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Interview | The Bulb

Everyone knows we love a Girl Boss here at House of Coco so this week we caught up with The Bulb a creative production agency that produces sustainable events. We wanted to know more about the event agency and of course Selina Donald and Ruth Weldon the driving force behind the The Bulb!

They bring creativity and passion ensuring that every event they design and deliver is good for their client, and the clients budget, the community and most importantly the planet.

Tell us a little bit about you – how did you meet?

Ruth We have known each other for over ten years and first met in Leeds. We have the same circle of friends and had been bumping into each other at parties and social gatherings for a while. When I moved to London, I got in touch with Selina as she was looking for a freelancer to work with her at ITV as well as to fill a room at her house. At one point we were living together, working together and planning our business together!

How important is sustainability to you?

Ruth We don’t see sustainability as a separate entity to The Bulb, us or our work. It runs through everything we do – all of our decisions are made based on our values and ethos.

This year has been a momentous year for sustainability and climate change. The creation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the ratification of the Paris Agreement with 112 countries agreeing to do everything in their power to fight climate change. Climate change is a bigger risk to the world than terrorism but yet people just don’t know about it which is worrying.

Selina At the moment we are busy working with a team of experts to finalise our manifesto and reporting and metric system. We have chosen five key areas that we know we can have an impact, reducing food waste, choosing production materials responsibly and setting three year targets that will result in measurable positive social, environmental, economic and community impact.

We are building innovative partnerships with people from different industries, taking findings and understanding how we can be better

Ruth Transparency is one of our core values, and setting clear targets and reporting regularly on them keeps us accountable, drives us and allows us to share what we’ve learned and inspire others to head the same direction. Our approach will develop, grow and adapt as new information and trends shape them, and as our business matures over the years.

How did The Bulb begin? Tell us more about your ethos and what you stand for

Selina Sustainability has always been an interest for me, from an early age I have been following the news on climate change, sustainability development and animal rights. Working on the London 2012 Ceremonies, I was part of the sustainability committee and it was the first time that I realised that events are notoriously wasteful but yet don’t need to be. I’m really proud that we delivered the most sustainable Ceremonies in Olympic and Paralympic history.

Ruth We’ve both worked in the events industry for over ten years, have had brilliant experiences working with huge brands and knew the market was saturated with great agencies. We looked at our passions and expertise as well as what was missing in the market and decided that we wanted to create an innovative and forward thinking agency. Deliver on our passions and expertise.

We spent three months researching, identifying our strengths, weaknesses and meeting key people in the industry and from potential clients to put the concept in front of them and see what they thought. It gave us the confidence to know that it there was a gap and we were the right people to fill it.

We are all about the #girlboss here at HoC tell us what motivates you?

Selina That’s one of our favourite hashtags to use! Other successful women motivate us. We are so lucky to have a group of fantastic and inspirational female friends, mentors and colleagues that we can bounce ideas off, talk through the emotional rollercoaster of running your own business and just encourage and instill confidence in each other.

We went to the recent TEDX Covent Garden Women and it was fantastic – some of the women have been through things that you can’t even imagine and to hear them talk so positively and discuss their achievements was incredible. I guess the other motivation are the young girls that we mentor, we want to succeed so we can inspire them to succeed – if we can do it then so can they.

Favourite holiday destination and why

Ruth As well as The Bulb, we also have another business called Ruth Alexander Weddings which is a wedding planning agency based in Ibiza. Ibiza is an island that has been special to us for a long time and we decided that we wanted a work-life balance from the mania in London and set up over there too. We have ten clients at the moment and all the weddings are beautiful, high-end and creative set everywhere from a beach, to private villas and even one wedding in a woods! It gives us the opportunity to work but also get out of London and get some head space, do some yoga and relax in the Balearic countryside.

ruthalexanderweddings.com

What do you like doing to relax?

Selina Ha! – erm…aside from the time out in Ibiza, I really love to read and have to have a book on the go that is nothing to do with work in order to switch off. Recent brilliant recommended reads are When Breathe Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi and Men Explain Things To Me by Rebecca Solnit – both completely different but brilliant reads.

Ruth I have a puppy, Rafferty. He is absolutely nuts and keeps me on my toes! I love going out for long walks with him and having that time out.

Selina you have an extensive background in events – what makes The Bulb different?

Selina The Bulb is set up differently to any other agency in London. We’ve taken all of our experience and passion and put it into one agency that delivers brilliant, creative events using digital technology and innovations but with the added bonus of being responsible to the environment and society.

We know that the businesses who will thrive in the future – including events companies and those who commission events – are those who can do great things with less. We have done away with the ‘old fashioned’ approach to events with the past legacy of food waste, unconscious energy use, throwaway sets and short-term focus. We also have a particular passion for social sustainability and how we can use events as platforms to empower, educate and engage an audience.

It’s a mans world – have you faced any issues being women in the events industry and how do you tackle them?

We disagree that it’s a man’s world. It’s a scary time but it’s also an exciting time – women are coming together to revolt again patriarchy and rising the profile of women’s rights across the world. Look at the #HeforShe campaign lead by the fantastic Emma Watson, the WOW festival run by Jude Kelly at the Southbank Centre, the rise in feminism across the board – people are talking and making a difference.

Yes, somehow the most powerful position in the world has been filled by a misogynistic predatory man but this should just encourage more shouting and more action. It means that we have to come together as people to highlight and unite against wrongdoings. People are finally talking about rape culture, the gender pay gap, the impact of porn and social media and encouraging women to ‘lean in’ and stand up for themselves and we have to make sure that those conversations do not stop. We certainly won’t be silenced and will shouting from the rooftops, using our events as platforms to further encourage social change.

If you could change one thing about the world today – what would it be?

Selina The current deforestation and impact on the oceans. There are one third less wildlife in the world today since 1970. There are so many species of animals on the brink of being extinct because we, humans, are cutting down their homes, making way for palm oil and the like, filling the oceans with plastic which kills over one million sea animals a year. Every time you use that plastic straw in the pub, it stays on the planet for over 500 years and ends up floating around in the sea. Imagine the world without us, or the world without animals – pretty powerful stark contrast isn’t it?

We are loving Planet Earth Sundays at the minute – how do you spend your days off?

RuthWe LOVE Planet Earth too! There was a great interview with David Attenborough where he was asked what should we do about Donald Trump and he replied, ‘perhaps we should shoot him’. Brilliant! David Attenborough for Prime Minster and World Leader we say!!

Back to the question though… we spend our days off (which are minimal at the moment) with our loved ones, we have the same brilliant circle of friends who are incredibly supportive of what we are doing and we love nothing more than a fun, boozy Sunday roast in an East London pub – red wine, Yorkshire Puddings and lots of laughs!

Your company values are wonderful! How important are they to you to maintain – even in the toughest of situations?

SelinaThe creative concept and sustainability of our events are intertwined. We will not ever deliver an event without the impact of the environment at the forefront of our planning. These are our passions as well as our work so we know that we will maintain them and keep credible.

Name a place in the world where you’d love to organise an event?

Selina I was talking about this last night! Our dream brief would be to organise the an event on the Virgin Galactic Spaceflight. How incredible to organise an event in space, looking back on the Planet. I think it would be a life affirming and changing moment, you would realise just how insignificant we all are.

Richard – if you are reading this – get in touch!

What can we expect from The Bulb in the future?

Ruth BIG things! We are releasing our manifesto and reporting targets in January on our year anniversary. We’ll be starting the year in Las Vegas working on a huge project for Redken. Then we’re working with Vivienne Westwood’s Climate Revolution to produce an 800 people event to start Fashion Week off with a bang in February as well as working on International Parity Day – the day celebrating and promoting equality between everyone. There’s lots of exciting conversations taking place and we absolutely can’t wait to see what 2017 brings.

Who inspires you?

Selina We were incredibly moved by Michelle Obama’s speech on women, education and Donald Trump. It was so powerful, you could have heard a pin drop in our office. Michelle for President 2020 we say!

Ruth Both of us are lucky enough to have fantastic mentors who have supported us along the way and provide objective advice to help us move forward and which we are incredibly grateful for.

Selina We’re also inspired by the younger generation. We keep meetingso many amazing people in their early 20’s who have start-up’s and are absolutely smashing it! It’s so inspiring to see someone young, confident in their abilities and not afraid of failure.

Thank you for taking the time to speak to us Selina and Ruth! we are so excited to hear more from The Bulb – and you can keep up with their journey and adventures

Instagram: @thebulbldnTwitter: @thebulbldnFacebook: The Bulb – https://www.facebook.com/The-Bulb-1243086739085171/

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Arts

No-one likes the tuna here!: Taco Tuesday adventure in Los Angeles

Question! (say it like Beyonce, go on) …. On a Taco Tuesday in central Los Angeles are you going to settle for the local bar’s offering of limp, soggy excuses for tacos or go on a quest to hit not just one, but two of LA’s most gossiped about food trucks?!

Answer: Of course you are going to scour twitter to find these beacons of tortilla joy and take that all important ‘food against the sky’ shot your social media followers are dying to see.

Last week the wonderful team at Discover Los Angeles tipped us off about the trucks we had to visit and so we found ourselves heading up the queue at Korean BBQ dreamland, Kogiat their Downtown LA spot, which is just across from the incredible The Broad (seriously, go!) and the MOCA.

The truck itself looks like something out of the skateboard movies of our teenage dreams, fully metal, covered in stickers and manned by a very efficient team of chefs.

We kicked off Taco Tuesday with a short rib Taco at Kogi BBQ which, at the bargain price of $2.50 was a two bite piece of meaty BBQ heaven. The warming spice of the meat is balanced by the griddled corn tortilla and we’d wager is probably the best thing you can get change on three dollars for.

Our appetites whetted we hunted down our next taco stop; Guerrilla Tacos. You might remember these guys from our interview with head chef, Wes Avila, when he teamed up with Breddos Tacos here in London (see here for more on that). This time we’re visiting him on his home turf, in the iconic, spray painted taco mothership. You’ll always find the Guerrilla Taco truck pitching up outside a coffee shop or wine bar; marrying the street food deity perfectly with a little pick me up.

An aqua fresca and innovative sweet potato taco set us up perfectly for an afternoon of adventuring. Just full enough to trek up to the Griffith Observatory but not too full that we couldn’t entertain indulging in a sneaky little donut on the way!

If you are planning a trip stateside we’d wholeheartedly recommend checking out www.discoverlosangeles.com for all your foodie delights…you can thank us later!

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Beauty

#WomenWorldwide : The Creative Nature of Travel with Gloria, Melon & Starfish

We love hearing stories about how travel sparks new ideas and passions. For Gloria, founder of Melon & Starfish , a ‘brave decision’ to head to Korea to sharpen her languages skills left her with a burning desire to bring the K-Beauty market to the UK…

HOC: Hey, Gloria! Tell us about your journey to being an entrepreneur?

Gloria: I guess, when people talk about their entrepreneur stories, most of the time, it starts with a passion, a dream, or an idea. For me, it’s more of a journey of discovery.

I started my career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co. in London and Singapore. During my time there, I had a real privilege to work with many people who were actually entrepreneurs. The thought of setting up my own business never occurred to me at the time but this probably planted the seed.

On weekends, I enjoyed watching Korean dramas. Initially, it was just for fun, and relaxation. Then, I thought it might be a good idea to pick up a new language skill so I began taking evening classes to learn Korean.

One thing led to another. After spending two years in Singapore, before returning to the UK, I made a ‘brave’ decision to go to Korea to sharpen my language skill and experience the Korean culture.I enrolled into a university language programme and spent 8 months in Seoul where I discovered, in addition to K-pop and K-dramas, there is this huge K-beauty industry.

After returning back to London, I started my research of K-beauty in the European market. After six-month preparation, we set up our online store with the hope to bring the Korean skin care philosophy to the UK and spark some joy in people’s skincare journeys.

HOC: Such an exciting journey! When did Melon & Starfish come into being? And what’s the meaning behind the name?

Gloria: We started preparing our online store around September 2017 and it went live in January 2018.

Our name, Melon & Starfish, symbolises our mission – to bring you high quality skincare products because we want you to have the best skin possible.

Melons are smooth, supple and resilient; Starfish are one of the only animals that can regenerate itself. We always have this imagery in mind when we select our products.

HOC: And how do you go about selecting your products, there must be tonnes of great ones out there!

Gloria: We purposefully seek out products that are natural, plant-based and packed with unique ingredients that are difficult to find anywhere else. We personally test all the products and learn what we love about these products before bringing them to our website.

HOC: I have to admit, I’m new to Korean beauty products! Where should I start?

Gloria: When I told my friends that I am now running an online K-beauty store, the first thing they reply: ah, I’ve heard of the 10-step routine! True, K-beauty made its name with the ’10-step’ routine. But the truth is, it’s much simpler than it sounds. If you ask me how many steps it should really be. I would say it’s really up you and how your skin feels. It should be adjusted to your own skin type, the climate you’re in or how busy your life is.

The essence of Korean Beauty is “skincare always comes first”. Start with taking care of your skin beforeeverything else. A classic Korean skin care routine includes: double-cleansing (both oil-based and water-based cleansers), toner, essence, moisturiser, and SPF.

The most essential steps out of all? Double-cleansing for the night and SFP for the day (and, yes! You need to wear SPF even on the rainy days).

After all, skincare should be fun; not a burden or a chore. It’s all about experimenting and finding out what’s best for you.

HOC: So interesting. As an expert, what is your favourite ingredient / product?

Gloria: My favourite product is Lan’s Tamanu Cream from the newest curation LANBELLE. It’s like a miracle cream that work for all skin types and it has the softest texture that I’ve ever encountered for a cream. The smell is quite unique, probably not for everyone’s taste but it grows on you.

The key ingredient of Lan’s Tamanu Cream is Tamanu oil (Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil). The precious Tamanu oil is extracted from the kernel of Tamanu fruit. Approximately only 5L of oil can be extracted from one tree of Tamanu.

Tamanu tree also has unique nickname: God’s tree, and Tamanu fruit is known as miraculously omnipotent fruit among natives who live in Pacific Islands area such as India, Vietnam, Southern Pacific Area, and it is known to promote wound healing and skin cell regeneration.

HOC: For our entrepreneurial readers, what advice do you have for them to start their own thing?

Gloria: I would say, just be brave and go ahead!

Many say you need to have a well-laid plan before you start. However, the reality is things always change, so does your plan. One of the most important things I learnt so far is to start with a small step, and then one step at the time. Many things can be learnt along the way.

Sometimes, the longer you wait, the less willing you become to take that first step.

HOC: What product you’ve brought to the UK means the most to you and why?

Gloria: The brand Olivarrier means the most to us. The name Olivarrier is the combination of ‘Oliva (latin for Olive)’ + ‘Skin Barrier’.

It is the very first brand we curated for our ‘clean beauty’ collection. The brand’s philosophy 100% matches with what we believe and look for in a skincare brand – i.e. with natural, plant-based ingredients, hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, vegan-certified, free of toxins, EWG-verified and cruelty-free. What more to ask?

Their star ingredients are the plant-based triple hyaluronic acid and 100% pure olive squalene. The ‘dual moist’ line is named with these two ingredients in mind.

HOC: How do you keep yourself motivated and on track?

Gloria: The Korean beauty industry is relatively fast moving – there are always new brands, new technology and innovationscoming out each year – so it never gets boring.We all love shopping.

Researching brands and products is like you get to go window shopping every day!

It is also quite fun to learn about those new, unique ingredients. For example, you probably heard of snail mucin which is great for moisturising; also, pearls for brightening, centella for soothing and calming, etc.Plus, we regularly travel to Korea to see what’s hot in their local market and, you get to eat amazing food there too!

HOC: Finally, if you ever have a creative block / funk; how do you get yourself out of it?

Gloria: Probably hit the gym or grab a coffee with my friends.

HOC:What does 2019 look like for Melon & Starfish? What plans do you have for the brand?

Gloria: In 2019 we have seen that consumers are becoming more considered when making their purchasing choices. People become more aware of topics such as climate change, food waste, etc.The once-a-niche concept of ‘clean beauty’ also has moved to the mainstream – we often hear that our customers are actively searching for skin care products that are vegan, natural, organic…

As people, we also care about this ‘one strange rock’ that we are living on. As a business, we will continue focusing on our ‘organic and natural’ collection this year – we are not only hunting for the brands/products with ‘clean’ ingredients but also ‘clean’ in packaging and manufacturing processes.

What an honourable mission!

To find out more about Melon & Starfish head over to MelonAndStarfish.com

Follow the brand on instagram @MelonAndStarfish

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#WomenWorldwide: Don’t Listen To The Nay-Sayers with Camille Marie Coaching & Sacred Sensual Soul

Our interviewee today, Camille, started her entrepreneurial journey how many of us do – working 9 to 5 (what a way to make a living). She knew she had a message and mission to share but was afraid to take the leap.

Since taking that leap, Camille has found the freedom that allows her to do great work with both Camille Marie Coaching and sister business Sacred Sensual Soul which focuses on human sexuality.

Camille, as you can imagine, is filled with great wisdom – so let’s get into it…

HOC: Great to meet you, Camille . You started your journey to being an entrepreneur while working 9-5, is that right?

Camille: You too! Yes, you’re right. I started toying with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur around the Summer of 2016. I knew I had a message and mission to share but I was scared to take the leap and go out on my own. I’d been struggling with loving the work I did at the agency I worked for, but hated having to answer to the bureaucracy of an employer and being required to work a set schedule while raising three little boys. I’ve never been one who has worked well with a set schedule and wanted more freedom.

Since 2008 I’ve worked in social services and found it frustrating to always be limited by policies and procedures that didn’t always fit every situation for the clients I worked with. I’m a very creative and innovative person and if I saw a way something could be done better and challenged it, I would often times hear the reply, “this is how it’s always been done and will continue to be done”. If upper management did agree that my recommended changes were reasonable, the policy or procedure in question would have to go to some type of human resources or quality control department to review and make changes themselves, who had limited knowledge of what they were even working with. It was so frustrating for me.

HOC: And where did you go from that point of frustration?

Camille: I started baby steps over the next year and a half by building my websites, getting my LLC and developing documents I would need to run my businesses. Sometime around Spring 2018 I was notified by my employer that they were shutting down the program I was a part of. I was offered a position in another department, but I knew I wanted to continue the work I had been doing, and that I could do it on my own. I saw it as a sign from the universe that it was go time; that was the push I needed to branch off and really launch.

In August 2018 Camille Marie Coaching, LLC officially opened. It was terrifying, and exhilarating. I’m not sure I would have done it, at least not that soon if I had not been laid off from the position I had. That was a huge lesson to me that the universe creates what looks like obstacles, but are really doors opening if we allow ourselves to get uncomfortable and move through it.

I launched my second business Sacred Sensual Soul shortly after. Initially, I was going to have them both under one business name but got market feedback in a soft launch that it was weird to people to have sex coaching and parent coaching under the same business, so split them up into two separate ones. They function completely separately although over time I’ve been getting moms I’ve worked with as a parent coach initially, who then become clients for sex coaching.

HOC: Such an amazing progression. How did you get your businesses off the ground, who were your first clients?

Camille: My first business, Camille Marie Coaching (CMC), LLC got a contract with Washington State’s Children’s Administration in August 2018 to teach evidence based parenting classes to parents involved with Child Protective Services. For this contract, we serve families who have lost custody of their children due to abuse or neglect and have been court ordered to attend parenting classes in attempts to regain custody of their children. At that same time CMC began offering the same classes to the public sector as well, both in person and online. The online classes have been awesome to launch because it allows parents from literally anywhere in the world connect with me and has allowed more families access because of the easy accessibility. I’ve also noticed that some people just engage better when they have that veil of the screen between you and them. It’s just the world we are in today with technology. My agency also started offering trainings to foster care agencies on topics related to children such as anxiety in children. Because I had been in the industry so long, word spread quickly that I had an agency offering these great parenting classes and trainings.

Soon after this, CMC started offering additional programming to support families who have children with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia and Dysgraphia, as well as other diagnoses such as Anxiety, ADHD and Autism. Most of these children need specific accommodations in their school setting to be successful, and CMC works with the school staff to ensure that there is written documentation of the accommodations that child needs. CMC also helps come up with behaviour intervention techniques that will help the child thrive in school settings as well as at home.

HOC: What amazing work to be doing, but quite different from the work you do with Sacred Sensual Soul, as you mentioned…

Camille: I guess so! I’ve always been comfortable talking about and learning about human sexuality. In 2016 I started a Masters Program in Human Sexuality which gave me a lot of detail about female anatomy I had NO idea about.

It fascinated me that I had so little knowledge about my own body, ( didn’t even know what I didn’t know, until I knew!) and realized many other women were in the same boat. I took courses on communication in sexuality. I began to learn about what my turn on was. I studied almost obsessively about mind-body connection and became incredibly familiar with the philosophy of Tantra (which I use in my work with women) and the importance of mindfulness. I read all things divine goddess.

In the process I came across exercises and techniques to get more and more in touch with the body which in the process, led to a deep understanding that the body is a vessel to my own divine goddess. I also began coming up with my own techniques to connect mind, body and soul which was incredibly healing. Throughout this process I developed a knowing that if I could tap into that energy, it could be an endless source of vitality. I began sharing my ideas with friends, asking them to apply some of my concepts and exercises and had such good feedback!

That was when it became clear to me that I wanted to bring this information to other women as a practice. To help women heal, to feel empowered, to find their voice for their body, their temple, their needs, wants and desires. And so, Sacred Sensual Soul opened for clients the summer of 2018 as well. I have been working on an interactive workbook for women putting all of these ideas to paper, that I hope to one day publish.

HOC: It’s a very interesting topic and not one we hear too much about here in the UK.

Camille: I work with women to help undo any stigma they may have around their sexuality that may have been placed by society, religion, family messaging, or experiences with partners they’ve had. It’s astounding, and sad to me how many women have rejected their own feelings and desires due to conditioning from these sources. It’s astounding to me how much emphasis there is on the man’s needs, wants and desires, and yet women feel uncomfortable even being curious about, or asking for their own. When I work with women, I really try to help them feel comfortable with identifying things like figuring out what their turn on is; kink, intellectual conversation, romance, physical touch, quality time. This is so important for a woman to know, because it’s an example of how her desire matters, and this knowledge can then give them a voice to ask for what they need to actually want to, or look forward to intimacy with their partner.

I teach women how to identify what about intimacy they enjoy, (and how to speak up about what they don’t!) and to practice that so that the focus isn’t on orgasm alone. Through this process I give them tools to learn how to embrace, honour and get in touch with their body, so that they learn that mind-body connection IS their source of their sexuality and it doesn’t have to come from someone else. Often times I will give women homework of doing some of the exercises I was talking about before to learn to connect with their body. For example, teaching women how to do breast massage. I will encourage them to make it a part of a routine in their day, such as after getting out of the shower. I’ll suggest they use a lotion or oil that smells good to them so that it is another way they are intentionally serving themselves. This may sound trivial, or nonsensical. However, the breasts are a beautiful gift to women that can be honored as a piece of their femininity. Not only is breast massage a way to take a moment to slow down and serve your inner goddess, it circulates the lymphatic system, and can also provide self pleasure. For women who are not comfortable with their bodies, this simple exercise, with the intentions can be helpful with that. I love that it requires no one else.

A huge part of the shift towards empowerment that sex coaching gives women, is to learn how to communicate with their partners. It is not uncommon that many couples can have sex, but are uncomfortable communicating about it which can result often times in a woman’s needs/wants/desires to go unmet. I’ve found often times that when a woman opens up communication with her partner about these things to honor herself, he is more than happy to oblige.

I also help women learn to turn within for their own sexual gratification, and power. Rather than relying on what family thinks, or even their partner. This helps women to learn to connect with their inner goddess and let her guide how they show up each day. The book, Pussy, A Reclamation by Regena Thmashauer is a great resource for more information about that.

HOC: Being someone that has worked in a number of fields, how did you know that what you do now was right for you?

Camille: I’ve always loved working with families and children. Even before college, I worked at a preschool and loved babysitting as a teenager. I always knew I would work with youth in some way. When I learned about the parenting classes curriculum I knew it would be perfect fit for me and have done it for the past 11 years. It’s been easy for me to continue that work in my own business.

For the work with Sacred Sensual Soul, as I mentioned, I’ve always been fascinated by human sexuality and comfortable talking about it. When I had my spiritual awakening start in 2016, I noticed that I started to let go of what society around me had told me I “should” feel, act, dress and respond in regard to my sexuality. And when I say sexuality, I mean my inner goddess, my divine soul, my true nature…I wanted all of me to be in alignment instead of how I thought I “should” be. As I began to educate myself on female anatomy, female orgasm and pleasure, societal conditioning, the trauma women endure from suppressing their truth, it all came down to this innate piece in women needing to be seen and understood; their sexuality. Because it can be the powerhouse of every female.

I learned through my awakening how powerful it can be to have a deeper understanding of all of those things and harness the power that comes from knowledge about one’s self in this area. I knew it was a calling to share this information with other women. It was like I HAD to do it.

That purpose gets stronger the more women I work with and, the more I learn about the different journeys that bring so many women to the same space of just craving a deeper understanding and knowing about their bodies and sexuality. So many women think there’s something wrong with them and a little education and undoing of social conforming goes a really long way! I’m still working on my interactive workbook that I know will be so educational and moving.

HOC: Really fascinating businesses you run. We imagine that it’s not always been smooth sailing; what challenges have you had to overcome to build your business?

Camille: One challenge I’ve had in being such a small agency, is that I’ve had to learn to do a lot of things that are not strengths of mine. If something is not a strength of mine, I tend to put off taking care of it which can have negative impacts.

To overcome this, I’ve really learned to hone in on what I can delegate to others, so things don’t pile up. I’ve hired an accountant to handle my billing and now have a virtual assistant to manage things that are just not in my wheelhouse.

At first it was hard for me to do, asking others to do things for me. But I’ve learned that it allows more creative space for me, and gives me the time and freedom to focus on what I am good at and can grow my businesses more. These investments have been tremendously helpful so that I don’t get bogged down on details that I’m not good at.

Another challenge I’ve had is that I’m a mom to 3 little boys who is driven by her career, and also doesn’t want to miss a moment of my children’s life. I have to constantly be weighing each day. This is where time blocking is helpful.

HOC: Great advice! For our readers looking to start out on their own, what would you say?

Camille: Know that it’s scary in the beginning. And you WILL get resistance. Lean into it. Don’t let the challenges convince you that it means you’re not doing what your soul knows is right for you. If you have passion burning inside of you for something, if you have an idea, you have the ability. The universe wouldn’t give you the idea if you couldn’t do it.

Don’t listen to the nay-sayers. There will always be someone who will try to convince you otherwise.

It is helpful to write out exactly what you want. Refer out work that is not in your wheelhouse as soon as you can, however you can, so that those things you suck at and put off don’t slow you down. Do this by hiring people, or if you can’t afford that yet, do a trade or find a high school or college student who will do it for low cost.

HOC: You have such an energy, where do you get your inspiration from?

Camille: I get my inspiration from women in my everyday life who are examples to me of shining their light. For example, my natural path doctor, Dr. Kellie Lawler who is fierce and knows how to be soft, and give tough love at the same time is an inspiration to me. Or my friend Michelle Green who is an empath, and amazing mother, is an inspiration to me.

There’s also my son’s 3rd grade teacher who embraced the challenges he put in front of her with love, is an inspiration to me. My mom, who always sees beauty in nature is an inspiration to me. My grandmother who was always good to everyone is an inspiration to me. And finally, my cousin Lysa who is always standing her ground is an inspiration to me.

I also get inspiration from nature. I always find peace, and inspiration in nature. I plan quarterly “mommycations” where I find a cabin in the mountains and go for a weekend, typically by myself to just connect with nature and unwind.

HOC: And finally, how do you get yourself out of a creative funk?

Camille: I tend to get in a funk when I have too much going on in my life and can’t get my head clear. When this happens I’ll look at my schedule and usually see I’ve gotten a bit sloppy about time blocking and will then work on making that a priority again.

I’ve learned that for me it is crucial that I have time in the morning to work out, meditate and be calm before I get my day going. Days that I start off like this are my most productive.

I think it’s important for someone to know when they do best with getting their creative juices flowing. For some people, it’s in the AM, and for others, it’s in the PM. I do best with creativity in the evening after my kids have gone to bed, with a glass of wine. I think this works best for me because I know that I have no time constraints and it’s a peaceful time in my home.

Find out more about Camille’s work at CamilleMarieCoaching.com and SacredSensualSoul.com

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Arts

#BossBoy : Smashing Creative Blocks & Bringing Art to The World with Artist Rodney Durso

Among all the hustle loving entrepreneurs we work with on this series, we love when we meet someone who’s passion and experience has lead them to filling a crucial need gap and positively impacts the world we live in. Rodney Durso, an artist and avid supporter of emerging talents talks us through his journey to where he is today – and some advice for all our creative readers.

HOC: Great to meet you, Rodney. Tell us about your journey from your graphic design business to becoming an artist?

Rodney: My first love was advertising and design which I studied at Boston University. Through that program I also studied British advertising and TV commercial production in London for a year and worked as an intern for Spot Films near Leicester Square. When I returned to New York I returned to graphic design, and after a few years of study and freelance projects I started my own agency called Stormhouse Partners. For about 8 years I ran the agency and was Creative Director.

We had a good run and won a ton of awards, but in the end I was totally burned out. I decided to try my hand at a few new things, including teaching at Parsons School of Design, which I did for four years. I also started a Masters of Architecture and began painting.

Well it’s the painting and fine art that stuck.

HOC: Being a graphic designer by trade did you find the leap from taking a brief (from a client) to working from your own brief challenging?

Rodney: Interesting question. One of the reasons I left design was frustration with meagre budgets, impossible timelines and short sighted strategies. Painting did away with all that. However in the brand business having a creative brief actually made it very clear what was needed to solve a marketing or business problem, and that part I liked. I knew what the rules were, there were guard rails, so to speak. In a sense it was easy to measure success, and failure.

In fine art, there is none of that. There is no one and nothing to tell you what to do, which seems great, right? Well the truth is that having no boundaries can be much more difficult. In fact, being an artist, and having to create something from nothing makes you go deep. It’s super personal, I tell people it’s like looking in the mirror all day, everyday. It’s not only a monastic practice, it’s a little too self involved at time. So, there’s that. But after a time, the challenge becomes more about getting your work seen and sold. To me, that’s where the challenges now lie.

HOC: I believe you don’t create art full time as you also run ArtBridge and OffSite, how do you balance these varying demands on your time?

Rodney: I founded ArtBridge in 2008/2009 and ran it full-time for a number of years. As we developed a board of directors and expanded our staff I was able to transition to Board President and stepped back from the day-to-day. So somewhere along the way I was able to dedicate more time and space to my art making. At this point I’m in the studio three days and working on ArtBridge and other projects the other days. I’m still always pushing for new connections and opportunities for ArtBridge, and my ‘elevator pitch’ is always at the ready for anyone who’s interested.

HOC: Can you tell us more about ArtBridge and OffSite?

Rodney: I founded ArtBridge in those first years after I left the branding business. I was looking for an innovative way to get the work of emerging artists seen outside of the gallery system, which I saw as impossibly closed to new artists. The idea of exhibiting art on construction scaffolding around the corner from major Chelsea galleries was pretty bold. Art that the galleries would never consider was all of a sudden printed and installed at 100x a few blocks away on the largest building in Chelsea! It was pretty exciting for those first artists. In fact that was exactly 10 years ago, and we are about to stage a 10 year anniversary exhibit on London Terrace Gardens, the same place we hung our very first exhibit on West 23rd Street and 9th Ave. It was a few years later we started Off Site Art (OSA) with Veronica Santi in Italy when L’Aquila was destroyed by a terrible earthquake. The idea of creating a sister organization not only to carry the same mission but wanting to help L’Aquila on it’s way back seemed important and something we could help with. (Editor’s note see www.offsiteart.it for more!)

The idea of bringing new light, color and life back to L’Aquila’s city center after such a disaster was something we knew we had to do, and for the last several years, Veronica and her team have done quite an amazing job. In fact, the ArtBridge/OSA partnership is one of our most successful projects to date and OSA is now looking at projects in other Italian and European cities. We’re also talking to art advisors about possible inclusion of an Off Site Art project in the 2019 Venice Biennale.

HOC: Why, in your opinion, is it so important to link the public to art?

Rodney: Good question. The gallery system is changing, some say it’s dead. I’ll just say it’s less important that it was 10 years ago. There are so many online opportunities and other ways to see art, but here in Chelsea there are still plenty of galleries. Or look at Instagram, and how that has changed the public’s access to art. The point is that we need as many channels as possible to get people in front of art, and I think Public Art is one of the most important ways to get that done. Art in the public realm is uplifting to the daily pedestrian experience. Seeing art on your way to work, or anytime you’re walking is a treat, and it’s especially important in an urban environment of concrete and steel, for example. Color, shape, line, and light in an artistic form enriches are minds, makes us think, and stimulates. It’s a very different experience for our brains and nervous system then just looking at billboards, or such.

HOC: For our creative readers, what advice would you have for them to grow their artist practices and get their work seen?

Rodney: It’s so multi tiered. There are so many options and ways to grow your practice and get your work seen, you have to really follow the path that not only feels right for you, but one that you get some joy from. It’s always going to be work to get your art out there, but if it feels like drudgery you’ll never succeed. Pick a channel that you can push on that brings you some joy as well.

For me, with my design and branding background, I love the brand and promotion aspect. I like posting on social media, I like designing postcards, and books of my work. I love a photo or video shoot that promotes my work, but that’s me. I also need to see new work, I need to be inspired all the time, or I get sluggish with my work.

Being in NYC, I’m a bit spoiled. Running out to a gallery or museum in the middle of the day can change the direction of my art, or inspire me into some new idea, and then I’m back in the studio and working again. I would also really suggest doing studio visits with friends and other artists. I do a newsletter every few months and I always include an interview with another artist. This keeps me connected to my peers and reminds me that it’s not “all about me”. In fact we’re working on the next newsletter now, so check back soon to see who’ll be next.

HOC: What artwork that you’ve created means the most to you and why?

Rodney: I spent a few weeks at the American Academy in Rome in May 2016 as a visiting artist and was deeply interested in the ongoing presidential campaign back in the US at the time, but being in Italy gave me a very different perspective. Italy has had its issues with crazy political leadership, and the similarities between Italy’s Berlusconi, and the then candidate Trump, were too similar to ignore. From that perspective I created a series that, although it gets a lot of attention from galleries, no one actually wants to own and hang in their home. I totally understand that, the work is hard to look at for very long. The series is called Disconstructing Trump and here is a bit from my curatorial statement:

“Watching Trump being interviewed — I began to photograph the TV screen with my iPhone and using the high-speed, (multi-shot function), I took about 300 photos in less than 10 minutes. With those images I began to build collages that, to me, capture Trump’s multiple personalities. In these works,

I believe, his true conflicted and disturbing nature begins to be revealed. At once contradictory, creepy, binary, multi-layered and unsettling, I’ve only started to reveal the real persona. Dismantling, cutting, disassembling, rearranging then reassembling this imagery is the essence of Disconstructing Trump!”

(Editor’s note, to find out more visit www.rodneydurso.com/artworks/disconstructing-trump )

HOC: Who / where do you get your inspiration from?

Rodney: The inspiration comes from the usual sources; anxiety, fear, pain, love, rejection, uncertainty, anger… you know, the regular stuff of life. But more seriously, I do think that I channel all of these emotions into my work.

To start my work I have a process. I start by putting on my messy painted jeans, and a couple of layered old t-shirts. I have a pile of painting clothes that I leave in the studio. Then there’s always strong English tea, like P&G, or Yorkshire Gold, or sometimes I’ll have a coffee instead.

Then there’s the music, and it’s got to be loud. One of my favorite albums to start my work with is Paul Weller’s “Wildwood”. Something about those first guitar lines and songs — Sunflower, and Holy Man and then Wildwood — that get me into that headspace and ramped up to create. It’s one of my favorite records ever. Full stop. Once I’m into my work I can switch it up and put on BBC, or NPR — the kind of American equivalent.

At other times, my inspiration comes from new materials, or news stories, or the need to complete a commission. Having a timeline, a deadline always gets me working. Not necessarily inspired, but moving and making work.

With my background in marketing and design, I still believe that art is just a product at the end of the day. A very personal one albeit, but a product nonetheless. So sometimes we can’t rely on inspiration alone to get us making work, we have to have multiple methods to push us forward.

HOC: If you ever have a creative block / funk; how do you get yourself out of it?

Rodney: That’s a very timely question, as I’m just now coming out of a block, or I like to think of it as a much needed break. I think creative output comes in bursts or cycles and I’ve learned to respect the way it works. I think these in between periods are needed resting points for the creative mind. I find that when I’m not working, I need to take in, or sponge-up art and inspiration. Last night I ran up to the Guggenheim after work to see the Hilma af Klint show, and wow, it really jolted me with new ideas about color and scale.

I would say that any input whether visual, or musical or even travel can inspire new work, so when I’m not actively creating, I’m taking in ideas for whatever will come next.

HOC: The ’10 years ago’ challenge is all the rage on insta at the moment, what advice do you have for the 2009 you?

Rodney: My best advice for the 2009 me would be stay focused!.. or more specifically, to make a plan with more specific goals. Ten years ago, I was doing too many things and chasing too many dreams. I think I would have been a little less crazy if I had stuck to maybe one or two ideas instead of three or four. In the end, it’s all good, I’ve created a successful nonprofit organization with both domestic and international projects, and started to make headway in the artworld. My interest in branding and design is also alive once more and I’ve begun to do projects again in that realm.

I guess the truth is, as a creative soul, we are restless and always looking for the next thing. I’ve come to terms with that part of me and I’ve got a lot of gratitude for my sometimes childlike excitement for whatever’s next.

We’re sure you’ll love to find out more about Rodney’s work – see the links we’ve thoughtfully scattered throughout the interview and go to RodneyDurso.com and follow @RodneyDurso

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Accessories

Marielle Kangasniemi shows how Bagpad is all about loving handbags and the environment

Any self-confessed bagaholic is familiar with the age old dilemma of taking care of their prized designer handbags. It is exactly this brilliant bit of insight that inspired fellow handbag lover, Marielle Kangasniemi, to create Bagpad.

The idea for Bagpad is simple. Originally inspired by the iconic Hermès Birkin, Bagpad is a specially sized and customisable product that supports the interior of your handbags, maintaining its shape, and also reducing moisture damage. Besides being an absolute must for handbag lovers the world over, Bagpad also provides a longterm solution to keeping the shape of your handbags, while reducing plastic waste.

We catch up with Bagpad Founder, Marielle Kangasniemi, and talk all things Bagpad, her collaboration with One Ocean Foundation, and about the biggest challenges and triumphs she has faced as a GirlBoss.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, what inspired you to start Bagpad?

I’ve always to do something on my own, I just needed to find the idea. So after I finished my masters in Fashion and Luxury Brand Management at Istituto Marangoni, I knew I wanted to do something within fashion and luxury. I’ve also always had a passion for handbags, so I decided to combine my passion with my knowledge and came up with this unique solution that didn’t exist before. Now when you think about it, it’s such an obvious thing that all handbag lovers need.

The iconic Hermès Birkin Bag is the inspiration behind the bagpad, as this is a bag that really needs support when it’s not in use. So the first bagpad was made to fit the Birkin bag, but now we offer bagpads to fit any designer handbag. The bagpads can also be personalised with monogramming and we offer fun patches for decoration too. It’s the perfect gift for anyone who has a handbag.

How important is sustainability to Bagpad? Could you’ll us more about your collaboration with One Ocean Foundation?

Sustainability is one of the core elements of Bagpad, as the whole idea was to create a long-term solution for keeping handbags in shape and reduce the use of plastic. What’s currently in use is bubblewrap, plastic bags, or tissue paper? We know that plastics are the most common form of trash in landfills, and the most dangerous form of pollution. The ocean is filling up with garbage, so in order to help, we are in collaboration with the One Ocean Foundation, which raises awareness about the urgency to resolve problems plaguing our marine ecosystems. They create specific projects to help safeguard marine life, and also perform beach cleanups throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Every individual can contribute to saving the oceans through simple but virtuous actions.

At Bagpad we are very committed to do our part to save the planet, and so we use biodegradable packaging and recyclable materials. Plastic in itself can be harmful to the leather and interior of the bag, as it might transfer colour, start ‘sweating,’ or even scratch the leather, which is why we use only premium materials that are especially suitable for designer handbags.

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What steps can we take to become more conscious consumers?

Always choose the more long-term solution. Even if you can’t find a completely sustainable and Eco-friendly product, it’s better to choose the one that lasts longer, even if it might cost a bit more. There is already so much waste in this world, so any conscious decision to reduce the use of plastic is for the better.

It’s also important to take care of what you have so that it lasts longer. That’s why it’s important to take care of your handbags. They are meant to be used for a long time and if you take proper care of them they can last decades.

There are many ways to take care of handbags, but the most important one is to keep them filled when not in use. This prevents the leather from creasing and helps the bag to keep its shape. Our bagpads also protect from excessive moisture to keep the bag in perfect condition.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur so far?

To find time to do everything! I wish I could clone myself so that I would have time to do everything and be everywhere at the same time. It’s challenging but also very exciting to work with all aspects of the business. I learn so much everyday and I feel so grateful for having this opportunity.

Another thing that can be tricky is figuring out the marketing strategy. There is so much going on in social media and consumers are exposed to so much marketing all the time, so it can be difficult to stand out. You really need to know who your customers are and where they spend their time. Luckily our product is unique and customers can really see the value in it.

What advice do you have for women who would like to become a GirlBoss like yourself?

If you have an idea or a chance to start something on your own, just do it! You can dream however much you want but if you never start, you will never know. Don’t be scared of setbacks, they help you grow and push you in the right direction. There is always help available and especially London is such a great environment to start a business. I’ve met so many inspiring people here and you never know who you’ll meet, there’s always someone who knows someone. Expanding your network is key!

WWW.BAGPAD.CO.UK

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Interviews

#WomenWorldwide: Farina-Marie on capturing wedding moments and rebuilding her brand

They say someone’s wedding day is one of the happiest day of a person’s life, and so finding just the right person to capture these happy moments is a story of its own. Enter Farina Marie Deutschmann. A seasoned wedding photographer and fellow Girl Boss, who has found her mission and her business on capturing these very special wedding moments.

Farina captures extraordinary wedding moments in some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations with her business, Farina-Marie Wedding Photography. Getting up close and personal with the bride and groom in order to take some truly breathtaking wedding photographs. We caught up with Farina and talked about how ‘little photoshoots with friends’ became a fully fledged photography business, the challenges she had to overcome along the way, and the unexpected freedom of starting all over again.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, what made you fall in love with photography?

I never really thought about going into photography, it just evolved naturally. When I went to school I enjoyed creating fun memories with my friends and we often used to have little photoshoots together. It quickly turned into a profession. What I love most about my job is getting to know so many inspiring people around the globe, getting to know their story, their strengths and their weaknesses. I love to uplift my clients with what’s already inside of them. Shooting with me doesn’t mean that you’re going to a service provider and come back with nice photos. Shooting with me leaves you with a whole new shooting experience, more self-esteem, new ideas and inspiration, at least, that’s what most of my clients say. I think it’s because I really like to get to know the people that I work with.

Why did you decide to focus on weddings?

This also evolved naturally. In fact, when I first started my own business, I never wanted to be a wedding photographer. I started out as a fashion photographer and even worked as an editor for one of the most renowned German lifestyle magazines. But when you own a camera, at some point somebody will come to you and ask if you could photograph their wedding. So I gave it a try and guess what? I really liked it! What I enjoyed the most was to be able to work with happy people. People who are full of love and who really appreciate your work. This was quite different in the fashion industry.

What are some of your favourite wedding destinations?

There are so many beautiful destinations all over the world. I think what’s most important is that the couples who are getting married have a special connection to the place. I am absolutely in love with Mallorca and Cape Town, but my favourite wedding destinations are the ones that have a personal story.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur so far?

This is a good question and I really had to think about this for a bit, as I founded my first business about 10 years ago, while I was still studying. I think the biggest challenge that I had to face happened last year, when my business partner and I decided to go separate ways. We had worked together for more than 5 years. We had created a brand that was well known, and we managed to get bookings all over the world. All of the sudden I had to start all over again, from nothing. I had to come up with a new name, a new brand, new strategies, and a new website (which I will be launching soon) to name a few things. At the same time I decided to move to London and it felt like I was losing ground underneath my feet. But I knew I had done it before, which gave me some security. I knew how to build a brand, I knew how to get my name out there, and I just had to do it again — maybe even better than before.

What do you think goes into capturing the perfect wedding photograph?

There is something about the word ‘perfect’ that doesn’t sit right with me. I think it’s easy to create a perfectly staged photo with perfect styling, the perfect background, and the perfect lighting. I don’t think this is my aim as a wedding photographer. For me, the aim is to create a documentary of an extraordinarily special occasion, highlighting all of the incredible moments, to keep the happy memories alive and easily within reach. I always imagine myself in the role of the bridal couple, looking at the photos a few years later and telling my kids about that day. My aim is to be able to make those memories as special as possible. I do this by making a personal connection with the bride and the groom, as well as their guests. Through this, I start to form an idea of the wedding’s ‘character,’ I get a feel for the flow of the wedding and this lets me know where to be and when to get the right shots.

WWW.FARINA-MARIE.COM

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Food & Drink

#GIRLBOSSESOFGREATBRITAIN – The One with Tequila (it makes us happy!)

House of Coco had the joy of meeting the fabulous Cleo Rocos, creator of the 100% agave AquaRiva tequila and organic agave syrup, to talk being the only British tequila creator and producer (tequilera), advice from Freddie Mercury and the ethos of business over a couple of AquaRiva cocktails. It’s a hard life!

HOC: Cleo, so wonderful to meet you. So tell us all about AquaRiva, your tequila brand?

CR: Fabulous to meet you too. Do you know what having my own brand wasn’t ever the plan, it was a passion like falling in love with a rock and roll artist and finding yourself on the road!

I hated what I thought was tequila and I think most people are the same. I was in Mexico about 16 years ago in a small place completely off the beaten track. I saw this really glamorous lady in her 60s sitting by the pool in an unnecessarily floaty dress who was sipping from a glass and laughing campily. I asked the waiter was she was drinking as she was having such a wonderful time. He said it was tequila and I reeled in horror! I asked him to bring me what she was drinking and that was the turning point.

From this point I realised we’d all been cheated by not having real tequila! I started to pursue it and learn everything I could. My passion and knowledge grew and in 2009 I received a prestigious award from the tequila industry (CNIT), the only female honoured! I created AquaRiva in 2011. I feel that people are so worried about what they are eating but drink blindly. I feel really strongly that the tequila we’ve all had a horrible experience with is mixed tequila which is only 51% tequila, the rest is industrial alcohol, sugar, colourings, additives; it’s really detrimental to the industry!

HOC: Sounds incredible! How on earth did you go about creating your own tequila?

CR: In 2011 I went out to make a 100% agave tequila with no backing, just a passion. I’m scared to look back as I don’t know how it happened and I’m still scared! I spent 11 months working with a master blender in Mexico as I wanted to create a fantastic tequila. One that is truly great and that isn’t expensive.

The first thing I did was to go the bartenders and found out what bottle they like to work with and they all said a wine bottle. Then I wanted to work on the label. The label for my first tequila was by a 17 year old art student I met on the tube! I had a throbbing tax bill a few years ago and I had the chance to go into the Celeb Big Brother house. Under normal circumstances I’d rather boil my head in rhino phlegm but under these it was the only reasonable option! When I came out of the house I met him on the tube and he was asking me about being on TV and I noticed paint on his hand and I asked if he was decorating and he said he was an art student. I gave him my card and he sent over some examples of his work and I fell in love with it. I commissioned him to design my label, saying it had to feel like the first day of holiday!

I don’t want my tequila to look like other tequilas. I love my bottle and label they are straight forward and mean we can get on with enjoying the tequila. I don’t believe in the ridiculous packaging that most tequila comes in, there’s no point! AquaRiva is the read deal – not an imposter in an artisan bottle. It has won the best of the best in the world’s biggest tequila judging in the USA. I am so throbbingly excited about that.

HOC: And then you brought your tequila over here. How did you start finding your customers?

CR: We had this container of tequila coming over from Mexico and I thought, this isn’t really my field, what do I do? I saw there was a new flight path with Virgin Atlantic to Mexico and called them up to see if I could get a meeting to show them AquaRiva. I got the meeting and went too see them with the tequila and they took it. You can still get it in the clubhouses! So, Virgin was our first customer.

Recently I signed a huge distribution deal. Other than that I was literally going bar to bar to spread the word. I do masterclasses all over the place, in bars, in Waitrose, educating people about the sugar and other junk they are consuming. AquaRiva is a big little brand and I want people to be able to trust in my tequila. I’m in this for the long haul and when I’m doing demonstrations in Waitrose these people come in with odd questions who we just know have been sent in by the bigger brands! I do love tequila people but what happens often is that customers think that they are buying a boutique tequila brand not knowing that it has actually been bought up by a larger company a few years before and then corners get cut and the product quality suffers, telling a different story! There are no secrets with AquaRiva, I used to have my mobile number on the website, anyone could call me to ask questions!

HOC: We love how close you are to your tequila and agave syrup brand, do you ever see yourself moving further away from it?

CR: I am so passionate about it. I go to the fields where the agave is grown and see the sexy Beyonce agaves that get used in our 100% agave tequila and syrup. AquaRiva Organic Agave syrup is the highest quality available, gluten free, low GI and is used by people like Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey and Gino D’Campo which makes me hugely proud.

I just want everyone to have the experience I had! I want my tequila to feel like the first day of a holiday which is how you feel when you drink it. [You feel] more happy and divine, more like Mykonos, Ibiza and Monte Carlo.

Not so long ago, I was invited to speak at King’s College. The other people who were speaking had notes and iPads and I just got up there and said “I can just tell you what happened, I’m still on the journey”! On the panel discussion we were asked what the biggest drive was for our businesses and I said it was enthusiasm and passion. You don’t feel pain, you see where you need to be and you aim for it!

I own 100% of my business and, if I’m honest, I can’t see myself putting the same amount of energy into something I don’t own. When it’s yours you half dream ideas at 3.30am in the morning and suddenly an email pops back into your head that you didn’t send….If I didn’t own it I don’t know if I could get by on the little sleep I do get!

I remember Freddie Mercury once told me (when I was first getting into television) to always remember the early days. The days when you are scared and don’t know what it’s going on, those are the best days. Once things happen people try to box you. I also feel that you aren’t pushing hard enough if you don’t feel like a lemming clinging to the clifftop!

HOC: Looking at everything you’ve achieved in your career to date we’d say you definitely have an entrepreneurial spirit, where does that come from?

CR: My life has just come together, all the best things just seem to happen! It truly all started as I was late for a ballet class running across a carpark and I’m scared to think what could have happened if I had been on time. It’s all about the moments! I always feel like I’m running through the fire and I hope I can make it through. You have to move on your gut instinct to stay ahead.

For instance, we had this situation where we had contracts coming in and our prices were going up and I needed to pre-buy tequila, fast! So I went to the HSBC bank and I knew I had to get the money. We met at 9:30am and I arrived with my tequila and freshly squeezed lime and my agave and told them all about my brand. We’re all in a boardroom and we shook up some cocktails; they tried not to look too shocked. Needless to say, the meeting went well!

I’m experience and passion drive about building the brand. Money doesn’t matter to me, the brand matters.

HOC: You said you are one of few female tequila makers, what’s it like being a woman in this industry?

It’s a very male dominated industry and I don’t know if it’s because I have brothers and love being with men but I’ve been treated with nothing but respect. I think people can tell that I’m serious! Something I’ve learnt as well is that women have amazing palates and we have far more receptors than men, it’s a natural thing. I never consider myself a woman in business at all, it gives me a strange sense of fear as there are some business women who hate men! The second you say you are a woman in business you create a divide and I honestly don’t think it matters. Sometimes I have to be reminded that I’m a woman as I just don’t think about it.

HOC: We’ve seen some fabulous famous fans of AquaRiva, how do you go about marketing the tequila and agave syrup?

CR: I was invited by CNN to do an interview and it went global to 290m homes which was unbelievable! We also do things like Twitter, Facebook and recently got going on instagram. It’s so funny, when I was doing TV if someone said they were following you you’d call the police!

I do love people but I have a bit of discomfort with the whole selfie culture! I am lucky to have a number of great celeb friends but I’d rather die than ask them to promote my brand. So when they do it’s because they want to, Holly Willoughby recently instagrammed AquaRiva which was great!

HOC: You wrote a book about ‘The Power of Positive Drinking’ , what does a good cocktail mean to you?

CR: We have the best AquaRiva parties, it’s brought so many people together. It’s all about being the favourite version of yourself – not being the office version of yourself. Cocktails should be the catalyst for those magicky moments. The taxman can’t take your memories – yet!

The book I wrote was not for the drink industry but the customers and tells stories of evenings that started with a particular cocktail! Stories and moments that wouldn’t have happened without that one drink. I really feel that people don’t dance enough – you just need to go out and throw your body around. I think let’s just have a party – when I see a table at the start of the evening I want to know if I can dance on it. Oh, the number of chandeliers I’ve misjudged the size of! If you don’t have a good story, what’s the point. We have to be going up and down in life to be alive.

Everyone is so marketed to, people worry about age and I believe that it really doesn’t matter. You are either fabulous and you get more fabulous or you aren’t! Life is a journey, there’s no such thing as a mistake. You just think ‘that wasn’t very pleasant, I won’t do that again’. Everyone is trying to pile guilt on but we should just enjoy it.

Life is a journey, there’s no such thing as a mistake. You just think ‘that wasn’t very pleasant’ I won’t do that again. Everyone is trying to pile guilt on but we should just enjoy it.

HOC: Cleo, you are a fabulous girl boss and we can attest that AquaRiva is so superior to tequila we’ve been drinking so far. You’ve opened our eyes to the power of positive drinking and let’s share another Paloma really soon!

You can try the fabulous AquaRiva tequila and syrup in great bars around the country and purchase online at retailers such as Waitrose, The Whisky Exchange and Drinks Direct.

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GIRLBOSSES OF GREAT BRITAIN: THE ONE WITH NO FRIDGE MAGNETS IN SIGHT

House of Coco caught up with Alice Mayor, the lady responsible for kicking our London souvenirs into shape with the innovative We Built This City. Be gone snow globes and magnets and hello limited edition prints and, er, pigeons!

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HOC: Hello Alice! Welcome to GBOGB – our series about ladies doing it for themselves. Something we’ve loved about our interviews so far is how so many of our GirlBosses are queens of reinvention – where you are in life or what you do for a living now doesn’t define you! How did you come to setting up We Built This City?

AM: I started life in PR and marketing for an agency with Arts clients. After being in the Arts industry I decided that I wanted to get more of a hands on feel for business. I felt there was a distance between being in an agency and actually in a business and I wanted to get involved in a start up. So, after 4 years of working in an agency I went to work for an online art and design retailer. It involved taking a pay cut but it was a lot of fun. I met a lot of artists and heard them all telling me how tough it was to be an artist. They had to do tonnes of admin and trade shows which meant they didn’t have time to get on and do what they did best!

I’m really passionate about creativity and felt sad that art wasn’t getting to a wider audience. It soon became my mission to help artists and designers with their careers through opening up and democratising art and design – so that artists could find new audiences and customers could find new products in a different way.

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HOC: What was it about souvenirs that attracted you?

AM: Post the Olympics, London was in ascendency as a city. I remember reading an article that we were the most visited city in the world. Suddenly it didn’t seem right that people visiting London would always stick to the central tourist areas and rarely see the cooler sections. At the same time, London-related pieces were selling very well at the online retailer I was working for. I think that people feel very emotional about London; they come on holiday here, fall in love here, live here – there’s something for everyone in this city.

Typical souvenirs are so outdated and there’s a huge gap between what you can buy in a traditional souvenir shop and what the city represents. Typical souvenirs also tend to be cliched, generally not made locally and don’t represent an experience of contemporary London. There’s a lot more to London; you don’t even need to a be tourist to want a souvenir; many Londoners are very tribal about their areas!

It was surprising to me that this idea hadn’t been done in this way before. Of course, you can find good London inspired products in museum & gallery gift shops and places like Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason. However, no-one was doing it with a proper design-led approach. I realised that so many of the artists and designers, being based in London, had pieces inspired by the city. And even better, they were quality products and artworks with an affordable price tag, so perfect for a diverse customer in central London.

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HOC: Your store couldn’t be more central in London (on Carnaby Street); how on earth did you get that to happen?

AM: Finding the right space was definitely the toughest thing. I literally walked around for 6 months banging my head on the walls looking for property! I couldn’t end up in Shoreditch, I knew I needed to be in central London for the shop to work. There were plenty of people who said that it wouldn’t work in a traditional retail environment as rents are so high.

In my 6 months of looking for the perfect space, I lurked around London; lots of lingering outside traditional souvenir stores, ringing estate agents, pop up managers etc. I finally found a contact who dealt with leasing around Carnaby Street and Soho; two areas where I thought the shop could work really well. The area has such heritage but you also get a lot of fashion and design in the area.

I pitched with a keynote presentation with the name ‘We Built This City’ and some example products. The team loved it but had a caveat – we would have to open in the next 3 weeks in a 3,000 sq ft space on Carnaby Street. It was crazy and utterly exhilarating and we opened on the 21st November for 8 weeks, it was really popular, so much so we were invited back in time for Summer 2015 and we’ve just moved to a new space right in the middle of Carnaby. We’re not really a pop-up anymore, I call us a ‘stay-up’!

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HOC: Wow, it happened so fast. How did you manage the transition from working full time for someone else to working for yourself?

AM: During the time I was lurking around London I left my job at the online retailer – the business was being sold to new owners, so it was the right time. I then did some freelance work with Pip Jamieson – she’s a massive inspiration and a great female entrepreneur. I worked with her to launch The Dots but the day after the launch party I had an emotional reaction that, after helping another business, told me this was my time. It was a real guttural instinct that pushed me on to get the meetings that led to the launch of We Built This City.

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HOC: And who makes up ‘We Built This City’ now?

AM: The ‘we’ of ‘We Built This City’ has been important from day one for me. When we first opened I already had a retail analyst friend of mine on board; she had been working for 10 years and wanted to do something else. She’s been instrumental to our success; she has been incredible at setting up the store and all of the finance side of things. I never dreamt of having a 3,000 ft shop at Christmas and I honestly don’t think I could have done that without her!

In fact, as everything moved so fast with the first opening – almost everyone in my life has been involved with We Built This City in some way. I had been trying to get a start up loan from the government but that takes around 6 weeks and I only had 3, so I did a big ring round my friends and family telling them I’d pay them back at some point in the future!

For the first opening I was in the shop every day for 8 weeks and I had a team of 5 people who also did shifts. It was like having a baby; I just couldn’t leave the shop; I had the key and was in first and out last. It got to a point that, in order for the business to have a future, I needed to come out of being full-time in the shop. Now we have a great team in place: Olivia runs the Carnaby store and does all the product buying, Katy takes care of all the artist liaison and art buying – they both have great commercial eyes and are instrumental to our success at making sure there’s something for every taste and budget. We are also now very lucky to have Adam who has 10 years experience in creative marketing and PR – support in that area is vital in the early days to build a strong community and brand. We also have a really talented shop team. Above anything else, the most important thing for me is our customer relations with our shop customers and the creative community. From my time working with Pip at The Dots I was very aware of what it takes to make a business run and that’s why I’ve taken the decision to build a solid team across the board early on. My advice to anyone starting out is to be very honest as early as possible about your strengths and what you can offer the business. Then plug the gaps and build a really strong team around you to share the weight.

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HOC: Is it all about London, then or would you consider other locations?

AM: London was the starting point for me. In fact, a friend of mine came up with the name ‘We Built This City’ over a pint – I didn’t want London in the name as I didn’t want to be restricted! Tatty souvenirs are a problem the world over. There’s great homegrown craft out there but there’s always the standard souvenir store. I’m sure there is still a place for a snow globe souvenir but we can do more!

We are really ambitious to grow outside of London, whether that’s around the UK or beyond, will have to be seen. We’re still learning so much from our experience on Carnaby and need to spend some more time consolidating our offer here first. It is though very important to me that We Built This City is not just about London and we take this opportunity to more creatives around the world.

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HOC: Our series is in part inspired by #GirlBoss movement and something they celebrate are Girl Boss Moments – do you have a recent experience that made you feel like a real Girl Boss?

AM: I’ve been asked to do a lot of talks recently. When you are invited to speak about your experience it really makes you realise that you’ve nailed something! It’s also a great opportunity to stop and reflect on what you’ve actually achieved, as well as what’s working and what’s not. I was first asked to speak at the Pulse trade show and was inundated with questions – it’s then that I also realised that I can now share my story and help others in the process. I was quite humbled by it all! More recently, I’ve spoken at Guardian Masterclasses and SohoCreate festival.

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HOC: So what’s new for this new phase of We Built This City?

AM: We’re launching our online store later this summer.

We also have loads going on in our new space at 46 Carnaby Street; events and workshops that bring our designers into the store. For me, it’s so important that the store is about more than the transaction; we recently invited an artist called Rugman to design our third storefront which is a bold & colourful geometric design with a vinyl of the Queen as the centrepiece.

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HOC: Sounds awesome, Alice! Thanks for sharing your story with us and we can’t wait to pop down for a workshop soon. Make sure you check out We Built This City, now at 46 Carnaby Street. They represent over 250 London artists and so far have supported over 600.

Do your part and support local artists and their creativity when you travel. We hate to break it to you but no one really wants an ‘I’m with Stupid’ t-shirt from your next city break!

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#WomenWorldwide: Creativity from the heart of Lagos with Oeuvre Designs

For our #WomenWorldwide series, we’ve gone out on the road to find the most innovative and inspiring entrepreneurs we can from every corner of the globe. Today’s interviewee, Zainab Akingbehin, is an interior designer at Oeuvre Designs, based in the heart of the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria.

HOC: Great to meet you Zainab! Let’s start with the tricky stuff! What’s your elevator pitch for Oeuvre Designs?
Zainab: Oeuvre Designs is an interior design studio based in Lagos Nigeria, we specialise in bespoke designs with the client’s personality and functionality being key to our designs.

HOC: Your work is beautiful! Tell us about your journey to running this business?

Zainab: Oeuvre designs started in 2016 with as little as nothing! It’s been quite an interesting journey though, of course there have been some learnings also on this journey, and hasn’t always been a smooth ride, but the determination has been strong.
When we launched the first question was, where do we get clients from and how? But we came up with our first furniture design “Hexa Stool” and everything went from there and brought us to into limelight. I guess that’s how we started!

HOC: You are based in Lagos which is known globally for being a hub of design, what’s it like running your business there?

Zainab: Trust me, Lagos is one of those tough places to get anything done on a daily basis. The hustle and bustle is real and the design process isn’t a smooth one here, getting things done in time is quite challenging and there are limitations too as we
almost never have the right places to source for things. But, hey, we are strong people here and the passion drives us so we never get tired of the challenges!

HOC: How do you balance these varying demands on your time-being creative and running the business side of things?

Zainab: As a creative designer and a business owner in today’s industry you often have to wear multiple hats. It’s a juggling act and not always easy to get the balance right. I don’t think there is ever a perfect balance though because there is a guilt either way.

I’m a perfectionist and the reality of being a creative designer and a business owner is that something always have to give which doesn’t sit well with me. But with the support I get from my team at work allows me to shuffle both.

HOC: Who would be your ideal client?

Zainab: Definitely clients that love good finish and clean lines; clients that have creative personality and also the support co-creation process.

HOC: Why, in your opinion, is good design so important?

Zainab: Good design is important due to the aesthetic value it possess in a given space. The fact is having an interior design that looks nice and beautiful will make you like your home even more. Also, good design means functionality because it
affects your quality of life. In your home, people live in such a way that they interact with their environment on a daily basis. Trust me, if a design does not work for you it’s most likely to frustrate you more than making you happy!

HOC: For our creative readers, what advice would you have for them to grow their artist practices and get their work seen?

Zainab: Firstly, self-confidence is very important. For instance, a stranger asks what do you do, and your response is not portraying any aura of confidence, then you are not doing a good job being a creative artist and selling yourself. No matter how
amazing your work is, if you are not confident enough in your work then it’s going to take series of miracle for anyone to see and appreciate your work!

Secondly know your value. One man’s paint splatter is another man’s masterpiece. So when you are trying to decide how much to charge for your work you need to take a lot of things into account like the time and cost of your supplies.

Thirdly consider the factors in the intangibles of your work that gives it value.

HOC: What piece that you’ve created means the most to you and why?

Zainab: Definitely my “Hexa Stool” : it was the start of my furniture design and it brought me into limelight so it means the most to me.

HOC: Where do you get your inspiration from?

Zainab: I get inspiration everywhere, from nature, my environment, architecture, sometimes in books and design blogs. Also by surrounding myself with positive minded people.

HOC: If you ever have a creative block / funk; how do you get yourself out of it?

Zainab: Most times I just take 2 days off work and it helps a lot. I always have in mind the idea of finishing what you’ve started because the creative part is in seeing it through to the end and turning that dream into reality! I can also be spontaneous in nature; some of our designs are done lastminute and that is the fun part of being a designer.

Check out Zainab’s work at Oeuvre Designs at OeuvreDesigns.co

Follow along at @Oeuvre_Designs

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