Women Work: Jess Levin Conroy of Carats & Cake

Women Work – No. 01

An Interview with Jess Levin Conroy

My entrepreneurial spirit runs deep (I’ve founded and own three companies), and my respect and admiration for women leaders in business runs even deeper. I am constantly being inspired and challenged by the women in my circles who are making it happen every day in their creative businesses. As a creative entrepreneur myself, I am always seeking insights into their process, habits, purpose, recommendations…everything that makes up their success.

I believe we can all benefit from each others’ journeys, and it’s my desire to share those jewels of insight from some of my closest (and most bad-a**) girlfriends with you here.

Please enjoy this inaugural interview of my new series which I’ve called, Women Work.

xx
KT

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Jess Levin Conroy @jesslevinconroy
Founder & CEO of Carats and Cake | @caratsandcake

Number of years in the business?

Six.

Tell us about what you do and why it’s important.

Carats & Cake is the next generation wedding platform that delivers truly custom advice directly to couples. It’s important because there is so much opportunity in the wedding space to build not just a better consumer experience but also, and just as important, a better experience for businesses and how they work and grow.

Tell me when you had the first aha that you realized this was more than a passion but a viable business that could grow?

I would argue that it was less of an aha moment and was (and still is) more of a constant evolution. When you first start a business you have ideas of how you are going to make money. However, it’s not until you actually start charging users and getting feedback that you figure out what works and more importantly what doesn’t. Six years later we are still making sure we are really focused on listening to our community and building things that they need and want (and will pay for).

What is one habit that has helped lead to you running your successful business?

Over the years I have spent time learning to be a strong listener, which means I focus less on the words that people use and more on what they are trying to communicate or what they mean. Building something from nothing means you are going to get a lot of pushback. You’re going to hear ‘no’ and all its various synonyms over and over again. And yes, this means thick skin is important but it also means you have to learn how to move past the negativity and pull out what’s important. Some of the best moves we have made as a company have come out of really challenging situations where we used this feedback to make us better.

One trend in our industry that we should pay attention to?

Social first.

What’s the best investment you’ve made in your business in the last 12 months?

People. You are only as strong as the people you surround yourself with.

You’re starting your business again at the beginning, you’d definitely do these three things first…

Everything the same. We wouldn’t be where we are without the mistakes we made.

When was the last time you were frustrated with your business and what did you do to get un-stuck?

About 18 months ago I was really lost with our business so I reached out to a few of my mentors and some of the business owners I admire the most just to chat. For me it’s not just about getting unstuck, but also understanding why I am feeling that way and what changes I need to make to release myself from this place.  I have found that being honest with myself while constantly reevaluating my goals allows me the freedom to confront issues head-on, as opposed to letting them fester.

A book or article that we should all read?

I am really into business books and stories about other founders. Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog is a current favorite.

What’s your mantra lately?

I’d rather have 50% of something amazing than 100% of something not so amazing. I am currently applying this to my time, my team etc.

How does your business ‘do good’?

One of our core values is to make decisions that are better for our industry, especially the businesses.

Drink of choice?

Spicy margarita or rosé.

A word to describe the season you’re in.

Two words: intentionally evolving.

Thank you, Jess for all your wisdom and inspiration.

Learn more about Jess’s work and Carats & Cake here.