Transparent heeled shoes made of polycarbonate, PVC, lucite, and acrylic resin are known as “clear heels. There’s something appealing about classic clear-heel sandals. Not only do they go with everything, but they also go with those new cute pants you just got. Despite the fact that clear heels are no longer trendy, you can still wear them! The clear heels are definitely our favorite shoe trend for this fall season, as they add an air of class and elegance to any outfit.

If you’re in a hurry, here are our top 3 quick picks for the best Clear Heels of 2021

• Cape Robbin Maria-2 Clear Chunky Block High Heels
• vivianly Womens Clear Heels
• Cape Robbin Fusion Clear Chunky Block High Heels for Women

Criteria for Choosing the Best Clear Heels

It is important to choose your transparent shoes carefully so that you avoid pain, blistering, redness, and uncomfortable bunching of the toes through the PVC. The trick to finding the right pair of shoes is to shop at the end of the day when your feet are at their biggest due to swelling. This way, the shoes won’t fit you because the shoes won’t stretch to accommodate your swollen feet.

You should stick with shoes that are made of clear materials that let your feet breathe, like both the ones on our list. Despite their beauty, transparent boots are by far the least user-friendly. You should wear slip-on shoes and sandals since they prevent sweat from accumulating around the foot.

The 10 of Best Clear Heels of 2021

Now the clear shoe trend is becoming more popular and you can find a variety of styles in very affordable retailers, especially Amazon! Right now, Amazon has some sweet deals on the best clear heels one can find. Our criteria for choosing the best translucent heals include ones that don’t cramp up your feet too much, as well as ones that are worth their value and can last a very long time. 

Cape Robbin Maria-2 Clear Chunky Block High Heels

The Maria-2 Clear Chunky Block High Heels from Cape Robbins are a sexy way to show off your pedicure! These heels are designed with individuality and diversity in mind, as they are continuously influenced by fashion and style, and aim to follow suit. They complement cocktail dresses as well as t-shirts and jeans for a formal evening or brunch in the early afternoon. Wrapping around the front of the ankle and securing with a side clasp, the ankle strap is adjustable and gracefully finished.

PROS

• The heels are chunky
• The heels are chunky
• The heels provide an ankle strap
• The heels provide a timeless design

CONS

• One customer reports that the ankle strap slides off every couple of feet

Check Price on Amazon

vivianly Womens Clear Heels

This transparent pair of high heels finally gives you a pair of heels that are truly comfortable. With an open square toe design, you will shine in any crowd. These beauties look great with a cool summer dress or even jeans, either way, the look is stunning. Every season, Vivian offers the latest trends with a distinctive flair and hottest in vogue fashion, allowing the beautiful woman to pursue her own personal world. If you pay close attention to vivianly, you will be pleasantly surprised. These transparent mule heels feature a transparent TPU and soft PU material. The soft rubber soles and non-slip soles are designed to provide comfort and support and can extend the wearer’s wearing time.

PROS

• The price is worth its value
• The heels go with any outfit 
• The heels are very eye-catching

CONS

• One customer reports that the heels did not come in the correct size 

Check Price on Amazon

Cape Robbin Fusion Clear Chunky Block High Heels for Women

Here is another one of our favorite Cape Robbin heels – the Fusion Clear! As they share similar features with the Maria-2 Clear heels up above, these heels are designed with individuality and diversity in mind, as they are continuously influenced by fashion and style, and aim to follow suit. They complement cocktail dresses as well as t-shirts and jeans for a formal evening or brunch in the early afternoon. Wrapping around the front of the ankle and securing with a side clasp, the ankle strap is adjustable and gracefully finished.

PROS

• The heels are chunky
• The heels provide a classic toe
• The heels provide an ankle strap
• The heels provide a timeless design

CONS

• One customer reports that the heels did not come in the correct size

Check Price on Amazon

Pleaser Women’s Belle-301 Clear Sandal

With this ultra-sexy slide from Pleaser, you’ll be the center of attention. You’ll look like you have naturally long legs with this clear vinyl upper and acrylic heel… people won’t be able to tear their eyes away from you! The world’s leading brand of sexy footwear is sensuous, sexy, and wild with footwear by Pleaser. With an unmistakable blend of sex appeal you’ve come to expect from high heels and an undeniable amount of cuteness and originality, Pleaser shoes are all about fun from everyday edgy to very extreme. Pleaser offers a wide array of styles in which you can let your imagination run wild and express your inner wild child! Fashionistas, artists, and sexy shoes enthusiasts around the world rave about the ultra-sexy, show-stealing Pleaser shoes!

PROS

• The price is worth its value
• This heel is 100% synthetic
• This heel is extremely comfy

CONS

• One customer reports that the heels did not come in the correct size

Check Price on Amazon

BOJIN Women’s Clear High Heels

These women’s high heels can make your outfit perfect for a dinner party, a wedding, cocktail party, homecoming, nightclub, cruise, or any other special occasion, showing off your sexy and glamorous side. These heels are made from soft and skin-friendly materials, giving you maximum comfort, relaxing your feet, enhancing your style, and allowing you to stand for long periods of time without becoming fatigued. The 3 to 3.5-inch height allows you to walk fast, tailored to the height of women, retain the feminine style, let you walk for a long time without feeling fatigued. Your ankles are gently clasped with a metal buckle, firmly locking the elegance of your ankles, blooming in the crowd, drawing the admiration of many admirers.

PROS

• The price is worth its value
• These heels provide an ankle strap
• These heels provide the ultimate comfort

CONS

• One customer reports that the shoe comes poorly designed

Check Price on Amazon

Allegra K Women’s Dual Clear Strap Sandals

Another one of our favorite clear-fashioned heels is the Allegra K Women’s Dual Clear Strap Sandals! You can jazz up your summer footwear collection with these sandals made of clear TPU and faux suede. Some white skinny pants and striped tee would look great with these slide shoes.

PROS

• The price is worth its value
• These sandals are extremely stable
• These sandals provide a suede sole

CONS

• One customer reports that the sandals come very small

Check Price on Amazon

Cape Robbin Melrose Sexy Clear Stiletto High Heels for Women

Here’s another Cape Robbin favorite – the Melrose Sexy Stiletto Clear High Heels! You will feel sexy and comfy in these adorable and comfortable stiletto heel sandals. These stylish, comfortable Pleaser shoes have a cushioned insole, traction outsole, and a clear rubber strap. They complement cocktail dresses as well as t-shirts and jeans for a formal evening or brunch in the early afternoon. Wrapping around the front of the ankle and securing with a side clasp, the ankle strap is adjustable and gracefully finished.

PROS

• The heels are chunky
• The heels provide a classic toe
• The heels provide an ankle strap
• The heels provide a timeless design

CONS

• One customer reports that the heels did not come in the correct size

Check Price on Amazon

iCKER Women’s Heeled Clear Sandals

These clear sandals are the perfect complement to any outfit, whether you are wearing jeans, shorts, dresses, or skirts. These gorgeous sandals will keep your feet from slipping, turning or moving around! You can pair these open-toed sandals with any hot outfit and these are a must-have in your closet. These sandals feature an open toe, chunky high heel, clear Rhinestones, an ankle strap, and an adjustable buckle. You can easily handle this pair of rhinestone block heels with its ergonomic design, unbeatable comfort, and traditional handmade craftsmanship. You can go about your day and night safely and without fatigue thanks to the treaded outsole. These chunky heels are also incredibly comfortable and have ankle straps that give them enough support to be worn for a number of hours at a time.

PROS

• The price is worth its value
• These sandals are extremely comfy
• These sandals are beautifully designed

CONS

• One customer reports that the sandals are cheaply made

Check Price on Amazon

MACKIN J 405-1 Women’s Clear Wedge Sandals 

It’s impossible to find a sexier pair of heels than these clear sandals! With an open toe slipper, these women’s lucite clear wedge heel sandals currently measure approximately 4.2 inches high. Featuring a clear heel sandal made of TPU and soft material, these sandals are comfortable to wear all day long. You can wear these heels for any party, the office, a date, a wedding, a nightclub, and just about anything!

PROS

• The price is worth its value
• These heels are easy to walk in
• These heels are extremely comfortable

CONS

• One customer reports that the heels come in larger than expected

Check Price on Amazon

FSJ Women Studded Pointed Toe Transparent Pumps

If you wanted to provide every girl with the fairy tale dream of crystal shoes that turn them into princesses, you could provide these FSJ pointed clear studded heels! Styled with pointed toe, stiletto heels, clear transparency, and studded detailing, these stylish clear pumps have a stylish feel. The synthetic material used in these shoes is of the highest quality. With a flexible rubber outsole, these shoes are designed for comfort and will keep you stylish and comfortable from day to night. If you wear them to evening parties, proms, weddings, or every day, they will definitely polish up your look.

PROS

• These heels provide versatile style
• These heels are comfy and durable
• These heels provide a dainty height

CONS

• One customer reports that they received a used broken heel

Check Price on Amazon

In Conclusion 

We hope you found the best clear heels that best suits your needs! Keep in mind that even though these are some of the comfiest forms of heels one can buy, make sure you still look at each feature to make sure you buy the right one for your body. 

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We hope you enjoy these products! But keep in mind, Grit Daily might take a small commission on the items recommended here—but that doesn’t mean we don’t believe in them. We only recommend products that we would buy or use ourselves, so don’t be wary of our suggestions. 

The post The 10 Best Clear Heels You Can Still Wear In The Fall appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Here’s a deeper look into the trials of this serial entrepreneur — an immigrant that has launched a number of successful projects despite being rejected by — in her words, “practically all” — venture investors. Her take? Hack it, and make money the “old-fashioned way” through sales. 

Grit Daily: Where do you start when it comes to conjuring up viable business ideas?

Irina Lebedeva: I start with the overall strategy. Provided that you choose your goal wisely and have the right resources to achieve it, your chances of success are pretty high even if you have to pivot from your original idea down the line. Basically it all comes down to two factors: creating a Minimum Viable Product using as little development resources as you can and being able to get first clients with a zero budget by using strategic partnerships, for example. 

This can help you stay independent from VCs and angel investors who are often too demanding when you need them. Closing a round of investment can take from 6 to 12 months, and most projects fail to get funded. If you are a female founder and an immigrant who doesn’t have a record of success in this country your chances are basically zero. But this doesn’t mean your project cannot succeed, though! 

You simply will be much better off using these 6 to 12 months developing the first version of your product and getting the first clients or users, and make VCs approach you themselves later down the line when you get your metrics right by having a product that is already in high demand.

Grit Daily: So how do you minimise development involved in the first version of the product?

Irina Lebedeva: This depends on each particular product. When it’s a service, you don’t even need to develop anything, you just need to focus on onboarding the first clients and then scaling it. For example, you can use the existing functionality of Instagram and Whastapp to provide consultations or educational services. 

Often you do not need to create a complicated platform or mobile app, you just need a landing page, where your potential clients can put in their contact details, for instance. A product is a tool, so development of the MVP is not your end goal, focus on the cash positive business instead, and your happy customers are at the core of it. 

But if you are sure the mobile app is the solution, again, you don’t have to develop it! You can create a clickable design in Invision, show it to your first users and then use this design and their positive feedback as an MVP to get funding from angel investors. You can have a perfectly designed app for less than $2k if you use outsource designers. Developing an app will cost you at least $20k and will take more time (up to six months instead of 1-2 months). With proper testing the app can cost you $200k. Investors do not care how much money you have spent developing your prototype, but they eagerly invest in successful scalable businesses.

Grit Daily: How can you simplify development of something worth millions of dollars? 

Irina Lebedeva: Well, first, you need to verify if you actually need a platform, or a landing page/chatbot will suffice for an MVP. The more aps you have, the more complexities you create, which can shoot you in the leg once you start testing the product on real users. Put simply, involve no more than one full stack developer for the prototype, if you can. When it comes to mobile apps, for example, one native iOS developer can develop both the interface and also simple backend using firebase. So you can actually have one person doing design, frontend and backend, because native interface 

Secondly, you focus on what really matters, this will also make your product more sustainable in the long run. At Teamkraft, which is a social sports app, at some point we needed to develop a system that could track and verify user data and reputation across sports and across countries. At that time, the majority of companies would have developed their own non fungible tokens to launch collectible items. This process, however, cost them millions of dollars and took at least  a year to develop a prototype while hiring the world’s most expensive developers. We decided to keep things simple and start by storing hashes of data on the blockchain, which would make it immutable and verifiable. 

This approach of using blockchain as a database was extremely quick in comparison to developing, for example, an ERC-721 token, and was also extremely cheap. This allowed Teamkraft to have a prototype ready in mere months without any additional developers and financing. Further, because the transaction costs were much lower, it allowed for an overall more sustainable business. Morale of the story: you can build apps without hiring an army of developers if you simplify your prototype by focusing on what really matters to the consumer and eliminate the noise. 

Grit Daily: We got the prototype. What’s next?

Irina Lebedeva: Marketing is one of the toughest parts of early stage projects. Prototypes require thousands of dollars, but marketing costs can be in the millions. This is why optimising the marketing costs is one of the core skills of Founders and Product Managers. 

At Xfinite, which is a crypto entertainment platform (“Netflix on the blockchain”), we didn’t start the acquisition of users with raising dozens of millions of dollars through private sale or ICO like other blockchain projects did. The product itself started with developing strategic partnerships, including a partnership with Eros Now (India’s major media company with over 220M subscribers) and scaling to over two dozen international content partners even before we got any blockchain development done. Morale of the story: you can build an outreach of hundreds of millions of users even if you do not have any marketing budget!

Grit Daily: So you can launch any product and market it to millions of people without any financing. What are the venture capitalists for then?

Irina Lebedeva: Once you have your product ready, and start scaling the number of customers or users, you can start talking to VCs and angel investors. Now you will have the data for them to be able to assess your product in terms of valuation and future cash flows. 

At this point you have all the chances to get funded no matter who you are, where you come from, what projects you have had in the past. This might not sound like a shortcut but this is one of the very few sure ways to building a successful venture project even if you have no access to financing.

Looking to get together with startup enthusiasts like Irina? Take a look at the upcoming Congressional Startup Day, August 11 in Tampa.

The post Irina Lebedeva Has Perfected the Art of the “Bootstrapped Startup” appeared first on Grit Daily News.

If you’re in a hurry, here are our top 3 quick picks for the Best Desk Mats of 2021

• Knodel Desk Mat
• Leather Office Desk Mat Protector
• Dual-Sided Multifunctional Desk Mat

Criteria for Choosing the Best Desk Mats

What is the exact purpose of a desk mat?

They’re meant to protect your furniture while building a smooth working surface. They are also aesthetically pleasing and appropriate for any type of environment. Using desk pads can prevent scratches and stains on your desk (or cover them up). The mousepads can be replaced by these, and the base is large enough to provide a non-slip surface for laptops or keyboards. Moreover, their surfaces are silky smooth and easy to write on.

Isn’t a desk mat just a mouse pad?

Believe it or not, not exactly. Although mousepads may have become outdated, they still serve an important purpose even with today’s high-sensitivity optical mice that operate on any surface. The desk mats cover more than just a small square under your mouse (depending on the size).

Does using a desk mat make a mechanical keyboard sound better?

If you want to reduce the sound of the keyboard, you can use a desk mat under it. The vibration you get from typing on your keyboard amplifies the sound of your desk. The vibrations are absorbed by a desk mat under the keyboard, which allows you to work in peace!

How do I clean a desk mat?

A wet cloth and soap can successfully clean the majority of genuine leather, PVC leather, or synthetic fabric desk mats.

There are a variety of desk pads available in various sizes, including those that can be placed on glass-topped desks to prevent scratches. Desk pads are useful for taking notes, creating drawings, and grading papers. For more information on the best desk pads available on Amazon, read on. Our criteria for choosing the best desk mats include ones that are made out of high-quality materials, hold a good size and hold a good price for their value. 

The 8 of Best Best Desk Mats of 2021

Knodel Desk Mat

Both the office and home can benefit from this desk mat. It is made of a durable leather PUL material that protects against scratches, dents, spills, and heat. Additionally, when you place it on your desktop, it gives your office an air of professionalism and modernity. Desk protectors with new design sewing are more durable than those with conventional design. It holds a material that has the same colors on each side, but the sides can be used separately. It comes with a strap to roll up the pad, so you can easily carry it. Furthermore, they can be easily stored. This easy-to-clean, water-resistant product is made of heat- and water resistance material. Simply wipe its surface with a wet cloth to clean it.

PROS

• The desk mat is waterproof and easy to clean
• The desk mat comes with a one-year warranty
• The desk mat is made out of sewing pu leather
• The desk mat is double-sided and easy to store
• The desk mat can be used for multiple purposes 

CONS

• One customer reports that the desk mat does not grip well with wooden surfaces 
• One customer reports that the desk mat had some scratches on the back when it was received

Check Price on Amazon

Leather Office Desk Mat Protector

From basic computer use to design work, this desk mat can be used for any task. You can cut the mat to fit your needs and use it as a placemat, heat insulation pad, non-slip mat, table mat, etc. With a variety of colors for you to choose from, each color is unique and shows its individuality, making your desktop look more vivid. From quiet black to bright yellow, from dull navy blue to flirty pink, each color is unique and adds a touch of color to your everyday office life. The back of the device features a suede leather design that increases the friction resistance with the desktop and is non-slip. Compared to double-sided leather, this leather has a 70% higher friction resistance. With its large, glossy surface and high-quality texture, the mouse ensures precise placement and full movement. You can move the mouse smoothly and quickly, which provides you with maximum convenience. This desk surface is also waterproof and scratch-resistant, and with a damp cloth, you can easily remove any dirt.

PROS

• The desk mat is suitable for writing
• The desk mat is waterproof & easy to clean
• The desk mat provides a smooth movement 
• The desk mat provides a special non-slip design

CONS

• One customer reports that the edge of the desk mat is a little sharp

Check Price on Amazon

Dual-Sided Multifunctional Desk Mat

Suitable for your laptop, mouse, keyboard, and coffee cup, this vibrant desk mat can increase the aesthetic appeal of your office environment by adding color. Both sides of the mat use a different color, but the mat itself is made from the same material. You can cut it to any size you want without any sharp edges, as glass and wooden desktops can be scratched, stained, and spilled on if they are not protected. If the mats are very dirty, the wet cloth should be used rather than the dry cloth, as it is waterproof, oil-proof, and extremely easy to clean. It can be also be taken anywhere – just attach the strap in the attachment, roll the pad up, and tighten the strap. 

PROS

• The desk mat is dual-sided
• The desk mat is easy to take to-go
• The desk mat provides a smooth cutter
• The desk mat is made out of a high-quality PU leather material 

CONS

• One customer reports that the material of the desk mat doesn’t lay completely flat

Check Price on Amazon

Gallaway Leather Desk Mat

With Gallaway’s Desk Pad, you can keep your workspace clean and tidy. The rich brown color of the desk mat complements the minimalist design of the desk pad, making it easily adaptable to home or office environments. This desk pad/mouse pad is made from quality materials using PU leather plus a suede bottom for extra grip and protection against spills, scratches, and stains. Work with the wrist and elbow pads to prevent wrist and elbow stress, as the PU Leather provides both a smooth surface and a comfortable feel to your skin, making it an ideal mouse surface as well. 

PROS

• The desk mat is comfortable 
• The desk mat provides an anti-slip base
• The desk mat comes in a successfully designed packaging
• The desk mat is made out of quality-finishing and easy-to-clean leather 

CONS

• One customer reports that the leather isn’t real leather
• One customer reports that they received a desk mat that was covered in mold 

Check Price on Amazon

AFRITEE Desk Mat

The AFRITEE desk pad is made of durable PU leather material that protects your desktop from scratches, stains, spills, heat, and abrasions. Unlike ordinary desk protectors, the upgraded desk mat has a stylish and durable design that all but eliminates the need to clean your desk. There are nine different color-match mats available for office decor so you can decorate your desk with your favorite color. Despite the same material being used on both sides of the pad, the colors are different, making it easy to use both sides as mousepads and writing pads. This desk pad also comes with a strap that allows it to be rolled up, making it very easy to store and carry. Durable and easy to clean, this desk cover is made of water- and heat-resistant material. Simply wipe the surface of this desk mouse pad with a wet cloth to clean it. Its synthetic leather will add elegance and professionalism to your workspace and is odorless and of high quality.

PROS

• The price is worth its value 
• The desk mat is waterproof
• The desk mat is double-sided 
• The desk mat is made out of premium leather
• The desk mat comes with a one-year warranty 

CONS

• One customer reports that the desk mat turned grey after a month of usage 

Check Price on Amazon

Awnour Clear Desk Mat Blotter

This clear PVC desk mat is perfect for protecting office tables, gaming tables, and kids’ activity tables for school assignments, eating, drawing, and crafting. One wipe with a soft, wet cloth is all that is needed to clean it. This clear desk mat protects against scuffs, stains, and other damages, as it is resistant to slips, shocks, drops, alkalis, acids, and pressure. Stable, anti-static, inert, toxin-free, it is ideal for office desks, workstations, and activity tables. The desk also has a wooden plastic bottom and a glass top to allow it to skid. With smooth, non-cracking surfaces and excellent light transmission, your business will reach its full potential.

PROS

• The desk mat is textured and frosted
• The desk mat provides a round edge 
• The desk mat provides a limited replacement warranty 
• The desk mat is made out of premium quality materials 
• The desk mat is transparent and can be used for multiple purposes

CONS

• One customer reports that the dimensions of the desk mat are not accurate

Check Price on Amazon

JOYIT Dual Sided Office Desk Mat

JOYIT Desk Pads keep your desktop clean while adding a splash of color to your workspace. You can also use it to prevent damage from scratches, spills, stains, and scuffs to your table, or laptop. You will enjoy playing games, writing, typing, and browsing on its smooth surface. This desk protector has multiple uses, including writing pads, mousepads, and desk protectors. Both sides of the PU Leather desk mat have different colors and can be used on top of desks as desk mats. The mat is designed with the same material but in two different colors. The desk mat comes with a strap that you can use to roll it up and take it anywhere. Additionally, the keyboard and mouse pad can be easily stored. The multifunctional office desk pad is made of durable PU leather, making it very easy to clean with a damp cloth, as both the office and home can benefit from it.

PROS

• The price is worth its value
• The desk mat is easy to clean
• The desk mat is easy to store & take to-go
• The desk mat provides a waterproof design 

CONS

• One customer reports that the desk mat is deceptive and smelly 

Check Price on Amazon

HOMKUMY Extended Gaming Desk Mat

Well, hello fashionista! Study, work, and play with this device, as the silk-processed Lycra surface is smooth and low friction. Its ultra-smooth, breathable fabric allows for fast movements while maintaining excellent precision, consistent, and accurate mouse control. This extended desk mat measures 35.5″ x 15.75″, which covers most of the desk, which covers a large area for storing your laptop, mouse, keyboard, and other desk items. Unlike a traditional mousepad, you are able to move your mouse freely without being interrupted. To ensure the mouse mat stays in place, the base is made from dense natural rubber, resulting in an extra heavy grid. It is effective at preventing pad sliding when using a fast mouse or keyboard, as it can be used on any flat, hard tabletop surface. This material provides excellent scratch, stain, spill, and heat resistance, as well as scuff prevention. A wet cloth is all it takes to keep it clean, so you can use it continuously without endangering its condition. Your home office desk will then have a colorful and protective surface.

PROS

• The desk mat comes in a large size
• The desk mat provides maximum durability 
• The desk mat provides a superior-control surface 
• The desk mat provides a stable non-slip rubber base 

CONS

• One customer reports that the desk mat does not smell the best 

Check Price on Amazon

In Conclusion 

We hope you found the perfect desk mat that best suits your needs. Simple things can produce measurable results… and the $17 Amazon desk pad is one of the best ways to elevate a mediocre WFH setup.

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The post The 8 Best Desk Mats To Keep Your Desk In Check appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Grit Daily: You had your own adventures before “Drunk Yoga.” Share those. 

Eli Walker: I grew up in rural Wisconsin and set flight for Manhattan when I received a scholarship to attend New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for Acting. After graduating, it wasn’t long before my passion and unique talent for using performance as a tool to cultivate awareness of the physical and spiritual body led me to yoga. Yoga inspired me to use movement, breath and meditation to fearlessly work, play and dream in all realms of truth, and inspire others to do the same. 

I completed my 500 hour RYT in Manhattan, and pursued additional training in Iyengar, Reiki, Reflexology and Vipassana meditation in India during a 6-month solo-backpacking trip across the country, prompted by a desperate need to understand where “free will” and “divine orchestration” converge–which developed in the wake of an abusive relationship with my yoga teacher. My spiritual quest ended with a visit to Thailand, where I fell through a roof (long story) and severely injured my back, leaving me immobile for several weeks on the island of Koh Tao. 

On my return to New York City, my injuries led me to Katonah Yoga, an esoteric practice developed by Nevine Michaan, which combines Hatha, Sacred Geometry and Taoist philosophy that teaches students to explore a relationship to the physical body using imagination to discover one’s center through circumference. This practice was a game-changer for me, as it helped me not only to heal my back, but also spiritually come to terms with the phenomena of what it means to be in a human body, which, until then, had been the catalyst for many sleepless nights. 

The language and practice of Katonah Yoga helped me develop a more powerful and conscious relationship to time and space, my responsibility as an autonomous being to set up the conditions for my own happiness, and the invisible universal forces that map it all together. 

Drawing from all of these experiences, I developed techniques to weave together my knack for storytelling and performance with my expanse of yogic knowledge to empower my students and audiences to be the author of their life’s own epic journey, eventually giving birth to both Divine Your Story and Drunk Yoga in 2017.

I now split my time between Beacon, New York and Bali, and am busy writing my next one-woman show, Kill the Buddha, premiering in 2021. 

GD: Why drink during exercise? Mere pedestrians, most of us have been told not to drink during exercise or while operating heavy machinery. 

EW: Great question! While it might sound like “Drunk Yoga” means “get drunk and do yoga,” it’s actually a cheeky, suggestive name for an otherwise uplifting yoga company.

First, “Drunk Yoga” is the name of my brand. At its core, it means “intoxicating the convention of yoga by making it social and interactive, rather than traditionally militaristic, dogmatic and/or quietly introspective. We make yoga fun and accessible to newbies and corporate teams by infusing a “serious” practice with the social ritual of a happy hour or your morning coffee.

Second, while we teach the art of cultivating joy through community engagement through the vehicle of a beginner-friendly yoga class, we wouldn’t necessarily classify Drunk Yoga to be a “fitness class.” Happy hours and parties (like birthdays and bachelorettes) bring us together, and yoga uses mindful movement to help us connect to ourselves. So, I married the two together to turn the healing art of yoga into an entertainment experience that combats loneliness and isolation. In short? It’s not about “yoga” or “wine,” it’s about celebrating unity through community. By doing this, we take the pressure out of the practice and infuse it with levity and fun.

Fun fact: 

My lightbulb moment sprang from a friendly conversation at a Manhattan bar with the owner–an old friend of mine–in September 2017.

My friend said, “Eli, you’re a yoga teacher? You should teach me yoga. I can’t even touch my toes.” To prove it, he bent over, but surprisingly…he did and remarked, “Huh. I guess I can do it when I’m drunk.” 

*Cue lightbulb*

I exclaimed, “Let’s do Drunk Yoga!”

He laughed.

I interrupted, excitedly, “No, I’m serious! I have an idea. Can I teach yoga classes here at the bar?”

Thus the Drunk Yoga revolution.

Again, the name “Drunk Yoga” is cheeky, not descriptive, it’s still triggering for some. When Drunk Yoga first gained press momentum, the concept of infusing wine into a yoga practice was so new and subversive I received backlash from yogis worldwide.

Still, I persisted. I knew my innovation combated the loneliness epidemic in America, as Drunk Yoga artfully infuses social ritual (like a happy hour or your morning coffee) with beginner yoga in unconventional yet familiar settings, like bars, hotels and offices to bring people together. Classes include icebreaker questions, “throwback” music, dancing, and lighthearted “rules” (Ex: If you mix up your left and right, you must say something you’re grateful for!).

My goal is to reignite an appreciation for the power of kindness through inter-connectivity.

The world can be a lonely, isolating, intimidating place; a yoga class doesn’t have to be.

GD: Just how drunk should we get? Inquiring minds want to know for scientific purposes.

EW: Ha! You shouldn’t get drunk at all. Again, “drunk” in the name Drunk Yoga is cheeky and suggestive (albeit provocative), but not descriptive. We never serve more than two glasses of wine (or one cocktail) per live event, and we have a strict “no pre-gaming” policy for our virtual events. 

GD: Are we talking just wine? Or other drinks?

EW: Our Signature Drunk Yoga class includes wine. Now that most of our business model is about curating private parties and team-building events, we’ve opened our beverage selection to unique cocktails, coffee, tea, smoothies, and no beverage at all! Anything that brings you together in celebration of happiness is the drink of choice.

GD: Is this not mere “novelty” like “goat yoga?”

EW: Ah yes. Goat Yoga. Of course, both Drunk Yoga and “goat yoga” share the notion that yoga can be fun and deviant. And while I’d be rich if I had a nickel for every time someone asked me, “Is Drunk Yoga like ‘goat yoga’?”, Drunk Yoga is much more than a novelty.

In founding Drunk Yoga, I pioneered a new genre of yoga: “Yoga Entertainment,” that integrates interactive performance art and storytelling for the purpose of fostering camaraderie with guided movement. (We just so happen to do this through fun throwback pop music and silly drinking games!)

Actually, a lot of thoughtful customization goes into creating our private, community-building Drunk Yoga experiences, particularly for team-building. We curate special events that lift the spirit(s) of companies around the world, tailoring games, music and storytelling exercises to each company for optimum joy-sparking.

GD: Is there a “virtual” option? 

EW: Yes! We offer virtual corporate team-building classes, virtual Happiness Workshops, and virtual-private parties for birthdays and bachelorettes, and even date nights.

We pivoted to virtual events pretty quickly as soon as the pandemic hit. It was a challenge at first simply because of the interactive nature of our classes. Most digital yoga classes work because they follow a “monkey see/monkey do” format, i.e. students on mute, perhaps even with their videos turned off, while following along with the teacher to work up a sweat. (Which is great and at the end of a long week; totally needed!)

But in my case, I needed to problem-solve how to teach/host our experiences in such a way that helped remote participants feel included, inspired to be present and connect/converse, and most importantly, have a good time. My challenge was to make a virtual yoga class via Zoom feel like an inclusive happy hour. After 2-3 weeks of intense trial and error (shout out to my Drunk Yoga instructors for being willing to jump on countless test video calls in April!), we figured out the recipe. It’s been smooth sailing since.

Most of our issues were technical–navigating the best software for our purposes, etc. And, of course, I needed to figure out how to scale our virtual events easily and quickly, as we have about 10 instructors across the country and now a global audience! 

The post Eli Walker’s Drunk Yoga Is Even Better Than We Imagined appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Grit Daily: You had your own ventures before Veamly. Share those. 

Emna Ghariani: Prior to Veamly,  I founded Poindevster, a service company with the value proposition of CPO as a service. At Poindevster, I provided mobile, web services and business consulting for non-tech founders. I worked with founders from Los Angeles to Indonesia helping them build their products and their business strategy.

This experience opened my eyes to the cost of distractions at work and the daily challenges engineering teams face whether when it comes to communication or heavy collaboration. 

When I wasn’t running the company, I served as a Global director MENA region for the founder institute where I coached several founders over 5 successful cohorts (and counting) at Founder Institute Tunisia. This has been one of my biggest dreams as I have always wanted to bridge the gap between Silicon Valley and Tunisia.

Prior to that, as an impact driven person, I started Foundup, a Social Enterprise that aims to help unemployment through entrepreneurship, technical and soft-skills training.

GD: For the uninitiated, what does Veamly do? 

EG: Veamly is a desktop app for software engineers that connects all their non coding apps like Slack, Jira, and Github together in a centralized distraction free yet coherent workflow or “command center.” While they access all their favorite apps from one platform, we give them on top of them a prioritized single pane of glass across all their communication and boost productivity by at least 30%.

Data/process freaks will definitely love Veamly as much as the ones who appreciate a little process in their daily work.

GD: Why bother to “centralize” apps? Isn’t centralization “part of the problem?”

EG: We centralize apps in terms of access and not data. By providing a single source of truth, we reduce the friction of context switching, distractions and lack of focus at work. Although all your work apps are wrapped under Veamly, you can still access them individually. Veamly just aggregates data to give engineering teams better visibility on what’s going on and what needs to be done.

Centralizing access here is indeed the byproduct of the explosion in collaboration apps that we have witnessed over the last decade.

The main problem with centralization,  as we once knew it however, is mainly related to data and the speed of search. This is where Veamly shines indeed by offering instant unified search across your apps.

GD: Why is search so important? 

EG: “According to Interact Source, 19.8 % of business time – the equivalent of one day per working week – is wasted by employees searching for information to do their job effectively. IDC data shows that “the knowledge worker spends about 2.5 hours per day, or roughly 30% of the workday, searching for information.”

Time is the only currency that we can’t recreate. Optimizing information search doesn’t only save you time and energy but also helps workers focus on the actual tasks and getting them done. 

We live in an era where burnout culture is the norm despite the blessing of technology. Isn’t that astonishing? Warren Buffett once said: “If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is — your life is a disaster. That’s the ultimate test of how you have lived your life.”

But how are you gonna be loved if you are always at work even when you are at home with your loved ones at the end of the day?

GD: What’s all the rage behind Natural Language Processing? 

EG: Natural Language Processing can be a bit tricky because the big question is: how can we teach machines to understand and “speak” human languages? There is a lot of debate here for sure. But there are organizations like OpenAI with a goal to ensure AI in general never fulfills the premise of taking over the world.

I believe that NLP is a technique to enhance our way of interacting with technology and to maximize our output. 

GD: How does “NLP” relate back to Veamly? 

EG: We pride ourselves in providing a product that helps software engineers focus at work and do the actual tasks. Our proprietary NLP engine detects the important streams of conversations across your different apps; whether you need to act on this Jira ticket, pay attention to your manager’s slack message or inform your teammate to merge that PR you have been waiting for. By intentionally redirecting your attention to the things that push you one step further towards the goal of getting actual work done, Veamly is freeing you from decision fatigue and advocating for your team well being overall.

The post Veamly Goes All In on NLP to Help Combat Decision Fatigue appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Grit Daily: You had your own adventures before EFFi Foods. Share those.

Carina Ayden:  I grew up book-ended by parents that were incredibly intelligent but were afraid to step outside of their ‘comfort zone’. To pursue their dreams, at the time, meant going against societal and their family’s standards. As they grew older, they couldn’t help but linger in the abysmal space of “what ifs”.

So with that life lesson in mind, I made sure to make all my adventures play out outside the “box” and comfort zones.

At school, instead of delivering a one-page essay at the end of the lesson, I could turn a six-page poem written in a iambic pentameter. But that type of creative self-expression was thwarted during my school years, but I kept the spirit of curiosity and marveled at life. 

I majored in philology and linguistics and studied journalism after which I became a language teacher and opened a small language school in Istanbul, Turkey. Within the same year I was offered to write a textbook based on the method I discovered, one that helped my students learn foreign languages faster. 

I already had the awareness that the way my mind worked was different; I absorbed information very fast and was able to connect the dots faster than most people around me. But, interestingly, I also had a strong desire to present that same information in a more simplistic and digestible way. 

My life is also framed by the many spine surgeries that I’ve had throughout my life, which also led me to discover the power of digestive wellness and its linkage to overall health. Probiotic supplementation and probiotic-rich foods were the post-operative panacea that accelerated my recoveries and tamed the otherwise severe digestive problems. 

I discovered the white space when I realized the general public and most of my physicians had no idea what probiotics and their benefits were. Back in 2010, your choices of gut-friendly foods at the supermarket were sauerkraut and a Greek yogurt. 

I ended up attending many conferences and expos looking for a sturdy probiotic strain that could withstand manufacturing processes and be fortified into foods. 

In 2012, I was working on launching the first probiotic nutrition bar. At the same time I was in constant communication with suppliers that produced sustainable packaging materials. The learning curve was hyperbolic and steep. I found myself connecting the dots of a broken system with zero success. 

Despite innovation in the sustainable packaging sector, at the time we couldn’t close the loop because we couldn’t get a printing company to commit to a reasonable order. Our copacker’s machinery wasn’t compatible and no one could figure out the food safety barrier. (But this year we are launching 100% eco-friendly packaging for our Chickpea Granola line.)

As I was navigating the food industry’s disembodied parts I also took a volunteering opportunity with Human Rights Watch to keep my sanity and maintain perspective. I’ve known about the environmental implications of human activity and the food industry on our planet since I was a kid. But through Human Rights Watch I had an eye-opening moment realizing how the food industry can violate basic human rights. As you can imagine, women and children are again the most vulnerable. I met Alina Diaz in 2013, a woman who fights abuse against farmworker women in the United States. The stories that she told helped me look deeper into the power of the food we put on our plates every day. 

That curiosity led me into the dark hole of animal agriculture practices and the profound cruelty it unleashes on animals and the environment. So my company became the intersection of plant-based nutrition and an unwavering strife for sustainability. 

GD: What’s behind the EFFi Foods name?

CA: EFFI stands for Eco Friendly Foods Initiative. The idea is simple: I wanted to make eco-friendly foods. But I was aware that it’s not going to be a ‘perfect’ company that could solve everything at once. So I added the word initiative, which assumes the intent and calls for action. 

GD: For the uninitiated, what is an “ecologically positive“ plant?

CA: In short, it’s a crop that is biologically resistant to climate change. A few of the main properties are: drought resistance, ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, high nutritional density, low water inputs, contribution to soil health, etc. 

GD: Aren’t all plants “ecologically positive?”

CA: Every plant on this planet has a unique purpose. I believe nature doesn’t make mistakes. Earth’s ecosystems were forged for billions of years by many processes that allowed human life to occur. My apolitical view on climate is that it IS changing. So the idea of climate-proof plants can only exist in correlation with humans. If there were no people there wouldn’t be a need to identify and thus promote climate-positive plants. 

People need food to survive. And with changing weather patterns and soil damage, we need to rethink how we produce food and what we produce. There are over 30,000 edible plants on this planet but 75% of global food comes from only 12 plants. The population is predicted to jump close to 10 Billion in the next 2.5 decades and the current food system can’t sustain it. We need systems thinking to tackle the impediments to human life and need to make it in alliance with the environment. 

GD: And what’s an example of a “climate-adaptive food?”

CA: In 2018, I “brought chickpeas from hummus” not because I wanted to pay homage to my Middle Eastern roots, but because I went through dozens of studies on obesity and its linkage to satiety. Chickpeas and beans were highlighted as foods that contribute to satiety and have the ability to keep people fuller longer. Besides its superior nutritional properties I was smitten by its biological makeup. The chickpea plant is good for soil health because it acts as a natural fertilizer by fixing nitrogen in the soil: it’s also not water-hungry. 

In 2019, the United Nations designated a special day—World Pulses Day—to recognize the importance of chickpeas, beans, peas and lentils as a global food. Chickpeas also became a key crop for famine-stricken regions in East Africa. As much as we want to help people eat better and also shape their opinion about climate-friendly foods, we recognize that customers in turn shape and dictate what they like by their purchasing decisions. The nut craze is currently driving the granola category. Nuts are very nutritious and a great source of good fats. But. 

California is the main producer of almonds and I have a problem with that. The idea of growing a water-hungry crop in a drought-prone state is a fallible concept. Yet, as a small business owner I’m pushed to the corner, because almonds from other places are more expensive which drives the cost of the end product. As my company grows I choose to focus on pulses and other crops that hit on both nutritional and environmental points.

GD: What’s one unconventional wisdom about snacks that’s just plain wrong?

CA:  That you shouldn’t snack if you want to stay healthy. Nutritionally-dense snacks can do the opposite. Snacking can prevent overeating and keep your blood sugar in check throughout the day.

Photo by Vegan Liftz

The post EFFi Foods’ Carina Ayden Shares Her Journey In Sustainability appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Grit Daily spoke with Claraphone, a tech start-up that does just that. The company, according to its website, is designed to help English-speakers from around the world to understand each other better, customized to every user. The technology automatically improves a person’s pronunciation and clarify of speech during phone calls and/or teleconferencing.

Grit Daily: You had your own adventures before Claraphone. Tell us about those.

Ganna Tymko: I am a born traveler and serial immigrant. I have been to 32 countries so far and worked and lived in five of them before arriving in San Francisco. Every country held some secrets and it was always an adventure to discover them.

GD: For the uninitiated, what is an ‘accent,’ really?

GT: Simply put, an accent is a distinct emphasis of a syllable or word. It is a way of pronouncing a language. Every region has its distinct pronunciations rules. Those rules vary; most languages have at least a few regional variations or dialects. Adults who learn a new language tend to apply pronunciation rules of their mother tongue to the new language.  When people hear the word “accent” most think of a foreign accent.

GD: Why “CLARA-fy” it?

GT: Scientific research shows that it is objectively harder for our brains to understand unfamiliar pronunciation. It takes us longer periods of time and higher cognitive inputs to process it. This phenomenon applies to both native and non-native speakers alike. For example, Brits have a hard time understanding New Zealanders.

GD: What does “clarify” mean?

GT: For me, “clarify” means make it easier to understand. For most of us, “clear-sounding speech” equates to “familiar-sounding speech.”  My goal here is to help people to understand each other better and facilitate human connection and interaction. The technology I am building will be customizable to both the speaker and the recipient so everyone involved in the conversation will have an easier time understanding.  I hope to help people using the technology save time and energy spent on repetitive, follow-up questions and miscommunications.

GD: Why focus on English?

GT: English is the most commonly spoken language around the world. Most recent estimates indicate that there are over 1.5 billion English speakers worldwide — about 20% of the whole world’s population — and that number is growing. My team and I believe that the technology we are building can improve international collaboration by helping people connect better at the individual level.

GD: How do you know you’re not removing slang or colloquialisms in certain cases?

GT: This is a great question! We are training our smart technology to understand a variety of dictionaries including slang and colloquialisms. When in doubt, the technology will leave a particular word or phrase intact.

The post With Claraphone, Even Accents Get Tech Attention appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Or at least that’s the thinking of Studio AHEAD Principal Designer Elena Dendiberia when she got her start in design. Now based in the San Francisco Bay area, her studio is among those most sought after for original design work. Grit Daily went behind the scenes with Dendiberia to get a closer look at what goes into her team’s work. And it is a bit avant-garde — no pun intended.

Grit Daily: You had your own interesting adventures in the art world before you started Studio AHEAD. Share those.

Elena Dendiberia: I got involved in the art world in my final year of college in Russia while I was pursuing my degree in architecture. We had a large basement that was originally constructed as a bomb shelter. We transformed it into a gallery space/major hangout spot and would literally spend all our time there after classes. 

I had my first shows there. At the time I was experimenting with painting and exploring various unconventional materials. I had a phase where I started painting using red wine as the main color pigment. The beauty of those pieces was in their unsteady nature. They constantly change over time as wine was slowly disappearing from the canvas surface, especially if the piece had direct sun exposure.

When I graduated from college I was simultaneously working on architectural, design, and art projects. I was doing more shows and art residencies abroad. Over time my works were becoming more tactile and process-based. I started working mostly with found textile: deconstructing, dying, sun bleaching, printing and painting over it.

When I started AHEAD two years ago my focus shifted to more design-oriented direction. Some of my friends who know me from my art background are now wondering if I am still making art. For me this transition doesn’t mean becoming less of an artist or neglecting my passion for art. My work now has more collaborative character, which I was lacking during art studio practice. I still sketch a lot, but now it is mostly for a furniture collection we are creating or custom pieces we are producing for our clients.

GD: What’s behind the Studio AHEAD name?

ED: It is a common practice for design firms to use founder’s names as a company name.

We were intentionally trying to avoid just focusing on our names, but rather we were looking for a simple word that can describe our process and vision. It is important for us to maintain the collaborative nature of our work. We are constantly learning from our clients, fabricators, artists we bring on the projects. At the end it is not just us, it is a broader collective process.

The word “Ahead” came naturally when I was sketching some ideas on paper and playing with letters. I was writing down some key words for our practice and it all came together to AHEAD. I like that the word itself has an impulse, it is not static. It is constant movement further forward in space.

GD: How did you pick this team?

ED: I was working for various design firms for several years before starting AHEAD. I felt there was a better opportunity for me to grow by committing to my own vision and working independently. It was a slow transitional phase for me. In my spare time I was working on putting together ideas for abstract projects that I would be interested in working on. 

It let me free up my imagination and dream bigger than a paid Mon-Fri job. Plus, I had an amazing network of artist friends that I was inspired by. At the same time I thought that my pure creative process was lacking certain strategy and organization. I started sharing my ideas with two close friends from the design industry, and was happily surprised when I received their feedback and realized we have similar aesthetic values and picture a similar future. These 2 wonderful human beings are my business partners now.

GD: Why enter what looks like a very crowded design market?

ED: It is true that the Bay Area has a great number of interior design firms. At the same time the market here is very homogenous both in terms of ethnic diversity and the design product itself. I feel there is a gap between the speed the city is growing and innovating in technology versus the lack of innovation and unique concepts in the design approach.

Nonetheless, it is very inspiring how San Francisco attracts great minds from all over the world and it is our challenge as an interior design firm to stay tuned in with the new pace of life and technology. I see our studio as a logical response to the new type of client that this city attracts: international, knowledgeable, curious and passionate. It’s our goal to help them understand the importance of physical space and design process in an area where technology, efficiency and the digital world dominates. 

We don’t want to limit our work to only being a client-based firm. We are starting to treat ourselves as a think tank. We ask ourselves what physical spaces don’t exist that we would want to spend time in? How can we promote diverse interactions, culture, relaxation, fun, and reflection through physical spaces? We have started coming up with concepts, pitching them to investors and working with developers who believe in them. 

GD: What is a “creative center” when it comes to design? Isn’t the whole team creative?

ED: The whole team is certainly creative, but in different ways. My partners and I have complementary skills and strengths.

When it comes to my particular responsibilities I deal mostly with creating and managing visual content that we produce. Whether it is designing and building custom pieces, overseeing studio collaborations and composing initial storyboards for our projects.

GD: Where can people see your work?

ED: At the moment most of our projects are residential. So the best way to see them is on our website or instagram @studioahead where we share a lot of things that inspire us as well as our own work and process.

We also work on a few exciting business-to-consumer startups that would be accessible to a broader audience. One of them is a niche chain of blow out/straightening hair salons, designed specifically for people with textured hair (Black, African, Middle Eastern, Latin American). This project is founded by a black female entrepreneur who came up with the concept while doing her masters at Harvard Business School. We are not only creating the interiors, but also came up with the branding, logo, overall visual concept that was used for the pitch deck.

GD: How should we as pedestrians view the relationship between form and function? Inquiring minds want to know.

ED: I believe that functionality is a constant element for any design or architectural project. However, I don’t think there’s a universal idea of functionality that works for everyone. We practice a very personal approach to design when form and function could both reflect the personality of a particular place and person. Personality in this case acts more like a form that can reveal genius loci.

Also, in this moment of time we have such a focus on efficiency and productivity. We are starting to realize that the most functional and efficient things don’t always connect to the emotional needs of a person. There is no necessity of designing something that is purely “functional” if it is emotionally void or uninspiring to the people using it.

GD: What’s one conventional wisdom about design that’s just plain wrong?

ED: Interior design is often perceived as something superficial, decorative.  In fact it is a long and complex process of creating environments that reflect the client’s understanding of physical and emotional comfort in the space. We need to have a pretty clear idea how particular person would interact with a space before we commit to design. You almost act as a personal coach in the beginning trying to analyze client’s needs and build emotional connection.

On the other hand, interior design at the level we do it supports artists and artisans who do exceptional work, own their own small businesses and are pursuing their passions. Almost all the photos in our portfolio include custom pieces that have a human story behind them. It takes a beautiful community of architects, landscape architects, contractors, artists, and artisans to make a physical space come to fruition. 

GD: Give us a nugget: What’s one big design trend on the horizon we don’t know about yet — but should?

ED: At Studio AHEAD we don’t believe in trends. I know it might sound cliché. But I do believe in culture and the way it can influence any aspect of our surroundings, including design. Northern California has its own unique culture of living and I think this is something that should be reflected in design. Farm-to-table movement, wine culture, the beauty of nature and organic products, handcrafting and woodworking traditions, entrepreneurship and new technology. Each place has its own culture: we love to be sensitive to that and then help translate and elevate these values into a physical manifestation.

Speaking of art, are you headed to Grit Daily Live!’s Miami Art Summit cohosted by JADA on December 6 and 7?

The post This architect started out redesigning bomb shelters. Now she’s a top name in design on the West Coast. appeared first on Grit Daily News.