Last Saturday might have been the most inspiring day of my career as a travel blogger. I went to Create and Cultivate Los Angeles and was surrounded by beautiful decor, ate delicious delectables and networked with kick-ass business women. To call it a life-changing day would be an understatement.
Create and Cultivate is a creative conference & online platform for female entrepreneurs in the digital space. The founders of C&C aim to “create inspiring environments that seek to enlighten, entertain & inspire both online & offline.” But this wasn’t your typical business conference.
Think of Create and Cultivate Los Angeles as a ‘business festival’ or an all-girl business summer camp. In addition to sitting in panels and listening to the advice of some awesome business moguls, you can shop, dress up, get pampered at the beauty lounge, participate in workshops, network with other women and eat delicious food all day long.
Halfway through the conference we were assigned mentors. These mentors’ careers ranged from being public speakers to bloggers to business owners. I was lucky enough to be assigned to Maxie McCoy (inspirational speaker) and Nicollete Mason (fashion blogger/editor), both of whom I greatly admire.
Maxie taught me to make my mark as an individual and gave me some amazing pointers for my blog. Nicolette inspired me to stay true to my voice and to not give a fuck if people don’t like it! BOOM.
But the best part of the conference was being surrounded by so much inspiration on every level! Women (and even a few men) from all kind of digital platforms, backgrounds and industries were sharing their struggles, their achievements, their pitfalls and successes.
Whether it was sitting next to them during a panel or watching them on the panel. Success and motivation permeated throughout the Hudson Loft.
It was MIND BLOWING.
And all of the awkward, negative energy that comes with being a travel blogger felt validated and justified. It made me feel human to hear someone like Chelsea Handler say,
“I’m scared right now. I could fail on a global level. But I don’t think I will, because I embrace my fear. I’m not fearless. I live in fear. I just want it to go away, so I’m constantly trying to swim toward something, with floaties on.“
If Chelsea Handler is scared, then my fear must be normal.
My note-taking was erratic. There wasn’t a single moment that my pen wasn’t touching my complimentary Erin Condren notebook. Of the pages and pages of notes I took that day, here are the main takeaways I learned at Create and Cultivate Los Angeles:
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“Get out of your comfort zone. I don’t wanna go to Russia, but I’m interested in going, because I don’t wanna go. Challenge yourself and don’t be comfortable.” – Chelsea Handler
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“I regret my hesitation in being myself. Don’t lose sight, look forward with blinders on.” – Nicolette Mason
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“Don’t be afraid to fail. I failed for 3 years before I found the right road.” – Jessica Alba
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“Be yourself. Do not try to be another blogger. You will just be second best.” – Andy Torres
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“Get your grid right girl.” – Bri Emery
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“I can have it all, but I can’t do it all.” – Corrine Stokoe
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“Be bold. It’s okay to be wrong. You have to pivot.” – Keija Minor
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“Instinct. Follow your gut, it’s most likely right.” – Rachel Zoe
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“Believe in yourself or no one will believe in you.” – Chelsea Handler
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“Ask yourself ‘What problem am I solving?’ and find the best solution.” – Ariel Kaye
At the end of the 13-hour Create and Cultivate Los Angeles event, I walked away feeling more confident than ever (and craving some In-N-Out). After shoving 2 double-doubles in my mouth on the ride home, I had a notebook full of inspiration, a goodie bag with endless swag and a buzzing mind that has yet to turn off!
Check out part 1 of the Create and Cultivate Los Angeles video (you’ll see me being a creep on my phone at 1:35)
http://www.createcultivate.com/blog/2016/5/10/cc-asks-what-do-you-create-cultivate
