#WFAnywhere With Style Blogger Jessica Ricks of Hapa Time

“Find a place that will give you the revitalization you crave and need.”

—Jessica Ricks, Style Blogger

With so many of us working from home in 2021, your office may look different—and that’s probably a good thing. According to a recent poll conducted by The New York Times and Morning Consult, 86% of remote workers say that they’re satisfied working from home and only one in five want to return to the office. As an increasing number of employers adopt flexible remote-work policies to keep employee satisfaction high and keep up with the changing times, we’re launching our #WFAnywhere series in partnership with Alaska Airlines to spotlight how remote workers balance work and play while working from anywhere (#WFAnywhere). Ahead, Jessica Ricks, the style blogger behind Hapa Time, shares her in-flight essentials for a safe and comfortable trip, her #1 tip for avoiding distractions while working in a new environment, and more tips on how to #WFAnywhere.

Where are you traveling? Why did you choose this location to work remotely?

Cabo! Because I love Mexican food and warm weather.

What are you most excited about your destination and why?

I’m most excited to relax by the pool and beach while enjoying great weather.

Why is it important to change up your scenery after being in quarantine?

While I love being at home, changing up the scenery really helps me feel refreshed and inspired.

What precautions are you taking before you leave to ensure a safe trip both while you’re traveling and once you arrive? What tips can you share? 

I always research a place before I go there, and I feel like it makes me feel safer to know what to expect. Also, when you go to Mexico, always have cash! And don’t throw away your import paper that you get when you arrive, because you need it when you leave!

What are your in-flight must-haves for ensuring your flight is as safe and comfortable as possible?

During COVID times, an N95 mask makes me feel safest, but otherwise, I just have to make sure I have water, snacks, and hand sanitizer. 

Are you a work-from-the-air kind of person, or do you use this time to disconnect?

It depends, but I usually like to disconnect while flying. A good movie helps the time pass faster.

What’s in your carry-on? What are some things you plan on taking with you to ensure you’re prepared to work and stay safe while you’re traveling during COVID? 

Whenever I travel by plane, I always put my valuables in my carry-on(s), so I always have a travel tote in addition to a carry-on suitcase. My tote includes my reusable water bottle, AirPods, ID, credit card, cash, snacks, pen, an external battery and cable, and a thin scarf that doubles as a blanket. My carry-on suitcase includes all my work tools such as my camera, lenses, laptop, mousepad, and mouse. I mostly work on my computer so it’s nice I can work anywhere. If outside noise is distracting me, I just pop in my AirPods Pro and choose the noise cancellation option.

While being away from home as a remote worker is fun, it can also be challenging if you don’t plan. Can you share three tips for working remotely while traveling that set you up for success?

First, make sure WiFi is accessible wherever you’re am planning to go. Second, always be prepared with food—whether that means bringing your own snacks or researching whether or not you can buy some at your destination. And third, I make sure to not get carried away enjoying myself because having a successful work-from-home trip, to me, is really about having a good balance of fun and work.

Do you set up a “virtual office” in your hotel? How do you set yourself up for success to avoid or minimize distractions?  

I don’t set up a virtual office exactly… a desk is ideal, but I can work anywhere where I can be in the shade at the very least (but inside is the best environment for color editing). Sometimes I need a place (like a desk)  to set up my mouse next to my computer.  And I try to only travel with someone who understands I need to work or can agree on a time to get work done. 

What are some of the activities you enjoyed at your destination during your WFAnywhere trip? 

We took a private water taxi to view the famous arch and then to visit a semi-remote beach. We also got to do a little horse-back riding along the beach. 

Any additional advice or info you can share on working from anywhere as a remote employee or independent contractor? 

Find a place that will give you the revitalization you crave and need.

Note: During COVID-19, travel restrictions are prone to change. Always check before departure and follow local guidance. Alaska Airlines is committed to your health and safety, learn more about Next-Level Care.

MORE ON THE BLOG

#WFAnywhere With Content Creator and Influencer Aysha Harun

"As much as I love working from home and having a flexible schedule, it’s so important to get outside and soak in some vitamin D, fresh air, and experience something new."

—Aysha Harun, Content Creator and Influencer

With so many of us working from home in 2021, your office may look different—and that’s probably a good thing. According to a recent poll conducted by The Times and Morning Consult, 86% of remote workers say that they’re satisfied working from home and only one in five want to return to the office. As an increasing number of employers adopt flexible remote-work policies to keep employee satisfaction high and keep up with the changing times, we’re launching our #WFAnywhere series in partnership with Alaska Airlines to spotlight how remote workers balance work and play while working from anywhere (#WFAnywhere). Ahead, content creator and influencer Aysha Harun, shares the destination she’d love to travel to right now to #WFAnywhere, her #1 tip for avoiding distractions while working in a new environment, and more tips on how to #WFAnywhere.

Where would you love to travel to right now to #WFAnywhere?

I’d love to book a trip to Hawaii! Who wouldn’t want to work beside a breezy window by day and take a leisurely stroll along a postcard-perfect beach by sunset? I’m also conscious that Hawaii has set high standards for COVID safety and is closely following CDC guidance for keeping visitors as well as locals healthy and safe, which is very important to me. I’m of the mindset that it’s important to travel safely and thoughtfully at all times, not just during a pandemic, which is something I think we’ll see more of in 2021 and beyond.

Why is it important to change up your scenery after being in quarantine?

Staying home during quarantine really took a toll on my mental health. I think as humans we naturally feel the need to be social, and personally speaking as an extrovert, I REALLY missed being around people. As much as I love working from home and having a flexible schedule, it’s so important to get outside and soak in some vitamin D, fresh air, and experience something new. Especially if you work in a creative field, it can be difficult to feel inspired when you’re always in the same environment. Switching up your scenery is good for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being and even a quick and safe weekend trip might give you all the inspiration you were craving while locked inside!

Where are you currently based while working remotely?

I’m currently based in sunny Los Angeles! Thankfully, I’m used to the work-from-home life as I’ve been a full-time content creator and influencer for nearly four years now. However, with the pandemic, things have definitely changed a lot and I’ve spent more time than usual at home due to in-person events and conferences being canceled.

What do you love about working remotely from Los Angeles? 

I used to live in Toronto, Canada so there is definitely a huge benefit to now working in Los Angeles. The fact that it is sunny and warm most days is the biggest bonus because my mood is directly impacted by the weather. I used to experience major seasonal-depression when living in Toronto during the long winter months because the sun was barely out and it was always too cold to leave the house. Here in L.A. the sun shines brightly into my home every morning and leaves me so inspired to create content. I also love that I can take my work to go and find a cute outdoor workspace all year round, whether that’s planning a fun photoshoot for Instagram or plowing through emails at an outdoor patio. The weather alone makes this a great city to work remotely, but having access to so many different activities on top of that takes it to the next level!

What are some of your favorite spots to work from or visit safely when you take a break from work?

There are so many places I love to visit on the weekly here in L.A. My favorite spot for a caffeine boost is Alfred’s on Melrose Place. I am a matcha-addict and they make THE best-iced matcha latte. I love grabbing my laptop and working out there for a change of scenery, and when I’m done, I love to hit up all the cute shops and boutiques along that road. 

My go-to for lunch is Taco’s Tu Madre in West Hollywood. The amount of times I’ve ordered from there during quarantine is a little embarrassing, but now that they’ve opened for dining, I love heading there with a friend and enjoying some tacos and mocktails on their gorgeous patio. They also have AMAZING vegan options so there is literally something for everyone. Highly recommend their crispy shrimp bowl, squash blossom taco, mango margarita, and the street corn, but everything I’ve tried there is 10/10!

Living in L.A. means having constant access to the gorgeous beaches so I love heading down to Will Rogers State Beach and getting some fresh air and steps in at least once a week. It’s a bit quieter than the other beaches and the paved boardwalk is so perfect for walking, running, or biking along the coast. I always keep a blanket in the back of my car, and anytime I need some relaxation, I love finding a quiet spot in the sand and watching the sunset. It’s been one of the main things keeping me sane this past year and allows me to reconnect with myself while enjoying the peaceful sounds of the ocean.

"Switching up your scenery is good for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Even a quick and safe weekend trip might give you all the inspiration you were craving while locked inside!"

—Aysha Harun, Content Creator and Influencer

What precautions should people take before they leave to ensure a safe trip both while they’re traveling and once they arrive? What tips can you share? 

I think it’s important to read up on the CDC guidelines for wherever you’ll be traveling to for the best and most accurate safety tips. Also, taking a COVID-test and monitoring your health before leaving on a trip is safe both for yourself and for others. I’d recommend getting tested as close as possible to your trip and having anyone that will be accompanying you do the same. If possible, avoid super crowded trips and instead opt for something more secluded like a weekend in nature, or a COVID-safe beach trip. Once you arrive, find activities that allow you to social distance from others like renting a boat or hiking, and ensure you’re still taking those cute-AF masks everywhere you go! 

When you travel for work, what are your in-flight must-haves for ensuring your flight is as safe and comfortable as possible? What recommendations can you share?

My in-flight must-haves include double-masking—usually a disposable mask underneath a cute reusable mask is my go-to. I also love to carry both liquid hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes to disinfect the area I’m sitting in and anything I’d potentially touch like the seat belt, TV-monitor, remote, window, armrests, etc. I prefer to have a meal before getting on the flight so I’m not removing my mask throughout, and I like to bring my own bottle of water with a straw to quickly hydrate when needed without having to use the in-flight food service. 

Are you a work-from-the-air kind of person, or do you use this time to disconnect?

I personally love disconnecting from everything while up in the air. Instead, I take that time to tap into my faith, meditate, sleep, listen to music, or simply look out the window and snap pics of the dreamy clouds!

What are some things you take with you to ensure you’re prepared to work (ie. can set up a virtual office when you arrive)? 

I always travel with my MacBook, charger, and Air Pods so I can set up shop anywhere. I also always take my external hard-drive because, as a YouTuber, I always need the extra storage space. Given that I’m always creating content regardless of where I am, I also travel with my Canon M50 camera which is much lighter than my DSLR that I use for more professional videos and photos but still delivers amazing quality. I always carry an extra battery for an easy switch-out and also a mini tripod for both my iPhone and camera. If I’m feeling fancy, I also have a small portable ring-light tripod that can easily fit in my carry-on. It may seem like a lot, but I can usually fit all of this into a small section of my carry-on and I always ensure I have room for it because the content doesn’t stop for anything!

While being away from home as a remote worker is fun, it can also be challenging if you don’t plan. Can you share your top three tips for working remotely while traveling that set you up for success?

My top three tips for working remotely while traveling are:

1. Communicate with someone on your team that you’ll be working remotely. Even if you think it might not be important to let them know because you’ll “still be working,” anything can happen and it’s better if someone knows why you’re not answering those emails or calls right away like you usually do! 

2. Make note of any timezone changes. Even if it’s just one hour, that hour can really throw off your entire day. Plan ahead and make sure your calendar accounts for the timezone change so you don’t end up accidentally showing up to (or missing) a Zoom-call an hour after it starts!

3. Designate a certain number of hours for work and try to get as much done within that timeframe so that you can still enjoy your travel. There’s no point in working remotely if you’re just going to stay indoors all day and not experience the environment you’re in. Go beast-mode for a couple of hours and then go out and have some fun outdoors!

Do you set up a “virtual office” in your hotel? How do you set yourself up for success to avoid/minimize distractions?  

I personally don’t set up a virtual office due to the type of work I do. I’ll usually answer emails in bed or at the hotel/Airbnb desk and get outdoors to create content. I also try to utilize different parts of my hotel room or temporary-home for fun travel content. For example, the bathroom for fun “get ready with me” videos or travel skincare routines. I also do a lot of my work on my phone so technically the world is my office (as long as I have a charger!!).

"Designate a certain number of hours for work and try to get as much done within that timeframe so that you can still enjoy your travel."

—Aysha Harun, Content Creator and Influencer

What are some of the activities people can enjoy when visiting your destination during a WFAnywhere trip?

• Beach day - Head to one of the many beaches in L.A. and enjoy the view! My favorite thing is driving down Pacific Coast Highway and taking in the gorgeous ocean view as you head down to Malibu. One of my favorite beaches down there is Point Dune. Grab a friend and plan a fun photo-shoot or just sit by the ocean and enjoy the sunset! I also really love Will Rogers State Beach and Manhattan Beach (great restaurants nearby).

• Hiking - So many amazing trails in L.A. for some outdoor workouts! The go-to for me is Runyon Canyon as I’m not quite an experienced hiker yet. I love the paved road and the view at the top makes it all worth it. For an ocean-view hike, I’d recommend Los Liones Trailhead. Be sure to take a mask with you as they still require them to be worn! For anyone wanting the classic Hollywood Sign pictures, talk a walk through Lake Hollywood Park and the surrounding areas for an unobstructed view of the iconic sign!

• Melrose Trading Post - One of my all-time fave Sunday activities is heading to the Melrose Trading Post in Fairfax District. It’s an outdoor market filled with small businesses and you can find really dope vintage tees, jackets, denim, furniture, jewelry—you name it! They also have some really great food trucks and stands inside—my fave is the Poke and Lemonade stand! I’ve found some really unique pieces there and it’s great to support small businesses at times like these.

• Shopping - Of course there are some amazing shopping destinations in the city and who doesn’t love a little retail-therapy after work? Hit up Rodeo Drive for a more bougie, upscale experience in Beverly Hills. Melrose for a more street-style and vintage vibe, La Brea for all your Hype-Bae aesthetic needs, and Third Street Promenade right by Santamonica Beach for more main street stores.

• FOOD!! - If you’re a foodie, L.A. is the place to be. There are so many amazing restaurants in the city whether you’re in West Hollywood, DTLA, Koreatown, Hollywood, or Santa Monica. My suggestion is to head to Yelp and look at what is in your area, but definitely try and experience Mexican food in the city because Cali does it best! Some of my faves include:

  • Tacos Tu Madre

  • Dave’s Hot Chicken

  • Elephante

  • Sugar Taco

  • HiHo Burger

  • Sugarfish

  • C&O’s Trattoria 

  • Leo’s Tacos Truck

  • Jeni’s Ice Cream

  • Malibu Seafood 

  • Jon & Vinny’s

Any additional advice or info you can share on working from anywhere as a remote employee or independent contractor? 

Work hard, and play harder! Life is too short!

Note: During COVID-19, travel restrictions are prone to change. Always check before departure and follow local guidance. Alaska Airlines is committed to your health and safety, learn more about Next-Level Care.

MORE ON THE BLOG

#WFAnywhere With Content Creator and Digital Marketer Coco Bassey

"It can be tempting to work long hours when you’re not commuting to and from work every day, but it’s so important to remember that you have a life outside of work too."

—Coco Bassey, Content Creator and Digital Marketer

With so many of us working from home in 2021, your office may look different—and that’s probably a good thing. According to a recent poll conducted by The New York Times and Morning Consult, 86% of remote workers say that they’re satisfied working from home and only one in five want to return to the office. As an increasing number of employers adopt flexible remote-work policies to keep employee satisfaction high and keep up with the changing times, we’re launching our #WFAnywhere series in partnership with Alaska Airlines to spotlight how remote workers balance work and play while working from anywhere (#WFAnywhere). Ahead, content creator and digital marketer Coco Bassey shares the destination she’d love to travel to right now to #WFAnywhere, her #1 tip for avoiding distractions while working in a new environment, and more tips on how to #WFAnywhere.

Where would you love to travel to right now to #WFAnywhere?

I’m currently manifesting a work trip to Hawaii. After enduring a New York City winter while working from home, I’m dreaming about warm, sandy beaches and a carefree uniform of high-waisted shorts and crop tops. I’m also mindful that Hawaii has put safe COVID regulations in place to encourage travelers to be respectful of both the islands as well as their communities, which is crucial not only during this period in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic but year-round, too.

Why is it important to change up your scenery after being in quarantine?

Before COVID, I was always on the go and traveled for work at least once a month! As much as I welcomed the change of pace during quarantine, I think I can speak for everyone who lives in a small N.Y.C. apartment: we’re ready for a change in scenery as soon as it’s safe to venture out and do so! If you’re someone who loves exploring new places, travel can feel therapeutic. It’s one of the few times I truly feel motivated to put down my screen and just experience a new place for what it is.

Where are you currently based while working remotely?

I’m currently in New York City and working from home in my apartment. As scary and unsure as everything was last year when COVID kicked off, there honestly is no other place I would rather be during this time. I moved to New York from Atlanta at the beginning of 2020, right before quarantine became an everyday part of our lives—and I really love that I have so many more options to stay physically active in N.Y.C. since I’m no longer tied to my car or stuck in a not-so-pedestrian-friendly city.

What are some of your favorite spots to work from or visit safely when you take a break from work?

I’ve really enjoyed exploring my neighborhood on foot over the past several months—whether it’s walking or biking down the West Side Highway, trying new restaurants 

What precautions should people take before they leave to ensure a safe trip both while they’re traveling and once they arrive? What tips can you share? 

It’s super important to research your destination: what hotels, travel methods, and activities are safe for visitors, especially if you don’t speak the language. Understand that as a tourist, you’re a visitor, so approach every situation with respect for the country or city’s cultural norms without attempting to impose your expectations on others.

And also, for the love of God, NEVER accept a ride at the airport from pesky solicitors that come up to you and harass you with price-saving offers! They’re not official taxi or Uber drivers, and you are putting yourself at risk by getting into a car with a complete stranger.

When you travel for work, what are your in-flight must-haves for ensuring your flight is as safe and comfortable as possible? What recommendations can you share?

First and foremost, I always make sure I have my noise-canceling headphones and charger closeby. If it’s a long-haul flight, I also have healthy snacks and a mini skincare kit to remove my makeup and apply a nighttime moisturizer before I fall asleep. Airplane air can be super drying, so it’s more important to keep my skin happy! And of course, especially now, a pack of disinfectant wipes is an absolute must so you can give your seat the Naomi Campbell wipe-down treatment before settling in!

Are you a work-from-the-air kind of person, or do you use this time to disconnect?

I’m 100% for disconnecting while traveling. Of course, that’s not always an option—but working on the plane isn’t always my favorite, so when I have to, I make sure I’m prepared!

What are some things you take with you to ensure you’re prepared to work? 

The #1 thing I always do when I’m traveling overseas is make sure my phone and credit cards are set up for international travel. You never want to come home to crazy surcharges from overseas usage! It’s also important to look up what kind of electric adapter I need to travel with so that I can use my personal items (laptop, charger, etc.) in another country.

I also have a mini tripod that I travel with so that I can set up my smartphone for Zoom calls when I’m on the go!

"If you’re traveling to a different timezone, make sure you account for that when scheduling meetings so that you’re not running late, caught unawares while out and about, or logging into your meeting at the wrong time!"

—Coco Bassey, Content Creator and Digital Marketer

While being away from home as a remote worker is fun, it can also be challenging if you don’t plan. Can you share your top three tips for working remotely while traveling that set you up for success?

1. Make sure you set up your workstation in your hotel/Airbnb—and make sure that place is NOT your bed! Working in bed can become such a bad habit, and it's a great way to lose track of time. Suddenly it’s 5 PM, and you’re still in last night’s PJs. No bueno!

2. If you’re traveling to a different timezone, make sure you account for that when scheduling meetings so that you’re not running late, caught unawares while out and about, or logging into your meeting at the wrong time!

3. Having a work-life balance is still important. Sometimes working remotely puts me in the bad habit of working literally all day into the night, since I’m not physically commuting to and from work. I always make sure have a start and stop time, so that I can remember to log off and take care of myself too.

Do you set up a “virtual office” in your hotel? How do you set yourself up for success to avoid/minimize distractions?  

Yes, I do! If I have a lot of calls during the day, I always make sure to hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door so that I don't get interrupted during my meetings. And I also make sure to set up my virtual office at an actual desk, as opposed to working from a couch or bed. It’s so important to keep your work and personal selves separate!

What are some of the activities people can enjoy when visiting your destination during a WFAnywhere trip?

Exploring any city on foot has always been one of my favorite activities, even before COVID, so luckily, it’s still an option now! Outdoor activities are great too, so I always make sure to check those out as well. And of course, if the weather allows, outdoor dining is always an option!

Any additional advice or info you can share on working from anywhere as a remote employee or independent contractor? 

Enjoy the flexibility. It’s one of the best things about working remotely! I love that I can run personal errands, or even grab coffee with a friend, in the middle of my workday if I need a break from my computer screen. It can be tempting to work long hours when you’re not commuting to and from work every day, but it’s so important to remember that you have a life outside of work too and you need to prioritize it for your mental health!

Note: During COVID-19, travel restrictions are prone to change. Always check before departure and follow local guidance. Alaska Airlines is committed to your health and safety, learn more about Next-Level Care.

MORE ON THE BLOG

#WFAnywhere With Lifestyle Blogger Jennifer Henry-Novich

“2020 was hard on all of us, and it’s been a balance of finding a new normal and doing things safely.”

—Jennifer Henry-Novich, Lifestyle Blogger

With so many of us working from home in 2021, your office may look different—and that’s probably a good thing. According to a recent poll conducted by The New York Times and Morning Consult, 86% of remote workers say that they’re satisfied working from home and only one in five want to return to the office. As an increasing number of employers adopt flexible remote-work policies to keep employee satisfaction high and keep up with the changing times, we’re launching our #WFAnywhere series in partnership with Alaska Airlines to spotlight how remote workers balance work and play while working from anywhere (#WFAnywhere). Ahead, lifestyle blogger Jennifer Henry-Novich, shares her in-flight essentials for a safe and comfortable trip, her #1 tip for avoiding distractions while working in a new environment, and more tips on how to #WFAnywhere.

Where are you traveling? Why did you choose this location to work remotely?

We had a work trip that required us to be in Palm Springs and we’d been putting it off all of 2020, but it finally came time to escape from quarantine and get it done! 

What are you most excited about your destination and why?

Palm Springs has been a long-time favorite of mine for girls’ trips and Coachella. I love enjoying the pool days and warm evenings! But now that we are in different times, it’s nice to be able to get a change of scenery from working from home and be able to take care of our real estate project work under the palm trees and blue skies. 

We were most looking forward to spending time in our beautiful Airbnb and lounging in the pool and hot tub, ordering takeout at some of the best recommended Palm Springs restaurants, and taking a drive out to Joshua Tree for some socially distanced hiking in nature. 

Why is it important to change up your scenery after being in quarantine? What precautions are you taking before you leave to ensure a safe trip both while you’re traveling and once you arrive? What tips can you share? 

2020 was hard on all of us, and it’s been a balance of finding a new normal and doing things safely. Prior to traveling, we self quarantined and tested to ensure we wouldn’t be exposing anyone on our flight, as well as self quarantining and testing following our return. I was really impressed at Alaska Airline’s commitment to safety and sanitation (i.e. HEPA air filters, passenger spacing, cleaning, etc.) and that’s ultimately why we felt comfortable traveling at this time. To maintain safety, we don’t mess around with masking up! We even doubled up on them as I’ve heard there is added protection from doing so! Once inside the airport, we avoided busy areas and didn’t eat or drink to keep our masks on. 

What are your in-flight must-haves for ensuring your flight is as safe and comfortable as possible?

It’s funny to see what my in-flight must-haves would have been in 2019 versus now—but here we are! A comfortable mask (I prefer the surgical masks over cloth), hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, blue light glasses since I’m spending time reading on my phone, and noise-canceling headphones to reduce aircraft ambient noise.

Are you a work-from-the-air kind of person, or do you use this time to disconnect?

Given our flight to Palm Springs was approximately one hour, it’s hard to get set up and get too much work done. I’m more of a disconnect and enjoy the view out the window type of traveler. 

Being in an airplane is one of the few times when my phone notifications are not going off so it’s actually a nice break. If I’m not window gazing, I like to read books on my phone (currently reading “Atomic Habits” by James Clear) or use the time to look through my photos on my phone.

What’s in your carry-on? What are some things you plan on taking with you to ensure you’re prepared to work (ie. can set up a virtual office when you arrive) and stay safe while you’re traveling during COVID? 

I’ve become a very good travel packer from my previous consulting days (working at Deloitte and Ernst and Young) and always bring a rolling carry-on to avoid an extra trip to baggage claim (unless I’m traveling for a longer trip and need to bring more). 

My carry-on includes my work-from-anywhere office:

• My work binder, which includes all important papers I need for in-progress projects, mail to handle, notes—basically anything I need to do work that doesn’t live inside my laptop or phone. I’ve learned the hard way how important it is to be organized with papers so I always keep this binder up to date with things I need to handle.

• My planner, which serves as my to-do list, weekly agenda, and notebook all in one

• Laptop and charger

• Phone and charger

• Apple Watch and charger

Since that’s all I need to work from anywhere, we’re able to hunker down in our Airbnb and keep our projects moving while keeping safe.

“If I know that I want to enjoy the pool at our Airbnb house but the sun is gone by 4 pm, I’ll plan my meetings and workday accordingly.”

—Jennifer Henry-Novich, Lifestyle Blogger

While being away from home as a remote worker is fun, it can also be challenging if you don’t plan. Can you share three tips for working remotely while traveling that set you up for success?

1. Make a plan for each of your days the day before. At the end of each of my days, I’m planning out what I’m doing tomorrow. I’m checking what calls/Zoom meetings I have the next day and at what time, I’m adding must-do items to my to-do list and slotting them in time blocks

2. Block your time for work versus personal. If I know that I want to enjoy the pool at our Airbnb house but the sun is gone by 4 pm, I’ll plan my meetings and workday accordingly. Maybe it’s blocking 12-2 pm for fun in the sun and 5-7 pm is focused work time with no distractions, before dinner!

3. Be realistic about what you can achieve while traveling. I’m notorious for making a to-do list 20 items long and in reality, I just can’t get it all done with the things that pop up in the day. If you’re working away from home, factor travel-related fun into your schedule. When I’m home, it’s no big deal to reheat leftovers for dinner—but in Palm Springs, I want to shut down my laptop, pick up amazing take out from a local restaurant, and enjoy the beautiful home I’ve rented. 

Do you set up a “virtual office” in your hotel? How do you set yourself up for success to avoid/minimize distractions?  

100% yes. I’m not a person that can effectively work from bed or the couch so it’s important to me to set up a dedicated workspace. I like to spread out on a desk or dining table and have my laptop, projects binder, notebook, and phone to get in the zone. I love to play music in the background to keep me focused.

What are some of the activities you enjoyed at your destination during your WFAnywhere trip? 

• Enjoyed local restaurant takeout in our beautiful backyard

  • This is the house we rented.

  • Amazing brunch food from Grand Central Palm Springs.

  • Sandfish Sushi for a unique twist on traditional sushi.

  • La Bonita’s for authentic Mexican tacos.

• Outdoor hiking at Joshua Tree; we did the Ryan Mountain Trail hike and Barker Dam Nature Trail

• Morning coffee runs at Ernest Coffee - we loved trying their pistachio rose latte!

Note: During COVID-19, travel restrictions are prone to change. Always check before departure and follow local guidance. Alaska Airlines is committed to your health and safety, learn more about Next-Level Care.

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ICYMI: Highlights From Our Positively Inspiring and Entirely Digital Celebration with Minnie and Friends

In honor of National Polka Dot Day, the annual fan holiday celebrating Minnie Mouse, Create & Cultivate teamed up with Disney to host Positively Minnie: Polka Dot Summit 2.0 – The Digital Edition. For the second year in a row, and with a full digital refresh, The Polka Dot Summit 2.0 engaged audiences around the world and demonstrated what it means to be ‘Positively Minnie’ through fun, powerful and uplifting programming including Minnie moments, major keynote speakers, inspiring workshops and more.

The February 27th event opened with a special message from modern day Minnie muses, who like Minnie, connect the dots between bold, fun, classic, and fashionable aspects of what it means to be positively YOU! 

Jonathan Van Ness kicked off the keynote sessions, sharing some sage advice on how to cultivate confidence, Marsai Martin proved Gen Z is breaking barriers with BOLD moves, Bri Emery showed us how to create a cozy #MinnieStyle WFH space, and Hailey Bieber discussed the true value of investing in yourself – mind, body, and business. Also throughout the day, celebrity stylist Maeve Reilly hosted personal styling sessions to demonstrate how to style fashionable #MinnieStyle inspired outfits that fit your personal brand, featuring a Disney nuiMOs look to match.

To everyone who tuned in, thank you for joining us—and to those who couldn’t make it, stay tuned. Below, we’ve compiled the key takeaways from our positively inspiring and entirely digital celebration with Minnie and friends. 

MINNIE MUSES

A special message from modern day Minnie muses, who like Minnie, connect the dots between bold, fun, classic, and fashionable aspects of what it means to be positively YOU! 

Quigley Goode | Noelle Scaggs | Katie Sturino | Brittany Sky | Deepika Chopra | Gemma Correll

“Everything that Minnie channels, I want to be that – bold, classic, fun and just full of life.”
– Brittany Sky

“What I like to do is narrow my focus. Stop thinking about the things I can’t control and think a little bit more about the things I can control in my everyday life: My mindset, my actions, my compassion, my kindness.”
– Casey Goode

A CUP OF CONFIDENCE 

Jonathan Van Ness brings a strong dose of optimism to a range of hot topics including how to best cultivate confidence.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Jonathan Van Ness | Television Personality, Hair Stylist, Author, Podcaster

MODERATOR
Ashlee Marie Preston | Media Personality & Founder of YouAreEssential

“The #1 tip for cultivating confidence: positive self-talk.”
– Jonathan Van Ness

“Being bold means sitting with your fear long enough to do it anyway.”
– Jonathan Van Ness

“More awareness, more radical love and compassion–that is what I want for 2021.”
– Jonathan Van Ness

WORK FUN HOME: COOKING & STYLING YOUR SPACE

How to kick-start your day with a homemade meal, create a cozy #MinnieStyle WFH space and add some special touches to positively transform your day.

WORKSHOP HOST
Bri Emery | Owner & Creative Director, DesignLoveFest

“Minnie is always positive–a light during dark times–she’s remarkable in that way. She’s always reinventing herself with a new look or finding new ways to keep things bright.”
– Bri Emery

GEN Z: BREAKING BARRIERS WITH BOLD MOVES

Marsai Martin  illuminates a different approach to letting go of fear, so that you can set (and stick) to your goals this year.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Marsai Martin | Actress & Executive Producer, (Black-ish, Little)

MODERATOR
Olivia Hancock | Associate Editor at Byrdie

“Minnie has inspired me for a long time and being a huge part of my life – she’s iconic, powerful, loves the idea of life.”
– Marsai Martin

“Be confident; which starts by loving yourself; and loving yourself starts by excepting who you are.”
– Marsai Martin

GROWING YOUR POWER OF POSITIVITY WITH HAILEY BIEBER

Hailey Bieber talks about the true value of investing in yourself – mind, body, and business – to create positive transformation.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Hailey Bieber | Model

MODERATOR
Jaclyn Johnson | Founder, CEO of Create & Cultivate

“I just love this idea that Minnie Mouse as this character, is this larger than life iconic being that exudes positivity and confidence and I think inspires so many young women.”
– Hailey Bieber

"The reality is, we are all put on this earth to do different things, so no matter what lane you are in life, you have a purpose."
– Hailey Bieber

"Surround yourself with people that make you feel dope for being you and who remind you of who you are."
– Hailey Bieber

“The best thing anybody can be is themselves.”
– Hailey Bieber

How This Fashion Stylist Turned Interior Designer Carves Out Time for Creativity

Photo: Courtesy of Estee Stanley

Welcome to our monthly editorial series A Day in the Life where we ask successful women we admire to share the daily minutiae of their professional lives, from the rituals that set them up for success to their evening wind-down routines. This month we sat down with Estee Stanley, the fashion stylist turned interior designer who is streamlining the way interior designers and architects work with clients through her agency The Eye. Read on to learn how this enterprising entrepreneur stays focused, manages her inbox, and finds the time to binge-watch “Losing Alice” at the end of the day.

Tell us a bit about The Eye. What whitespace did you see in the market? What need did you want to fill?

Before transitioning into interior design, I spent many years working as a celebrity fashion stylist. During my time as a stylist, I was represented by The Wall Group. Although hesitant at first, the benefits of having an agent became so apparent (more money, less hassle) that giving up a cut of my hard-earned money became beyond worth it.

Then, after transitioning into interiors, I couldn’t find the same opportunity for representation, and I never understood why. Having someone to advocate on your behalf, negotiate your contract and fees, and act as a liaison between client and designer throughout the project creates the space for creatives to do what they do best, create! I want to implement this already proven successful representation model into the design industry, helping bring more transparency to all! 

Are you a night owl or a morning person? When do you do your most important work and why? 

I would definitely say I am a night owl. My creativity often sparks after a few drinks, however, my mid-morning fully caffeinated self is definitely my most prolific self. 

What time do you get up? What’s the first thing you do upon waking?

I typically get up around 7:30 or 8:00 am, which always feels too early. After immediately brushing my teeth, I try to get some light stretching in, and then it’s off to get my kids organized for their day. 

What does your morning, pre-work routine look like?

My mornings often look different (I have my kids to thank for the spontaneity) but I do my best to fit in yoga or tennis whenever I can!

Mark Twain said, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” What’s the first thing you do when you get to your desk?

First thing is to check and make sure I have my iced tea and water easily accessible. Once the caffeine component has been secured, I typically start my day by checking the news. 

What are you working on this week?

Currently, we are in the development stage of creating The Eye’s very own Youtube channel. Our channel will include a variety of unique design shows featuring many of the talented designers on our roster. I love TV so brainstorming and pitching shows has been very fun for me! 

What’s been the most rewarding part of running your business? The most challenging?

There are a ton of rewarding aspects of this job, but my favorite is being the person to our designers that I always wish I had in my corner. With The Eye being the first-of-its-kind agency within the design industry, one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced has been educating people on the reason for our services. Considering designers have been working and clients have been hiring long before The Eye ever existed, people wonder why now? It’s our job to show both designer and client the benefits of using The Eye’s services over the ladder. 

“Try to section off times in your day to work on certain tasks. That way, you don’t spend too much time doing one thing. It also helps you carve out more time for creative conversation and long-term thinking.”

—Estee Stanley, Founder of The Eye Agency

Photo: Alexander Design Courtesy of The Eye Agency

Do you ever reach inbox zero? How do you handle the constant influx of inquiries and communication entrepreneurs are so familiar with?

This one is tough for me, as I have to admit I am not a big email person. I am pretty old school when it comes to communication and way prefer someone to pick up the phone and call me directly. Knowing that is way less common in the world we live in now, hitting inbox zero rarely ever happens for me, unless it’s on my phone (since I refuse to install the email app there, lol). That being said, I still love the constant influx of inquiries because they often lead me to connections and opportunities I would have never known otherwise. 

What is your go-to work lunch?

Typically, I’ll eat a Nicoise salad or an Italian chopped salad with no meat. However, recently I have been incorporating a lot of banana bread into my diet as well, as I started a side company called Gone Bananas Bread as a way to raise money and give back to charitable causes across our community. Check us out at gonebananasbread.com.

What advice do you have for balancing the minutiae of day-to-day tasks with big-picture planning?

My advice would be to not get too bogged down in your email inbox. Try to section off times in your day to work on certain tasks. That way, you don’t spend too much time doing one thing. It also helps you carve out more time for creative conversation and long-term thinking.

What are some work habits that help you stay healthy, productive, and on track to reach your goals?

Lots of water and deadlines! Working on a deadline always helps me stay focused and more productive. 

Any favorite apps you use regularly?

Woodoku, The Hoffman Process App, Instagram (obviously), and Bitmoji.

What are you reading, watching, or listening to right now to help you wind down at the end of the day?

Reading: “Siblings Without Rivalry” (LOL)

Watching: Where do I begin… I am a complete TV junky. Right now I am watching “Losing Alice” and “Possessions,” and I just finished “Money Heist” and “The Split.” 

When do you go to bed? What’s your “optimal” number of sleep hours?

14 hours is my optimal amount, only when dreams come true. However, I settle for 8 and usually am asleep by midnight.

What’s the most rewarding part of your day? 

2 part answer!  

1) Seeing my kids getting along and realizing how much they teach me on a daily basis.

2) Having fun at work and finding the humor in the small day-to-day things. If you can’t find a smile or laugh while on the job, I would suggest reassessing what you're doing.

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How I Designed My Small Business to Make a Big Social Impact

“Even the smallest—but mightiest—business can move the needle.”

—Sailaja Joshi, Founder of Mango & Marigold Press

Six years ago, I was pregnant with my first child, and, being a huge book lover, I was planning a library-themed baby shower. I envisioned filling my daughter’s bookshelf with beautiful books that celebrated our shared Indian culture and heritage. So imagine the deflation I felt when I realized that books that had people who looked like my daughter (and myself) on the cover didn’t exist—and what I did find was inappropriate for a child or, even worse, culturally insensitive.

Motherhood opened up my eyes. It opened up something inside of me that made me realize that I refused to live in a world where my daughter could not be her true, authentic self. While I’d grown up a voracious reader myself, the idea of raising my daughter in a world where she couldn’t envision herself as the hero in the books she read wasn’t acceptable to me. 

So I took matters into my own hands and started a publishing company. 

I’m not an author (yet). I don’t have a publishing background. But I saw something wrong with the world and I wanted to change it. A lot of people might dismiss the importance that children’s books have on the state of the world, but I’d strongly disagree. Kids are born open-minded. By creating a more diverse landscape of literature, we open up the world for them, encourage wonder and awe, and show children that diversity is the nature of humanity, not an initiative. 

Having an impact on the characters and stories portrayed in children’s literature is the opportunity to change a generation. I count myself and the authors and partners that we work with at Mango & Marigold Press among the many artists and activists who have worked to make diversity an asset. But it’s not an easy road. 

Mango & Marigold Press is a small, independent publisher in a land of behemoths–and beyond that, many might look at it as a minuscule drop in the bucket in the work that needs to be done around race and gender equity. This is a common feeling for entrepreneurs building mission-based business: the feeling that the impact we make, though it feels important, isn’t good enough. It can be discouraging and may result in us shelving our dreams for a better world with the belief that the difference we are making will never be enough.

But if you can move past those feelings, even the smallest (but mightiest) business can move the needle. Mango & Marigold just celebrated its sixth anniversary and announced its twentieth book—incidentally, the first picture book series featuring South Asian characters. Our #1001DiverseBooks initiative, which donates copies of our books to literacy nonprofits to help diversify their bookshelves, has donated more than 3,000 books. A few guiding principles have helped me make my way through the nay-saying and the self-doubt, to a place where I know that the work we do is making a true difference.

Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress. 

When I started Mango and Marigold Press (then Bharat Babies) I had $1,000, a rough business plan, a script for a book, and a vision. I’m SO glad I went and made our first book in six months and didn’t wait to do things “right” because, honestly, if I had, I’d still be trying to perfect that first book. 

Don’t be afraid to ask, then ask again. 

I have learned the art of asking lots and lots of questions and then asking the same questions twice. I realized that many folks (not all) are willing to share their lessons learned and there is such a gift in learning from other’s mistakes. 

When you open a door, bring others through. 

I am a massive believer in this. When I get a grant, I make sure to share the application with another small publisher and share out what types of information I gave that helped me to “get” the award. I share connections, names, contacts. I bring people with me on my journey of success because this is the only way we will break down systematic barriers. 

Yes, you can. Everyone will tell you that you can’t, but I’m telling you: Yes, you can. 

A mentor once told me that even if my company fails, its books would still be out in the world, and would touch so many people. Hearing that, early on in my journey, gave me the audacity to start and the strength to continue, book by book. If you’re starting a business, particularly one with a social impact mission, find your cheerleader. Find the person who will tell you that you can, that it’s possible, that there’s good to be had in the work you are doing. They will carry you through the difficult times of starting a business and the moments where you doubt whether your work is worthwhile.

Literacy is power, and breaking down the structural barriers that limit access to books and literature for communities of color is essential. We stand at a unique moment in history for an Indian American woman like me: the first female, Indian American vice president. That is a big moment for an entrepreneur with a mission to demonstrate that diversity is natural–not an initiative. 

But beyond a big moment like this is the day-to-day triumph. I’ve seen many kids delight in the fact that the character on the cover of their book looks just like them. I’ve worked with several authors who have expressed relief when I encourage them to inject their culture back into their stories after receiving rounds of notes from traditional publishers saying otherwise. Those smaller moments are the ones that keep me going.

About the author: Sailaja Joshi is the founder of Mango & Marigold Press, an award-winning independent publishing house that shares the sweet and savory stories of the South Asian experience. Mango & Marigold just announced its twentieth diverse book and has donated more than 3,000 books to literacy nonprofits as part of its #1001DiverseBooks campaign.

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I Spent 3x More Money Than I Budgeted to Launch My Business

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Brittney Ogike

Brittney Ogike knew starting a business would be expensive, but she underestimated just how costly it would really be. “When I wrote my business plan, I didn’t allocate enough dollars to certain areas like buildout and inventory,” Ogike tells Create & Cultivate. “I remember telling our design firm my original budget for the buildout. They pretty much laughed at me and suggested I not work with a firm and go it alone. I had no idea about the amount of money it would take to build the store I was envisioning!”

Thankfully, these expenses didn’t discourage her from bringing her vision to life. As the founder of BeautyBeez, a modern beauty supply store created by and for WOC, she’s bringing an elevated and inclusive shopping experience to women who have been long overlooked by the beauty industry. “For decades, the beauty supply has been left unchanged and wholly inadequate,” Ogike explains. “And more recently, consumer behavior has shifted. Our community has become more conscious of where we spend our hard-earned dollars, but with no place to turn to for our complete beauty needs.”

Ahead, Ogike tells Create & Cultivate all about her business and her founder journey, including the lightbulb moment that inspired her to launch BeautyBeez and the costly lessons she’s learned since becoming an entrepreneur.

Take us back to the beginning—what was the lightbulb moment for your business? 

BeautyBeez was created to fill a gap in the retail industry. What many people outside of the African American community don’t realize, is that ethnic hair care and beauty products are typically sold in small local retailers called beauty supply stores. Every Black woman has memories—both fond and unpleasant—of going to the local beauty supply store with our mothers and shopping for those nostalgic “Black girl hair” products: hot combs, barrettes, relaxers, hair grease, and a whole lot more. It was a space specifically for us! The larger retailers didn’t (and still don’t) carry these items. 

The lightbulb moment occurred when I was shopping for some hair products for my daughter. I was forced to go to our local beauty supply store and left feeling upset about the entire experience. For decades, the beauty supply has been left unchanged and wholly inadequate. And more recently, consumer behavior has shifted. Our community has become more conscious of where we spend our hard-earned dollars, but with no place to turn to for our complete beauty needs. BeautyBeez was created to fill the white space in ethnic beauty. We provide an inclusive beauty experience where women of color can shop, explore and play in a world full of beauty. 

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful, and if not, what did you use instead and why did you take that approach? 

Yes! A business plan was essential in building the framework of BeautyBeez. It helped me establish the mission of the brand, the product offerings, and financials. I also believe it was useful in persuading my family members to join. I still refer to it to this day. 

How did you come up with the name BeautyBeez? What was the process like and what are some of the things you considered during that process? 

When determining the business name, I wanted it to have a few characteristics—unique, brandable, identifiable, and include a personal nod to my family. I wanted a complete departure from the typical beauty supply name with the hopes of establishing the brand as a leading beauty retailer—and not just a beauty supply. The “Beez” in BeautyBeez has a few different symbolic meanings. It acknowledges me (B for Brittney), my daughter (Z for Zara), and the fierce, matriarchal symbolism of the bee animal. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business? What would you recommend to new founders reading this who don’t know where to start? 

The first thing I did was establish the business name. I contacted a lawyer and had them register and trademark the name. Next, I bought the website domain and created social handles on all social platforms, even though I didn’t need them immediately. 

What research did you do for the brand beforehand, and can you explain how you found and compiled that research? Why would you recommend it and why is it important? 

I visited as many beauty supply stores as possible and posed as a customer to figure out how I could fill the white space. I read online reviews to understand the pain points. I spoke with all of my friends about their experiences shopping for their beauty needs and had conversations about how the issues could be resolved. Lastly, I researched the history of the industry. Why was it dominated by a specific group of people? Who are the major competitors? What are the potential barriers to entry? To gather information, I read trade articles, searched the web, and went down every rabbit hole I could find on the topic. It’s important that you’re educated in whatever industry you get into. Stay on top of trends and the laws and regulations that are passed down. 

How did you find and identify the distributors you work with? What are some of the challenges you faced along the way and what advice can you share for fellow small business owners? 

Since I’m a minority in the industry, I faced several challenges trying to open accounts with distributors. I have been charged high minimums, required cash upfront when others are given credit terms and have been flat out denied access. Oftentimes, working directly with the brand was a lot easier to procure products. The advice I would give is to not give up. Reach out to as many different manufacturers and distributors as possible. All you need is one “yes.” And once you get that “yes,” thoroughly research them. Find people in your industry that have done business with them. This will not only help you vet the supplier, but it will also help you in establishing a network of contacts in your new industry. 

How have you funded your businesss?

We are a family-owned company comprised of myself, my husband, and my brother. Fortunately, we are self-funded and haven’t had to seek any outside funding, yet. 

What is the biggest money mistake you made in the beginning and how did you recover from it? 

I’ve spent way too much on inventory. I was so eager to start ordering products for the store that I didn’t fully understand the ordering process with some distributors. They all have different rules and ways of ordering. I should have been more conservative on quantities and asked more questions. I’m currently sitting on hundreds of sewing kits if anyone needs any! 

Did you work full-time at another job while building this one or just dive straight into it? Can you share your experience and what you would recommend to others? 

Yes. I’m moonlighting as a sports manager. My career has always been in sports and I don’t see myself giving up on that work any time soon. I enjoy what I do in both industries—beauty and sports! 

Do you pay yourself? If so, how did you know how much to pay yourself? 

I haven’t paid myself, yet. Once we reach profitability, I’ll be able to start paying myself a minimal salary.

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like? Did you have hiring experience before this venture? If not, how did you learn and what have you learned about it along the way? What advice can you share? 

I have a staff of four part-time employees that work in the store and three corporate team members that assist with operations and branding. Finding great team members is one of the toughest parts of being a business owner. I’m still learning along the way, but the best advice I would give is to hire slow and fire fast. It’s important to take the time to find the right person for the position. Call references, run background checks and do all the things necessary to make sure the candidate is the right fit. If that person isn’t working out, it’s also important to remove them from the position immediately. You can’t let your emotions get in the way, which is a lesson I had to learn. At the end of the day, it’s about your company and what’s best for the business. 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? 

Yes, I hired an accountant to assist with bookkeeping and monthly financial reports. Admittingly, financials are my weakest skill set. I even audited a college finance class the summer before I started working on BeautyBeez because I know how important it is to understand financial statements and reports. 

Can you share the biggest learning curve or challenge since starting your business and why? 

My biggest learning curve has been the economics of it all. This includes budgeting, forecasting, profit/loss, etc. There are so many financial decisions that need to be made on a daily basis when running a business. Having a comprehensive knowledge of your company’s financial standing is essential for success. I’m constantly educating myself on how to have better margins, determine pricing, and control costs. 

Do you have a business coach or mentor? If so, how has this person helped, would you recommend one, and how did you find one? 

I’m currently in the process of trying to find a mentor or an executive network group to join. Having a mentor or joining an executive group can help you grow as a leader and aids in better decision-making in your business. I would love to have a group of like-minded entrepreneurs to bounce ideas off of or troubleshoot certain issues I’m facing. 

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz? What percentage of your budget goes to marketing and why? What challenges have you faced? 

First, let me say this. If you build it, they will not come! You have to build it, then tell people about it. Marketing was a huge challenge for me in the beginning. I think it was because I was trying to figure out which strategy worked that would give us the best return. We’ve done flyers, banners, a referral program, digital ads, and social media. Social media is where we’ve seen the biggest response. We had to figure out where our ideal customers were. They’re on social! So, we’ve invested a lot of time, dollars, and energy to make sure BeautyBeez is in front of them on all of the social media channels. Presently, we’re spending about 30% of our budget on marketing. 

What is one thing you didn’t do in the setup process, that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do ASAP? 

I severely underestimated my startup costs. I ended up spending three times more money than I previously budgeted to create BeautyBeez. When I wrote my business plan, I didn’t allocate enough dollars to certain areas like buildout and inventory. I remember telling our design firm my original budget for the buildout. They pretty much laughed at me and suggested I not work with a firm and go it alone. I had no idea about the amount of money it would take to build the store I was envisioning! The lesson in all of this is to do your research in determining potential costs and do not be conservative. 

For those who haven’t started a business (or are about to) what advice do you have? 

Just do it! You cannot wait for the perfect moment. I read some advice when I was in the early phase of developing BeautyBeez that said to complete at least one task a day that gets you closer to your goal. It can be as small as research on a particular topic or as big as creating a website or registering your business. I took this approach and a year later, we officially launched. There are going to be many challenges and hurdles along the way. Take them one day at a time. In the end, the gratification you feel once your business launches will be worth it. 

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner? 

Pay attention to the numbers. They don’t lie. We create businesses for a lot of reasons, but at the end of the day, we want them to make money. Profitability is the goal for most businesses, and to reach profitability, you need to look at your numbers. What is making the most revenue? How can you increase these sales? What isn’t working and costing too much money? These are the questions you should ask yourself every month and make adjustments. Ultimately, if there is no path to profitability, your business will fail. 

If you could go back to the beginning with the knowledge you have now, what advice would you give yourself and why? 

I would say slow down. I was so eager to get up and running that I didn’t fully understand many of the aspects that have now cost us a lot of money in mistakes. Yes, mistakes will happen. But, the goal is to not make expensive mistakes. The only way you can do this is to do your research and make informed decisions. 

Anything else you’d like to add?

For anyone out there looking for a sign to tell you to start, this is your sign. Start now! Follow your dreams and don’t let anyone or anything hold you back.

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Why I Became an Entrepreneur Even Though Starting a Business Was Never My Dream

“My entrepreneurial story wouldn’t be complete (or have even started) without my greatest hero, my mom.”

—Jenn Chung, Founder of Embody

Stories about entrepreneurs usually begin with a free-spirited child or having an executive mindset from the start. The entrepreneurial journey usually starts with a lemonade stand on the corner or selling baseball cards to classmates. Yeah, that wasn’t me. In fact, I wanted nothing more than to lead a “normal” life. I wasn’t ambitious or a natural-born leader. I was a shy kid and a rebellious teen. Starting a business was never my dream. But the more I was exposed to sharp and successful business people, the more my entrepreneurial spirit evolved. My entrepreneurial story wouldn’t be complete (or have even started) without my greatest hero, my mom. I come from an immigrant family. I was born in Vietnam and the family moved to Minnesota when I was one. My mom was the breadwinner of the family and always worked multiple jobs to support us.

My earliest memory of seeing her work was when I was about four years old. She was a waitress at a Chinese restaurant in Rochester, Minnesota. I was so impressed that she was able to carry a platter full of dishes on her shoulders. While my mom worked, the owner would let me sit behind the counter and my mother would sneak chicken wings to me during her break. As a little girl, that brought me so much joy. My mother was very business savvy and owned several businesses before she started a skincare company in 2007, Forever Beaumore. By then she was a single mom with three kids (soon to be four) and she realized she needed to create her own opportunities in life. Her independence and resilience instilled the beginnings of an entrepreneurial spirit in me. 

In Vietnamese culture, holistic medicine and nutrition are intertwined with skincare. My mom taught me from a young age that healthy habits were a necessary part of taking care of my skin and my body. I started taking her advice seriously in my teens after I developed cystic acne, and I watched my skin clear up and begin to heal. Millennials are chronically stressed, overtired, and influenced by the filtered skin they see on social media. I realized I was passionate about sharing what I had learned about nutrition and holistic wellness with my peers for better skin and health. 

That’s easier said than done, though. The skincare market is saturated with products all promising to do the same thing: unclog pores, get rid of acne, fade scarring, and prevent aging. As a consumer, I felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and financially drained by the options. Knowing that creams could only do so much and skincare at its core starts from within, I set out to find a modern way to introduce my peers to the Eastern practices of food and nutrition as medicine to improve their beauty from within. I wanted to demystify skincare, create effortless products that work, and make beauty approachable and attainable for everyone. 

I’m lucky to be following in the footsteps of so many bad*ss female entrepreneurs who have paved the way for founders like myself. Their example inspired me to be a confident businesswoman who celebrates and encourages others. My hope for female founders like me? To one day eliminate the “female” in “female entrepreneur” and finally be seen as equal with our male counterparts. Until then, I’m proudly owning the title of female entrepreneur!

If you’re thinking about entrepreneurship yourself, here’s my advice. Use Google! It’s such a powerful tool and you can quite literally learn how to run a business online. Support other female entrepreneurs. There’s a worldwide network of incredible female entrepreneurs, tap into their wealth of knowledge to get yourself started. Consider your motives. There’s a lot of pressure in today’s society to “be your own boss” (think Etsy shops, direct sales, side hustles), but it’s important to pursue what fulfills you, not what you think others think should fulfill you. 

Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, and that’s 100% okay! You don’t have to be the big boss to be fulfilled by your job. You don’t have to monetize your hobbies or passions, either. If you like the idea of starting a business but aren’t ready to start your own, try finding an entrepreneur who shares a similar vision or goal that you can work alongside. You never know, it could be a great opportunity. 

Here are my final words of advice: take it slow when it comes to decision making. Yes, sometimes quick thinking is necessary. But making thoughtful decisions will ultimately provide better results (aka save you time and money). Create a step-by-step plan for your business and be aware that none of it will go according to the plan. The most important thing is to keep an open mind, be flexible, and ask for help when you need it. Oh, and don’t be afraid to break the rules.

About the author: Jenn Chung the founder of Embody. Jenn worked her way up through her family cosmetics company, Forever Beaumore, from packing boxes at age 15 to stepping in as president at age 24. Seeing first-hand how successful her family’s beauty supplements were in the Vietnamese market, Jenn was inspired to create a brand for women just like her and bring eastern beauty remedies to a modern western audience in a fun, palatable way.

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This Entrepreneur Is Giving Girls the Tools to Build Long-Term Financial Wellness

You asked for more content around business finances, so we’re delivering. Welcome to Money Matters where we give you an inside look at the pocketbooks of CEOs and entrepreneurs. In this series, you’ll learn what successful women in business spend on office spaces and employee salaries, how they knew it was time to hire someone to manage their finances, and their best advice for talking about money.

Photo: Courtesy of Nicole Hartwig

Nicole Hartwig learned everything she knows about money from her late Aunt Lynn. “My aunt guided me through all of my financial firsts, often sitting me down with a pencil and paper, teaching me the most foundational financial principles like how to make a budget and how to set a savings goal,” Hartwig tells Create & Cultivate. “She coached me through saving up for my first car by allowing me to make ‘deposits’ into a Tupperware container she kept safe for me in her kitchen drawer.“

So when her aunt passed away in 2013 after a 25-year battle with cancer, Hartwig was inspired to help girls develop financial literacy skills as a way of honoring her late aunt and the values she lived by. “My aunt relentlessly pursued her career goals in finance, slowly working her way up with a steady determination and humble grace, all while battling breast and ovarian cancer for nearly half her life,” explains Hartwig. Thus, Capri, an app designed to teach high-school and college-aged girls financial literacy skills and cultivate confident money mindsets, was born.

Ahead, Create & Cultivate chats with Hartwig about everything from starting her business to bringing on her first hire, and everything in between.

How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today?

My first job was at a local coffee shop in Metro Detroit when I was 14 or 15. They only hired team members 16 years and older, but I applied anyway. When they asked me the obligatory interview questions about past jobs, I told stories about how I’d taken care of friends during tough times or risen above challenges at school, and I got the job! That experience taught me something that I’ve carried with me ever since: you never know until you try.

Take us back to the beginning. What was the lightbulb moment for your business and what inspired you to pursue this path?

The idea for Capri came from my late Aunt Lynn, who passed away in 2013 after a 25-year battle with cancer. A true Capricorn (the inspiration for the name Capri), my aunt relentlessly pursued her career goals in finance, slowly working her way up with a steady determination and humble grace, all while battling breast and ovarian cancer for nearly half her life.

Entrepreneurship is all about taking calculated risks. What’s the most pivotal financial risk you’ve taken, and how did it change your path? 

The most pivotal risk I’ve taken was leaving my full-time job to pursue building Capri. Creating the space, both logistically in my schedule and energetically in my life, changed everything. There’s a lot of advice floating around about waiting to leave your day job until you’re really ready. The truth is that your path depends on a lot of factors: your financial situation, your drive, the opportunity you’re pursuing, your network, etc. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for when to leave your day job to pursue the thing you’re passionate about. 

For me, creating the space was critical; it was essential to the growth of the company. As a sole founder in the early stages of a startup, there is no company without me. If I’m burned out, the company suffers. If I don’t have time to make that meeting, the work doesn’t get done. If I have no space to envision what’s next, the company has no path forward. The degree to which I make space for the creation of this company is directly correlated to our growth and success. Making space for the overall wellness of myself and the company was—and still is—one of the most important actions I’ve taken as a founder.

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

The needs of your business change with every stage of development and each business is unique. Every founder has a unique set of circumstances within which they’re working, and their business is a direct reflection of that. 

Capri is a female-led, bootstrapped, early-stage tech startup. Within our unique set of circumstances, our most important spend was on product development, but we also chose to spend on our brand identity development at the same time. For us, this was vital. We were building brand awareness during a pandemic and we had to rely largely on our digital presence to make that happen. Many would have argued against that expenditure so early on, but for us, in our unique set of circumstances, it was what helped us establish ourselves in our launch market. 

As a business owner, you have to trust your gut, because there is no right answer out there. Everyone—founders, operators, investors—will have different advice for you. You have to follow your intuition about the next right step. 

What was your first big expense as a business owner and how should small business owners prepare for that now? 

Our first big expense was hiring a software development team to build our beta. We intentionally built a true minimum viable product, both for cost savings, and because we knew we’d make edits to the product design once we got the product in front of users. 

Aside from the design research and development that led up to our hiring decision, we also did a ton of due diligence and vetting of potential vendors. That took months and months of work. My best advice for founders preparing to build a technical product is to build in a huge cushion for the amount of time it will take!

What are your top three largest expenses every month?

Software development, graphic design, and legal expenses.

In the beginning, how much did you pay yourself and how did you know what to pay yourself? 

We’re 2 1/2 years in and I still haven’t paid myself a dollar. That’s not a badge of honor that I wear, it’s just the truth. All the capital we’ve raised has gone to product development and business expenses. We just aren’t at the stage of development where it would be appropriate to pay myself. Once we reach that stage, I’ll add in a modest salary for myself until we’re really rocking and rolling. 

Would you recommend other small business owners pay themselves? 

Of course, when it makes sense for the business. You don’t build a business to not make money, but you also don’t usually build a business just to pay yourself. You have to wait until it “pencils”—until the financials of the business support a salary. 

How did you know you were ready to hire and what advice can you share on preparing for this stage of your business? 

I made my first hire after I completed our first accelerator program. I knew I had hit a wall in my own capabilities and I needed someone to help me bring the initial design of the product to life. For every single team hire I’ve made, I’ve shopped from my first-degree network. I cannot recommend this enough. Working with colleagues and friends who were familiar with me, my character, and my working style, allowed me to forge team relationships quickly on an existing foundation of mutual trust. My best advice to other founders preparing for this stage of their business is to comb your network. Literally scroll through LinkedIn and see what your connections are up to. Reach out to people you know who are doing the scope of work that you need, and start that conversation. Expect it to take some time to gain their full trust, but know that you’ll have a headstart working with people you already know personally and/or professionally.

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? What do you recommend or advice do you have for that?

I made all of our financial decisions in the beginning, and I asked trusted people around me when I wasn’t sure how to move forward. For example, when I incorporated the company, I had to choose the total number of shares of the company. I went to business school, but I didn’t know a thing about this part. So I Googled, I made phone calls to anyone I knew who might know a thing or two about it, and I ultimately made a decision based on the information I had (and the very limited amount of money the company had in the bank). This is the beauty of starting a business—it’s truly messy! You cobble together the answer to every single question and decision, and there are a million of them, day after day. It wasn’t until we were a year or more into the business that I brought on a team member with great financial experience. Now we make those decisions together. We still learn as we go, together, and we ask questions when we don’t know the answer. 

What apps or software are you using for finances? What has worked and what hasn’t?

In the earliest stages of the business, I used Freshbooks to track what little expenses we had, and I used an Excel spreadsheet template for our financial projections. Now that we’ve raised capital, we use QuickBooks in place of Freshbooks as it’s more sophisticated for reporting purposes, but we still use the same (albeit much more customized) Excel spreadsheet to create our financial projections.

What are some of the tools you use to stay on top of your business financials? What do you recommend for small business owners on a budget?

I loved using Freshbooks in the early days of Capri! It was inexpensive, easy to use, and the interface is honestly delightful. For projections, Excel is great. Get a template from the internet or from someone working in finance or in whatever industry you’re in. If you can get someone to sit with you for a bit to explain the formulas, that’s ideal. You can then take that spreadsheet and make tweaks to it, which you’ll continue to do forever and ever. It’s actually great to familiarize yourself with making projections from the very beginning. A lot of your business success hinges on your ability to understand the relationship between various business expenses and practices.

Do you think women should talk about money and business more? Why? 

Yes! Money is still a taboo topic to talk about, and the world of startups is still so male-dominated and so mysterious. When women are profiled for being successful in business, they’ve often already slogged through the toughest part: getting started. Rarely do you hear the real story behind the buzzy headlines; the I-drained-my-401(k)-to-start-the-business story, or the I-moved-in-with-my-parents-to-save-the-company story. Those are the stories women starting businesses need to hear. They need to hear that the messiness they’re experiencing is normal. That successful women didn’t always save up the perfect emergency fund before they launched their companies, or they didn’t get a check from the first VC they had a meeting with. They need to see themselves and their situation reflected in these stories. The truth is that founders who have ivy-league connections and family members in private equity have an easier go of it. If you don’t have those things, starting a business can feel like a hopeless pipe dream. Women without those privileges have made it happen by being scrappy, creative, and persistent. The more we talk about those experiences, the more we encourage women of all backgrounds to go for it.  

Do you have a financial mentor? Do you think business owners need one? 

I do! I have several. I have one advisor who manages an angel investing group who advises me from an investor’s perspective. I have another advisor who comes from private equity and the finance industry. I have an advisor who coaches startups. And of course, my most cherished mentor is my late Aunt Lynn. Even though she’s no longer with us, her foundational teachings from my teenage years will stick with me forever, and her loving energy is still with me every day. 

What is your best piece of financial/money advice for new entrepreneurs?

First, heal your money traumas (we all have them in some form). Reflect on the past experiences and beliefs that might be holding you back. Second, listen to your intuition. It won’t steer you wrong. 

Anything else to add?

Just don’t let fear stop you. Don’t let the odds that seem stacked against you stand in your way, whatever they are. Trust—trust, trust, trust—that if you have a vision for something you want to create, you are meant to bring it into the world. Follow what lights you up.

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Why This CEO Encourages Her Team to Sleep In

Photo: Vlada Karpovich from Pexels

Restless days and sleepless nights are no laughing matter. Three years ago, you could count me among the 68% of Americans who say they have difficulty sleeping. I was working as an economist with the World Bank, and, thanks to an increasingly demanding travel schedule, I was suffering from chronic insomnia. I’d be suffering for months at a time before I could get a handle on my sleep schedule. I was burning out, fast, and I knew that something needed to change. 

Getting real rest—the kind of rest where you wake up feeling refreshed rather than exhausted—is crucial to living a full and healthy life. In my search for a natural sleep solution, I finally tried a weighted blanket, and everything changed.

Weighted blankets work by delivering deep touch pressure (the act of applying even pressure all over the body), which is scientifically proven to reduce stress and anxiety, and promote calm. I had finally found the natural solution that I’d been searching for, but I found that in all of the weighted blanket products on the market, something critical—design, quality, sustainability, or breathability—had been compromised. So, I did what any entrepreneurially-inclined person would do: I set out to make a new one! 

“Our culture is shifting away from wearing career burnout as a badge and embracing the fact that taking time to rest is beneficial to all aspects of our lives.”

I founded my company Bearaby with the mission to destigmatize sleep, make naps guilt-free, and champion rest as a non-negotiable part of a healthy lifestyle. When you make space for employees to incorporate the practices that help them feel refreshed and focused, there is a direct benefit to the quality of their work. I encourage employees to operate on the sleep schedule that allows them to be their most rested. Some people are early birds and some are night owls, so why force anyone to conform to a schedule that might not be best for their overall well-being? That’s why I’ve implemented core working hours from 10 am to 1 pm each day. Outside of that window, employees can make their own schedules. It gives our night owls the option to sleep in if they prefer, and our early risers a bit of a break in the afternoon to exercise, meditate, or even nap! And I’d encourage other leaders to adopt similar policies.

We’ve seen clear benefits from our company work style, and we’ve found that napping and flexibility have positively contributed to our success as a brand. We understand that self-care looks different for everyone, and we’ve found that a flexible work schedule that allows personal practices to be seamlessly incorporated into the workday helps us to stay balanced and creative as a team. Making sleep a priority can have immeasurable benefits for your organization. By meeting the unique needs of your staff, and being mindful of their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, you can foster a positive environment where individuals can truly thrive. 

Before the pandemic, the connection between stress and anxiety and sleep health was already well documented. But now, one year in, the impact of mental health on sleep is more visible than ever. The pandemic has taken an enormous toll on our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, and uncertainty and fear have become constant companions for most people. In our busy, demanding, and increasingly complex world, we must prioritize relaxation and rest for both personal and professional wellbeing. Our culture is shifting away from wearing career burnout as a badge and embracing the fact that taking time to rest is beneficial to all aspects of our lives. It’s not just about our personal health—restful practices are key to producing better work, and increasing productivity. That’s why my modern workplace solution is the comeback of the power nap. 

“It’s not just about our personal health—restful practices are key to producing better work, and increasing productivity.”

With our increasingly flexible schedules and working from home as the new normal, people are discovering the health benefits of taking an afternoon nap during the day. Some of the world's top health experts have praised the power nap as a way to boost productivity and efficiency in the workspace. Napping can be widely restorative and help to improve alertness, performance, creativity, and memory function. 

As an entrepreneur and founder, I believe it’s important to let employees take the breaks they need for their own mental health and well-being. A beautiful community of nap-vocates is also flourishing alongside us. We’re delighted to see a shift in the negative stigma around napping. Instead, it’s becoming a shareable trend, with people proudly showcasing their self-care regimen on their social feeds.

I hope that by building a company that prioritizes individual health and the health of the planet, we’re one step closer to a calmer and more collected world. 

"I believe it’s important to let employees take the breaks they need for their own mental health and well-being."

—Kathrin Hamm, Founder and CEO, Bearaby

About the author: Kathrin Hamm is the founder and CEO of Bearaby, an award-winning weighted blanket company on a mission to free the world of sweaty, plastic-filled weighted blankets. Named one of Entrepreneur’s Powerful Women of 2020, Kathrin’s approach to simple and sustainable self-care without compromise has woken up a tired industry. She aims to destigmatize sleep, make naps guilt-free, and champion rest as a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. 

It was Kathrin’s personal sleep struggle that inspired her to launch a game-changing product with the brand’s flagship Napper in 2018. During a robust career as an economist with the World Bank, her on-the-road lifestyle began to take a toll on her sleep, leading to chronic insomnia issues. Through the science of deep touch pressure, she was able to sleep better, naturally and without medication. When she couldn’t find a weighted blanket that was breathable, stylish, or sustainable, she knew she had to set out to create one. 

Since then, Bearaby’s signature knitted blankets have garnered a devout fan following and international notoriety, winning both The Red Dot Design Award and Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Award in 2020. The company was also selected as the Sleep Foundation’s top pick for best weighted blanket of 2021.

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Meet the Woman Whose Job Affects the Way 2.5 Billion People Communicate on a Daily Basis

How many times have you peered voyeuristically into the lives of people you admire via social media and wondered what it must be like to do their job? We’ve all been down that research rabbit hole on our quest to create and cultivate the career of our dreams, but often we’re still left pondering the realities of their day-to-day—so, what is it really like? In our editorial series I Want Your Job, we uncover the truth by getting into the nitty-gritty details about what it’s actually like to work in your quote-unquote “dream job” and if the reality stacks up to the expectation. 

Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Daniel

To say Jennifer Daniel’s work affects a lot of people is an understatement. As the creative director for Android and Google emoji, she designs the emoji anyone who uses an Android device can choose from to express themselves—which is over 2.5 billion people. (Yes, that’s billion with a “b.”) And she doesn’t take that influencer lightly. “I see my responsibility working on emoji to have a lot of parallels with how dictionaries operate,” says Daniel. “Like lexicographers, we’re not looking to invent or create new concepts. Instead, we look at the world—both forward and backward and observe how people communicate,” she explains. “Language is fluid, but if we see patterns or trends that aren’t transient and seem to have stuck, we formally recognize it by emojifying it.”

Recently, Create & Cultivate caught up with Daniel to talk about her impressive career, including what a typical workday looks like for the creative director, which (spoiler alert) doesn’t exist. (“Before this chat, I just got off the phone with a doctor in Cambridge to vet the heart and lung emoji to make sure they’re anatomically correct,” she tells us.) And though her days may not be “typical,” Daniel wouldn’t have it any other way. “I need a job that keeps me on my toes,” she says. “If I’ve gotten to the point where I'm not learning new things, it might be time to find a new job.” Ahead, she also fills us in on getting her start, working her way up from entry-level designer to graphics editor at The New York Times, and why her peers are her greatest professional influences.

How did you get your foot in the door in the tech industry and land where you are today as the creative director for Google's emoji program?

In high school, I was torn between going to a big university to become a lawyer and going to art school. In the end, I ended up at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) which was basically four years of summer camp. It was there that I learned that graphic design was something other than adding lens flares to compositions in Photoshop. After graduation, I spent ten years on and off at The New York Times, originally starting as a designer and working my way up to a graphics editor. I never ever thought I would leave New York but when my partner got a job offer on the West Coast, I suddenly found myself in ‘Frisco. After a rant about the design scene in San Francisco went viral, I heard from Google. 

What did you study in school? How has that prepared you for your job now? 

I ended up studying graphic design, which was something I wasn’t familiar with before MICA. In middle school, they pass out these occupational surveys, I’m not sure how common they are now, but when I turned it in, the recommendation was to become a parole officer. It wasn’t until I was in college that I was introduced to the notion of specialties beyond what is described in Busy Town. My sophomore year at MICA I met Nicholas Blechman (the current creative director of The New Yorker, and previously an art director at The New York Times) who was a guest teacher. He taught a class called “Polemic Image” and lectured about the history of political art and illustration and I was like, “Ohhhhhhh, you can do graphic design and illustration at the same time?" And, you could make it newsy? That’s a job?” At our midterm review, he looked at my portfolio and took out a poster, and asked if he could have it. And I sassily replied something like he could have it if I could follow him to New York and be his intern. One of the best summers of my life living in my grandmother’s attic in Flushing and commuting to Chinatown every day.

Did you intern before landing your first “real” job? If so, where, and how did that prepare you? Would you recommend it to others coming up behind you?

I interned with Christoph Nieman and Nicholas Blechman for a number of years. After I graduated, Nicholas took a job at The New York Times and asked if I would join him as his assistant. This ultimately turned into my career as I know it. 

"In the industries I work in, there’s a lack of women in what my friends and I call the 'just-ahead-of-me group.' So, I’d say my peers are the strongest influences in my life."

—Jennifer Daniel, Creative Director for Android and Google Emoji

What does your day-to-day look like as the creative director for Google's emoji program? Does the reality of the job stack up to your expectations?

The process of creating emoji—from idea to when they land on your phone—takes a couple of years so there’s no day-to-day routine. My days change depending on where we are in the process. Are we in the strategy phase? The proposal reviews? The design? The research? I guess one thing every day has in common is how I am routinely surprised. This is something really important to me. Perhaps because I worked in a newsroom and every day was truly different, but I need a job that keeps me on my toes. I hope everyone has some equivalent of learning something new in their occupation. If I’ve gotten to the point where I'm not learning new things, it might be time to find a new job. 

When I first started working on emoji, I thought, “Are any of these adding anything of value to how we communicate digitally?” And as I got more involved in the emoji sub-committee and started reading proposals, I realized that each proposal is coming from someone who looked at their keyboard and couldn’t find a way to articulate something that normally comes naturally to them. That is deeply primal—the desire to be seen and heard and recognized and understood—and that has changed my perspective. The more I learn how people use emoji has also changed what I prioritize and how I look at things. 

You have what many would consider a dream job. What are some of the common misconceptions people get wrong about your role? Why?

People may assume Google gets to choose the emoji that are encoded, but in truth, that’s up to an independent non-profit standards body called the Unicode Consortium. As a member, I’m on the sub-committee that is responsible for emoji. It’s truly collaborative. Another part of my job that surprises most folks is how much time I spend talking to experts to make sure that the emoji are authentic. Before this chat, I just got off the phone with a doctor in Cambridge to vet the heart and lung emoji to make sure it’s anatomically correct. 

Your job affects the way people on over 2.5 billion devices communicate on a daily basis. That’s a staggering number—How do you view the responsibility that comes with Google’s wide reach? What initiative/project within Google’s emoji program are you most proud of?

I see my responsibility working on emoji to have a lot of parallels with how dictionaries operate. Like lexicographers, we’re not looking to invent or create new concepts. Instead, we look at the world—both forward and backward and observe how people communicate. Language is fluid, but if we see patterns or trends that aren’t transient and seem to have stuck, we formally recognize it by emojifying it.

What advice would you give to young professionals trying to break into your industry? How hard is it? What key traits and characteristics does it take to work in your industry?

Just be you. As women, we’re told over and over again to lean in, but that frequently puts us in positions that are structurally unsuited and hostile. This touches on every part of the job, even seemingly trivial things like tone in emails. Research has shown that women don’t use emoji professionally or aren’t friendly in emails, because they’re taken less seriously if they do. I understand and also reject it. Our humanity is essential to effective communication. Don't use enough emoji and you're seen as hostile. Use too many and you're seen as unprofessional. It's a lose-lose. So, forget it. Just be yourself.

Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Daniel

Can you share one woman who paved the way for you to be where you are today? How are you paying it forward and helping other women who are coming up behind you? 

In the industries I work in, there’s a lack of women in what my friends and I call the “just-ahead-of-me group.” So, I’d say my peers are the strongest influences in my life. The artists, writers, and designers I’ve met along the way are incredibly motivating and inspiring. And, for those moments where things feel highly discouraging, well, I hope everyone has friends who pump them up like mine do because it rules.

What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? And how did you turn it into an opportunity?

For me, that was moving to San Francisco. I thought that I was going to stay in New York and I still miss it. I left a place I truly never thought I would leave. But, I guess that’s the point. Just when I think I know the answer to something, I probably don’t. Trying new things isn’t scary to me. Nothing is permanent. And, if ‘Frisco doesn’t work out I can always move back. 

What books do you recommend people read to get a foot in the door in your industry?

Throw out all your UX books. For me, I gravitated towards linguistics and science and social sciences. Those are the sections of bookstores that I go to. If you really want one book recommendation, go pick up “Because Internet” by Gretchen McCulloch is a must-read if you are interested in internet linguistics. 

What podcasts do you recommend people listen to?

I listen to about a hundred podcasts. I am the kind of person who listens and absorbs as much as possible. A few of my favorites: “Infinite Monkey Cage,” “Getting Curious,” and “The Daily.” 

What’s one thing you wish you’d known when you were first starting out? 

That I know nothing. I am a completely different person than I was ten years ago, and ten years before that. We are constantly reinventing ourselves and learning.

What is your best work hack or productivity tip? How do you get it all done?

I create clear boundaries. When I go home, I don’t open my computer unless I’m watching a movie. I do think about work. I might listen to a podcast as I go to sleep and think about how that applies to what I’m working on. But generally, I don’t work at home. I wake up very early, around 5 am, walk the dog, and ok I admit I do respond to emails but I’m a morning person so I like to get a lot done in the morning. Setting boundaries between my work and personal life helps me be my best self in both places and is something I would recommend trying. 

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5 Things You Need to Know Before Raising Money for Your Startup

Photo: WOCInTech for nappy

Asking for money is rarely fun. But it’s especially tough—and often futile—for women. Why? We’re less likely to get a raise at work, even though we ask at the same rate as men. And we’re especially unlikely to get money for our startups since only 2.2% of all venture capital goes to female founders. (The percentages are even worse for women of color.)

Even for those women who successfully ask this question, it’s as I write in my book Startup Money Made Easy: The Inc. Guide to Every Financial Question About Starting, Running, and Growing Your Business, “seeking outside money is a daunting, grinding, tedious process.” It can go horribly wrong. But raising money can also go tremendously well if you do your homework, network like crazy, and get lucky.

Over the course of nearly five years of reporting and editing money coverage at Inc., I’ve interviewed many successful women founders. Some of them avoided raising outside money entirely; others have raised tens of millions of dollars. So if you’re ready to take the VC plunge—or to start off by asking friends and family to back your business.

Here are five things to know about raising money for your startup.

You don’t necessarily need to do it.

VC-backed startups like Uber, WeWork, and Airbnb get a lot of the headlines, but most startups never ask outside investors for money and many thrive regardless. Take S’well: Founder and CEO Sarah Kauss turned her high-design water bottles into a $100 million business without ever taking outside investment.

There’s an increasing number of women funding women.

While traditional VC has a long way to go to close the gender gap, there is a growing number of investment firms focused on women-led startups. Some examples are Arlan Hamilton’s Backstage Capital, Susan Lyne’s BBG Ventures, and Anu Duggal’s Female Founders Fund. Women founders, meanwhile, told Inc. that female investors often better understand their target markets.

Still, it’s often a slog.

“When you see company after company raising money, you get the outside-in perception: ‘It's not that difficult if they can do it.‘ But this is not the case,” Policygenius co-founder and CEO Jennifer Fitzgerald told me about her initial fundraising expectations. “It was a very fruitless and frustrating few months,” she adds. Fitzgerald and her co-founder eventually raised their seed round through small checks from about 50 friends and family members, “which is a painful way to do it, but we had to get it done,” she recalled.

It can also be exhilarating.

“Raising money was a year and a half of my life, and I loved every minute of it. Boy, was it grinding and difficult,” Christina Tosi, the pastry chef who’s now the founder and CEO of Milk Bar, told me last year. “You're going to war … and not necessarily in a negative way. It doesn't have to be argumentative.”

It matters who your partners are.

Don’t accept just any investment. As your business grows, you’ll want to make sure you and your investors can agree on what’s best for the business (unless you want to try to buy them out). As Tosi put it, “You can't do a good deal with bad people, and you can't do a bad deal with good people.”

About the author: Maria Aspan is an award-winning business journalist and an editor-at-large at Inc. Magazine, where she oversees money coverage and writes about startups, technology, finance, and gender. She has also covered business and finance for The New York Times, Thomson Reuters, and American Banker. At the latter, she served as national editor and covered the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath.

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

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Meet Táche, the New Plant-Based Milk Brand Tapping the Nutritional Benefits of Pistachios

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Roxana Saidi

Pistachios were always in Roxana Saidi’s pantry growing up. “Ask any immigrant from the Middle East and they’ll tell you having them at home is pretty much mandatory,” Saidi tells Create & Cultivate. In fact, one of her most vivid memories dates back to when she was five years old when her father Morteza Saidi, an Iranian immigrant and a serial Silicon Valley entrepreneur, taught her how to open her first pistachio nut. But it wasn’t until six years ago, when Saidi had an entrepreneurial epiphany while visiting family abroad, that the elongated green nut took on an even greater significance in her life.

After enjoying a leisurely lunch with her family in Paris, Saidi found herself craving an almond milk latte when inspiration struck. “I realized that the snack I’ve loved all my life was not only an incredibly delicious and healthy nut but could also be turned into milk,” says Saidi. “The lightbulb went off and immediately upon returning to NYC I started making different versions in my apartment kitchen.” And, after much recipe development, Táche Pistachio Milk was born. Now, the brand is poised to take over the plant-based milk category as a delicious, more sustainable alternative to almond milk.

Create & Cultivate chatted with the co-founder and CEO about how she’s shaking up the plant-based milk industry, collaborating with her father as a co-founder, and paying it forward to young girls and women in her community.

Take us back to the beginning, what was the lightbulb moment for your business?

When people ask me “why pistachios?” a vivid image pops into my mind. I’m five years old and my dad is attempting to teach me how to open my first pistachio. Growing up, pistachios were always in my household. Ask any immigrant from the Middle East and they’ll tell you having them at home is pretty much mandatory. 

Fast forward to adulthood, after a long family lunch in Paris, I was longing for an almond milk latte, but it was 2015 and almond milk had not yet made its way to Europe. It was at that moment I realized that the snack I’ve loved all my life was not only an incredibly delicious and healthy nut but could also be turned into milk. The lightbulb went off and immediately upon returning to NYC I started making different versions in my apartment kitchen. 

Being born into a family of entrepreneurs, I recognized the opportunity for a new healthy, yet decadent and flavorful plant-based milk and decided to bring my father, Morteza Saidi, out of retirement to support me in creating Táche Pistachio Milk.

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful? If not, what did you use instead, and why did you take that approach?

I was a business major, so luckily writing business plans wasn’t new to me. However, as it would turn out, that prior experience was of absolutely no use. Not a single person asked to read my business plan. A lot of people asked me if I had one, but never if they could actually read it. 

On the other hand, my investor deck got plenty of mileage. In the early days, I had a hard time working on it because I so desperately wanted it to be beautifully designed. I couldn’t get past my nascent design skills, yet I couldn’t rationalize spending the thousands of dollars having a designer do it. Luckily, over time, my design skills improved and I got over my perfectionist tendencies, for the most part!

How did you come up with the name and what are some of the things you considered during the naming process? 

Táche is pronounced like the second syllable in pistachio. I actually came up with several names before Táche, but couldn't get any of them trademarked! I think I attempted to trademark three earlier options. In the end, it worked out for the best because I like Táche the most of all the options I came up with. 

My advice for naming and trademarks is twofold: become familiar with the USPTO database and search for the name you want to use for your business in the correct class. Secondly, if you are bootstrapping your business, you can reach out to law schools at local colleges and universities. Most have law clinics where they will do your trademark or patent work with their students pro bono! 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business? What would you recommend to new founders reading this?

After getting your trademark process started, I would say the most pressing initiative should be to become intimately comfortable with the financials of your business. It can be daunting, I get that. In my case, I knew I had to scale the business first (meaning for my very first production run the industry minimum was 60,000 units), so there was no flexibility to figure out the financials later or to learn as I go. Overall, the sooner you can be fluent in the economics of your business, the sooner you will be able to confidently lay out a path for the business, raise capital, and understand its runway.

What research did you do for the brand beforehand? Can you explain how you found and compiled that research? Why would you recommend it and why is it important?

I spent three years just on the research phase of Táche learning all that I could. Besides everyone’s research bestie, the Internet, there were two standout sources to my research: podcasts and conferences. With the pandemic, the latter has shifted to more virtual ones and not as many opportunities right now, but attending conferences was instrumental in my research. I attended conferences ranging from NYC Coffee Fest to BevNET Live, and to this day I’m still friends with many of the people I met at those conferences years ago. Luckily, podcasts are more abundant than ever, and no matter your industry, you can find founders talking about their experiences. 

How did you fund Táche? Would you recommend your path to entrepreneurs starting out today? What advice can you share?

I started fundraising a few weeks before the pandemic hit, so I feel like I could write a short book just on this topic alone. For the first four years of building the company, we were self-funded. During the first six months of the pandemic, we raised $1.1million from friends and family and angel investors to fund production, sales, and marketing. It goes without saying, deciding how to fundraise is a personal choice and highly dependent on a number of factors to the business and its founder(s). Talk to people who know you well and whose insights and recommendations tend to be well-reasoned and consistently spot on. When talking “advice taking,” I like to remind advice seekers to first consider the source. 

How big is your team now? What has the hiring process been like, and did you have hiring experience before this venture?

The team at Táche is myself as the CEO, my father who is the COO, and my fiancé who is our chief business development officer. We plan to expand starting in early 2021 and are looking forward to growing the team.

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup of the business?

Luckily, with my father’s background and fortuitously having an early investor that is a CFO, we were able to utilize their collective expertise. We did, however, bring on an attorney early on. I could not recommend the brilliant Jessie Gabriel of All Places more for female founders. All Places is a business and legal strategy firm for women by women that walks with women founders through every stage of development: conceiving their entrepreneurial aspirations, locking down funding, launching their businesses, and plotting growth. Jessie has served as more than just counsel; she’s been a mentor to me and was one of the earliest believers in me and building Táche. 

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing a business? What mistakes have you made?

The biggest learning curve in developing Táche has been operational with respect to creating a shelf-stable, plant-based milk. From ingredient sourcing to manufacturing to health certifications, there’s been an enormous amount of data, formulas, operations, protocols, and regulations to develop and understand. Creating products with a shorter shelf life is generally a much easier path to production, but I was resolute in wanting to develop a highly barista-friendly product and that meant shelf-stable.   

Do you have a business coach or mentor, and would you recommend one to fellow founders?

I would say my answer with Jessie Gabriel (above) is the best answer to this question.

How did you promote Táche? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz? Did you know anything about marketing before this venture? 

With my years of experience in running my own creative agency, Rx Social, I knew that I wanted to bring on teams to be completely dedicated to promoting the business and utilize my own network as much as I possibly could. Pre-launch, we’ve primarily promoted Táche via digital marketing, PR, and discoverability through coffee shops and retailers in NYC. 

What is one thing you didn’t do in the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap?

In our case, we should’ve started designing the website much earlier. We made a critical error in hiring a web developer without doing a thorough reference check. This is something I can’t advise strongly enough no matter how busy you are: Find time for thorough reference checks. 

If you could go back to the beginning with the knowledge you have now, what advice would you give yourself and why?

Overthink less, action more. When I action decisions based on my intuition and with assertion, it rarely leads me astray. 

As co-founders, how have you developed a good working relationship? What tips can you give to other business partners trying to make it work?

Considering my father’s entrepreneurial track record and my own experience building brands via my agency, we were able to come together quite seamlessly. While bringing on your father as a co-founder isn’t the most conventional way to start a business, I have such an immense level of trust and support that I feel would be hard to find with any other business partner. My advice is to not rush into any co-founder relationship. The old adage is true, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is! 

Anything else you’d like to add?

Last year, our country elected the first female vice president, which feels auspicious for us as a brand. As part of our ethos as a female-founded and led company, we’re excited to be donating a portion of our profits to support education and entrepreneurship for girls and young women in our community. We partnered with The Lower Eastside Girls Club of New York City as our nonprofit partner in our mission to foster girls’ education and provide them with the mentorship, tools, and support they need to become healthy, successful women. 2020 has been tough on everyone, but we feel optimistic knowing we finally have our first female vice president in office.

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Classifieds: Dragun Beauty, Blue Apron, and Tweezerman

Photo: Colorjoy Stock Photography

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KT Merry | Social Media Manager | Remote

Dragun Beauty | Senior Manager, Social Media and Community | Los Angeles

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Stitch Design Co. | Account Manager | Charleston, NC

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KT Merry | Assistant Project Manager

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WEST COAST

Omelet | Marketing Manager | Los Angeles, CA

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Lyft | Content Marketing Manager | San Francisco, CA

Deckers Brand | Social Media Manager, Tevas | Seattle, WA

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EAST COAST

Revlon Inc. | Manager, Marketing | New York, NY

Blue Apron | Affiliate Marketing Manager | New York, NY 

Frank Body | Manager, Marketing Analytics | New York, NY 

Tweezerman | Junior Marketing Manager | New York, NY 

Fresh | Executive Assistant | New York, NY

Mailchimp | Group Product Manager | Brooklyn, NY

"Starting a Company Wasn’t Something I Ever Thought About Seriously"—Then a Miscarriage Changed Everything

Photo: Courtesy of Alexandra Glass

To say that 2020 has been a tough year would be the understatement of the century. This year has brought the world to its knees, and my life is no exception. This is a story of how I picked myself back up. How I channeled my energy into starting a business after journeying down a rocky path to motherhood. But mostly, how I reawakened the lion inside me, which is as fierce as ever.  

My tough 2020 started on January 2nd, just months before the pandemic began. To ring in the New Year, we had friends coming to visit us from Spain. My husband and I excused ourselves from playing tour guides for a routine check-up with our OB-GYN. That visit would be, what we thought, our first listen to our baby’s heartbeat. It never occurred to me that something could go wrong, or that life might deviate from the plan.  

Truth is, I was one of those people that fell into the “a miscarriage could never happen to me” category. Sure, they told me that it happens to one in four women when trying to get pregnant, but that wasn’t the news I was expecting to hear on January 2nd. It’s hard not to put on the rose-colored glasses when you’ve got the excitement of becoming a mom on the horizon. And it’s because of those glasses that the words spoken by my OB-GYN that day brought me to my knees. 

I tried to toughen up. I tried to swallow that heart-breaking pill. But getting over it wasn’t that simple. I couldn’t get out of bed. I felt empty inside. Like I had failed at becoming a mom. Like I had failed at my duty as a wife. My entire life I’ve had this mantra that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. But this was the first time that everything felt completely out of my control. 

I called friends and family for support. Instead, what I heard was, “You’re so young, you’ve got time.” And, “I have a friend who had it worse.” And then, of course, “You just started trying, this happens to everyone.” It’s as if I was asking permission to be sad, and all I got back was a move-on response blanketed in empty consolation words. I’d never felt more alone in my life. 

Photo: Courtesy of Pass the Salt

When women suffer a loss like this, the healing period doesn’t boil down to a single moment in time. It takes weeks to recover physically, months to process emotionally, and even longer to overcome mentally. 

After a few months of dealing with mild depression, my husband encouraged me to talk to a professional. I realized that I was looking for support in all the wrong places. On top of that, I had a mountain of residual emotions from old childhood trauma resurfacing that I never really dealt with. Emotions have a sneaky way of bubbling their way back up, whether you’re ready to process them or not. And in hindsight, talking to a therapist was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. 

I started getting acupuncture a couple times a week, taking vitamins daily, meeting with a fertility specialist, tracking my ovulation cycle, getting blood work done, and cutting back on the coffee and alcohol. I knew that staying in bed wasn’t going to fix my fertility issues. What I needed was motivation, a distraction, something to lift my spirit again. That’s when I started to flesh out my idea for a business. 

Starting a company wasn’t something that I ever really thought about seriously. But in all honesty, I had no interest in returning to the corporate life grind. 

Before the world went on lockdown, I took a solo trip to Oaxaca, Mexico (if you haven’t visited, add it to your bucket list immediately!). That trip was a major turning point for me. It’s one thing to put your idea on paper, but it’s a whole other thing to start building it alone, in a foreign country, while putting your own dollars on the line. 

The best part was getting the chance to connect with the community. I’d wander through the markets, falling in love with the hand-stitched Otomi coasters that took hours and hours to make, speaking with the local merchants and sourcing products, while soaking up every drop of knowledge from the Oaxacan mezcaleros. 

Photos: Courtesy of Pass the Salt

As the daughter of a Colombian immigrant, I’ve always had the belief that I can figure anything out. In fact, it was entrepreneur and author Marie Forleo who said it best: “everything is figureoutable.” I took those words to heart. I spent hours listening to podcasts, downloading audible books, and going down the Google rabbit hole. After many trials (and plenty of errors), I took my savings and an investment from my husband, and was finally ready to introduce Pass the Salt to the world. 

I wanted to create something that simplified the art of hosting while capturing cultural traditions and giving people an excuse to gather with friends—something that felt particularly crucial this year. And Pass the Salt—an at-home hosting experience filled with cocktails mixers, tablescape additions sourced from my travels, and personalized entertainment recommendations—really achieves that. 

What I’ve learned from starting a company is when you take a leap of faith, it’s not always going to be a smooth landing. But putting your energy toward something that you’re passionate about, something that motivates you, even in the face of failure, is what makes the leap worth taking. 

When the second miscarriage came, it really dawned on me that fertility might be more of a journey than I’d hoped for. But this time around, I felt more equipped to handle it. This time, I gave myself space to heal. This time, I had a reason to get out of bed. 

Motherhood will come when it’s meant to come, but right now, I’m focusing on sowing the seeds of my brand like it’s my child—watering it, nurturing it, watching it grow.

About the author: Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Orlando, Florida, Alexandra Glass always dreamed of traveling the world. And when she met her now-husband, Jesse, and moved to Barcelona, Spain in 2017, those dreams became her reality. Two years, twenty countries, and three wine certifications in the bag (WSET 2, WSET 3, and CSW), her unrelenting wanderlust and love for wine and the backstories behind the labels turned out to be a recipe for something great: a female-owned company that champions other inspiring women, sprinkled in with a few of her favorite things. Cooking, entertaining, cocktails, conversation, and pieces that tell a story—or what Alex likes to refer to as, stuff with soul. That’s the magic that is Pass the Salt.

Alexandra has generously extended a 25% discount at Pass the Salt for Create and Cultivate readers. Enter the promo code CCIWD25 at checkout. This is a one-time code, one per person, for 25% off site-wide, there is no expiration date to the promotion.

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How You Can Help Small Businesses ‘Foot the Bill’

In honor of National Women’s Month, we’ve teamed up with Vans to help "Foot the Bill" and provide financial support to women-owned small businesses across the country. 

COVID-19 has changed all of our lives—socially, emotionally, physically, and certainly financially—in the blink of an eye. We have seen the impact of the coronavirus pandemic hit our communities, economy, and our main streets. While the business impact of COVID-19 has varied depending on industry, there's one group that has been hit particularly hard in America: women-owned small businesses.

In honor of National Women’s Month, we are teaming up with Vans to help “Foot the Bill” and provide financial support to local, and community-driven small businesses across the country. 

The Vans “Foot the Bill” initiative invites independent shops and community-driven organizations to collaborate on a custom footwear and apparel design, featuring original artwork that best represents their business’ identity. The exclusive designs are available for purchase through the Vans Customs website, and the net proceeds from the "Foot the Bill" merchandise go directly to the participating partner to help them navigate through the present challenges.

New businesses and venues are added to the “Foot the Bill” website each week, where consumers can learn more about each business’ story, how they will be utilizing the funds that they receive, and the inspiration behind the design that they have selected for their footwear and apparel.

We believe that small businesses are not only the foundation of our economy, they are the heart of our communities. Supporting women-owned small businesses – as a woman-owned small business ourselves – is at the core of what Create & Cultivate stands for. 

Our “Foot the Bill” nominees spotlight three amazing, women-owned businesses from across the country that were deeply impacted by the events of this past year. Their enduring resilience is an expression of the unwavering commitment they have made to their communities. Financial support through this initiative will not only benefit their business, but their respective communities. 

Meet the “Foot the Bill” nominees below and then head to www.vans.com/footthebill to shop and show your support.

Portland Flea + Food

is a monthly market held on the last Sunday of the month in Portland, Oregon. It’s a monthly gathering place for the creators, curators and collectors, and a haven for small business owners, local shoppers and communities alike. Every market features 40+ local artists, makers, and curators of the best vintage, handmade and locally-sourced goods in town. It’s almost certain you’ll discover a new favorite piece to treasure.

Portland Flea + Food has taken a huge hit this year, like so many other small businesses, including many of their local vendors. Your contribution not only helps support the monthly flea market, but its many creators, curators and collectors.

Grit N Glory

is a rock n roll inspired clothing boutique and tattoo studio located in the heart of NYC's Lower East Side, led by native New Yorkers Emily Conley and Veronica Mallo alongside internationally recognized tattoo artist and TV personality, Megan Massacre. A combination of gritty fashion sense with an original edge and the glory of an exclusive and coveted tattoo expertise.

Grit N Glory was one of many tattoo and retail shops forced to close this year. Your support not only helps the business stay afloat, but also provides assistance to their many artists and collaborators.



Sweat Records

opened in 2005 to cater to Miami’s huge audience of music lovers, as well as visitors to the tropical metropolis. They carry Miami’s widest selection of new and reissued vinyl, as well as used LPs, turntables, accessories, enamel pins, local merch, zines, and more. Today, Sweat Records is not only known for being a world-renowned record store, but its regular schedule of in-store and all-ages programming and events.

Sweat Records, like many brick and mortar retail businesses, pivoted to focus on digital sales this year and were Your purchase not only supports the business of vinyl, but helps to preserve the legacy of its many artists and musicians.

To learn more about Vans’ “Foot the Bill” program, nominate your favorite small business, or shop and support the participating partners, head to vans.com/footthebill.

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Driven Women Who Dream Big

Ayesha Coker brings the Porsche brand to life as the Director of Experiential Marketing for Porsche Cars North America, Inc. She leads a high-performing team focused on experiential brand marketing, strategic partnerships, driving programs, and the Porsche Club of America. In the midst of our new reality, strong leaders like Ayesha stand out by innovating, adapting, and fostering connection in new and even unconventional ways.

As an entrepreneur, Mattie James is a total BOSS in the truest sense of the word and she really does walk the talk. Not only has she successfully turned her passion project into a thriving business but she’s bringing the rest of us along with her thanks to her online courses and downloads that teach us how to build a multi-figure business, too.

In this episode of WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johnson sits down with both of these ladies to discuss how to turn your ambition into a booming business, and level up your leadership skills. If there’s one message they want you to take away from the conversation, it’s to dream big and believe in yourself. 

Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.

“In a position of leadership, you must learn how to listen to your team.”

— Ayesha Coker

Ayesha Coker, Director of Experiential Marketing for Porsche Cars North America, Inc

On pursuing your passion full time...

“It was really easy for me because I was fired. When you get fired you have to figure things out rather quickly.” – Mattie James

“Take action – it's hard to stop momentum.” – Mattie James

“You cannot manufacture momentum.” – Jaclyn Johnson

On the challenges…

“2020 was definitely a year to remember, but I loved watching how my team came together to create unique brand experiences for our customers.” – Ayesha Coker

“We listened to our customer and really took it to heart, banding together as a team to create unique experiences during such a challenging time.” – Ayesha Coker

On ditching the perfectionist trope…

“Being present is way more is way more important than being perfect.” – Mattie James

“There is no way to be a perfect mother, but there's a million ways to be a good one.” – Mattie James

“I like to call it life-work balance, because those are my priorities. When you honor life, you honor work and vice versa.” – Mattie James

On pivoting experiential Porsche events…

We quickly realized that nothing replaced human connection. Nothing replaced that one-on-one experience that people were longing for.” – Ayesha Coker

“Our customers are an extension of us – they're like an extended family, as we would say.” – Ayesha Coker

“We had to create our own space, so that's what we did. We called it ‘Stay Driven’ because we wanted people to stay driven during the pandemic, not to forget that we will get through it.” – Ayesha Coker

Mattie James, Influencer

““Being present is way more is way more important than being perfect.” ”

— Mattie James

On leadership learnings...

“Having a following as an influencer is one thing, but having a community that really believes in the value of your offering is another thing.” – Mattie James

“In a position of leadership, you must learn how to listen to your team.” – Ayesha Coker

“Sometimes leaders are expected to know everything, but I find what the team needs the most is support, honesty and a clear vision.” – Ayesha Coker

“As a leader, you have to make quick decisions and then you have to stand by them.” – Jaclyn Johnson

“I tell my team that we may have different titles, but at the same time, we have the same goals.” – Ayesha Coker

On pursuing your dreams…

“Find that uncomfortable middle – you don't want to be comfortable, but you do want to make sure you're taking a calculated risk.” – Mattie James

“Get clear on what it is that you want to do, get clear on what it is that you're trying to accomplish, and when do you want to accomplish it.” – Mattie James

“We love to overwhelm ourselves with big audacious dreams. Take a deep breath, and break it down into digestible pieces.” – Mattie James

On building your dream career…

“Go with your gut. Never second guess yourself. Show confidence at all times. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Live your most authentic self.” – Ayesha Coker

“Self-leadership is so important. It’s plays into the trifecta self-awareness, self-confidence and self-care.” – Mattie James

“Be intentional about self-care.” – Ayesha Coker

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This Founder Sold Her Engagement Ring and Drained Her 401k to Start Her Business—Now Rihanna Is an Investor

You asked for more content around business finances, so we’re delivering. Welcome to Money Matters where we give you an inside look at the pocketbooks of CEOs and entrepreneurs. In this series, you’ll learn what successful women in business spend on office spaces and employee salaries, how they knew it was time to hire someone to manage their finances, and their best advice for talking about money.

Photo: Courtesy of Denise Woodard

Denise Woodard isn’t averse to taking risks. After her daughter was diagnosed with severe food allergies, she took the plunge and left a steady paycheck and a nearly decade-long career at Coca-Cola Co. to fill the void for delicious, allergy-friendly snacks in the packaged food industry. With her desire to create safe snacks for her daughter, her experience in consumer packaged goods, and her wide network, there was just one thing standing in her way: capital. Despite Partake Foods gaining traction and securing local placement in Whole Food and Wegman stores, funds were tight early on. “In the beginning, I sold my engagement ring and drained my 401k,” Woodard tells Create & Cultivate. “The possibilities with Partake made those sacrifices worthwhile.”

Fast-forward to 2021 and those possibilities have certainly panned out. Partake Foods is now stocked in nearly 3,000 stores, including retailers such as Target, Whole Foods, and Sprouts, and Woodard recently made headlines as the first Black woman to raise $1 million for a food startup. In fact, more than half of the $7.5 million she’s raised for her startup is from Black investors—including Marcy Venture Partners (the VC fund Jay-Z co-founded), Grammy Award-winning artist H.E.R., and Rihanna—and that’s intentional. “As a Black and Asian woman, it’s important to me that I am bringing profit to Black investors that are going to take the returns and successes and reinvest them into other Black founders to keep that money circulating and growing,” explains Woodard.

Create & Cultivate recently caught up with the founder and CEO to talk about how she bootstrapped her business (and later raised VC funding), why she believes women should talk about money more, and the enduring legacy she wants to leave behind.

You left a nearly decade-long career at Coca-Cola Co. to launch Partake Foods after your daughter was diagnosed with severe food allergies. Take us back to the beginning—what was the lightbulb moment for Partake Foods and what inspired you to launch your business and pursue this path?

Well, actually, it was our sitter Martha (who now owns shares in Partake!) who said to me, “Vivi’s diet is so boring! You should really do something about that.” What she meant, knowing me and my experience in consumer packaged goods (CPG) food and beverage was “DO something about it.” So, I did. I wrecked my kitchen recipe testing the first cookies, but I knew I was on to something when Vivi genuinely loved them.

You recently raised $5 million in Series A funding from investors, including Rihanna, which makes Partake Foods her first investment beyond her personal ventures—no doubt you’ve learned a lot along the way. What are three crucial elements everyone should include in a pitch deck when raising money and why?

The pitch deck is absolutely important, and Partake’s deck has evolved substantially. It’s gotten shorter, if you can believe it, the more we’ve grown. And that’s what I think I would offer to those seeking pitch deck advice. How can you tell your story as impactfully and concisely as possible? Prioritize your why, your market opportunity, your growth projections, and your potential exits. Know your numbers and keep it tight. Can you ride in an elevator and pitch in the time it takes to get from the lobby to the board room? If not, tighten your story.  

More than half of the $7.5 million you’ve raised for your startup is from Black investors, including Marcy Venture Partners (the VC fund Jay-Z co-founded), and Grammy Award-winning artist H.E.R. What advice can you share for entrepreneurs on partnering with the right investors? What do investors need to bring to the table other than just money?

It’s been very important to me, as we’ve grown, to look at a few things when bringing on investors. First, I acknowledge the areas in which I want to lean on advisors. I am always learning, it’s in my DNA. I’m very curious and love studying the stories of businesses that succeed and fail. I also enjoy hearing from other people’s experiences, so having investors around me that bring a variety of expertise and disciplines to the table is critical.

Also, as a Black and Asian woman (my father is Black, my mother is Korean), it’s important to me that I am bringing profit to Black investors that are going to take the returns and successes and reinvest them into other Black founders to keep that money circulating and growing. Black business is not a charity. It’s a solid investment. It’s good business. Working with Black investors who see this and are willing to invest in Black and brown founders (especially Black and brown female founders) now, not just because it’s cool, is a legacy thing for me.

Startups led by Black women receive less than 1% of venture capital funding, and you recently made headlines as the first Black woman to raise $1 million for a packaged food startup. Why do you think there is still so much inequality in the venture capital world, and what advice can you share for WOC entrepreneurs who are currently seeking funding?

Project Diane and Digital Undivided do a lot of good work in this space, and I appreciate that they’re driving meaningful awareness around the details of this. Recently, they released their updated report that noted 93 Black women (of which I am one) and 90 Latinx women are the only ones on record to raise more than $1M publicly. That’s it. I think it’s important to contextualize and continue to reiterate that only 183 Black and brown women of record have achieved this. It’s not because of our ability, it’s because of an opportunity gap. And because of the oppressive systems that have kept us outside the leadership programs, the C-suites, the board rooms, the country clubs. It’s generations of being kept out and then “allowed in” when it’s convenient for white people in power. We are mentored much more than we are hired. 

Non-whites are no longer the minority—that language should be retired. And Black and brown female founders are showing significant business growth. Forbes reported late last year that “majority Black women-owned firms grew 67% from 2007 to 2012, compared to 27% for all women, and 50% from 2014 to 2019, representing the highest growth rate of any female demographic during that time frame.” 

We have buying power and can harness our communities to support each other. I am very grateful to be embraced and publicly supported by many in the Black community. Those who are white and in allyship with us can seek out and buy from us. And those allies in positions of power can invest in us. Again, not because it’s charity, but because it’s a solid investment.

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

This is a subjective question, but to date, I do as much as I can with “sweat capital.” In the beginning, Partake was self-funded and self-distributed. I didn’t hire a full-time employee until 2020. All of our early dollars went to operations. But now, we have a larger and more balanced budget to ensure that we’re investing and reinvesting in areas that make the most sense for our growth. The safety and quality of our products are top priorities for us because customer enjoyment and trust are most important to us—for the short and long-term, it always comes down to enjoyment and trust. 

What was your first big expense as a business owner and how should small business owners prepare for that now? 

Buying ingredients in bulk took getting used to!

What are your top three largest expenses every month? 

They all tie back to operations. We are consistently buying for production, producing for current and forecasted orders, and shipping to distributors and retailers.

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself? 

I pay myself a modest salary, yes, but in the beginning, I sold my engagement ring and drained my 401k. The possibilities with Partake made those sacrifices worthwhile. It’s my, and my husband Jeremy’s, hope that we’ll eventually be able to repurchase an engagement ring one day!

Photo: Courtesy of Denise Woodard

Would you recommend other small business owners pay themselves?

This is really a personal decision, but my husband and I live and work in the NYC metro area, and our circumstances mandate a two-income household. 

How did you know you were ready to hire and what advice can you share on preparing for this stage of your business?

For the past few years, I have worked with trusted marketing and PR consultants, but gaining distribution in multiple regional stores (Whole Foods Market and Sprouts) and the possibilities of national distribution that came to fruition (Target, Trader Joes, Kroger), I knew full-time leadership and support was critical to getting everything done well. We now have a full-time team of six and the plan is to grow to 10 to 12 by the end of this year. 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? 

Yes, we have a consulting accounting team. 

What apps or software are you using for finances? What’s worked and what hasn’t?

We use Quickbooks Online. 

Do you think women should talk about money and business more? Why? 

Yes, the more we share, the more we bring to light the disparity that women, especially Black and brown women, live with every day. Not talking about it keeps things status quo. We need to move away from the status quo.

Do you have a financial mentor? Do you think business owners need one?

I have many trusted investors who have decades of experience building CPG businesses like ours, and I do check in often with them on a variety of questions. I wholly recommend seeking out mentors who have done the doing in your industry! 

What money mistakes have you made and learned from along the way?

One of my most memorable to date was in buying booth space at a large industry trade show a few years ago. I felt pressured to be there because of the other brands that were attending. With the money I spent, especially when you factor in travel expenses, I could have covered more ground hopping on the phone, flying to see individual buyers, or even cold emailing on LinkedIn. It just reiterated to me that this is my journey, and it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. 

With that, it’s important to note I wholly believe in real-life events. I’m always so grateful to get to connect with customers face-to-face, and I can’t wait for the world to open back up again so we can get back to offering samples of our products in grocery stores and at local consumer-facing conferences.

What have been some of the hardest money lessons you've learned along the way?

I have to spend money to make money. I know this intellectually, but my scrappiness and upbringing ingrained in me the need to make the absolute most with what I have. 

What is your best piece of financial advice for new entrepreneurs?

Know your numbers. Know your burn rate. Know how much it costs to acquire a customer (if that’s relevant to your business). Stick to your budget. Do everything you can to make the most of every dollar.

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'Real Stories' From Vistaprint Alum: Jera Foster-Fell, Founder, The Social Media Saloon

As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.

Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.

Jera Foster-Fell, Founder, The Social Media Saloon

What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?

There are three things that I love about having my own business: First, I love being my own boss. This means I craft my own schedule, play by my rules, and work towards my own goals. 2. I get to build what I am passionate and excited about. 3. I have the ability to choose who I want to work with and have a direct positive impact on their life, which is incredibly fulfilling!

Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?

Let me rewind back to April 2015 to first give you some context. I was a graphic designer, which is what my degree was in, working at various startups and doing a bit of freelance work. Truth my told, I was absolutely miserable. I was working so hard, yet severely under-appreciated and underpaid, to the point where I developed a bald patch on my head due to extreme stress and exhaustion. I had also recently found out I was struggling with social anxiety. I had no friends and zero social life. It was definitely a dark time for me.

It was then also in April of 2015 I made a decision which had a profound impact on my life: I decided to download a 12 week PDF workout guide I had discovered through Instagram. On that same day, I decided to create an Instagram account to hold myself accountable throughout the process, because that’s what I saw so many other women doing.

This was the beginning of my social media career in regards to content creation! I absolutely fell in love with instagram. Through this platform I found community and creativity, which was so very needed at the time.

From 2016 to 2018, in addition to working on my instagram, I was also a SoulCycle instructor, but in 2018, I left to pursue being a full time content creator. By mid 2019, I knew it was time to think even bigger. I was a successful influencer on Instagram, but I wanted to figure out what more I could do from a passion standpoint, as well as what more I could do to develop an additional stream of revenue.

Towards the end of 2019, I began developing my social media strategy business, and in the beginning of 2020, I ran my first ever Social Media Saloon program, which is my three month social media group coaching course where I teach business owners and content creators how to master instagram. Fast forward to current day: I’ve taught over 100 students and I am about to launch the fourth round of The Saloon!

What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?

The absolute biggest challenge hands down was imposter syndrome. I have taken so many pivots over the years from graphic designer, to fitness instructor, to content creator, to now social media coach, and each time a new path is begun, it’s so easy to let fears of inadequacies or voices that say “who are YOU to be doing this?!” creep into your mind.

What I’ve come to learn is though is that imposter syndrome is something we all feel, and at the end of the day, no one has it all figured out. No one knows exactly what they are doing. We are all figuring out as we go.

The biggest thing is to continue to take action and to continue to show up despite feelings of self doubt, because that is when people usually quit. Instead of saying “why me?!” I’ve learned to replace that with “why NOT me?!”. 

“Vistaprint...has been a one stop shop for all things printing and promotional, so I can easily log on, select what I need, upload my designs, and voila! ”

— Jera Foster-Fell, Founder, The Social Media Saloon

How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you? 

Anytime it comes to making decisions for my business whether it be for marketing, development, or finances, I try to be efficient as possible. Vistaprint has absolutely fulfilled that need for me as it has been a one stop shop for all things printing and promotional, so I can easily log on, select what I need, upload my designs, and voila!

One of the most important parts of my program, The Social Media Saloon, is the community aspect. Over the course of the three months, the students really bond and develop a camaraderie which is beautiful to see. I want to add to that collective energy however I can, so I decided to develop some merch for my students: sweatshirts, hats, notebooks, pens, and post-it notes. Sending off these packages of Social Media Saloon items has been a wonderful element of surprise and delight for the students when they embark upon their social media journey!

How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?

I would say that the bulk of the visual elements that make up my business currently are the ways in which I present my brand via social media, so think photography, videography, graphics, etc. Coming from a creative background, these visual elements are an important representation of what I do, and in a more laid back sense, they’re an expression of myself as well. I absolutely love taking creative photos, trying new photos, or incorporating props. I also really enjoy creating short form videos, whether they be for TikTok or for Reels. The rise of different things like trends and transitions has really unlocked a new way of creating for me and has pushed me to think of new ways to show up in social media in a visual sense.

“Don’t wait until things seem perfect or when you feel totally ready. Take messy action. We learn from doing, creating, and making mistakes.”

— Jera Foster-Fell, Founder, The Social Media Saloon

What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?

• Comparison is the thief of joy. Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s 57. Everyone started somewhere, and just because someone is “further along” than you doesn’t mean you can’t throw your hat into the ring.

• Don’t wait until things seem perfect or when you feel totally ready. Take messy action. We learn from doing, creating, and making mistakes.

• Invest in yourself. Sometimes it’s necessary to spend money in order to get to the next level. Investing in a business coach a year ago was one of the smartest decisions I’ve made for myself. It was the most money I’ve ever shelled out before, but it was a pivotal decision in me taking action to create my business.

• You’re not here to please everyone. The quote from Dita Von Teese has always resonated with me: “ You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.”

• Don’t take yourself too seriously. Remember to find the humor in the everyday and to laugh at yourself along the way. 

What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?

Here’s what I would like to see for the next generation of female entrepreneurs:

• To inherently believe in their worth

• To fully step into their confidence and voice

• To always push boundaries and stereotypes

• And lastly, a society that encourages and supports more female entrepreneurs

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Jera Foster-Fell went from drowning in a soul-sucking job with no defined purpose while suffering from social anxiety, to dominating the lifestyle sector of social media and owning a multiple six-figure social media coaching business. She has crowned herself the queen of pivoting: from graphic design, to SoulCycle instructor, to content creator, to social media coach. She has built her community to more than 170k on Instagram and 1 million on TikTok (in less than a year!) and now Jera's current passion is teaching all that she's learned to others with her signature course The Social Media Saloon and with her one-on-one clients. Jera coaches on the ins and outs of creating your own personal brand online, the secrets to building a loyal and engaged community, and all the steps that it takes to use social media as a power + positive tool for your business.

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