“Everything is a learning lesson, good and bad, so I am happy with the way things are, and I learned from everything negative. I am in a great space now, so I wouldn’t change a thing!”
― Karen Civil
“Don’t let the insecurities of others dull your sparkle. Shine like the star you are born to be.”
― Karen Civil
“I believe that God has blessed me in immeasurable ways so that I can, in return, bless and help others.”
― Karen Civil
“It’s unfortunate that cyberbullying is something that happens to 13-year-old kids in junior high and adults in the workplace. It’s something that we have to deal with as Americans.”
― Karen Civil
“When I started my career, I never looked at myself as one to be inspirational, but as I continued to grow, I’ve met so many different people who ask, ‘How do you do it? You make it look easy.’ But it’s not easy. I have certain tricks and tips I use every day that have been working for me.”
― Karen Civil
“One of my most memorable moments serving the community was after I built the Live Civil Playground in Haiti, and I visited an orphanage and gave away shoes to all the kids. I also sat with them and helped them design their shoes. The smiles on their faces were priceless.”
― Karen Civil
“Never stray from life’s purpose. Refrain from counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.”
― Karen Civil
“I wanted to focus on creating a solid foundation, creating my blueprint, and understanding who I was. You can get distracted easily, and people take you off course with just a compliment. I wanted the focus to be on Karen Civil the businessperson, not what I wore, not what I looked like.”
― Karen Civil
“I was born to Haitian parents, and the idea of giving back is really just a part of our culture. So, I don’t think there was ever a moment that I questioned my call to philanthropy, but I can say that the more I’ve grown, the bigger that call has become.”
― Karen Civil
“I took business and economics courses. More than anything, I learned the proper steps and the things that need to be outlined. You have to keep your books: how much money you made, how much money you’re spending, what you profited, and what you’re gonna need for expenses.”
― Karen Civil
“Society sets us up to be everything but ourselves, but I want to take a moment and say to people, love yourself. Find your purpose. You are unique, and that makes you great. I pursued my dreams. You can do it, too.”
― Karen Civil
“For so long, we were labeled – you’re a girly girl, you’re a tomboy, you’re this or that – but now we can do what we want. One style doesn’t define me.”
― Karen Civil
“We now live in an era where everybody is rich, and for some reason, everybody has a $20K bag. It is great to have those things, but I want the people who follow me to feel inspired and not jealous. Once you figure out your overall message, then you can push forward.”
― Karen Civil
“I am not quick to call someone a friend. It is OK to have acquaintances and be associates. We make these words sound bad, but it is about understanding everyone’s place in your life. I have a great group of people around me. I value them more than anything.”
― Karen Civil
“I always knew I wanted to do something in entertainment. Since I could not sing, had no rhythm, and did not want to be a baby mama, I thought I would explore the Video DJ route.”
― Karen Civil
“Nothing is ever quick. You have to grow an audience, keep them engaged, give them a reason to keep coming back so it will never be an overnight success. Have patience!”
― Karen Civil
“Chances have been taken, opportunities granted, and because of such, I find myself in a position where some of my biggest dreams are in arm’s reach.”
― Karen Civil
“Being in this business and surviving day-to-day can be a constant struggle. It’s about learning how to be your own super hero, put on your own cape, and be a well-rounded individual.”
― Karen Civil
“For me, for a very long time, I was in denial because when you say you’re sad or you’re overwhelmed, we consider it whining or complaining. People say, ‘Count your blessings,’ and it’s like, ‘Yeah, I am, but I’m still sad. Something is wrong with me.’ I had to acknowledge it.”
― Karen Civil
“People will find any reason not to give you credit for your success because, in their mind, your success is their failure.”
― Karen Civil
“Nobody is going to love and honor your dreams like yourself. It’s really not looking for someone to be your superhero but for us to save ourselves and to really understand that. I’ve been at the lowest of lowest of my life, and it took that for me to realize that I want to do better and to be better.”
― Karen Civil
“I didn’t have a resume when Lil Wayne hired me. I didn’t have a resume when Beats by Dre flew me across the country to be their 12th employee. I still don’t have a resume!”
― Karen Civil
“I’m doing activations with companies you would never think of. Not to say this in a braggadocious way, but I’m not putting myself in a box. The only thing that goes in a box is Chinese food and your sneakers – not me.”
― Karen Civil
“I get this thing where people are like, ‘Man, you got to tell me what to do’ – like I have a cheat code to being successful. It’s hard work; it’s trial and error. I failed, but I never let failure get to my head or to my heart.”
― Karen Civil
“I just knew I loved music, and I wanted to do something in music, but I couldn’t sing, I can’t dance, I am an introvert. So I was like, ‘What exactly is there for me to do? What can I do?’ There’s all these questions, there’s all these things that are telling you ‘no’ instead of ‘yes.’ Those are the things I dealt a lot with, my insecurity.”
― Karen Civil
“People go to their jobs and hate it every day, but they have great ideas. Put that same time and effort into something you love – it really starts with being honest with yourself.”
― Karen Civil
“You don’t know what’s going to happen to you in the next hour. So you just live your life, live to the best of your potential, and just be happy.”
― Karen Civil
“Social media can help or hurt you. People are more into other people’s lives than their own. Everyone sees everyone else’s success online, and we allow it to magnify our own failure.”
― Karen Civil
“The world is your stage. Make your mark.”
― Karen Civil
“I am big on not pushing anything that I wouldn’t do or use. I understand my brand, vision, and the story I want to tell. I am not into taking short-cuts like tummy teas or waist trainers. I want my brand to be a lifestyle and very premium but, at the same time, relatable.”
― Karen Civil
“While working for Diplomat Records, I helped several artists with their online branding and social media. Once I left the label, I worked directly with artists and noticed many artists were overlooked and underrated if they weren’t in ‘XXL’ or ‘The Source.’”
― Karen Civil
“When I was in eighth grade, I created a Backstreet Boys fan site. I came in third place in a fan site contest and got to meet them.”
― Karen Civil
“In high school, I created a fan group for J.D. Williams, who played Bodie on ‘The Wire.’ I had the chance to meet him, and he took me to have lunch at IHOP. At that point in my life, I noticed this Internet thing was giving me the chance to check off goals off of my bucket list.”
― Karen Civil
“I’m just me. I’m that cool girl who – as I like to say, I have that Carson Daly effect, where, if you watched ‘TRL,’ he was able to do interviews with NSYNC, blend right in, and then he would do interviews with Cash Money and blend in there, and you just naturally liked him.”
― Karen Civil
“Now, metaphorically, I sit at any table that I want. I can sit with the jocks, I can sit with the gang members, I can sit with the politicians, I can sit with the CEOs. My brand can fit anywhere.”
― Karen Civil
“I like to take people out of their element.”
― Karen Civil
“Giving back has definitely kept me grounded. Stepping outside of yourself to serve a group or community of people who are in need in some facet has a way of doing that. I don’t ever want to grow to a place where giving back becomes a foreign concept.”
― Karen Civil
“When I was young, I originally wanted to be a radio on-air personality. Once I realized I may not be fit for that – I was infatuated with hip-hop – that I still wanted to be a part and give back the community, so I decided to carve my own path and make my own lane.”
― Karen Civil
“Growing up in America, even in the rougher parts of Elizabeth, I had two nice playgrounds to choose from as a child.”
― Karen Civil
“I clung to my vegan friends for more support than anyone because they helped guide me and made the transition much easier. My family was a bit skeptical, as they felt like I wasn’t getting enough protein in my vegan diet.”
― Karen Civil
“I make sure I eat before I go anywhere just in case they don’t have a vegan-friendly option.”
― Karen Civil
“I love vegan tacos… soooo good! I invite friends over to have some, and they can’t believe they aren’t eating real meat.”
― Karen Civil
“I take yoga classes, do a mile run, and of course take part in some kind of water sport.”
― Karen Civil
“Growing up was very interesting for me. If you were Haitian, people just automatically assumed that English was a second language. So they had a special class for my brother and I, but we spoke proper English.”
― Karen Civil
“When I first started blogging, it was about getting out new music and capturing artists working in the studio. This was before artists were so social. They weren’t so hands-on then.”
― Karen Civil
“For blogs today, it’s really about content creation and partnering with a brand. You can get the news in so many forms and so many places. A tweet now is enough to tell you about a story. People don’t have to click to go to your site.”
― Karen Civil
“At first, social media was just about networking. But now that I have to network, I make sure that every platform makes money for me. You can do something on Facebook.”
― Karen Civil
“I am the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) of Marathon Agency, a new venture with my business partner Steve Carless. It’s a management, branding, marketing, and business strategy. I’m in charge of marketing and branding clients like Nick Cannon, Nicki Minaj, and more.”
― Karen Civil
“At the end of the day, I’m still an African-American woman in a male-dominated industry, so sometimes you have to deal with people not taking your ideas seriously. But I look at it as, I’d rather have adversities in something that I love than doing something that I hate or where I am not interested.”
― Karen Civil
“Christmas is always a great time because I get to be around family and spend time with my brother, nieces, and nephews, so that’s what I plan to do. It’s great to disconnect from everything.”
― Karen Civil
“I tell people to use me as example of what they can do if they don’t give up. I like people to see me as a ‘girl next door’ who conquered and went after what she wanted.”
― Karen Civil
“It’s all about how you use your social platform. Right now, I’m just using mine to empower people, get my entertainment and my news. Other people use their platform for different things.”
― Karen Civil
“You work hard, you sacrifice for everything you do, and in one second, someone can tarnish your name – someone can bad-mouth you, and someone can say things. People let all of the good things gets washed away because someone spoke ill of them.”
― Karen Civil
“Words do cut, and they do hurt. It was one thing growing up where you were bullied, but you’d just come home. Now you can’t really escape it. It’s to a point where you turn off that phone, you live your life, and you try not to let the words of others offend or stop you from being you and living your life.”
― Karen Civil
“All I cared about was ‘TRL.’ I was studying communications at school, and one day before class, I heard about the ‘Search For An Apprentice’ program.”
― Karen Civil
“I’d worked in music for years and built all these relationships, so I bought a camera, built a website, and decided to go for it.”
― Karen Civil
“This is random, but I thought I was going to have the biggest Backstreet Boys fansite. I’m not even gonna lie: I thought I was gonna marry one of the Backstreet Boys, and I was gonna be his Yoko Ono.”
― Karen Civil
“I fell in love with hip-hop a little bit late; I grew up on Another Bad Creation and Kris Kross. But my mom got me a TV in my room, and I remember seeing Biggie’s ‘Give Me One More Chance,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, this is how a house party looks!’ I really, really fell in love with it when Tupac created ‘Dear Mama.’”
― Karen Civil
“The assistants, the managers, the PR, the person whose coordinating, the person in production – those are the people I loved communicating with and building network relationships with.”
― Karen Civil
“That’s the wonderful thing about picking and choosing who we want to work with, because I’ve been in situations where I’ve worked with someone, and they thought they were gonna be on the cover of ‘XXL’ in two months. I’m like, ‘That’s not how it works.’”
― Karen Civil
“What are you doing to magnify and grow your business? What are you doing for yourself? You have to self-motivate. I had to learn a million things on Google until I was able to meet people who I could partner with for help.”
― Karen Civil
“People see your life on social media, and they say, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s perfect,’ and I’m like, ‘No, every day, it’s not even just a struggle: it’s something new, and it’s a new challenge to make sure that I’m mentally stable and healthy and that I’m okay.’ It was just great to finally get it out and talk about it.”
― Karen Civil
“I don’t have family in this business. I had two parents that loved me, that worked 24-7, and this is what instilled hard work in me. So you hear the stories about my upbringing, my religion.”
― Karen Civil
“The blueprint, for me, was having an understanding of self because this business will try to make you somebody other than yourself or make you change with the times. A lot of times, people will want you to do everything for free, work for free, to be down to do this after you paid your dues.”
― Karen Civil
“No one is going to break me. No one is going to stop me. No one is going to remove a vision that I see for myself and the love that’s in my heart.”
― Karen Civil
“A lot of times, you see everyone’s highlight reels because of social media. You don’t know the work that went into getting to that point. This is something that’s going to take time, hard work, and you have to be dedicated towards your craft.”
― Karen Civil
“I’ve made social mistakes. We’ve all made our mistakes and tried things we kind of wish we didn’t, but we plan around it. Things happen in situations that are unique and different, and no one is perfect.”
― Karen Civil
“Be You, Live Civil was a tour that I started, and it’s just always something that I’ve been to myself. ‘Be you, live civil’ is like ‘live my life.’ That was my short version of saying to live my life.”
― Karen Civil
“I give people on my team the opportunity to excel as well, and I think that’s what continues to keep me ahead. I may not be able to show or do an interview; I give them the opportunity to run the show, and that has been working.”
― Karen Civil
“I love my religion, I love everything about it, but at the same time, I love my career, and I want to do it with the same love and compassion.”
― Karen Civil
“Now, I’m not 100% there, but every day I wake up, I’m happy being me, and I just feel fulfilled.”
― Karen Civil
“I admired and wanted to be a lot like Angie Martinez. As I got older, I realized that I had a soft monotone voice and that being a DJ may not be the career for me. However, I was so in love and infatuated with hip-hop that I still wanted to be a part and give back the community, so I decided to carve my own path and make my own lane.”
― Karen Civil
“I did the ‘right’ thing and got a corporate job on Wall Street. That did not last long. I felt like I was throwing all my years of hard work and relationship-building down the toilet. I eventually quit, went and bought a camera, and built a website. That was the birth of KarenCivil.com.”
― Karen Civil
“It’s a feeling I can’t describe, to see my work in action. The best is when an artist is appreciative.”
― Karen Civil
“I have my own marketing company, Always Civil, where I help artists create their online identity. I have worked with Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Mary J. Blige, Pusha T – the list goes on.”
― Karen Civil
“Do you want to be the girl that’s envied, or do you want to be the girl that inspires you? Most people don’t know that I am super shy and timid, but online people think I have a big personality. Make sure whatever you do has an overall message and has value.”
― Karen Civil
“As an Elizabeth native, I believe it is my duty to give back to my community. Our youth is our future, and it truly takes a village to raise a child.”
― Karen Civil
“I want children to know that they can create the life they dream of despite the odds that are against them.”
― Karen Civil
“I just tell myself I gotta get up at 8 A.M. I don’t even use an alarm clock.”
― Karen Civil
“Anywhere I go, if I go out, I have to keep my phone out. I don’t try to be rude. If I turn it around, I have to check it every 5 minutes.”
― Karen Civil
“When I had dial-up, my mom got me a phone so I wouldn’t tie up the phone. She used to really pick up the phone, push some buttons, and hang it up so the connection could mess up. Now, it’s a joke with her, like, ‘Look, the Internet’s 24/7. I have WiFi now.’”
― Karen Civil
“I come from a great home and fully supportive family that helped to nurture my dreams. A lot of people don’t have those same things in their household.”
― Karen Civil
“I wasn’t the biggest hip-hop fan, because I had to listen to whatever my parents listened to, so growing up, it was a lot of Dolly Parton, Elvis, and Whitney Houston. When they finally put a TV in my room and I got to listen to MTV Jams I was like: ‘Here I am!’”
― Karen Civil
“With Drake, I was a big fan of ‘Degrassi.’”
― Karen Civil
“Unfortunately, Haiti does not have many safe environments for children to play and express themselves.”
― Karen Civil
“Coming from a Haitian-American home, I thought it was necessary to give back to the country in which my parents were raised. That is why I believe in Project PlayWorld’s efforts to to provide secure playing spaces for the children of Haiti with the Live Civil Playground.”
― Karen Civil
“I believe in the power of play.”
― Karen Civil
“Nicki Minaj is one of those rare artists who get the social aspect of their career. She interacts with her fans. She replies to them. She gets them information first.”
― Karen Civil
“Me myself, I wanna wear sweats with my Jordans one day or a dress with my Jeffrey Campbell.”
― Karen Civil
“She has a lot of Team Minaj soldiers, and they ride for her. She’s genuinely about her fans; she just makes sure that she answers questions, and plays around with them.”
― Karen Civil
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