Brianne Helfrich is a college student, CEO, and podcast host. She is originally from Edmonton, Alberta, but she currently lives in Pittsburgh where she is completing a master’s program before attending medical school. During the pandemic, she started her clothing brand, Helfrich Collective.

Brianne and I recently connected on Instagram, and as soon as I heard a bit of her story, I knew that I wanted to have her on the blog. To say the least, she’s making things happen, and I admire that. Throughout our Q&A, Brianne tells it how it is about starting her business, finding balance, and creating positive habits.

Q: What inspired you to start your business, Helfrich Collective?

A: During the pandemic, I started going through my own mental health struggles. I needed something to look forward to and work hard on, but I also wanted to give back and raise awareness. So, I randomly decided to start my own clothing brand that donates to various charities for each collection.

Q: What prepared you to start your business?

A: Honestly, I had no preparation before starting HC. I kind of jumped into it and as a STEM major, I had no business background. Thankfully, I was able to surround myself with people who understood the business side of HC and they have helped guide me along the way. A big thing that I’m thankful for is that I was taught and brought up with a strong work ethic. Like any business, it takes a lot of work and isn’t an overnight success type of thing. It’s very easy to get discouraged when starting your own business, so my resiliency has definitely helped the process.

Q: How do you balance being a CEO and attending school?

A: To be honest, most of the time I don’t balance it very well. I want to do the best I can at everything, so sometimes that means overworking myself and pushing myself a bit too hard. It’s something I’m working on because I know it’s not healthy for me and leads me to insane burnout. I think a big thing for me is prioritizing and planning ahead. It helps alleviate my anxiety and helps with my time management when I know what’s coming up and can prepare ahead of time. Another big thing is asking for help whenever I need it. Sometimes I can delegate tasks or even get advice when I feel like I’m having a tough time balancing.

Q: What are some positive habits that you’ve created in your life?

A: Positive habits I’ve created in my life are the usual things like working out, eating what makes me feel good, saying positive affirmations, etc. But one big thing that has really helped transform my life was seeking help and going to therapy. This has made such a positive impact on how I view myself and the world. Learning that it’s okay to not be okay and having a safe outlet to talk/express my feelings has been so impactful.

Q: What does a day in your life look like?

A: My days are pretty similar during the week, but normally I wake up around 5 am. I’ll then head to the gym (it’s my favorite way to de-stress), workout for a little bit, then go home and get ready for the day. I then head off to clinicals and school. I am constantly working on Helfrich Collective, so I’ll send emails, prep for launches, contact manufacturers, etc. all throughout the day. Then when I get home from school, I normally do any homework I have, make some dinner/watch TV/facetime my family and friends, and go to bed early.

Q: What advice would you give other 20-somethings who want to start their own businesses?

A: Just start. You will always feel like you aren’t ready or not prepared enough, but you learn by doing. It’s normal to make mistakes, so take everything as a learning curve and grow from it. Just believe in yourself, work hard and you can achieve anything.

Q: Where can we keep up with you?

A: Instagram @briannehelfrich & @helfrichcollective, TikTok @briannehelfrich & @helfrichcollective, shop HC at Helfrichcollective.com, and listen to Welcome to the Collective.

UK-based artist and author Florence Given has a gorgeously unique and defined style. I admire her bold attitude and confident self-expression. You may recall a few times on the blog where I have quoted her book, “Women Don’t Owe You Pretty.”

As a way to play around with my personal style, I recreated three of Florence’s in-feed outfits. This allowed me to mix and match items that I already had in my closet in new ways. This also forced me to jump outside of my comfort zone.

First up, I copied this little black dress look. This was fairly simple to put together since it just required a black dress, black boots, and a scarf. I think this is the perfect simple yet elevated outfit to go out in.

Second, I put my own twist on another one of Florence’s slip-dress looks. This outfit was a lot of fun to put together; it challenged me to mix up various patterns, textures, and colors.

Last but certainly not least, I recreated this black and denim look. As with the first outfit, the “recipe” is pretty simple. All you need is a black tank, black boots, jeans, and a black belt. This is a great outfit for looking effortlessly put together.

While I have my personal style preferences, recreating Florence’s outfits helped me to explore. I believe that when it comes to style, you have to be open to trying new things whether it’s a new trend or aesthetic. Through trials and the occasional errors, you are able to learn a lot about yourself and what your style truly is.

Which look was your favorite? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

Racquel Goldy and Natasha Salehi are the entertaining and relatable duo known as the Millennial Girls. On their podcast, they share personal stories and behind-the-scenes fun from their experiences as Miami radio personalities. I am excited to have them on the blog to share their opinions and insights as millennials and women who work in media.

I asked them questions all about podcasting, millennial stereotypes, working in radio, and personal branding. We also discussed the topic of imposter syndrome. I hope you can learn something from my Q&A with the Millennial Girls; I know I did!

Let’s get into it, and let me introduce you to Racquel and Natasha!

About the Girls

Racquel hosted the afternoon drive-time radio show for Revolution 93.5 FM. In addition, she has covered red carpets as a correspondent for events like the Billboard Music Awards, iHeart Fiesta, and the Creative Arts Emmys. Her second passion project is creating Kpop Reaction Videos on YouTube.

Natasha graduated with a BA in Advertising. She started out managing social media for Revolution 93.5 FM. Then, she moved into a co-host spot on the morning show. Most recently, she was in the solo midday slot. Her second passion project is cooking live and sharing recipes on Instagram.

Q: Why did you start a podcast together?

A: Both being radio personalities in Miami, magic would happen when we would do things together, like getting featured in Billboard for our exclusive with Martin Garrix. We considered starting our own podcast on the side to “keep the dream alive”, so to speak, then the pandemic hit and we were let go from our jobs. We really had no other option but to create our own brand! 

With the podcast world booming, we felt this was the right place to keep ourselves relevant but also niche. As a radio personality, you are really only showing 20% of your “real” personality on-air. We knew this was a place to not take ourselves so seriously, and we wanted to be as real and relatable as possible.

We’re both experienced in public speaking, Natasha is the master editor for all things video/audio/social, and Racquel is the Queen of PR. So what better partnership right? That’s how the Millennial Girls Podcast was born.

Q: What inspired you to choose the name “Millennial Girls”?

A: Natasha woke up in the middle of her sleep one night at 3 am and texted Racquel “MILLENNIAL GIRLS”. Both being millennials, we felt it was broad enough to create a brand name as well as title our community made up of millennial females.

Q: What millennial stereotypes do you disagree with?

A: People think our generation is lazy and entitled, but in reality, we bust our butts to do what makes us happy, and that doesn’t necessarily mean a large paycheck! Not to mention we are the guinea pigs of social media which leads us to comparison culture.

Q: What millennial stereotypes do you agree with?

A: Having the confidence to question authority, achievement-oriented, and obsessed with technology. I mean we did create social media… Mark Zuckerberg, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger are all millennials.

Q: What has been your favorite opportunity that you’ve had through working in media?

A: Our greatest accomplishment was when we were given the opportunity to interview Martin Garrix shortly before Ultra and Miami Music Week. Our goal was to get an exclusive, and we did! The interview went viral on all EDM platforms including Billboard. 

Q: How do you view social media and personal branding in your field?

A: Social media and personal branding are part of your resume. Especially being in entertainment and radio, everything is based on how much engagement and how many followers you have across all platforms from YouTube to TikTok. If you don’t post on all platforms or don’t consistently post, unfortunately, you become “irrelevant”.

Q: Do you ever deal with imposter syndrome or comparison? How do you overcome it?

A: All the time. When you know you have to continuously post on social media, not only post, but also post great content, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of insecurity and comparison culture.

We overcome it by not concerning ourselves with other people and “cleaning out our social media closet” by unfollowing profiles that don’t motivate or inspire us. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, we compare our own content to our past content and ask ourselves if it’s better and more creative. If it’s not, we go back to the drawing board and improve ourselves.

Q: What advice would you give to others who want to start a podcast?

A: Starting a podcast that you want to ultimately build as a brand on your own is a lot of work and takes a lot of time. First and foremost, the podcast has to be entertaining and bring value.

You have to have the right equipment, acoustics, editing software/tools, decide where to host your podcast, outreach to potential sponsors, outreach to potential guests, get your audience to share, consistent social media promotion, weekly episodes, keep your numbers up and growing, find ways to start making an income whether it be through retail sales or collabs… it’s not easy.

If you’re in it for the long haul, have patience, are consistent, and are ok with not being an overnight success, then get on that microphone and start podcasting!

Q: Where can we keep up with you?

A: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Apple Podcasts, and on our website.

Q: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

A: Sharing, following, liking, commenting, reviewing, and subscribing are all ways you can support our podcast! We know it’s a lot to ask, but it’s a simple click, right?

Collagen-based beauty products and powders have been growing in popularity. They offer an edible way to get better skin, stronger nails, and healthier hair. The idea is if you treat your inside well, then your outside will show it.

For a bit of background, Collagen is the main structural protein that we have in our bodies. We have it in our skin, bones, and muscles. It has an influence on our appearance and how our bodies work.

As we get older, our collagen breaks down faster than we can replace it. Collagen deficiencies can cause things like wrinkles and brittle nails/hair. This is where collagen supplements come in.

I wanted to see how the growing trend of edible collagen could work for me. Most collagen-based beauty products contain meat/fish, but I was able to find a plant-based option. Copina Co creates vegan collagen powders in three different flavors: original, cacao, and matcha.

I went for the matcha option. If you have been following along for a bit, you will know I cannot resist a good matcha latte.

To make the collagen-boosted drink, I combined the matcha powder with a warm cup of oat milk. I used my hand frother to really mix it, and then I poured the matcha over ice to complete my latte.

I found this drink to be the perfect addition to my morning routine. It is such a treat to enjoy after my workout, and it pairs well with my breakfast.

Aside from taste, I have also noticed some beauty benefits. My nails are actually growing healthier! Nail strength is something I have always struggled with; whenever my nails would grow to a decent length they would break. But, since I started drinking collagen (over a week ago) my nails have been thriving.

I am excited to see what other benefits I will see as I continue sipping. Just a couple days ago, I asked my Instagram community if they have ever used collagen and what they noticed. @betho_g said she had stronger hair and clearer skin. @milwaukeemomma experienced “thicker hair and nails.”

Have you ever used collagen products? What was your experience? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

P.S. If you want to try out the Matcha Beauty Collagen Booster from Copina Co too, feel free to use my discount code “Roshak10” for 10% off! #ClubCopinaCo