Interview with Jane Buckingham
We are so totally stoked to present our interview with the amazing Jane Buckingham. Known as the Martha Stewart of the younger generation, Buckingham wrote her first book at age 16, Teens Speak Out. Later, she wrote The Modern Girls Guide book series and hosted The Modern Girls Guide tv show. Buckingham has been featured on programs like The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Today Show, and has been the subject of profiles on Good Morning America and 60 Minutes. The founder and CEO of Trendera, Buckingham now works at interpreting trends in the next generation for bizes like Target, NBC, ABC, 20th Century Fox, and Gap. Plus she's a contributing editor to Glamour mag and The Huffington Post. Feeling inspired yet? We know we are.
Before starting, make sure to follow follow follow Buckingham on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Before starting, make sure to follow follow follow Buckingham on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
theCramm: In previous interviews, you’ve mentioned writing your first book at age 16 because you didn’t think “older people” were properly representing teens in literature. Today, you work at interpreting trends in younger generations for a variety of companies. What inspired your interest in communication with teens and young adults?
Jane Buckingham (JB): I think it started because as a teenager I felt that we were not being presented well, and being stereotyped. I think often we judge others based on our own beliefs, and I wanted then - and still want - to let people better understand each other and provide a voice to groups that don’t have much of a voice.
theCramm: What unexpected challenges did you have to face as a young entrepreneur?
JB: Oh gosh. A ton. But also some advantages...Certainly being young, I was often not taken very seriously by companies. My work had to be 10X better than anyone else's because I was younger. I also was often dismissed as not being serious about my work or that I would "outgrow it" because I was so young. As someone younger, I didn't have the experience that I now have about how to charge for my time, the legal issues that I might face, and even some of the stress that starting a company would cause. But on the other side, because I was so young, I didn’t have a lot of financial demands and I wasn't restrained by things that I thought wouldn't work.
theCramm: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself before starting your first business? Do you have any advice for young female entrepreneurs?
JB: I think I would have tried to get my "systems" better set up...My contracts, my bookkeeping, my office space. I was SO afraid to spend any money that I didn't do all of that properly when I started so I wound up having to backtrack. The advice I would give is "will you have a customer??". It doesn't matter how great your idea is if there isn't someone out there to buy it. I would also price yourself higher than you think. I think as women we often devalue our services and ourselves. You can always come down in price, it's a lot harder to go up!
theCramm: As a mother of a teen with over 500,000 Instagram followers, how do you think teens and young adults can use social media to make a difference?
JB: Lilia and I have had a lot of discussions about the pros and cons of having a big following. Especially when you are still just a student and not in the “business." I'm really proud that Lilia uses her platform to speak out on issues that she believes in, to face criticism head on when she gets it, and to try to promote prosocial organizations (including her own with friends, Positively Social). I think social media is a developing area and the best thing to do is to proceed carefully, and recognize it for what it is - a great way to stay in touch, explore creative ideas and even promote things - but not to see it as a definition - positively or negatively of who you are.
theCramm: In today’s day, many teens and young adults - the world’s future leaders - are glued to their phones. How do you think this will affect the future, both politically and economically?
JB: I'll be honest, I worry about it. The answer isn't to take away phones, but like anything, I think we need balance in our lives. There are times to be connected and times to be disconnected from technology. I think that young people today are amazing. I love that they have new ways of thinking and doing things, and that they don't look at things the way other generations have. Hopefully they will maximize the best of what technology offers but not let it replace other important things in life!
theCramm: What do you think the biggest obstacle will be moving forward into the work world for this next generation?
JB: I think the obstacle is the same as the opportunity, Everything is changing. Over 70% of the jobs that will exist 20 years from now don’t currently exist. So we need to learn to be better thinkers, better interpreters. I think young people are going to have to let go of some of the old standards so that they can replace them with new and hopefully better ones.
theCramm: If you could ask yourself any question, what would you ask, and could you please answer it?
JB: Tough one! Maybe what's your biggest regret?? Which I think I would say was worrying so much. I'm a worrier. I think that I figure if I worry about something I will be prepared if it happens. But here's the thing...the bad things - and the good things - were rarely the things I had expected...or worried about. Worry takes energy and takes away from your enjoyment. I'm not saying to be oblivious or not to care, but too much worrying doesn't really serve anyone!