#ImAGirlBoss: Colleen Curlin

NAME: COLLEEN CURLIN
AGE: 29
CITY: 
LOS ANGELES
HOMETOWN: EL PASO, TEXAS
INDUSTRY: MUSIC + TELEVISON
SIGN: SCORPIO
NOMINATED BY: MARGOT STEPHENSON
TWITTER: @lamvf
INSTAGRAM: @robofem
WEBSITE: lamvf.com

Tell us what you do!

I’m a music supervisor at Bunim-Murray Productions, currently working on Real World for MTV. Most other hours of the day, I’m the co-director of the LAVMF (Los Angeles Music Video Festival), a film-festival dedicated to music videos.

Did you go to college? If so, where?

I graduated from University of Southern California with a B.S. in Communication.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

For the longest time, I wanted to be an astronomer – I am so intrigued by space, the moon and stars, and the thought that we are just one part of a very massive universe.

How did you get to where you are now? Tell us your story!

I came to Los Angeles wanting to be in PR, just like Samantha Jones in Sex & the City. Once I realized there was an industry where I could work and enjoy music at the same time, I was sold. Through college, I was lucky to have internships in multiple fields of the music business, but ultimately ended up at Interscope Records focusing on digital marketing after graduation. After three years there, I had the opportunity to make the leap to music supervision, and I’ve been at Bunim-Murray since 2012. The LA Music Video Festival came into being in 2009, with Sami Kriegstein, and we’ve been building it from the ground up over the past six years.

Any obstacles along the way?

Of course, most of my internships were unpaid, so there were lots of late nights waiting tables/odd jobs to help pay the bills. Plus, when I made the switch from the label to licensing, there was a lot to learn, but I’ve been so lucky to have amazing managers and mentors.

Who is your idol?

Amy Poehler. I love her sense of humor while still being such a boss. Plus, I love her passion/projects that empower young girls — check out her web series, Smart Girls at the Party.

Three personal traits/qualities that helped you get to where you are:

Collaborative – I love working with other people. Everyone has unique strengths, and it’s almost always impossible to get “it” all done on our own.

Positivity – Things will not always work out or look the way I expected them to, so I try to keep a positive outlook, and hopefully that shines through the work.

Determination – I’m very goal-oriented. When I set my mind to something, I try to see it through. Whether it happens exactly how I pictured doesn’t always matter.

Where would you like to be in five years?

I’d love to be creating content — film, television, or online — with my friends. I feel so lucky to have some very talented friends. I’ve always thought it would be such a gift to create and collaborate together.

Define “Girl Boss” in your own words.

A “Girl Boss” is anyone who is unafraid to take risks that bring them closer to what they want, and knows that working together and empowering other Girl Bosses helps everyone.

Describe your style/fashion sense:

I definitely wear a lot of black, sequins for special occasions, and a leather jacket almost always.

Favorite brand right now?

I’m pretty hooked on Dolce Vita boots right now. I just bought myself two pairs of black booties, which I definitely didn’t need.

Go-to clothing item/accessory right now?

I love my necklace from Bound.la. Emma hand makes each piece. She’s crazy talented. I get more compliments on it than anything else I wear.

What’s your can’t-live-without beauty product?

Am I revealing too much if I say Psst Dry Shampoo? That stuff is the best.

Go-to nail color?

I’ve recently rediscovered “Tickle My France-y” by OPI.

Coffee order?

Iced green tea. 

What makes you feel beautiful?

My friends – I’m so lucky to have a really close group of girlfriends. Having that kind of support system from a group of women is really special.

What makes you feel badass?

Waking up knowing that I’m living in this city with my dream job and really amazing people in my life.

Sophia Amoruso’s #GIRLBOSS inspired me. What book has inspired you?

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown – I love her work on vulnerability and living whole-heartedly.

No Girl Boss is perfect. What’s your vice? (i.e. Chocolate, tequila, Justin Bieber, etc.)

Television, specifically Pretty Little Liars.

Which artist/band/DJ are you really into right now?

I really love all the women coming up or coming back in the new music scene – I’ve been obsessing over FKA Twigs, Elliphant, Azealia Banks, Ryn Weaver, and Conway to name a few.

What song makes you feel like a Girl Boss?

Really anything from Beyonce. 

What’s a quote that inspires/motivates you?

There is this really great quote on “wholeness” versus “happiness” from Hugh Mackay – it reminds me that in addition to being happy there are so many other feelings, like frustration and disappointment that contribute to our wholeness.

“Wholeness is what we ought to be striving for, and part of that is sadness, disappointment, frustration, failure; all of those things, which make us who we are. Happiness and victory and fulfillment are nice little things that also happen to us, but they don’t teach us much. Ask yourself, ‘Is this contributing to my wholeness?’ and if you’re having a bad day, it is.” – Hugh Mackay

Best advice you’ve ever received? And who gave it to you?

Someone recently told me, “If it doesn’t make you a little nervous, it’s probably not worth it.” I like that. It reminds me that we should pursue the things that might make us a little uncomfortable in order to grow.

Advice to future girl bosses:

Be kind to everyone that you meet. You will mostly likely meet them again.

#ImAGirlBoss: Lauren Sachs

NAME: LAUREN SACHS 
AGE: 27
CITY: NEW YORK, NY 
HOMETOWN: PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL
INDUSTRY: PR + BRANDING + DEVELOPMENT
NOMINATED BY: NADESKA ALEXIS
TWITTER: @AurenlayPR
INSTAGRAM: @AurenlayPR

Tell us what you do!

I work with up-and-coming talent, as well as established personalities, companies, and artists to develop, brand/re-brand, publicize, and market them to targeted audiences.

Did you go to college? If so, where?

The University of Florida. Go Gators!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

April from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I pursued it, too – journalism school, then Hearst Corporation before landing in my current field.

How did you get to where you are now? Tell us your story!

As mentioned, I wanted to be a journalist from as far back as I can remember. A lot of our home movies are narrated by me with a microphone in hand, bossing my little sister around and ‘reporting’ on things like the weather and who everyone’s favorite painter should be. (Normal I was not). I went to University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, and eventually landed a string of internships at publications in Florida and New York City. For my senior year of college, I decided to forgo my final football season (a cardinal sin at an SEC school), and skip out on the typical party-hard-somewhere-in-Europe study abroad experience. Instead, I opted to spend a Semester at Sea. For four months, my home was a boat. We sailed in a full circle around the globe, and I saw and explored 13 countries in South America, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. It was, by far, the best decision I’ve ever made in my life — eye-opening, inspiring, exhausting, uplifting, excruciating, beautiful. Upon my return, however, I was shocked to find that much had changed in my absence. The economic downturn of 2008 left me with few remaining connections I had worked hard to build in the journalism industry, and I found myself with a degree, a head full of memories, and ideas, and thoughts… but no job. It took me a few months of cold-calls, networking, and forging connections, but I eventually landed an internship at my current company. I was hired within two months, and the rest is history.

Any obstacles along the way?

Too many to count. I would say the most difficult part of navigating the business world for me was identifying the fine line between being nice and garnering respect. It took me a while. Everyone respects a Girl Boss, but no one likes a bitch. Unfortunately, people sometimes feel the two can’t be mutually exclusive. I strongly believe you can demand respect while still being kind. I do not believe there is any excuse for unnecessary rude behavior – we’re all in this together. That being said, when one of my own is wronged, watch out.

Who is your idol?

Diane von Fürstenberg. She has substance to go with the style. Daughter of a Holocaust survivor, she’s a self-made powerhouse, not just in fashion, but in business and philanthropy, too. She has long championed women’s rights, human rights, community building, education and the environment.

What are three personal traits/qualities that helped you get to where you are?

Perspective: I credit travel for planting the voice in the back of my head reminding me that a missed
deadline or frustrating conference call is not the end of the world – or a reason for your day to be
ruined. Of course, there is zero chance this works all the time, and sometimes I have to reboot myself
like a computer, but the world is a big place and our daily ‘struggles’ are really not all that tragic.

Understanding: I can usually see things from another’s point of view. Sometimes, it can be a detriment. When it comes to people, I tend to see the micro rather than the macro. Whether or not we want it to,
the personal can, at times, creep into the professional, and no one deserves to be kicked when they are down. I think a healthy dose of understanding – up to a certain point – only serves to strengthen relationships, partnerships, future teamwork, and morale.

Emphasis on knowledge: I like knowing at least a little bit about a lot of things. Enough that a conversation with virtually anyone is possible, which is, of course, a huge asset in a professional setting, but also in our personal lives. I treat cultivating knowledge a bit like part of my job. I’ve read Vanity Fair cover-to-cover every month for years — even the articles that aren’t of the utmost interest. Twitter, of course, is a great source for instant, personalized information, and I love what the ladies of theSkimm have done.

Where would you like to be in five years?

Goals are great to have, but I can’t pretend to know. Things happen so quickly, and change so radically. I definitely hope to be my own boss, and I would love to be running my own company. I hope that, wherever I am, I am able to enjoy a good work-life balance, and that I am able to travel. I’m the biggest believer in the wonders of travel in terms of fostering creativity, understanding, and community. If I could, I would make travel a possibility for every young person. I respect nothing more than crazy hard work, but life is meant to be lived, too.

Define “Girl Boss” in your own words.

A Girl Boss knows who she is, and doesn’t see the need to apologize for it, nor does she see the need to put it on anyone else. We are all girl bosses in our own ways, and a real Girl Boss recognizes that.

Describe your style/fashion sense:

I have always been very, very drawn to the bohemian glamour of 1920s Parisian culture, and the dark freedom of late 1960s America, so my style meets somewhere in the middle. I gravitate toward classically tailored looks, but I like to ‘mess it up’ a bit.

Fav clothing item/accessory right now?

It’s not exactly ‘right now,’ because it’s sort of an ‘always’ for me, but big earrings are what you might call my thing. Like, really big. For whatever reason, and no matter the closet crisis, I tend to wind up in a black something – jumpsuit, dress, whatever – and huge, often colorful earrings. Maybe it’s because I waited to pierce my ears until I was 20 (too scared), so now I overcompensate.

What’s your can’t-live-without beauty product?

Lotion. I love lotion. It’s like the ultimate luxury to me. Beautiful, fragrant lotions. I don’t discriminate, but I do have favorites.

Go-to nail color?

One coat of Essie Picket Fence, two thin coats of Essie Ballet Slippers on top. 

Sophia Amoruso’s #GIRLBOSS inspired me. What book has inspired you?

To Kill A Mockingbird. When I first read the book as a young girl, on a surface level I related to the main characters, whose father is a wise lawyer and a hero to them in the same way my father was and remains a hero to me. But the book became about much more than that – life’s shades of grey, triumph in the face of evil, injustice, the first real dose of reality for a little kid, etc. I think I lost a little bit of innocence when I read that book the first time, but then, and every time since, it opens my eyes. It makes me want to be a better human.

No Girl Boss is perfect. What’s your vice?

Shoes. It’s a very real problem. I actually dream about them.

Which artist/band/DJ are you really into right now?

I’m a big Jessie Ware fan. Somehow her music matches any mood/weather/situation.

What song makes you feel like a Girl Boss?

“Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac

What’s a quote that inspires/motivates you?

“What you seek is seeking you.” ― Rumi

Best advice you’ve ever received? And who gave it to you?

“It is what it is.” It’s my mom’s go-to line. There’s comfort in the blunt reality that some things, like a scuffed shoe or lost bangle, can’t be undone. It happened, it’s in the past, and it’s time to move on. But there’s also a challenge to the simplicity of the statement – some things are not as they are or should be and, with work, can be modified.

Advice to future girl bosses:

Support each other. Women supporting other strong women is the right thing to do, not to mention that the assistant of today is going to be at a company you apply for tomorrow, and all it takes is one anecdote to seal the deal one way or the other. Support each other, and keep it classy. At the end of the day, no matter what goes wrong, no one can fault someone who kept their wits about them, head held high, and attitude in check.

Follow Lauren’s #GIRLBOSS journey on Twitter + Instagram! 

#ImAGirlBoss: Samantha Chin

NAME: SAMANTHA CHIN
CITY: NEW YORK
HOMETOWN: EDISON, NJ
INDUSTRY: PR + HOSPITALITY 
TWITTER: @samanthajchin
INSTAGRAM: @samanthachin
WEBSITE: thesamchin.com

Tell us what you do!

A whole lot – I handle PR and marketing for the Myriad Restaurant Group, which includes Nobu, Batard, and Tribeca Grill, among other great properties. It’s a dream come true getting to work with such legendary restaurants (and people). When I’m not at Myriad, I work with several clients in entertainment, fashion, and music on their PR needs. Finally, I produce and host events. One that I’m incredibly proud of is #HashbrownsAndHashtags, an initiative that brings together social media savvy, successful women from across all industries over a delicious brunch. It’s all about conversation and connection. I co-founded #HashbrownsAndHashtags with Scarlett Stack, Lee Tilghman, and Alex Machover, and we’re so proud of its growth. At the last event, we featured a panel of accomplished #GIRLBOSSes, and the feedback was incredible. You’re not a New Yorker without a few side hustles, you know?

Did you go to college? If so, where?

I went to Pace University for two years before transferring to Marymount Manhattan College, and graduated with a degree in Communications.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

Once I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t be a Power Ranger, I decided I wanted to work with people. I wasn’t sure how exactly, but I figured people would be involved. I haven’t completely given up on the Power Ranger thing, though.

How did you get to where you are now? Tell us your story!

While I was in college, I did everything I possibly could to just learn. I wanted to absorb all that I could, and soak up tons of information. I interned every semester, always worked one or two part-time jobs, and didn’t get much sleep. I made a ton of contacts, and made sure to never burn any bridges. When I graduated, I worked at an entertainment PR firm and part-time at a restaurant (as I’d done all throughout school). The firm ended up not being the right fit, so I stuck with the restaurant, and realized how much I enjoy hospitality. I was fortunate enough to secure my current position with Myriad, which combines a lot of what I love, and I’ve been there ever since.

Any obstacles along the way?

One of the biggest obstacles has been balancing work life and personal life. I have the tendency to let work overshadow everything else, and not give myself “me time”. I also work in an industry that’s largely male-dominated, so that’s an obstacle I deal with on the daily.

Who is your idol?

Personally, my mother’s my idol. She’s the strongest, smartest person I know. Professionally, I find inspiration in so many people that it’s difficult to choose just one.

What are three personal traits/qualities that helped you get to where you are?

Perseverance, confidence, compassion.

Where would you like to be in five years?

I’d love to build a large enough client roster that I’d be able to work entirely for myself. There’s so much room for me to grow from now until then, so I’m feeling pretty good.

Define “Girl Boss” in your own words.

A woman who succeeds at what she does without sacrificing class and integrity.

Describe your style/fashion sense:

Almost always all black with subtle pops of color.

Fav clothing item/accessory right now?

There’s this amazing vintage leather moto jacket I bought a few weeks ago that I’ve worn nonstop. Leather weather’s in full effect.

What’s your can’t-live-without beauty product?

Shiseido sunscreen!

Go-to nail color?

I’m always rocking Essie’s Really Red. Big advocate for red tips and red lips.

Sophia Amoruso’s #GIRLBOSS inspired me. What book has inspired you?

I really enjoyed Eddie Huang’s Fresh Off the Boat. There aren’t many Asian-Americans that have permeated pop culture the way he has. Fresh Off the Boat is an entertaining look into his upbringing. The show’s being adapted into a television series, which I can’t wait to watch. I’m hopeful that it’ll do well, because that would be a huge step for the Asian-American community, having a primetime sitcom on broadcast TV with an Asian-American cast. I never had that when I was growing up.

No Girl Boss is perfect. What’s your vice?

As much as I wish I could break up with carbs, I can’t. It’s impossible.

Which artist/band/DJ are you really into right now?

I’m seeing Stevie Wonder in concert at Madison Square Garden in a few weeks, which is a dream come true. I’ve been immersing myself in all-things-Stevie.

What song makes you feel like a Girl Boss?

Remy Ma – “Conceited”

What’s a quote that inspires/motivates you?

Hustle until you no longer have to introduce yourself.

Best advice you’ve ever received? And who gave it to you?

A friend told me that it’s important to not compare yourself to others too often. A lot of people my age get caught up in comparing themselves to others, whether it’s what they’re doing, what they have that you don’t, what they look like, etc. That’s just a distraction from what you have going on. Focus on yourself. Competition can be a great motivator, but it can also hurt more than it helps.

Advice to future girl bosses:

Do what you love. Be smart, be strong, and never settle.

Follow Samantha’s Girl Boss journey on Twitter + Instagram!