I’ve been thinking a lot about exercise lately. While I’m filled with rage every time I hear the words “beach body,” I know if I want to live long enough to see a woman become president, I’ve got to get grinding—both in my career and in keeping my bod healthy and fit. That’s what I love about workout videos. Women who feel self-conscious (Are we all raising our hands?) can Zumba, lift weights or Aerobicise at home, with only a few judgmental glances from our pets and kids. From Buns of Steel to Suzanne Somers’ infernal ThighMaster, women have always found ingenious ways to fit in what’s good for us. Today, find a sliver of time to fill your soul by fuelling your body.
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: $7.5 Million
It’s true that our Tae Bo VHS tapes may now be collecting dust in the basement because we have a new, easier medium for at-home exercise: YouTube. But YouTube is also great for, well, loads of stuff, like beauty tutorials, comedy videos and everything in between.
YouTube has become so popular that many women are making a career out of it. But one enterprising lady has used the video site to become an outright internet sensation, and a very well paid one, at that. Lilly Singh is the highest-paid woman on YouTube and raked in—wait for it—$7.5 million last year! This 20-something superwoman creates daily videos on a variety of topics, videos that have garnered more than 2 billion views. Lilly recently released her first book, the aptly titled How to be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life.
WOMAN TO WATCH: Lisa Sugar, Founder, President and Editor-in-Chief of PopSugar
Who ever said an obsession with all things pop culture couldn’t lead to a wildly successful career? Anyone who has a doubt should simply look to today’s Woman to Watch, the eminent Lisa Sugar, the powerhouse wordsmith and visionary behind PopSugar, the number one independent media company for women, and my all-time favorite YouTube channel for exercise videos, PopSugar Fitness.
PopSugar, which offers engaging online content on fashion and beauty, entertainment, food, parenting and much more, reaches more than 100 million people throughout the world. But like most businesses, it started small and simply, driven by little more than Lisa’s endless passion for celebrity news—and maybe a bit of an infatuation with Matt Damon, but who can blame her for that?
Lisa was working in advertising when she founded PopSugar with her husband more than a decade ago. The idea was that she could satisfy her celeb gossip fix and offer up-to-date info on the entertainment world, but all without the snide, tabloid-style commentary often accompanying such news. It was basically like getting positive Hollywood scoop from a girlfriend, and thanks to Lisa’s thoughtful and charismatic writing, the internet loved it!
In addition to providing relevant, uplifting content, PopSugar has become so successful, in part, due to Lisa’s business savvy, which extends all the way to her smart hiring practices and fun, family-friendly office culture—an approach that shuns the idea of work-life balance in favor of blending the two in a healthy way.
These days, PopSugar employs some 500 people, and has even launched into other realms, now offering PopSugar Must Have subscription boxes and The Bakery by PopSugar, a full-service creative shop.
Despite all her success, Lisa isn’t content to rest on her laurels. In fact, she recently released a book titled Power Your Happy: Work Hard, Play Nice & Build Your Dream Life, a motivational read that will long have a prime spot on my nightstand.
As a wife, mama of three and thriving businesswoman, Lisa is proof that with some elbow grease and a positive attitude, any woman can make her dream job become reality. And that’s an idea we are definitely sweet on!
QUITE THE QUOTE
Today’s quote from poet Sylvia Plath embodies Lisa Sugar’s journey. She said:
“Everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it and the imagination to improvise.”
This is Melinda Garvey signing off until next time. Remember, ladies, empowered women empower other women. Share On the Dot so more women can have a voice. Thanks for getting ready with us.
To learn more about our conversation, check us out at OnTheDotWoman.com and talk to us @OnTheDotWoman on Twitter and Instagram. We’d love to hear your voice.