Julie Deane – She Took 600 Pounds and Turned It Into a Company Valued at 40 Million Pounds Making Satchels

September 18, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

I’m so excited to share this humorous, transparent, Encore Interview with Julie Deane, Founder/CEO of Cambridge Satchel. If you haven’t heard her past interviews on my podcast, I invite you to go back and listen because they are a few of the most popular episodes we’ve ever done!

We’re bringing Julie Deane back on the show today because her company, Cambridge Satchel, has had tremendous growth over the past 18 months, but not without challenges and I needed to pick her brain on how she did it.

On today’s show, Julie talks about what it really means to scale a business, when you should let go, and how to take the reins of your company back if things stray from your vision, and much more.

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

It was the fact that we did everything differently from the big corporates around us, and that’s why they couldn’t compete with us. Because they never knew where we were going to come from next.” – Julie Deane

Show Notes:

WHY she needed to start a business in the first place – she had a real need
She had 600 pounds to invest; she needed 24,000 pounds – in 8 weeks. Yikes!
The FIRST step she took – so simple you’ll be shocked
The ONE THING to keep with you forever as an entrepreneur
The WORST thing that can happen to an entrepreneur
How she reclaimed the culture that made Cambridge Satchel an overnight success
The GRASSROOTS marketing that Cambridge Satchel has developed in the past 18 months
Julie’s SILVER BULLETS for getting through the hard days
And much, much more

It is a very strange smoke and mirrors kind of world that was not for us.” – Julie Deane

Connect with Julie Deane:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Cambridge Satchel

I’m not going to let myself feel like a failure because what this company was set to do was to send my kids to a great school. And they have gone to a great school, so it did that.” – Julie Deane

Kim Kovacs – Founder/CEO of MyJane, Curated Cannabis Products Delivered to Your Front Door

September 11, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

When Kim Kovacs witnessed a close relative looking and acting 10 years younger (and relieved of the pain she had suffered for years from using opioids to combat the effects of cancer), she was intrigued. She found out this positive change and outlook on life was due to the use of cannabis products and at that moment, Kim decided to get serious and learn more about everything cannabis could do to help women.

Kim saw a void in the women’s cannabis space and decided to fill it by starting MyJane – a cannabis wellness community designed to help women feel better. MyJane sends a curated box of cannabis products right to your door delivered by women ambassadors who spend time educating each customer on the products.

On today’s show, Kim has a lot to share with you. She is a serial entrepreneur and investor across multiple sectors and has raised over $100 million in venture capital for companies that she has founded.

Kim talks about how MyJane got started, her best ACTION STEPS in growing MyJane thus far, her advice on fundraising, how the movie “Groundhog Day” gets her through tough times, and much, much more.

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

Let’s ask women what they want. Before we go ahead and do anything, let’s ask.” – Kim Kovacs

Show Notes:

How the name “MyJane” came about – it truly was a Perfect Storm
Why Kim decided to get her product DELIVERED in person by Female Brand Ambassadors
The GENIUS First Step Kim took that catapulted MyJane’s early growth – Simple & Easy
The MyJane model and WHY IT WORKS
The ONE thing MyJane is doing to ensure happy, loyal customers
Where your FOCUS has to be 24/7
Managing CASH FLOW in an extremely regulated industry
Her BIGGEST challenge
Why the movie “Groundhog Day” helps get her through the challenges of entrepreneurship
Her best advice on FUNDRAISING
The advice she hears being given in the entrepreneur arena that she doesn’t agree with
The Inventor versus the Entrepreneur Concept
Her Belief about Partnerships
What she wished someone would have told her BEFORE she entered the world of Entrepreneurship

Do your research as your fundraising. Find the right investors so you don’t spend time talking to people you don’t need to.” – Kim Kovacs

Connect with Kim Kovacs:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | MyJane

Once you crack that conversation about cannabis then the flood gates are open to talk about other things and we’re freely (now) talking about different things that I don’t think women used to talk about.” – Kim Kovacs

Christina Stembel, Founder/CEO, Farmgirl Flowers – A $30 Million Business Started with $49,000 in Savings

August 21, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

You do not want to miss this interview.

Originally from Indiana, Christina Stembel found herself in Silicon Valley where it seemed everyone was an entrepreneur. It was while investigating why flowers are so expensive for her employer at the time, Christina started to see potential big bucks in the flower industry. No college degree but she did have 49K in savings and that’s how Farmgirl Flowers was planted firmly in the ground.

Christina shares all of her tips and transparent insights on how she grew Farmgirl Flowers from nothing to an estimated projected 30M this year. She talks about her grassroots marketing that has grown the company, why and how to get started without investor money, 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 wanted to take an industry and be either the first innovator or the first one doing it a completely different way.” – Christina Stembel

Show Notes:

CURIOSITY does not kill the cat; This is how Christina started out
The SURPRISING thing that happened when she was down to her last $411
Smart, Simple, Effective Tips for Grass Roots MARKETING – Truly Brilliant
The Two Most ESSENTIAL Skills You Must Develop if You Want to Grow and Scale
Bank and credit card tips for FUNDING your business
Why women should STOP waiting for investor money in most cases
How she reacted when someone told her to STUNT her Growth and “wait for the industry to catch up to her”

I wanted to test the market. I did not want to give up a decade of my life for something that was never going to work.” – Christina Stembel

Connect with Christina Stembel:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Farmgirl Flowers

I pivot all the time. We listen to our customers.” – Christina Stembel

Amy Franko – A Top Sales Blogger, Amazon Best-Selling Author, Sales Expert and Entrepreneur

July 24, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

If you don’t have all the clients or customers you want or need, you will want to block some time in your calendar to listen to this episode with my guest today, Amy Franko.

Amy is the author of the new best-selling book The Modern Seller: Sell More and Increase Your Impact in the New Sales Economy and she is also the founder of the Impact Instruction Group. The Modern Seller is an Amazon Bestseller and was also named a 2018 top sales book by Top Sales World. In addition, Amy is recognized by Top Sales World as one of the “Top 50 Sales Bloggers in the World”.

Today’s show is jam-packed with incredible business and sales advice, tips on building your network and using social media for business growth, how to write a book (even if you don’t really enjoy writing) and much more.

Enjoy the show!

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

People with strong networks can rise above the noise.” – Amy Franko

When you know those one or two very significant goals, that is going to give you the track to run on so that you can better prioritize your time.” – Amy Franko

Show Notes:

The Five Modern Selling Skill Sets
WHY your RELATIONSHIPS are the GOLD
WHY it’s essential to pivot between strategy and tactics
How to overcome the “I don’t have time to network” feeling you may be having
TIPS on how to create better business relationships (HINT: you don’t need to be an extrovert)
How to use SOCIAL MEDIA to build your business
How to write a book (even if writing doesn’t come easily to you)

If you want to build the skill, you can. It is the habits that you put into your everyday relationship building that becomes the ‘how’.” – Amy Franko

Links Mentioned:

Connect with Amy Franko:

LinkedIn | Twitter | Amy Franko

People who really get it (who are really intentional about building the RIGHT strategic relationships); they are focused on a big significant goal and that helps them make good choices about where they invest their time in building their networks.” – Amy Franko

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

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

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

Darya Allen-Attar – CEO & Founder of The Women Founders Network – How The 2008 Financial Crisis (and a sense of failure) Led to Her Zone of Genius Work Today

January 9, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Darya Allen-Atar on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

Ten years ago, I met my guest today, Darya Allen-Attar, in a Starbucks to brainstorm a Big Idea she had.

Within 60 days of that cup of coffee, she launched that idea into The Broad’s Circle (Over 9,000 people have attended these events since 2009.) and that became the catalyst for Women Founders Network (WFN), a virtual accelerator with a goal to connect women founders not only with capital, but also with the resources, connections, mentorship, and sponsorship they need to grow scalable, successful businesses.

Darya has been recognized as one of the “Most Powerful Women in California” by California Women Lead (November 2016) for her community work and the advancement of women. She has traveled extensively and speaks four languages. Most recently, she was invited by the State Department to speak on Women’s Entrepreneurship at their international forums, hosted by US consulates.

Darya serves on the Investment Advisory Committee for the California Community Foundation. She also serves on the Boards of the Los Angeles Westside YMCA and the Los Angeles Chapter of Advisors in Philanthropy (LA-AiP). Darya earned her BA from Kalamazoo College, Certificate in Accounting from Northwestern University, and her MBA in Finance from Fordham University.

Dara Allen-Attar is a dear friend doing PHENOMENAL work with women business owners. You’ll love today’s show as she shares some incredible wisdom from her journey.

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

I have been able to either pay for great help or else get people who are passionate about what I’m passionate about to come in and help me build things.” – Darya Allen-Attar

Show Notes:

How a meeting at Starbucks a decade ago turned into her Genius work
How the 2008 Financial crisis was met as a failure but instead turned out to be the best thing that could have ever happened to her
The importance of course-correcting and improving
Her single BEST tip for GROWTH as an entrepreneur
Darya’s BIGGEST frustration – this is PURE Gold Ladies!
How she raises a family of 3 children and a hubby while running several ventures
Why you should RECALIBRATE regularly to do your best work
The truth about Failure
The Advice she hears being given to women entrepreneurs that she doesn’t agree with
Her thoughts on finding “The Joy” and releasing “The Grind”
What she wished someone would have shared with her early on in her career – POWERFUL!

Failure is the greatest defining event of anyone’s life.” – Darya Allen-Attar

Connect with Darya Allen-Attar:

Facebook | Twitter | Broads Circle | Women Founders Network

It is the concept of feeling our freedom and the ability to be in a place of discomfort to take the risk of telling other people what you think and finding that they can be inspired by some of your ideas.” – Darya Allen-Attar

Julie Deane – She Took 600 Pounds and Turned It Into a Company Valued at 40 Million Pounds Making Satchels

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 Julie Deane:

Kim Kovacs – Founder/CEO of MyJane, Curated Cannabis Products Delivered to Your Front Door

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 Kim Kovacs:

Christina Stembel, Founder/CEO, Farmgirl Flowers – A $30 Million Business Started with $49,000 in Savings

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 Christina Stembel:

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:

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:

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:

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

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 Rosie O’Neill:

Darya Allen-Attar – CEO & Founder of The Women Founders Network – How The 2008 Financial Crisis (and a sense of failure) Led to Her Zone of Genius Work Today

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 Darya Allen-Attar:

Strategy & Consulting

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