These Women Speed-Pitched Their Businesses and Won $5K Grants from McDonald's
Last month, we gathered in CHI-town for our Create & Cultivate conference. Apart from hearing inspiring panel discussions, networking with fellow boss ladies, and getting career advice from new mentors, our guests had the ability to pitch their entrepreneurial business ventures to McDonald’s. The McDonald’s mini conference room activation at C&C Chicago was a huge hit amongst our guests, especially the ones who had a pitch ready to take their business to the next level. But why did they pitch their big idea to McDonald’s?
With 90% of McDonald’s restaurants being owned and operated by franchisees, McDonald's runs on entrepreneurial spirit and understands what it takes to build a business. McDonald's brought this spirit to C&C Chicago offering conference guests a $5,000 grant to the business with the strongest pitch providing a clear vision on how these funds would help them achieve the next phase for their dream.
Well, there was a major plot twist at the event when McDonald’s ended up choosing two grant winners—Curve Shop, a seasonal plus-size pop-up consignment sale, and We Are Boss Moms, a platform for working moms to thrive—both amazing business ideas with a strong vision for the future of their companies. We caught up with the winners to learn the ins and outs of what went into their McDonald’s pitch and learned some key advice that any entrepreneurial business woman can use. Ahead, the founders of both businesses tell all.
Curve Shop
Tell us a little about your business…
Curve Shop is a seasonal plus-size pop-up consignment sale that was created out of a need to provide a larger range of sizes at an IRL shopping experience. So many of our plus friends struggled to find their size in stores and usually would end up having to buy multiple sizes online before they’d find something that fit perfectly. What’s left are items they can’t return, a cluttered closet and the shopping process starts all over again as soon as a new outfit is needed. We wanted to put all this hard work to good use, by creating a place where women could shop in a body positive space, where everything is a size 12 and up and items are curated to be flattering because another plus-size stylish babe took the time to find and love each item.
Each of our sales usually has over 50 consigners who tag and price their own items, get to shop the sale before it’s open to the public and make a percentage of every item they sell. We also always partner with a local non-profit and to date have donated over 1,500 pounds of clothing to help women in need. It’s a huge win-win for everyone! We’ve received feedback that many women not only find a whole new wardrobe at 85% less than what they would buy retail, they also make new friends and feel better about their bodies after they leave our sale. One of our favorite comments was from a shopper who said she had never had seen so many items that actually fit her size 16 body in one place before!
What went in to your pitch to McDonald's?
We talked about our vision for Curve Shop ahead of time and decided who would be doing the majority of the talking and who would be answering follow up questions. We made sure to have clear answers on how a sale operates, data we have gathered about our target audience, research on our competitors and personal stories on why we thought a body-positive shopping event is so needed.
What do you plan to do with your $5K grant from McDonald's?
Currently, Curve Shop is only popping up in Madison, WI but we have been wanting to expand for a while. With the grant from McDonald’s we’ll be able to grow to Chicago and Milwaukee in 2019 and then hopefully both the east and west coasts soon after that!
What are the challenges you face as a small business owner?
The biggest challenge we’ve faced owning a small business is that we’re doing something new that we haven’t seen done before. There isn’t a mentor in our field to help us navigate growth and business decisions. So far, running Curve Shop has required a lot of trial and error, learning as we go and pivoting when necessary.
What did you learn from pitching your business in this timed experience?
It’s important to deeply care about and know your business inside and out. It’s stressful to pitch in a time crunch, especially when tricky questions can be asked about your business on the fly. If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it’s so much easier to reply honestly and without stumbling for an answer because you can speak from the heart. In a scenario like the McDonald’s speed pitch that we did, we only had 3 minutes to speak and then 4 minutes for questions. We found it worked best to stick with the “big picture” to get the judges to see our vision. We knew if we came with too many statistics or facts to share we wouldn’t have enough time to say everything and would have left feeling defeated. Instead we did our best to paint a picture of what the Curve Shop experience is and let the judges ask about the specifics. We kept calm and focused on something other than the time ticking away by making eye contact, reading our audience and making a genuine connection.
Where can women go to support your business?
We are on Instagram and Facebook at curveshopconsignment and our website is www.curveshopconsignment.com. We are looking for awesome plus babes to partner with so please reach out if you are interested in a Curve Shop popping up in your city!
We Are Boss Mom
Tell us a little about your non-for-profit…
Modern mothers - who work at home, stay at home, own their own businesses, work in corporate America, etc. - aren’t equipped with resources, support, direction and community after becoming a mom, leading to not knowing or pursuing their purpose, increased guilt and pressure to “do it all.” Moreover, many corporations aren’t offering environments, flexible schedules, benefits or resources to support working moms and thus, women are leaving the workforce. This is a clear problem. Thankfully, some companies have made progress but not fast enough and not significant enough.
This matters because the more women that are supported, specific to their needs and their familiar needs, we see a positive growth to the global economy.
According to Forbes:
28% of the decline was attributed to lack of family-friendly workplace policies
Half of the earnings gap women experience can be made up for with parental leave and childcare policies
In the United States childcare accounts for the single largest household expense in many regions, which leads to decline in workforce participation
The United States is the only developed country without a universal paid parental leave policy
There are thousands of data points pointing to the positive impact every aspect of the world has when women work. When they work well. Not for a paycheck, but for a purpose. We believe that if we can create an ecosystem of tangible programs - on and offline - that directly support mothers, we can make a dent in furthering the global economy. We can keep women in the workplace. We can keep families together. We can redefine what it means to be a working mom, offering purpose that becomes the foundation of furthering growth where it matters most.
WE ARE BOSS MOM (WABM) is a 501c3 non-for-profit platform for working moms to thrive. We are a creative incubator for mothers who work, entrepreneurs, work -at-home-moms, business owners and corporate employees all coming together for a common purpose—workforce development for mothers.
Our focus is to create an open and inspirational place to gather, experiment, and foster connections from a wide-range of disciplines. We share a common desire to drive innovation and support working families by providing opportunities for both organizations to thrive and mothers to contribute to the overall vision of how we rewrite the modern workplace. We’re a movement for a new generation of mothers who are redefining the meaning of work-life balance, parenting and purpose.
WABM’s main objective is to support and actively help 5,000 working moms by 2020 to achieve their potential by defining and living out their purpose. #purposedevelopment
What went in to your pitch to McDonald's?
As an entrepreneur I strive everyday to promote We Are Boss Mom with conviction and excitement towards everyone I meet because it’s my passion. For the past year, I have made it a point to connect with three new people a week with the goal of building genuine connections and learning from individuals who I might not just “run into” within my daily routine. After countless blind conversations and lots of weekly conversations you become good at reading people and clearly identifying your objective and goals in a short amount of time. You really only have about 2 minutes to make an impression.
Even though I knew I had 7 minutes to “pitch”, I made sure that I did not speak more than about half my allotted time to give an opportunity for their questions and feedback. It’s key to always make sure you have time to learn about the person/org you’re “pitching” to and see how you can intertwine their objectives into your own.
Oh, and one more thing. Make sure you’re passionate about your cause! People may not remember everything you say, but they will remember your passion.
What do you plan to do with your $5K grant from McDonald's?
We focus on #purposedevelopment for mothers; leveraging resources from our B2B partners to provide accessibility, education and resources for scaling mother-owned businesses. Boss Mom Mercado focuses on moms who run their own business (side hustles) and we wanted to create a hands-on experience tacking multiple aspects of scaling or growing their online business. The goal is to give local mother-owned businesses the opportunity to experience a brick and mortar location while inspiring the community and encouraging the Shop Small movement supported by progressive retail outlets such as Simon Malls. The top mother-owned retailer that makes the best number of sales combined with bringing the most fans wins a POP UP SHOP location within a Simon Mall.
We just successfully launched the first Boss Mom Mercado in Miami and we are looking to expand this competition nationally. The professional development component of the Boss Mom Mercado is the mandatory Boss Mom Bootcamp that the competing vendors must go through to compete. In this Bootcamp they learn merchandising, retail leasing and marketing techniques; but we wanted to take it a step further and provide hands-on practice with tools and methods available to solve problems using data science. By teaching these mompreneurs the benefits of computer science and data analytics we are providing equal opportunity to learn an important skill which is the largest and fastest growing field and job listing in the U.S. This field, which will reach 2.7 million, is also among the highest paid professionals, with salaries averaging over 113% more than average salaries for all job postings.
To ensure full support among the mothers on this journey, we will provide on-site childcare and tutors to assist during boot camp hours—so that moms can feel supported and assisted during the course. We are excited to announce the expansion for Boss Mom Mercado/ Bootcamp in select cities starting in 2019 thanks to the McDonalds grant.
What did you learn from pitching your business in this timed experience?
I learned to never underestimate yourself, and always show up early! I had a noon time slot for the pitch and when I walked by early to ask a question they had an opening immediately at 10am, so I jumped on the opportunity to get the pitch completed in the morning. I really think it was one of my advantages, I felt fresh and still had energy. I think if I would have waited till my allotted time “during lunch” I might not have had the right amount of energy and spontaneity.
Where can women go to support your business?
So, we made something cool. We made a We Are Boss Mom kinda bag. This limited edition handbag is on pre-order and 100% of proceeds will be going towards taking Boss Mom Mercado nationwide and empowering our Mompreneur community of small business owners. it was never meant to be just a clear bag.
For $45 100% proceeds go to bringing opportunities for working mothers. At WABM we want to make sure that all mothers have a voice and benefit from the programs, data research and relationships we develop. We aim to empower and ignite your Boss Mom spirit. You are a Boss Mom. But together, WE ARE BOSS MOM.
Contact Info:
Website: wearebossmom.com
Email: hello@wearebossmom.com
Instagram: @wearebossmom
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How to Dress Like a Boss at Work This Fall
Business in the front and back.
With today’s office environments featuring a wide range of dress codes from suited up to business casual, selecting an outfit for work each morning can be downright stressful! You want to ensure you look professional but you also want to be able to add your own personal style to your work look—it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds.
JCPenney offers an array of stylish career wear, with on-trend fashions for women of every shape and size, and for jobs of every kind. And if you find yourself heading out to a lot of evening events when the workday is over, JCPenney has you covered with day-to-night pieces to take the stress of switching outfits away.
JCPenney recently joined Create & Cultivate at our Chicago conference, where the retailer showcased trend-forward looks to our attendees from its collection of private brands including Liz Claiborne, Worthington, a.n.a. and Boutique+.
To bring this fashion inspiration to all our readers, we’ve teamed up with the JCPenney once again – this time to share five key looks to take with you to the office this fall. From bold colors, fashion jackets, wide leg pants and even menswear as well as athleisure inspired looks, these trends will work however—and wherever—you work:
Bold Color
Ditch the traditional pantsuit and add a vibrant hue to your closet. Pair a bold power pantsuit with a classic pair of black pumps and strut with confidence as you head to your desk.
The Fashion Jacket
For a casual, yet polished look, pair a patterned blazer with your favorite jeans and add kitten heels into the mix to complete the look.
Menswear
If you’re the type to experiment with your looks, try mixing and matching patterns, texture and color. Menswear-inspired textiles take on a whole new look when mixed with feminine details like a floral or animal-print blouse.
Don’t forget to complete your boss work look with a visit to Sephora inside JCPenney and the Salon by InStyle.
For more stylish work staples, head over to JCPenney.com and shop your favorites. What’s your go-to office look for fall? Let us know in the comments below!
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5 Lessons We Learned from This Beauty Exec at C&C Chicago
Starting with analytics.
As women, we tend to think that we must follow the path that someone set before us, especially when it comes to our careers. This wasn’t the case for Mary Kay Ash, the founder of global beauty empire Mary Kay. When she came face to face with glass ceilings, she went and created her own company so she could structure the ceiling however high she wanted it to be. This is a woman who built her brand in 1963, in her 40s, and turned it into a global empire. Her story is all about being disruptive before the term was so commonly used, and being an innovator who thought ahead of their time. Mary Kay’s Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Julia Simon, joined us at C&C Chicago and dished on how the brand maintains its boss status today, after 55 years in the biz. Ahead, we’ve compiled five impactful takeaways from the conversation that all entrepreneurs and women in business can learn from and kick into gear today.
Use Data to Your Advantage
“The heart of our business for its entirety has been the salesforce. Our independent beauty consultants gain customers, service them, and have been doing so for 55 years. That one-on-one contact brings us analytics. When you get to add the digital tools and technology to that sort of a personal relationship, it just enhances it even more. We get real face to face data and can back that up with the digital analytics.”
Authenticity Is Everything
“Two things that are very important are building trust and building authenticity. Who are you? And do you match what you say with what you do? Do your actions and your words all match? In the world of social media, it’s easy for one thing to take you off on a tangent. If you can stay true to who you are and show that authenticity through everything you do - whether it’s how your beauty consultants treat people or the fabulous products you can present. All of those things come back to the real truth that helps us connect with our customer and form long-standing relationships.”
Disruption is Reconstruction
“I like to call the concept of disruption, reconstruction. There isn't any established brand that wants to stick around that doesn’t constantly evaluate and reevaluate who they are. Figure out what your core values are and stay true to them, but then constantly reconstruct and reevaluate. Ask yourselves, are we on the right path? Have we added the right tools? Are we talking to the right people? Are we engaging people in the way we need to engage them? I love to be around millennials because it makes me constantly educate myself about what’s new and what’s different. I don’t want to be stuck where I was - that won’t get me any further to where I want to be.”
Constantly Evaluate & Reevaluate
“Giving women around the world the opportunity to make money selling these products is really our goal. You can’t do that unless you have products that people really want. How you engage with people differs from market to market, but the one thing that is constant is mobile, digital, social media—all growing globally. We stay relevant because we’re constantly evaluating and reevaluating to ensure that what we’re giving to the marketplace results in a great opportunity for people to make money and great products for people to use.”
Mentors Are Everywhere
“There are mentors all around you. Whenever I go to meet someone, I ask questions. I’ve never really had anyone reject me. Some people are quick about their answers, but for the most part, they are happy to talk to you. There are real mentors all around you, so just have no fear and go out and talk to people.”
Brow Tips and Tricks from Mary Kay
Mary Kay was present on site at C&C Chicago and taught us the must-know tips and tricks for show-stopping brows all day. With brow expert and Mary Kay Global Beauty Ambassador Luis Casco on site, our attendees got tips from the best of the best on how to get a flawless set of arches. Check out some of the key pointers they learned:
For brow products, you always want to start with a color that's one shade lighter than your hair color.
If you have red, silver or gray hair, your brows will look best with an ashy tone. Try a blonde or dark blonde shade to start.
Before applying any product, use the Mary Kay Eyebrow/Eyeliner Brush to brush brows upward, then out toward the tails.
Always make sure that you're applying your brow products onto clean brows for the best results.
When using the Mary Kay Precision Brow Liner, using light, feathery strokes will make your brows look more natural.
When using the Mary Kay Volumizing Brow Tint, apply to the inner sections of the brows last - this is where you want the lightest application.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Let us know in the comments below!
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The Healthy Drink You Should Be Sipping At Your Desk
For a healthy gut and clear mind.
Just like all of you, we know how important office snacks are. In the midst of emails, calls, meetings, and being busy overall, we need something to refuel us and help us power through the day. That 3 pm slump? Yup. That’s not fun for anyone.
And because we love to always throw some logic your way. Here are some facts about taking a break in the middle of your workday to enjoy a little something extra after being at your desk all day.
Snacks bring teams together! A quick snack break can encourage bonding among colleagues.
You and your team will be more focused and productive for the rest of the day.
Breaks are essential for mental clarity, and sipping on a healthy beverage is never a bad idea.
Having healthy snacks available makes employees feel valued and appreciated.
Healthier options can decrease the amount of sick days team members take.
We’ve been highlighting some of our favorite snack options here at C&C, and the team is already a big fan of Health-Ade kombucha and sip on them almost daily.
“Because not all kombucha is created equal.”
What if we told you that your midday pick-me-up can also help your gut and overall health as you sit at your desk? Well, you better believe us. A lot of us gravitate towards snacks that sound great but aren’t always necessarily great for us. That’s where our favorite bubbly beverage comes in to add some fizz, a little bit of sweetness, and a dose of healthy probiotics all around.
Detoxification, energy enhancement, and an immune system boost are just a few benefits of the bubbly probiotic tea. Our healthy snack of the moment is Health-Ade kombucha, which creates some of the best-tasting kombuchas around, with fun, refreshing flavors and Instagrammable packaging to match.
So, why is it so good? Well, Health-Ade brews their kombucha 100% the old-fashioned way, in small 2.5-gallon glass jars to prevent plastic and metal leaching. And those quirky, delicious flavors such as Jalapeño-Kiwi-Cucumber? They’re always flavored with fresh ingredients, including cold-pressed juice from organic produce. Our guts are already happier just thinking about it.
As a team, we’re all about convenience and Health-Ade has made an effort to make employees everywhere happier and healthier with the in-office “kegs”. That’s right, you can easily have kombucha on tap and grab some whenever you’re in the mood for a glass.
For those regular kombucha sippers out there, this is great news because it removes having to purchase your own bottles from the equation! Plus, it’s a great way to experiment with some new flavors that weren’t already on your radar.
Not sure how to get it? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered in that department as well. If you’re interested in getting Health-Ade on tap for you and your coworkers, get in contact with their team to coordinate further.
Happy sipping!
What’s your favorite healthy snack to have at work? Let us know in the comments below!
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Jennifer Hudson's Best Quotes from C&C Chicago 2018
The Chicago native dropped some knowledge.
You've seen her on your TVs, the big screen, heard her albums, her judge's seat on The Voice, and if you were at C&C Chicago this past Saturday, you heard her keynote conversation there. Jennifer Hudson is a multi-faceted powerhouse and we had no doubt that she'd have some killer knowledge to share with our audience. In one big room full of entrepreneurial, creative, badass women, J.Hud ignited the fire in our bellies with her real-talk advice on business, personal growth, and more. Ahead, her best quotes from the night.
“If it’s not worth working hard for, it’s not worth it at all.”
“I don’t do a single thing for money. Everything I do is because I love it.”
“There’s no set formula for success. Success to me is what you love and what YOU value.”
“You can have all the talent in the world, but you need to have a business sense too.”
“If you don’t like something, just change it! You have the power to do that.”
“I always say: I can show you, better than I can tell you.”
“I want my legacy to be for people to see me as a human being and see my heart.”
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