What was me

Forgive me for the cheesy content of this post, but...

I just got an email from the really nice guy who was our driver when I was on tour in Europe with one of my bands in 2009. He's working on a zine and wanted to check in on what people have been doing with their lives in the five years since we toured together. It was so nice to hear from him, and I'm suddenly flooded with so much nostalgia that I can't even handle it.

It was only four years ago that I stopped being an active musician. Just four tiny years have gone by, but it feels like a lifetime. I used to live/breathe/eat/sleep music. My band mates were my family, our music was my obsession. We spent so many hours rehearsing together in windowless rooms. Drove thousands of miles to shows that sometimes no one came to. I remember Alex sleeping on the roof of the van because it was so warm out. Steve's poorly-timed execution of an inside joke scaring the shit out of Carly on the highway. AJ's threat of air horn revenge in New Orleans. Ladyfest in TJ, and that tarantula near the well. Josh and Josh, Steve and Steve. That girl in Poland. That idiot kid in Arcata.

It's weird. I'm still the same person, but it feels like someone else's life. I'm lucky that it was mine.

xoChr

(photo above is from a house show in Tijuana. the best times.)

Why marketing?

Marketing is all about storytelling. It’s where creativity and strategy meet.

To me, a company’s brand is among its most treasured assets. Too often, companies dilute the sanctity of their brand to reach more consumers in search of higher profits. Marketers are the guardians of brand, we are the champions of legacy. I love this element. I love the romance of history, of backstory, of origin. Marketers have the unique opportunity to translate a brand's story to reach everyday people in ways that are meaningful. 

Of course marketing isn’t all about this romance. It’s also about strategy. It's about understanding who the customer is on the most basic level and then reaching that person in a way that is natural to them. It's much easier than it sounds, of course, but I enjoy a challenge.  

One of the reasons I decided to get an MBA is to make an official switch from marketing in the architecture industry to the retail world. Through working on Fancy French Cologne, I found that retail marketing was a space where innovation is truly valued. The architecture industry on the other hand is much more rooted in the old way of doing things, much slower (understandably) to adapt to new forms of reaching clients. Perhaps because the old ways still work. In contrast, retail consumers by nature want to see the novel. They want to be delighted. They dare us to impress them.

I couldn't ask for a more fulfilling challenge.

xoChr

Entrepreneurial Real Talk: Closing Time

My business, Fancy French Cologne, officially closed its virtual doors yesterday. Carly and I started the business a few years ago as a way to stay creative after the band we played in for six years broke up, and running our own business seemed like the obvious next step. It’s funny to think back at who we were then – even though it was only a few years ago, I feel so much older and more experienced having gone through the process. The two of us were just a couple of super motivated girls that wanted to DO something, and so we did! In fact, we did everything from scratch, with help from our friends and family, learning so much from so many mistakes, and cherishing every hard-won accomplishment along the way. The experience has shaped me profoundly, and I’m so proud of us for what we achieved.

Back when we began the project, e-commerce was still a pretty uncharted territory. Of course online stores existed back in 2009, but it was a different time and things were far less sophisticated than they are now. One aspect I truly enjoyed throughout this process was following the progress of shops like Modcloth and Nasty Gal over the years – watching as smaller, entrepreneurial businesses were able to thrive in the face of mega-stores (with mega-bucks!) like GAP or Nordstrom. These new businesses truly innovated where the more established brands seemed hesitant to stray too far from the status quo. I always say that we’re living in the “turn of the century” and there are things happening now that might seem unthinkable in twenty years. The world of e-commerce has opened up opportunities to empower women in ways that did not exist before—to me it’s just amazing. Not only for the entrepreneurs at the top, but for the women that are able to work for companies that share their values, and for the customers that finally see an authentic reflection of themselves in the businesses where they shop (as opposed to purely being “marketed to”). To me, this is powerful.

Now, after almost four years of working together on our business, Carly and I are both ready for yet another phase in life. Most people have had a sad reaction to this news – as though it somehow wasn’t our decision. But of course it was! And it was a business decision first and foremost, not an emotional one. We considered keeping the store alive while I go back to school and Carly pursues an exciting new project, but for what? Running a business is A LOT of work! If we can’t give Fancy French Cologne the time and attention that our customers deserve, then what is the point?

I look forward to working with Carly again someday, with all the amazing people who helped out during photo shoots, and with the wonderful designers that we had the honor of collaborating with. Whatever I do next, I know that this experience has molded me and taught me what I’m capable of and what my core values are. I will carry Fancy French Cologne with me far into the future.

xoChr 

PS I love you Carly!

Bussiness School Attire: When Panic Suits Me

Adding to the stress of my bschool application process was the dreaded interview. After giving out a little yelp of excitement that I’d made it past the first filter, I realized that I had nothing to wear. I like to appear pretty polished on a daily basis, and wear dresses with oxfords, cardigans, blouses, and so on, but I don’t own a business suit—and (fingers crossed) never really hope to.

I searched online to mixed results. Some sites said, yes, you must absolutely wear a business suit! Others said to just make sure you look professional, but don’t wear lots of jewelry or color. Wear black, navy, or grey. Make sure your clothes look clean and new. Business casual is a must. 

I was spiraling into a sweaty panic over what to wear, but I hadn’t just spent six months in GMAT and essay writing hell to show up to an interview looking out of place!

So I went shopping, tried on every single piece of business attire at Ann Taylor, J Crew, Banana Republic, Nordstrom, yada yada yada. I tried on suit sets in every color and style. I tried on cropped blazers, long blazers, blazers with three buttons, blazers with one button and everything in between.

At some point I realized that I am diametrically opposed to the woman that these clothes are designed for – both physically (my shape), and intellectually (my sense of self). None of them flattered my body. I tried on those slacks that hug your butt and then balloon out so your shoes are hidden, which basically just highlighted all of my "problem" areas.  More importantly, none of these looks made me feel confident. I felt like a poser in someone else’s skin—someone I didn’t even want to be!

So I called a friend, and she said “forget the suit sets, just get some cool black slacks, a printed blouse and an oversized dark blazer.” Oh. Duh.

She totally snapped me out of it, just like that. I ditched Ann Taylor, and it really was that easy once I realized who I was again. I don’t dress for utility and I don’t like following rules. I get dressed every day because I love fashion. So in the end, I found a way to look appropriate while maintaining my identity. I even wore a chunky necklace, NBD.

Welcome to Corporate Neon!

Hello out there, welcome to Corporate Neon, a personal blog focused on fashion and the business world. I am a firm believer that you don’t have to wear a grey flannel suit to be taken seriously—and I’ll have plenty of opportunities to test this as a newly admitted business school student!

Stay tuned for posts on fashion, including everything from runway and street style inspiration to what to wear to job interviews, business meetings and other business-related events – all while staying true to yourself.

Check out the About Me section to learn more about what I’ve been up to and why I started this blog in the first place!

xoChr