Presented by Mastercard

 

Despite reports that black audiences consume media far more than other demographic groups do, no one has capitalized on those stats or amplified black millennial voices like Morgan Debaun. With $9 million in funding, Blavity is one of the largest media startups and lifestyle brands for black millennials, and she’s only just getting started. The self-professed “entrepreneur and hustler” is on a mission to incite change and create a platform where everyone belongs. Not to mention she’s defying the odds by building a hugely successful digital media company in a time when the media industry is seeing closures, layoffs, and overall decline in ad revenue. In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn sits down with Morgan to discuss how she’s creating a sisterhood in Silicon Valley, navigating the nuances of being black in tech and media, and what’s in store for the future. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

 

Guest:

Morgan Debaun @morgandebaun @blavity

 

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

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To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

Presented by Mastercard

 

After experiencing tech burnout in corporate management, Sonja Rasula needed a change. Frustrated by the lack of gifts and hand-made goods available in retail, she came up with the idea for a curated pop-up event that brought together local artisans to sell their designs and products. Not only would it help solve consumer woes for sourcing original gifts, but it would also help small business owners reach new audiences and increase sales, and in turn, help the local economy grow and thrive—it was a win-win! So, in 2008, she risked her entire 401k savings to start Unique Markets, and it was an immediate success. In this episode, Sonja shares how she made the leap, why it was worth the risk, and how you can turn your idea into a successful business, too. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

Guest:

Sonja Rasula, @sonjarasula @uniquemarkets

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
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To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

Taking risks is scary but if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, it's necessary. Entrepreneurship is fundamentally linked to risk-taking, after all. Of course, there should be some level of research and data to inform the risk first, but oftentimes, there’s nothing like diving in head first and figuring it out along the way. In this episode of WorkParty, we’re talking all about the concept of “high risk, high reward” with someone who looked fear in the face and turned it into a cult-following. Since 2011, Kim Malek has become known as an industry leader, innovator, and disruptor for her game-changing business, Salt & Straw Ice Cream. We talk about her risk-taking nature, why it’s been integral to her success, and how you can incorporate risk into your business strategy, too. You might even learn what Kim's favorite flavor is. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

www.sakara.com/party for 20% off your order

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Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
https://www.instagram.com/createcultivate
www.createcultivate.com
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

Presented by Mastercard

 

It’s safe to say that every business has been affected by the COVID-19 crisis, but there is one category that’s really felt the impact: Small Business. As the lifeblood of our economy, it’s imperative that we all do our best to help wherever and however we can. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to partner with Mastercard to help small business owners pivot confidently and securely with the tools and resources they need to get through this unprecedented time. In this episode, Jaclyn sits down with Ginger Siegel, the North America Small Business Lead at Mastercard, to discuss the additional resources and technology they’re delivering to support the needs of small business owners during the COVID-19 crisis, through recovery and beyond. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
https://www.instagram.com/createcultivate
www.createcultivate.com
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

The health and wellness industry is a $4.2 trillion market. And guess what? Women are leading the way. In fact, no other trillion-dollar industry is as heavily dominated by female entrepreneurs as health and wellness. Enter Chillhouse founder and CEO, Cyndi Ramirez. In just three years, she’s opened two brick-and-mortar locations, built a digital media empire, and expanded into retail and e-commerce. She’s a great example of how to lay down the foundation for success—she launched her biz with a solid digital marketing strategy from day one—and how to pivot a business in a crisis—she’s handling COVID-19 like the boss that she is. We're thankful that Dell brought us together for today's episode, live from our Money Moves Digital Summit. Get your notebooks out, because class is now in session! Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

 

Guest:

Cyndi Ramirez @cyndiramirez @chillhouse

 

Visit Sakara.com/WorkParty to receive 20% off your order.

 

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
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www.createcultivate.com
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

Did you know that 90% of the wine made in the U.S. is produced in California, but only 10% of the state’s wineries are led by female winemakers? Jill Russell didn't let those discouraging stats stop her from pursuing her winemaker dreams. Today, she has a seat at the table at the women-owned, women-led Cambria Estate Winery—one of the few wineries that are tipping the male-dominated industry stats in the right direction. In this episode, we sit down with Cambria’s lead winemaker to learn how she worked her way up from the bottom to shatter the wine industry’s glass ceiling and land her dream job. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

 

Visit www.LinkedinLearning.com/WorkParty for one month Free!

 

Guest:

Jill Russell @jilldelarussell @cambriawines

 

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
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www.createcultivate.com
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

Hot tip: Diversifying your income gives you financial security. If one revenue stream ends, there are others bringing money in to compensate. It's safe to say that today's podcast guest has plenty of experience on the topic. Gaby Dalkin is a multi-hyphenate with a handful of titles and business ventures. She's a trained chef, recipe developer, entrepreneur, food/lifestyle writer, author, and founder of What’s Gaby Cooking. Tune in for her advice on building an authentic business, negotiating lucrative brand partnerships, and more. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

 

Guest:

Gaby Dalkin @whatsgabycookin

 

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
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To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

When Lauren “Lo” Bosworth, of "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills" reality-TV fame, noticed that the wellness industry wasn't led by or for women, she took matters into her own hands and launched Love Wellness in 2016. Her bold move to switch lanes and tap into the $4.2 trillion wellness industry paid off—big time! She successfully grew Love Wellness' revenue by 3000%. In this episode, we get down to business with the pivot pioneer to find out how she built a successful company from scratch, what it really takes to be an entrepreneur, and how she’s navigating the shift since COVID-19. 

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
https://www.instagram.com/createcultivate
www.createcultivate.com
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

With so much uncertainty right now, there is one thing that hasn’t changed: as an entrepreneur, betting on yourself is an investment that will have priceless returns. In this week's episode, Jaclyn sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Gail Becker, Founder & CEO of CAULIPOWER, at Create & Cultivate's LA 2020 conference to talk money, hiring, scaling, and the courage to believe in your idea when others may not. The mother of two boys with celiac disease, Gail was desperate for nutritious food options, and when she couldn’t find any she did what any mom would do—she made her own! In just three years, CAULIPOWER is now a $100 million company with the #1 better-for-you pizza in the U.S. Talk about the power of a frustrated mama!

TheOuai.com with code: PARTY for 3 free samples with your order

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
https://www.instagram.com/createcultivate
www.createcultivate.com
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton

The spark for a new business idea can come at any moment, and for Sheena Yaitanes that lightbulb moment came while studying chemistry and biology at UC Irvine. Frustrated by the lack of clean beauty products that not only looked good, but felt good on the skin, Sheena launched Kosas Cosmetics out of her Los Angeles home. Today, Kosas is a cult-favorite with celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Mandy Moore, Lily Aldridge, and more. In this episode, we sit down with the clean-beauty founder to dive deeper into the concept of turning your passion into profit, how she built an empire from her home, and why she went from bootstrapping to raising capital. Join the party on social @workparty and stay in-the-know at workparty.com.

 

Visit TheOuai.com and enter code PARTY to receive three free samples with your order.

 

Guest:

Sheena Yaitanes, Founder & CEO, Kosas Cosmetics @kosas

 

Produced by Dear Media

Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival

To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
https://www.instagram.com/createcultivate
www.createcultivate.com
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton