Scuro's Guide to Sip N Slay NYC '25

During the second to last weekend of August, I attended the everystylishgirl’s Sip N Slay New York 2025 end of summer networking soiree. Upon entry you are given an admission wristband as well as two tickers: one for lunch and one for your gift bag, given that you were at least in general admission. With the GA ticket, we pretty much got access to the same experience as our VIP counterparts, just lacking direct access to panelists and other VIPs within their lounge. Throughout the day, we were given access to multiple event areas: panels with Founders and Influencers alike who are playing the game of life their own way, (although I am upset that I missed one I was very excited for because of the admission line), brand and sponsor photo sets, free bouquets(first come first serve and not well advertised), a chilled lunch in the marketplace amidst a bunch of African and African-American business and a matcha bar(however there was an additional charge for this beverage for non-VIPs), and a rooftop with endless rose until the event’s ending. 

I am pretty sure I am one of the few people in the room who were actually looking for more insight than Instagram content; so, I did take notes. Now please know that these are my key takeaways from the event’s panels and I tried my best to truly listen over all of the chatter in the room. My panel notes are listed below:

How They Built It: Building a Brand with Impact

• Unfortunately, missed due to long admission lines. Which is really upsetting because I was so looking forward to hearing from Kristen Noel Crawley, the Founder and CEO of KNC.

Creator Code: Influence, Income & Integrity

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• Shadow-Banning: Real or Rumor?

• Account status(Instagram, reach)

• THE FORMULA: Brands + Influencer = Purpose

• Brands, allow Influencer to create

• Foster Community, not just product

• Using platform to define standards/representations

• Create for yourself

• Being more intentional

• Seeing the journey

• Connection

Q&A

• Navigate through your why

• Never comprise your integrity for a check

• There's no endgame...ELEVATE.

• Appreciate the journey, your grind.

• "Today's reality is yesterday's dream." -Aaliyah'sFace

Monetize with Meaning: Turning Taste into Income

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• Comissionable links

• Balancing connecting with conversion

• Relatable sharing

• YouTube is your friend

• Maintaining personal, while keeping up with current trends

• Build trust

• Do not stress trends

• 1 to 1

• Signals from Audience DM Numbers, Conversion, Brand outreach and contact

• Highs and lows of sharing Tools of growth:

• How to prove yourself to brands?

• Show profits, understand segmentation, difference between CAN and WILL

• Importance of Even Exchange

Advice

• Wishlist links, save your money

• Identify drive compensation

• Psychology backing: " If they follow they follow you it is for a reason. They wanna know."

• Make their life easier, convenience shopping

• Tedious task: think about what to post and be consistent(day of the week, updates, newsletter)

• Do not attach yourself to your content

Redefining Culture & Influence (on you own terms)

• "Allow God to make you over." -Kysre Gondredrick

• "Redefining self-show up as your vibrant self" - Che

• "I do not fall off, just hibernating." - Dre Brown

  • Live your many lives

• Vision over visibility - Kysre

  • "Faith without feet is fantasy."

  • GPS doesn't give directions when you're not moving

  • "You're going to keep hearing His name because He is the source." - Kysre

• "You can be a different person when you feel like it" -Chelley

• Find the fun, exciting, and beautiful things [in life]. - Che

  • You have ONE LIFE!

  • Say it aloud. "I have ONE LIFE!"

• Strategy to Sustain Confidence

  • Your authenticity is you -Che

  • Do it now -Che

• Advice for Re-introduction

  • "Take away narrative... you are starting from experience not scratch." -Kysre

  • Witness is not Author

  • Consistency is not convenience

  • "Lean into it" -Chelley

  • "Do it afraid. Do it tired. Do it..." -Che

  • "I am safe within myself. I am vibrantly and unconditionally loved..."- Che

  • "I am going places because I am not stagnant." - Che

  • "Do not fear opinions, it's better on the other side..." - Dre Brown

Fireside Chat: Diarraha N'Diaye-Mbaye

the Founder/CEO of Ami Cole

• Nothing curiosity

• Nothing is overnight

  • Faith in Spirit and timing

• Be a conduit

• Venture capital(tax, check that)

  • Current funding stats:

    • '19: .4%

    • Now, in '25: .27%

• "We're not all in competition."

• You vote with your money

• Collective creation

Key Note Speaker: Ciara Princess Wilson

• Career breakthrough

• Focus of manifestation in her Goodies era

• Manifest your goals: Create 3 main goals

  • Ciara's were things like: #1 song on billboard

  • Write them down

  • Speak life into them

• There is life and death in the tongue. Speak wisely. (Proverbs 18:21)

• No(s) are normal. Let them motivate you.

  • "Okay watch me."

  • It creates grit

• Progress in Diversity

• " Don't factor age into your goals."

• This is your own race at your own pace

• Breakthrough is coming

• Story about Jeff Bezos

  • Cold-calling 60

  • A handful of help

• Everything you went through is preparing you for your going

• Intentional effort (in partnership)

  • Power of being equally yoked

  • Having shared goals and values

• Grounding Yourself

  • Being calm is the only way

  • Peaceful approach

  • Doing what you love

  • CiCi the Album

  • Personal chapter: appreciate the journey

  
  

So, after my birthday blues, this event felt like the perfect pick me up to refocus and stop waiting for everything to be completely perfect to create. I can build, I can bend, I can break and that’s all okay because God is the author, I co-create with Him by my side. Looking to this month ahead, I was inspired to take that action, to line things up, to get ready to put myself out there.

Plus it never hurts to get a brand named goodie bag after a tough day. So now for the fun part: what was in my Sip N Slay ‘25 Gift Bag? 

Gift Bag Goodies

All items were in placed in branded Sip N Slay NYC '25 tote bags

• Kiss Colors & Care Wide Edge 2-in-1 Style Super Jumbo Bonnet

• Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil, Color: Rosewood Nights(4.5ml)

• ELF Glow Reviver Lip Oil, Color: Super-neutral(7.6ml)

• SheaMoisture coconut & hibiscus smooth & shine lightweight hair oil (97ml)

• ELF Thirst Burst Drops(10ml)

• Garnier Skin active Micellar Cleansing Water: with Hyaluronic Acid + Aloe (3.4 FL Oz)

• Shea Moisture: Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo(13 FL Oz

• Shea Moisture: Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Conditioner(13 FL Oz)

• OUAI: Detox Shampoo (1 FL Oz)

• Vaseline: Healing Jelly Cocoa Shimmer Jelly Stick(1.4 Oz)

• ELF: Camo Liquid Blush, Color: Coral Crush(4 mL)

• ELF: Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen, Color: Wicked Cherry

• (2) Kiss Colors & Care: Spot Fixer Growth Serum Oil Packet (3mL)

• Ruka: Hold ME Down Edge Gel Packet (10mL)

• Ruka: Do-It-All Gel Packet(10mL)

• Ruka: lab grown hair 10% off coupon

• Bolden: Awake Under Eye Patch(1 Pair)

• ShopMy Postcard with Sign-up and Free Merch Link

INSERT LIST AND ADD PHOTOS

Goodie bag? Decent. Ice cold lunch? Could have gone without. Did I take something from the panels? Absolutely. Worth the price point? I would say so, but next time I would upgrade now personally. So overall Scuro says Sip N Slay 2025 was a. Honest rating 7.5/10. So closing thoughts, I did think it was a fun event to attend, especially with friends or a sister! However, the admission line upset me from the start of the day and missing a panel I was excited for the entire week prior. Having the match bar be an additional fee for non-VIPs was a drag, especially that given that there was no sweet treats at this 5+ hour long event. I also would have loved for the bouquet station to be more widely announced as a free gift for attendees, as that was something I feel that I missed for my money. The wine was definitely flowing! All of the branding booths and photo ops were so cute but the lines for them were not. So unfortunately, I was not able to get any good Influencer type shots. For me personally, I was not given my gift bag ticket upon entry; so, it was a hassle having to go back down to the lobby to retrieve it in traffic at the end of the event to be able to receive my gift bag. Overall, the event was definitely inspirational and the vibes were great, but I would have loved to gain more practical insights. Also during the panels, it would have been great if the cameras could zoom in on the active speaker, especially for those not sitting as close as the VIP section.

All goodie bag items are linked on my Shopmy & LTK.