6 Ways to Establish Yourself As an Expert Using LinkedIn

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Strong personal branding, when done right, is an act of service. It’s greater than your ego and bigger than your fears. It’s about your audience, your customers, and your network. Trust me when I say: they are waiting for you to show up.

But how do you find your community in such an oversaturated digital world? 

You go to LinkedIn. 

Yep, you heard that right. And here’s why. 

LinkedIn has 675M users, but only 3M—a tiny drop in the bucket—are using it to its full capacity. LinkedIn is this wide-open white space ready for the taking, a place to build authority and thought leadership, and most importantly, a place to show up authentically in the context of your career. Despite the great opportunity LinkedIn provides, less than 0.5% of users are maximizing its potential. 

Linkedin is today what Instagram was in 2012—our most underrated platform. In the last few years, the LinkedIn algorithm has generated a 50% increase in viral activity year over year. 

LinkedIn is the only platform where career and authenticity merge. If you’re ready to up your thought leadership game, here’s how you can master LinkedIn for your own personal brand.

Optimize your profile.

Looking at other people’s profiles is the #1 activity on LinkedIn. That means optimizing your profile is critical. Update your cover photo, headshot, headline, summary, exemplary media, and work experience to reflect a full, 360-degree story. Think of Linkedin as a search engine and your profile as your own personal website. This is your ultimate business card. 

Be human.

The olden days of LinkedIn are long gone. This is no longer simply a place for job search. This is a place to connect. Sure, show your expertise, career history, and your resume, but also show who you are. If you’re building a brand of your own, yes, people care about what you do, but they will do business with you based on who you are and how you show up. You need to be extremely intentional about your humanity and your professional expertise. And if you're able to blend both, you will cut through the noise. 

Be true.

Being real, approachable, and relatable isn’t always likable. In fact, if you’re disrupting any industry, you’ll come across some haters. The aim isn’t to be likable; the aim is to be true to yourself, and THAT will gain you the right clients, business, network, etc.

Publish quality over quantity.

Every platform serves a purpose, and LinkedIn has established itself as the leader in top-quality long-form content. Publishing natively to the platform has proven to be a successful marketing strategy and an effective way to position yourself as a thought leader. If you’re worried about sounding self-promotional, focus on telling real stories and sharing in a way that can be of service to others. You're trying to create value versus adding to the noise.

I’ll say it a million times—no one cares about what you do, people want to feel something. They want inspiration, education, and entertainment. They want to feel uplifted, less alone, and more empowered! Know your audience, but also know this: if you’re willing to open up and be human and real, that's where the good stuff lies. 

Own your niche.

One of the biggest complaints I hear is that LinkedIn is only for the corporate world and that it’s not for creatives, artists, entrepreneurs, or disruptors—that it’s not for you—but that’s wildly untrue. People of all industries, not just corporate, play here. LinkedIn is not industry exclusive; in fact, its algorithm favors “small” creators. It’s a place to showcase your niche and own it.

Be consistent.

Like most things in life, you get out what you put in. LinkedIn is by definition a social networking app. You have to be willing to join the party, not just when you need a break, but consistently to connect, learn, and support your community.  

The making of a truly powerful personal brand sits at the intersection of your humanity and your expertise. And there is no better social media platform to bring it all together than LinkedIn.

“Think of Linkedin as a search engine and your profile as your own personal website. This is your ultimate business card.”

—Jessica Zweig, CEO of SimplyBe. Agency

About the Author: Jessica Zweig is the CEO of SimplyBe. Agency, a premier personal branding firm based in Chicago and serving clients across the globe. Named a “Personal Branding Expert” by Forbes, a “Top Digital Marketer to Watch” by INC, and honored with the Gold and Silver Stevie® Award for “Female Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2018 and 2019, Jessica facilitates sold-out workshops and speaks on the power of personal branding to corporations including Google, Salesforce, Virgin, Nike, Motorola, Red Bull, and Bank of America. She also hosts the top-ranked marketing podcast The SimplyBe Podcast. Jessica’s debut book, “Be: A No Bullsh*t Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth by Simply Being Yourself,” launched in February 2021 with Sounds True, an imprint of Macmillan.

This story was originally published on July 7, 2020, and has since been updated.

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One *Very* Successful CEO's 4 Hacks for Cold Emailing

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Let’s talk about cold emailing.

Katia Beauchamp, the co-founder of the wildly successful beauty company Birchbox, has said that she and her co-founder started cold emailing CEOs in the beauty industry to get the idea in front of them. Now she's one of them. Beauchamp shared, "I cold emailed several presidents, CEOs, and brand managers in the beauty industry and the majority of people responded!"

So we asked: What are a few things that every cold email should include?

She divulged below. 

1. Have a compelling subject line.

“It needs to motivate the reader to open the message. At the very least it should say something more than, ‘Hello,’ or ‘Looking to get in touch.’ I used, ‘Reimagining beauty online.’”

2. Keep the email concise.

“The email should be short enough so that a person can read it without having to scroll down on his or her phone. The less time and energy it takes to read it, the better.”

3. Don't attach a business plan to explain the idea.

“That's asking a lot. Try a one-pager that briefly describes the idea/value proposition. We framed our one-pager by introducing the brands as the stakeholder and how Birchbox could help that brand.”

4. Ask for something that’s easy to say yes to.

“I asked CEOs and brand managers for five minutes of their time to give me advice. Those emails eventually turned into a meeting and the meeting turned into a pitch. Those pitch meetings ultimately led to partnerships with massive brands, early on.”

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This story was originally published on May 25, 2017, and has since been updated.

How to Balance Your Full-Time Job With Launching Your Dream Business

Photo: Smith House Photo

Balance is a word that’s come up more this past year than ever before. Whether it’s finding new ways to juggle the sudden merge of home and work life, trying to find time to squeeze in some self-care moments, or picking real pants over sweatpants, we’re all finding ways to make it all work. 

So how does that same balance come into play when you are trying to jump feet first into creating your dream business? 

While taking the plunge and diving right in is a thrilling option, it’s not always feasible. Maybe you need to start building your entrepreneurial dream while maintaining your 9-to-5. The ability to continue generating income to help support your new business is the most tangible benefit to working while building your empire, especially as some of the biggest costs come from operational expenses. Admittedly, it’s not the easiest path, but I am willing to bet that’s you didn’t sign up for easy when you decided to become an entrepreneur.  

So you ask yourself, how do I do both? Can I do both?

After spending more than a decade in corporate retail, I went through a personal experience that moved me to create something for myself beyond a hobby. With some strategic planning, community engagement, and a bathtub of coffee, I am on the cusp of pursuing my passion full-time. Here are four tips I found worked best for turning an after-hours side hustle into a permanent, bill-paying gig.

Block and Tackle

Time management and time blocking is critical for new entrepreneurs, especially those who still have full-time jobs. Setting aside one specific day per week or actively blocking a few hours each day as designated “dream biz office hours” is essential to keep making progress on building your side hustle.  

Whether it’s a color-coded calendar or itemized Google Sheet, make sure to figure out a system that effectively lays out the tasks that need to get completed on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis. It’s easy to spin out when you’re starting out because there are a million things to do, so block out time to create a plan and focus on tackling the tasks that make up each project or initiative. It won’t be long before you start to see and feel the progress.

Make Time for Self-Care

Working two jobs is mentally and physically draining so creative burnout is a common reality of entrepreneurship. Because of the sheer amount of work on your plate, it’s easy to fall into the habit of working non-stop without taking breaks. Which isn’t effective when you actually need to function. In order to be the best version of you for yourself, your full-time job and your side hustle (not to mention your friends, family, and the slew of other responsibilities you have), you need to schedule time to rest (see the previous point about time blocking.)  

We implemented “slow down Sundays” in our house to find a better work-life balance. It’s a day where we make no plans and allow for pausing and reflecting in the current moment, which helps me go into my week rested, re-energized, and re-focused.

Hire Help

Starting a new business is overwhelming, especially as it’s often a team of one building out every area from operations to marketing. This means you will inevitably find yourself working on tasks that are not your strength, and those weak spots in the foundation can become problematic later on as you try to grow.  

Since you are still working full time and able to potentially generate some income to feed your side hustle, think about hiring outside help in areas where you need an expert. Not great with social media creation? Copywriting? Sales management systems? Hire an hourly contract employee to take that task off your hands so you can focus on the part of your business that is most exciting and that plays to your strengths. 

Keep Your Eye on the Prize

Even on your worst days, always remember why you started. Ask yourself, why did I want to launch this dream business? Stick Post-Its around your home with your mission on them. Start your day journaling on the dream, and keep focus on the progress you’re making toward that dream.  

And take time to celebrate the small wins! Did you launch your website? Take a walk to reflect on that moment and let it all sink in. Upload your first social media post? You deserve a happy dance, or two, even if you didn’t block out time for it.

“Even on your worst days, always remember why you started.”

—Kelly Kussman, Founder of Cayla Gray

About the Author: Kelly Kussman is the founder of Cayla Gray, a luxury line of clean fragrances. Kelly launched her dream business while working full-time as a senior director of a large corporation.

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Permission to Spend: Why A Budget is This Couple's Secret To Reaching Their Goals

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Welcome to this special episode of WorkParty titled Money Talks, a Budget Broadcast Series in partnership with You Need a Budget (YNAB), designed to educate everyone on the power of building a budget.

Whether it’s starting the business, going on the trip, or renovation projects at home, a budget (of all sizes) can help you accomplish those dreams. YNAB is the leading personal finance platform that has helped hundreds of thousands of people take control of their finances–including our guests today.

In the second episode of the WorkParty and YNAB Budget Broadcast Series, Jaclyn sits down with Chris and Julia Marcum, the duo behind the dreamy home renovation, DIY project and lifestyle blog, Chris Loves Julia, to chat about how to use a budget to plan, prioritize, and not only set–but actualize–your financial goals, and why you should start today. 

Get your notepad ready and press play on episode one! Your budgeting game is about to change. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

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3 Signs It’s Time to Take Something Off of Your Résumé

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When I hosted a mentor session for Create & Cultivate Insiders, I got a lot of questions about résumé format and career path, but one question that stood out to me was, “When is it time to take something off of your résumé?” This is a great question because the answer depends on your experience and the goal of your résumé.

With that said, there are a few guidelines you should follow to help you see the signs that it’s time to take something off of your résumé. A common misconception is that you should include your whole career path on your résumé. While this is true for some people, most people should include some adjusted versions of their career path on their résumé.

Today, I want to discuss when to take something off of your résumé.

Take it off if… It doesn’t serve a purpose.

If you’re pondering the question, “When is it time to take something off of your résumé?” consider the fact that you only have a set amount of space to craft the perfect snapshot of your career. Everything on your résumé should serve a purpose.

• Is an experience listed on your résumé to camouflage an employment gap?

• Is an experience listed on your résumé to highlight your experience in a particular field or specialty?

• Is an experience listed on your résumé because you want to show that you have experience in a specific role?

• Is an experience listed on your résumé because the company name holds influential power?

Every piece of information included should serve a purpose. If it does not, it’s time to remove it from your résumé.

Take it off if… It was in a different lifetime.

Depending on the person and situation, I typically recommend including about 10-20 years of experience on a résumé. Including information that’s older than that is often not worth it. There are exceptions to this if the experience serves a purpose, (i.e. it shows a notable company, client, or role), however, most of the time you don’t need to go back that far.

If you have a lot of great experience that was a few decades ago, you can save those anecdotes to use during your interview.

“If it doesn’t serve a purpose—or was from a different lifetime—it’s probably time to take it off.”

—Michele Lando, founder of Write Styles

Take it off if… It makes you seem less experienced or too experienced.

Some experiences may have been very valuable and may have even been a turning point in your life/career, but they might work against you. Great examples of experiences that are important but not important for your résumé when you have an established career are college classes or internships. Note that these are not important to include if you have an established career.

If you are currently in school or just out of school searching for your first job, college classes or class projects are a great way to bolster your résumé and highlight your industry knowledge. However, if you do have an established career, they will often make you appear less experienced.

Unless you’re currently in college or recently graduated (looking for your first job out of college) there is no need to include information about the classes you took in school. Once you’ve made it past your first or second entry-level job, employers care more about what you’ve accomplished at work than what you learned in a classroom. Education is important, but on-the-job experience always takes precedence.

On that same note, it’s important to consider if a role makes you appear too experienced for the position you’re applying to. If you’re trying to shift careers or maybe take a lower-level position because of location, it’s important to be conscious of what information can make you appear too experienced for the job. If a potential employer feels that you’re overqualified for the job, they may fear that you’ll get bored easily which could equate to you inadequately completing required tasks or leaving a role quickly which would increase turnover.

Ultimately, every piece of information you include on your résumé should serve a purpose. It may be tempting to include everything to show your entire career path and/or versatility, but it’s important to consider the question of when is it time to take something off of your résumé. If it doesn’t serve a purpose or was from a different lifetime, it’s probably time to take it off.

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.

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This story was originally published on October 30, 2019, and has since been updated.

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5 Lessons Learned in 5 Years of Managing Instagram for Brands

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Nostalgic for the days when Instagram was simply a place where you posted unfiltered party photos with friends? You’re not alone in missing the era of pre-curated feeds.

But that oversimplification doesn’t give credit to how much Instagram has grown up with us to support storytelling for business in a way that seemed unfathomable a decade ago. Today, the platform holds proven power to humanize brands, create lasting connections and drive sales.

With five years of experience running Instagram accounts for global travel brands in tandem with coaching entrepreneurs to show up authentically on the app, I’m breaking down five lessons learned to help you demystify Instagram for business.

Lesson #1: Bucket Your Content

If you’ve ever felt confusion around what to post, chances are, you haven’t outlined your content buckets just yet. These six to eight categories are pillars that drive engagement and impact within your niche. Aim to make these buckets as specific as possible to create visual consistency as your audience grows; for example, a hotel bathtub versus a general hotel room shot.

When creative blocks inevitably creep up during the content planning phase, buckets help to clarify your mission and purpose on the platform, bringing you back to basics. Be sure that as a business owner, you are one of your pillars. Your story is the fabric of your company’s DNA and oftentimes, the reason that followers will be compelled to buy from you in the first place which is why it’s critical that you keep yourself woven into the storyline.

Lesson #2: Personal Stories Outperform Product Posts

With you—and your team—build out as at least one dedicated pillar of your content strategy, your community will be granted the kind of behind-the-scenes access that brand evangelists crave. Telling personal stories around your mission, day-to-day operations, and the unique magic that you bring to your business consistently outperforms posts that hard-sell a product. Ultimately, your goal is to let the story do the soft selling for you.

Depending on the nature of your business, weaving client stories into this category also presents an opportunity to deepen the narrative. If you’re a service-based organization, consider tapping into testimonials around the impact that your company was able to create for a client. If you offer a product, consider including some kind of call-to-action on your packaging asking customers to post and tag when they receive their order. Prompting the capture of this user-generated content deepens brand awareness and in turn, provides you with unique imagery to repost while showcasing gratitude for your community.

Lesson #3: It All Goes Down in the DMs

While we are often preoccupied with vanity metrics (likes and comments), it bears mentioning that the engagement that goes down indirect message is equally vital. That’s right, DMs aren’t just a place where an old Bumble match can be found sliding in to remind you they’re alive; it’s also where business relationships are built and sales ultimately convert. As a business or creator account, you should be actively checking not only your primary and general inboxes but also your requests where messages from users who you don’t follow will be filtered.

Depending on the size of your audience, replying to every single DM may seem unscalable. But like all aspects of social media marketing, this component of your workflow should be batched for optimal productivity; set aside a portion of your day solely dedicated to replying to messages. Over time, if you find that you’re receiving a high volume of DMs that warrant similar answers, cut down on your response time by creating Quick Replies with a space to customize each response.

Lesson #4: Adopt Usage of New Features Early

As marketers, we would be lying if we didn’t admit that there’s a collective sigh of exasperation each time Instagram launches a new feature. The gut reaction is often, “Really? something else to add to our plates?” But, what if we instead reframed each additional feature as an opportunity to serve our audience in a new way? Being an early adopter of these enhancements to the app not only challenges us to creatively tell our story in new ways but can also pay off when the algorithm pushes forth accounts actively testing out new features. 

We’ve seen this in a measurable way with creators like @ofleatherandlace, @bsquared.social, and @rebellenutrition who’ve amassed substantial followings in recent months predominately their savvy usage of Reels. While video may not feel like an area of genius for you (did someone say perfectionist?) simply showing up and sitting in discomfort has the potential upside of gaining higher reach and being discovered by new users if you’re featured on the Explore page.

Lesson #5: Be Human and Stand for Something

It’d be simple to say that the fifth and final tip is to “be consistent.” But at this point, that should be more than obvious, so let’s instead take it to the next level and address the expectations for brands to take a stance on social issues. While it may have been possible to fly under the radar on potentially divisive subjects in pre-pandemic times, 2020 taught us that the internal conversations transpiring offline about a brand’s values need to translate to their content online. But, be sure posts aren’t performative–back your stance with action.

Whether you opt to donate a portion of your proceeds to a specific nonprofit or simply create a space for conversations around topics like equity and inclusion, your Instagram offers a unique place to speak to your values as an organization. With so many choices in the consumer marketplace, customers understand that how they spend their money matters. Make your brand the kind of place they feel good about spending their hard-earned money. And above all, ensure that your intentions align with your actions.

“Telling personal stories around your mission, day-to-day operations, and the unique magic that you bring to your business consistently outperforms posts that hard-sell a product.”

—Kayla Douglas, Marketing and Social Media Manager at SmartFlyer

About the Author: A knack for storytelling and community building blossomed into Kayla Douglas’ work in marketing within the travel sector, a space perfectly aligned with her skillset and passions. In her role at New York-based luxury travel agency SmartFlyer as marketing and social media manager, Kayla is steadfast in her mission to empower the team’s ever-growing community of advisors to approach social media marketing with creativity, authenticity, and consistency. These days, Kayla calls the West Village neighborhood of New York City home, though her most beloved place to be found is nestled into the window seat of a flight, off for a new adventure. For inspiration from fellow creatives, you can subscribe to her weekly newsletter that drops every Sunday featuring interviews with powerhouse women.

About SmartFlyer: SmartFlyer is a full-service luxury travel agency built for curious travelers. Their global team specializes in creating exceptional experiences around the world through curated recommendations and continuous boots-on-the-ground research activated by decades of trusted relationships. SmartFlyer travel advisors understand that the finer details make a world of a difference when it comes to your travel arrangements, so they make it seamless to book the experiences you can’t miss–all vetted by a community of trusted experts whose tried and true recommendations span from Manhattan to Melbourne, and everywhere in between. Their consultative approach to travel planning ensures that your travel advisor gets to know you and your preferences before providing recommendations, in turn creating an itinerary built just for you whether it’s a honeymoon, multi-generational family trip, bucket list safari, or quick romantic escape. Just like no two clients are identical, no two trips are the same.

Headshot Credit: Leila Brewster Photography

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You Heard It Here First: Social Media Profiles Are the New Cover Letters

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Gone are the days of submitting your résumé and cover letter and calling that: “applying for a job.”  Today, employers are looking for an extra edge, for your humanity, and for what makes you tick. We hire people after all, not machines.

In comes social media: the ultimate look inside who you are, what you believe in, and what makes you you. 

Here’s a pro secret: before your potential recruiter, boss or CEO even downloads your résumé or scans your cover letter, they will search your name. Your LinkedIn profile will pop up, maybe your Twitter, perhaps your Instagram profile will appear right in front of their eyes. 

Are you proud of what’s there? Are you putting your best foot forward to a potential employer?

The key to nailing social media and secondarily, manifesting your ideal career opportunities, is to be proactive and infuse your expertise, value, personality, and humanity into your online presence. 

Here’s how to optimize your social media presence for your job search.

Why You Need to Proactively Position Your Social Media Presence

I always say, “If what you’re posting isn’t okay for your future boss to see, then you probably shouldn’t be posting it at all.” Social media is no longer just “social media;” social media is the internet. What you put out into the world, stays in the world. 

Now, this isn’t to convince you to create a two-dimensional, ultra-professional-looking social media presence, because that’s what your résumé is for, right?

As an employer, I am not looking to hire human doings. I am looking to hire real human beings. I want to envision the type of person I am working alongside. 

Of course, they have to be able to do their job and have the right talent, but they also need to add value to the company and fit in with our culture. The way I, and any other employer, can truly find that fit is by viewing your holistic online presence.

Use social media as a way to tell your whole story. It is the 360-degree package of who you are that brings that extra level of authenticity and humanity to your application. Whether it’s LinkedIn or Clubhouse, TikTok, or Instagram, there are so many opportunities to share yourself and talk about your know-how.  

4 Steps to Nailing Your Social Media Profiles

Optimizing your profile is a secret sauce when it comes to enhancing your social media presence. 

Step One: Profile photos and a memorable bio are a must.

Since social media is all about making connections, your profile photo should reflect who you are, and so should your bio. Choose a high-quality photo that can be used across all social channels to increase your searchability. Beef up your bio with relevant successes and links to any of your ongoing projects or events. 

Step Two: Update your website link to something relevant.

Think: a personal website, the link to your Medium account, maybe you’re an actor with a reel compilation on Vimeo, drop the link in your bio! 

Step Three: Be accessible to potential recruiters.

Include links to your other social accounts, email, and website to keep the conversation flowing. In other words, make it easy to connect outside of social. 

Step Four: Remember, what you share on social media is a direct reflection of who you are.

Create content, be an active participant in engaging and sharing other people’s content and you will stand out regardless of if you’re looking for a job. 

You have the tools, now get optimizing. 

But, What About My Actual Cover Letter?

Circling back to your actual cover letter, this should be the vessel to share your experience and your talent. But why stop there? 

Infuse your cover letter with calls to action to check out your work and other accomplishments. Whether it’s your blog series, your podcast, your website, or even your SoundCloud, you can direct people to these mediums to help paint a fuller picture of who you are. 

At the end of the day, you are a three-dimensional, living, breathing being and it’s your job to translate this to your one-page cover letter—and beyond.

“Use social media as a way to tell your whole story. It is the 360-degree package of who you are that brings that extra level of authenticity and humanity to your application.”

—Jessica Zweig, CEO of SimplyBe. Agency

About the Author: Jessica Zweig is the CEO of SimplyBe. Agency, a premier personal branding firm based in Chicago and serving clients across the globe. Named a “Personal Branding Expert” by Forbes, a “Top Digital Marketer to Watch” by INC, and honored with the Gold and Silver Stevie® Award for “Female Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2018 and 2019, Jessica facilitates sold-out workshops and speaks on the power of personal branding to corporations including Google, Salesforce, Virgin, Nike, Motorola, Red Bull, and Bank of America. She also hosts the top-ranked marketing podcast The SimplyBe Podcast. Jessica’s debut book, “Be: A No Bullsh*t Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth by Simply Being Yourself,” launched in February 2021 with Sounds True, an imprint of Macmillan.

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3 Steps to Finding Your Voice in the Fight for Equity at Work

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People outside of a community experiencing injustice can have a hard time becoming allies (and can never imagine being accomplices) because they often feel they don’t know where they fit when it comes to the fight for workplace equity. And the discomfort of not knowing or finding their place causes them to opt-out and say nothing. 

When you’re in a workplace where your race, gender identity, ability, or a combination thereof aren’t represented in power, having the option to opt-out is a privilege you don’t get.

For those who do get the option, you create a bigger problem when you take it because now you’re putting the onus on the people who already don’t have access or power in a space to reshape it. 

So now we’re here. That super fun place where the people experiencing injustice are held responsible for fixing systems of the workplace that are built against us.

How I’m gonna change it from outside the club? I can’t even get it in! Make it make sense.

As you’re finding your voice, the most crucial piece of your role here is employing your influence to break down constructs that are hurting other people. 

Remember: Progress isn’t made in a silo. 

If it were just people who made less than $15 an hour talking about the need for a minimum wage increase, then no one would be listening. The people with power; therefore can make the most noise in that fight, wouldn’t even get out of bed for $29k a year (the equivalent of $15/hr). 

You have influence. You just need to be willing to see what it is and employ it, which brings me to step one.

Step 1: Identify your sphere of influence.

What projects are you spending your time on throughout the week? Month? Year? Who are the people impacted by the decisions you make each day? This is your sphere of influence.

This can be your colleagues, your clients, or even their customers. Once you know who is impacted, then you can start to open your mind to being curious about the experiences of those people.

You can look at things as they are and say, Is someone not seeing themselves represented? Would someone feel actively pushed out? Is there someone’s story not being heard? Am I approaching a challenge the same way I always have or is there another lens to look at it through?

On the first episode of my podcast, “As It Should Be with Thamarrah Jones,” my guest Susie Berg shared that when her son came out to her as trans, she began to notice the unnecessary barriers that he experienced.

She started to apply this same kind of thinking at the camp where she is on the board. “I thought about kids who come from single-parent families. I thought about kids for whom that means divorce and kids for whom that meant the death of a parent,” she explained.

It’s a Jewish camp so she also thought about interfaith families, and because “kids are kids, I know that a kid who can’t eat dairy probably feels completely left out when there’s only ice cream. And a kid at 11 years old doesn’t see the difference between being left out because of that and being left out because they’re non-binary… for a kid that’s just being left out.”

Opening your mind to this kind of curiosity widens your view to really see all types of inequity and how your actions and inaction can be harmful to those around you.

In a more traditional workplace applying this kind of wider, more curious lens might look like applying those questions to things like:

• Diverse representation in market research surveys

• Diversified supplier and vendor selection

• Usability and accessibility of software

Step 2: Start with listening.

When you’re genuinely curious about other people’s experiences you feel inspired, motivated, or even honored when you’re given the opportunity to hear them talk about what they have seen, felt, and gone through. That’s the spirit I want you to walk with when you’re approaching any social issue too.

On Brene Brown’s podcast, “Dare to Lead,” a Black woman discussed being in a meeting where she presented the results of a project she's been leading for months. After the meeting, her boss asked how she felt, to which she responded feeling like the people in the room weren't even looking at her and asked all the questions to her white male colleagues in the room as opposed to her. Her boss told her that she was reading into things.

This is a common misstep (read: microaggression) I’ve seen from people when someone tells them their experience. 

The people not “in the culture” will explain to the people who are, why they’re misconstruing an experience to be something that it’s not. Or that they are taking something too far by calling for a specific set of actions from people in power in response to an injustice. 

This erases people's lived experiences.

If your instinct is to “keep the peace” by negating the experiences of the person telling you what's happening in front of their very eyes, why is that? What are you afraid of happening if you just believed them?

Your job is to listen, not direct what should and shouldn’t be someone’s response to an experience they’ve had. You have a voice, that doesn’t mean you have authority, but if you choose to, you have the power to make space for accountability.

Step 3: Recognize that if your intentions are genuine, then you would be willing to take risks.

Comfort tends to be prioritized over all else. Ultimately, the people whose comfort is of highest priority are the communities in your workplace who are represented in power. Typically, that means White, cis-gendered, and non-disabled.

The problem here is that when we prioritize comfort, nothing changes, because you are never asked to challenge your own power. 

This whole exercise of finding your voice is an exercise in introspection. You have to be willing to recognize that you’ve had blindspots and in filling them you have to be willing to make mistakes and be corrected.

You have to make peace with that fact. But understand this: The people who are on the other side of inequity, being hurt by it every day, start with less privilege, power, and support than you’ve ever had and are living full lives anyway, putting up this fight.

I heard someone say ally is spelled L.O.U.D, and I couldn’t agree more.

“You have influence. You just need to be willing to see what it is and employ it.”

—Thamarrah Jones, Brand Strategist and Host of “As It Should Be with Thamarrah Jones"

About the Author: Thamarrah Jones (she/her) is a brand strategist and host of the podcast “As It Should Be with Thamarrah Jones,” a show about refusing to accept inequity. Thamarrah interviews culture shakers and professional troublemakers in every industry to learn how they are using their skills to create a more equitable world. Every day she chooses to create a career steeped in purpose by working with companies driven by a mission to improve the lives of those they serve and the world in which we live. If you’re ready to challenge white supremacy and help recreate the world as it should be, follow her on LinkedIn and subscribe to her podcast.

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Why This Founder Wants You to Adopt a "Profit First" Mentality

Photo: Courtesy of Caroll Lee

Being a small business owner means always being flexible, able to pivot quickly, and willing to veer from the plan as needed. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly put those skills to the test this year, and my team at Provenance Meals was able to step up to the task and propel us forward. 

Before founding Provenance Meals, I was a certified holistic health coach in Brooklyn. I encouraged my clients to follow a simple elimination diet replacing processed and packaged foods with wholesome ingredients, and their overall health, vitality, and energy levels dramatically improved. But finding the ongoing time, motivation, and know-how to cook healthy meals at home—and sustain these life-changing benefits—was a challenge for most everyone I worked with, and I knew I could help. After finding this clear gap in the market, I launched Provenance Meals in 2012, making it easy for time-pressed humans to achieve their wellness goals, nourish their bodies, and replenish their spirits with 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free meals designed by wellness experts, and made from scratch with thoughtfully sourced, local ingredients.   

Launching Provenance Meals was not my first entrepreneurial venture—I invested my heart, soul, and just about all of my savings into a small gourmet market in 2016 that sold semi-prepared, organic meals to busy New Yorkers. Shortly after opening, my business partner decided that to back out of our business deal and sue for all of the money she had invested. It was an incredibly stressful time, and I went into a great deal of debt to buy her out, but I appreciate that the experience taught me valuable lessons that would help propel me to launch Provenance Meals.  

The biggest lesson I learned was to maintain a healthy cash reserve to stay afloat through unforeseen challenges. Since then, I have followed the “profit first” mentality, setting aside money for a small profit and taxes from our sales, and only then allowing myself to spend what was leftover to operate. I didn’t know anything about raising money or wooing investors when I opened my first business. As the daughter of immigrants, I was taught that to get ahead, you must work hard, spend frugally, and save money. Now I also know that you need to start with a business model and unit economics that work from the get-go, and you will be that much more prepared for emergencies in the future. 

This system is how I’ve been able to bootstrap Provenance Meals without relying on investor life support. We have been profitable since launch, with $0 raised until this year's community-driven campaign on Republic, our first-ever fundraising effort (at 742% of the minimum goal), which allows for angel investors and Provenance Meals' longtime community members to buy a stake in the company. Since our nationwide launch this spring, we’ve seen revenue increase 78% month over month. 

For small businesses looking to expand their brands during a time of uncertainty, here are some additional pieces of advice that have served me well over the years: 

React quickly and assertively in the short term.

But be aware of longer-term consequences. Right when COVID-19 hit New York City in the spring of 2020, we realized quickly we needed to pivot to meet our community’s changing needs (as many New Yorkers fled to second homes). We expanded our local courier zones in New York to include Connecticut, Westchester, and Long Island in order to follow our clients, and have seen demand soar in these regions. This led us to begin shipping nationwide and expand our offering to include new products. Because we’re now in a position to reach a larger audience and garner higher total revenue, we’re able to lower prices to make our products more accessible—our Daily Essentials program now starts at $52/day (originally $68).

Double down on your values.

Don’t be wishy-washy when it comes to why you do what you do. Your mission statement, your company’s core values, and your voice are your “North stars” in making business decisions. The more authentic you are about why you’re doing what you’re doing, the more you’ll love your business and the more you’ll attract customers. I see so many starting founders comparing themselves with other entrepreneurs. Truthfully, we’re all figuring it out as we go along! Stick to what makes your business uniquely your own and you’ll find success in your field. 

Celebrate your strengths.

A perfect company, strategy, or plan doesn’t exist, but what does exist is my own confidence in the future, which I pass on to my team. I like to think my perpetual optimism helps show everyone how bright the future can be and inspires my team to share the dream with me. That’s one of my strengths as a leader. What are yours? Celebrate your strengths and use them to your and your team’s advantage.

Balance is key.

As the founder, in many ways, you are the business. When you take care of yourself, you’re also taking care of your business. Having two young children when I first started Provenance, I had no choice but to prioritize my family. The process was a stressful juggling act at the time, but in retrospect, forced me to be fully present in my home life and separate my work life. Over the years, I’ve learned strategies to cope with the stress and holding the responsibility of my business and my staff’s livelihoods on my shoulders, with practicing presence and meditation at the top of the list.

Give back where you can.

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed a lot of problems that already existed in the food industry, including the tremendous amount of food waste, the working conditions of farm and factory workers, the tenuous nature of the hospitality industry, how the way we grow and eat food affects global climate change, how representation matters, and the amount of food insecurity that exists in the United States. As Provenance Meals grew, we knew that we wanted to prioritize giving back to our community. We forged a nonprofit partnership with Kiss the Ground, underscoring our mission to support independent farmers and further provide widespread access to nutrient-dense ingredients. 

Founding and running my own business is a dream come true. I have so much pride in what my team and I have built, and feel like we’re only just getting started. Especially in challenging times such as these, I rely on our spirit and determination to further our mission to improve the health and lives of others through the power of (delicious) food as medicine.

About the Author: Caroll Lee launched Provenance Meals to make it easy for modern, time-pressed people to achieve their wellness goals, nourish their bodies, and replenish their spirits. Caroll believes nutrition is the bedrock for feeling good, performing well, and living a longer, happier life. She launched the meal program in 2012, and in eight successful years, Provenance Meals has amassed a dedicated community, including noteworthy fans like Naomi Watts, Taryn Toomey, and Rachel Brosnahan. The nourishing, anti-inflammatory food offerings are all 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and composed of organic, local ingredients.

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5 Mental Health Advocates to Follow on Instagram

Welcome to 5 for 5, where we spotlight 5 women in 5 minutes or less.

As we navigate yet another year of pandemic-induced #WFH life, it’s no surprise that burnout and Zoom fatigue are setting in. In fact, more than 70% of employees report being burnt out. In light of this staggering stat and in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re sharing five mental health advocates to follow on Instagram.

1. Elyse Fox

The founder of Sad Girls Club, a nonprofit organization committed to providing mental health resources for Black women and POC, Elyse Fox is creating much-needed space for women of color in wellness.

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2. Esmé Weijun Wang

On the page and on social media, New York Times bestselling author Esmé Weijun Wang is an advocate for people living with chronic illness and schizoaffective disorder.

3. Anna Zoe

Anna Zoe speaks up for mental health, autism, the LGBTQ+ community, and more. Her powerful posts address important topics such as how the mainstream education system fails neurodiverse people.

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4. Larissa May

Founder of #HalftheStory, an organization that empowers people to reevaluate their relationship with social media, Larissa May is bringing digital wellbeing to the forefront of the broader mental health conversation.

5. Bunny Michael

Think of artist Bunny Michael’s posts as friendly reminders to treat yourself with kindness, take care of yourself, express yourself, and, most importantly, love and accept yourself. Because you are worth it.

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5 Tips for Taking Care of Yourself Without Sacrificing Your Business' Success

Photo: Christina Jones Photography

This time last year, I was sitting at a desk, in a corporate job that I thought was “the job.” In reality, I was working myself into the ground for someone else’s bottom line. My health was at an all-time low—both mentally and physically. I was exhausted and needed a change. That’s when I decided to take my side hustle full-time. 

In our fast-paced, highly competitive world, being “stressed out” is one of the most common feelings. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to let stress become part of our daily routine. But I’m here to tell you, it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s time to stop accepting the high-stress lifestyle as “just the way it is.” You do not need to work 24/7, and push, drive and grind until you break. It is possible to build a successful business with balance and wellness at the core. 

Often, I see entrepreneurs fall into chronic stress because they believe that hustling until you can’t hustle anymore is the only way to succeed. I was one of them. As a young entrepreneur, I personally experienced burnout, and the long nights lying awake with thoughts about all of the different ways that I could grow my business swirling around in my head. Eventually, at age 22, I was left with a chronic illness. My body gave me a “force quit” and taught me a lesson that has become part of my life’s work to share.

Today, I run my new business with an autoimmune disease and a new mantra: Stress is inevitable, but it is not uncontrollable. 

Learning to manage stress has been an essential part of my success in business. And I can promise you this: running a business with self-care in mind is a lot more fun (and more productive!) than operating from a place of burnout.

So, to the busy, stressed-out, and overworked entrepreneur reading this, here are my top five tips for taking care of yourself without sacrificing your business success.

1. Don’t Sacrifice Your Routine

When you know you have a busy day ahead, it’s easy to skip journaling, working out, or even eating breakfast, and head to the computer first thing. It’s also easy to keep working after 5 pm because you’re determined to cross things off your to-do list before calling it a day. Having both a set morning and evening routine gives you a sense of control in stressful times. Doing so can set the tone for your entire day and can help you transition into an evening mode that allows you to be present for friends and family, and for yourself!  Even if you’re not a “routine person,” try starting off your day without your phone and do something just for you. 

2. Delegate and Outsource

Outsource the things that drain your energy or take you out of your creative flow. Things that suck up your time are not worth it. Bringing in backup may make your margins tighter at first, but as all good CEOs know, investing in a team that helps you expand and grow will return the cost in more ways than just revenue. With less stress, you can focus on innovation in your business, as opposed to worrying about smaller day-to-day tasks. When you’re feeling sick or close to burnout, don’t be afraid to lean even more on your team. That’s what they are there for! Your business and your team can manage a day, a week, or even a month without you if you’ve trained them well. 

3. Treat Yourself

Whether it’s a full spa day or diffusing your favorite essential oils, be intentional about doing things that bring you joy. The entrepreneur life can be lonely, so try calling a friend or family member once a day. It’s amazing how much a good friend can lift your spirits. My favorite stress-reliever is ending my day with a warm bath with Epsom salts, baking soda, and a few drops of lavender essential oil, which releases stress and toxins and makes my home feel like a spa.

4. Get Moving

I try to get some form of exercise every day. It may seem obvious, but it’s a game-changer. Exercise works wonders for releasing stress and clearing your head on a busy day. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, step away from your desk for a quick walk around the block or a 5-minute ab workout. Every evening, I clean up my desk, shut down my computer, and go for a walk to clear my head and disconnect. This helps me to be more present in my post-work hours and improves my sleep at night. No more lying awake thinking about business.

5. Meditate 

Om’s the word! Meditation, whether in the form of yoga, prayer, journaling, or traditional meditation, helps to reprogram your body from a stressful fight-or-flight mode to peaceful alignment. Meditate on what you’re grateful for, or on what you have already accomplished, and let your mind wander away from the stress. I also love doing the 5-5-5 breathing exercise (breath in for 5 seconds, hold for 5, out for 5, hold for 5, repeat) when I find myself holding my breath and working in overdrive. 

When you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and run down, the best thing you can do is to take a step back and assess the whole picture. Your mental and physical health has to take priority in order for your business to have sustainability and long-term success.  Taking care of yourself is not selfish; and it doesn’t have to be expensive, time-consuming, or a “chore!” But the alternative—neglecting your wellness now—can stop you in your tracks, throw off all of your productivity and forward motion, and make it so much harder to get it back. Trust me on this one. So shut your laptop, go draw yourself a bath, go on a walk, or unwind and watch a movie with your people. Your work can wait; and when you readdress it, you’ll be more focused and more efficient as a result. You not only deserve it...you need it. 

Remember: stress is inevitable, but not uncontrollable! Integrating balance, wellness, and self-care into your life today will make you a healthier, more productive, and more successful entrepreneur in the long run.  After all, life’s a marathon... not a sprint.

“S

tress is inevitable, but not uncontrollable!”

—Gracie Thomas, Founder of Gracie Thomas Consulting

About the Author: Gracie Thomas is a marketing and brand consultant and the founder of Gracie Thomas Consulting. The GT Brand helps female health and wellness professionals scale their business through brand strategy and design and marketing consulting. Ever since her diagnosis with an autoimmune disease and Lyme disease, she stands to help female entrepreneurs build successful companies while keeping their own wellness in mind.

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This story was originally published on September 24, 2020, and has since been updated.

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How the Co-Founder of I Am a Voter Mandana Dayani Starts Her Mornings

Photo: Courtesy of Mandana Dayani

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 chatted with Mandana Dayani, the creator and co-founder of I am a voter., on how she tackles her never-ending inbox, sets work-life boundaries, and unwinds at the end of the day with President Bartlett and the rest of the cast of “The West Wing.”

Tell us a bit about I am a voter. and what inspired you to launch this initiative. 

I am a voter. is a nonpartisan civic engagement movement that I founded with some of the most brilliant women I have ever known. As an immigrant, I have always felt incredibly privileged to be an American, and I was really heartbroken seeing our country so divided the last few years.

After making the decision to just dive in and learn what I could do to help, I quickly saw that there was an opportunity for a modern voting brand that really spoke to our generation. One that was positive, empowering, captured how cool it is to be an active participant, and more focused on what unites us. And I knew that if I could get these incredibly talented and inspiring women together in a room we could build a meaningful message and leverage our relationships and skills to create true impact. 

After doing lots of research, I learned that identity was an important predictor of voter turnout, which is where the name came from. From there, we all leaned on our skills and networks to create as much impact as possible. 

You’re also the co-host of the podcast "The Dissenters" alongside Debra Messing. What compelled you to start this podcast and what do you hope people take away from it?

Debra Messing and I have been activists for most of our lives and we wanted to learn about the people that inspired our own journeys. When we got the idea to start “The Dissenters” all we wanted to do was inspire people to get off of the sidelines. We thought that if we could share the amazing stories and journeys of these people, we could empower others to find their purpose and passion. 

Over the course of our activism, we have both met countless people who were afraid to pursue their passion because they didn’t know where to begin or doubted their ability to create meaningful impact. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Almost all of the Dissenters we interviewed had no intention of becoming a hero or building a foundation. They started because they experienced injustice and they took action. And through it, they committed to learn and grow. And that’s what it’s really about—taking a step forward, helping the helpfuls, challenging the status quo. 

Let’s talk about your workday routine! First, are you a night owl or a morning person? When do you do your most important work and why?

I am my most productive and clear first thing in the morning (after I have my second cup of coffee). 

What time does your alarm go off, and what’s the first thing you do upon waking? What does your morning, pre-work routine look like?

My husband and I usually wake up around 5:45 a.m. when our daughters, Anderson and Miller, run into our room. I immediately take a shower and then make my first cup of coffee. Then, it’s all about packing lunches for school, making breakfast, and getting them to their pods. Next, I go upstairs. Put in my AirPods and watch the news (catch up on Jessica Yellin’s stories on Instagram). I start every morning I can with my Ryse + Shyne Facial Serum and Pept Eyes Biocellulose Eye Mask from Sundree.

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 cross-reference my many lists to catch up as much as I can and then I tackle my never-ending inbox. 

What are you working on this week?

Planning this year's Register a Friend Day on July 25, 2021, with the amazing I am a voter. team, and working on season two of “The Dissenters.” I am also advising on a few projects that I can’t wait to share soon.

“Managing our expectations of ourselves is such a critical component of self-care.”

—Mandana Dayani, Creator and Co-Founder of I am a voter.

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

The opportunity to learn from the incredible women I work with while making a true, meaningful impact in our communities. It’s really awesome when you find your people! 

The most challenging part is just managing it all and continuing to figure out how we can drive participation in civic engagement. The next few years will definitely be more focused on local politics.   

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

No, I have yet to reach zero. But, I do my best and I know that it is all I can do. Managing our expectations of ourselves is such a critical component of self-care. 

What is your go-to work lunch?

Sushi and sparkling water (currently, Topo Chico).

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

I use lists for everything I do. Evernote is my go-to list-making tool. And, when it comes to managing tasks, I plan ahead as much as I can and then delegate as much as I can. I am so privileged to have such an incredible network of support.

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

Setting boundaries. I always allocate time to have breakfast and dinner with my kids and make sure I am there to put them to bed. And I learned that I sometimes need to literally time for self-care, whether that is going on a walk or exercising. I also block off lots of time during the week to brainstorm and create. 

Any favorite apps you use regularly?

Evernote, Instacart, and Chairish.

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

“The West Wing,” “The Real Housewives of (everywhere),” “Baker and the Beauty,” and “The Morning Show.”

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

Lights out by 11 p.m. Optimal sleep would be 7 hours.

What’s the most rewarding part of your day?

Bedtime with our kids. We end each night taking turns sharing 1) Our act of kindness for the day, 2) What we are most grateful for, and 3) Who we want to send extra good dreams to. It is such a beautiful ritual.

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3 Thoughts That Are Holding You Back From Everything You Want in Life

Photo: ColorJoy Stock

Raise your hand if you spend your time stuck in the past reviewing all that went wrong today, yesterday, or maybe even your entire life? How about time spent in the future hoping, dreaming, and wishing that people, things, or events were different than they are? Yes, I see you. Any time spent out of the present moment is time spent creating everything you don’t want. So why do we do it? Our thoughts, beliefs, and actions will lead us to where we are now.  We can create change by identifying what our core beliefs are and transforming our belief systems.

I’ve been trained to start with noticing where we are holding our trauma in the body first and then re-programming the mind—learn more on my Emotional Reset Method—yet awareness is still key. I have seen thousands of people reclaim their lives to create what they truly desire in their lives. I recently worked with three completely different people struggling with the same core thought patterns. Ahead, I’m breaking down three thought patterns that will destroy the chance of creating your desires. Read on to learn what they are and how you can turn it around.

1. “I feel like if I let go, something bad will happen.”

Imagine holding a balloon and then squeezing it as tight as you can. That balloon is going to fight you on it. It’s most likely not going to pop unless you poke it with a sharp nail or object. It’s just going to resist you until you’re frustrated, exhausted, and let go. Nothing bad happens, it just isn’t going to change anything.

This goes for life, people and events as well. The more you control something, the more it will control you. More importantly, expecting something “bad” will only increase the chance of you unconsciously creating the “bad.” It is when you release your expectations that you can open to all that’s possible.

The Fix: Experiment with letting go, and setting yourself free. Until you try it, you‘ll never know what is possible. 

2.“I feel guilty going and doing my own thing.”

Katie is a wife, mom, daughter, and owner of a successful small business. She wakes up every morning to make breakfast for her husband and girls before running off to work to be available for her staff, then she picks up the girls after school, checks in with her aging mom to be of any assistance she needs, and gets the household ready for dinner along with anything necessary to get done before taking on the next day. For the last three months, she has been feeling a sense of guilt for her desire to start photography classes and fulfill an inner creative calling. As we dialed in on the core root of her pain, she stated, “I feel guilty going and doing my own thing.” Can you relate?

Ignoring our desires and stuffing them down will eventually spiral into anger, resentment and ultimately, a life lived with regret. Any desire that we feel from our heart is meant to show us our own unique path to fulfillment. The more you ignore it, the more unfulfilled you will be. The more you listen and follow, the more inner peace, joy, and fuel you will feel and have to share with the ones you love.

The Fix: Ask yourself, “Do I want to live with regret, or do I want to inspire myself and others with my gifts?” Write down what those gifts are that you want to share. Then start actively working towards making that change.

3. “I am ___.”

Take seven days to write down any words you say on a daily basis that precede the words “I am.” This is what you believe about yourself (and sometimes what you believe about everyone else). Is your mind saying, “I am happy” or is it saying, “I am so mad?”  You choose your state.

The Fix: Keep a running list in the note section on your phone and at the end of the week, take the negative statements and re-frame them into the positive. State the positive statements each morning until you feel the change. This is who you really are. You’re welcome. 

About the Author: Robin Emmerich has spent close to a decade coaching some of the most successful women in business. Even with their considerable success, the common denominator is that as much as they seemed to be cruising through life on the outside, they were melting on the inside. It’s why Robin just launched Beauty and the Mess—an athleisure brand creating a sisterhood who understands that life is messy and difficult and challenging, but together, can find the strength to prioritize passion over perfection and fearlessly seek beauty in their everyday lives. She currently offers the “Live the Life You Desire” self-transformation course based on the legacy she was graciously gifted from her mentor Dr. Coletta Long, a pioneer and expert on the power of the subconscious mind, individual coaching, and worldwide retreats. Need some inspiration? Download your free meditation to get clear and tap into your inner wisdom at robinemmerich.com. Additionally, you can connect with Robin on Instagram or beautyandthemess.com. 

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This story was originally published on August 7, 2019, and has since been updated.

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Why Being Laid Off Turned Out to Be the Very Best Thing for These Founders

Photo: Courtesy of The Hive

We don’t know that anyone really wants to be fired from a job, no matter how unfulfilling it might be. What we know for sure is that our career plans never included layoffs while we were having babies for the first time but what felt, at the time, mildly catastrophic, turned out to be for the very best. 

We both met in the fall of 2017 shortly after welcoming our first children. Kristin had a daughter, Stella, and I had a son named Finn, and together, we bonded over this new chapter of our lives. We had no idea what we were doing (spoiler alert: we still don’t) and quickly bonded over the terror we felt becoming new moms. This new world felt unexpectedly scary, very overwhelming, and if we’re being honest, lonely, so it felt reassuring and comforting to have someone to lean on in such a similar phase of life. We’d meet up a few times a week for walks or drinks, and compare notes on feeding and nap schedules, growth charts, diapers, and eventually, our professional futures.

Kristin had been laid off from her role with a prestigious spinning brand while pregnant and knew that staying home full time with her daughter wasn’t part of her long-term plan. She hadn’t figured out the next step when we met but her entrepreneurial spirit was running wild with ideas and working for herself in some capacity was the dream. As for me, I headed back to a role in public relations that I loved after an (unpaid) four-month maternity leave. Like so many moms before me, I headed back to my desk so conflicted: feeling empowered by bringing home a paycheck but guilty for leaving my child in someone else’s care. Regardless of those feelings, I buckled down and got to work, despite my boss hiring someone for my exact role while I was on leave. I shook my insecurity off, showed up every day to prove myself, but despite my best efforts, it wasn’t enough for my boss, who fired me for “poor performance” exactly two months after returning to work.

Even now, three years later, I shudder remembering that feeling of inadequacy. On top of not fitting back into my pre-pregnancy clothes, losing my hair from a huge postpartum shed, and struggling to juggle pumping and working and being a great mom and wife and daughter, I was also unemployed. It sucked.

“Looking back, our respective job losses were stepping stones into a different and more satisfying career path, and for that, we’ll forever be grateful.”

I quickly jumped back in the saddle and began freelancing for clients in need of PR, and would still frequently meet up with Kristin and our kids. At this stage, our children were older and much squigglier than their newborn selves, so our usual go-to spots around our hometown of Hoboken, NJ, became impossible for us to visit. It felt like the town we loved so much had overnight become a place where we didn’t quite fit in. We were either at a spot meant for kids that didn’t fulfill our needs or at a coffee shop or restaurant that wasn’t accommodating to young children.

“I wish there was somewhere for us that would also be engaging for our kids,” Kristin said one day. I remember agreeing (while struggling to contain my baby, Finn, and sip my coffee), and suddenly, both our wheels were turning. We couldn’t stop thinking about this place: a shop that was designed for adults with great retail products, awesome food and drinks, and a place for children that would allow for their caregiver to take a break. It sounded too good to be true, but as we began looking into this business model, we found tremendous inspiration across the world. These cafes existed and were wildly popular internationally, from what we could tell from reviews. We fantasized about a space like this in Hoboken, New Jersey and started with a Pinterest board, which gave way to a business plan, and us cold-calling the owners of businesses we admire so we could ask them questions about their own experiences.

As we progressed in our planning, we kept coming back to one question, which helped quell our fears about opening a new business: If someone else opened this exact business tomorrow, how would we feel? And our answer was always the same: We’d be devastated. There was forever a worry that we wouldn’t make it, of course. Having had no experience in the coffee industry, there was the risk that we wouldn’t know enough to be successful, but there’s Google, there are the peers who become allies, there are other business owners who want to help you when you don’t know the answer. Failure isn’t an option when you put in the work and have people supporting you along the way. 

We filed official paperwork to launch our LLC, sunk our savings into a joint account, secured a small business loan, and signed a lease on our space, months before anyone knew about COVID-19. The pandemic delayed our opening and, if we’re being honest, terrified us into thinking no one would ever give us a chance, but six months after opening, our shop is alive and well. The Hive officially opened in November 2020, almost exactly one year after we first signed our lease. It’s exactly what we dreamed it would be: a welcoming place for adults to get great coffee and food, a place to discover new brands and cool products, and a safe space for their littles to play. We opened in the midst of a global pandemic and have altered our model slightly by removing the majority of our seating and rather than allowing anyone to play in the designated playspace, we’ve introduced private reservations to allow us control over volume and to sanitize everything between each booking. Despite the challenges and delays we faced, we’re immensely proud to say that we’ve been profitable every month since opening our doors.

Looking back, our respective job losses were stepping stones into a different and more satisfying career path, and for that, we’ll forever be grateful. In fact, having the security of a job and a paycheck likely would have been more than enough of a reason for us not to take the leap into pursuing our dream. We may never forget that feeling of being told our jobs were eliminated (because let’s be serious, being fired sucks!), but the road we’ve paved so far is brighter, friendlier, and a whole lot more fulfilling and for that, we’ll forever be grateful for losing our jobs.

About the Founders: Before launching The Hive, Catherine Willhoit spent fourteen years working in public relations, specializing in the beauty industry, working for large companies like Dermalogica and IT Cosmetics, along with small, indie brands, to tell their stories and spread consumer awareness. After having her first son in 2017, she began reevaluating what mattered in her career and very slowly made the transition from PR into the coffee and retail space. The Hive is her first brick-and-mortar business and when she’s not at the shop, you can find Catherine outside whenever possible, taking hikes with her kids, long walks with her dog, or taking day trips to one of New Jersey’s many beautiful beaches. Catherine currently lives in Jersey City with her husband, Kevin, their sons, Finley and Miles, and their rescue pup, Egan.

Having spent over a decade working in retail merchandising for brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria’s Secret, and SoulCycle, The Hive is very much a fusion of Kristin Karotkin’s professional and creative passions. Her happy place has always been in the kitchen baking and playing hostess for family and friends, with a fondness for celebrating moments, both big and small. Having grown up in New York and going to Cornell for her undergraduate degree and NYU for her MBA, Kristin spent her summers growing up at the Jersey Shore with her family and currently lives in Hoboken, NJ with her husband, Sam, and two kids, Stella and Harry. 

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Did You Know These Seemingly Innocent Interview Questions Are Illegal?

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So, your interview is off to a great start. Your résumé is perfect, and the hiring manager is clearly impressed. It’s going so well that it almost feels like a meetup with an old friend rather than a formal interview. This is usually a good sign, but be careful—you might be offering up unnecessary information that could hurt your chances of landing the job. 

It’s widely known that federal laws prohibit direct questions about race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and all other protected classes, but sometimes the question isn’t so direct. So, what are the seemingly innocent questions to be cautious of during an interview? We break it down for you below to ensure you know the best way to successfully navigate your job interview.

Are you planning to start a family soon?

Starting a family is an exciting and monumental moment in a person’s life, but unfortunately, employers could potentially view it as an inconvenience or question your commitment to the job ahead of you. A new hire looking to start a family could mean possible lateness, frequent sick days, doctor’s appointments during work hours, and long absences at the company’s expense.

How to Answer: I’m not at that point in my life yet. I am interested in what a career path looks like at this company. Can you give me more detail?  

Can you work on the weekends?  

Most corporate employees are off the clock on the weekends even when overtime is required. If you’re a salaried employer, the company might expect you to be available on the weekends or on short notice if there is an emergency. But unless Saturday and Sunday are required workdays, the interviewer shouldn’t ask about weekend availability. This question could be seen as an attempt to find out the applicant’s religion. Although it may not be, candidates may feel forced to share religious obligations when asked this question.

How to Answer: Of course, if you nailed an interview for your dream job and are eager to put in the extra weekend hours, then, by all means, say “yes.” You can also assure them that you will attend to any unexpected emergencies at your earliest convenience without divulging any other information. 

Do you own a car?

Much like asking about weekend availability, an employer shouldn’t directly ask you if you have a car unless the job requires you to use your own vehicle. Most job seekers have seen “must be able to commute to X location” on a job post. The employer most likely wants to make sure that you’ll be able to make it to work on time, especially in places where public transportation is limited.   

The Equal Employment Opportunity Office has a different take on this question. They consider it protected financial information, so not hiring someone based on their answer is discriminatory. This question also puts physically impaired individuals who are unable to drive at a disadvantage. Asking why someone doesn’t have a car could leave a disabled candidate feeling forced to disclose their impairment.   

How to answer: Politely inform your interviewer that you weren’t aware the job required you to use your own vehicle. This will prompt them to share their true intentions for asking the question which will most likely be related to attendance. Assure them that you will be able to get to work at your scheduled time.

Are you a member of any cultural organizations?

Being a member of a cultural organization has many benefits. Members are usually required to do volunteer work and/or maintain a high grade point average and are able to obtain prestigious internships through alumni connections. Sounds like a great bullet point on your résumé, but it can also be used by interviewers to discern your race.

A simple statement like, “Which one is that? I think I’ve heard of it before,” during a phone interview could be seen as prying for that information.

How to answer: You can list the member requirements and benefits without sharing the cultural aspects of the organization. This information can be found online with a quick Google search, so keeping it on your résumé is a great way to avoid any company with such bias. 

Can you list your emergency contacts?

Has your interview ever gone so well that the interviewer replaces “if you are hired” with “when you start” while listing off the day-to-day duties of the position? They may have suggested that you complete some paperwork to get it out of the way even before an official offer has been made. 

One part of the new employee packet that you can ditch without an official offer is the “Emergency Contacts” page. This information can reveal your sexual orientation and national origin if you decide to list your significant other or parents’ names. Additionally, questions about the relationship between you and the people you live with are prohibited for the same reason. 

How to answer: Inform the interviewer that you need a bit more time with one or more pages of the packet. Ask them if you have the option to fill it out at home and bring it back on your first official day. 

Do you drink?

More companies are starting to offer unique perks in order to attract and retain amazing talent. Happy hours and on-the-clock fiestas have become a common occurrence. Casually asking if you’re a social drinker while explaining the company culture could be their way of trying to see if you’ll fit in. 

However, this question might not fly with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Asking about alcohol consumption could force a candidate with a prior substance abuse issue to disclose their medical condition/diagnosis.  

How to answer: Keep it short and sweet. Feel free to answer with a simple “yes” or “no.”

What was your previous compensation? 

Try to put yourself in a business owners’ shoes for a moment. You’ve found the perfect employee on paper and they’re even better in person. The only thing that could make their dream candidate even more ideal is if their salary expectations are within budget.

Don’t talk yourself out of the salary you feel you deserve by mentioning your past pay.  Employers know that one of the keys to retaining amazing candidates, like yourself, is offering a competitive salary and benefits package, so know your worth going in and be prepared to confidently navigate this conversation.

How to answer: Try to steer the conversation away from past compensation by politely but firmly stating why you deserve your desired salary. Mention that this number is based on your skills, experience, current salary trends, and the work required for the position. 

Tip: Be Prepared

Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine whether or not you feel comfortable answering possibly coded questions. Before proceeding, consider how your answer will affect your chances of receiving an offer of employment. If you’re confident that you want the job, then be sure to craft a response that steers the conversation in a positive direction. 

Practicing your answers to these and other standard interview questions will make sure nothing throws you off your game. When interviewing, keep in mind that employers are most likely not trying to trick you, but you should always do your research and be prepared. It’s a good idea to understand the law and know your protections. 

About Career Group: Career Group Companies is a boutique recruiting firm that specializes in temporary and full-time administrative placements. We work with leading businesses, constantly raising the bar to provide a premium approach to search that others can’t reach. We take the time to get to know our clients and candidates, so we’re in a better position to make well-informed matches that we know are going to work.

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This story was originally published on June 10, 2019, and has since been updated.

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3 Mistakes You're Probably Making on Your Résumé

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While writing a résumé is necessary for everyone, it can be an incredibly arduous task. It’s not intuitive and it’s not something broached in school, so many people are forced to make do with what they know. But how do you create a document designed to help you succeed when you've never been taught how? 

Whether or not you’ve created your résumé on your own or acquired help, there are three mistakes you’re probably making. Fear not, because they are simple fixes that will instantly make your document more effective.

You Don’t Have a Skills Matrix at the Top

I always say this, but by far one of the most important things to include on your résumé is a skills matrix up at the top. This should land below your headlining statement and above your professional experience, but it is extremely important that it’s toward the top of your document. This is where you’ll include any specialized skills, software knowledge, languages, etc. It’s a surefire way to highlight what you can do for the company and what skills you possess.

One study shows that hiring managers and recruiters look at individual résumés for an average of 7.4 seconds each, so it is essential that you highlight your skills at the top of your document. This way, if they only read one section of your document, they will immediately be able to tell if you qualify for the position, or not. You want to give readers an easy and effective way to see what you can do and what skills you possess. By providing this information at the top of your résumé, readers don’t have to dig through job descriptions to figure it out.

You’re Not Writing Your Résumé WithYour Desired Job Description in Front of You 

You need to write (or edit) the document as if you’re applying for a specific position. What does this mean? It means that you need to go through the job descriptions that you’re interested in and integrate keywords and phrases throughout your document.

Perhaps you’re happy with your current role, but you eventually want to further your career within the same industry. Do a bit of research and find industry-specific roles that interest you, and use those job descriptions for inspiration. Do they utilize keywords or phrases which you can utilize in your résumé? Does a job description have a more eloquent way of wording one of your job duties?

If you’re not using current job postings to help you write your résumé, you’re doing yourself a disservice. See how industry professionals talk about jobs and utilize that in your document. Using industry jargon will help you appear more professional and knowledgeable about what you do. Some companies also have bots that "read" résumés before they do, to weed out the ones that don't make sense. 

You’re Highlighting Your Job Duties and Not Your Achievements

“Subjective terms and clichés are seen as negative because they don’t convey real information,” says Rosemary Haefner, VP of human resources at CareerBuilder. “For instance, don’t say you are ‘results-driven;’ show the employer your actual results.”

It is absolutely important to highlight the specifics of your role, however, if you’re only highlighting the job description and not your achievements, your résumé will not be as effective as it could be. You want to show potential employers what you have accomplished so they can get a better idea of what you will bring to the company and what you can do for them.

If you only talk about the role you played but don’t show them what you did within that role, your résumé will not serve you well. Include as much data and metrics as possible. Here are some great examples of metrics to include in your résumé:

• How many accounts did you manage?

• How much in sales volume did you secure (weekly, monthly, or annually)?

• Did you reduce cost (either by a percentage or dollar amount)?

• How many clients did you interact with (daily, weekly, monthly, or annually)?

• Did you surpass a quota?

• Did you manage a team? If so, how many team members did you manage?

• Did you work with any notable clients or vendors?

You may not have metrics off the top of your head, so go ahead and calculate them. Do some research and figure out your personal statistics! As long as you can prove your work and your numbers, you can include them on your résumé.

If you’re one of the many people making these mistakes, all you have to do is fix them and move forward. Writing a résumé is hard, so don’t dwell on your missteps. Learn from them and continue to improve. If you get really overwhelmed, reach out for help. There are people out there (like me) who are willing and able to help. If you ever get discouraged, remember that there’s a reason why certified professional résumé writers have a job.

About the Author: A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. 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 presents tips to enhance your résumé, style, and boost your confidence.

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This story was originally published on June 2, 2018, and has since been updated.

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How I Empower My Team and Create a Culture of Systematic Trust (Yes, It Is Possible)

Photo: Create & Cultivate

The proof is in the stats. Millennials value company culture more than any other generation that’s come before them. In fact, according to Forbes, on average, millennials would be willing to give up $7,600 in salary every year to work at a job that provided a better environment for them. At We Are Rosie, our culture is built around systemic trust. We have a core belief that people have the best chance of success when they are treated with dignity and respect, and that comes along with trust. We want a team that can confidently demonstrate self-motivation, personal responsibility, and confidence.

My goal as a founder was to create a more human-centric approach to work and to build a community that reflects the company’s core values. My diverse childhood experiences as the child of a refugee have made me truly aware of what it is like to be overlooked, underestimated, and marginalized. This inspired me to want to cultivate a professional experience for my team where they are seen and appreciated as whole human beings. 

Trust can be tricky for all leaders but particularly challenging for founders. I’ve used the analogy more than once that We Are Rosie is my third child. As a leader, it’s important to find the balance between seeing your vision through to fruition (helping your baby become a productive member of society) and identifying the friction points where you (and your baby) are better served by allowing others to take the reigns.

Ever heard the phrase by Steve Jobs that says, “It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” This is the crux of trust and it’s one of the many reasons we are so tedious in our hiring process for both our core employees and the incredible freelance consultants we deploy into large organizations. I actually believe that trust can, many times, be more important than experience when making a new hire. When you establish trust during an employee screening process, you are better able to create an environment for this person to thrive within your organization. You are also creating an opportunity for you to be the best leader you can be by avoiding the pitfalls that come along with mistrust.

As we move into an era where distributed and remote teams are the new norm, trust, or lack thereof, can make or break your team’s ability to achieve. When employees feel heard and respected, they will deliver their best work. I want people to be seen. I want people to know how much we appreciate the unique treasures they bring to our business. I want them to take ownership of their work and time. I want to support individuals as they recognize that there is a better way for work to happen.

Through my experience starting and growing a business, I’ve found six concrete action items that create a culture of systematic trust. 

1. Embrace the Model You Serve 

In addition to helping our clients discover better talent solutions, we also tap into our dynamic community of consultants. We turn our client's needs into possibilities through a fresh perspective and expertise. Our core team is small, but our power, by way of the We Are Rosie community, is mighty. 

If you're unwilling to use the product or service you're providing to your clients, you are missing out on truly understanding the pain points that your clients experience and how to speak directly to them with solutions.

2. People First

Within the advertising industry (and many others if we're honest), the focus remains on the product or service, not the people producing the work. We're humanizing the way we do advertising by keeping our people first. Time is precious, and people want to work in a way that makes sense for their lives. The work comes and goes. It will always be constant. The people are what makes it magic. 

3. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff 

Our work moves fast and quickly. I set the example for my team to let go of the small things, which keeps us focused on building and collaborating together. When problems arise, we address them quickly, learn the lesson, and forget the details. 

Most people start businesses so they have more control over their lives. It’s all for nothing if you are miserably trapped within your company. If you aren't having fun, you might want to reconsider your perspective. A small trick I’ve learned is that any time I catch myself saying or thinking “I have to” do something, I reframe it to “I get to” do this thing. That small mental shift takes me from a place of complaining to a place of gratitude. 

4. Honesty Is the Best Policy 

Embracing difficult conversations fosters an environment of trust. Being truthful about strengths and weaknesses keeps everyone clear on the best way to approach the work. If you're not being honest about your perspective, your energy will reflect that to all of those around you. Show up every day in your truth, and everyone around you will do the same. 

5. Communication

It sounds cliché, but communication is vital. We achieve all of our goals through simple, clear, and timely communication, both internally and externally. No jargon allowed. Furthermore, we hold ourselves accountable to our timelines, our words, and our shared values. There is no blame game. We own it, address it, and move forward. It's a powerful, crazy concept that also works in all relationships.

6. Be Candid in the Hiring Process

When hiring great people, you must be honest about expectations. This is especially true with consultants that have other client responsibilities and time commitments outside of your business. This is actually one of the best benefits of working with consultants. There’s no need for the fake mask that tells you, “I can do it all because you’ve asked me to.” There’s no reason for the fluff, so don’t add any. Speak candidly about what’s expected and be open to hearing what’s expected from you. This process builds a tremendous foundation for trust.

When you establish trust during an employee screening process, you are better able to create an environment for this person to thrive within your organization. You are also creating an opportunity for you to be the best leader you can be by avoiding the pitfalls that come along with mistrust.

About the Author: Stephanie Nadi Olson founded We Are Rosie from a genuine realization of what it feels like to “not belong.” As a young mother with a career and also as a daughter of an immigrant parent of color, she knew what it felt like to be overlooked and marginalized. Because of this, she wanted to create a home and opportunity for people who often feel discounted. We Are Rosie is an extension of the work she has done with refugees her entire life and her soul’s calling to create a better way to do business. Stephanie has worked closely with big brands and major tech companies her entire career, so she has a unique 360 view of industry practices and the need for transformation.

This story was originally published on August 8, 2019, and has since been updated.

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6 Tips for Being Productive Under Pressure

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Maybe you’ve been feeling it lately. That overwhelmed feeling you get when your to-do list is long but your worry list is longer? There’s a lot on your plate right now. There are scary, uncontrollable things happening in the world, maybe in your personal life and yet time doesn’t stop for your business. I feel you. Some days the last thing you want to do is answer emails or join video calls. One of the worst feelings is a big agenda and no motivation to work on it. 

I work a 9-to-5 job and have created a multi-six-figure online business. Needless to say, my checklist each day can get pretty long, and more than that, juggling both mentally can sometimes be a challenge. But, over the years, I’ve learned that, even though I might not be able to control every stressor that comes my way, whether it’s in my personal or professional life, there are ways I can stay productive even when pressure mounts or stress takes over, and you can implement them as well. 

1. Put Your Blinders On 

I like to call it shiny object syndrome. It’s when we get distracted with the latest and greatest and lose sight of the task or goal at hand. This is a productivity killer. To prevent this, set plans, lots of them. Have daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and five-year goals written out and share them with someone who can help hold you accountable (team, partner, a coach/mentor, etc.) and put them somewhere where you can see them often. Whenever you are going through your task list ask yourself if it supports your top three long-term goals, if not put on your blinders and keep moving. Clearly set goals also help prevent decision fatigue which is super important in preventing burnout. 

2. Add It to the Calendar

Put it in the schedule, always. Whether it’s following up on an email, calling a team member, or an important meeting, add everything to a calendar. Keeping all your to-do’s in one place will help you feel less scattered and less distracted. When we don’t have a clear way to organize our time it can create extra noise. Instead of focusing on one task at a time, we are nervous that we are forgetting something. 

3. Work With Your Energy

Prioritization is key. This means I align my tasks with my energy levels so I can’t procrastinate. For difficult items that require a lot of brainpower or for the "I don’t really want to do tasks," I move to my high energy times. For me, I do the most difficult tasks in the morning to create a free-ing feeling for the rest of the day. By the end of the day, most people have made so many decisions that your brain is exhausted. You don't want to leave difficult tasks for this time as the quality will be poor or you simply won't do them- creating a cycle of broken self-promises!

4. Focus on Feeling, Not Just Doing

How do I want to feel today? Do you ever ask yourself that? Instead of running through your to-do list first thing in the morning, ask yourself how you want to feel that day. It shouldn’t be the same each day. One day it may be “productive” or “energized” but it may be “calm” or “sleepy” another. Claim those feelings and let yourself feel them. Doing this allows you to accept the “slow” days, appreciate them, and not beat yourself up if you don’t have the most productive day. Here’s the secret, productivity doesn’t always mean work, often it means taking care of yourself. 

5. Start the Clock

Set a timer. The toughest part of anything is getting started. Set a two-minute timer and just start. For me it’s writing content, I have to tell myself that if after two minutes I don’t want to work on that anymore I can stop. It’s your easy way out, no shame, no guilt. But chances are, once you start it will get you into a FLOW state and you can then create for hours. It’s like the Pringles effect; once you start you can’t stop. Turn off ALL distractions (once you get distracted it takes your brain nine minutes to get back on track) phone in another room, not other tabs open, and get in your flow.

6. Automate as Much as Possible

Work and non-work related. Less time on tasks that suck up your energy means more time on tasks that fill you up. This may mean investing in systems for invoicing, tech work, or posting to social or something like meal delivery that takes one more thing off your plate. 

Entrepreneurship is challenging. There will be unbelievable pressure and stressors that will take their toll on you if you let them. But, they don’t have to cripple you or stop you in your tracks. I hope that these tips can help you move through the challenges and allow your business to keep growing through it all. And remember to have some fun—the pressure we feel is often the pressure we put on ourselves. Chances are, entrepreneurship isn't the first time you've faced this type of pressure. But it is your opportunity to take it off!

“Instead of running through your to-do list first thing in the morning, ask yourself how you want to feel that day.”

——Cara Barone, Business Coach and Strategist

About the Author: Cara Barone is a brand consultant by day and a business coach and strategist by night. She juggles a corporate 9-to-5 job with her thriving online business and helps others do the same. She helps high-performing corporate women and coaches gain confidence and clients, without sacrificing their corporate salary, sanity, and health.

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3 Strategies to Help You Answer One of the Hardest (and Most Common) Interview Questions

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Let’s be honest, even if you practice and come in prepared, job interviews are stressful. Don’t worry, you’re not alone in feeling this way—92% of employed Americans feel stressed out about job interviews. With that in mind, some questions can be more difficult to answer than others. By far, one of the hardest and most common interview questions people stress over is how to talk about their weaknesses in a job interview. This is such a difficult question to answer because there’s an art to it.

You don’t want to say the wrong thing to make yourself look bad, but you also don’t want to come off as though you think you’re perfect and have no weak points. It’s all about balance and showing how a weakness can work in your favor or educate you going forward. It sounds a little weird to think of weaknesses working in your favor, but believe it or not, when you phrase weak points correctly, this is often the case.

Here are three strategies to help you answer one of the most common interview questions: “What’s your biggest weakness?”

Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses ahead of time.

First and foremost it’s important to be prepared. If you don’t, you’ll likely stumble and just say the first answer that comes to mind. This answer might not be as eloquent as you’d like. To ensure this doesn’t happen, prepare in advance and come up with a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Strengths tend to be easier to come up with, but weaknesses can be more difficult because it’s common to want to hide a weakness in an interview. No one likes to acknowledge weak points.

Some examples of weaknesses might include:

• A desire to please, which results in taking on too many projects at once.

• Looking at achievements objectively to gain the required confidence in a new role.

• Software proficiency. You can always talk about wanting to learn more about specific software.

• Area of the job. It’s perfectly acceptable to note that you’re very interested in a particular area of a job, however, you don’t have as much experience with it so you’ll need to learn more through hands-on experience.

Don’t be ashamed about having a weakness.

Everyone has at least one area where they can improve so it’s important that you don’t get down on yourself when you’re exploring your weaknesses. Exploring your weak spots can be a great opportunity for growth. By taking note of areas of improvement, you can use this to your advantage, take on some continuing education, and learn what you need in order to develop a well-rounded understanding of your industry and/or role.

Additionally, self-awareness is a huge asset and is considered to be a big strength. While you may be weak in one area, acknowledging this and showing your own self-awareness will help highlight your strength and value as a candidate.

Share what you’ve learned from it or how you’re working to improve a weak point.

Wondering how to answer “what’s your biggest weaknesses?” in a job interview? It’s all about framing your weakness in the right way and spinning it into something positive. Everyone is human, so recruiters and hiring managers expect that each and every person will have at least one weak area. It’s just about acknowledging yours and showing how you can actually use your weakness to your benefit. It might sound crazy, but your weakness could really be a blessing in disguise.

Perhaps your weakness is self-confidence. If this is the case, try phrasing it like this:

“In the past, one of my weak points has been self-confidence, however upon writing my résumé and looking at my achievements on paper, I’ve been able to build that confidence to help me move forward in my career in a more confident manner.”

This shows that you’ve put in the effort to work on yourself, put effort into your résumé, and analyzed what you’ve accomplished at work to evaluate progress and hold yourself accountable. These are all very beneficial traits in a candidate.

If one of your weaknesses is taking on too much at once, try acknowledging it like this:

“One of my biggest weaknesses is the desire to please people. I don’t like saying no to a project or responsibility, however, I’ve noticed that when I take on too much, I’m not able to reach my full potential on every project. Realizing this has helped me prioritize and only take on projects within my bandwidth so that I can be sure to put the best quality forward in every project I execute.”

Ultimately, showing how something helped you grow or change for the better will always work in your favor.

People always ask me how to answer “What’s your biggest weakness?” in a job interview—it’s one of the most common interview questions, after all—and the truth is that the answer will differ from person to person. As long as you prepare and show what you’ve learned or how you’re working to improve your weak area(s), you’ll answer the question well and show potential employers how your self-awareness adds to your value as a candidate.

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.

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This story was originally published on July 24, 2019, and has since been updated.

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Do You Have the Top 7 Traits for Entrepreneurial Success?

Photo: Create & Cultivate

Are you cut out for the crazy, hectic, and yet super fulfilling life of being an entrepreneur? We’ve worked with countless business owners over the years, and thanks to our conferences and digital summits, we spend a lot of time with startup owners, owners of growing companies, even people juggling four or five companies at once. Unfortunately, not every business owner will make it for the long haul, but I’ve definitely noticed seven traits that are common threads among those who do well.

Do these traits sound like you? Read on to find out if you have all of the elements required to be a successful entrepreneur.

1. You’re Curious.

You don’t ever think you know it all, and you’re always learning, experimenting, and hungry for more, no matter how long you’ve been in the business. Your vision and passion inspire others to action and your curiosity keeps your business innovative. 

2. You’re Highly Engaged.

You always know what’s going on with every aspect of your business. When there’s something you should know but don’t understand, you talk to the experts on your team until you get it (whether that’s your manufacturing team, your CFO, your company’s attorney, etc.). 

You’re also actively engaged with your employees. You understand that the success or failure of your business ultimately relies on you.

3. You Have a Big-Picture Vision.

You understand why you’re in business and you’re able to take a step back and see your company for what it is. You understand that entrepreneurs tend to be serial business launchers and you aren’t overly attached to your current projects. 

You also have an end desire in mind, whether that’s where you’d like your business to be in 20 years or when and how you’d like to sell it.

4. You Have an Even Temperament.

You maintain a calm, even-tempered demeanor at work no matter what’s going on. You don’t take out your stress on others or let the urge for control of the call of anxiety get the best of you. You can be relied on to always keep your cool. This trait helps you make clearer and more balanced business decisions. It also sets the tone for a healthy-functioning work environment. 

5. You Have Excellent Negotiation Skills. 

You walk into every negotiation situation knowing what it is you want and what you’re willing to give up to the other side. You work on improving your negotiation skills every time. Negotiating is a huge part of business— from negotiating with vendors to everyday smaller negotiations with the members of your team.

6. You Surround Yourself With Top Talent.

You aren’t threatened by the prospect of not being the smartest person in the room. You know that you don’t know everything and that there’s always more to learn. As such, you make it a point to surround yourself with people who excel in different disciplines and areas of business. This extends to your social groups but also the members of your team and your consultants. 

7. You’re Willing to Work on Any Area of Your Business.

You don’t reserve your efforts for CEO or co-founder activities. You take care of whatever needs taking care of and don’t make a big deal of it. 

About the Author: Syama Meagher is the CEO and founder of Scaling Retail, which has launched brands around the world using a combination of expert advice and creative marketing strategy. We believe in the power of hard work to grow and build your businesses. Discover Scaling Retail at www.ScalingRetail.com.

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This story was originally published on August 25, 2019, and has since been updated.

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