Stay ConnectedWelcome to Becoming Fearless, a podcast about what it takes to say yes to yourself when you are at the intersection of staying the path or taking massive action in your life.
I’m Annie Marchetta, a multi-passionate entrepreneur striving to be fearless in my own life while inspiring others to do the same.
Tune in for empowering conversations about saying yes to yourself, your dreams, and your purpose. Are you ready to start your journey to becoming fearless?
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Jessica Baladad, founder of Feel for Your Life. After finding a lump in her breast at the age of 18, Jessica got into the habit of doing self breast exams. In 2018, just after turning 33, Jessica found another lump and started noticing some worrying symptoms. After a double mastectomy, 16 rounds of chemotherapy, 24 rounds of radiation, and more, Jessica went into remission in May of 2019. She founded Feel for Your Life to encourage women everywhere to be their own breast health advocates. Join Annie and Jessica as they talk advocating for yourself and others, finishing battles, learning self care, and using your story to make a difference.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Rebekah Buege, founder and creator of Confidently She, a podcast and platform designed to help women understand the internalized misogyny that might be preventing them from enjoying their lives. When Rebekah first started her podcast, she was inspired to share her insight and life experience as if she was leaving behind a diary for a future daughter — but as time went on, she realized she wanted to share her insight with women everywhere. Join Annie and Rebekah as they talk rethinking body image, feeling empowered, challenging expectations, changing your mind, and the many aspects of fearlessness.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Mary Ralph Lawson and Kennedy Crichlow, co-founders of Daily Drills, a fashion company specializing in everything we wore during the pandemic — and everything we wear every day! Mary and Kennedy were inspired to launch their brand during the pandemic, starting with four staple activewear pieces and eventually expanding to loungewear. Between Mary's strong social media presence and creativity and Kennedy's preference for behind-the-scenes business work, they were a perfect pair. Join Annie, Mary, and Kennedy as they talk leveraging your platform, connecting with your audience, leaning on your partner, and redefining success.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Alyn Mitlyng, author, dog mom, and corporate professional. The realization that she had no personal goals prompted Alyn to figure out how to determine what goals were relevant to her — and she decided she was going to write a book in the process. That was the start of Dirty Goals: Breaking Conventional Rules to Achieve Your Dreams. Join Annie and Alyn as they talk learning what's relevant to you, embracing your creativity, doing things your own way, enjoying the journey, and working on yourself every single day.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Jenn Trepeck, health coach and host of the Salad With a Side of Fries podcast. After trying every diet under the sun, Jenn finally found a program that worked, and was inspired to build her wellness business alongside her full-time job — for 12 years. Finally, in July of 2019, Jenn left her full-time job to focus on her passion and launch her podcast. Join Annie and Jenn as they talk doing more than one thing, filling your bucket, learning and unlearning, choosing your focus, and waiting for the right moment.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Michelle Shemilt, the founder of Numi, a clothing brand of "consciously created products that make life a little easier," focused on women's basics. Michelle saw a problem that needed to be solved, and did what so many entrepreneurs do — she decided to solve it herself. She was working in finance, but when she was let go from her position, she had the space and time to develop her concept and realize she was ready to change her career path. Join Annie and Michelle as they talk being open to help, finding mentors, adapting to change, staying connected to your vision, and learning to be present.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Jamie Stone, host of the "A Little Too Much" podcast. She's an OG beauty blogger and digital marketer who does a little bit of everything. In 2006, Jamie was working in beauty PR in New York and her clients wanted to be on blogs — a new and up-and-coming media, at the time. Jamie did a ton of research on blogs so she could pitch them to her clients — and in the process, realized blogging was something she might love to do herself. Join Annie and Jamie as they talk learning one thing at a time, evolving with the times, trying new things, and taking care of your mental health.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Nicole Swartz, founder of Sprout Law, a law firm helping women business owners protect their brands. After graduating from law school, Nicole didn't feel like the corporate 9-to-5 life was for her. She left law and started her own skincare line — and got a cease and desist two years into her business from a company that already owned the brand name she was using. After having to rebrand her entire business in 30 days, Nicole decided she wanted to help other women navigate the legal side of entrepreneurship. Join Annie and Nicole as they talk finding your mission, setting intentions, streamlining and simplifying, realizing what you actually want, and making space for growth.
Welcome back to Becoming Fearless! We all have our own stories about what we experienced, what we learned about ourselves, and how we grew during the pandemic — and what we're doing now to pick up the pieces and start moving forward with life again. On this episode, Annie tells her story and catches us up on the last year and a half of moving, starting a new career, and leaning into her personality. Join Annie as she talks slowing down, reflecting, making time for balance, standing in your light, and learning to trust yourself.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Anna Churchill, the founder of Synergy Face and Body, a med spa focused on clinical and corrective skincare. As a professional dancer, Anna always loved the aesthetic element of performance. After working with plastic surgeons and dermatologists for years, Anna decided to open her own business. Since opening her first location 15 years ago, Anna has grown her business to meet demand and expand services. Join Anna and Annie as they talk finding your identity, being good at something, becoming an expert, learning to do the hard things, being transparent, and focusing on the why.
Our Favorite Quotes:
“People want to feel good about themselves.”
“If anyone else is doing it, then it can be done.”
“It’s part of the journey – learning about yourself.” - Annie
“Focus on the why, not the how.”
“Once you make the decision and you jump off the cliff, guess what, you’re gonna have to figure out how to fly.”
“Being fearless is knowing you have fears and still moving forward.”
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Kelsey Murphy, a business and life coach who works with people to help them redefine what they want to do for work and create businesses that fit their holistic visions of their lives. Kelsey has a background in advertising, but she always knew advertising wasn’t meant to be her long-term dream. What Kelsey really loved was personal development, so she started her journey toward life coaching. Join Kelsey and Annie as they talk finding your calling, building something you’re proud of, dabbling in your interests, finding a community, doing something meaningful, and taking responsibility for your own motivation.
Quotes:
“It does not happen in a day; it does not happen in a year. You have to find that wherewithal and that stamina to say ‘this is something I want for my life’.”
“What makes this journey way more enjoyable is when you have friends to do it with.”
“You have to inject inspiration into your life.”
“The emotional side of you is truly a superpower.”
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Erica Ligenza, the blogger behind Coming Up Roses, the voice of the Thrive podcast, and the creator of BossPitch. Erica started her blog in 2013 as a creative outlet while she was in college, posting just once a week. Soon, the blog gained momentum and when she graduated, Erica was able to turn blogging into her full-time job. Join Erica and Annie as they talk sharing your creativity, taking things into your own hands, exploring different mediums, using your talents, maintaining momentum, understanding priorities, and being willing to adapt.
Our Favorite Quotes:
“It won’t be for everybody, but maybe it will be for somebody. If the right person sees it, then it’s worth it.”
“The reason that you’re doing what you’re doing has to be more than applause.”
“Know what aspect of everything you do is the one that brings you back to center and reminds you why you started.”
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, Cara Alwill Leyba is back (catch her on episode 61!). Cara is an author based in NYC and creator of The Champagne Diet, inspiring women to live their most effervescent lives. Having just released her ninth book, Cara knows plenty about being a #bossbabe. Join Cara and Annie as they talk putting the beauty in every day, being honest with your story, making connections, trusting your message, leading by example, and visualizing the life you want to live.
Today on Becoming Fearless – Annie is back! After taking a break from the podcast for a few months and doing plenty of thinking about what the podcast means to her and her listeners, Annie is back behind the mic for the return of Becoming Fearless. Wondering what she’s been up to these past four months? Join Annie as she talks taking breaks, learning about yourself, discovering new purpose, saying yes to yourself, and finding your Fearless Day.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie talks aligning your values with who you are and avoiding “tolerable mediocrity.” People tolerate mediocrity for many reasons, from getting a decent paycheck to maintaining a friendship, but not taking your own values into consideration can lead to feeling stuck, or even depressed. Join Annie as she talks getting out of your comfort zone, pursuing your passions, knowing you can succeed, and doing it for yourself.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, we meet Dr. Barnett – an Associate Professor of Management at UNH and, arguably, one of the reasons Style Collective exists. Dr. Barnett’s course on leadership inspired Annie to reevaluate her passions and take her first steps toward becoming fearless. This week, Dr. Barnett brings us through some of the key concepts of her transformative leadership course. Join Annie and Dr. Barnett as they discuss becoming self-aware, discovering your values, paying it forward, and following your “true north.”
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, Annie does a Q&A, answering questions from the SC Facebook group, Instagram, and more – and debunking some assumptions she’s heard about her, her life, and her business. Join Annie as she talks nature vs nurture, effort vs outcome, balancing multiple careers, hustling hard, choosing how to spend your time, keeping it simple, and trusting your path.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Loey Lane, a lifestyle content creator and body positivity advocate, helping people find their voice within their own skin. Loey has been overweight her whole life and struggled with disordered eating at a young age. When she was nineteen, she was doing makeup videos online, and started to discover the world of plus-size fashion influencers. Inspired and empowered, Loey started to create her own body-positive content. Join Loey and Annie as they talk building confidence, feeling like enough, embracing vulnerability, leading by example, being true to your message, and knowing you can truly do anything.
This week on Becoming Fearless, Annie shares her thoughts on the importance of gratitude. In life, and especially as entrepreneurs, there are always things that are going to be out of our control. When Annie feels overwhelmed by things that are out of her control, she always tries to ground herself with gratitude. Join Annie as she talks dealing with “what-ifs,” knowing you are enough, becoming a joyful person, and learning to actively practice gratitude.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie kicks-off the podcast’s new format with the story of how and why she got into interior design. Annie remembers loving interior design ever since she was a little kid, switching up the décor in her and her sister’s bedrooms. Then, while renovating a townhouse with her husband, she gained experience – repainting the walls, trim, and ceiling, ripping out floors and stairs, replacing vanities and kitchen countertops, and more – and sparked her love for flipping houses. Join Annie as she talks putting in the hard work, making it happen, being strategic, and taking pride in your work.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Anna, the blogger behind My Cancer Chic. Anna had always loved reading blogs and had a passion for writing, creativity, fashion, and beauty. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 27, and it changed the path of her life, empowering her to start her own blog to help other cancer survivors who wanted to be fashionable and feel beautiful. Join Anna and Annie as they talk needing people who can relate, being proud of your impact, dealing with insecurity, remembering your mission, valuing individuals, and being yourself.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Nicolette Brycki, a woman with three sides – mother, on-camera spokesperson/beauty and lifestyle expert, and professional makeup artist. A life-long artist, makeup artistry evolved organically for Nicolette, while working as a spokesperson evolved from curiosity. Join Nicolette and Annie as they talk being comfortable with yourself, communicating effectively, having a mentor, overcoming fear, putting things into perspective, and living life big.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, it’s time to celebrate – the 100th episode of the podcast, the two-year anniversary of the podcast and, of course, SC Founder Annie Spano’s birthday! 100 episodes in, we’ve talked to a lot of amazing #bossbabes with plenty of wisdom to share. Join Annie for her second installment of Ten Tips to Becoming Fearless (see episode 52 for part one!) as she talks living your truth, finding your niche, asking for support, being your own cheerleader, and practicing gratefulness.
To celebrate, use the code FEARLESS for 50% off a Style Collective classic annual membership!
Go to stylecollective.us and click “JOIN” at the top of the menu, scroll down to the black button that says “$150 per year” and use the promo code FEARLESS for 50% off your first year.
Already a member? Join our birthday week challenge for a chance to win one of two cash prizes, plus affiliate commission for each friend you refer to SC! Details are in our members-only Facebook Group.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Jane Lu, the founder and CEO of Showpo, an online fashion store that sells to millennial women in over 100 countries. Jane started her career as an accountant, but as soon as she started working, she realized she didn’t enjoy it. Then her friend came to her with the idea to start their own business. After one failed business, Jane pivoted to create a new business that was everything the first business was not. Join Jane and Annie as they talk being your own brand ambassador, experiencing failure, being candid, finding people you can trust, learning how to delegate, and living a fulfilled life.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Jaime Cohen, founder of The Right Words, helping individuals and organizations communicate more effectively so they can live the lives they want and function more efficiently. People have always come to Jaime for advice. When she realized this was something she could turn into a business she was thrilled. Now, not only can she help individuals improve their lives, but by working with organizations she can help people at scale! Join Jaime and Annie as they talk learning from traumas and failures, growing a thicker skin, giving people the truth, reaching out when you need support, valuing emotional intelligence, and understanding the power of storytelling.
Today’s episode is brought to you by FabFitFun, which is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion and lifestyle products worth over $200 for less than $50. Use the code FEARLESS10 to get $10 off your first box at FabFitFun.com
Today on Becoming Fearless, Patricia, the world’s first style blogger, returns for her third episode (check out episode 2 for her first appearance!) to share the mic and chat with Annie about learning how to be comfortable with yourself and where you are on your journey. Join Patricia and Annie as they talk recognizing the difference between image and reality, learning to like yourself, celebrating your talents, avoiding comparison, remembering your mission, and having your priorities in place.
Today’s episode is brought to you by FabFitFun, which is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion and lifestyle products worth over $200 for less than $50. Use the code FEARLESS10 to get $10 off your first box at FabFitFun.com
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Tiffany Sorya, the Founder and CEO of Novel Education Group, a homeschooling and tutoring service providing tailored homeschooling curriculums to families and students who live unconventional lifestyles. In 2010, Tiffany moved to LA after graduating college. She had tutored during college and started tutoring again when she moved to LA – and found joy in it. Join Tiffany and Annie as they talk using your skills instead of your degree, being relentless, fulfilling a mission, focusing on the long-term, tailoring your services, and knowing what makes you different.
Today’s episode is brought to you by FabFitFun, which is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion and lifestyle products worth over $200 for less than $50. Use the code FEARLESS10 to get $10 off your first box at FabFitFun.com
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Rachel McCord, the founder of the McCord List. Ten years ago, Rachel moved to LA to live near her sister, actress AnnaLynne McCord, and started to get a taste of the Hollywood lifestyle. Her confusion during her first hectic months in LA inspired her to write her first book many years later, Slay the Fame Game. The book opened doors for her to start inspiring and empowering women through the McCord List. Join Rachel and Annie as they talk seeing through the glamour, finding what energizes you, being honest about who you are, sharing positive messages, and designing your dream.
Today’s episode is brought to you by FabFitFun, which is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion and lifestyle products worth over $200 for less than $50. Use the code FEARLESS10 to get $10 off your first box at FabFitFun.com
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Sarah Liller, a clothing designer based in San Francisco. Sarah was raised with the mentality that she should get a solid, secure job, and ended up in a graduate program for Biochemistry. After one particularly rough day, she realized her path didn’t feel authentic. She had always had a passion for fashion – so she applied to Parsons Design School in New York and moved cross-country to start pursuing her dream. In 2012, she started her own brand. Join Annie and Sarah as they talk realizing you’re in the driver’s seat, inspiring confidence, dealing with grief, having perspective, and living to your fullest truth.
This week on Becoming Fearless, Annie shares her love for the Myers-Briggs personality test. If you don’t know where you fall within the Myers-Briggs framework, you might be surprised how much a simple test can help you understand why you do what you do – and why others do what they do, too. Join Annie as she takes you through the different pieces that make up each Myers-Briggs personality type, and how you can use your knowledge of your personality to live authentically.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Andrea Isabelle Lucas, Owner and Founder of Barre & Soul. Andrea fell in love with barre back in 2006 and started teaching barre part-time while she was finishing her BA in Women’s Studies. After graduating, she had an epiphany in the middle of taking a barre class, realizing she could use barre to help empower women the same way barre helped empower her. Join Andrea and Annie as they talk learning to express your authentic self, empowering others, coming from a place of compassion, and knowing your core values.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Maile Pacheco, Founder of beGlammed, a mobile app that provides beauty services on-demand. Maile started her career with the beauty industry in the stock room at a MAC store and worked her way up through the ranks for eight years before founding her own company in 2014. Now, beGlammed has scaled to 31 cities across the US and Canada and still has big plans to continue scaling. Join Maile and Annie as they talk optimizing the wheel, always asking questions, working through others, not taking things personally, radiating your core values, and defining your own success.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie celebrates the three-year anniversary of Style Collective by sharing the top three things she’s learned on her journey from the corporate world to entrepreneurship. Join Annie as she talks taking criticism (and praise) in stride, hustling hard, making space for your life, avoiding comparison, and staying true to yourself.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Christy Laurence, the founder of Plann, an Instagram scheduling, analytics, and strategy tool helping businesses create leads to make money online. Christy spent ten years in corporate advertising, and over time she started to feel disconnected from the actual creativity of her role. At home, she would illustrate and draw, and one day she started putting her work on Instagram – and eventually started getting paid. Join Christy and Annie as they talk being resourceful, continuously teaching, fitting you into your life, enforcing your boundaries, and forming relationships.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Mary Osborne, an occupational therapist and lifestyle blogger, and a founding member of Style Collective. Last year, Mary was faced with the difficult decision of whether to leave her full-time job, ultimately realizing that her values didn’t align with the company’s values. Since taking that leap, Mary has been balancing her PRN occupational therapist work and her blogging work, hustling all the way. Join Mary and Annie as they talk realizing your value, finding balance, filling in the gaps, just going for it, and not being paralyzed by fear.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Carey Jenkins, the CEO of Substantial, a product development studio in Seattle, Washington, helping clients launch extraordinary products. Carey has had a few careers in her lifetime, but her winding path eventually led her to discover her love for client services, which then led her to Substantial. Join Carey and Annie as they talk navigating imposter syndrome, creating new goals, being direct, defying expectations, having a point of view, and paving the way.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie talks overcoming her limiting beliefs and answers some questions from listeners about how to overcome limiting beliefs of their own. Everyone has fears and doubts they need to overcome to achieve their dreams, and overcoming those doubts is all about changing the way you think. Believing you’re not worthy or not capable limits your chances of success. Instead, remove those limitations, believe you can succeed, and start taking action. Join Annie as she talks believing you’re worthy, giving yourself credit, changing your mindset, investing in yourself, and not giving up.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Katherine North, a life coach giving female entrepreneurs a safe space to express their feelings at Declare Dominion, and her husband, Nick, a brand strategist at Epic Danger. Having lived the first 30 years of his life as a woman, Nick knows a lot about transformative experiences, and Katherine has taken the journey with him. Join Katherine, Nick, and Annie as they talk living authentically, adjusting your path, speaking your truth, challenging gender norms, and achieving long-term change.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Nicole Giordano, the Founder of StartUp Fashion, an online resource and community that helps independent fashion brands reach their entrepreneurial goals. Nicole went to school for textile design, and the more she learned about the fashion industry, the more she realized what she didn’t like about it – namely, its exclusivity and lack of collaboration. So, Nicole started a blog that eventually became StartUp Fashion. Join Nicole and Annie as they talk finding internal motivation, building community, creating a mantra, setting boundaries for yourself, and knowing what success means to you.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Natali Morris, a self-proclaimed “Financial Freedom Fighter,” and a speaker, writer, and educator working to empower people to build wealth inside of their family. After becoming a mother and losing her job, Natali decided she needed to do the best she could with the money her family had coming in, becoming a wealth builder and a rock-star money manager. Join Natali and Annie as they talk taking non-linear paths, facing the fork in the road, understanding your assets, expanding your wealth, being ready for challenges, and using the resources the universe gives you.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie spends a solo episode discussing something important that has affected her life and the lives of many others: business bullies. As someone who’s dealt with the influence of a work bully in the past, Annie shares her knowledge on how to recognize and defend against toxic people in the workplace. Tune in as Annie talks thinking logically, managing perceptions, being self-aware, becoming an informal leader, and always getting back up.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Marlene Srdic, the fashion and lifestyle blogger behind Life with Mar, helping modern moms feel stylish with simple tips and approachable fashion. Marlene also owns her own content marketing agency, Glitz and Grammar. She first started a blog to stay relevant when she was laid off from a job as an editor. She saw that fashion blogging was a growing industry and decided to get involved while she had the chance. Join Marlene and Annie as they talk accepting failure, being intentional, finding balance, putting yourself out there, and learning along the way.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Sheree “She She” Frede, a Texas-based blogger and influencer always looking for fresh adventures and new ways to learn and grow. When Sheree first started out, she didn’t even know what a hashtag was. So, she asked one of her grandkids, who gave her the rundown on social media and inspired her to try making her own YouTube video. After YouTube, she discovered Instagram, then blogging, and since then, her love of blogging and fashion has grown. Join Sheree and Annie as they talk deciding your voice matters, nourishing the right connections, combating bullying, being vulnerable in an online space, and starting with a dream.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Sabena Suri, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Box Fox, an LA-based gifting company that lets you send a gift box anywhere in the world. When a friend was hospitalized, Sabena and her co-founders quickly realized that there was a need for an online gifting company that could seamlessly package and ship beautiful, meaningful gifts, while saving time. They took advantage of the opportunity and developed Box Fox. Join Sabena and Annie as they talk taking challenges day by day, realizing the power of a team, staying grounded on your journey, focusing on your strengths, and elevating people’s lives.
Check out our new shop: https://shop.stylecollective.us
Sign up for the free visibility challenge: https://stylecollective.us/visibility-challenge
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Shannon Lohr, the founder of Factory 45, an online accelerator program that takes sustainable apparel companies from idea to launch. Shannon started building her own sustainable fashion company in 2010, and quickly realized that a lot of hard work goes into sustainable fashion. To make things easier for other entrepreneurs, Shannon developed Fashion 45’s six-month program. Join Shannon and Annie as they talk transforming lives, learning what works, being reliable, and creating what you want to create.
Check out our new shop, launching Black Friday! https://shop.stylecollective.us
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Christina-Lauren Pollack, a true #girlboss. Christina comes from an entrepreneurial family and works her day job as an operations manager for her parents’ international business. Seven years ago, Christina decided she was ready to pursue her own passions. Now, by night, she manages her lifestyle blog and business, Inspirations & Celebrations. Join Christina and Annie as they talk never being off-the-clock, learning through collaboration, being your own validation, taking care of yourself, and thinking long-term.
Check out Style Collective: https://stylecollective.us
Get the panel from #SCCon18 featuring Christina: https://learn.stylecollective.us
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, Annie asks: what does it take to accomplish a goal? Too often, we put our goals off because we don’t feel confident enough to achieve them – but maybe confidence isn’t always the key. Join Annie as she talks the difference between confidence and courage, and why being courageous might be the first step you need to take toward reaching the goals you’ve been putting off.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Daniella Shevel, founder of her own online women’s footwear brand dedicated to functional luxury for ambitious modern women. Daniella has always had an affinity for fashion, so she took her business degree to New York, where she worked in digital fashion marketing for nearly a decade before deciding she wanted to fulfill her dream of starting her own footwear collection. Join Daniella and Annie as they talk taking leaps, having control over your destiny, fostering authentic connections, moving forward, and measuring success.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Erica Stolman, creator of the fashion and lifestyle blog Fashionlush and co-founder of the blog design company Blog-doo. Erica started blogging more than a decade ago during college, first using her blog as an online space to store inspiration. Gradually, she started producing more original content, and after being laid off from her full-time job, decided to give blogging as a business a try. Join Erica and Annie as they talk staying motivated through change, sharing your authentic self, engaging with your audience, being grateful, and working hard for what you really want.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Alexia Vernon, author of Step into Your Moxie: Amplify Your Voice, Influence, and Visibility in the World. For a long time, Alexia struggled with an on-again, off-again relationship with her voice and her mission, before finally realizing what she really wanted to do – support women in their speaking. Join Alexia and Annie as they talk overcoming imposter syndrome, being in control of the voice in your head, getting comfortable being seen, embracing feminine leadership, and having perseverance.
Today on Becoming Fearless, Annie is back! After a brief two-week break to recover from #SCCon2018 at NYFW, Annie gets back to podcasting with some thoughts on the importance of transformational leadership and why it matters to you, as a woman and influencer. Join Annie as she recaps her story of becoming fearless and talks taking chances and embracing all the qualities of a transformational leader.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, tune in for Annie’s opening speech of #SCCon2018 at NYFW. Annie opens this year’s NYFW conference with a question: who has ever felt like they’re not good enough? We’ve all felt it, but Annie’s goal is to help shift that mindset. Join Annie as she talks finding your passion, recognizing your value, leading authentically, having grit, and knowing your purpose.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Arielle Levy, a photographer who works primarily with influencers and bloggers. Arielle took a photography class in high school, then put it off to the side – until she was in her 20s and finally decided to pursue her passion. She bought a digital camera off Craigslist and enrolled in a photography class to sharpen her skills. From there, the opportunities began to appear. Join Arielle and Annie as they talk surrounding yourself with encouragement, overcoming fear, valuing your skills, and putting in the time and effort to succeed.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Catherine, a blogger, Instagramer, and SC Sister. After almost losing her life to Lyme Disease, Catherine started an Instagram to share her story. From there, she launched a blog and used her platform to find her voice, and help be the catalyst for other women to find their voices, as well. Join Catherine and Annie as they talk sharing your story, figuring out how to connect, caring enough to be authentic, addressing the need to compete, and not giving away your power.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Amanda Berlin (check out Ep. 15 for her first visit!) returns for a sneak peek of her and Annie’s upcoming #SCCon18 at NYFW workshop: Media Exposure, Brand Deals, and Leveling Up. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why does publicity even matter?”, tune in for the answer! Join Annie and Amanda as they talk creating authentic connections, embracing collaboration, figuring out what you have to offer, and achieving your publicity goals.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Danielle Donovan, the founder of CHEERFIT, a fitness community for cheerleaders that inspires and motivates young athletes and parents from around the world through the power of fitness. Danielle was a gymnast and cheerleader her entire young life, then went on to cheer at Syracuse. She tore her ACL twice in three years – the first time, she opted for surgery, but the second time, she recovered solely through fitness. Join Danielle and Annie as they talk turning every challenge into an opportunity, surrounding yourself with positive people, navigating the challenges of a membership site, and bringing something unique to the table.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie shares the story of how she met her husband during a fateful encounter at Abercrombie. Meeting Mike after her mother’s death proved to Annie that everything happens for a reason, and that every major event in your life becomes another part of your story. Join Annie as she talks connecting the dots of your life, having a positive outlook, knowing there’s a greater purpose, and waiting for a new door to open.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Jamie Lieberman, the founder of Businessese and a partner at Hashtag-Legal, a law firm that specializes in working with influencers. Jamie has worked in influencer marketing since before influencers were even a thing, and she noticed a need for lawyers who spoke the language of influencers and truly understood the online space. Join Annie and Jamie as they talk doing things differently, having flexibility, trusting your gut, and maintaining boundaries.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie and her friend Emilia delve into the challenges of toxicity and harassment in the workplace – and explore ways to build confidence and be your authentic self, despite the bullying. Join Annie and Emilia as they talk being aware, holding people accountable, staying true to who you are, having a sense of purpose, turning negatives into positives, and knowing your feelings are valid.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Elizabeth Jeffer, founder of RozTayger.com. After studying Art History in college, Elizabeth wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life, but knew she’d always loved fashion and design. She bounced around the fashion world for many years, then when she hit middle-age and the fear of failure started to fade, she finally decided it was time to bite the bullet and open the store she’d always dreamed of. Join Annie and Elizabeth as they talk supporting others, balancing self-care with social life, focusing on the upside, using your values as your compass, and being your own cheerleader.
Today on Becoming Fearless, Annie Spano answers a frequently asked question: why have her and her husband decided not to have kids? Like most of us, Annie grew up being told that having kids was just what people were supposed to do. For years after she and her husband got married, between their finances and their busy lives, the time was never right to have kids. Eventually, they realized their goals for the future had simply changed. Join Annie as she tells her story and talks owning your path, reevaluating your goals, going rogue, and connecting the dots of your life.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Cara Alwill Leyba, author of the bestselling book Girl Code, and a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to empowering women and encouraging them to chase their dreams. Cara has always been passionate about writing, but took a detour and found herself working as a digital ad trafficker and wondering when she’d lost track of her dreams. When she realized it wasn’t too late to turn her life around (the change she needed came through a glass of champagne) she started a blog, became a life coach – and the rest is history. Join Annie and Cara as they talk detaching from the outcome, listening to your intuition, forging your own path, staying committed, and finding new friends everywhere.
Today on a special episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie welcomes back her very first podcast guest, Patricia, the world’s first style blogger. (Check out Ep. 2 to learn more about Patricia!) This time around, the tables are turned, as Patricia interviews Annie about her story – from teaching to unemployment to corporate work to grad school and finally, to Style Collective. Tune in as these #bossbabes talk having a growth mindset, creating collaborative spaces, valuing education, putting influencers first, overcoming fear, and making your dream happen.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Sandra Manton Mills, the photographer behind Her Creative Studio. Sandra creates styled images for woman entrepreneurs to use for websites, social media, and online marketing. Sandra left college after only one year, then started working in graphic design at a company which she eventually purchased and ran for seven years. Still, she knew it wasn’t what she really wanted to do with her life – and when one of her design clients was dissatisfied with the generic stock images available, Sandra decided to start taking the stock images herself. Join Annie and Sandra as they talk loving to learn, mastering new skills, letting go of balance, learning to say no, and having a need to create.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie is back for her second mini leadership lesson. In episode 56, Annie explored the basics of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. For her second lesson, Annie talks overcoming critics and haters by showing compassion, and managing your reputation as an influencer. Join Annie as she talks being self-aware, leveraging values, and learning not to criticize, condemn, or complain.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Demi Marchese, the LA-based Founder of 12th Tribe, an online women’s boutique selling globally inspired fashion. Fashion had always been Demi’s outlet and a way to express herself, but like many, she wasn’t sure what direction she wanted to take after graduation. After exploring her interests by shopping vintage and styling her friends, Demi decided to become an entrepreneur. Join Annie and Demi as they talk having a strong support system, bootstrapping a business, building a legacy, taking care of yourself, and pushing through a storm to see the rainbow.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie kicks off her new series of mini leadership lessons by discussing the importance of balancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivations – starting with what intrinsic and extrinsic actually mean. Join Annie as she explores the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, why it’s not good to focus too much on one or the other, and how to find a comfortable balance between the two.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Kaye Putnam, a psychology-driven brand strategist for entrepreneurs looking to scale their brands. Kaye got her degree in Marketing with a minor in Psychology and worked for a large company right out of college. But, with her husband’s job moving them every two years, she soon grew frustrated with having to bounce from job to job. She decided it was time to start her own online business, and after lots and lots of research, developed her business and defined her brand. Join Annie and Kaye as they talk becoming self-aware, defining your beliefs, honoring your genius, and taking criticism with grace.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Victoria Van Ness, a travel and lifestyle blogger and the owner of Cheat Sheet Co. Victoria realized college wasn’t the right fit for her before the end of her first semester, and soon after dropping out, she started her first blog while traveling with her boyfriend. After moving to New York, Victoria got a job at Bloglovin’, where she learned about social media and influencer marketing. Her experience at Bloglovin’ helped catapult her onto her current career path. Join Annie and Victoria as they talk having a unique viewpoint, sharing value, beating imposter syndrome, staying creative, and not being afraid to say no.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Elle Drouin, a New York-based product stylist, photographer, and content creator. Elle runs three different businesses: she creates custom branded imagery for beauty and lifestyle brands, runs the Styled Stock Society, and is the voice behind Mochi and the City. Elle started a career in corporate finance after school, but soon realized finance wasn’t for her. After working freelance as a consultant for a while, she realized she also didn’t want to consult full-time – but she recognized a need for stylish images for influencers and entrepreneurs and launched Styled Stock Society. Join Annie and Elle as they talk learning your industry, setting goals, being intentional, and realizing you’re irreplaceable.
This week on Becoming Fearless, Annie celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Style Collective podcast. Over the past year, we’ve heard from so many amazing, inspiring boss babes about their journeys. Today on the podcast, Annie shares the top ten lessons she’s learned from her guests about what it takes to become fearless. Join Annie as she talks building community, having a positive impact, taking risks, and never giving up.
What have you learned from our guests about becoming fearless? (And check out our giveaway to celebrate one year of the Becoming Fearless podcast! Details on Instagram @stylecollective_)
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Kali, the Founder of Blush Online Life Coaching, a platform that connects professional millennial women with online life coaches. With monthly subscription memberships ranging from $79 to $249, Blush allows women to get affordable, consistent life coaching. Kali and her team are all professional life coaches with Masters degrees in Counseling. Join Annie and Kali as they talk understanding your personality, building your skill-set, adding to your story, and figuring out what’s next.
This week, on a special episode of Becoming Fearless, Annie delivers her keynote speech at the first ever Style Collective Conference. On Saturday, April 14th, more than 45 SC Sisters gathered in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a two-day program of workshops, panels, networking, and more at this milestone SC event. Tune in while Annie kicks off the conference by exploring the true meaning of empowerment: the power, the right, or the authority to do something – something like starting a business, helping people, or changing lives.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Catherine Smith, the Founder and CEO of Plan de Ville, the online destination for luxury fashion by emerging designers. Catherine noticed the rise of emerging designers on Instagram and saw an opportunity to start an e-commerce store to meet the demand for these up-and-coming luxury designs. She launched the site in 2014 with a handful of emerging designers and has been growing it ever since. Join Annie and Catherine as they talk leveraging the media, celebrating what you’ve accomplished, asking for help, and having a strong support team.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Lauren Cecchi, a NYC-based handbag designer who started her namesake collection, Lauren Cecchi New York, five years ago. Lauren attended Lynn University for Business Administration with a specialization in Fashion. While in school, she got an internship as a Visual Stylist at Bloomingdale's, and after she graduated, she became a buyer for fifteen department stores. Still, in her gut she knew she wanted to be her own boss, so she started sketching and designing her own collection. Join Annie and Lauren as they talk learning as you go, standing out from the crowd, building authentic relationships, and being your own cheerleader.
This week on Becoming Fearless, Annie speaks to 100 NC State University Students about her journey to entrepreneurship. Join Annie as she shares her story and talks transformational leadership, the evolution of Style Collective, her tools of the trade, the upcoming SC Conference, the Instagram ecosystem, and more.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Kloudya Molina, the Founder of She Became Fearless, a website dedicated to empowering and inspiring women all over the world to become fearless. Kloudya pursued fashion blogging for a few years and leveraged the voice of her blog and the community she built to create a platform of resources and inspiration for women who want to chase their dreams. Join Annie and Kloudya as they talk finding your why, creating opportunities, having self-awareness, and being grateful.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Alexandria Agresta, one of the Purpose Pioneers, helping companies become purpose-driven and align their purpose with every aspect of their business. Alex started uncovering her personal purpose in college and realized she wanted to create communities where people can feel a sense of belonging and form real human connections. From there, she pursued entrepreneurship, forming Purpose Pioneers to help corporations create purpose-driven structures. Join Annie and Alex as they talk creating communities, communicating authentically, and finding meaning in everything you do.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Anna Wood, the Founder of Brains Over Blonde, a feminist lifestyle platform for women who refuse to choose between femininity and success. Anna has been an entrepreneurial type her whole life, and she recently realized she could impact more women through social media and content creation than she could through her corporate career. Now, for the past six months, Brains Over Blonde has provided free content, tools, and resources to empower women from all walks of life who don’t want to choose between having a high-power career and being themselves. Join Annie and Anna as they talk developing a support system, making the most of where you are, sharing your personal story, and hacking your way to success.
This week on Becoming Fearless, Annie sits down with Annah Todd and Jessie Undorfer, two #TeamSC members, to talk about their latest bossbabe book club pick, Girl Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Success, Sanity, and Happiness for the Female Entrepreneur, by Cara Alwill Leyba. Girl Code explores a variety of topics on every female entrepreneur’s mind, from realizing there’s enough success to go around, to how to deal with haters, and much more. Join Annie, Annah, and Jessie as they talk putting in the hard work, lifting others up, trusting your brilliance, having the freedom to be fearless, and focusing on compassion instead of competition.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Katie Willcox, Founder of Healthy is the New Skinny and Natural Model Management. In 2011, Katie met a man in LA who wanted to start his own modeling agency – and when she realized he had no idea what he was doing, she decided she could start her own agency, too. Her philosophy around the industry was unique; as a plus-size model who most consumers wouldn’t actually consider plus-sized, she knew the industry’s standards were skewed. Now, Katie works every day to inspire women to choose health over the damaging beauty ideal. Join Annie and Katie as they talk giving change time, honoring your natural self, being a role model, creating the life you want to live, and living your purpose and passion.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Katie Willcox, Founder of Healthy is the New Skinny and Natural Model Management. In 2011, Katie met a man in LA who wanted to start his own modeling agency – and when she realized he had no idea what he was doing, she decided she could start her own agency, too. Her philosophy around the industry was unique; as a plus-size model who most consumers wouldn’t actually consider plus-sized, she knew the industry’s standards were skewed. Now, Katie works every day to inspire women to choose health over the damaging beauty ideal. Join Annie and Katie as they talk giving change time, honoring your natural self, being a role model, creating the life you want to live, and living your purpose and passion.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Megan Tamte, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Evereve, a women’s fashion and styling brand. Founded in Minneapolis, Evereve now has 85 stores across the country, a website, and a subscription box styling service called Trendsend. After having her daughter, Megan wanted to stay relevant and modern, but struggled to find a fashion brand that understood her life as a mom. After one particularly horrible shopping experience in 1997, Megan had an idea to start a fashion brand that would help moms feel beautiful and powerful, and make fashion easy and accessible. The idea grew, and in 2004, Evereve opened its first store. Join Annie and Megan as they talk nurturing dreams, listening to yourself, finding joy in your customers, creating successful behaviors, and being willing to evolve.
On this special bonus episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Zoe Scharf, the Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Greetabl, an online gift-giving company. With a background in graphic design, Zoe thought her career would follow a pretty obvious path. Then, she met Greetabl’s other founder while working as a freelance graphic designer, and soon realized she wanted to be more than a designer – she wanted to be part of the company. Join Annie and Zoe as they talk building brand identity, learning to be an entrepreneur, applying skills in different ways, and keeping doors open.
This week on Becoming Fearless, meet Jeanette Johnson, author, and Founder of J’s Everyday Fashion. As an “OG” blogger, Jeanette wanted to explore fashion options more realistic and budget-friendly than what fashion magazines had to offer, and to be positive, uplifting, and inclusive for the everyday woman. When the recession hit and she lost her job, she began to monetize her blog, relying on her strong readership. Within a year, she was making five times what she’d been earning at her old job. Join Annie and Jeanette as they talk being inclusive, balanced, and vulnerable, and fitting faith into creativity.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet SC sister Lauren (Ell) Duclos, a beauty and lifestyle blogger and the founder of the Boss Girl Bloggers Facebook group. Elle was raised by a single mother, and growing up with a strong female role model inspired her to stray from the status quo and forge her own path. Since April 2017, she has grown her Facebook group to over 25,000 active members and filled her blog with inspiring content and blogging resources. Join Ell and Annie as they talk getting started, overcoming the fear of failure, learning from others every day, and searching for balance.
Today on Becoming Fearless, meet Cynthia Samanian, Founder and CEO of Confetti Kitchen, a culinary event studio for food, fashion, and general lifestyle brands. Confetti Kitchen started as a content site, publishing recipes and tutorials, then began building a brand around culinary pop-up events. After college, Cynthia worked for General Electric, where she was able to learn a lot about how large companies operate. Then, she attended Harvard for business school, which gave her the confidence to finally pursue her dreams of entrepreneurship. Join Annie and Cynthia as they talk connecting through food, building sustainable revenue, thinking outside the box, and leaving your mark on your industry.
This week on the podcast, Victoria and Vladimir join Annie and her husband Mike for a special power couple edition of Becoming Fearless! Victoria and Vladimir are partners in life and business, and together they founded the Mr. Collection and the Ms. Collection, personal styling subscription services for clothing and accessory rentals. Join Annie, Mike, Victoria, and Vladimir as they talk knowing your market, changing direction, and celebrating small victories.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Lori Riviere, the Founder of the Riviere Agency, a fashion and beauty PR, marketing, and consulting company with offices in NYC, LA, and Miami. While working her full-time job as a lawyer, Lori ran a fashion blog, and eventually began to leverage her blog to begin doing PR, planning, and organizing for fashion events in the Miami area. Lori bootstrapped her business, and in roughly eight years, she’s grown from a one-person side hustle to an agency with three business locations. Join Lori and Annie as they talk overcoming work bullies, making sacrifices, and visualizing success.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Lauren McGoodwin, the Founder and CEO of Career Contessa, a career development platform for women that provides company profiles, downloadable resources, and much more. Lauren’s non-linear career path led her to develop a side hustle, and then to grow that side hustle into a full-time business. Join Annie and Lauren as they talk taking risks, supporting other women, and owning up to the authentic struggles of entrepreneurship.
On our first 2018 episode of Becoming Fearless, Annie sits down to talk about the positive changes in her life since she said YES to herself and left her corporate job two years ago. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, 2015, Annie said goodbye to a toxic work environment and set out on a journey to reclaim her identity – a journey which eventually led her to Style Collective, Becoming Fearless, and much more.
Today on Becoming Fearless, Annie chats with Ashley Zeal, one half of the #bossbabe team behind Two Peas in a Prada. Ashley and her partner, Emily, instantly connected over their shared love of fashion and beauty. Emily introduced Ashley to the world of fashion blogs, and in 2014, they launched Two Peas in a Prada. Ashley taught high school English, but when she made more money in a month from the blog than from teaching, she decided to quit and pursue blogging full-time. Join Ashley and Annie as they talk being happy in your own skin, replacing negatives with positives, and doing what works for you.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie sits down with Erika, the podcast host behind Beauty and the Vlog. Erika comes from a business background, first working in commercial real estate, then starting an apparel line with her sister. But Erika had always been interested in interviewing and podcasting. When she discovered the YouTube beauty guru community, Erika decided to start a podcast of her own. Erika now works to inspire and mentor people who want to become influencers in all fields, from beauty to fitness. Join Erika and Annie as they talk visualizing success, having an impact, and focusing on what makes you happy.
This week on Becoming Fearless, Annie chats with Lizzie, the fashion and beauty blogger behind Lizzie in Lace. Lizzie always wanted to be a fashion designer. After declining offers from prestigious fashion schools for financial reasons, and attending a school for several months that turned out to be a scam, Lizzie majored in Art and Marketing at a local college. After graduating, Lizzie wanted a job that made her feel creative and inspired, so she started blogging. Join Lizzie and Annie as they talk creating your own success, evolving with your brand, and helping others realize their worth.
Today on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie sits down with Sarah Perkins, Co-Founder and CEO of DesignerShare. Sarah grew up loving fashion, but started a career as a lifestyle writer and editor after college. She was approached by a family friend looking to start a business in the share economy, and together they founded DesignerShare – a peer-to-peer clothing rental marketplace for women. Sarah found herself at a crossroads between her career as an editor and her life as an entrepreneur. She enjoyed her day job, but ultimately decided to pursue DesignerShare full-time. Join Annie and Sarah as they talk listening to your passions, taking things step by step, and leading with positivity.
On this episode of Becoming Fearless, meet Kelly Roach, a Business Growth Strategist dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their financial and growth goals. Kelly started working for a Fortune 500 company right out of school, and fell in love with sales. She was promoted seven times in eight years, and by the time she was in her late 20s, she was managing a team of 100 people. But Kelly didn’t feel like she was living up to her true potential. She decided to use her background to help entrepreneurs and small business owners, because she wanted to use her skills to make a difference. Join Annie and Kelly as they talk making strategic decisions, having integrity, and seeking your potential.
This week on the Becoming Fearless podcast, Annie sits down with Sarah Kugelman, Founder and CEO of Skyn Iceland. Twelve years ago, Sarah started to notice the movement toward health and wellness in the beauty industry. Inspired by her own health journey, Sarah founded Skyn Iceland, a skincare brand focused on the link between skin and stress. Join Annie and Sarah as they talk linking expertise with passion, staying connected with your industry, and knowing your limits.
On this episode of the Becoming Fearless podcast, meet Natasha Gregson Wagner, daughter of actress Natalie Wood, who was an American film and television actress. She was known for her screen roles in Miracle on 34th Street, Splendor in the Grass, Rebel Without a Cause, The Searchers, and West Side Story.
Natasha is an actress, a mother, and the #bossbabe behind the fragrance Natalie. You may recognize her from the movies High Fidelity, Two Girls and a Guy, Urban Legend, or Lost Highway, but what I love most about Natasha is how she leads with heart.
Natasha says the birth of her daughter helped her begin to heal after her mother’s death – and also got her thinking about the special connection between mothers and daughters. Natasha was inspired to create a fragrance that captured the memory of her mother. Join Natasha and Annie as they talk female empowerment, having faith, and speaking from your heart.
This week, meet Kristen Ley, founder, owner, and creative director of Thimblepress. Kristen majored in graphic design in college, then opened a design firm in Charleston, South Carolina. Kristen loved her job, but she longed to do something more out-of-the-box, and wanted to “get her hands messy” (aka, CREATE!). In need of a creative outlet, Kristen started an Etsy shop, which became the springboard for Thimblepress. Join Kristen and Annie as they talk trusting your gut, preventing burnout, and moving forward.
This week, Annie hi-jacks her own podcast to talk about overcoming comparison and learning compassion – a common conversational thread in many episodes of Becoming Fearless. Join Annie as she talks having empathy and leading with your heart every day.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
