Work hard, play nice. These words guide Lisa Sugar, the founder and president of POPSUGAR.
POPSUGAR is a global media and technology company. The various POPSUGAR brands “attract 100 million monthly visitors worldwide, and inform, entertain, and inspire action through the content we create and the commerce we drive.”
On January 23rd, Hamlin invited Lisa Sugar to discuss her new book, Power Your Happy, with Co-Founder and CEO of Eventbrite, Julia Hartz.
The conversation covered topics from Matt Damon, to working with her husband Brian, to literally raising a toddler at the POPSUGAR office. Ms. Sugar spoke about the origins of her work. “I wanted to get in the habit of writing everyday. I didn’t tell friends I was writing a blog at first. I started sending it to a few people, then they started sharing my movie reviews and other posts with more people, and it just grew.” Eventually Ms. Sugar’s husband Brian, helped her launch the business and it took off from there.
Ms. Sugar and Ms. Hartz went on to trade stories of having daughters while starting companies. Ms. Sugar’s first child was in the office until she was three years old. “The POPSUGAR community cheered when she learned to crawl, gave her tea parties, and the young twenty-something employees would take Katie-breaks to play with her.” Ms. Hartz added that her own baby daughter often slept under her desk at Eventbrite for the first six months. Both women spoke about the joys and inherent challenges of starting families and businesses simultaneously.
Ms. Sugar explained the central premise of her book and the ethos of POPSUGAR. “Power Your Happy, means everyone can figure out how to do more of what they love everyday. It could be a hobby, yoga, or reading more books.” In terms of POPSUGAR, Ms. Sugar emphasized that the company has done well because it has a “distinct voice and vision.” She shared how POPSUGAR is focused on being a positive force that can “power optimism and turn inspiration into action.” POPSUGAR’s activism is evident in its commitment to supporting Tipping Point, “a non-profit organization that fights poverty in the Bay Area.” POPSUGAR also encourages employees to volunteer and be of service two days a year as part of their #PSGives program.
The evening was filled with insight and good humor. We are very lucky to have these fantastic women, leaders, and mothers, in our Hamlin community.
To learn more about Lisa Sugar’s book, please visit: https://www.poweryourhappy.com/