Why Setting Boundaries Will Make You A Better Business Owner

Do you struggle to set boundaries? If yes, you’re not alone. This has been something I’ve struggled with most of my life.

I would say yes to things because otherwise, I would feel like a “bad person” for saying no. But in the end, I would end up overbooking and feeling resentful. Sound familiar?

Learning how to set productive boundaries has been a work in progress. Most entrepreneurs struggle with a work-life balance because their work is their life, and their life is their work! Setting your schedule can have its pros and cons.

In this week’s female founder series, Michelle Hanna & Liz Choi, founders of the full service wedding and event company Love Wildly Co, shared that to grow the business, they had to say no. These two powerhouse women shared that besides self-care, they learned that saying no or putting a ceiling on the amount of work that they received gave them extra time to recharge and connect with their families.

This is not an easy feat. It’s HARD TO SAY NO- especially while growing a business. But boundaries are good! Brene Brown says it best when she states compassionate people set limits!

I often keep that sentence in the back of my mind when I’m feeling the pressure on making decisions that involve other people. I always ask myself before I make a business decision, “how does this relate to my bigger picture and my why?” This helps me choose priorities that are congruent to my purpose. I do agree saying yes to opportunities can help you learn and navigate the business world. I would also say that sometimes we take on too much which then impedes on us taking actual action.

When our lists are too long it can feel overwhelming to work on our projects. Learning how to set boundaries can absolutely expand your business. I recently heard that Jenna Kutcher worked the least amount of the hours this year after having her daughter and MADE THE MOST amount of money. She chose to find more balance and invest in projects and business opportunities that fulfilled her purpose rather than just doing them to do them.

I really enjoyed reading through his feature! Michelle & Liz commented on how wonderful it has been to have worked together after so many years of friendship. They also talk about what it was like growing the business while they were still at their 9-5’s. I think this is an important thing to discuss because majority of us can’t just jump at quitting our jobs. We have to be building while we are working. These savvy partners made sure to have a solid foundation under their belts before they truly took it to the next level.

Michelle & Liz do incredible work and their clients would completely agree! Do you have an event coming up and would like to learn more about Love Wildly Co you can visit their website by clicking here and under the contact us form send in an inquiry. If you are interested in collaborating with amazing duo feel free to email them at hello@lovewildlyco.com or check out their Instagram & Facebook pages!

Please welcome Love Wildly Co!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

Love Wildly Co was birthed out of a place where we were searching for an outlet to create. Our inspiration came from a personal need to create plus a seen opportunity to use our gifts to build a business for our families. We have been best friends for over 18 years and despite what so many told us about the dangers of friends going into business together, we have yet to touch those bounds. We decided early on that business or no business, our friendship would be our priority. Through the founding first years, where things are usually the hardest, we have managed to maintain our promise to each other. Sounds cheesy, but we couldn’t have picked a better half to run this business and do life with! We continue to inspire and challenge each other through the ups and downs of both our personal and business life which makes running LWC fun and exciting every time we have an event, strategy meetings, or when we get together to go eat Shabu Shabu.

The first year, we did all that we could to gain experience. We worked at no cost and made all the mistakes we needed to make so that we could lay down a solid foundation for the years ahead. We asked hard questions, we cried, we fought, we laughed a lot, and learned quickly. The second year, we rebranded our company from True Events Co to Love Wildly Co. We wanted to rebrand to really give our business a name that we live and stand by. We felt that giving an identity to our business would help us to continue to build a stronger business and connection to our clients & vendors. We did a lot of marketing and ground work in the second year. Any convention we could showcase our work, we booked! Photoshoots and collaborations with other vendors helped structure our business and set it up for success. Lots of dreaming here and of course we doubled in our sales (insert praise hands here)!!! Then, here we are in our third year and looking back, we have been so blessed with the most amazing clients. It takes a lot to plan one of the most memorable days of your life and we get the honor and privilege of being entrusted with all the details. 

This gives us purpose and we are beyond grateful for all our past, present, and future clients who let us share in these moments with them. Dreaming was done and now in our third year, we are taking real steps to make them a reality. We have a dream of becoming a one-stop-shop for our clients and bring everything in house. This year, we have incorporated paper good such as invites, escort cards, table numbers, save the dates, menus, seating charts, welcome signs, etc. We have also added custom signage! Soon, we will add florals to our list of services.  Florals have been fun to learn but very challenging. Which tells us that we are going in the right direction. We never want to stop growing or become comfortable. We want to continue dreaming and learning to become the best versions of ourselves but also the best version of Love Wildly Co for our clients. So please continue to support and follow our journey on IG @lovewildlyco. We so appreciate you all!

Michelle Hanna, co-founder Love Wildly Co

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

We are a full-service event planning and designing company. Our clients reach out to us when they are trying to plan an event for special occasions. Most find areas of challenge whether it’s trying to design the space, logistical challenges, or finding the right vendors to bring their vision together. Many of our clients do not have the luxury of time due to their professional and personal lives and they need someone to take over. Our goal is to ease the stress and make sure they remember how fun and amazing their event was. 

We are proud of what our company stands for. We work with integrity and go above and beyond for our clients. We are known for our excellent customer service and response time. Ask anyone!

Looking back would you do anything different?

We both agree that working for someone in the industry to learn the groundwork and best practices would have been beneficial. It would have saved a lot of hours and heartache, but we learned a lot from our mistakes and grew from them. Thats all that matters, right?

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

The freedom to be as creative and push our limits to whatever we want.

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Our favorite moments will probably have to be those late nights we stayed up after our 9-5PM job to create a business plan and the basic foundations for our event planning business. There were many times we only had a couple hours or sleep but our most favorite thing to do during these brainstorming sessions was to eat delicious foods, snacks, and desserts. We are foodies!

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

Owning your own business can be lonely at times. Especially when you’re fixing issues and trying to find solutions. Sure, we have each other but sometimes we are lost and have no idea what we are doing. In those cases, we must make sure to support and build confidence in each other so we can bring our A Game. That’s what we do, fix problems and make sure our clients are happy. 

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

The industry that we are in is predominantly female so it’s been amazing to be supported by many woman and have that community behind us. The hardest part for us as female entrepreneurs is finding that work/life balance so we can make time for our families. We have a huge responsibly to our husbands and children and also to our clients and business. We’ve learned that sometimes saying “no” or putting a ceiling on amount of work that we receive can give us the extra time we need to recharge and connect with our families.  

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Be Confident, Be Strong and just GO for it.

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.

Always ask, you will never know if you never ask. 

What is your favorite quote?

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

Liz Choi, co-founder of Love Wildly Co

How do you avoid burnout?

We must make a conscious effort to take a rest day at least once a week to unwind and turn off our phones. In addition, we treat each other out to massages, shopping, and eating delicious foods without conversations about work. We are very in tuned with each other’s needs since we are best friends and make sure we connect to that space often. 

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

In our line of work, prepping for the day is essential. When you have 8 events to plan for at the same time, it can get overwhelming, so we make sure to plan out big projects months in advance, meetings and phone calls weeks in advance, and daily tasks the night before. This way we are setup for success in a organized manner and we can knock out those TO DO items. 

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

Honeybook is our business mangement tool. It allows us to email clients, book them, create proposals, sign clients, process payment, and many more business related items.

Wix.com is our website server. Its very important to have a website to help support your business and  display to clients  your credibility

Dropbox is a wonderful software we use to save client photos, documents, and a shared space between clients and our team.

Gmail suite is a must for us! We use google docs 110% of the time when we plan with our clients.

Instagram/Facebook is used for all of our social media efforts. 

Yelp/Knot is a space for us to show other potential clients our work based on customer reviews. 

Time Tree is a  shared calendar  we both use to show current events, meetings, phone calls, etc.

How do you advertise your brand?

Yelp, The Knot, Instagram, Facebook, expo/conventions, and styled shoots!

I love that Michelle & Liz talk about prepping prior to their events and planning ahead. I think that this is a great tip that we can all adapt. Think of it like meal prepping. How much more organized and in control do you feel when Monday rolls around? Something I’ve been trying to do in my own business is batch planning. If you are unfamiliar batch planning or batch writing is taking one or two days and knocking out a bunch of the same time of work rather than spreading it out. It can be hard to find the time to do this but I promise you it.is.worth.it.

I hope you enjoyed today’s feature! Only 2 more to go in this female founder’s series!

As always if you have questions & comments about Leader of the Pax and how you can work with us - drop a line below!

Why Mistakes Are Your Best Teachers

Being a new business owner is no small feat. Especially if you're working alone. Trusting that you're making the right decision without validation can be challenging, but to move forward, you gotta take action and hope for the best.

That's precisely the mindset that business owner Breana Thomas founder of Nutrivenience shared about her experience being an entrepreneur. She mentions that she's had to learn how to make decisions herself, trust herself, and learn along the way.

The reality of being an entrepreneur is not as pretty as a curated photo on Instagram. No one sees the behind the scenes like working until 2 or 3 in the morning or having to test different services or platforms.

I think one of the reasons people don't move forward is that they are scared to make mistakes when in all honesty we need those mistakes to learn where to go next. Bre says it herself, "Pay attention, learn quick, and re-route when needed." The only way to grow is to GO.

Brene Brown writes in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, you must be OK with however your day ends. Recognizing your worth is not tied to the tasks you completed, the money you made, or how successful you were at the thing you were trying to achieve. The real deal is how you feel about yourself and how you show up for yourself every single day.

I've tried to put this mindset at the forefront of my day. It's essential to enjoy the little wins along the way as we go after the bigger dreams that we have. Bre also describes how wonderful it has been building her business steadily, and by taking it one step at a time.

Another founder, Marissa Rose Nash talked about in her interview about living in the grey. I think this is a valuable mindset to have while growing your business. Instead of having such strong expectations about things being a certain way allowing them to ebb and flow and take it one step at a time is key! Angela Buckner also describes this way of thinking. She shares in her interview that enjoying the process even when it’s so tough to be new at something is very important to one’s overall mindset and growth.

In addition to slowing down and enjoying the ride, Bre puts self-care high on her priority list. To avoid burn out, Bre makes sure to come back to the basics. Like moving her body, sleeping well, and eating nutrient-dense foods.

If you are looking to get in touch with Bre you can reach her through email at breanathomas310@gmail.com. You can also take a look at her creative instagram here and her company Nutrivenience to learn more about what she does!

Let’s get started!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

Well...I moved to Orange County 10 years ago to pursue hair dressing. I got a job at a salon and a year in realized the industry was not for me. I liked working with my hands, I liked being creative, I liked making people feel good, but I didn't like the materialism and drama that came with the industry. So I quit.

I started working for restaurants as a server and eventually got a job at True Food Kitchen right when it was opening in Newport Beach. Everything I learned there resonated so much, and though I loved cooking, I'd never looked at it as a profession until then. The health aspect of it all added tremendous value to what that could be and gave me purpose. I didn't want to work in a restaurant, I wanted to help people one on one. 

From there I decided I wanted to work as a private chef. I enrolled in culinary school and began my deep dive into all things health and nutrition. I started an online holistic nutrition course, watched documentaries, read countless books, started juice cleansing and tried different eating styles. I was gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, keto, paleo, I tried them all. Eventually developing my own eating style which was a cumulation of everything that made me feel good. That eating style is now Nutrivenience. 

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

Working as a private chef, a lot of my clients wanted to lose weight. After adhering to the diets they presented to me, in terms of the food I made, I realized that a lot of it was crap...and incredibly unhealthy. I developed the Nutrivenience plan initially for myself. It's something I did for 3 months straight in the beginning and have done it at least once a month since . I brought this plan into the homes of my clients and it worked for them as well. 

When I began teaching spin, I got so many questions from riders regarding weight loss, nutrition, meal prep, etc. I knew I had to figure out a way to mass produce my food because I physically couldn't cook for all of these people in their homes. And voila... Nutrivenience was born. 

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

Nutrivenience offers prescriptive, whole-food, plant-based meal plans delivered throughout Orange County, Ca. 

Customers receive a combination of ready-made food and juice for the desired length of their plan (3 or 5 days). Our main focus is health, with weight loss being the side effect. 

Looking back would you do anything different?

No. I've learned so much by doing everything myself with no outside investors or help. It's been a slow growth process but steady and extremely rewarding. 

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I love having a platform to express my creativity 

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Favorite moments are always customer feedback. Our food is changing people's lives. The way they look at 'healthy' food, the way they feel and the knowledge they gain. This has the potential of changing our food system entirely here in the US.

For me this is what it's all about. This is how I make this world a better place.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

The hours. It never truly stops, and no one really understands that unless they're a business owner/entrepreneur. It's task oriented, you don't get to clock out, and in the beginning (which for me is still 3 1/2 years in) the tasks never end.

I'm an only child and I think this works in my advantage, because you're alone a lot. You've got to figure shit out on your own, you've got to make hard decisions on your own and just hope everything turns out okay. And when it doesn't, you've got to learn quick and keep moving. 

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

Honestly, I don't think I've had any. I think it's so celebrated right now that if anything I've had an advantage. 

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Just start. As cliche as that sounds. Once you start 'doing it', you realize most people who are also 'doing it' have no idea what the hell they're doing. 

Pay attention. Learn quick. Reroute when needed. 

What is your favorite quote?

I have many. But in regards to entrepreneurship: Sell the problem not the solution.

How do you avoid burnout?

I do my best to stay healthy. I move my body almost every day. I nourish it with whole foods 80% of the time. And I get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. 

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

I have an ongoing to-do list in the Notes section of my phone. At night I pull atleast 6 things I need to get done the next day and put them at the top. I also work a full time job and teach spin classes so my days are hectic. I schedule alarms for everything to get as much out of my brain as possible. Hardest tasks first thing in the morning.    

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

Honestly, I try to keep it as simple as possible. I'm technologically retarded. I use my notes/calendar in my phone. Besides that, I outsource everything else (marketing, social media, website, etc) now because I simply don't have the time. So I'd say, MUST have tools are finding the right people to do the things you're not naturally good at.

How do you advertise your brand?

We still are all Instagram and word of mouth. With this, the business has doubled every year. 

Soon we're going to start with FB/IG ads. 

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

You really should eat more plants. 

Bre, thank you for your time and energy! It was an honor learning about your business! I’m an only child too and can relate on so many levels! Regardless if you have siblings or not you gotta learn how to be independent, answer your own questions, an trust yourself. Thanks for your inspiration and contribution to the female founder series!

Questions, comments, feedback? Send us a comment below!

Why Consistency is the Most Important Discipline to Have

Wake up. Kick Butt. Repeat.

This is a direct quote from my interview with Genie Reese, who is a co-founder of the beauty company Red Aspen. It’s been like a mantra in my head since I read it a few weeks ago.

I was reminded of it last night when my husband shared some advice about not giving up. He said, “just because something doesn’t work out or if you slip up, you can try again tomorrow.” I think that’s where a lot of us struggle.

When things don’t work, we give up rather than looking at tomorrow as a fresh start. We have another chance to start again, to try again, and to stay at it.

As I read through Genie’s interview, she used words such as consistency & persistence. Which told me that she’s dedicated herself to this mantra of wake up, kick butt and repeat in her own professional and personal life. While reading through it I was reminded of Allison Katz’s feature about patience and the time it took to both launch her business but the steps it took to grow it. Having patience and staying the course even when it gets challenging or lonely is key to your success.

Anything worthwhile in life takes time, takes dedication, takes consistency. If you are just getting started on your journey, DO NOT GIVE UP when it gets hard, or when you hit a stop sign, or you get a no. KEEP TRYING. Pivot, take another chance, give it all you got. We all have to start somewhere and the beginning can be such a great process if we let it. I learned through Angela Buckner’s feature that allowing ourselves grace during the entrepreneurial process is vital for us to keep going!

That’s precisely what Genie and her co-founders did when creating Red Aspen. This social selling beauty company launched a line of false lashes, and have since expanded into pop on nails and a full-color cosmetics line! Crushing it! Their mission is to inspire women to stand up, stand out, and stand together by uniting passion + purpose. 

SO MANY JUICY TAKEAWAYS from my interview with Genie. I can’t wait for you to dive in.

If you are looking to connect with Genie or her team at Red Aspen you can reach them through email, hello@redaspen.com, their website, or on their instagram page.

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

I am originally from Boise, Idaho, and moved back to the area after 10 years in Denver. I attended the University of Denver for undergrad and the University of Colorado for grad school. I previously worked in healthcare, first as a business analyst for DaVita and later as a Sales Rep for Stryker. I quit my job, moved to Boise, and cofounded Red Aspen, a social selling beauty company, in October of 2017 and never looked back!

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

My business partner and sister (Jesse McKinney) had been considering starting her own business, and I ended up spending Christmas of 2016 with her and her family in Boise. It was during that time that the concept of Red Aspen started to come to fruition. She had been on the corporate side of another direct sales company for a decade, and  knew this was the business model she wanted to emulate. We ended up dreaming up Red Aspen, and 4 months later I quit my job and moved to Boise to begin working on the business!

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

Red Aspen is a social selling beauty company. Our mission is to inspire women to stand up, stand out and stand together by uniting passion + purpose. Our Brand Ambassadors are independent business owners, selling Red Aspen beauty products and sharing the Red Aspen mission. We combine e-commerce, social networks and social selling with playful, fun and imaginative products and marketing. We launched with a line of false lashes, and have since expanded into pop on nails and a full color cosmetics line. 

Looking back would you do anything different?

I wouldn't have listened so much to advice from others who had never been in a startup environment before, and trusted my gut a little bit more! I also would have waited to expand the product line until we had a little more market research. 

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I love coming up with and testing ideas, and being able to quickly take an idea from inception to execution. 

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

So many! The day we launched, we all sat in our first office (which doubled as my apartment, it was a work-live space) and had to manually enroll our Brand Ambassadors over the phone because the IT platform wasn't working as anticipated. We had 80 people enroll on the first day, and over 500 in the first 6 weeks. It was such a surreal experience, recognizing that this might actually work! I also loved our first event, where we got to meet 40 of our top leaders in person on a leadership retreat. Hearing why they decided to become a Red Aspen Brand Ambassador, how much they believed in our mission and in Jesse, Amanda and myself was so humbling. A top moment was also the first time I paid out commissions to the field - the outpouring of thank-you's and love from the field definitely made all the hard work worth it. 

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

Never-ending work, having to know a little bit about EVERYTHING, learning entirely new skill sets, transitioning from doing all the work to building systems and departments to managing employees

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

Work-life balance has been one of the biggest challenges, especially in our  first year. Two of our cofounders are moms to small children, and being able to spend quality time with them was so challenging. Luckily, both have incredibly supportive husbands - but the reality is, there is no way we could have done this without that support. 

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Never be afraid to be smart.

Surround yourself with people that inspire you.

Participate in life.

Make your own luck.

Know that girl power is about teamwork, not competition.

When someone says "you can't" the best response is "watch me."

And finally- wake up, kick butt, repeat.

What is your favorite quote?

"I don't have experience on my side, but I have persistence." - Ty Haney, Founder and CEO of Outdoor Voices

How do you avoid burnout?

Staying consistent at the gym, fitting in a few hours for friends and family every week, listening to podcasts, talking to the field and reading books to continue getting creative ideas

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

I run errands and get my workout in the morning. I know I'll most likely end up staying at the office until 8 or 9pm some nights, or traveling, and if I don't fit these things in first thing they won't happen!

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

social media, committed IT partners/platform, Google Drive, Squarespace, QuickBooks, a flexible merchant account, an incredible marketing and customer service team, external creative vendors (Photography, packaging design, web design) 

How do you advertise your brand?

social media, word of mouth

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

Red Aspen is the best decision I ever made - I can't imagine anything more rewarding or fulfilling! 

Thank you for sharing your incredible insight Genie. Your inspirational words empowered me to keep going especially when it feels overwhelming.

Do you have inspirational words to share to the LOTP community? We’d love to hear them! Drop us a line and comment below!

The Importance of Living In The Grey

You're either smart or you're stupid. You're either a writer or your not. You either had an fantastic IG post, or you didn't. I didn’t make it to the gym every day so basically I failed at getting to the gym.Either all of the women I've reached out to want to be apart of this series or no one is interested.

Does this all or nothing mindset sound familiar?

Marissa Rose Nash and I have a few things in common. Besides the fact that met while teaching yoga at CorePower Yoga, we also love to empower women, are personal development seekers, golden doodle mamas, and… we are all or nothing type of gals.

All or nothing thinking is problematic for so many reasons, one of them being it creates almost impossible expectations of one's self. It demands perfection.

Over the past year, I've adopted the mindset of living in the grey.

It seems as if Marissa has done the same. I am trying to find more balance, flexibility, and options in my thinking. Recognizing things don't just have to be one way & acknowledging that even just a little bit is OK.

I even wrote about it in this blog post a few months ago about how much power there is in doing what’s best for you and it’s OK to not be perfect, it’s ok to say no, it’s ok to decide a relationship doesn’t work anymore. I think many of us think if we change our mind we are “bad” people or a “flakey” person. But things aren’t just one way. We need to live in the grey. Sarah Varnan even did a contributor blog post about dog mom guilt and how awful of person she feels if she didn’t do things JUST right while raising her pup. We must practice more flexibility and kindness on ourselves.

So, I've been trying on things like the word AND rather than the word OR. I've been focusing on positive qualities rather than the negative ones. Ex: I made it to the gym x amount of times, YAY! 

Marissa is the founder of The Vine Collective, where she is a personal growth & mindset coach. She empowers women to identify and overcome limiting beliefs so they can live out and reach their potential.

I think one of the reasons Marissa is such a fantastic coach is because of her courage in sharing her vulnerability and daily struggles with her clients. One way that she does this is through her instagram stories as she let’s people in to her real life and shows her human qualities.

If you are looking to get in contact with Marissa for coaching or to collaborate you can reach her on instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or her website.

Without further ado, Marissa, take it away!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

My career as a Personal Growth & Mindset coach for women started in the yoga industry. I completed my first 200 hour yoga certification while in college at Penn State University. I then moved on to teach yoga full time in Southern California for CorePower Yoga and several other boutique yoga studios. I loved it and noticed that women were coming to me to have deeper conversations "off the mat". They wanted more than just the physical practice of yoga. This led me to complete my life coaching certification and I launched my coaching firm the next week! I've been a coach for four years now and my coaching firm, The Vine Collective has shifted and transformed as I've grown personally and professionally. I'm currently coaching women in one-on-one programs as well as group coaching programs. My upcoming women's mastermind starts in September and is designed for women who are aiming to transform their mindset and their lifestyle.

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

I work with a lot of women who are phenomenal at taking care of everyone but themselves. They're often Type-A, "people pleasers", with big hearts and huge dreams. Yet they have a difficult time prioritizing their own growth and personal development. They also struggle a ton with incorporating rest into their routine. This leaves them feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, stressed, and feeling like they could be doing "more" with their lives but just don't know how. I help women to identify their gifts, potential, strengths, desires, needs, and feelings. The inspiration for the work that I do comes from my own growth as an individual and leader. I'm currently in a master's program for Organizational Leadership and I incorporate a lot of the tools and practices that we learn in class into my work as a coach. I also struggle in all of the areas above so I'm able to walk the walk and talk the talk. I can relate, have empathy for, and confidently give women hope that their lives can transform. 

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

I'm a Personal Growth & Mindset coach. I help women to identify and overcome limiting beliefs so they can live out and reach their potential. I have a 6 month coaching program for one-on-one clients who are looking to transform their mindset, achieve their goals, and make an impact in the world. I also lead a women's group coaching program called "Master your Mindset". The group coaching programs launches every Fall and Spring. I lead a weekly training on topics such as growing in self-confidence, identifying priorities, overcoming obstacles, and navigating setbacks in life and leadership. 

Looking back would you do anything different?

I would! I wouldn't have stopped teaching yoga. I've always had an "all or nothing" personality. I wish I would have been better at identifying that I needed a break from yoga but I didn't need to quit all together. I'm starting to slowly get back into my yoga practice and plan to start teaching again this Fall. I'm also leading a yoga and personal growth retreat to Panama in March so it's been very cool to see this area of my life slowly being redeemed and restored. 

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

My favorite thing about being an entrepreneur is bringing women together to grow in community. Personal growth can feel lonely and discouraging at times. I' love the opportunity I have to be a leader and an advocate for women to transform their lives and to not have to do it alone.

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

My favorite recent moment has been in the women's group coaching program that I lead. I've always loved working one-on-one with clients but I feel that women grow ten-fold when they're able to do it in community. I am in awe of these women after every single Monday night session. Witnessing their growth and transformation together is something that gives me fuel to keep doing the work that I do.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

A few of the challenges that come to mind are feeling lonely in the work that I'm doing. I've recently challenged myself to surround myself with other female entrepreneurs so that we can be in this together. I'm an extrovert so it helps me to draw inspiration from conversation with people and it's important for my personality to feel that I'm in community.

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

I think my own limiting beliefs are the biggest obstacle in my journey as a female entrepreneur. One limiting belief I've identified within myself recently is the belief that I can't be a "career woman" and a mom. While my conscious self knows this isn't true, it's a belief that prevents me from living out the life I feel called to live and a belief that I'm working to redefine for myself. 

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Start with 10%. When you're getting started, it can feel overwhelming and you might not know how to start. I always encourage my clients to start with 10% of their goal. Write the blog post. Start an instagram account. Send an email to a potential client. Just do something.

What is your favorite quote?

"Success is when you love where you are an who you are in it and when you're excited about where you're going." Gay Hendricks

How do you avoid burnout?

I prioritize taking care of myself outside of work. I schedule in my workouts, take lots of bubble baths, and make sure that I'm spending time unplugged from work. I've learned to prioritize rest after epically failing in this area in the past!

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

I feel most creative in the morning and love to start my day with an energizing workout before I sit down to create. I also love working in the evening with a cup of decaf coffee. Mid-day I try to rest my mind by taking a walk or just unplugging from my laptop and phone.I

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

HoneyBook and Trello are my go-to's. 

How do you advertise your brand?

I love instagram stories. I try to be as authentic and honest as I can be in my stories because I think it's important to let people into my real life (while maintaining healthy boundaries). I also love leading in-person events and find that I'm able to best connect with people in person versus online.

I love Marissa’s approach to getting started. Just begin with 10%. We often feel we need to have 98% or 100% of what we want to put out in the world completed and it feels like too much to handle. Only focusing on small chunk not only makes starting something more attainable but it also encourages momentum because you’ll be hitting small wins along the way!

Interested in being apart of the female founder series? We have 9 slots left for 2019! Drop us a line below.

3 Reasons Why You Should Allow Yourself To Be A Beginner

“I would give myself the grace to be a beginner” this was a quote from Angela Buckner’s interview this week. It struck me SO hard that I had to share it on this preview with you.

How hard is it to be a rookie and allow yourself to FAIL, to make mistakes, to not be perfect? We have these extreme expectations as a business owner to be performing at such a high level when we haven’t done half the things we are expecting ourselves to do!

I know for myself I’ll get an idea and believe it should be happening the next day. I get frustrated that I haven’t mastered SEO (when I learned a small bit about it last week) or that I haven’t nailed editing a podcast (I’ve done ONE episode). It can feel like YEARS that you’re sitting in the mud when in reality, it’s a few days or months that you’re learning the ropes.

So many times we DON’T MOVE FORWARD or stay consistent because we are trying to make decisions like we are a CEO of a Fortune500 company when in reality it’s just us, a computer, 800 ideas, and chump change in our bank accounts.

So here are three reasons why you allow yourself to be a rookie in growing your business:

1. You aren’t going to nail your offering/service/product the first time around - ok you might but it’s rare for that to happen. So trying different things and receiving feedback can be instrumental as you get started. You’ll also have more time to reflect, tweak, and learn the industry. Just like ANY job or even riding a bike - you had to learn and train before things just came automatically. Why is this any different?

2. CONSISTENCY IS KEY. This is a big one for me. Anything that I’ve been consistent in I’ve been successful at. When I give up too quickly I didn’t even give it a chance. So what if creating your podcast takes 3 months to create- there are some people not showing up at all.

3. Mistakes aren’t failures. You’ll learn early that every decision you make won’t kill you- if anything it will lead to the next opportunity.  JUST START!!

Angela is the owner of ALB Photography Designs & ALB Art and Designs, and she shares that we can all do this- we can all fight the fear and do it anyway. With no experience at all but passion in her heart Angela started to build a business that she cared deeply about and even wrote her first novel this past year! This reminded me of Raechel Campbell’s feature last week where she reminded us to be creative and live boldly every single day!

Additionally, you may remember a previous feature about Shauna Parisi where she shared that when you stop caring what other people think EVERYTHING opens up for you. This is one of the things Angela shared in our interview. She states that looking back she would work on not comparing herself to others and remind herself that she is enough just as she is!

I felt so honored when Angela reached out and shared that she had recently launched her photography business after years of raising her family and wanted other women to know that they can do both, raise a family and grow a business!

If you are interested in learning more about Angela’s work you can reach her on her Photography Facebook page or her personal page. You can also get in touch with her via instagram or through email angelab.buckner@gmail.com!

Without further ado, Angela Buckner, everyone!

What is your story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally!

I am an “almost” empty nester with one son living at home and attending college. I have been married to my awesome husband for 34 years! Whew! That’s a long time, isn’t it? I have 2 handsome sons, 2 beautiful daughters, 1 wonderful daughter-in-law and 2 awesome son-in-laws. I am also the proud Mom to Bentley, my grumpy Shih Tzu. Raising my family has been the center of my heart and life for about 30 years. Whatever they needed came first. As they began to grow up and go their own ways, I started to realize that I wasn’t even sure who I was apart from being a mom and a wife, but there was a burning desire in me to find out. 

I started taking pictures with an old camera and teaching myself photoshop and taking some classes. They say, “if you wake up first thing in the morning and that thing you like is on your mind, then you should probably do something with it.”

I dreamed of all the beautiful photos that I could take of families and children with their wonder filled expressions. I started asking friends if I could take pictures of their family for free.  I took lots of free pictures! Haha!

After years of practicing, upgrading my camera, and taking thousands of photos that no one ever saw, I decided to launch a business. I was also working full time so it was only a side thing. That business has now grown to afford me the opportunity to do it full time. 

I have always been artistic and creative, and I began to think that maybe photography would not be my main business, but maybe only the vehicle that would allow me to grow another business that I loved. I began to craft wooden signs and jewelry, paintings and books. I felt a deep desire and push to try to write a book, so I stepped out this past year and completed my first novel. I fell completely in love with writing!

It may sound like I am in a million different directions, but the process of finding out who you are and how you fit into a new season of your life is not always a quick and easy one. There were many days that I would beat myself up and say that I could never compete with other photographers that were younger or more experienced than me, or why start an Etsy store because there is already a million of them. I realized for me, it was more than making an income, it was about reviving dreams that had never died in my heart since I was a young girl. I always loved to create and to write and those dreams had been dormant so many years, I didn’t even know they were still there. I realized that without breathing life back into those parts of me, that I would never be complete and I would always feel like something was missing.

I am honored to be a part of this series because I believe this is a common thing with women in my age group and for all women really. We all seem to have those loud voices in our heads that continuously tell us we can’t do something.

Owning a business is great and hard, but for me, it is more about embracing who I was meant to be and allowing myself to do the things that I was gifted to do and letting that be more than enough.

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

I just started out as a hobby and realized that it became such an outlet for me to be creative. It brought joy into my life and I wanted a full time job that made me happy.

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

I have a photography business that leans toward children and families. I have also recently started an Etsy shop with different designs for the home and personal use. Recently I quit my full time job to take the leap and grow my business. So scary and freeing at the same time.

Looking back would you do anything different?

Looking back, I would absolutely do a few different things, but the biggest thing would be that I would not compare myself to others. I would give myself the grace to be a beginner. I still do this at times, but I remind myself that my talents are God given, uniquely to me and I don’t have to be like someone else.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

My favorite thing is being able to know that I have given my best to my product and that I have blessed other people with something that they can enjoy for years to come.

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

In my photography business, I have the opportunity to photograph a family at the hospital with their brand new baby, and then as a one year old, and maybe Christmas. I get to build those relationships that are personal and precious over a long term.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

There are several challenges, but I would say the biggest for me is juggling all the different aspects of a business from taxes to social media, to organizing and then the actual work of the business. Keeping a good attitude about what I am doing even on the hard days is difficult sometimes, but I have realized that this drains my creativity and only slows me down.

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

This is an important area for me. My generation has been taught to take care of our homes, our families, and manage our households first and although these are wonderful things, there is only 24 hours in a day and that doesn’t leave a lot of time for making dreams come true, so as I said, they get put on the back burner. It seems that men are very encouraged and applauded to go after their dreams, but we don’t see that very often with 54 year old women. I am fortunate to have a very caring husband that helps to push me out of this mindset, but it has been difficult to be okay with putting something I love in first place.

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

You can do it. It won’t be easy every day, but it will be worth it. It may never make you a millionaire but it will let you know that you are strong and that you can DO it. Don’t listen to the doubts and fears, those voices will probably be there even when you’re a huge success. Don’t compare yourself to others to the point that it makes you feel badly about yourself.

What is your favorite quote?

“Every year you close a new chapter in your story. Please, please, please don’t write the same one seventy-five times and call it a life.” –Rachel Hollis

How do you avoid burnout?

 I take long walks with my dog. I drive with my top down and play loud music! I visit my daughter who lives at the beach (my happy place) and spend hours just walking or sitting and listening to the waves. I have realized that I flourish when I take the time to have “down time”. So I try to plan into my schedule time to just be alone a little bit each day or so and gather my thoughts.

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

I am a night person, so my mornings start slow with devotions and coffee. I go over my calendar and my weekly goals to see what is most pressing. I work well with an active list of things that I can mark off as I get them finished, so I update that list for the day and dive in. I force myself to stay on the allotted time frame, if possible. It makes me feel very accomplished at the end of the day.

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

I love Christy Wright’s Business Boutique Calendar because it has a place to set goals for myself, my business, and my family each week. Also, I would be lost, without my phone calendar because it is with me all the time. I am also a member of the Business Boutique, which has monthly lessons and sessions that help keep me encouraged and on top of new ideas to work into my businesses.

How do you advertise your brand?

 I try to post daily on social media platforms which is not my favorite thing, but it seems to be a necessity to grow a business. I reach out to other business that I feel would be interested in home gifts, such as realtors, and local small businesses.

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

I may sound like I regret the time spent devoted to my family, but I don’t. They are the people that now stand behind me and cheer me on.  I do regret however, not realizing that I could have both at the same time. I love seeing young women today working hard to do what they love and to love and take care of their family too, but I truly want to see more women my age empowered to believe that it isn’t too late and those dreams that they might have had in college or as a teenager are still in there somewhere waiting to me cultivated.

Thank you for your contribution to the female founder series, Angela! I know that your perspective and story will inspire so many.

Are youInterested in getting involved with the female founder series? Want to share your story? Drop us a comment below!

What Did You Want To Be When You Grew Up?

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Chances are it’s either the complete opposite of what you’re doing now, or some elements of your current career emulate the passions and interests you had as a kid. As we age, we learn about societal norms and begin to change ourselves to fit in. We lose our way and stop doing things that we’re interested in.

I fell in love with darkroom photography around 12, but it quickly transformed into graphic design and photoshop as I could see my progress as I went. I spent hours taking photos, editing them, and making slideshows for friends and family. I freaking loved it. Creating memories with music to elicit emotion was just all I wanted to do. At one point, my entire wall was covered with pictures from top to bottom! But because I didn’t think I was good enough, I shelved it away in my adolescent years.

It’s funny how things we dabble in as children often come back to us in adulthood but in different forms. One way this has come back to me is @paxthedood. All of a sudden, I found myself taking photos, documenting moments, and editing them for hours on end. It came full circle.

Carolyn Pascual White from The Social Sipper has a similar story. Our female founder this week grew up in the restaurant industry, then dabbled in different areas of the business , and now she has found her purpose through food & cocktail styling! Her beverage blog shares fresh and easy cocktails that can be made at home. She has several successful brand partnerships, and she’s just getting started! She’s also a wiz at brand strategy and development. The Social Sipper also helps beverage brands and influencers who are struggling with social media create a visual brand so they can attract the right followers and customers!

Carolyn was the first person I met when I moved to San Diego. She’s been my friend through many reincarnations and special moments. I’m proud to say I’ve also been able to witness her growth throughout the years. As long as I’ve known Carolyn she’s been searching for her entrepreneurial purpose. She even had a semi launched business years ago that she later felt wasn’t a profitable or scalable idea so she didn’t end up following through with it.

I think those type of experiences are very important as we work towards success. Because in order to reach success we must go through trial and error. Carolyn shares in her feature how this is something she works on everyday. She states that one of the biggest challenges being an entrepreneur is fear.

“A lot of worry comes up for me about making a wrong choice or not getting everything right. I constantly have to remind myself that my success is inevitable and it's all about experimenting and growing.”

I can imagine how many of you are nodding your head in agreement to that statement! We logically know we have to take risks and chances but it can be much more challenging to actually take the step forward.

She follows that statement by saying the only way to battle through those fearful thoughts is to not wait for things to be perfect and to just begin.

If you are interested in collaborating or even learning from Carolyn she loves instagram so feel free to DM her to start a chat! You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and her website, thesocialsipper.com

I can’t wait for you to get to know her today! So let’s get to it!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

Food has always been a big part of my life. Growing up in the restaurant industry, I was thrown into the kitchen as soon as I was old enough to hold a knife. And in my family, quality time has always been spent eating together (and hanging around) in the kitchen. Somehow, I still never would have guessed I’d end up working with food and beverage professionally. With dreams of being an entrepreneur, I got my MBA in International Business and Management. After graduating and not finding a corporate role that felt right, I reluctantly got a few part-time jobs while exploring industries to decide what business I would pursue. Kismet and some persistence connected me to an amazing food stylist and I found myself on the set of a commercial. It all took off from there. I developed my skills working with food for film and photography and eventually was able to ditch the part-time jobs and work as a food stylist full time. Freelance life was nice, but I didn’t have any control over my schedule and I found myself driving 2-3 hours for a job pretty often. I loved the work but knew it wouldn’t be sustainable forever, especially if I wanted to have kids someday. 

I started thinking about how to use my skills in a way that would allow me to work more flexibly. I started The Social Sipper, a beverage blog sharing fresh and easy cocktails that can be made at home. I dream up the drinks and my husband, Travis and I capture them together. I knew that with a platform, we could connect with brands and monetize. The Social Sipper now has several brand partnerships that allow us to make money at home!

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

I was posting photos of cocktails on my personal Instagram account and saw that they were performing really well. I always thought of enjoying a beautiful and delicious cocktail as a special moment and wanted to share ways for people to make this happen at home. Since the work is so visual, I knew that Instagram would be a really good platform to share my recipes and tips on and connect with brands.

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

In addition to sharing simple and beautiful cocktail recipes, we also help beverage brands and influencers who are struggling with social media create a visual brand so they can attract followers and customers. I really enjoy the work we do with brands, so we created Beverage Curator a done-for-you content creation subscription to help beverage brands achieve better results on social media. We’re actually in the process of launching it now!

Looking back would you do anything different?

I'm really happy with the actions I've taken so far but I definitely would have started learning about limiting beliefs and mindset sooner. I love business strategy but am learning more and more that strategy alone is not enough. I'm constantly recognizing when I have limiting beliefs that are getting in my way. I try to call myself out when I find myself worrying about what others think, judging or dwelling on making the perfect decision.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I love the endless possibilities. It's seriously the coolest time to be an entrepreneur with all the opportunities to have an impact and reach people online. A lot of my friends say they can't imagine not having the comfort of a consistent paycheck but I think it's exciting to know there are no limits on that number. Oh and I also really like working in yoga pants.

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Getting our first brand partnership was a big moment for me. It happened 3 months after we started and with less than 1,000 followers on Instagram. I was convinced that I had to build a huge account to get paid so it was really exciting to prove that not to be true. It made me question the other limiting beliefs that were getting in my way which has been so valuable for me as an entrepreneur.

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

I find myself struggling with pricing and talking about money. As a female, it's generally really easy for me to build and nurture relationships but I find myself in fear when I'm asking for money. It's something I'm working on.

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Don't wait! It's so easy to say you'll take action "once you have 10k followers" or "when you have a more professional website," etc. There will ALWAYS be another thing to do. Get out of your own way and take action as soon as you can!

What is your favorite quote?

"If not this, then something better"

How do you avoid burnout?

This is a work in progress for me. I realized that the burnout comes in when I'm doing things that are out of my zone of genius. So I am constantly evaluating what I'm excited about doing and what brings me joy in my business and try to do more of that and less of everything else.

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

All my days are different. When we're not shooting, I usually start my day with a workout and give myself a lot of flexibility throughout the day. I find that I'm most productive in the afternoon, so I allow my mornings to be relaxed and take time for myself.

How do you advertise your brand?

Right now, I just get the word out by sharing content on Instagram and my site.

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

I'm an old fashioned paper and pencil kind of gal so my planner and desk calendar are necessities for me. Otherwise, Plann for planning Instagram, VSCO for editing photos, Canva for designing graphics and Dropbox for delivering photos. I also couldn't live without Google Drive.

Thank you Carolyn for your time and energy. I know a big take away for me was about your money mindset- especially as a female. I feel as if (at least I do) have a need to be liked and I don’t want to cause waves - ESPECIALLY when I am landing a new client. I have learned through experience and other coaches that this all about my relationship with money which comes from my childhood and learned experience.

It’s very normal for women to downgrade their packages and prices due to not feeling worthy. Hopefully with the army of female founders blossoming around the world we can make change and build confidence. We’ve been taught to not talk about money when we really should be talking about!

A few things that have helped me are:

1. Getting to know my value and what I do for clients.

2. Accepting that not everyone will be ok with my prices.

3. Following through with my packages when I present them. I also always pause after I say the prices instead of trying to cover it up with jibber jabber!

4. Being OK when I do get paid the amount I ask for (not feeling guilty)

We will have another feature on this topic in due time but in the meantime do you have comments or ideas on how to build a healthy relationship with money? If so, Leave us a comment below!

Amazing Things Happen When You Stop Caring What People Think

It took me a year and a half to publicly admit what I was doing in my business on my personal Instagram account. Even in conversation, I would downplay what I was creating. I remember being at a baby shower, and someone asked me what I was up to. I responded with "oh, just doing some social media consulting and finishing school"...I wonder if it was because I didn't feel I was ready to share or that I didn't have a mission statement at the time, but I tended to leave what really made my heartbeat out of the conversation.

I always highlighted my Ph.D. because it was tangible to others…but my big dreams…well, those were secret or were only shared to those in my community who I felt could understand. I was worried people would judge me, that they would think I've jumped around too much in my career, or they'd think I was stupid. A dog’s instagram? Really?

I finally ripped off the bandaid mid-April 2019 and got an incredible response. Facebook messages, DM's, comments, and texts came in. Other women reached out and shared they wanted to learn how I got started, and if I could help them become an entrepreneur too. I received recognition from those who I was once intimidated by. I received support from friends and family, which was has been so needed while growing a brand. And I even gained more founders to interview!

Amazing things happen when you stop caring what others think.

Shauna Parisi also endorses the phrase above as she mentions it in her FFS feature. Shauna shares that while growing not only one but TWO businesses how this mindset of not caring what others think has been instrumental in her growth. Shauna also shares that taking the leap of faith and trusting that she would land on her feet allowed her to explore further, dream bigger, and live a life by design. When you start doing YOU and listening to YOUR needs and wants your confidence will rise. You’ll get out of your head and into your heart.

Shauna is the founder of A Million Thanks and is now a running her own health and wellness business in affiliation with Arbonne International. Although part of her job is selling products that she loves, it is only a small portion of what she does. Her day is spent serving others helping them reach their highest potential. This is the work she loves and was born to do.

If you’d like to learn more on how you can get involved with A Million Thanks check out their website here. If you’re interested in joining Shauna’s team or for mentorship and connection the best way to reach out is through instagram or email: ShaunaParisi@gmail.com.

This week you'll notice a few new questions added to the FFS series! You'll find new answers on specific tools these entrepreneurs use, insight on how they schedule their day, advice on avoiding burn out, and even their favorite inspirational quote to add to your motivational bank.

Without further ado…Shauna Parisi everyone!

What is your story! Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

I grew up in Orange County, California, and I always think it's funny to tell people that all of my schools - from preschool through college - were within a five-mile radius of the house I grew up in. But don't worry, I've gotten out quite a bit! 

I have always had a passion for serving and helping others, and I strongly believe each of us were created for a purpose. When I was in high school in 2004, I started a military benefit non-profit organization called A Million Thanks, with the goal of collecting and distributing one million letters of appreciation to our service members around the world. I had no idea that a small idea would turn into something so huge and something that still exists today, 15 years later. 

I continued building A Million Thanks throughout high school, gaining so much priceless life experience along the way. Before my 16th birthday, I stood with President Bush in the Oval Office. Before my 17th birthday, I co-created a military support network with the Pentagon and Department of Defense, and before my 18th birthday, I stood in the board room of General Motors and gave a presentation to its executives on the power of corporate social responsibility. 

I went to Chapman University and studied public relations and advertising with a film minor, with the goal of getting into entertainment marketing. I knew A Million Thanks would always be part of my life in some way or another, but I had my eyes on a different career. However, after a couple internships, agency work, a lot of commuting to LA, and realizing in the entertainment industry, there's always someone willing to do your job for less pay, I decided to change directions. 

I decided to still pursue marketing but in the restaurant industry. I started out working for my family's restaurant group in the corporate office and eventually transitioned out on my own, working for various corporate and franchise restaurant groups. Because the industry is so small, I was able to work my way up very quickly, becoming a Director of Marketing by the time I was 25. 

At the end of 2018, my husband and I were offered roles to travel around the world for four months on a short-term contract with Semester at Sea, the study abroad program we met on as undergrads. We couldn't turn it down. So I took a giant leap of faith and resigned from my corporate marketing job and we traveled the world together for four months. And when we returned home in January of this year, I knew it was time to get back on the grind. However, I just didn't feel like going back to what I was doing before. I wanted more options, more time freedom, the ability to travel and have a flexible schedule, and the opportunity to make a difference in others' lives.

So I took another leap of faith and the night before I turned 30, I quit corporate.

I decided to start my own health and wellness business in partnership with an amazing company that's been around for 39 years. Plus, now I get to devote time every week to A Million Thanks!

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

Oh my gosh, there's too many things to even count! I guess probably first and foremost is getting to use my gifts to serve others. I think a lot of times when we are tied to a company, we tend to be so concerned about our own performance that we forget our purpose. Being an entrepreneur, I get to focus my day-to-day on what I can do to help others. Aside from that, I love the flexibility, getting to take days off in the middle of the week, and being part of a business that is all about not trading time for money. Did I mention flexibility?

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

I think for me, it's anytime I'm able to see the impact my business organization has made on others. A lot of times, you don't get to see the fruits of your labor, but I feel very blessed that between A Million Thanks and my Arbonne business, I  get to see my team's impact daily. From granting the wish of a new fishing kayak to an injured veteran to watching one of my team members finally get to quit their second job because their Arbonne business is allowing them more financial options - these are the moments I live for!

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

For me, it's procrastination. I've always worked well under pressure, but it's never comfortable. I've really had to learn how to leverage my time, prioritize, and not leave things until the last minute.

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

I feel very blessed that I actually haven't come across any major challenges as female entrepreneur. I work with mostly women in my Arbonne business, and every single one has empowered and inspired me in some way and on a daily basis. I always say this business is for ourselves but not by ourselves. We get to do life together, not just business, and that has been a huge change from an often stressful and oppressive corporate culture.

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

During high school, we were all required to do community service and were provided with a variety of options that we could participate in. Nothing really jumped out at me or tugged my heart strings, so I considered creating my own option. It was just a couple years after 9/11, so our military was still very heavily in the news. I remember asking my dad one night if there was something I could do for our military to let them know all of us at home were thinking about them. He jokingly said, "Sure, why don't you collect a million thank you letters to send to them!" And I just went with it. I had no idea what I was doing, how I was going to get the letters (let alone get them overseas), or where to even start. I had no connection to the military at all, but I was confident this is what God wanted me to do, so he would provide a way to do it.

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

A Million Thanks was founded to be a place of appreciation for our military, where people all across the country could send in their letters and we would get them into the hands of our service members overseas. But as with any business, and non-profits alike, you are required to pivot with the market. So now, in addition to sending thank you letters overseas, we also grant wishes to injured veterans, and we fund higher education scholarships to children of fallen military. We are essentially a one-stop-shop for military support. 

Because A Million Thanks has a full-time Executive Director aka my husband, I'm able to devote time to growing my own business. Now on a daily basis, I get to help people get healthier, choose products that are better for them, and mentor and lead teams to do the same and make an income from anywhere in the world. I love it because not only do I get to watch people's lives change drastically from the inside out, but I get to introduce people to a business opportunity that's all about residual income, time leveraging, and creating options for building a life by design.

Looking back would you do anything different?

I don't think I would do anything differently, because I know everything that happened along the way happened for a reason. I think if anything, I would have wanted to be more mindful. Anytime you start a business, it's such a whirlwind and time goes by so fast. I know there were a lot of times I missed what was going on around me, because I was so deep in the weeds.

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

What if you stopped thinking "What if this doesn't work?" and started asking yourself "What if this DOES work?" Are you happy with where are you now? How about in one year from now? Five years? What if you could be part of something that not only changed others' lives but changed your own? Stop being afraid of what others might think, because their opinions are none of your business and they won't pay your bills either. There is so much potential for you, so just jump in!

What is your favorite quote?

“Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.” - Bob Burg the Go Giver

How do you avoid burnout?

Personal growth and development! Your business only grows as much as you do. You have to constantly be learning, be growing, and ask for mentors to pour into you. And then turn around and do the same for others.

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

Most days start out at the gym, but I don't get up early for that. I used to get up at 4:30 to hit the gym before working a 10 hours a day. I was so glad to kiss those days goodbye! I get home, make breakfast, get ready, do a devotion, and get to work. I like to take a lot of breaks, which is easy since I work from home. It keeps me on track to take breaks!

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

I use a lot of social media for both of my businesses, so I'm pretty active on that. I also use Voxer for all my communication, which I love. I'm pretty basic when it comes to organization and calendars, I mostly just use my phone with a LOT of reminders haha. I'm a visual person so I love using Zoom for video conferences so I can see who I'm talking to. And all the books - sometimes audio and sometimes paperback!

How do you advertise your brand?

Word of mouth! I've never paid for any advertising for any of my businesses. For A Million Thanks, I used a lot of PR strategies and relied on participants and supporters to spread the word. For Arbonne, it's all social media and word of mouth and my team who does the same!

Thank you Shauna for your contribution to the Female Founder Series! I know that your story will impact so many people. I can relate to procrastination being a challenge for me as well. You mention coming back to your why and asking yourself what is stopping you from reaching your goals - I think this is a great way to re-align and get things accomplished. For example, there are a lot of things we don’t want to do or we don’t have immense passion for but we gotta do them. One way to combat this is to get to the root cause of why we don’t want to do it. Once we know we can start to move forward.

I think because we live in a world that is covered in instant gratification it can be challenging to work on something that feels more tedious or that there isn’t a reward right when you finish. Setting up small wins with projects or mini goals to hit can help move you along!

Additionally, people procrastinate because they are afraid to fail or don’t know where to start. In entrepreneurship, sometimes you just have to start and take a leap of faith. Shauna speaks to this in her feature as well. And truthfully, you might fail a few times but it’s the only way to learn and evolve in your business. xo

Looking to get involved in the female founder series? Leave us a message below and someone will contact you shortly!

The Best Leaders Rise By Lifting Others Up

I had a client not too long ago name Sally*, she ran a small startup.  While we were working together she hired an employee, Linda*, to run all daily operations and create an internal training and strategy department. There were two things that Linda was responsible for #1 being the CEO's right-hand man and #2 communicating and teaching employees what the CEO truly wanted to do.

The biggest issue we kept running into was Sally's unwillingness to delegate and empower others to take on new responsibility. In one of our sessions, Sally admitted that she was worried that the pieces of her company were going to be given away by sharing the inner workings of her mind. "But Nikki, this is my baby! I have to run everything to make sure things go as I plan- I don't have time to train the employees!" So she'd be up all hours of the night and then complain about how little money she was making for how hard she was working.

Linda was the first to go. After that one by one employees began to quit, clients left her, and she felt like she was back at square one. Sally never took the time to teach her employees. She never took the time to understand their strengths so that she could delegate tasks in the business in order to scale it.

John Maxwell says, "Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team," and Ashley Kalinauskas, CEO/Founder of Torigen does precisely that. She shares in our FFS feature how a team is EVERYTHING to getting a startup off the ground. Ashley tells us that some of her favorite moments while growing Torigen is watching her employees become more confident taking on new tasks which in turn creates growth for everyone!

Torigen is an incredible and innovate company that provides a personalized cancer vaccine to veterinary clinics around the country. After a lump or bump is felt by a veterinarian, they send the tumor sample in to their labs. If the tumor comes back from pathology as malignant, then they move forward and create a series of vaccines that are designed to stimulate the immune system against the cancer by isolating the tumor cells and providing a specific CD8+ cytotoxic T cell adjuvant.

Torigen found that 8 million companion animals are diagnosed each year with cancer, and nearly 90% of them do not get further cancer care by an oncologist. Which is why Torigen was created! Their goal is to create a safe, effective and affordable treatment option that can be provided by local veterinarians and in turn help millions of patients.

So many times inventions or companies emerge from immediate need, loss, or convenience. It is clear that there are so many dogs that could benefit from this treatment! Torigen works exclusively through veterinarians, but if you know a pet with cancer, or have a pet recently diagnosed, Torigen would love to be put in contact with your veterinarian to see if this therapy can be applicable for your pet.

To reach them you can check them out on their instagram, facebook, and their website.
Without any further ado here is, Ashley Kalinauskas, of Torigen.

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

Torigen is the result of my graduate research at Notre Dame where my former professor and I launched the company in 2013. Since then, we have been focused on helping the millions of companion animals that have been diagnosed with cancer. I have a mini-goldendoodle named Dave, who can be Pax's twin, and he always keeps me on my toes!

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

My former PI was focused on researching personalized cancer immunotherapies for use treating human prostate, ovarian and breast cancer. He had been working on this technology through multiple iterations when his own yellow lab, Sadie developed oral squamous cell carcinoma. 

Sadie was only given less than a month to live because the cancer had extensively metastasized. He was a veterinarian by degree, but a research professor by trade when he decided to utilize the personalized cancer vaccine on Sadie. Sadie was the first clinical patient after nearly a decade refining our process with mice and rats-- she was also the inspiration after she was successfully treated for us to research how many dogs develop cancer each year. 

Looking back would you do anything different?

Running a company is difficult! I think that every step helped build us to where we are today, but looking back, I wish we would have moved a bit faster and raised additional capital earlier in the company's formation.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I love being able to do it all! Everyone at Torigen wears multiple hats-- I can go from financial planning, to cell culture and business development in one afternoon. I like to dream big, but then to put down attainable goals as to how we will accomplish each of these tasks. I also enjoy leading a team that is focused on making a difference!

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

In August, 2018 we were named the top animal health innovation! That was a huge achievement and milestone for our company! I think that some of my favorite moments involve seeing my employees progress and be confident taking on more tasks. When you help an employee grow, that is the best feeling!

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

So many! I describe every day as being thrown from a plane without a parachute and having to assemble it before you hit the ground. You never know what is coming your way-- but hard work and planning ahead can really help prevent any mishaps or surprises!

Another big challenge is financing. There are so many angel and early stage VC groups that are looking for great technologies to fund. However, we probably pitched to over 30 groups before we received our first term sheet. You have to find individuals that are willing to take on risk, but who will be your partners moving forward.

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

START! A lot of great ideas never get off the ground floor because they do not have a dedicated team pushing them to succeed. Its important to get things going. If you have an idea and a team that believes in what you do-- the capital will follow!

Thank you Ashley for all the incredible work you are doing! We all want our furry babies to live as long as possible! The work you do is truly inspiring.

Do you have something you’d like to share? Are you a female founder that would love to inspire others? Message us in the form below to get started!

The Power of Patience

I find it ironic that the theme of this week’s founder series is patience and when I was writing this I had almost zero. Rushing around, yelling at cars, eating too fast just to get shit done because I’m up against a big deadline. I had planned a bunch of stuff prior to knowing about this deadline so of course life likes to load ya up all at one time! The funny thing about this is that I think that yelling at the cars to move faster or half heartily throwing a post together then the more I’ll be able to pack into the day. But, because I haven’t taken the time to slow down and be mindful I end up doing more work. There are more mistakes in my grammar, more projects that are started and unfinished (like the dishes in the sink and laundry on the bed), and the less present I am in general.  Also- side note- when you slow down and have patience you’ll notice how NOT a big deal the things you’re stressing about truly are. 

Can you think back on a time that you said something without really listening to what the person was saying? Or what about launching a program or offer from your business only to realize you weren't ready to manage it or scale it? Or rushed through an Instagram post just to get content out there? Have you ever bought a piece of home decor just to have something rather than waiting for the thing you REALLY wanted?

I've been all of the above. I've spoken thoughtlessly, launched too quickly, bought way too many fake plants, posted, edited, reposted, and then deleted because I moved too quickly. Something I've been working on in my own life is slowing down before making decisions. Now, I'm a huge researcher of all things, so in many ways, I do educate myself before I decide to move forward, BUT I often tend to make moves without thinking it through.

It seems as if learning patience is a common theme for most entrepreneurs as Allison Katz of Gift Spawt explains that it took time to understand how to even get started as a business owner and then to officially launch their brand.

She does a great job sharing how patience in her business was a key element of success! Allison and her co-founder Mariana created, Gift Spawt, a one-stop-shop for sending gifts and puppy care packages to dog friends near and far. With snuggly stuffed toys, stylish accessories, dog gift sets, and greeting cards, they’ve got something special for every pup and occasion. They love supporting their dog parent community and spreading joy to people everyday.

Allison describes what steps they took as a brand to launch their online business efficiently and effectively. In our interview, she also provides insight to those who are looking to get started and some mindset tips to keep your eye on the ball!

I originally worked with Allison and Mariana many moons ago for my 10k milestone giveaway on @paxthedood. The two of them created @dogswithstuffedanimals which is an instagram account that highlights adorable dogs with stuffed animals. That specific account is very successful and it seems only natural for them to start selling products themselves!

If you are interested in collaborating as an influencer or sending a package to a friend please contact Allison at info@giftspawt.com. Make sure to check out their website and buy your pup some fun and adorable goodies. Giftspawt packages each gift which makes it personalized and unique for each recipient. You can also follow them on Instagram at @giftspawt or on their Facebook page which you can reach by clicking here.

Without further ado, Allison Katz, everyone!

Allison with some of their ambassadors in LA

Please tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally. 

I am originally from Charlotte, North Carolina and went to school at UNC-Chapel Hill (Go Heels!). After graduating from college, I wanted to explore life outside of NC and moved to NYC with some friends. While I started off working in entertainment PR, I later transitioned to the healthcare field and headed to DC for graduate school. 

Although city living was fun and exciting, it was also stressful and lonely at times. One of my coworkers suggested that I should get a dog and even came with me to bring Riley home in 2012. Since day one, he's been a total mama's boy (and I mean that in the best way possible) and the center of my world. Little did I know that when I started an Instagram account for him in 2015, that it would be a turning point in my life personally and professionally.

It was through IG that I became friends with Mariana, my now business partner, who also happened to have a cockapoo named Riley. We decided to start @dogswithstuffedanimals together, which gave me a creative outlet that I didn't have in my day job. I also felt a sense of empowerment turning an idea into a reality and taking on a leadership role.

At the same time, I was missing my family and friends in North Carolina and decided that I wanted to move closer to home. For the past 1.5 years, I have been living in Chapel Hill, NC, working in digital marketing for medical practices, and growing Gift Spawt. Although it was a risk leaving my life in DC and a job I had for 9 years, I am so glad that I took a leap of faith and allowed myself to try something new!

Co-Founder Mariana & her dog Walter

How did you get your idea or concept for the brand?

Mariana and I had been exchanging gifts for our dogs for holidays and birthdays. While the presents were small (a toy, treat, or card), it was so fun receiving a package from a friend and surprising Riley with his pawmail. 

We noticed that other dogs on Instagram were sending their friends gifts as well and how happy it made everyone. From there, we decided to create a site for the dog community that promoted friendship and celebrating special occasions -even when you can't be there in person.

Looking back would you do any thing different?

Not at all. In the past year, I've learned so much, and challenges and missteps have always guided me in a better direction.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

The ability to create opportunities for myself and taking personal responsibility for my decisions. I'm also able to maintain a fairly flexible schedule, which allows me to have a good work-life balance.

Allison & her dog Riley

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Seeing the messages that friends write for the gift cards has been awesome! You can tell that so many humans and pups have formed genuine relationships with one another, and it really reinforces the power of the dog community. 

I also loved meeting-up with some of our IG friends, while traveling this past year.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

Because so much of what we do is tied to social media, email, and being online, I often find it difficult to unplug and be away from my phone or computer. But I have started to set aside device-free time each night, so that I can truly decompress and be more engaged in my relationships and experiences.

Advice for other entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Patience, planning, and research are essential to executing an idea. When we decided to start Gift Spawt, I bought a 2000 page book on Amazon about creating and running a small business. There were so many steps to take before we could even begin developing the website, and I just gave myself the time and space to get organized, ask friends and family for help, contact support teams (especially with tech questions), and search for answers online.

How do you advertise your brand?

Currently, we only promote Gift Spawt on social media (Instagram and Facebook). We owe so much to our amazing brand ambassadors, who have supported us since the very beginning!

What a fun idea! I can’t wait to learn more about GiftSpawt on our podcast interview this summer. If you have questions about getting involved in the Female Founder Series (FFS) please drop us a comment below or send us an email!

4 Powerful and Inexpensive Ways to Launch Your Business

Have you ever had one of those phone calls that you just didn't want to get off the phone? Because the conversation flowed so seamlessly, and even though it was the first time you've talked to this person, it felt like the 500th? That's how my conversation with Maneesha Mukhi went yesterday. It was as if the words coming out of her mouth were ones that I think daily.

It was a pleasure learning more about Maneesha, who is the founder of AskEllis, which helps individuals and businesses connect with experienced immigration attorneys (and other resources). They craft a lot of high-quality content to help folks along any stage of their immigration journey. So whether they are looking for ad hoc information or trying to fill out their paperwork themselves, Ask Ellis has something for everyone.

We discussed things such as her why and how important owning that intention is to scaling her business. We both identified how lonely it can feel growing a business as a soloprenure (especially in New York City in January! Brr). We talked about utilizing mentors which can be helpful to a certain extent, but can also misguide us away from our real intention. We also chatted about how much we downplay our successes and how important it is to celebrate all wins along the way. AskEllis has been featured in FastCompany and Oprah Magazine- Those are HUGE WINS for this growing startup!

I asked Maneesha about what advice she would share with entrepreneurs just starting out, and she had 4 critical insights on this question. Make sure to read through today's feature to get those steps!

There are a few ways folks can reach Maneesha & AskEllis. If you are looking to schedule a consult with an attorney and you know which one, you can hit the "Schedule a Consult" button on the attorney's profile. If you are unsure of next steps, you can schedule a quick call with the Ask Ellis Concierge (via their website) - they always have same day slots available. Lastly, you can just send them a message through the form on the "Contact Us" page. You can find additional information about AskEllis on their Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Instagram.

Please tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

Culturally, I am a bit of a mutt! My father was a diplomat for India so I grew up in 6 countries across 3 continents (Asia, Africa, Europe). I always wanted to come to the U.S. for college and was thrilled when I got accepted. After college, my career choices were largely driven by visa constraints so I ended up working in corporate America for a decade. I finally got my green card in 2013 -  it gave me the kind of work freedom I did not have before. I quit corporate America shortly after and haven't looked back. I worked at a nonprofit for a year, advocating for domestic violence survivors of South Asian origin. After that, an opportunity at a tech start-up popped up and I thought it would be a great learning experience. Fast forward a couple of years - I finally took the plunge and launched Ask Ellis (with a different name).

How did you get your idea or concept for the brand?

Ask Ellis is a deeply personal venture. Having grown up in 6 countries, I am no stranger to visas. I came to the U.S. as an international student almost 20 years ago. It took nearly 10 years, 3 green card applications and a lot of anxiety to get my green card. Last month, I finally became a U.S. citizen. Along the way, I realized that there was a big hole: immigration information online was sparse and often inaccurate. Finding a reliable attorney was overwhelming. So I decided to create the solution.

Tell us more about your brand and what you do!

Ask Ellis helps individuals and businesses connect with experienced immigration attorneys (and other resources). We craft a lot of high quality content to help folks along any stage of their immigration journey. So whether they are looking for ad hoc information or trying to fill out their paperwork themselves, we have something for everyone.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

Learning. You never stop learning as an entrepreneur. I never enjoyed the classroom setting growing up and I always thought it was because I didn't enjoy learning. I realize now that I love learning, but I learn by doing and am a very hands on person.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

When you work for yourself (especially in the beginning when there isn't a team), working alone and being self-motivated ALL the time can be hard. I addressed this by using a co-working space (which isn't feasible for everyone as it is an added cost - but if it will help you work better, it may be worth the investment). Another challenge is figuring out how to allocate your limited funds and time - what should you invest in, what should you outsource vs. doing yourself, etc. There are so many more challenges, but these were 2 big ones for me.

Advice for other entrepreneurs or those looking to get started? (4 powerful and inexpensive ways to launch your business)

1. Be patient!

2. Trust your gut! Everyone will have an opinion on how you should run your business. I wasted a lot of time by not trusting my gut and listening to people that I thought knew better than me. Don't get me wrong - some people will offer you valuable advice, but let too many cooks in the kitchen and you will constantly be pivoting and doubting yourself.

3. Celebrate the little wins.

4. Before you start, create a simple budget. Here are the essentials to get started (in my personal opinion). Most people need a website, so you will likely have to purchase a domain (this can be as cheap as $10 on GoDaddy depending on the name you want.) You want to make sure your business is legit, meaning you want to incorporate it legally. You can use a site like LegalZoom to help you with this. Have someone create a logo that represents your brand - you don't have to break the bank to do this. You can go on Fiverr or CrowdSpring and get this done at a low cost. Lastly, get business liability insurance - this is to protect you in case there are ever any claims against you/your business products/services. Early on, there are many resources you can use for free. Take advantage of them. For example, you can create a beautiful website on Wordpress - they have free and paid templates that will make your site look professional. Canva is another resource I absolutely love for creating graphics (e.g. for Facebook covers, social media posts, etc.). Mailchimp is a great tool for building your email list (free up to 2,000 emails). Hootsuite is great for automating your social media feeds - helps you plan ahead.

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

My favorite moments are notes of gratitude or encouragement that I receive from people that find what they need on Ask Ellis. I recently received an email that said, "Speaking to [attorney on our platform] was a breath of fresh air, thank you so much".

How do you advertise your brand?

The only paid advertising we do is Google AdWords. We have experimented with Facebook Ads, but it's not something we do regularly (yet). Word of mouth has been great for us. We have a strong focus on SEO to drive organic traffic to the site.

Looking back would you do any thing different?

Early on, I tried to do too many things at once. I was building a marketplace, trying to grow a community and create an amazing content platform - at the same time. These are all large undertakings. If I could go back in time, I would focus on one piece at a time. By splitting my focus, I actually slowed myself down.

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

I strongly believe in collaboration over competition. We try to help anyone that comes our way, even if that means sending them to a resource outside of Ask Ellis. I care more that people are being served than who is serving them.

I hope you enjoyed Maneesha’s interview as much as I did. Look for our upcoming Podcast this summer where we will dive deeper into some of these topics such a budgeting, getting out of your own way, and trusting your gut.

If you are interested in participating in the Female Founder Series drop a line below and someone will contact you shortly!

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Did you know that having an attitude of gratitude can help you live your best life?

It’s funny how the universe works and I love watching it’s magic unfold! I met Beth Devine through a brand partnership that Pax did a few months ago. Beth was hired by the brand to do marketing and social outreach and so we were connected as part of the collaboration.

The more we talked the more we realized how much we had in common and that our main goal in our professional career was to help other women succeed. Currently, Beth is the Founder and Principal of Devine Solutions Group, LLC. She is a digital marketing and business development expert who almost exclusively works and collaborates with women entrepreneurs. 

She founded her agency on the premise that women deserve to have a one-source solution to go to and obtain the knowledge required to achieve the financial independence they require and the work/life balance they deserve.

If you are a business owner/entrepreneur who is looking to increase your online brand presence Beth is the right contact for you! She can help your business generate more leads, establish a new web design, and do a stellar job with SEO. She is a skilled content writer and social media manager. Beth also provides excellent business insight and mentoring to her clients. As for collaboration opportunities, she is always looking for ways to support other entrepreneurs and establish relationships long term.

You can reach her directly by emailing info@devinesolutionsgroup.com or call her at 833-9DEVINE (833-933-8463). You can find her on Linked in, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter!

I am so excited to introduce Beth to our LOTP community and for our relationship to continue to blossom in the years to come! Without further ado…Beth Devine everyone!

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF PERSONALLY & PROFESSIONALLY.

We deliver top tier digital marketing services to those who require and up-leveling of their brand and their business. I believes that every woman deserves to have a profitable business on her own terms and in the confines of her own time.

I live in Tracy, CA with my husband Robert and our two teenagers, Ellie and Sean. Robert works at Lawrence Livermore National Lab and manages radiation safety for the National Ignition Facility (NIF). We have two German Shepherds, Fargo and Zami who keep me vacuuming regularly. I enjoy boating on the Delta every Spring and Summer as well as tour on Robert's motorcycles.

How did you get your idea or concept for the brand?

Based on 25 plus years of sales, marketing and business development, I know that the name of a company and its purpose should be reflective in their brand. The most personal and intimate part of any one's being, is their name. Your name is your brand. So, since Devine really is my last name, why not build a brand around it and highlight what that word in and of itself means to others and then pull it back to the root of who I am.  Prior to founding Devine Solutions Group, I spent over 20 years as a retail operations professional for some of the biggest name brands nationwide. Since then, I spent over a decade as a successful VP of Business Development for a civil engineering and land surveying firm. My entrepreneurial spirit came alive again when I founded Impact MMA, where I was only one of two female sporting event promoters, duplicating what UFC started, but on a smaller scale. After Impact MMA, I entered into telecommunications as a marketing and business development executive and once again delivered the results that inspired me to create Devine Solutions Group.

Tell us more about your brand and what you do!

Devine Solutions Group is a premier digital marketing, business development and implementation agency that supports small to mid-sized business owners.

Our purpose is to assist our clients with turning their business potential into a profitable reality. We do this by creating and implementing top-tier digital marketing and business development services. We are committed to assisting clients with building your business and their brand, so they can achieve the financial independence they require.

In addition to frequent public speaking engagements, training business owners on branding, marketing and business strategies, I am a frequent contributor to publications including Fit Small Biz, Business Connection and Best Hosting Pro.

Looking back would you do any thing different?

I would have learned how to let go of fear, anxiety and doubt A LOT earlier in my life, but I didn't know how to do that. I knew deep in my soul that I had so much potential and that something was holding me back.  I had to get out of my own way because I was holding me back. 

By putting in the self-work and understanding the root cause of the "hold-back" issues, I was able to give myself permission to receive success and let go of the self limiting beliefs. Once I did this, the right people just starting showing up and my business and life took off in a direction I knew I deserved. 

If anyone is interested in the full story of how I did it, I encourage them to contact me for insight and support. I look forward to paying it forward and inspiring others to do the same, so they can  too can have the chance to living their best life.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

Having control of my time and being able to deliver the required services anytime and anywhere, via a mobile lifestyle. Working with super smart people who have a high degree of integrity and skills and of course, being able to plug-in to my community and contribute to the greater good of others.

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

My favorite moments are when I look at my vision board and I literally see a pattern of the images coming to fruition. It is so rewarding! In the middle of my board I have an image that says HAPPY CLIENTS and I look at it and experience that reality every day! Living in gratitude sets the stage for successful manifestation.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

The biggest challenge at this time is that about 70% of the time, I am a technician who is actually producing the work. This is normal in the first few years of a new business, so I get it. 

As the business builds, I will be hiring professionals who can deliver the end product better than I can. The ultimate goal is to position the agency to be process dependent and not so much person dependent. That is when your business is really working for you vs. you working for your business. I am super excited about my plan to achieve this too.

Advice for other entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

What ever business you want to go after, create a viable business and financial plan. PERIOD! Use it as a tool to drive your business and course correct when you have too. 

Stay close to your purpose and your passion, then create a business around it, so you can add value and monetize at the same time. Make sure your new business is financially viable first and foremost. Plan your work, then work your plan.

How do you advertise your brand?

Well, obviously we have a signifiant social media presence that is coupled with very strategic and effective SEO, but I will tell you that I spend about 30% of my time networking, speaking and connecting with others. 

The majority of our leads actually come in through referrals. I look at the digital space as what I call "tip" money. Nothing will ever trump the power of an eyeball to eyeball, belly to belly meeting and personal relationship building.

How can clients reach you/Collaborate with you?

Any business owner/entrepreneur who requires an increase in online brand presence,  more leads, new web design, SEO, content writing, social media management, etc. — or just needs some insight or some mentoring, they can reach me directly by emailing info@devinesolutionsgroup.com or call me at 833-9DEVINE (833-933-8463). 

As for collaboration opportunities, I am always looking for ways to support other entrepreneurs and establish relationships long term. For such inquiries, use the same method to reach me by email or phone.

Anything else you would like us to know?

We are always looking to add talent to our Group, so if you feel that you have a service that supports our client avatar, which we can discuss when you call, we'd love to talk you and discover how to incorporate you into Devine Solutions Group and assist you will building your business!

One of the biggest things I’ve learned being an solopreneur is that I can’t do everything alone. Just like the saying “it takes a village” when raising a child the same message can be viewed when growing a business. It is such a gift to be surrounded by like minded women were I can pick their brain on different aspects of my business, become inspired by others, and collaborate with powerful women around the world.

A big take away from Beth’s interview was the notion of letting go and reflecting on how much I hold myself back due to things I haven’t dealt with or how we let past experience dictate who we are today. I am taking the steps to truly break these limiting beliefs by personal development and exploration of myself.

If you would like to be featured as a female founder or are interested in collaborating in some way please write in the form below which will send a ping my way.

How surrounding yourself with like-minded people can boost your confidence!

Imagine my absolute delight in getting to interview Christina Conlon. Christina is the upbeat, joyful gal behind the creation of DailyBarker. When she’s not pouring her heart into this community, you can find her traveling with her entrepreneur husband, training their new Golden Retriever puppy Nash, or having coffee with friends. Christina currently lives in Nashville, TN with her husband and pup.

It was such an honor collaborating with Christina. Not only did I get to virtually meet the sweetest girl I also pushed myself outside my comfort zone. I was intimidated by her account since she has such a massive following that I was a bit anxious and concerned she would’t be interested. (Don’t worry- I’m working currently on this worthiness problem). Christina inspired me because she was doing a lot of the things I was also passionate about. Things like cultivating community, educating her followers, and sharing information based of her interests.

I decided oh, what the heck and wrote her anyways. I wrote her a direct message explaining who I was and that I’d love to interview her for my female founder interview series. Surprise! She wrote me back and she sent me the most energetic email to follow up - I could feel her gregarious warmth through her words. We instantly became little pen pals and began chatting about more than just dogs.

Through the course of our email chain Christina shared with me about several tools and resources she uses to stay organized as an entrepreneur- things like Evernote (which I’m currently writing in) and Linktree for the Instagram bio link which allows you to showcase multiple links or blogs. What a blessing it is to have another gal in this space to talk with!

So, what’s the lesson here? Stop viewing people on a similar path as you as your competition. They are ON YOUR TEAM! Connecting with another female entrepreneur can actually boost your confidence. With someone else doing something similar you can learn from them and WITH them! How else do you get better and gain confidence? THROUGH LEARNING! There is enough room for ALL OF US to do what we love. I am so grateful to continue meeting such passionate, intelligent, hard working, beautiful, kind, and giving women. Real women. Such an honor. On to the interview shall we?

What is your business name?

DailyBarker

Please provide your social media handles below (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc).

Instagram (@dailybarker), Facebook (@thedailybarker), Twitter (@thedailybarker), Pinterest (@dailybarker)

Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

I am originally from Indianapolis, IN, I met my entrepreneur husband right when I graduated college and my whole world changed. Not only because I met him and fell in love, but I also met Beau ("his" turned "our" Golden Retriever). I've always been a HUGE fan of pups, but meeting Beau changed my heart in the best ways.

Before we got married, we moved to San Diego, CA and are now settling into our new home in Nashville, TN with our Golden puppy, Nash. We live a pretty crazy life (we both run our own businesses) but I'm so grateful for it!

How did you get your idea or concept for the brand?

When my husband and I unexpectedly lost our Golden Retriever, Beau, at the end of 2015, our hearts were beyond shattered. Beau was our best friend and he did everything with us. I’d find myself scrolling Instagram, seeing the sweetest pups, and some how, that gave me peace. That’s when I decided to start the DailyBarker Instagram account. It warmed my heart knowing that just one post every day on DailyBarker could help bring joy to others in similar situations — or even others who just loved seeing cute pups each day on their Instagram feeds.

Tell us more about your brand and what you do!

DailyBarker has become a collaborative community on Instagram and through our blog (dailybarker.com). On our Instagram channel (@dailybarker), I feature one photo daily from an account that has either submitted their photo or that I personally found on Instagram. Our submissions have grown significantly through the years and it has been so exciting to watch how excited the community gets when they see their photo as our daily featured photo.

For the DailyBarker blog, we have just about 40 contributors that come together to share their creative passions. Our contributors are from the US, Canada, UK, and Australia! I work with each contributor throughout the year to brainstorm blog content ideas, schedule out our yearly calendar (which is constantly being tweaked), and once the blog is live, promote it across the DailyBarker social channels.

When I started thinking about a blog, I knew it couldn't be "The Christina Show" - I'll be the first person to admit, my life is not that exciting, nor do I know everything (who does!). I thought the best option for this blog would be to create a collaborative space, where people from all walks of life could come together, share their passions and love for dogs, and encourage each other. After all, that's what the Instagram channel is - so collaboration just felt right.

Working with our contributors has been hands down, the most special part of this journey. I had wanted to start the blog for about a year, but I had no idea the great relationships I'd get from actually doing it. I ADORE (and that's no exaggeration) every single person I get to work with and am so grateful for their contributions to the community - but mostly their friendships. I just love them all.

Looking back would you do any thing different?

Yes and no! For the first 2 1/2 years of DailyBarker's existence, no one know who I was! Meaning, the community didn't know who the "person" was behind the account - that is until we launched the blog in June 2018. Looking back, I wish I would have put a "face" to the brand sooner. I'd tell my friends randomly about DailyBarker and they wouldn't believe me. So I'd have to log onto our account to "prove it". I'm sitting here laughing at all the weird looks they gave me when I'd show them.

As for the growth of DailyBarker, I've never pushed for more than I can take on and I am proud of that. It's easy to bite off more than you can chew and grow too big, too fast. I never wanted that. When DailyBarker started, it was from such a sweet place of joy, I never wanted it to turn into a stressful "to do" on my list. Until June, I was the only person who did anything with the account. Now of course, we have our contributors and a good friend of mine who tackles our blog editing and scheduling.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

Getting to meet and work with so many amazing people!

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

My favorite moment was the day we launched the blog - but for a few reasons! When I started DailyBarker, it was when we lost our Golden Beau. From the day Beau passed away, it took my husband and I 2 1/2 years to open our hearts and home to a new puppy. The day the DailyBarker blog launched was the same day we brought our new puppy Nash home. I wish I could say that timing was planned, but it wasn't. I felt like it was such a sweet "full circle" moment. (Looking back, I do not recommend bringing home an 8 week old puppy the day you launch something this big, but by the grace of the good Lord, I made it through, haha!)

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

Being an entrepreneur, you have to figure out everything on your own. I definitely annoy my poor husband when I ask him questions, but it's how I learn (by asking). I'm so grateful I have him to ask though! Even though I'm sure he wishes I would Google more things. ;)

Being an entrepreneur, you experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. One day, you'll feel like you're getting it all right, the next day (or even that afternoon), you'll feel like everything is failing. That's normal. ;) This is why it's important to be surrounded by others in the same boat as you!

Advice for other entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Don't be afraid to be awkward or fail (because you will in some way and GUESS WHAT, life goes on!), surround yourself with other like-minded individuals (don't walk the entrepreneur road alone, because it can be lonely), create a daily schedule for yourself and do the best you can to stick to it, don't be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone, make friends in your niche, have fun and take time for yourself every. single. day.

How do you advertise your brand?

All our growth has been organic! I haven't done any advertising for DailyBarker! Of course, that will eventually change, but I'm so proud of how far the community has come on it's own!

How can clients reach you/Collaborate with you?

You can follow DailyBarker on Instagram (@dailybarker) and send me a DM! I check every single one or you can send an email to hello@dailybarker.com.

Something about Christina’s interview catch your eye? Have questions about starting to grow your Instagram or becoming a content curator? Make sure to join our tribe for updates, news, coaching & more!

How sweet it is to be Swell Gelato for Dogs!

When Debbie Hendrickx from, Swell Gelato For Dogs, wrote me several months ago about an upcoming trip to San Diego to market her gelato I knew we had to go. Being an ice cream fanatic myself I assumed Pax followed in that passion. After meeting Debbie and trying the gelato myself I wanted to learn more about her incredibly delicious small business!! Being an entrepreneur I am always looking to connect with other founders - especially female founders. In a way they start to feel like co-workers. It’s fascinating to learn about how other people build their businesses and what drives them to get up everyday and keep at it! Below is a transcribed interview that I had with Debbie. Her contact information is included so make sure to check her out and try some gelato!

Please tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally! 

“Growing up in Belgium I've had 2 passions my whole life. One came on when I was a teenager : fashion. The other I truly believe I was born with : dogs. I was lucky enough to have a career as a corporate buyer in the fashion world for 18 years but not nearly as lucky as when it came to an end. The closing of that first chapter allowed me to dip a toe in the second. That toe-dip quickly escalated to a full immersion and now my life is constantly covered in gelato and dog hair and I've never been happier.”

Please provide your social media handles below (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc).

FB :@swellgelatofordogs , IG @swellgelatofordogs Twitter @doggelato

How did you get your idea or concept for the business?

“After my retail career ended in 2016 I wanted to just take the summer off from work and stress and only do things I liked. I love gelato making and I love dogs and the idea to make gelato for dogs literally hit me in the middle of the night. Swell was one of my favorite yet greatly underused words so Swell, gelato for dogs was born. I bought a gelato cart and spent my summer in the local dog parks thinking it was just going to be a temporary and fun summer thing to do.”

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

“I make my artisanal gelatos for dogs just as if I would make them for my family and friends. I use simple yet only the highest quality ingredients and taste-test everything along the way. The result is a luxurious dessert that our furry friends can truly appreciate. It's probably a little over the top but I consider our dogs not only our best friends but also our family.”

Looking back would you do any thing different?

“Growing up, I never thought I'd end up in the USA and 15 years ago, I would have never guessed where I'd be 10 years ago. 5 years ago I would have not begun to imagine that I'd be making gelato for dogs and who knows where I will be in 10 years. So, the short answer would be no, because every step we take gets us to exactly where we are today.”

“It's all encompassing. It's financially uncomfortable . It's constantly living in the unknown.”

Advice for other entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Be financially prepared but don't be afraid to take a chance

How do you advertise your business?

“I love being part of social media dog central communities. It's like a family of kindred spirits that all have such amazing love for their pets. As often as I can I try to get out and meet the dogs and their owners . I let word of mouth do most of my advertising but sometimes I dabble in social media advertising.”

How can clients reach you?

“info@swellgelato.com”

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

“Buy your pup a gelato, they will think you are so swell.”