My advice for other entrepreneurs…
Radically prioritize your to do list and your time; hire experts and junior support to help when you don’t have the bandwidth or the skillset to do something well on your own.
My favorite holiday tradition…
Overeating.
And my favorite holiday song…
All the old classics. Dean, Otis, Elvis… Plus Mariah.
The thing I am looking forward to most over the holidays…
My son being old enough to enjoy opening Christmas presents.
And my tips for surviving the holiday season…
Puzzles & wine.
PIECEWORK— Rachel Hochhauser
My advice for other entrepreneurs…
Take vacations in advance ;)
My favorite holiday tradition…
Latkes!
And my favorite holiday song…
I’m a sucker for Wham!’s Last Christmas.
The thing I am looking forward to most over the holidays…
After this year, taking time to be with family sounds more special than ever before.
SOUTHERN ELEGANCE CANDLES — D’Shawn Russel
I started my business because…
I got tired of waiting to be chosen for the next promotion. I wanted to take control of my life, finances and time.
My advice for other entrepreneurs…
Do it. Start something. Screw it up. Fix it and then make more mistakes. Rinse and repeat.
My favorite holiday tradition…
Meeting for Thanksgiving — my birthday falls on that holiday every four years.
And my favorite holiday song…
Someday at Christmas by Stevie Wonder
The thing I am looking forward to most over the holidays…
Spending time with my family.
And my tips for surviving the holiday season…
Breathe! Take time away from all the chaos and reset.
NGUYEN COFFEE SUPPLY — Sahra Nguyen
I started my business because…
I wanted to celebrate diversity and cultural inclusion in coffee by working directly with Vietnamese farmers to increase representation and transparency.
My advice for other entrepreneurs…
Know yourself then trust yourself.
My favorite holiday tradition…
Overeating with family.
And my favorite holiday song…
All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
The thing I am looking forward to most over the holidays…
Celebrating joy and resilience with family.
And my tips for surviving the holiday season…
Take shots of Fernet to help with digestion.
LAUREN NAPIER BEAUTY — Lauren Napier
I started my business because…
There is a ceremony that surrounds applying makeup and I wanted women to know that there is beauty in taking it off.
My advice for other entrepreneurs…
Hold on tight. It’s never what you expected.
My favorite holiday tradition…
The beach vacation I take to recover and reward myself after a season of hard work.
And my favorite holiday song…
Brook Benton’s This Time of the Year (When Christmas is Near) Mercury Records 1959
The thing I am looking forward to most over the holidays…
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve when there is no accountability. I love watching movies, eating leftovers and making phone calls from friends and family near and far.
And my tips for surviving the holiday season…
Enjoying all the food without guilt.
KOOSHOO — Rachel Evans
I started my business because…
To create a positive impact in the world.
My advice for other entrepreneurs…
Go at your own pace.
My favorite holiday tradition…
Having the youngest family member hand out the gifts. That’ll be our 2 year-old this Christmas so we’ll see how it goes!
And my favorite holiday song…
Mele Kalikimaka by Bing Crosby
The thing I am looking forward to most over the holidays…
Getting to relax with the family at Emily Bay on Norfolk Island after Christmas lunch!
And my tips for surviving the holiday season…
Good Christmas tunes set an air of joy and gratitude for the whole season.
MAIKA — Viola Sutanto
I started my business because…
We lead a nomadic lifestyle, where we move between multiple locations — from home offices to running errands to meetings — throughout the day. We need good, functional tools to carry our essentials.
My advice for other entrepreneurs…
Be kind.
My favorite holiday tradition…
Watching Love Actually for the upteenth time with the family
And my favorite holiday song…
Last Christmas by Wham!
The thing I am looking forward to most over the holidays…
My husband’s holiday cooking.
And my tips for surviving the holiday season…
It’s ok to say no.