Sup fam?

Another week, another dollar, and another step closer to the holidays.

I am back from getting hitched! Secret reveal time…remember when I went to Yosemite? Well, I actually eloped that weekend (October 25th)! And on November 8th, we surprised all of our Chicago wedding guests with a teaser of that moment and dropped the surprise that the Chicago one was our CELEBRATION.

I’d never leave yall hanging, you can see our cutie Yosemite video here and our Chicago celebration here. So sad that it is over and I want to run it back but guess I will just have to plan more ecommerce events instead.

In addition to planning those two weddings, I also spent the last few months planning our second SheInnovates summit which was this last week in NYC.

What’s SheInnovates, you ask? I AM SO GLAD YOU DID.

SheInnovates is a summit Dillon, Nicole, and I created with one mission: to unite, empower, and elevate women in business. This isn’t just another event—it’s a movement. We’re here to remind women that we are powerful forces in the eCommerce and business world. We’re not just taking a seat at the table; we’re redesigning the table, flipping the script, and changing the game.

Our first summit at Shopify’s Soho space back in February was about starting the conversation. This time, we curated the experience even further, offering tactical advice women can act on right now while also sharing stories that inspire us to dream bigger.

SheInnovates exists because we believe in the power of connection, collaboration, and community. Together, we’re building a space where women can thrive—not just individually, but collectively.

We had over 135 BADDIE women from brand operators/founders and ecommerce enablement tech and agencies joining us, sharing their stories, their tactics and empowering us all. I am not a gatekeeper though and I want to share the top four things that I personally learned this week at SheInnovates.

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SHEINNOVATES OR BUST

This past week was a masterclass in inspiration, empowerment, and actionable insights. From navigating business partnerships to redefining creative strategies, the women at SheInnovates brought their A-game. Each session was a reminder of the power we hold as women in business—not just to succeed but to innovate, disrupt, and lead. I walked away with fresh perspectives, new tools, and a deep sense of gratitude for the community we’re building together.

Here are my top four takeaways from this incredible week:

Business Partnerships & Business Failures: Lessons from Margaret Josephs

Margaret Josephs, co-founder of Soiree and Real Housewives star, shared her incredible journey as a serial entrepreneur. She emphasized the importance of finding a business partner who complements your strengths by excelling where you may fall short. Margaret’s story of resilience—navigating bankruptcy, preserving her authenticity, and rebuilding from the ground up—was deeply inspiring.

Her advice on partnerships? Treat them like a marriage, rooted in trust, communication, and a shared vision. She stressed the need for clear roles, boundaries, and an all-star team, including great financial and legal advisors. Margaret also reminded us that no one is above getting their hands dirty when building a company—not even a celebrity. She personally hand-delivers Soiree products to local retail shops in her area, setting an example of dedication and hustle that many creator brands could take note of. Her candor and determination reminded us all that even failures can be stepping stones to success when you persevere.

A real baddie and my new Martha. We love you Margaret.

The Rise of Social Commerce and Marketplaces from Patricia Olufemi

Patricia Olufemi led an eye-opening session on the evolving role of marketplaces and social commerce in eCommerce. With a wealth of experience—including her time at TikTok—Patricia knows her stuff when it comes to staying ahead of consumer trends. Now, as the VP of User Adoption for Truly Free Market, she’s pioneering the next frontier in eCommerce by helping brands navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.

Patricia emphasized that while social commerce has transformed how we shop, marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and emerging niche platforms represent the next big opportunity. These platforms allow brands to extend their DTC strategy by meeting customers where they already shop while leveraging the vast built-in audiences and infrastructure these marketplaces provide.

She highlighted how shifting consumer behavior is driving this trend. Today’s shoppers prioritize convenience, often starting their product searches directly on marketplaces rather than brand websites. For brands, this means adapting to a landscape where marketplaces serve as a critical touchpoint in the buyer journey, making it essential to optimize presence and messaging across these channels.

What resonated most was Patricia’s emphasis on agility and adaptation. She reminded us that success in eCommerce is about showing up where your customers are and evolving with them. Whether it’s through social commerce trends or marketplace expansion, her session highlighted the importance of meeting the customer with convenience, relevance, and a seamless experience.

While everyone is worried about TikTok, I’d watch the rise of what is next for social commerce and keep your eyes peeled on Truly Free Market.

Redefining Success with Loretta Soffe

The sweetest queen, Loretta Soffe delivered a powerful session reminding us that women truly can have it all—a thriving career, a fulfilling family life, and bold ambition to drive them forward. Drawing from her experiences and her book Mama Wears Prada, Loretta shared her perspective on finding the “outside lane,” a place where you define success on your own terms rather than conforming to traditional expectations. By leaning into uncertainty and embracing challenges, Loretta taught us that resilience and self-belief are key to navigating the twists and turns of life.

One of the most impactful takeaways was her insight that your performance becomes your résumé. She encouraged women to own their accomplishments and build their confidence from their unique strengths.

Through the lens of her personal stories and the lessons in Mama Wears Prada, Loretta left us with an empowering message: success doesn’t come from doing everything perfectly but from aligning your priorities with your values and being intentional about designing the life you want. Her session was an inspiring reminder that even in uncertainty, there’s room for bold moves and a life well-lived.

Paid Creative Strategies That Work from Dara Denney

Dara Denney brought the heat with her session on paid social creative strategies, giving us a roadmap for eCommerce success in 2025. Her core message? Paid ads are only as good as the creative behind them. Testing is the name of the game—quick, efficient, and diverse tests that uncover what truly resonates with your audience. She emphasized the importance of bold hooks, visual storytelling, and creating content that feels native to the platform, whether through UGC or polished videography.

Dara also introduced the concept of “creative diversity,” breaking it down into visuals, messaging, and placements. She highlighted the power of mixing lo-fi, creator-led assets with polished, brand-driven visuals to reach different audiences. Messaging diversity, such as tapping into emotional benefits, social proof, or problem-solution angles, ensures your creative motivates action across different stages of the customer journey—from unaware to most aware. And with ad placements, she stressed the importance of mobile-first design, optimizing formats like Reels, Stories, and interactive ad types for maximum impact.

What made Dara’s session especially actionable was her focus on leveraging AI tools like Meta Advantage+ to scale creative production and improve performance. Her parting advice? Always be experimenting, stay agile, and prioritize relevance. In an ever-changing digital landscape, the brands that diversify and adapt their creative will stay ahead.

This week’s SheInnovates reminded me how much power lies in connection, collaboration, and showing up for one another. If any of the takeaways resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts or discuss how we can keep pushing boundaries together.

And if you are interested in joining or sponsoring the next one, stay tuned here or sign up directly on the Midcoast page here to be notified. Word on the street is that we are coming to LA in Spring. 👀

That’s it for this week! Next week, I will be sharing more about consumer behavior, marketing tactics and CX things to help you crush your brand goals in 2025!

As always, if you have any questions or things you want answers to in this newsletter, please hit the “reply” button and send them over or hit that link below for my form!

If you enjoyed this newsletter, sharing it with your homies would be the jam to me! You can share the party by sharing this link.

Jess
Founder of Open Late Collective

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UPCOMING EVENTS

1. Join me and Dry Atlas for a 30-minute session where I’ll share best practices for uncovering meaningful consumer insights and turning them into actionable strategies that truly resonate. Together, we’ll explore how to gather deeper data, interpret it effectively, and adapt your brand strategy to keep pace with evolving consumer behavior.
   
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2. Join ME, along with an expert panel of industry leaders, on December 11, 2024, at 11am MST for a live session where we’ll unpack the data and lessons from this year’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Together, we’ll share key takeaways, trends, and actionable strategies to help your brand dominate in Q5—the untapped opportunity to finish the year strong. With insights from across eCommerce, CX, and marketing, this session will equip you with the tools you need to turn insights into impact. You don’t want to miss it!
   
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👐 BONUS CONTENT 👐

The OLC girl gang and I got together for Episode 6 of AfterHours LIVE early last week. We take a deep dive into the latest DTC and brand news. From the bold moves of Poplight and Straightaway Cocktails to iconic plays by Dunkin’ and Wendy’s, and the innovation behind Canopy, we’re breaking it all down.