Rachel Linsky has found a new way to keep the history and the story of the Holocaust alive through dance…one step at a time. Using stories from survivors, Rachel choreographs and performs their stories. Her dancers come from all backgrounds and religions and their own interpretation is incorporated in the dance.
‘We hold this history of the Holocaust and the importance of keeping it alive. But if we all remain in our own community bubbles, studying only our histories how can we learn and keep the histories alive?’
Yes, a nightmare for most women is the thought of shopping for a bathing suit. Actually, it’s usually more like a hunt – hunting for one that you not only would wear, but would make you feel good wearing it. That hunt led Melanie Travis to Founder and CEO of Andie Swim. It had nothing to do with the garment industry or wanting to start a swimwear line. What it did have to do with was the frustration of trying to find one for a company retreat. The tiny dressing rooms, the lack of variety, her exasperating online experience all turned a lightbulb on for Melanie.
The Creation
The lightbulb turned into the creation of Andie Swimwear, a collection of bathing suits that women can feel good in,. The swimsuits are classic, high quality and affordable without the anxiety of trying them on in a tiny dressing rooms. A direct-to-consumer shopping experience. And the experience is empowering.
‘Made for life’s sunniest moments, so you can spend less time thinking about your swimsuit and more time making memories.’ – Andie Swim. Andie Swim just made the Lead’s 2020 FOREMOST 50 list of high-growth D2C brands that are reinventing the future of fashion and retail. https://the-lead.co/the-foremost-50-2020/
This week Melanie and I will chat about:
The hunt and the inspiration for finding the “perfect suit”
The beginning of her Crowdfunding Campaign
The start of the first collection
The Mykonos and it’s sellout
E-commerce, technology and and the consumer
The at-home-try-on shopping experience
Why the D2C (Direct-to-consumer) model
Perfect fit – how does this work
Funding process
Letting experts in without fear
Some advice for others starting out
Covid and swimwear
What’s next
The New Year is almost here. Yes, two days from today. The last few months have been tumultuous to say the least. Baking and jigsaw puzzling were among the craze. For me it was connections – old and new. Connecting with extraordinary and inspiring women – a diverse group of women from all over the world. And a diverse group of topics to have conversations about. Happy, sad, inspiring and candid, we were let into their lives.
What does 2021 hold for us? I’m going to predict that 2021 will bring us hope and inspiration from extraordinary and inspiring women – women who are making a difference in our world!
I want to thank all of you who have come along for this amazing journey!
Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!
Love, loss, healing, camping, adventure, misadventure and that RV
Laura Fahrenthold is a former NY Daily News crime reporter. She has worked as a government press secretary, private investigator and content editor at Woman’s World Magazine for over two decades.
Her memoir, ‘The Pink Steering Wheel Chronicles, A Love Story’ has been ranked as a ‘Top 20 Hot Pick’ on Amazon. Laura has appeared on national television and her story has been featured on People.com and The New York Post in addition to other news, radio and internet outlets.
Laura Fahrenthold hadn’t given much thought to traveling across the country. That is until she and her two young daughters suffered an unspeakable tragedy, the sudden death of Mark Pittman, husband and father. As a result of looking to find a way to heal, Laura and her daughters embarked on a five year, 31,152 mile adventure across the country. Every summer vacation was spent in their 1993 RV with the pink steering wheel. 31,152 miles as they sprinkled his husband’s ashes across N. America.
The journey came with lots of adventure, misadventures, tears and laughter:
Laura’s husband – Mark Pittman
The evening before Thanksgiving
Finding the way and pitching a tent at the beginning
‘HaRVey’ the RV and a stray dog
Spreading his ashes and McDonalds
The people you meet
Dealing and healing – each in their own way
Finding his journal – the surprise
Laura has interviewed more than 60,000 subjects on topics from health parenting and motherhood to fitness and finance. She is a regular contributor to humor writer Erma Bombeck’s memorial blog.
Michelle Moran – Learning how to cope and faking it till she made it.
Michelle went from living in her car with her 6 month old son, to becoming the pioneer of wearable skincare and a multi-million dollar business. In the middle, she bet it all. Michelle Moran, Founder & Creator of Skineez®, CEO of Legends & Heroes. Skineez® Skincarewear®, which uses patented microencapsulation technology to deliver natural cosmetic ingredients to the skin to firm, tone, and slim.
Twenty years ago she was couch surfing – yes – it’s a thing. Her friends had no idea that she was actually living in her car, a single mom with a six month old son. Learning how to cope and faking it till she made it. Michelle wanted to be a newscaster but was held back from that goal by her dyslexia. She knew she had to be the best that she possibly could be. For Michelle that meant making sure that having dyslexia did not hold her back from a life of giving back. Hiding her literacy issue, Michelle forged ahead. Starting with the creation of Legends and Heroes T-Shirts from her car to the invention of wearable skincare, Michelle has been giving back. And so, even while living in her car, creating Legends and Heroes, Michelle donated part of her proceeds to the children in the inner cities. Did I happen to mention that Michelle’s son is on the autism spectrum?
