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The Fearless Conference Uniting Entrepreneurs of Philadelphia

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Philadelphia Fearless Conference
Panel of Speakers at The Fearless Conference 2015

Alam Melissa Femme and Fortune

Melissa Alam, Creator of The Fearless Conference

The City of Brotherly Love is gathering this coming October for a weekend filled with fun and workshops to encourage women to be inspired by local entrepreneurs.  The founder, Melissa Alam, is the brains behind The Fearless Conference, and also the founder and editor-in-chief of Femme and Fortune, a digital platform focused on ambitious women. The creative energy in Philly is at an all time high, and The Fearless Conference will showcase some of the most influential individuals in their fields.

The conference is coming to Philadelphia for its second year on October 1st at
WeWork NoLibs and October 2nd at Power Plant Productions. You can expect to have an amazing time and hopefully learn something new. It caters to career driven women who are looking to network or motivation to drive them in their endeavors. What makes the event different from other women focused conferences is that it was created to be as easy and casual as possible. Conversations are encouraged, which will not be too difficult during their happy hour! There will be a photobooth, headshots, and many more activities to guarantee an amazing experience.

The conference will be a star studded event, featuring speakers like Jen Denis of Honeygrow and Rachel Smith of The Crafted Life. The creators of Lola, Jordana Kier and Alexandra Friedman, will be attending as keynote speakers to show their process on how they became a success. Lola is a brand for women, by women. The 100% Organic Cotton Tampon got the nation buzzing about periods, and the conversation is coming to Philadelphia. Jess Edelstein and Sarah Ribner of PiperWai will also be in attendance. The childhood friends created an effective all natural charcoal based deodorant that Barbara Corcoran from Shark Tank could not get enough of. They are only a few of the most sought out entrepreneurs at The Fearless Conference, and there is much more to be excited for.

If you did not attend the conference last year, you’re in for a treat! Melissa has attended many conferences in her day and has some advice for you. “Do not be afraid to speak up! Be confident and scream questions!” She also suggests to bring a notebook to write anything down that you may find helpful. Social media is also a great way to engage during the event, such as live tweeting as much as you can, and posting photos on Instagram with their hashtags
#TheFearlessConference and #borntobefearless. If you are a student, there is a scholarship fund dedicated to support women who are interested in business.

The ultimate goal is for attendees and speakers to leave with an amazing start to their week. Because there are seldom events targeted towards women, The Fearless Conference is on a mission to help. Melissa’s idea of gender equality is to treat others the way you want to be treated, and she wants to give women in Philly and beyond a voice for their opinions. She describes her mother as “badass’ and thanks her for raising her into an independent woman who can stand up for herself. Creative energy inspires Melissa, whether they are female comedians or local artists. She loves producing something that started as an idea, and seeing the final outcome, whether it is successful or becomes a lesson for the future.

The Fearless Conference will be live tweeting as the event is happening both days. If you are not able to make it, watch them on Facebook Live. At the end of the day, the conference is successful when you leave with a bit of knowledge and a few new friends.

 

Update Tuesday, October 4, 2016

The Fearless Conference was packed with motivated female entrepreneurs, eagerly awaiting the knowledge the speakers brought with them. Some of those include Amanda Steinberg of Daily Worth, Jordana Kier of LOLA, and Rebecca Garcia of Geek Girl Web. Invited to attend Sunday at Power Plant in Old City, Philadelphia, there was much to be admired. The decor was meticulously chosen and there was a wide array of food for those waiting patiently for the event to begin. A beauty bar and photo booth attracted many, and encouraged a relaxing atmosphere. Business cards were exchanged and friends were made for many. If you are looking to be inspired or maybe learn about others in business, The Fearless Conference is a great place to start.

Jie writes about influencers and startups in various industries. She is a designer turned techie, and when she is not writing, you can find her in her workshop working on her next big project.

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Top 10 Free and Paid eCommerce Tools for 2025

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Starting an eCommerce business is no easy feat. You have to think about sales, marketing, customer service, invoicing, and inventory all at once. Some platforms may offer those, but you need other eCommerce tools to make life easier and automate your processes. But which are the best ones? I’ve compiled a list of the best ones here.

1. Shopify

shopify logo

Type: eCommerce platform

Any eCommerce tools list would simply be incomplete without the mention of Shopify. After all, Shopify is one of the leading eCommerce platforms of all time. The eCommerce platform makes it easy for new eCommerce businesses to set up shop in no time. They have a bunch of tools to keep any eCommerce business around, such as branding, point of sales, email marketing, and payment tools. 

With Shopify, you don’t have to create a website immediately if you don’t need it yet. If you want to start small, Shopify has a Starter plan where you can reach customers via social media or messaging apps.

Pricing:

Starter (social and messaging apps only) – $5/mo

Basic – $29/mo

Shopify – $79/mo

Advanced – $299/mo

2. Veeqo

Veeqo logo

Type: Inventory and logistics

Even though Shopify has everything you need to get your business ready from launch to your first sale, you can integrate tools into the platform, such as Veeqo. Veeqo is a logistics company helping eCommerce businesses with inventory and shipping. 

You don’t have to worry about keeping track of all your products manually. With Veeqo, you can rest easy knowing they automate your stock every time there’s a sale. Plus, with shipping, you’ll have lowered rates on known logistics businesses, such as DHL and UPS. In addition, you can automate shipping processes.

Pricing: Veeqo Free, $250 per month for Veeqo Priority

3. SurveyMonkey

surveymonkey logo

Type: Survey

One eCommerce tool that you should use is a survey. This helps you get a pulse of what’s going on with your customers, and one of the survey tools you should use for your eCommerce business is SurveyMonkey

With SurveyMonkey, you’ll also know what your customers think of your products, aside from the reviews they give. Surveys will provide you with more input, and you’ll learn how to improve your products and how you can interact with your customers better. But it’s not just a tool for your customers. You can also ask your employees how they can improve your eCommerce business.

Pricing:

Team Advantage – $25/user/month

Team Premier – $75/user/month

Enterprise – Contact sales

4. Wave

wave logo

Type: Accounting and Invoicing

Most eCommerce platforms will have their own payment portal. But if you want an all-around easy-to-use small business financial service software, Wave is one of the best eCommerce tools to use. They have these nifty features:

  • Invoicing
  • Payments
  • Accounting
  • Banking
  • Payroll
  • Advisors

With Wave, you don’t need an accountant. Wave helps you with your taxes, bookkeeping, and billing. And if you still need financial help, advisors are ready to help you learn more about finance terms or concepts. Plus, Wave is free to use for their Invoicing, Accounting, and Bookkeeping features. Or, you can even hire a bookkeeper to do all the work for you. 

Here’s the pricing for their Payments, Payroll, and Advisors features:

Payments: 2.9% + $0.60/ transaction (AMEX: $3.4% + $0.60/transaction)

Bank payments: 1%/transaction

Payroll: Tax service states – $40/mo; Self service – $20/mo

Advisors: Bookkeeping support – $149/mo; Coaching – $379/mo

5. Rewind

rewind logo

Type: Data protection

Any business with a website should know that they need to back up their data. After all, you can put it right back up anytime if outages or something unexpected happens to your website. And if you don’t want to lose your data, Rewind is one of the best eCommerce tools out there. 

Rewind can help eCommerce businesses protect their business from any downtime with their daily backup. If you have integrated a 3rd party app into your website, but it’s not doing you any good, you can just rewind and get back to the last time you didn’t install it. Plus, they ensure your data is secure from any attacks.

Pricing: Starts at $45/mo

6. Zendesk

zendesk logo

Type: Customer service

Zendesk is one of the best customer service tools of all time, with more than 100,000 brands and users helping customers with their concerns. The customer service tool will help eCommerce businesses connect with customers through email, phone, or live chat.

Pricing: Starts at $19 per agent per month, billed annually

7. Jungle Scout

JungleScout logo

Type: Marketing

If you need a marketing and keyword research tool made for online sellers, Jungle Scout is one of the best eCommerce tools to use. This tool is for Amazon sellers, but you can still use this for your online store anywhere. You can grow your traffic with their keyword research feature, optimize listings, and get more reviews for your site.

They also have an inventory management feature. Plus, Amazon sellers can get more out of the tool with their finances and ads features.

Pricing: Starts at $29/month

8. Copysmith

copysmith logo

Type: SEO/Marketing

Are you having trouble creating product descriptions for all of your items? Don’t fret, Copysmith is an AI writing tool to help you create a copy in minutes. It can be difficult trying to come up with persuasive copy that will get people to click add to cart. 

With Copysmith, you’ll have an AI assistant giving suggestions from the keywords you provided. From there, you can choose from the best copy and add it to your website. Plus, they ensure that the copy is search engine optimized, so customers can visit your online store and get more traffic. In addition, you can also create bulk product descriptions for SKUs.

Pricing: Starts at $19 per month

9. MailChimp

mailchimp logo

Type: Marketing

MailChimp is best known for email marketing. But it has grown into an all-around marketing platform for any business. They have a comprehensive email marketing platform, allowing businesses to segment their audience, reach more, and analyze open and conversion rates.

Aside from email marketing, MailChimp allows businesses to create optimized landing pages and social media ads and send printed postcards.

Pricing: Free plan available, paid plans start at $13 per month

10. Google Analytics

google analytics logo

Type: Analytics

Any entrepreneur or seller needs to keep track of their online business. And if you want to know how your online store ranks on one of the widely used search engines, you can use Google Analytics. 

Most eCommerce platforms will have analytics, but Google Analytics can help you with your marketing, and you’ll know how to reach more customers. Plus, you can run ads with their Google Ads and Search Ads 360 features and get access to the Google Search Console.

Pricing: Starts for free

These eCommerce tools have proven their worth and helped other eCommerce businesses thrive in their own niche. Plus, they have also provided immense value and eased the minds of new and existing eCommerce businesses.

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What’s the Best Website to Get a Graphic Designer in 2025?

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Great design makes your business shine. But when there are so many sites out there it’s hard to discern who to get your graphic design from. This article will outline the best graphic design hire websites in 2025 along with what they offer and their advantages and disadvantages so you can make an informed choice.

#1 Penji – Best for Unlimited Graphic Design

Penji: Hire graphic designer

Ranked number one is Penji simply for its unlimited graphic design subscription. You pay a flat rate per month and can request as many designs as you’d like.

Pros:

  • Unlimited requests and revisions
  • Fast turnaround (24-48 hours)
  • Flat rate pricing means no surprises
  • Team of professional designers at your service

Cons:

  • Not suitable for anyone who only needs one small project
  • Monthly subscription fee could feel expensive for one-off users

Penji is ideal if you’re seeking out graphic design outsourcing services and want to avoid freelancers and fickle situations in the future.

#2 Design Pickle – Best for Business Support

Design Pickle website: Hire graphic designer

Design Pickle operates similarly to Penji with a subscription option that’s favored among businesses needing frequent graphics.

Pros:

  • Unlimited design requests and revisions
  • Flat monthly fee
  • Designers dedicated exclusively to your projects over time

Cons:

  • Turnaround time depends on how busy designers are with other projects
  • Pricing is higher than other options if you’re not going to use the service frequently

This works well for business owners who are in need of constant support—but not necessarily the extensive offerings that Penji provides.

#3 Toptal – Best for Higher End Talent

Toptal

Toptal makes its mark by connecting you with top-quality freelance designers. If quality is your priority and money isn’t an issue, this is the best site.

Pros:

  •  vetted, top-tier designers
  •  Pay as you go, or employ long-term.
  •  Ideal for difficult design tasks that demand long-term engagement.

 Cons:

  •  Significantly higher than all other options.
  •  Not ideal for smaller projects or finances.

 Best for those who prioritize top-tier talent above cost reductions.

 #4 Dribbble: Best for Creative Portfolios

Dribbble: Hire graphic designer

 Dribbble is a community where designers can share their work.  You can look through portfolios and contact the people whose work you admire.

 Pros:

  •  Access to the specialized creators.
  •  Ideal for style discovery or inspiration.
  •  Communicate directly with designers before hiring.

Cons:

  • No fixed-price service
  • Quality ranges by creator—some might be available, others might not
  • Takes a lot of time to research potential hires since they’re not all guaranteed availability or skill level

This is best for those who want to see portfolios created by potential candidates and match styles with their needs.

Conclusion

No matter which site you choose in 2025, you’ll find benefits from each. Go with Dribbble if you want creative freedom in hiring, Toptal if you’re looking for exclusive freelancers, and Design Pickle if you’re seeking ongoing support. But if you want consistent, affordable, unlimited graphic design without any guessing—Penji is number one. Visit penj.co today to streamline design for your business.

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What’s the Best Subscription Creative Service Agency in 2025?

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best subscription creative service

This year, we’ve witnessed how creative work moves at breakneck speed. We see brands launching faster, content increasing, and competition becoming more fierce. This is the reason subscription creative services are multiplying by the second. They are proven beneficial to businesses. But how do you choose? We compiled this short list of the best subscription creative services to help you decide.

1. Penji

Best subscription creative service

Hands down, the best subscription creative service, Penji, has been making waves in the design niche since 2017. It offers a diverse range of innovative services, including web and app design, social media graphics, logo design, custom illustrations, and more. Its unlimited graphic design business model lets you send requests for as many designs as you want a month for a flat rate.

2. Reel Unlimited

Best subscription creative service

For small businesses and startups, Reel Unlimited is the best subscription creative service for you. They can craft graphics, websites, and video content for you with fast delivery and unlimited revisions. You can avail of its 7-day free trial to determine if this is the right fit for your brand.

3. Designity

Best subscription creative service

Taking pride in its hybrid business model, Designity combines freelance talent with creative direction. This is the ideal subscription creative service for businesses seeking strategic design leadership. It provides branding, web design, UX/UI, and a range of other marketing materials for your brand.

4. Superside

Best subscription creative service

Next is Superside. This is the best subscription creative service for brands that require enterprise-level work. It has a focus on collaboration and scalability, making it the most suitable graphic design partner for large teams and global businesses.

5. NoLimit Creatives

Best subscription creative service

Last but not least, NoLimit Creatives, the design service that offers both graphic and video design with flexible plans. It is most suited for agencies and eCommerce businesses. It provides a wide range of creative services, which include online ads, social media graphics, product packaging, and video editing.

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