A much needed (extra) long weekend
+ the real debate problem, a $50M female-led fundraise, must-listen podcasts, coveted block heels and more.
Hi friends.
I have to say, July 4th falling on a Thursday is nothing short of glorious. And I don’t know about you, but I definitely needed the extra-long weekend.
June was the busiest month of the year so far. It was also the busiest month in our company since Juliet launched three years ago. And while I pride myself on having a superhuman-level work ethic, even I was close to burnout the last few weeks. Troubleshooting a production run riddled with challenges + closing a fundraise + launching retail in multiple states + four cross-country flights to California definitely took their toll.
Sometimes it feels like pushing a rock uphill, but despite that I’m so proud of the progress our team is making.
When people ask how I deal with the demands of entrepreneurship, I always say that while it can be incredibly stressful, it’s a different kind of stress. To me, it doesn’t feel as toxic as the pressure I sometimes felt in a corporate environment. The knowledge that all of your hard work is being spent building something is rewarding—even when you have an impossible amount of work on your plate or are jet-lagged and running on no sleep.
So this weekend is all about catching my breath and catching up.
Rather than travel, I’m hanging around New York City for the 4th and the sweltering hot long weekend. While part of me wishes I were on holiday, I’m also grateful to slow down a bit. I’m looking forward to getting to inbox zero, checking some life admin off my to-do list, fitting a few workouts in, and eating at restaurants that I normally can’t get a reservation at (case in point, I was stunned this morning to be the only person in my local coffee shop, which is usually jam packed at 8am).
So from my (thankfully air conditioned) apartment to your undoubtedly glam beach destination, here is a round-up of interesting things on my radar this week. ⬇️
xAllison
Welcome to On the Rise—weekly musings on founder life, navigating the business world, and women's empowerment from award-winning entrepreneur Allison Luvera, Co-Founder & CEO of Juliet. Subscribe (for free!) today.
On My Radar:
The less-talked-about problem with last week’s debate: With the post-debate focus squarely on President Biden’s performance (no comment🫠), not much attention has been paid to the fact that the candidates glossed over a policy question about the childcare crisis.
This was disappointing, partly because the formidable Reshma Saujani, Founder of Moms First, had fought hard to get the issue included by delivering a petition of 15,000 names to CNN. While she successfully got them to ask the question, both candidates spent the allotted response time bickering about who was a better President (and also … golf?).
Daydream announced a $50M Seed round: Led by Julie Bornstein, the “queen of e-commerce” behind Stitch Fix and The Yes, this new company aims to use AI-powered search to transform the everyday shopping experience.
Whether or not this business has legs (to say it’s a crowded space is an understatement), there are two things to absolutely love about this announcement:
A female-led company successfully raised a massive amount of Seed capital,
This means more women in leadership positions in the AI space (which is sorely lacking in diversity as pointed out by Dominic-Madori Davis at TechCrunch).
Definitely a company to watch.
A mixed jobs report showed a slowdown for women: The June report showed the total unemployment rate moving slightly above target to 4.1%, which strengthens the case for upcoming rate cuts. Within that though, women’s jobless rates rose (while men’s fell) despite gains in sectors like healthcare that they traditionally perform well in.
This list of most influential podcasts is missing a few things: As an avid podcast listener, I thought New York Mag’s recent list of “Most Influential Podcasters Right Now” fell short. I mean, where are the women? The only female podcasters on the list were restricted to the “Pop Culturati” and “Neo-Goop” sections, leaving out powerhouses like Kara Swisher, Megyn Kelly, and Tori Dunlap who host great shows on business and culture.
That aside, they also omitted some of the best pods out there (imo), so sharing the shows I listen to on a weekly basis here:
Acquired - in depth business case studies that offer valuable lessons, don’t miss the Starbucks, LVMH, and Nvidia CEO episodes.
All In - best tech industry insights and diverse views on politics and business (also the only podcast my fiancé and I agree on).
Pivot- best business news and great co-host dynamic with Kara Swisher and NYU’s Professor Scott Galloway.
Marketplace - daily news on the economy, I listen to this first thing every morning while I walk the dog.
I don’t follow UK politics closely but I will miss Akshata Murty: Honestly, I just really enjoy her style. She always looks polished and embraces bold colors and emerging brands (these looks from Saloni and The Fold especially stood out to me). With Rishi Sunak out as PM, I will miss the international media spotlight on her sartorial choices, although Daily Mail seems to think that she may launch her own venture now that her time as “First Lady” is done.
Speaking of power dressing: I’m always looking for brands that offer stylish low or block heel shoes, mainly because they work professionally, but also don’t kill my feet when walking 10+ blocks or climbing the subway stairs in NYC.
Enter Maria Luca—I stumbled on this Italian brand on social media recently and after some research, am excited to try my first pair (still deciding between the Ilaria Slingback and Augusta Ballet Flat - anyone have thoughts on either style?).
An interesting interview with Sallie Krawcheck: Since launching Ellevest, Sallie Krawcheck has been omni-present in the media (to the point that I almost didn’t read this new Fortune interview, assuming it would be full of her usual anecdotes).
This read is more in-depth and “real” than past features though, covering her experience with the “glass cliff”, how to position yourself for power, and a great insight into using gender to your advantage in business:
I think my gender was always a factor in my success … It’s sort of hard to say that no, gender had nothing to do with anything. Because it’s so core, I found, as a research analyst, because I was the only woman, or one of the only two women. Whether I wanted to or not, I stuck out, and I used that to my advantage.
Definitely worth a read — link here.
Women’s sports are still having a moment: And I’m still so here for it. Shonda Rhimes announced an ownership stake in the Los Angeles Golf Club and the Olympic trials are putting a spotlight on the most experienced U.S. women’s gymnastics team ever in the lead up to Paris 2024.
That’s it for now—see you next week! ✨