How This Relationship Expert Went from $100K in Debt to Building a 7-Figure Empire
“I bought into the lie that I had to grind my way to the top, teetering on burnout in the process.”
“Success isn’t about proving your worth, it’s about owning it.”
—Lucy Shahjahan, Founder of Soul to Soul Global and Author of “Don’t Sh*t In My Vortex”
When I was 31 years old, I barely recognized myself. From the outside, it looked like I had everything. The job, the apartment, the luxurious vacations, but—while I was counting down the days until my next blissful week on a tropical island—I felt like I was dying on the inside. I was stuck in a vicious cycle of dating toxic men, drinking too much, and relying on a week of vacation to revive my battered soul, when, in reality, once the shine wore off my vacation tan, I was lost.
Over the course of my entire life, I’d always been told that the secret to getting what I wanted—success, the perfect career, my soulmate—was toning my “too big” personality down. I felt like I needed to restrain myself to fit in a perfect little box, and I was miserable, exhausted, and attracting all of the wrong men in the process. No longer certain of who I was, I saw a picture of myself from a friend’s birthday party and knew right away that something needed to change. I couldn’t survive another ten years of forcing myself to be something I’m definitely not, so I went for it.
I packed my bags and left Sydney, Australia—putting 10,000 miles between myself and the life I no longer wanted—and threw myself into creating something new. I started with coaching events in New York City, charging $20 to $30 per person, and hustling hard to make things work. On top of working to pay the bills, I spent an average of 30 hours per week focusing on building my business—which was making less than $10,000 per year—but no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I pushed myself to hustle, it wasn’t working.
I bought into the lie that I had to grind my way to the top, teetering on burnout in the process, until I found myself $100,000 in debt even as I tried to do things the so-called “right” way. I wasn’t happy, and it wasn’t working.
It wasn’t until I realized that I could choose joy—enjoying the process and even prioritizing rest—and be just as successful, if not more so than I was when I was forcing myself to inhabit the diehard “girl boss” energy. I didn’t need to work that hard, and I didn’t need to please everyone. In fact, it was better when I narrowed my focus—concentrating on my strengths and my true talents in helping single, professional women attract the soulmate relationship they deserved—and trusted in my own self-worth.
I started experimenting with different pricing models and business structures, eschewing the traditional coaching strategy and worked with a business coach to design a group coaching structure that suited my energy and my goals. My business exploded, and within three months I was making six-figures. Eighteen months later, I broke my first million.
While my journey to success has been anything but linear, it has taught me a few valuable lessons—things I couldn’t have picked up anywhere else—that have helped me not only transform my own business but also the lives of the women I work with.
1. You don’t have to prove your worth.
Like so many other women entrepreneurs, I knew I was capable of big things, but I thought I had to push myself—and show my worth—in order to get there. I was trapped in a cycle of fighting and grinding for more that was really just a mask for my fear.
I was afraid I wasn’t enough. I needed another certification, another course, another degree, anything to get me to the point where I could prove that I was worth taking up space. When, in reality, my worth is inherent.
Because success isn’t about proving your worth, it’s about owning it. Own what you want, who you are, and what you’re capable of—and release the imposter syndrome holding you back—so you can step into the unapologetic version of yourself who is capable of so much more.
2. You can’t skip mindset.
I’ve seen so many people with higher degrees, allow mindset to become an afterthought. And I was one of them. I thought if I worked hard enough, if I had a strategy, if I just pushed myself then I would achieve all of my goals in record time.
Unfortunately, your strategy doesn’t matter if you don’t believe that you deserve to do well. For me, unlocking my mindset and doing the inner work was the key to my business’ success. It gave me the courage to step into my power and raise my prices, and it allowed me to stop playing small. Without that shift? I never would’ve made it this far.
3. You need to put yourself first.
As a relationship coach, I use an unconventional method to help my clients attract the soulmate relationship they desire: by learning how to make yourself your number one priority and becoming your own soulmate first. For years, I thought I needed to focus on my ideal partner or relationship. I was waiting for Mr. Right to show up and complete me when, in reality, by learning to embrace myself unapologetically, I complete myself.
You aren’t broken or lost. You have everything you need within you right now. It’s about committing to your mindset work and big visions every day, then becoming that version of you a little bit more every day, and celebrating your growth along the way. Because when you celebrate the little things, they become the big things.
Once you learn how to embody what you deserve, then I truly believe you can have it all: happiness, success, a beautiful soulmate relationship, whatever you want. Don’t be afraid to connect with who you are and what you want. As you build your own confidence, visualizing, and feeling the person you want to be, you’ll find yourself stepping into that reality. It’s about learning to ask yourself, “Who do I need to be right now to attract the life I want? What habits need to be created and kept?” It’s all about rigor, discipline, clarity, and that underbelly of passion fueling the way. It’s about embodying your magnificent essence fully and owning who you are.
Because you already deserve it but it’s not about saying you’re worthy, it’s about feeling that worthiness deep in your soul. It’s about giving yourself permission right now to own your full power unapologetically, embodying your sublime feminine energy, and accepting yourself on every level.
About the Author: Lucy Shahjahan is the founder of Soul to Soul Global and author of “Don’t Sh*t In My Vortex,” coming out on January 28, 2021. An expert on love and relationships, her passion is helping high-achieving single women embody their feminine power, connect with their true selves, and attract their soulmate relationship in the process—all in a matter of months. You can follow her on Instagram at @lucyshahjahan.
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I'd Never Met With a Self-Defense Expert Before—Here's What I Learned
Like any tool, competence increases confidence. The more you know about self-defense, the more likely you will be able to create a plan – and execute that plan.
Photo: @svklimkin from Unsplash
Feeling uneasy about someone trailing behind you on your walk home alone? Picking up weird vibes from a stranger on the subway? Many of us, unfortunately, can relate.
Global estimates published by the World Health Organization or WHO indicate that about 1 in 3 (35%) of women worldwide have experienced some sort of physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime.
The statistics can be frightening sometimes, but they all point to one fact: most women are not properly armed to defend themselves. That’s why we tapped Sara Morrell, Self-Defense Senior Trainer and Account Specialist at TASER Self-Defense, a division of AXON, to share some safety and self-defense tips to empower women with the information they need to defend themselves in a safe and effective manner.
According to Sara, “self-defense training can assist in increasing your options and help you prepare ways to de-escalate, or interrupt a possible attack. Like any tool, competence increases confidence, the more information you have, the more likely you will be able to create a plan and execute that plan.”
Read on for more safety and self-defense tips from Sara, so you to arm yourself with confidence – the ultimate self-defense tool.
“Like any tool, competence increases confidence, the more information you have, the more likely you will be able to create a plan and execute that plan.” ”
What are some of the most common misconceptions women have about self-defense?
Many women find self-defense intimidating or believe that you have to be fully trained John Wick style for it to make any difference in your day to day. Little steps taken toward protecting yourself and those you love all count! Good self defense courses help to prepare a person with overall awareness and verbal skills, not only hand to hand training. Feeling safe and building trust comes before learning.
What are your top three safety and self-defense tips for women?
1. Practice awareness. This is the easiest thing to put into practice. When you are out and about, keep your eyes up. Pay attention to your senses. As hard as it can be, try to make sure your phone is put away and you are aware of what is happening around you. If you have to return a call or text, try to keep your eyes up and be aware while doing so. Are you getting a “gut feeling?” Listen to your intuition!
2. Have a plan in place and practice that plan. If you are going to decide to carry a tool of some kind, train with that tool and have a plan for how you are going to carry it. Are you going to carry it in your purse? Will it be easily accessible? Practice how you will be able to remove it from the “holster” etc. so you can build some muscle memory and be able to do it under stress.
3. Practice verbal commands. Be loud! Practice commands that get the attention of others nearby to let them know you need help. For example : “Don’t hurt me!” “Back Up! Work on how you would paint a verbal picture for people nearby by explaining what is happening. I know this can feel silly or embarrassing, but it is really helpful to practice. Get together with a good friend, find a place you can get a little loud and go for it!
How can we empower women with the information they need to defend themselves in a safe and effective manner?
Self-defense training can assist in increasing your options and help you prepare ways to de-escalate, or interrupt a possible attack. Like any tool, competence increases confidence, the more information you have, the more likely you will be able to create a plan and execute that plan.
What are some tools and resources you can recommend to women who want to learn more and take self-defense into their own hands?
I am a big believer in less lethal options. I personally carry a TASER Pulse+. It can be effective from up to 15ft away by causing Neuro Muscular incapacitation (muscle lock up) on an attacker for 30 seconds, giving you a window to escape to safety. It also has the ability to contact first responders when the device is deployed. You can find out more about TASER products on their website.
I think Krav Maga is a great resource to help everyone feel more empowered when it comes to self defense. It is easy to get started and many beginner classes are available. The instructors are great in helping to teach you simple self defense skills you can implement that can be very effective. They teach you how to try and stop the attack and get to safety. I would recommend checking out Krav Maga to find a studio in your area.
There are also many self defense courses available from local law enforcement agencies or community colleges. I would recommend checking out your local law enforcement agency website to see if any events are available.
We have many TASER Civilian Instructors available as well that train not only on TASER energy weapons, but also basic self defense tactics. You can find one in your area here.
What advice can you share on summoning the confidence to be proactive about self-defense?
Don’t let the fear of the unknown stop you from moving forward. There are so many people out there that want to help you feel empowered and confident in your ability to do whatever you need to do to help keep you safe. With each small step forward you take, your confidence will continue to build.
What do we need to change about how we teach self-defense to women? Why? How are you helping push your industry forward?
Self Defense does not need to be a physical training situation. I think it would be helpful to have more female instructors. It is my opinion that all-woman classes tend to provide an easier atmosphere in which to discuss sensitive issues and help alleviate some of the anxiety some women can have in regards to feeling intimidated or uncomfortable in a training course. My goal is to provide encouragement to women to take the first steps to empowering themselves, however they feel comfortable doing so. The more we talk about it and raise awareness around how important it is to have a plan in place and be prepared, the better.
Why I Deleted "Sorry" From My Vocabulary
And why you should, too.
“Your message becomes direct, clear, and representative of your self-worth.”
-Kate Davis, Founder of Knockout
As business owners, we all want to project confidence through our interactions with vendors, contractors, clients, customers, and other business owners. I started my company at 25 years old with no business experience. In these past five years, I’ve worked with manufacturers, lawyers, consultants, and event organizers. Many of these people didn’t take me seriously because of my age, gender, or lack of industry knowledge. I couldn’t change who I was (nor did I want to), but I could adjust my language to present a stronger, more confident version of myself.
It’s become increasingly clear to me that language is powerful, and we have the ability to convey self-confidence through our word choices. In our digital world (even more so during a pandemic), our written communications are important opportunities to use purposeful language. Getting rid of the self-defeating “sorry” and “just” make a major difference in the way we are perceived.
Did you say or write “sorry” today when you didn’t do anything wrong? Look through some emails and texts, and you might be surprised how regularly “sorry” slips in. Once I started looking for it, I realized that I’d been saying “sorry” instinctively throughout my whole life. When I posted about this recently on Instagram, I couldn’t believe how many women said they also say it unnecessarily and often. Why do we do this?
Many women I talk with compulsively apologize when asking for something or making a reasonable request. To be clear, there are definitely moments when an apology is necessary, and we should say sorry when we make a mistake or hurt someone. We know how to identify when we should say “sorry”, so let’s talk about when we don’t need to say it—and more importantly—what we can say instead.
“Sorry to bother you, but could you send me that project proposal we talked about when you get a chance?”
This “sorry” is not necessary. It might feel aggressive to say “Could you send me that project proposal?”, but that’s what you need, right? If you want to soften it a bit, you can always add “please.” The point is, it’s not your fault that this person is late, and you have no reason to say sorry. Apologizing diminishes our message and perceived confidence.
A great substitute for “sorry” is “thank you”, which completely changes the tone of your exchange. The person you’re talking with will feel appreciated and will recognize the positive framing of the situation.
Let’s go through some examples of how to not say “sorry.”
If you’re asking a busy person for a meeting or if you’re looking for advice, rather than saying “sorry I’m bothering you”, try “thank you for taking the time to meet/talk with me”.
Your project got delayed because of an urgent assignment that came in, and you’re writing “Sorry this is taking so long” to your boss. They may need some explanation, but you can shift the language to “Thanks for your patience on this. The [time-sensitive assignment] set me back slightly. I’ll have this to you on Monday.”
A friend or co-worker listened to you vent during your lunch hour, and you want to text her, “Sorry I was talking so much today!” Try writing “Thank you for listening to me today! I appreciate your advice and patience.” This shows her that you value her time.
Now, while we’re at it, let’s talk about “just.”
I’m constantly on the lookout for the word “just.” I didn’t realize how much I used it until a loved one told me I use it all the time. We want to feel confident and be perceived as strong, right? This word does us no favors.
Listen closely for “just” because it is the death of a powerful statement. “Just” comes up in my emails constantly, and I try to delete it whenever it pops up. We use “just” so often that the actual meaning slips away.
“She just found that jacket in the closet”
“They just cooked the most delicious meal!”
These examples are correct because “just” indicates that something happened very recently.
Here’s where we need to delete “just:”
“I’m just checking in to see if you received my invoice.”
“I just have a few more questions.”
“I just thought I’d suggest…”
In all three examples, “just” makes the statement weaker. Once you start cutting out “just,” you’ll see faster responses to your emails (and responses to the ones that might never get answered). Your message becomes direct, clear, and representative of your self-worth.
Our strength is in our ability to navigate our daily lives with confidence and be unwavering in our sense of self. When we feel that strength, we radiate it, and others take note. Whether it’s our children seeing us as confident adults, co-workers who know we’re direct, vendors who realize we know what we want, or employers who see our strength, the way we’re seen is based on what we project.
Let’s delete those two undermining words and start sending some confident emails and texts!
About the author: Kate Davis believes personal safety should feel fun, rather than burdensome. Through her Knockout collection, Davis utilizes her background in Italian art and design to bring together daily wear with personal safety, marrying functionality with fashion and design. The collection is both stylish and sharp, featuring sleek, minimalist designs in both bold and neutral color options. With Knockout women can carry their personal safety as part of their daily style without having to compromise. More than just jewelry, Knockout is a community for women looking for camaraderie, encouragement, safety tips, and financial advice. Through Knockout, Davis wants to help women tap into their own power.
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How Diversity and Inclusion Drives Innovation, Retains Employees, and Attracts Top-Tier Talent
The importance of building a top-to-bottom business strategy, not just an HR program.
"It is good to be uncomfortable for the right reason. You can't make change if you're comfortable."
—Natalie Brown, Director of Corporate Citizenship at Ally
A lack of diversity has real costs. A recent study has shown that businesses with gender, ethnic, and racial diversity at the executive level are more likely to have above-average profitability and outperform the competition.
But diversity on its own is not enough. Inclusion is just as—if not more—important.
Research shows that employees who work with managers who foster an inclusive environment are 17% more likely to report that they are high-performing and 29% more likely to report behaving collaboratively.
Put simply, diverse and inclusive businesses drive more innovation, retain employees, attract top-tier talent, and hit many other metrics that lead to long-term, sustainable growth. But to be successful, diversity and inclusion has to be a top-to-bottom business strategy, not just an HR program.
At our recent Social Good Summit, Charli Penn, the lifestyle director at ESSENCE, hosted a thoughtful conversation on the topic with Natalie Brown, the Director of Corporate Citizenship at Ally, who has nearly a decade of experience in developing diverse recruiting strategies, implementing diversity-related executive programs, and putting D&I learning solutions into action.
On cultivating a truly inclusive company…
“Being an inclusive company means that you're celebrating the differences of all your employees and helping them to feel like they belong and have a stake in the company's mission and vision.”
“When you're really trying to be a truly inclusive company, you really have to walk the walk—and it's a marathon, not a sprint—on helping employees feel like they belong and feel like they have a stake in the game with you.”
On creating a sense of belonging…
“When employees feel like they belong, when there's inclusivity, and when there's diversity in thought and differences in experiences, employees become more productive because they have a stake in what you're doing.”
On having diversity in every room…
“When you have those voices in the room—at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom—you have diversity in the room that's coming from various perspectives.”
On listening to your employees…
“It's important for all companies to take a stake and listen to their employees to hear what they have to say. Let them be your consumer so that you are driving results according to the mission that you outlined for your company.”
On driving a culture of inclusion…
"When you think about the strength that comes into a company from the experiences—personal and professional—that your employees bring, that's really how you can drive a culture of inclusion and really start embarking on how you can make your company better.”
On including employees in the conversation…
"The first step is bringing in your employees, having conversations with them, figuring out how you can build this inclusive environment and what they're looking for as employees from you as an employer. What's important to them?"
On checking unconscious bias…
“We have to make sure our managers are trained on how to build an inclusive team and trained on implicit bias to make sure that they’re checking their biases.”
“We all have a bias. If you have a brain you have a bias. The thing I say all the time is, 'If you don't think you have a bias, then let me know if you like Popeyes or Chick-Fil-A.'"
On tapping into your diverse employees’ networks…
"You have to leverage the power of your diverse employees to help bring more diverse employees into your organization."
On being transparent with your employees about your progress…
"You really have to communicate your goals and measure your progress and let employees know where you are on that journey.”
“The more transparent you are about diversity and inclusion and where you are on that journey, then the more you can gain the trust of your employees."
On fostering a company culture that values inclusion…
"When people are socializing at events through the company, they get to know each other on a more personal level. Then inclusiveness starts to happen organically because people don't see you for the position that you hold. They see for the person that you are in that position."
On being okay with being uncomfortable…
"It is good to be uncomfortable for the right reason. You can't make change if you're comfortable."
To learn more about Ally, visit ally.com
Psst… If you’re having serious FOMO, join Create & Cultivate Insiders to get unlimited access to all of our Social Good Summit content, including video recordings of every panel and workshop download in C&C history.
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Want to Feel More Productive While WFH? These Put-Together Outfits Will Inspire You to Tackle Your To-Do List
Buh-bye, sweatpants.
Photo: Tayla Santos
As we enter yet another month of working from home, it’s certainly no secret that signing online for a virtual Zoom meeting doesn’t exactly require the same sartorial standards as, say, getting ready for a day at the office or dressing up for an important meeting with a potential investor. While it's definitely convenient to wake up, toss your Zoom sweater on over your sweatpants, and open your laptop from the comfort of your couch, if you’re anything like us, you’re starting to feel like your productivity levels are dropping. But there’s a surprisingly easy way to regain your motivation while WFH: getting dressed as if you're going to work.
Studies have shown that what you wear while working actually matters. Researchers who study "enclothed cognition" say that your clothing choices can affect your productivity, your thinking, and even your negotiating skills. That’s why we’ve partnered with Paige, a lifestyle collection for men and women, and DJ and creative Pamela Tick, style blogger Tayla Santos, and fashion and lifestyle influencer Pau Dictado to share put-together yet comfortable outfits (because comfort is still key) that will inspire you to tackle your to-do list while working from home. Keep scrolling to find out how you can dress for success while working from your living room.
Pamela Tick | DJ & Creative
How would you describe your personal style?
I never entirely know how to answer this question because my style has a strong foundation but is ever-evolving. It is also dependent on daily factors that make my outfits functional!
It’s fair to say I gravitate towards minimal looks with bold pieces, usually, these pieces are leather or suede, denim, cashmere, etc. On the other hand, I can get playful sometimes too with a simple maxi skirt or long dress to bring out my fun free spirit personality.
How has this time in quarantine influenced your style?
I have noticed a difference in the days I choose to throw on sweatpants versus the days I create a real outfit to wear. Sweats sometimes feel like an excuse to be lazy. Perfect for Sunday, but come the weekdays, I like to feel inspired and ready to work by getting dressed. The outfit I choose in the morning usually enhances my mood for the rest of the day. There is power in dressing up!
How have you adjusted to this new remote work life and what influences your styling choices each day? Do you dress for comfort or style or somewhere in between?
I fall somewhere in between dressing for comfort and style which is exactly why these Paige jeans speak to me. A happy medium! The vintage fit wears with time and molds to my body the more I wear them. These last few months have been an adjustment for all, which is why it feels important to not forget the little things that make you feel good.
Tayla Santos | Style Blogger
How would you describe your personal style?
I would say I have a neutral and minimal style. I like to keep it simple and casual whenever possible! This means I prefer a good fitting pair of denim and a hoodie paired with sneakers and a cute coat over any outfit featuring louder statement pieces. It’s the timeless and classy looks that never go out of style and you can’t go wrong with!
How has this time in quarantine influenced your style?
I’ve been wearing so much more athleisure! I’m all about the matching set lately. Love being comfortable while still super stylish and now it’s almost my mission to incorporate a hoodie, into any look haha. I like to refer to my “three C’s,” casual, chic, and comfortable!
I love wearing a WFH outfit that I can easily swap the slippers for some boots or sneakers, add a jacket and be out the door for a quick Starbucks drive-through coffee break!
How have you adjusted to this new remote work life and what influences your styling choices each day? Do you dress for comfort or style or somewhere in between?
It’s actually funny you ask this! My journey as an “influencer” started during this pandemic. On March 6th, I quit my full-time job as a teacher’s aid and told myself I was going to pursue blogging full time. Three days later, on March 9th, we went into lockdown. I was freaking out. Now I had no other option than to make this work! I went into full hustle mode and don’t regret a second of it! I’ve been posting every day since and grew my audience by over 20,000 followers in eight months! This has been a great journey and I can confidently say I love what I do.
As for how it’s affected my style, I would say the pandemic and lockdown has played a major role in shaping my style into what it is today. I remember (maybe two to three years ago) I used to try so hard to put together the perfect outfit. Now, knowing I at most will be grabbing a coffee through the Starbucks drive-through, I’ve turned to simpler outfits. I feel so much more confident and myself in casual and simple outfits. I love keeping it minimal, chic, and put together by maintaining a neutral color palette. It’s all about the fit of the outfit. For example, the Paige jeans I’m wearing here hug the body perfectly with luxurious comfort and super stretch fibers. It’s just a plus that it comes in tons of authentic washes to add some texture to my minimal outfits.
What is your foolproof outfit formula for boosting your productivity and staying comfortable and stylish while working from home?
I am the biggest believer in getting up and getting ready for the day as if you actually had to go into the office. When I’m dressed and ready, I feel more productive and ready to attack that day’s to-do list. There’s a totally different vibe when working at your desk in a comfy pair of denim. I say grab your favorite pair of denim, add some fuzzy socks, your most comfy hoodie and you’re good to go! If it’s a little warmer where you are, swap the hoodie out for a crisp white tee tucked into your denim, layer some cute gold necklaces, and you’re ready to slay the day!
How does getting dressed for the day in comfortable yet stylish clothing make you feel more motivated and ready to take on your to-do list?
You know when you put together that perfect “all day outfit?” The kind of outfit you’re kind of sad that you have to take off at the end of the day? That’s how you feel when you’re rocking the most comfortable and timeless pair of denim. What’s better than having a pair of denim that you can wear all day working at home, styled comfortably to elevate the look with over the knee boot heels and a long coat for an evening look!
Pau Dictado | Fashion & Lifesytle Influencer
How would you describe your personal style?
Edgy and effortless.
How has this time in quarantine influenced your style?
My priority has shifted to more comfortable wear and investing in high-quality pieces that will be a staple in my closet. Since I rarely go out and I’m mostly working from home, I don’t feel the need to shop as much. But when I do, I want high-quality pieces I can really feel good in!
How have you adjusted to this new remote work life and what influences your styling choices each day? Do you dress for comfort or style or somewhere in between?
I dress for both comfort and style. Comfort has definitely become my top priority, but I believe I don’t have to sacrifice my style while doing so! What I love most about my Paige jeans is that it’s stylish without sacrificing comfort. It has a luxe coating with super gloss pigment that gives the look of leather in a silhouette that you can live in!
What is your foolproof outfit formula for boosting your productivity and staying comfortable and stylish while working from home?
My foolproof outfit would have to be a button up shirt with jeans. There’s just something about this formula that never goes out of style! Not to mention, it’s both comfortable and flattering, just like these jeans. I just love how it hugs my body in all the right areas!
How does getting dressed for the day in comfortable yet stylish clothing make you feel more motivated and ready to take on your to-do list?
When I look good, I feel good. And when I feel good, I feel like I can take on the world! Dressing up has definitely helped boost my confidence and productivity, and wearing a good pair of jeans can make a world of a difference. The WFH life can be mundane at times, so I always seek out ways to change things up and add some fun elements into my routine.
Shop the looks at Paige.com.
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Can Live Chat Increase Sales for Small Businesses During COVID? She's Banking on It
How founder Sabrina Zohar is connecting with customers from afar and converting sales in the process.
Although nothing can replace face-to-face interactions with customers, live chat is the next best thing during the coronavirus pandemic. And it’s certainly having an impact on small businesses. The more personal and direct form of communication live chat offers helps create deeper customer relationships that, in the long run, become stronger and more loyal, generating more revenue. Take it from small business owner Sabrina Zohar, the founder of Softwear who has seen a dramatic increase in sales conversions since she started using Messenger from Facebook to live chat with her customers in real-time.
According to the small business owner, the immediacy of Messenger has been crucial to the success of her business through COVID and, ultimately, changed the way she interacts with her customers for the better. “The ability to communicate instantly when someone is browsing on your website is like having a conversation with someone in real life, except COVID locked us up and took that fun away from us,” Zohar tells Create & Cultivate. “We have mere seconds to catch someone's attention and answer that question, which could be what closes the sale—you can't lose that opportunity.”
Here, Zohar shares how she’s using Messenger to cultivate deeper relationships with her customers amid the pandemic, why it was the right platform for her business, and how she’s keeping up with the influx of messages and DMs during COVID.
CREATE & CULTIVATE: What are some of the factors you considered when choosing the best platform to communicate with your customers, and why was Messenger the right fit for your business?
SABRINA ZOHAR: Accessibility, ease, and immediacy of the platform. It's 2020—everyone we know and their mothers (literally) have Facebook. Instead of making my client acclimate to a new way of doing things, I am meeting them where they are with something they are familiar with and comfortable using. Facebook pops up instantly on my phone and within seconds I’m having a full conversation with someone.
Have you seen a positive impact on your business as a result of using Messenger?
10,000%, yes. During COVID, I was tie-dyeing for 12 hours a day, packing orders, moving the factory into my apartment, and planning for a future collection with the hopes this would all work out. Having Messenger allowed me to chat with clients all over the world who had questions or wanted help ordering. It allowed me to create a relationship with my customers and a dialogue I think so many of us have missed.
What are some of the most common customer questions you receive through Messenger and how has your ability to answer them quickly boosted your business?
Sizing is probably the most popular question, but during COVID, I got lots of questions about the custom tie-dye! Softwear products can be specific with fit and sizing, so being able to give a quick answer and help the client understand, leads to their satisfaction and, ultimately, a sale on my end. The questions evolve as the seasons pass, but the ability to answer instantly allows the boost in business to continue.
Have you experienced customers asking questions via Messenger leading to sales? If so, what percentage of engagements would you say are converting?
Absolutely! I have seen almost 65% of the clients I speak to on Messenger become customers. The best part? We also become friends! I’m able to chat with them anytime and we develop a rapport, I love it.
What advice can you share on how to keep up with the influx of messages and DMs during this period?
Get it done. If you have an influx of messages and DMs, that means you’re doing something right, that's something you should be stoked about! The more eyeballs on your website, product, social the more sales and growth you’ll see. I answer instantly because I know a sense of urgency ultimately yields the best results.
Are there any Messenger tools or features that have helped you better manage this increased volume? What tips and tricks can you share?
I have Messenger alerts on my phone which makes it really easy and efficient to reply quickly. Having the alert allows me to be immediate in responding, which is what will ensure you’re giving the best customer service possible.
How have you approached marketing and messaging to resonate with consumers but also sell products and keep your business alive during COVID?
I am super transparent and honest with everyone that follows either my personal Instagram or the Softwear IG page. I believe that being authentic with your audience will resonate versus pretending to be something you’re not. I struggled over COVID and I didn’t hide that from anyone because, guess what, we all struggled. I made videos to show how I was pivoting and really let everyone into my world to help lay a brick with me on the foundation of the business.
What advice can you share for leveraging social platforms and customer service tools like Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger to help drive e-commerce sales? What learnings can you share?
Social media will change your business if you know how to utilize it. The only way to learn is to try. We have changed and tweaked so many things about the brand as a result of social media and will continue to evolve the brand that way. Instagram is a free look book that is direct to the consumer, utilize that. Put your chat front and center so that guests learn to interact with the chat and truly utilize every aspect of what Facebook is offering.
What advice can you share for fellow small business owners on building strong customer relationships virtually?
Be real. That's it, honestly. Just be real. Being authentic and warm with your clients shows how much you care. I always say, “If you own a piece of Softwear, you have a piece of me,” and that follows through beyond just wearing our hoodie. I handwrite thank you cards for all orders. Is it sustainable in the long run? No, but right now, I’m building a brand, so I have to go above and beyond while I still can do those things. It will change your relationships since virtual is all we have right now.
How do you ensure that your consumers feel seen and heard and what advice can you share for how small biz owners can replicate your success?
I answer every email/DM/inquiry to ensure everyone feels like they're important because they are! There is nothing worse than reaching out to a brand just to get a generic email that goes unanswered or a customer service rep that repeats the same thing over and over after a two-hour wait on hold. This is your business, and no one knows your business like you do. Make sure you’re there for your customers and offer that knowledge.
How is COVID driving innovation in customer communication and what are your predictions for the future of the space?
It’s no surprise that COVID has changed the way things will be for a long period of time. Things we became accustomed to are shuttering and it is paving the way for new brands to rise from the ashes. I think social media and direct chats will be the new norm and offer even more immediacy than email. Every day, we as consumers, grow more impatient and want immediacy (remember dial-up modems?) Now more than ever, and with so much competition, you have to do everything you can to stand out and offer what the bigger guys CAN'T.
Sentence Finishers:
In three words, customer communication is…
Immediate, authentic, helpful.
My #1 tip for small business owners is…
Crawl before you can walk and learn to ask for help. You can't do it all alone (trust me, I should know) so don't be afraid to ask for help and understand it takes time.
The best way to support small businesses right now is by…
Sounds harsh, but try to not ask for a discount. Ultimately, every dollar spent keeps the brand going and it’s all appreciated.
A fellow small business owner I admire is…
Kate Davis of Knockout NY. Kate had a dream to help women feel safe and empowered through her jewelry. She inspires me every day with her mission and perseverance.
COVID-19 has taught me…
I am stronger than I ever thought I was.
To learn more about Messenger From Facebook, head to their Marketing with Messenger page and their Business Resource Hub.
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47 Gifts From Women-Owned Brands for Everyone on Your Holiday Shopping List
Shop small, make an impact.
Photo: Christina Jones Photography
If there’s one thing we are in full support of over here at Create & Cultivate HQ it’s women-owned businesses. So many of them have joined us at our summits and conferences, contributed to our panels or blog, and educated us all on their journeys to success (including the mistakes they learned from along the way).
Since we’re committed to shopping small this holiday season, we’re supporting women-owned businesses with our wallets and encourage you to do the same if you’re able to. Ahead, we’re sharing products for every type of gift receiver, so check out these ideas and wow your friends and family with these creative, by-women products.
For the Wellness Enthusiast
Ceremonia The Scalp Power-Duo
What’s more relaxing than a scalp massage? This gift set includes both a miracle-oil hair treatment and a scalp masajeador for maximum benefits.
$38
Gilded The Marble Body Brush
This handcrafted body brush will inspire even the most stressed out person on your holiday shopping list to make more time for self-care.
$88
Highborn Salome Aromatic Anointing Oil
Crafted with organic, sustainably sourced and extracted essential oils, this distinctive aromatics treatment offers a moment of bliss.
$40
Palermo Replenishing Salt Soak
Made with a combination of Himalayan pink and Dead Sea salts this pretty pink blend will instantly upgrade a bath time self-care ritual.
$12
Dieux Forever Eye Mask
Created to reduce unnecessary waste caused by single-use eye masks, these reusable eye patches holds gels, serums and creams close to the skin for maximum absorption. Win, win.
$25
Fur Fur Oil
Put your gift-giving dollars behind a company that’s tackling the stigma of body hair by giving the self-care savvy person in your life this luxe-feeling oil.
$46
Lalah Delia Vibrate Higher Daily
Give them a gift that will allow them to tap into their inner power, thanks to Lalah Delia, the self-help pioneer behind the internet community Vibrate Higher Daily.
$20
Moon Juice SuperYou
Designed to reduce stress, these adaptogen daily supplements are the perfect stocking stuffer for the hard-to-shop-for wellness junkie.
$49
For the Accessory Lover
Oma the Label The Babba Ring
Inspired by classic Cuban links, this ring is one-size-fits-all and adjustable to fit any accessory lover on your list.
$79
Vrai & Oro Lightweight Hoops
These 14k gold beauties are a beautiful reminder of how much this person means to you.
$90
Bird + Stone “My Body My Business” Cuff, Set of Two
This gift speaks for itself. Remind your friend what they’re worth with this statement piece.
$60
Sophie Monet The Wood Charm Necklace
Some like it simple. This necklace appears delicate, but the quality and intricate detail makes it a perfect gift for a minimalistic loved one.
$140
Second Wind The Tina Mask
For those who like to be a little flashier, this silk mask complete with an 18k gold chain is just the purchase for them. The simplistic design pairs with the eye-catching chain to create a simplified luxury piece.
$85
Cuyana Mini Leather Zipper Pouch
Sophisticated yet practical, this pebbled leather pouch is a busy girl’s necessity.
$65
Catbird Baby Pearl Hoops
Subtle and timeless, these pearl hoops will be beloved for years to come.
$88
ByChari Two Initial and Diamond Necklace
Give a personalized gift with this two-initial and diamond necklace from the brand that brought us Michelle Obama’s coveted Vote Necklace.
$285
For the Skincare Junkie
OneKind PM Power Couple
Dream Cream Nighttime Moisturizer + Midnight Magic PM Serum
This two-step nighttime routine is no joke. With supercharged ingredients targeted to repair and hydrate skin, trust us on this one—your friend (and their skin) will thank you.
$72
Shani Darden Skin Care Perfect Cleanse Set
With A-list clients by the likes of Chrissy Teigen and Jessica Alba, Shani Darden has a sought-after skincare line for a reason. Snag this set for the skincare obsessed.
$44
Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask
This glow-giving treatment instantly restores radiance to dull, rough skin. But the best part? It’s made with clean ingredients.
$65
Peach & Lily Eco Your Skin Holiday Kit
This jam-packed skincare mask kit takes traditional Korean spa techniques straight to one’s doorstep. Easy to use and effective, this gift is unique from many other skincare products on the market and is well worth the purchase.
$90
Summer Fridays The Hydration Set
Help them beat dry winter skin with this set of Summer Friday's bestselling Mini Jet Lag Mask, CC Me Serum, and Lip Butter Balm.
$75
Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum
It doesn’t have a devoted following for no reason. Since it’s launch a few years ago, this face oil has become a global phenomenon and anyone who is gifted this will treasure every drop.
$185
Golde Papaya Bright Face Mask
This is made with 100% pure, edible superfoods such as lucuma, papaya, and sea buckthorn berry so it's packed with vitamin C and smells like a tropical vacation.
For the Foodie
Pomelo Casa Coral Mini Bowl
This chic, hand-painted mini bowl is an essential for any modern table-setting.
$24
Brightland 100% Extra Virgin Heirloom Olive Oil
You’ll be hard pressed to find a more lovingly crafted olive oil. You’ll want to put this one on display.
$37
The Little Market Cookbook Gift Set
This gift has a philanthropic touch that will be sure to warm the hearts and satisfy the tastebuds of any gift receiver. The cookbook gives readers a look into the lives and kitchens of immigrants and profits go toward a charitable cause.
$58
Sugarfina Candy Care Package
Because, who doesn’t like a bit of a sugar rush during the holiday season (or, any time of year)?
$24
Yola Mezcal
To toast to the holiday season (and the new year!).
$60
Mija Superstar Complete Superfood Supplement
This adaptogenic formula has been designed to provide the ideal daily ratio of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, alkaline greens, and phytonutrients in a daily dose of just two teaspoons. Stay healthy and make it taste good, too.
$78
Gaby Dalkin Eat What You Want: 125 Recipes for Real Life
This is brimming with deliciously simple recipes that anyone can cook. Our favorite? The cauliflower shawarma bowl.
$28
Estelle Colored Glass Champagne Coupes, Set of 6
These blush-hued coupes are surefire crowdpleasers, especially when brimming with Champagne.
$195
For the Go-Getter
Create & Cultivate 2021 Planner
This way, you can make sure your most important dates are all locked in ahead of time. Let’s make 2021 a year to remember.
$10
Otherland Black Velvet
Give your work wife something to look forward to seeing (and smelling) every day at work. This candle is a breath of fresh air and will break up the monotony while reminding them of you, too.
$36
Allswell The Deck
Draw one of these when you’re in a creative rut. Developed in collaboration with psychiatrist Dr. Monisha Vasa, each card includes a “Write” and a “Draw” prompt. Shuffle them up, grab a pen and see what emerges.
$25
Hija De Tu Madre Yo Quiero Dinero Keychain
This speaks for itself.
$16
Create & Cultivate Energy Up Charging Tassel
Add some spice to your friend’s working life with C&C’s energy up charging tassel.
$20
Create & Cultivate Success Never Sleeps Card Case
Buy this for a friend who is ready to achieve their goals and do something big in 2021.
$30
Clare V Clare Crespo 2021 Ice Cream Calendar
Make 2021 a treat with this ice cream calendar.
For the Homebody
Vitruvi Blush Diffuser
This stunning stone diffuser doubles as décor when it’s not in use and the soft pink hue will really make your loved one blush.
$119
Rootfoot Palo Santo Pure Essential Oil
This sustainably harvested essential oil is the perfect complement to any home. They only use naturally fallen dead branches that have that have been lying on the ground for more than two years for their products.
$12
Have a Nice Day Work From Home Mug
Designed by artist Steffi Lynn Tsai, your java-loving friend will love this gift.
$17
Parachute Cloud Cotton Robe
For that special someone who loves to lounge in style at home, this is the perfect gift.
$99
The Sill Rubber Plant
This glossy burgundy beauty really makes a statement in any space and the best part? It thrives indoors.
$52
Lunya Washable Silk Sleep Mask
Nothing beats sleeping on a 100% silk sleep mask, and this one is washable!
$48
Ayla Sea Soak
This deeply restorative full-body treatment is as close to a spa treatment as you can get without having to leave your house.
$59
Jiggy Snow Day by Jo Taylor
Give the gift of a cozy night indoors with a fun puzzle. All that’s missing is a blanket and a glass of wine.
Ouai Rose Hair and Body Oil
Jen Atkin really changed the game with this one. It performs double duty as a head-to-toe hydrator and it’s also a perfume.
$32
This story was originally published on December 3, 2019, and has since been updated.
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Hey, Visionaries! Here's What to Expect at Our Future You Festival
Ready to level up?
Photo: Smith House Photo
Where will you be in 5 years? 10 years? Tomorrow? One thing we know for sure is the only investment that never loses value is the one you make in yourself. On Saturday, December 19th, we’re hosting our Future You Festival, a day of virtual workshops and panels dedicated to self-improvement, self-love, and self-work in all it’s forms. Whether your goal is to get your budget right for the new year, optimize your workspace and maximize your productivity, or take care of yourself, we've got you covered.
Prepare to activate all your sectors of self-work, from your business to your mindset. As always, we are bringing the best in the biz to the table for this virtual event so that you’re equipped to enter 2021 at the top of your game. Divya Gugnani will be talking about how to build a business in the new normal, Nicole Walter will be breaking down how to boss up your finances, Dianna Cohen will be sharing advice on how to get your idea off the ground, and so much more. If you haven’t already, RSVP for free (that’s right, FREE) because it's time to invest in you. Scroll on to find out what to expect on the big day.
THE DATE
Saturday, December 19th, 2020
TUNE IN FROM HOME
First things first! On Saturday, December 19th, you’ll receive an email with the link to access the exclusive Future You Festival event site. Please note: All content will go live on Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), including the launch of the exclusive Future You Festival event site. To find out what time a session is happening in your time zone, use this handy time zone converter.
The digital summit is made up of pre-recorded video sessions hosted via Vimeo and live video sessions streaming via Zoom. We recommend that you have a strong WiFi connection and update to the latest version of Zoom for the best experience. The summit is optimized for desktop, so it is best viewed via a computer or laptop, rather than a tablet or phone.
While the live content is specifically designed to be watched in real-time, you’ll be able to access and view it until Monday, January 4th at 5 pm PDT. (Insiders, you have all-access even after the cutoff via your C&C Insiders dashboard!).
THE SCHEDULE
Future You Festival is built just like our in-person conferences, which, of course, you all know and love. We have a stacked schedule with an A-list line-up of speakers so we suggest taking notes along the way.
Want the full lineup? Check out the play-by-play schedule to map out your big day. Please note, all times are listed in PDT (Pacific Daylight Time) and EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). To find out what time a session is happening in your time zone, use this time zone converter.
It’s going to be HUGE so we recommend getting a head start on planning out your day now.
THINGS TO PREP AHEAD OF TIME
Here are a few things to prep before the big day so it goes off without a hitch:
Make sure you have a strong WiFi connection.
Install Zoom on your desktop computer or laptop and test it out.
Zoom tips:
Find a quiet place to tune in. Try to situate yourself in a small room that does not have an echo.
Try and stay away from noisy electronics and silence your cell phone and computer notifications for an optimal experience.
When possible, limit your internet connection to solely the device you’re using for the Zoom conference.
Set your phone to airplane mode, pause your television connection, ask others in your home to pause anything that may require a strong internet connection, etc.
Be sure to download the workshop assets so you can follow along with the expert in real-time. Note: Your exclusive workshop downloads will be available starting Saturday, December 19th via the exclusive Future You Festival event site.
GET SOCIAL
Stay tuned for exciting announcements and updates by following along on our social at @createcultivate. Don’t forget to tag @createcultivate and use the hashtag #CCFutureYouFestival for the chance to be featured in our Instagram Stories throughout the day! (Psst… Search “Create Cultivate” on Instagram to use our custom GIFs.)
NETWORK
Networking is a huge part of our event and our C&C Future You Festival Attendees Slack Workspace is a great place to mix and mingle with your fellow Create & Cultivators before, during, and after the big day. We’ve created channels for every workshop and panel, as well as channels for international attendees, networking, and more!
Attendees will receive a link to access our Create & Cultivate Future You Festival Attendees Slack Workspace in our What to Expect newsletter. This Slack channel will remain accessible until Monday, January 4th at 12 pm PDT. Not familiar with Slack? Here are a few tips to get you started:
Download the Slack app to your phone, computer, or both
Complete your account profile with a profile photo, your name, and what you do
Public conversations will happen in the channels (ex: #networking) and are located on the left-hand side of the app. You can also start direct messages with others in the Slack workspace
Hit send too early on a message? Slack has an edit feature! Click the three-dot icon located on the right side of the message to open the drop-down of message options
We’re all about GIFs at C&C! Here are instructions on how to integrate GIPHY into your Slack account.
Our Slack workspace is a busy, happening place on the day of the event. Streamline the notifications you receive by using the “mute” feature on channels that don’t pertain to you. To mute a channel, simply open up that channel, click the three-dot icon labeled “more,” and select the mute option
Most importantly, be kind and respectful of others. If you don’t follow this rule, you will be removed from the Slack group
If you have any questions on the day of the event about navigating the schedule, accessing the workshop downloads, or anything else, you can drop them into the customer service channel in Slack.
C&C INSIDERS’ PERKS
Our Insiders get a ton of perks at all our events—and this summit is no exception. As an Insider, you’ll have access to all of the workshops, mentor sessions, panels, and keynotes via your C&C Insiders dashboard. Not an insider yet? Well, don’t miss out—you can sign up here.
VIRTUAL GIFT BAGS
We know you want ‘em! Complete our post-event survey to receive an email packed with promo codes from some of your favorite brands, including Supergoop, Squarespace, Aveeno, Chandon, Lunya, Wander Beauty, Crown Affair, Pineapple Collaborative, and more. You’ll receive the survey in your inbox on Monday, December 28th, 2020.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES?
Live chat with a C&C specialist on CreateCultivate.com. You’ll see a “Chat With Us” pop-up in the bottom right corner of your screen.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU ONLINE! Who are you most excited to hear speak? Which workshop are you looking forward to most? Tell us in the comments below!
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5 Strategies for Building a Business That Can Weather the Ups and Downs
#1 Don’t compromise your brand.
Photo: Courtney Jones Photography
It goes without saying, but 2020 has been a challenging year. As a business owner, there's no go-to “playbook” on how to survive a global pandemic. Our company, like many others, was impacted when much of the world went into lockdown in mid-March. When sales suddenly take a hit, it's hard not to start rethinking everything. Don’t do it. Resist the temptation. Instead, this is the time when you really need to focus on solidifying the fundamentals of your business.
Over the last decade-plus, I’ve learned a lot as a business owner and entrepreneur. COVID-19 is certainly one of the greatest challenges we’ve faced as a business. However, it’s not the first hurdle, and it definitely won’t be the last. After a challenging early spring, we’ve managed to turn the corner and are expecting a strong holiday season. We didn't press the "reset” button. Instead, we doubled down on our long-term goals. No matter what comes your way, here are a few words of advice for weathering the ups and downs and coming out stronger on the other side.
Don’t compromise your brand.
Now is not the time to completely rethink who your customers are and what your brand stands for. I personally care a lot about authenticity. Early on in the pandemic, we took the time to look back at our mission statement and brand values. We’ve allowed them to guide us through this challenging period. Leatherology’s mission is the redefine simple, everyday luxury and celebrate the everyday. What does this mean for us today? We’ve always had a large gift business and we realized more than ever, customers wanted to send meaningful gifts to loved ones far and wide. We leaned into this and created a “Gift Joy” campaign. This holiday, we’re collaborating with four partners to create unique gift sets featuring some of our most popular items. 50% of net proceeds from each sale will go to a non-profit organization of the partner’s choosing.
Diversify opportunity and risk.
Never put all your eggs in one basket. While direct-to-consumer online sales have always been core to Leatherology’s business, we consider ourselves more than just a DTC brand. Consumer shopping behaviors are constantly evolving, so we’ve challenged ourselves to think beyond just direct-to-consumer. We have invested in a variety of customer acquisition channels and diversified our marketing mix. As a business, your growth should never be solely reliant on a single channel, such as paid social advertising, where rising costs can quickly deteriorate profitability over time.
Drown out the noise.
When the going gets tough, you start looking around to see what your competitors and peers are doing. While it’s always important to have a pulse on your industry, don’t do something simply because you see others doing it. Avoid the FOMO. What works for someone else may not work for you. Even though we've seen huge demand for PPE, we resisted the urge to suddenly offer new products like facemasks when they just didn’t fit our brand strategy. We also felt that the market would be incredibly crowded and prohibit us from being a leader. Instead, we made iterative changes. We planned up inventory in our home accessories line to meet increased customer demand while scaling back our travel accessories category.
Learn from the positives to prepare for the negatives.
How you get through a downturn is largely dependent on what you do when things are going well. Don’t get carried away by great sales. Business is cyclical, and you can’t assume things will always remain on an upward trajectory. Use this time to dig into the mechanics of your business. Track everything and gather as much data as possible to help you understand why things are going well. This will also help you uncover potential blind spots and get ahead of warning signals you may not have noticed otherwise.
Take care of your people.
This is arguably my biggest piece of advice. Building a great team is the hardest but most important part of the job. Great people are the backbone of any successful business. Take the time to understand what motivates each individual and how to support them through ups and downs. Never ask them to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself. David and I are fortunate to work with an amazing and diverse team of creators, analysts, artisans, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Leatherology wouldn’t be where it is today without our team.
“How you get through a downturn is largely dependent on what you do when things are going well.”
-Rae Liu, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Leatherology
About the Author: Rae Liu is the co-founder and the creative director of Leatherology, a direct-to-consumer brand of beautifully crafted, personalizable leather accessories, built on the premise of providing attainably priced luxury. Rae graduated from Columbia with a BA in Political Science. She worked for several years at the World Bank before making a complete career pivot to pursue her passion for product design, studying accessories at FIT. in 2008 she helped Alexander Wang launch his accessories and footwear business.
During her years working in fashion, Rae was struck by the fact that as a young woman living in New York, she could not afford the very products she spent her days creating, and that the ones she could afford did not have the level of design thoughtfulness, craftsmanship or quality of materials she knew was possible. Thus in 2011, she moved from New York back to her hometown, Dallas, to build Leatherology. She lives in Dallas and has two young children.
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How This Company Is Turning Downloads to Dollars and Making Podcasters Bank
It’s all about growing your listenership and building an engaged audience.
It’s safe to say podcasts are here to stay. As of November 2020, there are over 1 million active podcasts and more than 30 million podcast episodes available in more than 100 different languages across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. But despite the stiff competition, when done right, podcasting can become a very lucrative side hustle that allows you to pursue your passion while making a profit.
So what’s the secret to turning podcast downloads into dollars and cents? According to Lizzy Pollott, the Global VP of Brand at Acast and the host of the TV and film podcast, “After School Culture Club,” it’s all about growing your listenership and building an engaged audience. “The creators who flourish the fastest are those who enter podcasting with the right attitude and a real love of their subject area,” she tells Create & Cultivate. “If you’re looking to create a passion project, or find and share your voice around something you really care about, or simply want a creative outlet, then you’re in the right place. If you build it, they will come!”
Ahead, Pollott fills us in on what it takes to stand out from the competition, why 25 minutes is the ideal episode length for newcomers to the medium, and how to turn a podcast into a revenue stream by leveraging Acast and the platform’s new partnership with Patreon.
CREATE & CULTIVATE: Why did you choose to launch a podcast side-hustle in addition to your career as Global VP of Brand at ACAST?
LIZZY POLLOTT: As a complete podcast addict (and fan of talking), I had always had ideas for podcasts I’d like to make but until I joined Acast nearly three years ago, I didn’t really know where to start. As soon as my eyes were opened to all the behind-the-scenes magic that Acast puts into podcasting, I decided I’d jump in feet first. The origin story sounds like something from a Kate Hudson rom-com from the 2000s. I had been struggling to map out an idea for my podcast and it came to me like a vision during the “find yourself” track in a candle-lit spin class… who do I think I am?
What are the first steps people should take when mapping out a podcast strategy and what are the most common things people often overlook?
It might sound obvious, but the very first thing to nail is your idea. “Shooting the breeze with my friends” simply won’t cut it unless you actually are, say, Chrissy Teigen. Reports show that there are more than 1.5 million podcasts out there in the world today. You need a hook, a reason why people should listen to yours above all others, and therefore an easy one-line way to sell it and draw people in.
For example, the hit show “Forever 35” talks about being “a podcast about the things we do to take care of ourselves. We’re not experts but we are two friends who like to talk about serums.” Or the brilliant “90 Day Gays:” “Jake Anthony and Matt Marr are two Southern Queens who absolutely love TLC's 90 Day Fiancé. If you've been looking for your gay BFFs to dish this show… well, you're welcome.”
The second is, then, thinking hard about—and testing—a format. Each episode needs a regular and familiar shape. Podcast listeners are creatures of habit and look forward to a regular format each week. So again, rather than thinking, “OK we’ll just talk for half an hour each week and see how it goes,” think about how you might put features, or a structure into it; the same three questions you address each week, or listener feedback, and so on.
Can you share some mistakes you made in those early stages that our audience can learn from today?
Building an engaged audience for your podcast takes time and dedication. There is no silver bullet to grow your listenership, and more often than not, it’s a mix of many different strategies that will help build up those numbers. I certainly had the opposite attitude when I started, “Well, I’ve done all the hard work and this thing is live so come listen everyone!” But it takes regular grinding, thinking about promotion on social, doing your own PR, networking with other like-minded podcasts for guest swaps, and so on.
What advice can you share for newcomers to the podcast medium who want to stand out from the competition? Are there any holes in the marketplace? What content is the podcast space missing? Where can you fit in?
The good news is that podcast listening is booming. More and more people are turning to podcasts (especially during the pandemic) as a source of education, entertainment, or distraction. And with that comes even more opportunity for new podcasts to find their voice, and create shows which speak to an even broader section of society.
What’s even more exciting is we’re seeing new formats being born and becoming really popular. Scripted audio is one, essentially an audio drama, comedy, or similar in podcast form. And there’s no doubt that as the pressures of 2020 have hit home, people are turning more and more to wellness shows with things like guided meditation becoming a rich vein of content. But the best advice we can give is: find a genre that you really care about, and it will be far easier to create a show you’re proud of.
What’s your advice on podcast length? Is there a magic number that works best?
For a new podcast, we would always recommend that shorter is better. If people are going to invest time in trying out a new show, you want to give them something manageable they can easily get into. Generally, around 25 minutes would be a great starting point. It’s long enough to make something fully fleshed out for people to get into but not so long that you risk losing them too early in your podcast journey. This will also of course depend on the format of your podcast which might actually dictate that you need to start at a bit of a shorter (or longer) length. Editing is your friend. Podcasts should be as long as they need to be, and no longer, so be self-critical when editing and be mindful of making the best use of your listeners' valuable time.
What are some tools that both newcomers and podcasting pros alike can use to generate income?
There are two core ways that people make money from podcasts. One is becoming part of an ad monetization marketplace, just like the one we have at Acast which is now open to creators of all sizes. Here, you’ll have audio ads placed in and around your show, which in turn translate into revenue for you. It sounds obvious, but the bigger your listenership, the more money your show will be likely to generate. Then, once your podcast becomes really established, you might start working with sponsors too, who will pay for live read-style endorsements from you as hosts.
Another way is through membership-led platforms. Podcasts are, of course, free to listen to, but loyal listeners will want to pay for exclusive and additional content, not least because they recognize the time and care that goes into creating it. Patreon is the leading light in this area, giving you the ability to offer exclusive content (and much more) to paying subscribers (“patrons”). We have just launched a brilliant partnership with Patreon which makes it easier than ever to create and share both private and public podcasts with your fans—across every podcast player and app.
What tips and tricks can you share on how to monetize a podcast?
The most valuable advice we can give is to focus first on building up your audience. Once you have loyal listeners, ready to become paid-up members of your show, you can look at starting, say, a Patreon. And then once you reach a significant size of listenership, that can eventually lead to ad revenue.
How did you find brand partners to come on board and advertise on the podcast?
If you join Acast, you will be given the option to join our Marketplace, and this pretty much does all the work for you. We have teams dedicated to bringing advertisers into the Marketplace, and connecting them with suitable shows to run campaigns across. Bear in mind, though, that it might take time to start to see ad revenue come through for your show, again, the more listeners you build up, the more likely that will be.
Be honest, how much work is it to plan, produce, and launch a podcast every week? Tell us about the hustle behind the scenes.
I won’t lie: it takes real dedication and commitment! Putting the effort into firstly getting your show ready for launch, then producing it each week, recording it, editing it, publishing it, and then marketing it can turn into a real full-time side-hustle. Everyone will be slightly different, and the actual time spent making it will also depend on the format of your show.
For example, my TV and film podcast, “After School Culture Club,” relies on watching a film or show first, to talk about. Then the research might be another hour, actual recording another hour, editing nearer 90 minutes, and then marketing can be as much effort as you’re willing to put in. Like any passion project or side hustle, you have to put the hours in to see a return. But if you’ve chosen something you truly love then that won’t matter.
What tools and resources do you rely on to streamline the process? Are there any automated solutions that make your life easier?
I use the free editing software Audacity to edit; it’s simple to use and does the job. My favorite find to make life easy is Levelator, a free program that instantly evens out the volume of your audio which is massively helpful if, say, one person on your show tends to be louder than the other. (Don’t tell my current co-host, my sister, but it’s her.)
On the promotion front, tools like Headliner and our own Snipper tool allow you to quickly and easily make “audiograms,” short videos for social which clip up and make pretty videos from your episodes to encourage people to listen.
Can a podcast’s success helped your brand in other ways? Can you share what and why?
We work with thousands of podcasters at Acast who are creators in other areas at the same time, and often their podcasts really help strengthen their other endeavors, and vice versa. We find, for example, that podcasts make great marketing tools for authors when launching new books. Other examples include people like Nike running coach (and my running coach!) Cory Wharton-Malcolm who launched his podcast “The Tub Hub” on Acast during lockdown, which offers him the chance to connect with his audience on a different level to just exercise each week, as he goes deep into topics including mental health and race with a whole range of inspiring guests.
Anything else to add?
At Acast, we tend to find the creators who flourish the fastest are those who enter podcasting with the right attitude and a real love of their subject area. Birthing a podcast takes time and effort; growing an engaged audience even more so. If you’re thinking of starting simply as a way of generating cash, then you might wind up being disappointed. But if you’re looking to create a passion project, or find and share your voice around something you really care about, or simply want a creative outlet, then you’re in the right place. If you build it, they will come!
Learn more about Acast at Acast.com, and use the code "C&C" for six months free.
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This Clean Beauty Founder Is Using Live Chat to Drive Sales During the Pandemic (and It's Working)
Here’s how you can too.
When it comes to providing great customer support in the midst of COVID, live chat is an indispensable tool to have at your disposal. By providing instant answers to customer inquiries, live chat boosts those all-important conversion rates and, in turn, increases revenue. In fact, a study found that more than 60% of consumers would return to a website offering live chat. Something that small business owner Gianne Doherty knows from experience. By using Messenger from Facebook, she’s successfully been turning customer inquiries into dollars and cents during the coronavirus pandemic.
In fact, the co-founder of the clean beauty brand Organic Bath Co. has seen the tactic work so well that she’s positioning it as a key strategy for continuing its rapid growth. “Skincare products are very sensory,” Doherty tells Create & Cultivate. “Being able to answer customer questions in real-time makes a difference when it comes to customer service, which improves both sales and brand loyalty,” she explains. “We typically convert over 50% of customers who reach out to us because we are able to answer their questions and create a great experience for them.”
Scroll on to learn more about how she’s using Messenger From Facebook to boost her business during COVID and beyond—and how you can too.
CREATE & CULTIVATE: What are some of the factors you considered when choosing the best platform to communicate with your customers, and why was Messenger the right fit for your business?
GIANE DOHERTY: We need to be where our customers are. Nearly all of our customers have Facebook accounts, so it’s a platform they are familiar with. It allows people to connect with us in a seamless way.
Have you seen a positive impact on your business as a result of using Messenger?
Using Messenger has allowed us to incorporate the element of speed into our customer service, which allows for better communication and a better customer experience.
What are some of the most common customer questions you receive through Messenger and how has your ability to answer them quickly boosted your business?
We use Messenger’s Chat Plugin on our website to answer a wide variety of customer questions, from questions about the products themselves to questions about orders that have already been placed. The ability to answer customer questions quickly allows us to answer pre-sale questions and helps us to provide a great customer experience.
Have you experienced customers asking questions via Messenger leading to sales? If so, what percentage of engagements would you say are converting?
Yes. When someone has a question about a product when they are already on your website looking to buy, being able to answer those questions immediately will have a positive impact on the customer experience and lead to more sales. We typically convert over 50% of customers who reach out to us because we are able to answer their questions and create a great experience for them.
What advice can you share on how to keep up with the influx of messages and DMs during this period?
Create a template for your most commonly asked questions. Also, take a deep look at the commonly asked questions. Do your product descriptions need to be updated? Do your FAQs need to be updated? Is there somewhere on your company website that needs improvement to minimize the amount or types of questions being asked?
Are there any Messenger tools or features that have helped you better manage this increased volume? What tips and tricks can you share?
The ability to integrate Messenger into other tools where we can use saved responses for commonly asked questions has been incredibly helpful. Messenger integrates with so many other tools to make it easier to manage communication in one place.
How have you approached marketing and messaging to resonate with consumers but also sell products and keep your business alive during COVID?
We are in a fortunate position to be selling products that people really need during this difficult time such as hand soap and hand sanitizer. We have made giving back an important part of our business and have donated products to organizations in need.
What advice can you share for leveraging social platforms and customer service tools like Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger to help drive e-commerce sales? What learnings can you share?
Lean in to what makes you different and unique. With the pandemic, more people than ever are online and online shopping. Your uniqueness is what will make you stand out in a sea of many many options. Answering customer inquiries quickly can be a key differentiating factor between your brand and others.
What advice can you share for fellow small business owners on building strong customer relationships virtually?
Customer service is everything. Customers want to know someone real is behind the brand. Communicating early on and effectively will make a difference to your bottom line.
How do you ensure that your consumers feel seen and heard and what advice can you share for how small biz owners can replicate your success?
Reply to every person who reaches out. When someone has a problem and you don’t respond, you will likely lose that customer. If you fix their problem, it gives you the opportunity to create loyalty. Respond, and respond with empathy.
How is COVID driving innovation in customer communication and what are your predictions for the future of the space?
COVID has pushed more and more communication online. Being accessible and approachable through platforms that people are already using will be vital to success in the future. We are going to see more ways for brands and customers to interact online from text-based messaging to audio and video solutions.
Sentence Finishers:
In 3 words, customer communication is…
Vital for creating trust and brand loyalty.
My #1 tip for small business owners is…
Over-communicate with your customers.
The best way to support small businesses right now is by…
Voting with your dollars and purchasing from small businesses you believe in.
A fellow small business owner I admire is…
Heather C. White from TRILLFIT. She is doing great things with TRILLFIT and making the fitness industry more inclusive and diverse.
COVID-19 has taught me…
To be flexible.
To learn more about Messenger From Facebook, head to their Marketing with Messenger page and their Business Resource Hub.
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4 Ways Failure Led Me to Become a Solopreneur
When wrong turns ultimately lead to the right path.
“Had I ‘succeeded’ in my past endeavors, I’d probably be sitting in a corporate office racking my brain over some superfluous comment my boss made in our morning meeting.”
-Sarah Lempa, Writer, Entrepreneur, and Creative Media Strategist
I used to crack jokes about being the black sheep of my business school in college. Mingling with corporate recruiters, relentless internship hunting, networking events that were more awkward than an eighth-grade dance—none of them were quite my forte. “What am I even doing here?” I’d ask friends with a sheepish grin, in between classes where I wrestled to keep my focus. Under the jokes, however, there was a gnawing fear that I wasn’t good enough.
Me and failure? Oh, yeah. We go way back.
We’re old pals, really. Between wiping tears on the sleeve of my Ann Taylor suit (that I loathed) after career fairs and feeling like I got punched after yet another job rejection, we’ve gotten to know each other painfully well. What I didn’t know back then was that failure had a secret agenda the entire time: To align me in a direction congruent with who I really am.
Two-and-a-half years, one self-designed career, and 40+ countries later, I couldn’t be more grateful for my so-called failures. Without them, I’d probably still be taking lunch break naps in my car at an office job. Here’s how each blunder and botch catapulted me into becoming a solopreneur.
1. Each rejection prodded me to try something new.
Early in college, I chased big-name corporate internships. I never received a single offer. Taking everything far too personally at age 19, I’d stew in the sullen sting of failure, agonizing over why I didn’t make the cut.
After moving on to pursue advertising agencies, I was beside myself that I had ever attempted working in corporate America. My personality wasn’t suited for a “normal” office, I thought. I should work somewhere with colorful bean bag chairs, a place where people swear in their emails, I convinced myself. While it was comparatively better, the agency world offered little improvement when it came to freedom. Not even all of the Friday office beers in the world could make up for that. As fate would have it, none of my job prospects materialized anyway.
With each perceived screw-up, I gained insights about what would actually make me happy. It wasn’t freedom within the office—it was freedom from the office. I wanted to travel the world like a crazy vagabond, not spend 97% of the year daydreaming of a meager 10-day vacation. That revelation was scarier than any rejection, as I knew it would be much harder to achieve.
2. I learned exactly what I didn’t want for my career—much faster.
A fancy name tag, gargantuan skyscraper office views, glossy high heels that echoed in hallways... I used to think I needed these things to be successful. It turns out that was only what other people around me wanted at the time. Failure bopped me on the head like a Whack-A-Mole, time and time again, saying you don’t want any of that anyway. I lusted after their approval, mirroring others’ dreams that weren’t suited for me. I can only imagine how much longer this realization would have taken had I not gotten turned down from the start.
In a last-ditch effort to get a job that provided some semblance of freedom, I applied to be a flight attendant. I wanted to try freelancing while flying for a living, hoping I could figure out self-employment while on-the-go. I made it to the third round of the interview process and never got a callback. I sobbed at the news, thinking I had officially lost all chance at freedom in my career. Little did I know that crushing letdown would later lead me to take a leap into freelancing full-time, something I’d later look back on with immense gratitude.
“I wanted to travel the world like a crazy vagabond, not spend 97% of the year daydreaming of a meager 10-day vacation.”
-Sarah Lempa, Writer, Entrepreneur, and Creative Media Strategist
3. It made me a more resilient and courageous person.
Reminiscent of first heartbreak, those initial flops in your professional life can leave you feeling like you got dumped on Valentine’s Day. To make matters even worse, there probably isn’t any leftover chocolate laying around either. I used to put so much emotional stock into each application, meeting, and interview — forming lofty attachments that would only come back to bite me. As the years passed, I eventually learned to peel myself out of the pity zone a bit faster.
Don’t get me wrong: Sometimes I still feel heart-sinking pangs of disappointment when things don’t go how I’d like. I’m only human, after all. The difference nowadays is that mishaps feel less apocalyptic; resilience has taken the stage. I started to accept (and even embrace) the unknown. Risk-taking became commonplace when I realized I wouldn’t get high rewards by staying comfortable. Failure is the devious cousin of risk, and you have to invite ‘em both unless you want your party to be painfully boring.
4. Without other options, failure forced me to try that one “crazy idea.”
Jobless as a fresh graduate, I couldn’t find a single reason to hold back. Without these bumps in the road, I would’ve never hopped on a one-way flight to Vietnam in pursuit of building my own location-independent career. I would have never felt the goosebump-raising thrill of building something that felt so authentically me in all ways. And I certainly wouldn’t have been able to manage the tumultuous roller coaster that comes with paving your own way as a solopreneur.
Had I “succeeded” in my past endeavors, I’d probably be sitting in a corporate office racking my brain over some superfluous comment my boss made in our morning meeting.
Like a friend dishing out tough love after a breakup, failure yanked my hand and swung me exactly where I needed to be. And while we’ve come a long way, this is a lifelong journey.
Photo: Courtesy of Sarah Lempa
About the Author: Sarah Lempa is a writer, entrepreneur, and creative media strategist covering the joys (and challenges) of freelancing, travel, and solopreneurship. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Fodor’s, and SUITCASE Magazine, among others. Currently based in Indonesia, she’s called multiple countries home and has ventured across 6 continents along the way. When she’s not chipping away at a piece, you’ll find her jamming out to groovy beats or riding a motorcycle. Keep up with her on Instagram @travelempa.
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How I Found the Courage to Quit Stable, Prestigious Careers to Become a Founder at the Age of 29
And my advice if you think you should, too.
“Starting a business is scary. It affects every part of your life. People think you’re crazy, and they’re kind of right.”
-Isharna Walsh, Founder and CEO of Coral
Are you thinking about starting your own business? Do you have a little voice in your head that whispers ideas and dreams about things you want to create? Are you unsure whether you should listen to that voice?
I had that voice, too, and for the longest time didn’t know what to do with it.
As a half South Asian woman, I was raised to get straight A’s, stay out of trouble, go to a prestigious school, and forge a stable career. I followed the rules, getting law and economics degrees, and spending my twenties working in government, management consulting, technology, and venture capital. Then, just before my thirtieth birthday, I quit my job without a safety net to start my company, Coral, which helps people improve their sexual well-being. (Can you imagine what my mother said?).
There’s lots of advice out there about whether or not to take a risk and run headfirst at a business idea, and the truth is that nobody can answer that for you. But looking back now, I can see two things clearly: The time I spent trying on different careers and identities taught me valuable lessons. It wasn’t wasted. Yet it’s also true that these highly demanding, great-on-paper work experiences were my way of stepping right up to the edge of what I really wanted to do before I found the conviction to close my eyes and jump.
Starting a business is scary. It affects every part of your life. People think you’re crazy, and they’re kind of right. It threatens your finances, your mental health, and your career trajectory. You’ll face judgment from your parents, your friends, prospective partners, investors, and strangers who read about you on the internet. And it’s more likely than not that your business will fail.
Stepping into that vulnerable space—and being comfortable there—is especially difficult if you haven’t been conditioned to embrace fear, and don’t have a model that looks like you. As a woman, I hadn’t been groomed in resilience since my first crush rejected me in the schoolyard, like my male classmates. I’d also rarely personally encountered women in positions of leadership, and had never had a female boss. Successful entrepreneurs, in my mind, were either men or celebrities—people who look and act nothing like me.
So what gave me the confidence to go for it? I had to create the space to acknowledge and examine that knowing inside of me, rather than drowning it out with distractions.
For me, this took meditation and introspection. I sat with my self-doubts and learned the subtle distinction between self-preserving fear and self-limiting fear. I let myself acknowledge the knowing that told me entrepreneurship was my path and identified the narratives that held me back as self-limiting and socially constructed, rather than real obstacles. (And in the meantime, I used my jobs as crash courses in high-growth startups, technology development, and the dynamics of venture-funded businesses until I found the business idea I couldn’t ignore).
So when the idea for Coral came, this time the voice in my head was so strong that not doing it felt harder than giving it my all.
If you’re considering whether entrepreneurship is the right path for you, spend time with yourself, in the quiet. Journal, meditate, go for walks, turn inward. Acknowledge the hurdles, personal and societal, and how they might be affecting you. Think through whether you have the self-belief, resilience, and determination to back yourself and push your idea forward through the obstacles—because it’s not easy, and you will want to give up.
When you stop and ask yourself what you want to create with your one short life, chances are that voice will shout.
And you’ll know what you have to do.
About the Author: Isharna Walsh is the founder and CEO of Coral, a sexual wellness app that offers evidence-based guides to better sex for all humans. Born in Sri Lanka and raised in Australia, Isharna worked for the Australian Prime Minister, Boston Consulting Group, and a Los Angeles VC firm before turning 30. After realizing that nothing that is so essential to our health and happiness is as neglected as sex and sexuality, she raised $3 million in seed funding to launch Coral in November of 2019. One year later, Coral is a sexual wellness pioneer that’s helped hundreds of thousands of people create their best sex lives.
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Classifieds: Winc, Small Girls PR, and Amy Porterfield Are Hiring
Hey, marketing mavens! Frenchie, Winc, and Dolce Vita are hiring
Photo: Colorjoy Stock Photography
Hey, marketing mavens! Frenchie, Winc, Dolce Vita, and more are hiring
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How to Heal Your Relationship With Money
What limiting beliefs are you ready to let go of?
Money is emotional.
Think about how excited you were as a kid when someone gave you money to buy a treat from the ice cream truck or how rich you felt when you started your first job in high school.
How does money make you feel today?
If money talk makes your palms sweat, you are not alone. Our relationship with money is incredibly personal and rooted in our upbringing. No matter how you grew up, beliefs about money are ingrained in you.
Most people struggle with their relationship with money, but when that money feels directly tied to our business success, it can be even more challenging to heal. As an entrepreneur, you not only have to think about your finances, but also what money means for your business.
Entrepreneurs just starting out may fall into two camps when it comes to their relationship with money: The “you gotta spend money to make money” camp, or “I’m afraid of spending and losing what I have” camp. Both are common setbacks for entrepreneurs.
And the thing is, both may be limiting you. It limits growth in your business, limits your wealth, and limits the success—however it means to you—of your business.
When I started my business, I was so nervous about outsourcing because I didn’t want to say goodbye to a chunk of revenue. With my corporate mentality, I was accustomed to making a certain amount of money and keeping a portion of that money. As an entrepreneur, I had to overcome the fear of investing in order to grow my business.
As a financial and investing coach, I work with powerful corporate women and bad*ss women entrepreneurs. They know how powerful money, as a tool, is and understand that it is vital to their success in business. However, like many of us, they have a natural inclination toward feelings of scarcity around money.
But that doesn’t mean that they (nor you) don’t have the power to shift their mindset to a place of abundance.
Beyond the numbers in their bank accounts, the women in my program walk away feeling confident when it comes to money and investing.
This is the ultimate goal: Getting to this abundance mindset and confidence level, and it takes real work which goes beyond reading books or listening to speakers. It takes a lot of unpacking.
Like anything, our relationship with money is directly tied to our behavior. Whatever your money mindset is currently, it is influencing your actions, and those actions lead to both good and bad results.
If you feel like money is running your life, you are struggling to generate more income, or just feel overwhelmed with finances, here are some steps to heal your relationship with money and turn that intimidating, confusing topic into one that empowers you.
1. Explore your limiting beliefs.
A limiting belief is a false belief that you learn by making an incorrect assumption about something in life.
When we are children, we are like human sponges. We absorb everything we see and hear from the adults in our lives. What we learn gets stored in our unconscious mind and our brain recalls the information when needed. The important thing to remember is that your thoughts and beliefs may not be things that YOU believe at all, they’ve just stuck with you into adulthood.
If you see a couple in a Ferrari and think, “Ugh, that’s so flashy and greedy,” ask yourself what makes you think those people are greedy? Do you know them? What if they’re philanthropists that donate a quarter of their income to charity and you’ve falsely labeled them as greedy. Half of the battle with money is becoming aware of your existing beliefs and understanding where they came from.
Some of the limiting beliefs I see surrounding money are, “I’ll never have enough money,” “I could never afford that,” “Wealthy people are greedy,” or “I will always have debt.” While you may not realize that these thoughts are impacting you, they determine your relationship with money.
Sit down with a notebook and a pen, grab your beverage of choice, and settle in. Now, think about how you think about money and write those thoughts down. Then, ask yourself where that thought came from. Is it a belief of your own? Was it adopted? Then ask yourself if you believe that thought to be true or false.
2. Reframe and create new beliefs.
When a piece of information or a thought comes to us, we either disregard, question, or hold onto it as a belief. This step is all about deciding what YOU believe and what beliefs you are ready to let go of.
Find evidence contrary to the false beliefs you have identified. For example, instead of thinking, “I’ll never have $10,000-revenue months in my business,” what if you told yourself, “I’m not yet hitting $10,000 revenue months, but I’m on my way.” Notice the difference in how that feels? Reflect on what you actually believe, and write the reimagined thought down next to the old limiting belief.
Another tip is to come up with supportive money mantras that will help you feel more positive and less stuck when it comes to money. Some examples are, "I am WILDLY worthy of MASSIVE abundance!" or “The more money I make, the more it magically flows into my life!”
3. Gain clarity and direction.
Once you really have a chance to sit with your limiting beliefs about money and revisit them, it’s time to take action. Without goals or a direction, you won’t have milestones to celebrate with a dance party or know where you should be directing your energy.
Let’s say you’re an entrepreneur, and you decide, “I want to have consistent $10,000-revenue months.” That’s a great start, but that goal should be clearer and more specific. Visualize the path you need to take to get to that larger goal. Do you need additional support? If so, what type? Do you need to set aside money for marketing? A mentor? A new offer?
Consider the concrete steps you will need to take to achieve that financial goal along with the costs (including time, mental labor, overhead costs, etc.) associated with each step.
Getting clarity on your goals will allow for more celebration and less stress. After all, finances are a lot more fun with a celebratory glass of Champagne in hand.
4. Build your confidence.
You are a bad*ss boss lady who is an industry leader, and you’re a force to be reckoned with. That confidence you bring to sales calls and speaking events should be the same confidence you bring to your finances. It just takes some practice.
The most important step to healing your relationship with money is letting go and stepping into your confidence when it comes to your business and your money. You have to jump in. It’s time to put your CEO hat on, feel inspired by your new money story, and be fearless in making money decisions. Your business will skyrocket and so will your confidence.
“That confidence you bring to sales calls and speaking events should be the same confidence you bring to your finances.”
—Lisa Seery, Money & Investing Coach
About the Author: Lisa Seery is a money and investing coach for entrepreneurs and high-powered corporate women. She leverages her 15-year career in investment management and her education as a health coach to educate and empower women to become confident investors, own their money story, and heal their relationship with money.
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How This Female Veteran Used Her Military Training to Build a Multi-Million Dollar Company
From an Air Force pilot to a health and wellness industry disruptor.
“As a combat-trained pilot, I am always thinking, ‘Miles ahead of the jet.’”
—Riley Rees, U.S. Air Force Officer and Founder of Sofia Health
I served in the Air Force both as an enlisted Aeromedical Evacuation Technician and an Officer turned C-17 pilot before launching Sofia Health, an online health and wellness platform.
The military isn’t the first place that most people think of for entrepreneurial training, but as it turns out, this experience provided an elite and unique education that has provided core fundamentals I still use every day. The military has a proven track record of teaching leadership, strategic planning, creative problem-solving, task execution, and resiliency—all traits that are essential to running a business or building a startup.
Below, I’m sharing three major takeaways that helped me and can be translated to help any entrepreneur as they startup.
Takeaway #1: Prepare
Gather data, make decisions, be strategic.
In a startup, you are building a solution to a problem and you are in search of a scalable business model. There is no checklist that can guarantee success. Even if you have been successful in the past, when you start a new company, you are in uncharted territory. This can truly be scary when you are spending your valuable time, energy, and money.
But in order to be as successful as possible, do your homework and be prepared. You need to understand the environment into which you are trying to build, do your market research, and understand your customers' problems intimately.
As a combat-trained pilot, I am always thinking, “Miles ahead of the jet.” You need to know where you are, what your capabilities are, and be able to handle any threats that may or may not happen. As an Aircraft Commander on the C-17, I was responsible for flying into combat zones. People’s lives were in my hands. We could spend days planning for one single moment.
In the early stages of a startup, you need to do the same planning. It’s necessary to gather as much information as possible on users, the problem you are solving, the market, investors, competitors, and potential partners. This information and preparation serves as your foundation and will help guide your strategy and execution.
As a flying target, I needed to be ready to handle any situation inside or outside my jet. The key in any of these situations is preparation. We know that no matter what situation we are in, we are prepared to handle it.
Takeaway #2: Collaborate
To achieve a specific objective, it takes a team of people willing to give their best effort in alignment with the mission.
Military leaders are effectively running companies. You might have five people below you as a new Lieutenant and thousands as you progress in your career. This exposure to leadership inherently teaches you how to take a group of individuals with a diverse range of backgrounds and turn them into an effective unit.
When you launch a startup, one of the first things you can do before you bring on any members is to establish your mission statement. This sets the direction for your company and helps create cohesion. Even in the beginning, this ensures every member of your team, from volunteers to employees, understands your company’s objectives, goals, and values.
This simple task creates unity and helps each team member understand how they can contribute for maximum impact. You’ll find that your mission statement significantly increases teamwork, progress, and can even help ensure you hire people who are aligned with your core values.
Overall, establishing your mission statement will produce huge dividends for your company.
Takeaway #3: Persevere
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart.
Entrepreneurship requires unparalleled discipline, persistence despite challenges, and a special mental toughness that allows you to move from one failure to the next with positive, determined enthusiasm.
The military cultivates leaders who have the confidence to take risks. You are consistently pushed out of your comfort zone and develop a unique mental and physical toughness. Failure is not an option. Instead, you learn to figure it out. You become a disciplined, innate problem solver who is comfortable being “uncomfortable.”
When you launch a startup, you are going to face challenges. Every customer or user will not love your company and your alpha or beta product may not be the prettiest. The entire experience can be uncomfortable, but this is one of the most incredible learning experiences you can have.
To help overcome this, adopt a growth mindset, and keep going. Every single day you will be making astronomical progress, so don’t let any of the challenges get you down! The key to success is perseverance. As Wayne Gretzky has said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”
About the Author: Riley Rees is a U.S. Air Force Officer. Soloing in an airplane before she was 18, she has flown a wide variety of civilian aircraft. She has flown the T-6, T-1, and the C-17 for the Air Force and most recently the B-757, B-767, B-777 for United Airlines. In 2019, with a mission of making holistic health and wellness care more accessible, Riley founded Sofia Health, an online platform making it easy to find, book, and connect to holistic health and wellness practitioners.
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My Business Wouldn't Exist If I Hadn't Been Diagnosed With Breast Cancer
Well Told Health’s founder on discovering her resilience.
Photo: Courtesy of Monica Ruffo
We often make ourselves smaller than we are because it somehow feels safer. Maybe we’re afraid of being considered too ambitious or too confident. Maybe being strong doesn’t fit into a social construct of who we think we should be. Or maybe we’ve been belittled or not taken seriously in the past and playing small somehow feels right. Whatever the reason, can you imagine what a better place the world would be if we all came out from hiding and played to our full strength instead of hiding behind it?
A few years ago, I underwent treatment for an aggressive form of breast cancer. From the moment I heard the diagnosis—that very scary “C” word—I decided that it would not crush me, that I would thrive through the treatment, and that something extraordinary would come of it. I advocated for myself every step of the way and got second and third opinions for every option. I even researched a treatment that allowed me to keep all my hair through all 12 rounds of chemotherapy. I advocated to make this treatment available to myself, and then, eventually, for others at the hospital where I was treated.
This made a huge difference in my journey with cancer and allowed me to maintain some form of normalcy for myself and for my children. It also allowed me to keep my cancer private as I continued to work throughout those 18 months without telling anyone that I was sick. I also insisted on undergoing over 100 high-dose vitamin C infusions during that same time period, which I’m convinced helped me mitigate the side effects of both the chemo and the radiation. This too, I had to advocate for.
During this time, I started questioning everything that I was putting into my body, which is when I discovered that I couldn’t find 100% plant-based clean supplements or remedies. Ultimately, something extraordinary did come out of my breast cancer as Well Told Health was born out of that revelation.
Perhaps, because I felt backed into a corner at that time and had no choice but to step up, I tapped into my deepest strength. I discovered a well of inner power and resilience that I didn’t know I had. But the truth of it is that the inner power and resilience were always there, they were just concealed behind carefully constructed walls I had built around myself. While I’ve had many hurdles to overcome and triumphs to be proud of before that, it took my breast cancer journey for me to finally be willing to harness my strength and nurture it, and especially, to use it and love myself for it.
That was several years ago, and the incredible irony of embracing my strength is that it has made me feel so much more vulnerable today than I have ever felt before.
Yes, this has been very scary at times. But I think we often avoid tapping into our full strength because if we don’t put it all on the line, then technically, we can’t really fail, and perhaps—even more critically—we can’t get hurt. It’s hard work, but I no longer want to let myself hide inside a smaller version of myself. As Marianne Williamson famously said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.”
Every day, I now work on putting all of myself out there, stepping outside of my comfort zone, voicing my opinions, and using every inner tool at my disposal. I won’t lie, it’s hard. And there’s no secret formula.
Some days, I feel like I truly have a magic wand because of it. Other days, I feel like I can’t seem to make things happen. But I have learned to take it in stride, let things go, and forgive myself through daily meditation and expressions of gratitude for everything around me including myself. That last part has been a real eye-opener, as being grateful for myself, my own gifts, and (the hardest of all) forgiving myself, were not things I had really considered before. The simple practice of daily self-gratitude and forgiveness has had a huge impact on my trajectory.
Today, I am determined to let my light shine through and not let anyone else decide what I can and can’t do or who I am. I will no longer live in fear of my strength. I’ll leave the fear of my strength to others.
“The incredible irony of embracing my strength is that it has made me feel so much more vulnerable today than I have ever felt before.”
Monica Ruffo, Founder of Well Told Health
About the Author: Monica Ruffo is a serial entrepreneur and award-winning leader with a long-standing passion for health and wellness. Unable to find 100% clean supplements after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Monica set out to create a modern source for natural supplements made with organic botanicals and nothing else.
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Hey, Visionaries! Here's What to Expect at Our Social Good Summit
It's all about doing good while making green.
Photo: Smith House Photo
Now more than ever, brands are upping their social good game. And for good reason. From corporate social responsibility to sustainability, consumers expect businesses to give back to their community, operate in ways that are socially responsible and environmentally sustainable, and intentionally address societal challenges. But don’t just take our word for it. In fact, 65% of Americans believe it’s a company’s responsibility to give back and to have a moral or ethical viewpoint and 84% of consumers say it is important to them that a company supports charitable causes.
On Saturday, November 14th, we’re hosting a virtual summit to tackle the topic of doing good while making green. We’re hosting workshops on everything from building diversity and inclusion into the core of your business to avoiding greenwashing and building a socially responsible and sustainable company. Our keynote speakers Brittany Snow and Jaspre Guest, the co-founders of September Letters, will be telling us all about how they’re supporting those in need through the power of letter writing. Plus, Noelle Scaggs, the co-lead singer of Fitz and the Tantrums, will be talking about how she’s making career opportunities in music more accessible to People of Color, women, and the LGBTQIA community through her Diversify the Stage initiative. And so much more!
Read on to learn more about everything we have planned and what you need to know to make the most of it. If you haven’t already, be sure to buy your digital pass ASAP! A portion of our Social Good Summit ticket proceeds will benefit Sad Girls Club, a nonprofit working to diminish the stigma around mental health.
Psst… Insiders get access for free. (Yep, free!) Not an Insider yet? Read up on all the perks and sign up here.
THE DATE
Saturday, November 14th, 2020
TUNE IN FROM HOME
First things first! On Saturday, November 14th, you’ll receive an email with the link to access the exclusive Social Good Summit event site. Please note: All content will go live on Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), including the launch of the exclusive Social Good Summit event site. To find out what time a session is happening in your time zone, use this handy time zone converter.
The digital summit is made up of pre-recorded video sessions hosted via Vimeo and live video sessions streaming via Zoom. We recommend that you have a strong WiFi connection and update to the latest version of Zoom for the best experience. The summit is optimized for desktop, so it is best viewed via a computer or laptop, rather than a tablet or phone.
While the live content is specifically designed to be watched in real-time, you’ll be able to access and view it until Friday, November 20th at 5 pm PDT (Insiders, you have all-access even after the cutoff via your C&C Insiders dashboard!). You’ll be able to RSVP up until Tuesday, November 17th at 12 pm PDT.
THE SCHEDULE
Social Good Summit is built just like our in-person conferences, which, of course, you all know and love. We have a stacked schedule with an A-list line-up of speakers so we suggest taking notes along the way.
Want the full lineup? Check out the play-by-play schedule to map out your big day. Please note, all times are listed in PDT (Pacific Daylight Time) and EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). To find out what time a session is happening in your time zone, use this time zone converter.
It’s going to be HUGE so we recommend getting a head start on planning out your day now.
THINGS TO PREP AHEAD OF TIME
Here are a few things to prep before the big day so it goes off without a hitch:
Make sure you have a strong WiFi connection.
Install Zoom on your desktop computer or laptop and test it out.
Zoom tips:
Find a quiet place to tune in. Try to situate yourself in a small room that does not have an echo.
Try and stay away from noisy electronics and silence your cell phone and computer notifications for an optimal experience.
When possible, limit your internet connection to solely the device you’re using for the Zoom conference.
Set your phone to airplane mode, pause your television connection, ask others in your home to pause anything that may require a strong internet connection, etc.
Be sure to download the workshop assets so you can follow along with the expert in real-time. Note: Your exclusive workshop downloads will be available starting Saturday, November 14th via the exclusive Social Good Summit event site.
GET SOCIAL
Stay tuned for exciting announcements and updates by following along on our social at @createcultivate. Don’t forget to tag @createcultivate and use the hashtag #CCSocialGoodSummit on Twitter and Instagram Stories throughout the day to show us where you’re tuning in from! (Psst… Search “Create Cultivate” on Instagram to use our custom GIFs.)
NETWORK
Networking is a huge part of our event and our C&C Social Good Summit Attendees Slack Workspace is a great place to mix and mingle with your fellow Create & Cultivators before, during, and after the big day. We’ve created channels for every workshop and panel, as well as channels for international attendees, networking, and more!
Attendees will receive a link to access our Create & Cultivate Social Good Summit Attendees Slack Workspace in our What to Expect newsletter on Tuesday, November 10th. This Slack channel will remain accessible until Friday, November 20th at 12 pm PDT. Not familiar with Slack? Here are a few tips to get you started:
Download the Slack app to your phone, computer, or both
Complete your account profile with a profile photo, your name, and what you do
Public conversations will happen in the channels (ex: #networking) and are located on the left-hand side of the app. You can also start direct messages with others in the Slack workspace
Hit send too early on a message? Slack has an edit feature! Click the three-dot icon located on the right side of the message to open the drop-down of message options
We’re all about GIFs at C&C! Here are instructions on how to integrate GIPHY into your Slack account.
Our Slack workspace is a busy, happening place on the day of the event. Streamline the notifications you receive by using the “mute” feature on channels that don’t pertain to you. To mute a channel, simply open up that channel, click the three-dot icon labeled “more,” and select the mute option
Most importantly, be kind and respectful of others. If you don’t follow this rule, you will be removed from the Slack group
If you have any questions on the day of the event about navigating the schedule, accessing the workshop downloads, or anything else, you can drop them into the customer service channel in Slack.
C&C INSIDERS’ PERKS
Our Insiders get a ton of perks at all our events—and this summit is no exception. As an Insider, you’ll have access to all of the workshops, mentor sessions, panels, and keynotes via your C&C Insiders dashboard for FREE. (Yes, you read that correctly!) Not an insider yet? Well, don’t miss out—you can sign up here.
VIRTUAL GIFT BAGS
We know you want ‘em! Complete our post-event survey to receive an email packed with promo codes from some of your favorite brands, including LensCrafters, Gap, Megababe, Genusee, Stitch Fix, and more. You’ll receive the survey in your inbox on Friday, November 20th, 2020.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES?
Live chat with a C&C specialist on CreateCultivate.com. You’ll see a “Chat With Us” pop-up in the bottom right corner of your screen.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU ONLINE! Who are you most excited to hear speak? Which workshop are you looking forward to most? Tell us in the comments below!
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Classifieds: Tinder, Girls Who Code, and The Honest Company Are Hiring!
Extra, extra! 🗞 Apply now to new jobs in accounts, social media, marketing, and more
Photo credit: Colorjoy Stock Photography
Extra, extra! Apply now to new jobs at Something Social, Krispy Kreme, Girls Who Code, & more
FEATURED JOBS
Keynote Graphic Designer (Freelance), Amy Porterfield Inc.- Remote
Web Designer (Freelance), Amy Porterfield Inc.- Remote
Associate Brand Manager, E-Commerce/Off-Premise Marketing, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation- Charlotte NC
Associate Marketing Manager, Merchandising, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation- Charlotte, NC
Social Media Coordinator, Aviva Romm Enterprises- Remote
Digital Associate, Time’s Up- Washington, D.C.
LOS ANGELES
Social Media Account Manager, Something Social
Associate Manager, Social Media, Beautycounter
Digital Account Manager, Create & Cultivate
Manager, Community Support, Tinder
Associate Social Marketing Manager, The Honest Company
Sr. Manager, Growth Marketing, MeUndies
NEW YORK CITY
Sr. Project Manager, Verge Creative Group
Client Data Manager, Louis Vuitton
Manager, Digital Fundraising, Girls Who Code
Growth Marketing Manager, Glossier
CRM Manager, Alice & Oliva
Affiliate Marketing Manager, Klarna
REMOTE
Executive Assistant, Sahara Rose
Virtual Assistant, Sahara Rose
Social Media Manager, Creative Label
Jr. Brand Partnership Development, The Shelf
Account Manager, The Shelf
Head of Product, Afterglow