Smart Women Smart Solutions

With Joy Chudacoff, Leading Expert on Business Success and Lifestyle Design For Women

Jean Freeman – CEO of Zambezi & One of the Biggest Female-Owned Businesses in Los Angeles

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Jean Freeman on She's Got Moxie with Joy ChudacoffJean Freeman is at the helm of one of the largest certified female-owned advertising agencies AND one of the biggest female-owned businesses in Los Angeles.

Jean has turned Zambezi into a thriving advertising agency with a revenue of projected 75 million dollars. She’s also become a leading advocate for the advancement of women in business.

On today’s show, Jean is going to share what being a CEO in a busy city like LA really means, her best productivity tips, how she manages a growing business while being a mom to two children under the age of 13, the importance of creating a sustainable business, and her criteria for decision-making in her business. She also talks about her business experience with NBA legend Kobe Bryant and the moment she was named a “Working Mother of the Year” by She Runs It!

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

In women’s entrepreneurship, we get to rewrite the rules of entrepreneurs.” – Jean Freeman

Show Notes:

  • Her business partnership with NBA legend Kobe Bryant
  • Why Corporate America does not support the needs of women in the workforce
  • How entrepreneurship runs in Jean’s family and what she has learned
  • The moment she recognized she was on to something with Zambezi
  • The benefits that come about when kids see their parents working
  • Tips on creating a sustainable business
  • The BEST strategy is always Actionable
  • Her advice on decision-making
  • Why Alignment is important in all aspects of business
  • And much, much moree

You are going to make some wrong calls, but that is ok, I think it’s more about how you respond to wrong calls.” – Jean Freeman

Connect with Jean Freeman:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Zambezi

Align yourself properly with the types of businesses that will be long-term partners.” – Jean Freeman

It’s a NEW Era for Women – 2021 Will Favor the Female!

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Mignon Francois – How She Turned $5 into $10 Million as the CEO & Founder of The Cupcake Collection

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Mignon Francois on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

My guest today, Mignon Francois, CEO & Founder of The Cupcake Collection, is a very enthusiastic and positive entrepreneur who turned a recipe that she received from her grandmother into a $10 million business.

Mignon was a stay-at-home mom who was tired of her children not being able to go on field trips because she did not have the extra money. At the time, she had no bakery experience, but she took her grandmother’s recipe, spent $5 on ingredients and the rest they say is history. Mignon’s business turned out to be a much bigger success than she could ever imagine.

On today’s show, Mignon shares the story of how The Cupcake Collection began its humble beginnings. She talks about the challenges that she has faced in her company, her “sampling” strategy, her actions steps to success, and more.

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

Overnight success takes 10 years.” – Mignon Francois

Show Notes:

  • The moment Mignon decided to turn an old recipe into a NEW idea
  • What MOTIVATED her to keep going every day despite the challenges
  • How she has grown and scaled her business from a start-up to being recognized as one of the TOP cupcake bakeries in the US with multiple locations
  • Why a “sampling” strategy is important for a product-based business
  • The really big gamble Mignon made as she bet on her success
  • What it has been like to maintain business during the pandemic

My action step was to stop waiting and start doing.” – Mignon Francois

Connect with Mignon Francois:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | The Cupcake Collection

Everybody wants to be great, but nobody wants to get up at dawn.” – Mignon Francois

Cindy Eckert – Creator of “The Little Pink Pill” (Female Viagra) and Selling Her Company For 1 Billion Dollars

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Cindy Eckert on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

When she realized that there were 26 medications for men’s pleasure and not one single solution for women, my guest Cindy Eckert, thought “this is Ridiculous!”

Cindy set out to create “the little pink pill” (currently the #1 prescribed treatment for low sexual desire in women).

Cindy is the true definition of what I call “moxie.” Not only is she the creator of the pink pill and the founder of The Pink Ceiling, but she has also built and sold two pharmaceutical companies (including Sprout Pharmaceuticals, which she sold for more than $1 BILLION – yes, that’s a B, Ladies).

Called by Fortune as a “tireless force of nature,” Cindy lets us in on some intimate details of her life and entrepreneurial path. She talks about her unique upbringing, how she worked to overcome the stigma around women’s pleasure while creating the Pink Pill, her tip to taking advantage of life’s opportunities, her thoughts on the pandemic, and more.

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

26 medications for men and not a single one for women is ridiculous.” – Cindy Eckert

Show Notes:

  • How Cindy went from a Corporate Career to a Block Buster Success as an Entrepreneur
  • Why it’s essential to do what “Lights up your Soul” (it wasn’t about MONEY for Cindy)
  • The moment Cindy realized she had an opportunity to develop the first pharmaceutical product for women’s SEXUAL pleasure
  • How 2020 has RESET the entrepreneurial landscape for women – in a GOOD Way!
  • Why it’s important to be SPECIFIC in your biz contracts and how that one piece catapulted her to a whole new level in advocating for women
  • Where Success truly ORIGINATES from
  • Details on both The Pink Ceiling & The Pinkubator and how they are helping women elevate their entrepreneurial dreams
  • The most important mindset that Cindy has adopted in order to accelerate her journey as a woman in business

Success does not come from having all of the answers, it comes from having the courage.” – Cindy Eckert

Connect with Cindy Eckert:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | The Pink Ceiling

Relentlessness is just the belief that you can get back up and you can find the way.” – Cindy Eckert

Kerrigan Behrens – From Wall Street to CBD with the Co-Founder of Sagely Naturals

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Kerrigan Behrens on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

My guest today, Kerrigan Behrens, co-founder of the CBD company, Sagely Naturals, shares her entrepreneurial journey from finance to CBD.

Kerrigan started her career in the financial market on Wall Street. Around this time, she developed persistent back pain that doctors couldn’t seem to diagnose. A friend told her about CBD and she became interested in trying it for pain relief. At first she doubted that CBD would be able to help her, but after trying some CBD honey (and feeling pain relief within 30-minutes), she changed her mind. The experience led Kerrigan to leave her career on Wall Street and embrace entrepreneurship and co-found Sagely Naturals.

On today’s show, Kerrigan shares how she and her co-founder bootstrapped their business with only 30k and how they made their business profitable in just 6 months. She shares the difference between CBD and THC, the medicinal benefits of CBD, and the first steps to create an approachable consumer brand, the importance of resilience, and much more.

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

We knew before we even started the company that there was a market for it.” – Kerrigan Behrens

Show Notes:

  • The FIRST step to create an approachable consumer brand
  • How she took the pain she was having and turned it into a passion
  • How she and her co-founder bootstrapped the business with 30K and made a PROFIT in just 6 months
  • She’s got Big INFLUENCERS like Cameron Diaz and Zoe Saldana loving the product
  • She realized that CBD needed a MAKEOVER and she was excited to take that on
  • The difference between CBD and THC
  • How Kerrigan took advantage of starting a company in Los Angeles
  • How they became the Top SELLING CBD Topical product in the country (they are in over 12,000 retail outlets now)
  • The key characteristics that have gotten Kerrigan through challenging times (while giving birth to her first child during the pandemic)
  • We talk a lot about the BEST Books we’ve read – the ones that are “real changemakers”
  • And much, much more…

For every success there are multiple failures.” – Kerrigan Behrens

Connect with Kerrigan Behrens:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Sagely Naturals

Perfection is just not possible, so live with that realization and just take steps to make progress as you go.” – Kerrigan Behrens

Mikaila Ulmer – CEO & Founder of Me & The Bees Lemonade (She’s Celebrating a Decade in Business and She’s Only 15)

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Mikaila Ulmer on She's Got Moxie

My guest today, Mikaila Ulmer, is back for interview #2! She was originally on the show back in August 2018. This is a special year for Mikaila because she is not only celebrating a decade in business but she’s also published her first book, Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid!

With her very positive “can-do” attitude, Mikaila tells us how getting stung by a bee twice in one week, led her on a journey to understand the importance of bees to the environment. Ultimately, this became the gateway for her to enter her lemonade into a local business fair. (Today, Me & the Bees Lemonade is sold in over 1,500 stores nationwide!)

She also shares her Shark Tank experience, as well as the moment she had to understand the legal side of entrepreneurship and the impact it can have on your brand.

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

Create a product that appeals to the most people, you can’t please everyone, so don’t try. Stay true to your mission and focus on helping your mission.” – Mikaila Ulmer

Show Notes:

  • How showcasing her lemonade in a local business fair when she was 4-years-old led to having her lemonade in over 1,500 stores today
  • Her simple, easy, first steps to get the word out about Me & the Bees Lemonade
  • She reminds us to always be minding our ABC’s! (Always Be Curious) This ONE attribute got her into her first restaurant.
  • What it was like to be a contestant on Shark Tank (her parents initially said NO when she was offered a spot) but her persistence paid off!
  • The importance of a hand-written “Thank You” note
  • Her “Face on the Bottle” moment and how that impacted her brand
  • What it’s like to be in online school during the pandemic while running a business
  • Understanding the “legal” side of entrepreneurship came early (she was only 8-years-old) and the important lesson she learned. “Lose the battle. Win the War.”

It’s not just about the products you sell, but the stories you tell.” – Mikaila Ulmer

Connect with Mikaila Ulmer:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Me & the Bees

Don’t be discouraged by life’s little stings, get back up and spread your wings!” – Mikaila Ulmer

Lizanne Falsetto – Founder of thinkThin®, Pink Talented Angels, and a World Renowned Pioneer in the Health & Wellness Industry

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Lizanne FalsettoLizanne Falsetto, Founder & Former CEO of thinkThin® is back! She was a guest on the show in 2018 and a lot has happened in the last two years! Lizanne sold her company for 217M (yep, million) so you’ll want to listen-in to all of her many gold nuggets in this episode!

Lizanne is a world-renowned pioneer in the health & wellness retail food space. Throughout her 20 year run with thinkThin®, she initiated the “gluten-free” conversation and developed the first high protein/sugar free product in that category. Lizanne has consistently been ahead of the times in identifying market and industry trends.

On today’s episode of ‘She’s Got Moxie’, Lizanne talks about her new organization, Pink Talented Angels (PTA) and how to find opportunities in a crisis, the importance of meditation, her tips to combining the emotional, mental and physical parts of your life to reach success, and much more.

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

The best brands really come from the authenticity of how they started.” – Lizanne Falsetto

Show Notes:

  • The most important QUESTION to ask yourself if you’re ready to scale (she should know; she sold her company for 217M)
  • How she got the idea to start thinkThin (it was based out of her own NEED)
  • The MOMENT she knew it was time to sell
  • Her BEST ADAVICE for women who are looking to build a business with the goal of selling
  • The brand new organization she has started to support WOMEN entrepreneurs
  • HOW to Build a Solid Brand During the Pandemic
  • Why Your STORY Matters so much, especially NOW
  • Advice she hears in the start-up arena that she DOES NOT agree with
  • Why EMOTIONS are good for decision-making
  • How she gets through the really TOUGH Days – PURE GOLD
  • The #1 ingredient you need to become a Strong LEADER
  • The advice she wished she would have had before that first trip to Tokyo as a model

When you run a career for 25 years, you make a lot of mistakes, and the best way to teach, is by giving the entrepreneur the messaging of what you did wrong.” – Lizanne Falsetto

Connect with Lizanne Falsetto:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Lizanne Falsetto

You can stand in your feminine power as a female and still be heard.” – Lizanne Falsetto

The Problem with the “Never Ending” Harvest

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This is from one of my Instagram LIVES (I’m LIVE every Thursday at 7amPT – grab your coffee and join me!)

There’s a lot being asked of us and even the Wall Street Journal devoted a whole section to it this week. This pandemic is affecting women more than any other sector of the population… and not in a good way.

Click on the video below to listen-in:

This is EXACTLY where we’re headed in my private membership group, ALIGN online. We’re focused on finishing 2020 strong. If you’ve decided not to “cancel” 2020 and unearth the GOLD that will come out of this time for you and your business, head on over to https://smartwomensolutions.com/align-online, fill out an application and join us!

One of the many benefits of ALIGN online is our private forum. I’m in there every day offering support, business advisory and answering questions to help you move forward and finish the year strong.

We’re taking applications now so if you’d like to learn more & jump on board, contact Kathy@SmartWomenSolutions.com or call/text 310-266-0416.

Read all about ALIGN online:

SmartWomenSolutions.com/align-online

Emily Raiber – Media Expert & Entrepreneur on Using Social Media to Enhance Your Business

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Emily Raiber on She's Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

Emily Raiber, Founder & CEO of Emily Raiber Media, is an award-winning media professional with over a decade of experience producing television programming and content in both news and entertainment. She has worked with NBC, CNN, and FOX. As an experienced television professional, she has produced national, cable, live, local, and broadcast network programs.

She decided to hang her hat in the entrepreneurial arena and use her genius to help entrepreneurs expand their brand using the power of social media.

On today’s show, Emily shares that even though she worked for some of the most powerful networks in New York, she knew entrepreneurship was in her future. She also talks about how she harnessed the power of Instagram early on, her thoughts on the TikTok app, tips on how to get more attention on Instagram, advice for pricing your services, the importance of finding your team and so much more.

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

If you are doing a little bit on all of those channels and really not succeeding in any of them, you need to scale back and concentrate in one that will give you results.” – Emily Raiber

Show Notes:

  • How to use social media to ENHANCE your business
  • Her best advice on where to FOCUS your energy when it comes to social media – PRICELESS!
  • Her thoughts on WHY it’s Essential to price your products and services well
  • The BEST social media platform to use for your business
  • Her 4 TOP TIPS to attract attention and gain followers on Instagram
  • How and why HASHTAGS are key
  • Her advice on what to do when you feel like giving up – PURE GOLD!
  • The challenges working mothers are facing trying to run a business while NAVIGATING online school for kids
  • The SILVER Lining she has discovered in 2020

A lot of things will come up and you have to move on from them very quickly and bounce back.” – Emily Raiber

Connect with Emily Raiber:

 Instagram | Emily Raiber Media

You have to find your joy and you have to be present for your family.” – Emily Raiber

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