Good Looking Out! Karen Civil Is Creating A New Lane For Entrepreneurs With Complex Hustle
"I didn't have a resume, and I need people to understand that. I didn't have a resume when Lil Wayne hired me. I didn't have a resume when Beats by Dre flew me across the country to be their 12th employee. I still don't have a resume!" Karen Civil is the badass millennial mogul that plans to change the economic landscape for people of color for good. The 31-year-old New Jersey native has pioneered a 10+ year multi-faceted career in entrepreneurship, and thanks to her latest collaboration with Complex, will give other young go-getters the opportunity to do the same thing.
Civil recently announced the release of her new show, Good Looking Out, that will give young business owners the opportunity to receive industry advice from market professionals. The guest panel will feature technology, fashion, music, food, and lifestyle experts, including but not limited to Gary Vee, Duckie Confetti, Kahlana Barfield Brown, and Kevin Liles.
Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Under Armour
Often called the Oprah Winfrey of the hip-hop industry, Civil built her illustrious career through blood, sweat, and a hell of a lot of hard work.
I think that we can all remember a time when we spent hours trying to perfect HTML codes so that our Myspace page would be tweaked and customized to perfection, but at 13, Karen Civil was on another level. The branding and marketing strategist got her start in middle school, when she created a fansite for her favorite group at the time, Backstreet Boys, that won her a meet and greet that would fuel her ambitions for years to come.
"When I was in eighth grade, I created a Backstreet Boys fan site. I came in third place in a fan site contest and got to meet them. In high school, I created a fan group for J.D. Williams who played Bodie on The Wire. I had the chance to meet him and he took me to have lunch at iHop. At that point in my life, I noticed this Internet thing was giving me the chance to check off goals off of my bucket list."
Her brief encounter with the stars taught her that the internet was the gateway to her dreams.
In 2002, the Haitian-American girl boss scored an internship with DJ Funkmaster Flex on Hot 97 where she realized that she was ready to develop her own digital footprint. In 2008, she created her website, KarenCivil.com and shifted her focus to digital strategy and started working with Diplomat Records.
"Once I started working for DipSet, I realized you could monetize off of this platform if you understand how to engage your audience."
Civil told Essence:
"I always knew I wanted to do something in entertainment. Since I could not sing, had no rhythm, and did not want to be a baby mama, I thought I would explore the Video DJ route." While working for Diplomat Records, I helped several artists with their online branding and social media. Once I left the label, I worked directly with artists and noticed many artists were overlooked and underrated if they weren't in XXL or The Source. In 2008, I started KarenCivil.com interviewing artists like Nicki Minaj and Drake before they were huge."
Later, Civil collaborated with Lil Wayne to create weezythanxyou, a platform that revolutionized social media by allowing the rapper to communicate with his audience via fan letters while he was in prison. The project commanded the attention of major industry professionals including Dr. Dre, and shortly after, she was commissioned to the be the 12th employee and digital marketing manager at Beats By Dre.
Since her industry debut, the influence/philanthropist has garnered a number of impressive partnerships, including affiliations with The Hillary Clinton campaign, Tiffany & Co, Louis Vuitton, and Google. Thanks to her long list of accolades, and ability to network, Civil says that she has what she calls the Carson Daly effect:
"I'm just me. I'm that cool girl who, as I like to say, I have that Carson Daly effect, where if you watched TRL, he was able to do interviews with NSYNC, blend right in, and then he would do interviews with Cash Money and blend in there and you just naturally liked him."
Civil is a reminder that a badass mogul mindset and a good understanding of social media can make every dream that you have a reality.
"Now, metaphorically I sit at any table that I want. I can sit with the jocks, I can sit with the gang members, I can sit with the politicians, I can sit with the CEOs. My brand can fit anywhere."
Check out the first episode of Good Looking Outhere.
Featured image by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Under Armour
- Karen Civil Hosts New Show On Complex For Entrepreneurs On ... ›
- Get Inspired to Hustle with 'Good Looking Out' | Complex ›
- Complex Taps Karen Civil For New Series "Good Looking Out ... ›
- 'Good Looking Out' Hosted by Karen Civil ›
- Karen Civil Hosts New Entrepreneurial-Based Series 'Good Looking ... ›
- Karen Civil Is Carving Out Her Own Lane in Business, Entertainment ... ›
- On The Come Up: Karen Civil Hosts New Millennial ... ›
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
Courtesy
I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
Courtesy
That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
Courtesy
So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
Courtesy
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy