This Founder Left a Steady Paycheck at Microsoft to Pursue Her Side Hustle Full-Time

Photo: Courtesy of Diana Nguyen

Walking away from a 9-to-5 job with a steady paycheck and health benefits to start your own business isn’t easy. To help you to take the plunge, we’re introducing a new monthly editorial series The Case for Quitting where we ask self-employed women all about how they successfully struck out on their own, from how they balanced their side-hustle with their full-time job to how much money they saved before handing in their two-week notice. This month we caught up with Diana Nguyen, a senior finance manager turned fashion designer who quit her job at Microsoft to launch her own workwear label, Madison / Savile. Read on to learn how she broke into an entirely new industry, saved up to make the transition, and successfully turned her side hustle into a successful startup.

What was your major in college and what did you want to do when you graduated? 

My major was in accounting with a minor in marketing. When I graduated, I wanted to go into marketing or advertising. 

What did you actually do after you graduated? What types of jobs did you apply to and what industry were you looking to break into?

My stepfather was very strict and adamant that I should pursue a career in accounting, not marketing. I ended up applying to public accounting firms and graduated with five offers to work at the top five accounting firms at the time. I spent 15 years as a consultant, auditor, finance manager, and data analyst serving public and privately held companies in industries spanning from manufacturing and technology to retail.

How did you get into fashion?

During my corporate career, I noticed a lot of women around me at work and in my network (including myself!) that would talk about how much they love blazers, but how hard it was for them to find the right one with the right fit and design. Fit is everything, not only can it make a garment look amazing, but it allows for comfort and mobility. I saw a gap in the market. I love how a suit with the right fit looks on a man, so sharp and powerful and I wanted the same for women! 

All my life I knew I wanted to do more and that I had a higher purpose or calling. It kept getting louder, but I didn’t have clarity on what that was earlier in my life. I got a career coach that helped me narrow it down to being an entrepreneur, which eventually led to the idea of reinventing and redesigning the blazer based on the gap in the market I observed. However, that still wasn’t enough for me to take the leap until it aligned with my passion and purpose to help and empower others and to inspire a more beautiful world inside and out. Thus, the name Madison / Savile came to be. It is the definition of two worlds I’m combining; Madison means gift of God and warrior (inspiring others to bring out their inner warrior, reminding them of the gift that only they can bring to the world) and Savile is for Savile Row in London known for its bespoke suiting.  

What was it like balancing your full-time job with your passion? Do you recommend starting a side-hustle while you have a full-time job? 

I definitely recommend starting a side hustle while you have a full-time job. You are at a stage of exploring, experimenting, and building. I talk about this in one of my podcast episodes “Taking That First Step in Pursuing Your Dreams.” As my podcast guest Jessica Johnson, the CEO of Buzzworthy Content, put it: “It’s chasing your curiosities” and testing out if you even like your side-hustle. Having a full-time job helps to provide the security and funding to spend on exploring and building out your side hustle. 

However, it took prioritizing and discipline to balance my full-time job and my side hustle. How much do you want this in order to re-arrange your schedule and make sacrifices to spend the time needed on exploring and growing your passion/side-hustle? It takes planning and a commitment to yourself of how many hours a day or week you want to allocate to it. Only you can make it happen and only you can move the needle on your passion.

How did you know when it was time to make the transition from side-hustle to full-time? What was your strategy for making the transition?

Working at Microsoft, I was blessed to have a great manager and team where I was able to be fully transparent with them about my endeavors and my plan to quit. I kept my manager informed of my progress and timeline so I could transition my role with plenty of time and make sure the team was set when I leave. They were supportive of me every step of the way and still are. 

I was working on Madison / Savile on the side until it got to a point where it became a full-time job and I needed more hours during the day for meetings and research. I honestly thought if I can get 40 hours a week back and spend that additional 40 hours on Madison / Savile I could launch in six months. I was wrong and it was one of the first lessons I learned.

How did you prepare for the transition before quitting your full-time job? What, if anything, do you wish you’d done differently?

I wish I had stuck with my full-time job or explored working part-time until I actually officially launched. With product development and looking for the right fabric, factory, and suppliers it took much longer than six months and more like 2-3 years. It is all part of the entrepreneurial journey of learning and growing… you don’t really know until you are actually in it. 

Before quitting, I did a lot of financial planning personally and for the business. I had two plans for my personal finances; one if things go according to plan and one if they don’t. Let’s just say with COVID, I am very glad I planned for two different scenarios. 

Were you worried about money? What advice can you share for people who are worried about leaving a steady paycheck to start a new career?  

Money was definitely a worry, especially as I was in a comfortable position for so long and had become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. Jumping into the unknown and not knowing where money was coming from was definitely scary. 

My advice is to plan for a long runway and then plan for a longer one for yourself, your family, and the business. Apply for a line of credit, loan, or whatever you need while you have a steady paycheck as it would be challenging to apply for financing, loans (home/auto) without that. Save the money you need to live and finance your business and then take that leap because if you don’t you will always be wondering—and I always say, don’t live a life of “what ifs.”

Did you save up first or did you just jump in headfirst?

Being in a role for 15 years that was all about managing risk, I definitely saved up money before jumping. It was the hardest leap to make going from a very risk adverse role to being an entrepreneur which is all kinds of risk. I calculated all my expenses each month, evaluated where I can cut the unnecessary expenses (but still live comfortably), and calculated that out for the year and the next three years. I also set aside the money needed to get Madison / Savile going as it takes a lot of capital upfront to launch a fashion/retail brand. 

What's the most important thing you have learned from making a big change in your career life?

When you are working on something that aligns with your purpose and passion, the days and hours go by fast and you learn you have to have a very strong will to keep going and to bring it to life. It was definitely hard to go from a comfortable position at Microsoft to being a budget-conscious entrepreneur. To be honest, I felt that I lost my identity that was tied to my career and my position, but that’s where the learning and the growing happens. You discover who you really are, what you really stand for, and you redefine yourself as who you truly are as you become more aligned with your purpose.

It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?

Great question! Because it happens often especially as entrepreneurs and in life. You definitely have to learn to accept, to let go and pivot. It’s important to reflect back to learn and understand why things happened the way they did. I believe in things happening for a reason. Obstacles stand in your way to redirect your path or because it wasn’t the right time yet. Trust in the process, trust in the timing, and trust in yourself.

I always say your will will get you back up and your why will pull you forward. You have to have your WHY, meaning why are you doing this, and if it’s for money only it’s not going to take you far when you do run into bumps in the road. What if you were only days or weeks away from your business turning the corner, you were so close, but you stopped?

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made and learned from along the way? 

Not listening to my gut right away would have saved me some money along the way, but again, it’s all part of the journey of learning and growing. Whether it is an idea or a solution suggested for your business or someone that is not the right fit for your team, sometimes it doesn’t sit right with you and you have to listen to that, and eventually, you’ll understand why.  

When you look back and reflect on your previous career do you have any regrets or are you still really happy with your decision?

I wouldn’t change a thing. My experience in finance has helped me tremendously. Knowing the numbers and being able to put together your own financial model helps to see where your costs are, your profitability, and set expectations for growth and long-term projections. Understanding business processes and procedures helps you to see where things can be improved and the pure discipline behind deadlines helps you to stay on track and be a self-starter. The people I’ve met along the way who are now my mentors, friends, and future customers are priceless. 

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams? 

Yes and no. I’m confident in the things I know from experience, confident in my values and principles, and a fish out of water when it comes to things I’m learning. Going from finance to fashion, I had to build my confidence on the fashion side. It’s about surrounding yourself with people you trust, with mentors that you can learn from, surrounding yourself with like-minded people to help you. I’ve learned that there are so many skeptics out there, and also people that project their own failures or fears onto you and what you are doing. That knowing and confidence in what you are doing and what you are bringing to the world is so important. You don’t have to have everything perfect to start, just start.

What is the #1 career or money book you always recommend and why?

I have a tendency to start books and not complete them, so I have seven books on my nightstand to finish! The one book that I finished pretty quickly was “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero. It’s an easy and fun read. I read it in the summer of 2020 after we were supposed to launch in March 2020 and had to put everything on pause due to COVID. I was so devastated having to postpone everything and was in an unmotivated, depressed state. I read “You Are a Badass,” a book one of my mentors gifted me, and it helped change my mindset around. It was a reminder to get up and keep going. 

What advice can you share for someone who is thinking about leaving their current gig to pursue their side-hustle or passion?

I have so many pieces of advice, but if I have to narrow it down it is to know what your why is and what your north star is for what you are building. There will be many times when you are so in the weeds or have been pulled in so many different directions that you will lose your vision and knowing your why will bring you back. Your will ensures you get back up, your why will pull you forward. Be patient with yourself, you are learning. Stay true to your values, your core, who you are, and your vision. 

Anything else to add?

No one is like you. If not you, then who? Everyone is different, everyone works differently, everyone’s situation is different. Don’t beat yourself up if you hear this person worked 100-hour weeks or got funded in x months because everyone is on a different journey. At the end of the day, if you know you put your best in for where you are, that’s winning because it’s progress. My favorite quote is: “Don’t fear failure, fear being in the exact same place next year as you are today.” One step at a time.

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Your Complete Checklist to Writing a Résumé From Scratch

Photo: ColorJoy Stock by Christina Jones Photography

Writing a résumé is hard, and it’s often something that’s not taught in school, so consider this your crash course in how to write a résumé that will land you the job.

Now, first things first. Before you start listing your qualifications, it’s important to know what you want to gain from your résumé. What are you going to use it for? Will you be applying to higher education programs, internships, or jobs? If you’re already in the workforce, do you want to stay on the same career path or do you want to transition into something different?

Your résumé will differ greatly depending on your answers to these questions, so it’s crucial to go through this exercise before getting started. Next, you’ll want to gather your information. So let’s get started.

Contact Information

When you’re figuring out what information to include on a résumé, start with the basics. You should always create a header with your contact information. Make sure you include the following:

• Phone number

• Email address

• Location (Just include your city and state; no need to write down your exact address.)

• Website if applicable (Note this is NOT your LinkedIn profile. If you’re using LinkedIn correctly, you will be easily searchable, so there’s no need to include the direct link on your résumé.)

Headlining Statement

A headlining statement is a crucial part of a résumé. It takes the place of what once was an “objective” but is much more effective. Think of a headlining statement as a snapshot of your career. It’s a quick two to three sentence maximum statement about who you are, what you do, and what value you bring as a candidate.

Skills Matrix

Putting your skills toward the top of the document immediately increases the effectiveness of your résumé. Recruiters look at a résumé for approximately six seconds. That means you have mere moments to show that you are qualified and demonstrate what you bring to the table. When you put your skills matrix towards the top, this shows the reader exactly what you have to offer and highlights that you are qualified for the position right off the bat.

The faster you can grab someone’s attention and persuade them you’re the right candidate for the position, the more likely you’ll be to get past the initial influx of applicants.

Employment Information

Depending on what stage you’re at in your career, you might not have traditional employment information. If you do have traditional work experience, gather your dates of employment, (month and year) job description, projects you worked on, and any additional information you can include like how many people you managed.

If you are in school or are just starting out in your career, you’ll want to include volunteer work and/or internship information. If you need to add even more relevant industry experience, include information about relevant school projects you worked on. This will help highlight your ability to work on a given project under constraints and will help highlight your relevant industry knowledge.

If you are listing class projects on your résumé, use the school name in place of the company name, and include something along the lines of “[Class Title] Project Manager,” “Student Project Manager,” or “[Class Title] Student” in place of a job title.

Specific Metrics and Achievements for Each Role

The key to a great résumé is highlighting exactly what you’ve achieved and what you can bring to a new role. This is not the place to include a general job description that can be used for anyone with that job title. Include specific information about what you did, how many people you worked with or managed, projects you worked on, and project results to ensure that your résumé immediately reflects your achievements and what you can bring to the table.

Anyone can say that they’re great at their job, but very few people can actually show it. When you’re noting your achievements, think about how you can quantify what you’ve done.

Education Information

Unless it is your highest level of education or you are in your first year of college, do not include information about your high school diploma. Similarly, there is no need to include GPA unless you’re currently in school and have a very high GPA (3.8 or above).

When it comes to listing education, start with the highest level of education at the top and list backward from there. For example:

PhD information
Master’s information
Bachelor’s information
High School information

Unless you are currently in school or are in a profession where your degree is a key factor, (i.e. medicine, law, etc.) your education should be listed at the bottom of your résumé. If you are in school or in one of the professions where your education is very important, your education will go towards the top under your skills list.

Certifications and Specialized Training

Including certifications and specialized training on your résumé make a huge difference in how impactful your document is. Even if you don’t have specific certifications but you’ve had internal training, taken an online course, or even just an online tutorial, include that on your résumé.

About the Author: Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer, personal branding expert, and founder of Write Styles. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves both on paper and in person and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles provides resources to enhance your résumé, professional appearance, and boost your confidence. Michele strives to help others gain the confidence to put their best foot forward in a personal and professional light.

This story was originally published on January 6, 2020, and has since been updated.

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This Entrepreneur is Leading a Revolution to End to Period Stigma and Taboo

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

The topic of menstruation and period care products has long been stigmatized. Within the femcare industry, breaking down the barriers to innovation first requires breaking longstanding taboos – and that's exactly what Carinne Chambers-Saini intends to do. 

As the CEO and Co-Founder of DivaCup and a champion for menstrual equity, Carinne is revolutionizing the period experience by taking the concept of menstrual cups from niche to mainstream, 

In this episode of WorkParty, I’m sitting down with Carinne to chat about overcoming adversity, balancing purpose and profit, and finally breaking taboos––Period. 

Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

“Using our business as a force for good and as a vehicle to create meaningful change in the world is what drives our success–that is really what I’m most proud of.” –Carinne Chambers-Saini

“That’s entrepreneurship–you’re always going to be faced with new challenges and things are always changing–you can never get too comfortable.” –Carinne Chambers-Saini

“Anytime an opportunity I was excited about fell through, there was almost always something better that came behind it.”–Carinne Chambers-Saini

Made by Women–Discover, Shop and Support Women-Owned Restaurants in Los Angeles

On March 25, 2021, Create & Cultivate joined forces with DoorDash for an entirely *virtual* dinner event to champion women-owned businesses and experience Made by Women, DoorDash’s new in-app features that make it easier to discover and support local independent women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

The intimate digital event was an evening filled with inspiring stories, great food, and important conversations on resiliency, vulnerability, community, and the state of the future, led by influential hosts including Rebecca Minkoff, Shiza Shahid, Ally Maki, and Good Clean Wine co-founders Michelle Feldman and Courtney Dunlop.

Women-owned businesses disproportionately feel the impacts of COVID-19. The road to recovery for small businesses post-COVID is long, and data from The U.S. Chamber of Commerce shows that women-owned small businesses have an even longer road ahead of them. DoorDash considers this commitment to supporting Women-owned businesses an ongoing effort that demands action through its product, voice, and resources, such as Made by Women.

Hundreds of Women-owned, independent restaurants across more than 40 US states have opted into Made by Women and are now searchable on DoorDash by keyword “Women owned”, including local Los Angeles favorites such as Kismet, Guelaguetza, Interstellar, Botanica and Lady & Larder, with more to come in the coming months.

Discover, shop and support more women-owned restaurants in Los Angeles, then join us at the table to tune into the conversations below–we saved you a seat.

WELCOME DRINKS: NEW RITUALS

Event Host / MC
Maxie McCoy, Host & Executive Producer of WOMAN ON

Guests
Michelle Feldman and Courtney Dunlop, Co-Founders of Good Clean Wine

“We never take our wine for granted and we love the ritual of getting together to experience a wine for the first time.” – Courtney Dunlop

“Our wine is wine that you can afford to share or enjoy on a Tuesday night. Especially given what  we've all gone through in the past year, wine can be a ritual to celebrate everyday moments.” – Michelle Feldman

FIRST COURSE: RESILIENCY 

Host / MC
Maxie McCoy, Host & Executive Producer of WOMAN ON

Guest
Rebecca Minkoff, Co-Founder, Creative Director of Rebecca Minkoff | Co-Founder Female Founder Collective 

“When faced with a challenge, try to look back and remember every time you have found success and remember the feeling. The happiness you felt was because you overcame a barrier that was not insurmountable.” – Rebecca Minkoff

“Vulnerability is important–– it doesn't mean we are weak, it means we are honest.” – Rebecca Minkoff

If you were standing in the shoes of your future self, would you be okay looking back and knowing that you gave up, or would you rather know that you did everything possible to endure, regardless of the outcome.” – Maxie McCoy 

“We have to get over the idea that being an entrepreneur or a founder should be easy – it’s never been that way.” – Rebecca Minkoff

SECOND COURSE: COMMUNITY

Host
Sonja Rasula, Founder, Unique Markets

Guest:
Ally Maki, Actor & Founder of Asian American Girl Club 

“There were few, if any, shows featuring Asian American women as the lead, so we decided to create our own-–together. They will be so much more powerful, united, strong and authentic because the stories are coming directly from us.” – Ally Maki

“In this day and age of social media, we're able to use our voices like never before and with that comes an opportunity to find our tribe, wherever they may be in the world.” – Ally Maki

“Create content with authenticity and the community will grow organically.” – Ally Maki

“Community, female friendship and collaboration are absolutely essential––I would not be where I am today; I would not be as full and as happy.” – Ally Maki

THIRD COURSE: THE FUTURE

Host
Katie Daire, Senior Director, B2B Marketing at DoorDash

Guest
Shiza Shahid - Cofounder, Our Place and Malala Fund 

“Food media for a long time had sort of ignored a lot of the cuisines, cultures and traditions that so many of us celebrate.” – Shiza Shahid

“Home cooking is about so much more than food––it's about connection to your culture, your identity, your traditions––and each other.” – Shiza Shahid

“As we re-acclimate to public spaces and gatherings, there is a noticeable hunger for connection, along with an intentional desire to not take these moments for granted anymore.” – Shiza Shahid

“Always Have a Counter Offer”—and More Money Advice From Our Equal Pay Day Summit

Photo: Smith House Photo

Equal Pay Day symbolizes how far into the year women would have to work, on average, in order to match what men earned the previous year. In other words, women have to work an extra 83 days into 2021, on average, in order to get paid the same amount of money a man made in 2020. But the keyword here is “average.” 

When you break the gender pay gap down by race and ethnicity, it's even wider for Black women, Indigenous women, and Latina women. To put it into perspective, this year Equal Pay Day for Black women is on August 3rd, on September 8th for Indigenous Women, and on October 21 for Latinas. Although the gender pay gap is narrower for Asian American and Pacific Islander women, AAPI Equal Pay Day—which fell on March 9th this year—was still 68 days further from December 31 than it should be.

At our Equal Pay Day Summit presented by Mastercard, we hosted a thoughtful discussion on pay equity with Blake Gifford, an attorney and content creator, Kameron Monet, an attorney and content creator, Kelly Joscelyne, the chief talent officer at Mastercard, and Brenda J. Schamy, partner and co-founder of DiSchino & Schamy, PLLC.

ICYMI, we’ve jotted down all the mic-drop-worthy moments for you, but if you’re still experiencing FOMO, you can join C&C Insiders to get access to all of the workshops, mentor sessions, panels, and keynotes from our Equal Pay Day Summit and all of our past events. (Yes, you read that correctly!).

On knowing your worth…

“If you don’t know your worth (and you should), then research it. Research your value so that you truly know your worth.” — Kelly Joscelyne

“Ask other people. No one wants to talk about money, no one wants to talk about pay. Let's talk about it. Let's bring it to the forefront.” — Kameron Monet

“Employers bank on you not talking about [your salary with your coworkers], because it helps them to hide their hands. Talk about it.” — Blake Gifford

“Make friends at work. Networking is everything. Chase relationships and the checks will come.” — Brenda J. Schamy

On negotiating your salary…

“Negotiating is not a negative it’s a healthy business practice.” — Kameron Monet

“Come in first and come in firm. It anchors the conversation in your favor.” — Blake Gifford

“Know your worth and always have a counter offer.” — Kelly Joscelyne

“Be creative in your negotiations and think outside the box. There's no such thing as no deal if you want it.” — Brenda J. Schamy

On cultivating your dream career…

“You belong in every room you are you're in.” — Blake Gifford

“What’s for you is for you, no matter how much value you give to other people it’s never going to interfere with what’s for you.” — Kameron Monet

“Do anything you want. Reach for it.” — Kelly Joscelyne

“Try it.” — Brenda J. Schamy

On the best money books to read…

“The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman.” — Kelly Joscelyne

“You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero.” — Kameron Monet

“Money Diaries by Lindsey Stanberry.— Blake Gifford

“Wise Guy by Guy Kawasaki.” — Brenda J. Schamy

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Mastercard's Ginger Siegel on Real Ways Small Business Owners Can Improve Pay Equity Policies

“Make sure that each employee is aware of expectations and those are equal expectations for equal jobs.”

—Ginger Siegel, North America Small Business Lead, Mastercard

Small businesses have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic—and women-owned small businesses have been hit even harder. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, women-owned small businesses have less optimistic revenue, investment, and hiring plans when compared to male-owned small businesses. Still, even despite these challenges, there are a number of impactful ways small business owners—even those with limited resources—can help close the gender pay gap.

To help tackle all your burning questions about how small business owners should be assessing equal pay policies, measuring compensation biases, and retaining working mothers, we tapped Ginger Siegel, the North America small business lead at Mastercard to answer your inquiries in real-time. During a virtual mentor session at our Equal Pay Day Summit presented by Mastercard, she shared some #realtalk on real ways that small business owners can improve their equal-pay policies.

In case you missed it, we’re sharing a few of the Q&As from this eye-opening Equal Pay Day mentor session. Read on for Siegel’s sage advice.

Q: As a small business owner, how should I assess my pay policies and procedures?

“When you think about the assessment of your wages and what you're going to pay, it really should be done in the context of overall employee policy. You want to think through things that are of major importance to employees. Monetary compensation is one, but it's not the only factor. You want to ensure that you create an employee policy that takes into account issues like maintaining a balance between work and family, reducing job stress, and looking at the type of health and retirement benefits you offer. Then, as you structure your performance reviews, make sure that each employee is aware of expectations and those are equal expectations for equal jobs.”

Q: How should I communicate pay equity processes internally?

“Making sure your organization has a very clear view on how you've established jobs, how you've established duties, and how you've established overall functions is critically important. You should also review employee compensation on a regular basis and separate compensation reviews from performance reviews. As a small business owner, you need to understand how your compensation is going to be built in place to provide equal pay for equal work, disclose salary ranges for different positions and levels, and, of course, advocate for your people, encouraging them to be open and honest when these discussions take place.”

Q: It's no secret that women are exiting the workforce when they have children. What policies and procedures should I put in place to prevent this from happening?

“We know discriminatory hiring practices and promotion decisions that prevent women from gaining leadership roles and highly paid positions are actually sustaining the gender pay gap. And it's not only the pay gap—but it's also the opportunity gap. During COVID, 305 million full-time jobs have been lost, many of them held by women, so this issue is critically important. As you're building out your business’ policies, ensure that there's a lot of focus on helping female employees who may be taking more of the burden in terms of the home life, by creating a work-life balance to ensure that your female workers can have the access to help they need and can also have some flexibility.”

Q: How can I actually measure compensation differences to see if there's a bias?

“In order to ensure that there isn't bias, this can't be a one-and-done situation. There has to be a constant constant focus on looking at your pay, looking at all of your employees, and making sure that these things are consistently held equal. It really starts with job descriptions and really ensuring that your job descriptions are not based on who has the job but based on the job.”

If you’re experiencing FOMO and want to know the answers to all the questions Ginger spoke to in this session, you can join C&C Insiders to get access to all of the mentor sessions, workshops, panels, and keynotes from our Equal Pay Day Summit and all of our past events. (Yes, you read that right!).

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When She Was 12, She Started a Cookie Company—Now She’s the Founder of Two Major Organic Food & Bev Businesses

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 Bernard Dawes

It’s safe to say Nicole Bernard Dawes knows a thing or two about the food industry. Raised among the aisles of her mother's natural food store in Chatham, Massachusetts, and on the factory floor of her father’s company, Cape Cod Potato Chips, she was surrounded by CPGs and P&Ls from a young age. And it didn’t take long for her parents’ passion for food and entrepreneurial drive to make an impression on her. When she was twelve, she started a cookie company with her best friend, and although the business was short-lived, lasting just one summer, her appetite for entrepreneurship was not.

In 2003, after a search for organic crackers left Dawes empty-handed, she teamed up with her father to launch Late July, a snack food company to fill the gap in the market for delicious, organic options. Known for its range of delectable crackers, popcorns, and tortilla chips, the brand has quickly grown into a multi-million dollar business with stockists ranging from CVS and Bevmo to Whole Foods. Now, Dawes is applying her business acumen and skill for bringing superior-tasting organic options to market to the beverage industry with Nixie, a certified organic, non-GMO sparkling water brand.

Ahead, the serial entrepreneur tells Create & Cultivate all about how she’s built two successful food and beverage companies, what really it takes to see a business through tough times, and why every entrepreneur should prioritize investing in their team.

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

When I was twelve my best friend and I started a cookie company. By some miracle, we actually convinced two delis in our small town to sell our homemade chocolate chip cookies all summer long. Twice a week from June to September, we baked our cookies, wrapped them individually, labeled them, and walked to each location dropping them off. We had a blast! In addition to the importance of pricing your product correctly and crafting a good sales pitch, I experienced the joy that comes from loving your job.

Take us back to the beginning—what was the lightbulb moment for Nixie and what inspired you to pursue this path?

With Late July, I was pregnant with my oldest son and couldn’t find an organic saltine anywhere in New York City. I realized that I had discovered an opening into the multi-billion dollar snack market. For Nixie, similarly, I desperately wanted a delicious, refreshing, and certified organic sparkling water to satisfy my family’s significant daily sparkling water habit. I was shocked that none existed that checked all those boxes.

One of the things that drives me the most with both Late July and Nixie, is proving that certified organic products can sell as well as their conventional counterparts. I also love being a business owner because we’re able to make an impact in areas that are important to me personally and also for our planet—for example, I have a goal of helping to eliminate single-use plastic beverage containers and Nixie is committed to never using them.

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

Deciding to launch Late July’s tortilla chips during the recession of 2009, the same year my father died and our bank used his death to put our multimillion-dollar loan in default, was the biggest risk I’ve taken as an entrepreneur. We essentially pivoted our whole company with a very expensive product launch during the most uncertain time in our company’s history. Those tortilla chips went on to become the number one tortilla chip in natural foods, and changed the whole trajectory for Late July, making us an overnight success, seven years in the making. When we made this pivot our sales were at $8M, afterwards, we quickly grew to $100M.

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

Definitely their team. Hiring the right people is expensive and time-consuming, but your team is everything.

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

For both Late July and Nixie our first big expense was our initial production run which is very often the case for consumer product companies. Most factories have pretty significant minimum order quantities, which in addition to the cost of producing the finished goods, also means significant upfront costs for raw materials, packaging, and corrugated all before you have any customers. You have to spend the money without any guarantee that you’ll ever make it back. First production runs are expensive and terrifying for a million reasons, but also exciting.

What are your top three largest expenses every month?

Outside of the cost of goods, freight, and promotional expenses, our three biggest monthly spends are on payroll, trade marketing, and sales support (brokers, merchandisers, etc.).

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

I didn’t take a salary for a long time at Late July and when I did it was $60,000 per year. It wasn’t until a board member in my eighth year suggested it was time to stop underpaying myself based on the company’s success that I finally increased it to a market rate. For that, I used comps for my industry as compiled by our payroll provider. I’m not currently taking a salary at Nixie.

Photo: Courtesy of Nixie

Would you recommend other small business owners pay themselves? 

It really depends on the source of your funding and the amount of your ownership. If you are the primary source of funds and own a significant majority of stock, then it doesn’t really make sense to pay yourself until the company is ready. If you are giving up ownership to bring in investors, then you should absolutely budget for your own salary at a market rate.

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

I hired a part-time accounting person almost right away at Late July and budgeted for a full team for Nixie. So much depends on your funding and how fast you intend to grow. One piece of advice I’d suggest—especially if this is your first venture—is to be hyper-aware of what areas are your strengths and which are your weaknesses so you know what roles to hire first and what qualities to look for in any given role.

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

I did have an accountant from the beginning of both companies. He helped me choose the right type of company formation (i.e., LLC vs corporation). For Nixie, we also used an outside accounting person to help our VP of finance with day-to-day accounting in lieu of bringing that function in-house.

What apps or software are you using for finances? 

I highly recommend the following financial and software programs that we use at Nixie: Xero for accounting, Bill.com for bill pay, Gusto for HR, Unleashed for purchase orders, Crisp for sales forecasting, and Expensify for expense reports. We also use Office 365 and Microsoft Teams. I love our current software setup. It’s not expensive and allows for easy reporting from anywhere.

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

Absolutely! If you stop for a minute and realize that until the Equal Credit Opportunity Act passed in 1974, married women were denied credit cards and loans in their own name. It wasn’t much easier for single women. It takes generations of change to normalize new behavior, and encouraging open communication on the topic of money and business among women is a vital part of that. I have a network of fellow women CEOs who I frequently and openly talk to about issues affecting our businesses. I also love when business magazines, podcasts, and websites utilize women CEOs to answer everyday business questions.

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

Not specifically, but I was raised in a family business and grew up around P&Ls, income statements, and balance sheets. When I started that cookie company at twelve, my father taught me how to calculate our cost of goods and properly price our products. I don’t think having a specific financial mentor was essential for me because of my background and the fact that I was an economics major so I had a high degree of comfort and familiarity with finance, but if finance and accounting are outside of your comfort zone, then yes.

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

Deeply understand your cost of goods, P&L, and balance sheet. Never let anyone else tell you the financial state of your company. If there’s something you don’t understand, learn it.

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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, in Business or in Love–This Founder’s Story is Proof that What’s Meant to be Will Always Find a Way

Donda Mullis knows a thing or two about putting your heart into your business. People say business isn’t personal, but she believes it absolutely is, as it is the connections and relationships that we have that makes it all happen. Love is not only the foundation of her company, but an agent for meaningful change, and an ongoing narrative of a shared passion with her partner in both business and life, Ronnie Shugar.

“We wanted to create an aspirational brand that made people feel better inside and out. And a brand with a heart that connected us with a cause which became the catalyst for our give back mission,” Mullis tells Create & Cultivate.

The result is one of today's fastest-growing natural lifestyle brands, Raw Sugar Living. Based in Florida , Raw Sugar Living is a brand on a mission to promote clean and healthy living through products that are good for the body and nourish the soul, while being accessible for all. 

An early disruptor within the clean beauty and personal care category, Raw Sugar Living has been driving much-needed innovation in a new era of sustainability supported by a growing consumer awareness around buying choices and their impact on the environment. In fact, clean beauty is one of the fastest-growing areas of personal care and Raw Sugar Living remains at the forefront of the $22 billion industry. For more than seven years, the company mainstreams the highest-quality, hand-crafted soaps and personal care products that are made with plant-derived ingredients and cold pressed extracts (recognized by their signature 'Bamboo Tops & White Bottles' and 'Living Purely Unfiltered' tagline).

Mullis and Shugar first met many years back while working in the same retail field. While they had different focuses at the time, their diverse backgrounds––Shugar’s in manufacturing and logistics and Mullis’s in marketing, strategic partnerships and retail distribution––were a powerful synergy in the making. Their plan was always to do something bigger — together — that would inspire and connect their backgrounds with a meaningful cause. The two fell crazy in love, but eventually parted ways as young love often does.

Fast forward 20 years — the two reconnected by an act of destiny’s intervention. They renewed their love and their shared belief of wanting to inspire others to live from a place of self-love and wellness. For both of them, it was about sharing their passion for clean and healthy living while preserving a 60-year family history of making natural hand crafted natural soap and personal care products that are good for the body and that nourish the soul- and that people can feel good about using.

The latest addition to the Raw Sugar Living family meets the growing demand for planet-friendly, sustainable, and aluminum-free deodorant–one that ACTUALLY works. After all, one of the many lessons to take away from these founders’ story, is not to sweat the small stuff–in business or in love–because what is meant to be will always find its way. 

Ahead, Mullis tells us more about the latest launch, and shares her advice for building a brand that is for the people, adopting a clean lifestyle and beauty regime, and utilizing entrepreneurship as an agent of change.

Our mission is to love from the inside out. We embrace individuality and create with authenticity.

– Donda Mullis, Co-Founder and CMO, Raw Sugar Living

What inspired you to start Raw Sugar Living?

What inspired us was the white space in the marketplace for natural/clean products that were simply affordable, thereby making clean healthy products more accessible to all. Because, as I always say, we all deserve to feel beautiful and love the skin we’re in. For me, it was to create a brand that was much more than products sitting on a retail shelf, but rather an aspirational brand that inspires people to live from a powerful place of self love, wellness, empowering others, and loving ourselves, flaws and all. And very importantly, creating real change in our community. In fact, every product is tagged with a ‘sugar note’, kind of like a love note with a positive message that reminds us to simply love ourselves.

Developing a brand that is for all people. We embrace individuality and create with authenticity. We’re all about clean living and living clean. All of our premium yet affordable formulas are made with integrity. We believe in giving back, lifting spirits, showering people with love, and of course smelling good at all times!

We are a brand that does good.

How has this belief helped to underpin your mission as a brand?

To date we have donated over 15 million bars of soap and personal essentials to people in need, and we’re just getting started.

Products that are made with plant-derived and clean ingredients should be accessible to everybody. We’re thrilled that we’ve been able to give access to clean healthy products to those in need.

What would you tell someone who’s new to adopting a clean lifestyle and beauty regime ––where should they start and what people should look out for when choosing a clean beauty or lifestyle product?

Advocacy, a brand you can trust, one that stands for good, makes clean ethical products, and simply makes you feel beautiful.

What are some common misconceptions of clean beauty?

That clean products are expensive – clean, healthy products don’t need to be expensive. 

What are some of your favorite Raw Sugar Living products to integrate into your daily routine?

Personally, my top three products that we’ve created include our Body Washes, Sugar Scrubs, and sustainable Deodorants. They are crafted with functional ingredients without the bad stuff.

What do you love most about your job and why? Does the reality of your career match up to your expectations? Why or why not?

My work is my life and my passion. My vision was to create a brand that had meaning beyond the retail self, stood for good, continues to give back, and makes clean healthy living affordable to everyone–Raw Sugar Living has exceeded my expectations.

My greatest tool is the ability to understand our consumers. Raw sugar has become a brand that speaks to everyone. This is what we wanted and are excited to continue growing. I’ve seen hundreds of brands come and go, and although Raw Sugar Living was born only 7 short years ago, it has truly been a lifetime in the making. 

We always say we’re only as beautiful as we feel, and you can’t feel beautiful if you don’t feel clean.

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?

With pure grit, hard work and determination, we can become anything that we want. I’m the youngest of 5 girls with a strong southern mother who survived and thrived through constant tragedy and adversity. I became a human sponge for all of their mishaps and lessons. Love, positive thinking and reward for hard work was the core of our upbringing. I was brought up with retail in my blood beginning with my mother, and my biggest inspiration, who is a self taught, hard working and determined role model who carved out a new retail niche within a male-dominated industry and was way ahead of her time. Whether you think you can, or you cannot - you are right! Confidence is fearless repetition–and like most things in life, I believe it is learned.

It's these life experiences that helped create my vision for the company and the lesson learned–the brand pillars of raw sugar’s values.

You have to get through the ‘raw’ and difficult journey to get to the sweet ‘sugar’ destination–hence Raw Sugar Living

With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

Our customers are our driving force. seeing how our products can inspire and make others happy is truly what keeps us going! 

Also, being supported by an amazing internal team that champions our success is very important to our inspiration and motivation.

You are constantly innovating—What category of beauty would you love to see Raw Sugar Living disrupt next?

I’m really excited about our latest launch – a collection of planet-friendly and aluminum-free deodorants. Not only is the collection wrapped in 100% biodegradable and recyclable, plastic-free packaging, but it is made with naturally derived ingredients, clinically and allergy tested, cruelty-free and vegan.

Raw Sugar Deodorants are free of aluminum, baking soda, talc, parabens and propylene glycol. They are also infused with odor-fighting essential oils and feel-fresh fragrances. These formulas are designed to detox and balance the natural skin barrier while reducing body odor-causing bacterial growth, helping you live clean and move free.

Share your best advice, in two words or less.

“Kindly Relentless”

— Donda Mullis, Co-Founder & CMO, Raw Sugar Living

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SHOP THE FOUNDER’S FAVORITES

RAW SUGAR LIVING

Green Tea + Cucumber + Aloe Vera Body Wash

$9.99

RAW SUGAR LIVING

Watermelon + Fresh Mint
Sugar Scrub

$15.39

RAW SUGAR LIVING

Vanilla Bean + Charcoal
Deodorant

$8.24

Tech Entrepreneur and Author Ali Kriegsman Shares Her WFH Secrets

Photo: Eva Zar Courtesy of Ali Kriegsman

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 Ali Kriegsman, co-founder and chief operating officer of the venture-backed retail technology startup Bulletin and author of the forthcoming book “How to Build a Goddamn Empire,” which hits shelves on April 6th. Below, Kriegsman shares her unconventional definition of success, her go-to apps for staying organized, and her favorite WFH lunch.

Tell us a bit about your business. What whitespace did you see in the market that led you to found Bulletin? What need did you want to fill?

Bulletin is a premium wholesale marketplace where retailers go to discover and shop the best brands on the planet. Behind your favorite spas, wellness centers, cafes, boutiques, and gift shops is a whole hidden $300-billion wholesale economy you, the shopper, can’t see! Those stores—whether they’re physical retailers or online retailers—rely on various tools and services to discover brands and products their customers will love! Bulletin helps some of your favorite stores find the inventory they then sell to their end customers. We’re a business-to-business platform, meaning we don’t service individual consumers, but instead, we serve and support over 7,000 buyers and store owners who run these shops, and we have around 1,300 brands on our platform selling to these retail businesses. Our community is growing really quickly—and organically—so we’ll likely triple or quadruple those numbers by year’s end. 

We launched Bulletin’s wholesale marketplace because we actually used to be retailers ourselves! We were trying to solve our own pain point, while creating a more affordable way for the brands we loved to grow and scale, too. As a retailer running three stores in New York, we used so many different tools and platforms to find great brands and inventory—Instagram, Etsy, Joor—the list goes on. We felt like there wasn’t one cohesive place for us to discover, connect with, and source inventory from quality brands. So we built the solution we wanted to see in the world. Bulletin began as an e-commerce newsletter and pop-up concept in late 2014, early 2015—we did that for about two years before we ever opened our stores. And through that experience and those connections, we learned how insanely expensive it is for brands to get into retail.

Brands typically have to pay upwards of $30,00 (!!!) to showcase at a physical trade show to try and meet buyers. The operative word being “try;” there is literally no guarantee that if these brands pay that price tag, they’ll connect with or do business with retailers who attend. We also learned that vetting and paying for showrooms and wholesale reps was just as cumbersome and expensive for these brands. So with Bulletin’s wholesale marketplace solution, we kind of found a double whammy. 

We’d be able to help retailers like us find and source incredible inventory, and help level the playing field for independent brands all at the same time. We take a 15% cut on sales processed through our platform, so we literally only make money if we bring brands business. It is a wildly different format than the tradeshow, showroom, or wholesale rep route, and especially with COVID threatening those traditional retail channels, Bulletin has become a really attractive solution for brands and retailers alike.

Not only are you the co-founder and COO of Bulletin, but you’re also an author. Your first book, "How to Build a Goddamn Empire," hits shelves on April 6th. What compelled you to write this book and what do you hope people will take away from it?

When I was approached to write a book proposal, I actually knew exactly what I wanted the book to be about and the story I wanted to tell. As a first-time and inexperienced founder, I felt like I couldn’t relate to the glossy, glamorous entrepreneurs crowding my Instagram feed. I was 24 and I was seeing a lot of founders, especially female founders, posting incessantly about their wins whether it was press hits, awesome brand partnerships, rounds of funding. And honestly, I was doing the exact same thing! 

I think women entrepreneurs feel this pressure to be perfect. We’re fighting to hire great employees, maybe get some funding, secure those press hits and grow our businesses. Making everything seem rosy and easy can build that trust with your audience, and your customers, and I think women fear that being candid and vulnerable about the harder and more taxing psychological parts of entrepreneurship might put that growth or your reputation at risk. At least, that’s how I felt. And a few investors even told me that. Once I started getting more candid about my fear of failure, anxiety, depressive episodes, and struggles with our pivot from running stores to running a full-blown tech company, a female investor actually asked me to be a bit less “candid” lest I make the wrong impression or lead people to think I don’t know what I’m doing. She actually went so far as to tell me to “be more like X founder, be more like Y founder” and I found it really disheartening. 

But I didn’t listen. I decided to do the opposite.

I knew first-hand that building something from nothing is a confusing and emotional challenge you sign up for every single day. It's unglamorous, taxing, and endlessly stressful. It's a constant, dirty fight with your imposter syndrome and the intense fear that if things don’t work out, you've failed miserably. And publicly. I wanted to tell that story, so that if other business owners were suffering or worrying they’d fail, or that they were too incompetent to make their dreams happen, they could read my book and feel seen and supported. I wanted to create a counter-narrative to Instagram entrepreneurship and this glamorized hustle we’ve all come to know all too well.

So, while in the thick of scaling my business and a stressful pivot, I decided to write about my experience in real-time. I started writing the book in 2017 and finished it at the end of 2020. I was running retail stores in 2017 and 2018, a tech company by late 2019, and obviously had to stay alive and scale despite the pandemic in 2020. For that reason, the book really reads like both a relatable "how-to" guide and a candid personal diary (deep breaths), because it was written directly from the trenches and from the heart.

The book also features stories from over 30 other female founders who have built companies of radically different stages and sizes, too. By using the questions I'm most frequently asked as my guideposts, I offer candid insights into the nuts and bolts of building a brand from scratch—discussing early failures, picking the right co-founder, securing press, finding funding —to give entrepreneurs the tools that will help take their ideas to the next level. I feature interviews with incredible founders like Meena Harris of Phenomenal Woman, Trinity Mouzon Wofford of Golde, and Polly Rodriguez of Unbound. I’m so inspired by all of the women who are featured.

Most importantly, though, I am really trying to help founders, and especially women, redefine the word "success" with every single chapter. There is intrinsic and long-term value to building something of your own, whether you sell your company, crash and burn, or forever teeter on the precipice. My book argues that "success" has many faces, and sometimes learning, growing, and building something on your own terms makes you successful enough. You don’t need to get caught up in your impostor syndrome, compare yourself to other founders, or worry you’re not going to “make it.” I want more women business owners to love and appreciate the journey, rather than being so hard on themselves and thinking they don’t have what it takes to climb to the top. 

“Building something from nothing is a confusing and emotional challenge you sign up for every single day. It's unglamorous, taxing, and endlessly stressful.”

—Ali Kriegsman, Co-Founder and COO of Bulletin and Author of “How to Build a Goddamn Empire”

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

I’m a total night owl. Sometimes I get wild bursts of energy at 11 PM and have to force myself to relax and get ready for bed. I wake up every morning at around 7:45 AM or 8 AM and relish cuddling with my dog and being lazy in the sheets for a while. The mornings are so precious to me. I use them to get my head straight rather than get work done. Candidly, though, sometimes if I’ve been working like crazy at night I sleep in until 9:30 AM and just own it. I used to have a nagging voice guilting me for sleeping in on a workday, but I’ve moved past that now.

I do my most important work after 7:30 PM or so when my entire team logs off. I find Slack to be extremely helpful but also very distracting, and I’ve always been someone with a limited attention span, so Slack culture really messes with me.

I love using Sundays to write. It was really tricky to juggle building a tech platform and pivoting Bulletin while writing this book. I found that Sunday mornings were the best times to write or get more “heady” and strategic work done. I’m using Sunday morning to answer questions for this interview as we speak!

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

I usually get up at around 8:00 AM. I’ll either roll around and cuddle with my dog, Winnie, if my boyfriend has taken her out already. If not, I’ll lazily throw on my shoes and a light jacket and take her for a nice walk. When I get back, I’ll feed the pup and get some coffee brewing.

I try to squeeze in a workout before my team logs on at 10 AM. I’ll do Chloe Ting or 305 Fitness, or just blast BLACKPINK and dance and lunge around my apartment. Now that it’s getting nice out, I’ll swap that for a beautiful run in Fort Greene park!

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

I’ll brew some coffee or make some iced coffee with Grady's (the best) and oat milk, decide what type of workout I want to do, and make a to-do list for the day. I always make a to-do list before my team logs on in the morning so I have my priorities straight and know what I need to cover or check-in with each of my direct reports. I use a platform called Notion to manage all my personal lists, thoughts, and priorities.

I always put on a podcast while I shower after my workout, usually “The Daily” by The New York Times or NPR’s “Up First,” so I can catch up on the news. My shower time in the morning is super relaxing and I love taking my time.

I’ve just started meditating, too, which has been a nice addition to my morning routine. I’m not doing anything crazy quite yet, but I’ve found a few great meditation videos on YouTube that I’ll queue up. It definitely helps calm and center my mind before the hectic workday, where I’m usually in back-to-back meetings and fighting for a quick break!

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?

I clean out my inbox. I am obsessed with maintaining my inbox and keeping everything tagged and organized. I need a visual anchor for what’s going on, what’s urgent, and who needs what.  If I don’t clean out my inbox (I mean, honestly that literally never happens because I’ve been doing it for years now) but if I didn’t, I’d be a HOT MESS. My brain has to get it done before I can move on and focus on anything else!

What are you working on this week?

I’m launching my book in less than a week and also hiring about ten people to the Bulletin team. So my main focus this week is building out our hiring pipeline for all of our open roles, moving interviewees and candidates we love through the funnel and continuing to finesse our new org structure and role guidelines. As for the book, I’m prepping influencer book mailers, writing dozens and dozens of thank-you cards for those mailers, coordinating press with my publicist, creating assets for all the panels we’re hosting for the digital book tour, and just trying to keep the launch train on track. I actually love hiring and recruiting and I’m loving all of the work associated with the book launch, so even though it’s a lot, I’m in a great place and groovin’ along.

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

The most rewarding part of running my business is managing our incredible team, and building a technology product together. We work with so many employees, particularly women, that have been with us for nearly three years and who have just grown and blossomed into such remarkable assets for the company. And they’ve become amazing role models and influences to the more junior employees on the team. I actually went into Bulletin thinking I’d despise management. I’m somewhat of a lone wolf and have always been that way. I was the girl who took over group projects and has always loved juggling various roles and responsibilities solo. But helping these women evolve, learn new skills, and come into their own as leaders and managers has been such a blessing.

The most challenging part of running my business is honestly just keeping my head up. This stuff is really hard. Building a tech company and running a tech platform that thousands of people are using every day is a new journey, for sure. I am on the front-lines with our customers because I run our Growth Team, and my team is in charge of growing our revenue month over month and hitting our targets. I get impatient when we can’t develop or fix the product fast enough. I get anxious when we get negative customer feedback. The pressure to keep growing and to deliver excellence to our customers is something I take really seriously. Sometimes I wear the pressure well and sometimes I just don’t. I’m working on it, but yes, I think the most challenging part of building a technology company and growing this platform is staying positive, light, and optimistic when things go wrong.

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

I never reach inbox zero. I try to set boundaries with myself and with my team. My team now knows what to email me about versus what to Slack me about. We try to use other tools like Monday and Coschedule for project management so we aren’t bombarded with Slacks or emails left and right.

I have gotten really good about blocking off time on my calendar when I need a strategy session or a break from the Slack craziness. In those blocks, my team knows I’m head down working on a project or chatting and planning with Alana, my co-founder, so they don’t ping me or communicate with me during those times. 

I’ve gotten comfortable with the fact that I’ll never be at inbox zero, especially during COVID. People, myself included, are juggling a lot and just trying to stay above water. Maybe pre-COVID I wouldn’t let certain emails sit in my inbox for days on end, but now, I’m all about prioritizing who I get back to first and why, but I’m also good at prioritizing myself and choosing to shut my laptop off at 8 PM instead of feeling the pressure to get back to everybody so urgently.

“There is intrinsic and long-term value to building something of your own, whether you sell your company, crash and burn, or forever teeter on the precipice.”

—Ali Kriegsman, Co-Founder and COO of Bulletin and Author of “How to Build a Goddamn Empire”

Photo: Eva Zar Courtesy of Ali Kriegsman

What is your go-to work lunch?

I typically microwave some frozen brown rice, make a Beyond Meat breakfast sausage patty (it's SO good), and throw it on top of the rice with half an avocado and a runny egg!

I also make salmon a LOT because it’s so insanely easy. It’s a great thing to have in the fridge if you have a busy schedule but want to eat healthy and avoid spending too much cash on delivery. I buy a ton of frozen salmon fillets and keep them in the freezer, so I can easily defrost them and bake them for 30 min on 300 degrees for dinner. Sometimes, for lunch, I’ll do that leftover salmon mixed with some lemon and mayo, and slap it on some multigrain toast. Tuna salad, watch your back - there’s a new fishy salad in town.

Okay, last one. I also always have Tyson crispy chicken in the freezer. I am a total sucker for chicken tenders, crispy chicken fingers, and pretty much crunchy crispy oily chicken in any form. I’ll pop a Tyson tender in the oven for 20 minutes, and then put it in a whole wheat wrap with avocado, my favorite Kensington garlic sauce, some arugula, and some melted cheese. It’s absolutely delicious, pretty healthy, and satisfies all my cravings. 

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

I am honestly somewhat bad at this and am trying to get better. Because we’re growing so quickly and hiring and building, I get pulled a zillion different ways and have so many tasks that pile up throughout the day. It is a big goal of mine to continue to delegate more, build in time for myself to think and strategize, and get myself out of the minutiae as much as I can.

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

I have been making to-do lists and priority lists for as long as I can remember. I keep different to-do lists in Notion for my book, my personal life, Bulletin, and even keep a real-time log of my thoughts as they come up, whether it about my career, my team, work, or whatever. I find that my mind tends to race a lot so I’m able to stay productive by translating all my thoughts to paper and getting them out of the ether of my mind.

I’m also good about making time for myself, even if I can only squeeze in two or three hours to myself a day. I make time to work out, I make time to go outside and on walks in the park with my boyfriend and my dog. I make time to cook, which I find super relaxing. I make time to listen to music I love and watch compelling documentaries or movies or TV shows. I don’t believe in the endless hamster wheel and have had a full breakdown before when I work too hard and don’t make that time for myself. Rest is important. Scheduling time to relax and process your life is important. And doing it consistently is key! Don’t just make time for yourself when you feel you’re about to erupt. Do it on the daily so you prevent those breakdowns from boiling over. 

Any favorite apps you use regularly?

I use a new platform called Norby to organize all of my link-in-bio information and also manage and promote all the digital events I have coming up for my book. It is so insanely easy to use and it is such a flexible and intuitive platform that I’m able to run so much of my life on it. It’s great.

I obviously use Instagram a lot because I’m running a business and launching a book, but I’m trying to be a bit more mindful of how often I end up aimlessly scrolling and comparing myself to other people. Trying to pivot to use IG for business-only, and really reclaim my free time and headspace! For business, though, I use Canva and Planoly to design and plan my content. I am obsessed with both and find them both really easy to use.

I use Hotel Tonight if I need to get away. I use it once every two months or so and book myself an affordable hotel room in NYC or Brooklyn. I love my boyfriend and my pup and our life in Fort Greene is delightful, but with COVID, I find myself getting this urge to break away and get a change of scenery. Hotel Tonight makes it super easy and I’m usually able to find a hotel for around $100 bucks for the night. I’ll order Seamless to my room and totally indulge and bring a bottle of wine and just chill. It is a miracle app and it has been such a source of self-care for me.

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

I am obsessed with: “The Great British Bake Off,” “Law and Order SVU,” “Ted Lasso” (SO GOOD), “Criminal Minds,” and cheesy true crime Lifetime movies. Honestly, throw me a true-crime documentary, an upbeat buddy comedy, a melodramatic movie about a cult, or a dark psychological thriller and I’m good to go. I’m also a total sucker for WW2 in Color documentaries or mini-series. I watch a LOT of history shows. Sometimes I like watching TV shows and movies that are super mindless and really let my brain release. Other times I like learning and digesting information. It varies.

As for what I’m listening to, I just finished a crazy podcast called “Mommy Doomsday” from Dateline. It’s true crime. Absolutely wild. I also listen to a lot of political podcasts like “Pod Save America,” “Pod Save the World,” and just started “Us&Them” and “Sway!”

As for what I’m reading, I have a rotating list! I just finished Leigh Stein’s “Self Care” and am in the middle of Jenny Odell’s “How to Do Nothing” which I’ll dip into during the week, usually with a bath and a glass of wine. I am reading “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson on Sundays when I want more time to read. I’m about to dig into “More than Enough” by Elaine Welteroth and if I’m feeling spooky I’ll pick up “The Perfect Nanny” by Leïla Slimani. It is so, so scary but so captivating. 

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

I need at least 7 1/2 hours. My body doesn't function the same with less than 7 1/2 hours. I get cranky, I’m more sluggish and lazy and my whole energy is off. My boyfriend can sleep like 5 hours and be fine which *blows my mind.*

Lately, because I have a book launch coming up and Bulletin’s been crazy, I’ve been working from 9 AM to 10 PM or so. I need about two hours of me-time every day at least, so I usually end up going to sleep at 12:45 AM or 1 AM. I wish I could go to bed earlier, and under normal circumstances, I would, but as a night owl, I get my best book and Bulletin work done from 7 PM to 10 PM, so I need that 10-to-midnight window to do my thing and chill before passing out.

What’s the most rewarding part of your day?

Ending a long, bustling day with my boyfriend and my dog, turning my phone on silent, and cozying up to a book or dinner and a documentary. I cherish my free time so insanely much because as I’ve advanced in my career, that “me” time window gets smaller and smaller. I’ve learned and accepted that sometimes, you go through massive “sprints” in your life where you’re lacking the right balance of work, play, and chill. Right now, I’m in one of those sprints. I feel so extremely fortunate to be launching a book and running a company, and I know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel once this book is out the door and Bulletin has settled into this new growth phase. But for now, I have mini “lights” at the end of every day’s tunnel because I have a partner and a pup who embrace me at night, hold me, shower me in love, and make the day’s stresses disappear.

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3 Major Salary Negotiation Mistakes to Avoid (and What to Do Instead)

Photo: Smith House Photo

Negotiating, much like networking, is something we need to know how to do, yet it’s not a skill we are ever taught in school. But unlike networking, making a big mistake during a salary negotiation won’t just cost you a relationship, it may result in thousands of dollars being left on the table. So what exactly do you need to know when it comes to making the big ask? Here are the top three things to avoid doing in your next negotiation.

1. Getting Defensive

Let’s say you have taken on more responsibilities and put in way more overtime than your peers this past year. However, during your performance review, your boss informs you that you will only be getting the standard 3% raise due to budget constraints.  

In the heat of the moment, your heart rate will naturally jump through the roof in frustration.

What to do instead:

Instead of snapping back with how unfair this is, take a nice deep breath and allow for silence. Slowing the conversation down rather than jumping into a response will create space for you to be thoughtful in your answer rather than reactive.

2. Giving In Too Quickly

Now that you’ve given yourself a moment to breathe, you can start to prepare your response. While it’s natural to worry about what will happen if you ask for more, don’t let the fear of rejection keep you from getting what you deserve.

I’m here to tell you that negotiation is a normal and expected part of working. While your boss may secretly be hoping you don’t push back, they won’t become offended when you do (and if they do, it may be an important red flag to take note of).

What to do instead:

Instead of quickly giving in, restate your value and get their buy-in. For example, “I understand that constraints in the budget must be difficult. However, the amount of hours and effort I have been putting in for the company goes well beyond the standard expectations and performance, wouldn’t you say?”

3. Not Aiming High Enough

Lastly, when discussing pay, it’s natural to worry that if you go too high you will either offend the other party, lose the position, or come across as greedy.

However, you shouldn’t lower your expectations in order to come across as more agreeable.  By starting with a “safer” sounding number you are doing the work for them, and negotiating against yourself before the conversation has even begun.

What to do instead:

Focus on the facts and then aim high.

Do your research and get clear on a salary range that is both fair and reasonable. Next, instead of lowering your standards in order to come across as more agreeable, start at the top of the range.  

For the example above, if a 3 to 8% raise is reasonable, don’t lower your expectations to a safer sounding 5%. Instead, anchor high and say, “I was really hoping that given the results I’ve produced in the past year, that I would get at least an 8 percent increase. Do you think that’s something we could work toward?”

Interestingly enough, by anchoring higher, you actually give your boss the psychological feeling that they just got a “deal.” Let them feel the sweet pleasure of a deal, while you allow yourself the sweet reward of a higher paycheck!

So, in conclusion…

Negotiating doesn’t have to be scary or hard. No one will advocate for you in the same way you can advocate for yourself. You are in control of your financial well-being, and you know the value that you create. Now, share it with the world! And most importantly, share it with your boss when you ask for that next raise. This awkward and uncomfortable situation will only last a few minutes, and it may result in thousands of more dollars in your bank account.

“You shouldn’t lower your expectations in order to come across as more agreeable.”

—Kathlyn Hart, Financial Empowerment Coach

About the author: Kathlyn Hart is a financial empowerment coach and a motivational speaker who supports ambitious women earn more. Her salary negotiation boot camp “Be Brave Get Paid,” which teaches women how to confidently own their worth and ask for more, has helped women increase their income by an average of $15,000.  In addition, she is the host of The Kathlyn Hart Show, where she interviews entrepreneurial women about their journey from dreaming to doing.

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This post was originally published on March 26, 2019, and has since been updated.

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How This Stylist Turned Designer Launched a Business During COVID—and Attracted A.O.C and J.Lo’s Attention in the Process

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 Karen Perez

Karen Perez never saw herself designing masks. But when the fashion stylist of 15 years was tasked with finding chic, high-end face coverings for her clients during the pandemic and couldn’t find any, she decided to make her own. “I wanted to create a mask that was feminine and chic by highlighting our cheekbones,” Perez tells Create & Cultivate. “A mask that empowered us to still look and feel amazing when we needed to go outdoors.” And the demand for her products has been staggering from the start.

Leading up to the launch of her business, Second Wind, she announced a pre-sale on Instagram, anticipating 100 orders—not 10,000. The overnight success was overwhelming but also posed a major problem: finding the funds to fulfill thousands of orders. “Right after our launch, I decided to create a GoFundMe to raise capital,” Perez explains. “Within a matter of a week, I raised more than $4,000 which made me realize how many people wanted to support my business, my dream.” Including A.O.C. and J.Lo who are just a few of the high-profile women who’ve been spotted wearing her designs.

Ahead, Perez shares her best advice for scaling a business quickly and sustainably, raising capital through crowdfunding, and building a dedicated team.

What has been the biggest challenge in scaling so rapidly, and what advice can you share for fellow small business owners on how to scale quickly and sustainably?

The biggest challenge was finding the right manufacturers in the U.S. so that I can oversee the work. My advice for those thinking of launching a business or fellow small business owners is to always have a targeted budget to work with and set up contracts with your vendors. 

Would you recommend raising capital through crowdfunding to other entrepreneurs today?

The GoFundMe was very helpful and I recommend others to look into this or other crowdfunding platforms. I know some of us are scared to ask for money, let alone apply for loans, but you’d be surprised how many people out there want to see small businesses thrive. 

Photo: Courtesy of Karen Perez

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

My first biggest expense was supply—and still is. For big expenses, you have to save. It’s hard for me to give this advice because I gave every penny of my savings to launch the business. I don’t advise everyone to do that because I have a different story than others. While it might not be the best advice, if you feel like you have something special and you want to do it right, go all in.

What are your top three largest expenses every month?

1. Product, materials 

2. PR/marketing 

3. Payroll 

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

Technically I don’t pay myself (yet) because every dollar that I make, I put it back into the business. Second Wind still hasn’t even met its first year, and I have to recognize that I still have more expenses to make in order for this business to grow before I can see personal revenue. 

Would you recommend other small business owners pay themselves?

Absolutely! I think it’s important that you pay for the necessities that you need. You really need to learn how to manage your budgets and how to manage your business and personal expenses. Always stay realistic with yourself. 

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

I knew I had to hire right away—as soon as I saw the 10,000 orders! I physically can’t do all of this by myself. I realized I had to take into consideration what I am investing in when hiring staff. When hiring your team, don’t just look at someone who’s going to make your job easier. You need to invest in building a team that is going to be dedicated to building the business with you. 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? Are there any tools or programs you recommend for bookkeeping?

I hired an accountant and bookkeeper that I work with on a monthly basis. My accountant is also like my financial advisor and has guided me with managing budgets and expenses. My go-to program is Quickbooks. 

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

Your financial energy should definitely be put towards your product (materials, supply) and PR/marketing. This is the core of my business and it’s what helps us to continue to grow. 

"No matter how much money you are making, how much money you have to spend, if you stand by your product and business you will see financial gain."

—Karen Perez, Founder of Second Wind

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

Yes! I think it’s so important. For a long time, women were never thought to be included in these conversations. I think it’s important for us to come together and be open and share advice. I have my go-to circle of friends that are also small business owners and they share advice with me all the time. 

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

I have several financial mentors—a mix of both men and women. I think it’s important for others to have one. Don’t be shy to network and ask around/meet with your local business owners. You’d be surprised as to how many small business owners in your area would be willing to chat with you and give you some advice. 

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

As a new small business owner, you are eager to get things done and sign off on contracts without reading them properly, and when there are problems, you realize you didn’t read the contract correctly. My advice is to READ everything carefully and protect yourself. 

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

The best advice is to love what you do. No matter how much money you are making, how much money you have to spend, if you stand by your product and business you will see financial gain.   

Your business has garnered the support of high-profile women by the likes of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jennifer Lopez. No doubt, major retailers are asking to carry your products as a result. What’s next for you and your brand? Can we expect to see Second Wind products at Bloomingdale’s or Nordstrom in the future? 

We are excited to announce that we have a confirmed retailer commitment from Saks Fifth Avenue. Our products will be sold online until further notice. This is just the first step to growing into a global brand.

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Projector is the Collaborative Graphic Design Tool We’ve Been Searching For

The power of visuals in modern communication is undeniable. In the world of social media, 63% of content is made up of images, and according to Quicksprout, content with quality visuals receive 94% more views and engagement than those without. Strong visuals play an important role in all facets of business, helping you connect with an audience faster, and with more emotion, than words alone.

If you own or operate a business, you’re in the business of visual communication. From Instagram and TikTok to pitch decks, presentations and print materials, visual language filters into all channels and mediums of your business. The right designs can help bring your brand to life–and thankfully, tools like Projector make it easy for teams to create professional-looking visual content, regardless of whether you have a design background or not.

With a robust selection of templates, tools and features, Projector is the collaborative graphic design tool we’ve been searching for. It’s an entirely browser-based platform that helps teams work efficiently and in real-time. (Think: Google Docs for graphic design). From launching a social channel from scratch, to crafting a deck for your next campaign, in Projector, it's fast (and fun!) for anyone to create multimedia stories for any channel or medium. Keep reading to learn more about Projector, our favorite new design tool, and discover all the ways it can help you build and scale your business.

What is Projector? 

Projector is an entirely-browser based, collaborative tool for designing visual content. It’s powerful enough to support advanced multimedia layout and editing, but accessible and approachable for someone who’s never used professional design software before.

Who is it for?

Anyone who creates content for work. In Projector, people from all different kinds of skill sets–– writers, brand strategists, community managers, executives, marketers, creatives and designers –– can work together in one space that feels approachable and powerful for each of them.

What can you make with it?

Presentations, social posts and stories, email banners, zines, zoom backgrounds, digital flyers, pdfs, videos, and GIFs to name a few... Start from scratch, or get inspiration from a curated library of modern templates that can easily be customized in any way you want. Whether you’re running an Instagram channel for a brand, trying to launch a creative-side hustle, crafting a proposal deck or looking to spruce up your own portfolio and feed, Projector gives you one space to create everything.

How does it work?

Browse a curated library of professionally-designed templates (i.e. Instagram templates for highlighting your product or community, presentations for planning your editorial calendar, etc)

Stylize text and add movement with special media effects. Fill letters with videos, images, or GIFs, and add gradients, shadows, or outlines to create your own unique text styles.

Discover imagery, icons and more with the best content integrations via Unsplash, Shutterstock, Giphy, and Noun Project (for free!)

Share your story with a link to comment, collaborate, and present in real-time.

Why should you try it?

If you're looking for a more efficient and collaborative way to create visual content, Projector can help. They're making it easier for more people to connect with their audience through modern, multimedia design — and we all know good design is good business, after all.

Sign up here for free to give Projector a try.

This Is How Hustle Culture Can Destroy Your Business

Photo: ColorJoy Stock by Christina Jones Photography

There’s a scam out there that I’ve fallen for, and I’m not the only one. It has cost people their marriages and their businesses, it has cost them financially, emotionally, and mentally. It's brutal. And it may surprise you to hear that this scam? It’s the hustle culture.

As an entrepreneur, I know what it means to hit that mental fatigue point. When it happened to me, I didn’t want to ask for help. I didn’t think that’s what successful entrepreneurs do, and I didn’t want to appear weak. Unfortunately, it landed me in the hospital. You can say it won’t happen to you, but you need to know what to look out for and keep yourself in check because if it does happen, it can be incredibly hard to recover. 

If you want to avoid falling victim to hustle culture, here are a few things worth remembering.

1. Be Intentional About the Content You Post

As humans, when we are exhausted, we look for external stimulation. The use of social media has made it incredibly easy to find validation, but—unfortunately—It’s dangerous. We get this hit of dopamine when people are liking and commenting on our posts, and that leads to us wanting more. As a result, it creates this noise effect online where everybody is basically shouting to get space because they need to feel validated. If you do that for long enough, you just tend to burn yourself out because it's not humanly possible to create high-quality content every single day. 

You don't have to be posting every day on social media to be relevant, impactful, and helpful. Instead, focus on being intentional about the content you create—not just contributing to the noise in order to generate leads and customers. Ultimately, it’s about the quality of your followers, not the quantity. Just because you have a million followers doesn't mean you have a million buyers, and there are tons of broke influencers out there to prove it. 

2. Don’t Compete With Influencers Who Have a Huge Team Behind Them

There’s a good chance that if you come across someone who is constantly posting content, they’re not flying solo. In fact, they probably have a huge team of 30+ people behind them. There is absolutely no way for a solopreneur or even someone with a small team to ever start to compete with that much creative energy. 

Remember the influencers I mentioned before? You know the ones that have the followers, but nothing else to show for it? The real reason they're constantly creating content and building their audience is that they really aren't sure how to monetize it, or they are promoting products that really aren’t very good. Just focus on creating profitable content that has purpose and intention and you’ll end up on top. 

3. Be Mindful of the Law of Diminishing Returns

We are not built to work all the time, and we're not built to push all the time. It’s not healthy for us. When you hit a certain point where you want to just power through a task because in your mind, being busy means you’re worthy, you need to take a break. 

You see, the law of diminishing returns is that if you're constantly pushing, you’ll build momentum and see results at first. But when you peak? The quality of what you are putting out decreases. Eventually, you get to a certain point where your brain just shuts off and you start to actually do yourself a disservice and do yourself harm. When you’re tired—and when you hit that point of diminishing returns—you’re very vulnerable to making bad decisions. You’re likely to do things reactively and make short-term decisions for something that you're trying to build into a long-term business. 

A metaphor I like to use is that you can’t go to the gym and lift weights for 24 hours straight. You are going to injure yourself—but this is how people are approaching business and entrepreneurship. They're trying to keep going no matter how irrational it is to stay at the highest level of energy and capacity. It’s just not normal. And it's not humanly possible. Instead, think about the long game. Try to be less reactive, and focus on understanding why you're doing what you're doing.

4. Figure Out How to Make Your Business Model Easier

The moment when I figured out how to simplify my business and do less was when my business started to grow. When I was hustling my face off, didn't have a team, and ultimately landed in the hospital with burnout, my business wasn’t even benefitting from my hard work. I was trying to do everything myself, and I didn’t even stop long enough to even wonder, why am I doing this? Did I want my version of success to be in a hospital bed, tired all the time, feeling like I'm sacrificing my sanity, my relationships, and my health? 

After my burnout, I became obsessed with the most successful entrepreneurs, and I realized that the ones I admire most didn’t work all the time. They are laser-focused with their priorities and time. They stay in their genius zone, they stay in their lane, and they focus on the basics. Make a great product, innovate, constantly test it, and become customer-obsessed. They embrace failure and they embrace joy. They define their worth by their contribution to the world, their quality of life, and the relationships that they build. Because—if you want to be successful—you need to build your business to work for you, not against you. 

"If you want to be successful, you need to build your business to work for you, not against you."

—Sunny Lenarduzzi, Social Media Consultant and Business Growth Coach

About the author: Sunny Lenarduzzi is a social media consultant and business growth coach who has earned eight figures in the past four years teaching people how to elevate their brands using video marketing, Sunny’s YouTube channel has amassed over 27 million views and her expertise has been featured in outlets including Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company and Inc—and she's incredibly passionate about sharing her message around entrepreneurship, generosity, and success with the world. She has enrolled over 8,000 clients from around the world into her online programs, YouTube for Bosses and The Authority Accelerator. Connect with her on Instagram @sunnylenarduzzi.

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This Copywriter Quit Her 9-to-5 Job at Nike to Start Her Own Storytelling Studio

Photo: Courtesy of Rachel Leslie

Walking away from a 9-to-5 job with a steady paycheck and health benefits to start your own business isn’t easy. To help you to take the plunge, we’re introducing a new monthly editorial series The Case for Quitting where we ask self-employed women all about how they successfully struck out on their own, from how they balanced their side-hustle with their full-time job to how much money they saved before handing in their two-week notice. This month we chatted with copywriter Rachel Leslie who quit her job as a digital copywriter at Nike to start her own storytelling studio. Read on as she shares how she broke into the field, when she knew it was time to leave her corporate job, and why she recommends saving up a six-month safety net before quitting.

What was your major in college and what did you want to do when you graduated? 

I majored in journalism and minored in business administration. When I graduated, I wanted to become an arts and culture journalist. Think, William Miller in “Almost Famous” going on tour with bands, covering the latest shows and album drops. 

What did you actually do after you graduated? What types of jobs did you apply to and what industry were you looking to break into?

I moved to Santa Barabara, California, for an unpaid internship at an indie newspaper called, The Santa Barbara Independent, where I was their arts and culture intern. In addition to my internship, I worked at a local restaurant as a host to pay the bills. 

Before getting that internship, I applied to any and all jobs and internships in writing for news publications, media organizations, and the list goes on. I was determined to write for a newspaper or magazine where they had a substantial section in music, events, art, and feature stories. It was a tough time to be applying for jobs in print journalism in 2013 as there were whispers that journalism was dying, print specifically. 

How did you get into copywriting?

When my internship came to a close in Santa Barbara, I started looking for other opportunities to continue writing. I contributed to the newspaper and got paid for my articles, but it was nowhere near enough money to get by, so I began exploring marketing and PR agencies. 

I was hired as a paid intern at a PR and marketing agency working with nonprofits and social impact businesses in the Santa Barbara area. I found this type of work interesting because I could still exercise my journalistic skills in a way, but on behalf of our clients. Plus, I could get behind what they were marketing as they were often community events, organic products, and so on.

My experience at that agency was my first foray into copywriting, and the rest is history; from booking a one-way ticket to Vietnam and working as a freelance writer for magazines and copywriting for five-star luxury hotels and businesses to moving back to the U.S. to join the agency world here in Portland, Oregon, and most recently, working at Nike as a digital copywriter.

What was it like balancing your full-time job with your side-hustle? Do you recommend starting a side-hustle while you have a full-time job? 

For as long as I can remember, I was always doing something on the side of my full-time job. Whether it was freelance writing for the indie newspaper on the side of my full-time internship or taking on copywriting projects here and there alongside agency work. It can be time-consuming if you let it. Like giving up your weekends and evenings to stay on top of your side hustle, but if the passion is there and you want to see if it’ll work, you’ll do it.

I recommend starting a side hustle while you have a full-time job because it gives you a chance to experiment with what works and what doesn’t as you work out the kinks and see if it’s really something you want to pursue full-time without the added stress of making rent.

How did you know when it was time to make the transition from side-hustle to full-time? What was your strategy for making the transition?

Starting my own business was something I always knew I would do. It was just a matter of when. I found this desire grew stronger and stronger to a point where I knew if I didn’t try now, I’d always regret it.

I was in two group coaching programs while in my 9-5 that gave me the tools, education, and resources to hone in on my copywriting service to expand that into a full-blown business. In addition to those programs, I began building up my client roster while marketing my copywriting and storytelling services to others online and through word of mouth. I wanted to prove that there was a demand for my expertise and services before saying goodbye to my 9-5. After juggling both for over a year, my business grew to a point where the time I was working in my 9-5 actually took away precious time from growing my business.

Another big part of this strategy was focusing on repositioning my mindset for entrepreneurship. Accepting and being open to the challenges, learnings, and failures that may come along the way while embracing them and keeping pressing forward is crucial to running a successful business. I’d have to say that this was (and still is!) one of the most challenging tasks in starting your own business. There’s a great deal of fear that comes with saying goodbye to what we’re taught to consider safe and secure (i.e., a stable salary, benefits, etc.). But once I realized that I’m in control of what happens and that I can do anything I set my mind to, that made the decision easy.

How did you prepare for the transition before quitting your full-time job? What, if anything, do you wish you’d done differently?

I spoke to my husband, who’s been my biggest supporter throughout all of this. We set a date and made it official! That felt so amazing to have a fantastic support system to back me up and to put a date in place.

Since starting my business, I kept track of my business’ income and expenses to see how much I needed each month to survive, and I did the same for my personal finances. I also hired an accountant for my business right before I left my full-time job to help me manage everything and have someone on hand I could turn to for questions as I navigated this new chapter. This helped put things in perspective for me as to what I needed not just to survive but to thrive in my day-to-day, as I had done before with a secure paycheck.

I also utilized my network of mentors and coaches during this pivotal time. As you can imagine, lots of what-ifs, thoughts, and fears came up in making this transition, and they were crucial in helping me get through this rollercoaster of emotions.

Lastly, I continued to market myself, show up and serve my online community every day. I had a few ongoing client projects in the works and a few lined up for the following month, so I knew I had some guaranteed income coming in for at least a few months after quitting my full-time job.

Were you worried about money? What advice can you share for people who are worried about leaving a steady paycheck to start a new career? 

Of course. As I was making the transition, I had many fears and worries about money, like, What if I don’t get any more clients after leaving my job? What if I don’t make any money next month? What if I fail? 

That is where that mindset work came into play again! I had to focus on rewiring my scarcity mindset to one of abundance and assurance. Instead of focusing on the what-ifs, I began writing affirmations and mantras like, “Clients come to me with ease,” and “What I focus on grows” and so on.

Journaling also helped me work through these fears and feelings about money. By asking myself, what do I need to feel safe and secure and what do those words mean to me, I was able to address these thoughts. 

On the more technical side, proving that my service was in demand before leaving my 9-5 and signing clients for future projects helped alleviate those worries about no money coming in. 

Did you save up first or did you just jump in headfirst?

I had a six-month safety net in place before I quit my job. This reassured me that if I didn’t make any money in my business, I had six months of savings in place to keep me going. So what I did was calculate my existing expenses to understand how much money I needed to make each month to pay my mortgage, bills and get by each month. 

What's the most important thing you have learned from making a big change in your career life?

I’ve learned that I’m in control of what I want to do in my life and in what makes me happy. And that there’s no point in waiting for something to tell you what to do next. It’s up to you. When I was making the transition from my corporate job to building my own business, I kept waiting for a sign. For something or someone to tell me, “Rachel, it’s go-time!” But I kept waiting, waiting and waiting and that sign never came. I realized that I just needed to take the leap and do it because there would never be a “perfect” time. 

It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?

I treat it as an opportunity to learn and grow. As an entrepreneur, I’ve realized that things don’t always work out as planned, and that’s okay. When something doesn’t work out, I try to understand why and where I could have done better so that when I’m faced with a similar situation, I know how to approach it and hopefully, there’s a different outcome. 

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made and learned from along the way?

When I first started, I created too many copywriting services. I quickly realized I was trying to do too many things at once. I overcommitted and under-delivered and I wasn’t able to produce top-quality services. I realized I could better serve my ideal client by focusing on what they specifically need and how my one or two niche services could best serve them.

When you look back and reflect on your previous career do you have any regrets or are you still really happy with your decision?

Every step of my career has prepared me to do what I’m doing today. I’m immensely grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve met along the way because it’s all shaped my values, beliefs, and my vision for the future of my studio.

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams? 

Funnily enough, I have a fraternal twin sister, and she’s definitely the more confident and outgoing one! So no, confidence did not come naturally to me. It took me a while to learn it and to embrace it.

One aspect that helped me gain confidence was surrounding myself with other leaders, mentors, and coaches who embodied the confidence I wanted for myself. Being around these people lit something inside of me that I could tap into and infuse in my own business. I also journaled (a lot!). A helpful exercise that helped in embracing my CEO mindset and imposter syndrome was writing out all of my accomplishments onto a piece of paper. It helped me realize that I was a skilled entrepreneur and that there was no reason why I couldn’t do this. I still go back and look at that list when I’m having an off day. 

What is the #1 career or money book you always recommend and why?

I love” You Are a Badass At Making Money” by Jen Sincero—especially the audible version! This book is raw, real, and eye-opening as to what is genuinely possible not just in your career but in your life. It gave me a whole new perspective into the power of your mindset and money and how the two can be truly life-changing.

What advice can you share for someone who is thinking about leaving their current gig to pursue their side-hustle or passion?

As my former employer’s tagline says… Just do it. Give it a try! And do your due diligence beforehand. First, determine if there’s a demand for your product or service; then, rally a community of mentors and friends you can lean on for support and get your finances in order so you can understand not just what you need to live, but to thrive, too (because if brunch with the girls makes you happy that should be factored in, too).

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Celebrate Women in Music With This WFH Playlist (and Prepare to Listen on Repeat)

Photo: Mingyue H from Pexels

Not to sound like a broken record, but we have a long way to go in the fight for gender equality in the music industry. Earlier this month, the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released its annual report on music creator demographics, and it revealed little progress for women in popular music in 2020. In fact, the number of women writing and performing hit songs has decreased since 2019. The report found women made up only 20.2% percent of the artists behind 2020’s top songs (down from 22.5% in 2019 and below the nine-year average of 21.6%).

To celebrate the women in music who are defying these stats and moving the industry in the right direction, and in honor of Women’s History Month, Samantha Ouellette, Create & Cultivate’s general manager and unofficial C&C office DJ, curated a WFH playlist. Spanning legends by the likes of Nina Simone, Stevie Nicks, and Dolly Parton to up-and-coming artists (and recent Create & Cultivate 100 honorees!) Remi Wolf, Audrey Mika, and Tayla Parx, trust us when we say you’re going to want to put this playlist on repeat during 9-to-5. Grab your headphones and scroll on to press play now.

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This Entrepreneur’s Journey to France is an Invitation to Discover Your Own Joie de Vivre

Fueled by a passion and a belief, Tawnya Falkner gave up her real estate development and design career, took a leap and moved to France to create her French sparkling wine brand, Le Grand Courtâge and Provence style still wine, Très Chic ​​Rosé.

Translated to mean “the Great Courtship”, Le Grand Courtâge signifies the courtship between French and American wine culture, grapes from different regions and the old and new world wine styles. For Tawnya, food & wine are the great common denominator of all cultures and the foundation for meaningful connection. The wines were created to embody the French spirit of ‘Joie de Vivre’ (“joy of life”) and remind people to elevate and celebrate the everyday and “Live Joyously”.

Today, Le Grand Courtâge is an award-winning national brand, but for Tawnya, success is much more than accolades and prestige. She is equally concerned with the brand’s purpose and social impact, and aims to spread positivity through her wines, through community, and through giving back.  

This year they launched a new dedicated grant and mentorship program called ELEVATE, in collaboration with Ladies Who Launch, to bring the unique challenges facing women in business to the forefront, while helping to grow, mentor, and support women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs across the country. 

By teaming up with like-minded partners and pooling financial resources, intellectual capital and networking communities, the aim is to provide meaningful immediate and long-term support. As an entrepreneur herself, Tawnya Falkner is career-driven, passionate, ambitious, and determined—and small businesses are often born from a small idea backed by someone with these traits.

For Tawnya, it was important to offer a platform to elevate and support female entrepreneurs, especially given the current state of work for women and the implications of this past year. Women receive less than 3% of Capital $ in the US despite owning 40% of businesses and controlling 85% of all consumer purchases. Furthermore, over 25% of female owned businesses have closed since March 2020 due to the fallout of COVID-19.

“Embrace Life. Dream Big. Accept all Invitations” is written on the back of each Le Grand Courtâge bottle and it embodies who they are at the core. Sometimes, destiny’s interventions take form in unexpected invitations. Such is the case for Tawnya, whose small leap of faith led her to discover something far greater. Le Grand Courtage is offering une invitation to discover your own joie de vivre.

We invited Tawnya to share the catalyst for her move to France, and what’s next for the brand. She also shared some sage advice for young entrepreneurs, who are looking to cultivate the confidence to go after their dreams. In the words of Tawnya herself, “Cheers to dreaming big and elevating the visionaries!”

What inspired you to leave your real estate development and design career, and move to France to start Le Grand Courtâge?

I grew up in a 3-street farming town across from the general store and some of my fondest memories are Sunday dinners and backyard barbecues. Those small town beginnings evoked a wanderlust and a passion for travel; and after seeing different parts of the world, and living in Asia and Europe, I realized that food & drink are the common thread that bring friends and family together.

Le Grand Courtâge was built on the premise of meaningful connection and reminding people to find the joy in life’s simple pleasures, like a meal shared or a relaxing bubble bath with a book.

I ultimately took the leap and moved to France to create wines which embody the French spirit of ‘Joie de Vivre’ after seeing a gap in the category on price, palate and packaging. As most French wine is traditionally branded, packaged and styled, I saw an opportunity to re-envision the category and offer something with a French cachet and elegance combined with an American appeal and price point. Since champagne is expensive, I wanted to create balanced, fruit forward wines that delight the palate and offer an affordable luxury to celebrate the every day.

What can you tell us about the history/origins of sparkling wines?

Champagne can only come from the region bearing its name about one hour northeast from Paris. All other bubbles produced anywhere else in the world (inc France) must be called “sparkling wine”.

Rumor has it that champagne was invented accidentally due to an error of excess pressure built up during fermentation causing bottles and corks to explode. Though Dom Perignon apparently said, “I’m seeing stars”, others called it the "the devil's wine" (le vin du diable).

I love this story because it shows that a mistake led to a product that has captured the imagination around the world. It shows that sometimes mistakes or failures can be happy accidents. As a society we need to be a little more open to the fact that failings can create the path for the greatest growth or lead to fantastic outcomes.

Le Grand Courage was built on the premise that food & wine are the great common denominator of all cultures to foster meaningful connections. What are some of your favorite creative food pairings to enjoy different Le Grand Courtâge wines?

Fried Chicken and bubbles are my favorite! Also fun are spicy Asian, sushi, BBQ, popcorn, and potato chips. They call sparkling the ‘scrubbing bubbles’ for the palate as it truly cleanses the tongue between bites and the acidity in the wine is a great balance point for various cuisines and cocktails. As such, anything rich, salty, fried and spicy is an excellent pairing.

Have the audacity to believe and never let reality get in the way of your imagination.

– Tawnya Falkner, Founder, Le Grand Courtâge

What do you love most about your job and why? Does the reality of your career match up to your expectations/why/why not?

I am grateful to be able to work to build this dream. As someone who is equally right and left brained, I love that I am able to focus on strategy while getting to create and be creative. I am constantly meeting people and I appreciate that I get to infuse positivity into someone’s day with our brand. For me Le Grand Courtâge, and our French Provence style Très Chic Rosé are less about drinking than what having a glass of wine signifies. It’s taking a few minutes to enjoy a delectable bite, laugh with a friend or raise a glass to celebrate your small wins.

Owning a wine company is not nearly as glamorous or romantic as it seems. There is a lot of production, supply chain, compliance and logistics that aren’t fun or sexy! The reality is that because my business requires so much of me that I do not get to spend the time connecting with family and friends that I would like. Building a business and a brand is hard, but the issues of raising capital and trying to break into a massive industry dominated by men, has been challenging to say the least.

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?

My advice is to not discount your ideas or abilities and act confident even if you are shaking in your shoes.

From a young age I have always dreamed big and been willing to take risks. In truth while I am extremely confident that I can handle virtually anything, I believe it is equally a component of a) believing in myself and b) pushing past the fear.

Sometimes I simply have to bulldoze through the fear and think to myself, “I can do this!” I’ve also learned to live with a great(er) amount of uncertainty and constantly remind myself that I’m not going to die if something fails. When struggling, I dissect the fear, analyze it, re-frame it and then it’s sometimes just taking the leap and trusting your gut.

The bottom-line is to live your fear and face it knowing that what you are doing is for something bigger, better, greater.

With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

I am inspired by the current wave of women's empowerment and females who are paving their own way and achieving success in pursuit of their passions. Women are (re)defining or breaking the rules. I believe we can impact some of the systemic issues as more of us challenge the dynamics and help balance out the dismal stats. Those before us challenged the status quo and paved the way, but there is still much to do.

Owning Le Grand Courtâge has been surreal, exciting, scary…. Every time I see a bottle on a shelf or in a restaurant, I still smile. It’s hard to believe that this dream has turned into a reality. With any success comes a lot of work and perseverance. There will be days even when you collapse in exhaustion or cry or want to pack it up and call it quits. The hustle, sweat and tears make the successes even sweeter in the end.

Also, it’s important to remember that if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Paris wasn’t built in a day, and while we must focus on the present, it’s important to have the long game in mind.

I am appreciative for every experience because it is part of the journey and without the good and bad, I wouldn’t have this exact life and the perspective I’ve gained.

If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now—what advice would you give yourself? 

1. Have the audacity to believe and never let reality get in the way of your imagination.

2. Know that how you handle yourself in adversity is what really defines you.

3. To be successful you need confidence, a thick skin and an inner circle to exchange ideas, help with the pain points and be a shoulder to cry on occasionally. 

4. Be kind to yourself. Believe in yourself. Learn to diffuse ‘no.’ And never, ever let anyone dull your sparkle.

We believe this shift in women-centered innovation will have wide-sweeping implications for the role women will play in the future of business, leadership and the economy - therefore, it is in all our best interests to be part of the change.

– Tawnya Falkner, Founder, Le Grand Courtâge

Le Grand Courtâge founded a dedicated grant and mentorship program created to support female entrepreneurs. What were your goals going into this initiative, and what are you hoping consumers take away?

Having started three companies, raised capital, and dealt with a partnership dissolution, economic downturns, and now the effects of Covid, I have a lot of insights and perspectives on building companies.

The path isn’t easy and we want to help to mentor and empower the next generation of business owners while being a more active participant. Through my experiences in real estate development, finance, consulting and now building a wine brand and company, I have tried to approach building a business differently and believe in collaboration over competition and the power of the community.

With this in mind, I created “ELEVATE” with the intent of pooling resources, using the power of the crowd, and providing mentorship to help the next class of aspiring entrepreneurs. I believe that each of us has special gifts and we can make an impact by investing a little time &/or money to pay it forward and help support others.

We encourage everyone to think about where/how they deploy dollars, and to realize that supporting female or minority owned businesses is helping affect the course of the future and supporting someone’s dreams.

With the massive IPO successes of companies like Bumble, Glossier, Rent the Runway - the list goes on, we’re seeing a rise of women-centered innovation: products and services designed by women for women. The investment ecosystem (still) seems unprepared to understand this opportunity, much less identify, invest in, and nurture this next generation of entrepreneurs. We believe this shift in women-centered innovation will have wide-sweeping implications for the role women will play in the future of business, leadership and the economy - therefore, it is in all our best interests to be part of the change.

Share your best advice, in two words or less.

“Live Joyously”

— Tawnya Falkner

About the Grant & Mentorship Program:

Le Grand Courtâge’s ELEVATE is a 3-part program that will provide financial grants, curated mentorship & company amplification for up to 25 selected applicants. Up to $25,000 is available for grant awards in partnership with Ladies Who Launch and White House Black Market.  Individual mentorship programs will run for 6 months. Ladies Who Launch is a mission driven, membership based 501(c)3 that empowers women entrepreneurs to thrive by providing access to educational resources and capital programs.  For more information https://legrandcourtage.com/giving-back/  Applications open March 29th. 

5 Things You Can Do Today to Help Close the Gender Pay Gap

Photo: Smith House Photo for Create & Cultivate

It’s Equal Pay Day. The symbolic day dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap. The day represents how far into the new year a woman must work, on average, to earn what a man earned the previous year (though for many women of color, the dates are even later in the year).

As a society, we’re making strides in rectifying this, but the stats show just how much work is left to be done. Today, we’re sharing five things you can do today to help close the pay gap for yourself and others, from sharing your struggles to creating a community committed to transparency.

1. Do your research.

First things first: The internet is your friend. Use salary comparison sites to research the average pay for your job title in your city and see where you fall in the rankings. You can also use Glassdoor’s Know Your Worth tool to receive a custom salary estimate based on your title, company, location, and experience.

2. Be transparent.

If you’re gonna talk the talk, it’s time to walk the walk. Talking about pay isn’t as scary as it sounds—you can start with your friends. Share your salaries with each other and talk about what’s fair. You can also start a wage club and consider inviting expert guest speakers who will talk with you about salary negotiations, wages, or career ladders.

3. Ask your mentor.

Do you have a mentor? If not, here’s a helpful guide to finding one. Once you’ve established a great relationship with a more experienced female mentor in your field, you can ask her for advice: How did she negotiate her first raise? How does she confirm she’s being paid fairly? What would she suggest for your particular situation? Having someone in your corner to help guide your negotiations is paramount.

4. Put out feelers.

Use social media to your advantage. Post on LinkedIn, Instagram Stories, or elsewhere asking people to talk about money with you. You’ll cultivate a great community of people who want to discuss salaries and negotiation strategies—you might even be able to form a wage club from this group of people.

5. Share this article!

The easiest way to make financial conversations less taboo is to encourage others to do so, too. Share this article and start a conversation—the wage gap may be an institutional problem, but we can help encourage each other to know our worth and fight for it.

This story was originally posted on April 2, 2019, and has since been updated.

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17 Successful Women Share the Insightful Books That Supercharged Their Careers

In this age of information, we have everything we need to start a new business, create a website, or set up a budget right at our fingertips—Google is a powerful tool. But sometimes you need a deep dive into the topic to truly understand the scope of what’s required from every angle—that’s when we turn to books. In our series, Turning a Page, we ask successful people to share their go-to tomes that helped transform their business, career, or money mindset. Whether you listen to them or need to physically flip the pages (and write notes or underline the text like us!), there is so much power in self-educating. Ready to turn a page in your career? These books will help take you there.

Photo: ColorJoy Stock by Christina Jones Photography

Our career roadmaps are typically anything but linear. In fact, there are often many different paths to find success, which can make navigating the process that much more difficult. Fortunately, an abundance of trailblazing leaders have paved the way to show us that anything is possible, and many of their journeys have been documented in powerful books that are readily available to us.

To narrow down the seemingly endless options out there, we tapped 17 incredible women to uncover the books that have supercharged their careers, helped them land promotions, lead companies, and, ultimately, shaped the ways they’re positively impacting the world around them. Their recommendations—like their backgrounds—are eclectic. They include titles from a corporate lens, an entrepreneurial perspective, and even the viewpoint of a symphony orchestra player turned consultant. 

Emily Chen

Founder of Emcstudioco

The Book: “You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” by Jen Sincerio

The Key Takeaway: As creatives and entrepreneurs, we so often fall into the mindset of scarcity. This book helped me shift my mindset when I was starting my creative studio and first entrepreneurial venture. It made me realize we are all born with innate gifts and that fulfilling our purpose allows others around us to step into theirs.

Samantha Patil

Co-Founder and CEO of Well Traveled

The Book: “Everything Is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo

The Key Takeaway: A couple of years ago I made the decision to walk away from my stable and successful career that I'd put 10 years of work into building. I dove into the path of entrepreneurship and I couldn't be happier that I did. Entrepreneurship is scary, exciting, frustrating, exhausting, and thrilling all the time and I wouldn't have it any other way. I read Forleo's book not long after taking the plunge into running my own business and now have the words "everything is figureoutable" in a frame on my desk. The minute I start to think, "What am I doing? I don't know how to do this!" I look at those words and I get back to work. I've realized I'm stronger, more capable, and more resilient than I ever imagined, and Forleo's book and these words often help me give myself the pep talk I need whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Yewande Faloyin

Founder and CEO of OTITỌ Leadership Coaching & Consulting

The Book: “Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope” by Johann Hari 

The Key Takeaway: After two years of exhaustion and burnout, “Lost Connections” reminded me that I am so much more than what I do. It emphasized the significance of connecting to more than just my work for success, fulfillment, and satisfaction. This book would benefit anyone seeking to find true, lasting success in all areas of their life, recognizing that when we thrive in one area, it elevates the others! Understanding how depression can result from one being disconnected from different yet equally important areas in one's life helped me to confidently quit my consulting job at McKinsey and build a business that I love in a way that connects with, supports, and amplifies all other areas of my life.

Olivia Bowser

Founder and CEO of Liberate

The Book: “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle

The Key Takeaway: Each page opened my eyes to what life could feel like when living fully embodied in the here and now. I realized that I had so often been consumed by obsessing about the past or ruminating over the future that I was missing what was right in front of me. By living for the now, I can create positive change, be a better leader, and be the best version of myself.

Sophia Sunwoo

Founder and Principal of Ascent Strategy

The Book: “Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making” Machine by Mike Michalowicz

The Key Takeaway: I have never met an entrepreneur who has read this book and hasn’t raved about how drastically it has changed how they manage their money and helped them turn a profit in their business. There really isn’t anyone who wouldn’t benefit from this book—it’s simply genius and sets you up to always have cash on hand for payroll and to self-fund any desired investments for your business. If you want to boost your financial literacy and wield your money to your desires, read this book.

Sam Ogborn

Founder and CEO of Once + More

The Book: “Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are” by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz

The Key Takeaway: This book helped me understand the socially acceptable conversations we all have versus our personal, inner thoughts, and feelings. This book has been invaluable for my career as it's helped me understand true human nature and the importance of reading between the lines.

Mariya Leona Illarionova

Founder and Creative Director of Wild Side Studio

The Book: “Start Something That Matters” by Blake Mycoskie 

The Key Takeaway: This book changed my perspective on business and pivoted my career. At the time, I was working in a laboratory at Brookfield Zoo. The book inspired me to quit the lab, dive into the startup world, and eventually start my own business. Mycoskie taught me that we can use capitalism as a tool to redistribute wealth and better our planet. I recommend this book to anyone who feels let down by society and the professional world. Reading it gave me the momentum to follow my heart and to be the change I wish to see in the world.

Lori Abichandani

Founder and Brand Strategist at A Big Idea

The Book: “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business” by Danny Meyer

The Key Takeaway: I love this book—so much of my philosophy on life and business has been shaped by it. It emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, cultivating strong culture, leading with generosity, and building to last instead of building for trends. It's truly a timeless read. While set in the hospitality industry, there are lessons to be found for anyone building a company from the ground up. I highly recommend it to entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs of all kinds.

Alex Cooley

Founder of AC Electric

The Book: “The Path of Least Resistance: Learning to Become the Creative Force in Your Own Life” by Robert Fritz

The Key Takeaway: This is not a business book. Robert Fritz is a symphony orchestra player turned consultant of all things. The book's main idea is that addressing life, business, and societal concerns is not just about tackling its problems but about envisioning an altogether new, idealized vision. This implementation with structural change is a powerful perspective on how to solve nearly any situation. It's the first book I have my clients read and is so great for anyone who wants to own a vision and make a big impact in their industry and society.

Maiko Sakai

Founder and Lead Strategist at Airtight Concepts

The Book: “Radical Candor (Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity)” by Kim Scott

The Key Takeaway: The revised version is key because the newly added parts clarify Scott’s true intention for the framework as well as her definition of radical candor, which was misunderstood and meme’d when the first edition was released. This is one of those books that makes me say, “I wish I’d written it!” with the utmost respect. Scott’s decision to work on the revised version and how sincere and transparent she was with the process left me thinking about how to revamp my work and my business for days. I was deeply inspired by her candid ways to continuously improve the framework she created and truly walk the walk as a boss and as an entrepreneur. I highly recommend this book to all entrepreneurs who aspire to create their own intellectual property but have doubts creeping up and/or are planning on building and nurturing a kick-ass team for their businesses.

Kim Kaupe

Founder of Bright Ideas Only

The Book: “Hearts, Smarts, Guts and Luck: What It Takes to Be an Entrepreneur and Build a Great Business” by Anthony Tjan, Richard Harrington, and Tsun-Yan Hsieh

The Key Takeaway: This was the first book to help me understand what my entrepreneurial mapping was thanks to their first-ever Entrepreneurial Aptitude Test. I could see where my strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities were when it came to building my business and expanding my dreams. I recommend it to anyone who wants to start a company or lead change.

Melinda Wang

Founder of MW Projects

The Book: “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! Adventures of a Curious Character” by Richard P. Feynman

The Key Takeaway: I came across this book by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman when I was in middle school and only recently did I realize how much it impacted my life, both professionally and personally. This semi-autobiographical book is a collection of anecdotes of Feynman’s adventures in theoretical physics, Brazilian samba, academia, visual art, safe-cracking, and more. Words of wisdom about authentic knowledge, intellectual idealism, and the importance of following through on curiosities flow throughout the stories. Meeting this self-professed curious character inspired me to not only follow my passions across art, law, and entrepreneurship but to go deep and always challenge myself to learn more.

Lauren Rosenthal

Founder and Chief Chick of Birdie

The Book: “The Paradox of Choice: Why Less Is More” by Barry Schwartz

The Key Takeaway: This book finally gave me a term to explain what I'm addressing with my app, Birdie! So many people are familiar with the book that as soon as I bring up "The Paradox of Choice" everyone understands the issue and how important it is to solve. I believe everyone can benefit from this book. We are all so inundated with options on a daily basis, so better understanding how the paradox of choice impacts us can help change our mindset and reduce unnecessary stress and anxiety.

Lori Sussle Bonanni

Founder and Communications Consultant at Elssus, LLC

The Book: “Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel” by Rolf Potts

The Key Takeaway: I read this for the first time while traveling solo during my career break in South America nearly a decade ago. Travel is a real-life choose-your-own-adventure novel, especially if you travel without being tethered to an itinerary like me. Ultimately, the benefits of travel—curiosity, creativity, flexibility, and an increased tolerance for uncertainty—make me a stronger entrepreneur.

Dina Kaplan

Founder and CEO of The Path

The Book: “The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection” by Michael A. Singer

The Key Takeaway: Singer shows how much we can change our lives, and our careers, by making new choices about how we want to live. He also shows that it is possible to lead a company while being kind and ethical. I think about the decisions he made constantly as I remind myself that I can change my life—and the lives of others—by always choosing to act ethically, and that I can lead my team by being strong but also caring. This book will benefit people leading companies or teams or really anyone open to believing they have the power within themselves to be happy and to control their destiny.

Wadeeha Jackson

Director of Compliance and Ops at HXRO Game Ltd

The Book: “Expect to Win: 10 Proven Strategies for Thriving in the Workplace” by Carla Harris 

The Key Takeaway: “Expect to Win” was a game-changer for me during the earlier part of my career in the finance industry. For me, the key takeaway was the importance of having a sponsor. As a young professional, you usually seek seasoned professionals for mentorship. Throughout the book, Harris points out that a sponsor provides influence and expresses a willingness to advocate on your behalf. Unlike mentorship, sponsors serve as a direct pipeline toward unique opportunities to push your career forward.

Trish Boes

Leadership and Life Coach at Soul Leadership Solutions, LLC

The Book: “The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are” by Brené Brown

The Key Takeaway: This book totally rocked my world and is one of the reasons why I chose to become a leadership coach years ago. It introduced me to the concept of perfectionism, which, eight years ago, I didn't know was a thing. I realized that I was a perfectionist and that a lot of the things I was doing in my career were based around people-pleasing and avoiding feelings of shame, which eventually led to my burnout. I still read this book regularly because it reminds me to lean into vulnerability and prioritize wholehearted living, which means engaging in our own lives from a place of courage and worthiness. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to reconnect with their own brilliance and to let go of feelings of burnout, imposter syndrome, or constant self-judgment.

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Pro Tip: How to Approach a Client About a Late Payment

Photo: ColorJoy Stock by Christina Jones Photography

We’ve all more than likely been through this particular situation but I’m curious: how many of you reading this are happy with the way it was handled? In my experience, people are typically afraid to approach a client about late payments because they’re afraid of annoying or upsetting the client.

Your clients do not hold all of the power.

They should be just as concerned with annoying or upsetting you by being late with their payments. And more likely than not, these situations can be easily solved with some good ole fashioned communication. So let’s break down how to approach and communicate with your clients about a late payment.

Why it’s important

You need to get paid, that’s why.

Scenario #1

You’ve been working with a new client and after the first month of service, submitted your invoice. Another month of work has gone by and you’re about to submit your second invoice but haven’t been paid for the first invoice you submitted. You originally agreed to payment schedule terms with your client at the start of your working relationship and put a “net 30” payment deadline in your scope of work and invoice.

If the terms have been agreed upon and this is the first time you and your client are working together, it may take time to get the first payment process into rotation with Human Resources (HR) and Accounts Payable (AP).

While this isn’t ideal for any situation, it’s one of the many hurdles of freelance life and it’s better to prepare for it than not; but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t say anything when a payment is late either.

Say this

“I’m getting ready to submit my second invoice and wanted to let you know I still haven’t received payment for last month’s services. Do you have everything you need from me to get this processed? If so, can you please let me know when payment is expected to come through?”

Don’t say

“….”

The breakdown

When it comes to talking to your client about getting paid, more people opt for saying nothing over something. It’s imperative you keep an open dialogue about payment processing so you can better manage your personal finances.

Freelancers don’t have the luxury of bi-monthly paychecks and your clients will understand this. Remember, your services are an investment and they should respect your time and business by actively communicating when payment may be late.

If you approach your client about a late payment and they’re able to share why it’s running late and when it will be processed, that’s a great first step. Take note and document it in a follow-up email with the information that was shared if the conversation is held in person or over the phone.

From there, hold your clients accountable. If the date comes that they said you’d receive payment and it doesn’t process, follow up with another email. Chances are, there’s another department that handles payments and your client will do their due diligence to make sure you get paid.

Scenario #2

You’ve submitted not one, but two invoices that have not been processed. You’ve approached your client about the first late payment and they gave you a timeline for when it would be processed. Now you have two late invoices and it’s time to submit invoice number three.

Say this

“I’m getting ready to submit my third invoice and have still yet to receive payment for my first or second invoices. The terms we agreed upon have not been met and I’ve followed up several times to try and resolve this matter together. With respect, I will have to cease my services if these late invoices aren’t processed by one week from today. I hope you can understand the difficult circumstance this puts me in and that we can work together to reach a solution.”

I have a feeling this is going to cause some mouths to drop.

What? Cease services?

YES. You need to get paid!

Freelancers, hear me! This is business 101.

Clients and freelancers create a circle. You should be getting just as much value from the relationship as your client is getting from you. This isn’t just measured in dollars. This is measured in reliability and respect. If you have continually met your deliverables and communicated your expectations for payments and they’re not being met, then it’s time to take a stand.

It will be difficult but it is necessary. And it will light the fire under your client’s butt because if you’re doing your job right, having you around makes their work-life easier and they should want to keep you happy and ultimately, paid.

What financial situations have you found yourself in that you wish you had communicated better? Share them in the comments or send me an email at hello@thescopeblog.com.

“Clients and freelancers create a circle. You should be getting just as much value from the relationship as your client is getting from you.”

—Audrey Adair, Founder of The Scope

About the author: Audrey Adair is a seasoned freelance communications professional and founder of The Scope, a platform providing resources and community to freelancers and the self-employed. Connect with The Scope on Instagram and join their email list to receive your free resource, The Freelancer Starter Kit.

This post was originally published on April 30, 2019, and has since been updated.

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Influential Women, Past and Present

We tend to focus our attention on moving forward and what's next. But in building a better future, we must also draw upon the stories of the past. Where we are now – and often who we are now – is a culmination of the influence and efforts of those who came before us. In honor of Women’s History Month, we are amplifying the stories of influential women past and present. Meet the inspired women who are inspiring women – modern day history in the making.

DANIELA RAMIREZ 

Founder, Nany’s Kloset

Daniela Rameriz wearing Vince Camuto Tie-Waist Cropped Jumpsuit, Orla Zebra Canvas Tote, and Ladeinela Braided-Strap Thong Sandal

As a woman, what are you most proud of?

Absolutely everything! I love how smart, strong, intuitive, fearless, and caring women are.  I’m also super proud of being able to grow life–and while I have upmost respect for all the women who choose a different path than motherhood–personally, I am very proud of what our bodies are capable of as women, and I am proud to be a mother to my son, and baby-to-be that is currently in my tummy.

What woman from history has been an inspiration to you? How did her influence change your life or inspire you?

There are so many amazing women that come to my mind, starting with my mom and the women around me who inspire me on the daily. If I have to choose someone from history,  I would say Frida Kahlo.  I was always so inspired by her ability to turn her suffering into art, while also being extremely strong and defying gender stereotypes way before her time.

What is a challenge you had to overcome when building your brand and business that speaks to your experience as a woman?

Since I started fashion blogging over a decade ago, one of the biggest challenges was proving to people that it could be an actual career. 

Since the beginning, fashion blogging has been predominantly driven by women and often considered “superficial,” so we really had to show the world that women have a big influence in women’s purchasing decisions and in dictating fashion trends. We are not little girls playing dress up, we are the women disrupting traditional “digital marketing.”

We have to be the role models we wished we had as kids, to always lift each other up and compliment one another.

– DANIELA RAMIREZ, Founder, Nany’s Klozet

What is one thing you know now about being a female entrepreneur that you wish you had known earlier in your career?

I always knew that my female peers were not my competition because we all had something different to offer. However, I wish I knew that we were stronger when we work together and we support each other 100% selflessly.

What’s one thing we, as women, can do to better empower and support the next generation of women?

We have come so far but we still have a long way to go when it comes to female empowerment. To support the next generation of women, we can start by listening closely like we wished older women would have listened to us when we were kids. We have to be the role models we wished we had as kids, to always lift each other up and compliment one another. We can also introduce amazing women to each other, especially for job opportunities or personal growth- because, again, we are stronger together.

Share the most important advice you could give to the next generation of women today–in two words, or less. 

Be authentic.

---

RIA MICHELLE

Entrepreneur

Ria Michelle wearing Vince Camuto Ruffled Rumple Top, Faux-Leather Skinny Pants, Orla Zebra Canvas Tote, and Ladeinela Braided-Strap Thong Sandal

As a woman, what are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of our emotional intelligence and resourcefulness. We are the backbone–we bounce back, we nurture, we create, we are everything. Find me a woman that won’t make it work. 

What woman from history has been an inspiration to you? How did her influence change your life or inspire you?

Shirley Chisholm, a powerhouse who never backed down and continued to fight for women and minorities. She’s also Caribbean like me, and though I wasn’t born in the U.S. like she was, her story still feels like a larger than life inspiration. She fought against the odds–not just for herself, but for others–in spaces she may not have always been welcomed as a Black woman. 

What is a challenge you had to overcome when building your business and brand that speaks to your experience as a woman?

Focusing too much on other people’s assumptions about what I do–whether that is not being taken seriously, dealing with imposter syndrome, or even negative self talk. It’s easy to listen to all the noise that aims to convince you that your industry or job is frivolous–even while you’re literally carving your own path and career single handedly.  

Community is our strength.

– RIA MICHELLE, Entrepreneur

What is one thing you know now about being a female entrepreneur that you wish you had known earlier in your career?

Talk to your peers about salaries, especially minorities. Make sure you’re not undervaluing yourself. You’d be surprised to find out what you can learn from one another. It’s very helpful to know how to navigate and negotiate for yourself. 

What’s one thing we, as women, can do to better empower and support the next generation of women?

Talk to each other about everything. Community is our strength. I feel very lucky to work in a field that is predominantly women. I consider it a blessing.

Share the most important advice you could give to the next generation of women today––in two words, or less.

Value yourself.