COLLABORATE: A Timeless Book of Career Advice

Working on a print project? Connect with us.

"A lot of companies weren’t hiring, especially earlier in the pandemic," she said. 

But for Hurt, waiting and worrying didn’t feel like a viable option. So instead, she took her talent for connecting people and made it virtual. Hurt founded the Co-Lab, an online networking group that was originally aimed at the luxury industry—particularly fashion, beauty, and wellness brands. 

In the Co-Lab, which has expanded to include anyone in the consumer brand space, new members join a busy Slack channel where active conversations are buzzing about everything from mentorship to job postings and organized by everything from career stage to area of expertise. A Q&A intake form allows the Co-Lab team to introduce each new professional to the group—and as membership grew, a co-lab colleague realized the responses she was collecting were invaluable. 

One question, in particular, became the foundation for a project Hurt had been dreaming about for quite some time: "What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?"

Hurt said she had always wanted to publish a book, and the Co-Lab's members helped her see that the influx of insightful career advice could be compelling content. So, with input from the Co-Lab’s members, she put together a team and got to work—and the results are beautiful.