Ask an Expert: What Does the Small Business Stimulus Package Mean for You?

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!

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To speed up the process, you want to apply with a bank where you already have a relationship. I’d suggest trying your local bank first because they’re viewing this as a way to get new customers.”

—Kimberly Weisul, editor-at-large for Inc. Magazine and Inc.com

It’s no secret that small businesses are hurting right now. Local restaurants, salons, and fitness studios across the country have closed their doors in order to help flatten the coronavirus curve and contain the spread of COVID-19, and needless to say, closing shop has put untold financial strain on these businesses.

In previous installments of our Ask an Expert series, we’ve covered how to get financial relief as a small business owner, how to pivot to digital even if your business isn’t online, and how to support small businesses right now (even if you can’t afford to spend a dime). In today’s segment, we tapped the editor-at-large for Inc. Magazine and Inc.com, Kimberly Weisul, to talk us through what we need to know about the small business stimulus package so far (note: information is still forthcoming from the government on when payments will be released, how independent contractors can apply, and more).

That said, here are some key takeaways from the conversation, including a breakdown of the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance.

The Paycheck Protection Program

Who can apply?

“Almost any business with less than 500 employees is eligible to apply. If you’re self-employed, an independent contractor, or someone who receives 1099 tax forms, you can apply starting this Friday, April 10. Small not-for-profits and faith-based business are eligible to apply as well.

What are the details?

“This loan is designed to be used especially for paying employees. It’s a loan that has the potential to turn into a grant if you use 75% of the money for payroll expenses and you keep your employees on for at least 8 weeks after getting the loan

You can apply for up to 2x the amount of your payroll for the previous year. It’s a two-year loan with a 1% interest per year. You don’t need to put up collateral or a personal guarantee and you don’t need to show that you tried to get credit elsewhere and failed.

More information will be available for independent contracts on how they can calculate their income this week—this information is not yet available.”

How do I apply?

“The loan is guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), but you’ll need to apply through a bank. That said, banks aren’t set up for this yet. On the first day, Bank of America received 800,000 applications.

To speed up the process, you want to apply with a bank where you already have a relationship. I’d suggest trying your local bank first because they’re viewing this as a way to get new customers.

If your bank has told you they’ve already closed applications, keep in contact with them because they might open applications up again, but I would suggest that you start bank shopping. Keep in mind that the interest rate for this loan is fixed, so if you find interest rates higher than 1% that’s illegal.”

What else do I need to know?

“Be careful when you apply that you know what you’re signing up for. If you’re using an intermediary, you should read the fine print on all the documents. You’re sharing a lot of financial information so you want to be clear on what you’re signing up for.”

When can I expect to receive funds?

“The most optimistic projection I’ve heard for the release off funds is one week. We’re thinking at least two weeks.”

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance (EIDL)

Who can apply?

“Almost any business with less than 500 employees is eligible to apply.”

What are the details?

“If you apply in good faith, you can ask for the $10,000 to be granted to you immediately, and if you eventually declined for the loan, that $10,000 is forgiven. So it’s well worth the time to apply for this loan.

It can only be used for working capital. For example, say you’re a restaurant, you can keep the employees on using the Paycheck Protection Program loan, but you can use the working capital to pay for inventory that’s spoiled.”

How do I apply?

“You can apply directly through The U.S. Small Business Association (SBA). Only about half the application form is up, meaning it’s really easy to apply for this lean quickly. This money would come directly from the SBA, in other words, you don’t need to have a relationship with a bank, unlike the Paycheck Protection Program.”

When can I expect to receive funds?

“The most optimistic projection I’ve heard for the release off funds is one week. We’re thinking at least two weeks.”

**”If you do apply for either of these loans, you need to make sure your bookkeeping is up to speed. Be very careful. If you do get one of these loans and you’re ultimately looking to have it forgiven, you will need to have the documentation to make sure that happens.”

**”If you already have an SBA loan (you may also know this as a 7A loan) through your bank, they’re offering deferment on payment for up to six months so that’s cashflow that you can have coming in right now. Talk to your bank—keep in mind that they’re very overwhelmed—and set this up.”

About the Expert: Kimberly Weisul is the editor-at-large for Inc. Magazine and Inc.com, where she writes features, opinion, and news stories about entrepreneurship, women, and technology. Before joining Inc., she was a senior editor at a BusinessWeek, where she directed all coverage of small business and entrepreneurship and was the founding editor of a spin-off publication, BusinessWeek SmallBiz. She is also the creator of The Fundery, the only searchable database of venture funds that have a mandate to invest in women.

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!

8 PR Pros on How to Stand Out in a Sea of COVID-19 Headlines

Photo: Ekaterina Bolovtsova for Pexels

Unprecedented. Uncertain. Extraordinary. It’s safe to say you can’t scroll through your news or social media feeds without coming across at least one of these coronavirus-related buzzwords. Of course, these terms are completely justified seeing as we’re in the midst of a global health crisis of unparalleled proportions, however, it does beg the question, how do you stand out amid the coronavirus headline saturation to get your brand’s message heard?

To gain insight into how brands can lead with humanity, stay relevant, and be of service during the COVID-19 crisis, we tapped some of the leading public relations and digital marketing pros in the industry and asked them to share their #1 tip for cutting through the noise. From setting up virtual desksides with media editors to re-engaging existing customers in new ways, keep scrolling for their innovative and mindful tips—you’re going to want to write these down.

Melissa Davis

Founder & Co-Owner, Ruby Press

Experience: 19 years

The Tip: Make it relevant and solve a problem. Many of us are working from home, many of us are concerned about finances, and we are all concerned about staying healthy. While my agency represents lifestyle brands, there are many stories we can share with the media and influencers that are very relevant to the current situation.

Why It Works: While we are all keeping up with the news about the pandemic, we need some good news too.  It's a balance. Those fun, light-hearted features are also important right now—but they need to be sensitive to the current state of the world. The best results we have seen from outreach over the best couple of weeks have been surrounding positive, problem-solving stories.

Benjamin Almeter

Founder & Managing Director, Dispatch

Experience: 7 years

The Tip: Lead with authenticity. 

 Why It Works: Speak to what's most authentic to you and your brand, that's where you'll organically resonate and find the most success in growing your community, standing out and driving conversion. Now, more than ever, we're surrounded by brands pushing product and leaning into a timely conversation where they're not always the most relevant. That's off-putting to consumers, easy to spot, and can have long term negative effects on your brand’s perception.

 The Tip: Don't undervalue your existing community. 

Why It Works: We're always focused on ways to engage and acquire new customers—now's the time look back and reengage your existing customers to do just that. Utilize your existing customers as a tool to share your brand’s story and introduce the product to their community. Consumers highly value the opinion of those within their direct communities.

Kamari Guthrie

Founder & CEO, Kamari Chelsea

Experience: 15 years

The Tip: If you're looking to make headlines right now, your brand has to tell a story about one of the following: novelty, altruism, practicality. 

Why It Works: I use the acronym "NAP" to help people remember this, but don't be fooled by the name. You'll have to put in work.  

Novelty: Is your brand saying or doing something new right now that no one has ever heard of? For example, are you offering a unique service to help women-run small businesses survive? Or, are you launching an at-home manicure kit that creates salon-perfect results right at home for half the cost? Be honest with yourself about whether your brand offers something new, unique, and essential that people need during these times. And if so, pitch it as a novel solution to the many new challenges people are having.

Altruism: Maybe you don't have something to offer that fits within your business model, but you have extra cash to donate or a robust and influential network. Mine your business for resources that you can give to those who have lost everything. For example, you can start a new campaign with your brand's influencers or extra cash to help fund and inspire those who are struggling. Then, pitch it to the media to get the word out that you're offering support. 

Practicality: If your brand has a utility or a good use that can be applied to support those impacted by COVID, double down on telling stories about that thing. For example, if you're a designer and you can design masks—talk about it! Or, if you're running an accounting business, offer to write an op-ed or pitch a podcast interview, where you will provide tangible advice to companies and employees who've lost revenue and income.

Meghan Donovan

Founder, mmd communications

Experience: 13 years

The Tip: My goal is always to be a helpful resource for editors, and now is no different. I am, however, being extra sensitive in my pitches and also more cautious in follow up. There's so much more at play in the world right now than beauty and wellness, and so I think the majority of publicists are trying to be more in-tune with the stories that make the most sense given the current climate.  

Why It Works: I got into PR because I value communication and relationships. Now, more than ever, we need to be resources for one another. I always tell the brands I represent that my style is not mass-pitching or trend pitching but rather I want to meet the editors where their needs are and try and tell the best stories.

This is more important than ever as—work aside—we're all human and we're all trying to manage both stress from working under new constraints but also managing our new normal in the world. I think we all feel stress and anxiety at how our lives are evolving and no one needs overly zealous or tone-deaf pitching in their inboxes. (I've seen a few horror stories circulating that exhibit that!)

Jaspre Guest

Founder & CEO, NOISE 784

Experience: 9 years

The Tip: At NOISE 784, we are focused on keeping positive momentum through this uncertain period. I believe you need to be open to shift strategies by changing the narrative. When everything changes the ability to pivot quickly is almost the surefire way to be still standing when the dust settles. 

Why It Works: During this unprecedented time, consumers are craving direction. We are meeting a need. One of my mantras is to find the hole and go through it. Currently, there are a ton of holes. You just have to reframe the situation. We are highlighting how our clients' expertise can provide guidance to consumers on how to thrive despite the circumstances. 

Simona Rozhko

Founder & CEO, evna media

Experience: 8 years

The Tip: My number one tip for standing out during this time involves a two-step approach. First, you have to quickly let your clients know you're aware of the climate and that things are rapidly changing (for them and for you). Setting up a dedicated call and agenda regarding the situation is crucial so that the next steps can be created to navigate together.

It's an important time to let the world know that brands are still okay, given the circumstances, and that we're in this together. There are many questions that arise week after week, so the client-publicist conversation should remain a two-way street—what changes are we experiencing in PR should the client know about? What changes is the client experiencing that PR should know about?

This leads me into the second step, which is to identify that a pivot has to be made as well as a plan to restrategize for the next TBD period of time featuring new goal-oriented programming for the client. For evna media, it was moving current and future initiatives into a digital-first protocol and making sure we could support our clients beyond PR if need be.

Some initiatives were easily applied to a digital version while others needed more definition and finesse. These initiatives included meetings, product launches, events, desksides, social media, and of course pitching-- heavily monitoring the news cycle and checking in with editors. We were able to quickly create meaningful moments with media while connecting with widespread communities and supporting our clients through this unusual adjustment. 

Why It Works: Relying on digital tools and virtual workshops has worked pretty seamlessly for us because the majority of the world is checking the news, universal updates, stats, government regulations, etc. on our smartphones already. We're creating content in real-time while everyone's user-activity is surging.

On top of that, we are working from the comfort of our own homes, which creates much less physical effort for someone to attend a virtual event or make time for a digital meeting. I think there are going to be many permanent changes post-COVID-19, not only in the PR but across all industries. Some of the tools we're using now that maybe didn't have a place before—because of the forces of innovation—will carry over when we're all back in our offices.

Megan Bell

Senior Account Executive, Sharp Think

Experience: 7 years

The Tip: Be human! It’s important that we’re compassionate and socially aware during these uncertain times. 

Why It Works: The current COVID-19 crisis has impacted all of us on both a personal and professional level, causing us to rethink how we’re communicating with our clients and the media. A sense of compassion for all and sharing relevant, impactful news are the driving forces for our current strategy. We’re checking in with our media contacts to see how they are holding up and asking how we can be most helpful with their editorial plans—after all, we’re all in this together!

This way, we can be sure that we’re sharing the most relevant, topical news to meet their needs. We’re providing solutions for their readers to help tackle everyday issues, from financial anxiety and coping with the changes to our everyday routines to providing a temporary escape through virtual experiences that readers can enjoy from their living rooms. We’ve seen great success in highlighting these much-needed topic areas and feel that our media contacts appreciate this approach. 

With the state of the media landscape changing on a daily basis, my team has made it a priority to check-in with our clients regularly. We’ve shifted our status calls to video conferences for some much-needed face time, which allows us to have a more open and organic dialogue while strategizing. We’ve been nimble and thoughtful in providing creative recommendations for clients, with a primary focus on consumer and community needs. My team is implementing virtual experiences in lieu of in-person meetings or events, and we are crafting solution-based pitches for our product-focused brands.

Now more than ever, we need to prioritize collaboration with our client partners and journalists, as we’re all working towards a collective goal! 

Beth Bassil

Co-Founder, b.good PR

Experience: 7 years

The Tip: Keeping it real. It's not about being self-serving right now and worrying if your brand is making sales or included in every single story. We are encouraging our clients to focus on rebuilding community, take this time to network and collaborate with one another.

Connecting with your network on another level. B.good PR has been hosting virtual coffee meetings where we ask for 15 minutes to meet with our media contacts to learn more about them, the work they do and to pump some fun into our days—it's not all business.

We consider our media relationships like an extended family. In exchange, we share virtual gift cards to their favorite coffee or juice shop to help support local businesses during this time. The response has been so positive—it's really nice to see we're lifting people's moods during this time.

Why It Works: Through the virtual meetings, we're able to connect on a whole other level—learning fun personal quirks about each other, too. We're able to share what our clients are doing during this time to help spread positivity and bring communities together… by keeping it real we've actually landed a lot of opportunities for clients through these meetings.

Up next: How to Adjust Your Media Strategy and Connect With Customers in a Crisis

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You Have 2.7 Seconds to Grab Someone's Attention, No Pressure

Photo: Ekaterina Bolovtsova for Pexels

Forget gone in 60 seconds, when it comes to a cold email you have a teeny tiny fraction of that time to grab someone’s attention. Think of the amount of time it took you to read the title to this article—about three to five seconds. Most likely you knew within those first precious moments whether you were going to click through, or peace (rude). 

Now imagine that you are a high-level executive who is bombarded by thousands of emails a day. The amount of time you have to read through unsolicited emails is limited. Lucky for you, according to a study conducted by Staples, high-level executives read an average of 575 words per minute (take their test here, it's fun, and let us know in the comments how you did), which means you might have a slightly longer shot at impressing them. But it's still a flash. Let's call it three seconds. 

So what do you do? Here are six steps to ensure that your recipient reads all the way to the bottom. 

1. DON'T CLICKBAIT YOUR EMAIL BUT...

The subject line is an underused resource. It should be succinct and informative. Unless you're trying to get a job at Buzzfeed, “17 Reasons I Will Make Your Company Successful,” is not the way to go. Also avoid "cute" or "quirky" or telling someone you have a quick question—no such thing. The best subject lines don't try too hard, but rather let your reader know exactly what they are opting into. Name-dropping is not horrible, but make sure you have a relationship with the person you reference. 

Every subject line should be different and tailored to whom you're addressing. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and you don't want to have a subject line that mirrors or matches ten other emails their inbox gets that morning. If you can tailor the subject line to a project the recipient is working on, that's even better. For example, if I'm writing an editor or fellow writer I might say: Brainstorming How I Can Speed Up Your Editing Process. 

That's an email I would open. 100%. (Someone please send me that email.) 

2. DEAR SIR OR MADAM...DELETED

Same goes for To Whom It May Concern. Sorry, but if you don't have the right name, find it. The internet is a trove of info and sometimes you have to take a deep dive into its caves to get the right intel, but much like the truth, it's out there. If countless people are sending generic emails, be the one who sticks out by figuring out the right person to send it to. Everyone (seriously, everyone) appreciates being addressed by name, and this shows that you went the extra mile to figure it out. And by all means, TRIPLE CHECK that you spell the damn thing correctly. We've all made that error and it's a surefire way to get ignored.  

3. HI, MY NAME IS...DELETE!  

Skimming is a practice that we all use. What you need to use are standout words that grab the reader's attention as they are hopping quickly over what you've written. "Hi, my name is," is a waste of a second. Your name is in your signature, if they like what you have to say, they'll find it. Instead opt for action sentences, like: "In the next two sentences, I will break down how I can grow your social media presence over 6 months." 

4. GIVE CONCRETE EXAMPLES... OK, LISTENING

No matter how many times this info gets repeated, people still refuse to do it. An email that has no useful information is a waste of everyone's time, including yours. If you've managed to hook the recipient with a great subject line, calling them by name, and a first sentence that slays, follow it up with info they can take to the bank. 

5. TO ATTACH OR NOT TO ATTACH 

If you're sending an email to a potential employer, and there are no instructions as to whether they prefer resumes in the body of the email or as an attachment, do both. Some people hate opening attachments, others want the option to download and print it out. So, convert the file to a PDF (it should always be a PDF), insert it below your signature and also as an attachment. 

6. TAKE THE STEPS TO CUT OUT UNNECESSARY CORRESPONDENCE  

In a way, this might feel like putting the cart before the horse, but it's a wild rat race out there. When someone writes me an email hoping to write for me, it never ceases to impress me when they say, "I've attached a piece I believe your readers will find interesting." That cuts my time in half. I don't have to write back and say, "Can you send me samples?" Even if the piece isn't the right fit, or we've covered it already, I have the sample I need to move forward.  

You wouldn't call someone to say, "I'm calling to schedule a time to talk." You call to talk. Apply the same premise to an email. The takeaway should never be that you want to tell them what you can offer: show them. 

This story was originally published on February 16, 2016, and has since been updated.

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Email Etiquette 101: Just How Many Exclamation Points Is Too Many?!!!

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If you've ever caught yourself wondering what people did in offices before the advent of the internet, you're not alone. 

They hung out by water coolers. They answered phone calls. And, if we are to take away anything from TV, they drank. And though boozy martini lunches may be a thing of the past, etiquette isn't.

Email etiquette has taken the place of phone Ps and Qs, but there are still some rules to follow. You don't need to censor yourself, but unlike a phone call, emails (and diamonds), are forever. 

Ahead, we investigate whether or not you should use exclamation points in business emails.

THE EXCLAMATION POINT & THE XX

We're not talking about the band. We're talking about the need to make sure everyone knows you're nice—sooo nice—via email. 

Tone is hard to judge, and email is a brilliant way to miscommunicate how you feel and misinterpret what others mean as well. So we seem to have gone the way of over-intoning. How many of you have started off an email with the following: "Hi [insert name here]! It's so nice to e-meet you!!" It's kind of the equivalent of hugging someone in a meeting. Which, isn't standard biz practice.

Your first email should feel like a strong, on-point handshake, not a slumber party hug. 

We are all guilty of it, but it might be time to take it down a notch. It's not just women who are guilty of the over-exclamation. Men have fallen into the exclamation trap as well. 

If you want to go all X and O crazy after that... you have that email love fest. 

RESPONDING TO A NOT-SO-NICELY WORDED WTF EMAIL

We've all had horrible bosses. We've also all been on the receiving end of some email vitriol from an angry client or colleague. The kind of email that either makes your heart race or your eyes roll. (The kind of email that can lead to tears on the job.) Before you respond, take a minute. Literally, count to 60. Some people say an hour, but that's too long and gives that email too much room to fester. Here are a few good phrases, that show you're willing to compromise without shouldering all of the blame. (Note: if you actually are in the wrong, fess up, move on, and do better.) 

"Let's figure out how we can come to an understanding." 

"Let's work together to solve this." 

"I have some ideas as to how we can make this better."

Phrases like "I'm sorry you feel that way," or any kind of personal attack, come off condescending, rude, and unprofessional. What you're trying to do is put out a fire, not set the office ablaze. The fastest way to take the oxygen out of a fight is to not point fingers and keep it BIFF (Brief, Informative, Friendly, and Firm).  

And remember, being diplomatic in the face of drama is a skill. Hone it and own it just like any other professional trait.   

THE NUDGE-NUDGE, FOLLOW-UP

You're sitting there. Refreshing your inbox. Your boss down your throat, wondering where what you've promised is, but you don't have it—because you're waiting on someone else. This is the simplest, easiest way to email elbow. 

"Hi X—Checking in on the below. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help expedite this process. We are really looking forward to working with you." 

Simple. Brief. Not annoying. You want it to convey a sense of friendly urgency—because most of the time, that's the feeling you have.

If you get ignored again, and it happens, the third follow-up should put more of the responsibility on the recipient. 

"Hi X—Please let us know if you are still interested in (insert opportunity here). This could be a great opportunity for both of us." 

If they don't respond, there's a fairly decent chance they aren't interested, and at that point, you need to head back into the kitchen and whip up something else and make it work. 

1-800-EMAIL-BLING

There is a disconnect between generations. Baby boomers and Gen Xers who think a phone call is better than an email. They aren't wrong. Sometimes it's a whole lot easier to jump on a conference call, suss out details, get rid of tonal confusion, and charge full steam ahead. 

But we live in an email-centric world and learning how to craft a good one is a key to business strategy. So here are five quick tips to making your email the blingiest it can be.  

1. Don't mass email. Make it professional but personal. 

2. Proofread. Especially how to spell the recipient's name. If you mess up before they even get to the body of the email, their entire reading will be colored by the initial whoops. 

3. Elevator pitch your email. Condense it. People like email because it's fast. If you need to delve into deeper convo after the initial email, that's fine. Don't start out that way. 

4. If you are sending business emails from your phone remove the auto signature. "Sent from my iPhone" is sloppy. 

5. Don't be afraid to be yourself. To a degree, email removes personality. You don't have to be a robot to be professional, and chances are, you'll never stick out, get ahead, make moves if you're acting like one. 

This story was originally published on December 8, 2015, and has since been updated.

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How to Be a Boss on LinkedIn

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Whether you’re fresh out of college or between careers, chances are you’re going to turn to LinkedIn for that next dream job posting. Companies spend a lot of money to promote their open positions, so it's imperative they find the right candidate for the job.

But with about 500 million users on the site, it can be difficult to stand out and make sure you’re noticed. Here are six tips to make sure your LinkedIn profile is on-lock, cuts through the noise on the platform, and grabs the attention of that potential employer.

Choose a photo, and make it industry appropriate

This one’s a no-brainer. According to LinkedIn’s site, a profile photo can lead to nine times more connection requests. Don’t stress about scheduling a photographer or studio for that profile pic. These days, more users are replacing professional portraits with more natural-looking outdoor shots.

Not sure what to wear? Think of the industry you’re applying to and wear clothes that fit. If you’re in a creative field, wear something that shows off your personality (in an appropriate way, of course). In business or politics? Stick to a classic suit that shows how much of a boss you are. More than anything, look like yourself!

Location is key

Just as important to your photo is disclosing where you are. Your profile is 23 times more likely to be viewed when your location is listed. If you live in a larger metropolitan area, select the option to for “Greater [City] Area” to cast an even broader net. There’s also an option to let potential employers know that you’re willing to relocate if you’re worried your location will deter recruiters in other cities from viewing your application.

Skills, skills, and more skills

While listed at the bottom of your profile, the skills section is just as important as your experience and education. LinkedIn states that listing five or more skills tailored to your intended industry will get you “17x more profile views and up to 31x more messages from recruiters and others who can help you get ahead.”

Utilize your coworkers, friends, and colleagues to get the most out of those listed skills, too. Kindly ask someone to endorse a skill for you, and make sure to return the favor.

Highlight relevant experience, then craft the perfect headline

While it may be easy to get carried away and list every single job you’ve ever had, remember that less is oftentimes more. Don’t oversaturate your profile with too much experience. Instead, focus on highlighting the most relevant experience you have to the types of jobs you’re applying to. Keep descriptions short, sweet, and to the point. It’s a profile, not a novel.

Now it’s time to write that headline. If you’re working on a degree, this is the perfect place to let recruiters know when you’ll be graduating. If you’re out of school, put your current job title or simple list the industry you’re hoping to work in.

Let recruiters know you’re open, with a simple button

On your profile, there’s a button to let recruiters know you’re open to finding a new job. By utilizing this feature, you’re essentially turning on your profile so recruiters can see it.

If you haven’t told your current employer that you’re looking for a new job, have no fear. LinkedIn protects your privacy and won’t show that you’re currently looking for a job to your current company.

Share your profile (you worked hard on it)

Now that your profile is as perfect as can be, it’s time to promote yourself! Don’t be afraid to link it to other social media accounts or even in your email signature. As the saying goes, it’s not what you know, but rather who you know. And with today’s digitally-focused society, you never know who’s looking at your social media accounts or where that next job offer could come from. Make it that much easier for that next job opportunity to find you.

About the Author: Aly Ferguson is a former editorial intern for Create & Cultivate and a graduate student at the University of Southern California studying Literary Editing and Publishing. When she’s not in the C&C office or at school, she can be found with a cup of coffee and a Stephen King novel.

This story was originally published on April 16, 2019, and has since been updated.

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Ask an Expert: How to Adjust Your Media Strategy and Connect With Customers in a 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. 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 Ali Grant

Ali Grant is always ahead of the curve. Case in point: She was among the first people to recognize the power of influencer marketing back in 2011 when she launched her sought-after PR agency Be Social. Today, her client list includes the likes of H&M, SoulCycle, and Tone It Up, so naturally, she’s at the top of our list of experts when it comes to the topic of adjusting a media strategy and connecting with customers during a crisis.

In this installment of our ongoing Instagram Live series, Ask an Expert, the public relations specialist offers her expert guidance on how to navigate marketing and PR in the midst of the COVID-19 new normal. Keep scrolling to read the top three takeaways from the conversation and to find out how to tune into our next Ask an Expert live chat. (Psst… follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram and head to our COVID-19 content hub for more resources on navigating the coronavirus crisis).

1. Lead with compassion.

“If you remain authentic, compassionate, and transparent, you’re one step closer to building trust and loyalty. By building trust, you’re building your consumer relations and brand affinity. Be a resource for your customers during this challenging time, and hopefully, organic sales will come naturally, but that shouldn’t be the prime motivation right now. Consumers will appreciate any value you’re adding to their lives and will support your brand naturally.”

2. Don’t be opportunistic and look for ways to capitalize on this crisis.

“Remember, this is a health crisis. Lead with compassion in every decision. Now is the time to prioritize and pivot. Remember that it’s okay to put a pause on non-essential messaging—evaluate what’s important to push across, and what’s not. Avoid messaging that feel irrelevant or inappropriate right now, and pause or cancel campaigns that don’t make sense. Now is the time to lead with compassion and be inclusive.

3. Find ways to give back to the community and be helpful.

“First and foremost, this a health crisis, the biggest consideration should be humanitarian support. We’re recommending our clients find ways to add value to their customers, whether that means sharing expertise or offering a virtual service, while remaining authentic to their brands. Keep your brand mission together but pivot messaging to remain relevant and considerate of the time. Be a resource for accurate news and information.”

About the Expert: Ali Grant launched Be Social in 2011 as one of the first agencies executing integrated influencer outreach and collaboration. Be Social has been named one of Inc.’s fastest growing businesses spearheading influencer campaigns. Accolades, speaking engagements, and notable press coverage include Inc., PRWeek The Innovation 50, Forbes, Huffington Post, Fashion Monitor, The PR Closet, PR Couture, Bulldog Reporter, Daily Front Row, BW Confidential, The Holmes Report, America’s Beauty Show, and O’Dwyer 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!

Why "Just" Is the Most Unfair Word (Hear Us Out)

Photo: Vlada Karpovich for Pexels

Let me just say: if I had asked you what the most offensive four-letter word is—with “u” as a second letter—you might think of others that top the list. (Hint: it’s not “busy” and doesn’t start with “f.”)

Status update: the word “just” should be banished from your vocab. Too many of us use this seemingly harmless word in emails, in conversations, and even in our minds.

To be clear, there are still two instances where “just” is justified:

1. Just do it.

2. Just desserts (as in, “I am only eating desserts”).

You might feel that using “just” all the time is NBD, but once you realize how it undermines you when speaking and when rationalizing with yourself, you will cut it out—stat.

Here are the three scenarios where we tend to use “just”—and we’re not doing ourselves any justice at all.

IN EMAIL

“Hi! I’m just following up on my email from last week….”

“Hi! I’m just emailing to confirm our meeting next week.”

Now consider how much more assertive you would sound if you deleted “just” altogether and it went more like this:

“Hi! I’m following up on my email from last week….”

“Hi! I’m emailing you to confirm our meeting next week.”

Stronger, right?

The truth is, when we add the word “just” it’s usually innocent and serves as filler to make an email flow better.

But when we take a closer look, it sounds apologetic. It reads like this: “I don’t mean to bother you, I’m really just contacting you again to [follow-up/confirm/check-in].

Tara Mohr, a career and personal growth coach who teaches women worldwide how to step into their power, covers this in her book, “Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead.” According to Mohr, women are “playing small,” so she shares the tools she’s used to help women take big steps forward in their lives and careers.

Mohr dedicates a chapter to “Communicating With Power,” and the words women tend to use that undermine them. These words are “the little things we do in our speech and writing that diminish our impact.” After all, Mohr reminds us that “our words are our opportunity—and using ‘just’ is a 'shrinker’ because it lessens the power of what we have to say.”

Because we want to be apologetic for asserting ourselves, we lean on words like “just” to ensure we don’t sound aggressive or harsh. This is no way to lean in, ladies.

So next time you’re drafting an email, strike out the word “just.” It will make you sound confident, strong and assertive. Just. Like. That.   

“Using ‘just’ is a ‘shrinker’ because it lessens the power of what we have to say.”

IN MEETINGS & CONVERSATIONS WITH COWORKERS/CLIENTS

"I just want to explain…”

“I just think…”

“I just want to make sure I understand your point of view here..."

Why are we asking for permission to validate our understanding of others’ P.O.V.? Or worse, asking for permission to explain our own stance?

The “I just want” and “I just think” needs to stop right here, right now. To be fair, these are likely harder to control, because speaking with confidence and assertion can be more challenging in person. Email and social media allow for the kind of anonymity that make it easier to speak your mind since you’re not face-to-face—whereas you might feel more insecure or feel the need to please in a meeting or client call.

So here is your mental reminder to kick “just” to the curb. If you’re worried about coming off as too harsh, Mohr recommends remaining kind and diplomatic with your tone of voice, choice of words and body language.

You can slay those meetings without using “just”!

TO OURSELVES

(*Says to self)

"I will let the client get away with it, just this once."

"I will say yes, just this time..."

"I will just get over this crazy period, and will then get myself more organized."

Whatever kind of boss you are, the excuses need to stop. In this scenario, “just” is the word that’s hindering your progress.

By allowing yourself to take on a project for less than your usual rate, accepting to be treated disrespectfully, or not pushing back on requests, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Show your clients that you have limits and that it’s not okay for them to [insert shady verb here] you over.

When you’re “just-ing” all over yourself, it becomes an excuse to put things off -- like taking control of your life and saying no.

The “just” is a Band-Aid solution. It makes you feel good in the moment and makes you feel like you’ve got this. Because it’s just one all-nighter. It’s just one week of putting off the gym to make it through this crazy period. It’s just one week of being tied to your laptop and not talking to family or friends. And it’s just a month of asking yourself, “How did I accept to take on this project—for this deadline—for zero pay?”

But in reality, it’s all a distraction—and it’s preventing you from moving forward.

JUST THE FACTS

For a small word, “just” can cause some real damage—to your reputation and your reality. Banish this word from your repertoire altogether and be fair to yourself.

About the Author: Karin Eldor is a coffee-addicted copywriter, with a long-time love for all things pop culture, fashion and tech. Ever since she got her first issues of YM (remember that one?) and Seventeen in the mail, she was hooked on the world of editorial content. After earning her Communications degree, she spent 6 years honing her craft as a senior editor for AskMen.com. More recently, Karin enjoyed ‘gramming and strategizing as social media manager at ALDO. Today, she is chief content writer at 818 Agency and a social media consultant. 

This post was originally published on August 16, 2016, and has since been updated.

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50 Ways to Practice Self-Care and Prevent Burnout While Working From Home During COVID-19

Photo: Smith House Photography

Did you know that two in three workers today feel burned out? That’s not a difficult stat to believe considering American workers put in the most hours when compared to other industrialized nations like the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

Now that we’re all working from home and sheltering in place in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, logging off at the end of the day to maintain some semblance of work-life balance is harder than ever. But, guess what? If you keep going without stopping, your body will force you, eventually because you will burn out, which could mean that it will take you even longer to get back on track. As with everything, preventing is better than curing, so stop hustling and start healing before burnout sets in. 

Here are 50 ways to practice self-care and prevent burnout while working from home during COVID-19, and be sure to scroll to the end to shop our Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Self-Care Bundle with a habits tracker, sleep log, self-care panel videos, and so much more! 

1. Have a mini declutter session.

2. Get eight hours of sleep

3. Meditate for 5 minutes. 

4. Watch your favorite movie. 

5. Take an Epsom salt bath with lavender. 

6. Burn your favorite candle.

7. Turn off your phone for a few hours.

8. Go for a walk.

9. Write yourself a love letter.

10. Make a list of goals.

11. Put some music on and dance away.

12. Make your favorite meal or snack.

13. Go outside and put your bare feet on the grass. 

14. Take your vitamins.

15. Make a cup of tea.

16. Write down 10 things you’re grateful for.

17. Give yourself a manicure.

18. Do yoga or some stretching.

19. Pick some flowers and put them in a vase.

20. Write a self-love list.

21. Have an intense workout session.

22. Listen to your favorite song. 

23. Wear your favorite outfit.

24. Learn something new.

25. Sing in the shower.

26. Write a letter to your future self.

27. Create a vision board.

28. Call someone you love.

29. Read a book. 

30. Take a nap.

31. Write your favorite quotes on post-it notes and stick them around the house and office

32. Write affirmations and put them where you can see them every day. 

33. Organize your closet.

34. Host a virtual game night.

35. Bake your favorite cookies. 

36. Try a new recipe from a cookbook. 

37. Show a random act of kindness. 

38. Create a bucket list.

39. Write a kind note to someone. 

40. Start a journal.

41. Sleep in.

42. Go outside, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and soak in the sun. 

43. Listen to a podcast. 

44. Watch a documentary and learn something new. 

45. Get crafty. 

46. Listen to nature sounds.

47. Make a playlist of your favorite songs.

48. Work on a puzzle.

49. Do something you’ve avoided. 

50. Take a moment to reflect on your life and the good things.

Want another 50 ways to practice self-care and prevent burnout?

Add the Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Self-Care Bundle to your cart, or get unlimited access to our entire library of downloads and videos when you join Insiders.

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Ask an Expert: 3 Ways to Connect, Collaborate, and Grow Your Biz While Social Distancing

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!

There’s no question that we’re living in uncertain, anxiety-ridden times, especially if you’re an entrepreneur whose business has come to a screeching halt since the country was told to stay home starting in mid-March. We’re being faced with unprecedented pressure to pivot, innovate, and get wildly creative to keep our businesses afloat, yet we’re housebound and unable to be out in the world doing business as usual.

So what’s an entrepreneur to do? Collaborate like your business depends on it (because it just might.) 

Collaboration has always been an incredible way to achieve your business goals, whether that includes growing your email list and social following, gaining credibility as a thought leader in your space, or collaborating with another brand on a product or service offering. It’s been entirely through collaboration and partnerships that I’ve grown my own business, and I’ve taught dozens of other entrepreneurs how to do the same. But now, more than ever, adopting a collaboration strategy is crucial to staying in front of your potential audience and continuing to bring in revenue. 

Here are three ways you can leverage collaboration to help your business survive this indefinite period of social distancing.

1. Do More With Less

Even if you haven’t seen your revenue slow or stop, there’s definitely a lingering feeling of uneasiness floating around about if and when that will happen. With a recession looming, now is the perfect time to take a “do more with less” approach to your marketing. By combining your resources, energy, and time with a like-minded individual or brand, you’ll be able to do exactly that. 

Most of the collaborations I help my clients create are barter-based, meaning no money is exchanged between partners. That’s good news for entrepreneurs who weren’t working with a lot of marketing dollars to begin with, but it’s even better news for entrepreneurs who have had to reallocate their budget to other areas of the business in the last few weeks.

When you collaborate with another individual or brand, you’re able to tap into their reach, resources, content, and community, and vice-versa. If you and your partner decide to run a co-produced webinar and promote it to each of your audiences, your combined reach becomes much greater than each of yours alone. On the flip side, when you both contribute to a collaboration, the effort required to run it is the same or less than it would be if you were to do it alone. Greater reach + less effort = collaboration at its finest.  

2. Amplify Each Other’s Voices

If I had a dollar for every free downloadable or webinar that’s been promoted to me in the last week alone, I wouldn’t be worried about a recession. Our normal platforms for promotion have gotten exhaustingly loud, which makes cutting through that noise increasingly difficult. When you collaborate, you and your partner are able to amplify one another’s voices and share the same message to multiple audiences, which is a heck of a lot more powerful than two individual voices screaming with multiple offers to the same target market.

Going back to the co-produced webinar example, when you choose to combine yours and your partner’s knowledge and expertise into one webinar as opposed to you each creating and running your own, you increase the likelihood that people will actually sign up. Instead of each of you promoting your own individual webinars, you can both promote one. One message, one call to action, one amplified voice speaking over the many other voices yelling into the feed. 

3. Innovate and Collaborate

One potential bright spot in an otherwise dark time is that by the end of this (whenever that may be) I have no doubt that some amazing new products, services, and companies will emerge. When your back is against the wall, sometimes the only escape is through innovation and some serious creative thinking. Often the best solutions to life’s challenges come from people joining forces and working together in a collaborative effort. Or, as I like to say, “My This + Your That = Our Magic.”

The best way to initiate the innovation through the collaboration process is to think about all of the people in your community who offer a product or service that’s complementary to yours and choose one or two who you’d feel comfortable brainstorming ideas with. Reach out and see if they’re open to putting your heads together to find ways to make one another’s offerings that much better. 

By bringing in a different set of eyeballs, you’re able to see your business from a fresh perspective. When you look at your business as a whole, are there areas where you feel like you might be able to expand your thinking and try a new approach? If you’ve been offering the same services for a while, perhaps now is the perfect time to shake everything out on the table and pick up only the pieces that feel relevant going forward. In addition to each of you expanding your individual businesses, you might find ways to combine your offerings together to co-create something new that will serve both of your audiences. 

Even though “social distancing” looks to be our new reality for the foreseeable future, that doesn’t mean we can’t connect and collaborate with our community. Now, more than ever, we must band together with those around us to help keep each other going. It will be through collaboration that we’re able to rise to the challenge and find new ways to do business and - hopefully - survive this tumultuous time. 

It’s together that we’ll get through this and emerge stronger and more capable than before. 

About the Expert: Baily Hancock is a collaboration consultant, speaker, and the host of the “Stop, Collaborate & Listen” Podcast who’s on a mission to save humanity with collaboration. Join the Collaboration Coalition Facebook Group to find potential partners and receive Baily’s collaboration templates, tools, and tips.

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!

13 Things You Didn't Know You Can Write Off

Photo: Smith House Photo

The world may be turned upside-down right now (thanks, COVID-19) and Tax Day has been moved to July 15, but we suggest you make the most of your quaran-time and get those taxes done!

We’re here to help ease some of the stress before you start scrambling to collect receipts and scour all your bank statements from the past year. Sure, taxes can be a drag (or something to look forward to if you know you’re bound to get a tax refund), but if you’re like most independent contractors or freelancers, you might owe a hefty amount of money to your state and the IRS.

However, there are so many things taxpayers fail to claim on their yearly taxes that could definitely help ease the fees that you owe back. To help you get a tax break, we’ve made a list of tax write-offs that many of us fail to claim and you may be overlooking, too.

Out-of-Pocket Charitable Deductions

If you contribute to your community and help with charitable work, or give charitable donations that include out-of-pocket costs, your good deeds may be rewarded with a tax write-off. If you’ve donated food to a soup kitchen, bought clothes for a women’s shelter, or even driven your car for charity, make sure to keep those receipts as they can work as a great tax deduction.

Home Office Costs

Now that we all WFH this deduction may be more useful than ever. So, your bed may not count, but if you use part of your home regularly and exclusively for business-related activity, the IRS lets you write off associated rent, utilities, real estate taxes, repairs, maintenance, and other related expenses. So if you are one of the lucky few working in your pajamas in the luxury of a home office, this year is to make the most of this write off.

Moving Expenses for Your First Job

Once you’ve moved past the job hunting phase and have landed your dream job on the other side of the town, or even the other side of the country, you’ll need to move closer to your job. If you’re moving farther than 50 miles away, you can write-off your moving expenses this season, including transportation.

Child Care Credit

If you have to leave your child, who is filed as your dependent under 13 years of age, with a sitter or at daycare while you’re at work, your child care expenses can serve as a tax credit, up to $3,000. 

"Smart" Tax

If you are going back to school to sharpen your skills, are taking special courses for work, or have bought literature (books or magazines) that are relevant to your field of work, make sure to mark these as your “smart taxes.” Which, goes to show that any money that you spend on your education is always an investment. 

Baggage Fees

Did you know you can get those annoying baggage fees right back into your pocket? Save the airline receipts from any checked baggage that you had to pay for, and mark them as a deduction when you file. 

Energy-Saving Home

If you’re eco-savvy and have turned your house into an eco-friendly home in the past year, you can be rewarded with a great tax credit for your improvements. We know you went for paperless last year, but in this case, you might want to keep those paper receipts. 

Financial Advisor/Accounting

If you have a financial advisor, tax preparer, or even paid to use a program like Quickbooks or Intuit to manage your finances and taxes, you can deduct those fees for the year in which you paid for them. If you still have your receipts from paying your preparer or the programs that you bought, make sure to include those in on your deductions!

Healthcare for Self-Employed

If you’re a boss lady of your own and are paying your own bills, like your own healthcare, then make sure to include your medical and dental bills in your deductions, as well as those bills for your family and dependents. 

Phone Bill

If you’re always using your phone for work and have not yet put your phone bill as a part of your deductions, you have been missing out on getting some money back! Make sure that you keep track of what calls are work and which calls are personal as those will be very important to differentiate when it’s time to file.

Fostering a Pet

Some people can’t commit to adopting a pet, but if you were able to foster a pet in the last year, you can include expenses from the pound, vet, and even food when you’re filing for taxes. A good tax deduction can come from your charitable work. 

Jury Duty

Jury duty may be a drag, but the pay you get from the court is tax-deductible if it was turned over to your employer. It all comes full circle! 

Bad Luck, Accidents, and Damages

There are things that are simply out of our control, like your car breaking down, your roof caving in after a storm, or even you actually breaking a leg after your colleagues told you to break a leg at your client meeting. If you don’t have insurance and you have to pay out of pocket for repairs and medical bills, you can include them when you’re filing for taxes as a tax deduction. It’s not all bad luck after all!

This post was originally published on February 11, 2019, and has since been updated.

Ask a Lawyer: I Was Furloughed, Laid Off, or Fired Because of COVID-19—What Do I Do Now?

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: Andrew Neel for Pexels

Here’s a staggering statistic: Nearly 10 million people in the United States have filed for unemployment benefits in the past two weeks alone. To put that into perspective, that’s more than double the population of Los Angeles (which currently has an estimated 4 million residents) and two million more people than currently reside in New York City (with its estimated 8 million residents). Like we said, staggering.

In this installment of Ask an Expert, we tapped two lawyers to answer all your most pressing questions about being furloughed, laid off, or fired in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Ahead, Brenda Schamy, the co-founding partner at DiSchino & Schamy, PLLC, and Tara E. Faenza, a labor and employment attorney, walk us through everything you need to know if you’ve lost your job, including available financial relief resources.

Read on to dive into their detailed answers, then keep scrolling to find out how to tune into our next Ask an Expert conversation on Instagram.

I was recently furloughed. What does that mean? Why do companies furlough? 

Furlough is a mandatory suspension from work without pay,  which can be for any time period at the sole discretion of the company. This is a cost-saving method when the company does not want to terminate the employee but can’t afford to pay them. Furloughed employees may not do any work for the company. If they do any work for that company they must pay them for the day if hourly must pay for hours worked. For salaried employees, they must be compensated. Some companies will block access to email and other resources to ensure that no work is being done. It is important to discuss this with the company or with your employees so everyone understands how the furlough will work.  

Do furloughed employees still get paid? 

No, while furloughed employees will not be paid unless work is performed. (see above). 

Is being furloughed actually better than being fired/laid off? Or is it the same thing? What’s the difference? 

In some ways, yes. Although when furloughed the company is not paying you, the assumption (although the company is not obligated to) is that you will be rehired once the company returns to normal.  This may also eliminate the need to re-apply, interview, run background checks, and more. Unlike a furlough, a lay off is a permanent separation from the company. Whether you were furloughed or laid off, if you are an "at-will" employee, you are free to apply and look for other work during this time.

How long can a company furlough an employee? Why do they choose that option instead of firing an employee? 

The law does not define this time frame. As mentioned above, in some circumstances, the intention of the company is to bring the employee back after things return to normal and the company doesn't want to start the process from the beginning. 

Can I collect unemployment when I’ve been furloughed? Can I still apply for other jobs? What are my rights? 

Yes and yes. Your rights are the same as if you were employed as it relates to discrimination, retaliation, and other employment laws. Unless bound by a contract, you are free to look for other work, whether temporary or permanent. If furloughed or laid off and you have certain contractual restrictions such as non-competes you may want to discuss a waiver of these provisions with your employer. However, all applications for unemployment must be truthful. If you are furloughed but maybe now working part-time or other particular circumstances, you must disclose and correctly answer all questions on the unemployment application.

What steps can I take now that I have been fired, laid off, or furloughed? How can I get financial support while I look for work? What advice can you share? 

Stay positive! Look for work or use this time to polish your resume, start a business you've always wanted or freelance! Update your resume and emphasize your flexibility, tech-savviness, and ability to work from home. Also, the CARES Act will provide for unemployment to be increased by $600 additional per week by the federal government and extend benefits for 13 extra weeks. Many lenders (e.g. credit cards, car loans, etc.) will offer forbearance or temporary holds on accounts to delay bills between 1-3 months. Student loans, for example, are delayed during this time. Additionally, the CARES Act provides for direct financial assistance to Americans in the form of a one-time direct payment in the amount of:

• $1,200 for individuals earning $75,000 or less, 

• $2,400 for individuals filing a joint return earning $150,000 or less, 

• $1,200 for heads of household earning $112,500 or less, and $500 per child.

The U.S. Treasury stated that the administration expects to begin direct payments to individuals within three weeks of the CARES Act being signed into law.

Is my job still available when the company goes back to being in a financially stable position? How will I know that time has come? 

This depends on your company and you. The company may not come back, so stay in contact and protect yourself. Do not assume there will be a job or a company to come back to and even if there is it may not be in the same financial position or have the same staffing needs as it was before. For companies who furloughed or took advantage of the CARES Act, and other government incentives, loans, and grants, there are advantages in the form of loan forgiveness, if they take the employee back and meet other requirements. Your company should communicate with you when you are able to return. Should you feel that your company might not make it, you should consider other employment options as soon as possible.

I’m a small business owner and I think I need to furlough employees. What are the pros and cons? Can employees dip into their PTO or vacation balances to be paid during the furlough? 

Pros are that you can keep valuable employees with certain conditions. Employers should check with their benefits provider to determine what is required and see from a state practitioner what is required for furloughs. When you return to "normal," your uptime is faster, your team is in place and ready to work. Cons are that you may end up losing employees who need money and find other jobs before you can return to normal. You may end up paying for insurance benefits for employees during this time, which is also expensive. 

Employees do not need to dip into their own sick and PTO time. Can they? That depends upon your state laws and company policy. A company is not required to advance paid time off that is not yet earned. 

The company is required to pay Emergency Paid Sick Leave for those either (1) quarantined due to sickness or government order and cannot work remotely or in person or (2) is caring for someone who is sick or a child who is not in school. The maximum is (1) $5,110 (100% of base pay) and (2) $2,000 (2/3 of base pay). Some Companies may be eligible to apply for certain loans (which may eventually be forgiven if certain requirements are met)  like the Payroll Protection Program which may lend up to 2.5X a business' average total monthly payroll if the business meets certain criteria.

How do I go about it? What tips can you share? Are there resources or templates I can use to help? 

You can speak to an employment, corporate, or other attorney for help. Accountants and bankers often help with locating the applications for these various programs. The banks are currently developing processes and applications and those may not be available yet but contact your bank to find out more as things continue to progress. Other .gov websites may offer additional insight on unemployment applications and information regarding the CARES Act and its application.

I was recently laid off due to COVID-19 but I didn’t receive a severance package. Is that legal? What are my rights? 

Federal law and most state laws do not require severance or any kind. Failure to pay severance is not unlawful, in most cases, barring an employment contract or union agreement.

I was laid off at work with no notice. Does my employer have to give me notice before laying me off? What are my legal rights?  

With the exception of large companies under the WARN Act, which applies mainly to large companies, most small or medium-sized companies do not need to give notice.

How do I know if my layoff was illegal? Do employees have any protections from being laid off? Can you fight a layoff? 

An employer who lays off may usually do so without legal recourse. However, if the selection of the person who is laid off is due to age, race, gender, national origin, pregnancy, color, religion, disability, or other protected category, the selection of that employee for lay off (who arguably would not have been laid off) may be unlawful. In other words, layoffs or furloughs do not relax the laws relating to unlawful discrimination and retaliation. 

You would be better off working with an employer, rather than fighting (e.g. temporarily reduced hours or pay), if you wish to maintain that employment relationship. Otherwise, "fighting" a lay off would be no different now than if fired for any other reason. You are still terminated, but you will need to prove an unlawful motivation for you specifically if you wanted to file a claim for unlawful termination. However please keep in mind that each case is fact and state-specific and it's best if you feel you were wrongfully terminated to contact an attorney.

What can I do/what are my rights if I think I got fired for no reason? 

In most states, you can be fired for a "good reason, bad reason, or no reason at all..." and it is lawful. If you believe you were terminated for an unlawful or discriminatory reason, contact an attorney to determine your rights.

About the Experts: Brenda Schamy is a founding partner at DiSchino & Schamy, PLLC. She practices a blend of litigation and transactional work. Brenda concentrates her practice in the areas of entertainment, hospitality, branding, fashion, art, startups, and general business dealings. Prior to founding her own law firm, which subsequently merged to become DiSchino & Schamy, PLLC she was a Miami Dade Public Defender. Brenda is currently licensed in Florida, New York, District of Columbia, and Michigan.

Tara E. Faenza is a labor and employment attorney who represents companies and employees in employment and labor disputes and advises clients in all aspects of employment law, as well as and general litigation matters. Ms. Faenza represents clients in pre-litigation counseling before the EEOC and the FCHR, as well as in state and federal court. Ms. Faenza is an aggressive and skilled federal and state court litigator, having served as a trial attorney and former prosecutor for the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, where she tried over twenty cases to jury verdict.

DISCLAIMER: The information here is not legal advice. Legal advice is fact-specific and can differ from state to state.  

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!

How the Right Website Copy Is Like Having a Sales Team

Photo: Vlada Karpovich for Pexels

So you've got a new business. You've developed a crazy-good "why hasn't anyone invented this yet" product. Or maybe you're delivering an "oh-my-goodness-what-did-I-do-without-you" service for clients. Either way, you're clear on what you're selling, you're clear on who needs your business, and you're clear on how you want to come across to your customers.

Now comes the part where you've got to make your business profitable. So you buy your domain and set up your email accounts. You get a business bank account. But then you're faced with a series of dilemmas:

• Do you hire a graphic designer to make your site look like a million bucks?

• Do you need new brand photos every month to keep up with the changing seasons?

• Which of the software solutions your trialing deserves a subscription fee?

• What add-ons will actually help your bottom line, and which ones will just drain your profits?
  

In the rush to create a brand that looks beautiful, with just the right fonts and colors, copywriting often gets overlooked.

Once your site is ready to go live, only then are those placeholder blocks of text addressed. But here's the thing: just writing about your company isn't enough, just coming up with a cute tagline won't get you any additional customers, and just describing your products and hoping photos convert buyers... while you might get some buyers, a lot more would-be customers will leave without a compelling written message.

The superpower of copy is that it isn't just text.

In fact, it isn't even just marketing. Well-crafted copy is an online salesperson who works around the clock for you. Even better, copy can have 1:1 interactions with hundreds of prospects at once. All while you sleep. Or work on R&D. Or actually get to the gym for once this month.

It works its magic by entering the conversation already happening in the mind of your customers

What are people worried about? What's a pain your product could solve? Great copywriting goes way beyond analyzing search terms. Because behind every feature of your product or service, there's a deeper benefit: something unique about your offering that will make your customers' lives better the moment they open your box.  To find those key benefits — the things your customers are truly looking for — you've got to do some digging.

Start with customer surveys. Ask your customers why they purchased from you at this time - what they needed, and how you've solved their problems or brought more happiness into their world. Then write copy that addresses those very problems and frustrations head-on. Get specific with them. Finally: take those messages and put 'em on your site!

With copy, one round of investment means you're getting a 24/7 global salesforce

How's that for scale? Oh, and the other thing: Once you've established a strong message about outcomes and benefits that resonates with your market, you can stick with it for a long time. Meaning, you get long-lasting ROI, and that’s something any business owner can celebrate.

About the Author: Anna Bradshaw is a conversion copywriter for happy brands. She helps businesses find their core messages and writes data-backed copy that's packed with flavor. She writes from Southern California where she lives with her husband.

This story was originally published on June 1, 2019, and has since been updated

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We Talked to 4 Music Industry Insiders About How Coronavirus Is Impacting Their Business

Photo: Retha Ferguson for Pexels

No industry is immune to the sudden rise of the stay-at-home economy—and the music industry is no exception. With people around the world practicing social distancing, self-quarantining, and sheltering in place, concert venues have been shuttered, music festivals have been postponed, and album tours have been canceled in a concerted effort to flatten the coronavirus curve.

To find out how the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the music industry, we chatted with artists, record-label founders, and even the music partnerships manager at Instagram. Ahead, they fill us in on how they’re adjusting to the new normal, how they’re pivoting to adapt during this period, and what fans can do to help support the industry, even if they don’t have a dollar to spare.

Lizzy Plapinger, aka LPX, Co-Founder of Neon Gold Records

“A

rtists will continue to create and be mirrors and loudspeakers to the world around us, they/we can be light in the darkest of times, or a friend and voice in the void.”

—Lizzy Plapinger, aka LPX, Co-Founder of Neon Gold Records

How are you handling the news as the co-founder of a record label and as an independent artist? Are you able to work from home?

While I’m generally a pretty productive person and regular self-starter, it’s been challenging to go about “business as usual” because nothing about the world is “as usual” right now. I’m grateful that, while not ideal, it is actually possible for me to work from home and that I’m still able to freely pivot between my roles at Neon Gold and as LPX throughout the day, but it is a huge adjustment emotionally and mentally. 

Right now I’m focused on regularly checking in with my artists to see how they’re doing and how/if I can help provide them with resources to create, listening to their music and providing feedback. Writing new music as LPX and going through old demos while trying to finish up new releases I have slated for the coming months. Exploring more sync opportunities. Reaching out to people for collaborations, remixes, production edits, features etc. Deep diving on new music for both pleasure and business. Looking at music grants to apply for and share with my community for anyone in need, including myself. Getting creative with DIY video projects. Putting deals together for new artists to make sure we’re continuing to sow seeds of opportunity for the future. Encouraging myself and more women to try their hand at producing and engaging on the more technical side of things. And potentially most importantly, talking to friends, artists, family (and myself) off the ledge in those understandable moments of *wtf is going on.* 

Allowing myself, my colleagues and my artists the space to cut themselves some slack and give them the support they need for their mental well being has and is an important piece of this. In the end, we’re only human and these are unprecedented times. Finding the balance between carrying on and finding a new normal for what a constructive day looks like while also taking care of oneself is going to take a minute to figure out.

How has social distancing and the cancelation of festivals, concerts, tours, and live events impacted your business operations and financials? Can you share some ways that you've pivoted to adapt during this period?

With the live side completely shut down, it feels like losing a limb. Shows, tours, and festivals are a CRUCIAL part of this industry. To take that out of the equation is a detriment to everyone involved (the artists, the fans, the agents, the promoters, and the labels). Financially, it’s a hit for everyone. And an enormous loss to the artists and their fans. 

As LPX, I had two tours on the horizon supporting Maggie Rogers and Carly Rae Jepsen and a headline tour of my own (and two more for the fall to be confirmed), which are now all up in the air. I rely on those opportunities to make money, sell merch, engage new fans and connect with an audience. It’s also the most sacred and important aspect of being an artist to me, so on a personal level, it is emotionally, artistically and financially gutting. 

The emphasis is now on engaging fans on the social side and continuing to release music and take advantage of the people (artists, producers, mixers, writers, etc.) who might have otherwise been too busy or unavailable. Some of our artists are doing live streams and we’re trying to get creative in ways that are genuine to both the artists and the fans. Whether that’s an acoustic set, inviting people into the studio with them, releasing live videos of old performances, showcasing other sides or talents they have on social media. It’s cool to be let into people's creative process or to see a song in the raw etc. But for me it doesn’t come close to replacing the live side—nothing could. 

But artists will continue to create and be mirrors and loudspeakers to the world around us, they/we can be light in the darkest of times, or a friend and voice in the void. I have always felt purpose in music, from both sides, and now more than ever. Nothing will take that away, not even the indefinite halting of shows. 

What advice can you share for fans who want to help support the music industry right now?

There are SO many concrete ways to help support the artists you love, financially and otherwise, and it is NEEDED right now more than ever. Below are a number of ways you can really help the music industry and artists you love:

STREAM their music. A song has to played for at least 30 seconds for it to register as a “play,” and every stream helps show the DSPS (Spotify/Apple/Amazon/Pandora, etc.) that there is a fan while also helping to pay the artist, labels, and publishers. It will also help get them placed on more playlists which will help get the artist more exposure.

ADD songs to your playlists (public and private). This registers behind the scenes in a way that is super helpful for the artist. 

SHARE and PROMOTE the songs and artists you love on socials and TAG them. Introducing new fans to their music is crucial and you are their best and most important asset in doing that. 

BUY MERCH if you can afford to. This helps put money back in the pocket of the artist directly (where they usually sell on tour) and in a lot of cases right now artists are using that money to help give back to their band and former road crews who are currently out of work.

BUY MUSIC online, vinyl, cd, tape if you can afford to.

COMMENT/LIKE/FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE on all socials across the board: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, etc. 

Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums

“

Our entire industry is taking a hit, so we are all in it together in figuring out ways to support our crew members, the venues, and back-end business representatives.”

—Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums

How are you handling the news as an artist? Are you able to work from home? How have you pivoted to that schedule?  

As far as the social distancing aspect of all of this, oddly enough, it’s not so far off from my lifestyle anyway. I pretty much stay in the house and work from home, especially when I’m not on the road. I think the main factors for me have been the uncertainty of how long this will realistically be, how it’s going to affect our ability to pay our staff that we keep on retainer when we will actually be able to tour, and when we can have sessions in the same space as other human beings without worrying.

I think with the shift of musicians having their own home studio spaces and making music without having to go to pay hourly locations has made it easier to continue to be creative, COVID-19 can’t really stop that ship from sailing. So where I may pivot from collaboration in the same space as others, I’m able to do a lot of work virtually, it’s just a learning curve because I am forced to engineer my own sessions, which can be frustrating but liberating. 

How has social distancing and the cancelation of festivals, concerts, tours, and live events impacted your business operations and financials? 

We were very lucky in that we got through the majority of our summer tour. A lot of my friends were not so lucky and are having to revise their plans. At this point, all any of us can do is wait it out. Personally, I’ve been trying not to wrap my head around things I cannot control and allowing our teams to strategize and figure out how to best plan the rest of the year. 

However, I am working to help support initiatives that help others. Our entire industry is taking a hit, so we are all in it together in figuring out ways to support our crew members, the venues, and back-end business representatives. I know that the entertainment agencies are working to get some sort of stimulus in order.  A lot of bands and artists are rescheduling tours for later in the season. It’s really a wait-and-see at this stage. IG Live has become a popular tool for many of us, including DJs who can’t work due to venue and event cancelations. 

What advice can you share for fans who want to help support the music industry right now?

I think, monetarily speaking, people can donate to organizations like Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, Music For Relief (which currently has a COVID-19 response fund running to support industry professionals who are most vulnerable to the economic crisis, as well as funding public health efforts), and Plus1, which also has a COVID-19 Relief fund running. Other simple ways are buying band merchandise, especially merch from smaller baby bands and independents, and yes, buying music still matters.

I think people can support in non-monetary ways by supporting artists’ posts, watching their live feeds on IG and FB, commenting just letting us know that you appreciate us, and spreading the word about causes we are trying to support. I would also say by being compassionate towards artists who have to cancel shows. Keep things positive. It is really hard to let our fans down, even harder when we have to read negative comments on our pages. Above all STAY HOME, so we can get through this sooner!  

Lola Plaku, CEO of Lola Media Group & Founder of Girl Connected

“

Don’t just listen to a song or an album or watch a YouTube clip; share that with someone, even if it’s just two or three people in your immediate circle. Hopefully, your one view can turn into 10, that 10 can turn into 100, that 100 into 1000, and so on.”

—Lola Plaku, CEO of Lola Media Group & Founder of Girl Connected

How are you handling the news as the founder and owner of a leading artist management and branding company? Are you able to work from home?

Over the past year, I have spent most of my time working in the office growing my business and my team. Many of the marketing ideas we execute are online, so working during this time hasn’t been much different.

The methods have shifted slightly, so we’re constantly figuring out how to best deliver messages to consumers without over saturating them. Some ideas we were hoping to implement have been halted due to social distancing and businesses closing down temporarily, so that’s been a little bit tough for the artists and projects that require creative asset delivery. 

How has social distancing and the cancelation of live events impacted your business operations and financials? Can you share some ways that you've pivoted to adapt during this period?

Social distancing has mainly affected the creation of certain content like photo and video shoots, in-studio interviews, and any other creative that requires several individuals to work together. I haven’t had to deal with booking cancellations for talent yet, but I’m sure as the weeks pass we’ll have to plan and adjust accordingly. The company’s Girl Connected initiative for women in the entertainment community produces quarterly events for over 400 attendees, so we have put those events on hold for now and will offer online tools and resources to our group of mentees and community members. 

What advice can you share for fans who want to help support the music industry right now?

I think people are finding ways to create and support from home, and conversation and consumption are two of the biggest driving factors of an artist's success. Conversation is you telling your friends, your family and your immediate and social network about something or someone you like. Hopefully, 10% of those people engage with what you are saying and tell their social circle about that artist, song, album, movie, show, etc. as well. And the circle continues.

If you and the people you are communicating with also decide to stream/watch/talk about said artist, then you have created a domino effect that can turn into financial income for the artist on the backend. While you’re at home, share what you’re doing with others. What are you listening to? What are you watching? Where are you getting information from? Don’t just listen to a song or an album or watch a YouTube clip; share that with someone, even if it’s just two or three people in your immediate circle. Hopefully, your one view can turn into 10, that 10 can turn into 100, that 100 into 1000, and so on. Artists, writers, producers, and managers can make money off streams, publishing, and sales from projects and content that have already been delivered to platforms! 

Fadia Kader, Music Partnership Manager at Instagram

“

I suggest not only supporting your favorite artists by streaming their music or purchasing merch, but also by being kind to one another and sharing uplifting messages with other fans and the artist directly.”

—Fadia Kader, Music Partnership Manager at Instagram

How are you handling the news as the music partnership manager at Instagram?

Going with the flow. It’s important for me to stay on top of the news and find a way to engage with music partners to keep them motivated during these times, which in turn, keeps me motivated and creative. 

Are you able to work from home? How have you pivoted to that schedule?
I am very lucky to have the kind of role that allows me the flexibility to do my job remotely, so the working-from-home adjustment hasn’t been too bad for me, but I do miss interacting with my colleagues in the office. Sticking to my daily schedule gives me a sense of normalcy.

What trends have you been seeing across Instagram and how have artists been using the platform to their advantage? 

With artists not being able to connect to their audiences and fans in person at shows, it’s been really inspiring to see them connect in real-time on IG Live. More than ever, artists are getting more and more comfortable with the feature and realizing the value of connecting directly with an audience in real-time.

What advice can you share for fans who want to help support the music industry right now?

I suggest not only supporting your favorite artists by streaming their music or purchasing merch, but also by being kind to one another and sharing uplifting messages with other fans and the artist directly. Encouraging artists to stay their creative ground and practice self-care in these times. We are all in the same boat and all we need right now is to be there for one another. Even if it's virtual.

Up next: 7 Things a Financial Expert Says to Do to Prepare for COVID-19

Why You Should Follow Up Your To-Do List With a “Ta-Da!” List

Photo: Christina Morillo for Pexels

Setting career goals is like climbing a mountain. It sounds exhilarating and achieving it will be an amazing accomplishment. Yet there's that point in the middle where it feels like... well, work.

There’s a crucial point of difference between the daily grind and mountaineering, though. Taking a hike offers the benefit of your line of sight and a GPS. Even if you can’t see the destination, you can likely track exactly how far away it is. Whether you’re a tenth of a mile or 10 miles from your landing spot, you can expect to arrive at a certain time. It gives you the opportunity to see—and celebrate—your progress.

Reaching the peak of your career is a little more ambiguous. While you may be able to guess at an amount of time necessary to complete your goals, there are a lot of factors at play, and you may meet resistance along the way. The daily grind can feel repetitive and even discouraging at times. One way to stay on track and be ready to face whatever setbacks you encounter is to keep the right attitude. Mindfulness is a critical component to creating and keeping your goals. This is why you should follow up your to-do list with a “ta-da!” list.

Making a “ta-da!” list isn’t an exact formula, it’s more of a reminder to cultivate joy around the process of achieving your goals. It’s about acknowledging the small steps you’re taking and praising yourself with a pat on the back (or a whipped coffee). Practicing gratitude is commonly associated with better physical health, mental well-being, and increased happiness, according to a recent white paper from Berkeley. Quality of life is a huge component to the emerging field of gratitude research, and work is a big part of how we spend our lives!

Follow these three steps to create effective to-do and “ta-da!” lists, while keeping a positive attitude in the process.

Clearly define your goals, but be willing to go off-course

Putting words to what you want to achieve will help you make an effective to-do list. Whether you’re working a 9-to-5 or trying to build a side hustle, writing out a list of goals and tasks is essential to getting stuff done. However, be willing to pencil in a little room for the unknown. Just as the best view of the mountain might be slightly off the beaten path, the most successful individuals plot out a course and know when to pivot. Maybe it’s an unexpected job offer that will allow you to gain valuable experience, or an opportunity to collaborate with someone you could learn from. Reevaluate your to-do lists regularly to make sure they’re still working for you.

“Making a “ta-da!” list isn’t an exact formula, it’s more of a reminder to cultivate joy around the process of achieving your goals.”

Write it down

There’s a famous study from Harvard Business School that followed their MBA graduates for 10 years, and the grads who had physically written down their goals had earned ten times more than the others. Your goals and daily “to-do” list will keep you on track to achieving those mountainous goals.

But don’t underestimate the power of your “ta-da!” list. According to the Berkeley white paper, a study found that workplace-specific gratitude was negatively associated with burnout. Just like goals and to-do lists are more effective when you write them down, gratitude works the same way. Write down encouragements for yourself and even positive mantras rather than just drawing a line through the things you’ve achieved. You worked hard, celebrate it!

Celebrate it all

While it’s easy to pop champagne for those huge milestones, the whole point of this exercise is to infuse more joy into the day-to-day. When you look back, most days aren’t memorable on their own, but each one makes up the seasons we’ll someday look back on as stepping stones that led us to the next. Focusing on the wins—however small—will make you less likely to get burned out on the journey. And we’re all here to reach the peak, aren’t we?!

About the Author: Ana Elliott is a writer, photographer, and small business owner residing in Springfield, Missouri. In her free time, she can be found seeking out a good honey latte and/or just trying to keep another houseplant alive. You can find more from her on her personal blog: She Learns Things.

This story was originally published on May 23, 2019, and has since been updated.

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4 Ways to Prevent Work Burnout

Photo: Polina Zimmerman for Pexels

Free time is costing us more than it seems. Drake knows. And so do we. 

In part, this is because all of our illusory free time has been sucked into the vacuum that is the all-encompassing work life. 24/7 availability is the norm. You aren't taking a mental health day because your car-peer (AKA your career peer) hasn't taken a single sick or vacation day. And you're answering emails from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep. But no one, not even your boss, is immune to burnout. 

So if you're smiling on the outside, crying on the inside, we feel you, and we don't want you to get to that point. We know the usual steps to avoiding burnout (grab a coffee and go for a walk around the block, make sure to fit in a workout, and take your lunch breaks), but there has to be something more, right? There is. 

Here are four ways to keep your mind healthy in the midst of the career grind. 

1. Identify What You Need From Your Career

We have various needs when it comes to work. There are some employees that excel in high-pressure situations. Others need a much more consistent day to day. However, six virtues have been identified as important to keeping our headspace happy at work: 

1. You can be yourself. Enough said. 

2. You’re told what’s really going on. Transparency within the workplace makes you feel like you belong and matter to the company. You want to feel like you're an important 

3. Your strengths are magnified. If you're constantly being told what you're doing wrong, without doing tasks or being given the option to show your strengths, you're going to feel like a failure all the time. And your star is going to burnout when it enters the work atmosphere. 

4. The company stands for something meaningful—to you. Think about what is meaningful to you. It matters when you hit the hay if you feel like this next point…

5. Your daily work is rewarding. Feeling discouraged day in and day out is one of the biggest contributors to burnout.  

6. Stupid rules don’t exist. 

2. Focus on the Rule of Three

To-do lists are as never-ending as the stream of information. If you feel the heat of burnout on your back, narrow your focus. At the beginning of the day, aside from your to-do list, write down three things that you want to accomplish before the moon takes its spot overhead. When you set small challenges that are within reason, you will feel purpose heading into the following day instead of discouragement. 

Aristotle wrote about the rule of three in his book Rhetoric. To simply the concept, the philosopher said that people tend to more easily remember things grouped by threes and that threes are funnier, more satisfying, and more effective. It's a writing rule that you can apply to work. 

3. Switch Up the Order of Your Day-to-Day

We get into the habit of answering emails in the morning, brainstorming in the afternoon, and taking meetings in between. The monotony of doing the same thing can wear on the mind. If you think of your brain like your body, you know that you have to switch up exercise routines to see a difference and avoid adaptation. Your brain is the same, and if you want to get out of a creative rut, or move away from the burnout cliff, make simple switches that workout different parts of your brain at different parts of the day. 

Brainstorm creative ideas in the morning. Creative thinking is facilitated by the interaction between the left and right interior frontal gyri. 

Answer emails around 11 and give your temporal lobe a workout. The temporal lobe is the part of the brain that controls reading and visual recognition. 

4. Take a Break From Tech

I think about Don Draper a lot. And not because I have a thing for Jon Hamm or want to drink at work. Rather, I think about the days he spent sitting in his office, brainstorming ideas, his imagination unrestricted and unfettered by tech. 

When I find myself stumped, I'll scroll Instagram. Mistake. This usually makes the problem I'm stumbling over worse, I get more frustrated and less able to concentrate. If you feel like you've landed in the same brain-melting position, it's time to do what I call "the Draper." 

It's kind of like work meditation. Turn off tech. Hone in on that beautiful brain of yours and don't get distracted by the pinging and the dinging. 

This story was originally published on April 19, 2019, and has since been updated.

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18 Women With Stressful Jobs on the TV Shows They Binge-Watch to Unwind

Photo: Vincent Rivaud for Pexels

It’s safe to say stress levels are at an all-time high. The Dow Jones had its worst day since the 1987 crash, nearly 10 million people have filed for unemployment benefits in the past two weeks alone, and have we mentioned we’re in the midst of an unprecedented public health pandemic? If you’re in need of a bit of escapism (because, honestly, who couldn’t use a break from the anxiety-inducing headlines RN?), scroll on.

Ahead, we tapped 18 women with stressful jobs to find out which TV shows help them unwind at the end of a long day. Whether you’re drawn to dramas filled with heartfelt moments and melodramatic soundtracks or you have an affinity for comedies that make you laugh so hard you start to cry, here are the shows you should tune in to in order to tune out, according to founders, CEOs, and all-around bosses.

Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton

Founder & CEO, Chillhouse

The Show: “New Girl”

Why She Loves It: “‘New Girl,’ forever and always. It’s become my new ‘Friends.’ I put it on right before I want to close my eyes and it makes me doze off in complete ease every time.”

Kristin O'Keeffe Merrick

Financial Advisor, O'Keeffe Financial Partners

The Shows: “Workin’ Moms,” “I’m Sorry,” and “Better Call Saul”

Why She Loves It: "I am a TV addict so I have a huge list of shows. My go-to's for a good laugh are 'Workin' Moms' (Netflix), 'I'm Sorry' (Andrea Savage is just the best), and 'Better Call Saul' because it's BRILLIANT."

Katie Sturino

Founder, Megababe

The Show: “90 Day Fiancé”

Why She Loves It: “I could give you a million reasons why I love it. One of my favorite things about it is that I like watching people having to adapt to other cultures… all while they start a new relationship!”

Ally Walsh

Co-Founder, Canyon Coffee

The Show: “Law and Order: SVU”

Why She Loves It: ”I would have to say my go-to show is ‘Law and Order: SVU!’ I grew up watching with my mom and it was something we always put on together at night. It gets you out of your own head and engaged in a whole other world.”

Kaylin Marcotte

Founder & CEO, Jiggy

The Shows: “The Office” and “American Idol”

Why She Loves It: "My go-to TV show to unwind is ‘The Office’—it's easy, fun, and can be watched in any order. I never get through an episode without laughing out loud. (Plus, I understand so many more memes/quotes now!). I also rediscovered “American Idol” recently and it's so heartwarming, I've been loving it."

Jessica Assaf

Co-Founder & Chief Education Officer, Prima

The Show: “The Bachelor”

Why She Loves It: “There is no rational reason why this concept could work, but somehow people really do find love. There have been so many Bachelor marriages and babies and I love getting lost in an episode after a long day.”

Tonya Rapley

Financial Expert & Founder, My Fab Finance

The Show: “90 Day Fiancé”

Why She Loves It: "I think a lot with my day-to-day work. This show literally allows me to get lost in the problems and dealings of others. I'm so fascinated by the lengths people will go for the idea of love.”

Tracey Hummel

Founder, Bee & Kin

The Show: “Friday Night Lights”

Why She Loves It: “To de-stress and unwind, I've been on this binge of watching old TV shows that I never got to watch when they were airing! So I just started watching ‘Friday Night Lights’ and it's addictive. It helps me decompress after days of working from home. I love watching something that I can really get into and not think about what's going on in the world for at least 45 minutes. It also gives me hope that we will get back to some sort of normalcy sooner than later.” 

Daniella Mizrahi

Founder, Yella Activewear

The Shows: “Workin’ Moms” and “Schitt's Creek”

Why She Loves It: “Comedic relief and a reminder/appreciation of simpler times!”

Amanda Greeley

Founder, Thelma

The Show: “Curb Your Enthusiasm”

Why She Loves It: “I've been enjoying the new season of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (sad to say the finale just aired). Some Larry David humor can always make me laugh. Maybe it's time to dip into the archives.” 

Gretchen Maclver

Founder, Treehouse Kidswear

The Shows: “McMillions” and “Tiger King”

Why She Loves It: “I started watching ‘McMillions’ just before the COVID-19 crisis broke out and binged my way through it as I was working late in the evenings. However, my true guilty pleasure is now Netflix’s ‘Tiger King,’ which I just discovered. It not only reminds me that it could be worse (as in, my husband could be tiger bait... or, worse, I’d be willing to volunteer him as tiger bait), but I can’t help but chuckle imagining what state we’d currently be in if Joe Exotic had been elected, you know, I can’t say for certain, but I think it would be worse? This show has forced me to drop everything I’m doing and totally tune in, which is a pretty great release. Watch it. Your. Mouth. Will. Drop. And, it just keeps getting better with each episode.”

Melanie Travis

Founder & CEO, Andie

The Show: “Friends”

Why She Loves It: “It's been my go-to since high school. There's something so relaxing about tuning in to watch their issues, heartbreaks, wins. It never gets old and it really helps me de-stress and unwind.”

Fatma Collins

Co-Founder & CEO, Ten Little

The Show: “Self Made”

Why She Loves It: “I just watched ‘Self Made’ on Netflix this week. It was inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker, who built a beauty empire that challenged the status quo in challenging times, and became America’s first self-made female millionaire. As a female entrepreneur who is building a new brand during these uncertain times, Madam C. J. Walker’s determination was inspiring. The feel-good nature of the series helped lift up my spirits and find comfort in other founder’s stories.”

Jamie Grimstad

Co-Founder & CEO, Favour Gum

The Show: Whatever is currently on the Food Network

Why She Loves It: “For me, it’s Food Network all the way (with a little reality TV mixed in, if I’m being honest)—which is kind of nerdy, but I think it speaks to why I love cooking in the first place. During the week, I make it a point to come home from work and cook dinner every night—as it truly is a time where I can destress/unwind, and not be distracted by my phone or computer screen. Even if it’s a 20-minute meal, taking that little amount of time to myself to get creative in the kitchen, helps me to re-focus on whatever I need to tackle next.” 

Margaret Luce

Co-Founder, Favour Gum

The Shows: “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” “60 Minutes,” and “Later... with Jools Holland”

Why She Loves It: “I love to unwind with HBO’s ‘Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.’ I save the episodes and watch 20 minutes at a time. They are like small documentaries mostly dealing with athletes journeys the good and the bad. On Sunday nights, ‘60 Minutes’ is still my favorite. I also search for ‘Later... with Jools Holland,’ one night catching Kings of Leon, Sting, M83 and Jimmy Page. The show is groundbreaking and cast in such a unique way. It’s on my DVR ,I’m a music lover so when this is on I’m locked in :).)”

Kerry Benjamin

Founder & CEO, StackedSkincare

The Shows: “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Schitt’s Creek”

Why She Loves It: ”’Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and ‘Schitt’s Creek’ are hilarious and perfect to get my mind off the insanity!”

Rachel Sanders

Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Rootine Vitamins

The Shows: “Grey's Anatomy,” “Gilmore Girls,” and “Entourage”

Why She Loves It: ”I am a big proponent of re-watching series I have previously loved to destress/unwind—very low stress and super easy and fun entertainment. Recently, I have been re-watching ‘Grey's Anatomy,’ which has brought back some fun memories as I started watching the show with my mother when I was much younger. Once I am done, I am planning to re-watch ‘Gilmore Girls!’ I am from a smaller town in Connecticut and I always loved the reminder of home, especially during these times when I can't really travel to see my family in CT.  My husband and I also started re-watching ‘Entourage’ together, a welcome bit of comedic relief!”

Andrea Blieden

General Manager, United States, The Body Shop

The Shows: “Below Deck,” “Summer House,” and “Billions”

Why She Loves It: “A lot of Bravo. It’s one of my favorite things to watch, especially recently. Some of my favorites are ‘Below Deck’ and ‘Summer House.’ But for when I do switch it up a bit, I really love to watch ‘Billions.’”

Up next: 10 Women Who Have Your Dream Job on How They Fight Burnout, Stay Motivated, and Get Re-Energized for Work

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C&C Classifieds: Kombrewcha, The Honest Company, bareMinerals & More!

Looking for remote work? ‍ Apply to these new digital jobs from Cupshe, Animalz, Kombrewcha & more!

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How to Build an Amazing Brand When You Have Zero Budget

Photo: Kaboompics.com for Pexels

When you're first launching a business, it can be difficult to know where to spend money, where you can save money, and how to get a little scrappy. Do you invest in that pricier domain name? Do you hire a designer to create your logo? Is it really necessary to consult an SEO pro to hone your content strategy?

Thankfully, the folks at GoDaddy know all about building a brand (and websites). So we picked their brain for insider tips and tricks that will pay off in the longterm, including some freebies you should 100% take advantage of. Keep scrolling for 10 zero-dollar ways to get your brand off the ground RN.

Treat your domain name like an investment. 

The longer you have it, the more value it holds. Links pointing to your site are a major factor in ranking on search engines. As you accumulate more links over time, your credibility improves, and so does your search ranking. The age of your domain is also a ranking factor.

Changing your domain name has serious implications; it’s like changing your business name. If you change your domain, you’ll need to rebuild the credibility with search engines (which takes time), and reach out to all of the sites that linked to you to get the links updated (which they may not do).

Register a domain name early on in your business and stick to using the same domain name as your business evolves.

Use the same username/handle everywhere. 

These days, your username is a core part of your online brand. Your business should be using the same username for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, Etsy, and so on. This demonstrates a strong, professional brand that’s integrated across all channels. As with your domain name, choose your business username early on and treat it like an investment—you’ll earn links and mentions over time, all of which contribute to your business getting discovered.
 

Deciding on a name for a new business? Google it. 

See what comes up. If there are existing businesses using the name you want, or even individuals who have a similar username for their social media accounts, try a different name. One of the perks of starting from scratch is that you can see what’s available and lock in your usernames across multiple platforms before your new business has even launched. Tip: Namechk lets you quickly figure out if a name is available across different domains and social media platforms. 

Use consistent branding everywhere. 

Aim for as much brand uniformity as possible everywhere that your business is present online. Use the same profile pictures, colors, fonts, image styles, etc. If you’re doing offline marketing, like flyers or business cards, your online branding should be consistent with that. An easy starting point is to lock in your brand color guide. Find a set of colors that reflect your business. Coolors is a free tool for generating color schemes.

Invest in design. 

Visuals matter more than ever. If you’re not artistically inclined, hiring a designer can do wonders to give your online presence a professional boost.

If you’re just starting out and have minimal budget, sites like Fiverr or 99Designs can connect you with designers in your price range. If you can afford local market rates, look for designers in your area, especially if you have an arts or design school nearby!

Start off with something small, like images for your website or social media, to get a feel for the relationship. Once you’ve found a designer that you’re comfortable working with, start exploring bigger projects, like branding or site (re)design. (Have zero budget to work with? Canva is a great DIY tool for putting simple visuals together.)

Invest in photography. 

The need for strong visuals carries over to photography. Poorly-lit, low-resolution snapshots are good for authenticity on social media, but you still need crisp, professional imagery for other purposes. If you’re putting photos of yourself, your team, your workplace, or your customers on the web, take photos specifically for that purpose. Smartphone cameras have come a long way, so if you prefer to go the DIY route, read some introductory tutorials so you understand the basics of lighting and composition.

Use simple, clean templates and layouts for your website. 

Too much visual clutter distracts and overwhelms. A simple website layout, combined with strong design (fonts, colors, branding) and strong visuals (images, photographs) works wonders. Plenty of margin and whitespace between elements lets the page “breathe” and makes it easier for site visitors to skim over your content. Speaking of content…

Use your website to answer questions before they’re asked. 

When someone hits a website for the first time, they start judging it very quickly, taking everything in at once, trying to determine if the site is relevant to them. When you review the content on your site, put yourself in the shoes of someone who doesn’t know a thing about your business, and think of the questions they might ask.

How do you introduce yourself? How do you prove that you know what you’re talking about? What are the benefits of the things you’re trying to sell – why should the visitor care? Why should they trust you? What are others saying about the products you sell, or the services you provide? What about other FAQs, like return policies, or customer support? Use those questions to guide your site’s content.

Collect email addresses. 

An email mailing list is one of the greatest assets you can develop through your website. And you can segment the list based on your relationship with the person.

Are they someone who follows you on social but hasn’t bought yet? Are they a customer? Are they a loyal customer who’s repeatedly bought from you? Maybe they’re an influencer with an audience of their own?

You can send out highly relevant, targeted messaging that’s unique to each segment. And the more targeted and relevant your messaging is, the more effective it will be. We’ve got a bunch of tips on email marketing in the GoDaddy blog. 

Measure everything. 

Sign up for Google Analytics. Google Analytics will give you visibility into where visitors are coming from, and what visitors are doing once they’re on your site. This guide walks you through the process, including setting up goal funnels. Review your Analytics reports at least once a month, alongside your email mail list reports and other reports, to inform your planning.

We’ve incorporated all of these top tips into the new GoDaddy GoCentral website builder.  It includes clean layouts you can customize for your business; a library of beautiful photographs to pull images from; support for a wide range of content types; integration with GoDaddy Email Marketing to build your email list; and support for Google Analytics to monitor website usage.

About the Author: Andy McIlwain is a member of the GoDaddy blog team looking after content & resources for web designers and developers. You can connect with Andy on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and his personal blog.

This story was originally published on April 30, 2017, and has since been updated.

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6 "Shoulds" to Abandon Right Now

Photo: Anna Shvets for Pexels

The shoulds. Whether you realize it or not, they’re holding you down and requiring you to keep up in a way that steers off your own track. 

In fact, Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous counsel, “When you adopt the standards and the values of someone else… you surrender your own integrity,” is a fancy way of saying, drop the shoulds. Those rules by which everyone else is living. They are crazy-making. 

There is no straight shot, one path, one-size-fits-all on the career climb. If you’re trying to keep up with a “perfect” ghost, it’s time to let that go and get in the right mindset for business success. So here are six shoulds we *suggest* you drop now. 

Should have known better

Every entrepreneur will tell you about the mistakes they've made and how they were an integral part of the learning and growing process. The mistakes are there to help you learn.

No matter how many mistakes you make, you are ahead of everyone who isn't trying. 

Maybe you hired a friend, sent a slightly too aggressive email, stood your ground when it was time to bite your tongue. You live, you learn, and you adjust. You can't know better without knowing first. 

Should be further in my career

This is a mindset that affects everyone in every decade of their life. We want a better title. A bigger office. A higher-paying salary. And late at night when we're staring at the ceiling thinking about the how, the why, the when of it all, it's because we're bogged down (and kept up) by the idea that we should have had X experience and X success at this point.   

But what are we really comparing our lot against? If it's personal goals where you've missed the mark, think of ways to proactively achieve them. IF however, you are comparing your career to a friend’s, stop and get some shut-eye instead. 

Truly achieving your goals, means your success will not look like anyone else's—that includes time frames. So you didn't write your masterpiece or make Forbes' 30 Under 30 list? 35 is as great a year as 25 to give it your all. 

Should have thought of that first 

Well, you didn't. Or maybe you did, and you didn't act on it. Them's the breaks. So whaddya say we blow off this kind of thinking? The best move you can make is another one (and another one) and stop dwelling on what you didn't do. 

Instead of allowing someone else's successful idea to get you down, use it as aspirational inspiration. Sit down and find your own passion. (That's another thing we've learned. You need to be obsessed with your own idea in order to make your company work.) 

Should have stuck your neck (or hand) out more 

There are opportunities that cross our paths multiple times a day. Sometimes we take advantage, and other times we shy away from the conversation or confrontation. 

Conference calls when we're silent. Board meetings when we let a colleague take credit for our idea. There are professional moments when it's smarter to take the quiet road (sometimes known as the high road). However, if there is a situation that's haunting you, use it as fire for the next round of opps. You can't change the past, but the future is all yours. 

Should have been a mom by now

Millennials are waiting longer to have kids than ever before. And that's a good thing. You don't need to follow anyone's womb agenda. Period. 

Should have been a cowboy 

Toby Keith has some life regrets. He should have been a cowboy. He should have learned to rope and ride, but the truth is you can still make hay while the sun is shining.  

The point is, it's never too late to be a cowboy or a cowgirl. All you need are the cojones to saddle up and ride right into your future.

This post was published on April 17, 2019, and has since been updated.

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What It Actually Means to “Find Your Passion”—and How to Start Acting On It Right Now

Photo: Smith House Photography

Oftentimes, we enter our first—or second, or third—jobs and are shocked to find that it doesn’t align with our values, skills, or passions. It’s almost as if we were sold “The Dream,” but ended up drowning in emails instead.

Of course, there are aspects of work that will never be enjoyable—like taxes or back-and-forth scheduling—but given that we spend over 90,000 hours at work across our lifetime, the majority of it should be fun. Interesting. Passion-driven.

Sadly, this isn’t the case for most of us. Over 80% of Americans today say that they are not passionate about their job. So, if you feel like you’re the only one who is confused or frustrated by the lack of passion for your career, you’re not alone.

But, it is possible to do something you love without sacrificing your values, skills, or sanity. Trust me, as a career confidence and conscious decision-making coach, I’ve helped dozens of humans align their passion and purpose into a long-lasting career.

Here are five things you can do right now to get started on that journey.

Look back to your childhood days

Our passion isn’t something that we need to “discover.” Oftentimes, the things we loved doing as a kid are directly aligned with activities that still bring us joy. We’ve just been forced into a certain career or lifestyle because of society’s rules about what we’re “supposed” to do as adults.

So, spend time looking back on your childhood hobbies. Ask yourself: What did I do just for fun? What activities was I really good at—even if I can’t picture it as a career right now?

Reflect on what you can’t stop doing *right now*

Take a step back from your current day-to-day and think about the moments that bring you joy. That you do without anyone forcing you to complete them. That de-stress you or simply make you feel really good.

They can range from giving advice to a friend, or doing watercolor painting. Again, don’t worry about how you can create a business from them just yet.

Give yourself one minute to write down as many ideas as you can be based on your gut feeling. Then, fill in any gaps that you may have missed.

Spend time connecting the dots

Now, it’s time to bring that strategic thinking into play. Spend some time alone, reviewing your two pieces of “homework” from earlier. Become a trend spotter: What similarities are there between your childhood self, and the version of you who is free and uninhibited?

Oftentimes, our truest self comes out when we’re in a childlike state, or have no other purpose than simply having fun. Although “finding” your passion may have seemed overwhelming before, it’s clear that your passion resides somewhere deep inside of you, you just need to listen a little more.

Spend time asking yourself: How can I inject more of this into my career and daily life? If you love connecting deeply with others, assess if your current role allows you to do that often. If you love painting but can never imagine yourself becoming an “artist,” are there ways that you can support others in that space?

Get an accountability partner

Changing your life is downright difficult! It’s okay—and important—to admit that making these changes is hard to do on your own.

Take some time to figure out your best course of action. Is it finding a friend in a similar position and having weekly calls to hold each other accountable? Is it joining a mastermind group? Is it investing in yourself and hiring a coach?

Be honest with yourself and assess what is most realistic for you right now. Most importantly, don’t feel ashamed that this is something you need extra help with.

Take your first step, no matter how small

One of the most difficult parts about discovering our passion isn’t the journey of finding it, it’s doing something about it. This is often where our fear and limiting beliefs come into play. We believe that we don’t have the right skills or enough experience. Imposter syndrome hits us real hard.

Take this as your sign that no matter where you are right now—you are enough to get started. Create a plan to take that first step, no matter how small, towards living in your purpose. Whether it’s writing your first blog post or creating a shop on Etsy, trust yourself.

You’ve got this!

This post was originally published on June 8, 2019, and has since been updated.

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