Stay ConnectedBehind Her Empire is focused on highlighting self-made women leaders & entrepreneurs and how they tackle their career, money, family and life.
Each episode covers their unique journey and what it really takes to build an empire with key lessons learned along the way. The goal of the series is to empower you to see what’s possible & inspire you to create financial freedom in your own life.
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Copyright: © Yasmin Nouri
Durana Elmi is the Co-founder and COO of Cymbiotika, a high growth health and wellness company offering a range of products, including probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and more.
Durana’s inspiring journey began when she moved from Afghanistan to the US and defied all traditional expectations imposed on her being a woman. Determined to write her own narrative, Durana pursued higher education instead of marrying young, forging a successful corporate career in defiance of her father's wishes.
In our conversation, we explore the pivotal moment when Durana left her stable corporate job to embark on her first entrepreneurial venture. She candidly discusses the challenges and how she and her husband navigated this decision while raising a young daughter. Durana also walks through the valuable lessons she learned in her first business, which was in an entirely different industry, and how she applied these lessons to Cymbiotika.
We talk about the early days of Cymbiotika when it was just one product, the pivotal moments that helped propel the incredible growth, and the steps they’ve taken over the past few years to get the company to over $40 million in revenue. We also chat about the importance of self-love, the role positive affirmations have had on her life, and steps we can all take to truly manifest the life we want, and so much more.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Durana about:
* Durana’s childhood and upbringing as an immigrant from Afghanistan. [02:43]
* Importance of self-love and how Durana cultivated it in her own life early on. [04:12]
* Durana's relationship with her father and how she defied all traditional expectations for her. [09:00]
* The book 'Obstacles Welcome' by Ralph de la Vega and how Durana embodies its principles in her life. [14:00]
* Durana's turning point: leaving corporate America alongside her husband to start their first business. [17:24]
* The importance of creating your own story and having full control of your life. [20:15]
* The challenges of transitioning from corporate to starting her own business. [23:15]
* Durana's career journey and her evolving definition of success. [27:00]
* The transformation of Cymbiotika: from a supplement into a lifestyle brand. [31:27]
* How Cymbiotika went all in during the COVID pandemic. [39:33]
* The early stages of Cymbiotika and its journey toward Cymbiotika 2.0. [41:08]
* The significance of recruiting the right individuals and placing trust in their abilities. [45:49]
* It's all about the journey and having faith in the process. [47:55]
* Durana's daily routine and mindset for maintaining her mental health. [48:56]
* Manifesting life and practicing gratitude shape the ecosystem of your personal karma. [54:44]
This episode is brought to you by beeya:
* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.
* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Durana:
* Cymbiotika Website: https://www.cymbiotika.com
* Durana's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duranaelmi
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Have you ever tried meditating but couldn’t make it past 5 minutes without thinking about your dog or what’s for dinner? We have good news from today’s guest, Megan Monahan, who says meditation doesn’t have to look one way—and ANYONE can create an impactful practice that works just for them.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* How to actually redirect your thoughts
* Secrets to creating a consistent practice
* How to find your style of meditation
* Practical ways to bring mindfulness into your life
* How to transform stress and anxiety
* And more….
Meditation expert, mindset coach and best-selling author Megan Monahan is passionate about making meditation accessible and relatable. Her goal is to infuse a modern-day “realness” into the all too often esoteric landscape of meditation. Since learning to meditate in 2009 with Deepak Chopra and becoming a Chopra-certified instructor, she has taught thousands to meditate through her platform.
As a mindset coach and meditation guide, Megan is a senior educator at Unplug Meditation, works with brands like Asics, Goop, Chopra, Lululemon, Wix, Sweetgreen, Netflix and Facebook, and with clients internationally, always bringing her spiritual real talk. Her first book, Don’t Hate, Meditate was published in 2019 by TenSpeed Press.
This episode is brought to you by beeya:
* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.
* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Megan:
* Website: https://www.meganmonahan.com/
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megmonahan/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fawn Weaver is a serial entrepreneur and NYTimes bestselling author, and when she learned about the story of Uncle Nearest Green — the slave who taught Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey — she decided to create a company that would bring his legacy to life.
After learning about Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel's interconnected history, Fawn followed the story down to Tennessee, which led her to purchase the 300-acre farm in Lynchburg, Tennessee, where Nearest taught Jack how to distill. She initially thought of honoring Nearest's story with a book or movie, but decided the best way to preserve his legacy was with a bottle of the best Tennessee whiskey she could make. With no background in distilling, she threw herself into an industry mostly dominated by white men and a few major corporations. Since they launched, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey has become the fastest growing whiskey brand in US history, and has over $100+ million in revenue.
In our conversation, Fawn discusses the importance of confidence in leadership and success, and what we can all do today to build more confidence in our lives. She shares her early life challenges, from homelessness to suicidal thoughts, and how she overcame the toughest of times and the biggest learnings she had along the way. Fawn talks about the serendipity around her launching her business and the biggest factors that have helped create the incredible growth they’ve seen, and so much more.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Fawn about:
* How Fawn has cultivated her confidence in the darkest of times. [02:51]
* Faith's role in Fawn's confidence. [04:40]
* Practical approach to how Fawn overcomes any fear in her life. [06:05]
* Handling bad days; giving herself space and having a pray-first approach in everything. [09:58]
* Fawn's most impactful experience: Leaving home at 15, third homeless shelter. [15:37]
* Fawn's perspective on boundaries and outgrowing people. [26:06]
* The pivotal moment when Fawn learned about Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel's interconnected history and how it inspired her journey. [30:28]
* Fawn's whiskey venture epiphany without prior experience. [39:32]
* Having an all-women leadership team in a male-dominated spirits industry. [41:51]
* Early brand awareness tactics and business growth factors. [46:34]
* Fawn’s experience fundraising and how she managed the rejections early on. [50:23]
* Finding the gem inside failure and how it builds confidence and strength. [56:49]
* The importance of knowing your "Why” when it comes to starting a business. [58:49]
This episode is brought to you by beeya:
* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.
* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Fawn:
* Uncle Nearest Website: https://unclenearest.com/
* Uncle Nearest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unclenearest/
* Fawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fawn.weaver/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
If you’re thinking about conceiving, have a diagnosis of PCOS or endometriosis, have experienced miscarriages or are anxious about pregnancy, this episode is for you. We sat down with our medical advisor and fertility expert, Dr. Corina Dunlap, to discuss the who, what, when and how as it relates to preparing the body for a baby.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* How to optimize your health before conceiving
* When you should start preparing your body
* Why fertility doesn’t just fall on women
* What to eat during preconception
* How men can support their sperm health
Dr. Corina Dunlap is a licensed naturopathic doctor (ND) and women’s health and hormone specialist. She is the creator of Health by Design, a deeply personalized women’s healthcare program, and The Healthy Hormones Method, a transformational framework for women. Specializing in the treatment of conditions that range from irregular periods to PMS, thyroid imbalances, endometriosis, pelvic pain, and menopause, she is an internationally recognized expert in natural fertility optimization and women’s health at all stages of life. Dr. Dunlap is a clinician, researcher, educator, and speaker.
This episode is brought to you by beeya:
* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.
* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Dr. Corina:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcorinadunlap/
* Website: https://drcorinadunlap.com/
Get Dr. Dunlap’s NEW Preconception by Design course: https://www.healthbydesignnaturopathicllc.com/preconceptionbydesign
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this week's episode we're re-airing one of our top episodes with Sarah Gibson Tuttle, the CEO and founder of Olive & June, an innovative at-home nail-care brand that's disrupting the industry.
Risking everything you have to pursue a dream can be the scariest but most rewarding thing a person can do in their life. Today’s guest has done just that.
Sarah spent a decade in equity sales trading at Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan. She never thought she'd become an entrepreneur until her love for Drybar inspired her to create the same thing, but for nails. Although everybody thought her idea was crazy, Sarah was confident it would work and put all her savings into the first flagship store. Olive & June is now successfully democratizing nail care with their full suite of at-home mani and pedi products.
In today's episode, we talk about how life's curveballs can be the biggest gift to sending you on a new path to rediscover your purpose and Sarah explains what it was like for her to ditch her safe corporate job to follow her passions, what kept her in her previous job for so long, and how her divorce added to her motivation to shake things up. She also shares the fears and imposter syndrome she overcame on the journey and the importance of therapy in her personal and professional life.
Tuning in, you’ll hear how Sarah got funding, how she built a strong community around her brand, and how she has successfully pivoted over the years (especially during COVID). She also shares the importance of delegating and how, as a wife, mother, and entrepreneur, she manages it all. For a very vulnerable real conversation on what it takes to build a multimillion-dollar company from scratch, tune in today!
In this episode, we’ll talk to Sarah about:
* Overcoming career leap obstacles. [03:27]
* Sarah's enduring passion through entrepreneurial challenges. [05:31]
* Sarah's lengthy tenure as an equity sales trader. [08:52]
* How divorce spurred her to shake things up. [12:25]
* Building connections, embracing resistance. [17:38]
* Therapy, empathy, and the impact of divorce. [22:50]
* Overcoming fear and investing life savings. [26:03]
* Creating a brand community. [29:02]
* Balancing vision and adaptability. [37:05]
* Olive & June's pandemic pivot and community support. [38:09]
* Sarah's fundraising approach and investor relations. [40:32]
* Valuable investment advice appreciated in hindsight. [44:18]
* Juggling different life aspects. [48:22]
* Team-building, delegation, and relinquishing control. [52:39]
This episode is brought to you by beeya:
* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.
* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Sarah:
* Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gibsontuttle/
* Olive & June Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliveandjune/
* Olive & June website: https://oliveandjune.com/
* Get 20% off your first nail system - use code: BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are you always fighting cravings? Or in a never ending battle with your weight? In today’s episode, we sat down with a Registered Dietitian to get to the bottom of weight loss woes, popular advice, Ozempic, hunger cues and everything you need to know if your goal is to lose and maintain your weight—without depriving yourself.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* How to take back your relationship with food
* Most common weight loss MISTAKES
* How to maintain weight in perimenopause
* The truth about taking Ozempic
* How to STOP sugar cravings fast
* Why your hunger cues are off
Kim Shapira M.S., R.D. is a celebrity dietitian (Kaley CuoCo, Brittney Snow, Marla Sokoloff and many more), nutritional therapist, and author of This is What You're Really Hungry For releasing July 25th, 2023. With a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Tulane University and a Master’s degree in Human Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition from Boston University. Kim has spent over 25 years helping people lose weight and keep it off (with a giant emphasis on keeping it off), both in her private Los Angeles practice as well as in hospitals, sports clinics, addiction centers and universities around the States.
Kim Shapira has been at the forefront of nutrition therapy since the early 2000s, helping clients to truly understand their relationship with their bodies and correcting life long negative behaviors. Kim has been featured in Yahoo! News, Vanity Fair, Pop Sugar, Sky News, Just Jenny, Dr. Drew and many more.
This episode is brought to you by beeya:
* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.
* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Kim:
* Website: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimshapiramethod/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this week's episode we're re-airing one of our top episodes with Nicole Gibbons, the founder of Clare, the only Black-owned paint brand in the US, and is a favorite of Jessica Alba, Maria Sharapova, and Nate Berkus to name a few.
Before pursuing interior design, Nicole spent nearly a decade managing PR for one of the world’s largest retail brands, Victoria's Secret. Although she was excelling in her career, Nicole felt uninspired and was looking for a new outlet for her creativity. She started working on a decorating blog on the side that ultimately gained serious traction and led her into the path of interior design.
After working as a designer and establishing herself as a voice in the industry, Nicole decided to do another career pivot and had a yearning to build something that would be a household name. When working with clients, she always noticed the hassle around picking paints and saw an opportunity to disrupt the outdated paint industry and create a direct-to-consumer business that makes the entire process a way better experience.
Nicole has been featured in top media outlets such as HGTV, The Rachael Ray Show, Good Morning America, and Oprah Winfrey’s OWN. She's also raised venture capital from the backers of Warby Parker, Casper, Peloton, and more.
We talk to Nicole today about the power of patience when it comes to building your business, how to think about your finance before you take the leap, how she raised money and built a tech business with zero connections to start, and so much more!
In this episode, we'll talk to Nicole about:
* Nicole's thoughts on confidence and the nature of risk and reward in entrepreneurship. [3:09]
* The familial links that Nicole has to entrepreneurship and her early corporate career. [4:30]
* Nicole's side hustle journey: pursuing passion while employed. [6:06]
* How the blog organically evolved from a passion project into a business. [8:12]
* Patience and consistency fueled Nicole's transition to full-time interior design. [10:01]
* Foregoing the safety of paychecks and betting on yourself. [13:16]
* Nicole's second pivot; executing on her research and ideas. [20:48]
* How networking has played into Nicole's strategy throughout. [24:45]
* Entering the world of venture capital; Nicole's philosophy towards funding. [27:13]
* Advice for approaching investors; asking questions and due diligence. [34:57]
* Sharing the story of your brand and creating a common thread through everything you do. [37:31)
* Nicole's key resources: community, questions, and more. [41:29]
* Nicole's thoughts on the idea of work-life balance and welcoming different seasons. [46:18]
* Lessons from the early days of hiring for a new company. [49:28]
This episode is brought to you by beeya:
* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.
* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Nicole:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolegibbonsstyle
* Clare's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarepaint
* Clare Website: https://www.clare.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can you imagine never taking painkillers on your period again?! We’re here to tell you that it’s possible. In today’s episode of Hormone Happy Hour, Dr. Saru Bala shares time-tested secrets to hormone health and having happy periods every month.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* PMS hacks if you don’t want to use painkillers
* How to know if your period is heavy
* What can lead to estrogen dominance
* The impact of stress on gut health
* How to dial in sleep for healthy hormones
Dr. Bala is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor with a degree from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. Prior to attending medical school, she received her Bachelor's degree in Neurobiology from the University of Texas at Austin. She has done extra training in the areas of women’s health and naturopathic endocrinology. Her primary focus is on managing chronic hormonal issues such as PMS, period pain, heavy bleeding, fibroids, endometriosis, Hashimoto's, fertility, and other women's hormonal health concerns.
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Dr. Saru:
* Website: https://www.drsarubala.com/
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarubala
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this week's episode we're re-airing one of our top episodes with Amy Liu, the founder and CEO of Tower 28, a beauty company inclusive of all skin tones, skin types, budgets, and beauty philosophies.
For over 15 years, Amy Liu worked as a beauty executive at some of the fastest-growing prestige companies, including Smashbox, Kate Somerville and Josie Maran Cosmetics. But as a longtime eczema sufferer, she couldn’t even enjoy the best part of working in the beauty industry: trying out all the products! Even the clean alternatives were super expensive or too clinical, like they were coming straight from the doctor’s office. Amy saw this white space as an opportunity, and set out to create Tower 28. Tower 28 is the first beauty brand that’s 100 percent clean, vegan, and free of every known skin irritant.
We talk to Amy about how she thought about the risk she was talking in starting her career with a successful corporate career under her belt, three kids and a mortgage. Amy also shares her perspective on why there's never a “right time” to get started, why we should never fall into the trap of comparison, the power of fostering real relationships in life and in business, and so much more.
In this episode, we'll talk to Amy about:
* Where Amy’s aversion to risk originated. [3:26]
* Why Amy chose to become an entrepreneur in the beauty space. [7:59]
* An overview of Amy’s career prior to founding Tower 28. [8:50]
* How working for other companies before starting her own has benefitted Amy. [16:08]
* Amy shares her motivation for quitting her full-time job and offers advice to mothers with similar concerns. [18:33]
* The conversation that changed the course of Amy’s life. [22:50]
* Value that lies in talking openly about what you want to achieve. [25:36]
* The importance of reputation. [29:02]
* Amy's unique approach to founding Tower 28 compared to her previous three ventures. [30:01]
* What differentiates Tower 28 from other brands. [32:56]
* Amy’s thoughts on overcoming fears around entering a saturated market. [34:02]
* The ultimate goal that Amy had when she founded Tower 28. [37:30]
* How Amy incorporates her values into her brand. [38:36]
* Amy explains the approach that she took to growing Tower 28. [46:40]
* How her experience of building Tower 28 has changed the way Amy looks at life. [50:03]
* Exploring business challenges and rewards. [51:30]
* Amy's wisdom for fulfilling life as a female founder. [56:15]
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10.
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Amy:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyliu_t28/
* Tower 28 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tower28beauty/
* Website: https://www.tower28beauty.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Did you know that only 12% of Americans are considered metabolically healthy?! That’s 1 in 8 people. Blood sugar has implications for our energy, focus, weight, mental health—and yes, hormone balance. So basically, blood sugar is relevant to all of us. We sat down with one of the foremost experts on this very topic and co-founder of metabolic health company Levels, Dr. Casey Means, to ask questions submitted by YOU, our beeya community.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* The top 5 foods to eat for metabolic health
* How blood sugar shifts during women’s cycles
* The best way to optimize blood sugar throughout your cycle
* What waking up at night could mean about your health
* Blood sugar hacks you need to know for everyday life
* And more…
Casey Means, MD is a Stanford-trained physician, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of metabolic health company Levels. Her mission is to maximize human potential and reverse the epidemic of preventable chronic disease by empowering individuals with tech-enabled tools that can inform smart, personalized, and sustainable dietary and lifestyle choices. Dr. Means’ perspective has been recently featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The New Yorker, Men's Health, Women's Health, and more.
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Follow Dr. Casey:
* Website: https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/author/caseymeans
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcaseyskitchen/
Head over to levels.link/BEHINDHEREMPIRE to get a special Levels offer!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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