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It's Performance Review Season. Here's How To Create a Culture of Feedback That Lasts the Whole Calendar Year

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According to a 2019 study by Gallup, only about 14 percent of employees strongly agree that their performance reviews inspire them to better their time on the clock. Meaning, from an entrepreneur's perspective, there's plenty of room for improvement when it comes to offering your small business' employees a moment to take the temperature on their performance.

Effective evaluations consist of real-time feedback that engages employees and produces better results. So if it's your very first evaluation season as a new entrepreneur, grab your pen and paper. Below, you'll find my top four tips for conducting performance reviews that feel doable and beneficial to all parties involved. (Plus, how to foster a culture of feedback that lasts the whole calendar year.)

1. Make Feedback Part of the Culture, From the Top Down

Communication about performance expectations should begin when you hire an employee and should continue regularly. Your employees will perform best if you articulate what you want from them and guide them on how to get there.

When hiring managers, let them know that communication and feedback are among your priorities, encourage them to understand the value and importance of feedback to your company’s culture, and invest in training resources at the outset of employment to best achieve a trickle-down effect.

Training can take the form of internal dialogue or bringing in a resource to coach your management team. Once they are trained, ensure that managers know they will be reviewed on the timeliness and quality of their feedback.

2. Create a For(u)m for Feedback

Ideally, feedback should be given immediately so an employee can correct or improve the behavior or work product. The easiest way to accomplish this is through email or other digital forms. This serves both the purpose of feedback and creating a record, which can come in handy if disciplinary measures are needed.

There are numerous performance feedback apps that allow self-reflection, managerial, peer, or even customer feedback. Alternatively, companies can develop an internal email template or intranet form so that all feedback touches on the same designated criteria. This cultivates a more objective and systematic approach to evaluations.

3. Define Success

Feedback is best given with measurable goals, whether individual or team-based. For example, you might define success as an on-time or on-budget delivery. If effective performance isn’t calculable by objective measures, create company values in which the employee must be successful and define tasks that exemplify those values.

So, if “customer satisfaction” is a company priority, then timely resolution of customer complaints or high customer satisfaction ratings might be task-oriented successes. The employee needs to know if your metrics aren’t being met, and managers need to know that it’s part of their job to help workers perform at their highest level. The performance feedback forum should double as a performance improvement plan designed for disciplinary or coaching purposes.

4. When You’ve Tried Everything

What happens if an employee just isn’t getting “it,” and the feedback process needs to move to a more formal disciplinary process or termination? The time spent documenting performance deficiencies can help decrease liability when done properly. More frequently, though, I get calls from clients lamenting about a terrible employee they need to fire (always immediately!), and when I ask to see the file, they send over a pile of glowing performance reviews. This undermines the reason for the termination (lack of performance) and makes the employee think they are being let go for a more sinister (or illegal) reason.

To minimize risk and maximize performance, be honest, be timely, and be your employees’ best role model for success.

About Sahara Pynes

Sahara Pynes is an attorney at Fox Rothschild LLP whose practice focuses almost exclusively on minimizing liability against lawsuits through preventative counseling on a range of employment issues. She works directly with business owners and their management teams to enhance company culture and provide practical strategies to manage human resources and risks. Sahara was named one of Angeleno Magazine’s Most Dynamic Women of 2018. If you’re a business owner who doesn’t know what forms to give a new hire, how to properly classify and pay employees/contractors, or just wants to button up their HR issues, reach out to Sahara at SPynes@Foxrothschild.com to see if she can help.

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Diem Co-Founder Emma Bates on Human-Centered Technology and The Power of Female Communication

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ABOUT THE EPISODE

In today's episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn is joined by Emma Bates, founder & CEO of Diem. If you attended Create & Cultivate's Austin Pop-Up event earlier this year, you might've already heard from Emma on one of our panels where she spoke about women paving the way with blockchain technology.

If you're not familiar with Diem, it's a community-powered search engine designed for women. Diem is a Techstars NYC portfolio brand backed by leading investors like Flybridge, Acrew, & Sellation. By trade, Emma is a marketer and a community builder. Her entry into marketing was somewhat untraditional–in that she started out by growing her personal blog to 100K+ readers at age 19, and later transitioned into corporate marketing roles at some of the fastest-growing consumer brands in NYC and the UK. Prior to founding Diem, she worked as the Head of Global Marketing at the direct-to-consumer luggage brand, Away, where she found her passion for connecting with consumers through brand partnerships.

When she's not sidestepping her way into another entrepreneurial endeavor, she works to create social change as a lifelong advocate for gender equality. Emma has also been featured in Forbes, HuffPost, Entrepreneur, and The Cut for her unique approach to marketing, community building, and partnerships.

In this episode, she shares the importance of adding a human element to technology and product design, the power of female communication, and how she's working to bring inclusive, reliable information to people all over the world.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE

RESOURCES

SHOW OUR SPONSORS SOME LOVE

Printfresh | Head to printfresh.com/WORKPARTY or use code PARTY at checkout for 15% off your first order.

OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE . . .

How One Woman Used TikTok To Land a Job Promotion 

This Black-Owned Company’s CEO Is Disrupting The Beauty Industry

Pietra COO, Tala Akhavan on Balancing Work, Motherhood, and Access to Female Entrepreneurship 

Using Technology to Drive Social Impact with AllVoices Founder, Claire Schmidt 

Live from Austin Pop-Up: How to Define Goals and Rise to Your Potential with Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass and Author of LifePass

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Where To Find The Right Investors That’ll Take Your Deck From Pitch To Closing

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As an entrepreneur, I’ve had to present my ideas in front of many key decision makers. From closing sponsorship deals to recruiting executives, I’ve lost count of how many pitches I’ve given over the years—but I’ll never forget my first pitch to raise my fund  New Money Ventures. Raising money is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences but as we know women are at a disadvantage with only 2% of VC funding going to women owned businesses. 

According to the Bank of America® 2022 Women & Minority Business Owner Spotlight, 79% of women business owners plan to obtain funding in the next year; however 75% of women business owners still wish they were more knowledgeable about small business financing. This is a big reason why I am so passionate about lending my experience and expertise to up-and-coming entrepreneurs—and why I launched a venture fund focused on money and mentorship. Here, I want to give four things to think about that will help you find the right investors at the start of your business.

1. Know Your Business Inside and Out

It sounds simple enough but understanding every aspect of your business before launching requires substantial research and deep reflection. Why does your product or service need to exist? Why will consumers be excited to spend their money with you? And why are you the one to create it? 

You must also understand your position in the market, what your competitors are doing, and how you stack up against them. Think: audience demographics, industry trends, and hard data that will not only back up your business proposition but also solidify your standing as a dedicated, success-oriented entrepreneur. Then, compile your findings in a robust pitch deck to share with your potential future investors. 

FYI: If you're looking for a guide to building the perfect pitch deck, check out the episode of Launch House that I shot earlier this year for tips, tricks, and a free presentation template to get started.

2. Pinpoint the right source of funding

Once you have a handle on your numbers, it's time to pinpoint the funding source that's right for your stage of business. The right choice might be friends and family who believe in your dream; a small business loan to cover initial costs like inventory or equipment; an angel investor in your niche; or a venture capital firm dedicated to helping you scale. My advice is to consider your immediate needs. If you secure funding, which option will help your business reach the next level with the least debt? There's a lot to consider, so give this point some good, hard thought before you jump in.

3. Prepare to answer the hard questions

Now that you have your target, take time to prepare for questions that everyone from venture capitalists to small business loan lenders will likely ask about your and your business. 

  • What are you using these funds for? 

  • Why are you valuing your company the way you are?

  • Where are your competitors sitting?

  • What data do you have to back up?

  • What is your metric for success?

This is also an opportunity to prepare questions for your investors, too!

  • What do they look for in investments?

  • How much do they typically invest?

  • Do they have any funding mandates?

  • How will they support you? 

  • If you're looking into a loan, ask if they lend to other businesses in your industry. 

  • How long is the application process and what do they consider?

  • Ask for testimonials and feedback from current or past customers.

4. Don't go it alone

Lastly, don't feel like you have to go through this process alone. I suggest working with your accountant or small business advisor to prepare documents, run numbers, and help you look at your business from a lender's perspective. Don't have a business accountant yet? That's ok! Banks like Bank of America offer Small Business Bankers that provide advice and guidance on everything from loans and lines of credit to alternative routes to access capital. 

The best investor is much more than cash in your pocket. In my experience, having someone experienced and knowledgeable enough to support and help grow my business in my corner is more valuable than any dollar amount. For this reason, I became a Bank of America business card holder and never looked back!

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Outdoor Voices & Try Your Best Founder Ty Haney Shares How to Leverage Web3 to Build Powerful Communities

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ABOUT THE EPISODE

Live from our 2022 Small Business Summit event, Ty Haney joins Jaclyn Johnson for a keynote conversation about building community in Web3. If you're listening to this episode it's because you believe in doing things. Big things. And Ty Haney is on the same page. Haney founded Outdoor Voices–a vibrant, fun-first athleticwear brand back in 2014.

During Haney's time with Outdoor Voices, the brand became synonymous with IRL events that brought shoppers together to celebrate movement. And today, she's here to talk about how to bring that same IRL magic online with the next wave of community-driven technology.

Haney's new brand TYB, which stands for Try Your Best, makes Web3 community-powered growth tools that allow brands and fans to directly link, come together, build, and win together. And if you don't know what that means, it's okay! By the end of this episode, you'll be a pro.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE

RESOURCES

SHOW OUR SPONSORS SOME LOVE

Printfresh | Head to printfresh.com/WORKPARTY or use code PARTY at checkout for 15% off your first order.

OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE . . .

How One Woman Used TikTok To Land a Job Promotion 

This Black-Owned Company’s CEO Is Disrupting The Beauty Industry

Pietra COO, Tala Akhavan on Balancing Work, Motherhood, and Access to Female Entrepreneurship 

Using Technology to Drive Social Impact with AllVoices Founder, Claire Schmidt 

Live from Austin Pop-Up: How to Define Goals and Rise to Your Potential with Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass and Author of LifePass

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How to Build a Portfolio Career With CEO and Selling Sunset Star, Emma Hernan

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ABOUT THE EPISODE

Live from our 2022 Small Business Summit event, CEO and Selling Sunset star Emma Hernan joins Bunita Sawhney Executive Vice President of US Financial Institutions at Mastercard for a fireside chat about what it takes to build a portfolio career. While you may know her from the hit Netflix show, you may not realize that Emma Hernan is someone whose business savvy goes far beyond what's depicted on the silver screen. As a self-made multimillionaire, Emma is not only a realtor at one of Los Angeles' top agencies, The Oppenheim Group, but she's also an entrepreneur and CEO of Emma Leigh & Co, as well as an angel investor. In other words, her plate is very full.

It's clear that she loves the work she does, and her drive and passion to help other female entrepreneurs grow and succeed is evident from the moment you meet her. We're lucky that she's here today to share tips on how to vary the types of work that you're doing, what investors are looking for, and how to persist with founding a business even when you come up against obstacles. (Plus, she might even spill a little Selling Sunset tea!)

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE

RESOURCES

OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE . . .

How One Woman Used TikTok To Land a Job Promotion 

This Black-Owned Company’s CEO Is Disrupting The Beauty Industry

Pietra COO, Tala Akhavan on Balancing Work, Motherhood, and Access to Female Entrepreneurship 

Using Technology to Drive Social Impact with AllVoices Founder, Claire Schmidt 

Live from Austin Pop-Up: How to Define Goals and Rise to Your Potential with Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass and Author of LifePass

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5 Rules Every New Founder Should Follow, According to the Co-Founders of Obé

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There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to entrepreneurship. But there are industry pros who’ve learned a thing or two about what not to do in business, including Mark Mullett and Ashley Mills, co-founders behind the on-demand fitness platform obé. 

At Create & Cultivate’s Wellness Means Business summit a few weeks ago, Mullett and Mills, who earned $15 million in their series A funding and have captured the hearts of countless fitness fanatics, listed out a few learning lessons about finding an idea, surrounding yourself with the right people, and staying inspired as your business grows. So if you’re looking for a few “don’ts” to keep in your back pocket as you navigate new entrepreneurship, keep scrolling. 

1. Don’t fool yourself

Before committing to a business, Mills and Mullett want you to ask yourself: Is it a hobby, a trend, or a passion? Here’s an example. Maybe you’re big on knitting and love celery juice. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to start a juice-drinking knitting business. A passion, Mullett says, is something that keeps you up at night and something you’re uniquely qualified to create.

“If it's a passion, that's going to help you out when you're working 25 hours a day, eight days a week, 366 days a year,” says Mullett. “If it's a passion, that will carry us through. Fitness, connection, community, and working with each other have been a passion of ours. And that's carried us through a lot of high highs and a lot of low lows over five years.” So ask yourself: What am I truly passionate about?

2. Don’t be a copycat

Referencing a book called Blue Ocean Strategy by Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim, Mills says that saturated markets are like shark-infested waters. The trick is to find the patch of blue ocean that’s shark-free and made for your talents. “Once you do that, you can identify your audience and a different strategy so [that]  you can attract other folks—and you can probably do it more efficiently if you continue to scale your business,” says Mills. 

For example, she says, Obé’s “ blue ocean” was creating an online fitness platform that emulated the fun, community-oriented feeling of hitting a boutique fitness class in a major city. So think about what your business’ “blue ocean” looks like—and steer your ship there. 

3. Don’t journey alone

“It is so important to find yourself a partner, a co-founder, an investor, an advisor—someone who you can trust and who share the same vision as you,” says Mullett. “For Ashley and I, being together in this journey has been probably the most rewarding part. In the low moments, you want to lift each other up, and in the high moments, you want to hug and celebrate and press forward.” Even if you’re currently acting as CEO, CMO, and CFO of your company, make a point of finding a community that lifts you up. 

4. Don’t fall in love with everyone you meet

So you finally have the funds to hire some help. Maybe it’s a copywriter. A graphic designer. A CMO. Whatever the position is, Mills says to take your sweet time finding someone who’s the right fit. (No matter how much you needed help, like, yesterday.) 

“We love people; we love to meet people. But what you have to really understand is: What is the role that you're hiring this person to do? What is the skill set and background that they need to do it?” says Mills. Think critically about your ideal candidate for this position, and don’t stop interviewing until you find them. 

5. Don’t psych yourself out

“You’re working on a business where you’re the only employee; you're white-knuckling it half the time. We all know that feeling of being on a roller coaster and feeling like you might be crashing. But here's what we learned: A timeout is stronger than you think,” says Mullett. All founders have doubts, but the key—according to Mills and Mullett—is to take a break when they arise. Then, get back to work. 

By Kells McPhillips

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Why It's Important To Have a Strong Relationship With Your Bank

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For a new entrepreneur, the role of a bank can help further the growth and development of your business. Managing your money and your accounts properly is essential to making or breaking your small business, so it's important to build a lasting relationship with a bank that will take care of you. However, given that banking institutions constantly offer different incentives (and, at times, varying interest rates), should you break away from having multiple accounts and trust just one to handle your financial needs? 

Committing to a single bank may not only build a trusting relationship between a banker and customer, but it may also open the door to growing your business and reaping the benefits of rewards and resources. As a banker, “it is important to meet with your clients regularly, and it is recommended to connect with them at least twice a year,” says Erick Silva, VP at Bank of America. “Banking products and services are always evolving, especially in digital technology. It’s important for our clients to have a good understanding of our products and services so they can fully take advantage of the essential and innovative benefits that come from having their banking relationship with us.”

Silva goes on to share that Bank of America alone goes above and beyond by offering a Small Business Resources site that provides helpful tools and information for business owners. Here are five benefits to committing to a single bank, sure to have you making a trip to the bank this week.

  1. Building credit

When you’re a new small business owner, you are in the early stages of building business credit. Things like your credit score can be an indicator of how’ll handle a credit card. “A business credit card can be a powerful financial tool for your business. By using it wisely, you can keep personal and business transactions separate for accounting and tax purposes, stretch your cash flow, and build your business credit,” Silva says.

  1. Sustaining responsible growth

Knowing how to business forecast and to manage cash flow is an essential trait for all business owners so that you can be prepared for your next big purchases. “It’s especially important for small businesses, which often operate on a very lean budget,” Silva says. According to an Intuit study of 3,500 companies, by Intuit and Wakefield Research, 60% of small businesses say they regularly struggle with cash flow issues, and 40% have restricted business growth because of it.

“In other words, it is important to maintain a healthy cash flow. We provide a visual example to illustrate this idea to our client by using our robust technology such as Bank of America’s Cash Flow Monitor. That’s one example of a tool that can track your business’s performance, identifying potential shortfalls in advance,” Silva adds.

  1. A banker on your side

The more a banker knows about your situation, the more they can help you with specifics. Your banker may help analyze trends, discuss the current market, and prepare you for the future. “Ultimately, our goal [as bankers] is to provide our clients the tools and resources to make them competitive in the market and allow them to concentrate on doing what they do best and that’s focusing on their business,” Silva shared. Here’s how knowing your bank well helps:

  • Assists you in determining how much credit you need based on your goals and priorities and offers solutions to support you

  • Identifies areas for business growth and offers guidance on how to achieve the next steps, considering the stage of your business

  • Uncovers causes of cash-flow problems and helps streamline your business by providing solutions that will help with managing your cash flow

  • Connects you with payroll providers and subject matter experts with the knowledge to guide you

  • Introduces you to new clients and vendors and shares ideas for growth that businesses in the same industry have been able to execute successfully

  1. Learning from wisdom

“As we’ve helped our clients along the way, we’ve learned from them along the process. I was able to help one of my customers, the owner of Mikko Sushi Mia Davis, find stability with her new business after years of falling short,” Silva says.

“Mia came to the United States when she was 20 years old and worked nights and weekends as a server to support her family as a single mother. She not only returned to school to understand the financial side of the business after ‘failing miserably,’ but also had to learn how to use social media after opening her restaurant right before the pandemic,” Silva adds. She ultimately credits her Small Business Administration (SBA) loan with making her “American dream come true.”

  1. Making access to capital easier

Lastly, banks connect entrepreneurs in the U.S. to affordable loans. Access to funding can sometimes be the biggest challenge in building a business. A relationship with Bank of America may connect women entrepreneurs with resources to gain access to affordable loans. The Tory Burch Foundation is one of them, which provides three options for funding:

  • Bank of America Loan Program: Provides women entrepreneurs the opportunity to access affordable loans through Community Lenders. 

  • Grants for Women of Color: Gives grants to businesses through a partnership with Fearless Fund and The Cru.

  • Fellows Program: A year-long program that provides entrepreneurs with a $5,000 grant for business education, access to $0 interest loans, and a premier network of founders and advisors.

What To Expect IRL At Small Business Summit 2022

THE DATE

Saturday, October 15, 2022

THE TIME

11 AM - 5 PM

THE  LOCATION

Pier 17, Level 4

89 South St., New York, NY, 10038

Get Directions

Details

REGISTRATION

Proof of full vaccination dated no later than September 16, 2022, or proof of a negative COVID-19 test that was taken within 72 hours of coming on-site is mandatory for all in attendance. Only verified PCR or Antigen tests will be accepted. At-home tests will not be accepted. Entry to the event will not be permitted without a vaccination card or negative COVID-19 test accompanied by a government-issued photo ID for entry.

Upon check-in, you will receive your pass, schedule, and event materials for the day!

For full FAQs, please read here.

SCHEDULE

Check out the play-by-play schedule to map out your day.

Inspiring Conversations

Keynote Conversation: A conversation with Ty Haney on what’s driving her web3 platform, Try Your Best, and how insightful customer listening can help you create an irresistible product.

A Fireside Chat With Emma Henan, Presented by Mastercard: Selling Sunset star, Emma Hernan, has nailed the art of varied income streams. Here’s her advice for you. 

The Founder 411: Everything To Know About Starting A Business: From the micro to the macro, here’s what every founder should know by the time they decide to go all-in on their business.

How To Be A Strong Leader For Your Team: Industry experts share tips and tools for stepping up as a leader in your organization.

Workshops

Finance Workshop: Dollars And Sense: How much capital you need, how to finance your business, how to run a P&L, and how to project growth.

Mentor Sessions

Content Planning: How to build a robust social media, marketing, and editorial calendar.

Leadership: Learn the characteristics of a strong leader and how to apply them to your unique position in the workplace.

Legal: For fresh founders, this is everything you need to know to make sure your brand has sound footing legally, including things to watch out for, things you might not know, and more.

Cyber Security and Online Operations: How to protect yourself online while running a small business.

Build, Monetize and Scale Your Brand: When you’re starting out, getting your business off the ground is always goal number one. From there, we’ll help you build, monetize, and scale your brand so that you’re set up for success. 

Growth Hacking: How to utilize digital tools and technology to help your brand reach its maximum potential. 

Pop-up Market

Mastercard: Are you looking for one-of-a-kind items that can only be made by innovative and emerging brands? Do you enjoy supporting local businesses? Our friends at For Sea and Oats, Yes I Am Inc, and Effie's Paper will be showcasing their favorite products. Get ready to shop, support, and start something #Priceless!

Plus, don’t forget to experience Mastercard’s 360° #Priceless photo moment! You won’t want to miss this content opp!

Bank of America: One, two, three, SMILE! It all starts with a great headshot. Level up your professional profile by stopping by the Bank of America headshot studio — you'll receive the high-res photos digitally for use across your platforms.

They'll also have a Small Biz Advice center where you can chat with a Small Business specialist for advice on accessing capital to fund your business, finding digital tools to optimize your operations, tips on cash flow management, and so much more!

Maie Wines: C&C Founder and Vice Chair, Jaclyn Johnson is ushering single-serve wine into a new era. Try the recently launched wine during our happy hour, as it's perfectly portioned to make drinking in moderation easy.

Use code: SBS15 for 15% off your first purchase

SHOP NOW

Food & Beverage

BREAKFAST

Fuel up with coffee, browse the pop-up markets and map out your day ahead.

LUNCH
Enjoy sandwiches and prepare for a jam-packed afternoon.

SNACKS

Grab assorted snacks from Beyond Good and Daily Crunch Snacks.

BEVERAGES 

Stay hydrated and caffeinated! We’ll be serving Health-Ade and Icelandic.

ANY ALLERGIES OR DIETARY RESTRICTIONS? 

We recommend that you BYO lunch and snacks to the conference. We try our best to accommodate attendees with allergies and/or dietary restrictions, but it’s best to provide your own.

GIFT BAGS

Don't forget to grab your gift bag filled with goodies before you leave!

Other Need-to-Knows

There are no charging stations on-site, so please come prepared with a fully charged phone or a charger with extra juice to be set up for success all day.  

Parents’ Room 

We have a dedicated parents’ room for breastfeeding, pumping, and feeding. 

TICKETS

Still need to buy your ticket? Grab them before they sell out here!

Need Help? 

If you need assistance, we’re happy to help. Please email hello@createcultivate.com ahead of the event with any needs that you have on-site so we can assist with any additional needs before the event.

More Questions?

Please visit our FAQs page for more information about the event.

Stay Connected

Follow along at @createcultivate and use the hashtag #ccsmallbusinesssummit to keep in touch!

Multi-Hyphenate Miranda Kerr Talks Work Ethic, Product Development & Demystifying "Clean Beauty"

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Live from our 2022 Wellness Means Business event, fellow Aussie, Miranda Kerr joins Create & Cultivate's CEO Kate Spies for a keynote conversation about building and scaling a business in the wellness industry. Miranda needs no introduction, but we'll give her one anyway. She is a supermodel, certified health coach, Founder & CEO of KORA Organics, and a wellness pioneer.

Very early on, Miranda learned about the importance of what you put on your skin and how it can impact your overall health after her mother fell ill. From its foundation, KORA has become a hit–selling key facial essentials that help you take care of your complexion without needing a shelfie worth of bottles on your countertop, and the brand just recently took its first foray into body care as well.

While there’s much to admire about Miranda, one thing that we hear from her team and those who work closely with her is what an involved and passionate founder she is. Miranda is up-to-date on the latest trends, ingredients, and sustainability measures. She actively works on everything from formulations to product development to marketing, and I know we have much to learn from her in today's installment of WorkParty!

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE

RESOURCES

SHOW OUR SPONSORS SOME LOVE !

OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE . . .

How One Woman Used TikTok To Land a Job Promotion 

This Black-Owned Company’s CEO Is Disrupting The Beauty Industry

Cass Dimicco On Parallel Pathing Your Personal Brand With Your Business

This Small Business Founder Sold Her Own Company Stock to Fund Her New Venture

Live from Austin Pop-Up: How to Define Goals and Rise to Your Potential with Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass and Author of LifePass

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Two Founders Share The Process They Took To Raise Funding For Their Apparel Business

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It seems as though women-founded businesses have been underfunded since (what feels like) the beginning of time. According to Crunchbase, only 2.3 percent of venture capital went to women-led startups in 2020, a drop from previous years. For two women who started a braless clothing company, and where we mostly pitched to men, it was clear why the process was hard.

We’ve gone through the search for capital multiple times, throughout the lifecycle of our company. We had no choice but to start by self-funding our business, Frankly, out of our personal accounts. We then moved from bootstrapping to raising different forms of capital after about six months of being self-funded. Having broken the million dollar raised mark, and despite being in the “difficult to fund” apparel industry, our experiences gave us insight into the tricky world of business. Here's what we've learned along the way, and what has helped us raise funding and lead our brand to success.

1. Understand what you have working for and against you, and go for it anyway.

Starting a company is fundamentally contrarian. There will be people who think you or your idea is crazy, but a product would already exist if it were a universally good idea. Start by making sure you have a clear idea of what funding in your sector looks like for your company. Have some early revenue? Go on Crunchbase and see who has raised a pre-seed or seed recently, and see what type of traction those companies have.

Earlier rounds are less likely to be documented, but finding a network of entrepreneurs can help you get an idea of what the funding environment is like in your sector, or an adjacent sector. For the two of us, it was tapping into our business school and undergraduate networks. With one of us being Asian-American, we also found Gold House which has a community of founders willing to help one another. We knew that being an apparel company was working against us, so we had to get creative on funding.

2. Funding may look different depending on your vision and stage.

We figured out what we needed at every stage, to get to the next milestone, and we raised enough to get there. Kickstarter is non-dilutive, so when we were looking for proof that people wanted the product, we knew that was our best option. If it went well, the Kickstarter funds would cover the inventory. And if it went poorly, we would take it as a sign that the company would not be a full-time venture for us. Luckily it went really well and we were able to cover our first runs of inventory with it.

We then raised a friend and family round, and a year and a half later raised a pre-seed from two institutions. The friends and family round was raised to set up the company, run experiments, and figure out exactly who our customer was. The pre-seed was to refine our focus and take the business to the next level. We thought a lot on if institutional capital would be a fit, and the answer is that it depends on what type of business you want to build. There’s an argument to be made about bootstrapping to profitability, then raising an institutional round if needed for specific reasons. The question to ask yourself here is: are you willing to give up more of your company to someone else, to build a bigger business? That tradeoff makes institutional capital not worth it for some founders. There are also pitch competitions, grants, and other ways to find capital for your business. 

3. Be able to point at concrete proof.

Lots of people raise ideas, but all of them have some sort of proof point that they gathered during needfinding. For every type of company, you need to have an indicator that people are going to pay for that product. Whether it’s crowdfunding, a social media proof point, or revenue, it’s much easier when you can point at concrete metrics.

For consumer businesses already bringing in revenue, metrics like repeat customer rate, returned item rate, and AOV is important. With a B2B company, you want some kind of pilot or letter of intent with your target type of consumer. As women raising for a women-centric product, we needed more proof for Frankly – especially when talking to male investors. We needed to show that bras were a pain point, so we asked investors to go home and ask the women in their lives if they hated their bras. They were often surprised by the answer, though we weren’t! 

4. Practice pitching with a variety of personalities.

We practiced our pitch at least 15 times with different people (investor friends, friendly faces, and friends of friends). This helped us ensure our deck was telling the story we wanted to tell. There are friendlier investors, people who ask pointed questions, and others who are obsessed with numbers. You never really know who you’re going to get when pitching, so make sure you’re ready for every personality.

Some investors are just harder to read than others, and that’s okay. Everyone will have different reactions to your deck but you’ll start to see patterns, then you can adjust accordingly before you go out to the market. Docsend, which we used to send out our deck, has a piece on what every deck needs. Our advice from what we’ve seen is to keep your deck under 12 slides. People have short attention spans.

5. Know that it’s going to be an emotional process, even if it goes well.

Even the most successful businesses have had trouble raising in the beginning. The example that we always think about is John Foley, the founder of Peloton. "Foley raised $400k at a $2M post-money valuation from eight angels. From 2011 to 2014, he pitched to 3,000 angels and 400 firms. Almost everyone said no. Eventually, he raised $10M from 100 angels," Joe Vennare shares on Twitter.

Even if you raise successfully, you'll still likely have to hear at least 30-40 no’s through the process. There are a ton of reasons why people don’t invest, and it doesn’t mean your company won’t do well. The self-belief that you’re building a business that is going to make a difference in the world will keep you going throughout all of it. 

About the Authors: Heather Eaton and Jane Dong are the co-founders of Frankly Apparel, an inclusive clothing brand that designs bra-less essentials for women of all sizes. Before starting Frankly, the two of them worked at Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Uber, and Rothy’s. The duo met at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where most of their classmates were starting tech companies. They felt so strongly about making the bra-less trend more accessible to all cup sizes, that they started Frankly anyway.

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This TikTok Trend Is Shining a Light on Hiring Discrimination

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A new trend on TikTok is taking aim at hiring discrimination that is still rampant in today's workforce. Black content creators are coming forward to share that when they omit or change their race to "white" on job applications, they're landing interviews they otherwise didn't.

According to the National Women’s Law Center, throughout much of the pandemic, Black women’s unemployment (5.8%) has been significantly and consistently higher than that of Latinas, Asian women, and white women. “Black women have two [factors] counting against them, away from the majority, and this makes them have to work twice as hard to get half as much as the average white man," says Andrea Logan, career coach and founder of The Career Island, of both sex and race. "So many job seekers play with race statistics and say they're a 'white man' to get through the human bias in the initial phase of the candidate selection process of the hiring industry."

While this TikTok trend is new, the idea behind it is not. In 2016, the findings of a two-year study showed evidence of bias against minorities. Resumes, which were “whitened” or scrubbed of any racial cues, were more successful than resumes that included minority information. For Black candidates, 25 percent received callbacks with a whitened resume, while only 10 percent got calls when they left racial details intact.

“You could potentially get double as many callback interviews scheduled from declaring a different race or even changing the first or last name to blur race guessing if the name stands out,” says Logan. But there are disadvantages, too. “You will show up to the interview as a non-white or non-male candidate and cause an awkward conversation that essentially shows you that this potential employer could be racist and only selected your application because they thought it was a white person behind the resume.”

For 24-year-old Jacqueline Young, who tried the TikTok trend, getting even one interview was a battle after graduating from Methodist University in May 2021. “I was applying to 10 jobs a day,” Young says. “I had been applying to jobs since before I graduated college, and it was hard for me to get a job, especially with a major in psychology.” 

Young hopped started putting “white” as her race on several applications to see if it made a difference. “When you are desperate, you think of everything. I found myself in a moment of desperation. Living in Virginia is expensive. The cost of daycare is the same as the cost of the rent. At the time, I was living off of credit cards,”  Young recalls. Changing her race helped her get noticed, but she still received no job offers.

However, eventually, Young found a job working for a company with diversity goals that didn't require her to lie about her race. “It’s been life-changing, literally overnight,” Young says. “I’m still learning humbly. But since I got hired in June, I’ve been able to support myself and help my family. The quality of life has just been better.”

Logan suggests shopping around to find your fit, and "when you get to the interview, ask them how many Black people work there—if that is important to you. Interrogate the company on their hiring practices and find companies where people who look like you are the majority.”

As a stay-at-home mother looking to re-enter the workforce, Sumyia Evans, a 26-year-old Georgia resident, experienced a similar situation to Young when applying as a BIPOC woman, which prompted her to try the trend. “I filled out an estimated 140 job applications and only received three follow-ups. Most of them were mainly scam job posts from Indeed, and I received a total of 137 rejections."

Ultimately, however, Evans realized she didn't feel right changing her application to get noticed. “I honestly would not lie on any more job applications just to get a job. I want people to wholeheartedly accept me for me, regardless of race, gender, etc. When God has something for you, he will put you in the right room with the right people. I just landed a job as a teacher associate,” she shares. “I got a call back that same day and was set up with an interview three days later, had orientation the next day, and began working two days after my orientation.”

Young and Evans eventually found a job that was the right fit for them, yet many Black and minority parents, anticipating discrimination their child may face, are giving their children more “resume-friendly” names. Black author Austin Channing Brown is just one example. In a Grazia article, Brown shares how her mother once told her: “We knew that anyone who saw it before meeting you would assume you are a white man. One day, you will have to apply for jobs. We just wanted to make sure you could make it to the interview.”

Because of history and content creators now shining light on an ongoing issue, it's evident that companies are still failing as equal-opportunity employers, and more people are aware of it today. There's hope that as this trend spreads and more voices are being heard, companies will take an initiative to accept a more diverse candidate pool to push forward in their hiring process.

Written by: Kristina Valdez

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How 5 Women Wellness Entrepreneurs Built Successful Businesses By Putting Themselves First

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Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about the last moment when you felt great success. What surrounds you at that moment? Maybe it’s community. Maybe it’s a sense of overcoming. Likely, there’s a thread of hard work and determination. Now, another question: In that success, did you prioritize others? Or did you prioritize yourself and the work at hand? Open your eyes. 

There’s a misconception that self-care is selfish, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. To work well, you must first be well. No one knows this better than AthletaWell Guides, accredited wellness professionals who have built businesses dedicated to supporting women on their well-being journeys across mental health, nutrition, movement, sleep, and more. If you dive deeper into each of the guide’s secrets to success, you’ll find that they succeeded by prioritizing their own well-being—and this storyline is a common thread on AthletaWell.

AthletaWell is an expert-led community platform committed to empowering and motivating women on their well-being journeys. It was created to break the mold and build a community to bring women together in a safe space to share experiences, exchange real advice and get access to vetted leaders and experts to navigate wellbeing together. 

Here, we dive deep into advice from five Athleta Well expert guides who prioritized their own well-being to help serve others. Take it from them self-care and service are not mutually exclusive. 

1. Allow Yourself the Grace To Fail: Margeaux House, certified yoga instructor; Founder, This Curvy World

“Failing is part of learning and growth. Instead of being hard on yourself when something doesn't work out the way you imagined, use it as an opportunity for growth.  We tend to be harder on ourselves than anyone else. Don't give up. Try a different approach using the knowledge you gained.”

2. Be the Student and the Teacher: Nichomi Higgins, Licensed Marriage & Family Psychotherapist

“I always tell my clients, if you take nothing away from me, take away the fact that you must give yourself permission to be the student and the teacher in all aspects of your life. As high performers and experts in our respective lanes, we often fall victim to the myth that in order to be successful we must have all of the answers, or else our credibility will be ruined. So we end up anxiously avoiding mistakes and risks like the plague. When I gave myself permission to be both student and teacher it became easier to ask for help, share my fears vulnerably and fend off perfectionism. More importantly, this permission promotes mental agility when it comes to change.”

3. Don’t Try To Go It Alone: Dr. Natalie Crawford, OBGYN 

“Find people you trust and allow them to help you. One of the biggest barriers to growth is controlling everything yourself. Instead, view your time as a limited resource, and allow others to help you.”

4. Reframe Challenges As Growth Opportunities: Lauren Rosen, Licensed Marriage & Family Psychotherapist

“Being less-than-great at things is inevitable when you’re living on your growth edge. If you’re challenging yourself and struggling, you may find that your typical go-tos are frustration and self-flagellation. If we recognize that doing a clunky, clumsy job of something is an inevitable part of learning, we can give ourselves more grace to learn. We might even have more fun in the process of learning.” 

5. Take Advantage of the Mornings: Dalina Soto, registered dietician

“Prioritize a morning self-care routine, like morning coffee reflection with breakfast or a morning snack. Stay hydrated—when we are on the go, we forget water! Carve some time for stretching throughout the day if you sit a lot. Get the blood flowing! 

Ready to dive into even more from AthletaWell? Create your free account on AthletaWell today to meet AthletaWell Guides and visit your nearest Athleta store to sign up for the WellPro Program, designed for wellbeing professionals like you. You'll receive 25% off product in store and online plus exclusive opportunities to connect with Athleta and their customers.

Podcast- Danielle Dubois

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How To Utilize Community Listening To Develop A Product Your Customers Can’t Resist

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If there’s one thing business owners have noticed this year, it’s how rapidly the world is changing. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been running businesses with so much uncertainty. One way that I’ve found it easier to know how to adapt is by listening to my community, who frequently tells me what types of changes they’d like to see and what’s really working for them. This community-listening model has allowed me to take data-backed leaps of faith that have, in large part, paid off. 

Presently, I serve as the CEO of Novel Education Group, a private homeschooling service that I started after private tutoring in Los Angeles. Through my experiences working in private tutoring, I saw the need for schooling services to a community of kids who wanted to get an education while also pursuing their dreams and goals. Although this was the stepping stone for me to build an education business model that catered to them, it was hard in the beginning to find this kind of community and support when I was solely working one-on-one with clients and in education. You don’t have that sense of community like you would in an in-person school because it’s a very unique and specific niche business. It’s definitely a field where sometimes it’s hard to find relatability.

When I started, there was so much stigma around homeschooling that I knew I’d have to break to gain clients. From the start, I implemented a community-listening model that allowed me to understand the needs and concerns of my clients. Largely, I learned that the word “homeschool” is essentially unregulated, and for many clients, this uncertainty made them question whether it was right for them. For example, the knowledge level of a child in high school who’s 14 years old and has been homeschooled may be a high-school freshman or they may not. In the typical homeschooling system there’s no way to tell where they are, what they studied, if they’re on par with their peers, or if they’re on track to go to university.

Because I heard this feedback, it was incredibly important for my business to be regulated. We’ve partnered with an online private school and students have a teacher to guide them daily. On top of that, we have graders for each class that are constantly checking the work that the tutors do with the students. This has allowed me to break down the stigma and get people to understand that online schooling, homeschooling, and virtual schooling are trends for the future. It is highly accredited and a highly standard form of education.

We’ve also continued to see a growing trend of families who live in communities such as Los Angeles or London, where they didn’t want to be in one place for an entire school year. For them, our partnership with private schooling and implementation of their curriculum allows a student, who let’s say had to travel for two months out of the year, to continue their education path as remote learning.

All that to say I am proud of my entrepreneurial journey and it all happened because I was ready and willing to adapt to change or pivot. Today, I have a full-time staff who gets health benefits, and I’m also able to watch students graduate and accomplish their goals. Although change can be difficult mentally and emotionally, you just need to take it one step at a time and understand that things that are happening for the benefit of your business and its customers. 

Here’s some pointers that helped me stay on track and continue to grow my business:

1. Do not make changes unless it adds value to your business. There is a right time to pivot your business, and it has to be organic and filling a need.

2. Take some time to reevaluate your customer base and pay attention to their changing needs.

3. Always think of the most efficient and cost-effective way to operate. I work with a Small Business Banker at Bank of America who has helped me gain insight into business loans, and which ones are right for me. They also have a Small Business Resources site that provides helpful tools and information for business owners, such as, which benefit options are right for employees.

4. If you find you are missing out on business because of a road block, try and change it or work around it.

5. Be patient and conserve funds. You know what they say. Good things come to those who wait.

About the author: Tiffany Sorya founded Novel Education Group in 2014. She is a renowned influencer and thought leader in the education industry, widely recognized for spearheading a fundamental change in the way young people engage with education in the digital age. 

How Small Business Owners Can Tailor A Benefits Package Focused On Mental Health

The conversation around mental health and work has never been more topical as many professionals are adjusting to evolving job situations, and a blurred line between work and home with the uptick in remote positions. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, full-time employed Americans worked an average of 8.72 hours per day in 2021. With career-centric pursuits consuming so much of our waking hours, it’s imperative to consider how best to support our mental well-being at work and re-emphasize balance in modern work culture, both from the perspective of the employed and the employer. 

As a small business owner, corporate-style benefits packages through major carriers may be out of reach—but it doesn’t mean you can’t offer your employees meaningful care. With a little help from Dr. Kimberley Spair, a board-certified holistic health practitioner with a P.h.D in Holistic Health and Nutrition, we break down a few key ways to tailor a benefits package and create a culture that focuses on mental health, hinging on her expertise as both a health practitioner and business owner.

1. Focus on preventative medicine

While traditional models may rely heavily on symptomatic diagnosis, an alternative, holistic approach to dealing with stress, burnout, and the like is focusing on ways to mitigate it before it spirals out of control.

A package of this nature “...would educate employees on the benefits of meditation, mind-body tools, nutrition, sleep hygiene, and getting out in nature,” Spair shares. This approach continues to garner more mainstream appeal, emphasizing key daily practices that turn into habits for an enduring commitment to balance. Exposing the breadth of modalities available also empowers employees to explore (and hopefully commit to) whichever key practices resonate with them and their lifestyle, rather than prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach.

2. Encourage thoughtful breaks

Many of us have experienced the eerie sensation of sitting down at our desks in the wee morning hours, addressing a deluge of tasks and engaging in endless Zoom meetings, only to finally look up at the clock and realize we worked straight through lunch. Spair's recommendations? "Take small breaks throughout the day to ground in nature and dedicated 5-minutes to group meditation time. Try stepping away from the screen and focusing on healing foods for snacks and lunch."

It’s a fairly simple concept and not one that fits squarely within an official benefits package, but it cannot be overstated how far fostering a culture where these types of breaks are normalized can go. Even starting your meetings at 5 minutes past the hour can give everyone a much-needed breather.

Bottom line: It starts from the top to lead by example, and permits employees to reclaim small windows of time to check in with themselves.

3. Check-in frequently

All employees and businesses are different, and while it might be difficult to appease people 100% of the time, making sure your cohort has the opportunity to be heard is essential.

"Create a survey asking employees about their stress level—weekly,” Spair advises. A regular feedback loop ensures you have a pulse on what’s going on, and allows you to make informed decisions on if and how things should change. Taking time to poll employees on how best to support their mental well-being will also provide personalized data to inform your company’s benefits package. This type of alignment will ensure valuable resources and funds are being allocated correctly, in areas that employees value.

4. Rethink PTO

A standard interpretation of "Paid Time Off" (PTO) equates to vacation days. Updated thinking acknowledges that there’s a whole host of reasons why someone might need to take time away from work, mental health pursuits being a big one. Spair says you should be offering PTO for mental health days specifically, as well as allocating hours for wellness modalities such as meditation, EFT meridian tapping (for anxiety relief), nutrition counseling, and more.

More food for thought? If unlimited PTO is off the table, consider creating one consolidated bank of time off, rather than dictating what falls under “PTO” vs. "sick time." This broadens the lens and language around how employees think about and contextualize time off.

5. Offer ongoing educational resources

As we’ve come to know, there’s unfortunately not one quick fix when it comes to calibrating our mental health—it’s an enduring journey that requires commitment and can become tricky in our fast-paced world. Knowledge is power and equipping employees with ongoing resources allows them to fine-tune their practice and address evolving needs as their circumstances may change.

Spair encourages a focus “...on the dis-ease process and how so much of it is uniquely intertwined with a nervous system under pressure.“ The more we understand how external inputs affect our internal world, the more we can reorient our understanding of our experience. Education can take on the form of online subscriptions, guest speakers, training sessions, and beyond, pulsed at recurring increments to keep mental health top of mind and remind employees what they have access to.

For small business owners and employees alike, the internet can be an incredible resource. If these tips resonate with you, check out drkimberlyspair.com for more information on the intersection of nutrition, lifestyle, and emotional health.

What To Expect At Wellness Means Business

THE DATE
Saturday, October 1, 2022

THE TIME
9 AM - 3 PM

THE  LOCATION
Hudson Loft
1200 S Hope St 
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Get Directions

Details

REGISTRATION

Proof of full vaccination dated no later than September 16, 2022 or proof of negative COVID-19 test that was taken within 72 hours of coming on-site is mandatory for all in attendance. Only verified PCR or Antigen tests will be accepted. At-home tests will not be accepted. Entry to the event will not be permitted without a vaccination card or negative COVID-19 test accompanied by a government-issued photo ID for entry.

Upon check-in, you will receive your pass, schedule, and event materials for the day!

For full FAQs, please read here.

SCHEDULE

Check out the play-by-play schedule to map out your day!

RIDE WITH ALTO

Get $10 off of 2 Alto rides using code CCWELLNESS
Valid on 10/1/22 for Alto members only. Remember to preschedule your ride one hour in advance.
Download Alto Here

Inspiring Conversations

Keynote Conversation: With Miranda Kerr on leading the top wellness brand, KORA Organics.

A Fireside Chat with Sona Jones Presented by Athleta: How Athleta is leaning into customer insights to create an innovative platform rooted in wellbeing and community.

Wellness Now and Then: Where the wellness industry came from, where it stands today, and where it's going in five years' time.

Redefining What It Means To Give It Your All, Presented by OLLY: We've existed through a time of unrealistic expectations for what women can have and what women must sacrifice to have it. In this panel, we'll talk to experts who tell us how to redefine work to make it work for us while protecting our mental health.

Workshops

How To Turn Your Passion Into Your Full-Time Pursuit: So many people want to turn their love of wellness into a full-time career, but don't know where to start. In this workshop, navigate the journey from taking something that you love and making it into a business that helps others feel good, and how to leverage the skills you already possess to do so.

How Shadow Work Can Make You a Better Leader: Few of us want to confront our less accepted sides, but by doing so, we can create healthy energy for our businesses, which helps us to avoid burnout, perfection, and people-pleasing. Ultimately, this leads us to be authentic and connect with others in healthy ways.

Bloom Into Wellness: Join us for a special flower arranging workshop. Create your own seasonal arrangement while exploring the abundant mental health benefits of flowers. In addition to utilizing your creativity, you will learn the tricks and tips of flower arranging. Limited to 12 participants.

Workout Sessions

Mindful Moments: Presented by The Class

Join The Class, known for its innovative method of combining fitness and mindfulness, for a short no-sweat moment of gentle but effective mindful movement to help us drop out of the business of our minds and into the intelligence of our bodies.

Wellness Wake Up: Stretch with obé

A 20-minute Wellness Wake Up breathwork and stretch session. Wake up your body, release tension and get energized with dynamic breathwork and seated stretches to prepare you physically and mentally for the day ahead. Can be done in whatever you're wearing!

Mentor Sessions

Platforming Your Practice: How to platform your skills online as a solo practitioner, whether you choose to use another company's platform or go it alone.

Financial Wellness: How to bring the tenants of your wellness practice to your finances and intentionally plan for the future.

Utilizing Rest to Avoid Burnout: How to use the seven types of rest without feeling guilty.

Cyber Security: How to do an online digital safety checkup for your business.

Mental Health for Founders: How to care for your mental health when you're at the helm of a business.

Creator Content: Working with talent to tell your brand story.

Pop-Up Market

OLLY: Visit OLLY's greenhouse to take a “step outside” for a relaxing moment. The immersive experience will provide a reminder how nature to restore and strengthen our mental capacities, increasing focus and attention. Don't forget to have your photo snapped before you step back into the event as the greenhouse doubles as a photo moment! OLLY will also be sampling gummies from their mood enhancing product line.

Quaker: Stop by the Quaker bar to fuel up all day. Build your own parfait with your favorite toppings or snag some puffed granola between programming.

Half the Story: Enter a digital resting point and stay as long as you'd like at the Half the Story pop-up. Take time to unplug and reflect about how you may alway be plugged in by asking yourself "Who are you when the world isn't watching?" and adding your answer to the interactive mural wall. You'll also be able to shop comfy sweatshirts and beanies to support the cause.

Food & Beverage

BREAKFAST

Start the day with coffee and Quaker grab and go parfaits.

LUNCH
Fuel up with lunch and prepare for a jam-packed afternoon.

SNACKS

Enjoy assorted snacks by Smart Sweets, That's it, Daily Crunch Snacks, Bark Thins, Partake.

BEVERAGES 

Stay hydrated and caffeinated! We’ll be serving Alani Nu, Health Ade, Marquis, Icelandic.

ANY ALLERGIES OR DIETARY RESTRICTIONS? 

We recommend that you BYO lunch and snacks to the conference. We try our best to accommodate attendees with allergies and/or dietary restrictions, but it’s best to provide your own.

GIFT BAGS

Don't forget to grab your gift bag filled with goodies before you leave!

Other Need-to-Knows

There are no charging stations on-site so please come prepared with a fully charged phone or a charger with extra juice to be set up for success all day.  

PARENT'S ROOM

We have a dedicated parents’ room for breastfeeding, pumping, and feeding. 

TICKETS

Still need to buy your ticket? Grab them before they sell out here!

NEED HELP?

If you need assistance, we’re happy to help. Please email hello@createcultivate.com ahead of the event with any needs that you have on-site so we can assist with any additional needs before the event. Just lookout for the friendly faces wearing pink C&C shirts!

More Questions?

Please visit our FAQs page for more info about the event.

Stay Connected

Follow along at @createcultivate and use the hashtag #ccwellnessmeansbusiness to keep in touch!

Beekeeper's Naturals Founder On Selling Products At Markets To Raising 15 Mil

You have to start somewhere and Carly Stein will vouch for that statement. After years of battling on-and-off tonsillitis, Stein found relief in a combo of tree and plant resin created by bees, called propolis. She took that ingredient to launch a line of natural products called Beekeeper's Naturals, that would help not only her with her autoimmune problems, but help others boost their health from energy to concentration, and even battling brain fog.

But as many founders know, when you create a new product it can be hard to have others gain trust in what you're selling, especially for Stein who was working with ingredients that are a mix of ancient and modern science. She started by bootstrapping for 6 months, and selling at farmer's markets as a one woman show. The product took off as she was able to raise over $600,000. She then tapped into her circle of clients who saw the need for what she was selling, and many became investors for the seed round, leading her to fundraise over 15 million towards her business. Listen more below on the steps she took to get her business to success, and even some bumps in the road that didn't stop her from following her passion.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE

RESOURCES

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What's The Difference Between Hispanic, Latino, Latinx, and Why Does It Matter?

While you may not know it from mainstream media and election coverage, Latine-American communities aren’t a monolith. We come in all shades, are from different countries and economic backgrounds, and have different generational statuses. Perhaps because of these differences, it’s hard to agree on a term to call people from Latin America. 

Traditionally, we’ve been called (and refer to ourselves as) “Latinos,” but that was controversial because it’s the male term—and also reinforced the gender binary. People felt excluded and started creating more terms to refer to themselves and their Latine siblings. (I, for one, like Latine and Latinx.)

It’s all too easy to cast this information aside and instead refer to people however you see fit, like calling someone Latin when they specifically identify as Latinx. However, it’s still important to know that these terms exist, and understand the difference between them, especially when you’re making a concerted effort to invest your dollars in Latine-owned companies.

Zoila Darton, a Panamanian Jamaican Jew and founder of WORD Agency, puts it best: “At least through my lens of what it means to be Latina, there is no one way. You’re either in it or you’re not.” 

There’s an ongoing conversation about Latinidad and who can claim it. For example, some people argue that if you don’t speak Spanish or if you’ve never been to your parents’ homeland, you’re “less Latine.” That’s not the case. If you identify your heritage as Latine, then you’re Latine.

All that said, the only way you should be referring to someone’s race or ethnicity is how the individual perceives themselves. The good news here is all you have to do is ask. Of course, you want to steer away from “Where are you from?,” so you may instead try “How do you refer to your heritage?”

The different terms used to demark Latin American heritage 

Below are just a few terms that Latine people use to refer to themselves. There are, of course, other monikers, but these are the ones I’ve seen most often in the discourse, about what to call people with Latin American roots. Nothing is perfect, and that’s okay.

Hispanic

What’s perhaps most confusing about the “Is it Hispanic or is it Latino” debate is that the U.S. Census doesn’t differentiate between those two—choosing instead to group them together.

But there is a difference. According to Britannica, the term “Hispanic” is “a narrower term that includes people only from Spanish-speaking Latin America,” (aka people who hail from a country that was colonized by Spain). These countries include Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, El Salvador, and Guatemala. 

Latino/Latina

The #LatinoGang movement that is reggeaton is perhaps the strongest evidence that Latin Americans (specifically from Colombia, Puerto Rico, Panama, and the Dominican Republic) refer to themselves as Latinos. Again, though, a lot of folks took an issue with how Latino is the male term for a group of people who aren’t just male.

An important note here: A Brazilian is considered Latine. However, since they were colonized by Portugal and speak Portuguese, they would not be considered Hispanic. 

Latinx

Because Spanish is a gendered language, and because Latin American countries tend to be patriarchies, most terms to refer to groups of people default to the masculine. Additionally, with terms being masculine or feminine, many non-binary people felt excluded from Latino/a nomenclature. 

But there really isn’t a way for everyone to be happy with just one term, so critics of “Latinx” have taken to saying that they feel this is a term imposed on them by white researchers (which, by the way, is untrue).

Latine

Many Spanish speakers felt Latinx didn’t quite roll off the tongue—and they were unsure if they could trust the people who coined the term. Spanish speakers who want a more gender-inclusive term feel more connected to this term because it shies away from the binary of “Latino/Latina” while still keeping to the traditional phonetics of their mother tongue.

Latin

During our conversation about the distinctions between these terms, Darton used the term “Latin” to describe a culture. When I asked her why she conceptualized her experience as “Latin,” she said it was largely about her musical-skewing upbringing.

When you think about it, Latine, Spanish-Language artists like Marc Anthony and Bad Bunny are categorized as “Latin” in Billboard and Rolling Stone.

Spanish

Remember that song, “The Motto,” by Drake? There’s an interesting lyric in there: “Some Spanish girls love me like I’m Aventura.”

He’s referring to Latinas but uses this misnomer. You might think, “Well, the girls speak Spanish, right?” And you’d be right, kind of. The term Spanish does denote a language, but in the sense of ethnicity and nationality, it only refers to someone whose homeland is the country of Spain.

Written by: Natalie Arroyo Camacho

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How Multiple Income Streams Helped This Small Biz Owner Find Freedom

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Everyone daydreams about the things they would do and the places they’d go if they had money and the freedom to not work anymore⎯ but as Taylor deDiego has experienced, there are ways to structure your life to accommodate a job you’re passionate about while putting yourself on track to fulfill your dreams. How'd she do it? She found financial freedom through multiple income streams.

deDiego is an accomplished editorial copy director and brand strategist in the beauty industry who began her career at Sephora, working as a copywriter and editorial director for five years. After, she moved to Herbivore Botanicals to lead editorial copy direction. Two months ago she left Herbivore and more recently, she decided to go freelance to be able to work with multiple clients and increase her income stream. 

Though deDiego has only had her business for two months, she's already noticed internal and external shifts that reassure her she made the right decision. “It doesn't feel like I have this glass feeling over my head, the way that I felt when I was in a 9 to 5 working for one company. I get to strategically figure out what kind of clients work for me, and how much work can I take on. And then that, in turn, is reflected in financial advances and possibilities," deDiego says. She generously shares her tips and insights into what it’s taken to find personal freedom, by increasing her revenue stream while successfully operating a new small business. 

1. Know your value

One of deDiego’s biggest strengths is not accepting breadcrumbs. She stands firm in the value her expertise in her niche brings. “I'm not chasing clients who don't agree with my value,” she says. “What I'm charging is offering you value beyond, ‘Okay, great. We have somebody who's doing our copywriting and we don't have to do it.’ It's like impacting their business as a whole. I know the value of what I'm offering and not just as a service, but what the bottom line is for their business. I know the impact of having strong editorial direction and very strong copywriting.” 

This mindset has provided growth in more ways than one. “It's based in neuroscience and reprogramming your brain to really come from a high-value place. And that has been super impactful for me,” she shares. “It has overhauled my entire life, whether it comes down to career, or personal and family relationships. That has been foundational in getting me to a place where I know that I can hold out for the clients that are the most aligned for both, pay and projects, and long-term relationships.”

2. Assess your priorities

For deDiego, as for many, the pandemic “shifted” a lot of things. “I got really clear on what is important to me. What are my long-term goals? What are my short-term goals? And refocusing on a career that felt fruitful and exciting was a place that I found I spent a lot of time thinking about.”

When you get clear on what you want, and even what you don’t want, you can start to intentionally create your life in a way that allows those things the opportunity to come to fruition. “I think that more than anything, I look at this as a real lifestyle shift,” she says. “I just think that it opens up a lot of freedom in my life.”

3. Merge multiple income streams

“I see the potential of how far this can go,” she says, of her ability to earn significantly more than she did at her previous 9 to 5 jobs. Multiple income streams allow her to control working from different places, and she’s planning on using that to her advantage. “I've always wanted to live in multiple cities,” she explains. “San Francisco is my home. It's where my family is. I have a beautiful apartment here! But I can also pick up and go work in New York for a week and be on a client's shoot there, effortlessly and easy.”   

Another place on her list that can now be a reality? Paris. “That's the city that I've always wanted to live in again,” she shares. And I'm like, ‘Great. You can go on your quarterly vacation there,’ and spend significant amounts of time, doing the things that really light me up.”

While travel is great, her eyes are also on the future and stability that’s now possible to continue along this path. “And then I think on the longer-term goals, like buying a house always felt like, 'oh my God, how would I do that?'” Now, with multiple income streams, she doesn’t have to worry.

Written by: Abby Stern

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This Founder Evaluates Her Business Every 6 Months To Maximize Growth

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In life, you have to plan and account for unknown elements and circumstances that can’t always be planned for, as they’re unknown. The best way to do this in business is to make sure everything that can be planned, is. Most businesses, particularly small businesses, like to use org charts for budgeting, staffing, responsibilities, and chains of command, among other things. While they are an excellent tool to utilize, they aren’t the only way to plan and organize your business to maximize growth. 

Jasmine Morris runs a multifaceted PR agency and likes to refer to herself as a digital storyteller. She opts not to use an org chart for her agency, “Not because [she] doesn’t believe in them,” but because she takes the untraditional route and invests in business strategists. “Focus on the overall vision of the company,” she advices, adding that she assesses her business quarterly. By doing so, she has proudly scaled her agency to not require hiring many people, and found a way to replace humans for a system that has generated multi-six figures to seven figures.

Wondering how she did it? We were too, so we got her to spill her secrets. Here's 4 steps she has taken to successfully scale her agency to success:

1. Clarity

The most important thing for Morris was to know what she wanted internally and externally for her agency. She continues to refine her strategy by coming back to those questions mid way through the year. “We've gotten super clear on our dream client, and we've created a system where we only promote internally, to our clients, as a referral system to keep business flowing in,” Morris says. For example, she made the decision not to invest in social media marketing for her agency, which guides her company in a clear direction and has financial benefits. “Not focusing on social media marketing has allowed us to not hire a social media manager and eliminate any additional cost at this time.”

She also sets up her week for clarity and efficiency to accomplish their goals for the week. “We have specific days for specific tasks. For example, Mondays are CEO days where it gives me, as the CEO, a chance to check in with the financial goals, marketing for the week, branding, etc. We only schedule company calls Tuesdays through Thursdays, which eliminates having calls throughout the week as well.” 

2. Continue to invest in yourself

Morris abides by the adage, “If you don’t invest in yourself, who will?” Despite her success, she continues to invest yearly in high-level business coaches to continue her agency’s growth in reach and profits, and every six months invest in their systems and team to ensure it's improving. This approach helped her invest her first $10,000 right back into the company. “To surpass our first six-figures years ago, we invested our first 10k to identify what our messaging should be and how we should present our sales pages, and got super clear on our signature services. We found that only having three signature services is key to scaling and having a strong ROI every month. The fewer services, the better the ROI (in our opinion).” She continues, “We've invested almost 10k+ each year in business development and we've always seen a 10x return on it.”

3. Eliminate roadblocks

Morris found that for her company to run smoothly and successfully, the agency must be aware of and combat roadblocks on a more frequent basis. “Every week, we are focused on eliminating roadblocks for the company,” she explains. “We keep a database of 'opportunities' that we need to address whether it's financial, with whom we may need to hire, or processes that we have in place that we need to change. Having this database is a game changer.” 

By combating issues every month, Morris and her team are set up easily to progress forward and plan for major changes every half-year.

4. Untraditional hiring

As Morris previously stated, she likes to take the untraditional route. That’s particularly true when it comes to her hiring practices⎯more so her hesitation to hire non-essential employees. “Unlike most agencies, we didn't hire the traditional way by hiring a VA, project manager, marketing manager, etc,” Morris says. “What has allowed us to grow strategically, authentically, and to multi-six figures is to invest in experts and focus on growing from the inside out. Many female CEOs get stuck on hiring, but until you know what you need, you cannot scale properly so invest in someone who can assist.”

She isn’t advocating for any business to nix basic hires for operating, but some of the non-essential positions can be outsourced to apps and systems that help save an agency or company money while scaling. “Of course, there are basic hires that you should identify before operating. But as you operate, you learn what gaps you need to fill. After identifying what needs to be accomplished to run our agency, we've replaced a lot of those people with systems and strategies that allow us to serve our clients easily.” 

Morris adds that she also relies on Asana (a work management platform designed to organize, track, and manage a team’s work) and Dubsado (a suite of business tools including template creation, scheduling, and invoicing among other things). “We have a project overview within Asana that allows each team member to know what the project they are assigned to is about and what their specific tasks are,” she shares of the software. The versatility and range of both systems help her “eliminate hiring a ton of people,” again saving money that can be re-invested for further growth. 

Written by: Abby Stern