Behind Her Empire

In today’s mini-episode, we’re talking about the realities of managing both motherhood and your career.The fundamental question that many women uniquely ask themselves is: Can I still be successful and pursue my desires of being a mother & building a family? The short answer is yes, but there is so much to dig into on this.I’ve specifically picked two incredible entrepreneurs to expand on the topic of why balance is BS especially when it comes to women, motherhood, and their careers. Today’s mini-episode features Shilpa Shah, the founder of the direct-to-consumer luxury fashion brand, Cuyana, and Daina Trout, the founder of the popular kombucha brand, Health-Ade Kombucha.Both Shilpa and Daina share their top advice they would give their younger self or any woman who is thinking about building both their family and empire.* Shilpa Shah’s full episode: https://www.behindherempire.com/episode/shilpa-shah* Daina Trout’s full episode: https://www.behindherempire.com/episode/daina-troutFollow 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.

Laureen Asseo is the Founder and CEO of Fresh n' Lean, the largest organic prepared meal delivery service in the US. She was only 18 years old in 2010 when she founded the company out of her one-bedroom apartment, all while attending the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. She had always dreamed of being an entrepreneur, and actually had goals for establishing her own sustainable fashion brand, but her journey took a turn when her father faced serious health problems after years of poor eating habits and inactivity.Desperate to help him reverse the damage, she started cooking for him and formulated a business plan in the process: make eating well a no-brainer for people who lack the time or desire to prepare healthy meals. She started creating recipes and cooking & delivering meals herself. The business grew rapidly and over the past three years, Fresh n’ Lean has recorded revenue growth of more than 500%, has a team of 400+ employees, and is generating over $100 million in revenue without any outside funding. We’ll talk to Laureen about what it takes to build a business as a young woman in an industry largely dominated by men, how she dealt with the many naysayers who thought her idea was absolutely impossible, and the biggest lessons she’s learned over the past decade running her company. In this episode, we’ll talk to Laureen about:* Hear about Laureen’s childhood and how it influenced her love for food and culture. [02:27]* Find out how it was always her childhood dream to have her own business. [4:47]* Laureen shares the story of when her journey pivoted as her father’s health declined. [7:25]* What the early days of meal prepping for her father looked like for Laureen. [9:35]* How Laureen felt when she graduated without a fashion brand and why she doesn’t regret the choices she made. [10:49]* What motivated her to forge on with building a company without any outside capital. [13:47]* Educating her customers on this disruptive idea of buying prepared meals online. [16:35]* Some of the tactics that helped Laureen grow demand for her product, including word of mouth and demos. [18:54]* Supporting the development of her self-funded business by focusing on scalability. [21:32]* Hear Laureen’s perspective of being a young, woman CEO in manufacturing; how she overcame certain challenges. [26:34]* How doubt and criticism for her business impacted her when she was younger versus now. [32:31]* Laureen speaks candidly about her own health and how she prioritizes a work-life balance. [35:47]* Mistakes and challenges she learned from in the past decade of Fresh n’ Lean. [40:16]* You have to do it in order to know it won’t work; don’t be afraid of making mistakes! [40:47]* Some of the horrible advice Laureen received during her entrepreneurial journey. [43:35]* Laureen’s advice for entrepreneurs: don’t always listen to what big executives have to say about your business. [40:47]Follow Laureen: Laureen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laureenasseo/Fresh n’ Lean’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshnlean/ Fresh n’ Lean Website: https://www.freshnlean.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.

In today’s mini-episode, we’re talking about imposter syndrome - something we all deal with, including many of the successful, self-made women I’ve interviewed on the podcast. I’m excited to share some advice from three of our most popular interviews to help you overcome imposter syndrome and stop feeling like a fraud. * Lee Mayer’s full episode: https://www.behindherempire.com/episode/lee-mayer* Suzy Batiz’s full episode: https://www.behindherempire.com/episode/suzy-batiz* Keren Eldad’s full episode: https://www.behindherempire.com/episode/keren-eldadFollow 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.

Jordan Salcito is an award-winning sommelier and founder of RAMONA, a delicious organic wine spritzer made with high-quality standards.Jordan began her career in New York as a hostess before becoming a prep cook, sommelier, manager, and eventually, the Wine & Beverage Director at David Chang’s Momofuku restaurants. She is also a 5-time James Beard Award semi-finalist and was named “Most Creative in the World” by World of Fine Wine magazine.  The idea for RAMONA came to life when Jordan became unexpectedly pregnant with her first son and realized she wanted to take control of her own life. She always had dreams of creating an organic wine beverage that everyone could enjoy at a good price point. Her wine spritzers have been spotted in the hands of many celebrities from Kanye West, Alicia Keys to P Diddy and are also loved by critics and consumers for it’s beautifully packaged design and commitment to high-quality organic ingredients. RAMONA is distributed nationwide at Whole Foods, directly on their website, along with independent retail chains and restaurants across the U.S.We’ll talk to Jordan about how she pivoted her career from wanting to be a writer to then a wine expert, why she walked away from certain business ventures to follow her instincts and taking advantage of opportunities even when the odds are against you. In this episode, we’ll talk to Jordan about:* Jordan discusses how her parents instilled a strong value system and work ethic for herself and her siblings [2:57]* Aspiring to be a writer, Jordan moves to NYC and takes a job as a hostess to make ends meet - a moment she was “mentally unprepared for” [6:32]* Why Jordan decided to go to culinary school and how her externship at NYC’s iconic French restaurants, Daniel, changed the trajectory of her career [12:20]* What it was like to be one of the only women in the kitchen & how she proved herself and went against everyone’s expectations [17:14]* Jordan discusses how she fell into the world of wine and developed a deep passion [19:58] * Why Jordan decided to become a Master Sommelier (one of the most difficult and prestigious titles you can receive in the wine world) [28:30]* After years of studying and preparing for the Master Sommelier exams, Jordan shares her thoughts and frustrations with not passing [31:43]* How she dealt with the failure of not passing the exam & why a few words from Beyonce shifted her mindset on how she thought about her goals and next steps. [37:14]* Why failing her exam and getting unexpectedly pregnant was the experience she needed to take the risk and start her business, RAMONA [42:27]* Why Jordan walked away from business ventures with discriminatory practices against women and legal lessons she learned along the way [46:07]* When Jordan decided to fundraise for her business and the importance of knowing your numbers and having an authentic story when meeting with investors [51:26]Follow Jordan:* Jordan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordansalcito/ * RAMONA’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkramona/ * Website: https://www.drinkramona.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.

Keren Eldad is an acclaimed motivational speaker, leadership psychology expert, and founder of With Enthusiasm, where she provides world-class personal and professional coaching. Before becoming an internationally-recognized coach, Keren had an illustrious business career. After spending years in the world of publishing, she then founded her own marketing company, Digiluxe. Despite all of this, Keren never felt fulfilled and aligned with her purpose. It wasn’t until she hit rock bottom after a divorce, running out of money, and losing her job that she learned how to cultivate self-worth and step into her true essence and power. She believes that we should all be welcoming adversity because of the rich lessons it brings if we are simply willing to look.  Keren has worked with notable clients like LVMH, Richemont, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan Chase, and Global Fashion Group, as well as several high-profile private clients.We’ll talk to Keren about why it’s in all of our destinies to achieve greatness, the power of self-love and compassion, and what we can do to get over our blindspots. As Keren highlights, if we keep limiting ourselves, we do not get to participate in the beauty of life and it’s up to us to view life through a lens of scarcity and fear or abundance and openness. In this episode, we’ll talk to Keren about: * Keren’s childhood as the daughter of a diplomat and the experience of getting to live in different countries. [2:50]* How Keren believes we should view our childhoods. [5:12]* You cannot underestimate the influence that societal expectations and standards have on you. [6:35]* Keren’s early career and the exhaustion of chasing a dream she thought she should have. [7:53]* The Instagram-worthy life Keren was living in her early 30s that left her miserable. [10:37]* When Keren started to realize that all of her hardships were happening for her. [12:46]* We have all known the Dark Night of the Soul and it is our choice what we want to do with it. [14:14]* The story of how Keren’s world collapsed; divorce, having no money, and losing her job. [15:07]* Why reaching rock bottom was the best thing that ever happened to Keren. [17:22]* The one thing that stands between you and living a beautiful life. [19:08]* Impatience is a lack of faith; you need to surrender and trust in the universe. [21:12]* The story of how Oprah came to star in The Color Purple and what it teaches us. [22:13]* Keren’s insights into manifesting and the importance of focusing and gratitude. [24:48]* Loving yourself is the precondition to having a great life. [27:58]* How we can reframe getting our businesses off the ground when it feels like we are behind. [28:53]* Changing our perspective on how we view dating & money and the importance of being open to receiving. [29:29]* Careers are about more than a paycheck; they’re about fulfillment and self-actualization. [32:08]* Women should not be afraid to talk about making money and their desire to be financially abundant. [33:00]* How Keren’s mindset about money has changed. [34:40]* Why overachievers are more likely to suffer from imposter syndrome. [39:51]* Two strategies to help you overcome imposter syndrome. [44:23]Follow Keren:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkeren/ * Website: https://www.kereneldad.com/ Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/Books Mentioned:* The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles* Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill* You Are A Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero* The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minnie Ingersoll is an investor, co-founder, and former COO of Shift, an online marketplace for used cars. After 12 years at Google, working as a product manager and later principal with Google.org, she co-founded Shift in 2013 while she was on maternity leave. Minnie shares that she never thought she’d be a founder and in the used car industry, but the opportunity to build a business from scratch was exciting to her. Minnie took Shift from an idea to over $100 million dollars in revenue and has seen continued success with the company going public last year. After 5 years at Shift, Minnie decided to change her career once again and empower entrepreneurs as an early-stage investor at TenOneTen Ventures. We’ll chat with Minnie about how she built her emotional resilience in tough times, why communication & people are your biggest assets at work, and what truly makes a good founder when it comes to starting your own company. In this episode, we’ll talk to Minnie about: * What it was like growing up in an academic family & why she was always considered the black sheep [2:30]* Why Minnie decided to drop out of college after her first semester [4:59]* What drove Minnie to go to business school after the dot.com burst & what helped her gain confidence [8:02]* Minnie discusses her experience as an early Google employee & key learnings [11:16]* What prompted Minnie to leave her stable job during maternity leave & become a cofounder at Shift [13:58]* What motivated Minnie to start a used car business despite not being particularly interested in the industry [16:56]* Minnie talks about the early days of raising money and the initial steps the business took to prove their concept [20:46]* Why business needs to be more friendly & inclusive and how the Zoom culture we’re right now can benefit us [26:03]* Advice when it comes to interviewing based on Minnie’s experience taking Shift from 0 to 200 employees in only two years [28:15]* How to deal with difficult and uncomfortable conversations in business [34:02]* Minnie shares why burn out happens when you’re not fulfilled in your job [39:15]* The advice Minnie would give to her younger self: just chill out [41:12]* Why Minnie decided to leave Shift, move to LA, and change her career once again [43:01] * As a partner at the venture capital firm, TenOneTen, Minnie shares her advice on what makes a good founder & how to think through your pitch to investors [48:15]Follow Minnie:* Shift Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/driveshiftcars/ * TenOneTen Ventures: https://www.instagram.com/ten.one.ten/ * Shift Website: https://shift.com/ * TenOneTen Ventures: https://www.tenoneten.net/ 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.

Holly Thaggard is the founder of Supergoop!, the first and only skincare brand that is 100% dedicated to UV protection. In 2005, Holly’s life and career path completely changed when a good friend of hers was diagnosed with skin cancer. It was at this point, she realized that people weren’t taking sunscreen seriously. Holly realized that it was important for someone to make sunscreen “cool” in order to stop the epidemic of skin cancer. Leaving her career as an elementary school teacher, Holly decided to jump into the very unfamiliar world of SPF. After having a tough start by trying to sell her sunscreen into elementary schools (since that was a market she knew), Holly pivoted to retail and eventually got her product into big retailers like Sephora and Nordstrom after years of building her brand and perfecting her product. Fast forward to today, Supergoop! Is a must-have product by skincare gurus everywhere and is over $40 million in revenue. We’ll chat with Holly about what it takes to disrupt an entire category, how her musical talents helped fund her business when she had very little money, finding the right partners to support your mission, and the lessons she learned as a first-time entrepreneur. In this episode, we’ll talk to Holly about: * How growing up in an entrepreneurial family impacted Holly as an entrepreneur. [2:23]* Why Holly entered education and her experience as an elementary school teacher. [4:58]* How education is still at the core of what Holly does with Supergoop! [7:56]* How Holly’s career took a turn when her teaching contract wasn’t renewed [10:02]* Hear how the idea for Supergoop! came about, when a good friend of Holly’s was diagnosed with skin cancer. [12:14]* Learn about Holly’s love for solving problems using creativity and innovation. [14:38]* When Holly saw this opportunity to educate about sunscreen, she explains the next steps in developing her product. [16:19]* Even with no expertise in this category, Holly started asking the right questions. [18:06]* What Holly’s distribution strategy was for Supergoop!, starting with private schools. [19:41]* Learning about the business of scaling and going from trade shows to big retail. [24:54]* From meeting Roxanne Quimby of Burt’s Bees to getting product on the shelves at Sephora. [30:50]* Holly knew she was onto something when she was contacted by Elon Musk’s team. [37:26]* Holly talks about her fundraising techniques and supporting the growth of her brand. [39:25]* How Holly’s relationships with both Sephora and Nordstrom started with an impromptu trip to San Francisco. [43:19]* Holly emphasizes that it took 16 years to build the reputation Supergoop! has today. [53:09]* The importance of finding the “right” retail partners that will embrace your vision. [54:25]* Holly’s tip for entrepreneurs looking to disrupt an industry: have something unique. [55:55]* Advice for those trying to juggle family life and entrepreneurship: relish the everyday moments with your family. [58:03]Follow Holly:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollythaggard/* Supergoop! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/supergoop/* Supergoop! Website: https://supergoop.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.

Prerna Gupta is a serial entrepreneur and investor. After being at the helm of many successful startups, Prerna is now the CEO and Founder of Hooked, a company that is redefining fiction for the Snapchat generation. Hooked has over 100 million viewers across social media, a short form video streaming app called Hooked TV, and has received funding from Ashton Kutcher, Mariah Carey, LeBron James, and Jamie Foxx to name a few. As the child of Indian immigrants growing up in a conservative town in Oklahoma, Prerna spent much of her life pretending to be someone she was not. Through soul-searching and digging deep within herself, she grew to understand that her differences made her special and that if she stayed true to herself, she would always be happy. Prerna has carried this lesson with her throughout her life: the courage to be herself has made her a risk-taking, brave entrepreneur, even when others have doubted her. We chat with Prerna about her start-up lessons and failures, the importance of failing and iterating in business, the downfalls of being solely goal-driven, and why you should constantly seek fulfillment in life versus deferring your happiness to some time in the future. Prerna also shares more about her and her husband’s decision to buy a one way ticket to Costa Rica, thoughts on staying balanced, and why love will always be more important than wealth. In this episode, we'll talk to Prerna about: * The impact that growing up in a small town in Oklahoma had on Prerna. [2:52]* Prerna’s career after college, before she decided to strike out on her own. [6:35]* Prerna’s feelings about going down a different path to most of her friends who were in the corporate world. [10:30]* Details about Prerna’s first startup, Yaari, the pivot it made, and why it closed. [12:39]* Moving onto a music creation app, Songify, after Yaari closed and the inspiration behind it. [15:45]* The double-edged sword of achieving your goals and creating success that you never dreamed of. [19:29]* Getting acquired by Smule and the big decision to sell everything & move to Costa Rica. [21:35]* How Prerna applied The Lean Startup methodology to a book concept she was working on [27:19]* When Prerna reached her ‘aha moment’ on the journey to creating HOOKED. [30:54]* Prerna shares 3 lessons on what makes certain businesses go viral. [34:00]* How Prerna thinks about balance in her life and what makes her feel most balanced. [37:10]* Advice for those looking to go down the fundraising route. [40:20]* Why venture capital is not for everyone and it is not the only way your business will succeed. [41:32]* Hear some of Prerna’s rituals that keep her motivated and inspired. [44:07]Follow Prerna:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prernagupta/ * Hooked Website: https://hooked.co/* Personal Website: https://www.prernagupta.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.

Shilpa Shah is the Co-Founder of Cuyana, a fashion brand that marries luxury-level branding with premium quality apparel and accessories, offering "fewer, better things" to women at accessible price points. Shilpa spent the first part of her career designing web and mobile interfaces for Fortune 500 companies. Although she was passionate about design, it wasn't until she was pregnant with her first son that she felt empowered to do more in her life. Unsure what the right next step was, Shilpa decided to apply to business school at 32 while having a 2½-year-old at home. Good thing she did because through the process, she met her co-founder Karla and they were inspired to create an affordable luxury direct to consumer brand - which might sound like the norm now but they were true pioneers in this space in 2011. Today, they’ve grown their SF based company profitably despite taking funding of more than $30million dollars. Cuyana has been recognized as one of the most innovative companies in America and continues to have a loyal base of customers and a strong celebrity-following. We’ll talk to Shilpa about building a strong brand that is largely driven by word of mouth, why the concept of work life balance is BS, and how they’ve navigated multiple challenges from raising money from investors to restructuring their business in the pandemic environment that we're in. In this episode, we'll talk to Shilpa about: * How Shilpa has intertwined the creative and analytical sides of her personality. [5:00]* What prompted Shilpa to go to business school at age 32 was a desire to do more. [7:22]* Balancing being the primary caretaker and the primary breadwinner. [11:05]* One of the mistakes co-founders make in selecting one another is looking for someone similar to them. [15:02]* How the direct-to-consumer concept arose from a desire to build a fashion brand. [16:50]* The value of setting clear boundaries for what you can and cannot compromise on in business. [19:12]* Focusing on supply chain and the business model in the first two years of Cuyana. [19:51]* What makes building businesses difficult is taking the time to figure out what works. [23:05]* How Shilpa came to understand the right messaging for her customers which was critical in the brand’s growth. [23:53]* Educating their customers on Cuyana's “fewer, better things” concept. [27:13]* Why staying close to your customer and seeing how they interact with your product is key. [29:07]* Fundraising in the early days and why understanding the business is the true first step. [30:40]* Hear Shilpa’s analogy for sustainability in a tech company and why Cuyana’s focus was always on profitability. [32:59]* Getting male investors to understand their concept during the fundraising process. [34:57]* Despite all the challenges, Shilpa and Carla never gave themselves the option of quitting. [39:52]* How Shilpa and Carla’s entrepreneurship was received by their immigrant parents. [41:25]* Why it is essential – as an entrepreneur – to become comfortable with failure. [44:40]* Discover Shilpa’s perspective on work-life balance – and why she thinks balance is BS. [45:46]* Shilpa’s advice for female founders with families: Make sure you’re solving the right problem. [49:46]* Some challenges Cuyana has faced and how Shilpa and Carla overcame them. [52:19]* Why Cuyana’s biggest success during COVID is simply surviving the pandemic. [54:33]* Some of the key takeaways that helped propel Cuyana forward, like thinking quickly. [55:33]Follow Shilpa:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shilparshah/  * Cuyana Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuyana/ * Cuyana Website: https://www.cuyana.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.

Liz Elting is a self-made businesswoman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She co-founded and was the co-CEO of TransPerfect, the world’s largest provider of language and business solutions valued at over a billion dollars.As someone with a passion for languages and business, Liz wasn’t always sure about the path she was going to take. When she decided to follow her interests and study languages, Liz was stimulated but knew that it didn’t make practical sense for her career. After her first job at a translation company and a stint in Wall Street, Liz realized that if she was going to live up to her potential, she had to strike out on her own. This led her to build TransPerfect out of her business school dorm room at the age of 26. After 25 years at the helm, Liz helped build TransPerfect into an organization with more than $700 million in revenue, 5,000 employees, and 11,000 clients - all without any outside funding. In 2018, Liz left the company to pursue philanthropy work through the Elizabeth Elting Foundation, which advances economic, social, and political equality for women and marginalized people.  Liz has appeared on Forbes’ Richest Self-Made Women for five years in a row and has been recognized for her efforts and achievements by the National Organization of Women, Forbes, American Express, Entrepreneur, and more. In this episode, you’ll hear Liz’s insights into all the hard work and sacrifice it took to build her company, the power of setting goals and taking action, and the role that partnerships play in your success.In this episode, we'll talk to Liz about: * The story of Liz’s youth and the experience of living in five countries by the time she was 21. [3:01]* Liz’s early interest in business and what she attributes her work ethic to. [4:02]* How Liz decided what to study at college and the tension between passion and pragmatism. [6:19]* Details about Liz’s first job after graduation which merged her love of languages and business. [8:17]  * What motivated Liz to leave her job and go back to school to do her MBA. [10:53]* How Liz overcame guilt and found the confidence to leave her job in Finance. [14:27]* Hear Liz’s approach to goal-setting and why she believes it is so important. [17:45]* Key takeaways for starting, building, and scaling an entirely self-funded business. [20:34]* How Liz and her partner thought about business profitability. [23:41]* Some advantages of not getting outside funding, according to Liz. [24:27]* Challenging times in the early days of starting TransPerfect and the lessons Liz learned. [25:24]* Liz’s advice on handling partnerships and the story of her relationship with her partner. [27:57]* How Liz views 50/50 partnerships and why she recommends avoiding this structure. [30:35]* Liz’s experience being a working mother and the benefits of compartmentalization. [32:05]* Why Liz believes becoming a mother made her a better boss. [35:03]* Transitioning out of the company: What life is like for Liz since leaving TransPerfect. [36:20]* The common mistakes Liz sees entrepreneurs making. [38:01]Follow Liz:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizelting/ * Website: https://www.lizelting.com/ * Elizabeth Elting Foundation Website: https://www.elizabetheltingfoundation.org/ * TransPerfect Website: https://www.transperfect.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.