Behind Her Empire

Karissa Bodnar is the Founder and CEO of Thrive Causemetics, a high-performance vegan, cruelty-free direct-to-consumer cosmetics brand.Karissa grew up on a farm in Washington state and always loved creating makeup since she was a young girl. After working as a make-up artist to pay her way through college, she landed a job at Clarisonic and then was working in L'Oréal’s luxury division. Karissa never aspired to start her own business until she lost her dear friend, Kristy, to cancer at just 24 years old. As Karissa reflected on the generous life Kristy lived, she felt inspired to take action on her passion and create a brand that was truly bigger than beauty. A month later, Thrive Causemetics was born. Starting out, Karissa self-funded the business, made formulas on her kitchen counter, and fulfilled orders all out of her 1-bedroom apartment. Six years later, Karissa has built a company with philanthropy at its core. Thrive Causemetics has donated over $100 million in funds and products to women's charities since inception. However, none of this could have been done if it weren’t for the success of her products. Thrive Causemetics has grown to be a multi-million dollar company and is known for its best sellers which include Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara (one was sold every 5 seconds), Infinity Waterproof Eyeliner, and the Buildable Blur CC Cream. Acknowledging her amazing work and success, Karissa has been named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Forbes’ America's Richest Self-Made Women, Marie Claire’s Most Powerful Women and Inc.’s Badass Female Founders list.In this episode, we'll talk to Karissa about:* Karissa shares her childhood living on a farm and how it impacted her creativity at a young age [3:06]* How working at Clarisonic really change the trajectory of her career and what she thought was possible [8:54]* How the passing of Karissa’s best friend, Kristy, inspired her to re-evaluate her purpose and start a company [11:20]* Karissa shares how she designed her life to self-fund the new brand she wanted to launch [14:40]* Karissa discusses why trial and error was essential to creating awareness for her new products [19:20]* The importance of hustle and grace when launching a business & how Karissa landed a spot on Good Morning America [26:14]* Karissa walks through what helped the company go viral after two years of slow growth [32:00]* Key advice and tips she gives to other entrepreneurs looking to build a business [35:10]* Karissa explains how constant rejections in the early days pivoted the way she thought about the business [40:36]* How Karissa manages her mental health during difficult and challenging times [43:36]* The toughest lesson Karissa learned on her entrepreneurial journey [45:13]* How to build a network and the importance of reaching out to people who can help you with your goals [47:46]Follow Karissa:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karissabodnar/* Thrive Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ThriveCausemetics/* Thrive Website: https://thrivecausemetics.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.

Ashley Merrill is a serial-entrepreneur and investor whose personal mission is to elevate and empower all women & girls. In 2012, Ashley just started business school and in the same month realized she was pregnant with her first child. The news lit a now-or-never fire and pushed Ashley to overcome her fears and launch the company she had been thinking about for years, Lunya, a luxury sleepwear line that provides confidence to the modern woman. In our interview, we’ll have an honest conversation about why we need more successful women in business, what the journey was like starting a high growth business while raising two young kids, and the importance of partnership in your marriage. Ashley is also the Chairwoman of Outdoor Voices, an activewear brand, founder of Lahgo, a men’s luxury sleepwear line, and her newest project, the Deep, a platform for curious people that will change the way we have conversations with each other. In this episode, we'll talk to Ashley about:* Ashley opens up about her college experience and how she landed in culinary school [4:05]* Ashley shares how to make an impact and be in an industry despite not fitting “the mold” [8:42]* How Ashley pivoted her career and found the confidence to make the leap [11:33]* How the idea of Lunya came about and why motherhood motivated her to actually go for it [14:51]* Ashley shares her unique story on launching Lunya while she was in labor [18:51]* Ashley walks through how she funded the business and how the VC landscape has shifted over the years [21:36]* Why we need to have more successful women businesses [30:15]* Ashley opens up about her life and marriage starting a high growth business with two young kids [31:16]* Ashley discusses her definition of wealth and why she equates it to freedom [44:05]Follow Ashley:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashley__merrill/ * Lunya: https://www.lunya.co/* Lahgo: https://lahgo.co/* The Deep: https://www.thedeep.life/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.

Lindsey Boyd is the co-founder of The Laundress, a premium collection of eco-friendly laundry and home cleaning products. Before starting the company, Lindsey was working in high-end fashion in NY as a manager of Chanel’s Ready-to-Wear division. While working in the industry, Lindsey noticed a real need and void in the market. Although consumers were willing to spend a lot of money on their clothes, they were spending even more money on dry cleaning - which was not only toxic but also damaging to their garments. After years of researching and understanding how detergents work, Lindsey and her college friend turned business partner, Gwen Whiting, decided to launch eco-friendly detergents that were gentle enough to be used at home on dry-clean only items. They bootstrapped, crowdfunded and took a small SBA loan to launch their business For years the company struggled to make a profit, but they eventually grew a cult and loyal following, and in 2019, sold to Unilever for a reported $100 million dollars. In this episode, we'll talk to Lindsey about:* Lindsey explains why she decided to switch majors to pursue her interest in fashion & business [2:38]* Lindsey discusses her side hustles and how that impacted her confidence as an entrepreneur [7:23]* How Lindsey and her co-founder explored different businesses & decided on the Laundress [14:18]* Lindsey describes how she created her business plan and key advice on creating goals [21:52]* Lindsey shares how she formulated and created laundry products with no experience [26:56]* How Lindsey self-funded the business and didn’t take outside capital [34:30]* Lindsey walks through how she dealt with rejections and skeptics [38:08]* How Lindsey weathered the 2008 financial crisis and created a profitable company [44:26]* How Lindsey deals with her mental health as an entrepreneur [48:58]* Lindsey explains her experience selling her company for a reported $100 million [51:14]* Key lessons and advice Lindsey shares with all new entrepreneurs [55:10]Follow Lindsey:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseyjuliaboyd/ * The Laundress Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelaundress/* The Laundress Website: https://www.thelaundress.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.

Janice Bryant Howroyd is the founder and CEO of the ActOne Group, a multi-billion dollar global business providing workforce solutions. Janice’s entrepreneurial journey started with very humble beginnings. As a temporary secretary for her brother-in-law’s company, Janice saw an opportunity in the market where other executives were looking for quick and effective clerical help. She decided to branch off on her own and start an employment agency with only $1,500 in her pocket - $900 of which she borrowed from her mother. 40 years later, the company earns over a billion dollars in sales and is in 19 countries with over 17,000 clients.Janice has been recognized on Forbes’ list of America's Richest Self-Made Women and is known to be the first black woman to own and operate a billion-dollar company. Janice is incredibly talented, passionate, and a fierce business mentor who shares a wealth of knowledge around what it means to be authentic and successful on your entrepreneurship journey.In this episode, we'll talk to Janice about:* How Janice’s childhood and Southern upbringing during the civil rights era impacted her as a person & leader [3:20]* Why Janice’s college experience was instrumental in her adult framing [8:24]* Janice shares how a quick trip to LA became a career defining moment and led Janice to start her first business [15:13]* Advice on how to create a sustainable business and why it’s important to build a company around your own personal values [25:30]* Janice describes how she started her business with a $900 loan from her mother [27:53]* Why COVID is the best time for anyone to pivot their career or start their own business [36:23]* Janice describes what it was like to be a young woman founder in an industry that was dominated by older white males [37:37]* The most important advice that she wants every woman to know [40:35]* How she learned to be unapologetically herself in life and business [42:59]* Janice shares tips based on her journey on managing motherhood and entrepreneurship [45:47]Follow Janice:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbryanthowroyd/ * Personal Website: http://askjbh.com/* Company Website: https://www.actonegroup.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.

Kelly Rutherford is an activist and actress who has impressed audiences with her roles in Melrose Place, Gossip Girl, and most recently, Dynasty and Pretty Little Liars. Kelly is also known for her very high-profile and public custody battle she had with her ex-husband. A California judge went on to rule that it was in the best interest of the kids to live with their father in Monaco which is something Kelly fought for six years with every dollar she had. The fight for her kids impacted her not only emotionally but also financially and it was at this point, Kelly had to rebuild her life from the ground up. After getting to know Kelly more than what’s portrayed in the spotlight, it’s really who she is as a person that truly sets her apart - the grace, kindness, love, and positivity she has even after going through such a difficult experience is incredibly admirable. Kelly shares how through her struggle she found her true strength and power. And also how shifting her perspective towards joy and happiness changed her life in even the darkest of times.  Kelly is a loving mother of two, an activist for women and children, an artist, entrepreneur, and a beautiful woman both inside and out. In this episode, we'll talk to Kelly about:* How moving consistently as a child taught Kelly to adapt and adjust to life’s circumstances [2:50]* Kelly shares her motivation behind becoming an actress and desire to become financially independent [4:55]* How Kelly deals with constant rejection and disappointment in Hollywood [10:43]* Kelly describes how her role as Lily Vander Woodson in Gossip Girl came about and what it taught her about trust & life [13:28]* What George Clooney taught Kelly about confidence and getting rid of doubt [16:34]* How Kelly dealt with the pain and anxiety around her very public child custody battle [19:07]* Shifting your perspective to only focusing on the good and finding alignment in your life [23:13]* How Kelly rebuilt her life after declaring bankruptcy and how she became a better parent when she noticed all the blessings in her life [29:45]* Why money is energy and how we can shift our focus around poverty consciousness & allow abundance in our lives [36:21]Follow Kelly:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyrutherford/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.

Dr. Sabrina Kay is a serial entrepreneur, investor, fashion designer, and philanthropist. Born in South Korea, Sabrina moved to the U.S. with her family at 18. As a recent immigrant who barely spoke English, Sabrina became a janitor to help make ends meet and enrolled in a local college to pursue the education she always dreamed of. By the age of 20, Sabrina dropped out of school and was a single mother who was solely focused on creating a better life for her future daughter.In less than a decade, she founded the Art Institute of Hollywood, grew it to one of the Big Four fashion colleges in North America, and sold it for 8-figures - making her a multi-millionaire in her 30s. Although she had more than enough money to retire, she decided to go back to school to earn her MBA and PhD. While in graduate school, Sabrina continued her entrepreneurial journey by founding and selling multiple businesses, including a fashion line, a community bank, and an accredited graduate-level college institution. In this episode, we’ll dive deep into how Sabrina rose up from a poor, immigrant, single mom working 120-hour weeks to becoming a well-respected businesswoman, tech educator, and philanthropist.In this episode, we'll talk to Sabrina about: * Life growing up in South Korea and its cultural expectations [2:42]* Sabrina shares what it was like moving to America at the age of 18 and working as a janitor [5:02]* Why Sabrina dropped out of college and the shame she felt when learning she was pregnant [8:38]* Sabrina explains why having her daughter was her biggest blessing and motivator to create a better life for herself [10:28]* The beginnings of Sabrina’s first business which started from a newspaper ad and cold call [13:44] * How the LA riots in ‘92 impacted Sabrina’s life and how she became famous overnight [19:57]* How Sabrina felt when she sold her company for 8-figures in her 30s and why it exposed her own insecurities [28:56]* Why Sabrina decided to pursue her multiple graduate degrees after selling her company [33:24]* Why Sabrina felt lost in her life and how she overcame being a workaholic [37:59]* How getting rejected from grad school led Sabrina down a new path in life and business [41:16]* Sabrina explains why 2015 to 2017 were the worst years of her professional life [48:21]* Advice for entrepreneurs and leaders when overcoming difficult and painful times [56:10]* The gift and competitive advantage women entrepreneurs have in business [58:48]Follow Sabrina:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsabrinakay* Website: https://sabrinakay.com* Twitter: https://twitter.com/drsabrinakayFollow 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.

Natasha Case is the co-founder and CEO of Coolhaus, a leading women-founded and -led ice cream and frozen dessert brand creating premium cookie sandwiches and pints. After earning her masters in architecture and landing her dream job at Walt Disney Imagineering, Natasha discovered her newfound passion for creating architecturally-inspired ice cream sandwiches as a way to bring joy to her coworkers during the last recession. At that time, Natasha met her co-founder and now wife, Freya, and they realized the potential and uniqueness of the product. They decided to quit their corporate careers to pursue their passion for ice cream as a real business and create a brand they could identify with. In 2008, they took a barely drivable postal van they purchased on Craigslist to Coachella to officially launch their ice cream sandwiches. The event turned out to be a massive hit and Coolhaus has now become a multi-million dollar business growing 2-3x per year. Natasha has been named 30 under 30 by Forbes & Zagat and has helped expand the business to over 7,500 grocery stores nationwide, from Safeway to Whole Foods. In this episode, we’ll talk to Natasha about: * How Natasha found a way to incorporate her two passions, food and architecture when she was working at Disney [6:39]* When Natasha decided to take a personal passion of hers to the next step and create a real “business” [8:39]* Why not being able to secure a business loan and launching at Coachella with a broken van was the best decision Natasha made [10:44] * How Natasha and her co-founder managed to launch at Coachella despite having no brand or business recognition [14:35]* How the Coolhaus brand went viral after its launch and changed the trajectory of the business [16:17]* Natasha shares how she launched the company by borrowing only $1,400  [20:11]* Key challenges Natasha faced growing Coolhaus and the importance of being transparent with your customers during difficult times [24:18]* Natasha discusses what it takes to go from start-up founder to a CEO of a multi-million dollar business [27:34]* Natasha opens about life as a mother and entrepreneurship & how her children have motivated her to create an even bigger ice-cream empire with Coolhaus [32:10]* Natasha shares advice on how she mentally handles the stresses and challenges of running a business [37:13]* Key advice Natasha has for women who are taking a leap in their career or want to start their own dream business [38:51]Follow Natasha:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashajcase/ * Coolhaus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coolhaus/ * Coolhaus Website: https://cool.haus/ 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.

Tonya Rapley is a serial entrepreneur, best selling author, millennial money expert, and creator of the award-winning site, My Fab Finance which provides financial advice for modern millennial women. Tonya launched her business based on her personal needs. She took a traumatic experience as a survivor of domestic violence and turned it into her greatest creation - the My Fab Finance platform. Tonya took charge of her financial freedom which allowed her to take charge of her own happiness and power. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and wants women to be free to make the moves they need to make in their life - especially if their lives and well-being depend on it.  Tonya is a national speaker and has written for many popular media outlets including Forbes, Yahoo Finance, US News, and Huffington Post. Her impressive client list includes Fidelity Investments, Prudential, the National Endowment for Financial Education, and FinCon (the financial bloggers conference). In this episode, we'll talk to Tonya about:* Tonya’s childhood growing up in a military family and its impact to how she views entrepreneurship and money [2:16]* How Tonya’s abusive relationship led her to founding her blog which is now a six figure business [4:33]* Tonya shares her journey turning her blog from a side business to a full time opportunity that financially supports her [9:21] * Why women need to talk more about money and their income in order to see what’s possible [13:01]* Why Tonya emphasizes the power of mindset when it comes to creating a better financial life for yourself [16:05] * Tonya walks through certain rituals and habits she does in her life that have helped her success and wealth [18:07]* Common mistakes Tonya’s clients make when it comes to managing their money and their mindset [20:12]* Specifics tips Tonya has when it comes to savings and how you should think through investing [22:31] * How Tonya manages motherhood while leading two thriving businesses during COVID [28:04]* The importance of focusing on flexibility vs. balance in your life [31:53]* Tonya shares key learnings when it comes to managing your business finances [34:59]Follow Tonya:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonya.rapley/* My Fab Finance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myfabfinance/ * My Fab Finance Website: https://myfabfinance.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.

Tracy Holland is the co-founder of HATCHBEAUTY Brands, a top beauty and wellness incubator that has grown to over $100 million in sales. After leaving a career in public service, Tracy founded her first business in grad school where she went all in and invested every dollar she had to build something that would later be the foundation of her business today. HATCHBEAUTY works with top retailers, artists, and influencers to bring their ideas to life and create innovative brands in the beauty and wellness industry. Tracy is also the founder of HATCHBEAUTY Ventures where she advises young women entrepreneurs on business growth and strategy. As a mother of three young children, Tracy is a prime example of how you can balance motherhood with a career and that you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.Tracy’s awards and honors include 2019 Fashion and Beauty Award for Beauty Service Provider of the Year, EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017, and election to The Committee of 200, an organization of the most successful women business leaders globally.In this episode, we'll talk to Tracy about:* Tracy discusses her childhood growing up in an academic family and why her definition of success varied considerably from her parents’ [2:24]* Tracy reflects on what she learned from going to reform school at the age of 15 [5:40]* Tracy always thought she wasn’t smart enough but walks through how she eventually built her confidence which ultimately helped her considerably in business [9:44] * How Tracy started a successful scented nail polish company in grad school and invested her student loans to help with the financing [12:50]* Tracy shares how she got into big retailers despite having no experience in the industry [15:55]* Tracy explains why the brand failed, the importance of IP and understanding your deal structure when it comes to financing [18:46]* Tracy walks through how she overcame a dark time when her business failed and she was $150,000 in debt [23:00]* Tracy discusses key lessons she learned working in various businesses and why she ultimately quit her job to take control her own destiny [24:55]* Tracy opens up about her journey to motherhood & marriage [33:00]* Why Tracy’s definition of wealth has changed over the years [41:40]Follow HATCHBEAUTY Brands:* Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hatchbeautybrands/* Website: https://www.hatchbeautybrands.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.

Heidi Zak is the co-founder and CEO of ThirdLove, the fastest growing and most disruptive brand in the lingerie industry.When Heidi couldn’t find a quality bra that fit her correctly and looked great, she realized there was an opportunity in the market for modern women. In 2013, Heidi left her job at Google to pursue her dream of offering high quality, better fitting bras, and marketing them in a way that didn’t push impossible beauty standards. Heidi is on a mission to build a brand for every woman, regardless of her shape, size, age, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation. She believes inclusivity should be the norm, not the exception, and has led the charge, inventing half-cups and offering women more than 80 sizes.Since inception, more than 16 million women of all shapes and sizes have used ThirdLove’s innovative Fit Finder tool to find a bra that truly fits her body. The company has been valued at a reported $750 million dollars and is generating over $100 million in revenue annually. Heidi has been recognized as Fortune's 40 Under 40, EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and Goldman Sachs' 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.In this episode, we'll talk to Heidi about:* Heidi shares why she became an entrepreneur and skills she learned working in her corporate career that have helped her as CEO [2:37]* Why walking into a Victoria's Secret sparked Heidi’s idea for ThirdLove and why she wanted to create a bra brand for modern women [5:57]* Two questions Heidi asked herself before quitting her lucrative job to work on ThirdLove full-time [7:41]* Heidi discusses the slow growth ThirdLove had in the first two years of the business & what they did to completely changed the trajectory of the business [10:02]* The importance of networking and why you need to be okay with asking for things [15:12]* Heidi walks through how she thinks through difficult business decisions and challenges she faced with her first manufacturer in the early days [18:57]* The power of mentorship and having a diverse group of mentors in your network [23:27]* Heidi gives advice on how to think through partnerships and co-founders when starting a business [25:39]* Why she decided to have her first kid around the same time ThirdLove officially launched [27:34]* Heidi shares advice she gives all women entrepreneurs she mentors [31:05]* Heidi discusses the future of ThirdLove and the ever-changing role as a founder when leading a high growth business [35:10] Follow Heidi:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidi/* ThirdLove Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ThirdLove/* Website: https://www.thirdlove.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.