I’m delighted to share that the Rebecca Allen All Weather Boot has been selected for Oprah’s Favorite Things 2023. This is a highly coveted list (obviously, it’s Oprah), and it is certainly one of the biggest highlights of this footwear journey so far.
The All Weather Boot is particularly dear to me because I’ve always wanted a Chelsea style boot that didn’t leave my toes freezing in the cold. We developed the All Weather with a rubberized mud guard (I would still recommend treating it with a spray for the elements), and a flannel lining to keep those toesies nice and snug. The silhouette is still quite refined and it doesn’t have a bulbous honking toe box - I’m really pleased with how it came out. 😀
From the initial request to review our fall lineup, to my fateful Zoom call with Adam Glassman (Oprah Daily creative director), Gayle King and Oprah, herself, working with the Oprah Daily team has been lovely. When Oprah appeared on the Zoom screen holding one of the All Weather Boots, all I could say was, "Oh!" As Oprah says on OprahDaily.
I hope you’ll check out the All Weather Boot (and all the other great styles we have for fall) and tell your friends who may be on the hunt for a good new boot for the seasons. But act quick, we expect these shoes to sell out! You can shop right here, on Amazon.com, and Nordstrom.com.
Thanks again for sharing in this exciting moment with me!
xx Rebecca
]]>Meet Marrisa Wilson, a first-generation Guyanese-American designer who we had the honor of collaborating with this year for New York Fashion Week. Check out Marrisa's Spring 2023 runway show video here and her Spring 2023 runway show looks here, both of which feature The Two Strap.
Marrisa launched her eponymous womenswear brand in 2016 to provide women with attainable and inclusive high-end fashion that doesn't sacrifice style for comfort. Her pieces are functional, relaxed, and vibrant. Marrisa has also worked with brands such as J. Mendel, Oscar de la Renta, Rag & Bone, and Calvin Klein.
Read on for a glimpse of how Marrisa gets All Worked Up!
]]>
Meet Marrisa Wilson, a first-generation Guyanese-American designer who we had the honor of collaborating with this year for New York Fashion Week. Check out Marrisa's Spring 2023 runway show video here and her Spring 2023 runway show looks here, both of which feature The Two Strap.
Marrisa launched her eponymous womenswear brand in 2016 to provide women with attainable and inclusive high-end fashion that doesn't sacrifice style for comfort. Her pieces are functional, relaxed, and vibrant. Marrisa has also worked with brands such as J. Mendel, Oscar de la Renta, Rag & Bone, and Calvin Klein.
Read on for a glimpse of how Marrisa gets All Worked Up!
I’m a Jersey girl and I currently live in Jersey City (although currently in the process of moving!). There’s this BBQ spot pretty much right across the street from my apartment called Hamilton Pork that is too good to live so close to. If you ever find yourself in the Hamilton Park neighborhood in JC, that’s always my recommendation!
I love a good blazer when I want to feel sharp and confident. A personal favorite is the MW signature Billie Blazer with contrast lapel and collar, a contrast wrap with front body tie, flap pockets and fabric covered buttons :)
A few places, but music has a really big influence on my work. So I usually start a new season by creating the right playlist. It’s a fun way to set the vibe for the season and, once I’ve found the right musical style and tone for what I want to create, it allows me to think less in the design process and just follow my creative instincts. Once I have that soundtrack ready, I’ll then be able to hand paint and render all the prints in my collection. So I’ll always start the design process with a really expressive print story and expand and explore from there.
I love that people are feeling inspired to get dressed up again, but are finding new, fresh, relaxed ways to wear tailored pieces. After being locked down for so long, it’s nice to feel like there are occasions to get dressed up again but without feeling stuffy or overly constricted. I think there’s a strong trend now towards being comfortable even when getting dressed up, and customers are prioritizing clothes that are not constrictive and impractical. That’s something I’ve always valued when designing my line, and I prioritize using made-for-movement fabrics. The MW line is created for multi-faceted women who believe they shouldn’t have to sacrifice style for comfort.
Low rise jeans are not for me and I don't understand why that Y2K trend is starting to come back. I can live without trying to close those tiny 3” fly zippers.
I personally like working within familiar silhouettes and experimenting with prints, patterns, and textures. It’s easier to try a new trend if it works within something you feel comfortable in, like a shift dress in an interesting fabric or a new take on a favorite blazer. Sometimes, trying out a novel silhouette and a bold texture or print is too much and feels overwhelming. Less can be more.
I wear a lot of prints and colors and so I think every woman needs a good black or white t-shirt in her wardrobe. A basic, solid-colored tee always goes really well when layered with a bolder piece, such as one of the MW signature trucker jackets, or when paired with a statement bottom, like the MW Sonia Color Block Cargo Culottes!
My favorite Rebecca Allen style is definitely the black Two Strap Heels! Not only did they pair perfectly with so many of the styles in the MW SS23 Runway Collection, but I also wore them recently to an event with a black suit and it’s the perfect way to complete an evening look.
I do always love checking off boxes on my to-do list. But sometimes a productive brainstorming session and feeling like I’ve got a good, creative flow going is a really rewarding way to end the night. It’s fun to go from mind-mapping an abstract concept to figuring out how it can be executed. I truly appreciate the journey going from concept to execution and, while those days might be more abstract and allow for less concrete tasks to be checked off a list, they are often the most important and fulfilling for me.
I love a good candle. So towards the end of the work day, I’ll often burn a candle to transition out of the work day and into the off-hours of nighttime. I also try to sketch in my notebook, early in the morning or late at night, to relax and stay loose and inspired. I’ll just quickly get some things down into a notebook and try not to put too much pressure on myself. Sometimes that’s the best way to keep my hand working and keep me relaxed when I have a block or feel overwhelmed or stressed.
Find your point of view and your ‘why’ and then stick with it. Your ‘why’ may develop and change as you learn more about yourself and your work, and it should so you should always be open and able to adapt! But figuring out what you want to say and why you’re the one saying it is a great exercise to get you started, and will help you steer clear of all the noise.
Want to learn more about Marrisa? Follow all of her social channels: @MARRISAWILSONNY
]]>
Meet Shelby Ying Hyde, another one of the incredible women we asked to jump in front of the camera during our spring campaign.
Shelby Ying Hyde is a Brooklyn-based contributing fashion editor at BAZAAR.com and the former Shopping News Fashion Editor at The Zoe Report. Prior to entering the editorial space, she worked on the copywriting team at luxury e-commerce giants Net-a-Porter and Moda Operandi, where she gained an extensive understanding of the luxury market as it pertains to brand discovery, shopping and engaging customers in a digital space. She also has a secondhand shopping column with Nylon, offering readers advice on buying vintage. Follow @theshelbyying on Instagram for shopping advice, sale updates, and tips for building a well-rounded wardrobe. Bylines include Teen Vogue, Essence, Elite Daily and more.
Read on for a glimpse of how Shelby gets All Worked Up!
I’m big on capsule wardrobing and building a well-rounded selection of pieces that will accommodate a range of occasions. To me, that includes the following: A well-tailored suit, denim (that fits), an oversized collared shirt, a slip dress, and, of course, the classic white tank or tee. However I interviewed “the Carrie Bradshaw of TikTok”, Carla Rockmore, a bit ago and said something that really resonated with me: Essentials are whatever you know will work hard in your closet and it will be different for each person. It’s really good advice that I’ve thought a lot about in recent months.
A lot of people put the emphasis on hard work, but I am a proponent of working smarter not necessarily harder. It’s something that my dad instilled in me very early on and is very much still the approach I use today. And as much as I hate to say it, when they say it’s all about who you know, that’s so true. Forging genuine relationships and networking laterally as you begin your career is so incredibly important.
In a general sense my biggest piece of advice would be to keep an open mind but never don’t settle or force it. But it definitely varies according to category. I have a shopping column on Nylon.com dedicated entirely to the subject, where I offer complete guides to shopping second-hand and vintage; It covers everything from jeans and handbags, getting as specific as finding those perfect Levi’s or a guide to Chanel jewelry.
As a natural-born introvert, I find it best to keep it lowkey. I’ll go to an early dinner with one of my closest friends to vent or stay home all weekend with my dog and watch a random documentary.
I’m a sucker for nude strappy sandals and Rebecca Allen’s ‘The Two Strap, Nude II’ pair. I definitely see myself wearing them with slinky slip dresses all summer.
Meet Julian Paik, another one of the incredible women we asked to jump in front of the camera during our spring campaign.
Julian is the owner and founder of Paik Studio, a brand-focused consultancy that guides clients through retail and sales strategy, as well as the owner and head baker of Breadbrose, a sourdough-focused baked goods brand located in the NYC.
Read on for a glimpse of how Julian gets All Worked Up!
]]>
Meet Julian Paik, another one of the incredible women we asked to jump in front of the camera during our spring campaign.
Julian is the owner and founder of Paik Studio, a brand-focused consultancy that guides clients through retail and sales strategy, as well as the owner and head baker of Breadbrose, a sourdough-focused baked goods brand located in the NYC.
Read on for a glimpse of how Julian gets All Worked Up!
Keep your focus on yourself and the success you envision for your business and don’t get bogged down by the noise and what others are doing.
A perfectly tailored pant suit.
Paik Studio is my work child, I spend most of my days in consulting mode, making sure I’m being the most effective for all my clients. Breadbrose is my labor of love, I allocate my baking time for evenings and weekends where it can be easygoing, less thinking and more hands-on.
Go for a long run by the Hudson with my dog Archibald.
The Twist sandal. Would wear with my favorite jeans and a white tank.
Meet Tyler McCall, one of the incredible women we asked to jump in front of the camera during our spring campaign.
Tyler is the editor-in-chief of Fashionista.com, where she used to religiously leave comments while an undergrad at the University of Florida. She spends a lot of time wondering if the boys of One Direction are happy on hiatus and trying to find the perfect reaction GIFs of Blair Waldorf. She's also logged hours at Teen Vogue, Vogue Runway and WWD.
Read on for a glimpse of how Tyler gets All Worked Up!
]]>
Meet Tyler McCall, one of the incredible women we asked to jump in front of the camera during our spring campaign.
Tyler is the editor-in-chief of Fashionista.com, where she used to religiously leave comments while an undergrad at the University of Florida. She spends a lot of time wondering if the boys of One Direction are happy on hiatus and trying to find the perfect reaction GIFs of Blair Waldorf. She's also logged hours at Teen Vogue, Vogue Runway and WWD.
Read on for a glimpse of how Tyler gets All Worked Up!
Be open to the possibilities! I think we're told early in our careers that it's important to have a road map of where you want to go and what you want to accomplish, but the most interesting things that have happened to me have come from opportunities I would never have even imagined. It's good to have a destination in mind, but take the detours along the way, too.
Well, I'm obviously biased towards Blair, who taught me there's never a bad time for a hair accessory, but I also appreciate how fearless Serena's style was.
This changes all the time, but currently: "Detransition, Baby" by Torrey Peters, Andre Leon Talley's first memoir "ALT: A Memoir" and "The Hike" by Drew Magary.
I'm a big fan of long, hot baths; I recently caved and bought a Kindle so I could read while soaking, though often I'm in there with the latest issue of New York magazine, too. Mostly, though, it's just nice to spend time at home with my boyfriend and our cat Evie, who loves a good cuddle.
I can't wait for spring so I can wear the dusty violet twist sandal. Generally speaking, I'm a skirts and dresses person, but I feel like they're going to look just as good with my jeans.
We kicked off spring with a fresh campaign for our new styles and for our resort styles that we are carrying forward into the season.
For the first time, we invited a number of incredible women to jump in front of the camera. We plucked leaders from the editorial world and entrepreneurs who are not only making waves in their fields, but also setting an example for all of us to take bold steps forward in our own careers. It was so much fun to pair our new shoe styles with beautiful outfits.
Here's a sneak peak at the incredible women we had the pleasure of working with:
Stay tuned as we feature the women in the coming weeks- I hope you enjoy!
]]>Hello from Brooklyn! I have to tell you, I intended to write a few personal updates throughout the year, but you know what? We’ve been pretty busy.
Despite continued pandemic uncertainty, and so many communal and personal ups and downs, this past year has brought remarkable growth for the Rebecca Allen brand and for me as a mom and partner.
]]>Despite continued pandemic uncertainty, and so many communal and personal ups and downs, this past year has brought remarkable growth for the Rebecca Allen brand and for me as a mom and partner.
If you’ve followed along on our brand’s journey then you have probably recently seen two big updates:
I’m looking forward to more growth with Nordstrom and other partners in 2022 and I am grateful that you are along for the ride.
What else is new?
I would be remiss if I didn’t reflect on my goals from the top of 2021. You can check them out here. I set a goal of removing paper towel from my home. While I haven't fully phased it out, we really are using a lot less. A roll will last for almost a week in our house. The Swedish dish towels that I purchased are all still in use, I just pop them in the wash. They may have a couple stains, but they work just as well as on first use. Cleaning up spills with them offers a magical kind of joy.
How am I doing on my Amazon resolution? Please check back… With the ups and downs of the pandemic, I have appreciated the privilege of being able to have things delivered. I’ll consider this a reminder to myself that I should make a plan to revisit this goal.
It’s all about incremental changes, right? And even though the new year is a great time to come with a clean slate, pick up something new or discard something that doesn’t serve you, I believe that every day and each moment is a chance to start fresh if you need. So, what do you need? Whatever it is you don’t have to wait until 1/1/2022 to get started. Maybe this week is a quiet, little jumpstart.
And for 2022?
Maybe it’s just my wishful thinking, but I hope that after all of these fits and starts, the pandemic will really begin to recede into the background. If that’s the case then my goal is to nurture personal relationships that have slipped through the cracks, as well as professional ones that took a back seat through the past two (!) years.
I hope to entertain more at home and plan to say, “YES,” to all of the networking events (I’m always, always happy when I go). I know a lot of “new yearsy” advice is to say “no” more often, but I’m not a people pleaser so that’s never been my problem¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’d love to hear what you’re cooking up in 2022 or even what you’re leaving behind in 2021. Give me a shout at rebecca[at]rebecca-allen.com.
]]>
We're back with another installment of All Worked Up!
Chesney Blue is a registered dietitian and co-owner of Blue Counseling and Wellness Center, a nutrition and mental health private practice in Montclair, NJ. She offers nutrition coaching and nutrition therapy sessions year-round, and also hosts group nutrition coaching sessions twice a year for women of color who are looking to have a better relationship with food and body image, and to improve their overall well-being.
Read on for a glimpse into Chesney's day!
]]>
We're back with another installment of All Worked Up!
Chesney Blue is a registered dietitian and co-owner of Blue Counseling and Wellness Center, a nutrition and mental health private practice in Montclair, NJ. She offers nutrition coaching and nutrition therapy sessions year-round, and also hosts group nutrition coaching sessions twice a year for women of color who are looking to have a better relationship with food and body image, and who want to improve their overall well-being.
Read on for a glimpse into Chesney's day!
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
I reside in East Orange, NJ. I’m a tea drinker so my favorite go-to spots are Black Swan Espresso in Newark. They have a great iced hibiscus tea (I love cold drinks). Harper’s Cafe in West Orange offers a variety of tea choices. My favorite so far is the strawberry pineapple green tea. For lunch I treat myself to takeout at Freetown Kitchen, a Pan-African soul food spot in Maplewood, NJ. I usually get the wood fire grilled chicken or salmon with honey garlic sauce (the sauce is really good), plantain fries or jollof rice with sautéed spinach. For drinks, me and my girls will hit up Papillon 25 Restaurant and Martini Bar in South Orange. They have the best cocktails, hands down. My favorite drinks are the caipirinha (Brazilian rum drink) and the mango martini. All of the businesses I mentioned are black owned.
What is your current go-to meal?
I am always encouraging clients to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption, however with my busy schedule it can be hard to cook meals for myself. However, my go to easy meal is a sheet pan veggie bowl meal with colorful bell peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, red onions, chickpeas and brown rice. The prep time can be tedious chopping up the ingredients but most of the vegetables can be purchased pre-cut to reduce the prep time. Once all chopped up, spread out on a sheet pan, sprinkle olive oil, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika and bake in the oven. You can always replace the vegetables listed above with the ones you like to make sure you will get your daily produce intake in. My family are big meat eaters, but they love this dish when I cook it. FYI: I am not a vegetarian.
Recipe:
Ingredients
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 yellow bell peppers, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 medium size sweet potato
½ cup of chopped red onion
1 cup of carrots or broccoli
4 cups of cooked brown rice
1 can of chickpeas, washed and drained
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp of garlic powder
2 tbsp of black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread all ingredients out on a baking sheet pan. Massage seasonings and olive oil over vegetables and chickpeas. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked. Enjoy.
As the world opens back up, what activities are you most looking forward to?
Going to restaurants and bars to unwind and socialize with my friends. I love girl time with my besties! I also like traveling and want to go back to Italy (Amalfi coast area) for my birthday next year!
Describe your workwear style.
I dress for comfort. My family doesn’t always agree with this, but I really need to be comfortable with what I wear top to bottom including my shoes (and I have a wide foot). I can’t concentrate on my work if my clothes or shoes are ill-fitting. I wear a lot of dresses and pencil skirts as I feel they are easy to put on and accessorize. A dress is usually 1 piece so it makes my life so much simpler when I choose to wear one. I must have stretchy material in my clothes. If I feel too constricted I will not wear the outfit even when I am going out for the evening. I like fitted clothing but not tight clothing. I hate wearing girdles and body shaping undergarments (but sometimes I do depending on the outfit). I don’t change shoes during the day as I meticulously look for stylish, yet comfortable shoes I am able to wear all day. Since I have a wide foot I am willing to pay extra for that comfort. My favorite stores I purchase most of my clothes from are Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack.
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
My baby blue 3/4 length sleeved cardigan is a must as the temperatures in my office can fluctuate from hot to cold on any given day, plus it has gold buttons to make the sweater look fancy.
What are the top three hair/beauty products you can't live without?
I'm big on skincare so my go-to products are the Clinique 3 step skin routine (cleanser (bar soap not the liquid), toner and dramatically different moisturizer gel). For the last year I have consistently put on sunscreen, as we all should to protect our skin through any season. I see a dramatic difference in my skin since using Good Beauté Vita C Moisturizer SPF 50. Wear your sunscreen ladies!
You're about to give a big presentation/have a big meeting, what are you wearing:
A jewel-toned Adrianna Papell wrap dress with heels (black or nude depending on the color of the dress). I don’t wear earrings daily but I would put on a pair of earrings for a more put together look. And I can’t forget my red lip (MAC Russian Red).
How do you prepare for said big presentation or meeting?
I study the materials, usually a day or two before the big meeting. I don’t like looking at notes so I try to memorize the major points in the presentation. I take selfies in front of my full-length mirror for an extra confidence boost while playing an uptempo song from either Beyonce, Rihanna, Meg Thee Stallion or Lizzo.
What constitutes a good day at work?
A good work day for me is completing my to-do list and answering all of my emails for the day. I also make sure I check in with staff and have a conversation with them to see how they are doing personally and professionally. Being able to stop and engage in the happenings of co-workers is something I like to do to foster more teamwork in the work space while also showing them I care.
How do you unwind and turn work off?
Four months into the pandemic stay-at-home orders, I stopped taking work home and working on weekends to help avoid burnout and reduce stress. I leave everything at work and unplug when it is time to be home. I schedule more movement by working out at least 3 days a week at the gym or in the park. Exercise is a great stress reliever. On the weekends I will either take myself out for a spa treatment or dine out at a nice restaurant. I also like to hang with family and friends on weekends.
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
I just like to have time to myself, to think, to enjoy the sights and sounds around town. To be able to just get up and go do something fun without having a scheduled work-focused meeting or event. I mention my family and friends a lot in this interview and I truly love socializing and hanging out with them on the weekends even if we just stay in the house. I also want to read the dozen books I purchased during the early part of the pandemic. I thought I would have time to read more books but I didn't. I am shooting to finish at least 3 by the end of the season!
]]>We're back with another installment of All Worked Up! Rielle Jones is the owner of Rielle Events and founder of the Black America Summit, which promotes a transparent line of communication between industry leaders and Black Americans and allies. She also hosts a podcast, Black America Podcast, that is currently examining the efforts to combat voter suppression.
Read on for a glimpse into Rielle's day!
]]>
We're back with another installment of All Worked Up! Rielle Jones is the owner of Rielle Events and the founder of the Black America Summit, which promotes a transparent line of communication between industry leaders and Black Americans and allies. She also hosts a podcast, Black America Podcast, that is currently examining the efforts to combat voter suppression.
Read on for a glimpse into Rielle's day!
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
I live right outside of Detroit. Since moving here, I can’t get enough Shawarmas. I’m always looking for new “authentic” spots. I’ve also developed a sweet tooth, and have been devouring cupcakes from local bakeries. I love Good Cakes and Bakes, a Black Queer owned bakery on Livernois.
What is your current go-to meal?
I’ve been indulging myself with Southern Sundays. Apart of my self care day, I prepare a hearty brunch, which includes buttermilk pancakes.
Unicorn Buttermilk Pancakes
As the world opens back up, what activities are you most looking forward to?
I look forward to rooftop parties and enjoying the nice weather and fun music! I miss dancing and vibing out with my friends and new people.
Describe your workwear style.
My style tells people they can trust me to be authentic to who I am while meeting the corporate/professional standards. I love pieces that look tailored while showing my feminine aesthetic. I’ve finally accomplished a balance of adding my flair to traditional corporate looks. For instance, I love suits and own more than I can count, but I do not own a solid black suit. My clothes tend to be colorful, comfortable and tailored. A black suit doesn’t match my personality, and wouldn’t make me feel like myself.
I tailor my work clothes. As a petite and curvy woman, tailoring my clothes makes the entire ensemble look 20 times better. I like brands that I believe will last over time. I started with pieces from Nordstrom, Brooks Brothers, and Banana Republic. I also have a few tailored Armani Exchange women’s suits that I love.
While I love heels and boots, I don’t wear them the entire workday. I wear comfortable flats and switch into heels for meetings or external meetings.
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
I have these little cream shells with brass earring hooks. I got them so long ago but they go with Everything. They are simple, classic, yet stunning.
What are the top three hair/beauty products you can't live without?
This is super tough because I feel like every time I find the “perfect” line of products, after 6 months I’m seeking new products. I could not live without the E-Z Detangler Brush Flex, jojoba oil and my gel for twist outs!
You're about to give a big presentation/have a big meeting, what are you wearing:
If I have a big meeting on Zoom, I’m definitely going to wear comfy pants (since they can’t see and the pants will make me more relaxed subconsciously). Up top, I will have a white button up shirt, with an interesting sleeve. It’s nice and crisp while showing my personality. Striped button shirts can be tricky because the lines sometimes dance on the Zoom screen.
I wear less makeup on Zoom calls because it’s less for them to look at. I usually wear a more natural eyeshadow, and highlighter on key regions. Highlighter picks up light even if the details of my face aren't as clear because the computer is casting shadows. Despite not being able to see my complete makeup look, I still look polished. Depending on how I’m feeling, I’ll either wear a bold crimson lip or a glossy peach lip that’s not distracting.
How do you prepare for said big presentation or meeting?
I have a power woman playlist that I play when I get up—it’s a lot of female rap. While I get ready, I run through my main points of the presentation. This calms my nerves. I’ll run through my presentation a couple of times in the morning. 10 minutes before the meeting, I’ll look through my notes and write down any key words that I know I need to mention during the meeting. That way if I get lost in the conversation, I can make sure I communicate my important points or asks.
What constitutes a good day at work?
A good day for me is completing my to-do list, or a long term goal. Like, if I dreamed of interviewing someone and I actually get to interview them—then that’s an amazing day to me. With Black America Podcast and Summit, you could say I have a lot of amazing days!
How do you unwind and turn work off?
Turn work off? That’s been hard for me at points. I utilize my teams better, and ask for help when I need it verses thinking I have to handle 95% of the work myself. I also learned to take breaks to roller skate, color, play with my dog, journal and meditate if I need it. I start my day with writing my affirmations. That has helped me become a lot more mindful of my stress and actually unwinding. Because I have to ask myself at the end of the day or the next morning when I see yesterday's affirmation if I achieved my goal—-did I feel the feelings I said I’d feel that day. Now, I’m hearing “yes” a lot more than “no.”
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
Theorizing with friends. I’ll create any reason to theorize about social topics—baking parties, dinner parties, long phone calls, girls night in….all ploys for deeper social connections through meaningful conversations. Perhaps, that’s why I love Black America Summit so much. We have a safe space to talk about the issues that are really important but also really hard to talk about.
]]>We are back with another All Worked Up! Precious Rodriguez (a wonderful member of our community) is a receptionist at a vet hospital who is in college studying to become a paralegal.
Read on for a glimpse into Precious's day!
]]>We're back with another installment of All Worked Up! Read on to meet Precious Rodriguez, a lovely member of the RA community, a vet hospital receptionist and a student preparing to become a paralegal!
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
I'm currently living in Tucson, AZ. My favorite coffee shop to grab a coffee and quick bite is Starbucks. I always get a venti chai made with soy and one shot of espresso along with a spinach and feta wrap.
What is your current go-to meal?
Trader Joe’s ready-made salads or Starbucks fruit and cheese box for a to-go meal. Throughout the busy work weeks, I try to meal prep lunches to cut food costs. So at home I will prepare an apple chicken salad with crackers or a greek salad with pita bread and hummus.
As the world opens back up, what activities are you most looking forward to?
Going to the theater more, playing tennis, and traveling. So far on the list to visit is Alaska and Hawaii.
Describe your workwear style.
I love to shop at H&M and Macy's. I dress very classy and chic. My favorite brands are Calvin Klein, I.N.C, and Jones New York. On the days I have to commute to work, I am always prepared. I switch from my kitten heels into my flats to help me get through the rest of the work day. I think it’s important to be approachable and dress dignified always, in the workplace and when you’re not in the workplace. I think your clothes say a lot about you, your character and who you are as a person.
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
I always wear my dainty gold necklace and a watch with every outfit. I love minimal jewelry because I think less is more.
What are the top three hair/beauty products you can't live without?
I use Shea Moisture and Cantu hair products. I love wearing protective hairstyles, and these hair products really nourish my hair and bring out my deep, wavy hair.
You're about to give a big presentation/have a big meeting, what are you wearing:
I have meetings once a month at work and sometimes have to give presentations on whatever case I'm working on with the team. I will wear either my dark jeans, black dress pants with a blouse, or one of my work dresses with a suit jacket. Sometimes these meetings can be long so wearing something comfortable yet stylish and chic is the best choice.
How do you prepare for said big presentation or meeting?
For a big presentation, I take notes on key points to bring out at the meeting and rehearse beforehand a few times to make sure I can practice.
What constitutes a good day at work?
At work, there tends to be a buildup of patient files to attend to, so I feel accomplished when I complete filing and charting because it helps out the next shift coming on to not have an overload of work to do on top of the other daily duties of the office.
How do you unwind and turn work off?
After work I like to relax at home in the hot tub, following up with either a scheduled spa day or a DIY at home spa day with a face mask and doing my own acrylic nails. To help me really unwind, I'll play jazz music at home with a good book, reading in front of the fireplace. I'm currently reading Damaged by Lisa Scotoline in my book club.
At the end of a long work week my husband and I will try different restaurants. Also, sometimes I will enjoy a glass of Chardonnay along with olives, cheese, and crackers.
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
Every Sunday, I love cooking a big dinner. I love looking up different recipes to create or add my touch to. I truly value the moments of sitting at the dinner table with a lovely spread. To me, it's all about making memories.
Also, at the end of the work week I'll connect with my girlfriends to share good times.
]]>We are so excited to feature another wonderful member of our community on All Worked up- Christian Sismone! Christian is a life coach and motivational speaker who is launching her coaching and mentoring services at the end of June.
Read on for a glimpse into Christian’s day!
]]>We are so excited to feature another wonderful member of our community on All Worked up- Christian Sismone! Christian is a life coach and motivational speaker who is launching her coaching and mentoring services at the end of June.
Read on for a glimpse into Christian’s day!
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
I currently live in the Twin Cities. Since I moved here at the top of 2020, I never was able to explore local spots.
What is your current go-to meal?
My fav meal is salmon salad as my dietary needs are picky. I love to pan-sear salmon or grill it and put it over a nice bed of fresh greens. This makes me a happy girl.
As the world opens back up, what activities are you most looking forward to?
I adore the spa and the arts, so I get excited about having a nice weekend at a museum and ending it with a nice massage.
Describe your workwear style.
When I did go into an office, I was into glamour everyday. I loathe pants and button downs so my wardrobe is filled with beautiful dresses, blouses, and skirts. Now that my 9-5 is mainly remote and my side business is virtual, I find myself enjoying a split between cute workout wear and beautiful gowns and robes. I don’t have a particular brand- I go for what looks gorgeous and has an amazing fit.
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
This is a hard question as I feel everything is a can’t-live-without. But I feel in general that items such as well-made handbags/totes and well-made shoes are so important. They are typically the workhorses of your workwear. Who wants to walk into that career-changing meeting and break a heel or have a strap pop while commuting?
What are the top three hair/beauty products you can't live without?
A well-made wig, a red lip, and an exquisite fragrance. These things, no matter what I’m doing, make everything doable.
You're about to give a big presentation/have a big meeting, what are you wearing:
I’m wearing a very nice dress that is red, black or navy, with gold accessories that are well-made. My makeup/hair is perfected, yet not overdone.
How do you prepare for said big presentation or meeting?
I am someone who is very quiet, yet powerful. I don’t believe in overthinking, but I do believe in proper forethought. Before an event, I ensure I sleep well and enjoy a beauty treatment (be it hair, a facial, a nice mani/pedi, or a massage). I also meditate and journal to get any mental clutter out as I know I am that chick and I just need to be fully present.
What constitutes a good day at work?
Doing the things that actually are measurable to successful endings. So that's having the calls, composing that email, or having that chat. It’s also ensuring I’m moving at least 5 mins every hour and drinking water. It’s also a good day when I am able to be myself.
How do you unwind and turn work off?
As someone who has to tend to their mental health, I shut down at 5 like clockwork unless there is something pressing. I do some self-care daily, from my skincare routine, bath rituals, and journaling. I may even do take-out, which is rare.
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
For me, as a budding entrepreneur, devoting time to things such as coaching and mentoring, which are my business, are things that are my fav pastimes. This can be in the form of reading, tweeting, or researching. I believe that when you know your purpose, you know how to fuel it.
]]>We are back with another All Worked Up blog post, this time featuring someone from our very own community. Brandi is a digital marketing expert, inspirational speaker, and mom to two. We loved hearing about how she navigates her world as she champions for people of color and invests in Black-owned businesses. We are so thankful to Brandi for taking the time to give us such thoughtful responses and allowing us to share her story.
Do you know someone we should feature on All Worked Up? Please send them our way! We want to share more stories of the incredible women in the Rebecca Allen community.
Read on for a glimpse into Brandi's day!
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
I am a native of Kansas City, Missouri (Go Chiefs). I currently reside in McKinney, Texas, a Dallas suburb, with my husband, two sons, and fur boy Bailey. Favorite local spot close to home is Juice Bar. I will drive far for cold pressed juice, but luckily there is a location 90 seconds from the home we just purchased.
What is your current go-to meal?
Pesto pasta with sun dried tomato and garlic bread. It is quick and yummy. I add black olives and artichoke for my portion and shredded chicken for the rest of the family.
As the world opens back up, what activities are you most looking forward to?
Networking events. I LOVE to network and meet fascinating people, regardless of industry. When the outside world opens back up that is what I most look forward to. And travel. I traveled a lot for work; my last work event before the world shut down was to the iconic Apollo Theater with my favorite group of colleagues. My husband and I also love to give our boys experiences vs things so they can see the world while they are young to set a solid foundation for culture and diversity. We just got back from an epic road trip to White Sands, New Mexico where we did yoga poses at sunset. Just the four of us in a plush RV exploring caverns, the Sitting Bull Waterfall, and hiking in the Guadalupe Mountains! They will never forget that.
Describe your workwear style.
My go to is ASOS for super cute, functional dresses or pencil skirts. New York & Co. is good for the perfect wrap dress and Nicole Miller is my go to for a cute sheath. Yes, I am a dress and heels daily type of woman and prefer formal over casual. For me, form and function can co-exist. It is about knowing what you are most comfortable in, what is most flattering for your shape. Often when I show up, you know I mean business. I am very intentional about my presence and the perception of my personal brand. I walk out of my house and pull back up in the heels I plan. Fun fact: heels are more comfortable for me than tennis shoes and I 👏🏾 Can 👏🏾 Not 👏🏾 Do 👏🏾 Flats 👏🏾. They hurt. Some find it odd, but I have run into a handful who feel similarly, my tribe. #HeelsOverFlats
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
I love pencil skirts. I have three or four black ones; they can go with any top for a quick, put together look.
What are the top three hair/beauty products you can't live without?
I am a natural girl and have been on my natural hair journey since July 2018. I believe in Black women being able to wear their hair how it naturally grows out of their heads if they choose. (So much so, that I moderated a conversation on natural hair in the workplace at the 2019 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Conference that centered on the C.R.O.W.N. Act that banned discrimination on natural hairstyles like afros, braids, and locs.) As for hair products, OrganiGrow is a game changer for me. For skin, Black Girl Sunscreen under my go-to, IL MAKIAGE foundation.
You're about to give a big presentation/have a big meeting, what are you wearing:
Virtual: A cute blouse or dress with personality -- not BLACK. A pop of color or non-jarring pattern. In person: midi dress, statement earrings and...wait for it. Heels. I was 6 months pregnant in heels and a midi dress for my last in-person speaking engagement at the Hue Tech Summit in Philly -- and couldn't have been more comfy.
How do you prepare for said big presentation or meeting?
This really depends on the meeting. I have signature talks crafted for speaking engagements on things like Personal Branding, Networking, and Social Media. Other presentations I prep for. I like to have fun with the audience and ad lib during the meeting -- I am BIG on reading the room and adding levity or a quote from a hip hop song if necessary to shift the energy. The only way to do that is to know the info! My pump up song also depends. If I worked hard to pitch or get selected: Goapele’s Closer to my Dreams or Nikki Minaj’s Moment for Life. If I am about to just shut it down with content I’ve presented before, I get in my zone with Kelis’ Handful, Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out, or Pastor Troy’s We Ready. Yes, sis has musical range.
What constitutes a good day at work?
A day with a break for meditation to center, a walk to ground myself and recharge in the sun, or pilates to bend so I don’t break. I have never been one to take having employment for granted. During the pandemic, my work picked up. However, I’ve seen first hand the struggles many families, especially women, went through. So for me, all days with the confirmed ability to earn a living for my family are good days.
How do you unwind and turn work off?
I used to have a 45 min to 70 min drive each way for work depending on the time of day. Often when I got home I’d sit in my driveway and decompress (from the day and the haul) before going in to greet my sons and husband. I have a meditation corner that is my sacred space. I make it a point to use this space in the mornings. My husband gifted me a crystal singing bowl in the note of C so I can ground myself, specifically my root chakra, at my whim. I also have an acupressure mat I lay on after I get the boys to bed on which I literally decompress.
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
I allocate my time investing. I am an investor in a few Black female-owned companies (Backstage Capital, Steamlytics to name a few). I invest in my advertising community by serving as the co-chair of DEI with the American Advertising Federation Dallas chapter and mentor newbies in the field. Most importantly, I invest in quality time with my three favorite men; my husband of 7 years, Michael, and our two sons who are 5 and under and the joys of my world.
]]>We recently caught up with Monica Barnett of Blueprint for Style. Monica just re-launched Pocket Personal Stylist, a virtual service that gives you access to an expert wardrobe stylist to get style advice or item recommendations including direct purchase links on-the-go! You send the request via text or email, and within 48 hours, your style conundrum is solved. We love this quick fix offering and we love that you can try the first service for $1! Read on for our AWU Q&A with Monica.
Where do you reside and how have you been managing COVID-19?
I am currently living in Washington, DC and have been for the last 15 years or so, and prior to that, it was Chicago (and then a few other places). I’ve been a bit of a rolling stone since it’s been all about work and my business. I think I managed through COVID-19 ok because I had a partner for most of it so he made it fun. We split right after my birthday in late October but that put me right into Q4 which was okay because I threw myself into my business and the like. My new little world looks colorful and a bit more spread out. As someone who lives alone, I can move to my own beat and I’ve taken to using different corners of the house to grow/launch my new projects so instead of what would normally be a very organized place, I have ½ of my sofa was items for a photoshoot, an upstairs hallway with a clothing rack, and a bedroom with fedoras all about as I think about how to showcase them. I don’t think I’ll be inviting anyone to my place anytime soon!
What has been your go-to meal during this time?
Starting out, the pandemic meant I was eating more and eating healthier because I was actually grocery shopping and making food especially since there were two of us. As summer came, I moved to BBQ and I indulged in more than my fair share of Hebrew National hot dogs because nothing signals summer more than a charred hot dog! If it could be grilled, I was doing it. Now that I’m solo and it’s winter, I’ve taken to comfort foods like chili, lasagna and homemade vegetable soup. I’ve shared my lasagna recipe below. It’s an ideal go-to because it’s hearty, you can freeze it and pull it out later, you can eat on it for days, and it can be eaten in a bowl which is the preferred method of delivery when nestled on a couch with a glass of wine! This lasagna recipe is pretty good except that I substitute ground turkey for the meat because my sister doesn’t eat it. If anything I may go a little overboard on the cheese and save some sauce to put on top right before I eat it.
What has been one indulgence or luxury (small or large) that has helped you cope?
My one indulgence has been reading. I used to be an avid reader when I had more time to exhale but somewhere along the line, I traded that in for thinking about work, the next project, etc. The pandemic has given me a chance to get back to reading because I canceled my Directv account to save money and to allow me to focus more during the day, and when I want a break, I now read a few pages in one of the books I have. As of now, I am reading my newest book, The Creatives’ Closet, Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazi, and Fashionopolis by Dana Thomas. They all give me something different and then I also sprinkle in my magazines which I am now completely current on!!!
How would you characterize your COVID style?
I’m a wardrobe stylist so the stylist in me kept searching for the “perfect” pieces so I could replicate and repeat. Plus it quickly became the number one question I was being asked by clients who had never worked from home or done remote working before. I conducted several seminars for companies focused on how to do business virtually and how to dress for it as well given the new dynamics at play. The stylist in me went to work to systematically figure out exactly what you needed for what. For me, my go-to has been a 3-part plan: first, get out of bed and get clean; next, review the agenda for the agenda for the day so I that I can figure out how I need to dress; and finally, I’d rock one of 4 uniforms with my favorite being a sweatshirt dress because it requires very little thought, it’s warm, and always looks together for any quick video chatting. My COVID-19 style hasn’t changed much from my standard WFH uniform since it’s how I’ve been living for years. It’s only slightly expanded my search for cool sweatshirt dresses and increased the sharing I do with friends, clients, and followers.
I have several items I cannot live without but, for the sake of trying to stay on-task, I will lump them into two must-haves: my scents and my jewelry. Spritzing on a scent for the day, just gives me a little extra pep and mentally signals that I’m going out and that’s helpful for me. The jewelry is a must-have because it’s my reminder throughout the day that I’m put together and ready for whatever. It can be a quick coffee run or post office drop, or maybe it’s going to a hotel to work for the day. While clothes are the “bricks” or foundation of your look, jewelry (and accessories, in general) represent the “mortar” that brings and keeps any outfit together.
How has COVID impacted your work?
COVID-19 initially stopped my business in its tracks but after lifting my head from the sand, I figured out how I could capitalize on the current circumstances. I’m not sure I did it successfully but I expanded my virtual services, my virtual style classes, and seminars. Because almost 60% of my time was working from home already, there hasn’t been a ton of change except that I do create new little spaces to work from throughout the house and have taken to working from hotels more (so I can see people). The tendency when you work from home is to let your day drag on but I’ve implemented a hard stop by 7pm and if I go beyond that, I make sure I give myself at least 12 hours before starting work again (e.g., if I end my work at 9pm then i don’t start working until at least 9am the next day).
Let’s dream a little - what do you think the future will look like for your industry?
This part is fun because I dream a lot!!! The future will be much of the same but with a fairly even spread of folks who work from home and those are doing partial in-office time. The result is easy pieces that can dress up will be the aspiration. For personal styling, more people will want and demand virtual services thus the Pocket Personal Stylist will be ideal to access an expert, be quick, have low commitment and cost, and get rapid, personalized responses! As someone who is a slight germaphobe, I am excited that things will be cleaner in general and that there is greater awareness on the topic. I also think it dovetails nicely to think about being more environmentally conscious which is something I think we’ll see more of as well. The number of questions I get asked about sustainable fashion brands increases weekly.
What constitutes a good day these days?
A good day these days are the ones where I get up and my hair and I are on the same page, it’s dry outside so I can go for a workout walk, and I get to have some type of human interaction whether pizza delivery man, client Zoom, or chatting with a boutique owner. As a single introvert, I’ve managed to find time for myself so my fun now is in finding ways to connect with others… which is almost counterintuitive given my introvert status. By the way, I find that I have more good days than bad so I’m winning!!
Do you have a mantra that is seeing you through these days?
One of my life mantras is ‘to whom much is given, much is required’ but right now the one that is resonating with me HARD is “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”. I’ve taken them much more seriously these days and am continuously looking for ways to uplift Black, female-owned businesses because they don’t get enough kudos, to find ways to deplete the earth just a little less since she’s done such a fabulous job in keeping us, and bringing my A-game as much as possible because as one of my other favorite mantras reminds us, “a rising tide raises all ships”.
]]>
I am not one for big, sweeping changes or (woof) resolutions, but I wrote a short piece on my quarantine earlier during the pandemic, so the top of the year feels like a good time to check in.
After spending several months staying with my parents, my little family is back in Brooklyn, NY, working from home and making the most of our bubble. We are in our new apartment that still needs a lot of furnishings, but the way my toddler runs around and dances in the kitchen certainly makes it feel like home.
Sharing what is still working for me below!
We’re still cooking. Due to a crazy set of circumstances, we didn’t have gas (no stove) for months when we moved back. It was finally fixed in October, so we are still excited to recreate our favorite restaurant meals and try new things in the kitchen. We cook a lot of recipes from the New York Times and when we have a taste for something in particular, we just search for good recipes.
I’ve always been intimidated by our farmers’ market, so I made a simple new rule: Buy one thing that looks really good and build a meal around it. That could mean an animal protein one week, a vegetable outside our comfort zone the next. This way I don’t feel pressure to buy a bunch of produce that we might waste and I don’t spend a whole Saturday morning ambling through all the stands. I needed structure.
Sustainability in focus. Living more sustainably is really important to me as a consumer. It’s also something we are working to fold into our business as we scale. I believe that small changes we make add up. Last year, I did decide on one small change (call it a resolution if you must). I decided to forgo beverages in plastic bottles. I already had a Sodastream to satisfy my seltzer habit and I’m lucky that we have great tap water in New York. I very rarely drank soda, so all in it was a good, SMART goal for me. If you’re not familiar, but perhaps embarking on some resolutions, a SMART goal is
Specific - set with numbers, not lofty and broad
Measurable - you can track your progress
Attainable - the goal is challenging, but possible
Realistic - this is a little different than above because somethings are attainable (like exercising every day), but not realistic for your life (I have a toddler).
Time-bound - there is a deadline
I have two new sustainability goals that I’m working on over the coming months. They are not SMART yet because I’m still doing a little homework before I begin. The first is phasing out paper towels. Since having a baby, I am always appalled by how much paper towel we go through. I’ve been reading about alternatives and finally bought a pack of Swedish dishcloths to test. They are like thin sponges that are great for wiping countertops, cleaning the stovetop and mopping kids’ faces. You can pop them in the washing machine or dishwasher. I actually think my testing phase is done because these work so well that I don’t need to explore other options. Now I just need to set a deadline for the full phase out and make sure everyone else in the house is on board (hehe). It’s amazing what you can do with one cloth compared to using endless amounts of paper towel. I’m not endorsing any specific brand because there is a whole universe out there!
I also want to work to phase out shopping on Amazon. It feels hypocritical to pound the pavement in support of our own small brand and then turn around and buy from the biggest killer of small businesses. It has definitely been a staple for random toddler things and I’m guilty of convincing myself I need something tomorrow. I have not put a plan in place for this yet, but I’m starting by looking back at my past few months of Amazon purchases and just asking myself what I would have done if it wasn’t an option.
Finally, this wasn’t a goal I set, but falls under sustainability so sharing here. I bought a period cup on a whim at my supermarket a few months ago and it is LIFE CHANGING. I’m now a period cup evangelist and using this platform to encourage anyone who gets a period to give it a try. If you are already on this tip, why didn’t you tell me? It will save you money and reduce the number of paper products put into creation, but these facts are secondary to what a better experience it is than tampons. If you are cup-curious, check out Put a Cup in It where you can have all of your questions answered and even take a quiz to help you pick the right cup.
Health. One bright spot in the pandemic has been the catalyzation of tele-medicine. Earlier in the fall I had a virtual dermatologist appointment for my daughter. I don’t think I will ever schlep to an office for that type of visit again. The pandemic has also ushered in so many virtual mental health services that are relatively low cost and so much more accessible. I’m taking advantage and I hope you are, too.
I don’t own a Peloton bike, but I have been using the app for a ton of classes (I know, I’m late to the game). I like it because it’s cheaper than other options I explored and there’s a lot of variety.
Other bits. I’m still not spending a ton of time on social media, but I do enjoy a nightly news scroll. Maybe it’s a little doom-scrolly. Maybe. My husband has a fab Instagram handle @thebrightandearly so he keeps me up to date on any major social moments I might miss.
That’s what I’ve got for you! I’d love to know if you’re making any small changes (or big ones). Hit me up at rebecca[at]rebecca-allen.com This was a personal dump, but we also have a lot, a lot in store for the biz. More on that soon.
]]>
We're back with our very own teammate Q&A! Mesha recently joined our team as Community and Sales Manager and now we can't imagine life without her. Mesha is working closely with our Fit Experts so that we can learn how to best serve our growing team and support everyone with the tools they need to be successful.
A Memphian (with New Yorker tendencies), Mesha sat down to share a bit about how she is navigating working with Rebecca Allen, growing her PR agency, MOMMING and finding time to kick back. Read on for more from Mesha!
A little bit about me. I’m a southern girl, raised in Memphis, TN. Shortly after college graduation I ventured to the NE to explore New York City, by way of Brooklyn. I fell in LOVE and found my place working for a variety of nonprofit organizations, starting with AmeriCorps. I would eventually find my tribe through volunteer service with the New York Urban League Young Professionals. I have the tightest girlfriend bonds from that experience.
A few years ago I brought my talents “back to South Beach” as the saying goes, returning home where I would launch my PR agency (BXM Agency). And interestingly enough it is seeing its largest growth during a crisis. Bizarre, right? But my experience is a bit hybrid as I recently joined RA as Community & Sales Manager in September of this year! You read that right. Sis has many jobs. I read an article once that was titled “this is why I have two jobs…” and that resonated with me because that is me :). Always moving, always hustlin’.
Prior to joining the team, I was introduced to RA through announcements about the company’s mission upon entering the marketplace. There are exciting things happening as RA launched its Fit Expert network earlier this year and is now gearing up for some massive changes in benefits and rewards. And I’m here to facilitate engagement and build community around this new direct sales network that has the potential to change the way we think about selling to our underserved customer - black and brown women.
And now for the Q&A...!
Where do you reside and how have you been managing COVID-19?
I’m currently in my hometown Memphis, TN with my soon-to-be three year old daughter. The pandemic has been quite the experience. My strategy for navigating was to self-govern and handle all things one step at a time, in the early days. Fast forward to now, life is leveling out to a reasonable pace. But I’m still in New York time so that’s a bit different lol. I am taking more time to plan what work and home look like and how to keep a healthy balance of R&R and career, responsibly.
What has been your go-to meal during this time?
Transparent moment! I spend little to no time preparing meals but I do have some faves I like to grab from local restaurants. This is not a go-to meal but brunch is my absolute favorite meal time and I love a good shrimp and grits dish. Here in Memphis, there’s this cute restaurant - Beauty Shop - that is one to beat that serves some delicious S&G.
What has been one indulgence or luxury (small or large) that has helped you cope?
We have some great nature scenes for stealing some time alone. I like to drive down to Mud Island, park and watch the freight travel down the Mississippi River. Maybe it’s the water bearer in me but I love the water element ( hey, Aquarians :) )
How would you characterize your COVID style?
I haven’t adopted a COVID style BUT I appreciate all that athleisure has to offer. But the one item that quickly became a necessity - my face mask…’cause safety first. And not to plug but the RA mask is always in rotation.
How has COVID impacted your work?
The first few months, COVID had an extreme impact on work. My agency saw a screeching halt of client work until recently. I onboarded several new clients within a six week window and had to find office space fast because working from home was not an option with the amount of calls I needed to join daily. For my toddler, fortunately, preschool reopened and keeps her fully engaged during the day. We’re now starting to venture back out to explore the great outdoors and leisure activities.
Let’s dream a little - what do you think the future will look like for your industry?
I love this question. Owning a PR agency means you have to adapt early and often, especially with how rapid new media evolves. What’s happening in the public relations industry is lots of integration of functions. It’s no longer exclusively about media relations, now add event activations, strategic partnerships, social media content/engagement strategy, and so much more. I’m a chronic optimist and see all change as opportunity for growth and the silver lining in PR is that monotony from a single function is a thing of the distant past. Diversifying the communications strategy is the future of work for PR practitioners.
What constitutes a good day these days?
A good work day means I’ve executed meaningful actions for all work responsibility. Being in a hybrid space of working for a thriving startup like Rebecca Allen and also running a business, there’s tons of strategy work and tactical needs which keeps me sharp, nimble and adapting on a dime. And I love it. After work is a bit different, I’m working OT to plug back into my self-care practice which was the first thing that I sacrificed when the pandemic arrived.
Do you have a mantra that is seeing you through these days?
“Present are the days that I own being a badass, leading with faith and not fear.” Oh and therapy. That’s a major key.
]]>
Hey there! 👋
I’m Spring, and I’m currently interning with the team at Rebecca Allen, working as a digital intern and optimizing our web presence through design, development, data, SEO, and blogging. I go to Williams College in Massachusetts, but because of quarantine, I’ve been in northwest Florida since March. I approached this summer pretty confused, given everything that was going on, and alongside my introverted qualities, I found myself easily drained and distracted handling #working from home, my family and uncertainty about school. I’ve found that tuning into my own unique strengths while mitigating my weaknesses helped me optimize my work.
Here’s a glimpse into one of my days:
After pressing snooze 5 times (I’m a night owl🦉), I get up to take a shower - that time alone lets me clear my mind to take on the day. It’s really important that I check in with myself. I make sure to engage all of my senses to wake me up for the day’s responsibilities. I put my music up loud and guide myself into the kitchen where I make coffee, check in with friends to see if they’re okay, skim emails and pin funny articles. One of my email favorites is the Morning Brew.
Good morning! Our team waves to each other on Google Hangouts. “How was your night?” We all catch up, spill over funny little things that happened to us, bathing in nuances and making sure we’re all aligned on the team’s goals. It was challenging at first - adapting to remote work and communicating through a screen, but we’re all in this together. My mom and I created a schedule where we both allow each other to have several hours of quiet time in the mornings.
I take this time to go for a Starbucks run, drive my brother to physical therapy or let him go to the local courts to play basketball. I also use this time to complete tasks related to school, like my financial aid files or doing Zoom meetings with professors to prep for my research going into senior year. Here’s where my personality helps hone my love for note-taking: voice notes! I also enjoy using drawing pads, tablets - anything to shake it up!
Given the uncertainty that COVID has brought, my family is moving. The realtors text us, giving us a couple hours’ notice of a late afternoon show. This means we need to leave the house. My mom and brother use this time to run errands while I leave to visit the nearby deserted fishing docks. I’ve tried to stay nimble and adaptable, realizing that life is always changing and that it’s okay. I bring a book with me. The ones I’m reading now are Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards and The Art of Performance by Jeroen de Flander.
I’ve got several hours to myself before preparing for dinner (we eat late), so I spend this time learning new practices and techniques I can implement into my current work. I’m also prepping and running tests for site updates to go live at night. I’m studying Learning Web Design by Jennifer Niederst Robbins, which also houses a lot of useful SEO techniques. Good code comes hand-in-hand with SEO strategy.
Ahhhh, one of my favorite parts of the day. I’m using the Glo app on my iPhone and choose a 45-minute yoga session that helps release hip and lower back tension. Thumbs up for attending to mental and physical health!
Well, that’s a little glimpse into my day as an intern with Rebecca Allen - trying my best to take it one step at a time. It’s comforting to know that I’m not alone in navigating this unusual time. So, if you know someone in school who may benefit from hearing how someone else is figuring this out, please pass this along. 🤝
Until next time,
Spring
]]>
Hi there!
I’m so excited to share that we have been testing our Fit Expert program and we are now rolling it out more broadly to our community.
When I first launched Rebecca Allen, I did a ton of in-person pop-ups. Before having a baby I had so much time! I spent weekends traveling around to major cities doing shop-in-shop days at complementary stores, sharing the brand with new customers and telling my story. It was so fun to engage with customers, learn about the size and fit of our shoes and get feedback. We also had fantastic sales so I knew we were onto something.
Out of these pop-ups and activations came something I didn’t expect. We started to see women reach out to ask when we were coming back to a given city, offering to host events, help us find space and bring friends together to shop. The concept for the Fit Expert was born to invite women to join us in sharing the brand and expanding our reach. We believe that shopping with friends is always more fun and we wanted to create a way to bring more women together (now more important than ever!) and to make it a worthwhile endeavor for budding entrepreneurs, boss ladies getting on their side hustle and mamas looking to make some coin from home after putting kids to bed.
Folks who sign up to become a Fit Expert don’t need sales experience, we give you all the tools and training you need. A Fit Expert simply shares Rebecca Allen with friends and family through 1:1 chats and small group events (in person or virtual) and earns 20% on all their purchases. Expand your network by rewarding your friends and family to co-host events, introducing you to their networks, and you've got a thriving business!
Brands pay out billions of dollars to Facebook and Google to capture our attention. We would much rather pay this money out as commission to women (and men!) in our communities. We want our customers to know that when they shop with us they are not only supporting a Black/Women-owned brand but also keeping money local and supporting their neighbor.
Our Fit Experts are gearing up to grow with us. Folks who join will have access to the resources of our team, all the training they need, great perks and an opportunity to help us develop our next products. The truth is, every job has a sales component whether you need to get buy-in from your team, or you make cold calls to prospective customers. So training with us will reap rewards today and in the future.
Our early Fit Experts have incredible stories to tell and we can’t wait to share! My goal has always been to help women put their best foot forward (shoe puns..) and with the Fit Expert program, we have a unique opportunity to raise up together.
If you are interested in joining our team, click here! And if you know someone who may be interested in joining please pass this along. Questions? Email us at hello@rebecca-allen.com and we’ll be happy to share more details with you.
Standing up!
Rebecca
]]>
We’re back with a special Q&A with Meg Stacker King, a freelance producer and photographer. This session is here to remind us of the present joys and challenges of life during COVID-19. To help mothers stay connected, Meg began shooting an intimate Photo series on motherhood over FaceTime called “We the Mamas.” She writes, “ I was feeling a lot: Anxiety, Fear, Depression, Anger, Frustration, Overwhelmed, Unrealistic expectations...And yet we rise to guide our child, to entertain, to teach, to love, to comfort.” This series gave rise to “We the Kids,” which documents quarantine life from the perspective of children as they navigate through. We caught up with Meg to find out more about how she and her family have been navigating their days and finding inspiration.
I live in Brooklyn and have been hunkering down here with my husband and 19-month old son in a one-bedroom apartment with no outdoor space. We attempted to take off to be with family in Seattle, Chicago, or Houston but ended up just making it work here in NY. After all of our work evaporated in an instant in mid-March, it has been 24/7 with my toddler, keeping him occupied inside, while my husband attempts to write new music for a project that got fast-tracked after all of his tours were canceled until 2021.
I sneak work in while he naps and after he goes to sleep at night. During the day I am doing virtual shoots with him in my lap, while I try to occupy him with a snack and Sesame Street sing-alongs. I had a goal to not introduce him to television until 2, but it was TV or lose my mind, so we make sure to watch educational shows, music, but balance that with coloring with a Color Wonder, finger painting, puzzles, books and Legos and racing through the house to burn energy. He is attached to me and with nowhere to hide in a 1 bedroom apartment, I am looking forward to playdates coming back into the rotation! I know he wants to play with kids so badly, he just stares at them at the park, I wonder how kids will be with each other after such a long social break!
Professionally I was producing events, I don’t see those coming back anytime soon honestly, at least not in the fashion that we were operating before, so I am redirecting to produce photo and film shoots, in order to blend my two worlds of creativity and logistics.
I have noticed that a good day starts with intention in the morning. If I can get at least an intense 15-minute workout in, one shoot for the series and a shower, then I feel like I can maintain some semblance of sanity! I am normally a to-do list fan, but it was causing me so much frustration because I wasn’t able to accomplish them at the pace that I normally would and it was impacting my ability to be present with my family. My multitasking abilities are off the charts now for sure!
I have just continued to breathe, in through my nose and out through my mouth - it’s a reset at any point of the day. I just kept listening to interviews, researching content, having conversations, and then inspiration found me. It is all about taking it one foot in front of the other, day by day, but really hour by hour and having unending grace for yourself because this is an absolutely unrealistic alternate reality situation.
Today I shared a note in our newsletter on brands navigating Black Lives Matter and allyship. I'm a black woman who launched a brand to hold black women and women of color in a light that rarely gets shined on us by non-POC brands. I celebrate that we have a diverse community and many non-POC customers. And since we have a diverse community, I wanted to share a message that is hopeful, but cautionary.
I have always felt that so many of the institutionalized efforts to help advance black people are largely ineffective choir preaching. Safe space is essential, but what progress can really be made when white people and non-black POC aren't prepared to be part of the conversation, are not willing to acknowledge their own complacency (and complicity) and perhaps don't even know where to begin? How loud must we shout and how many lives must be lost to achieve a breakthrough moment?
Are we having one now?
As a black person, and a black-owned brand, I'm heartened by the public statements, donations and announced actions I've seen by white/non-black POC individuals and non-black brands splashed across social media. It does feel like more people than ever are equipped with the language and tools to create an equitable future and that brands are uniquely positioned to have a positive impact through their reach, alone.
I have seen many such brands break the "fourth wall" to say that they're listening or that they stand in solidarity, but are they hiring and promoting to back this up? Are our most coveted designers doing more than window dressing with Diversity & Inclusion advisory councils? Being a brand is a performative act, which is inherently at odds with our increasing demand for transparency as consumers. Only time will tell if all of these declarations and donations by brands turn into habitual actions and practices behind the IG posts and tweets.
We must recommit to these same plans long after the fallout from George Floyd's murder (and the murder of many, many others) fades from our social feeds. If not, then all of the posts are just that, and all of the lives risked and lost will be in vain.
At the end of February of this year, my husband, our daughter, our cat and I moved out of our apartment to camp out at my parents’ home in upstate New York for what we thought would be two to three weeks as we prepared to move into a new apartment in Brooklyn. We had one of those unraveling days of movers and cleaning and leaving things on our old stoop in hopes that passersby would find some treasures. We finally made our last trip down the stairs, drove the hour north and cozied around the dining table. My dad said, “Well, here’s to it,” and raised his glass. I said, “Here’s to always being able to come home,” and made a nod of gratitude mixed with a smirky self-awareness of what a “millennial” thing I was doing.
The timing of our move was fortuitous, as we all know the next couple of weeks unfolded in a way that hardly anyone anticipated. Chiefly, we didn’t risk my parents’ health to come be with them. At first, we were all bumping against one another, but we’ve now been here long enough to settle into a schedule of work and baby care and taking time for ourselves. I am never excelling at all three of these things at the same time, but occasionally I feel like I’m in a flow state. So, I’m sharing a few things that are working for me (and some things that are definitely NOT working for me).
Scheduling
(Social) Media Consumption
Other Consumption
We raised our first bit of institutional capital just before COVID-19 set in. So, I’ve also been spending time talking to other entrepreneurs, investors and customers on how they are making heads or tails of this market and what is to come. Setting aside the gravity and the risks to everyone’s health, safety and ability to make ends meet, I’m fascinated by the current state of retail and writing the future of it.
I started Rebecca Allen to help women move through their work world effortlessly, but I am driven by a commitment to the advancement of women, particularly women of color, at all levels and stages of work. As women, we’re finding ourselves disproportionately affected by this economy, but I believe that we will emerge with new opportunities that will lead to more flexibility and ultimately more, and better, paths toward financial freedom.
Click here for a little peek at how we’re working to solidify this future. I want to give a special shout to my friend Meg Stacker for shooting me and my squirrely girly on FaceTime - Meg's work is amazing and fun, and she's working on a beautiful series of mamas living, loving and making it through quarantine.
I hope you and yours are safe and sound. I'd love to know what you're doing to make this time work for you - so hit me at rebecca [at] rebecca-allen.com.
Standing up (in sweats),
Rebecca
]]>
We're back with a springtime Q&A with Khadijah Robinson (written just before the world shut down). Our Q&A session with Khadijah is here to remind you of the pre-quarantine days or anticipate the post quarantine days, when you can finally get back to the hustle and bustle. Khadijah is the founder of The Nile List (@thenilelist), a directory of thousand of black-owned brands for all different products and services. Khadijah makes rooting for everybody black that much easier (put your money where your mouth is, right?!)
As an update, Khadijah shared that she is in quarantine in Nigeria where she is working on The Nile List, soaking up as much pool time as possible and not wearing shoes that much (same). As COVID-19 progresses, she's been on Instagram Live like it's nobodies' business (OK!). Also, Nile is focusing more on helping businesses make it through this pandemic. Khadijah has introduced an initiative called Quarantine Mondays, highlighting a different affiliate business on the site each Monday and offing a discount to go shop with them.
To know more about a day in the life of this not-so-typical boss, check out our All Worked Up session with her below.
I live in Takoma in Washington, DC. My favorite local spot is the Spice Suite, which is also in Takoma. It’s a Black-owned spice store that has AMAZING spices, sauces, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and more. The owner sources things from all over the world, and everything there is amazing quality.
I’ve tried to get better about having breakfast on busy weekdays, but I definitely end up skipping breakfast about half the time. I subscribed to Daily Harvest, so sometimes I manage to make a smoothie, but other times, I just run out the door and snack at my desk. I do literally eat all day at my desk, though, so don’t worry, I’m not starving myself.
I’m almost always eating out, eating leftovers, or ordering on weeknights. It’s terrible, but I really just cannot find the time to cook during the week. I’m running between my job as a lawyer and my business, and cooking is dead last on my list. The plus is that if I work over a certain number of hours in a day, my job pays for my dinner. Plus I try to be semi-healthy and order salads some of the time. Or, if I get a pizza, I try to get it with cauliflower crust! I do find myself doing a lot of evening events as well, and there, I have learned to make hors d'oeuvres into a full meal! You’d be surprised how far cubes of cheese can stretch!
When I do get to go home at a reasonable time, I usually stop by the local Black-owned vegan spot (E-Life) that’s right next to my metro station and get some drummettes they have - sooooo good.
My hands-down favorite place to go for work clothes traditionally has been Nordstrom Rack. Paying full price for ANYTHING pains me! I also would go to Saks Off Fifth and cruise through Macy’s website. Now, I am a lot more purposeful in my buying. I bought a couple bomb dresses that make for great jazzed up work attire from Nigerian designer Andreea Iyamah a couple of months ago. I’ve been following the new Black-owned brand that is all about workwear, shopcsuite.com, and plan to buy from them soon. And I’ve gone off the deep end with shopping snazzy flat shoes by Aminah Abdul Jalil. All I need now are my Rebecca Allen nude heels to set off my work gear. I like to think of my style as Bad, Black, and Bougie.
Oh and yes, I keep my work shoes under my desk in my office. There’s no way I’m braving the metro in my killer nude pumps!
My favorite workwear item is definitely my watch. The first nice(r) watch I bought for myself is a gold Movado, and I still rock it most days. My wrist feels very naked without a watch! I am trying to get into more Black-owned watchmakers, though. Seventeenth Watches is a pretty cool one!
A bomb dress and heels, no jacket. I don’t really like wearing 2 piece skirt or pants suits, so I will usually have a flattering work dress on unless it’s absolutely necessary to be in a suit.
I talk to myself in the shower. I practice lines, even practice my silly jokes. Most of this, I will forget the moment I get up in front of everyone, but it definitely helps me get a little looser.
A good day at work for me has to speak both to my job as a lawyer and to my work as founder of theNileList.com. I am putting real sweat and tears (no blood yet, thankfully) into making my site as amazing as it can be, and making sure it is a great tool to connect people with Black-owned brands. So a good day for me is being able to help someone accomplish a legal goal as a lawyer. And being able to help someone discover an amazing Black-owned brand they’ve never heard of as a founder. Every single time that someone tells me that they found out about a dope Black business or product from my platform, I do a happy dance on the inside. That’s what keeps me up at night - figuring out how to make more and more of these connections!
Unfortunately, as someone who has a job and an additional business, I barely ever turn work off. Side-hustling is more than another full-time job. I’ve become pretty awful at self-care, so I am trying to rebuild my practices and routines so that I can get back in the groove of actually giving myself a bit of a break. I like to swim laps and read to chill out. And have a glass of wine with frans!
Brunch. Without a doubt. It’s a lifestyle, an art form, and one of my greatest pleasures. Whoever decided to mash up breakfast and lunch - thank you!
]]>
Evita Robinson does not sit still. As the founder of NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, she has harnessed the power of the community of people of color traveling and living abroad to share experiences both online and off. As a producer, she's worked with Issa Rae to tell those stories through her webseries, "The NOMADNESS Project." And as a consultant, Evita helps brands speak to the $50 billion market of black travel and leisure. If you want to daydream about your next vacation, check out @nomadnesstribe. If you want to learn more about this non-stop boss, read on for our Q&A with Evita!
I reside in Newark, NJ. Locally, Black Swan Espresso Cafe is my go to for an Oat Milk Chai. If not there I am usually at The Wing SoHo.
Be open to the changes you both have to make, and are going to want to make, based on the experiences you have abroad. There will be learning, sacrifice, and growth. Welcome it all. You will never be the same after, and that's a good thing.
My kitchen. Breakfast is the one meal I have a handle on most of the time. Eggs as protein, scrambled hard, some meat substitute as I am pescatarian, and my daily vitamins.
Whatever Hello Fresh has delivered that week for prep, or at a restaurant in NYC. I love ethnic food, so if I am out, it is something tasty...Thai, Indian, Mexican, Ethiopian, etc...give me the real stuff. Considering I am also now 4 months into Invisalign teeth corrections, I try to stay away from food based client meetings until September. Eating is a project these days.
Comfy and cute. I am a firm believer, and purchaser of brands, that allow form and function to play nicely with one another. I need the hybrid because so much of my life involves travel. I am me everywhere I go, so it's rare I go super formal unless an event calls for it. I hate swapping out shoes, so I have to rock shoes that let me be me at any moment.
Flats that also double as fancy, so I can be agile and fly.
Something bright or with a pattern. My personality has to shine through at least one part of my clothing. I prefer either a pants suit option or a dress with leggings situation. Form and function. I want to feel like I can run free while owning the room. I am a talker and walker when I present.
I get very quiet and focused both when I book the meeting and then about a week out. I am always on the move, so aside from my TED Talk, it's rare my prep period is more than a couple days. I walk through it once the night before, and again the morning of, then let it rip.
We have three C's we are always innovating. Community, content, and conversation. Everything begins and ends with the community though. These people are what make our respective worlds go round for sure. We have all those things mentioned, as well as group trips, our annual Tribe BBQ reunion, and as of 2018 AUDACITY Fest: for travelers of color.
Productivity over busyness. Money coming in and my community playing nice.
Journaling. Kickboxing is huge for me right now. Sometimes yoga. The humility I get from my two cats who care nothing of what I do. My personal relationships are also a huge balancing factor to the work.
Travel and love.
]]>
This month we caught up with Jihan and Jennifer of Swivel Beauty (@swivelbeauty). Praise hands raised for the app that connects customers with salons that understand my hair and with in-home styling services. As a new mom, being able to have my hair done in the comfort of my apartment feels like luxurious selfcare mixed with serious convenience. If you haven't yet checked out Swivel Beauty, click to learn more and download the app. Read on for Jihan and Jennifer dishing about growing their business, raising $$ and how they get all worked up!
As we enter a new year, we’re focused on expansion. We have thousands of women asking us to bring Swivel to their city, so we’re focused on expanding quickly in a strategic way. We want to help as many women as possible have their best hair days, so right now we’re working on finding the right pace for opening new markets.
It’s definitely a process! We’ve been very lucky to find investors who truly believe in what we’re building and the market we’re serving. We were selected to take part in Sephora’s Accelerate program, an incubator for beauty startups, in 2017. At the end of the program, there was a “demo day,” where we presented Swivel to a room of Sephora executives and potential investors. This allowed us to connect with many investors at once which opened up a lot of doors for us. Some of these connections led to other introductions, which led us to our current investors. The process is really about selling your vision at a high level. For anyone pitching, I recommend reading Pitch Anything, by Oren Klaff. It’s a great resource to get you into the mindset of how to sell your dream in a way that’s truly compelling and easy for anyone to understand.
We’re based in New York City, and we love to wind down after a long day or celebrate a win with a glass of wine. Wine solves everything! And there’s a cute little wine & cheese shop called Beecher’s Cellar in Flatiron that we love. It’s right near our office and a quick place to grab a drink after work.
Jihan: We’re typically grab-and-go breakfast people if we don’t eat at home. That means usually picking up something at Starbucks or a local pastry shop. I have to eat breakfast every day even if we have a busy morning, so while Jenny may skip it and move on to an early lunch, I always have to have something for breakfast even if it’s small.
Jihan: Dinner is a moving target. Every week is different in terms of what time and where. Most weeks, we’re usually out one or two nights at least for a dinner meeting or networking event. Building relationships is so important when you’re starting a company, whether that’s meeting with potential partners, investors, or other founders. But those meetings can add up (both in terms of money and calories!), so we try to balance by having home-cooked meals on the other nights.
Jihan: We’re very casual at work. For in-office days when we have few or no meetings, I’m usually in jeans and a sweater. If we have meetings, I’ll add a blazer and booties or heels. Zara is where I shop for most of my work clothes. I’m also loving Aritzia lately. For staples, I tend to shop at Madewell and Asos. I prioritize clothes that allow me to look my best but also feel comfortable—the goal is always some combo of casual and chic. I also keep a black blazer and one pair of black heels in the office at all times in case a last-minute meeting pops up, so I’m never caught off guard or without something to wear. Since we’re in New York, we’re either walking or taking the train most places, so you’ll usually find me commuting in flats then switching to heels when I’m near my destination.
Jenny: I’ve been copying Jihan’s style since middle school when we were no longer required to wear uniforms (we’ve known each other since 4th grade!), so I also tend to do jeans and blazers. I do love a good work dress in the warm weather months though. It’s a great way to look professional without having to match different pieces, which usually takes me forever.
Jihan: A Zara blazer. I have the same one in 3-4 different colors. A blazer can easily level up any outfit.
Jenny: I love a good pair of black jeans that can be dressed up or down. They’re comfortable with a hoodie on casual days, and can pass for slacks when worn with heels and a nice top.
Jihan: All black everything: A black Zara blazer with black cropped, pleated Zara pants and black heels. Then, depending on the meeting and the weather, I rotate the blouse I wear. It’s a simple, polished look. On the day of a big meeting, the last thing I want to think about is if I should have worn something else or if I’m underdressed. With this outfit, I never worry about any of that. I feel confident so I can focus on what’s important.
Jenny: I’ve always been drawn to bold colors and prints. Of course it’s a delicate balance to avoid any outfit that distracts from what I’m saying, but I always feel like a pop of color helps bring out the bold, confident side of my personality.
Jihan: I’m a big fan of being very, very prepared. I’m not someone who can “wing it.” So that means practicing what I’m going to say several times. First, I’ll type out a loose script and then prepare answers to potential questions. Usually we have an idea of what someone’s questions might be after a particular presentation, so we can plan ahead of time for any potential curveballs. For formal pitches with a deck, we do dry-runs for both time and presentation. We’ll run through it like the real thing, standing at the front of a room and clicking through the slides. For demo day pitches, I have recorded myself doing the best version and listened to it over and over (a tip I got from a presentation coach). When I’m this prepared, I know I’ve brought the best version of myself to the meeting so, no matter the outcome, I can walk away with no regrets.
Jenny: Same, though I have to be very conscious of not practicing so much that I sound like a robot reciting memorized lines. Building off of Jihan’s answer, I’ll also add that we take extra time to prep for each individual meeting – doing research on who we’re meeting with and what they care about – so that we can make sure to address what we know is important to them.
Jihan: I’m forever chasing a long to-do list, so I try not to measure my days by how many tasks I’ve crossed off, but instead by making sure I’m crossing off the right things that truly move the business forward, whether that’s sending out an email requesting a new partnership or talking to one of our users. Not everyday is going to be a great day (there are the days where you get crushing no’s or things move slower than you’d like), so I try to maintain a big-picture outlook and I never lose sight of what we’re building and the women we’re helping every single day.
Jenny: Generally speaking, any day I feel like I’ve done as much as I could reasonably do to make the business a little bigger and better is a good day (though when there’s so much to do, it’s hard to ever feel like you’ve done enough!). Team is also huge for us, so I love the days that we all come together on a productive brainstorm, then collectively grind on our respective areas of the business.
Jihan: Exercise! A good run is the only way I can turn my brain off. I get on the treadmill, put on an episode of Law & Order or Game of Thrones, set my phone to “Do Not Disturb” and tune out for an hour. I always feel great after.
Jenny: I always end my day with the NYT crossword. It’s my favorite way to focus on something that takes my mind off everything else.
Jihan: In order to hit reset outside of the office, I need a mix of both alone time and social time. Ideally that includes running, reading, or journaling on my own in the morning, then finding time to meet friends for a drink or try a new restaurant with my husband in the evening.
Jenny: My friends, family, and dog are everything to me, so I try to spend as much time with them as possible, whether on the couch or out in the city somewhere.
]]>
To kick off 2019 we caught up with Kori Hale (@kori.hale), the founder of CultureBanx (@culturebanx). Kori launched CultureBanx to tell diverse, market-driving news, from deals that will impact the global economy to POC making waves in venture. She and her team are also getting ready to launch the CultureBanx Channel on Roku TV this month and we can't wait. Below we ask Kori all of our favorite AWU questions!
The vision for CultureBanx came to me while I was still working as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. I was sitting under one of the TVs on the floor and looked up to see that no one on the screen was like me or from my community. That’s when I knew I needed to create diverse business news content through a culturally attuned lens.
The best surprise has been how responsive people have been toward our content. The worst thing that’s happened is the constant shutdown from various investors who don’t understand your business.
I reside in Brooklyn, NY and I love the eclectic and urban vibe out here! My favorite spot to hit up is Barboncino pizza in Crown Heights because it’s literally the best pizza place in Brooklyn probably the entire city. Not to mention they make the best cocktails to pair with my favorite Cherry Stone Clam pizza. Just writing about this is making me hungry...lol.
I spend a lot of time working from home which makes it very convenient to make a good morning smoothie with chia seeds. Though breakfast tacos are my favorite, I just generally don’t have time to make those.
Dinner for me typically doesn’t happen or it’s a working dinner meeting. I’m not someone who cooks a lot because I’m always on the go. Uber Eats and I are very well connected and sometimes I’ll use the app multiple times a day.
My work style varies a lot but I love wearing heels because they always make me feel more confident. I’m always into patterns but love staple solid pieces for blazers and sweaters. A nice bright colored, form fitting knee length dress is always a go-to that can be easily accessorized. Some of my favorite workwear brands include Ted Baker, Karen Millen, Sandro and Reiss.
I can't live without a long cardigan, usually a chunky one for winter (right now I’m obsessed with my dark green Topshop one) and a lightweight one for the spring.
I’m wearing a power dress with good texture and color along with a strong pair of corresponding heels.
It really just depends on what the presentation is about. A lot of my presentations/meeting are to investors so I pretty much have my pitch down and just go over it and make slight adjustments. So it’s really just ongoing preparation. In my mind I’m always hearing Jay Rock’s song “WIN” and use it to motivate me.
A good day at CultureBanx consists of accomplishing as many things that can be checked off the list. Anytime we reach a new milestone that we’ve been working on for months is cause for celebration.
I like to watch a lot of Nat Geo Wild and the Wendy Williams show. The name of the game is mindless television in order to get my brain to power down. I try to always take off one day a week (usually Sunday) where I don’t do anything with the business and just completely chill. I always read a daily devotional and pray in the morning before I answer any emails. I’m a huge foodie and love going to new restaurants. I actually keep a running list of restaurants that I love or need to try across the city in the notes section of my phone.
I really love going to the movies by myself. I typically go early in the morning on Saturday when no one else is really there so I can just enjoy the film without any interruptions. I’m pretty sure we can all agree there’s no better popcorn than movie theater popcorn!
]]>
Abigail Opiah co-founded Un-Ruly (@hairunruled), an editorial platform for black hair, alongside her sister Antonia, in 2013. In 2016, the duo launched Yeluchi by Un-Ruly (@weareyeluchi), the at-home braiding service that offers world-class protective styles without having to sit at the salon for hours. Recently, Abigail was selected as one of Bumble's Most Inspiring New Yorkers and featured in their city-wide campaign. Check it out here and read on for our interview on how Abigail gets all worked up!
When we launched Yeluchi in the summer of 2016, we did so with the goal of becoming the go-to mobile service for braids. Since then, we’ve seen the requests for braids continue to grow with no signs of slowing down (feed in cornrows are our most-requested style). As for trends to keep an eye on, crochets are one to watch. They’ve been around for years but are only starting to get attention. We love their versatility and the fact that they’re the ultimate time hack when it comes to time-intensive styles such as box braids or goddess locs. We love them so much that we shot some new how-to videos that we’ll be publishing to our YouTube channel soon, so stay tuned.
No one on this planet knows me better than my sister does, and that makes for a really special working dynamic. The fact that we have the shared experience of immigrating to this country at such a young age, our wins are that much sweeter, and our setbacks challenge us to work even harder. Also the fact that our Mom (our biggest champion) gets to be witness to what we’re building, and is on the sidelines cheering us on along the way is such a great feeling because we’re making good on all that she sacrificed for us to even be here.
One of the biggest challenges - which has turned into one of our biggest strengths - is the fact that we’re 100% self-funded. On the one hand we don’t have the resources to scale as quickly as we’d like, while on the other hand, we’ve been able to really focus on the quality of our service and as a result we’ve seen our business grow thanks to word of mouth and client referrals. We’ve also had to challenge ourselves to become resourceful and find novel ways of growing our business, ways that don’t just involve throwing money at an issue to make it go away.
I live in New York City, and my favorite local spot would be The Wing in Brooklyn. For a busy bee like myself, I’m definitely a fan of a place that can be more than one thing and serve more than one need. I take meetings there, I can meet for coffee, or lunch as well as take a nap! It’s my little slice of heaven.
I’ve come to realize that I’m not a big fan of breakfast food so I usually have a shake for breakfast. I take the time on Sunday evenings to make my shakes for the entire week then freeze them. This way I can just grab and go in the morning.
I try my best to “excuse-proof” my life, so if I can’t cook a meal from scratch for dinner, I’m either making a healthy frozen meal from Trader Joe's or warming up a meal I planned and prepped at the start of the week. I’ve fallen into the trap of ordering in one too many times, and it can put a huge dent in your pocket especially when running a startup and living like a college student to keep costs low.
The biggest advantage to running a startup from home vs working a traditional 9-5 is not having to obsess over what to wear everyday for work. As a result, I can get away with only having a few key pieces that I can mix and match. I’m definitely a fan of the Steve Jobs/Mark Zuckerberg-type uniform, so you’ll most likely catch me in jeans and a cute top; paired with a nice slip-on sneaker or flats. I like shopping at The Gap, J. Crew and Zara for basic pieces.
I’d have to say my Tumi backpack. I love being hands-free yet stylish and functional all at the same time.
Besides a huge smile (which is my secret weapon in disarming the audience, which in turn puts me at ease) I’m usually in slacks, and a fitted blouse.
I give the presentation to just about everyone in my life that’ll listen lol. Family members, colleagues, friends. After going over it so many times, it becomes old hat and only then am I really ready to knock it out of the park come game time.
Hands down, a good day at work for me is destroying my to-do list and getting to inbox zero. Fun fact: crossing things off a list has been known to increase dopamine levels so I’m all for it.
I do a lot of meditating. I also go to the gym to let off some steam and reset myself for the next day. I try to get in a little bit of reading when I can. My goal is to get into reading fiction and pull myself away from business and self-help books.
I love to travel! The best part of getting out and seeing the world is that it helps bring new perspective to my life and how I live my life. I just love being exposed to different cultures.
]]>Tribe is a professional collective supporting black women in beauty, fashion and CPG. The organization was started by Chanel Tyler, Alexis Avent and Crystal Sai to galvanize a network and help women navigate careers even when they sometimes feel isolated.
I love that Tribe recognizes that we're more powerful when we raise each other up. There is a lot of room to be made at the tables inside the big beauty and fashion houses; Tribe is pulling up the chairs! Read on for a fun All Worked Up with all three founders.
Congrats on launching tribe - can you tell us a little bit about how it came about and what hurdles you’ve faced so far?
One [particularly long] work evening, eight women, including the three of us, met for happy hour. Almost instantly conversations centralized around the lack of representation of black women, both externally in marketing campaigns and advertisements, and internally within senior leadership, a shortage of professional, emotional, and motivational support in the workplace, and just an overall frustration with their respective industries (which happened to be Beauty). We made lemonade out of lemons and TRIBE was born. TRIBE (n): a supportive space and professional collective celebrating black women working in Beauty, Fashion and CPG | @tribe_org
Hurdles: Honestly, many of the things you would expect with a start-up, THE GRIND IS REAL!
MONEY | sources of funding to carry out our vision, build visibility around our brand and grow our membership base.
NEW LAUNCH | Tribe was launched in April of this year so we are very new - getting started, driving awareness, gaining media traction, and finding spaces to host board meetings and events.
HUSTLE / GRIND | this is a passion project for us so we are working on TRIBE around the clock, the hustle never stops and it’s not easy. So much of the free time we had prior to launching TRIBE goes into growing TRIBE.
How do you make time to grow this community and be on during your traditional work day?
We recently expanded our board from 6 members to 22 members across 6 functional areas. We were able to bring on some really incredible women with phenomenal professional backgrounds and talents. The energy, the vibe, the way we collaborate is going to help us take TRIBE to the next level. We can now be more strategic and get more done. Most passion projects are not 9-5, they are 5-9 and much more. We leverage much of our free time outside of the “work day” to dedicate to meetings, calls, getting organized, building out plans, sourcing venues, creating assets, etc. Basically, #TeamNoSleep
What’s coming next from Tribe?
We are focused on growing our brand through expansion of our digital platforms, enhancing partnerships, and delivering more events and relevant content to our members. We’re excited to share our engagement with the Fashion Week community, being that fashion is one of our member pillars. We have exciting activations planned to celebrate black female designers, entrepreneurs and professionals.
Our overall vision is to create a safe, supportive and empowering space for the collective of black women that are a part of our org. We plan to increase visibility and mobility amongst all our respective industries and help bring attention to the importance of diversity in leadership as it relates to black women. We are focused on building out our brand through expansion of our digital platforms, enhancing partnerships, and delivering more events and relevant content to our members. Tribe is more than a name, it is a MOVEMENT. Support. Connect. Celebrate. We are you, we are me, we are TRIBE #weareTRIBE.
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
We all live in Harlem, baby! We are all self-proclaimed foodies so here are a few of our favorite spots by occasion.
Brunch: Lido, Fumo, Blvd Bistro
Happy Hour: Yatenga, Ponty Bistro, Cantina
Late Night Drinks and Ambiance: 67 Orange, Corner Social, The Edge, Harlem Hops, Barawine
If you haven’t tried these places, try them! You can thank us later!
It's breakfast time on a weekday, where are you and what are you eating?
Chanel @buymechanel: Honestly, weekday breakfast can miss me, I usually have a vegan coffee or a smoothie from Juice Press, brunch is totally my thing though! I am ALWAYS eating at my desk, it’s really difficult to tear away from work and I guess I figure it’s multi-tasking!
Alexis @alexis_kristine: I am so not a morning person sooo...anything Chanel is making on @LemonsandThings, but if I can’t make one of her fabulous recipes Grapefruit and hard boil eggs. Unfortunately, I am always eating at my desk. #multitasker
Crystal @4chocolategirls: Coffee is a must, along with a Trader Joe’s light cheddar cheese stick at 9am. At around 10:30/11am, its hard boiled eggs with Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Seasoning (thanks to our Events Director Mechelle!) or Chia Seed pudding with Coconut almond milk. Always at my desk, womp lol.
It's dinner time on a weekday, where are you and what are eating?
Chanel: I love to cook! i It’s extremely therapeutic for me, but I don’t have nearly enough time to do it. I started an IG “blog” called @lemonsandthings as Alexis mentioned, and I post a lot of what I love to make on there. It’s mainly brunch dishes. I’ve failed at meal prep so many times, I can never keep up with it. I typically cook on Sundays and Wednesdays and that covers dinner for the week, if not there is always Seamless (Evelyn’s Kitchen is my favorite). I love hosting and have people over often for dinner, game nights, brunch and mini celebrations.
Alexis: I’m going to Chanel's house for whatever she’s cooking. Seriously though follow @lemonsandthings and live your best cooking life. Otherwise, I’m all about an easy sautéed dish preferably with veggies and fish of some sort. My weekend (aka Sunday plans) are typically spent on a skin care or hair regimen over prepping food.
Crystal: Dinner is a toss up! I could be snacking on hors d'oeuvres at a work or networking event, meeting with girlfriends for dinner, or quite frankly having a glass of wine and ordering in. Sometimes I workout and am exhausted and might just have a snack before bed. My schedule is all over the place (in the best way!), so it really changes from day to day.
Describe your workwear style.
Chanel: I would describe my workwear style as casual chic. I work on a team that operates similar to the startup world and the culture is professional but relaxed, so I wear jeans and a blazer, wrap dress and wedges, or a blouse and high waisted slacks. When I was in a more formal environment my favorite brands were Club Monaco, J Crew, and Theory. Now I’m much more into Zara, DVF, Asos and Rachel Comey. The older I get the more I prioritize function, it needs to be versatile and comfortable at a minimum. I like to go from work to play / day to night. For commuting, I have unfortunately become a seeker of fashionable but comfortable flats and heels, but every once in a while I’ll be in a sneaker especially if I have post work errands. I hope to communicate confidence, openness, fun and style that is uniquely me.
Alexis: My workwear style is unapologetic, fashionable but functional. Nordstrom, Asos, and Zara are my go to retailers for workwear. I wouldn’t say I prioritize form or function, it is more so whatever I am feeling at the time. I do keep in mind when getting dressed any afterwork plans I may have that day. I like to change up my style, I’ve never been the type to fit inside a box. I DEFINITELY change my shoes per my commute, does any tried and true New Yorker not? The only message I ever try to communicate with my style is this is me, take or leave it - and it may change depending on how I’m feeling that day.
Crystal: I’d describe my workwear style as professional chic! I worked at MAC prior to my current role which was much more relaxed, but black from Monday through Thursday so I had to get creative. Now, I work in a much more corporate environment so I love brands like Zara, Banana Republic, BCBGMaxAzria, AQAQ, Rue107, JLuxlabel, etc! If I have an important meeting, you can typically catch me in something a little more formal or a jumpsuit- I LOVE a good jumpsuit! I always commute in comfy shoes- flip flops in the summer because I’m a Cali girl, but I won’t allow these NYC streets to kill my heels. My goal is to convey chic professional and put together, but with a slight edge.
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
Chanel: My chunky knit sweater, it is super cozy and keeps me warm in the winter and warm in the summer AC when the office is an ice box. Also my classic black pump, in a drawer in my desk ready for whenever an important meeting pops on the calendar.
Alexis: Being from the south I’m big on accessories and heels. The higher the heel the closer to God (said in the most southern accent ever!). But I’d have to say my favorite workwear or any wear accessory are my collective of bangles. The mix and match of them makes up a holistic look that is signature Alexis and they go with whatever I’m wearing.
Crystal: My leather mules that I keep under my desk that I can throw on at any point to make my look more professional.
You're about to give a big presentation/have a big meeting, what are you wearing:
Chanel: Blouse (usually with a bit of fufu), a pencil dress or skirt and sleek pumps.
Alexis: A dress. Classic, simple, functional. I have enough to prep for without stressing about multiple pieces!
Crystal: A Jumpsuits- I love a good jumpsuit!
How do you prepare for said big presentation or meeting?
Chanel: For a big presentation I start preparing as soon as I find out about it. I practice pretty obsessively until I feel like I know the content in and out (I need to feel good about my delivery). I usually prepare myself for questions and answers and typically practice in the mirror.
Alexis: Preparation is key. While there isn’t a power pose or a favorite hype song I like to make sure all presentations are backed in analytics so decisions are backed logically and not viewed emotionally.
Crystal: Definitely prepping, and going over it and over it until I know the content well enough to speak casually to it. I’m most comfortable when I know what I’m talking about!
What constitutes a good day at work?
Chanel: Productivity, I usually make a list of to-dos in the morning and if I can mark all the to-dos off and clear out my inbox that is a good day. Being able to turn in a big deliverable that I’ve have put blood, sweat and grind tears into is a really good day (and I am very appreciative of positive feedback / good responses). I don’t have work life balance but I do have boundaries. Once I leave the office I typically move my focus into whatever my post work to-do’s or activities are and I don’t revisit work until early the next morning unless I know it’s something really important. Because I have a very active life outside of work including TRIBE, social life, networking, ME TIME, there have to be boundaries on all of them or I will burn out / stress out.
Alexis: Definitely checking off to-dos and just getting things done. I feel accomplished when not only is my To Do list complete but I’ve exceeded expectations for the day. My work/life balance, I feel, is achieved more outside of the office.
Crystal: Being able to check things off my list and be productive despite hundreds of emails and tons of meetings. Not letting the stress of a fast paced environment impact me getting ish done!
How do you unwind and turn work off?
Chanel: I love a good TV show and enjoy Netflix a little too much. I usually unwind by going home, making myself a good pasta dish and pouring a healthy glass of wine while catching up on the shows I missed during the week. I also love creating content, that is also a way for me to unwind whether it be food / cooking content, beauty content, etc. I don’t have designated self care time but I have been practicing giving myself a day a month, usually a Saturday, to just not do anything except focus on what makes me happy. Self care is so critical and my spiritual relationships really help with keeping my thoughts collected and my mind on positive mode set towards finding and residing in a peaceful state. I constantly remind myself there is so much to be thankful for and honestly the blessings have been abundant (God is good y'all)! And yes I love trying new restaurants, like LOVE (if you’re a wino - Park Ave Summer/Winter/Spring/Fall has an amazing wine dinner and is a great spot to go with girlfriends or a boo thang)!
Alexis: Every morning before work Crystal has helped me implement what we call “Dad time” taking the time to speak with God and thank him for what he has done, guide us to where he wants us to be and grant us peace and serenity. After that I have made extreme efforts to go to the gym (but again not a morning person). Sunday’s are definitely set aside for self care. It can range from a facial mask, a glass of wine, brunch with my girls etc. But Sundays I always end the day by saying this is what I did for me today. Lastly, on Tuesdays when there are good movies out I really enjoy going to the $5 movies at any AMC theater. As long as you are an AMC member anytime, any movie on a Tuesday its $5! Sign up is free. Don’t say I never did anything for you, Sis!
Crystal: I love a good dance workout class! Vixen workout, Brukwine, Killer Moves, any class that gives me the opportunity to let go, let loose and twerk it out with other badass women. It's empowering! I also have a standing meeting in my phone for weekdays at 6am called “Coffee with Dad”- a time reserved for prayer, praise & worship, or simply talking it out and clearing my mind with God. I find that a lot of times, there’s a significant difference in how I approach my day when I actually wake up for it! Lastly, I go to Renaissance Church in Harlem on Sundays, literally one of my favorite places to be. As far as new restaurants, a girl can always eat lol! Gathering over great good with amazing girlfriends is one of my favorite things to do!
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
Chanel: Spending time with the people that give me LIFE (my man, my girlfriends, and everything TRIBE). Connection for me is imperative, without it I feel lost and without purpose. My support system and the women that I have come to know and love, wouldn’t be where I am without them. It’s so important to have the right people around you, people who want to see you thrive, who ground you, who want to see you happy and who make you better and vice versa bc it should always be reciprocal. My favorite ways to connect are over happy hour deals and champagne brunches, but I am trying to substitute some of these with workout classes so they serve a dual purpose #getitrightgetittight
Alexis: I am all about experiences in particular with the people I love. Rather it's my Thursday night Sister circle sessions, catching up with my grad school gang, plotting to take over the world with my TRIBE collective, or just about any reason to attend a bottomless brunch. I enjoy the positive people around me that speak life into me, look out for my wellbeing, and push me to be my best self.
Crystal: Community- getting together and catching up with the people I love. I’ve been really blessed with most INCREDIBLE Tribe of women and support system in NYC- to my little sister, to my besties, to TRIBE, to my ride or dies, to my incredible mentors that are selfless with their time! There’s nothing better than great conversation over boozie brunches or endless glasses of wine where we can connect, share, exchange, empower and encourage one another!
]]>
Photo: Kwame Owusu-Kesse
A match made in heaven! Erin is the founder and CEO of Nude Barre, the amazing line of hosiery that comes in EVERYONE'S shade. 12 nude tones in total. Worn by Serena Williams, Tyra Banks and Laverne Cox alike, Nude Barre has us covered from streetstyle, to the office, to performance wear for professional athletes. And now Nude Barre is also available online in the recently launched Essence Marché.
I'm so inspired by Erin's ability to run her biz and still teach barre classes at Exhale locations in NYC. I took her class - it was leg shaking, sweat dripping hard.
Read on for a glimpse into Erin's day!
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
I live in central Harlem. My favorite local spot is The Edge Harlem. It is women-owned and black-owned. The food is great and I love the environment, from quick coffee meetings to dining with my husband.
It's breakfast time on a weekday, where are you and what are you eating?
I make breakfast at home 95% of the time unless I have events or meetings to attend. I usually start with green tea and a bowl of fruit around 9am. I get started on emails, make sure everything is running smoothly with our distribution warehouse, and watch the Wendy Williams Show to see if she is wearing Nude Barre that day. Then I eat a proper breakfast later around 11am. I am a night person vs. morning person so 9am is early for me. I typically have lunch around 2/3pm with healthy snacks in between.
It's dinner time on a weekday, where are you and what are eating?
Dinner time is probably to most inconsistent meal for me and my family. My husband and I always agree to eat dinner together, but the time varies depending on our schedules. Typically we eat fairly late, after 8pm most nights. We probably order in 3-4 times a week and I cook the other days if we do not have dinner events. I rarely entertain clients over dinner.
Describe your workwear style.
My workwear style is simple and comfortable, but stylish. For work, I am mostly in workout clothes or a comfortable dress. I don’t enjoy wearing jeans often. I 100% prioritize function and comfortable over anything. I love fashion, but I do not enjoy the mental energy of figuring out what to wear day to day so I keep is simple. If I want to diversify my wardrobe I wear something from Rent the Runway.
I want to be taken seriously. I typically do not want the focus to be on what I am wearing, which is another reason I keep my looks very simple so that we can just talk about the products I am selling or, if I am pitching, investors can hear me.
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
Usually I wear a simple bodycon dress that I can accessorize, dress up or down with various shoe styles, sweaters, etc. I always wear a Nude shoe to match my Nude Barre tights.
You're about to give a big presentation, what are you wearing:
For a big presentation, I am typically wearing my usual look. Maybe with more color, but simple, probably no patterns. Just a clean and professional look.
How do you prepare for said big presentation?
Well, sometimes I hear about big presentations or meetings very last minute. I am used to talking about my brand and myself so I feel well prepared. I have had many rehearsals in the past thinking of questions people may ask me that I did not cover, and fine-tuning my story. Other than that, I have a lot of experience performing in front of thousands of people so I do not have a ton of prep that I need to do. I actually get most nervous when having one-on-one meetings vs. large audiences. For those meetings, I meditate, pray and take a few deep breaths. Depending on how I feel, I might rehearse the main blurb I want to get out in my voice memos and continue to listen to the memo if I landed it well.
What constitutes a good day at work?
A good day at work is getting a large order, getting through a lot of my to-do list and learning something that really gives me direction in my business. As a solo entrepreneur, sometimes things can be lonely and you can feel lost as to how to grow your business. Getting great advice from mentors helps me know if I am on the right track or what to do next, and always makes me feel at peace for a few days.
How do you unwind and turn work off?
I really struggle with this, but I am constantly working on it. I also teach barre classes part time after 5pm. Even though it is still a form of work, it gives me time away from my business to be present somewhere else and to let go of any problems I cannot solve that day. I take time to pray before going to bed, and I try to push myself to close the computer after a certain time of day (that does not always happen). When I wake up, I try to remember to record a voice journal reviewing how I feel, what happened the day before (good, bad, horrible), and my hopes and dreams. I take 30 minutes per day to walk my dog and just look around my neighborhood or call my parents who are very supportive. Lastly, I love taking a relaxing bath with a glass of wine 1-3 times a week.
On the weekends, I try to commit to not working at all (this doesn’t always happen, but I am fairly consistent with this). I stay home with my dog and husband, binge watch something and relax.
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
Outside of the office, I love to make time for my body (massage, acupuncture, a facial, a good yoga class, hair, nails). I also love catching up with friends and taking the weekend off to be with my husband.
]]>
Evelyn is the co-founder of Pivotte, making beautiful, technical clothes for work and beyond. Pivotte is women-owned, sustainable, and NYC-made. Amen! We were excited to interview Evelyn because her mission is so aligned with Rebecca Allen; Pivotte is helping women build wardrobes that inspire confidence. Pivotte believes that confidence is the fuel that drives goals and successes, and ultimately, a fulfilling life. We whole wholeheartedly agree.
And! Rebecca Allen customers and readers can receive 20% off with code PivotteXRA.
Below, we turn it over to Evelyn to hear how this entrepreneur and Brooklynite designs her day. Read on!
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
I live in Park Slope, Brooklyn – which I love! My favorite local destination close to home is Prospect Park where I go running a few times a week. Another favorite spot is Le French Tart - for their baguettes (THE best in the entire city, seriously)!
It's breakfast time on a weekday, where are you and what are you eating?
If it’s breakfast time on a weekday, I’m at my office in South Park Slope. I have breakfast a bit late - around 10am - because I eat after my morning activities: I go the gym, prep for my day, check emails, then head in and eat at the office while I catch up on more emails, reading, notes from the previous day’s meetings, etc. My breakfast is usually a smoothie that I make myself and Wasa crackers with jam. I NEVER skip breakfast. Mostly because I’m starving after a workout. Also - I just really enjoy it - it’s a way for me to ease into the day.
It's dinner time on a weekday, where are you and what are eating?
This is harder to answer than breakfast because I do not have a consistent dinner schedule - neither time nor place. I could be out with friends, having dinner with my boyfriend in the city or making it at his place, at a networking thing, dinner at a friend’s apartment, by myself on the run, by myself at home - it’s never the same. For the most part, I eat the same kind of breakfast and lunches - and I make those myself. Dinner is just an up in the air situation day to day.
Describe your workwear style.
My workwear style is classic with modern details, versatile and prepared for anything. I need to be able to dress my outfit up and down on a whim. I usually wear elevated basics - then use makeup and shoes to change my look from activity to activity. My favorite brand is, of course my own - Pivotte, which fulfills the needs above.
I need versatility because day to day, even hour to hour I am doing completely different things. And because there is so much variety in my schedule and I’m running around a lot - I need my clothes to be comfortable. I can go from visiting a factory and going through inventory, to meeting someone at The Wing in the city, going to my office in BK, then going out for dinner.
My daily formula: Pivotte bottoms + A tank or sleeveless shirt + the Pivotte cardi or a leather jacket, A GIANT leather bag, and shoes I can run around in. I might have to carry an extra pair for meetings - so I toggle between cool sneakers and heels (nude being my favorite, but sometimes black).
In the summer, I mix it up a bit because the weather is nice enough to wear dresses, so that goes into the mix.
Some brands I love besides my own:
The question about what messages I'm trying to communicate through clothing is really important. There is no denying that clothing projects a certain image - you wear something different if you want to communicate authority and expertise over fun and the life of the party.
At work, I want to communicate respect, authority, expertise, and a certain sense of practicality and directness. I want to show that I can pull it together for a meeting with senior level people, but if need be, pitch in and help with other office tasks like moving furniture for an event.
I don’t really try to infuse too much of my actual personality into my clothing because the aforementioned qualities are my priorities. However, I do think that some aspects of my personality inherently comes across in what I choose to convey those things, and the combination of all distinct outfit pieces. I’m rather obsessed with the intersection of form and function - and pieces I choose reflect that.
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
The Jet Black 24/7 Pants are my “can’t live without” item. They are absolutely the best pants I’ve ever owned.
The advanced, custom Swiss fabric is extremely stretchy - but retains shape - which amounts to complete comfort. They are tailored and sleek enough to pair with heels, and cool enough to cuff and wear with my favorite shoes - Nike flyknit racers.
There are many pockets (yay!), and because of the water and stain resistance - they are worry free. First of all, you can get by with less frequent washing given the fabric’s technical qualities. Then when they do need to be washed - you can throw them in the washing machine!
A story to sum it up: I once wore these to work with heels, changed into sneakers for a plane ride, then went right into the Ecuadorian amazon rainforest in the same pants.
How do you prepare for a big presentation or meeting?
I start prepping the minute I know I have the meeting or presentation. I prep by asking a lot of questions to make sure I develop something in line with what the audience needs and their expectations. I build out a deck that will be revised right up until the deadline - continually asking for feedback if that’s an option. I do practice giving the presentation out loud, but never as much I should. I make sure I know the information I’m presenting inside and out, and I try to anticipate questions from all angles. I make sure to always include a summary in the beginning, and a “next steps” or action-based thought at the end.
What constitutes a good day at work?
A good day at work means the tasks were varied, there was alone and team time, an aspect of creative work in there (brainstorming, working with graphic designers, writing, etc), some to-dos were crossed off, and problems were solved or a path was outlined to solve them. Unexpected positive news, connections, new cool opportunities, feedback make it even better. It also feels great when something significant is completely finished - like an event.
How do you unwind and turn work off?
I’m not one of those people that has to force myself to turn work off - but that is probably due to the fact that the way I work is very fluid. If I absolutely need to get more done / finish a task - I do it. If I have more to do, but it’s not pressing and I want to go do something else for a bit - I do it and go back to work later. If I need to work on the weekend - I do it, but I also make sure I have something to look forward to later on in the night.
The thing that is non-negotiable is my morning workout time. This is my self-care, and I start most days of the week with it. It’s part of my morning routine - which I guess you could say is a sort of an overarching ritual. I like to get up, clean around my apartment a bit, workout, prep for the day, then have breakfast and coffee while I read. I basically do the same pattern every morning.
Other things I do to unwind are schedule social time and go to interesting events. I never used to watch TV, but occasionally now I turn on Netflix after work. I also write letters - like snail mail letters - to friends. Oh - and I read. Everyone should read the biography, Catherine the Great. It deserves the Hamilton treatment.
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
I don’t have a favorite thing because I like variety and going with whatever I’m in the mood for. I think it is really important to have activities outside of work - beyond work life balance - I believe participating in other activities or following other interests make your work stronger. This is why we at Pivotte design clothes for “work and beyond.”
Outside of working, I socialize with friends and spend time with my boyfriend, work-out, walk around the city or a park. I have people over with some frequency and either make dinner or host potlucks. I’m very activity driven, so with friends and/or my boyfriend, I like to go to shows (comedy/broadway/off-broadway), try new places to eat or drink, walk around, try a new fitness class - or any type of class (I am taking a cooking class soon).
When I have longer period of time beyond a weekend, I travel.
If I had to sum it up, ultimately, I like having new experiences and trying new things with the people I am close to.
]]>
Photo credit: Kesha Lambert Photography
Chef, author and entrepreneur, Aliya LeeKong recently launched Issa's Edible Adventures, a beautiful children's cooking app that teaches young people about diversity, social studies and global citizenship through culinary adventures! Check out the website and download the app to learn more (suggested for ages 4 and up).
As a founder/CEO and mom, Aliya has a lot on her plate (sorry for the culinary pun). Read on for how this Brooklynite gets All Worked Up.
Where do you reside and what is your favorite local spot close to home?
I live in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, and there have been so many amazing new restaurants that have popped up. Currently, I’m loving Evelina - it’s like the ultimate, casual neighborhood spot but with risotto perfection and an insane rib eye for two!
It's breakfast time on a weekday, where are you and what are you eating?
Lol! I’m usually trying to get my daughter to eat breakfast before I race her to school in the mornings. My breakfast is a shake with turmeric, collagen peptides, and a greens mix that’s either downed while putting her lunch together or taken in the car. I try to get all of the healthy vitamins in first thing in the morning because you never know where the day takes you.
It's dinner time on a weekday, where are you and what are eating?
I have no dinner routine actually! Each week presents new variables - work drinks or dinner, out with friends, events, and cooking at home, of course. I do try to make a few grains on the weekend (brown rice, quinoa, farro), so that if I’m cooking, I can easily throw that in. A lot of times, I’ll make a big pot of daal on a Sunday, which is comforting throughout the week, and I always have fresh greens and vegetables on hand. Weeknight dinners are simple - seared arctic char, spicy shrimp, or earthy mushrooms with fresh vegetables and grains. I love one pot meals too though, and my daughter recently decided Friday nights would be (homemade) pizza nights! I truly do love to cook, so it’s generally whatever I’m feeling (or she tells me to do).
Describe your workwear style.
I work out of a co-working space most days and occasionally at home. My workwear is pretty casual - 3x1 jeans, cashmere sweaters, Zimmermann or Reformation for meetings. I believe that the way the person wears the clothing makes it and not the other way around, so I’m truly high-low with what I wear.
I tend to wear flats on non-meeting days because of my walk to the train, but otherwise, easy heels that don’t kill me (like my Rebecca Allens) are a go-to. I try to find that balance between timeless pieces and colors with a great fit. I hate being uncomfortable in clothing - life is too short!
Do you have a favorite workwear item that you can't live without?
I cannot live without an oversized bag. I workout most days so being able to carry around workout clothes plus computer plus everything else I need is key. Currently, my medium big bag from Celine has my life in it.
You're about to give a big presentation/have a big meeting, what are you wearing:
Wide leg Zimmermann trousers and a fitted top from Simkhai or Alexander Wang, and nude heels of course! (Aliya likes our Nude III)
How do you prepare for said big presentation or meeting?
I do tend to prep way ahead and write and rewrite until I evolve the story and presentation to the place I want it. I always have a deck, but I do think the personal story and what you say live is what is remembered, so I work on that way ahead. And I listed to 90’s hip hop and some Mobb Deep on the way :)
What constitutes a good day at work?
A good day at work for me is accomplishing what I set out to do or getting closer to my goals. Obviously, checking off a to-do list is incredibly rewarding, but I always ask myself whether the day contributed to my long-term plan or not.
How do you unwind and turn work off?
Unwinding for me is hanging out with my family or friends over some good food and a martini (or two). Those conversations always take me out of my own head. A good movie night never hurt either.
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
Outside of “the office,” I’m all about family time, travel, and planning fun days with my daughter!
]]>
From write-ups in Elle and Glamour to countless speaking engagements, Deesha Dyer is a woman to watch. The Obama administration Social Secretary recently relocated to New York where she consults on events and creative strategy when not acting as the Executive Director of beGirl.world, a teen girl travel organization that finds new ways to expose young minority girls to the world using global education and travel.
Deesha is at once warm and effusive, yet knows how to command a room. We're guessing this balanced skillset was honed during her time at the White House. It doesn't take long to realize Deesha is inherently motivated by strong faith and her commitment to her work. So how does she stay so on? Making sure she reserves time for friends and family, coming together for a purpose or just to chill. We definitely want to do more chill with this lady. Also, she's looking for a stylist - FYI! Read on to get All Worked Up with Deesha Dyer.
You’re a relatively new New Yorker, how are you getting in the groove in the Big Apple?
Although I am newly living here, I have been coming to this city all of my life so it isn’t super new. It is quite strange to call it home however because I never saw myself living in New York. Soaking up all the culture and hustle while being inspired by it. It is interesting to be single in New York though. It’s definitely not like I saw on Sex and City, but it’s not summer yet - so maybe that’ll change!
Walk us through a typical day?
Every single day is different, which I like. I usually wake up about 6:30am and read the news on my phone for an hour, do social media postings and try to go back to sleep, which never works. I wake up, stretch and pray every morning, jump in the shower, get out and have steel cut oats with berries, put on some podcast, sermon or music to get me ready for the day, get dressed and either go to an office to work if I have a day-to-day gig or go to a coffee shop and hang out all day doing work! That is every single morning. The day from there is up in the air.
I do not have any best practices to structure my day at all, but I need some. I’m not good with structure! My exercise is usually around 4 - 5pm and it’s either with my trainer or Soul Cycle or just walking around the city with headphones if it’s a nice day. I need to get back to yoga. I end my day with dinner and then replying to emails or watching something on Netflix. I try to do something at the end of the day that doesn’t require much brain thought. I usually write poetry and journal at night but I also often fall asleep in my journal. I definitely am not out networking every night, nope!
You’ve spoken about how you are working to elevate your professional wardrobe. How are you going about this and why is it important? What message are you hoping to communicate with your work style?
I love individual style and I love mine which is true vintage, not cute expensive vintage - like thrift store vintage. The issue with this is that the clothes often fall apart easily. I also realize that I am in a new city and want to feel like I hit a reset button and that includes my wardrobe. I just don’t enjoy shopping and truly don’t know what looks good on my body type. I know it sounds crazy, but I have the same style and I’m ready to experiment.
I have started taking better care of my body, which I think will give me the confidence to try new things. I am also going about this by trying to find a personal stylist to help me. It’s important because I want to be sure to strike the right balance of appropriate and authentic - I thrive when I can ride that line! Unfortunately with being a woman, this is not always easy, but we are getting there!
I am hoping to communicate that while style is nice, substance is nicer - so take the style as an accessory to the substance.
Do you have a favorite workwear item (clothing or accessory) that you can't live without?
Yes, a tan blazer and tan button up sweater. They go with everything and often hide parts that I sometimes want to hide - especially when its that time of month!
You’ve spoken about imposter syndrome when you first joined the White House under the Obama administration. Do you ever find yourself still needing to quiet that voice or make affirmations?
Definitely! The White House was 7.5 wonderful years and such an honor, but I’m back in the world getting used to a whole new me, a whole new life, a new city, a new career, etc. so that voice sometimes still creeps up as I continue to grow and learn. I deal with it a lot better now than before.
What constitutes a good day at work?
I don’t know how honest you want me to be here. A good day at work for me is not cussing someone out, but we shouldn’t put that! (We totally should, and did - RA.)
A good day at work for me is walking out and feeling like you gave it your all and did the best you could. I feel like that is the one thing you can control. You can’t control time so you may not get to all the to-dos, you can’t control other people - so their reactions or response shouldn’t control you. Also, work is part of life, so I just see it as life balance! :)
How do you unwind and turn work off?
LOL, turn work off? Where they do that at? Kidding. I think the only time I turn work off is when I am sleeping. I am always creating, scheming and hustling in my head or writing and all of that is work for me since I work for myself.
I don’t have designated self-care time. I take it when my body says to take it. I’ve matured enough and had enough health concerns to know to listen to my body. I pray every single day. I don’t try the best new restaurants only because I’m working on my physical health so I don’t even want to be tempted. I cook at home mainly. But if someone invites me out or I get asked on a date, I’ll try a new restaurant!
Regardless of whether your work is your passion or your path to the weekend, what is your favorite thing to allocate time to outside of “the office?”
Hands down - spending time with my friends and family. I love to gather groups of people together whether it be for an actual purpose or just to laugh and chill, I believe there is something so powerful in togetherness. From just meeting up with friends to sit on the couch or planning a girls trip to Europe - I love just being with people loving and laughing.
]]>