WELLNESS FOR THE WORKING WOMXN 👩🏽💻🍵
CWBS Vol. 7
Hi CWBS!
As we gear up for an unprecedented year at Columbia and Barnard, we hope that you’re all staying healthy, happy, and optimistic about the fall semester! With a shift to fully online instruction, we at CWBS know that classes, extracurriculars, and internships can get hectic, allowing us to forget to stay healthy and well as working womxn. In this newsletter, we’re aiming to provide you with access to resources that’ll aid you in staying well as you take on this challenging semester – from an interview with personal wellness and lifestyle guru Lauryn of The Skinny Confidential to exclusive promo codes at health and wellness brands such as Hilma, you’ll be well equipped to stay productive and well this semester.
We additionally want to send out a warm welcome to our upcoming first-years in the Class of 2024! We’re so excited to welcome you to (virtual) campus, and have a variety of exciting events planned to ease you into the Columbia and Barnard communities this coming fall, starting with our Office Hours with the Sophomores Event this Thursday at 8:30pm EST (more information on that below). Happy reading!
- Sophia Naqvi, Membership Engagement Chair of CWBS 2020-2021
FIRST-YEAR FAQ SESSION: OFFICE HOURS WITH THE SOPHOMORES
OFFICE HOURS WITH THE SOPHOMORES on August 27th, 8:30pm EST: Join our Executive Board Sophomores Sophia (CC), Jayne (BC), and Hannah (CC) on Thursday, August 27th at 8:30pm EST as they answer all of your questions about the first-year experience at Columbia and Barnard!
Zoom Link: https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/j/97390404990
Form: https://forms.gle/u6bMB26jZfpCXMMw7.
VACCINE HOPES: The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have hit record highs as hopes for a Covid-19 vaccine and treatment have been renewed amidst recent developments. Learn more.
BIOTECH: Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, biotech firms have taken center stage in researching, developing, and in the future, producing life-saving vaccinations and treatments for the virus, and as a result, Morgan Stanley is getting Bullish about biotech. Learn more.
EUROPEAN LAYOFFS: At the beginning of the pandemic, Europe seemed to be handling COVID-19 related unemployment better than the United States, however, recent events indicate that Europe is about to face a slew of layoffs as companies downsize. Learn more.
LAURYN EVARTS-BOSSTICK of THE SKINNY CONFIDENTIAL
“If it is just for money, then you may need to think a little harder about why you want to do it; [money] is not enough. This is something that I've done seven days a week for the last 11 years. You have to love it.” - Lauryn Evarts-Bosstick
Lauryn Evarts Bosstick has turned her passion for beauty, wellness and no-censor advice into one of the most distinctive blogs online today, The Skinny Confidential. Along with the blog Lauryn released her own book, The Skinny Confidential Lifestyle Guide and a BODY GUIDE, which is a monthly subscription service that includes new workouts and meal plans.
In partnership with her husband, Michael Bosstick, Lauryn hosts the cheeky entrepreneurial podcast, The Skinny Confidential HIM & HER, which just hit 55 million downloads. Lauryn works with the top tier brands while continuing to connect with her community on a daily basis.
The Skinny Confidential has been featured in SHAPE, Women’s Health Magazine, SELF Magazine, The Gary Vee Show, People Magazine, and Who What Wear. You can find her reading, writing, practicing Pilates, cuddling with her daughter or spooning her two chihuahuas.
When did you realize you could build a business and a livelihood through The Skinny Confidential brand?
I realized right away (I just recorded a podcast and they asked me this too); I believe that you can build your own future and create your own destiny, so the second that I decided to start The Skinny Confidential, I had every intention of building it with a vision. I knew that the key to building it was not someone else or an opportunity – it was me. So I was very aware from a young age that I wanted to build it into a brand. I was 21 when I started it; I was going to college full time, was totally disinterested in school, and just found it a creative outlet, and realized through that I was always destined to be an entrepreneur.
Have you ever faced challenges as a woman entrepreneur? If so, how have you overcome them?
I think you face challenges every day; there are always fires to be put out all the time. Time management is a huge challenge for me – having a baby, making sure that I'm hitting content goals, while also working on the big picture can be a lot.
But I've tried to really start to say no to things, I only say yes to things that are a “for sure” yes. That doesn't have to be, for example, saying yes to someone that has eight million followers for an interview; I like to say yes to things where I feel like I can give back to the community that supported me, or maybe even posting an Instagram story of a small business. I like to give back and say yes to things that I think will move the needle in a specific way. The other day I got asked to be on a pretty big podcast and I just didn't see how it made sense for my brand to be on this podcast – it was a huge podcast with millions of downloads, but I just politely declined.
I will say, though, I've done this for 11 years and for the first seven years, I said yes to every single thing – whether it's talking at an elementary school or getting on the phone with a reader, I just said “yes, yes, yes.” Then all that stuff came to a point where it stopped serving me and I wasn't able to manage my time efficiently. So now I’m just trying to say yes to what I can handle. Time management still is a challenge for me, but I'm trying to get better.
Someone logs onto theskinnyconfidential.com the first time. Where should they start?
I would say if you're logging on for the first time, think of it as a resource; it's not all my tips and tricks, it's a collective resource of a bunch of women's and men's secrets, tips, and tricks, all in one.
If you’re interested in beauty, I would tell you to start in beauty. If you're interested in how to save time, there are certain sections on there where you can see if you are into saving time like I am. For example, in regards to time-saving, I would tell you to turn on The Skinny Confidential podcast and do what I call “passive multitasking” – for example, while you're learning about Ben Greenfield's wellness tips on our podcast, you can fold laundry, too.
What words of wisdom do you have for young women interested in building a platform similar to The Skinny Confidential?
I would say be a practitioner of your calendar, which is still really hard for me. My first [assistant] was someone who literally clamped my calendar down to the second; you're obviously not going to hit it every single day. But [my assistant] will have everything in there from the time my daughter sleeps, to when I shower, to when I'm working out, all color coded (for example, workouts in yellow). Definitely set your deadlines and become skilled at your calendar.
I would also say go in with the right intentions. I went into it with the intention of providing value to an audience. I think a lot of people now are just looking at [content creation] with money signs in their eyes, but you should really refine the intention of why you're doing it in the first place. If it is just for money, then you may need to think a little harder about why you want to do it; [money] is not enough. This is something that I've done seven days a week for the last 11 years. You have to love it.
I would say that consistency, patience, discipline and execution are very, very, very, important. The most important word, though, is the execution. We can sit and talk about ideas all day long, but if you're not executing on them, they mean nothing.
What's a book, podcast, newsletter, or blog you’ve read recently that you would recommend to the CWBS community? Anything goes!
I think every single woman should read Glennon Doyle's Untamed; It is such a beautifully written book – I've never bookmarked a book more than that book, and I feel like that says a lot because I am a huge reader. This book was just so life-changing – she's so transparent and able to communicate feelings that women have on paper that you don't even know you have until you read it.
Her wife, Abby Wambach, wrote a book called Wolfpack; it's all about leadership and how to lead from the front, not from the back. It’s a quick read, and I think there are a lot of tangible takeaways in there for people starting out.
Who is a woman leader that you look up to?
Definitely Glennon Doyle; after everyone read her book, she raised $25 million for her charity Together Rising, on five to ten dollar donations, and I think that's pretty badass. Also, she's really able to communicate with an audience; I think the women that I look up to are ones that know how to communicate to their readers and viewers in a way that is vulnerable, heartfelt, and purposeful.
Another female leader I look up to is my friend Jordan of The Balanced Blonde – she’s been super open about her orthorexia and her journey through the disease. I think that she is a really good role model because she sets a really good example of vulnerability.
I just look up to women that I think are creating their own future on their own terms without listening to the outside noise and judgment of others. I've always been a person who doesn’t listen solely to what my dad says, or my sister says, or what my friend says – I'm very focused on building the vision that I have. Of course, I listen to their opinions, but I don't let it come into my ether, in my space, on my island. I think that people end up respecting you more when you're doing things on your own terms without looking for validation from everyone around you.
Read Lauryn’s full interview on The Scope Website.
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Internships
Banking/Finance
Consulting
Tech
Startups
Venture Capital
The wellness industry encapsulates all businesses that provide services or products that promote physical and mental wellness.
The wellness industry is fast growing – In 2017, the global wellness market was valued at $4.2 trillion, and between 2015 and 2017, the wellness market saw a 6.4% annual growth (as shown in the figure above)
There are three factors that are driving incredible growth in this industry, including a focus on healthy eating, wearable devices enabling the personalization of fitness, and wellness tourism.
Sources (1)
COLUMBIA FEMALE FOUNDERS: ARIANA FARAHANI OF PLANT PRESS
Ariana Farahani, a Johns Hopkins and Columbia Alum, is the founder of Plant Press, a beverage company that specializes in CBD drinks that are good to your taste buds, and your health.
While studying for medical school at Columbia, Ariana became fascinated with the de-stressing properties of CBD, and realized that there was no way to get CBD outside of the form of CBD oil – by reaching out to Columbia professors, performing extensive cannabis research, and sourcing suppliers, Plant Press, a wellness company providing wellness-focused CBD drinks, was born. Find more information about Plant Press and order their products at https://drinkplantpress.com/.
1. What inspired you to start Plant Press?
I was studying a lot of science as I was preparing to go to Medical School, so I would get a lot of occasional testing anxiety; I started taking CBD to combat it, and it really helped. Creating Plant Press hit home on a combination of two things: the scientific aspect of researching cannabis and the entrepreneurial side of being to create [a product].
2. What skills are vital to starting a business, particularly in the beverage/personal wellness industry?
Grit and persistence – nothing really comes easy. I started from zero and had to sort everything out to make [Plant Press] happen, so being confident, being bold, and not feeling shy about anything is super important.
3. Were there any specific challenges that came with being a female founder in the beverage or wellness industry?
There was only one instance or person that I’ve worked with where I actually felt like I was at a disadvantage for being a woman; the way I approached it was that I, of course, stopped working. Some men aren’t going to expect me to be a founder because I’m a 24 year old woman, but the key is just to own it as a female founder; be confident and believe in yourself.
4. What advice would you give Columbia students?
First off, definitely as questions and reach out – you have a million resources. Second of all, you’re in New York City! You have a wealth of access to pretty much anything around you, so reach out, especially because there’s a lot of support for women right now.
5. One last question: Pomegranate Elderflower or Passionfruit Peach?
Pomegranate Elderflower (it used to be Passionfruit peach, though)!
Money Girls: 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.
HILMA: Upgrade your medicine cabinet. Natural remedies, formulated without doctors. Use code COLUMBIA for 10% off.
EAT BEHAVE: Low-sugar candy that actually tastes like candy. Use code COLUMBIAU for free shipping.
RYLA WELLNESS: Welcome to Ryla! Our plant-based wellness blends help your immune system do its job, keeping you doing whatever you want. Each of our dried shots contain real organic superfoods and 500mg of Vitamin C. Get 15% off with code CWBS15.
RINGCONCIERGE: For 15% off fine jewelry (excludes bridal, diamond studs, rolex, and gift cards), use code CWBS15 (ends 9/1/20).
