Melissa Vitelli – From Fashion Photographer to Co-founder & CEO of Jar Goods

February 17, 2021 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

My guest, Melissa Vitelli, had a successful career in fashion photography but she found her herself being drawn to the food industry through her hobby of vegetable gardening. She joined together with her sister-in-law Lauren and Jar Goods was born. They initially found success at Farmer’s Markets and this led them directly into the arms of Whole Foods.

On today’s show, Melissa talks about how she and her sister-in-law decided to take her father-in-law’s famous tomato sauce recipe and turn it into a thriving business. She shares how she brought her small side business into grocery stores across the country, some of her most pivotal moments as an entrepreneur, how she’s dealt with the challenges of entrepreneurship and more.

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

People who need quick foods, should not be relegated to low quality.” – Melissa Vitelli

Show Notes:

What it was like to move from Fashion photography to the FOOD industry
How their decision to go with mom-and-pop stores first before hitting the Big Guns of Whole Foods and AMAZON paid off
Why beginning in FARMERS MARKETS was their Golden Ticket
WHEN she realized she was on to something with her business
The moment she decided to add more flavors to the mix – she shares it’s the key to creating a BRAND Block
She’s learned it’s all about being CONSUMER CENTRIC
Her experience at the CHOBANI Food Incubator
Why Jar Goods decided to try a subscription model
Her perspective on why you shouldn’t listen to other people’s ADVICE
Where she Finds her Joy
And much, much morel

In order to do it, it doesn’t matter what industry, you have to be very risk tolerant.” – Melissa Vitelli

Connect with Melissa Vitelli:

Facebook | Instagram | Jar Goods

The creative juices are not going to flow if you force them.” – Melissa Vitelli

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

October 21, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

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

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

October 7, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Lizanne 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

Jenn Kapahi – She Was a Make-up Product Junkie Turned CEO & Co-Founder of trèStiQue

May 13, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Jenn Kapahi, my guest today, has always been interested in consumer buying habits. Through her career in the makeup industry, she realized that makeup was complex, with all the different shades and colors, and women were looking for something simple – the “essentials.” This is how trèStiQue, a line of smart makeup crayons with built-in tools that fit in the palm of your hands was born.

On today’s show, Jenn talks about the concepts behind her products, her three valuable tips to achieve success in your business, ways to avoid stress and challenging times, and much more.

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

You have to let yourself have a bad day once in a while, but you cannot give up.” – Jenn Kapahi

Show Notes:

How accepting an invitation to a holiday party opened the door to her future (Jenn talks about how this was totally out of character for her)
WHY staying CURIOUS has become her greatest attribute
The “graphics” you need to pay attention to now more than ever
Why the number EIGHT is so important to her and the CORE of her makeup essentials
She takes a very DEEP DIVE into the Action steps that have propelled their brand to success
Why understanding the CUSTOMER is essential to starting a brand
How she avoids stress in challenging times
The importance of being surrounded by people that trust and understand your vision

I do think that the best entrepreneurs have a very good intuition about things.” – Jenn Kapahi

Connect with Jenn Kapahi:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | trèStiQue

If you keep going and you try, there’s a small percent chance you can still win.” – Jenn Kapahi

Dr. Heather Kunen – Co-Founder of Beam Street, the Walk-In drybar for Oral Wellness

April 29, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

My guest today, Dr. Heather Kunen, is a Co-Founder of Beam Street Dentistry.

Her infectious energy and can-do attitude is a breath of fresh air.

Dr. Heather Kunen started her career working as an orthodontist, but early on, she recognized that there was a market for just the top three most-requested dental services – clean teeth, white teeth, and straight teeth. Heather and her co-founders were able to create a business model that focused on offering ONLY these three services at an affordable price.

Beam Street is the first dental “studio” in New York City which makes going to the dentist easy, affordable, convenient, and quick. They took a page from the drybar and their motto is: Clean teeth. White teeth. Straight teeth. That’s it. They figured if it worked for hair, it might work for teeth too!

On today’s show, Dr. Kunen shares with us the challenges of starting a new business, why it is so important to understand what the consumers want, the actions steps she took to grow her business, her marketing tactics, and more.

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

The key is figure out who are we targeting, and then, how do we best way reach those people?” – Dr. Heather Kunen

Show Notes:

Her “lightbulb” moment that led to rapid-fire reach and quick brand awareness with their target market
She knew her target markets problem and she figured out a solution
The importance of listening to consumers
The concrete steps that lead to a greater goal
The challenges of developing a new idea
How to recognize a new business opportunity
Ways to adapt your business model in difficult circumstances

Taking small concrete steps towards an ultimate goal I think is the most effective way to get something accomplished.”- Dr. Heather Kunen

Connect with Dr. Heather Kunen:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Beam Street

It is important to find your voice, stick to your voice, and be confident in yourself.” – Dr. Heather Kunen

Kelly Love – How a Summer “Detox” With Her BFF From College Led to The Start of Branch Basics

August 14, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

When Kelly Love’s college roommate, Allison Evans, started having health problems, which led to lots of medications with little or no relief, Kelly was concerned.

After graduation, Kelly and Allison decided to spend the summer with Allison’s “Aunt Marilee” doing a “detox.” Their eyes were opened wide when they began to learn about the harmful chemicals that people are exposed to everyday. It was during this summer experience, the three of them decided to start Branch Basics – a non-toxic cleaning product company to create a healthy home.

On today’s show, Kelly gets very vulnerable and transparent about her entrepreneurial journey thus far. She talks about what it was like to partner with her college roommate, how the company survived their biggest challenge (they even had to close for a bit), her advice on managing cash flow + more.

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

It is totally ok to figure it out as you go.” – Kelly Love

Show Notes:

Their philosophy on the easiest way to take that FIRST step to living a healthy life
Their initial product was an enormous success….until it wasn’t
How they handled the embarrassment of having to close their doors and what they did next that has created BLOCKBUSTER success today (MOST people would have given up)
How Branch Basics is riding the “minimalist” movement
Tips for finding the right manufacturer for your product
The BEST decision they’ve ever made after re-launching the company
How to handle CASH Flow decisions; simple, smart advice
The words of wisdom she wished someone would have shared with her early on – PURE GOLD

It needed to work as well or better than the conventional product or else people weren’t going to stick to it.” – Kelly Love

Connect with Kelly Love:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Branch Basics

Just getting started and knowing that you’re going to improve over time is key.” – Kelly Love

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

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

Rosie O’Neill – How Sugarfina Has Achieved Explosive Growth Over The Past 450 Days

February 20, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

**Rosie O’Neill is the FIRST in a series of ENCORE podcast interviews we will be conducting over the next few months. We’ve been closely watching the growth of some of the women we’ve had on the show before and we’re inviting back guests who are having explosive growth and are willing to share the journey with you.

Rosie O’Neill, is an entrepreneur with a major sweet tooth for business. I had Rosie on ‘She’s Got Moxie’ back on November 15, 2017, and that episode is still today one of our most popular. Since my last interview with Rosie, (about 450 days ago), Sugarfina has grown tremendously. Today, she shares with us what business has been like and how the company has exploded with growth so quickly.

In July 2012, along with her co-founder and fiancé (now hubby) Josh Resnick, Rosie launched Sugarfina, a luxury candy boutique for grown-ups featuring the finest confections from artisan candy makers around the world. Best known for Champagne and Rosé-infused gummy bears, Sugarfina has been named one of the “World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” and “World’s 10 Most Innovative Retailers” by Fast Company as it disrupts the $200B confections industry. Sugarfina has also made the list of the “World’s Most Beautiful Candy Shops” by Architectural Digest.

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

I certainly have those days where I start to go into the negative self-talk, but I’m trying to be much better about catching it and turning it around. And basically, the same advice that I would give to a female entrepreneur friend, I try to give that to myself. Sometimes we’re harder on ourselves than we would be to a friend.” – Rosie O’Neill

Show Notes:

What’s happened in the last 450 days (it’s quite Remarkable)
The strategy they’ve used to grow beyond physical locations to get into the hands of their target consumer
The difference between hiring for the “RIGHT NOW” versus Hiring for Future Growth (Brilliant!)
Her Biggest Challenge (“it’s always the same”)
DAILY rituals have contributed to her success as a CEO and Co-Founder
How she handles the really tough “I’m not sure if I can go on” days
Her quick decision-making process
The things she’s outsourced in her life (this was a humorous moment for sure!)
Her BEST Advice for women entrepreneurs who are in the sweet spot of scaling

Do your most dreaded task first thing in the morning. It is basically like wake-up and do that disgusted ‘ugh, I can’t wait to get it over with’ thing.” – Rosie O’Neill

Connect with Rosie O’Neill:

I am a big believer that you’ve got to focus on two or three things and do those things really well before you start to focus on the next thing.” – Rosie O’Neill

Laura McHolm – Cut Through The Noise And Become The Go-To-Gal in Your Industry

November 30, 2018 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Every morning you wake up to a stream of emails that have taken up residence in your in-box – most of which, will be deleted.

**How do you protect your marketing emails from ending up in the trash? And more importantly, get read?

My guest today, Laura McHolm, Co-founder and Marketing Director of NorthStar Moving Company, is an expert when it comes to standing out in her industry and cutting through all the ‘noise.’

Laura has been featured in Ladies’ Home Journal as one of 16 Women Making The World a Happier Place and the LA Business Journal winning the Trailblazer of The Year Award.

You’ll love today’s show as Laura gives some unique and useful tips on marketing emails, why having fun is a great prerequisite to marketing success, coming up with clear branding, and more.

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

Make sure that when you write something, you have things that if they just read the headers, you still get your point across.” – Laura McHolm

Show Notes:

You may have “blinders” on when it comes to your marketing
The morning ritual for most people and WHY you want to avoid being part of it
The TRUTH about what it means to ‘Stand Out’
The ONE thing you can do to increase your odds at getting more open rates
Simple tips to GREAT Copy
How to easily get people to pay attention to your BRAND
The marketing lesson Will Farrell taught us from the movie Elf
Three Steps to Start Standing Out
The MOST important people to understand and see your vision clearly (HINT: it’s not the customer)
And much, much more!

I think so often women are just – they’re intimidated – to really speak their mind and to let the corny side of them come out.” – Laura McHolm

Links Mentioned:

Early Bird Registration for my Align Retreat expires December 3, 2018!!
Text or call Kathy at (310) 266-0416 with questions
Connect with Laura McHolm:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | NorthStar Moving

If you have a clear perception of your brand and every single person that works for you knows what it is… that’s really important.” – Laura McHolm

Show Notes:

Connect with Melissa Vitelli:

Show Notes:

Connect with Kerrigan Behrens:

Show Notes:

Connect with Lizanne Falsetto:

Show Notes:

Connect with Jenn Kapahi:

Show Notes:

Connect with Dr. Heather Kunen:

Show Notes:

Connect with Kelly Love:

Show Notes:

Connect with Raegan Moya-Jones:

Show Notes:

Connect with Stephanie Scapa:

Show Notes:

Connect with Rosie O’Neill:

Show Notes:

Links Mentioned:

Strategy & Consulting

Recent Blog Posts

We’d Love to Connect!