Podcasts about 29rooms

In this episode, host Camille White-Stern is joined by Katherine Tooley, VP of Global Events and Experiential Marketing at HubSpot.With over 20 years of experience in the event industry, Katherine has a rich background in creating memorable and engaging experiences. She's been involved in everything from kicking off music festivals like Bonnaroo and Outside Lands to scaling Refinery29's 29Rooms art experience to producing HubSpot's annual Inbound conference. Throughout the episode, she shares years of expertise, best practices, and strategies for:Creating event experiences attendees want to attendCrafting dynamic event content using the right mix of topics and speakers Aligning event content with company goalsExtending the value of your event contentMeasuring the impact of your event content...and more.Tune in to learn all her tips for crafting powerful event content that resonates with audiences and produces real results.___________________________________________________________________If you enjoyed today's episode, let us know. Support our show by subscribing and leaving us a rating. If you want to get in touch with our team or be a guest on our show, email us at podcast@splashthat.com. We'd love to hear from you.Follow Splash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/splashthat-comGet to know HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/Learn more about maximizing the value of your event content: https://splashthat.com/webinars/dont-leave-event-roi-on-the-table

Julie and Casey have an encore chat with Season 1 guest Piera Gelardi (founder of Refinery 29, creative genius, and now the founder of Wild Things World) about how play became the focus for her “next chapter”. Along the way, they discuss best practices for better brainstorming, what Piera has learned from her four-year-old daughter, and entering our collective hope punk era by choosing hope, joy, and delight in a dark world. From now until April 15th, we're accepting applications for our signature small group course for women, POWER/PLAY. Find out more and apply here!   Thank you to our Season 4 sponsor, Armoire! If you're ready to try a new look, Armoire's high-end clothing rental service (full of amazing women-owned brands) will hook you up! For 50% off your first month's rental + a free item, go to http://armoire.style/voiceis and use VOICEIS in the referral box!   TOP TAKEAWAYS: Play is a powerful tool for presence, connection, creativity, divergent thinking, and more . . . and we have to protect the vibes. Trying to commodify it, make play “efficient”, or give it a necessary goal to hit kinda kills it. The Ghost of Should distracts us from our true journeys — and “being taken seriously” wasn't the right goal for Piera.  What we look for, we notice, and what we notice, grows. Creating a practice of looking for wonder, delight, joy, and love doesn't mean we have to ignore the bad stuff or spiritually bypass ourselves and others.  LESSON: A few ways to get out of your head and find the FUN of communication   Piera Gelardi is a creative director, entrepreneur, and speaker passionate about bringing out the creativity in everyone. She co-founded the iconic women's media brand Refinery29, the experiential property 29Rooms, and recently launched the new play company Wild Things World. She is on a mission to bring more play to every space she enters — starting with yours! Her work has won accolades like Ad Age's "50 Most Creative People of the Year" Entrepreneur magazine's "50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs and spots keynoting events like SxSW, Create & Cultivate, and Inbound. Outside of her work, she loves performing in storytelling shows, teaching cathartic dance, and making up songs with her 4 year old.    

 Happy Friday our Woman Inc. listeners! Our guest this week is @Madison.utendahl, Founder & CCO of Utendahl CreativeUtendahl Creative is an all female, Black owned, full service branding and design agency behind cutting-edge brands like Simon Huck's Judy, Halsey's About-Face, and Lena Dunham's Good Thing Going. Madison is also a Forbes 30U30 alum and a two-time Webby Award winner who was on the founding teams of cultural phenomenons Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, 29Rooms and Museum of Ice Cream. Madison's experience being on the creative teams behind these massive cultural successes led not only to a specialty in emotional brand storytelling, but to a personal experience with burnout, leading to her present-day mission of ENDING burnout in the creative industry by starting her own agency where she is fundamentally changing the way creatives work.We hope you enjoy this episode, and as always, come back here to let us know your favorite part!

Whether you want to be in front of the camera, behind the camera, or just entertained- each episode of The Culinary Call Sheet lifts the apron to reveal the adventurous and often unexpected secrets to how the sausage (aka a food show) gets made. In conversation with a variety of epicurean icons, culinary production veterans, April Jones and Darin Bresnitz, give an insider's view into personal stories from the field and provide an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look into some of the most popular food programming and current trends happening in today's evolving culinary media landscape. About Your Hosts:April Jones is an Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer and Director who understands the emotional impact of good storytelling. With decades of experience in both production and psychology, she has a knack for curating atmospheres that enable and encourage folks to share their most vulnerable stories by excavating significance from even the smallest of details. As an intentional creator across a broad array of industries, she strives to elevate narratives to their highest point of resonance through entertainment while also advocating for crucial shifts in dialogue. She's also a sucker for fried chicken, stray animals, and a good comeback.Since 2001, Darin Bresnitz has worked in culinary media, focusing on the people in the industry, their stories and their incredible food. In 2014, he created the concept for Refinery29's 29Rooms, helping to usher in the modern era of immersive events. Recently, as the Director of Original Series at Tastemade, he created and produced award-winning food & travel shows. Since 2009, he has Co-hosted and Co-produced Heritage Radio Network's Snacky Tunes. He lives in Altadena and is married to his best friend, Anna, and together they are raising their beautiful daughter, Josephine, handsome son, Oliver, and their loyal dog, Meatball.The Culinary Call Sheet is powered by Simplecast.

This week's episode is with branding wiz and truly one of the most empathetic leaders I personally know Madison Utendahl. Madison is the Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Utendahl Creative: the all-female, Black-owned, full-service branding, and design agency behind brands like Simon Huck's Judy, Halsey's About Face, and Lena Dunham's Good Thing Going Productions, among several other industry-disrupting brands. Prior to starting her own branding firm, she was previously at Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Refinery 29's 29Rooms, and Museum of Ice Cream. She's not only a force in branding, she is also actively paving the way for the future of work beginning by protecting creative talent from burnout at all costs - she recently launched an anti-burnout campaign and instituted 5 weeks of mandatory office closures throughout the year at her agencyOn this episode, we get into the journey of realizing self-worth, detaching your identity from what you produce, having grace with yourself, and focusing on impact and kindness above all else. Some Questions I Ask:What were you like as a child, and do you feel like those qualities are in your personality today? (3:05)Why do you think people struggle so much with changes, whether at work or in their personal lives? (5:04)Where do you think the lack of worthiness almost all of us feel comes from? (11:48)What do you think is the balance between feeling enough and content and striving? (22:23)In This Episode, You Will Learn:What is the underline reason why we stop ourselves from changing (8:36) Where did social glorification of anxiety take Madison (12:03)The difference between acknowledging people and what they're doing (13:52)The opposite of scarcity isn't abundance (20:43)Why do we tend to feel out of place when we are enjoying ourselves (27:13)Success, approval, and recognition are transient (32:41)Resources:Book: Brené Brown - Daring GreatlyBook: Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond FearBook: Alex Soojung-Kim Pang - Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work LessBook: Héctor García, Francesc Miralles - Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy LifeConnect with Madison:websiteLinkedInInstagramLet's connect!Active Ingredient Instagram See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Mark interviews Katherine Tooley, who produced the first-of-its-kind, interactive event, “29Rooms.” 29Rooms is the innovative, physical embodiment of Refinery29, an entertaining and informative digital publication for women and femme-identifying persons. Mark and Katherine discuss experiential marketing and tips to be a success in the industry. Katherine tells how she always wanted to be an event producer and how she began her career at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.In this episode, we discuss:0:53       Success of 29Rooms – “Choose your adventure”5:10        Inspiring current escapism events6:30        Amplifying Black voices10:30     Creating virtual moments for Refinery29 other community-based brands11:15     “Unbothered” Black female community and “Wash Day,” an award-winning virtual event at VICE Media13:08       Importance of focusing on a community, talking with them, and providing a service14:05       Experiential marketing industry17:16       Content is the goal/key20:02        Capturing, collecting, and creating full experiences21:07        Katherine's background and career at Superfly27:00        Various pathways to get into experiential marketing 32:15        Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival – most memorable project36:00        Years of experience matters38:30        Advice on breaking into the industry43:03        Connecting with KatherineKatherine Tooleyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinetooley/ https://www.29rooms.com/city/new-yorkhttps://www.refinery29.com/en-us/unbotheredMark Testa https://www.markstephenagency.com info@markstephenagency.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/mark-stephen-design-&-production/ Instagram @markstepheneahttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK13o22i4RxQvbAgwwlh9tQ?view_as=subscriber

Madison Utendahl is the founder and CCO of Utendahl Creative, a Black-owned, female-founded and female-led, storytelling-first, branding, content & social media consultancy. Since its launch, Madison has worked with Refinery29, Milk Bar, Bandier, and has been featured in The New York Times, W Magazine, and Forbes. Prior to launching her company, Madison was a creative on the founding teams of three powerful cultural phenomenons: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, 29Rooms, and Museum of Ice Cream, where as the head of content & social media, she earned two Webby Awards and grew their digital presence to an audience of over 1 Billion people in under 20 months. She's also been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30. In this episode, Madison shares her tactics for a successful content strategy today, what metrics matter most to her, and why she believes that everyone has a story to tell. She will also share her 24-hour rule, why you should not argue for your limitations, and the reason you should trust the timing of your life. *** This episode of LEAVE YOUR MARK is brought to you by one of my all-time favorite brands, Stuart Weitzman! Stuart Weitzman shoes are designed for high fashion and high function. Known for over 35 years for its artisanal Spanish craftsmanship and precisely engineered fit, the luxury footwear brand inspires women around the world to shine with confidence with every step. Stuart Weitzman has always been my go-to footwear brand for when I have things to do but want to look and feel great. I love my heels, but comfort is key. Plus, I know I'm always on trend without even giving my shoes a second thought. Your next pair of fabulous shoes await you. Use LEAVEYOURMARK15 to enjoy 15% off full-priced styles on stuartweitzman.com. Some exclusions may apply.

How do you generate excitement for the Instagram generation? We sit down with Madison Utendahl, a storyteller and pioneering social media strategist. We discuss her experiences with the Victoria Secret's Fashion Show, the Museum of Ice Cream, and now the founder of Utendahl Creative, a brand consultancy.--Madison Utendahl is a two-time Webby Award winning Content & Social Media Director, specializing in brand-storytelling, social media strategy and experiential marketing. Madison has been a creative on the founding teams of 3 powerful cultural phenomenons: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, 29Rooms and Museum of Ice Cream. As a Founding Partner at Museum of Ice Cream and former Head of Content & Social, Madison grew MOIC’s digital presence to reach an audience of over 1 Billion people in under 20 months. In 2019, she launched Utendahl Creative, a female focused, branding, social media & content strategy agency, servicing clients such as Refinery29, Milk Bar, Lemon Perfect and Bandier (+more). When she is not playing boss at Utendahl Creative, she can be found as an on-camera video host and producer. Since 2016, Madison has interviewed the likes of Arianna Huffington, Martha Hunt, Marcus Samuelson and many more notables. Madison lives in NYC with her dog, Lou.https://www.madisonutendahl.com/--Become a member on Patreon @norlundOr head over to thebluersky.com and click on member.Follow on Twitter @chris_norlundFollow on Instagram @norlundStay positive and thank you so much for listening!

Vance Garrett, the innovative experiential producer with a knack for manifesting art at the center of the cultural zeitgeist, joins Denise Love Hewett for a conversation about finding one's career spiritual intent. Vance leaves us with many key takeaways including the mantra “Do interesting work!”     About Vance Garrett:  He has been a key player in and producer of the premier pioneering projects of the experiential movement, launching Sleep No More, Museum of Ice Cream, 29Rooms, Westfield’s experiential entertainment strategy, and most recently Tyra Banks’ ModelLand. By drawing from over two decades of producing and directing across varied forms of expression-theatre, fashion, music, the visual arts, dance, immersive tech, nightlife, circus arts, and beyond- Vance utilizes time-tested producing knowhow, multi-faceted directorial vision, and an acute awareness of the cultural zeitgeist to tell original multi-sensory stories in unexpected spaces that connect people with great visions and one another.

In this episode of Tag Me Podcast, we’ll be learning social media tips from the founder of a storytelling and content agency, Madison Utendahl. She has been creating narratives since she worked in the entertainment industry and used her storytelling skills to transition into the social media industry. She helped build the online community for 29Rooms and Museum of Ice Cream. She is currently head of content for Emergency Kit Judy. If you are interested in her social media tips - stay tuned. Madison's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madison.utendahl/?hl=enMadison's Storytelling & Content Agency: https://www.madisonutendahl.com/utendahl-creativeCONNECT WITH US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/tagmepodcast/

In this special series, I’ve been calling some of my dear friends to see how they’re doing in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic. In an effort to provide some sense of comfort and normalcy, these conversations are here to provide you with good companionship while we’re all stuck at home, and to also let you know that we're here with you through it. This week features my friend Madison Utendahl, the founder and CCO of her own content and social media company, Utendahl Creative. Madison’s a storytelling genius. She was on the founding teams of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Refinery29’s 29Rooms, and the Museum of Ice Cream, where she’s lead social media strategy and experiential marketing initiatives that have even won her two Webby Awards. In this episode, Madison gives us a masterclass in marketing with empathy, tells us about the non-negotiable addition to her routine during quarantine, how touching base with her grandmother has brought her solace and clarity, and the best advice she has for brands who need to be pivoting right now. Sending virtual love from my couch to yours! Produced by Dear Media

Michaela and her friend Doyin go on an unfiltered and unedited journey (under the influence) where no topic is off limits.

Lots of people work in creative industries, but very few have been able to take their art and pivot to build something more impactful than the art itself. That's exactly what Piera Gelardi did when she started Refinery29, a digital media company that in many ways, has helped to shape a more inclusive and interactive modern media landscape. In this episode, Piera speaks about how she made that pivot from artist to business-leader, why she loves improv exercises, and the reasoning behind developing Refinery29's iconic immersive experience 29Rooms.  Subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Last weekend, Nadine and Tarini went to 29Rooms by Refinery 29! Missed the event in Toronto? Don't worry - they've got you covered. From the different rooms, to the designers, to how the event was, listen to this week's episode where Tarini and Nadine take you with them to Refinery 29's 29Rooms. Want more YKWIM content? Keep up with us on Instagram @ykwim.pod or using the link below: https://instagram.com/ykwim.pod

Geek Girl Riot is exploring 29Rooms’ upcoming event then diving into another fall TV roundup.

29Rooms has been called a fun house for adults and an Instagram paradise. This immersive art festival has popped up in L.A. and New York, this month 29Rooms is stopping in Atlanta on a five-city tour. The interactive experience created by the Refinery29 website is as advertised — a collection of 29 distinct rooms with work from artists all over the country. Like the Museum of Ice Cream and Museum of Pizza posted on Instagram, it will be a selfie paradise.

29Rooms by Refinery29 is on tour and coming to DALLAS! Featured artist, Alicia Eggert is new to the tour and her contribution is part of The Traveling Billboard – a full-scale billboard mural by locally-based artists, welcoming guests to 29Rooms and highlighting talent from within each tour community. Denton-based artist and UNT professor Alicia Eggert, whose work focuses on the relationship between language, image, and time is the Dallas Billboard. Refinery29, the leading digital media and entertainment company for young women, is bringing its annual immersive festival29Rooms: Expand Your Reality to Dallas, Texas for the first time ever. A whole new audience will have the chance to experience this iconic event when it takes over Gilley’s South Side Ballroom from August 9 – 18. Alongside Eggert, the dynamic event will also bring together new collaborators Yvette Mayorga, NNEKKAA, hanski, and Trap Bob, and popular returning collaborations from Kali Uchis, Carlota Guerrero, Uzumaki Cepeda, The Hoodwitch and the ACLU. Additionally, 29Rooms welcomes innovative brand collaborators to the tour including Prudential Financial, SheaMoisture, Transitions Optical, Bitten Dressing and Panera Tickets for 29Rooms Dallas are available now at 29Rooms.com starting at $34. DATES: Friday, August 9 - Sunday, August 18 TIME: Sessions at 1:30pm (Tuesday - Thursday) Sessions at 10:30am (Friday - Sunday) General Admission ticket guarantees access for one 2.5-hour session LOCATION: Gilley’s South Side Ballroom - 1135 S Lamar St Dallas, TX 75215 Please visit www.29rooms.com or @29Rooms on social media for more information and updates. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bougieblackblogger/support

Media, Refined How four founders turned a sketch on a cocktail napkin into an iconic digital media brand. One night in 2004, in a bar in New York City, three ambitious entrepreneurs huddled around a cocktail napkin and sketched out a vision. They essentially wanted to translate the concept of the mall for the internet, only instead of catering to big name brands and retailers, it would connect visitors to all of the amazing independent brands and makers that were flourishing at the time. That initial sketch—it started as a picture of a virtual mall—has evolved a lot since that night, and the team solidified around four dedicated co-founders. But 15 years later, the dream of Justin Stefano, Philippe von Borries, Christene Barberich, and Piera Gelardi has become a reality, and so much more, in the form of now-iconic digital media company Refinery29. “One of my biggest regrets to date is that we didn’t save the napkin,” Stefano says. Since they set out on that journey, the team has created an online space where media targeted toward women is distilled, removing the impurities of stereotypes, taboos, and shame. Initially focused on fashion and style, Refinery29 has since expanded to a staggering breadth of content. Covering almost every topic imaginable—from skin care to the latest in immigration legislation—Refinery29 is a comprehensive digital media company dedicated to elevating women’s voices. It’s built an international audience of more than 550 million across all its platforms, which include all major social media, a YouTube channel with nearly 2 million subscribers, an award-winning podcast in its fourth season, a short film series, an app, and more. But Stefano and von Borries, the two who initially had the idea for Refinery29, didn’t come from a background in publishing or fashion. In fact, as you may have noticed, they aren’t even women. But they saw a need, set out to meet it, and connected with the right partners to realize their vision and help it evolve. Refiners Assemble In the early 2000s, Stefano and von Borries were just a couple of friends from high school, who had recently graduated from NYU and Columbia, respectively, and were embarking on their first post-grad endeavors. Von Borries headed off to Washington, D.C., to work for a political startup called The Globalist, and Stefano took a position with the Civilian Complaint Review Board in New York City, where he investigated complaints against the NYPD. Despite the distance, the duo stayed close, and maintained a group of friends who were mostly in the creative space. They began to notice a frequently recurring topic of conversation among the group: dissatisfaction with media coverage, especially when it came to fashion. “Most of the media companies that existed, most of the magazine businesses, were fairly mainstream,” Stefano says. “They would write about big designers that bought pages in their magazines. That’s how the model worked.” Stefano and von Borries found that many of their friends still read these magazines, but not because they felt particularly connected to the content. “They didn’t think it was good. They didn’t think it was interesting,” Stefano says. “It was just what they were forced to read, because that’s what you could buy at a newsstand.” Their friends hungered for something with a more independent edge and authenticity, but couldn’t find it anywhere. So the pair had the spark of an idea: What if they created something that appealed to young New Yorkers by focusing on serving their audience rather than on serving big companies and brands. But with no experience in publishing or fashion, they knew they needed to call in reinforcements. At the time, Piera Gelardi was dating von Borries (they went on to get married), who worked as the photo director at CITY Magazine. When von Borries shared their idea and asked for her advice, she encouraged him to reach out to her former boss and mentor at CITY, Christene Barberich. Her knowledge of fashion and brands, as well as the world of publishing, would prove invaluable to the pair. Barberich says that she was already paying close attention to the transformation happening in the media landscape. She noticed that with the rise of the internet, the one-way nature of traditional publications, with outlets talking at their audiences instead of with them, was slowly being set aside in favor of platforms offering more conversational approaches. So when von Borries and Stefano shared their idea, she had a gut feeling that they were on to something big. She immediately reached out to Gelardi and told her that she didn’t just want to consult. She wanted to become a partner in the endeavor. Barberich’s infectious excitement for the project then made Gelardi reevaluate her own position as a consultant. “Because she wanted to sign up, it showed me that bigger vision and also reminded me to think about my own value in the equation,” Gelardi says. “Now we have four co-founders.” Building the Brand With the team assembled, the quartet was anxious to get their vision off the ground as quickly as possible. But all four of them still had day jobs, so much to learn, and very little money to put toward the project. They met in a coffee shop every night after work and on every weekend as they powered toward their goal. “It just became an obsession until we got it live,” Stefano says. They called in all kinds of favors with friends who were programmers, engineers, and graphic designers, and built the first iteration of Refinery29 over a period of six months. “It felt like forever,” Stefano says. “That six-month period, I think it felt years of work went into that.” But in June 2005, the wait was finally over, and the team celebrated the launch of Refinery29 at a bar called Union Pool over pizza and beers. Looking back at nearly a decade and a half and several waves of changes since, the founders are still proud of the original website they launched that day. “When you look back at the first iteration of Refinery29, it just really, deeply warms my heart, because I think it’s still beautiful,” Barberich says. While the website received some fanfare on launch day, growth was a slow, gradual process, and they struggled to be taken seriously, especially by traditional media outlets. “Most of the traditional publishers saw digital as a phase,” Gelardi says. “It’s so laughable now, but truly we would go talk to people, and they would act like we were trying to sell them a carpet or something. They thought it was a scam.” Challenges aside, the untested nature of their business model was also a blessing in disguise. “I think we were able to really pioneer this new space because it was, you know, an open road,” Gelardi says. Barberich agrees. “When you start out and you really are at the beginning of something, you have so much freedom to just test things,” she says. “I do credit that period—the first two years when we were essentially flying under the radar—as this really important testing ground for us.” They gradually tried out new content, such as a segment called “Neighborhood Watch,” in which local creatives shared fun activities and events they loved, and “Spotlight,” a section featuring products by homegrown, independent makers. “The products that we would feature would sell out overnight,” von Borries says. “That was the first time that something we had created had really been validated. So we started to look into commerce.” In early 2006, they decided to raise capital for the first time to fund a marketplace on their website, and in 2006, it launched, taking Refinery29 into its next phase. “We didn’t engineer this thing at all to be what it is today,” von Borries says. “In fact, I think the journey for us has been sort of going down the river and hitting different moments of momentum in the business and seeing the world shift.” And as the world shifted, so did they. Experiments and Expansions Before long, von Borries had quit his D.C. job and returned to New York City to work full time for Refinery29, and not long afterward the other three joined the work full time, too. Stefano says that, over the first five years, they sold ads, hosted live events, held sample sales (retail events that involve selling extra prototypes, often from big names in fashion or design) and did everything they could to drive slow-but-consistent growth that took them to $1.7 million by their fifth year. They then decided to raise capital to grow their branded content and native advertising. This resulted in a single-year leap to $8.9 million in revenue. “It was not a fast journey,” Stefano says. “I think that a lot of people have this belief that you’ll launch a business and within, you know, 18 months, you’re going to be on fire, but it often takes far longer. And I would say it took us probably 10 years before we felt like we had a business that was here to stay.” As von Borries and Stefano toiled away on the technical and management side, Barberich and Gelardi dove into the content and creative aspects of the business. “Our desire has always been to elevate underrepresented voices, to really bring these new ideas to the surface and challenge sort of what is in the mainstream, and how the media speaks to and about women,” Gelardi says. While the focus was initially centered on fashion and style, the pair slowly experimented with content expansions that appealed to the women who visited the site. Barberich was interested in topics surrounding health and wellness, so she tested the waters and found the audience receptive. Gelardi noticed that most mainstream editorial content on sex for women was “not focused on women’s pleasure or bodily autonomy,” so she looked to offer something better. As they grew, they found an almost endless hunger for content on just about every topic imaginable, and with each new addition, a new wave of readers joined the ranks. Soon, stories on politics, finances, and entertainment appeared on the website, continuing to meet the interests of modern women. They were also able to quickly learn from mistakes and make changes, thanks to the instant feedback provided by comments, shares, and analytics. “We really were focused on experimentation,” Gelardi says. “We were so invigorated by having access to the knowledge of our audience in real time.” With the kinds of data that traditional media outlets simply didn’t have at their fingertips yet, they were able to make informed decisions and pursue avenues that seemed utterly foolproof. But, Barberich says, information in this space can be both a blessing and a curse. “I think in some ways you lose that spontaneity,” she says. “Just having an idea to do something and being able to pursue it and not worry so much about what the outcome was going to be or worry that it was going to hit a certain traffic benchmark.” So while they take advantage of the analytics available to them, Gelardi says she always wants to leave room for risks. “I think influence also comes down to risk-taking,” she says. “It’s the art and the science; it’s not just about volume. Quality can be subjective, as well, but I think it is about risk-taking and knowing that core of who you are and staying true to it.” Barberich and Gelardi say that they see their roles as a balancing act between the numbers and creative spontaneity. “I think that that’s really what motivates people,” Barberich says. “When they feel like they’re making content that they deeply love, but that’s also touching a person’s life. The greatest success is to know that something struck a chord that is universally felt.” Scaling With Heart As the company continued to grow, all four founders felt an overwhelming pressure to keep the train on the tracks. “I think that a lot of people lose sleep in this company because they care so much,” Barberich says. “In laying that foundation, we want to make sure that people feel really fulfilled by it and it doesn’t lose its path.” They knew they had to stay true to the heart of their mission and remain in sync with their audience, all while rapidly expanding far beyond what they had imagined possible. “The audience has been the single most important focus—and staying committed to that audience—and clearly everything that’s happened in the world at large has sort of snowballed our commitment to serving women amazing content,” von Borries says. “Our belief is that, in this moment, to really build a long term, sustainable brand in this space, you really have to mean something to your audience.” And Barberich believes the key to scaling while staying true to the heart of the business lies in a single, but incredibly vital, part of the business. “Honestly, if I’ve learned anything in the near-14 years that we’ve been doing this it’s that it all comes down to the people that you hire,” she says, “because scale is all about the people that you’re trusting to handle the scale.” And she says they have been fortunate at Refinery29 to find and hire people who care deeply about the mission of their brand. “When you bring people on board that really, automatically love the brand, when things get har, and they will inevitably get hard, it actually helps those people to deal with the issues that arise and recover quickly.” Gelardi also believes that hiring new staff members who have that entrepreneurial spark inside them helps the brand thrive. “The industry that we’re in is ever shifting. The work that we do is ever shifting,” Gelardi says. “I think it requires that level of entrepreneurial creativity in order to really be able to roll with things and to find the solutions.” Establishing a Legacy Much has changed in the 15 years since the four founders first tossed around the idea for Refinery29. Especially on the internet. What once felt like a wide open space, now feels more like an overstuffed room pumped full of noise. Because of this, von Borries believes people have begun seeking more intimate, offline experiences, something Refinery29 is working to supply. “We were always doing events,” he says. “Back 15 years ago when we launched Refinery, we would host local events at stores and boutiques and would bring people together. We’ve always been thinking about the real world, and when you do something in digital, the real world is very validating.” One such example of Refinery29 IRL is 29Rooms, an art exhibition that features 29 collaborative spaces touching on topics meaningful to readers, such as virtual reality, body positivity and music. At the end of the day, all four founders are focused on building a legacy they can be proud of. “You can’t have a media company, I don’t think, without having a really true understanding of what it is you want to leave behind someday,” Barberich says. And she believes that today’s world, with its renewed focus on social justice, women’s rights, and political activism, is the perfect place for a platform like Refinery29 to thrive. Now more than ever, people are seeing unmet needs, especially in areas of representation and diversity, and feeling driven to meet those needs. “I think the motivation to start a business is fairly universal,” Barberich says. “You feel that there is something missing. You feel that there is something missing and usually, you’re not the only person.” She encourages those who feel that tug not to ignore it, but to step out boldly. “When that happens, you have to really face the facts that this is going to be scary. It’s going to be a ton of work. You’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to need the help of a lot of people, and a lot of times you’re going to need their help for free, and you have to be able to ask for that help, so great relationships really make a difference.” When looking at Refinery29, that was certainly the case. If one thing made Refinery29 what it is today, it’s relationships. The relationship built between two high school friends. The relationship between a mentor and her intern. The relationship between a couple that brought them all together. And the relationship between a business and its audience—a two-way exchange of encouragement and authenticity that has amplified the voices of women for 15 years and will continue to do so into the future. Key Takeaways Details on the night Philippe and Justin sketched the rough idea for Refinery29 on the back of a bar napkin One of Justin’s biggest regrets How long it took them to launch the first iteration of Refinery29 and how much it cost What the first version looked like and how the launch was received At what point they left their jobs and started monetizing the site The stats—audience size, subscribers, event sales—that show how their business is doing now The new media model and what to consider if you plan to start a media company When a bootstrapped company should start monetizing Monetization models for media companies Exciting moves coming up for Refinery29

Piera Gelardi founded Refinery29 as a catalyst for women to claim their power. And today, she leads a digital media and entertainment empire. Piera talks about the important role her customers play in Refinery29 and 29Rooms, and how being a new mother impacts her creativity.

Continuing our exploration into the world of "Selfie Palaces," in this episode we speak with Albie Hueston, Creative Director behind Refinery29's hugely popular installation, 29Rooms. 29Rooms first emerged in 2015 as an immersive story-telling experience intended to spark conversations addressing current events with the aim of disrupting pop-culture. As one of the original immersive art experiences--around long before The Museum of Ice Cream--we ask Albie how 29Rooms is different from other "selfie palaces" and whether or not this label has affected the way the Refinery29 team approaches the curation of these experiences. We also discuss:the artists and creatives responsible for bringing 29Rooms to lifethe roll social media plays in these experiences29Rooms latest roll-out of "cellphone free" zonesand where he sees the future of art experiences headed

What makes you post a photo to Instagram? What space is truly worthy of a post? Are we willing to destroy nature for a good pic? This week on Why’d You Push That Button, Vox’s Kaitlyn Tiffany and The Verge's Ashley Carman discuss the characteristics that create an Instagram-worthy place. First things first, we talk to former social media manager at The Verge, Zainab Hasnain, about all of the Instagram-oriented pop-ups she’s visited. We also chat with Kristina Alaneisse about parties she hosts at local cool-kid spot China Chalet. Then, as a special treat to wrap up our Instagram mini-series, we have two expert guests. The first is Eliza Brooke, a freelance writer who has incredible design sensibilities. The second is Piera Gelardi, executive creative director and co-founder of Refinery29, about the media company’s 29Rooms exhibition where visitors can play in 29 different rooms and snap some photos while they’re at it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As two of the four co-founders of media and entertainment company Refinery29, Philippe von Borries and Piera Gelardi have used a pro-women, taboo-shattering ethos to build a behemoth catering to the interests and cravings of young women that reaches an audience of upwards of half a billion globally across platforms. It is an audience that brands love (and to hear Refinery's founders tell it, an audience that loves brands back). The couple joins the podcast today as their 29Rooms event packs up in New York and prepares to head to California in December. The two of them — who have also spent the last 13 years as a married couple — discuss the journey, working and living together, and what comes next. 

Easily one of the most stylish women in NY — Crystal Anderson is a grounded, deep thinker but she also doesn’t believe in taking yourself too seriously which I LOVE. She has practical tips about mental health & truly expresses herself through her unique personal style. She’s currently Man Repeller’s COO (chief operations officer) and before joining MR, she launched Refinery 29’s insanely popular experiential event 29Rooms.Crystal’s style ethos: “Getting dressed is an intentional thing that you have to do each day. But it’s for you. It’s not something for work or something you have to do with your partner — it’s just for you”Listen to hear us discuss:- Not taking yourself too seriously when it comes to self-presentation- How to maintain sanity in today’s crazy news cycle- Seeing herself in Leandra Medine’s content for ManRepeller and embracing an anti-sexy/anti-approval aesthetic- Her experience at Howard University and HBCU fashions- Growing up mixed race and what her Italian father taught her and her siblings about how they’ll be perceived- Coping with OCD and nurturing her Mental Health- Dealing with panic attacks and having perspective about taking medication and getting therapy- Sad desk lunches- Why she loves the dewy look & clumpy mascara- Baby hairs & why black women can’t seem to have ANYTHING of our own- White women in braids- Is Kim Kardashian the ultimate troll? Taylor Swift for that matter too…- Wig Culture & Tokyo Stylez- Why crystal wants to be Lukka Sabbat and Yara Shahidi’s aunty- Crystal’s skincare routine (I was shocked to hear her age!)- Her 18 tattoos & her approach to getting tatted- Weight loss and macro nutrient tracking …….. & more!Products & Things Mentioned:Read about Crystal’s awesome job at Man Repeller: https://www.manrepeller.com/2018/04/crystal-anderson.htmlHer experience at an in-patient mental health facility & what she’s learned: https://www.manrepeller.com/2018/05/5-things-mental-health.html Where to buy Marula Oil: https://amzn.to/2N4f10CIf you’re dying for the $80 Version of Marula Oil: https://seph.me/2L6BQA9Drunk Elephant PolyPeptide Lotion: https://seph.me/2E1qWeVArgan Oil: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PGAP3E2Milk Make-Up Facegloss for the dewy look: https://seph.me/2zpUSQG MACMineralize SkinFinish the bronzer she keeps coming back to: https://bit.ly/2xwClMcDr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Pads (lots of chemicals, they kind of sting but in the best way possible): https://seph.me/2L8nu5TCamille Rose Naturals (great products for natural hair): https://www.camillerosenaturals.comShea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Milk for those edges: https://www.amazon.com/Shea-Moisture-Coconut-Hibiscus-Style/dp/B0038TYTSO?th=1 Shea Moisture Body Oil: https://amzn.to/2uiubIXStrong Mom’s Instagram that helped Crystal on her weightless journey: https://www.instagram.com/strongmomsofthedietdoc/Gucci Bloom for when she’s feeling ‘ladylike’: https://on.gucci.com/2NL8adwPalo Santo Oil (we’re both obsessed with this): https://bit.ly/2N7Xg0AFollow Crystal on IG: https://www.instagram.com/beerbottles_chainsaws/Follow Naked Beauty Planet on IG: https://www.instagram.com/nakedbeautyplanet/Sponsor Love: Curology, incredible customized skincare with a special offer for Naked Beauty listeners with the link: curolo.gy/nakedbeauty to get your 1st month free today, just pay $4.95 shipping Rate & review the show if you love it so other likeminded listeners can discover the #nakedbeautypodcast: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naked-beauty-podcast/id1131628553?mt=2This episode was mixed by Laila OwedaJoin the #nakedbeautypodcast community on Instagram:

On this week's episode, I'm joined by artist and graphic designer Salpy to discuss the merits and faults of the so-called "selfie museum," art exhibits that seem to provide less culture and more IG-worthy backgrounds. We discuss well-known exhibits like the Museum of Ice Cream, The Color Factory, and 29Rooms. Is the selfie museum an accessible and interactive way to experience art, or a cash cow for shallow corporate sponsors? Listen to the episode, and you be the judge. Follow the Stuff I Don't Like Podcast on IG and Twitter, both @_stuffidontlike. Also check out stuffidontlike.net for a complete listing of places where you can stream the show.

The great Carly Ann Filbin (UCB) joins Tracy & Jessie on #Regretsville to talk about her two biggest regrets: leaving her sister by herself at home after her parents told them they were getting a divorce and, more generally, the situations where she gives her power away. Plus, Tracy binges Insecure and regrets not starting sooner, Jessie always looking for content Jolles is accused of line-cutting at #29Rooms, and Carly doesnt wear a helmet while biking (which is NOT okay!!)