As the Veronicas mentioned, this International Women's Day, we're celebrating the incredible community of women we've built through the years—and that includes you. The day tends to be centered around the bold-faced names we all know, the ones with their names on the history and media marquees. Don't get us wrong; we love them, too. But it's important to us that we celebrate the women who make an impact in ways both big and small—we've long believed that small acts can bring about big change—and that includes all of us.
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Which is why we're excited to include copies of Collaborate: Career Advice from the co-lab, from executive recruiter and #MAKEITHAPPEN woman Kristy Hurt, as part of our #IWD giveaway. Packed with career advice from over 100+ women, it's a guide and a professional confidence booster, all in one. In other words: You got this.
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Here, we chat with Hurt about Collaborate and the co-lab, the online networking community she founded during the pandemic—plus, share a few words of wisdom from the women featured. Get inspired and then take it one step further and sign up for the co-lab, which offers everything from mentors and workshops to informative newsletters and podcasts—consider it a toolkit to #MAKEITHAPPEN.
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Q&A
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What was the inspiration behind the co-lab? I'm a head hunter—people come to me when they want help with their next job. But I'm only one person, so even in the best of times, I'm only filling 10-20 jobs out of the year. I get 30 resumes a day. It's a high volume so, obviously, I'm not going to have jobs for the majority of them. But, I thought to myself, what if there's a way I could help people help themselves? That's what the co-lab is—I'm giving people access to this network and, by exposing them to the various resources and projects we have, ultimately help them find whatever it is they're searching for—whether clients, their next job, hiring new talent... People are hungry for connection and what we've built is a real community. As I wrote in the book, the co-lab believes in the power of collaboration to achieve.
What about the book? It is a celebration of what we have built together at the co-lab, how we came together and built something during the craziest time—the pandemic. Collaborate is a true picture of our membership: from well-known executives behind fashion and skincare brands to people just starting out in their career, who are figuring out what they want to do. That inclusivity was important to me. I have the same attitude with our podcast. I have members who say, "No one really wants to hear my story. I haven't done enough yet." I tell them that's not true. Because every decision you make in your career is something someone else is considering. I want to hear the stories of a security guard at a retail store, who's been in the business for 35 years, as much as I do those of a CEO.
Kristy Hurt, left, with the co-lab member, Aliza Licht, at the book party at VB Soho
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Career Advice from the co-lab
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Networking should not be transactional. Meet people with the intention of truly listening and learning from their journeys. Real relationships get you further in life than any one transaction. — Alexa Steiner, Sustainability Consultant
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Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are. — Aliza Licht, Marketing Executive & Author
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"Reach across just as often as you reach up. My peers have been invaluable resources to new opportunities, advice, exposure, and more." — Franci Girard, Founder & CEO
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Approach your existence with purpose. This insight has served as an important guide for my creative process. — Lia Chavez, Artist & Founder
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People do business with people so be the kind of person with whom people will want to partner and do business. — Michelle Peranteau, Marketing
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Never slit your wrists for a lunatic. — Naomi Usher, Founder & Creative Director
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Be solution oriented. If something isn’t going to work, what other options are there? How can you pivot to achieve your goal? If you have to say “no” to something, what is a “yes” you can offer up instead? A positive attitude is the easiest way to excite and inspire others! — Natalie Garagiola, Content Marketer
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When you follow your intuition, you're always on time. I think most folks struggle with wondering if they're running out of time to pursue an alternative career path or perhaps even entrepreneurship. So in those moments of doubt, I revisit this advice I received from a dear friend. It's my mantra now. — Sarah Sukumaran, Founder
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Your career is like a choose-your-own adventure-novel. You decide how to create it. Every twist and new opportunity can potentially set a whole new course for yourself. — Sophia Brown, Marketing
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One very influential mentor and boss of mine told me one day, "You are creative and need creativity to be happy. Let it flow. You are ambitious and need to be able to call the shots to be happy. Don't be afraid of power. You can sell anything, so it is your responsibility to care about what you sell and how you sell it." Care has become my compass, in everything I do. — Veronique Gabai Pinsky, Founder & CEO
