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Cathy Alessandra – Serial Entrepreneur, CEO & Founder of YES I CAN!

July 15, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Cathy Alessandra on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

My guest today, Cathy Alessandra, is the real definition of a serial entrepreneur who has started and built several successful businesses to help women and families.

Cathy started her very first business in 1995 out of a need she saw in her community. From there, she caught the entrepreneurial “bug.”

Along the way, Cathy faced some life altering moments which included her son’s struggle with substance abuse, challenges in her marriage, and personal health concerns. She overcame those challenges by using her “YES I CAN” mantra and her daily rituals. Now, she has turned her mantra into a business, and she is currently the Founder & CEO of YES I CAN coaching.

On today’s podcast, Cathy talks all about her experience coaching women, the philosophy behind YES I CAN, her best productivity tips, 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 all built on a need of my own and figuring that other people needed it as well.” – Cathy Alessandra

Show Notes:

  • Great examples on Pivoting in business
  • The personal tools she used to move through a health challenge, her son’s substance abuse and an unraveling marriage – all at the same time
  • Cathy’s SECRET to overcoming challenges
  • The moment she got the idea to birth YES I CAN
  • Which daily routines helped her achieve success
  • Why Strategic YES’s and Abundant No’s have become a guiding light
  • Cathy’s best productivity tips as an entrepreneur
  • The Worst advice she hears in the Start-up arena

As my business has grown, I need to think ahead of the curve and outside of the box.” – Cathy Alessandra

Connect with Cathy Alessandra:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Cathy Alessandra

Don't worry about all the others. Be focused on who you are so that you attract people that are meant to work with you.” – Cathy Alessandra

Susan Feldman – Founder & CEO of In The Groove – A Lifestyle Destination For Age-Defying Women

November 20, 2019 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Susan Feldman on She's Got Moxie with Joy ChudacoffNever say it’s too late.

My guest today, Susan Feldman was 53 when she founded One Kings Lane, a go-to destination for home and interior design shopping because she couldn’t find home furnishings that she liked. She cracked the code on this industry and ended up selling One Kings lane to Bed Bath & Beyond.

Now, Susan's on to her next entrepreneurial venture, In the Groove. With a sense of humor, community, and self-awareness, In The Groove is on a mission to free women from rules, age limits, and expectations.

Today, Susan talks about how and why she became an entrepreneur at 53, how she dealt with an empty nest, the advice she would've given herself before she started her companies and much more.

 

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

Just get started.” – Susan Feldman

Show Notes:

  • Why it’s never too late to start a business – there is no age limit
  • Interesting STATS about women over 50 and their economic power
  • How an EMPTY NEST can be a fresh start – this is a GOOD thing!
  • What it’s like to launch a digital platform
  • One of the hardest things for a founder to do
  • The ADVICE she wished someone would have shared with her early on

It doesn't have to be perfect. It has to be good. You have to not be embarrassed by what you're putting out there, but put it out there. Because you're going to iterate on it anyway.” – Susan Feldman

Connect with Susan Feldman:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | In the Groove

I think being an entrepreneur is so amazing and so rewarding and so much fun. I wish I would've done it 20 years earlier.” – Susan Feldman

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

Edith Dorsen – Founder of the Women’s Venture Capital Fund – Getting Funding Into The Hands of More Women Entrepreneurs

August 15, 2018 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Edith Dorsen on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

FACT: 95% of venture capital is granted to companies where senior leadership does not include any women.

My guest today, Edith Dorsen, along with her partner, got mad and then they got busy taking action to change this statistic.

On today’s show, Edith talks about how she started this business, tips for the best pitch, the most challenging moment in her career so far, and more. 

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

The singular most important thing to execute on a good idea is having a core team around you because no successful company is built on the back of a single individual.” – Edith Dorsen

Show Notes:

  • How many “pitches” VC’s hear before choosing ONE
  • HOW to make your entrepreneurial idea more “Venture Worth”
  • The MOST important ingredient for a successful pitch (HINT: it’s not the Big Idea)
  • The UPS & DOWNS of dealing with partnerships and GREAT advice for those seeking partners
  • The most CHALLENGING MOMENT in her career thus far
  • Typical advice that a lot of startups are given that she doesn’t agree with
  • What type of entrepreneurs work with the Women’s Venture Capital Fund
  • Her BEST Book Recommendation
  • And much, much more

When you build companies that include a diverse senior leadership, you’re building stronger companies that perform better.” – Edith Dorsen

Connect with Edith Dorsen:

LinkedIn | WomensVCFund II

The decisions need to be weighed properly and probably made more slowly before you make a commitment that takes a long time to unwind if it's not the right one.” – Edith Dorsen

Lisa Sugar – How a Blogging Side Hustle Turned into POPSUGAR, a Multi-Million Dollar Media Company

April 11, 2018 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Lisa Sugar on She's Got Moxie

Lisa Sugar really disliked her job but unlike so many, she did something about it. After starting a personal blog that went viral (we’re talking over 1 million followers in 1 year), Lisa Sugar knew that she was on to something. She ditched her day job and not long after, her husband did too.

Currently, POPSUGAR is now the #1 lifestyle brand for young women, and has just introduced a brand new beauty line.

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

Saying yes has led to great things.” – Lisa Sugar

Show Notes:

  • Lisa’s STRATEGY on how she went from 1 follower to 1 million in less than a year
  • WHY you should never rely on Advertising as a major source of Revenue
  • WHY now was the perfect time for POPSUGAR to launch a beauty line
  • What it was like to give birth to her first child while growing a fast-paced media empire
  • Why you should WORK HARD & PLAY NICE
  • The POPSUGAR PRINCIPLES & Why her Team relies on this
  • Why Lisa wrote her book, “Power Your Happy”
  • Why Lisa says YES when she’s making decisions
  • The valuable lesson she learned when she strayed away from her core business
  • Her BEST (quite simple) advice for women entrepreneurs
  • and much, much more

Finding people who are really living and breathing that world and bringing them in so that they can be the experts, so that they can shine and share that knowledge, is really important.” – Lisa Sugar

Connect with Lisa Sugar:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | POPSUGAR

I think it is really important to play nice both to competitors and co-workers who come and go, because you never know what’s going to happen next.” – Lisa Sugar

Right now, you know how good you are…

October 19, 2017 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

But, do you know how good you could be?

It seems like common sense: Become really good at what you do and then hit cruise control, right?

Nope. When you get to this point, if you don’t make some easily adjustable changes in your business, you’ll find yourself satisfactorily underperforming next year. When arriving at the Top seems just slightly out of your reach, it’s time to align certain areas of your business so you can refocus, engage and expand to the level you know you deserve.

You need to get strategic and open yourself up to the big 360° view of your business. Successful women know that THIS is their ticket to freedom. To truly step into the driver’s seat of your business, you MUST let go of the same old systems and routines.

My two-day Align Retreat coming up in January 2018 will give you the tools you need to get aligned with your vision as a leader, entrepreneur, and woman of impact.

AlignRetreat.com

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Ali Brown – When to Ditch the Entrepreneur Formula and Go After Your True Potential

September 25, 2017 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Ali Brown on She's Got Moxie with Joy ChudacoffI’m so excited to have Ali Brown as my first guest on She's Got Moxie! Ali is a personal friend and mentor, and an incredibly successful entrepreneur.

Ali Brown is one of the most recognized entrepreneur coaches in the world. She has built a coaching and consulting enterprise that ranked in the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies in the nation.

Ali was named one of Forbes “Women to Watch”, one of Ernst and Young's “Winning Women Entrepreneurs” and an “Entrepreneur Delegate” for the United Nations Foundation Global Accelerator.

Ali was also featured on ABC’s Secret Millionaire, and she has over 250K followers via her Glambition Radio Podcast, AliBrown.com and social media.

Today Ali tells us about what led her to quit her job and start her own business. She also shares amazing advice about how to stand out in your industry, and her best productivity tip.

I think you’ll find this episode engaging and truly motivating!

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

When you're starting off we all have to hustle, you will have to do some things that you may not love and you gotta get it done.” – Ali Brown

Show Notes:

  • What can you do to stand out professionally
  • Why you need a formula when you first start out as an entrepreneur
  • How do you know if you should start your own business
  • What criteria should you use to evaluate important decisions
  • How to be more productive
  • What it's like to have your husband work for you
  • Why is it important to have a vision for your business
  • How can you create a clear vision for your future
  • Why you should do the opposite of what everyone else is doing
  • How to figure out your priorities
  • What makes a business successful
  • Why being well read in your industry is important

Follow the formulas, and take all the advise you can, and say yes to everything until there's a moment you're ready to say no.” – Ali Brown

3 Gold Nuggets of Advice:

  1. Figure out how you are going to make money
  2. Start listening to yourself and stretching yourself a little bit more every time that you have the opportunity
  3. Trust yourself and the process

Links Mentioned:

  • Learn more about Ali's Iconic Event
  • Listen and Subscribe to Ali's Glambition Radio Podcast
  • Connect with Ali Brown:

Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Ali Brown

Having the courage to change everything was my most courageous and proud moment.” – Ali Brown

Don’t Throw the Baby Out Just Yet…

April 20, 2017 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

While it’s true that some industries are experiencing market saturation, there is a gigantic opportunity for business owners who have a proven track record and are recognized by their followers as an expert in their field.  Plus, IF you're targeting industries that haven’t been hit over the head every minute of the day with some newfangled “no effort on your part, just sit back and watch the money roll in” gimmick, these people will welcome your expertise with open arms and pay you very well for your expert knowledge.

Case in point:   I have a client who is definitely perceived as an expert in her industry that sent this email a few days ago: “Joy! I made $10K today!”  By following a simple plan and staying consistent in preparation leading up to the event (which was a webinar by the way), she was rewarded for her efforts in a big way financially and I suspect a feeling of accomplishment.

Here are a few key pieces that made her online event successful:

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Trade Your To-Do List For a Success List

May 14, 2016 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

success-list400When everything feels urgent, everything seems equal. Nothing could be further from the truth. Being “busy” doesn’t necessarily move you closer to reaching your goals. Successful business owners understand you have to work from a clear sense of priority.

The long to-do list can actually lead you away from your goal – not closer to it. Instead of a to-do list, I invite you to start thinking about a success list. A success list is one that purposefully and mindfully has action items and tasks that are created around ONE big goal you envision for the year. Your success list should be short and sweet with items that take you closer to your goal.

Read More

Are You Talking Yourself Out of Success?

April 23, 2016 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

women-talkingYesterday, I decided to take myself out to lunch to one of my favorite local sushi restaurants. The tables at this eatery are quite close together so it’s easy (if sometimes uncomfortable) to overhear what your neighbor at the next table is discussing. I happened to sit down next to two men who were deep in conversation. As I sat there minding my own business, trying to focus on the NY Times, I couldn’t help but catch some of the conversation these two men were having. It goes something like this: “You know I just want to get my idea out there. I know it can be successful and yet there’s always that possibility that it will fall flat.” (Sound familiar?) The response from his dining companion? “I know.” By the way, this was his dining companion’s response the entire lunch. He could of actually had lunch alone and placed a tape recorder on the other side of the table that just repeated the words, “I know”, throughout the meal : -(.

The guy kept talking (basically to himself) for the next 30 minutes and at one point convinced himself that he didn’t actually care about THAT much success. He only wanted to have a “little success” (Sound familiar?). To which his friend replied, “I know.”

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