Lauren Makk of Home Girl Next Door: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Spark joy by making your home YOUR OWN. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard someone say they didn’t want to hang a picture or paint a wall because of this or that… usually it’s because they are afraid to make a design mistake, or because of some resale myth. Nothing that is done , can’t be undone, so just LIVE FOR TODAY and hang that picture sis — ESPECIALLY if it brings you happiness! No “trend” could ever be more powerful than the things that you love and are inspired by… so Live, Laugh, Love yourself to into greatness!!!

As part of my series on the “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Makk.

Nashville, TN based Interior Designer, DIY Expert, and Television Host, Lauren Makk has captured the hearts and attention of fans near and far with her budget friendly approach to luxury DIY and re-design. You may know Lauren from her time spent on multiple design shows across many networks including TLC’s Emmy Award winning Trading Spaces, A&E’s Drill Team as well as co-host on ABC’s FABLife, but now she is re-introducing herself and taking the design world by storm. Shattering the mold of those stuffy designers, Lauren is known to shake things up by spilling her best budget — friendly design tricks, tips, and hacks, as well as her luxury DIY projects. Aiming to elevate and change the stereotype of DIY’s past, Makk insists she’s more accurately an “Interior RE-Designer”- as she specializes in re-imagining and re-purposing common every day materials in sophisticated and breathtaking new ways.

Thank you so much for joining us in this series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I always say: Whitney was born to sing, Jordan was born to jump, and Lauren was born to DESIGN! 🙂 But in all honesty, that is the truth: one of my earliest memories is being at a sitters house and moving the decorative pillows on her bed to the ”right spots” — It’s just something that is IN me.

Growing up my mom was an amazing maker. She just had an incredible knack for turning nothing into something — and could make it magic. I watched her as she made all our decorations, created all our home decor, sewed all clothes, made all our costumes, and almost single-handedly remodeled our entire house!

During High School, I was really into graffiti and wanted to be a street artist. My plan was to sell my souped up Honda that I had built, and back pack through Europe painting murals with some exchange students I had met. My mom wasn’t having any of that, and insisted I go to college. I knew I’d have to like a major if I were going to study it, and so I blended my love of art with my love of building — mixed it with innate talent — and here we are!!!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

I think the most BEAUTIFUL story I have is how I went from being an Interior Designer, to being an Interior Designer on TV!

Picture it: Southern California, 2006. I was working as a lead designer for an award-winning model home merchandising firm responsible for all the model homes in new communities built by the biggest names in the home building industry. Our firm was designing and overseeing the installations on over 180 model homes a year… and then the housing bubble popped.

After the second round of layoffs, I knew I was next, and I clearly recall sitting in my car at lunch on the first phone I ever had internet on: my trusty Sidekick (am I dating myself?). I scrolled to craigslist.com and typed in “Interior Design”. The first thing that popped up was an ad for an audition for a “Trading Spaces-like show” and I figured, “why not”? I took my little portfolio with pictures of my model homes on down and I KNEW I had found my thing in that first audition.

And guess what? It turned out to BE ‘Trading Spaces’, and I GOT THE GIG!!!!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I always say “ there’s a thin line between Do — It — Yourself and “Screw — It- Yourself”, and boy have I learned THAT lesson the hard way!

One of my cringiest moments is when I took on a paint job for some extra money during college. It was for a young family who had just bought a house and they asked me if I would paint their cabinets for them cheaper than a quote they had. I agreed, and I enlisted their help in painting them with me. We got to work early that day — carefully removing and prepping the cabinet doors outside. By the time the sun was straight overhead in the hot California sun, we got to work painting. By the third stroke I realized how goopy, slimy, stringy the paint had become under the high noon sun, and I learned in that moment that I’m not a painter! Haha

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

2023 is looking to be a great year! I’ve got some exciting things in the works over at HGTV, AND I’m working on my passion: elevating the DIY and craft lane. Gone are the days of popsicle sticks and school glue — this is re-design for the grown and sexy!
I have always known my PURPOSE, here on earth, was to inspire, empower, and then dare people to live the life of their dreams, no matter their budget. I mean, I love a luxe look, but I’m also a bargain shopper — so my champagne eye is always looking for ways to create, or in some cases, re-create things to achieve that sophisticated style…for less! I am so passionate about creating fresh new content that speaks to folks like me, and who are eager to live a life in sustainable style! With all that’s going on in the world — I think it’s right on time.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My first boss, back in my model home days always said “the last 10% is the hardest part”. Back then, we would design and manage the customizing of these huge, beautiful, EXPENSIVE homes from conception through completion, and there were so many important details to take into account. We would spend months preparing for them and only had one week to install multiple properties at a time. She would always remind us that none of the months of prior planning would mean anything if that last 10%- taking off all the tags, wiping off all the stickers, fluffing those pillows just right — wasn’t executed perfectly. She was right. It’s always the last 10 pounds we have to lose after losing 40, those last 10 minutes of a long car ride, those last 10 steps up a hill… The last 10% is always the part where you’re tested most, but it’s also where the magic happens. I live for that part.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped you get to where you are? Can you tell us a story about that?

I hope this doesn’t sound intense, but I am a manifestation of my ancestors dreams, there’s no doubt about it. As an African American woman form The South, I come from a loooooong line

of women who, let’s just say, “took care of all matters of the home” — even if it were other people’s houses. My grandmother cleaned houses as a kid and put herself through college. Her mother cleaned houses to help raise their family of 14, and her mother was an enslaved in her own fathers home. The list goes on and on. The experiences, wisdom, and lessons in caring for the home and making somethin’ outta nothin’ is instilled in me -and what I know fuels my talents.

Thank you for that. Here is the main question of our discussion. What are your “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

I’m giving some cost-free ideas, or what I like to call “Free 99 Design” advice here — cause I want this to be inclusionary measures that EVERYBODY can use to spark joy in their homes!

  1. Spark joy by making your bed each morning! I find that a thankful and grateful heart is one of the keys to life, and I believe in taking time to express that to The Universe. As a busy mom, I love a 2-for-1 special chore, and while I make up my bed, I pray, express gratitude, and to center myself for the day. the result is a beautiful space in my home — and the bonus is pulling back and climbing into those freshly tucked sheets each night! Now that I think about it, it’s a 3-for-1 special! 🙂
  2. Spark joy by having something living among you. Don’t worry, I’m just talking about something green! 🙂 Whether it’s plants, flowers, a branches off your backyard tree — having something green in your space instantly livens it up. Finding species you can feel empowered to keep alive is a great way to feel successful — and the curiosity and learning which ones suit you is always fun. I especially like to get my kids involved in taking care of our plants, which teaches science and nurturing skills too. Joy all around!
  3. Spark joy by reimagining your stuff! How many of us could look at a picture of ourselves in our grandmothers living room over the years, and the only thing changing about the room is the size of you in it? I make a point to move things around in my house FIRST, before I either buy something new, or give something away. I love how yesterday’s entry bench is now todays new coffee table!
  4. Spark joy by having a tidy space! There’s nothing nicer than a clean space, am I right? It feels refreshing, promising, like you can really get something done! I really find that things with lids help me keep my space manageable when it’s time to tame my space. Cleaning up the living room? Remotes to the cute box on the coffee table, toys in the wicker chest, and blankets in the ottoman! Managing a mess is really about having the right place to put all of it.
  5. Spark joy by making your home YOUR OWN. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard someone say they didn’t want to hang a picture or paint a wall because of this or that… usually it’s because they are afraid to make a design mistake, or because of some resale myth. Nothing that is done , can’t be undone, so just LIVE FOR TODAY and hang that picture sis — ESPECIALLY if it brings you happiness! No “trend” could ever be more powerful than the things that you love and are inspired by… so Live, Laugh, Love yourself to into greatness!!!

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I’d say voting. Voting is probably the easiest way to make the most amount of good to the most amount of people, but voting needs to break up with its PR rep. Every single person is affected when the right (or wrong) leaders are chosen, and every single election is important — not just the big ones. Voting is my favorite exercise!

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, especially if we tag them 🙂

Do I have to choose just ONE? I would DIE to have breakfast with Oprah, who has and always will be my dearest best friend in my head. I actually have dreams about hanging with her sometimes (that’s not weird, is it? Lol) — I am just so grateful for all she has taught me on how to be a HUMAN. I’d also have to have Dolly there too; cause I just can’t get enough of each and every bit of her! And I gotta have my girls Michelle O, Lizzo, and Miss Jackson if ya nasty in attendance to round out the party!

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmakk/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@laurenmakk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenmakk

Website: https://homegirlnextdoor.com/

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational!

Thank you!


Lauren Makk of Home Girl Next Door: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Caroline Purvey of TRE UK On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support…

Women In Wellness: Caroline Purvey of TRE UK On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

No 1 — has to be learn the Total Release Experience® — although it becomes an intuitive practice, initially it isn’t. We are all animals and like animals have the ability to release tension from the body. Tension that may well have accumulated over a lifetime and gets stored in the Psoas muscle. People who have tried everything to improve their wellbeing over the years often at great expense, have discovered they can do it themselves.

As a part of my series about “5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Caroline Purvey.

Caroline is a Yoga teacher with 25 years’ experience and founder of TRE UK® and the much talked about Total Release Experience®. Recently voted in the top 10 of 100 women to watch in wellbeing, Caroline is passionate about self- care as a tool for stress management to maintain well-being, physically, mentally and emotionally. Caroline truly believes that self-care is the only sure health care in a world that is under pressure to cop with the demand for well-being solutions.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in fitness and wellness?

Strangely when I was 16, I wanted to train as a Physical Education teacher. It didn’t work out and feel glad looking back that it didn’t, as my life has evolved bringing me to deliver my passion today. Growing up I loved netball, tennis and running. When my children were young, I took up Calanetics, not many will remember that but it was very popular back in the 70’s. I could keep up toning and working joints in the comfort of my own home in front of the TV. I kept this practice up for years and still connect with it today.

Twenty-six years ago, when I started teaching in a secondary school, it was quite a stressful environment. My sister invited me to go to a Yoga class. I knew nothing about Yoga, but I feel blessed that my first class was with a South African teacher who was very direct, and instruction was great. It took me a few classes to connect with the fact that yoga is about being present and listening to your body. When I connected with this, I became more and more hooked. After a year I was invited to take up training which I did. This served me well as I began to teach students and staff in the schools where I was teaching.

At the end of my working day I continued to take classes in surrounding villages. I was passionate and wanted to share. When I came out of my teaching post, I opened my own studio which I have been running now for the past 7 years. It was just before the opening of my Yoga Centre, I was told about a practice to release trauma (which was not my focus at the time) a practice I had never heard of. However, circumstances soon found me in South Africa with 99 people from around the world. After the training I vowed to return and make it happen in the UK. That has been my vision and mission ever since.

Over 7 years on from my incredible experiences I have evolved the work. It is accessible to all and has a dramatic impact on the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. My journey continues.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

There’s a challenge, I have lots of interesting stories to share, mostly around how amazing the body is in healing itself. I guess one of the most interesting for me with the Releasing Programme takes me back to a time I was working with a lady who was releasing tension from her body in a group session. I supported her at a certain point and held her head. I actually felt her skull bones shaking in my hands. I also felt when it stopped. After resting out she sat up and shared, ‘now I have reconciled with my husband’s death, now I need to work on the woman who killed him’. He was killed in a road accident. It was a profound moment and so interesting to witness not just experiencing the power of the body in healing, but the profound impact after a 15-minute release.

Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

Well this has to be in a Yoga class. It was at the end of the class and students were following my lead as they sat still, eyes closed. I was going through the sounds of the Chakras, which they repeated after me. We got to the sound Lam and I chanted ‘Vam’ — which was the next one. So I then chanted ‘Lam should not have been Vam’ and all sitting there with their eyes closed full of concentration repeated the Chant ‘Lam should not have been Vam’ I had to keep a straight face to the end. It made us all laugh afterwards when I share. In that moment funny as it was I realised just how much when teaching, when people trust you, they will follow your every word! Teaching carries a huge responsibility.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

I am an authority in the world of wellness with my work, which I reaslised very early on, was purely experiential. Purely because everyone is different, in their life story and their wellbeing state. The more I worked with bodies the more I learned. I was working alone in the UK, but I was driven by my passion and love in supporting people. I was approached more and more by people suffering PTSD from their past trauma as well as those with day to day stress. They stayed with me and some of them I have been supporting for years and seeing their transformation back to physical, mental and emotional health. I have worked with, amputees, stroke victims, Parkinson’s, SAS, I also work with prisoners, and those in the services including Fire & Rescue and the Police.

My unique contribution is having profound knowledge and experience and can offer an education that is not available so that people can safely reconnect to their body with what nature gave them. Discovering their ability to take control of their health and heal themselves.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

This is an interesting one. No one knew what I was about until they listened, trusted and learned. It is each and everyone of them that helped me get where I am. Because as they healed, they shared their story, the more stories I had I was able to share on the website. People contacted me and said I read every story on your website, it has given me hope.

However, my sincere gratitude goes to a lady called Heidi. My Yoga Centre had not been open too long. She first came to me for Yoga classes as she was staying with her father to nurse him with his cancer. After 3 weeks he died, and she was grief stricken. I said she should now do my practice. This she did and could not believe how quickly she overcame the real deep pain from grief and was able to do the tasks she had to get on with. She moved back to her hometown. It was about 9 months later she called me to ask if I would work with a friend suffering from an acrimonious divorce. She said she was very angry, had tried everything and wanted to try my work. After agreeing she said, ‘Oh by the way she is a Journalist with the Daily Mail and has been given permission to write about it’. Well she did and it was all very positive. I did 5 workshops in one week that summer and covered 1400 miles between Somerset and Manchester and anywhere in between. I was on the map. Last year we did 48 workshops. It was that wonderful support and boost that put me on the map. I am ever greatful to Heidi for sharing with Catharine and to her for sharing her positive experience with the nation!

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that it’s important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, it’s often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

In my view there are three main blocks to doing something about wellbeing when we know it could be good for us:

  1. Lazy — we be inherently lazy and depends on the time of year too we can all feel lethargic seasonally. We therefore would rather not make the effort. There is always an excuse not to do something that challenges us.
  2. Someone else heal me. Do something to me — any therapy that might work or give me a prescription. Someone else wave the magic wand! Pinning our hopes on someone else making us feel good is false hope. All temporary until the next time.
  3. Scared — if we have been out of action for years — and many have, then making changes is challenging, and when we make those changes — how are we then going to feel? It can be a scary prospect being fit and well and not knowing what that looks like. Better to stay comfortable in the discomfort.

Can you please share your “5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)

No 1 — has to be learn the Total Release Experience® — although it becomes an intuitive practice, initially it isn’t. We are all animals and like animals have the ability to release tension from the body. Tension that may well have accumulated over a lifetime and gets stored in the Psoas muscle. People who have tried everything to improve their wellbeing over the years often at great expense, have discovered they can do it themselves.

With the practice that heals on every level just one person’s story would highlight that. Mark is an inmate where we work. When we met him last year, he was angry and a heavy drug addict. He is now clean, anger free, physically fit and looking forward to life outside in the new year. In his own words, he owes his life to the practice he learned. He has shared his full story with me for sharing.

No 2. Yoga, maybe not on everyone’s radar. Often seen as a soft option. But Yoga can challenge on every level but is also adaptable to every level. It allows people to connect with their body through the breath which is also a challenge at the start. Sally shared only recently how since she started yoga, her back pain is reduced, she is sleeping better and certainly feels happier.

No 3 — Read. Taking time out to read something positive is something often, when feeling low do not want to do. The mind is not always focused or clear. Finding a positive inspirational read can benefit us as it can lift spirits, raise hope, change our thinking and give a feel-good factor. I bought a book for a client that changed her mindset to a positive forward thinking one. As she worked with me on a physical level the book changed her thinking. She became focused and hopeful. She gave up gambling after years, paid back her debt, built her savings and is soon to be moving into her own home.

No 4 — Consider having a dog. This is not what most who do not have or ever have had a dog, might think of. If taking a dog of course there are costs involved and unless the cost is considered and doable then it’s a no go. Dogs have the amazing ability to connect on a therapeutic level. They can become a best friend. But most importantly dogs need exercise so they get the body moving , walking out with a dog is a great way to meet other people and chat even make new friends, dogs make one feel safe and can put a smile on the face. Perfect for those on their own. I know a man who did this and what a change in him. Every day he goes for two long walks, he has purpose and that works on every level.

No 5 — Have a purpose. Having no purpose in life without even realising it can be the reason one feels down on all levels with that ‘cannot be bothered’ feeling. There never seems to be a reason to get out of bed. There is always something we can do to give to society or the community or the neighborhood or to those in our life. We no longer become the centre of the universe and put others first. It can be transformational. Whether that is volunteering for example with the homeless, in a hospital, Samaritans, or Age concern. Helping or supporting an elderly neighbour or a friend in need maybe with gardening or shopping. Having a purpose to get up in the morning is key in my view and the best example I can use is my own. Sharing my work and transforming lives is what stops me from hanging up my boots and becoming one of those ‘neighbours ‘ that might need help!

As an expert, this might be obvious to you, but I think it would be instructive to articulate this for the public. Aside from weight loss, what are 3 benefits of daily exercise? Can you explain?

1. Keep joints moving. If they don’t move, they become stiff, that includes the spine. Joints get stiff and muscles get tight, posture changes and so does wellbeing.

2. Keep the body systems functioning, including circulatory, allowing the blood to flow, heart rate increases. The respiratory system improves as lungs work a little harder. Digestive system gets stimulated to improve bowel movement too. Muscles strengthen, lengthen and become more flexible. The body becomes stronger.

3. Focus the mind. When the mind is chatting away and full of negative thoughts, they impact the muscular body. When focused on exercise the mind starts to clear of negativity and becomes more open. The thoughts then become more positive and optimistic as the chemicals including dopamine that gives us all a feel-good factor when it kicks in.

For someone who is looking to add exercise to their daily routine, which 3 exercises would you recommend that are absolutely critical?

From nothing at all I recommend:

1. Breath awareness exercises to focus the mind — such as abdominal breathing or alternate nostril breathing.

2. Simple stretches, to give a range of movement. Stretch up, sideways, backwards, twist and forward fold. All can be simple but effective to get moving.

3. Walk, jog or swim.

In my experience, many people begin an exercise regimen but stop because they get too sore afterwards. What ideas would you recommend to someone who plays sports or does heavy exercise to shorten the recovery time, and to prevent short term or long term injury?

In yoga there is a simple philosophy — all things in moderation. Many people become almost addictive to exercise as they mask an underlying problem. Whatever the reason, pace yourself in what you do, then you give your body time to process and benefit.

Know your limits and don’t push. Build up adding a little more in time or repeats to whatever exercise is undertaken.

Apply common sense — if it hurts it is not good, don’t let the ego be the driver. Take advice from the expert in the field of exercise being undertaken. Plenty of that online if no teacher/trainer involved.

There are so many different diets today. Can you share what kind of diet you follow? Which diet do you recommend to most of your clients?

The only diet I follow is a balanced one. I am busy with my work, so my husband does the cooking. I am lucky he chooses well. I rarely eat red meat rather more fish and chicken. We all know we can have too much of a good thing. Again, all things in moderation. I do enjoy treats like anybody else, but don’t overindulge. Diets can be fads and so crash, rapid weight loss then all back on again. I guess my diet works alongside exercise as I do not have a weight problem. I know if I became more sedentary began eating late at night I could well have a problem as neither are good.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?

Yes, a book called The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. When I started to read it and follow through it bought some incredible changes to my life and I still follow through with the concept today. The Secret to me is all about careful what you wish for! If you keep putting out negative thoughts like I can’t, or I don’t want then you will find you keep getting more of what you don’t want. Change your thoughts, put out to the universe what you do want. You don’t have to keep asking either. I have lots of fascinating stories about this and I guess standing up in front of 99 people from around the world and saying, ‘I am going back to make this happen in the UK’. The universe was listening and that’s why I am where I am today with my work which no one here had ever heard of. See it, ask for it, believe you will get it. If it is meant for you it will happen as it has for me on many occasions.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I am currently focused on my mission to build a global movement to empower 1 million people to empty their stress bucket and shine their Diamond. I want to educate people to know that their body can heal from the past and build resilience, which we all need in this world. When adults heal, they do not pass their ‘baggage’ on to their children. They break the chains and allow their children to set themselves free. So, our world can become happier and healthier as more and more become balanced on all levels, physically, mentally and emotionally.

On an expedition/challenge to Malawi last October, I connected with 9 adults and now 19 of them under my guidance are sharing the practice with the children of their community and fellow adults. It is having a great impact on their mental health, where poverty, abandonment and abuse are among the big problems for them. I truly believe with the right communications getting out there we can make changes and improve wellbeing anywhere.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

‘If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got’. I like this quote; it is a reminder for me that if not happy with things the way they are then we all have choice and can change things. I have made many changes in my life so that I don’t get ‘stuck’ as many do.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

One person that keeps coming to mind for me is Kirsty Young. I knew I wanted to connect with her as soon as the story broke how she had to take time out of work because of panic and anxiety attacks. I tried to communicate with her through her manager. Clearly it fell on deaf ears! I see she has now had to resign to the fact she will not return to work. She has Fibromyalgia, a condition they say there is no cure for. But there is a reason why the body suffers and there is a way to heal. I would love to share that knowledge with her over breakfast or lunch and give her hope.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Mea culpa — I have all social media connections, but time dictates I am not putting out as much as I could do.

But I can be found on

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/treuk/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter — https://twitter.com/TREUK

Linkdin — https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-purvey-64235526/

Instagram — tre.uk


Women In Wellness: Caroline Purvey of TRE UK On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Andy Singh of Nuvata: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis or CBD…

Andy Singh of Nuvata: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis or CBD Business

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

How to navigate sale cycles and buyers in the industry. I was very confident that Nuvata would get into a lot of stores when we launched, but in reality, it was very rough. I wish I would have known that it would take several weeks to get into one store and that we needed to be more competitive on pricing and pitching.

As part of my series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis Business” I had the pleasure of interviewing Andy Singh.

Nuvata gets it. From the cheery and brightly colored outer housings and oh, so intensely flavored oils, to their uniquely potent, proprietary strain balances, let’s just say that these memorable oils get me stoned! I’m excited about the taste and the smell and of course the buzz as they do it all for me. Nuvata makes my life easier and shall I tell you about all the compliments that I get from people when they see Nuvata for the first time? Well, there are a lot of interested people who know what time it is, cannabis speaking that is. Nuvata should be from another planet, because there is nothing that I’ve ever tried from this planet that even comes close to the intensity and awareness of this vape pen. I know the news has been all bad as of late surrounding bootleg oils from uncertain sources. Do yourself a favor, close your mind for a moment. Sure there are bad actors, but Nuvata is all about goodness, wellness, happiness and synchronicity. I’m a massive fan. Nuvata is purely delicious! Rest your mind, this is purely delicious.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you share with us the story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was always an appreciative cannabis consumer. I’ve used cannabis at different frequencies throughout my life, it’s helped me a lot in several ways. Additionally, I’ve always had a knack for studying origins. As an Indian, I have an indigenous attachment because it was culturally utilized centuries ago in India. Culturally, there was always love, admiration, and appreciation for plant medicine.

Upon graduating from university, I started a logistics business. It became a successful business, but I never had that passion needed to take it to the next level. When California legalized cannabis in 2016, I had the most powerful tool I needed to get into the cannabis industry: My dad’s blessings (as I come from a conservative family). My father rose above stigma and saw the opportunity while acknowledging cannabis is herbal medicine.”

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

It’s been fascinating watching the industry change throughout the years. Some states are riding the wave better than others. For example, California hasn’t reached its full potential due to entry barriers, licensing requirements, market fragmentation, the illicit market, and high taxes. Many regulators didn’t know what they were doing — the cannabis industry was new for both the people getting into the industry and for those high up in the government.

I’ve seen a lot of companies start with a lot of funding and end up going bankrupt. In this industry, being well capitalized doesn’t mean that you’ll be successful– burning too much money, operating at a loss, or having to raise more funds puts you in a tough position. So, one thing I’ve learned is to operate your business sustainably and to keep your growth parallel to the industry. For instance, there are only 900 retailers in California that are trying to service 45 million people. We need at least 5,000 retailers to match California consumer demand and flush out the illicit market, which is going to take several years. So in California, you need to be mentally prepared to grow your brand organically by taking it slow and steady.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The most challenging part for Nuvata was getting our products into a store. The process could take anywhere from 4–6 weeks — and that’s if the first attempt was successful. If the buyer wasn’t interested, you had to go back months later and make a second attempt. We were also trying to get into several stores at once. Each store has a different personality and different buyers, so it was very challenging. When we launched in 2019, we hadn’t realized how saturated the market was and how tough it would be to get into these stores. Even though no one was doing it like us, with a carefully curated form factor, beautiful packaging, phenomenal flavours, and great effects, we still had trouble getting attention from physical stores.

I definitely overspent on marketing during that time, but it still wasn’t enough to get our products into stores. So the learning lesson here ties back to the idea of operating sustainably, leveraging leaner tactics for sales and marketing, and paralleling your growth with the industry.

Are you working on any exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We’re very excited to expand our offerings. Currently, we’re working on the launch of our Flow series, a CBD-dominant ratio line with new flavors, which will help people achieve the therapeutic effects of a high-CBD strain without strong psychoactivity. Additionally, we are expanding in newer markets outside California for early 2023.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I don’t think I could have achieved what I have without my dad. He helped teach me ambition and willpower and he was a financial supporter from the beginning. His financial support allowed me to make some investments in the cannabis space. Eventually, I launched Nuvata, and it’s been amazing so far.. My dad gave me a jumpstart in the very beginning, and I’m so grateful for his support.

This industry is young, dynamic and creative. Do you use any clever and innovative marketing strategies that you think large legacy companies should consider adopting?

  • Requested to Omit

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Cannabis industry? Can you share 3 things that most concern you?

There are so many aspects of the cannabis industry that are exciting to me.

  1. “The novelty of the cannabis industry. Cannabis is an entirely new industry and we’re the first people to be a part of it. Cannabis regulation makes me think of the post-prohibition era when alcohol companies came in for the first time. The cannabis industry is primed for a massive explosion, and we’re paving the way by molding it with the popular vote. We’re only in the beginning — and that’s one of the most exciting parts.
  2. The opportunity for new brands and companies to rise. There is no Coca-Cola or Budweiser of cannabis. People always say, “this brand will be the next one.” Someone could launch a very strong and innovative brand, do everything right, and become one of the top five brands in California — but rankings are not permanent. This industry is so dynamic that there are still opportunities to make a name for yourself. I think that’s an inspiring place to be in the industry.
  3. It’s a fun business to be a part of! The cannabis community and the culture of the industry is really like no other. The networking mixers, investment mixers, and conferences all have such a fun, welcoming vibe. You get to interact with many different people — The diversity we have is unlike any other industry.”

There are a few parts of the cannabis business that are concerning, just like with any other industry.

  1. The continued presence of the unregulated market. In California specifically, illegal operators only get a slap on the wrist when they’re caught. There are no real repercussions or hard consequences. Regulated cannabis products are much safer and of higher quality. Both the products and the business itself in the unlicensed cannabis market are much more dangerous. That’s the scary part — if they get caught, they’ll start up again. Illicit operations harm the legitimacy and safety of the cannabis industry as a whole, so it’s tough.
  2. The over-regulation of taxes and fees. In most legal states, you have the state taxes and then you have the city taxes. This double-whammy is tricky because it eats away at the profitability of your business. It’s so difficult to operate a cannabis business, and excessive taxes take the juice out of all the hard work. When restructuring taxes, regulators need to consider the long-term business feasibility of all of the industries and businesses in their state. Section 280E at the federal level is still one of the biggest challenges for a cannabis business.
  3. The difficulties with banking and access to capital. The cannabis industry still doesn’t have the accessibility that other industries have. I think when regulators decriminalize cannabis at the federal level, it’ll open many financial opportunities. Cannabis companies would gain access to so many financial resources and products if cannabis was decriminalized and the industry was treated as a standard business. There are a few initiatives in progress; the SAFE Banking Act went to the House of Representatives multiple times, but it’s been shut down by the Senate. Another bill to decriminalize cannabis completely has been approved by the house but is still sitting in the Senate. There is a constant back-and-forth and conflicts of ideology, but I’m pretty optimistic that our persistence will inevitably lead to reform.”

Can you share your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis Business”? Please share a story or example for each.

  1. How to navigate sale cycles and buyers in the industry. I was very confident that Nuvata would get into a lot of stores when we launched, but in reality, it was very rough. I wish I would have known that it would take several weeks to get into one store and that we needed to be more competitive on pricing and pitching.
  2. How to balance a budget. As I mentioned, we spent way too much on marketing in the beginning. I wish I would have recognized the reality of our sales growth to stabilize us better instead of over-anticipating.
  3. The importance of having backups for our vendors. We work with multiple vendors from sourcing to service providers such as raw material providers and a co-packer. Sometimes, one of these vendors has its own internal issues, which screws up our supply chain. I wished I’d planned for multiple options. If one couldn’t perform, I would have had backups who could to avoid hurdles in our sales demand.
  4. The importance of relationships within the cannabis industry. I wish I’d participated in and joined the right allegiances and organizations. If you’re a part of the cannabis industry, you’re part of the ecosystem and are connected with other people who you can network with and potentially partner with. Recognizing this earlier on would have helped me in my startup phase.
  5. How to partner with a movement or other organization Many retailers, especially in California, will only work with brands that are partnered with a nonprofit or similar organization. Showing you care about specific causes helps your brand image and business performance.”

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

“As a leader or CEO, you have to empower and understand your employees. You have to care about what they care about. For example, if you put someone in a role where they can’t use their best traits and skills, you’re doing a disservice to both your company and your team. Additionally, you need to empower people through your leadership and make your gratitude evidently known for their contributions to the company. It’s very important to help the people who work for you feel appreciated and have them positioned to be as successful as possible in their defined roles.”

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

“We really are one, derived from the same thing. I’d love to inspire a movement of love and just being able to celebrate each other with unity. Many people in the world have been closed off from that kind of support, and it may create toxicity within. Many people need a reminder that they’re not alone, mental health is very important and I uphold that dearly and plan contribute more towards it.”

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Thank you so much for the time you spent on this, and for your excellent insights!


Andy Singh of Nuvata: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis or CBD… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Annafi Wahed of The Flip Side On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as…

Female Founders: Annafi Wahed of The Flip Side On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Remember to take care of yourself and invest in things that will make your life easier, whether that’s meal delivery service or weekly therapy sessions, or a snazzy desk setup.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Annafi Wahed.

Annafi Wahed, CFA, has a broad array of experience spanning the federal government, non-profit, political, and private sectors. In 2016, she left her role as a Senior Consultant at Ernst & Young to join the Democratic campaign. Walking door to door, she saw firsthand how next-door neighbors could be completely isolated from one another by the media they consume. Annafi launched The Flip Side in 2017 and has spearheaded each new stage of the venture, including an innovative social platform for exchanging ideas with an algorithm that rewards thoughtfulness and bipartisanship.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

Sure! I spent four years in finance after college. During the summer of 2016, I realized I wanted something different. I wanted to make a positive impact on the world, not help big banks avoid regulations. I wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to do long term, but the presidential election piqued my interest. I wanted to play my small part in helping elect the first female president, so I traded in my pencil skirt and heels for jeans and converse. I spent the last four months of the 2016 election cycle as a field organizer for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. Walking door to door, I saw firsthand how next-door neighbors could be completely isolated from one another by the media they consume. I launched The Flip Side as a passion project a few months later.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

There have been so many moments. Most recently, we received an email from a Congressman wishing us luck on our next phase — it turns out he’s been an avid reader for years! I asked for a phone call, and he graciously accepted. We chatted about life in Congress, The Flip Side’s evolution over the years, etc. It was really cool.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I thought things like where the ‘Sign up’ button is or the specific font or shade of purple we use don’t matter — THEY MOST DEF DO! Looking back, it’s comical how naive I was about the importance of good design.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’m eternally grateful for my best friend Katherine. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve called her in tears or in a panic in our 20 years of friendship. She’s my rock!

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

I think plenty of women are founding, or at least trying to found, companies actually; I just don’t think they’re being encouraged or funded at the rates that they should be. VCs and angels still lean heavily male. I have a running joke that in a given week, I’ll have spoken to more Andrews than women, or more Jakes than women. The prevalence of male decision-makers is why, even though women account for 50 percent of the global population, products and services catering to women are bizarrely seen as a niche market. Until we have more female investors, I don’t think we’re going to solve the problem of too few female founders.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

Here are some ideas for VCs:

  1. Normalize detailed pitch decks. If we founders could have 40 sentences instead of only 20, you would save yourselves a lot of calls. It would be much more time efficient, and there’s be less room for biased error if the data is in writing.
  2. Get rid of the need for warm intros. Make clear your investment thesis on your website and create a form for founders to fill out that asks specific questions that help you evaluate whether their company meets your criteria. If criteria are met, schedule a call.
  3. So much of the decision-making process rides on the vibes a junior analyst is feeling (or not feeling) on that first call. There needs to be systematic audits of the decision-making process (another reason to have detailed pitch decks). Why did THIS founder warrant a second call but not THAT one?
  4. Not always of course, but on average, women and men communicate differently. Me saying “I’m reasonably confident we can do x” is the equivalent of male founders’ “hell yes, we can do that by next week no problem.” I try to correct myself now, but it’s also on VCs to listen better.
  5. Always ask, “is there anything you want to add that we didn’t cover?” at the end of the meeting. Sometimes an investor will get sidetracked on a side quest and it’s hard for me to revert the conversation back without seeming rude. That five minutes at the end would be super helpful.
  6. If you are not the target market and haven’t spent a considerable amount of time researching the target market, don’t use your wife/girlfriend/son/dude at the gym as your single data point when evaluating a product or service.
  7. Outreach! The Seven Sister colleges would be one low-hanging fruit (I’m a Bryn Mawr alum myself). There are tons of other easy ways.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

There’s nothing like the adventure of building something from the ground up. When you’re a bootstrapped founder, you must do literally everything; you’re the IT person, customer service rep, janitor, social media manager, editor, and chief strategist. Even now with an incredible team behind me, my hands are in everything. There’s no such thing as “I can’t/don’t know how to do that”; there’s only “Ok, let’s figure out how to make this happen.” It’s incredibly empowering.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

That founder tweeting about waking up at 4 am, downing a protein shake, hitting the gym, and getting into a flow state by 5 am? Yeah, chances are they’re a hot mess the other six days of the week. We’re all faking it til we make it!

Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

George Bernard Shaw wrote, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” Every founder I know is persistent/stubborn (depending on your view) beyond what is “reasonable.” If you’re not willing to go the distance for what you believe in, you’re probably not going to like being a founder.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

  1. Everything takes twice as long as you think it will; sometimes it takes weeks just to get on someone’s calendar. Plan accordingly.
  2. Many people will want to share in your success, but few will help you get there. Steer away from talkers and toward doers. The guy who’s talked your ear off in three separate meetings but hasn’t made a single intro? Drop him. The woman who’s made two intros already AND just offered to look over your mockups? She’s a keeper. Actions speak louder than words. Surround yourself with doers!
  3. Design matters! We more than tripled our conversion rate when we hired an agency to rebuild our website.
  4. Few people understand just how stressful starting a company is; be patient with family and friends who may not always know how best to be supportive/helpful.
  5. Remember to take care of yourself and invest in things that will make your life easier, whether that’s meal delivery service or weekly therapy sessions, or a snazzy desk setup.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

My startup is very much mission driven. We’re working to bridge the gap between liberals and conservatives in this polarized era. We hear from readers weekly that our humble newsletter makes a tangible difference in their lives — helping them understand and connect with family, friends, or coworkers with whom they disagree. We also just launched a new online forum that we hope will become the intellectual salon to Twitter’s chaotic town square!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Our future is bleak if we continue living in the world Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey created. We’re the nation that defeated the Nazis. We went to the moon in under a decade. We developed a vaccine for a novel virus in less than a year. SURELY we can find a way out of the troll farms. The Flip Side is leading the way, and I hope everyone reading this will join us!

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

I would love to meet Elon Musk and talk about the future of Twitter and ways to design online spaces where thoughtful, nuanced conversations can flourish. The trillion-dollar question remains: is there a way to marginalize the bad actors and trolls without squashing free speech? We have some ideas and would love to partner with Twitter to test them at scale.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.


Female Founders: Annafi Wahed of The Flip Side On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Keith Bendes On Five Ways Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Sponsored Posts: The biggest monetization tool influencers have is brand partnerships, which is where I spend most of my personal time. Brands are so hungry to work with influential voices who resonate with their consumers, so having a proactive approach to working with those brands serves influencers well. More specifically, this means signing up for influencer platforms that can match profiles with brands, creating toolkits that demonstrate value and highlight the audiences, and being prescriptive about personal experiences and passions to align with brands with similar DNA.

As part of our series about “How Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Keith Bendes On Five Ways For Influencers To Monetize Their Brand.

Labeled a leading voice in the intersection of marketing and technology by Forbes, Keith has led sales and marketing strategy for some of the world’s largest and most innovative brands, including Ben & Jerry’s, Bud Light, Dove, Axe, Pepsi, Nissan, and Microsoft. Keith has spoken on many of the biggest marketing stages with the brightest brand thinkers, from CPG global leaders to tech icons. Check out Keith’s Forbes page and blog for industry analysis on all things marketing and technology.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit more. What is your “backstory”? What brought you to this point in your career?

The psychology of influence always captivated me. Growing up, I was very much an entrepreneur in training, concocting new businesses as early as the age of 10 and selling inventions around my neighborhood. I discovered that if I recruited friends to help me sell, they would perform better at some houses than I could — and their performance was a product of their ability to relate and connect to each individual household. I learned that the voice delivering the message was a key determinant of the impact on the listener, which today, helps me explain the meteoric rise of influencers and creators in marketing.

Fast forward many years, and I had the ability to see how that lesson translated on the brand side during my tenure at Unilever, the agency side during my time at Float, and ultimately, on the influencer platform side now at Linqia. Influencers are quickly becoming the predominant way the everyday person gets information — from product recommendations to the news, influencers deliver. Users want information from trusted, authentic, relatable sources on their own terms, and in my role, I get to spend each day helping brands find the right influencer partners who will effectively translate their brand messages.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you in the course of your career?

When I was in the very beginning stages of my career, I interned at a sports marketing firm and helped identify optimal athlete and brand partnerships. In those days, it was all about celebrity sponsorships; the idea of a micro-influencer or an influencer did not exist.

I was very young and, therefore, was assigned a lot of the grunt work, but since I was a major sports fan, I loved the job and being around athletes and sports personalities. I remember one day, I was in the apartment of one of the biggest baseball stars in the world, and as a star-struck kid, I didn’t say or do much other than place the equipment in front of him so he could sign his autograph.

He made an effort to engage me, which he absolutely didn’t have to, and we proceeded to have a conversation that I will never forget. The two lessons I learned during that conversation were the following:

1. You belong in every room and have the expertise to offer that no one else does, so share it proudly.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want because it will never be handed to you.

I held onto those lessons throughout my career.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

One of the most rewarding aspects of influencer marketing is working with brands to partner with influencers in support of social causes. I had the honor of working with some of the most inspiring brands in the world on activations that drive positive change in society. From our work with Chevrolet on the “Authentic Voices of Pride” campaign to Midol on our “No Apologies. Period.” campaign, both addressed somewhat “taboo” topics and, in turn, made significant contributions to the LGBTQ+ and women-focused communities worldwide.

Not only are these activations fulfilling for the people involved in bringing them to life, but they delivered better results for the brands, which proves that doing good is also good business. I hope to do much more social impact work in the coming years as brands increasingly prioritize these initiatives.

You have been blessed with great success in a career path that many have attempted, but eventually gave up on. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path but know that their dreams might be dashed?

Unfortunately, we have a society that over-celebrates and romanticizes quick success. For most people, success does not happen overnight; it takes many years of riding the waves of progress and setbacks. My advice for anyone, in this industry or otherwise, is to find something you love doing because you will have a much better chance of succeeding. Success is not just about titles and money — loving the work needs to be a critical part of the calculation.

Every line of business has a natural tendency to weed out the people who don’t really want to be doing the work long-term. Those who do become part of the community, and the community props everyone up. So, part of success is unquestionably patience and time.

I would also say that I spent a short stint working in finance at an investment bank, and while many people around me were financially successful beyond anything I could have imagined at the time, that monetary success did not translate to happiness. So, I encourage all to find work that creates happiness, and financial success will follow.

None of us can achieve success without a bit of help along the way. Is there a particular person who made a profound difference in your life to whom you are grateful? Can you share a story?

My parents and family deserve most of the credit for my success in life. I was raised by two highly intelligent, loving people who were very successful in their own rights. Most of my business acumen comes directly from my father, and my never-ending thirst for learning and curiosity comes from my mother. I will never take for granted my upbringing and the fact that many don’t have the same benefit.

I was also very lucky to have incredibly talented bosses and colleagues along the way. I credit my team at Unilever for giving me a Masters-like education in business, my team at Float for teaching me what hustle really means, and my team at Linqia for teaching me how humanity and business can and must intersect. There are great people in every company; it’s beholden on each of us to find those people and absorb everything we can in their presence.

So, what are the most exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

There are many campaigns for which we have immense pride — three of which we won Influencer, Social Media, and PR awards for in the last month, which is a testament to the impact these campaigns have on communities. One campaign is a multi-year project to garner attention for important topics that impact the LGBTQ+ community (such as justice reform and raising LGBTQ+ kids). Another campaign focused on encouraging women to stop apologizing for their period symptoms, especially since data shows that 62 percent of menstruators under the age of 40 apologize for their period. We have also worked with an allergy brand for a multi-year initiative to inspire children to spend more time outside, which can be challenging given how much time is currently spent indoors using technology. All of these campaigns have social impact goals, and brands are stepping up to play a more active role in solving big societal challenges in collaboration with influential voices can make a difference in their communities. I’m proud of the brands that are taking action and everyone who contributes to bringing these campaigns to life.

What are your “Top Five Ways That Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

  1. Sponsored Posts: The biggest monetization tool influencers have is brand partnerships, which is where I spend most of my personal time. Brands are so hungry to work with influential voices who resonate with their consumers, so having a proactive approach to working with those brands serves influencers well. More specifically, this means signing up for influencer platforms that can match profiles with brands, creating toolkits that demonstrate value and highlight the audiences, and being prescriptive about personal experiences and passions to align with brands with similar DNA.
  2. Content Creation: Many brands need content for their own social media (and other digital properties). They may not be interested in an influencer’s social reach, but they just want high-quality content. These are great partnership opportunities that allow influencers to become content creators and for brands to power their brand-owned channels.
  3. Products: Influencers have many tools at their disposal to create and sell products. Some companies make this very easy and integrate with social platforms (such as Spring), so influencers don’t need to have their own manufacturing and distribution systems. In many cases, it’s less about the merchandise itself and more about giving communities a way to financially support influencers in exchange for something tangible. Influencers such as Mr. Beast are the extreme versions of this process — he can sell millions of products with immediate impact — but all influencers can have their own product strategy to generate income.
  4. Subscriptions: Communities value influencer content and they will pay for special access. Enabling subscriptions on various social channels or websites is a way for viewers to contribute to the influencers’ art, and ideally, the influencer can provide extra access such as behind-the-scenes content, exclusive streams, and more, which provides a VIP status-type feeling alongside their subscription.
  5. Events/Activations: Brands invest significantly in experiential activations for their audiences. These can include music festivals, sporting events, conferences, and other similar experiences. Having influencer partners represent those brands can deliver significant value and become a new revenue stream for the influencer. Don’t underestimate how much the physical world can provide to influencers who made their name in the digital world.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Two words: online positivity. There is a very large social networking company with positivity ambassadors all over the country who commit to posting a certain number of positive messages each week. They do this because data shows that positivity is contagious, and one positive message leads to many more. In a world where social media can be highly negative, which can have a significant impact on people’s mental health, movements that promote positivity and aid in creating a healthier, more constructive social media landscape is something I am very passionate about.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this. 🙂

I’ve always been very inspired by Simon Sinek ever since his original, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” Ted talk went viral. One of the most difficult skills in the world is being able to take complex topics and distill them down to a core, easy-to-understand truth. Simon is the best example of doing just that, and he can break through to business professionals with messaging that is typically perceived as too fluffy for corporate environments. I have an incredible amount of respect for Simon and would love to spend a meal listening to his widow.

What is the best way our readers can follow your work online?

I am an avid LinkedIn user, so I post a lot on that platform. It’s the best way to follow my real-time interpretation of industry events. I also write a lot of content for Linqia given my day job, so following Linqia on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook means you are following me. My team produces a fantastic LinkedIn newsletter called “Influencer Marketing Roundup,” which covers the top stories in influencer marketing and social media, so I consider that a must-read. You may also see me on a podcast in the near future…but more on that coming soon!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.


Keith Bendes On Five Ways Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Angela Bradford of World Financial Group: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I would love to share some strategies that helped me and hopefully they can help others. The first strategy, and I feel the biggest separator, was a sense of self-belief. I knew I could win. I believed in my ability to conquer whatever I set my mind to. I remember when I made my first paycheck for $350, and I knew I could make a million. That is self-belief.

As a part of our series about “dreamers who ignored the naysayers and did what others said was impossible”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Angela Bradford.

Angela is a Senior Marketing Director with World Financial Group. Within just over six years of transitioning from the blue collar world of trucking and training horses, to the white collar world of finances and training people, she has opened multiple offices and started expansion into two countries. She has an amazing team working with her and has the goal of having a licensed agent in every state and province in North America in the next 5 years.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know you’ a bit better. Can you tell us your ‘backstory’?

Thank you for having me! I came from a great family who homeschooled me and for that I am very grateful. We were also a very strict family. I grew up with lots of rules which I didn’t like. I left home therefore as soon as I turned 18 and ventured out on my own.

Horses and driving quickly became my passion and they took me to different continents, states and provinces, over the course of the next 14–15 years. From there I was introduced to the financial industry and felt led to follow that change in career path. I have been running my own brokerage for over 6 years now.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I sure am! I am working to help others create new mindsets and legacies for their families. I love helping build generational wealth and complete freedom for others.

In your opinion, what do you think makes your company or organization stand out from the crowd?

I believe our company stands out because we are a brokerage. What that means is we aren’t restricted to one company or product, but instead can shop the market for the best option for our client. I’ve had clients come in that have been declined proper protection for their families from various other institutions, and I’ve been able to get them covered because I can find companies that will work with them.

It’s a fulfilling feeling to find the best option for people when they think they have no options.

Ok, thank you for that. I’d like to jump to the main focus of this interview. Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us? What was your idea? What was the reaction of the naysayers? And how did you overcome that?

I love these questions! When I went to transition from truck driving to financial services, I had a lot of people ask me what I was doing. Even once I started in the financial industry, I had a lot of naysayers saying that I had picked a silly company, or that they didn’t know why I had quit a good job, or all kinds of things like that. I understand that they were people that cared about me and just had my best interests at heart.

Here’s the thing though, most people that try to stop you from fulfilling your dreams don’t give you a better dream to fulfill. No one offered to pay for my retirement. No one offered to give me freedom of time. They just wanted to take away my dream because they were scared to try their own.

How did I overcome it? I just went to work and did it anyway. Success is the best way to quiet the negative people in our lives.

In the end, how were all the naysayers proven wrong? 🙂

Great question! I went out and built and continue to build a business and life that most of them said I couldn’t do. I proved my supporters right and my naysayers wrong by my results.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are so many people who have helped shape my life. The couple that introduced me to my business stand out right now. Adam and Savannah Dawe are two of the most genuine and hardworking people I know. They care immensely for their agency and their family.

They took me in as a truck driver who didn’t show a lot of promise and were definitely instrumental in transforming me into the person I am today. Not everyone would have the patience or understanding to work with someone like I was when I started in the financial industry.

I am very grateful for their leadership and also for so many others who have helped me along the journey.

It must not have been easy to ignore all the naysayers. Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share the story with us?

This is very true. It is not easy to ignore the naysayers, especially when there are people that are close to you. I remember one friend, who sent me a message after I’d been in the business a couple years, warning me of all the pitfalls of working with the company I was with, listing all the reasons why I shouldn’t be doing what I was doing, and even including web pages to back up her point.

It was tough to read, however, I realized that she was a very negative person about a lot of things. It wasn’t about me and my business, rather it was a reflection of how she felt about life. The concept of taking a risk scared her, and so my endeavors were a mirror of the things she wished she could try.

One of the things I discovered was that those who try stop you from doing new things are really just scared of doing new things themselves. Look for the people that support you, and normally you’ll find that they are very successful people in their own right.

Based on your experience, can you share 5 strategies that people can use to harness the sense of tenacity and do what naysayers think is impossible? (Please share a story or an example for each)

I would love to share some strategies that helped me and hopefully they can help others. The first strategy, and I feel the biggest separator, was a sense of self-belief. I knew I could win. I believed in my ability to conquer whatever I set my mind to. I remember when I made my first paycheck for $350, and I knew I could make a million. That is self-belief.

The second strategy piggybacks on the first one. One way to build self-belief is self-talk. Drown out the words of the naysayers, with your own words of self-affirmation. I remember telling myself in the mirror over and over again, “You got this.” I said the words until I believed them.

The third strategy that comes to mind, is the ability to focus on your goals and ignore the present while staying focused on the future. An example of this would be when people would point out how I WASN’T making much money, I chose to focus on how much I WOULD be making soon!

The fourth thing that helped me was realizing who was doing the naysaying. Normally, if not always, it was someone that wasn’t as successful as I wanted to be. Normally it was someone that didn’t have the relationships I wanted. In other words, usually it was someone that didn’t have the life I wanted.

The 5th and final strategy that comes to mind, is associations. I made sure that I was surrounded by people who did believe in me. People who stretched me to reach higher. People who are better than me at so many things. Associations are very important to success, and they can empower you when you feel knocked down.

What is your favorite quote or personal philosophy that relates to the concept of resilience?

My favorite quote is “things happen for us not to us.” Everything that happens in our life is for a reason, it’s up to us to figure out what it is. When we think this way, when something “bad” happens, we can realize that it happened for a reason. We can then find the reason, grow, and move on.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

The movement I am working toward is empowering women to become their true amazing selves and help change the world. I want to encourage and inspire women to rise up and use their voices to make the impact in the world for good that I know we can make together

Can our readers follow you on social media?

The easiest place to find me is Instagram at @realangelabradford as well as I also have a podcast called “One Starfish with Angela Bradford”. I look forward to connecting!

Thank you for these great stories. We wish you only continued success!


Angela Bradford of World Financial Group: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Marthe Vangman On Five Ways For Influencers To Monetize Their Brand

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Build equity — Work with brands on long-term collaborations, and ask for equity in the company that you’re promoting the product for. You’re essentially helping them build their business by creating brand awareness through your audience, so don’t be afraid to ask for equity and ownership (even if a small percentage) in return. This might not be immediate monetization, but has huge potential upside in the long-term.

As part of our series about “How Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Marthe Vangman.

Marthe Vangman is an entrepreneur and talent executive who specializes in working with content creators and brands. She has experience working with talent ranging from musicians, comedians, gamers, to even kids creators. After learning about the importance of narrative-driven marketing at the start of her career, she has focused on helping creators use content, their audience, and turn their brand into sustainable businesses.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit more. What is your “backstory”? What brought you to this point in your career?

I started my career in the music business, working with musical artists. I had an internship at YM&U, which is an international talent management company that led to lots of opportunities.At the same time I was also helping launch and lead a music experience and live events business with Studiotime, which you can think of as the “Airbnb for music studios”. I helped them launch a live events part of the business, which included event planning, talent management, and scaling the business from the first few events to multiple cities. I also started working on separate projects with content creators, where I was helping them navigate how they could build their brand and career.

All of these past experiences eventually led me to Invisible Narratives, a creator entertainment company founded by Adam Goodman and Michael Bay with the purpose to bring professional Hollywood storytelling and franchise building to the digital world. We work with creators to build out IP and brands that are separate from their own name and likeness.

I think what brought me to this point in my career is that I’m a people person, so I love meeting new people and also connecting them through my network. Being part of really great companies, teams, and connecting talented people has led to both personal and professional relationships that are valuable in the long-term.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you in the course of your career?

One time I was planning an event, and the day before we were a bit worried that no one would show up. I then started to DM creators on Instagram, inviting them to the event. Let’s just say we really underestimated the power of social media, and when we opened the door to the event there was a line that was several blocks down the road. Around 700 people showed up and we were completely shocked! The capacity of the building was way below that and we even had to decline some people. The event turned out to be super successful, so in the end it was a big win and I was relieved that so many people came out to support us.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I try to inspire others, and teach people to not be afraid to try things out. I think many people are scared to fail, which can hold them back from creating opportunities that can lead to something so much better. I like to share my “failure”-stories with people in order to make them understand that no matter what, there’s always a solution. Through my success, I also like to create opportunities for others. This could be in the form of connecting people with others, or helping people out in any way possible. It’s the most rewarding feeling in the world when someone gets a job, experience or another type of opportunity because of my help.

You have been blessed with great success in a career path that many have attempted, but eventually gave up on. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path but know that their dreams might be dashed?

First of all, there isn’t one clear path to success. The Influencer business is still very new and is evolving every day. If I could share a few words of advice it would be to study the social media space, learn how the various platforms work, and identify the influencers that are at the top creators on each platform. Watch tons and tons of content, read comments to see what connects with the audience, and start to identify the patterns. Educate yourself on what methods brands use in order to market themselves through Influencer marketing, what works, and see how they build strong brands. By doing this you can start to deconstruct what’s working for the best creators and brands. Learn from them and also, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want when you’re pursuing your passion!

None of us can achieve success without a bit of help along the way. Is there a particular person who made a profound difference in your life to whom you are grateful? Can you share a story?

I’ve been lucky enough to have several “mentors” in my career, but there’s one in particular who has guided me through both life and business. Since I’m from Norway, this person has taught me a lot about how business works in the US, and also about entrepreneurship in general. He’s always told me he believes in me, and pushed me into a mindset that anything is possible. He also taught me the importance of creating our own opportunities, instead of waiting for one. He has built multiple businesses from the ground up, and I’m so grateful that he wants to share his experiences and tools with me. Having him in my life and someone to turn to for advice has been very important, and I hope that I one day will be that person for someone else.

So what are the most exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

Right now I’m working with a creator to build out a content series and a product line that will include a “bucket-list” game. This game will be a compilation of fun activities of “giving back”, and will let the player choose from different options to give back to someone. It could be anything from giving a stranger a hug, or other simple actions. This project means a lot to me, and hopefully it will inspire and help other people as well.

What are your “Top Five Ways That Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand” . (Please share a story or example for each.)

  1. Create your own product or merch line — Many influencers underestimate the power of creating your own products. This is a great way to connect with your audience through products, while also creating additional revenue.
  2. Window your content — Monetize your content twice! If you post a youtube video, don’t forget to post the same exact video to other social platforms. It takes time to produce content, so why not use it more than one time.
  3. Collaborate with other creators — Be the creator that supports other creators. Establish yourself as a creator that helps others by wearing or talking about their products, instead of looking at them as competitors. This will eventually pay off, and people will do the same for you!
  4. Build out formats — Create your own repeatable format and turn that into IP that you can sell.
  5. Build equity — Work with brands on long-term collaborations, and ask for equity in the company that you’re promoting the product for. You’re essentially helping them build their business by creating brand awareness through your audience, so don’t be afraid to ask for equity and ownership (even if a small percentage) in return. This might not be immediate monetization, but has huge potential upside in the long-term.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

That would be to pay it forward. Everything is so much more fun when shared with others, and being able to help someone is very rewarding. By paying it forward, you do an act of kindness to someone without expecting something back. In turn, that person will do the same to someone else. It can be the smallest of things, to the most life changing things. I believe acts of kindness are part of the key to success, because then people will start to help you in ways you could never imagine.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this. 🙂

Kris Jenner. This woman is an icon when it comes to building brands, and creating franchises in the digital space through influencers. She’s a huge inspiration, as she has built out multiple businesses that she not only has ownership of, but doesn’t have to manage. She understands the value of monetizing a brand through several different avenues, and listening to the audience. With her creative and entrepreneurial mindset she’s managed to build out an empire of businesses. Kris Jenner also started her businesses and gained success in her 50’s, and is a living example that it is never too late to pursue your goals and dreams!

What is the best way our readers can follow your work online?

Follow me on Instagram: @marthevangman

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthe-vaangman-192377130/

See upcoming product drops with Influencers: https://inviz.tv/

Website: marthevangman.com

Thank you so much for the time you spent on this, and for your excellent insights!


Marthe Vangman On Five Ways For Influencers To Monetize Their Brand was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness Nariscia Philip-Peters On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support…

Women In Wellness Nariscia Philip-Peters On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Slow down — we are in a hustle season as a society. We feel that we are dong nothing or wasting time when we rest. But this is key for our bodies to rejuvenate itself and also for our brain to process things. If we don’t learn to slow down our body does it for us and become sick. And no one wants that.

As a part of my series about women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nariscia Nicole Philip-Peters.

Nariscia Nicole is a Wellness and Lifestyle Coach who help C-suite professional women to tap into the power of self-love so that they become as successful on the inside as you are in your career. She is a wife, mother, professional in the oil and gas industry and also business owner.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

My journey started back in 2015. You know when they say everything that can and will go wrong. Well…

I was let go from a job I had been in for a few years, and a month later I had separated from my husband. And we had only recently gotten married. I felt like a failure.

But at my lowest a friend of mine suggested we go to a retreat. It was all about self love and reconnecting with self. I hesitantly agreed because in my mind I don’t need any help. But it turned out to be the best thing I never realized I needed.

And so, my self-love journey began.

Soon my self-confidence came back, and I started working on myself again, signing up for courses and doing things I had put on hold. Two of those courses were Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching and also personal trainer. Both of which I always had a passion for. And this is where my business started to develop. But imposter syndrome would kick in after I graduated from my programs.

It was actually a friend of mine who pushed me into business after months of procrastinating. And within a few weeks of persons around me having that level of confidence in me that Holistically You was born. They saw something I couldn’t, and they believed in me more than I could at the time.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

Earlier in business I would offer my health coaching services for free to one person periodically throughout the year. It was my way of giving back and helping those who couldn’t afford to have a coach at the start of their journey. Unfortunately, not everyone wants help, and some people will make you out to be a villain in their own story to stay in the victim role. Despite providing all the required resources and support the person never progressed and blamed me. I did eventually have to let them go as a client.

What I learnt from that experience were a few things. I should not deviate from my process in any way. Meaning I didn’t go through the vetting process to determine if this person was a good fit for my business.

I can’t help everyone. I am here to guide and provide accountability but ultimately each person is responsible for the level of results they achieve based on the wok they put into themselves.

People may need help in a different way to what I can provide. Childhood traumas and unresolved issues need to be addressed to move forward as a functional healthy adult.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I was the CEO of everything. And I was frustrated, and nothing got done properly. My systems were in a mess as a result because this was not my area of expertise. I had to resolve in myself that for the business to thrive I needed to let others help me. Imagine I messed up a website template. I use to say technology was not my friend, I have since changed my words but at the time I definitely felt that way. I think that was the epiphany moment for me to get help. I hired someone to do my website. I hired a Virtual Assistant. I have had business coaches over the years. All have helped to develop me and my business.

We don’t have to do everything alone. Delegation is key. I am better able to serve others in the way God intended me to

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

I am helping professional women to not only thrive in their careers but other areas of their life as well. Through my own journey in my career, while that area of my life was working well, I realized that I had allowed all the others to fall down tremendously. I had lost a sense of who I was, and I wasn’t happy. This feeling spilled over into my relationships with my spouse, my kids, and others. I recognized that I had to make a change for myself to be a better, balanced person. And once I started doing this I began to feel fulfilled and happy again.

And its the same way I want other women to feel as well. The women I have worked with learn to love the woman that you are more. They start making space for themself in their own everyday life. And they slowly begin to reduce their stress and increase their joy. And when these things become in sync, they now are able to make healthier food choices and want to move their bodies more. They can live happier and healthy lives now.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

  1. Slow down — we are in a hustle season as a society. We feel that we are dong nothing or wasting time when we rest. But this is key for our bodies to rejuvenate itself and also for our brain to process things. If we don’t learn to slow down our body does it for us and become sick. And no one wants that
  2. Set boundaries — when it comes to our job, our business and even our family and friends its integral to set boundaries. And here’s the icing — WE NEED OT STICK TO THESE BOUNDARIES WE HAVE SET. If we keep breaking them then no one sees the need to respect them either.
  3. Find your joy — We need to learn to become childlike again. Find something that sparks us and makes us feel alive. Pick up a hobby, volunteer, anything that gives you a sense of peace
  4. Small changes is better than none — We sometimes feel that in starting our wellness journey we have to make all these grand changes. This for many can feel overwhelming and we soon stop as quickly as we started. Think of those new year’s resolutions most of us make and by February 1st they are just a thing of the past.
  5. Have an accountability partner — Many people don’t need to know what you aim to accomplish but having one person you can trust throughout the process, who will call you out on your ish. This person is so valuable to you. We can go alone but we reach so much further when we do it together.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I recently created my signature program called LoveHER. I want it to become so big that professional women will realize that while their careers are amazing that there are other facets in their life that also needs their attention, love and care just as equally. Its about being unapologetic about pouring into yourself and finding your joy for you as an individual, not the mom you, not the wife you, not the career you, or the daughter you.

I want women to remember that they are just as important in their own life as everything else they place above themselves. When we leave ourself undone we are also showing our children (without realizing it most times) that they are also not important enough because the cycle will continue when they become adults.

My children have been there through out my entire process of unlearning and relearning to love myself and finding my joy. My daughter sense of body positivity is above none, I want her to be so happy within herself that society cant erode it. And this is what LoveHER is about, helping women to love so deep that the legacy lives on. And soon we have a whole society of people that love themselves enough to work on themself, heal the parts that are broken and be gentle enough with themselves during the entire process.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

  1. You cant do everything alone — when we start off in business and even on our wellness journey we won’t know everything, so having an accountability partner, a mentor, someone who has gone through this already is key to help guiding you towards success
  2. Not all money is good money — Yes, we get into business to make money but sometimes a client will prove to be someone who will disturb your peace in a way that no amount of money can compensate for, so choose wisely.
  3. Protect your peace — I am one who goes by energy. In Trinidad and Tobago, we have a saying “my blood take them” It basically means if we vibe, or connect. If my spirit is uncomfortable dealing with you, then it means you are more expensive than I am willing to pay for. Peace of mind is so underrated.
  4. Everyone will not support you and that’s ok — Whether in business or on your wellness journey don’t expect everyone to be on the same page as you. Family and friends are not your clients, remember that. I remember when I was at my heaviest, I would be called lots of mean words, and when I lost the weight, now I was too skinny. You can’t please everyone; some won’t get the journey you are on. Do what’s best for you, your health and your business for growth and sustainability
  5. Your day job can and will replace you in a heartbeat so learn to nurture the important things in your life and create your legacy. Your self-worth in life should not be defined by a thing

Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Interesting options.

My first degree is in Environmental Science and chemistry. And by profession I am also a HSSE Advisor (Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Advisor). So, sustainability and environmental changes is of big concern to me. Even the way my home country of Trinidad and Tobago is affected daily by these changes as well. A lot more rain than we have had in the past and the amount of destruction it has caused as a result from places experiencing flooding to farmers losing food crops.

However, of late mental wellbeing is something I have shifted focus to because I needed to make it a priority in my own life, especially as a woman working in a male dominated environment all while being wife, mother and business owner. There are so many demands put on us as a society, the cultures we grow up in. And as I have grown older and matured, I have recognized that my mental wellbeing is key to ensuring that I am able to function well not only for myself but those that rely on me as well

What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?

I can be found on social media

LinkedIn — @Nariscia Nicole Philip-Peters

Facebook — @Holistically You TT

Instagram — @Holistically_you_tt

Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.

It was my pleasure, Thank You !


Women In Wellness Nariscia Philip-Peters On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Modern Fashion: Frederieke van Doorn of FREY On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion…

Modern Fashion: Frederieke van Doorn of FREY On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

…Open, inclusive communication. Invite your sales team into the world of design, let the production be part of the brand’s bigger picture. This encourages the whole team to have a much better understanding of everyone’s role and how we can all work together to achieve our common goals.

Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?

In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Frederieke van Doorn, Founder & CEO of FREY.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I was born and raised in the Netherlands. From a very young age I was interested in fashion. I often played dress up and put together fashion shows for my parents and friends. As I got older I always dreamed of having my own store or maybe working as a buyer. After thoroughly enjoying my first internship in production in Tunisia, I knew I wanted to move forward in production. I completed my education and moved to China for 12 years where I had my two kids before moving to Hong Kong.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

I studied fashion in Amsterdam after school. I loved the whole process, design, production, sales, etc. Understanding the whole process from start to finish is very important.

Looking at what led me to start working in women’s fashion — after spending many years working in men’s tailoring, I started to realize that women simply did not have the same high-quality formal wear options available to them. When moving to Hong Kong from China, I did my research and asked many women where they shop for work wear or formal tailored pieces and there was no clear answer. There are so many women, who are required to dress formally in their place of work, however, there have been very limited choices available.

At FREY. I have a very talented Head Designer, Yuli Tlilli. She truly makes my dreams come true. I share my ideas and what I want, we work through together, and Yuli then works her creative magic. It’s an incredible process, I love it and truly value my team.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I started right at the bottom; sewing, cutting, and steaming in a very hot factory in China, and this process was done on repeat. I lived and breathed fabric, design, prints. This was a very male dominated industry and I wanted to prove I was just as good, if not better than any man. This was no easy feat, nobody listened to me. I remember after a laborious 8 months one of the factory owners said to me: “I no longer see you as a woman, but as a man,” and this was such a compliment. Today he is one of my best friends.

I pride myself on having the expertise and skills to tailor the best suit for both females and males. We are successful as a company because I understand and can manage the full process of tailoring a suit, and formal garments.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Passion — Make sure you love what you do. If you love it, it will not feel like work, but rather daily achievement towards reaching your dream.

Purpose — You cannot be money driven, but rather purpose-driven. Ask yourself over and over, why do I want to do this, and your answer will drive you to move forward each day.

Flexibility — Are you adaptable and flexible? Owning your own business (especially in covid times) requires you to change direction quickly and effectively.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

There is currently no fashion brand that is dedicated to women’s tailoring and offers tailoring as the core business. Exquisite craftsmanship truly sets us apart and we are dedicated to designing excellently tailored classics that come in a wide variety of sizes and are fashionable for women of any age.

We pride ourselves on fit and choice.

For many women, it is difficult to purchase clothing that fits their body shape perfectly. FREY. offers a wide variety of sizes, and if a customer needs, we have an in-house tailor who can alter the Off the Rack piece to fit exactly. Alternatively, you can Create Your Own garments, where we take exact measurements and work through material choices to tailor garments for the customer.

When it comes to formal workwear, choice is also extremely limited, often women turn to navy and black and wearing the same darker pieces day-in, and day out can become rather mundane. You wear your work clothes for 60 or 70 hours a week and you don’t even like them — this is what drives me. We want our customers to feel empowered in their workwear, and design a variety of colors, patterns, and styles. From basics to the more bold, we can assure women style and comfort in both their workplace and everyday living.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?

For me it is very important to build this brand, company together as a team. If you cannot share, you will not be able to multiply. FREY. is still very young, but in the future I want to involve more key people in the company.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?

Women are seeking suits to wear well beyond the office, and they want the suit to feel easy, effortless and very comfortable. We offer all that and more.

Comfort is king and pairing any suit or formal piece with a pair of stylish sneakers is at the forefront of fashion.

Trends signify a specific look, that is spread across a population, for a short period of time. At the moment, we see a new intake on the 90s everywhere, showcasing everything from sleek silhouettes and heavy glam looks to color blocking and powerful suits. For us, although vintage garments are always a point of inspiration, the reflection of current affairs and seeing real women at work is more significant than a short-lasting trend. Comfort and style are enduring.

Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?

  1. Empowering more women to feel more confident in their everyday — especially in the working world.
  2. FREY. has discovered ways to work with the best quality materials, while adding minimum pressure on mother nature.

Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?

From the get-go our aim has been to do better. Better (much better) tailoring for women, but also better, more eco-friendly ways of working to save our planet. There is a long way to go, but we take our contribution to transforming the global fashion industry very seriously. FREY. will continue to make sustainable choices when and where we can — consciously striving to improve, for you and for our environment.

FREY. has discovered ways to work with the best quality materials, while adding minimum pressure on mother nature.

Deadstock

Our high-quality fabrics come from the most reputable Italian mills. These mills have millions of meters of unsold fabric referred to as ‘deadstock’. We buy this deadstock to produce our garments. In this way we can work with the best quality fabrics without causing the pollution of a new production.

Natural Materials

We use natural materials only and stay away from any fibers that could outlive you and future generations. We use pure wool, cotton, silk, linen, and cashmere and often a combination of the materials together. Ultimately, we want our garments to look and feel their best on you, knowing you will shine your brightest when what’s inside is pure.

Re-purposing fabrics

Even though we work as efficiently as possible with small-scale productions, sometimes we have leftovers of a seasonal print. We can’t use an old print in a new collection so we re-purpose the fabric by overdying it so it can be used as lining in our jackets. We also use the leftover fabric in other parts of a new collection to reduce waste as much as possible.

Buttons

Instead of plastic buttons we use buttons regenerated from shells and nuts. Our mother of pearl shell buttons are made from the inner layers of oyster shells. While their color is natural, they come in different shades, celebrating nature’s diversity.

The nut buttons in our collections are called Corozo Buttons (also known as Tagua or Ivory nut). Naturally white, they can be dyed in many colors. These nut buttons are increasingly used in the fashion industry as they are much more eco-friendly than plastic buttons.

We also use eco-conscious packaging solutions.

Fast fashion has an advantage, that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?

FREY. is on a lifelong mission to educate women on building a sustainable wardrobe comprised of timeless classics that can be mixed and matched for years. We work very hard to source sustainable materials of the highest quality and create sustainable designs that can be enjoyed season after season.

Our suit and coat fabrics are sourced from Italy and made from natural materials. A piece made from natural materials feels and fits better but is also everlasting ensuring the garment is enjoyed season after season.

To line our jackets, we use canvas and horsehair to create the perfect shape to fit a woman’s body. This is very common in men’s tailoring, but very rarely used in women’s tailoring. From the basics to the colorful classics, our pieces are tailored luxury — answering the clothing needs of working women globally. Our collections are curations of versatile feminine styles with playful details for every mood and every schedule.

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.

  1. There is always a solution to every problem. Nothing is impossible. There might be a lot of trials and errors, but we learn from these mistakes, and this allows us to move forward.
  2. Don’t take everything so seriously. I’m a perfectionist, but it doesn’t all have to be perfect.
  3. Understand who your customer is and the customer’s needs and wants
  4. Open, inclusive communication. Invite your sales team into the world of design, let the production be part of the brand’s bigger picture. This encourages the whole team to have a much better understanding of everyone’s role and how we can all work together to achieve our common goals.
  5. Have fun together.

Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?

Transparency is key. The fashion industry needs to be held accountable by ensuring all parts of the creation and production process are transparent to help customers make better, more informed decisions.

So much more can and should be done to establish a more circular fashion industry. Producing sustainable fashion is a long-term journey. FREY. is part of this journey and we make a conscious effort every day to make better, more informed choices for a brighter tomorrow.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I am passionate about women’s rights. I believe this stems from my years spent living in China. I know firsthand the fight women must endure to be heard and valued.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Website: www.Frey-tailored.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frey.tailored/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/80924769/admin/

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.


Modern Fashion: Frederieke van Doorn of FREY On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Gabrielle Gambrell On How Extremely Busy Leaders Make Time To Be Great Parents

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Make constant time for your children thus as you have work appointments and meetings, you should have an adequate amount of family/children appointments and meetings. Play dates, movie dates, museum dates, etc. Your children must be an active part of your schedule and day-to-day.

As a part of my series about “How extremely busy executives make time to be great parents” I had the pleasure to interview Gabrielle Gambrell.

Gabrielle Gambrell is a mother to #BabyGambrell and #GigiGambrell, a consultant, speaker, professor, communications, branding and media expert devoted to empowering excellence. She’s currently serving industry leading and award-winning sports, media, entertainment, consumer, technology and lifestyle brands, as well as talent and influencers. She is a faculty professor at NYU teaching integrated marketing, digital media, media relations and communications. She’s also a Board of Trustee member at Iona University, her alma mater. Originally from Los Angeles, she currently resides with her husband, son and daughter in Westchester County, N.Y. You can learn more about Gabrielle at www.giftofgabrielle.com and connect on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us your “childhood backstory”?

I am a proud fourth generation college graduate. Education was always stressed in my household and from my grandparents. My father’s parents born in 1912 and 1917 both held several degrees with honors from Eastern Michigan University, Smith College and Howard University, which is not something that can be taken lightly as Black scholars of their time. I always understood that my education would open great doors for me, and it truly has.

Can you share the story about what brought you to this specific point in your career? After serving industry leading organizations, from ABC to Paramount, CBS, Comcast NBCUniversal, Interpublic Group, FCB Global, Columbia University, Yahoo, Verizon, and more, I have the experience and confidence in knowing that the sky’s the limit for what I can do as well as what I will do. Moreover, I know that the best is yet to come.

Can you tell us a bit more about what your day-to-day schedule looks like?

Being a mother of two, as soon as I open my eyes one or both of my children need my attention, and I’m grateful to start my day by tending to my children as they’re the most important people in my life. After preparing my children for school, I mentally prepare myself for my day ahead with meditation, prayer and then proceed to knock out my daily to-do list, as my calendar is usually full from 9 AM until easily 7 PM, ET (keeping in mind those on the west coast). I try my best at 7 PM to cut off work unless it’s an emergency to be present for my children until they go to sleep, and then I usually catch up on emails and do a few more hours of work. My personal goal is to work more now, to truly enjoy tomorrow, and more importantly an early retirement. Family time is by far the most important part of my day.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the core of our discussion. This is probably intuitive to many, but it would be beneficial to spell it out. Based on your experience or research, can you flesh out why not spending time with your children can be detrimental to their development?

As a professor and mother, I know that children are constantly learning and observing. Their very first teachers are their parents and it’s important to my husband and I that we teach our children the significance of “the family-first model” noting that jobs may come and go, but nothing is more important than life. There is a famous adage that children will follow your example, not your advice, so any unhealthy practices can easily become generational. It’s imperative to teach our children what love looks like by being attentive and present and it’s vital for them to know they’re our priority; first and foremost above anything or anyone else. This is something that we strive to have passed down through our children. Furthermore, an inattentive parent may miss more than just critical milestones; especially when they are young and vulnerable with little means of communication. Attentiveness to our children’s nonverbal cues and demeanor are important for monitoring health, growth and safety. Thus, being present and making time just for them is imperative.

On the flip side, can you give a few reasons or examples about why it is so important to make time to spend with your children?

A few reasons why it’s so very important to spend time with your children is to teach them the value of family time, letting them know that they’re your first priority and supporting their respective love language whether it is words of affirmation, acts of service, gifts, quality time, etc. Additionally, you want to know your children more than anyone else, you don’t want to be surprised or learn from others who they are — knowing who your children truly are should come from firsthand knowledge and experience. Lastly, allowing your children to see first-hand what an example of balance and success looks like, while valuing them makes a blueprint for a healthy lifestyle.

According to this study cited in the Washington Post, the quality of time spent with children is more important than the quantity of time. Can you give a few stories or examples from your own life about what you do to spend quality time with your children?

My husband and I strive to be our children’s first teachers and we believe in the educational power of traveling. Rather than traveling with just the two of us, we make it a point to always travel with our young children. Both of our children had passports shortly after their birth and both have traveled quite a bit, flying at just a few months old. Though they’re still very young we’re teaching them the immense value of traveling to different regions of and how the world is truly theirs to experience and learn from.

Also, organized sports and activities are imperative and teach children practical skills. My husband and I are present at every practice and game, no matter what. Celebrating life is very important, and it’s something that has been cherished in my family. Every year of life, I’ve had a birthday party and usually more than one. We teach our children to be excited about growing older and we celebrate them every chance we get — dance parties, multiple birthday parties, it’s imperative that our children know they’re worthy to be praised and celebrated. We also do family TV and movie nights bonding over common interests and last but certainly not least, eating together at our dinner table after having family prayer.

We all live in a world with many deadlines and incessant demands for our time and attention. That inevitably makes us feel rushed and we may feel that we can’t spare the time to be “fully present” with our children. Can you share with our readers 5 strategies about how we can create more space in our lives in order to give our children more quality attention? Please include examples or stories for each, if you can.

  1. Being able to bounce a situation off of someone trusted and respected — having mentors and sponsors is pivotal. Before making a quick and perhaps wrong decision, ask yourself, who can I run this by and why.
    When I am weighing my options about a tough decision, even if I have more or less made a decision, a gut-check with trusted confidants provides another perspective from someone who knows me and has my best interest in mind.
  2. You have to have a team, a very strong team at that. You cannot be all to everyone, nor can you be present for everything, but if you’re surrounded by a skilled, trusted and savvy team, collectively, you can still be successful even when you’re being pulled in multiple directions.
    I’ve often heard parents refer to their village. My colleagues become an extended part of that village when their collaboration allows me to be present in every part of my life.
  3. Things may not be as urgent as they seem and appear to be, thus being able to decipher what truly needs your immediate attention versus what just needs your attention.
    Occasionally, I will get an urgent message that requests immediate action, which can be alarming. More often than not, urgent requests are not emergencies. I have learned to quickly think through the request; very rarely are they truly crises. As a leader, a process of quick evaluation allows me to maintain a level head. I reason by asking myself, what happens if I don’t take action? If I take action right now, will that have an immediate impact on the situation or can it wait? Is prioritizing this request over what I am currently doing going to come at a greater cost? In my industry, I can easily ask if by not taking action are we risking a reputation, life or livelihood? Opportunities come and go, but unless inaction will cost a career or a life, it can wait and that’s a helpful decision tree. I can typically finish my child’s game or doctor’s appointment or family outing and then come back to what is needed.
  4. Ask! Ask your children what they want to do and take into consideration what brings them joy and make that a part of a routine. When you do this, put your phone down, mark time off your work calendar and devote time to your children.
  5. Make constant time for your children thus as you have work appointments and meetings, you should have an adequate amount of family/children appointments and meetings. Play dates, movie dates, museum dates, etc. Your children must be an active part of your schedule and day-to-day.

How do you define a “good parent”? Can you give an example or story?

A good parent is committed to the welfare and overall well-being of their child and they’re steadfast about their child’s protection, profit, interests and to the very best of their ability. Good parents put in never-ending work to ensure their child is truly set up for success, stays true to their morals and values and is supported and loved in all that they do. Doing whatever you can to see your child succeed, making sure they have necessary tools for success and giving safety and unconditional love helps to define a good parent. My children are my best friends and I do think that parents should be friends with their children. How you love your friends, you should love your children even more as they’re your responsibility, represent your hopes and are the present and future. Your relationship with your children also impacts your grandchildren and others to come.

How do you inspire your child to “dream big”? Can you give an example or story?

Every day, I ask my children what they want to be and who they are and I champion whatever their response is for the day. Different from yesterday, no problem, I support you. It may not be what I would do, and it’s ok; I love and support you. I remind my children that their dreams are never too big or even too small. If they want it, I want it for them and will do whatever I can to support and see it come true.

How do you, a person who masterfully straddles the worlds of career and family, define “success”?

I define success by seeing your dreams come true and living your dreams along with those who love you, cheer for you and comfort you by executing a life of intention, love and happiness. My family loves me, cheers for me and brings me great comfort. There’s definitely a hierarchy for me, my family first, career second and everything career wise must understand that family is first. There can never be confusion amongst the two. Additionally, partnership is pivotal. My husband is a phenomenal partner and helps me to juggle it all so well.

What are your favorite books, podcasts, or resources that inspire you to be a better parent? Can you explain why you like them?

I hold near to me the lessons of the bible, as I look to God to anchor my life and my journey as a mother and wife. I believe as the bible teaches in Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good of them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” It is my destiny to be a mother to my beautiful, brilliant children as they will know that the sky is the limit for them and they too are destined for greatness. Additionally, “Year of Yes,” by Shonda Rhimes is one of my favorite books that reminds me how much power there is in taking advantage of opportunities that come your way and literally saying “YES” to your destiny and to success. And, you can say YES while still being present for your family and a loving parent as long as you’re staying true to your core values.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite life quote that I often say to myself, and tell my children is also one of my favorite bible scriptures: Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.” It’s relevant because life is difficult and challenging obstacles surface daily, but knowing that in the end it’ll all work out is what should keep us going. That is something that I want my children to know and understand — life will have many battles and weapons in various forms may attempt to come your way, but it’ll all work out in the end, and moreover you will be victorious.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I cannot wait for the day when supporting and fostering mental health no longer comes with stigmas. Just as we see a doctor for our physical health, partake in preventive care and visit the dentist often, we should respect and honor our mental health paying close attention to it, triggers and remedies. I’d love to see those efforts be championed and normalized.

Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!


Gabrielle Gambrell On How Extremely Busy Leaders Make Time To Be Great Parents was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.