Jen A. Miller Consulting

Category: Inner Circle

Your Guide to Girl Friend Dating

Follow Our Action Plan for Making New Girl Friends

Let’s face it, making new girl friends after college can be tough. In college we have classes, sororities, dorm rooms, and clubs that throw us together with thousands of other young women. It’s nearly impossible to not find at least a handful that you connect with. Enter the post-grad world and things aren’t so easy. Sure you may meet a few girls through work but beyond that, chance interactions don’t come around quite so often. Furthermore, when you do find a girl that you think you could be friends with it can feel awkward to kick off the relationship. How do you strike up a conversation, where do you take it from there, what does it take to take it to the next level? It’s starting to sound a lot like real dating isn’t it?

If we take a second look, the process of making new girl friends is not that different from that of finding a potential soul mate. You have to find them, break into their world, get to know each other, and ultimately lock in a mutual love and respect for one another. You are in fact, girl friend dating. To help you navigate the process we’ve put together a handy guide to help you go from meeting acquaintances to securing new BFFs. Read on for our guide to girl friend dating and then let us know what additional advice you have for other Single Girls looking to expand their inner circle!

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April 2, 2014
Spotlight on Karina Capulong’s “Inspire Girls To”

The Single Diaries celebrates Women’s History Month with Karina Capulong and chats about visionary women, empowering girls, and a new definition of a female leader

PHOTO: Vinnie Verite of Alum Rock Studio.

The idea behind Inspire Girls To is that if a girl saw reflections of herself in women leaders, pioneers, and change-makers, perhaps she would find the confidence within herself and think, “If they could do it, I can too.”

Welcome back to Single Girl Brunches with the Best—a series of conversations with friends and leading ladies who are fierce, fearless and inspirational.

Karina Capulong and I met in ballet school as adolescents. Our families became friends over the years, and I got to know Karina even better when we went to the same high school. We participated in the same performing arts activities, and something I always admired about Karina was her ability to lead by example. She was never bossy and yet she possessed the qualities of a good leader. She radiated a calming and encouraging energy that put those around her at ease. I came across her project through a couple mutual friends who were involved. Inspire Girls To (or iG2) empowers girls by educating them about influential women who have paved the way for more girls and women to lead and succeed in their own special ways. As we close out Women’s History Month, I thought it perfect timing to reflect on how we can learn from the example of great women in history and continue to propel that inspiration into the rest of the year.

Karina holds a BS in Community & Regional Development with a minor in Sociology from UC Davis and a Masters in Public Administration with honors from San Francisco State University and currently works at Genentech. In her own words, “my vision for Inspire Girls To is to create a community of girls who believe in themselves, support one another, and want to lead and do good in the world. Essentially, by empowering girls now, I see a world where more women are confident, compassionate, and leading the pack.”

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March 28, 2014
What I Love About My City | Berlin

Jessica Buenaventura tells us why Berlin is “poor but sexy”… plus her tips on overcoming homesickness abroad

PHOTO: Pinterest.

Welcome back to What I Love About My City—a series in which our favorite single girls dish on everything from the best places for a single girls weekend to the secret spots only the locals know about. If you’re thinking about moving or just planning your next trip, we’ll fill you in with all the essential details on the cities our crew knows best.

Germany as a whole seems to be underrated to us in the States, so after hearing from a few close friends just how amazing the country is I was eager to get the lowdown from someone who lived there for an extended period. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jessica Buenaventura attended UC Santa Barbara and studied abroad in Berlin, Germany. After a semester as an international student, Jessica fell in love with the city and looked for opportunities to stay post-graduation. Here she sheds light on the different layers of Berlin and its inhabitants and dishes on the must-see sights and sounds awaiting us in this German stadt… as well as shares her tips on avoiding inevitable homesickness while living away from your friends and family.

Berliners are the work-hard, party-hard generation whose affinity for travel, impressive knowledge of global politics, and nonchalant hipster style make you ogle at how freaking über cool it is to be living in Berlin.

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March 19, 2014
Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

Everything You Need to Know to Nail the Part of Perfect Bridesmaid

By: Kristen Page

Whether it’s your sister, your childhood friend, or your college roommate, these five little words actually mean a lot. Brides give a lot of thought as to who they want to be part of their special day – not to mention the months of planning leading up to it. Before saying yes, make sure you’re up for the challenging task ahead!

Being a bridesmaid is no easy – or cheap – feat. It’s a role that has the potential to require a fair amount of planning, to cause a serious strain on your bank account, and to tie up at least a few of your precious weekends – not to mention that you might have to wear a hideous pairing of dyed satin shoes and an awkward gown…all with a big smile on your face. With that said, it can also be one of the most special, rewarding, and memorable roles that you can play in any girl’s life. Weddings are important celebrations, and the role of a bridesmaid should not be taken lightly!

But don’t fret; I’ve got all the tips on what TO DO and what NOT to do, once you take on the “bridesmaid” title.

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March 17, 2014
Mondays Don’t Have to Suck | A Guide to Weekday Activities

Catherine’s guide to weekdays activities and a more socially rewarding work week

PHOTO: Courtesy of Pinterest.

A couple months ago I shared my suggestions on how to craft the perfect weekend, but I am not one to live for the weekends. A couple years into joining the workforce, I came to terms with the fact that living for two days a week was a waste of 5/7 of my 20s (and 30s and 40s). Plus in a car-culture commuter city like L.A., you can go an entire day, week, month without encountering anyone you don’t work with. To compensate for the fact that I have to work for a living (that’s how I buy things…), I make a point of incorporating something to look forward to every day of the week. There are the obvious happy hour and dinner dates or the daily work-out sessions, but there are other ways to have fun without messing with your routine productivity. Here are five of my favorite not-so-obvious choices of weekday activities to break up your work week.

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March 13, 2014