Taylor Swift: Iconic popstar, savvy businesswoman

Taylor Swift: Iconic popstar, savvy businesswoman | Hillenbrand's Kim Ryan on how experiences led to C-suite | Ritual's Schneider combines motherhood, business savvy Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( April 25, 2024 CONNECT WITH NEXTUP  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( €‰€‰[Tik tok]( [NEW SmartBrief]( Gender equity news from NextUp, Advancing All Women in Business [SIGN UP]( â‹… [SHARE]( [] Top of the week [] [Taylor Swift: Iconic popstar, savvy businesswoman]( [Taylor Swift: Iconic popstar, savvy businesswoman]( (Ashok Kumar/TAS24/Getty Images) The record-breaking success of Taylor Swift's latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," her "Eras" tour and its accompanying film and merchandise, as well as her 11 studio albums, are further evidence of a business savvy that has rocketed the popstar billionaire into an icon. "Taylor Swift wasn't just performing; she was rewriting the playbook, leaving a trail of glitter, economic stimuli and friendship bracelets wherever she went," according to StubHub, which said the tour "was the biggest" in the company's history. Full Story: [CNN]( (4/19) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Business resources for solopreneurs. When you're ready to leave an old career behind for a workplace of one, you'll likely need some help to get started. Get expert guidance and business resources to forge your path as a solopreneur. [Download VSP's whitepaper, Growing from Side Hustle to Solopreneur.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Today's leadership [] [Hillenbrand's Kim Ryan on how experiences led to C-suite]( Hillenbrand President and CEO Kim Ryan, who began at the pet food company in 1989 and worked her way up through finance, strategy and operations posts before taking on the top job in 2021, has said that her diverse experiences allowed her to learn what her "superpower" was. Ryan says that women who move into industries where they are in the minority should view it "as an opportunity for you to bring diversity of perspective and a way of thinking that might not be inherent to everyone else you work with. Your views and ideas can be productive and a key for the business to think differently about how to win." Full Story: [Pet Food Processing (free registration)]( (4/17) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Ritual's Schneider combines motherhood, business savvy]( Katerina Schneider began her clean supplements brand Ritual eight years ago despite investors saying she couldn't have both children and a successful business, a sentiment she has turned on its head by growing the brand to an estimated $200 million in sales this year while also raising three daughters. Ritual, which is available online and in stores including Target and Whole Foods Market, is increasing its investments in human clinical trials, women's health and traceability while also continuing to develop new products. Full Story: [Women's Wear Daily]( (4/23) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Why generosity is now the top trait for leaders]( Strong leaders are generous, genuine, inclusive, able to listen and customize growth opportunities for their team, writes Joe Davis, a managing director and senior partner at the Boston Consulting Group and author of "The Generous Leader: 7 Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone's Gain." "Leaders must be highly effective managers with exceptional core business skills. But they must also bring their hearts front and center into their leadership: they must be generous," Davis writes. Full Story: [Next Big Idea Club Magazine]( (4/23) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Failure is key to success, says Gen Z CEO]( Valeriya Yusupova, the founder and CEO of Val Jewellery, shared her journey after trying eight business ventures that failed before her line of hypoallergenic jewelry led to success. "Trying, failing, and keeping going is the only way; there are no shortcuts," said Yusupova, a member of Gen Z who graduated from college in 2020. Full Story: [Newsweek (tiered subscription model)]( (4/21) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Women can provide distinct advantages to M&A teams]( Women can provide a distinct subset of talents to mergers and acquisitions that are often overlooked in traditional dealmaking, writes Jennifer Fondrevay, founder of M&A consultancy Day1 Ready. Fondrevay notes women excel in understanding the personal aspects of deals, leveraging intuition to foresee challenges, fostering openness in negotiations, simplifying complex messages and anticipating future obstacles. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (4/19) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Read the latest from SmartBrief [] - [CEOs' top priority in 2024? Retaining and engaging employees]( SmartBrief/Leadership (4/23) [] - [Radical career transitions: The success factors leaders should know]( SmartBrief/Leadership (4/22) [] - [Navigating executive leadership: A guide for first-time leaders]( SmartBrief/Leadership (4/19) Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [Nonverbal Communications Skills -- The 10 Skills You Need to Learn]( - [70+ Excel Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows (Free Cheat Sheet)]( - [Best Practices for Email Etiquette]( - [11 Habits That Will Give You A Complete And Successful Life]( - [Creating Positive Habits - The Ultimate Guide]( [] Diversity & Inclusion Trends [] [CEO of Meet Boston talks about promoting diversity]( Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of Meet Boston, began her career as a tour director and advanced through management positions in the Rhode Island tourism industry to become CEO of Providence's convention and visitors bureau before moving to Boston, where she oversees a staff of 60 and a $48 million budget. Sheridan oversaw the organization's name change and development of the All Inclusive Boston promotional campaign, which she said "really showed a different side of Boston, something that wasn't the traditional Fenway Park to Faneuil Hall footprint, but really dug deep into the neighborhoods and the diverse businesses in the neighborhood." Full Story: [The Business Journals (tiered subscription model)/Boston]( (4/23) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [REI revises inclusivity, sustainability standards]( [REI revises inclusivity, sustainability standards]( (Ucg/Getty Images) REI Co-op has updated its environmental sustainability and inclusivity standards to include a mandate that brands create greenhouse gas reduction targets, and it is supporting that effort in workshops and partnerships with initiatives like OIA's Climate Action Corps. The standards also include measures to increase inclusivity and equity in outdoor gear and apparel. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (4/22) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [How Micron Technology strives to support DEI]( Micron Technology has strengthened its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by looking for job candidates in rural and underrepresented areas, publishing an LGBTQ+ benefits guide and establishing employee resource groups, according to the company's annual DEI report. Micron also does business with suppliers that focus on diversity and invests in financial institutions that provide services to underserved communities. Full Story: [Human Resources Online (Singapore/Hong Kong)]( (4/19) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [How Crunchbase helps the parents who work there]( Crunchbase supports its working parents by offering up to 14 weeks of paid time off, allowing employees to customize their work schedules, providing child care and fertility benefits and encouraging parents to share their experiences on workplace communications software. "I don't have to choose between being a mom and being an executive," says Kelly Mendez-Scheib, chief people officer. Full Story: [Employee Benefit News (free registration)]( (4/17) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [] To love what you do and feel that it matters -- how could anything be more fun? [Katharine Graham](, newspaper publisher [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( LEARN MORE ABOUT NEXTUPâ„¢: [About Us]( | [Events]( | [Regions]( | [Partners]( | [Learning](   SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - [Browse our portfolio]( [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Advertise with SmartBrief]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy policy]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:nextup@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE](mailto:cwarne@smartbrief.com) [SmartBrief Future]( Copyright © 2024 SmartBrief. All Rights Reserved. A division of Future US LLC Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.