Latest / The Curve / RTC96: The delicious (and inspiring) life of Condiment Claire.

Transcript

RTC96: The delicious (and inspiring) life of Condiment Claire. · The Curve

0:00
This podcast is proudly sponsored by HelloFresh.
0:03
One of the things that we love the most about HelloFresh
0:05
is that you can save time, stress, food waste,
0:08
and of course, the kicker money.
0:11
How often do you go to the supermarket
0:13
and buy stuff you do not need?
0:14
I do this more than I like to admit.
0:17
HelloFresh is freeing their prices
0:19
until March 2024,
0:20
so it is the perfect time to give HelloFresh a go.
0:25
Welcome to Raising the Curth.
0:26
A podcast designed to teach you everything
0:28
you need to know to be better with your money.
0:31
And the wise words of Amy Schumer
0:33
were slipping carrots into the brownie recipe.
0:36
I don't really get the saying.
0:38
It's kind of like eating vegetables that actually taste good.
0:41
You know, I'm like, still not ready to eat.
0:43
Are you on the script?
0:45
It's basically like saying,
0:46
investing in finance can be boring as
0:48
but it totally doesn't need to be.
0:51
Okay, okay.
0:52
So we're making it fun by putting the carrot.
0:55
Okay, the vegetables are good for you.
0:57
It's the brownie recipe.
0:58
Okay, we got there. We got there.
1:00
Okay.
1:00
Well, you've really got a finance way.
1:02
Yeah, one of us has to.
1:04
This is true.
1:05
Okay, come and learn alongside me
1:07
from Vick Harris, ex-fund manager.
1:09
Well, I'm going to ask all the questions that you wish you could.
1:12
And I'm going to be eating all the brownie you wish you could.
1:14
No, it's so not the joke, Vick.
1:17
Okay, just come and talk and learn and laugh with us
1:20
because together we really can raise the curve.
1:24
We've got some unfamous on the podcast.
1:27
She's famous on TikTok and Instagram.
1:31
She's known as Condiment Claire.
1:32
Tell me more.
1:33
She's awesome.
1:34
So we came across her when we moved to the UK
1:36
someone was like, you shouldn't touch the condiment,
1:38
Claire, she's amazing.
1:39
And then we did a bit of stalking and we thought,
1:41
we should get in touch with Condiment Claire.
1:43
She looks great.
1:45
So I'm going to pronounce her name wrong.
1:47
I really hope I don't.
1:47
She's sort of French slash American slash British,
1:51
like very worldly as a child.
1:52
When she was talking, I was like, what haven't you done?
1:55
Yeah, she's amazing.
1:56
And her name is Claire Dinnott.
1:58
And she said, it's kind of like Claire Dinnott.
2:00
So hopefully she doesn't listen to this and isn't like,
2:03
oh, I'm not going to excuse me.
2:05
But she's called Condiment Claire
2:07
because during lockdown started taking pictures
2:10
of all the condiments that she was making in her kitchen.
2:12
And so it's quite interesting what people
2:15
resonated towards in lockdown.
2:18
But yes, she has just such an interesting life,
2:23
career, presence.
2:25
She was such a breath of fresh air to talk to.
2:28
And we could have talked to her for hours.
2:29
What I really liked about this interview is that she does invest.
2:33
And she's also reasonably clued up for someone who
2:36
doesn't think that she is.
2:37
But she's always been surrounded a lot of her friends work
2:40
in the finance space and investing.
2:42
So she has doubled in investing, had some really great investments,
2:46
had some really shocking ones.
2:48
But I just like the idea her approach is like,
2:50
I want to learn, even with her accountant,
2:52
whenever he does anything.
2:53
She's like, oh, can you tell me what you're doing?
2:55
Because I want to understand what it is.
2:56
And I really like that.
2:57
She's just got a switched on energy about her.
2:59
And just funny and interesting and talented.
3:02
So she's going to be massive one day
3:04
and we can say we're friends with her.
3:06
Anyway, here is Condiment Claire.
3:09
Okay, so came out of university, went to Harvard.
3:12
And then how did you kind of morph into being a talent?
3:16
I know that's a strange way to put it,
3:18
but you said you started kind of in presenting,
3:21
but now have very much transitioned to content creation.
3:24
So how did that happen?
3:27
So all throughout university, I was the annoying person
3:31
who kept emailing her dream job.
3:32
Being like, hi, pay attention to me.
3:34
Notice me, notice me, notice me.
3:35
And that was Anthony Bourdain's production company.
3:38
Because I watched him growing up.
3:39
I was like, that's the dream job.
3:40
Like if you can travel the world and learn about different places,
3:44
but through the people who actually lived there,
3:45
like you're not going on a random tour,
3:47
not going on a fancy vacation,
3:49
just how do you actually get to know
3:50
with certain people?
3:51
If it's not through like a history book,
3:53
yeah, how do you do that?
3:54
And he was doing that on screen
3:55
by like eating food too and eating whenever.
3:57
And I was like, I love that.
3:58
And finally, my last two weeks of university,
4:02
I got an email back and they were like,
4:04
we're based in New York.
4:06
Let's figure something out.
4:07
Just come to New York.
4:08
And I was like, okay, my best friend was moving to New York.
4:10
We got a flat together on my graduation trip.
4:13
I opened the New York Times one day and he had passed away.
4:15
So I was like, oh no, first of all,
4:17
I mean, number one thing is that my idols just passed away.
4:20
This is so upsetting.
4:20
This is so sad.
4:22
And then I was like, oh, I don't have a job.
4:24
So I had a flat in New York.
4:26
And then I started working at Radical Media,
4:27
which was this like unscripted production company.
4:29
And I absolutely loved what I was doing there.
4:32
I kind of was like thrown in as a PA,
4:34
but doing a lot of honestly producer work.
4:36
But it was great because it taught me so many things
4:38
just by kind of being thrown in the deep end,
4:40
doing a lot of unscripted.
4:41
So like food, travel, music, stuff like that.
4:44
And I realized like, you know what, I do really, I really love this.
4:47
And then I shifted to an agency in New York
4:51
and the office life, let's just say it really killed my soul.
4:55
But I did, I mean, I had to make a living.
4:57
I had to pay for my apartment and like that.
4:59
So did it.
5:00
And then one day I met with his Greek producer
5:03
who was in town.
5:03
I'd never met him before.
5:05
And he was like, so like, what are you doing now?
5:06
And I was explaining to him.
5:08
And he was like, well, what do you really want to do?
5:09
And I was like, I really want to be an unscripted television.
5:12
So my mom's mom passed away a month before I was born.
5:16
And she was 52, like in her sleep, super random.
5:18
And I was like, sorry.
5:20
Yeah.
5:20
And I've always sought out older people.
5:22
Like, I love old people.
5:23
Like, I'm pretty sure I'm a grandfather in my side.
5:25
Same.
5:26
I love old people.
5:28
Oh my god.
5:29
I just, if I see them holding hands or I love talking to them,
5:32
I think you can learn so much from old people.
5:34
So much, so much.
5:35
And they're also just so wise.
5:37
I met with this Greek producer and he was like,
5:39
well, what do you want to do?
5:39
And I was like, listen, I would love to do a show
5:41
about grandmother's and how like their food might be like on a plate.
5:45
But you know, it's going to taste better than anything you've ever had.
5:47
And like everyone's grandma has their favorite dish.
5:49
Yeah.
5:50
And he was like, would you want to come to Greece and do this
5:53
since you've like never got to meet like your own Greek grandmother?
5:55
Long story short, I was like, yes, I would love to do that.
5:57
And he was like, great, want to come on Monday?
5:59
This was a Friday.
6:00
I was like, sir, I need to get my two weeks notice at work.
6:02
Like you must have been so good at your job for a great producer to be like,
6:07
hey, by the way, what do you want to do?
6:09
Cooler make it happen.
6:10
I mean, that for anyone that doesn't know anything about entertainment
6:13
or media world, that's not a thing.
6:14
Like you must have had a pretty brilliant reputation
6:18
for being good at what you do.
6:19
Thank you.
6:20
Yeah, so I went to Greece for like three, four months.
6:23
And then it was Christmas, so I came home.
6:24
And over the holidays, I was in LA and then ended up meaning this.
6:28
Mexican producer.
6:29
And he was like, I love this thing that you're doing in Greece.
6:32
He saw like some snippets.
6:33
He was like, would you want to do this in Mexico City?
6:34
And I was like, yeah.
6:36
So you essentially started hopping around the world,
6:40
creating food shows in different countries.
6:43
Well, so I shot a reel in both Greece and Mexico City.
6:47
And then the pandemic happened, which cut the Mexico City one short.
6:50
So we kind of finagled together like a little bit of a reel.
6:54
Hold on.
6:54
Reel for those listening.
6:55
You're not meaning an Instagram reel.
6:57
You mean a short reel?
6:58
Yes, yes.
6:58
A short reel.
6:59
Sorry, not an Instagram reel.
7:00
Oh, no, sorry, sorry, yes, a short reel.
7:02
So we kind of like finagled something, kind of put it all together.
7:05
And then obviously the pandemic hits and who's vulnerable, the elderly.
7:09
So those shows get asked because you can't put the elderly just in harm's way.
7:16
Hold on.
7:16
Before we continue, I'd like to know when you went to Greece and Mexico,
7:20
were you given a salary we paid?
7:22
Was it like, do this for free?
7:24
And then if this takes off, then you get, you know, how did that work?
7:26
It's fully for free.
7:27
Yeah, okay.
7:28
In Greece and in Mexico City, I was having my flights paid for and my hotel room,
7:32
which was great.
7:34
And I was having the experience of like every day being able to be with old people,
7:37
which I think after a few years in New York at like an office job,
7:41
I really needed that.
7:43
And so I was just very happy not spending money,
7:47
but not making any either.
7:48
It was kind of worse, like, you know what?
7:50
I'm living in this great hotel room.
7:53
I'm having dinner with the team every single night.
7:55
I'm having great experiences.
7:56
I know this is a temporary thing.
7:57
And hopefully something will come of it where then I will get paid and start making more.
8:02
And then when the shows both went poof because of the pandemic,
8:07
I was like, oh, God.
8:08
And like, what now?
8:10
And at that time, I actually got a call from one of the streamers.
8:13
And they were like, hey, we also have a show about grandmothers.
8:16
We don't like our hosts.
8:17
Would you want to host this show?
8:19
What is happening?
8:19
I've got to start watching some of your stuff.
8:22
She must be like, please.
8:22
I know.
8:23
I'm like, do you think there's ever lived?
8:25
I thought you were good.
8:26
No, God's not.
8:28
I'm a fine child.
8:29
Do you want to draw?
8:30
I'm not a child.
8:31
But they basically were like, well, how many followers do you have?
8:34
We'd love to have you as the host.
8:35
And I was like, I have a private Instagram of like 600 friends.
8:38
Like, I don't have a following.
8:40
And they're like, oh, sorry.
8:42
Nowadays, like, you need a following if you want to host a show.
8:44
Why would they even host a show?
8:45
So anyways, that's when I kind of realized, like, oh my God,
8:49
if I really want to do this as a career,
8:51
I have to put myself out there.
8:52
And I have to start on social media.
8:54
And at the time, that was like kind of the bit like it was mid 2020.
8:58
You know, that's when people are starting on TikTok.
9:00
And people are blowing up.
9:01
But usually it was like, I don't know, you think of it?
9:03
You were like, think of the dances and stuff like that.
9:05
And I was like, OK, well, I guess I can gain a following fast on this.
9:08
So let me just start.
9:09
And my first username was actually clear from where.
9:12
Because people couldn't figure out where I was from.
9:14
And then I moved to London and locked down, lasted forever here.
9:19
And one of my best friends is actually her birthday today.
9:21
Oh, what's her name?
9:22
Out of Amanda.
9:23
Oh, Amanda, happy birthday.
9:24
Imagine if you're like, and spin the birthday wheel.
9:26
Yeah.
9:27
What?
9:28
What would you like to do?
9:29
But she was like, Claire, it's not normal how many jars you have.
9:34
Like, you need to post a photo of all of your jars on Instagram to your story.
9:38
This is going to be so funny to do it.
9:40
And one night, like, I was like, OK, so I realized I took a photo, probably like, I don't know, 56 jars.
9:46
Once a bed.
9:46
And the next day, my Instagram, still private at the time, was flooded with messages.
9:51
But like from random boys, I hadn't spoken to since I was like 13.
9:54
They're like, don't be suspicious.
9:56
They're like, oh, hello.
9:57
But they were like, it's my mom's birthday on Sunday.
9:59
She loves this brand of jam.
10:00
Like, what are your top three?
10:02
And then like, my dad's friends being like, hey, I'm hosting a barbecue in two weeks.
10:07
COVID friendly.
10:08
Like, what are your five condiments you would put out for like this type of sausage?
10:12
Like so weird.
10:13
I was like, wow.
10:14
And so then I was like, OK, so then on my TikTok, I started doing little videos here and there,
10:19
probably like once a week or and just like hashtagging condiment Claire.
10:22
Because it just at this point, we were all delirious.
10:24
Like, I don't know what's happening in the world.
10:25
I was like, God, I see a time.
10:27
I'm going to roll with this and then once my TikTok really started growing,
10:32
whenever I got recognized, people would be like, you're the condiment girl, you're a condiment Claire.
10:36
And so then I realized, you know what, like if this is what people are remembering,
10:40
I'm going to roll with it because I realized like, you Google condiment,
10:43
there's no one doing just condiments.
10:45
Obviously that wasn't paying the bills at the time.
10:47
So I was working for a Spanish production company just virtually,
10:50
based in Madrid.
10:51
They were working with the US a lot and with France.
10:53
So I was doing like some translation here and there for them.
10:55
And I went to this TV festival two summers ago.
10:59
Now it was, wow, and at this dinner party, I sat next to this Italian man.
11:03
And we were chit chatting at dinner and everyone was American at this dinner.
11:07
And I was speaking to all the waiters in Italian.
11:08
And he was like, how come you speak Italian?
11:11
And I told him, well, I lived in Rome for a few years when I was younger.
11:13
And so we were chit chatting in Italian all dinner.
11:16
All the Americans kind of started peeling off because they had just flown in.
11:19
Everyone was jet lagged.
11:20
Meanwhile, like, I'm coming from London.
11:22
I was like, I'm ready to go.
11:23
I will eat and drink with you all night if need be.
11:26
And he was like, well, what do you do?
11:27
What do you want to do?
11:28
And I was like, oh, my God.
11:29
Flashback to when the Greek guy said the exact same thing.
11:32
And I was like, I want to do food and travel,
11:34
television.
11:35
And I think it'd be really neat to learn about like different
11:37
reaches and this and that.
11:38
And he was like, have you seen Stanley Tuchy show?
11:40
And I had seen it.
11:41
And I really liked it.
11:43
But I think there's a certain level of,
11:45
I think there's a way to do high and low in a show.
11:47
And I felt like that show was stunning,
11:51
but showed a lot of high in the sense like you go to Florence.
11:55
The average person isn't going to be able to have cocktails
11:57
at the four seasons.
11:58
And I was going to be great to show Italy for like the low Italy too.
12:02
And like show the really simple dishes and things like that
12:05
that you could do there.
12:06
And he was like, I love that idea.
12:08
So yeah, great, whatever.
12:10
Went home, then it was in London.
12:11
And I get a random email from him one day being like, hey.
12:14
So I think you could co-host the show with X-Chef.
12:17
Want to come to Italy next week.
12:18
Joking.
12:19
I am absolutely shocked by this.
12:23
And also how are you not just like so arrogant?
12:26
I'd be like, yeah, so like I just got a dinner
12:29
and get picked up for shows on Netflix.
12:31
You don't know big deal.
12:32
But I, so then we went through three rounds of chefs
12:36
of like who would work well for the show in particular.
12:40
And so I was always going back and forth to Italy.
12:42
Again, not getting paid at the time,
12:44
but getting flights paid and accommodation paid.
12:47
So I was like, you know what, like I'm just like at this point,
12:49
I'm just going to roll with it.
12:50
Like I've gone this far.
12:51
I can't give up now.
12:52
And so I was doing that back and forth, back and forth,
12:54
back and forth.
12:55
Finally, we found the chef Max Mariola,
12:57
who's now huge on TikTok.
12:59
And he and I shot a pilot all throughout Italy.
13:01
It was a great experience.
13:03
And then last, when was it last October, November?
13:06
We tried to sell it at this film festival in Italy.
13:09
We'll see.
13:10
Like I think it's things take time.
13:12
And also there's like a huge strike going on in the US right now.
13:14
So it's a fully produced created show that needs to be sold.
13:19
Does that essentially you've got like your product
13:21
that you've created after that trip?
13:22
It's pretty much all shot.
13:24
Yeah.
13:25
Yeah.
13:26
But it's, I mean, it was the sort of opportunity
13:28
that I wasn't not going to take.
13:31
And I think regardless of what happens with it,
13:33
I've been so grateful that I had that experience
13:35
and met those people as well.
13:36
It's like everyone was so great.
13:37
Was there ever a time when you said,
13:39
everything's been paid for what you were being paid?
13:41
Was there ever a time when you were like,
13:43
oh gosh, I can't keep doing this.
13:45
Like at this point, it's like, I keep getting pushed down.
13:48
I keep going, getting back up.
13:49
But it's kind of gone to the point where I'm like,
13:52
financially, it's tough.
13:54
However, that's when my TikTok was also starting to pop off.
13:58
So I was getting little brand deals here and there.
14:00
And like I would not be able to make a living off of TikTok
14:04
on its own at this stage even,
14:05
even though I have nearly 600, okay?
14:08
Because I'm very a long way to go, girl.
14:12
I'm looking at that kind of thing.
14:13
No, no, but I'm very much an anomaly in that sense
14:16
because I am very particular as to who I partner with
14:21
or what brand deals I do accept.
14:23
Mainly because I've always wanted to stay really authentic.
14:25
Like I see social media as I never thought I would do this.
14:29
To me, this was just a great little way to kind of keep paying rent
14:33
and doing that while I was off doing whatever it was
14:36
that I want to do and pursue television and all that.
14:39
So if I'm going to get paid for a brand deal or anything like that,
14:43
it's going to be with a company that I actually use
14:46
and that I actually really would love to promote.
14:48
And I feel very lucky that I started TikTok
14:50
when nothing else was kind of going on.
14:52
So I had that chance to have the time.
14:54
And instead of seeing that time, it's like,
14:56
oh God, I'm working for another production company
14:58
just like virtually because I can't be in the office
15:01
and this and that.
15:02
What do I do all day?
15:04
And that was make random TikToks,
15:06
which kind of went into condomin TikToks,
15:09
which now in of itself, like condominclare is a job,
15:12
which is wild to me.
15:14
The weeks in New York, where I would get to the office
15:17
at like 6.37 and usually leave around 11-ish.
15:22
If I was doing overtime on a week,
15:24
I would make almost $900 in a week before taxes,
15:28
which again, it's great.
15:30
It's money, it's regardless, it's money.
15:32
But seeing how now I can do, I can make one video
15:36
in the span of like an hour, edits all that,
15:38
maybe more than an hour if I'm doing like a longer video.
15:42
That could make me that equivalent amount
15:44
of working all day and night is kind of crazy.
15:47
And I never thought that that would be a position
15:49
that I would be in because I never, again, expected to do this.
15:52
And it kind of just reminds me that like,
15:53
I got knocked down quite a bit.
15:55
And it's just about keeping at it.
15:57
If you know what it is, you really like.
15:59
And sometimes...
15:59
And sometimes you're going to be doing something
16:02
that you never expected you would do.
16:04
And you just go, OK, I'm so happy to do whatever it is.
16:10
Sov?
16:10
Yes.
16:11
Have you realised there's a cost of living crisis going on?
16:17
No, I didn't know.
16:18
It's expensive at the moment.
16:19
Yes, gosh.
16:21
Honestly, I love the sarcasm
16:23
because even someone that's been living under a rock
16:26
or with their head in the sand
16:27
would have heard the words cost of living crisis, I'm sure.
16:30
Oh, I reckon that's probably like
16:31
some of the babies that were born this year's first words.
16:34
Wouldn't that be like, cost of living crisis?
16:37
Yes.
16:38
Oh, poor children.
16:40
There's actually been a recent survey
16:42
from how the freshs that has come out.
16:43
And it has shown that over 88% of Kiwis
16:51
are impacted by this cost of living crisis
16:53
and noticed it over the last six months.
16:55
I'm also like, who is the 12% of people that aren't feeling this?
17:00
I'm like, you are lucky.
17:02
I don't know where in that.
17:03
Can we move in?
17:04
Yeah.
17:05
But the majority of people are feeling the punch.
17:08
And so anything that we can do to help alleviate
17:13
that pain is going to be great.
17:15
And how fresh is doing that
17:17
by providing affordable meal kits for all of us?
17:20
I think that's quite interesting about this as well.
17:23
The study that you're referring to is that most people
17:26
had noticed that what they're able to buy now
17:29
is so much less than what they were able to buy six months ago,
17:33
like 59% less.
17:34
I mean, we all knew it, but actually seeing those numbers,
17:37
you're like, wow.
17:39
I remember going to the supermarket with my mom
17:41
when I was younger, admittedly, this is years ago.
17:44
But we used to get a whole trolley for $150.
17:47
A whole trolley of groceries and products for $150.
17:50
Oh, yeah.
17:51
The other day, I filled up a bag of groceries for $150.
17:56
I was like, wow, that is inflation at his core.
17:58
But, yes, I think the great thing about HelloFresh
18:01
is that we still have to eat meals every day.
18:04
And we want to eat young meals too.
18:07
You don't just want to be having boring the same potatoes
18:12
that you had the day before.
18:13
You know, we want diversity.
18:14
We want delicious scrumptious food.
18:17
And so I think it's, if you are using HelloFresh,
18:19
it's a great way to save time, stress, but also money
18:22
and food waste, all of the things that we like.
18:25
Yeah.
18:26
And the great thing is that they deliver to your door.
18:29
So that I just deliver a bag of potatoes
18:31
and say, here's your meals for the week.
18:33
They deliver really high quality ingredients.
18:36
They deliver variety.
18:37
And they've got step-by-step recipes.
18:40
So it's really meal kits for anyone.
18:42
If you can't cook to save your life,
18:45
well, have I got a deal for you?
18:47
But even if you can cook, and that's what's interesting.
18:50
So like, they're so well done because they're put together
18:53
by people who know food and know flavor.
18:56
And it just means that you can easily have a delicious meal.
18:59
I think also for people, when you come home from work
19:02
and you've had a long day, the last thing you want to do
19:04
is to get creative with meal planning
19:07
and having to think about what to cook for dinner.
19:10
You know, I just want someone to be like,
19:12
here, cook this.
19:13
We've done the hard work for you.
19:15
We've created a delicious recipe.
19:16
The food is at your door.
19:18
Just go ahead and cook it.
19:20
To be honest, I would just love someone to just cook it.
19:22
I love cooking now, Andy.
19:25
I love the cooking part.
19:26
I do like the cooking, but sometimes I'd love to just come home
19:29
and have delicious tacos ready to go, you know?
19:31
Oh, totally.
19:32
Yeah, that's where you go to a restaurant, babe.
19:34
And you pay triple-couple, triple-couple,
19:37
double-couple, triple-couple.
19:42
I think there's also something.
19:43
And firstly, you had to support yourself
19:45
financially in a situation where you weren't,
19:47
like, thriving money wise.
19:49
And you were really persistent with your,
19:51
what you knew you wanted to do, like, time and time again.
19:53
And you were like, I want to travel and create content.
19:56
And I want to learn from old people.
19:57
And you really knew what that was.
19:59
I think a lot of people are aware of what they want to do,
20:02
but maybe aren't so outright and saying it.
20:04
Or the scared to take the lead.
20:07
Yeah.
20:08
And also, I think the idea of pushing through
20:10
that financial instability or uncertainty,
20:14
knowing that, hopefully, you can make it
20:16
in what you really want to do.
20:18
It's being uncomfortable in realizing
20:20
leaning into that uncomfortableness and uncertainty.
20:23
Because it's super inspiring to hear how much you are not
20:25
down and keep going.
20:26
It had no one was saying, hey, here's a good paycheck.
20:29
You were like, wow, this is hard, but you keep going.
20:31
I mean, I think what I will say is I'm super lucky
20:34
that I worked before all of these opportunities came about.
20:37
So I mean, I wasn't making good money whatsoever,
20:40
but I did have jobs prior.
20:42
So I knew that I had a bank account that had X amount of money.
20:45
And then I was going off and traveling,
20:47
and not spending money because, again,
20:49
accommodation and flights were being taken care of,
20:52
but I wasn't adding to that said bank account.
20:56
And I was just thinking, you know what,
20:56
I feel like my life is on pause, but that's okay.
21:00
If I'm pausing my financial life at the moment,
21:02
but not depleting it, I'm okay with that.
21:04
And I'm going to take that risk
21:06
because the benefits can be so great in the future.
21:09
I would say I'm definitely not a financially risky person, though.
21:11
So this is very off-brand.
21:13
Like, I am very much a saver.
21:16
I have never taken money out of any of my investments
21:19
because the idea of that stresses me out.
21:21
Being raised in between LA and the French countryside
21:24
was definitely, it definitely is determined how I spend money
21:28
because I think I've always been taught to save money
21:31
to be very conscious as to how I use it.
21:33
But I definitely like to play, I guess I call them games,
21:37
not really games, but I like to play games with my money
21:39
in the sense like when I go to a farmer's market,
21:41
I want to buy beautiful produce,
21:43
but I can't get carried away.
21:45
So I'll go to the farmer's market
21:46
and have 20 pounds in my pocket and be like,
21:48
I'm not going to spend more than this.
21:50
So let's see, do I want this planet of strawberries
21:53
or do I want this fennel?
21:54
And you just do little things like that.
21:56
Like, okay, how am I going to spend this money?
21:59
And then if you come home with five pounds,
22:01
you're like, oh, I did a good job.
22:03
I kind of made this money today.
22:04
What other kind of money-saving hacks do you have?
22:07
This is London specific,
22:08
but I have the Pratt monthly membership.
22:10
It started during the pandemic.
22:12
I think it was 10 pounds a month or 20 pounds a month.
22:14
And you get up to five coffees a day or five drinks.
22:17
Any drink on the menu.
22:18
So like smoothies, ice coffees, cappuccinos,
22:21
you're going to add all the non-dairy milks.
22:23
Each one is like almost four pounds.
22:25
And you can get up to five a day.
22:26
This is such a good money-saving hack.
22:28
Should we get a curve one?
22:29
Yeah, health and well-being account.
22:32
But the best part is too is like, usually you'll see
22:34
like a lot of homeless people at Pratt or on high streets.
22:38
Like if I am lucky enough to be able to pay X amount a month
22:41
to get this membership.
22:43
And may as well share it if I can.
22:44
And I obviously can with five a day.
22:46
We mentioned before the podcast that you get a lot of different
22:51
revenue streams from different countries.
22:53
So I'm intrigued to know how you deal with different currencies,
22:57
how you then go shake different prices.
23:00
And is this across TikTok and also your TV creation?
23:04
So it was definitely very tricky when I moved here
23:06
because all of my revenue streams were in dollars
23:09
because a very, very high percentage of my following is in the US.
23:14
And then when I was working for the Spanish production company
23:16
that was in euros.
23:17
And now a lot of brand deals that I do are actually in pounds.
23:20
Because I'm someone who I really don't feel comfortable
23:23
when it comes to just financial knowledge.
23:25
I would say a lot of my friends are in the
23:27
financial world in New York.
23:29
And I always have to ask them for advice.
23:30
But I've just started a wise account for my company,
23:32
which is very exciting and it makes my life so much easier.
23:35
Because wise is basically a place where you can hold different currencies.
23:38
So I have a pound, a euro, and a dollar account.
23:41
And you just have like the apple pay card.
23:43
And whenever you're in whatever country
23:46
it will automatically know what currency to pay.
23:49
Go wise.
23:50
Great setup.
23:51
You say you're not particularly financially literate.
23:55
Do you think that's something that you will hire professional to be
23:58
doing it for your business?
24:00
Do you think that it's something that you're interested in learning about yourself?
24:03
Like how do you feel about money with relation to your job
24:07
and what you're doing with your life?
24:08
Because it's so, especially if you're like pitching shows
24:10
or you're having to pitch to brands for social media.
24:13
Like it's always having to talk about money.
24:15
So now that you're coming into more of a day,
24:18
assume how is that going to change your relationship with it?
24:20
When I say I'm not financially literate,
24:22
it's also in comparison to all of my friends
24:23
who are wildly intelligent about it.
24:26
And I think it's just about educating myself.
24:27
And I've always invested.
24:28
And if I'm stuck on something that I'm so confused about
24:31
instead of kind of ignoring it and like pushing that email away
24:34
or just throwing that envelope away,
24:36
I'm just like, okay, what do I do now?
24:38
I do now have an accountant in the US
24:41
that's helping me with all like the business side of things.
24:43
But I always saw him like, okay,
24:45
every time you do something for whether it's like tax-related
24:48
or anything like that, like please tell me
24:50
because I also want to know.
24:52
It's so good because I love you a lot.
24:53
Oh, thanks, oh my gosh.
24:55
It scares me so much to not understand.
24:58
Even if I hear it, sometimes it doesn't process.
25:01
It's one of those things that just like doesn't click.
25:03
And so I just need to keep training myself.
25:05
That you've always invested.
25:07
So I, yeah, so there's an app in the US called Robin Hood.
25:11
Who did that?
25:12
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
25:12
And it was, and I was starting with like $10 investments.
25:15
Like if a share was $10 or $16 or $50 at the beginning,
25:19
I was like, you know what?
25:20
I just want to do this.
25:22
So I'm going to put $500 in there.
25:24
So it was when I was still in college.
25:26
I was like, I'm going to put $500 in here
25:27
and just see like if I buy stocks that I like know it.
25:31
So Netflix, Apple, Disney, stuff like that.
25:33
Let me just see what the stock market is.
25:35
Because I don't know.
25:36
Like let me just see.
25:36
Gosh, that's cool.
25:37
I feel like not many people have that either they're inquisitive
25:41
or they, but they just don't actually action it,
25:44
especially if they're not enough.
25:45
But it's a starting with such a small amount.
25:47
Because that's when you do learn.
25:48
And it's like if you lose it, it's not the end of the world.
25:50
You've learned probably some great lessons.
25:53
But it's like if you just don't start
25:55
because you're too scared, then you probably never start.
25:58
Yeah, it is Robin Hood quite well known
25:59
and a lot of your friends were doing it.
26:01
Yeah, it's like I was very much, I was very much one
26:04
of the last ones to do it.
26:05
Because again, a lot of my friends
26:06
are in this financial world.
26:08
And they were like, you don't have a Robin Hood?
26:09
And I was like, no, I don't.
26:10
But so when I started, I was like, you know what?
26:12
I'm going to do this my way.
26:14
They're investing a lot more money than I am.
26:16
Because again, even out of college,
26:17
like working in media versus working in Wall Street,
26:20
you're going to make a lot less money.
26:22
So I wasn't on the same financial level as they were.
26:25
I was seeing what they were doing.
26:26
And I was like, how can I do this on my own
26:28
with less money and just see how to do it myself,
26:31
just teach myself.
26:32
So I also, one, don't sound like an idiot
26:34
and convert us into them, but also know for the long run.
26:37
Like when I do make a significant investment
26:39
that I'll know what I'm doing at least.
26:41
It's so cold.
26:42
And now I have quite a big chunk of money in there.
26:45
Again, the stock market isn't doing that great at the moment.
26:47
So at one stage, like during the pandemic,
26:51
I was up like 14%.
26:52
And I had started like three years before.
26:54
And I was like, this is great.
26:55
I love investing.
26:57
But again, I've always told myself that the money
26:59
that's in there is kind of like grad school to me.
27:02
Like I never took economics classes.
27:04
I never did anything school related for finance.
27:09
This was like, okay, I'm just going to throw myself
27:11
in the deep end.
27:12
And I'm going to allocate this money to just teaching myself.
27:15
I was like, a course would be like a university course
27:18
would have been more intense if I were going to do like
27:20
another year of school.
27:21
And so I was like, I'm just going to do this.
27:23
And it's been good because I've definitely made
27:25
really dumb investments on things that I really love.
27:28
So I was like, I'm just going to really back them and let's see.
27:30
Do you have any examples of things?
27:32
Oh, sweet green killed me.
27:34
Sweet green has killed me.
27:35
The solid company.
27:36
I love them so much.
27:37
I'm their biggest fan.
27:38
I did a brand deal with them this year.
27:40
And it was like one of the greatest moments.
27:42
Because I was like, wow, like as a fan when they DM me,
27:44
I was like, sweet green is DM me.
27:46
I was like, well, this is the best DM I've ever gotten.
27:49
Yeah, that's really killed me.
27:51
Oh, how much did you put into it?
27:53
I put in a couple of thousand.
27:54
And you haven't got, obviously, it's gone down a lot.
27:57
Yeah, I think it's run down like a good yikes.
27:59
50.
28:00
Yeah, 50%.
28:01
Oh, shit.
28:02
It sucks.
28:02
Sometimes it happens doesn't it?
28:03
Yeah.
28:04
Because it was like, okay, we're going to go public on this day.
28:06
And I was like, I'm ready.
28:07
I was like, well, I was like, I'm ready to go.
28:08
Oh, so you went to my own IPO?
28:10
Like as soon as they listed as a public company,
28:12
you were like, I'm in.
28:13
I was like, I'm their biggest fan.
28:15
So yes.
28:16
But again, it's, I'm not going to take that money out.
28:18
Because I faith like all the brands that I love,
28:20
even if they're not doing well right now,
28:22
you never know.
28:23
In 30 years, they could like, you tell my kids one day,
28:25
I invest in a sweet green and you invest in the other
28:29
condiment companies, not other condiment.
28:31
I would say a lot of media companies.
28:33
Just because it's a world I feel comfortable.
28:35
When you say media, do you mean like a podcast company
28:37
or a TV company or like a Netflix?
28:41
Yeah, like a Netflix, a Disney.
28:43
I think there are certain giants in that world
28:45
that are always good to invest in.
28:46
I love Netflix.
28:47
I've invested in it.
28:48
Yes.
28:48
Teslas didn't great for me.
28:50
It's great that you, like this is a great example of
28:53
using an industry you know well,
28:55
or you're a space you know well,
28:56
a sector you know well, and investing in that.
28:58
Because it's like you would see, you'd be able to see
29:00
which streaming providers are doing the best,
29:03
which media companies are doing the best.
29:04
You know, which ones are killing it,
29:05
which ones maybe we're killing it and aren't.
29:08
The growth is really interesting.
29:09
Looking that good and so on with the win to sell and buy.
29:12
And so I think this is a really good example
29:13
of using your interests in an investing sense.
29:16
And not, you don't have to invest in everything
29:18
in anything.
29:19
It's like, yeah.
29:20
The one investment that I'm so mad about
29:22
because this was the first investment
29:23
that I ever made on Robinhood
29:25
and how I had the money.
29:27
I would have invested a lot more in it
29:28
because I felt super confident in it.
29:30
But I was like, I'm just going to buy one share
29:31
because I just want to teach myself.
29:34
And so I only invested $20 in it.
29:36
It was in MGM
29:37
because there's the media aspect
29:40
and all the casinos.
29:41
Oh yeah.
29:41
And I was like, okay, the pandemic was just starting.
29:45
I was like, after the pandemic,
29:46
this is going to pop off
29:47
because people are going to want to like
29:49
one, like go to movies
29:50
to go and live their best life at a casino.
29:52
And now it's at $44, I think it is.
29:56
But I'm like, I'm so glad I have $44 now.
29:59
I put in money.
30:00
Yeah, I hate that.
30:01
I find VIX always like, nope,
30:02
you can't think like that.
30:03
I'm like, I know.
30:04
But what have I done more?
30:05
Yeah.
30:06
It's like people always ask what's your worst
30:07
investment decision.
30:07
And it's usually something
30:09
that I didn't back myself in itself.
30:10
You know, it's not just that
30:12
everyone thinks your worst decisions
30:13
when you lose money.
30:14
But you can lose money
30:15
by not investing in something that's done well.
30:17
Because you don't want to take that risk.
30:19
So it's yeah.
30:20
And so from where you are now,
30:21
like you've obviously invested quite,
30:24
you know, regularly over time,
30:26
would you say that, you know,
30:27
as your career progresses
30:29
and financially,
30:30
you're in a more comfortable position
30:31
where you can do bigger lump sums?
30:32
That's something you think you'd
30:33
continue to do yourself.
30:35
Or do you think that you would get
30:36
a professional job for you?
30:37
Like, what's your?
30:38
I think I would get a professional,
30:41
but I'm also so type A.
30:43
And I think it's
30:45
if I have the financial stability
30:47
where I'm able to do that,
30:48
I would love to continue doing it myself.
30:50
At least some of it.
30:51
Yeah.
30:52
Do you know what I mean?
30:52
I think if it were 50, 50,
30:54
that would be an ideal situation
30:56
because I do know there are certain people
30:57
who are trained to do this.
30:58
And I kind of see it as,
30:59
you know what?
31:00
This is money where when I put money
31:02
in my Robinhood, I'm like,
31:04
this is money that I'm spending.
31:05
It's done.
31:06
It's gone forever.
31:06
I just see it as like,
31:07
it's gone forever.
31:08
I don't see it as a bank account that I have.
31:10
And so I'll look at it during the day and be like,
31:12
oh, okay, like again,
31:14
it's a class.
31:14
It's how I teach myself.
31:15
I'm like, okay, what world doing well?
31:17
What world aren't?
31:18
How's the stock market looking?
31:19
There's also crypto on there.
31:21
So it's like when the whole crypto
31:22
craze was happening,
31:23
I was like, okay, like I'm just going to see.
31:24
So it got some Bitcoin,
31:26
that's a Ethereum,
31:27
and just kind of top it.
31:28
I know, say I'm also just very impressed
31:30
that you were in a slightly unstable financial position
31:35
for some time and probably are just starting
31:37
to feel a little bit more secure in your
31:39
financial future through the things
31:41
that you really want to do as a career.
31:44
And yet throughout that time,
31:45
you were still putting money aside to invest.
31:47
I think that's really interesting
31:49
because often,
31:50
and I'm sure a lot of people listening
31:51
are feeling really stretched financially,
31:53
but it's a really good example
31:55
of even if it is $10 or $20.
31:57
That actually can make a massive difference.
31:59
Yeah, I mean, I would just say like again,
32:01
like I just said,
32:02
it's the idea of when I do invest money,
32:05
I don't see it as money that I have.
32:07
I see it as like, okay,
32:09
those 16 MGM dollars,
32:10
I went to the grocery store and I bought
32:12
a bunch of carrots
32:13
and there you go, a lot, a lot of carrots.
32:16
And then it's kind of like a pleasant surprise
32:18
when you do see your stock and you're like,
32:20
okay, it's done well or it's done badly
32:22
and when it does badly, you kind of just think,
32:24
okay, well, let me see what it's like in a year.
32:26
It's also really good that you're surrounded by people
32:28
who are friends that worked on Wall Street
32:30
that were really financially literate
32:32
and you won't put off.
32:34
You know, a lot of people are like,
32:34
oh my gosh, I'm from a different world
32:38
or I've got a different skill set
32:39
and this is speaking in different language
32:41
whereas you kind of like lentens
32:42
that and you're like, yeah, teach me, help me.
32:44
You know, I think it's quite refreshing
32:46
because everyone has different skill sets
32:47
and it's just as sometimes finance people
32:50
like to talk about their skill set as being the best
32:53
and it's not.
32:54
It's like, you know what,
32:54
they like to think that they have a much more knowledgeable
32:56
and it's like, yeah.
32:57
It also sounds like your friends encourage you
32:59
to get into the J-Think.
33:00
Yeah, it's really nice.
33:01
I think it was mainly that.
33:02
They definitely was lead to the game
33:04
when it came to investing just because
33:06
they didn't quite understand it
33:07
and they didn't feel comfortable.
33:08
And finally, after seeing so many people around me
33:11
just doing it, just like,
33:11
literally being a brunch
33:12
and pulling up their robinhood, just seeing
33:14
and I was like, okay, yeah.
33:15
What is that? Like, okay.
33:17
And then them also teaching me like,
33:20
my friend helped me set it up and was like, okay,
33:22
we're going to invest in this together first
33:24
and you'll see and like,
33:25
then you can look at all these different websites
33:27
to kind of teach you about stocks
33:28
and again, the pandemic was a really good time
33:30
to educate myself on that.
33:32
One on a lot of the internet deep dives.
33:34
A very productive lockdown.
33:36
Yeah.
33:37
Blow up on TikTok.
33:38
Learn about investing, like all of the things.
33:41
I think that another really cool reminder,
33:44
which is what you were just talking about
33:46
is to talk to your friends about this stuff.
33:48
And when we started the curve
33:51
and had all these friends
33:52
that were kind of coming to including me,
33:54
they were like, okay,
33:55
what's this investing situation?
33:56
I think being open and knowing
33:58
that this is going to be so helpful
34:00
for your friends and family if they're doing it too.
34:02
And sharing that knowledge and trying
34:04
to open the doors for people
34:05
who maybe have had their eyes closed to it
34:06
is actually a really productive
34:09
and helpful thing that you can do
34:10
for each other's futures.
34:11
And I think the fact that your friends
34:14
welcomed you into that space
34:15
and you were open to learning
34:17
that will change your future financially massively.
34:21
Completely.
34:22
And I will also say that's another benefit
34:24
about London and just like the UK
34:27
and Europe in general.
34:28
I think people and friends are a lot more open
34:30
about their finances like number wise.
34:32
Whereas in the US, there is a little bit of a barrier.
34:35
Well, where people will help you
34:37
and they'll educate you on like certain ways,
34:40
but in terms of money itself, like exact numbers,
34:43
you'll never really know what someone salary is during the year.
34:46
For example, I just find whereas here,
34:48
I think because salaries are also lower,
34:50
everyone has different financial situations,
34:53
it's a lot more open.
34:54
So I learned a little bit about everything
34:56
from regards to where I am in the world
34:58
but just different aspects of it.
34:59
That gives you a bit of research
35:00
on some of the condiment companies, right?
35:04
So you said that you're four favorite condiments.
35:08
Despite a change over time,
35:09
our research might be out of reach at that really late.
35:11
But this is what they are.
35:12
We're going to tell you what they are.
35:14
Tell me what they are.
35:15
You still like it in the street.
35:16
Okay, you've answered one.
35:17
Always my number one.
35:18
Yep, cinnamon.
35:19
Yeah, I do love cinnamon.
35:20
Soisos.
35:21
Yeah.
35:21
And butter.
35:22
Yeah, those are my challenges for it.
35:24
If I had to say, I think.
35:25
So what I was trying to do was trying to figure out
35:27
for anyone who else who loves condiments,
35:29
you know, how do you get access to invest in condiments?
35:31
And there's actually companies that own all of those condiments
35:35
that are all publicly listed.
35:36
So you can actually invest in your favorite condiments
35:38
if you wanted to.
35:39
So like mustard, I'm going to butcher this
35:42
because it's probably a beautiful French word.
35:44
Millet, Marley.
35:46
My.
35:46
Oh, gosh.
35:47
Yeah.
35:48
Oh, my God.
35:49
I have no idea.
35:49
It's actually owned by uni-leaver.
35:51
Oh, yes.
35:52
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
35:53
Yeah.
35:54
But the thing to remember is that this will be a point
35:56
0,0001 percent of revenue.
35:58
But you know, it's still, if you really like mustard,
36:00
you can really get access to that through uni-leaver.
36:03
Cinnamon is Schwartz.
36:04
There's a brand.
36:05
It's a UK brand.
36:06
And that's owned by McCormick in company,
36:08
which is the US.
36:09
Yeah.
36:09
Okay.
36:10
Yeah.
36:10
That company.
36:11
Soy sauce.
36:12
Cacoman.
36:13
That's like the most common,
36:14
yeah, cake among.
36:15
Cake among, yeah.
36:16
Wow.
36:16
You're looking so cultured, babe.
36:19
And that's, uh,
36:20
yeah, that's a really massive Japanese company, actually.
36:23
And then butter.
36:24
I mean, Leurpec is my favorite.
36:27
But that wasn't publicly listed.
36:28
So I was really gutted.
36:29
Why what's a bit of butter?
36:31
Mom, I can't really get any of them
36:33
in the UK issue.
36:34
So I am the worst and I make my own butter here.
36:38
So that's like in my farmer's market 20 pounds,
36:40
I buy cream from the dairy guy.
36:42
Because he's a cute old man too.
36:44
So like now I'm friends with the dairy guy.
36:45
And then you make your own butter.
36:46
And then I just make my own butter.
36:47
I'm sorry.
36:48
So I love my dairy guy.
36:49
Do you make your own butter?
36:50
It's literally just cream.
36:52
And you whip it so that it becomes whipped cream, right?
36:54
And then you go past whipped cream.
36:56
And then it becomes like little chunkies of butter
36:58
and like the buttermilk sort of like looks like chunks in water.
37:01
Have you ever squeezed it out?
37:02
Have you ever accidentally made butter?
37:03
No.
37:03
I've always whipped cream from my mum
37:05
and then she'll come back into the kitchen.
37:07
And she's like, it's butter now.
37:08
Oh, I can't use it because your whip is way too hard.
37:11
Yeah.
37:11
Always goes into butter.
37:12
Did you add salt or like, how do you make it amazing?
37:14
Yeah, so I have like great salt
37:16
that I bring back from France.
37:18
And then I just say, I want to let it in.
37:20
So like, you never have any openings in the house.
37:22
You just let us know.
37:24
Well, thanks a lot for that.
37:25
Yeah, I make sure you just rub out at the moment.
37:27
And what other things did you find out
37:28
when you were looking into those companies?
37:29
Was there any like interesting share prices
37:31
or things that like came out?
37:33
Well, the only thing is that they're just such a small portion.
37:35
Right.
37:36
It's like uni lever is like a global conglomerate.
37:39
You know, if you're wanting the mustard to move the needle,
37:43
you know, you're clutching its straws.
37:45
Right.
37:45
But it just goes to show that if there was brands
37:48
that you wanted to get access to,
37:49
I literally just googled the brand and then said,
37:51
who owns this?
37:52
And then it comes up with a share price in it.
37:54
Or is this publicly listed?
37:55
And so you can actually find out
37:56
if a company is publicly listed or not,
37:58
and if you want to invest in it.
37:59
That's so interesting.
38:00
I mean, maybe one day, Claire,
38:01
when you've got your own condiment line,
38:04
you'll go public and fake or help you go public.
38:06
Yeah.
38:07
And then we can market your business
38:08
for people to buy shares in it.
38:10
Yeah.
38:10
Great.
38:11
To support actual condiment companies.
38:13
No, just condiments that also sell tampons
38:15
and so open new checkers.
38:16
Yeah, yeah.
38:17
Like, you leave it.
38:18
A great idea.
38:18
Condiment curve.
38:20
I like it.
38:21
It's a good alliteration.
38:22
Wow, it's good with your alliteration.
38:24
I mean, she did go to Harvard and do a lot of research.
38:26
So you would hope so.
38:29
Thank you so much for listening to Raising the Curve.
38:32
These conversations are designed
38:33
to teach you everything that you need
38:35
to know to be better with your money.
38:36
From saving, to investing,
38:38
to talking to your friends about your salaries.
38:40
And if you liked what you heard, we would love it.
38:43
If you could hit subscribe button, please.
38:45
Yes, please.
38:45
Better yet.
38:46
Leave a review.
38:47
At all times five seconds.
38:49
And it would really make our week.
38:51
Oh, yeah, our month.
38:52
Okay.
38:52
Lots of love, see you soon.
38:54
Bye.
38:59
We would like to say a massive thank you
39:02
to HelloFresh for making this podcast episode possible.
39:05
So HelloFresh sources seasonal quality ingredients
39:08
from local suppliers, which is amazing.
39:10
Plus, in my opinion, the best part is that all the ingredients
39:14
are pre-portioned in just the right amounts
39:16
so that nothing goes to waste.