In 2015, A-list celeb status isn’t achieved by getting your picture in the tabloids. Today, you know you’ve made it when you have your own lifestyle website. First there was Gwyneth, then came Ellen Degeneres, Reese Witherspoon and Julianne Hough. The trend became such a big deal that Stephen Colbert even made a hilarious spoof of the phenomenon. So it should come as no surprise that Vanessa Hudgens (AKA the most boho celeb that ever was) has jumped on the bandwagon.
The 27-year-old actress just launched the site Astral & Opal. It’s full of stories focusing on things like how to DIY a green tea face mask, take a social media cleanse and dress like Janis Joplin, and it feels like this site could definitely be the unofficial blog + lifestyle bible for Coachella-ites (Coachella-ettes? We’re still working on that one). Unlike Gwyneth’s Goop or Blake’s site Preserve (RIP), Vanessa’s site doesn’t include an e-commerce branch as of now, but we’re guessing it won’t be long until you’re able to throw leather fringed bags, crystal necklaces and yoga mats in your cart.
In an introductory letter, Vanessa writes, “I love surfing the web but nothing ever stuck with me. So, I thought it was time to create the site I needed in my life. As for me, I believe that life is as you make it. I want to feel good, look good and live a colorful life full of adventure. You are in the driver’s seat, on an open road and only get one lifetime to make it count. We gotta live it to the fullest! I hope Astral & Opal guides you to inspiration, passion, wisdom and makes your world a little more colorful.”
Digging a little deeper into the site’s name,“astral” is often defined as a nonphysical realm of existence and opal is a multicolored gemstone commonly used for luck on new ventures. And just like that, Vanessa seems to have out boho-ed herself.
Which celebrity lifestyle site is your favorite? Share with us on Twitter @britandco.
(Photos via Frazer Harrison/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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