There are lessons to be learned from female entrepreneurs. We usually only hear of celebrity-status entrepreneurs. However, there are plenty of famous entrepreneurs you might not know about even if you know their products. Here are lessons learned from famous female entrepreneurs you’ve probably never heard of.

It’s one of the classic career cliches: “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” There is a lot wrong with this idea. This adage is intimidating AF. It insinuates that if we feel like we are working, we don’t love our careers. Work is work. I enjoy my job, but it certainly can feel like work. A lot of people don’t like their jobs and most certainly do not love their job. In fact, according to a 2022 research summary conducted by Zippa, data analysts found that in the wake of the great resignation/migration (depending who you ask) and a shaken economy, only 20% of Americans describe being truly passionate about their work. Does that mean that most of the population should feel pressure or shame that they aren’t fulfilling their idea of a “dream job?” 

A Southern Kitchen is run by Nicole Bruno: a California-native-turned-Nashville-resident. After college, Nicole scored an event job with a tech company in Los Angeles for nine years, and was able to base herself out of LA, Chicago and, eventually, Nashville. It was around that time that Airbnb launched their ‘Experiences’ platform in Nashville, and it seemed to her like a great way to connect with people that may be interested in a local cooking class. She knew that she had to teach something “southern,” given her location, and came to the conclusion that biscuits were the perfect option. Thus, the idea and inspiration to develop A Southern Kitchen was born.

How do you tackle networking when you’re not an event specifically for it? Wherever you are in your career, having a broad network is essential. That’s why this article is all about expanding that network authentically online. It seems like everyone knows someone. The question is, how do you find people to meet?  

I’ve watched my older friends don the traditional regalia, diploma in hand, smiling as they pose for photographs capturing the day they worked for after 3, 4, 5, or more years. I never imagined my own 5-year college experience would end so quickly. My friends, gorgeous and handsome in those photos capturing their momentous accomplishment and their own transitions also over time showed me how post-grad, although rightly celebrated, is not always what it seems. What happens after the robe and cords come off, and Monday rolls around? What about when there is no class to attend, no online Zoom to log onto, and you’ve moved away from friends and environments that have been familiar for so many years? The “normal” becomes completely new and many are forced into feeling a little lost. Change is inevitable, but as I am now about to dawn those robes myself and take those photos, I understand that the hard part about post-grad isn’t really the change at all, more so, the waiting game. 

If you asked me this time last year where I would be living right now and what I would be doing I might have said, “living in New York City working for a fabulous magazine” or “living out on the west coast learning the ins and outs of the PR world” but I definitely would not have said, “living in my hometown ten minutes away from the house I grew up in and running a platform for post-grads with a growing and loyal following on Instagram.” Graduating from college or just being a 20 something, in general, is a very confusing and overwhelming time. So, I’m hoping to change that narrative through the content on the Dear Diary website and through our social media platforms. Read more about Dear Diary here…

New Podcast Episode with childhood friends Liz Cook and Gigi Kitei, who launched their business in the middle of COVID, is live! The mission of their company is to create ultra-comfortable wardrobe essentials that celebrate a woman’s natural beauty, fit her active lifestyle and make her every day better. Free Reign is a line of ultra-comfortable wardrobe essentials for women who are tired of wearing uncomfortable bras. Hear their full story available on all standard streaming platforms now!

There is no playbook for how to maintain connections as one is about to graduate from college. Frankly, no one really talks about the transition. Although exciting, it can be scary, especially in the job market we are currently facing with a year of pandemic and Zoom exhaustion looming over so many. I found no helpful tips in my search, so I decided to write my own. Here are 6 Things I think you should do in your final semester before you graduate from college.

Whether you plan to open a pizzeria near Logan Square or develop a fashion line to sell nationwide, your business plan should start with trademark registration. Your registered trademark will serve as brand recognition, in Philadelphia and across the country, as you begin to build a loyal customer base. These benefits, in conjunction with the use of the ® symbol, will provide protection and validity to your brand now and well into the future.

There’s no denying that the past few months have allowed us to really get our creative juices flowing (no pun intended). This was incredibly true for Isabella Abbate--founder and owner of Simply Bella’s Simple Syrups. Check out this Q&A we had with Isabella and find out more about her and all the fun behind Simply Bella’s. 

I entered Fordham University as a journalism major and thought my end goal was to be a fashion and lifestyle writer. But I realized that every time I went to write about pop culture trends, I ended up putting a political spin on every article. I soon found out that politics was my real interest.

During this time of year we often hear our friends question “why should I even vote?” or “why even care about politics?” Make no mistake, young people are often too intimidated to get involved in politics, as the system can be daunting, confusing, and down-right divisive. To make matters worse, politics at times seems out of touch with your own concerns. But, we promise, you should and must vote and get engaged in America’s democracy because today’s decisions impact your life. 

Realizing the dream you’ve held on to for 10+ years isn’t really your dream is a slow and painful process. After officially declaring I was no longer pre-med, I felt like I was starting from scratch. What would I do now? I needed to figure out what I enjoyed enough to build a career from it. After some introspective work, I realized I loved to learn. I thoroughly enjoyed my classes and decided if I could, I would make a career out of being a student. I considered getting a PhD, and I still might. For now, though, I’ve channeled that love into a career in teaching.

Back to school is a time of excitement, nervousness, anxiousness, and new beginnings for students and teachers alike. Let’s face it, back to school is busy and challenging enough. Throw a pandemic and completely novel landscape for learning and you have, well, 2020. We talked to 8 outstanding teachers ranging in position, experience, school type, and grade level about why they chose teaching as their profession. We’re highlighting their tenacity teaching through what is definitely, not what they imagined. Read about their experiences below! 

Academia meets entrepreneurship. No, I'm not talking about the mission of This Blonde Means Business (although I could be). I'm talking about the theme of this month's Student Story Feature of my talented and outstanding Drexel peer, Nina Kapoor, and her newest venture, KapTutor. I sat down to talk to her about her passion for education, starting KapTutor, and her business' future.

“I initially created a fake brand and campaign for my project, but after graduation, I decided that I really wanted to try and make EARTHLY a real thing. EARTHLY: For The Planet has become a business that allows me to express my creativity and my love for people, the planet, and fashion. I want EARTHLY to be a brand that not only sells cute clothing but actually cares about its customers and the environment. “ —Jordan Pietrafitta

In the midst of a global pandemic, students have persevered and pushed their professional aspirations further by gaining relevant experience with noteworthy companies. In this article, we’re profiling 28 of those tenacious and talented students below talking about their internship experiences across real estate, aviation, nursing, tech, finance, and more. Keep reading to get their advice and learn their key takeaways from working this summer! 

Extra free time now is allowing many to rediscover their passions. The same has been true for Cassie Foley, as she has rediscovered her passion for photography. She's a full-time assistant gymnastics director as USAG head coach, an NHL Cheerleader, a NonProfit Co-Founder, and now, a sole entrepreneur. This Wednesday, we're profiling Cassie's photography business, Good For The Soul Photography, and how she's been developing it throughout the pandemic. 

If you had asked me what my post-graduation plans were five months ago, they would look very different than what they do now. I was planning on starting a co-op at a large corporate company and could see myself working there full-time after graduation. However, the past few months' crazinesses made me realize that there may be more to my professional story. I have spent the last few months at the Jersey Shore wondering what would be next for me. When I heard a local interior designer that had worked with my parents was starting her own business, I saw my chance.

No one tells you what post-grad life is like. And, of course, no one tells you what post-grad life is like during a pandemic. Of course, I had to recognize the scale of what was going on in the country, and the world, and accept the fact that this move to online learning was the safest thing to do. But, as a 22-year-old, with only a few more weeks of college, THIS was the worst thing that could’ve happened.