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Looking Back on 2018—Our Best Year Yet!

BEST. YEAR. EVER.

Thanks to all of you, 2018 was our BEST. YEAR. EVER. Your passion inspired our small-but-mighty team to bring you the biggest and best events we’ve ever hosted, and Create & Cultivate is forever changed because of all of you. Below, we’re sharing 10 of our favorite moments from 2018. Can’t wait to see where you all take us in 2019!


1. Create & Cultivate 100

Back in January, we kicked off the year by introducing you to 100 badass women in everything from music and entertainment to STEM and entrepreneurship. We were so inspired to start off our year by sharing their amazing stories!


2. Create & Cultivate LA

We were so excited to reveal our panelists for Create & Cultivate LA: Chrissy Teigen, Kim Kardashian, Lauren Conrad and more amazing women showed up to make this our best conference yet! LA was a day that changed the way our team dreams and executes events—we’re going into the new year with plans to do 2019 even bigger and better, and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve got in store for you next.


3. Gina Rodriguez at Create & Cultivate ATX

“When I’m alone and I read something nasty or hurtful, and want to be like, ‘Why do I do this?’….and then I come to this event, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s fucking worth it.’” - Gina Rodriguez shared so much wisdom with us in Austin, and we were THRILLED to see how many of you showed up to see her speak (the line formed at 4am!).

4. The #CCDesertPopUp with Kate Bosworth

We hosted an event in the middle of the desert during one of the craziest party weekends in Palm Springs…and you guys showed up in crowds to support us! We loved hearing from Kate Bosworth and seeing all of you connect, converse, and inspire each other. We truly are so lucky!

5. Our Mini Road Trip!

Back in April, we hit the road to spread a little inspiration on the west coast. From Palm Springs to LA and up to San Francisco, we gathered inspiring entrepreneurs like Catt Sadler, Payal Kadakia, and Taylor Sterling to chat about corporate responsibility, philanthropy, and how to focus on more of what matters in your community.

6. Our First Beauty Summit

In May, we jetted to New York to host the first-ever Beauty Summit and hear from some of the best in the biz on how they’re shaking up this billion-dollar industry. The beauty category has historically been a boys’ club, but you’re all changing that: The beauty space has more female executives and board members than any other industry!

7. Brunch with Nicole Kidman

Back in June, we (super casually) hosted Sunday brunch with Nicole Kidman. It was a highlight of our summer!

8. The WorkParty Book, Tour + Podcast

This summer, our CEO Jaclyn Johnson released her book, Work Party, and an accompanying podcast where she digs deep with talented women like Kristen Bell, Bobbi Brown, Sara Blakely, and Sophia Bush. Oh, and we roadtripped on a 10-city book tour with Emily Shuman, Lisa Price, Rebecca Minkoff, and so many more amazing women. We were so excited to read your thoughts on the book/podcast, and thanks to your support, we’re hard at work on season two—stay tuned!

9. Create & Cultivate Chicago with Jennifer Hudson

Who better to take our keynote stage in Chicago than the Chi-town legend herself, Jennifer Hudson? J-Hud shared tons of advice on staying true to yourself, trusting your gut, and defining your own version of success. We ended the night with a surprise donation to her charity and our big balloon drop announcing our Miami Vision Summit!

10. Our Out Of Office Retreat

CEOs are plugged in 24/7, 100% of the time. In September, we pulled a few of these inspiring women of the office for a day of relaxation, meaningful connections, and conversations about “the big picture” for their biz—oh, and wine and hot air balloon rides, too! We can’t wait to see what they (and all of you!) accomplish in 2019! Happy New Year!

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Black Female Founders to Receive $36 Million in Funding

Arlan Hamilton is the way of the future.

 

THE WAY OF THE FUTURE. 

She watches the hell out of General Hospital, writes the ‘L Word’ fanfic twitter page @ModernLWord, but Arlan Hamilton, founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, is an emerging venture fund manager to watch. Especially since what she's trained her investor's eye on is what everyone else is ignoring. 

Here are the facts: less than 10% of all venture capital deals go to women, People of Color, and LGBT founders. Other VCs see this as a pipeline problem. Backstage Capital sees it as the biggest opportunity in investment. And they've put their money where the stats are, their second round of funding has just launched and is targeting $36 million in commitments and Arlan foresees the fund investing $1 million checks into 15-20 companies over the next three years.

Dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech, Arlan and Backstage Capital are investing in high-potential founders who are of color, women, and/or LGBT. Once homeless, she knows what it's like to have doors closed on you and your dreams. But, she's opening the doors. We suggest you walk through them with her. 

She's the way of the future. 

Name: Arlan Hamilton 

Instagram Handle: @arlanwashere

Business Instagram Handle: @backstagecapital

Where do your drive and passion come from for Backstage Capital?

The mission. The fact that nothing has changed from my original thought, that there needs to be more access to capital for certain people who are being overlooked and underestimated. Until that massive problem is solved, it will fuel the energy that I need to do that.

How have you successfully navigated a male-dominated field?

By asking what a male would do and just giving myself permission to not apologize for being who I am.

What are your hopes for young women looking to get into finance as investors?

I wish it were now, but I hope that the work that I'm doing and the women alongside of me are doing makes it easier for them to enter this field. That's another part that makes it worth it for me, the idea that what we're doing is making it that much easier for the next person.

What would you say is your biggest pet-peeve in business?

Politics. I think a lot is held up and not accomplished because of ego and people trying to play certain personal agendas. A lot could be accomplished if we just focused on what was important.

What are your biggest fears about running Backstage?

That we won't be enough. That we won't be able to raise more and more funding for the very deserving and viable companies that we are backing.

What's something that you would like people to know about your work with Backstage that they probably aren't aware of?

It's much, much harder than it may appear. There's a ton of work that goes into it that it's not seen. I get a lot of feedback from people who think we're okay, that we've made it. When in reality it's a day-by-day, brick by brick, thing.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

Having a woman come up to me and say she started a company because she read something about me. Or having a woman of color tell me that because Backstage exists they knew they wouldn't be alone when they came to Silicon Valley or launched a business. So, moments likes that where I know that something is working and I'm inspiring someone.

When you come across a difficulties or bumps in the road, how do you approach them?

I've always been able to self-motivate by seeing into the future and what I think the future might be. Anytime something is rough, which happens a lot. We might be told we were getting $100,000 investment and then the day the wire is supposed to hit, it doesn't. That's a big deal for us. On those kind of days I just think about the fact that I was homeless and I would imagine myself as a VC. There was no question to me that I would be able to make Backstage happen. You have to keep reminding yourself to keep going, you can do this. The way that you fail, is to stop. That is certainty. If you keep going, there's that potential that you win.

If you were to trade jobs with anyone, who would it be?

I think Ellen has a fun job.

At what point in your career did you find the ability to take charge and become the leader that you are today?

I had to have that mentality with everything. When I was working part time doing data entry, working at a pizza shop. I had to have that "I'm the boss" attitude to get through it so I don't know that it happened recently. It started with my mom telling me I deserved to be in any room and shouldn't shrink myself to make someone else feel better about themselves.

"It started with my mom telling me I deserved to be in any room and shouldn't shrink myself to make someone else feel better about themselves."

Tweet this.

What is the best piece of advice or #realtalk you've ever been given?

The best piece of advice that I take in come from music. Anyone from Nikki Minaj to Casey Edwards.

What song do you sing in the shower when you've had a really shitty day?

Can You Stand The Rain x New Edition.

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE STEM LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Yvonne Orji

THE BREAKOUT STAR. 

THE BREAKOUT STAR. 

When Insecure actress Yvonne Orji says, "I feel good as a woman in Hollywood. I feel good as a black woman in Hollywood," you can tell she means it.

And she doesn't think her job would be easier if she were a man. "No, because I like being a woman. I think there is beauty and benefit to being a woman. I like being able to go into male-dominated spaces and blow people’s minds away."

That’s not to say she is blind to the discrepancy in Hollywood. Race issues. Age issues. Wage issues. There’s no way to avoid them.

"I like being able to go into male-dominated spaces and blow people’s minds away."

Tweet this.

Her journey through Hollywood certainly hasn't been without sexist moments. Having first made a name for herself on the stand-up circuit, Orji says there was always a moment where the  announcer would prep the crowd. "Are you ready for a woman? are you ready for a woman?" they'd ask. These are the micro-aggressions that continuously diminish women at work. "They never do that for man," she says and it's no laughing matter. "Apparently," says Orji, "there are rules as a female standup comic. You can’t be pretty, skinny, and funny. Pick one. You can’t be all these things. To be funny, you have to be overweight, and you have to be dirty with your jokes." That's not the case for Orji. "I do clean comedy and just really want to make people laugh in a positive way. Yes, I know how to work out and put on makeup. Why are there so many fractions in order to make people laugh as a woman? You don’t hear this from guys. You can just be funny."

But she's never let those intros deter her or hold her back. "I stand my ground and stand my own. This is me. I am not backing down. You may not know me now, but by the time I finish my set, you’re going to think I’m incredibly funny."

These are also stereotypes she’s been working to break with Insecure, which is about to begin filming its highly-anticipated third season on HBO. Orji plays BFF Molly (a high-powered DTLA attorney) to Issa Rae's character, Issa. The show has been properly aplauded for being an important show with great roles with great roles for women as well as one that tackles social and race issues while avoiding cliches. "Molly can be insecure. Everyone can be insecure. And that happens in life. You have one thing set and then you don't. You’re dating someone, but then you want a new job. You have the job, but you don’t have the relationship. There are always things that aren't working." 

It's this kind of material, and the specifically multi-faceted role she's currently playing, that makes Orji love being a woman in this town. "Especially now," she says. "With the type of content we put out there and the content creators that are allowed to have their voices expressed." She brings up Living Single. “There were shows that were popular in the ‘90s that featured strong black characters, and then that fell off for a minute. There was a gap in programming." But shows like Living Single allowed for the progress and next iteration of strong black female-led comedies. i.e. you can be a high-profile black, female attorney who also doesn't have it all together. It's the true Millennial experience, where women, and here specifically black women, are more than one thing. 

When asked about the latest success of Wonder Woman and Gal Gadot (a fellow C&C 100 honoree), Orji quotes an article that talks about how true success will be when a female-led movie is allowed to fail and Hollywood will still make another. “Men have been failing for years. And they are still given development deals and big deals with studios. There is so much pressure on women. ‘Oh if this fails, Hollywood will NEVER make another movie like this. It HAS to be great.” It’s a dangerous setup. For Orji, “Divide and conquer doesn’t work here,” she says. Not if Hollywood wants to make progress. "Women helping other women is the way." And it's why she explains, "It’s so important for Issa and I and why we work really hard at it. It’s also more comfortable to look around a set and see a female sound tech, a female executive producer." She brings up award-winning director extraordinaire Ava duVernay, a champion for diversity in Hollywood. “It’s the same thing with directors like Ava. When people say, 'I don’t know another black actress.' Ava will say, 'Well, how about her?'” We bring up the all-female set of Zoe Lister-Jones’ movie Bandaid. “Ooh, checkmate, Hollywood,” she says. Except Orji isn’t sitting around waiting for Hollywood to make its move. She’s making her own. Taking her future into her own hands— a space where she is clearly comfortable. 

"I came to Hollywood as an intern in the writer’s room and I didn't really know what that meant, but I saw how much power exists in there. With First Gen [her semi-autobiographical sitcom that that draws loosely from Yvonne's stand-up routines and real life experiences] maybe I didn’t know structure, but I knew people. And you have to be willing to take the risk. At least for me. It was up to me to take this into my own hands." Thats’s the kind of go-getter she is. And that part is so crucial.

"I stand my ground and do my thing as me. I can go toe-to-toe with the next guy."

Tweet this.

"I stand my ground and do my thing as me. I can go toe-to-toe with the next guy. There is strength and power in being a woman: we are smart, we are creative, and we are compassionate. Are there great women out there doing amazing things, with a guy coming in not doing anything extravagant and everyone thinks what he’s doing is amazing, but yet she has to prove herself? Yes, that does still exist and it does still suck, but not to the point where I want to be something other than an African immigrant black woman. No, no, no! I’ll take my portion, I like it." 

She also notes there has to be more diversity because the women at the forefront of society are more diverse. “Who is going to play the First Lady (Michelle Obama), who is going to play Oprah?” she asks. (#Oprah2020.) Good questions.

We have a strong feeling she'll be in the running. 

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE ENTERTAINMENT LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Jessie Randall

THE CREATIVE CRAFTSMAN.

THE CREATIVE CRAFTSMAN.

photo credit: Taylor Jewell 

Living her dream, one step at a time. 

Devoted mom, wife, and designer behind the brand she founded, Jessie Randall has called her shoe and handbag label a brand “for women who lead dynamic lives.” A woman like herself. 

Loeffler Randall began in 2004 as a bit of a fairy tale. The brand sold into Bergdorf Goodman year one, and won a CFDA award two years after launching. People were hot on Jessie's heels. The brand stayed the course and is now one of the most sought-after brands of digital and fashion darlings.  

Today, her office space in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood is equally as dynamic as the brand itself. It's minimal but bright, the large entryway serving as a yoga studio for the tea Artist Dana Haim's yarn installations hang on the walls. It all fits the brand's clean, cool aesthetic. And why wouldn't it. 

As we said, it's Jessie's fairy tale. We're just wearing her shoes. 

More below. 

Where do your drive and passion come from?

My love of making beautiful things and my life-long passion for shoes.

We love this quote from you about Loeer Randall's design aesthetic: “Oh yeah, that feels like me. I’m pushing a stroller and then running to work.” How are you designing for the modern working woman?

Our customer is dynamic and multi-faceted. She has so many interests and things going on and she needs her shoes and bags to function and also be beautiful. My company is a company that is comprised of 95% women and we understand what our customer needs because we are her. Everything that goes into our line has to be distinctive, beautifully well made and built to last season after season.

What do you think she needs most right now?

Our customer wants products that authentically distinguish her as an original. She wants to wear designs that help the outside world understand who she is inside.

When you run into a career obstacle, how do you find new roads?

Let's see: my circle of women business friends who always have great advice, lots of late night texts with my girlfriends, cognitive behavioral therapy, working out and making time for creative pursuits that have nothing to do with my job (like writing and knitting).

What is your biggest pet peeve?

I'm a pretty honest person so I would say it bothers me a lot when people are disingenuous.

What are your biggest fears about running a business?

I don't really have fears, but I definitely have anxiety. I like to work in a happy, positive environment so I do everything in my power to make sure we have great, upbeat people on our team, a lovely work/life balance, product we are crazy about and a happy vibe in the office.

"I don't really have fears, but I definitely have anxiety."

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What do you do when you lose your creative juice!?

I keep pushing. There are always millions of great ideas to be had. I'm lucky in that I feel really inspired lately. It's always so nice to be able to design the kinds of things you want to wear yourself. Then you can trust your instincts and have fun.

L: Jessie's mood board at her Soho Offices. photo credit: Sarah Elliott. R: Loeffler Randall's latest and greatest.

What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?

I guess that every job has parts of it that aren't fun, including and maybe even especially when you are the boss. I'm lucky in that I love what I do, but that doesn't mean that I don't have extremely boring or un-fun parts of my job.

I'm lucky in that I love what I do, but that doesn't mean that I don't have extremely boring or un-fun parts of my job.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

That my kids are proud of what I do.

If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?

I honestly can't think of anyone I would trade with. That's a good sign, I guess!

At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?

Haha. I don't think I ever found the confidence! I think everyone is secretly questioning themselves and often unsure lots of the time - I know I am. But the hardest thing for me was starting my company. I was so scared to fail and there was so much pressure on me to succeed. But I'm really grateful that we did take that leap.

What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

I've had lots of great advice over the years. I guess the most important to me is to just be myself, be authentic and stick to my guns, doing what I believe in.

What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?

I don't sing. But I do love to take a bath when I've had a bad day and soak in Aesop soap.

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FASHION LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Fletcher

HITTING ONE MILLION STREAMS.

HITTIN A MILLION STREAMS 

Fletcher is making Fletch happen. 

OK. Terrible Mean Girls spin, but there's nothing terrible about the LA-based musician. Hailing from the East Coast, FLETCHER wrote her first single, 'War Paint,' when she was a junior in college. It HIT BIG on Spotify, and the platform featured her as a Spotify Spotlight Artist. Everything took off from there. 

A proponent of gender non-conformity, the independent musician has shared that she hopes one day her children don't have to "come out," instead coming home and telling their mom who they like, regardless of gender. She's not really into conformity at all and hasn't signed to a label. It's not because there isn't label interest, rather, the musician doesn't feel ready to commit. She's currently comfortable taking matters into her own hands. 

More from FLETCHER below. 

Where do your drive and passion come from?

I've been so fortunate up until this point in my life to have really inspiring women surrounding me. I grew up with an incredibly strong and independent female figure who I am lucky enough to call my mom, she always taught me to never take anyone's shit and instilled in me from a very young age that good things come to good people who work hard and stay humble. I also had a performance professor and vocal coach at NYU who changed my life, her name is Nora York. She passed away last year and it has since left the biggest hole in my heart. I've never met a human more passionate about her craft and because of her, I see the art of performance in such a different light.

You've written songs about exes. What else can we expect from you?

The songs that I've written about exes are really songs about me. It's about the hurt, the heartbreak, and the healing process that takes a really long time. And it's been a way for me to formulate my own closure from a situation I didn't get any. But through the healing process, you learn so much about who you are as an independent individual, the kind of person you want to be, but also the person you don't want to be. You also learn about what you need from a future partner, which is all so important in your self-discovery process. My music really explores a lot of self-discovery and just me talking from the heart about real experiences I've had.

Who are some of your biggest female musical influences?

Right now I'm really inspired by artists who are using their voices for good and ones that aren't afraid to speak about difficult, personal and vulnerable topics. I'm currently inspired by Selena Gomez, Halsey and Dua Lipa.

When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?

I love being the underdog. I've always rooted for the underdog my whole life. It constantly pushes me to keep my head above water and keep going no matter what anyone has to say. No dream is ever too fucking big. I love proving people wrong, it's one of my favorite hobbies.

"No dream is ever too fucking big."

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What is your biggest pet peeve?

Honestly, people who humble-brag is my biggest pet peeve. Like no one cares that you're so #blessed or wants to read novels about how grateful you are for your successes. Let your hard work speak for itself, it doesn't need any explanation. I also can't stand people who sneeze on airplanes and don't cover their mouths. It's like oh great, now we're all breathing in this recycled snotty air.

"Let your hard work speak for itself, it doesn't need any explanation."

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We're seeing so many industries change. What are you excited by in the music biz?

I'm really excited for new voices and equalizing representation of both male and female artists. I'm excited to see which artists will be next to break through the pop ceiling and for the Grammy's this year. I'm also feeling incredibly inspired by all of the women who are speaking up for themselves, with the #MeToo movement and moving towards people taking accountability for their actions. I'm excited by artists like Kesha who are coming forward about their stories and experiences and shifting the conversation for other girls and women to feel safe and empowered to come forward and speak honestly about their experiences. It's an incredible time for women in music right now and I'm so excited by it.

What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?

Meeting new people and having sessions as a songwriter every day of the week with people I'm meeting for the first time can be really emotionally exhausting. It's hard to walk into a room and within a few minutes spill your guts about what's going on in your life that will inspire everyone else in the room enough to want to write a song about it. That's why for my artist project, I try to surround myself with collaborators I feel the most me around.

IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?

“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to." One of my favorite quotes of all time. Originality doesn't exist, but it's how you take that inspiration and turn it into an art form that is authentic to you and you only. We can't reinvent the wheel, nor should we try to. But, no one else can tell your story the way that you can. Rising up in the music industry, fending off sharks, having my heart broken into a million pieces, moving from New York City to Los Angeles by myself, being a young twenty-something trying to navigate sexuality and understanding myself as a human is a story that only I can ever tell.

Rising up in the music industry, fending off sharks, having my heart broken into a million pieces, moving from New York City to Los Angeles by myself, being a young twenty-something trying to navigate sexuality and understanding myself as a human is a story that only I can ever tell.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

I just finished my first ever headlining tour and it was the most rewarding experience I've ever had. Seeing people sing my lyrics back to me in sold-out venues was so surreal and so validating as an artist. I feel most complete when fans are sharing their stories with me and when they tell me that something I shared, really resonated with them or helped with a similar experience they had gone through or are currently going through. After my tour, a fan put together a compilation of thank you videos from different fans around the world, most who weren't able to attend the tour and I balled my eyes out. It's things like that, that remind me why I do what I do and why I love it so much. After I released the "Wasted Youth" music video a lot of young females and queer kids told me how much that video meant to them and that it made them feel more comfortable in their own skin, when really, their reactions to it made me feel so much more comfy in my own too.

If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?

There are a few people I would like to trade jobs with for a day. On a Monday, I'll be Jennifer Lawrence, Tuesday I can be Daniel Ek, the co-founder and CEO of Spotify, Wednesday I'll be Elaine Welteroth, [former] editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue Magazine. These three individuals are really badass people whom I look up to and am inspired by.

At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?

It wasn't so much one specific moment that gave me the confidence, but more so a collection of moments over the last few years of my life. Hitting 1 million streams on Spotify on my first ever single release off my debut EP. Turning down a record label situation that I didn't feel ready for, leaving a manager that was a bad situation, graduating from New York University, having my heart broken, moving to Los Angeles, releasing the "Wasted Youth" video and talking about my sexuality for the first time. These are some of the highs and lows that I feel like have really shaped me into the woman I am today and have given me the confidence to take charge in my career.

What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

It's really simple but the best advice anyone has ever given me is to be kind to myself. I'm going to make mistakes in life, I'm going to do the wrong thing sometimes and make the wrong choice sometimes, but that's okay. It's okay to be vulnerable, it's okay to have bad days and cry a lot if you feel like it. Even if it's for no reason. It really helps me manage my emotions when I remind myself to be kind to myself. You have to love and respect yourself first before anyone else can.

What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?

When I'm asked this on the spot I always freeze up and say "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" but honestly when I've had a bad day, I don't sing. My mom always tells me that she can tell when I'm upset about something because I'm not singing. Whenever I do sing in the shower though, it's usually new song ideas for myself. Is that weird? Let's be real, we all sound our best singing with that natural shower reverb.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE MUSIC LIST CLICK HERE. 


 

 

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Remi Ishizuka

THE RAYY OF SUNSHINE. 

THE RAYY OF SUNSHINE. 

Catch her outside. (Seriously. Remi loves an outdoor workout.)

Fitness and health blogger Remi Ishizuka knows what it’s like to slave away at a day job while hustling to build your own empire.

As a 9-5 interior designer, Ishizuka became completely obsessed with taking the freelance plunge and creating content for her Instagram account @rryayme. And just like that she gave her two weeks notice—the rest is all sculpted ads and smoothies. “If you don’t build your own dream, someone else will hire you to help you build theirs,” advises the go-getting wellness guru.

From winter melon soup recipes to booty challenges, RRAYYME will whip your world into working(out) order.

Name: Remi Ishizuka

Instagram Handle: @rrayyme

You do more before 8am than anyone I know! Where do your drive and passion come from?

I get such a natural high working out first thing in the morning and love the pace that it sets for the rest of the day.

What kind of discipline has working out taught you?

It’s taught me that nothing comes easy but you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Consistency is key and it’s not a race. You can’t build anything (muscles or a business) if you aren’t consistently working hard at it day in and day out.

"You can’t build anything if you aren’t consistently working hard at it day in and day out."

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How did that discipline help you when launching your site?

I knew it was time to branch out and have my own site after building my Instagram for a year. I remember waking up at 4 am one morning with a huge urge to create and launch my site...and I’m so glad I did.

What kind of knowledge to do you hope to impart to your followers?

We all get caught up in our busy schedules and sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. My hope is that we all make time for self-care at least once during the day. Whether it’s scheduling a workout with a friend after work, or waking up 20 minutes early to make yourself a warm matcha latte to enjoy by the window, or taking a bath after a long day- all these little moments adds up and makes you feel good and we all deserve that!

What is your biggest pet peeve?

When someone talks while eating a banana. [ed note: LOL] 

 

What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?

From the surface, creating content may come off easy but the reality is- there are always at least 100 bad photos, hours of brainstorming, planning and usually 5-6 different projects going on simultaneously. It’s a lot of fun but it’s definitely busy and hectic too.

Creating content may come off easy but the reality is- there are always at least 100 bad photos, hours of brainstorming, planning and usually 5-6 different projects going on simultaneously.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

When I receive an email from someone in the military that they’ve come to my blog and found inspiration for resetting, a DM from a girl telling me she sees a brighter future after recovering from an eating disorder. Nothing makes me feel more purposeful than hearing that someone found motivation through me or learned something useful and tried something new. It’s the best!

If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?

I'd love to trade spots with Jack Morris of @doyoutravel and take photos of the world's most gorgeous places.

At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?

I was working my 9-5 at an interior design firm and ALL I could think about was creating content for @rrayyme. I knew I had reached a point where I had to follow my heart and make the jump in order to grow. I quit my stable full-time job shortly after the office cleaning lady asked me, “What are you waiting for, tell your boss you’re quitting next week, JUST DO IT!” ...and just like that I wrote my 2 weeks notice and went for it!

What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

If you don’t build your own dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs.

"If you don’t build your own dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs."

Tweet This.

When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?

I talk it out! I’m so lucky to have friends and family around me that I can trust to lean on and talk through bumps in the road. But at the end of the day, I just trust my gut, stay positive, and move forward.

What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?

"Shake it Off" by Mariah Carey.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE WELLNESS LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Muna

CREATING MUSIC & SAFE SPACE. 

CREATING MUSIC & SAFE SPACE. 

Muna is about to blow up.

Muna is an American electronic pop band consisting of Katie Gavin (lead vocals/production), Josette Maskin (lead guitar), and Naomi McPherson (rhythm guitar/synths/production). They released their synth-pop debut, About U, in Feb of last year to wild acclaim. To point: NPR named their song, 'i know a place,' the top 20 song of 2017 and Harry Styles asked the band to open for him on his first solo world tour. They were, not surprisingly, nervous.

They haven't always played to such massive crowds all over the world. 

They met at USC, where they dorm room jammed and played college parties. But they also made the point to identify as a queer band. Their songs, which are mostly about love and relationships, refrain from using gender pronouns-- like the 'U' in their debut album title. As their crazy touring sched came to an end, Muna took to Twitter to announce that they currently have no shows scheduled for 2018. Writing, "It's time for the three of us to get back to our bedroom turned studio and develop the next phase of this project."   

But music is part of their DNA, one of the ways they make sense of their lives. 

More from Muna below. 

You've had to adjust to playing massive shows, touring with Harry Styles. What has that been like, both personally and as a unit?

It's been a process, and an extension of our bigger journey as a band. We've had moments throughout our career where we've felt we needed to be more than we were - to pose in some way. It always cracks and falls away. In the end we keep on being ourselves. 

What was it like to be profiled in Rolling Stone?

Cool! 

Why is it important for you to be a queer-identifying band?

It's important for us to be ourselves because it allows space for other people to do the same. 

How does pop music fit into the LGBTQ scene?

Like a hand in a sleek leather glove. 

Conversely, how does queer history find a place in your music?

If anything it serves as inspiration and motivation to work as much as we do. We wouldn't have had the same opportunities being who we are ten years ago or fifty years ago, so we feel a sense of duty and privilege because of that. 

What was the music you each turned to for support when you were growing up? (Also, Katie shoutout from us to Shania as well.)

We all liked really different music. Katie mainly chose to write songs when she needed to find peace or comfort. Naomi loved Joni Mitchell but also pop punk and emo bands. Jo liked Incubus and Jeff Buckley. 

Who have been your biggest supporters?

Our families and friends. 

What would you tell your 15-year-old selves?

Can't wait to see you grow. 

For the younger members of our audience who feel like they have to adjust to fit a job... what would you tell them?

You have so much time. Life is something you figure out every day. It's okay to not feel like your job is your passion. It's also okay to quit your job. 

"It's okay to not feel like your job is your passion. It's also okay to quit your job."

Tweet this.  

You're already working on a followup album, what can we expect?

Not telling yet! 

There is a lot of talk about harassment and industry culture. Do you feel stronger as three?

Yes, we talk about this a lot among ourselves. We are so lucky that we are a group and that we are also self-produced and self-sufficient. Nobody can fuck with us. 

Have you ever experienced workplace harassment? Individually or as a band?

Yes. 

Katie, what's your favorite thing about Josette?

Josette is my hero. She is always fearlessly engaged with her environment and the people in it. Her heart is open. 

Josette what's your favorite thing about Naomi?

Naomi is one of the most talented and hardworking people I know. I look at her and remember that if you set your mind to something anything is possible. I also like that she is funny and likes to eat with me.

Naomi what's your favorite thing about Katie?

My favorite thing about Katie is that she has an incredible amount of intellectual and emotional depth (as is demonstrable not only in her songwriting but her interpersonal relationships). She is constantly dedicating herself to a pursuit of knowledge, of self-awareness, and of personal betterment more generally. She’s also super adorable and funny when she first wakes up in the morning and doesn’t have her glasses on or contact lenses in.

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE MUSIC LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Janessa Leone

THE MAD HATTER. 

THE MAD HATTER. 

Janessa Leoné graduated from the University of San Diego in 2009 with a degree in English literature. Shortly after she took a job as a nanny and started studying for the law school admission test. Hello GRE. But then, she hopped on a plane to Paris and her life changed. After stumbling into a thrift store in Paris' Marais neighborhood, she found a black fedora made in the 1940s. 

She bought that hat for ten bucks. Under the headband of the hat she found the milliner's initials, and as fate would have it, he turned out to have the same last name her. 

Now, eight years later, Leoné, 30, is running Janessa Leoné, her eponymous millinery label that sells in more than 450 stores worldwide, including at Barney’s, Nordstrom and at her Culver City, CA brick and mortar shop, opened last year. Chrissy Teigen, Lupita Nyongo and Jessica Alba all rock her creations. Her 2017 revenue was on track to top $3 million. Not bad for an almost lawyer and founder who doesn't have a background in design. 

Read more. 

As a fellow with an English degree- EVERYONE said, what are you gonna do with that? But you've built a brand and a company that is in track to do 3 million in 2017. Can you chat a little about your journey?

After graduating college, I had the intention of going to law school, but didn’t feel like that was necessarily my preferred path or one that inspired me—it was just something I chose without knowing what else to do. What I really wanted to do was create something that was unique to me using my own taste and aesthetic. The original idea was to design clothes, but that wasn’t within my resources or skill set at the time. I wasn’t able to just jump into it. I had always loved hats, so I decided to start there with something more niche that would let me break into the market.

Does your degree work into your career in any way?

It does, a lot actually. I learned to communicate and convey ideas effectively. I have manufacturers all over the world, so being able to communicate clearly and efficiently has been a huge value-add. Going through college in general, regardless of degree, was very helpful. Learning to problem solve, work on a timeline, think critically—all those things have helped me in every aspect of running a business.

I want to talk about the hat you found in the Marais. It was made in the '40s but the design was still relevant. How did timelessness play into the brand from the beginning?

The hat I found was from a thrift shop in the Marais in Paris. My aesthetic, whether it’s clothing or home decor, isn’t period specific. I’m always drawn to things that use timeless and quality materials with colors that are classic and relevant during any era. I’ve always had the goal to design items that you can’t necessarily tie back to a specific time period. I want these things to be able to stand on their own with inherent qualities that exist outside of the time they were made. I’ve never gone the route of design based on trends. I do my best to make things that are classic and elegant beyond the era.

Was there ever a question about what you would call the company?

I always wanted to use my name so that I could to carry on my family’s name.

How did you begin to learn the ropes of the fashion world? You're self-funded. You continue to design yourself. Does it come naturally?

I learned a lot from just internet searches. I wasn’t formally trained in design, so I learned from just doing the actual work, asking questions, and researching. I have a natural interest and inclination towards design and things that are well designed—but the work itself does not come naturally. It requires a lot of space and care in order for the inspiration to come. It takes intentional discipline to make sure there’s an environment and a headspace that can allow ideas to come to fruition. It requires a lot of work, but from what I’ve learned from other people who do creative work, that’s a normal relationship. It’s important to be tuned into your taste continually, so you can always be immersing yourself in all different types of art that cultivates your aesthetic and style.

"I’ve never gone the route of design based on trends."

Tweet this. 

Speaking of being self-funding. In the beginning. You took 5% of $10,000 and spent it on gifting hats to fashion editors, including Hilary Kerr. It ended up paying off big time. Was that a big risk to you?

Yes, it was a huge risk for me at the time. I only had twenty hats in my entire inventory and I gave half of them away. I didn’t have a proper gifting budget, and just had to use my inventory that I had invested in. At the time, that was a big expense. I’m very grateful and appreciative, especially to Hillary, for supporting and helping me at the beginning.

What do you think people crave when they get dressed?

Confidence. They want to feel good. I think people crave pieces that accentuate their lifestyle and let them express themselves without hindering them or making them self-conscious. They want to be made more comfortable and more confident in who they are. Everyone wants to be comfortable in their lifestyle and whatever activity is entailed in that. So it’s about accentuating that lifestyle in a way that makes you look great and feel comfortable but also helps you go about your life without being hindered by what you’re wearing.

People crave pieces that accentuate their lifestyle and let them express themselves. 

What would you call your superpower?

The support of my dad, boyfriend, and team who have not only given advice but have taken an active part in making this business possible every step of the way.

What's been the hardest part of your growth?

Managing the business side and the challenges that come along with that. That requires a lot of knowledge and skillsets that I wasn’t necessarily equipped for and had to learn quickly. There’s still a lot to learn on that side.

What would you tell budding entrepreneurs about the risk/reward of it all?

Spend time finding the part of your work that you’re passionate about and that fulfills you, and let that be what guides you and helps you persevere. The challenges involved and the sacrifices I’ve experienced have been far beyond anything I expected. But what has kept me going is that I love the work and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do something I find fulfilling.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FASHION LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Busy Philipps

BUSY ACCEPTING HERSELF. 

BUSY ACCEPTING HERSELF.

When her career changed, she changed her game.

It's unlikely that you would have ever considered Busy Philipps a "struggling" actor. But when a New Yorker profile on the actress, mom, and not-so-casual baker, came out at the end of 2017, it painted the very colorful Busy in a new light. Namely, that she's been struggling with roles and her career as an actress. "Frustrated with her career in Hollywood, the actor turned her life into a sitcom,' the headline read. She's no longer interested in waiting around, asking for someone else to give her a job. Like many women who are fed up, she's taking matters into her own very capable hands.

Though she says she's always felt like a bit of an outsider, Busy has willingly taken us inside her life. As a result she's gaining traction and attention on Instagram Stories. People tune in because there's no actress facade. Just a woman, mother, wife, and actress (OK and badass baker) learning to lump the ups and downs and love herself in the process. 

More from Busy below.

Name: Busy Philipps

Instagram Handle: @BusyPhilipps

We see this in your IG stories. Everyone talks about how they want to be your BFF. Why do you think it's so hard for people to be themselves?

I don't know, really. I guess fear is probably the over arc-ing thing, right? People are afraid that if they show who they truly are, they won't be accepted, I guess? I've obviously found the opposite to be true. I think the more I've been truly myself publicly, the more I've felt accepted. Sometimes the response to my stories or all of the comments about wanting to be my best friend feel overwhelming but its also incredibly heartening and lovely. Because I do allow myself to be vulnerable on social media, and truly those are the things that people respond to the most.

And at what point did you decide f*ck, it. This is me.

I've always kind of been this way. My whole life. My mom was always quoting Shakespeare to us(my sister and me) "This above all, to thine own self be true" and granted, the character who says it, Polonius is kind of an idiot blowhard but that particular sentiment is amazing. So privately, I've always been this person. And social media, both Twitter and Instagram have allowed my public persona to follow suit in that I have a direct line to fans and friends. Before, I was just relying on journalists with like 200 word articles about me to convey all of my beliefs and thoughts and feelings and the complexities of who I am as a human. And so what you would get would be an incredibly reductive version of my personality like "SHE'S BUBBLY AND FUN!" It's impossible to understand the scope of who someone is when that's all you have to work with. When people tell me they watch my instagram stories like its a tv show, I totally get it. It's why I've always loved being on TV. You have an ability to build characters slowly with nuance and depth in a way that movies have a hard time accomplishing. So now people really feel like they know me. And they do for sure know a lot about me but you know, as with everything, there are obviously some things that I don't share.

Speaking of being "you," you were very outspoken about Brett Ratner and the allegations about him. Is there a reason that accusation in particular drove you to Twitter? (Also, sidebar, "Garbage Human" is one of my favorite things to call men who suck.)

Oh. I guess I just had read the bullshit statement his lawyer put out and it enraged me. I've know Olivia Munn for a long time, and I knew the story of the initial assault and I've known how horrible he was to her and the lies he told about her and it was just like ENOUGH. And then to read this guy has a 450 MILLION dollar deal at Warner Brothers? His movies suck and he's a sexual predator?! The SYSTEM sucks. I don't know. I'm here for everyone coming forward with all the stories, not just in Hollywood but all industries. There's a movement happening and it's important and I hope that it makes a real difference to my daughter's generation. But after the election last year, I know for myself and for a lot of women that I am friends with, there was a real moment of like, Oh. There are so many people who HATE women. I guess I always kind of knew that on some level but it really became apparent how prevalent and deep the misogyny runs in this country after the election. There's a direct link to Trump being elected and women nally feeling like they can speak up and out and loudly about this.

"I read the bullshit statement his lawyer put out and it enraged me."

Tweet this. 

What movie/TV trope garbage are you done seeing?

ugh. I deeply hate the uptight type A tiger mom thing in comedy. So annoying to me and it's always SO ARCH. I've played it and I still hate it. It sucks. Do better.

What's a narrative that you'd love to see explored?

I really loved Lady Bird and I love that it's a coming of age story about a girl and the complexities of her relationship with her mom. Truthfully, I don't know- Lovely and Amazing comes to mind (which I LOVE) but I am interested in more realistic takes on the complexities of mother/daughter/sister relationships.

You've been in the biz a long time. Do you think this post-Weinstein era is a real reckoning? And how will it affect the younger generations of actors and actresses?

I hope it is. I've never seen anything like it and I AM HERE FOR IT. I mean, there are some parts of this job that can get confusing, right? Like so much of being an actress is predicated on the objectification of women. So, especially as a young actress, who wants to work, there's a tendency to sort of resign yourself to 'it is what it is'. You don't question when you get a call from your agents that for your callback, they need you to dress sexier or you got the part but you need to lose 15 pounds. You HAVE TO BE FUCKABLE! Or you know, for instance, in the early 2000's I REALLY didn't want to pose for a men's magazine but I was told by a head of casting that he gets the hot 100 lists earmarked from executives with the actresses they want to be brought in for projects. Which was totally gross and also convinced me I had to do it. So, I hope that we start to see more women in positions of power, more female agents, more women behind the camera, more women writing the stories. That's where we will really succeed for younger generations. That the women are not just there to look good next to the shlub who gets all the funny lines(maybe you get one).

"I hope that we start to see more women in positions of power, more female agents, more women behind the camera, more women writing the stories."

Tweet this. 

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Sometimes loud chewing makes me want to die.

What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?

That every actor feels like the job they currently have is probably the last job they will ever have. That not getting jobs sometimes feels so heartbreaking, you're not sure if you can continue but then you read something and know that you have to try.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

I suppose when people deeply love something I've been in, when it means something special to them, it feels like I'm doing the right thing.

If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?

Can it be Julia Roberts?

At what point in your career did you nd the con dence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?

A year ago.

What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

I already said it. From Shakespeare via my mom Barb Philipps "And this above all to thine own self be true" Also, from Hello, Dolly! "Money is like manure, it should be spread around encouraging young things to grow." Fuck saving all that money- I don't need trust fund kids, I need kids who've had wild experiences and I need my Gucci purse.

What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?

Anything by Tori Amos

When you come up against a dead end, how do you find new roads?

Sometimes taking a step back and giving myself a break works. Sometimes working through it works. I think it's important to be exible and open and to try everything. You don't know where those new roads are! You have to be open to seeing them and if you're hyper focused, it can be di cult. I guess I'm saying, sometimes you have to un focus? That sounds like terrible advice. I don't know. I'm just making this all up as I go along. As we all are. (shrug emoji)

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE ENTERTAINMENT LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Tanesha Awasthi

THE FASHION CURVE BALL.

THE FASHION CURVE BALL

MORE THAN HER BODY.

It's something that most, if not all, women can relate to. 

When Tanesha Awasthi started Girl With Curves in 2011, she paved the way for plus-sized fashion bloggers, stepping out from behind fashion industry constructions. She is a woman with brains, gusto, a champion for the body positive and female empowerment movements, mom (to 4-year-old son and English bulldog), digital influencer, and so much more. Her body may have carved out a place for her in the blogging world, but it's her other more compelling attributes that have staying power.

A well of inspiration to women everywhere, Tanesha challenges women to love their bodies. To love themselves. She believes that self-esteem starts with a healthy sense of realism. And the woman is real.

To point: 2017 was the year of expanding content altogether, covering a wider variety of topics outside of style and beauty that are important to her. She added a Wellness section and a Real Talk column where the blogger vents about things that are bothering her. 

Find out more below. 

In many ways your career through-line is about breaking barriers. First as a WOC in tech and then as a plus-size blogger in a formerly non-inclusive space. Was that always a goal of yours?

Not at all! When I first started GWC it was simply a creative outlet outside my now former career in tech. I never thought it would turn into anything outside of a hobby, let alone a full-blown business. But I did realize pretty quickly that I didn't fit into the "style blogger mold" at the time, in being larger than the majority of women I saw getting attention from magazines. I was happy to know I was different from everyone else by riding the line between straight and plus, because that gave me the option of really standing out in a market that wasn't yet evolved as far as curvy bodies go.

"I was happy to know I was different from everyone else."

Tweet this. 

Would you say that your career in tech prepared you for the fashion space?

In ways I think it did, especially when it comes to organization, project and time management. My business partner and husband has a tech background as well (in software Engineering) and we often find ourselves using knowledge and business practices from our past careers to help take our digital media business forward.

Women struggle with self-confidence. With imposter syndrome. But Girl with Curves is about being unapologetically confident. At what point did you find that self-confidence within?

It took me many years to find it - I certainly didn't start GWC as a confident woman who loved her body or herself inside and out. It's been quite the journey and at times I still think I'm searching to find that confidence within myself at any given moment. GWC allows me to get my daily dose of what I call "friendship-therapy" by talking to women who have either gone through similar experiences as myself or are going through the same experiences as I am at any given time. It's a beautiful thing to find people online from all walks of life whom you can relate to on such a deep level, without even knowing them personally! I think of my audience as a community of friends and I've always had an open line of communication with them about the core values GWC stands for self-confidence, self-love and body acceptance.

GWC stands for self-confidence, self-love and body acceptance.

Can you recall a recent hard day when you had to rely on someone other than yourself to pull it together?

I rely on my husband and sisters a ton, but I often vent about things I'm going through in my #RealTalk column on the blog, which I started just a few months ago as a way to openly vent about any and everything that was on my mind. It's nice hearing from readers who can offer me advice or simply let me know that hearing me talk so openly about an issue puts them at ease in knowing they aren't alone. The last #RealTalk was about the downsides of pregnancy that women often don't discuss. Needless to say, it was a popular topic!

"Ignore the negative what-ifs and go for it."

Tweet this.

What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

Ignore the negative what-ifs and go for it. I've always been an over-analyzer, so ignoring that voice in my head is something I constantly have to overcome, and it was the best advice I got from the CFO (who also became my friend over time) at my former job in tech, who was very supportive of me leaving to pursue blogging full-time.

You're about to give birth to your little girl! How has having a girl changed your approach to parenting? Are there different concerns?

I'm due in 2 weeks! Knowing that I'm having a girl has definitely brought about some anxiety, because girls are treated so unfairly in today's society, along with a whole list of things I went through growing up that most of the women I know also went through, including sexual harassment and discrimination. At the end of the day though, I know all I can do is teach her she can be anyone she wants and accomplish anything she sets her mind to, along with reminding her that her worth is much more than physical appearance.

You also recently launched the Girl with Curves collection exclusively at Dia & Co. What did you learn through that process?

I've always wanted to be a designer, so being able to go through the process with a team of people who believe in my vision and stand for the same values I stand for through GWC was amazing. I can't wait to design more in 2018!

What are you excited for next?

I'm in the process of designing another collection for 2018, as well as continuing to build my team on the digital media side of the business.

What would you consider your superpower?

I have a knack for telling people exactly how to get what they want out of their job, their husbands, whatever it is, I can give some amazing advice that gets results!

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FASHION LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Cara Santana

THE BOLD BEAUTY.

THE BOLD BEAUTY. 

Cara Santana is keeping it real. 

Though she lives her life under a microscope, she's never shied away from speaking her mind, telling her truth, or posting a make-up free shot on her Instagram, which boasts over 820k followers. 

To point: After the most recent Golden Globes weekend, Cara posted a photo showing half of her face "done," and the other half completely make-up free. "It’s a glamorous weekend..but don’t forget, when the make up comes off, we are all the same and every single one of us, just as beautiful. #nofilter #noretouching #truebeauty#beautyexpectations," she captioned the photo

Though the beauty influencer and actress recently bid farewell to The Glam App, an on-demand beauty service she co-founded in 2015, she told her IG followers, "Thank you all for your amazing support and contributions to this incredible journey I have taken. A special debt of gratitude to the amazing team, the fantastic stylists, to all of you who supported the company and the amazing partners." 

 She's a woman who took a risk and launched a very successful biz. Not every actress and influencer has the ability to say that. Nor does every actress and influencer have the ability to say they shaved their head. Yep, Cara's done that too and it helped shaped her relationship to beauty. 

Read more from the bold Cara below. 

Name: Cara Santana

Instagram Handle: @CaraASantana

Being surrounded by an industry that puts such an emphasis on "beauty." What has that word come to mean to you?

Beauty to me is the ability to exude confidence and empowerment.

Do you remember a moment when you first felt beautiful?

When I was 18 years old I shaved my head 5 days before my brother's Bar Mitzvah, much to my mother's chagrin. It was for a project I was doing. It was scary. So much of my femininity and beauty was wrapped up in my appearance and the superficial aspects of my aesthetic. I remember vividly having a moment after I had done it, standing in the mirror at 18 years old and saying to myself this is you - no hair, no make-up, - nothing. Love yourself now or you never will. And I was suddenly empowered and felt beautiful. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate hair or make up - obviously, but I am not hostage to it. My beauty comes from being me.

"Love yourself now or you never will." 

Tweet this. 

How has your relationship to beauty changed as you've gotten older?

It's love/hate. Kidding. Listen, honestly, it's a battle. Your face changes. Some of those changes, I love. For instance, the loss of my baby fat. My cheek bones are in full view. Some of those changes I hate, like fine lines. I just remember that 18-year-old girl in the mirror and tell myself to embrace who I naturally am. And now there is a larger budget on skincare and make up.

Where do your drive and passion come from?

My mom. She taught me the value of hard work, of being a strong, independent woman. She is 60 and still works 80 hours a week. And she never compromised, she has it all - a 38-year-old marriage, 2 awesome kids (lol), a successful career and the respect and admiration of her colleagues. She is perseverant, doesn't conform, and has paved her own way. She would work a full week, be at every family dinner, have date night with my dad, run the Junior League and show up at every extracurricular activity we had. She basically never slept and still doesn't, but I suspect she likes it that way. And I am glad I had that example.

IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated by other people's work?

Knowing who you are and what separates you from everyone else and focusing on that. There is only one you, so be you.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

Candidly, I don't really feel that complete at this moment, which I am okay with. I am 32 and I think it's probably premature to feel complete. I enjoy the struggle, the grind and putting in the work and I feel like I have a lot more of that to do before I feel complete professionally.

I enjoy the struggle, the grind and putting in the work and I feel like I have a lot more of that to do before I feel complete professionally.

If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?

I don't think I could choose a person, but I can say if I wasn't an actress, an influencer and business owner, I'd probably do something in social justice or law.

At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?

You know it's funny, for me the biggest challenge is finding the balance of being a strong assertive woman who is likable and effective. Taking charge isn't important to me, you can lead in a variety of ways, my confidence is built for sure - but the issue for me is really identifying the woman I want to be and how to navigate THIS world in a way I am proud of. It's really been hard for me, I am still figuring it out.

What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?

Take your criticism seriously, but not personally.

When you hit a big bump in the road, how do you find a new road or a detour?

I couldn't answer this question so I asked all the people in my office from my Executive Assistant to my COO and they all said, I just go over the bump, hit the bump, swerve the bump or go straight through it. Apparently, I am not very malleable.

What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?

Eric Clapton's "Pretty Girl". It's my fiancé and I's song and he proposed to me while it was playing. It always makes me smile.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE BEAUTY LIST CLICK HERE. 


 

 

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Create & Cultivate 100, Profiles Arianna Schioldager Create & Cultivate 100, Profiles Arianna Schioldager

Entertainment: Mandy Moore

Crushing on the woman crushing her career. 

This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Entertainment List Here.

Crushing on the woman who's crushing her career. 

On Saturday morning, wearing a blue sweatshirt with the words, "For most of history Anonymous was a woman," across her chest and a pink "pussy" hat, actress Mandy Moore, joined a reported fellow 750,000 women, men, and children at the Women's March in Downtown Los Angeles. 

Though the pop "Candy" songstress turned Golden Globe nominated actress has received accolades for her current work on This Is Us on NBC, this past weekend Moore took the streets as if to say, This, Is ALL of US. "What a way to celebrate the collective energy of so many people unwilling to sit idly by. One for the books," the award nominee wrote on her Instagram. Not what some would expect from a former TRL charter, but crushing career stereotypes is part of her repertoire.

Moore escaped the standard downward spiral of a young-to-fame pop princess. When critics said she was simply “too nice,” she kept working, at times typecast, but steadily building her acting career. Since her debut in role in 2001 as the voice of a Girl Bear Cub in Dr. Doolittle 2, Moore has been cast in over twenty films. She managed to keep her 2015 divorce relatively private. And steers clear of the pomp and circumstance of Hollywood. Maybe it's that angelic smile that keeps her floating above the drama, or the fact that Moore keeps her head as firmly attached to her shoulders as her feet to the ground. “At 32 years old, I feel a comfort in my own skin and a sense of determination in my choices that I thought I had all along but really I had no idea,” the actress admits. "There’s no substitute for time or the wisdom and clarity that comes with it. I’ve been working hard to quit apologizing for things I have no control over or no business apologizing for in the first place.”

Or perhaps it’s the lessons she’s kept tucked in her toolkit from her teen years in a notoriously sexist music industry. “Surround yourself with GOOD people,” she says. “I’m lucky enough to have a stable and supportive foundation when it comes to my family and friends so I’ve always attributed that as being the most critical piece of the puzzle. Beyond that, always, always, always trust your gut. When in doubt, DON’T.” 

"Always, always, always trust your gut. When in doubt, DON’T.” 

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Those women include a stellar squad of empowered women who, Moore says, have “shown me that there’s so much value in learning how to say no, staying true to your vision and finding the courage to take risks.” And her mom, who sent her daughter a pillow the morning of the Globes embroidered with the phrase, “so believed she could so she did.” That she has. 

At present, the low-maintenance performer's risks include making active and bold choices in her life and career, something that wasn’t always the case. “Like a lot of people,” she explains, “I allowed fear to govern my life for a period. I became exceptionally good at making myself and my needs as minuscule as possible as not to disturb other parts of my life. Once I realized that those broken patterns weren’t leading me where I wanted to go, I leaned into the pain, embraced change and started owning my power.” Whether she’s singing, acting, or marching down Broadway, the choices she’s making are her own. 

The industry, and the viewers who turned out in droves to watch This Is Us last fall, are taking notice. With a radical 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a two-season renewal from the network, things are looking sweet for Moore. But she’s not taking any of it for granted. “Having a job that inspires and challenges me as much as this one does is all of the reward I could ask for. Having said that, this is a WHOLE new world to me and it’s equal parts mind-blowing and humbling. I keep reminding myself to be in the moment and that it’s ok to really appreciate it and not write it off too quickly.” 

We suggest taking a similar approach to Moore and her career, wherever that particular march may take her.

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Create & Cultivate 100, Profiles Arianna Schioldager Create & Cultivate 100, Profiles Arianna Schioldager

Food: Hannah Hart

Clear eyes, full Hart. Can't lose. 

This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Food List Here.

Clear Eyes. Full Hart. Can't Lose.

“Do you guys remember when I used to film this on my laptop,” Hannah Hart of My Drunk Kitchen fame asks her YouTube audience of over 4 million subscribers in one of her more recent YouTube videos, “Eggnog? Egg not!”

For those who don’t remember, it’s been over five years since the first episode of My Drunk Kitchen aired in March, 2011. Where a brunette, baby-faced Hannah advised strangers on the internet how to make a grilled cheese sandwich. The video was made as a joke at the request of a friend. It went viral. The hook: she downed a bottle of wine in the process, during which she realized she didn’t have any cheese. 

What Hannah did have were jokes and a whole lot of heart. A silliness and a face that twinkled with a kind of friendly familiarity that the internet needed. People have always bonded over laughter. Hannah became a reason to smile, even though her own life had given her plenty of reasons not to. She never could have imagined that YouTube would be the platform that launched her career and there were dark times in her life. “I called a suicide hotline and the response was so scripted it made me laugh and I kind of just snapped out of it… I was grateful the hotline was there for me, even though the way it saved me may have not been the most conventional.” 

In 2014, Hannah released her parody cookbook, My Drunk Kitchen: A Guide to Eating, Drinking, and Going with Your Gut. It was a New York Times best-seller for five weeks. 

“I wanted to share the lessons I’ve learned in case they were able to help another."

Tweet this. 

In her new memoir, Buffering, released fall 2016, Hannah candidly shares the reality of her upbringing. Heartbreaking and empowering she touches on dealing her sexuality, faith, self-esteem, as well as the struggles of having a schizophrenic mother. In many ways it is a departure from intoxicated, charismatic YouTuber, but it was a journey she needed to take.  

“I wanted to share the lessons I’ve learned in case they were able to help another,” Hannah shares. “Also, I want to start a dialogue about the gaping holes in our mental health system that leave non-violent people who are mentally ill with no options outside of homelessness.” 

In other ways, it’s a natural evolution. She's still sharing, still gathering people, this time in front of pages, instead of a screen. In the book she writes, “I fought against my truth in every move, shadowboxing myself and my subconscious, ducking and swinging.” 

Today, she’s coming out swinging. “She [Hannah's mom] sang us a song about 'never giving up' when we were little. I think that's great advice for people who stop themselves from moving forward in their lives.” And Hannah is moving. She doesn’t know where her career will go, but is trying to stay present and pay attention to the changing media landscape. 

As an advocate for LGBTQ rights and those of mentally disabled community, when asked why now was the right time to share this truth with the world, Hannah says, “I was more afraid of becoming something I'm not. I'm very glad to see that people were willing to accept me as I am.”

Looking to the future, Hannah says she wants to start a foundation to educate people about mental illness as well as teaches family members strategies for communication around mental health. “I am rooting for everyone to find contentment in life,” says Hannah. “This involves making room for others to do so as well, not just ourselves.”

"I am rooting for everyone to find contentment in life."

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What Hannah will have room for in this upcoming year is unclear. With the book and a new six-episode culinary-travelogue series on the Food Network that will incorporate digital and social content, 2017 is gonna have a whole lotta Hart. 

Styling provided by Reservoir LA. Hair and makeup provided by Glamsquad. Photography courtesy of Light Lab and Woodnote Photography.  

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