Podcast Summary
Growing up creative before the internet: Rediscover creativity through making things, even without technology or constant supervision.
Harnessing creativity is a skill that can be developed and honed at any age, even if you didn't grow up with easy access to technology or constant supervision. Brit Marin, the CEO and founder of Brit and Co, shares her experience of growing up as a creative child in the late eighties and early nineties, before the Internet and social media were widely available. Despite being left alone for long hours, she turned her creativity into inventions and products, learning through trial and error. Brit emphasizes that the act of making something can help us rediscover our creativity, which can be lost as we get older due to fear or lack of opportunities. Brit's success story includes a career in technology and marketing at companies like Apple and Google, as well as founding Brit and Co, a progressive lifestyle brand and website focused on accessible DIY crafts. Her latest project, Self Made, is a highly interactive course designed to help women build businesses in just 10 weeks, with teachers including Brit herself, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Miriam Nefasi, the CEO of Minted.
The Suppression of Creativity in Adulthood: Adults, particularly women, often feel they've lost their creativity. It's important to make time for creative pursuits to keep our creativity muscle strong, benefiting both personal and professional life.
Creativity is a fundamental human trait that is present in all of us, yet it can be suppressed as we grow older due to feelings of judgment and insecurity. A study showed that while young children believe they are creative, adults, particularly women, often do not feel the same way. This shift can occur around middle school age when we start to be graded and judged for our creative abilities. However, there is a potential reawakening of creativity in adulthood, especially around the time of getting married and participating in DIY projects. Creativity is not limited to art or crafts, but rather a horizontal layer across all aspects of life. We make creative choices every day, from what we wear to how we decorate our homes to how we solve problems at work. To keep our creativity muscle strong, it's important to make time for creative pursuits, even if it's just 30 minutes a week. So next time you're feeling uninspired, try picking up a new hobby or project and see how it can benefit both your personal and professional life.
Exploring Creativity as a Tool for Mental Health: Creativity, regardless of form, can improve mental health by providing a meditative flow and serving as a personal antidote to stress and negative emotions. Men and women alike can benefit from creative pursuits.
Creativity, much like a personal hobby, can serve as an antidote to mental health issues and provide a meditative flow. It doesn't have to be perfect or public; it can simply be for self-exploration and enjoyment. Additionally, creativity is not limited to women or traditional arts; men can also express their creativity through various means. As for myself, despite appearing successful with a seemingly privileged upbringing, I faced challenges growing up, including financial struggles and a mother suffering from depression. These experiences fueled my fascination with creativity and self-reliance, pushing me to learn essential skills and seek validation outside the home. This background instilled in me a strong motivation to succeed and a determination to never experience the same negative patterns in my own life.
Overcoming adversity and curiosity driving ambition: Curiosity and past hardships can fuel ambition, leading to personal growth and success. However, it's essential to remember that everyone's journey and accomplishments are unique.
Ambition and pushing past comfort zones, even in the face of adversity, can lead to personal growth and success. The speaker's own experiences with trauma and a deep curiosity for learning drove her to become an ambitious go-getter and inspire other women to do the same. She learned to code at a young age, driven by her fascination with the Internet and the desire to save money on college. This led her to Silicon Valley and a career at Apple, where she continued to learn and grow. However, it's important to remember that even those with accolades and achievements may still feel unsatisfied, and it's crucial to judge people's accomplishments wisely.
The Power of Curiosity and Taking Risks: Asking questions and taking risks can lead to unexpected rewards and valuable insights, even when faced with difficult decisions.
Sometimes, making a difficult decision can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes. The speaker shares her story of being torn between moving to LA to work on the Jimmy Kimmel Show or moving to San Francisco to work for Apple. She ultimately chose Apple, and not only got to work in the coolest group (iTunes), but also met her husband and had the opportunity to meet Steve Jobs. She also shares a story of asking him about the rumored iPhone, which he denied would ever be made, only for it to be released six months later. Despite the fear and rumors about Steve Jobs, the speaker's curiosity and determination led her to ask questions and gain valuable insights from him. This experience serves as a reminder that taking risks and asking questions can lead to surprising and impactful results.
Lessons from Apple and Google, Two Distinct Cultures: Learn from Apple's focus on design and marketing, and Google's emphasis on data-driven decisions to make informed business decisions.
Different companies, like Apple and Google, can foster vastly distinct cultures, yet both can produce groundbreaking brands. At Apple, design and marketing held significant importance, with a focus on secrecy and quality. Conversely, at Google, engineering and data-driven decisions reigned supreme. The speaker learned valuable lessons from both, particularly the importance of data-driven decision making from Google, which has greatly influenced her company, Brit and Co. She emphasizes the significance of understanding data and UX, skills not commonly possessed by entrepreneurs, and encourages acquiring knowledge in these areas to make informed business decisions.
The power of a user-friendly platform for business success: A reliable platform can help businesses focus on growth and give opportunities to prove oneself
Having a user-friendly platform to sell products can significantly impact a business's success. Appam shared how setting up his masterclass on Shopify allowed him to focus on growing his business instead of dealing with the technicalities of creating a website. Marissa Mayer, a former boss and investor, also recognized the importance of a strong platform when she brought Appam onto Google TV, which later became Chromecast. At first, Marissa had reservations about Appam due to his perceived competitiveness, but she saw his potential and gave him an opportunity to shine. This experience highlights the significance of having a reliable platform for your business and the potential impact of being given a chance to prove yourself.
Unexpected opportunities from asking questions and taking initiative: Asking questions and taking initiative can lead to unexpected opportunities, even if you don't initially feel qualified. Keep learning and don't be afraid to take a leap of faith.
Being proactive and asking questions can lead to opportunities and recognition, even if you don't initially feel qualified. In the conversation, the speaker shared how she was unexpectedly offered a role on a Google team despite feeling underprepared. She went on to manage a large budget and have continued support from her mentor. Additionally, the speaker discussed her decision to become an entrepreneur after feeling unchallenged at her job and noticing a gap in the market for creative content for women. She took a leap of faith, starting with a blog and eventually building a successful business, Brit + Co. The qualities of being willing to learn, ask questions, and take initiative are valuable for anyone looking to advance in their career or start their own business.
Believing in oneself and following passion leads to success: Believing in oneself and pursuing a passion can lead to great success, even if it means starting alone and taking risks. Trust in authenticity and personability to build a strong brand.
Believing in oneself and following one's passion can lead to great success, even if it means starting alone and taking risks. Brit Morin, the founder of Brit + Co., shares how her husband and friend encouraged her to pursue her dream of teaching women creativity despite the potential financial success of her health and fitness analytics business. She ultimately decided to leave her co-founder and start Brit + Co. with her name as the brand, emphasizing authenticity and personability. The tipping point for Brit + Co.'s success came during the years from 2011 to 2017, marked by rapid growth, major investments from companies like Disney and Verizon, and massive reach with 15 million unique monthly visitors on their website. However, the success also brought challenges, such as losing touch with employees and dealing with the fragmentation of social media sources of traffic. Ultimately, Brit's journey highlights the importance of trusting oneself and following one's passion, even in the face of uncertainty and challenges.
Deciding on external investment for business growth: Publishers can focus on users with direct-to-consumer revenue, but knowing when to seek investment is crucial. Strong networks and clear visions are important for securing funding, but not all businesses need it.
Direct-to-consumer revenue has become a more rewarding and challenging aspect of publishing businesses, allowing publishers to focus more on their users and less on advertising. For entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses, knowing when to seek outside investment is crucial. In 2012, the speaker made the decision to raise capital for her business due to the significant growth in traffic and the need for additional resources. Having a strong network in Silicon Valley helped her secure venture capital funding. However, not all businesses require venture capital, and a more organic growth approach may be less stressful and more suitable for some. As an investor herself, the speaker looks for strong founding teams with a clear vision and the determination to see their ideas through, as well as the potential for their ideas to become multibillion-dollar businesses.
Investing in High-Growth Companies with Potential Returns: Invest wisely by linking multiple accounts on Yahoo Finance, learn from experts through platforms like Clubhouse and Self Made, and take action to increase chances of success in starting a business or investing.
Venture capitalists invest in companies with high growth potential, understanding that most will not succeed but a few could lead to significant returns. For example, the speaker is optimistic about Clubhouse and has recently started a new venture, Self Made, to help women start their own businesses during the pandemic. Self Made offers live interaction with experts and successful entrepreneurs to accelerate the path to financial independence for new entrepreneurs. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of investing money wisely, such as using Yahoo Finance to manage multiple investment accounts in one place. By linking accounts, users can access stock analyst ratings, independent research, and financial statements to make informed decisions. Whether starting a business or investing, the key is to take action and learn from experts to increase chances of success.
Yahoo Finance's Self Made: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Self Made, a 10-week business launching course by Yahoo Finance, empowers women to create businesses with personalized coaching, resources, and a supportive community, culminating in a pitch day for potential investment opportunities. Focus on energy-giving activities to live a fulfilling life.
Yahoo Finance is a leading financial news and analysis platform, and the Self Made program, a 10-week business launching course, has seen remarkable success stories among its participants, many of whom are women creating and growing their businesses. The program offers personalized coaching and resources for both new and established businesses, culminating in a pitch day for potential investment opportunities. Self Made's mission is to help women create businesses and provides a supportive community to help them succeed. The founder emphasizes the importance of focusing on energy-giving activities and minimizing energy-draining tasks to live a fulfilling life. The program is an accessible and cost-effective alternative to traditional business education like an MBA.
Creativity and generosity go hand in hand: Embrace a mindset of abundance to share ideas and creativity, and generosity creates value and connection
Creativity and generosity go hand in hand. According to Brittany Beresford, also known as Britt Marlin, art is defined as something generous that changes someone else. Generosity, whether it's sharing ideas or saving someone's life, creates value and connection. Britt emphasizes the importance of moving from a scarcity mindset to an abundant one, where ideas and creativity are not limited but multiplied through sharing. She also highlights that holding back creativity out of fear or uncertainty is a missed opportunity, and being generous with our art allows us to trust ourselves and make a positive impact on others. Britt's conversation on the Young and Profiting Podcast also touched on the importance of creativity and hones her insights with Seth Godin in episode 87, "The Practice of Creativity." Overall, Britt's stories and perspectives offer valuable lessons on embracing creativity, generosity, and connection in all aspects of life.
Apple Podcasts Reviews: Social Proof and Influence: Apple Podcasts reviews impact rankings, act as social proof, and listeners' feedback is valuable. Hala thanked a listener for a thoughtful review, praised her team, and encouraged sharing and following on social media.
Apple Podcasts reviews hold significant value for podcasters as they act as social proof and influence rankings. Hala, the speaker, expressed her gratitude to a listener named Clayton for leaving a thoughtful review on Apple Podcasts for her show, Young and Profiting. Clayton's review highlighted the informative, entertaining, and motivational aspects of the podcast, as well as its top-notch production quality. Hala also acknowledged her team member Matt for his exceptional work as the lead audio engineer. She encouraged listeners to share the podcast with their networks and follow her on social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Clubhouse. Hala also shared her excitement about the growth of her team, now over 40 people, and expressed her pride in their accomplishments. Overall, the importance of Apple Podcasts reviews, the value of listener feedback, and the team's dedication and growth were the key themes of the discussion.
