Entreprenista

Imagine jumping into the driver’s seat of a company more than 100 years old. What challenges, and possibilities, would you face? Ask Lynn Branigan, the  CEO of She Runs It— an organization of professional women working in marketing, advertising and media, providing them support and a network to excel in their careers. Lynn joined the company just six years ago. Lynn joins Socialfly Co-founder Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about leading the continued mission of the organization and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: Lynn’s eternal optimism Why jumping in and learning along the way may actually be a real recipe for success The power of embracing change Why she describes her role as sprinkling good on women in tech, media, and marketing Maximizing a team of just five people How to keep a business that started in 1912 relevant What it’s like taking over a legacy Why she wants to give employees more flexibility Plans for expansion in the future And dealing with others who have a hard time embracing that change

It’s been said that the power of the next generation is rooted in the success of women. We agree and so does Jenni Luke, CEO of Step Up — a not for profit organization that works to propel girls going to school in under-resourced communities to fulfill their potential by empowering them to become confident, college-bound, career-focused, and ready to join the next generation of professional women. Jenni joins Socialfly Co-founder Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: Why the future of women is now and making sure that people feel they have a seat at the table as their full selves How a nonprofit is still a business and getting out there to sustain and grow it Generating funds needed by finding the intersection of the value proposition of the organization and what its partners need Raising money for a nonprofit and how nonprofits should be profitable Jenni on getting involved in the organization nearly ten years ago, originally as a lawyer by trade How Step Up is a community-based organization Jenni on being a new CEO, applying for her first CEO job, when she was not sure she was qualified, but going for it anyway and falling in love with  the organization during the interview Getting buy-in from existing employees and partners Working through conflicts with the cofounder to greater success and understanding The value of trying not to learn on someone else’s dime The breadth of service, number of students, and schools served by the social and emotional-based learning What mentorship means How the mission of Step Up changed over the years from strengthening resources to  women and girls to focusing energies on girls A network of women the girls get to engage with who help them practice the skills they learn  

Imagine you were on Shark Tank and made a deal on-air,  the deal didn’t work out off-air, but the exposure propelled your business to the next level? For Co-founder/CEO Christine Chang, and her company Glow Recipe—which curates the best natural and effective Korean skincare —that’s her reality. She shares the impact of willpower, the myth of a 15-step beauty regimen, working with your best friend, the concept of hiring slow and firing fast, why she and her co-founder interview every employee, how everything she does is to inspire her daughter and pave the way for the next generation of women. Christine joins Socialfly Co-founder Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: Being on Shark Tank wearing sheet masks, saying no to an offer, and how this “free” consultation helped the business and blew up their customer base An “aha moment” about Korean beauty that resulted in a business The beginning of Glow Recipe —  quitting jobs, cobbling a website, flying to Korea without anything put together, and landing 8 brands What it’s like to run a business with your best friend, navigating the extreme highs and lows and dividing up responsibilities Attracting a team of personalities, and how hiring has been one of the most challenging things at a startup Getting 5,000 people on a waitlist for a watermelon sleeping mask, then selling out on Sephora seven times Influencers, social media, marketing, and the importance of being an authentic influencer A “face snuggie,” and how #avocauddle resulted in a partnership with a mattress store and education events The evolution of the Glow Recipe business model and the concept of “skintertainment” Launching another skincare brand Sweet Chef, and rolling it out to Target Becoming a discovery destination for skincare The moment Christine almost gave up The ultimate goal of inspiring her daughter to do what she wants to do

At 23 years old, Soraya Darabi managed the digital partnerships and social media marketing for The New York Times. Not a bad start. Since then,  she has played a substantial role in the success of several amazing companies, her first three angel investments turned out to be hugely successful, and she is now one of the managing partners and founder of  Trail Mix Ventures, an early-stage investment firm focused on the "future of living well." Much of this may have something to do with supporting your friends, paying attention to trends, and knowing when to take action.  Soraya Darabi, successful entrepreneur, angel investor, and Managing Partner of Trail Mix Ventures (a venture capital company focused on investing in living well) joins Socialfly Co-founder Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How Soraya got into venture capital Her passion to understand convergence and why labels were afraid of digital media and communication Interning her senior year of college at Washington Post.com, helping Pulitzer prize-winning journalists understand digital media and how it would help enhance their journalism Her next move to Conde Nett, and how three jobs were iterating how media was changing in real time How Soraya fell in love with entrepreneurship and the platforms changing the landscape of digital media, Feeling dismayed about how few women were in the room How Soraya went to go work for one of them, becoming an entrepreneur at 26 years old, then the company was acquired by Facebook How there should be more video content online explaining the ABCs of  equity to young women Her next move as the co-creator of Foodspotting, and why it was the perfect training ground to learn the ropes on running a business Her non-traditional route to becoming an investor, and how she didn’t grow up in a house that discussed business Her first three investments in 2011-13 were winners: Contently, Brick and Co, and Casper How it took six years to admit she was an investor and overcoming imposter syndrome Investing in friends, why a good network is where you should start Find partnerships and value to add into a company you can invest in, those relationships often blossom into fruitful ones Believing in wellness and companies who affect us in a positive way The importance of an inclusive and diverse environment women can work in A disconnect between venture dollars and industrious women in America How Trail Mix invests in purpose-driven companies addressing s growing economy as it pertains to wellness Deciding Trail Mix Ventures should be a seed fund, and wanting to be additive to founders on their journey Why owning 10% of a company is the most they generally want to start with Helping  the people behind you and turning to the people in front of you, building a social network Why there need to be more women in venture capital Embracing the elements of your life openly and not being afraid to be open, including family ambition Three pieces of advice: invest in friends, everything feels better in the morning, eventually everything connects False starts and stumbling blocks, and with failure comes knowledge A brainstorm on self-care

From ballerina to Broadway to fitness model turned boxer, Julie 'JAWS' Nelson is at the top of her game. Julie joined Socialfly founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer, along with “The Game Plan” podcast host Dale Moss, in front of a MouthMedia Network live audience at Spring Place in New York City. Sponsorship by Givz. In this episode, you'll learn: The origin of her nickname 'JAWS' Her many role models and teachers over the course of her career  Why she chose to be the odd one out and how she found strength and overcame bullying Julie's training as a ballerina growing up and how dancing from a young age set her up for a career in fitness  How Jaws became an Adidas Global Ambassador and social media influencer Her philosophy on mixing hard work with fun and the power of story-telling, authenticity, and integrity on social media How she handled success at a young age and got into fitness modeling Joining her first Broadway theatrical tour and why it was a dream come true The mission of the Adidas Women Ambassador program and how they are creating a movement How Jaws chooses the brands she wants to partner with and the importance of having similar values Joining the Rumble Boxing team and their powerful social media presence  Boxing as a female and challenges she’s had to overcome  A brainstorm on her next move and surprise and delight from the Entreprenistas  Nine rounds with Jaws: Rapid Fire Questions  Why she is her own opponent

It’s never too late to reinvent yourself. Just ask Ruth Zukerman, one of the original cofounders of SoulCycle (arguably one of the most successful spin class companies anywhere) and who, after  a devastating exit from the company, picked herself up and built Flywheel Sports, offering spinning classes with a “where everybody knows your name” ethos, and a big focus on technology and metrics. And, it turns out, this isn’t the last chapter—at all! Ruth Zukerman, Co-founder of indoor cycling businesses SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports and author of the book "Riding High: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, Co-Founded Flywheel, and Built the Life I Always Wanted", joins Socialfly Co-founder Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How Ruth made the decision to leave her lifelong passion, dance, behind and how she found a new passion and career through spinning Ruth’s first experience of being intimidated by spin classes at the old Reebok gym, and the epiphany of pushing herself to go to her first class Why the combination of exercise, music, and a pack mentality resonated with Ruth’s dance background How an inspiring spin instructor’s move to Florida prompted Ruth to become an instructor herself and led to a whole new career path The out-of-the-blue offer to be the face of a new boutique spinning studio gym: SoulCycle How Ruth brought students from her old gym to the new studio despite its rough-around-the-edges feel in the beginning. How the brand’s strong identity got started from the get-go The hard times early on, from leading classes for six people to teaching 22 classes a week How Ruth’ brought a therapeutic and spiritual experience to SoulCycle Flywheel, Ruth’s departure from SoulCycle, and starting a new brand from scratch The ways Ruth has changed her focus with Flywheel to bring spinning to a wider audience The liberating aspect of starting a new brand built around inclusiveness, and the challenges of differentiating from other studios How metrics played a role in building Flywheel’s branding and also opened the door to more male clients The branding challenges early on, and how they developed the “Never Coast” mentality. The organic way a buyer was found after his daughter brought him to a Flywheel class How much can change from the initial decision to sell a company and handing over the keys Ruth’s difficult decision to leave Flywheel The lessons Ruth has learned along the way, and actions she would take in hindsight to protect herself The importance of trusting your gut and your business partners, but not at the expense of risking your own position How sometimes being genuinely prepared to walk away from a deal can be the best negotiation tactic Ruth’s book “Riding High,” and why she wants to tell her story now. Her hopes that the book will inspire people and start their own business and learn from her mistakes The importance of bearing your soul and being intimate with the ups and downs of one’s life in order to reach and inspire others The aftermath of leaving Flywheel and getting off of the bike for the first time in 21 years, and how Ruth is rediscovering herself How Ruth has tried to be present and an inspiration for her daughters, and how that has set them on their own paths Plus, a 60-second brainstorm on how Ruth can promote herself and her book

When you've built a very successful business as a jewelry designer for more than 20 years, the natural move is to leave it all behind and start making documentary films celebrating and supporting female artisans and entrepreneurs through authentic storytelling, right? Kara Ross, renowned entrepreneur and award-winning fine jewelry designer and founder of Unleashed (a non profit media organization founded which celebrates and supports female artisans and entrepreneurs) joins Socialfly  founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and Unleashed and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How Kara needed to start a business to take care of kids after divorce as a single mom Kara's first employee--her sister The entrepreneurial reality of never feeling like you made it—ail it’s always about the next thing Why Kara doesn’t miss her jewelry business even after 25 years How Kara is focusing now on other female entrepreneurs and artisans Why Kara felt guilty about closing her store When you’re not on the treadmill and running, it is difficult to stop and choose to spend your life and resources another way Why Kara wishes she had talked with someone about leaving her business—it was emotionally and mentally tough Creating Unleashed, a short film series telling the stories of female entrepreneurs around the world. Shooting the pilot with the Bella Twins Why Kara won’t be featured in the show Creating a content library that highlights multiple industries and career fields How Kara’s daughter is helping after graduating from film school What Kara learned from her jewelry business that could be applied to Unleashed How Kara is more relaxed now enjoying herself more, and more in control of her time The power of leading by example Trying to challenge yourself and constantly make yourself better  

Determination is an essential ingredient to succeeding in business and overcoming the inevitable challenges any entrepreneurial journey can pose. It’s also something that defines Tina Hedges, who at every turn has pushed forward to realize her vision of a company that can make a difference to countless beauty consumers and the environment as well. Tina Hedges, Founder and CEO of LOLI Beauty (a beauty brand using only organic, raw, fair-trade, non-GMO ingredients), joins Socialfly  founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How Tina’s career trajectory changed from being on track to run factories in China to starting her own beauty company Standing up for your morals even if it may cost you your job The changes in the fashion industry from the 80s to today Learning to appreciate the little details of running a beauty company by working in retail Why Tina still makes sure to spend time in stores when on business trips to stay in touch with the consumer’s experience with the product How a chance phone call changed Tina’s trajectory from going to business school to working on a creative marketing team and learning on the job  Why giving employees autonomy and encouraging decision making is important for building a strong team  How Tina’s childhood shaped her view of health and beauty products  The environmental damage the beauty industry does, and how that sparked Tina’s decision to start LOLI The filling station concept, and the spark to deconstruct the beauty industry to fresh and raw ingredients which can be customized and sustainable  Getting accustomed to working for yourself, and how to judge work for yourself objectively  How Tina started LOLI as a surprise subscription box service, and the benefits of using your early clients as a focus group to hone your brand  The creative ways that LOLI operates as a zero waste organic beauty brand, but  upscaling from food produce sources and finding ways to operate without adding or wasting water  The strength of collaborating with brands, like Adidas and Alexander Wang, to gain traction and boost visibility  How Tina funded the start of LOLI, and some tips for those presenting business plans to potential investors  Ageism, and how Tina overcame the obstacles she encountered when trying to find investors  A dramatic story where a sick Tina flies to Geneva to meet with investors who had the funds to start LOLI Learning to hire employees and the stresses and learning experiences Tina experienced while building a strong team around her  The importance of communicating with your consumers and solving issues quickly  A one minute brainstorm on how LOLI can build more traction as the look to take their next step forward as a company

A case study on building a business empire-in-the-making, proving that creativity, hard work, determination, and research can transform a passion into a real business, why believing in your excellent product is crucial for growth, leveraging people around you to jump start your business, how the use of influencer marketing before it was a thing and early adoption of social media made a major difference, challenges from having from no money for payroll to running out of cash during construction, and why you won't hear Britney Spears in any of Heather's pilates studios... Heather Andersen, Studio owner and Program Director of  New York Pilates  (a New York city-based fitness company offering music driven, small group reformer classes and private sessions),  joins Socialfly  founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How Heather discovered pilates, and what led her to open her own studio, New York Pilates Why the social aspect of taking classes with groups and friends is important to Heather and how that shaped her studio space and business model  How Heather started her own studio without any outside investors  What Heather did to market her studio’s brand, and why being passionate about your product is vital  How Heather’s business grew from a one-woman operation to opening multiple locations  ClassPass, and the difficulties in converting people looking to save money into reliable returning clients  The challenges of learning how to run a business on the job  What kept Heather going even when the responsibilities of running a studio on a shoestring budget were daunting  How Heather is keeping New York Pilates feel like a tight knit community even as it grows into bigger spaces and new markets  The challenges Heather had with learning to grow as a manager, and the lessons she learned through trial and error and a book that helped her  How New York Pilates uses social media to showcase their brand ethos to potential clients What being an entreprenista means to Heather  Plus, a one minute brainstorm about organization and managing ideas and goals 

Some of the greatest ideas for a business come from solving a problem the founder has personally experienced. Sarah Kugelman is such a founder, whose personal experiences with anxiety, and the impact of stress on her skin, led her to build a successful business... Sarah Kugelman,  Founder/CEO of skyn ICELAND (a Vegan, Cruelty-free, natural skincare line) joins Socialfly  founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How Sarah’s personal dealings with anxiety led to her founding skyn ICELAND, and the connection between stress and skin health Sarah’s entrepreneurial spirit, and how she combined her working experience and her passion to forge a new career path for herself The vacation that led to the name of the line, and what makes it more than just a name The challenges of importing ingredients overseas, and finding a chemist who shared Sarah’s vision for the line How Sarah approaches bringing new products into the line, and know when some products have run their course The tentpole moments in skyn ICELAND’s history where Sarah knew she had made it How Sarah manages stress now, and how that has evolved over time Sarah shares some of the biggest scares she’s had while running skyn ICELAND, and the lessons she’s learned along the way What Sarah did to keep the business alive when one of their biggest retailers decided to phase the line off the shelves Some of Sarah’s most out=of-the-box marketing ideas from the pre-social media age and what she did to adapt to the current marketing climate What Sarah sees as the future of the beauty industry, and for skyn ICELAND What having more educated consumers means for the industry 'Sarah shares what being an entreprenista means to her, and gives some advice for people who are starting their own businesses Plus, a one minute brainstorm on how Sarah can boost her engagement on Instagram

Social media is powerful, but what if you can't use big platforms to advertise your business and initiate products, such as sex toys? Plus, hiring the right people, having hustle, how health challenges can inspire an entrepreneurial mission, the challenge of raising money in a boys' club, and never giving up. Polly Rodriguez, CEO and Co-Founder of Unbound (a leader in changing how feminists explore and enjoy their sex lives., through a quarterly box, online shop and Unbound Magazine), joins Socialfly  founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How Polly went from working as a consultant to finding a business parter and starting Unbound The difficulties in finding steady income while trying to commit to growing your business, and why it’s better not to feel embarrassed by doing whatever it takes to set off down your own career path The growing pains unique to Unbound as a sexual wellness brand How through self motivated research and practice Polly helped Unbound tackle advertising hurdles by utilizing SEO and content marketing How Unbound grew from a subscription box only to a broader wellness product company that produces its own goods The process of finding investors, and why timing is crucial How Polly and her co-founder Sarah split their workloads The importance of finding motivated employees and structured hiring processes Polly’s experiences with cancer and how that led to her career change The importance of support systems outside of the company you work at A one minute brainstorm about white-listing ads and the future of social media

If you have any connection to the fashion or beauty industries you’ve most likely heard of Alexandra Wilkis Wilson at least of  The GILT Group and Glamsquad. Her latest entrepreneurial success is Allergan’s Spotlyte, educating millions  on beauty and medical aesthetics. Alexandra shares her remarkable entrepreneurial journey---from a childhood lemonade stand to leading 1,000 employees, how startups are romanticized, and teams are everything, the importance of a two-way street and how becoming a mother impacted her professional life, finding the right people to hire, launching a company in the biggest way, how culture has been a focus for her new company, and how she’s learned to say no (but sometimes yes). Plus, a surprise, and a brainstorm for a social media strategy. Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, Entrepreneur, Executive, Board Director, Investor, Advisor, Mentor, Author, Public Speaker, and SVP, Consumer Strategy and Innovation for Allergan, joins Socialfly founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: Coming from a lemonade stand as a child to launching GILT as her first entrepreneurial effort as a professional person Being bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, a major turning point for her -- seeing tech, fashion, commerce, all really changing Why Alexandra is a big believer in teams The unexpected level of difficulty, and how startups are romanticized The process from idea to raising money and figuring out a business How Alexandra is involved in many startups in various ways Always seeking the perfect market fit  -- a perfect storm of a good idea and amazing people, timing and funding What the co-founders focused on in their roles The importance of a two-way street, LinkedIn, helping others, what goes around comes around The timing of becoming a mother, how it brought a change Getting involved in Glamsquad because she bumped into cofounders who had a great idea What Alexandra is doing now is scarier than anything before Someone from Socialfly was the 500k Glamsquad customer When she was looking for board roles, a big client is Allergan owned Botox, doing something innovative Spotlyte – a great place to learn about beauty and skincare Alexandra is an expert in understanding consumer behavior, consumer strategy and innovation into an industry heavily regulated, that wasn’t focused enough on customer A billboard in Times Square and a food truck for a launch Educating millions of consumers on beauty and medical aesthetics, unbranded Why Alexandra is surprised that a big, global company is so entrepreneurial Keep meeting people, keep track of people Hiring 50 new people in a year Leading over a 1,000 people at one time The culture at Alexandra's current office – transparent, communicative, respectful, agile, teamwork, fun, passionate, and more -- consistency Whether being an entrepreneur gets easier? The good days and bad days phase her less Learning to say "no"

A happy accident on a 21st birthday and an old Hollywood secret inspired a booming beauty business, the importance of a balanced team and open dialogue, why it is crucial to learn from customer feedback, and the challenges and rewards of running a business with your life partner. Rachel Katzman, Founder/CEO of Cuvée Beauty (champagne-inspired/infused haircare line), joins Socialfly founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How a happy accident on Rachel’s 21st Birthday and old Hollywood secrets led to a booming business Starting a beauty product band from scratch Learning on the job while building a business Differentiating a product in a well established industry by focusing on the consumer Finding business partners as a small upcoming brand Growing up in an entrepreneurial family and starting a business without a formal education Working through discouragement and insecurity to find success Learning on the job while building a business The importance of building a balanced team Why this is the time of the indie beauty brand How personal experiences shaped Rachel’s focus on hair health and investments in clinical trials Prioritizing the product before focusing on marketing and social presence The importance of having an open dialogue and learning from customer feedback Managing two business, one on your own and one with your partner The good and bad of running a business with your life partner The challenge of keeping your personal and private lives separate How being a problem solver helps push your business and products to the next level And  a 1 Minute Brainstorm for Cuvée’s next marketing plan and products!

How it all started... Socialfly founders Stephane Cartin and Courtney Spritzer take a break from sharing the journeys of other female founders---and to share there own. Hear how they met, there first days as co-founders seven years ago, how and why things took off, the challenges and victories, how they've changed and grown, and biggest sources of pride. Happy holidays!

A desserts-in-a-jar business so successful that major fashion events have made them a must, and actually started on Instagram by a 22 year-old  founder without a formal business education who just wanted to share her love for baking... Dani Beckerman, Founder/CEO of Jars by Dani (layers of decadent desserts delivered in a simple fashion: a Mason jar), joins Socialfly founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm. In this episode: How Dani started her company via her personal Instagram account Starting a business on your own with no formal education How Dani’s recipes and presentation have evolved since the beginning The importance of collaboration and keeping ideas fresh The way quickly escalating demand for Dani’s baking forced her to learn to scale her business up Using Instagram as a way to network and find early employees The process of developing a way to sell to customers, from hand delivering to selling via a dedicated web store nationwide Turning a chance meeting into a relationship with the fashion industry The importance of personal-based branding Developing sales and the decision to focus on DTC instead of brick and mortar sales Doing PR without an agency Learning to handle the holiday season rush Dani’s transition from being a sole proprietor to building and managing a growing business Keeping employees and collaborators close and nurturing a family environment Navigating the process of acquiring investors And, a One Minute Brainstorm for the next big idea for Jars by Dani!