KNOW. YOUR. WORTH.🏆

Posted on March 6, 2016 by BeautyFrosting

Know your worth.

As some of you know, I do quite a bit of creative consulting and brand strategizing.

It started 3 years ago, and I don’t promote it because it was not something I ever set out to do.
Rather, it was something that found me – smackdab in the middle of doing what I love – and I answered the call.
After all, much to my mother’s chagrin, I am not a business major. I am just a person who built the brand, and as strange as it sounds the brand just happens to be me. People took notice and started asking for help, and started PAYING me for it.
Yep. Not something I planned or had even attempted to manifest.
I am a creative, not a business person, I always thought.
WRONG.
It was a lovely lesson in avoiding labels, because labels can so easily be peeled off and applied elsewhere.
Recently, I had a growing experience when a friend asked if they could be a client and put me on retainer.
Eeek. 🙈
It made me very uncomfortable, so much so that I said I needed to take a day to think about it.
I mean, I love working with brands, charities and personalities, but a close friend who would pay me like they do?
Yikes.
But, then this friend put it beautifully, when addressing my initial hesitation with genuine confusion.
“Why does this make you uncomfortable? You are the best at what you do, and I want to hire the best. If not you, I’ll hire someone else, and why would I hire someone else when I have the budget to pay a friend who would do it better than anyone else?”
That made my decision MUCH easier.
And, it made me really get in touch with my hesitation, and where it stemmed from.
I realized that as confident as I have become as I’ve accrued years and experiences on this here planet and in this here Hollywood town, sometimes I question my value, even when I may not realize that is what I’m doing.
I find this particularly funny because I have no problem whatsoever letting others know what THEIR value is – so much so, that sometimes, I actually think my greatest strength is helping other people understand what their biggest value is on this earth.
Today, as I sat at a brunch meeting at Urth Cafe with a pr maven turned blossoming blogger, who was seeking some guidance and direction, I was reminded of this one area in which I am still growing, and learning…and, then I listened to my words to her as I said them.
“Know your worth. Don’t spend so much time trying to take care of everyone else, that you forget to take time for yourself. Sometimes, we involve ourselves in caring for others, so that we don’t have to be brave and do what we are most scared to do.”
Wow. WOW.
As much as we all have a responsibility to care for one another, our utmost responsibility is to care for ourselves.
And, one way to care for yourself, Dawn McCoy (and you, dear reader) is by recognizing your talents and strengths, making them readily available for other people…and KNOWING YOUR WORTH.
Snap.

Preparing for Dress For Success: If I can inspire just one woman…

Posted on October 12, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Working on a speech…to inspire others…to live a life they love

Spending this cloudy Monday afternoon, prepping for my Dress For Success talk tomorrow morning in downtown LA.

For 2 hours, I’ll be coaching women in the Going Places Network & talking to them about creating their personal brand, social media profile & professional identity.

I find myself overwhelmed with all of the things I want to say to these women: the experiences I want to share, the struggles we all have as women, and the successes that are often just waiting for us around the corner from those very struggles.

I’m sitting here, pen to paper, asking for guidance – as I always do before a speaking engagement – for the words that will help me improve just one woman’s life or inspire just one woman in that room.

If I am able to do this, I will have done my job.

Here we go, Dress For Success…

Red Carpet Ready: French Kiss Premiere at the Marriott Marina Del Rey

Posted on May 20, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Last night, I walked the red carpet and toasted on the rooftop of the Marriott Marina Del Rey, to celebrate the premiere of French Kiss.

On the rooftop of the Marriott Marina Del Rey, for the premiere of French Kiss. Dress is Erin Fetherston & shoes are Latigo – both available at Anthropologie now

The short film is a first venture into the world of entertainment for Marriott. Shot in Paris, French Kiss follows a seemingly magical young romance between an American man (Tyler Ritter, The McCarthys and son of the late John Ritter) and a Parisian woman (French model and actress Margot Luciarte) exploring the city outside of the four walls of the hotel.

MARINA DEL REY, CA – MAY 19: Actors Tyler Ritter (L) and Margot Luciarte attend The Marriott Content Studio?s “French Kiss” film premiere at the Marina del Rey Marriott on May 19, 2015 in Marina del Rey, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Marriott Hotels)

It seems that people often have a hard time grasping the idea of how influencers, like me, and advertising work. French Kiss is a good example of how subtle brand integration can work wonderfully, when orchestrated beautifully with a clear vision. Director John Gray created a work of art, with subtle pops and rare references to the Marriott Champs Élysées, without using a heavy hand.

French Kiss, directed by John Gray

Regardless of whether you approve of brand integration marrying with entertainment, it’s here , it’s always been here and it’s not going anywhere. We just don’t always recognize it when it’s skillfully done. And when it’s done well like this, it inspires, instigates, and gives us a life to aspire towards. The magical spell worked on me, alright. After putting off renewing my passport for the past year, I’m gonna get that done today. The first plane ticket I’m gonna book? Well, that would be Paris, of course.

So, grab the popcorn, watch the pretty picture, and be prepared to plan that trip for Paris you’re going to want afterwards.

With my fellow influencers at the premiere of French Kiss

Looking Back – How BeautyFrosting Was Born

Posted on March 25, 2014 by BeautyFrosting

BF Turns 2 Bloggiversary Party Co-Hosted by HomeGoods & Hope At Home - fashion illustration by Kara Endres of Sprinkles in Springs and cake by Magnolia Bakery - Photo by Takahiro Watanabe

When I started this little adventure called BeautyFrosting 2 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. I had never written a blog. Actually, I had never even really read a blog! I mean they seemed like such a fad and, um, who had the time?

How BeautyFrosting came to be.

Then one day I found myself in Dallas sitting at our fave family spot, Mi Cocina, pondering the possibility of moving home from LA to Dallas. I was at the lowest point of my life having ended a 7-year relationship and having left my job that I’d had for years with Barbra Streisand as her personal shopper. I was down, depressed and my life wasn’t looking so beautiful.

I was searching for an answer and I found it while talking to my mom and one of my oldest, best friends – Kristin Merritt Liles. We were talking about beauty, baking and how much I love connecting with people and came up with the crazy idea of starting a place of positivity and light filled with all of the people and things I love so much. From that little, crazy nugget of an idea, BeautyFrosting was born.

Looking back, I realize that this one little leap of faith gave birth to so much. In the months following, I hit the ground running. I researched blogs that had similar aesthetics to my own, learned about the best ways to start a blog and would spend hours on Pinterest getting very clear about what exactly I wanted BeautyFrosting to be about.

Celebrating BF Turns 2 with dear friends - photo by Drunken Pixel

Introduce yourself to people, be kind and be clear about what you want.

Knowing what I know now, I realize that folks must have thought that I had some major cajones – or maybe they just thought I was naive. I was told repeatedly by brands and other bloggers that I was doing it all wrong – backwards even. I was building the brand and consulting the PR before the blog had even been written or made its online debut. But I was doing it my way and it just made sense to me. After all, why would anyone (brand, person or otherwise) want to work with me if they didn’t even know who I was? Yep, that’s where my southern sensibility comes in. Whether it seemed smart or not, pr agencies and brands that I still work with have told me since that they worked me simply because I seemed charming and honest. So there ya go, folks – charm and honesty are the way to go!

Work with the talented people you already have around you.
Rather than be yet another blog to hit the already-saturated market, I decided to spend 4 months sending emails and making phone calls to hundreds of pr agencies and brands. I decided to pool my brain trust of dear, talented and creative friends to create a blog on a budget that was literally less than $200.

I created a logo and branding template – that would shape the entire blog and brand – thanks to my talented best friend and former roommate, Vanessa York of Shindig Shoppe. After all, who could understand my aesthetic better than my best friend who had lived with me for 2 years? I asked my talented photographer friend, Amy Opoka, if she would take my profile photos for the site and she did an amazing job of executing my vision on a shoestring budget.

This early experience taught me how crucial it is to collaborate with the talents of those you know best. I learned to always ask because the worst that could happen is that they say no. By the way, no one ever said no.

With my BeautyFrosting logo and graphics goddess - and best friend - Vanessa York of Shindig Shoppe - photo by Drunken Pixel

Celebrate every milestone in life.

Ask my mom and she’ll tell you – I love celebrating and I love me a party. Even as a child, I would try to find reasons to celebrate every occasion. My Barbies were getting married? Let’s throw a wedding! I got an A on a test? Let’s have a tea party! I made the cheerleading squad? Let’s have a tex-mex party! So in true Dawn-fashion, I decided to throw a Cupcakes and Cocktails debut party here at my house to celebrate the debut of the blog before anyone had even seen it. Besides being a precious affair, we brought out the laptop and let friends and former coworkers get a sneak peek at what BeautyFrosting would be. I really think a lot of things got rolling because of the choice to celebrate this little milestone. And celebrating milestones is a great way to remember the gratitude every step along the way.

Celebrate the milestones - and little victories - along the way - Photo by Drunken Pixel

Most important lesson learned on this journey? Don’t be afraid to be a fool.

Was I fearful of starting a brand new chapter of my life? Hell, yes. But you get past the fear, accept that you may indeed be a fool and get past yourself. I asked pr companies to send samples before I even knew what that meant. I asked friends to devote hours of their time and because I believed in this so much, they believed in it and wanted to be part of it, as well. And I realized that it was more important to appear confident than it was to have 1 million readers. I have never been more proud of anything…and that’s coming from someone who was never raised to be proud. This blog has literally changed my life and I am so much better because of it.

Most Importantly…Thank YOU.

I know that I am nothing without all of you guys – my readers and social media followers – finding interest in what I write about, take pictures of and who I am. So, I want to thank each and every one of you who read this every day, like my pictures on Instagram and Facebook and tweet at me. (By the way, 2 years ago, I had no idea about what any of that was – that’s how much things can change in 2 years.) I have a feeling that the next 2 years will bring even more exciting change and I hope that you will be there for my journey every step of the way. You have made my hearts so full.

Cutting the cake and celebrating 2 years of BeautyFrosting - thanks to YOU!! Photo by Takahiro Watanabe

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What’s your favorite feature on BeautyFrosting? What would you like to see more of?