Create & Cultivate 100, diversity Arianna Schioldager Create & Cultivate 100, diversity Arianna Schioldager

Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Denise Vasi

MINDFUL AF. 

MINDFUL AF.

Denise Vasi has it Maed. 

The actress (lead on the hit show Single Ladies) mother to Lennox Mae, wife to director Anthony Mandler, and founder of Maed, the soon-to-be launched lifestyle site committed to impact. Self-care tops her list of priorities. As does fostering open and honest convo, whether that's with Lennox, or her hundreds of thousands of IG followers. Denise is constantly dolling out her truth with her own spin on old adages.

"One day, or day one. You decide." 

"The past is a place of reference. Not a place of residence." 

"Be soft, kind, and loving. But also take nobody's shit." 

She doesn't settle and she doesn't want you to either. She has it "made" because she made it herself. A Brooklyn native, Vasi signed to Ford Models at the age of 12. "For modeling they said I was too tiny, I wasn’t Caucasian enough, I wasn’t African American enough, I wasn’t Latina enough.  They kept saying no but I kept moving forward and fighting my way in everyone’s door."

And we're glad she did. 

More from Denise below.

Name: Denise Vasi

Instagram: @densievasi

Where do your drive and passion come from?

Launching Maed has always been about creating impact. Surely there will be shifts while the brand evolves but Maed strives to inspire others and that will always remain the heart of my brand. Being impactful is the force that drives me.

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

I used to be easily stymied by obstacles, so I had to change my way of thinking. Knowing that any challenge at hand was actually an opportunity to educate myself, a chance to dig deeper, ask myself more questions and that ultimately from it all I would grow--- holding on to that is what pushes me through.

"Any challenge at hand is a opportunity, a chance to dig deeper." 

Tweet this. 

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People who don't deliver all that they say they will.

What are your biggest fears about running a business?

Letting my mind get in my way of my creative process.

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

That it's not a job it's a passion project. I love what I am creating and I love the community that I'm creating it for.

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

I think because of the access we have today, it's hard to say 100 percent that we are not somewhat informed by others. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I do believe that the past informs the present and that to be great at what you do, you should study those that came before you. That being said there's a slippery slope between being influenced by and imitating someone's work or style. For me, I stay original by sticking to what I immediately gravitate to and staying true to my creative eye. When something does inspire me, I look at how I can dig deeper or build on the concept. Adding value to something is the most positive way to pay homage IMO. Also, you should always give credit where credit is due!

 

Being impactful is the force that drives me.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

That the path laid out for me is my own.

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

OPRAH... need I say more?!

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

I've always been on the journey to becoming the woman I am today whether I knew it in those exact moments or not. Things definitely changed after I gave birth to my daughter. Soon after, I figured out I wasn't ready to go back to acting. While I didn't exactly know what was next for me I felt so incredibly empowered-- I knew I could do anything.

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

Build meaningful relationships and look at others in your space as potential partners. Rather than viewing them as competition try to create dynamic ways to collaborate.

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

I sit back and evaluate the situation, then I make a list of all the possible solutions. Writing things down really helps me work thru things. I also have a group of 3-4 people that I reach out to when I need to brainstorm.

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

Whichever nursery song I listened to 72 times the night before while putting my daughter to sleep :)

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100, diversity Arianna Schioldager Create & Cultivate 100, diversity Arianna Schioldager

Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Lauren Ash

CREATING SPACE. 

NAMA-SLAY.

photo credit: Deun Ivory

Lauren Ash is putting the OM in HOME. 

A wellness visionary, yoga and meditation teacher, creative writer, and founder of the culture-shifting lifestyle brand synonymous with black women’s wellness—Black Girl In Om, Lauren is creating safe and honest space. 

A space where women of color can close their eyes and feel surrounded by sisters. 

Through BGIO, Lauren creates and cultivates meaningful experiences and content for a hugely marginalized community. From the BGIO podcast—which has reached more than half a million listeners—to holistic self-care retreats, Lauren considers her work an act of compassion, belonging, and ultimately a space she once needed and didn’t see.

More from Lauren below. 

Name: Lauren Ash

Instagram Handle: @hellolaurenash

Business Instagram Handle: @blackgirlinom

Your site says, “Black Girl In Om creates space for women of color to breathe easy” what does breathing easy consist of?

Consider what it takes to breathe easy in the physical body: clean and safe air, lack of mental stressors causing you to breathe at a constricted, accelerated rate, and perhaps even the removal of constricting external forces on your chest, belly, and throat. Women of color are disproportionately faced with a greater number of challenges, ranging from economical and social, to health and psychological, so breathing easy is often a task much more complicated for us. However, when we remember that wellness is our birthright, and not some new, elite thing reserved only for the privileged, we begin to shift our paradigm and realize the possibilities that come with approaching breathing easy through simple, accessible practices such as compassionate exchanges with each other, a few moments of silence during the middle of a stressful day, and arming self-talk. Preventative and holistic self-care and selflove allows us all to breathe a little easier and slowly but surely it can become a lifestyle. This is what Black Girl In Om is all about.

What is your definition of holistic health for women?

Holistic health for me refers to experiencing wholeness in mind, body, and soul. Sometimes we feel fractured, and that’s okay. It’s important that we experience those fractures to know what wholeness feels like.

It’s important that we experience fractures to know what wholeness feels like.

When you were launching your platform what fears or doubts did you have to move past?

The fear that I would get in my own way. I experienced a tremendous amount of support from an intimate group of people who mattered a lot to me in the very beginning. I experienced some external fear and doubt from those who didn’t know what great resolve and determination I had and I allowed that to only fuel me. I believe that I’ve always known that the only force that could stop me would be me.

What’s the legacy you want to leave on your community?

The same legacy that my Grandmother Lillian Lazenberry-Martin left for me and everyone blessed by her presence: the feeling of true affirmation and support; the power of resilience and determination; the beauty in good vibes, a brilliant smile, and how good it feels to be taken care of. Also, a feeling of belonging and deservedness. Thanks to technology, I’m able to reach even more women than my Grandmother and continue to be an extension of the amazing legacy she left.

What advice do you have for women working towards cultivating the career of their dreams?

Don’t leave your Self out of the equation. When you dream up your ideal career, ensure that it involves prioritizing your energy, your spirit, your personal development. Approach your career from a holistic perspective.

"When you dream up your ideal career, ensure that it involves prioritizing your energy, your spirit, your personal development."

Tweet This.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

When someone interprets someone else’s glow-up as their downfall. Can’t we all shine together?

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

I work in my pajamas and headscarf more than half of the time.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

That at thirty years old, and in my third year of being a creative entrepreneur, I finally feel empowered and equipped to thrive in my career while simultaneously thriving in my wellness journey. It’s been an ebb and ow thus far, but I’ve made recent decisions, changes, and investments and 2018 I’m making it all happen. The amazing thing is that this moment has been so tremendously supported by my team, our incredible global community, and my close friends and especially my Mother. This goes back to what I said earlier: only I can stand in the way of my own growth and potential!

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

I feel enormously blessed with my path and wouldn’t trade it for the world. However, if you absolutely forced me to, I would swap with Issa Rae. She, like me, cultivated a very specific platform, Awkward Black Girl, on her own terms for quite some time. She did so with limited resources because she knew it was a narrative worth telling and knew that there was a community of people longing to see themselves represented. Now, she has overwhelming support and resources at her fingertips to continue to do what she’s always done. And she keeps it real. She is unapologetically Issa. On and off the screen. Always. I love her for that.

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

Honestly, I’ve always been confident. Thankfully, from a young age, my family poured encouragement and affirmation into me and supported my creativity and expression. But I think that the confidence level has boosted from the stories of women in my community who has been inspired by my work and the mission of Black Girl In Om. Ranging from how BGIO has inspired them to prioritize their wellness and seek out support to how I have personally inspired them to become a yoga teacher or dramatically change their career to be in alignment with their values, it is these stories that remind me that I can be confident in my purpose and my path because it is quite literally transforming countless women’s lives. That’s what it is about. I’m simply a vessel; a vessel of inspiration and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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

My Grandmother always told me “don’t take any wooden nickels” which basically means don’t put up with bullshit, ha! Seriously, though, she was speaking to a certain level of spiritual discernment and intuition which I’ve always tried to hone. My best friend Chelsea shared with me years ago what remains to be my favorite mantra: what is for you can’t be taken from you. This helps me time and time again as it reminds me to let things go, trust, and move on.

"What is for you can’t be taken from you."

Tweet This.

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

Challenges breed innovation and creativity. I try to embrace challenges as opportunities. This is a must for anyone who wants to be in it for the long haul as a creative entrepreneur. My strategies include meditation and yoga, talking about the “bump” with people outside of my industry, and (importantly) not freaking out.

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

Jamila Woods’ “LSD” (and any song off of her HEAVN album!) because it’s such a beautiful reminder of self-love, my divinity, and my worth.

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


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Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Lion Babe

LIVING OUT LOUD.

LIVING OUT LOUD.

Hear her roar. 

Never has the name of a musical group so perfectly encapsulated it's lead singer. 

Jillian Hervey is Lion Babe.

One half of the electro soul duo hailing from NYC, the singular songstress is enigmatic both vocally and visually. She is king of her jungle. After Pharrell watched one of the duo's first music videos on his phone, he flew Jillian, and band producer Lucas Goodman to his Miami studio. 

That song, "Treat Me Like Fire," released in 2012 was only the beginning of Lion Babe's spark. With songs like "Wonder Woman," which talks about female empowerment. Jillian has soul in her DNA. The daughter of singer/actress Vanessa Williams and music manager Ramon Hervey II (Babyface, Natalie Cole), she was raised listening to the likes of Chaka Khan. 

She fierce, fresh, and unapologetic, recently explaining, "I honestly think that any women or person that says you should be dressing [or behaving a certain] way to avoid unwanted sexual advances, or else, is inviting negative behavior . . . Please, I have no time for it.”

But man, do we have time for her. (And you should too.) 

More from Jillian below. 

When you first made the jump from dancer to singer, was it as smooth as your voice? (JK but not really. We jam to your music in the office all day.)

Thank you for the love, I definitely know my dance experience informs my rhythms and influences. The transition to singing was actually pretty drastic for me. With dance, you are moving through large spaces with lots of light, bodies, and sweating, whereas with singing, it's more introspective, still, and you're usually creating in dark small spaces. I've never been one to sit still, so that was hard to adjust to. The creative space is crucial to me.

Your mom was the first black Miss America but had her titled unfairly taken away. And then went on to have an amazing career. What has she taught you about resiliency and strength?

She has taught me that we come from a long line of strong individuals. She always told me and my siblings about women and men in history who are black that have paved the way because of their resilience. It's in our blood. But mainly her teaching is by example. She always stays true to herself. She always takes risks and does the things she wants to do, because she knows she can. She has that will and believes in herself.

You've been compared to the likes of Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu. What does that feel like?

It doesn't really feel real still, those two women, in particular, have such a special place in my upbringing, that it's too nice of a compliment. I wanted them, The Spice Girls and Brandy to join a supergroup. The only thing I think people really are comparing is the feeling. Both women have super unique tones, flows and artistry and a very strong sense of self. Those are definitely attributes that I value and try to do for LION BABE.

What do you know about self-love today that you weren't so sure of ve years ago?

5 years ago I was just getting out of college, so I was still very scattered and was just beginning to dive into myself. I now know through more experience, practice, break ups and time, that I have a formula that when it's honored I am good. Staying creative and dancing always gives me confidence, traveling always keeps me grounded and allows me to experience and know myself differently, and gratitude for the things from the littlest to the biggest helps to put it all into perspective. The more your honor your spirit and soul, the more that energy grows around you. Also, I remind myself that life is always transforming, each moment, so there is always the opportunity to change.

"The more your honor your spirit and soul, the more that energy grows around you."

Tweet this. 

When you come across a career obstacle what drives you forward?

The vision. If you can see something, the battles aren't so scary, you just have to adjust your map on how to get there.

What makes you feel powerful?

Being on stage is powerful because it is pure energy.

What would you call your superpower?

My intuition.

Did you always know you wanted to be a performer?

I have been performing since I was little so it was just a part of me. I didn't know exactly how it would manifest but I have always loved it.

What's been the hardest part of the music industry world for you?

The number of egos, fear, and pressure that get created for no reason.

Since the beginning, you've chosen to work with and be represented by a group of women. Why did you make this decision?

Being a woman, and writing as a woman, I can't help but think of our perspective so it just came naturally. I've always wanted to lift women up. Lucas aka Astro Raw and I are LION BABE together though, so I think there is just as much of a male presence as well. Our goal is to be universal and inclusive.

What's your favorite time of day to write?

Anytime after 3pm. I need my sunlight.

What do you sing in the shower?

Warm ups, jazz or Christmas songs (when it's in season.)

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


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Create & Cultivate 100: Music: KING

FREAKIN' ROYALTY.

FREAKIN' ROYALTY. 

King is the title given to a male monarch.

But the Queens of KING said nah. They're taking the title crown. 

The musical trio—comprised of Anita Bias and twins Paris and Amber Strother, released their debut EP in 2011. It was called The Story, but it was only the beginning of theirs. Immediately, the industry took notice. Prince and ?uestlove praised their magic. (When Prince first heard their  debut album, he said: “Don’t change a thing.”) Kendrick Lamar sampled "Hey," one of the three songs on the EP, for Section.80 track "Chapter Six."

In February of 2016, after what felt like decades of waiting, the women released the full-length We Are King. The album was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 59th Grammy Awards, making them the first independent artists to be nominated in that category.

Like we said, freakin' royalty. 

More from KING below. 

Where do your drive and passion come from?

Paris: All of us are lifelong lovers of music- there’s something so touching about being able to communicate in this universal language. It’s been incredible to reach and inspire people by expressing our emotions through sound, and it’s that connection that keeps us going.

What's behind the name?

Anita: When we were first starting out, it was just the three of us independently creating this landscape of sound. The word KING was like a revelation- it was the first and only name that came to us. It reflected that we were kings of our own musical kingdom, and the name gave us the space to tell our own story.

We are kings of our own musical kingdom.

It took five years between the EP release and the debut album. What was going on during that time?

In hindsight, I can now say we were growing up and growing into being KING. Those five years saw us not only finding our sound and creating the album but learning tons about the business side of music. We’re so grateful we had the opportunity to take our time to learn more about ourselves and create an album that we were proud of.

Prince, Erykah Badu, Solange. KING has worked with some of the most amazing artists. Is that empowering?

Amber: It’s incredible when people you’ve always looked up to recognize something in your music also.

You've said that you'll never compromise the music for any reason. So when you run into a career obstacle or a roadblock, what drives you forward?

Amber: Knowing that the music is special to our fans, friends, and family keeps us going. There will always be obstacles, it’s just important to remember why you were drawn to making music in the first place.

Paris, you also produce for the group. There aren't many female producers in the music world. How are you changing the game?

Paris: I’d love to break down barriers that any woman feels when it comes to following your art. One of the highest compliments I’ve ever been paid was a fellow musician telling me that by just being who we are, we gave so many others permission to do the same.

"I’d love to break down barriers that any woman feels when it comes to following your art."

Tweet this. 

Do you think it's surprising to people (or male producers specifically) that you're producing?

Paris: I think some people are surprised that it’s produced by a woman, I think some people are surprised that all the music so far has been produced in entirety by just one person. It’s an incredible time though, and super inspiring to see so many other women making great music. It’s becoming less of an anomaly.

We hear the words "male-dominated" so much that it's almost like white noise. And yet, almost all industries are dominated by men. What shift have you seen in the music industry that's exciting and/or empowering for you as women?

Anita: It’s a great time to be an independent artist. It’s so cool to see the way that women are able to create communities in the internet age- now it’s easier than ever before to connect with people who love and appreciate your art and vice versa.

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

Amber: It’s all about finding balance, and knowing when to put your blinders on. It’s important to immerse yourself in others work- let all the art around you inspire you, and never forget the perspective you bring to the table. Hone in on your own originality.

What about your career makes you (each respectively,) feel the most complete?

Amber: Doing what I love with the people I love.

Anita: The ability to touch people that you’ve never met.

Paris: It’s incredible to watch something grow from just your imagination to being a fully- fleshed out piece of art

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

Paris: The support we received from so many people on the day we released our first project in 2011 will stay with us forever. Hearing from so many new fans and artists we admire gave us the spark to know we were on the right track, and that it was moving people the same way it moved us. That experience made us confident that we had something special with KING.

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

Anita: When Prince first heard our debut album, he said: “Don’t change a thing.” It was something we kept with us throughout the creation and release and gave us the backbone to know that even if nobody else had our backs, he thought it was perfect.

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

Amber: Any song by Stevie Wonder.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

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


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Create & Cultivate 100: STEM: Kimberly Bryant

THE EXEMPLARY LEADER. 

THE EXEMPLARY LEADER. 

I consider myself a fighter and a revolutionary and I’m driven to stand up to injustices and inequities whenever I see them manifest.

When Kimberly Bryant first met computer programming as a freshman in an Electrical Engineering course at Vanderbilt she was excited. 

But she also felt culturally isolated. "Few of my classmates looked like me," she says. Though much has changed in the tech sector since her college days, the issue of representation has not. 

In 2011, Kimberly, founded Black Girls Code after her daughter expressed an interest in learning computer programming, but the mom found none of the programs in the Bay Area were crafted to or for young African American girls. The entrepreneur and champion for change has cited lack of access and lack of exposure to STEM topics as likely culprits.

"By launching Black Girls Code," she says, "I hope to provide  young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming at a time when they are naturally thinking about what they want to be when they grow up."

That's the mission of Black Girls Code. Their aim is to increase the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls of color ages 7 to 17 to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology, and to train 1 million girls by 2040.

It's Kimberly's Code of Honor, if you will. 

More from Kimberly below. 

Name: Kimberly Bryant

Instagram Handle: @6gems

Mostly male. Mostly white. That's been the narrative. It's been the picture. Many of our readers struggle with owning rooms like that. How were you able to find your voice and your power?

I come from a very strong matrilineal family. Both of my grandmothers were businesswomen and were able to create opportunities for themselves and their families at times in circumstances much more difficult and tenuous for Black women than what I'm faced with today as a professional woman of color in a male-dominated industry. This ancestral heritage has played a significant role in helping me to both find and owns my voice, my unique views, and my personal power. My wish is that my daughter will find the same light within herself by the example I hope to set for her. I want her to know that she is powerful beyond measure and has absolutely everything she needs to find her path and thrive in these spaces.

Do you remember feeling fear in any of your initial career moments and how did you push through?

I still have fear during certain career moments. One way I push through is preparation. I've found it helps to ease my tension when I know I've prepared for the "moment" to ensure I know my stuff and I'm ready for whatever outcome I can imagine. For those outcomes, I can't foresee? Well, I lean on faith to conquer those fears. I honestly believe that every experience is meant to get you closer to where you're supposed to be. So this pushes me through the fear.

Our children have immense power to shift our perspective. We are able to do for them what, at times, we've been unable to do for ourselves. How has being a mom made you a better entrepreneur?

Embarking on this entrepreneurial journey as a single mom has definitely been one of the hardest things I've ever done yet it has also been the most rewarding.

Where do your drive and passion come from?

This is a difficult question to answer because in some ways I feel this is just who I am. I've always been a rather intense and passionate person and I'm not quite sure where that comes from. I do know that I consider myself a fighter and a revolutionary and I'm driven to stand up to injustices and inequities whenever I see them manifest.

So many industries are shifting. You're part of the movement that is doing the shifting. How does it feel to be a part of that seismic activity?

I'm very proud of the work that BGC has done to shift the narrative around who belongs in the field of technology and I'm very glad that this path found me. We still have much work to do and I'm reminded of a phrase from the musical Hamilton; "legacy is planting seeds in a garden you'll never see". I look at the work I'm doing now in this light. I may never see the true fruits of my work in this lifetime but I'm certain that the seeds we are planting now are creating a legacy that permanently transforms this industry for future generations. It better.

2040 you want to reach 1 million girls. What are some other benchmarks for Black Girls Code?

This year marks our seventh year in existence as a non-profit organization and what we are most excited about is seeing girls who have been involved with Black Girls CODE since they were 10 or 12 years old, graduate from high school and head off to college many in STEM and technical fields. We hope to focus a significant amount of our efforts this year on building a strong and active alumni network and connecting our BGC alumni to career and internship opportunities in some of the many companies we've worked with over the past seven years.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

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

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

The greatest sense of completeness in my work comes from seeing so many of our girls discover their passions and become empowered to follow their dreams. I am continually inspired by the girls who are such brilliant, creative, and strong leaders. When I see them shine I know my work and this path is exactly where I was meant to be.

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

Shortly after I graduated from high school one of the directors at a firm I was interning for during the summer took me to lunch and shared a crucial piece of advice with me---never go to lunch alone. His advice was to use the lunch hour as a time to network internally and build strong business relationships with my fellow co-workers and associates. Today in the age of self care I'm sure there are many folks who would disagree with this advice and I would certainly also encourage the art of disconnecting and resetting as a good practice, but his fundamental advice was really meant to emphasize the value of networking both within and outside of your work environment. Learning how to build a network very early in my career has yielded immense benefits for me both in my past corporate career and in my current entrepreneurial pursuits.

When you first when to raise, you were met with resistance, in part because of the name. But as you've said, words matter. How we chose to frame issues matters. You've shown that you can say no to dollars to don't feel right (multiple times). How would you encourage other young women to walk away from money that's not in their best interest? (It's scary!)

As I've built BGC over the last seven years it's been extremely important for me to lead with authenticity and to be willing to take a loss if it means we hold true to our values. I understand that making the hard decisions can be di cult and at times the seemingly impractical choice but I believe strongly that "values-driven leadership" is extremely important in mission driven organizations. The decisions we make at the top lter down and infect the work we do---it's the fertilizer for the soil that we build in.

Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance. — Vernā Myers, VP, Inclusion Strategy, Netflix

When you hit a big bump in the road, like a NO, how do you find a new road?

I'm a person that doesn't take 'NO' for an answer. Perhaps it's my training as an engineer but I always think there could be a better or different way to get around a no so I'll actively look at the situation and try to figure out a way to reach my desired outcome. When I can't figure out the answer on my own I ask for help. This is probably one of the most important skills (asking for help) I've had to embrace as a leader.  

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

My current obsession is the Broadway musical Hamilton. I'm a late-comer to the Hamilton train but was completely blown away by the show and every single song in it. So I find myself humming the various melodies in the shower, during the day, and just about anytime I need a little extra boost of motivation and inspiration.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

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


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Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Morgan DeBaun

THE GAME CHANGER.

THE GAME CHANGER.

Name: Morgan DeBaun

Instagram Handle: @morgandebaun

Business Instagram Handle:
@blavity @shadow_act @travelnoire @21Ninety @afro.tech

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

Being able to get into the room. There are still a lot of closed doors when it comes to women entrepreneurs, whether it be to pitch, or securing funding, it’s still very much a boys club. Hopefully, that will change in the near future with the number of women business owners and entrepreneurs consistently growing.

"A press release won't fix male ego." Obsessed with this, but also, TRUE. How do we keep changing culture? How do we fix it?

We change the culture by continuing to have an open dialogue about situations and issues that may have been accepted in the past, but as we move forward, towards a more inclusive landscape in every industry, those practices and beliefs just aren’t acceptable any longer. 

What was the turning point that convinced you, it's time to take matters into my own hands? The world needs Blavity.

It was after the death of Mike Brown. Almost every media source painted this kid out to be a monster, all while his body still laid in the middle of the street. Too often we see the narrative around people of color go from bad to worse in the media before real facts have been presented. Blavity was created to change that.

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

I find new roads by going back to the drawing board and revisiting the original vision. That usually helps me get back to aligning myself with my goals. In doing so, I almost always come across new avenues and alternative ways to get to the job done.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People who talk a lot about what they want to do instead of just doing it. Actions speak louder than words and execution is everything.

"Actions speak louder than words and execution is everything."

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What does the concept of #hustlesmart mean to you?

To hustle smart means to put in the work needed, but doing so efficiently and effectively, so that time, energy and resources aren’t wasted along the way.  Sometimes I think people take pride in being “busy” and “working hard.” If you can accomplish the same outcome with less work isn’t that a better outcome?  

 

How has your relationship to that concept changed over the last five years?

I have a team now. We still hold the concept in high regards, but with more brain power, it has become easier, in a way. We work together and are able to pick up on each other’s blind spots, so that makes the process of executing ideas a lot smoother than being alone in my one-bedroom apartment trying to do everything on my own. 

What are your biggest fears about running a business?

If I had to take a stab at it, I would say that taking too long to recognize that a project or idea or system just doesn’t work. I love the quote “fail fast” because the greatest lessons are born out of failures and mistakes. 

Fail fast, because the greatest lessons are born out of failures and mistakes.

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Blavity is explaining difficult concepts like Cap Tables. And also sharing the recipes from black food bloggers. You're diversifying media with diverse content. How involved are you in mapping it out and what does the process look like?

I’m very involved. Our team constantly collaborates and brainstorm together in the office or via slack.  Each person on our team juggles multiple hats (we’re a startup!) but we work together to create the best content or product for our community.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

I feel most complete being able to employ people who are underdogs and deserve to work in a space where they can be their full creative selves. 

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

I wouldn't. I’m proud, and very much still in awe of what my team has done in the short years that Blavity has existed.  I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

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

It was when I decided to quit my job at Intuit and pursue Blavity full time. It was all sorts of scary and nerve-wracking but I never looked back.  I think that when you find something that you’re really passionate about that you’d be willing to do for free then it makes everything that comes after less scary.

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

Stop asking for permission and just do it.

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

Beyoncé - "Formation"

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

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Create & Cultivate 100 Philanthropy: Nia Batts

REBEL WITH A CAUSE.

REBEL WITH A CAUSE.

She can't blow out her own hair, but Detroit native Nia Batts has one hell of an idea with Detroit Blows. 

The idea for Detroit Blows came together around 2010 when two friends, Nia Batts and Katy Cockrel, who have known each other since they were 4 and in the same dance class, were working together on a project in Detroit. 

(Shoutout to friends for life #FFL.) 

Nearly 7 years later, in October 2017, the #FFL opened Detroit Blows, the city’s first non-toxic blowdry salon, that features blowouts and beauty services like express manicures and pedicures. Talk about new adventures with old friends. They're also taking a new approach to the blow dry model. 

The philanthropic arm of the business, Detroit Grows, aims to reinvest in Detroit. The salon donates $1 of every blowout service and a percentage of the retail footprint to support Detroit-based female entrepreneurs through microgrants, and women entering and re-entering the workforce.

Name: Nia Lauryn Batts

Instagram Handle: @nialauryn

Business Instagram Handle: @detroitblows

Can you chat us through the inception of Detroit Blows?

My parter, Katy, and I are childhood friends, native Detroiters, and prior to this venture, frequent business collaborators. I was actually her client when I was living in New York and working for Viacom. And as she tells the story, I would land in yoga pants, juggling two phones, hair in a top knot, looking for the closest place to get a blowout, and she would regrettably inform me that we had to go out to the suburbs. There was an unsettling dichotomy in the conversations we were having with our Detroit-based partners; although young people were moving to the city, and making money in the city, they were still spending a signicant amount of their dollars outside of the community. The concept for Detroit Blows stemmed from a need we experienced first-hand and an exploration into filling that void -- cost-effective, high-quality blow dry services -- led to the development of a model with reinvestment in the city at its core.

And why the give-back model was an important part of the concept?

I think ultimately (like many others) we are guided by the belief that businesses have a responsibility to communities in the way that people do. We knew we wanted to use non-toxic products, retail conscious brands with stories (in partnership with Conscious Commerce), and reinvest a portion of our profits into female entrepreneurs and programs helping women enter or re-enter the workforce. We're unwavering believers in 'the multiplier effect' -- that by investing in women, you are investing in their families, in their communities, in every idea they touch.

Where do your drive and passion come from?

My parents. There are hard days when you're leaning into new chapters of your story. Their belief in me is contagious. And my best-friend/life-wife Sophia, who was one of the earliest champions of this project. She makes it all look so easy, but will be honest with you when it's not. People like her, that show the truth behind their process, make me feel my dreams are attainable

Philanthropy means the "love of humanity." It's so beautiful and simple. What does it mean to you?

In my previous role, we made an effort to reframe and root the concept of Philanthropy in the business strategy of Philanthropic Investment. If Philanthropy is a 'love of humanity' Philanthropic Investment is an informed and strategic effort to ensure the sustainability of it. It's loving humanity in the ways that help it evolve and continue.

If Philanthropy is a 'love of humanity' Philanthropic Investment is an informed and strategic effort to ensure the sustainability of it. It's loving humanity in the ways that help it evolve and continue.

How did you find yourself on this particular career journey?

That's funny, sometimes I do wonder if I've lost the plot, but it helps that it makes sense to me. I went to film school, so I've always been a storyteller at heart, but the way I've done it has often been non-traditional. In different ways I've told the stories of people, of movements, of brands, today I'm grateful to be telling the story of a beautiful and resilient city rebuilding, and the women who are strengthening it every day with their purchasing decisions.

Do you think you've found your true calling?

I don't think any of us have one true calling, but I do think this is one of mine. As I grow and get closer to myself I've fortunately become less afraid of pursuing what stirs me. Birth began to move me, and I felt very called to become a doula, so I had to just write it into my story.

"As I grow I've fortunately become less afraid of pursuing what stirs me."

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Are there any fears associated with your work? If yes, what are they?

The shift from a large corporation to small business comes with a learning curve for me as a CEO and I've definitely spent some time in moments of fear. But too much fear can be dangerous, so I try and catalyze it into something small I can do that day, that helps lessen the outcome I'm afraid of; almost like an offering an invitation to the universe to help a girl out a little bit.

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

I can't blowout my own hair, or anyone else's for that matter. But being a longtime consumer of the service allows me to approach our business in a different way and really focus on the client experience. You often have to lead from where you are, and hire other great people to do the same.

"You often have to lead from where you are, and hire other great people to do the same."

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What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

That I've been able to dene it on my own terms.

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

Shonda Rhimes, Ava Duvernay, Issa Rae -- any of these badass women who are writing, directing, producing, hiring and leading the teams that are centering women of color in their stories and have found ways to make them both colorful and colorless. Representation is important in the stories we tell. I think we're all enjoying the fruits of their labor.

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

After a heartbreak.

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

Always believe that something magical is about to happen.

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

I take a long hot shower and I think to myself, this is going to get much worse if you don't pull it together before the water gets cold.

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

Beyoncé + Frank Ocean - "Superpower" -- The way it describes the inevitability of a love that has to exist so the world keeps revolving makes me really grateful to be alive again.

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


 

 

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Create & Cultivate 100: Philanthropy: Grace Mahary

LIGHTING THE WAY. 

LIGHTING THE WAY.

Grace Mahary, model and philanthropist, is all about bringing love and light to the world.

A first generation Canadian of Eritrean descent, Grace has walked in Victoria Secret shows and graced the pages of Vogue, but over the last four years, she has been researching renewable energy solutions, especially for countries lacking electrical and mechanical infrastructure

Drawing from her global network, Grace compiled a team to create tangible clean energy solutions for communities around the world, turning her sights to something near and dear to her heart: Project Tsheigh.

Project Tsehigh ( (pronounced se-hai, PjT for short) was established in New York City in 2015. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing uninterrupted energy to impoverished communities around the world via renewable energy sources. Tsehigh, translated as “sun” in English, is determined to bring uninterrupted clean energy to impoverished communities around the world, Grace launched the non-profit in Eritrea, home to her family and a place in desperate need of sustainable clean energy.

That’s what we call beauty on the inside. Keep shining Grace.

More below.

Name: Grace Mahary

Instagram: @gracemahary

Business Instagram: @ProjectTsehigh

Where do your drive and passion come from?

My parents, as they are extremely passionate people who exemplify hard work and perseverance.

How do you feel as a woman in tech?

I’ve never thought to consider myself “a woman in tech” because I don’t have formal STEM education. However, as I learned more about the sciences through my work with Project Tsehigh, I realized that I’m passionate about advancing technologies in the renewables space that will improve the quality of life for so many people. The traditional definition of technology is expanding, and I’m honored to be surrounded by these intelligent, strong women who are changing the world.

It’s great to see the numbers of women in stem rise, but it’s also important for young girls and adult women to know that if you don’t want to go into a career in tech or math or sciences, it doesn’t make your career less meaningful. As someone who has two careers, can you talk a bit about this?

I’ve had to deal with defending my job throughout my entire modeling career. Some people think that the fashion industry is completely frivolous and that modeling is as easy as standing in front of a camera and smiling. That’s definitely untrue, and now modeling has opened so many doors for Project Tsehigh. And even though I’m developing my STEM skills, that doesn’t devalue my career as a model. If you follow your passion, there is always room to incorporate purpose.

Would you say modeling gave you a thicker skin to deal with the STEM field?

Modeling has taught me a lot of valuable skills like confidence, independence, and the importance of humility. All of those skills are transferable to running a business or nonprofit. Project Tsehigh is still very new, and I compare it to a startup tech company that is building its infrastructure, reiterating processes and fundraising. This year we launched our first project and donated 105 solar power units to households and establishments in Maaya, Eritrea. It was one of the most challenging -- and rewarding -- projects I have ever worked on in my entire career. There were set-ups, setbacks, and comebacks, but my confidence, independence and humility helped me persevere.

What are your hopes for young women who are interested in STEM?

My hope is that young women who are interested in STEM are never discouraged because society says that tech is for men, or that working in tech “makes you less feminine” -- which is just ridiculous! Growing up I wanted to be a basketball star, but I was conditioned to think that women were either athletes or they were “girly girls” -- we couldn’t be both. As I grew older, I quickly learned that wasn’t true at all. I was able to play ball and walk the Victoria’s Secret Runway Show. The great thing about STEM is that you can combine multiple passions to make your career. If you love coding and reading, you could create an app for finding the best books. If you love the math and fashion, you could manage the finances for the biggest fashion houses. The possibilities are endless!

What is your biggest pet peeve?

My biggest pet peeve is when people chew with their mouth open. The sound of their lips smacking drives me off the wall!

What are your biggest fears about running a business?

My biggest fear about running a business is failing the people that work with me. I try to be transparent and honest with everyone I work with, and I take obligations to others seriously. I regularly ask for their feedback on how our organization is doing and how I’m doing as a leader, like a reverse employee evaluation.

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

Working as a model is very unpredictable, and opportunities can be super last minute. Some mornings I’ll wake up with my day planned in my mind, and then I’ll receive an email or call about flying to another city that same evening for a job!

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

"Be authentic. You’ll break through the static when you find your secret sauce and share it with the world."

Tweet this.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

Knowing that Project Tsehigh is creating lasting change on a global level.

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

A performer! If I could sing well, I would be on tour igniting the stage and sharing my energy with everyone. Also an actor because I like challenging myself to play different characters, and then I could act out additional dream careers like working with professional athletes in sports medicine, working with Elon Musk on eliminating fossil fuels and powering the world with 100% renewable energy, or a character who lives minimalistically in the tropics teaching yoga or some type of exercise to the local community.

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

That is still an ongoing effort for me. Over the last couple of years, I really started embracing my talents more and being less fearful. I’ve grown so much after starting Project Tsehigh. As a model, I’ve always had an agent guide me to make the best decisions, so running Project Tsehigh has pushed me out of my comfort zone. I’m usually speaking directly to partners and potential donors, which was daunting at first, but now has become second nature.

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

You need to make mistakes in order to grow and learn. Don’t overthink -- take the first step and then figure out how to execute the rest of your goal. Specifically pertaining to modelling: don’t take things personally.

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

I will admit that I am a bit stubborn at times, but it becomes a positive character quality here because once I have my mind set on achieving something, I’ll literally do whatever it takes to accomplish it. If that means financial sacrifice, so be it. Hard labor and exhaustion, I’ll do it. I refuse to feel defeated because I believe in myself and know I can accomplish anything with hard work.

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

"Closer" by Goapple because it inspires and reminds me that no matter what happens, I’m closer to achieving my dreams and goals!

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Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Tiffany Haddish

TIFFANY HADDISH 2020.

TIFFANY HADDISH 2020. 

Should Tiffany Haddish be President? 

If the job was based on a candidate's ability to make us laugh, we'd vote yes. Tiffany was a much-needed reprieve during that endlessly L-O-N-G-W-T-F 2017. From her stories about Will and Jada and Groupon (which went viral), to her breakout hilarious supporting role in Girls Trip, Tiffany had us ROTFL when the rest of the world had us in tears. 

And even though her story is a bit of a tear-jerker, she's never let it stop her. It's positively inspirational. The witty woman has been performing at The Laugh Factory since she was a teenager. But her childhood is nothing to laugh at. Tiffany frequently shares about growing up in foster care and stints spent living in her car.

Still, Tiffany is the first black woman standup to ever host Saturday Night Live in its four-plus decades. She also managed to release her memoir, "The Last Black Unicorn." And she's now an official spokesperson for Groupon, which makes sense seeing as she's in the top 1% of their users. 

More from our next President below. 

On success:

I'm still living in the same place, and -- none of your damn business where I live -- but I'm still driving a Honda. I'm trying to decide if I should get myself the Tesla SUV or if I should get myself a new pair of shoes. I don't know I think I'm going to go with the Ted Bakers because they might be a little cheaper, but the Tesla though.

On her social worker Colita Louis: 

I thought it super necessary to thank her because she basically saved my life. She got me out of that living situation, and she noticed that I had something and she got me into Laugh Factory Comedy Camp. I went to the comedy camp and it changed my whole world and I'm so grateful to her for that.

On potentially saving the world:

I obviously went through these things for a reason, and if it's not to share with other people so they can handle their situations better, well, I don't know what the hell I went through it for. I might as well share it because this the only life I got to live and who knows it might save the world.

On eating kale with Taylor Swift:

When I met Taylor Swift, she was reciting my jokes back to me telling me how much she loved me. I'm going over to her house. … We supposed to be eating baked chicken and quinoa salad with kale and all this healthy stuff and talking and laughing. I'm going to hang out. It's going to be great. Taylor Swift knows I'm [all] jokes.

This interview has been edited and condensed from multiple sources. 

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


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Create & Cultivate 100 Philanthropy: Mari Copeny

LITTLE MISS FLINT. BIG DREAMS. 

LITTLE MISS FLINT. BIG DREAMS. 

Little Miss Flint is going to change the world.

And hint: she already has.  

When Mari Copeny was 8-years-old, she wrote a letter to President Obama, asking him to meet with her and a group of people coming to Washington D.C. It read:

Mr. President,

Hello my name is Mari Copeny and I’m 8 years old, I live in Flint, Michigan and I’m more commonly known around town as “Little Miss Flint”. I am one of the children that is effected by this water, and I’ve been doing my best to march in protest and to speak out for all the kids that live here in Flint. This Thursday I will be riding a bus to Washington, D.C. to watch the congressional hearings of our Governor Rick Snyder.”

The President responded.

Cue: the waterworks. Which is exactly what Mari, AKA “Little Miss Flint,” has been fighting for in Flint, Michigan since 2014. Working, clean, water. Yes, it’s a human right. She’s known around her town as “Little Miss Flint,” because of her work and activism on the matter to represent the children of Flint.

And she’s still hard at it. Now ten, Mari is the youngest Women’s March Youth Ambassador, National Youth Ambassador for the Climate March, and Youth Ambassador for Equality for Her. She has spoken in front of the White House and at the Science March in Washington D.C. Mari also spoke at the United Nations Girl Up Leadership Conference.

Read more about what we can expect from this amazing young girl below.

Name: Mari Copeny

Instagram Handle: @MariMyAngelOfficial

Your Twitter bio says "watch me change the world." But you ARE changing the world. Where do your drive and passion come from?

I am. My focus is on making the world see that kids are not just the future we are the present as well and we can change the world now. I am focusing so much time on Flint kids and making sure that we get all the things that we need to be successful.

Philanthropy means the "love of humanity." It's so beautiful and simple. What does it mean to you?

It means being able to give back to every single person and love them for who they are.

How did you find yourself on this particular journey?

The Flint Water Crisis kind of flung me into this life and I haven't looked back since. What began as me wanting the world to know that we have a serious problem in Flint has turned into me wanting to help out kids all over the country and to prove to other kids they can change the world as well.

We gotta know, what kind of hugs does Obama give?

They are amazing. He is so soft and warm. Best HUG ever. Like a big fluffy bear without the fluff.

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

That even though I'm an activist that I am also a kid as well and I LOVE being a kid. And my number one focus is on making sure that Flint kids are not forgotten.

What's the best advice your mom has ever given you?

To always find the good in every situation, even when things seem all bad.

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

I dont find a new road, I will work until I am able to get over that bump. Sometimes it takes a lot of being told no to finally get the answer I want.

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

"Happy" by Pharrell Williams.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Kelsey Lu

THE IL"LU"MINATED. 

THE IL"LU"MINATED. 

You can call her Lu. Seriously, the musician's biggest pet peeve is when people call her Kelsey. 

But let's back up a minute. 

Meet Kelsey McJunkins aka Kelsey Lu, the classically trained cellist raised Jehovah’s witness to musician parents in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The haunting songstress turned to music as an outlet from the restrictive religion she was born into, crediting the institution with both broadening her interests and shielding her from much of what her contemporaries were listening to. Lu has played with pop acts from Blood Orange to Florence and The Machine, yet her distinct sound—often ghostly and unsettling—exists in a far away world.

More on the enchanting cellist below.

Name: Kelsey Lu

Instagram: 

Where do your drive and passion come from?

It comes from the basic instinct of survival. Tapping into something that is unseen but felt and riding with it.

Your mom played the piano. Your dad, percussion. He was also an artist. Was there a dichotomy between the "artist" part of your upbringing and the strict religious side?

Well being an "Artist" comes in so many different flavors you know. I wouldn't say that going to museums around the country, or my dad supporting a family based solely off of his being a Portrait/Court Room Artist as being something that clashed with the rulings of the Organization I was brought up in noticeably. The only times it did was when I decided to leave the religion I was raised in to further my life as an artist. Music and Art was my gateway away from that life, so it was then that the dichotomy began.

How do you think that's shaped your music and your relationship to music and art?

It narrowed my point of vision while exposing it to other parts that most kids my age weren't getting excited over, i.e. classical music. My exposure to pop culture was monitored much more so than a regular degular American childhood upbringing, but because of that, I was appreciating the things that most kids weren't which separates me from the herd.

What was life like on the road? What was the most fun and conversely, the most challenging?

In the very beginning when I started touring with Nappy Roots it was just exciting and fun, I wasn't thinking about the fact that I was the only female within a fully cis male environment. That was the challenge later on when the glitter in my eyes wore thin. Hard finding the space for myself. But it gets easier every time, you learn to make space and time for yourself.

"You learn to make space and time for yourself."

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What is your biggest pet peeve?

When people call me Kelsey.

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

I have to rosin my bow every time I play and the process of making rosin in a beautiful one. Most specifically though is that it is comprised mostly of Pine sap. Pine sap is indeed the key ingredient in rosin, and it is derived from pines grown for paper pulp on big southern plantations. I grew up around a lot of Pines in NC.

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

It's like the mating songs of Lyre Birds, they are one of the most complex songbirds in the world. The reason for their complexity is their unique ability to mimic sounds, they can literally mimic the calls of any birds, as well as natural sounds they may come across, say for example like a camera shutter. What makes one stand out from the rest, is the way they personalize their mimicry.

"What makes one stand out from the rest, is the way they personalize their mimicry."

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What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

Earth.

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

I can't really pinpoint the exact location of time or place upon which I found that confidence, I also don't feel like it's been fully realized for myself. It's something that takes time and trial and error.

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

Let the River run between your thighs and lift your eyes to the sky.

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

By getting through the pain of that bump, you will naturally find another road.

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

The song of my own tears falling to the bottom of the shower floor.

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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Paola Mathé

THE QUEEN OF COLOR. 

THE QUEEN OF COLOR. 

You don't need to write a novel to tell a story.

Paola Mathé is the embodiment of this. A storyteller at heart, the blogger and Creative Director was born a dreamer from a small town in Haiti. Paola moved to the United States during her teenage years, where she lived in a one bedroom apartment with her family in Newark, NJ.  Of her mother, the creative shares, “She’s had a very tough life and over the years I’ve seen her get stronger and smarter." It's certainly helped shaped the woman Paola has become. 

A driven individual, Paola was the first in her family to graduate from college, receiving her dual bachelor's degree in Economics and French Literature at Drew University. Post-grad she went on to launch a career in hospitality. As is the narrative with many bloggers, she started Finding Paola as a creative outlet during a time when her career was soaring. She recalls getting “four promotions over the course of about six months-- I was dominating and living that life," she says. "But I got really into it [the blog] and made time. I was working 50-60 hours a week, managing all of these different people but really wanting to be creative. So that’s what I started doing. And I remember thinking, I don’t have much, but how can I create this? How can I show people that they can live without having much?”

This was during 2009 when the blog in its infancy was called Finding Paola: Lost in New York. What was she searching for? Was she truly lost? Not exactly. “I was writing about things I was not familiar with but were intriguing and exciting. I was really trying to find who I was. I started seeing this girl," she says self-referentially, "who, whether she had someone to go to an event with or not, she would still show up, she would meet people, network, and then I started seeing me changing in front of me-- doing all these things I was never comfortable with, really trying to get stronger.”

She was busy documenting different events, but the content evolved over time to include her personal style. "I tried to keep up with that, while also being as honest as possible." She says that having a blog, especially before the dawn/explosion of social media was really hard. “I felt like everyone was studying a manual I didn’t have and everything looked the same. I didn’t want my blog to be that because my life is full of color and I felt like my story was so different from the blogs I was reading. I remember subscribing to a lot of them, trying to follow and keep up and then unsubscribing because I didn’t relate. But then I’d wonder why they were getting so popular. I didn’t realize that at the time my blog was also getting popular. I thought it would just be friends and family.”

“I felt like everyone was studying a manual I didn’t have."

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Occasionally she'll read her old posts to see how much she’s grown, although many have been lost as she’s transitioned platforms over the years. “A lot of posts don’t migrate," she laughs recalling the days when twenty views would get her really excited. “I thought the only person reading it was my mom because she was terrified of me being in New York and wanted to keep tabs on me.”

Describing herself as a shy child surrounded by strong women in Haiti, including her mother, Paola says, “I remember always trying to be in charge of her money. I would always try to calculate everything. How much does sugar cost and how much does rice cost? I was shy, but I was very observant. I had very strong opinions and I knew when I was older I wanted to be treated a certain way. I remember being in this house full of women. My mom didn’t like to be alone so when we lived in our family house in Haiti she surrounded herself with friends-- people who weren’t relatives but I would call them cousin. I saw how all these women lived. As a little girl I saw their love lives, how they cried, how they handled things, and I remember sitting there-- because in Haiti it’s very strict you can’t just get into grown folks business-- and thinking about what I liked and didn’t like. That’s why Fanm Djanm is important. They were all strong in their own way, but I didn’t want to be treated how they were treated. As I got older and older I found myself solving problems. And I realized that I could solve problems and be creative.”

She is referring to her company, Fanm Djanm, a head wrap collection and popular lifestyle brand launched in 2014 that celebrates the strength of women while empowering them to live boldly. It means “strong woman" in Haitian Creole. 

More from Paola, a very strong woman, below. 

Where do your drive and passion come from? 

My drive comes from the way my heart races when I feel like I'm going to step out of my comfort zone. It's embedded in all my daydreams as a shy little girl. And it continues to evolve as I realize how much I can do with the right mindset. My passion? Maybe I was born with it? I don't remember not ever being passionate. I see beauty in abandoned cracks and crevices. Sometimes I create it. And sometimes it just surprises me. It's hard not to have passion. 

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

Knowing that it's not going to be permanent. Knowing that it only gets worst if I ignore it. So I have to push and find a solution. Sometimes reading about other entrepreneur's obstacles help me because I know I'm not alone. 

I know I'm not alone. 

We've talked a little before about how you created your office space in Harlem. And that even though it's small, it's yours. Why is having something that's all yours important? 

It's important to have something that's all mine because I make the rules. I create my world of beauty and happiness. The walls vibrate inspiration and truths that I don't find most places. I get to curate and be in charge of what I like. I can look around on a bad day and find a piece of artwork and some words that just lift me up. And that's where some of the magic happens. 

How do you manage your time between your personal brand and Fanm Djamn? 

It's hard to manage time between the two. It's hard to say that I'll work on Fanm Djanm for an x amount of time today and I'll dedicate another x amount to Finding Paola. It's exhausting. So I go by what demands my attention the most at the moment. Fanm Djanm is my baby, but it's just one of the long term projects I'm going to work on in my life. I think having a good team is extremely important. My transition to Austin hasn't made it easy. 

How have you been able to work remotely with your team since you moved to Austin? 

The move to Austin has been a big challenge for, and my pregnancy hasn't made it any easier. I'm happy to work young, ambitious, trustworthy people. I found that with the current state that I was, it was difficult to make solid plans. I've learned a lot about patience and not to be too hard on myself the past few months. 

What is your biggest pet peeve? 

My biggest pet peeve is how easy people find it to comment on other people's bodies, especially women's bodies. I think the world would be a better place for us if we weren't being reminded every time our bodies go through a major change or look different. It's our body, we know how we look, and we don't need your remarks unless we ask for it. 

"It's our body, we know how we look, and we don't need your remarks unless we ask for it." 

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Who or what are you most inspired by? 

I'm inspired by women. I'm inspired by black women. I'm inspired by women who have found their voice, and who know what they want (or at least what they don't want). And of course color! I love color and how it makes me feel. It doesn't have to be bright or bold (although that's my go-to). Neutrals can be fun too. I love how mixing or not can tell a story. And my friend Mama Cax continues to inspire me everyday. 

What are your biggest fears about running a business? 

My biggest fear is failing those who work with me. I want them to do well and be well just like I want to do well. It's difficult when you've started without much and are still finding yourself. But the more I learn, and the more I know, the more I'll be able to look out for them as well. 

You're about to be a new mom. What do you hope to pass on to your child? 

I'd like for my child to know that she was born from unfiltered and exciting love. I'd like for her to know that she will be privileged even as a biracial person, and that she should understand his or her role in all of this. I'd like to pass on open-mindedness, and being able to love, communicate, share, and inspire. I'd like to pass on that nobody is perfect and that life is unfair no matter where or how you're born. But if you're able to make a difference, you should. There's so much that I'd love to pass on. I think self-love is also one of the top things I'd like to pass on. Being free, but not carefree.

Where do you find inspiration?

When I was in Harlem I would go up to a stranger in the street if I thought they had a story or they’d be an amazing person to have a conversation with. I love talking to older women a lot. I started photographing older women in Harlem and I would approach them and tell them how beautiful and amazing they are. They would look at me like I was crazy-- that’s how you know you live in an ageist society. When you tell an older woman she’s beautiful often they think you’re making fun of them or it surprises them.

How does that make you feel as a woman?

People think you’re failing at life because you’re not doing something before you’re 30. I know so many amazing people who didn’t start to find themselves until later. When I meet a woman who says, ‘I’ve been doing this for a while, but it wasn’t until I was 45 that I really found my voice,’ to me that’s really inspiring. These aren’t just women breaking the rules but those who are doing something positive and impactful for their communities. I want to showcase stories like that.

"People think you’re failing at life because you’re not doing something before you’re 30."

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When did you find the confidence to become the woman you are today?

There was a video recently of me and I started crying because I was like WHO is this woman, WHY are they using these words to describe her-- and I realized, 'Oh it’s me.' 

I painted the floors in my office in Harlem myself. I was tired and I wanted to get it done, because customers don’t care if you’re painting the floors, they want what they’ve ordered. But I was tired and I sat down and was looking around. And I remember thinking, “Oh my God, this is me. This is mine. The woman who wrote the piece about me in the New York Times described it as a matchbox and I was like 'damn, not even a shoebox?' But still, its my colorful matchbox.

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


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Create & Cultivate 100: Philanthropy: Shaun Robinson

DOIN' IT FOR THE GIRLS. 

DOIN' IT FOR THE GIRLS. 

 

TV host and self-proclaimed “Motown Gal” Shaun Robinson is on a mission to make the world a better place for girls and women.

The Emmy Award winning journalist and Access Hollywood vet has hosted pre-shows for the Golden Globes and Academy Awards, yet being a positive role model has always been her principal goal. With her emonymous nonprofit, The S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls, Robinson has made it her life’s work to supports grassroots charities making advancements in five key areas of girls issues: (S)TEM, (H)EALTH, (A)RTS, (U)NITY and (N)EIGHBORHOODS.

Find out how the fervent philanthropist is working to reduce the inequities girls’ face.

Name: Shaun Robinson

Instagram Handle: @msshaunrobinson

Where do your drive and passion come from?

My drive and passion, in part, comes from my mom and dad. They encouraged me to work hard and never forget where I cam from. They taught me that I could achieve anything I put my mind to.

Philanthropy means the "love of humanity." It's so beautiful and simple. What does it mean to you?

Philanthropy means using your power to help make the lives of other people better. We all have that gift. We were put here to be a beacon of light for those in need.

How did you find yourself on this particular career journey?

I was inspired when I was a little girl. I use to watch a woman named Beverly Payne anchor the news in Detroit when I was about 6-years-old. She was the first African American woman that I ever saw on TV. She was my first TV role model.

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

Sometimes, it's not as glamorous as you might think!

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

I am proud to say that I was raised by a mother who taught me that I was complete all by myself...no matter what my job was, what my relationship status was or how I look. I always do my best when I work but, it is not what completes me.

"I was raised by a mother who taught me that I was complete all by myself."

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

The President of the United States. 'Nuff said.

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

I am someone who likes to keep growing and take on new challenges. I felt so empowered after I left my job of 16 years at Access Hollywood. I felt it was a new chapter that allowed me to take control of my life.

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

I love swimmer Diana Nyad's motto..."Never, ever give up!". Those are very powerful words that I live by every day. You only need one "yes" so keep trying until you get it.

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

When I encounter any type of roadblock, I pray about it. I sit in silence and ask God for direction. I always get clarity when I do that.

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

If I have had a bad day, the last thing I want to do is hear myself sing! lol.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

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


 

 

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Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Jenna Wortham

THE WORTHY WORDSMITH. 

THE WORTHY WORDSMITH. 

photo credit: Melissa Hom

Most great careers start with a great story.

And New York Times Magazine staff writer Jenna Wortham has hers. It's not that she received a handwritten note from Beyoncé that read, "Thank you for the beautiful words you said about Formation. Thanks for understanding my heart." (OK.) 

It's not that she's moderated convos with Ta-Nehisi Coates. Or that she's managed to grow her her Podcast, Still Processing, while launching the Black Future Project, while holding down her job as a culture writer for the Times magazine. 

It's that she rejected her first job offer from the New York Times. She didn't think she was the right fit. You know, that whole imposter syndrome sinking feeling. Luckily, the Times gave her time to reconsider. And now, she is a critical voice, addressing what it means to be black and alive. 

More below. 

Where do your drive and passion come from?

The desire to see women like me reflected in the broader cultural conversation.

You've spoken on this before, but our audience needs to hear it. You rejected the first job offer from the NY Times. Not because of the money, but because you didn't have faith in yourself yet. Can you talk us through how you psyched yourself up?

I had no context for the type of job they offered - I was the first person in my family to graduate from a four-year university. I was afraid to find out I was a failure, to let people down. My tech editor at the NYT wouldn't let me give up so easily, and I'll always be grateful that they saw potential and taught me to nurture it.

Even though you did accept that job, how long did it take for you to accept yourself in that position? I think for us, and for a lot of our readers, those are two different things.

It absolutely is. It was a process, and it took a long time before I felt like I could hold my own. But I never doubted that I would eventually get there. I just wanted everyone else to know it, if that makes sense.

What is the smartest thing you've done to develop your voice?

Stop being afraid of it.

"Stop being afraid of it."

Tweet this. 

A fear for a lot of writers and content creators in the digi-age is that when push comes to shove, we're only regurgitating content. That we don't actually have something important to say. How do you push through those moments?

I'm working on honing the art of resistance and refusal. I don't always have to weigh in, and I'm usually better for it when I don't and try to make a bigger point later on.

How do you know when you're onto something gold?

My biggest practice is learning to trust my gut and my intuition. My body tells me - my hands tingle, my heart races. It's up to me to pay attention to the signs.

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

I think about the legacy of incredible black journalists before me and what they faced. If they can do that, I can do this.

I think about the legacy of incredible black journalists before me and what they faced. If they can do that, I can do this.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People who disrespect each other's time. It's our most precious resource. We cannot take it for granted.

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

It's non-stop. As a journalist and cultural critic, its impossible to turn my brain off, so even when I'm relaxing and watching TV, I'm thinking -- is this a story? Should we cover this? What's a good angle here? It's amazing but also exhausting!

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

The network of people that I've met through it. I'm lucky to have a job that allows me to be curious about the world, and how different people move through it. Learning about so many ways of being has helped me shape how I want to be and what feels important to me. It's the greatest gift.

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

Maybe a drone cam. I'm so tired of being stuck with this perspective on Earth.

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

To savor the good moments. My friend and late colleague David Carr once called me out when I tried to brush off a compliment after landing a couple stories on the home page of the New York Times. I tried to diminish the pieces — I think they were about Instagram -- and I felt a little embarrassed celebrating given that our colleagues work in war zones, reporting on public health crisis like Ebola or Flint. But he looked me square in the eye and said that all victories count. There's no need to compare yours to someone else's. It's important to enjoy the moments where our work counts for something because they are rare and fleeting.

"All victories count. There's no need to compare yours to someone else's."

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

I'm not much of a singer in the shower! But after a bad day, I really like to draw a bath, throw in some rose petals, epsom salt, and maybe lavender oil, and just soak it all away. I'll probably listen to Moses Sumney and just focus on my breathing until I feel better.

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: Beauty: Pat McGrath

THE VISIONARY. 

THE VISIONARY. 

Pat McGrath's mother told her she can do anything. And thank goodness for badass mothers. 

They were wise words that clearly stuck. As the beauty industry's go-to, British make-up artist Pat McGrath has created the world's most celebrated editorial and runway makeup looks. Find a trend, you can trace it back to Pat. #BacktoPat. Vogue has called her the most influential make-up artist in the world.

Yes, world.

But what she creates is truly out of this one. Defiant and decadent, Pat's artistry has never played by the rules. Which, is something she's excited to see from her industry, recently telling GQ, “The world of makeup is becoming increasingly more diverse and less about rules, which is absolutely divine." 

D-I-V-I-N-E.

They write, "If there is an equivalent to Supreme in the cosmetics world, it would be McGrath’s beauty line Pat McGrath Labs, which she started in 2015. Stoked by cultish cosmetics culture, almost every lip stick, eye shadow palette, and Versace show face kit sells out almost instantaneously." No offense to Supreme, but Pat McGrath is way more original.  

And seeing as Pat's entire spirit and character is set to "destroy convention and embrace cautionless self-expression," we say, let the destruction commence. 

More from Pat below. 

What is your earliest memory of beauty and makeup?

I mean, really, my earliest memory was watching my mother do her makeup. She was obsessed with beauty and collected makeup and experimented with it. I think it’s a lot of young men and women’s experiences, growing up, watching the ritual of what their mothers would do. 

The beauty industry has been under construction for a while. Do you think there have been significant improvements?

Yes! While there’s always room for improvement, I really think that it’s great to see that it’s getting better, but I myself know that I can go even further and I’m really excited about that.

With the Internet and social media, there’s been real growth in terms of beauty knowledge and beauty communities. Do you think it’s changed the way we approach beauty?

Of course! It started out with magazines and all those incredible articles and no matter how steeped in beauty I would be, I would read a magazine and tear the page out and go straight to the store to buy exactly what I’d seen. With Instagram, it’s taken it to a whole new level. You can see every minute, every second in your scroll, new ways of how to apply makeup, it’s so entertaining and it’s so inspiring.

Who are your muses as you create beauty looks and products?

They’re infinite! From Kim [Kardashian West] to Naomi [Campbell] to Paloma [Elsesser] to Duckie [Thot], Miss Fame, I love them all! All these beautiful, formidable, strong, courageous women and men of all colors and sizes. Beauty has nothing to do with one's age, gender, body size, socio-economic status, race, religion or culture. Social media really opens up the whole world to you, you can cast from everywhere. I remember seeing Paloma on Instagram many, many years ago and I remember thinking, “I’ve never seen such beauty!”

"Beauty has nothing to do with one's age, gender, body size, socio-economic status, race, religion or culture." 

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Who do you think your biggest beauty icon is?

Just one? There are so many! I always do Grace Jones and my mother, two beautiful Jamaican women.

How hectic is it backstage doing beauty at a runway show?

The fastest I've ever had to do beauty for a show was 50 models in one hour. Typically, I have a minimum of 23 people working with me. When I started, there would be 18 girls in a show, now there are shows with 150 girls, which means you just need a bigger team. And the timing of there being so many shows and so many girls arriving late, you need to have lots of hands backstage. Of course, that’s why I live on a motorbike during Paris Fashion Week, it’s my happiest time. We have a whole fleet of motorcycles because the cars are stuck in traffic and sometimes we’ll have to send motorcycles to the cars and my team loves it, they feel just like James Bond.

What do you splurge on when it comes to beauty?

The moment I get off the plane, anywhere in the world, I go straight to a drugstore and get all the latest balms and creams and everything. I especially love getting lashes. Eyelashes back in the day, they would have amazing eyelashes in the drugstores! For my beauty splurge, I go to amazing spas around the world. I’m a spa-holic.

What was your biggest fear in launching your own brand?

I felt uncomfortable doing something that everyone’s already done. I didn’t want to be boring.

"I felt uncomfortable doing something that everyone’s already done. I didn’t want to be boring."

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What’s the best piece of #realtalk you’ve ever received?

I was brought up by a mother that taught me, “You can do anything.”

This interview has been edited and condensed from multiple sources. 

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


 

 

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Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Angela Davis

FULL OF SOUL.

FULL OF SOUL.

Angela Davis turns a 45-minute workout into a life-changing experience. She's friends with Oprah and is Beyoncé's chosen Soul Cycle instructor. As if that weren't enough she's also a five-time All-American Team USA track-and-field star. 

All-in-all, Angela Davis is a badass source of inspiration to everyone she meets, and has built a career on the SoulCycle mentality of blending fitness with inspiration. She does it all and according to her Instagram bio: Mom, Wife, Motivational Coach, Fitness Evangelist, Speaker, Co-Founder.

More from Angela below. 

Name: Angela Davis

Instagram Handle: @shapewithangela

What’s your definition of inspiration?

To inspire means to breathe life. So when you’re inspiring someone you’re literally breathing life into them. Into their hopes and dreams and reminding them of what is possible. 

When a client of yours is having a tough time with a workout or a health obstacle how do you encourage them?

I always encourage every client to do their best, be their best, and hold themselves accountable. My mom once told me the definition of accountability is accounting to your own ability. And with that, your best is always good enough.

What advice do you have for women working towards cultivating the career of their dreams?

Well, if they’re already in the process of cultivating the career of their dreams, then they’ve already won. The privilege of living a purpose driven life and operating in your gifts and talents is the ultimate dream come true. 

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People faking. Faking in a workout, faking in life, just being fake annoys me. 

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

A job is an exchange of time for money. Some people have jobs and it's not necessarily something they love to do or want to do. What I get to do is my life’s work, therefore it doesn’t feel like a job. I’m literally doing what I was created and designed to do and I’m having the time of my life! 

I’m literally doing what I was created and designed to do and I’m having the time of my life! 

 

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

On a daily basis, I get to co-labor with the One who created me. And inspire others to live the life that was intended for them. 

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

I wouldn’t want to. 

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

When it became clear to me that people pleasing wasn’t a good look for me and that no matter what I did, I could never make everyone happy. So I decided to follow my heart at any cost and honor the whispers that were my intuitive guide. 

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

That “no” is a one-word answer. Don’t feel like you have to explain yourself to people. Your “no” is enough.

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

I make one. A bump in the road doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Sometimes it just calls on you to push through a little bit harder. 

"A bump in the road doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Sometimes it just calls on you to push through a little bit harder."

Tweet this.

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

I don’t really know that I sing in the shower, but a go-to song for me when I’m feeling down is "No Weapon" by Fred Hammond. 

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


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Create & Cultivate 100: Entrepreneur: Erica Chidi

THE COMMUNITY BUILDER. 

THE COMMUNITY BUILDER. 

Name: Erica Chidi 

Instagram Handle: @ThisIsLoom @ericachidi

If who a company follows on Instagram is any indication of what they're about, we're absolutely digging Loom, the pathways to pregnancy, parenting, and reproductive empowerment from doula turned founder Erica Chidi. From I Love My Baby, But mom, Whitney Eve Port to the artist and activist Zoe Buckman to Rihanna to female-founded, sexual wellness co, Get Maude to plant-based feminine care line The Honey Pot… it goes on. It's all about women's wellness, reproductive health, and family. 

For Loom, which opened last October in Los Angeles, these things are intrinsically linked. In a profile on the LA Times, Erica described the 2,000-square-foot space as a “progressive, contemporary, inclusive approach” to wellness. Loom holds classes and counseling sessions for anyone invested and interested more in learning about reproductive health. It's an inclusive space where any vag talk is fair game. 

And we’re not the only ones taking notice. Chidi just raised a $3 million seed round to build a digital platform for reproductive education making her one of the rare Black women to have raised more than $1 million in venture capital. In her Instagram announcement, Chidi wrote “we’re building a world where women can understand and thrive in their bodies at every stage of their lives.”

Whether you are reproductively curious, pregnant, or new-to-parenting, Erica wants you to come to build your community, access resources, and demystify the next chapter with a little guidance. As they say, it takes a village. 

More from Erica below.

From doula to business owner, what has been the most surprising aspect of your career path?

How slash-y it's been. Prior to going to college, I went to culinary school. Then I graduated from college with a bachelor’s in Visual Art History and Media and Communications. From there started off working at a contemporary art gallery and from there moved into public relations. At times I found myself confused by all of the different avenues and skills I was picking up. However, all of those skills and experiences ended up having synergy and supporting my growth. Having the ability to communicate made me into a great health educator. Having a culinary background allowed me to think consciously about food and nutrition and its importance to pregnant people and anyone trying to improve their reproductive health. And lastly, my appreciation of art and design uniquely lent itself to creating LOOM because I knew that inviting aesthetics and environment would help people get excited about their reproductive health and wellness.

What was the turning point that convinced you, it's time to take matters into my own hands? Loom needs to exist.

I think the turning point for me happened in my first year as a practicing doula. I looked at the pregnancy, parenting, and reproductive health education industry and looked around and realized there was inertia. There had been very little innovation and didn't reflect what I or other people like me would want. It still felt hyper-feminine, dogmatic, essentialist, and polarizing. There wasn't a fresh, moderate, evidenced-based, and inclusive brand that brought together a lot more untraditional modalities and yet worked side-by-side with the medical community to give people better overall outcomes in their pregnancy, their parenting, their reproductive health experience.

Erica Chidi Quote

What are the common challenges you've seen among female business owners and entrepreneurs?

Burnout. We all try to juggle being good. Good at a partnership, leadership, friendship, etc. And we tend to forget to nurture ourselves.

What are some of the common challenges you've talked to mothers (and those preparing for motherhood) about?

Pushing back on perfection, making ample room for mistakes, and learning to ask for help early and often.

Where do your drive and passion come from?

I would say it comes from my parents. My parents are both immigrants, they're from Nigeria. My dad came here to studied medicine and became a doctor and my mom went to nursing school. They came over in the seventies and both came from villages where there was no electricity. My parents always encouraged me to work really hard and they worked hard, and so I do feel like that ethic comes from them in terms of my drive. I'm passionate about helping people feel confident about their bodies and be able to effectively advocate for their health and wellbeing.

You do you. How have you championed this concept in other women and for yourself?

It's about looking forward and allowing yourself to be inspired by what other people are creating and at the same time not distracted by anything that doesn't inspire you. Give negativity little to no oxygen.

 What are your biggest fears about running a business?

Failing at it. Have to close our doors and letting people down.

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

Being a doula requires you to be on call 24/7, it's actually a very monastic lifestyle. You go to bed early, you try to eat healthily in order to keep your immune system in good shape, that way you are ready to go to a birth at any time. Doulas are definitely calming and supportive in the moment but in order to do that my lifestyle is very measured.

What about your career that makes you feel the most complete?

Helping people feel empowered, seen, and less alone.

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

I'd trade jobs with Nicu nurse. They are incredible people and work closely with families that are dealing with the hardest possibilities and are some of the most empathic people I know. I'd love the chance to support families in that way

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

There isn't a specific moment. I think confidence is always being reinforced hour-by-hour sometimes. It's a long-term process and accepting that has helped me realize that even if I don't feel confident now, I can build it down the line.

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

Don't be afraid to seek pleasure and feel good about it.

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

New Edition - "Can You Stand The Rain."

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

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


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Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Destiney Green

#MAJORMOMCRUSH.

#MAJORMOMCRUSH

It's 2018. Bye, bye man crush. Hello, mom crush.

With fearless matriarch Destiney Green of popular parenting blog Mom Crush Monday ruling the roost, 2018 is all about unstoppable, stylish mamas taking over the world. Born as one new mom’s personal journey into the murky waters of raising a tiny human, Mom Crush Monday has officially graduated from the newborn stage, with a cool 185K Instagram followers, a membership-based platform, and a line of children’s clothing on the way.

With musings on graceful co-parenting, mental health, and mother/daughter adventures, Destiney and her daughter Honor are empowering, and inspiring, a community of mamas to dream, love, and grow.

More from Mom Crush Monday below. 

Name: Destiney Green 

Instagram: @MomCrushMonday

Where do your drive and passion come from?

When I became a mother, I suddenly felt like I had a purpose and a reason to push myself harder than ever before. Every time I look at Honor, I know why I'm working this hard.

Who is your biggest mom crush right now?

Denise Vasi. She's the epitome of career and mom success!

Your bio says you're a "future entrepreneur." What does "future" mean to you? And what are your plans?

The future is quickly approaching. I've known for a long time that I had big plans for myself, and I didn't want to let myself off the hook. 2017 has been about preparation for me, and in 2018 you'll see it all come to fruition. I'm really excited to see these pieces coming together on a couple different businesses I've been working on building.

When you hit a rough patch or hit bumps, how do you find new roads?

This question is such an important one. I think too many people are afraid of failing. I'm not and I encourage others to not be as well. If I hit a rough patch mentally, I take a day and refocus. If I hit a rough patch in a business opportunity, I look at why it didn't work and vow to make the next time better. I don't slow down enough to dwell on the hard moments. The key is to keep moving forward.

"I think too many people are afraid of failing. I'm not."

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How has motherhood helped you feel more empowered?

Oh my gosh, how has it not?! It's literally the most powerful thing you can do. To give life to another being. If I can do that, I'm unstoppable.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Excuses. I hate excuses.

What matters most to you about your job?

The connection with other women, and creating a foundation of sisterhood based on support and not competition.

What are your biggest fears about being a mom?

I wouldn't want Honor to ever look back and say I didn't prepare her for something.

How do you get over them?

I try to stay ready so we don't have to get ready.

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

People assume that blogging is all fun and games. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE my job, but a lot of work goes into what I do. I work long hours and I work hard for what I want.

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

I get to be completely flexible with my time and decide what I want to fill it. If a project doesn't feel right, I say no. I am in control of my future.

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

Beyonce, because she's mastered her business and has changed the tables for so many.

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

I think every day I grow more and more into the woman I am supposed to be. I've always been confident in who I am, but each day I find I'm on the path I'm meant to be on, that confidence grows.

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

Real talk, don't think you can do it all alone. Play on your strengths and hire out your weaknesses. No one got to the top alone.

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

"Ambition" by Jay Z.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE CONTENT CREATOR LIST CLICK HERE. 


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Create & Cultivate 100: STEM: Aisha Bowe

THE NASA GAL. 

THE NASA GAL.

This is what an engineer looks like. 

Meet Aisha Bowe, Aerospace Engineer, Founder, and CEO, advised by her high-school guidance counselor to attend beauty school.

While she never did pursue that career in cosmetology, she did grow up to be one of NASA’s leading aerospace engineers. These days, the would-be-beauty-school-dropout focuses her genius on the tech solutions company she co-founded. As a proud minority owned business, STEMBoard creates software solutions for defense and enterprise clients and works toward closing the achievement gap by empowering minority youth.

Learn about how Bowe’s bootstrapped her way to the top of the boys' club below.

Name: Aisha Bowe

Instagram Handle: @aishabowe

Business Instagram Handle: @stemboard

You are a force and we are in awe. From aerospace engineering to STEMBoard. What were you like as a kid?

Insecure and unfocused. I wasn’t the greatest student, I didn’t have any goals and I internalized the limitations others put on me. It wasn’t until college that I began to recognize my abilities.

At first, you were too intimated to accept a job at NASA. What's your advice for young women experiencing similar feelings?

Do not be afraid to put yourself in a position of failure! Studies have shown that girls consistently outperform boys in the classroom, so remember that we are badasses! And when that fails, just fake it until you make it

Do you still feel that creeping intimidation some days?

Of course! There is no playbook for what I am attempting to achieve. The company, our mission, and objectives were at one point just a daydream. I constantly nd myself combating negative stereotypes.

Where do your drive and passion come from?

Impact. I measure success as lives touched...including my own. At so many points along my journey, I doubted myself. Watching the company grow into an entity that builds technology for Federal clients while uplifting women, people of color and other historically disadvantaged groups in the workforce has been a motivating experience.

How do you feel as a woman in STEM?

Inspired & empowered! Visibility of Women in STEM is at an all-time high. While there is still much work to be done, I love waking up to uplifting narratives in social media.

How have you successfully navigated such a male-dominated eld?

Don’t think it hasn’t been difficult, but I realized early on I couldn’t do this on my own. I needed mentors (both men and female) who believed in me almost more than I believed in myself to help push me through and motivate me. I have a tribe of people that surround me with light and real talk when I need it the most.

What are your hopes for young women who are interested in STEM?

I hope that women see themselves and technology as being key to future success in STEM. I look up to women like Debbie Sterling founder of GoldieBlox, Dr. Ellen Stofan former Chief Scientist at NASA, Kimberly Bryant, Black Girls Code

You've said that "success lies in the establishment of positive daily habits." What are some of those positive habits?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed. I set small, measurable goals focused on incremental progress: meditate, workout, eat well. Working out in the morning gives me energy, I feel accomplished which helps to create a positive mindset. I make lists, if I don’t write it down it gets lost. I review my goals each day and prioritize.

 

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Negative attitudes. Staying positive, even in the face of the improbable, is vital to success.

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

Don't spend life daydreaming about 'what could be'. Invest your energy in what is right in front of you and see how it can be cultivated into something meaningful #realtalk.

Tweet this.

 

Do you have any fears about running a business? If so, what?

That I will fail those who are a part of the team. That I won’t progress as quickly as I want to. I want to win and that drives me more than anything.

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

Running a company is hard. STEMBoard creates smart tech for Federal and private sector clients. There’s no playbook to starting a business you created. As an entrepreneur, it is a constant race to stay ahead of the curve. Love yourself like Kanye loves himself-it’s key!

What about your career makes you feel the most complete?

There is an African proverb I love: If You Want To Go Fast, Go Alone. If You Want To Go Far, Go Together. Your team is and will always be the most vital part of a company’s. Bet on them, empower them and learn that in order to lead one must learn to follow. From my tenure at NASA to co-foundering STEMBoard, I used to place pressure on myself to have all of the answers.

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

Less than 10% of all venture capital deals go to women or People of Color. I aspire to one day provide investment to startups. Arlan Hamilton of Backstage Capital does just that.

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

Sometimes you have to take an L. As much as I believed that others were going to see our vision, no one decided to fund us in Silicon Valley. We had to focus and relinquish the notion that someone needed to co-sign our worth. We bootstrapped and did it ourselves, ve years later we’re so glad we did.

 

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

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


 

 

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Create & Cultivate 100: Fashion: Emma Grede

NOT JUST GOOD. GREAT. 

NOT JUST GOOD. GREAT.

As the co-founder of Good American, the inclusive denim line Emma Grede launched with Khloe Kardashian in December 2016, there was a lot of pressure to perform. But with a focus on inclusive sizing and showing the product on various models on its website, the duo found immediate, chart-topping success. 

It was the biggest denim launch in apparel history. NBD. With sizes ranging from 00 to 24, that they don't separate into "petite" or "plus-size" categories, the label relied on social-media marketing, featuring the product on an array of women on its Instagram. They've now expanded into bodysuits and sweats, as modeled by Khloe herself. 

Originating from a convo between Khloe and Emma about what it means to be a woman today, Emma shares “We believe everybody deserves to be shown off. Fashion should be made to fit women, not the other way around. Body ideals really have shifted in the last few years.”

Here's to shifting the industry, one Good pair of jeans at a time. 

Read more from Emma below. 

What an amazing year you've had! In 2016 you and co-founder Khloe did one million in sales on day one. Did you ever anticipate such wild, record-breaking success?

I knew we were going to be successful because I knew we had made a killer pair of jeans that doesn’t exist in the marketplace and I was sure women would react positively to that, but No! I didn’t expect that first day of sales and I didn’t anticipate the year we’ve had either.

As a company how do you one-up yourself on that? And stay ahead of the game?

You have to constantly and consistently do two things, one listen to your customers, what do they want, what can they not get and what can you do better for them? And then you need to act on that information from a product development perspective and keep improving what you do.

Your husband also co-founded a denim line that has seen astronomical success. What kind of jean talk happens in your household?

Ha ha! Yes it is quite odd but Jens, who owns Frame denim, and I have worked together for over 10 years now, first in the fashion agency group he founded - Wednesday Group- with his business partner Erik Torsteensen and now with Good American, so we literally talk shop all the time. Our business are our hobbies as well as what we do professionally but we also have two children together, so sometimes there just is no space for us discuss business and that creates a nice balance.

What would you say most prepared you to launch a company?

Good American isn’t my first company, it’s my third! But I would say all my experience leading up to now. Working in the fashion and entertainment business has given me an appreciation for what’s important and that’s product. If I look at how I spend my time it’s all in creating the best possible product.

When do you feel the most empowered?

At about 8:30 am every morning! I’ve worked out, had breakfast with my family, taken my little boy to school and I’m on route to the office listening to a Podcast……somedays I’d like to turn around and head back to bed!! But most days I’m feeling on fire at about 8:30 am!!!

What do you find most empowering about working alongside Khloe?

Khloe is the real deal as a business woman, she’s one of the most positive people I know and she’s also importantly, a really hard worker. She puts her all into every task, she’s super passionate about what we do and that’s both inspiring and empowering.

"We wanted to liberate women from an unreal external projection."

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People always say a co-founder relationship is like a marriage. Why do you think you and Khloe work well together?

Ultimately we have a respect for one another and what each of us does. Khloe is very open-minded and she’s learned a lot from her time in the business with her various ventures, which is where my respect for her comes.

What's the Good Squad about and why is it an important part of the brand?

The Good Squad is so important to us, we believe very strongly that it’s so important to show a real representation of women in fashion and the wider media landscape. We wanted to liberate women from feeling as though they need to live up to an unreal external projection of how they should be. Our girls come from all over the world, from all different backgrounds, have different shapes, sizes and are all working hard to realize their dreams and potential.

"We believe very strongly that it’s so important to show a real representation of women in fashion."

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When do you feel the most pressure?

At about 8:30 am every morning- Ha!! I feel pressure going into photo shoots and filming things, I really don’t do well on camera.

When do you feel the most relaxed?

On Sundays. I love Sunday brunch, the newspapers, hanging with my babies -- that’s just the best and most relaxing for me.

Any upcoming Good American news you can share with us?

YES! We just launched our spring 2018 collection and new styles will drop weekly! We are also very close to releasing our line of maternity denim called ‘Good Mama’. Launch details will be released on Good American’s social media channels very soon!

What would you call your superpower?

I’m really good at motivating people and just getting stuff done, out the door, over the line. That’s my super power.

Photo Credit: @davisfactor

Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai

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


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