REPRESENTATION MATTERS 👸🏿🌟💸
CWBS Vol. 10
Hello CWBS!
Representation, inclusivity, and diversity – these words are often spoken of, but what do they really mean? At CWBS, these words are central in our mission to provide womxn-identifying individuals from all backgrounds with the pathways and opportunities to succeed in business. Through our new initiative, Columbia Women in Venture, we seek to bridge the gender gap in Venture Capital, and through our It’s Her Business feature on the incredible Brittney Marshall of My Brown Box, we aim to show you an example of a womxn entrepreneur who embodies principles of inclusion and business-savviness.
Happy reading!
Sophia Naqvi, CWBS Membership Engagement Chair 2020-2021
CWBS + CMC: CEO OF PARADE, CAMI TELLEZ – RETELLING THE AMERICAN UNDERWEAR STORY • OCT 26, 6PM EST
Join Columbia Women’s Business Society and Columbia Marketing Club for a fireside chat with Cami Téllez, Co-founder + CEO of Parade, and learn about entrepreneurship, sustainability, garment manufacturing, and more on Monday, October 26th at 6pm EST.
Event time: Monday, October 26th at 6pm EST.
Please join the Zoom call here: https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/j/97857120821
PUBLIC: Invest in good company.
Want to give Public a try? Download the free app and start with $20 worth of stock on us.
Is Trump a Transmitter?: According to White House physician Sean Conley, President Donald Trump “no longer poses an infection risk” and meets CDC criteria for ending isolation. However, it remains unclear if Trump has tested negative for the virus. Learn more.
Hurricane Delta Hits Hard: Due to Hurricane Delta, 400,000 businesses and households were without power Sunday morning in Louisiana and nearby states. Delta is the fifth hurricane to make landfall in the US this year (a post-2005 record). Learn more.
Third Quarter Reporter: As Q3 progressed, investors grew increasingly hopeful about corporate profits (while keeping in mind that they will be lower than last year). Tech stocks are expected to excel, along with health care and staples groups. Learn more.
Short Sports Summary: The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat to win the NBA championship. Players isolated in a “bubble” at Florida’s Disney World and showed public support for the Black Lives Matter protests. Learn more.
BRITTNEY MARSHALL of MY BROWN BOX
“You can always refine it along the way, so don't allow the process to delay your progress.”
- BRITTNEY MARSHALL
Brittney Marshall is an entrepreneur and social media and creative brand strategist working and living between Los Angeles, CA and Detroit, MI. Brittney is the mastermind behind and founder of My Brown Box. Inspired by her father, Brittney chose to be an entrepreneur and follow in his footsteps, remarking that entrepreneurship was “ingrained in her DNA.” Brittney’s main piece of advice for other Black women hoping to open their own business is to “fill your own cup first; you can't be of service to others or yourself if your cup is not full first!”.
My Brown Box serves as a safe space for Black women to connect and to authentically engage about all things Black womanhood. Some of the experiences that can be found within the My Brown Box community are digital and offline activations in which women are joined together in person through various events.
My Brown Box stands as a community that aims to achieve inclusivity and innovation by creating their own reality through a range of unique products. My Brown Box also works towards cultivating passions such as art, travel, music, fitness, and food and in doing so, promoting community, self-care, and wellness events.
What inspired you to start my brown box?
Back in 2012, I had signed up for Birchbox, and I was so excited about the Birchbox business model – receiving a box of things that were specific to my needs, only to find that when it actually arrived, there was nothing in the box for me. There was a foundation that didn't match my skin tone, and it was just too light for me. So right then, I thought that it would be really cool if there was something created for women of color – something that provides products that they can wear ranging from makeup to hair care products to lifestyle products because I really wanted to create something that was not associated with black being a “dreadful color” and Black people being a “dreadful race.” This led me to come up with the idea of My Brown Box. I wanted women to receive their box and say “I received MY brown box.” I wanted the box to be an actual brown box for packaging and a happy experience – something that feels like it is an act of self-care delivered to your doorstep. Self-care is something that really makes you feel like you are loving on yourself or loving on yourself a bit harder. It was a combination of me wanting to provide an amazing experience and catering to women of color’s specific, unique beauty needs.
What skills are vital to starting a business, particularly a subscription box service?
You have to have tough skin and a team. When I first started My Brown Box, I was doing everything myself from securing brand partnerships to packing boxes – I was at my office until 6:00 in the morning trying to fulfill orders and handling customer service inquiries. Having a team is really important so that you have someone who can handle the things that you may not be as strong at, and also simply being able to pick up some of the manpower. Being tapped into your audience and knowing your customer – what they want, what they like, what their needs are, what your unique value proposition is – are all of the things that are vital to starting a subscription box. Having a vision is important as well. Knowing your audience and what you want to serve them with and what kind of experience you want to provide to them live within the business.
Consistency, diligence, and being strong-minded are essential factors – with the balance of self-care. There was a point where I was completely burnt out just because I was doing so many of the things, and at a young age, that’s when I started to understand the importance of self-care, what it looks like if you're not taking care of yourself, and if you are trying to pour from an empty cup.
I think that there's a lot of different skills that you need to have when it comes to starting a business – things like being knowledgeable of the business, aware of and familiar with competitors, understanding shipping and the supply chain, and knowing how much things are going to cost are all extremely important things to know. There are tons of mistakes that I made, just like going to the post office and not knowing what options and what resources were available to me. Having the right supplies and tools to be able to make things as efficient and streamlined as possible is crucial.
From choosing products to shipping out boxes to subscribers, how does each monthly box come together?
My boxes are built around themes and timing. For example, if it's a winter box, then we think about things that women need during the wintertime. You want to think about it like this – your skin gets dry, your lips can get chapped, and your hair gets dry. What products would make a really great experience and come in handy for women based on these factors? We might pick a heavy body cream like a body butter and then we think about what scent someone would want. Maybe a warmer scent during the wintertime like vanilla. Thinking about all of those different aspects as we put the boxes together is really important to keep in mind. If your hair is dry, you want a deep conditioner or in the summertime, sunscreen and lotions are needed. That's the initial thought process when it comes to formulating the contents of the box.
Sourcing is also a key part of identifying the brands and partners who would be a good fit for the box. We spotlight amazing Black women in business. They might not have the platform to get the word out about their business like many of the brands with larger companies or budgets, so identifying those companies and then pitching to the brands, both small and large, and telling them how many units of product and the theme of the particular box helps to build the box and finalize the timeline. This is important because if you have a box going out, you have to make sure that you have all of the products, that the products arrive without damages, and that you have enough preparation time because there is so much that can go wrong. From there, it’s fulfilling all of the boxes and creating the unboxing experience— making sure there is an insert card for the customer to be able to read about the products, why they were intentionally selected, and how to use them.
What words of wisdom or tips do you have for a college-aged woman interested in entrepreneurship?
I always say if you have an idea, go for it, get it, and identify the resources that will help you to be able to achieve it. You can always refine it along the way, so don't allow the process to delay your progress.
What are some books, podcasts, newsletters or blogs that you've enjoyed and would recommend to the website readers?
I really like the podcast The Sakita Method (formerly known as Hashtags and Stilettos), Myleik Teele’s podcast (she’s a subscription box owner!), and the Hey Girl podcast. Steal Like an Artist is also a book I love.
Who is a woman leader you look up to?
I don’t want to sound cliché, but I really look up to my Michelle Obama. I like how she carries herself as a woman, and she exudes confidence. She's outspoken and unapologetic in doing so. I also look up to Myleik Teele, who I mentioned earlier. She is steadfast, consistent, experienced, and has grown a lot getting herself to where she is today. She is a great storyteller and has shared her journey with her followers along the way, so you can see her amazing progress.
PUBLIC: Invest in good company.
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Internships
REPUBLIC VENTURE FELLOW PROGRAM
Venture Fellow applications are now open! Republic is the leading crowdinvesting platform where anyone can invest in startups with as little as $50. With 800k+ members of its community, Republic has a robust and growing partner network of top VCs, accelerators, and influencers. Joining as a Republic Venture Fellow gives you access to a network of VC & accelerator opportunities, the ability to source deals for Republic, learn more about how investors evaluate startups, and, overall, join a community of highly ambitious individuals. Republic will also provide money to invest on the Republic platform to kickstart your investing journey. Interested in joining us? Apply here by Oct 16th: http://bit.ly/republicVFform
Questions? Email zehra@republic.co
UNIWHERE PRODUCT MARKETING INTERN for FALL 2020
Description:
Based in Berlin, Uniwhere is a venture-backed startup incorporating technology into the higher education system.
Uniwhere is looking for a remote Product Marketing Intern for the Fall 2020 semester. This position sits at the crossroad between product management and marketing: you will be able to learn crucial skills needed to perform well in any startup or VC. You will work within a small team of six people where you will help strategize and grow their app. They grew their user base to over half a million students by partnering with some of the most incredible venture firms in Europe. They're now ready to launch in the US starting from the very best schools in the country, and you will be part of their incredible journey.
How to Apply:
Apply or learn more about the position here, and reach out to CWBS alumna, Olivia Contratto SEAS '20 (olivia@uniwhere.com) with any questions.
Banking/Finance
Consulting
Tech
Startups
Venture Capital
In 2019, the Big Five companies generated almost $900 billion in total revenue, which rivals the GDP of countries like Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands. For all five companies, the active adoption of new technological solutions is the main driver of growing revenues.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Tech has demonstrated its value and resilience in the current volatile market. As compared to 2019, the brand value of Apple and Microsoft has increased by 14% and 30% respectively. In the “next normal,” Big Tech is expected to spearhead and benefit from the galvanizing digitalization of business.
In 2020 and beyond, Big Tech will be defined by key development trends, including AI capabilities, multi cloud solutions, and Internet of Things. In terms of business strategy, partnerships will likely value more than ever as companies continually seek to deliver solutions that stimulate positive business outcomes for customers.
In 2014, Big Tech first acknowledged the lack of diversity within their workforces and pledged to increase inclusion at all levels. However, in 2020, the Big Five still lingers behind when it comes to hiring underrepresented communities. While the fraction of employed women in all job sectors in the U.S. has risen to 47%, in Big Tech, women constitute only 34.4% of the workforce. All companies have witnessed single-digit increases in the share of Black employees, with Facebook showing the smallest rise, from 3% to 3.8% in the past five years. Beyond the conversation about “glass ceilings,” many call to review the recruitment process and make mentorship, inclusion initiatives, and diverse management an essential part of the workspace.
Major Firms: Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Facebook, and Microsoft
MONEYGIRLS: It’s time to run your own money.
MoneyGirls’ goal is to empower all women to maximize their independence, influence, and leadership by giving them the tools and resources necessary to take control of their financial lives. MoneyGirls aims to carry out this mission through the Monday MoneyDrop, a once-a-week newsletter, the MoneyBag, and the MoneyGirls Strategist Network. Later this summer, the MoneyGirls app will launch, bringing the world of accessible financial literacy right to your fingertips through innovative tech. Get involved here.
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PARADE: For Seamless, smooth, and comfortable underwear. In colors for every day of the week. Just $9. All in sizes from XS to 3X. Get a free pair here.
