by Bree Weber

It all began with wanting to change the world. Jamie Cross left a comfortable and profitable corporate banking job over five years ago. She wanted to be home with her young children, but she also longed for an idea that she could turn into something bigger than herself. Jamie now runs the largest growing organic soap company in the country. MIG Soap stands for Mighty in Good, and it’s made only of ingredients that are safe (and often delicious) enough to eat. MIG Soap grossed over six figures as a local farmer’s market booth, but then Jamie grew the company to over $2 million sales in one year using Click Funnels.

Jamie had decided early on that she wouldn’t be taking her products to a retail model. MIG Soap is not a standard soap, so why use a standard distribution strategy? Instead, Jamie spent four years selling her products at Denver’s local farmers markets as a form of market research. “I needed to understand what people wanted. I came to a point when I decided it was time to scale and decided to go direct to consumer.“

Next, she did what most entrepreneurs do. She found mentors and hired coaches, but she wasn’t getting the results that she wanted from them. In her digital marketing research, she came across a video of Russell Brunson talking about Click Funnels. “His marketing message resonated with me and I was so inspired, I decided to go all in. He was talking about both marketing principles and techniques, and he was nailing it on everything. His mission is so much bigger than business; he wants to impact people, which is my mission.”

It all came down to creating an experience for her customers. Websites can be distracting — there’s navigation and menus and plenty to click on. When Jamie started using Russell’s tactics to create her sales funnel, she was able to focus the customer’s experience down to a single product — a hero product. Click Funnels are a sales progression that break down people’s false belief patterns. So, Jamie used her funnel to bust myths about organic soap. She explained how MIG Soap’s products are made with real ingredients with the intention to heal people. She showed that her company is one of the fastest-growing skincare companies in the world right now. She shared her story about what Mighty in Good really means. “I grew up as a farm girl, so we were always making things for ourselves. But then I grew up and went to work in corporate, and little by little I lost that dream of making. When I quit my job, I prayed for a big idea, and soap was what I saw in my dream — me making soap and pouring oils into these skincare products.” 

And then, when those customers were riveted with her story and clamoring to buy, that sales funnel would continue to work for her, by introducing complementary products that customers could add onto their order. This is exactly how she scaled her business to $2 million. But she’s not stopping. “I wanted to be able to raise my children and show them the entrepreneurial life, so they can have what I have. I want to build an empire and the only way to do that is through entrepreneurship. “ 

Jamie credits her immense success to learning the techniques and principles that inform her selling process, but she also has a tremendous entrepreneurial spirit. It’s practically unheard of to build a product-based company of MIG Soap’s size and scale without traditional retail distribution. But if anyone has ever believed in a product, it was Jamie. “I knew I was different, and what I had was unique. It all starts with belief. I knew if I didn’t give up and continued to educate people I could only win. You can only dominate if you keep moving forward and believe.“ 

Not every soap company is as honest with their marketing as MIG Soap. There are plenty of companies marketing their products as natural, organic, and pure, but there are very few actually creating products that are. Jamie studied chemistry, alchemy, and herbalism, so she could formulate her own products. Then she partnered with bee farms, apiaries, and botanical gardens to source those natural, organic, and pure ingredients. “You could eat our products if you were stranded on a desert island. If you can’t eat it, I wouldn’t put it on my skin." 

MIG Soap has brought freedom and choice to Jamie’s life. She no longer wears every hat. She’s been careful to replace herself with rock stars who believe in her vision and implement it in the way she would. This allows Jamie to focus on continuing to grow her company, while simultaneously fulfilling her original goal: to spend more time with her family. Jamie now works two days a week with her husband at her side, and spends the rest of her time adventuring with her family, enriching their lives with experiences they’ll never forget. “I've dreamed about taking my 'beauty from the inside out' message and health and wellness movement to the world, and now our message is being platformed everywhere. It's truly a dream come true.“ ​

by Krystal Covington, MBA

We all have that friend -- she's fun, sassy and a little unconventional -- simple gifts like a sparkly necklace or winter sweater just won't do. Here's a few ideas to get your friend a gift she won't be getting 10 times over this season.

This visual book is filled with powerful quotes and details of the lives of some of the most impactful women in recent history from Maya Angelou, Gloria Steinem, and Virginia Woolf to Sojourner Truth, Malala Yousafzai, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Recommended by Oprah Magazine, these portable wine glasses are the perfect gift for the wine lover. With a spill-proof lid these glass containers can carry a glass of wine in a purse or bag without spilling. ​

This beautifully illustrated book series will introduce the ladies in your life to dozens of historical women who were trailblazers, creators and innovators of their time. This set is a great gift for adults and youth alike

Show your tea loving friend she has flavor by giving the gift of an assortment of green blends. 

If your friend loves spice AND travel, snag this unique global hot sauce sampler set, so she can taste the heat from all over the world. 

Celebrate the greats of times past and present by building a decorative space in their honor. 

Moving to a new home or apartment? Get her prepared for household improvements and quick fix moments with this helpful toolkit. 

A great gift for the social butterfly, this game cube provides hours of conversational fun for hostesses. 

Krystal Covington, MBA

This time of year there's a lot of talk about being thankful and having the holiday spirit, but we don't always feel up to it when the season comes around. 

As professional women with a lot going on it's easy to focus on daily survival:

• Get the work done.
• Tend to the children.
• Make dinner/pack lunch.
• Clean up, sleep repeat.

And during the holidays we're adding:

• Plan holiday dinners and winter travel.
• Attend holiday parties.
• Send greeting cards.
• Buy gifts.

All of this leaves little time and energy to feel thankful.

My thoughts for you as we move closer into these moments of potential overwhelm are this.

• Remember what your values are: What's truly important to you may not lie in the traditions of the season. Remember who you are and what matters in your life and when you find yourself getting lost in others' expectations take a moment to separate from the situation and focus on the values that matter. 

 

• Don't allow what you should do to stress you out:  I worked with a wise coach who pointed out my major flaw of regularly acting based on what I thought I should be doing at any given moment. He explained that should creates stress and our focus should be on what we want instead. I want to delight my family by serving an amazing pie, instead of, I should make pie because everyone always asks for it. Just changing that language makes a huge difference in the emotions tied to the action. 

 

• Tap into your community: Who are the people in your life that bring you back to balance? Prioritize relationships that help you feel at ease and allow you to be your true self without judgement. Sometimes the best person for that job might be you, so be sure to schedule yourself non-negotiable alone time to pause, regenerate, and reflect. 

I truly wish you an amazing holiday season and hope to see you at our December Women of Denver events.

by Krystal Covington

Winter in Denver is never a dull season. When you're not out on a mountain adventure these free activities will give you tons to smile about. (Note: while some activities are free they may tempt you to purchase holiday goodies or food.)

Denver Christkindl Market, November 16 – December 23
The Christkindl Market at Skyline Park includes vendors from Germany, Ukraine, Ireland and other countries, as well as local artisans, offering high-quality, handcrafted gifts such as traditional hand-carved wooden figurines, handmade candles and ornaments. Traditional German food, warm Glühwein (hot spiced wine), and traditional Christmas carols and live German music make the market a full holiday experience.

Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park, November 20, 2018 – February 3, 2019
One of the most popular holiday events in Denver, the Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park returns in 2018 with ice skating and family fun. The rink is FREE and open to the public with the option to bring your own skates or rent a pair at a minimal cost.

Grand Illumination, November 23
On the Friday after Thanksgiving, Downtown Denver's major landmarks will light up for the holidays during the Grand Illumination. The event features entertainment and lighting ceremonies at Denver Union Station and the City & County Building. Hundreds of thousands of lights will also illuminate the 16th Street Mall, Skyline Park, the D&F Clock Tower, 14th Street, Larimer Square and more.

Light the Lights: City & County Building Holiday Lights, November 23 – December 31
The largest lighting display in Denver comes on nightly at 6 p.m. at the City & County Building, where 600,000 lights deck the neo-classical building. The bell tower plays carols nightly as well.

Denver Holiday Flea, Fridays - Sundays, November 23-December 16 
The Denver Holiday Flea is a contemporary marketplace showcasing makers and retailers who cultivate the Colorado lifestyle. This year's biggest and best ever Denver Flea will be the 10th annual; and it will take place on the Plaza at Denver Union Station.

Ice Skating Rink at DEN, November 23, 2018 – January 6, 2019
Back for a second year, Denver International Airport's (DEN) free ice skating rink will be on the DEN Plaza for everyone to enjoy daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. This year's rink will be bigger and will be accompanied by a variety of entertainment and family-friendly music playing in the background.

9NEWS Parade of Lights, Nov. 30 (8 p.m.) and Dec 1 (6 p.m.)
The 9NEWS Parade of Lights is a signature event of the Denver holiday season. The countless sparkling lights, marching bands, majestic floats and delightful characters will once again wow hundreds of thousands. Viewing along the parade route is free, and grandstand tickets are sold for seating in front of the beautifully illuminated City & County Building.

Denver Jackalope Holiday Market, December 8-12
Celebrate the holiday season with Jackalope, an indie artisan market on December 9th and 10th from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the newly renovated McNichols Civic Center Building downtown. Shop more than 150 handmade vendors from art and photography, fashion and accessory design, home decor, housewares and more. Enjoy local food, full bar, and DIY workshops at this free and family friendly event.

New Year's Eve Fireworks 
The sky will once again sparkle over downtown Denver at the close of 2018 with the New Year's Eve Fireworks Downtown. The two spectacular fireworks shows will occur at the family-friendly hour of 9 p.m. and the traditional midnight. For the best viewpoints, stand along the 16th Street Mall, where there will also be costumed entertainers including magicians, mascots, balloon artists, stilt walkers and comedians.

You'll find more activities like these at VISITDENVER.

Written by Krystal Covington, MBA

Career change isn’t just for twenty-somethings. According to AARP, 40 percent of people working at age 62 had changed their careers since they turned 55. Baby boomers are the first generation to break the norm and routinely change careers after 50.

Jonna Tellinghuisen is no stranger to switching careers.

Launching her own company at just 24, she began a career offering customized accounting software during a time when corporations had begun making the switch from manual bookkeeping to automated computer software. As a legacy entrepreneur, Jonna used her skills and business savvy to eventually build a team of eight who provided accounting software training to large corporations.
​
After becoming a wife and mother, Jonna joined her husband as the owner and operator of a 5000+ herd, family-run dairy farm in Iowa where they managed a team of 37 employees. She took the lead on maintaining employee files, payroll, loans and anything related to accounting for the business. At 49, Jonna and her husband made the decision to retire and sell the farm.

After just 3 years in retirement, Jonna felt the itch again and was led to start a new business. With 6 daughters, finding the right business was easy.

​By Nina Sonovia Brown, MS, LPC

Gain control over your life and go after your goals by controlling your breath.  According to a Frontiers in Psychology study, belly breathing triggers the body’s relaxation responses, which can aid in improving mental and physical health. In just twenty sessions over an eight week period, participants in the study were able to reduce their stress levels and improve their attention span significantly.  This breathing technique is also called “diaphragmatic breathing” or “deep breathing", and is considered to be an integral part of yoga practices.

Try it now: While sitting or standing, image a balloon is attached to your head and extend your spine.  In as little as five breaths or as long as five minutes, relax your jaw, neck, and shoulders. Begin to breathe from your chest to fill your lungs with air. Relax and push the air out from your belly. You can also place your hands on your chest and abdomen to feel motion as you inhale and exhale with each breath. 

There are multiple forms of diaphragmatic breathing. The use of one in another study seeking to treat anxiety found that this method is less invasive than drugs because it doesn’t involve using neurotransmitters in the brain. Controlled breathing has been shown to offset the harmful effect of stress and negative thought patterns.

Try it now: While sitting or standing,  image a balloon is attached to your head and extend your spine.  In as little as five breaths or as long as five minutes, relax your jaw, neck, and shoulders. Breath out a specific color and breath in a different color. Chose colors that represent things that you would like to get more of (breath in) and get rid of (breath out). Try this for one to five minutes daily.
​

 ​Nina Sonovia Brown, MS, LPC is an Emotional Intelligence Expert for corporations, schools, and individuals. She is also a Mindfulness Teacher, College Professional, and CEO of Solonco, an emotional intelligence, and mindfulness training company.

Written by Joce Blake

The Women of Denver Podcast has interviewed eight badass women over the past few months. Here's an overview of the biggest lessons I learned interviewing each woman and why you should go back to hear these stories.

Lieutenant Governor Donna Lynne
Service - Donna Lynne talked about her dedication to helping others. She learned this from her family and it fueled her passion to fight for justice.
Listen

Melanie Ulle and Virginia Santy, co-founders of Women in Kind
Difference isn’t deficiency. - These WinK founders highlighted the value in difference and how it makes workplaces more successful.
Listen

Jordan Casteel, Painter and Assistant Professor
Being a voice to the voiceless. - Jordan watched her mother, Lauren Casteel, hold and create space for community and justice. Her ancestry energized her to marry her message with her art to create timeless paintings.
Listen

Gail Lindley, CEO of the Denver Bookbinding company
Perseverance - Gail faced many challenges as a womanpreneur but yet she persisted. She always showed up for the race even when she was out of her league.
Listen

Vanessa Longseth, founder of Adventure Generations
Adventure - This theme has been a driving force in Vanessa’s life for years. It has helped her find a lesson in every experience. 
Listen

Colorado Senator, MD, and mother of 3, Irene Aguilar
Selfish vs Self-full - There is power in being fulfilled without feeling like you aren’t meeting others expectations. Irene spoke passionately about being intentional and careful about what’s best for you. It made me think of Iyanla Vanzant’s quote, “My cup runneth over.’ What comes out of the cup is for y’all. What’s in the cup is mine. But I’ve got to keep my cup full.”
Listen

Makisha Boothe, Founder of Sistahpreneurs“Queen of the Quickstart”
Grace will take you places hustling can’t - Growing up in Harlem, Makisha was surrounded by hustlers but she found that softening up was the key to extending compassion. Through her view of success, she found unshakable faith and learned the meaning of perseverance. “Your past prepares you for your purpose,” Booth said.
Listen

Julie Larkin
Take space for yourself - My co-host taught me the most throughout this journey of season two. She taught me the vast importance of slowing down to speed up. As women, we want to take on everything but there’s power in “no.” I have to take care of me because if I don’t, I can’t create and be my best self to live my best life.
Listen

by Krystal Covington, MBA
​
Every Sunday like clockwork I'd grab my supplies, commandeer the bathroom, and begin my process. 

Shampoo -- 2 minutes
Conditioner - 10 minutes with a plastic cap
Heat protectant - 3 minutes distributing throughout with a paddle brush
Blowdryer - 30 minutes while paddle brushing straight and fanning away the smoke
Flat iron - 90-120 minutes with an iron and a rat-tooth comb
Total time -- 135-165 minutes

I was a pro; whipping the flat iron like a cowboy in an old western while watching a movie on Netflix. Long strands of hair and tiny pieces of broken ends fell all over the floor around me, but never did I consider the ramifications. This was the ONLY way, so I had to keep pressing. 

I could only exercise on Sunday morning or maybe Saturday evening if I didn't have anywhere to go the next day, because sweating caused my hair to puff up in the roots. My hair was a weekly chore, but I did my duty happily to fit the appearance I was told was beautiful, professional, and kempt -- anything else was considered unattractive, unprofessional and unkempt. 

It wasn't until moving to Denver that this process came to an end. 

When I left Detroit I chose to leave my car behind and embrace Denver's incredible public transit system. I had a place right in the city just a 20 minute walk from the light rail, and my job was about a half mile from the stop. Uber was everywhere and other tools such as ZipCar and Car2Go made it easy to grab a vehicle when I needed one. 

The only issue is, Denver's weather is unpredictable to say the least. After being rained on, sweating due to the sun's hot rays, and even splashed by vehicles while crossing the street I knew something had to change. I spent nearly everyday straightening my hair and I knew my strands couldn't take the heat, so I found a curly hair expert to support my transition. 

Why was going natural such a big deal?

Hair is not only emotional, it's also political. We receive tons of messages growing up about what represents professionalism and beauty and we take those in as truth we live our lives by. My mother wore straight hair and she was the epitome of a beautiful, professional woman. I looked to her as the model for how I should look. 

I also learned in school tips for a polished appearance for interviews and job progression. All of the photos they showed us featured straight hair, pulled back or curled. 

And the biggest challenge of all was the actual reactions of people I worked with during the few times I did dare to wear my natural texture out to the office. Rarely did I receive a compliment; my look was typically met with stares, comparisons with early images of Whitney Houston, or comments such as "you should wear it kinky more often, it suits you." I never quite felt kinky was the word I wanted to hear when it came to my hair, so I avoided my natural look at all costs.  

Making the transition

To get through this transition I needed support. I talked with lots of women who went through the same journey, and who encouraged me along the way. I joined local groups centered on discussing natural hair solutions and found a hairdresser specially trained to make my hair look its best, but emotionally I probably needed a psychologist to join the party too. 

I was going against the standards I was taught, challenging my old belief patterns, and needed to completely rewire my brain in order to make this work. 

Every photo I took looked hideous, I was afraid of what others thought at work, and I was nervous to get behind the camera as part of my job of recording short news and interview segments for my role in internal communications. I was kind of a wreck.

The only thing that gave me courage was knowing that this was the only way to save my hair from ultimately falling out. Wearing a wig for me was simply not an option. With that in mind, I continued on. 

Becoming unexpectedly free

I remember hearing a story of a woman who'd cut off her long hair and went natural for the freedom of living her life uninhibited. I thought it was an exaggeration. How could hair change your life that much?

What I didn't expect was the true feeling of authenticity and freedom that accompanied the journey.

It did take people at work some time to warm up to me and my new look, but I was still treated with the same level of professionalism and respect I was accustomed to, which quickly eased my fears of being viewed as unkempt. 

The most incredible part of the transition was finally being able to escape all of my fears. I could handle a few drops of rain, get sweaty during the week, and even shower without being worried about water touching my head. Best of all, my weekend routine wasn't filled with hours of smoke inhalation as I burned by hair unnaturally straight. 

Once I began to start appreciating my new look, I felt more confident and happier with my appearance simply because people were accepting me and what I felt was my true self -- the self I'd been hiding for so many years.

The value of authenticity

There's so much we could unravel here, but for many of us we spend so much of our time at work playing a role that's far from our reality. The very nature of work invites us to build a facade, put on a show, and fit the mold of what we believe is a good corporate woman. 

Whether you're being inauthentic with your hair, pretending to be an extrovert (guilty) or using masculinity as a tool for rising the ranks as a woman, all roads lead to feeling uncomfortable in our own skin. 

How powerful would you feel if you rose up the ranks playing the role of yourself?

You'd know that it was only what's inside of you that got you there and you can release yourself from the added burden of trying to cover up the real you at all times. That's true power. 

​How we can support each other.
​
Here's a few ways you can support women going through the transition I did. These can be translated to other aspects of life at work in addition to hair. 

• Remind her that she doesn't have to hide -- I remember finding myself hiding behind people, sitting in the back of a meeting, or hurriedly avoiding groups for fear of feedback about my hair. A very supportive male friend at work helped draw me back out by letting me know he noticed I was hiding, assumed it was my hair, and wanted me to know I still deserved to be upfront even as I get comfortable with the new me. 
• Make sure she knows her value -- One of my biggest concerns was that somehow changing my hair would reduce my value as an employee and cause me to lose favor. Had I been demoted, laid off, or mistreated in any way during that time I would have attributed it to my hair transition even if it wasn't true. That high sensitivity means giving reassurance that she's a strong contributor to the team is essential for her confidence. The biggest moment for me was when I was hired for a director position after interviewing for the first time in my life with curly hair. It meant the world to know that I could still be chosen as the authentic me.
• Be careful what you praise -- We all have our preferences, but sharing them out loud can really be a trigger for others. Some people teach avoiding compliments at work altogether, but since the workplace is a human environment be sure to watch how often you compliment your straight haired colleagues in front of a newly natural woman in transition. She's definitely counting each time you run your fingers through a colleague's hair. 

by Krystal Covington

For startups, gaining the capital to scale through hiring great talent, investing in marketing, and revving up development efforts can be the difference between a 3-year stint or becoming the next Uber. 

Equity funding has been instrumental in helping many great companies succeed in their growth efforts because it offers owners an influx of cash to invest in the business in exchange for ownership rather than a debt + interest relationship. This means the investors financing the business get paid only if the company does well, so they have an interest in the company's success and often play a supportive role in helping that company success. 

Today, men receive about 9 times more equity funding than women do, which means they are more likely to get the cash they need to scale a business and reach a high level of financial success. 

In honor of our upcoming Denver Startup Week Panel event we asked our panelists to share what they think was their #1 key to there success. Here's what they shared.

Jaclyn Fu, Co-Founder and CEO of Pepper (Currently closing her pre-seed round) - Being passionate and infectious with our mission.

Amy Baglan, CEO & Founder of MeetMindful ($8mm) - My commitment to authentic communication, no matter who I’m talking to.

Jennifer McMillen, Co-Founder of Tripcents ($550k) - Honesty - in all aspects - being honest with myself when something's not working, being honest with celebrating both the small and big wins even when others have doubts, and most of all, being honest with my co-founders and team by making transparency a priority

Investors on our panel also shared their insights on how women can start earning a greater share of the capital. 

Emily Winslow, CEO of Peak Impact Consulting (Investor) - Female-founded and led companies are more capital efficient and in the long term have more success with less capital. Women tend to be more conservative than men in their “ask," seeking only as much financing as they currently need. Such restraint has pros and cons for both individual female-run businesses and for the investment ecosystem. As women continue to build good businesses for their customers and employees while achieving high returns on investment, more capital will be attracted to their ventures. Moreover, when over $30 trillion is conveyed during coming years to women and millennials in “the great wealth transfer,” our current economic system will experience a dramatic shake-up, resulting in women investors gaining the capacity to direct more capital towards female entrepreneurs.

Heather Mackenzie, SheEO U.S. Launch Team (Investor) - I think one way is networking - strategically, not just a shotgun blast approach, or throwing noodles at the wall and seeing what sticks - but truly learning about the networks they wish to enter, finding allies in them and strategically building alliances.  I firmly believe we need good men in the mix to help build those bridges to the men who just don't get it - so finding male allies with strong connections into investor networks is one way, and of course I believe in the power of women too, so start looking at all the female VC networks popping up
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To hear from these women in person, visit our upcoming Denver Startup Week Panel on Thursday, September 27 from 4-5 p.m. at Capital One Cafe (1550 Wewatta Street) Register online here.