Beata Kirr – A Wake Up Call For Women About Wealth Building

June 19, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

In full disclosure, I met my guest Beata Kirr at a presentation that I was convinced was going to be fairly boring. I actually thought it was going to give me thirty minutes to scan my email feed and swipe right to delete : -). Guess what? I was wrong. Once I heard Beata share some of the most recent research on women and money, I put my phone away and grabbed a pen and paper.

Beata Kirr is the National Managing Director in the Alliance Bernstein Chicago office. She was appointed Head of Private Client Core Asset Strategies of Bernstein in 2017. Beata is a member of Bernstein’s Private Client Investment Policy Group, which oversees strategic asset allocation for high-net-worth, nonprofit and family clients.

Beata has provided market commentary for the Chicago Tribune, WGN News, NPR and the Wall Street Journal. She is passionate about helping women investors succeed, and she speaks frequently to women’s groups nationally. Beata is also the host of “Bernstein Insights” Women & Wealth podcast series.

On today’s show, Beata dives into some surprising stats, how we as women can manage our wealth better, and more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

It is undeniable that women are a force to be reckoned with in terms of the financial decision-making power that they have.” – Beata Kirr

Show Notes:

The surprising facts about women creating wealth today – this is GREAT news!
Women continually say they’re not good with numbers but that’s not what the research shows
The THREE Critical numbers you need to know NOW
Startling facts about Women and WHY it’s essential that Women Need their Money to last longer
How to identify and rectify ACCIDENTAL SPENDING
You know your height & weight but do you know how much you are spending?
The 5 things women need to know about CREATING WEALTH
Easy to use Budget App suggestions to easily get going
Important information to consider when it comes to INSURANCE
What you can do today to get started on your path to wealth management – easy, doable steps to take Today
Why you need to keep your records up to date and FRESH. Beata shares a bit of a horror story here and I had a story too!

95% of women are going to be making the financial decisions for their households at some point in their lives – 95%!” – Beata Kirr

Connect with Beata:

Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Alliance Bernstein Women &Wealth

Next time you say ‘I’m going to do spring cleaning’ or hire someone to clean your windows, think about an audit of your assets at the same time.” – Beata Kirr

Lori Caden – Belly Bandit Co-Founder and Entrepreneurial Powerhouse Creating Solutions for Women

June 5, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

After a difficult moment in the cat litter aisle at Target that sent her running from the store, my guest Lori Caden, came to the conclusion that there had to be an easier way to look and feel better after childbirth.

Along with the collaboration of her two sisters, Lori co-founded their company, Belly Bandit, in 2008 and revolutionized the maternity world by introducing the first doctor-recommended, postpartum compression wrap. The Belly Bandit has had a major thumbs by Hollywood moms including Halle Berry, Jessica Alba and Kourtney Kardashian.

She’s full of energy and enthusiasm and additional new clothing lines, such as “Mother Tucker” are available online and also at Neiman Marcus.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

All of our products are solution-based products.” – Lori Caden

Show Notes:

Lori’s embarrassing moment in Target that started the idea for Belly Bandit
How she got some early traction from major celebrity moms
The “old-school” marketing technique that put them on the map and helped them get noticed
The VERTICAL MARKET that Lori never expected to go into
How her new line, “Mother Tucker” shapewear came about
What it is like to be in business with her SISTERS
The 3 questions she asks herself before she says “yes!” to a new idea
And much, much more

Don’t be scared to ask for help to get to the next level.” – Lori Caden

Connect with Lori Caden:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Belly Bandit

As soon as people started asking for it, we would cut and sew these samples and hand them out.” – Lori Caden

Raegan Moya-Jones – Creating a 100M Blockbuster Biz With Baby Blankets

May 29, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

When my guest, Raegan Moya-Jones, couldn’t find the muslin-fabric baby blankets that were a swaddling tradition from her native Australia, she set out to make her own.

In 2006, Raegan co-founded aden + anais, the baby lifestyle brand globally recognized for its high-quality, design-driven muslin swaddles and baby products. Aden + anais is a $100 million-dollar company today. You might recognize them because Prince George made his first public debut wrapped in an aden + anais blanket!

On today’s show, Raegan talks about what she waited for in order to quit her full-time job at The Economist Group (she worked there until 2009), what it was like when her co-founder/partnership fell apart, why she decided to go from “babies to booze” and much more.

I think you’ll find today’s show raw and authentic, helpful and inspiring.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

There was definitely a period of time where I thought ‘well if I really want to spread my wings and do what I think I am capable of doing (that nobody else seems to think that I’m capable of), then I’m just going to have to go out there and do my own thing.” – Raegan Moya- Jones

Show Notes:

The TWO ingredients that carried Raegan through the first five years
The “old-school” marketing tool Raegan used to get her products into retail locations
Raegan’s humorous story about not having time to wash her hair for 15 days (too funny and I can relate!)
What it was like to watch the CELEBRITY who used her product for his public debut
What is was like to go through the loss of a good friend who was also her business partner
Raegan’s open, raw, transparent discussion about her many moments in the “fetal position”
WHY Raegan decided to start a second company
Business advice for women that she completely disagrees with
What it was like to be fired from a business that she co-founded and built to 100M

The first five years of aden + anais was basically hard work and Google that got me through it.” – Raegan Moya-Jones

Connect with Raegan Moya-Jones:

LinkedIn | Instagram – Raegan Moya-Jones | Raegan Moya-Jones

Saint Luna Spirits | Facebook – Saint Luna | Instagram – Saint Luna

aden + anais | Facebook – aden + anais | Instagram – aden + anais | Twitter – aden + anais

The big mistake that people make is they think they can’t do it because they don’t know how, but if you want it badly enough you really can just teach yourself. It was very much a one foot in front of another process for me.” – Raegna Moya-Jones

Heather Dominick – How to Succeed as a Highly Sensitive Entrepreneur

May 22, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

When my guest, Heather Dominick, hit the million-dollar mark – it wasn’t a celebratory moment. She was burnt out, overwhelmed, and suspected that something wasn’t quite right.

That’s when Heather found out she was a Highly Sensitive Person, which is a trait that some people are born with. With that, Heather knew she had to figure out how to make entrepreneurship work for her. She became the founder and leader of the Highly Sensitive Entrepreneur® movement with her company, Business Miracles.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Really be willing to do the work to know who you are and how it is that you are meant to serve through your business.” – Heather Dominick

Show Notes:

What it means to be a highly sensitive entrepreneur
Heather offers INSIGHT on how to spot if you might be a highly sensitive entrepreneur
How “pushing” challenges the highly sensitive person
Her BEST Tips and coping strategies for entrepreneurs who are highly sensitive
How COPING can turn into CREATING for the highly sensitive entrepreneur
Why being highly sensitive can actually be a STRENGTH for entrepreneurs
Her most EFFECTIVE step to grow her business – BRILLIANT and surprising!
The ADVICE she hears about entrepreneurship that she absolutely DOESN’T agree with (“it’s shaming and manipulative”)
How to see yourself differently in order to overcome challenges of being a highly sensitive entrepreneur
Why Heather LOVES Pineapples and the meaningful significance they provide to her business

I remind myself daily how absolutely smack-down privileged I am to be able to be working in this space and energy of creation on a day-to-day basis.” – Heather Dominick

Connect with Heather Dominick:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Business Miracles

I don’t know it all and I’m not supposed to know it all, again, definitely not before taking action.” – Heather Dominick

An opportunity of a lifetime. Nearly LOST.

May 16, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Recently, someone I care deeply about, nearly missed an opportunity that COULD affect their potential future. You know what the error was? Lack of follow-up. Follow-up is something that anyone can do. It doesn’t matter how much (or how little) education you have, it doesn’t discriminate, and it levels the playing field.

Here’s another (deeper) reason I think people don’t follow-up: Fear of failure, Fear of the word No. “If I don’t follow-up, I’ll be spared the feeling of rejection.”

You didn’t start your business solely to make a lot of money. I know this because 100% of the women I work with and host on my podcast comment that it’s never about the money—it’s about solving a problem or filling an unmet need. Your highest contribution, in part, is bringing your creative ideas to the world.

I have never achieved Big LEAPS in my business from social media or just sitting at my desk staring into my laptop. The big income leaps (think 25% – 50%) have been born out of networking and cultivating collaborative relationships with people who embrace your genius, your highest contribution.

Kate Torgersen – From a 4-Day Business Trip Disaster to Becoming The Founder & Creator of Milk Stork

May 8, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

When she was detained by TSA after a business trip and asked to drain the ice around her carry-on breast milk bag before she could enter the plane, Kate Torgersen knew she had to do something. Kate knew she wasn’t the only working mom dealing with this. She’d heard horror stories about moms in broom closets at the office pumping milk and she saw the need.

The day after that disastrous event, Kate Torgersen decided to create Milk Stork, the FIRST and ONLY breast milk travel solution for working moms. She called her dad with the business idea to provide a service to help mothers easily ship their breast milk home, and with that, the idea was born.

Kate’s mom-led innovation and entrepreneurship have been chronicled in publications such as the Harvard Business Review, New York Magazine, Lifehacker, Fortune and Travel + Leisure.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

My north star for the whole thing was that it had to be a two minute experience for moms in the hotel room and it had to be a two-minute experience placing an order.” – Kate Torgersen

Show Notes:

Kate knew she needed a “2-minute experience” for her idea to work
How she took her “DISRUPTIVE” idea and broke it down into manageable pieces in the beginning
The moment she knew she was on to something….it was right after she “flipped the switch”
Milk Stork was a side hustle for three years….she kept her day job at Cliff Bar for a long time (true inspiration for women who have a business idea but they aren’t quite ready to leave their day job)
The surprise phone call Kate received while in her mini-van that changed EVERYTHING
How Milk Stork tapped into an ENTERPRISE market
The KEY to gaining TRACTION
What it means to be a “painkiller not a vitamin” – BRILLIANT
Her Cash Flow Metaphor – GENIUS
What Kate does to recover from entrepreneurial fatigue
WHY she went about hiring differently than most other companies
The BIG Difference in having a career and owning a business
The advice she wished someone would have shared with her early on

If you don’t have good operations in place, traction can become a problem.” – Kate Torgersen

Connect with Kate Torgersen:

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Milk Stork

Once we launched and got that first order, I knew that was never going to be quitting. There was no quitting because once you get traction you can’t quit. It is kind of like being a parent. Once you give birth, there is not really an ‘out’.” – Kate Torgersen

Gail Becker – On Track to $100 Million in Just Two Years….Selling Cauliflower

May 1, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

She had no food or nutrition experience. What she did have was two sons with Celiac disease. This is another Epic Encore interview with Gail Becker, the genius, Founder and CEO of Caulipower, a company that offers tasty, affordable and nutritious alternatives to highly-processed foods.

CAULIPOWER is on track to reach $100 million this year and her pizzas are in 22,000 retail stores… on their 2nd BIRTHDAY!!! They’ve had explosive growth in the last 575 days (since she was FIRST on the show) and Gail gets real, raw and transparent about her journey so far. She’s both funny and serious about her path and her attitude is infectious.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

When you become an entrepreneur, you are betting on yourself – hook, line and sinker.” – Gail Becker

Show Notes:

The people she listens to most when deciding on new product lines
Her BEST Advice on how to handle fast & furious business growth
Her perspective on how to build an A+ Team
The Challenges that go along with being a Disrupter in your industry
Gail admits she has DAILY Struggles as an entrepreneur and how she copes
What really drives her (it’s not about Money for her)
Why a personal mission is important in business
How she went from a high-paying successful career one day to making nothing the next

You have to have people that are as passionate about the business as you are.” – Gail Becker

Connect with Gail Becker:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | CAULIPOWER

Always know what you don’t know and hire against that.” – Gail Becker

Joanna McFarland – How HopSkipDrive Literally “Hopped and Skipped” Into a New Market That Has Resulted Into Explosive Growth Over the Last 500 Days

April 24, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

I’m excited to have Joanna McFarland back with us for an Encore interview! I interviewed Joanna back in October of 2017 and since that time, HopSkipDrive has literally “hopped and skipped” over their sales goals and catapulted themselves into a brand new market opportunity!

Joanna is the CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive, which is a safe and dependable ride share company for kids. After brainstorming with some frustrated parents at a child’s birthday party, they came up with a better way to provide transportation for their kids and HopSkipDrive was born.

On today’s show, Joanna talks about how HopSkipDrive KEPT their core message while uncovering a brand-new market that was craving what they had to offer.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Embrace it. Buy the ticket and take the ride and know that there are going to be moments when it is really hard. And know that you’re going to need to over-communicate and make sure that expectations are understood and that expectations are being met.” – Joanna McFarland

Show Notes:

The NEW MARKET that HopSkipDrive uncovered which led them to explosive growth (this is PURE Gold)
The person who has had a massive influence on her life and kept her going after 100 NO’s when she first started out
Why SAFETY is their #1 Core Value and the 15 point system they use to ensure safety on every ride
The mantra that keeps Joanna going (wise words from her hubby)
The secret to effective communication with your team during the scale-up phase
And much, much more…

Everything that we had put into solving this problem for consumers made the platform very easily extensible to schools as well.” – Joanna McFarland

Connect with Joanna McFarland:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | HopSkipDrive

It is really important to focus. There are so many opportunities that you can pursue and so it is really important to think about what are your best opportunities and make sure that you’re really focusing on those.” – Joanna McFarland

Amy Nelson – CEO/Founder, The Riveter, Coworking Spaces Built By Women for Everyone

March 13, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Amy Nelson up and left her corporate job (while pregnant with her THIRD daughter) for the entrepreneurial life and came up with the idea for The Riveter, a rapidly growing co-working space company with design and membership focused on women, but open to everyone.

Amy launched The Riveter in 2017 and the brand is experiencing rapid fire growth with locations popping up almost every day in metropolitan cities across the US. The Riveter’s growth has outpaced even WeWork’s first years and The Riveter recently closed a $15 million Series A Funding Round led by Alpha Edison.

You’ll absolutely love Amy’s energy and enthusiasm as she dives into how she transitioned from a successful career in law (including work with President Obama’s National Finance Committee and President Carter’s, The Carter Center) to launching The Riveter, how being a mom has made her a BETTER entrepreneur, her best productivity tips and more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

What I tend to do is really lean into the fact that I am a mother, rather than lean out of it.” – Amy Nelson

Show Notes:

Why she left a cozy corporate job while pregnant with her third daughter to launch The Riveter
How becoming a Mom changed her viewpoint on women & career opportunities
The FIRST Step she took to get started after she came up with the idea for The Riveter
The Event that PUSHED her to take the FINAL Leap
Why coworking spaces are becoming wildly popular
The SMARTEST MOVE Amy made when starting The Riveter (it’s not what you think I promise you)
WHY Collaboration is the ‘secret sauce’ to her early success
Her BIGGEST Challenge ( this is pure Gold)
What she did when someone advised her to HIDE HER PREGNANCY while fundraising
Why ASKING For Help is a muscle more women need to flex
How she manages her day while being CEO of a fast-paced growth company and raising soon-to-be four daughters
Her Go-To Apps to stay sane
What she did instead of giving up when it all seemed like too much
The advice she hears about being in startup mode that she DOES NOT agree with
And much much more

I think the more we have women building companies to make women’s lives better, the better our lives will be. And that is super exciting!” – Amy Nelson

Connect with Amy Nelson:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | The Riveter | LinkedIn

The hardest thing is to just keep going at every turn when it gets hard, when it feels impossible, when people tell you that you can’t. And so much of it is just continuing to walk forward.” – Amy Nelson

Stephanie Scapa – WEYV CEO & Co-Founder. The All-in-One App for Music, Magazines & eBooks.

March 6, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

My guest today is Stephanie Scapa, CEO and co-founder of WEYV, a unique multimedia platform that offers music, magazines and eBooks all on one app.

After taking a family vacation to Florida and learning about a unique business model from her dad, Stephanie Scapa got excited. She saw how the streaming industry was “broken” and how she could fix it with her idea for WEYV.

On today’s episode, Stephanie dives into how WEYV works (how it solves a major digital streaming problem most people have), how she and her co-founder got this idea off the ground without experience creating apps, the questions she asks herself when making decisions, the work-life BLEND (no balance here!) and much more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

I firmly believe that work-life isn’t a balance. I think it has to be a blend. Especially as a woman, I can’t really divide my work and my life and make it balanced.” – Stephanie Scapa

Show Notes:

How WEYV easily allows you to listen, read and share content
What Stephanie learned after hiring someone to create the APP for her – it was time-consuming and costly – and how she re-framed and rebounded from this experience
WHY being able to PIVOT in business is essential
Why it’s important to “Know everything possible about your customer” when creating an App
The simple productivity app and system that Stephanie uses EVERY DAY personally and with her Team
How to get through the day when you feel like giving up
Interesting AHA about women in the workplace (this was surprising and also wonderful to hear!)
What questions Stephanie asks herself when MAKING DECISIONS
Why it’s a work-life BLEND rather than a work-life balance for Stephanie
And much, much more

There have been many points along our path where we’ve had to ask ourselves tough questions and make tough decisions.” – Stephanie Scapa

Connect with Stephanie Scapa:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | WEYV

If you’re signing up to be an entrepreneur, just be sure that the passion for what you’re trying to bring to life is really there and aligns with how you define success.” – Stephanie Scapa

Beata Kirr – A Wake Up Call For Women About Wealth Building

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Show Notes:

Connect with Beata:

Lori Caden – Belly Bandit Co-Founder and Entrepreneurial Powerhouse Creating Solutions for Women

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Show Notes:

Connect with Lori Caden:

Raegan Moya-Jones – Creating a 100M Blockbuster Biz With Baby Blankets

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Show Notes:

Connect with Raegan Moya-Jones:

Heather Dominick – How to Succeed as a Highly Sensitive Entrepreneur

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Show Notes:

Connect with Heather Dominick:

Kate Torgersen – From a 4-Day Business Trip Disaster to Becoming The Founder & Creator of Milk Stork

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Show Notes:

Connect with Kate Torgersen:

Gail Becker – On Track to $100 Million in Just Two Years….Selling Cauliflower

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Show Notes:

Connect with Gail Becker:

Amy Nelson – CEO/Founder, The Riveter, Coworking Spaces Built By Women for Everyone

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Show Notes:

Connect with Amy Nelson:

Stephanie Scapa – WEYV CEO & Co-Founder. The All-in-One App for Music, Magazines & eBooks.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Show Notes:

Connect with Stephanie Scapa:

Strategy & Consulting

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