6 Women Share Their Career Struggles
The only way out is through.
photo credit: Brooke Lark
So you can’t ride a horse and drink a cup of coffee at the same time. Neither can we. When it comes to life and career we hold ourselves to tippy-toe top standards. We want to be able to do it all and at the same time too. Newsflash: it’s impossible.
Even the greatest and brightest among us have faced challenges. Like one of our favorite authors and writers Kelly Oxford who once told us she feels like she can’t forge ahead, “every time I have PMS.” The struggle is real, but you’re not alone. Which is why it's all the more important to share these stories, reinforcing the reality that everyone goes through it.
Read through how 6 amazing women mitigate the hard points in their respective careers.
Lauren Conrad on how her relationship to her career has changed:
“I've been able to find more balance in my career over the last few years. There was definitely a point in my life when I took on too much and was burning the candle at both ends. Since then I've learned the value in saying no and learned to delegate. It can be hard to trust others to work on a brand that you spent so much time on, but you can't do it all.”
“I’ve learned the value in saying no and to delegate.”
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Sarah Michelle Gellar on taking a major risk:
“As my career has shifted drastically that has certainly taken some adjustment. At my age it would have been so easy to just stay and continue an already successful career, but instead I took the leap and try something I had never done before. Its been exciting, scary, rewarding and quite the adventure.”
Rachel Bloom on a point in her life where she thought, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’
“I've never fully turned away from the arts, but there were points in college that my self esteem was so low I didn't know if I could make it in this business.”
Kristen Ess on challenges she’s faced:
“The hair industry can be very competitive and sometimes nasty. Other hairdressers/colorists will talk about you as if they know you or circulate gossip and it's a bummer. There were many times when I would hear about something ‘about me’ that was so inaccurate or just plain untrue and I had to learn really early to block that out and know that people who participate in that are just not for me.”
Cleo Wade on a point in her life when she thought, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’
“I think we all have mini moments of that feeling throughout our day. Our brain is constantly second guessing our decisions. I think you know you are doing something great if you have moments of feeling overwhelmed.
“You know you are doing something great if you have moments of feeling overwhelmed.”
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Lauren Paul on the realities of fundraising and non-profits:
“Starting and running a non-pro:t is incredible but when you sign up for this you have to know that it becomes a 24 hour job. It was important for Molly and I to look at the hours we were pouring into Kind Campaign and find a healthy balance between that and our family, friends and personal lives. It was also important to figure out how we could take some of the jobs we were carrying and bring people on board to help lighten the load.
All my sisters out there who work in the non pro:t space know how hard fundraising is. There were many points in the first couple years where we were really struggling to get by financially. We would hold grassroots fundraisers with the occasional sponsor. We made a lot of personal sacrifices as a result. Everything changed a couple years ago when we had a huge fundraiser that raised enough money to make all of our programming free of charge for schools. We are proud to say that all assemblies have been free since 2013!”
Have something you’re struggling with? Share with us in the comments below. It's self-caring.
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Food: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Galit Laibow, Foodstirs
Baking a recipe for success.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Food List Here.
Having a wholesome Foodstirs fight.
“I hope to see more women supporting other women. I have always believed that when women work together we can do anything. So often we are pitted against each other instead of remembering we are a big tribe.” Sarah M. Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Galit Laibow, cofounders of baking startup Foodstirs, are proving they’re as equipped in the startup world as they are in the kitchen. Even better perhaps.
Inspired by their children and the desire for a product that would enable to connect with them in “meaningful, wholesome way,” the two set about reinventing the baking category with organic, clean quick-scratch mixes that taste better than anyone could imagine. “It's no easy feat, but we WILL make it happen!” exclaims Galit.
Working in Hollywood from age Sarah developed a thick skin, but that doesn’t make her immune to the struggles of the startup founder and she says that in the last five years she’s developed an. “My career has shifted drastically,” she says, something “that has certainly taken some adjustment. At my age it would have been so easy to just stay and continue an already successful career, but instead I took the leap and try something I had never done before. It’s been exciting, scary, rewarding and quite the adventure.”
"So often women are pitted against each other instead of remembering we are a big tribe.”
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As for her work wife, partner Galit Laibow, Sarah says, “I am so fortunate to be on this adventure with the best female partner anyone could ever ask for. To stand by someone in the trenches everyday who understands the struggle of working, and being a good and present wife and mother is everything to me.”
Galit feels similarly explaining that she’s been lucky to work alongside people she respects. “Sarah has the most innovative ideas and is the craftiest person I know,” calling her a "powerhouse" she admires.
But Galit doesn’t shy from the fact that conflict is a part of the creative process. "Our brand would never be where it's today if we had agreed with each other 100% of the time," she says. "At the end of the day, we share the same goal: to create a thriving, successful company that embodies key values we can stand behind.”
It’s a healthy approach to their rollercoaster journey. “For every five lows,” says Galit, “there's a high point that makes it all worth it. And it's those challenges that make the success that much sweeter.”
Sarah says she likes to add "for now" to the end of sentences. "To remind myself that whatever struggle I am currently going through will pass.” Elaborating, “You can't ask other people to believe in you, unless you do.”
“You can't ask other people to believe in you, unless you do.”
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Reading is Sarah’s escape. Galit jokes that she doesn't’ have time for anything else. Both admit they’d be totally lost without coffee. “We recently got an espresso machine in the office,” says Galit. “It was a very exciting day!”
Each woman is committed to work, each other, and their families. Sarah’s goal is “to be able to bring Foodstirs worldwide. And while I am doing that, to still have the same amount of time to give to my family.”
“At this point, everyone in our family is Foodstirs-focused,” says Galit. “My daughters serve as our official ‘recipe-testers.’"
It’s a rewind to wholesome that seamlessly incorporates the digital subscription model. “I believe we have a product that is bigger than just baking,” explains Sarah. “It’s about time and experience. It’s about creating memories that last a lifetime.”
BTS: Our #CreateCultivateATL Speaker Dinner with Crown Royal
An exclusive look at our speaker dinner last week.
We can't believe it's almost been a week since we sat down to delicious cocktails from Crown Royal Vanilla and even more delicious convo at our speaker dinner at the W Atlanta in Downtown. Is it possible to FOMO post event? We think so.
So we're throwing it back to a night of "bests." Where Sarah Michelle Gellar called the night's specialty Vanilla Fashioned cocktail the "prettiest drink ever" she's ever seen. Where the Beckerman Twins, Cailli and Sam deemed their personalized monogrammed bags, "the best takeaway ever." (Which, we'd have to agree.) And countless boss ladies from Nicolette Mason to Adrianna Adarme of A Cozy Kitchen and Ingrid Nilsen raised a glass and toasted to being in a room filled with amazing female energy.
The Crown Royal Vanilla Fashioned is "the prettiest drink ever."
- Sarah Michelle Gellar
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Jaclyn Johnson, founder of Create & Cultivate addressed the speakers, telling them that the kick-off dinner is an event that she looks forward to every year. "It is an honor to have each and every one of you here tonight," she said, "and I am so excited for you guys to experience the conference tomorrow."
Click through the gallery below and enjoy the night's cocktail recipe from Crown Royal!
Vanilla Fashioned
1 sugar cube soaked in orange bitters
2oz Crown Royal Vanilla
Frozen flowers
Flamed orange zest
Place the sugar cube in a rocks glass with orange bitters, top with 2oz Crown Royal Vanilla. Once the sugar dissolves you put in your ice (containing frozen edible flowers) and stir! Orange peels are a great garnish (and you can even ignite the citrus oil when you squeeze the peel by a lit match).
Cheers!
Sarah Michelle Gellar Talks Transitioning From Hollywood to Startup Founder
"At the end of the day you want the brand to be bigger than the person."
photo credit: Kelley Raye.
Successful women from different careers who now run a startup.
That’s the story behind Sarah Michelle Gellar and Galit Laiblow co-founders of Foodstirs who took the Create & Cultivate stage this past Saturday in Atlanta to an audience of over 500 attendees. They talked a lot about taking the concept from idea to reality, overcoming doubt, as well as shifting out of their previous roles.
‘Part of being an entrepreneur,” admits Laibow, who ran a successful PR firm or 12 years, “is not being afraid.”
They made the jump after shopping for ingredients for a baking play date with their kids. “Ingredients,” says Gellar, “that had more consonants than vowels.” Thus, Foodstirs was born and switch into roles that hadn’t previously imagined for themselves.
“As an actor I’ve watched my industry change,” Gellar explains. “When I started you were either a movie actress or a television actress or you were serious and you did theater; the three didn’t meet anywhere. Then it changed and people realized you could jump from medium to medium.” She was looking for something else when the opportunity arose. ‘Ways,” she says, “[I] could still innovate and still be creative. Also, I’m a mom now, I have two young kids at young and I don’t want to be working 19 hour days and not see my children.”
“Even when you’re a producer you still have other people to answer to. It’s not necessarily the product you intended to make. What I’ve loved,” she says about her new role as founder, “is that now when we have an idea, what you’re seeing is everything we wanted it to be, because it's up to us and only us. It’s our battle to win. It’s so satisfying in a way I’d never experienced and it’s using my reach and creativity in a new way.”
"What you’re seeing is everything we wanted it to be, because it's up to us and only us."
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As for the partnership Laibow says she was hesitant to partner with a “celebrity.” Having come from the PR world she knew that celebrity doesn’t give a brand a fast-track to success; sometimes it's the opposite. “There are so many celebrities putting their names on things and the consumer is much more savvy. I did have a lot of reservations. I knew that if we did have a celebrity it had to be someone who was really passionate. Sarah and I had many late nights talking about it and she really believed it in. She’s a real co-founder. We both invested our own money and time and we don’t get paid right now.”
“It’s been fascinating,” says Gellar, “you think we would have each just done what we’re good at; it doesn’t work like that. In the beginning there were days when it was just us. Neither of us knew how to HTML code so I went and learned how to HTML code our emails. They were maybe not the best or the most professional, but that’s how you start and that’s how you learning.”
“Fail is the first attempt in learning. I don’t see failure as a bad thing. I see it as exercise. When you exercise,” adds Gellar, “you want to work out until your muscle fails so that it grows bigger and stronger. To me those are the steps in learning. That thought in your head is invaluable.”
"Fail is the first attempt in learning."
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“I always wanted the brand to stand on its own,” Gellar says, “I’m not the face of the brand, but I am the co-founder. At the end of the day you want the brand to be bigger than the person. I don’t want to first thing you think of to be me, I want the first thing you think is ‘Wow! That tastes really good.’”
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Food Intentions: How Sarah Michelle Gellar Went From Hwood to Foodie
The co-founders of Foodstirs are sharing the business of baking.
Food is one powerful force. It's tied to memory. It's hands-on. And it connects people. It's something 1/3 of the Foodstirs co-founders Galit Lebow knows well. "I remember the homemade cinnamon raisin kugel that grandmother would make for us on special holidays," she says. "I remember running into the house and we knew grandma was over. She passed away last year and it’s one of my goals to learn how to make it! I miss the smell."
The other 2/3 of the e-commerce baking company that delivers creative baking kits and mixing to your home are Sarah Michelle Gellar and Gia Russo.
Each woman brings something different to the table of the company that is "reinventing the baking category" and "intends to give consumers an opportunity to be creative and share their experience." We caught up with Foodstirs to talk all things baking and business in anticipation of #CreateCultivateATL where all three will be keynoting in conversation with Self magazine's entertainment director Rebecca Sinn.
Founders and CEOs often talk about the “problem” their company will solve. What “problem” is Foodstirs trying to solve?
Foodstirs is reinventing the baking category. We are offering a clean and green better tasting baking experience that is high quality, tastes amazing, and most importantly is accessible. There is nothing in the marketplace like us that exists right now. We see a huge opportunity to revolutionize the baking aisle and re-traditionalize home baking.
Moreover what is the ‘why’ of your brand?
Most of us are consumed by our digital devices, we're always on and always connected. Yet somehow because of this we often feel disconnected with our loved ones. We are so busy in our everyday lives that we are doing more but experiencing less. We wanted to create a product that gives you that time to spend with your family and friends - connecting, sharing and experiencing. We believe the act of preparing and enjoying food together has incredible power. Foodstirs allows us to connect effortlessly and create meaningful memories.
You were part of Mucker Lab, an accelerator based in Santa Monica. We’ve talked to female entrepreneurs before about the benefits of being in an accelerator. What was your experience?
We have had a great experience. We knew we wanted to launch an e-commerce site with a subscription component but we did not have a tech background. We decided to surround ourselves with e-commerce advisors and investors that could help. Our good friend of ours had been part of Mucker accelerator and recommended we take a meeting. We have a ton of respect for the founders of Mucker capital, Erik Ranalla & Will Hsu. They are smart investors who saw a unique opportunity that was a little out of their wheelhouse. They took a chance on 3 female entrepreneurs with an idea for a baking brand and we will be forever grateful for their early support. They have been super helpful to our business by offering resources, advice and mentorship. We have also met fellow start up founders in the program who are very collaborative. It’s a fun environment.
Why was it the right decision for Foodstirs?
We had big ideas and a big plan that involved an e-commerce subscription business that none of us had experience in. We believed that an accelerator would help guide us through the initial start up process and get us focused on the right things. We have been able to gain access to a network of amazing entrepreneurs and executives who we have built great relationships and have helped us execute more effectively.
"There is nothing in the marketplace like us that exists right now."
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Have you heard of the Rule of Three? It’s a concept in writing that says things that are presented in threes are more interesting, enjoyable, and memorable. Any thoughts on this as it pertains to having three founders?
We all have different strengths that compliment each other. Galit is the operator and visionary, Gia is the product innovator, and Sarah is our brand ambassador and creative officer. We share the same vision and passion. We sometimes agree to disagree but that's what makes it special. We respect each other. I have the best job in the world because we get to work with my close friends.
For female founders looking to raise capital, when you walk into a room of investors what are you thinking? How would you say your first meeting went compared to a later one?
Well first, we usually walk into a room of all male investors and we are 3 females selling a baking mix company. We knew it was going to be a challenge to sell them on this vision but luckily we have found amazing investors who believe in what we are doing and see the opportunity to disrupt a sleepy category. Sarah and I had our first investor meeting at a coffee house back in March and it was a disaster. We didn’t really know what to expect and probably weren’t as prepared as we should have been but it was a great lesson. We keep in contact with the investment fund and recently got a second chance to pitch them as we are currently in the process of raising another round. It was a much better presentation and we all laugh about it now.
With Sarah as the brand ambassador what challenges are you facing? People assume having a celebrity as the face of a company makes it easier, but in what ways is this not the case?
Having a celebrity as part of the start up comes with great advantages but also challenges. We have found that people sometimes don’t believe that Sarah is as involved in the day-to-day. She actually does come into the office everyday and even answers customer service calls. We are focused on producing the highest quality product and best experience. We take pride in what we have created and having an amazing partner who is also a celebrity allows us to amplify our message and get our story out there.
I’m pretty useless in the kitchen, but have a three-year-old and would love to bake with her. Why does Foodstirs make sense for me? Why does it make sense for her?
We created Foodstirs to make it simple and convenient for the modern parent to create a traditional home baking experience with their families and friends. We were inspired by our children and longing for a product that’s high quality made up of simple and delicious ingredients that allows us to spend quality time with family. Our mixes and baking kits are less than 6 easy steps - we call it quick scratch baking.
Among the three, who is the best chef? Who is the worst?
Gia is definitely the best chef, she grew up in an Italian household. She has also written three cookbooks! We go to her house when we want an amazing homemade meal.
What is a meaningful experience you each remember in the kitchen?
Galit: I have three sisters and both my pretend worked full time. We did not spend a lot of time in the kitchen, although we had dinner as a family every night. We had this amazing recipe for a sugar cookie with homemade frosting. Every Valentine’s Day we would make these cookies together - it was one of the few times we did not fight, we just had fun! We would frost, decorate and share them with the neighborhood. They were the best tasting cookies and more importantly, the inspiration for our amazing organic sugar cookie mix and frosting. Now I get to make it with my kids every weekend!
Why do you think there is such a tie between food and good memories?
Food just brings people together - it makes us happy. Everyone has a memory of favorite dish or recipe from when they were young. We hope to provide a product that gives you that opportunity to easily create your own food memories with your family and friends.
Why do each of you want to be a part of Create & Cultivate?
We believe in the power of collaboration and creativity. We believe that creativity leads to innovation. It’s important as women business leaders that we support each other and learn from each other. Our website has tons of recipe inspiration using our base mixes and we encourage our Foodstirs community to share their own. We love looking at the thousands of social posts of customers sharing their creations.