Meet The Mentors: #CreateCultivateATL

As we’re gearing up for Create & Cultivate ATL this October, we’d like to introduce you to the amazing women that will part of our mentor sessions this fall.

Our mentor sessions are perfect for those of you who are looking for advice on how to manage your blog or business from some of the best female entrepreneurs in the digital space today.

If you're wondering what mentor is the best fit for you, check out of the ladies below that will be sitting down with you this October. Also, if you haven't gotten your ticket yet, what are you waiting for? Get your ticket now here.

Stay tuned as we add more mentors to our lineup too!

Nicolette Mason, Creator of NicoletteMason.com

Best for: Social Media, Blogging, Writing, Strategic Partnerships

Nicolette is a Los Angeles native who lives and works in NYC & LA . She is a freelance creative consultant, contributing editor at Marie Claire, and pens her blog nicolettemason.com, where she shares personal style snaps, travel, and the many things she loves.

Since launching her blog and graduating from Parsons School of Design, she’s contributed to dozens of publications including Marie Claire, Vogue Italia, Brooklyn Magazine, The L Magazine, Refinery29, Glamour Italy, and more, and has partnered with brands like ModCloth and Addition Elle, where she has a cocktail dress collection launching this spring, to design collections. She has also partnered with Target on the heralded launch of their plus-size brand, Ava & Viv.

Maxie McCoy, Creator of MaxieMcCoy.com

Best for: Life Coaching, Soul Searching, Career Development

An inspiration luminary, Maxie’s work is a new framework for using inspiration to create a life you’re jazzed to be living. It’s an experience that will put inspiration in your driver’s seat and shine a spotlight on your escape route from mediocrity. Her website provides weekly soul-busting writings, videos, and more inspiration than you know what to do with.

Maxie has also written for the Create & Cultivate blog and you can find her pieces here:

Professional Opinion: Maxie McCoy on Cultivating Inspiration
Professional Opinion: Maxie McCoy on When -and How-To Take a Sabbatical
Professional Opinion: How to Take a Leap of Faith in Your Career
Screw the Cue Cards: 5 Tips for Mastering a Live Audience
Don’t be a Bore: 4 Ways To Engage Your Audience in a Meaningful Wa

Jessy Fofana, Founder of LaRue PR

Best for: PR, Marketing, Social Media

Jessy Fofana is our go-to for all things PR. With her PR agency LaRue PR, she has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to utilizing PR to strategically grow brands and get them on the right radar. Not only that, she is our seasoned PR correspondent for the Create & Cultivate blog.

Jessy founded LaRue PR over seven years ago after successfully directing public relations initiatives for an impressive list of well-known fashion, lifestyle and cosmetics brands and retailers.  She brings a unique perspective of understanding what every player in the PR game needs.  Having worked in magazine publishing, she knows what editors are looking for, and as the co-creator of Femme Arsenal, an indie cosmetic brand, she understands what business owners need to grow to the next level. Get her advice in-person at Create & Cultivate Atlanta!

Mandy Kellogg Rye, Founder and Creative Director of Waiting On Martha

Best for: Blogging, Entrepreneurship, Creative Directing

It all started with a blog and a desire to unite all of the things Mandy loves the most in one place. From how-tos for setting the perfect table and custom crafted cocktails, to what Mandy’s wearing and the beloved “currently coveting” roundup, a glimpse of what’s on her ever-expanding want list, readers know that when they’re in need of a little inspiration, Mandy is just a click away.

Soon after the blog took off and Mandy could no longer keep up with the “where can I buy that?” requests, she decided it was high time to expand the brand. With that, the Waiting On Martha shop was born. On any given shopping day, you can find a variety of products spanning the home décor, tabletop, entertaining, paper, gift, men’s, women’s, kids and even pet categories.

 

Courtney Kerr, Founder of Kerrently.com and TV & Radio Personality

Best for: Blogging, Strategic Partnerships

Courtney’s life took an interesting turn when she was cast on Bravo’s 2011 docudrama, “Most Eligible Dallas,” which eventually led to a 2013 spinoff show, “Courtney Loves Dallas.” Female viewers were eager to know everything about Courtney’s wardrobe, which was her lightbulb moment to leave her longtime, successful career as a retail shopgirl and venture into the world of style blogging. For two years, Dallas woke up to her every morning on the panel of opinionated women on KTXD’s 2-hour morning show,  “The Broadcast.” In 2014, CBS Radio also scooped up Courtney to co-host afternoon drive show, “UNcorked with Leigh Ann & Courtney Kerr,” which airs on their Dallas hot adult contemporary station, 103.7 KVIL. In January of 2016, “UNcorked” went nationally syndicated and began as a weekly online podcast for Play.It.

After 5 years of juggling it all & going 100mph in designer heels, Courtney recognized that it was time to elevate “What Courtney Wore” into a online magazine, appropriately named “KERRently.” In January 2016, “KERRently” was launched and it is where Courtney shares her thoughts on fashion, beauty, travel and just life in general.

You can read our Q+A with Courtney here on our blog.

 

Cailli & Sam Beckerman, Creators of Beckerman Blog

Best for: Blogging, Strategic Partnerships, Fashion Design, Creative Directing

Sam and Cailli Beckerman have been showcasing their fashion sense and outfits of the day since 2009. Living out the ultimate millennial dream, these twins flew to Dubai just to check out Chanel’s new collection for their blog. The twins’ bold styles revolve around bright colors, eclectic designs, and edgy ensembles. Even their ridiculously adorable Pomeranians dress to impress. From being designers to becoming bloggers, these twins have seen it all and have accumulated a following of over 163,000.  

You can read our Q+A with Cailli and Sam here on our blog.

 

 

 

Daniela Ramirez, Creator of Nany’s Klozet

Best for: Blogging, Fashion, Strategic Partnerships

Daniela launched her fashion blog Nany’s Klozet in 2011 to be a fashion diary. Now five years later, she has gained 270,000 followers and over 43,000 YouTube subscribers in both the English speaking and Hispanophone spaces. Some of her partnerships have included Guess, Pantene, Lucky Brand and TRESemmé.

You can read our Q+A with Daniela here on our blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessi Malay, Creator of mywhiteT and Recording Artist

Best for: Blogging, Fashion, Music, Strategic Partnerships

Jessi Malay, a Los Angeles native, doesn’t just document her her daily outfit inspiration on her blog My White T, but she also has a successful music career. With over 100,000 followers on Instagram Jessi has successfully merged her love of music, fashion and beauty and turned it into a full-time career. Check our Q+A with her here.

You can read our Q+A with Jessi here on our blog.

 

Keiko Lynn, Creator of KeikoLynn.com and Founder of Brooklyn Brigade

Best for: Blogging, Creative Directing, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Partnerships

Since 2009, Keiko Lynn has shared her fashion, beauty, and lifestyle musings that have served as inspiration to her followers. Not only that, the Brooklyn based blogger has gone beyond the realm of being a blogger and turned into a creative entrepreneur when she founded Brooklyn Brigade creative studio with follow blogger Helena Glazer. 

She is constantly creating and looking for inspiration, and shares a peek into her daily life, style, and beauty tips on keikolynn.com. 

Kelly Mindell, Founder and Creative Director of Studio DIY

Best for: Entrepreneurship, Creative Directing, Strategic Partnerships

Kelly Mindell, a modern-day artisan and professional celebrator, launched her blog, Studio DIY, during her senior year of college. Her clever, colorful creations has attracted a growing audience of over 306,000 followers that has caught the attention Pocky, Tic Tac, Method Home, and Grease Live. Based in Los Angeles, Kelly pulls inspiration from the West coast culture and has been expanding Studio DIY’s scope by experimenting with fashion, travel, and drool-worthy food, like donut burgers!

Rachel Martino, Creator of RachMartino.com

Best for: Blogging, Strategic Partnerships, Fashion

Rachel Martino is a Francophone fashion and lifestyle blogger based out of Brooklyn that has been able to create an international brand right from her home, with over 384k followers. Not only that, she is 25 and just last year became a full-time blogger after leaving Esteé Lauder Brands as Origins’ Community Manager.

Now, Rachel is fully focused on creating amazing content for her blog, making strategic partnerships that make sense for her blog, and travelling “across the pond” to market to her French audience as well.

You can read our Q+A with Rachel on our blog here.

 

Adrianna Adarme, Creator of A Cozy Kitchen

Best for: Blogging, Book Writing, Cooking, Crafts

Atlanta-native Adrianna Adarme started her blog in 2009 as a place to celebrate pies and corgis - more specifically, her corgi Amelia. However, her blog has been a haven for countless of recipes and projects that have inspired her 230k followers online.

Following the growth of her blog and social channels, Adrianna launched her first book called The Year of Cozy which has various original recipes and projects for the perfect “cozy” home, and is getting ready to release her second cookbook, A Cozy Coloring Cookbook.

You can read our Counter Culture feature with Adrianna on our blog here.

 

Carrie Morey, Founder of Callie’s Charleston Biscuits & Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit

Best for: Entrepreneurship and Food

Carrie Morey became a culinary entrepreneur when she founded Callie’s in 2005 and from then on, she expanded the southern biscuit making tradition by making her brand Callie’s Charleston Biscuits accessible across the country, along with another restaurant in Atlanta’s vibrant Virginia Highlands neighborhood.Today, Callie has authored a cookbook that also includes her entrepreneurial narrative, and also is a guest lecturer at the College of Charleston School of Business, presenting the program’s Entrepreneurship Class.  

Jeni Britton Bauer, Founder of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Best For: Entrepreneurship & Food

Jeni has been making ice creams professionally for two decades. Before that, she studied art, worked in a bakery, and had a serious hobby blending perfumes and collecting essential oils. Jeni founded Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002. Her ahead-of-the-trend vision—using whole ingredients and dairy from grass-pastured cows, rather than synthetic flavorings and commodity ice cream mix—coupled with inspired flavors sparked the artisan ice cream movement more than a decade before it would become a top food trend. Jeni is a James Beard Award-winning author of two cookbooks and has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the most creative people in business.