Dear FoundHer...Real Founder Stories for Women Small Business Owners

We all remember Christi Lukasiak as the funny and fiery mom from the hit TV series Dance Moms. Never afraid to tell it how it is, Christi has since built a career on authenticity. Whether it be about motherhood or basic adulting skills, Christi is on a mission to empower the next generation to be comfortable in their own skin. After being thrown into the world of reality TV, Christi had to quickly...

Have you ever wanted to completely redirect your career path? For most of her life, Emily Groden was determined to follow in the footsteps of her parents and become a successful lawyer. It wasn’t until after Emily landed a job at the firm of her dreams that she realized she wasn’t pursuing her passion. After taking a chance on herself, Emily finally found true success. Today, she is the Founder an...

“When you work through your partnerships, you want to make sure that it's mutually beneficial,” says Louisa Serene Schneider, Founder of Rowan, an ear-piercing boutique dedicated to providing safe piercings to customers around the country. While Louisa initially began attracting customers through word-of-mouth marketing and local partnerships, she has since grown her business on a national scale....

“There was nothing that I could hear from anybody that was going to make me turn back, I had to do this for myself and nobody else,” says Anne Grossman, Founder of Rebel Daughter Cookies. While being a mother has always been one of her greatest accomplishments, Anne had always dreamed of one day owning her own business. What started as a small hobby, Anne has quickly grown Rebel Daughter Cookies i...

Does the price of traditional boutique shopping prevent you from finding the perfect pieces to add to your wardrobe? For many women, this is a constant struggle. In today’s episode, Lindsay Pinchuk and Ali Reff, Founder of Alice & Wonder discuss how she transformed her business from a home-based retailer to one of Chicago’s most sought-after affordable brick and mortar boutiques. Like so many...

I remember my first hire for my first company as if it were yesterday. I had an amazing part-time, hourly employee who desperately wanted to work for me full time. I knew I needed her. So I worked my butt off to bring in the revenue so I could pay her....and I paid her before I ever paid myself. When you first start your business hiring help seems like the most daunting undertaking there is. Often...

Imagine if being a finalist on the hit TV series Top Chef was just one accomplishment on your long list of accolades. For Chef Adrienne Cheatham, this has become her reality. In today’s episode, Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Chef Adrienne to discuss how to create a recipe for a successful brand. Growing up working in the restaurants that her mother managed, Chef Adrienne’s passion for culinary ar...

Jenny Patinkin has proven that it’s never too late to start a business.  From a stay-at-home mom to a non-profit spokesperson, Jenny created a wildly successful career as a makeup artist after the age of 40.  She has gone on to become a leader in the clean-beauty industry with a full line of nationally acclaimed products. Initially working as a makeup artist for high-profile clients, Jen...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with special guest Allie Danziger, Founder of Ampersand to discuss how she is improving the future of hiring for companies across the country. Allie has worked as long as she remembers, moving to New York City after college and starting a career in PR. After founding her own PR agency at 24, selling it, and exiting years later, All...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Magda Rauscher, Founder of My Modern Dom to discuss how she started her home design business with no prior experience. After purchasing a fixer-upper in the suburbs of Chicago, Magda fell in love with everything interior design. She started posting her project on Instagram, gaining followers in the meantime.  Magda knew in her heart that...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with special guest Lara Heimann, Founder of LYT Yoga to discuss how she is empowering movement by redefining the modern practice of yoga. Ever since she was young, Lara has been enthusiastic about movement. As a physical therapist and a certified yoga instructor, Lara wanted to bridge the gap between the two to make yoga more accessible for all pe...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with special guest Gia Lee, Founder of Hot Box Sushi to discuss her transformation from stay-at-home mom to successful business owner. Like many entrepreneurs, Gia accidentally stumbled upon a business opportunity during quarantine. What started as a small side hustle in her kitchen, has quickly transformed into Chicago’s latest food trend. Althou...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Samantha Lande, Founder of Samantha Writes for an informative discussion about how to launch a successful freelance career. Like many women, after having children, Samantha realized her career was not fulfilling her on many levels. After having her second child, Samantha decided to take a leap of faith and pursue her passion for writing. Afte...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with Keren Sachs, Founder of The Luupe to discuss how she transformed her dream into a sustainable business that has raised over $3 million in funding. As a long-time creative, Keren couldn’t help but notice the lack of diversity in the photography business. To bring the creative community together, Keren started The Luupe, a one-s...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with Shayna Harris, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Supply Change Capital, to answer all your questions about financing and fundraising. Shayna Harris and her partner, Noramay founded Supply Change Capital in 2020 to address the enormous gap in who gets funded and how wealth is created. 97% of venture funding goes to white men....

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with Shelly Omilâdè Bell, Founder of Black Girl Ventures Foundation to discuss how she has transformed entrepreneurship by reimagining the way Black and Brown women founders get access to financial and social capital. Founded in 2016 by Serial Entrepreneur and Computer Scientist Shelly Omilâdè Bell, Black Girl Ventures Foundation (...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with Angie Tebbe, Co-Founder of Rae Wellness to discuss her transition from the corporate world into entrepreneurship. Angie dives into how she created a brand that is focused on community and longevity. After a well-spent 13-year career at Target, Angie knew it was time for her next adventure. With a holistic childhood, lifelong p...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Jill Smokler, Founder of Scary Mommy. They discuss Jill’s sale of her company, when and how she left, and how she has moved forward. What began as an innocent way to chronicle Jill’s journey of motherhood, quickly transformed into one of the largest online parenting communities. For ten years, Jill was the face of her brand, Scary Mommy, an o...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Snoop Dillard, Atlanta’s most high-profile female Black entrepreneur, for an honest conversation about the long journey it took for her to reach success. Snoop is the epitome of a serial entrepreneur. After graduating from Vanderbilt University, Snoop immediately began dabbling in entrepreneurship and opened her first business at the age of 2...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with The Skin Sisters, Lauren Sundick, and Brooke Moss, to discuss how they took their professional expertise as dermatology-trained Physician Assistants and created a business through online content. Together, The Skin Sisters use their 20 years of combined experience to help demystify the world of skincare. Before the pandemic, B...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with Jessica Mindell, Founder of Jessica’s Natural Foods, to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur and how persistence has been the key to her success. When Jessica first started experimenting with gluten-free granola, she was looking for alternatives for her husband. After realizing that she had developed a unique product, Jessic...

In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with entrepreneurial duo Jess Hunichen and Emily Ward, Co-Founders of Shine Talent Group, to dive into everything you need to know about influencer marketing. Deciding who you want to represent your brand can be an overwhelming process. But as you look to work with influencers, make sure to consider three things: content, numbers,...

As the eldest child in a large family, Rahama Wright, Founder of Shea Yeleen, has always been a problem solver. After serving two years in the Peace Corps in a small village in West Africa, Rahama was infuriated by the lack of opportunity and harsh living conditions these women endured on a daily basis. Rather than creating a consumer-focused product, Rahama developed Shea Yeleen as a way to solve...

Ashley Murphy, co-founder of Neat Method, has always been enthusiastic about organization. When Ashley and her partner Molly began organizing homes as a side hustle, they had no idea they were creating a brand that would go on to become the largest organizing network in North America. After twelve years, an acquisition, and a lot of hard work, Ashley has successfully franchised her business and ex...

Julie Cole, Co-Founder of Mabels Labels, dropped out of the traditional workforce to pursue a career that brought her joy and allowed her to be available to raise her six children. While she now runs a successful, internationally-known company, starting her business wasn’t so glamorous. In today’s episode, host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Julie to discuss the importance of building a personal b...