A few standout quotes:

Maliaka Manning: Global Brand Manager at Fenty Beauty

“You can influence people but the way you get them to buy your product is to imbed it in
their emotional system and the way you do that is by building community’”

“When you create a brand identity the goal is to be memorable. Take Nike for example,
they’re evoking emotion into every campaign they do and they’re prioritizing shared
experiences that a-lot of people can relate to. Evoke emotion through your brand identity
so your customers feel like they are relating to you and that you aren’t just a faceless
brand.”

Toni Payne: Branding Strategist; formerly Topicals + Coach
“I don’t think celebrities are influencers. The people around them are the ones that
influence them to make decisions and purchase or promote a product. So for me, it’s
about figuring out the people around you that are actually the influence for you.”

Lindsey Drennan: Commercial photographer; formerly Vogue
“Invest the time and resources into your brand identity first. If you want to be a million
dollar brand you have to look like a million dollar brand.”

A few standout quotes:

LaToya Williams-Belfort: Executive Director at Fifteen Percent Pledge
“Running a non-profit is very different from running a business. Aurora and I were able to
bridge the gap because she had the entrepreneurial experience and knew how to run a
business and I had executive and non-profit experience”

“Really drill down on the brand story, vision, why you have this idea and what makes it
special because that is what investors are going to want to know.”

“Ask yourself; how are you building community? How are you showing up in spaces that
they’ve told us as marginalized individuals or communities we shouldn’t have access to?
Use your economic power to uplift other people and brands.”

Nikki Kria: Head of Communications at Kickstarter
“Make sure people are comfortable sharing an idea and let them know that it is needed.
Take time before moving to the next agenda item to give people the chance to add something to the conversation. Give people the space to contribute to an idea and let
them know that their feedback is appreciated.”

A few standout quotes:

Alison Ryu: Brand Partnerships Manager at TikTok
“Founder stories really resonate on TikTok because its a story telling app. I’ve seen so
many small businesses blow up because they tell their story and how they founded their
brand or story. If you’re looking to use TikTok as a platform to expand your reach, I think
creating videos and a volume of content does go a long way. You never know what will
take off and you never know what audience you’ll reach.”

Imani Nia: VP of Sales, Strategy & Partnerships at Brandon Blackwood NYC
“Brandon always said he wanted the brand to be affordable enough for his friends and
peers to buy the products and it stuck with us since the beginning. No matter the
partnership, we always make sure to maintain our brand values which is making sure the
product is accessible.”

Milly Millhauser: Content Partnerships at Spotify
“When sending a deck to someone, think about who you are presenting to and who is
reading it. Sometimes a one page deck is great for most situations but if you are
someone who is really good at audio visual assets, don’t be afraid to do it. Never limit
yourself on how you should present your brand.”

“Generally, the key to success for any creator, entrepreneur and business is consistency.
When I’m talking to someone that is creating a new show [on Spotify] I really harp on the
importance of consistency whether it’s how long your episodes are, the subject of your
episodes, your POV on the general overall mission of the podcast or making sure you are
releasing on a consistent schedule.”