Girl Bosses - House Of Coco Magazine

Food & Drink March 19, 2020

Supporting female talent at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught

Hélène Darroze at The Connaught has often been quoted as one of the best restaurants in London. I approached my visit to this world-famous 2-Michelin starred restaurant thinking how many female Michelin-starred chefs do I know? Not a lot….
Hélène has been a flag-bearer for “women who have broken boundaries in their field” for several years; so much so Mattel used her as in inspiration for a chef Barbie doll in March 2018 and she was also the inspiration for the character of Colette in Pixar’s 2007 film Ratatouille.

However, in 2020, we should have moved beyond that point where we have to highlight someone’s sex when describing someone’s culinary aptitude. This is simply one of the most stupendous dining experiences you will ever come across.
The restaurant was closed for 2 months and re-opened at the end of 2019 after an extensive refurbishment. Gone are the historic, dark oak-panelled walls; instead we have warm shades of soft pinks, tans and greens, and bespoke curved banquettes and chairs. You might think they’ve consulted a feng shui master with the lack of sharp edges and abundance of soft, rich colours.
If you think you’ve been stimulated by the surroundings, you will be positively aroused by their carefully-curated menu. Choices in a tasting menu are almost unheard of in Michelin-starred restaurants, but here you can choose either 5 or 7 courses out of a lengthy list of options at £120 or £170 respectively. And they have a separate equally lengthy menu for vegetarians, which is also another unheard-of innovation for French gastronomy.
We can dedicate pages singing the praises of each course, but here we aim to highlight some of the finest offerings. If you like rich, indulgent dishes, this is the perfect food paradise for you with dishes like Amur River “Kristal” caviar mixed in with oyster, sea urchin, and dashi. Foie gras is a dish for an acquired taste and is often thought to be too slithery in texture. Here, it is counter-balanced by the crunchiness of koji rice and the sweetness and acidity of the accompanying apple and pear flavours help to cut through the richness of the dish.

The provenance of the ingredients is key to the success of the restaurant. For example, with the lobster dish, you not only know it is from Cornwall but from the fishing boats for Phil Treblicock, who is one of the most respected supporters of the Cornish fishing industry. The kitchen team just adds a few key ingredients to lift the flavours of the lobster with the addition of Tandoori spices, carrot, citrus, and coriander; but they never over-complicate a dish.

One of the top vegetarian dishes, my vegetarian guest could not stop raving about was their version of an onion consommé which had an unrivalled sweetness and no doubt a large part of the success was due to their use of Cévennes onions, which are some of the sweetest you will find anywhere in the world. And they only used a small amount of black truffle for the dish; you will often find over-truffling an issue in less skillful restaurants.
Meat-lovers are also well-catered for here with the supreme A5 Wagyu beef from Gunma prefecture in Japan. Yes, there is a considerable supplement on this dish, but if you want to experience buttery, melt-in-your-mouth beef of the highest order; this would be a very reasonable investment.
Finally, make sure you save plenty of space in your dessert stomach as their signature Baba is easily the best rum baba you will ever taste. You are offered a choice of Armagnac Darroze from 1995 and 2000 to 2005; I opted for the former which gave the dessert a more toasted flavour. The Darroze family in France has been trading and producing vintage Bas-Armagnacs for decades and the quality genuinely shines through in this dessert.

Apart from the high-quality, inventive food, it is also worth mentioning the wine-pairing options. They have some of the finest in the world with a collection of over 3000 bins for a total of more than 20,000 bottles. They use plenty of small wine producers and we particularly enjoyed a very sippable Eric Rodez Rose from Ambonnay, Champagne, France.
https://www.the-connaught.co.uk/restaurants-bars/helene-darroze-at-the-connaught/

Girl Bosses March 10, 2020

Girlbosses of Great Britain : The One That Does Affordable Luxury with Cocoove

Named after nieces and god-daughters Amelie CoCo and Verity, Cocoove is an affordable luxury label made in the UK with attention to detail founded by Ria McKelvey. Her ambition was to create a timeless wardrobe for women with dresses and separates, which can be styled in several different ways, for all occasions. Ria creates many of her own prints, which are then digitally printed onto the fabrics. Designed with the stylish, confident women in mind to take her from day to night, this is a label that every one needs to have on their radar.
Ria is a creative that puts her heart and soul in to her designs and we love the passion that comes across from her work. We spent some time with her to find out more about the importance of saying no and more…
Tell us about the journey that lead to you launching Cocoove…
I have always being a creative from day one. I studied Fashion and design and worked in the industry for several years for UK based company’s . It was a lifetime goal and a natural progression to have my own womens label that offered stylish clothing in beautiful fabrics.
Why do you think it’s important to have a timeless wardrobe?
For me timeless pieces don’t date and can be worn season after season. Clothing that we feel confident wearing and are familiar with is really important.
Looking back, is there anything you would do differently?
Learning to say NO , this is not right for me right now. I’m such a yes person. When I began my label I said yes to everything. I have learnt to be more selective but inclusive and keep the brand relevant.

What is your mission?
To have a global label COCOOVE offering stylish, original clothing . The long term goal is to create a clothing line that gives back to a charity.
In five years time, where do you hope to see the brand?
We currently have a presence in USA and Europe. Breaking into Asia would be my next goal and the charity line set up.
Talk us through an average day in your life…
Every day is different and it totally depends on the time of year. Just now my days start with lots of coffee and e-mails. Followed with dispatch for customer orders . I’m currently prepping SS20 collection launch so lots to do for this including finalising imagery , uploading to websites and stockists.
Next week will be totally different and I will be in the studio drafting patterns and sampling garments.

What quote do you like to read when you are lacking motivation…
“When you focus on the good the good gets better ”
Coffee quotes are good too. If I’m laughing I’m motivated.
“”today’s good mood is sponsored by coffee”.
Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket-list?
I love road tripping in Europe and finding new places. If I’m not in the UK , Spain is where I’m at. A great place to check out if you’re in the Alicante region is a secluded Moroccan tea house, Carmen del Campillo in Crevillente.
But the place on my wish list is New York, I have never been, yet!
How much has social media played a part in your business?
I think almost everyone uses social media now to search for and discover brands and products. It is important to have a presence and be on there. It is also great for sharing daily content and what we are up to at COCOOVE. I’m loving Instagram and Pinterest right now .

For anyone thinking about launching a fashion brand, what advice would you give?
Know your market. Set clear and achievable goals. Be prepared to multi task and work 24/7 but most importantly love what you do.
Follow Ria and Cocoove on their rise to the top…
You can follow us on Instagram @co.coo.ve . View the collections online at cocoove.uk

Girl Bosses February 5, 2020

Girlbosses of Great Britain : Nurturing Your Zest With Ashleigh King

Ashleigh King is the founder of Nurture Your Zest, a podcast which aims to raise aspirations, provide a sense of inclusion and build community. They do this by sharing stories of courage, creativity, curiosity, inspiration and zest that bring people together from all walks of life.

Ashleigh has interviewed some epic people who’s stories inspire but we wanted to switch the mic and put her in the spotlight. Here, we talk to her about her aspirations, plans for the future and more…

Tell us about the journey that lead you to where you are today…

It’s funny because, looking back, I suppose my story starts when I was around five years old and living in South Africa. I remember my brother and I would sell my scribbly-looking drawings to friends and family so we could buy sweets, and my Dad would tell us to stop because the lady that lived next door was too nice to say no.

By the time I was ten, I had my own newspaper. There wasn’t much investigative journalism in there; it had mainly cartoons and gossip! I’ll always be grateful for my Dad because he helped me with it and that taught me a lot of key skills at such a young age.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset, and this kind of surfaced properly in March 2019 when I lost my job. I think most budding entrepreneurs have a moment when they think “ok, it’s time for me to go out on my own”, don’t they?

There are a few things you think about when you first start out: “What am I going to do? What skills do I have? Who is going to listen to me? What can I talk about? What can I do that’s going to make money? “

I identified my key skill as working with people. This became clear when all the projects I was invited to work on involved working with people from different backgrounds and cultures. I was able to work with them to showcase their culture in a way that was authentic to them – in their own words and their own stories.

I discovered this is what lights me up as a person. I guess that’s why Days Like This Are Sweet and Nurture Your Zest are the next logical step in my journey. As I’ve grown as not just a person, but a business owner, I’ve been able to finesse start something of my own that showcases and nurtures that.

Why did you decide to launch a podcast?

Paul Lancaster, a mentor of mine, runs a fabulous event called Newcastle Startup Week. A podcast was recorded there by my now producer and sponsor, Tim Lozinski of TL Multimedia Ltd. That was my first time on a podcast, and I loved it!

Sitting and chatting took me back to when I was around seven in my school in South Africa, where I’d always get detention for chatting. My headteacher pretty forward-thinking, and so instead of having us write lines, anyone who got detention for chatting would attend something she called ‘The Chatterbox Club’. We spent the hour debating, learning communication skills and writing stories and practising how to present properly.

I originally wanted to call my podcast The Chatterbox Club, but it’s already an established name for many refugee groups and so I felt this important platform was not mine to take.

Because of my love for people and chatting, I decided I wanted to start my own podcast where I could bring together people from all walks of life and all backgrounds. Stories are what bring us together and they’re what help us to connect with each other. That idea was so exciting to me, and that’s how Nurture Your Zest started.

What have you learnt since launching this?

While I feature a lot of business leaders, I’ve learned that giving people a voice who usually wouldn’t get to go on podcasts or use this platform is more important to me than I first realised.

#NurtureYourZest helps people who are stuck no matter where they are in their life or what they’re doing. They’re sitting in an office at work bored out of their mind or looking at their Instagram feeling frustrated that they think everyone else is doing better than them. It’s about how through sharing stories of adversity and the prickly situations in life, we can develop strategies for resilience, using courage, creativity and curiosity.

I’ve always been passionate about people and have always wanted to learn about where they came from, but now I’ve learnt just how important to me this is and how important it is that people have their stories heard.

Tell us one of your favourite quotes…

I think it would have to be Ann English, from Create Intrigue who specialises in Visual Communications who said:

“Once you find your strengths and start using them, that’s when your life can change exponentially.”

This quote touched me because once I exclusively took on projects that matched my strengths, I saw my business grow in a way that matched by values, and things started to fall into place and felt less of a struggle.

You love learning about entrepreneurship and are always really honest about the rollercoaster life that brings, what do you do to stay focussed and motivated on your goals?

I’ve learned that who you surround yourself with is so important and having people that support and believe in you is priceless.

You have to find your tribe, and I’m lucky that where I live (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) has a huge ecosystem of start-ups. I’ve described it before as a hub of electricity, everyone is interconnected and gets energy from each other.

I love to be busy and I find so much happiness and fun in a bit of chaos. A business coach once told me that I have too many tabs open in my mind! During this discussion, I knew this arrangement would no longer work for me, as it was a personality clash, although it has been good to narrow my focus with other creatives who understand me better.

I’m naturally curious, so drawing inspiration from the courage, creativity and zest of the people I’ve met through networking in Newcastle keeps me motivated.

To date, what’s your biggest achievement?

My biggest achievement is a really personal victory, and it all comes down to knowing your worth and fighting for it.

I have PTSD, and to try and help people who might be in a similar situation, I’ve spoken openly about my ongoing relationship with that on the Staying Alive UK podcast with Michael De Groot.

I’ve been really well looked after by the staff at the NHS, but I had to fight for the support I needed.

At the end of a really painful two-year process of meetings after meetings waiting to see if I could get any support, I was told I wasn’t eligible for any help.

It was the first time that I can really think of where I fought for myself instead of others. I said to myself ‘No. I need this. This will save my life’, so I went out there and I got it.

I think this is important because in the start up community, it can be tough struggling with mental health, and talking about it is so important. I now volunteer my time at local colleges to inspire young people about starting a business despite any challenges they’ve gone through.

Looking back is there anything you would do differently?

I mentioned knowing your worth and fighting for it. A mistake I made early in my business was that I didn’t do this, and I undervalued myself financially.

As a quirky, free-spirited creative, I felt like finance was intimidating, and I didn’t think of things like needing to charge more for your services than when you’re working with the security of an organisation.

Benefits of working for an employer (such as pensions, sick pay and holidays) don’t exist when you’re out on your own.

You aren’t charging people for your time; people pay you for the years and money you have spent yourself on learning your skills through qualifications and further learning.

The best advice I can share is to not work for free. You might tell yourself that it will bring you exposure, but exposure doesn’t pay the rent.

It’s easy to become resentful if you are getting paid a lot less than people working in an organisation, so know your worth and charge for it.

Work with people that you value, and who value you. If it’s the not right fit, then it’s OK to terminate any agreement and work with someone else.

The only free work I do now is I gift my time once a year to work on projects that make me feel good and give back to community causes, I care about.

Our readers love to travel what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

Herb Kim, my very first podcast guest is a native New-Yorker who now lives in the UK. I’ve always wanted to go there! Secret confession, I’m a huge gossip girl fan, so I’d LOVE to see all of the fabulous places like Central Park. I am also a huge Anne Rice and Originals / Vampire Diaries fan so New Orleans, the home of jazz and vampire lore is high on my list also!

Your business requires you to be creative at all times what do you do when creativity is lacking?

Like many of my podcast guests, I value time in nature, this is the easiest way to find my creative flow. I love taking time for self-care so bubble baths, face masks and pretty nail polish.

I love old clothes and collect vintage tea sets. I always wonder, what stories have been shared over these teacups, and what secrets does this dress material hold? I find my inspiration by walking around vintage shops and art galleries on my own, taking in the gorgeous fabrics and paintings.

Who has been your favourite podcast guest to date?

Wow, that’s a tough one! I’ve interviewed so many incredible people. I would say Sarah Crimmens who has experienced a difficult and similar journey to me in terms of trauma and PTSD, and I found her courage to talk about what happened to her hugely inspiring.

Also John Cornilious who speaks about those days when you really can’t find your motivation, and gave me a new perspective about how lucky we are sometimes to be lazy. Many people all over the world do not have this advantage.

For anyone wanting to launch a podcast what top 5 tips would you give them?

Zest: Find a topic you care about:

Consider how long you want to be podcasting for? This passion may become tiring if you’re repeating similar conversations on a regular basis. Find a theme or a subject that ties with your unique gifts. For example, one of my top values is ‘Zest’ which is why I wanted to help people to find inspiration through courage, creativity, curiosity to help them find their zest.

Courage to be yourself!

Originality is important, there are so many podcasters out there. What I have discovered is everyone has their own story! Try not to focus on what competitors or others are doing and try to be yourself – people often really like the silly things you don’t like about yourself.

Seek Inspiration!
Ask people who inspire you to be a guest on your show.
The only way to grow is to surround yourself with people who inspire you.

Stay curious!
Do your research before each guest! Prepare briefing notes, and agree these ahead of time. If the discussion changes direction, be ready to tease out the conversation. This curiosity will result in a better conversation and be more valuable for your listeners.
My mantra is: Ask questions, think, then ask some more.

Be Creative! How can you make each segment of your show the best it can be?

Consider from the beginning – how do you want it to look? Feel? What do you want people to associate with you and your podcast? The listener likes to know what to expect, so consider a standard format that you may like to use.

I knew from the beginning I wanted to ask my guests for their #OneWord to #NurtureYourZest. This has been strong part of growing our brand, and this is a feature of our show that we get really positive feedback about!

https://www.nurtureyourzest.com/one-word

Beauty January 15, 2020

Boss Babe Shalini Parfum

What makes a Boss Babe? A successful woman who’s vision and ambition allow her to be the creator of her own life. A woman who brings something unique to the world becoming an inspiration as she does so; Shalini, is just that. Bringing modern classics through haute perfumery to men and women across the globe with Boss Babe Shalini Parfum.

‘I believe fragrance is like art and has no gender. Men and women can desire the same parfum and yet experience it differently because of the natural oils interacting with their individual pheromones.’

The Journey of Shalini, Creator of a Global Luxury Fragrance Brand

The brand is currently stocked at luxury retailers such as Harrods and has been; listed by Forbes magazine among the top ten most luxurious fragrances in the world, had a fragrance as a finalist for the Fragrance Foundation Awards in 2019 and has fragrances nominated for the Fragrance Foundation Awards 2020.

So, how does one become the creator of a global haute Parfum brand? Originally studying maths, Shalini went into architecture, which is where her love for colour, texture and beauty led her to the fashion industry, Haute Couture to be specific.

‘I loved creating in the world of Haute Couture; a world of luxurious fabrics and time honoured craftsmanship with a reverence for design.’

Shalini’s Commitment to Luxury in Every Scent and Presentation

Following her Haute Couture roots, Shalini ensures that only the finest and purest of oils and natural essences are used within her fragrances; the fragrances are made in France and each one is hand-poured.

Beautifully presented in Lalique crystal flacons and glass bottles, the fragrances are accompanied with luxurious and hand-crafted packaging. Black boxes with the brand’s signature yellow ribbon and gold seal, with each perfume’s name, handwritten in gold ink.

The Artistry of Shalini and Maurice’s Fragrance Collaboration

‘Our customers come from very diverse worlds – the art world, the editorial world, perfumistas, globe trotters, heads of industry and members of Royal families. They respond to our parfums at a soul level.’

Collaborating with Master Perfumer, Maurice Roucel, Shalini created her signature fragrance; together they created a perfume composed of tuberose, tiare and neroli, musk and sandalwood. The two have a deep understanding of what will be created which is shown in the synergy of the fragrances and the inspiration behind them.

‘I feel that fragrance is what a person wears closest to their skin. It enters the body through the pores and affects the soul most subtly. ‘

Shalini and Maurice’s collaboration will continue until there is a complete collection of 6 fragrances, the fifth of which, is set to launch this year; each one as complex and unique as Shalini’s signature perfume.

When creating a fragrance, Shalini draws inspiration from her own life. Fond childhood memories, her first love, the Mediterranean and Dubai, Shalini uses these memories to create a truly meaningful scent to share these moments with the world. Yet she compares creating fragrances to that of composing a poem, allowing the client to interpret what they will from each parfum. So the wearer can create their own memories with the fragrance, essentially allowing her own experiences to be extended with those who purchase from her collection.

‘We all have moments of life, our experiences, dreams and wishes that we carry within our soul. One day when you are creating, they present themselves. My fragrances are part of what I bring to the world – my gift of creation, a part of my soul that I share, in the hope that it brings joy and pleasure to people.’

Dog-friendly January 7, 2020

Boss Babes: Twins Jessica & Jacqueline On Creating Cute Matching Clothes For Dogs And Owners

With an ingrained love for co-ordinating outfits, twins Jessica and Jacqueline use skills from their day job as fashion designers to create cute matching clothes and accessories for dogs and owners.

Their business, Fox Named Todd, continues to expand with exciting collaborations and their recent addition of pet boxes (their take on the popular subscription box). We learn about the inspiration behind their ideas and find out what the future holds…

HoC: How did Fox Named Todd start? We take it you’re both dog people?!
Jessica & Jacqueline: We always had pets growing up so we grew up loving animals. We started making accessories for our own dogs and it grew into creating our own shop.

HoC: So, Fox Named Todd isn’t even your “main” job! As owners of a “side hustle” business, how did you balance your time?
Jessica & Jacqueline: Yes we work as Fashion Designers by day! We always schedule things. It takes a lot of time management skills and a lot of late nights and weekends.

HoC: When do you do manage to get some down time what’s your favourite way to spend time with your dogs?
Jessica & Jacqueline: We love to cook for our pets. We like to make them meals and treats from home and they really enjoy them! We even started offering some dog treats in our shop for other pups to enjoy.

HoC: Owners of cats might be feeling a bit left out right now – what about our feline friends?
Jessica & Jacqueline: All of our accessories can be for cats or dogs! We do have toys specifically for cats as well like kickers or catnip toys. We also have a collaboration with Choupette’s Diary and have an exclusive high end line of feline products available on their website.

HoC: Not only do you sell cute doggy clothes in a variety of prints, but you offer some of these in human sizes too! What was the idea behind this?
Jessica & Jacqueline: We are twins and always grew up matching, so we though it would be a great idea to match with your pet as well! We have a lot of different options to be able to match with your pet like shirts, hair scrunchies, and pyjamas.

HoC: You have quite an extensive range of prints and products. Where does your inspiration come from and what are your most popular products?
Jessica & Jacqueline: We love quirky prints that are conversation starters! We try to have a wide variety of prints so there can be something for everyone. Probably food would be our biggest inspiration, we offer a lot of food prints! Bandanas and shirts are our most popular products.

HoC: Tell us more about your new pet boxes.
Jessica & Jacqueline: Pet boxes are very popular right now, we wanted to offer boxes but without the commitment of a monthly subscription. They come with a bandana, toy, and treats. We will be adding more boxes each month with a new theme, as well as boxes for holidays!

HoC: – People are always so focused on spoiling their furry friends, but what about all the pet owners who deserve a treat too?!
Jessica & Jacqueline: We also have items for pet moms and dads! We have products where you can match your pet like hair scrunchies, T-shirts, or pajama shorts. We also have a new lifestyle collection with items just for humans like mugs, tumblers, beanies, enamel pins, and tote bags, all that show off how much you love your pet!

HoC: It’s the start of a new year – what does 2020 hold for Fox Named Todd?
Jessica & Jacqueline: In the new year we will be adding a lot more mini collections with custom prints and toys. We have a lot of fun themes in the works and super excited to offer them in the next coming months!

Check out their website here: foxnamedtodd.com and follow them on Instagram here: @foxnamedtoddbandanas

Girl Bosses November 2, 2019

#WomenWorldwide : From Pivoting to Passions with Ariel Shivers-McGrew

Here at House of Coco, we are always blown away by the women that we meet along the way and love putting the spotlight on people that are disrupting the industry that they’re in and that is certainly the case for Ariel Shivers-McGrew.

Her career has been filled with ups and downs but she is a clear winner, here, she tells us about her story and rise to the top along with some really insightful lessons that she has learnt along the way. Ariel is the voice for so many.

We chat with Ariel Shivers-McGrew, Founder and CEO of Tactful Disruption LLC, a strategic resource at the intersection of mental health and career development related to diversity, equity and inclusion shortcomings to find out more…

Ariel, tell us about the journey that lead you to where you are today:

Where I am today is the result of an accumulation of experiences and things.

The first part of the journey was becoming a published author and not knowing how to make the bestseller list (one day it will).This led me to joining the Army. A lifechanging experience that really opened my eyes and many doors too.

Fast-forward 9 years, I experienced incivility in my PhD program. I was overlooked for advancement in the organization I worked in, while in my personal life I was going through divorce proceedings and an unpredictable event that demanded more of me as a parent.

It was like my identity was stolen and I felt ambitiously frustrated. There were things that deeply affected me and I could no longer tolerate. I therefore decided to take my talent elsewhere and find a new PhD program that would put me in a room of like-minded dynamic peers.

I switched from Counselor Education and Supervision to Business Psychology.

In hindsight, 2017-2018 was a very trying time. The pivot came when I was diagnosed with lower lumbar spinal stenosis, ridiculopathy – right side and partial hamstring tendon tear.. I remember thinking that 33 was too young to live with managed pain. That’s what I had been doing for two years: managing things, people, situations that caused me deep pain.

If it got on my nerves, made me uncomfortable, tapped danced on my conscience: the pain had to go! For weeks I mumbled to myself: “there’s nothing wrong with being tactfully disruptive.”

I had a lightbulb moment and I decided to bet on myself.I took a trip to New York (my favorite place in the States) and put a whole plan together for Tactful Disruption just days before the New Year 2019.What was “dope” about it:I was getting a sneak peek of my future.

When I flew back to Chicago on Jan 2nd, I was different. Activated. I haven’t looked back since.

What does self-care mean to you?

Self-care to me means healthy boundaries and accountability. I get the same 24 hours a day as everyone else but I want the maximum value each day. If it means ignoring a phone call, text, or an unplanned meeting- that’s what I will do.

If it drains me energetically, I block it.

I also look after my relationship with my words. I have never been challenged when it comes to speaking up but now I savor my words. I prefer to speak life over things, and I look to maintain my peace.

It’s refreshing to give yourself that level of attentive care because it makes interactions so much more dynamic and me more present in everyday tasks.

Oh, and I believe in bi-weekly deep tissue massages and practicing regular “I am” affirmations!

Tell us more about Tactful Disruption, the company that you founded…

Through Tactful Disruption we help military, millennial and minorities seeking to elevate their distinctiveness and belonging in the workplace. We provide clinical career counseling, strategy and training, and diversity, equity and inclusion workshops.

I noticed a researcher-practitioner gap related to managing diversity above the line (within management) and an ill-fitted concept around what a Masters level clinician could do with an interest in career counseling.

Diversity and inclusion programs often fail because the multicultural considerations have psychological underpinnings.D&I is not about affirmative action but a series of intersections complicated by business level strategies that don’t necessarily factor in social dynamics.

Unconscious bias training is not going to solve an anxiety issue, a personality disorder or even temper an entrepreneurial thinker. Unfortunately, most of us have met the arrogantly ignorant, the histrionic toxic coworker, the healing abuse survivor.

So, instead of speaking to behavior for compliance we speak to people about themselves.

What has been your career highlight so far?

One of our business highlights is a collaboration with Brancu & Associates. We teamed up and produced a “Achieving Gender Diversity and Inclusivity Guide.”

I love that in particular young women (especially those in the military) find this information helpful. It’s very rewarding when your reviews affirm you’re onto something that’s bigger than you.

You’re an Author, Counselor, Women Veterans Program Manager and Co-President at Veterans Leadership Council. You wear so many hats, which one of these gives you the most joy?

Definitely, being a Counselor. I’m fascinated with people, thinking, and expression. It requires a great deal of creativity not to say the wrong thing, be honest but not rude, and listen with the intention to be helpful appropriately.

Being an Author is also important to me but only a part of the bigger goal. I am very proud of my first book, and achieving “international bestseller” status would enhance the joy of the book-writing process. Writing can be very time-consuming and sometimes emotional.

I enjoy being a Woman Veterans Program Manager although it can feel frustrating when ideas cannot be executed. It’s sometimes hard to implement epic stuff with basic systems. Life has taught me some folks are more comfortable with excuses than authentic experiences. It’s my first policy-related role so I’m excited about making an impact in this space.

You’re a powerful woman that has had many successes, what has been your proudest moment to date?

Thank you! My proudest moment to date? When I told an employer that I did not sign up to play “modern day black face”. As a result, they actually paid me to find another job. That was significant because I knew in that moment Tactful Disruption was about boldly editing workplace italics. Except the emphasis would be on individuals who wanted to take control of their story.

Think about it, in most cases, 65% of your life is work. Your salary has to match your expectations, too. It makes no sense to commit to being around folks who sleep on you when you could be around folks who’ll stay up.

Thank you Ariel for creating such a positively impactful area of work. Now our readers would love to hear a bit more about you… They love to travel for example, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

Greece! I am obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology, so I just have to go see this place.

What inspires you?

My daughter, Lennox inspires me. She’s a true gift. She’s my anchor.

What does 2020 look like for you?

For 2020? A new husband, money bags, new scholarships and a few of my dream client companies. The vision is to release one or two new products, but I’m afraid that’s all I can say for now…

To work with or stay updated about Tactful Disruption, and to connect with Ariel Shivers-McGrew, visit https://www.tactfuldisruption.co/

Bhutan October 13, 2019

#WomenWorldwide : From Forensic Psychology to Mental Health With Marsha Brown

Dr. Marsha D. Brown is a Florida Licensed Psychologist with specialisations in forensic and clinical psychology. She has extensive experience in the assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of children, adolescents, adults, and families across a variety of settings. A complete an utter powerhouse, Marsha has many strings to her bow.

With the rise in mental health issues around the world, Marsha does work related to stress & mental health management. Specifically, she gives lectures and workshops on stress and mental health management for a variety of professionals, including medical, legal, law enforcement, and mental health. Her lectures and workshops focus on helping individuals begin or improve their journey to improved mental health and self-care. As you know, here at House of Coco, self care is something we shine the light on regularly so we had to meet Marsha to find out more…

You work in the field of forensic psychology, tell us about the journey that lead you to that…
I have always been fascinated by human behaviour. I discovered True Crime novels when I was around 10 years old. I loved learning the details of real-life cases and how the lives of the people involved ended up intersecting. I was especially intrigued by the perpetrator’s story. I wanted know what their early experiences were like, what others’ impressions of them were, and how they ended up on a path to commit such heinous crimes. I never lost that fascination. In fact, after graduating from college, I decided I wanted to be part of a profession that allowed me to work with people similar to those I had read about for so many years. I actually discovered Forensic Psychology through hours-long internet research sessions. After learning about the work a Forensic Psychologist could be involved in, I decided to get a Ph.D. After graduating with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, I moved to Florida for my Postdoctoral Residency. During Residency, I worked for a private practice that specialised in forensic evaluations and assessments. I got excellent experience working on cases for criminal and civil court matters. After residency, I worked as an Independent Contractor as I was building a private practice. I now work for my own practice. I specialise in working on cases related to family, criminal, and civil court matters. In family court, my work relates to issues including parenting capacity, timesharing, risk, substance use, and psychological functioning. In criminal court, my work relates to issues such as competency, criminal responsibility, substance use, and mitigation. My civil court work includes assessment of psychological and emotional damages. Overall, I get to work with people from all different backgrounds and experiences, which I absolutely love.

In the world right now, there is so much noise, from the overuse of social media to the news. That has had a direct correlation to the rise of stress and mental health issues. As this is an area you work in, what advice would you offer to people who are looking for ways to switch off and reduce their stress levels
We are at a point where many people are sleep-deprived, stressed out, and overworked. Between work, news, and social media, we are continuously inundated with information. As we have become used to constant stimulation, it can be quite difficult to fully disconnect. Also, for many people, relaxing and/or engaging in non-work activities causes feelings of guilt because we have been led to believe that leisure time equates with lack of discipline, motivation, productivity, and downright laziness. When we take a break, it can be tough to force our minds to relax because we feel like we “should be” working. It is very important to disconnect for a bit, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Start with a short period of time and work up to at least an hour each day. For example, try disconnecting from all devices for at least 20 minutes a day. During that time, find an activity unrelated to work that relaxes you. It could be something mindless, like colouring, listening to soothing music, or even staring at a picture on the wall. As I mentioned, it may be difficult to do these things at first because we have become used to life at an accelerated pace. If you keep doing it every day, it will eventually become easier.

Tell us about what an average day looks like for you
One of the many things I like about what I do is that there is no “average day.” Aside from morning workouts, my schedule really depends on the cases I’m working on at the time. I work on cases related to family, criminal, and civil court matters, so I spend time conducting evaluations in jails, homes, schools, and my office. Added to that is time spent providing expert witness testimony in court. I have also incorporated more stress management seminars into my schedule

Have you overcome any issues with your mental health? If so, how?
I have definitely had times when I was super stressed-out and realised I was not functioning at my best. I run a solo practice, which means I’m a one-woman show. Especially at the beginning stages of building my practice, it was challenging to keep up with independent contract work while still making time to attend events and complete tasks to grow my own practice. I mostly worked 15+ hours a day, 7 days a week, and had almost no time for myself. I was always exhausted and going to work became tough because I worked every single day. I still loved the work I did because I’ve always found it interesting, but I didn’t enjoy it as much because I was wearing myself out. I realised I needed to figure out a better way to manage my career and time before I completely burned out. I started reading about the habits of highly successful professionals and noticed work-life balance and self-care were recurring themes in each piece I read. Then, I started to research the impact of stress on psychological functioning and methods of self-care. The more I researched and learned about those topics, the more interested I became. I realised that sleep and exercise needed to stay at the top of my priority list in order to be able to accomplish my goals and keep up with everything I do. That led me to implement self-care into my routine. I actually began scheduling exercise, time to disconnect from work, and a reminder to start my bedtime routine in my calendar. If an activity is in my calendar, I’m more likely to do it.

You deliver workshops around mental health and self care, what attracted you to this field of work?
My experiences with my own struggle to make self-care a priority led to my interest in the subject. Around the time I began implementing self-care into my daily routine, I had an opportunity to teach a Continuing Legal Education seminar on Mental Health and Stress Management. It was a great experience and I began to realise many busy professionals also struggle to find ways to incorporate self-care into their lives. I eventually developed seminars for various professionals, including those in the legal, mental health, and child protective services fields. I also started presenting at different professional events and conferences several times per year. The seminars are a part of my work that I really love. They give me an opportunity to connect with people from all different professions and backgrounds, which is something I have always loved to do. Another bonus is helping people develop the tools necessary to not only identify the effects of stress on their personal and professional lives, but to implement stress reduction and self-care techniques into their daily routines.

Self Care is really important to us at House of Coco, we really encourage time out as a business and encourage our team to switch off regular. What does self care mean to you?
For me, self-care is always a work-in-progress, as I am always working to improve that aspect of my routine. It means listening to my mind and body for guidance on when I need to get more sleep, slow down, say “no” to a new task or project, etc. It means engaging in non-work-related activities that improve my mental, physical, and emotional well-being. It’s about making sure I get enough time to decompress and rest to ensure that I can not only do my job well, but also enjoy life. I work within the court system which can be fast-paced and usually involves adhering to externally-imposed deadlines. Therefore, it’s not realistic to expect that I will always have ample time to practice excellent self-care. Realistically, there are times when I have a bunch of things due at the same time; in order to complete everything, I have to work later and get less sleep than would be ideal. It’s just the nature of my job. Therefore, I have to find ways to squeeze in smaller, quicker, less-intrusive ways to restore my mental, emotional, and physical well-being during days when my schedule is overbooked. It also helps that I am flexible about taking more time for self-care activities during less hectic periods.

Self-care activities are subjective because everyone is replenished by different activities, at different times. That’s why it helps to find a few go-to activities that help reset our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. My go-to self-care activities are exercising, meditating, listening to stand-up comedy, and journal writing.

Our readers love to travel, if you had to hop on a flight anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
I love traveling. It gives me an opportunity to experience and learn about other cultures. I especially love places where I can hang out with locals and fellow travellers. Bonus if there are good hiking options in the area. I have a long list of countries I would like to see, but I think Bhutan, New Zealand, and Iceland are at the top of my list of new places to visit. If I could revisit a place, I would choose the Dolomites in Italy. I was blown away by the beauty and peacefulness of the region and would love to see it again.

What does 2020 look like to you?
In 2020, I will increase my work with professionals and organizations on mental health and stress management. There is a great need for increasing mental health awareness and wellness among professionals with highly stressful jobs. I think increasing awareness and encouraging self-care among those professionals will also help decrease burnout. I am in the process of developing a seminar for medical professionals that addresses these issues.

Find out more…

Visit my website at www.drmarshabrown.com or follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Photography: Tolga Kavut Photography

Make Up: DB Makeup, LLC

France October 4, 2019

Five Female DJs To Have On Your Radar

When it comes to women in music the statistics are shocking…

In 2018 BBC Reality Check analysed the 10 biggest festivals in the UK and found that just 13% of performing acts were female – that’s just 97 female bands, singers and DJs out of 756 acts. These figures show the lack of opportunities and representation women face in the music industry.

House of Coco want to shine some light on some talented female DJs to celebrate women in the music industry. Check out five of our fave disc-spinning boss babes:

Emily Rawson @emilyrawsondj
Specialising in 90s and 00s R‘n’B and hip-hop Emily Rawson is a big name in the UK DJ scene. She started DJing many years ago after playing on some decks owned by her male friends – and found she was a natural. After University she began working in events to discover a severe lack of females in the industry. This led to Emily pioneering an all-female DJ collective called Rock The Belles, celebrating fierce female talent and getting them booked for events.

View this post on Instagram

Now I’m a Mum, I mostly DJ during the day! Catch me at @rnbrunchparty every Sat (except 2nd sats when I’m at @flykidparties) at @thecurtainldn Most fun you can have on a Saturday afternoon with the most hilarious hostess @djsandraomari Tx from link in bio! ☝? ????@redrooster_ldn Shoreditch ? D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #brunch #lunch #waffles #london #brunchparty #brunchgoals #rnb #90s #90srnb #instafood #party #music #femaledj #love #londonfood #monday #redrooster #shoreditch #londonbrunch #chicken #foodporn #instafood #september #autumn #summer

A post shared by Dj Emily Rawson (@emilyrawsondj) on Sep 23, 2019 at 3:35am PDT

Millie Cotton @millie_cotton
Millie Cotton wears many hats; content creator, podcast host and DJ. Her love of both fashion and music led to her DJing for Levi’s, Pandora and Nike, as well as at prominent East London venues such as The Queen of Hoxton and Concrete. She’s an ambassador for women being their own boss as she’s not signed to an agency, and also regularly discusses important female topics, such as periods and contraception, on her podcast Keeping It Candid.

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warmed up & down for some actual legends last night (pet shop boys!), siick @google @youtube

A post shared by Millie Cotton (@millie_cotton) on Jun 20, 2019 at 3:56am PDT

Maya Jama @mayajama
This all-round powerhouse has conquered fashion by launching a line with Pretty Little Thing, modelling on multiple magazine front pages, TV presenting by featuring as a guest panellist on Loose Women and shows such as True Love or True Lies on MTV. After a brief radio gig on RinseFM, Maya now hosts a BBC Radio 1 show on Fridays and Saturdays. As well as killing it with a prime time weekend show, you can find live DJing at parties and events. We love her behind the scenes Instagram stories, showing what she gets up to in the studi when the songs are playing (expect some wild dance moves).

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Me at work being shy.. (@bbcradio1 every Friday & sat 10-1pm)

A post shared by Maya Jama (@mayajama) on Dec 29, 2018 at 4:36am PST

Bittersweet @bittersweetdjs
Ashley James and Charlotte De Carle are the dynamic duo that DJ under the name Bittersweet. Both girls started as presenters, each having shows on Hoxton Radio, and while living together decided to join forces and DJ. They’ve had great success and have played for brands such as Coca Cola, Rimmel and French Connection. Ashley also launched a slogan t-shirt line based on female empowerment, so you’ll often see both girls wearing tees emblazoned with positive quotes like “Who Runs The World” and “Self Love Club”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ClSxIgl_e/

Jordss
Jordss is a 26-year-old DJ from London who is getting women noticed with her ironically named database Girls Can’t DJ.

This is an online platform for female DJs with two purposes: firstly to create an accessible database of female talent for promoters and festival bookers and secondly to form a community for females DJs to share stories and experiences.

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Hanging out my asssss djing at @nike all day ????

A post shared by J O R D S S (@jordss.dj) on Nov 24, 2018 at 6:14am PST

“I think sisterhood is so important and is one of the main reasons I started GCDJ is to create a community and support network – power in numbers and all that!” she says.

Self-confessed “music head” Jordss stumbled into DJing after growing up making mixtapes for friends and family. After being donated some decks (a “proper old-school Gemini CDM 4000”) by a friend she learnt the fundamentals and began burning CDs and learning to blend tracks.

You will now find Jordss taking over the decks at top venues around London, such as Nike Town, Shabba and West London Social Club, as well as hosting radio shows on Balamii and Reprezent. Playing tracks from all genres, but with a love of R’n’B edits, she says “as long I like a song I will play it.” Her Actin Kinda Shady edit (find it on her Soundcloud) is a guaranteed party-starter.

Find the full interview with Jordss in the BossBabe issue of our print magazine – out now!

Accessories September 30, 2019

Boss Babe: Sustainable Fine Jewellery Made in New York City By Noor Shamma

New York City is the home and design haven for Noor Shamma and her namesake jewellery brand Noor Shamma.

Noor’s designs are beautifully elegant, tastefully designed, and follow an ethical before they reach the customer. The Noor Shamma collections are sustainably sourced by using recycled and conflict free 18-karat gold, her team follow the sustainable practice through conserving natural resources, reducing energy usage, reducing carbon emissions and by reducing their carbon footprint.

We ask Noor about her background in jewellery, her love of elegant design, and we want to know more about her own personal favourite designs and styles. She is our latest #BossBabe superstar and she features in this, our #WomenWorldwide series.

Q. Does your working career stem from within the jewellery industry, or did you come from a different business sector?

A. I’ve always been into art and design (since childhood) but my career has primarily been in corporate communications, marketing and branding for the past 14 years or so. I randomly yet naturally transitioned into jewellery design and gradually developed my skill-set, while keeping my full-time corporate job!

Q. You tend to work with 18-karat gold, diamonds and pearls, are these your favourite metals and stones to design jewellery from?

A. I love designing timeless jewellery and that naturally impacts my metal and stone choices.

Q. You currently have three collections available from Noor Shamma, they include the Repertoire, Troika, and Luz; can you tell us a little more about these collections?

A. My collections introduce architectural elements and distinctive geometric patterns where each of the pieces are expertly engineered in a way that allows unique multi-functionality through different adaptations, making them perfect day-to-night – they’re so versatile, elegant and fun.

Q. You design necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings in your collections; do you have a piece that is your favourite ‘go to’ for every occasion?

A. That’s a tough question. There are many pieces that I love, but if I had to pick it would be the OG Repertoire U-hoops, and the Luz Diamond U-Huggies which I almost never take off lately. Plus the Luz signet ring is quite special!

Q. Do you wear your own Noor Shamma designs along with any other designer jewellery brands, or do you only wear Noor Shamma?

A. I wear my own designs along with other jewellery designers’ brands.

Q. You are very eco-friendly and run a sustainable business at Noor Shamma, can you tell us why you have taken this route and not the traditional route?

A. We live at a time where there is so much more awareness on global issues and a better understanding of the importance of sustainability. I simply feel that we can each contribute to the world in our ways since every little thing would make a difference.

Q. Your Instagram @noorshamma showcases some of your designs beautifully; do you find social media helps to promote your brand?

A. Most certainly, as it exposes the brand to a larger audience around the world.

Q. We hear that you are planning on attending fashion week in different cities across the world, have you shown at New York Fashion Week or any other fashion week previously?

A. I’ve already presented in Milan Design Week (April 2019) and London Fashion Week (September 2019) and I most definitely hope to attend more of these shows. I’ve also presented at a couple of prominent jewellery trade shows in NYC such as Metal & Smith and JA NY, and there’s more to come.

Q. Did you have to take any specialist courses in fine jewellery or art design before you launched your business in New York?

A. Over two years ago, after I realised my passion and talent in jewellery design and when I finally decided to launch my very own brand, I took an intensive course and received my GIA accreditation in Applied Jewellery Professional.

Q. Did anyone offer you any useful business advice before you launched your company that you still use to this day?

A. Trust your gut, you know best.

Q. Did anyone offer you any bad advice that you followed, and later wished you hadn’t?

A. To be honest, any bad decisions I made were my call.

Q. If you were to offer one piece of advice to someone thinking of getting into the fine jewellery sector, what would it be?

A. Do your homework.

Thank you for taking the time to answer all our #BossBabe questions for House of Coco Magazine.
Visit the website www.noorshamma.com to find out more, and Instagram @noorshamma to see Noor’s latest designs.

Girl Bosses September 27, 2019

Girlbosses of Great Britain with The English Beagle

Here at House of Coco we’re a sucker for a family business, we love hearing about how they manage to hustle together whilst still having a relationship outside of work. One story that we fell in love with was that of The English Beagle which started around the kitchen table one June afternoon where three generations of the Laker-Moon family sat talking and drinking tea. Just like that leisurely afternoon where the talk was of family, so too is the story of The English Beagle.

Here, we went deeper with one of those family members, Audrey, to find out more.

Tell us about the journey you had that lead to you launching your company, The English Beagle

** With a change in my personal life about 4 years ago made me relook at everything including the job I was in. When I realised that I respected the work but did not love it I knew it was time for a change. I had spent 15 years travelling the world visiting manufacturers and loved it, but times and my life had changed and I needed to do something different. My years of factory visits gave me a new founded respect for British manufacturers and I wanted to support them, hence the birth of The English Beagle.

I wanted to create a brand which evokes family and love. The English Beagle began as a gift boutique to support small British brands, offering unique British made gifts. I have met some wonderful people who have left their mark and some I can now call friends.

A family run company, how do you separate work from family time?

** I am fortunate that my daughter is in secondary school which gives me more flexibility in my working day. I do cherish those moments when she pops her head around my office door and asks what I am doing. Showing her that women can do and be anything.

What inspires you?

** Inspiration comes in many forms. The name, The English Beagle, is named after my beagle Suzy. Having the guts to start a new venture was inspired by my parents. Looking back at my daughter’s toddler and little girl photos where she insisted in dressing herself and being an individual. Having a partner who holds my hand at the end of the day. Most importantly knowing that my parents are proud of me and what I have achieved inspires me.

Tell us something that people would not know about you

** I am incredibly shy! I am much happier sitting behind the desk or sewing machine getting on with things than at a network event. I dread Instagram stories for this very reason.

Looking back, is there anything you would do differently

** Everything you do as an entrepreneur or small business owner is part of learning process and would not do anything differently. There certainly have been plenty of lessons learnt but without them I would not have grown as a small business owner and find it amazing that I can now offer advice to fellow mumtrepreneurs. The times we live in result in us having to constantly learn and adapt our business to grow.

What does 2020 look like for you?

** I have finally found my niche and 2020 is looking great. The launch of the clothing ranges (both girls and women’s skirts) has brought me back to me roots and I now relish sitting behind my sewing machines. There is something so simple in its reward seeing something you made heading out the door all wrapped in beautiful tissue paper. For 2020 I hope that the pieces become the go to piece for comfort and ease of wear.

Our readers love to travel, where’s your happy place?

** I have two happy places. The first being Cape Town as I spent my childhood there, and the feeling of home is most prevalent when sitting around the pool with family and friends having a BBQ. The second happy place would be Istanbul, perfect for a city break. I have not found a better combination of people, food and atmosphere. I must drop one more happy place in, which would be any Greek beach in the middle of summer.

For any aspiring entrepreneurs, what advice would you give?

** Getting your branding right and finding your USP is crucial. I worked with a wonderful branding company who helped bring my vision to life. I was able to put all my plans and thoughts onto the table and they sifted through it to create the brand look. I was fortunate to have my mother with me at the brand reveal which made it even more special to include my mother. Another strong piece of advice is to go with your gut. Trust your instincts and believe in yourself.

Tell us about your most recent Bossbabe moment

** The English Beagle was shortlisted for Self-Employed Person of the Year in the Tonbridge Business of Year. It was a great feeling to be part of such a well-deserved group of people. And to think and the 3 finalists were all women!