Miss EmpowHer Blog

Redefining Sexy

@queensizeswap For me, being sexy is about being comfortable in your own skin. Sexy is a mindset. Confidence is a mindset. If you are struggling to feel sexy, start with these three steps. 1. Be mindful of how you speak to yourself. Stop focusing on the things you don’t like about your body and start focusing on the things you love about your body . Remember, where your focus goes, grows! 2. Stop comparing yourself to others. 3. Invest in your appearance. Keep in mind this looks different for everybody. For me, this meant getting a gym membership and upgrading my wardrobe. What step will you be working on first? Follow me on Instagram & share this post with a friend !

UNC Graduate and Former Miss EmpowHer Intern's Journey to a Full-Time Role at Big 4 Consulting Firm

@nonso.philipikpo "My experience with Miss EmpowHer is something I will be forever grateful for. Changing my career path during the Fall semester of my senior year was a difficult decision to make, but Caitlyn’s efforts to improve my professional development made the transition a seamless one. Her one on one coaching included resume building and interview preparation. She taught me how to sell myself in the best way when I was applying to jobs. I am extremely grateful for the experience working at MissEmpowher and the skills I gained professionally. All this contributed to me landing a role as a People Advisory Services Staff Consultant at Ernst & Young." - Nonso Philip-Ikpo, Business Development Consultant at Miss EmpowHer

Recognizing Black Creativity: The Need for Black Voices on Platforms Like TikTok

Black Tiktok creators are on strike, protesting a pattern of appropriation and failure to credit black creators on the app. Many white Tik Tok creators have made millions off viral dances conceptualized by black creators on the app who receive little or no credit for their work and creativity. The phenomenon is reflective of a long history of white communities profiting at the expense of black Americans who are not compensated for their work. TikTok is one platform of many where creators are able to gain followings, share creative ideas, and receive compensation for their contributions to the platform. Young TikTok creators and audiences calling out the lack of credit given to black creators on the platform is one step towards recognition of black voices and black creators. However, racial injustice in creative fields is widespread and calls for a new norm of giving credit to black creators where credit is due. Appropriation on TikTok and other platforms is silencing to black voices on platforms that should allow freedom of expression and serve as a place for black voices to be heard. Black creators striking on the platform aim to draw attention to the importance of their contributions to the app’s success. The act of protest raises awareness about a long history of lucrative white mimicry of black creativity. The widespread lack of crediting black creators has direct implications on socioeconomic justice. A Bloomberg report found that white creators make significantly more than black creators on TikTok. Recognition leads to compensation in these cases, and creators are demanding that the discrepancy be addressed. Miss EmpowHer and other brands such as EveryStylishGirl which focus on empowerment are intertwined with social movements and current events such as the striking by TikTok creators. Empowerment involves recognition for hard work and creative contributions like those of black TikTok creators. The creators’ efforts to demand recognition and the news of the strike highlights the need for black creativity and representation of black creators on platforms such as TikTok. By appropriately recognizing and compensating black creators and artists for their contributions to these platforms, we can highlight the importance of black voices and stand up against appropriation of their work. The TikTok phenomenon that black creators are drawing attention to is reflective of a larger pattern which we can combat by supporting and demanding the recognition of black creators on the platforms we regularly use.

How to Support Black-Owned Businesses and Brands

Supporting woman-owned and black-owned businesses not only yields a huge impact for the business world, but also socially, demonstrating the ability for these communities to be as successful or more than other business leaders you might support on a daily basis. This support helps these businesses thrive and spreads their popularity throughout the community. It is our responsibility to shop these businesses and ensure their success so black-owned businesses can continue to thrive in the future. There are a multitude of ways for us to support black-owned businesses and some are provided for you below. Shop for black owned businesses: In many circumstances, black owned businesses will not widely be known. So, it is your responsibility to search for black owned businesses in your areas. To do this, if you are shopping for certain things that you don’t need from a specific chain, you should search to see if black owned businesses have it around you. Take advantage of online shopping: If there aren’t black businesses around you or ones that meet your certain needs, use social media or the internet to find businesses further from your local area and have the products shipped to you. This is also a great way to reach black owned businesses on a national scale. Promote and share black owned businesses on social media: If you find a great black owned business, share it! You can do this through verbally telling people, but to reach a larger audience you can share the business on your social media accounts. This will gain more traffic to their websites and social media pages, which will hopefully bring more business. While taking these small steps every day can help support black businesses, there are also other larger goals that need to be addressed. For example, funding and mentorship opportunities should be provided for black owned businesses and black entrepreneurs. It is extremely important to give both current and future black entrepreneurs the sufficient tools to know how to operate a business and take it to the next level. In addition to this, these opportunities could increase the success rates of their businesses, and younger black women will be more willing to start their own businesses as well. This example of a larger and less day-to-day action is just as important because these blacked owned businesses don’t yield the same funding that many white businesses obtain from large corporations, venture capital firms, and angel investors. In fact, less than 1% of venture capital goes to black businesses. You are bringing a huge impact when supporting black owned businesses. It shows you that support businesses that align with your values and that you want to create that societal and corporate change. For business owners: Your work inspires people on a national scale to start their own businesses and pave way for more people of color in the corporate world. You should continue to keep your momentum, even after the struggles of the past year with the Covid-19 pandemic. To do this, you should build your network in an authentic way. Companies and individuals are more inclined to support black businesses than in the past. So, right now is a great time to create new relationships, including ones through media as well as investors. Your network is your net worth. LinkedIn is also a great resource to build relationships with others and grow your business as well.

Celebrating Juneteenth

This Saturday, June 19th, we are celebrating one of the most important anniversaries in US history. Juneteenth commemorates the day that enslaved African-Americans in the city of Galveston were finally informed of their freedom on June 19, 1865, about two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. However, slavery in the US did not end on June 19th, 1865. Many states attempted to hold onto the system of slavery after the Emancipation Proclamation. Nonetheless, Juneteenth and the Emancipation Proclamation represent the federal government taking a stand against slavery. People have been celebrating Juneteenth ever since the Proclamation. In the beginning, Juneteenth was used as an occasion to help newly emancipated black people learn about their voting rights. Juneteenth celebrations have expanded to include cookouts, parades, church services, musical performances and other public events to celebrate empowerment and hope rooted in emancipation. As Juneteenth becomes more widely recognized and celebrated in the United States, we encourage you to find a way to celebrate Juneteenth in whatever way allows you to reflect on and acknowledge the history that Juneteenth represents. Below, we’ve listed a few of our ideas for how to celebrate Juneteenth this year. Support black-owned businesses Supporting black-owned businesses is a great way to celebrate Juneteenth and show support for black business owners. Find black-owned businesses to support in your area throughout June and the rest of the year to provide the goods and services you need. Celebrate and gather If you are comfortable, participate in Juneteenth celebrations held by your city or neighborhood as COVID-19 restrictions become less stringent, or celebrate with friends and family. Look forward While recognizing that Juneteenth is an important historical event to celebrate, also acknowledge the change that still needs to occur in the United States regarding racial equality. Research ways for you to protest racial inequality in your area, whether through attending events held by organizations to support black communities, participating in Juneteenth Freedom Marches, or pressuring lawmakers to prioritize legislation that takes steps towards racial equality. Donate to organizations that support black communities Celebrate Juneteenth by donating to organizations that support black communities. This is a great way to support organizations that align with your values and the causes you are passionate about. Learn the history of Juneteenth and have conversations about it It is important to celebrate Juneteenth by acknowledging the full history behind the holiday and educating yourself. You can read books and online articles about the history of Juneteenth and have open and honest conversations about the holiday with your friends and family. However, you choose to celebrate Juneteenth, remember to rest, reflect, and support others in their celebrations. Juneteenth is a day to celebrate hope, freedom, and joy. You deserve to celebrate the holiday in a way that makes you feel fulfilled and restored, however that may be.

Incorporating Empowerment Into Business Models: How to Support the Advancement of Women with Your Business

New businesses are increasingly considering the triple bottom line in their business operations, examining their plans for their business as they relate to profit, people, and the planet. Miss EmpowHer aims to empower women through our brand by celebrating confidence, body positivity, and inclusivity, and we are proud that female empowerment is built into our business model. While building empowerment into a business is a challenge and requires consistent consideration of a brand’s social impact, it allows businesses to connect with their customers in a positive way, present an authentic brand message, and gain the trust of increasingly socially-conscious consumers. One way that businesses can incorporate female empowerment into their business models is simple: hire women. Women’s empowerment includes career and professional opportunities, and so any business that prioritizes supporting women’s professional development will give women a platform as part of its team. Woman employees are capable of providing unique insights as to how businesses can support the advancement of women. Further, businesses can incorporate women’s empowerment through their product sourcing, which allows the economic advancement of female small business owners. Miss EmpowHer is proud of its sustainable sourcing of our waist bead products as well as our support for the women on our team. We are thrilled to provide our interns like Destiny Sanders with professional experience and support them in their professional advancement. Businesses can also incorporate empowerment into their business models by partnering with women-focused organizations. Miss EmpowHer’s Women Supporting Women Fundraising Initiative serves as a way for our brand to support women’s groups and organizations while also increasing awareness of our brand. Considering empowerment in business models is becoming more and more important in a world where people increasingly want to support brands that stand for something and align with their values. Consumers are demanding corporate responsibility and seeking to support companies that are aware of how their business impacts the world around them. In the future, brands that make a positive impact on the lives of their customers and others will succeed in gaining consumer trust and loyalty. Lastly, promotion of women’s empowerment is vital because of the importance of representation. It is important for women, especially young women of color, to see other women successfully launching and leading brands so they know what’s possible in their own lives and careers. It is essential that young women see people who look like them succeed.

How to Become Your Most Confident Self

Many women who have all the skills, experience, and ambition to thrive in their jobs and personal lives find that they are not as confident as they would like to be and deserve to be. In your professional and personal life, we believe in growing your self-esteem and sense of self-worth. By growing into the most confident version of yourself, you can best utilize your strengths and personal experiences in interviews, in your entrepreneurial endeavors, and in your relationships. We’ve compiled some of our best tips for exuding confidence from the moment you wake up to the end of a long work day below. 1. Surround yourself with positivity Spend as much time as possible around friends and co-workers who support you, cheer you on, and encourage you to try new things. Be around those who celebrate your wins with you and remind you of your strengths when you fail. When others believe in you, you’ll start believing in yourself. 2. Take courses and seminars in skills you want to gain or improve. Gaining and practicing certain skills will make others value your contributions and give you confidence in your professional life. Practice and perfect the things that make you doubt yourself every once in a while. 3. Get involved! Join organizations that allow you to explore your professional and personal interests. Getting to know like-minded people can make you feel supported and valuable in all areas of your life. You can make social connections and embrace new interests while participating in productive volunteering, learning, or discussing. 4. Practice mindfulness and positive affirmations. Confidence is a mental game. Practice positive thinking, breathing techniques, or affirmations that will remind you of all that you bring to the table and help you keep your cool in stressful situations. Positive affirmations are a great way to start your day with positivity and clarity. 5. Step outside your comfort zone. Sometimes gaining confidence requires us realizing that we can do things we never thought we could. Trying new things and stepping outside of your comfort zone can help you discover new skills you never had and remind you that you are more capable than you can imagine! Most importantly, remind yourself everyday of how powerful and amazing you are. You bring your unique strengths and your personal experiences to the table, so don’t forget your value. You got this!

UNC Graduate and Former Miss EmpowHer Intern’s Journey to a Full-Time Role at Leading Media Company

@destinysanders “What I love about Miss EmpowHer is how mentorship and professional development are foundational to the program. You get to take ownership over your experience by taking on assignments catered to your interests. During my internship, I developed social initiatives, conducted market research, and made strategic marketing plans with a team that encouraged creative solutions because of my interests in corporate social responsibility and digital marketing. I truly appreciate the efforts Caitlyn made to center my personal development in every assignment and every coaching session. This individualized coaching came in the form of career and networking advice, interview prep, and specific skill building assignments. I am so grateful for the experiences and skills I’ve gained at Miss EmpowHer, which contributed to my current full-time placement at NBCUniversal.” - Destiny Sanders

Celebrating the Miss EmpowHer Intern Team

The Miss EmpowHer internship program aims to provide interns with professional experience in the areas of business they are most interested in and passionate about. The internship program encourages teamwork as well as individual professional development and gives students the opportunity to creatively explore skills and potential careers in marketing, graphic design, public relations, and more. Here we highlight some of our interns’ most impactful projects and important findings in their work at Miss EmpowHer. We are grateful for our intern team and all the hard work they do to make Miss EmpowHer a product of their diverse interests, specialties, and visions. Becca Riopel, our Marketing Manager, recently focused on market research, designing a survey to gain insights about Miss EmpowHer’s target market that could be integrated in the strategic marketing plan for 2021. Becca’s research first identified Miss EmpowHer’s core values and how they establish our Target Market. She then conducted secondary research about the target market’s self-care interests and social media use and conducted a market research survey, which provided insight into consumers’ feelings towards advertising targeted to women as well as market trends. Read more about her project here. Alicia Robbins, a design intern at Miss EmpowHer, focused on drafting and designing new email campaigns using Klaviyo and Canva, including campaigns for Miss EmpowHer’s Black Friday hoodie launch and other sales that improved email marketing performance. Alicia also worked on designs for Miss EmpowHer’s embroidered hoodie collection and the Miss EmpowHer Pinterest account. She currently is working on video editing for our TikTok and Instagram accounts. Read more about her projects here. Samantha Casolaro, our Social Media Marketing Manager, recently created a brand guide for the Miss EmpowHer Instagram account. Her goal was to base the brand guide on the company’s goals, competitors, and inspirations. She used data about what practices had proved successful on the Miss EmpowHer website in the past as well as insight from customer interactions to develop the brand guide and plan social media feeds. Her project involved examining the Miss EmpowHer logo in the context of new color palettes, creating mood boards, researching feed inspirations, creating post templates, and establishing Instagram best practices. Read more about her project here. We are so proud of our wonderful intern team!

5 Black-Owned Fashion Brands to Support During Black History Month (& Every Month)

February is Black History Month, and with every purchase you make at a black-owned business, you are telling the world that it matters to support these businesses. There are SO many black clothing brands out there with beautiful, high-quality products and a great mission to empower people of color. Not only will you be supporting these brands if you purchase from them, but you will be providing opportunities for young Black entrepreneurs, designers, and employees.

Announcing the Black History Month Buy Black Challenge!

February is Black History Month, and you can celebrate by participating in the Buy Black Challenge. The Black History Month Buy Black Challenge encourages you to focus on supporting black-owned businesses during the month of February and beyond by familiarizing yourself with black-owned businesses, especially local ones. Start taking note of how often you are supporting black-owned businesses, and be intentional about buying from some of the many black business-owners and entrepreneurs that deserve your support. Supporting black-owned businesses during Black History Month and throughout the year helps close the racial wealth gap in the United States and allows small, black-owned businesses to flourish. It also encourages representation of black business-owners and entrepreneurs and increases familiarity with their businesses’ cultures and missions. By being intentional about supporting black-owned businesses, you can contribute to job creation that combats high unemployment rates for black Americans and closes the racial unemployment gap in the US. Supporting local black-owned businesses can foster local job creation and financial stability in communities near you, and Black History Month is a great time to start. Participate in the Black History Month Buy Black Challenge by placing an order from our black-owned business! Shop the Miss EmpowHer waist bead collection.

Supporting Your Friends' Goals

Miss EmpowHer strives to promote female empowerment and supporting women. One way we do so is through the Women Supporting Women program, which is a fundraising initiative that aims to support women’s groups and organizations of all kinds. On a more personal level, we believe in strong female friendship and support among women of all shapes and shades! We love to see women sharing in one another’s successes, and so we’ve put together some advice on how to best encourage the women in your life by supporting their personal and professional goals. @stxphxny Healthy friendships are those where you hold one another accountable, lift one another up, and encourage one another to be your best selves. One complicated aspect of supporting friends is giving them feedback. Sometimes it seems as though the best kind of support is unconditional cheerleading and praise. But in the long-run, sometimes the most beneficial feedback you can give a friend is growth-focused. This doesn't mean criticizing a friend, but offering positive advice when appropriate, and or just listening and providing your personal insight to what they have to say about their goals and journeys to reaching them. Even if you don’t know much about the area they are trying to improve in, thoughtful listening is a great tool for supporting and encouraging a friend. While the paths towards reaching our goals often involve ups and downs, it is also important not to let your friends give up on their goals. Being a strong, engaged listener throughout their process can help you later remind them why they set their goals in the first place. Sometimes rough patches can deeply affect our emotions, and a friend is a great place to get some perspective. You can help a friend think through the harder parts of their journey as someone less emotionally and personally involved in their process. Lastly, it is critical that you celebrate your friends’ successes without jealousy and comparison. Keep in mind that while you should be supporting one another in achieving your goals, you and your friends are different people with different paths, and their achievements do not make yours less valid. Being there for your friends during their biggest successes is just as important as helping them through their low points. Celebrate your friends the way you want to be celebrated during your biggest achievements! Being a positive presence in your friends’ lives will improve your own well being and sense of self-worth as well. Be the friend you know your besties deserve, and they will do the same for you!