Confident Collective

Have you ever dreamed about working for yourself but don't know how or have the confidence to actually do it? Today's guest, Adriana Parente, went from working in a corporate setting to having her own clients as a freelance influencer marketing specialist and brand consultant in her 20s, and is sharing her advice for how she made the switch in this episode. We talk about how to know when it's time to take the leap to work for yourself, how to stay on track and motivated, tips for budgeting and sending invoices, how to set your pricing and everything you would want to know if you've thought about making this transition.

"Working for other people is rewarding, you learn so much, but I always felt that I wanted something to be my own and all the efforts for the projects I've been working on to be my own." - Adriana Parente

What we talk about:

• Our post live show thoughts, feelings and favorite parts

• What people thought of Raeann's live date with Roberto and what happened behind the scenes

• What the deal was with that creepy guy in the audience

• How Raeann's first week in NYC is going

• How Kristina's 3 weeks in New Jersey went

• The show Kristina's obsessed with

• Raeann's new workout plan

• How to know you want to work for yourself

• How Adriana made connections and pitched herself to brands at the beginning

• How to not get discouraged by the process of applying for jobs

• The importance of saving and being strategic in taking risks

• What a successful pitch and follow up looks like

• Tips for how to stay motivated & organized when working for yourself

• How to figure out rates and how to have that conversation with clients

• What to do if a client doesn't pay you or pay you on time

• Overcoming imposter syndrome

• Advice for people wanting to go out on their own

• Ask Away: "My upstairs neighbors are having really loud sex at all hours of the day. What should I do?!"

"The most important thing is trusting and believing in yourself, and when you do that, everyone else will too." - Kristina Zias

"Grow your skills and prove to yourself that you have them, then that will help you build your confidence to pitch yourself out to brands." - Adriana Parente

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Connect with Adriana on Instagram: @adrianaparente_ and via email: [email protected]

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

We're still not over our first live podcast show in NYC!! We had the time of our lives getting dressed up in Halloween costumes and hanging out with the Confident Collective community IRL! Thank you so much to everyone who came out to our first show. We can't wait to do it again! From sharing some of our most cringe-worthy high school photos, to asking Steve questions from the male perspective, to setting Raeann up on her first NYC blind date - we were cracking up the whole entire time. We hope you enjoy catching up on all of the main events and hope to do it again in a city near you soon! Let us know where we should go next.

"Just don't call me queen. Or big bitch." - Raeann

LIVE SHOW SEGMENTS

• Products we're obsessed with

• Get to know us a little better with hilarious photos and their backstories from high school

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Thank you to these amazing brands that partnered with us for our live event!

• Elemis - Naked Cleansing Balm

• Foria Wellness - Arousal Oil

• Stony Clover

• U Beauty - Resurfacing Compound

  • Ubeauty code: CONFIDENTCOLLECTIVE for 20% off your first order

• Elemis - Naked Cleansing Balm

• Oribe - Dry Texture Spray

• Christian Louboutin Beauty - Matte Fluid Lip Color- shade Rouge

• Blind Date NYC (@blinddatenyc)

Resources:

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

• Questions for Steve

• Guessing game with Steve about common female goodies

• Kristina and Steve host Raeann's first NYC blind date LIVE on stage

• Live Ask Away segment with the audience

• Halloween Costume Contest

"Who decides to do a live show when they're 7 months pregnant? ME. I am crazy!" - Kristina

It's official: curve models, content creators and hosts of the Model Citizen podcast, Michaela and Hunter McGrady, are our long lost best friends. They have such incredible energy, are the best examples of sisters supporting and respecting one another and it is so inspiring. Listen to this episode to hear how they were raised to put respect for one another first, and how their mom positively influenced their confidence growing up. We also ask them to share how they've navigated the tragic loss of their brother, and how practicing gratitude has helped them move forward. Plus, we celebrate some of their major career wins like walking together in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway show. We know you're going to love this conversation and hope it leaves you inspired to embrace and enjoy life here and now.

"(Our mom) always said 'weight is such a boring thing to talk about,' so we never heard her discuss anyone else's weight or her own. I can't tell you one time our mom said something about anyone else's appearance that was not positive." - Hunter and Michaela McGrady

What we talk about:

• Updates on Raeann's move and Kristina's taping at the Drew Barrymore show

• How astrology is shaping Raeann's mindset about her move

• How Hunter & Michaela's sister dynamics have evolved over time

• How they work together collaboratively vs competitively

• The influence their mom had on them when it comes to food, weight and cultivating confidence

• How to reframe food not being "good or bad" and their body positive parenting tips

• The importance of practicing gratitude

• How their faith has influenced them

• How grief changes you

• How to have a strong bicoastal relationship

• How respect is crucial in working with your family members

• BTS of their Summersalt campaign with their mom and opening the Sports Illustrated swimsuit runway show

• Navigating motherhood and career

"This life is so short and so fragile. Don't wait to start living or being grateful or taking a bite out of life until a tragedy happens." - Hunter and Michaela McGrady

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Follow Hunter @huntermcgrady and Michaela @michaelamcgrady on Instagram

• Listen to the Model Citizen podcast and follow @themodelcitizenpodcast

• Get Your Tickets to our Live Event in NYC on October 30th

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

Wow, do we have some juicy content for you today! We've all done some scandalous things, so there's no judgment here as we get into our most scandalous stories and then share yours anonymously. We share about a one night stand that turned into a sex tape, the story of how Kristina was arrested in Washington Square Park, savage things we did in college, spicy hookups and so much more. Hear all about it in this episode!

"I'm a vanilla gal, I'm 80% vanilla, so all of my scandalous stories are still pretty PG." - Raeann

What we talk about:

• Kristina's upcoming travels, and her family trip to San Diego

• Raeann's heartbreaking family news and how she's navigating grief

• How we're getting into fall mode

• Our favorite Halloween movies

• Our scandalous stories

• Spicy listener hookup stories

• Cheating scandals

• Ask Away: What to do when you feel slighted and hurt by a best friend during a period of change in the friendship

"We got freaking arrested by a young, hot police officer on a bike. It was super sexy in my head until we were in the back of a police car." - Kristina

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Read Final Gifts for grief support

• Get Your Tickets to our Live Event in NYC on October 30th

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

Want to know how to build more joy into your life while increasing your chances of meeting a partner IRL? Today's guest, podcast host of @datebrazen & dating coach Lily Womble, has your answers. Lily "helps women transform their dating lives from a soul-suck, to an act of self-care, attracting extraordinary relationships along the way." Sounds like the ideal way to date, no? We chat with her about the internal work we need to do before we start dating, adding more joy, self-love and compassion into our lives, how dating apps can be harmful to the nervous system, where to put your energy when it comes to dating, and what it looks like to date with intention. If you're in a committed relationship and want to know how to support your single girl friends in their dating journey, she has some great advice for you too. Lily shares so many tangible dating tips that we know will transform your dating experience in the best way!

"Give yourself permission to want the expansiveness of what you want." - Lily Womble

What we talk about:

• Raeann's friends' wedding recap

• Kristina's trip in Santa Fe, New Mexico

• Balancing craving routine & having a desire to travel

• What women should ask themselves to determine what they actually want in a partner

• How to identify how you want to feel in a relationship

• Cultivating an abundance mindset in qualities you want in a partner

• Getting to the root of why you want what you want

• Processing your own emotions and doing the internal work

• Embracing what you love in want in all types of relationships

• Reframing rejection

• What's a "confirmation text" and when should you use it?

• The trap of dating apps

• How to create opportunities to meet a partner in person

• Ask Away: how to be in alignment with your own desires without feeling influenced by different friends with different interests

"Do what makes you happy and brings you the most joy because that's what you're going to be doing with the person who comes along." - Raeann

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Follow Lily on Tik Tok @datebrazen

• Listen to the Date Brazen podcast

• Download Lily's free "Guide to Make Dating Feel Like Self-Care."

• Get Your Tickets to our Live Event in NYC on October 30th

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

We must confess…we have some major pet peeves we need to talk about! It just feels good to release and talk about things that annoy us so we can get it off of our chest, you know? In this episode, we also talk about our upcoming LIVE EVENT in NYC this October, the worst date Raeann has ever been on, and some exciting news from Kristina about a TV appearance she'll be making soon. In our ask away segment, we give advice to a listener about how we motivate ourselves to stick to our workout routines, and not compare our relationships to what we see on social media. We hope this episode will be cathartic for you like it was for us!

"I'm in my "protect the peace" phase." - Raeann

What we talk about:

• New makeup trend Krisitna is obsessed with

• Raeann's sublet apartment hunt in NYC

• Our biggest pet peeves

• Your biggest pet peeves

• How to be motivated to get back in a workout routine

• Reframing food as a reward for working out

• Meal prepping tips

• Social media perpetuating the false idea of a "perfect relationship"

"When you tell your partner you're tired and they're like, 'Oh, I'm tired too.' Stop trying to one up me!" - Kristina

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Get Your Tickets to our Live Event in NYC on October 30th

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

We're talking about something Kristina is super passionate about: feeling confident and great in your body when it is going through the biggest change, pregnancy. Kristina is going solo this week to share information she wishes she knew before she got pregnant so that you can feel more prepared, and understood, in your pregnancy journey whether you're going through it now or will one day. She shares what bodily changes she was not ready for, what positive physical changes she's experienced, what NOT to say to a pregnant woman and how to cultivate confidence in your body and your decisions while pregnant. *This is not medical advice, so please always ask your doctor if you have specific questions or concerns!*

"That stimulation and having that fun with your partner is always such a major confidence boost and makes you feel good and sexy. I think that's a major win women don't talk about." - Kristina

"Every month we didn't get pregnant with Nikolas I thought, 'Is it because I'm fat?" - Kristina

What we talk about:

• The pressure to lose weight before getting pregnant

• Lack of plus size pregnancy representation online or in media

• Stressing about things that are out of your control

• Dealing with everyone else's opinion on what you should do

• Fear of not losing weight post-pregnancy

• Learning to trust your gut and your own instincts

• Things pregnant women get told that drive them crazy

• Ask Away: how did you know you were ready to start having kids instead of being influenced by friends who are having kids?

"Whether you're scared of gaining weight, or what your body will look like, just remember at the end of the day there's a miracle happening inside of you." - Kristina

"You cannot stress about things that you don't know what the outcome will be and that are out of your control." - Kristina

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

Most of us want to be in a happy and healthy long term relationship, right? But the reality is, in order to get there, it takes a lot of work. If that sounds daunting and overwhelming, today's guest is sharing her easy to integrate tips to help you through different phases of your relationship, and build a relationship that lasts. Kim Polinder is an individual and couples counselor whose training in traditional therapy and energy work has helped her create her holistic approach to issues such as anxiety, couples communication, childhood trauma and low self esteem. Check out this episode to learn the essential elements of a long-lasting relationship, how to reconnect with your partner, communicate better and build resilience in your relationship.

"You can be as upset as you want; feelings are real. But when it comes to communicating with your partner, it helps to stay specific." - Kim Polinder

What we talk about:

• Working through infidelity

• How to address the root of our issues by processing childhood trauma

• Common issues among 20+ year relationships

• Virtual partners and relationships

• Lack of engagement among younger generations

• The basis of a successful relationship

• The importance of identifying value systems

• How to integrate modern relationship dynamics

• Romanticizing social media relationships

• How to reconnect with your partner

"When it comes to deciding who you're going to commit to, a lot of it is just making the decision to commit." - Kim Polinder

Other topics:

• Kristina and Steve's trip to Ojai
• Update from Raeann's heritage trip
• Another life update from Kristina!!
• Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde breakup rumors and DWD drama
• Kourtney Kardashian's new product line

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Follow Kim: @kp_counseling

• Play We're Not Really Strangers

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

Raeann and Kristina started as fashion creators, and honestly, experimenting with fashion was one way that helped us to feel more confident. Because we LOVE helping other women feel confident and good about themselves, this episode is all about fall fashion: what we're excited for, how to incorporate trends, stay true to your style, our tried and true outfit recipes and best confidence tips when it comes to fashion.

"Find the recipe that really works for you then just have fun with iterations. Because you know you're going to feel good when you walk out the door." - Raeann

We also talk about:

• Raeann's trip to Mexico for a friend's bachelorette weekend

• Toxic masculinity & men who can't be open about their feelings in front of other men

• Kristina's funk

• What Kristina's parents have been lying to her about her whole life

• Raeann's upcoming heritage trip & Scandinavian style

• Being unique and unafraid to wear things that aren't trendy

• Tips for trying new things and embracing trends

• Being confident in & finding your own personal style

• How to stay confident when people make comments about your clothing

• Outfits we wore that make us cringe now

• Ageism in fashion

• ASK AWAY: "As someone who works in social media, how can I find the balance between being on my phone for work, creating content, taking photos and being present and in the moment with who I'm with?"

"You have to remember who you're dressing for and why. If you're dressing for yourself, only your opinion matters." - Kristina

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Follow Tibi founder Amy Smilovic on Tik Tok: @amysmilovic

  • The Cut article

• Follow Allison on Tik Tok: @allisonbornstein6

• Follow Grece Ghanem for style and confidence at any age: @greceghanem

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!

It sucks to go shopping and find something you love, only to realize it isn’t made in your size. We have been there too many times, and talk a lot about how brands need to be more size inclusive. Our girl Nicolette Mason has been on the frontlines of this important conversation for a long time, and is truly a pioneer of change in the fashion industry in the best ways. She is one of the first plus size content creators we met in LA, and both Raeann and Kristina have been following her journey and benefiting from her content for forever. Nicolette is not only a content creator, Marie Claire writer, and designer, she’s also a consultant for fashion brands who want to expand their sizing to be more inclusive. In this conversation we dive deep into the tangible steps brands can take to be more size inclusive, the challenges they face that consumers may not see, what’s considered size inclusive, how “size inclusive” is being used as a marketing tool and how to separate your value and worth from the size of clothing you wear.

“No one looks at a plus size person and thinks, ‘I want to be fat,’ because the world we live in literally makes being fat horrible. What’s wrong with letting someone exist in their body in clothes that make them feel good? And why are people so upset about it?” - Raeann

We also talk about:

• How Kristina feels now that the news is out!

• How men and women perceive having sex on the first date

• “You have such a beautiful face” - is it really a compliment as a plus size person?

• Justice for Britney

• Abercrombie’s ad with a visibly plus size content creator backlash

• What we say to people who think “fat celebration” is a thing

• How Nicolette gets clients for her brand consulting partnerships

• How she called out Marie Claire and got a job

• What's challenging for brands in becoming more size inclusive

• Old Navy’s size expansion “failure”

• Opportunities for smaller brands to be more size inclusive 

• Brands that are expanding sizing well

• A shift in consumerism, sustainability and fast fashion

• Value and worth being attached to a size/number

• Scarcity mindset in plus size women developing personal style

• What is considered “size inclusive” in Nicolette’s opinion

• What Nicolette would like to see from the fashion industry in the future

• Boundaries as a content creator

• Ask Away: Should I tell my friend I have a crush on a guy she’s hooking up with knowing that she doesn’t have serious feelings?

“Our bodies are so individual. Assigning any sense of morality or superiority or inferiority based on an arbitrary number, that’s literally arbitrary, there's no consistency from one brand or style to the next. We can’t assign our value or worth based on that.” - Nicolette

New podcast episodes of Confident Collective drop every Tuesday.

Resources:

• Follow Nicolette Mason on TikTok and Instagram

• Follow these writers/creators who talk more in depth about these topics:

  • Aja Barber (fashion writer and theorist on consumption, ethical fashion, and developing your own personal style): @ajabarber

  • Marielle Elizabeth (sustainability): @marielle.elizabeth

  • Heidi (criticism on fast fashion, consumption, and influencer culture): @the_rogue_essentials

• Follow us on Instagram: @confidentcollective 

• Follow the Hosts/Founders: @kristinazias & @raeannlangas

• Learn more: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/

• Stay in the know with our newsletter!