The Power of the Perfect Swag Bag 🛍️
Universally loved and talked about long after an event ends, the swag bag has evolved into a sophisticated form of brand storytelling. A thoughtfully curated gift bag says we see you and we value you. No one understands that better than Nancy Berger, founder of Start With a Good. Read how she has become known across industries as the undisputed “Queen of the Gift Bag” in the latest issue at the link in our bio.
#swagbag #giftbag #nancyberger #startwithagood #acmagazine
A few years ago, I was deeply honored to receive the Outstanding Mother Award. As meaningful as career recognition can be, this one felt different. More emotional.
More personal. More defining.
Because motherhood, at its core, is legacy work.
My boys are now grown men in their 20s, and one of the things I am proudest of is not just the love we share, but the mutual respect we have for one another. They watched me build a career, lead teams, create ideas, travel constantly, reinvent myself, and still show up for the moments that mattered. Not perfectly, but consistently, passionately, and with love.
And now, as adults, I know they understand it differently.
I think often about my own mother and how different her generation was from mine. She didn’t have many of the choices I had. And my generation still had to fight hard for choices the next generation of women may one day take for granted.
That perspective matters.
Because the conversation about motherhood is often framed around sacrifice, but not enough around evolution.
Every generation of women quietly pushes the door open a little wider for the next one.
Our mothers gave us strength.
Many of us fought for opportunity.
And now the next generation has permission to imagine a life where ambition, motherhood, partnership, success, and identity can coexist more fluidly.
That progress didn’t happen accidentally.
So today, I’m proud to be a mother. Proud to be a daughter. Proud to be part of a generation of women who helped redefine what was possible, not only for ourselves, but for the women and men watching us.
To every professional mother trying to juggle it all: your children are learning far more from your life than your perfection.
They are watching courage in real time.
Happy Mother’s Day.
These are the kinds of events that stay with you long after the last guest leaves.
Thank you @wwd for capturing this meaningful afternoon celebrating our newest honorees of @fathersdaymothersday .
We are proud to have raised $1.4 Million for @nokidhungry .
Outstanding Mother Awards luncheon was one of those days that reminds me why community, purpose and showing up for one another matters so much.
I’ve been part of this incredible committee for 18 years, and every single year I walk away inspired, energized and deeply grateful. What makes this event so special is not only the remarkable women we honor, but the heart behind it all.
I love our tight-knit committee who works tirelessly to make this event happen. I love our partnership with @nokidhungry and the meaningful impact this luncheon continues to have in helping children and families in need.
A huge thank you to past honoree Mindy Grossman @mindygrossman for being such a fantastic MC. She brought warmth, intelligence, humor and real honesty to the stage.
And congratulations to this year’s extraordinary honorees whose stories, leadership and authenticity moved the entire room:
✨Jennifer Foyle @niffyfoyle Denise Magid @denisemagid
✨Jill Hazelbaker and @ciara .
The energy in the room was powerful. So many honest conversations about leadership, motherhood, resilience, ambition, support systems and the reality of trying to balance it all.
This week's CEW Achiever Awards was a powerful reminder...
Yes, we've come a long way ... but there is still so much more to do.
Two themes echoed across every speech:
Say YES when handed opportunity; and OWN your accomplishments.
From Carlotta Jacobson, find and embrace your life purpose.
Kathleen Dunlop, Unilever: Own It unapologetically;
Mandy Fields at e.l.f. Beauty: trust your intuition. You are the steward of your own dreams.
From Stephanie Kramer at L'Oréal: be counted on, not counted out.
From SK Lee at Procter & Gamble: leadership = being
authentic;
From Mary van Praag of Milani Cosmetics: lead with heart and choose curiosity.
From Jo Horgan: live life large.
From Kecia Steelman, CEO Ulta: allyship matters.
And from Laura Slatkin, founder NEST: there is always a way to get to yes... even when your product melts in a hot car right before an important retailer meeting.
And the reality we can't ignore:
In an industry built for women, we still need more women in the rooms where decisions are made.
So the takeaway is simple:
Say yes. Own it. And when you get there ... hold the door open for the next generation.
✨With @lindawellsny , my business partner and the founding editor of Allure
✨With Mary van Praag, CEO of @milanicosmetics and honoree
✨With @lisamarieringus , change maker, dear friend and EVP of @24seventalent
✨With @windsorwestern Co-founder and President of @hercampusmedia
There’s something incredibly energizing about being in a room filled with people at the very beginning of what will be remarkable journeys.
Co-chairing the 30th Annual @fginyc Rising Star Awards was a meaningful reminder of the importance of showing up for emerging talent, not just to celebrate their work, but to champion what comes next. The level of creativity, clarity, and conviction this year was truly exceptional.
A heartfelt congratulations to @mindygrossman . Her career is a masterclass in leadership, evolution, and lifting others along the way.
Grateful to Coco Rocha @cocorocha and Ruben Toledo @toledox2 for bringing such thoughtfulness, perspective, and presence to the evening.
And a special thank you to @luxebyalyce . It was an honor to co-chair alongside you and bring this milestone moment to life together.
To the entire FGI community and our partners, thank you for continuing to invest in new voices and the future of our industry.
✨Proud partners of Rising Stars @simongjewelry , @hillduncorp , @people , @macys , @fanatics
✨Dress by @bachmai
✨Photos by @andrewwerner
—-
WINNERS
✨Fine Jewelry: @jamiebnyc (Mason and Books)
✨Fashion Jewelry: Moubayed (Don’t Let Disco)
✨Accessories: Erin Saluti (@eittem_nyc ) and Sarah Fiszel & Maxwell Federbush (@bravepuddingofficial )
Sustainability: Chuks Collins
✨Beauty: Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks (@ashuntasheriffbeauty )
✨Ready-to-Wear: Aiste Hong @aistehong
✨Media Impact: Paige Desorbo @paige_desorbo
Last week, we brought female founder energy to life in a big way at our second annual HearstLab CMO Summit. A room full of decision-makers, operators, and visionaries leaning into what’s next and how to get there faster, smarter, and together.
What I love most about these moments is the collision of ideas. When you put the right people in the room, magic happens. Conversations turn into collaborations.
Introductions turn into business. And energy turns into momentum.
Grateful. Inspired. And already thinking about what’s next.
The best brands aren’t guessing. They’re building systems to understand their customers and meet them where they are.
That was the through line at HearstLab’s second annual CMO Summit — The Future of Consumer Brands: Build, Test, Scale — hosted with Nancy Berger and @amazonwebservices .
We brought founders, CMOs, and brand leaders together to talk about what’s actually working.
A few things that stuck with us:
✨ Real market signals beat surveys. Every time.
✨ Insight alone isn’t the advantage. Turning it into a story that lands is.
✨ Broader targeting isn’t better targeting. Context and judgment still win.
✨ AI is collapsing timelines — but the brands doing it well are the ones pairing data with human decision-making.
✨ Discovery is shifting. If you understand how AI works, you’ll understand how to show up in it.
Thank you to every speaker, partner, and attendee who showed up and made it a real conversation. See you at the next one!
Celebrating 30 years of brilliance! ✨
The @fginyc Rising Star Awards gathered at 583 Park Avenue to mark a milestone 30th anniversary. Hosted by the incomparable @cocorocha with a moving keynote by Ruben Toledo @toledox2 , the afternoon served as a powerful reminder of the creativity and vision shaping the industry.
A massive congratulations goes out to all of the incredible winners and nominees. By joining the ranks of the Rising Star alumni, these talents are now part of a prestigious community that has fostered legendary careers and lifelong friendships since the days of FGI’s founding leaders.
Congrats to the Winners and Nominees!
💎 Fine Jewelry: @masonandbooksjewelry
✨ Fashion Jewelry: @dontletdisco
👜 Accessories: @eittem_nyc & @bravepudding
🌿 Sustainability: @chukscollins
💄 Beauty: @ashuntasheriffbeauty
👔 Menswear: @wangda_official
👗 Womenswear: @aistehong
✨ Eveningwear: @jeanettelimas
🚀 Business Innovation: @justinabramsny
🎤 Media Impact: @paige_desorbo
📸 @gettyimages@andrewwerner #FGIRisingStar #RisingStarAwards #FashionGroupInternational #FGI30Years #EmergingTalent
If we were going to launch SWAG spotlight, it only felt right to start with @thekristenwiley ⭐️ Kristen just hit a huge milestone with Statusphere securing $18M in Series A funding, and watching her build something so impactful has been beyond inspiring.
Kristen is a dear friend of Nancy’s, a multiple time Start With A Good Power Retreater, and one of the most empowering women to be around. She leads with confidence, heart, and clarity, and she has a way of lifting everyone in the room.
We adore Kristen and could not be more proud of all that she has accomplished. So grateful to have her as part of the SWAG family 🤍✨
