Humans of Stern: Cara Salvatore

Cara Salvatore stands in front of Tisch Hall
Cara Salvatore (BS ’17)
Concentration: Marketing
Minor: Italian
Hometown: New York, New York
On Campus Involvement: brUNch Magazine

Favorite brunch spot?
I went with my girlfriends to Bar Primi the other day, and they had really great food and drinks (I'm a senior so it's okay)!

Favorite form(s) of fitness?
SoulCycle and Pop Physique.

Female inspiration?
Sophia Amoruso, founder of the online fashion retailer Nasty Gal, has been a huge role model for me because she always stands up for what she believes in.

You founded brUNch Magazine – what is it?
We are an online digital publication that reports on global and personal issues from the vantage point of women between ages 18-30. Because media representation can be so important in building the esteem of women, we want our readers to feel validated by our platform and take on positions of leadership in society. Every month, we encourage our readers to look, feel, consume, and put back into the universe a specific theme. It’s been really cool to see how the writers interpret these themes and how the readers engage with the material.

How did you come up with this idea?
brUNch Magazine started as a speaker series where women would attend a brunch with a speaker who had found success in doing something less conventional. It was a very special experience for everyone involved, but I wanted to find a way to extend the reach. Simultaneously, I was running a fitness group called the First-Timers Club that explores the city's less conventional health and wellness opportunities. Each week, I would come out with a newsletter that highlighted trending health articles and free fitness opportunities in Manhattan, but I realized that people weren't attending events despite loving the newsletter. That’s when I thought about merging the newsletter with the brunch series in a publication form, and the rest is history.

Favorite thing to write about?
Every month, I write the SermUN, or the introduction that sets the theme for that month. I share an anecdote from my life, and the other writers share their own stories relating to the theme. Seeing how we can take a theme in all these different directions shows that women are not just one stereotype; we're sexual, we're smart, we're strong, we're everything.

What’s your next project?
Building a network is so important, and I want to recognize all the people who have helped me in my journey by paying it forward. That’s how brUNch’s current project, the Scarlette Map, came to be. We’re building a guide to the notable women-run businesses in NYC with interviews on how these women are making their neighborhoods their own. Anything from the best coffeeshops, the cleanest bathrooms, the go-to Tinder date spots... we want to make women feel at home and let them know that they have a community to reach out to.

What advice do you have for students?
As a marketing and italian student, I believe students should go outside of their subject area and learn about things beyond business. Even now, as I take my Texts and Ideas class on nature, I'm learning so much. This is a topic we rarely talk about in business school, but everything is relevant, everything is important.