Behind Her Empire

Eva Yazhari is the seasoned investor, entrepreneur, author, and CEO of Beyond Capital, an early-stage impact investment fund that is dedicated to improving lives and helping create access to basic goods and services. Eva started her career going up the ranks in Wall Street and working alongside top hedge fund managers in NY. Although she was thriving in her position and enjoyed investing, Eva felt like she wasn’t making a big impact in her life and was yearning to find meaning & purpose. This led her into the world of impact investing and becoming more aware of living, both personal and professional, in a way that aligns with her values. In the broad-ranging interview, we’ll talk to Eva about how to find meaning in the work you do, steps to find your purpose, what impact investing is, and how you can incorporate it in your day to day life. Eva shares her business insights with us as well; what she looks for in the people and businesses she invests in. We also touch on steps to getting over perfectionism, the importance of having an abundance mindset, and how we can carry these values forth with us in the world. In this episode, we’ll talk to Eva about:* How Eva’s upbringing and the values she learned when she was younger impact her today. [2:02]* The role that Eva’s grandfather, an adventure-loving doctor, played in her life. [5:12]* The core attributes that underpin the work that Eva currently does. [8:15]* Eva’s experience on Wall Street; what she loved and some of the challenges. [9:06]* The first steps Eva took towards a more fulfilling professional path. [12:31]* Work Eva has had to do around prioritizing and distilling her values. [14:04]* What having an abundance mindset means to Eva, and how she lives it. [16:43]* Some of the mistakes that are occurring in mainstream investing. [20:06]* How to get conventional investors on board with social investing ideas. [22:02]* What inspired Eva to write her book, The Good Your Money Can Do. [23:10]* Key things that stand out to Eva when looking to invest in a business. [28:25]* The traits that Eva believes make businesses sustainable. [32:04]* Standout characteristics that Eva looks for in leaders she’s investing in. [34:44]* How Eva approaches self-care with everything she has on her plate. [36:22]* What toxic mother culture is and how Eva avoids it. [38:15]* There is so much shame around women getting help behind the scenes. [40:29]* Work should feel good and it’s fine to enjoy what you do. [42:50]* How Eva has managed to overcome perfectionism in her life and career. [44:26]Follow Eva: * Website: https://www.evayazhari.com/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consciousinvestor/ * The Good Your Money Can Do: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Your-Money-Can-Conscious/dp/154450991XFollow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/Additional Resources: * Dare to Lead: https://daretolead.brenebrown.com/* The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: https://www.amazon.com/15-Commitments-Conscious-Leadership-Sustainable-ebook/dp/B00R3MHWUE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamila Souffrant is the founder and CEO of the popular financial blog and podcast, Journey to Launch, where she shares her journey to reach financial independence while helping others do the same. Is this really what you want to do for the rest of your life? This was the question that Jamila asked herself a few years ago on a four-hour commute from Brooklyn to New Jersey for work while she was pregnant with her first child. This sparked an “Aha!" moment for her that led her down the path of learning how to gain financial independence with the goal of retiring early on her own terms. Jamila has now become a go-to financial thought leader in the personal finance space and is passionate about helping others reach financial freedom in an easy and attainable way. She has been featured in notable media outlets such as Money Magazine, CNBC, CBS, Business Insider, and more. In this episode, Jamila talks about her Jamaican heritage and how being raised by a young single parent shaped her view on finances. She shares the story of how she went from an unfulfilling job in corporate America to finding the courage she needed to step out on her own, explains her original goal of reaching financial independence by 40, and how this has evolved over the years, as well as what financial freedom really means to her. She also reflects on some of the common mistakes people make with their money, the importance of having a good money mindset, and how anyone can start taking steps in their life to achieve financial freedom.In this episode, we’ll talk to Jamila about:* Hear about Jamila’s upbringing and how being raised by a single parent shaped her view of finances. [2:20]* Jamila shares her journey: how she switched careers and took ownership of her finances. [4:42]* What Jamila learned from the side hustles she had along the way. [7:33]* How binging on financial podcasts helped her shift her mindset and enabled her to change careers. [9:02]* Her initial goal to reach financial independence by 40 and how she defines financial independence now. [10:35]* How her goal shifted from being about money to being about freedom and flexibility. [11:31]* The importance of having the right money mindset. [14:07]* When Jamila realized that Journey to Launch could be a successful business. [17:29]* The importance of networking with others in the space. [19:11]* The importance of consistency and perseverance. [21:06]* Why you should focus on your own journey and not compare it with anyone else’s. [21:45]* How she knew she had something to offer: find something that’s missing and create it. [24:37]* How Jamila grew her business through consistency, collaborations, community, and media, as well as sharing her own journey. [26:27]* The greatest challenge she faced in the early days and how she overcame it: watching the money depleting faster than her income was growing. [29:56]* Some of the common mistakes people make with their money. [33:39]* How Jamila defines success now and what the next steps are for her business. [37:31]* How she juggles her high-growth business and being a mom of three. [38:50]* Jamila’s self-care rituals and how she supports her mental health. [40:29]* What she’s proud of that people may not know: her Jamaican heritage and showing Jamaican girls, Black girls, and women in general what is possible. [41:43]Follow Jamila:* Journey to Launch: https://journeytolaunch.com/ * Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamilasouffrant * Journey to Launch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeytolaunch/ Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Loren Ridinger is the Co-Founder of internet retailing giants, Shop.Com and Market America.Although Loren is now recognized as an internet mogul who has changed the face of the beauty and e-commerce industries over the past two decades, her life started with very humble beginnings. She moved to Greensboro, NC at a young age, worked in retail when she was sixteen, and at eighteen, Loren and her husband, JR, took a chance on their dream to make it easy for people to shop online at a time when most people didn’t even have computers in their home. Twenty-nine years later, their companies Market America and Shop.com generate over a billion dollars in annual sales and serve more than 10 million customers. The company is still headquartered in Greensboro, NC, and is quite global with offices in nine other countries. Loren also founded the award-winning cosmetics line Motives and is recognized for her work in publications like Forbes, Elle, and Vogue, where she was included in their 100 Most Influential Women issue. In today’s episode, we dig into the top five themes that will allow anyone to be successful with their dreams: 1) importance of belief & visualization, 2) being your true, authentic self, 3) having the right people around you, 4) goal setting the 'right' way, and 5) always doing the hard things first. In this episode, we’ll talk to Loren about:* The importance of women sticking together and supporting each other. [2:40]* How Loren’s mother profoundly influenced her life. [3:48]* Building a business with a baby; challenges and how Loren dealt with them. [6:22]* What Loren learned from her mom and dad’s different styles of parenting. [8:46]* Why Loren did the training to become a flight attendant. [10:26]* The importance of deciding what you want to do with your life and not letting anyone else decide that for you. [12:15]* Where the inspiration for Loren and her husband’s businesses, SHOP.com and Market America, came from. [14:00]* Barriers that Loren and JR faced when starting to build their businesses. [15:52]* The process that Loren went through to make sure that she was surrounded by the right people, and her “mental vacation” philosophy. [19:02]* Traits that are essential in people who Loren allows into her tribe. [23:17]* Why Loren doesn’t make New Year's resolutions. [24:26]* How Loren manages her time and ensures that she is sticking to her goals. [26:30]* Loren’s drive to be constantly learning, and ways she does this. [30:21]* Assign dates to your goals, and why Loren thinks about her weeks in goals, not days. [31:23]* Stepping out of your comfort zone is essential to success; it’s actually more uncomfortable inside the box than outside of it. [35:58]* A major issue that Loren experienced with her health and how she dealt with it; faith over fear [42:19]* Ways that Loren balances her work life and her family life; although she is adamant about the fact that everyone is different and there is no magic formula. [50:27]Follow Loren:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenridinger/* Market America: https://www.marketamerica.com/* SHOP.com: https://www.shop.com/* Motives Cosmetics: https://www.motivescosmetics.com/ Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Divya Gugnani is the CEO and Co-Founder of Wander Beauty, a clean, cruelty-free beauty brand that creates multitasking, beauty essentialsDivya began her career in the world of finance and has extensive experience in investment banking, private equity, and venture capital. She calls herself an “accidental entrepreneur” and eventually left finance to pursue her newfound passion as an entrepreneur. After co-founding multiple businesses with two successful exits, and having two children, Divya found her former beauty rituals tossed to the wayside as she became more time-starved than ever. Balancing a thriving career and motherhood, Divya realized there were no beauty brands speaking directly to her - a woman who loves beauty and maintains a fast-paced lifestyle. That’s when Divya’s fourth business, Wander Beauty, was born. With 30+ beauty awards in six years, including Allure Best of Beauty Awards, Wander Beauty has become a favorite of editors, influencers, and customers alike. Celebrity devotees include Heidi Klum, Emma Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker, Molly Sims, and more.We’ll chat with Divya about the challenges that come with being an entrepreneur, common mistakes that she sees other entrepreneurs making, her biggest learnings over the years (both personal and professional), and why relationships are the most important element in business and life. In this episode, we’ll talk to Divya about:* The event which led to Divya’s dad becoming an entrepreneur and why her dad’s experiences put her off entrepreneurship. [3:12]* Why Divya’s mother took her to a yogi clinic in India when she was little, and how meditation changed her life. [6:12]* What Divya learned in her first job that she has carried with her throughout her life. [08:12]* Why Divya decided to go back to business school and self fund an MBA, and what she gained from the experience. [9:53]* The curiosity that led Divya into the world of entrepreneurship, even though she loved her finance job. [11:37]* Challenges that Divya experienced during her first entrepreneurial stint and why she now doesn’t mix her personal and business relationships. [13:50]* Reasons that Divya’s first solo business was not able to scale, and why she believes it would be a success today. [15:23]* Driving forces behind Divya’s second venture; intelligent shopping recommendation technology. [16:58]* The realization Divya had just after giving birth to her second child in the space of two years. [22:03]* Upsides and downsides of working from home while starting Wander Beauty. [23:07]* Personal experiences that inspired the creation of Wander Beauty, and what the brand provides to the people who use it. [23:38]* Divya’s relationship with her business partner, Lindsey, and how their skill sets complement one another. [24:43]* How Wander Beauty differentiates itself from other beauty brands. [26:22]* Early days of hustling for the small Wander Beauty team, and how this paid off. [28:34]* Advice on fundraising; raise what you need plus a little bit more. [30:03]* Constant difficulties that CEOs face, and the number one way to alleviate them. [31:45]* Divya’s mindset when it comes to balancing her work life, family life, and personal life. [33:40]* A common mistake that Divya often sees entrepreneurs make, and her suggestion for a better way to do things. [35:32]Follow Divya: * Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dgugnani/ * Wander Beauty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wander_beauty/ * Wander Beauty Website: https://www.wanderbeauty.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/Behind Her Empire Featured Entrepreneur: * Lia Lee, founder of UNLIT, a plant-based adaptogen recovery drink that helps to relieve your hangover symptoms.* Learn more about UNLIT: https://unlit.co/ * Follow UNLIT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getunlit/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine McCord is the co-founder/CEO of One Potato, an organic family-friendly meal delivery service, and founder of Weelicious, a website dedicated to helping parents expose their children to wholesome, delicious homemade food.Throughout the 90s, Catherine was considered one of the world’s top supermodels, posing for the cover of Vogue, walking the runway for Donna Karen and Calvin Klein, and appearing in movies that included Matt Damon, The Rock, and Jennifer Anniston. But then, 9/11 happened. Catherine was living in New York City and her perspective on life changed instantly. Although her career was soaring, she realized life was too short and wanted to follow her passion for food.After graduating from culinary school, Catherine had her first son, who experienced health issues from a sensitive stomach. Although she could cook a four-star meal, she had no idea how to cook for her child and realized that this was a common occurrence for mothers. She began playing around with different recipes and decided to start her blog, Weelicious, to document her journey, build community as a new mother, and share her recipe ideas. Fast forward to today, Weelicious has grown into a widely popular health and lifestyle brand, three cookbooks, and her most recent venture, One Potato, the first organic home meal delivery kit, which has grown over 200% in the past year.We’ll chat with Catherine about how she pivoted her career, from model to serial entrepreneur, the importance of building a community when launching your brand, and how she manages to build her empire while also being a mother to three young kids. In this episode, we’ll talk to Catherine about: * Hear about Catherine’s upbringing and how it influenced her perspective on food. [2:42]* What it was like being both an international model and an ordinary high school student. [4:30]* How her understanding of money has evolved; how she learned the gift of saving. [7:37]* How the tragedy of 9/11 helped Catherine realize her passion for food. [9:35]* Catherine’s experience of being a woman in the male-dominated restaurant industry. [11:51]* Her next steps towards starting a blog (and a family). [12:53]* Advice for entrepreneurs that are just starting out: don’t be afraid to ask for advice! [14:52]* When Catherine realized that she had a marketable idea and built a business. [16:15]* She outlines the process of writing her first cookbook, starting with leaning into the expertise of other authors. [17:24]* Learn how Catherine lets her children lead through her companies. [20:12]* Find out where it was in her journey with Weelicious that One Potato came to life. [21:31]* The value of finding the right partner, aligning your values, and creating a community around the launch of your brand. [24:16]* Using word of mouth to market One Potato when they didn’t have any funding. [25:28]* Advice for entrepreneurs looking to build a community: be authentic, start with just two social media platforms, and share your passion. [27:19]* Approach fundraising as a definite strategy and a learned skill that takes practice. [34:15]* Catherine cautions against taking it personally when investors don’t “get” your product. [40:38]* Her advice for dealing with rejection, starting with knowing your audience. [0:41:39]* The biggest mistake Catherine sees entrepreneurs making: thinking they will be wildly successful in two years or less. [48:17]Follow Catherine: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weelicious/ * Weelicious Website: https://www.weelicious.com/ * One Potato Website: https://onepotato.com/ Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/Behind Her Empire Featured Entrepreneur: * Niloofar Mirani, founder of Niloofar, a snack company with a mission to introduce Persian cuisine and culture.* Learn more about Niloofar: https://www.niloofarmix.com/* Follow Niloofar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niloofarmix/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Iman Abuzeid is the CEO and co-founder of Incredible Health, a digital platform that helps streamline the hiring process for nurses and recruiting hospitals.Iman was heavily influenced to take risks from a young age, as she saw both of her grandfathers make an impact through their businesses in Sudan. However, entrepreneurship seemed to skip a generation and, when her father became an ENT surgeon, she and her brothers followed in his footsteps. Halfway through med school, Iman realized that she didn’t want to be a practitioner. She wanted to take the skills she had learned into the corporate world. After receiving her MBA and getting some consulting experience under her belt, she decided to leave Silicon Valley and make her own mark on the world. After a failed venture with her first startup, she pivoted quickly and that’s when Incredible Health was born.Today, Incredible Health is used by hundreds of hospitals across the US and has raised $17 million from top-tier firms like Andreessen Horowitz to fuel its mission. In today’s episode, Iman shares how she navigated multiple career pivots, from originally wanting to become a medical doctor to coming up with a new business idea after her first didn’t succeed, how she approached the fundraising process and brought in reputable investors, and the key advice she gives all founders when they’re looking to pivot from their corporate job to follow their passion.In this episode, we’ll talk to Iman about: * Hear more about Iman’s childhood, from Sudan to Saudi Arabia to the US. [2:35]* When the entrepreneurial itch started and the greater impact Iman wanted to make. [3:30]* Why she decided to pursue an MBA and go the Silicon Valley route once she graduated from medical school. [4:27]* How this decision to completely change careers was received by her family. [6:30]* The different perceptions of risk that might motivate you to make a career pivot. [7:35]* Iman’s advice for those considering a pivot: think about where you want to end up. [8:09]* Some of the benefits of business school, including the credibility it lends you. [10:16]* Find out why having a broad, reliable network is key as an entrepreneur. [12:38]* What joining an early stage startup taught Iman about technology and launching a product. [13:40]* Hear more about her first entrepreneurial venture and what she learned from failing. [15:13]* Why Iman believes that founders should invest heavily in ideation before execution. [17:23]* Iman describes what the process of ideating Incredible Health looked like. [20:42]* How they convinced hospitals to come on board using unique insight and hustle. [21:51]* Why fundraising is a skill to be built and improved; the value of narrative. [26:22]* Rejection is something entrepreneurs need to get accustomed to; the importance of creating tactics to deal with it. [28:44]* Iman also emphasizes the importance of really selling your vision; be ambitious! [30:57]* A framework for pivoting to your passion: start with the end game in mind and optimize cash, lifestyle, or skills and learning. [33:48]* The challenges COVID presented for her business and how she overcame them. [37:13]* Iman reflects on the need for rapid adjustment at the beginning of the pandemic. [40:20]Follow Incredible Health: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/incrediblehealth/ * Website: https://www.incrediblehealth.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/Behind Her Empire Featured Entrepreneur: * Amira Polack, founder of Struct Club, a mobile app that provides instructors with software that simplifies planning and coaching a class.* Learn more about Struct Club: https://www.structclub.com/ * Follow Amira on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amirapolack/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Joan Rosenberg is an expert psychologist, best-selling author, and founder of Emotional Mastery & Emotional Mastery Training.After three decades, tens of thousands of hours of clinical practice, and ten years of neuroscience research, Dr. Rosenberg is recognized for her thought leadership and approach that radically changes people’s lives. In our conversation together, we unpack how our inability to move through and handle unpleasant feelings, such as sadness, shame, helplessness, anger, embarrassment, disappointment, frustration, and vulnerability, is a massive component of what blocks people from success. Once we learn how to deal with our overwhelming or uncomfortable feelings, we begin to build the self-confidence, emotional strength, and resilience we need to lead a highly successful and fulfilling life. Dr. Rosenberg is a professor of graduate psychology at Pepperdine University and is a two-time TEDx speaker with her videos garnering over millions of views. She’s also been seen on CNN’s American Morning, the OWN network, and PBS, as well as appearances and radio interviews in all of the major metropolitan markets. Her latest book, 90 Seconds to a Life You Love: How to Master Your Difficult Feelings to Cultivate Lasting Confidence, Resilience and Authenticity, was released last year.In this episode, we’ll talk to Dr. Rosenberg about:* After 30 years of experience, how to work through your unpleasant feelings and why it’s critical to live the life of your dreams [2:43]* How we should identify our emotions and never associate a “bad” or “negative” feeling around them [4:28]* Why it’s so important to feel and experience our emotions [6:50]* Dr. Rosenberg walks through her 90-second formula anyone can use to honor and move through their unpleasant feelings [9:46]* Dr. Rosenberg explains why she thinks we don’t have “anxiety” or “fear” and how we can better manage those feelings when they arise [19:14]* The importance of labeling your feelings [22:46]* Why speaking up is one of the most important things you can do to cultivate confidence, authenticity, and resilience. [25:31]* How Dr. Rosenberg defines confidence and how you can develop it. [28:44]* Dr. Rosenberg discusses why accepting compliments is crucial to our self-confidence and why self-criticism is one of the most destructive things we can do to ourselves. [33:10]* Dr. Rosenberg shares her perspective on how women speak in relation to men and why we need to make more statements on what we truly want & feel. [41:10]* Understanding the root cause of perfectionism and how we need to overcome our idealistic views. [47:04]Follow Dr. Rosenberg:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjoanrosenberg/* Website: https://drjoanrosenberg.com/* TED Talk: Grief: A Pathway to Forgiveness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UacbvBcbP34* TED Talk: Emotional Mastery: The Gifted Wisdom of Unpleasant Feelings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKy19WzkPxE * Dr. Rosenberg’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Seconds-Life-You-Love-Authenticity/dp/031641431X Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/Behind Her Empire Featured Entrepreneur: * Alexis Gamliel, founder of Gamliel Law, an elite litigation firm focused on personal injury, wrongful death, and employment matters. * Learn more about Alexis at https://gamliellaw.com and also follow her on instagram @gamliellaw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sallie Krawcheck, is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest, a digital-first investment platform working to help close the gender wealth gap by “redefining investing for women.”Sallie’s professional mission is to help women reach their financial and professional goals… or as she says to get more money in the hands of women. She’s definitely on her way as Ellevest recently announced they have $1Bn under management. Before launching Ellevest in 2016, Sallie was one of the highest-ranked women ever to have worked on Wall Street: She was the CEO of Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, US Trust, the Citi Private Bank, and Sanford C. Bernstein. She was also CFO for Citigroup. Prior to that, Sallie was a top-ranked research analyst covering the securities industry.Sallie is widely recognized as one of the most influential women in business. She has been recognized by Inc. as a "Top Female Founder", called "The Last Honest Analyst" by Fortune magazine, and was named the seventh most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. We’ll chat with Sallie about her journey leaving her small hometown to high-powered positions in Wall Street, how she dealt with two public firings and the many career pivots that led her to start Ellevest. We'll also discuss why women need to talk more about money and start investing in order to close the gender wealth gap. In this episode, we’ll talk to Sallie about:* What Sallie’s childhood, growing up in a small town in the South, was like. [2:31]* Sallie’s experience of school, difficulties she faced, and how this made her resilient. [3:50]* The impact that being bullied had on Sallie’s will to succeed in life. [4:47]* How Sallie landed in investment banking after going to school for journalism. [5:41]* The shame and guilt Sallie felt around hating a career she thought she wanted. [8:05]* How Sallie carved out time to find out what she truly wanted to do with her life. [9:09]* Why a research analyst position was a catalytic moment in Sallie’s career. [11:10]* Dealing with rejection and the power of a growth mindset to keep pushing. [12:50]* Sallie’s take on why being a woman on Wall Street helped her in many ways. [14:15]* What happens when women are seen to be looking for power and attention. [15:42]* Sallie’s two public firings and the lessons she learned from both of them. [17:53]* How Sallie, whose identity was attached to her career, dealt with being fired. [21:10]* The realization that Sallie came to before she founded Ellevest. [22:30]* Women have been socialized into believing men are better at money. [26:28]* The stress that comes with running your own business and the loneliness you face. [27:42]* How Sallie led her team, many of whom have never been in a recession, through the pandemic. [29:05]* Sallie’s experience raising funds for Ellevest and why it differed from other startups. [33:49]* What Sallie wishes they had done differently in her company. [37:00]* The value of networking and why women need to do a better job of it. [38:06]* Some first steps women who have not invested can take to get started. [40:58]* If you feel nervous about investing, start small and watch what happens. [46:08]* Why Sallie does not like the idea that women have to strive for work-life balance. [47:03]* We need to normalize failures because striving to be perfect puts extra pressure on women. [52:39]* The reason that men are better at taking risks, according to Sallie. [54:07]* What wealth means to Sallie at this point in her life. [55:36]Follow Sallie:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallie.krawcheck* Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellevest/* Website: https://www.ellevest.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelle Cordeiro Grant is the founder & CEO of LIVELY, a community and brand that inspires women to live passionately and purposefully through experiences and products like bras, bralettes, undies, and so much more. Michelle grew up with immigrant parents, thinking she wanted to become a doctor or a lawyer, but her true passion lay in working with products and building brands. At the end of a long and extremely successful career at brands like Victoria’s Secret, Michelle came to the realization that the $13 billion lingerie category was being dominated by a single brand and had a very narrow point of view.This led her to go out on her own and create LIVELY with the goal of being a brand that strived to reflect real, authentic, everyday women like herself, who craved the feeling of being confident and comfortable. Michelle launched LIVELY in 2016 and has since opened four stores and fostered a network of over 140,000 brand ambassadors. She grew the business from its concept stage to a recent $100 million acquisition in just three years, beating the odds that many female-founded companies face. In this episode, you’ll hear from Michelle as she describes the tactical steps she took to leave her career and build a company that she was passionate about, what it takes to build a brand from concept to acquisition, and how she built a community of 140,000 ambassadors.In this episode, we’ll talk to Michelle about:* Learn more about Michelle’s childhood in an immigrant family in rural Pennsylvania. [3:11]* Why Michelle says that being unique is a superpower and it should be celebrated. [5:14]* How her early days in corporate America informed her decision to create her own brand. [6:57]* Hear about her ‘aha’ moment; not wanting to choose between a family or a career. [8:38]* The resistance she encountered during that transition and what it taught her about applying the fundamentals she had learned in corporate. [10:48]* What Michelle’s turning point was before starting a brand in the ‘Leisurée' category. [12:10]* The driving force behind pursuing this passion: building something totally different. [13:52]* Find out when Michelle decided to leave her career and go all in on building LIVELY. [14:09]* Michelle talks about the list she created of all the things she didn’t know and her advice for other entrepreneurs facing uncertainty. [16:08]* What it looked like to create a community by building a brand and not a corporation. [18:00]* How an email marketing strategy inspired by Harry’s launched the company. [20:36]* Learn why Michelle thinks the email referral program was so successful; the emotional hook that drew women to the brand. [23:27]* The strategy behind building a community of 140,000 ambassadors; finding women that demonstrated the same values as the brand. [25:43]* Michelle shares her experience of fundraising for LIVELY while pregnant with her son. [30:12]* Pushing through anxiety as a first-time founder and defying the odds by doing it differently. [33:58]* Find out about LIVELY’s growth trajectory; when they started to focus on retention. [36:23]* Engaging with the community to dictate product pipeline; launching a swimwear line. [37:40]* Building a business from concept to acquisition wasn’t about the exit; it was about building a strong, long-lasting, and viable brand. [39:30]* Michelle tells the story of Wacoal, the Japanese company that acquired LIVELY. [43:00]* Her advice for living in beta; the more risks you take, the better you’ll be at taking risks. [44:29]Follow Michelle: * Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_michellegrant* LIVELY Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearlively/* LIVELY Website: https://www.wearlively.comFollow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of barre3, a fitness company focused on teaching people to be balanced in body and empowered from within.Sadie was climbing up the ranks, working alongside the founder of 24-hour fitness for over a decade, and realized she was in a crisis when she got pregnant with her first daughter. Despite being financially successful, happily married, and living in the dream house she always wanted, both Sadie and her husband felt broken & empty inside and were longing for a sense of fulfillment and happiness. The couple decided to sell everything they had and move to Portland, with their two young kids, to pursue their dreams of launching their own business. They opened their first barre3 flagship studio in 2008, and 13 years later, the company has grown to include more than 175 franchise studios powered by female entrepreneurs, plus an online-workout subscriber base in over 98 countries. What started as a workout has blossomed into a full-blown movement made up of millions of people focused on body positivity, being empowered, and redefining what success in fitness means.We’ll chat with Sadie about how she managed to start her business with kids (and why childcare is part of their business model), how embracing her unconventional upbringing allowed her to dream big and be a risk-taker, and why she’s committed to empowering women to feel good in their bodies and live a truly authentic & fulfilling life. In this episode, we’ll talk to Sadie about:* Sadie opens up about her unconventional childhood and upbringing. [3:24] * How Sadie’s upbringing and being around empowered women helped her thrive as an entrepreneur. [7:02] * Sadie’s relationship with money and how it’s impacted her today. [7:44] * Sadie opens up about her education and what it felt like to not be “conventionally” smart at school [9:06] * Sadie’s decision to move to L.A. and the one job that changed the trajectory of her life. [10:43] * Why Sadie ultimately chose to pursue a path of education; learning is empowering. [12:22] * Sadie’s experience at 24 Hour Fitness and her big takeaway from her time at the company. [14:20] * The importance of advocating for what you are worth. [17:12] * Sadie’s silent struggle with chronic pain and body image during her time at 24 Hour Fitness. [17:24] * How being pregnant helped Sadie become attuned with her body and the ‘aha moment’ that laid the foundation for barre3. [18:40] * What prompted Sadie and her husband, who was also struggling emotionally, to leave their stable jobs. [0:21:32] * How much money Chris and Sadie put into the business and the sacrifices they made as a family. [24:10] * The early days of barre3, starting out giving free classes above a natural food shop. [25:03] * The inspiration and fulfillment Sadie felt once they set up the first studio. [26:50] * How Sadie dealt with almost reaching burnout in the early days when she was doing everything to get the business off the ground. [29:21] * What happened when Sadie’s brand exploded and why this led to her feeling empty again. [33:37] * People were drawn to varre3 because it was authentic and the community pushed back when they became more “mainstream”. [36:27] * How Sadie views the company’s success and why she didn’t build it to sell. [38:40] * The rituals that Sadie relies on to keep her grounded and empowered. [45:17] * Advice for women entrepreneurs who might feel afraid to take the leap. [47:02] * We do not have to be afraid to ask for help as women. [48:35] Follow Sadie:* Sadie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadielincoln* barre3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barre3/ * barre3 Website: https://barre3.com/References:* Modernist Financial: https://modernistfinancial.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.