the sparkher 2/19

Hey besties, welcome back.

WHAT’S INSIDE

• Evil eye + protecting your happiness 👁🧿

• ICYMI, brainfeed, and things to send to the group chat

• Upcoming events & deadlines

• Her hustle & coffee: Ashi @ BakedbyAshi

LEVEL UP

The concept of the evil eye, an intentional or unintentional malevolent glare believed to bring bad luck to the recipient, is steeped in a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance that spans across various civilizations around the globe. From the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, the belief in the evil eye is as diverse as it is ancient, dating back thousands of years. Cultures have historically countered this threat with an array of amulets, rituals, and practices designed to deflect the negative energy believed to be cast by the evil eye.

In our world today, where oversharing has become the norm, learning to navigate the modern iterations of envy and negativity is a nuanced skill that emerges over time. It involves introspective questioning about the dynamics of our relationships and the intentions behind the interactions we have. Do their eyes light up with genuine happiness for us? Can they be trusted with our vulnerabilities without casting shadows of doubt and negativity? 

This process doesn’t necessarily mean cutting people out of your life. Instead, it’s about being strategic with what you share and with whom. It’s recognizing that while some friends are pillars of support, others may inadvertently (or not) let envy tint their reactions. By selectively sharing our lives, we honor the wisdom of countless generations that have sought to protect their joy from the unseen forces of envy, ensuring that our most precious moments and achievements are nurtured in a circle that genuinely celebrates them.

BRAINFEED & SHAREABLES

• ICYMI – Lyft's latest earnings report dropped with a plot twist straight out of a Wall Street thriller—a rogue zero that turned the stock market into a rollercoaster ride, sending Lyft's stock skyrocketing. Picture it: investors, phones in hand, eyes wide as numbers dance like disco lights, showcasing a financial 'oops' that momentarily turned Lyft into an investment unicorn. It was just too good to be true.

• ICYMI – OpenAI has introduced Sora, a revolutionary text-to-video generator capable of creating up to one-minute-long realistic and high-quality videos from text prompts. Sora stands out by being able to craft intricate scenes with multiple characters, varied movements, and detailed settings, all from simple descriptions. This innovation opens new doors for visual artists, designers, and filmmakers to explore and enhance the tool's capabilities.

• ICYMI – NYFW 2024 embraced a new direction, seamlessly blending minimalism with everyday practicality, a gentle evolution from the bold and imaginative showcases of previous years. This season, designers focused on creating collections that fuse sophistication with wearability, catering to the everyday person without losing the iconic edge NYFW is celebrated for. It marked a thoughtful transition towards more accessible fashion, highlighting a future where elegance and everyday life intertwine gracefully, showcasing NYFW's ability to innovate while honoring its vibrant heritage.

• 🎧: In the continued spirit of Valentine’s Day, check out this incredibly inspiring podcast of Whitney Wolfe Herd, the Founder of Bumble.

• 📖: It’s hard to make challenging, uncomfortable decisions. Read about Hinge’s founder’s success story on taking a leap of faith.

• A quick video on breaking into consulting.

• If you need a little pick-me-up, read this article about 100 Small Acts of Love. (Instagram)

• What’s hot 🔥: Fresh flowers, sunny weather, Jazz music, Oura Ring

• What’s not 🙅‍♀️: Chocolate prices going up, hot girl stomach problems, the price of an Oura Ring

• 🔝High of the week: We finalized our guest speakers and mentors for our first bootcamp – check out our amazing, amazing team.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

• 🗽Women Business Networking 2/22: Meet founders, investors, experts, and entrepreneurs based in NYC. Ticket information here.

• 🗽Female Leadership in Sport 3/5: SIGA announced their first edition of a Masterclass on Female Leadership In Sport, which will take place at Mastercard’s technology hub in NYC.

• (High school) Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Amazing, competitive programs for all topics like computer science and entrepreneurship. Deadline is 3/29.

• (High school) Columbia Science Honors Program: A highly selective program for students who are interested in science and mathematics. Deadline is 3/27.

HER HUSTLE & COFFEE

I love finding new coffee shops and meeting other female founders, so I started a series to share stories of female entrepreneurs at coffee shops around New York City.

Meet Ashi Agrawal, the founder of BakedbyAshi – A baked goods company based in NYC.

Ashi makes birthday cakes, cookies, baked goods boxes for holidays, and more. Check out the full video interview here, or highlights from our conversation below.

What do you do to prevent burnout?
“Taking a break. Determine what is giving you the burnout and then find a solution from there.”

What’s one piece of advice that you would give to other female entrepreneurs?
“One thing I struggle with most is that I feel like I need to be perfect at something before I start. But I think at one point, you just got to follow what you’re passionate about and learn along the way. Honestly, everyone else is doing that, so you just got to get on board.”

📍Rosecrans Florist & Cafe. (West Village): 6.5/10 – Woman-owned, lots of flowers, great place to catch up with a friend. They have a no-laptop policy, so not a great space to do work + not many seats.

“I constantly see people rise in life who are not the smartest, sometimes not even the most diligent, but they are learning machines” - Charlie Munger. Learning and growing is just as important as working hard.

xoxo,
Prasiddhi
thinkers, founder

Sponsor us!