One of the Babes: ZuZu Perkal
Meet yogi and local artist, Zuzu Perkal.
Photo via ZuZu Perkal
On the blog today, learn about badass independent artist and yoga babe Zuzu Perkal. On top of teaching and practicing yoga, Zuzu works on team sprATX, a collective of over 20 established artists in Austin, Texas.
Q: What inspired you to start working in your industry? Did you have any role models or learn from someone, in particular?
A: I started practicing yoga about seven years ago. Ever since my first class, I knew that yoga would be a major part of my life. I've now been teaching for almost two years. My teachers, Gioconda Parker and Erin Dudley are my mentors. I'm continually inspired by the Austin yoga community and fellow teachers.
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: Do what you love and don't ever stop dreaming big.
Photo via ZuZu Perkal
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity?
A: Every single class I teach and every painting that I work on has bursts of creativity and freedom embedded in the experience.
Photo via ZuZu Perkal
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: Surviving financially as an independent artist and yoga instructor. It's a continuous grind and hustle, but I love every minute of it. The challenges make it all worth it in the end.
Q: What's your day job (if this business isn't your day job)?
A: No day job. Can't do the 9-to-5 lifestyle. I work with the local street artist collective and gallery, SprATX, teach yoga at City Surf Fitness, and paint murals and commission pieces on the side.
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: When I'm having a rough time, yoga is always the best way for me to decompress and find my happy place.
Your favorite band at the moment: Twenty One Pilots
Your favorite book at the moment: "Fierce Medicine" by Ana Forrest
Your local Austin gem : SprATX !!!!
Your social media handles: Find Zuzu on Facebook and Instagram.
Local Gem: Vita Wellness Massage
Meet Autumn Elias, the boss behind Vita Wellness.
Photo via Vita Wellness
Created and led by entrepreneur Autumn Elias, Vita Wellness Massage Boutique offers signature massage-based wellness programs to anyone in need. Their motto? Vita thrives and strives to "we believe a massage can change the world!" Learn more about Autumn's beginnings and how Vita Wellness got its start below.
Q: What inspired you to start working in your industry? Did you have any role models or learn from someone, in particular?
A: Over 10 years ago, I was ‘pulled' to seek out new career opportunities. I left my sales position and went to massage school—I just leaped. If I had known how much personal growth would come from growing my own private practice and business, I [laughs] never would have said yes! I sought out a fabulously supportive business coach to keep me focused, learning and expanding my vision.
(You can learn more about Autumn here.)
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: Nurture it/them. Surround yourself with people that also support your passion (or even different passions). The key for me is having a diverse support network that is unified by the commitment to manifesting our visions.
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity?
A: My most memorable game-changing moment came when I graduated from UT. I finally had the time, energy and space to choose building my business (over my degree) and get creative about how I wanted to go about doing just that.
Photo via Vita Wellness
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: Staying the course. It is SO easy for me to get excited by all the sparkly ideas out there. The most challenging has been making decisions based on the cold, hard numbers over my emotion and desire to ‘make it happen right now.'
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: When I’m discouraged, I dance. I’m addicted to latin dance, salsa, bachata, merengue. I’ve also been known to eat a bag of Skittles in 12 minutes or less…
The Vita Wellness team (Photo via Vita Wellness)
CRAFT(HER) Portraits by Stef Atkinson Photography
CRAFT(HER) was the first in a series of career-centric meets for #bossbabesATX. All of these photos were taken by Stef Atkinson at Friends & Neighbors.
Everything You Need to Know About Your First #bossbabesATX Meet
Got questions? We have answers.
Are you a #bbatx newbie? Here's a quick, little rundown as to what this meet is like!
WHAT'S THE VIBE?
Our meets are basically huge babe parties. We are not gender-discriminant and we are not career-discriminant, although we DO exist to serve self-identified women in creative industry. We will not question if you are woman enough or "boss" enough for this event, and we ask that you don't question others, either (pretty please... If you ever feel unsafe b/c of an attendee, please approach the BBATX team!).
WHAT DO I DO?
When you check in, you'll receive a name tag. We have vendors, a photobooth, activities, a DJ, babe announcements, etc.
For the first hour, it's just unregulated mingling (checking out vendors, introducing yourself to people, etc.) and signing up for our babe announcements. THIS IS THE TIME TO BE AWKWARD. EMBRACE THE AWKWARD. LET YOURSELF BASK IN THE AWKWARD. *You won't make friends with everyone, and that's okay. We don't expect anyone to show up and behave like a contact-making droid. Whether you meet your new BFF or your new employer, keep an open mind and remember everyone's probably just as nervous as you (if they aren't, they've likely come before).
What are Babe Announcements?
Babe Announcements are an open-mic: Women proclaim their passions/their purpose/their intentions to the community (mostly about work or a project they've got in the making, collaborations they're seeking, etc.). We let 35 women onstage and sign-ups are open to EVERYONE. We also have an ASL interpreter for this portion (her name's Monica; she's the raddest).
After announcements, the mingling continues. The vendors are still open, you hopefully feel like the ice has been broken and our CEO (her name is J, she emcees the event) will prompt people to to continue introducing themselves to others.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
We suggest bringing business cards, as well as paper and pen to take notes on during announcements!
IS IT OKAY TO HAVE QUESTIONS? CONCERNS?
Please remember that we aren't perfect (as a people, generally, as women, generally, and as an organization). We are attempting to create a safe space, so REACH OUT. We've thankfully had people reach out in the past, and that's made our events all the better. Ultimately, we love y'all and want you to have a good time within the parameters of the event. Feel free to email thebabes@bossbabes.org if you have any questions.
She Talks: A Conversation with Sloane Ivy and Devri Velazquez
This is our third guest post in the #bossbabesATX series, "She Talks." "She Talks" is a blogging series, featuring the work and thoughts of self-identified women in #bossbabesATX community. Would you like to submit something to "She Talks?" Please email blog@bossbabes.org.
#bossbabesATX note: This is our third guest post in the #bossbabesATX series, "She Talks." "She Talks" is a blogging series, featuring the work and thoughts of self-identified women in #bossbabesATX community. Would you like to submit something to "She Talks?" Please email blog@bossbabes.org.
For this edition of She Talks, we feature an interview between local vlogger Sloane Ivy and fellow Austinite Devri Velazquez, the author of "Pretty, sick. Chick." Devri was diagnosed with the auto-immune disease, Vasculitis, in 2010 as a college senior. In this interview, she describes her disease, explains auto-immune diseases, discusses her life beyond the sickness and her blog “Pretty, sick. Chick.”
"I am very new to the vlogging/youtube community, but I am driven by life—which to me is a masterpiece comprised of small, little stories. I listen and seek out individuals with beautiful stories to share and for others to learn from," Sloane says. "This interview taught me so much. Not only about a rare auto-immune disease, but about strength—the strength to be great despite statistics or anything an expert tells you. Ms. Devri Velazquez embodies this strength in such an eloquently and downright badass way. "
About Sloane Ivy: "I am Sloane Ivy; I’m 26 and from Houston,Texas. I have a BA in Communications from LSU. Geaux Tigers! I work in the non-profit sector, and my passion is conversing with any and every individual I come into contact with and turning their story into something to be shared with the masses. I turned this passion into 'Conversations with Sloane Ivy.' As you've probably guessed I have conversations with people from all walks of life on any topic. I also live in North Austin with two boss babes and cannot get enough of Kerbey Queso!"
About Devri Velazquez: Devri is a 26-year-old native Austinite. She's a poet, thrifter, music lover, autoimmune disease (Vasculitis) conqueror, women's and equal rights ambassador and pretty sick chick.
Join #bossbabesATX for a Feminism, Fertility and Modern Culture Panel at "Denim Doves" on Jan. 29!
Come on out for a viewing of "Denim Doves," a recent work by writer Adrienne Dawes. #bossbabesATX co-founding member Ashlee Jordan Pryor will representing our organization on a panel about feminism, modern culture and fertility following the show.
On Friday, January 29 at 8 PM, join us at the Salvage Vanguard Theater for "Denim Doves," a theatrical production by Austin-based writer, Adrienne Dawes. Along with Bedpost Confessions and YWCA of Greater Austin, #bossbabesATX will host a talk-back following the performance of Denim Doves (moderated by Bedpost's Julie Gillis). The panelists include playwright Adrienne Dawes, clinicians Laura Gomez-Horton and Shelly Oliver, #bossbabesATX co-founding member Ashlee Jordan Pryor and BookPeople's Sarah Holdgrafer.
Tickets are pay-what-you-wish, with a starting price $10. BUY TICKETS BELOW:
MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:
SALVAGE VANGUARD THEATER PRESENTS:
DENIM DOVES
Written by Adrienne Dawes
Salvage Vanguard Theater (SVT) announces the world premiere production of Denim Doves, a MADE IN THE SVT PRODUCTION written by local playwright Adrienne Dawes.
“You are safe here, Sister.” Inside the compound walls, five fertile sister-wives enjoy many freedoms. Free sleep. Free Welch's grape. Free laughter. Free denims of every length. Set in a dystopian future (which feels a lot like the mid-1990s), Denim Doves is a collaboratively devised feminist farce that explores themes of women in subjugation and the hilarious consequences of a rigid dick-tatorship.
CREDITS
Written by Adrienne Dawes
Music by Erik Secrest and Henna Chou
Lyrics by Cyndi Williams
Devised in collaboration with Salvage Vanguard Theater
Directed by Florinda Bryant and Jenny Larson
Dramaturgy by Meredith Robbins
Cast: Kerri Atwood, Florinda Bryant, Henna Chou, Alyssa Dillard, Judd Farris, Jenny Larson, Renna Larson, khattieQ, Erik Secrest and Cyndi Williams
Design: Kaci Beeler (set), Robert Fisher (sound), Natalie George (lights), Jessica Gilzow (costumes) and Rachel Long (props)
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: Jan 21st TO Feb 3rd 2016 (Thursday — Saturday nights) at 8 PM
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: Adrienne Dawes' plays include Am I White, You Are Pretty, Jesus Loves Good Christians, and Heritage, Her-i-tage, and Hair-i-tage. Her work has been produced by American Repertory Theatre of London, Live Girls! Theatre, Little Fish Theatre Company, New England Academy of Theater, New Jersey Repertory Company, Hyde Park Theater, St. Idiot Collective and American Theater Company (Chicago, IL). Her plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc, Smith & Kraus, Heuer Publishing, Heartland Plays and Vintage Books. Adrienne is the recipient of the Stanley and Evelyn Lipkin Prize for Playwriting. Her play Am I White was a finalist for the 2012 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference and semifinalist for the 2012 Princess Grace Award. Am I White won the David Mark Cohen New Play Award (2015 Austin Critics Table Awards), an award for Outstanding Original Script (2015 B. Iden Payne Awards) and was honorably mentioned by The List (The Kilroys) of recommended new plays by female and trans authors. Adrienne is a member of ScriptWorks and a company member of Salvage Vanguard Theater. Austin, TX is her hometown (#townie).
ABOUT MADE IN THE SVT: MADE IN THE SVT are theater works created, produced or presented by Salvage Vanguard Theater.
ABOUT SALVAGE VANGUARD THEATER: Salvage Vanguard Theater (SVT) is a theater company and performance hub located in East Austin. SVT creates and presents transformative high-quality artistic experiences that foster experimentation and conversation.
Visit their website, or contact Jenny Larson for more information: 512-474-7886 or jenny@salvagevanguard.org.
*This project is funded and supported in part by a grant from Mid-America Arts Alliance, the Texas Commission on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts. Art Works, and in part by the City of Austin Economic Development Department/Cultural Arts Division believing an investment in the Arts is an investment in Austin’s future.*
Join us for a Fireside Chat with Ingrid Vanderveldt!
We've partnered with the UT McCombs MSTC Program and Women Who Code to bring the women of Austin an evening with Ingrid Vanderveldt.
On Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 6:00 p.m. in the Google Fiber space on Colorado St., Vanderveldt will share some tidbits from her career in American-made business, as well as her thoughts on the importance of women's empowerment movements.
ICYMI: "Ingrid Vanderveldt was the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence (“EIR”) for Dell Inc. where she oversaw entrepreneurial initiatives worldwide helping to build a $250 million business segment and founded the $125M Dell Innovators Credit Fund, Dell Founders Club, and the Dell Center for Entrepreneurs during her 3-year term.
Vanderveldt sits on the United Nations Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council, is a Managing Partner of Belle Capital, founding organizer of the GLASS Forum (Global Leadership & Sustainable Success), and co-founder of The Billionaire Girls Club. She also created and hosted CNBC’s first original primetime series, “American Made,” reaching over 1M viewers around the globe and serves on the Advisory boards of Springboard Enterprises, Current Motor, and is a Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) Member.
Vanderveldt has been featured on outlets including NBC, CNBC, FOX, ABC, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg, CNN Money, Fortune Magazine, Fast Company, Inc Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine. She holds a Masters in Architecture at the Savannah College of Art & Design and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from UT at Austin."
One of the Babes: Lisa Nelson
Meet Lisa Nelson, the Assistant Manager and Event Coordinator at West Elm's Austin location.
Photo by Lisa Nelson
Meet Lisa Nelson, one of our favorite event partners.
She singlehandedly forged the way for our fundraiser last year at West Elm's Austin location. We were fortunate enough to chat with her about her career, what makes community special and how to balance local and community needs in corporate settingss.
Q: What inspired you to start your business? Did you have any role models or learn from someone, in particular?
A: My role in my job just sort of happened to me. I was in a very fortunate position when our company empowered us to own our engagement with our community. It's seems now that the dream job I have been searching for is something that I have been able to create for myself. I had a few ideas and a team of peers who gave me guidance. I go to work everyday with very diverse, creative and intelligent people. They are my role models.
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: Passions. Who doesn't have them? I'm an indulgent person, so I say, do it. And do it now. If you have your basic needs covered, indulge your passions. That is good stuff. No life is wasted doing what you love.
Photo by Lisa Nelson
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity?
A: My greatest moments of creativity happen when I am outdoors. I love hiking and being around trees. I just get lost in my thoughts and get the best ideas when I am surrounded by nature. It has inspired me to travel and see nature as much as possible.
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: Overcoming my own insecurities and time management. I am juggling school and work (shout-out to the moms who do this), and it is hard. Plus, I tend to feel like there is more that I should know in my job description that I am picking up as I go. Sometimes I have to remind myself to stop and look at what I have accomplished.
Photo by Lisa Nelson
Q: What's your day job?
A: I am an assistant store manager and event coordinator at West Elm Austin.
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: I seek advice when I feel discouraged. My best friend and my dad are great resources when I have questions about what I am doing in my personal and business life. I try to surround myself with wise people who have insight and genuinely care about my well being.
Your favorite band at the moment: Glass Animals all the way. Local and amazing. I love to listen to them when I hike.
Your favorite book at the moment: "On the road" by Jack Kerouac. I love the time it's set in and the excitement to get out there and "live, live, live!" I feel like Sa,l too. I am observing all these creative people as they make their way to greatness and understand how human they are, too. No one is perfect. And I think that is fascinating.
Photo by Lisa Nelson
Your local Austin gem: I recently came across Austin Woman Magazine and I highly recommend it. Women have so much to learn from one another and this magazine introduces you to prominent women in our community.
Your social media handles: Catch up with Lisa on Instagram at @lanelsonatx.
One of the Babes: Elizabeth Irving
We chatted with PR Queen, Elizabeth Irving.
Photo by Sarah Jasmine Montgomery
Music-loving gals take note! This badass babe is literally the PR queen of her own EMPIRE.
Elizabeth Irving heads marketing at the Empire Control Room and Garage. Learn how this boss hustled to the top, networking her way into two amazing jobs she's passionate about.
Q: What inspired you to start working in the venue/music industry? Did you have any role models or learn from someone, in particular?
A: I studied PR in college, and had previous experience at a boutique PR agency with clients ranging from tech to beauty to finance to fitness, followed by an internship with Austin Music Foundation. Out of those experiences, I was naturally drawn to the music business and really enjoyed the events that I helped plan at the PR agency. I loved being a part of something early on and seeing it come to fruition months later, so really my passion was events. I hadn’t thought of pairing it with music until I heard about the opening at Empire. The rest is history.
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: Find a way to make money doing what you love. If that’s not happening, keep pursuing that passion in your free time. The only reason I heard about the opening at Empire was because I frequently talked to other influencers about my interest in music and events. One of my supervisors at the PR agency heard from her boyfriend, who is a local musician, that Empire was searching and instantly thought to tell me about it; ironically, I was about to start a different job, (making a lot more money than the music industry could offer), in an industry I didn’t care about at all. Although Empire wasn’t offering me as much dough, it was a no-brainer. I have my foot in the door now, and the experience I’ve gotten is invaluable.
Final advice, which I cannot take credit for but really resonates: If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t step forward, you’ll always be in the same place.
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity (possibly a time when a burst of creative energy produced something you could have never expected, etc.)?
A: For all of our in-house shows, I’m constantly thinking about a cool way we can make each one unique. We want people to leave feeling like they got more than just a show—we want Empire to be an experience. Once a week, each department (lighting, sound, security, bar, marketing) comes together to discuss the upcoming shows. I love bouncing ideas off of each department and hearing what their thoughts are. Oftentimes, there’s something they can do that I didn’t even know was possible. There’s been sand brought in, skate ramps, petting zoos, etc. SXSW is a super fun chance for us to think outside the box—stay tuned!
Photo by Sarah Jasmine Montgomery
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: Balance. There’s been times when I’m thinking about 20 different shows and a festival, and then suddenly there’s a thunderstorm and we need to move a show to a different stage four hours before doors... There’s a lot of stuff going on that diverts me from my task at hand. Weekends are not off-limits either—it’s just the nature of our business. Unplugging and balancing work with life is an ongoing challenge for sure.
Q: What's your day job (if this business isn't your day job)?
A: The venue is definitely a full-time gig, but for good measure I also freelance at T. Cannon Media—we do publicity for Shakey Graves, Delta Spirit, Whiskey Shivers and beyond. I go into that office in the mornings and then Empire in the afternoons. I’m busy, but I’m happy to have tw0 jobs that fuel my passion.
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: Running. Yoga. Movement, in general, is an amazing way to get my mind off something, de-stress and reset. It’s also great when I’m in a creative rut.
Your favorite band at the moment: Oh man—how could I ever choose just one? My Morning Jacket, for the all-time favorite. Lately, I’ve had Shy Girls and Too Short on heavy rotation.
Your favorite book at the moment: Honestly, I’m not a big reader, but I’d love to change that. Early this year, I read "All You Need to Know About the Music Business" by Donald Passman… It gave me a good perspective on the industry from the artist side of things. Also "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg.
Your local Austin gem: Paco’s Tacos. Everyone needs a good taco joint in their arsenal, and these breakfast tacos are legit.
Your social media handles: @misselizabeth02 on Instagram and Twitter, @empireatx on Snapchat
GIVEAWAY: Day For Night fest
Details to enter our giveaway with Day for Night.
dayfornight.io
Happy Holidays, kitties! We've teamed up with Day for Night to bring you a special gift this year.
On Dec. 19 and Dec. 20, Day For Night is hosting an art/music festival in H-town, with some of our favorite headliners (Janelle Monae, Kendrick Lamar, New Order, Flying Lotus, Shamir... just to name a few). We'll be there, shimmying and shaking, with some of our Houston babes.
Do you want to go, too? Well, you can cop tickets here, or you can enter our giveaway for 2 GA passes. Here's how to win:
- Comment on this Instagram post.
- Get your friends to comment, too! (Maybe they can take you.)
- Aaaaand that's it.
Good luck!