the sparkher 2/26

Hey besties, welcome back. This one’s for the girlies who love shopping 🛍.

WHAT’S INSIDE

• De-influencing: The Unsung Heroes of Our Wallets

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

• Upcoming events & deadlines

• Her hustle & coffee: Serena @ Seadrop Skincare

LEVEL UP

Ever find yourself three hours deep into a TikTok rabbit hole, convinced you need a $60 candle that promises to align your chakras and boost your WiFi signal? Yeah, been there, spent that. It's like TikTok has a PhD in Me, specializing in how to empty my bank account with frightening precision. The secret sauce? A sprinkle of data science, where algorithms analyze your watch time, likes, and even the hesitation before you scroll away, to craft a personalized trap of ads that's too snug to wriggle out of. But then, enter the scene: deinfluencing. These digital crusaders are the caped heroes we didn't know we needed, swooping in to save us from the clutches of impulse buys. Their message? You probably don't need another holographic lip gloss or a gadget that turns avocados into... well, more edible avocados.

This trend isn't just a breath of fresh air; it's the financial advisor I never knew I needed, whispering sweet nothings about saving my coin rather than splurging on the latest #MustHave. With every TikTok ad meticulously engineered to hypnotize us into buying stuff we'll forget about in a week, deinfluencers step up, wielding truth like a sword, cutting through the BS and keeping our wallets blissfully full. They're doing God's work, really. While TikTok's algorithm tirelessly plots to make us spend by exploiting our digital footprints, these brave souls are the voice of reason amidst the chaos, reminding us that sometimes, the best purchase is the one you don't make.

BRAINFEED & SHAREABLES

• ICYMI – Capital One's acquisition of Discover is a major play in the financial sector, marking a significant consolidation within the credit card industry. For many of us, Discover holds a special place as the first credit card, instrumental in building a solid credit history. The valuation behind this acquisition speaks volumes about the anticipated synergy between Capital One's vast financial ecosystem and Discover's strong consumer loyalty and credit portfolio. By integrating Discover's assets, Capital One aims to enhance its product offerings, streamline customer experiences, and tap into new revenue streams, setting a new benchmark in the competitive landscape. This $35.3B deal is signals a shift towards a more integrated, customer-centric approach in the industry.

• ICYMI – Bridgit Mendler is adding CEO to her resume. She isn't just doing it all; she's redefining what "all" means. From her early days as a beloved Disney Channel star to her groundbreaking role as CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space, she embodies the essence of inspiration, accomplishment, and intelligence. Her academic achievements are as impressive as her career shifts, boasting a JD from Harvard Law School and a PhD candidacy at MIT's Center for Constructive Communications. Mendler's seamless navigation through entertainment, academia, and now technology is not just a testament to her multifaceted talents but also to her relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation.

• 🎧: Everyone has a purpose. This podcast talks about how to discover yours.

• 📖: At least I know I’m not the only one who is easily influenced to shop. The influx of purchases is causing shipping and returns to be expensive.

• I love coffee shops (obviously), but I also love working at my desk on my monitor. This cozy coffee shop playlist makes me feel like I have the best of both worlds.

• 🔖 Bookmark 280 Free Case Examples from top MBA programs if you want a career in consulting (which you should).

• My favorite makeup de-influencing video. And a creator who has a whole playlist of these.

• Guilty 🙋🏽‍♀️. I was influenced (and I mean targeted) to buy an Oura ring recently (of course I will share an honest review once I experience it).

• What’s hot 🔥: Girls night with your roomies, at-home nail day, catching up with a friend over coffee at 7:30am, Love is Blind szn 6

• What’s not 🙅‍♀️: Busy Fridays, delayed flights, Delta making their lounge access more exclusive ❌

• 🔝High of the week: I went to Boris and Horton, a dog cafe in NYC that’s closing at the end of the month. It was filled with 30+ dogs.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

• 🗽Future is Female by Monday Girl 3/5: Meet founders, investors, experts, and entrepreneurs based in NYC. Waitlist information here.

• 🗽The Collaboratory: Creative Co-Working 3/3: Passion Project is hosting the perfect Sunday reset activity – meet creatives, brainstorm, get some work done. The best part? Your ticket includes a coffee and pastry. Learn more here.

• (High school) Girls Who Code: I can’t emphasize how much I wish I knew about this in high school– even if computer science isn’t something you wish to pursue, the concepts taught can change the way you think and keep you up-to-date on tech. Deadline is 3/22.

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 Serena Advani, the founder of Seadrop Skincare – A zero-waste, premium, powder-based skincare company. The first of its kind.

Serena is from North Carolina and a Wharton MBA graduate, Ex-McKinsey, Ex-Estée Lauder. She started her company amidst the pandemic, inspired by traditional South Asian skincare recipes.

Check out the full video interview here, or highlights from our conversation below.

Tell me about how you came up with the name.
“Each of these tablets kind of remind me of a litlte drop. I really wanted to create a brand that was ocean-centric. This zero-waste packaging that we’ve created keeps single-waste plastics out of the ocean. The sea aspect came through with the “Seadrop.” I also knew that to get a trademark in the US, you have to create a word that doesn’t exist, which is how we came up with a mishmash of different words – Seadrop.”

What has been your biggest accomplishment with Seadrop so far?
“Being featured on the Times Square billboard” (I audibly gasped at this)

📍Bedford Cheese Shop (Gramercy): 6/10 – Very spacious, lots and lots of cheese. Not my typical place to interview, but we had to pivot!

“If you do one thing and you do it right, and you do it all the way, you can get a big as you want.” - Alex Hormozi. Pick something that makes you feel alive. And then stick with it.

xoxo,
Prasiddhi
thinkers, founder

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