly.
What’s on your calendar? Personal appointments, holidays, birthdays? Some of you are feeling advanced because you have work deadlines on there, too, and think that’s what I’m going to recommend.
NOPE.
Here’s how you should be using your calendar: schedule out every bit of work you have to do, from now until forever.
Did you just pass out? It’s OK, get the smelling salts. I’ll wait.
Here’s what I’ve discovered from coaching hundreds of high-powered women of all professions: 99.9% of us have no idea how we spend our time.
Knowing how much time you have and what you’re using it on is crucial for two reasons:
First, it helps your brain relax. When you just have a long to-do list and some deadlines on your calendar, what your brain thinks is, “I have a lot to do, and I don’t know when I’m going to do it.” That thought is stressful. So your brain keeps thinking that over and over and never gets an answer.
Second, it’s miraculously the cure for both doing too little and trying to do too much. When you block out the time you’re going to spend on every element of your work, you’ll quickly learn when you’re wasting time on social media, gossiping, or napping under your desk. You’ll also learn when you’re setting unrealistic deadlines and goals. Calendaring is where the delusions of perfectionism and the “I’m too busy” lie run into a concrete picture of reality. Want more info? I have a podcast about my organizational system you can find here.
3. You think multitasking is a thing. (Alternative: your phone is running your life.)
Do you take pride in being a great multitasker? Here’s the truth: You’re taking pride in not really ever getting anything done. Multitasking is a myth. It’s your brain’s way of distracting itself on the regular. Studies show “multitasking” makes your short-term memory worse, makes you less productive, and causes more mistakes. Imagine you’re trying to find a path through a forest, but you kept blacking out every three minutes and coming back into consciousness three minutes later. Do you think you’d get through that forest as quickly as if you were conscious and working on getting out the whole time?
The number one multitasking enabler right now is electronic notifications. Imagine trying to get something done while a toddler pokes you every 45 seconds yelling, “PAY ATTENTION TO ME.” That’s what’s happening when you have your email, Slack, text messages, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat all pinging away at you on your computer and phone all the time. It’s impossible to focus when you’re giving yourself constant stimulation and reasons to look at a different part of your device.
The solution is simple to explain but challenging to do: TURN THAT SH*T OFF. Remember in #2 when we decided to schedule out work? That should include scheduling time for Slack, email, and social media. Even if you work in a fast-paced comms-driven environment, you truly can go 15 minutes without checking your devices. Start there. Close out every notification on your computer, mute your phone, and work on one thing at a time for 15 minutes. Then check all your notifications for 15 minutes, then back to working on one thing. Slowly increase the periods you’re able to focus working, and decrease the frequency of notification checking until you’re actually making progress on your real work. Don’t believe your brain when it tells you it’s part of your job to check your email every 30 seconds. Your brain is a dopamine addict, and notifications are its drug of choice. Like any addiction, it’s uncomfortable to go through withdrawal, but you’ll be amazed at how much your life improves on the other side!
This story was originally published on April 6, 2019, and has since been updated.
About the author: Kara Loewentheil is a Certified Master Coach, speaker, and author who left a career defending women’s rights in the courtroom to empower women where it all starts: In their own minds. Using cognitive science and a feminist perspective, she teaches women how to literally rewire their brains to get patriarchy out and self-confidence in. Her podcast, UnF*ck Your Brain, has been downloaded 3 million times and teaches concrete brain-change strategies to women all over the world.
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How 5 Women Ditched Perfection to Embrace Their Own Skinversity
Yes, it’s possible.
We’ve all felt the pressure of perfection. But according to some studies, this sentiment is mostly felt by women. Sound familiar? A U.S. survey found that women (more than men) felt they “did not meet their own high standards with family and workplace commitments.” And in a 2011 survey, half of the female managers, compared with fewer than a third of the male ones, reported self-doubt in their performance.
But these insecurities don’t stop with our achievements, they also apply to our appearance. Of the 2000 adults surveyed, 9% of men considered themselves handsome compared to just 2% of women who thought they were beautiful. This needs to end. That’s why we partnered with the clean, goat-milk skincare line, Beekman 1802 and their mission to embrace your Skinversity and cultivate a beautiful life.
Watch the video below to learn more about their mission and why loving your skin is always in. Because it’s not about how your skin looks to others, it’s about how your skin feels to you.
Ahead, we asked five women how they’re ditching perfection to embrace their own Skinversity and encouraging others to do the same. Join the movement and share how you #EmbraceSkinversity by tagging your photo or story on Instagram with @beekman1802 and #embraceskinversity.
“
Your skin, dark circle, pimples, blemishes will never fully disappear so instead of refusing them, you might as well accept and love them just as much as you do the ‘perfect’ parts of you”
Rahel Brhane, Content Creator
On the pressure of perfection…
In the social media space, there is a lot of pressure to look perfect all the time. When I first started creating content, I wouldn’t record myself without makeup or a filter to hide my imperfections because I was scared of what people might have to say about my skin. After three years in this space, I came to the conclusion that you can’t hate something about yourself you will live with forever.
Your skin, dark circle, pimples, blemishes will never fully disappear so instead of refusing them, you might as well accept and love them just as much as you do the “perfect” parts of you. Be kind to yourself every day and see how your overall wellbeing changes instantly.
On the person who has encouraged her inner confidence…
My mother is my biggest inspiration when it comes to taking care of myself. She would always make sure we see the good in any situation and stay positive. She was also the first person to show me that taking care of your skin is just as important as taking care of your soul. Without feeling good outside you can never feel fully great within. It goes hand in hand.
On how skincare plays a role in how she feels about herself…
I start my day with time to myself. I take care of my skin, have my coffee and focus on my thoughts before starting to work on my brand. I take this time very seriously as I feel so much fulfillment by knowing I take care of myself every day.
On her top three confidence-boosting tips…
Write down what you are thankful for and you will immediately see that there is so much to be happy about.
Manifesting is real. If you focus on negativity, more negativity will enter your life so make sure to think positively to attract more of that instead.
Treat yourself to a nice meal or a drink and spend time alone. You will feel so empowered that despite in a lot of people's minds being alone= loneliness, you're perfectly fine and enough just by yourself. This is my ultimate go-to for a confidence boost.
“Despite the outside noise, I am always trying to embrace the skin I have and accept all the aspects that make me unique like my rosacea and freckles.”
Nazira Sacasa, Blogger and Body Acceptance Advocate
On Feeling the Pressure of Perfection…
Yes, I have definitely felt the pressure for perfection. There is constant messaging around us that tells us there is something wrong with our skin, body, looks and if we aren’t working towards perfection then we are lazy. When you look at skincare, most brands are selling the message of fixing and/or getting rid of aspects of yourself.
As I get older, I am feeling the constant pressure of staying “young” and it seems like everywhere I look someone is promoting the latest anti-aging products. Despite the outside noise, I am always trying to embrace the skin I have and accept all the aspects that make me unique like my rosacea and freckles.
On the person who has encouraged her inner confidence…
My mom has always encouraged me and since I was very young she’s instilled in me that beauty comes from within. When I first found out that I had rosacea my mom was very encouraging and helped me see that this didn’t make me less beautiful.
On how skincare plays a role in how she feels about herself…
I love my skincare routine. I think it’s such a beautiful form of self-care and also a time to slow down and connect with myself. My skincare has changed over the years and the older I get, the simpler it gets. My main focus now is using clean and simple ingredient and I view my skincare as a way to enhance what’s already there rather than trying to fix or change anything.
On her top 3 confidence-boosting tips…
Curating my social media feeds. I think it’s super important to follow diverse people with diverse body types and skin types. It’s so important to be exposed to images of people that look like us and are also different from us. It’s so easy to get stuck looking at photos of people who represent the beauty ideal which can lead to a lack of confidence, but the more we can broaden the types of people we see, the more confident we can feel about our own skin. Lastly, taking care of myself: eating well, drinking enough water, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and sticking to my skincare regime.
“
I think I had to believe that what makes me unique and different is part of my beauty.”
Andrea Thomas, Model
Photo: Tony Redmer
On the pressure of perfection…
I think women are pressured in a lot of ways to fit an ideal mold. As a model, I feel pressured to stay young-looking. Whether it is covering my grays to keep my perceived age as young, maintaining a beauty regimen or staying the same size or shrink but never to gain any weight. The pressure comes from my belief that I will be valued more by clients if I look younger and more flawless.
I have always wanted to age gracefully and I try to accept all the changes my body and my face go through that are difficult to control. It is always appreciated when a brand sees that showcasing imperfections and flaws can add value to their campaign as opposed to brands that want to feed into their customer’s insecurities to make a profit.
On who has inspired her inner confidence…
I've been inspired by a few different people. First and foremost, a fellow Piscean, Rihanna. I love the attitude she personifies and the way she lives her life. I have really made an effort to focus my life on my own personal development and joy rather than stressing about what everyone else will think. Lately, I've been inspired by Kenna Sharp. She has fair skin and very long black hair. She inspired me to kind of stop trying to blend my vitiligo with a spray tan and makeup and to just embrace the contrast of pale vitiligo with my dark hair. Now I love a little blush on my pale cheeks.
On how she recognized her own beauty…
I think I had to believe that what makes me unique and different is part of my beauty. And sometimes seeing that confidence personified in someone else can help you see it in yourself.
On how skincare plays a role in how she feels about herself…
Taking the time to remove my makeup and do my serums and creams makes my skin glow, and ultimately makes me feel better. It's funny because people always think a skincare routine is too time-consuming but I find myself looking for more steps when I'm already done. I think spending those few minutes massaging the product on my face has helped me love my skin and myself more rather than using that time to just crash in bed or spend extra time on my phone.
On her top three confidence-boosting tips…
I have a playlist for almost any occasion and I listen to music whenever I'm alone, usually working, cleaning or getting ready for the day. You will really start feeling yourself and remember to play certain songs whenever you need that boost! Wear cute pajamas to bed whenever you can. And work out for at least 20-60 minutes a day whether it's at home or the gym. There's no better way to feel stronger and to get back in touch with your body.
“
When I take the extra time to do my full skincare routine, I feel more at ease and confident because I can feel the difference it makes in my complexion.”
Joy Green, Founder of Joyfully Green
On the pressure of perfection…
I was born in China, moved to Germany in middle school and came to the U.S. during high school years. Moving so many times across several continents, without knowing the language or having friends made me hyper-aware of my shortcomings or differences as a child and adolescent. Even as an adult and mother now, I feel the need to be everything to everyone. I think it’s an innate pressure as a woman to want to be a good mom, a hard worker, and a great wife. We spend so much time thinking about how to make everyone else we love happy, it translates into a self-asserted need for perfection.
On who has inspired her inner confidence…
My mom has inspired me ever since I was a little girl. She taught me to be confident and independent, even in unfamiliar situations. When we moved to Germany for China with nothing but four suitcases, we left all our friends and family behind. My mom was in her 30s and didn’t speak a word of German. Even though life changed so drastically, she would always encourage me to be confident, try anything and give it my best effort. She taught me that every change was an opportunity to improve yourself and take the challenge head-on. I was afraid to make new friends at first but she pushed me to just be myself and the confidence would translate in any language.
Being the only Asian student in my school, I was also acutely aware of how different our background was. My mom taught me to be proud of our differences and celebrate what made me a unique person. Fast forward 20 years, I am raising a daughter in a blended, multiracial family. I hope I can bring out the same self-love and confidence in her!
On how skincare plays a role in how she feels about herself…
Skincare is one of the ways I saw my mom always investing in herself. Ever since I was little, I could remember my mom using special lotions and creams every night. I would sneak a dip in her fancy jars and felt like such a pampered princess. The older I get, the more I appreciate a good skincare routine. It’s a simple 10 to 15 minutes a day that I take for myself.
As a mom, I’ve learned to really savor those little moments you get to relax and reward yourself. When I take the extra time to do my full skincare routine, I feel more at ease and confident because I can feel the difference it makes in my complexion.
On her top three confidence-boosting tips…
It always starts from within. I am a huge proponent of positive self-talk and affirmations. I believe if we are mindful of our inner dialogue and change the way we speak to ourselves, the confidence and positivity radiates from within
Small changes in our body posture and smiling can be an instant confidence booster too! Like my mom always says, straighten up, chin high.
Do what makes you feel good. On days when I take the extra five to 10 minutes to get ready or put on a special outfit or do that extra step to make my skin glow, I always have an extra pep in my step.
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I feel the pressure of perfection every day. I am still learning to listen to my standards and not the world.”
Hannah Neese, Body Positive Content Creator
On the pressure of perfection…
I have struggled with perfectionism my entire life. Even though my platform’s sole purpose is to encourage others to be themselves, I constantly feel like there is still something I’m not doing right.
I feel the pressure to grow my business as quickly as possible. I feel the pressure to juggle as much as I can, while still looking and appearing perfect. We’re constantly taught that a thin body, clear skin, and a beautiful smile is the key to unlock everything in this life.
Applause is addictive, and you receive a lot of that when you’re nearing perfect. But at what cost? Your happiness? Mental health?
I feel the pressure of perfection every day. I am still learning to listen to my standards and not the world.
On who has inspired her inner confidence…
My best friend, Madee, built me up each time I began to pick myself apart. She was the first woman I’ve ever known that valued my confidence and success as much as her own. It was never a competition with her.
I am incredibly inspired by her “who cares?” attitude. If she likes it, she’ll wear it. If it doesn’t fit, she’ll throw it out. If it’s going to interfere with her happiness, she will not do it. The way she shows up completely like herself, in a world pushing for the opposite inspires me daily.
On how skincare plays a role in how she feels about herself…
I don’t have perfect skin, and that’s okay. I thought I hadn’t found the “right” routine if I still had acne or dry skin. Now, I base it on how I feel. I want to feel clean when I start and finish the day. It’s a way for me to wash the day off, and prepare for the next. My skincare routine makes me feel confident. It feels good knowing you can take care of yourself, without the end goal being perfection.
What are your top 3 confidence-boosting tips?
1. Know your role model, and think “What would ___ do?”
2. Wear matching underwear.
3. Do something that makes you feel good! I love a fresh tan and styled hair. I dare you to come to me when I have tan and loose waves—I am a powerhouse.
I am proud of each and every woman showing up when they feel like they “shouldn’t”. I am proud of every woman who is fighting to realize their self-worth. It’s not easy out there, but you’re doing it! I am with you, and I am proud of you.
Your skin is not a problem that needs a solution. Discover how to embrace your Skinversity at beekman1802.com.
Sharing Finances? Here Are 5 Ways to Do It Right
Joint lives? Joint account?
Photo: Retha Ferguson for Pexels
In April of 1975, Judy Hendren Mello created the First Women’s Bank in Manhattan.
It was the first bank in the United States to be run by and operated for women, during a period where women were highly discriminated against by banks. (Fun fact: Betty Friedan had an account there.) Just one year prior, banks required single, widowed, or divorced women to bring a man to co-sign any credit application, regardless of their income.
Thankfully, much has changed since then, and more women are household breadwinners than ever before, as well as finding ways to to split costs with their partners. Given that wedding season is rapidly approaching, we figured there’s no better time to break down five different approaches to sharing finances that have worked well for couples.
The 2:1 Approach
This is a scenario in which you keep most of your finances separate, but have one joint account you both contribute to equally.
You can choose to contribute a dollar amount or a percentage of monthly earnings to that account. With one joint account, you are taking baby steps to trusting your significant other with your money. You get to see how they spend and if you’re comfortable giving them purchasing power with your hard earned cash.
Most often, couples who live together and are fairly evenly matched when it comes to income and debt favor this approach. That way the joint account is what you use for household purchases—everything from toilet paper to a new couch.
The Solo Dolo
Some couples keep all finances separate, and it works for them. If each of you are financially independent, have no desire to share finances and would rather split household expenses in a way that makes you the most comfortable, this is an easy option.
Sometimes that means splitting things 50-50. Sometimes that’s not the case. If it’s not, we suggest having a conversation, especially if one side of the equation makes a significant amount more. What you don’t want is to commit to a living or a financial situation where you feel taken advantage of, or where you resent how much the other person is making and contributing.
If you really like keeping everything solo, but your incomes are vastly disparate—we suggest the next approach to avoid future disagreements.
The Pick-and-Choose
This approach is best for couples who share everything, except comparable salaries. When you don’t want to let one person “handle it all” (which, is certainly another way to go), but rather want each party to contributing their “fair share,” each person picks certain bills and expenses.
These don’t have to be equal shares.
For instance, if you own a house together, one person pays the mortgage and the other fills the fridge. Or perhaps, one of you pays the rent and the other handles electric, gas, and the WiFi situation.
This works for both unmarried and married couples. The most important part of this arrangement, is that each person is getting a fair shake, not a shake down.
With the pick-and-choose, and all the above options, individual debts remain the responsibility of the indebted, however, this could (and often should) be considered when splitting up costs.
The Spend One, Save One
This is an interesting approach being taken by couples who have not yet made those major life purchases, but are working toward them.
They will live on one salary—typically the larger—and save the entirety of the rest. This is also a useful approach for couples who haven’t yet been able to put away that rainy day money or save for retirement. It typically involves living below your means, but is a smart investment to make in your future.
The Merge It All
This is an approach most often used by married couples who combine their lives, finances and all, entirely. Most often, neither party is entering into the marriage with significant assets—like a house—as this is a purchase that will be made together. Or debts, like student loans, that need to pay off.
However, even within “merge it all” it isn’t uncommon for couples to share one joint account while keeping individual checking accounts. What you put into those individual accounts? It varies. Bonuses or checks from grandma and grandpa could be considered “fun” individual money. Cash that doesn’t have to go toward life expenses and allows each person to feel like they’ve got some disposable income.
This post was published on May 23, 2017, and has since been updated.
