“No One Is a Competitor”—and More Highlights From the First-Ever Digital Money Moves Summit
Photo: Courtesy of @alexandrarains
On May 2nd, we proved that we practice what we preach and made a major pivot by hosting our first-ever digital Create & Cultivate conference!
We brought the Money Moves Summit presented by Mastercard straight to your computer so that you can still create and cultivate the career of your dreams from your couch, bed, or dining table. This full-day event was packed with workshops, wellness moments, cocktail hour, and all the amazing panels you’ve come to know and love from Create & Cultivate events.
We discussed everything from what COVID-19 means for your business to how to transition to the new digital world we are living in. Shay Mitchell, Chelsea Handler, Bobby Berk, and so many more badass bosses dropped all the best advice on how to create a new normal and keep chasing the dream. If you missed it or just want to relive the magic, we captured the best moments for you, so read on!
Morning Keynote: Payal Kadakia & Jaclyn Johnson
Panelist:
Payal Kadakia | Founder & Executive Chairman, ClassPass
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO and Founder of Create & Cultivate
On launching a business...
“It’s not just about finding any idea. It’s about finding an idea that you’re extremely passionate about.”
On raising money from family and friends first…
“It’s important to realize that you carry a reputation with you no matter what you do.”
On pivoting early on…
“I had great investors who believed in me. I think being able to start off with people who truly believe in you and will let you lead through things like this is the most important thing.”
“From day one to when we really became ClassPass, there were three years in between where we were tweaking, iterating getting data, getting information, and even then, we launched with only 50 customers.”
On having money in the bank…
“I really don’t believe in failure. Failure is only losing the opportunity to solve this, and I can’t solve it if there is no money in the bank.”
“It’s really important to know what you’re trying to solve and making sure you’re putting money towards that.”
On advice for raising money post-COVID...
“This is a test for everyone. What you start doing during this time, and after this time, are going to be the best data points for investors.”
“An investor once told me, ‘People invest in lines, not dots,’ so it’s not one moment in time that someone is investing in.”
On advice for small business owners…
“I think going back to your ‘why’ is the most important thing. Everything else changed, but that is a constant.”
On pivoting in the new normal…
“Find a way to interact with your customers, find a way to give them what they need.”
Mid-Morning Keynote Conversation: Shay Mitchell & Jaclyn Johnson
Panelist:
Shay Mitchell | Founder and Chief Brand Officer, Béis
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO and Founder, Create & Cultivate
On starting Béis...
“There wasn’t really ever that ‘a-ha’ lightbulb moment. It was more just my disappointment in what was available in the marketplace.”
On being passionate…
“I love what I do so much and that’s really what fuels everything.”
On scaling a team…
“I didn’t go to business school, I didn't go to design school—but I felt like if I hired people who were experts in their fields and smarter than me, then I could do this.
“Finding other team players that feel just as passionate about the company as you do is super important.”
On being flexible…
“I’ve learned to not be married to any sort of idea that you have because things can happen and pop up that are out of your control and you have to learn to go with the flow sometimes.”
“Sometimes you have to be okay with letting it go.”
On diversifying selling points…
“The majority of our business—about 80% of it—is DTC, and having that one-to-one relationship with our consumers is invaluable.”
“But partnering with these other retailers like Revolve was also super important it adds brand credibility in the travel category for us.”
“Being in brick-and-mortar was also super important because it offers that experience for the consumer who wants to go in and touch and feel that product before purchasing.”
On being a brand that gives back…
“During a pandemic, it’s important to give back, and when we’re not in a pandemic it’s important to give back.”
“As a business, it’s not always about the bottom line. It’s about being that brand that people feel good about supporting.”
“No matter how big you are or small you are, do as much as you can to give back.”
Roundtable: The State of Content Creation in COVID-19 and How Brands and Creators Are Pivoting in This New Era of Marketing
Panelists:
Marianna Hewitt | Co-Founder, Summer Fridays
Lauren Bosworth | Founder & CEO, Love Wellness
Courtney Quinn | Content Creator, Color Me Courtney
Marie Forleo | CEO & #1 NYTimes Bestselling Author, Everything is Figureoutable
Moderator:
Reesa Lake | Partner and Executive Vice President, DBA
On money advice for new entrepreneurs...
“Have a really good finance team. I don’t have to stress about the day-to-day finance because I have the best people in place, and in my personal life, I have a business manager who helps me with my personal finance. If you’re able to invest in that for yourself, it’s been so helpful.” - Marianna Hewitt
“Have a business savings account that you put money into and don’t touch. That’s your emergency fund.” - Lauren Bosworth
“Diversify your business. Don’t have your money coming from just one source. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify.” - Courtney Quinn
“Say ‘I love money’ as much as humanly possible. Do not apologize for it. Fall in love with your money and your money will love you.” - Marie Forleo
On the importance of storytelling…
“Storytelling is one of those skills that we all just have to keep getting better at. Facts tell, stories sell.” - Marie Forleo
On managing a marketing budget…
“If you’re looking at your advertising budget and you’re thinking about what to prioritize right now, it’s really top-of-the-funnel stuff that you should be putting your ad spend against—blog posts, polls, and quizzes and things like that so that people start to get to know your brand.” - Lauren Bosworth
On jumping onto TikTok…
“You could be a giant failure on TikTok and it won’t matter, so I’ve used the opportunity to shed this perfectionist skin that I have and just try it—to just throw things against the wall and see what sticks.” - Courtney Quinn
“My top video right now has 9.5 million views and I’ve never had anything like that on Instagram—and I’ve been on Instagram since 2013. Discoverability is really amazing on there and you can grow overnight so fast.” - Marianna Hewitt
On leading a team through COVID-19…
“As the CEO and founder, it’s my personal responsibility to make sure that everybody on my team is okay. That they have enough money to pay their rent and their bills and that their families are doing well.” - Lauren Bosworth
Roundtable: Small Business Brainstorm: A Meeting of the Minds to Chat Through the State of Being a Biz Owner
Panelists:
Sonja Rasula | Founder, Unique Markets
Sarah Larson Levey | Founder and CEO, Y7 Studio
Tonya Rapley | Entrepreneur & Bestselling Author
Paige Midland | Owner and Buyer, Midland
Ginger Siegel | North America Small Business Lead, Mastercard
Moderator:
Sacha Strebe | Editorial Director, Create & Cultivate
On pivoting to digital…
“When I started the company, I wanted to get people off devices, and I wanted them to interact one on one, so for many years, I didn't want to go to digital. But now, yes, I’m thinking about digital.” - Sonja Rasula
“I've had my moments of mental breakdowns and sadness and frustration, but I think it's a really unique opportunity to launch something because clients are a little bit more forgiving if things aren't perfect so we can experiment.” - Sarah Larson Levey
On cutting costs…
“Ego plays a factor sometimes in our business decisions, and it's important because there might be things you're holding on to as a business owner because of ego but don't serve the survival of your business.” - Tonya Rapley
On why supporting small businesses is essential...
“COVID-19 is visibly impacting small businesses that are really central to our society and our economy. I don’t think people realize that small businesses make up 90% of all businesses and employ, 70% of workers globally, and deliver more than half of the GDP. Small business is really big business.” - Ginger Siegel
On cutting yourself slack as a business owner…
“It's okay to admit that this is rough. It's not that we don't know how to run businesses or that we’re not good at accounting, it's a global crisis.” - Sonja Rasula
“Business owners, we give so much that we aren't usually open to receiving, but people want to give back to us, too.” - Tonya Rapley
On communicating with customers…
“Email is the most amazing avenue because people have asked to hear from you—and there is no algorithm keeping people from hearing from you.” - Sonja Rasula
On finding light in the darkness…
“It's making sure that the tasks that people are given are making a difference for the company. It’s making sure that everything is really intentional and that there is a purpose” - Sarah Larson Levey
On post-COVID-19 changes…
“I don't think, as humans, we appreciated what other people did during their day. I believe when we come out of this, we’re going to truly appreciate the contributions that people make in our lives.” - Ginger Siegel
Fireside Chat: Post Covid-19: How Do We Lay Down the Foundation for Success Moving Forward
Panelist:
Cyndi Ramirez | Founder & CEO, Chillhouse
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO and Founder of Create & Cultivate
On mentoring during COVID-19…
“I want to be able to help small business owners because everyone’s worlds are collapsing right now.” - Cyndi Ramirez
“This is the time that small business owners need each other the most, just sharing resources and helping each other out and being sounding boards for each other.” - Cyndi Ramirez
“A little bit goes a long way now.” - Cyndi Ramirez
“Mentorship right now is so different than mentorship was four or five months ago.” - Jaclyn Johnson
“Even the most successful women we know and look up to are all in this together with us—applying for the same loans, applying for payroll protection—everyone is working together to figure it out along the way.” - Jaclyn Johnson
“It’s affecting the biggest of the big businesses and the smallest of the small businesses.” - Jaclyn Johnson
On raising money from family and friends…
“It’s a good barrier-to-entry fundraising method. If you have a few friends that can pitch in $10k, $20k, $30k, then it’s a great way to go.” - Cyndi Ramirez
“It also engages your community. You have a lot of people who are fighting for you and want to support your business, too. Some of our investors are our biggest allies.” - Cyndi Ramirez
“It also motivates me a lot. It’s one thing to not be able to pay a bank loan, but to not be able to get my friends a return on their investment? That motivates me every day.” - Cyndi Ramirez
“There’s so much more benefit than just the cash. At the end of the day, when you have advocates and allies who can make a phone call or get you that meeting, those are truly priceless opportunities that you get through this network.” - Jaclyn Johnson
On the importance of creating different revenue streams…
“Diversifying. For us, it’s been a savior. The fact that we’re able to diversify our revenue is huge and has really served us now.” - Cyndi Ramirez
“We have e-comm, we have our own products, we have merch, there are a lot of different ways we can sustain our business if, god forbid, we do have to close our doors.” - Cyndi Ramirez
“As you evolve, I think it’s really important to continue adding ways that people can engage with your company and support you.” - Cyndi Ramirez
Fireside Chat: Mama to Mama: Surviving and Thriving During the Stay at Home Order with Chriselle Lim
Panelist:
Chriselle Lim | Influencer & Entrepreneur, Bümo
Moderator:
Sacha Strebe | Editorial Director, Create & Cultivate
On being authentic on social media...
“I owe it to my followers to tell them what I’m actually going through instead of putting this pretty filter over it.”
On launching a Bümo virtual school…
“We’ve partnered up with the most phenomenal educators around the globe and people need this resource right now more than ever.”
“I’m personally struggling to homeschool my kid.”
“If I need it, then I know that other parents need it right now.”
On launching a product that people really need...
“You can only be a good salesperson for so long. You have to find a product that will really strike a chord in people’s hearts.”
“With Bümo virtual school, I posted about it one time on my Instagram, and it’s spiraling all on its own. I never had to push or market it.”
“This is the difference between finding what people actually need versus trying to create a want and a need for something.”
On reaching a wider audience...
“The virtual school is virtual so people all over the world can access it—and we have people from places I didn’t even know existed on our waitlist.”
“I never even imagined that this would help solve a global problem to this extent, but this virtual school has opened my eyes to what opportunities we can give to people beyond access to just great education. It's opportunity for the rest of their life.”
“We’re very passionate about the problem that we’re solving.”
On being flexible...
“The key takeaway is you have to be flexible, you have to pivot, and don’t get discouraged during this time. Use it to your advantage.”
On working from home while parenting…
“Managing expectations with your kid is very, very important.”
“You are not working from home. You are at home during a pandemic, working.”
“There’s not enough hours in the day. I work a lot of late hours because that’s when the kids are asleep and that’s my secret sauce.”
“From 9 pm to about 1 am is when I get my big chunk of work done. On the flip side, I wake up feeling so exhausted, which is not ideal, but it is what it is right now.”
On managing money…
“If you’re running a business and you want your business to be around for a long time, you have to get good at money management.”
On saving money for a rainy day…
“You have to have a savings account for your business, so when there’s a rainy day you can tap into that.”
“For the past 3 years, we’ve been very diligent about putting money aside for a rainy day.”
On diversifying your revenue...
“I think the saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is so true in business.”
“I’ve never wanted to settle for just what I've built. I've always wanted to see forward and see what’s next.”
“It’s about being able to identify up-and-coming things that are about to happen that other people haven’t recognized yet.”
On returning to “normal”...
“I think everyone is going to come out of this much smarter and more cautious and more careful about even the little things that we took for granted.”
Panel: Plan It Forward: Prepare for Your Best Financial Future, Presented by ALLY
Panelists:
Lindsey Bell | Chief Investment Strategist, Ally Invest
Emily Shallal | Sr. Director for Consumer Strategy and Innovation, Ally Bank
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO and Founder, Create & Cultivate
On prioritizing yourself…
“If you don't pay yourself first, you're always going to feel like you’re a step behind.” - Emily Shallal
On saving for a rainy day…
“You never want less than 3 months of income sitting in your savings account.” - Emily Shallal
On investing in the stock market…
“Research shows investing in the market is the best way to get a return on your money.” - Lindsey Bell
“Start small. You don’t have to put your life savings into the stock market on day one.” - Lindsey Bell
“You want to get used to what the market feels like, the daily ups and downs, and the volatility of the market. Then take the next step and invest in a more complex stock or a more complex industry.” - Lindsey Bell
“The most important thing about investing in the stock market is to always be putting money inconsistently.” - Lindsey Bell
On putting money into a 401k…
“Once you start small, you’re going to see this momentum, you’re going to see that balance start to grow and you’re going to get excited about it.” - Emily Shallal
On cultivating financial confidence…
“Women are already ruling the world and we should be acting like it.” - Emily Shallal
“Women-owned businesses tend to outperform businesses owned by men, so there’s a reason to feel really confident about what we’re doing.” - Emily Shallal
On adapting during COVID-19...
“Innovation and iteration are part of the business process and will take you places you never thought you were going to go.” - Emily Shallal
On finding the right financial advisor...
“Working with a financial advisor is like working with a psychiatrist because you really need to get along with your financial advisor.” - Lindsey Bell
On finance resources to read...
“If you’re looking for just solid advice, anything by Warren Buffett. The Wall Street Journal is also a great resource for building your financial acumen.” - Emily Shallal
“‘The Intelligent Investor’ by Benjamin Graham will give you great perspective about the market.” - Lindsey Bell
On the meaning of success...
“Success doesn’t have to be a destination. It’s about being a better version of yourself every day.” - Emily Shallal
Roundtable: A Conversation on How Brands Should Be Spending Their Marketing Dollars During This Time
Panelists:
Tera Peterson | Esthetician & Co-Founder of NuFACE
Mari Mazzucco | Influencer Marketing & PR, OLLY
Steph So | VP of Digital Experience, Shake Shack
Nancy Twine | Founder & CEO, Briogeo
Cheryl Guerin | EVP, North America Marketing and Communications, MasterCard
Moderator:
Sherry Jhawar | Co-Founder and President, Blended Strategy Group
On pivoting…
“We’re communicating with our client service and community teams on a daily basis so that we’re able to get feedback in real-time so that we can pivot and make changes.” - Nancy Twine
“A big part of our strategy is doubling down on listening to our community, being empathetic, and being flexible.” - Nancy Twine
“Being nimble as a business, being nimble as a marking organization—this is the name of the game right now.” - Cheryl Guerin
On making the most of social media during COVID-19...
“With social media being a big focal point, brands have the opportunity to do a lot more storytelling and education and ultimately those things do help with conversion because it helps to build confidence that the client is buying a product that’s going to work.” - Nancy Twine
“We’re looking for lots of ways to engage with our customers on social. We want to maintain that valuable relationship with our guests even at a time when we can’t interact in a way we’re used to in our restaurants.” - Steph So
On making mistakes...
“You’re going to make mistakes. You can’t eat an elephant in one bite, take it one day at a time.” - Tera Peterson
“Reframe the way that you look at failure. I’ve worked for companies before that no longer exist and didn’t make it and to look at that as a learning experience rather than a loss or a failure.” - Mari Mazzucco
On enjoying the journey...
“Don’t worry so much about where you’re going next, just enjoy the ride and enjoy the journey. There’s a lot more stress when you’re younger to figure it out, but just have fun while doing it.” - Steph So
“Don’t stress, you’re not stuck. Everyone has the power to create their best life as long as you have a vision, know why you want to do it, and know the action steps you need to take to get there. Instead of absorbing yourself in stress, put that energy toward your ultimate dream.” - Nancy Twine
On mentorship…
“When you move beyond capital, it’s things like mentorship and advice that women really value and they want to talk to other women and have mentors and learn from like-minded business owners.” - Cheryl Guerin
“I don’t know why I believed asking for help or advice or support was a sign of weakness, and actually it can be very empowering and inspiring to hear from others and learn from others so take advice, seek advice, and seek mentors.” - Cheryl Guerin
Fireside Chat: On Pivoting and Remaining Positive as a Business Owner with Bobby Berk
Panelist:
Bobby Berk | Interior designer and star of Netflix’s “Queer Eye”
Moderator:
Sacha Strebe | Editorial Director, Create & Cultivate
On working hard…
"I quickly had to learn to work hard. I didn’t really have anything to fall back on; I didn’t have any family to fall back on. If I didn’t make a job work, I didn’t eat or I ended up living in my car again. That time definitely taught me to never give up, never take no for an answer and to always keep trying."
On failing…
"I have always, in my life, looked at failures, not as failures as lessons. I’ve never looked at failure as an end. The failure was just a lesson to teach me how to do it in a different, better way."
On valuing your employees…
"People are your best resource, your biggest resource. I have always looked at my team and my people as the most valuable part of my business."
“I make sure that my people know that they are valued, and loved, and part of a family."
On the importance of diversity and representation…
"Diversity is so, so, so, so important to me. I grew up not seeing anyone like me on television."
"Design is so diverse, but you don’t see that on television."
"It was devastating to me as a child to never really be able to have an example of someone like me that was successful, and I want to make sure that I give as many people in the world that opportunity, to see that success in someone else like them."
On running a creative business…
"If it’s a very creative business, I would advise trying to do it on your own as long as possible, because, you know, everyone has their own creative vision."
On managing capital…
"Put your capital back into your business. Don’t take that big salary, don’t drive the fancy cars, you don’t need the big house right now, ‘cause in the end, if you wait a few years, that payoff will be SO much bigger."
On having to close stores…
"I have closed stores. I've closed some because I wanted to and some because I had no choice. I have been there, and at the time, it felt like it was the end of the world and that my brand was done and that I would never be successful again, but you are a small business owner, you are an entrepreneur, you made it happen before and you’ll make it happen again."
On making hard decisions…
"Sometimes the hardest decisions are the best ones you can make."
On being resilient…
"Every single experience has created the person that I am today that has given me the ability to do what I've done today."
"What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so if your heart’s still beatin', you good!"
Fireside Chat: Digital Deep Dive with Jenna Kutcher: A Conversation on the 5 Things You Need to Know When Transitioning Your Business to Digital
Panelist:
Jenna Kutcher | Podcaster and Virtual Business Coach
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO and Founder of Create & Cultivate
On why email marketing is so important...
“Social media is like building your business on borrowed land.”
On structuring an email marketing plan...
“The best way to think about it is: social media is the handshake and email is the invitation.”
On devising a social strategy...
“I never post in real-time ever, because I want to be removed enough to ask myself, ‘Why does this matter?’”
“When you post something, really ask yourself: What is in this photo? What am I talking about? What is the main goal of this? Then chose 5-7 targeted hashtags—instead of a list of 30—that you use on every post.”
On developing a business strategy right now…
“How are we protecting the house we built? What are we doing behind the scenes to ensure the security of our business and making sure that we stay profitable?”
On learning hard money lessons...
“There’s a difference between being resourceful and having resources. Right now, we’re feeling tight on resources, so let’s be resourceful.”
On diversifying revenue…
“What a lot of people do is get so focused on running a business that they forget to build a brand. The difference between those two is that a brand is multi-faceted.”
On launching a business right now…
“Go for it. There is always going to be a reason not to launch. But the world needs you, business must go on.”
Roundtable: The Three Rs: How to Respond, Recover, and Reset to Emerge Stronger Through the COVID-19 Crisis
Panelists:
Rachel Tipograph | Founder and CEO of MikMak
Sarah Kunst | Managing Director, Cleo Capital
Jeni Britton Bauer | Founder and Creative Director of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream
Denyelle Bruno | President and CEO of Tender Greens
Babba Rivera | Founder of ByBabba
Moderator:
Sacha Strebe | Editorial Director, Create & Cultivate
On investing...
“What I’ve been telling companies is: if you haven't started raising, don’t start now.” - Sarah Kunst
On marketing practices right now...
“The shelf life of advice these days is very short.” - Babba Rivera
“Brands are expected to live by strong values and ethical purposes right now. It's no longer enough for a brand to be less bad, they’re expected to do more good.” - Babba Rivera
On surviving a crisis...
“Your resilience is going to be based on what questions you are asking now.” - Jeni Britton Bauer
On job hunting during COVID-19...
“Really think about where the demand is in the market and repackage yourself for that.” - Rachel Tipograph
On social selling...
“You have to ask yourself the question of what is it like for people to never discover my brand in ‘real life?’” - Rachel Tipograph
On working from home...
“Accept that things are different and be willing to see that that can be better.” - Sarah Kunst
On accessing customers with delivery...
“We’re seeing a totally new demographic. We’ve reverted to old school marketing tactics like direct mail.” - Denyelle Bruno
On cutting costs...
“When you shed and shed and shed, it forces you to get super creative, you realize you should have been doing this all along.” - Jeni Britton Bauer
Roundtable: How the C-Suite is Coping with COVID-19 and Moving Forward
Panelists:
Ariel Kaye | Founder & CEO, Parachute
Alli Webb | Founder, Drybar
Morgan DeBaun | Founder & CEO, Blavity
Rebecca Minkoff | Founder, Rebecca Minkoff & The Female Founder Collective
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | CEO and Founder of Create & Cultivate
On adjusting to the new normal...
“The unknown is the most paralyzing part of this experience.” - Jaclyn Johnson
“It feels like the wild west, you just don’t know what’s going to happen day-to-day.” - Alli Webb
On increasing media consumption…
“Media consumption is up, but we’ve had to adjust our cadence of publishing and making sure our content stays fresh every single day.” - Morgan DeBaun
“Media consumption is up, page views are up, impressions are up, but the ad revenue isn’t because entire industries have been wiped out.” - Morgan DeBaun
On dealing with disrupted supply chains…
“Our manufacturers are our partners so we’re talking to them every single day, multiple times a day to see how things are going.” - Ariel Kaye
“For us, the biggest concern was with our distribution center because if they can’t ship our products to customers we basically go into hibernation mode.” - Ariel Kaye
On focusing on your customers...
“Now’s the time to zero in on what you can provide and give to your customer that you can serve them.” - Rebecca Minkoff
On following the money…
“Make money, focus on revenue. People spend so much time making all these plans, but did you make money?” - Morgan DeBaun
On getting scrappy...
“It’s a whole new world of getting scrappy and figuring things out.” - Ariel Kaye
“We’re learning how to get things done with even more limited resources than ever before.” - Ariel Kaye
“Do what you can and get scrappy and think outside the box and get creative.” - Alli Webb
“You don’t need a lot to be creative. You don’t need a lot to have a business. If you’re really inspired and creative, you can do a lot with nothing.” - Rebecca Minkoff
“Maybe your business isn’t growing, but if you're able to stay alive through this you’ll be a lot smarter.” - Rebecca Minkoff
Evening Keynote: Chelsea Handler
Panelist: Chelsea Handler | Comedian, Best-Selling Author, and Activist
Moderator: Allison Statter | CEO & Co-Founder, Blended Strategy Group
On following your gut...
“When you have a gut feeling, that’s the true essence of who you are telling you what’s right and what’s wrong.”
On being ambitious...
“I had a lot of drive and a lot of blind ambition. I wanted to be in an environment where I was heard.”
“I was a bulldozer, and I never gave up.”
“If someone didn’t like me, that fueled me further.”
On overcoming imposter syndrome...
“I’m here because I deserve to be here.”
“You’re here, so you do belong here.”
On putting collaboration over competition...
“No one is a competitor. When anyone succeeds, we all do.”
“You can’t do enough for other women.”
On staying open to new ideas...
“When we’re not open minded, we immediately shut down.”
“There’s a choice to be open, or a choice to be closed.”
“I want to choose to be more open.”
“Don’t judge somebody after just 5 seconds.”
On writing a book...
“Anyone who wants to write a book should write a book.”
“I like the process of writing. I like working alone. It’s the one thing I get to do that doesn’t involve anybody.”
On navigating quarantine...
“I’m trying to stay as grounded as possible. I don’t have anything to complain about.”
On getting into the cannabis space...
“When women have a secret, they need to share it with other women.”
“I want women to be as emboldened and as empowered as men are with cannabis.”
“It gets to be our drug too.”
On taking financial risks…
“As soon as somebody tells me ‘no’ I'm more intrigued.”
“I once gambled $150,000 on a Super Bowl game. It was so flippant. I just did it to get this guy to stop talking to me.”
On being authentic…
“I’ve always felt like it’s really important to have a strong point of view.”
“I’ve been given information that I should be less of a bitch, but I’ve never been given information that I should be less myself.”
On dealing with disappointment…
“You have to manage your expectations and you have to be prepared to be disappointed.”
“It’s important to frame disappointment as a way to get better at what you’re doing.”
“Everybody falls and everyone has hiccups.”
“You’re not alone. If you’re in pain, there are millions of people experiencing very similar things.”
“I embrace my successes as much as my failures.”