C&C Classifieds: Patreon, TikTok, Habitat For Humanity, & More!

Hey, remote job seekers! Check out these new digital gigs from Habitat For Humanity, Maesa, Wikimedia, & more

FEATURED JOBS

Communications Manager, Habitat For Humanity International- Remote

Brand Marketing Manager, Patreon- San Francisco, CA

Account Manager, TikTok- Austin, TX

Email Specialist, Namecheap- Remote

Marketing Coordinator , Wix- New York, NY

Social Media Manager , SmartyPants Vitamins- Marina del Rey, CA

LOS ANGELES   

Social Media Manager, The Workshop LA

Senior Manager, CRM, FabFitFun

Trade Promotion Analyst , Califia Farms

Marketing Associate, FIJI Water

Associate Brand Manager, The Honest Company

Content Operations Manager, Wondery

NEW YORK CITY

Amazon Ecommerce Manager, TULA Skincare

Content Marketing Specialist, BBC

Brand Marketing Manager, Corkyy

Influencer Relations Manager, BoxyCharm

Sr. Manager, Sales Development , bareMinerals

Digital Designer , Away

REMOTE

Sr. Copywriter, Wikimedia Foundation

Sr. Manager, Communications, Thorn

Sr. Finance Manager , Very

Key Account Manager, Maesa

Key Account Manager, Kombrewcha

Brand Strategist, Cupshe

#SmallBusinessBigInfluence: A Live Discussion on How to Support Small Businesses During COVID-19

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: Smith House Photography

It’s safe to say COVID-19 has upended our lives in every possible way. Socially, emotionally, physically, and certainly financially. In times of crisis, businesses are put to the test—supply chains are disrupted and profit margins are compromised. But if there’s one industry that has been impacted the most, it’s small business—and they need our help more than ever right now. 

The Shelter at Home policy has seen all our favorite restaurants, fitness studios, salons, and boutiques close shop across the country. These businesses are the backbone of our country, and we need to support them the best way we can. In times of great uncertainty, success comes down to how you pivot and respond—and now is the time to be swift, not reactive.

For some #realtalk on how to pivot in a crisis, lead with purpose, and promote small business through big influence during these challenging times, we asked three powerhouse female founders—Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted, Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What, and Amber Fillerup, founder of Barefoot Blonde—to join our founder and CEO Jaclyn Johnson for a special roundtable discussion (via Zoom, of course) on the state of the industry and how we can support it. 

Scroll on for some highlights from the conversation and be sure to follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram to find out how to join our next roundtable discussion. If you want to join the movement and support small businesses right now, please visit @SmallBusinessBigInfluence on Instagram.

Jaclyn Johnson, Founder and CEO, Create & Cultivate Deepica Mutyala, Founder and CEO, Live Tinted Danielle Bernstein, Entrepreneur and Founder, WeWoreWhat Amber Fillerup Clark, Founder of Barefoot Blonde

On accept and establishing a new normal…

“I think the toughest part is creating that sense of culture when you’re not together.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“I didn’t realize how much we accomplished in in-person meetings” – Amber Fillerup, founder of Barefoot Blonde

“Having a morning routine and treating it like normal has been the only way to create a normal.” – Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“I keep telling myself that we are all human and that’s the number one thing that matters right now.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

On embracing authenticity on social media…

“Now more than ever, people just want to see human.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“I’ve tried to have the right balance of content that can distract with content that can educate with content that is actually helpful and useful.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

“It’s been an opportunity for us to do weekly newsletters where we profile people from the community who are doing heroic things.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted 

On leaning into charitable contributions…

“Everything has meaning behind it and I want my followers to feel better about their purchases and feel like they are really going to help someone.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

“No matter how much I do, no matter how many people I’m helping right now, I’m still getting hate thrown my way.”— Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

“Every sponsorship I have coming up I’m asking them if we can donate to a charity in need.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

On pivoting during this unprecedented pandemic…

“We’re sold out of two shades and can’t get that back in stock, so its forcing us to get really creative, and something we’ve always wanted to do is merch and there are manufacturers in LA that are still working.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“At C&C, our whole business is events, so were thinking how can we bring things online.” — Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate

“Social media views and engagement have increased by over 30% in the last two weeks. Everyone is spending a lot more time on digital and social media.” — Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate

“More than ever, it’s a great time to work with influencers, you just have to be sensitive to what’s going on in our current landscape.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

On putting your employees first…

“I’m trying to feel out my employees because this is really taxing on our mental health, too, and I don’t want to push my employees too much. So, were being really sensitive and taking things slow.” — Amber Fillerup, founder of Barefoot Blonde

“Every morning, we get on a FaceTime call and have our coffee and do a morning ritual where we do our rose and thorn for the week.” — Danielle Bernstein, entrepreneur and founder of We Wore What

“Transparency has been key for us.” — Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted

“I think there is solace in the fact that its everyone and it’s not industry-specific.” — Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate

MORE ON THE BLOG

Ask an Expert: How to Design a Work-From-Home Space That Boosts Productivity

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 Ariel Kaye

Not to state the obvious, but the lines between work-life and home-life have been blurred beyond distinction. Now that we’re all sheltering in place and working from home in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, it’s harder than ever to separate our work lives from our personal lives and, #realtalk, we’re all just trying to make it work.

For tips on creating a work-from-home space that boosts productivity, we virtually sat down with Ariel Kaye, the founder and CEO of Parachute, for our Ask an Expert Instagram Live series. Not only is Kaye at the helm of a cult-favorite home brand, but she also lives in an 800-square-foot bungalow with her husband and 14-month-old-daughter (!), so it’s safe to say she knows a thing or two about maximizing space.

Keep scrolling for three key takeaways from our conversation, as told to Create & Cultivate by Kaye, and be sure to follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram to catch the next installment of our Ask an Expert series.

Set Up a Workspace That’s Easy to Walk Away From

Right now, more than anything, set up a work area that easy to step away from to maintain your mental health. I like to take my calls from my bedroom or outside in the yard, and I answer emails from the dining table, and I review content from the couch.

Then, at the end of the day, I like to take a beat by closing my computer and setting down my phone. It’s really about that distinction and having boundaries that establish your work zone and your home zone, which can be difficult now that we’re in the same space.

Clear Clutter to Minimize Distractions

I need a clutter-free space to be productive, so I have a basket with headphones, pens, and everything else I need to have within reach, and then I put away things that I know I won’t be using for a while to clear clutter. Every morning, I’ll fluff the pillows, wipe down surfaces, and clear clutter to get my space ready for the day.

Liven Things Up to Keep Your Space Feeling Fresh

I’m a big believer in grabbing fresh bouquets of flowers at the market every week to keep the house looking and feeling lively and beautiful. If you’re not going to the farmer’s market or grocery store right now, consider picking things that are already overgrown in your neighborhood, like branches of bougainvillea, for example.

I’ve also been shopping my own home and moving things from one room to the next to keep things fresh. I recently moved a piece of art from my bedroom to the living room and it’s changed the whole space. I also love candles. Burning a candle is one of the things I do to transition from day to night at the end of the workday. 

I try to remember that we’re all just trying our best and i have to tell myself every day to be kind to myself.

About the Expert: Ariel Kaye is the founder and CEO of Parachute. While it began in Los Angeles in 2014 as a digitally native brand, Parachute has since expanded beyond its roots—premium-quality artisanal bedding—to include essentials for every room in the home. In the last six years, Ariel has evolved Parachute into a beloved home lifestyle brand with numerous brick-and-mortar locations across the country. Under Ariel's leadership, the brand also launched a hospitality collection, created in partnership with the U.S.'s top hoteliers and interior designers. Ariel’s first book, “How to Make a House a Home,” will be released on April 14, 2020. She currently resides with her family in Venice Beach, California.

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!

Ask an Expert: How to Be Innovative as a Small Business Right Now and Remain Profitable

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 Trinity Mouzon Wofford

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our Ask an Expert series, it’s that innovating will be crucial for small businesses to come out of the COVID-19 crisis stronger than ever. “Pivot,” “shift,” and “adapt” are buzzwords that have popped up in nearly every conversation we’ve had with founders in nearly every industry, ranging from events to skincare to fitness.

Naturally, we could think of no one better to speak to the topic of innovation than Trinity Mouzon Wofford, the youngest black woman to ever launch a line at Sephora and a Forbes 2020 30 Under 30 honoree. Keep scrolling to read a few highlights from our conversation with the forward-thinking co-founder and CEO behind the wellness-meets-skincare brand Golde, as told by Wofford to Create & Cultivate.

Check-In With Your Community

If you’re wondering how to talk to people right now about your business, ask your community. Instead of racking your brain trying to figure out what’s appropriate, ask them. It all comes back to thinking about your community and what they’re looking for from you right now.

Does your product or your service provide value for people right now? At Golde, we’ve found that our products provide a lot of value and service to people who want to practice wellness at home right now. What is it you’re selling and does it resonate with what people are going through right now?

Prioritize Word-of-Mouth Product Recommendations

No one wants to be sold to right now. More than ever, those micro-influencer relationships, those one to one product recommendations that are coming from friend to friend, are what’s resonating with people right now.

Lean Into Digital to Acquire (and Retain) New Customers

If you’re seeing increased traffic to your site and increased conversion rates, this is an opportunity to develop an acquisition strategy that brings people into your retention strategy.

We’re shopping online way more than we were before, and although consumer patterns have shifted due to a temporary situation, these shifts may last longer than the crisis, if not permanently.

Again, it comes down to having honest conversations with your community and what they want from you. You have to figure out what your voice is and what your opinion is and couple that with who’s listening and what they want to hear from you.

About the Expert: Trinity Mouzon Wofford was raised in New York's Hudson Valley by a single mom with an autoimmune disease. When she was a teenager, her mom started seeing a holistically-minded physician and saw an incredible improvement in her symptoms, which inspired Wofford to study pre-med at NYU. When Wofford’s mom had to stop seeing her doctor because she couldn't afford it, Wofford abandoned her plans for med school, frustrated by the lack of accessibility to holistic care, and fell into a marketing career in New York. She absolutely loved it, but she knew she wanted to come back to wellness somehow. That's the mindset Golde was born from in 2017.

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!

Ask an Expert: How to Elevate Your Brand, Strategize, and Execute in These Strange Days

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: bongkarn thanyakij for Pexels

Marketing can be confusing, but even when it feels like the sky is falling, it is not a dirty word and, in fact, often makes the difference between a three- or a six-month uphill battle to recovery.

Trust me, I know a lot about both marketing and dirty words! And if the recession in 2008 showed us anything, it’s that now is the time to amp up your digital marketing spend. At Elevate My Brand, our creative experts are good as hell in all the many and multifaceted elements of marketing that support your business’ visibility, awareness and sales. 

Ahead, I’m breaking it down in two broad categories: digital and experiential. While these two forms of marketing may sound like they’re on opposite sides of the spectrum, they are integral to brand success (yes, even now!). They amplify each other’s effectiveness, so it is crucial that there’s synergy between the two. Enter, the mind map!

So, what is a mind map session?

Strategy is extremely valuable because of what is discovered in the planning process. It uncovers truths, areas of opportunities, blind spots and outlines the answers to necessary questions about audiences, goals, and budgets. This session is the starting point on any brand journey. It’s an opportunity to play, visualize and map out a strategic go-forward plan. Here’s what this could look like for you.

Digital Marketing

How do your customers find you online? This includes everything from your website and your social channels to your email marketing campaigns. We live in a digital world where people can access information fast and on every possible platform. Plus, people are more digitally literate and brand-minded than ever before, which is why brand consistency across all platforms can increase company revenue by 23%. Your digital footprint is a critical starting point. See if you can map it out like this for your brand.

Now, let’s break it down.

Your website

Let’s be clear. It’s 2020, so there is no excuse for a sub-par website. A website is basically a digital brochure of your brand. It’s your online headquarters. Making sure your website represents your brand through visual storytelling and quality content is critical. It’s often the first and only impression you make with a potential client, so make sure that you spend the time and money to create a stunning, interesting, information-rich and user-focused platform for your company. Think through the most important marketing elements of your site, such as forms, e-commerce API, mailing and database integrations, etc., to make the most of your customers’ online experience.

Your social media presence

Social media can be a great brand-building tool for your business if you use it the right way, especially right now where people are bored and looking to engage more than ever before. In your mind map session, make sure you’re outlining the social media platforms that will provide the most impact for your brand category and ones that you will be able to maintain activity on.

There’s nothing worse than seeing a brand social page whose content is spotty or non-existence. That doesn’t build brand loyalty and trust. If business development is your priority, consider LinkedIn or Twitter; product development or customer research, consider Twitter or Reddit; sales and UGC, consider Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest; and for general education or content, consider Facebook. Your social network of choice matters. Develop a social media strategy that aligns with your business plan and KPIs. What are the general goals for your quarter, your year? Don’t try to be everything to everyone.

In developing your social media strategy, it’s important that you stay updated on current news and trends. There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has caused several businesses to alter their social media strategy. You probably won’t be posting the same content, but that doesn’t mean you should lay off on posting all together. In fact, social media content is more important now than ever, with engagement up nearly 30%!

During times like these, your social media content is probably going to be less about showing your product, and more about showing your values. How is your company remaining positive and helping the community during COVID-19? Showcasing your values and how you treat your employees will help build brand loyalty and potentially put you ahead of your competitors when budgets open back up. 

Your advertising strategy

Once you’ve developed a plan on your social network(s) of choice, it’s time to carve out a social ad budget and create some campaigns. Sadly, organic social alone won’t grow your audience or build brand recognition these days. You absolutely need ads to reach more eyeballs and increase your follower count.

In a mind map session, we guide potential clients in choosing the right ad platforms, whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or even TikTok. You may think that advertising during the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t the best idea, but it’s actually the perfect time. Think about it: with other advertisers and competitors pulling out their ad spend, you have more opportunity than ever to grow your market share and rise to the top at a lower CPC, that’s a huge potential win.

Social isn’t the only ads platform. There’s also Google, have you heard of them? Whether you like it or not, Google Ads are a necessity. Recent updates to Google Ads’ algorithms have made it so that, if you want to be on the first page of a search engine results page (SERP), you have no choice but to pay to play. At a minimum, you need constantly running, highly targeted search ads to increase your SEO.

Your content development

Content is queen! Many people are surprised to hear that you should be posting content at least twice a week, which translates to 104 pieces of content for the year. How will you come up with this content? Our secret sauce, and something you can definitely execute while in quarantine, is a once-quarterly session where we spend one whole day to create content for three months or about 26 pieces. And rather than writing blog posts, we record vlog posts.

Why? Because YouTube is the #2 search engine after Google. In other words, video content with written transcriptions play nicely with the top two engines. The best part about content development? It’s low-risk and high-reward. You can set up some lighting and a good camera and record great content on the fly. Right now, while businesses are coping with COVID-19, is the perfect time to fill out your content reservoir. In our mind map sessions, we share with you some ways to create content “pillars” and build out a strategy from there.

Experiential Marketing

Whereas digital is the online experience of your brand, experiential is the offline experience. This includes events such as pop-ups, product launches, activations, trade shows, conferences, and even field marketing efforts. When planning and hosting events, it’s wise to use a little bit of your budget to bring on a photographer and a videographer so you can tie the experiential to the digital side as well.

A recent event series we did with the fabulous Tamara Mellon is a great example of how the two work synergistically. We partnered with the luxury shoe brand to create, fabricate and execute an event concept for the Create & Cultivate conferences. While we worked hard to fabricate their event, we also worked on the digital side to execute a hashtag that was unique to the event. It was #FlashYourMellons. It was a little salacious, and the brand wasn’t sure about it at first, but on the first day of the conference, Tamara Mellon got more social engagement through that hashtag than in the entire history of the brand! 

Obviously, in-person experiential marketing is temporarily on hold thanks to COVID-19. But that doesn’t mean all experiential is on hold. Convert, don’t cancel. If you can, convert in-person events to digital hangouts. Rather than reveal a new product in-store, go live on social. In just one week, Facebook and Instagram Live views doubled. Use this bizarre time to build brand loyalists by converting your events rather than canceling, and creating even more intimate and engaging moments online.

Right now, Elevate My Brand is offering complimentary strategy sessions to any brands in need. Shoot them an email at info@elevatemybrand.com or ping them on Instagram or Facebook. 

About the Expert: Laurel Mintz, J.D., M.B.A. is the CEO and founder of award-winning, Los Angeles-based digital marketing agency Elevate My Brand. Laurel’s gift is connecting with people and their stories. After all, companies are made up of people, and stories are just narratives that are the foundation of great marketing. Laurel’s energy has been the driving force behind the agency’s growth since it launched in 2009. Her awards include the 2017 Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovation Award, the 2016 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Company award, the Los Angeles Business Journal 2016 Women In Business Award, and more. 

Thinking of Turning Your Hobby Into a Business? Read This First

Photo: Anna Shvets for Pexels

Many people have hobbies they believe could be successful business ventures. Dreaming big is great, but sometimes we have to be practical. Starting a business is harder than it seems and requires lots of planning and risk-taking. Lots.

Unfortunately, no matter what products you create or services you can offer, you can’t predict the future. Before turning your hobby into a business, it’s important to sit down and think about all of the things that go into creating a successful company.

Here are a few things to consider before starting your own business…

Funding

Before you begin your business, you have to think about how you’re going to fund it. While you may not need lots of money right away, you need to be prepared for growth and potential emergencies. Whether you have investors or you’ve saved your own money, you’ll need to have funds readily available for anytime you may need it.

You can keep your day job in the beginning. This will ensure you have something to fall back on should your endeavor not pan out as you had expected.

Motivation

You have to be able to take the initiative and keep yourself motivated every single day if you’re going to turn your hobby into a business. Expect daily work and long hours—building a brand is hard work.

You’ll also have to learn the ins and outs of business—from account management to marketing initiatives. If you’re starting with less funding, you’ll need to teach yourself all of these different aspects. You might even consider taking a business course at your local college to get started.

If you can afford to hire a professional team, first hire people who can help you with marketing. Then, hire people to help you with whatever your weak spots may be or the areas where you have the least experience.

Branding

Your brand is what will make your products stand out from the crowd. Who you are is important to the public. It’s what helps them decide whether or not to work with you and buy your products. This is where your company mission is important. It shares your goals and values with prospective customers and employees.

Branding is also what helps people recognize and remember you. The images and designs you use on your products, website, business cards, and other marketing materials will make people recognize your brand. Be consistent in designing your website, marketing collateral, and other representations of your brand.

Networking

It’s important to network and meet people in your industry. These people will help you strengthen and expand your business.

While networking, you can find public relations contacts and media professionals to help market your business and manufacturers who can help you develop your products for less. You can also meet buyers face-to-face, which is always an advantage for fostering new wholesale relationships.

Networking takes communication skills, so it’s important to work on getting comfortable with public speaking and to learn how to talk to other professionals. If you’re initially uncomfortable in social situations, don’t worry. It gets easier. The more experience you have, the sooner you’ll develop these skills.

Professional Support

You’ll probably be working alone when you launch. However, as you expand and start to make a profit, it will be time to hire professionals like lawyers and accountants to help keep your business afloat.

Your attorney will be one of your most important resources in business. Your lawyer will help with trademarks, contracts, copyrights, incorporating your business, and more.

An accountant will also be vital, especially when tax season comes around. Your accountant can help you save money with exemptions and make sure all of your accounts are up to speed. He or she can also provide solutions should any financial issues arise.

Patience and Commitment

You have to be committed and patient to sustain a successful business. You can no longer treat your new business like a hobby- you have to work every day. Once you’ve launched, you’ll be working on this business full time, every day… for years. You have to be excited, prepared, and completely devoted to find success.

That said, we’re human! It’s normal to get frustrated sometimes when you’re running your own business. Stay level-headed when issues arise and remember success doesn’t happen overnight.

About the Author: Syama Meagher is a CEO and retail strategist who works with startup, growth stage, and enterprise retail businesses. The Scaling Retail founder has worked for Gucci, Barneys New York, Macy’s and more. For more information, visit Scaling Retail or email hello@scalingretail.com.

This post was originally published on May 18, 2019, and has since been updated.

MORE ON THE BLOG

"How Should I Handle This Crisis?"—What to Do When It's NOT Business as Usual

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: Polina Zimmerman for Pexels

It’s safe to say that nothing feels normal right now. In the infamous words of Ross Geller, it’s time to “pivot” in both our personal and professional lives. As part of our Ask an Expert Instagram Live series, we’ve tapped some amazing women—spanning CEOs, lawyers, fitness instructors, and more—to help ease the transition for us all.

If you missed their conversations live, don’t worry. It’s not too late to catch them all on C&C’s IGTV. Below, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite segments for you to watch (or rewatch!). Spanning a conversation with a lawyer about force majeure clauses to a chat with a small biz owner on how to unite a remote team, there’s something on this list for everyone.

We’re all spending the better part of our days on Instagram, so we might as well spend that time learning something, right? Scroll on to get started.

“Have the difficult conversations—don’t avoid them.”

—Jamie Lieberman, attorney and founder of Hashtag Legal

If You Want To... understand what COVID-19 means for your contracts.

Watch... How to Review a Contract for a Force Majeure Clause (and What to Do If You Don’t Have One)

What You'll Take Away... Most of us ignore the force majeure clause in our contracts, but they are super important in a time like this. Jamie Lieberman, attorney and founder of Hashtag Legal, talks us through what it means when it is impossible to carry out contracts in place. Can I cancel? Can I postpone? Do I have to give my client their money back? Jamie is here to answer all these questions and more. If you’re not exactly Elle Woods and you need a little legal advice, this is a must watch!

“Fear is something that you have to embrace as an entrepreneur.”

—Cyndi Ramirez, founder and CEO, Chillhouse

If You Want To... chill out!

Watch... How to Stay Chill During a Stressful Time

What You'll Take Away... It is stressful to be a business owner right now. Cyndi Ramirez, the founder and CEO of Chillhouse, walks us through the ways that COVID-19 has effected her business and how her self care centric business is staying afloat. Cyndi is #relatable for anyone struggling to find their place in the middle of a crisis. Watch to see the ways she is pivoting, embracing fear, and supporting businesses doing the right thing.

“Regardless of how talented you are, if someone can’t look at your resume and see how you’d be a good fit for the role, your resume is not going to be effective.”

—Michelle Lando, certified professional resume writer, personal branding expert, and founder of Write Styles

If You Want To... spend your downtime updating your resume.

Watch... How to Update Your Resume and Find a Job When You've Been Laid Off

What You'll Take Away... If you’ve been laid off, there are still things you can be doing to make yourself hirable. Michelle Lando, a certified professional resume writer, personal branding expert, and the founder of Write Styles, joins us to share all the ways you can be using your time off to expand your resume and find a job. Michelle recommends using this time to learn new software, get new certifications, take on small projects to show off your skills, and tailor your resume to your dream job. Take a look at all the tips on how to make the most of your time off.

“Know that, when you are feeling anxious, the anxiety will end. It’s okay to be uncomfortable right now.”

—Lo Bosworth, founder & CEO, Love Wellness

If You Want To... ditch your anxiety.

Watch... How to Take Care of Yourself and Reduce Anxiety

What You'll Take Away... Anxiety is at an all-time high right now as we face an unprecedented change in our lives, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do about it. Lo Bosworth, the founder and CEO of Love Wellness, walks us through her best self-care tips and ways to calm anxiety. Lo recommends sticking to a schedule, meditating, moving your body, and, above all, leaning into the anxiety and acknowledging and accepting your feelings. “Don’t be afraid to help yourself,” by watching for more tips from this wellness expert!

“What I would encourage you all to be thinking about, more than thinking about growth right now, is sustainability.”

—Gretchen Jones, strategic business advisor and keynote speaker

If You Want To... carry your business through this crisis.

Watch... How to Understand the Needs of Your Business During a Crisis

What You'll Take Away... This is anything but business as usual, but we aren’t throwing our goals out the window. We hear from Create & Cultivate founder and CEO Jaclyn Johnson’s business coach, Gretchen Jones on how we can adjust our business strategies in this crazy time. She talks through lay-offs, sustaining your business, budgeting, and being a good virtual boss. If you’re trying to keep your business afloat and adjusting to a new economic reality, DO NOT skip this must-watch IG Live.

“Think back to when fun was your number one boss, your number one motivation.”

—Grace Harry, joy strategist

If You Want To... find joy in isolation!

Watch... How to Discover Joy in Turbulent Times

What You'll Take Away... It may feel like the world is lacking joy, but that is far from the truth. While joy may not look the way it used to, Grace Harry, a joy strategist, joins us to share all the ways you can find joy while stuck inside. Whether you want to shake out the “sillys,” think back to your favorite childhood activities, or turn your house into an adult playground, joy is everywhere. Time to tap into the collective experience we are all having and bring on the joy!

“If necessity is the mother of invention, then COVID-19 is the mother of creativity.”

—Cindy Eckert, founder & CEO, The Pink Ceiling

If You Want To... use downtime as dream-time.

Watch... How to Be Innovative in a Time of Isolation

What You'll Take Away... We’re stuck at home, and as tempting as Netflix may be, we are using our downtime to dream big! Cindy Eckert, the founder and CEO of The Pink Ceiling, is sharing her tips for getting innovative. Whether you’re problem-solving for your business or trying to develop your skills, an hour a day of “creative time” is the number thing Cindy recommends for isolation time. Make time for yourself, your ideas, and to watch this video!

“Let’s get our bodies moving, let’s feel good together.”

—Megan Roup, celebrity trainer & founder of The Sculpt Society

If You Want To... have a lunch break sweat sesh from your living room.

Watch... 30-Minute Live Stretch and Sculpt Session with Megan Roup

What You'll Take Away... Fitness is more important than ever these days. Not just because we can’t stop snacking, but because movement is self-care. Megan Roup, a celebrity trainer and the founder of The Sculpt Society, brings us a quick work out that everyone can do from home. Put the computer down for 30 minutes and refresh your mind and body.

“Make sure you’re giving your audience and customers only what they want.”

—Vanessa Lee, cosmetic nurse, skincare specialist, and founder of The Things We Do

If You Want To... make use of digital and master the pivot.

Watch... How to Jump on Digital Even If Your Business Isn't Online

What You'll Take Away... Pivot is THE hot topic for business owners right now. Businesses everywhere are trying to figure out how to stay connected and make money as our routines have shifted. Vanessa Lee, a cosmetic nurse, skincare specialist, and the founder of The Things We Do, is sharing her quick shift to digital and tips on how to make it all work. Its time to get creative people! Whether it’s online consults, extra social media content, or offering new services, the pivot is essential.

“Being positive and optimistic yourself is really important. You set the bar. Even if you are freaking the eff out on the inside, you need to be as cool, calm, and collected as you can for your team.”

—Sonja Rasula, founder, Unique Markets

If You Want To... connect with your team and be the leader they deserve.

Watch... How to Unite a Remote Team

What You'll Take Away... Isolation can be really, well, isolating. But socializing at work and feeling like a part of the team is essential to WFH productivity. Sonja Rasula, Founder, Unique Markets, shares her tricks for staying connected and spreading positivity in our new digital workplace. It’s time to start a Slack channel for water-cooler talk, remind your employees that you too are a human, and avoid freaking the eff out!

“Use your values to determine what expenses are important, protect your company culture, and trim where you can without hurting your core business.”

—Sallie Krawcheck, CEO & co-founder, Ellevest

If You Want To… be wise with your $.

Watch… How to Make Smart Money Moves During COVID-19

What You’ll Take Away… For small business owners, money matters are stressful on even the best days, but now the pressure is on more than ever. If you’re feeling paralyzed, Sallie Krawcheck, the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, is here to be your guide through this turbulent economy. Her first tip: control what you can control and stop thinking ‘what if?” Watch on as she breaks down budgeting, layoffs, and why you need to keep your eye on D.C. right now.

About The Author: Cassie White is an editorial intern at Create & Cultivate. She's a senior at Chapman University majoring in Marketing and minoring in Leadership. Cassie is from Denver, Colorado and is excited to be pursuing her passion for supporting women in business.

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!

“

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?!!!

Photo: Ekaterina Bolovtsova for Pexels

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

Photo: Vlada Karpovich for Pexels

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.  

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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