Startups in Stilettos

“I time block and I say, ‘This is going to be the time specific to managing the business.’ Being able to manage my time correctly and know when I'm doing what. In this post COVID era where we're all working remotely, being able to connect face to face is also important. So, our weekly zoom calls, those are important to stay connected and really understand what everybody else is working on.”  As a...

Kristina Bartold has successfully built a career through creating community online and bringing people together. She learned that as an entrepreneur, showing up in these spaces authentically is key to connecting and building resonance with your target audience. As many small business owners often struggle to tap into the spaces that will offer them the most long-term growth, Kristina and her team...

As the mother to four children under the age of 10, Marnie will tell you herself; she loved being pregnant. So much so she couldn't bear the idea that there were Mothers out there struggling with their pregnancies and failing to find the support they needed that solely focused on them. Marnie recognized the challenge in this, as she recalls feeling like she was losing her identity as she further t...

“I’ve had a few setbacks. One was our first [launch in] March 2020. And guess what? The world shut down. And so I tried again on March the 13th 2023. I was at the London Stock Exchange when, guess what? That was the day that Silicon Valley crashed. So, all you can do is laugh it off and move forward. You don't cry over spilt milk.” When Ruby Russell’s partner suffered a back injury that left him u...

“If you don't have the time or money to do it once, you definitely do not have the time or money to do it twice—so make sure you outsource to experts the first time.” When Heather Cox was pregnant with her first baby, she knew continuing to work was a non-negotiable—she just wasn’t sure what, exactly, that would look like after her little one arrived. Now, 15 years and five kids later, Heather is...

“You're always focused on the big goal, and you don't celebrate the little wins in between. And that is so important. And for me, it's something that I had to learn, was to celebrate the little wins in between—because that's what keeps you going to the ultimate goal.”  Harli Gawronski’s eureka moment came to her during the COVID-19 pandemic: her true purpose was outside of corporate America. Thoug...

Hey Entreprenistas! It's Stephanie here. Happy New Year! As we step into 2024, let's take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the outstanding achievements of some of the Entreprenista League members who visited us in 2023. This week on Startups in Stilettos, we hear from Courtlyn Jones, graphic designer, visual artist, and founder and CEO of The Design Database, about how she turned her vision in...

Hey Entreprenistas! It's Stephanie here, and we are featuring some of our favorite conversations throughout December to help inspire and educate you with what you need to know to grow your businesses all 2024. This week on Startups in Stilettos, we'll hear about using AI to scale startups. Today, we start with the highlights of our conversation with Kara Venus, founder of Stella's Way Marketing, a...

Hello and Happy Holidays, Entrprenistas! It's Stephanie Cartin here, and as we wind down the year, we're bringing you a special treat. December is all about inspiration and education, guiding you through the essential lessons to elevate your business in 2024. This week, we're diving into the art of building brand recognition for startup founders. In this not-to-miss episode of Startups and Stilett...

Hey Entreprenistas! It’s Stephanie here and we are featuring some of our favorite conversations throughout the month of December to help inspire and educate you with what you really need to know to grow your businesses all 2024. This week on Startups in Stilettos, we’re talking to founders in our Entreprenistas community who really went from newborn to new business. In today’s episode, we first ju...

“You'll know when or where you can spend that money but, have a plan.” Are you ready to take your business to new heights in the upcoming year? In this episode of Startups and Stilettos, your hosts Carlyn Bushman and Stephanie Cartin reveal their keys to successful business planning and growth for the new year. Discover how to set realistic goals and avoid common pitfalls that come with rushed dec...

 “It's not the learn one thing, it's try to learn as much as you can, so you can see what works for you.”  In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, we delve into the remarkable journey of Meirav Zur, a multi-talented creative - actor, producer, and writer who is particularly passionate about improvisation, theater, and the art of comedy. Meirav’s story takes us from founding the English Language...

“I cannot stress enough the importance of networking, and really go narrow and deep. I think we get to the point where we sign up for so many things when you go wide and shallow. It's really hard to measure what you're getting out of that particular networking group.” - Carlyn Bushman Before she was your host, Carlyn Bushman was our beloved guest and founding Entreprenista member full of endless k...

Adria Marshall is the founder of Ecoslay, a plant-based hair-care product brand for textured hair types whose impact and resourcefulness won her the Entreprenista 100 Award in 2022 for Best Self-Funded Business. In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, we caught up with Adria to discuss the biggest benefits she’s seen since winning the award and she shares her advice for any other founders thinki...

“I just kept finding that everything that would come up. I had a woman in my life who was an expert in it and was willing to take their own time to hold my hand and walk me through it.“    Jamie Banks, the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Change of Scenery, a woman’s luxury sustainable swim and resort wear startup that launched in March 2022 which is when Jamie first joined us on the podcast! J...

“Be the person that you want to be, now. That applies for your business too. If you want to see a million-dollar year next year, or maybe you only want to see $100,000 year next year, you're only going to get that by making sure that you understand where you are now and where you were so that you can project where you're going to go.”   Have you felt like you're throwing spaghetti at the wall, try...

“I understand the numbers, I understand how they can help you have the impact that you want. And I want to use that to get you further faster.” Staci is a mom of two and a multi-passionate entrepreneur. She grew and sold her first seven-figure business before she was 35, all while raising her daughters. Staci prides herself, not only on her own experience growing the business but also on the 1000s...

  “Just just do it, get your LLC created, get your website created, do all the pieces.”    In today’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn flies solo while sitting down with Kara Venus, an author and the owner of Stella's Way Marketing, a full-service small business consulting firm that helps small travel businesses launch and scale their marketing efforts. As a marketer by trade, Kara has bee...

“ You don't just step out into the business world and say, I'm the best. I'm the smartest, I'm the nicest, I'm a good person, and everyone believes you overnight. No, you have to prove yourself, you have to consistently put in the work to show your true colors. And over time you build that reputation.”   Whitney never imagined owning her own business, let alone founding a seven-figure award-winnin...

“If you've created something, get it out there, get it prototyped. Get it patented if it makes sense to patent because not every product needs to have a patent, but just get going on something.”     In today’s episode, we are joined by Libra Riley, the Founder and CEO of SWOOP™ Hanger, a patented hanger design that transitions the length of long garments to maximize closet storage, protect garment...

“You want to do everything you want to be everything to everyone. You want to be the perfect founder, but the perfect founder doesn't exist you need to be authentic and true to yourself and the type of leader you are.”     Named the 2021 Women Who Mean Business Honoree by the Houston Business Journal, Emily Cisek is the co-founder and CEO of The Postage, an all-in-one digital platform for life and...

“I really realized that we need to take this very integrative holistic approach to wellbeing. So often we are focused on productivity and being busy. And we forget about listening to what we're actually going through.”   Dr. Cindy Tsai is an award-winning board-certified physician, TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and Chief Wellness Officer as the visionary founder of Yes and More, a personal gr...

“Life is a series of fresh starts, and everybody is worthy of the support. We are about meeting people where they are and celebrating them.”    After her own divorce and watching her sister call off her engagement the following year, Olivia was left with two significant questions: Why do we only celebrate weddings and new babies with the support of a registry? And Why are other major life changes...

“I really didn't want to start my own brand. I just wanted products that worked…So it’s just solving this puzzle, which is great as an entrepreneur, because that’s what it is every day - solving a new mystery”  Adria is another prime example of how necessity breeds innovation. As she was searching for the best natural hair care products with healthy and organic ingredients, she continued to run in...

“I wanted to do something bolder, I've always wanted to empower women. I just didn't know how. And I told myself for a long time. I'm just shy. And I don't know that I could actually step into that role, or anything like that. That wasn't the case.”     Angela Acosta is a girl’s girl and quite literally the picture of passion. As the founder of Angela’s Atelier, a personal branding and portrait ph...