We had the amazing opportunity to attend the Create and Cultivate Conference in New York during spring — yes, NY in spring! Create and Cultivate is an online platform and an offline conference where women inspire one another to turn their lives into their dream careers. We learned SO much and were so inspired by the many celebrities, entrepreneurs, makers and influencers who offered their advice, true stories and sincere support. We gathered these life-changing lessons from the amazing women killing it in the beauty & wellness industry.
8 Life-Changing Lessons From Women Killing It in the Beauty & Wellness Industry
We know the entrepreneurial world can be challenging. Our students and graduates work hard every day to become successful at their trade — this is something we respect, admire, and are so inspired by. And that’s exactly why we attended this woman-focused conference: because sometimes the right piece of advice can make all the difference in your journey. These are the 8 tips and advice from the Create and Cultivate Conference for students in the beauty and wellness industry.
1. Create an Authentic Image You Are Proud to Present to the World
Several panelists focused on the importance of image — no, not how skinny or pretty you may be, but who you are as a person. Think about how you portray yourself to the world in your everyday life; this is a big aspect of your branding. Your energy and how you dress, talk and treat others paint an image of you as a person, aka, your brand. This image can impact your overall success greatly, so don’t underestimate its power. In today’s marketplace, building your personal brand isn’t optional — it’s required.
2. Realize the Value of What You Have to Share With the World
People want to know about skincare, hair, makeup and health. Where do they turn to acquire this knowledge? You guessed it! Social media!
Most people don’t have an esthetician on speed dial, the same is true for a makeup artist, massage therapist or hair stylist. That means you have a lot to share with the world when you specialize in any of these areas. Try to understand what your added value is. Use your social platform to give the world the information they crave.
3. Share Who You Are as An Individual
As a hair stylist or makeup artist, it’s easy to get caught up in sharing about this area of interest, but most people have more than one passion in life.
Justine Marjan, celebrity hair stylist and brand ambassador for GHD, recommends letting people know about the other aspects of your life that make you happy, your passions. Because you’re not just one thing, right? Sure, you’re great at makeup, but maybe you are also an excellent cook who makes healthy meals, so share this with your followers, too. Share all your gifts and talents! That’s how you build on other elements of your life, create new connections, and maybe even score a cool collaboration deal, as Justine did.
Dr. Dendy Engelman, dermatologist and influencer for Bio-Oil, recommends being honest about brands you love, if there’s a specific product you really like and recommend, put it out there whether you are getting paid or not. People appreciate honesty, and brands will take note of that.
4. Believe in Yourself to No End
According to Martha Stewart, you must ignore negative notions like “Impostor Syndrome” (how did I get here? Do I really deserve this opportunity?) and “The Glass Ceiling” (an invisible barrier in the workplace that unfairly impacts women). The mega-mogul said she didn’t even know what these things were — and she’s glad she didn’t. Martha explained that, as an entrepreneur, you must ignore the fact that these preconceived notions even exist and believe in yourself without doubt. “I have a silly little motto: When you’re through changing, you’re through. You have to be able to change and swerve to adapt,” she said.
Regarding advice for women looking to grow a team and find their forever employees, she has two rules: “Find someone who is competent, exciting, curious. And when you finally find that dream team, you must make time to properly train them and spend time with each of them.” You’re as good as your team and mentorship is your responsibility.
In case you were wondering, Martha is everything (and more) we thought she would be! She also shared her advice for her younger self: “Stay true to your beliefs.”
5. Keep Jumping Through Hurdles, No Matter How Tough It Gets
Model Ashley Graham shared her story at the conference, explaining how she almost gave up and returned home to Nebraska at the start of her career. It was her mom who told her she couldn’t stop what she was
doing, she had to persevere.
“Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is sometimes really blurry but it’s really about getting through those hurdles and building up your confidence no matter what you’re doing,” she said. Something that helped her during this process was creating and repeating this mantra every time she felt insecure about herself: “You’re fine, you’re brilliant, you’re beautiful and bold.”
Gabby Bernstein, speaker and New York Times best-selling author also shared important insights on building up your confidence. She said the fast track to confidence is to work on feeling more comfortable with your authentic self, with who you are and who you have become. Gabby is a firm believer in jumping into what scares us.
6. Support Other Women
A big message behind the Create and Cultivate brand is that “Behind every great woman, are great women.” We are one another’s greatest assets to getting ahead and living a fulfilled and happy life. Next time you’re feeling anxious about other girls succeeding in their careers and you fall into comparison, stop for a second and remember: Collaboration over competition. Her success is your (our) success. Good energy attracts good energy.
In the conference, Gabby Bernstein encouraged us to midwife each other’s dreams, to celebrate the wins of other women in your life.
7. Stop Stressing & Enjoy the Journey
The one piece of advice we heard on more than one occasion was: Stop stressing and enjoy the journey! Easier said than done, of course, but it’s an important message to hear. So many successful women say they spent too much time in a state of stress when they could (and should) have been enjoying the wild ride — because everything WILL work out!
Another important lesson we learned from Gabby is to celebrate the small miracles. Just think about that, “small miracles.” Gabby said this is important because all these small positive celebrations add up and eventually become the way we perceive our lives.
8. Make Time During the Day to Align Yourself
The popularity of mental health and wellness has been very visible in the last few years, and we are oh-so happy for this movement. During the “In Good Company” Panel, Suzy Batiz, Founder of Poo-Pourri shared an important life lesson: “Your energy is your greatest currency.” She went on to explain that if your energy is out of alignment and you’re taking actions or making decisions from that frantic, negative place, chances are you won’t create a positive outcome.
Marie Forleo, motivational speaker, author and web television host, recommends that you define and make your “non-negotiables” a priority. Non-negotiables are exactly that: aspects of your everyday life you will not negotiate on. This could be a daily walk, meditation time, a workout class — those five minutes to yourself to recharge and take care of your well-being.
Celebrity Advice for Avenue Five Students
While attending the event, Avenue Five students received some GREAT advice from industry celebrities and influencers like Anastasia Soare, founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills, and Michelle Lee, editor in chief of Allure, who remind all of us to stay in school! After all, your education is the sweet start of your success story.
Go to our IG @avefive to check out the sweet messages they sent to our students!
What Is Create and Cultivate?
Create and Cultivate is an organization for and by women. It offers an online platform and offline conferences where women inspire one another to turn their lives into their dream careers. Several events are held throughout the year in cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. They also have a super fun pop-up here in Austin during SXSW. While the event itself only lasts one day, the goal is to keep the conversation going year-round, with the focus on succeeding as a modern woman working in today’s world.
