Get A Street Smart MBA with Sarah Shaw

When I saw Banana Loca on Shark Tank I knew they were a winning team. What peeked my interest was how they LOVED to visit inventor shows together and look at new creative ideas. I mean who does that right? Well luckily they did as it helped them realize their awesome invention of he the Banana Loca. A fun way to eat a a banana and add some flavor to it. They have been growing rapidly since being on Shark Tank so tune in to hear all about it.More about Banana Loca: For years, best friends Bechara and Renee frequented invention trade shows and shared cool gadget finds. One fruitful day when Bechara was talking about eating Nutella and bananas as a child in Lebanon, Renee commented about how her 15 nieces and nephews love banana slices with peanut butter. And the idea of Banana Loca was born! Besides wanting to do it because there's nothing like it on the market, bananas are just inherently funny right?! Just saying the word seems to make people smile, so they decided to make Banana Loca a reality. The thought of Banana Loca helping families have fun in the kitchen while giving tummies something yummy is everything to them!https://bananaloca.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join me and Ashley as we chat about how she launched Pink Picasso, went on Shark Tank and wait for it........ check out the surprise. Ashely shares a lot about her start up story, being a stay at home mom with a business, dealing with Covid, shipping delays, product development issues and more.More about Ashley:Ashley Silfies is the CEO, Co-Owner, and Designer of Pink Picasso and Wear Your Sole. Ashley's background in photography and manufacturing allowed her to create a fresh start for her and her family, including her wife and business partner Brittany Silfies. Over the last three years, this wife team has worked from home while raising three kids and creating multiple consumer brands that their fans love. Right now, they are ripe for growth and see a bright future of expanding their existing brands. Ashley and Brittany have won the attention of Oprah's Favorite Things not once, but twice, and were offered four separate deals by the Sharks on ABC's Shark Tank in November 2021. What comes next is yet to be discovered, but they hope to continue creating what the world needs in order to feel creative and be their own kind of artist. When they are not taking the entrepreneurship world by storm, Ashley and Brittany enjoy spending time with their family (the kids, the dog, the cats, and the horses) and inventing new and exciting ways to work together doing what they love.https://pinkpicassokits.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you have a dog? Wonder how long it takes for that poop bag to biodegrade? Eons.Well I did until I met Tracey who created Pooch Paper, the first biodegradable paper pooch paper. Tracey is slowly changing the world of poop. Yep I said it again.Dive into our conversation about how she created Pooch Paper, where it's being sold ( like everywhere) and how she is expanding into dog parks and city parks with her Pooch Paper dispensers, all to help our landfills degrade faster.Tracey is passionate about Pooch Paper and I just love her attitude.Made in the USA, Pooch Paper is a recycled, non-chlorine bleached paper alternative to single-use plastic dog waste bags. Our sheets are 100% biodegradable, 100% compostable and are manufactured using renewable energy. Our fluorochemical-free, oil and grease resistant coating is made naturally during the pulp drying process in order to ensure your doggie's doodie remains inside the paper and not on your hand! Most manufactured products contain PFAS chemicals that are nearly impossible to break down; Pooch Paper is PFAS-free. There are an estimated 22 billion pounds of doggie doodie dropped each year in the U.S. alone.While not all dog parents pick up after their dogs, roughly ten million tons of dog waste and over 500 million plastic doggie bags end up in landfills each year.Most doggie parents have become sensitive to the growing awareness around single-use plastics, and have begun to consider how dog waste bags play into this environmental concern. Some pet parents have chosen to “up cycle,” or reuse plastic bags that come from the grocery market, for example. Others use oxo-biodegradable plastic bags, which purport to be eco-friendly. The latest initiative to hit the dog waste bag market includes bioplastics. While all of these efforts are one step closer to being eco-friendly, there still remains one common denominator across all of these categories: plastic. Research suggests dog owners use more than 500 million single-use plastic bags for dog waste annually. Plastic is generally not biodegradable - it can take over 500 years to degrade, if it ever does. Some bags are manufactured as oxo-biodegradables, meaning that a formula called EPI is added during the manufacturing process to enable the plastic to break down quicker. However, oxo-biodegradables often do not fully disappear. Instead, they break down into millions of micro-plastic particles that enter the air we breathe, the water we drink and ultimately the food supply we consume. Such micro-plastic particles may, among other things, carry toxic or carcinogenic chemicals used in making the plastic, or they can act as a carrier for pathogens and heavy metals. Our planet and our pups are made to be loved!https://www.poochpaper.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Mae Karwowski, the founder and CEO of Obvious.ly, a leading global influencer-marketing agency and technology platform. Mae shares some amazing tips on working with influencers and how you can forge relationships to build your brand. She shares how to vet the instagram influencers and how to gage their engagement rate. Also suggests looking at how many sponsored posts they are doing, and how much engagement they actually get. Mae suggests looking at influencers you want to build a brand with. She suggests checking out a couple of influencers sites called Hype Auditor, Grin, and Klear (Now Izea), that might be able to help connect you with influencers.Under her leadership since she launched the agency in 2014, Obvious.ly has become the global standard of influencer marketing by providing the best full service client experience, managing complexity and scale of influencer work, and using data analysis to inform all strategies.With thousands of campaigns under her belt, Mae is a recognized expert on the influencer industry and has been widely quoted in the press, appearing in publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, NPR, CNBC, and the Washington Post.Obviously’s clients include iconic brands such as Amazon, Ulta, Lyft, Google, Coca-Cola, and Hasbro, and in 2019, Mae won both the Campaign Female Frontier Award and the Adweek Fastest Growing Agency award.Before founding Obviously, Mae directed social media for Gilt City, part of Gilt Groupe, and oversaw social execution for clients such as Bravo, UGG, and Coca-Cola with the agency 360i. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Derren knows his stuff when it comes to Instagram! He openly shares new strategies, insights and methods to make your Instagram work for you like never before. We talked about making sure the "Shop" is set up correctly to using the app Ecwid to make your links are shopable - who knew?We also chatted about using the new feature "Reels" as a way to gain more followers, and how to attract and work with influencers.Follow Social Sensi on Instagram or check out his social media offerings.More about Social Sensi See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I've always been a huge fan of the Scary Mommy blog. It started right around when my twins were born, and helped me realize that I was doing things pretty well and that I probably wasn't going to totally screw up my children. Whew.It was a place I could go to read about other moms nightmares, forgotten children, terrible meals, dirty diapers and billions of things we all mess up on.... as well as the joy, laughter, and amazing moments.Jill is a genius in creating content. When she created the Mommy Confessionals, it took off like wild fire and took the blog into a totally new space with millions of subscribers and ad money pouring in. It's a safe and anonymous place to leave your "confession", get it off your chest and feel free of the burden.... while enjoying a good laugh or cry for sure.Jill shares her story, what it was like to talk about her own family and how the business grew, sold and what she's up to now.Quotes from Jill's Book Scary MommyI shall remember that no mother is perfect and my children will thrive because, and sometimes even in spite of me.I shall not preach to a fellow mother who has not asked my opinion. It’s none of my damn business.I shall maintain a sense of humor about all things motherhood.More about JillJill Smokler is a noted entrepreneur, social influencer, New York Times bestselling author, and community builder.As the founder of Scary Mommy, Jill has spent the last ten years creating and curating online content for parents, having grown her one-time “mommy blog” into one of the most influential digital parenting properties in the world.During her tenure at Scary Mommy — most recently as Chief Content Officer — Jill used candor, humor, and humility to redefine the role and influence of parents online. Her commitment to publishing honest, compelling, and sometimes controversial content, combined with her uncanny sense of how parents are willing to interact with brands online, created a new kind of digital parenting ecosystem that has given moms a voice and brands a roadmap for engaging the sought after mom audience. In 2017, Forbes magazine named Jill a top ten parenting influencer.Connect with Jillhttps://jillsmokler.comhttps://www.scarymommy.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When you think of protective footwear you don't often think of a woman. At least I don't. I think differently now. Mary Steinbrunner is a woman leader in a man's world. She shares her story of working her way up the ladder from Marketing Assistant to General Manager of one of the worlds largest protective boot manufacturers in the world. While it might not seem sexy, Mary manages a large team and works hard to keep up with the latest technology in protective footwear to keep feet safe.Nicknamed "Wellies", I often think of the English when I hear this word as it is derived from the name of the boots worn by the British Aristocracy back in the early 19th century. Dunlop has certainly developed the "Wellie" beyond any 19th century boot makers wildest dreams.Dunlop has generously offered a 15% discount on boots to you listeners! Use code SarahShaw15 at checkout.More about MaryMary Steinbrunner, General Manager of Dunlop Protective Footwear -USA Division, has a strong background in Marketing and Business Development with a track record of solid leadership and successful business planning. Mary became the General Manager when the company was acquired in May 2016. She has been part of the organization since April 2000, where she began as a Marketing Assistant and grew alongside her team into the current role as General Manager, while navigating three ownership changes in the past five years. She is committed to building strong teams and enhancing independent leadership within company and community. In addition to the pledge to her Dunlop family, Mary has worked with local Women’s initiatives to support domestic abuse victims, helping to rebuild their confidence, and their lives. Mary holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Baltimore and Marketing Strategy Certificate from Cornell University. Mary has a strong belief in workplace diversity and supports training, education, and empowerment initiatives as key criteria to greater personal and business achievement. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Catching up with John Fieldly, CEO of Celsius Fitness Drinks was a treat. John is a money guy who knows how to sell products. Using influencer strategies, social media, and satisfied customers, they have built a loyal following of consumers who have become natural ambassadors of Celsius. Besides selling in gyms across the nation and on Amazon and their own e-comm site, Celsius is now available in Dicks Sporting Goods, Target and CVS.CELSIUS® is a Fitness Drink which is clinically proven to function. How? As a thermogenic, CELSIUS’ proprietary MetaPlus blend accelerates metabolism, increasing your body’s ability to burn fat and calories. There are only two ways a body burns fat: through increased heart rate and/or thermogenesis. Drinking CELSIUS and then going into motion is double dipping, you’re accelerating the burn and the results are even faster See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lisa Ascoles, The Inventress, and I talk about the differences between a Website based business versus an App only business. Which is better and why, how social media plays into that and how to run a successful product based company in todays world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lisa and I share some secrets about how to keep going when facing fear of failure, or just not knowing if your passion can sustain the journey.In this episode of Dial for Dollars you'll learn how to keep things afloat while building a business. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chad is a go getter that's for sure creating Eyewear that makes a DIFFerence. Growing up in the eyewear business, he visited factories around the globe with his father from an early age and got to learn and understand the world of manufacturing. Chad and his partners started DIFF by selling sunglasses at music festivals to get a sense of their target market before doing the deep dive into creating and manufacturing their own unique brand.Once they created their own designs, getting products to celebrities and the media was not too difficult and the brand quickly took off. Leveraging the media exposure, they were able to build an online business that has donated over 1 million pair of glasses to those in need.Giving back has always been at the forefront of the business model. Chad overseas all of their charitable arms and continues to look for ways to grow their ability to donate. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join me and Lisa Ascolese,The Inventress for an enlightening episode on how to think more broadly about your product line so that you can get into more stores and more magazines. In this episode we share ideas on how to think differently about your line. For example, if you make a skincare line and have a serum or oil based product, consider pitching to mountain resorts where the air is dryer and women need more moisture in the products they purchase.You can take this idea a step further by pitching to wellness magazines and local magazines (in the resort town) as they are always looking for products that solve a problem. Many creators think to narrowly and don't see a bigger pitch for themselves. Take a look at your line and see how you can spin it into a new category, or a new sales channel. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join me and Lisa Ascoles, The Inventress for anther episode of Dial for Dollars. Each week we bring you a technique to bring in more sales. This week we talk about how to turn a no into a yes. There are three stages of NO. The soft no, I'll think about it, the medium no, I'm not sure you've sold me yet, and the hard no, I'm not interested. In this episode, we share how to possibly turn that no into a yes over and over again. We also share how to determine which "level" of NO it really is and when to keep pursuing, and when to give up and move on to greener pastures.Bottom line, never take no for an answer until they tell you to lose their phone number. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to learn how to maximize sales after a Trade Show? Don't leave money on the table sister! Contacting buyers and following up is the biggest part of the game and is the key to building long lasting relationships and making sales. Lisa and I chat about how you can stay on top of buyers without seeming pushy, yet being bold enough to close the deal.Business is all about making money so you can keep growing. Don't be afraid to contact buyers and let them know you are there. In this instance the squeaky wheel gets the grease so don't let anyone else take your place on the shelves. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I'm excited to launch this new weekly series as a joint venture with Lisa Ascolese, The Inventress.Lisa and I want to help you be bold, get sales and learn the nitty gritty of launching a successful product line - no mater what it is.In this episode, we talk about how to make the most of a Trade Show, how to attract buyers and the media, and how to get sales, even when no one is stopping in your booth. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Glace Cryotherapy co-founded by Skyler Scarlett and his sister Brittney is a science-backed, quick, cutting-edge designed recovery and performance center that focuses on helping its clients and members achieve their pain management, workout recovery, fat loss, beauty, and health & wellness goals. Skyler is very open and encouraging about his journey to success. After an appearance on Shark Tank and a flurry of hype, he and his sister settled up their current journey. Skyler Scarlett got into entrepreneurship right out of college after graduating from Chico State with a degree in Exercise Physiology and a Minor in Nutrition. With his older sister Brittney Scarlett-Torres, together they started one of the first Cryotherapy Spas in the country in 2014. With limited business knowledge or funds they built a thriving business in their hometown of Carmel, CA. A few months after opening they hit their big break when they beat out 80,000 other entrepreneurs to appear on hit TV show ABC Shark Tank. As an aftereffect of the show and the exposure of 8 million viewers, the siblings worked out a deal with a major fitness club chain to bring their recovery and wellness start up into select locations. They started their first center inside of a fitness club in 2017 and were able to sign up 200 monthly members over the course of a year. They look forward to expanding their recovery model across the U.S. inside of fitness clubs nationwide.Skyler and Brittney have been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Club Industry, and appeared on CNBC & ABC, and to date have raised over $300,000. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Becca Brown is such an enthusiast about her brand and products that you see why Solemates are a girls best friend.Who'd a thunk that heel caps would be such a big thing right? We've all been to grass party events, and weddings where your heel just sinks down and you know your shoes are ruined.... or need an emergency trip to the doctor.Becca and her co-founder Monica had the same experience over and over until they had their ah-ha moment.....and grass events were never the same again!Tune in and listen as we chat about how they started at night and on the weekends, got on Shark Tank, didn't take the deal, pursued sales on their own, are now in over 10,000 stores and still do the sales themselves. Whew!Like many engaged entrepreneurs, especially Trina Turk, Becca talks about how important customer service is and how on top of it they are all the time. They pursue PR, celebrities and most of all sales.Visit Solemates website for an instant 20% off your first purchase. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A working mom of 4, and five and half years of development and discovery, Elizabeth Crouch created and patented the Cupcake Rack that she sells in stores and through HSN. Earning a real Street Smart MBA, Elizabeth shares her story with us today. Pitching the benefits on HSN taught Elizabeth the importance of sharing all this on HSN to get more sales.In the beginning, Elizabeth watched Shark Tank and did a bunch of google research as she was on a super low budget. Unfortunately, she took a few shortcuts with her patent and it's not as strong as it could be. Elizabeth created her Cupcake Rack with the non-baker in mind. She encourages you to buy cupcakes, and just put them in the rack to create an edible floral arrangement, or easily decorate them yourself for a more personalized version. She uses video demos to show how easy it is to use which is handy for live TV too. Elizabeth shares how many NO's she experienced and how to power through that and turn it around into positives in order to move forward instead of wallowing in the rejection. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tracy and I chat about how to know if you have a hero or a zero before you put a lot of cash into making a product to determine if it will sell or not. Tracy gives a ton of ideas on how you can use FB groups, testing similar products on Amazon or Ebay, how to use peers, and even church groups to pre-test your idea before you invest in your idea. We cover the pros and cons of patents and if they are necessary, and how to handle criticism. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

3 former Under Armour employees used decades of sportswear expertise to create $75 performance denimHenry Stafford is one smart man. Using everything he learned while holding down a powerful job at Under Armour, he and 3 partners launched Revtown, a denim company that is taking the mens jean world by storm. Deciding that jeans didn't need to be expensive to be awesome, they created their own denim fabric in Italy to set themselves apart from competitors. Henry talks a lot about how they do marketing as they only sell on their own website. No discounts ever, not even to staff, is one of their models.Henry Stafford has been in the Product and marketing space for over 20 years with long stints at Under Armour, American Eagle,Old Navy and Abercrombie.Henry was Under Armour's former chief merchandising officer and help Under Armour grow from $800M to $5 billion over 6 years. His partner Steve Battista was a former senior vice president of creative at Under Armour, and Matt Maasdam, was the former head of the Under Armour's e-commerce unit. Their fourth partner, Chris Lust, comes from the hedge fund world and is now the CEO and is the one who keeps them all in line!The three of them set out to create quality denim, straightforward fits, and unbeatable comfort — and it's clear they've achieved just that with Revtown.Find Revtown on Instagram and Facebook See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

PEOPLE OF THE SUN, founded by Maria Haralambidou, is a nonprofit social enterprise based in Malawi. They make interesting, beautiful and unique handmade artisanal gifts, furniture and amazing baskets. Maria shares how she created People of The Sun after going to Africa on a totally different mission and job. She was intrigued by the local artisans and could not turn her back on her desire to bring their products to the rest of the world and help them escape poverty and live a good life. From her home in Holland, Maria works remotely with the artisans and provides guidance on their designs based on American and European trends as well as applying her marketing skills to make sales.Maria attends several Tradeshows in the USA in order to bring the People of the Sun products to stores in the USA. Expanding into more stores globally is their goal for 2019.PEOPLE OF THE SUN, founded by Maria Haralambidou is a nonprofit social enterprise based in Malawi that focuses on making money in the sun. They mobilise rural and urban informal artisan initiatives in the country, in order to raise the profile of locally made furniture and home accessories on a national and international level and create economic, social and cultural value to Malawi, while lifting the producers/artisans out of poverty.​Their mission​ ​is to create opportunities for low-income artisans in Malawi to build sustainable businesses, inspired by their indigenous knowledge and traditions, so that eventually they can reduce poverty through trade. ​​Follow Maria and The People of The Sun on Facebook and instagram See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Listen to the latest Trade Show 411 with Kelly Helfman and learn how UBM helps you get your brand noticed. Displaying at a trade show can be scary if you've never been before. Not knowing what your booth should look like, hoping buyers stop by and make a purchase, and moreover, how to sell best can be nerve shattering to say the least. I've been there, I know. But things are different how and I want to be sure you are aware of all the super cool things that UBM offers there days.Trade Show 411Kelly shares all the goodies that UBM provides for new vendors so they don't get lost at their first show. They have staff on hand to help you decide which show to attend, they'll advise on booth design, and even direct buyers to your booth who are looking for what you're selling! The UBM staff also promotes you on social media as part of the package. Amazing free ad ons these days to make sure everyone has a successful time. It's important that buyers walk away feeling content too, so matching them with the right vendors is an important part of UBM's job.They make it so easy for you to be a success!Kelly has generously offered to give you a free badge to walk any of their shows. Be sure to listen to the podcast for the magic subject line and email Kelly to get your badge. She will even talk to you about your brand to be sure you are visiting the best show for your brand and customer. She is super whip smart and knows fashion inside and out.More about KellyKelly Helfman is Vice President and Brand Director of WWDMAGIC, FAME, AccessoriesTheShow and POOL Tradeshow, four of UBM Fashion’s top performing events. With 15+ years of experience in fashion sales, marketing, and design, her career highlights include starting her own celeb-favorite, vintage-inspired clothing brand KWEEN and launching Children's Club Las Vegas, and FWD New York (now merged with FAME.)Website: www.ubmfashion.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lauren and I go way way back...... She was an editor when we first met, but she is now Editor-in-Chief of Accessories Magazine which was the first "big" magazine to write about my handbags. Accessories is a trade magazine meaning tons of cool stores read it, which meant lots of sales for me when it came out. It was very exciting.Join me and Lauren as we talk about how to pitch editors, what they look for, what not to do and in general, how to be successful at pitching. She gives all kinds of fabulous tips and shares her thoughts on following up too! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When I met Ryan I knew I liked him at once. I am enamored with anyone who constantly landing influencers. Landing Influencers will help your business grow. Ryan makes it his business to connect with influencers and sees the world as place where connection in crucial to our survival. In talking to Ryan you quickly see the importance to making these connections and how they can change your business, sometimes overnight.Ryan freely shares his ideal methods to finding the RIGHT influencers who can help you grow your business, and also shows us how you can fall prey to the ones you might think are "hot" but are not.Landing Influencers will help your business grow is about collaborations, presenting a benefit to influencers and how to use these to your advantage.... well, to everyones advantage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When I first heard about Awesome Women Entrepreneurs I was hooked. Who doesn't want to be an awesome women entrepreneur? But moreover, who doesn't want to know more of them? I always do. They inspire me, encourage me, help me with ideas when I can't help myself, have helped me start almost all of my business, and in general are badasses who are going places. Their energy is contagious and just by being around them you become better at what you do. Karen herself is an awesome women entrepreneur by just starting a company with that name in my book! Karen found that she was always giving advice to women entrepreneurs and how grateful they were. After dishing it out for a while, she realized that she wanted to be around more awesome women entrepreneurs and learn from them too.... and Awesome Women Entrepreneurs was born. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this podcast, Stephen Key shares licensing secrets that will make you jump on your ideas this week. His generous spirit and desire to help entrepreneurs succeed is evident. I've been a fan of Stephen's for a long time. I've read his book and tried to license my Handy Hold All several times over....one time successfully! Stephen is very involved on Capital Hill with the patenting process for aspiring entrepreneurs in hopes of making this process easier. His latest venture Inventors Group of America links inventors to groups all over the country for support and help with their inventions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Growing up on a farm,Michael Wystrach grew up eating Farm to Table before it was chic, or, anyone even knew what that meant. Looking for a way to bring organic delicious meals into more homes across America, Michael created Freshly.com, a subscription based meal delivery company to do just that.Michael shares about growing a start up, how they built their following, and how they continue to learn daily on how to do it better, build customer relationships and feed America one meal at a time.Michael's generous offer: CODE: streetsmartOFFER: $40 off 2 weeks of 6 meals See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Davis Smith of Cotopaxi (named after the volcano near Quito in Ecuador) is an avid outdoorsman, entrepreneur and innovator.....and a totally cool guy. Davis spent most of his childhood in Central and South America in the shadows of Cotopaxi. Join us in our journey about the creation of Cotopaxi and how he used a llama to get the word out about the brand when they were first launching. Cotopaxi's mission, besides bringing you cool products, is to work with non-profits in underdeveloped countries around the world helping those living in severe poverty with education, livelihood and health. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From drug addiction to saving lives, Lisa dives in and tells it like it is. She got hooked on Oxy and that lead to many years as a heroin addict. Couch surfing, bar tending and on the verge of becoming a hooker, Lisa had her Ah-Ha moment and decided to change her life for good and checked into her 5th rehab. But this time was different, she made the choice on her own instead of her parents making it for her. After kicking the addiction and wanting to make something of her life and use her experiences to help others change their lives, she started Path to Serenity.Drawing on her own experiences, Lisa has been successful in helping other addicts kick the habit, go on to lead successful lives and in the process become an entrepreneur.We talk about how overcoming addiction and the tools you learn to cope are very similar to being an entrepreneur and being able to pivot and move through growing pains to adapt. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Farnoosh Torabi helping Americans live their richest, happiest lives.From her early days reporting for Money Magazine to hosting a primetime series on CNBC and writing monthly for O, The Oprah Magazine and Mint.com, she’s become a favorite go-to money expert and friend.Millions of Americans tune into Farnoosh’s award winning podcast, So Money, which made its debut in January 2015.Farnoosh and I chat about her life growing up with immigrant parents and how they never made money a “taboo” subject. They were open and honest about money and even helped her open her own IRA at a young age.If you are into making money then check out this podcast because Farnoosh Torabi helping Americans live their richest, happiest lives.Farnoosh also interviewed me - check it out here See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tune in to this funny, endearing and sweet chat with Emma Johnson, author of the brand new book The Kickass Single Mom. Emma shares about being a single mom, working her ass off, enjoying time with her two children and how she makes things work with her ex.Plus she has a grant program for single moms…. What?There are 10 million unmarried moms heading families, and 57 percent of births to millennial moms were outside of marriage. With those kinds of stats it's no doubt Emma is successful. Don’t get me wrong, Emma works hard, is smart as a whip and is an amazing writer that makes you feel like she’s writing to you.In her new book Emma offers the advice she needed to navigate her new life as a single professional woman and parent. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Marlon LeWinter is known as a bulldog and never takes no for an answer. His “I’m going to call you forever until you tell me to stop” attitude has landed him jobs working with huge clients such as Under Armour, Venus Williams, Microsoft, Timex and more. His clients rely on his determination to make them famous. Marlon shares some of his PR tips on how to power through and get what you want and need from the media to get exposure for your brand. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anna Lecat grew up in the Ukraine in a family of entrepreneurs watching both her parents and older brother run their own successful companies. Their passion, risk-taking, and treatment of their employees and customers fueled Anna’s own entrepreneurial spirit. Join me and Anna Lecat as we explore how she built Les Lunes into a successful brand with four free standing stores and one recent pop up in Chicago as well as their very profitable online store. Anna shares a few of her start up mishaps, her successes, and how important her trips to visit her factories can be. Anna tells us how she visits her store fronts regularly and mingles with customers to hear their comments and feedback on current designs. Conversing with her customers face to face has been her secret sauce for years. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Seriously? Who gets Dreamworks as their FIRST client?In 2009, Abby decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge with her first client DreamWorks and never looked back. Abby Endres is the founder of LIFT, a marketing and advertising agency that specializes in sports, entertainment, attractions and lifestyle marketing. LIFT’s main objective is to help brands deliver increased revenue and attendance through custom ad campaigns and activations. Abby and I dive into how she left the corporate world to start her own agency and landed one of the world’s most famous and loved companies as her first client. This got the ball rolling and she’s never looked back. Abby shares some of her early rookie mistakes and how she learned from them to make her the best as what she does. Abby knows that you’ll get knocked down from time to time, but it’s how you get up that makes the difference between today and tomorrow. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Quinton Aaron and Eric Martinez are dedicated to advocating for the fight against bullying. Their mission is to provide hope, encouragement, confidence and resources to children on the brink of suicide or battling the damaging effects on self-esteem and confidence caused by the actions or words of others.Together they created the “I got your back" campaign which is dedicated to eradicating bullying…..or at least bringing it to the attention of kids, parents and schools across America. I got your back is about empowering kids and parents to be brave enough to acknowledge that their child is being bullied and help them find the courage to change their future.Join our lively conversation where Quinton and Eric talk about their own childhood experiences with being bullied and how their willingness to share those experiences with other kids gives these children the confidence to speak up. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Project Runway Winner Erin Robertson who won the 2016 Season 15 is what I call a true designer. Erin isn’t in it for the money, she’s in it to make what moves her and makes her heart sing. Making money will come as a result of speaking her truth and following her instincts.With a bit of fashion training under her belt, Erin just dove in head first to her Project Runway assignments. Erin shares some of the ups and downs of being on the show and how hard it was to always be on camera (except while in the loo where she went from time to time to think quietly).Listen in..... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I love Jens desire to help other entrepreneurs grow and prosper.I obviously do too - and if I was independently wealthy, I would probably help people for free.Jen shares how Makers Collective came to be, and how they continue to develop the ability to help entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses.Jen gives some insight into their annual Makers Summit and how they strive to give the how, not just the what so entrepreneurs take away actionable step and practical techniques.Makers Collective is also the proud creator of the Indie Craft parade which brings hundreds of vendors together for a 3-day showcase drawing thousands of potential shoppers from all over the Southern United States. Many makers get their start at this special event and go on to prosper in their business. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join me and Chia Chia (pronounced Cha Cha) and learn how she has grown her company Damiva into a fast moving company whose products are sold in most drug stores across Canada and are launching this spring in the USA in Target, CVS and Longs Drugs. Chia Chia candidly tells me about getting and working with her investors and even throws out the names of her distributors…. Chia Chia is honest, open and is a refreshing listen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What I love about Suzy is her consistent dedication to seeking out and discovering really cool American made products that are made by amazing artisans who use mostly sustainable raw materials. Suzy is a real go getter who while rapidly growing her online business by expanding into real stores inside of stores, and a few free standing boutiques as well, spends time coaching her vendors to help them be as successful as possible. Join me and Suzy on her journey to bring American-made goods into our homes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bruce Gifford is a 4th generation apparel designer so he is no stranger to fabrics and textiles. Bruce started importing knitwear from the Far East in the early 1980’s and has made close to 200 trips to Asia since then. Bruce shares his startup story and how he has created and recreated brands over the years selling cashmere. Bruce’s company is purely internet based (direct to consumer) these days making it easier for them to test the consumer waters and give them exactly what they want in a short span of time.With his whole family on board, Bruce is growing the business quickly. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How do you go from making lotions and potions in your kitchen to being on the shelves of Target and Ulta? A lot of hard work, innovation and elbow grease says Adina Grigore of S.W. Basics. With a ton of PR under her belt and a steadily growing line, Adina has written two books while developing her amazing skincare line. While Adina has sales reps and distributors she still keeps her hands in the mix especially when it comes to social media. Tune into her amazing story of success and know that anything is possible when you keep climbing the ladder. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Julie Fredrickson knows what works and doesn’t when it comes to makeup. Having old expired makeup rolling around your bottomless handbag or gym bag just didn’t cut it for her. Looking at what was available in the market she couldn’t find anything tiny…..at all. Yes, we all get samples when we order certain brands, and oh how we loooooove them….. But you could never buy them until now. Stowaway makes sample size makeup that lasts about three months, has no need for preservatives (yeah) and fits in a teensy bag, plus it’s an awesome selection. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join me and Rebecca Minkoff as we chat about her bold move to New York at 18 to become a fashion designer after becoming interested in costume design in high school. Rebecca worked for a fashion house for several years honing her skills and learning the ropes while she tinkered with launching her own brand. Luckily for her the designer she was working for noticed how deeply she’d dived into her own venture and pushed her out the door to start her own line. Designing a huge global brand, appearing on Project Runway and managing the brands she invests in….plus being a mom….. How does she do it all? Tune in to find out.... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Sarah Buscho and I as we dive into her life growing up around herbs and gardens, and how she turned that love into a thriving business that gives back. Starting with just an idea, Sarah created an all natural skin care line that has landed her on the pages of ELLE, Bazaar, Domino, Instyle, Allure and many more. The line is made of food-grade ingredients and is made in California with USA made recyclable and/or compostable packaging. Pretty cool of Sarah! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to be profitable from your first day as an entrepreneur? Who doesn't? Mike says that most companies operate on the "make money take money" theory. You make money that day and it's in your bank account, then it's there to spend. But, and it's a huge but, did you know that 83% of small businesses (making less than 26 million per year) are surviving check to check? Listen in and learn how to be profitable from the start. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chris has had a mind for fashion ever since he was a little kid. Drawing was his favorite pastime. After graduating from Parsons and starting his own line, Chris was tapped to be the creative director for Bill Blass. Join us as we chat about the freedom he experiences at the helm of an iconic brand. Chris brings fresh humor, whimsical designs and a classic with a twist feel to the Bill Blass line. Even their FAQ has some quirky tips like cocktails! Be sure to check it out. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join me and Venus as she candidly chats with me about how the discipline of playing tennis has helped her be a better entrepreneur. Venus spent eight years going to Fashion Design School as she could only spend one quarter per year at school because of her tough tennis schedule. Cudos to her! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Henry came up with the idea for Henry's Humdingers at age 12. Henry and I chat about his appearance on Shark Tank and the deal that was…… and then was not with Mark Cuban. But that didn’t stop Henry! http://henryshumdingers.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ryan and I dive into how he went from Rock Bottom to Rock Star and how you can do it too…….just takes dedication and single focus…... and your desire to succeed. Ryan shares the difference between goals and desire and how that motivates him. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join me as Lisa Ascolese and I dive into what it takes to get on QVC, or another TV network, and what happens once you get there. Lisa shares some insider tips on how to know if you have a good product for TV, if you should be the on-air spokesperson, how it can elevate your brand and make you famous. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Erin and I chat candidly about starting a business, working while pregnant, being mindful of surrounding yourself with positive people whose energy lifts you up, and most importantly, planting seeds of what you want your legacy to be and watching them grow, even if it’s only 1% at a time. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.