Entreprenista

“Step after step, it’s like climbing a mountain. You don’t necessarily get to the peak really fast—it’s consistent, steady growth.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, a company specializing in kefir to support the gut microbiome. Born in Ukraine, Julie immigrated to the US and watched her parents pioneer the introduction of kefir to the American market, taking over Lifeway foods as CEO at 27 years old. After her father's sudden death, she expanded the company's reach globally, introducing innovative products and promoting the importance of gut health. Julie's resilience, innovative business approach and strong intuition have made Lifeway Foods a household name in the probiotic industry. Tune in to hear Julie’s advice on scaling a company from $12 million to 8 figures, why it pays to follow your gut, and her incredible journey to becoming CEO of Lifeway Foods. We talked about: The challenges she faced when taking over as CEO of the company her father founded when she was just 27 years old (09:35) The importance of community and mentorship (14:24) Trusting her gut instinct led to Julie’s innovative packaging solution for delivering kefir to children (18:34) Becoming a trendsetter and a tastemaker (24:05) The power of word of mouth (29:56) Connect with Julie: Lifeway Foods Website Lifeway Foods Instagram Julie's Instagram Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“That journey of self reflection and really being humbled by the business punching you in the face was not something I anticipated. I knew there were going to be hurdles to climb. But actually challenging yourself with ‘I might need to look at myself in the mirror and take a second to reflect on how I can be a better leader’ and then actually doing the things that you’re fully aware that you need to do.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Jesslyn Rollins, CEO of BIOLYTE, a medical-grade hydration drink with as many electrolytes as an IV bag. Jesslyn’s father was first inspired to create BIOLYTE for her mother, who had breast cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy at the time. Jesslyn started as CEO of the company in 2017 and, by 2022, the company’s revenue increased from $157,000 to $22 million. Tune in to hear how Jesslyn first sold BIOLYTE to high school football players from the back of her Toyota, the pros and cons of being CEO of a family-owned business, and how an introduction to a major grocery chain changed the course of the company. We talked about: BIOLYTE came to be as a way to help Jesslyn’s mother through chemotherapy (03:10) The growing pains of scaling a business (14:01) Making marketing and branding decisions (18:09) Facts and data matter but you also need passion to get off the ground (29:38) A leader’s weakness can be inherited by their business (32:33) Connect with Jesslyn: Instagram BIOLYTE BIOLYTE on IG Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“There's a lot of beautiful healing things that we do and they're all amazing, but the thing that will heal those old versions of you the fastest and most effectively is when you embody the version of you who no longer believes that.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Tracy Litt, a rapid transformational hypnotherapist, best-selling author, and TEDx speaker. Tracy is also a certified mindset coach, success mentor, and the innovative founder of The Litt Factor and the School of Becoming, an institution dedicated to fostering higher consciousness and purposeful personal evolution. Her unique Mind Magic methodology merges together science and spirituality which she uses to empower trailblazing women leaders to confidently navigate life's pivotal changes with strength and confidence. As a successful seven figure entrepreneur, Tracy sets a powerful example and she is committed to guiding modern women to unlock their infinite potential for making an impact and achieving success. Tune in to hear about Tracy’s career evolution from self doubt to becoming a VP of HR, how it shaped her entrepreneurial path, and the launch of the School of Becoming. She also talks about the importance of self care and identity evolution and emphasizing the power of personal growth. We talked about: Teaching others has been Tracy’s calling since she was a little girl (03:59) Fear can stop you from becoming who you’re meant to be (07:04) A business evolves after its founding (12:28) The process of creating The School of Becoming's curriculum (18:32) The steps to build the business infrastructure for a school (21:08) Lessons in trust (34:26) Connect with Tracy: The School of Becoming Instagram Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“You're pushing yourself beyond what you feel is comfortable, which means you're gonna have chapters of discomfort or feeling like, ‘I'm not really sure if I'm there yet. And sometimes that's true. Sometimes you're not there yet. It's good to tune into that because then you know where you should be focusing to improve.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Haesue Jo, Head of Clinical Operations for the world’s largest therapy service, online mental health platform BetterHelp. Haesue is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and in her role at BetterHelp, she oversees a team of therapists to ensure the delivery of high-quality mental health services and liaises between the clinical and technical teams to enhance the platform's capabilities with expert mental health expertise. She shows a true commitment to making mental health services accessible and affordable and continues to advocate for authenticity and self-care not only in her professional role but in her personal life too. Tune in to hear what Haesue told us about her pillars of wellness, the healing power of nature, and why research is so important when selecting the right therapist for you. We talked about: It’s totally normal to end up on a completely different career path than you intended (05:33) The path that took Haesue from traditional therapy to her role with BetterHelp (07:34) The importance of looking after your own mental health and avoiding compassion fatigue (15:45) How online therapy benefits female entrepreneurs (24:11) Haesue’s recommendation for founders experiencing imposter syndrome (28:42) Connect with Haesue BetterHelp Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“Keep the momentum going. And that's continuous meetings, continuous networking. And then set dates really set a, ‘We are looking to raise this by this time,’ so that you give yourself a deadline, and you give the investors a deadline, and you can hold yourself to it.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Emilie Fritz Veloso, founder of One Tribe, an integrative, expert-led community that provides best-in-class education, services, and resources to support women on their journey to motherhood and beyond. Emilie created One Tribe to address the challenges she faced during her own difficult pregnancies, where she struggled to find appropriate, convenient, and accessible resources and support. Emilie has an incredible Entreprenista journey which included her co-founding the successful coconut water brand One Coconut Water, which she later sold to PepsiCo and she also served as the CEO of Sacred Space Miami, a multidivisional holistic wellness center. Tune in to hear how Emilie’s career path took her from luxury consumer goods to One Tribe, the lessons she learned from her first business, and the very emotional experience of selling a business. We also talked about the 12 year process of founding One Tribe and Emilie’s number one tool for staying organized during her fundraising process. We talked about: Emilie fell in love with her husband through his business plan for One Coconut water (02:31) Raising capital (06:08) How complex the acquisition process can be (07:53) Emilie’s personal experience inspired her to found One Tribe (13:44) The fundraising process behind One Tribe (19:46) Connect with Emilie: LinkedIn One Tribe One Tribe on IG Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“[You’re] spending money and growing not at a sustainable pace, but at this hyper-accelerated pace in order to rapidly take up market share and drown out competitors. When you keep raising money to do that, you keep giving more and more people big chunks of your business. The only way it works is if you have a little bit of luck, but also great execution, the ability to fundraise, and a great product. Then you actually become that unicorn because then the pie is big enough for everybody.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Ooshma Garg, founder and CEO of gourmet meal kit service Gobble. After experiencing the challenges of maintaining a healthy diet while running her first startup in college, Ooshma realized the importance of quick and easy home cooked meals for busy people. Her ability to identify and address consumer needs, coupled with a deep understanding of market fit has led Gobble to major success culminating in a strategic acquisition that’s allowed her to continue guiding and expanding the company’s vision. Tune in to hear how Ooshma’s college days at Stanford shaped her success, her experience raising capital for the first time, and how she has leaned on advice from other CEOs and founders during tumultuous times in business. She also talks about navigating the M&A process through strategic planning and reveals her biggest business secrets. We talked about: How Ooshma’s entrepreneurial spirit first expressed itself via Beanie Babies (02:22) Embracing the lack of hierarchy in start-up culture (04:23) The biggest lessons Ooshma learned from her first business (09:46) How Gobble scaled to $6 million in revenue in its first year (19:03) The pros and cons of direct mail marketing (23:16) The emotional experience of the acquisition process (35:09) Connect with Ooshma Instagram Gobble Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“Expose all of the elephants in the room. We just try to hide them… We're trying to throw our skirt up over the elephant… I have gone into everything. It's been a superpower. I'm like, ‘Here's the elephant. Here's the elephant. Here's the elephant. Yes, I'm new at this. Yes, you might be afraid of this. Yes, I understand that fear of yours around this, but here's why I'm still the person for this.’” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Lori Harder, a serial entrepreneur who’s no stranger to navigating obstacles and discovering new pathways to success. Lori’s career has been marked by a series of transformative roles and today she is a best selling author, host of the Earn Your Happy podcast, and the founder and CEO of drinkable skin care brand Glōci. Tune in to hear Lori’s biggest business secrets, how she overcame anxiety and imposter syndrome, and some of her favorite entrepreneurship resources. We talked about: Entrepreneurship was not a childhood dream for Lori (03:03) How the 2008 recession lead to Lori’s professional entrance into the fitness industry (06:11) Lori’s experience with raising capital (23:11) Not every business idea works out—but it always leads to other opportunities (30:18) Lori’s favorite part of launching her new brand, Glōci (43:28) Connect with Lori Website Instagram Glōci - Use Code ENTREPRENISTA Earn Your Happy podcast A Tribe Called Bliss by Lori Harder Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“It's not just about selling your products anymore. You need to know how your products work, you need to know what you're putting out there, and you need to be the expert at it so that you can educate your consumer. That also builds trust, so it's like, ‘Okay, she did the work. She has her license in cosmetology. She's a hair expert.’ And then being able to talk about it, I think that truly sets us apart as well.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Nadine Ramos, the CEO and founder of Blessed Bananas, a haircare brand that uses pure banana oil-based products for healthy, frizz-free hair. To build Blessed Bananas, Nadine leveraged the success from her first business, Lasio Professional Hair Care, a leader in the keratin treatment industry. Nadine brings more than 15 years of valuable expertise to Blessed Bananas and the business is all about creating clean, toxin free hair care that’s safe for the whole family to use. Tune in to hear Nadine share her biggest business secrets and find out the biggest lessons she’s learned since becoming an entrepreneur. We talked about: Nadine realized at a young age that she only wanted to work for herself (03:06) Looking within to figure out your next steps (05:51) How Nadine harnessed the power of early social media to build her first business (09:33) Tailoring social media marketing for each platform and audience (21:47) The most challenging part of managing two successful brands at once (26:10) The process behind launching a new product (32:24) Connect with Nadine Blessed Bananas Hair Care Instagram Fiercely Blessed podcast Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“Nothing lasts forever, we're all gonna die. It’s all very short. So, having that perspective kind of makes you say, ‘We're not around for that long, we probably should make the most of it and be happy.’” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Aishwarya Iyer, founder and CEO of Brightland, a stylish olive oil, vinegar, and honey company that sources its products directly from small family farms in California and Hawaii. Aishwarya was inspired to create Brightland as an ode to her family’s passion for food and the nourishment that comes from sharing a table with loved ones. Tune in to hear how self doubt nearly stopped Aishwarya from following her dream, the resources she targeted to get the brand launched, and how Brightland has evolved since its 2018 launch. We talked about: The entrepreneurial spirit doesn’t always start early on (02:14) How working with a life coach can be transformational (10:16) Aishwarya’s R&D process for Brightland (14:29) The decision to raise venture capital (22:16) The evolution of Brightland’s marketing strategy (26:45) Connect with Aishwarya Instagram LinkedIn Brightland Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“We'll always meet with any business owner to talk about where they are today and what their goals are. That can lead to one of three results. One, we decide to move toward an exit planning and consulting process… The second option is we go to market, we've developed an assessment of value, and we agree that now is the time. And the third option is, it might not be the right option to sell and we're happy to spend that time and to learn.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Mary McKinney Flaherty, a Pittsburgh-based M&A advisor who works with business owners to maximize and monetize their life's work. Today, you’ll hear about Mary’s non-linear career path, how practicing law is in her blood, and her key advice for business owners who are just starting out. Tune in and learn all about the ups and downs of selling a business and why it’s so important to learn about your options sooner rather than later. We talked about: What it means to develop an exit plan and sell a business (09:31) Selling a business isn’t always the right path (13:40) How business valuations are calculated for sale (15:56) Nothing really happens without a plan (19:51) Selling a business is complicated, but experts can help (31:39) Connect with Mary: LinkedIn Contact If you’re interested in connecting with Mary and her team, head to https://tobinleff.com/contact and mention Entreprenista for a free consultation. Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Dr. Ronak Mehta, founder and CEO of Nerdbugs, anatomically correct plush toys aimed at educating and engaging people about the human body. With a background as a family medicine doctor, Dr. Ronak has leveraged her expertise to develop the toys’ educational content. Her mission with Nerdbugs is to demystify medical and mental health conditions, challenge stigmas and promote understanding and acceptance. Tune in and hear what Dr. Ronak tells us about branching out from the linear career path, where the inspiration from Nerdbugs came from, and why your mindset is everything when it comes to starting and building a business. We talked about: It’s very difficult to build a business without a support system (07:37) The resources Dr. Ronak used to hone her mindset while building her business (10:13) Taking microsteps to create the business you want (12:49) How Dr. Ronak balances Nerdbugs with her family life (18:43) Nothing is permanent—it’s okay to experiment! (21:25) Seeing the impact Nerdbugs has made first hand (27:46) Navigating retail relationships (32:43) Connect with Dr. Ronak Nerdbugs LinkedIn Resources Mentioned Alibaba.com Join Us for Entreprenista’s Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“You really, really need to trust your gut. Human nature is everything. It's like your first date where everyone's on their best behavior. But when there's smoke, there's fire. If you feel something in your intuition, it's not right.” -Ariana Chernin In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Jillian Lorenz and Ariana Chernin, co-founders of The Barre Code, a boutique fitness franchise centered around a comprehensive fitness program for women that blends the ballet barre with choreography and classroom instruction. Jillian and Ariana recently sold their business and are now continuing their partnership through a new venture, Inner Light Events. Tune in to hear what Jillian and Ariana wish they knew about starting a franchise business, how they built and scaled The Barre Code, and some of their best business advice. We talked about: Translating passion into a business plan (05:16) Entrepreneurial Operating System and why it's so indispensable (07:33) Why franchising comes with such a learning curve (09:55) Making the decision to sell (15:02) Separating your personal identity from your business (19:52) Connect with Jillian & Ariana The Barre Code Inner Light Events Jillian on IG Ariana on IG Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“If you're not good at it, that is 100% okay. You don't need to be good at everything. But just make sure, in the beginning at least, you're spending a little extra time figuring it out—or you can lean on someone to look into it for you to make sure you're doing it right.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Abby Price, the founder of Abbode, who pivoted from her original venture in dried floral arrangements and vintage home decor to a thriving embroidery store. Abby's journey from fashion to the world of embroidery has resulted in her offering captivating, one-of-a-kind custom creations for all occasions, even leading to collaborations with high-profile influencers. Tune in to discover Abby's secret weapon for streamlining her local delivery services and learn how strategic partnerships have propelled her business forward. We talked about: Entrepreneurship can be hereditary (02:29) Monetizing hobbies (03:59) Anything can be successful if it's approached in the right way A business can successfully grow through word of mouth and social media (19:58) Exploring different tools can completely change the scale of your business (23:30) Connect with Abby Abbode Abbode on Instagram Abbode on TikTok Abby on Instagram Resources Mentioned Uber Direct Notion Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

Hi Entreprenistas! It’s Steph here again with another quick minisode. Today, I’m sharing all about the inspiration behind making my 2024 all about wellness. You’ll hear some of my favorite wellness tips and secrets, why it pays to give yourself grace, and all about the importance of having an accountability partner. You’re going to hear about: My secret for prioritizing wellness: put everything on the calendar (02:32) Surrounding yourself with people you can learn from (04:43) This year’s Founders Weekend will focus on mental and physical health along with business (07:30) Why sleep is so key to a successful wellness routine (08:03) Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Connect with me on Instagram @stephjillcartin and @entreprenistas and send me a DM and introduce yourself! I can’t wait to learn more about you and your business. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

Hi Entreprenistas! It’s Steph here and this year we are going to be bringing you content beyond our weekly interviews with founders. This is our first Minisode of the year and I am excited to share with you some of my best relationship building tips and how I handle events as an introverted extrovert. Plus I will be sharing a behind the scenes of what to expect at our upcoming Entreprenista Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat! You’re going to hear about: Entreprenista’s Founders Weekend, happening May 3-5th in Orlando (02:46) The list of incredible speakers for our Founders event (03:48) Approaching events with an open heart and open mind (06:55) Why building relationships is the key to mining success in life and in business (07:40) Join us for Entreprenista Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Connect with me on Instagram @stephjillcartin and @entreprenistas and send me a DM and introduce yourself! I can’t wait to learn more about you and your business. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“I think you have to stay calm when the world is on fire. You might have a small fire, you might have a massive fire, but your job as a leader is to create that calm… There's days you feel like you're drowning, but you still have to be able to show up for your team, show up for your company.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Tylar Brannon, CEO of Optimal Bio, a company that provides bioidentical hormone replacement therapy services for men and women. Tylar has helped expand Optimal Bio to seven locations, doubled patient counts, and continues to work closely with future and existing patients to help them achieve healthier and more balanced lives since becoming CEO in 2018. Tune in to hear Tylar’s story and some of her biggest business secrets—including why structure and discipline are vital to success. We talked about: If you’re running a business, you need to know how to do every job (05:59) The importance of SOPs (06:20) You have to do the work—no exceptions (09:43) Hiring can be the hardest part of scaling a business (10:50) Cohesive branding and messaging is key (14:46) Connect with Tylar LinkedIn Optimal Bio Optimal Bio podcast Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“We've helped founders secure so much money just by sticking to the foundations and not doing crazy-flashy things or over-thinking… We had one founder secure $85,000 in one pitch opportunity—the money really is out there.” -Kat Weaver In this episode of Entreprenista, we’re sitting down with angel investor Katie Dunn and serial entrepreneur Kat Weaver to talk about Power to Pitch, their joint venture that aims to give entrepreneurs the founder and investor perspective for raising capital. Today, you’ll hear Katie and Kat’s advice on creating the perfect pitch, their tips on how to start raising capital, and their take on why women receive less venture funding than men. Tune in to hear how Kat and Katie are teaching founders the fundamentals in pitching and their biggest business secrets. We talked about: Kat and Katie’s diverse business backgrounds (02:50) In 2023, only 1.6% of venture capital went to women owned businesses (06:25) Cold introductions don’t work (09:28) The attraction of venture capital can be very misleading (10:19) The biggest mistake founders make when crafting their pitch (17:37) The biggest benefit of winning a grant (25:35) Connect with Kat Weaver & Katie Dunn: Kat on LinkedIn Katie on LinkedIn Power to Pitch Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“When we tie so much of our happiness to [the] brass ring… It really just keeps us even more insecure and more overachieving.” -Lisa Sun In this episode of Entreprenista, we sit down with fashion entrepreneur Lisa Sun, founder and CEO of Gravitas New York, a lifestyle and apparel company that’s revolutionizing the concept of shapewear. Lisa is also the best selling author of Gravitas: The 8 Strengths That Redefine Confidence, a book that aims to teach women to own their power. Learn how Lisa developed her entrepreneurial spirit, how her experience in the corporate world prepared her for entrepreneurship, and how she deals with the toxic cycle of dissatisfaction and overachievement. Lisa’s mission for Gravitas is to catalyze confidence—tune in to hear exactly how she’s elevating women and helping them see themselves in a whole new light. We talked about: The advantages to growing up as a first generation American (01:56) Climbing the corporate ladder as an Taiwanese-American woman (04:37) The push it takes to make the leap into entrepreneurship (13:39) Lisa’s 8 strengths that redefine confidence (22:48) The importance of validating others (34:17) Embracing and accepting that you will make mistakes (45:04) Connect with Lisa Sun: Gravitas New York The Gravitas Confidence Language quiz Gravitas: The 8 Strengths That Redefine Confidence by Lisa Sun Lisa on X Lisa on Instagram Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“Sometimes when fear shows up, it's really pointing to a gap in knowledge” - Farnoosh Torabi In this episode of Entreprenista, we sit down with Farnoosh Torabi, a trailblazer in the world of personal finance. The author, speaker, and host of the "So Money" podcast, shares with us her journey as the daughter of Iranian immigrants, becoming one of the world’s leading personal finance experts. Her latest book, "A Healthy State of Panic," connects together fear, finances, and life decisions. Discover how Farnoosh's unique upbringing shaped her views on financial independence and the importance of open conversations about money. We talk about building a strong personal brand and how to embrace your fears. Whether you're facing entrepreneurial challenges or looking to make smarter financial choices, Farnoosh’s story is an invaluable resource full of advice that will change the way you think about fear and show you the power of resilience. We talked about: The need for financial literacy The importance of resilience and endurance Building a personal brand Learning to differentiate yourself within your sphere of expertise Embracing fear as a tool for personal growth The role of strategic networking in business growth The impact of theatre and the crucial skills honed through artistic expression Connect with Farnoosh Torabi: Farnoosh’s Website So Money Podcast Farnoosh on Instagram Farnoosh on Linkedin Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

“It's okay not to have the answer to everything. And you don't have to do everything, you need to get really strong at what you are good at, and find other people that complement that” Anabel Oelmann is an international model turned Co-Founder and Director of The Healing Company. They are a conglomerate that acquires and scales health and wellness brands aiming to shift from treatment to prevention in healthcare. In this episode of Entreprenista, we talk with Anabel about her journey and the personal health experiences that led her from fashion's front lines to the forefront of holistic wellness finding mentorship in impactful voices like Deepak Chopra. As a certified nutritionist with an evolving approach, Anabel shares her insights about integrating holistic healing practices into mainstream wellness and why it’s worth investing in moving forward. We talk about: Raising capital and the importance of strong networks Forming diverse teams and Anabel’s approach to leadership Amplifying voices in the field of integrative healing The Healing Company’s acquisition strategy and impact Stripping away stigma and finding relief in free thinking Trusting and believing in your intuition Rivaling Big Pharma companies Acquiring companies in the health and wellness space Building trust with your consumer Connect with Anabel Oelmann Anabel on Linkedin The Healing Hour on Youtube The Healing Company on Instagram Founders Weekend: Join us from May 3-5th at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando for your opportunities to connect and build relationships with the most powerful women in business. We can’t wait to be with you in person at our Founders Weekend Wealth & Wellness Retreat. Reserve your tickets here. Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders at entreprenista.com/join! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Radio | GooglePlay Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.