Bizz What? Jen Gotch Is Dishing All Her Best Business Advice

If you're like us, Jen Gotch's Instgram stories are at the top of your must-watch list. Every. damn. day. The CCO and Founder of the fun-centric Ban.do has built a brand with cult-like following of millennials. #FORBES. While she might not like to admit it, she's pretty D.O.P.E. at this whole business thing. And when she's not making us laugh (and/or cry and/or laugh-cry) on IG stories, she shoots an advice series called Honor Roll answering fan-submitted questions about business-related things + more. 

Watch her spill on spill some solid bizz advice for anyone looking to turn that side-hustle into a full time thing. 

Q: I'M THINKING OF STARTING A BUSINESS. ANY ADVICE?

Q: WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR REACHING POTENTIAL FOLLOWERS WITHOUT A LARGE FOLLOWING?

Q: HOW DO I GET STARTED ON MY OWN BUSINESS WITH LIMITED MONEY?

BONUS. Jen also designed a super soft, short sleeve t-shirt as a little tribute to her advice series and 15% of the proceeds will be donated to writegirl, an la-based creative writing and mentoring organization that promotes creativity, critical thinking and leadership skills to empower teen girls. 

Love these? We'll be sharing more videos starring JG soon. Leave your burning business questions below! 

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Fashion: Alissa Jacob & Aliza Neidich, Reservoir

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

Survived year one.

Best friends for 30 years, Reservoir co-founders Aliza Neidich and Alissa Jacob are a lot more like sisters. After unsuccessfully searching for fulfillment in other careers — Aliza in PR, and Alissa in real estate — the inseparable pair had the realization that they could create something game-changing by joining forces and merging skillsets. After quitting her job, Alissa left New York and joined her BFF out in Los Angeles. Putting their heads together, the duo came up with the idea to open a concept store, something they’d both noticed was conspicuously lacking in this city. It wasn’t long after signing their first lease in Silverlake that the duo got the first taste of entrepreneurship stress (and we’re pretty sure it hasn’t stopped yet).

“We found a space we loved, signed a lease and began construction. However, to make a long story short, we found out we were being lied to by the landlord and we had to get out of our lease while trying to recoup as much money as possible and figuring out what to do with the inventory that was trickling in from vendors,” explains Alissa. Forced to act quickly, the partners decided to open a pop-up shop on Roberston Blvd., where they’ve remained for the last year. “Through this, we learned that not everything will always go to plan, and you really have to be able to roll with the punches in order to be successful,” says Aliza. “Sometimes obstacles happen for a reason. It definitely tested our will, and I'm proud of how we resolved what could have been a disastrous situation,” adds Alissa.

Alissa is wearing Keds' Champion Originals.

Despite some early real estate woes, the Reservoir business has continued to grow. Alissa describes the passion, and, at times, depression, that comes with the territory of owning your own business. “You will never feel more invested in anything. Knowing that this business is a reflection of our work motivates me to make it the best it can be. It's exciting and stressful and rewarding all at the same time,” she says. “The concept of a career five years ago was so hazy to me. Even though I had a job, or jobs, I knew they wouldn't satisfy my own definition of 'career.'"

"You really have to be able to roll with the punches to be successful.”

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"I'm happy I was able to find something that regularly allows me feel both challenged and passionate,” echoes Aliza, of the transition from working for someone else to being in charge of your own destiny." 

If working for yourself is difficult, you might wonder about what happens when your best friend becomes your business partner? Luckily, with the help of some sound advice from friends and a detailed partnership agreement, Alissa and Aliza haven’t let the dynamic come between them. “Sometimes, even though it's awkward, we need to talk business,” says Alissa. “Emotions are definitely still involved, but the partnership agreement allows us to separate work from friendship when we need to.”

So, what’s next for the business partners and besties behind LA’s coolest one-stop-shopping destination? The duo hopes to expand their online business and possibly add a few new locations. “On a grand scale, I'd love to have Reservoir be a go-to for online and in-store shoppers worldwide. On a smaller scale, I'd maybe die if Jessica Lange came in and shopped,” says Aliza. This November, Reservoir celebrated one year in LA. “The first year is so difficult, I'd like to get the business to a point where we are profitable and can consider possible expansion. Hopefully we have developed a unique brand with character that would be valued in different markets as well,” says Alissa. 

One thing both ladies can agree they’ve learned from this last year? Everything happens for a reason. And, yes, that includes shady landlords.

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

Fashion: Emily Schuman

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

From blogger to fashion boss. 

Emily Schuman, founder-turned-fashion boss at Cupcakes & Cashmere, wants you to know that the work/life balance myth is exactly that... a myth. Since launching her wildly popular lifestyle blog in 2008, Schuman has parlayed her unparalleled instinct for fashion, food, beauty and interiors into two books, as well as successful clothing, home, and lighting lines by the same name. Couple that with being a wife and new mom, it’s no wonder the elusive “balance” isn’t exactly in the cards for this blogger-cum-business maven.

“In a lot of ways, it really is a myth for me, which is why it's so important to have times when I'm not ‘on,’” explains the multi-tasking mama. She’s as effortless at DIY-ing marbled napkin rings and ombre picnic utensils as she is throwing together an impromptu-yet-festive holiday look or whipping up some home-baked, namesake cupcakes to satisfy those pregnancy cravings. At least, that’s what Instagram would have you believe.

Despite Schuman’s impeccably curated existence, she’s not afraid to get real and tell it like it is. She describes the chaos of her early career and the stress of planning a wedding with managing a blog as a team of one, all while penning her first book. On one particularly high-strung occasion, she recalls being physically peeled away from her desk to get some much-needed rest by her then-fiance, now-husband Geoffrey. “I remember insisting that I still had things to finish and he sweetly reassured me that it would be good to get some sleep and that I could get to things in the morning. He couldn't have been more right.”

These days, the budding business tycoon is inching closer to some semblance of time management, although it’s still a work in progres. “I'll set aside my phone on weekends for large chunks of time and disconnect anytime I'm with my family or friends so that I can enjoy their company and not feel dependent on social media,” says the two-time author, who still struggles with work/life separation. “I also put a lot of importance on spending time with my husband and daughter in the mornings and at night, so I won't be checking email or responding to calls during those periods. As much as possible I try to keep regular working hours so that I'm not on-call 24 hours a day.”

"I'll set aside my phone on weekends and disconnect anytime I'm with my family." 

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At just 33, Schuman has already created a mini empire, boasting books, brands, and bag designs for Coach as well as a capsule collection with Club Monaco. In a notoriously flighty and easily distracted industry, she’s built a beloved blog with mass appeal and trend-defying relevance. And as the business has grown and evolved, so has the powerhouse behind it.

“When I first started my career, I felt almost embarrassed by my success and would try to downplay certain achievements. Now, as a 33-year-old business woman, I embrace it in a way that’s empowered and am proud of my accomplishments,” she explains. “I’m a lot kinder to myself in my 30s than I was in my 20s.”

With this newfound sense of empowerment and wisdom comes a desire to pay it forward  — to inspire future generations of female entrepreneurs and create the kinds of opportunities for them that she was fortunate enough to receive. “I've been able to forge my own path and largely avoid the prejudices my closest girlfriends have encountered in the workforce, but having a one-year-old daughter has really put things into perspective for me,” says Schuman. “I’m raising her to be a strong woman who will fight for gender equality, but I only hope that by the time she is my age, she won’t have to fight quite as hard as previous generations.”

"I’m raising my daughter to be a strong woman who will fight for gender equality."

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That said, she maintains that the best piece of real talk advice she’s ever received is that it’s okay to cry in the workplace. “Obviously you don’t want to be a blubbering mess on a weekly basis, but it’s okay to get emotional sometimes if you’re passionate about what you do.”

Let it out, ladies. A *little blubbering* might be good for biz.  

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

Fashion: Rebecca Minkoff

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

From ramen days to real tasty success. 

The early Rebecca Minkoff days were “the ramen days,” according to the mom and mogul who heads up her eponymously named fashion empire. "I worked out of a walk up and it was a real hustle.”

Most people know that Rebecca started with one bag: her iconic Morning After Bag (M.A.B for those ITK), but she’s been making clothes and sewing from a young age. At eight she asked her mother for a dress, a request that was refused but met by a challenge: she’d teach her daughter how to sew. So the budding designer-to-be went to sewing camp. Then she went to performing arts high school, where she got a taste for design in the drama costume department. Eventually landing an internship for a designer in New York where the CEO taught her the ins and outs of every department. 

Fast forward to 2001. She took her scrappy approach to fashion and business and launched her eponymous label. She used the last of her savings to make her first bag without any assurance that she would succeed. A little over ten years ago, in 2005, it was just Rebecca and an intern. Her brother Uri mortgaged his home and maxed out his own credit cards to keep the business from going bust. Today the brand sells to over 900 retailers, has over 10 stores internationally, including four stateside, and is looking to open more. 

From day one she’s been a staple in her company. “Early on, I was told by retailers not to have a direct dialogue with my customer,” says Rebecca. “They thought I was cheapening myself by being accessible. I decided not to take their advice - which as a very young brand was a risk. But I know that decision had a huge part to play in our success.” 

Even as the RM brand has grown exponentially the way Rebecca conducts business has remained constant. “I've always had my hand in everything,” the fashion mogul shares. “I'm in the office every day.”

"I've always had my hand in everything. I'm in the office every day." 

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She counts her mother and brother Uri, who has stayed on as CEO, as tremendous influences. She also “hugely admire[s] women like Jessica Alba who have built incredible businesses for families.”

Rebecca is a mom herself to daughter, Bowie, and son, Luca. Striking a balance every day is “impossible,” but she handles her mom-boss status by way of “trial and error, and more than anything trusting myself. Knowing when to step in and knowing when it's okay to step back.” She works out twice a week with a trainer, admitting “the two sessions are all I have time for, but my trainer makes it worth my while.” And on the weekends you can catch her spending time with her family, having a glass of wine with her husband or escaping to Quogue. “I’m pretty bomb in the kitchen,” the CEO adds.

While she certainty doesn’t pretend that her day-to-day is effortless, Rebecca manages to handle her career and motherhood with grace. Even in moments of doubt and financial distress, she never gave in. Even in the beginning when a factory put another, very successful brand’s logo hardware on her bags. “Occasionally there are moments when you need to reflect and ask, 'OK, how am I doing?,” she says.  And, “What needs to change so that I can get through this?” But got through it she did. 

With a fashion empire and a family, she still finds time to host a salon series. “I do a fireside chat with a woman I admire. We'll talk about her successes and discuss the different challenges we've had and really just share stories.” For her female empowerment is about “championing each other and rooting for each other - rather than always trying to come first and comparing yourself to someone else.”

If you're looking for a female role model in business, the designer of the M.A.B is as F-A-B as it gets.

Fashion: Tuesday Bassen

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

Fought the man, and won.

Tuesday Bassen has a name as recognizable as her work. Her Ugly Girl Gang Zine, collections of pins and patches, as well as a growing apparel line sized 2-22, has a loyal swath of fans. 

So loyal, that when international retailer Zara attempted to steal the artists’ work and sell it as their own, Tuesday began receiving emails from concerned followers who wanted to know if the behemoth had licensed her work. They hadn’t. 

In a David v. Goliath-like battle, the independent artist took on the retailer, who essentially told her she wasn’t famous enough to have her work pilfered. But Tuesday fought back, taking the company’s response to Instagram, where loyalists spread the word like wildfire.  

“A true silver lining of a terrible situation has been the incredible support from everyone,” shares Tuesday. “It's a worst nightmare scenario for any artist to have their catalogue of work stolen. It drains your time, money, and resources, but being cheered on by other creatives has made it worth the fight.”

It’s why she says, “the support of her peers,” coupled with “sheer tenacity,” is what has kept her going during cloudy moments. The Zara debacle wasn’t the designers first run in with rain. “I think everyone that is building their career from nothing experiences similar struggles: poverty, self doubt, et cetera.” 

She says it’s hard for her to know what the first, most “important” step in her career was, but says, “I spent years under the poverty line building my career slowly. Moving to Los Angeles was the most important decision I've made for my personal life. I moved without knowing anyone, but I knew in my gut that it was the place I've always been meant to live. Because I took the step to improve my happiness, my career started thriving as well.”

“I took the step to improve my happiness and my career started thriving.”

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Tuesday is wearing Keds' Triple Dalmata Dot Leather sneaker.

Today, she is the CEO and sole designer at her company, Tuesday Bassen INC, where she handles her illustration clients, as well as manages her online store ShopTuesday.com. “I dedicated my life to working on my illustration career and started my online store by selling hand made ceramics,” says Tuesday. 

Her Friend X popup shop that featured her work as well as those of her creative peers, performed exceptionally well over the holidays. And by the looks of things, it’s what people want. Her Ugly Girl Gang Zine “devoted to badass women who don’t care what you think or how they look, all the while kicking ass at what they do,” has sold out of Issue #1, #2, and #3. Thank goodness Tuesday Bassen never has. 

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

Fashion: Clare Vivier

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

Created a brand of her own.

On the corner of Sunset and Micheltorena in Silverlake is a gray-blue front, the flagship store of LA-based designer Clare Vivier and her namesake brand, Clare V. Inside against white walls, CA-made colorful leather handbags and apparel pops. Shelves feature glasses, wallets, and gifts for the women who appreciate a faultless look. 

Simple, decidedly French, Clare’s is a story of fashion and fate. After finding 400 dollars on a sidewalk, she purchased the sewing machine that would launch a thousand bags.  But it all started with one, known famously as La Tropizienne. 

After graduating from University of San Francisco, Clare moved to France. She interned at a documentary film production company and waitressed on the side. The effortlessly chic style of France and French women spoke to her longtime interest in fashion. Feeling inspired, she started a blog for fun. She also happened to meet her husband, Thierry Vivier, and they moved back to California.  

In Los Angeles, her fashion blog began to pick up some traction as she formed her own style, an effortless blend of French and Californian influences. "Ever since I can remember," Clare says about her unique style and dressing for herself, "it has always been an important part of my identity and happiness."

During this time Clare had a day job, working as a prop stylist and commercial production coordinator in LA. But she needed a bag to hold her laptop and notes. The designer couldn’t bring herself to carry a meek, corporate-looking, nylon tote, especially being fresh off the sensibility of Paris.  So she made her own custom bag. Inspired by the L.L. Bean boat tote and the essence of St. Tropez, her bag demonstrated flare, functionality, and outright “coolness.”  And everyone noticed.  After receiving numerous compliments, Clare felt like she was on to something, and stepped in the role of Clare Vivier, handbag designer.  It was a buyer at Fred Segal luggage shop "back in the day," she says that gave her a first very useful bit of advice. "Why would anyone buy this at this price? No one knows who you are," Clare recounts upon sharing her first laptop bag which was admittedly overpriced. "I had to reassess," she says. 

Her breakthrough was in fact her self-made tote, La Tropizienne, and her blog exposure claiming “I’ve got your summer tote.”  It cultivated the market for chic working bags.  She worked alone for many years doing both the business and the creative side of things. And in 2012, she trusted her gut and took on two business partners, Steven Alan and Randy Kercho, who became her mentors and key contributors to the growth of the company.  

It was trusting her gut that led Clare to her success.  She admits to the difficultly of allocating responsibility and “hiring the right people to do the things that are not my strength.  It is challenging, but when you find the right people, it’s so rewarding.”  Rewarding to say the least. Clare V. has expanded to six stores nationwide, including two in New York, and has designed collaborations with big names such as Steven Alan, & Other Stores, GOOP, Jean Stories, and Apple, to name a few. Her dream though, not surprisingly, is to "open a store in Paris." 

Indeed it was a story of fashion and fate, but most importantly a woman that let her passion live free alongside her work.  She gave it the room and possibility for her creativity to flourish and it awarded her with her very own fashion line, possibly every girl’s dream. 

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

Fashion: Melody Ehsani

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

The woman of streetwear. 

With mentors like her mom and Frank Ocean, how could streetwear designer Melody Ehsani go wrong?

“Every time I talk to Frank,” Melody shares, “I learn something from him. He has taught me to be regimented, disciplined, preferential in my work and not feel crazy.” 

A native Angeleo and the daughter of two artists, Melody assumed that the only way to enact justice was through the legal system. She attended UCLA, majored in Philosophy/Sociology in preparation for law school. 

However, after several law related internships at every place from Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. to private law firms in LA, she knew it was not the path for her. “I had an anxiety attack before entering law school,” she says, “and as a result was forced to dig deeper. I had always felt that the only way that I could carry out my affinity for justice in the world was through the law. I was wrong.”

But wrong can lead to rights. Both personally and fighting for them. Though she had previously associated fashion with a shallowness, Melody “started seeing the nobility in creating beautiful items that made women feel more confident and happy.” She found that doing what she loved was the greatest way she could serve the world.

“In our world,” says Melody, “it’s so easy to get distracted and to truly forget who we are. It’s so important to check in daily and find memory of who you know you are, as opposed to who people want you to be.” 

She’s not immune to fear or doubt. Mediation, looking in versus looking out, and staying connected spiritually are all vital to her success.  Every morning she wakes up, prays/meditates, does 20 minutes of stretching on a foam roller, and then takes her journal down to my favorite coffee shop. Where she sits “with a cup and has ME time. It sets the tone for my day.”

And she's asked herself the question that all entrepreneurs ponder: “What if my business tanks? What if I don’t succeed?” But a wise friend told her, “You are not a role, you are an entity. If your business tanks, you’re still going to be Melody Ehsani. This business is just a role, but you… you are forever going to be you.” She took it to heart. 

As the world of streetwear evolves, Melody hopes, “that streetwear steps up and becomes the raw, unfiltered voice that its always been, sort of like how hip hop was in the ‘80s. I also hope more women in the industry step out and let their voices be heard louder than ever, because now is the time. The feminine needs a bigger voice.”

“Now is the time. The feminine needs a bigger voice.”

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She’s ready and willing to show up. Unapologetically. For her sisters. “I think it is essential that we band together, because we need critical mass to make a change. As women we need to remind one another that the things we feel and experience are real and OK.” 

That includes questioning the status quo and weeding out the red herrings. “After a visit to the White House earlier this year I learned that women are paid significantly less than men in the workforce because women rarely ask for raises, whereas men ask for them often, and often receive them.  If we had more women leaders in the workforce, we would learn basic things like this, to ask for our place."

“To quote Obama,” Melody says, “I don’t have a bucket list but I have something that rhymes with that.” 

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