One of my favorite cities, Chicago.
I was so not shopping Michigan Ave. in this picture. 😉
Chicago is obviously one of the best cities in the world for designer shopping…or just any shopping for that matter. Shopping is one of the main reasons why I like to go to Chicago, but I went to Chicago for another reason back in August, Create & Cultivate Conference. If you are an entrepreneur or have your own business or side hustle, I highly encourage you to click on that link so you can see what all C & C has to offer. This conference was honestly just a major kick in the butt to create and cultivate the career of your dreams, to start that business, or how to maximize the business/side hustle you have already created. I attended this conference not only for the amazing sessions that were offered but for the inspiring women who were there to mentor me. Some women that were there for example that I was mentored by and met, Jennifer Hudson, Shay Mitchell, Marianna Hewitt, Alli Webb, Whitney Port, Ashley Tisdale, the CEO of Nordstrom & Pinterest, and so many more inspiring humans of the world.
Learning from exceptional people in business really helped me jumpstart my career and dreams. Listening to all of their backgrounds and how they turned dreams into multi-million dollar businesses really inspired me to kick up my dreams and turn them into a reality. If there was one piece of advice overall that each and every mentor drilled into my head it was definitely, any dream is not ever to big or to hard to reach, if you work hard and are passionate about what you are creating, it is just within your reach. I have a notebook literally full from page to page from the C & C conference filled with inspiring quotes from each mentor and speaker. I gained not only knowledge and confidence from this conference, but long-lasting friendships and business mentorship along the way. I believe every lady out there should attend one of these conferences thrown by the one and only Jaclyn Johnson. Click on her name to view her IG. She is an amazing entrepreneur who has one of the most inspiring podcasts that you should listen to called, WorkParty.
One of the best pieces of advice I consumed from this conference was this:“Collaboration over Competition.” To you this may seem silly for this to be my best piece of advice to give back to you, for me it is not. In the industry I am in, I work most of the time solely with women. As a woman, we tend to compare, compete, and value ourselves from the looks and desires of other women. When working with women today, we need to stop competing against each other and start collaborating with each other. Imagine what this world could be if we all started working together instead of working against each other.
Collaboration>Competition.
A little breakdown of this amazing event:
Friday night we all met for Happy Hour where we could socialize and meet with amazing women before the conference on Saturday. Saturday morning the conference started at 8 a.m. with every 30 minutes moving from one mentor to the next, with in between breaks for lunch and snacks with which they provided for us. Surrounding the conference building was pop-up stations ranging from makeup artists who touched up our makeup, hair stylist to touch up our hair, business essentials to start up your dreams, food and beverage vendors, and so much more. C & C outdid themselves by making us feel so special. The most inspiring and crucial time for me throughout this whole event was the one-on-one mentorship we got to do.
I worry a lot about “not being on time” with my life, missing opportunities and my calling. Worrying about if I will ever be able to live out my passions and dreams burning inside of me. If you struggle with this also, one of my mentors gave me the best advice. This is what she had to say to me, “Slow down, enjoy your life every day, every minute. Especially with your son. At the same time, when you can, work hard, very hard. One day at a time gets you closer to your success. Success does not come over night, for me it came 2 years with working my a** off every night and a down hill slope that made me want to give up. Most of all, YOU ARE EXACTLY WHERE YOU NEED TO BE RIGHT NOW. God has everyone come into success at their right time on his watch.” These exact words came from my notebook where I wrote down what she was saying, so I can read it every day when I feel like I am behind on my life and not where I am suppose to be. I hope these words she said to me can help in your life as well.
All in all, C & C was a life changing and life saving conference for me. I highly recommend you ladies out there reading this to attend one, or just simply follow them on their social channels for a daily pick-me-up.
YOU CAN CREATE & CULTIVATE THE CAREER OF YOUR DREAMS. YOU ARE ENTIRELY UP TO YOU!
