LOULOU LOLLIPOP Evolves from Side Hustle to International Brand

When co-founders of LOULOU LOLLIPOP, an eco-friendly baby product company, looked to expand their company globally, they realized they didn’t have the right to use their name in Europe and China. It was a three-year legal battle with a hefty price tag to nail down the trademark issues. Co-founder Eleanor Lee shared, “There will be challenges and mistakes along the road, there were for us. They’re stepping-stones. Don’t dwell on them.” To read more about their adventure in launching a global brand, read this piece in Women of Influence.

Making Sure You Are Paid for Your Work

Often in industries that are more creative, there is an expectation that you need to  offer time and labor for free or for deeply discounted rates to get work…or “exposure”. In addition, there’s also the problem of the “brown discount,” which refers to a common workplace issue of people of color being asked to provide the “vastness and value” of their experiences, but without fair compensation or resources. But as journalist Juleyka Lantigua-Williams shares, “exposure” doesn’t pay the rent or the grocery bill. This episode from NPR’s Life Kit discusses some of these challenges in greater detail and shares strategies to ensure you are being paid what you are worth!

Impact of Hispanic Heritage on the Entrepreneurial Journey

In this post on Nasdaq.com, site contributor Gesche Haas spoke with nine women from the Dreamers & Doers collective to learn more about their experiences as business leaders of Latina descent and the challenges and successes that they have encountered. Each woman has a unique backstory and fabulous advice – click the link to read the piece on nasdaq.com

Building a Paper Empire In A Digital Age

From www.clothandpaper.com

In this piece in Inc., Cloth & Paper’s founder, Ashley Reynolds explains how she used social commerce to grow her stationery business during the pandemic. The company leverages social media platforms to share instructional videos that show viewers how best to use their journals and planners. While they predominantly sell products on Shopify, they have seen a growing trend of customers now buying directly from Instagram and Facebook. Click the link above to read more!

Interview with Founder of Hiring Platform, We Are Rosie

This piece in Inc. is a conversation with We Are Rosie‘s CEO Stephanie Nadi Olson. She shares how the challenges of trying to juggle a family and the demands of a high powered corporate job – and then a startup job – led her to launch her own business focused on finding “good work for everyone who needs it in a way that aligns with their life and treats them with dignity and respect”. Her company now has over 15,000 contractors in the marketing and advertising space – whose contracts are capped at 40 hours per week. She states, “For culture to be truly compassionate, it cannot be prescriptive. Leadership decisions cannot happen in a vacuum.” Click the link above to read more about this incredible leader.