WorkParty

Before becoming the COO at Pietra, Tala Akhavan was an executive at Uber for five years, coinciding with some of the app's most transformative years. As a first time mother, she struggled to balance work and motherhood, so she made the decision to extend her maternity leave and instead focus on being the mom she always dreamed of. She utilized this down time to search for a fulfilling career...

Have you ever felt uncomfortable speaking up at work? If the answer is yes, then you’re not alone. In 2021, over 68.9 million people joined The Great Resignation—with many attributing it to the feeling of being unable to voice their concerns or make meaningful change in their workplace. Claire Schmidt identified the root of this problem—ineffective feedback and reporting systems that lacked a mode...

When Payal Kadakia let go of the pressure to achieve a traditional kind of success, she leaned into her passions. The result? ClassPass, a billion-dollar business. She’s been featured on  Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list  and listed as Fast Company’s 100 most creative people, profiled in  Fortune ,  Marie Claire , and  Vogue , and just added author to her resume. Payal has uprooted the limits that preve...

Lauryn Bosstick is a serial entrepreneur who’s turned a passion for beauty, wellness, and uncensored advice into one of the most distinctive blogs online today—The Skinny Confidential. With over 1 million followers on Instagram and 90 Million podcast downloads, Lauryn has—and continues to—build and expand a lifestyle brand rooted in empowerment and total wellness—mind, body, and soul. On this spec...

If you're into wellness, open Instagram from time to time, or like to browse the shelves of Target for fun, then you’ve probably already been introduced to Golde—the modern superfood wellness brand. With vibrant packaging, affordable price points, and good, clean ingredients, it’s no wonder Golde has amassed a huge following. When Trinity Mouzon Wofford embarked on her entrepreneurial wellnes...

If you’re an avid Peloton user, you probably already know and hang out with today's guest all the time. Known for her high energy, contagious smile, and  bright lipstick —Tunde Oyeneyin coaches thousands of riders every day through confidence-boosting classes—proving that anyone can be an athlete. Not only has she emerged as one of the most sought-after motivational speakers, but she’s also a...

After years of battling health issues, Siffat Haider took matters into her own hands. By leaning into holistic care, solace was found through a unique combination of herbs, vitamins, and minerals she developed on her own under the guidance and support of wellness experts. While on this journey, Siffat noticed huge whitespace in wellness—information was not easily accessible or digestible for the a...

The beauty industry has a major influence on women, and there’s no question about it. Since the dawn of advertising, we’ve looked to unrealistic images of beauty that have resulted in negative self-talk, low self-confidence, and unrealistic beauty standards among women.  But as today’s guest can attest: a new, much-needed wave in the beauty movement has arrived, and she is paving the way. Long gon...

Collaboration over competition is a core belief of our team at Create & Cultivate. And it’s clear that Nana Agyemang is someone who abides by this philosophy as well. As the founder and CEO of EveryStylishGirl, Nana is at the helm of a multimedia platform that provides young women with the skills and access to obtain fashion media jobs. This is fitting because Nana’s own résumé as a fashion ed...

Branding is more than designing products that look great on Instagram. In fact, research has shown that great, consistent branding can actually increase revenue by 33% . Which is something Kelli Adams has witnessed firsthand. As the chief creative officer of the wildly popular canned sparkling tequila seltzer brand Onda, she’s helped the brand become a multi-million dollar business and amass a hug...

So many brands can attribute success to social media stardom, but very few elicit the cult-like fandom of Lisa Says Gah. After years of working in fast fashion, founder & CEO Lisa Buhler found herself searching for sustainable pieces that were more accessible to the average millennial. What started as a curation of quirky statement pieces by small, sustainable, women-owned businesses, Lisa Say...

In a notoriously saturated market, new beauty brands need more than just a solid formula to stand out. They need transformative ideas that go beyond the product itself. When Dianna Cohen set out to create Crown Affair, she wanted high-quality hair care that was more than just another clean product in a pretty bottle. She wanted to turn hair care into a special moment, rooted in ritual. You know, t...

Ask any founder: When you’re running a business, hiring is tough. And hiring the  right  people to take your business to the next level is even tougher. It takes an average of 36 days to hire a new employee. And filling a position doesn’t guarantee success. Nearly half of all new hires fall through within 18 months. Thankfully, I have Louisa Schneider on this episode of WorkParty to share how she...

Turning followers into shoppers is no easy feat. The savvy social media crowd can spot a disingenuous post from a mile away, so monetizing your account with sponsored posts takes honesty, authenticity, and plenty of creativity. Which is something Dede Raad, the founder of Dress Up Buttercup, knows a thing or two about. The blogger works with major brands like Nordstrom and Amazon to sell products...

Your brand DNA is the heart of your identity as a business. It establishes your mission and values, makes you unique from your competitors, and gives your customers a reason to choose to buy from you over your rivals. And if anyone knows how to define a brand’s DNA, it’s Lauren Alexander. The co-founder and creative director for the clothing line LNA launched the brand in 2006 when she was just 22...

Doubling your revenue is no easy task. You need to set well-defined goals, create meaningful connections with your customers, and discover new distribution channels and marketing opportunities. Which is something that Elyce Arons knows a thing or two about. In the midst of a pandemic that has pummeled the fashion industry, the former Co-founder of Kate Spade has led the luxury lifestyle brand Fran...

Being in debt isn’t a barrier to entrepreneurship. Just ask MaryRuth Ghiyam. The wellness entrepreneur owed $700,000 (yes, $700,000) when she launched her eponymous vitamin brand, MaryRuth Organics. Despite carrying a significant amount of personal debt, she successfully built a nine-figure business without taking on a single investor. (I mean, talk about impressive!) I’m thrilled to chat with Mar...

Switching lanes is daunting. You’ve already established yourself in a particular industry, built up your network of contacts, and carved out your niche as an expert in the space. Now you’re going to do it all over again. Like I said, it’s daunting. So, for this episode of WorkParty, I’m so excited to be chatting with Cece Olisa all about how she’s successfully switched lanes. As a fashion influenc...

You know our keynote speaker from quote-unquote “the small screen.” Kristin Cavallari got her start on the wildly popular reality shows "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills," before taking a turn on "Dancing with the Stars" and starring in her own show "Very Cavallari." But now, she’s proving herself as a powerhouse entrepreneur. As the founder of the lifestyle bra...

Converting a community of Instagram followers into customers isn’t easy. You have to be authentic, consistent, and have a strong value proposition for a quality product. But if anyone’s found the formula for success, it’s Megan Roup. Since launching her fitness company The Sculpt Society in 2017, she’s garnered over  260,000 followers on Instagram  and attracted the attention of celebs like Shay M...

When people think of social impact, they think of nonprofits. But you  can  be a for-profit business that pays it forward. Just ask Kelly Breakstone Roth. As the Co-Founder of The Nopo, she’s building a business that delivers handmade wares from around the world to your door—and supports artisans in the process. I’m so excited to chat with Kelly about how she launched a global e-commerce business...

On today's episode we are joined by Betches Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Sami Sage. It's not always easy for content creators to stay relevant, but Sami Sage knows how to beat the odds. As audiences become more unpredictable and trends shift, she's been churning out relevant, ever-evolving content for over a decade—and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact,...

Christian Siriano needs no introduction. Since winning Project Runway and launching his namesake collection in 2008, he has firmly established himself as a cultural icon over the course of his impressive career. Let’s take a look at some of his milestones, shall we? He's been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine. His designs have been worn by the likes of...

There’s no doubt about it, social media is changing the way small businesses are built. With a community of potential customers at your fingertips, entrepreneurs are able to test out their business ideas on social media before they take the plunge and start raising capital. Which is something today’s WorkParty guest, Karen Perez, knows a thing or two about. When the fashion stylist of 15 years was...

One of the biggest obstacles that stand in the way of modern-day women is imposter syndrome — the idea that you aren't qualified or "good enough" for your job, interests, accomplishments, etcetera.  If you’ve ever had a thought along the lines of “I’m a fraud” or asked yourself “What am I doing here?” you’re not alone.“ A  2019 review  of 62 studies on imposter syndrome suggested an...