Well, hello there, Career Girls!
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times – chatting with women whose careers I admire always puts a little extra pep in my step and I recently had the chance to sit down with one of my favorite bloggers and most admired go-getters Jeannine Morris. Jeannine is the founder of the super successful blog Beauty Sweet Spot, a prolific freelance writer, and a popular on-air expert.
“I started Beauty Sweet Spot in March 2009, filmed my first TV segment on the red carpet during the Emmys in August 2009, and left my full time job as a publicist in September of that same year,” Jeannine remembers. “It was just myself and I went for it. I quit my job [as a publicist] then and there to avoid a conflict of interest and devoted myself full time to my blog and my own branding.”
Turns out her fearlessness paid off. In the past five years, Jeannine’s blog has become the source for insider information about all things beauty, fitness, health and grooming. She has been profiled by countless print and web outlets including Forbes, featured in prominent brand campaigns including as a DKNY Core Girl, and has more than 250 (and counting!) TV appearances under her belt. She also just wrapped up her first semester as an adjunct professor at Wagner College, her alma mater.
If you’re reading this and feeling some serious career-girl envy, don’t fret. Jeannine is also one of the most generous Career Girls I know and was more than happy to share what she considers her tricks of the trade:
Appreciate every opportunity you are given and take none for granted. “As a publicist at Lippe Taylor I learned how to brand and pitch myself. If you don’t toot your own horn, no one else will do it for you. At Cosmo I learned how to write about beauty and give publicists a good placement and to connect with an audience,” Jeannine says.
Find a mentor. “You should always have a mentor. My first one was a professor in college who brought out my interest in writing. The incredible Andrea Lavinthal took the time to mentor me at Cosmpolitan, without which I would never have the relationships I have today. And one of my managers is probably the most prominent mentor I have now.”
Acknowledge the challenges you face in order to overcome them. “One of my biggest challenges is that I’m one person pulled in 800 directions every day. I’ve branded myself and my readers are interested in my personal life and managing my privacy is difficult. Having said that, I chose it, and I love it but it is all a balancing act.”
Accept help. “You cannot do everything yourself. That is how you fail. Two years ago an amazing young woman came to work with me as my intern and she was actually the person who changed this for me. She opened me up to the possibility of allowing someone to help me. Now she is a paid writer for Beauty Sweet Spot and she showed me that with the right help, you can go places. Thank you, Emily!”
Jeannine isn’t just any Career Girl, she’s a recent Hoboken Girl, too. She moved here a few months ago and already has a few favorite places including Local Barre, Pita Grill, Bin 14, and The Brass Rail.
Get in touch with Jeannine on Twitter and Instagram (@BeautySweetSpot).
I snapped this pic of Jeannine during rehearsals for a television segment I had the pleasure of working on with her.
