Working Girl's Guide #36: TikTok and loafers are back (no correlation)

Tough loss for Notre Dame on Monday. But we’re powering through! We’re talking the future of TikTok, my trip to Atlanta, styling loafers, and keeping up with New Year’s resolutions. Let’s get into it.

Here’s the update on the fires.

On Tuesday morning, the Palisades fire was 63% contained. It’s burned 23,700 acres, which, for context, is equivalent to about 80% of the size of San Francisco. The Eaton fire, The Kenneth fire, the Hurst fire, the Lidia fire, and the Archer fire are all active. Last week, I highlighted resources that are doing amazing work to help the victims. Since then, the LA Times has updated this comprehensive list, which includes 47 restaurants offering free food to evacuees and responders; discounted and free lodging; emergency funds; free clothing, and more.

Trump has been inaugurated

I usually shy away from politics here, but seems worth touching briefly on the fact that we have a new president, who was sworn in on Monday at an inauguration attended by tech billionaires including three of the wealthiest people in the world: Bezos, Musk, and the Zuck. Trump began his second term with a swift signing of a whole bunch of executive orders, including designating cartels as terrorists, reforming the federal hiring process, and implementing a department of government efficiency (DOGE).

What’s the deal with TikTok?

For those of you who impulsively deleted the app when service was gone for all of 90 minutes on Saturday, you’re out of luck. Because while the app is functioning again in the US, it’s not available for download in the Apple or Android stores. Trump signed into order a 90-day extension for someone in the US to buy US operations from ByteDance — whether or not that’s actually an option is still up in the air. Regardless, you have another couple of months to brush up on all the creator secret spillage — right before the ban, creators used a trending audio to share insider secrets that they’ve never told their followers before. Those videos are still live.

I spent the weekend at the Notre Dame game in Atlanta — yes, I am a proud Notre Dame alum! While we didn’t get the outcome we wanted on Monday, I got to spend the weekend with my dad and some of my closest friends, which was incredibly fun.

Sharing this outfit exclusively for the loafers. Honestly, ignore the rest of it. Or don’t. It’s cute. But the loafers are my world. Loafers are one of those trendy items that I love to see other people style — but I struggle to make them work for me! I think I finally nailed the loafer look here, though: loafers and jeans can be a super great, cute and comfy option for a casual workday or travel day. Next up — styling them with slacks! Let's do it!

“Quitter’s Day” is officially celebrated on the second Friday of January, because SO MANY people don’t stick with their resolutions. I get it! It’s extremely hard to keep up with doing hard things when the pomp and circumstance and motivation of January 1 wears off! I got you: today we’re talking about reassessing and stick with resolutions.

Step 1: Reassess without guilt. If something isn’t working, it’s not you — it’s the plan. Resolutions should evolve with you, not work against you. If “work out 5x a week” is not happening, it’s completely find to swap it for for “move my body in a way I enjoy.”

Step 2: Shrink the challenge. Consistency beats intensity. Struggling to journal every day? Write one sentence. Can’t do a full workout? Walk for 30 minutes. Baby steps are still progress, and setting goals you can’t achieve is actually super demotivating. Why make things harder than they need to be???

Step 3: Schedule check-ins with yourself. Pick a day each week to evaluate your progress. Write down what worked, what didn’t, and adjust as needed. Treat it like a standing meeting with your goals — and it’s sooo much better to have a 1:1 with yourself than your manager (unless you have one of those rare managers that makes you NOT want to cancel your 1:1s, in which case, Annie is jealous).

Sales kickoff season is upon us! Remember to stay hydrated, use the buddy system, and try not to be too memorable! On the pod this week, we define every type of SKP - from hosting an elaborate gala event in New York City to a shoestring budget nightmare somewhere in Florida to the dreaded virtual SKO. We have you covered with the best tips and tricks to make it through with minimal damage! We’re reading confessions of some not-so-lucky salespeople who fell victim to the trappings of their company’s SKO, regaling you with stories of a high-speed ski chase and a VP of Sales who thinks a server is in love with him, plus the story of a resurfaced picture of Ross partying like an SDR in a San Diego hotel room (scary). Listen here.

Thanks for reading!