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
In this week’s episode, we’re mixing things up again! We're doing another behind-the-scenes podcast on my journey as an entrepreneur and podcast host!
So this week, just like I’ve done before, I’ve handed over the mic to my husband, Dhru Purohit, who’s graciously stepping into the role of host.
Our behind-the-scenes episode series has been one of the most listened-to of all time so I'm hoping today's topic brings a lot of value to you!
Here are just a few of the topics we’ll be covering:
As always, I’d love to get your thoughts on the episode, and hear your feedback! DM me or email me at yasmin@behindherempire.com - I’m always looking for ways to add value and help inspire you!
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://beeyawellness.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Have you ever had a health goal in mind but you can’t seem to take the steps to get there? This episode is for you. Dr. Anjali Dsouza is our guest today, and in this episode we dive into ways for busy women to set up healthy habits and much much more.
In this episode you’ll learn….
* The connection between the gut microbiome and your hormones
* How to build a healthy gut microbiome
* Why your schedule matters and how to set yourself up for success
* How to eat a hormone healthy diet
* And more….
Dr. Anjali Dsouza is an integrative and functional medicine doctor specifically interested in helping high-achieving but overscheduled women achieve their best health. She runs a practice in DC called the District Center for Integrative Medicine, and she can be found on Instagram @anjalidsouzamd.
Dr. Dsouza also runs a private network, Your Goddess Health Unleashed, for women interested in coming together and learning about maximizing their health outcomes.
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 Dr. Dsouza:
* Website: https://dcimedicine.com/dr-anjali-dsouza/
* Dr. Dzousa's Your Goddess Health Unleashed Program: https://members.yourgoddesshealthunleashed.com/
* Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/dranjalidsouza/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hard work, a good heart, and good intentions will get you everywhere. This week’s guest, Eilyn Jiminez believes that authenticity should always rule, and it shows. She’s the star of the hit Netflix show, Designing Miami, and the Founder and Director of Sire Design, an all-woman luxury interior design studio based in Miami.
Eilyn’s journey to success has been anything but straightforward, starting out in the legal field before finding her true passion in the world of architecture and interior design. While you may have heard the highlights of her story on CNN, NBC, or E!, she joins us today to give us an authentic look at her story.
Eilyn shares her insights on how to garner the courage to go after your dreams, despite any setbacks you may face. She’s big on patience, hard work, and kindness, and shares how her parents’ immigrant mentality has influenced her mindset. You’ll hear what she does to push through insecurity and fear, and what motivates her to forge ahead even when it’s hard.
We also get a behind-the-scenes look into her Netflix show, her thoughts around family planning, and the importance of really doubling down on your authentic self & tips on how to do that, and so much more.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Eilyn about:
* What differentiates those who have the courage to go after their goals and dreams. [03:15]
* The secret weapon of hard work. [05:22]
* How Eilyn’s parents’ immigrant mindset has influenced her thinking. [09:15]
* How her interests shifted from law to creative pursuits as she grew older. [12:24]
* The role of Eilyn’s community in embracing her desire to live differently. [19:59]
* The importance of having a ‘why’ beyond just getting rich. [23:00]
* How Eilyn experienced the period of her life where she was working for other people. [26:22]
* What the early phases of Eilyn’s business looked like. [30:53]
* Self-validation and acknowledging your achievements. [34:37]
* Eilyn’s advice for the days when you aren’t operating at 100%. [37:41]
* The unexpected events that led to Eilyn and her husband starring in a Netflix show. [42:05]
* Working in a similar industry to your spouse. [48:43]
* Navigating family pressure to start a family while building a business. [52:12]
* What’s next for Eilyn. [55:15]
Follow Eilyn:
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Have you heard of the cycle syncing craze?
This method uses our menstrual cycle to help us plan our diet, exercise routine, social calendar, and more. This means our cycles can actually be our super power!
Women’s hormones are dynamic and constantly changing throughout the month. How we feel and show up in our bodies and the world shifts with the fluctuations of our hormones. Our guest, Alisa Vitti has come up with a way to use these ebbs and flows to our advantage.
Alisa Vitti is a pioneer of female biohacking, and a women’s hormone and functional nutrition expert. As a researcher and author, Vitti has published 2 best-selling and beloved books WomanCode and In the FLO. She uncovered the Infradian Rhythm and created The Cycle Syncing Method which has become a viral wellness movement on social with 125M #cyclesyncing. As one of the earliest femmetech entrepreneurs, she has built the next gen hormone care platform for women through her company FLO Living via its programs, supplements and top ranked hormone care app – MyFLO with its patented technology to help you get to the root causes of your symptoms.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* Why cycle syncing matters and how to start today
* Why women need to prioritize self care and what that looks like
* How most research in diet and exercise is done on men and why that matters
* Why we need to have reverence for our miraculous bodies
* And more
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
Follow Alisa:
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Shilpa Shah is the Co-Founder of Cuyana, a fashion brand that marries luxury-level branding with premium quality apparel and accessories, offering "fewer, better things" to women at accessible price points.
Shilpa spent the first part of her career designing web and mobile interfaces for Fortune 500 companies. Although she was passionate about design, it wasn't until she was pregnant with her first son that she felt empowered to do more in her life. Unsure what the right next step was, Shilpa decided to apply to business school at 32 while having a 2½-year-old at home. Good thing she did because through the process, she met her co-founder Karla and they were inspired to create an affordable luxury direct-to-consumer brand - which might sound like the norm now but they were true pioneers in this space in 2011.
Today, they’ve grown their SF based company profitably despite taking funding of more than $30million dollars. Cuyana has been recognized as one of the most innovative companies in America and continues to have a loyal base of customers and a strong celebrity-following.
We’ll talk to Shilpa about building a strong brand that is largely driven by word of mouth, why the concept of work life balance is BS, and how they’ve navigated multiple challenges from raising money from investors to restructuring their business in the pandemic environment that we're in.
In this episode, we'll talk to Shilpa about:
* How Shilpa has intertwined the creative and analytical sides of her personality. [5:47]
* What prompted Shilpa to go to business school at age 32 was a desire to do more. [8:09]
* Balancing being the primary caretaker and the primary breadwinner. [11:52]
* One of the mistakes co-founders make in selecting one another is looking for someone similar to them. [15:49]
* How the direct-to-consumer concept arose from a desire to build a fashion brand. [17:37]
* The value of setting clear boundaries for what you can and cannot compromise on in business. [19:59]
* Focusing on supply chain and the business model in the first two years of Cuyana. [20:36]
* What makes building businesses difficult is taking the time to figure out what works. [23:52]
* How Shilpa came to understand the right messaging for her customers which was critical in the brand’s growth. [24:4013]
* Educating their customers on Cuyana's “fewer, better things” concept. [28:00]
* Why staying close to your customer and seeing how they interact with your product is key. [29:54]
* Fundraising in the early days and why understanding the business is the true first step. [31:27]
* Hear Shilpa’s analogy for sustainability in a tech company and why Cuyana’s focus was always on profitability. [33:46]
* Getting male investors to understand their concept during the fundraising process. [35:44]
* Despite all the challenges, Shilpa and Carla never gave themselves the option of quitting. [40:39]
* How Shilpa and Carla’s entrepreneurship was received by their immigrant parents. [42:12]
* Why it is essential – as an entrepreneur – to become comfortable with failure. [45:27]
* Discover Shilpa’s perspective on work-life balance – and why she thinks balance is BS. [46:33]
* Shilpa’s advice for female founders with families: Make sure you’re solving the right problem. [50:33]
* Some challenges Cuyana has faced and how Shilpa and Carla overcame them. [53:06]
* Some of the key takeaways that helped propel Cuyana forward, like thinking quickly. [55:20]
Follow Shilpa:
* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shilparshah/
* Cuyana Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuyana/
* Cuyana Website: https://www.cuyana.com/
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Starting this week I’m launching a brand new health series called Hormone Happy Hour with Kaya Purohit, my co-host on this series and my co-founder in Beeya Wellness.
Every Wednesday Hormone Happy Hour will feature an in-depth interview with a leading women’s health expert.
Each expert will teach you, step by step, how to eat, think, and move in a way that is designed to help you feel great and create an abundance of energy in your life so you can build your own empire.
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Stephanie Estima, Founder of Hello Betty – a community centered around female empowerment through health and business coaching. She is a doctor of chiropractic with a special interest in metabolism, body composition, functional neurology, and female physiology.
She is the Host of the Better! Podcast With Dr. Stephanie, featuring the world’s leading voices on health and wellness. As the creator of her signature, female-centric ketogenic protocol, The Estima Diet™, Dr. Stephanie has helped over 10,000 women worldwide regulate hormones, reduce adiposity, and get off medications in the perimenopause stage and beyond.
Following the success of The Estima Diet™, Dr. Stephanie released a best-selling book, “The Betty Body,” where she shares her proven strategies to help women jumpstart and calibrate their metabolism, revive their libidos, rest guilt-free, and elevate their emotional wellbeing.
In this episode you’ll learn:
• How to make gains during your fitness routine throughout your menstrual cycle
• The difference between the male and female brain and why women need sex more than men
• What to expect during perimenopause and how to make it more manageable
• The role of estrogen in our bodies
• And so much more
Follow beeya:
Follow Dr. Stephanie:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gala Darling is a bestselling author, speaker, professional optimist, and self-proclaimed tapping queen.
For over a decade, Gala has been a leader in promoting radical self-love. She offers a powerful collection of tools and techniques that have empowered millions of women to discover their voice, overcome fear, and fall in love with life.
Gala is also an expert in EFT tapping, an energy psychology technique that she has utilized to manifest her own dream life and conquer limiting beliefs. Her work has been recognized and featured in major publications such as Vogue, The New York Times, and Cosmopolitan, among others.
In this interview, Gala shares her inspiring journey of using tapping to heal from an eating disorder and depression. She also walks us through different techniques around manifestation and how it can help change your perspective, conquer obstacles, and transform your life.
Gala’s energy is infectious – she’s so real, relatable and gives such great tactical advice on how to manifest the dream life, relationship, and career you want – I know you’re going to leave this interview feeling so inspired.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Gala about:
* Some of the top limiting beliefs that get in the way of women’s success. [02:08]
* What Gala’s “spiritual grandparents” taught her about being radically unique. [04:32]
* Why you can never please everyone all the time. [06:44]
* How your socialization impacts your beliefs about what is possible. [09:03]
* Challenges Gala faced growing up and how she used EFT tapping to set herself free. [14:42]
* A look at what tapping is, how it works, and how to use it to change your beliefs. [18:38]
* How Gala discovered that the more fun she had, the more successful she was. [22:56]
* Insight into Gala’s career journey and how she evolved with her brand. [24:40]
* How she overcame her own insecurities and fears of failure. [32:26]
* The power of manifestation using Gala’s three-part Magical Morning Practice! [34:46]
* Priming yourself for your dream relationship versus forcing it to happen. [41:30]
* Tips to help you expand your own boundaries and think bigger. [47:08]
* What Gala means when she says that “feeling good is her job.” [50:00]
* Why it’s so important to have contrast and feel pain. [57:41]
* A reminder that your time is limited, but it’s never too late to change how you feel! [1:01:30]
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 Gala:
* Gala Darling: https://galadarling.com/
* Gala Darling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galadarling/
* Gala Darling YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT84ANHs5N3eGWPAX2Sg8ZA
* Radical Self-Love: A Guide to Loving Yourself and Living Your Dreams: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Self-Love-Gala-Darling-ebook/dp/B0170HFG90
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lisa Sequino is the co-founder and CEO of JLo Beauty & Lifestyle, a brand she founded alongside Jennifer Lopez that is focused on making self-care more simple with high-performance products that deliver incredible results for an inner and outer glow - at any age.
Although Lisa is a beauty veteran, her path was anything but straightforward. She always had a love for beauty but never realized how to make it a career. She had plans to be an attorney, ended up dropping out of law school, and found a sales job that introduced her to the world of business. She spent eight years at Proctor & Gable, then ultimately got her dream job at Estee Lauder as an executive at Tom Ford Beauty. After spending nearly a decade at Estee Lauder, and running the Estee Lauder Brands in North America, Lisa started questioning everything in life and was feeling unfulfilled despite having an incredible career.
We talk to Lisa about how she garnered the courage to leave her corporate career, the questions she asked herself along the way, and how turning 40 was a huge wake-up call for her both personally and professionally. We also discuss what nobody tells you about the transition from leaving corporate to starting your own business, and what skills you should hold onto and let go of.
Lisa also shares a behind-the-scenes look at her serendipitous meeting with JLo, their relationship as co-founders, and how they came together to create a business that makes women feel confident, empowered, and beautiful both inside and out, and so much more.
* A warm welcome and introduction to today’s guest, Lisa Sequino. [00:48]
* Lisa’s childhood desire for making money and setting her own path. [03:50]
* How Lisa teaches her son the value of hard work. [05:13]
* Why Lisa started and dropped out of law school. [07:12]
* Lisa’s ‘lightbulb’ beauty moment. [10:42]
* Why beauty is a more difficult industry than the media portrays. [11:50]
* Lisa’s experiences working in healthcare, specifically with digestible products. [13:25]
* Why hard work is a necessity in a successful career. [20:56]
* The questions Lisa started asking after she turned 40. [22:40]
* What Lisa wanted after quitting her job: creating a space for women over 40 in beauty. [28:05]
* How, when, and why Lisa and J-Lo connected so well. [29:15]
* Ways J-Lo is pushing and challenging Lisa in her career. [34:35]
* The entrepreneurial mindset shifts and changes Lisa experiences. [36:23]
* Examples of how Lisa and J-Lo work together as co-founders. [37:54]
* The reality and challenges of partnering with J-Lo. [41:00]
* How JLo Beauty and Lifestyle has been mindful of broader economic changes. [43:49]
* Why understanding your customer is the most important aspect of your business. [46:50]
* What Lisa let go of while transitioning from the corporate to entrepreneurial world. [52:59]
* It is time to incorporate fun into your life! [57:30]
* How Lisa manages her time and finds joy. [1:01:53]
* Lisa’s closing words of wisdom. [1:05:10]
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 Lisa:
* Instagram: https://www.jlobeauty.com/
* Website: https://www.instagram.com/jlobeauty/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Denise Woodard is the founder and CEO of Partake Foods, an allergy-friendly snack company.
Denise's journey began back in 2016, while juggling a day job and the new role of mom to a daughter with multiple food allergies. Frustrated by the lack of tasty options available for her little one, she took the advice of her babysitter and decided to "do something about it." From there, Partake Foods was born.
Denise started creating recipes in her home kitchen and began selling cookies out of her car to get the word out about her business. With no prior experience in the food industry, Denise had a lot to learn and made mistakes along the way. However, she was determined to make it work, and self-funded the business using all of her savings and even selling her engagement ring to make ends meet.
As the business grew, Denise knew she needed more funding to take it to the next level. So, she set out on a fundraising journey and dealt with many rejections that eventually led her to the right partner, Jay-Z's venture fund, Marcy Venture Partners. To date, she has raised up to $19M, making her the first Black woman to raise over $1 Million publicly for a CPG food startup.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Denise about:
* Denise shares what she thinks is holding people back from pursuing their biggest goals and dreams. [02:47]
* How Denise’s parents shaped her identity and who she is today. [04:39]
* Her parents’ definitions of success and how they have influenced her perspective. [06:40]
* What Denise would have done differently during her time working for corporate companies including Coca-Cola. [08:01]
* How her entrepreneurial nature expressed itself at different points in her career. [0:10:22]
* The benefits of working on side hustles while employed by Coca-Cola. [11:28]
* What big brands can’t recreate no matter how much money they have. [12:30]
* The scary incident in 2016 that motivated Denise to solve a problem for her daughter. [18:08]
* How Denise’s nanny, Martha, motivated her to take the plunge and create a business. [20:04]
* The early days of Partake Foods and overcoming challenges. [21:32]
* Barriers to entry in the food allergy consumer market. [28:51]
* How their product list has changed over time. [29:48]
* Raising money beyond bootstrapping. [30:13]
* The panic attack that led to a different approach to managing stress and burnout. [33:11]
* Investors that initially said no and later came back wanting to participate. [37:11]
* Fundraising advice for other entrepreneurs. [37:55]
* The power of a warm intro. [38:53]
* Why it is a mistake to try to grow too quickly. [39:40]
* How she learned to appreciate and savor the journey. [40:20]
* What’s keeping Denise up at night at this stage of the business. [42:26]
* How Denise involves her daughter in the business as chief taste tester. [45:12]
* Advice for women balancing life at home with running a business. [47:25]
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 Denise:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/partakefoods/
* Website: https://partakefoods.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lele Sadoughi is the founder of her namesake accessories brand, Lele Sadoughi.
Lele had over a decade of experience in the fashion industry before beginning her entrepreneurial journey, allowing her to give us meaningful insight into how she has built her own successful brand. Breaking into the industry with few connections (well before the world of emailing CVs), Lele has had endless opportunities to discover her strengths and weaknesses, and build her skills in operations and sales: the revenue drivers in any business.
Lele explains where her confidence comes from, how she has found the inspiration to jump into new opportunities, and the impact of having faith in herself and her abilities. Looking at typical entrepreneurial traits, we see how Lele’s non-perfectionist personality has allowed her to be nothing other than successful.
Lele shares personal stories of her marriage, motherhood, and juggling it all while building a brand she was passionate about. You’ll hear about the changes in challenges throughout the last 10 years, the worth-it successes, and the different methods Lele uses to stay organized. Lele describes the sacrifices and triumphs, discusses managing realistic expectations, and tells stories of all her experiences in between!
"In this episode, we’ll talk to Lele about:
* Why there is never a right time to go after your dreams and goals. [02:25]
* How Lele managed to have two children while starting her business [03:58]
* The early days of Lele’s jewelry brand. [05:00]
* How Lele jugglers her entrepreneurial, managerial, and designer duties [05:51]
* Lele’s upbringing as a creative, art-loving individual. [07:20]
* Lele’s early years after college, breaking into the fashion industry. [09:57]
* The transition from fashion into jewelry. [12:38]
* Lele’s insecurities while starting her career. [15:00]
* How to continually and successfully foster your creativity. [19:43]
* What Lele learned from working at companies like J.Crew. [21:38]
* When Lele decided to transition into owning her own jewelry brand. [24:00]
* Lele’s advice for women who struggle to balance their business and personal lives. [25:32]
* How Lele has managed her non-perfectionist personality. [27:40]
* Headbands: the standout moments of growth for Lele’s brand. [29:47]
* Factors that helped Lele’s business grow. [31:00]
* How to think about future innovation and growth. [32:47]
* Lele’s zone of genius: where her inspiration comes from. [33:50]
* Lele’s opinions on funding, wholesale, and business size. [34:41]
* Who (and how many people) to hire when starting your business. [37:21]
* Three skills Lele would have learned earlier in life. [39:17]
* The greatest lessons for an entrepreneur. [40:40]
* Lele’s closing thoughts and advice. [43:00]
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 Lele:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lele_sadoughi/
* Website: https://www.lelesadoughi.com/es/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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