Girlfriends Business

We Talk About:

• Bringing an idea to reality
• Networking while you build
• How your ideas progress
• Who rewardStyle is for
• Helping other entrepreneurs thrive
• Building an influencer component into your business
• Hiring the right people

Resources:

• about.liketoknow.it
• Instagram: @shop.LTK
• Follow Amber: @ambervenzbox
• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

Are you a big dreamer? Are you starting with an idea, or still finding clarity, or wanting to scale something massive? Amber Venz Box is the CEO of a billion-dollar company and she's going to show you how this could be possible for you. When looking for a solution for her own blog, she launched rewardStyle to help match brands and influencers together and make the process painless for everyone involved. Like so often happens, solving her own problem led to solving others problems, which led to massive success.

Question Highlights:

• What did it look like when you first started piecing together your idea?
• What was your background when you first started?
• How would you tell someone else to start knowing what you know now?
• How did your vision come to you?
• How does rewardStyle work for anyone wanting to use it?
• How has helping other entrepreneurs impacted you?
• What would you say to someone wanting to build an influencer program into their business?
• What's something you wish you had known sooner?

Guest Bio:

As long as she can remember, Amber Venz Box was determined to work in the fashion industry. With an innovator's vision and a designer's eye, Amber cracked the code for monetizing digital lifestyle content at the young age of 23, launching rewardStyle as a solution for her own blog, venzedits.com. Founded by influencers for influencers, rewardStyle utilized Amber's unique perspective to connect top-tier taste-makers with more than a million brand partners worldwide. A three-time featured keynote speaker at SXSW, she has been named one of Forbes' "30 Under 30," Inc. Magazine's "Most Influential Millennials," a member of Business of Fashion's "500," and one of Entrepreneur Magazine's "15 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch." Amber's dedication to the influencer industry is unrivaled, she is constantly testing and dreaming up new technology to propel this career path forward – particularly focused on rewardStyle's shopping app, LIKEtoKNOW.it, which has revolutionized retail in the digital era.

We Talk About:

• Changing how we look at rejection
• Turning rejection into refinement
• Examining your rejection history
• Reassessing your life

Resources:

• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

If you're an entrepreneur – heck, if you're a human, if you've ever had to ask for that thing that you wanted but were scared of the outcome... this one's for you. Let's talk about how to not only survive rejection, but thrive from it. It's time to look at rejection in a new light and stop putting so much pressure on yourself, because the reality is this: rejection is the fastest way to refine your path to success.

We Talk About:

• Alex's career path
• Starting your own production company
• Working in a male-dominated industry
• How to work through hard times
• Alex's daily workflow
• Having appropriate expectations of your employees
• Rolling with the punches

Resources:

• pagefiftyfour.com
• Follow Alex: @alexsaks
• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

Alex Saks makes movies happen. She's the principal of Page Fifty-Four Pictures, a filmmaker-driven, independent production company. Despite grabbing drinks with the likes of Diane Keaton, she's one of the most down-to-earth and hard working girls out there. She's been honored by Variety and the Hollywood Reporter as a person to watch. She talks about what it's like to build a career in a male-dominated industry, learn the imperativeness of hustle, and be your own boss.

Question Highlights:

• What led you to where you are today?

• What have been some of the challenges as a woman in this industry?
• What are some of the tools you use to get through hard times?
• How has the pandemic impacted you?
• Do you do anything consistently that sets you up for success?

Guest Bio:

Alex Saks is the principal of Page Fifty-Four Pictures, a filmmaker-driven, independent production company created in 2017 which produces and finances feature films. Ms. Saks has produced fifteen films in the past five years. Her most recent films include: Red Rocket, directed by Sean Baker (and to be released by A24), Charlie Day's directorial debut El Tonto (starring Kate Beckinsale, Jason Sudeikis, Ken Jeong, Edie Falco, Common, and John Malkovich), and Shoot the Rooster (starring Margo Martindale, Ann Dowd, Judy Greer, and Henry Winkler), directed by Stephanie Laing.

In 2020, Ms. Saks' film, The Glorias, (directed by Julie Taymor, based on Gloria Steinem's best-selling autobiography, My Life on the Road, and starring Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Timothy Hutton, Janelle Monáe, Bette Midler, and Lorraine Toussaint), premiered at The Sundance Film Festival and, later that year, on Amazon Prime. Saks' film, Chemical Hearts, (starring Lili Reinhart and Austin Abrams, directed by Rich Tanne) also premiered on Amazon Prime in 2020.

In 2018, Ms. Saks produced Paul Dano's directorial debut, Wildlife (starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan), which made its world premiere at Sundance followed by screenings at Cannes, Toronto, and The New York Film Festival. Wildlife was acquired and released by IFC Films to immense critical praise. That same year, Paramount Pictures released Saks' summer blockbuster hit, Book Club, starring Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candace Bergen and Mary Steenburgen. The film grossed more than 100 million worldwide.

In 2017, Ms. Saks' film, The Florida Project, made its world premiere at Cannes to unanimous critical acclaim and was acquired by A24. Written and directed by Sean Baker and starring Willem Dafoe, the film earned honors and wins from The AFI, The National Board of Review, The Critics' Choice Awards, and over 40 critics groups nationwide. The Florida Project also garnered nominations for the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Spirit Awards, Gotham Awards, the SAG-AFTRA Awards, and the Oscars.

Her other credits include: Thoroughbreds (the psychological thriller written and directed by Cory Finley, starring Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Anton Yelchin, and released by Focus Features), POMS (directed by Zara Hayes, starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, Celia Weston, and Rhea Perlman, and wide-released theatrically by STX), Dude (the dramatic comedy written and directed by Olivia Milch, starring Lucy Hale, Kathryn Prescott, Alexandra Shipp, and Awkwafina, and released by Netflix), Fun Mom Dinner (the comedy directed by Alethea Jones, starring Toni Collette, Molly Shannon, Bridget Everett, and Kate Aselton, and which sold to Netflix and eOne's Momentum Pictures), Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower (the documentary which won the 2017 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award in the World Cinema Documentary category before selling to Netflix), and What They Had (the drama written and directed by Elizabeth Chomko, starring Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, and Blythe Danner, and released by Bleecker Street).

In 2017, Saks was honored by both Variety in its annual "10 Producers to Watch" and The Hollywood Reporter on its "Next Gen: Hollywood's Up-and-Coming Execs 35 and Under" lists. She then went on to be recognized by Town & Country magazine as one of its 2018 "50 Modern Swans." She is an annual guest at Marie Claire's Power Trip for women at the top of their given fields. Prior to her producing career, she served as an agent at ICM, where her work in the independent and international group revolved around the packaging, financing, and selling of independent films including: Tallulah, Results, The Intervention, Time Out of Mind, Sandcastle, The Overnight, Skeleton Twins, The One I Love, Infinitely Polar Bear, Stockholm, Pennsylvania, and People, Places, Things. She began her career at The Mark Gordon Company, before working at Automatik and IM Global under Brian Kavanaugh-Jones as a creative and production executive.

Ms. Saks is a graduate of Wake Forest University where she received her degree in History

We Talk About:

• Highlights and lowlights
• Learning as you go
• Deciding how you want to raise money
• What the process entails
• Selling the best parts of yourself and your business

Resources:

• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

The world of investing can be scary, but it doesn't have to be. It can seem daunting at first, when you don't feel like you know where to start. But guess what? Everyone starts at the same place! We're going to share a few tips to help you feel a little less like you're driving without headlights. Build your confidence with these starting points.

We Talk About:

• Building a strong team
• Empowering your people
• Leading by example
• Ditching the ego

Resources:

• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

Being a great leader is key to running a successful business. Just facts. The good news is that leadership skills can be learned, both in advance and in the trenches. Sometimes learning things the hard way is the best way, but it doesn't hurt to get some advice from people who've been there. We're going to look at some leadership tips that could shave years off the learning curve for you and the success of your project.

We Talk About:

• Raissa's story
• Taking a branding decision from idea to implementation
• Stepping forward through failure
• Leading with love and care
• Three life lessons

Resources:

• Follow Raissa: @raissagerona
• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

It takes a lot to build a good brand. No matter what your business is, if you can tap into what makes your brand stand out and take on a meaning beyond itself, you will see massive success. As the Chief Brand Officer of REVOLVE, Raissa has taken social branding to another level. She shares what it takes to build a brand that resonates beyond itself, how to get over the fear of taking bold action, and learning to lead a team with love. There is so much to learn from her.

Question Highlights:

• Can you tell me a bit about your story?
• How do you know what idea you want to move forward with?
• How do you continue to move forward even if you fail?
• How do you lead a team with care?
• How do you not take things personally in business?
• What three lessons do you want to leave to your daughter?

Guest Bio:

Raissa Gerona is the Chief Brand Officer at REVOLVE and co-founder of Alliance Apparel. Leading the REVOLVE Brand Marketing team, Raissa Gerona spearheads the company's unparalleled influencer marketing strategy, bringing the REVOLVE brand to life with social media activations and events. In 2010, Gerona co-founded Lovers + Friends, the first in-house brand to be brought under the Alliance Apparel umbrella in 2013, and is now one of REVOLVE's top-selling brands. Gerona continues to build REVOLVE's brand awareness, lead experiential marketing campaigns and strategy to ensure it is at the forefront of contemporary fashion for savvy millennial and Generation Z consumers.

We Talk About:

• Highlights and lowlights
• The traits that make up a good leader
• Trusting your employees
• Being approachable
• Acknowledging your team

Resources:

• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

Leadership is hard, especially when it doesn't come naturally to you. But even the most natural leaders still have things to learn. Whether you have to cultivate those traits or lean into your natural tendencies, it's important to understand what makes a good leader so that you can always be improving.

We Talk About:

• Focusing on the human side of business
• How to give hard feedback
• The importance of giving timely criticism
• How to receive hard feedback

Resources:

• Read: "Radical Candor"
• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

People say that feedback is a gift, and while that's true, it can be difficult to give constructive criticism without feeling like a jerk – and just as hard to receive it without taking offense. Creating an environment where people feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback is an essential part of creating a positive company culture. Brit shares some of the tips and tricks she's picked up while building brands within the Feel-Good Company.

We Talk About:

• Having to pivot through COVID
• Getting back to live events
• Launching a physical product
• Discovering the new normal

Resources:

• createcultivate.com
• Instagram: @createcultivate
• Instagram: @jaclynrjohnson
• LIsten: @workparty
• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

Jaclyn Johnson is a force to be reckoned with. She's the founder of Create & Cultivate, a curated event to support ambitious women. She's also the host of her own podcast, "Work Party." Like many businesses this past year, she had to pivot to keep the brand going, and they made it look easy. We talk about what it was like running a company through all of that, from launching a physical product line to offering online courses.

Question Highlights:

• How did you pivot through COVID?
• What are you personally enjoying the most right now?
• How did you launch a physical product line from scratch?
• What's the best advice you've given or been given?
• What are you excited for next?

Guest Bio:

Jaclyn Johnson is a powerhouse entrepreneur, by the time she was 28, Johnson had sold her first business, (No Subject), and launched her second multimillion dollar company, Create & Cultivate, which sold a majority stake to Corridor Capital in 2020. To date, she has had two seven-figure exits. Johnson recognized a gap in conversations, resources, events, and community for female, millennial entrepreneurs and responded with a solution: Create & Cultivate, the wildly popular media platform and nationwide conference. In the process, Jaclyn's own work-life philosophy built on the cornerstones of female empowerment, hustling hard, and innovation and propelled her voice to the forefront of the discussion of workplace equality.

A graduate of NYU, Johnson's trajectory has been skyrocketing since she founded (No Subject) in 2010. With the launch of Create & Cultivate in 2012, she gained global visibility. Six years later, Create & Cultivate is bigger than ever, with hundreds of thousands of followers and attendees, and over 75 events held to date. The conference has landed major cities around the country and boasts sponsors that include top Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, LinkedIn, QuickBooks and Microsoft, to the buzziest brand names like Laura Mercier, LaCroix, Clinique, Chandon, Urban Outfitters, and more.

Past speakers and panelists include the biggest celebs and CEOs like Kim Kardashian West, Chelsea Handler, Jessica Alba, Chrissy Teigen, Gloria Steinem, Issa Rae, Nicole Richie, and front-runners in fashion, technology, design, and business. Named one of Forbes' "30 Under 30," an Adweek Disruptor and profiled in "Fast Company," "The LA Times," "Entrepreneur," and more, Johnson has earned her way to the frontlines of a workplace revolution and at a time when agents of change are flexing real influence.

We Talk About:

• How your network is an asset
• Using your network effectively
• Dialing in your questions
• Getting people's opinions

Resources:

• Follow Alli: @alliwebb
• Follow Lori: @loriharder
• Follow Brittany: @britdrisc

Show Notes:

Your network is SO powerful. Even if you think you don't have a large network, you have to remember that your network isn't limited to your current social circle. You're connected to people through social networks and, if you use those platforms correctly, you can connect to anyone. Let's explore how to tap into the power of your network, in the best way possible, while respecting people's time and energy.