Tania Boler Founder and CEO Elvie Interview

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Tania Boler

Tania Boler founder and CEO of Elvie

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you were doing professionally before launching Elvie?

I’ve always been passionate about women’s health, and I studied the topic extensively during my time at Oxford and Stanford University earning a Ph.D. in sexual reproductive health. As a sexual health researcher, I spent most of my early professional life in roles that worked to provide women safe, quality care and access to health education. 

While working for the U.N., I was stationed in Africa and launched the first-ever curriculum on sexual education. During this time, I began to recognize technology’s potential to disrupt the way we think about health—and even quicken the pace at which change can occur. 

Before starting Elvie, I served as the global director of research and innovation at Marie Stopes International where I worked to improve sexual health among developing countries. Working directly with women across the world inspired me to advocate for women while understanding their unique health needs. 

What was your “lightbulb moment” for Elvie? What inspired you to start your business and pursue this path?

Despite having extensive academic and professional experience in women’s health, when I was pregnant, I discovered that there was much I didn’t know about my body. It felt like the changes I was experiencing should have been something I knew would happen. This was particularly true about my pelvic floor health. In my studies, training, or personal life, no one described pelvic floor health’s importance. 

At the time, I was spending lots of time in France with my husband’s family and learned that the women there were much more open to discussing their intimate health. In fact, pelvic floor exercise was part of their usual postnatal routine. After experiencing first-hand how pregnancy impacted this core muscle group, I was stunned that this cultural practice wasn’t more common in other countries. I began to do extensive research to understand better the intimate health challenges women face daily. 

The “lightbulb moment” came from this exploratory phase. As I learned more about how women currently care for their pelvic floors, I began to think about how few products were available to promote women’s intimate health. This is especially true when you think about how many generations of iPhones have been developed in the past ten years. Astonishingly, there have been limited modern innovations to address women’s basic needs in the past few decades! I was determined to do something about this, starting by tackling pelvic floor health’s taboo status while creating a design that made caring for this muscle group easy, efficient, and fun. That’s where Elvie Trainer came in. 

Since launching Elvie in 2013, you’ve raised over $50 million in funding from investors, garnering some of the biggest investments in femtech to date. What advice can you share for entrepreneurs on partnering with the right investors? What do investors need to bring to the table other than just money?

My best advice is to be your best advocate, never wavering from your mission or values. When I first started pitching Elvie Trainer to investors, most of whom were men and didn’t understand the need for the product, I would worry about making them feel uncomfortable when talking about the product’s purpose. After leading many meetings like this, where I put the investors first, I realized that I needed to prioritize Elvie. I didn’t want to work with the investors who just stared at the sample Elvie Trainers I’d leave out on the table, but those who’d immediately pick them up to better understand them. That’s why I’d recommend looking for investors who can not only offer capital but also provide partnership as your company grows. Suppose we at Elvie are going to realize our vision of revolutionizing women’s healthcare. In that case, we need investors who share our mission and values and will be open to putting more than just dollars behind it.  

You’re not only the founder and CEO of a technology company that’s revolutionizing women’s health, but you’re also a mother. How has being a mom changed your priorities and your focus in terms of your career and business? Do you think motherhood has made you a better business person?  

As many women know, being a mom completely changes everything. In the beginning, I struggled with how I would juggle my independent, career-driven life while caring for a baby. But after a while, balance comes—and at some point, you start to realize that hey, it’s okay to drop a few balls now and then. 

Once I started Elvie, I did have the advantage of knowing the unique challenges that moms face. I’d say, get used to multitasking and improving how you prioritize aspects of your life. And definitely, get more efficient with your time! 

Elvie’s mission is built around the need to support women, starting with moms. Unlike many other brands, we’ve created an internal culture that reflects these values. I enjoy being a champion for all the mothers and women who are a part of the team.

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful? If not, what did you use to guide your business instead and why did you take this approach?

Writing a business plan was a crucial step for us to outline the opportunities in the category and ensure we stayed true to our promise to women to deliver the most innovative technology to improve their everyday health as we scaled the business. Once we designed the product and realized how many women we could help by bringing the device to market, we quickly launched it via an e-commerce site. 

How did you come up with the name Elvie? What are some of the things you considered during the naming process?

Our name is the first definition of our brand. The word “Elvie” actually derives from the abbreviation for the levator muscles (“LVs”), the key muscle group on either side of the pelvis. We bandied some names around, but Elvie felt right. It simultaneously evokes strength and unabashed femininity. We also loved the name because it felt familiar yet unique. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business?

My business partner, Alexander Asseily, recommended that the first step was to hire the best designers to bring our vision to life. From there, the business took off. What was once trying to convince naysayers that this tool wasn’t “too niche,” we were suddenly being endorsed by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and even included in the swag bag for nominees at The Academy Awards. 

For us, digital and social are essential channels. Both are a means of getting our brand to a wider audience and as a platform to start conversations around taboo topics and intimate issues. From a strategic standpoint, it was important for us to have a presence that women can connect with online from the word “go.” 

What research did you do for the business beforehand? Why would you recommend it?

While I had a background in women’s health and had worked with women across the globe, I realized how much more I had to learn about women’s health when I became pregnant and experienced changes in my own body. I did extensive research to better understand women’s intimate health, the healthcare industry, and the technology already available to address these needs. To bring something to market that was truly innovative and could change women’s lives, I had to understand their health challenges and the products that failed them. 

Research is a crucial step for any entrepreneur. However, it’s also important to recognize that you won’t have all of the answers you need before starting your business. The hard part is finding the confidence to take the leap and go from the research phase to market. If you feel strongly about your idea, commit yourself to it and sell your passion for it to your team, investors, and consumers. You’ll never know until you try. 

Photo: Courtesy of Tania Boler

How did you find and identify the manufacturers that you work with? What was important to you during this process? Are there any mistakes you made and learned from along the way?

In the initial stages, we didn’t have any experience in manufacturing. Alex, my business partner, had plenty of advice, including adding a few names to the list of recommendations. But essentially, it’s all a case of setting out your manufacturing objectives; how many you need to make, the capabilities required to make it, and understanding your budget to get it done. 

From there, it’s lots of heavy research to create a shortlist of companies you’d like to speak with, making approaches and discussing your goals while gauging if there are synergies between the two companies. It’s important not to underestimate the people side of things—they may be able to demonstrate capabilities, but you need to be sure that you can work together as a team. After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time working together to refine your design and troubleshooting manufacturing challenges. There will always be tough times, so you need to be able to detach from the work and have fun together. 

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself? 

Like many new entrepreneurs, I accepted that during the early days of Elvie, it wouldn’t be like a normal salary. That said, I recommend being as open and frank as possible with your investors, because it shouldn’t mean that you sacrifice essential things you need to pay for, like child care. It’s all about striking a balance between company needs and making sure you’re able to focus on building the business—not about whether you can pay your own bills! For me, I initially took 40% of my previous salary. 

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like?

Finding the right people to build our brilliant team has been vital to Elvie’s success and crucial from the beginning. This includes everyone from the talented engineers and designers who helped bring our ideas to life or the advisors who navigated the tech sector while Elvie was still a growing startup. Giving women leadership positions and hiring so many talented people with like-minded values has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. 

In 2020, we had 114 new starters, which represents a +80.5% growth. When any company is scaling this rapidly, there’s a significant risk of the cultural DNA getting diluted or lost. With COVID and remote working, this is exacerbated even further. So as we (hopefully) emerge from the stresses of the pandemic, our big re-focus will be on people and culture in 2021. As soon as it’s feasible and safe, we’ll be investing in making up for lost time—encouraging quality collaboration between team members and socializing in real life! 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? Are there any tools or programs you recommend for bookkeeping?

Quite early on, we were set on hiring an accounting firm, specifically one which had a record of working with early-stage companies in London’s tech ecosystem. That being said, we also relied quite heavily on the readily available internal expertise, who helped with financial decision-making on several things, from the selection of banking partners to the management of company share schemes and the like. We also handled the bookkeeping internally and used Xero. It’s really great and user-friendly accounting software that is well-suited for early-stage businesses. It’s simple to set up and even simpler to use, which meant that we could maintain internal control of essential aspects of our day-to-day financial operations instead of outsourcing.

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing your business?

Elvie was born out of a passion for women’s health, and it was not very cut-and-dry to carve out space in a very male-dominated tech and investor community. It poses unique challenges to female entrepreneurs trying to design with women in mind. And as a non-tech founder, one of my biggest pieces of advice is to surround yourself with people who can capture that passion with innovative products that meet a need. I mean, when I first started, the term “femtech” didn’t even exist—so it was a great leap into the unknown. If you’re looking to launch something new, the startup ecosystem is vibrant and friendly, with plenty of experienced individuals who are willing to offer practical help and support. There are always lots of meet-ups which can help short-cut problems as you go along and learn from others who have done it before. 

For Elvie Pump, our greatest challenge was building the technology that could solve the breastfeeding problems women had been enduring for far too long. We also knew that we would have to convince investors that it was time to create a better solution for women than what’s been available to them so far. We did this by hiring world-class female designers who understood women’s needs and created a beautiful product that then spoke for itself.

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz?

Given the number of taboos surrounding women’s bodies and health, the Elvie team is driven by our overarching mission of changing perceptions while pioneering life-changing health solutions for women. Our work encourages us to engage in these discussions, shift people’s views, and educate both women and men on important—often intimate—topics. We see this as an excellent opportunity to drive real change in the culture at large while addressing the often-ignored needs of 50% of the population. 

With that in mind, we’ve always known we would need to be disruptive to grab women’s attention on a global scale. These moments opened the door to more significant conversations and helped to begin eliminating taboos on the topic.

One of the larger stunts we created was our massive vaginal blimp at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to raise awareness on pelvic floor weakness and incontinence. Our campaign was actually banned by the local council, which highlighted how taboos around women’s health and anatomy still run deep in our society. But happily, this led to the viral #LetFannyFly movement on social media—and it was empowering to see so many women get on our side and almost become activists for Elvie. 

A few other buzzworthy moments for us included our #FreeTheFeed campaign when we placed five giant inflatable breasts across London’s skyline. We aimed to fight the stigma around breastfeeding and pumping in public. We knew it would raise a few eyebrows – but in so doing, no one could overlook this taboo that’s been used to repress women for so long. 

Our stunt at London Fashion Week was another disruptive event that made headlines. To amplify our Elvie Pump launch in 2018, we partnered with London-based designer Marta Jakubowski to feature a model (and new mother) wearing our breast pump on the catwalk during her show. If it was talked about at all, pumping was considered a grind, an unpleasant necessity, or a punch line. By crashing London Fashion Week, we wanted to prove that women who happen to be mothers are still women: they can still be fashionable, walk the catwalk, lead businesses, run the world… and ultimately, they shouldn’t feel restricted or held back by anything (including pumping!). 

Do you have a business coach or mentor? How has this person helped you, and would you recommend one? What advice can you share on how do you get one?

I’ve been involved in women’s health for my entire career, and along the way, I’ve been introduced to so many individuals who’ve both inspired me and helped me find my way to creating Elvie. 

Carving out space in a male-centric world is never easy, and it can be intimidating to jump into something when you haven’t seen many examples set by other female friends or leaders. However, there is a growing network of extraordinary, like-minded female entrepreneurs out there who are willing to support you and help you to make essential connections. For anyone looking for a mentor, start by evaluating who you admire in your own circle and ask them for advice and guidance. 

For advice and information around startups, “The Lean Startup” and “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” were great resources for me. Phil Knight’s “Shoe Dog” was also incredibly inspiring at the early stages. 

There are a wealth of exciting podcasts out there, some personal favorites of mine include; “The Future of Everything” from the Wall Street Journal, “Masters of Scale,” and the “WIRED UK Podcast” to keep me up to speed on all the latest trends and stories.

I am constantly impressed by people who are challenging the status quo and introducing new ways of doing things. Tortoise is doing this by encouraging readers to consume information more slowly and with more purpose.  

What is one thing you didn’t do during the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap?

I would advise others to never skirt around topics or words that you feel might make potential investors uncomfortable. Take Elvie Trainer as an example. It took me a few fundraising meetings to realize that I needed to be upfront about women's issues and not shy away from words like "vagina" or other intimate topics. But, how can we create and sell in products that make women’s lives easier if we aren’t open and honest? Now, when meeting with prospective investors, I like to see their reaction once I say the "V" word. I call this the "vagina test!” It's a fun and easy way to gauge whether we'll be a good fit for one another. 

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner, and why?

Beyond attracting investors, our most significant obstacles at the start of our business came with building our technology. For example, designing one solution that could truly solve breastfeeding problems that women have been enduring for far too long! My business partner, Alexander, encouraged hiring top engineers from the word “go.” As you scale, this is extremely important. You need to surround yourself with people who believe in the mission as much as you do and are the best at doing the jobs you need. So, we set out to hire world-class designers who understood women's needs, placed them in the heart of the design process, and created beautiful products that offered women the best solution out there.

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Vanessa Quigley Co-Founder Chatbooks Interview

You asked for more content around business finances, so we’re delivering. Welcome to Money Matters where we give you an inside look at the pocketbooks of CEOs and entrepreneurs. In this series, you’ll learn what successful women in business spend on office spaces and employee salaries, how they knew it was time to hire someone to manage their finances, and their best advice for talking about money.

Photo: Courtney McOmber

Vanessa Quigley co-founder of Chatbooks

In an interview with Forbes, you revealed that an intense episode of mom guilt drove you to start Chatbooks. Can you take us back to that moment? What inspired you to launch your business and pursue this path? 

I have seven children, and for the first seven years of motherhood, I was very good at scrapbooking our family's story. But things changed as more babies came and as digital photography became the norm. Years later, I found my youngest, who was five at the time, in bed bawling his eyes out. He had been looking at a little photo album his preschool teacher made for him and was moved to tears when he told me, "Mama, I never want to grow up!" It was adorable and a gut punch all at the same time. I wanted him to be able to hold onto more of his memories and knew that I needed to create an easier way to do that for us and families everywhere!

You’re a mom of seven and the co-founder of Chatbooks along with your husband. How has being a mother changed your priorities and your focus in terms of your career? Do you think motherhood has made you a better business person? 

My career has actually made me a better mother. I'm happiest when I'm stretching myself, learning, and growing, and I've never felt more stretched before in my life than I have been while building our business. I was a stay-at-home mom for years before becoming an entrepreneur, and motherhood prepared me not only to have my product insight but also taught me the importance of team culture. We refer to our family as "Team Quigley" and I work very hard at helping my children know what it means to be a Quigley and what is expected of them and how important it is that we are all aligned on our goals to work together. And it's the same for our Chatbooks team.

Since launching Chatbooks in 2014, you’ve raised over $20 million in funding from investors. No doubt you’ve learned a lot along the way—What are three crucial elements everyone should include in a pitch deck when raising money and why?

1. How big is this opportunity? How do we know it’s a big opportunity? How can we show that we’re off to a good start capturing that big opportunity? What is our plan to continue and accelerate the momentum we have?

2. Why now? Why is right now the best time to chase this opportunity? Why was five years ago too early? What market change or technological breakthrough makes today the right time?

3. Why you? Why are we going to win versus the next team? What is the founder-market fit story? What secret have we discovered and do we believe in more than anyone else?

What advice can you share for entrepreneurs on partnering with the right investors? What do investors need to bring to the table other than just money?

It is a partnership. At least, that is how we view it. Investors need to bring expertise in some aspect of company building that complements your own team’s current abilities. Also, make sure you are on the same page as far as a timeline. Some investors are in it for the long haul, and some are looking for more of a quick return. Make sure you’re both trying to win the same game before you bring on a new partner. 

Where do you think is the most important area for a business owner to focus their financial energy and why?

It depends on your business, but for us, product and marketing have been the biggest areas of investment. When we raised our Series A it was on the strength of our performance and we just needed more fuel to put on the fire. We had a product that worked, and it was great to be able to get more financing to spend on marketing. Your business is going to grow and you will need money to hire a team to support it and to, most importantly, hire the right people—and that is expensive. 

What was your first big expense as a business owner and how should small business owners prepare for that now?

Our first large expense was on the creation of our viral “Real Mom” video. To make the video we spent more than we ever had on anything. However, we got back the investment in three days. Today, the video has more than 100 million views. 

What are your top three largest expenses every month?

1. Advertising 2. Printing/shipping 3. Personnel costs 

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself?

In the early days, we did not pay ourselves; it was actually a couple of years of no paychecks. And then we went to the bare minimum, enough to sustain life and pay the bills. As the business has grown and we’ve become more profitable, we have gotten a small raise here and there. The real value now is in our ownership of the company. 

Photo: Courtney McOmber

Would you recommend other small business owners pay themselves? 

If you don’t have to, then no, bootstrap as much as you can. If you can hire and build the business without paying yourself, then don’t pay yourself. The more ownership you can retain the better. For us, we went a couple of years without paying ourselves and by the time we landed on a product that was working, we had to raise money because we had a business team, seven kids, and a mortgage. 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? Are there any tools or programs you recommend for bookkeeping?

In the beginning, we hired an accountant, and then years later, we got someone in-house at Chatbooks. My husband was an accounting major and has an MBA, so finance stuff was the easy part. Making something people want and figuring out how to sell it is the hard part. Do that and everything else will work out. We recommend starting with Quickbooks and Excel, and then when it gets complicated hire an accountant.

How did you know you were ready to hire and what advice can you share on preparing for this stage of your business? 

We were trying to build software and we didn’t know how to code so we needed help with the front-end and the back-end. Luckily, we found our first backend developer on Craigslist and he was really, really good and he is still with us today. That is why we couldn’t pay ourselves because we had to hire for the skills we lacked. Be honest with yourself about your skillset and the help you are going to need. Consider possibly taking on a partner. We took on a partner who was a tech wizard and that is what we needed more than anything. 

Do you think women should talk about money and business more?

Yes, yes, yes. Women tend to shy away from talking about money. No topic should be off the table. Whenever I interview an entrepreneur on my podcast, “The MomForce Podcast,” I ask them about funding and money matters. I think we should all be more comfortable talking about that.

Do you have a financial mentor, and do you think all business owners need one?

Yes, everyone needs one unless you have a background in that. That could be an adviser, investor, or partner. There are some things that you can do early on in your business that will have real, lasting repercussions. I also suggest hiring a lawyer to help protect your business from the get-go. 

What money mistakes have you made and learned from along the way?

We gave some equity to advisors early on. That, in some cases, was really helpful because we could give equity instead of payment, but we had varied success with that. Some people did a ton to help us and were really engaged with us and some, not so much. If I could do it again I would be more careful choosing advisors and working more closely with them. I wish we had set regular meetings with them and gotten more out of the relationships. 

What is your best piece of financial advice for new entrepreneurs?

Don’t run out of money. No, but seriously, figure out what is most important in growing your business, and don’t get ahead of yourself. We didn’t have a glamorous office space in the beginning, just a corner with a bunch of desks in a shared space. Today, we have a beautiful office with sweeping views of Utah Lake. When you are going to hire, get the best people. The best is not always the most expensive. If you realize it is not a good fit, don’t be afraid to cut them and start again. A lot of mistakes are made in hiring. Don’t be afraid to say this isn’t working and try again. 

Anything else to add?

“The Lean Startup” is the bible. And creating an MVP, a minimally viable product, to test your concept before going all-in is a must. Start small, do a test, see if there is interest. Like doing a pre-sale or Kickstarter, just get really creative to test the concept before you spend. When we started showing Chatbooks to people and they said, “Shut up and take my money!,” we knew we were onto something good and ready to invest.

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Jamila Powell Founder Naturally Drenched Interview

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Jamila Powell

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Jamila Powell founder of Naturally Drenched

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you were doing professionally before launching Naturally Drenched?  

I am an attorney for the federal government. I am also an entrepreneur, mother, and the owner of one of the top texture salons in the country, Maggie Rose Salon. So much of the inspiration behind Naturally Drenched came from the day-to-day experiences I had with our trained stylists and customers within Maggie Rose Salon. I was able to see first-hand what our stylists would do for each unique type of hair texture. They would talk about the different needs of each kind of hair they would work with and about products they wished they had more of. This is when I first started to notice a lack of pre-conditioning treatments for textured hair and a lightbulb of inspiration went off. 

What was the “lightbulb moment” for Naturally Drenched? What inspired you to start your business and pursue this path? 

I think I had two major moments that really pushed me towards the path I’m currently on. First, I recognized how stylists at the Maggie Rose Salon were constantly in search of better products to use on natural and textured hair. And second, the COVID-19 implications on my salon really focused my headspace toward product innovation. I love working with hair but since I was no longer able to operate my salon, I turned to e-commerce as an alternative. 

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful, and if not, what did you use to guide your business instead and why did you take that approach? 

While I know this is something I should have done, I didn’t write a business plan. I tend to go with the flow and if an idea sticks with me over time, then I know it’s something I have to pursue. Having a vision is key, but understanding a need to pivot from time to time is also a baseline for business expansion is important as well. 

How did you come up with the name Naturally Drenched? What are some of the things you considered during the naming process? 

It actually only took me a singular day to construct the name for the new brand. I really wanted something that sounded luxe but spoke to hydration. I wanted the name to represent how the product would react to naturally curly-girl hair: covered, dripping, a burst of hydration, environmentally-conscious, etc., and Naturally Drenched seemed to do just that. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business?

Building social channels and securing the domain name came first. When I decided to move forward with the project, I secured the trademark.

What research did you do for the brand beforehand? Why would you recommend it? 

I conducted first-hand primary research by reviewing what worked and what didn’t within my salon. Further, I did secondary research on oversaturated trends in the hair market and what needed further representation and lacked product attention. 

How did you find and identify the manufacturers that you work with? What was important to you during this process and what are some of the mistakes you made and learned from along the way? 

Initially, I found a few manufacturers through Instagram and then used Google to identify if they were a local company or not. I moved forward with contacting three but only heard back from one. It took time for me to understand the established buy chain because I formulated Naturally Drenched independently, without the help of a manufacturer. However, manufacturers ultimately have established relationships with suppliers and I have learned that they build off of where the formulator secured ingredients and go from there. Additionally, I have seen how ordering new items in bulk can lead to backorders. 

Photo: Naturally Drenched

How did you fund your business? What were the challenges and what would you change? Would you recommend that route to other entrepreneurs? 

I am self-funded by choice. I haven’t had a lot of success in partnerships in past ventures, and frankly, I find it easier to carry the weight on my own two shoulders. Personally, I believe if financially possible, funding a project yourself is the best way to launch a startup. Here, individually, you can potentially run out of money, so take into account what it’s going to cost to produce, manufacture, and market the product. If your product is top of the line but has no market share or recognition, it really just doesn’t matter how good it is. 

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself?

Currently, no, I do not pay myself, and I don’t have plans to do so in the near future. I return all profit from Naturally Drenched right back into the company.

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like? 

I am my team but you can outsource your team. You need to find people you can trust to make a recommendation. My design team and PR team have been great. I have a team member that does my Instagram graphics whom I got from a referral. To be successful while going through the hiring process, focus on recommendations, remain active in listening to podcasts, Zoom calls, and panels, and always vet a potential hire and see the results they’ve been able to produce for other people.

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? 

I do have an accountant and bookkeeper. They don’t help me with financial decisions, as that is typically left to both my boyfriend and my mom. It’s important to have an accountant or bookkeeper because you need to look at your numbers weekly to know if you’re losing or gaining money. In the long run, you are saving yourself time when you have to do taxes. Always know where your money is going. 

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing your business?

Marketing. Trying to figure out what makes people buy your product is a challenge within itself, and understanding how to move past “surface-level” marketing is an additional challenge.

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz? 

PR of course! We also use the product in the salon and I've reached out to stylists and influencers. In addition, I secured inclusion in a subscription box in Germany. All of these ideas are a good way to get the word out and the product in peoples’ hands.

You’re an entrepreneur and a mom. How has being a mother changed your priorities and your focus in terms of your career? 

Being a mother makes me work harder. You really want to give everything to your child and it just makes me do more. Also, having a daughter helps me put things into perspective because there becomes a point where I say “enough is enough” and I have to step away from my workload and spend quality time with my child.

Do you think motherhood has made you a better business person? 

Absolutely, yes! Motherhood changes your mindset, your patience, your adaptability, creativity, and basically everything else I forgot to mention. 

Do you have a business coach or mentor, and would you recommend one? 

I don’t have a business coach, but I have “business besties” whom I talk to all the time. All of these women are at different points of their entrepreneurship journey! I recommend having people you can talk to openly who can give you insight on places you're trying to go, and how to get there.

What is one thing you didn’t do during the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap? 

Have a strong marketing plan! 

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner and why? 

Make sure you know what you want to spend and add 10 percent more to that. The worst thing you can do is put all your time and effort into research, formulation, and development, and not have any money to market it.

Photo: Courtesy of Jamila Powell

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3 Trends That Prove Digital is the New Normal–And What it Means For Your Business

The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as recent consumer behavior shifts in e-commerce, have caused long-lasting impacts to the U.S. small business market, prompting businesses to digitize as a means of future-proofing their businesses. 

Having a digitally led approach is critical to equipping small business owners with the tools and solutions they need to survive in an uncertain environment. Many small business owners are ready and willing to take the plunge and do what's needed to digitize their business, yet 64% have said they found it challenging to do so. 

At our recent Money Moves Digital Summit, Ginger Siegel, the North America small business lead at Mastercard, identified three trends that prove that digital is the new normal. ICYMI, we’re sharing them below, along with Siegel’s tips to help reinvigorate your business both on and offline–and more importantly, keep it safe. Read on for her sage advice. 

TREND #1: CONTACTLESS SPENDING

As the realities of COVID-19 hit businesses and individuals alike demanded lower touch options for making and receiving payments.

Although 2020 was already a year we expected to see increases in contactless spending, COVID-19 has accelerated this behavior and made consumer demand shift quicker than anticipated. 46% of global consumers have swapped out their top-of wallet card for a card that provides contactless functionality

With social distancing evolving into a long-term norm, continued reliance on delivery, pick-up, and alternative points of sale will mandate versatile payment methods, making the market primed for tap on phone adoption.74% of consumers said they will continue using contactless post-pandemic

TREND #2: DIGITAL SERVICES

As COVID-19 continues to stress small businesses financially and operationally, small business owners across North America are turning to digital services to improve cash flow and modernize their payments ecosystems.

The majority of small businesses said that speed and security and transparency were their top priorities. This includes changing how their business sends and receives payments and moving clients to more digital methods. This shift to digital services is not only good for business, it increases customer satisfaction as well. In fact, 81% of businesses said when they do move to more digital payments, it does improve the satisfaction level of their customers, proving digital really is the new normal.

TREND #3: CYBERSECURITY PREVENTION

In our new normal, heightened fraud and bad actors in the ecosystem will require small businesses to start paying for far greater attention to cyber security threats than ever before.

Business is uncertain enough—with 80% of small businesses reporting they did not monitor cyber security threats prior to the pandemic, many are incredibly vulnerable to exploitation by bad actors looking to capitalize on the current market chaos.

Small businesses are looking for partners and advisors to help protect them against the unknown in a new world. Partners who step in and predict, educate, and guide small businesses on impending threats will become essential to their survival in the new normal.

To help close the digital divide and prepare for what’s next, Mastercard has introduced its Digital Doors program, which provides small businesses the everyday business management tools and solutions to help small businesses go digital–and keep them safe. Digital Doors offers the resources and support to help small businesses navigate through current challenges and and build for the future–from digital readiness diagnostic tools, educational content, and Mastercard and partner solutions.

Ariana Sokolov co-founder trill project interview

Op-ed Overview

The pandemic has been a lonely time for LGBTQ+ youth for those who do not live in supportive households, making the need for inclusive spaces outside of the home even more important. With the pandemic, connecting with people outside of the home has been particularly difficult and we’re seeing youth turn to safe digital spaces as an alternative. I’m reaching out on behalf of Apple to introduce you to Trill Project, an app created by a talented, up-and-coming teenage developer, Ariana Sokolov. The young, LGBTQ+ ally created the app to ensure her best friend, who came out as bisexual, had a safe space online to express herself. 

After hearing how hard it was for her friend to come out, Sokolov developed Trill – a combination of the words true and real – as an anonymous social network with no usernames (it uses various colors instead!) where everyone can freely and safely express themselves. Created by teenagers passionate about coding, the app provides a supportive community to make new connections and have authentic conversations. 

Timed to April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Ari can draft an op-ed that speaks to:

• How the Trill Project creates a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community and why that is so important for this community specifically during April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month

• Her allyship to the LGBTQ+ community and inspiration for creating the Trill Project

• How she came to become an advanced coder at such a young age

• How her experience at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference and Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp built her coding skills

 photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x-SR7fAL5TWniGQ5NXtI_NnMpXAPTEeo

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you were doing professionally before launching Trill Project?

I started coding when I accidentally walked into a computer science class at a summer camp when I was eight years old. I loved getting to combine my interest in math and design to create something from scratch, and this is what drew me to app development. Growing up, I used the coding resources Apple provides online to teach Swift classes to myself. 

Eventually, I was awarded a student scholarship to the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). And my love for developing apps only grew stronger. Through this, I was able to unlock a community of fellow app developers that loved to create apps that impacted the lives of others. I was privileged to have the support of Apple engineers in labs and attend talks at WWDC that were instrumental in allowing me to become the app developer I am today. 

I launched my business when I was 16 years old. Before that, I founded my own app development company and was working on projects for a variety of clients with my work being recognized by Apple, South by Southwest, and the U.S. Congress. 

What was the “lightbulb moment” for Trill Project? What inspired you to start your business and pursue this path?

After hearing about my friend’s struggle coming out as a bisexual teen, I rallied together my Girls Who Code Club, and we sent out an anonymous survey to LGBTQ+ teens across Tumblr. We asked users, “What would you say if nobody knew you were saying it?” Through grassroots marketing strategies, we received hundreds and then thousands of responses to this survey. Responses trickled in around stories of feeling unheard, isolated, and alone. 

We were stunned to see that many LGBTQ+ teens felt this way, especially in toxic digital spaces, so we decided to address the mental health issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. After interviewing LGBTQ+ teens in our high school and learning from our friends how difficult their coming out experiences were, these early connections in customer discovery, who believed in my team and me enough to share their stories with us, became our first beta testers. Trill was designed collaboratively with 10,000 beta testers, and our users have trusted us from day one to listen without judgment and build this community for them, with them.

After working on Trill for a bit, we were accepted into Apple Entrepreneurship Camp. Here we were able to get tremendous feedback on the design and structure of our app to make it more meaningful to our users. We also learned how to integrate Machine Learning technology that would direct users to relevant crisis resources. These improvements that we made over the course of the program were very important to improving Trill.

An entrepreneurial career path is so special because it allows you to identify real problems in your life, like my friend’s struggles with her identity, and take action. I didn’t set out to be a founder necessarily, but I did seek out to solve a problem for my friend. And now I’m able to create technology that is used every day by my classmates, the online communities I belong to, and my generation as a whole.

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful, and if not, what did you use to guide your business instead? Why did you take that approach?

My team and I participated in the Technovation Challenge, a global competition encouraging female-identifying high schoolers to build an app to solve a social problem. Through this, we were able to write our first business plan. 

In the words of Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” With regard to Trill, we actually have pivoted and evolved our business tons since participating in Technovation. That said, the process and exercise of taking time in the early days of our launch to consider moderation at scale, paid marketing campaigns, revenue strategies, and company culture was incredibly useful. If anything, writing a business plan gave us an opportunity to start thinking about some of the tough questions around building a business like how you make money and how you will grow community. Even if we didn't have all the answers when we first made our business plan, it gave us a solid foundation.

The primary guiding force we’ve always used when building our business (more than any business plan) is real-time user feedback. We are strong advocates for practicing collaborative and inclusive design processes that are user-centric. We’ve maintained a robust beta tester community with regular surveying, interviews, and focus groups to make sure we are building a product that users actually need, want, and are finding value in. 

How did you come up with the name Trill Project, and what are some of the things you considered during the naming process?

Trill is a combination of the words true and real. And Trill Project is an anonymous social network for mental health peer support. 

While it may seem counterintuitive, our experiences with Trill have given us the unique empathy and insight that anonymity and stepping away from whatever identities constrain you in the real world can actually allow you to more fully discover your true and real self. On Trill, we turn social media on its head. We replace followers with friends, emojis with True feelings, and selfies with Real people. 

We allow users to unlock their most authentic selves in a digital world, and it doesn’t happen overnight. The movement to make the internet a safer and more kind space for people from all walks of life is an ongoing process and project. It’s Trill Project. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business? 

Immediately after coming up with the idea for Trill, my first action item was to build out a team. My team and I believe in capitalizing on our strengths and hiring for our weaknesses. Personally, I am a technically minded individual and enjoy software development, graphic design, and product management. So I brought on a co-founder who was more inclined towards the world of operations and could handle marketing, external relations, and sales down the line. 

We worked right away to build team culture, setting expectations around responsibilities, commitments, and values. We did this by establishing workflow tools (GSuite, Trello, and Slack), setting up anonymous surveys for internal feedback, and identifying goals or OKRs for a given work sprint. We also collaboratively wrote community guidelines and strategized together on brand identity and company vision documents. With regard to logistics, we also had to set up our website, our social media channels, officially incorporate, and bring on an accountant and lawyer to advise us. 

What research did you do for the business beforehand? 

We were lucky to participate in an accelerator program in the early days of Trill. This gave us an excellent community right away to tap into for answers to questions around our business. We would recommend accelerators and incubators for first-time founders because it provides a valuable sense of structure, accountability, and routine. Additionally, you will be able to connect with other founders who can empathize in your journey and mentors and experts who are motivated to work with you.

How did you fund Trill Project? What were the challenges and what would you change? Would you recommend your funding route to other entrepreneurs today? 

We have been bootstrapped and only raised capital from equity-free sources such as pitch competitions and incubator programs. For us, this was the right decision and we wouldn't have changed anything around our fundraising journey. Given that we weren’t ready to work full-time on Trill and wanted to finish our college degrees, bootstrapping gave us the flexibility to run the business on our own terms and not feel pressured to grow in ways that weren’t authentic to our mission. 

I would recommend that founders take a critical look at what their ultimate goal is for their business. Do you want to grow very quickly? Is this a side hustle? Are you mission-oriented? Do you need capital to hit these goals? And then make educated decisions around fundraising from there. 

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself?

At this time, no one on Trill’s team takes a salary as we are all also still full-time students. 

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like? Did you have any hiring experience before this venture? If not, how did you learn and what have you learned about it along the way?

Our team is now over 30 high school and college students from around the world all working as volunteers at Trill. Neither of us had any formal hiring experience since we started this venture so young, and for us the hiring process is something we put a lot of thought and care into. 

We recruit for our “trillternship” every new semester in the school year and during the summer. To do this we tap into women in tech groups we are a part of, personal connections, and outreach on campuses. We have a written component and interview process for all interested candidates. We evaluate possible hires not only based on their skill set but also their knowledge of Trill, support of our mission, and fit within our company culture and values. 

We’ve learned that it is critical to interview not just for skills but also for this mission alignment. Trill is a remote-first team, and most of us have never even met in person. Everyone is a volunteer. And so it’s important that we all like each other and the work that we’re doing. We conduct regular team satisfaction surveys and host a variety of team bonding socials such as movie nights, game nights, and showcases of our work. Our team is like a family, and we all support each other not only with our endeavors with Trill but also with our other academic and professional commitments and our own mental health and wellbeing. 

We are proud that our team is Gen-Z powered, BIPOC-owned, and majority female engineers. 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup?

We do have a bookkeeper who we are so grateful for! We would recommend finding and investing in a bookkeeper early on to keep all your expenses, taxes, etc. organized and in order. 

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing your business?

Learning how to manage running a business with also being a full-time student can be a challenge. We’ve discovered the importance of prioritization and sacrifice. As long as you and your team are on the same page around time commitments, goals, and accountability structures, then it is totally possible to be both a student and a business owner. In fact, college can actually be a great opportunity to take courses that make you a better entrepreneur, tap into professors as potential mentors, and network with classmates who may be future co-founders, hires, advisors, customers, or investors. 

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz?

We first launched through a grassroots marketing campaign on Tumblr. From there, we have been growing our community organically mostly through socials. We have an active presence on all major platforms, and we work with influencers through our Trill Talks interview series who in turn promote our community to their audiences. We also have been able to achieve some wonderful press through various incubators and programs we’ve participated in, and we partner with other organizations as well for collaborative campaigns to mutually drive traction for each other’s products and missions. 

Do you have a business coach or mentor, and would you recommend one? 

Yes, we have a vibrant advisory board, and we definitely recommend building one out. Our business mentors give us tangible advice around our paid marketing campaigns, analytics tracking, moderation curriculum, and more. Additionally, our business mentors also offer less tangible advice sometimes, which can be just as useful. Such advice includes strategic input on time management, company vision, growth, and more. 

What is one thing you didn’t do during the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap?

We only recently have started formally setting and sticking to company-wide OKRs. We would recommend that all business owners get into an early habit of goal setting collaboratively with team members. This allows for transparency around milestones, organization around prioritization and delegation, and accountability to hit your business goals.  

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner and why?

Protect your cap table with care. You will put so much time, energy, and love into your business, and you deserve to be an owner of the results of those efforts. Make sure you are building alongside teammates and investors who have been vetted and who share in your vision. 

Anything else to add?

Download Trill Project, and follow us on socials. Trill has a full schedule of upcoming Pride Month events, including social mixers, panels, and moderator orientations specific to LGBTQ+ issues. We're collaborating on these events with a variety of mental health and emotional wellness experts, including Blue Fever, a pocket-sized support group app centered around anonymous, judgment-free journaling for every chapter of life. Interested individuals can RSVP for our fireside chat on Mental Health for the LGBTQ+ Community here and for our “Ask Me Anything” Panel here.

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25 Founders on How to Scale Your Business to 6 Figures—and Beyond

Growing your company’s revenue to six figures, and beyond, is an exciting milestone to celebrate. Beyond the financial stability that scaling provides, it’s also a sign that you may have product-market fit—you’re putting something in the world that truly impacts others and the hard-earned lessons gained along the way can be of service to others. 

So, how do you get to this point? Thankfully, learning from the founders who have paved the way already, can accelerate your journey, or even help you avoid pitfalls. From nailing down your messaging to building a strong community and honing in on your personal development, these entrepreneurs share advice that proves that hitting, and exceeding, your financial targets is absolutely within your reach.

If scaling your business to six figures and beyond is on your vision board for this year, or if you’ve done so already, but are committed to never stopping to learn, or grow—we challenge you to let a few of these tried and tested strategies work their magic for you. 

1. Christina Langdon—Founder of Christina Langdon High Performance Coaching & Consulting, helping CEOs, Founders, and high-achievers scale their business by scaling their minds.

My experience: The power of your mind is at the foundation for scaling any business. Scaling my business started with scaling my mindset and belief in myself as CEO. I built my CEO self-concept by deciding ahead of time who I wanted to become. When I launched my business, I wrote a job description for the CEO role for my six-figure business. I answered questions inside of the job description: what will I be thinking, how will my clients refer to me, how will I be spending my time, and who I will become as a six-figure CEO. When we get into comparison and despair and feel less confident, as every business owner on their way to six figures feels at some point, it’s most important to recognize that you are the biggest influencer in your life. When you recognize your influence over you, it's a game changer.

2. Lucy Bedewi—Founder of My Write Hand Woman, empowering women-owned ventures as they scale with strategic messaging and bold copy.

My experience: I scaled my business by transitioning from traditional project-based packages to a VIP Day model. I was able to free up hours of time, and pour those hours into content creation, networking, and client acquisition. If you're having a hard time getting to the six-figure mark, my advice would be to make sure your business model can support hitting that revenue mark without you having to work more than 20 hours a week. Those extra 10 to 20 hours can be used to make sure you have precious CEO time to scale into your sustainable business model.

3. Jessica Alderson—Co-Founder and CEO of So Syncd, a dating app that matches compatible personality types.

My experience: At So Syncd, we maintain a rigorous focus on our core metrics. Tracking key performance indicators on a daily basis enables us to understand the return on investment within each area of the business. With this knowledge, we can make informed decisions about how to allocate capital and resources to optimize the business for growth. Data-driven decision-making has been fundamental for us in scaling our business.

4. Melissa Lohrer—Founder of Waverly Ave Consulting, an independent, female-founded fractional business development partner and coach for agencies on the rise.

My experience: I built a six-figure business in the first six months of launching my business. When I launched, I had an ambitious revenue goal and a flexible schedule that would give me the opportunity to live the life I wanted. Then I determined how many clients I needed per month, quarter, and year. The hardest thing for founders is saying no to the wrong clients; the clients who don't want to pay you what you're worth or find value in your offer. Those clients take up your time and hold you back from reaching your goals.

5. Alice Kim—Founder and CEO of PerfectDD, a mission-driven sustainable clothing brand designed to fit and flatter DD+ cups, sizes 0-16.

My experience: Keep reiterating your message. Since you live and breathe your business, you may think your audience has heard your message before, but it’s always good to remind them. With so many distractions in our lives, statistics show that less than 10 percent of your followers on Instagram see your post/story on any given day. If you send emails, check your open and click rates. If people didn’t open your email, try changing the subject line and resend. They signed up for a reason; now it’s your job to engage and show them value. If they opened your email but didn’t click, try changing the image or phrase your message in a different way. It’s important to check metrics for every output produced. Reiterate what worked and ditch what didn’t.

6. Meredith Fennessy—Founder of Le Chéile, where boutique creative studio and agency founders regain creative freedom and grow profitable businesses.

My experience: Network, network, network. Continue to grow your community and make meaningful connections for others. Direct referrals are your best friend.

7. Sara Miller—Founder of Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA), supporting passionate student organ donation advocates who share the life-saving power of organ donation.

My experience: From the very beginning of scaling SODA, we prioritized finding aligned partners—other organizations who shared the same goals as us but had different strengths. By valuing and collaborating with these partners, we were able to form meaningful and lasting relationships that have resulted in revenue, generated leads, and created visibility. My advice for others is to ask yourself who is doing complementary work and to reach out to learn more about what they're doing and to ask to collaborate!

8. Selena Soo—Founder of Selena Soo, a publicity and marketing expert helping coaches, consultants, and creatives reach millions with their message.

My experience: If you want to scale your business, scale your visibility. In other words, instead of connecting with one person at a time, share your message with many people at once. You can do this through podcast interviews, writing articles for online publications, or speaking on stages. There are an infinite number of ways to scale your reach. The most important thing is to just get started!

9. Claudia Richman—Co-Founder of Starling Training, offering cohort-based, virtual, synchronous training designed to sharpen the skills that build productive, supportive relationships.

My experience: Focusing on emotional intelligence has been the key to breaking the six-figure barrier for Starling Training. By keeping the people part of business front and center, we’ve built connections with like-minded leaders who understand that growing their people will ultimately grow their bottom line. Our training introduces concepts that often aren’t taught or measured and give people a safe space to experiment and learn, which ultimately results in deeper business relationships with high return on investment.

10. Hannah Nieves—Founder and CEO of HN Haus, a community and social club for women in business, helping six- and seven-figure founders magnify their influence and amplify their reach.

My experience: The first step is self-trust. You have to believe you can achieve six figures before any strategy and action is taken. To get to six figures you need a strong offer and clear positioning and messaging that directly speaks to your target audience. Once you can provide a transformation it's all about the client experience to help with retention, referrals, and repeat business.

11. Katie Ward—Owner of Katie Ward Photography, a full service photo studio that specializes in editorial, brand/advertising, and portrait photography.

My experience: As a solopreneur, the most important step to reaching a sustainable six-figure business was to have profitable pricing. Without sitting, doing the accounting, and understanding, annually, how much it costs to run my business, how often I want to be working, and how much I want to make, I would have burned out and closed my business years ago. By being profitable, I can fully show up for myself and for my clients who are trusting me to produce the highest quality of work.

12. Vivian Chen—Founder and CEO of Rise, a leading diversity recruiting platform for ambitious professionals. 

My experience: My business had almost no revenue coming out of Covid-19. I had a make-or-break moment where I gave myself one more quarter to give it a shot. During those months, I remember telling myself, "A business is an exchange of value for a product or service. So go prove that your business has value." And I became laser-focused on revenue. I firmly believed that if I didn't invest in myself and the tools I needed, why would others? So, I made a conscious decision to invest in software that truly leveled up my operations. It was a game-changer. For a solid three months, I ignored all emails except for those that were revenue-related. My efforts paid off and we broke even. Then, within a mere two quarters, we were profitable. My advice to fellow founders who are aspiring to achieve similar growth is to prioritize revenue-generating activities and have the courage to invest in themselves to support their goals.

13. Kimone Napier—Founder of Hire Breakthrough, dedicated to helping founders overcome hiring challenges and achieve breakthroughs.

My experience: To scale my business to six figures, I implemented a targeted marketing and lead generation strategy. By focusing on attracting and converting qualified leads, I was able to achieve consistent growth. My advice for other founders is to prioritize building strong client relationships, providing exceptional customer service, and staying adaptable to industry trends. Delegating tasks outside of your core strengths can also help free up time for high-impact activities that drive business growth.

14. Joanna Sapir—Founder of Joanna Sapir Presents, LLC, providing health and wellness practitioners with education and resources to build more resilient and sustainable businesses.

My experience: Don't be afraid to invest money in support for you and your business. This can look like coaching, consulting, or hiring help. It's so worth it to spend money on learning skills or receiving services that will directly help you make more money. The key is to make sure that investment provides you a great return.

15. Nirali Guzman—Founder and CEO of Casa Amarosa, a thoughtfully curated collection of home and lifestyle goods, with an unwavering commitment to sustainability and culturally progressive design.

My experience: To scale Casa Amarosa to six figures and beyond, we optimized our supply chain, building strong relationships with artisan communities for a steady supply of unique products. My advice to founders is to deeply understand your market and align your business model accordingly. Build a committed team and never compromise on product quality. Remember: scaling isn’t just about growth in size, but also in value delivered to your customers.

16. Sarah Lambert—Founder of The Rosewood Agency, a course creation agency for service providers who want to create passive income so they can have a greater impact and get their time back.

My experience: My own personal development has been absolutely crucial in building a multiple six-figure online business. I went all in on my business after having my first baby in 2019, and I had no idea how much it was going to force me to grow personally. It doesn't matter how great your strategy is, your business can only grow as quickly as you are. In order to create a six-figure business, focus more on who you're being, your emotional intelligence, and leadership, and less on hacking the social algorithms. You'll be blown away by what you're capable of creating.

17. Marnie Rabinovitch Consky—Founder and CEO of Thigh Society, a brand of size-inclusive, anti-chafing slip-short underwear designed to help women move through the world with comfort and confidence.

My experience: Hire out for key leadership positions earlier than it may feel like you need them. No founder can possibly do all things well at once, and no brand can scale without bringing on a strong leadership team of experts who bring high-level knowledge in their specific areas of expertise and experience. When I decided to go all-in on Thigh Society, I brought on a Chief Marketing Officer, a joint Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Our CFO/COO brought in an ability to nurture supplier relationships, forecast inventory, manage cash flow, and carve a path to maintaining profitability as we grow. Our CMO brought in a small but mighty team to ensure that, as a direct-to-consumer brand, we were investing in, experimenting with, and iterating on marketing strategies that drive growth. Spend the money. These people are worth the investment, and your future growth will thank you for it.

18. Fiona Nguyen—Founder of Balannx, a virtual CPA firm that provides CFO, tax, and accounting advisory for female founders.

My experience: Building a strong community is the key to success, contrary to the belief that the business is transactional. Once you build a strong community that roots for each other, you cultivate a stronger root for your business and it sustains your growth for a long time. Through working on nurturing relationships, I have been able to build a sustainable business. We could never grow our business without them. My advice for other entrepreneurs is to pay attention to that one client you have in front of you and do everything you can to help them. That is the root of your community.

19. Sally Joy Wolf—Founder and CEO of LightWorks, empowering executives and their teams to flourish through well-being advisory, keynotes, workshops, and coaching.

My experience: Even when I'm focused on growing, I'm still willing to say "no" when amazing opportunities don't feel quite right. My first six-figure client cold called me after seeing me in the guest slot on a popular LinkedIn Live. As excited as I was when invited, I declined the first two dates they offered me, both the week of July 4th, given it's such a big holiday week. When no other dates were available, I chose to wait until something better opened. Despite being a new entrepreneur, I believed I was worthy of a better date, and having the confidence to wait paid off.

20. Tsvetta Kaleynska—CEO of Rila Global Consulting, a boutique social listening agency located in New York City, studying consumers, brands, markets, and trends.

My experience: To scale my business to seven figures, I leveraged free online resources. First I started with free email-finding services to create a targeted client list by gathering their email addresses. This allowed me to focus on reaching out to the right people. For streamlined outreach, I relied on no-cost email sequencing email add-ons. These tools automated follow-ups and lead qualification, freeing up my time for other tasks. Consistently using these completely free resources, I generated leads, nurtured relationships, and closed huge deals. It was cost efficient and helped me own everything in-house, which resulted in remarkable results. My advice to other founders: explore free online resources. Utilize tools that identify potential clients, automate outreach, and manage leads effectively. Leverage these resources to save time and money while achieving significant growth. Stay focused and consistent, and adapt strategies based on results.

21. Ashley Rector—Founder of Quimby Digital, providing organic and paid social media services to revolutionary brands looking to stand out online.

My experience: If you want to scale, you need to learn how to delegate. The biggest mistake is thinking you’re an expert at everything and can do it all yourself. You will propel your growth three times by figuring out what you do poorly and hiring someone smarter than you to do it!

22. Sarah Loughry—Founder and CEO of Em Dash Blogging, an end-to-end solution for content.

My experience: Hire and outsource. I chose to hire my first employee months before paying myself. Obviously, I would have preferred to start seeing a personal income, but hiring help allowed me to focus on business development. This turned out to be pivotal in our growth. Not only was I able to scale more quickly but I also built a nest egg.

23. Lis Best—Founder and CEO of Girls Club Collective, an intentionally intimate personal and professional development community for change agents.

My experience: The No. 1 thing I did to scale my business to six figures was get crystal clear on who my dream clients are, what their challenges are, and what they want. I conduct what I call dream client interviews at least once a year to find out what people are craving, where they're going for connection, and what's feeling most sticky in their lives and careers. There is no substitute for getting on the phone with real, actual people. Making time to listen and craft my programs and offers around what real people are actually looking for right now is the biggest thing that helped me scale my business to and past the six-figure mark.

24. Amanda Aldinger—CEO of Antonym, a white glove copywriting and voice strategy studio that conspires with industry-defining beauty, food, and lifestyle brands.

My experience: Early on—when Antonym was a nameless vision—I invested in an expert brand-building process, yielding a clear strategy, name, visual identity, website, and the assets a luxury creative studio required to show up with professional panache. Most importantly, I refused to rush it, which has become a devoted practice for all Antonym's internal transformations. It's a more significant investment and more time upfront, but each project—from our original branding to a brand refresh four years later and the current overhaul of our entire ops system and process—has led to ascendant interior growth, a transformation of our services and client experience, and in turn, a steady, organic increase in revenue. Time-starved desperation rarely yields impactful results, and a rush toward growth you can't support is neither sustainable nor net profitable.

25. Natasha Miller—Founder and CEO of Entire Productions, creating bold experiences for corporate entities that drive guest engagement and brand evangelism.

My experience: Our system and processes enabled us to produce 777 events in one year with only two people in operations. We couldn't have done it if we didn't have the framework and foundation in place. I ran my business with a do-it-yourself mindset for years. It wasn't until I started seriously educating myself in solid business practices and learning from mentors and advisors that I skyrocketed our growth!

—Written by Gesche Haas

About the author: Gesche Haas is the Founder and CEO of Dreamers & Doers, an award-winning community that amplifies extraordinary women entrepreneurs and leaders through PR, authentic connections, and high-impact resources. Prior to founding Dreamers & Doers, Gesche held senior positions at venture-backed companies covering growth, strategy, finance, operations and business development. She also spent five years as an investor at a healthcare-focused hedge fund. Gesche is half German, half Chinese-Malaysian, and was born in Swaziland, Africa. She lives with her two kids, husband, dog and chickens, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Here's Exactly What To Say to a Client Who Is Late With a Payment (or Two)

There are lots of things that may keep you up at night as a self-employed person—and late payments from clients is one of them. An estimated 29 percent of freelance invoices are paid late, according to new reports. As such, chances are good that, if you work for yourself, learning how to handle late payments from clients is a skill worth acquiring.

It may feel awkward to do so, but discussing late payments with clients is necessary for the security of your business because late payments disrupt cash flow needed to cover business expenses and personal needs. Their financial strain can also impact your ability to meet financial obligations, invest in your business, and maintain work-life balance, as well as strain relationships with clients and affect credit ratings, leading to reduced operational flexibility and increased stress.

In my experience, people are typically afraid to approach a client about late payments because they’re afraid of annoying or upsetting the client. But here's the thing:

Your clients do not hold all of the power.

They should be just as concerned with annoying or upsetting you by being late with their payments. And more likely than not, these situations can be easily solved with some good ole fashioned communication. So let’s break down how to approach and communicate with your clients about a late payment. Because you need to get paid.

Scenario No. 1

You’ve been working with a new client and after the first month of service, you've submitted your invoice. Another month of work has gone by and you’re about to submit your second invoice but haven’t been paid for the first invoice you submitted. You originally agreed to payment schedule terms with your client at the start of your working relationship and put a “net 30” payment deadline in your scope of work and invoice. 

If the terms have been agreed upon and this is the first time you and your client are working together, it may take time to get the first payment process into rotation with human resources (HR) and accounts payable (AP). 

While this isn’t ideal for any situation, it’s one of the many hurdles of freelance life, and it’s better to prepare for it than not; but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t say anything when a payment is late either.

Say this:

“I’m getting ready to submit my second invoice and wanted to let you know I still haven’t received payment for last month’s services. Do you have everything you need from me to get this processed? If so, can you please let me know when payment is expected to come through?”

Don’t say 

“….” (Silence is not an option here.)

The breakdown

When it comes to talking to your client about getting paid, more people opt for saying nothing over something. It’s imperative you keep an open dialogue about payment processing so you can better manage your personal finances. 

Freelancers don’t have the luxury of bi-monthly paychecks, and your clients will understand this. Remember, your services are an investment, and they should respect your time and business by actively communicating when payment may be late.

If you approach your client about a late payment and they’re able to share why it’s running late and when it will be processed, that’s a great first step. Take note and document it in a follow-up email with the information that was shared if the conversation is held in person or over the phone.

From there, hold your clients accountable. If the date comes that they said you’d receive payment and it doesn’t process, follow up with another email. Chances are, there’s another department that handles payments and your client will do their due diligence to make sure you get paid.

Scenario No. 2

You’ve submitted not one, but two invoices that have not been processed. You’ve approached your client about the first late payment and they gave you a timeline for when it would be processed. Now you have two late invoices and it’s time to submit invoice number three.

Say this:

“I’m getting ready to submit my third invoice and have still yet to receive payment for my first or second invoices. The terms we agreed upon have not been met and I’ve followed up several times to try and resolve this matter together. With respect, I will have to cease my services if these late invoices aren’t processed by one week from today. I hope you can understand the difficult circumstance this puts me in and that we can work together to reach a solution.”

I have a feeling this is going to cause some mouths to drop.

What? Cease services? 

YES. You need to get paid!

Freelancers, hear me! This is business 101. 

Clients and freelancers create a circle. You should be getting just as much value from the relationship as your client is getting from you. This isn’t just measured in dollars. This is measured in reliability and respect. If you have continually met your deliverables and communicated your expectations for payments and they’re not being met, then it’s time to take a stand.

It will be difficult, but it is necessary. And it will light the fire under your client’s butt because if you’re doing your job right, having you around makes their work-life easier, and they should want to keep you happy and, ultimately, paid.

This article was written by Audrey Adair-Keene and has been updated. 

The Biggest Mistake People Make When Collaborating—Plus, 4 Things To Do Before Teaming Up With Someone

Everywhere you look, it seems like brands are partnering up to run a giveaway, go live on Instagram, or launch a co-branded product collaboration. It makes sense then, that more and more people would be curious about whether or not their business should join the collaboration party, too.

The short answer is YES, you should definitely collaborate. When we come together to share our resources, ideas, and communities with one another, we are so much more powerful than when we do things on our own.

The long answer is, although collaboration can be an incredible strategy to achieve your business goals (especially during the current climate of social distancing), you can totally miss the mark if you don’t lay the groundwork properly first. Before you take a dip in the collaboration pool, there are a few steps to take so you don’t accidentally do a belly flop:

Here’s how to do it right.

1. Know your company inside and out

This includes knowing your mission (why you do what you do), vibe (how you communicate what you do), audience (who you do it for), offering (what you do), and execution (how you do what you do). Having that information top of mind will make you sound like the ultimate polished business owner, plus it’ll help you identify great potential partners down the line.

It’s also important to have a super-tight elevator pitch that explains who you are, what you do, for whom you do it, and how you do it. For example, mine is, “I’m a collaboration consultant who teaches individuals, entrepreneurs, and organizations to solve problems and achieve their goals by thinking collaboratively and harnessing the power of their network.”

Having a clear and concise elevator pitch not only makes it easier for you to explain what you do, it makes it easier for other people to explain what you do when you’re not around (and THAT is how you get great referrals.)

It’s totally fine if you continue to tweak it regularly, in fact, it’s encouraged. My elevator pitch has changed nearly a million times over the last few years, so don’t get too hung up on making it something that will last forever. The most important thing is to make sure it remains true to what your business is today, not six months ago.

2. Identify your asks and gives

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when they begin collaborating is not taking time to figure out what they need to get from a partner in order for the collaboration to feel like a success. If you haven’t identified your “asks” (what you'd like to get from a collaboration), you’re much more likely to take whatever the other party offers you, which may or may not be valuable to you or support your goals. The last thing you want to do is not express your needs, and ultimately feel taken advantage of.

Another big mistake is when people aren’t clear about what all they have to offer a partner before entering into a collaboration. Thinking through your “gives” (what you can give in a collaboration) helps you identify all the ways in which you can create an even value exchange between you and your potential partner.

The key to creating a collaboration that won’t make either side feel taken advantage of (a big fear I hear from people who are hesitant to collaborate) is to always aim for an even value exchange. What feels beneficial to one person may not matter at all to another, so it’s important to have an honest conversation at the beginning of the relationship to find out what each side values. That way you can ensure that each partner is getting what they need in order for the collaboration to feel like a success.

3. Look for the overlap

Much like romantic relationships, not every brand is going to be the right collaborative partner for you. One of the best ways to know whether a potential partner is the right fit is to make sure you share a similar mission (why you do what you do), vibe (how you communicate what you do), and audience (who you do it for). When those three things are aligned, it’s much more likely that a collaboration will be well-received by both of your communities.

You can also have an overlapping offering (what you do) or execution (how you do what you do), but not both. If you offer the same thing in the same way, you're basically the same company, and that doesn't make for a good partnership. Looking for the overlap also means finding common ground from the get-go. What is it that your brands (or you and the other person) have in common? When you start from that place, you’re both likely to feel seen and respected from the beginning, which ultimately leads to a better working relationship.

4. Get a warm introduction

It’s always best to start collaborating with individuals and brands you already know personally rather than reaching out to total strangers. I like to encourage my clients to build up their collaboration muscle with some "test and learns" with people they trust while the stakes are low. Once you feel confident about your ability to be a great partner and run a successful collaboration, then you can expand past your immediate circles to the brands you don't yet know.

Once you’re ready to take the leap beyond your first-degree network and begin reaching out to some brands that you don’t know (yet), the next move is to get a warm introduction to them from a mutual connection whenever possible. If you can avoid reaching out cold (meaning they’ve never heard of you and have no connection to you), you’ll increase the likelihood that they’ll respond.

Consider how different it feels when a stranger emails you directly vs. when a friend connects you to someone via email. Our guard naturally goes up when we see a stranger’s email in our inbox, but the same isn’t true for when someone comes to you through a friend you trust.

The easiest way to figure out who may be able to connect you to someone at the brand you want to reach is by using LinkedIn. When you search for the person at the brand who you ultimately want to connect with, you’ll be able to see what connections you have in common. If you can find someone that you know well enough to ask for an intro, reach out (preferably via email instead of LinkedIn Mail) using this template.

Just a little housekeeping note

Once someone introduces you via email, do them a favor and in the next email response, thank them and move them to BCC. I can’t tell you how many emails I’ve been trapped in long past my warm introduction! Also, remember to reach back out to let them know if anything came of their introduction. As someone who connects people all the time, it’s always nice to know if it worked out.

Collaborating with the right partner can be an exciting, rewarding experience for everyone involved, especially when you go about it intentionally and strategically. Always aim for an even value exchange, and remember that it’s in the overlap where communication, connection, and collaboration can happen. Start there, and the rest will follow.

About the Author: Baily Hancock is a collaboration consultant, speaker, and the host of the “Stop, Collaborate & Listen” podcast who’s on a mission to save humanity with collaboration. Join the Entrepreneurs Who Collaborate Facebook Group to find potential partners and receive Baily’s collaboration templates, tools, and tips.

This story has been updated. 

Yes, You Should Still Set OOO Emails If You’re Self-Employed—Here’s Why, Plus 7 Templates for Your Next Vacay

In the midst of juggling clients, projects, and deadlines, it's easy to overlook certain aspects of traditional corporate practices when you work for yourself—like setting out-of-office (OOO) emails. However, trust us when we say that those OOO messages are far more critical to your success as an entrepreneur or small business owner than you may think.

Maybe you’re wondering, "Why bother with OOO replies when I'm running the show?" Well, dear hustler, let us shed some light on this. As a self-employed professional, you are the embodiment of your brand, and every interaction with clients and collaborators matters. A well-crafted OOO email demonstrates your commitment to professionalism, even during your well-deserved time off.

Sure, you may think that your clients know your schedule, but life happens, and communication mishaps can occur. By proactively setting OOO replies, you show your respect for their time and set clear expectations. You wouldn't want them left in the dark, right? Thoughtful OOO messages make sure your clients know you've got it all under control.

Beyond professionalism, let's talk about peace of mind. Undoubtably, if you’re working for yourself, you’re working a lot, and unplugging may feel impossible, but an effective OOO response sets boundaries, which can make it easier to fully immerse yourself in relaxation without stressing over missed opportunities.

Every OOO email needs the following

A stellar OOO email should begin with a warm greeting, acknowledging the recipient's inquiry. Then, concisely state the duration of your absence, ensuring there's no room for confusion. You should also always provide a clear alternative contact or resource for urgent matters. This could be a trusted colleague, associate, or a direct link to a FAQ page on your website. Your clients will appreciate the gesture, knowing that their needs won't be neglected in your absence.

Remember to manage expectations. If you'll have limited access to emails, communicate that upfront to avoid any frustration on their end. A brief expression of gratitude for their understanding can go a long way in leaving a positive impression.

Finally, a friendly sign-off, perhaps sharing your excitement for the upcoming adventure, creates a connection that resonates with your clients. It humanizes you and reminds them that, just like them, you value your time off, too.

Below, we've curated a range of OOO templates to suit various scenarios. Feel free to mix and match, adding your unique flair to make them truly yours. Remember, this isn't just another task to check off your list—it's an opportunity to shine as the self-employed professional who’s got their sh*t together you are. Whether you're sipping cocktails on a sandy beach or immersing yourself in a passion project, set those OOO responders with confidence, knowing that your clients and collaborators will be well taken care of.

Option 1

Hi there,

I’m away on an island somewhere taking some much-needed me-time. Please contact [NAME] at [EMAIL] during my absence as my phone is on “do not disturb.” 

Sincerely,

[NAME]

Option 2

Hi there,

I am currently out of office and will be returning on [date]. In the meantime, don’t forget to subscribe to [COMPANY NEWSLETTER] and follow us on [FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM LINKS] for all things [COMPANY NAME].

Best,

[NAME]

Option 3

Hello, 

I will be out of office from [date] to [DATE]. During this time I will have limited access to email, so please forgive my delay in response. 

Very Best,

[NAME]

Option 4

Hi there, 

I will be out of office from [DATE] to [DATE] and on vacation. If this matter is urgent, please contact [NAME] at [EMAIL]. Thank you!

Best,

[NAME]

Option 5

Hello, 

I am currently out of office with limited access to email and returning on [date]. 

For all [SUBJECT] inquiries please contact: [NAME] at [EMAIL]

For all [SUBJECT] inquiries please contact: [NAME] at [EMAIL]

Thank you!

Best,

[NAME]

Option 6

Hello!

I’m currently on island time and not checking my phone. Let’s catch up once I’m back to business as usual on [DATE]. Thanks!

Best,

[NAME]

Option 7

Hi there, 

I am currently traveling and will have limited access to email. I will do my best to respond in a timely manner, but please excuse a delay in my response. If this matter is urgent, please contact [NAME] at [EMAIL]. 

Best,

[NAME]

This story has been updated.

The Upsides of Self-Funding Your Biz, From Eadem Co-Founders Alice Lin Glover and Marie Kouadio Amouzame

For Eadem co-founders Alice Lin Glover and Marie Kouadio Amouzame, the path to getting their inclusive, clean skin-care brand off the ground started with their own pocket books. The duo, who met while working in marketing at Google, had discovered a blank space in the market for clean skin care formulated with melanin-rich skin in mind. It was a gap in the industry they knew intimately as women of color (Amouzame is West African and French, and Glover is Taiwanese-American) and years of searching for products that never quite suited their unique needs. Soon after, the idea for Eadem was born. Then came the daunting task of securing cash flow.

The pair decided early on that venture capitalists were off the table. “I’m not sure the venture community was ready for us and interested in our vision,” says Glover, who together with Amouzame, launched Eadem in 2021 with a dark-spot serum designed with its proprietary “Smart Melanin Beauty” formulas made by women of color, for women of color.  “We didn’t want to compromise what we were trying to build.”

Venture Capital, otherwise known as VC funding, is a private equity investor that provides capital for startups or small businesses in exchange for an equity stake in the company. The biggest benefit is undoubtedly having the financial anchor to boost your business, but it doesn’t come without compromise. In other words, there’s another cook in the kitchen when making business decisions that impact revenue. The reality is that less than one percent of startups raise venture capital, reports financial resource platform Fundera.

Most entrepreneurs end up financing through good old-fashioned bootstrapping. Nearly 70 percent of small businesses rely on personal savings to finance their business, according to a recent survey by the MetLife and U.S. Chamber Small Business Index. 

“I know VC funding is so sexy and everyone wants that headline and it’s so important to them, but how much of your company, or yourself, are you selling in exchange for that?” asks Glover. Self-funding grants you the opportunity to have more flexibility, control, focus on long-term growth, and more authenticity in your decisions. Since launch, Eadem has skyrocketed to success and is now on the shelves of Sephora.

However, bootstrapping does come with its own unique challenges (including not always seeing a paycheck right away). “It’s both a curse and a blessing,” admits Azouame. “You see all these other brands that launch the same day, if not the same week as you, and they have $2–$3 million, and can do all these things like get employees and run ads, and everything looks so beautiful. Then on our end, it’s just the two of us doing everything.” 

While it can be stressful, Azouame attests that self-funding forces you to be creative with your money, who you’re going to work with, how to convince people to take a chance on you, and in so many other ways. 

“I think that [bootstrapping] is one of the best ways to learn, even after having worked in tech,” she says. “We learned so much in the first two years by being self-funded.”

The pair acknowledges that self-funding may not be for everyone, but attest that sometimes it’s just about taking that blind leap of faith. 

Tune into the latest episode of WorkParty to uncover how the founders launched their business to success, what the beauty industry can do to be more inclusive, and why brand storytelling is so important.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2nyZrvLa1PyNYRkVEgfis6?si=6Q9cMOHATH6TB6Xvine1yw

RESOURCES

• To connect with Alice Lin Glover click here

• To connect with Marie Kouadio Amouzame click here

• To follow along with Eadem click here

•  To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click here

• To follow along with Create & Cultivate click here

• To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)

OTHER EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE

Gray Whale Gin's Jan Livingston on Impactful Brand Storytelling, Inspired Career Pivots Later in the Game and Putting Family First

Hot Takes With Robyn DelMonte of GirlBossTown: Your Guilty Pleasure Can Ultimately Be Your Biggest Money Maker

FORM Co-Founders Sami Clarke and Sami Bernstein Spalter on Navigating the Fitness Industry as Best Friends and Business Partners

Hot Takes With Cheval: Don’t Forget Yourself While Chasing Your Dreams

LEAD Founder and CEO Francis Tesmer On Taking Your Education to the Next Level in the $500 Billion Beauty Industry

The Biggest Marketing Mistake to Avoid—Plus 4 Key Marketing Tips From Gray Whale Gin Founder Jan Livingston Mokhtari

When launching a new consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand—i.e. products that are consumed by people on a daily or frequent basis—developing the right marketing strategy can be just as important as the product itself. Effective storytelling is a powerful tool that can help establish connection and trust between the consumer, product, and the company, which ultimately drives revenue growth. In competitive markets, having a strong narrative can set you apart from other brands, increase the likelihood for people to share your story, and lead to a loyal customer base that boosts overall success.

More than half of consumers (57 percent) will increase their spending with a brand when they feel a strong connection, and 76 percent will buy from them over a competitor, according to a study from Sprout Social. Connection is heavily built through storytelling, something award-winning creative director turned eco-entrepreneur Jan Livingston Mokhtari knows firsthand.

A power player in the marketing industry for over 20 years, the former head of creative for Fox Networks Group’s first branded content was once named one of Business Insider’s “Most Creative Women in Advertising.” Livingston Mokhtari led brand-building campaigns for heavyweights like Procter & Gamble, Samsung, Target, Nestle, and T-Mobile. Her passion for narrative also transcends into filmmaking—she’s been a creator, writer, and showrunner for networks like E! and Comedy Central. 

Given her expertise in marketing and storytelling, it’s no surprise that when she set out to launch Gray Whale Gin in 2016 alongside her husband, Marsh Mokhtari, the company quickly became the fastest-growing craft gin in the country. Storytelling is key in every touchpoint of the brand, down to the ingredients. Inspired by a family camping trip in Big Sur where they spotted a gray whale and its calf on their migratory journey, the company infuses this core narrative in its name, purpose, botanical ingredients, packaging, and even proceeds from its sales.

“These creatures have been making the longest-known migration to man for [more than 30 million years], and it started this conversation of how could we tell that story through a spirit that celebrates California, is made from California botanicals, and gives back to ocean conversation,” says Livingston Mokhtari on the latest episode of WorkParty. 

The result is an award-winning gin infused with locally sourced botanicals (including sea kelp) that is sustainably packaged in an ocean-inspired teal bottle showcasing a gray whale tail. One percent of all sales go to supporting ocean conservation and the creatures within it.  

Having built her company from the ground up, Livingston Mokhtari has plenty of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to do the same—especially when it comes to marketing. For her, the biggest mistake brands can make is overcomplicating the narrative. “I see a lot of young brands telling too many stories in too many places,” she says. Streamlining is key as to not confuse the consumer and detract from your central message.

Here, she shares four key marketing tips for those looking to build their brand:

1. Always come back to your core story

Storytelling happens at so many different touch points throughout the customer’s journey, and it’s important to stay consistent. Make sure you’re staying on brand with your company’s mission and always consider your core narrative when making decisions for stronger impact. 

2. Before saying ‘yes’ to opportunities, ask yourself if it aligns with your brand

As your company grows, so too will the business opportunities. Whether you’re presented with a partnership, collaboration, or asked to participate in an event (big or small), make sure that it’s right for your brand. Does it align with your company’s purpose, values, and core narrative? Will it make sense to the customer that you said “yes” to this?  

3. Authenticity is key

Make sure that all brand decisions are coming from an authentic place. For example, if you’re invited to an event and know that influential people will be there in attendance, you must ask yourself if saying “yes” is coming from an authentic place with the other partnerships that you have. Try not to get caught up in opportunities or trends that will detract from your core message and company purpose. 

4. It’s just as important to say ‘no’

Opportunities may come along and they may be big, but they could spread your team or your budget too thin. After winning awards, several distributors asked Gray Whale Gin to be in their states, but they turned them down. “If you’re in 48 states and you’re only selling 5,000 cases, then that’s not a good efficient use of your budget, your time, or your founder’s time,” she says. “We recognized that we were in one of the largest craft gin markets in the world, which was California/Los Angeles, so we just focused on California. That was a really smart move because when the strategists were interested and wanted to have conversations with us, the data of 3.5 percent of the market in California was enough on its own.” 

Livingston Mokhtari was able to stay focused on marketing, which at the time, was the bottle, events, and organic social media, and that decision helped prevent her from overextending herself and her team, allowing the company to grow organically at a pace it could sustain.

Tune into the latest episode of WorkParty with Jaclyn Johnson for more key learnings from her illustrious career in advertising and how she built Gray Whale Gin into the successful brand it is today.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mNIuQqWZ96pBvuwvUVWU4?si=160d07a2fc8740cf

RESOURCES

• To connect with Jan Livingston Mokhtari click here

• To follow along with Gray Whale Gin click here

•  To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click here

• To follow along with Create & Cultivate click here

• To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)

OTHER EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE

Hot Takes With Robyn DelMonte of GirlBossTown: Your Guilty Pleasure Can Ultimately Be Your Biggest Money Maker

FORM Co-Founders Sami Clarke and Sami Bernstein Spalter on Navigating the Fitness Industry as Best Friends and Business Partners

Hot Takes With Cheval: Don’t Forget Yourself While Chasing Your Dreams

LEAD Founder and CEO Francis Tesmer On Taking Your Education to the Next Level in the $500 Billion Beauty Industry

Hot Takes With Your Rich BFF’s Vivian Tu: You Shouldn’t Date People Who Aren’t Financially Stable + Not Everyone Has To Go To College

3 Major Salary Negotiation Mistakes to Avoid (and What to Do Instead)

Negotiating, much like networking, is something we need to know how to do, yet it’s not a skill we are ever taught in school. But unlike networking, making a big mistake during a salary negotiation won’t just cost you a relationship, it may result in thousands of dollars being left on the table. So what exactly do you need to know when it comes to making the big ask? Here are the top three things to avoid doing in your next negotiation.

1. Getting Defensive

Let’s say you have taken on more responsibilities and put in way more overtime than your peers this past year. However, during your performance review, your boss informs you that you will only be getting the standard 3% raise due to budget constraints.  

In the heat of the moment, your heart rate will naturally jump through the roof in frustration.

What to do instead:

Instead of snapping back with how unfair this is, take a nice deep breath and allow for silence. Slowing the conversation down rather than jumping into a response will create space for you to be thoughtful in your answer rather than reactive.

2. Giving In Too Quickly

Now that you’ve given yourself a moment to breathe, you can start to prepare your response. While it’s natural to worry about what will happen if you ask for more, don’t let the fear of rejection keep you from getting what you deserve.

I’m here to tell you that negotiation is a normal and expected part of working. While your boss may secretly be hoping you don’t push back, they won’t become offended when you do (and if they do, it may be an important red flag to take note of).

What to do instead:

Instead of quickly giving in, restate your value and get their buy-in. For example, “I understand that constraints in the budget must be difficult. However, the amount of hours and effort I have been putting in for the company goes well beyond the standard expectations and performance, wouldn’t you say?”

3. Not Aiming High Enough

Lastly, when discussing pay, it’s natural to worry that if you go too high you will either offend the other party, lose the position, or come across as greedy.

However, you shouldn’t lower your expectations in order to come across as more agreeable.  By starting with a “safer” sounding number you are doing the work for them, and negotiating against yourself before the conversation has even begun.

What to do instead:

Focus on the facts and then aim high.

Do your research and get clear on a salary range that is both fair and reasonable. Next, instead of lowering your standards in order to come across as more agreeable, start at the top of the range.  

For the example above, if a 3 to 8% raise is reasonable, don’t lower your expectations to a safer sounding 5%. Instead, anchor high and say, “I was really hoping that given the results I’ve produced in the past year, that I would get at least an 8 percent increase. Do you think that’s something we could work toward?”

Interestingly enough, by anchoring higher, you actually give your boss the psychological feeling that they just got a “deal.” Let them feel the sweet pleasure of a deal, while you allow yourself the sweet reward of a higher paycheck!

So, in conclusion…

Negotiating doesn’t have to be scary or hard. No one will advocate for you in the same way you can advocate for yourself. You are in control of your financial well-being, and you know the value that you create. Now, share it with the world! And most importantly, share it with your boss when you ask for that next raise. This awkward and uncomfortable situation will only last a few minutes, and it may result in thousands of more dollars in your bank account.

About the author: Kathlyn Hart is a financial empowerment coach and a motivational speaker who supports ambitious women earn more. Her salary negotiation boot camp “Be Brave Get Paid,” which teaches women how to confidently own their worth and ask for more, has helped women increase their income by an average of $15,000.  In addition, she is the host of The Kathlyn Hart Show, where she interviews entrepreneurial women about their journey from dreaming to doing.

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This post was originally published on March 26, 2019, and has since been updated.

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4 Tips for Leveraging Blank Space to Build Your Brand From Jordan Zaslow, Founder of Her Bold Move

When starting a new venture, the pathway to finding the critical gap in the market is rarely defined as one “aha” moment. Many aspiring entrepreneurs employ strategies such as defining the value-add in their respective industries, getting clear on company purpose and objectives, understanding their target audience, and evaluating market conditions and competition. Yes, there is always research to be conducted, but that’s not necessarily all there is to it. 

For Boston-based entrepreneur and activist Jordan Zaslow, sometimes it’s just about trusting your gut and taking the plunge. Prior to the pandemic, the former producer and director built a career in entertainment—with stints at media giants like E! Networks, Fox Broadcasting, Creative Artists Agency, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Hearst Television—and is best known for her viral videos of social experiments that she created and directed in partnership with Ashton Kutcher and his company A Plus. She eventually founded her own production company after working with big-name partners like CVS, Disney, Procter & Gamble, Doctors Without Borders, and more. 

But when production was shut down in 2020 due to COVID, Zaslow found herself, like millions of others, looking for purpose—and she certainly found it. 

Fueled by a tumultuous U.S. election cycle that same year, along with rising social, economic, and political tensions, there was a collective spotlight and interest in taking action that would lead to greater change. With several high-level media and production heads out of work (and countless contacts at her disposal), Zaslow saw a unique opportunity to leverage their shared background in storytelling to support women running for office across the country. She began speaking to candidates first-hand and quickly learned how urgent the need was for support (a lesson for any aspiring entrepreneur to get out in the field to truly understand the need in the market).

“We got to see firsthand the obstacles that they were up against,” says Zaslow, highlighting the persistent misogyny, sexism, and double standards these candidates face in the political space. “We didn’t realize how emotionally taxing this is for women and how the support they need isn’t just financial—it’s often knowing that there’s a group that they can call if there’s a miscellaneous issue.” 

Together with a coalition of media professionals, Zaslow oversaw the creation of 75 pro bono campaign ads for women candidates across 18 states—including Cori Bush, Pat Timmons Goodson, and the entire Democratic slate of candidates running for Federal Office in West Virginia—and rallied thousands of people to join their coalition, all by the end of the 2020 election cycle. The success of her efforts and collective support led her to found Her Bold Move, an organization that is working to break glass ceilings and support women in politics (among them is Karen Bass, the recently appointed mayor of Los Angeles). Her Bold Move now has a coalition of several thousand people and has supported more than 140 candidates across 27 states to date. 

“The question of viability is often weighed very heavily when institutional endorsers are deciding whether or not to support a candidate,” says Zaslow. “We wanted to find a way to change the definition of a viable candidate and also change the outcome of elections so that candidates who were once not thought to be valuable might have a fighting chance.” 

Growing engagement and interest on social media further solidified the need and support for her organization’s mission. “A lot of Gen Z followers would reach out to us and ask how to get involved,” says Zaslow. Some users were even invited to the company’s weekly Zoom calls to learn more about what they were working on and see if there were opportunities to get involved. Social media can often act as a focus group to gain first-hand insight into what’s working, what needs improvement, and promote active participation with your brand’s network that will further your company’s mission and overall success. 

After successfully shifting industries and finding the critical gap in her own market, Zaslow shares four actionable tips for entrepreneurs looking to do the same.

1. Don’t wait until you know everything to make the jump

As women, we sometimes try to tread carefully and think that we need to have all of our research before we just dive in. We have this vision for how our career is going to be five or 10 years down the road. But if everyone who ever did anything important waited until they knew everything, nothing important would ever happen.

2. Resist the urge to prove yourself by "wearing all the hats" or doing everything yourself

Hire or collaborate with smart, talented people (who share your enthusiasm) and let them shine. [For example, in the beginning] raising money was completely foreign to me. We connected with a great fundraising firm that helps us with grassroots fundraising, and that was how we got off the ground. As soon as we had success with grassroots fundraising, everything else just kind of fell into place.

3. Be unapologetically honest when there are things you don't know 

People will respect the authenticity and be glad to help expand your knowledge. 

4. Trust your gut

While feedback and constructive criticism can be of enormous value, they can also trip you up. If you have a clear vision for what you're building, try not to let outside opinions slow you down. 

How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs, According to a Career and Life Coach

Limiting beliefs hold us back from achieving our goals, claiming our unique voice, and putting forth our genius, which the world needs from us right now and always.

As a coach for emerging and established female entrepreneurs, I see time and again just how much limiting beliefs hold women back. A leadership coach who feels as though she isn’t experienced enough to increase her prices. A designer who believes she’s too sensitive to conquer entrepreneurship. A new educator who’s afraid to invest in her development since her dream job is “just a side hustle.” 

The presence of these beliefs is even more significant in periods of challenge and growth. When we don’t identify and unpack our limiting beliefs, we can’t show up as the leaders we are capable of being. They can get in the way of your cultivating the career and life of your dreams and can have a negative impact on executive skills like creativity.

So, I’m going to break down what limiting beliefs are, how they show up, and practices you can explore to change your narrative. Because, girl, if there was ever a time to release those beliefs and become the powerful woman you’re meant to be, it’s now.

What is a limiting belief? 

First, let’s define it. A limiting belief is something we believe to be true about ourselves that keeps us from full self-expression, growth, and transformation, or taking action on the things that matter to us.

These beliefs are usually formed from trauma or micro-trauma we’ve experienced and are reinforced via feedback loops throughout our lives. An original experience shapes the belief, then we integrate the belief into our sense of self and find evidence to support it, which breeds more of the original feeling; often guilt, sadness, inadequacy, embarrassment, lack, fear, or anger.

Our false beliefs unconsciously inform our thoughts, behaviors, and choices. This year we’ve experienced uncertainty and unrest, and our false beliefs have been exposed. When so many things are changing and challenging us, we can gravitate towards our limiting beliefs because they present a false sense of safety. 

What do limiting beliefs look like? 

Every person’s limiting beliefs are different. We each have a core belief we hold about ourselves that, once we can identify it, is evident in most major life events. 

Here are some examples you may relate to. 

1. Filters. 

An example of a filter is the belief: “This is hard.” We all see through our own unique lens and perspective. If your lens is “this is hard,” everything is automatically going to seem hard because you’ve already decided it is so.

2. Negative self-talk.

An example of negative self-talk is the belief: “This is hard because I’m not smart.” What we believe to be true about ourselves is how we show up in the world, which causes others to believe it too. When we make circumstantial events about us, our identity becomes wrapped up in things we can’t control.

3. The stories we tell ourselves.

An example of a story is: “XYZ people don’t like me because I’m not smart enough.”A story is what happens when we don’t address our limiting beliefs. We allow them to inform us of our experience, usually replacing facts or evidence if we don’t identify and integrate them.

Your core false belief is deeply rooted; it’s been with you for most of your life. So it can take some deep thinking, journaling, and maybe even counseling to unearth it. And it’s not necessarily enjoyable work. The thing I always tell people before I lead them through guided exercises to uncover their false belief is this: 

You’ll know you’ve landed on the belief when it feels like you just got punched in the chest. When you don’t want to say out loud or share it with your peers. You might even be embarrassed that you feel that way about yourself.

I shared at the beginning of this piece that limiting beliefs are something we all experience, and I want to normalize that. So, here is my core false belief: I believe that I don’t belong because I’m not a good person.

Just because you believe it, doesn’t make it true. However, you do have to acknowledge it. And if you can do the work to overcome it, it’s actually a key to unlocking your leadership, sharing your voice, and using your authenticity to make a difference in your career.

How to tackle your limiting belief

Unpacking your limiting beliefs is lifelong work. Here are the steps we like to follow to cultivate that work daily:

Lack of capability isn't the source of what holds people back from creating the career they dream of; it’s more often their limiting belief. If you believe you're not the smartest person for the job, you don’t have the experience required to tackle the project, you can’t make a living doing what you love—you won't be able to choose the alternative. 

Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to use your false belief to step into your leadership and cause change.

By doing this work, you’re not only creating the space to show up as your fullest self, but you’re also leveraging your experiences to hold space for others to become themselves too, to use their voices, and to align their actions with what matters. 

About the Author: Pia Beck is a life and business coach known for turning pain points into action items. As the CEO of Curate Well Co., coined “the queen of implementation,” her expertise is in connecting the big picture vision with the nitty-gritty details in order to create an instinctual strategy, systems, and steps. She helps her clients and community organize, implement, and execute. 

At Curate Well Co., she combines purpose and process to help emerging and established entrepreneurs start and scale savvy, streamlined, sensational businesses, make an impact, and launch a life they love and leave a legacy. At Curate Well Co., we believe in a curated life on purpose through sharing your unique gifts. Curate Well Co. has been featured in Thrive Global, Darling, Buzzfeed, Medium, and more, and has collaborated with brands like Bumble, Havenly, Lululemon, and The Riveter.

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6 Tips for Creating a Productive Work-From-Home Environment

Working from home. It sounds great in theory, but it actually takes a lot of discipline to establish a routine that makes working from home productive and fulfilling. Given that many companies are currently implementing work from home policies to help flatten the curve and prevent the spread of COVID-19, I feel compelled to share my tried-and-true tips for creating a productive work-from-home environment.

As someone who’s been freelancing and working from home for the past five years, I’ve gone through all of the ups and downs WFH life can present—from feeling lonely and needing to talk to someone to needing to get out of the house and take a break (while practicing social distancing, of course). Scroll on for my tips on how to create a dedicated work space, set office hours, eliminate distracts, and more.

Create a Dedicated Work Space

Find a place in your home that you can dedicate to work. This will be different for everyone, and while I highly encourage having a desk, a dining room table or breakfast bar are great substitutes.

I don’t recommend your workspace be on your couch or on anything where you can recline. While I love being on my laptop and having my feet up on my couch, I am never as productive as I am when sitting upright.

When choosing a space for work in your home, try to find an area that has the following:

Find a space that you can check-in for work and check-out for everything you’d typically do while at home.

Set Office Hours

As a freelancer, it’s incredibly important to have office hours. Not only to manage client expectations but to give yourself structure.

Setting office hours should empower you to develop a routine for yourself like you typically would if you had a 9-to-5 office job. You’d wake up in the morning, enjoy your morning cup of coffee, maybe squeeze in a yoga class before you get dressed, and head to work. The same should be taken into consideration when you work from home.

Freelance life is supposed to allow you to do all of the things you want to do with your time. Don’t let it create an opposite effect where you convince yourself to always be on and working just because you’re able to do it from the freedom of your own home.

Eliminate Distractions

It’s so important to eliminate any distractions from your home that would take you away from getting work done. For me, I need my home to be clean - period. If the home isn’t tidy, I’m not focused.

Other distractions I try to eliminate are:

If you find yourself being distracted by a common theme throughout your days, find a way to eliminate that distraction so you can stay focused and do your best work.

Get Out of Your PJs

We all have days where we want to stay in our PJs, but it’s important to get out of the jammies and into something that says, “my day has started.”

Most of the time I will change out of PJs and into activewear or comfortable denim. I’ll wash my face, brush my teeth and hair, put on some CC cream and deodorant, and then get to work. It’s a small effort that makes a big difference.

Talk To Someone

One of the biggest things I didn’t realize about working from home is just how lonely it can be.

You are by yourself all day and unless you have clients who love phone calls, most of your correspondence will primarily be done through email. It’s important to talk to someone; anyone. Make time to pick up the phone and call a relative or an old friend. Schedule calls with people in your network so you don’t lose your conversation skills.

I realized a change in myself probably around my second or third year of freelancing, where I would struggle with conversation because I just wasn’t having any. I’d either talk too long or too fast, have difficulty forming sentences, and just felt awkward. This is not me.

Now I talk to everyone.

I am not shy when it comes to conversation and make an effort to have a casual chat with just about anybody I come into contact with throughout the day. That’s people I pass by when I’m walking the dogs, the barista at Alfred’s, Anthony who does my nails at Olive & June, Mary who delivers our mail… AN-Y-BOD-Y.

Get Out of the House

How many of you working from home and reading this typically don’t leave your house during the workweek? 🙋 I get it.

Your home is your office and your office is your home, but it’s still important to get out of the house every once in a while. Keep yourself active and engaged with things happening in your community so you can get out of your PJs, talk to somebody, and enjoy those office hours! (You like what I did there?)

It’s important to get outside and break away from work so you can actually stay engaged in work.

When I spend hours on my computer without any breaks my mind becomes fatigued, and I become less productive. So I’ll take the dogs for a longer walk, do a workout class on my balcony, or take my laptop to the coffee shop down the road and just take in a bit of new scenery to help adjust my internal boss mode.

So if you’re feeling uninspired or having trouble getting anything done, give yourself a break and get out.

About the author: Audrey Adair is a seasoned freelance communications professional and founder of The Scope, a platform providing resources and community to freelancers and the self-employed. Connect with The Scope on Instagram and join their email list to receive your free resource, The Freelancer Starter Kit.

This story was originally published on March 5, 2019, and has since been updated.

Robyn DelMonte of GirlBossTown's Lesser-Known Tips for Monetizing as a Content Creator

Known as “The Internet’s Agent” to millions on TikTok, Robyn DelMonte of GirlBossTown left her corporate job in 2021 and hasn’t looked back since. The 29-year-old New England native has built her career as a content creator, dishing out no-holds-barred marketing and public relations advice to brands (and stars) on social media that have gone viral. 

While it's widely known that content creators make revenue from sponsored content, DelMonte says they ought to tap into their Internet know-how and lean into consulting. She speaks from personal experience. Her knack for innovative, Gen-Z-driven advice helped DelMonte launch a full-fledged consulting business through which she’s worked with clients including Dunkin’ and Infinity. 

“As a creator, the knowledge that you hold of how to connect and speak with an audience, what is going on on TikTok, and having your finger on the pulse of Internet culture and knowing how to translate that, you can go to brands with that knowledge and monetize that,” says DelMonte on the latest episode of WorkParty. 

In many ways, creating a viral video is like producing a successful ad campaign in and of itself. “You can take that knowledge and monetize that,” she says. “Brands would love to sit and speak with people [who regularly create viral videos.] Not that there’s a formula for going viral, but having that knowledge is so important and your voice needs to be heard with these brands.”

Secondly, DelMonte advises that content creators attend conferences and have the confidence to explore the business side more intimately. “The things you learn and the connections you make at these business conferences will set you up for success,” says DelMonte. “Know that the knowledge you’re gaining through creating is just as valuable as traditional job experience.”

For more expert tips from DelMonte (plus hot takes on how to make your guilty pleasure your biggest money maker), tune into the latest episode of WorkParty with Jaclyn Johnson.

RESOURCES

• To connect with Robyn DelMonte click here

• To follow along with GirlBossTown click here

•  To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click here

• To follow along with Create & Cultivate click here

• To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)

OTHER EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE

FORM Co-Founders Sami Clarke and Sami Bernstein Spalter on Navigating the Fitness Industry as Best Friends and Business Partners

Hot Takes With Cheval: Don’t Forget Yourself While Chasing Your Dreams

LEAD Founder and CEO Francis Tesmer On Taking Your Education to the Next Level in the $500 Billion Beauty Industry

Hot Takes With Your Rich BFF’s Vivian Tu: You Shouldn’t Date People Who Aren’t Financially Stable + Not Everyone Has To Go To College

Mara Beauty’s Alison McNamara On Successfully Launching In Sephora While Bootstrapping Her Beauty Biz, And The Day She Learned Her Biggest Founder Lesson

How to Save Money in Your 20s (Yes, It's Possible)

A lot of people in their 20s are dealing with large amounts of student loans and credit card debt and living paycheck to paycheck, dreaming of days when they can begin to use their money to reach their financial goals. While it's easy to that think financial planning at this stage in your life is pointless, the truth is there are some basic strategies you can implement, regardless of how much debt you have or how much income you’re earning.

Learning these strategies will help set up the financial foundation you need to move through this challenging time in your life and set the stage for a strong financial future. Read on for eight simple steps to get out of that paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and start saving money ASAP.

1. Create a budget.

Even as a young adult who may not be making that much money yet, budgeting is critical because it allows you to see how much money is coming in and going out every month (it’s all about tracking your spending!). Although most 20-year-olds understand they should budget, the reality is most just don’t do it.

Get a budgeting system as early in place as possible and review how you are spending your money so you can make adjustments, if necessary, to ensure you are living within your means and able to save for your financial goals. There are apps that can help you now too such as YNAB.

The basic budget formula for after-tax income is:

2. Set up weekly money dates.

Set up weekly money dates to review your budget and manage and plan out your finances. During your money date, you should pay your bills (although most should be set up as auto-pay), update and review your budget and take care of any other financial concerns. By calling this allocated time with your money a “date,” you can begin to bring a fun, exciting element into your financial life to help you stay committed for the long haul.

3. Open up a savings account and set up automatic contributions.

Most people don’t save because they make it way too difficult for themselves. Instead, review your budget and aim to start saving toward your financial goals by following the “pay yourself first” strategy. Under this method, you set up your savings to be automated every month and you save before you spend money on variable expenses. 

The goal is to save 20% of your net income but don’t let that amount scare you. Even if you can only start with $10 a month, that’s better than nothing. Every year, review and see if you can increase your savings amount. 

4. Build up a cash cushion.

The goal of a cash cushion is to have three to nine months of your fixed expenses in a savings account to pay for life’s unexpected incidents. Life always throws curveballs—your car breaks down, your computer crashes or you receive an unexpected medical bill—and having money in the bank to cover those expenses will help you maintain your financial peace of mind.

If your fixed expenses are $3,000 per month, you should aim to build a cash cushion of anywhere between $9,000-$18,000, depending on your comfort level, job security, etc. That sounds like a lot, I know. But remember, just start with what you can to build your cash cushion over a few years. Again, even if it’s $10 a week, that’s still one step in the right direction.

5. Keep an eye on your credit score.

Our credit score affects nearly everything in our financial lives. It affects the interest rate on the car loan we apply for, the mortgage loan, the credit cards—and even employers and landlords can reference your credit score when reviewing your application.

By monitoring your credit score, you can see where you stand and what you can do to improve it if necessary. Use websites like creditkarma.com to view your credit score (not your actual FICO) regularly for free and then pay to see your actual credit score at least annually using annualcreditreport.com.

6. Create a debt reduction plan.

The first step is to make a list of all your debts. Get clear about how much you owe, the interest rate of each debt, and the minimum payment due. Then review your budget to determine how much you can realistically add toward extra debt payments and start with the debt with the highest interest rate while paying the minimums on the rest.

This will allow you to save the most in interest payments. Once the debt with the highest interest rate is paid off, move on to the second-highest, and so on.

7. Start saving for long-term goals.

If you have the ability to start investing in your retirement accounts after you’ve allocated some monthly funds toward building your cash cushion and paying off your debts, then set up an automatic contribution into your retirement account. By starting early, you can allow compounding interest to work in your favor on your investment accounts.

If you are new to investing, make sure you do your homework and read investment books so you are clear about what to expect when investing in your future.

8. Focus on building your earning potential.

Income is one of the biggest factors in wealth creation over time. After all, if you don’t make money—or don’t make enough money—it is very difficult to save for your financial future. So if you can’t save as much as you would like to due to your income level, focus on ways to increase your earning potential for the long run. There are a lot of free courses you can take online, and even watching YouTube videos to sharpen your skills is something anyone can do. Also, there are so many ways you can earn extra money on the side. Ramit Sethi teaches this to his community at I Will Teach You To Be Rich. 

Think outside the box, and continue to focus on increasing your earning potential every year.

About the Author: Brittney Castro is the founder and CEO of Financially Wise Women, a Los Angeles-based financial planning firm for women. She specializes in working with busy, established professional and entrepreneurial women who are passionate about life and want to finally understand money—how to manage it, save it, invest it, and protect it—in a fun and simple way. Follow Brittney @brittneycastro.

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This story was originally published on June 15, 2017, and has since been updated.

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FORM Founder Sami Clarke's 5 Tips for Standing Out on TikTok

With more than a billion active users worldwide, TikTok is far more than just a popular app for viral dance routines and comedic clips. The video-sharing platform is also utilized as a strategic marketing tool for businesses to boost success (and nearly five million are using the app for just that). 

Companies often utilize TikTok to increase brand awareness on a rapid scale, build and engage with online communities (i.e. potential customers), promote products or services, develop partnerships, and assess competitors within their respective markets. It’s also a chance to get creative with video clips and establish more connectivity between brands and consumers. 

But with millions of users saturating the TikTok world, how do brands or businesses stand out among the rest? While there may not be a concrete formula for viral success, Sami Clarke—influencer and founder of the digital wellness platform FORM—seems to have it all figured out. 

Together with her business partner and co-founder Sami Bernstein Spalter, the 29-year-old fitness instructor has built a cult following for her motivational workout videos, lifestyle inspo, and self-love approach. Millions of users tune in to her TikTok account for all things wellness, as well as community and connection. This July, the company also launched its new activewear line, the promo for which garnered over 30,000 plays on TikTok.

"All of our teasers have just gone out on socials and the amount of engagement and interaction and excitement behind what we’re doing just shows that we’re not going to need to market outside of just talking to our people," says Bernstein Spalter on the latest episode of WorkParty.

Clarke’s presence on social media has undoubtedly played a role in the success of the brand. Here, she shares five key tips for those looking to stand out on TikTok.

1. Always focus on the content that you want to create. There are so many different people doing workouts, of course, and every space is saturated, but what makes it different is YOU. 

2. Don’t jump on all the trends, but follow the ones that actually do feel exciting and enticing for you. 

3. Think about what content you like to consume. I was very resistant about doing ‘get ready with me’ videos because everyone was doing them, but [those were the kinds of videos I enjoyed] watching. The moment I started doing them within the realm of wellness and talking to camera, my videos were blowing up. 

4. Think about what content your community is craving. You’ll know what people want from you because it’ll get the most attraction.

5. Always stay true to yourself—I know that’s so cliche to say, but it really is so true. 

Tune into WorkParty with Jaclyn Johnson for more on how Sami Clarke and Sami Bernstein Spalter propelled FORM to success in just two years—plus tips on navigating friendship and business partnership.

RESOURCES

• To connect with Sami Clarke click here

• To follow along with FORM click here

•  To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click here

• To follow along with Create & Cultivate click here

• To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)

OTHER EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE

Hot Takes With Cheval: Don't Forget Yourself While Chasing Your Dreams

LEAD Founder and CEO Francis Tesmer On Taking Your Education to the Next Level in the $500 Billion Beauty Industry

Hot Takes With Your Rich BFF’s Vivian Tu: You Shouldn’t Date People Who Aren’t Financially Stable + Not Everyone Has To Go To College

Mara Beauty’s Alison McNamara On Successfully Launching In Sephora While Bootstrapping Her Beauty Biz, And The Day She Learned Her Biggest Founder Lesson

Hot Takes with Tinx: Your 20’s are a Mis-Marketed Decade

10 Work-Life Balance Books That Belong on Your To-Read List

Achieving your career goals, trying to be a successful adult, and keeping your personal life in check can sometimes feel impossible. (If you’re juggling a million tasks and still trying to find time to watch The Bachelor with the girls, trust us, we know the struggle). But no matter how often you may feel overwhelmed, it’s important to know that you can find the balance you’re looking for—it may just take a new way of thinking and organizing your everyday life. 

Luckily, there are resources and mentors with proven methods and insights that will help you find the balance between living your best life and getting to work on time. No one ever said achieving work-life balance would be easy, but with these 10 insightful new books, you will be well on your way to reaching both your professional and personal goals in no time. Written by 10 fierce females who know a thing or two about running their own businesses and carving out time for themselves, you’ll find true wisdom and hope in the pages of these self-help and business-focused books. 

From the creator of one of the biggest natural hygiene companies to Netflix sensation Marie Kondo to a single mother from the Middle East who rose to the top of the tech industry, these books will leave you with anecdotes that will help you find the work-life balance you’ve been craving. If you want to find the perfect work-life balance, add these insightful books to your to-read pile ASAP.

Written by Ashley Johnson, content editor, She Reads.

About the Author:

Ashley Johnson is the content editor at She Reads, an online media outlet that specializes in promoting books and authors with a female-centric approach. In addition to editorial roundups, exclusive author content and thought pieces, She Reads is committed to building a community of readers who love nothing more than getting lost in a good book.

Up next: Gwyneth Paltrow, Marie Kondo, Tyra Banks, and More on the #1 Book They Always Recommend

This story was originally published on March 13, 2019, and has since been updated.

9 Things No One Tells You When You're Starting a Business

The one common thread that ties all entrepreneurs and founders together is that there is no rule book, especially if your company is developing an entirely new category or business model. There is no path to follow or leadership style to mimic. It can be a daunting experience but if you’re up for the challenge, it will be one that undoubtedly changes your life, for the better.

But if you’re a new founder or about to start a company and reading this in despair, then don’t stress, because there are a few things everyone should do when starting a business. Think you can cut it on your own but wondering how to start a business? Here are nine things to consider before you take that leap of faith and start your own business. 

1. Begin with revenue.

It’s nice that you have a dream, but the reality is that you will need to make money. Whether you are planning on pitching to investors or building a customer-funded business, you will need cash flow. Cash flow is the heartbeat of your business. Author and entrepreneur Seth Godin says, “It pays to have big dreams but low overhead.” Overhead are things such as rent, payroll, and other monthly expenses. Make a plan and write specific goals for how you are going to make money.

2. Protect your IP.

IP stands for intellectual property. Trademark your work and spend time on your privacy policies from the beginning. Talk to a trademark lawyer and make sure you are covering all your bases in the legal sense. Have a designated spot for organizing all paperwork, legal documents, and trademarks. Trust me, you will get a lot of paperwork mailed to you and you want to make sure you don’t throw away something important because you thought it was spam.

3. Market yourself.

Free marketing on social media is the key to growing your start-up with low overhead. Research social media marketing ideas, and do your homework. Study businesses that are doing what you do. Know your target audience and study CRM (customer relationship management) within your company. Where is your ideal customer currently spending their money if not on you? Connect with like-minded small business owners, and learn from each other. I am currently in a mastermind group with seven female, small business leaders in Nashville. We get together every other week to discuss various aspects of running a small business. Be proactive and curious. Ask questions.

4. Know your “why.”

If cash flow is the heartbeat of your business, then why is the actual heart. If you can’t write down the internal, external, or philosophical problem your company is working to solve, your business won’t have a backbone. As Frederick Nietzsche said, “He who has a why can endure any how.”

5. Understand yourself so that you can make great hires.

“Organizations are never limited by their opportunity. They are limited by their leader,” according to Dave Ramsey. You are the leader. You need passion, integrity, humility, courage, and self-discipline. Know your strengths, weaknesses, and leadership capabilities so that when the time comes to make a hire or seek support, you know where you are lacking. Become self-aware and discern in what areas you need to improve.

Start by taking personality tests that give you insight into your tendencies. My go-to test for myself and my team members is the DISC profile. Every interviewee that we are seriously considering hiring takes this test before we offer a position. Your interview process should be extensive. Turnover can kill a start-up. 

6. You are NOT the boss.

Your customers are the boss. Your customers are the hero. It’s ALL about your customers. The story about how and why you started your company isn’t as important as how and why your customers need your product. Learn how to serve your customers, but know that once in a while your customer might be wrong. Remember that you have the freedom to occasionally “fire” a customer. Embrace the concept that your product is not for everyone.

7. Build structure and find balance.

Professionals show up and do the work when they don’t feel like it. Become obsessed with time management or you will begin drowning in chaos. Build a structure for your business so that you can find a healthy work-life balance. Read time management books and find a routine. 

8. Build a tax savings account and an emergency savings fund. 

Finances and managing cash flow are two of the biggest distractions for any business. If you don’t have a CFO from the start, hire an accountant and/or bookkeeper, and build your savings. An emergency fund for your business can be anywhere from three months to a year of overhead expenses you have saved in the case of sudden disaster. Move money into your tax savings account every month and don’t touch it. Every quarter, while millions of business owners are scrambling to move around money for taxes, you’ll be able to stay hyper-focused on developing your business.

9. Embrace change and challenges. 

“Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between the obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both into their advantage,” notes Seth Godin. You will face many obstacles, ups, and downs. I could spend all day telling you about all of the bumps I’ve experienced in the last three years, but then I would be talking the problem—not the solution. Godin says, “You’re going to do your best work, and it’s not going to work. Taking it personally will cripple you.” It’s ok to be unprepared when you start. There are many variables you cannot control no matter how organized you feel. You will be much more stress-free if you learn to embrace change and don’t grip your business by the throat.

About the Author: Emily Howard, founder, creative director, and CEO of Consider the Wldflwrs, a jewelry company based out of Nashville, Tennessee. An original version of this article appeared on Darling.

This post was originally published on May 3, 2019, and has since been updated.

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