MENTOR SESSIONS
Watch playback videos of our past digital mentor sessions. Visit our Member Events calendar to catch the next sesh!
DATE:
January 24, 2024
SESSION:
Digital Mentor Session: Landing Your Dream Gig in 2024
We chatted with event producer & talent casting manager Vilté Rooney to learn more about her inspiring career journey while she provides tips on pivoting careers, seeking employment, and landing a dream gig that aligns with your passions.
DATE:
January 17, 2024
SESSION:
Digital Mentor Session: Navigating Social Media in 2024
We chatted with longtime FM members and social media/digital marketing experts Annette Vartanian and Mai Nguyen-Miyoshi for a virtual roundtable to discuss the ever-evolving landscape of social media. We discusse what's currently working/not working for brands and creators, and ways to adapt to the times to achieve maximum engagement.
DATE:
November 8, 2023
SESSION:
Digital Mentor Session: Holiday Gift Guides 101 - Part Two!
Want to land your product in holiday gift guide features? We chatted with Danika Daly this time around to share the do's and don'ts on pitching products to various publications.
DATE:
October 4, 2023
SESSION:
Digital Mentor Session: Holiday Gift Guides 101
We had a great chat with PR guru Randee Braham of NOBS Consulting to discuss how to get your brand in Holiday Gift Guides — and how to generally get featured in publications!
DATE:
August 23, 2023
SESSION:
Digital Mentor Session: Small Business Mixer
Get to know fellow small business owner Kristine Rodriguez - Founder & CEO, GRL Collective. Learn more about her unique career journey while gaining some great insight on the world of a small business owner.
DATE:
April 5, 2023
SESSION:
FM Member Collaborations & Partnerships
Whether you want to meet more FM members, or gain more brand visibility, or want to get the wheels turning on creative ways to collaborate and partner with fellow members, Natalie shared some of her favorite ways that she's seen members work together. We love seeing all your #FashionMamasSynergy, and we hope this session inspires some more fun projects together!
DATE:
March 19, 2023
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Slack 101 with Natalie
Have you heard? Our Slack forum is the best way to communicate with FM members (and all the other communities you might be in)! To get you up to speed, Natalie walked through Slack best practices, tips and tricks. conversation about Whether you're new to this communication platform and want to know the ins and outs of how it all works, or you want to see if there are any clever new ways to maximize its features, tune in below!
Reminder: Fashion Mamas is a safe space and judgement-free zone. No bullying or hateful comments will be tolerated in any of our forums.
DATE:
March 22, 2023
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Legal Tips for Small Businesses
Our Mentor Sessions are back! We were so happy to welcome FM member / successful attorney Mary Kaufman for a one-on-one chat to discuss all things legal x Small Business, from setting up your biz for long term success to negotiating influencer / marketing agreements to UGC usage terms, etc. Mary was Meta's former in-house attorney, and she was also our legal advisor for all FM agreements!
DATE:
November 16, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Holiday Markets 101
We're discussing all things Holiday markets and pop-ups with the one and only Sonja Rasula of Unique Markets! Learn more about her career journey and hear her pro tips for all small businesses to maximize their holiday sales.
DATE:
October 19, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — TikTok Talk
We're discussing all things TikTok — tips, trends, dos, don'ts, success stories, and what you can do to level-up your personal or brand TikTok accounts this upcoming holiday season. Special guest speaker: @helloarielchristine!
DATE:
October 12, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Giving Back with Harvest Home
Learn more about Harvest Home — a social service organization that provides case management, therapy, parenting classes and more to homeless pregnant women who have nowhere else to turn. You'll also learn how Fashion Mamas is working with HH, and how you can help, donate, etc. Please watch this video to learn more about how to contact HH and how you can help FM collaborate with them for the holiday season. More to come!
DATE:
October 5, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Fashion Mamas 101 with Natalie Alcala
Solo session with FM Founder, Natalie Alcala! Whether you're familiar with the history of Fashion Mamas and Natalie's story, are new to it all, or simply want a refresher, we welcome you to tune in!
DATE:
September 28, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Mindful Reset for Fall
We hosted a powerful conversation about Seasonal Depression and the anxiety surrounding the Fall season. Watch as we get vulnerable and also share our tools for managing this shift — we hopes that it helps another mama out there feel less alone. Speakers included: Stephanie Cantu (Founder, Passion Flora), Genevieve Farrell (Director of Fitness and Wellness Video, Popsugar), Ruby Nichols of The Shift, and Samara Zelniker (Life and Executive Coach, Mindfulness Matters. Moderated by FM Founder Natalie Alcala.
DATE:
September 21, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Andrea Weinberg
Spotlight on Andrea Weinberg — founder of ANDI. Learn more about her career journey and current work, and how she’s sold millions of dollars worth of bags. It all started at Equinox.
DATE:
September 14, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Single Mamas Roundtable
Spotlight on single mothers in our community. This was a candid conversation, shining a light on women who are independently navigating business and motherhood. Whether you are on a similar journey or are in the process of change, this is a very raw and real conversation worth listening to.
DATE:
September 7, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Lola Keyes Wood
Spotlight on Lola Keyes Wood — founder of Hendrix+Lenox. Learn more about her career journey and current work. Moderated by FM Founder Natalie Alcala.
DATE:
August 24, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Davlyn Mosley
Spotlight on Davlyn Mosley (@davlyn) — founder of Namesake Skincare. Learn more about her career journey and current work. Jessica Glines moderated.
DATE:
August 17, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Shevanne Robinson
Spotlight on Shevanne Robinson, aka @itsshevybaby! Learn more about her career journey and current work. Jo Allen moderated.
DATE:
July 27, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Laura Arias
Spotlight on Laura Arias of Rita Nita! Learn about her beautiful business and plans for expansion. DJ Chic Bangs moderated.
DATE:
July 13, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Ruby Sheng
Spotlight on Ruby Sheng's career journey as a spiritual reader! Learn about her 8-week course designed for moms to tap into their intuition. DJ Chic Bangs moderated.
DATE:
June 22, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Jesyka Harris
Spotlight on @Jesyka.Harris — attorney, activist and model! Learn more about her career journey and current work.
DATE:
June 15, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Biet Simkin
Spotlight on Biet Simkin, aka @guidedbybiet! Learn more about her career journey and current work.
DATE:
June 8, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — YahZarah
Our moderator @ChicBangs shines a light on artist @YahZarah! Learn more about her career journey and current work.
DATE:
June 1, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Viryed Rogers
Spotlight on Viryed Rogers, VP Marketing of Live Nation Concerts! Learn more about her career journey and current work. **She’s also hiring!! Watching the video for more info.
DATE:
May 18, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Faith Oftadeh of Yara Sophia
Get to know jewelry designer Faith Oftadeh of Yara Sophia, who also happens to work for the Office of Space Technology at the NASA-Jet Propulsion laboratory!
DATE:
May 11, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Meet Your New Moderator, Jessica Glines!
Get to know the incredible Jessica Glines aka @chicbangs, one of our new Digital Mentor Session Moderators! She’ll be hosting our Digital Mentor Sessions on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month.
DATE:
May 4, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Meet Your New Moderator, Jo Allen!
Get to know the incredible Jo Allen aka @dirty_eraser, one of our new Digital Mentor Session Moderators! She’ll be hosting our Digital Mentor Sessions on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month.
DATE:
February 18, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Real Estate Investing 101
We chatted with Zoe Maslon Kasiske of The Maslon Group to discuss financing investment properties, Cash flow vs. property w/ higher equity in return, and things to consider when purchasing investment property (ie. school district, rent control restrictions). We had some tech difficulties, so Zoe graciously created this FM Mentor Session video for us. Thanks, Zoe!
DATE:
February 9, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Q&A with the Cinematographer of Netflix’s MAID
Our Giving a Voice to the Voiceless conversation was with the great Quyen Tran, a badass female cinematographer who shot Netflix's MAID. Quyen was an integral part of that project, so we heard about her experience working on set while also discussing conscious storytelling, women working in the film industry, and advocating for voices who are in need of a platform.
DATE:
January 28, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Maintaining Modern Friendship & Breaking Up With Friends
We chatted with FM member, therapist, author Erin Falconer (@erinfalconer) about navigating modern friendships as mothers. We heard all about her new book, "How to Break Up with Your Friends: Finding Meaning, Connection, and Boundaries in Modern Friendships".
DATE:
January 19, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Crypto, NFTs & Web3
We had Valerie Taylor who leads Crypto and Media Consulting @ DDDVVV. During this talk Valerie dived deep into all things Crypto, NFTs & Web3, which we hope will demystify the topic for beginners and provide you with tools to feel empowered when speaking on the subject. You're all very interested in financial freedom this year, which is why we're going to have more conversations like this!
DATE:
January 12, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Financial Freedom with Investing Latina
Jully-Alma Taveras of @InvestingLatina dived deep in stocks, savings, and making smart investments for you and your family's future throughout the year. She came prepared with a presentation and super helpful resources, and answered many audience questions, so this is a must-watch.
DATE:
January 5, 2022
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Healthy Habits with Liv Lo Golding
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with Liv Lo Golding (@livlogolding) on Maintaining Healthy Habits for the new year. We asked Liv about her health and fitness journey, and Liv shared her tips and best practices for mamas looking to adopt a healthful (and accessible!) routine for 2022.
DATE:
October 27, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Member Spotlight on YouTube Jayme Sy
DESCRIPTION:
It was great chatting with FM member Jayme Sy, aka one of our SF ambassadors aka star of one of our favorite YouTube channels, HellaJam! We're spotlighting this Filipina queen in honor of Filipino History Month, and because she inspires us in so many ways. We discussed her life in San Francisco, raising two kids with her partner, her top-notch thrifting skills, her proud heritage, and her advice to anyone interested in launching a YouTube channel.
DATE:
October 20, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Founder Spotlight on Grace Spann of Little Gems
DESCRIPTION:
We spotlighted M member Grace Spann — a celebrity stylist and co-founder of our new favorite kids accessories brand, Little Gems! She also JUST delivered a beautiful baby girl, and we're so grateful that she's taking time out to speak with us about her career & motherhood journey.
DATE:
October 13, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Founder Spotlight on Patty Rodriquez of Lil’ Libros
DESCRIPTION:
We are so honored to chat with @PattyRodriguez, the co-founder of @lil_libros, to discuss her successful book company, her career as an on-air radio personality, her heritage, and her sage advice for fellow entrepreneurs.
DATE:
October 6, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Kids Brands Roundtable
DESCRIPTION:
We hosted a conversation with kids brand founders Buffy Youngblood (Lil In Los Angeles), Melissa Marks (Elfin), and Jessica Olson (Wren Amber) to discuss the industry and their advice for those interested in launching a kids wear brand.
DATE:
October 1, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Founder Spotlight on Jacky Velasquez of MCLC
DESCRIPTION:
We are so honored to close out our Latinx Mama Market with a mentor session featuring Jacky Velasquez of MCLC! She is a longtime FM member and member of our FM Diversity Committee, and we've seen her brand grow rapidly during the pandemic. We can't wait to learn about how she got her start, any mistakes she made along the way, and her advice for members interested in her career path.
DATE:
September 15, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — All Things Crowdfunding
DESCRIPTION:
We were honored to have Olivia Owen of IFundWomen of Color this week answering all crowdfunding questions. We also announced a very special project coming up with IFW that we'd love for the whole community to get involved in! A recording of the session is live now in the "Mentors" section of the portal.
DATE:
September 8, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Child Actors & Models
DESCRIPTION:
This talk featured Porsche Thomas, the mother of twins August and Berlin who play Baby Devante on Blackish! We discussed how she got her children in the entertainment industry, kids talent agencies 101, and her raw advice for any parents interested in having their children get into professional acting and modeling.
DATE:
September 1, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — How to Leverage TikTok For Your Brand
DESCRIPTION:
This week's talk featured the one and only Leila Shams of viral swimwear brand TA3SWIM. She's going to share how she had an incredible year thanks to TikTok and social media, and answered many of your questions.
DATE:
August 25, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Giving Back with Your Brand
DESCRIPTION:
This week's talk was focused on how to add a give-back or social impact component into your brand — in the most ethical and authentic way possible. Jaycina Almond of Tender and Danielle Finck of Elle Communications shared the give-back stories behind their businesses, plus their candid tips on what to do and what not to do.
DATE:
August 18, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — DIY Content Creation with Julia Vaughn
DESCRIPTION:
This week's talk was focused on creating DIY content, whether you're an influencer or brand owner, or — like this week's guest — both! Jewelry designer Julia Vaughn shared her tricks of the trade on how she's been solo creating her incredible IG content over the last few months. This is a must-watch.
DATE:
August 11, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — Cassandra Troy Walker of Little West
DESCRIPTION:
This week's talk was a Founder Spotlight on FM member @CassTroyWalker of @LittleWest! We discussed the story behind her popular juice brand, how she and her husband scaled the business, her key tips and candid insight for anyone interested in launching consumer goods.
DATE:
July 28, 2021
SESSION:
Mentor Session — E-Commerce Marketing & How to Pitch Editors
DESCRIPTION:
We hosted a mentor session with Danielle Directo-Meston — The Hollywood Reporter's e-commerce editor! She provided helpful insight for brands and small businesses, as well as to PR pros who are looking to understand e-commerce content better and how to pitch those editors.
DATE:
July 14, 2021
SESSION:
Founder Spotlight — Mikaela Pabon
DESCRIPTION:
We're continuing our "Founder Spotlight" series where once a month our Wednesday digital talk is a Q&A with one FM member, spotlighting their business. Our latest guest is Mikaela Pabon of Dressed in Joy! Watch to learn more about Mikaela's colorful brand journey, how and why her brand skyrocketed during the pandemic, her advice for creating Reels for your brand, and what she has coming up next.
DATE:
June 30, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Life Organization
DESCRIPTION:
Now that the world is fast and furiously opening up, and our social calendars are getting chaotic, we're checking in with some Diamond Polk to discuss helpful tips for keeping your home, personal space, and mental health in order so you can stay grounded.
DATE:
June 29, 2021
SESSION:
#MamasMakingIt Panel — Mandy Madden and Tara Sowlaty Lehrer
DESCRIPTION:
We gathered IRL at BumoWork in Los Angeles with FM members to talk all things motherhood and career.
DATE:
June 23, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Brand Messaging
DESCRIPTION:
We hosted a candid conversation with marketing pros, writers, and PR stars who have a grasp on what authentic brand messaging/programming should (and shouldn't) look like today. Starring April Jones, Chrystina Woody Train, Danielle Directo-Meston, and Priscilla Vega.
DATE:
June 16, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Fatherhood & Mental Health with Chase Weber
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with celebrity fitness trainer (and previous FM collaborator!) Chase Weber about his fatherhood journey, advice for raising boys from a male perspective, what positive masculinity looks like, and how men can take better care of their mental health.
DATE:
June 9, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Q&A with Felicia La Tour
DESCRIPTION:
We're starting a new "Founder Spotlight" series where once a month our Wednesday digital talk is a Q&A with one FM member, spotlighting their business. Our first guest is @FeliciaLaTour of @Mindfulfee! Felicia shared more about her incredible brand, how she made it all happen for herself while raising two little ones as a single mother, and what she's dreaming up next for her brand.
DATE:
June 2, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Mindful Reset
DESCRIPTION:
We hosted a Mindful Reset with Keya Nkonoki — owner of Moms at Om. With the BLM and uprising anniversaries looming, and subsequent triggering content on social media, we held space for joy, positivity, and self-care practices, providing tools for Black mothers in our community — and all mothers feeling overwhelmed this month. In addition to sharing how she stays aligned, she also wanted to share “the importance of Connecting with a psychotherapist or psychiatrist who looks like you. There are so many resources available now to ease the selection process. There are two resources I love to recommend: www.therapyforblackgirls.com -and- www.postpartum.net has free online BIPOC-centered weekly groups led by licensed therapists.”
DATE:
May 1, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Readjusting to Productivity
DESCRIPTION:
FM members Dominique Clayton, Shun Moore, and many others discussed the overwhelming feeling of returning to fast-paced normalcy after a year-plus of pandemic life. Whether your kids are returning to school or you are still homeschooling your children, and whether your business is back in busy action or you're still struggling to make up for last year's loss, everyone is going through a different struggle — so let's talk it out.
DATE:
April 21, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Self-Love and Healing
DESCRIPTION:
FM Member and Reiki Master Damonica Dockett discussed her self-love journey, new Self-Love e-book, her Reiki work, and we also opened the floor to any members who were moved to asked her questions or share how they're currently feeling.
DATE:
March 31, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Actors & Models Roundtable
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with Bianca Balti, Yhanni James, Melanie Chandra, Veronica Taylor, and Olesia Anisimovich to discuss their career journeys, how the pandemic has affected their work, and their candid insight about the industry and advice for anyone interested in breaking into the business.
DATE:
March 24, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Visual Storytelling Roundtable
DESCRIPTION:
We spoke with visual storytellers Denise Crew, Sarah Kensell, Marissa Rascon, and Dalit Gwenna about their industry, how they've been managing shoots during the pandemic, and what their plans are for shoots and gigs as the world begins to open back up.
DATE:
March 17, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Q&A with Renowned Costume Designer Soyon An
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with TV and Film costume designer Soyon An, a longtime FM member, about the pandemic, her career journey, and her advice for costume designers and stylists interested in breaking into the TV and film industry. We'll also discussed her new live show, The Real AZN. This is an hour+ long conversation, where we held space together to discuss the recent rise in Asian hate crimes. Members talked through their emotions, and how we can all help protect the AAPI community by amplifying their voices and giving them opportunities to tell their stories. This is a must-watch, as we all discuss what constructive conversations with our communities can look like, and why it’s important for our Fashion Mamas community to continue speaking up for motherhood, activism, and humanity.
DATE:
March 11, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — All About Podcasting with Stephanie Uchima-Carney
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with Stephanie of Mommy's On A Call Podcast to discuss how she started her podcast, what the day-to-day looks like behind-the-scenes of running a podcast, and her advice for others interested in launching a podcast.
DATE:
February 17, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — How to Hire and Grow Your Team with Carla Carstens
DESCRIPTION:
We had a candid conversation with Carla Carstens — career coach and the founder of FreeFashionInternships.com, where she covered what to look for in a part-time employee, full-time employee, intern, and independent contractor, and how to steadily grow your team with integrity.
DATE:
February 10, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Fashion Brand Kiki with Designers Jennifer Sinigal Bell-Cornelius and Kenniqua Mon’a
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with Jennifer of Born to Roam and Kenniqua of For Mamas + Minis for a fashion brand check-in to see how their brands are doing during this pandemic — what has been working for them, and what hasn't, business-wise.
DATE:
February 3, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — The Future of Content Creators with Kyle Hjelmeseth
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with agency pro Kyle Hjelmeseth of G&B Digital Management to discuss how content creators handled last year, and should be approaching this year and beyond. He'll also shared his candid insight on influencer and content creator trends. He spent a full hour with us and really dived into the industry, so catch this convo if you can!
DATE:
January 27, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Fundraising for Small Businesses with iFundWomen
DESCRIPTION:
Whether you are planning to fundraise for your business, have hit a financial wall and don't know what to do next, or have a new business idea and are wondering if you should bootstrap or fundraise out of the gate, we're getting together to answer your big money questions. Led by business coach Elizabeth Eichhorn of iFundWomen.
DATE:
January 21, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — All Things Clubhouse App with Ria Michelle
DESCRIPTION:
What the heck is the Clubhouse app that everyone is talking about? We connected with our friend, entrepreneur and social media star Ria Michelle so she can break it all down for us — why you should join Clubhouse, how brands can benefit from using the app, and other questions from our attendees. Don’t miss this one!
DATE:
January 13, 2021
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — 2021 Reset: Healing Session & Meditation
DESCRIPTION:
Calling all brand owners and retailers! Before we dive into career-focused talks, we wanted to come together and check in, breath, and hold space. We were honored to continue working with FM member and Reiki Master Julia Jovone for this meaningful experience.
DATE:
December 9, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Forecasting 2021with Fashion Snoops
DESCRIPTION:
Calling all brand owners and retailers! We chatted with Melissa Moylan Biernet, Fashion Mamas member and the VP of Womenswear at Fashion Snoops — leading trend forecasting platform. She revealed her insight on the year ahead: what we can expect from the evolving fashion industry, what trends consumers are investing in, and tips on how all business owners and fashion industry professionals can begin prepping now for a successful 2021.
DATE:
November 18, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Q&A with Ilaria Urbinati and Jeet Sohal of LEO
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with celebrity stylist Ilaria Urbinati and FM member Jeet Sohal about the launch of their exciting new editorial platform for men, LEO. We discussed at length the concept and process, their mission to remove the “toxic” in “toxic masculinity,” and what we can expect from LEO in the future.
DATE:
November 12, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Q&A with Mandy Madden Kelley of Pagerie
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with FM member Mandy Madden Kelley about the launch of her ultra luxury brand, Pagerie. We were also joined by FM member Joey Ng who worked with Mandy on the brand. (Fun fact: they met at a Fashion Mamas event!)
DATE:
November 4, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Q&A with Nicole Trunfio
DESCRIPTION:
We hosted a one-on-one conversation with FM member and Australian supermodel Nicole Trunfio. She's also the founder/CEO of three successful brands — @bumpsuit @erthjewelry @erthswim. We dived deep into her entrepreneurial journey and discussed her unique approach to brand-building, as well as how she's been managing life during the pandemic and uprising.
DATE:
October 28, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — All Things Beauty
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with Renee Loiz of @colormayvary and Divya Gugnani of @wander_beauty about beauty and diversity.
DATE:
October 21, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Clean Eats
DESCRIPTION:
We chatted with the one and only Porsche Thomas — vegan chef, model, and mama to adorable twins August & Berlin who play Baby Devante on hit series Blackish! We discussed Porsche's clean eating journey, how her diet has evolved during the pandemic, and any tips she has for quick, healthy snacks for the fam during this overwhelming time.
DATE:
October 14, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — All Things Spotify
DESCRIPTION:
Raise your hand if you're using Spotify more than ever! During this convo, we chatted with longtime FMNY member Tamika Young (@imtamireese) — Head of Music, PR & Communications at Spotify — about her career path that led her to Spotify, as well as the platform's features and ways you can implement Spotify to uniquely enhance your business.
DATE:
October 7, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Digital Advertising 101
DESCRIPTION:
Led by FM member Joey Ng (@joeynogood), who is the VP of Marketing at Output, Joey went over all things Digital Advertising so you can close out this year effectively driving digital awareness to your brand.
DATE:
September 30, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Home Decor Talk
DESCRIPTION:
Featuring FM member Katie Kay Mead (@themodernterritory), Annette Vartanian (@vintagesplendor), and Dee Murphy (@murphydeesign), this discussion focused on how home decor experts and insiders are taking this time to fine-tune their skills, their spaces, and their energy. They shared their unique career paths, tips for mamas nesting and using this time to rearrange their spaces, and what their hope is for the future of their industry, and beyond.
DATE:
September 23, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Carseat Safety with Cybex
DESCRIPTION:
The one and only Cybex joined us to discuss carseat and stroller safety. Now that we're slowly and safely back to exploring the world, it's just nice to have a quick refresher on the latest and greatest guidelines, and break any old myths. The insightful convo featured Safety Advocate Sarah Haverstick, and members were able to ask all of their carseat and stroller safety questions, such as when to *really* turn from rear-facing to front-facing, and more. Never again will you have to get overwhelmed by articles and forums on the subject, or worry about being mom-shamed when it comes to how you position your child in their car seat or stroller.
DATE:
September 16, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Artist Circle
DESCRIPTION:
Featuring FM members and artists Corrie Sullivan (@corrie.in.color), Amy Smith (@amysmithart), Sarah Foelske (@makenicedesign), Mary Lai (@marylai.co), Melinda Davila (www.melindacreates.com), and Meaghan DeRoma (@playsillystreet), this discussion focused on how artists express themselves during this uncertain time. They discussed their unique art mediums and processes, how they've been expanding their creativity during this time, and what their hope is for the future.
DATE:
September 2, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — FB & IG Shopping Tools
DESCRIPTION:
Led by FMSF Ambassador Sylvie Esmundo, who works in E-Commerce Merchandising at Facebook, Sylvie discussed all things IG & FB Shopping Tools, and members had the opportunity to ask questions.
DATE:
August 27, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — How to Write & Publish Your Book
DESCRIPTION:
Led by FM members and book authors Naibe Reynoso, Leslie Bruce, Jo Allen, and Erin Falconer, we asked each author about their unique process of drafting and getting their books published, and any insider info they've learned along the way. We discuss turnaround time, manuscript preparation, the basic action items to consider in your process, and more helpful information.
DATE:
August 19, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — DIY Marketing
DESCRIPTION:
FM members and marketing stars Priscilla Vega and Hanah Snavely share their advice for business owners on a budget that are looking to drive awareness to their brands and/or services in these trying times. They provide unique insight on what is worth investing in marketing-wise, what is worth saving on, and any makeshift tips to help get more eyes on your brand if you're not able to invest in PR support at this time.
DATE:
July 30, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Working Parent Burnout
DESCRIPTION:
Featuring FMLA member Dr. Deepika Chopra — Optimism Doctor®️, Visual Imagery Expert, and founder of the Things Are Looking Up Optimism Deck — this discussion focused on working parent burnout (something we can all relate to right now!) and how to channel optimism amidst the chaos. We also discussed her new podcast, "Looking Up with Dr. Deepika Chopra".
DATE:
July 23, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Finding Your Dream Job
DESCRIPTION:
Featuring FMSF Ambassador Sylvie Esmundo, who works in E-Commerce Merchandising at Facebook, this discussion was focused on how Sylvie landed her dream job during Covid. She shares her tips on how to use LinkedIn as the ultimate job finder, as well as how her time has been at Facebook so far, and a range of inspiring words about finding your dream job — whether it’s working for yourself or a company.
DATE:
July 8, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Reopening Your Business During Covid
DESCRIPTION:
This discussion focused on "Reopening Your Business During Covid" — best practices, real roadblocks, success stories, and candid conversation. The call featured exclusive insight from the founders of creative indoor playspace Little Play Society, fitness studio Bar Method Silver Lake, and more who are getting it right. Whether you are in the beginning stages of planning your first socially distanced event, or you are looking to Covid-proof your business storefront within CDC guidelines, or simply want to understand as a patron what measures businesses are taking to create a safe environment, this discussion is def worth a listen.
DATE:
June 23, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Content Creators
DESCRIPTION:
This candid discussion focused on how content creators are approaching new projects in today's climate. Joined by Sylvie Esmundo, Sophie Jaffe, Veena Crownholm, and Annette Vartanian, we asked these influencers how their content has evolved or is in the process of evolving, what their anti-racist and activism work looks like and how they're sharing it with their audience, how they select partners who are allies and authentically fit their brand identity, how they're creating content during a global crisis, and their advice for influencers creating content right now.
DATE:
May 26, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Corporate/Company Employees
DESCRIPTION:
As with all of our digital mixers during this time, our goal is to support and offer an open forum for all the various careers that our community caters to. This week's discussion focused on the corporate/company experience — how the women who work in-house at large companies are managing this change. Our co-leads were FM members Devika Gupta of Amazon, Ida Kay of World Surf League, Monica DiSalvo of Vince, and Melanie Bender of Versed, and we discussed: how Covid has affected each co-lead's employer and their roles within the company, what their current work days look like, what they predict the future will look like as companies slowly begin to reopen, and how we can help corporate employees right now.
DATE:
May 19, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Supporting the Events Industry
DESCRIPTION:
While many industries have managed to pivot even in the smallest way during this time, there has been a lack of support for the events industry, and all the incredible talents who play a crucial part in bringing those cherished experiences to life. We chatted with Daisy O'Dell — DJ, composer, and music supervisor, Kate Mazzuca — experiential marketing strategist and founder of Bespoke Boheme, and Nicole Neves — founder of Sequin Productions, to discuss how we can all help the events industry right now, how related talents are currently shifting their strategies, and what the future of events may look like in a post-pandemic world.
DATE:
May 5, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Editors & The Changing Media Landscape
DESCRIPTION:
Natalie Alcala (former senior editor of Racked LA), Danielle Directo-Meston (current editor of Uncover LA, former writer at Racked LA), Leslie Price (founder of Racked, former digital director of InStyle), Alice Dubin (freelance journalist), and Ilana Saul (editor of LaurenConrad.com and co-founder of PolkaDotMedia)
DATE:
April 28, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — PR & Media Strategy
DESCRIPTION:
Randee Braham — Co-Founder, NoBS Consulting
DATE:
April 7, 2020
SESSION:
FM Digital Mixer — Business Brainstorm
DESCRIPTION:
Erika Brechtel — Brand Strategist, Designer, and Lifestyle Editor
DATE:
April 8, 2019
SESSION:
Instagram
MENTOR:
Annette Vartanian — Founder, Splendor Digital (annette@splendordigital.co)
INSTAGRAM 101:
Most important thing on Instagram is to "cultivate relationships" which is what I kept repeating on the webinar. As a brand you need to cultivate relationships with:
current customers - acknowledge their loyalty to your brand by liking, commenting and communicating with them on IG. you also want to make a connection with them so you're not just another brand
potential customers - identify your target demographic and connect with these users on IG. they may not know you exist, so you need to get in front of them!
likeminded brands - you want to comment on their posts and stories so IG starts pulling together your brand w/ these brands that will interest new and prospective followers and customers
Community engagement: like, comment, and respond to every DM within 72 hrs although at our agency we respond w/in 6-12 hours
IG wants you to be active, so be quick with responses!
this reaffirms to your followers, that you an engaged brand that actually cares about the people buying products
we handle social for a national juice/smoothie bar and we get about 30-50 CS issues/day, plus 100s of tags, comments, and geo-tags. We acknowledge every social mention/share and respond w/in 3-6 hrs. There's definitely a "juice culture" but our customers love us because we're so thorough with our engagement
Create a list of like-minded brands or accounts that complement your brand or are similar to your brand (we like to create a list of 20-50 and update regularly)
every day go to their accounts and engage with their content AND the content of their most engaged followers
you need to treat it like a networking event; you have to like/comment so people see you and will then be intrigued by your brand.
no one will find you just post and don't engage at all
this also helps instagram make the connection and will recommend your account in the explore page or in the suggested "follow"
This takes a lot of time, but it's necessary especially if you're trying to grow your brand and increase sales.
We were able to grow a brand new coffee account from 0 to 7,000 followers in 6 months using this strategy. We also helped the brand hit $1.5M in kickstarter backing in this time leveraging social media & some press.
Treat IG as an extension of your customer service
Respond to comments and DMs and try to convert those questions into sales
If you're fashion line, show followers how to style 1 dress 4 ways. Turn this into an IG post gallery, IG stories or IGTV. You would naturally do this in store by giving the customer ideas on how to style a piece, why not do it on social?
We do this regularly for a jewelry client and each time we share on stories, sales go up 35% just from stories. This account has only 20K followers.
Don't ignore questions, praises or complaints - you wouldn't ignore a customer in store. Again, IG wants to see that you're active and responding to comments, but you also need to connect with that follower.
We saw similar success with a medspa client. Instead of just liking a DM that says "you do great lip fillers" we respond with "we'd love for you to come in for a consult with our Dr. Can we help you make an appointment?" We saw a 65% increase in appointments using this tactic and no one was ever annoyed by our request to make an appointment. These followers are clearly interested so you need to convert them into customers!
Create a content calendar + strategy!
Identify: what are you posting, when are you posting, what are your sales goals, what products are you launching, etc
Plan your content ahead of time using I prefer Planoly (here's a referral link) but there are several other platforms
spend 1-3 hrs a week to schedule out your feed and captions
Planoly and similar apps can auto post or will send you a notification to post
we post at least 1 IG static post a day, for some clients 2 posts/day
Post at least 3-5 stories per day
to keep you organized and accountable, come up with a daily or weekly series. you need to posting every day and throughout the day (behind the scenes, design process of your brand, sourcing, live sessions with founder/ceo, get to know the team)
post them throughout the day - try to space out
Use hashtags, but change them up as necessary
make sure they're relevant. IG uses AI that can search the image for the content "e.g. woman standing at the beach" so don't tag it #streetstyle
Have a clear CTA, be consistent, and repeat as necessary
If you have swipe up in stories, utilize all the time. Assume no one has seen it because likely people missed it the first 5 times you shared it. Also add text since a lot of people watch stories w/o sound
This makes it easy for followers to:
shop the product you're talking about
get the information they want
always link to the exact page people should go to - do the work for them
For our juice bar client, we've had a successful app for 3 years and we still drive 1k+ hits per month to the app download page.
Enable IG shopping via Shopify, WooCommerce, etc
and use it regularly on stories, IG posts
you're not going to see any ROI unless people know they can easily shop your products with a tap or swipe up
IG also launched in-app shopping w/ certain brands and they will expand soon
educated your followers and use it
Abandoned carts - got a few emails about this after the webinar.
Common reasons for abandoned carts are: shipping (price and speed), price point (people are looking and not ready to splurge on the item), and price comparison
need to use abandoned cart emails
there are a lot of plugins and services so do your research and make sure you're optimizing!
Emails
use IG to grow your subscriber base (with swipe up)
at the very least, send out 1 email a week if you're a "beginner"
you should ultimately create a drip campaign and customer lists to target specifically
DATE:
February 27, 2019
SESSION:
eCommerce & Marketing
MENTOR:
Ariel Gordon — Founder & Designer, Ariel Gordon Jewelry
ON ECOMMERCE:
To begin an online store, Ariel says that you don’t need crazy amounts of inventory.
She made her online store at the beginning, and then handed it off to someone else.
A lot of her jewelry is made-to-order. She doesn’t do one-of-a-kind items.
She’s cut back on offering discounts.
Shopify was a big component in taking Ariel’s business to the next level.
When transitioning from walk-in to online, take what you know works and tweak it to the online customer.
ON ADVERTISING:
Ariel creates ads for Ariel Gordon Jewelry, and it has positively affected her business.
Ariel has been doing Google ads for over a year, and it has been very successful.
She pays someone with a monthly retainer to create the ads, and they get commission off the ads. She found her person through another consultant.
To select the images for ads, Ariel does A/B testing, as well as email testing.
With Google ads, you can’t target your audience. With Social Media ads, you can target.
For Google Ads, Ariel recommends utilizing Sidecar
Ariel has separate people running her Google ads and Social ads, but you don’t have to.
Ariel spends up to $3,000/month on social media ads and $2,000-$3,000/month on Google ads. This does not include the agency fee.
The first thing her marketing team did was put her brand’s website above other retailers when searched on the internet. Next was non-branded search terms.
Regarding Google Ad words, “More is more. You have to assume that your website person will never see your Instagram, and vice versa.”
ON EMAIL MARKETING:
Ariel uses Klaviyo, which allows you to pull in data from your eCommerce platform, point-of-sale software, and other marketing tools. It is more expensive than Mailchimp, but Ariel has found it to be worth it. It also links in with Shopify and can store customer data. To capture information, customers have to get far enough in the process where they input their email address.
Regarding investing in services like Klaviyo, Ariel says: “Spending money on resources to keep customers is cheaper than finding new customers. Your most valuable asset is your customer base.”
Ariel blasts one email a week to her subscribers, and creates specific editorial content for it to tell a story. Authenticity is everything. She has a marketing person who works a week or two ahead of time, and is knowledgable about big moments to build content around, such as a collection launch. She schedules content in advance so that there’s time for Ariel’s rounds of revisions. “You have to train your team to have your voice.”
Ariel recently created a successful ad campaign that targeted warm audiences — customers who have shopped the brand before and are more involved/interested in the brand.
ON GROWTH:
When it comes to her organic and gradual growth, she says, “It is magazines, it is influencers, it is networking with friends. It’s the sum of all the parts. It’s important to diversify. Touch all the channels.”
In regards to scaling, Ariel “built the business as she could afford to build the business."
Ariel started her business with approximately $1,000. She had another job for 6 years before she could solely work for herself.
Ariel had no one to do line sheets, so she took Photoshop and Illustrator classes. She says, “Until you can hire people, you have to know how to do the things.”
Regarding collections, Ariel create two seasons a year, and they’re based around market. She starts designing a collection approximately six months out.
Regarding representation, look at peers and sees who reps them. Ask yourself what your customer is also buying, and see which reps and sales agents rep those.
ON INFLUENCERS:
If you have an opportunity to work with big names, I would pass. Go for the authentic influencers (100-200K followers).
Ariel has an Ambassador program. She gifts jewelry, and they sign photo releases so she can use their images. She also does fun interviews on them for campaigns.
For the Ambassadors, Ariel prefers Instagram posts and Stories. She doesn’t require more than one post or story, but most Ambassadors do anyway due to authentically liking the jewelry.
ON BUYERS:
If there’s a store you want to be in, know their buying calendar.
Best way to reach out is to email or participate in trade shows, such as DNA, Capsule, and Man / Woman.
Buyers may want to see a couple past established seasons.
DATE:
January 24, 2019
SESSION:
Brand Building
MENTOR:
Joy Cho — Founder & Creative Director, Oh Joy!
ON BRAND BUILDING:
Whatever you’re doing is because you saw a need in the market. Connect with your audience. Whether you’re the face of it or not, it’s all a personal basis.
Regarding consistency of vision, it's about remembering what tugs at your heart in that moment.
When you have too many things you want to do business-wise, ask yourself if you need to make money, or follow your passion. Then follow the path of what you choose.
Think about making your brand timeless.
Let the fun stuff rise, and the non-fun stuff fall.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Everyone has a story. Ask yourself what is the story you're trying to tell; it's about the story of what you're operating. Create a set of images that tells your process.
You don’t have to post something just to get a post in for the day. Make it meaningful.
Joy is anti-posting other people’s photos unless it’s based on their personal work.
Keeping your business and personal life separate is good when followers on each account are interested in different content, but if they both mesh well, do that. Feel free to slowly introduce brand to personal account.
It’s your personal choice to have kids on social media.
Your audience is growing in their lives, too, so they may like your different content because they’re beginning to identify with it, but don’t feel like you have to put your kids on social media. You can slowly phase them out, just do it naturally and over time.
ON PARTNERSHIPS:
Don't be afraid to pitch yourself. Joy pitches 90% of her brand collaborations. When pitching, researching the brand is key. Know the product. It’s all about being complimentary vs. competitive. Know what makes you unique, and create a brand deck.
When waiting to hear back from a company, follow up two times, if needed. Three times, max. Be glad to hear "No" because at least you'll have an answer.
Joy DMs to get 75% of her contacts for partnerships. It's especially useful when reaching out to bigger companies.
Joy is very firm about her involvement in a partnership from the get-go. It's all about setting expectations up front. It's very important for her to be on the creative calls.
Oh Joy! has its own contract when working with smaller brands. Larger brands will usually create the contracts for a partnership.
ON MONEY:
When it comes to revenue shares for product collaborations, Joy agrees to it being royalty-based, but she also asks for a flat fee.
When getting paid for consulting, charge optimal fee for the first time, then discount over time.
If you have the budget, hire your first employee or invest in digital help/PR.
ON TEAM BUILDING:
The Oh Joy! team consists of a social media coordinator, assistant, creative producer, creative producer assistant, e-commerce/buyer, and designer. They all work in one office space (FT/salary).
When you're looking for someone, be specific — have a very specific list of needs. You need someone to do the stuff you hate or don't know how to do.
Regarding team morality, it's about showing your appreciate for their hard work.
It's so good to know what you’re good at, and what you’re not good at.
Have someone help you with the hiring process – if that’s not what you’re good at.
If you have multiple businesses and use the same team, it’s okay for employees to cross over if they relate. When you ask too many employees to cross over, it gets more difficult to manage them.
Structure helps the unstructured creative brain.
Delegation is the key to growth.