Some of my favorite moments from Create + Cultivate Los Angeles came from the keynote speakers: Jessica Alba, Rachel Zoe, and Chelsea Handler. Their words of wisdom, humble beginnings, late starts, and humorous anecdotes made for one hell of a night with advice that I will never forget!
On business partnerships: “I liken getting into business with someone as getting married right away, without ever dating. It’s kind of like an arranged marriage, but you’re into it. You have to communicate. You have to be in it to win it.
On strengths and weaknesses: “I was super insecure about not having a college degree or a conventional education. And I really thought I wasn’t smart or didn’t deserve to have a seat at the table. I felt like a fraud in business settings. It took me getting over that for the company to get on its feet. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a degree or expertise. Surround yourself with people who have done it before and support your weaknesses with their strengths.”
Disclaimer: I have been obsessed with Rachel Zoe since her reality show back in the day. She was interviewed by her good friend Jennifer Meyer, and it made the conversation truly informational, entertaining, and personable. When she said ‘I die,’ I thought I was going to die.
On transparency: “Transparency is a pain in the butt, unless you have a slip or a camisole underneath it.”
On her as a boss: “Don’t micro-manage people. If you hire talented people, you have to let them be. Let them govern their time.”
On her brand: “At the core of my brand I’ve always wanted to speak to, empower, and motivate young women. Give them confidence to do whatever they want to do in life. The mantra of my brand has always been: Provide aspiration and inspiration, and always be accessible. Never be intimidating.”
On her candidness on social media: “I’m not a movie star or actor, I don’t need to be private.”
“The important thing for women is to not use filters. If it’s that bad of a photo, I don’t post it. I’m not filter friendly. I’m 41 now and I want to be a real person. And tell people, this is what it looks like, and that’s how powerful I can be.”
On women supporting one another: “It’s important for women to know they can rely on other women because there’s nothing worse than a fucking bitch.”
On being a good friend: “Every time we don’t tell the people that we love what we really think, we’re putting their lives off for another 5 years.”
When she gets asked how her late night show differs from the rest: “There are eleven MEN doing the same exact thing every fucking night. There used to be two. Now there are eleven. I’ll break every rule to make it more interesting.”
*photos from Create+Cultivate