Self Made Sister

After listening to countless entrepreneurial stories, I truly believe that for some entrepreneurs, their business journey is meant to be and a higher power helps pave their path.  And, this is one of those stories that doesn't feel like coincidences played a part – it's as if this was always meant to happen for Christine Flores, owner of The Beeswax Co. based in Dripping Springs, Texas.  She always knew she wanted to own a business, but couldn't quite figure out what exactly she wanted to do until one day she heard about a beeswax candle company.  She was instantly intrigued in the beeswax industry and loved that her own family lineage tied into beeswax as her great grandfather was a beekeeper and Christine had fond memories of him working with bees.  So, when Christine was 7 months pregnant, her stars aligned and she became the proud owner of The Beeswax Co.  She immersed herself into learning all about the candle and beeswax industry and talks through what sets her business and products apart.  She even uses her grand-daddy's beekeeping tools to burnish each candle that is made by hand.  Christine like to think of her work as a beautiful collaboration between people and bees.

It's that time of year where we wear flip flops, sandals or no shoes at all.  We are spending hours outside and kids have dirty little feet from running around on the grass.  Ann Malik, Mom of 3 and Founder of Jasmine Seven, wanted her kids to enjoy an active lifestyle but wanted to go from fun time outside to naptime without having to give her kids a bath.  So, she developed Jasmine Seven Fresh Feet Wipes, a plant- based wipe that are compostable and naturally moisturize with Vitamin E and aloe.  They are alcohol free and made with all natural and non-toxic ingredients.  They are naturally scented and leave your little ones feeling clean, cool and refreshed.  And, these aren't just for kids, I know I could've used these in college after a night out or after a long day of walking in sandals.  In addition to the Fresh Feet Wipes, Ann has also developed other wipes for those with active lifestyles – body wipes, yoga mat wipes, bike wipes, sneaker wipes and shoe horns.  Ann's products, which can be found on Amazon, are meant to make your life a little bit easier while keeping you and your little ones clean.

I truly believe that despite the year that was 2020, there were countless positive personal and professional shifts as well as ideas that were created that may not have happened otherwise.  Ashley Kenny, Founder and CEO of Heirloom, started Heirloom because her family was desperate for it. At the beginning of 2020, her 92-year-old Grandma Fran was stuck hundreds of miles from her family, unable to see visitors due to the pandemic. The months dragged on without her seeing her great-grandchildren laugh, walk, or talk, and it was breaking her heart.  With some tape and construction paper, Ashley cobbled together a video player and loaded it with videos of her family. Grandma Fran's reaction was spectacular and Heirloom was born. Many iterations later, Heirloom is a high-quality product which has warmed many more hearts.  Heirloom mails your videos in a physical book that automatically plays when opened for your loved ones to enjoy and cherish. Creating an Heirloom video is super easy - just visit the website at www.sendheirloom.com, upload your videos and pick your cover. Your video book is shipped full of your videos in just 48 hours and arrives in five to seven business days. Customized video playing books filled with memories are a lasting gift to treasure. * Use code SELFMADESISTER10 for $10 off your first book!

Highly regarded as one of the best event planners in the industry, Beth Helmstetter, Principle Event Designer and CEO of Beth Helmstetter Events - a full service event design and planning studio specializing in celebrations and multi-day weddings throughout the world -  never actually aspired to become an event planner.  Born and raised in a small Missouri town, Beth’s career started in the non-profit space and while helping plan events on the side, her passion for planning beautiful events was born.  Beyond just aesthetically gorgeous events, Beth is often called upon to create sacred moments.  She has the unique opportunity to work with diverse clientele to produce luxurious and memorable celebrations around the world.  From weddings on the enchanting coast of Italy to charming Central America, to events in an exotic corner of Bali or a private estate in the Rocky Mountains, Beth immerses herself into the creative process to bring her clients memorable celebrations to life.

Dr. Nirali Patel struggled with problematic skin as a young adult which is what made her so passionate about learning more about skin care and develop products to help others feel confident in their own skin.  An acupuncturist by trade, Dr. Nirali founded Twigs & Tansy, a line of handcrafted organic products targeting problematic skin.  While completing her Acupuncture Masters and Doctorate program, she became obsessed with the healing properties of herbs and learned how to expertly blend roots, stems, twigs, bark, leaves, buds and flowers into oils based in Chinese Medical Dermatology.  She developed a line of skin care that heals, nurtures and soothes skin without chemicals, fillers and preservatives.  Dr. Nirali believes that women and plants are a force of nature.  So, it makes sense that our skin is at its best with plant ingredients, which help our skin become more beautiful, stronger and flawless.

In the summer of 2017, Stacey Goltermann fell in love with The Scout Guide while on a family trip to Charlottesville, Virginia. She spotted the guide on the coffee table of her friend’s guest house and Stacey then ended up spending the day at Sparkle Lake with friends—one of them being a member of the founding duo of The Scout Guide, Christy Ford!  The Scout Guide is a beautiful publication dedicated to living a locally minded lifestyle—wherever you are.  Published in more than 60 cities, The Scout Guides connects you with inspiration, as well as with makers and experts who can help you enhance your life, elevate your surroundings, and enjoy your community to the fullest. Stacey, Owner and Editor of The Scout Guide St. Louis, was excited to bring The Scout Guide to Saint Louis in order to support the local people, families, and businesses that work to help clients and customers live their best life in her city.  As she is currently working on Volume 4, The Scout Guide St. Louis has grown into a trusted local brand and resource for the St. Louis community.

As one of St. Louis’ most sought-after strategic thinkers, Andrea Arco has become known as much more than Founder and CEO of Arco + Associates, a marketing communications firm that specializes in strategic planning, copywriting, branding and visual identity and public relations.  Since the beginning of her professional career, hundreds of organizations, entrepreneurs, and business leaders across the nation have been impacted by Andrea’s distinctive ability to drive change.  Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies in 2021, Andrea and her team have helped organizations ranging in size from 10 to 1000 employees focus their marketing investments and ensure their marketing plans align with business goals.

As two party lovers and best friends since college, St. Louis mompreneurs Ashley Detweiler and Ashley Roberts, are professional party goer’s, planners and researchers.  They’ve hopped around to a zillion kid parties, planned beautiful parties for their own kids, spent endless hours on Pinterest and entire paychecks on Etsy.  It was on a party bus, of all places

Did you know that women buy over 50% of cars on the road and are involved in 80% of the decision making? As a mother and a female in the automotive industry, Kelly Stumpe understands what women want and need when purchasing a vehicle for themselves or for their family.  While Kelly’s family owns 6 car dealerships in the St. Louis area, she had to learn the industry from the ground up when she joined her family business after college.  She learned everything you need to know about the car buying process and realized it was hard to find trustworthy information and tools when purchasing a car.  Kelly has a unique perspective on the industry as a woman and a mother and wanted to create a platform for women and families to feel confident when purchasing a car.  So, last June, Kelly created The Car Mom, a much needed community for women on Instagram and YouTube where Kelly provides car reviews, tools and tips to streamline the process, save you time in the dealership and empower you to make the right decision when purchasing your car.  Kelly reviews cars from a mother and women’s perspective and answers questions about car seats, strollers, cup holders, safety, storage, etc.  Kelly’s mission has resonated with women all over the country and she’s quickly grown her following to almost 90,000 followers.  While there is no “perfect car” because everyone’s situation and preferences are a little different, Kelly hopes to equip and empower you to find the right car for your needs. www.thecarmomofficial.com  

Tamara Keefe learned at an early age that ice cream has the magical power to create moments of connection. Tamara, CEO and self-proclaimed “Flavor Temptress” of St. Louis based Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Creamery®, has always had a deep passion for not only ice cream itself, but for what ice cream represents, especially in the context of her own life.  After years of a successful corporate career that required Tamara to travel nearly 300 days a year, she yearned for the bonds of friendship, family and community that she had as a child enjoying homemade ice cream after church with family and friends. Tamara combined her business experience with her passion for bringing people together through the simple pleasure of ice cream as her new purpose.  Tamara shares her journey of bringing Clementine’s to life and why she works tirelessly to serve expertly crafted, natural, delicious and joyful ice cream scoop by scoop to her raving customers.   

As a small-town Montana gal with big dreams, Hillary Folkvord has always been the girl with a green smoothie in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other.  She was born and raised in Three Forks, Montana in a three-generation farming family and has always craved adventure while enjoying great food and wine along the way. Hillary pursued her passion for hospitality and joined her family’s business as the owner and operator of the Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, Montana and The RSVP Motel and The Farmer’s Daughters Café in Bozeman, Montana.  Hillary shares her entrepreneurial journey as a hotelier and how she juggles life as an owner/operator, wife and mom to 2 sweet babies, Henry and Olivia; as well as building her lifestyle brand blog, Lady H, which is her creative outlet to inspire to inspire and share realistic approaches to travel, wellness, and motherhood. www.sacajaweahotel.com www.rsvphotel.co www.farmersdaughtersbzn.com www.ladyh.life  

Back in the mid 90’s, the word Mompreneur was created as a term to describe a female business owner who actively balances the role of mom and entrepreneur.  As any mom well knows, the best ideas come from your own personal needs while raising your children.  Mompreneur’s like Umma Shekani, wife and mama to 4 babies under 3 and Founder of Swaddle Sleeves, have designed and created life changing products over the years for babies and children.  Coming from a personal need of wanting her baby to sleep better after transitioning out of the traditional swaddle, Umma got to work and sketched out the first version of Swaddle Sleeves.  The next night, her daughter slept soundly through the night.  Umma shares her journey of Swaddles Sleeves from that first version to what they are today.  And just last week, Umma released 4 new products – the Swaddle Sleeves Pod, the Swaddle Sleeves Sack, the Swaddle Sleeves Footie and the Swaddle Sleeves bodysuit.  From one mama to another – you’ve got this! www.swaddlesleeves.com Instagram: @swaddlesleeves  

So, what’s your hair story?  We all have a story that usually starts when we were little that includes styles like poufy bangs, a bowl cut, frizzy pigtails.  For me, I had all of those trends as a child; but, a defining hair moment was my Freshmen year in high school when I used way too much Sun-In and turned my hair orange.  Our hair is part of our story and is an important piece of our identity.  Like me, Allison Harr tried every trendy hairstyle and when she traded her super bleached pouf for an all-business bob at Harvard Business School, she started to think that maybe she could pay it forward and prevent hair drama for future generations.  After her long career in Marketing for companies like Unilever and Clorox, Allison acted upon her desire to become an entrepreneur and created Gemmist, a haircare company inspired by two key pillars – science and simplicity. Allison shares how derived from data and insights via a proprietary algorithm, Gemmist was created to deliver the perfect shampoo and conditioner for specific hair needs direct to the consumer through a hair quiz that determines a customized formula combination just for you. Gemmist, a combination of gemma, Italian for ‘jewel’ and chemist, represents the juxtaposition between the hard facets of science and the raw power of beauty through shiny, healthy hair. Women owned, women tested, women recommended, Gemmist proves that the secret to good hair days is science. 

Every woman needs “that” girlfriend in life – you know the one that always lends a listening ear, provides the best advice, can quickly turn your mood around with a hilarious joke, is such a positive force, motivates you to be your best self, is always up for a party, isn’t afraid to try something crazy and new with you and the one that is your biggest cheerleader, support system and believes in you whole heartedly.  Meett Renee Dick – the girlfriend you never knew you needed in business.  Whether you’re in the beginning stage of starting your business or if it’s just a dream and you haven’t taken the leap yet, Renee is here to help!  Being a small business owner herself, Renee is your crazy girlfriend who has tried it all to start, build and grow her brand.  She’s a firm believer in community over competition and understands the importance of having a community of other boss babes to make life so much easier.  Renee shares how she has built a community of women all over the country, is a Pinterest mastermind that shares all the secrets to growing your brand on Pinterest and is the co-host of the Dreams to Plans podcast.  Renee is truly a breath of fresh air, a comedic relief and someone that brings out the best of everyone she meets.  She is the girlfriend you never knew you needed. 

Welcome to Self Made Sister Season 2!  I’m kicking off this new season by introducing you to a fellow St. Louis mama and her idea that started as a way to keep the mom brain organized, but quickly turned into a life changing tool.  Lauren Anderson helps new mamas turn confusion and chaos into confidence and rest.  As a twin mama turned sleep coach, she understands the exhaustion, the expectations, the doubt.  So, Lauren created The Tiny Tracker, a beautiful linen-wrapped gold spiral bound baby journal that is a Pediatrician recommended planner, tracker, memory book, development guide all-in-one.  The Tiny Tracker manages the newborn chaos by tracking baby’s meals and milestones, provides daily age-appropriate sensory and bonding activities, a 14 page memory baby book and a tool to keep all helping hands on the same page, literally.  Lauren shares how The Tiny Tracker helped her track meals into memories and chaos into confidence.  She was able to communicate with her husband and helping hands, enjoy the memories and milestones of the newborn phase, bond with her babies and ultimately achieve the holy  grail of newborn parenting: sleeping through the night.  By experiencing first hand how The Tiny Tracker changed her life, she is sharing her lifesaving tool to empower and equip women to step into their genius as parents.  Babies don’t come with instruction manuals, but this comes pretty darn close.

Becoming a mother is the greatest gift and joy in life.  But, pregnancy, birth and lactation can be very hard on a women’s body.  After experiencing her own fair share of pregnancy and post-partum birth complications, Mirelle Leguia, Holistic Nutritionist, Mother and Founder of Mother Nutrient, decided to take matters into her own hands.  Mother Nutrient is a line of supplements, probiotics and superfoods designed to support mother’s in all stages of motherhood.  From pre-conception to post-partum and beyond, Mother Nutrient offers targeted nutrients that so many of us are lacking in pre and post-natal.  As a holistic nutritionist, Mirelle knows that a vast majority of women are nutrient depleted after birth and that the immense amount of changes that happen to a women’s body during pregnancy requires a lot of nutrients.  Since there are so many options on store shelves and not all supplements are created equal, Mirelle researched extensively to figure out which nutrients in certain forms are most effective for mother’s.  Pregnancy and birth can leave us nutrient depleted, our hormones imbalanced, and the daily stress of parenting and work can lead to fatigue and exhaustion. This is why it's so important for mothers to focus on meeting their unique nutritional needs and Mother Nutrient is here to help mother’s thrive.

As the social media guru, girlboss, Creative Director and CEO of PREM-PR & Social, Marilyn Cowley created her one of a kind PR agency to help businesses find ways to be creative and stand out from the noise.  Marilyn didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur, but after quitting her job and reflecting on her accomplishments, she took the leap of faith.  She is proof that you don’t have to have it all figured out as she took the unconventional route of starting her boutique PR agency by gaining the clients first and then starting her business with the help of tapping into her network. Marilyn has had the privilege to run large campaigns for national brands and work alongside some of the best creative minds in the industry. Not only does she pride herself on results but the power of connections she has established. From working with A-list celebrities to getting her clients in the New York Times, Marilyn says it’s about who you know and what you know. Marilyn and her team specialize in branding and growing local & national businesses through digital channels and “positive buzzes” – aka strategic PR.  When this inspirational and hardworking boss babe is not leading her team of creatives, dreamers and doers, you can find her on the big screen hosting a TV show called Lifestyle Matters in the 55th largest market in the country, a show that features businesses and tells their story.  Just one more way she is helping elevate businesses presence. When you work with Marilyn and her team, magic happens. That Magic is More sales, more brand recognition, more positive buzz to make your brand memorable.

“What happened to our creativity after growing up?” This was the question Yara Kamal asked herself when starting her company.  At the age of 23, Yara, an adventure seeker by day, creator by night, art teacher by passion and a yoga teacher by heart, founded Scoria World, a sustainable Canadian yoga brand with unique slip-resistant cork yoga mats to spark the inner child. Born in Toronto, Canada, Scoria was crowdfunded on Kickstarter and offers the most creative & imaginative high quality cork yoga mats.  At Scoria, they believe that reconnecting with lost creativity enhances our mental and physical well-being and that creativity must be embraced with kindness. Yara creates products that encourage a youthful mindset such as playfulness, imagination, and story-telling.  She designed her products to encourage her consumers to rediscover who they were before the world told us who to be in order to spark the child within.  Yara shares what lead her to dedicate her life to create a brand that serves as a reminder of a connection to the playful, creative & imaginative qualities we had when we were children all while giving back one yoga mat at a time.

Whether you're working from home, working on your next BIG business idea, writing a college paper or a thank you note, planning a wedding, a baby shower - your desk is a special place where many memories are made and for many people, where many hours are spent.  Dana Bakich, founder of HerDesk, was in need of a new home office desk and after several hours of research, settled on a basic desk from a large retailer.  When it arrived broken, in a million pieces and made from a cheap material, Dana was frustrated.  But, fate has a funny way of showing up at unexpected times, and that poorly made, broken, blah desk is what inspired Dana to build her own desk – the HerDesk.   Customize your own HerDesk at www.herdesk.co and use code SELFMADESISTER for $50 off your own HerDesk!

When you think of the timeless and classic toys you played with as a child, play dough has to rank near the top.  Whether store bought or homemade, play dough provides hours of imaginative and sensory play for children of all ages.  However, we all know play dough quickly dries out and his tough for small hands to roll out.  Mel Haque, Australian based mom of 2 and Founder of Wild Dough, searched extensively for an alternative play dough, but after coming up short, she took matters into her own hands and created a playdough that’s specifically developed to be soft enough for little hands and founded Wild Dough.  Every jar of Wild Dough playdough is luxuriously soft, deliciously scented, non-drying, non-toxic, beautifully colored and handmade with love in Melborne, Australia.  

Like most great business ideas, Sandra Martinelli, Founder of Delicora, started her brand out of her own personal need.  When Sandra was little, she learned that she has an allergic reaction to nickel and couldn’t wear the beautiful, colorful jewelry that she loved.  While in college, Sandra discovered nickel-free ear wires and it completely changed style game.  She would purchase all the earrings she drooled over and would switch out the ear wires with the nickel-free wires.  Knowing others have the same nickel allergy, Sandra started Delicora, a unique jewelry collection for all skin types using hypoallergenic 14k gold filled and sterling materials.  From classic to bohemian to sophisticated styles, Sandra designs collections with a wide range of semi-precious stones intended to capture a woman’s confidence, natural beauty and individual style.  

From winning Shark Tank brands, to some of Inc. Magazines “Fastest-Growing Companies in America”, Lexie Smith, Founder of The PR Bar, has helped countless companies and entrepreneurs gain accelerated success through the world of Public Relations.  With ten years of PR and Marketing experience, most recently serving as a VP of PR and Marketing for the fastest growing telecom in America, Lexie has been recognized as a top “20 in their 20’s” and “Brilliant PR Experts under 30”.  What sets Lexie apart from other PR and Marketing firms is that The PR Bar coaches entrepreneurs and small business owners on how to DIY PR in lieu of hiring a full-service agency.  Her programs help motivated entrepreneurs exponentially expand their impact, influence and revenue through their own PR that they’ve created.  Through Lexie’s programs, her clients have more than tripled their online revenue from implementing her tried and true PR strategies.

On the last episode of the Kendra Scott Self Made Sister series, I’m introducing you to my first Kendra Scott sister, Stephanie Rand.  Stephanie is now the District Manager for North Texas and Oklahoma, but Steph and I started together in St. Louis back in 2015.  We created an instant bond as business partners and friends and even though we’ve grown our Kendra Scott careers in different directions, she will always be my Kendra Scott OG.  Stephanie is not only an amazing wife and mom, she’s a servant and respected leader, coach and mentor that engages and motivates her teams to success.

When planning out my Kendra Scott Self Made Sister series, I knew I had to include Leslie Fearka, our new Director of Customer Experience.  While Leslie truly embodies our core pillars of Family, Fashion and Philanthropy, Leslie becomes like family to everyone she meets.  Leslie started with Kendra Scott nine years ago as an Assistant Store Manager of our third store, Dallas West Village.  Since then, she’s held 6 different positions at Kendra Scott and has played a vital role in building the brand.  Everyone that works for Kendra Scott as well as countless customer friends – a phrase Leslie created – absolutely adores Leslie for her bright smile, warm and welcoming personality and genuine passion for the brand.

Self Made Sister Special Episode! To celebrate Self Made Sister's first birthday, I'm introducing you to a few of the many inspiring, creative, genuine and brilliant woman I have the honor of working with at Kendra Scott.  A commonality you will hear amongst each of these women is how important and special the Kendra Scott core pillars - Family, Fashion and Philanthropy - are to all of us both professionally and personally.  With philanthropy at the core of who we are at Kendra Scott, I knew I wanted to introduce you all to Sheena Wilde, Senior Director of Philanthropy.

Founded by longtime friends and gifting gurus, Ashley Bronczek and Candace Ourisman, Secretly Gifting started when Ashley and Candace decided to bring their passion for impactful gifting to a world outside their nearest and dearest.  Secretly Gifting is a gift concierge company specializing in bespoke and creative gifting solutions for individuals and corporations.  Ashley and Candace have mastered the art of impactful gifting and have been recognized as the experts on gifting by The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.  They deliver moments of surprise and delight that foster both personal and client relationships.  Secretly Gifting is like having chic, well-connected friends on speed dial to curate cool and unique gifts that will make you shine!

Sisters Katy Tinney and Shelly Tinney-Miller along with their friend, Kerry Solmonsen are all cancer survivors that know first-hand the expense a cancer diagnosis brings.  While comparing their personal journeys of fighting cancer, they all agreed that cancer is an extreme financial burden.  So, they set out to create an organization that provides financial resources and relief to anyone fighting cancer.  Sparked by their love for high end fashion, Katy, Shelly and Kerry launched Cancer Cartel in May 2019 with a goal of selling donated high end garments and giving 100% of the proceeds back to individuals with cancer.  In the short time since they’ve formed, Cancer Cartel has garnered the attention of a few Real Housewives of Bravo cast members, as well as influencers in California, Dallas, and New York.  From gas money to groceries, power bills to mortgage payments, Cancer Cartel is cleaning up the cost of cancer.

Angela Henderson is proof that women can both kick ass in business and maintain a well balanced life while doing it.  She holds many titles – wife, mama to two beautiful children, entrepreneur and owner of not just one, but two business, podcast host, author, blogger, key note speaker and mental health clinician.  After growing her first business, Finley & Me, she continuously got asked for business advice and found herself in front of women entrepreneurs who had the best ideas and bucketloads of skill, but didn’t know how to translate that into a successful, sustainable business. So, Angela set out on a mission to create a business to change that.  She helps women business owners from around the world have consistent 5-figure months and multiple 6-figure years… without burning out in the process. She knows what it truly takes to have a strong brand, consistent sales, steady growth and over all dedication.

Becoming a new mom comes with so much joy, but also numerous challenges, learnings and constantly asking yourself “am I even doing this right?”.  Patty Gatter understood how overwhelming becoming a mom can be, especially when it comes to the choice of breastfeeding your baby.  So, she founded The Breastfeeding Shop, a company that provides a wide range of high-quality breastfeeding products and supplies for free through your insurance.  As an authorized provider for most insurance companies, The Breastfeeding Shop connects moms with the best breast pumps and supplies available through your specific insurance and takes care of handling the payment through your insurance.   The Breastfeeding Shop: www.thebreastfeedingshop.com Facebook and Instagram: @thebreastfeedingshop Patty Gatter - www.pattygatter.com  

Imagine this – you have 24 months to find, vet and acquire a business to both invest in and operate as CEO.  Sounds like a reality show, doesn’t it?  This business acquisition concept is referred to as a search fund and recent Harvard Business School graduate, Betsy Brandt, has recently launched her St. Louis-based “search fund” in hopes of finding a company to acquire and operate.  Betsy is the managing partner of Forest Park Capital, a private investment vehicle seeking to acquire and manage a single business, allowing for a successful exit and stable succession for small business owners.  Betsy’s search fund model, also known as “entrepreneurship through acquisition,” is designed to provide young professionals an opportunity to be CEO of a company at an early stage of their career by raising funds from investors interested in making private equity investments.

Megan Accardo began her career as a family therapist, but something in her wanted more.  So, she completely changed her career path and transitioned to the corporate world where she spent over 15 years producing events for high-profile and celebrity clients at powerhouse companies.  During that time, she actively mentored young colleagues, managed large teams, and built up emerging leaders.  And, while Megan thought this was her dream career, she still wasn’t fulfilled.  She discovered along her journey that her greatest sense of purpose lies in giving others tools they need to develop stronger community and leadership.  So, Megan utilized her deep background in psychology along with her passion to lead and motivate others to build her own business as a leadership strategist, motivational speaker and business coach in order to propel people to greater meaning and purpose in everything they do.  She is also the founder and host of the Power Your Purpose podcast, designed to provide the tools and resources to live a life of more influence, impact and income.

Back in 2014, Nisha Btesh, creator and founder of Hola Gwapa, was a senior at the Academy of Art University majoring in Textile Design when the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself – she worked with a fellow design student to create a Women’s Wear collection that successfully walked the runway at New York Fashion Week! This incredible experience changed Nisha’s course after graduation.  She launched her own line and when that lined failed to produce enough revenue to sustain her passion, she had to shut it all down.  Nisha shares her journey of how closing her business ultimately lead her to become obsessed with following artists who were successfully turning their passions into paychecks and that is how her idea for Hola Gwapa was born. Hola Gwapa is now a community of almost 10K female creatives, a website, a blog, an online shop and most recently a podcast.

Back in March, Austin Munhofen, founder of Gush & Grow, saw a great opportunity in launching her business during a pandemic.  While not ideal, Austin recognized that businesses were in great need and she knew she could help.  Gush & Grow is a digital marketing consultancy for small to medium-sized brands and influencers looking to increase their impact and attract gushing customers and followers.  Through digital evaluation, partnerships & collaborations, launches and campaigns and strategic marketing, Austin and Gush & Grow is committed to help their clients thrive in an ever-changing digital landscape. Austin shares her inspiring story of starting Gush & Grow and launching her business at the start of COVID, her important core values that Gush & Grow lives and works by and how Gush and Grow not only invests in their clients business, but invests in them as people.

Tiffany Wallace, Rodan and Fields RFx Leader and Lexus Achiever, had put in years of hard work doing what she was “supposed to do,” and landed her dream job as a teacher and curriculum coach and mentor.  However, she found herself still not leaning into all of her passions, still rushing through her days and crawling into bed thinking, “There has to be more than this constant feeling of living for my weekends.”  After becoming a new mom, Tiffany knew she wanted to own her time, her days and her freedom.  So, she took action, albeit it during the busiest time of her life, and started her online business with Rodan & Fields to become the CEO of her life.  

The Pursuit of Mastering ||  As a wife, mother, founder, CEO, philanthropist, professor, writer, humanitarian and international speaker (just to name a few), Dr. Lilian Ajayi Ore is deeply committed to making the world a better place and is driven by a calling to serve others on a global scale.  Lilian, Founder and CEO of Global Connections for Women (GC4W), started the organization to help women all over the world create opportunities for themselves and their communities through both entrepreneurship and education.  GC4W is an awarding-winning non-profit committed to gender equity through empowering women, girls, and their communities by offering programs, connections, resources, education and mentorship.  

The idea for Ettitude struck Phoebe Yu while she was shopping for her new home in Melbourne. Her dream bedding – as soft as silk, as sustainable as hemp, as breathable as linen, but at the price of cotton – did not exist. As a Chinese-Australian, Phoebe has long been drawn to the versatility and elegance of bamboo, so she wove together her passion for sustainability and her knowledge of home textiles to create the world’s first CleanBamboo™ fabric.  Phoebe then teamed up with Los Angeles-based Kat Dey, a serial entrepreneur passionate about wellness and sustainable lifestyle, to take the brand global. 

Back in 2017, Katie Roering, Co-Founder and CEO of Fontana Candle Company, and her husband Eric received a candle as a gift.  Ironically, at that time, they very rarely burned candles in their home and were shocked to discover that after a day of burning the Paraffin based candle, they had headaches and felt horrible. They decided to research candles and what they discovered horrified them.  So, they created candles made from all natural ingredients - beeswax, coconut oil with a wood wick and essential oils. Katie and Eric are passionate about natural health and wellness; and handcrafting the best all natural candles for a healthy and happy home.  

Dr. Shannon Davis never set out to be an inventor and entrepreneur. A physical therapist by trade, she is the Founder and CEO of Inspiraspark – the parent company to her 2 amazing products for babies and kids.  As many inventors will tell you, the products they design come from a personal need and Shannon experienced this first hand.  Shannon shares her entrepreneurial journey on how she became a self taught inventor to not just one, but two products – The Little Balance Box and Hativity.

Just a few years ago, Samantha Rudolph, Co-Founder and CEO of Babyation based in St. Louis, MO, was on a ski trip with her husband when she read an article that asked the question “shouldn’t the breast pump be as elegant as an iPhone and as quiet as a Prius?”.  Although they didn’t have kids at the time, Sam woke her husband up after reading this to share how the article was upsetting to her and he opened one eye and said “I can build one.”   Sam and her husband Jared started Babyation, a venture-backed startup that is unapologetically for moms. Babyation is a parent tech company that creates products for women that want to parent on their terms, beginning with an innovative breast pump that is quiet, discreet and smart.  

When Sarah Ripoli was 6 years old, she tragically lost her mom to domestic violence.  For 20 years, she avoided sharing her story and speaking her truth but that all changed in January 2019.  Sarah, an East Coast fashion blogger, shared her story on her blog and the response was overwhelming.  She knew she could use her platform to raise domestic violence awareness; and specifically be a voice for children who lost a parent to domestic violence.  So, she started Angel Energy - a clothing line where 25% of the proceeds go to a different charity that helps victims of domestic violence each month. Shop Angel Energy - www.shopangelenergy.com Connect with Angel Energy on Instagram at - @angelenergy.social

Kristin D’Aliso, founder of Hudson Candle, was diagnosed with Lupus + Scleroderma 5 years ago and found solace and ritual in lighting candles and taking long baths to help ease the pain on her most challenging days. This was the spark to create a line of candles inspiring hope and relief. As Kristin is more sensitive than others to scents, her fierce dedication to find the purest ingredients led her to hand pouring soy and coconut blend wax candles and creating proprietary essential oil blends that she now sources from France. Instead of letting the sudden onset of an unpredictable condition stop her from moving forward, Kristin created a remarkable product line as an act of resistance against it. Kristin shares how she taught herself the beautiful art of candle making and the complex nature behind the wax, the wick and the essential oil blends. Candles are not only Kristin’s thing, they are a symbol of personal growth and hope.

Zoë Scharf is the Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer at Greetabl - a total package gift complete with a custom greeting and a special present, neatly packaged into a personalized parcel that is sent directly to your loved one through an easy online transaction.  Greetabl was founded by Joe Fischer and Zoë Scharf after being introduced by a mutual friend.  Zoë shares their entrepreneurial journey of how a cereal box inspired the idea for Greetabl, how the first version of Greetabl flopped and by watching customers interact with their product, they redesigned to what Greetabl is today.  She also shares how having a great product and website doesn’t mean instant growth in your customer base. 

Everyone knows the best part of baking cookies is eating the dough!  That is why St. Louis native, Kristen Tomlan, took her passion of baking and combined it with her love of cookie dough to open the world's first edible cookie dough confectionary, DŌ Cookie Dough Confections in New York City.  She started the business out of her 450 square foot New York City apartment all while working full time and DO quickly became more popular than she ever anticipated. Kristen’s unique take on the formerly forbidden treat became a huge success and has inspired fans worldwide, including Reese Witherspoon, Kim Kardashian, Ryan Seacrest, and Chrissy Teigen, to eat cookie dough just how we all like it, with a spoon straight out of the mixing bowl! 

Angelica Demiris has the creative ability to turn what she sees into a cute and clever pun.  Not only was this a common joke between Angelica and her husband, but she was inspired to turn her puns into a card business called A Couple Puns.  Angelica is on a mission to tickle funny bones, one sassy card at a time.  What started as an Etsy side hustle turned into landing her cards at Paper Source, boutiques and grocery stores around the US, judging the Pun Off in Austin, Texas and being selected to be part of a business accelerator group at Snapchat. 

No more settling sister, now is your time to rise! This is the story of Cait Scudder, a business coach and success catalyst for women who want it all.  Cait’s mission is to equip ambitious, visionary women with the structure, systems and support they need to launch and lead a wildly profitable business and have a damn good time doing it.  Cait shares how a life changing experience in Bali ultimately gave her time to invest in herself and dream big. She launched her business, Cait Scudder Interntional, in mid 2017 and scaled to 6 figures in under a year.  She has taught hundreds of women how to leverage their unique gifts and rise to next level and serves a tribe of over 20,000, all from her laptop while traveling the world.

It was 20 years ago that Jana Webb, CEO and Founder of JOGA, turned to yoga to help rehabilitate after a car accident. In doing yoga, she developed a passion for learning how bodies move and traveled to Japan to learn Ishta Yoga. As a lifelong athlete and a trained yoga instructor, Jana developed JOGA, a unique blend of yoga and sport that has revolutionized how people strengthen their mind and bodies. Jana has worked with elite athletes across North America such as players from NHL, NFL, MLB, NBA and Olympians and has grown her brand internationally with over 500 JOGA coaches teaching her program.  JOGA can now be found on the FitPlan App for anyone to do JOGA from the comfort of their own home! 

On today's episode, Jessica McKinley, a happiness scientist, business coach and founder of What’s Happying? shares how her decision after college to move to South America and manage a Youth Hostel in Peru changed her life.  She met people from all over the world and came to the realization that no matter their nationality, conversations had consistencies.  People want more happiness, more purpose and more clarity.  When Jess moved back from Peru, she was inspired to create happiness experiments that evolved into her business as a personal and business coach, What’s Happynig?  As Jess says, business isn’t personal, but it is emotional…..

In this bonus episode, I share how I started my podcast to hopefully provide help and insight on how to get into the podcasting world.  

Best friends, Gabi Koshgarian and Catherine Wang, never planned to go into business together, but a fateful google search for a chic gift box and a Gchat later, they created their company, BlankBox, for the same reason a lot of founders create their product – they needed it!  What started as wanting to give a thoughtful ‘just because’ gift soon turned into the realization that they couldn’t find chic and customizable gift packaging that made it easy to send a beautiful thoughtful gift.  BlankBox is your ready to gift box that creates an elevated unboxing experience, featuring chic designs, no visible blankbox branding, foldover magnetic closure + a built-in satin ribbon for that effortless first impression. Gabi and Catherine share how they started and self funded BlankBox all while working full time careers and truly break the stigma that best friends shouldn’t be business partners. 

In this episode, I chat with Kacia Fitzgerald about her journey of how she found her calling as a mentor and launched her company, She Goes, to empower women with products and online learning platforms to build strong mindsets and have tactical tools to take purpose and driven action to build a life you love. In addition to She Goes, Kacia is the host of a top rated business podcast called EmpowerHER.  

Five years ago, Hayley Santell started her company, MADI Apparel after learning the statistic that underwear is the most-needed and under-donated item of clothing in the U.S., and new underwear tops the most-urgent needs list of nearly every domestic violence shelter.  Hayley has built a company that donates a pair of underwear to women around the world for every piece of apparel sold.  This is the story of how she started MADI Apparel and has created both a retail store as well as a non-profit that aids women in her community.