I have a new blog and it's launching Friday!

Hey, I've changed over the last year and decided about four months ago that I needed a re-brand, a new outlet to express my current thoughts. So for the past four months, I've been working on Kiss Collective, a lifestyle site for the conscious consumer. I know it's quite a switch from what I've been posting for the past year and ten months but, it's time for a change! It's launching September 8th, 2017 and I would love it if you followed along!

This blog will still be here but, no one will be posting on it! Here are all the links to the new blog and social media accounts to follow along!

The Lifestyle Site/Blog - http://kisscollective.ca

Instagram - @kisscollective

Facebook - @kisscollective

Twitter - @lisamariekiss

Pinterest - @lisamariekiss

Check everything out!!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

The Intern Files | How to get an Internship

I did a post over a year ago talking about how to land a fashion internship. This post is an update of that but, it will be about how to get an internship in general and not just in the fashion industry.

First, before applying to any internship you need to have a killer resume and cover letter, even a portfolio if you want to work in a creative industry. I have researched a lot about resumes. Here are my discoveries:

#1 Your resume should only be one page. It is easier for the hiring manager to keep track of one page and not worry about losing the other page if you had two

#2 You want your resume to stand out from the boring black and white pile. Add some colour, but don't go overboard. Check out Pinterest for some inspiration on how to make a more creative, stand out resume.

Next, you need to be on LinkedIn. Aka make a digital resume! Make a profile and add relevant education, work or volunteer experience, that is applicable to what you want to do in the future. Then, you want to connect with people you know; friends, family, coworkers, and classmates. After that, you could connect with HR or management from companies you would want to work for or just keep them in mind for future messaging about internship information or questions.

After making the perfect resume and a standout LinkedIn Profile, the third thing I am going to tell you to do is to check out Lauren Berger's Intern Queen. Her website is filled with internships from all over North America and even virtual internships. I recommend checking out the website, following her on social media and watching her YouTube videos. I am subscribed to her channel and she posts amazing and helpful content; I mean she is an expert.

Networking is the next step in finding an internship! I got my second internship by networking at my first internship. It was easy for me to do as I work in a collaborative (co-working) space with around seven entrepreneurs and their businesses. However, your colleges, manager or maybe other interns working with you know people you don't. Network with them to find your next internship.

If you are having trouble finding an internship through networking always check for postings through your school! Most schools have a career centre or a program co-op placement/internship advisor. If you're feeling lost or stuck go talk to these people at your school for guidance and help. 

Let me know if you have an internship in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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PR Mail Reviews

My Hair Story with New Wash
30 Day Trial #TakeAShowerWithUs Campaign

c/o Instagram

I received a PR sample of New Wash by Hair Story back in April. I was excited to try it because I grew up with those WEN Claesing Conditioner commercials and I always thought it was a cool concept. The product is a white and feels like a conditioner. The first time I used it I was sceptical that it wouldn't clean my hair because I have very oily roots. But, to my surprise, it did clean my hair and it didn't feel dry. Some things I learned well using up my bottle are that for this product to work effectively you need to leave it on for around 5 minutes and really scrub your scalp with your finger tips like your are shampooing and getting suds. 

Let me know what you use on your hair and if you've heard of New Wash in the comments below!

Influenster Revlon Vox Box
*This product was sent to me for testing and review purposes*

c/o Instagram

I received the product a couple of months ago and have avoided doing a review because my review is not a good one. First, my all time favourite mascara that I've been using around 7 years is the CoverGirl Lash Blast line. I used to use Volume (orange tube) and now I use Clump Crusher (green tube). The CoverGirl Mascaras have the plastic bristle brush which I love because I never get any clumping. The new Revlon Lash Multiplier mascara has a real brush applicator which scared me right away. When I first applied it on my lashes it was a wet formula and the brush was clumping my lashes together. At the end of the day, I had some black flakes under my eyes which means the mascara was flaking. Last, the formula comes off very easily with warm water. Long story short I didn't like it on my lashes so I gave it to my mom and she uses it!

Let me know if you've tried the Revlon Lash Multiplier Mascara in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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Summer 2017 | July

Photoshoots in front of cool walls!

Exploring the Distillery District in Toronto!

Visiting the new Toronto Dog Fountain on Front Street West!

 Let me know what you've been up to this summer in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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Week in The Life | July 2017

A week in my life through my Instagram Stories!
Here's my Instagram link to follow along - https://www.instagram.com/kisscollective/


SUNDAY
Yoga in the Park
Hosted by Helena of In Fine Feather at Gage Park in Hamilton, Ontario.

MONDAY
Pool day with friends!

TUESDAY
Digital Marketing and Social Media Internship in Toronto

Commuting out of the city!

WEDNESDAY
Getting some blog rebranding work done at Starbucks!

Adult Ballet Class!

THURSDAY
Trying a new gelato place!
AMO on Locke in Hamilton.

Meditation on the Beach!

At Binbrook Conservation Area.

FRIDAY
Brunch Time!
At The Beverly on Locke in Hamilton!

SATURDAY
Favourite restaurant with the bestie!
At State and Main in Hamilton.

Let me know what you've been up to this summer in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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Favourite Toronto Companies

I love shopping local and supporting entrepreneurs and the majority of the time they create cool, innovative things that can help us out!

Mejuri

Mejuri is a handcrafted fine jewellery company founded by Noura Sakkijha. My favourite thing about Mejuri is that they are direct to consumer which means you purchase luxurious minimal jewellery at an affordable price. Direct to consumer eliminates any wholesale and retail markup. Save $20 off your purchase with this link!

photo c/o Mejuri's Instagram

easy period

easy is an organic cotton pad and tampon subscription delivery service founded by Alyssa Bertram! easy period takes away the hassle of shopping for feminine hygiene products. My favourite thing about easy is that a portion of their yearly sales goes to the Zana Africa Foundation, to provide reproductive health education and sanitary pads to girls in Kenya. Save $5 off your first order with the code 'LisaKiss' (one use per customer)!

c/o Margaux Zanetti

Encircled

Encircled is an ethical clothing company founded by Kristi Sommer who runs production of all the clothes in the Leslieville area of Toronto. My favourite thing about Encircled is that they have Versatile clothing that is perfect for travel and can be worn six to eight different ways! Ethical, Versatile and Sustainable clothes made in Toronto! What's better than that!

photo c/o Encircled's Instagram

MARY YOUNG

MARY YOUNG is a lifestyle lingerie brand founded by Mary Young, that emphasizes comfort as the new sexy and has recently started the Self-Love Club to help women love their bodies. Check out Q & A I did with Mary Young to find more about how she started her business.

photo c/o Mary Young's Instagram

Kaia Naturals

Kaia Naturals is a beauty brand founded by Mary Futher who created the Detox Deodorant. If you don't know by now, deodorants you can pick up at the drugstore are harmful to your body and the aluminium can cause cancer. There are a ton of natural deodorants on the market but, nothing is as unique as the Takesumi Detox Deodorant. I'm currently on week three of the detox and I'm loving it!

photo c/o Kaia Naturals Instagram

Let me know your favourite Toronto companies in the comments below! I would love to discover more! 

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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#GirlBoss Guide | Akiko Ruiz

I recently interviewed Akiko, founder of akr Design Studio and asked her some questions about design and running her own online shop!

Where are you from? And where do you currently reside?

I’m originally from Yokohama Japan and I currently live in Orange County, California.

What did you study in school? Did you ever see it leading to what you are doing today?

I studied graphic design at Art College in Japan. I’ve never thought about having a stationery line before, but I always knew I would do something creative. 

What jobs did you have before you started akr Design Studio?

I’ve worked in the apparel industry for years before I started akr Design Studio. I made designs for t-shirts, sweats, and accessories etc.

Why did you decide to start akr Design Studio?

I wanted to create and start something myself, and one of my friends had a stationery line. So I gave it a try and made a few designs for a card and absolutely loved it. My passion is expressing myself with hand drawing illustrations and create designs that can make people smile. So I found making a card perfect. 

Shop akr Design Studio!

What was your dream job growing up?

I don’t remember what was my dream job as a kid, but fashion illustration has always been my passion.

Where are your favourite places to shop?

I love vintage shopping! Asos is my favorite online store to shop lately too.

How would you define the word success?

Love what you do and be passionate about it.

What do you see yourself doing in the next five years?

I continuously create designs and expand akr Design Studio. I'd collaborate with many brands/company I love.

Is there anyone who has been influential in your life/starting a business?

I don’t think of a particular person, but successful women always inspire me.

Have you ever had a mentor who has given you advice that you would like to share?

I had a mentor who passed away about a year ago. She had such a big heart and was always curious about new things. She always encouraged me and told me I could do something great. 

How do you stay up to date on current trends?

I have to say SNS, especially Instagram. I used to love to read magazines, but I look at my phone a lot more often now.

What advice would you like to give to today’s women?

Find something you love and be good at it. If you haven’t found your passion, try everything until you find it and have fun!

What is a fact about you that would surprise others?

I admire people who can eat a lot and love watching them eat a ton of food, haha!

Where can everyone find you:

Website  

Twitter 

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

Let me know if you have seen Akiko's beautiful illustrations in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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Outfit | The Classic Leather Jacket Part 2

Sometimes you just need to throw on a leather jacket and feel like a badass! I got mine a couple of months ago and have styled it twice for the blog here and here but, this look has to be my favourite.

Click to Shop!
Dynamite Black Faux Leather Jacket
Mary Young Lux Everyday Bralette
Noisy May Grey Sweater

Hue Dark Denim Leggings

Vince Camuto Black Heel Booties

Mejuri 360 Ring

Let me know how you style a leather jacket in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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Guest Outfit | Maroon Sweater

Sharon is back for a third time with another outfit post!

What are you wearing?
Click to Shop!

Rain and Tree Brand Maroon Sweater
Lululemon Black Leggings
TOPSHOP Sunglasses
Forever 21 Moccasins
Mejuri Ring

How would you describe your personal winter style?
My spring style is very casual, basic and comfy.

What is the favourite thing you are wearing?

My favourite item I'm wearing is my sweater.

What are your favourite places to shop/favourite stores?

Forever 21 and Garage because they have trendy pieces that aren't that expensive.

Like Sharon's style follow her on Instagram and Twitter @sharonpilszak

Let me know your go-to casual outfit in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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The Intern Files | Finding Your Next Internship

Continuing with the Intern Files series I thought I would talk about how to find your next internship. Whether it be your second, third or fourth internship here are some tips to help you out in your search! Also, it's okay to go a semester without an internship or part-time job. Everyone needs a break once and a while to focus on school or just having fun. 

1. Start looking before you leave your current internship! Remember the saying, "It's easier to get a job when you already have one."

2. Get a reference letter from your current manager/mentor to use for your next internship. 

3. Love the company and want to stay? Ask to work in a different department or work if the company is small ask to have a new title and work on different tasks and projects. Go to your manager/mentor and see if a transfer is possible. 

4. Want to try out a different company? Search, search and search some more! Use Intern Queen or Indeed to find internships to apply for. Another alternative is to pick a company you love and email HR or a manager in the department you want to intern in and inquiry if they take on interns.

5. Use your school's resources to find internship postings. 

6. Use LinkedIn!

7. Ask friends and family.

Let me know if you've started an internship in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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The Intern Files | Resource List

Continuing with my Intern Files Posts I thought I would create a list of resources to help out anyone trying to find an internship. Everything listed is sites I've used and have had success with. I've also included some useful resources to use while you are interning to make your job easier so you can focus on learning! Check out my other Intern Files posts if you need help with finding an internship or to see what a day in the life is like!

Finding the Internship:

-Intern Queen

-Style Nine to Five

-Beauty Nine to Five

-Indeed

-Style Careers

-Email your favourite company and inquire


While You're Interning:

-Slack: A small company messaging app. It's more professional to use than texting and it's easier and faster than email.

-Skillshare: Can help you learn a new creative skill that may be beneficial to use at your internship. Skillshare has a premium level but, a ton of free classes. I have taken the courses Mail Chimp created to help me start creating email campaigns at my digital marketing internship.

-Future Learn and Coursera: Same idea as Skillshare. If you need to learn something quickly and free to help you with your internship, use these sites.

-Canva: If you don't have Adobe skills but, need to make simple graphics Canva will be your best friend.

-Meldium: Is a secure password sharing site that will log you in automatically when you click on the platform. This is great if you need access to shared accounts. I used Meldium for access to Hootsuite, Pinterest and Mail Chimp.

Let me know if you are currently interning in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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The Intern Files | What I've Learned

Over the past eight months I've been a Digital Marketing Intern at a small start-up in Toronto, Canada called Ms. Dress Up. You can read here about how I got the internship back in the spring last year. Since that post, I have been documenting my experience through monthly blog posts including the truth of being a fashion intern, three ways to help you excel at your internship, 5 reasons to be an entrepreneur and 5 reasons to intern at a start-up company. The latest post I shared was a day in the life of being a fashion intern.

Today's post is a reflection of everything I've learned about myself, the work world and start-ups from my first ever internship. I would love for you to share your experiences with me in the comments below if you have any!

About Myself:

-I take initiative

-I work fast

-I go with the flow

-I get bored easily

-I change my mind about what I want to weekly but, I've discovered that the company I work for is more important than the exact position title I will ever hold

-I definitely want more internships but, with different titles so I look more experienced and diverse with jobs when I graduate


About The Work World:

-There are many different kinds of workers; we all work in our own way and that's okay

-Some people care more and do more; you cannot change others, just worry about yourself and your work


About Start-Ups:

-Being your own boss is cool; stressful but, cool

-It is a challenge (I'm up for one as you can see from above I get bored easily)

-I would like to start a start-up some day; no idea what it will be but, I will have one

Let me know what you've learned from interning in the comments below!

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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The Intern Files | Day in the Life of a Fashion Intern

A typical day interning for me is usually on a Thursday or Friday! So, in the morning I wake up, get ready and walk to the office which takes about ten minutes from my apartment. I meet with my mentor Natalie and we discuss the daily agenda. Here is the wonderful collaborative workspace: 

Credit | Joe Fresh Centre for Fashion Innovation

The process Natalie and I have when it comes to my work is that everything is task-orientated. So every week I will be given a new task. I think it is easier to work this way instead of her saying, "go do all the marketing activities for the month." Because as a student I probably don't know all the activities. Something Natalie usually says is, "come up with an idea for the fall marketing campaign and pitch it to me."

My title is Digital Marketing Intern, however, working at start-up means I'm not interning in one specific area of the business, I'm learning all aspects. My favourite task as an intern is that I initiated the company blog and I get to write weekly content. Check out my posts on Ms. Dress Up!

At this internship, there are no coffee runs, unless the coffee is for me!

Are you interning anywhere right now? Let me know your interning experience in the comments below.

Kisses

xx,

Lisa

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