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The Perfect Midwest Getaway: Mackinac Island

August 21, 2020 by Kelly Nash 4 Comments

 

Mackinac Island COVID precautions

Note: We took our trip to Mackinac Island during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been asked a lot if it was safe to visit. For the most part, we thought it was pretty safe. At the time of publishing this post, all shops require masks to enter and most restaurants offer outdoor dining. There are a lot of outdoor activities to choose from and you can ensure social distancing as long as you take the proper precautions.

However, we heard from one of our waitresses during our trip that Mackinac Island has had record visitors this year. We believed it – we were alarmed by the number of people on Main Street when we got off the ferry on our first day. Because Main Street got pretty congested, we made the decision to avoid Main Street as much possible during the hours of 11am and 7pm when daytrippers were more prevalent on the island.

Mackinac Island has been on our list of U.S. getaways for quite some time. We had heard about the charm of the island and the fact that there were no cars allowed and that the only way to get around was by horse, bike, or foot (and snowmobile in the winter). It sounded like the most idyllic place to visit especially amid a pandemic, where we could take a step back in time, enjoy the great outdoors, and relax. Mackinac Island is definitely worth a visit for families, couples, and friends and is recommended for a long weekend getaway.

I am letting my husband, Adam, take the lead on this post! Like me, Adam loves researching and planning our trips (we have a Google doc for every trip) and he did most of the research for our trip to Mackinac Island. I figured, why not give him a chance to share his perspective while I focus on other L&I projects!?

If you’re interested in learning more about Mackinac Island, take a read below and hear from Adam on tips of when to visit, what to do, where to stay, and what to eat!

Mackinac Island, Michigan

When to Visit

Being on the northern tip of Michigan, Mackinac Island is most popular during the summer months of June-August when the weather is comfortable and warm. Kelly and I went in mid-August, which ended up being perfect timing, as our temperatures were in the mid-70s range while we were there. With the warm waters of Lake Huron surrounding the island, we were told by the locals that it stays a bit warmer than the mainland in the fall and leaves don’t start to change color until late October. Going in September or early October would also be an ideal time to visit without the summer crowds.

Mackinac Island

Getting There

Mackinac Island is a 6.5 hour drive from Chicago, 4 hours from Detroit, and 6 hours from Milwaukee. With it being farther away from Chicago, we decided to stay for a long weekend, from Friday to Monday. In order to break up the trip a bit, we decided to drive to Grand Rapids in Michigan first and stay the night there on Thursday, as it allowed us to get to the island quicker on Friday.

Since there are no cars allowed on the island, you take a ferry from either Mackinaw City or St. Ignace in Michigan. The two companies that operate the ferries to and from the island are Star Line or Shepler’s. The ferries both offer overnight parking ranging from $5-$15 per night.

When you arrive, you can tag your luggage so you don’t have to lug it onto the ferry yourself. You can have the ferry company then arrange for your luggage to be taken to your hotel from porters that meet you at the ferry. If your hotel is far away from the Star Line or Shepler’s dock, it can be a huge hassle dodging all of the people, bikes, and horses with your luggage, so this would be recommended in that instance. However, Kelly and I decided to bring our luggage ourselves onto the ferry as we didn’t have much to carry and because our hotel was close to the dock.

Note: During COVID-19, you will be required to wear a mask on the ferry, even if you are on the outdoor decks.

Where to Stay

The number one question we got when we told people we were visiting Mackinac Island was if we were staying at the Grand Hotel. We decided to look into it since it’s an iconic landmark on the island. When we noticed the price per night there ranged from $500-$2,800, we quickly decided it was a no-go. (Note: there is also a strict dress code at the Grand Hotel that is enforced after 6:30pm each night.) When we travel, we typically like to check out Airbnb and VRBO too as an option, but found rentals were extremely limited on the island.

There were plenty of hotels and quaint bed and breakfasts to choose from though. We narrowed our search down to Hotel Iroquois and the Chippewa Hotel, both of which are on Main Street. We decided on the Chippewa Hotel, as we liked the location and the sundeck/hot tub amenity that was offered. The best part of this hotel’s location was pulling into the dock on the island and seeing the Chippewa right in front of us. We only had to walk a few steps to get to our hotel!

The Chippewa was situated perfectly between the Grand Hotel and Mission Point (another popular hotel on the island). It was also steps away from all of the shops and restaurants on the main strip. The hotel is very historic, having been built in 1902. Their hotel rooms ranged from Queen or King size rooms overlooking Main Street or luxury suites overlooking the harbor. It had the Victorian era charm, but with modern touches (their lobby and bathrooms look to have been recently upgraded). While the room size was fairly small, we were pleasantly surprised at how quiet the room was with it facing Main Street.

The Chippewa also hosts one of the most popular restaurants on the island – The Pink Pony (they even have a store dedicated to it attached to the hotel!).  The staff was incredibly kind too and offered us early check-in and texted us upon arrival to our room to ensure everything was to our satisfaction. We highly recommend the Chippewa – it’s very likely we will stay there again in the future!

Chippewa Hotel Mackinac Island

The Chippewa Hotel Waterfront, right next to the Star Line Ferry dock.

What To Do

Rent bicycles for the day – With no cars on the island, the biggest mode of transportation is the bicycle. Our favorite part of our trip was riding our bikes. You can rent bikes from the numerous rental shops on the island or you can bring your own on the ferry (which is an additional cost). The island has an 8-mile paved road that encircles the island (fun fact: it’s the only highway in America with no cars!). Once you get out of the downtown area, the road really opens up and you can get a close-up view of Lake Huron’s turquoise waters. I felt like we were biking on a Caribbean island with the water that surrounded us. You can make a few pit stops on the way too and explore Arch Rock, the British landing, and Cannonball Drive Inn for their famous fried pickles!

Kelly biking on Mackinac Island

Spend time at the Grand Hotel – The Grand Hotel is worth visiting even if you don’t stay there. Beware that there is a $10 per person charge to enter, but it grants you access to the entirety of the historic hotel and its beautiful gardens. Walking through the hotel, you get a sense of the amount of history that it has seen in its time.

We decided to get some cocktails at the Germanium Bar and sip on those as we relaxed in rocking chairs on the hotel’s famous front porch. It had stunning, sweeping views of the grounds, as well as Lake Huron in the distance. You can also grab a drink at their Cupola Bar (which is on their highest level and boasts even better views) or sit down for a meal at the nearby Jockey Club. Afternoon Tea is offered between 3:30-5 for $56 per person (we chose to forgo this to avoid being inside too long due to COVID-19). Don’t miss exploring the gardens either!

Drinks on the Grand Hotel's porch at Mackinac Island.

Grand Hotel Gardens on Mackinac Island

Check out the many fudge shops – We lost count of the number of fudge shops there are on the island. They take it seriously there! Mackinac Island is known for its fudge, so definitely make sure you sample it or take some home with you. You can also watch the fudge be made as they craft it on Mackinac’s famous marble slabs. Our favorite flavor was the chocolate peanut butter!

Relax at Mission Point – Mission Point is a public park in front of its hotel that offers a chance to relax in Adirondack chairs and take in the views of Lake Huron. This was our second favorite thing to do. We ended up coming back each day to sit and sip on a coffee or alcoholic beverage (both of which you can get at the nearby Boxwood Cafe). Boxwood Cafe also offers meats and cheeses, which can be a nice option for a picnic by the lake. One of the mornings, we got breakfast to go at Watercolor Cafe and rode our bikes down to Mission Point to enjoy.

Go shopping on Main Street – Kelly and I enjoyed going in and checking out the shops. There’s something for everyone – from the typical tourist knick-knack stores to clothing boutiques to gift shops. It was great to walk around and support local businesses!

Visit Fort Mackinac – A former British and American military outpost used during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, Fort Mackinac is something for the history buffs! Kelly and I both love history and normally would have visited the fort. However, due to COVID-19 and the fact that a lot of the museum is based inside, we opted out. We made a mental note to go next time!

Take a carriage ride – This is a very popular attraction for the people visiting the island to get acquainted with the island and learn more about it. We did not partake in this (we decided we’d rather ride our bikes), so can’t really speak to it. If you’re looking for more info, you can head here.

Watch the sunrise and sunset – Because Mackinac Island is only 8 miles around, you can easily watch both the sunrise on the east side of the island and then the sunrise on the west side. We did both and recommend enjoying a walk from your hotel to witness both.

Mackinac Island sunrise.

Sunrise at Mission Point

Where To Eat

Kelly and I were pleasantly surprised by the quantity and quality of the restaurants on Mackinac Island. There are plenty to choose from and most take reservations. For breakfast, we loved going to Watercolor Cafe and getting acai bowls, as well as their peanut butter toast and avocado toast. We liked it so much we went twice! Since we visited during COVID, we noticed a lot of the breakfast places were closed, as they only offer indoor dining. However, we heard great things about Chuckwagon from the locals that you can call to order and pick up. If you go that route, we recommend eating it at the park in front of Fort Mackinac or at Mission Point. Lucky Bean Coffee House was a favorite for a coffee break as well.

For dinner, we ate at 1852 Grill Room at the Island House Hotel, the Pink Pony at the Chippewa and Carriage House at Hotel Iroquois. All three restaurants were excellent choices. Do not miss the peanut butter pie at the Carriage House. It comes with the most delicious homemade hot fudge. I’m pretty sure it was Kelly’s favorite dessert ever.

Carriage House on Mackinac Island.

The grounds and views at Carriage House were stunning!

Pro tip – make reservations far in advance for dinner, especially if you want to sit outdoors. Wait times for tables can exceed 3 hours.

The Perfect Midwest Getaway

Mackinac Island makes you feel like you are transporting back in time. You can feel the charm of the town with its unique and historic buildings, mom and pop shops and restaurants, and horse-drawn carriages. We found the majority of people came to Mackinac Island for the day and headed back to the mainland after the afternoon hours. This made the mornings and evenings fairly quiet and extremely peaceful.

Kelly drinking at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

We felt there was enough to do for an entire weekend and we both said to each other that we hope to revisit someday. We both loved the fact that there are no cars on the island. There is something about being able to bike around on the streets and not have the anxiety and stress of dodging cars. The amount of happiness that this place brings people is truly remarkable. Everywhere we looked, it seemed everyone had a smile on their face.

Pink lipstick stain

Kelly, Founder of Lipstick & Ink
Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, speaker, career advisor, and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. In addition, she works full-time in technology as a Success Manager at Salesforce and has over 10 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, SheFactor, and Six Degrees Society. She is also in the process of writing her first book.

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Filed Under: travel Tagged With: travel

About Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, speaker, career advisor, and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. In addition, she works full-time in technology as a Success Manager at Salesforce and has over 10 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, SheFactor, and Six Degrees Society. She is also in the process of writing her first book.

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Comments

  1. Shalane Walker says

    August 22, 2020 at 11:22 am

    This is a great post. I’ve always heard of Mackinac Island, but it always seemed so far away from Chicago.
    That’s a great idea to drive to grand rapids first

    Reply
    • Kelly Nash says

      August 22, 2020 at 1:40 pm

      Thanks, Shalane! I hope you found it helpful. It’s not too far if you break it up – let me know if you ever end up going. I think you and your daughter would really love it 🙂

      Reply
  2. Reid Wiersema says

    September 9, 2020 at 7:41 pm

    Great stuff Kelly!

    I’ve been to Mackinac a few times in my life. Most recently we stayed at Mission Point. It was pretty good but next time we plan on staying somewhere closer to town, perhaps the Chippewa. Mission was a long haul with all our bags. Plus, it’s just not convenient. We did most of the stuff on your list, including biking around the island with our kids. It was fantastic. I’m looking forward to visiting again. Thanks for the recommendations.

    Reid

    Reply
    • Kelly Nash says

      September 9, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      Thanks, Reid! I’m so glad you’ve had the chance to experience the magic of Mackinac! We loved biking around the island! Good to know about Mission Point too – I could definitely see that being a pain. We loved the Chippewa so maybe check that out next time!

      Reply

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[𝙽𝙴𝚆 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝙶 𝙿𝙾𝚂𝚃] 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥. While certainly an overused term, it’s definitely not overrated. Personal branding is more important than ever as it helps you to 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧, 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮, 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧. Regardless if you work in the corporate world or consider yourself an entrepreneur (or both!), knowing and cultivating your personal brand is essential.
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Because here’s the thing – you already have a personal brand, whether you realize it or not. 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱. However, understanding the power of your brand can be difficult and requires self-awareness, intention, and action.
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If you’re unsure or curious about how to get started with building and boosting your brand, I've developed a 5 step formula to do just that! You can read more about these 5 steps and your best path forward in L&I's newest blog post, found via the link in my bio!💋
3 years ago today, I pressed “Publish” on Lips 3 years ago today, I pressed “Publish” on Lipstick & Ink. Even though it was only a blog at the time, I was terrified to put myself out there. I worried about what people would think about me, wondered if my site was good enough, and questioned if what I was writing would even resonate or help others.
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At the same time, it was exhilarating and freeing. I was finally writing again, something that had been a passion of mine since I was a kid. I was in my purpose, sharing my knowledge of how I had grown my career and guiding women on how they could do the same. And most of all, I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone, facing fears I had avoided for years.
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Since February 22, 2018, I have grown more than I thought possible. From my blog to expanding to events to speaking to advising clients to writing my first book, I continue to find ways to grow L&I and make an impact. And I can feel in my bones this is only the beginning.

Through these last 3 years, if I could share one piece of advice as to what I’ve learned , it’s this: OWN YOUR POWER. Own the power of yours that’s generated from within, not outside of yourself. Your authentic power. Don’t give your power away. Don’t allow the thoughts of others to get in your way. Don’t compare yourself to others and wonder how you will measure up. Don’t hold back on what you want to do because you are concerned about how others are going to feel about it.
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There is always a choice to make in terms of whether you decide to own your power or give it away. And these days, I choose my power. I choose me. My hope is that you too honor who you are and choose yourself. Because when you choose yourself, you set yourself free💋
We live in a world of 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 We live in a world of 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 - and let's be honest, we have gotten reaaal accustomed to it. So much so, that we may be easily disappointed when something doesn't immediately go our way - including when it comes to our careers. Whether it's seeking a promotion or landing a job at your dream company, we need to remember that it may take longer than we like or anticipate.
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Most of the time, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒍𝒚. This is why it's critical to ᴘʟᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴇᴅ early on to begin preparing to reach your next career goal. For example:⠀
🌱 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Start making an effort to connect with your manager periodically to discuss your career growth. Voice that you are aiming for a promotion. Show to him/her that you take your professional development seriously by discussing your goals and ways you can start taking on additional responsibilities. Try and start taking on the work of the role above yours. Keep a track record of your accomplishments and feedback (L&I has a free template FYI under Resources in my bio!).⠀
🌱 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆: Research the company and learn about their mission, corporate values, and their offerings. Take their available certifications if available to put on your resume. Reach out and build relationships over time with people that currently work there to understand the culture and to let them know you are interested in working for their company. Get your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile professionally reviewed. Tailor your resume and yes, even your cover letter for the job you ultimately apply for.
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Both of these scenarios 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚. But don't let that discourage you. What's something you're looking to accomplish in your career in the next 6 months? Don't delay - it's never too early to start preparing. Plant the seed now and watch yourself grow these next few months. Soon enough, after some hard work and patience, those 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 will come🌷💋
[𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘: 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗜𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁] Let's chat career conversations with your manager 🤓
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How often are you having regular check-ins with your manager about your career development? At minimum, you should be meeting quarterly to review your performance and talk about your career progress. Don't wait until your annual performance review to do so! ❌ 𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 and put time on the calendar to meet periodically throughout the year 🗓
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Having these types of check-ins are essential to your professional success and it's important to go into them prepared with your own talking points. Enter the 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬-𝘐𝘯 worksheet ✔️This worksheet will help you to:⠀
➢ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 your manager that you take your career seriously and are willing to put your best foot forward⠀
➢ 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 on your goals and actions you're taking to get you to the next step in your career⠀
➢ 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 a productive conversation with your manager to discuss your wins, challenges, and what you want to work on in the months ahead⠀
➢ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 awareness to your work and a better opportunity to negotiate a promotion/raise/added benefits
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Interested? 😏 Download the FREE worksheet via the link in my bio under 𝚁𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚜 💋
I stand firmly by this career tip. Putting yoursel I stand firmly by this career tip. Putting yourself out there in the workplace and showcasing bits and pieces of who you are is critical to 𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙.
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When I first started my professional career, I thought that I had to be a "version" of who I was at work. That I needed to always keep things "professional" and that it was "inappropriate" to talk about my personal life. 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.
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By intertwining my professional and personal brands into one, I've been able to 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. Here are ways you can share more of who you are at work:⠀
✔ 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐨: Whether it’s an internal-facing bio that's visible to your co-workers or the “About” section on your LinkedIn, take advantage of it! Go beyond just what you do for the company and talk about things you do outside of work and what you're passionate about.⠀
✔ 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤: Those few minutes before a meeting begins are a great opportunity to get to know someone, ask questions, and share something about yourself.⠀
✔ 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐨𝐧: Zoom fatigue is real, but having your video on is a great way for someone to get to know you better beyond just your voice.⠀
✔ 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: Even with many of us working from home, you can still show a bit of your personal style whether it's a crisp blazer, a statement jewelry piece, or your favorite shade of lipstick.⠀
✔ 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝: Tap into the groups within your company that interest you as it will allow you to meet more likeminded people and talk about things other than work.
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Don't hold back in putting yourself out there and sharing more of who you are. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙪𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙔-𝙊-𝙐💋
✨ 𝙽𝙴𝚆 𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙴 𝙾𝙽 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙵𝙴𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 ✨  Meet Brittney.
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@bsoliver is a Nashville-based career and lifestyle freelance writer and content strategist. Over the past 3 years, Brittney has built her platform, @lemons_2_lemonade, to help young professionals turn their career obstacles around. Her platform is known for its networking mixers, which have brought over 2,000 professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives together to turn life’s lemons into lemonade.
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I met Brittney at her Chicago mixer back in Fall 2019 and was so impressed with her story and what she was building with Lemons 2 Lemonade. I immediately signed up for her newsletter and followed her on all of her social channels, where we've been connecting ever since! We actually just wrapped up a #L2LChat of our own, where we chatted about the changing job landscape due to the pandemic.
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What inspires me about Brittney is that she balances working full-time and freelance writing for publishers like Fast Company and ESSENCE. She’s  a thought-leader, having keynoted LinkedIn's first women of color conference in 2019 and was listed as Forbe's "Nine Black Women Leaders Dedicated to Empowering Others." Not only that, Brittney has so much heart for what she does and never gives up on herself. That was apparent to me after hearing her story of going on 100 interviews in an 8-month period.
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In all sense of the word, Brittney is crushing any and all lemons she comes across. I can't wait to see how much more lemonade she makes this year. You can read our exclusive interview via the link in my bio!💋
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