From making money to rocking your personal brand, the Express x Levo Spotlight Session at Saturday’s Create & Cultivate Los Angeles dug into the truth of passion, purpose, and getting paid. 

Taking the stage were Patrice Croci, Vice President of brand marketing at Express, Alisa Leonard, President of Levo and an expert on the insights and data that drive this generation of women, and Maxie McCoy, author, speaker, and all around inspiration. 

Together the powerhouses chatted about the importance of recognizing women’s economic power, those blurry lines between work-life balance, and how the majority of women define a purposeful career. 

Drawing on key stats from an Express x Levo survey which polled over 500 working people, they broke down some key highlights, which we’re sharing below. 

Talking Money & Passion

Key Insight: 39% of women want meaning and purpose while the majority of men want money from their careers.

“You have to be really cognizant of your purpose and passion,” shared Patrice Croci with the crowd. “BOTH of them matter.” 

Echoing this sentiment, Allisa Leonard said, “We have economic power. We have to learn to own it.” 

Women may say purpose is the most important factor in their career, but we also have to be aware that if it don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense. Getting comfortable talking about money is a step we all need to take. Whether that means asking for a raise, talking to friends about money, or knowing your worth, money has power. We have to learn how to use it. 

“We have economic power. We have to learn to own it.” 

Tweet this. 

Especially when it comes to the next takeaway. 

Talking Side Hustle

Key Insight: 43% of women (38% of men) report having a side hustle 

Maxie McCoy turned to the audience during this segment of the convo and asked, by a show of hands, how many in the audience have side hustles. She was greeted by a sea of hands in the air. 

It’s something often discussed at Create & Cultivate, as many of the women in the audience are looking to take their side hustle full time. But how does one do that? It’s personal. 

“Work is life and life is work,” shared Patrice. “You have to figure out what your definition is. We have to be versatile because there is a blur. It’s time to get comfortable in it.” 

That also relates to the first insight-- because you have to get comfortable asking to be PAID for your side-hustle.

Speaking of personal...

Talking Personal Brand

Key Insight: 14% of women feel they have their personal brand figured out, with 18% indicating their personal brand is “fluid.” 

This blur Patrice referenced is incredibly important because it affects how we communicate ourselves to the world. Online or off, we compartmentalize our lives way less than we did 25 years ago. Even 10 years ago. It’s both liberating and daunting. And it’s also likely given way to the importance of a strong personal brand. 

The nature of what women want has changed and as such women today are charting new courses everywhere we look. We are changing leadership roles, and we’re changing the face of the workforce – because we’re not scared to prioritize what matters most to us. 

What matters most to you? Share in the comments below. 

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