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Audrey JoAnn | Content and Copy Writer

Compelling Copy for Female Founders

Create + Cultivate (And Then Combust From The Most Inspiring Day Ever): A Conference Recap

February 2, 2016

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Honestly, I knew it would be inspiring. I knew I would learn tons, meet many, and fangirl abundantly. But Create + Cultivate blew all my expectations out of the chicly decorated event venue, even in the first hour of being there.

First things first, as dedicated readers know, last week I was having a bit of an outfit crisis in preparation for the big day. To leather skirt, or not to leather skirt? That was the question. I last-minute opted to wear that minx of a pencil skirt to the networking happy hour on Friday night, a decision I was very happy with the next day about six hours in to creating and cultivating. It is much more a nighttime garment than day—also much more suited for wearing in short-term scenarios rather than long—and I happily sported a navy jumpsuit with lime embroidery on the shoulders with a jean jacket and stilettos instead. Simple, understated, and also basically PJs disguised as a real outfit: it was a winner indeed.

Back to the conference itself. I am going to try to contain this post to less than novel-length, although it’ll be difficult. How do I encapsulate the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE into a few paragraphs? I guess by just starting already, that’s how. So, when I say this was the most beautifully decorated place I’ve been to, ever, that’s legitimate. There were chandeliers dangling from the lofty rooms, cacti and other greenery hanging around signage and lounge tables, the cutest seating setups (see my Instagram, @audswan, for a couple prime examples), Persian and fur rugs strewn throughout the venue, imprints of C+C’s artful logo on every wall. I wanted to get married in there, right then, regardless of not being engaged and of my lifelong stance on never marrying too young. Whatevs.

Then there were the panels and people themselves. I was actually tearing up during the majority of the speakers’ talks while maniacally scribbling down notes to recall later. Instead of going in-depth into each of the panels and keynote interviews (which would take, um, forever, but would also be very fun), I’m just going to pull some of my favorite, most major takeaways that I learned and find important to share with any woman, blogger or not, who has a creative or entrepreneurial itch. Don’t we all? (Yes.)

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On monetizing your blog or brand:

  • Stalk yourself hardcore if you run a website. Use Google Analytics. Use ShopStyle/RewardStyle analytics. Use WordPress analytics. Pay attention to social media growth. And then learn anything and everything about the people looking at your site; cater it to them.
  • Content is your queen. Make it beautiful, make it authentic, make it your best piece of content every single time, and be sure to communicate what you identify with.
  • Create a media kit, no matter where you’re at. Look, I’m a beginner (pretty much). My numbers are, like, not very impressive. But I have a few posts that’ve gotten in the hundreds range for views; my Instagram followers have been steadily climbing. Put anything that shows growth and forward motion in your media kit, and then:
  • Send it to EVERYONE. Businesses, other influencers, photographers, your mom. Everyone.

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On maintaining your brand:

  • Allow your content to evolve with your life. I’m not going to be 24 and have no idea what I’m doing with my life forever, and my content shouldn’t, either (or something like that).
  • Create conversations. Hey, people who read Freckles and Figs: I just want y’all to know that you can talk to me! I haven’t said that before, but this place shouldn’t be a one-way road where I just ramble a few times a week (although, that’s what it is currently, pretty much). Truly, if you comment or email or talk to me, I’ll respond! This is an open environment! As it should be.
  • Tread the line of sharing vs. sharing too much. It’s okay to show flaws and write about what you want to write about (Lord knows I do), but you also want to be careful not to overdo it while still being honest.

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On finding a niche:

  • Imitate, don’t duplicate. Just because you are obsessed with someone else’s idea (hi, Emily Schuman) doesn’t mean you can’t do something similar, but with your own edge.
  • You don’t need to listen to those people who say, “Do something completely unique.” Nothing is completely unique! We’re all just stealing each other’s ideas and making them our own, and that’s ok!
  • However, do what you know. If you think starting a pressed juice company looks tres chic (think of the cute labels you could design!) but you hate pressed juice, you probably shouldn’t start a pressed juice company. I’d never write about golf, because I know nothing about golf. Do what you know.
  • Add-on to that: also do what you love. It won’t, or shouldn’t, get boring 10 years down the line.

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On following your entrepreneurial side:

  • If you go for that one thing that keeps you up at night, realize that you’ll be up even more nights to come. But you’ll be doing what you’re passionate about, so really, it’s ok.
  • Know that following your passion—starting that business or launching that website—needs to be less leap of faith, more full-throttle obsession. Anyone can jump past the fear and start something; not anyone can maintain the crazed obsession they had at day one, all the way to year five and on.
  • Creating a vision is everything. Write down your goals, make your plan, and stick with them. An uncertainness regarding your big dream is the exact thing that will make it fail.

S’yeah. I feel all overwhelmed again just writing that out, and this is just a small sampling. All I can say is, if Create + Cultivate’s next location is anywhere close to you, jump on a ticket. I personally promise it’ll change your world. In the meantime, go for everything you’ve ever wanted. It’s really that easy. Just begin! And then don’t stop.

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Dress: Old, similar here and here // Vest: Old, similar here and here // Ankle boots: Forever 21 // Necklace: Old (ugh, sorry, guys), similar here and here // Sunglasses: Steve Madden

Photos by my dear friend, Sarah Cook

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4 Comments in Fashion, Life

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Comments

  1. Sarah says

    February 2, 2016 at 2:50 pm

    Thank you for the recap. I live in Paris and of course I couldn’t attend, soit thank you !

    Reply
    • audrey swanson says

      February 4, 2016 at 9:45 am

      No problem at all! Thanks so much for reading!

      Reply
  2. Ashlee says

    February 14, 2016 at 10:12 pm

    Love love love the recap!!! Ahhhh so bummed I missed it but I’m def going to the next one!

    Reply
    • audrey swanson says

      February 15, 2016 at 8:31 am

      You FOR SURE should! They just announced their next location today: Los Angeles! Email me if you go and I’ll tell you even more about my experience! 🙂

      Reply

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Welcome! I'm Audrey, and I adore connecting with female founders and telling their stories in a way that matters & lasts for years to come.

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audskelton

Who do you think was more excited about this day t Who do you think was more excited about this day trip out to the coast... us or Wallace? 😅😂 I love them. Also, I can’t get over the burp cloth on John’s shoulder. Ya know, just in case. #newparentlife
One hour, just us two in our backyard with a big c One hour, just us two in our backyard with a big charcuterie board, a deck of cards, a couple glasses of rosé, and no baby monitor. 🤎

The first week of Wallace’s life? I ached even being in another room from him (#hormones). I was a wreck of emotions and had legitimate baby tunnel vision... preeeetty much nothing else mattered. But things have been balancing out this past week, and today was so needed.

My mom is in town all month and watched Wally for us so we could have some time just us two—yep, in the backyard because of shelter in place restrictions from COVID. (Plus let’s be real... I’m not quite ready for an out-of-the-house date yet anyway. 😂)

As much as I desire to be a present + loving mama and ambitious business owner, it’s just as important to me to prioritize our marriage with little moments like this to just be in each other’s presence (and not just talk about burping and swaddling and bedtime routines, like most of our recent convos).

Here’s to (almost) 2 weeks of being parents, @the_beermonger. I think we’ll do okay.
My two favorite guys in the world. 🤍🌎 My two favorite guys in the world. 🤍🌎
Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands without a bump. 👐🏼 Wallace, trying to figure out what we’re doing out of the house. 🤨

First family walk in the books! All of 10 minutes. 🤪 (Also, does anyone else notice the rainbow over Wally?... My heart. 🌈🥺)
1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & mos 1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & most rewarding week of my life. Babies’ sleep schedules, y’all. They are not for the faint of heart.

Wallace is hitting all his milestones, has learned the alphabet, and is picking up Latin. Just kidding. But he CAN poop 3 times in an hour and a half 😎, and he eats like a champ, is so strong that we prefer to tag team diaper changes for now, and makes the sweetest, cutest noises all day long. (And night.) Like even his cry is cute. 😩

One of my friends called this time the “wet weeks”: urine, breast milk, spit up, night sweats, tears, blood, more tears. It’s a lot, and it’s temporary. So even in the hard moments, we are reminding ourselves that the hardest things are often the best things. 

And this really has been the best thing.

So, so thankful for a hands-on husband who’s been so involved in everything... there’s something indescribable about watching your partner care for your child and step into a big, new role like this so gracefully. And we are thankful for ALL of the support, near and far (... mostly far), from our family and friends and coworkers. What a week... here’s to continuing to figure it all out together as a family. 😌
At 5 a.m. my water broke and at 3:44 p.m. our worl At 5 a.m. my water broke and at 3:44 p.m. our worlds and hearts were changed forever. Everything in between was a gritty, fast-moving tidal wave of emotion, pain, instinct, and a kind of love I never could’ve imagined.

Welcome, Wallace Ronal Skelton. 🤎 You kept us waiting until you decided, very quickly, you’d like to be here. I’m still in disbelief that you are ours. 

January 4, 2021 • 7 lbs 4 oz • 20.5 inches • Sweet as can be.
Well, this baby friend doesn’t exactly have our Well, this baby friend doesn’t exactly have our sense of punctuality which realllly threw me for a loop after thinking & saying for months that I was certain he/she would get here early. I’ve drank 3 boxes of raspberry leaf tea in 3 weeks, walked dozens of miles, eaten way too many dates, done hundreds of squats and bench step-ups... and now I’m surrendering. You come whenever you feel like it, little one. I’m comfy enough and can still sleep through the night (minus a bathroom break or two) so we will just keep on waiting and letting you teach us our first lesson of parenthood: PATIENCE. I knew I could always use some more of it. 😉 #40weekspregnant #pregnancy
scenes from our blissful, muddy, much-needed morni scenes from our blissful, muddy, much-needed morning hike. ☀️🍂 in a year that’s felt like 5, getting outside whenever we can has been my favorite way to reset. so thankful to live in such gorgeous surroundings!
our first and probably only christmas just us thre our first and probably only christmas just us three! quiet and simple and a little sad but mostly filled with hope and gratitude. hope yours is special in all the best ways. 🤍
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