Startups in Stilettos

After being diagnosed with a rare disease, Lauren Makler was left uncertain about her chances of having children. This led to a passion for changing the fertility process and making it less “icky.” Thus, Cofertility was born.In today’s episode we sit down with Lauren Makler, co-founder of Cofertility, a revolutionary fertility company aimed at making egg donation and egg freezing more accessible (and free!) for everyone. Lauren shares what led her to wanting to start Cofertility, how to go about fundraising and marketing, why a soft-launch made sense, and so much more. “I just had, like, this absolute immediate clarity that I wanted to build a company in the reproductive health space. Which brings me back to egg donation, right? In this whole journey, I had just started to think about, like, what people go through to have a baby. And what stuck out to me was just how antiquated this industry was, and how for lack of a better word, icky it was.” – Lauren MaklerThis week on Startups in Stilettos: Lauren shares about her background and what led her to start Cofertility (2:38) Lauren talks about how to work with co-founders that live in different areas (8:23) Lauren answers all the fundraising questions you may have (12:28) All about the marketing for Cofertility (16:51) Lauren shares why they did a soft-launch for Cofertility first (19:00) Lauren explains what Cofertility is (21:16) Lauren shares what she is most excited about (30:46) Resources Mentioned: Google Docs Notion ADP Our Favorite Quotes: “There’s this huge need for egg donation. And unfortunately, the status quo just isn’t is not working. And just to like, dig in a little bit more on that piece. I think, actually, the status quo of egg freezing I don’t think is working either.” – Lauren Makler “We just asked that both sides really think about what’s best for the donor-conceived child at the end.” – Lauren Makler “We asked a few questions. But when we pose this question of: would you be interested in our slip program? 66% of women said yes or definitely yes. Right? So to me, that was actually what convinced me to start this company. So it gave me even more conviction to, like, completely change my life and go for it.” – Lauren Makler Connect with Lauren Makler: Cofertility.com Cofertility on Instagram Freeze By Co on Instagram Family By Co on Instagram Lauren on Instagram Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts: Stephanie Cartin on Instagram Stephanie Cartin on LinkedIn Jessica Abo on Instagram Jessica Abo on LinkedIn Learn more about Jessica Abo here Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

When Carlyn stepped into Entrepreneurship to be closer to her four children, she thought it would be easy. After her first business came to an end, she realized her real passion was in helping other women grow their businesses, thus she created Carlyn Bushman Consulting. In today’s episode, we sit down with Carlyn Bushman, founder of Carlyn Bushman Consulting, a consulting firm that helps women grow their businesses and define their success. Carlyn shares why she switched business models, what her business looks like today, what helped her business explode, and so much more. “I work with women who are just starting out. And I typically do that through a workshop, POP Academy, it is very popular. And that is a workshop that I hold where it takes you from six steps, and we go through it together. And it really gets you grounded in your business.” – Carlyn BushmanThis week on Startups in Stilettos: Carlyn talks about her background and what made her start her business (1:40) What made Carlyn switch to a different business model after 2 years in business (6:51) Carlyn shares what her business looks like today (10:42) What helped Carlyn fast-track her business (12:32) Stephanie and Carlyn talk about managing social media (22:12) Stephanie and Carlyn discuss adspend (26:57) Resources Mentioned: AirTable DashLane Klipfolio  Smart Cue Our Favorite Quotes: “You have to be very intentional with your schedule when dropping into entrepreneurship as well.” – Carlyn Bushman “So I would advise anybody who’s in a partnership, definitely drop in and make sure you have a tight exit agreement.” – Carlyn Bushman “So if I think about your business, I’m figuring out what comes next, then what’s next, then what’s next and how to put it all together. It’s the visual that I’ve come up with lately, because I cannot not think about your business. And it really matters to me.” – Carlyn Bushman Connect with Carlyn Bushman: CarlynBushmanConsulting.com Carlyn on LinkedIn Carlyn on Instagram Carlyn on Facebook Carlyn on TikTok Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts: Stephanie Cartin on Instagram Stephanie Cartin on LinkedIn Jessica Abo on Instagram Jessica Abo on LinkedIn Learn more about Jessica Abo here Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

After a chance encounter with a recruiter led Lauren to one of the nation’s largest angel groups, she hit the ground running with the mission of helping Entreprenistas raise capital. Once her son was born, however, she decided to branch out on her own and created VC Worthy Business. In today’s episode, we sit down with Lauren Kane, founder of VC Worthy Business, a company that helps female founders create attention grabbing pitches that investors cannot say no to. She shares with us the challenges she has faced, the business tools she recommends, her plans for the Entreprenista Raising Capital group, and so much more. “You as a founder have all the power, you have all the power and control, you have the power to make those investors money. And without you, they’re not going to make that money, if they don’t invest in your company.” – Lauren KaneThis week on Startups in Stilettos: Lauren talks about her career path (2:05) Lauren shares the challenges she faced when she started her business (5:07) Business tools for founders that want to raise capital (12:13) Lauren talks about her plans for the Entreprenista Raising Capital group that she is leading (15:08) Lauren shares the big game changer for her business (25:21) What being part of the Entreprenista League Community means to Lauren (29:49) Resources Mentioned: Google Workspace Canva ClickUp Shower Notes Insightly  HubSpot Trello Founder Suite Our Favorite Quotes: “​​But it was one of those things that is humbling, because it was like, once I opened the doors, I build it, they will come and I open the doors, and there’s crickets.” – Lauren Kane “I talked to so many women where they’re like, oh, my gosh, my best ideas are in the shower. And I know, it’s because that’s when we have nothing else interacting with our brain. But yeah, it’s like, as soon as I open the door, I’m like, it happened again.” – Lauren Kane “What I am most proud of is lately, forcing myself, I had to force myself, force myself to start to take some time for me, my business is in a great place. I love what I do. And I get to work with amazing women all day long. And not many people get to say that. But I forgot about me for a minute.” – Lauren Kane  Connect with Lauren Kane: VCWorthyBusiness.com Lauren on Instagram Lauren on LinkedIn Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts: Stephanie Cartin on Instagram Stephanie Cartin on LinkedIn Jessica Abo on Instagram Jessica Abo on LinkedIn Learn more about Jessica Abo here Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Cynthia was happily climbing the corporate ladder, or so she thought. Then one night, she realized that her professional life had squandered her personal life. She knew she had to change, so she moved cross-country with only seven suitcases to her name, got hired at a new job, quit it, and started her own business instead.  In today’s episode, we’re talking with Cynthia Ferngren, founder of CFC, an outsource CMO company whose mission is to create thoughtful and profitable brands. Cynthia shares with us why she chose to leave behind her corporate aspirations, how she figured out what to charge, the ventures she’s currently working on, and so much more. “Who my ideal target is–it’s that small business that’s at the place where they’re right about to scale, so they want to ramp up and they’re looking for figuring out what their brand strategy is, what their value proposition and their brand story is like. ” – Cynthia FerngrenThis week on Startups in Stilettos: Cynthia shares the defining moment that made her want to start her business (1:19) Where to find business clients (6:26)  How Cynthia figured out who her ideal client is and how to price her services (11:47) The BEST advice for women in business (13:19) The other venture Cynthia is working on right now (15:51) How Cynthia manages her time (18:56) Cynthia and Stephanie talk about how to scale (24:22) Resources Mentioned: Upwork Trello Monday AirTable Asana Wrike Clickup Calendly  Our Favorite Quotes: “I didn’t want to have work-life balance, I wanted to be able to have a life that I was excited to wake up to, you know? I wanted to work with people that I felt connected with, I wanted to work on products and businesses that I felt connected with.” – Cynthia Ferngren “I do think that there is something about this idea of ‘burning the boats’, it accelerated my process because I was hungry.” – Cynthia Ferngren “​​I think it’s really important that as women, we charge what we know we’re worth instead of charging for time.” – Cynthia Ferngren Connect with Cynthia Ferngren: YourModernCMO.com hello@cynthiaferngren.com Cynthia on Instagram Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts: Stephanie Cartin on Instagram Stephanie Cartin on LinkedIn Jessica Abo on Instagram Jessica Abo on LinkedIn Learn more about Jessica Abo here Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

Are you struggling with organically growing the clientele for your business? Have you shared your 15 second elevator pitch with the people around you? Focusing on building relationships with other Entreprenistas may be exactly the solution you need to help move your business in the right direction. In today’s special episode, we sit down with Jess Milanes, founder of Smart Podcast Solutions. Jess and Stephanie share all the insider information about getting the most out of networking groups, how to grow a business online, and so much more. “My goal is to build this really powerful podcasting agency that is for women and by women, and helps to give women a voice in the podcasting space.” – Jess MilanesThis week on Startups in Stilettos: Jess shares how she met Stephanie (1:41) Stephanie talks about how she started networking with Socialfly (7:07) Jess chats with Stephanie about how Entreprenista League is different from most networking groups (10:10) Jess shares her background (15:37) Stephanie chats with Jess about the referral agreement process and what it provides (20:06) Jess shares tips for growing a business online (25:13) Resources Mentioned: ClickUp Asana Our Favorite Quotes: “That’s kind of like two big rules of thumb that I have found in my business is to create those clients that are super fans of yours because you show up and you do such good work that, like, they want to promote you to other people because when you succeed, they succeed. And then the other thing is just the idea of being open with people and saying hey, that’s not me. But this is what I can do. ” – Jess Milanes “My mission is to give women a voice in the podcasting world.” – Jess Milanes “People are dying to connect right now, everyone is so desperate for connection. Because we have not had that level of connection. We haven’t had that emotional connection for two and a half years.” – Jess Milanes Connect with Jess Milanes: Jess Milanes on LinkedIn Jess Milanes on Instagram SmartPodcastSolutions.com Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts: Stephanie Cartin on Instagram Stephanie Cartin on LinkedIn Jessica Abo on Instagram Jessica Abo on LinkedIn Learn more about Jessica Abo here Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

After Amanda Hofman sold her first business (at 38 weeks pregnant!), she took some time off to focus solely on being a mom. When she decided to get back in the game, she thought about how to modernize the one thing every company needs–merchandise. And thus, Go To Market was born. In this week’s episode, we talk with Amanda Hofman, co-founder of Go To Market, a print-on-demand company that designs branded merchandise for businesses, entreprenistas, and everyone in between. She shares with us the lessons she’s learned from having multiple businesses, how to sell your company, how to decide if a co-founder is right for you, and so much more. “We really think about the clients and the brands that we’re working with. And we translate it into branded merchandise so that they have beautiful items that their customers, fans, partners, and employees really want to wear and are excited about.” – Amanda HofmanThis week on Startups in Stilettos: Amanda talks about her background and how it led her to start Go To Market (3:19) Amanda shares tips and lessons that she learned with her first business (5:42) How to sell your business (7:21) Amanda shares super helpful networking tips (9:45) Amanda gives advice about having a co-founder (15:13) Amanda, Jessica, and Stephanie talk about taking a business to the next level (18:02) Resources Mentioned: Microsoft Excel Air Table Copper Google Suite Entreprenista Store Our Favorite Quotes: “I don’t want a passion project that I hope makes money, I want a money-making project that I am passionate about.” – Amanda Hofman “In my career, I’ve always said yes to conversations, I’ve said yes to opportunities, not knowing what the outcome would be. And it’s led me in that openness has led me into good paths and good directions.” – Amanda Hofman “If you don’t have the right partner, you can do it on your own.” – Amanda Hofman Connect with Amanda Hofman: Go To Market Studio on Instagram GoToMarket.Studio  Amanda@GoToMarket.Studio Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts: Stephanie Cartin on Instagram Stephanie Cartin on LinkedIn Jessica Abo on Instagram Jessica Abo on LinkedIn Learn more about Jessica Abo here Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|SpotifyJulia Xu was always entrepreneurial, but she had no idea that she would one day run four businesses. However, each one started naturally after the previous one she started. Today, she runs a consulting business, a home office shop, an ecommerce shop, and an automated product sourcing platform. In today's episode, we talk with Julia Xu–founder of USourced, ReSourcery, Multitasky, and Julia Xu Consulting–to find out how she balances it all, the importance of the right friendships, how to decide if fundraising is right, and so much more. "So I don't feel like work is work, work is life in a way where I'm actually building something that I truly believe in, and I'm truly passionate about, and I wouldn't be anywhere else, I would rather just be working on this." - Julia XuThis week on Startups in Stilettos:Julia shares about each of her companies (1:06)Julia talks about her corporate background and how it led to her starting four businesses (2:05)Julia shares how she manages her time (6:05)Julia, Jessica, and Stephanie talk about the importance of finding the right romantic partner as business owners (11:34)Julia talks about how to decide if fundraising is right for your business (14:59)Jessica and Stephanie share how they decided to start their businesses (20:15)Resources Mentioned:CRONSuperhumanNotionAir TableOur Favorite Quotes:"Now getting all those 'dream jobs,' I realized I actually lost an initial self who had more ambition and wanted to create my own thing." - Julia Xu"By saying no, and by turning down things, you're only opening up yourself to things that actually add value and positivity to your life." - Julia XuConnect with Julia Xu:Julia Xu on LinkedInJulia Xu on InstagramMultitasky on InstagramReSourcery on InstagramJulia Xu Consulting on InstagramUSourced.comConnect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:Stephanie Cartin on InstagramStephanie Cartin on LinkedInJessica Abo on InstagramJessica Abo on LinkedInLearn more about Jessica Abo hereGet Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get ...

What started out as a search for the perfect gift for her secretary led Annabelle DeGrazio to quit her dream job. Annabelle had always been creative, so she decided to blend the creativity that flowed in her with her analytical skills and that led to the start of Taja Collection.In this week's episode, Annabelle DeGrazio, founder of Taja Collection, a Florida candle company, shares why she doesn't have a business plan, her must-have resources for businesses, why she loves Instagram, and so much more. "So I said, 'You know what, let me try it out. I have my law degree, I passed the bar, I have everything I need. I can always come back to this.' And I haven't had to come back. And it's been five years." - Annabelle DeGrazioThis week on Startups in Stilettos:Annabelle shares how Taja started (1:22)Annabelle shares if Taja has a business plan (3:15)What marketing looked like in the beginning of Taja (7:38)Annabelle talks about her hiring process (10:00)Annabelle shares the benefits she offers her employees (12:43)How to find interns and new hires through Instagram (16:07)Annabelle, Stephanie, and Jessica talk about marketing strategies (17:35)Resources Mentioned:20% off discount code - ENTREPRENISTA20QuickBooksShopifySalesforceKlaviyoAttentivePaychexJazzHROur Favorite Quotes:"I've always had that entrepreneurial spirit. But once the idea came about, I couldn't get it out of my mind. And it was something I needed. So I said, 'You know what, let me try it out.'" - Annabelle DeGrazio"I'm able to offer a 401k and be able to offer health benefits, which was really important to me, because I don't want to have a revolving door. I really treat everyone at the company like they're in my family because this is. So I really want to make it advantageous to them." - Annabelle DeGrazio"Google is the best resource out there and it's free." - Annabelle DeGrazioConnect with Annabelle DeGrazio:Annabelle DeGrazio on InstagramAnnabelle DeGrazio on LinkedInTajaCollection.comTaja Collection on InstagramTaja Collection on LinkedInConnect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:Stephanie Cartin on InstagramStephanie Cartin on LinkedInJessica Abo on InstagramJessica Abo on LinkedInLearn more about Jessica Abo hereGet Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you,

Picture this: You love art. You're an artist and you work in the art world. Then you leave your job to start an art business. A pandemic comes about, rocks the world, and explodes your business overnight. What would you do? For this week's guest, that's exactly what happened. This week we hear from Alix Greenberg, founder of Art Sugar, a company that strives to bring art to the everyday person. In this episode, Alix shares what caused her to start Art Sugar, how Covid actually helped her business, how to find the perfect investor, and so much more. "I realized there wasn't a great accessible place for people to buy art at a certain price point where the artwork looked cool and on trend. So I wanted to create that." - Alix GreenbergThis week on Startups in Stilettos:Alix shares how and why she started her company, Art Sugar (1:09)Where the name 'Art Sugar' came from (3:17)How Covid exploded Art Sugar overnight (5:34)Alix talks about how to raise capital for a business (9:24)The apps that help Alix run Art Sugar (10:30)Alix talks with Jessica and Stephanie about pivoting off of Instagram (11:34)Are discount codes worth it? (15:01)What is next for Alix and Art Sugar (17:05)Resources Mentioned:ShopifyKlaviyoAttentiveStampedFoursixtyOur Favorite Quotes:"​​Overnight, the business grew 80%. And I was like, 'What the hell is going on?'" - Alix Greenberg"And it's like everything I always wanted happened overnight. And I took everything to heart. If a customer didn't like something, it was just, like, so painful." - Alix Greenberg"I think people were stuck inside and wanted to make their homes really happy. Everything on the site, pretty much, is in that category. You know, it's sort of like, elevated, but joyful." - Alix GreenbergConnect with Alix Greenberg:Art Sugar on InstagramArt Sugar's WebsiteAlix@artsugar.coConnect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:Stephanie Cartin on InstagramStephanie Cartin on LinkedInJessica Abo on InstagramJessica Abo on LinkedInLearn more about Jessica Abo hereGet Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Ever run into a problem that you just know there has to be a solution for, only to find out there really isn't? If you're like most Entreprenistas, maybe you decide just to create the solution yourself. Most people freeze with analysis paralysis, not Julie Stevens.  This week's guest is Julie Stevens, founder and CEO of the pre-made cocktail company, BeTini. Julie shares how her business was born out of hosting necessity, how she just dove in, and why she thinks it's important to choose your team wisely. She also shares what it feels like to be one of the only women in the room and how she made sure her voice was heard. "I wanted to have really yummy, proper cocktails, that you could just chill and pour and spend more time bonding with your friends. So that's where the brand came out of." - Julie StevensThis week on Startups in Stilettos:Julie shares what it's like to be a female founder in a male-dominated industry (3:12)What Julie was doing before starting BeTini (5:36)Julie discusses the early challenges BeTini faced (6:28)The importance of PR to Julie (8:59)The reason for BeTini's design (12:22)Julie, Stephanie, and Jessica share tips for engagement on social media (13:59) Resources Mentioned:SmartSheetBeTini discount code: ENTREPRENISTA - 10% off valid through to September 6thOur Favorite Quotes:"When you create something and you put it out to the world, it's like a little piece of your soul that you're putting out there, right? And to have someone reject it over and over is kind of soul-crushing. So I highly recommend finding a good person who's willing to just, you know, field all of those and only tell you about the wins." - Julie Stevens "I'm very competent, my design skills. That's my expertise. I know that I can bring forth packaging that will attract attention. And then if you fill it with something yummy, it's a win-win, and people will pick it up because it's pretty and they'll buy it again if it's good." - Julie Stevens"I'm not sure I was even smart enough to think it through that far. I just kind of went for it." - Julie StevensConnect with Julie Stevens:BeTini Spirits Website BeTini on InstagramConnect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:Stephanie Cartin on InstagramStephanie Cartin on LinkedInJessica Abo on InstagramJessica Abo on LinkedInLearn more about Jessica Abo hereGet Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders 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, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart Radio