7 WorkParty Podcast Episodes to Binge During Black History Month—Or Any Time
Mic-drop moments, ahead.
Photo: Smith House Photo for Create & Cultivate
intro tk tk
“The brand is bigger than clothing. It’s about just being you.”
—Michelle Cadore, CEO of YES I AM and Co-Owner of DA SPOT NYC
IF YOU WANT TO Leverage your brand to make a difference.
LISTEN TO How Michelle Cadore Is Empowering Women Through Fashion
WHY IT’LL INSPIRE YOU tk https://www.workparty.com/blog/workparty-interview-michelle-cadore
“When you feel worthy of something, you’re not going to compromise.”
—Arian Simone, Co-Founder, The Fearless Fund
IF YOU WANT TO Get funding for your small business.
LISTEN TO How Arian Simone Is Closing the Funding Gap for Women of Color
WHY IT’LL INSPIRE YOU https://www.workparty.com/blog/arian-simone-workparty-podcast-interview
“All you have is your name, your brand, and your intellectual property.”
—Lisa Price, Founder, Carol's Daughter
IF YOU WANT TO Bring cash into your company.
LISTEN TO How to Navigate Bringing on an Investor With the Founder of Carol’s Daughter
WHY IT WILL INSPIRE YOU On this special live episode from the WorkParty book tour, Lisa Price, founder of the natural hair care and beauty brand Carol’s Daughter, drops some serious knowledge about finding the right investor. From seeking seed money to bringing on equity partners, the entrepreneur breaks it all down (and stresses the importance of having the right lawyers and accountants on your team).
“
—Morgan DeBaun, Founder and CEO, Blavity Inc.
IF YOU WANT TO Cultivate an engaged community online.
LISTEN TO How the Founder of Blavity Built a Digital Media Brand Where Everyone Belongs
WHY IT’LL INSPIRE YOU tk https://www.workparty.com/blog/morgan-debaun-blavity-workparty-podcast-interview
“If the VC communities don't fund women entrepreneurs, if they don't fund Black entrepreneurs, they're missing out on perspectives that are fresh, different, and new.”
—Tanya Van Court, CEO & Founder, Goalsetter
IF YOU WANT TO Disrupt an outdated industry.
LISTEN TO How the Founder of Goalsetter Is Disrupting the $127B FinTech Industry
WHY IT’LL INSPIRE YOU tk https://www.workparty.com/blog/workparty-interview-tanya-van-court-goalsetter-interview
“There were an array of white spaces, but Black women and mothers were a second thought.”
—Tika Sumpter, Co-Founder of Sugaberry
IF YOU WANT TO tk
LISTEN TO How Tika Sumpter and Thai Randolph Are Creating a Destination for Modern Moms of Color
WHY IT’LL INSPIRE YOU tk https://www.workparty.com/blog/workparty-interview-tika-sumpter-thai-randolph
“This is a great time for women to lean on each other heavily, support each other, listen to each other, and really try to fight each other’s battles.”
—Phoebe Robinson, Co-Creator of “2 Dope Queens” and Author of “Everything’s Trash But It’s Okay”
IF YOU WANT TO Bounce back after a setback.
LISTEN TO How to Cultivate Resiliency With Phoebe Robinson
WHY IT’LL INSPIRE YOU tk
MORE ON THE BLOG
Podcast- Danielle Dubois
To join the WorkParty click HERE
To connect with Danielle Dubois click HERE
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click HERE
To follow along with GloBoís Regenerative SkinCare click HERE
To follow along with Create & Cultivate click HERE
To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)
SHOW OUR SPONSORS SOME LOVE!
ZOCDOC | Start your search for a top-rated doctor today, many available within 24 hours. Go to Zocdoc.com/PARTY and download the Zocdoc app for FREE.
OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE . . .
How One Woman Used TikTok To Land a Job Promotion
This Black-Owned Company’s CEO Is Disrupting The Beauty Industry
Cass Dimicco On Parallel Pathing Your Personal Brand With Your Business
This Small Business Founder Sold Her Own Company Stock to Fund Her New Venture
Grow On: How to Double Your Revenue With Elyce Arons, Co-Founder and CEO of Frances Valentine
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Doubling your revenue is no easy task.
You need to set well-defined goals, create meaningful connections with your customers, and discover new distribution channels and marketing opportunities.
Which is something that Elyce Arons knows a thing or two about.
In the midst of a pandemic that has pummeled the fashion industry, the former Co-founder of Kate Spade has led the luxury lifestyle brand Frances Valentine to double (!) its revenue.
Needless to say, I can’t wait to chat with Elyce about how she’s grown the brand exponentially, including the old-school marketing strategy she tapped into to increase the brand’s sales by 40% (!).
EPISODE TOPICS
Her Second Act: Building Frances Valentine
Adapting to the New Online Retail Space
Why She Recommends a Mix of DTC, Wholesale & Retail
Why Pop-Ups Are the Best Way to Test New Markets
The Importance of Regional Retail Spaces
How She Doubled Her Revenue During the Pandemic
Where She Puts The Majority of Her Marketing Dollars
What She Pulls Inspiration From In The Design Process
Her Predictions on Major Fashion Industry Shifts
RESOURCES
To connect with Elyce Arons click HERE
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click HERE
To learn more about Frances Valentine click HERE
To follow along with Create & Cultivate click HERE
To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)
LISTEN TO THE EPISODE
OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE . . .
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY . . .
CDC Vaccine • Visit the CDC website CDC.gov for additional information you can trust about how COVID-19 vaccines can protect your entire family.
Shopify • Go to shopify.com/party for a FREE 14-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features.
L.A.-Based Restaurateur Marissa Hermer on How the Restaurant Industry Rebounds Post-COVID
This week, on WorkParty.
Photo: Courtesy of Marissa Hermer
Listen to the full episode here.
No industry was hit harder by the COVID crisis than the restaurant industry. More than 110,000 restaurants closed last year, either temporarily or for good, and more than 2.5 million restaurant industry jobs disappeared.
But, despite the devastating stats, restaurants have shown creativity and resilience throughout the pandemic, adapting to ever-changing mandates in order to keep both their patrons and staff safe.
And Marissa Hermer’s establishments are no exception.
The Los Angeles-based restaurateur and co-owner of the Boujis Group has successfully pivoted every step of the way, ensuring her restaurants, the Olivetta and The Draycott, not only survive but thrive.
In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson chats with the restauranteur about how she’s seeing her restaurants through this challenging time and what she believes the future holds for the restaurant industry in 2021 and beyond.
Subscribe to WorkParty
and never miss an episode.
On running a restaurant during a pandemic…
“Every single thing about our business had to change.”
On giving back to the community during COVID…
“We created a program called you give, we cook, they eat.”
“It started it out because I have a girlfriend who works in Cedar Sinai Hospital and she said, ‘I'm so tired at the end of the day I can't even make myself lunch.’”
On loving food and being passionate about feeding people…
“Food is fuel but it's also one of my biggest joys in life.”
On the business of the restaurant and hospitality industry…
“It's a business. It's not fun and fabulous, and if you're going into this to wine and dine your friends and hold court seven nights a week, you are going to fail.”
“It's like any business, you need more money than you think you ever will.”
On taking the plunge and starting a restaurant in Los Angeles…
"When I was a kid, my dad's motto was always, which I've now taken on for better for worse, is ready, fire, aim."
On being business partners with her husband…
“We wear different hats in the business and we stay in our lanes, mostly.”
On the advice she’d give to her younger self…
“If you prepare for the worst and hope for the best, then you're going to be okay.”
Keep the WorkParty Going By
Supporting Our Sponsors
Get $10 cashback on your first transaction of $20 or more with PayPal.
WorkParty listeners can get 30% off their Betabrand orders today!
Want beautiful bombshell waves? To order, just go to Conair and search waver.
MORE ON THE BLOG
“Take Smart Money”—How Annie Lawless Scaled Lawless Beauty Into a Wildly Successful Second Business
This week, on WorkParty.
Photo: Courtesy of Annie Lawless
Listen to the full episode here.
Starting a business is no easy feat. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20% of businesses fail by the first year, and 50% close by the fifth. So the odds of starting one successful business—let alone two—are stacked against you. But defying the odds is something that today’s WorkParty guest, Annie Lawless, knows a thing or two about.
In 2012, Annie launched her first company, the cold-pressed juice brand Suja Juice, which she scaled into such a success that Coca-Cola and Goldman Sachs each bought multi-million-dollar stakes (!). And now her second business, the clean beauty brand Lawless Beauty, is on a similar trajectory. The band doubled its sales as of October 2020 and is on track to double its overall sales in 2021.
In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn chats with Annie all about how she started her wildly successful second business, how she formulated a strategic exit strategy from her first company, and so much more! Scroll on to tune into the full episode and get a sneak peek of just a few of the many, many highlights.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On launching a business…
“Starting a business is the most time and work-intensive endeavor you can undertake.”
On bringing in capital from outside investors…
“Once you start bringing capital in from outside investors, you also start bringing in a lot of other viewpoints, perspective, control.”
“You can get money from a lot of places, but you really want someone to understand your business and bring you the tools and resources to help take it to the next level beyond just the capital.”
On the importance of making strategic new hires…
“Finding those key great people is one of the hardest things about having and scaling a business.”
On the challenges of being an entrepreneur…
“There are going to be some really high highs and really low lows of being an entrepreneur, so you need to trust that everything is going to work.”
On pushing through the hard times…
“On the other side of the hard times is going to be such a big reward for what you've created if you really weather the storms.”
On the best career advice she’s ever received…
“Don't sit on the sidelines of life. You have to get off the bench and play in order to potentially win.”
Keep the WorkParty Going By
Supporting Our Sponsors
MZ Wallace is offering WorkParty listeners 15% off your first purchase.
Coors Pure is the perfect beer to celebrate the wins of everyday life. So, when you want to enjoy a beer, reach for Coors Pure. It’s organic, but chill about it.
Joybird is offering WorkParty listeners 30% off your purchase! Time to give your space a refresh with so many custom furniture and home decor pieces right at your finger tips!
MORE ON THE BLOG
How Shenae Grimes and AnnaLynne McCord Balance Being BFFs and Biz Partners
This week on WorkParty, the co-hosts of "Unzipped" don't hold back.
Photo: Courtesy of Shenae Grimes & AnnaLynne McCord
Listen to the full episode here.
Going into business with a friend can be an incredible experience, but it can also be a real challenge. You need to ensure your values, goals, and work ethics align.
So, how do you make it work with your bestie? How do you maintain healthy boundaries between being friends and being business partners? How do you navigate creative differences and make sure both of your opinions are heard?
To talk about what it really takes to go into business with a friend, Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate and host of the “WorkParty” podcast, chatted with Shenae Grimes and AnnaLynne McCord on this week’s episode of “WorkParty.”
Although Shenae and AnnaLynne played fictional best friends on the CW show “90210,” today, they’re real-life besties and co-hosts of the podcast “Unzipped” where they talk about everything from friendship and parenting to pop culture and social issues.
On the “WorkParty” podcast, Jaclyn asked these BFFs turned business partners what it’s like to navigate the friend-business-partner relationship, why they decided to launch a podcast, and so much more. Listen to the full episode here.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On starting a podcast together…
“We like people's stories. We like having in-depth conversations. We like questioning ourselves, we like questioning other people, and we're not afraid to quote-unquote go there.” — Shenae Grimes
On finding value outside of your career…
“You can be rich in life and not be the richest and most famous.” — Shenae Grimes
On being an advocate for children…
“I want to be a part of creating a world where we don't see the number of child suicides that we're seeing right now. For example, children as young as eight and nine years old, are killing themselves.” — AnnaLynne McCord
On prioritizing a career with work-life balance…
“Ultimately, what led me down wanting to get into the content creation thing and veer away from acting was the freedom to work from home, so that I could physically be present with my family instead of on a set for 16 hours a day.” — Shenae Grimes
On balancing friendship and business…
"This is business. If there's a decision that needs to be made, this is not about your heart or your feelings, this is about money." — AnnaLynne McCord
Keep the WorkParty Going By
Supporting Our Sponsors
MZ Wallace is offering WorkParty listeners 15% off your first purchase.
Level up your small business by going to JustWorks.
MORE ON THE BLOG
“Save Aggressively”—How Samara Walker Bootstrapped Her Business While Working 9-to-5 at Amazon
This week, on WorkParty.
Photo: Courtesy of Samara Walker
Listen to the full episode here.
Side hustles are on the rise.
According to a recent survey, as many as one in four Americans are planning on starting a side hustle in 2021. On top of the 34% of people who have already started a side hustle venture this year.
But starting a side-hustle while working a 9-to-5 isn't easy. It takes determination, drive, and passion. Which is something that today’s WorkParty guest, Samara Walker, knows a thing or two about.
Samara started the luxury nail polish brand Àuda.B while working full-time as a senior financial analyst at Amazon after noticing that women of color aren’t often represented within luxury beauty.
And, thankfully, major retailers have taken notice, too. Earlier this year, Àuda.B launched at Nordstrom, becoming the first Black-owned polish brand to be sold by the retailer. (Which is incredible!)
On this episode of WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johnson chats with Samara all about how she went from full-time employee to full-time entrepreneur, and how she’s pushing the beauty industry forward in the process.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On self-funding Àuda.B through her Amazon paycheck…
“I created a direct deposit that went to my business bank account, so every time I got paid that was the money that I automatically put aside for Àuda.B.”
On building a network…
“Build your network. Ask questions. No question is a stupid question.”
“Always have some type of intimate circle and never be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and ask things that you don't know about.”
On the pros and cons of bootstrapping a business…
“The pros are your hundred percent hands-on and you have the ability to learn from the ground up.”
“It allows you to see your business at full scale because you have your hands in the pot on everything.”
"One of the cons is you're not able to scale as quickly as possible, and the lack of resources. Not only are investors money, but they also come with tons of knowledge and resources."
On being the best version of yourself as a founder…
“Be the best person that you can be right now.”
“You're going to grow and develop over time, but don't try to go from one to 10 because you're going to miss all those phases of your life and all those phases of growth that your company that you could have learned from.”
“Failures are successes.”
On the best career advice she’s ever received…
"Dreams are real, but the hustle sold separately."
On the money advice she always gives to entrepreneurs…
“Save aggressively. Save as if your life depended on it.”
Photo: Courtesy of Àuda.B
Keep the WorkParty Going By
Supporting Our Sponsors
Get started today at Stitch Fix and you’ll get 25% off.
Get beautiful bombshell waves with the Conair Double Ceramic Waver.
Listen to Armchair Expert for FREE exclusively on Spotify.
Enjoy 30% off all your favorite BetaBrand styles.
MORE ON THE BLOG
Monique Rodriguez on Building a Multi-Million Dollar Business (and Having Megan Thee Stallion on Speed Dial, NBD)
“Success is not owned, it’s rented—and rent is due every day.”
Photo: Courtesy of Monique Rodriguez
Monique Rodriguez knows a thing or two about scaling a business.
In 2014, she started mixing up homemade haircare solutions in her kitchen. Now—cut to 2021—and her brand, Mielle Organics, has grown into a multi-million-dollar company with products sold in over 100,000 major retailers, including Target, Walgreens, and CVS.
And, earlier this year, Monique secured a “significant investment” for Mielle Organics from Berkshire, which typically makes equity investments of $100 million to $1 billion in size. Needless to say, it’s a huge deal. But it’s not just about turning a profit for Monique.
She’s paying it forward with her More Than a Strand philanthropic initiative, which includes $200,000 in scholarships for HBCU students and $1 million for the brand’s Global Education and Entrepreneurship Program in partnership with Rutgers University and the Newark Business Hub.
This week on WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johnson chats with Monique about how she scaled her business from self-made to shelf space and how she’s paying it forward to fellow entrepreneurs along the way.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On growing with the business…
“We grew with the company and we had to pay a lot of money and make a lot of mistakes in order for us to learn from those mistakes.”
On securing funding…
“Funding is a huge challenge, especially for a Black-owned business going into the retail space. You're competing with conglomerate brands that have way more marketing dollars than you have as a small Black-owned business.”
“We had to really fight for our shelf space, and we really had to prove that we deserve to be there.”
On landing an investment from Berkshire Partners…
“It truly defined how we are changing the narrative for Black women. This deal means so much more than just the figure behind it, it paves the way and it shows the value that we as Black women bring to the table.”
“[Black women] build great businesses, but sometimes we're not afforded the same opportunity as our counterparts to scale our businesses.“
“[Black women] don't have to give away our majority stake and we don't have to have our company acquired, we can still maintain that destiny and have majority ownership and still make the decisions we need to make in order to scale.”
On enlisting A-list brand ambassadors like Saweetie and Megan Thee Stallion to reach new consumers…
“Working with big names is great, but if you don't have a relationship or a connection with them, they'll get paid and they'll treat your brand like it's nothing.”
“I have most of my celeb ambassadors on speed dial.”
On paying it forward to the next generation of entrepreneurs…
“The seeds that we plant today are for the next generation to blossom.”
On building a profitable business…
“In order to build a profitable company, you have to know everything there is to know about your business and your spend, your cost of goods. You need to be looking at your P&L sheet, your financials.”
On building generational wealth…
“When you build something great that's profitable, you have leverage and you have the ability to pretty much dictate what you require in order for somebody to acquire your business or for somebody to buy a portion of your company and that can set you up for many generations to come.”
On uplifting her community…
“Continuing to uplift and raise our community as we continue to climb this ladder of success is ultimately you know what truly drives me.”
On her definition of success…
“Success is not owned, it’s rented—and rent is due every day.”
Keep the WorkParty Going By
Supporting Our Sponsors
Give your closet the summer refresh it deserves with 25% off Stitch Fix.
Looking to make the switch to a balanced and healthy lifestyle, without losing all the
enjoyment? Celebrate the small wins of everyday life with a Coors Pure.
Freshly is offering our listeners $40 off your first two orders!
MORE ON THE BLOG
“If I'm Going to Be Promoting Health and Well-Being, Why Would I Not Talk About My Own Personal Journey?”
Ashley Tisdale on opening up about her experience with anxiety and depression, launching Frenshe, and more.
Photo: Courtesy of Ashley Tisdale
Listen to the full episode here.
Ashley Tisdale has starred in wildly popular shows and TV movies, playing every character from an enterprising teen as Maddie Fitzpatrick in “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” to a scene-stealing antagonist as Sharpay Evans in “High School Musical.”
But now, she’s stepping into a new role as a health and wellness industry trailblazer.
As the founder of the health, wellness, and beauty site, Frenshe, she’s disrupting a saturated content market by rejecting unattainable beauty standards, confronting mental health stigmas, and opening up about her own self-love journey.
On this week’s episode of WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johson chats with Ashley Tisdale about launching Frenshe, her experience with anxiety and depression, and more.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On cultivating a genuine community online…
“You can't create an authentic audience unless you are authentic yourself.”
On opening up about her experience with anxiety and depression…
“If I'm going to be promoting health and well-being, why would I not talk about my own personal journey?”
On navigating missteps and mistakes…
“Yes, sometimes you fail, but it's how you get back up.”
“It's horrible and you feel such a failure, but you don't know where that moment is going to lead you to.”
On loving yourself and combating body-shaming…
“When you can love yourself is when you can love another.”
“If we can start to really love ourselves and our bodies, maybe we won’t be so judgmental over other’s bodies.”
On launching during COVID…
“It was kind of the weirdest timing launching in this moment, but in a moment where we're isolated and we want so badly to connect, I just felt like it was the perfect time.”
On defining success…
“I think of success as being everything as a whole, your family life, your personal life, what you do. It's not about numbers and judging yourself based on what works and doesn't work.”
On switching to a non-toxic lifestyle…
“The only way to change to non-toxic is to know it's a lifestyle, not a diet, and so it's never good to just jump all the way in.”
On her best advice for new entrepreneurs…
“Think of yourself as a start-up until you're not.”
"You're Going to Want to Quit 100 Times"—Julianne Hough Gets Real About Being an Entrepreneur
This week, on WorkParty.
Photo: Courtesy of Julianne Hough
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE.
Julianne Hough is the epitome of a multi-hyphenate.
She's an actress, dancer, singer-songwriter, and producer. Not to mention, a serial entrepreneur who's taking on the health and wellness space—and generating multiple revenue streams in the process.
Last year, she launched her innovative fitness platform KINRGY (with a little help from Oprah, no big deal!). And she recently started a wine brand with her BFF-turned-business-partner Nina Dobrev.
All this to say, Julianne has experience when it comes to pursuing her passions, managing her money and businesses, and inspiring others to chase their dreams along the way.
This week on the WorkParty podcast, host Jaclyn Johnson dives into the incredible career of this successful multi-hyphenate and her multiple revenue streams.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On having a vision and being flexible…
“Have a vision and go for it, but be flexible and malleable because you never know what's going to happen—and that's where the magic happens.”
On breaking through in a competitive industry…
“The more other people innovate, the more you innovate. I don't look at it as competition, I look at it as colleagues and peers that are creating.”
On being a multihyphenate…
“Know your strengths and know your weaknesses. Know what you're good at and like live in that place. Don't try to do everything.”
“Wherever your focus goes, energy flows.”
On starting a business…
“There's a lot of sacrifice that's involved and the reward is there when you realize that you're impacting people's lives.”
"You're going to want to quit 100 times, maybe 101. It's inevitable because you'll sometimes feel like, 'Is this all worth it?' I'm exhausted. But then you get these kernels of inspiration and it keeps you going."
“You don't even have to sell your company, but have an exit strategy.”
On the #1 piece of advice she’d give her younger self…
“Make sure that you're happy and that it's not taking and stripping you have your happiness, but that it's fueling and adding to it.”
MORE ON THE BLOG
How to Build a Subscribe-Worthy Podcast With Olivia Perez, Host of Friend of a Friend
Listen up.
Photo: Courtesy of Olivia Perez
Podcasts are the hottest content medium of the moment. In 2021, people have already spent 15 billion hours listening to podcasts—and their popularity doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. By 2024, it’s estimated there will be 100 million podcast listeners in the United States.
With over 20% of people listening to podcasts on a weekly basis, podcasts pose a huge opportunity for content creators to reach a massive, highly engaged audience. Not to mention, a sizable revenue opportunity: In 2019, podcast advertising revenue reached over $708 million.
So, how do you build a podcast that attracts loyal listeners? How do you turn those 45-minute conversations into revenue streams? And how do you decide when to follow the metrics and when to follow your gut when curating guests and episode topics?
Thankfully, we had Olivia Perez—the host of the podcast “Friend of a Friend,” a weekly talk show where she interviews the next generation of luminaries like Maggie Rogers, Bella Hadid, and Symone Sanders—on the latest episode of WorkParty to help answer these questions.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On building a supportive team…
“You can’t do it all yourself.”
“Building a team, investing in people, and outsourcing things I’m not good at, have been the most important thing that have helped me continue to grow.”
On not getting distracted by the competition…
“If I impact one person, I’m thrilled about that and I’m excited about that.”
“My mantra has always been, ‘Keep your blinders on.’”
“If you stay true to your authentic self, your brand, and your mission, that’s what’s going to propel you forward.”
On navigating interviews that don’t go as planned…
“Part of being an interviewer is being quick on your feet and not being precious about anything.”
On turning a podcast into a revenue stream…
“It took me about a year and a half to get a steady flow of advertisers in.”
On playing the long game…
“Podcasting is a long game. You’re not going to wake up one morning and have millions of downloads.”
“If you’re persistent and you’re ambitious about it and you’re ready to ride it out, it will reward you.”
MORE ON THE BLOG
79% of Women Are Feeling Weighed Down by Money and Stress—The Millennial Money Expert Is Here to Help
On the WorkParty podcast, Tonya Rapley shares her top money tips.
Photo: Courtesy of Tonya Rapley
One year into the COVID-19 crisis, women are more financially stressed than ever.
Studies have shown that women typically suffer from more money stress than men, but the coronavirus pandemic has put even more of a strain on women. In fact, a recent survey by Fidelity Investments revealed 79% of women are feeling weighed down by money and stress, which is up from 67% last fall.
To talk about practical ways to take control of your finances, manage your money anxiety, and make smart money moves during these trying and stressful times, Jaclyn Johnson sat down with Tonya Rapley, a.k.a “The Millennial Money Expert” and founder of My Fab Finance, on this episode of WorkParty.
Tonya has completely changed the game, turning the once stuffy financial industry into a fun, familiar, and, dare I say, cool space. She’s been named the “New Face of Wealth Building” by Black Enterprise magazine, lauded as a modern “history maker,” and honored on Create & Cultivate’s CC100 List.
Scroll on to tune into the episode (and grab a pen because Tonya drops some serious knowledge!) and read on for just a few of the many, many mic-drop moments.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On setting your financial goals…
“Your financial goals should be based on what’s most important to you. Is it important to you to retire early and travel the world? Is it important for you to continue to work and build passive income and then retire? What’s most important to you?”
On assessing your unique financial situation…
“A lot of people want to do things the ‘right’ way because they’re afraid of doing things the wrong way, but right looks so different for so many people.”
On managing COVID-induced money anxiety...
“First, we have to question where that anxiety comes from and if it’s own or if it’s external or environmentally induced anxiety when it comes to our finances.”
“A lot of times it’s helpful to just go sit and look at the numbers. Sit down and look at your bank account, look at your expenses. Really face the numbers.”
On leaning on your support system…
“If you are dealing with things like a loss of income, then really lean on your support network. Be honest and transparent and ask for what you need.”
“Ask for what you need and don’t be ashamed to do it because everyone has seasons when they need support and help.”
“No one is going to judge you for what you’re going through. It’s a collective experience.”
On investing your money as a beginner…
“Start small. Use that money to learn. Don’t put it all in one place at one time and don’t go out and buy what is trending, such as Game Stop.”
“Don’t be afraid to hire someone else to do it. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it on your own or if you don’t have the space to learn.”
On her top three money tips for WorkParty listeners…
“Make sure that you’re saving. You always want to make sure you’re saving so you can be your own emergency fund.”
“Don’t overcomplicate your finances. Start with what’s simple and try to keep things simple for as long as possible.”
“If you don’t know how to do it, find someone who does.”
MORE ON THE BLOG
Jamie Kern Lima Shares Her #1 Piece of Advice for Overcoming Rejection
Her success is a testament to why you should never take “no” for an answer.
Photo: Courtesy of Jamie Kern Lima
It’s not easy to cope with rejection. No matter how many times you hear “no,” it never gets any easier to swallow. But learning how to deal with and overcome rejection is essential if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur. And nobody knows this better than IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima. Before the ubiquitous beauty brand became the household name that it is today, Jamie pitched IT Cosmetics to retailers for three years (!) before she got a “yes.”
And it’s safe to say her persistence has paid off. Today, IT Cosmetics has over 1,000 employees and is one of the largest makeup brands in the country, not to mention one of the top-selling brands at Sephora, ULTA, and QVC. And Jamie has been named on the 2020 Forbes Richest Self-Made Women list, Goldman Sachs’ 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs, and WWD’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Beauty. Essentially, her success is a testament to why you should never take “no” for an answer.
In this episode of WorkParty, host Jaclyn Johnson sits down with Jamie to chat about how she cultivated confidence in the face of rejection, overcame self-doubt, and built a veritable beauty empire.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On launching IT Cosmetics…
“I knew nobody in the beauty industry, and I knew nothing about how to start and scale a makeup company.”
“My husband and I wrote the business plan for IT Cosmetics on our honeymoon flight. Got back, quit our jobs, and dove all in.”
On facing rejection…
“The first three years of the brand were really hard.”
“I would send products to Sephora, Ulta, QVC, and the department stores and every single one of them said ‘no.’”
“I couldn’t afford to pay myself for the first three years and we got down to under $1,000 in our personal and business bank account.”
On IT Cosmetics becoming the #1 luxury makeup brand in the U.S.…
“This company that I created in my living room with close to no money is now larger than all of those brands that I used to save my Denny’s tip money to buy.”
On tuning out the noise…
“There is so much noise all around us, from our own self-doubt and our own inner critic to other people’s opinions.”
“The dial of the volume is so loud that we don’t know how to hear our own gut anymore and we second guess it.”
On coping with the “no’s”…
“Our humanness wants to take it personally when someone tells us that we’re not the right fit or your vision isn’t going to work.”
“No matter what kind of rejection I got, I made the decision not to take it personally.”
On believing in yourself…
“Learning to believe in yourself and trust yourself are the only ways to become the person you’re born to be.”
MORE ON THE BLOG
This Beauty Entrepreneur Is Changing the Industry With an Accessible Under-$15 Brand
This week on the WorkParty podcast.
Photo: Courtesy of Colette Laxton
Any investment in knowledge pays interest, even (and especially) when it comes to the beauty industry. With so many brands available in a highly competitive market, how do consumers see through the marketing clutter and educate themselves in order to make informed purchasing decisions? Thankfully, The INKEY List is imparting the beauty of knowledge to their ever-growing community.
Founded by Colette Laxton and Mark Curry in 2018, The INKEY List is the ultimate affordable, accessible, transparent, and efficacious skincare brand, born from a belief that better knowledge powers better decisions. Frustrated by the lack of transparency and education in the skincare industry, Colette and Mark saw a clear gap in the market for a skincare brand that actually informed their customers about what they were buying. Having seen platforms full of communities that were turning to each other through the confusion about products, ingredients, and what brands were telling them, they knew that knowledge needed to be at the heart of their business.
In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn sits down with Colette to dive into The INKEY List’s information-driven mission and the challenges of creating a beauty brand while simultaneously educating their customer.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On having a co-founder…
“It blows my mind that people have companies on their own. Having a co-founder to scream at, to cry with, to celebrate with, I honestly commend and I’m in awe of anyone who can do it on their own.”
“This is more than a marriage we’re talking about because this is your future, this is your finances, this is your life. Having someone you can 100% trust is the cornerstone of any co-founder relationship.”
On democratizing skincare…
“The single-ingredient products were driven by this idea of democratizing skincare and making it as simple as possible for everyone to understand, but if you want to make it accessible to everyone, then the price needs to be accessible too.”
“To create every product under $15 has been crazy hard to do, but it’s also a challenge from a customer perception perspective. Teaching consumers that you don’t have to pay $50 for a serum is actually the biggest challenge that we face.”
On breaking into a competitive industry…
“It’s not about what you do, it’s about why you do it, and we so clear from the outset about what our brand’s superpower are: knowledge and education.”
“As an entrepreneur, if you can find a point of difference, start with “why” and really understand what you’re doing and why.”
On launching at Sephora…
“We launched with Sephora in the U.S. within six months of our brand launch. We didn’t even have a warehouse in the U.S., and we had to take on extra funding in order to afford the stock to support Sephora.”
“We were scrambling behind the scenes and had no idea how Sephora worked. They were talking about endcaps and fixturization, and we were nodding and smiling, then Googling what to do.”
On navigating tough times…
“People are going to tell you you’re idea is rubbish or it’s never going to work, just stay in the game. Keep that passion that you’ve got inside you and just stay in the game.”
On being an entrepreneur…
“You literally give up your life. There’s no part-time entrepreneur, and I would say I’ve definitely given up three years of my life. It looks really cute and fun, but it is so much hard work.”
MORE ON THE BLOG
How Journalist Noor Tagouri Became a Voice of Our Generation
On WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson chats with the award-winning journalist about her impressive career.
Photo: Smith House Photo for Create & Cultivate
Noor Tagouri has the eyes and ears of our generation at her fingertips. At only 27 years old, the Libyan-American journalist, producer, and touring speaker has earned international recognition as one of new media’s most impactful voices by encouraging others to stand up, speak out, and be themselves.
With an engaged community totaling over two million followers, Noor is using storytelling to share the perspectives of marginalized people with the world. She famously put U.S. sex trafficking under the microscope in her documentary and subsequent podcast series “Sold in America,” which received a Gracies Award in 2019 for Best Investigative Series. Now she’s embarking on a podcast interview series under her own production company At Your Service (AYS) called “Podcast Noor” to go beyond the highlight reel and delve into the mindsets of some of the world’s most fascinating people.
In this episode of the WorkParty podcast, host Jaclyn Johnson had the pleasure of sitting down with the award-winning journalist to learn about her journey in becoming a pioneering voice of our generation, how she faces the hard conversations, and why you too should commit to speaking your truth. Scroll on to tune into the full episode and check out just a few of the highlights from the conversation.
Subscribe to WorkParty and never miss an episode.
On being of service to others…
“When you're of service to yourself and you channel that to be of service to other people, people see your heart and your mind being opened in a way that gives them permission to do the same."
“People enjoy when you are winning and you are learning and you are developing things that you would do for you.”
On living in the present…
“Tomorrow’s not guaranteed for us.”
“The journey, the process, the practice, those are the things that actually matter because the outcome is always going to change.”
“I’m only letting myself feel attached to the ‘now,’ because nothing else matters.”
“Every day I'm a new person.”
“I don’t want to waste time anymore.”
On returning to normalcy…
“What I know for sure is we need each other.”
On waking up early…
“You can work smarter and still go to bed at 8:30.”
On staying inspired during COVID…
“Now I have these groundbreaking ideas that I think are going to change the landscape of representation and storytelling and I wouldn’t have gotten it without this desperation.”
“Survival mode has been a gracious experience, even though we’ve had to bear a lot more.”
MORE ON THE BLOG
The Truth Serum: 3 Experts on How to Source Trustworthy Skincare Advice in a Click-Bait World
An entrepreneur, influencer, and celebrity dermatologist explain in this week’s episode of WorkParty podcast.
This post is in partnership with RoC Skincare.
Dr. Anna Guanche (left) and Lauryn Evarts Bosstick (right) sat down with C&C founder Jaclyn Johnson at our San Francisco Conference to discuss sourcing trustworthy skincare advice online. Photo: Courtesy of Create & Cultivate
How many of you have tried to Google answers around skincare and anti-aging without success? It can be incredibly confusing and overwhelming to find out what works and what doesn’t. Believe it or not, 3.6 million searches were carried out for phrases related to “anti-aging” over the past 12 months. There is just so much information out there!
Well, RoC Skincare—a brand that was born in Paris in the 1950s and is still here today with game-changing retinol formulas that are clinically proven to treat aging skin and help minimize the appearance of concerns like fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles—wants to help you sort through that clutter. At our San Francisco conference, we sat down with some educated women to find out what people are really looking for, what they’re actually finding, and why they keep searching.
Our founder, Jaclyn Johnson, chatted with Dr. Anna Guanche, affectionately known as “Dr. Beauty,” and Lauryn Evarts-Bosstick, creator of The Skinny Confidential podcast and franchise, about how to source trustworthy skincare advice. The conversation was just as informative as it was hilarious, so be sure to listen in on the podcast below. Then keep reading for some of the most memorable quotes from the interview.
Rapid-fire questions:
My favorite anti-aging hack is…
Lauryn: “A facial massage—it tightens the skin.”
Dr. Guanche: “Using retinol every single night.”
The weirdest home remedy for skin I’ve tried is…
Lauryn: “Ordering olive oil from room service to remove makeup.”
Dr. Guanche: “A bird poop facial. The geishas used to use this. It has enzymes in it to exfoliate your skin.”
Lauryn Evarts Bosstick:
“I think people do have a lot of these questions that they’re embarrassed to ask, so they ask Google… I’m trying to create a space where we can talk about taboo topics.”
—Lauryn Evarts-Bosstick, Founder, The Skinny Confidential
On the craziest topics discussed on her podcast:
“I put myself in the audience’s position. I want to know the nitty-gritty. I want to hear from different walks of life.”
“I think people do have a lot of these questions that they are embarrassed to ask, so they ask Google. I’ve always been an over-sharer, so I feel really comfortable to talk about these taboo subjects. I’m trying to create a space where we can talk about them.“
“I feel like we’ve talked about everything… I feel like there isn’t anything we haven't talked about (on The Skinny Confidential).”
On peer-to-peer beauty recommendations:
“I’m really, really specific and strategic with who I choose to work with. I’ve left a lot on the table because it wasn’t the right fit.”
“I try to use the product for at least a month, sometimes I give it to my husband because he’s really into being dewy right now—he thinks it’s his thing—but I basically manipulated him into it.”
“It needs to be something that keeps showing up in my life… I’m really careful about what I promote. I also like to have a product that I keep going back to and something I know the audience will actually use. “
On finding the right products:
“I sit and watch the French girls. I like to observe and see what they’re doing differently. I feel like Americans have a ‘more is more’ approach. I try to watch and observe and see what other people are doing and then implement it into my routine and then see if it works.”
“I’m really inspired by other countries. I like to observe and see what they’re doing differently—it's a lot of oil, retinol, and facial massage.”
On the rise of skincare:
“People are starting to understand that prevention is key. We’re in a day and age in 2019 where a lot of women don’t want to look like someone else. Everyone wants to be the best version of themselves and self-care is that, investing in the best version of yourself.”
On general skincare advice:
“I am batshit crazy about the sun. I have driving gloves in my car, sunscreen on my hands, chest, and ankles. I am wild with the sun. When I get out of my car to walk to 7/11 I have a giant hat on.”
Dr. Anna Guanche:
“Manage stress, meditate, wear your sunscreen.”
Dr. Anna Guanche, Celebrity Dermatologist
On skin aging:
“You reduce your elastic production over time, your collagen is decreased in your dermis and you start to see your skin no longer compensates the damage done to it over time. Your skin can no longer compensate for the skin damage that has happened to you since you were born.”
On common anti-aging questions:
“Does anything really work?”
“Why is this happening to me?”
“What active ingredients do reverse aging?”
On the benefits of retinol:
“Retinol is a vitamin A derivative and is naturally found. It helps remove old, dull skin cells and reduces pigmentation and the appearance of fine lines/wrinkles. Because of the retinoid reaction, your skin will adjust so start every other night and slowly build up if needed.”
On dark circles:
“I love the RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream. It has clinically proven results and helps with dark circles. You can see improvements in 4 weeks and at 12 weeks, fines lines are visibly reduced by 50%—equates to eyes looking 10 years younger.”
On anti-aging:
“You can drink plenty of water, don’t stress out, get lots of sleep, sleep on your back, low-salt diet, wash every single drop of makeup off every night—good skin takes discipline.”
“There is no shame in being beautiful and wanting to be beautiful—putting your best foot forward. Self-care and self-love at a younger age is a great thing to do—actively doing something to overcome those insecurities.”
On general skincare advice:
“Manage stress, meditate, wear your sunscreen.”
“Wash your face completely at night.”
“I try to sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. You need to have a routine and you need to have discipline.”
“A lot of time we take great care of our face but we forget to take care of our neck and hands and chest.”
C&C Founder and CEO, Jaclyn Johnson in conversation with celebrity dermatologist, Dr. Anna Guanche and Lauryn Evarts-Bosstick of The Skinny Confidential for the RoC Skincare panel at the San Francisco Conference.
For more information on RoC SKincare visit, rocskincare.com.
